Long sunny day to raise the gazebo.

The previous afternoon as each section of the gazebo was fitted, we made fine adjustments to the mortises and tenons so they would fit. Then the parts were disassembled and loaded onto the flatbed trailer and checked against the tally list by Brian Wormington, trucking czar. Laura and Rick Brown cleaned up the final plate to be loaded, and Bob added a bevel. The driver and tractor appeared to haul the load to its resting place behind the Effinger school.

Cadets do what they did best: unloading the trailer as Dave Dauerty instruct the framers to assemble the two side walls in preparation for their raising. Previously, eight wooden posts with a pipe would receive the posts making up the walls. Copper flashing covers the tops to help prevent moisture damage.

Sturdy people assemble on one side with ropes wrapped around the plates to pull, while two rows of cadets lined up, one row shoulder to shoulder to lift, and another row behind ready to continue the lifting with pike poles. Temporary supports are nailed until the tie beams can be lifted into place.

Raising a building successfully without any injuries to the participants requires that everyone work as a team and that certain important rules are followed: there is only one person in charge and giving orders, that there is complete silence, and that everyone pays attention. John Miller directed the raising and spelled out the rules. Then Joel gives a prayer for safety of all involved. And the raising begins.

A local television crew arrives in time to film the plates going up, and film of the activities plus a brief interview with Grigg Mullen airs on the local news; we catch it on the 11:00 broadcast.

With no formal staging, the VMI yellow and black truck dubbed the bumblebee serves as the scaffolding. Boards run across the truck back, as cadets and frmers balance to receive the three tie beams to tie the plates together. Next come the first of three king post trusses to support the roof and give the gazebo its distinctive appearance.

We break for a home-cooked lasagna lunch prepared and served by local volunteers at the fire house. and are again reminded of the wonderful outpouring of support that greets us.

Next in the process is placing the 8 purlins on the principal rafters. Purlins form the roof system. On each rafter are two wedge-shaped pieces of oak; their purpose to keep the purlins in postion. They also serve as handy footholds for John and others when the ridge beam must be placed. At one end is the traditional bush.

Photos of raising the first king post truss appear in color on the front page of the Roanoke Times.

Throughout the morning each class arrives with their teacher and pegs signed by each school child with their name and the date. They then walk in single file behind leader John Miller and as he asked each child's name, they add their peg to the beams to be assembled. The roof alone needs 144 pegs, so there are many peg holes to receive the pegs.

Raisings may be a lot like some sports: long periods of seeming inactivity by all but a few of the players and confusion broken up with short bursts of brute strength. As a result, there are long periods for the VMI cadets to catch up on their sleep while they wait to contribute their brawn. A few of the kindergarteners ask if they are dead. The school children interview the cadets about the day's events and their experiences at school; later Speros, Demetri and Jethro, among others, sign autographs.

As the day wears on, timber framers who face an 8 to 12 hour trip home to New York and Pennsylvania and Massachusetts bid their farewells. Before they leave, framers and cadets clamber up the ladders to pose atop the gazebo for the traditional group photo. Designated photo takers collect assorted cameras from the group to record the moment. Hugs, handshakes and best wishes for a safe trip go with the Gang of Ten from the Massachusetts College of Arts, who will pull into Boston around dawn on Wed. "I'm not looking forward to the trip home," Mark admits. Designated driver Hincman blasts the msic and honks the horn as we wish them good trip.

Pizza arrives to feed the remaining workers, homemade by the community women. And it's back to work in a race to finish pegging the rafters. Adding the roof strapping and shingles is a task for another day. As dark falls, Susan points her car's spotlight on the roof workers, including Ed Hamilton a local woodworker. The workday ends just before 9 p.m., as Tom Miller heads home to Lancaster and Joel, Grigg, John, Chuck, Grigg Jr., and Dan return to the Mullens to kick back and enjoy a cold one.