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Amazing 45th Anniversary Event!
Commemoration & Fundraiser pics and links
Yasmine S. Ali, MD
June 22, 2023
Hello again!
What an amazing turnout we had for the 45th Anniversary Commemoration of the Waverly Train Disaster & Fundraiser for the Waverly Train Museum last Thursday evening, June 15, 2023! Thank you to everyone who came from far and wide to attend!
The remarks from the speakers (survivors and first responders) were so moving, and we were so pleasantly surprised—and honored!—to have members of Fort Campbell’s C Company, 6-101 AVN REGT (“Eagle Dustoff”) there with us!! (See pics below.) If you’ve read the book, you know the significance of this, and how members of this very regiment from Ft. Campbell came to Waverly’s aid in their medevac helicopters 45 years ago when the propane tanker exploded. Thanks to Karin Landers, who arranged for them to be at the commemoration!
We raised $5,545.25 to restore the exterior of the train museum from this live event alone, and we now have a total of $7,158.42. We’d love to hit $10,000! Many asked how to make donations by credit card—if you would still like to do that, you can do so UNTIL JUNE 30 via the GoFundMe page:
If you live in or near Waverly and you’d still like to write a check, you can go by First Federal Bank in Waverly and ask for the Train Museum Restoration Fund.
Many thanks again to everyone for their time and generosity, and especially to my co-organizers of this event, Patti Hoehn Damesworth, Pamela Nowlin Gunn, and Daryl Mosley:
From L to R: Pam Gunn, myself, Daryl Mosley, and Patti Damesworth
Finally, many have asked what I plan on doing next as an author … stay tuned for the July newsletter for more details on that! ;)
With great gratitude,
Yasmine
Pictures from the 45th Anniversary Commemoration
Rick Armstrong addresses the audience. Mr. Armstrong came to Waverly with the Nashville Fire Department 45 years ago to help put out the fires from the train explosion.
With members of Ft. Campbell’s C Company, 6-101 AVN REGT - “Eagle Dustoff”
Signing event posters with my dear friend, Mr. Elton “Toad” Smith
Toad Smith signs posters with singer/songwriter Daryl Mosley
Toad Smith and Frank Craver, local legends!
Frank Craver displays the Timex watch he was wearing when the train explosion literally blew him out of his shoes. It is still ticking. (As you know if you’ve read the last paragraph of the book’s Epilogue!)
 The Waverly fire truck that responded to the derailment 45 years ago, then … |  … and now. |
Signing books at the event
Video Recording of the Event
Thanks to Michael Hewitt (picture follows), we have a full recording of the event, if you’d like to watch!
With Mike Hewitt, who was kind enough to be our videographer for the event—and had old TV footage from the disaster in one of the exhibits for attendees to view!
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Quote of the Month
"I did it for the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.”
Photo by Tennessee State Museum