(Continued from Page 3) of posts. Who made the

(Continued from Page 3) of posts. Who made the first offer is lost to the present history. Perhaps it was Commander “Pete” Peterson, or maybe Charlie Priest, but suffice it to note that as interest mounted so did the quantity of posts, which were donated by Jerry Curtis, Gilbert Lawrence, Charlie Mills, Frank McWhirt, John Kiley, B. Settle and Harvey Poe.

Posts are the backbone of a fence. Good locust posts properly set will last ad infinitum, plus 60 years. Fancy suggests that when the present generation of Little Leaguers has grown to manhood thay may reflect upon the materials and quality of that fence and wonder about those Ruritans who built it, way back when.

It may have been at this same kick-off meeting that an interesting show of teamwork was arranged. Instead of a donation of posts, Roy Mills offered to donate trees. However, reduced physical activity would not permit him to fell the trees.

At this point two more volunteers joined the team. Nelson Burner and George Kidwell agreed to cut the trees. Mr. Mills donated the trees, Mr. Burner and Mr. Kidwell sawed them down and B. Settle snaked the trees out of the woods and carted them to the sawmill, where Henry Diggs provided another community service, sawing the logs into posts and 16-foot long fencing boards, gratis.

The dogwood was about to bloom when the club mobilized en masse for work at the Ruritan-Stuart Field one early spring Saturday in 1985. Posts, lumber and work crew were ready to go.

Even before the whistle blew Ruritan member Frank McWhirt was on the job, digging holes with his tractor-driven posthole digger. To dig a hole by hand was a laborious, half-hour job. Drop the posthole digger on the marking pin and it was done in a matter of seconds. Posts were set and packed by teams of two drawn together by friendship or kinship; musclemen and others less