[at-l] Graymoor---

[lwbooher@halifax.com (Leslie Booher)]

Did anyone else get this letter today?  My husband scanned it, but it didn't
turn out the way I expected, like a picture of the original.  I've tried to
"fix" it somewhat, but it may not be perfect.  The signature didn't copy,
but it was a hand-written note saying "Take good care of yourself, Fr. David
and Leslie       Fr. Fred"  There were a couple of other pages of copies of
articles from various papers.  I haven't had time to read every word yet.
It's a tough choice here.  Who's mediating?


August 7, 2000

Dear Fr. David and Leslie,

How have you been? Have you been hiking this year?

Last year we fed 466 hikers at the friary, but a lot more stayed at our ball
field shelter. Last month we fed 202 of them. They say that some 2,800
hikers started this year on the AT.

This is my fifth year of hosting them (the Friars have been doing it since
1972). Consequently the enclosed articles about proceedings having been
started for the government to take our property away from us, cuts me
deeply.

The next paragraph begins a form letter that I am sending around to get
moral support to keep the government from strangling Graymoor out of
existence by taking away our property. May I ask you to read it and the
enclosed articles?

Right now we are laboring under a big dark cloud as you can see from the
enclosed articles. After 100 years of serving humanity (and that includes
hosting hikers free since 1972) we never thought that it would come to this
that the trail officials would ask the government to take our property from
us.

Last May the National Park Service notified the Friars of the Atonement at
Graymoor that it has requested the U.S. Department of Justice to initiate
eminent domain proceedings against the Friars. The Appalachian Trail has
been using the property by right of easement up to now.

If the property in question becomes government property, it will be very
difficult for the Friars to live at Graymoor (and we've been here 100
years). Moreover, all of their ministries on behalf of humanity, namely, St.
Christopher's Inn for the homeless, the drug and alcohol dependency work,
AIDS/HIV ministry, the retreat work of the Spiritual Life Center, ecumenical
and pilgrimage endeavors, etc. will be seriously curtailed.

Looking into the future what would prevent the National Park Service
from claiming more land from Graymoor under the guise of protecting the
trail?  And who else would be losing their land to the National Park
Service?  Maybe you?

page 2

Please contact the following and ask them to encourage the Department of the
Interior to withdraw its request to the Justice Department that eminent
domain proceedings be initiated so that discussion can continue without this
onerous threat.

I . The Honorable Bruce Babbitt Secretary
Department of he Interior 1849 C St. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 FAX
202-208-6956 bnice babbitt @Ios.dot'.gov

2. Governor George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, N.Y. 12224
gov.patakl@chamber.state.ny.us

3. Congresswoman Sue Kelly II 22 Longworth House Office Building Washington,
D.C. 20515 dearsue@mall.house.gov
(Congresswoman Kelly has been most active in assisting its.  So do thank her
for her help.)

4. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Senate
Washington, D.D. 20510-3201 senator ,adpm. senate. 2ov

5 . Senator Charles E. Schumer Hart Senate Office Building, Room 313
Washington, DC 20510 senator@schumer. senate. Gov







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