Here we present the dedicatory remarks of Brian Richardson, President of Project Horizon, and some thoughts from Hunter Mohring, a member of the Project Horizon's Board.

Brian Richardson: Three years ago, when Project Horizon's board decided to commit to building a safe house, the other board members asked me a question that they thought I could answer because they were laboring under the serious misapprehension that I knew anything about building a house. Their question was: Can we do this? "If we have to build it," I said, "We will fail. This community will build it." I confess I didn't know then what I meant by this community.

I knew it meant the people locally, and the ones I know and love: Aaron and Daniel and Frances, whose peg in the safe house reads "May your house be as happy as mine"; Grigg and Cindy and little Grigg and Andrew; Ollie, my brother, our vice president for public relations and beer, who drove up from Florida this week because he said he was interested in timber framing, but I know it was because he wanted to make sure I was going to be all right; our wonderful Project Horizon staff -- Elizabeth, Jean, Susan, Aimee, Ammee, Rallie and Catherine -- who work tirelessly to end domestic violence; our student Habitat volunteers, who have raised $37,000; Josh Beckham, their president, who has let his grade point average go to hell this week as he ran around trying to feed us all; Eli Fishpaw, John Gunner, W&L and VMI, the city of Lexington, local merchants and lumberyards, David Huffman at Green Valley Rentals; the restaurants and churches who also fed us.

But now I know this community is also from Alstead Center, N.H.; Clayton, Ga.; Arlington and Houston, Tx; Hawthorne, Fl.; Salem, OR; Constantia and Hinsdale, NY; Big Sky, Montana; Lovettsville, Va; Horsham, Pa; Pinnacle and Apex, NC; Roslindale and Boston, MA. This week it has been my privilege to learn the names and faces of this community of love and caring: Joel and Will and Dave and Ellen and Leon and Roger and Dan and all the rest of you. It speaks in voices that I heard as I walked among you this week: voices that talk both about edge-halved scarf joints with bridled butts and about borrowing one of those scraper things.

I also know that this community means many, many people whom I don't know yet, and they are symbolized by this message from two anonymous donors:

We support our local Habitat for Humanity. J. is a VMI alum, and I work at Children's hospital of Oklahoma with abused/neglected children, many of whom have been exposed to domestic violence. We also are learning to appreciate timberframing and hope to build our own timberframe home someday soon....

If someone wanted to carve something on the timber, may I suggest:

For the children

It is a miracle made manifest that you have come together to do this. Without you, Lisa's House simply would not have happened. But it means something else as well, and, to no one's surprise, it was Hunter Mohring who told us the other night: Every dollar you give, every hour your work, every peg you hammer home is someone in this extraordinary community of love saying about domestic violence, about those who don't love: We want it to stop. This house that you have built will outlive us all, but because of your hearts I believe that the reason for which it was built will disappear forever in our lifetimes. My deepest thanks, and God bless you all. -- Brian Richardson

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RING THAT BELL
by Hunter Mohring

Have you heard the parable where the guy who having just died is shown a view of the two afterlives? First he is taken below. Here the inhabitants are seated at a huge elegant banquet table filled with all the most beautifully and deliciously prepared dishes one can imagine. What luxury! How could this be?

With the bell signaling time to eat, he sees that everyone has splints on their arms. Because they can't bend their elbows, they are all starving in the presence of plenty - for eternity.

Next our subject is taken above. Here the inhabitants are seated at a similarly huge banquet table filled with the same sumptuous meal as below. They also have the splints. But this time after Grace, when the bell rings each person joyfully fills his fork or spoon and feeds the person seated across from him.

Here there is great joy and laughter.

I recount this tale because the dinner bell has rung for us in Lexington. We are about to sit at the table of life and feed our neighbor in need. And they in turn will feed our need. I'm so confident of this outcome that I simply want you to be ready to see it. I want you to see heaven happen.

During the month of March, Project Horizon, our United Way Agency dedicated to the reduction of domestic, dating and sexual violence will raise the shell of Lisa's House. This combination office building and shelter will provide a safe place for women and their children to escape the violence and rebuild their lives.

Of course the construction will go on until October and the program will go on as long as it's needed. But right now I want to talk about the dinner bell in March.

On March 12th, the Timber Framers Guild of North America will bring a few instructors to Lexington. Over the weekend they will teach the W&L and VMI student Habitat volunteers and other local volunteers some of the skills needed to build the old fashion timber framing way.

During the week (March 15 - 19) Timber Framer apprentices will have arrived for a special course. Other non-apprentices may also sign up. After their workshop, these folks will stay on for the big event.

On March 19th even more Timber Framers and their families will arrive to camp out and help raise Lisa's House as their annual project. They will come from all over America to contribute their time, energy and know-how to our community because they enjoy being with their friends and they love that bell.

And somewhere during the long weekend of March 19 - 23 a grand entree will be served.

Timbers will have been brought to the site on Varner Lane. Timber Framers, W& L and VMI students, local volunteers like you and me are going to make the final adjustments and then we will all carry, set, push and shove. The shell will rest in her ordained place and the silent song of goodwill will be heard.

Carvings on the finished frame.

The view from the back. Col. Grigg Mullen, timber framer and faculty member at VMI, surveys the site.

The Washington & Lee group.
(To view a larger version, click on the small photo.)

The VMI group.

Clean-up crew.

A message from Laurie Macrae, owner of the Blue Heron Restaurant in Lexington, who so generously fed the timber framers for no charge.

It's fun to see what's going on in print [on the Web], yet it doesn't quite capture the ever abounding Grace that seems to be present in all who are involved in this project. Joel, man extraordinaire, weaves the thread, that weaves the web, which catches all who venture close. I truly feel blessed to have shared in the Grace of these folks. It is quite refreshing to be with folks who have so much passion. On that note I best harness some of that passion to do payroll for my fabulous employees.
Cheers, Laurie