By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel has received $10,000 from Alabama Power’s Alabama Business Charitable Trust.

The grant funds will be used to install an energy efficient heating and cooling system for the building.

“Just in talking with Pam she mentioned all of the renovations they were doing to the beautiful church and …. Alabama Power has ways that we reach out to the community and we try to give back, especially in the areas of art, music and education,” Robin White of Alabama Power said.

White presented the grant check to Pam Persons, treasurer of Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel, prior to the Celtic Christmas concert held in the chapel.

Installing the energy efficient system will decrease the upkeep costs for preserving the building.

The Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel had previously collected donations for a new roof for the building. President Denise Scarbrough said the community stepped up and the group has been able to replace the roof. Now, the organization is writing grants and accepting donations for other needed projects at the site. The organization hopes to one day open up the balcony that had been enclosed by the church.

Scarbrough said the group was formed “to find an honorable use for this space for our community.”

“I am so emotionally attached to this place … I met the Lord here, and as far back as I can remember my family has gone to church here and my family members actually with their hands helped build it,” Scarbrough said.

The church, Chestnut Creek Baptist, relocated in 2007 and sold the building to Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel.