DEDICATION DAY SEPTEMBER 12, 1999

http://www.gmwp.org/1999/dedication.html
revised 11/10/99

The 1999 GMWP house was dedicated on Sunday September 12, 1999. Shown in the photo at left are some of the more than 60 brethren, Eastern Star Sisters and other volunteers who had helped to make Linda's new home (shown in the photo at right) a reality.

Project Director Bill Whisel called the proceeding to order using a Rail Road Whistle from the CASEY JONES VILLAGE--it got everyone's attention. Lexington/Henderson County HFH executive director Brian Williams welcomed everyone and introduced VISION 2013/HFH Task Force Chairman Brother Tom Boduch.

Brother Boduch added his words of welcome and introduced Past Grand Master Alton Tollison; M. W. Brother Tollison then offered a very moving and appropriate devotional prayer.

After the prayer, Brother Boduch discussed the VISION 2013 program, and how the partnership with Tennessee's HFH affiliates came about. He credited Past Grand Master Tollison for appointing he and Bro. Whisel as a Task Force in August 1996. He went on to state that when he and Brother Whisel met for the first time in September 1996 to plan the program, they never dreamed we would have completed 3 houses in 3 years, with at least 5 more planned over the next 3 years! He said this success happened because our Masonic family "put our minds to it and worked together."

In honor of Past Grand Master Tollison's initiating the HFH partnership program, it was felt appropriate to dedicate this house in memory of his Grandson, Logan, who died in April 1997 after a long battle with Cancer. Tragically, during the subsequent summer, 2 Grand Children, (Ashley and Dennis Barham) of Past Grand Master and West Tennessee Grand Lecturer M. W. Brother Tex Tisdale were killed in a boating accident. Accordingly, this house was also dedicated in their memory.

M. W. Brothers Tollison and Tisdale expressed their appreciation for this memorial, and introduced their Grand Children's parents and other grandparents who were also present.

Brother Bill Whisel then recognized the many volunteers who worked in 90 and 100 degree days to build the house, as well as those who donated building materials and appliances. He also praised Linda and her framily for all their hard work and willingness to do anything necessary during the construction of the house--even at a moment's notice. Brother Whisel mentioned that over 2,000 hours of labor were donated to construct the house by 37 individual Masons, family members and friends. 60% of the construction time was donated by memeber of St. John's Lodge #332; Past Masters James Hubbell and Paul Wilson accounted for 600 of those hours.

Brother Tom Boduch expressed his appreciation to Brother Bill Whisel for his leadership in building Linda's house. He mentioned that it had been planned for Linda's house to be the first GMWP house, but due to the hard work and dedication of our brethren and Eastern Star Sisters, the first GMWP house was built in 1998 in partnership with Blount County HFH. Brother Boduch stated that Brother Whisel and Brother Jimmy Turner had traveled 6 hours to plumb that house, and thanked them for their work. He also introduced Brother Corky Hester who will lead the 2000 GMWP which will be built in Lebanon, in partnership with Wilson County HFH. Shown in the photo at left are (from left to right) Brothers Whisel, Boduch and Hester.

Executive Director Brian Williams then spoke and praised our Masonic Family for our work. He then presented Linda with the keys to her new home (see photo at right).

Past Grand Master Tex then presented homeowner Linda Smith with a bible, and gave her advice on the role it should play in her home. Brother Tex is shown in the photo at left, while Brother Bill Whisel (Left), Brother Tom Boduch and Lexington/Henderson County HFH Executive Director Brian Williams (at right) look on.

Linda was pretty much speechless by this point in time, but thanked everyone for the blessing she and her family had received.

Lexington/Henderson County HFH president Tim Barnhill added his words of appreciation, after which, A closing prayer was offered, and refreshments were served by local Eastern Star Chapters.