Welcome to the May/June 2008 edition of the Ridgdill Family Newsletter.  I hope
everyone continues to enjoy reading the news and articles.  It's hard sometime to keep
coming up with new things to write about, so please feel free to send anything you'd
like to be included.  Thank you to all who have responded.

Remember, this is OUR newsletter.  Although I like to include photos and news about
my branch, I don't want it to become MY newsletter.  I want to include photos and info
from all branches of our family tree.

Please remember this is a bi-monthly newsletter.  So, please get your information to
me in time to be included in the next edition.  As always, your feedback and
suggestions are appreciated.

The Home page counter seems to be working properly,now.  If you experience any
problems, please let me know.  Thanks.
May/Jun 2008






















    Some who have read the "Famous" page
have asked if I'm really related to Jimmy Carter.  I
give you my word, if I include anything anywhere
on this web site, it's absolutely true.  Yes, I am
related to President Carter through my father's
mother's Bishop line.  Here's a photo I received
last year.  It reads, "Best wishes to Mike Ridgdill
from Cousin Jimmy Carter."  I was happy to re-
ceive the photo, and amazed that he took the
time to inscribe it to me, personally.











The Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs C-Team
won the Southeast Georgia Middle School
Baseball Championship on Saturday, April 19th,
2008, by defeating the Metter Tigers in Twin City.
The Bulldogs were 9-2 in the regular season
losing only one region game, and were 14-2
overall.  Pictured below is my grandson, Clay
Akins, who played outfielder for the Bulldogs.
Copyright Ridgdill Family History Research.  All rights reserved.
                 Birthdays

May 14.  
Gracie Elise Dukes, daughter
of Tommy & Lori Dukes.

May 24.
John Michael "Mike" Ridgdill
(that's me, by the way).  
Issue No. 6
               Notes

If you, or someone you know,
would like to be added to the
newsletter mailing list, please let
me know.  You can send a letter to
the address on the "Home" page,
or you can send a email via the
form on the "Contact" page.  
Thanks.
               -------------------
         Congratulations
Zachary Tiboux "Zach" Johnson,
Swainsboro High School Class of
2008.

Coleman James "Cole" Lewis,
Georgia Southern University
Class of 2008.
                --------------------
DON'T FORGET.  Mother's Day is
Sunday, May 11th.  Father's Day is
Sunday, June 15th.










    This is the grave site of Confederate
soldier, and prisoner of war, Benjamin Robert
Ridgdill, featured in the very first newsletter.
You can see from the photo how badly repairs
are needed.  Estimated cost is about $3,500.
for coping and gravel, and some new markers.
Donations are required for this work to be
completed.  Please mail your donation to the
address on the Home page, or click on the
Contribute button to make a donation via
credit card, or PayPal.  Please indicate "For
grave project. "   Thank you for your help to-
wards accomplishing these repairs.
The Animal Rescue Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific need — providing food for some of the 27
million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year.  Over 10 million animals are put to death every year
in the U.S. alone because they are abandoned and unwanted.

Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site provides food and care for
a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary.  Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to
animals in need.

Please remember to click every day to give help and hope to those most in need. Every click counts in the life of a
rescued animal.  Please sign up for their daily email reminders so you won't forget.  Thanks.












    The Linton Lionel & Lois Bishop Ridgdill
branch of the Ridgdill Family held their annual
family reunion at the home of Jerry & Gail
Johnson on Sunday, April 27th, 2008.
    Pictured above are the surviving children of
Linton "Little Bud" and Lois Ridgdill.  Left to
right:  Frances Ridgdill Evans, Oris Ridgdill
Lewis, John L. Ridgdill, Idell Ridgdill Perkins,
and Marion Ridgdill Haynie.

                            ----------------







           Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
     The changing of the guard at Arlington
Cemetery is an awesome sight to behold.
Here are some interesting facts.  The
guard takes 21 steps during his walk
across the tomb.  It alludes to the 21 gun
salute, which is the highest military honor
given.  The guard hesitates 21 seconds
after his about face to begin his return
walk, for the same reason.  His gloves
are moistened to prevent losing his grip
on the rifle.  He carries the rifle on the
shoulder away from the tomb.  After his
march across the path, he does an about
face, and moves the rifle to the outside
shoulder.  Guards are changed every 30
minutes, 24 hrs. a day, 365 days a year.  
    For a person to apply for guard duty at
the tomb, he must be between 5' 10" and
6' 2" tall, and his waist size cannot exceed
30 inches.  They must commit two years
of life to guard the tomb, live in the bar-
racks under the tomb, and cannot drink
any alcohol, on or off duty, for the rest of
their lives.  They cannot swear in public for
the rest of their lives, or disgrace the uni-
form, or tomb, in any way.
     After two years, the guard is given a
wreath pin that is worn on their lapel sig-
nifying they served as guard of the tomb.  
There are only 400 presently worn.  The
guard must obey these rules for the rest
of their lives, or give up the wreath pin.
    The shoes are specially made with
very thick soles to keep the heat and cold
from their feet.  There are metal heel
plates that extend to the top of the shoe in
order to make the loud click as they come
to a halt.  There are no wrinkles, folds or
lint on the uniform.  Guards dress for duty
in front of a full-length mirror.  Every guard
spends five hours a day getting his uni-
forms ready for guard duty.
    The first six months of duty, a guard
cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV.  All
off duty time is spent studying the 175
notable people laid to rest in Arlington
National Cemetery .  A guard must
memorize who they are, and where they
are interred.  Among the notables are:
President Taft , Joe E. Lewis {the boxer},
and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy
{the most decorated soldier of WWII}, of
Hollywood fame.  
    ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O
LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT
SHINE UPON THEM.
    In 2003, as Hurricane Isabelle was
approaching Washington , DC , our U.S.
Senate and House took two days off with
anticipation of the storm.  On the ABC
evening news, it was reported that be-
cause of the dangers from the hurricane,
the military members assigned the duty
of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier were given permission to sus-
pend the assignment.  They respectfully
declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!'
    Soaked to the skin, marching in the
pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said
that guarding the Tomb was not just an
assignment, it was the highest honor that
can be afforded to a serviceperson.  The
tomb has been patrolled continuously,
24/7, since 1930.  God bless and keep
them.


    We can't all be heroes because some-
body has to sit on the curb and clap as
they go by.

   Will Rogers
   US humorist & showman (1879 - 1935)

Submitted by:  Joey Oliver.
                 The Miniature Earth
    If we could turn the population of the earth
into a small community of 100 people, keep-
ing the same proportions we have today, it
would be something like this......
    61 Asians, 12 Europeans, 8 North Ameri-
cans, 5 South Americans/Caribbean, 13 Afri-
cans, 1 Ociania.
    50 would be men, 50 women.  47 live in an
urban area, 9 are disabled.  33 are Christian,
18 are Muslim, 14 are Hindu, 16 are non-
religious, 6 are Buddhist, 13 practice other re-
ligions.  
    43 live without basic sanitation.  18 live
without an improved water source.  
    6 people own 59% of the entire wealth of
the community.  15 are hungry or malnourish-
ed.  14 can't read.  Only 7 are educated at a
secondary level.  Only 12 have a computer;
only 3 have an internet connection.
    1 adult aged 15-49 has HIV/AIDS.
  The community spends more than US
$1.12 trillion on military expenditures, and
only US $100 billion on developmental aid.
    If you keep food in a refrigerator, your cloth-
es in a closet, if you have a bed to sleep in,
and a roof over your head, you are richer than
75% of the intire world population.  If you
have a bank account, you're one of the 30
wealthiest people in the world.
    18 struggle to live on US $1.00 per day, or
less.  53 struggle to live on US $2.00 per day,
or less.
    Please, thank God for what you have, and
do your best for a better world.

Submitted by:  Dale Murray












  Happy birthday wishes go out to my
daddy, John Louis Ridgdill, who cele-
brated his 80th birthday on April 8th.
                 Birthday Girl
    Myra Snellgrove Bishop celebra-
ted her 100th birthday on March 3rd.
She still takes care of her home,
and cooks her own meals.  Simply,
amazing!
The Ridgdill Family Newsletter
       "Intertangled, intertwined, I love my family, each & every vine!"