FRANKLIN—A Franklin man is renewing his call for public support to help him rebuild a community boat landing at Round Gut Creek.

Jesse Drewery told The Tidewater News in early June of his ambition to create an easier access for fishermen that frequent the place, which is located off the Nottoway River.

Drewery, 85, explained that he first started using the landing as far back as 1966, but lately uses the site only three to four times a year. The path that leads to the creek is located after Cherokee Drive off Delaware Road.

Regardless of his own limited use, he wants to make a contribution.

“I believe you need to give back to the community,” Drewery said then.

Cass Camp, whose family has owned that piece of land leading to the creek since 1975, gave him permission from his mother and aunt, who own the property.

The landing site itself is not officially a public fishing place, said Camp.

“I hope it will be like it used to be, a nice, quiet area to enjoy nature,” he added.

Drewery’s earlier request didn’t get any volunteers, equipment or donations, but he wasn’t ready to give up.

He’s recently been given the use of a backhoe that could make quick work to make a new foundation and ditches along the perimeter to drain water. With the use of the machine and a few volunteers, Drewery said he thinks the job could be done in a day.

“I need somebody to do some shoveling and raking – it’s not especially strenuous,” he said, and added that monetary donations would also help.

After some preliminaries are completed, the real work is planned for the first weekend of December.

Drewery asked that anyone willing to help should call him at 653-6371.