New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Fund Raiser Winner: Art Ragsdale

Congratulations to Art Ragsdale, owner of Ragsdale Heat, Air and Plumbing, the lucky winner of a beautiful hand pieced quilt made and donated by Cathy Carter for our recent raffle to raise funds to build a monument in New Hope dedicated to the memory of 72 lives lost and to honor 21 survivors of the worst air disaster in Georgia history.
On April 4, 1977 a DC-9, Southern Airways Flight 242 flying from Huntsville, Alabama to Atlanta encountered a dangerous thunderstorm over Rome, GA. The amount of hail and rain the aircraft encountered was so severe that both engines flamed out and the aircraft began losing altitude quickly. The flight crew was forced to make a desperate attempt to land a large aircraft on a public road, GA 92 Spur, now known as Dallas Acworth Highway, which runs through the New Hope, GA Community 3 miles east of Dallas in Paulding County. Seventy-two people were killed that day including nine on the ground. Among the dead on the ground were seven members of one family including three young mothers and their infants and young children. The scars of this tragedy cut deep into Paulding County and all of the victims’ families and the survivors. There were 22 survivors including both flight attendants.This was the worst air disaster in Georgia history!
In 2007, a small group of New Hope residents formed a committee to host a 30-year Memorial Service and survivor reunion for Flight 242. The event was held at The New Hope First Baptist Church near the crash site and attracted about 300 people from all over the United States including the Captain’s widow, Ruth McKenzie from South Carolina and one of the surviving flight attendants, Cathy Lamoine Cooper. As a result of this 30-year service, the New Hope Committee realized that there was an ongoing need for healing for the people affected by this tragedy. Survivors are still experiencing “survivor’s guilt”. Families who lost loved ones on the plane are still searching for comfort in speaking with survivors who may have had contact with their loved ones and heard their last words. Many survivors are searching for the person or persons that may have saved their lives by offering immediate medical attention or transporting them to the hospital or in some cases just offering the comfort of a hug and opening their homes to them. As the individual stories began to unfold members of the New Hope Organizing Committee decided to go beyond being just a committee hosting a onetime event. They incorporated as New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. in April 2007, started receiving donations and began fund raising events, which continue today. A few years later New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. applied for and received 501(c)3 status offering tax favor to donors. The mission of New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. is to host an annual Memorial Service and Survivors’ Reunion and to raise funds to erect an appropriate monument to memorialize the victims and honor the survivors.
In April, 2009 under the leadership of Commission Chairman David Austin, local New Hope resident, Paulding County Government dedicated County owned property to New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. near the crash site for the purpose erecting a monument. New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. continues to work diligently organizing and hosting fundraisers moving closer to the quoted monument cost of $300,000 to appropriately memorialize those that lost their lives on that fateful day and to honor the survivors.
Because this event does not qualify for a State provided historical marker which requires an event to be 50 years or older, New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. used funds from initial donations to purchase and erect an historical marker on the county dedicated property in March 2011. The marker was officially unveiled and dedicated to the memory of the victims and to the honor of the survivors at the 2011 Memorial Service at the edge of New Hope Cemetery directly across the road from New Hope First Baptist Church.
In April, 2015 New Hope Memorial Flight 242 engaged the services of Architect, Jim Croft to design the attached monument Rendering and plan that was unveiled to the public on April 4, 2016. After seeking and receiving construction quotes on the monument the agreed upon quote for fundraising has been established at $300,000.
We have raised over $40,000 since January 28, 2017! Thanks to the many donors and people like Art who purchased raffle tickets for various fundraising raffles! Cathy Carter was a co-worker and friend of Edna Griffin who was killed on the ground that day along with her two young children. Thank you, Cathy for your donation of love and beautiful work!
Please consider joining our efforts and make your donation today! We also need volunteers to help solicit donations, help with fundraisers or donate your entertainment talent for a fundraiser. If you would like to volunteer to help please call 770-596-1836.
Thank you for considering your donation! And thank you, Art for being a significant donor and supporter of New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc.
Please make checks payable to New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. (a 501(c) 3 GA Corporation) Mail Donations to:
New Hope Memorial Flight 242, Inc. % Cherry B. Waddell, President 683 Crimson Drive Dallas, GA. 30132 OR Online via our PayPal account Bit.ly/support242memorial