Knock, knock……..Who’s there?..........1380 three- and four-year-olds……1380 who?.......1380 Head Start/Pre-K students eagerly awaiting music, story and creative movement brought to them by The Craddock Center Arts Specialists.  As we begin the 2008-09 school year, we are hoping we can count on your continuing support of the Children’s Enrichment Program through the Scholarship Program.  Dr. Craddock introduced the original 3-year Scholarship Program in October, 2005 and what a blessing it has been to have that enrichment program underwritten by your donations and scholarships.  We are still attempting to get each school served with music, story, and creative movement, as they were a couple of years ago.  With your continuing support and hopefully the help of many new donors, our goal is to have each of the 16 schools we serve completely resourced with two visits a week by our Arts Specialists. 

Our Children’s Enrichment Program costs about $140.00 per year per child.  The scholarships will be for three years and you may offer as many scholarships as you would like to be paid monthly, semi-annually or annually.  All gifts are tax deductible.  Gifts of any size make a huge difference.  During 2007 scholarships provided one-third of the budget for the Children’s Enrichment Program with the rest coming from grants.  We are indeed grateful for all the friends of the Center who make it possible to bring much joy and all the enrichment that story, song, and creative movement provides. 

To pledge you can email, phone, or tear off the form on the back to mail to us.  This 3-year cycle actually begins January, 2009, but many of you have been asking about scholarships, so we wanted you to know what’s up! — TLS     

CHERRY LOG FESTIVAL/CRADDOCK CENTER APPALACHIAN WEEKEND 2008     

Dates/Times Saturday, October 4, 2008 10AM-6PM
Location Cherry Log Christian Church 1149 Cherry Log Street Cherry Log, Georgia  30522  

Storytelling in Appalachia Schedule
10:00-12:00AM Children’s Enrichment Program Artists, Connie Chancey, Kim Cheves, and Amanda Galloway, will entertain children with stories, songs and creative movement.

Storytelling for Adults
10:00-11:00AM Shirley Carmichael
11:15AM-12:15PM Betty Wilson
1:00-2:00PM Bill and Sue Canady
2:15-3:15PM Dr. Helen Lewis
3:30-4:30PM Bill and Sue Canady
5:00-6:00PM Dr. Fred Craddock  

The Story Express will be at Cherry Log Christian Church from 10AM until 4PM offering free books to children of all ages.  

The Cherry Log Fall Festival will be going on from 7:30AM until 6PM October 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19 serving delicious homemade breakfast and lunch, offering arts and crafts, homemade cakes, pies and canned goods, bluegrass, gospel and country music at the Cherry Log Community Clubhouse, 341 Cherry Log Street, (Phone 706-276-3217)   Make plans now to come for the weekend. 

There is no better place to welcome Fall than in Cherry Log at the Cherry Log Festival/Craddock Center Appalachian Weekend focusing on one of the things we do best—STORYTELLING! — TLS  

MAY I MAKE A CONFESSION?     

Painful as it is, I must do it. In the first Scholarship Program for the children, which was so successful thanks to the generosity of so many of you, I did not pledge a scholarship. There, I’ve said it. Want to shoot me? I have no excuse. I did not intend such a lapse. Of course, I could try to defend myself with a recital of time given, trips given, speeches given, money given for the overall program, etc., etc., etc. but  at the end of it stands the painful fact — I did not give a scholarship. Thirty lashes across my guilty frame! I rejoiced every morning when Tammy opened the mail and there were your gifts. But, nothing from Fred. I thanked God for your generosity, but none of mine. I feel like the preacher who urges others on the narrow path which he himself does not take. Enough of this — I am now taking this public confession to Trisha, our Mother Superior, asking that I be permitted to be the first to pledge a scholarship in the present drive, and a scholarship for the three year period now past, three years when my soul wandered in waterless places. No reprimands, please; only grace. — FBC    
 

AND IF I AM ELECTED

I will push for and sign into law the right of every citizen to carry, concealed or unconcealed as each person may choose, in any public place, a book. Yes, a book. I know this legislation will strike some as too daring and too radical, with unpredictable results. But in countries which already have such a law in place there is clear evidence that it has proven to be a deterrent to crime, school dropout rate has fallen, and prisons have overbuilt. If, after 38 years we do not enjoy the same salutary results here, then we can return to the prior state of ignorance, prejudice, and violence.

I am aware that “in any public place” is bold and without restraint, including planes, trains, buses, restaurants, workplaces, hospitals, even houses of worship. But let’s try it and see what happens. Sure, books can be dangerous, effecting changes in lives and relationships. Some have done a complete 180 after reading a book. I acknowledge the strong influence of certain books on my life. And we must be warned: some changes are irreversible, but the alternative is frightening. Join me, please, in this bold experiment.

With this bill I will be alerting libraries ad bookstores to add to their staffs in order to handle the new rush of business. Likewise, law enforcement personnel will be increased to give order to the crowds. State departments of education will be advised to replace the present exams in math and science with an exam in reading consisting of two questions: Do you have a book? And are you reading it? Churches, social agencies, and faith based organizations will be called on to supply books to those unable to purchase them. Reading will be taught in all classes, K through college. Reading instruction for adults will be available in every community at night and on weekends.

Be patient with each other; this will take time. If you are on a bus and a person near you pulls out a book and starts reading, don’t move to another seat or alert the driver. Just take out your own book, slowly, not hurriedly, and quietly begin to read. Soon everyone will calm down. Oh, someone may interrupt with “What are you reading?” Don’t take it as a threat; just answer, “Abraham Lincoln by Lord Charnwood; I can’t put it down. — FBC 

Mark Your Calendar

Preaching Workshop Monday, Oct. 6, 2008 9:00 am—1:00 pm