The Craddock Center has many delightful friends with bright ideas. Inspired by the anonymous story The Pickle Jar, one such person came up with “Coins for Craddock”. We’d like to invite you to participate.
The program works like this: Select an empty jar or jug. Throughout the year, drop your loose change in the jar. At the end of the year, we’ll host a celebration where folks will bring their jars, and we’ll roll the coins and give you a donation receipt. We might even have a contest for the heaviest jar, most creative jar, etc. It’s a way friends of the Center of all ages can donate, for no donation is ever too small. All of these coins add up, and the more friends we have helping us, the better. Live far from the Center? You don’t get off that easily… we want to include you, too. Shipping the coins to us is an option, but it would probably be more cost effective to arrange for their conversion into paper money at your locale.

If just 100 people put just 75 cents per week into a jar for us, that amounts to almost $4,000 in cash per year for the Center. If we spend $4 per book to buy new books, that’s nearly 1000 books to distribute… you get the picture.

For many participants, this program has the added benefit of being a way to keep tidy the bathroom counter, the top of the dresser, or the floorboard of the car. That’s worth a little something, right?

I’m sure you’ve heard of the “keep the change” program launched by one major US bank, and perhaps many of you have seen the advertisements an insurance company runs during The Price Is Right, encouraging viewers to buy life insurance with their spare change.

Well, we’re encouraging you to give us your change so we may promote positive change in our community. Thank you for helping!

(Oh, if you want to read The Pickle Jar, please visit our website.) TRS

I HATE BEING PRESSURED

But after a while a poor fellow caves in to it. At least that is what I am doing.

For the last month I have been constantly interrogated, the same two questions over and over again. One, how did that Fund Raiser in Washington go? Two, is that plan portable to other places?

The answer to the first question is “It went very well.” I asked Chrys Lemon, an attorney friend, to host a light dinner, inviting a few of his friends who might be interested in the program of the Craddock Center. After dinner, I would make a brief presentation, answer questions, and invite gifts to the Center. He did; there were 13 present. I did; there was clear interest. And they did; they gave $12,570.00 and one promise. How did it go? It went quite well.

The answer to the second questions is, “Yes, the plan is portable.” Let me know, we will choose a date, you invite friends who might be interested to a breakfast, lunch, or light dinner, give me 30 minutes for a presentation, and you are done. How much donation would be a success? Anything above my travel expenses would be welcome. But as they say, “The more the merrier.”

You have my number; I’ll wait for your call. Many dates are available, but don’t ask for June 9. That is our wedding anniversary and I have to take Nettie to the Pink Pig for bar-b-que. I’m sure you’re aware of the pressure I am under. FBC
 

STORYTELLERS HAVE A WILD WEEK

Four storytellers from the Craddock Center’s Children’s Enrichment Program recently attended the Wild-acres Storytelling Retreat in Little Switzerland, NC. Pam Lindsey, Bill and Sue Canady, and Tracy Walker took part in the week long learning experience organized and hosted by Southeastern storyteller Dianne Hackworth.

Focusing on making connections with the audience through performance, classes were led by internationally recognized storyteller David Novak. The techniques learned during the retreat will aid in bringing storytelling and its benefits to the Head Start centers served by the Craddock Center. TW

WELCOME, FLOYD!

We are very pleased to announce the addition of Floyd Hale to the Board of Directors at The Craddock Center. When you read Floyd’s biographical information below, you will know why:

I grew up in Dalton, Georgia. I met my wife, Charlotte, there in kindergarten. Charlotte and I joined the Dalton First United Methodist Church when we were children and became active members of several other United Methodist Churches until we became charter members of the Cherry Log Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (CLCC) in about 1997. We were attracted to the CLCC by its friendliness, its openness to diversity, its concern for the needs of others in its community and throughout the world, and its affirmation and proclamation of the love, peace, and joy of the gospel.

I earned an AB degree in economics from Emory University and a JD degree from the University of Chicago Law School. After I graduated from law school in 1964, Charlotte and I moved to Atlanta, where she taught and I worked in the Legal Department of the Lockheed Aircraft Corp. We adopted two children. Our son, Lawson, is now 39 years old. Our daughter, Elizabeth, died in 2001.

I resigned form Lockheed to work for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, where I advised and represented poor people for several years. Later I supervised a legal-aid clinic and taught for the Emory University School of Law. Then I worked as a trial attorney, and later as a supervisory trial attorney, for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for 13 years. In 1986 I resigned from the EEOC to develop a new career as a mediator and have limited my practice to serving as a mediator and arbitrator since then. In 1988 we moved to the top of Burnt Mountain, 12 miles northeast of Jasper, Georgia. I have served at Cherry Log Church as a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, and Chair of the Elders. I have also served as a tutor and mentor in the Pickens County Public Schools, Vice President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Georgia, Inc., Chair of the governing board of the Georgia Highlands Center for Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Gilmer Community Food Pantry, Inc., President of The Friendship Force of Big Canoe-North Georgia, President of the Rotary Club of Jasper, Lay Leader of the Jasper United Methodist Church, and a member of the Board of Directors of Georgia Mountains Hospice, Inc.

APPALACHIAN WEEKEND UPDATE

We have added Laura Boosinger to the Appalachian Weekend lineup. Laura will not only perform, but will also provide a one-hour, hands-on lesson on shape note singing! Some people get nervous about singing, afraid they’ll forget the words. For those of you with such a fear, you’ll really like shape note singing (also called “sacred harp”): you only have about seven syllables to memorize. Knowing when to say which syllable is another story!

The Barker Brothers will also be performing their blend of bluegrass and gospel during Appalachian Weekend. Well known and loved, the Barker Brothers have played at festivals with such heavy weights as the Lonesome River Band, Mountain Heart, IIIrd Tyme Out, the VW Boys, Raymond Fairchild, and Honi Deaton. They have also opened for the legendary Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys. When you hear them, you won’t believe it – the brothers, playing guitar and banjo, are 16 and 12 years old! Mom and Dad join in on bass and mandolin. Make sure you don’t miss this!

Remember the dates: September 29-30… location: Fannin County High School Performing Arts Center. Need information on lodging locations? Visit our website, or call Tammy at the Center (706-632-1772).  We’ll see you there! TRS
 

MORE HELP WANTED

We’re looking for many more good folks. Please let us know which of these to sign you up for… as you know, seats at the Preaching Workshops fill up quickly, and I trust these positions will as well.

• Appalachian Weekend September 29-30 – 15 folks are needed to assist with these tasks: setup/cleanup, program distribution, and selling beverages. You’ll receive a stylish Craddock Center t-shirt for your efforts (and to make you easy to spot by those in the crowd!).
• Appalachian Weekend - We still need several host families for Welsh Choir members, and we are also looking for folks that may not be able to provide a bed but may be willing to provide a meal or two.
• October 2nd Preaching Workshop – assist with setup and cleanup, including making coffee. (If you’re on the waiting list, or never signed up, this may be a way to sneak you into the workshop…)
• Milk & Honey – assist with labeling the newsletter.

This generally takes a group of four a couple of hours, and they have a fantastic time chatting. It might remind you of the beauty shop in Steel Magnolias. TRS
 

COME ONE, COME ALL

To our “volunteers” section of our website. Here you will find a place to read about volunteer opportunities, and also tell us a bit about yourself and how you would like to help us enrich lives through service. TRS