News
Charlie Pyles updates this section to keep everyone informed. Older updates are at the bottom of this page.
Update November 16th, 2008
Topmost this week is our knowledge that Obie Fardo and Billy Newman are each getting better. Obie had the more serious procedure with having his kidney removed. Each day I talk to him, I can tell the difference in his clarity. He stays on subject when we talk (as much as Obie ever did). He's walking some with the help of a walker while he's also eating better. Billy has one more procedure to endure, but it's much less serious than the last so we expect him to be okay after the first of the year and back to helping some more. Please keep these two characters in your prayers. I'll keep you updated.
During the week just passed, we finished getting the last window
installed on the North end of the building as shown in the photo. We
think we're probably not going to have very many good working days until
winter has passed. Fortunately Frank Hussung and I live only a few doors
from one another and we can decide on the spur of a moment to head down
and do some work.
Since we removed the rest of the ceiling lathe, we're now able to get to all the rafters and make sure they're securely attached. This alone will strengthen the ceiling. All the rafters are secured from above by X bracing some of which are lose and will be reattached or replaced as necessary.
We decided that we would start working on the South wall probably in quarters since it takes about 1 full work session to remove the plaster and lathe. It will require another session to remove the old window and it's frame so we can replace it with the ones we've already got cut to size.
Our wish list is topped by the need of a financial angel to enable us to repair or replace the beveled siding. As you can see in the photo above, it's in dire need of repair. Our hope is that we can replace it with similar siding and we will insulate the walls at the same time. The whiter siding you see on the bottom of the building came from another building the owner allowed us to remove and use. It's not a good match to the rest, but it does the job for now.
Since the building is not heated or air conditioned, we aren't rushed to accomplish these things immediately. We think we could use electricity, but right now, we don't have the funds to afford an ongoing expense like this. We may try to get temporary electricity to a pole outside. This will permit us to us power sanders and other tools on the wainscot inside in preparation for sanding and painting.
We still have to decide on flooring. The original floor was tongue and groove then later covered with tar paper and linoleum. Our thinking is that we'll use the tongue & groove that survived the open roof and the particle board replacement flooring we installed as a sub-floor. We would put newer flooring over it. If you have expertise in this area, let us know. We need experienced advice on some of these things. Stay tuned.
Update November 6th, 2008
Today was another gorgeous day and we started early today so we got two windows in this time. The photos below show shutters open and shutters closed. It's an unfortunate fact of life these days that there are vandals among us or we could just leave the shutters open permanently. We think the third window back will be challenging because the frame itself was hard to put in so we're reserving that one for Saturday when we'll finish it off. Click on the images for a larger one.
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Keep telling your friends about the project. We still need lots of money to get this project finished. The largest expense will be the weatherboarding (beveled siding) outside. We still have to finish the windows on the South side of the building, but we don't anticipate finishing them until Spring unless we have an unusually mild winter.
That's it for this installment. As always, the latest news will be right on this page.
Update November 4th, 2008
Today was quite a good day for us as has been the preceding week. On October 30th, the back of the building was unfinished and by November 1st, we had it protected as shown below. You can click on any photo and see a larger rendition in a new window that you can X out after viewing and return here.
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We don't really think we'll get any more paint on the exterior before we take a winter break. During the warmest days of winter, we'll tackle some of the interior features that need attention though. We decided that we won't work if the temperature is predicted to be 40 degrees or lower. Combined with a wind chill, 40 can put the temperature down below freezing.
For those members planning to attend the annual cemetery meeting on Decoration Day, we'll have the meeting indoors instead of out in the yard as we did the past two years.
As you can see by the photo of Billy Newman above, he's out of the hospital after his gall bladder procedure and he's getting around pretty good.
Obie on the other hand is four days past his kidney removal and although he seems to be progressing nicely, please keep him in your prayers. He's a fighter and he's starting to get back to himself day by day. He's in room 2240 at St. Elizabeth South Unit in Edgewood. He'll most likely have another 3-4 days before they turn him loose. His wife, Mary Ruth seems to be handling everything really good in spite of a recent fall which bruised her face pretty badly.
That's it for this installment. Stay tuned for more...........
Update October 25th, 2008
Today we finally got the sub-floor in place at Old
Bethel
We still need some large donations before Spring in order to get the project to the final stages of rehabilitation. I'll be sending another letter to businesses in the area to see if any local support can be gained.
We've had some visitors lately and we want to share that with you. Harriett Frances 'Hattie' Goodman who has Recker Family buried in the cemetery visited on September 17th and has since sent some photos to share with us.
The photo at side is: Gene Davidson the Child & John Robert Gruber in 1949 at Bethel Cemetery.
We'd like to see more of you who have family there to dig in your family archives and find us some photos. We'll put them on this web site for all to share if you allow it.
A couple weeks ago, we had several members from the community where Frank and I live stop by and have lunch with us then visit the Church to see our progress. This group had three families who had donated money to us as well. They're good neighbors in every way.
Now we look forward to your visit. Since the floor is solid now, we can give you the tour. We're there Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as some Saturdays. We'll be happy to show the building at other times if you contact us. Thanks for your support.
Obie goes in for his Kidney Operation on the 31st and Billy goes in the day prior for his Gall Bladder problem only I think Billy is an Out Patient procedure. I'll post news here as soon as I find out how it went for both of them. Keep them in your prayers as will I.
Update October 4th, 2008
Today I found out our friend Randy Brownfield is having serious medical problems and could use your prayers as much as Obie and Billy who continue to be in limbo about the when, for Obie. It's when they will remove a kidney and Billy when they'll decide what to do about his Gall Bladder.
Frank Hussung and I have continued to work on the interior since the roof is finally staying in place. We have gotten a few new donations that have enabled us to buy window glass and pay to have the them glazed in the sashes. We have covered part of the walls on the West (back) and North (right side) of the building with particle board where we removed the plaster and lathwork. This gives the building new strength since the walls don't have the weight of all that plaster pulling on them. You can see how it was cracked and hanging below. You can also see all the holes in our West wall where the Weatherboard needs replaced on the outside. We'll do the work if someone can help us with materials.
We worked three days this week and next week we'll probably do three days again. The goal this coming week I think is to finish the walls on the North side, then go to the floor and work on the sub floor so we can get a high lift inside the building. The high lift will enable us to stash the ladders and remove that danger. A lot of our upcoming work will be up high so the lift will be a major help inside. Frank shot a couple pictures today that I'll add as soon as he e-mails them to me.
Update September 21st, 2008
Today is a month since my last update, but I'm happy to tell you there is more progress at Old Bethel. Since the roof has been repaired, we've had another big wind storm and I'm extremely happy to report to you that the building is intact. Frank was out in the cemetery last week cleaning up debris from our latest storm while I painted the new window casings and frames with primer.
Frank and I have spent the last month building window frames and replacing the originals on the North side of the building. Next we'll have the casings glazed and we'll install them with new shutters to protect them. We are in pretty good shape material wise for now, but we can always use lumber. Right now, we'd like some good cedar so we can build shutter that will last. If you can help with this, please let us know. Don't forget that your donations are appreciated and tax deductible.
We're also looking for a sign maker who will help us identify our historic property so passersby might find us easier. This is something we hope to have donated so if any of you are sign makers, we need you. Call us.
Fall begins tomorrow and we hope to have that side of the building complete and protected from weather before the first really cold weather slows us down.
Billy Newman and Obie Fardo are both having some health issues and I'd like to ask you to keep both of them in your prayers for a while until they get past their crises. Frank and I miss having them around all the time.
Update August 21st, 2008
Today was the day Old Bethel was finally under roof again. This time we think for good. It was a good day also because our buddy Obie Fardo was out of the hospital again. When we don't have Obie to pick on, then we don't have any fun. We hope he continues to heal from his kidney problems so he can start showing up and keeping us straight again.
In the coming weeks, we hope you'll notice that windows will start appearing one by one again until we have all of them back in and shuttered. Once this is accomplished, we'll continue starting to rehabilitate the rest of the interior. We finished one of the pews already and it really looks good.
Our wish list right now is of course headed by the need for money since this latest event nearly broke our bank. Other than money, we would love it if someone decided to purchase some foam insulation and donate it. For someone to donate a load of beveled siding would be high on our list as well.
This view of the building illustrates the need for siding while showing the just repaired roof. We painted the old siding on the front and it looks good, but it's so thin, you can almost see through it.
We still work on Tuesdays and Thursdays so anyone is welcome to stop by while we're there and help or just shoot the bull (not Elwood Moore's bull though). Since there are only four of us there regularly, we sometimes cancel with short notice so if you want to catch us for sure, then contact us and make sure of our schedule.
I really need to give Paul Tuemler public thanks because he has been an invaluable resource during this second roofing problem. He has made some possible problems become no problem at all. Thank You Paul!
Update August 20th, 2008
Exactly one month after our disaster, we are ready to put the steel back on our historic building. In the morning August 21st, the roof will go back on and we've taken more extreme steps to make sure it stays on this time. The top picture below was at 9 this morning and the one below is 6 this evening. I'll post a more detailed report tomorrow evening when we have the roof back on.
Your help is still desperately needed because this broke our bank for now. Don't forget that all donations are tax deductible and we'll furnish you a receipt for your tax records. Thank you for your support. -Charlie-
Update2 July 20th, 2008
Never in the wildest corners of my imagination did I think I'd have to share this with you. At 6:00 this evening, yet another storm visited Old Bethel. This time from East to West. I guess Mother Nature really has something against us. We went down to survey the damage as you see me in the cap and Billy Newman looking things over. Brant Hussung shot the photo. Thanks Brant.
Shortly after the picture was taken, another storm welled up right behind us and we saw at least two tornados on the ground about 20 miles Northeast of us. The clouds advanced on us and we all beat it out of there down to Falmouth where we parked our cars behind a brick building till the worst part went by us. The worst of the storm as far as I could see was right there at Bethel.
We're all crushed at this point and the roof is in Elwood Moore's field. Elwood's corn and tomato garden was decimated. What will we do? I don't know at this point. We've done the best we can with the donations we've received and this end of the roof was a lot stronger than it had been previously. All is not lost at present, but our construction fund is nearly flat. It would take a grant in the amount in excess of $30,000 to do this right. If you live in the area, watch Channel 64 at 10 or Channel 12 at 11. You may be able to see the story on www.WKRC.com on line as well.
If anybody out there has any ideas, please let me know. More news when I know it. -Charlie-
Update July 20th, 2008
Since the last update on the 2nd, we've had a little progress, but not much. We've cleaned out debris from the storm repairs on the interior and have temporary flooring in place in case we have visitors for Pendleton County Homecoming celebration next weekend.
Frank has been working on the cemetery along with Billy and it's looking pretty good out there. Frank along with his wife Cheryl are making new discoveries almost daily of our cemetery residents through the use of Death Certificates available on line. Frank has also discovered a way to make some of the older tombstones readable which helps a lot. I think he told me the list was 425 now, but an earlier version is available here on line.
Obie Fardo had a setback with his health last week and spent a couple nights in the hospital. He's out now, but still not about. I think he may show up this week for an hour or two.
Since I'm the aerial guy, I've been spending a lot of time on Rick Hatfield's high lift he loaned us. Friday and Saturday, I started painting the front of the church and I intend to go down this evening to do more when it cools down a little. Click the image for a larger version (opens in a new window). That's it for this update. Keep checking this page for all the latest. -Charlie-
Update July 2nd, 2008
Wednesday. Yesterday the 1st of July, we got the window sashes primed by Billy and I made some repairs to the rain gutters on the cemetery side of the building. I used Chuck Beetz's tractor and scraper to move some of our dirt up against the building and around the front step.
I just updated the cemetery listing so you can pull it up using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you decide to print the list, tell your printer to print it landscape
Update June 20th, 2008
Thursday June 19th was the day we finally got the damaged roof repaired. It was a long struggle raising the new money needed so we could hire someone. We were fortunate to have Channel 12 and Channel 64 do stories about us all day today on every newscast. Thanks Michael Beauchat!
The picture above was added on Friday the 20th after the gutters and downspouts were put back on. We also repaired underneath the soffits as well.
We're not finished yet, but here's a picture of our project after the ladders were taken down on June 19th. We hope the stories on the newscasts help raise awareness enough that other benefactors will come forward. We still need some substantial donations because replacing the cedar siding is a very expensive undertaking.
Now that the church has had it's unnatural skylight closed, we need to start working on the windows which is something we as volunteers can do. As the project continues, we work on things that we have already purchased materials for, most of which are easy for 4 older gentlemen to accomplish.
Thanks to everyone for your support. We appreciate it.
Update May 20th, 2008
Saturday May 18th was a great day at Old Bethel. We had a very good turnout for our second cemetery clean-up day. We're grateful to all you who have helped both physically and monetarily. It was the Pendleton County Cemetery Committee headed by Henry Aulick who helped make this whole thing happen along with Ron Moreland and Steve Mulloy who gave their time selfishly. Thanks guys.
Once again we had the help of Pendleton County NJROTC kids and those were TJ Estem, Kurtis Fields, Sammy Askin, Patrick Spencer, Michael McCullough, Phillip Richie, Ed Harris and Akeem Jackson. Thanks fellows. Your parents should be very proud of you. We're extremely grateful for Omer Bentle for bringing his tractor both Saturdays and operating it both days for as long as we needed him. Along with Omer's tractor, we had the use of Peoples Funeral Homes hoist truck. We appreciate the friendship of John Peoples, Jonathan and Chris.
The rest of the volunteers who helped yesterday in no particular order were Barry & Julie Stephens, Chuck & Jenny Beetz, Frank Hussung, and his son Brant Hussung. Obie Fardo , our treasurer came out to handle the bill payment part of our project again. Once again there were cookies soft drinks and Edwardo's Pizza in Falmouth owned by Ed Clemons gave us a break on the cost of Pizza for the second time. Thanks Ed.
Now for the really good news! I'm proud to announce publicly and officially for the first time that "The Kentucky Heritage Council has designated Bethel Church and Cemetery A Kentucky Landmark and deems it worthy of preservation." A copy of the certificate may be seen in half size by clicking the links on our main page.
We're still trying to find a carpenter willing to repair our roof. It's too dangerous for us old fellows to get up there with our various health issues. Please contact us if you're interested in this job.
Sunday May 19th was the annual meeting of Bethel Cemetery Company, Inc.
Update May 14th, 2008
We're still looking for someone to repair our wind damaged roof. If you or someone you know can do this, please call and let us know. We have a high lift truck on site donated by Hatfield Plumbing.
Update April 20th, 2008
We had a community work day Saturday the 19th after having to cancel last week due to rain. We straightened a lot of tombstones in the Northeast corner of the cemetery. Several tombstones are repaired in this section as well. We unearthed one tombstone that was sunk in the ground upside down, but we think it may not be where the grave is. The tombstone is for Infant Thornton d/o John and Jane Thornton Born and died Feb 21, 1855. We have a Sarah in our database who is daughter of the same parents. Sarah died November 4, 1853. If you know where this tombstone properly belongs, please contact us because we'll be doing a census of the cemetery and want it where it belongs.
The Pendleton County Historical Society Cemetery Committee members, Steve Malloy, Ron Moreland and Henry Aulick led a group of 5 NJROTC kids who worked very hard for 4-5 hours they stuck with us. Thanks to Curt Prather, their leader for lending Anthony Barnette, Michael Frisch, Philip Richie, Ed Harris & Paul Askin to us. Their parents should be proud of them.
Special thanks to Rumpke, Inc. for the loan of a roll-off, a portable john and most importantly the generous donation to our church project. Thanks also to Peoples Funeral homes for the letting us use their hoist truck. This plus Omer Bentle and his tractor made the job of hoisting those heavy stones up so we could level them and build new bases underneath them a piece of cake.
The rest of the volunteers who helped yesterday in no particular order were Billy & Francis Newman, Barry & Julie Stephens, Chuck & Jenny Beetz, Teresa & Bill Johnston, Frank Hussung ,Brant Hussung and with my wife Betty Pyles. Obie Fardo came out to engineer the bill payment part of our project. The ladies made lots of cookies and Edwardo's Pizza in Falmouth owned by Ed Clemons gave us a break on the cost of Pizza.
Here's a Slide show of April 19th activities thanks to Cheryl Hussung: WARNING: This is a big file so if you have dial-up, you may not want to start it. It is reduced from original, but still huge. Clean-up - Clean Up Day April 19, 2008
Update April 8th, 2008
We're back at work on the church picking up and cleaning up after the February 5th storm that tried to blow us away. See the Calendar page for more information.
I (Charlie Pyles) have been working with the Kentucky Heritage Council to include Bethel Church in the Kentucky Historic Resources Inventory. This listing will help keep the old building in the minds of future preservationists so that perpetual care will be possible. I'm happy to share with you that Bethel Church is now an Official Historic Kentucky Landmark.
I hope to see lots of web site visitors at the church this coming Saturday April 12th. Come meet the people who have brought Bethel Church and Cemetery to the brink of fame. Bring your checkbook too and make a charitable donation. It's tax deductible and it feels good to help others.
Update February 25th, 2008
The Bethel Church project received really good news coverage when the roof was destroyed and other communities in the tri-state area heard of the hard work and dedication of a few local Pendleton County supporters. We need, more than ever now, the support of neighbors and friends of the Bethel Church.
We're doing this for the Pendleton County Community but you, as a community, need to step up and help with donations, both monetary and material. Please don't turn your back on us.
We will continue to preserve this building for Pendleton County citizens regardless because it's the right thing to do. We'll honor those who came before us with this monument to their accomplishment. When city folk head this way and they round that last curve on Bethel Hill, we want them to say "Wow, isn't that a magnificent building?" as they look right at it.
We will continue attempting to get listed in the National Historic Register and we will finish what we started for you. It may take longer, but it's our chosen duty. If you live in Pendleton County, why not dig in your pocket and donate a buck or two. We'll use it wisely and we'll thank you with a tax deductible receipt. Call Obie Fardo 859-472-2408 or Charlie Pyles 859-442-7334.
Once the church is finished, we intend to move out in to the cemetery and start restoring it too. We just uncovered the picture below of the cemetery entrance. You may click on the photo for a larger image.
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to be a part of your community.
Here's another recently uncovered photo, click for larger shot:
Update February 6th, 2008
The news is bad. Last night February 5th, 2008, we lost half the roof including the understructure in a windstorm. It's going to be a much longer road ahead. We'll need a lot more money than what we've had to work with so far. If you know anything about raising money, we need you badly. Please Call.
At this time we're unable to proceed with the rehabilitation we started. Don't think we're giving up, we're not. Donations cure our problems. We are committed to complete what we started, but we are at the mercy of Nature. If you've got ideas or if you've got talent, we still need you. Please Call.
December 6, 2007
Today at noon I had the pleasure of presenting a Power Point slide show to the Falmouth Rotary thanks to Bob Fogle who invited me. To those Rotarians who visit this web site as a result of the handout we gave you; thanks for the nice reception in spite of that slight technical difficulty having to restart the computer.
Those of us working on this project are dedicated to community service much like Rotarians. We have put service before self in making this project a success and we will continue to do so. It was a rewarding experience to make this presentation to you. We hope your influential group will help hook us up a little better in the community as you network with others in positions of influence.
In the picture above, you can see that we have installed new shutters on the cemetery side of the building as we try to protect the interior during the upcoming winter. We will have rain gutters installed in the very near future that will help prevent washing out the stone foundation any worse than it already has done.
The time we are away from the project in Winter will be devoted to getting the building listed on the National Historic Register. I am working right now with Marty Perry of the Kentucky Heritage Council. I have the paperwork in hand to begin this process immediately. During the winter, we will attempt getting a grant of some sort to supplement funds already raised. We will do this in hope that we can restore/replace the exterior weatherboarding which is as thin as a cardboard box in many places.
The interior has hardly been touched so far except to strip away areas where we suspected damage. Decisions have to be made about the plastered walls, the floor and the ceiling. We want the rafters to be visible from below so visitors might enjoy the 19th Century construction methods used. We certainly don't want to hide this beautiful job.
That's about it for this update. Look for one more in 2007 after the gutters are installed. Happy Holidays everyone from myself, my wife Betty, her sister Jenny and husband Chuck Beetz, Obie Fardo and Mary Ruth, Frank Hussung and Cheryl, Billy Newman and Francis. We all look forward to meeting more of you in the coming years and PLEASE support this community effort we're making.
Update
November 19, 2007
On this day workers finished the trim on our roof and accomplished some higher repair work that was made possible by having the scaffolding already in place. While they worked up high, we worked down low by making the first two sets of shutters and installing them on the South side of our building. Once the shutters are painted, they’ll look better, but right now they’re natural wood. This is a great improvement to the window coverings that still exist on 5 of the other windows.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from: Charlie Pyles; Obie Fardo, Frank Hussung and Billy Newman. We hope you’ll stop by and take a look at our handiwork saving this great community asset. Always remember that we still need help physically and monetarily. You can help. We know you will.
Update November 18, 2007
How's it looking now? We put the final piece of roof on the building Friday the 16th. We'll be putting on the trim Monday the 19th and begin working on making shutters for the windows. This will enable us to remove and repair the original windows.
You can still be a part of this. Call Charlie at 859-442-7334 especially if you have construction talent of any kind. Lots of money is still needed to purchase materials for the interior and exterior. We especially need weatherboarding of the same type used on the exterior presently. Do you know where we can get it donated? Do you know where we can get it at a reduced price?
We need some younger volunteers who are willing to work on scaffolding to clean the old paint off the building and paint the higher areas. We intend to paint the old weatherboarding if we have good weather to do. We want the building to look good through the winter months while we raise funds to do it better.
Great thanks goes to Obie Fardo, Billy Newman and Frank Hussung for helping me make this happen. I'm also grateful to the Betel Cemetery Board and membership for supporting the project as well. More great things are yet to happen.
Update November 14, 2007
We had a very nice day last Saturday for our clean-up and it turned out to be a great success. Thanks to all of you who helped out! We've been trying all week to get the last two pieces of our metal roof put on and tomorrow morning looks like the time although our teeth are sure to be chattering with the forecast overnight temperature drop. We'll see.
Everyone who helped was a member of Bethel Cemetery Company so our cries for help in the community still go unheard. Maybe they don't appreciate what we're doing for them. It can be frustrating. I'll post more pictures next update.
Update November 8, 2007
I apologize for not getting recent updates put up here. Since the August 21st update, we've worked every Tuesday & Thursday since September 4th. Some of the days have been long ones and still without any community participation as far as volunteer labor goes.
We managed to get the building back in plumb after the August storm moved the whole back end of the building 4" South on the rock foundation. To get it back on the foundation, we raised it up a little with hydraulic jacks and pulled with a come along hooked to a tractor. Our strapping on the inside which held the church steady did the same job when we straightened it.
We have continued with our attempts to get funds from citizens of the community and have come up mostly empty handed until one outstanding business in the community gave us a large check. This largesse combined with funds we had already amassed from several individual donors allowed us to commit to purchasing a new metal roof and hire a contractor to install it.
While we waited on the contractor to free up time to install the roof, we continued work on the exterior of repairing the old weatherboarding. The building now looks good from a distance, but the weatherboarding is like rice paper because you can almost see through it. We need to accumulate more funds to replace all the weatherboarding.
Last week October 29th-November 2nd, the contractor came and we installed all the roof on the North side. We got half way finished with the South side by the end of the week and came back Monday the 5th to finish it, but had to stop due to high winds. The contractor had another job scheduled and had to leave this due to the uncertainty.
We had hoped to have the entire roof complete before a Board meeting and community work day this coming Saturday November 10th, but we still have two more pieces plus the trim and the contractor won't be back until Monday the 12th. If you're reading this and live in the community or nearby, we'd like to have you come by and help us beginning at 9:00 AM Saturday. There's a lot of rubble we have to remove and also a lot of tree debris in the cemetery to remove as well.
As cold weather approaches, we'll now be able to work inside the building and rebuild the original windows and doors. Once we clear the inside of the building and get the floor repaired, we intend to move the pews from the barn and back in the church.
Thanks to Col. Billy Newman who made the recommendation, all four of us are now Kentucky Colonels. Now we don't have any Privates we can delegate to the work to. All the Colonels have to do the work. The Kentucky Colonel Organization is known for it's 'Good Works Program' and we intend to do the title proud. If you're a Kentucky Colonel, you should come and join in the good works. There is much to be accomplished and all assistance will be rewarded with the warm feeling you get from helping others.
Update August 21st, 2007
We haven't done any significant work since the hot weather got here. I don't need my friends and fellow workers to suffer any heat related injuries. We're not as young as we once were. We plan to get back to work in September on the building.
The last real accomplishment we had was getting temporary doors on the front of the church in place so we can refurbish the original doors. Billy Newman is such an asset to us. We appreciate everything Billy does including his helping us raise funds. Obie Fardo has been very valuable helping get the materials to do what needs to be done and then bringing them to the site. Obie's wit always makes us smile. Without him, I never would have stepped forward on this project.
The storm last week threatened to destroy everything we've accomplished so far. The wind was so strong that we firmly believe Old Bethel would have been history had we not had her strapped firmly in place while we work. I'm glad we did that.
The west wall was pushed in by the wind and more weatherboarding on that end came off in the storm. The cap on the church roof came loose and has now exposed the interior to more weather problems. The wind moved the building out of plumb again to the extent the doors will not close properly. We were so proud the doors closed and opened so nicely.
The cemetery was again badly damaged by the wind with branches down all over the place and the flag pole bent to the ground. Now we're almost back where we started out there in the cemetery. We need an angel to donate and erect a new flag pole and flag. We also need volunteers now to help clean up the cemetery mess. A tractor and wagon would be great along with a few chainsaws and people to operate them. Call me at 859-442-7334 if you can help us.
We're still waiting for community participation so we can afford a new roof. Even though we've asked the community for support; hardly any has come. Most of our capital has come from our own pockets and a few select donors from out of state who have family in the cemetery. We appreciate the help of those who have given so far and solicit the community to donate any amount they can. You'd be surprised the difference a 5 dollar bill can make. Think about making a small contribution to help us reach the goals we're striving to achieve. Your help will not go unnoticed.
Update July 24th, 2007
Today's work was relatively easy compared to the past couple of weeks. We had to pull the building back to plumb after releasing the cable when we worked last Thursday. There was a violent storm Thursday evening which taught us that Mother Nature is still in control.
The back wall is still concave and we're trying to deal with that so it will be permanently straight as originally built. We'll continue thinking about this and talking it while we make a permanent correction on the plumb problem.
We have also begun putting weatherboarding back on the front of the building and we'll keep doing that because it will give the building a more pleasing cosmetic appearance while we work inside. Right now we're working on Tuesday's and Thursdays starting around 9:30 AM. Visitors are welcome and new volunteers are more than welcome. Financial Angels are still needed to help at least repair the roof before we get to the winter months.
Update July 17, 2007
Last week was a tough week for me personally, but Obie, Billy and Frank took up the slack. On Tuesday last week we worked on getting the building in square so that all the walls were in alignment and perpendicular to the floor. Obie and Billy both worked later and accomplished some cosmetic improvements.
On Thursday last week we worked with plumb lines on all four corners of the building and began taking steps to move the building back in to square using jacks and straightening the stone foundation. Billy and Obie worked longer and got some of the original flooring back in place at the entrance and under the pulpit area.
Today we worked on the Southeast corner which was about 9 inches off the perpendicular and we have it stabilized so that there is less than a one inch difference. After lunch we worked on getting the door opening square so we can insert temporary doors allowing us to rebuild the original doors to their historic state. Just a few more tweaks and we'll have this area ready to accept the temporary doors.
So far we have nearly a thousand man hours invested in the project. That equates to $15,000 at a conservative $15.00 per hour we may have had to pay professionals.
We're still looking for financial angels so we can get the roof at least repaired before winter. Ideally, we get lucky and can afford to put on a new roof.
I feel it's important to stress at this point that we are staying within historic preservation guidelines to the extent we can until we can get some financial assistance. Any rules that we've broken in this respect were broken only to stabilize the building. -Charlie Pyles-
Update July 10, 2007
We finished up the week on July 5th and the building is now stable enough to last at least another 5 decades or so. I'm proud of the work four of us have accomplished with very little money. I'm still confident the community might come through with some support.
I've been trying to find funds on the State level with the help of Bill Mitchell from Northern Kentucky Area Development District, but no funds have been located because the State has not funded historic agencies in the recent past. I'm confident that if we keep searching, funds may be found eventually.
I had a nice visit with Judge Henry Bertram on Friday the 6th and he's willing to help us from his office as much as possible. He thinks something might be available on the National level as well as the possibility we may qualify for some foundation funds. He has promised to follow up on this and let me know if he uncovers anything. Meanwhile, it's back to work today. I'll do another update Thursday evening or Friday the 13th. No superstition here.
Update July 3, 2007
We worked again on Tuesday the 26th and Thursday the 28th. We went back to work today July 3, 2007 after a hard two days last week (all four of us have had open heart surgery and we have to be careful). Today we were able to get the last stabilizer piece in place on the North side of the building. The bulge is now gone in the North side and we believe the building to be much stronger than when we started back in April.
All the work we've done so far is historically correct and we've used as much of the original wood as we could. We have only substituted the base plate which was originally one solid tree across the front (East) and one solid tree on the North side with treated boxes of the same size. We did this to stabilize and protect the building because as you can see by the new slide show, the original base plate was rotted so badly. Given a fair amount of time, we believe that had we not taken the initiative we did that the building may have collapsed by now or in a very short time hence
We leave open the option if we're able to raise enough money to buy logs in the future to replace the treated boxes, we will. The building is now stabilized enough that it can be raised straight up enabling us to do this. We've operated with only limited funds to date and have accomplished a huge task. I'm proud of the dedication of Obie Fardo, Billy Newman and Frank Hussung. My wife calls it Senior Citizen day at Bethel every day we go there, but we accept it as a compliment.
We have some work left on the West or back of the building that we'll begin tackling July 5th. Come out and visit or come out and work. We like to talk about our project and welcome the opportunity to tell anyone who will listen about our progress. We'll also accept help from anyone who offers and is fairly able bodied. Ladies....We'll have jobs you can do very soon. We plane to have some scheduled work days on week-ends soon since the building is stabilized.
If you'd like to make tax deductible donations, we welcome all amounts no matter how small. We need to raise about $7,000.00 fairly soon to replace the tin roof. This will include inspection of the rafters. If you happen to be a financial angel, we need your help tremendously before winter so we can protect the work we've already done. -Charlie Pyles-
Update June 21, 2007
We're taking a well deserved rest till Tuesday the 26th. Lots of progress has been made. On Tuesday we started work on the underpinnings of the North Side of the building. We now half half of that side stabilized on the stone footer. The side is not bulging like it had been, but it's still wavy. The floor joists for the front half of the building have now been reseated in the center beam. This will stabilize the building for many years to come. Click on the latest photo gallery additions to see the progress we've made.
Obie Fardo, Billy Newman and our (new guy) Frank Hussung are working hard to help me see this thing to its conclusion. I owe a lot already to Obie and Billy and I'm getting deeper in debt to Frank for his help so far. All are dedicated individuals and I appreciate their volunteerism. They don't get paid. It's just pride in a job well done.
We still need a new roof for the building and haven't raised enough funds to buy one yet. If you're a roofer and would like to help us, please call. If I can get a volunteer for this important installation job, it might be easier to raise money for the materials only. Mother Nature has not been kind to the farmer, but she has kept the rain outside the building so far.
Update June 12, 2007
Today Frank Hussung, Obie Fardo, Billy Newman and Charlie Pyles were successful in replacing the termite weakened plate under the front of the building. Work commenced at 10:30 AM and success came around 6:00 PM. We're still looking for someone to do the roof installation for us, but we still need lots of money. Please consider a generous donation to help us.
Update June 11, 2007
This afternoon we were able to jack up the front enough to replace the rotted base plate on one side and open both doors for the first time in years. Tomorrow we concentrate on correcting bulges on the North side of the church and hopefully finally leveling the entire front.
Update May 31, 2007
We braced the building with cables this afternoon as we prepare to raise the building to its original level on the stone foundation. Once the building is level and plumb, we can move on to repairing or replacing items that need it such as weatherboarding on the outside and the roof.
Update May 27, 2007
The Annual meeting of Bethel Cemetery Company was held and there was an election of officers to fill vacancies that existed. More on this when the minutes are published.
Discovery
May 11, 2007
A new discovery was made today and we need your help. Bethel Church once had two doors on the front instead of the one you see today. We need old photos of the church that show both doors. Please help us find a photo with two doors. I think the church actually had a bell at one time, but there is no belfry. Was it common to have a bell above the plaster ceiling? Call me.
It's funny how another set of eyes help you discover the obvious. I'm glad I took my neighbor Frank Hussung with me today who actually has Asberry relatives resting in the Bethel Cemetery.
Currently needed items other than money include roofing and someone to install it. This is number 1 priority. Next, we need someone to donate the lumber for replacing the wooden foundation which rests on a stone foundation. The building is supported on 7 1/2 inch square logs. Are there any home movers visiting the web site? Would you be willing to donate some time and talent? Call me.
Donations are beginning to trickle in from places as far away as California and Minnesota. Word is starting to circulate so here's what we'd like you to do: If you know anyone with family buried at Bethel Cemetery;
- Call them and tell them we're looking for them.
- Tell them we need funds to restore the church and insure perpetual care of the grounds for many years into the future.
- Tell them we need materials such as roofing and siding preferably donated or sold to us at an affordable price.
- Tell them that donations in the form of labor are also appreciated.
- Tell them about this web site so they can get information first hand.
If you have influence in the community or government and think you can help. please let us know. The church has not been associated with a particular religion for more than 50 years. Once restored this historic building is intended to be used by the cemetery association for its meetings and the local Historical Society for meetings as needed. It is possible we will consider renting the building for unique weddings or other simple events. Many possibilities exist, but first we have to complete the project.
April 11, 2007
A mailing was done to businesses who are members of the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce on April 7th, with early results already.
Make sure after reading this that you tell someone you know. Help us spread the word. We appreciate it.