Building Dedication

If you didn't get a chance to stop by for our building dedication, Peter Heath of Amish Country TV was there to capture the excitement. Just click the video below.

Kidron Elementary 3rd Grade Tour

Karen Geiser, 3rd grade teacher at Kidron Elementary brought her students over for a tour of P. Graham Dunn. The class is part of the Junior Achievement program in which the students lead by Glenda Ervin-Lehman of Lehman's Hardware dream up a fictitious business and learn about all the details that go into it. Each year P. Graham Dunn contributes by engraving a custom magnet based on the design the kids made, and provide a tour of a working business. We’re already looking forward to next year when Kidron and Dalton city schools merge and the class gets bigger! It’s always a fun tour.

Canaan in the Desert

A few weeks ago an enthusiastic customer by the name of Pete Allenbach stopped into our Dalton, OH gallery and shared with me a story about how P. Graham Dunn has had an influence on him and his family. He told of when a friend brought him to our store for the first time, and he had been awed by our inspirational products. He was so impressed that he purchased a plaque that he sent to his sister Georjean who lives in Phoenix, AZ.

He wanted to share this with me because his sister is a member of the Evangelical Protestant Sisterhood of Mary. The “Our Daily Bread” plaque that he sent as a gift to the convent has become a favorite decoration in their dining room. I have recently corresponded with Sister Georjean and she has shared more with me about their convent’s history:

“We are Evangelical Protestant Sisterhood, founded in Germany in 1947, just after WWII by Basilea Schlink. Our motherhouse is in Darmstadt Germany, and we are the only branch in America. We have branches in Israel, Japan, Korea, Canada, Brazil, Paraguay England and Australia.... [Our local branch] Canaan in the Desert, here in Phoenix was started in 1967. I have been here since 1984.”

Their ministry hosts a visitor center, and distributes literature and DVD messages; their goal is to “encourage reconciliation, repentance and first love for the Lord Jesus.” They also do a lot of work with military and prison chaplains. Visit their website for more information: www.canaaninthedesert.org

One picture is of their facility in Phoenix; the other features members of the order in front of the P. Graham Dunn plaque in their dining room (Sister Georjean, with her mother in front of her, Sister Pinea and Sister Romelle).

Amanda Wolfe – Assistant Manager, P. Graham Dunn in Dalton.

Peter’s Better Half

LeAnna, Peter’s better half, leads a demanding, and yet fulfilling life. For a number of years LeAnna kept the books at the company. She did it on a simple hand-written ledger system that she kept in a small room just off of the kitchen. She no longer works directly in the business but she fills a number of important roles in the company.

First and foremost, each morning she and Peter talk over the details of their family, church, community, and business before Peter leaves for work. She is blessed with an inordinate amount of common sense, something all of her family benefits from. A couple of times a week she babysits for the grandchildren. She also loves her flower gardens.

For the past ten years LeAnna has been involved with Bible Study Fellowship, an international non-denominational group that meets weekly for Bible studies. It is a highly structured study. LeAnna is a discussion leader and between lesson presentations, phone calls, and travel, this takes fifteen hours of time each week.

If has been difficult for LeAnna to “let go” of the business, and over the past year or two she has become increasingly involved in the retail store here at the factory. The retail employees refer to her as the midnight decorator. She likes to come in after everyone has gone home for the day and “fluff things up”. One of her pride and joys this summer was developing an interesting mix of vegetation growing just outside the door of our Gallery. She chose to grow a climbing bean plant which shortly covered the eight foot cross. Beside that she placed an old wheel barrow which was soon completely camouflaged with a vine. On the other side of the door she grew ornamental sweet potatotes along with other types of flowering plants.

The "Coolest" Parade in Ohio

 

P. Graham Dunn took part in the Dalton Holiday Festival on December 1. The highlight of the event is the "coolest" parade in Ohio, which in my opinion was more like the coldest parade in Ohio! We had a lot of fun piling into our custom built parade float - sporting a red roof matching our new building on rt 30. Much to the chagrin of dentists in the area, we handed out little pocket crosses made of wood, rather than the standard handfuls of candy. Peter lead the way, pulling our float with a Ventrac Tractor down historic Lincoln Way in downtown Dalton. It's heartwarming to see communities come together like this.

Why P. Graham Dunn Is Called P. Graham Dunn

In 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Graham Hutchinson, originally from Australia, were led to join the China Inland Mission. During these years of service, the Japanese army invaded China, leading to Japan occupying most of eastern and central China. Because of the unrest, the mission board ordered the evacuation of all its missionaries in the affected areas. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Dunn were serving in the southwestern part of China along with the Hutchinsons. It was agreed that the safest and quickest evacuation route was a bumpy flight in a DC-3 over the “hump” of the Himalayas into India.

The Graham Hutchinsons were scheduled to fly out on the same plane as the Dunns. However, the plane ran out of seating before everyone was loaded. Although the childless Hutchinsons were already on board they noticed that Mrs. Dunn was obviously pregnant, and voluntarily chose to give up their seats for Peter’s mother and father. Peter’s parents landed safely in India but were devastated to learn that on the following flight on which the Graham Hutchinsons were flying, the plane crashed into the Himalayas, and everyone on board was instantly killed.

In her prayer time Mother felt led to name her first son after Mr. Graham Hutchinson in recognition of his ultimate sacrifice. Peter’s older sister, Rosemary, was born in India shortly after their arrival. Peter was born less than two years later in the city of Loshan in the province of Sechwan after his parents had safely returned to China to resume their work with the China Inland Mission. He was named Peter Graham after Mr. Graham Hutchinson. In 1983 when their son Thomas was born, Peter and LeAnna chose to name him Thomas Graham Dunn. Their business is named P. Graham Dunn – in honor of the sacrifice of Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson.

Volleyball Tournament

Our new building has gotten a little early use last weekend.
It was occupied by over 200 local Amish youth for a volleyball tournament.
They set up 11 nets for 22 teams to play for the evening, with the games followed by 50 large pizzas!