Welcome to our fourth September meeting.

It is hard to believe we are over four years old. We have over 500 members. We own Rogers Store and property for permanent offices. Our archives runneth over. We file five new documents or books, and ten more come in the door.

We find a wonderful old document that needs to be studied, and in a few minutes it has lead us to several more, equally great. Is there an end?

No, unless we decide to end the search. No English settled land in America is older. The very age and location of our settlement has insured our secure place in the history of our country. We view ground zero. We have seen it all. We have studied so little.

Our new office is working out well, although it is nearly full already. We have bought a new copying machine. Our guests have increased dramatically. It is likely we will be in this office for around a year. The County plans to build a new addition onto the Courthouse. It looks like our building will be a casualty, and will be torn down.

While I would like to be there longer, the decision will not be ours. If it comes this fast, it is highly likely we will not be in a financial position to build on our land. Miracles do happen, however. We have done so much more than I thought possible.

Our web page is attracting many more viewers, up to close to a hundred a week at times. We are getting new members through this medium. We can tell because the application form is different from those in newsletters.

As announced in our newsletter, it looks like we will have around $50,000.00 that we can spend immediately on Rogers Store. Beyond this, we can get matching funds for any additional gifts we receive up to $60,000.00. Please help if you can.

We do expect to have the store open some times in 2002 for our 350th Birthday Celebration. It will not be finished, but it will be improved and stabilized.

As I noted in the newsletter, it is amazing to see the research and publications being worked on at this time. No activity is more important to keep members interested in the Society and Surry County.

Again, I thank you for your help and support. The next few years should be interesting.

Jim Atkins