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beautiful and important things worth saving. We had a chance with Cedar Grove to save something almost lost, which without us faced a certain future – that of rotting into the ground and into the huge silence that constitutes much of our history. The easiest thing to do was do nothing. The easiest thing to do was walk away. But good and worthwhile things are possible with effort, with determination, with labor, with money. A few angels emerged in the restoration process. The lead angel is Harry Moses, who with his wife Jackie, visited the church and saw possibility. Harry offered a lifetime of construction knowledge, tons of great ideas and contacts, and boundless energy. He enlisted the help of Carroll Williams, now owner of Harry Moses Construction Company, who agreed to re-roof the meetinghouse at cost. John Branch of Glennville donated mature longleaf pines that had blown down during Hurricane Matthew. The donors are a whole flock of angels. They were people who went on faith that something could be done, who believed in the redemption of restoration, who took a chance. With donations of whatever they could afford, they stepped up to collaborate on this project. The new roof is now on. The moment the last sheet of metal was laid I drew a sweet, grateful breath. The work continues. I would love for your heart to be as moved as mine by this heartpine heirloom. I invite you to be part of our vision for Cedar Grove, which is to return it to a functional structure, built on solid ground, surrounded by remnant old-growth, saved by you from certain doom. In return for your help, we can offer you deep and sincere gratitude, on top of a pride that comes from knowing that together we did what needed to be done. Thank you for whatever you can do to help us. ��TCM Janisse Ray is an American writer, naturalist and environmental activist. Raised in Baxley, Georgia, she now resides in Tattnall County. She has published six books, including Ecology of a Cracker Childhood and Wild Card Quilt, which recount her experiences of life in the coastal plains of Georgia. She is passionate about the environment and is a champion for places like the longleaf pine flatwoods, the Altamana River and Moody Forest. In 2015 she was named to the Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame. HOW CAN YOU HELP CEDAR GROVE CHURCH SURVIVE? For more information, please see the “Cedar Grove Church Rescue Project” page on Facebook. Donations may be sent to Cedar Grove Church, 895 Catherine T. Sanders Road, Reidsville, GA 30453. Please make checks payable to “Cedar Grove Church.” THE �������������� LAW FIRM, PC KIMBERLY R. CAMERON, ATTORNEY ���������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������� Hometown Living At Its Best 81


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