As a “beloved piece of the park,” the historic Grist Mill at Meeks II stands as a symbol of Union County history and culture, but something has always been missing – until now.
On Oct. 24, a small gathering of folks met up and acknowledged a gracious donation of time and labor, and the love that inspired such an outstanding good deed.
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Ever since its installation in the second area of Meeks Park, the mill has reportedly suffered from problems related to water flow, keeping the wheel from turning as often as intended.
“They were actually pulling water from the creek (previously),” explained County Manager Tony Hughes, briefly describing the “maintenance nightmare” of the old pump clogging up with mud during heavy rains and flooding.
But with the help of Hampton Well Drilling and Appalachian Water, the wheel in front of the mill now turns cleanly thanks to the installation of a new well, pump and piping. All the work was completed for free as a donation to the county to better the park.
Specifically, Randy and Chris Hampton of Hampton Well Drilling donated their services in the memories of departed relatives Richard Hampton and Scotty Hampton.
And Tim Odom, Debbie Scroggs and Chris Fox of Appalachian Water donated the pump, pipe and installation to get water from the well to the mill in honor of their departed family member Kyle Odom.
In return, the county will thank the families running those companies with a memorial plaque installation, but to realize the significance of the donation and the way in which the donors will be honored, one must first understand the connection between these families.
Tim Odom, Debbie Scroggs, and Randy Hampton have known each other since childhood, and their own children enjoyed similar familiarity.
“Me and Tim and Debbie, our kids played together. My son Scotty and her son Kyle grew up together,” Hampton explained. Scroggs recalled, too, that Odom and Hampton worked together for more than two decades in the water business, maintaining their friendship through adulthood.
Tragedy struck when Scotty passed away very young following an accident, but Kyle, son of Tim Odom and Debbie Scroggs, never forgot about him. Despite being paralyzed from the waist down at 9 years old, Odom became known throughout the community as a beloved baseball coach. He was an employee at Appalachian Water until his death in 2022 at the age of 38.
Those who loved Kyle and Scotty are still close and consider themselves an extended family. They hold a deep love for Meeks Park also, a place where the boys played together and where baseball games are still hosted. On the day of the dedication, Odom’s young nephews, Sawyer, Mason and Holden, were enjoying the sights – particularly the creek and upstairs level of the mill.
“This county’s done so much for our children,” Scroggs noted. “This just worked out perfectly. When Randy said, ‘We’re going to donate this well,’ then we were like, ‘OK, then we’ll donate. We’re going to do what we’ve got to do.’”
And so came the second part of that day’s dedication. Meeks Park will soon carry a piece of Odom’s legacy, along with that of Scotty and his grandfather, Richard Hampton. The county intends to put up a plaque with their names on the mill at a future ceremony, acknowledging what their families did so that others may enjoy the mill for generations to come.
“I want you all to know that Mr. Hampton and Scotty and Kyle are looking down today smiling on what y’all have done, and I appreciate all of you not just from a county standpoint,” admitted Hughes through tears. It’s worth noting that Hughes’ own son received the first baseball scholarship given out in Odom’s name.
“That’s why we’re here – to help one another,” added Commissioner Harold Collins, also emotional.
“What you have done has given us a permanent solution for a problem that has just been going on for quite some time, and for that, we are really, really grateful,” said Special Projects Manager Renee Deibert. “I’m very, very grateful for what you did from the heart, and as you know, it has touched our administration in ways I don’t think anything else has this year.”
