For more information   call 269-683-4540    

  NILES, Mich., November 17, 2003.  Just in time for the holidays, volunteers restoring the Old Rugged Cross Church and maintaining the Old Rugged Cross Memorial Garden in Pokagon, Mich., have added an additional specialized Old Rugged Cross (ORC) gift item.  The 5-inch by 7-inch laser-cut wooden plaques resemble a page of printed music.  Each has the words of the hymn, The Old Rugged Cross cut into the highly polished wood.  The plaques join the group popular 2004 wall calendars with photos of the Old Rugged Cross Historic Site, and custom-engraved commemorative bricks. The bricks are used in pedestrian areas in The Old Rugged Cross Memorial Garden.  Small wooden crosses made from lath from inside the old church also are available.  Each comes with a certificate of authenticity, a square nail from the Church, and a leather cord so the cross can be worn as a pendant. Other ORC gift items include baseball-style hats imprinted with a choice of one of several  photographs from the Historic Site, aprons and tote bags imprinted with the same photo choices, and various styles of embroidered golf shirts.          

  The Original Old Rugged Cross Church is where the hymn, The Old Rugged Cross was first sung publicly in its entirety after its composer completed it, in 1913.  The church is a Registered Michigan Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.    The Church and Garden comprise The Old Rugged Cross Historic Site. The site is one block south of Pokagon Highway, just east of Highway M-51 in Pokagon.  Pokagon is located half way between Niles and Dowagiac.            

   Information about group tours of the ORC Historic Site and gift items is available by calling 269-683-4540 for the plaques, calendars, commemorative bricks, and wooden lath crosses.  Please call 269-683-6858 for aprons, hats, shirts, tote bags, or other gift items, including note cards and holiday ornaments. Information about the Old Rugged Cross Historic Site is available on the Internet at either

www.the-oldruggedcross.org, or www.theoldruggedcrossfoundation.org,

or from the

Old Rugged Cross Foundation,

P.O. Box 41,

Niles, MI 49120.  

Inquiries can be sent to orcf@aol.com.