Meet the Board

This project is important for several reasons — History, Location, and Need. This building was a haven for learning and a lifetime of friendships for many years. Its location was a hub for community events for many people within a 10 mile radius. Finally, it has the potential to serve in the beautiful Bell Buckle Park as a destination for recreational and other community celebrations for years to come. Education, Credentials & Associations: Cascade High School, 1979 David Lipscomb University, 1987, B.A.

While only a remnant of the school many remember, I believe the site and its history is worthy of preservation and serving the community in the future. For many of us, the experiences and memories from our formative years there provided a firm foundation for future success. The history reminds us of a time when not only book knowledge but many life lessons were taught and demonstrated. Churches and the school were focal points of community and family activities at that time. Restoration of this site will honor the past and support community activities in the future. Education, Credentials & Associations: Lifelong Bell Buckle community resident Bell Buckle High School, 1965 Saint Thomas School of Nursing, 1968 Meharry Medical College, 1982, Family Nurse Practitioner

I attended Bell Buckle School from first grade until I was a sophomore in 1972, when it was destroyed by the fire, and changed the lives of so many. As a high-school student, I was devastated, to say the least. I grew up in Bell Buckle and have many good memories of my school — it brought our community together, offering a safe and fun place to grow and learn. Now, fifty years later, the school will once again provide a place to serve the community. My ancestors were some of the first settlers in Bell Buckle, and they lived on and farmed the land in the Peacock Lane area, where the school is located. There are generations of Featherstone's that attended and graduated from BBHS: my father, William Preston, Jr., class of 1945, his two sisters, Marie Featherstone Brasier, 1946 and Betty Featherstone Young, 1949. They had a brother, Eugene, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident. His funeral was held in the school auditorium to accommodate the standing room only crowd. My sister, Dixie Featherstone Parker, 1963 (George, 1958) and William Preston Featherstone, lll, 1969 (Debbie, 1970) were also graduates. My nephews, Kenny and David Parker were in elementary school the year our school burned. I am so thankful to the Park Board for the beautiful school grounds, and look forward to seeing the school serve the community once again. Education, Credentials & Associations: MTSU, 1979, B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education MTSU, 1982, Masters in Early Childhood Education

Saving the historic Bell Buckle school is a meaningful project, not only to the town but for those who attended the Bell Buckle School. In addition to saving such a valuable resource, a gathering place for Bell Buckle residents is badly needed. I am so happy to be a part of saving such a valuable historic building and to be working alongside the other board members. The commitment and energy brought to this restoration/preservation project is what will make this project become a reality. Education, Credentials & Associations: Bevill State University in Alabama Bookkeeping Degree, 1974 Founding Member of the Bell Buckle Park Board, 2001 Bell Buckle resident since 1995

We truly have something special in Bell Buckle. Our assortment of backgrounds and professions, of talents and know-how, are treasures of our community. Yet, with so many events and celebrations open to visitors throughout the year, we have long needed a place for our residents to gather. A space designed to bring Bell Buckle together for both the everyday activities and the one-of-a-kind experiences unique to our town. Still, we have a rich history in times past, and I want to see us restore value to a space beloved by so many, so those memories are rejuvenated. Restoring the Bell Buckle School will honor the past and connect current and future residents with what has come before to strengthen our sense of belonging. In this building I see birthday parties and plays, game nights and art exhibits, scout meetings and cooking classes--generations making new memories that will only reinforce the ties to our community. There is so much potential within these walls, and I am grateful to participate in this effort. I am a botanist by training, and my career to date has been spent in one aspect or another of natural resources, agriculture, or research. My home base is in Bell Buckle, TN, and I am a lifelong Middle Tennessean, raised on the Western Highland Rim in Lawrence County. I serve on the Bell Buckle Park Board, and work to promote the artistic community in Bell Buckle and the surrounding area. My idea of a good time is to spend time outside with my two children, working to conserve and improve natural spaces, and adding to my extensive spice collection. Education, Credentials & Associations: Middle Tennessee State University, 2005, B.S. Biology Bell Buckle Park Board

Preserving this building allows us to honor those who taught and learned here, as well as to provide a center for the community to gather in fellowship into the future. I grew up about five miles from Bell Buckle in the Fairfield community and attended school in Wartrace and graduated from Cascade School. In 1984, I moved to Bell Buckle and commuted to MTSU. I met my husband who had come to teach at Webb School the same year. We raised our daughter here and have been here since. This town and community are like family to us; it is a special place where we have enjoyed both serving and living, and we intend to live out our days here as well. Saving old things brings people together, who would not otherwise "meet". Future generations benefit from an awareness of those who came before and I believe this gives them their own sense of place and time. Education, Credentials & Associations: MTSU, 1988, BS Chemistry & Environmental Science Bell Buckle resident since 1984 Served on Bell Buckle Board of Mayor & Aldermen six years

My family moved to Bell Buckle in 1983. After I graduated from high school, I went abroad to study and then to work. I returned with my wife and two children to live in Bell Buckle in 2015. We are grateful to be a part of this wonderful community! I am excited to see a renovated space in the building that was the heart of this community when it was filled with children. Education, Credentials & Associations: B.A. Political Science Berea College, Kentucky M.Ed. Education Administration University of Southern Queensland, Australia

My family moved to Bell Buckle in the 1970s when my parents renovated the old Hoover Funeral Home for our residence. My father, Gene Strobel, served as Mayor. He, my mother, Katherine Strobel and a group of dedicated townspeople created the park and refurbished the Town Hall among many projects. Although I did not live in Bell Buckle very long I was schooled in the importance of preserving its old structures and its identity as a farming community and a former stop on the passenger train system. The old school is an entity with which many citizens have ties. Bell Buckle has become a top Tennessee tourist attraction due to the thriving downtown area and the existence of many historic structures that both locals and tourists appreciate. The town has already lost some of its important old structures: the railroad depot, the original Baptist church building, and the Sain family home and birthplace of Shaker’s Shocker, World Grand Champion walking horse ridden by Betty Sain. Preserving the town's uniqueness through its built history is imperative to its continued success. Transforming an empty building into a beautiful community center would not only save an historic, much loved place but provide our citizens with a much needed gathering spot. Education, Credentials & Associations: MFA, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, 1993