Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutgrange newsletter 1971 May"DIG A WELL FOR BOBBY" SECOND EDITION MAY 8. 1971 There has been a heartening response to our appeal for funds to "Dig A Well For Bobby." This is a progress report. The Supper sponsored by the Enfield Grange was a huge success. Over 400 attended and the fund is off to a good start. (Complete details inside.) A number of other projects are under way. Our hope is to be able to know where we stand on or soon -* after May 15th. To review briefly, in case some of you aren't fully aware of what this is all about: Mrs. Anita Blake and her eight children are living in a two bedroom trailer in the Town of Enfield. Mr. Blake died a year ago (at the age of 33) leaving the family with limited re- sources. Bobby -- now twelve --As the oldest son and has lxetn-t filling in on some.. -,of his father's duties. The trailer is not equipped with running water so Bobby has been carrying water for his mother. Bobby will be in the hospital a very long time as a re- sult of an auto accident in which he suffered multiple injuries. His uncle (Mrs. Blake's brother) died in the accident. Mrs. Blake does not want to apply for relief. Her neighbors admire her for trying to make it on her own, but realize that she needs some help. (Enclosed is a brief report on the "Fund" project to date) You will note that it is already beyond drilling a well. This letter is going out as our final solicition of the project. We hope to reach as many people and organizations as we possibly can. Perhaps you can interest your group in doing something. Contributions and Ideas -should be sent to Mrs. Mitchell R. Gray, A.D. #3, Halseyville Road, Trumansburg, N.Y. 14886. A Round & Square Dance will be held at the Grange Hall May 29th, 1971 with the MOONLIGHTERS playing. Members of the group are Ardis DeMund, Jerry Beeching and Earl Beeching. (Ardis plays the Cordovox, Jerry the guitar and Earl is the drummer.) Could you or your organization set up a refreshment stand in our kitchen for that night? THE MOONLIGHTERSARE DONATING THEIR TIME AND THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO THE BOBBY BLAKE FUND! 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. Admission $1.50 Other projects for the Bobby Blake Fund are listed in- side. If you want to help, believe me, we'll give you all the publicity we can. For example, look inside and see the publicity we give Humsey Ithaca Sand and Gravel. They are going to pour the entire basement floor at the Blakes as their donation. How does that grab you!!!!! And there's more. Committee IYIrs. Mitchell (Pat) Gray, Chairman Mrs. Waren Ramsey, Treasurer (and Grange Secretary) Mr. Robert Carpenter, Well Committee Mr. John Huttar & Mr. Don Barber'- Spiritual and Financial Advisors. DIG A WELL FOR BOBBY I - Page 2 A brief history of the case we are working with shows that Mrs. Anita Blake -7.lost her husband on February 12th, 1971. Her baby daughter, Lenora, was born February 9th, 1971. She was left with eight children to raise and provide a home for. At the time of his death, she used money from an in- surance policy to pay off all debts on her trailer and the property it was on. She purchased a 196,E station wagon. And she began to buy materials to go into a basement. Her idea was to make a home for her children and to get. minto::.'3t^bef6relwinter came around again. Over the next few months, she budgeted her money -and -was able to purchase a furnace, some windows, electrical supplies, -a' septic tank and other furnishings. Her husbands brothers and some friends supplied the labor and the basement was erected. She then came to a point where a full cement floor, a well and inside partitions were needed, and needed soon, in order to get in before winter. The money could not be squeezed out monthly. (Even though the family is eligible to receive assistance, Mrs. Blake feels that it is much more important to do without some things and try to make it on her own.) At this point, she applied to four different loan institutions fpr. a sum of $1,4.00.00 and was turned down. Not giving up, she got her family through the winter and plans to continue with the basement were made for this spring. Meanwhile, 14 year.old Sabrina helped her motheroutwith the younger children and 12 year old Bobby carried water for his mother. Bobby's help with the family came to an abrupt (but temporary) halt March 28th, when he was severly injured .in an auto accident. i It was then, that the Enfield Grange looked at this family and decided that it had suffered enough grief in the past fourteen months. There must be something that we can do to show them that "better days are coming." And this is it. A visit with Bobby after the May lst supper found him a little disbelieving that this was really happening for him. He asked, "why would people who don't even know me want to help out?" His mother reports thatlhis moral is up, he smiles more and more and his outlook has become much brighter. She attributes this to his delight in the fact that so many people do care. And he welcomes visitors. His first reaction is one of shyness but then he warms up. And male visitors are important to him. He carries on a good conversation about cars and the motor in his father's old truck that he is going to tear down when he gets home. Most exciting to him was the checking account. He saw his name on the account and the amount deposited in it and those flashing brown eyes lit up. It looks like the project is working a little therapy already. DIG A WELL FOR BOBBY.1 Page 3 THIIVGS THAT HAVE ALRFADY BEIV DONE for Bobby include a brand new 12" portable T.V. set that was purchased for him by the students at the Enfield School. The sixth graders organized the idea and the T.V. set was delivered to him April 28th. (Exactly one month after his accident.) Mr. Cecil Miller of Ithaca called immediately after"Bobbyts picture appeared in the paper and offered to drill the well at cost. Bob Carpenter met with him earlier this week and the drilling will start in the near future. Mr. Spike Covert of Trumansburg has offered to dig the ditch from the well to the house at no charge as his contribution. Mr. Covertts daughter, Mrs. Clara Predmore will have an Ideal Toy Party at the home of Mrs. Blanch Lovelace on the Mecklen- burg Road. It will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on May 15th. Outside orders are also being taken. Profit from this will go to the Bobby Blake Fund. Mrs. Grace Brewer of the Trumansburg Senior Citizens donated over $40.00 collected at their meeting. The Saddle-lites and the Go -Getters 4--H Clubs of Enfield gave contributions. Mr. George VanEpps of Humsey-Ithaca Sand and Gravel Co. In Ithaca will furnish the concrete to pour the floor in the base- ment. This is also a donation. (Don't tell us there isntt any Santa Clause':) The National Master's Office in Washington D.C. called on May 5th inquiring about the outcome of the supper. They were pleased with our answer and will publish the "Fund" in their National magazine in May. For the supper, Kennedys Corners Church gave us the use of their tables and chairs to set up the upstairs of the Grange. Bill Seleman of the A & W in Ithaca donated 15gallons of root beer plus giving us 200 cups to use. Cudlinis'meat market donated five pounds of hamburg. Steiger's market donated ten pounds of hamburg. Other donors were Greggts Junctions Market, Newhart's Store and the P. & C. in Trumansburg. The Cornell Alumni News donated all the paper used in the newsletters. The Moonlighters Square Dance Group will play for a dance at the Grange Hall on MAy.29th from 8:00 p.m. until 12:00 p.m. Admission is 41.50. ..The band: will-)piay'..At no charge and proceeds from the dance will go to the Bobby Blake Fund. The way things have been going, I expect to answer my phone some night and hear somebody say, Nvirs. Gray; would you stop by my office on your way home and pick up a­�house�to}ga-cn top of that basement." DIG A WELL FOR BOBBY Page 4 A special account has been set up entitled the "Bobby Blake Fund." Two signatures are required in order to issue any checks. A financial report is as follows: May 1st supper Bake Sale Contributions Expenses 766.80 62.59 .61 x¢1,6.00 -166.1 6 996.81 May Grange Notes and Dates 8th, 1971 Mr. Fay Ballard and his Degree Team of Dryden put on the 3rd and 4th degrees at the Ehfield Grange May 4-th. They did a great job. lst and 2nd degree will be May 8th at Interlaken Grange In Covert, N.Y. at 8:00 p.m. May 11th at 7:30 p.m. will be the regular meeting of the Enfield Valley Grange. June 26th at 8:OO p.m. will be Recognition night for the 25 year and 60 year members. State Haster Robert Drake will be the guest speaker. A dish to pass supper will proceed the event at 6:45 p.m. This is a very important night in the life of any Grange so we hope for a large turnout. These people have put a lot of good years behind them in Grange work. We apologize to those who have Btumbled patiently through this whole newsletter. This newsletter goes out for a dual purpose. The first Is the promotion of the "Dig A Well For Bobby" project. The second Is the chatty part included for our regular and faithful newsletter fans on the Grange mailing list. We extend our sincere appreciation to all -of you who have been so instrumental in making this project work Our answer,,. to Bobby's question "why would people who don't even know me want to help" is -- "Do good, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward shall be great." These words are from the Chaplain's charge, found in all Grange manuals and brought o our attention by the National Grange Master, John W. Scott. Our reward has been great and we are getting more than we ever could hope for in return. A final edition of this newsletter will come out in about three or four weeks with complete details of our progress. That's one newsletter we're really going to enjoy doing.