This issue of the newsletter is being sponsored by Elaine H. Kegley. We appreciate Elaine’s support of the Association and thank her for sponsoring this newsletter.

If you or your company would like to sponsor the next newsletter, please contact any officer or mail your check for $165 to P.O. Box 32, Ceres, VA 24318. This covers postage, paper and mailing labels.

I would like to thank all the members for giving this newcomer to Ceres the pleasure of serving as the president of this community organization. 

I look forward to working with all of you as we try to grow the membership and improve the facilities for the community’s use.

I ask all of you to please recruit new members so we can keep our organization and facilities open and operating for the entire community.

Friday, February 9, 2007

Geo. H. Peery, Sr. Center

Start serving – 4:30 PM

Price – Donations

Music to start about 6:30 PM

Benefit for Relay-for-Life

(See next column)

Band members include, Mark Vestich, lead guitarist and harmony.
Mark has played in several bands and has also performed in the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra.  The other band members are; Sarah Vestich, electric bass, Jimmy Copley, lead singer from Glade Springs, Va. and Arleene Bridges, rhythm guitar and harmony.

The musical selections will run from the Rolling Stones to the Kentucky Headhunters to Patsy Cline, so there will be a good selection for everyone.

Indoor vendor booths (10 x 10’) - $10 Outdoor vendor spaces - $5

(No food booths except Alumni Assoc.)

Call 276 682-4587 to reserve space.

Sale items may be set up on Friday evening.

The Association will be selling food, donated bake goods & donated yard sale items. All donations welcome!

Donations may be made any time prior to sale….call any Board member.

PLENTY OF BARGAINS AVAILABLE!

You may recall from our last newsletter, the Association was given a challenge by the Wythe-Bland Community Foundation. The challenge is if the Association raises $25,000 by the end of March, the foundation will match up to the $25,000 in the April grant process. We must have the bank verify that we have deposited this amount into the account between July 2006 and March 2007.

As of our January membership meeting, we had deposited $19,350 since July. That leaves $5,650. If everyone who receives this newsletter will pay dues during the month of February, the goal would be reached. Anyone may join the association. You only need to have an interest in Ceres.

Many of you have paid dues, made memorial gifts and purchased tables and chairs. This has helped.

As mentioned in the last newsletter, it is important that we meet this challenge since the federal funds from the Boucher grant are based on reimbursement after projects are completed, and we will need capital up front to pay for these construction projects. We are confident that we can meet the match because if you remember several years ago we matched the Shott Foundation Grant and that match was for $50,000. We really need your help and here are several ways that you can contribute:

We believe that we can meet this challenge and hope that each one of you will help.

To date, the Virginia Department of Transportation, through which the grant must be routed, has not permitted the issuance of pre-bid or bid solicitations for actual work. We are very fortunate to have the assistance and guidance of Association member, Denise P. Huff who has experience in Federal and State Procurement.

As mentioned before, the Association must provide the up-front funding for the work to be performed and will be reimbursed by VDOT from the grant funds afterwards.

The Museum Committee advised the Board of their concern about having temperature extremes, from freezing in the winter to very hot in summers, in the museum and the effect on items on display.

Donna Compton did research on the subject and found that the ideal condition is to have a dehumidifier and controlled summer/winter temperatures. The Association already had a dehumidifier that was purchased to dry out the gym and basement. This was placed in the museum and a heat pump was installed in the museum office at a cost of about $1,200. These additions seem to be working to maintain the ideal conditions.

Arten L. Repass

Lee Roy Goff

Wayne C. Hubble

Roy Melvin

R. Wayne Bridges

James Cox

William G. "Bill" Shupe

Mildred Bruce Douglas

Bernice Harner Umbarger

Wanda Sheppard

C. Clayton Lambert

Evelyn Cassell Groseclose

Evelyn Groseclose Hill

Kenneth "Jake" Hubble

Elsie Dillow Brown (Mrs. Wayne)

As mentioned in the last newsletter, Donna Compton will be collecting items for a book of Ceres community history and pictures; stories of colorful events and individuals; pictures of past and present homes; past and present churches and schools; perhaps interview with senior citizens; perhaps local traditions, etc.

If you have pictures, stories or suggestions for other items to be included in the book, sent a copy to Donna H. Compton, 10411 Napleon St., Fredericksburg, VA 22408. E-mail address for Donna Compton is: chrisandbethstover1@msn.com.

Do not send valuable original pictures that might get lost in the mail. Take your original pictures to a photo center and have a copy made.

The Association anticipates receiving $1,300 and $600 grants from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans this year. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a fraternal organization composed of Lutheran Church members or employees of Lutheran organizations. The above amounts will be a match for fund raising conducted by the Association and co-sponsored by Sharon Lutheran Church.

BOOK, 895 pages $50 + S/H

"Grosecloses and Descendants in America" by B. Clark Groseclose

TOTE BAGS (sale price) $7 + S/H

Ceres, VA – Goddess of Grain

Wood miniatures $12.50 plus S/H

Brass Collectibles (sale) $8.75 plus S/H

(XXL $1.00 extra) $10 plus S/H

Ceres, Virginia } $6 each + S/H

School } or

Sm., Med., Lg. XL, 2XL $19.95 + S/H

Drawing of Museum $0.50 each + S/H

Drawing of Museum (by Jack Emmert)

Pack of 5 $2.50 + S.H

PICTURES, (drawing by Jack Emmert)

4 X 6 pictures of museum $2.00 + S/H

PENCILS, wood

Ceres Alumni Association $0.25 + S/H

Only a few left Donation + S/H

Notifications will be sent to the families when contributions are made to the Association in memory or in honor of others.

Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Kidd

Beulah T. Newberry

Superior Paint Contractor

Jeffrey D. Cassell

David and Martha Emrey

Jonan Repass

Tommy Repass

William and Betty Hubble

Irene Bruce

Claude and Frances Davis

William M. Creggar

W. Nelson and Diane Tibbs

Bill and Doris Woodward

Jeffrey D. Cassell

Bertha H. Hubble

Kathleen D. Hall

Charles and Billie Henley

Beulah Newberry

Bill and Doris Woodward

William and Betty Hubble

Bonnie Crabtree Boothe

Robert F. Barger

James and Doris Sink

William and Betty Hubble

Elaine H. Kegley

Claude and Frankie Davis

William and Betty Hubble

Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Kidd

Spaghetti Supper and Dance

4:00 PM - ???

Band to start about 6:30 PM

Benefit - Bland County Relay for Life

Quarterly Membership Meeting

2:00 PM – Groseclose Museum

Note: Ruritan Club will have a fish fry from 3:00 – 7:00 PM and Bluegrass Music starting at 7:00 PM.

Flea-market / Bake Sale

8:00 AM – In and around Peery Center

Start of the annual fund raiser raffle.

List of donated prizes needed by this date.

Quarterly Membership Meeting and Potluck Family Picnic.

1:00 PM – Location to be announced

Annual Homecoming

Weekend’s activities/schedule TBA