Round this time of year a lot of Rush County families start to think about Thanksgiving and, of course, Grundy Mountain Mission School. Just how did this small school in rural Virginia get to be such a large event in the lives of so many in rural Indiana? Really it is one of those things that started by a few and grew into something many participate in.

It started in Milroy and one of those first to go was my father-in-law, Dale Gates. Dale along with Delbert Fancher and Earl Frank Priest, all members of Milroy Christian Church, decided to go one year with Loren Holt, the minister of Milroy Christian.

Loren had known of the school and how it did a lot for the children of the coal mining country of Virginia and Kentucky. He had seen the abject poverty of many of that area and saw many orphans or one-parent families that abounded at that time. And as a minister he saw the Christian environment that the school gave to those who were the students. He saw the dedication of the teachers, administrators and the Hurley family to those youngsters and a Christian education and environment.

Pa Hurley had seen a need and did his best and gave his life to that need. He was originally from that area. He had seen the widows and orphans because of the mines. He had seen the poverty and the many families that could not afford to feed or educate their children. He had seen how many children did not have enough to eat, no clothes and no hope. He and his wife and family dedicated themselves to doing all they could to alleviate that misery, especially of the children.

Dale Delbert and Earl Frank were so moved that they came back to Milroy and decided they needed to so something about it. Dale knew many in the automobile industry around the area because of his business (Gates Body Shop). And Dale wasn’t bashful when it came to doing something he believed in. He hit up any and all of his customers, suppliers and even the insurance companies that sent him work. Delbert and Earl Frank were farmers and the school had a small dairy herd so they worked on local farmers for feed and grain for the farm. The church, both the local Christian as well as the Methodist, pitched in.

Just how the annual Thanksgiving trip came about I really don’t know but I guess that knowing all three of the original trekkers they felt that would be a great way to be thankful, both here and in Grundy. Kent’s Shoe Store in Rushville decided that they would help. Mr. Kent (sorry, I forget his first name) at first supplied a pair of shoes for all students and teachers at the school. Donations helped to defray the cost but if not enough was raised everyone still got shoes. Gently used clothing was also taken to the school each Thanksgiving. And as time went on and other needs showed up these gentlemen all chipped in and got things done. Washers and dryers were needed. Rush County took some down the next year. New mattresses were needed. OK, they got some. When Dale found out my company was involved in the mattress field he was in seventh heaven. I could get mattresses for cost and he took advantage of that as soon as he figured it out.

Grundy was a 365 day a year project for all three of those gentlemen. And it became one for many more Rush County residents. Dale would keep things all year long to take to Grundy. One year he decided that the students needed bicycles. So he managed to round up a lot of them. Refurbished at the body shop, they looked and ran like new. He then took them down one year. If either of the three saw a need they all three dug in and got it taken care of. Farmers sent cattle and produce as well as grain and fodder to the school. Other churches and organizations within the county did other projects and they all culminated on Thanksgiving by many of those benefactors taking truckload after truckload and heading for Grundy, Va.

Dale and Thelma, as well as Delbert and Willie Fancher, made many trips on their own — and not always on Thanksgiving — to Grundy. Earl Frank and his wife went there at times too. It was always known in the Gates family that Thanksgiving meant Grundy. Before I was married to my wife Patty (Dale’s daughter) I was shanghaied to go to Grundy, and I loved it. I drove down with Jimmy King and that was the first time I had met that gentleman; he was a great guy.

They took fresh cider, apples, shoes, clothes, whatever was needed. I believe there were in the area of 17 trucks that year. All were farmers trucks and big, but not like semi trucks of today. I learned how to mix milk shakes in a potato masher machine. How to make dozens of banana splits, give out cookies and enjoy life as I had never done so before.

I learned that Tom Mattox snores like a freight train. So bad he was put in a room by himself and still kept everyone up with his snoring! I learned life is more than money or cars — a lot more. I learned humility and love, devotion and giving, all from some of the nicest and most enjoyable children that I ever met. I learned, grew and enjoyed that and other trips. I just wish I had taken my children down a time or two. Maybe they would be even better today than they are.



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