Sifting Through the Ashes

On Friday, February 10th 2012 as many of you know a fire destroyed our centuries old barn located on Young Road in Slippery Rock Township. I wrote an article regarding the memories of the barn and now I write once again in regards to those who have reached out to us during this time. While we began sifting through the ashes of the burnt barn we were amazed at not only how hard it was for us to resurrect the old memories left behind by the fire but also by the support that we received from those in our community. Much of what I will write now is because of my nephew Jacob Reese; for while there are those who came to help because of those of us who had come before him, it is his time, his group of friends and his time in the community and 4-H that has compelled many to reach out to the family.

It has been over a week since we lost our barn. During that time we have witnessed not only the love of a community but the compassion given by so many. As our parents arrived home late Monday night we prepared ourselves to begin sifting through the ashes of our beloved friend. We relived the devastation that we had witnessed with our parents the following day, slowly walking through the barn; seeking any semblance of items that we had lost. Our hearts broke again with each animal that was found in their stalls or the aisle way. With each new day we witnessed the love of our community push back the heartaches. Old friends, neighbors and family came to share in our grief and deliver glimmers of hope with gifts to help in the rebuilding of our heirloom. Teachers at Laurel High school put together a gift to help purchase new animals as the Neat Kids Goat Club and the FFA work towards organizing fundraisers. My typical third Friday of the month night out at Whiting’s Auction barn turned into a rush of emotions as Duke Whiting announced that they were going to fill a large box to help us in regaining much of tack that was lost. The attendees did much more than that as not only was the box full but also a large muck bucket. Beside this there were buckets and two bags of oats for the animals. This lifted my heart because the day had been spent sifting through the ashes preparing for a full day of work on Saturday.
As I arrived at the farm Saturday morning my brother-in-law Rusty Reese was already there with dad moving much of the metal that had been thrown from the shell of the barn.
At 8:00 am there were 10 people there and by the end of the day over 50 people had shown up. As each person began sifting through the ashes old treasures were found. Some were unusable but they brought back memories. The old bell that once hung by the house had been put in the barn because of a broken bracket was pulled from the ashes intact. We brushed off the soot and carried it to the wagon. Horseshoes that had not been on a hoof in years were pulled from the ashes and placed in a pile to keep as reminders. As each piece was pulled out of the ashes more people would show up; some to help with the work while others simply dropped off food and drinks for those who braved the smoke and ashes. By noon there were over 30 people there and two tables of food and deserts for the volunteers. Pizza Joes in Portersville brought out pizza and pops to help feed the help. Each had their own story for being there. Some because of what the barn had meant to them while others were there because of what it had meant to those in our family.
As the debris was removed there became less work for those of us who weren’t operating the equipment that was provided for the cleanup so the time was spent sharing stories of our time in the barn, watching the track hoe and skid steers push the remaining debris out of the foundation that was left. As the day wore on and the work load lightened some left while others couldn’t seem to bring themselves to leave and while there was laughter in the remembrance of stories there was also tears in knowing that the big red barn was gone forever. For now the old brick silo still stands but we know that it will soon come down because the fire has weakened it to the point that it now poses too much of a safety hazard to the grand-kids to leave up.
One by one as friends, family and neighbors left, those that remain commented on how many people showed up to help; amazed at the support of our community and that so many would give up their Saturday to come sift through the ashes. For while years ago this would be the norm in today’s world we see so little of it and while we might see it in large disaster areas we seldom get the opportunity to realize it here in our own little piece of the world. The heart of a community lies not in its political standings or the wealth that is within it; but in the love of those who reside in it who are not afraid to reach out and lift up a neighbor during times of trouble. It is within those who are not afraid to sacrifice of themselves for the benefit of others and those people showed up on Saturday and every day since the fire and I am sure they will continue to show up in the days to come. For all those who have reached out to us, we thank you and appreciate your love and support more than you will ever know.

Mom and Dad would like to extend a personal thanks to all who have reached out to them at this time, as would Jacob.

Here is a video of all the photo's that were submitted to the paper and didn't get printed.

More than a Barn

For centuries the big red barn on Young Road outside of New Castle, PA has stood as a land mark for people. Whether making their way to Camp Agawam or down to Slippery Rock Creek; it was what people looked for. For the last 30 plus years it has been more than that. While the farm was more than the barn, it seemed to be the barn that countless teens, family members, and friends remember the most. During the seventies when Charles and Judy first moved their family there, it was Tillia’s Appaloosas, where they offered boarding, breeding and trail riding. Back then Camp Agawam wasn’t used as much as it is now and with the permission of the caretaker then, the Tillia’s cleared the majority of trails the boy scouts now use.
While many people from Pittsburgh and other areas would come out for an hour trail ride they also had teens from different Christian camps that would come and camp out on the farm and ride the horses. Most summers their horses would be seen riding through McConnell’s Mills and Hells Hollow where people would crowd around to see and pet them. Yet the farm was even more than that especially for those growing up around them that spent most of their childhood there at the farm during the summer months.
As the kids grew up it was where their kids and their kid’s friends and youth groups that would spend the summers there. With grand-kids aged from 25 down to 3 years old one could imagine the number of kids who have come through this farm and how many are still yet to come. Of course things did change over the years. The old machinery garage blew down years ago and Mom and Dad had a lake put in and a sand volleyball court but the one staple had always been that big red barn. As each grandchild grew a new group of kids would take their turns at using that barn as their fort or play friend. It was always there for them as a giant comforter, a place to retreat to during difficult times. As the years went by the horses were replaced by goats which could be seen following Dad around the fence lines as he checked the fence and as the younger grand-kids came along the goats began producing their 4-H projects, making January and February an exciting time as the new babies would arrive and each grandchild hurriedly made their way into that barn to choose their new project.
In the last couple of years horses had once again made an appearance on the farm. While they usually had at least one there throughout the years last year for the first time in many years there was a foal on the property. Neighbors stopped just to watch him run in the field; commenting on how great it was to see a foal on the farm again. A new story had begun yet again with that big red barn in the background. The old friend seemed to be enjoying new life yet again with another group of grand-kids running through it, playing in its hayloft, and just being kids. Another group of babies born in it and playing in it. Yes it seemed ready to stand for another 20 years to provide these new grand-kids a place to retreat to; a place to build friendships and mend heartaches but time had other things in mind. All these things ran through my mind Friday as I watched my old friend burn to the ground and as childhood friends came to show their respect and neighbors pulled up to offer help I realized just how much more than a barn old red was. It was our friend and confidant. It was our comforter, our secret keeper and character builder. It was a baby sitter, a shoulder to lean on and a place you could always turn to when life just got to you. While the road and landscape already looks lonely without it there, life goes on. New memories will be made by this new generation while those of us who are older will reminisce; it was more than a barn because it stood for those who live there and the lives that were affected by them.