A group of Dozier residents is spearheading efforts to build a gathering place and emergency shelter for the small town that lies just north of the Covington County line on Hwy. 29.

Organizer Jan Cook said Wednesday the Dozier Improvement Committee is working diligently to raise $40,000 to renovate the Dozier High School cafeteria. The school closed in the early 1990s.

“The town owns the building, but doesn’t have the finances to improve it,” she said. “This is strictly a volunteer project.”

Cook said a new roof is needed on the building and that a new heating and cooling system is also top priority.

Additionally, new windows, which are estimated at $12,000 are needed, but are not figured in the $40,000 cost.

“We don’t have the funds for that,” Cook said. “But we hope to do it another time.”

Cook said she and the committee envision turning the cafeteria into a place for class reunions and banquets; a place to store old Dozier Tigers memorabilia and a storm shelter and safe room.

“We don’t have one of those here,” she said.

Cook said the idea of having a gathering place like this stems from the idea that small town values are what drive this country.

“These values should be preserved, and we want everyone who visits Dozier to know this,” she said. “If Dozier’s efforts can be a success, it will give hope to other small towns. Small towns have to recognize that there is no Lone Ranger coming. They must set a goal and work to do it.

“To the naysayers and profits of doom, ignore them,” she said. “These are things that can be done.”

For some time, the committee has raised money “every way we know how to,” Cook said.

“We have held bingo, yard sales, sold chances on everything imaginable,” she said.

Cook said some of the work has begun this week, including clearing out debris from the building.

To raise the rest of the funds, Cook is requesting monetary donations or items that can be auctioned off.

“If someone has a car they’d like to donate that we can fix up and auction off, really anything,” she said. “We’ll take anything.”

Anyone who would like to donate to the cause, is asked to contact the First National Bank of Dozier at 334-496-3592