Helping "Sea Knight" Lee Armstrong

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

gwalt584

gwalt584

SILVER Star
10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Jan 6, 2009
Threads
126
Messages
1,052
Location
Mississippi, Southern part
This is Gary Walters, I work in Laurel and Live just south of Laurel in Moselle, MS.
Most of the members on the site have read "Saving the Old Rustbucket" by Sea Knight, Lee Armstrong.
Lee and I got to know each other through that article.
Lee sent me an email yesterday about his property just North of Laurel. He said he got a call from a guy that wanted to know if he wanted him to clean up his property. Lee asked me if we have had any bad weather and I told him nothing but summer thunderstorms, I was thinking in the last couple of weeks. He thought the guy maybe trying to scam him. So, I volunteered to go check on the property for him. Lee was not aware of a tornado that hit just North of Laurel about 2 months ago. So I drove to the address he gave me and found a mess.
I have offered to help clean up as much as I could with chainsaw and tractor. I would like to organize a group to help cut, pile, and clear as much as possible to help Lee with this mess. This house was his grandfather's and was built in 1935. The house has deep sentimental value to him.
If you are close enough and could come to help. Saturday August 2 Saturday August 9 will be the work days. Lee does not know yet that I am attempting to organize and I do not think he would object. I will clear that with him.
You can email me at GWALT584@aol.com or call my cell at 601-319-9970.
Items to Bring: Chainsaw, rack, chains, tractor (if you have one).
However you can help will be appreciated.
you ask, why are you doing this?
Well, after Hurricane Katrina we could not even get out of our driveway to a public road. The interstate highway was blocked with debris. We had people from all over the country come to help. Neighbor helped neighbor in clearing roads, driveways, and helping each other. We did not wait for "Govment" to help us. Within an hour of the storm passing we could hear chainsaws and my neighbors and I were clearing the road.
We should do the same for Lee.
if you can help, join us!
Gary

IMG_1687.webp


IMG_1688.webp


IMG_1689.webp


IMG_1690.webp


IMG_1691.webp
 
Man, that's awfully nice of you. August with a chainsaw is going to be hard to sell to be honest. I love me some Lee but I'm more able to donate some cash than sweat these days.

If you want to swing by the local labor spot and hire some help I'll toss in some cash.
 
Tune up the Guatemalan School Bus!

Do y'all want to go this Sat, 8/2, or next Sat, 8/9? Likely cooler this Sat.

If we get a good crowd and the right equipment, we can knock it out quick and no one gets heatstroke.

What equipment do we need?
Chainsaws
Tractor
Mule/4-Wheler
Straps/chains
Water
Easy-Up Cooling Station
More water
What else?
 
euclid said:
I'm all in but will be a maybe for both of those days. Can we plan a little further out? Wngrog buy my gas and you can call it done. I got way more sweat than cash.
Click to expand...
Let's see how it goes on those two days and maybe plan some additional days.
Thanks
Gary
 
Busy/working those weekends. Noble cause Gary.
 
77TLCFJ40 said:
Tune up the Guatemalan School Bus!

Do y'all want to go this Sat, 8/2, or next Sat, 8/9? Likely cooler this Sat.

If we get a good crowd and the right equipment, we can knock it out quick and no one gets heatstroke.
What equipment do we need?
Chainsaws
Tractor
Mule/4-Wheler
Straps/chains
Water
Easy-Up Cooling Station
More water
What else?
Click to expand...



Yep, it was 64 this morning and nice.
Lash has the right idea. I will be there both Saturdays unless it is completed on day one.
Lee has not responded to my emails, so he may be on his way here or already here. This is a copy of what he said in his email response when I sent the pictures,

"It would probably be safe to say I'm in a state of shock over the photos. They remind me of some of the devastation from bombing that I saw in Viet Nam. I'm trying to remember the last time I was in Laurel, and I think it was February. I spent a couple of days at the house and everything was in order when I left. I can't figure out why neither of my neighbors contacted me about the storm when it occurred. The lady on one side is elderly, and recently widowed, but she knows how to reach me. The guy on the other side, in the red brick house, has my contact info too. I suppose they were both preoccupied with their own damage, but it seems strange to wait almost 3 months to let me know. Anyway, that's ancient history. "

so let's rally the troops and get this done.
Gary
 
wngrog said:
I'm tossing in $100 to Greg. If that will buy more than 100 fuel I trust he will be a worthy steward.

What PayPal Greg?
Click to expand...

Thanks,
Maybe we can get several people to join the task and get a lot done on Saturday.
Gary
 
jmdaniel said:
As things stand right now, Lee and I will be up there some time on Friday.
Click to expand...
Does Lee know that we are trying to organize a clean up crew?
Gary
 
Hey, I'm here. I didn't know about this thread until mid morning, and I'm still trying to figure out which end is up. As Jeff said, we'll be departing Austin for Laurel early Friday AM. Or maybe we'll go to Jackson first and spend Friday night? Seems wrong to drive all the way from Texas and not see any of the Jackson CottonLand boys. I have no firm plan, except that we'll be there with Gary bright and early Saturday morning.

Thanks to Gary for stepping up and organizing the cleanup, and to everyone for the offers of assistance and moral support. That place is a lot more than just an old house to me. As Gary said, my Grandfather and a couple of his lumber mill buds built it from the ground up, in 1935, when Highway 11 was a one lane dirt road. He even milled the lumber himself, every single board. It's not an elegant place, but there's a lot of family history there, and a lot of great memories. This is the way it used to look, pre-tornado.


Laurel House--From Driveway.webp
 
I'm planning to be there this Sat. Can't do it the following Sat.

Come on guys, let's get this done in one day! Make it happen.
 
Spoke to OMA this AM- he knows this already, but I have a tractor and saw ready to go . No FEL though. I am out this weekend since there will be tractor there, but, I am available on any future dates where there wont be a tractor. I hurt my back recently, so I cant do much in the way of lifting, but donating hardware isnt an issue. Its not my property, but I thank those who have volunteered.
 
77TLCFJ40 said:
I'm planning to be there this Sat. Can't do it the following Sat.

Come on guys, let's get this done in one day! Make it happen.
Click to expand...
Thanks Lash,
See you Saturday.
call me for directions. 601-319-9970
 
77TLCFJ40 said:
I'm planning to be there this Sat. Can't do it the following Sat.

Come on guys, let's get this done in one day! Make it happen.
Click to expand...

Off topic--Lash, did you locate that FJ40 shock tube that we discussed a few weeks ago? If you can lay your hands on it, please bring it. If not, don't sweat it.

Jeff and I plan to arrive in Laurel tomorrow, mid afternoon. No work planned for Friday, but we'll be at the property early Saturday AM.

General directions, follow IH-59 through Laurel, take Exit #99, then US Hwy 11 North. After exiting on 11, house is about 2 miles north on the left. Except you probably can't see it. Just look for the heap of uprooted trees.

Gary has a solid cleanup plan in mind, which we'll be following. He's even arranged with the Jones County supervisor, to have the debris hauled away. I'd be lost without all the groundwork Gary has already done. Just saying thanks for all the CottonLand support doesn't seem adequate, but for now it'll have to do. So...Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom