Music in Corrales has donated $10,000 to help restore the historic Old San Ysidro Church, where the organization has held concerts for nearly four decades.
Half of the donation — $5,000 — serves as a challenge grant to encourage additional contributions to the Corrales Historical Society’s ROCK Fund, which supports the church’s restoration.
The 19th-century church is owned by the Village of Corrales, but the historical society manages its operations and maintenance. What began as a $290,000 state-funded project to replaster the church’s interior walls expanded significantly after workers discovered structural and electrical problems beneath the old plaster.
The village committed an additional $200,000 to address the unforeseen issues, while the historical society contributed $35,000 from its existing ROCK Fund. The additional work creates an opportunity to install air conditioning and heating systems, making the building more comfortable for year-round use.
“The Old Church is the heart of Corrales history and culture,” said John Schumann, president of Music in Corrales. “The power of music helps strengthen the social fabric of our community, so we have taken this step to reaffirm our commitment to the people of Corrales and to the historic Old San Ysidro Church.”
Construction began earlier this summer on the restoration project.
Community members can contribute by sending checks payable to “CHS ROCK Fund” to P.O. Box 1051, Corrales, NM 87048, or by donating online at www.corraleshistory.org. Donors should note that contributions are for the Music in Corrales campaign.
The Corrales Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Progress photos of the restoration work are available on the organization’s website.