Volunteers Needed for Rugby Gates Project

From Gregg Schlanger, Artist for the Rugby Gates Project:

Greetings!

Volunteers are needed this Saturday, October 20, 2007, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM.

I will be going door to door in the Overton Crossing neighborhood with students from Frayser and Trezevant High Schools.

Please join us at 9:00 AM. Will meet at ArkWings on James Road and go door to door along Overton Crossing and the all of the side streets.

I hope to better inform the residents about the project and let them know they can get their name inscribed on a paver brick. We will hand out (or leave on the door) a brochure that explains the project and has a form to fill out for a brick inscription.

"Rugby Gates" will consist of two large 20 ft. tall brick columns and ten smaller 5 ft. tall columns. The two large columns will be placed close to the intersection of Overton Crossing and James Road. There will be one on each side on the road. They will be located approximately in the same location as the original stone gateway into Rugby Hills Estates. These columns represent the public gateway to the neighborhood.

The original brickyards of Memphis were in the Rugby area. While the brickyards no longer exist, the clay soil is still perfect for brick making. The brick columns will be made from the soil it sits upon.

There is a temporary brickyard at ArkWings. At ArkWings, local high school students are making bricks in wooden molds. The bricks produced here will be large pavers that will be used as the surface area around the two large columns. The paver bricks will be stamped with names from the community. There is no charge to have your name or the name of a loved one stamped into a paver brick.

I am also interested in gathering your stories. I would like to know about your memorable experiences of the area, what are your interests or connections to the area, why you live here, what brought you here or keeps you here and/or any other relevant stories/history about Rugby/Frayser. I am also interested in seeing any photographs you might have relevant to the
area.

Please contact me before November 1, 2007 about contributing stories or to have your name stamped on a brick.
Gregg Schlanger, 931.249.0572
e-mail: schlangerg@apsu.edu