Shopper Blog: Dog park at Beverly Park could be the most beautiful to date, says Randy Boyd at ribbon-cutting

HALLS

Dog park at Beverly Park could be the most beautiful to date, says Randy Boyd at ribbon-cutting

Ali James, Shopper News

“Having visited over 50 dog parks, this is the most beautiful. It is functional, but you just don’t see a park this beautiful that often,” said Randy Boyd, local philanthropist.

“It has all of the required parts – separate small and large dog areas – plus some bonuses.”

The Beverly Dog Park off Tazewell Pike is one of five neighborhood parks announced in the summer of 2020 for Knox County, along with five for the city.

The goal is to ultimately install 100 dog parks across the state. To date, there have been 86 winners in the Tennessee Dog Park Dash, a contest and grant program funded by the Boyd Family Foundation to help cover the cost of the dog parks. An additional 14 neighborhood dog park winners will be announced July 20 to round out the total to 100.

The county plans to build another four dog parks within the next couple of years thanks to a contest and grant program initiated and funded by the Boyd Family Foundation.

The foundation donated $250,000 to build the parks. Since the parks are expected to cost much more, Knox County has agreed to contribute an additional $150,000 to make the dog parks a reality.

Harrison Forbes, the Boyd foundation’s grant coordinator for Knox Dog Parks, said he had recently returned from a conference in San Diego.

“We are getting a lot of national attention,” he said. “No one has done it on this scale, and they are looking for the blueprints. It is igniting a fire and copycats in a good way.”

Forbes said key partnerships have allowed them to fund the neighborhood dog parks without a major tax cost to residents.

Playcore, a Chattanooga-based playground equipment provider, supplied benches, a hoop jump and tunnel to allow both dogs and dog owners to enjoy the space.

“We have to thank Knox County Parks and Recreation’s maintenance department, including Matt Wallace and his crew, for building this dog park,” said Joe Mack, Knox County Parks and Recreation senior director, at the park’s opening.

“This dog park may be our newest, but it is not our last. Once Powell Station and Clayton Park are completed, we will go from 29th to first in dog parks per capita in the nation.”

Recreational assets make Knox County a great place to live, according to County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. “We aren’t just talking about the greenways and water trails in North Knoxville,” he said. “We are talking about making everyone and their pets welcome at these neighborhood dog parks.”

Boyd said credit for the dog park initiative belongs to one of his employees. “An employee suggested we use an empty lot at Petsafe and turn it into a dog park,” Boyd said prior to the Beverly Dog Park ribbon cutting.

“I will admit we are disappointed that we dropped to 29th,” said Boyd. “Dog parks are great for dogs, people with dogs and for people in general. On benches you will see young and old, wealthy and less wealthy, all religions and even on some benches you may see Democrats and Republicans. I am excited to set such a high watermark.”

Jason Halliburton, who is over maintenance for the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department, said the total dog park area is around 1,100 square feet, and despite some weather-related delays at the beginning they completed the park right on time. “It was a pretty easy layout,” he said.

NORTH KNOXVILLE

Willard’s Way for 60 years at Knox County Library

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News

“I always said if you live long enough, someone will write something about you. It might be your obituary, but they will write about you,” said Willard Laster, who is celebrating his 60th year working for the library system.

On March 5, 1962, Laster was fresh out of the military, living at the Downtown YMCA and looking for a job.

“I had a friend who was in charge of the YMCA and worked at the Lawson McGhee library too. He was leaving for a better job at the post office,” said Laster.

“He wouldn’t give me that job, but he introduced me, and back then you didn’t need formalities or a resume — you just walked in.”

Laster soon gained a reputation for his handiness at the city library, as it was known then. “It turned out to be a bigger job,” he said.

“I did the early morning mail run, prepared the building for opening and closing it at night. We had outreach stuff then, so I did the deliveries.” Laster said he always had a hand in something, from painting to assembling shelves to shifting books.

“In 1964 or ’65 for whatever reason I would take up the slack on the bookmobile,” he said. “When the driver left, I decided I might like to have his job.”

For 10 years, Laster drove the library bookmobile to remote parts of the county where there were no branches and made a lot of friends.

“Time has passed, but occasionally I run into people that were out on the route,” he said. “I still have families that bring the third generations through. So many people have gone though, the pandemic took so many of our elderly people.”

In 1980, Laster was hired as branch assistant in the original Fountain City Library that is now home to the Fountain City Art Center. “It was there I had to learn some new skills. I didn’t type so I had to create my own skills. I still use them, and I don’t share them with anyone,” he joked.

“In 1963, I reenlisted in the Tennessee National Guard. By the time I retired I had 22 years of guard service. We were just getting computers when I was getting out.”

When asked if he once dumped out a badly packed bag of books, Laster sheepishly admitted that he did.

“When we get new people in, Libby tells them that ‘Willard does it this way,” he said, referring to the longtime branch director. “Willard has his own way; he looks for the easiest way to do the job without doing repetitive stuff the way others do.”

Growing up, Laster learned early about perseverance, attending first through eighth grade in a one-room school with 30 other students. “That is how I got my primary education, the same teacher with a teenager helping her in an old church,” he said.

“They called that giving you an education. There were no (secondary) facilities for Black students in Perry County. After that you either got your certificate or had to move to a boarding school 60 miles away. It was uncomfortable for farmers that needed their kids home during the week.”

Laster’s mother encouraged him to get a high school diploma, so he came to Knoxville to live with family.

“I was ill-prepared for the ninth grade at Vine Junior High, but I showed them and did it twice,” he said. “I was 13 or 14, when my aunt and uncle were in ill health and passed away. I was not going back to the farm. My mom and stepfather took over their caretaker job and we lived way out by Houser near Northshore.

“Still, there was no high school for me. A judge wrote up permission for me at the age of 14 to drive across town to Austin to go to school and I have been driving ever since.”

During the civil rights movement in Knoxville Laster said he would participate in sit-ins.

“There were several locations where you couldn’t sit and eat; it was just ridiculous,” he said. “I thought that issue needed to be changed. Black folks were lined up at the back door in the alley to get a simple thing like a cup of coffee and a doughnut. Knoxville was hustling and bustling and thousands of Black people worked downtown, but restaurants would have three stools for Black folks at the end of their bar to order their food.”

Laster’s wife, Sally, attended the Baptist Hospital school of Nursing with the help of his GI bill and was one of three Black students to graduate.

When asked how long they have been married, he jokes “Too long, 50-something years.”

“The last few years have just disappeared,” Laster continued. “I was not going for a record, but I work right now to maintain my health. I have some critical back problems; if I stop, I think I’ll stop altogether.

“I try to do my job, do it well and do it efficiently. I work because I love the job, the people and the kids – I just like what I do.”

BEARDEN

This Knoxville mom enjoyed a stress-free summer during 1982 World's Fair

John Shearer, Shopper News

The 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville conjures up different meanings to different people who remember attending or being involved with it, but for Diane Crook of West Knoxville, it was like a babysitter for her three children.

Not only that, but it also doubled as a tour host for the several dozen extended family members and friends who came into town to visit her family during that six-month period.

“Art was 15, Betsy 11 and Tom 9,” Crook recently recalled of their children. Her husband, Jim, who died recently, was director of the School of Journalism at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The children “often went as a group on the city bus to the fair. Or they accompanied our guests. We had more than 60 guests those six months.”

As the 40th anniversary of that momentous Knoxville event is taking place and highlights are remembered, Crook said she has especially warm memories of the fair due to the various connections.

Like a few other Knoxville residents, the Crooks had purchased season passes for their family as Christmas and holiday gifts in 1981. But they were not completely sure if those would be the best main presents for their children, especially for an event still almost six months away.

Despite their doubts, their decision proved the right choice, and 40 years later she is glad they followed through on their hunch.

“The passes for five seemed expensive to us then,” she said. “I’m not sure what our children thought in ‘81, but they loved the freedom, fun and excitement in ‘82.”

Part of the reason Crook thought the passes would be good presents was that they lived at the time on Wilani Road near Cherokee Boulevard in Sequoyah Hills not far from the fair site. And everyone could easily ride public transportation and avoid parking hassles.

This location also seemed appealing to friends and family interested in coming to the World’s Fair. They had a wall by their home where they would place the name of the guests that day or week, making it simple for visitors to find their home in those days long before cars had GPS systems or people had cellphones.

And despite all those guests and times when their children were out of school during the summer, Crook had almost a stress-free summer thanks to the fair, and quite a fun one at that getting to attend, too.

“It was a wonderful way to entertain,” she said. “I prepared breakfast, they headed to the fair, we would meet them for supper on site and stay for fireworks. Then we’d drive them home, have a snack, talk about what we liked best or what we needed to see the next day and all of us slept well until breakfast the next morning.”

She remembers the only real work was having to prepare a fruit salad that could be served for breakfast or as a late-night snack, and some breakfast biscuits and jam.

Crook jokingly added that one or two extended family members have come to visit her only once over the years, and it was in 1982 due to the fair.

They had lived in several towns in Iowa before relocating in 1974 to Knoxville, and many of the friends they had met along the way wanted to come.

As far as her children going, she said she felt sending them off to the fair among a daily crowd in the thousands was safe because their family was active at Church Street United Methodist Church directly across the street. And she had also been involved with a committee that helped staff the fair with ecumenical clergy or chaplains for fair visitors in crisis or need.

Looking back, Crook said her children likely have different special memories due to their different ages at the time.

“I think Art would say his favorite hangout was Australia and the music, Betsy loved the rides and Tom the wandering,” she said, jokingly adding that an older sister of one of Betsy’s friends was running some of the rides.

In addition to the previously mentioned fireworks, memories of which came back to her with the Festival on the Fourth concert at World’s Fair Park recently, Crook remembers another big treat was winning a special prize once.

“We got to sit in a car and make a long-distance call to Jim’s parents in Floyd, Iowa,” she said of that then-futuristic experience. “Grandpa and Grandma were just amazed. It was really, really a neat experience.”

The whole fair was also enjoyable, she added.

“It really was just such fun. We had the best time.”

FARRAGUT

Home-cooking fans know where to go in West Knoxville, to Sami’s Café

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

With numerous five-star Yelp reviews raving about the delicious, old-fashioned Americana food, it’s a good bet Sami’s Café at 9700 Kingston Pike (Franklin Square Shopping Center) is the go-to place for breakfast, brunch, and lunch.

Sami’s claim to fame for breakfast is omelets, biscuits and gravy, home fries (fresh not frozen) and pancakes. For lunch, the burgers and BLTs get rave reviews. There’s a special every day of the week such as beef stew, fried flounder, chicken liver, and country style steak.

“Each dish has its own day, so people know when to come. Many people love fried chicken liver but can’t find it anywhere. We have it every Tuesday,” said owner Bassam (Sam) Natour.

Natour named the restaurant after his father, “Sami.”

“I learned the business from him as far as the cooking, how to work hard, how to handle certain situations. My father was a cook all his life. Me and my two brothers grew up in the food business and I just wanted to honor my father by putting his name on the café.”

The restaurant business comes naturally to Sam Natour. His brother Pete Natour owns Pete’s Coffee Shop on Union Avenue. His brother Basel Natour owns Rami’s Café on Broadway.

They grew up working in their father’s restaurant, The Copper Kettle on Western Avenue.

The Natour name is well known in the restaurant community. The owners of Franklin Square Shopping Center found out that Sam was available and offered him restaurant space.

“I worked 17 years in the food business but was taking a few months off because I had a heart attack. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back, but finally I just thought ‘well, let me try and we’ll just see what happens.’ They made me an offer I couldn’t pass up.”

Sam and his brothers are all “hands on” proprietors. Sam runs the grill at Sami’s Café. He works hard from 5 a.m. until the restaurant closes at 2 p.m.

“We don’t believe in opening restaurants just to let others run them, we believe in getting in there ourselves and working. It’s the only way to make a business successful … be there,” said Sam.

“We keep the prices as low as we can, too, plus you get a lot of food. I want my customers to go home happy and full.

“We don’t need to be open later than 2. I have a wife and a 10-year-old. I want to go home and be with them in the afternoons.”

Sami’s Café opened with a bang in 2008. It wasn’t long before his landlord wanted to see an expansion from 49 seats to 100. The atmosphere is laid back, but quick with service. It’s not uncommon to hear laughter. As a testament to Sam’s management style, several employees have been with the café for seven years or more.

Sami’s Café is open Monday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Info:  www.samiscafe.com

POWELL

Enjoy life in color, that's the goal in Charisma Stinnett's art classes

Al Lesar, Shopper News

During his Sunday sermon at Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, pastor Todd Stinnett will glance over at his wife, Charisma, to see what she thinks of the message.

The more she’s doodling in her Bible, the better.

“I’m constantly doodling,” Charisma said. “My Bible is one big coloring book. That’s how I think; that’s how I hear. As I’m listening to the message, I’m drawing my interpretation of it.”

Charisma doesn’t just save her gift for Sundays. She is constantly drawing and trying to pass on the love of art to young and old.

During the school year, she has an after-school visual art program at First Baptist Academy in Powell. Children in grades pre-kindergarten to eighth spend 45 minutes a day working on projects. High school students are there 90 minutes a day.

In the summer, she offers 90-minute classes on Tuesdays for children and Thursdays for adults at the Black Oak Heights Church fellowship room. Sessions both days are 3-4:30 p.m. Cost is $25 per student per class. That includes materials.

Color is whimsical 

Since she was old enough to remember, art has always been a passion for the 1997 Powell High School graduate. Her mother’s talent created a solid foundation.

“I really started to love art in fourth grade with Miss Rains (at Brickey-McCloud Elementary School),” Stinnett said. “She would have us study an artist a month. We’d learn about their life and their medium.”

That’s where Stinnett became acquainted with Claude Monet, a French artist who became her favorite. She has shared several aspects of his style with her students.

“He uses wet on wet to paint his gardens, which is what I love,” Stinnett said. “My dream is to someday go to France and see his homestead.”

Until then, she’ll be applying her whimsical, colorful art with acrylic paints.

“I like a lot of colors,” Stinnett said. “With a whimsical style, anything goes. Putting one color on top of another – wet on wet – is the way I like to paint.”

New perspective from children's art

No matter the age level, there are just three rules in Stinnett’s classroom: Draw light until you know it’s right (it’s easier to erase); have fun; don’t think – enjoy.

“Too many times, the adults especially tend to overthink what they’re doing,” Stinnett said. “I want a lot of laughter in my classes.

“I used to be much more structured. Life has taught me not to stress out (she lost both of her parents relatively recently). Life is precious, we need to enjoy it.”

Stinnett said teaching the young children is quite rewarding. Their perspective has given her a new way to look at things.

“I love to watch their little brains working,” Stinnett said. “The little children have taught me a lot. I’m able to see things differently.

“They’ll draw the simplest little picture: A big circle with two large eyes. That’s their mother. You can see the love they put into the picture.”

For more information, or to register for a class, email Stinnett at: charismastinnett1@gmail.com, or visit her Facebook page: Art with Charisma.

WORDS OF FAITH

Isaiah tells the nation to rejoice after ruin; how can we do likewise?

John Tirro, Shopper News

In the last chapter of Isaiah, the prophetic voice speaks to a people who’ve emerged from a long time of being sequestered, separated from loved ones, in captivity in Babylon and scattered all over the Earth.

They’ve returned to Jerusalem, they’ve begun to rebuild, and some are excited, but some are just not into it. As it says in Ezra, “But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy” (3:12).

As a group, they’re glad to be back, but they’re having a hard time resocializing. Even more, they’re having a hard time appreciating the good of what they have, because all they can see is what they’ve lost.

In response, Isaiah says, “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her — that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply from her glorious bosom” (66:10-11).

Mount Zion, the mountain on which Jerusalem and its temple are built, is not a blazing volcano or even a mountain spring, but a very full breast. Israel is the baby, and Isaiah says drink deep. Receive what you need. Become like that little chunk in its mother’s arms, milk dribbling down its little double chin, full of all it needs to grow and become what God calls it to be, which first of all is loved, and after that, loving.

The milk is the word of God, the promise of love and instruction in love. Drink deep.

Christianity pours forth from this Zion-located tradition, but also from another crisis. After the temple is destroyed (nearly 2,000 years ago), where do we go for the milk of the word of God?

In Jesus’s earthly life, the temple was still there, and he moved in its rhythm, gathering for festivals and teaching using its images: the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, driving out money-changers, the poor widow’s contribution (Luke 18:9-14; 19:45-48; 21:1-4). But by the time his words were written down, the temple was a ruin.

Facing this loss and looking back at Jesus’s life and teaching, the church began to see people as God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19). They also noticed, much of what Jesus taught focused on relationship as the source of life: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18.20); “As you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (25.40); sending disciples two by two (Luke 10:1).

What relationship — old, new, or not yet fully formed — might be a source of life for you now? Might it be time to drink more deeply?

John Tirro is pastor of music at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Info: sjlcknox.org.

BEARDEN

Check out Bear Den, a new independent bookstore and hangout in Sequoyah Hills

John Shearer, Shopper News

Sequoyah Hills is known for its numerous classic-style homes that are still appealing in 2022, and Taylor Fry and Nick Wendel are hoping that is true for their time-honored business as well.

The two boyhood friends and Farragut High and University of Tennessee schoolmates are putting the finishing touches on Bear Den Books, which will be an independent bookstore at 1200 Kenesaw Ave. in the interior commercial area of Sequoyah Hills.

“Growing up, we both loved books,” said Fry. “And we had the idea of opening up an independent bookstore here in Knoxville because there’s Union Ave Books downtown and a couple of others around, but we wanted to put one in West Knoxville.

“We just love bookstores and thought we’d like to run one, so here we are.”

As Fry talked recently while still stocking shelves as books were arriving, he said they were to have a soft opening around July 9 and their grand opening in August.

Like a good book after it is opened, he hopes the bookstore captures customers’ attention after they open the door and come in, too, and is not just a place to hurriedly buy a book or quickly peruse.

“It’s all about community for us,” said Fry, saying the store also hopes to do book signings and book readings with local authors. “We want this to be a place where people can come and hang out. We have a seating area and are hoping to do events and work with different businesses.”

The Plaid Apron breakfast and lunch restaurant and the Treetop coffee house are nearby in the center across from Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, and Fry said he hopes people might be interested in stopping by before or after visiting those or other places.

Besides purchasing books there, customers can also have the store order a book not in stock, or they can order online through bookpage.org, with Bear Den Books getting a commission.

While independent bookstores have been among the American business casualties of recent years due to everything from the ease of online ordering to big box retailers to the popularity of e-books, Fry thinks a market still exists for them.

And the disappearance of actual books does not seem to be happening as some feared or thought a few years ago. “People still like to hold a book in their hand,” he said. “You have one in your home and it’s a pretty book and it looks nice. My house has a lot of really nice hardcover books.”

Fry said he and Wendel both grew up with books a part of their lives. He said he enjoyed Harry Potter and later Michael Crichton, and the two friends would scour McKay’s used bookstore and Barnes & Noble in college looking for books.

Fry later worked for a couple of startups in Austin, Texas, and would enjoy visiting the popular Book People bookstore there during his lunch hour, and that made him realize bookstores can still be vibrant businesses. “There are a lot of people out there who love that environment,” he said.

Both proprietors have backgrounds in marketing and hope that helps with their bookstore, which received its name as a play on the larger Bearden community in which it is located. The small commercial center space where they are was recently a workout studio but was formerly a drugstore, and people have stopped by and shared memories of working at or visiting the pharmacy, Fry said.

The bookstore space was basically in move-in condition, but they have been putting up Ikea wooden shelves to hold all the books and give the store a classic bookstore look. They will also have three special shelves when people enter. Two will be for the two owners’ favorite selections and a third will feature the latest bestsellers.

They also will have a special section regarding authors or well-known people with Knoxville area connections, from the late UT Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt to singer Dolly Parton to novelist Cormac McCarthy.

They also want to showcase Sequoyah Hills and the surrounding Bearden area simply by being a good local business that people want to visit. And conversations they have had with people stopping by seem positive so far, Fry added.

“People in the neighborhood are really excited about the store and will pop in, and we have a great conversation and get to know the neighborhood,” he said.

More: From Tennessee basketball to hanging with Dick Vitale, Chris Dortch is all about college hoops

FARRAGUT

Stars and stripes for miles and miles

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

The 34th annual Town of Farragut Independence Day Parade went off without a hitch. About 95 entrants stepped off at Farragut High School to a sea of thousands of spectators, many wearing red, white, and blue stars and stripes.

“We had 95 entrants and a waitlist for more. We hold the number of entrants down because we’re very practiced at this parade thing and we know how long people have patience for a parade,” said Wendy Smith, communications manager, Town of Farragut.

The parade skipped only one year because of the pandemic.

“We found out in 2020 how much people love the parade. We didn’t have the parade that year and people were very sad about it. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to who say the parade is a family tradition and part of their Fourth of July weekend,” Smith said.

An important feature of any parade is the Grand Marshal. This year, the Town of Farragut chose Cheri Intveld and Amy Burritt, owners of Euphoric Cheese Shop.

“They are pretty new business owners and they’re both breast cancer survivors," Smith said. "The community has really rallied around them supporting their business and supporting them personally. They were a good choice. They’ve increased awareness being so open and public about their illnesses.”

Intveld and Burritt rode atop a pontoon boat with nine of their family and closest friends with about 20 more walking beside the boat handing out goodies to the crowd.

Intveld said they were both honored to be selected by the committee. “We just love being part of this community and we’re so happy we started our business here in Farragut.

“We really enjoyed being on top of the boat; the scenery was spectacular,” Intveld said.

Another big draw to the parade were active-duty sailors from the U.S.S. Farragut, who marched alongside the Farragut Museum float.

“This is such a cool thing,” said Smith. “They are doing a namesake visit to Farragut and will be visiting the museum and going to a Smokies game while they’re here.”

The Farragut High School Marching Admirals wowed the crowd playing “Anchors Aweigh.”

The kids got a surprise themselves when new assistant band director Rodney Brown joined them for the parade. Acquiring Brown is a feather in the cap of the already outstanding band program at Farragut High School. Bands under his direction have received Superior and Excellent ratings in both marching and concert band.

Rounding off the parade were a number of politicians, including U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, Knox County Commission candidate Kim Frazier, Sheriff Tom Spangler, state Sen. Richard Briggs, District Attorney General Charme Allen, and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.

But perhaps the most popular of all was the Chick-fil-A mascot, who gave out hugs along the parade route.

POWELL

Scouts' project aims to make Beaver Creek float trips safer

Al Lesar, Shopper News

Floating down Beaver Creek will be a lot safer this time next year.

And, in the process, Andy Phillips and Henry Jordan will reach a milestone in their Scouting careers.

Phillips and Jordan are candidates for the Eagle Scout Award. Rising freshmen at L&N STEM Academy, the two will undertake a project to mark Beaver Creek – starting at the launch behind the Powell High School baseball field and ending at Roy Arthur Stormwater Park.

The distance between those two landmarks is about 7 miles. Mileage and emergency signs will be posted every quarter-mile along the route.

Phillips said they will work with Knox County emergency services to detail how the markings can be helpful.

“If anyone gets hurt or has a medical emergency on the water, they can say what the last marker was, so it will allow emergency workers to narrow their search,” said Jordan.

“It makes me feel good to know this could save someone who runs into trouble.”

Need to be precise

The Scouts have divided the duties. They will each help the other during the entire process.

Phillips will start in August by borrowing an airplane GPS from Jordan’s father.

“I’ve never used it,” Jordan said. “Flying is my dad’s thing. I don’t like to fly.”

He will start in Halls at the start of Beaver Creek and map out quarter-mile increments all the way to Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, where the creek ends. Precision is imperative. The Scout project will include only the middle portion of the route.

They said the Beaver Creek Kayak Club will likely take on the rest of the distance later.

Jordan said his portion of the project will be the expensive one, about $2,300, he estimates. He will need metal posts, brightly colored signs, hardware to attach the signs to the posts, and concrete.

The Scouts said they will attend Beaver Creek Kayak Club events to solicit donations, as well as making corporate requests.

Memories are important

This project is the climax of nearly a decade in Scouting for Phillips and Jordan. Both joined when they were in first grade. Their troop’s numbers have changed over the years. Now, there are five good friends who continue to meet together.

“Having a small group is an advantage,” Phillips said. “We get to do the things we love – camping, hiking, canoeing. Bigger troops don’t have that freedom.”

Even when they’re not meeting under the umbrella of the Boy Scouts of America, those five guys are out seeking adventure.

“We like to go out in the woods and build survival shelters,” said Phillips. “They’re logs tied with tarps to a tree. Then, we’ll spend the night.”

They’ve weathered rain and bugs and everything else the woods can throw at them.

“One time we found a piece of a wood bridge that had to be 300 pounds,” Phillips said.

“We propped it up between two logs and slept under it. We like to do stupid stuff like that.”

Memories like that are the reasons they’ve stayed involved all these years.

“The destination is fun,” Phillips said about their goal of the Eagle Scout Award. “But the journey is just as enjoyable. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”

FARRAGUT

Josh Bolling, the pride of Karns Lions Club

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

At 42, Joshua Bolling accomplished something few Lions do. He won the trifecta of Lion of the Year.

First he won the title for Karns Lions Club, then only months later won for District 12N. Now, he’s named 2021 Lion of the Year for the state of Tennessee.

Bolling, a member since November 2020, hit the ground running when he became a Lion.

In the past year, he spearheaded fundraising efforts to restore the Karns Pool, increased social media presence, participated in workdays at the park, regularly cleaned the playground, initiated additional community service opportunities for the club, participated in all major events (setting up, working the events and cleaning up), delivered food baskets and participated in districtwide food projects.

Bolling joined the Karns Lions Club to pay homage to his father, who was a Lion in Virginia.

Bolling recalls fun times with his dad.

“My dad was a member of the Lions Club in Norton, Virginia, and they formed a group called the ‘Bearded Beauties.’ They dressed as a bunch of hillbillies and they had all kinds of props like a still, an old shotgun, just a bunch of things. They would fundraise and go to the conventions. He had a lot of fun and adventures with the Lions Club.

“When my dad passed away, I happened to see a post about the Lions Club desperately needing members. I joined to honor my dad’s memory.”

Further following in his dad’s footsteps, Bolling does cosplay as Cousin Eddie from “Christmas Vacation” and he’s a member of the Smoky Mountain Ghostbusters with his own Ecto-1 car. He’s taken his cosplay to many appearances and fundraisers, such as parades, Cherokee Caverns, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City, Companion Animal Rescue and Education (CARE), Waiting to Hear, a number of walks for good causes, and more.

Bolling was born and raised in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. He came to Knoxville for a job opportunity and to be closer to his brother (who lives in Sevierville) in 2004.

He attended Radford University in Virginia, earning a bachelor’s in geology and a master’s in environmental and engineering geosciences.

Bolling took the lead as president of the Karns Lions Club on July 1. He plans to continue to fundraise for the pool. The club spent $180,000 refurbishing the pool and is more than $50,000 in debt … with more work to be done.

He took a lifeguard class to help ease the shortage. Bolling plans on becoming an instructor so the Karns Lions Club can have its own lifeguard training classes.

“I plan to keep growing the club. We need new young, energetic members … especially with fundraising experience. We really need someone to help us with fundraising ideas and events. The more money we raise, the more we can give back to the community.”

Info: www.karnslionsclub.com.

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