Community Notes:

With 400 cancer patients and survivors’ signatures on the quilt pieces, volunteers with the Blount Memorial Auxiliary hand-embroidered the signatures and assembled the quilt, which will be on permanent display in the center’s lobby.

The quilt will be dedicated in honor of all cancer patients and survivors and their families. It symbolizes the personalized quilts of comfort, treatment and hope offered at the Blount Memorial Cancer Center every day.

Following a brief ceremony in the lobby, guests of the event will be invited upstairs to the center’s conference rooms for seasonal refreshments and holiday carols.

"This Cancer Center was built for the patients, and this quilt is meant to honor them," center director Annette Dekanich said. After today, cancer survivors, who often form a close-knit community and are bound together by their common experience and shared understanding, also will be bound together with stitches on the quilt designed to be a lasting tribute to the legacy of hope survivors leave for others who face a cancer diagnosis.

Red Cross is looking for real heroes
The American Red Cross will host its fifth annual HEROES event in March 2007. Your help is needed in nominating Blount County residents who deserve recognition as a hero in one of the following categories:

• Fire Fighter (City, County, Volunteer)
  
• Law Enforcement (City, County, State, Federal)
  
• Medical (Medical Personnel)
  
• Emergency Personnel (Ambulance, Emergency Responder, 911 Dispatch)
  
• Adult Good Samaritan
  
• Youth Good Samaritan
  
• Community Impact (Professionals, volunteers, or groups who have made a significant positive impact on Blount County)
  
• Animal Rescue (Animal helped or saved a person, or person helped or saved an animal)
  
• Military (Individual acts of heroism: Guard, Reserve, or Active Duty)

The deadline for nominations is Dec. 31. Nomination forms are available at the Red Cross Chapter House or on our website at www.bccarc.org. Please call 865-983-0821 with any questions.

Smith Mortuary holds annual Christmas Tree program
Smith Mortuary has begun their 26th annual Memorial Christmas Tree program. This program is to honor the memory of your loved one and also help raise funds for the Empty Pantry Fund. Memorial Christmas ornaments are placed on the trees by individuals who make a donation (at the mortuary office) to the Empty Pantry Fund. On each ornament, the deceased person’s name is printed. Smith Mortuary’s Trinity Lobby is decorated with the Memorial Christmas Trees.

This tradition began many years ago and continues to be successful in helping to raise funds for the Empty Pantry Fund.
The program is open to the community and will continue through Saturday, Dec. 23. For more information, call 865-983-1000.

Give blood this holiday season
Blood donations decrease this time of year due to illness and holiday preparations and Medic Regional Blood Center asks that people take the time to give the ‘gift of life’ this holiday season. "Medic is the sole provider of blood and blood products to 28 area hospitals and it is very important for us to maintain our inventory this time of year," states Christi Fightmaster, Medic public relations.

One donation a year to Medic exempts donors and their IRS dependents from paying blood collection or processing fees at any U.S. hospital. Each donation adds another year’s credit towards your family’s membership. For example, if you give blood twice during the year 2007 then your family will be covered under Medic’s Family Blood Coverage Program until 2009.
Community blood drives are planned for the following dates:

• December 18, Curves, 525 Foothills Plaza, 10am – 6pm, Medic Mobile.
  
• December 20, New Midland Plaza, 232 Calderwood Street, 11am – 7pm, Medic Mobile.
  
• December 21, City of Maryville, 10am – 5pm, Inside Multi-purpose room.

All donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh more than 110 pounds and have positive identification. Donors will receive a free t-shirt and cholesterol evaluation (no fasting required).

Medic Regional Blood Center is the only blood provider for East Tennessee serving 21 counties.