To the Editor,

Park Day at Old Cahawba was a great success. This was probably due, in part, to the good pre-event coverage by The Selma Times Journal. Unfortunately,

no reporters from any media were present Saturday to record the amazing feat that 22 volunteers accomplished that day.

This group of volunteers removed over 37 TONS of trash from the park, including six damaged, abandoned trailers.

I have no confirmation yet from the Civil War Preservation Trust, the organization that sponsored this nationwide event, but surely this feat will break some Park Day record.

In the meantime, hopefully you will let me praise these outstanding citizens through your editorial column.

The hardworking volunteers included representatives from the Col. C. C. Pegues Chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp No. 62 and the Selma Dallas County Historic Preservation Society.

Frequent visitors and residents of the nearby community of Beloit also helped.

Our county commissioner Kim Ballard dropped in to lend his support.

While one crew cleaned more than a ton of trash from the historic Fambro House and prepared it for restoration, other crews pulled broken trailers and appliances to a

recycling center.

Much needed equipment was also provided by these volunteers.

Thank you Park Day volunteers.

You helped preserve history and promote tourism in a meaningful way.

Sadly, the two most frequently asked questions at Cahawba’s visitor center have not been about the historical significance of the park.

Instead, nearly every guest asks about the old abandoned trailers and the potholes in County Road 9!

It is hard for tourists to see past these flaws.

Happily, the park day volunteers put a huge dent in the trash and abandoned trailer problem.

The Dallas County Commission and road crew, with Commissioner Kim Ballard in the lead, also helped tremendously when they recently graded the dirt roads in Cahawba, and especially when they re-paved County Road 2

a couple of years ago.

County Road 2, once a disgrace, is now a wonderfully smooth drive from Orrville to Cahawba, but visitors are still complaining about the condition of County Road 9, the main route from Selma.

So, county commissioners, I hope you are amazed at what a small group of volunteers can accomplish in just one day.

Please consider it a challenge.

See if you can match their contribution by doing your best to find funding for the re-pavement of County Road 9.

Join in;

take pride in our public land.

Linda Derry