Fraternity, philanthropy and discipleship

The Southern Illinoisan has a nice piece on the Knights Templar Ascension Sunday service yesterday at Bald Knob Cross.

Next year, they're thinking about a service on Ascension Day itself in order to avoid other scheduling conflicts and to allow more people to attend without having to give up attending their own church services.

They're still deciding when during the day would be best, but Ascension Day 2011 will be Thursday, June 2. Easter itself is fairly late next year. It's 40 days earlier on Sunday, April 24, 2011.

This year about 38 people took part in the service including 13 Knights Templar.

Board Takes First Step Towards Restoration

The Transition Board has placed the following legal ad to run in Sunday's Southern Illinoisan.

Request for Qualifications

The Bald Knob Cross of Peace Transition Board is seeking Structural Engineering firms for a forensic structural evaluation of Bald Knob Cross. All firms must be registered with the State of Illinois as an Architectural and Structural Engineering Design Firm. Interested firms should contact Gerald Wright at 7841 Idyle-Wild, DuQuoin IL 62832 no later than Monday, Feb. 23, to express their intent to offer services.

Gerald Wright is one of the new board members and is chairman of the Cross and Grounds Committee.

Winter Storm Postpones Friends Meeting

Due to the winter storm that has struck the Heartland, the Friends of the Cross has moved their regular monthly meeting scheduled for tonight ahead one week to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Alto Pass Community Center at 29 S. Elm St., in Alto Pass.

Help Restore the Cross & Grounds, Donate Online

You can now contribute online to the Bald Knob Cross of Peace using a credit card via PayPal.

All you have to do is click the "Donate" button in this message, or the one on the top right corner of the website.

We also take checks. Mail donations to P.O. Box 35, Bald Knob Rd., Alto Pass IL 62905.

Bald Knob Cross of Peace is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation that's recognized as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization by the IRS. Donations are tax deductible.

Unless otherwise specified donations are deposit in our general fund which covers additional items that just the restoration of the cross, such as safety issues that need to be immediately addressed as well as security concerns.

If you have other items of value you wish to contribute such as stocks, real estate, personal property or other items, please e-mail info@baldknobcross.com to establish a dialogue with us, or you can mail us information at the above address.

Facebook Group Created for Bald Knob

Bald Knob President Steve McKeown created a Facebook group a few days ago. More than 100 people joined in the first 36 hours. It now has 147 members.

If you're on Facebook and would like to join, click here.

Transition Board Creates Committees

The Transition Board of Directors authorized the creation of five committees Friday along with some immediate tasks.

Cross and Grounds Committee – to deal with issues surrounding restoration of the cross and grounds. In particular it is authorized to take the following actions:

• Find a structural engineer to review the status of the cross and report back by the February Annual Meeting as to his general recommendation to which option the board should take.
  
  
• Also, committee is authorized to secure donated services of surveyors or a surveying class to draft a site plan showing both Foundation and Forest Service property atop Bald Knob Mountain, the buildings, roads, utilities, easements and elevations.
  
  
• In terms of the public safety around the cross the committee will be authorized to erect signage and a barricade around the grassy area below the cross to prevent and discourage close proximity to the structure until such time the panels can either be secured or removed.

Events Committee – to conduct the Easter Sunrise Service and liaison with the Blessing of the Bikes as well as other events including some type of prayer event.

Finance Committee – to establish a budget if one has not been approved for FY09, secure insurance, find an auditor as well as develop a fund raising plan.

• If no budget is in place, then the committee should present one at the annual membership meeting in February.
  
  
• As to insurance three quotes should be gathered for each policy area – general liability, directors and offices, and bonds for the secretary and treasurer. Committee is to make a recommendation by e-mail to the board as quickly as possible. Once a majority of the board members vote in favor or the committee’s recommended carriers, then the committee as well as the Secretary and Treasurer are authorized to secure such policies immediately.
  
  
• As to an auditor the committee is advertise for bids and bring those bids for approval at the annual membership meeting in February.
  
  
• As to a fund raising plan, the committee shall make recommendations to the board as needed.

Organizational Structure and Bylaws Committee – to report back to the Board and/or membership on the following items:

• Make a recommendation to be sent out no later than Jan. 27 on basic non-controversial minor changes to the bylaws to be voted by the existing membership at the February 2009 Annual Meeting. These include dealing with the incorrect address for the principal place of business, changing president and vice president to chairperson and vice chairperson, authorize the creation of assistant secretary and assistant treasurer positions, allowing another board member check-signing authority so it’s the treasurer and one other rather than just the secretary as the second signature, and including electronic forms of bill payment rather than just checks.
  
  
• Make a recommendation in two months on an organizational structure for the foundation and its operations, including the role of the caretaker or facilities director position for adoption by the Board of Directors.
  
  
• Make a recommendation by late summer or early fall to re-do Article 5 of the bylaws regarding the Board of Directors and the suggestions included in the settlement agreement. These amendments to the bylaws may be adopted by the transition board as per the settlement agreement.
  
  
• Make a recommendation by the end of the year on the rules for membership for possible submission to the full membership as early as the February 2010 annual meeting.

We're Not a Foundation But We're Still a Charity

I just noticed today that I've been using the wrong corporate name. It's just Bald Knob Cross of Peace, according to the annual filings with the Secretary of State's Office.

Previously it had been Bald Knob Mountain Recreation Association and before that Cross of Peace Foundation. Since I've been going through the original bylaws and paperwork that's where I kept adding the "foundation" to the current name.

The Cross of Peace Foundation was organized in 1976 and became the successor organization of the Save the Cross Committee which organized in the early 1970s and the original Bald Knob Christian Foundation which Wayman Presley and others organized in the 1950s to purchase the land atop Bald Knob.

Nevertheless, we're still a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that we've been since the beginning. Donations to Bald Knob Cross of Peace are tax deductible charitable contributions. Donations can be mailed to the group at Bald Knob Cross of Peace, PO Box 35, Alto Pass IL 62905.