Octorara Covenanter Presbyterian Church
1188 Valley Road, Quarryville, Pennsylvania

Jeffrey K. Alexander Steps Down As Foundation President

After 14 years as president, Jeff Alexander left the president's post but will remain on the Board.  Barry Girvin was elected the new president.

Mr. Alexander, a retired heating company executive and a leader in several trade associations, has been a member of the Board for 25 years.  Jeff and his wife, Gail, have made the preservation of the Covenanter Church and its history a true labor of love.  Jeff's father, Vincent K. Alexander, was also a long serving Board member.  Under Jeff's leadership great progress has been made in the effort to maintain and restore the Church and schoolroom.  Attracting quality Board members to the Foundation and focusing them on the mission has been Mr. Alexander's leadership style.

Grant money and other donations have made it possible to restore the schoolroom floor, to do major structural work under the building, to improve the heating system, to repair and paint the exterior of the building, and to install slate blackboards in the schoolroom.  The overall restoration project has a long way to go, but the momentum is there.  Alexander leaves Girvin with a very knowledgeable Board and a game plan.  Hopefully, it won't be too many years before the schoolroom serves as a museum and the Church is restored to its appearance in 1880.

Barry Girvin is a retired public school teacher and college instructor.  He is the historian at Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church and the author of local history articles published by the Lancaster County Historical Society (now LancasterHistory.org). Mr. Girvin has been on the Board for 12 years.  Barry and his wife, Shirley, have three children and six grandchildren.  Their oldest son, John, has been a member of the Foundation Board for 14 years.

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