Reece Society honors poet's memory at annual meeting

YOUNG HARRIS - "Remembering Reece" was the topic of this year's program for the Byron Herbert Reece Society's fifth annual meeting, which was held Saturday.<br /> <br /> Members and friends of the society commemorated the 50th anniversary of the poet/novelist's death. Reece was teaching at Young Harris College, and it was there that he committed suicide in his Young Harris College dormitory room on June 3, 1958.<br /> <br /> A special feature of this year's meeting was a book fair representing some 20 authors who are members of the Reece Society. Books of fiction, poetry, essays and history were displayed, written by authors such as Bettie Sellers, Zell Miller, Terry Kay, Steven Harvey, Bob Short, Mildred Greer and Raymond Cook. The four volumes of Reece's books of poetry and his two novels were also on display. In addition, a panel of people shared some of their special recollections of Reece. <br /> <br /> The Byron Herbert Reece Society is a non-profit organization in its fifth year of operation. Its mission is to "preserve, perpetuate and promote the literary and cultural legacies of Georgia's Appalachian Poet/Novelist, Byron Herbert Reece."<br /> <br /> Presently the society is engaged in several major projects. Having secured a 50-year renewal lease on the 9.3 acres of the Reece family home place in Union County (one mile north of Vogel State Park), the society is undertaking a $3 million project to turn the property into the Byron Herbert Reece Farm and Heritage Center. The barns have already been restored, and designs are completed for several agricultural exhibits that will inform visitors of the farm life of the people of Appalachia in the first half of the 20th century. Other plans for the site include a Welcome/Visitors Center, a Poetry Plaza, a 200-seat pavilion, and an amphitheater. One-third of the money needed has been secured through grants, and other avenues of funding are being explored. The center, when completed, will be open to the public.<br /> <br /> The society has also produced a DVD that captures the recollections of nine people who were acquainted with Reece. Additional interviews have been recorded, and plans are for a second DVD to be produced. <br /> <br /> Another project in the works is the Reece in the Schools project, an ongoing effort to ensure that school children in mountain areas will not complete high school without some knowledge of this local writer. Lesson plans have been created for various grade levels and contests are being held for various ages involving creative writing, art work and media productions, all designed to bring Reece to life in the minds of students. The ultimate aim is to extend this knowledge of Reece well beyond the local region into other school districts.<br /> <br /> ...<br /> <br /> On the Net:<br /> <br /> The Byron Herbert Reece Society. http://www.byronherbertreecesociety.org