The Jeff Davis County Forestry Association sponsored  a Drawdown at the M. G. Dyess Multipurpose Building in Bassfield and presented the Anthony Stuart family with a check for  $16,500 to help with the expenses of replacing and repairing logging equipment damaged by vandals.

It is still hard for Stuart and his wife Holli to speak of the incident on October 2013 when vandals did some $750,000 damage to his logging equipment sitting on Jimmy George’s land. Stuart states, “It felt like someone hit me in the gut. I spent many sleepless nights since just wondering who could have hated me that much to destroy my property like that.”

However, since that time Stuart states he has found there are many, many good people who will help a person when he is down.

“I just could not name all the folks who have stepped up and given us assistance,” states Stuart. “Business associates like Stribling Equipment in Hattiesburg had equipment out the next week for me to use until we could replace or repair what was damaged. All those that we have done business with since beginning in 1998 were ready and willing to help. We just really don’t have the words to express our appreciation.”

President of the Mississippi Logger’s Association Ken Martin and Executive Vice President of the Mississippi Forestry Association Tedrick Ratcliff as well as Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith were in attendance at the event giving encouragement to the couple. “We appreciate the quality of the workmanship that Anthony Stuart and those like him do here,” stated Martin. “We are glad to be of service any way we can.”

$100 winners were Keith Polk of Land Max, Monty Sanders, James Polk, and David Prine. $5,000 winner was Hal Daily. Main Street Caterers provided the meal for the event and Bo Foster provided vocal entertainment for the evening.

According to Stuart there have been no arrests for the vandalism and the Sheriff’s Department are still investigating the matter.