Oak Ridge Today

Weinberg papers preservation project seeks community support

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Weinberg Web Page (Submitted photo)

Weinberg Web Page (Submitted photo)

 

As the city celebrates its 75th anniversary, the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is soliciting the community’s support to ensure the legacy of a famous Oak Ridger is preserved for posterity.

Alvin Weinberg, a renowned nuclear physicist, worked on the Manhattan Project, became head of the Physics Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, then research director, and ultimately the director of the laboratory for 18 years. He donated his personal papers to the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge when Selma Shapiro, the museum’s founder, was serving as its executive director. Now Shapiro’s daughter, Rhonda Bogard, is part of a core team working to permanently preserve the papers.

The goal of the project is to ensure Weinberg’s work and legacy are preserved for future generations, a press release said. Bogard thinks his work speaks for itself. “His work will be remembered for the vision and leadership it symbolizes,” she said. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum offers kids’ healthy living workshop for teachers in August

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The Children’s Museum garden at the Kids Go Green Environmental Center gives children the opportunity to grow, harvest, and eat fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit. (Submitted photo)

The Children’s Museum garden at the Kids Go Green Environmental Center gives children the opportunity to grow, harvest, and eat fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit. (Submitted photo)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is offering teachers of kindergarten through grade 5 the second of two Saturday morning workshops on healthy living and eating for kids on Saturday, August 25. The workshop will bring teachers to the Museum’s Kids in Action! Healthy Living exhibit and to the garden in the Kids Go Green Environmental Center.

The free workshop was offered from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Saturday, August 25, and it is being offered again on Saturday, August 25. Kids in Action and Kids Go Green staff and volunteers will lead the workshops and garden activities. These trainings are approved for in-service credit for teachers in the Oak Ridge school district, a press release said. [Read more…]

Today: Want to have a great meal, help others? ADFAC has the answer!

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Doris Carl, assistant food and beverage director, is one part of the fantastic team at Burchfield’s. Burchfield’s staff go the extra mile to ensure you have a wonderful dining experience! (Submitted photo)

Doris Carl, assistant food and beverage director, is one part of the fantastic team at Burchfield’s. Burchfield’s staff go the extra mile to ensure you have a wonderful dining experience! (Submitted photo)

 

Want to have a great meal and help others at the same time? ADFAC has the answer!

On Monday, August 13, several local restaurants will be donating a portion of their sales to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC.

“Don’t heat up that kitchen—let someone else cook for you!” ADFAC said in a press release.

Burchfield’s Restaurant, located inside the Doubletree Hotel is the featured restaurant for August. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society hosts Butterfly Festival on Saturday

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Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society

Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society

 

Everyone interested in both butterflies and beautiful landscapes is invited to attend the Butterfly Festival hosted by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society, a press release said. The family-friendly event is scheduled for Saturday, August 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event will host various speakers and activities for adults and children.

Monarch butterflies will be released at noon from the patio and yard outside the auditorium. Butterflies are available for purchase at $10 each. You can claim your butterfly with your claim ticket at 11:45 a.m., the press release said.

The festival will host a wide variety of activities for children. Each activity requires a ticket to participate, and you can purchase tickets for $1. There will also be different food vendors, as well as artisans at the event. [Read more…]

Painting with a Twist fundraiser Thursday to benefit Emory Valley Center

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Paint this painting while helping Emory Valley Center!

Paint this painting while helping Emory Valley Center! (Submitted photo)

 

Painting with a Twist in Knoxville is holding a “Painting with a Purpose” fundraiser for Emory Valley Center at its Farragut location, 11000 Kingston Pike, on Thursday, July 12, from 6-8 p.m. A portion of each $35 registration fee will be donated to Emory Valley Center’s Early Learning Center renovation project. Pre-registration is required and there are some seats still available. Please reserve your seat with this link today:

https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/studio/knoxville/event/1603240/

“Painting with a Twist is a fun way to create your own piece of art with friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors while also meeting new friends!” a press release said. “For your registration fee, you will receive all instruction and supplies to create a beautiful painting you can take home at the end of the evening. You may also bring snacks to share and soft drinks for the event, wine will be provided by a donor (for people 21 and older)!” [Read more…]

Faith, community organizations to discuss substance misuse tonight

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Oak Ridge Recovery Interfaith Forum July 9 2018

Faith leaders and community organizations will discuss substance misuse at a forum in Oak Ridge tonight (Monday, July 9).

“Addiction and recovery impacts all of us, and the interfaith community plays an important role in recovery from substance misuse,” a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Recovery Interfaith Forum will bring together faith leaders and community organizations across Anderson County, the press release said. ASAP of Anderson partnered with the Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, and United Way of Anderson County to plan and organize the forum.

The forum is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 9, at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

Attendees at the forum will learn about: [Read more…]

If you can’t stand the heat, eat out to support ADFAC!

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Razzleberry’s has loyally supported ADFAC for over a decade! Please note, Razzleberrry’s does not serve dinner on Mondays, but is open until 9 p.m. for patrons to indulge in homemade ice cream and marketplace items. (Submitted photo)

Razzleberry’s has loyally supported ADFAC for over a decade! Please note, Razzleberrry’s does not serve dinner on Mondays, but is open until 9 p.m. for patrons to indulge in homemade ice cream and marketplace items. (Submitted photo)

 

On Monday, July 9, thirteen local restaurants are donating a portion of their sales to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC). With a predicted high of 90 degrees on Monday, a more literal understanding of “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!” is a great way to skip cooking and participate in ADFAC’s July Dine & Donate event, a press release said.

The featured restaurant for July is Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab & Kitchen. Known for their homemade ice cream, eclectic international lunch menu, and pig collection, Razzleberry’s is a true hometown favorite, the press release said. Located in Oak Ridge’s historic Jackson Square, the restaurant and market is ideal for hot summer days, the release said.

“Whether trying out the latest flavor of ice cream, cooling off with an imported beer, or ordering one of Monday’s lunch specials, Razzleberry’s has something for everyone,” the press release said. “Afterward, continue your cool-down in the Jackson Square fountains!” [Read more…]

First of its kind, Family Drug Treatment Court opening in Anderson County

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Family Drug Treatment Court Ribbon Cutting July 11 2018

A Family Drug Treatment Court, the first of its kind in Anderson County, launched this week, and there will be a ribbon-cutting next week, a press release said.

The Anderson County Family Drug Treatment Court will be called R2: The Recovery and Resilience Program, the press release said.

R2 is a program for juvenile offenders who have substance misuse issues and have not been successful in maintaining drug abstinence. The program is a minimum of nine months and will incorporate treatment, family therapy, and group therapy paired with accountability and goal setting, the press release said.

“By addressing barriers in the home, we will enable adolescents in Anderson County to break free from the grip of generational drug abuse, setting them up to be successful contributors to our society,” said Anderson County Juvenile Court Judge Brian Hunt.

The press release said the program has been a priority for a large number of stakeholders in the community for many years. [Read more…]

Festival of Hope raises $50,000 for American Cancer Society

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The Festival of Hope at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge on Friday, June 15, 2018, raised $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Opening ceremonies recognized more than 60 area cancer survivors who attended, and that was followed by the Cancer Survivors lap, pictured above. (Submitted photo)

The Festival of Hope at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge on Friday, June 15, 2018, raised $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Opening ceremonies recognized more than 60 area cancer survivors who attended, and that was followed by the Cancer Survivors lap, pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

The Festival of Hope at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge on Friday raised $50,000 for the American Cancer Society, a press release said.

The Festival of Hope opened with Matt Hinkin from WATE-TV as the emcee, the press release said. Opening ceremonies recognized more than 60 area cancer survivors who attended.

That was followed by the Cancer Survivors lap down the peninsula, where survivors were cheered on by the participants and public. Each survivor was provided a purple cancer survivor’s T-shirt and had a medallion placed around their neck by Lynda Vinyard and Kim Monroe, the press release said.

Teams participating at the event included Professional Case Management, St. Mark United Methodist Church in Clinton, Oak Ridge Veterinary, Clinton Physical Therapy Center, Fast Pace Urgent Care, Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Barry Sanders family team, and Lynda Vinyard family team. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has monthly hike on Saturday

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Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society

Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s monthly hike for June will be held Saturday, June 16, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. The hike is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Saturday.

“The weather is warm, and this is a great time to spend outdoors,” a press release said. “Learn about the UT Arboretum’s trails on this short trail hike (1 to 1.5 hours).”

This hike will be held outdoors and will be led by a volunteer familiar with the Arboretum and the trail system, the press release said. [Read more…]

Children learn through play at Children’s Museum Imagination Station Summer Camps

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Children enjoy making slimy concoctions during Junior Wizarding Summer Camp last year (2017) at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

Children enjoy making slimy concoctions during Junior Wizarding Summer Camp last year (2017) at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

 

Children will create art, join the wizarding world, generate some “mess-terpieces,” become gumshoes and chefs, shape designs with clay, delve into science and STEAM, and more during Imagination Station Summer Camps beginning June 4 at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

Summer camps, from June 4-July 27, are for children from age 3 through rising fifth graders. The Children’s Museum’s enriching environment provides the backdrop as an experienced staff helps campers learn and grow through play in fun and safe surroundings, a press release said. Each camp is created with age-appropriate activities aligned with the child’s developmental stage.

“We hope to foster campers’ imaginations and passion for lifelong learning through our wide range of themes and activities, as well as our many hands-on exhibits,” said Beth Shea, Children’s Museum executive director.

The fee for Monday-Friday half-day camps is $115 for members, lower fees this year, and $135 for non-members. A discount is available if two siblings register for camp during the same week or if a child registers for two half-day camps in the same week. A limited number of scholarships for camp are available. Download the scholarship application from the museum’s website. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival looking for volunteers

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Note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. June 5.

The Secret City Festival is looking for volunteers.

The 2018 Secret City Festival, celebrating the City of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary, is June 8 and 9.

“It takes a great community to run the Secret City Festival, and volunteers are needed to help make sure all the festivities run smoothly,” organizers said. “Check out the Secret City Festival website for a list of activities. There will be a giant knock-out game to set a world record, a 75th Anniversary Parade, and the usual craft vendors, food vendors, and music!

“Please join us in the fun and volunteer for a few hours while you are there.” [Read more…]