Community Notes:

Fall is a great time for planting and there will be a good selection of perennials, shrubs, fall flowers and arrangements , trees, house plants, and many other garden items suitable for placing in the fall garden and home.

One ongoing Sunrise Garden club project to make the community more beautiful, has been to plant over 90 trees and shrubs at local schools and in the community. Future projects this year include assisting with landscaping at Walland Elementary School, planting a tree at Blount County Library, and decorating a Smoky Mountain Heritage Center cabin for the Christmas celebration. For more information call 865-681-7234.

House of Courage holds annual banquet
Lost, alone and hopeless describes the lives of many teen moms and their babies in our communities. The House of Courage is a non-profit home designed to provide those young ladies and their infants the hope guidance and solutions they so desperately need in their lives while giving them a safe nurturing Christian environment. These teen moms are able to pursue their education, job training and parenting skills that will help them one day gain independence as they pursue their future with their children.

On Thursday Oct. 26, 6 p.m. at the Airport Hilton Hotel the House of Courage will host their third Annual Banquet allowing the community to be a vital part of the efforts to support this home, which is funded primarily through individuals, corporate gifts and churches in our region.

Mr. Hallerin Hill will be the guest speaker. A strolling dinner and silent auction will be featured. Tickets will be $20 per person. For more information about how you can help, you may call 865-577-7411 or visit the web site at houseofcourage.org. Please RSVP by Monday, Oct. 16.

School coupon book sell hits a new record
The Blount County School’s Partners for Kids Patron Checkbook Campaign is winding down, and Gary Heath, campaign coordinator for the Blount County School’s project, announced today that the 2006 effort will reach a new record for sells.

"I think last year’s total sell-out of coupon books took everyone by surprise," Heath stated. "For years, we’ve ordered several thousand extra books to make available for residents that don’t have access to school-age children. These additional books are usually dispersed by KenJo Markets and First Tennessee Bank locations after the student’s distribution phase is over. However, last year (2005) the entire three-thousand book surplus was gone before the school’s sells schedule ended."

"Even though most schools ordered more books in 2006, and over five-thousand surplus books were printed, we’re currently scrapping the bottom of the barrel to fill all the orders from school patrons," Heath confessed. "I think we’ll be able to provide a book to everyone that wants one from the participating schools, but we’ll have to wait and see if there will be any available for the KenJo and First Tennessee Bank distribution phase. Total sells for 2006 will be announced next week when reports start coming in from all the schools."

For further information, contact Gary Heath, campaign coordinator at 865-681-1207.

Springbrook Pool input meeting scheduled
A public input meeting concerning the proposed design of the new Springbrook Pool bathhouse and supporting building will be held from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., Monday Oct. 9, in the Commission Chambers of the City of Alcoa Municipal Building.

The City of Alcoa and the Maryville-Alcoa-Blount County Parks and Recreation Commission will be seeking input about the proposed design of the new facility. The design plans will be available for review by residents. City and Park and Recreation staff will be on hand to answer questions and welcome the public’s comments. Area residents are encouraged to attend this
meeting.

Alcoa student accepted into People to People program
John Duggan, a student at Alcoa Middle School, has been accepted into the People to People World Leadership Forum.

Duggan will join a select group of students in Washington, D.C., Oct. 2 - 8 to earn high school credit while studying
leadership and exploring some of the United States’ most prominent monuments and institutions.

From Capitol Hill to the Smithsonian Institute, and from Colonial Williamsburg to the National Museum of American History, Duggan will examine the characteristics of American leadership during times of national challenge and prosperity. Forum delegates will also participate in small-group discussions and exercises to experience first-hand how successful leaders develop strategies, make decisions, build consensus, and foster change.

Duggan was nominated and accepted for the honor based on outstanding scholastic merit, civic involvement and leadership potential.

Duggan is in the eighth grade at Alcoa Middle where he is treasurer of the J-Teens Club and a member of the soccer team.

He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 85 and attends Alcoa First Methodist Church. He is the son of David and Kari Duggan.

Jennifer McAmis named Maryville Rotary student of the month for September
The Rotary Club of Maryville has named Jennifer McAmis, a senior at Maryville High School, its September "Student of the Month." This honor is awarded each month to an area student who best exemplifies the Rotary motto "service above self."

Jennifer is an honor student who has served in various leadership positions in the high school band.

Jennifer’s community service includes serving with the Trick or Cans program for the past four years, collecting food for the hungry. This project involves securing sponsors, organizing parts of the city for collecting, advertising and collecting the food. For two years, Jennifer has been the director of this project. She is also president of Service Central. This organization coordinates and promotes service in our schools. As a part of this group, she has organized blood drives and boxes for students needing food and speakers on service.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 1.2 million Rotary members in some 31,000 Rotary clubs in more than 165 countries.

Two contests focus on American history
The Mary Blount Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will be sponsoring essays contests this year for students in grades five through seniors. The topics center on American history. Winners are sent to the state level competition.

The contest is open to all students, whether home-schooled, private or public. Each school in Blount County should have received instruction forms. For more information, contact the chapter history chairman for the Mary Blount DAR, Mary Nell Clevenger by calling 865-983-5556, or by email at Maryonell@aol.com.

All entries must be in by Dec. 10.

The topic for the 5th through 8th graders is "Jamestown Colony is Settled." The essay must take the form of a letter from one of the early settlers to a family member back in England, telling of activities and hardships of the Jamestown settlement.

Students in grades 9 through 12 compete for the Christopher Columbus Essay. The topic is "At Sea or at Home: Different Perspectives on the Voyage to the New World." Writers should relate the story of the first expedition of Columbus viewed from the perspective of one of the following: an ordinary seaman, Queen Isabella or a shipboard rat.

The Tennessee History Committee Art Contest is being offered to students in the 7th and 8th grades. The theme this year is "Tennessee Historic Sites." Students should summit their art rendering of any selected Tennessee site using any medium, no larger than 9 x 12. Each work must include a brief description of the site, using no more than 200 words.

This description may be attached to the back of the drawing. Also included on the back should be the name of the Chapter,
(Mary Blount), school, grade, name and address of student.

Art projects are due by Dec. 15. The chapter will arrange to pick up the art projects from participating schools and will have them judged, selecting a winner from each grade. These winners will receive a certificate and will advance to the District
level for judging. District winners will be notified and their project will continue to the State level for competition.