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2005 accomplishments II (050816)
News article:
2005 at the Foreman Prairie House
Cold weather and no heat at the Prairie House kept us at home during
the winter months of 2005.
Spring arrived, and volunteers started work again by using Jail
Trustees for free labor, after several months lapse. Our two current
inmates make a magnificent work crew, and completely painted the
entire house during these spring months since May. All the holes in
the walls have been repaired and painted, doors have been stripped,
repainted and put back in place. We are currently painting the trim
throughout the house. The floors no longer have holes in them,
though they are not yet redone. That will be our next undertaking.
About two weeks ago Dr. Chris Jeffries asked if we could use the old
1920 era kitchen cabinets out of the L. B. Simmons home at 401 North
9th. What a Godsend! They will be beautiful in the house. Jim Shelby
is currently at home building matching cabinets to go with those in
the Prairie House kitchen. We also got our old sink and footed
bathtub re- porcelained by Mr. Bob Whetzell. Mr. Charles Thomas
donated his time in repairing the dining room chairs, and
stabilizing them for our use. Charlie Calger helps in many ways. His
latest “Atta Boy” goes to him for helping devise a method and the
brackets necessary to mount our stairwell chandelier, and make it
recessible so we can lower it in the stairwell for cleaning and bulb
changing. Charlie and about 10 others are to be thanked for that
installation job! (He and James Mayberry were the ones sweating in
the attic to install our mechanisms.)
It was a great day on Wednesday Workday, August 10, 2005, when we
were able turn on the lights throughout the house, and had the old
original doorbell working again! The electrical re-wire of the
entire house is now inspected & complete.
State Representative Jari Askins made the completion of our electric
re-wiring and the installation of two heat and air units possible in
May. Hats off to Ms. Askins and Brian Churchman at ASCOG for their
help. Through them The Prairie House Foundation was granted funds
from ODOC for fiscal year 2005 funding for those projects.
We are about to begin a new fundraising drive after receiving word
from the Kerr Foundation that we may receive a 2:1 matching grant
from the Kerr Foundation, if we raise enough local funds. For those
who have considered a donation to The Prairie House Foundation for
renovation and preservation, now is the time to have your money
worth more than ever as you donate to this not for profit, tax
deductible, community use, historical preservation project.
All the beautiful crown molding has been repaired, put in place, and
refinished to look beautiful again as it did in 1918. The stained
glass window in the living room looks very similar to the original
window that disappeared from the house in 1999. We are grateful to
Duncan’s own Mrs. Kay Hall (of Ligon’s nursery) for the window she
made and gave to the Prairie House for the community to enjoy!
A beautiful old chandelier from Earl & Michelle Hunter now graces
the dining room.
All other fixtures throughout the house have likewise been donated
by friends of the project.
There is still only one toilet and one sink with cold running water
at the Prairie House, but we hope funding will soon be in place to
finish the plumbing. We estimate another $50,000.00 should bring us
to completion of the five phase project for house and grounds
renovation. We hope to reach that goal by the late summer 2006, if
not sooner. Our remaining major projects include: renovation of the
floors, replacing beveled mirrors throughout the house, door knobs
for the entire house (they’d all been taken), completion of
plumbing, tiling all three bathroom/entry areas of the house,
remodeling the downstairs bathroom, tuck pointing the outside brick,
landscaping, sprinkler system, and making and installing the three
other colored/stained glass windows.
(If anyone in our area knows what the two stained glass windows of
the stairwell looked like, we would appreciate hearing from you. A
photograph of them would be superb!
255-7693, 255-4099).
We thank all the folks who have donated money, time, labor, or
materials to putting the old place back together…” I love it when a
Plan comes together”!…neighbors helping neighbors.
Gail Loafman, August 9, 2005
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