Shopper Blog: Take a tour of miniature Knoxville’s holiday lights at Safety City
HALLS
Take a tour of miniature Knoxville’s holiday lights at Safety City
Ali James, Shopper News
It took over 5½ weeks and 7½ miles of 8,000 individual lights, but at last Safety City has been transformed into a mini winter wonderland.
Admission to Knoxville Police Department’s Safety City is usually reserved for second grade field trips, with limited public hours over the summer.
But Safety City Christmas is back again this year. Children can ride their bikes, trikes and peddle cars throughout the city, watching the sun go down and the holiday lights begin to twinkle.
This annual free event is the perfect time to walk or ride around the city and pose for photos in front of the miniature versions of Knoxville’s most iconic buildings that have been all decked out for the holidays.
Evening times are 4-7:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Dec. 7-9 and Dec. 14-16, and daytime hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 20-21. Rumor is that Santa will be there to pose for pictures and listen to Christmas wishes on Dec. 14 and 15.
Four-year-old Everett Mattson was happy to explore Safety City on his bike that was decked out with lights he got for his birthday.
“I came as a kid for field trips,” said his mother, Savannah. “I have wanted to bring him, so we were excited to come when it was open to the public.”
Two-and-a-half-year-old Sawyer Stottler was busy practicing stopping at traffic lights on the second night. “We come with his older sibling, who has been off riding around the whole time,” said his mother, Emily. “We have been here a lot, but never at Christmas.”
Austin Smith, training specialist in fire and traffic safety at Safety City, took the lead in decorating for the holidays with the help of some others.
“All of these lights are in two of the bigger hollowed out buildings at Safety City,” he said.
On opening night Nov. 30, more than 300 people came through, many of them taking photos and Facetiming friends, according to Smith.
“I have three kids, so I know it’s good to get out and do something at night when it’s nice in the evenings,” he said. “It is a place that is more controlled and a safe space to play and explore.”
The central gazebo is one of Smith’s favorite places to view the lights. “Anything by the pond where the lights are reflected is really cool.
“Some of the buildings were harder to decorate than others. The city has equipment we can use to get to the Sunsphere, but some of that equipment was too big for our little streets.”
The first Safety City Christmas event was held in 2018, but COVID-19 canceled the event in 2020.
“The event gives the police department an opportunity for more outreach,” said Smith.
“We used to do a massive Halloween event until it got too big, and we replaced it with community service opportunities. We have had different people, including University of Tennessee students, come and help out.”
Safety City is also collecting donations for Toys for Tots.
A vendor, Food & Company Mobile Catering, will be at Safety City on Tuesdays and Thursdays for families who want to purchase food and eat dinner while they hang out.
All visitors need to sign a safety waiver. Helmets are required and no motorized equipment, skateboards, roller skates or blades, one-wheelers or hoverboards allowed.
Safety City is at 165 S. Concord St., between Sutherland Avenue and Kingston Pike.
NORTH KNOXVILLE
Pints for Purpose, great fun, great brew for the greater good
Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News
Next Tuesday, Relix Variety in Happy Holler will be the venue for a Holiday Market featuring draft beers by local brewers and gift items by local vendors, all to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.
It’s the latest charity fundraiser presented by Pints for Purpose (P4P), which was begun last July and incorporated as a 501(c)3 in October.
It all started as a way for the Keller Williams Young Professionals (KWYP) to get together during their off hours, knock back some brewskis, have some fun and offer some leadership opportunities.
When KWYP president Justin Myers sat down with pals and colleagues Tom Burnett of Admiral Title and Madi Archer of Mortgage Investors Group (MIG) for some spitballing, the initial idea was “to do fundraisers at different breweries around town for different causes,” says Myers.
“Working with realtors is like trying to herd cats. They’re all their own boss, they’re all doing their own thing.”
Myers welcomed the structure that Burnett and Archer brought. “Admiral and MIG really poured in in a huge way. A bunch of their people were showing up and had resources.”
Burnett — director of business development for Admiral and board chair for P4P — says, “my background before I was in real estate was in operations. I’ve always had a knack for putting pen to paper and inspiring action. So for doing a fundraiser series and starting a nonprofit, it was a lot of prep work done a while ago that brought things to life.”
“I love giving back, but I hadn’t found the right avenue,” says P4P vice chair Archer, a MIG assistant loan officer. With her office at Turkey Creek in the same space as KW, she says, “we all just know a lot of people; everyone’s intertwined. A lot of people — especially young people — wanted to get involved.”
And with 39 professional realtors in the KWYP membership, notes Myers, that’s “39 spheres, all over town.”
So far, P4P has done fundraisers for Knox Pride, Koinonia Foundation Tennessee, Hurricane Ida relief and CareCuts. And now, Second Harvest.
“For us it really lines up with the time of year,” says Burnett. “For those in need, this is great timing.”
Archer would like to see a fundraiser for victims of domestic violence at some point, and all involved with P4P encourage anyone with a favorite cause to reach out to them.
“It’s rare to get out, have a pint in your hand, and learn about people’s lives,” says Burnett. “There are so many people in our industry who want to give back. That’s the purpose of P4P — to get like-minded individuals together to raise money for charity. Our tagline is ‘throwing back and giving back!’”
The Pints for Purpose Holiday Market happens 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14 at Relix Variety, 1208 North Central Ave. Featured brewers include Fanatic Blonde, Abridged Toppy Rock, Blackberry Farm IPA and Yeehaw Dunkel.
Myers says, “There will be a cash bar, free pictures with Santa, local vendors and raffle items.” For more info, or if you have a nonprofit organization you’d like P4P to consider for a future fundraiser, email pints4purpose@gmail.com or visit facebook.com/pints4purpose/ and instagram.com/pints4purpose/.
BEARDEN
After 11-3 year, West Rebels hope for another run at title
John Shearer, Shopper News
Although the West High Rebels just missed out on reaching the state football championship game and going for the gold football trophy this fall in Chattanooga, they do appear to be in a golden age.
Coach Lamar Brown, now finishing his fifth season, has led his team to the state Class 5A semifinals two of the past three years to follow up on West’s memorable state championship in 2014 under former coach Scott Cummings.
As Brown talked over the phone a few days after losing to Powell in the fourth round on Nov. 26, he sounded much more upbeat than disappointed, calling the 2021 season a great year.
“I was proud of our kids,” he said. “We got better each week throughout the season. This is one of the finest groups I’ve ever coached.”
The team finished 11-3 and beat West Knox County rivals Bearden and Farragut and lost only to Blount County powerhouses Alcoa and Maryville before falling to Powell. The Rebels also beat fellow local Knoxville power Central twice, including in the third round of the playoffs, to claim the region championship.
While it sounds like a mostly positive run, the season did come with a little adversity in the form of the ever-present injuries that strike many teams.
“We lost some key players early in the season, but we found a way to win and found a way to keep getting better each week,” Brown said.
The injuries started in the 24-2 win over Bearden in the first game, when key player Shannon Blair went down. “And we lost a couple of other guys early who were key parts of our team. John Carlevato, a linebacker, was injured, and we lost our starting tight end in week 3,” said Brown.
But many of the other players stepped up, the coach added, including quarterback Carson Jessie, who had a great year, as did Brayden Latham at tailback, several receivers and the offensive line.
On defense, standouts were also aplenty. “They played really well on defense,” Brown continued. “Ryan Scott led us in tackles, Ja’Qurrius Wrenn led us in interceptions. He’s a heck of a safety. We had multiple people step up throughout the year who helped us win ballgames.”
After the injuries contributed to close wins over Farragut, Halls and Sevier County during the first half of the season, the Rebels were still 5-0 heading into a Thursday matchup on Sept. 23 against Alcoa. It might have been the most exciting game of the year for the Rebels, although they lost in two overtimes to the traditional Class 3A state power.
Then came blowout wins over Heritage and Cocke County by scores of 56-6 and 76-7, respectively, before a 35-7 loss to Maryville on Oct. 22.
The Rebels closed out the regular season with a 49-14 win over Central before defeating Morristown West, David Crockett and Central again in the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Powell, led by the nation’s No. 1 prospect, Texas A&M commitment Walter Nolen, won 35-7 to end the West championship hopes.
“We ran into a talented football team that played really well,” said Brown. “But I’m really proud of our kids.”
He also called Powell standout Nolen a great player, adding, “He’s ranked the No. 1 defensive player in the country for a reason. He’s the real deal.”
West has become the real deal as a team locally as well. And with only six senior starters graduating, the 2022 season looks bright, too. All that and what Brown calls the positive environment at West have made him quite content in his current job.
“West is a very special place,” he said. “It starts with our kids. We’ve got great kids. Not only are they good football players, but they are also good-character kids.”
He also praised his assistant coaches, saying he would put them up against any staff, and was also quite a cheerleader for the entire West High community.
“The way I’ve seen our community grow and come together has been really special the last five years,” he said.
SOUTH KNOXVILLE
Waterfront Drive upgrades ready for second phase
Ali James, Shopper News
After pausing to appreciate the completion of phase one, the City of Knoxville is set to roll into phase two of the Waterfront Drive South Knoxville updates in the new year.
The $733,263 first phase of the Waterfront Drive Roadway Improvements Project is basically completed and includes new sidewalks, light poles and drains near Suttree Landing Park along the South Waterfront. New ADA-accessible sidewalks are now open on Waterfront Drive, Langford Avenue, Dixie Street and Empire Street.
“We are ready to begin the next phase to make those perpendicular connections,” said R.J. Justice, deputy chief of economic and community development for the city.
“There are always parking challenges, but the fact that it (construction) is being phased out and one area is being opened before another phase begins, helps to keep a steady flow of parking available.”
Aesthetically it just looks better, according to Justice.
“In addition to the safety and accessibility, there is a more consistent feel with the completion of the streetscapes,” she said. “Adding the amenities for landscaping, parking and lighting and making sure the crosswalks are safe complete the picture for the vision of the creation of Suttree Landing.
“If you look back even further into history, this area was definitely industrial, and over time those industries moved away and it became overgrown,” said Justice.
“The single-family residences remained; it was a really an opportunity for us to recapture that area to re-create and reconnect the neighborhood. Although there is the density, I think the land there is a lot grander than we realized; it is an extension of our downtown and urban area. Through all of the studies we felt that was a very appropriate area for density to complement the amenities, housing and retail.”
During the necessary construction, the city took the opportunity to run the utilities underground.
The narrow streets were also seen as an opportunity to create bump-outs for landscaping, lights and sidewalks to create a sense of space and control speed in the area, according to Justice.
“The goal of this project and any streetscaping is to improve connectivity and safety,” she added.
The City Council on Nov. 16 authorized a contract for the second phase of the project. In this $648,375 phase, rough grading work will flatten the slope between Lanford Avenue and Waterfront Drive. In some places they will add 15-20 feet of fill to support the new construction and parking areas for the area and for the new residences.
This phase two work should start in the first few months of 2022 and will allow new sections of Claude and Barber streets to be built and provide connections to Langford Avenue and Waterfront Drive. The nine-block area will be connected and walkable.
This construction must meet the city’s performance standards before new street extensions, curbs, sidewalks, drainage systems and utilities are added in a third and final phase that will be bid on next year.
South Banks, the Dominion Group’s $60 million mixed use development, will include 230 apartments and retail space.
“We are hopeful it is a complement to the continued economic success of this neighborhood,” said Justice.
In the coming few years, according to Deputy Director of Communications Eric Vreeland, the city will be investing $10 million in a streetscape overhaul of Sevier Avenue. This will include relocating some of the unsightly overhead utility lines and adding bike lanes, improved sidewalks, street lighting, on-street parking and a new roundabout at the Sevier Avenue, Island Home Avenue and Foggy Bottom Street intersection.
WORDS OF FAITH
Love is invisible but real, seen in the Advent of Jesus
John Tirro, Shopper News
Advent is the season of anticipating God’s presence — in Jesus’s birth, in our union with God at the end of time, and in little things now, like two or three meeting in Jesus’s name, or the least of those we serve, or the bread and wine of Communion.
At St. John’s, as we move into Advent, we’ve begun using the Nicene Creed in worship. It’s called that because it was written in large part in a region called Nicea. (A good bit was written in Constantinople, but Nicenoconstantinopolitan Creed is too long. You’d have to pack a lunch to make it to the end of the word.)
One thing I love about this creed is it speaks of God, “maker of all that is, seen and unseen.”
As a child moving from believing whatever I was told, to trying to make sense of abstract claims about God as my brain shifted developmentally to concrete thought, I found it helpful to have it pointed out that there are unseen things in this world. Of course there are.
I don’t mean things too small or far to be seen without help. I mean things that can’t be seen no matter how big a microscope or telescope you use, like love, friendship, kindness and truth.
You can see loving actions, you can see someone in whom you detect love, but you can’t see love itself.
What color is love? What shape is it? Love is not something you scoop into a bottle and weigh on a scale, and yet it’s the most important thing we have, and it is real.
One story we share in Advent is the word of God coming to John.
“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas…” (Luke 3:1-2).
That’s a lot of specifics, with notable, highly placed people in positions of authority and, of the group, the word of God comes to — survey says! — “John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”
There’s a back story. Zechariah was a priest whose career hit a bump when an angel told him he and his wife would have a son in their old age, Zechariah didn’t believe it, and the announcing angel struck him dumb, just as Zechariah was supposed to go out and bless the entire gathered nation.
Taking a smaller case, when we bottle up anger and don’t give it healthy expression or simply acknowledge it and let it pass, it bubbles out in other areas, uncontrolled and invariably causing harm.
Similarly, when people entrusted with power fail to act in love, love finds another way, like John in the wilderness, announcing a day-laborer turned spiritual teacher, Jesus.
Where is the invisible at work in your life? How might you align with the good of that, with love?
John Tirro is pastor of music and campus ministry at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Info: sjlcknox.org.
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POWELL
Youths shoot and score in state archery contests
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Breathing should never get in the way of competing in a sport.
But in archery, monitoring every breath counts.
“You take a deep breath before you draw back your bow,” said Robert Carter, “then, you slowly let it out before you execute. Let it out naturally. The whole process should take between 30 and 45 seconds.”
That’s the basic approach Carter, who has been a scholastic archery coach since 2017 and a competitor since 2005, uses with the youngsters he trains.
The Heiskell resident, along with his older son Brendan, is the coach of the Crossroads Archery Club. The club is one of 24 teams across the state in the Scholastic Archery Association. Three of those teams are centered in East Tennessee.
The Crossroads team, which has four members, had been practicing in Halls before its facility became too expensive. Carter has spent much of the fall trying to find an indoor facility at least 30 yards long that isn’t consumed by basketball.
Crossroads archery team has success
When their sons, pre-high school, were into archery, Robert and his wife, Melissa, caught the bug. Since then, they have made it their mission to make the sport available to youngsters.
Robert is now the state coordinator for the Scholastic Archery Association. His team's has four competitors: competitors are his grandson Greyson Carter of Seymour, Marisa Cox of Powell, and Rosey Collins of Halls.
Cox, 15, finished fifth in the nation in her age group last year, while Greyson, 10, was selected as his age group’s state shooter of the year.
“That was very stressful and emotional,” Robert said of his grandson’s competition. “It was very competitive. It was very rewarding for him to have that success.”
In his five years in charge of a team, Robert has learned quite a bit.
“Patience is so important,” he said. “Every kid is different. The important thing is to always be positive. Don’t worry about the last shot, think about the next one. There’s a big learning curve.”
Scholarships feed interest in archery
Each participant is expected to supply the equipment. Quality starter gear will cost anywhere between $300 and $400, according to Carter.
“I’ve seen people (do well) with starter equipment and I’ve seen them (do well) with a $1,000 bow,” he said. “The key to success is practice. There will be kids out there shooting 100-200 arrows every night.
“It has to be quality practice, like you’re competing in a tournament. It’s all a mindset.”
Carter said that in recent years scores have gone up at the high school age level. A lot of that has to do with the significance of colleges offering scholarship money.
“The top three finishers in the state are usually going to be offered scholarships,” he said. “The equipment is getting better. It all comes together to make things more competitive as the scores keep going up.”
While the Crossroads team has just four competitors, the largest team in the state has 41. More coaches in the area are needed. Carter said the interest level of youngsters is there. He said Anderson County Schools have added archery to their physical education regimen, but others are hesitant.
SOUTH KNOXVILLE
20,000 new books for Children’s Hospital holiday drive
Ali James, Shopper News
Nikki Glandon was talking with Pat Scott, community development officer at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, when she learned that more than 60,000 children visit each year and that for sanitary reasons, the hospital cannot accept used book donations.
So the local author of the “Lessons from Pete the Pony” series decided to launch a book drive.
“I set a hefty goal for the holiday book drive. I want to do 20,000 books. It is still a small goal in comparison to the number of children who go through,” Glandon said.
“Children can receive one of six of my books in the ER, if they have milestone treatments, for birthdays and other special occasions. Imagine giving a new book to children whose spirits may be down from being so sick or injured that they are at Children’s Hospital Emergency Room.”
To meet her goal, Glandon has reduced the price and set a minimum donation of five books. Donations can be made by individuals, schools, organizations, or businesses at https://bit.ly/petetheponybooks.
“We will be sending a thank you email and will let people know when we get to our goal,” Glandon said.
“The best thing about writing the books is the joy you get from the kids seeing them. It is really a wonderful line of work to be in.”
Glandon said the idea for the books was a seed that was planted years ago. “Years ago, I waited tables and bartended and I always said I would write a book about manners, so that it would teach kids and parents,” she said. “Then, I was meditating and the words ‘horse, mindful book for kids’ came to me.”
Inspired by her favorite childhood book, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein, Glandon wrote her first children’s book, “Lessons from Pete the Pony: Meet the Herd,” in August. She has written five more books in quick succession.
“Lessons from Pete the Pony” is part of Planting Seeds Co. “It comes from a place of wanting to instill these qualities in children everywhere, so they have these tools: respect, gratitude, and growth mindset to thrive in a complicated world,” she said.
“We can prevent so many problems with regards to mental health; that is truly the mission of the books.”
Glandon learned to ride as a child and got back on the horse, so to speak, about five years ago. She is certified in Equine Assisted Learning and graduated last week with her degree in child psychology.
“I work with and around horses,” she said, of the lessons and activities that help teach responsibility and instill trust. “You have to be present and here with the horse, look where you’re going. It actually has huge benefits. Horses are good with releasing trauma, providing therapy for people with PTSD and autism. We (humans) are really good with shoving that trauma down.”
Current titles in the series are “Pete Meets the Herd,” “Pete Goes to Dinner,” “Pete’s Old Saddle,” “Pete Goes Skiing,” “Pete Goes to School” and “Pete Goes Camping.”
Each book also teaches valuable lessons in determination, being kind, friendliness and bravery in a kid-friendly tone.
Some Utah restaurants distribute a customized version of the “Pete the Pony” series to include coloring pages and restaurant menus, so that children can learn and practice their manners at the restaurant.
Glandon credits her mother, Dianna, a former teacher and founder of Above the Rest Balloon Designs, with passing on her love of storytelling. Dianna Glandon also edited the “Pete the Pony” series.
Planting Seeds Co. was established by Glandon in 2018 and is the umbrella for the books she is publishing to help plant the idea of positivity in children.
“Now my focus is the book drive, and after that I will continue on with more books, of planting seeds and incorporating it all together,” said Glandon.
The goal is to continue the book drive until Christmas so that a mixture of the books can be distributed to the children’s hospital by early 2022. “I’m a believer of let’s go for it.”
The “Pete the Pony” books are available on Amazon, Target and Walmart’s websites and through other book sellers.
HALLS
Feeling festive? Spread the holiday cheer with these upcoming events
Ali James, Shopper News
The holiday season is in full swing, and here is a sampling of local festive events and activities coming up. Some old favorites return, along with possibly some new traditions to try.
Mini Festive Forest
Halls Branch Library has been “sprucing” up the children’s reading room. Close to 50 library visitors have picked up their miniature artificial trees and decorated them with either a Christmas or winter theme. This first Holiday Forest will be on display, along with the librarians’ favorite holiday storybooks from now through Jan. 3, 2022.
Fountain City Old Timey Christmas
The Fountain City Park Christmas tree lighting event returns again this year 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10. Last year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, but organizers say they are working at expanding the festive occasion.
“They wanted to do a parade and it is not allowed on Broadway due to the manpower required to close off all of the side street traffic,” said Fountain City Lions Club member Penny Kleinschmidt.
“We looked at a couple of options and it just wasn’t feasible, so we thought we would add some shopping.”
The tree lighting, visits with Santa, caroling, cookies and hot cocoa will be outside in the gazebo, while inside the Fountain City Lions Club building, vendors will be set up to sell handcrafted holiday gifts. Realtor Jennifer Morris will have a craft for the kids.
“We are hoping to plant a live Christmas tree to have for future years,” said Kleinschmidt. “And the rumor is that Santa is coming in on a fire truck again.”
This year’s event is a collective effort between Fountain City Forward, the Fountain City Business and Professional Association and the Fountain City Lions Club.
“The more we pull together and work together, the more we can accomplish,” said Kleinschmidt, who hopes to see the event extend well beyond the park in years to come.
Donations of toiletry items and diapers for the Fountain City Ministry appreciated.
Halls Christmas parade
The Halls Christmas parade, sponsored by the Halls Business & Professional Association, is back on Dec. 11. The parade starts at 6 p.m. at Halls High School and travels down Maynardville Pike through to where most of the restaurants are.
Brunch with Santa
Christ United Methodist Church at 7535 Maynardville Highway is hosting its annual Santa Brunch 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Dec. 11. There will be food, activities, a raffle and photos with the Clauses. It is a free event. Contact the church office at 865-922-1412.
Central High’s Elf off the Shelf 5K
“Signups are going well; I’m anticipating us to have around 200 runners,” said Kevin Bickley.
The Dec. 18 one-mile kids run starts at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9 a.m. in the parking lot at 5321 Jacksboro Pike. The route crosses Jacksboro Pike into the local neighborhood, through the Central sports complex, across the 50-yard line and finishes near the start line.
There will be holiday music, a visit from Santa Claus, and awards. Participants are encouraged to come dressed as an elf, reindeer, Grinch, or Santa Claus or just wear jingle bells on their shoes. Registration is open now through the day of the race at RunSignUp.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/ElfOff the Shelf5K.
POWELL
Financial advisor new to area finds freedom and challenges
Al Lesar, Shopper News
When Jonathan Smith moved his wife and four children to Powell from Syracuse, N.Y., this summer, he was in search of things East Tennessee offered.
“We were looking for freedom that we didn’t have in Syracuse during COVID,” Smith said.
“We moved here looking for what this area has.”
An engineer in the early part of his adult life, the 39-year-old Smith said he had a reckoning while earning his master's degree.
“Here I was, getting an advanced degree in engineering and I realized I didn’t know anything about money,” Smith said. “That was crazy. I was totally unprepared to take care of my family.”
That was the challenge that Smith recognized in front of him. While working his day job at some large engineering firms, he was studying and finding his way through the ins and outs of financial advising.
“I was doing engineering full-time, and my financial business part-time,” Smith said.
“About three years ago, I was able to swap that. Now, I’m spending 10-20 hours on engineering, while doing the financial full-time.”
A people person first, finances second
Smith is adamant that the reason he switched his focus from engineering to finance was not the money involved.
“I’m a people person,” he said. “It’s the interaction. Money can be a massive stresser in people’s lives, Sometimes, I’m the first person who will take the time to break down exactly what people have to work with and how I can help.”
Being the new kid on the block, while in a profession based on trusted relationships, is an uphill battle Smith has waged since he arrived.
“You can’t be a bull in a china shop,” said Smith, who makes an effort to show patience in his daily encounters. “I want people to know that I didn’t come here to change you, I came here to join you. I like what you’re doing.”
Since arriving he has walked the fine line between getting to know people and build relationships without getting in someone’s face and being a pushy salesman. Church and the Powell Business and Professional Association have been good places to meet people. Networking groups have also helped.
Financial planning for everyone
With about a dozen years in finance, Smith fancies himself as an educator as much as anything.
While operating a thriving business in Syracuse, Smith said he regularly conducted workshops and seminars for all ages.
For seniors, he got them talking about retirement. He has five strategies for them, touching on aspects from a variety of investment options to the planning for the distribution of assets.
He also developed a program, which he tailored to Zoom during the pandemic, for children and their parents: How money works for kids.
“If I get an appointment scheduled from any of those group meetings, that’s great,” Smith said. “If not, I’m hoping people will be educated and equipped to make some decisions.
“Every person who leaves an appointment with me, whether or not they become a client, should leave with the hope that they are going to do better for themselves.”
To contact Smith, call or text 315-807-7670.
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OPINION
Wildlife sightings come at a cost
Leslie Snow, Shopper News
At first, my husband didn’t believe me.
“I swear it’s true,” I said into the phone. “I saw a bald eagle while I was driving down Northshore this morning. Other people saw it, too. Cars were stopped along the road and people were pointing.”
He teased me about needing to get my vision checked but conceded later when he got home from work. “You got to see a bald eagle this morning. How lucky are you!”
I felt lucky, too. And my luck continued that week when I spotted a red fox crossing the street in my subdivision and saw a herd of deer grazing in a field.
A few days later, all that good luck culminated in two ospreys circling my backyard before landing in a tree right outside my living room window. I watched the birds through a pair of binoculars and counted my blessings.
A few days later, while my husband and I were making dinner, I mentioned all the wildlife I’d been seeing in the area.
“I don’t remember seeing so many animals when we first moved out here,” I mused while I was chopping vegetables for a salad. “We used to see an occasional deer but now I see them all the time. The population must be really taking off.”
I could feel my husband contemplating my words while he seasoned our chicken. Then he looked up and said, “I think it’s more than that. There’s so much building going on in Knoxville. And as habitats are being destroyed, wildlife is being compressed into a smaller and smaller area. We see more deer and other animals in our backyard because they have nowhere else to go.”
I let his words sink in as I considered all the changes we’ve seen since we moved into our house 20 years ago.
The next day my brother-in-law came over. He looked out at our backyard and commented on the carpet of fallen leaves. “When are you going to start raking out there?” he teased gently. “It’s December. I think you missed fall already.”
I laughed dryly and started formulating a clever comeback, but nothing came to mind. “We moved into the woods with hundreds of trees. Why should anyone be surprised that there are leaves in our yard? It’s natural. We moved to what used to be called the countryside to enjoy nature. Now everyone wants us to tame it and bend it to our will.”
He looked surprised by my remarks. And I realized I was responding to, not just to his comments about the leaves in my yard, but to all the building in the area. To the trees being cut down. To the subdivisions being built and to the increased traffic that comes with it.
“Habitats are disappearing and the animals have no place to go,” I said, as a way to explain my outburst.
As a society, we have a complicated relationship with the environment. We’re drawn to the natural beauty of cities like Knoxville, but we don’t do enough to preserve it.
We name our subdivisions after all the animals we displace, places like Fox Run and Falcon Point.
We respond to overcrowding in our schools by building more schools and more houses. I know there’s a housing shortage, but there is a cost to be paid for growth and urban sprawl.
Just last week, I thought I was lucky to see a bald eagle and a red fox. But now I’m not so sure.
Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper News brings you the latest happenings in your community
