Soon the sun will shine through a multi-paneled, stained-glass window and into the sanctuary of the Ledyard United Methodist Church. The window restoration began after the unfortunate death of church member Corey Riester.

Riester was attending Cayuga Community College and working as a service technician at Riester's General Service, a business that was started by his grandfather.

At 3 a.m. on July 22, 2000, Riester's minivan failed to negotiate a curve near the intersection of Route 38A and Honeysuckle Road, not far from his home. He was 22 years old.

Friends who knew Riester described him as “a good kid” and “a polite person” who “just loved his family.” His parents are Bernard, Jr. (BJ) and Donna, and his sisters are Megan and Maureen.

Donations were made in Riester's memory toward the restoration of the window at the time, and the final design of the project is now near completion.

“Corey grew up in this church,” said Donna Riester, Corey's mother. “At the time of his death, he was an active volunteer at the monthly church dinners.”

Donna has been working with members of the church and Tony Serviente, of Serviente Glass Studios in Ithaca, to complete the window.

“The side windows were repaired and restored by Cherene Borthwick,” she added.

Borthwick died of cancer before she was able to work on the front window.

“I can't begin to know what Donna went through,” Serviente said. “I have three children, and someone in my studio lost a child in a car accident, but Donna didn't know that. I hope this window will be some comfort to her and her family.

“The design features a setting sun surrounded by trees and water. It's not just a window, it's a church window. There is a lot of symbolism with the sun, which is light, and which sounds like ‘son,' as in the son of God and Donna's son.”

“The Riester family has played a very important role in this church, spiritually and financially,” said the Rev. Russell Riddell, the church's pastor. “They were supportive of the church even during the lean years. Bernard, Sr. has been a trustee for many years. This window is a nice way to show a tribute to Corey's memory and the faithfulness of the Riester family. We've established a subcommittee of the church to finalize the design on the upper window. The total cost could run between $20,000 and $25,000. We've raised about $14,000 so far.”

The committee is hoping to be able to include a dove in the top frame of the window.

In preparation for the installation of the window, the church held a Spring Cleanup Day earlier this year.

Brush was cleared so sunflowers and lilacs, flowers that appear in the window design, could be planted next to new lilies, columbines and zinnias. A walkway was added to offer a close-up view of the window.

To help the church raise money, Serviente made votive candle holders and small dishes out of extra diamond-shaped panels of one of the other windows.

The opaque glass is more than one hundred years old, and some of the panels have a grid pattern or other design features.

Serviente also taught some of the church members how to make suncatchers out of the panels.

Gerry Mirabito, of Fingerlakes Press, printed and donated 750 note cards with the image of the window on them that are also being sold as fundraisers.

The note cards and glass items should soon be available for sale at the Lincoln Gallery, 131 Genesee St. in Auburn, and Reister's General Service, next to the Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius.