BUCYRUS—If you drive out Route Four south of Bucyrus, you’ll see local musician and recording artist Dean Leüthold painting the crosses as part of a community project proposed in June by former Chamber of Commerce Director Deb Pinion.

Pinion tells Crawford County Now that since the campaign began, she has received donations totaling $6000.00.

One generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous donated $3200 to take down the trees around the cross.

Pinion said that after the story of the crosses appeared in Crawford County Now she has received donations from as far away as Georgia and Michigan to help with the restoration project.

“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.

Coffindaffer, who never married, devoted his whole life to erecting the crosses and spent his entire fortune to do it. At one time, Crawford County had four sets of crosses. The only ones remaining are the three on Rt. 4. That was erected in 1986.

Pinion has been touched by the outpouring of support from small to very large monetary donations to the donated labor to the paint donated by Sherwin-Williams Paint Store of Bucyrus.

Pinion shared a story about when she and her husband were bringing their granddaughter from Columbus for a visit; “She always wants to stop and see the cross. She ran ahead of us and found $6 that had been placed under a rock between the stones”. Pinion said. It is with that spirit Pinion appreciates each gift toward the project. She believes that it’s good for people to feel they can have a part in a community project like this.

In the spirit of making participation available to all, Pinion has purchased 250 Daffodils to be planted around the crosses in the near future when the project is dedicated. People just need to bring their own trowels.

After the restoration is completed, any monies left over will be placed in an account designated for future maintenance of the crosses.

If you are interested in making a donation, checks can be made payable to:

Three Crosses in Care of:
Deb Pinion
501W. Charles St.
Bucyrus, Ohio 44820

Crawford County Now will continue to follow the plans for the dedication of the crosses.