Isn't fall wonderful? The leaves are starting to put forth their abundant colors. Down on our property on Long Branch there is a walnut tree hanging over the road. Grown over that tree is a vine of Virginia creeper whose leave have turned a beautiful red. The red leaves over the green give a different fall display. Fall is great because of comfortable temperatures in the daytime and nice cool night to help us sleep so peacefully.

Last Friday, September 27, was a sad day in our community. One of our young men, Kevin Baxter was laid to rest in the new Baxter Family Cemetery. As usual the people of this community and others pulled together to show our respect to the family as we mourned with them for their lost loved one. The Grassy Fork Community Center was used as a gathering place for the family and friends after the burial. Food was brought from as far away as Newport. Some of the Grassy Fork Community Club members along with friends of the family served the food. The Community Club is happy to let the family use the center free of charge at a time like this if the center is not already reserved by someone.

Yeah!! Rejoice, today is October 3 and we had an assemble where the announcement was made that Grassy Fork School again received our accreditation . We have gone through months of work and preparation for this day. Boy! Did we work hard to fill our standard boxes with artifacts to prove that we are a school worthy of this honor. Our school received a good report from the AdvancedEd Committee.

Paulina Moore Tripucca , daughter of Mike and Dorthy Moore, underwent some very serious surgery on Monday, September 27. She had to be sent to Vanderbilt in Nashville to have a tumor removed from her chest area. They thought that they would have to totally open her chest like they do for open heart surgery, but fortunately they did not have to open it that much. She received a blood transfusion before the surgery. We are thankful to report that it was not cancer. Many prayers have went up for Paulina and her family.

Paulina and our daughter, Doris Ann, were classmates at Cosby High School. They were roommates at UT for a while. She has been in my home many times. She and her husband, David, now live in Morristown. She and our daughter, Mary Kate, had the same babysitter when their children were small. We pray that she has a speedy recovery.

I talked to Ollie Black today. She said that her dad, James Linkes of Knoxville, is in very critical condition. The kidney dialysis is no longer working for him. He was taken off life support on Wednesday night. Our thoughts and prayers are with James and the family.

There will be a Gospel Meeting at the Grassy Fork Church of Christ October 17, 18 and 19. Brother Mike Conley of Lexington, Kentucky will be the speaker. Services will begin on Friday and Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday worship will be at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is invited to come.

The Seventh and Eighth Grade Class at our school has started a Community Legacy Project to help preserve memories of "how it used to be". Bill Thompson, the parent of one of the seventh grade students, came up with the idea and presented it to the class. The finished project will be in book form. The class needs community support with this project. They are looking for people that have lived in this area for a long time and are willing to have the stories of their memories included in the finished project. They also need old photographs. All photographs will be scanned and returned. Think back to your younger days . When you recall those times, which memories come to mind most often? Have you ever thought about what is going to happen to those memories when you are no longer able to tell people about them? If you want to share your memories, stories, or photographs for the use in this project, please contact Bill Thompson (423) 465-1020 or by email at Bill@wathompson.com.

Last Saturday, September 27, Shelby and Darrell Brantley of Statesville, North Carolina were visiting Euna V Greene. Euna V said that she enjoyed her visit from them.

Luke Lemon was fourteen on October 1. He celebrated with a party at the Victory Lanes Bowling Alley in Newport with family and friends.

Other students having birthdays this month are Collin Reed on the 3nd; Chloe Webb on the 4th.; Tristan "T-man" Cate on the 5th; Morgan Mooneyham on the 10th.; Johnathon Deaton on the 20th.; Luke Howell on the 21st.; Braden Shaffer and Cody Sparks both on the 24th.; and Mckenzie Owens on the 29th. May they each enjoy their special day.

Also, happy birthday to my brother-in-law, Troy Wilburn, on October 7th. and my brother, Kenneth Green, on the 15th.

Helen Sparks returned home on Wednesday after spending several days visiting her cousin Bennie Kennedy and his family and other relatives in Mississippi and in Memphis, Tennessee. While in Mississippi she enjoyed a reunion with her high school classmates. We know that she had fun.

Smile and enjoy the fabulous fall displays of nature and all the festivals going on at this time.