Civic Assn. Seeks Nominees

The Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) invites nominations for the 33th annual Community Service Award. The award recognizes the person or organization that has made outstanding contributions to the community. The kind of contribution varies widely, but the recipient is one who has helped make Sewanee a better place and improved the quality of life for everyone in the area.

Nominations are due by Monday, March 21. Past recipients are not eligible to receive the award again. Send the name of your nominee, along with the reasons you are nominating this person and/or group, to <se​waneecommuni​tychest@gmail.com>. The award will be presented at the SCA meeting on Wednesday, April 20. Nominations can be mailed to the Sewanee Civic Association, P.O. Box 222, Sewanee, TN 37375.

Past recipients include Pixie Dozier; Barbara Schlichting; Helen Bailey; Sewanee Youth Soccer; Dr. Matt Petrilla; Harry and Jean Yeatman; Marshall Hawkins; Karen Keele; Tom Watson; Susan Binkley and the Blue Monarch; the Sewanee Senior Center Food Pantry (Lena McBee, Sue Hawkins, Charlsie Green); George and Ruth Ramseur; John Gessel; Dora Turner; the Community Action Committee; Geraldine Hewitt Piccard and the Messenger; Myrtis Keppler; Connie Warner; Ina May Myers; Pete Green; Duval and Boo Cravens; Housing Sewanee; the Sisters of St. Mary’s; Martha Dugan; Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Auxiliary; David Green; Joe David McBee; Robert Lancaster; Marcia Webb; Doug Cameron; Phoebe Bates; and Louise Irwin. 

Dozier Honored for Community Service, Association Approves Elliott Park Plans

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the April 15 dinner meeting, the Sewanee Civic Association honored Pixie Dozier with the Community Service Award for her selfless and compassionate work on behalf of others, particularly her volunteer work with the Community Action Committee and other Sewanee organizations.

Surprised and pleased by the honor, Dozier said, “The CAC has been my main project for 35 years. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the whole community.”

Dozier served as the board chair of the CAC for more than a decade, seeing the CAC through difficult times. She staffed the office, delivered food, visited CAC clients, organized volunteers and did whatever was needed to make sure that people in need were cared for in a loving and respectful way.

Dozier has also played a vital role in the Sewanee Woman’s Club, the Sewanee Garden Club, the Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Auxiliary, and was recently elected to serve a three-year term on the Sewanee Community Council.

During the business portion of the meeting, Civic Association President Kiki Beavers thanked Community Chest fund drive chairs Marilyn and Tom Phelps. The fund drive surpassed the $106,000 goal, raising a total of $106,352.

The Civic Association elected the following officers for the 2015–16 academic year: Kiki Beavers, president; Lynn Stubblefield, vice-president; Lisa Rung, treasurer; Cameron Swallow, secretary; Aaron Welch, member at large; Elizabeth Clark Duncan, director of Classifieds; and Stephen Burnett, Parks Committee chair.

A project of the Parks Committee for more than two years, the Elliott Park restoration reached a milestone with the members of the Civic Association approving a design with an estimated cost of $65,000.

The Parks Committee presented three designs for consideration. The recommended design approved by the organization includes swing sets, a balance beam, bridge, climbing structures (a mushroom and monkey bars), spinning elements and a musical component.

Other criteria met by the approved design include use of natural and local materials. The retaining wall will use Sewanee stone.

The less costly design option, $50,000, used substantially more plastic and metal in play elements. The more costly option, $76,000, included more play elements.

The park will be ADA compliant and accessible, with access ramps at the adjoining sidewalk and parking lot.

Plans call for a community build in September with the designer, GameTime, overseeing the work.

University Physical Plant Services (PPS) has verbally agreed to “light maintenance” once the park is completed, Burnett said. The Parks Committee plans to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University to define ownership and maintenance responsibilities. Once drawn up, the MOU will be presented to the Civic Association membership for review.

Burnett thanked PPS for their ongoing help with site preparation and design considerations. He also thanked the Sewanee Community Council, which recently awarded the project $5,000 for playground equipment.

With a design approved, fund-raising will begin. Burnett estimated the final cost at $70,000, naming several unbudgeted expenses: base material, retaining walls, drainage and ADA access ramping.

Civic Association Hosts Last Meeting of Spring :: Will Present Service Award, Vote on Playground Plans

The last meeting of the Easter semester for the Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) will be held Wednesday, April 15, at the EQB House.

The program will be the presentation of the 31st annual Community Service Award. Past recipients include Helen Bailey, Sewanee Youth Soccer, Dr. Matt Petrilla, Harry and Jean Yeatman, Marshall Hawkins, Karen Keele and Tom Watson.

The business portion of the meeting will include the election of officers for 2015–16, discussion of the 2015–16 budget and voting on the proposed plans for a new playground in Elliott Park.

Social time with wine begins at 6 p.m., and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. The business meeting begins at 7 p.m. The program portion of the evening is free and open to the public. Dinner is available for $13 per person.

Sewanee Civic Association brings together community members for social and community awareness. The SCA is the sponsoring organization for the Parks Committee, Cub Scout Pack 152, Sewanee Classifieds and the Sewanee Community Chest. Any adult who resides in the area and shares concerns of the community is invited to attend and become a member.

For more information go to <www.sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

Civic Association Names 2014 Award Winners

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Community member Barbara Schlichting and Sewanee native Ian Prunty were honored at the April 16 dinner meeting of the Sewanee Civic Association. In the business portion of the meeting, the Civic Association elected officers, received an update on the Community Chest and approved a bylaws revision.

Prunty received the Summa Cum Laude award for being the “galvanizing” force behind the creation of the Mountain Goat Trail. Ten years ago Prunty, then a sophomore at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, was inspired to undertake the project by a suggestion made to him at an Earth Day event. Prunty currently lives in Nashville, where he is an account executive for Arlington-based software provider Opower, which partners with utilities around the world with the goal of reducing residential energy consumption.

Barbara Schlichting, who grew up in Sewanee, received the Community Service Award. Throughout her life, Schlichting has been a voice for the community in University and community relations and grass-roots alliances. She is active in the Sewanee Business Alliance and Community Council. She has served as the superintendent of leases since 1989 and was recently tapped to take on the responsibility of community relations for the University.

The Civic Association approved the following slate of officers for 2014-2015: Kiki Beavers, president; Lynn Stubblefield, vice-president; Kim Seavey, secretary; Lisa Rung, treasurer; and Cameron Swallow, member-at-large.

Beavers announced that the Community Chest fund drive reached its goal of $108,000. This year 107 new donors stepped up to support the Community Chest, which sponsors 28 organizations and groups whose work makes a marked difference in quality of life on the Cumberland Plateau.

The Civic Association is seeking two stewards to chair the 2014–15 fund drive. This year’s stewards, Kiki Beavers and Theresa Shackelford, spoke briefly about the role. The Community Chest stewards’ core responsibilities are marketing and launching a public relations campaign, including overseeing mailings and record-keeping.

The Civic Association approved a bylaws revision that takes into account new initiatives undertaken by the organization, including the Sewanee Classifieds email list and the parks and investments committees. The updated bylaws will be submitted to the IRS in conjunction with a request to restore the tax-exempt status of the Civic Association. The nonprofit charter of the Civic Association lapsed in 1988 when the annual renewal process was not completed. The Community Chest is chartered separately and no laps in nonprofit status have occurred.

Jade McBee Barry, chair of the July 4 committee, announced that this year’s theme is “A Razzle Dazzle Fourth of July.” The committee is $700 short in funds since donations last year were lower than expected.

In response to a question about the Sewanee Community Center, Sewanee Business Alliance representative John Goodson said plans for a new community center were a “high priority” in the downtown renovation planning process, and a survey would be circulated via Sewanee Classifieds and Announcements to invite community input.

Ian Prunty to Receive Service Award

At the 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 16, Sewanee Civic Association meeting, Ian Prunty will receive the Summa Cum Laude for Community Service Award for his service and work on the Mountain Goat Trail. While in high school, Prunty worked on the first section of the trail.
Prunty and others started the trail through a grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The funding was found through state transportation funds that were “iced,” meaning the funds had to be spent on alternative transportation projects or if left unused, the money went back to Washington.
“The idea to start came from discussions with a number of locals about the state of the Mountain Goat and the opportunity to improve its condition,” said Prunty.
“This project was in no way tied to my Eagle Scout work. Someone actually suggested the idea to me during Earth Day at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School.
“The critical driver in the whole process was then county mayor Monty Adams, who took time out of his busy schedule to answer the request of someone who was too young to even vote for him. Louise Irwin was also a constant advocate for the project through her position as a county commissioner. Once funding was secured, we raised matching funds locally, as this was a condition for the grant being awarded.”
Prunty said he is glad to hear efforts to expand the trail are moving forward. “When working on the trail, one person encouraged me through a Margaret Mead quote: ‘Never doubt the ability of a small group of people to change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.’ The great work of the current Mountain Goat Trail Alliance continues to prove that statement true.”
Ian currently serves as an account executive for Arlington-based software provider Opower, which partners with utilities around the world with the aim of reducing residential energy consumption.
 Prior to joining Opower, Ian served in the administration of former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, where he worked on rural development initiatives and assisted in the state’s recruitment of international investment.
 Ian holds a BA in Political Science and Asian Studies from DePauw University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. He is a member of St. Ann’s parish in East Nashville, where he serves on the church’s finance committee.
Ian is the son of Wyatt and Barbara Prunty of Sewanee.

Civic Association Honors Helen Bailey and Sewanee Youth Soccer / New Award Given to Elizabeth Clark Duncan

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

 In keeping with a time-honored tradition stretching back 30 years, the highlight of the April 17 Sewanee Civic Association meeting was presentation of the Community Service Award. Choosing to recognize both an individual and an organization in 2013, the Civic Association named Helen Bailey and Sewanee Youth Soccer as the award recipients.

Kathleen O’Donohue, who nominated Bailey, described her as a behind-the-scenes presence, “humble and quietly effective.” As a Sewanee Elementary School (SES) teacher from the mid-1970s to 1994, Bailey’s “gentle, caring discipline” inspired students to rise to her high expectations. After retiring, Bailey became an avid community volunteer, giving generously of her time to SES, the Community Action Committee, Folks at Home, Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Auxiliary, Otey Parish and Thurmond Memorial Library, stepping forward to do whatever needed done. Bailey was also celebrated for her habit of walking to wherever she goes in the community.

 Sewanee Youth Soccer (SYS) began in 1988, establishing affiliation with the American Youth Soccer Organization in 1994. SYS offers children from the Mountain an opportunity to play soccer in an environment of balanced teams, positive coaching and equal participation, guided by a philosophy of  “everyone plays.” 

Yearly, more than 30 volunteers come together to make SYS possible. Community members, aided by University and St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School students, maintain and line the fields, coach, referee and run the concession stand, attending to the details that makes SYS a special place for Mountain children. 

Volunteers Jen Bachman and Ty Burnette accepted the award on behalf of SYS. Burnette also praised Kiki Beavers, who presented the award, saying, “Without Kiki, SYS wouldn’t have happened.”

Civic Association president Theresa Shackelford announced a new award to recognize a Civic Association member for their contributions to the organization. 

The first Sewanee Civic Association Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Elizabeth Clark Duncan. Past president Duncan continues to serve on the board and as manager of Sewanee Classifieds email list. Shackelford credited Duncan with “rejuvenation” of the organization.

Plaques listing the Community Service Award recipients and the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients will be displayed in the Sewanee Community Center.

In the business portion of the meeting the membership approved the budget for fiscal year 2013–14. Classified subscriptions, dues and meals support the anticipated expenses that include the fee for the Classifieds host Group Spaces, reinstating tax-exempt status and liability insurance for the board, officers and members.

The membership also approved the slate of officers for the coming year: Susan Holmes, president; Kiki Beavers, vice-president; Kim Seavey, secretary; Lisa Rung, treasurer; and Lynn Stubblefield, member at large.

Parks committee chair Stephen Burnett reported that Memorandum of Understanding agreements had been signed with the University and the dog park board to formalize Civic Association oversight of the dog park. Burnett said the parks committee is also overseeing repair of the Little League scoreboard, so games can be held there. 

The Civic Association does not meet during the summer; the next meeting will be in September.