We are pleased to share with you a few new and important details regarding Appalachian Weekend 2007.

On Friday evening, October 26, Jeff Biggers will speak on Cottage Industries in Appalachia. An award winning author of several books, Jeff is well versed in Appalachian studies. He is a captivating speaker, and we are pleased he will return to Cherry Log to share with us his knowledge. To read more about Jeff, you may visit his website: www.jeffbiggers.com. Prior to Jeff’s presentation, Blue Ridge Grass will perform. This evening’s events will begin at 7:00 pm in the community room at Cherry Log Christian Church, 1149 Cherry Log Street, Cherry Log, Georgia.

Saturday, October 27, we will host a variety of events, including the following:
Painting of three Quilt Trail squares – the squares will be pre-formed and ready to decorate. We invite you to paint a portion of a square and thus make your mark on the trail. Prior to Appalachian Weekend, you may vote on which squares we will create…keep reading for further details.

Viewing an exhibit of Doris Ulmann’s work – this exhibit, entitled “Movers and Makers”, was created by Anna Fariello and is part of the History Museum and Historical Society of Western Virginia. As an added treat, Anna will speak about the exhibit on Saturday. “Movers and Makers” is based on Ms. Ulmann’s pictorial documentation of crafters creating their wares during the craft revival in Appalachia in the early part of the 20th century.

Additionally, musical guests, speakers and crafters will be present, sharing their talents and adding a special touch to the day. We are also planning activities especially for children.

The location for Saturday’s events: Cherry Log, Georgia. Sounds big time, doesn’t it? It will be. We are going to take over the town.  We’ll publish the full schedule in next month’s Milk & Honey. -TRS
 

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

We’re giving you a chance to vote on which three squares we should create for the Quilt Square Trail that is growing in Appalachia! To participate in the polling, please visit our website. There, you may see and read about the 14 candidate squares; to vote, simply click on the check box next to the three squares you most prefer. We will tally the results, and the three squares with the most votes will become our contribution to the Quilt Trail.

Even if you can’t attend Appalachian Weekend, you may participate by voting on the squares. And no, we won’t check your ID to vote… if, after reading their platforms, you are passionate about three particular squares, you may cast more than one ballot. —- Happy voting! - TRS
 

I HOPE IT DIDN’T SLIP PAST YOU

That Appalachian Weekend is the last weekend in October (Oct. 26-27) rather than our usual time the last weekend in September (Sept. 28-29). The reason: the Georgia Literary Festival is coming to North Georgia, to Blue Ridge in fact. And friends, this is a biggy! When it was held in Macon, over 5000 attended. There will be poetry readings, drama, storytelling, children’s events, writing workshops, author’s signature sessions, book sales, music, and on and on, from Friday night till Sunday afternoon. Events will be in the Performing Arts Center, the Arts Center, the County Library, the Community Theatre, and in churches. The final program will be widely published soon. Look for it.

The Craddock Center has been invited to participate, and we will. The Story Express will be there. Children will be invited to hear stories, sing , and receive books. And I have been asked to tell some of my favorite stories in a public event on Friday night in the court room of the old courthouse. I will be joined by musicians and poetry readers.

It is my plan to have a good time, especially if you join me there. — FBC


LITERARILY SPEAKING

As you know, the Story Express will be on hand at the Literary Festival; we could use a few good folks to assist in this endeavor. If you would like to help share stories and books with children September 29-30 in Blue Ridge, Georgia, between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:30 pm on Saturday or 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Sunday, please give us a call. We will divide Saturday into shifts so you may plan to partake of some of the joys of the festival, both giving and receiving. See you on board the Story Express! -TRS

AN OUTRAGEOUS GIFT

Now and then I am an after dinner speaker. Such was the case recently at the Home Mission Banquet in Ft. Worth, Texas during the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We had Texas Barbeque. It was not Georgia Barbeque, but I kept my mother’s instruction, “Clean your plate”.

I spoke on “Remember the Poor”. I lamented with everyone there the all-too-common themes of downsize, cut back, and reduce programs. Needs, especially of children, increase while funding decreases. In the course of the message I suggested we declare a national Day of Ridiculous Giving. Many of us have boats that are not in the water, a car not being driven, a golf cart or a set of clubs rarely used, an ATV we should not be driving (or a motorcycle, for goodness sake), jewelry we are not wearing, china never taken out of the cabinet, and on and on and on. Why not on an appointed day bring all this to churches or other receiving areas, be rid of a sense of guilt over too much stuff, wait for the announced total (It will be millions), and then enjoy our gifts blessing the poor?

Outrageous? Of course; why not?

At the Craddock Center we have received our first Outrageous Gift. In an envelope on which was the simple message, “Here is my Outrageous Gift” came three beautiful rings. They are wedding rings: two companion rings worn by a bride and a groom’s ring. They are bright and beautiful. The woman who sent them offered no story with them. A hundred possibilities, some glad, some sad, come to mind, but I do not know. That is none of my business.

What I have is an outrageous Gift. The quality of it, the value of it, the beauty of it, the thoughtfulness of it, the many blessings provided by it, move me deeply.

Thank you.—FBC



IN CASE YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH

To hit the last traffic light going north on Hwy. 515 through East Ellijay when that light is red, blessed are you. You will be stopped at Hwy. 515 and First Street. At that corner, on your right, you will see a beautiful memorial stone marking the site of Fort Hetzel. The inscription is brief and clear. It will tell you that on this site in 1838 stood a fort (really a stockade, a corral) into which were crowded over 1100 Cherokee Indians, forced into a holding pen until time to begin walking the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma.

If there are small children in your car, read the inscription aloud. If one of them asks you what is a Cherokee? Or What is a Trail of Tears? Then tell them. They have a right to know; it is part of their heritage.

If the light is green, then you and they will miss it. How unfortunate. — FBC



IF I WERE GIVING DIRECTIONS

To persons attending the Fall Preaching Workshop I would not waste their time with reminders of what they already know: the date (Oct. 1), the time (9:00-1:00), and the theme (Preaching a Signature Sermon). I probably would not bring up the free continental breakfast and free deli lunch; who would forget that?

I would speak directly to the question, where is it? It will be in the community room (fellowship hall) of the new Cherry Log Christian Church in beautiful downtown Cherry Log. From the south, go north on Hwy. 515 to mile marker 20, about 9 miles north of Ellijay. Turn right at that mile marker onto Cherry Log Street, go about 500 yards to the new blue-gray and white building on the right. From the north, go south on 515 about 6 miles south of Blue Ridge and at mile marker 20, turn left on to Cherry Log Street. If you are coming from east or west, forget it; no one can travel east and west in Georgia. Lewis and Clark tried it, became lost, and went to the Pacific Northwest instead.

We have plenty of room but we need your registration. We will have our largest group ever. — FBC

MEET BRENDA CRAWFORD

We are thrilled to add Brenda Crawford to our Board of Directors. Brenda graduated from the University of Georgia in 1974 with a Bachelor’s degree in Pre Social Work. She married Benny Crawford, a native of Fannin County, and they had one child, Seth Crawford. Seth currently serves our country in the Navy and plans to make a career in the military.

Brenda has served the state of Georgia for more than 33 years in the Department of Human Resources. Most of that time has been spent working with the Fannin County Department of Family and Children Services, where she is presently County Director for both Gilmer and Fannin Counties. She will retire around October 1, 2007.

While work has taken most of Brenda’s time, she does enjoy being with her family, her church family, and doing crafts. She attends Bethel United Methodist Church in the Hemptown area of Fannin County, where her husband has always attended. She has a twin sister who resides in Blairsville.

Brenda enjoys working with staff and with the community toward meeting the needs of families. Over the course of her employment with DFCS, she most liked being a part of helping people get linked up with available services and resources to meet the needs and sometimes crises that families encountered. This makes her a perfect match for working with the Center!—TRS

 

REMEMBER!

October 1—Fall Preaching Workshop

October 26,27—Appalachian Weekend