Progress Update and a Wake-up Call

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I had hoped to show some updated photos that would give everyone an insight into the progress that is going on at the property so I had held off on this posting. But as usual, my computer skills are hindering it from happening, so I’ll post this without the pictures. I do promise to post a lot of photos as soon as I learn to convert cr2 photos to jpeg photos. Our progress seems to be going slow but we are still moving forward. The recent heavy rain falls (2 really extreme storms) has caused me to have to redo a large amount of grading due to extreme washout. We have had two companies donate their time at a discounted rate which has helped greatly. Western N.C. Trucking has taken over my job of hauling the rock for the driveway and has discounted the delivery charge. He is able to haul 20 tons of rock in one load compared to my 1.5 ton load in my 1 ton truck. I have hauled 238 tons with my truck, each trip taking 40 minutes. It took many days to haul that 238 tons and I am eternally grateful to WNC trucking for taking my hauling job away from me. We have hauled a total of 463 tons which is still short of 1200 tons that we need. Wayne Taylor also gave us a boost with the grading, doing a great job. He worked for two days and only charged for less then one days rate. With more help from people like them, our progress will move a little faster.

The help came at the right time for me, because I have been working almost everyday and seeing little progress. One person can not do everything. My daughter asked me if the group home would ever be done and I always said it would. It had to be, for her and others like her but I was losing hope. Fund raising is still the hardest part and getting more people involved follows a close second. So many people that have written me and those that I have met, have been affected by autism in some way. Some have children with autism or a grandchild with autism or a friend that has a child with autism. They think that what I am trying to do is great but remember one person can not do it all. And one person’s income can not pay for everything. Every grant that I have tried to get will not fund a new start-up 501c3. All start-ups need everyday people to donate something to them no matter how small of an amount. Swallowtail Summit Farms NEEDS TO BE BUILT and it NEEDS YOUR HELP. If you do not want to help us, then please find another start-up group home and help them out. How would you like to be that individual that has autism but has no place to call home? As parents, grandparents, friends of parents with children with autism; WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE AUTISTIC CHILDREN WHEN THEY ASK (WHAT HAPPENS TO ME WHEN YOU DIE)? I have been asked that many times and I answered her with, the group home WILL BE BUILT. PLEASE don’t let me and others like me fail. Find a start-up that you have faith in and help them succeed. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO WONDER WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM AFTER THEIR PARENTS DIE and I hope no parent has to try to answer that question. Get involved and help make things happen. I heard a line in a movie that I just finished watching that fits, they said ” If you don’t do something then nothing gets done” DO SOMETHING NOW.

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