We have already sold 85 memorial bricks, and we need to sell only 35 more to complete the surround around the beautiful bronze medallion featuring the seal of the United Mine Workers. Those contributors that want their bricks to be featured in the center of the memorial should make their contributions now.

We have 2,600 coal miners’ names. It has been estimated that each name on the memorial will cost at least $35.00. This is in addition to the cost of the monuments themselves. The board plans to first include names of miners who have had contributions towards this cause. Mr. Bill Cavet has volunteered to oversee the construction of the blacksmith shop. The lumber for that purpose has already been delivered and paid for. A complete set of equipment to be used in the blacksmith shop has been collected by Bob Thomas. Bill Cavet was a close friend of Bob’s and is very interested in this type of mechanical equipment that is to be used in the blacksmith shop.

In addition to the cost for the bronze sculpture, $61,587.08 has been contributed. Of this amount, $1000 is to be set aside for lights, $5000 for benches, $4250 for bricks, and $400 for landscaping since these amounts were donated specifically for these items. The current balance of our funds is $46,439.63. The monies that have been spent have been strictly used for the construction of the memorial. Most of the cost of the postage and printing has been covered outside of the money contributed for the purpose of constructing the memorial.

Committees have been appointed for several purposes of the ongoing construction of the memorial and for raising of additional money. Sonja Parker Fletcher is working on the list of names of miners that we have to try to eliminate as many duplicates as possible and to add a most comprehensive list. Joyce Friddle is working on getting ideas and bids for the actual monuments that will be used and how the names will be put on them. Jim Maddox will be working on applying for grants from various public and private entities, which could be very valuable to us, and he has already made one very impressive application for a grant. Marie Koch will be working with the historical information that many of our contributors have given concerning the lives of so many coal miners in this area. The photographs and stories that have already been collected are a great asset to our understanding of the lives of these miners. Because of the extensive list of miners that we have, this first phase of this project will probably cost an additional $100,000 that we need to raise. The treasurer will be preparing a detailed financial report of the cost of the project thus far as soon as he receives the books from Lisa Jarrard.

Additional contributions may be mailed to Ms Pat Lee, P.O. Box 298, Ratcliff AR 72951. The bricks cost $50 each. There are three lines on each brick with 11 character spacing for each line. Yard lights are $500. If you have additional coal miners’ names to contribute, please do so. If you could move your name onto or to a higher level of our Hall of Fame, please make your contributions. As you can see from this report, we have a lot of work to do, but progress is continuing, and your board would appreciate any input that any of the contributors have towards the construction and completion of this first phase.

Yours truly,

Dr. Laurence Connelley