“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.” By Jonas Salk
Monday morning on August 7, 2017, I learned about the unfortunate event that took place the night before in Copey. That Monday morning, in that wonderful community of Copey, the towns people gathered in disbelief and sorrow as they could see in the daylight, the total devastation of their beloved church. 
This iconic landmark sitting in the center of the community since 1928 touched every family in one way or another.
Now after two years, the remnants of the fire destruction are still visible and present. Nothing has been rebuilt and the Holy site continues to be a painful reminder to all.
Residents alone cannot afford to rebuild due to local economic challenges within the community. Then, the Catholic Church’s heirarchy may not see rebuilding the church to be a high priority. And, Copey has only limited political influence available to push or support their interest. These are all contributing factors resulting in delays and ongoing rebuilding uncertainties. 
We observe the second year anniversary of this tragic event. And, we (Friends of Copey) continue our support for the community and strive to be one of their consistent sourceS of “good news and hope”.
The current facility being used for the Copey Learning Center also faces future uncertainty. The facility is owned by the community group who loans the space to the Copey Learning Center. The facility may be shut down for rennovations in the near future. This closure will cause the Copey Learning Center to move without any suitable facility in Copey without the need for some constructional changes or improvements.
We “Friends” have not lost the vision of a new Copey Learning Center. We still believe we can get the new center built one day. We only postponed our efforts to avoid competing with the community’s effort to rebuild their church. The community wants their own “House of Worship” and they want their own educational facility to educate their children. However, this presents the community with a very difficult dilemma. 
The question has been asked…can one facility serve both religious and educational needs?
The response is a resounding NO! According to my information, a rebuilt Catholic Church and property would be essentially owned by the Catholic hierarchy… and not owned by the local community. There is a strong disinterest in placing the Copey Learning Center under the control of the Catholic Church.
Today, “Friends of Copey” pauses to reflect on the loss of this historical site in Copey which meant so much to the community. Soon, we start dreaming again about a new Copey Learning Center…the “promise of brighter futures” for this community full of hope.
“Let’s dream, Let’s imagine, Let’s hope and have the courage to achieve!”