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The Progress
Editorial
September 14,2023
From the Ark to dinosaurs to Adult World:
Reflections on a family trip
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By Angela Reinhardt, Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
We’d made it through the queue and
onto one of the caravan of buses that took
guests to the main attraction. After
rounding the last curve it came into sight
— a towering 510-foot long, five-story
high wooden boat. The mammoth vessel
garnered a wave of “oohhhhs” from peo
ple on board.
I thought I had some idea of what to
expect when we agreed to go on a trip
with my parents and sister’s family to see
the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum
in Kentucky, but I was wrong. I’d antici
pated something more podunk - run
down animatronic Biblical figures and
information to read on displays - but both
attractions were massive (four to five
hours was the recommended time to see
each at a comfortable pace), and impres
sive from a design perspective.
If you haven’t heard of either, which I
hadn’t until my sister asked us to go, they
were the brainchild of Ken Ham, Aus
tralian founder and CEO of Answers in
Genesis. Ham - a fundamentalist, young
earth Creationist, and former science
teacher - uses the attractions to spread
Biblical literalism and young-earth the
ology, which posit the world and uni
verse are 6,000 years old according to
accounts in Genesis.
“How do you reach the general public
in a bigger way?" he told The Washington
Post. “Why not attractions that people
will come to the way they go to Disney
or Universal or the Smithsonian?"
I’d say Ham achieved that goal. Both
were spectacular no matter what side of
the theological coin you’re on. Like the
character John Hammond, creator of the
fictitious Jurassic Park says in the film,
“no expense was spared.”
And speaking of dinosaurs they were
everywhere. Dragons had their own ex
hibit, too. According to Biblical literal
ism, God created dinosaurs on the 6th
day with other beasts. Dinosaur statues
were on the Noah’s ark replica, in out
door gardens, and indoor exhibits.
I went down a Ken Ham/Ark En
counter/Creation Museum rabbit hole.
The museum cost $27 million to con
struct. The ark was over $ 100 million.
Amish builders oversaw erection of the
Ark, the largest wooden timber structure
in the world. It sits on an 800-acre site
that dwarfs Disneyland’s 500 acres in
California. Ken Ham’s net worth is
around $54 million.
The Ark attracts millions of visitors
each year, but Williamsburg, Kentucky is
in the middle of nowhere. People in
Williamsburg thought their town would
explode after the Ark opened in 2016, but
it’s still only slightly larger than Jasper
with one small Mexican restaurant
nearby. It reminded me of the $130 mil
lion Port Royal water park/resort pro
posal for Talking Rock that had the town
into a frenzy - some pro, some con - be
fore the project died.
With the Ark Encounter there were
large, controversial sales tax incentives
and bonds worked out with state and
local officials that raised questions about
separation of church and state. It and
other issues resulted in numerous legal
battles. On the Ark’s opening day in 2016
a protest and counter-protest were held
outside.
I love traveling, even if it’s to some
where I wouldn’t have chosen myself. I
approach trips positively, with the mind
set that new experiences create new per
spectives. My family enjoyed the
evenings playing pool, discussing the
deluge of sights and sounds we’d taken
in after longs days immersed in Creation
ist theology. Some of us agree with it,
some of us have much different opinions.
Some of us were good at pool, some of
us were really bad.
I’m fortunate that my teenagers still
like to go on trips with us. We enjoy each
other’s company, even in the car on the
long drives when we can comment on
things we see. Somewhere in Kentucky
we passed a billboard advertising Ellijay.
We cranked up “Rocky Top” when we
drove through the Tennessee town. We
passed a defimct-looking building off I-
75 called “Adult World.”
“It’s probably not what we’re think
ing,” I said. “I bet it’s a bunch of exhibits
of adults doing their taxes or standing on
a scale looking sad.”
My son guessed one display might be
a man trying to figure out why his step-
kids hate him.
You wouldn’t think the Ark Encounter,
Creation Museum and Adult World
would have anything in common - other
than potential commentary on nudity be
fore and after The Fall - but for us they
were all pieces of a memorable and
thought-provoking Labor Day weekend
trip.
With school fall break coming up next
week I hope any trips you have planned
spark new thoughts and good conversa
tions, and that you enjoy time with loved
ones along the way. Happy travels.
Tell us your thoughts with a letter to the editor. E-mail to news@pickensprogress.com
See letter submission guidelines on the Letters to the Editor page or call us 706-253-2457.
Shade Tree Barbeque named
Business of the Month
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Congratulations to Shade
Tree Barbeque for being
named Business of the
Month for September.
Shade Tree BBQ started
out doing BBQ competitions
in 2006 and in 2018 they
started doing special events
and joined the Chamber that
same year.
Since 2018 Danny Cruik-
shank with Shade Tree BBQ
has provided the meal for the
Chamber’s Lucky 8 auto raf
fle, they have done charity
events, he has worked with
JeepFest and has helped the
Boys & Girls Club by selling
BBQ butts to help raise
money. They have also do
nated food for Toys for Tots,
ACES, homeless vets, and
Georgia Mountains Hospice
Mardi Gras in the Mountains
Pickens King and Queen
nominees.
Danny doesn’t have em
ployees; he has volunteers
who want to help him raise
money and help him donate
to groups in need. Hudson
Carver, Hugs for Hudson is
Danny’s grandson. He has
seen the struggles his own
family has endured and that
is why him and his volun
teers try to help others as
much as they can.
Community Bank of Pick
ens County is proud to spon
sor the Business of the
Month Program with the
Pickens County Chamber.
Member FDIC.
Drums Are Calling for a Safari
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Thank you for your donation!
Local school children pose in front of the Wolf-
scratch School. If you like photography or his
tory, check out this fundraiser for a new group.
Angel Babies
BOUTIQUE
By Hannah Reece
Angel Babies
"Thank you for your do
nation!" My name is Han
nah, and I've only been
working at Angel Babies
Boutique for a little over a
month, but I've been an avid
shopper for over two years!
As many of you know,
here at Angel Babies Bou
tique we survive and thrive
largely because of your do
nations. Your baby clothes,
your used toys, and many
other baby items. When
dropped off, we always say,
"Thank you for your dona
tion!" But really, we know
many of these things are so
much more than JUST dona
tions.
These are clothes that cra
dled your precious bundle of
joy as they came home from
the hospital. These are the
blankets that kept your fam
ily warm snuggly while
reading bedtime stories.
These are shoes worn
while taking first steps and
riding first bikes. These are
the toys that inspired wonder
and squeals of joy and laugh
ter.
Though sometimes these
things may be difficult to
part with, you are giving
those things the opportunity
to relive their life with an
other child; to be a part of yet
another story!
You are creating an open
door for someone that
wouldn't be there without
your willingness to give.
That's huge.
We can't tell you how many
people thank us every day for
being here, because there are
so many things they wouldn't
be able to afford for their
child otherwise. I'm also one
of those people.
But it doesn't stop there!
Even beyond helping out our
direct shoppers, that money
goes to help The Pregnancy
Center and all that they do.
The Pregnancy Center
fights so hard to help families
in our county in the ways
they need it most. They offer
not only education, classes,
and counseling, but heartfelt,
genuine love. I have seen the
tears and heard the prayers of
our staff given on behalf of
the precious souls that walk
through our doors for help.
So thank you for your do
nations, your memories, your
willingness to pass them on,
and for choosing us to give
them to. Thank you for open
ing doors for other people,
and for enabling us to be
there for those in our com
munity in their times of need.
Thank you for making what
we do possible!
Keep them coming and
spread the word so that we
can continue to serve our
community for generations to
come.
See Angel Babies ad,
page 6B for more informa
tion.
By Alice Eachus
North Georgia Mountains
History Center.
Hear the pulsating rhythm
of heavy drums calling folks
to gather for adventures in a
deep, dark African jungle?
The drum beating is to an
nounce a supporting event
for the newly created North
Georgia Mountains History
Center. The Center will tell
the long ago tales and adven
tures of those who built the
foundation for the mountain
life we enjoy today.
The History Center will
be folly interactive to bring to
life our early pioneers. Fund
ing is needed to expand the
History Center’s vision into
reality.
On Sunday, September 24
from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m., the
Lodge in Big Canoe will be
transformed into an exotic
jungle with critters peering
suspiciously from every cor
ner.
Safari adventurers will
rumble on a Safari Photo
Scavenger Hunt to capture
pictures of historical sites
within Big Canoe, along with
WEATHER
By
William
Dilbeck
HI
LOW
RAIN
Sept.
05
85
65
.00
Sept.
06
85
65
.00
Sept.
07
84
59
.00
Sept.
08
80
62
.00
Sept.
09
82
71
.00
Sept.
10
82
61
.00
Sept.
11
83
63
.00
shooting some downright
silly scenes. Don’t worry if
you’re not familiar with the
terrain of Big Canoe, there
will be guides to move you
along your way.
Teams of four will take to
Big Canoe’s roads with clues
leading to defined photo ops.
The team that captures the
most shots with the best time
will be honored with fun
prizes.
The cost for this adventure
is just $20 pp with every
penny of it going to support
the North Georgia Mountains
History Center.
What will the adventurers
get for their 20 bucks?
Whoo-boy... PLENTY!
• Goody Bag Chock Full
of Safari Supplies
• Tasty Welcome Nibbles
Enjoyed Before the Trek
• Games to Test Hidden
Skills
• Prizes Galore
• Safari Barbecue Supper
with an Exotic Swamp Liba
tion and Soft Drinks Offered
But, that’s not all! Adven
turers will bond with new
and old friends as “Safari
Jeeps” rumble to find the per
fect shot.
Space is limited (adults
only) so sign up early and
sign up fast. Credit cards and
PayPal will reserve your
place for this awesome ad
venture. Visit www.northg-
amountainshistorycenter.org
to claim your Safari spot.
For additional informa
tion, text Alice Eachus at
727-460-2800 or email al-
iceeachus@gmail.com.
(USPS 431-820)
Published by Pickens County Progress, Inc.
94 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 253-2457
www.pickensprogressonline.com
DAN POOL
Publisher/Editor
Published each Thursday at Jasper, Pickens County, Georgia.
Entered at the Post Office at Jasper, Georgia 30143
as Mail Matter of Second Class.
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