SILVER CREEK, N.Y. — A labor of love in Chautauqua County is now completed and brought new life to a unique chapel meant to comfort those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
Samuel Bowers, 14-year-old Eagle Scout said he'll never forget his grandfathers funeral and it wasn't just because of how much he loved him. It was because of how much he wished he could do more to comfort the family that was still here.
"We were out by the grave side in snow that was up to your knees," said Bowers. "I just remember looking around and seeing, especially my grandmother, who was just freezing because it was very very cold at the time. I just remember thinking there has to be a better way to do this. This isn't right."
With a desire to make a change and an opportunity with the Boy Scouts to make it happen his big idea came to be.
"That's kind of when I came to Father Dan about the idea for the Chapel Project," said Bowers.
"I gave him the green light because it was a project that needed to be done," said Father Daniel Fiebelkorn, Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery.
Father Fiebelkorn said the funeral chapel at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery was originally a space to keep caskets during the winter time. However, he said over the years the use of the chapel changed while the structure itself stayed the same.
"It started to get very dark," said Fiebelkorn. "It was cold. It was not exactly the place you'd want to say farewell to a loved one."
"Everything was just in such bad condition," said Bowers. "This place had been practically abandoned."
With some help Bowers was able to renovate the chapel.
"This is not all my work" said Bowers. "This is the work of my family, the entire community. Like several of my uncles have helped with the altar the walls, all of the wood working. I could not have done this myself."
Bowers spent more than 1,000 hours of hard work thinking of every little detail and digging out trenches to run wires for electricity and heat. 7 News reporter Sydni Eure asked Bowers what his favorite part of the transformation was. He answered saying it was the new white walls he hopes will bring a little more light to someone else's dark time.
"People come out feeling very comforted and that was Sam's motivation," said Fiebelkorn.
While Bowers earned the rank of Eagle Scout and received several accolades for his work including the 2022 Eagle Scout Project of the Year Award, nothing felt more special than this.
"The first funeral we had where we used the chapel was his grandmother Mary Lou and so it was full circle in a certain way," said Fiebelkorn.
"It makes me feel good inside," said Bowers. "I get notes from people that use the chapel especially in the winter. They send me notes that just say thank you for doing it. it just really means a lot."
