Sip a cup for charity

On the second Tuesday of every month, Tea at the Top of the Plaza hostesses Teresa Horn and Katie Kinney organize a special tea to raise funds and awareness for non-profit organizations in Blount County.

In January, at the inaugural event, the beneficiary was the Hearing and Speech Foundation, represented at the event by executive director, Megan Venable Smith.

Participants were invited to learn about the different varieties of tea, practice tea etiquette and enjoy a traditional spread prepared by Kinney.

Smith spoke about her organization’s services to the hearing-impaired indigent population living in the community. She also encouraged attendants to remember that all unused hearing aids can be recycled through the foundation. Hearing aids that are too old or damaged to be refitted on new patients may be returned to the manufacturer for a credit toward future repairs.

At each Tea at the Top of the Plaza event, 10 percent of each ticket goes to support the charity of the month. The next tea is Tuesday, Feb. 10, to benefit Good Samaritan Clinic. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, the theme for this tea is “Tea, Chocolate and Romance.”

Tickets are $25 plus tax. Reservations are due Friday, Feb. 6. To reserve your spot, call 964-6360 or email reservations to events@TopofthePlaza.com.

For more information on the Hearing and Speech Foundation, contact Megan Venable Smith at megan@handsf.org.