BUCYRUS—Months of hard work will pay off this Sunday when the three Crosses located south of Bucyrus on St. Rt. 4 are re-dedicated.
Former Chamber of Commerce Director Deb Pinion took on the labor of love in order to keep alive the legacy of the man who placed them there in 1986.
“The crosses were put there by Rev. Bernard Coffindaffer. He grew up very poor in West Virginia, but when he got older, he got a job cleaning coal. He eventually opened his own coal-cleaning company and made millions of dollars from that,” Pinion said.
She said that after Coffindaffer became religious and was saved, he made the decision to travel across the United States, erecting the crosses throughout the nation.
With fresh paint, new lighting surrounding the crosses, and a new idea for the dedication, Pinion hopes the community will bring their hand trowels and add the finishing touches to the project by planting daffodils. Pinion was able to purchase 250 daffodils to plant at the foot of the crosses. Daffodils are a symbol of rebirth and hope, much-needed inspiration in these times. It’s an event that families can share. When they see the daffodils, they can be proud that they helped to beautify the area. “ Hopefully, some young people will take an interest in keeping up the maintenance on the crosses in the coming years,” Pinion said.
Donations were generous enough that a fund will be established for the future maintenance of the crosses.
If you’d like to participate, just be at the cross on Sunday, November 7th, at 1:30 pm. Pinion chose that time because it’s after church service and past lunchtime.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department will be on hand to assist with traffic.
If you are interested in helping with the maintenance on the cross or making a donation, please contact Deb Pinion at the address below.
Checks can be made payable to:
Three Crosses in Care of:
Deb Pinion
501W. Charles St.
Bucyrus, Ohio 44820