Mission San Miguel Preservation Fund

For 200 years the doors of the Old Mission Church at San Miguel stood open to all who would enter. The curious entered to view the beautiful artwork painted by Native American Artisans. Others entered to seek solace in a moment of despair or to express joy and thanks for good fortune. And sometimes they entered to seek forgiveness and redemption. All were invited. All were welcomed.

On 11:15AM, December 22nd, 2003, the doors closed...

A mindless cataclysmic act of nature deep within the earth shook the Old Church adobe walls until they cracked... But the foundation held! And it is upon this foundation we begin our effort to preserve and reopen the Old Church.

The daunting task of reopening the church will be accomplished only through the work of many generous people pitching in and using their talents and creativity to help raise funds for the many needed repairs and preservation effort of the old historic adobe church. These people, "Mission Angels" to the Effort, will attack the Challenge in many different ways.

The following stories are just a few of the efforts that have been accomplished by a few of the wonderful "Angels" of the Mission.

Renown Mission artist Tony Quartuccio, who has sketched and painted ALL the Missions along the California coast, has a special love for Mission San Miguel. A secular third order Franciscan, Tony considers himself one of the Franciscan family. After moving to Paso Robles in 1997, he has attended Mass and served as an altar attendant daily. While preparing for Mass, the day after Easter, 1998, an event occurred that changed his life. He was having a heart attack. In the Mission Church alone,-scared-- and in pain, he didn't know what to do until he heard a voice, which he credits to God, telling him to go home. At that point, Tony made a promise that if he survived this attack, he would dedicate his remaining years to painting and selling his paintings to solely benefit the preservation of Mission San Miguel. Since then, he has done so, raising thousands of dollars.

In May 2004, Joel Dunbar was an eighth grader at St. Rose School. Joel took up the Challenge to help Mission San Miguel by selling Jamba Juice Smoothies to his fellow classmates and teachers on a bi-weekly basis. By getting the word out to his classmates via brochures and posters in advance of the new venture, Joel had an enthusiastic and receptive source of customers ready and willing to buy smoothies for the benefit of the old church. Joel arranged with the San Luis Obispo Jamba Juice manager to bring the smoothies to the school for sale. Over the period of five visits, he raised $1000.00! -Joel says "This project was a great experience for me because I got to make the kids at school happy, by bringing something that they enjoy, as well as helping in a small way to restore Mission San Miguel".

In March 2004, the post-quake newly reopened Paris Restaurant in downtown Paso Robles and Vina Robles Winery joined in a common effort to raise funds for the badly damaged Mission. The total Mission preservation project will require several million dollars to complete. Together, Vina Robles and Paris Restaurant wanted to help begin this monumental program with their own first step by hosting a benefit dinner for the Mission. The dinner was a three course Parisian Style Wine Dinner, prepared by chef and owner Claude Chazalon, paired with Vina Robles' Bordeaux and Rhone style wines. The evening featured fabulous food and wine in good company and support for North County's oldest historic landmark. Vina Robles is a family owned Paso Robles estate that was founded in 1996 by Swiss entrepreneur, Hans Nef. This benefit dinner raised almost $4000!

"This is your Mission - should you choose to accept it. -Take the ten dollars offered to you by PTO and turn it into a small fortune. -The money you raise will be donated to Mission San Miguel to help repair their earthquake damage." So read the intriguing flier. Five students from Lillian Larson Elementary DID indeed take up that challenge and impressively proved to all -- it can be done!

Four students ( Travis Walters, Brittany Walters, Bryan Salazar, and Donny Miller) pooled their money and by means of a successful car wash and bake sale, as well as a raffle and mailed-out letter-pleas to friends and relatives nation-wide, raised $2025.00! in one month's time! When fifth-grader Crystal Reuck heard about the challenge, she wanted to contribute too. -By selling cookies and lemonade, she raised $110.92.

Do you have an idea that might help Mission San Miguel get its doors open again? -Please help us! NO donation is too small -as all donations -big -or small-contribute to getting the Mission repaired, preserved and back open.

If you'd like to help us, your donation will be tax deductible. Send your check to:

Mission San Miguel Preservation Fund P.O. Box 69 San Miguel, CA 93451

For more information, please call Mission San Miguel at (805) 467-2131 or email at : friars@tcsn.net .