Benjamin Hawkins Camp Byron, GA
March 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Aerial View of Camp Benjamin Hawkins in Byron, GA. This was my FAVORITE home of all time. I was 5 years old, there was no way to get me to Kindergarten soooo I spent everyday running around in nature, at the Lake, at the spring, in the campsites, on the trails, playing with the dogs, etc till Bill got home and I’d do it all over again with him after school and on Weekends… Brenda was born while we were here:)
3 Responses to “Benjamin Hawkins Camp Byron, GA”
Just goes to show you that money isn’t everything! You loved the home where we were the poorest. The home was the shabbiest. OUR INCOME was the lowest! About $6,000 per year.
I had quit work to have a baby. We were getting nothing from Bill at the time, because he was having a difficult time in his life, and we were doing alright without his help at the time, but he came out to the camp after Brenda was born, and wanted to start paying his child support again, which he did.
By mother on Mar 19, 2009
I remember the day Dad came out. We played with cap pistols all around the big overturned tree in the backyard (much to Pop’s dismay, he hated toy guns) and I sat out there for hours after he left. I actually thought we were MUCH poorer in Nixburg, AL but I had just as much fun there as in Byron.
By Bud on Mar 20, 2009
OOPS! My big mistake! We were much poorer in Nixburg. We had borrowed $400.00 from Bill, Sr. (Which was the equivalent of $200.00 extra income from Child Support (double) to help Daddy finish a house he was building close to Aunt Lucille’s home on the lake.) Well, he finished building the house, but left us with no money at all. I was not working, because Beth was just a small baby. I was stuck out in the boon docks and didn’t know where to get a job. We were finally down to feeding you kids green plums and crackers one afternoon, and I had one more can of milk for Beth, and the car was out of gas, when Aunt Lucille drove up the driveway, with Aunt Lena in the Car. They got out, and we told them our situation. Aunt Lena spoke up and said, “I’ve got $5.00 in my pocketbook. If you can push the car down the hill to the gas station, and put $5.00 worth of gas in the car, and we can get you to Macon. I think there’s enough people over there that can help you through this bad time, and get you on your feet.
That’s what we did.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why would Aunt Lucille stand there, with her pocketbook bulging with money and credit cards, and let Aunt Lena give her last $5.00 for this worthy cause. (that’s right!! Because it made Aunt Lena feel wonderful! And because Aunt Lucille knew she would have plenty of more times to help me, when the need arose, and it DID….when we moved to Birmingham.) Anyway, it was better to see us making our own way. Aunt Lena continued to help when we got to Macon, by taking care of Beth while I worked my first job in the Attorney’s office of Rhodenheiser, Melton, and House.
I remember one time when I was at Aunt Lucille’s house year’s later, and I had just picked up some photographs from I forget where, but I was shocked at the COST, and I looked at them, and i looked at Aunt Lucille, and I said, “Aunt Lucille, if you value me at all, you will fork over one hundred dollars this minute, and don’t ask why. just know that if you don’t, Luis is going to kill me this afternoon!!!” She looked at me a little strangely, opened up her purse, and pulled out a $100.00 bill. She didn’t ask why, but I told her anyway.
By mother on Mar 22, 2009