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One of the joys of living in the hollow on Oven Top Mountain
is the spirit of trust and cooperation among the residents. This is a tradition that long precedes my residence here.
Pearl Dodson used to tell me stories of the cooperation for survival in the hard years of the 30’s and 40’s. She and the women in the Bailey Majors family used to exchange milk, eggs and butter for help with chores. Marshall Dodson tells me how his father used to organize the men to clean out the creek every spring. Everyone worked together to rebuild the road when it washed out in the heavy spring flood. This tradition has continued.
Every time there is a road wash out, Ronnie Dodson is out rebuilding it with his tractor. He and his father have pulled my truck out of the snow on my steep drive more than once! Nan Reddick has unhooked my hoses from the well pump when I forgot to do so in the winter.
Lisa Dodson is a warm neighbor who has made me feel welcome and helped me meet many local people. Lee Anna Wharton has watered my garden and taken in the mail when I was out of town.
Marshall and Ronnie spent two hours cleaning out my gasoline lines on my riding mower when I foolishly didn’t empty them during the winter. I have chased Marshall’s cows back up the hill to keep them of U.S. 211.
Most of all everyone’s word is as good as gold. With all the local people in Sperryville who have helped me with plumbing, construction and maintenance, a handshake has always sealed the deal.
Ms Harris has introduced an element of mistrust into our community. What she says cannot be trusted. At the May 19, 1999, planning commission hearing regarding the proposed conference center/resort, she made the following untrue statements:
• She said that she had offered me a covenant to use the pond she intends to build. This is not true. FACT: I had called her to say that no matter what happened to the development, I was interested in cleaning up the dump and the creek. I offered to buy two acres of her land and share some of the cost of the clean up. Ms Harris listened to my offer and I never heard from her again.
• Ms Harris stated that the dump was at least half cleaned up. FACT: Nan Reddick and I both looked at the dump. A little work had been done, but the majority of the trash was still there. Today all the trash on the hillside and down in the creek remains.
• Ms Harris presented a petition of 81 signatures. She said they were mainly local people who supported the development. Joyce Wharton looked at those signatures and reported the following, only three people lived, or had businesses within one
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