Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Ritchey.
Hi Carrie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Little Stranger Christian Church has been a part of my entire life as I grew up within a mile of the church and I still live only a half mile from it. I have been a part of several groups that have met at the church in the past. I was asked to be the secretary/treasurer of the Little Stranger Christian Church Society in 1998 and still hold that position. In 2013 I helped start a movement to restore the Church and the surrounding cemetery. In November of 2014 we were able to have the church listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places and January 2015 listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since 2015 we have received 2 Heritage Trust Fund Grants and 1 Rural Preservation Grant along with tremendous community support to restore the building.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was told early in the process of restoring a historic site that it’s a “marathon and not a sprint.” It definitely has taken time, patience, hard work and lots of learning. There were disappointments when we didn’t receive a grant but there was pure joy when we did. For me it has been a labor of love. Love in seeing something as priceless as a 150 year old building look prominent and recognized in the community. When we were cleaning the inside a board was found that has a saying burnt into it. It says, “Preserving the Past for the Future”. That has always been our goal. We want future generations to know where we have come from.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I guess you could say my personal career choice has directed me in this adventure of restoration of a historic site. My educational background is Secondary Education in History. I raised my family and then worked 30 years in the public school system as a Substitute Teacher and Coach. I have never backed away from hard work. I grew up on a dairy farm where our whole family worked together in a successful business. Drawing from this experience and my education we were able to pull the community together to restore Little Stranger Church to the place it deserves in our community.
How do you define success?
Success is setting a goal and reaching that goal with the support and help of a community. It is not stopping there but setting new goals and keep working towards them. Success is not putting others aside but bringing them along with you and building each other up as you go. Little Stranger Church has taught me so much about success. It has had a place in history since May 1868 – not only as a building but a purpose. It has always been a place for the community, even when it was abandoned or not taken care of it stood strong. Being successful you have to stand strong through everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.littlestrangerchurch.com
- Facebook: Little Stranger Church
