August 26th marked the long awaited dedication of Trusheim Hall and re-dedication to Mary Martha Hall. The idea was formed on November 21, 2014 and the challenge set by the Trusheim family. Dr. Ed Trusheim donated $750,000 and challenged Concordia to achieve the goal of 1.2 million, which was reached a year earlier then anticipated.
The ceremony started with Jim Miller, Foundation President and CEO, who told the story of how the idea of Trusheim Hall came about. He spoke of Dr. Trusheim wanting to rehabilitate Mary-Martha for future generations of Concordia. During a meeting a prayer and passage was read along with twelve stones. The stones along with the stones collected by the students, faculty, and staff will be used in the new building.
Through out the morning there were readings, prayers, and stories told by and of the Trusheim family and others. The stories included when Dr. Ed Trusheim and his wife met at Concordia and what the buildings and people here mean to them. Also, they shared the relationships that were built when living in dorms and attending classes in these buildings. After the first initial speakers, everyone in attendance were told to take a stone and place it in one of the four clear boxes on the other side of Mary Martha, behind Gross. Those stones were then blessed and Dr. Gard joined the students from the student organizations across campus. They pulled the plow that broke the ground for the new building. Before leaving guests were offered a cup of dirt that is made of cake, pudding, and gummy worms.
Dr. Gard wanted to add, “I would like to give thanks to God, the donors, students, faculty, and staff for making this day possible. And may these projects be a blessing to students.”
