"Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:1,2

Dear Family and Friends,

            Greetings to you all! Cards are arriving in the mail daily telling me that Christmas is near. In November we do a Thanksgiving musical program for the community. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We started this year by singing "Count Your Blessings." And so I would like to "count my blessings" and "name them one by one." So here are some things that I am thankful for over the past year. I am grateful that I have so many blessings to count. Really if we each stop and think I am sure that we can reflect on many blessings. Here are a few of mine.

            AFRICA: The end of last year a doctor friend asked if I would be interested in going to Africa with him and his family. I have dreamed of this opportunity and although Dr. Ben has asked me before, it has never worked out. January everything worked out and I was on my way to Africa for two weeks. There was a lot of political unrest at that time but we were in an area that was not experiencing as much turmoil. We went to Kenya and ministered to the Maasai people there. What a joy! They are a nomad group of people. They live in huts and grow some crops and herd goats, sheep, etc. They try to protect themselves from the wild animals that roam at night. We provided medical care for hundreds of the people there. It was mostly primitive areas. One day a man took us out to a big field and we were told to set up our things. There were no people around. Within a few minutes, people were arriving from the bushes and shrubs around the rocky field. I have no idea where they came from, but they were so appreciative of the medical care. We stayed in a nice tent that overlooked the plain below. There were often zebras grazing right in front of the tent. The baboons would run around our tent at night. You could hear the lions "grunting" as they started their nightly hunts. We had to yell for the guard to come with us if we wanted to walk up to the bathrooms at night. We had the opportunity to see lots of elephants, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, hippos, birds, gazelle, a few lions and cheetahs and other grazing critters. One night we went on a night safari and saw several animals too. We took a side trip to see an area that has lots of rhinoceros and flamingos. The animals were incredible. Just seemed like a little taste of heaven to see them so close (from the jeep usually!). The food at the camp was incredible. They did a great job making us feel at home. I did manage to lodge an acacia thorn in my head one day as a limb from an acacia bush banged me as we drove by in the jeep. It made me sick for awhile, but after I realized there was something lodged in my head and Dr. Carlos got it out, I felt much better.

            ALASKA: Destination Alaska mission trip had been in the planning for a couple of years. Some things had not worked out with original plans, but eventually God directed us to a project in Southern Alaska, Vank Island (near Wrangell Island). I was thankful it was not Northern Alaska near Siberia, which is where they were thinking of sending us first. I thought it would be a bit brisk up there! Our project was building a bathhouse for a camp there. Several area churches and groups use this camp. The only thing on the one-mile-by-five-mile Vank Island is Camp Lorraine. God miraculously provided the funding for the bathhouse and impressed 35 people to help with this project. We had people from several states, 10 churches, and five denominations join us. Bill and my cousin Cindy worked out the food plan for the 40 or so people who ate three meals a day there. Everything had to be transported by boat the 10 miles from Wrangell Island out to Camp Lorraine. There were unheated cabins that we stayed in. Thankfully it was June so it was 40s and 50s at night and 60s and some low 70s during the day. It was like a rain forest there. They get LOTS of rain, especially in the summer. God held the rain off 8 of the 11 days that we were working. The three days that it rained or drizzled we were able to keep working as we were working on the ground level. The government still owns the land and the camp leases the land. The government would not approve the initial plans and the plan they finally approved was rather elaborate with bathhouse, classrooms on the second floor, with 45-foot steep slanting roof. We had minimal equipment and there were many prayers as young and old worked together sometimes at great heights! We had an age range of 3 years old to 75 years old and all ages in between working together. There were thousands of nails pounded! We got the bathhouse mostly done from the foundation to getting walls up and roof on. We all used two bathrooms and two showers while we were there. Beth did the "laundry service," running the one washer and dryer during the early mornings and evenings when the power saws weren’t being used. Imagine laundry for 40 people! Everyone really worked together to make this happen and God blessed! I celebrated my 40th birthday in Alaska. Bill and Cindy surprised me with a cake and 40 candles Bill brought from TN! The sunset on my birthday was spectacular! I didn’t see many sunsets as the sun went down about 11 and came up about 3 a,m, although it was never really dark even during those few hours. Those 5:30 wake-ups came early so we were usually in bed fairly early. We saw lots of bald eagles but other animal life seemed to elude us, although we saw moose and bear tracks! It was great spending time with my cousins Cindy and Tom Day and fellowshipping with and making friend with many people there. Our worship times together were very special.

            JOB: Lest you think I spent all year "running around," I do have a job and work there occasionally! Actually I work most weeks out of the year but do enjoy the breaks for other activities. I am still self-employed and run Gray Family Clinic. I have been working in Gray since 1999 and in private practice since 2001. Bill works there as a nurse practitioner with me and Mom still works there two days a week. I have a wonderful staff to work with and marvelous patients. They often treat us like family as we try to treat them. Throughout the year they give us garden goodies, homemade food and other things and lots of hugs and "thank-yous." I enjoy going to work! I am so thankful for the work that God has given me right here in Gray.

            HOME: This winter has already been quite a bit colder than the last few years . Today we had snow. It was so pretty. I am so thankful for a warm home, food and water, and plenty of wood for the woodstove (a big thanks to the Beierle crew for helping get the trees cut down and wood chopped!) . This summer we had a garden at Bill and Karen's property right near me. It did very well and we canned lots of tomatoes and enjoyed lots of fresh garden produce! I was delighted that there was an abundant blueberry crop this year and picked about 10 gallons to eat and freeze. Mom froze corn this year. Apples and pears were abundant this year and we canned about 300 quarts of applesauce and some pear sauce too! I am thankful that my home can be used by others and enjoy having people come by and stay here. So anytime you are in the area please come by for a visit! Of course Larynx, my overweight cat (perhaps some would say obese at 14.5lbs!), is always here to greet me when I come home. He enjoys people so much and spends time at my neighbors’ home, Burpitts, when I am away or working. I am thankful for their tolerance of him.

            MOUNTAIN HOME: This year God miraculously sent a "mountain home" my way. I had looked at several places in the Roan Mountain area. When I had made some offers on some places God shut the door. This home when I made an offer (expecting to go higher), it was accepted even though the offer was about 20% below the asking price. The place was purchased the beginning of September just before the economy got a little exciting. There were several projects that needed to be completed at the home. Thankfully the weather held off for a couple of months while the major things were done outside. Now we are working on some indoor projects. A BIG THANKS to Mom and Dad, Uncle Del, Ed Sanders and Mr. Dillard for all the hours of work that they have put in up there. There is a small pond and a beautiful view of Roan Mountain. It is wonderful to sit on the front porch and watch the sunset over Roan Mountain. Dad has planted several fruit trees there. Andrew loves to go up there and spend time helping me burn brush, roast marshmallows over a bonfire, cut briers, go sledding (had over 5 inches of snow a couple weeks ago), spend the night, etc. It will be a fun place for us and others to go and work together, relax together and make many memories together. Andrew has called it Mountain Home since I got it. Dad said we should call it Mountain Lodge. Andrew told him, "You can call it whatever you want Papa but it is Mountain Home to me!" And so the name for our retreat seems to be Mountain Home!

            FAMILY: Mom and Dad live in Roan Mountain most of the time. Mom comes here every week to work a couple days. They are both in good health and enjoy helping with various projects, gardening, canning, helping me with things around my home, visiting and spending time with Bill and Karen and their grandchildren. Mom and Bill went to Alaska with me which was a real treat! Bill and Karen live nearby. Bill works with me at the clinic and Karen keeps busy with two active children. Andrew was 4 in April and Amy was 2 in April. They are so much fun and come spend time with me. Amy has finally arrived at the age where she enjoys spending the night and doing other things with me. It took her longer than Andrew to get to that stage! Andrew is learning phonics now and trying to read and Amy is talking a lot. They say some really funny things at times!

            FRIENDS: God has blessed me with many precious friends. I am thankful for the letters this time of the year, email to keep in touch, prayers, phone calls, and getting together for work, worship, fellowship, and outdoor activities with many of you. I cherish the many special times with friends here and all over the United States and world. God has sent many new friends into my life this year and I am thankful for each of you also! Each time I have to say good by to a friend it reminds me that someday soon we can all be together for eternity. How I long for that day!

            OUTDOORS: When I am not at work or church you will often find me outside. It is very relaxing for me. I like mowing the yard. This year we were low on rainfall again. This kept me busy watering the numerous plants that I have outside around the house and at the clinic. We also enjoyed backpacking and camping trips, hiking, whitewater rafting (saw a bald eagle in the gorge near Erwin, TN as we were rafting this summer!), biking on the Virginia Creeper Trail, etc. Several of the camping and backpacking trips are done with the Pathfinders youth group and friends from church. Hope to see some of you in Oshkosh for the Pathfinder camporee in August. It was great camping with Stephen Connor and family this summer in the Smokies. Saw some bear when camping near Cades Cove. It was fun biking around the cove with Robin and Marcos!

            HEALTH: I am so thankful for my health! I have not had any trouble with my iron now for several years. This year I had a ganglion cyst that grew on my right wrist. I tried many things to get it to go away but it was quite happy there. When it was getting hard to write because my hand was numb and aching I decided to get it taken out. I had surgery the day before Thanksgiving. It is doing much better now. My hand is not numb and now it is in a splint for three more weeks. My handwriting is a little "different" with this splint but hopefully the post office can still read it enough to get this letter to you!

            NO JOB: I know that I said that I was thankful for my job and I truly am. This year I wanted to take a picture by my favorite picture at the clinic. It is called Johnny Made Whole. It is on my Christmas card this year. It reminds me each day that I work that I will someday be out of a job!! Because of Jesus’ sacrifice I am looking forward to a much better world! And I am really looking forward to that day when Jesus comes and we will all be in perfect health, in a perfect world with Jesus and friends forever! As we all see things changing in "our world" may we each be drawn closer to God. I feel that my earthly job may not be needed much longer! I am looking forward to whatever "heavenly occupation" is awaiting! May we each stay close to God for strength, peace, and courage for the challenging days ahead until He comes to take us home!

Love, Rebekah

 379 Buckingham Road; Gray, TN 37615; rjcote@intergate.com

PS. Heading to Bangladesh January 6 for two weeks. Staying at an orphanage and doing programs at schools and orphanage and medical work in area villages. Stay tuned!

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Received from Faye and Frank Strickland
December 10, 2008

2008 was a much better year, for us, than have been the past two years, and we thank the Lord for that.  Frank is recuperating from his fall from the deck a year ago Christmas while bringing up wood from the woodpile to use in our wood-burning stove in the family room.  He was badly injured & probably will never get completely over it; but he is walking better these days, his back doesn't bother him quite so much, and each day brings renewed strength.

I hesitate to give an "organ recital"; but at this stage in life, our "ailments" seem to take "first stage"--so here goes.  In Feb 2005, and again in Feb 2007, I was hospitalized for a week with thrombophlebitis, both legs, DVT right leg, & pulmonary embolism, both lungs, lower lobes.  I was sent home to "rest and keep my legs elevated" & take coumadin (rat poison!) the rest of my life.  (Can anyone tell me how to get anything done with "legs elevated"?)  I'm doing very well, all things considered, but I'm sort of dreading Feb 2009!! (There seems to be a regular two-year pattern there!)  I realize that I'm living these days on  "borrowed time", and I thank the Lord each day that I'm still "upright".

My pulmonary doctor discharged me a couple of months ago, saying I was doing well and didn't need him.  He had sent me to a vascular surgeon as one of my legs was very badly inflamed.  When I returned to him, after a month, both legs "well" and looking good, you could see the relief come over him and he said to me, "I didn't tell you earlier, but cases like yours rarely heal--they are usually fatal.  I am so relieved, so proud of you.  You must be doing everything right.  Now my suggeston to you is to go home, drink lots of fresh vegetable juices, eat lots of fresh fruits & vegetables, & exercise daily."  I almost dropped my teeth!  He, of course, didn't know that my family, my church, and many, many friends were praying for me constantly during that time.  He did admit that he was sure a Higher Power was involved.  And of course, he had no way of knowing that we drink fresh, raw vegetable juice daily & that we live on fresh fruits & veggies.

During the early spring storms & strong winds, one of the huge oak trees in our front yard split in half, fell on our recreation area "jungle gym" & just smashed it flat!  We were so thankful the tree fell in that direction, instead of toward our house.  Our home-owners' insurance came to our rescue so we had the area rebuilt.  (We enjoy going up in the "crow's nest" and reading--or just watching the animals & scenery.)  Since Frank & I both work in the Kindergarten Sabbath School (Frank does the nature scenes & helps me with the decorating) we invited all the Kindergarten children & their families to spend a Sunday in October, picnicking & playing in our front yard & on the "jungle gym".  We all had a great time.  It was worth all the effort & expense to rebuild, just to see & hear the kids having fun!

Peggy Sue & Jim flew home from Taiwan in June & were able to spend several days with us.  They & the children, Bethany & Brian, will be here for a week at Christmas.  We're excited!  "Couldn't ask for anything more!"  Brian graduates from Southern Adventist University Dec 17.  My, how time does fly!  it was only "yesterday" that he was playing on the "jungle gym" in our front yard.

We hope & pray that you have had a good year, that you are enjoying the blessings of the Lord, and, with us, are eagerly awaiting His soon return--probably sooner than we think.  Our love and very best wishes of the Season,     Frank & Faye

260 Pleasant Trail,  Chesnee, SC 29323                fmstrickland@wmconnect.com

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Received from Jan Grentz
December 10, 2008

Dear Don,
Thanks for all the time keeping NASDAO members informed. 

We need to let you know some shocking news about our daughter, Liesel Grentz, D.O.  She was diagnoses with stage 3 ovarian cancer in late September.  She is in her third year of family practice residency in Pikeville, KY.  Her only symptoms had been unexplained swelling in her feet in August, acid reflux and weight gain.  Then she didn't feel just right and palpated a mass in her abdomen herself.  She's currently in her second round of chemo at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, KY with hope for recovery since this germ cell type of cancer responds well to chemo but it's very aggressive and of course, difficult to tolerate.  Between treatments she's home with us with wonderful support from her sister, Marta who has been with her since her surgery and many other friends many of whom call and have come to spend time with her.

Of interest, Marta's husband, Jeremy Wetmore just graduated last May with his D.O. from Pikeville College where Liesel graduated.  He is doing his internship in Kalamazoo, Michigan close to where we used to live. In July they will move to Detroit for his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation. 

Last night Liesel felt well enough to give Marta an osteopathic treatment when she had a severe headache and nausea - it was very successful!!!  She would not have been able to do this the evening before!  They have found two additional medications to fight nausea this time and plans to send home IV fluids so that should help. 

The first week of chemo was very challenging.  Werner and I had already paid for a 3 week trip including a 12 day cruise to the Greek Isles, Egypt and Turkey.  With hopeful news for her recovery we went ahead with our trip.  Marta and one of Liesel's dear resident friends spent the whole week of chemo in Lexington with her.  Marta was thrilled to have Tiffany's medical expertise and emotional support - she was the perfect person to help out.  This week Marta is teaching me what to do in the supportive role and will finally be able to head home to Jeremy and their 22 month old Emily who has been staying off and on with Jeremy's parents in Hendersonville, NC.  May the Lord richly bless everyone who has helped out!  We feel loved and can certainly see how God brings good out of evil.

Werner and I kept in close phone and email contact with the girls while we were out of the country.  It was a very special trip in all the other ways and we are so thankful for safety and smooth connections in all our ports of call.  We ended up in Romania in the village in the outskirst of the Black Sea port of Constanza where Werner's parents grew up before moving to German occupied countries during WWII.  After helping Werner's mother, Emmie, write her life story in Emmie's Memories, I was eager to see it for myself!  She was already visiting Romania when we arrived and could show us around.  We stayed with a Romanian family and that was very special as well.

My private counseling practice is building.  I had been asked to speak to all the pastors of the KY-TN conference, unfortunately, this was scheduled two weeks after Liesel's surgery.  The topic was sexual integrity, sexual addiction and recovery which is the area of my certification. 

We have always enjoyed NASDAO and understand how difficult it is to keep it going.  We will do our best to be supportive whenever it is scheduled to meet.

Please keep Liesel's recovery in your prayers. 

Love, Jan and Werner Grentz

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Received from Tricia Sorensen
November 26, 2009

Hi Don,

    I have wanted to respond to your News Letter for some time but I just seem to stay too busy.  You already know my response to what is going to happen to NASDAO and it is sad.  I don't think it will ever be like it was when it was the group from the pro club and we met somewhere with all of our families and just had the fun and made many happy memories.  Over the last years several Presidents have tried real hard to put life back into it with little success and what is apprehending now would probably happen anyway without an organization and I hate to say it but it you stopped being the Web Master that would be the end. People do write to you personally but I seldom see a letter that is written to the Club Members.  Of Course there were not a lot of us that ever wrote but more than now.
    October 23 is a day I will never forget. I had taken Mark and Beverly to the airport to fly to Florida to spend a few days with Kevin and Amy. They were to get back the day after Chris and family arrived and we were all looking forward to seeing them--especially those two little ones :-)  I had been having trouble with one of my cars idling correctly and had taken it to our mechanic a few days before.  The day after I Brought it home it ran fine but the next day the problem was back and I was going to take it back but when I got in it the next morning it would not start so I tried to jump start it with a little charger which did not work so I got the big Die Hard and hooked it up for 3 hours. I was to take our pastor and his wife out to lunch for his birthday so I unhooked the charger and went to meet them.  When I got home I got out of Gene's car and got in mine and started it up.  It still did not idle smoothly but I left the hood up and the garage door open and left it to run for a little bit.  The phone rang and it was Penny so I went into the Living Room to sit down to visit with her and I could hear someone talking outside, then someone saying something about a fire so I told Penny to hang on so I could see who was talking.  I soon found out it was my alarm system saying to evacuate because there was a fire.  I went down the hall and opened the door to the garage and everything under the hood was a big flame reaching to the ceiling. I told Penny to hang up and I dialed 911 and gave them my name, address, phone number and laid the phone down and ran for the hose.  A fire extinguisher never entered my mind but I only had a small one in the kitchen anyway.
   I did not think I should go in the garage and stood outside spraying the water but was not getting ahead of it because hats and etc. were getting on fire and the trap door above the car. I went back in and fire was running down both sides of the ceiling in the hall. The block wall and the metal door from the garage kept it from coming in the house for a long time but all of the rafters were burning.
   13 fire trucks arrived and set up several ponds to transport water while two trucks sprayed the fire. I had my house key in my pocket and went to open the office door and they yelled at me not to go in and I told them I did not intend to but I wish they would and a fireman came up and broke all 5 windows out of the library. I went to the edge of the outside garage and stood with my two neighbors. After awhile a fireman ask us who we were and I said it was my house and then he wanted to know where the transformer was which is under ground. I ask them why they were not trying to put the fire out and they said they had to turn off the electricity.  If they would have said what they were doing I would have told them earlier but they never yelled for anyone.  They turned off the electricity to Mark's house and I had visions of emptying his freezer and other problems.  Then I was to pick up Chris and Shannon at the Airport Monday morning and all 3 of my cars were on fire.
   I was soaking wet and cold so when the Red Cross arrived I went into the Ambulance to talk to them. Mean time Penny was calling and could not get thru so she called her 911 and had them patch her thru and told them I was talking to her and then my phone went dead and she wanted to make sure I was not in the house. They started looking for me and then someone told her I was in the ambulance so she calls some of the church members and they had the roads blocked and would not let them in.
   Finally everyone left and a lady who worked with us for 25 years had got thru with her husband. The Red Cross insisted on making me a reservation at Super 8 so I could be along and relax. Now that is just what I wanted to do was leave and stay alone in some motel room so after they left I canceled and stayed in Mark's house.  They had turned his electricity back on.  I spent most of the night looking out the window to see if another fire had started.
   The next morning at 8:30 I called my insurance agent who notified my carrier at by 10:30 a truck was here with a load of plywood to board up the windows (I just had all new windows put in the back and they are not even paid for) They had cut a lot of hole in the roof with a chain saw. By 11 a restoration crew was here. I was amazed.
   Penny and Tricia were on there way here. My insurance agent arrived with a gift basket of food.  The fire Marshal came and said everything was under control. As I sat with the insurance agent in Marks house Tricia ran in screaming and crying and saying Daddy's car is on fire and they had called 911. They had just put the last board on the garage when smoke came rolling out and then something in the car blew up.  I did not even go down. I just watched from Mark's. Penny had just arrived and went in the office door and opened the door to the garage and discovered Gene's car in flames.
   The fireman arrived again--16 hours after they left. They cut more holes in the roof and then set up fans; I don't understand it all but smoke was so thick they said they could not see to walk down the hall. Then the fireman told the kids the house was going to blow and to get any valuables they could grab and get out.  They did but they finally got it under control before it got out of control.  The kids had grabbed all the pictures and slides that they could and had them lying out on the lawn in the rain.  Such a mess.
   The rest of it is a long story but it has been over a month and the insurance company is not letting them start the repairs until all of the inspectors or adjustors come from my Mechanic, G. M. and Met Ed.  Such a mess.  The inside of the entire main floor is to be gutted.  I must say that my insurance company has really taken charge of things and dozens of various contractors have been out to measure and take pictures so everything can be restored and fortunately I have a great insurance policy which I could not have told you what it covered but I had 200% coverage for total replacement and I think it is going to take that.  Three women have been here for 3 weeks wrapping everything which will all be cleaned and stored. Two other women took all of my clothes and everything washable out of all of my cabinets to be washed and cleaned and stored and it is to be about a year before I will be back in my house.
   In spite of all of this I count my blessings.  I was not hurt, I have the apartment in the barn where I can live, I have kids that help me and I can still afford to pay my bills and have good insurance.  Many people have a disaster and having none of those things so I have lots to be thankful for.
   All of our kids are coming for Christmas so some will be sleeping on the floor but we will have fun. There will be at least 24 of us so Mark’s house will be overflowing.  Isn't that great.
   Hope this has not taken up too much of your time.  Chuck and Millie were here last night and we went to breakfast before they left to go on to Charlie's at Cape Cod.  Hope all is well with you and yours.
   I must give some advice before I stop.  Have a fire extinguisher in you garage, bedroom and kitchen and be sure you have good insurance coverage.  I never dreamed out house could go up in flames so quickly.

Your long winded friend---Tricia

(Editor's note:
We are so sorry to hear news like this, but thanks for sharing with us.  A more joyful note is that
you have good insurance and no was injured.)

 

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Received from Rebekah Cote D.O.
8-31-08
Rebekah is in family practice in Gray, TN

Good morning!

 Hope that you all are having a great holiday weekend!  It was Mom's 68th birthday on Friday.  Friends from Arkansas are with us this weekend.  Bill and Karen and Ray, Tammie and Justin picked 14 gallons of blueberries near Greeneville on Friday morning.  I am going pick tomorrow morning.  Have picked about 8 gallons this summer.  Just love those blueberries!  This will be my last picking for the summer.  Yesterday we all went up to Roan Mountain after church and celebrated Mom's birthday.  It is always cooler up there and it was a beautiful day.  We rented a wood splitter for the weekend.  I had several dead trees cut down a few weeks ago and Ray and Bill cut down a few more on Friday.  They are cutting down some at Bill and Karen's this morning.  Already have a lot of wood split and several hours of wood splitting yet to do.  Will keep us busy!  Should have a few cord of wood now.  Will keep the home warm for a few years.  Mom and I are going to can tomatoes and pears tomorrow afternoon.  My pear trees had a bumper crop this year.  Bill and Karen's 40 tomato plants are doing very well so will be canning tomatoes for awhile yet!  A student from Loma Linda is staying with me for a month while she does a rotation in Kingsport.  She is going to Bangladesh for a week after she leaves here.  I will be going to Bangladesh in January for two weeks.  Just got the tickets.  Exciting!  Must get going.  Love you all!  Rebekah 

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Received from Merle Morgan
April 21, 2008

Hi Don,
    Just a note to let  you know, if you haven't heard already, that Frances Pearson
passed away last weekend. Here is an address for Craig:

The Palms
25585 Van Leuven St.
Loma Linda, CA  92354

Sorry we're losing old time friends.

Mindy

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The following is a reprint of an article written for the Georgia Cumberland Conference
Communique
Submitted by Don Starkey
4-21-08
Dr. Byron Harbolt graduated from KCUMB '57 and practices in Altamont, TN

Community Gives Car to Local Doctor
By Gina McKnight

 Recently Dr. Byron Harbolt’s car was stolen when he went into the Post Office.  The person who
took the car drove it into the strip pits until the car wouldn't go any farther.  The car was pulled from
the remote area with a four wheel drive wrecker, with the tires flattened and damage done to the
inner workings of the vehicle. 
 
Over the years, the majority of Grundy County citizens have been touched by the generosity of
Dr. Harbolt in some form. For those who may not know him, you may not understand why the
people of the county would want to purchase a brand new car – for a doctor of all people! 
 The majority of doctors that we come in contact with have a pretty comfortable income, rightfully
so – after all, they are in business of saving lives. However, Dr. Harbolt, his wife Genevieve, who
recently passed away, and their family have lived a very modest lifestyle ever since coming to
Monteagle Mountain in 1960.  He has saved many lives for a fee of less than $20 – and that 
usually includes a house call or office visit and medicine!

 Dr. Harbolt practices medicine with the training of a medical doctor, but when he is done, he
takes the time to end the visit by asking the Lord to heal and help his patient. Dr. Harbolt treats
many people who have no medical insurance, and a lot of people who have no means to pay.
They come from all over – even as far away as Nashville. His fee, regardless of ability to pay,
is always reasonable. Not only has the local TV news station done stories on him, but he was
also featured on the CBS evening news. Over the years, he has become loved and respected
by the community. 
 
Dr. Harbolt has been a true giver all his life and has never asked for anything in return, and that
was the basis of the fundraiser to purchase him his very first brand new car. With the help of the
local fire and police departments, county officials, area businesses, and citizens, enough money
was raised to purchase the car in less than 2 weeks!  The car, which was bought at cost from the
only car dealership in Grundy County, Creighton Chevrolet, is a brand new 2007 Chevy Malibu.
 
Many people believe that upon entering Heaven Dr. Harbolt will hear the words “Well done,
my good and faithful servant.”

 

 

The first picture is of the car presentation to Dr. Harbolt at Creighton Chevrolet in Tracy City
and the people shown left to right are; Carlos Myers (he drove the wrecker that pulled Harbolts
car out, and I believe he was the one that came up with the idea for the fundraiser to get
Dr. Harbolt the new car), Karen Hutcheson (she is the local bank president and was in charge of
donations given), Dr. Harbolt, Jimmy Rogers (he is the County Court Clerk) Lola Weir, and
Don Hill ( also in charge of the fundraiser).
 
The second picture is of the car - a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu.
 
The photographer was Jim McKnight an employee of WSGM 104.7 a local Christian radio
station that was founded by Dr. Harbolt. 

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