Lilley Memorial Campground at Uwharrie

[Blue Ridge Runner]

I am asking for your support for a Uwharrie National Forest project we are trying to fund. A little background:
My name is Jimmy Megginson aka Blue Ridge Runner. (one of the founders of PATVA) I am member of Zuwharrie.com (http://www.zuwharrie.com) an off road website aimed predominately at Suzuki 4x4 vehicles. We hold two events a year in Uwharrie National Forest in Troy, NC. One of the Zuwharrie staff members at the website was US Army Special Forces Master Sergeant Arthur L. Lilley. Art was sadly killed in action by small arms fire in Afghanistan on 15 June 2007. According to all counts, he died a hero saving the life of one of his men. The Army has since renamed the Forward Operations Base where MSG Lilley served and died, in his honor. Art left behind a wife and two wonderful children and literally thousands of people he affected through his love of off roading. Art was also my best friend.
Uwharrie was one of Art’s favorite places to drive his 4x4 and take his Special Forces Team for mountaineering, camping and ATV training. While dealing with the Forest Rangers (getting permits for our events and using the forest for training his troops) they came to know him. At our request Ranger Walker has agreed to name the new camping area/parking area on Falls Damn the “MSG Arthur Lilley Memorial Camping Area” in his honor. Zuwharrie.com is attempting to collect donations to purchase the sign at the entrance and the wood and gravel needed to build three ATV ramps in the new camping area. We have already collected just over $400.00 to pay for the sign at the entrance but we need help collecting the other $1500-$2000 the ramps are going to cost. I am approaching the ATV community to ask for help because they will benefit the most from these ramps. If there is any way you can help me get the word to the members of your group it would be greatly appreciated. If you think there will be some support from your group please contact me for info on how to donate.
Any questions can be emailed to jimmy at nclakes.net. You are also welcome to ask Ranger Walker at the Uwharrie National Forest Ranger Office if you have any questions about the validity of our request.
I also urge you to do a Google search for Arthur L. Lilley and see what kind of man he was and you can understand why this campground area is so extremely important to us. It's a nice way to honor our friend and colleague, and an American hero who truly sacrificed everything for our country. Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated! To make donations via PayPal please visit this:

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE ART LILLEY MEMORIAL CAMPGROUND

Thanks for all you do in the community.

Regards,
Jimmy Megginson

[rhinorider]

Hey Jimmy its nice too here from you and see that you still look at the web site, if you don't know already i'm not the president any more, i gave up that position and all my office duties.....John Honyoust is now the club president, you can email him to see if the club wants to vote on this to see if they want to give any money.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

I sent a e-mail to Larry already.

If ya'll could make some personal donations it would be great. We have not had a whole lot of luck getting the ATV community onboard. These ramps are for the ATV community.

We chose to sponsor them because the NFS needed a physical donation not a monetary donation. If we had given them money rules say it would have to be put in the general fund. We will be buying the lumber and gravel to build these ramps. This donation makes sure that the campground gets what we donate. We have already paid for the sign for the campground. There will be a dedication ceremony that all will be welcome to.

If everyone could throw in $5-$10 a piece (I dropped $100) we could easily come up with the funds to finish the donation. Zuwharrie has already raised $700. We need to raise another $1000 or so.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Here is a link to the post requesting donations at Zuwharrie:

bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,76163.0.html

[markjen4]

Jimmy this is Mark Henry I would love to talk to you about the sign at the Art Lilley camp ground I would love to see some info on it . I might be able to donate the sign and you can use the money for some thing else please call me 336 421 1431 336 213 4956. thanks Mark

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Mark, The sign is already done. The contractor for the NFS did the sign and Zuwharrie wrote them a check. The current major need is cash. We have raised $850 in two days.

We have yet to have a ATV club donate any money to the project even though the project is a ATV related item.

The new campground is on the trail and ATVs will be able to be rode onto the trail from the campground.

We picked the ramps and sign to donate since the NFS was good enough to name the campground in Art's name.

Art Lilley was my personal hero and one of my best friends. I have spent a lot of time getting this done.

He died defending our freedom. I miss him every day.

We still need around $400-$500 to buy the gravel/lumber.

Please donate what you can. No amount is too small.

[newyorkers]

We just contributed and urge other to please do so.
Hope you reach your goal and
A BIG THANK YOU and prayers to his
family. Ken & Val

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Thanks a lot. They went today to purchase the lumber today. I imagine it will be delivered this weekend. The gravel is next.

[macklg]

Hey Jimmy, I haven't met you yet but I am the new vice president. I'm going to make a small donation on the behalf of the club. I really want to help support your Lilley Memorial Campground. Please e-mail me at [e-mail]. Please send me an address or a place i can drop the check off at.