Big Ridge School’s upcoming events

Big Ridge Elementary School will hold early registra-tion for new students 1-5 p.m. Monday, July 25. Items need-ed: copy of the child’s Social Security card, birth certifi cate, proof of residency, and name, address and phone number of last school attended.

A “Back to School” pool party will be held 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, at the New Tazewell City Pool.

A “Back to School” cookout will be held Tuesday, Aug. 2. Pre-K, kindergarten, fi rst- and second-grade students are invited 6-7 p.m., and third-, fourth- and fi fth-grade stu-dents are invited 7-8 p.m.

Seniors frolic at the ‘beach’

Union County Seniors got summer going in style with the annual Beach Day party held at the Union County Senior Center. Seniors wore beach at-tire including leis and enjoyed music, fellowship, dancing and good food.

➤ See pictures on page 3

Pick up extra copies atUnion County Senior Citizens Center

298 Main St. Maynardville(865) 922-4136

NEWS (865) 661-8777

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By Shannon CareyA brand-new group dedicated

to all things gardening had its fi rst interest meeting July 7. Garden Adventures is an offshoot of the Union County Farmers Market, born because, frankly, folks have questions.

“They would come up to the UT Extension booth and ask things like, ‘What do I do with this?’ and ‘How do you keep the weeds out?’” said Beth Bergeron, UT Exten-sion 4-H program assistant, avid gardener and Garden Adventures founder.

Bergeron said the program will

be member-led, with the mem-bers determining scheduling and programs. For now, the group will meet at Paulette Elementary School, but Bergeron hopes to hold meetings “in the fi eld,” too. She mentioned locations like Nar-row Ridge Earth Literacy Center, Oakes Farm, Seven Springs Farm and the Well Being Conference Center in Tazewell as possible fi eld trips.

During the fi rst meeting, mem-bers were asked to identify their interests. Suggestions included vermiculture (worm composting), pruning, straw-bale gardening,

raised-bed gardens, managing a “hoop house,” plant hybridization, seed saving, native wildfl ower gar-dening, mushroom growing and much more.

“I hope we can come up with a million other ideas,” said Bergeron. “We’re trying to fi nd out what they’re into.”

Garden Adventurers came from all walks of life, from youths to retirees. Bergeron is especially interested in getting young people involved in gardening though.

“We have several vendors at the farmers market who are kids. They’re starting to think about the

family farm and what they can do with it, what that farm will look like in the future,” she said. “These kids need mentors, leadership and guidance.”

Bergeron invited people to get involved in Garden Adventures, visit the farmers market and learn about gardening and sustainable living. The farmers market often features classes and activities, along with live music.

“We’d love to see the farmers market be a spot where people come and stay for a while,” she said. Info: UT Extension Offi ce, 865-992-8038.

UT Extension program assistant Beth Bergeron talks pollinators and herbs in the Paulette Elementary School Community Garden. A new garden interest

group, Garden Adventures, kicked off July 7. Photo by S. Carey

Let’s go on a

‘Garden Adventure’SEEK for jobs

Union County Public Schools has a summer pro-gram to help youngsters who probably will go straight from high school to a job.

Photojournalist Ruth White is shadowing teacher Bridget Calfee to explore the training. An installment of her story appears today.

➤ Read Ruth White on page 7

Mincey gets a jobDr. Ronnie Mincey writes: “I

never missed an opportunity to let anyone know that I wanted to be a Union County teacher.

I encountered a gentleman at Bobby Beeler’s store dur-ing the summer of 1984. He handed me a card and said, “My name’s David Coppock. I’m running for superintendent of schools, and I’d appreciate your vote.”

I replied, “I might vote for you on one condition. I’m at LMU to make a teacher, and if you’ll guarantee me a job I might just vote for you.”

➤ Read more on page 4

Our great American fl ag: strength, unity and pride

Flags fl ying at the Veterans Memorial at Wilson Park

By Bonnie PetersAs we ponder the

recent Independence Day weekend with sor-row for the great losses recently caused by ter-rorists and nature, let’s take a moment to con-sider the signifi cance of our great American fl ag.

The stripes represent the original 13 colonies. The stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the fl ag are also symbolic – red symbolizes hardiness and valor, white sym-bolizes purity and inno-cense, and blue repre-sents vigilance, perseverance and justice. If you know a student, you just may want to clip this piece, for it will answer some questions they are sure to be asked.

In 1776, Congress passed a resolution placing the Continental Army under George Washington’s control. Washington ordered the “Grand Union” fl ag hoisted at the base of Prospect Hill. The fl ag had 13 alternate stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner. In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reported that she had sewed the fi rst American fl ag. On June 14,

1777, the Continental Congress passed the fi rst fl ag act to estab-lish an offi cial fl ag for our new na-tion.

Be It Resolved, That the fl ag of the United States be made of 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue fi eld, representing a new constellation.

This Act is the origin of Flag Day.

Between 1777 and 1960, Con-gress passed many acts to change the shape, design and arrange-ment that allowed for additional

stars to be added to acknowledge the admission of each new state.

The Act of Jan. 13, 1794, pro-vided for 15 stars and 15 stripes. The Act of April 4,1818, provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state to be added to the fl ag on the Fourth of July following the admission of each new state. On June 24, 1912, President Taft by Executive Order established pro-portions of the fl ag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six rows of eight stars each with one point of each star to be pointed up. Prior to President Taft standard-

izing the Americanfl ag, the stars couldbe in any arrange-ment.

P r e s i d e n tDwight D. Eisen-hower’s ExecutiveOrder of Jan. 3,1959, provided forthe arrangement ofthe stars in sevenrows of seven starseach, staggeredhorizontally andvertically.

President Eisen-hower’s Execu-tive Order of Aug.21,1959, provided for the arrange-

ment of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and 11 rows of stars staggered verti-cally.

The current fl ag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red alter-nating with six white.

Correction: Please note these corrections to last week’s column – Myrel Parties Early for her 90th. Myrel Peters Dykes was born June 19,1926, to Mallie Elizabeth Fields Peters and James Luna Peters. Myrel’s breakfast consists of one-half cup of cereal sprinkled with blueberries. I do apologize.

VOL. 11 NO. 28 July 13, 2016www.ShopperNewsNow.com | www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNowShopopperNNe

POSTAL CUSTOMER

2 • JULY 13, 2016 • UNION COUNTY Shopper news

The shoulder is the third most common part of the body that chiro-practors treat (after the lower back and the neck). As with any part of the body, the shoulder can become painful as a re-sult of wear and tear over time, or as the result of a trauma, like a car accident or a fall. Shoulder pain of-ten begins in the cervical spine, the upper portion of the spine. The nerves that control the hands, arms and shoulders pass through that section of the spine. If these nerves are irritated or impeded by vertebrae—the individual bones of the spine—that are out of line, shoulder muscles can become weak or tight. Muscles that are not working fully and free-ly can seriously impair the shoulder joint’s function.

Any sport—like ten-nis, golf or baseball—or

any activity that requires lots of repetitive motion can strain the shoulder joint muscles. As the pain increases, people tend to simply use the shoulder less. This is not a good strategy because eventu-ally the muscles will simply adjust to the new range of motion. In severe cases, a person can develop what’s called “frozen shoulder,” an essentially useless joint.

Chiropractic treat-ment can help correct im-balances in the muscles. If misaligned vertebrae are irritating the nerves that serve the shoulder, your chiropractor can get at the root of the prob-lem. Visit a chiropractor for advice on any pain you’re experiencing.

Presented as a community service by Union County Chiropractic; 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, Tenn.992-7000.

Chiropractic OutlookBy Dr. Darrell Johnson, DC

Shoulder pain

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UNION COUNTY SERVICE GUIDE

It’s milkweed time in Tennessee, at least in north Knox County and neigh-boring Union County. My dependable orange butter-fl y weeds have been going strong for weeks, but now are gradually fading away. Now I’m focused on their big cousins, the common milkweed. I’m following three or four large stands of over a hundred common milkweed plants each, up in the slightly higher and cooler environs of Union County. These are the milk-weeds of monarch butter-fl y fame. Lots of bees, bugs and butterfl ies are visiting them, but so far, not a single monarch.

Everyone knows the sto-ry of the monarch butter-fl y – their amazing migra-tions to winter in clusters of thousands in trees along the Southern California coast and the mountains of northern Mexico. Maybe less known is a more worri-some part of the story, un-less you’ve been watching for them – their alarmingly sharp decline in numbers over the last decade or so.

Some factors similar to those that are causing the 50-70 percent decline in our migratory songbirds are plaguing the monarch but-terfl ies as well. Their winter-ing grounds are under attack by illegal timber cutting and agriculture, and their north-ern summering grounds are drenched with insecticides and covered with fi elds of ge-netically-modifi ed, caterpil-lar-killing crops. And their mainstay family of plants, the milkweeds, is becoming ever more scarce as agricul-tural areas give way to hous-ing projects and shopping malls.

Common milkweed: Toxic, tasty, important

So it turns out that a key ingredient in all this, and something we can actu-ally do something about, is the dwindling supply of milkweed-family plants out there. Common milkweed grows much larger than its more familiar cousin, the orange butterfl y weed. It comes in robust plants three feet tall, with stout stems and large leaves. Its trademark blooms are un-usual, 2- to 3-inch balls of around 50 tightly-arranged, fi ve-petalled, pinkish-white fl owers that, rather than being showy like their fl aming-orange cousins, tend to blend with the sur-roundings. They, too, like to grow in unmowed fi elds and along roadsides and median strips, but they can easily be overlooked if you aren’t ac-tually looking for them.

The milky white sap that gives the milkweed family its name has some unusual properties. For instance, when a plant gets injured, say, a leaf broken off or chomped on by something, the sap immediately oozes out and hardens into a rub-bery seal for the area. It is so rubbery, in fact, that our military studied it as a possible source for rubber for tires, etc. when during World War II our usual sup-plies from Southeast Asia were cut off. The hardened sap has been used for chew-ing gum as well; not recom-

mended because of its pos-sible toxic substances!

Many plants known to have medicinal properties are also poisonous in higher doses. Although common milkweed contains sub-stances that even now are in use in human medicines, the plants are labelled “tox-ic” or “poisonous” in the wildfl ower books. In some places, range animals hun-gry enough to ignore their bitter taste have died from eating them. Books on for-aging for wild edible plants describe ways of fi xing milkweed shoots or imma-ture seed pods, describing them as “tasty” and “deli-cious.” Now, I don’t eat poke greens; I’m leery of eating anything you have to boil and pour off three times to make it safe. The same goes

for a dinner of milkweed – why do it unless you’re starving in a wilderness somewhere?

But – it’s a different story if you happen to be a mon-arch caterpillar, or one of the several other milkweed-eating groupies out there. That sap and other juices contain a number of toxic substances that the mon-archs are not affected by, and indeed, that they use to their great advantage in the big game of survival.

And the story goes like this. Monarch butterfl ies lay their eggs only on milkweed plants. And when those vo-racious eating machines, the caterpillars, devour many times their own body weights in toxin-rich milk-weed leaves, they are some-how able to incorporate the

poisons into their body cells without suffering any ill ef-fects.

Then, when the caterpil-lars become adult butter-fl ies, their bodies still con-tain the toxins, which are so distasteful or sickening to their potential predators, like a hungry blue jay, for instance, that they quickly learn that monarchs are aw-ful to eat.

Monarchs are clearly marked in orange and black, which seems to be a warning color combination. Some other similar dis-tasteful critters, such as the milkweed bug, an orange and black insect, carry the same warning colors. Most butterfl ies fl it and fl utter nervously about. The but-terfl y fi eld guides all de-scribe the monarchs’ slow and stately fl ight as a good fi eld ID mark. It’s as if the monarchs know they’re bad to eat. This all works out so well that another butterfl y, the viceroy, is orange and black, nearly identical to the monarch, yet doesn’t feed on milkweed and would be totally edible for that hun-gry blue jay, but is protected from that fate by its close resemblance to something bad to eat. It’s called Bates-ian mimicry, a process dis-covered by a 19th century British naturalist, studying milkweed butterfl ies in the Amazon jungle. Nature is amazing.

In addition to their im-portance to the monarchs, milkweeds make for in-teresting garden plants in other ways. Their sweet nectar serves as an attrac-tion for lots of other fl ying things. Stand and watch: bumblebees, honeybees, various fl ies and wasps, and

yes, several other species of butterfl ies, swarm around them. Aphids suck their juices, ants tend the aphids to get their sugar-like secre-tions. And various spiders and an occasional praying mantis are there, to catch and eat any of the above-mentioned food items.

The milkweeds help the gardeners out in another way – they attract certain bugs that are natural en-emies of some of our garden pests. For example, all those aphids on the milkweeds serve to attract those won-derful aphid-slayers, the la-dybugs. And the milkweed nectar attracts a group of tiny wasps noted for laying their eggs on those big, fat, hungry tomato horn worms. You go, wasp larvae!

Another plus for garden-ers: common milkweeds are perennials, need little tending, are attractive and unusual. Like your daylilies, they just come growing back each year. And get this: mon-arch caterpillars are guaran-teed to not eat anything else in your garden besides those milkweed plants. How well-behaved is that?

With our monarch but-terfl ies in such sharp de-cline, the scientists who study such matters urge folks to consider adding milkweeds to their gardens, and to avoid mowing stands of milkweed in fi elds and roadsides where possible, allowing it to grow and ma-ture each year. It is critically important that those plants are there for the monarchs, all along their migration routes between Mexicoand Canada, to allow these amazing critters to repro-duce and continue on their travels.

Dr. Bob Collier

By Carol Z. ShaneSylvia Williams, direc-

tor of the Fountain City Art Center, gazes with sat-isfaction at the large gal-lery lined with paintings, photographs, woodcuts and mixed-media pieces. “When we have an open show,” she says, “it’s open to 3-D and 2-D artists of all kinds – no limitations. There are a lot of neat, new people and a lot of neat, new artwork.”

She’s talking about the FCAC Annual Open Show, on display through July 21. Featured among the many works are standouts that have earned ribbons: fi rst-place winner Michael Pardee’s watercolor “Winter Night, Downtown Knoxville #1”; second-place winner

“Kitty’s Pearls,” a mixed-media piece by Donna Strunk; honorable mention Robin Moore Rohwer’s oil painting, “Wonky Garage”; and Best of Show “Mountain Sunshine and Celtic Music,” an oil portrait by Paula Browning.

There’s also the Direc-tor’s Award, won by Rachel Nelson with her acrylic painting “Baby Caw Caw.” Williams says all other priz-es are awarded by the judg-es, Hugh Bailey and Martha Robbins, but as director she gets to recognize “someone who has shown great cre-ativity, and who hasn’t won another award.”

With not only shows but classes in clay, watercolor, oil painting, art for chil-

Chris and Robin Moore Rohwer both received honorable mentions for their entries: Chris’s

photograph “Honfl eur Harbor” and Robin’s oil painting “Wonky Garage.” Photo by Sylvia Williams

Fountain City Art Center showcases ‘artists of all kinds’

making, Susan Smathers will lead a one-day class, “Introduction to Creating a Pendant Using Wire,” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sat-urday, July 9.

As for upcoming shows,

the Open Photography Com-petition and Exhibit runs from July 29 through Aug. 26. The FCAC also partners with LeGrand Music Stu-dios for musical events. Wil-liams says, “We have a little

bit of everything!”The Fountain City Art

Center is at 213 Hotel Ave. Info: 865-357-2878 or fcart-center@knology.net. Send story suggestions to news@

shoppernewsnow.com.

dren, jewelry making and more, the center is buzzing with activity most every day of the week. During my visit, Mary Secrist was lead-ing a class in watercolor. Novices and experts alike will be interested in Mar-tha Robbins’ class, “The Principles of Drawing and Composition,” which is de-scribed as “a crash course in the art elements and principles which will result in improved compositions and satisfaction with your own artwork.” It’s sched-uled for the fall, but a new class is just on the horizon: “Let It Go,” a two-day col-lage workshop by Suzi Den-nis, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Satur-day, July 22 and 23. And for those interested in jewelry

UNION COUNTY Shopper news • JULY 13, 2016 • 3 community

Union County Seniors got summer going in style with the annual Beach Day party held at the Union County Senior Center in Maynardville. Se-niors wore beach attire including leis

and enjoyed music, fellowship, danc-ing and good food.

Offi ce on Aging director Melanie Dykes thanked everyone who helped make the day special, including in-

terim property assessor Randy Turn-er, who contributed door prizes, and Chamber of Commerce president Les-lie Corum and daughter Callie, who served ice cream.

MAYNARDVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS ■ End of summer reading program water

party, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, July 23.

■ One-on-one classes are available by ap-

pointment for those wanting to learn how

to use computers and other devices. For

appointment: 992-7106.

■ The Maynardville Public Library is at 296

Main St. Info: 992-7106, maynardville

publiclibrary.org or on Facebook.

Bessie Delozier and Mary Rouse joke around with the decora-

tions at Beach Day. Photos submitted

Bathing beauties Jewell Morgan, Dorothea Cox, Norma Sharp and Rosa Aye show off their

beach attire during Beach Day at the Union County Senior Center in Maynardville.

Offi ce on Aging director Melanie Dykes and Joan

Ray take time for a selfi e while watching the grill.

Union County senior James Is-

rael is all smiles at Beach Day.

Luau at Senior Center

SENIOR NOTES ■ Union County Senior

Citizens Center298 Main St.Monday-Friday • 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Info for all seniors groups: Melanie Dykes 992-

3292/992-0361

■ Plainview SeniorsPlainview City Hall, 1037 Tazewell Pike

Meet each fi rst Monday • 10

a.m.-12:30 p.m.

■ Luttrell SeniorsLuttrell Community Center, 115 Park Road

Meets each third Monday •

10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

■ Sharps Chapel SeniorsSharps Chapel Community Bldg.1550 Sharps Chapel Road

Meets each fi rst and third

Wednesday • 10 a.m.-12:30

p.m.

By Ruth WhiteCooking instructor Terri

Geiser recently hosted a live cooking show at the Halls Senior Center. The event, called Cooking Wiser with Terri Geiser, walked guests through an entire dinner menu with step-by-step in-structions and recipes.

The menu consisted of caprese salad with basil and balsamic reduction, cheese-and-herb-stuffed pork loin and rosemary roasted new potatoes, and strawberries with mint topped off pound cake for dessert.

During the preparation of the meal, Geiser explained the process and also dis-cussed the importance of us-ing fresh herbs. The fi nished product looked (and tasted) like it was diffi cult to create, but Geiser’s step-by-step in-structions had even the most not-so-gourmet cook saying, “I think I can do that.”

Geiser can be reached at tdgeiser@comcast.net or 963-9277. Her website is cookingwiser.com.

Cooking instructor Terri

Geiser prepares a cheese-

and-herb-stuff ed pork loin

during a live cooking show. Photos by Ruth White

Cooking wiser with

Terri Geiser

4 • JULY 13, 2016 • UNION COUNTY Shopper news opinion

Ronnie Mincey

TEACHER TIME

Marvin West

Amazing what you can learn from ESPN.

I almost always found school enjoyable. I had many great teachers who were or have since become legendary in Union Coun-ty’s educational history. I decided early in life that I wanted to be just like them.

Using skills learned in ele-mentary school, I wrote then-superintendent of Union County Schools Dwain G.

Looking into the promised land

Burke a letter asking his ad-vice on how best to prepare

to become a Union County teacher. Mr. Burke took time out of his busy schedule to personally type a response. I kept that letter and will pub-lish it when I fi nd it, for it not only shows the consideration of a great leader but says much about the philosophy of the Union County Public School System.

I never missed an oppor-tunity to let anyone know that I wanted to be a Union County teacher. I encoun-tered a gentleman at Bobby Beeler’s store during the summer of 1984. He hand-ed me a card and said, “My name’s David Coppock. I’m running for superintendent of schools, and I’d appreci-ate your vote.”

I replied, “I might vote for

you on one condition. I’m at LMU to make a teacher, and if you’ll guarantee me a job I might just vote for you.” Mr. Coppock assured me he would hire me.

After this encounter, I returned to Horace May-nard High School, where I was working on the sum-mer youth program. I told principal Joe Day, who was running against (David) Coppock, “I just ran into your competition at Bobby Beeler’s store. He guaran-teed me if he got elected he would give me a job. Can you do the same?” Mr. Day replied, “No, and he can’t either. There might not even be an opening when you graduate.”

Mr. Burke advised me

that there were more jobs available in elementary education, but during high school I was inspired by my English teachers and decid-ed that I would like to join their ranks. Accordingly, I spent four years at Lin-coln Memorial University, majoring in English with a secondary teaching certifi -cation.

I thought once that a job opening might have come too early. During my fi rst year at LMU, my good friend Mark Gilbert went home midweek. He came back and told me, “Ronnie, I’ve got bad news. Miss Ei-leen died.” I couldn’t believe this, but Mark was insistent, exclaiming, “I swear to God, the woman’s dead, laying in

Ailor’s Funeral Home!”I fi nally accepted this as

fact, to which Mark replied, “You stupid fool, you’d be-lieve anything.” Not only was HMHS sophomore English teacher Miss Eileen Monroe still living, she con-tinued to teach for several more years.

I kept my eye on the staff at HMHS, and it became apparent toward the end of my college career that there just might not be an open-ing in English. I fell back on Mr. Burke’s advice and started taking graduate courses toward elementary certifi cation.

Things don’t always go according to plan – occa-sionally they turn out even better. More next week.

ESPN explains Tennessee schedule

One of the great net-work’s analytical geniuses, known for comprehensive research, told us the Ten-nessee football schedule is unbalanced. The descrip-tive word was “lopsided,” which is close to correct. The schedule appears more like my physique, bulging in the middle.

The Vol challenge is no-ticeably more diffi cult in October than on either end.

This “lopsided” factoid was presented as monu-mental news, level 8, up there with the discovery of another planet or the recall of mayonnaise.

Oh my, the schedule might knock the Vols out of a national champion-

ship. That part is accurate. Odds are it will. That’s what schedules do.

September is Appala-chian State on a school holiday, Virginia Tech in the spectacular-to-be Bat-tle at Bristol, Ohio U. (not to be confused with Ohio State) and the really big one against Florida.

October is when the boys become men – at Georgia, at Texas A&M, home against Alabama. Even the open date is potentially threaten-ing. If the Vols lose again to the Tide, a hangover is almost sure to follow. If the Vols win, it might take more than a couple of weeks to re-turn to Earth. That sets up a tricky trip to South Carolina.

Strange that ESPN and the world are just now no-ticing that Tennessee No-vembers are rigged. For generations, UT teams have generally improved as they went along. November was a dependable time to enhance the season record. For coaches above the border-line, it was time to milk the

cash cow, negotiate contract extensions, gain signifi cant raises and qualify for bowl bonuses.

Indeed, there have been several Novembers to re-member. Thirty-seven times since the Southeast-ern Conference was orga-nized, Tennessee has won all its November league games. That was possible because the “Third Satur-day” was in October.

In November, in times past, there was unbeliev-able domination of Ken-tucky and Vanderbilt – 26 in a row over the Wildcats, 22 consecutive against the Commodores. If you want to dig deeper, UK defeated UT four times in 46 years. Vandy won four in 50. This does skew late-season worksheets.

Beginning at the SEC be-ginning, in 1933, Robert R. Neyland went 31-5 against league foes in November. Bowden Wyatt was only 10-10. For that and other reasons, he was asked to go away.

Doug Dickey got off to a slow start but ended up with 12 victories in 19 SEC No-vember games. Bill Battle fi nished poorly but was 15-5 in his seven Novembers.

John Majors’ Vols went 40-12 against conference opponents in November. He had an eight-year run where he didn’t lose late. Phillip

Fulmer was the best of the bunch, 41-5.

All the above lost credit for one or more victories over Vanderbilt because the games were in December.

As bad as was Derek Dooley’s coaching, his No-vember record against SEC opponents was 8-4. Butch Jones is 8-4.

I’m not a feminist, but …By Sandra Clark

Times were tough when Patricia Head came to Knoxville in 1974 to teach physical education, train for the 1976 Olympics and work on her master’s degree at the University of Tennessee.

At just 22, she was asked to coach the women’s bas-ketball team – a job she left 38 years later when driven to retirement by early-onset Alzheimer’s. She never had a losing season and won eight national championships.

Even more remarkable was her personal transfor-mation from Trish Head to Pat Summitt.

But think back to 1974. Richard Nixon resigned

the presidency on Aug. 9. Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire on Oct. 30.

Pocket calculators had just come into use, and no-body had heard of a person-

al computer. With oil prices soaring and a global reces-sion underway, politicians were wrestling with fallout from the previous year’s Roe v. Wade decision.

Gerald Ford kept tripping over things, including his pardon of Richard Nixon and his amnesty for draft dodgers.

In this context, Patri-cia Head earned $250 per month … and she had to drive the team van and wash the uniforms.

Until Dave Hart dis-mantled it, Pat and her ADs, Nancy Lay, Gloria Ray and Joan Cronan, built an or-ganizational juggernaut. Not only did Pat assemble outstanding players and assistant coaches, but she also put together a team of trainers and managers, and public-relations and fund-raising whizzes.

And, most remarkably, these women achieved great

things, but they were not feminists.

If you don’t believe that, all you had to do was ask.

A friend’s daughter went to one of Pat’s camps at age 12. This was a camp for kids who would never make the high school team, much less play in college. Yet this kid came home glowing after each session.

Pat motivated these girls to believe in their ability to set goals and reach them through hard work. Pat told them they might not be the most talented player on the court, but they could be the most competitive.

She told players when their shots weren’t falling to double down on defense and rebounding.

She left a legacy of excel-lence that inspires each of us. And that’s why a dusty orange gloom has settled over Knoxville during the past weeks. Pat is gone.

The easy part of the typi-cal Tennessee schedule is not easy. The Vols are often at a psychological disadvan-tage. Going back to Ney-land, Kentucky and Vandy would hide behind their dis-appointments and wait in ambush, hoping to disrupt or spoil the Orange season.

So it remains, forever and ever, amen.Marvin West welcomes reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com

UNION COUNTY Shopper news • JULY 13, 2016 • 5 faith

cross currentsLynn Pittslpitts48@yahoo.com

Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

(Proverbs 31: 31)Long years ago when I was in grammar school, I

learned that the book of Proverbs in the Old Testa-ment had 31 chapters and that the 31st chapter had 31 verses. So, the teacher explained, since 31 was also the maximum number of days in a month, every person on the planet could claim the verse from that chapter in Proverbs that corresponded with their birthday.

I went home that afternoon and looked up Proverbs 31. My birthday is the fi rst day of the month, and so my verse said, by way of introduction, “The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:”

Well, that was pretty disappointing for me!Beginning with the 10th verse, however, the words

of King Lemuel are an acrostic poem about the capable wife. It is an ode, really, extolling her virtues, wisdom, industriousness, good business sense, faithfulness to her husband, generosity and happy children.

In 1984, when I moved to New Jersey, my new next-door neighbor came over to chat. As we exchanged information about ourselves, I told her that I was a musician and what denomination I belonged to, and she immediately told me the church I should visit fi rst.

So the next Sunday, we went to the church she had recommended and took our 2-year-old Jordan to the toddlers’ class, where a wise woman said, “You should meet my friend Anne.”

I followed her instructions, and the rest is history. Even though John and Anne still live in New Jersey, we are still best friends and visit each other as often as we can.

King Lemuel described my Anne to a T!

A good, true friend

Fairview celebrates

Youth pastor Anthony Cald-

well gets in the spirit of Free-

dom fest.

By Ruth WhiteFairview Baptist Church

celebrated the fourth of July in a big way – with lots of infl atables, bungy jumping, train rides, music and plen-tiful hot dogs and ice cream.

“Freedomfest is our gift to everyone. We want the community to know that we love you and the Lord loves you,” said senior pastor Jeff LaBorg. The event, in its second year, welcomed guests who came out to cel-ebrate the holiday and enjoy fellowship with friends and neighbors.

Fairview Baptist Church is located at 7424 Fairview Road in Gibbs.

No July 4 celebration is complete without some great red,

white and blue tie-dyed T-shirts and the Tindell siblings didn’t

disappoint. Pictured are Shyla, Riley and Jordan Tindell.

Gibbs High graduate McK-

enna Beeler serves free hot

dogs and chips to guests at

Freedomfest.

BByByBy RRRRutututhhhh WhWhWhWhiitititeee

FreedomfestFreedomfest

At left, Draven Harrison en-

joys Freedomfest

At left, Lincoln

Kirk fl ies high

on the bungy

jumping activ-

ity at Fairview’s

Freedomfest.

Dillion Thomas and Zack Beeler show their custom-made

corn hole boards and host a tournament at Fairview Baptist

Church’s second annual Freedomfest. Check them out on

Facebook at Corryton Corn Hole.

6 • JULY 13, 2016 • UNION COUNTY Shopper news

By Ruth WhiteDuring the fi nal sessions

of the SEEK program, co-ordinator Bridget Calfee brought in two guest speakers to share with the students the effects of drugs, al-cohol and tobacco, as well as the importance of making good life choices.

The two men may be gen-erations apart, but their sto-ries are similar. Mike Miller began drinking alcohol at age 16. He had become friends with some guys in school and wanted to be like the cool kids. He wanted others to think he was ath-letic and brave, but deep down he didn’t feel like he measured up to others.

“What you think, you become,” he said. “I didn’t think I was good enough, and this is what led me to my addiction.”

By age 17 he had alcohol poisoning, and a cycle of failures began. He had been

arrested several times and was kicked out of school. As Miller got older, his al-cohol problems grew with

him and his circle grew smaller. He lost friends, experienced a failed mar-riage, was fi red from jobs, lost his home and

developed health problems.After wanting to “check

out of life” through suicide, he entered rehab. He is now married, has a home and family and has been sober for 33 years. He has of-ten wondered what his life would have been like had he not become addicted to al-cohol, but he doesn’t dwell. Miller uses his experience to share with teenagers and reminds them, “Don’t ever think you aren’t good enough. You are who you are and you need to accept yourself.”

Chad Gibson was saluta-torian of the class of 2006 at Halls High School. He was class president, was well

Chad Gibson shares his story of addiction and the road to re-covery during a session of the SEEK program. Photos by Ruth White

Mike Miller uses pig lungs to drive home his point on the ef-fects of smoking.

‘Addiction didn’t take things away. I gave it all away.’ – Chad Gibson

SEEK program: making good choices

liked and came from a won-derful family. When his par-ents divorced, life changed. He suffered from low self-esteem, so he threw himself into his schoolwork, always striving to prove that he was good enough. Like Miller, he began hanging with the cool kids and took his fi rst drink of alcohol. “The feelings of insecurity melted away with the fi rst drink,” he said.

After graduation from

Halls High, Gibson at-tended the University of Tennessee, and the social anxiety returned. He start-ed to smoke, drank more and eventually tried drugs for what he said was “only one time.” He was accepted into dental school in Mem-phis, but his troubles didn’t go away. Finding himself broke, sick and desperate, he went to rehab but did things “Chad’s way.”

Being kicked out by his parents and sleeping in his car eventually led him back to rehab, where he listened better than the fi rst time and got the help he need-ed. “Addiction didn’t take things away. I gave it all away,” he told the group.

Gibson’s road to recovery has been tough. He found someone who gave him an-other chance at employment and now inspires others to

get clean. “Addicts are not necessarily bad people,” he said. “They are sick.” He of-ten wonders where he might be if he had never started drinking and doing drugs. “I started drinking to feel better, or so I thought. It was all a lie.”

He has been sober for almost two years and takes it one day at a time. His ad-vice to others? “Be true to yourself.”

Maxwell signs with King UniversityGibbs High senior Ethan Maxwell

signed to wrestle at King University in the fall. Maxwell, a three-year wrestler at Gibbs, has had success in the 113-pound weight class for the Eagles.

Ethan has qualifi ed for the state tournament every year (he wrestled at Karns in the ninth grade, qualifying for KHS that

year) and placed second his junior year. An injury sidelined him before he could compete at the tournament his senior year. He was named a member of the 100 Win Club at GHS, named to the top 40 wrestlers in the nation and placed second in the

South East Worlds his junior year.Gibbs coach Tim Pittman called his two-

year captain an “impressive kid” and says he knows that he will do well at the collegiate level. Club coach Spencer Bailey added, “He’s a great young man, very humble with a tenacious drive.”

While at Gibbs, Ethan believes, he learned a lot from Pittman and his teammates, including respect for others, integrity and never giving up. He will study biology while at King and he selected the school for its Christian atmosphere and the great coaching staff.

Attending the signing with Ethan were his parents, Phillip and Lisa Maxwell, girlfriend Taylor Beard and best friend Adolfo Felix.

The Ultimate Ghostbusters Paranor-mal Extravaganza will be held Friday and Saturday, July 15-16, in downtown Knoxville.

Ticket holders will receive VIP ac-cess at Regal Riviera Stadium 8 on Gay Street for the July 15 premiere of the fi lm “Ghostbusters,” a reboot of the 1984 classic.

East Tennessee Ghostbusters will be on the scene with their Ecto1 ghost-fi ghting vehicle, and after the premiere participants 21 and older will be invited

to Scruffy City Hall and Preservation Pub for top-notch spirits and live entertain-ment. There will be a live raffl e and more.

Saturday’s activities will feature trivia, costumes, special guests and real paranormal investigations of Knox-ville’s most haunted locations.

A portion of the proceeds will benefi t the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foun-dation. Three packages ranging from $25 adult/$20 child, $65/$60 and $100 offer an expanding number of perks. Info: www.ghostbustersday.com.

Ghostbusters to fi ght Juvenile Diabetes

Maxwell

UNION COUNTY Shopper news • JULY 13, 2016 • 7 kids

TennCare Kids provides servicesTennCare Kids is Tennessee’s commitment to see that

children and teens have the best start to a healthy life. Info: 992-3867, ext. 131.

Seven students from Union County High School attended the International HOSA Conference June 22-25 in Nashville.

This was the 40th anni-versary of Health Occupa-tions Students of America and the fi rst international convention. There were over 9,000 in attendance from 48 states as well as Italy, Mexico, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and Germany.

These students compet-ed, attended the leadership development academy, and visited exhibits and educa-tional workshops. Students were inspired by such key-note speakers as U.S. Sur-geon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy and Brad Montague, creator of “Kid President.”

Students attending were Autumn S taley (Leadership Academy), Samantha Lank-

By Seth NorrisHere we are in July, and

the Union County Patriot softball team is still making headlines.

Graduate Sarah Wilker-son signed with Cleveland State Community College July 5 at the Union County High School library.

This headline may seem familiar because last month her teammates Rachel Pierce and Bre Dunsmore also signed with the college.

The three recent gradu-ates never had a losing sea-son during their career and were also the leaders on the fi rst team at Union County High School to make it to the state tournament, according to head coach Lance Lay.

Lay also believes that Wilkerson joining her friends at Cleveland State says a lot about her and the group.

“It’s great to see three … start their freshmen year together and then be able to continue their softball ca-reers at the next level,” said Lay, adding that it speaks to the trio’s “dedication to the game and to their education.”

This is also the fi rst time under Lay that three women have signed with the same school.

Wilkerson had a career average of .308 at the plate and 23 runs batted in. On

Union County High School

softball player Sarah Wilker-

son signs to play for Cleveland

State Community College.Photo submitted

Union County High School students attending the International HOSA Conference in Nashville:

Autumn Staley, Samantha Lankford, Madi Bailey, Makayla Hancock, Mikenzie Zook, Gibson Cal-

fee and Saylar Epperson Photo submitted

UCHS hosts basketball campFormer Union County High

School Patriots basketball

player Tayte Kitts (center

back) stands with kids who

participated in the Union

County High School youth

basketball camp this year.

Kitts volunteered to help

with the camp. Assistant

basketball coach Mike John-

son said Kitts had a terrifi c

two-year career at Roane

State and is considering

several off ers to continue

his playing career and edu-

cation at other universities. Photo submitted

Wilkerson signs with Cleveland State

the base pads from her ju-nior year to senior year, Wilkerson was 15 of 15 on stolen bases. Lay believes that speed is going to be benefi cial to the Cleveland State Cougars.

“Cleveland State is get-ting an amazing addition to their roster with Sarah,” said Lay, “She has speed to spare and can cover a lot of ground in the outfi eld.”

Wilkerson was also an effi cient outfi elder, making only two errors in her ca-reer. She will enroll along-side Dunsmore and Pierce in August.

Union County HOSA attends international conference

ford (Veterinary Science), Madi Bailey (Barbara James Award and EMT), Makayla Hancock (National Service

Project and EMT), Miken-zie Zook (Behavioral Health and Leadership Academy), Gibson Calfee (HOSA Hap-

penings and Leadership Academy) and Saylar Epper-son (Medical Law and Ethics, and Leadership Academy).

8 • JULY 13, 2016 • UNION COUNTY Shopper news

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13Computer Workshop: Introducing the Computer,

2-4:15 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Preregistration required. Info/registration: 525-5431.

International Folk Dance Class, 7:30-10 p.m., Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road, Clinton. Info: Paul Taylor, 898-5724; oakridgefolkdancers.org; on Facebook.

Knoxville Zoomobile, 11 a.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: 525-5431.

THURSDAY, JULY 14“Are Your Shrubs Hiding Your House?,” 3:15-

4:30 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 4438 Western Ave. Presented by Master Gardener John Payne. Free and open to the public. Info: 329-8892.

Halls Book Club: “The House of the Spirits” by Isabel Allende, 1 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Info: 922-2552.

The Heiskell Seniors monthly luncheon, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., The Community Center, 1708 W. Emory Road. Barbecue lunch and speaker provided by Mynatt Funeral Home. Bring a dessert and a friend. Info: Janice White, 548-0326; “Community Center” on Facebook.

Knoxville Christian Women’s Connection luncheon: “Let Freedom Ring,” 10:45 a.m., Buddy’s Bearden Banquet Hall, 5806 Kingston Pike. Program: Food City’s demonstrator, Gordon Pillsbury. Guest speaker: Linda McDaniel from Ellenboro, N.C.; topic: “Living at the Day Spa … is that Realistic?” Cost: $12. Complimentary child care by reservation only. Info/reservation: 315-8182 or knoxvillechristianwomen@gmail.com.

Living with Diabetes: Putting the Pieces Together, 2-4:30 p.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681.

Magician Michael Messing, 3 p.m., Norwood Branch Library, 1110 Merchant Drive. Info: 688-2454.

Powell Branch Birthday Party, 2-7 p.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 W. Emory Road. Drop in for cake, punch and a walk down memory lane with photos and memories of Powell Branch Library past and present. Info: 947-6210.

Wine and Design Class, 6pm-8pm, Flowers, Wine, and expert fl oral guidance. Learn to make your own beautiful centerpiece. Ticket also include a wine tasting and a wine glass. Call to register. Seven Springs Winery, 1474 Hwy 61 East, Maynardville, TN 37807. Info: 865-745-2902 or www.winerysevenspringsfarm.com.

Yoga by Tamara, EVERY Thursday 8am-9am. Learn to stretch and relax as Tamara takes you through an invigorating yoga class. All mats an equipment are provided. $10 per class. Seven Springs Winery, 1474 Hwy 61 East, Maynardville, TN 37807. Info: 865-745-2902 or www.winerysevenspringsfarm.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 15Concert in the Commons: Lydia Salnikova, 7

p.m., The Norris Commons, the lawn in front of Norris Middle School. Bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic basket. Info: Facebook.

Diabetes Education Class, 1 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Free program presented by UT Extension. Info: 922-2552.

Museum of Education Sock Hop, 7-10 p.m., Sarah Simpson Professional Development Technology Center, 801 Tipton Ave. Features: live music, appearance by Sammy “Barney Fife” Sawyer, silent auction, “prom” photo packages and more. Tickets: $25; available at all Knoxville Teachers Federal Credit Union locations, at the museum and online at http://bit.ly/1RUAA4J. Info: knoxschools.org/museum.

Music with Eric Holcomb, EVERY Friday 6pm-8pm. Free Jam Sessions with Eric Holcomb! Bring your instrument and join in the fun or come to simply listen and enjoy! Seven Springs Winery, 1474 Hwy 61 East, Maynardville, TN 37807. Info: 865-745-2902 or www.winerysevenspringsfarm.com.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY 15-16Union County Rodeo, 874 Hickory Star Road,

Maynardville. Carnival and music start at 6 p.m.; rodeo starts at 8. Info: on Facebook.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 15-17“Big River” presented by the WordPlayers, Bijou

Theatre, 803 S. Gay St. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Suggested for ages 12 and over. Tickets: wordplayers.org, knoxbijou.com and at the door. Info: 539-2490.

SATURDAY, JULY 16Burlington Summer Movie Saturdays: “The

5th Wave,” 1:30 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: 525-5431.

Giant Bubble Day, noon-1 p.m., Fountain City

Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681.Golf tournament to benefi t the Base Knox Reign

12U girls softball team, Whittle Springs Golf Course. Team entry fee: $200. Format: 4-man scramble. Check-in, 7:30 a.m.; shotgun start, 8 a.m.; lunch and awards, noon. Info/registration/sponsorship: Adam Brantley, 680-9343.

Saturday Stories and Songs: Emagene Reagan, 11 a.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 W. Emory Road. Info: 947-6210.

Saturday Stories and Songs: Robin Bennett, 11 a.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681.

Union County Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-noon, Wilson Park. Info: 992-8038.

Summer Blow Out Party, 12pm-6pm, Live Music, Wood Fired Pizza from This Is It Pizza. Music- Jubel 12pm-3pm, The Blond Bones 3pm-6pm. Seven Springs Winery, 1474 Hwy 61 East, Maynardville, TN 37807. Info: 865-745-2902 or www.winerysevenspringsfarm.com.

MONDAY, JULY 182016 Friends of the Library annual

membership meeting, 6-8 p.m., East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. All members of Friends, as well as interested members of the public, are invited. Info: 215-8801.

Medic blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Union County Senior Citizens Center, 298 Main St., Maynardville. All donors will receive: free tanning session at Elite Tanning and Fitness, free T-shirt, and coupons for free Texas Roadhouse appetizer and free Chick-fi l-A sandwich.

MONDAY-FRIDAY, JULY 18-22Pottery for Teenagers, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.,

Appalachian Arts Craft Center, 2716 Andersonville Highway. Instructor: Katie Cottrell. Ages 13-17. Info/registration: appalachianarts.net; 494-9854; in person at the center.

TUESDAY, JULY 19“ ‘LAWN’ is a Four-Letter Word,” 11 a.m.-noon,

Cansler Family YMCA, 616 Jessamine St. Presented by Master Gardener Ron Pearman. Free and open to the public. Info: 637-9622.

Magician Michael Messing, 3 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Info: 922-2552.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20Computer Workshop: Introducing the Computer,

2-4:15 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Preregistration required. Info/registration: 525-5431.

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