We have arrived in Preston, GA and are parked at the old school with 30-amp electric, a nearby fresh water spigot, and backed right up to a sewer cleanout. We were the first ones to arrive, so I got a prime piece of real estate for our parking place.
The drive up from Lake City was a pleasant drive with comfortable temperatures the whole way. We stopped right across the state line on Georgia at the Flying J. Diesel fuel was $1.90/gallon and we also topped of the propane tank.
As we continued north on I-75, we saw a lot of traffic go around us since I was driving at a steady 55mph. When we got to Tifton, we turned off the interstate and took US and state highways to Albany and north to Americus. We found a Wachovia Bank where Dottie got some money from the ATM and we visited the local Super Wal-Mart. There is also a Lowe’s there so we can get some supplies for any modifications I may want to make to the coach.
We drove through Plains where everything is labeled to recognize the Home of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President. This area of the country is NOT affluent, and the homes and mobile homes along the highway tell the story of the economy of these counties. Preston was at one time the poorest county in the USA. There are only 2500 people in the county with about 60% Caucasian. We got parked at the old school, which is being renovated for the use of County offices.
Our parking was originally to be on an asphalt parking lot, but there is some event in the next two weeks, so we have been moved to a grassy area backed up to a building. The 30-amp electric boxes were just being installed as we arrived. They are plumbed off an air conditioner circuit breaker and we’re getting strong 122 volt, 30-amp electricity. I have to stretch my 100’ garden hose out to a spigot but it will reach easily and I can fill the fresh water tank.
Moreover, I’m parked right in front of a sewer cleanout so I can drain my gray water tank each day. The local County Commissioner has stated that he doesn’t want any of our water hitting the ground. Obviously, he’s not “RV-savvy”.
We have met several folks who drove by last night and just stopped to welcome us to Webster County. Preston has a Baptist and a Methodist church. There is Mom’s Restaurant, an IGA grocery store, and a convenience store/gas station. Mom’s Restaurant was so popular with Jimmy Cater that he talked them in to opening a store in Plains, seven miles east of here. We met Terry Allen, the grocer, when he drove in to introduce himself and returned later on his Harley to invite us to join him and several of his friends for a Thursday night motorcycle dinner ride - boy, was that tempting! We had already started cooking a chicken on the BBQ, so we sadly declined the invite. We were also visited by the Baptist minister and his wife. They have offered the facilities in their church for anything we might need. It has been an experience getting to see all these folks who are just downright hospitable. They are truly appreciative of the efforts we’ll be making to get this first house built for the New Horizons affiliate of HfH.
On Friday morning we drove over to Mom’s Restaurant for breakfast. I had a sausage & cheese omelet, biscuits, and grits for $3.50. About noon the first of the arrivals started showing up. By evening there were five coaches parked, and on Saturday we expect another five coaches to arrive. Dottie and I are the kids of the group; most of the others are noticeably more “mature”. We have seen the build site and the walls are waiting to be erected and supplies are ready to be opened. We will have a groundbreaking ceremony at 3PM on Sunday followed by a dedication dinner on Sunday night. Monday morning we’ll start swinging hammers.
Friday night seven of us walked to Mom’s for dinner. Dottie and I had a catfish dinner for $6.50. It included three pieces of catfish, hush puppies, onion rings, and cole slaw. It looks like we’ll be eating several meals at Mom’s in the next two weeks.
On Saturday morning we waited for the other coaches to arrive. There were four that had indicated they would arrive so we got to know the others in the group and sat around under some shade trees socializing. By 2PM the remainder of the coaches had made their way to the parking lot and were getting settled in. Some went back to Plains for some peanut ice cream and some drove around the town to look. There’s not a lot to see as the downtown is only 3-4 blocks long. Many of them decided to go to Mom’s again tonight, but we have some food at the coach and we’d cook something here.
This county is a dry county so there is not much tolerance for alcohol. I can drink a beer near the coach or have a glass of wine with dinner, but there is no liquor sold in the stores. We are going to support the Baptist church on Sunday - the pastor was one of the big supporters of this Build and one of the reasons we are here. He is a friendly sort of guy and we want to give him all the help we can. He has given the Team Leader a key to their Fellowship Hall with bathrooms and showers. There will be several of our meals that will be served in the church Hall and we’ll try to attend his service on Sunday morning. After church we’ll probably all go to Plains and have lunch at Mom’s Café there. It’s rumored that we may even see Jimmy Carter as he sometimes frequents the café and may even serve meals to some of the patrons.
Sunday morning most of us went to the Preston Baptist Church for services at 11AM. It was an enjoyable service and everybody was outgoing and friendly. We walked back to the coaches and had a quick lunch, relaxed, and even took a short nap. At 6PM we all met at the build site for the dedication ceremony and met several of the New Horizons HfH Affiliate staffers. It was a short dedication service with a traditional groundbreaking ceremony. Afterward we walked to the church fellowship hall for supper. You should have seen the spread of food! There was all the usual southern fried foods that you could imagine. The tables were loaded with food that had been brought from home. And the dessert table was something to die for! We did all we could to be fair and give everything a taste. We also received a goody bag with a cap, t-shirt, coffee cup, pen, and a flashlight. It was a pleasant surprise gift bag with things to remember this build.
We start at 8AM sharp on Monday at the build site. The day starts with a short devotional followed by raising the walls and getting the house framed. Fred O’Donnell, the Team Leader, will be a task master, but fun to work with. Dottie and I are both looking forward to this build.
The drive up from Lake City was a pleasant drive with comfortable temperatures the whole way. We stopped right across the state line on Georgia at the Flying J. Diesel fuel was $1.90/gallon and we also topped of the propane tank.
As we continued north on I-75, we saw a lot of traffic go around us since I was driving at a steady 55mph. When we got to Tifton, we turned off the interstate and took US and state highways to Albany and north to Americus. We found a Wachovia Bank where Dottie got some money from the ATM and we visited the local Super Wal-Mart. There is also a Lowe’s there so we can get some supplies for any modifications I may want to make to the coach.
We drove through Plains where everything is labeled to recognize the Home of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President. This area of the country is NOT affluent, and the homes and mobile homes along the highway tell the story of the economy of these counties. Preston was at one time the poorest county in the USA. There are only 2500 people in the county with about 60% Caucasian. We got parked at the old school, which is being renovated for the use of County offices.
Our parking was originally to be on an asphalt parking lot, but there is some event in the next two weeks, so we have been moved to a grassy area backed up to a building. The 30-amp electric boxes were just being installed as we arrived. They are plumbed off an air conditioner circuit breaker and we’re getting strong 122 volt, 30-amp electricity. I have to stretch my 100’ garden hose out to a spigot but it will reach easily and I can fill the fresh water tank.
Moreover, I’m parked right in front of a sewer cleanout so I can drain my gray water tank each day. The local County Commissioner has stated that he doesn’t want any of our water hitting the ground. Obviously, he’s not “RV-savvy”.
We have met several folks who drove by last night and just stopped to welcome us to Webster County. Preston has a Baptist and a Methodist church. There is Mom’s Restaurant, an IGA grocery store, and a convenience store/gas station. Mom’s Restaurant was so popular with Jimmy Cater that he talked them in to opening a store in Plains, seven miles east of here. We met Terry Allen, the grocer, when he drove in to introduce himself and returned later on his Harley to invite us to join him and several of his friends for a Thursday night motorcycle dinner ride - boy, was that tempting! We had already started cooking a chicken on the BBQ, so we sadly declined the invite. We were also visited by the Baptist minister and his wife. They have offered the facilities in their church for anything we might need. It has been an experience getting to see all these folks who are just downright hospitable. They are truly appreciative of the efforts we’ll be making to get this first house built for the New Horizons affiliate of HfH.
On Friday morning we drove over to Mom’s Restaurant for breakfast. I had a sausage & cheese omelet, biscuits, and grits for $3.50. About noon the first of the arrivals started showing up. By evening there were five coaches parked, and on Saturday we expect another five coaches to arrive. Dottie and I are the kids of the group; most of the others are noticeably more “mature”. We have seen the build site and the walls are waiting to be erected and supplies are ready to be opened. We will have a groundbreaking ceremony at 3PM on Sunday followed by a dedication dinner on Sunday night. Monday morning we’ll start swinging hammers.
Friday night seven of us walked to Mom’s for dinner. Dottie and I had a catfish dinner for $6.50. It included three pieces of catfish, hush puppies, onion rings, and cole slaw. It looks like we’ll be eating several meals at Mom’s in the next two weeks.
On Saturday morning we waited for the other coaches to arrive. There were four that had indicated they would arrive so we got to know the others in the group and sat around under some shade trees socializing. By 2PM the remainder of the coaches had made their way to the parking lot and were getting settled in. Some went back to Plains for some peanut ice cream and some drove around the town to look. There’s not a lot to see as the downtown is only 3-4 blocks long. Many of them decided to go to Mom’s again tonight, but we have some food at the coach and we’d cook something here.
This county is a dry county so there is not much tolerance for alcohol. I can drink a beer near the coach or have a glass of wine with dinner, but there is no liquor sold in the stores. We are going to support the Baptist church on Sunday - the pastor was one of the big supporters of this Build and one of the reasons we are here. He is a friendly sort of guy and we want to give him all the help we can. He has given the Team Leader a key to their Fellowship Hall with bathrooms and showers. There will be several of our meals that will be served in the church Hall and we’ll try to attend his service on Sunday morning. After church we’ll probably all go to Plains and have lunch at Mom’s Café there. It’s rumored that we may even see Jimmy Carter as he sometimes frequents the café and may even serve meals to some of the patrons.
Sunday morning most of us went to the Preston Baptist Church for services at 11AM. It was an enjoyable service and everybody was outgoing and friendly. We walked back to the coaches and had a quick lunch, relaxed, and even took a short nap. At 6PM we all met at the build site for the dedication ceremony and met several of the New Horizons HfH Affiliate staffers. It was a short dedication service with a traditional groundbreaking ceremony. Afterward we walked to the church fellowship hall for supper. You should have seen the spread of food! There was all the usual southern fried foods that you could imagine. The tables were loaded with food that had been brought from home. And the dessert table was something to die for! We did all we could to be fair and give everything a taste. We also received a goody bag with a cap, t-shirt, coffee cup, pen, and a flashlight. It was a pleasant surprise gift bag with things to remember this build.
We start at 8AM sharp on Monday at the build site. The day starts with a short devotional followed by raising the walls and getting the house framed. Fred O’Donnell, the Team Leader, will be a task master, but fun to work with. Dottie and I are both looking forward to this build.
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