SCA Learns About Arcadia; Receives Update on Classifieds

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
The long discussed vision of a retirement community in Sewanee is staged to become a reality, Kathleen (Kat) O’Donohue told Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) members and guests at the Oct. 12 meeting. O’Donohue, a founding member of the recently incorporated senior-living project Arcadia, summarized past stumbling blocks and the new energy driving future goals. The SCA also heard an update on information important to users of Sewanee Classifieds, the community-wide email messaging service sponsored by the SCA.
O’Donohue, director of Folks at Home, became involved in the senior living project years ago when invited to a meeting by Jerry Forster, University CFO at that time. The effort stalled when a developer concluded the market was too small to make the project feasible. The vision took on new life with the formation of Sewanee Elder Care and the appointment of John McCardell as vice-chancellor in 2010. McCardell supported the effort and assigned Frank Gladu, University Vice President of Administrative Services, to act as University liaison.
As the landowner of any proposed facility and a strategic partner in the project, the University funded analyses of demographics and related factors and found 15 percent of respondents surveyed said they were likely to move to a Sewanee assisted living facility, with 10 percent replying they would do so within the next three years. The research recommended moving forward with plans for an assisted living facility with no more than 25 beds and exploring the possibility of providing independent living facilities offering a continuum of services based on residents needs.
Three sites are strong contenders, O’Donohue said—the area of Castleberry Drive within walking distance of downtown, the Alabama Ave.-Kennerly Rd. vicinity, and a tract of land bordering Georgia Ave., Finney Lane and the hospital property. Fittingly, the name Arcadia comes from an idyllic description of Sewanee by author William Alexander Percy.
O’Donohue stressed that on McCardell’s insistence residence in the facility would be monthly rent based, rather than a buy-in model with astronomical upfront costs.
The Sewanee Community Chest has pledged $1,000 in support of the project to help pay for nonprofit registration, consultation and website expenses.
New director of Sewanee Classifieds Doug Meyers said his efforts have primarily been directed toward cleaning up the website, identifying overdue accounts and sending reminders to users in arrears. Classifieds currently has 655 paid subscribers. Meyers attributed the decrease in subscribers, originally more than 1,200 emails, in part to removing duplicate, invalid and long arrears accounts from the roles during a database cleanup performed during the summer.
Classifieds recently introduced forgery detection to combat spam. When asked to return a verification code, a user should simply press “reply” and send the email containing the verification code back to the sender. “Do not copy the code and send it to all of Classifieds in a new email,” Meyers stressed. “When you reply to the verification email, your original email will be sent to the Sewanee Classifieds group.”
He said when subscribers use the service from a different device, a phone rather than their home computer for example, they are asked again to return a verification code. This safeguard prevents hackers from sending spam messages. To subscribe to Sewanee Classifieds visit <http://groupspaces.com/Sewanee/>.

Community Chest Sets Goal

by Leslie Lytle,  Messenger Staff Writer
“We received five new applications for funding this year,” said Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) President Lynn Stubblefield. “The SCA Board has approved a goal of $116,850 for 2016–17 funding.” SCA members received the news at the Sept. 22 meeting of the SCA at St. Mark’s Hall where more than 60 members and guests gathered for a welcome back picnic.
Founded in 1908 with a long history of acting as a benefactor to the community, among the SCA’s early projects were funding the building of Sewanee Elementary School in 1926 and completion of the Alto Highway. Especially noteworthy recent projects include the desegregation plaque at SES and funding the playground equipment and installation at the Elliot Park playground. The SCA also sponsors Sewanee Classifieds, an online community messaging service, the parks committee and Cub Scout Pack 152.
 The Sewanee Community Chest fund drive provides crucial support to more than 26 community initiatives annually. In the 2015–16 academic year, the Community Chest surpassed its $100,000 goal to raise $105,000 for 25 organizations.
Projects relying on the Community Chest for vital support include the Sewanee Mountain Messenger, a free community newspaper founded 32 years ago through the support of the University of the South, the SCA and the Sewanee Woman’s Club; the Community Action Committee, a local food bank hosted by Otey Parish; the Sewanee Children’s Center, a pre-school program committed to making learning a joy and making the program available to all children in the community; the Sewanee Parents Organization, which thanks to the Community Chest, hosts educational programs throughout the year without needing to rely on fundraisers; the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, which received Community Chest matching funds to complete the first leg of the trail and at present is undertaking completion of the trail to Tracy City; the Sewanee Business Alliance, sponsors of the annual AngelFest celebration and Friday Nights in the Park; and the Sewanee Community Center, which offers space for community activities at no charge or a very minimal fee.
 Looking to the future, past president Kiki Beavers stressed the need for continuing discussion on renovation of the ball park and partnering with the Senior Citizens’ Center and Sewanee Community Center to help these two programs find a new home.
Doug Meyers was appointed as Director of Classifieds. Susan Holmes and Greg Maynard are this year’s Community Chest Stewards.
The SCA meets next at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the EQB building.

Community Chest Goal
This year’s Community Chest, with a goal of $116,850, will provide aid to the following 26 community organizations:

Animal Alliance $1,250
Arcadia at Sewanee $1,000
Blue Monarch $1,000
Boy Scout Troop 14 $300
Community Action
Committee $10,000
Cub Scout Pack 152 $600
Folks at Home $5,000
Fourth of July
Celebration $2,000
Franklin County Humane
Society $3,000
Girl Scout Troop 2107 $200
Housing Sewanee $10,000
MARC $10,000
Mt. Goat Trail Alliance $1,200
Phil White Dog Park $600
Senior Citizen’s Center $12,000
SES Parent Organization $24,200
Sewanee Angel Park $500
Sewanee Children’s
Center $12,000
Sewanee Chorale $600
Sewanee Community
Center $4,500
Sewanee Mountain
Messenger $12,000
South Cumberland Cultural
Society $800
South Cumberland Farmer
Market $1,000
St. James/Midway
Community Park $2,000
St. Mark’s Community
Center $600
TigerSharks Swim Team $500

Since 1908, the Sewanee Civic Association and its precursors have believed in the power of area citizens to help sustain community projects and programs.
The Sewanee Civic Association started the Sewanee Community Chest in 1943, which in the last decade has raised more than $1 million for local organizations.
Donations are accepted to PO Box 99, Sewanee TN 37375. The Sewanee Community Chest is a 501 (c) 3 organization and donations are tax deductible.
For more information go to sewaneecivic.wordpress.com.

Community Chest Applications Due Sept. 16

The Sewanee Community Chest fund drive announces the beginning of the 2016–17 fund-raising campaign. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Sewanee Community Chest raises funds for local organizations that serve the common good. The deadline for submission is Friday, Sept. 16.
Contact <sewaneecommuni​tychest@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 Plateau are encouraged to apply. The Sewanee Community Chest does not allocate funds to organizations discriminating on the basis of race, creed, sex or national origin.
Last year, the Sewanee Community Chest was able to help 25 organizations with a total of $100,000.

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.

SCA Presents 33rd Annual Community Service Award

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“We’re gathered here tonight to celebrate 108 years of civic and service opportunities,” said Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) President Kiki Beavers, welcoming members and guests to the April 20 dinner meeting held at the EQB House. In keeping with a tradition which began in 1983, the SCA presented the 33rd annual Community Service Awards, this year honoring Mickey Suarez and the GSA Allies represented by Allie Faxon.

The names of the awardees are kept secret until the evening of the ceremony. A surprised Suarez stepped up to the microphone, thinking he had been invited to the meeting to give a presentation on Housing Sewanee, one of the many community service projects to which Suarez lends his time and energy. 

“Mickey Suarez and his wife, Rachel, have lived in Sewanee just over 10 years, but in that short time Mickey has probably logged more volunteer hours than anyone on the mountain,” said Beavers, reading from Mickey’s nomination. 

 “Mickey has spent countless hours cooking and washing dishes at the Senior Citizens’ Center, building ramps at homes for the elderly on fixed incomes, repairing everything and anything that needs work on Otey’s campus, and organizing and constructing Housing Sewanee homes for local residents living in substandard situations. The list goes on and on. Mickey Suarez is the definition of a selfless servant.”

 The GSA Allies were honored for their support of the Gay Straight Alliance, a new student club at Franklin County High School. “In January of 2016 a courageous group of students formed the GSA Club to offer students a safe space where they could be themselves and express themselves freely,” Beavers explained, giving a history of the GSA. Allie Faxon, a Franklin County High School junior, was an early member of the club. When the club came under attack, community members were joined by GSA supporters throughout the country and the world, who donated time and money and sent much-needed letters of support. “The GSA Allies are saying no to bullying, intimidation and discrimination,” Beavers said. “This award is presented to club member Allie Faxon on behalf of GSA Allies everywhere.”

In the business portion of the meeting the membership elected officers for the coming year, received an update on the Community Chest and approved several by-laws amendments.

Next year’s officers are Lynn Stubblefield, president; David Michaels, vice-president; Diane Fielding, treasurer; Megan Green Roberts, secretary; Aaron Welch, member-at-large; and Kiki Beavers, past president.

Reporting on the Community Chest, Beavers said the fund-raising effort exceeded the $100,000 goal by $1,000, making it possible to fund all 25 organizations who applied for assistance.

Significant among the by-laws changes, the director of Sewanee Classifieds and the director of Parks were included as board members; email voting is now allowed; and the presidential succession process was altered. The vice-president does not automatically advance to the position of president.

Beavers thanked the Sewanee Community Council for the additional $2,000 award to the Elliott Park playground project for mulch. “Through the generous support of the entire community and grants from a number of sources, including the South Cumberland Community Fund, Monteagle Sewanee Rotary and the Walmart Community Fund, we were able to raise $60,000 for the playground project,” said Beavers. Volunteers are needed to make routine maintenance inspections at the park to ensure the playground remains for decades to come. To volunteer, contact Stephen Burnett at <fortheparks@gmail.com>. 

Past president Susan Holmes thanked Beavers for her commitment to the organization and wise oversight. “Kiki guided the Civic Association through the negotiation and fund-raising hurdles that culminated in the successful completion of the Elliott Park playground, a much-appreciated gift to the community,” said Holmes.

The next SCA meeting will be in September.