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GREENSBORO The workers do it every year after Thanksgiving: They take the antique nativity figures out of storage and give them a face-lift.

What could the vandals have been thinking? Join the discussion at the Debatables blog.

They patch Mary's face and spray paint a fresh coat of "fur" on the camels.

"It's a tradition," said Gregg Vandegrift, a painter at Greensboro College.

But after a weekend vandalism spree at the college's 71-year-old nativity scene, there wasn't much hope for repairing one of the city's must-see traditions.

"There ain't a whole lot left," Vandegrift said.

Each year, the right lane of Market Street in front of Greensboro College would be marked off so traffic could slow down and view the n ativity scene depicting the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger.

The college didn't want to mar the holiday with an empty landscape.

So on Monday, campus officials put up a different display. With a spade and post-hole digger, physical-plant workers erected a sign and a structure made of wood posts meant to symbolize a manger a literal and figurative message of peace to the community to replace the college's beloved creche.

T he simple wooden sign says "Peace on Earth."

About 40 members of the college community gathered Monday to dedicate the new display.

Greensboro College officials have already created a special donation fund for people who have expressed interest in helping build a new nativity for next Christmas.

Police have not identified who knocked over and beat up the figures sometime after 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

Crime Stoppers has offered a $2,000 reward for tips on the crime. Anyone with information can call 373-1000.

Monday afternoon, campus minister Robert Brewer led the community in wishing peace to anyone who passes the display and to the vandals who destroyed the scene.

"We pray they may come forward and take responsibility for their actions," Brewer said.

The life-size figures were given to the college by Jefferson-Pilot Insurance Co., now Lincoln Financial, in 1989.

The nativity scene has been targeted by pranksters and vandals before. "Every year they steal the baby Jesus, but it's a prank, and it comes back," Vandegrift said.

Students and faculty have been crushed by the nativity vandalism.

"It was kind of an unspoken agreement: No one messed with it," said senior Kristen Menichelli, 21.

"Whether you are religious or not, it is something to be respected," said junior Mikey Deming, 20.

College President Craven Williams said members of Greensboro's religious community have reached out to offer assistance and warm wishes.

Danny Mackey, director of student activities and a 2003 alumnus of the college, said a graduate had already set up a Facebook page to help raise the money to replace the display for next year.

"I'm just awed at the number of people who have expressed an interest in helping us put a nativity back on this street," Williams said.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com