OPINION
Beyond The Headlines
Just Another Gorgeous Evening on the RiverGorge By Janis Hashe, Pulse Contributing Editor
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topping off at the Eco Expo to chat with the folks at the Tennessee RiverGorge Trust, I was reminded once again of my recent pledge to “get out there.” (See last week’s “Veering Out of Orbit.” The Trust is celebrating its 30th anniversary protecting some of the most beautiful places in the nation—and if you’d like to help, there’s a great chance coming up on April 30. The Trust will host “Another Gorgeous Evening” at the Tennessee RiverPlace on Saturday, April 30. The property is located on the banks of the Tennessee River at the entrance to the Tennessee RiverGorge, just across from Williams Island. Guests will enjoy river and mountain views, dinner catered by Lee Towery, music by the Ben Friberg Trio and Booker T. Scruggs Ensemble, dancing and a live auction.
are not prepared for the majesty of the Gorge, whether their view is from the river, the road, or the air. Even the leaders from Volkswagen were awed by the breathtaking vistas of Tennessee’s Grand Canyon as seen from a helicopter.” “The Tennessee RiverGorge has been a key asset in attracting major businesses to the Chattanooga region,” said Charlie Arant, CEO of the Tennessee Aquarium. “Based on a statement from Volkswagen when they announced they were going to build a one billion dollar plant here, the natural assets and the intangibles of the area were the difference makers.” The Tennessee RiverGorge begins at Williams Island, just west of the downtown area, and continues 27 river miles to Nickajack Lake in Marion County. More than 3,000 people have supported the continuing efforts of the Tennessee RiverGorge Trust. The Trust has cooperated with TVA, the State of Tennessee, and many private landowners to protect more than 17,000 acres of the 27,000-acre Gorge. Preservation takes the form of land maintenance, ecological restoration, sustainable land use,
“People who visit Chattanooga are not prepared for the majesty of the Gorge, whether their view is from the river, the road, or the air.” As people at the Trust put it in their materials, “For three decades a skeleton crew and an amazing family of generous supporters has quietly been working together to protect the only large river canyon bordering a mid-sized city in the United States. People who visit Chattanooga
biological inventory activities, and ongoing public and private partnerships to ensure the land remains undeveloped while endangered species are protected and the awesome vistas are available for generations to come. All of the money raised during “Another Gorgeous Evening’” will help the Trust continue its efforts of land protection, education and stewardship. You’ll celebrate Earth Day for more than just one day by helping to preserve that which, once lost, can never be recreated. “Another Gorgeous Evening”, presented by the Tennessee RiverGorge Trust $150 5:30 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner Saturday, April 30 Tennessee RiverPlace, 3104 Scenic Waters Lane (423) 266-0314. www.trgt.org
www.chattanoogapulse.com | April 14, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 15 | The Pulse
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