DISCOVER O OV August 2022 - Volume 2 - Issue 9
CONTENTS
WEST TENNESSEE’S LEADER IN PHYSICAL THERAPY & SPORTS MEDICINE
04 - Leaders Celebrates 65 Years in West Tennessee
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09 - 33rd Year for the Sunset Symphony at Historic Cherry Mansion in Savannah 14 - McKenzie receives Municipal League Award for Small City Progress 18- Summer Reading Program ends with party, prizes and program
ON THE COVER - A young lady admires an ornament she hand blew at Ignis Glass Studio.
DISCOVER P.O. Box 888, Huntingdon, TN 38344
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jmoody@magicvalleypublishing.com Editor: Jonathan Moody Creative Director: Christy Slaman Copy Editor: Joan Phillips
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Deena Spuryer celebrating with Leaders and Bartlett City Schools staff
Leaders Celebrates 65 Years in West Tennessee
Presents $1,650 Check to the 65,000th Credit Union Member
Leaders Credit Union, member-owned financial cooperative West Tenn. - presented a check on Tuesday, July 12th for $1,650 to the 65,000th member to commemorate 65 years of service. Deena Spuryer, homebound coordinator for Bartlett City Schools, recently opened an account with Leaders in the
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school break room a couple of months ago, becoming the 65,000th member. To celebrate the 65th anniversary of the credit union, Leaders financial champions gathered to surprise Spuryer with the check. She was originally called to come to the lobby where she was greeted by a large check of $650 and a gift bag. The
excitement filled the room. Todd Swims, CEO of Leaders, shared with her the good news and added a “1” in front of the $650 check, making it $1,650. “This is not happening, is this really happening?” said Spuryer. “I recently switched from a bank that I had been with for years…I see how you all support
Bartlett City Schools and it has been an excellent experience so far.” Leaders was founded by educators to provide teachers with a convenient way to save and borrow money. Since then, it has expanded across West Tennessee to provide products and services to members in various occupations wanting to build their financial strength. This has welcomed many communities to be a part of Leaders. The credit union is proud to support educators like Spuryer, as they seek to empower students to achieve excellence. Spuryer shared her story regarding what all she does for Bartlett City Schools, leaving everyone inspired. She shared about her job; claiming is not about her, but her students. Spuryer’s hope is to give back to her students
while encouraging them to push forward through trials. “She is a wonderful, very giving person who is very good at her job,” said Jason Sykes, Communications, Volunteer, Outreach and Transportation contact for Bartlett City Schools. Swims expressed his gratitude for Spuryer’s passion towards her students. “It is amazing when you guys really care and go the extra mile,” said Swims. “What an impact you’ll make in other people’s lives.” Leaders wants to give back to the people who make up our community. Spuryer is a great example of the type of people that make our schools better. “We love having people like you as members,” Ryan Platt, CIO of Leaders
told Spuryer. “Leaders is happy to celebrate 65 years of service, by giving back to our members in effort to make a difference in the community. It’s our small way to say thank you for choosing Leaders,” noted Platt. Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative and one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the West Tennessee. Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders is placed in the top 10% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website.
Deena Spuryer – 65,000th Leaders Credit Union Member
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33rd Year for the Sunset Symphony at Historic Cherry Mansion in Savannah
After being cancelled the last two years due to the COVID-pandemic, the 33year tradition continues this September 3 on the lawn of historic Cherry Mansion overlooking the Tennessee River in Savannah as the Savannah Arts Commission hosts the Germantown Symphony Orchestra. The concert will begin at 5:30 p.m. with selections of classical and popular showtunes for this family friendly event. Our theme this year is “Timeless Favorites: from Broadway to the Big Screen”, featuring selections from “The Sound of Music”, “Star Wars”, and “My Fair Lady” just to name a few. Open to the public, this free performance is made possible through the efforts of Savannah Arts Commission, the
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City of Savannah and with the generous donations of local businesses and individuals supporting the arts. Attendees should bring lawn chairs or blankets and gather on the lawn of the mansion near the platform stage. In case of inclement weather, the concert will move indoors at the Hardin County High School auditorium on Pickwick Road, Savannah. Donations are still being accepted at SAC, PO Box 1465, Savannah, TN 38372. To learn about patron benefits, contact SAC at 925-8181. The Germantown Symphony Orchestra (GSO), under the direction of Dr. Ronald Vernon, is committed to providing excellent concert experiences for its audiences and members, promoting young artists,
and serving the community. The GSO is a volunteer, self-governing, and community-based orchestra. We value outstanding cultural opportunities for the citizens of Germantown and for those in surrounding communities. The GSO is the only orchestra of its kind in the Mid-South and is one of the top community orchestras in the United States. The GSO now boasts a membership of over 80 musicians - a diverse group including students, teachers, professional musicians, professionals in other fields, and retirees - all who share their love of fine music and arts advocacy. The Germantown Symphony Orchestra is funded in part by a generous grant from The Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC) Arts Education Fund.
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McKenzie receives Municipal League Award for Small City Progress
Over the last decade, the city of McKenzie has worked tirelessly to improve all aspects of life for its citizens, including several local park upgrades, renovation of an historic theatre, the launch of a downtown co-working space, additional public safety services, and numerous other accomplishments, all without raising property taxes in the past 12 years. In recognition of the concerted efforts made by the city of McKenzie, the Tennessee Municipal League is pleased to present McKenzie with an award for Small City Progress. The award will be presented Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, at the 82nd Annual Conference of the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center.
The city has completed numerous parks and recreation upgrades. Work on McKenzie City Park alone include two new picnic pavilions, a new BBQ grill, the October Glory Memorial Walking Trail, new playground equipment, a new dog park, baseball fields, and a new multipurpose sports field. The park also has a new 18-hole disc golf course. Future plans for McKenzie City Park include a three-field soccer complex with concessions, parking and bathroom area, pickleball courts, outdoor recreation equipment, cornhole boards, and replacing all ballfield lights with Smart Lighting. The city took a neglected greenspace that was the location of the first depot and passenger train track in McKenzie
and turned it into a splash pad reflecting the spot’s railroad history. The McKenzie Station Splash Pad has been a popular addition, especially during the summer months. Nearby, the city also established Harmony Park, which gives children of all ages a chance to explore musical skills on a large outdoor instrument. That park will soon expand to include a shaded pavilion. At Mulberry Park, the city has installed a new picnic pavilion and grill as well as new playground equipment with plans for a walking trail, restroom, and basketball court renovations. The city also turned its University Drive Sidewalk into a “Walk of Champions” with plaques commemorating various local athletes including a nationally-recognized shooting team,
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state championship basketball team, state championship baseball teams, Para-Olympic teams and more. Opened in 1941, McKenzie’s Park Theatre was known for its unique feature of “sweetheart seats.” The theatre closed in the 1980s and slowly became dilapidated to the point demolition was considered. Work by the McKenzie Industrial Board saw the theatre deeded to the city and through grants and gifts of labor, the city restored the theatre to its former glory. In addition to showing the latest movies, the theatre is now used for community meetings, performances, concerts, and other gatherings. After losing several local industries in 2008 and with a general industrial decline in the area, the city of McKenzie has also worked diligently to promote industrial growth and expansion in the community. The result has been the location of six new businesses and expansion of four businesses since 2010, resulting in the creation and retention of more than 540 jobs with more on the horizon. In 2021, the city created the McKenzie Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which reaches out to the local business community through workshops and
events as well as to help ensure the success of existing industries. The McKenzie Industrial Board also purchased one of the older buildings in downtown, which has been renovated and turned into a co-working space for entrepreneurs. In addition to private offices, the building offers fast Wi-Fi, sit and stand desks, a color copier, printer, scanner, fax machine, cubicles, conference meeting space, break area with free coffee, refrigerator, dishwater, and microwave. University students receive discounts to utilize the space. Dubbed the RailYard, it is the only co-working space available in a tri-county area. The McKenzie Farmers Market is an indoor and outdoor market operation out of a renovated Studebaker dealership. Work is being done to create a commercial kitchen in the market for use by entrepreneurs in manufacturing food products as well as pop-up restaurants. Various city departments across McKenzie have also been hard at work. The Streets and Public Works Department has installed new LED lighting on all city-owned poles to provide a savings of up to $9,000 each month, paved almost five miles of streets since 2010, completed
an ADA Accessibility Study leading to upgrades of city-owned buildings and sidewalks, addressed traffic safety issues, and is working on projects to install WiFi and a music system in downtown. The McKenzie Fire Department continues to maintain a Class 3 ISO Certification, purchased a new pumper truck, and worked with a local hog production operation to set up special operation trainings for grain bin rescues for area farms. The McKenzie Police Department has begun posting security cameras in the city parks and downtown and has seen an overall 13.7% crime reduction rate in a three-year period. The McKenzie Water Department has installed automatic readers to provide accuracy and savings and utilized grants to rehab wastewater lines, manholes, and the wastewater treatment plant. The general city government has also updated desk tops for city clerks, added digital signatures for accounts payable, installed a check scanner to reduce time at the bank, added a new server, installed a drive-thru for customer transactions, and has installed Plexiglas windows, sanitation stations, and temperature thermometers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Excellence in Downtown Revitalization and Historic Preservation; the town of Collierville for Excellence in Police Services; the city of Dresden for Excellence in Fire Services; the city of Greeneville for Excellence in Community Planning and Development; the city of McKenzie for Small City Progress; the city of McMinnville for Excellence in Stormwater Management; the town of Nolensville for Small Town Progress; the city of Sevierville for Excellence in Governance; the city of Sparta for Excellence in Public Works; the city of Springfield for Parks and Recreation; and the city of Woodland Mills for Excellence in Green Leadership.
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McKenzie is also drawing visitors to downtown through a variety of events. McKenzie is both a Tennessee Downtown and Main Street community, which has allowed for numerous façade grants to improve downtown buildings. The city also hosts numerous events like Nights on Broadway providing music around the square, the Sweet Tea and Southern
Pickins Festival in August, the Boo Bash and Scarecrow Grove, and the McKenzie Mistletoe Christmas. Each year the Tennessee Municipal League honors cities throughout the state for overall excellence, improvement, specific outstanding programs, or department accomplishments. Award winners for 2022 include the city of Cleveland for
Founded in 1940 and based in Nashville, the Tennessee Municipal League serves as the voice of and advocate for Tennessee’s 345 towns and cities.
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BOWLING - A game of bowling attracted several children at the Carroll County Library Thursday.
Summer Reading Program ends with party, prizes and program shirleyNANNEY Carroll County Library’s Summer Reading Program for children ended Thursday after seven weeks. Through the children reading lots of books and for hours during the program, Children’s Librarian Grace Hawkins was able to donate 665 books to the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. David Ou, 12, of Huntingdon was the top reader in the older group with 193 hours. Layla Carter, 6, read or listened to the most books in the younger group for a 18 | DISCOVER
total of 250. “This is one of the best programs I have been a part of,” said Hawkins. “The children have been inspired by the theme and
THE RIGHT PIECES - One -Year-old Skyler Watson, daughter of Jarrett and Brittany Watson of Huntingdon, finds the right pieces of the puzzle at the Summer Reading Program’s concluding session at the Carroll County Library on Thursday.
SNOW CONES ARE GOOD - Beau and Georgia Renfroe dive into their snow cones as their mother, Ashley Renfroe and (Miss Freez) Richelle Stokes watch.
AND THE WINNERS ARE - Carroll County Library Children’s Librarian Grace Hawkins (left) and Carroll County Library director Erin Crockett (right) pose with the top Summer Reading Program readers David Ou, 12, and Layla Carte, 6. David had 193 hours of reading and Layla, read 250 books. DISCOVER | 19
SEAWEED - Madeline Sanders, 9, daughter of Jamie Sanders of Huntingdon, is enjoying the grapes that were dubbed as seaweed in the themed ocean refreshments. 20 | DISCOVER
displayed such enthusiasm.” “Oceans of Possibilities” was the theme for the reading program. Twenty-one children counted the number of hours they spent reading or listening to books. Altogether, they read for 914 hours and 15 minutes. Among the interesting programs were The Science Guy who did experiments that involved the children, a Smokey Bear visit, and Berry Mitchel’s Magic and Puppet Show. Christina Pryor of Huntingdon, who recently moved a year ago with the family from Killeen, Texas, brought her two young children for story hour. She said she liked the story hour for her children to participate in. Children could pick gifts from a table of numerous items, depending on the number of books they had read and the number of hours read. Other prizes were also given away such as back packs. Food served went along with the theme: hotdogs made to look like octopuses, cupcakes with blue icing as waves, vanilla wafers with blue filling and green grapes on a stick made to look like seaweed. As the children departed, they were treated to snow cones in a variety of flavors, served by Richelle Stokes, known as Miss Freez, and other treats by library director Erin Crockett.
FUN AND GAMES - One-year-old Isadora Crockett, Penelope Crockett, 5, and Dailen Watson, 3, have fun at the Carroll County Library on Thursday. Isadora and Penelope are the children of Cody and Erin Crockett. Dailen’s parents are Jarrett and Brittany Watson. All are from Huntingdon.
THE SHARK - The library’s shark had a good time with the children at the Carroll County Library.
OCEAN THEMED FOOD - Octopus hotdgos, waves of blue icing on vanilla wafers, and shark tanks were among the good foods to eat.
READING IS FUN - Sisters Joy Pryor, 4, and Journey Pryor, 5, show how much fun reading is at the Carroll County Library on Thursday. They are the daughters of Joe and Christina Pryor. DISCOVER | 21