Sunrise service draws more than 300 to Bald Knob

ALTO PASS — Most of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace’s metallic panels were missing, but that did not stop a crowd from gathering there for the annual sunrise Easter service Sunday.

Roughly 300 people sat on aluminum benches and on the grass in an outdoor amphitheater at the cross’ base by 6 a.m.

Herrin resident Sierra King said the publicity and the need for donations for the cross were some of the factors that brought the crowd.

“There were a lot more people this year than there were last year,” King said.

After 10 years of attending the sunrise service, King and her partner, Danny Majors, had another reason for showing up this year. Their 4-month-old daughter, Lily, would be dedicated after the service by the Rev. Steven McKeown, president of the cross’ temporary board of directors. King was dedicated at the cross when she was 3 weeks old.

McKeown, said 940 of the white panels were removed as part of a massive renovation project of the 50-year-old, 110 foot tall monument.

The long-awaited renovation had been on hold for two years because of a lawsuit involving former board members.

Though an official budget has not been established, McKeown said he expects the renovation to cost at least $600,000 to replace the panels and repaint the cross’ inner-support beams.

“We don’t know about repairs for the infrastructure,” he said. “The route we take will determine how much.”

Cross officials have raked in thousands of dollars in private donations for the monument’s renovation. Friends of the Cross, an organization separate from the board of directors, has raised nearly $160,000 through donations and fundraisers, McKeown said.

Churches throughout southern Illinois took a special collection during the Palm Sunday worship services. Clergy asked their congregations to contribute $1 per person.

McKeown said it was yet to be determined how much those collections gathered.
King said it would be sad to see the cross fall.

“I just think it’s great that now the community is coming together and are going to get it back to its original glory,” King said.