TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW — St. Andrew's Church and Country Day School are now closed and the parish held a final sale this week, giving people a chance to get some great deals and also say goodbye.
After 80 years of worship, the church held its final mass earlier this summer.
"I could not miss this day. It was, it was the foundation of how I grew up to be who I am today," Sister Nancy Charlesworth told 7 News on the day of the final mass.
“It's a real shame that it's closing. But there's nothing we can do about it. I just hope that all of us can have a better future," said 13-year-old Jason Dickman, who attended St. Andrew's for the last two years.
We first reported the Diocese of Buffalo was planning to close the church and school back in February.
It's all part of the diocese's plan to "rightsize and reshape."
The diocese announced in May it would be shutting down 34 percent of its parishes and 38 percent of its worship spaces.
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“It's a loss," said Pamela Giannantonio, the former principal of the school.
On Thursday, Giannantonio was at the school entrance welcoming shoppers and old students.
"Any loss needs a minute to grief. We do it with humans. We do it with pets. This was a piece of the community for so long. It's tough," said Giannantonio.
Some folks were there to get a good bargain on things like desks, housewares and school supplies.
“I found a lot of good sales, met some nice people and I learned about the school," said Starr Thunderbird as she browsed items in the old gymnasium. "I wish it wasn't closing. It sounds like a real tragedy for the neighborhood and those that attended.”
Former parishioners came to visit too.
Joe Kabacinski reminisced about the good times he had at the church working bingo nights and organizing events for children.
"We had a crew of great people," he said.
Among those volunteering for the final sale was Roxanne Sortino. She taught third grade at St. Andrew's for 20 years. Her children attended St. Andrew's too.
“Science was our favorite. Math was fun. A lot of games. A lot of love," she said as she visited her classroom, Room 105.
"St. Andrews is in a lot of people's hearts," she said.
