Staff Writer

If you've ever wondered what an old-fashioned barn-raising is like, here's your chance to find out.

Joseph Sams School is looking for about 200 volunteers to raise the walls of its new facility Feb. 6.

Don't worry if you're not skilled at construction, says school director Janet Smola. "We're looking for both professionally skilled and unskilled people from throughout the community," said Smola.

The nonprofit school serves the needs of children with physical, intelligence and developmental disabilities and is supported mainly by private donations. Community benefactors not only support the school, but also often get involved in its mission, said Smola.

"Rusty Stewart, manager of the Peachtree City/Kedron Kroger, has been a great supporter, and spent some time recently working with a child who suffers from autism," said Smola. "The connection he was able to make was just unbelievable."

A new home for the school is under construction at the intersection of Yorktowne and Brandywine drives, directly behind Fayette Medical Center off Ga. Highway 54. Take 54 to Yorktowne, go to Brandywine and you'll see the construction site.

Workers currently are pouring foundation walls and setting steel in place. On the barn-raising day, volunteers will do all the framing in one day, said Smola.

She suggested that volunteers call the school at 770-461-5894 and leave their names and phone numbers in case weather or some other circumstance forces a change in plans.

Otherwise, show up at the construction site by 8 a.m.

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