SHARON – As firefighter/paramedics, Mike and Maggie Stanec face challenges every day. Mike is assistant chief at the Sharon Fire Department and a lieutenant at Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department. Maggie is a lieutenant at both Sharon and Cuyahoga Falls fire departments.

Now they have taken on another challenge – one of a different kind. It all started in 2009, when the couple bought a farmhouse on State Road that was built in 1894.

“We hoped to find a barn of about the same age and move it to our five-acre property,” Maggie said.

Then, in the spring of 2016, a local barn that was to be demolished came to their attention.

“However, the carpenter who examined it said the barn was in a state of disrepair and was beyond any attempt to move it,” Mike said.

Disappointed and discouraged, but nevertheless determined, Maggie placed an ad on Craigslist asking anyone who had a barn they wanted to get rid of but wanted to see it ‘live on” rather than be demolished, to call.

Six months later, in autumn of 2016, a call came from the developer of the Bonnie Glen subdivision on Boneta Road, located just a few miles from the Stanecs’ residence. He told them of the barn on the property and its availability. And, it was built about the same time as their farmhouse.

“We quickly realized that we were all interested in the history and the quality of workmanship of historic buildings,” Maggie said.

In moving forward with what promises to be a huge undertaking, the Stanecs have engaged Timber Framing, LLC, of Orrville, to disassemble and label the frames and beams to enable proper reconstruction.

Mike and Maggie, with volunteer help, plan to remove the siding. Maggie said loading the lumber and moving it from point A to point B is going to be a difficult job.

“We welcome ideas and help,” she said. “We have reached out to the Medina and Sharon historical societies in search of possible grants or other funding avenues, as help will be needed to reconstruct the 38-foot by 96-foot structure.”

Maggie said she and Mike are grateful to the developer for the passion and dedication he has given this project. She said he has made available the use of his heavy equipment when it is not being used on-site, and has offered to remove trash that came from the inside of the barn, among other things.

“We want the barn to live on and not be forgotten,” said Maggie, who can be reached at 330-239-1068.