Here's the latest update! Thanks to the help from so many friends in the folk community, the bridge is almost finished, and is now waiting for railings and the cement to finish doing whatever cement does. We don't know the final bill yet, but do know it will be higher than initially estimated (Isn't that always the way?) Also, there is still much work to be done excavating and shoring up the ravine walls - until that's done they are still vulnerable to erosion, and the houses - particularly Kim and Reggie's - are at risk.

Here are some pictures of the bridge - before and after.

They're still taking donations at the address above, and this Sunday will be what I hope will be the culminating event. It will be a Bridge Building concert at The Folk Factory in Philadelphia featuring Magpie and Kim and Reggie Harris, with Jay Ansill, Tom Gala, Rolly Brown, Dan Schatz and David and Jenny Heitler-Klevans, joined by Hope Wesley Harrison.

The concert begins at 7pm (early I know - but there are a lot of us performing!) and donations are on a sliding scale from $20 - $100, half price for low or no wage. The Folk Factory is held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration, at 6900 Stenton Ave. at Gorgas Lane, Philadelphia, PA. For more information phone 215-848-6246.

This has been so amazing to see - six weeks ago, all they had was a ravine, a lot of grief, and a slender thread of hope. Now there's a bridge.

Dan