Saving the Bell

The Rotary Club of Port St. Joe would like its bell back, no ringing questions asked.

John Arnold, president of the local civic organization, had his car stolen last Wednesday night from the Beacon Hill area.

Inside that car were all the songbooks the club uses, other club business paperwork and most importantly, the bell the club has used to ring sessions into order for some 67-68 years old.

Gulf County Sheriff's deputies discovered the car in Lake Alice Park in Wewahitchka and arrested one adult and two youths when they ran away from the car. An investigation revealed it was stolen and it was Arnold's.

Jason Catrett, 18, along with 15-year-old and 14-year-old males were arrested and charged with grand theft auto.
Two of the youths took deputies to where they had dumped out the contents of Arnold's car in Beacon Hill and everything was recovered but the bell.

As Sheriff Joe Nugent related, Arnold, who was elected president just this month, was nonetheless beside himself because the bell that had been the club's possession lo these many years was gone.

And the three individuals arrested by deputies were no strangers to the Sheriff's Office.

In various combinations, the three have been charged with stealing a car in the Wewahitchka area last week and with the thefts of several motor scooters in Mexico Beach a few months ago.

But the major priority for Arnold is retrieving the bell, the lone item in his car not recovered.

The bell is 10-12 inches tall and made of brass with Rotary Club inscribed in the shell.

Anyone with any information about the bell is asked to please call the Sheriff's Office at 227-1115 as soon as possible.

The bell is a keepsake, a treasure for the club. They just want it back.