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.

SCC Raises $101,000 to Meet Goal

Donations Support 25 Area Organizations
Because of the giving spirit of the community, the Sewanee Community Chest has met its 2015–16 fund-raising goal.
The Sewanee Civic Association is grateful to all who made a gift or a pledge to help reach the $100,000 goal for 25 local organizations.
Requests to the Community Chest this year totaled approximately $128,000.
The Sewanee Civic Association organizes the volunteer-led Community Chest, which raises tens of thousands of dollars yearly for local organizations that support youth, outreach, community and educational programs in the tri-county area (Franklin, Grundy and Marion). Through Community Chest funding, these organizations help those caught in the cycle of poverty, improve lives through outreach and community initiatives, and provide support for children with a variety of programs.
The money raised in the community goes directly to organizations that support the following: community aid, $21,850; children, $35,300; quality of life, $35,850; and beyond Sewanee, $7,000.
If you have not made your gift to the Community Chest this year, it is not too late. Any money that exceeds the goal will be used to support the mission to aid the community with annual funding and emergency requests, as they arise. Last year, the Community Chest was able to grant an additional $1,200 in emergency funding.
The SCA board also thanks Elizabeth and Rick Duncan, Community Chest stewards, for their work on this year’s campaign.
Projected distributions by the Sewanee Community Chest are:
Community Chest 2015–16 Grants
Blue Monarch $1,000
Boy Scout Troop 14 $300
Community Action
   Committee $10,400
Cowan Little League $4,500
Cub Scout Pack 152 $600
Folks at Home $5,000
Fourth of July $4,000
Franklin County
   Humane Society $3,000
Girl Scout Troop 2107 $200
Girl Scout Troop 621 $200
Housing Sewanee $5,000
Mountain Goat Trail
   Alliance $3,000
Phil White Dog Park $600
SCA for the Parks $2,000
Senior Citizen’s Center $12,000
Sewanee Angel Park $1,500
Sewanee Children’s Center $9,000
Sewanee Chorale $750
Sewanee Community
   Center $2,500
Sewanee Elementary PO $20,000
Sewanee Mountain
   Messenger $12,000
St. Mark’s Community
   Center $700
Thurmond Library $500
TigerSharks Swim Team $500
Volunteers in Medicine $750

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

Community Chest Within $12,000 of Goal

Since 1908, the goal of the Sewanee Community Chest (SCC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is to help citizens by funding the community. This year, through SCC funding, 25 local organizations will help those caught in the cycle of poverty, improve lives through outreach and community initiatives and provide support for underprivileged children with a variety of programs in Franklin, Grundy and Marion counties. This year’s goal is $100,000. To date, $89,800 has been donated.

For a majority of the area programs and initiatives, 20 percent or more of the SCC funds are used to maintain their yearly budgets. A majority of the funding is used to help low-income families. Some organizations would not exist without continued SCC support.

You can help: $25 will help to spay/neuter one animal through the Franklin County Humane Society program; $50 will help to buy camping gear for two Scouts; $75 will help pay one month of maintenance expenses for the Sewanee Community Center; $100 will help defray the cost of fireworks for the annual Fourth of July celebration; $250 will help to pay for a scholarship at the Children’s Center; $500 will help five TigerShark swimmers with registration fees; and $1,000 will help to pay for Sewanee Elementary teachers’ professional development.

If you have not done so, donate to the Community Chest today. Your donation does matter and helps to keep the community strong and vital. 

Send your donation to Sewanee Community Chest, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375. Pledges, payroll deductions and donations made in honor of or in memory of a loved one are also encouraged. For more information email <sewaneecommunitychest@gmail.com>, or go to <www.sewaneecivic.word​press.com>.

Civic Association Sets Priorities, Reviews Bylaws & Park Needs

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“The Community Chest is less than $12,000 from reaching its goal,” Community Chest co-chair Rick Duncan told the membership at the Feb. 17 Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) dinner meeting. Members also discussed maintenance needs at Elliott Park, reviewed proposed bylaw amendments and learned about the work of the Friends of South Cumberland to expand and sustain South Cumberland State Park.

The Community Chest funds an array of area programs, with the large majority youth-oriented. Duncan encouraged donors who gave last year but who have not yet contributed this year to make a donation. “If we received donations from those 80 people,” Duncan said, “we would exceed the $100,000 goal by more than $3,000.” [See adjacent story for details.]

Stephen Burnett, chair of the parks committee for SCA, called for volunteers to make routine weekly maintenance inspections at Elliott Park to comply with insurance requirements. 

Cameron Swallow said completing the duties on the check list “takes about five minutes.” To volunteer contact Burnett by email to <fortheparks@gmail.com>.

A question was raised about the surface material in the park hampering wheelchair access, since Elliott Park is supposed to be an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant facility. Burnett will check on ADA surface material specifications.

Civic Association President Kiki Beavers said several important items will be voted on at the April 20 meeting: the budget and officers for 2016–17, as well as amendments to the bylaws. Amendments under consideration redefine the board of directors and presidential succession, allow for email voting and prohibit discrimination based on gender. For full details about the proposed changes, go to <sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

Traditionally, the Civic Association celebrates the Person of the Year at the April meeting. Nominations are being accepted through March 21, Beavers said. To make a nomination send an email to <sewaneecivic@gmail.com>.

Vice president Lynn Stubblefield introduced the evening’s speaker, Latham Davis, president of the Friends of South Cumberland.

A longtime Sewanee resident, Davis joined the Friends board in 1990. At that time, the focus was on acquiring easements and tracts of land from private property owners to protect the Savage Gulf and Fiery Gizzard Cove regions of the park from residential development.

Through the Saving Great Spaces campaign, the Friends subsequently raised more than $600,000 and received $2 million in grants. A $25,000 grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation will help fund the Fiery Gizzard trail reroute, made necessary when a landowner closed off a privately owned section of the trail.

The Friends also do education in area elementary schools and help with renovation of visitor centers and ranger houses. Partnering with the Monteagle Assembly, the Friends funded the building of a ranger house near the parking area of a trailhead where theft was occurring.

“South Cumberland State Park is one of the most biodiverse areas in the United States,” Davis said.

The 25,000 acre park consists of holdings from Cowan to Gruetli-Laager. The park system originated in 1971, when Tennessee Governor Winfield Dunn took an interest in the region.

Civic Association Returns to EQB for Feb. 17 Meeting

The first meeting for the Easter semester of the Sewanee Civic Association will be Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the EQB House. Please note the change of venue.

Social time with wine begins at 6 p.m., and a buffet dinner ($13) begins at 6:30 p.m. The business meeting begins promptly at 7 p.m., followed by a brief program. The program part of the evening is free and open to the public. 

The business portion of the meeting will include an update on the Sewanee Community Chest, park maintenance, the 2016–17 SCA budget and nominations for board positions. 

Latham Davis, president of Friends of South Cumberland, will present the program on the South Cumberland Park activities and the Fiery Gizzard trail reroute. Latham and his wife, Mary, moved to Sewanee in 1977, when he joined the University staff. 

Latham was elected to the board of the Friends of South Cumberland in 1998 and co-chaired with Mary Priestley the Friends’ Saving Great Spaces Campaign, which exceeded its $600,000 goal. He served as president from 2003 to 2005. He was elected again to the Friends’ board and then to vice-president in 2014, and became president last July.

This year, the Sewanee Civic Association is celebrating 108 years of civic opportunities in the community. The association brings together community members for social and community awareness. The SCA is the sponsoring organization for Cub Scout Pack 152 and was instrumental in placing the historical marker at Sewanee Elementary School and developing the Elliot Park project.

Since 1943, the Sewanee Civic Association has organized the Community Chest, which now raises tens of thousands of dollars yearly for local organizations. 

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

SES Principal Talks to Civic Association

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“Sewanee Elementary School is the most joyous school I’ve ever been in,” said the new SES principal, Kim Tucker, addressing the Sewanee Civic Association at the Nov. 18 dinner meeting. The organization also received updates on the Elliott Park playground and Community Chest fund drive.

Tucker began her teaching career as an elementary school teacher in Cannon County, Tenn., where she was raised. She went on to serve as a high school principal and later as an academic consultant for the Tennessee Department of Education, overseeing a 16-county region. She moved to Franklin County after marrying Scott Tucker. When she learned about the opening for a principal at SES, she eagerly applied. 

“I love the small school environment,” she said, “and I’m so excited about returning to the classroom.”

Tucker cited the SES Friday School program and the school’s ties with the University as strong groundwork for her commitment to “building a sense of joy about a place.” Coupled with this philosophy, she stressed the importance of relationship-building with the community and parents. 

Under her direction, SES recently hosted two parent workshops, one to help parents understand the new Tennessee math standards and assessment procedures, and the other to educate parents about accessing their child’s academic performance records online.

Tucker praised Franklin County’s new director of schools, Amie Lonas, for giving control back to teachers and administrators, allowing them flexibility in teaching practices. Tucker is a strong advocate of project-oriented learning. With the new computerized assessment procedures beginning in the spring, “we’ll need to teach students how to manipulate the technology,” she said, “But we are not going to practice for the test.”

Tucker also concurs with Lonas’ non-paddling approach to discipline. “I will not paddle while I’m here,” Tucker said. “I’m a hugger and patter. Paddling is not the way. If you build relationships with students, the discipline takes care of itself.”

Tucker praised the Civic Association for its long-standing support of SES and recently sent a letter to parents encouraging them to donate to the Community Chest Fund Drive.

Reporting on the progress of the Community Chest, co-chair Rick Duncan said $42,000 had been raised toward the $100,000 goal, with 18 new donors already on board this year. The Community Chest funds an array of area programs, with the large majority youth-oriented. Send donations to Sewanee Community Chest, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375.

Updating the membership on the Elliott Park playground, Civic Association President Kiki Beavers said the equipment was installed, signage was “in the works,” and the parking lot, sidewalks and ramping were scheduled for construction soon after Thanksgiving. The maintenance plan has been submitted to the insurance company. Plans call for the equipment manufacturer, GameTime, training local individuals to address maintenance. More mulch was required than budgeted for, Beavers said, which added $2,300 to the project’s cost.

Beavers reminded the membership that the slate of officers for next year would be presented at the next meeting on Feb. 17. The organization needs someone to serve in the capacity of secretary, Beavers said. To make a nomination or to volunteer to serve contact Beavers at <sewaneecivic@gmail.com>.

Elliott Park Playground Installation Has Begun :: Park Opens With Work Day on Nov. 21

The materials began arriving on Nov. 10, and Gametime, Inc. has started the assembly process for the new playground at Elliott Park. 

While it is very exciting to see the area take shape, it will not be until Saturday, Nov. 21, that anyone will be allowed on the equipment. For safety and liability, the community is advised to not enter the playground until it officially opens. 

Please mark your calendars for the volunteer work day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 21. Volunteers (and wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels and pitchforks) are needed; go to the website <www.signupgenius.com> if you would like to help. Use the email “eduncan@sasweb.org” to find the event. 

After the required fiber mulch is spread, opening festivities will start at 3 p.m., with live music and the Shenanigans food truck. All are welcome to join the celebration as Sewanee’s second community park becomes a reality. 

Nov. 21 New Date for Elliott Park Opening

The date for the community work day to install the required surface material to complete the new playground at Elliott Park has been changed to Saturday, Nov. 21. 

Ongoing delays due to weather resulted in the need to move the date for the installation of playground equipment, which will take place during the week of Nov. 9. A variety of physical plant items will then be taken care of during the days prior to the final steps of spreading the fiber mulch. 

The work will begin at 10 a.m. on Nov. 21. Festivities to celebrate the completion and opening of the playground will begin at 3 p.m., with live music and the Shenanigans truck.

Please sign up ahead of time at <http://www.signupgenius.com>; search for the event by using the email address <eduncan@sasweb.org>. 

The Sewanee Civic Association, in partnership with the University of the South, has brought to completion the second project in the Sewanee community parks system. The community, along with the South Cumberland Community Fund, the Sewanee Community Council Funding Project, the Kaj Krogstad Memorial Fund, the Joel and Trudy Cunningham Charitable Fund, the Monteagle Sewanee Rotary and donations through a designated fund with the Sewanee Community Chest, donated more than $56,000 to purchase and install the new playground equipment, which is located in Elliott Park on University Avenue adjacent to the bookstore.

Civic Association Gets Updates on Projects :: Barry Offers Advice on Beating the Winter Blues

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Oct. 14 dinner meeting of the Sewanee Civic Association, members and guests received promising updates on the Elliott Park Playground and the 2015–16 Community Chest Fund Drive. Following the business meeting, certified dietician Jade McBee Barry offered advice on how to beat the winter blues.

Civic Association President Kiki Beavers announced the organization successfully raised the $57,000 needed for construction of the Elliott Park playground, making a loan from the Opportunity Fund unnecessary.

“We now own the playground equipment,” Beavers said, congratulating the membership. Offering a historical footnote she said the Civic Association at one time owned Sewanee Elementary School, another community project funded by the organization

Parks Committee Chair Stephen Burnett said heavy rain and removing abandoned data and phone lines from the site had slowed progress, but construction of the park was well underway. At a community build scheduled for Nov. 7, volunteers will spread mulch and wood chips. Those wanting to help should bring pitchforks and shovels. University Physical Plant Services will provide a tractor and blade to help facilitate moving the material.

Reporting on the Community Chest fund drive, co-chair Elizabeth Clark Duncan said $4,300 had already been raised toward the $100,000 goal. Plans call for sending out more than 4,000 letters, asking area residents to contribute to the Chest which funds an array of area programs, with the majority youth-oriented. 

“We want to increase the donor base so we can increase the amount we give in gifts,” Duncan said. Last year only 10 percent of letter recipients made donations, with the entire Community Chest funded by just 310 contributors. Send donations to Sewanee Community Chest, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375.

Certified dietician Jade McBee Barry offered smart insight into why so many people suffer from the winter blues and how to avoid slipping into depression.

Lack of sunlight, high-carbohydrate and high-calorie foods, and a sedentary lifestyle combine to cause depression during the winter months, Barry said. Less sunlight leads to lower levels of vitamin D, necessary for mood balance, and to higher levels of the hormone melatonin, resulting in lower energy. 

And while the sweet and high-carbohydrate foods popular during the holidays activate reward centers in the brain, making us happy, she said, the holiday overstimulation causes a loss of reward receptors, so fewer feel-good neurochemicals get to where they need to go to work their magic. The third culprit, Barry said, is sitting more during the winter months. The body draws less fat from the blood for use as fuel with the unhappy consequences of weight gain and, even worse, heart disease.

Barry recommended taking a vitamin supplement if one’s vitamin D level is below 30 ng/ml, standing instead of sitting, and walking 10,000 steps a day. She also offered a number of tips for making healthy eating choices: focus on whole foods, keep convenience foods out of the house, limit yourself to a three-bite sample of dessert, and at holiday gatherings don’t eat the non-homemade offerings. Barry’s number one rule for the grocery store: shop the perimeters, where the shelves are stocked with fresh and unprocessed foods.

The Civic Association meets next on Nov. 18.

Community Chest Sets $100,000 Goal for 2015–16

The Sewanee Community Chest Fund Drive announces the beginning of the 2015–16 fund-raising campaign. This year’s goal is $100,000, which will provide aid to 25 community organizations. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Sewanee Community Chest raises funds for local organizations that serve the common good.

Long-time community members Elizabeth and Rick Duncan have agreed to be the Sewanee Community Chest stewards and help lead the fund-raising efforts.

The money raised in the community will go directly to organizations that support the following: Beyond Sewanee $7,000; Children $35,300; Community Aid $21,850, and Quality of Life $35,850. This year’s recipients include Housing Sewanee, the Community Action Committee, the Sewanee Elementary Parent Organization, the Mountain Goat Trail, Volunteers in Medicine, and Folks at Home.

The power of the people helping people makes a difference. The Sewanee Civic Association encourages everyone who benefits from life in this community, whether you live, work, or visit, to give to the Community Chest. The Sewanee Community Chest 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.

For more information on how you can make a difference, or to read about the organizations supported, go to <sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

Fund-Raising Complete for Elliott Park Playground Project :: University and Civic Association Sign Memo of Understanding

Thanks to the generosity of our community, the Sewanee Civic Association has raised the full cost of the Elliott Park playground equipment, as of Oct. 1. More than $56,500 has been donated or pledged for the project. 

University Provost John Swallow and Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) president Kiki Beavers met on Sept. 30 and signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Elliott Park Playground Project. 

Recognizing the need for renovation of the Elliott Park playground, the SCA identified the project as a community priority and the University of the South offered to help with site preparation and construction. 

“This is an important partnership between the SCA and the University of the South to benefit the community,” said Beavers. “The five-year MOU clearly identifies the separate responsibilities of the Civic Association and the University.”

She added, “This is a reminder Sewanee is a place where families live and are valued.”

Major funders include the South Cumberland Community Fund, the Sewanee Community Council Funding Project, the Kaj Krogstad Memorial Fund, the Joel and Trudy Cunningham Charitable Fund, and donations through a designated fund with the Sewanee Community Chest. Community families had a lemonade stand and bake sale fund-raiser for the project in late August that raised $1,670. 

Located on University Avenue in the center of campus near All Saints’ Chapel and the University Book and Supply Store, the new Elliott Park playground will include a balance beam, bridge, climbing structures, swing sets, spinning elements and a musical component. The park will be accessible for all children and will incorporate local and natural materials. 

In addition to securing funding for the purchase of the equipment and installation, SCA will be the point of contact for complaints; secure and maintain safety certificates with GameTime, the playground equipment manufacturer; and under GameTime’s supervision, oversee the community-build portion of the construction and installation.

Under the agreement, the University is responsible for site preparation and drainage; accessibility and improving parking facilities; and the cost of moving and or replacing the playground equipment if the site is needed for other purposes. Site preparation began in September. Organizers hope that the playground will be delivered later this month. There will be time during this process for community participation in the playground’s installation. 

Community Chest Applications Due Sept. 12

The Sewanee Community Chest fund drive announces the beginning of the 2015–16 fund-raising campaign. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Sewanee Community Chest raises funds for local organizations that serve the common good. Funding applications are now being accepted. The deadline for submission is Saturday, Sept. 12. 

Please contact <se​waneecom​mu​nitychest@gmail.com> to have an application either emailed or mailed to your organization. 

A downloadable request for funds form is available at <https://sewanee​civic.wordpress.com/community-chest/funding-request/>.

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 27 organizations with a total of $101,400. 

The Sewanee Community Chest is a 501(c)3 organization, and donations are tax-deductible.

Elliott Park Playground Project Deadline Nears

Fifteen years ago, Elliott Park was the place where schoolchildren and families gathered for play dates, birthday parties and Saturday afternoon get-togethers. There were swings, climbing structures, a sand box and many other age-appropriate and safe places to play at this park, open to all.

But Elliott Park has fallen into disrepair; most of the equipment has been removed, and little of the park remains. There is no community playground in Sewanee. Seeing this problem, the Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) began its For the Parks campaign.

The For the Parks campaign needs approximately $36,000 to reach its goal for the Elliott Park playground equipment and installation project. To date, $29,000 has been raised for the project, including major support from the Sewanee Community Council Funding Project, the South Cumberland Community Fund and the Kaj Krogstad Memorial Fund. The deadline to raise the funds is Sept. 30.

Elliott Park is a prime location as a central playground and meeting place for families—an outdoor space where members from across the community can connect. Located adjacent to University Avenue near the Book and Supply Store, All Saints’ Chapel and the center of the University campus, it is the place where a playground can be created again for children of all ages, and provide a place for newcomers to meet others, fostering a sense of community.

The plans for redeveloping Elliott Park include swing sets, a balance beam, bridge, climbing structures, spinning elements and a musical component. The approved design also includes use of natural and local materials. The park will be ADA-compliant and accessible, with access ramps at the adjoining sidewalk and parking lot. 

Originally designated in 1870, Elliott Park has a history of community support with much of its playground equipment built by the community or purchased with donations. A swing set, chin-up bars, wooden step structure, and sand box (now removed) were installed under the leadership of Sandy Baird and Yolande Gottfried in the 1980s. In 1998, community member Dana Lesesne spearheaded the addition of a pirate ship constructed by the Sewanee chapter of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji), with support from various sources, including the Kaj Krogstad Memorial Fund. 

In 2012, several wooden play elements were in disrepair and removed from Elliott Park, leaving behind little more than an aging swing set in what was once a vibrant place for children to play. 

The SCA is working on the next chapter of this community-supported park. The goal of the SCA is to help improve municipal conditions and equipment, and raise money the town cannot raise in taxes because it is unincorporated. Since Sewanee is unincorporated, it does not qualify for many state and federal grants that municipalities rely on for projects such as playgrounds, parks and community development. The community, and the Civic Association, have a long history of identifying needs, raising the necessary money, and building projects needed by the community. 

The SCA will enter into a memorandum of understanding with the University of the South concerning maintenance, drainage control and parking lot improvements, and contingency planning for the equipment should the University ever need to relocate the playground. The SCA Parks Committee will be the point of contact for Elliott Park moving forward. This project will be a collaborative effort with the University’s Physical Plant Services, neighboring organizations, and community volunteers to maintain and enhance the park, creating a sense of ownership to ensure the long-term care and upkeep of this important part of the community. 

The For the Parks project will benefit the whole community and our many visitors by reminding us that Sewanee is not only a place where families live, but is a place where families are valued. 

To make a donation, send a check payable to SCA For the Parks, P.O. Box 222, Sewanee, TN 37375. All money raised will go through a designated fund with the Sewanee Community Chest, a 501(c) 3 organization and are tax deductible. There is an online campaign to use a credit card at gofundme.com/fortheparks. 

The SCA is the managing organization of For the Parks, the Sewanee Classifieds and the Sewanee Community Chest, and the sponsoring organization for Cub Scout Pack 152.

For more information or to volunteer, contact <fortheparks@gmail.com>, or go to <www.sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

Elliott Park Playground Fund Raising Begins

The Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) announces the beginning of the For the Parks fund raising campaign. Approximately $70,000 needs to be raised for the Elliott Park playground equipment and installation. 

Originally designated in 1870, Elliott Park has a history of community support with much of its playground equipment built by the community or purchased with donations. A swing set, chin-up bars, wooden step structure and sand box (since removed) were installed under the leadership of Sandy Baird and Yolande Gottfried in the 1980s. In 1998, community member Dana Lesesne spearheaded the addition of a pirate ship constructed by the Sewanee chapter of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji), with support from various sources including the Kaj Krogstad Memorial Fund. 

In 2012, when several wooden play elements were in disrepair, the University removed the ship, cabin, play automobile and picnic table from Elliott Park leaving behind little more than an aging swing set in what was once a vibrant place for children to play. 

At its April 15 membership meeting, the SCA approved a design for the next chapter of this community park. The plans for Elliott Park include swing sets, a balance beam, bridge, climbing structures, spinning elements and a musical component. Other criteria met by the approved design include use of natural and local materials. The park will be ADA-compliant and accessible, with access ramps at the adjoining sidewalk and parking lot. The SCA will enter into a memorandum of understanding with the University concerning maintenance, drainage control and parking lot improvements, similar to the agreement used for the Phil White Dog Park.

Sewanee residents David and Robin Hille Michaels have agreed to be the For the Parks stewards and to help lead the fund-raising efforts. 

“The For the Parks project will benefit the whole community and our many visitors by reminding us that Sewanee is not only a place where families live, but it is a place where families are valued,” said David. “We hope you will join our community effort to reinvent Elliott Park.”

To make a donation send a check payable to SCA For the Parks, P.O. Box 222, Sewanee, TN 37375. Funds will go through the Sewanee Community Chest, a 501(c) 3 organization. The SCA is the managing organization for the Parks, the Sewanee Classifieds and the Sewanee Community Chest, and the sponsoring organization for Cub Scout Pack 152.

For more information or to volunteer email <fortheparks@gmail.com> or go to <www.sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

Leadership Transition at Children’s Center

The Sewanee Children’s Center (SCC) will say goodbye to director Larry Sims when the school year comes to an end on May 28. Sims came to the Sewanee Children’s Center as the interim director in the fall of 2012 and assumed the position of director in 2013. Sims came to Sewanee from Middlebury, Vt., where he was a longtime educator, having been a teacher, curriculum coordinator and elementary school administrator. 

The SCC has named Harriet Runkle as its new director. Runkle received her B.A. in art history and museum studies from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and she began her teaching career as a museum educator. She received a master of arts in teaching degree from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Va., and has 14 years of teaching experience in kindergarten and first grade. She moved back to Sewanee last June after being away for 16 years. She, her husband, John, and their son, Jac, lived in Sewanee in 1996–99, while John was a student at the School of Theology. Runkle was an active SCC co-op parent, when Jac was in Carrie Mauzy’s class. 

The Sewanee Children’s Center is constituted as a parents’ cooperative and operated by parents through a board of directors. The school offers a comprehensive early learning program designed to meet the developmental needs of each child and is responsive to the needs of local families and children. SCC is generously supported by Otey Parish and the Sewanee Community Chest.

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.

Community-Building Focus of Civic Association / Call for Nominations for Person of the Year

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Community-building was the theme of the evening at the Feb. 11 dinner meeting of the Sewanee Civic Association. Following updates on the Community Chest fund drive and Elliott Park renovation, members and guests learned about two new Grundy County initiatives born of a desire to improve the quality of life for residents on the Plateau.

Civic Association president Kiki Beavers announced the Community Chest fund drive was within $2,200 of reaching its goal.

Beavers also announced the Civic Association had regained tax-exempt status after losing the designation a number of years ago for failure to file the required IRS documentation. The Community Chest has separate tax-exempt status and was not affected.

Parks Committee chair Stephen Burnett said the playground company designing the Elliott Park renovation recommended a larger “footprint.” The committee met with University Physical Plant Services to discuss increasing the area designated for the park and erecting a retaining wall using local Sewanee stone. Fund raising will begin as soon as design plans are final, with an estimated cost of $75,000–$80,000. A fund-raising chair is needed, Burnett said. The committee will apply for financial assistance from the Community Council project fund.

Part of the construction for the park will be done in a “community build,” Burnett said. Historically, all Sewanee parks have been community-driven initiatives, Beavers said, citing a 40-year history of complaints about lack of an adequate park system in Sewanee. Civic Association treasurer Lisa Rung said she wanted a written guarantee from the University the park would not be “torn down.” Burnett said the guarantee would take the form of a Memorandum of Understanding with the University.

Beavers called for nominations for the Person of the Year award, which recognizes organizations or individuals for “good work” in Sewanee and the surrounding vicinity. Nominations can be made by email <sewaneecommunitychest@gmail.com> or postal mail to P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375. The deadline is March 2. The Person of the Year will be announced at the next meeting on April 15. The Civic Association will also vote on officers for the 2015–16 academic year.

Members and guests learned about two new community-inspired initiatives from the evening’s guest speakers, Lucas Finney, creator of the Guitarsome Project, and Micah Sparacio, owner and director of Tenacity Adventure Fitness Center in Tracy City.

A visiting instructor of guitar at the University, Finney saw a need for music instruction in Grundy County, where elementary school children have limited or no exposure to music in their school day.

The Guitarsome Project is an after-school program in which Finney teaches guitar via Skype. The computer technology allows Finney and the students to see and hear one another. On-site assistants offer backup support. Finney launched the program last spring, offering classes at Tracy City and Coalmont elementary schools. Every child learned at least one song and several chords.

Funding is a problem, Finney said. Implementing the program at two schools cost $3,000 for the technology and to pay assistants. This past fall, Finney offered instruction at Monteagle and North Elementary. He hopes to expand the program to Sewanee Elementary and other Plateau area schools. The Community Chest awarded Finney $500. To learn more or make a donation visit <www.sewaneeguitar.com>.

Micah Sparacio and his family moved to Tracy City five years ago. Sparacio learned about the benefits of physical fitness as a graduate student, when he suffered from depression. Sparacio saw the need for a local facility that would make physical fitness fun and confidence-building.

Adventure-inspiring equipment at Tenacity includes a vertical ramp, rope climbing, a rock wall, and for kids, a trampoline and a room filled with huge foam objects for bouncing on and into. Instruction is offered in martial arts, tumbling, yoga, Zumba, Parkour and self defense.

Sparacio said the biggest challenge is making the gym affordable in a community where many residents live paycheck-to-paycheck. The gym does not bind users to a long-term contract. Visitors pay by the day or month. 

The gym sponsors 20 local children who participate in all activities fee-free.

Sewanee Community Chest Nears Goal

Because of the generosity of the entire community, the Sewanee Community Chest campaign for 2014–15 needs less than $10,000 to meet its goal of $101,000. Organizers are hoping to wrap up the annual campaign in the coming weeks and are optimistic about the campaign’s success.

The goal of the Sewanee Community Chest is to help support groups that provide critical services to our community. Through Community Chest funding, 27 local organizations help those caught in the cycle of poverty, improve lives through outreach and community initiatives, and provide support for children with a variety of programs. These organizations rely on the Sewanee Community Chest for yearly support. 

Even the smallest donations can help: $25 will help to spay/neuter one animal through the Animal Alliance South Cumberland program; $50 will help to buy camping gear for two Scouts; $75 will help pay one month of maintenance expenses for the Sewanee Community Center; $100 will help defray the cost of fireworks for the annual Fourth of July celebration; $250 will help to pay for a scholarship at the Sewanee Children’s Center; $500 will help five TigerShark swimmers with registration fees; and $1,000 will help to pay for Sewanee Elementary teachers’ professional development.

Go to <www.sewaneecivic.wordpress.com> for more information about the organizations supported by the Community Chest.

Since 1943, the Sewanee Civic Association has organized the Community Chest, which now raises tens of thousands of dollars yearly for local organizations. Donations and pledges can be made any time to the Sewanee Community Chest, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375. PayPal is also an option; go to <www.sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>. The Sewanee Community Chest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.