Monroe Life - Holiday 2014

WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

A magazine for the people of Monroe County and those who come to visit.

HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES

A Voice for the DEFENSELESS:

CASA Monroe Brings Hope to Neglected Children

Chief Justice Sharon Lee

LET CHOTA BE YOUR

PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER

Short Wait Times

Continuity of Care

Welcoming New Patients

Chota Community Health Services (CCHS) is a non-profit Community Health Center offering comprehensive primary healthcare to the residents of Monroe County and surrounding areas. Recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, CCHS has a staff of doctors, nurse practitioners, and behavioral health counselors dedicated to serving patients’ needs and ensuring their ongoing health through lasting relationships.

Services offered by CCHS include: Family Practice • Preventative Care • Well Woman • Pediatrics • Geriatrics • Chronic Condition Management • Adult Health • Immunizations • Health Education • Physicals • Specialty Referrals

Patient Assistance

Diagnostics

• Labs • X-Ray • Ultrasound (via ContractHealth)

Behavioral Health

• Counseling • Referral Coordination

Employment Services

• Workers Compensation Services • Pre-Employment Physicals

• Insurance Enrollment Counselors • Prescription Assistance • Sliding Fee Program • Coordination with Community Services

School Clinics

• Immunizations • School Entrance Physicals • Well Child Exams (EPSDT) • Chronic Condition Management

Chota Community Health Services Affordable quality healthcare, close to home.

3 Convenient Locations to serve you better!

Madisonville 4233 Highway 411 Madisonville, TN 37354 Phone: (423) 442-2622 Hours: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, M – F 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, Sat – Sun

Tellico Plains 412 Hunt Street Tellico Plains, TN 37385 Phone: (423) 253-6545 Hours: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, M – F

www.chotahealth.org

Vonore 1206 Highway 411 Vonore, TN 37885 Phone: (423) 884-7271 Hours: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, M – F

Madisonville Location Now Open on Saturday and Sunday 8 am - 5:30 pm for Chota Patients WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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Kendrick Shope

Lives Her Dream Helping Others Pursue Theirs

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The Snowfall Is So Silent

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A Poem By Miguel de Unamuno

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Contents

Hiwassee College Equine Instructor, Kara Graham

Wins 2014 Lite Shod World Grand Championship

20 A Voice for

features

the Defenseless Monroe Brings Hope to Neglected Children

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Here’s To Another Succesful Year!

Recapping the 2014 Hiwassee HOPE Balloon Festival

2014WINTER

Festivities Don’t Miss Out On This Year’s Holiday Fun in Tellico Plains!

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Chief Justice, Sharon Lee Patsy Carson’s Valentine’s Day Dinner

Benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Monroe

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Comforting Canines Provide Compassionate Ministry

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Rustic Living for the Holidays Take A Tour Through Brenda McCaslin’s Home

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departments

Military Boys

United in Friendship & in Service to Our Country

4 From the Publisher

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30 Sweet Soles

East Tennessee Foundation Making A Positive Impact In Our Community

56 My Kind of Lovely

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Contributes to the Revitalization of Main Street America

33 Sweetwater Valley Citizens for the Arts Christmas Home Tour

70 Boys & Girls Club Moving Forward with New Leader Dr. Anthony Tricoli 74 The Bingham Group Meth Awareness Campaign in Full Swing 78 Happenings Schedule of Events

Frerichs Sawmill of Coker Creek

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“A Small Town Christmas”

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In the Perfect Small Town

Letter from the Publisher As the smell of fragrant evergreen fills our homes, laughter of family and friends fills the air and beautiful lights illuminate our trees, I am reminded that this once again is a time to celebrate the birth of my Savior over 2,000 years ago. There is no greater gift I could receive than the gift of God’s only Son. Christmas is a true season of giving, yet throughout my entire life, the people of Monroe County have given me more than I can ever imagine. My childhood is full of cherished memories of the beautiful people and places in my home county, and I am still on the receiving end of these blessings.

In this edition of Monroe Life, you will also experience some of the wonderful people and breathtaking places that help bring this wondrous season to life in our county. You will read about the tremendous success of Monroe Life Magazine’s 2nd Annual Celebration of HOPE Balloon Festival and see the spectacular photography provided by Lisa Amos. You will learn about the swearing in of Tennessee Supreme Court Justice, Sharon Lee, a Madisonville native. I was so honored to attend this ceremony!

Monroe Life PUBLISHER

The Bingham Group President Lisa Atkins Bingham Graphic Designers Sloan Burton Dustin Hayes Sam Morris Contributing Writers Clay Carrell Marvin Harper Halea Lingerfelt Jessica Morgan Jennifer Porterfield Miguel de Unamuno Emily Walls Cover Photo Robert Burleson

You will also discover the many ways people are giving back to our community.

Anthony Tricoli, a former Boys and Girls Club member, is now making a huge impact in the clubs throughout the county. East Tennessee Foundation helps aid both individuals and non-profits to help make Monroe County a more wonderful place to call home. Jodi Swiderek from CASA is training ordinary people with extraordinary hearts to be a Court Appointed Special Advocates for disadvantaged children. There are so many exciting and festive stories to read about.

Contributing Photographers Lisa Amos Robert Burleson Sloan Burton Ben Gibson Dustin Hayes Tammy Lee

Take a stroll through the McCaslin home at Christmastime, and celebrate the season by enjoying all the holiday festivals and parades our county has to offer, and be sure to sit back, relax and reflect on the true spirit of the holiday season.

Web Melissa Hill

May God bless you abundantly this holiday season!

Copy Editor Jennifer Porterfield

Advertising Sales Mignonne Alman Tel: 865.523.5999 mignonne@binghamgroup.com Subscription or Editorial Inquiries Tel: 865.523.5999 Fax: 865.523.0999 www.monroelifemagazine.com

Lisa Atkins Bingham

The Bingham Group, Inc. 11921 Kingston Pike, Suite 201 Knoxville, Tennessee 37934 www.binghamgroup.com www.monroelifemagazine.com

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MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

Rustic Living for the Holidays Written By Emily Walls

Photography By Tammy Lee

W

alking into Brenda McCaslin’s cozy home at Christmastime will make you feel like you have stepped back in time to a more simple and primitive era. The wood and logs that line the home from the floor to the ceiling have been carefully designed and laid out by McCaslin herself. In fact, many of the wood casings, cabinets, cupboards and other woodwork throughout the home were crafted and built by Brenda.

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MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

McCaslin designed her entire home, both the exterior and the interior. For years, she worked for a builder remodeling and designing homes. She also took many classes in the past to perfect her undeniable natural talent, and she carried out all of her design skill and building expertise by creating her beautiful home that immediately transports guests back in time. Inside the home, it feels as if you have stepped into a log cabin, but the outside of the home was designed and built with antique bricks. From the bricks on the exterior of the home to each carefully placed decoration in every

corner of her home…it is all antique and all meticulously decorated throughout.

Following in her father’s footsteps, McCaslin has a great love for collecting beautiful antiques and has been a collector for 50 years. She has a passion for finding unique and timeless pieces to adorn her home, and her favorite places to buy antiques are in Ohio and Indiana, although she collects them from all over the South, as well. At Christmastime in particular, she pulls out all of her favorite timeless treasures, but the decorations she loves most were from her father’s

Brenda has a large collection of antique wooden mortar and pestles as well as many other antique dishes and cookware.

beautiful antique ornament collection.

They bring back special memories of days gone by.

Perhaps one of the most unique features of the home is that in all of the living areas on the main floor, all modern appliances and electronics have been covered by cupboards, furniture or feed sacks that serve as curtains, handcrafted by McCaslin herself. She wanted to keep the primitive feel of the home as much as possible.

From a tree full of age-old ornaments to delicately placed reindeer and fresh evergreen branches, this home is as wonderful and inviting as the person who created and designed it. The McCaslin home is where your “troubles will seem miles away� at Christmastime and throughout the year.

This dining area is on the bottom floor of the McCaslin home. She has over 100 antique wooden bowls in her house that she has personally collected.

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MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

Breezeway between house and garage on the third floor.

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PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014 FROM 9:30 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. FOR OUR HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE! THE TS FOR F I G E U YDAY UNIQ & EVER S Y A D I HOL

ND

SA TRAPP CANDLE FRAGRANCES

GOURMET K ITCHEN & FOODS

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The Robin’s Nest is your place to shop for unique holiday gifts and décor as well as everyday outdoor décor and supplies. We have the essentials you need to make holiday entertaining fun and easy with our gourmet kitchen necessities and specialty foods. We look forward to your visit!

Don’t forget we will continue to offer our painting and stains classes using CeCe Caldwell’s Natural Chalk + Clay paints, stains and finishes. Be sure to call the store today to sign up.

Mention this ad and receive a 10% discount 10

103 E. Morris Street, Sweetwater, TN 37874 | (423) 337-0300 | catherine@robinsneststore.com

MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

Fair Trade & Handmade Items 45 Third World Countries Represented

Do Good, Feel Good, Shop Fair Trade

•Jewelry •Woven Goods •Purses •Table Lenins •Pottery •Musical Instruments

3230 Highway 411 N. Englewood, TN 37329

•Baskets •Shawls & Scarves

WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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The Snowfall Is So Silent 2013 Snow Photography By Robert Burleson Poem by Miguel de Unamuno

The snowfall is so silent, so slow, bit by bit, with delicacy it settles down on the earth and covers over the fields.

The silent snow comes down white and weightless; snowfall makes no noise, falls as forgetting falls, flake after flake.

It covers the fields gently while frost attacks them with its sudden flashes of white; covers everything with its pure and silent covering; not one thing on the ground anywhere escapes it.

And wherever it falls it stays, content and gay, for snow does not slip off as rain does, but it stays and sinks in.

The flakes are skyflowers, pale lilies from the clouds, that wither on earth.

They come down blossoming, but then so quickly they are gone; they bloom only on the peak, above the mountains, and make the earth feel heavier when they die inside.

Snow, delicate snow, that falls with such lightness on the head, on the feelings, come and cover over the sadness that lies always in my reason.

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MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

Since Inception, Click Funeral Homes Has Been Committed to the Highest Degree of Service and Satisfaction. lick Funeral Home was established in 1965 by Glenn Click and his wife Polly. They didn’t have much more than a dream, a prayer and a commitment from the family to do lots of hard work.

Unlick the conventional marketing techniques seen today, Polly and Glenn took to the streets, going door to door to make personal contact with people. They introduced themselves, their new business, and shared their genuine desire to serve the needs of each family. From this simple and honest pledge, Click Funeral Home was born, today’s technology and methodology may have changed, but the pledge has not. Click Funeral Home is an area leader in service and innovation; we offer cremations, pre-planning, natural burials and a concierge service to take care of every detail for you.

Now Offering Celebration of Life Event Facilities!

Every life is precious and deserves to be celebrated! That's why Click Funeral Homes feature Event Centers that provide the perfect location for Celebration of Life Events. Stop by or visit our website and see why Click Funeral Home is the perfect choice for all of your end of life needs.

OUR FIFTH LOCATION NOW OPEN IN LOUDON LENIOR CITY: 865.986.8013 • KNOXVILLE: 865.671.6100 • HARDIN VALLEY: 865.694.3500 • TELLICO VILLAGE: 865.458.6767

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423.884.CARE (2273)

www.vonoredental.com Eric Fugate, D.D.S. • Jerry Johnson, D.D.S. WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

The Perfect Small Town Written By Jessica Morgan Historic Downtown Sweetwater plays host to the Small Town Christmas event every November on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. For 2014, Sweetwater’s Main Street will fill with visitors, performers, vendors, carolers, carriages, elves and wide-eyed children enjoying the jolly streetscape. Enjoy roasting marshmallows and hot chocolate. Send the kids off to the Children’s Gift Shop for lovely gifts for only $1.25 with free gift wrapping! Take a hayride through Historic Sweetwater, or sound the siren on the 1926 Brockway antique fire truck. We will be raffling a huge wagon filled with treasures. Be sure to get in line early for pictures with the big man himself, SANTA! New this year is a Living Nativity, Lighting of the Downtown Christmas Tree at 7 pm and a Christmas Wreath Auction. Sweetwater’s A Small Town Christmas is the perfect setting to kick off your Christmas season.

Sweetwater Main Street Committee sponsors this event in coordination with the Sweetwater Merchants and Property Owners Association and the City of Sweetwater. To volunteer or for more information, contact Jane McGuire at 423-337-5976, or to become a vendor, call City Hall at 423-337-6979.

Saturday, November 29 5–9 PM

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Full Service Home Medical Equipment Provider ACCEPTING MOST INSURANCES

Prescriptions

Bioidentical Hormone Replacment Therapy

Hospice

Pets

Joe Saffles, D. Ph.

Diabetic and High Performance Shoes

Compounding Medical Equipment Diabetic Shoes Smoking Cessation Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Lift Chairs Vaccinations Veterinary Compounding Pre-packaged Medications Cholesterol Screenings Diabetic Screenings Drive-thru Window Ship your packages via UPS Delivery Diabetic Classes Gifts and Cards

Kristi Miller, Pharm. D.

Pediatrics

Brent Hickey, Pharm. D.

510 South Main St. Sweetwater 423-337-7933 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-6pm Saturday 8:30am-1pm

Janet Hicks, D. Ph.

1121 Hwy 411 Vonore 423-884-6274 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-6pm Saturday 8:30am-1pm

Jason Miller, Pharm D.

707 Veterans Memorial Dr. Tellico Plains 423-253-6003 Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-6pm Saturday 9am-1pm

This is a beautiful county we all live in.

We should respect it, keep it clean and recycle.

Wal-Mart is here to be of service to you, the people of Monroe County.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter!

WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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A Voice for the Defenseless: CASA Monroe Brings Hope to Neglected Children Written By Emily Walls

CASA

Monroe is a local non-profit organization in Monroe County that serves as a voice for abused and neglected children in the court system. CASA is an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocates (For Children). The goal of the organization is to support court appointed volunteers to represent children who find themselves in the court system because of abuse or neglect from their parents or guardians.

A CASA volunteer, or simply “CASA,” gathers critical information from the child’s life to be used by the court when deciding the best home for a child where they can thrive and live in safety without fear. CASA is the only non-profit that doesn’t charge a fee to parents or families for their services.

Often times a child represented by CASA Monroe has suffered one or multiple forms of abuse. They are taken from

their home situation, and while they are away, the goal of a CASA volunteer is to gather as much information as they can from the lives of the children and write a report for the judge.

A CASA will experience many aspects of a child’s life. They will interact with their foster parents or guardians, go to their school, talk to teachers, grandparents, family members, therapists, doctors, and anyone who may be in the circle of influence in that particular child’s life in order to supply a wealth of information to the judge that the court wouldn’t normally receive.

Children are often taken out of their homes and placed in several different homes before their case is closed.

Many times, a CASA will be the only constant person a child has in their life when everything around them is changing. A CASA will remain with

the same child until their court case has been closed out. CASAs love to visit their children, and enjoy bringing them an occasional special treat when they visit. They typically stay for an hour with a child in their current home and go back every three to six weeks to ensure everything is going well. In addition, a CASA also helps support the family currently caring for the child by doing things such as helping families apply for TennCare or food stamps.

CASAs are unlike volunteers at other organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, because the overall goal is to be an advocate for the child in court; however, that doesn’t mean there aren’t amazing relationships and bonds created through the process.

The stories volunteers tell about their children are incredibly moving. The following is just one example of a typical case involving two children represented by CASA Monroe:

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Five-year-old, Sarah, and three-yearold, Ashley, were removed from the custody of their father who was a raging alcoholic. One day, a Monroe County Sheriff pulled the father’s car over after noticing the car was weaving and going over the middle line – both children were in the back seat. It was then the Sheriff called the Department of Children’s Services, which then took the girls out of their father’s care. The location of the mother was unknown, as she had left the children right after Ashley, the youngest, was born. The children were placed with their paternal grandmother, and CASA was ordered by the Juvenile Court judge to advocate for the children.

When the grandmother had to go to the hospital because of a heart attack, the children were sent away to an aunt near the Tennessee-Kentucky border. CASA was also there. After several months, the aunt felt it was too emotionally stressful for her to keep the young girls, and so they were placed in foster care. During this time, the father refused to attend drug and alcohol rehabilitation. The stress of moving from place to place was showing in the girls’ behavior.

When Ashley bit one of the foster parents’ children, they asked that the girls be moved. On Christmas Eve day, they were placed in their fourth home 22

MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

since being removed from their father.

They cried and cried, and the new foster parents felt they were disrupting their own children’s enjoyment of Christmas, so that night they were moved to a fifth home.

deplorable conditions, were running and skipping in the yard of their new parents.

The girls ran to their CASA, jumped in her lap and said, “You’ll still be coming to visit us, won’t you?” And, in fact, she still does.

All during this time, the children’s CASA followed them. She brought them Christmas gifts, and when she arrived at their newest foster home, which was out in the country, Sarah said, “We’re so glad you’re here! How did you find us way out here?” Her CASA said, “Honey, I’ll find you wherever you are. Don’t ever worry about that!”

The impact a CASA makes is immeasurable in a child’s life. Children who have endured heart-wrenching abuse and neglect receive a voice — someone who cares for them – in the courtroom.

The CASA visited the children every few weeks, always bringing them a coloring book or puzzle or some little gift. Each time, the girls would run outside, squealing with delight to see her. By this time, the father was in jail for violation of probation, and the foster family was getting very attached to the girls.

In fact, they decided they wanted to adopt them. The father, who somehow knew he was not going to sober up, gave up his parental rights, and through the successful work of the Department of Children’s Services, the children were free to be adopted. Their CASA was invited to a celebration luncheon when the adoption papers were final and the girls, who once lived in great danger and

CASA Monroe is always looking for caring advocates that love children.

Requirements to be a CASA include being at least 21-years-old, passing a background check, and approximately 30 hours of training. CASA volunteers are simply ordinary citizens with extraordinary hearts.

On November 14 & 15, CASA Monroe will be holding its breathtaking, Festival of Trees, at the Tellico West Conference Center. Please mark your calendars to come out and support this wonderful organization. CASA Monroe is dependent upon the generous financial support of private individual, community, and church donors, as well as state funding.

If you would like more information on how you can best support CASA Monroe, contact: Jodi.swiderek@casamonroe.org or call 423-442-2750.

CASA Monroe Presents

Festival of Trees

“THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD”

November 14th & 15th

Festival of Trees Annual Gala Friday, November 14th 7pm-11pm at the Tellico West Conference Center Dinner · Dancing · Live & Silent Auctions · Semiformal Wear

CASA Monroe will be holding its breathtaking, Festival

of Trees, at the Tellico West Conference Center. Please mark your calendars to come out and support this wonderful organization. CASA Monroe is dependent upon the generous financial support of private individuals, community, and church donors, as well as state funding.

If you would like more information on how you can best support CASA Monroe, contact: alisa.hobbs@casamonroe.org or call 423-442-2750.

Tellico West Conference Center · 121 Deer Crossing · Vonore, Tennessee 37885

Santa’s Breakfast Saturday, November 15 th

Santa & Mrs. Claus Arrive on a Fire Truck: 8:30am • Pancake Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus: 8:30am-11am • Browse the Trees & Silent Auction: 11am-6pm Admission: $10.00 for Adults • $5.00 for Children 4-11 • Children Under the Age of 3 are Free • $5 for Adults AFTER Santa’s Breakfast

Trees • Wreaths • Center Pieces & More • Visit with Santa • Children’s Crafts & Activities • Holiday Baked Goods Tellico West Conference Center • 121 Deer Crossing • Vonore, Tennessee 37885

Each wrapskirt is one-of-a-kind!

Completely reversible and with a variety of colorful fabrics in the lower and upper band, each skirt guarantees unique combinations.

We are a Boutique and tanning salon with a Cowgirl air.

If you are looking for a fun, unique place to shop and to tan, then you must come and check us out! We would love to have you as part of our family.

Owners: DeeDee & Cindy

At Farm Bureau, it’s about the lives of our members. That’s why we have service companies to provide you with great deals on everyday purchases and even the bigger ones. Farm Bureau members also have access to great services like: Other benefits include: • 20% discount at Choice Hotels • Farm Bureau Insurance • 10% discount on Enterprise car rentals* • Auto, Home & Life • Discounts at Dollywood, Splash Country and Biltmore* • TRH Health Plans • Discounts on other major electronics, travel, health, security • Farm Bureau Tax Service and apparel products • Tennessee Livestock Producers • $500 Bonus Cash on Eligible Ford, Lincoln, Mercury Models • Identity Theft, Restoration & Consultation * RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY.

MADISONVILLE: 423- 442-2011

•

SWEETWATER: 423-337-9001

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Business Hours

Tuesday-Friday 11am–2am Saturday 11am–3pm Close Sunday & Monday Each day the chef prepairs a Gold Plate feature dish or a soup. These change daily and will be listed on the website, as well as our facebook page, each week.

Reserve Now for Your Holiday Luncheons & Parties!

WEDDINGS, SHOWERS, RECEPTIONS AND PRIVATE PARTIES The Mansion can host up to 60 guests

Check us out on Facebook “The Mansion of Sweetwater”

118 W. North Street Sweetwater, Tennessee 37874

423.351.0080

www.themansionsweetwater.com

LOCATED INSIDE SWEETWATER FLOWER SHOP BEHIND THE POST OFFICE

Why FFCU? Fast, Friendly,

Over Fifty Years Strong!

foothillsfcu.org

Loudon • Lenoir City • Sweetwater As Independent Agents, We Work For You And Not For An Insurance Company.

Holidays are all about traditions, family and the Wonder of the Season…

The Johnson Agency wishes you a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!!

Give us a call and let us work for you.

WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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Military Boys: United in Friendship and in Service to Our Country Written By Emily Walls

A

s we approach Verteran’s Day, we take time to remember those who fearlessly and sacrificially serve our country both in the present and in the past. While we rightfully honor these individuals, sometimes it is easy to forget each person in the military brings their own unique story. They often have a family who loves them, ambition to pursue their dreams, and friendships that are unbreakable, yet they often give up the things they love most to preserve the many freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

The story of Elisha Moser, John Ray Roberts, and Gary Cagle is a story of three Monroe County boys who were all best friends from childhood through adulthood. As they entered high school Cody Moses would also join this strong bond of friends. All four friends currently serve or are going to serve our country in the military when they are deployed.

Their story is one told by their mothers looking back on their childhood and teenage years as they grew up together.

John Ray Roberts and Gary Cagle met when they were young. John Ray’s mother, Robin, babysat Gary Cagle and his brother; however, it was in fifth grade that John Ray, Gary, and Elisha started

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developing an unbreakable friendship.

Scarlett Moser, Elisha’s mom states, “They just clicked from the very beginning and were the best of friends.”

Throughout their school years they always played sports together. The boys played both baseball and football together, and not only were they athletic, but they were also very creative and funny too. John Ray’s mother, Robin, states, “Baseball is what really brought the boys together, but as they got older they loved to make their own movies, and they were so dumb,” she laughs. “I remember a few of the movies they made in high school. They did a Godzilla movie where they were ninjas; they made a Romeo and Juliet movie, and a Bigfoot movie where they spent the entire video trying not to laugh. They were hilarious!”

The boys were always very creative and extraverts. Robin remembers during timeouts while playing travel baseball, the boys would dance and sing on the field to the music playing over the loud speaker.

Elisha and John Ray loved theatre, and were in the school’s “Snoopy” production one year. They even made their own costumes for the performance. Robin

states, “They were always a mess – always into something!”

In high school, they did other things together as well. They worked together at the local A & W, and they served as leaders at Sequoyah High School.

John Ray was President, Gary was Vice President, and Elisha was Treasurer.

They also were great friends with Cody Moses. The four boys spent a lot of time together in high school. Gary recalls they “loved the outdoors, bonfires, and simply spending time in the mountains together.”

As their time in high school drew to a close, they all four felt led in a similar direction. They all wanted to serve in the military in some capacity. Gary remembers always thinking about the military when he was younger.

Belinda Cagle, Gary’s mother, says, “Gary always loved his country and the flag.

Every morning at school, he would raise and lower the American flag at Sequoyah High School. He always had a love for his country, so it wasn’t a surprise to me the path he has chosen. His grandfather was also a POW in the Army. One thing is for sure – I definitely listen to the news a lot

Elisha Moser, son of Peter and Scarlett Moser.

more and pay more attention to what is going on in the world.”

It was after attending the American Legion Boys State that Gary decided he wanted to be an officer in the military and be equipped to lead soldiers. He decided he wanted to go into the military the beginning of his senior year. When John Ray discovered that Gary was going, he wanted more information as well. They both ended up attending and graduating from the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.

Gary states, “It meant so much to have John Ray with me. It was nice having a familiar face helping you along while you are there.” While they were at The Citadel, Elisha took a different route and went to Berea College on a baseball scholarship.

He graduated from Berea College in Kentucky and is now on active duty with the Marines. Their high school buddy, Cody Moses, enlisted in the Air Force right after high school. John Ray is getting ready to attend Southern Seminary working to be a Chaplain in the Army after he graduates.

Today, the boys still keep in touch and are wonderful friends. John Ray Roberts was married over Memorial Day weekend and Elisha, Gary, and Cody were all groomsmen. They continue to keep in touch with one another and share the

laughter, memories, and stories that will be with them for a lifetime.

Cody Moses, son of David and Tina Moses.

Elisha Moser is currently on active duty serving as a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corp. John Ray is a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, but is not active while he is attending Seminary. Gary Cagle is on active duty and is also a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army and a Platoon Leader of the 690th Medical Company (Ground Ambulance), and Cody Moses is a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force on active duty.

As these four friends who have shared life together continue on different paths, they are united in their friendship, their memories, and their desire to sacrificially serve our great nation.

Left to Right: John Ray Roberts, son of Jeff and Robin Roberts, and Gary Cagle, son of Belinda Cagle and the late Ted Cagle, at their Graduation weekend from Army Bootcamp.

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Sweet Soles

Contributes to the Revitalization of Main Street America Sweet Soles, a women’s shoe boutique, opened in September in Sweetwater.

It was the work of many creative hands according to the owner, Mary Miller.

Just six short months ago, Mary met Amy Bray, an entrepreneur in the shoe industry. Interested in opening another independent shoe boutique in a small, Main Street town, Mary asked Amy to be on the lookout for a charming spot with a fabulous women’s boutique nearby, small eateries, a few good antiques stores and lovely tree-lined streets...then they laughed and agreed that this vision no longer exists...or does it? A few weeks later, on a business trip, Amy met Brenda Bryan, owner of The Lily Pad, a landmark destination for women’s apparel. After a wonderful afternoon of chat and shop, Brenda took Amy next door to reveal a beautiful 19th century space with an exposed brick wall that had once, long ago, been a thriving mercantile…and the rest, dear reader, is history. With phone calls flying, a charming shoe store was born right next door to a very unique and quite famous ladies’ boutique, right in the heart of a small town with tree-lined streets, antiques stores, an authentic hardware store and several delightful eateries.

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Handmade shoes and jewelry, home decor and handbags are just a few of the treasures you will find when you shop at Sweet Soles.

Renee joined Mary and created the overall vision for the store with custom platforms and lovely pieces of furniture that were handcrafted specifically for the space. They used wire spools, tobacco boxes, and other local items that give a nod to the past and present success of the town of Sweetwater.

“Open for readings and small private functions, Sweet Soles is the perfect location for that special event that includes after hours shopping!”

Mary and her husband, Dave, moved to Sweetwater, lock, stock and barrel, and worked with Renee Fisher on the interior of Sweet Soles. Renee is not only the key figure in creating the look of the store, she designed and built with her family the cabinetry and logo elements, the beginnings of a family business. In fact, the furnishing and decor are also her concept and part of the lifestyle intention of Sweet Soles.

Look for arT by Fisher when you come to visit Sweet Soles to see hand-designed necklaces featuring antiques keys and African trade beads among other creations.

More than your typical shoe store, Sweet Soles offers unique shoes and

boots with comfort features and an emphasis on style. You will see brands that will surprise you. You will also find beautiful handbags, beauty bits, home decor and menswear. Most of the accessories come from small vendors who produce their wares in the Southeast. “We like to know who we work with,” says Mary, “and be able to pick up the phone and talk to another owner of a small company.” The trend to return to family-run businesses and living local in every sense of the word is not a dream but a dream come true.

211 North Main Street, Sweetwater, TN 423-371-4042 www.sweetlifeonmainstreet.com

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The Ultimate in Holiday Shopping at The Lily Pad Boutique

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ocated in the beautiful Sweetwater Valley, about halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, lies the historic and quaint little town of Sweetwater. A shopper’s delight, whether it’s antiques, art, apparel, shoes or home decor that appeals to you, you’ll find shopping a pleasure when you park and stroll around the lovely downtown area.

The Lily Pad Boutique, a ladies clothing store, is celebrating its 36th year in business, with customers enjoying the fabulous selection of ladies apparel and unsurpassed customer service the store has become famous for.

A new addition you’ll want to visit while in Sweetwater is an upscale shoe boutique, Sweet Soles, which is conveniently located beside The Lily Pad. The two stores complement each other, bringing you ladies’ shopping from head to toe!

Perfect Holiday Fashions • Holiday Gift Certificates • Complimentary Gift Wrap • Beauty and Bath Bits • Wardrobing and Make-Up by Renee • Menswear • Boots and Boot Sox • Complimentary Alterations • Accessories Galore • Art by Fisher Home Decor and Jewelry • Infant Gifts • Purses and Day Bling for the Holidays Let your holiday shopping begin in Sweetwater as you experience the unique, fashion forward approach that The Lily Pad and Sweet Soles brings to our area.

Sweetwater Valley Citizens for the Arts

Christmas Home Tour Sunday, December 7th from 3pm - 7pm

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or more than 25 years, “Holiday Home Tour” has marked the beginning of the Christmas Season in Sweetwater. The Tour, which draws guests from the surrounding area as well as Sweetwater residents, is a “peek” into homes that you wish you could visit.

The Tour is only possible because of the generosity of our homeowners. Historic homes, such as the Gutherie Home, the two Patton Homes (Sr. and Jr.), the Biggs Home (the oldest home in Sweetwater, dating to 1820), the Carriage Home (the former library), the McClain Home, the Bachmann Home and some historic churches, have been opened to the public. In 2010, the relatively new neighborhood of Willow Creek shared with us some of the most elaborate and stunning decorations we have ever seen. Homes in the Gaut Addition and Fairlane Drive were featured in 2012. Have you ever seen rooms with “just a touch of purple” in each? Similarly, an “orphan” home was turned into a Fairyland with a neutral palette throughout and Christmas decorations in white, gold and silver.

It was breathtaking!

In 2013, we featured “Homes Around the Town”, which included those places on our “bucket list” to visit. We are constantly amazed at the warmth of the homeowners, the beauty of their creativity and, in some cases, their choice of restraint. These homes are featured in this publication.

The tour, sponsored by the Sweetwater Valley Citizens for the Arts, will be held Sunday, December 7, 2014, between the hours of 3:00 PM – 7:00PM. The Home Tour is a major fundraiser for the SVCA, which was founded in 1972 and is the state’s oldest arts organization. The SVCA strives to be a facilitator for the ARTS in the community and especially in the schools.

All arts programs provided in the public schools are free of charge to all students.

Tickets are $10.00 and are available at Bobby Todd Antiques and Sweetwater City Hall in downtown Sweetwater. Tickets can also be purchased at the homes on the day of the tour. For more information about these and other scheduled SVCA programs, contact the SVCA office at (423) 337-5976.

The Redbird Tree was done in memory of Joe Anderson’s grandmother, Edna Anderson Watson, who passed away last year. The redbird was her favorite bird. Natural twigs, berries and creatures adorn the tree.

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home. opportunity. possibility. education. home. opportunity. possibility. education. home. opportunity. possibility. ed

Here’s to Another Successful

Photo By Lisa Amos

Celebration of HOPE Balloon Festival!

Written By Clay Carrell Photography By Lisa Amos, Sloan Burton, Ben Gibson and Dustin Hayes

The Second Annual Celebration of HOPE Balloon Festival at Hiwassee College took flight for a second year, bigger and better than ever! Another breathtaking blue sky behind an array of color welcomed the estimated crowd of over 6,000 guests on Saturday, September 20th.

Despite being rained out on the first day, the celebration atmosphere was alive with music, families laughing, children playing and the ever-present whiff of funnel cakes that filled the air. Of course, bringing back the bouncing houses and inflatable obstacle course was a huge hit for the children, as well as the three tethered balloons for the thrill seekers

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wanting to float five stories in a hot air balloon.

The proceeds raised by the Balloon Festival go toward supporting the Hiwassee HOPE Program, a joint effort between Monroe Life and Hiwassee College. The goal of this program is to ensure children have a higher education by offering them HOPE – Home.

Opportunity. Possibility. Education.

Roy Smith returned as the official “balloonmeister” for the event. He invited fifteen new, well-experienced pilots to be a part of this year’s Celebration of HOPE. The pilots involved were from as

close as Tennessee’s own backyard to as far as the great state of Iowa. These balloon pilots have over 150+ years of experience and have flown in remote regions of the world, including Australia and Costa Rica.

Lisa Bingham, Monroe Life publisher and owner of The Bingham Group, generously donated her time, staff and resources to make this event successful.

An adoptive mother of three daughters, Lisa has a heart for children especially those in foster care. It was through her journey to adoption that the idea for the HOPE program came to life. With the support of Hiwassee Board Member

ducation. home. opportunity. possibility. education. home. opportunity. possibility. education. home. opportunity. poss

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home. opportunity. possibility. education. home. opportunity. possibility. education. home. opportunity. possibility. ed

Photo By Dustin Hayes

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS!

Photo By Lisa Amos

and former DCS worker, Ann Barker, and Dr. Tricoli, President of Hiwassee College, they launched a vision to bring hope to children aging out of foster care.

This vision would include an exceptional education where these students can continue to excel in life with the help of support parents, the college and the community. The Hiwassee HOPE program was officially born.

Through hard work and dedication from countless people, this year’s event went on without a hiccup, in spite of a little gift of rain from Mother Nature. A special thanks goes out to all of our sponsors and volunteers from Hiwassee College, 36

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without whose help this event would not have been possible. Preparations are underway for next year’s event.

A HOPEFUL FUTURE Lighting up the night sky with hot air balloons is symbolic. It is a symbol of a community that came together to support something greater. It is a picture of determined students who have been given a new opportunity to grow and achieve their dreams. It is a desire from a college that is ready to love and care for every student that walks through its doors. It is a display of God’s working in every detail into our lives. It is a true Celebration of HOPE that will carry on for years to come.

MasterCraft JTEKT Ed & Janice Stout Kahite Women’s Club Warren & Tallent Carey McHugh Tellico Vacation Rentals Mountain View Cabin Rentals Matlock Tires Madisonville Pedals & Gifts Benton’s Bacon Sweetwater Valley Cheese First Baptist Church of Madisonville Media WIVK WJXB (B97) WJTT - Chattanooga WGSM WATE-TV WBIR-TV WVLT-TV WDEF-TV The Convenience Network Advocate & Democrat Knoxville News Sentinel The Bingham Group Management of Event, All Creative, TV & Radio Commercials

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712 North Main Street Sweetwater, Tennessee 37874

423.337.9203 Sponsored by:

www.crescent-inc.com WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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TELLICO PLAINS Nestled amidst the Cherohala Skyway and Cherokee National Forest, Tellico Plains is a picturesque mountain town offering a variety of local activities and fun-filled events. From kayaking to hiking, camping to boating, the area has so much to offer in the way of outdoor adventures. The town also has plenty of unique places to shop, offering unique gifts, charming souvenirs and plenty of arts and crafts by local artisans. There are also award-winning eateries, charming inns and cabins in which to spend the night and helpful places to receive information on the area. No trip to the mountains or skyway is complete without a stop in Tellico Plains!

DECEMBER 6TH Saturday, 4pm–9pm

Christmas Candlelight Walk

This Christmas event in historic downtown Tellico Plains brings the spirit of Christmas home. All storefronts will be decorated, with many serving Christmas treats inside amid caroling in period costumes.

When you visit Tellico Plains, expect to find smiling faces and excellent service.

Here are some of the shops that make Tellico Plains so unique.

Skyway Realty Land and Homes

Skyway Realty's associates create home and land dreams​for buyers and sellers. For buyers, we hone in on and help you select the places you are most likely interested in buying. Sellers have new dreams we help them find as we sell their current properties. We love being helpers in one of the most important decisions of your lives. We make the real estate experience enjoyable from the first call to the close and enjoy win-win transactions with everyone at the table talking to each other as friends...that's what we all like about Tellico Plains, it’s warm, friendly, peaceful and successful.

Call today 423 253 7100--7770. Email us at info1@tellico-tn.com. We are ready to go. Stop in and see us at our office on the Skyway...where the bears are.

411 Cherohala Skyway, 423.253.7100 www.tellico-tn.com

Tellico Vacation Rentals

The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf is a quaint little bookshop in the Historic District just off the Town Square.

Celebrating 10 years as Monroe County’s only full service bookstore in May 2015, they offer new local history books and gently used books in all categories. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff also offers free out-of-print book searches.

Winter Hours: Thursday–Saturday: 10am-5pm 108 Scott Street, 423.253.3183 www.tellicobookshelf.com

Savor the serenity of your own cabin in the mountains! Choose from one to five bedrooms, sleep from two to ten guests. Select a cabin with a hot tub on the deck, a cozy stone fireplace or a pool table in the game room. Our cabins are ideal for a romantic getaway, a wedding or honeymoon, a family vacation or reunion. With your own kitchen, multiple bedrooms, comfortable living areas and outdoor decks, you’ll find cabin rentals to be a fabulous value for extended vacations for several couples or extended families. Our cabins are private and comfortable, each totally unique.

A change in altitude creates a change in attitude!

206 Cherohala Skyway, 866.253.2254 tvr@tellicovacationrentals.com

MARY’S MADHATTER BOUTIQUE

Come in and escape reality for a few minutes and have fun trying on crazy hats, vintage clothing, wedding gowns and jewelry. Mary opened the shop because she loves to interact with people and enjoys sharing her creativity with others through her collection of vintage hats. Her creative talents can be seen in the great hats she creates and also in beautiful one-of-a-kind wreaths.

Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center

Open: Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am-4pm 507 Veterans Memorial Hwy, 423-253-2623

225 Cherohala Skyway, 423.253.8010 www.tellico-plains.com

The Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains is a “must stop” before starting up the Skyway.

Come by between 9am and 5pm daily for free maps of the Skyway and Cherokee National Forest, Skyway driving conditions and local area souvenirs and gifts. Picnic tables and spotless restrooms are also available, with friendly staff waiting to welcome you with important Skyway and area information!

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Tellico Arts Center

The Tellico Arts Center hosts 79 artists of varied media who reside within 30 miles. Fabric art includes quilts, hand-woven items, hand-knit sweaters and painting on fabric. There are metal works, pottery, beading, wheat weaving, leather works, stained glass, Intarsia, local authors, local music CDs, photography, soaps, candles, paintings and mixed media represented.

113 Scott Street, 423.253.2253

Charles Hall Museum

Charles Hall served as mayor of Tellico Plains for nearly 31 years and has amassed a magnificent collection of historical memorabilia, photos, equipment, guns and so much more. Admission is free, but all purchases made in the gift shop support the museum.

The Good Medicine Cabin

The Good Medicine Cabin is a very unique gift and antique store. We are a small store with a huge variety of items ranging from in-house turquoise and other handcrafted jewelry by Neo, as well as fine art by Neo and other artists, cabin décor, custom-made knives, antique knives, swords, biker gear, vintage leather jackets, American Indian items, pottery and so much more. Our hours can be as odd as some of the items you will find in our store, so before you make the trip from out of town, give us a call at 423-253-2408, or if you are in Tellico Plains, stop by. Our customers are highly valued and always treated with courtesy and respect. We shop the world for you and give you the most unique, rare items at surprisingly low prices. Please do stop by and see us. As a free service to you for shopping with us this Christmas and Holiday season, we will be providing free gift wrapping for purchases made in our store beginning in December. Shipping is also available for items purchased at our store anytime.

9172 New Hwy 68 (next to KramBonz BBQ) 423.253.2408

Open Daily: 10am–5pm 423.253.6767

Tellicafe

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Jenkins Realty is your one-stop source for real estate, covering the counties of Blount, Loudon, McMinn and Monroe. Real estate is one of the most important investments one can make, and Jenkins Realty is your resource for listings, comparative market analyses, free real estate reports and more.

418 Cherohala Skyway, 423.253.6145 www.easttennrealty.com

Vacation Rentals 4U

Vacation Rentals 4U in Tellico Plains offers a wide selection of vacation home options for any mountain getaway experience. Our passion is to provide affordable lodging to families who are wanting to experience a new sense of adventure…from the moment you arrive, you will know you are in the right place! From a romantic hideaway to a cabin for six, we know that there will be something perfect for you.

Come stay with us in East Tennessee and make your own memories in one of our special Vacation Rentals 4U cabins. YES, we are motorcycle and pet friendly!

423.253.6060, www.tnvacationrentals4u.com

The Leudemann family can now boast twenty years and four generations of good service and good food at the county’s only sit-down restaurant employing a certified chef. The Tellicafe is open seven days a week all year round serving lunch and dinner. Our professional staff can easily serve one person or one hundred with friendly, efficient service. Specialties like Fried Green Tomoatoes, Trout Cakes, monthly Prime Rib Weekends and the Sea Food Extravaganza keep customers coming back time after time.

KramBonz BBQ

128 Bank Street, 423.253.2880

9188 New Hwy 68, 423.271.0199

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Jenkins Realty

If you’re looking for some of the best BBQ in Tellico Plains, then head out to KramBonz, located at 9188 New Highway 68. From tender briskets to juicy pulled pork and fall-off-the-bone ribs, KramBonz BBQ is sure to delight even the most discerning palate. The establishment is motorcycle-friendly, open Monday through Thursday from 11am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 9pm and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm.

Scott Street Gallery

A visit to the studio/gallery will find the artist at work painting or carving in wood. Artwork on display in the gallery features flowers, animals, birds, beautiful mountain scenes and more.

The medium varies, but the inspiration is always found in the natural world of God’s creation.

700 Veterans Memorial Dr. 423.253.7677

Tellico Kats Deli

Located on the river with a wonderful view for lunch, Tellico Kats Deli has daily specials as well as homemade salads, goodies and soup. Join them for gourmet coffee or Luzianne iced tea and a friendly hello.

1929 Cherohala Skyway, 423.253.3411 www.tellicokats.com

Crab Trap

Welcome to the Crab Trap, a casual, friendly spot for lunch and dinner, with seafood and lots more!

Fish lovers can select from various crab specialties, as well as shrimp, grouper, scallops, clam strips, catfish, trout and other delights - fried, grilled and other yummy preparations. Watch for live Florida blue crab and seasonal raw oysters too. Brisket and pork are smoked on the premises, served as platters and sandwiches, while burgers and po-boys round out the selections. Check out the homemade new england clam chowder and seafood gumbo, and save room for Crab Trap’s signature homemade key lime pie and cheese cake.

Relax with friends over a frosty mug of your favorite draft or bottled beer, hard cider or hard lemonade, ice cold soda or iced tea. Kids love the hand-breaded white meat Chicken Tenders, Fish Bites and, of course, Cheeseburgers with Fries.

Mud Slinger’s Pottery

For great Christmas ideas, try our hand thrown Bacon Cookers for the microwave, which cooks bacon with very little splatter and is easy to clean up. Another great gift idea is the French butter dish or butter bells. We also have a wide selection of hand thrown mugs and bowls in beautiful colors. We also offer Handbuilding and Wheel Throwing workshops. Fall and Winter hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10-4, weather permitting.

121 Scott Street, 423.253.2400, facebook.

911 Highway 165, 423.253.2323 www.everhart-lumber.com

WiFi available.

111 Main Street Open: May - December, Everyday 11am–9pm; December - April, Everyday 11am– 6pm 423.253.6800

The Outpost Pavilion

Come browse this restored bungalow filled with antiques, or enjoy the colorful array of herbs and perennials in the seasonal gardens. The shop features mission oak and furnishings of the Arts and Crafts period.

Everhart Lumber Company offers wood products from contemporary to rustic styling including wide wood slabs, post and beams, wood flooring and paneling and custom-made cabinets, furniture, millwork and mantels. Everhart’s has created a niche for Extra Wide Wood Slabs from huge trees that are carefully selected for their distinctively unique grain, coloring and textures.

We build magnificent furniture and countertops from reclaimed materials and other sources such as Douglas Fir, Native Hardwoods, Southern Yellow Pine & Western Red Cedar. Please visit our Showroom in Tellico Plains and our online store.

There’s plenty of free parking, and Crab Trap welcomes locals and everyone who loves visiting the area. Be sure to get your photo taken with the Crab Trap Dragon.

109 Scott Street Mudslingerspottery109@gmail.com

Stone Cottage Shops, Gardens & Antiques

Everhart Lumber Company, LLC

The Outpost Pavilion offers a wide variety of choices for food and beverages with both indoor and outdoor seating. Also enjoy choice of draft and bottled beer with our own brewery opening this winter. Biker parking and free WiFi are available, and don’t forget to visit the area info center to help plan your day.

Open: May - November, Every day 11am–9pm; December - April, Thursday - Sunday 11am– 9pm 123 Main Street, 423.253.2322

Mountain View Cabin Rentals

If you’ve ever dreamed of staying in a cabin in the mountains, Mountain View Cabin Rentals has just the spot…all 38 units have unique décor and are located on the beautiful Tellico River, at the top of a hill, in the woods or on a private pond. Amenities include hot tubs, game rooms and grills, with prices starting at $39.95.

Mountain View Cabins is biker friendly and open all year. You are sure to find something to fit your dream and your budget!

133 Rafter Road, 423.519.2000 www.tellicologcabins.com

Katie Lee and Caroline Pennington.

Open House is November 16 from 12pm to 5pm Katie Lee and Caroline Pennington Gillem started out as next door neighbors in 1989, and 25 years later, they’re not only still best friends, but they’re now business partners. The two of them dreamed up their perfect jobs and realized that with both of their creative and business minds, there was no reason they couldn’t just make it happen. Next thing you know, My Kind of Lovely was born.

The two both have a desire to make everything in their lives lovely and knew they could bring just the right amount of

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charm and style to downtown Madisonville!

The store’s quaint and inviting atmosphere is perfect for making anyone feel welcome and is the perfect addition to downtown.

My Kind of Lovely started with Trunk Shows in the area, but with much success in their hometown, the girls decided to open up their first brick and mortar “Pop-Up Shop” right here in downtown Madisonville. The store is primarily women’s clothing and accessories with lots of great gift options. The Pop-Up Shop is scheduled to be open four days a week through the end of November and, beginning December 2, open six days a week.

The two are gearing up for the holiday season with a November open house on Sunday, November 16th. They will be debuting their new holiday pieces and offering shoppers exclusive deals and giveaways to help kick off their holiday shopping.

My Kind of Lovely is downtown Madisonville’s destination for unique, thoughtful and lovely Christmas gifts. Caroline and Katie have you in mind when shopping for their store and want to help make your Christmas shopping a breeze! And if you’re in need of a new holiday dress or festive attire for the season? You have just the place to go, right here in town.

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Kendrick Shope Lives Her Dream Helping Others Pursue Theirs Written By Emily Walls

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eatured on NBC Chicago, in The Advocate, Modern Achiever and other media outlets, Kendrick Shope is not only a highly successful business woman, but she is also a passionate mom and the creator of Authentic Selling. Shope daily pursues her dream of helping other professionals accomplish their greatest career aspirations and realizes anything is possible if you “believe” and are willing to put in the hard work to make dreams become reality.

Kendrick was born and raised in Monroe County and graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1995. She then went to college to study Psychology at the University of Tennessee (UT). She graduated from UT in 1999, and in 2001, she moved to Atlanta and worked in lumber sales.

After being married only 13 months at age 27, Kendrick’s husband, Blake, suffered from multiple strokes. The doctors were unsure if he would make it through the night. He miraculously recovered after receiving an essential drug given within three hours of his stroke that reversed every side effect. For Kendrick, it was a life-changing moment. She was inspired to live every single moment to the fullest, because she realized no one is promised tomorrow. It was an “ah-ha” moment for her as she looked at her life and said,

“We aren’t promised we are going to live another day, and here I am in sales, and I don’t enjoy it.” She knew there had to be more to life, and she was motivated to go on a journey to discover her ultimate passion, but as the years passed, she still found herself in the same routine.

Fast forward seven years, and Kendrick had moved from Atlanta to Chicago, where she worked as a pharmaceutical sales rep at a Fortune 500 Company. She had a daughter named Halianna, and she recalls always telling her daughter she could be anything she wanted to be if she just “believed.” It was at this moment she realized she was telling her daughter she could be anything she wanted to if she just believed, but she was working a job she didn’t love and didn’t “believe” in herself. So Kendrick went through Martha Beck Life Coach Training to help her begin a path to achieve her career dreams.

Beck is a well-known, best-selling author and weekly contributor to The Oprah Magazine. Kendrick trained for six months and is now a coach, as well. A year later, she decided to quit her pharmaceutical sales job, where she was one of the company’s top sales professionals, to create her dream job. She wanted to get paid for doing a job she loved and cared about. Through a lot of hard work and determination, she has proven that

it’s never too late to give up on your dreams and follow wherever they lead.

Kendrick states, “I want to help people follow their dreams and help them realize you don’t have to be an icky, sleazy, slimy sales person to succeed in business. You can be authentic.” Shope assists professionals with how to have sales conversations, how to follow up, how to start and run a business, what your web presence needs to look like and a wealth of other topics.

Today, Kendrick hosts her own online TV Show, K TV, where she inspires thousands of people across the globe.

Her desire is to help business leaders pursue and follow their dreams, just as she did. Kendrick now lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, with Blake and Halianna. She is an inspirational speaker and has spoken to companies such as Colgate, Ruby Tuesday and Eli Lilly.

When her daughter looks at her now, she can honestly say, “Mommy’s job is to help other people pursue their dreams,” and she does it with passion.

To learn more about Kendrick Shope and Authentic Selling, visit: kendrickshope.com.

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Tuesday: 11:30am - 5:00pm | Wednesday—Saturday: 10:00am - 5:00pm | Sunday—Monday: Closed

Sweetwater’s Gallery on Main Gifts and Fine Art

Featured Artist: Cherokee Jingles

Our gallery supports more than 30 local artists.

We have many kinds of art, such as wood turning, pottery, ceramics, oil paintings, acrylic paintings, colored pencil works, and hand crafted jewelry, just to name a few. We would welcome the opportunity to deliver to you some of the best art works in East Tennessee.

This photo was taken at a Cherokee Pow Wow the young girl told me the story of how her grandfather told that the jingles skirts during the trail of tears march were made from tobacco tins that were dropped by the British and American soldiers. He said if she was going to make a jingle dress she had to use something related to tobacco that would jingle. This is a close up of her skirt on which she attached rolled snuff can lids to create the jingle she wanted to achieve and also kept with the tradition of the tobacco related item.

Sweetwater Gallery on Main | 109 E. Morris St. | Sweetwater, TN 37874 | 423.337.7400

Don’t Miss Our Christmas Open House!

Saturday, November 1st from 9am-6pm Sunday, November 2nd from 1pm-5pm

4751 New Hwy 68 | Madisonville, Tennessee 37354 | 423.420.6488 | 423.420.6499 | www.blairsbokayflorist.com WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015 MONROE LIFE

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Frerichs Sawmill of Coker Creek Written By Marvin Harper

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Left: Wayford Frerichs with son Rodney and daughter Marsha in the early 1940s. Right: Shaiden Frerichs, a fourth generation family member, inspects a D-log coming off the planer ready to go into a log home.

In an industry that has left many others wondering just what happened, Frerichs Sawmill has defied the odds. In 1953, Wayford Frerichs bought a portable sawmill and went to work making usable lumber out of trees harvested in the woods of southern Monroe County. As his son Terry explains, his dad had been a timber cutter by trade and just plain liked working around wood.

And more importantly, Wayford Frerichs (pronounced Frays) didn’t care for the farming life he was born into.

Twenty-five years after Wayford’s death, Terry and his brother Rodney still operate the mill bearing the family name, but it hasn’t always been easy. “Twenty years ago, we probably had 10 mills within an area of 50 miles, and up until last year,

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it was down to three mills,” said Terry.

“There are very few mills left now.” The downturn in the housing industry and the decreased demand for wood during the housing crisis 10 years ago certainly played a role, but the Frerichs brothers have been able to rise above the hardships every step of the way. When the home market turned sour between 2000 and 2005, they switched gears from selling logs for log home kits to selling direct. They also eventually began selling their own complete log home packages, which contained all the wood components needed to construct a log home, from floor to rooftop. The buyer would provide windows, doors and everything else needed to complete the home. “At our peak, we were running about 80 homes a year and delivering them

to three states around the Southeast,” says Terry.

When hard times hit again three years later with the full-blown collapse of the housing market, there was a glut of log homes on the market with no one buying. Frerichs Sawmill went from selling eighty homes a year to five. True to form, the brothers adapted. Their new customer base became professional home builders and do-it-yourselfers.

And while log home packages continue to be an important part of the business, the function of a traditional sawmill goes on. The mill still turns out cut lumber for standard home construction as well as a variety of specialty wood products.

The sawmill has also adapted by entering

Dried and seasoned rough-sawn wood awaits its turn to be milled into finished lumber.

into the hardwood market, selling three different grades of oak, pine (specifically white pine), yellow pine, cherry, hickory and walnut. They even sell poplar, largely to export companies. “Nothing is wasted,” Terry points out. “Almost 99 percent of the wood is used for something.” The “residue”, or leftovers, from the actual milling process include vast piles of mulch sold to the gardening and landscape industries, sawdust sold for use in chicken houses and wood shavings sold to stable owners. “I’m still trying to find a way to sell the dust,” says Terry with a grin.The chipper turns otherwise unusable pieces of wood into 2-inch blocks that can be burned as fuel.

Some of the chips are sold to a nearby paper mill, while Maryville College uses the chips to power their boilers to heat the buildings. The college burns up to a tractor trailer load a day from the Frerichs mill during the winter.

While a large inventory of logs and some inventive ways to sell them off put the

Frerichs family in the log home business, the brothers were busy doing other things with the mill and their personal lives to ensure their father’s dream would live on.

Terry married his wife, Gayle, who now serves as office manager and bookkeeper, working in an office appropriately housed in a cabin at the mill. Their daughter, Holly, is a college Junior.

Rodney, 64, and his wife, Cathy, now have three children, eight grandchildren and two great grand-children. One son and a grandson currently work at the mill. Frerichs has always been a family affair. Terry and Rodney worked at the mill as teenagers while attending schools in Coker Creek and Tellico Plains. “Rod and I had always worked at the mill, and when my dad passed away, we of course just continued on,” explains Terry. The business has grown to 12

employees now and includes 15 pieces of heavy diesel equipment and eight trucks.

Rodney heads a three-man crew of loggers in the field, while Terry handles the day-to-day operations at the 100-acre mill site off Hwy. 68 in Coker Creek.

A worker prepares to send freshly cut slabs of wood to the trimmer.

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Terry Frerichs, left, and brother, Rodney.

Shaiden Frerichs turns out a finished D-log used in log home construction.

And the mill has drawn the interest of both the University of Tennessee and Hiwassee College. Both schools send students and teachers to the mill each summer, where Terry hosts tours as part of their continuing education programs.

Terry and Rodney are both passionate about the business. “I’m one of those people who don’t mind getting up to go to work,” says Terry. “I enjoy doing this because we take a raw product, and we make something out of it. And it’s a renewable product.” And of the business, Rodney simply says, “I love it.” And with a grin, he adds, “I’ve been doing it for 46 years, so I have to like it.” And just like his dad, he says, “I love being in the woods.” And when asked what his father, Wayford, would think of what he and Terry have done with the family business, Rodney replies, “He would be real proud of both us boys. I think he would be smiling down from Heaven seeing all we’ve accomplished.

I’m very thankful.”

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Wayford Frerichs, left, and son Terry shown in the early 1980s.

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Making A Positive Impact In Our Community Written By Emily Walls

E

ast Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is a public, non-profit, community foundation established in 1987 that assists financial donors by providing a simple and personal way to make charitable contributions in order to make a positive impact in the community they care about most. They help donors manage and invest their assets and then award grants and scholarships to designated organizations across 25 East Tennessee counties.

ETF has an affiliate fund in Monroe County that utilizes the charitable contributions given in our county and distributes those funds with the assistance of an advisory board made up of members who live and work in Monroe County. This board determines the local organizations and people that will be receiving grants and scholarships from ETF. This year, many organizations received grants from the John D. Grubb and Louise G. Sumner Fund for Monroe County. This fund was established in 1998 through the charitable giving of Grubb and Sumner, both Monroe County natives, who desired to build a brighter future for the people who lived in the place they called home. Many organizations have been transformed through the generous donors who have

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Photography By Tammy Lee

given to ETF over the years, including Branches of Monroe County (BoMC).

BoMC has opened Branches Refuge, the first and only domestic violence emergency shelter in Monroe County.

BoMC Executive Director, Denise Hill, states, “We are so thankful for the impact that ETF has had on our organization.

The grants received from ETF in the past have helped us pay for staff and volunteer training expenses as well as many critical items needed for Branches Oaks’s transitional living program. This year, the money was used to help with security and surveillance systems at Branches Refuge. This will help abused women and children transition from a crisis situation to independence safely.” Over the last five years since they opened, they have served over 100 families. Branches assists women fleeing domestic violence with employment, life skills training, safety plans, budgeting and parenting skills, as well as helping their children get back into school.

Each organization supported by ETF and the Monroe County funds has a story of how lives are transformed, but it is not only organizations that receive support, but also individuals. One anonymous

scholarship recipient states, “Funding of my college education was going to be a hard task to accomplish for my family. I am striving to become the first person in my family to receive a college education. Through obtaining a degree in Ruminant Nutrition, not only will I be able to pursue a rewarding career, but I can also help farmers feed their livestock to feed a hungry world. By investing my time and energy into academic training, I can make a difference on our family farm and influence the future of the agriculture industry.”

Jonathan Hicks was a recipient of this year’s John D. Grubb and Louise G. Sumner Scholarship as well as the Craighead Limestone Scholarship, both administered through ETF. Hicks is now a senior at Middle Tennessee State University and is a Recording Industry major with an emphasis in audio production and a minor in music.

In his college career, he has worked as an intern with a Billboard chart topping record label based in Los Angeles, a Grammy winning music publisher based in New York City and Nashville and a gold and platinum record producer in Atlanta–three separate

From Left to Right: Trudy Hughes is ETF’s Director of Regional Advancement, Patsy Carson, Chair of the Grubb-Sumner Fund for Monroe County Advisory Board, was hostess for the event and is an ETF board member from Monroe County, Jonathan Hicks, Kim Hicks and Alisa Hobbs of CASA Monroe.

Jonathan Hicks opportunities he earned while a full-time college student.

At only 21 years old, Jonathan has had the privilege of working as an assistant engineer on two records that have charted the Billboard 200, a feat that many go entire careers without achieving. He gives a great deal of credit to the East Tennessee Foundation for his success.

He says, “East Tennessee Foundation has been an enormous contributor to my success in both academia and my career.

Their continued support is a blessing to which I am eternally grateful. My story is unusual. I have abandoned the pathways of security and normality in an effort to make my wildest dreams become reality and hopefully make the world a better place in the process. Frankly, the only reason I don't crash and burn daily is that I have the support of some outstanding people such as East Tennessee Foundation.”

Kim Hicks, Jonathan’s mother, is so grateful not only for what they have done for her son, but also what they have done for Madisonville Library in previous years.

For the last 15 years, Kim has worked as Director of the Madisonville Library.

The funds the library received last year from ETF helped them provide food

for “Friends of the Library”, who are volunteers that assisted with fundraising efforts for the new library. For over a decade, they have used these funds from ETF to help distribute 7,000 books every year to non-profits like the Boys and Girls Club, local daycares and other organizations that look out for the interests of children. It has been a tremendous need filled every year for the library.

In this edition of Monroe Life, you can also read about CASA Monroe, an organization that also receives funding from ETF’s Monroe County Funds. The stories are countless of the lives changed through the help of generous donors that give to ETF. Since 2001, more than 200 grants and scholarships have been awarded to deserving and worthwhile projects and students…totaling more than $680,000 that have positively impacted the lives of many Monroe County children, adults and families!

Following is a list and brief description of the organizations that will be impacted in 2014 and how they will use their funds from ETF in the coming year:

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Monroe County non-profit organizations’ leaders and community volunteers gathered at a reception honoring the Grubb and Sumner Fund for Monroe County grant and scholarship recipients. Those in attendance enjoyed learning about the good work being done to make life better in Monroe County.

Boys and Girls Club of the Monroe Area The Healthy Habits program will promote health and wellness for Club members.

Fort Loudoun Association Several new educational exhibits will be added to the museum and to the reconstructed fort.

Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service The Homemaker Program will assist the elderly and persons with disabilities with their daily activities.

Branches of Monroe County (BoMC) BoMC is preparing for the opening of the first and only domestic violence shelter in Monroe County.

Good Shepherd Center The heating and cooling initiative will benefit clients who lack the funds to efficiently heat and cool their homes.

Sequoyah Birthplace Museum A free Sunday lecture series will be offered in March, and Cherokee Heritage Days will be hosted for local schools.

CASA Monroe Volunteers will be recruited and trained to advocate for abused and neglected children.

Hiwassee College The Hiwassee College Lecture Series will host events and speakers.

City of Sweetwater A downtown depot replica is being built to house a visitor’s center and museum exhibits.

LifeSigns.us The W.O.R.T.H. Program will provide coaching in career, life, financial and literacy skills for women facing financial and other challenges.

Coker Creek Economic Development Group Support will be provided for operating the Coker Creek Welcome Center and for cultural events.

Monroe Area Council for the Arts Artists will provide children with instruction in music, dance, performance and other art forms at summer art camps.

Douglas-Cherokee Economic Authority The Monroe County Neighborhood Center will assist low-income households with garden supplies, school supplies, fans/air conditioners and emergency services.

Douglas-Cherokee Economic Authority The Senior Nutrition Program at Cora Veal Senior Center will help meet the social and nutritional needs of elderly people.

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Monroe County Board of Education A Calculator Lending Library will provide high school students in need with graphing calculators.

Monroe County Senior Citizens & Friends Low-income seniors will participate in the “Physical Fitness for All” program at Cora Veal Senior Center.

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee The “Food for Kids” program will provide children at risk of hunger with backpacks containing supplemental food.

Spay/Neuter Assistance for Pets A multi-year spay/neuter project will ultimately reduce the number of animals euthanized at the Monroe County Animal Shelter.

Sweetwater Valley Citizens for the Arts Students will work with artist Alfredo Escobar to paint a school wall mural of comic strip characters.

Tellico Boxing Club Area youth will be provided with opportunities to participate in the sport of boxing.

Tennessee Valley Coalition to End Homelessness Information about Monroe County’s homeless individuals and families will be entered into a federal database system.

United Way of Monroe County The Monroe Area Services Guide will be updated, printed and distributed.

From Left to Right: Sherri Alley, Vice President of Advancement of East Tennessee Foundation, Wanda Littreal of Grubb & Sumner Fund for Monroe County Advisory Board and Dr. Anthony Tricoli, Executive Director of Boys and Girls Club of Monroe County.

These brief descriptions provide insight into the tremendous impact ETF is having in Monroe County. Almost $75,000 was distributed to these local organizations this year to help aid them in their organizational mission.

East Tennessee Foundation is an amazing organization that is transforming Monroe County for the good of its people now and for generations to come. The John D. Grubb and Louise G. Sumner Fund for Monroe County helps better our community, and East Tennessee Foundation stands ready to facilitate by providing multiple options for supporting current and future Monroe County needs. ETF can accept gifts of many assets of value, and you can make a contribution online at EastTennesseeFoundation.org or by mailing a check made payable to Fund for Monroe County to the following address:

Sherri Alley with Jackie Lane, Vice President of Communications of East Tennessee Foundation.

East Tennessee Foundation 625 Market Street, Suite 1400 Knoxville, TN 37902 For more information, please contact Trudy Hughes at 524-1223 or by e-mailing her at thughes@etf.org.

Burt Lee from Norman Lee Real Estate shaking hands with Trudy Hughes, Director of Regional Advancement of East Tennessee Foundation.

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Patsy Carson’s Valentine’s Day Dinner Benefitting the Boys & Girls Club of Monroe Written By Jennifer Porterfield

Photography By Tammy Lee

Charitable donations can take many forms, from money to time spent helping those in need. For several years now, Patsy Carson has chosen to donate both her time and resources to provide a delightful Valentine’s Dinner to a lucky group of auction winners.

It all begins at the annual Boys & Girls Club of the Monroe Area Gala, where invitations to the dinner are auctioned off, usually to a group of around eight or so people. Proceeds for the auction benefit this very worthy organization, which provides a safe and supportive environment for the children and youth of the Monroe County area.

The winners of the auction are in for a treat thanks to Patsy’s graciousness and skill as both host and cook. She decorates for the occasion, offering up an elegantly-appointed table with festively pink and red flowers and traditional table settings. Candles adorn the table, setting the mood for a romantic evening and delectable meal shared with loved ones and friends.

Though typically held on Valentine’s Day, the dates can be flexible, as can the meal served. The feast usually includes medallions of pork or beef, a vegetable, sometimes a sorbet between the salad and main course and the dessert. However, due to dietary restrictions of a couple in the

last group of winners, Patsy also served a succulent salmon. Dr. Jim Dash, Treasurer of the local Boys & Girls Club, has been on the “insider end” of this event for the past three or four years, and he says he’s never been disappointed. According to Dr. Dash, “Patsy’s a marvelous cook, and her presentation’s just simply wonderful.”

Patsy’s dedication to providing a lovely environment for her guests is unmistakable, yet she remains humble about her contributions. The true spirit of the event lies in the charity it benefits – the Boys & Girls Club. Keep an eye out for dates for the 2015 Gala; perhaps you could be the next lucky winner of this Valentine’s Day feast!

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Sharon Lee:

Madisonville Native Becomes Chief Justice Some people spend their lives simply living. Others choose to dedicate their lives to serving. Chief Justice Sharon Lee is one such person, and she is an inspiration to all who call Monroe County home.

Sharon Lee’s story began in Madisonville, where her mother worked as the Clerk and Master for 38 years. Lee grew up running around the hallways of the courthouse, where she saw lawyers in action and first gained an interest in the law. In 1978, she graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and began practicing in her hometown. After a quarter-century of service, she became Judge of the City of Madisonville, moving to the Tennessee Court of Appeals in 2004. In 2008, she achieved the status of Tennessee Supreme Court Judge before realizing the top honor of Chief Justice on September 1, 2014.

But Chief Justice Lee’s life has not been only about law. In fact, she has dedicated an enormous amount of time to serving her community. She’s been involved with a broad range of organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Monroe County, YWCA Knoxville, East Tennessee Historical Society and others.

As a result of her service to the community, she’s been the recipient

of many awards. These include the William E. Barber Equal Access to Justice Award, the Lizzie Crozier French Women’s Leadership Award (East Tennessee Women’s Leadership Council), Women of Achievement Award (Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachia), Spirit of Justice Award (East Tennessee Lawyer’s Association for Women) and the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. She has also been recognized as a YWCA Knoxville Tribute to Women honoree and named as one of the YWCA Very Remarkable Woman for more than three decades running.

Clearly, Chief Justice Lee is dedicated both to her profession and to her community. But of all her accomplishments, Lee has two she considers to be her proudest – her daughters, Sarah and Laura. At her induction ceremony, she made sure to introduce and thank them for their unwavering support and said she couldn’t ask for better daughters. She also thanked her mother, Judy Lee, and her late father, Charles, among other family members and those who have worked with and for her.

At the ceremony, which took place in downtown Knoxville, Mayor Madeline Rogero provided an introduction, with Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam performing the oath of office and

Rep. Jimmy Matlock and Rep. John Forgety presenting her with a Legislative Proclamation.

Governor Bill Haslam swearing Chief Justice Sharon Lee into office.

providing some amusing stories about Lee, as well. He should know quite a few – Governor Haslam and Chief Justice Lee have been friends over 40 years! According to Haslam, Chief Justice Lee “truly is a person of wisdom, but more impressive than that, she’s a person, to me, of compassion and humility, and she works hard to get it right. Because of that, she will serve this court very, very well.” Representative John Forgety, who also spoke, noted that there are only two people who outrank the Supreme Court Justice – the governor… and her mother.

Lee realizes that Chief Justice is not just a title but also “an incredible

opportunity to lead and serve the judiciary and all of Tennessee.” When she was growing up in Monroe County, she never imagined one day serving as Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court…and she jokingly added there were probably many lawyers in the county who felt the same way. But through her own hard work and the support of her family, she was able to attain this highly important position of responsibility.

With this powerful title will come a push for change. Lee has much she hopes to accomplish to ensure her department operates efficiently and effectively. She intends to implement more advanced technology, including

electronic filing systems so the court systems can be available 24/7. She also intends to continue supporting the Access to Justice program, which focuses on ways we can better serve those are unable to afford a lawyer.

Chief Justice Lee believes it is essential that each day we be good and decent citizens, and she intends to make the best of her new role. Given Lee’s track record through her decades of service, she is sure to continue to be a blessing both to the court and to her community. She truly is a steward of the State of Tennessee and a testament to her hometown of Madisonville.

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Hiwassee College Equine Instructor, Kara Graham, Wins 2014 Lite Shod World Grand Championship Written By Emily Walls

his year, Hiwassee College equine instructor and Monroe County native, Kara Graham, took home first place in the Lite Shod World Grand Championship at the 76th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration held in South Central Tennessee. This event takes place over the course of eleven days preceding Labor Day, and it is held to recognize the most elite Tennessee Walking Horses. Kara’s horse is named “Simple Lee Dangerous” and won not only the Lite Shod World Grand Championship, but also one additional World Grand Championship and three World Championships throughout the eleven-day show. As a winner, her horse

T

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received a neck of roses, and she took home a medal, a trophy and best of all – a championship title.

Kara has grown up around horses her entire life. As a little girl, her family would trail ride, but it was in 4th grade, when she became part of 4-H, that her love for horses really grew. She had gone to horse shows throughout her life, so winning a show was an amazing feeling for her. Graham attended Hiwassee College and studied Equine Management Training, graduated and now works as a riding instructor at Hiwassee, equipping students as they pursue their career dreams.

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GREAT FUTURES START HERE... Just Ask Dr. Anthony Tricoli

I

s it just a slogan, or is it true? Do great futures really start with the Boys & Girls Club? You don’t have to wonder too long about the answer to that question. Just walk through the doors of the Boys and Girls Club of the Monroe Area, and ask the Club’s President/CEO Dr. Anthony Tricoli how his life was transformed when he joined the Boys Club in Fullerton, California, in 1964.

“I loved my Club, it was a safe place. At nine years old, I was accepted instantly by the staff and the other children. I learned how to swim at the Club and the importance of staying healthy.

What was the greatest help to me, however, was the assistance I received on my homework and study skills development. Four decades later, I became a college president. I guess all of that work paid off! All in all, the Boys Club was a wonderful experience for me,” said Anthony.

In 1964, Dr. Anthony Tricoli’s family moved from Pennsylvania to California, the land of opportunity. In just a couple of years, Anthony’s father fell ill.

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Unfortunately, his illness and recovery were much more challenging than the family anticipated. “Ultimately, we found ourselves out of the house and into the family car for a period.” The family of five ultimately drove back across the country and lived for several months in a 10-foot-long trailer. “Well, I guess the price was right,”said Anthony.

Fast forward a handful of years, the family is back in California and Anthony attends and graduates from high school (the first in his family to do so) and then goes on to college. Over the next ten years, he completes degrees at Golden West College, Whittier College, the University of Redlands and then he earns his doctorate degree at Pepperdine University. His career spans 35 years, and his experience ranges from a unified school district to aerospace to higher education and the Boys & Girls Club.

To say this former member of the Boys Club in Fullerton, California, has been successful in his life and career would be a massive understatement.

When asked, what’s next, Anthony smiles and replies, “I would love to

help eliminate generational poverty among the children who are members of this Boys & Girls Club here in Tennessee’s Appalachia.”

In the short time he’s been the President/CEO of this Club, Anthony has focused on the three pillars of the Club (academics, leadership & character development, healthy living & lifestyles). He has also opened a new Club site in Coker Creek, partnered with Hiwassee College’s Dental Hygiene program staff and he is in the midst of gathering partners for the Appalachian Youth Partnership, which will bring college students to the Club for volunteer and service activities.

Board Chairman, Paul Willson, said, “Anthony’s ability to understand issues through his heart is tremendous, his empathy toward our children is heartwarming, his knowledge of budgets and fundraising is superior and his ability to get others around him excited about the work of the Club is infectious.” We are fortunate indeed to have this former Boys Club member as our CEO today.”

Help the Boys & Girls Club Change Lives: Nearly twenty years after its founding, the Boys & Girls Club of the Monroe Area can lay claim to changing the lives of thousands of children for the better.

On December 22, 1995, approximately 20 members from Madisonville, TN, gathered to talk about how they could improve the lives of children from this small Appalachian Range community.

Since that time, the Boys & Girls Club of the Monroe Area has grown by leaps and bounds, providing children in our region with quality after-school care, including help with homework, healthy meals and important life lessons.

This year, the Club implemented two new programs: 1) Read Aloud Literacy Program and 2) The Community Garden – From Farmer to Philanthropist.

Read Aloud Literacy Program: Did you know that reading to children at an early age and then allowing them to read for 20 minutes a day will greatly enhance our children’s overall academic success?

Dr. Anthony Tricoli, the Club’s CEO, shared some of the benefits of a Read Aloud Program: “A Read Aloud

program enables us to help children to strengthen their listening and comprehension skills. We can help children to increase their vocabulary and the use of words by hearing those words used in context. We can help children to improve their memory and language skills as they hear various writing styles and begin to paraphrase their understanding. We can help children to gain information about the world around them that they might not otherwise hear about. We can help children to begin to develop an individual interest in a broad array of subjects or topics and can thus further develop their imagination and creativity, which could also lead to strengthening the inquiry skills we all need.”

Consider visiting the Boys and Girls Club of the Monroe Area and read a book to a child. Here are a few ideas from Dr. Anthony Tricoli to help you in selecting what book to bring: “Young children sometimes find it difficult to separate fact from fiction, so be careful to select a book with the most accurate information. Select a book based upon a specific purpose. Remember that the Boys & Girls Club focuses our

work on strengthening good decision making, building character, improving education, in helping children to make good life decisions and on creating and living by healthy habits. Select a book that would encourage questions and engagement between the children and yourself. Think about connections to other literature and to the genre topic of the Club’s work. “ From Farmer to Philanthropist, the Community Garden Project at the Boys & Girls Club: We’ve all heard that kids who grow vegetables eat more vegetables. One day during a visit to one of the Club sites, Dr. Tricoli brought a sack of vegetables to the Club for props in a discussion with the children. He held up a green pepper and asked, “What is this?” A child responded, “A tomato.” He then held up a carrot and asked, “What is this?”

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A child responded, “A pepper.” He then asked, “Where do these come from?” A child responded, “Walmart.” So started Dr. Tricoli’s mission to create vegetable gardens at each of the Club’s seven sites.

With a donation from State Farm Insurance in Madisonville, the Club purchased the materials needed to build seven raised gardens. Soil was donated

by David Sloan. Seeds were donated by the Department of Forestry. And the kids of the Club were off and growing.

So, once the vegetables were picked, what do you think the kids did with them? You guessed it; they donated the vegetables to the Good Shepard Home to feed the homeless and hungry.

This is what Dr. Tricoli calls Full-Circle Philanthropy Gardening.

The Club is funded via competitive Federal and State grants and individual donations. “Funding has always been our greatest challenge,” said Paul Willson,

Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Club. “Some years are just a downright struggle with Board members having to assist with payroll. We were fortunate to have received a kind and generous legacy gift, but those funds are now running dangerously low. The Club needs a continuous influx of new and ongoing financial assistance from individuals and organizations in the local community in order to keep on serving these children who so desperately need our help.” On average, the Club’s grants have totaled about $500k/year.

Unfortunately, several of these grants are ending at about the same time, placing the Club in a very difficult spot. The slow-down in the national economy has also put a cramp on fundraising for the Club. The Board Members say they are fortunate to have the expertise of Dr. Anthony Tricoli at the helm at this time.

But they acknowledge even he will need help to raise enough money locally to meet the annual club budget, which exceeds $1 million dollars.

Want To Help Make An Impact On The Life Of A Child?

Contact Dr. Anthony Tricoli at (423) 442-6770, and make a donation today!

Your donation will help the Club to reduce generational poverty, educate a child, build good character and leadership, encourage healthy lifestyle habits and feed a hungry child.

A “By the Numbers” Look at the Club: 25,158:

Children and youth served in 18 years

119,105:

Meals and snacks served to children in 2013

19,527,200:

Minutes in instruction and homework delivered / year

64:

Community members the Club employs during the summer

27,775:

Miles the Club’s buses and vans have traveled (4 have been replaced since 2010)

7,300:

Hours of community service by Club children / year

1,560:

Hours staff logged in 2013 for courses and training

50%:

Percentage of Club’s funding from time-sensitive federal grants Up to 70%: Club’s children who come from economically disadvantaged families

1:

The number of you it would take to change the future for thousands more kids 72

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Meth Awareness Campaign in Full Swing

If

you listen to the news, you will find story after story about the Meth problem in the state of Tennessee.

The Bingham Group is doing something about the problem by taking it head on with a statewide campaign as part of a five year contract with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Radio and television commercials have begun airing across the state and they are

using every creative means possible to reach meth users and their families.

that if they make meth around their children, they will lose custody of them.

“It’s not a simple process to figure out how to reach these individuals,” states Linda Meyers, Chief Media Strategist for The Bingham Group. “We have to get in front of them and find creative ways of reaching them.” The entire campaign is focused on informing meth addicts

The television commercial created by the Bingham Group and radio spot have begun airing in high profile places to reach the largest number of individuals possible to raise awareness of this growing problem. These spots have generated significant attention for this

program and the reach has extended well beyond the intended audience.

In Monroe County, besides traditional media outlets, new media opportunities are being explored and tested. This includes a Mobile Geo-Fencing campaign specifically designed for the County, a cell phone app awareness campaign, and convenience store marketing programs. “These new media platforms allow us to reach individuals on the go,” Meyers comments. “With more meth labs being mobile, we are looking for new ways of reaching individuals who are in transit, through their cell phones.”

A documentary is also in process for this campaign. Inmates addicted to meth in the McMinn County jail were

interviewed on camera. With the help of Sheriff Joe Guy and others, their stories will be available to help with awareness.

“Through the use of several camera angles, we were able to accurately portray an explosion and the dangers of creating this toxic drug.”

To give a graphic portrayal of what happens when things go awry in the meth making process, The Bingham Group staged a “meth camper” explosion in the McMinn County Landfill with the help of the Meth Task Force and the local fire and police departments. This re-enactment was captured on film and will be used in commercials and in the documentary for the campaign. “We wanted to show in a very graphic way what happens during a meth explosion,” says Ben Gibson, Director of Broadcast Production for The Bingham Group.

The Bingham team’s ability to tell stories and place them in high visibility outlets is the driving force behind what makes campaigns such as Meth Awareness successful. Lisa Bingham, President of the Bingham Group added, “It is our hope that through these efforts we will see a significant reduction in the number of meth labs in Monroe County and across the state of Tennessee.”

For help with meth addiction, call:

800.889.9789

Comforting Canines Provide Compassionate Ministry A Lutheran Church’s K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Begins in Loudon The Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is a national nonprofit ministry utilizing the unique skills of dogs, specifically Golden Retrievers, to open opportunities to touch those who are hurting or in need with mercy and compassion. These Comfort Dogs are trained working animals prepared to interact with people in ways that provide a bridge for compassionate ministry to take place.

This ministry was begun by Lutheran Church Charities in February 2008, following the tragic shootings of four

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students at Northern Illinois University.

When LCC saw the students flocking to the Comfort Dogs for emotional therapy, sometimes preferring the animals over university counselors, they decided to expand the ministry nationally.

have been used to spread comfort to those who have suffered traumatic situations all over the country, including those in Newtown, Connecticut, the Boston Marathon and most recently after the earthquakes in Napa, California.

Today there are over 70 trained golden retriever Comfort Dogs placed in churches across the country, bringing a calming influence and emotional healing to a great number of people at special events, schools, nursing homes, hospitals and disaster response situations. These compassionate canines

The ministry only goes where invited–it never intrudes. When they arrive at the place to which they’ve been invited, they set up off to the side, so people don’t feel pressured to approach. The dogs are effective comforters because they make people feel safe, allowing them to open up about their traumas.

The handlers don’t talk, but rather let the dogs do the primary work of listening. Each dog has a sign that says “Please pet me,” which encourages people to relax enough to talk about their distress.

Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Loudon will be the first congregation in Tennessee to offer this ministry. A Comfort Dog named Jewel officially began her ministry on September 7th with a “Passing of the Leash” ceremony, celebrating the transition of the Comfort Dog into service.

Jewel is a 14-month old purebred Golden Retriever who has undergone 3,000 hours of training. She responds to 40 commands and has been taught to be gentle and passive when working with the public. Part of her training period was spent providing comfort to

tornado victims in Washington, Illinois and rural Arkansas.

Jewel even has her own Facebook page (Facebook.com/JewelComfortDog) and email address (Jewel@K9Comfort. org), as well as a business card printed with her photo and Bible verse that gets handed out whenever she’s working. To inquire about Jewel and possible visits, contact Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church at 865-459-9407. And, if you see Jewel out and about the community, remember, she loves to be petted!

Some of the benefits LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs bring to ministry: • Calm a hyperactive child or stimulate a withdrawn patient or older adult • Open doors for outreach to the community • Bring comfort to individuals and families suffering pain or loss • Brighten the lives of the home bound and those in nursing homes • Provide a powerful object lesson for school chapels and Sunday services • Create bridges for compassionate care when disaster strikes • Initiate a calm atmosphere in counseling situations • Help relieve loneliness or depression • Stimulate minds, lift spirits and spark memories • Facilitate conversation and interaction

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Happenings: November 1 & 2 Blair’s Bo-Kay Florist Holiday Open House Blair’s Bo-Kay Florist: Madisonville Saturday: 9am–6pm Sunday: 1pm–5pm 423.420.6488 November 1 & 2 Madisonville Petals and Gifts Holiday Open House Madisonville Petals and Gifts Saturday: 8am–5pm Sunday: 1pm–4pm 423.442.9455 November 1 & 2 The Pool Place Open House The Pool Place off 8100 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Largest Selection of permenant trees in the region. Gifts, collectables, ornaments, wreaths and pre-lit trees.

Saturday: 10am–6pm Sunday: 1pm–5pm For more information call, 865.694.4126. www.poolplaceonline.com November 3 MACA Presents: Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam Time: 7:30pm Tickets: Adult/$25 ($23 advance); Student/$15 Hiwassee Performing Arts Center Do you enjoy classic Rock and Roll? Come hear Rock and Roll hall of famer, Dave Mason, perform as he goes back to his days with the band, Traffic. This evening will be one packed with lots of fun! www.monroearts.com November 7 & 8 Sweetwater Flower Shop: 50th Anniversary!

Friday: 6pm–8pm Saturday: 9am–5pm Celebration and Holiday Open House. Light hors d’oeuvres and champagne will be served.

423.337.6623 November 7, 8 and 9 Blair’s Bo-Kay Florist Holiday Open House Blair’s Bo-Kay Florist: Etowah Friday: 9am–6pm Saturday: 9am–4pm Sunday: 1pm–5pm 423.263.2238 November 8 Robin’s Nest Holiday Open House Robin’s Nest Time: 9:30am–6pm 423.337.0300

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November 8 23rd Annual Mother and Son Dance Time: 7:30pm–9pm Tickets are $9.00 a piece and are available at http://www.cityofathenstn.com.

For more information, visit http://www. cityofathenstn.com or call 423-744-2704.

November 8 Crafters 25th Holiday Craft and Bake Sale Time: 9am–12pm Location: Christian Life Center at the Community Church of Tellico Village, Tellico Parkway (Hwy 444) and Chota Road.

They have been preparing all summer and fall for the sale. As usual there will be beautiful floral arrangements and wreaths, mailbox covers, many hand-sewn items, a variety of cards, bridge tallies, woven baskets, needleworl articles, painted wooden pieces and light bulbs.

November 13 MACA Presents: Ang Li: From China to Chopin with Love Time: 7:30pm Location: Sweetwater Elementary School Auditorium Tickets: Adult/$15 ($13 advance); Student/$8 Holding a degree from Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, Ang Li is a seasoned performer who will be taking the stage right here in Monroe County! Mark your calendars for a night filled with entertainment and classical piano delight. www.monroearts.com November 14 CASA Monroe Presents Festival of Trees Time: 6pm–11pm Location: Tellico West Conference Center CASA Monroe will be holding its breathtaking, Festival of Trees, at the Tellico West Conference Center. Please mark your calendars to come out and support this wonderful organization.

CASA Monroe is dependent upon the generous financial support of private individuals, community and church donors, as well as state funding.

For more information, contact Alisa Hobbs at alisa.hobbs@casamonroe.org or call 423.442.2750.

November 15 Breakfast with Santa Time: 8:30am–11am Location: Tellico West Conference Center Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on a fire truck at 8:30am. Pancake breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus will be from 8:30am–11am. Browse the Trees and Silent Auction from 11am–6pm.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 4-11, children under 3 are free and $5 for adults after Santa’s Breakfast.

November 29 A Small Town Christmas Saturday After Thanksgiving Time: 5pm–9pm Historic Downtown Sweetwater invites you to a fun family event. This special day will consist of pictures with Santa, horse and buggy rides, Christmas shopping and hayrides! Stores are extending their hours and serving goodies and treats. Come on and check out the fun in Downtown Sweetwater. www.visitsweetwater.com December 5 Christmas Parade Time: 7pm Location: Downtown Sweetwater Presented by the Kiwanis Club 423.337.6979 December 6 Century Christmas at Fort Loudoun State Park Time: 10am–5pm 18th Century Christmas at the Fort with singing and candlelight tour. For more information, call 423.884.6217 or visit www.fortloudoun.com.

December 6 Lenoir City Christmas Parade “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Location: Broadway – C Street to Pike Street Time: Lineup at 5pm; Parade at 6:30pm. Kick off the holiday season with the Lenoir City Christmas Parade, featuring beautiful lights and sounds as thousands of families come together to catch the first glimpses of Santa. All parade participants must pre-register. www.lenoircitygov.com December 6 Tellico Plains Candlelight Walk Location: Tellico Plains Time: 4pm–9pm This Christmas event in historic downtown Tellico Plains brings the spirit of Christmas home. All storefronts will be decorated, with many serving Christmas treats inside amid caroling in period costumes. For more information, call 423.519.2267 or visit http://www.tellico-plains.com.

December 6 Monroe County Christmas Concert and Live Nativity Scene Hiwassee College HPAC (Hiwassee Performing Arts Center) For more information, visit www.hiwassee.edu.

December 6 & 7 Christmas on the Mountain Time: 5pm–8pm On the weekend following Thanksgiving, the Coker Creek Welcome Center and Gift Shop will hold a Holiday Open House with discounts on select gift shop items. Refreshments will be served at all of the local shops in Coker Creek.

Don’t fight the Black Friday crowds this season.

Enjoy a magical day of shopping in picturesque Coker Creek instead.

For more information, call 423.519.2896.

December 7 Whistle Stop Holiday Tour of Niota Time: 1pm–3pm Location: The tour will begin at the Oldest Standing Depot in TN. Located on Highway 11, at the traffic light, turn east to Main Street.

The Niota Depot Preservation Committee is hosting the Whistle Stop Holiday Tour of Niota.

Come and enjoy viewing the historic houses and buildings of Niota! All proceeds go to preserve the Niota Depot.

For more information, call 423.268.7232.

December 12 Loudon Kids Tree Decorating Time: 9am–11am Come Join Loudon, Philadelphia and Steekee kindergarten classes as they decorate the Christmas tree in downtown Loudon! Loudon Parks and Recreation along with Loudon Utilities will assist with hanging the ornaments.

Refreshments for the children will be provided

by Mark’s Downtown Diner.

December 13 Loudon Christmas Parade: Lineup begins at 5pm at Loudon High School with the Parade kicking off at 6pm.

December 13 Christmas in Old Loudon Time: 6pm Location: Loudon Chamber of Commerce Building Free event immediately following the annual parade. Event features Santa, the Grinch, a bonfire, wagon rides, petting zoo, pony rides and so much more! Event is free and sponsored by the City of Loudon/Loudon Utilities.

For more information, call 865.458.7548 www.loudonparks.com.

December 14 Old Fashioned Downtown Christmas Location: Downtown Athens Entertainment, food, shopping and vendors welcome you to our annual Holiday event.

December 16 Hanukkah begins December 21 Winter Solstice December 24 Christmas Eve

December 11 Evening with Santa Time: 6 pm–7:30pm Location: Walker Memorial Building Admission: Free!

A free event sponsored by the Lenoir City Parks and Recreation. Attend an evening with Santa, including one-on-one time, light refreshments, a gift, a big screen movie, crafts, games and a keepsake photo of your child with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

January 1 New Years Day January 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 31 MACA Presents: Aladdin Time: 6pm Location: Hiwassee Performing Arts Center Starring over 60 local students, Missoula Children’s Theatre brings a classic to the stage yet again! Don’t miss this performance that is sure to make you laugh.

Auditions will be held Monday, January 26, 4pm.

For more information, visit monroearts.com.

February 2 Groundhog Day February 14 Valentine’s Day

February 14 St. Valentine’s Charity Ball Time: 7pm–11pm Location: Tellico West Conference Center The Madisonville Knights of Columbus, Council 15585, will be hosting its 2nd Annual Fundraiser through their Valentine’s Day Charity Ball. The Ball will feature dinner, desserts and dancing to the sounds of “Smooth Groove”. Proceeds will provide funding for all of our activities in 2014, which involve serving the needs of families, both local and world-wide. Tickets are $50 per person.

February 16 Presidents’ Day

December 25 Christmas Day Decemer 26 Kwanzaa begins December 31 New Years Eve

SPEND A DAY IN...

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN

Loudon

Loudon Mercantile Take a step back in time to the smells and tastes of time gone by. Stop by the Loudon Mercantile right off the courthouse square in beautiful historic downtown Loudon, Tennessee. The Mercantile has been serving Loudon for mor than nine years. Specializing in Amish-made goods, Amish food items and handmade furniture, the Mercantile has a new thing to see around every corner. Come on in and try some Coblentz chocolates or penny candy from long ago. Take a few minutes to browse through their varied mix of interesting items. This cute shop is a must see when you visit Loudon, next to Shane’s Cafe.

Sallys Chic Boutique Newly opened consignment shop - Sept. of 2014. Original owner, Sally Harrison Andres, Loudon native is back in her spot that she started 8/08/2008. Sally’s expertise is in finding just the right mix of current name-brand and designer items at a premium price to offer her customers. She’s a fashion merchandising UT grad who’s passions are decorating, fashion, and good customer rapport & service. This is the 4th consignment shop Sally has started - all the rest have been sold. She accepts clothing - home decor - and accessories by appointment. All need to be cleaned, pressed, current, and/or almost new to make the cut.

Visit them on Facebook or drop in.

500 Grove St, Loudon, TN 37774 865-458-6614 Monday-Thursday 11am-6pm Friday & Saturday 11am-9pm Closed Sundays www.theloudonmercantile.com

Providing Service and Quality Since 1988

WHOLESALE PETROLEUM MARKETERS

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Serving East Tennessee 423.337.6671 www.sweetwatervalleyoil.com LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

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MONROE LIFE WINTER/HOLIDAY 2015

She offers a 50/50 split. Call or stop by to check out her FALL SALE, now in progress.

Now Accepting Fall/Winter/Holiday. She will put outfits together for any and all who wish to be “styled”!!! See you soon!

409 Grove St, Loudon, TN, 37774 865-458-chic (2442) Monday-Friday 10am-5:30pm Saturday 10am-4:30pm

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