GLENDALE, Ohio — Earlier this week, we shared the story of the historic Eckstein School being broken into and vandalized.
On Monday afternoon, Bill Parrish, whose nonprofit Eckstein Cultural Arts Center is the new owner of the school, showed us the damage vandals created throughout the school the week before.
Bengals center Ted Karras saw the story and decided he wanted to help.
“I was watching the Monday night game, and then the news came on afterwards and Bill, Mr. Parrish, was telling his story and I just felt compelled and kind of indignant with someone breaking in and vandalizing someone trying to do so much good,” Karras said.
Parrish said when Karras first called him, he thought it was a prank, but he was able to tell right away how much Karras cared about helping the Eckstein School.
“It really dawned on me that he sees the vision for this,” Parrish said.
On Wednesday, Parrish showed Karras what the vandals had left behind, including a new message written into dust from expired fire hydrants, reading “I was here.” Signed with the signature “AS.”
“He came in and then I knew, he already immediately connected to what he felt his purpose was, and I think what he saw was disgusting to him,” Parrish said.
Karras told us helping rebuild a historic building like Eckstein School is an honor.
“How this building has survived and for it to have a kind of a renaissance into a new purpose and use is something very special,” Karras said. “And I'm very honored to throw my name in the ring to help out.”
Parrish said he and his team have been trying to find a construction crew with the heart for this project, and he believes God sent Karras.
“I have this attitude that when the right person is supposed to come, God will send them,” Parrish said. “He sent Ted.”
Parrish added that Karras has a heart for not only rebuilding the church but for the nonprofit's mission to make it a community arts center for local youth.
Karras and his construction company, Paradigm, will meet with Parrish and his team on Friday to discuss the next steps. And when it comes time for cleanup, he hopes to bring a few friends.
“Hopefully we get some Bengals faces there, get everybody out, raise some money, and get this building cleaned up,” said Karras.
