Register for the Second Hunger Walk

There are numerous organizations dedicated to addressing the problem of food insecurity in the community, including Morton Memorial and the Community Action Committee. Through a joint effort in the second annual Hunger Walk, the Monteagle Sewanee Rotary Club hopes to raise awareness about these hunger issues as well as raise money to help end them.
The easiest way to help out is to register to walk. Registration is free for children under 12, $10 for students and $20 for adults. Register to walk at http://monteaglerotary.org/hunger.html.
Registration may also be completed on the day of the walk, Saturday, Sept. 3. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with the walk starting at 10 a.m. Each walker will receive a T-Shirt and a sticker showing “Hunger is NOT a Game 2nd Annual Rotary Hunger Walk.”
After the walkers complete the 10 K (6.3 mile) course from Angel Park to the old Pearls restaurant and back, they will be treated to a noon barbecue lunch.
For more information go to  https://www.facebook.com/SewaneeHun​gerWalk/.

Register for the Sunset Serenade

St. Mary’s Sewanee invites the community to register for the seventh annual Sunset Serenade, scheduled for 5:30–8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 4. Chef Emily Wallace is preparing a Southern inspired menu, which will be served at various food stations. The menu items include shrimp and grits, pimento cheese stuffed peppadew peppers, homemade biscuits with jams and chutney, ham and beef on croissants, barbecue delights on fried corncakes and more. Each of the five food bars will be paired with a special wine for tasting. The dessert course includes chocolate fondue and individual desserts. A silent auction will feature local art and regional experiences. Music is by Noel Workman and the Accidentals.
Reservations are open; tickets are $65 per person, with all food and drink included. All of the proceeds of the event will benefit the mission, programs and retreats of St. Mary’s Sewanee. To register call 598-5342 or email <reservations@stmarysse​wanee.org>.
For 26 years, St. Mary’s Sewanee has offered programs to meet the needs of individuals and groups looking for rest, renewal and reconnection.

Request of Qualifications for Developers Announced

The University of the South is seeking statements of qualifications from experienced developers (individuals, firms, or teams) interested in presenting a viable design and concept for development of one or more parcels of real estate located in the village of Sewanee, and controlled by the University of the South.
In August 2015, Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative (TPUDC) and the University of the South conducted a public planning workshop to finalize a master plan for downtown Sewanee. The recently completed Village Implementation Plan focuses on creating a lively and economically thriving downtown area, with new businesses and civic spaces linked to the University and surrounding neighborhoods with a network of pedestrian paths, trails, and bicycle facilities.
Sewanee’s village core will be a mixed-use environment, integrating new retail, office and residential uses into the existing fabric of downtown without compromising the character that makes Sewanee special. The plan also incorporates new housing options for a range of income levels, including cottage courts, apartments in mixed-use buildings, and affordable single-family houses.
The University and its town planner, TPUDC, have begun the process of qualifying builders, architects and developers to work in the Sewanee village. Qualified firms or individuals will be those committed to uphold the standards of the University and the Village Implementation Plan, and experienced with the type of project they seek to complete. The University seeks responses from any individual, firm or team who may be interested in becoming a Qualified Developer for development of one or more parcels of real estate in the village.
Potential projects include a cottage court of up to 12 single-family detached homes surrounding a communal outdoor space; a mixed-use market building; multi-family/apartment housing; microhousing; and other commercial/mixed use buildings, civic spaces and streetscape improvements. Responses to the request for qualifications (RFQ) will be accepted on a rolling basis until a notice that the RFQ is closed is posted at http://sewanee.edu/village; however, responses received before Oct. 1, 2016, will be given priority consideration.
An important goal of the Village Implementation Plan is to identify, protect, and enhance the unique aesthetic character of the village and the neighborhoods that surround it. In order to meet these goals, the University has asked TPUDC to oversee village development and to provide design and architectural review services for leaseholds within the village. The town planner is currently in the process of developing a pattern book of architectural patterns, styles, and details to guide future development.
This RFQ process is intended to give the University the opportunity to qualify several development teams. More detailed proposals will be required once qualified development teams have been shortlisted and specific projects have been identified.
To obtain a copy of the RFQ and any updates/amendments to it, please visit <http://sewanee.edu/village> or contact Frank Gladu, vice president for administrative services at the University of the South, at fxgladu@sewanee.edu.

Local Author Inspires Community Involvement

by Bailey Basham, Messenger Intern
When Laura Willis published her book “Finding God in a Bag of Groceries” in 2013, she had no idea that it would have such an impact on community outreach in Sewanee.
Willis, who served as the director of the Community Action Committee (CAC) for 10 years, and editor and publisher of the Sewanee Mountain Messenger for five years, said she decided to write a book because of her experience working with the people who came to receive aid from the CAC.
“My book is really a memoir about two things—poverty and need in Sewanee and my own spiritual journey. People often think that Sewanee is a bunch of well-to-do people, and yet there are families among us who we don’t even recognize as struggling,” said Willis. “We all have a good idea of what urban poverty looks like, but rural poverty is more complex than it looks on TV or in the movies. Rural poverty can be almost invisible. There’s no public park bench for homeless people to sleep on; no soup kitchen with a line wrapping around the block— homeless people in rural communities sleep in their car or hang out in a 24-hour store. They go to places such as the CAC for food. Food insecurity is something both the CAC and Morton Memorial are trying to address because it’s such a big issue here.”
Monteagle Sewanee Rotary members John Noffsinger and John Goodson both said the idea for the Rotary Hunger Walk was born from Willis’ book.
“After retiring and reading ‘Finding God in a Bag of Groceries’ I decided there was something else I wanted to do with my life,” said Noffsinger. “We have 17 percent more children in poverty now than we did before the Great Recession. What can we do to help with that? Now I’ve been involved with the food ministry at Morton for two years, and reading Laura Willis’s book got me more involved with the food ministry at Morton more than anything else.”
Goodson agreed. “Reading Laura’s book motivated me to try to do something to make a difference,” said Goodson.
It was Goodson’s idea originally to begin the Hunger Walk, a 5-mile run/walk along the Sewanee portion of the Mountain Goat Trail to raise awareness about food insecurity on the Mountain, as well as raise money to help the food ministries at the CAC and Morton Memorial United Methodist Church.
“I knew that I had an opportunity to do something to help as president of the Rotary,” said Goodson. “What inspired me most about the book was the theme and title of the book, ‘Finding God in a Bag of Groceries.’ After reading the book, I spoke with Betty Carpenter, director of the CAC, on several occasions to see what the Rotary Club could do. One day the idea just came to me. We need the problem of hunger on the Mountain to be dealt with.”
In 2014, it was estimated that 13.3 percent of the Franklin County population is affected by food insecurity. Roughly one in three children on the Plateau are food insecure. Nine out of 100 senior citizens will live without access to enough food.
“We live in a food desert. Shopping for groceries and finding fresh fruits and vegetables is difficult. A lot of people who are on limited incomes buy groceries at the dollar store, and you’re not going to find anything fresh or healthy there,” said Willis.
Proceeds from Hunger Walk sponsorships and registration fees will go to support the food ministries at the CAC and Morton Memorial.
“For more than 40 years, the CAC has been offering a very important ministry in our community, and the Hunger Walk is a great way to raise awareness and raise money for that,” said Willis.
Willis said, for her, the attention her book has gotten in terms of raising awareness about food insecurity has been a surprise.
“It’s humbling to see that my book has had this sort of impact for people. I wrote it because I wanted to raise awareness about hunger and poverty, so I’m honored that people have read it and been inspired to act,” said Willis. “I’m a person of faith, so I believe that must have been what the purpose of my book was—to help people become more compassionate to those in need.”
The Second Annual Hunger Walk will be Saturday, Sept. 3. To register for the walk or for more information about the cause, visit Facebook.com/SewaneeHungerWalk or thehungerwalk.com.

SUD Rejects Cooley’s Rift Proposal

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
SUD manager Ben Beavers reported at the Aug. 23 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District (SUD) of Franklin and Marion Counties, the SUD attorney’s determination that no legal instrument would survive to protect SUD in the event of bankruptcy if SUD agreed to delayed payment of tap fees at the Cooley’s Rift development.
At the July SUD meeting, the developer RLF Cooley’s Rift, LLC requested a three-year, no-interest note on the tap fee cost for service to 23 lots, totaling $95,000. SUD normally requires tap fee payment up front, $4,150 per lot. After a long deliberation, the board had agreed to the three-year note contingent on SUD attorney Don Scholes satisfying both of SUD’s concerns: survivability of the note and compatibility with current policy.
SUD’s attorney Scholes said past attempts to draft a legal instrument that would survive bankruptcy have failed. “I told the developers to be prepared to pay the tap fee,” Beavers said. “No tap will be made until all the fees are paid.”
“I told the developer their attorney could take a stab at drafting a bankruptcy proof contract,” Beavers said, “but I doubt they’ll be successful.”
Beavers said the utility will soon offer online billing, a green alternative frequently requested by customers. United Systems, SUD’s billing software provider, recently partnered with Bluegrass, a company specializing in online billing service, making the feature available to SUD. SUD will contract for both online billing service and outsourcing paper bill notification. “They can do it cheaper than we can,” Beavers said, “because of the volume they deal with.”
When the service becomes available, SUD customers can sign up for email bill notification at the SUD website <www.sewaneeutility.org>. Those who do not sign up will continue to receive a paper bill. As a backup, if the email notification is rejected, the company will send a paper bill. SUD will save about $0.75 per customer monthly when customers opt-in to the electronic notification process. Electronic billing customers will have the added benefit of being able to review their billing history online. Signing up for online billing will not affect fund transfers already in place for customers who pay by bank draft, Beavers said.
Updating the board on wastewater collection system repair and rehabilitation, Beavers said he anticipated repair of the Abbo’s Alley sewer line would be completed by next week. Records indicated the entire line in the vicinity was replaced in 2004, Beavers said. SUD’s current rehab work has revealed only half the line was replaced.
Beavers is waiting to determine whether the sewer line repairs needed in the Alto Road area can be done by SUD or if SUD will need to retain an engineer to proceed with the rehabilitation.
 Beavers hopes to arrange for video camera inspection of the Depot Branch sewer line to determine the best strategy for addressing the cracked and broken clay pipe. Getting the camera equipment to the site could prove difficult, Beavers said. Overflows are common in the Depot Branch area, with the problem of damaged pipe compounded by tree roots growing into the sewer line.
 SUD recently posted its Annual Contract calling for bids on wastewater collection system repair for 2017.
 The SUD board meets next on Sept. 27.

Morton Memorial Food Ministry Benefits from Hunger Walk

by Bailey Basham, Messenger Intern
Last year, more than 250 donors, sponsors and walkers raised $14,547 to support programs designed to alleviate food insecurities on the Mountain with the Rotary Hunger Walk. Planning for the second Hunger walk continues.
The goal of the Rotary Hunger Walk, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3, is to bring awareness to the poverty present in the greater Sewanee community and to raise money to support local organizations working to alleviate food insecurity.
Money raised from registration fees, sponsorships and community donations goes to support food ministries led by the Community Action Committee at Otey Parish in Sewanee and the Morton Memorial Food Bank in Monteagle.
“The Food Ministries at Morton Memorial UMC is a food bank that serves more than 12,000 pounds of food to about 100 families in the community every second Saturday of the month,” said John Noffsinger, co-chair of the Rotary Hunger Walk and a member of the Morton food ministry team. “Morton partners with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank (CAFB), which is a member of Feeding America.”
Noffsinger said the money raised by the Hunger Walk greatly benefited the food ministry at Morton.
“With the money raised from the first Hunger Walk, the food distribution team was able to purchase wagons to make it easier to carry food to the cars. We were also able to purchase new freezers, plus a lot more food for distribution.”
Those receiving the aid of the food ministry on those Saturdays are known as Morton’s “Saturday family.”
“On Thursday afternoon before the second Saturday of the month, trucks arrive from the Chattanooga Food Bank with more than 12,000 pounds of food. The unloading and repackaging process is handled by some of our Saturday family members, as well as community members, Rotarians and our church members,” said Noffsinger. “Then on Saturday morning, the process of registering, helping select the foods the participants want and carrying the food to their cars begins. Some months we will help 90 to 100 families, while some months the number can jump to 150 families.”
The food ministry at Morton Memorial United Methodist Church aims to do one thing: help the members of the greater Sewanee community.
“Our goal is to help local families with their food insecurity because the majority of the families in the Grundy and Marion county areas don’t have enough food to get through the month. We provide them with supplemental food once a month,” said Amy Wilson, Director of the Food Ministry at Morton.
Wilson works on a volunteer basis for the food ministry, along with 40 others. Roughly 10 percent of the volunteers at Morton are also recipients of aid from the food ministry.
On average, the food ministry serves 110 families a month, which represents a minimum of 320 adults and children.
Wilson, who has been helping with the food ministry since 2013, is in charge of ordering food from the Chattanooga area food bank and making sure distribution of the food to families goes smoothly.
“I want to make sure I have enough for the families to have a certain number of meals and to make sure we have our volunteers there that day,” said Wilson. “I’m just there to make sure it gets done, and with the volunteers, it kind of runs itself since we’ve been doing it for so many years now.”
Wilson has been helping with the Morton food ministry for three years, but even before that, she was working to help those in her community.
“There was a food pantry at Morton before, and I had volunteered there for a couple of years. That model went away, and when that happened, I approached the church with a different model. The model we went with is called choice party, and it’s like a little grocery store,” said Wilson. “Instead of prepackaging food boxes, people get to choose what they want. If they don’t want a certain thing, they don’t have to take it and that eliminates waste.”
Wilson said that she and the rest of the Morton volunteers recognized that many of the community members receiving food from the ministry had health issues that would be exacerbated by unhealthy foods. Thanks to help from the CAFB, healthy foods are an option for those coming to get food from the ministry.
“Our model is based on whole grains, fruits, vegetables and proteins. We’re doing a pilot program with Chattanooga Food Bank now called Produce Empowerment Program (PEP), and that ensures that we receive 3,500 extra pounds of fresh produce every month,” said Wilson. “We choose to emphasize fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy for the foods we offer. By providing fresh produce and other nutritious foods that our clients might not purchase at the grocery store because of the cost, we are also providing them the opportunity to try new foods like lentils, coconut milk and rutabagas. For some items, we cook samples that the clients can try or provide recipes.”
For Wilson, the best part about being involved with the food ministry is knowing she is making a difference for her neighbors and family.
“My favorite part is helping my family and helping the people that I know in trying to do something good and positive. I am from here, and my family is from Grundy County. I have family members who come to the food pantry, and knowing that I am literally helping my own family in addition to helping my neighbors— it’s amazing,” said Wilson.
The Second Annual Rotary Hunger Walk will be Saturday, Sep. 3. For more information, visit Facebook.com/SewaneeHungerWalk.

Sewanee Launches New Performance Arts Efforts

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer
The University of the South is injecting renewed vigor in the school’s performing arts programs to strengthen student opportunities and enhance visibility of public performances.
“There are a lot of people involved in making art (here) and this is really exhilarating and exciting,” said Dan Backlund, chair of the University’s Arts Task Force and professor of theatre arts. “We have enough plans to last for the next 20 years.”
The task force is a result of Sewanee’s 2012 Strategic Plan, and Terry Papillon, dean of the college, said the committee is moving from the planning to the enacting stage. An accomplished musician, Papillon praised the role of arts in all areas of life.
“We have seen in modern academic culture and in the culture in general, a lack of value for the arts; I think that’s incredibly unfortunate,” he said. “I think it’s just shortsighted and makes us less able to interact as human beings. We’re seeing the results of that in modern American culture.”
One of the first missions is the new website portal <artssewanee.sewanee.edu>, which synchronizes performance scheduling and allows the public to find events in one place. Two other new additions are a University fiddling program and starting this spring, an artist-in-residence program.
Sewanee has also hired a number of highly-accomplished faculty members in the arts department (look for more on new faculty in coming weeks).
Hiring more technicians for lighting and sound and bringing in visiting musicians are also high on the task force’s list, Papillon said. The performing arts series starts Saturday,
Oct. 8 with a performance by acclaimed bassist Edgar Meyer, followed by an organ recital by Catherine Rodland in November.
The third part of the series, in February, features the American Spiritual Ensemble, a world-renowned vocal collaborative, which will be in Sewanee for five days, performing and workshopping with students and local music groups. Among the various activities, the Ensemble and the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra will perform Gershwin’s opera “Porgy and Bess.”
In addition, Stephen Miller, professor of music, noted that a benefactor made a large donation to bring in Americana musicians to work with students. Some of those musicians may perform for the public as well.
The University has also broadened the way it thinks about choral music activities and church music, so look for expansion in those areas, Papillon said. Among the long term goals is a 250-seat lecture/recital hall at Bishop’s Common, which will be renovated as the School of Theology moves to central campus. He said the hall should be a top-notch space for chamber and small choral concerts in the next four years or so.
A new performing arts center is also a long term goal, Papillon said. Guerry Auditorium isn’t ideal for large events, like a Broadway tour, because of the difficult access for semi-trucks, and the HVAC system is also outdated and loud and must be shut off during performances.
The present initiatives also involve intentionally recruiting more arts students to campus, including adding additional arts scholarships and internships.
César Leal, artistic director of the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra (SSO), noted that the orchestra’s work study program has expanded and now serves as a model for several other work study programs on campus. The Artistic Leadership Program started last year with only six students and has expanded to 20. The program provides students with a valuable learning experience while producing all musical events. They work as talent managers, assistant production managers, audio visual technicians, music librarians and musicians.
At SSO performances students are in charge of everything from lights, audiovisual production, and all aspects of logistics and pre-production. Leal noted that the SSO is partnering with other organizations on and off campus to bring new innovative programs. The SSO will also carry on its traditional concerts, such as the Halloween concert, which features a night concert for the community and a morning concert for more than 500 area elementary students.
“I am truly happy and excited for the new opportunities that the SSO creates each year for our students and musicians,” Leal said. “The SSO is a true representation of Sewanee, who we are as a community, and how we draw our strength and success from working together. As we work really hard to prepare our repertoire for the 2016–17 season, I am confident our audiences will keep supporting us with their attendance and applause.”
Another recruiting program that started last year gives prospective students a behind-the-scenes tour of plays, concerts and dance performances. Backlund said the University invited students within a 100-mile-radius to tour campus, which included a backstage look at dress rehearsals and questions and answer sessions with cast members and directors.
And for students who are graduating, the University has added to its “Beyond the Gates” program by bringing in professionals in areas such as lighting, arts history, dancing, singing, and film and television to help prepare students for possible careers in the performing arts.
In the theatre department, the first production of the year will be “The Good Doctor,” by Neil Simon, based on the short stories of Anton Chekhov, said Peter Smith, professor of theatre arts. Smith is directing the production, which is scheduled for Friday–Sunday, Oct. 28–30 and Thursday–Saturday, Nov. 3–5.
On Thursday–Friday, Nov. 10 and 11, guest artist and Sewanee graduate Raymond McAnally will present his one-man show, “Size Matters,” in the Tennessee Williams Center.
For more information go to <arts​sewanee.sewanee.edu>.

Franklin County School Clubs

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
In the spring of 2016, the Franklin County Board of Education revised the School Clubs and Organizations Policy and advised Director of Schools Amie Lonas on revising related procedures, the process students who want to join a club will follow and the process for starting a new club.
 The 2016–17 Franklin County High School Handbook lists 27 student clubs and organizations. Six additional clubs are listed on the FCHS website. Assistant Principal Lisa Crabtree said the list is based on active clubs at the end of school last year and would likely change. The Huntland School 2016–17 Handbook lists seven clubs and organizations offered to high school age youth. Lonas, school principals and club faculty advisors met recently to formalize the procedure process for student club membership.
 At Franklin County High School, club advisors will advertise their clubs,  making the student body aware of the clubs they oversee and host introductory meetings. At the introductory meeting, students will receive information on membership requirements and any fees, Crabtree said. Students will also be advised on the parental permission process the club uses, a form or other written instrument designating parental approval.
 According to the revised School Clubs and Organizations Policy approved by the board in April, 2016 “no school shall permit a student to become a member or participate in any activities of a club or organization without written communication from the student’s parent or legal guardian approving the student’s membership or participation. The written communication must be signed and dated.”
 “Huntland High School will continue to use the same procedures we have implemented for the past few years,” said Principal Ken Bishop. Students who express interests in joining or becoming involved in a school club or organization will be given any necessary forms and, when applicable, an information packet detailing the mission, goals, and criteria of the club. The student will also receive a parental permission form which must be signed and returned. “We already have the Club/Organization Parent Permission Form posted on our website,” Bishop said.
 The revised procedural guidelines for school clubs and organizations also initiated changes in the process for forming new clubs and organizations. A student wanting to start a club would need to find a faculty advisor willing to oversee the club’s activities. The advisor must complete an application form stating the club’s mission, goals and objectives, and requirements for membership, if any. The school principal and leadership team reviews applications. If approved by the principal and leadership team, the application is presented to the director of school for final endorsement at the school board level.
Under the 1984 Equal Access Act, all federally funded secondary schools must provide equal access to extracurricular clubs which request a forum unless the club would “materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school.”
A controversy arising in response to the formation of a Gay Straight Alliance Club last winter prompted the Board’s decision to revise the School Clubs and Organizations Policy.
See below for a list of clubs offered during the 2016–17 school year. Please note the list is subject to change.

County Schools Launch Year with New Teachers

 by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
“Thanks to the fine work of Assistant Superintendant Linda Foster and her team, we began the school year with all positions filled,” Director of School Amie Lonas told the Franklin County School Board at the Aug. 8 meeting. Lonas directed the board’s attention to the three-page August personnel report which included 21 new teachers. August marks the beginning of the new academic year. The board reviewed enrollment trends, year-end finances, and a change in the transportation policy affecting students who ride buses.
Lonas spoke enthusiastically of the new teachers joining the staff. “Only four or five are new to the profession,” Lonas said. “The rest come to us with a strong background of teaching experience in other school systems.”
With 5,192 students on the roster, enrollment is down slightly, Lonas reported. The Franklin County Schools finished the 2015–16 academic year with more than 5,400 students. Lonas projects enrollment will increase throughout the year as is typically the case. She advised the board additional kindergarten teachers may be needed at Huntland and North Lake schools.
Reporting on finances, Franklin County Deputy Director of Finance Cindy Latham said the school system ended the year with a small deficit, drawing $107,000 from the fund balance to meet the shortfall. The amount is far less than the average-annual $600,000 fund balance withdrawal.
Lonas reminded the board and community that due to a change in transportation policy, “buses will no longer service private lanes, only public roads.” Safety concerns prompted the policy change. “Private lanes are often not maintained up to county standards,” Lonas said. Affected students and families have been notified of the change.
Lonas announced dates for the town meetings being hosted by the building committee to invite community input on the proposal to construct a new combined middle school with a projected cost of $29,000,000 to $32,000,000. Meetings are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 29, at Franklin County High School, Thursday, Sept. 22, at South Middle School, and Thursday, Oct. 13, at North Middle School. All meetings start at 6 p.m.
In November 2015, the building committee was charged with addressing the need for extensive renovation at the middle schools. The committee will also post an online survey where students, teachers and community members can offer input on the proposal.
The board’s November working session will focus on reviewing the information gathered from the survey and town meetings.
Reviewing the board’s evaluation of Lonas’s first year as director of schools, Board Chair Kevin Caroland said, “You’ve done a great job. Your first year here you got thrown into the fire.”
Rating Lonas on a scale of one to four, the board rated Lonas 3.88 on overall performance; 3.38 on student achievement; 3.75 on relationship with staff and personnel; and 3.88 on relationship with the community.
 “We really appreciate the way you’ve gone into the community and their willingness to talk to you,” said board member CleiJo Walker. “You’re very approachable.”
 The August meeting marked Caroland’s retirement from the board after eight years of service. “I enjoyed my time on the board,” Caroland said. “You will be well served by Linda Jones who will join the board in September.”
 Lonas and the board thanked Caroland for his wise leadership and commitment to serving the Franklin County Schools.
 “You’ve made our job a lot easier,” said board member Christine Hopkins.
Linda Jones ran unopposed to fill Caroland’s seat on the board. A former teacher, vice-principal, and most recently, principal at North Middle School, Jones brings with her 40 years of experience serving in the Franklin County Public Schools.
 The board will hold its Sept. 8 meeting at Sewanee Elementary School. All are invited to attend.

Sunset Serenade at St. Mary’s Sewanee

St. Mary’s Sewanee will host its seventh annual Sunset Serenade, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 4, at the center. This year all of the proceeds of the event will benefit the mission, programs and retreats of St. Mary’s Sewanee.
In addition to the breathtaking view and sunset, this year’s event includes southern-inspired culinary delights by chef Emily Wallace, a silent auction featuring local art and regional experiences and music by Noel Workman and the Accidentals.
For 26 years, St. Mary’s Sewanee has offered programs to meet the needs of individuals and groups looking for rest, renewal and reconnection.
Reservations are open; tickets are $65 per person, with all food and drink included. To register call St. Mary’s Sewanee at 598-5342 or email reservations@stmaryssewanee.org.

New Sewanee Students Arrive On Campus Aug. 13–27

Orientation for new college students at the University of the South begins Aug. 27, and classes begin Aug. 31—but more than 800 students will arrive on campus during the next two weeks before orientation starts.
Student-athletes will begin arriving Aug. 13, as more than 200 members of the football, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, cross country, volleyball and equestrian teams start pre-season practice.
About 150 first-year students who are participating in the “Finding Your Place” (FYP) program arrive and move into their dorms on Wednesday, Aug. 17. The interdisciplinary immersion program runs through Aug. 26.
Sewanee Outing Program’s PRE-Orientation (PRE) will offer more than 200 incoming Sewanee freshmen the opportunity to get to know Sewanee in a unique and exciting atmosphere. PRE students arrive Aug.24.
In addition, about 200 returning Sewanee students will come back to campus early to serve in leadership positions, including proctors, PRE staff, FYP mentors and orientation leaders. Members of these groups and other campus leaders will generally arrive between Aug. 15 and Aug. 22.
The University of the South will welcome all 525 members of the Class of 2020 and other new students to the University with orientation beginning Aug. 27, following Finding Your Place and PRE.

SCC Funding Applications Available

The Sewanee Community Chest (SCC) announces the beginning of the 2016–17 fundraising campaign. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association (SCA), the SCC raises funds for local nonprofit organizations that serve the common good.
Funding applications are now being accepted. The deadline for submission is Friday, Sept. 16. Please contact sewaneecommunitychest@gmail.com to have an application either emailed or mailed to your organization. A downloadable request for funds form is available at https://sewaneecivic.wordpress.com.
Nonprofit organizations serving the Mountain are encouraged to apply. The SCC does not allocate funds to those organizations discriminating on the basis of race, creed, sex or national origin.
Since 1943, the SCA has sponsored the SCC, which in the last decade has raised more than $1 million for local organizations in a three-county area.
Through the generous support of the entire community last year, the SCC was able to help 25 organizations and initiatives with a total of $100,000. The money raised in the community went directly to organizations that supported the following: Community Aid, $21,850; Children, $35,300; Quality of Life, $35,850; and Beyond Sewanee, $7,000. Last year’s recipients included Housing Sewanee, the Community Action Committee, the Sewanee Elementary Parent Organization, Volunteers in Medicine and Folks at Home.
The SCA encourages everyone who benefits from life in this community, whether you live, work or visit, to give to the SCC. The SCC is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible. Donations and pledges are accepted at any time at PO Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375. There are two online options to donate to the Sewanee Community Chest through PayPal and AmazonSmile.com.
For more information go to se​waneecivic.wordpress.com.

Sewanee Town Meeting Aug. 25

The University of the South invites all interested community members to attend a Sewanee Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 25, at the American Legion Hall on University Avenue.
Sewanee’s Town Planner, Brian Wright, will provide an update on the planning process and the completion of the Village Implementation Plan, including rezoning and changes to the mixed-use zone standards, as well as the new Pattern Book of architectural guidelines for future development in the Village.
For more information contact Frank Gladu, vice president for administrative services at fgladu@sewanee.edu.