Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: Emory Valley Center ‘Dances the Night Away’ at Prom

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2014 EVC Couples Dancing

Emory Valley Center couples dancing at the May 31 prom at the Elks Lodge. (Submitted photos)

The Elks Lodge in Oak Ridge hosted a prom for more than 100 Emory Valley Center clients and their staff on Saturday evening, May 31. The theme for the prom was “Dance the Night Away,” with the Elks Lodge transformed into a disco decorated in silver, black, and white for the evening.

The Oak Ridge Boat Club donated to secure Viki Ward as the DJ for the evening. Ward and her dancers kept the music going and added to the fun of the evening. Those attending also had a wide variety of food and drinks available donated by volunteers with the Elks, Food City, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart in Oak Ridge. The Arc of Anderson County also made a donation in support of the prom.

The ladies attending each received a wrist corsage and the men a special lapel pin, and everyone had a bag of “goodies” to take home with them. Photos were taken of attendees and put into special prom frames for everyone to have a memento of their special evening. One of the highlights of the evening was when the Prom Prince and Princess and Prom King and Queen were crowned. After they were crowned, they were spotlighted in a special dance and then invited the rest of the crowd to join them. [Read more…]

Emory Valley Center hires new development director

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Janet Wood

Janet Wood

Emory Valley Center, a nonprofit agency serving children and adults with disabilities since 1955, has hired Janet Wood as its new development director.

Experienced within the fields of marketing, community relations, and nonprofit fundraising, Wood most recently served as the public relations and special projects coordinator with Alzheimer’s Tennessee in Knoxville. While there, she was lead coordinator for the Five County Walk held in Oak Ridge and the Foothills Walk held at Maryville College. She also coordinated volunteers in their fundraising efforts for both of these walks and provided support in additional fundraising and public relations endeavors for the organization. Wood also has years of experience in print, broadcast, and media relations, having previously been employed by The Oak Ridger newspaper for 10 years, a press release said.

“We are so excited to have Janet on our team and look forward to all the great work she will do on behalf of the Center,” said Jennifer Enderson, Emory Valley Center president. [Read more…]

B&W Y-12 donates $75,000 for new Emory Valley Center building

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Emory Valley Center Early Learning Center

B&W Y-12 donated $75,000 to Emory Valley Center on Wednesday as part of a capital campaign to help build a new facility to replace the former Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center on Emory Valley Road by 2015.

Fundraisers at 75 percent of goal

B&W Y-12 donated $75,000 on Wednesday to help the Emory Valley Center build a new facility by early 2015, when a county-owned building that houses some of its programs is expected to be torn down.

B&W Y-12 has now donated $175,000 of a $250,000 pledge, and EVC volunteers have raised $2.5 million of their $3.3 million goal, said former state representative and pediatrician Gene Caldwell, who is co-chair of the EVC capital campaign. That’s 75 percent of the fundraising goal.

Emory Valley Center now has two facilities across the street from each other on Emory Valley Road. The new 30,000-square-foot building west of the current administrative and workshop areas on the south side side of Emory Valley Road would consolidate the nonprofit’s operations, which include an Early Learning Center, gym, offices, kitchen, and work training center.

“This is a huge, huge help,” EVC President Jennifer Enderson of the B&W Y-12 donation. “The clock is ticking on when we must vacate an existing facility, and we can’t start construction of the new one until we have raised enough money.” [Read more…]

UCOR makes second $20,000 donation to Emory Valley Center

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UCOR Donates to Emory Valley Center

Pictured above from left are Gene Caldwell, Jennifer Enderson, Leo Sain, and Dottie Thompson. (Submitted photo)

UCOR, the federal cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, recently donated a second installment pledge of $20,000 to the Emory Valley Center, a press release said.

In 2010, UCOR pledged to Emory Valley Center fundraising co-chairs Gene Caldwell and Dottie Thompson that it would donate $100,000 during the next five years to help build a new center.

“We believe in the importance of the work done to help so many people at Emory Valley Center,” UCOR President Leo Sain said in the press release. [Read more…]

Guest column: Family donates van to Emory Valley Center

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Emory Valley Center Van Donation

Pictured above are, from left, David Samuels, Amy Long, and Robin Biloski. (Submitted photo)

The Samuels family of Oak Ridge opened up their hearts in a very big way to Emory Valley Center recently by donating a handicapped accessible van to the center. I had the opportunity to sit and talk to David Samuels, son of Garland and Marie Samuels, who donated the vehicle, and he provided me this great story.

“The van was bought by my dad for my mom, Marie, and used in her later years. We were all very familiar with the outreach of EVC, as my sister Jane was a former service recepient at EVC years ago. My mom advocated for those with intellectual disabilities; she served on the Board of ARC from the late 1980s through the early 1990s. In fact, she was chosen as the ARC Volunteer of the Year twice in the 1990s. Helping people who needed us most was just a part of our family culture growing up.

[Read more…]

Knights of Columbus donates to Emory Valley Center

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Knights Chapter Emory Valley Center Donation

The Emory Valley Center recently received a $477 donation from the M.R. Foundation of Tennessee Inc., a Tennessee Knights of Columbus Clinton Chapter charity. EVC President Jennifer Enderson accepted the donation from Michael Haka of the Knights of Columbus. (Submitted photo)

The Emory Valley Center in Oak Ridge recently received a $477 donation from Knights of Columbus Clinton Chapter.

The Emory Valley Center is in the middle of a fund-raising campaign to build a new facility next to its current offices on Emory Valley Road.

EVC President Jennifer Enderson accepted the recent donation from Michael Haka of the Knights of Columbus.

The money came from the M.R. Foundation of Tennessee Inc., Tennessee Knights of Columbus Clinton Chapter charity, a press release said.

AARP gives Emory Valley Center $1,000 on behalf of former lawmaker

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Former state Rep. Gene Caldwell earned $1,000 as one of three finalists for an AARP community service award, and he donated the money to the Emory Valley Center, a press release said.

The money will be used to help replace an Emory Valley Center building that will be demolished, the press release said. The center is raising money to replace the 55-year-old building, which serves intellectually and developmentally disabled children and adults in East Tennessee, and Caldwell is co-chairing the capital campaign.

Caldwell was one of three finalists for the 2012 AARP Tennessee Andrus Award for Community Service, which earned him $1,000 for the charity of his choice, the press release said.

“This is about leaving a legacy for our most vulnerable citizens, many of whom were my patients,” said Caldwell, who is also a retired pediatrician. “To see them find identities, friendships, and meaningful work changes their outlook and behavior—and it lifts a tremendous burden from the hearts of their parents.”

Tennessee Rep. John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican, nominated Caldwell for the award, saying he “has been a tireless advocate for children, seniors and the disabled, and has contributed immeasurably to his community.”

Emory Valley Center President Jennifer Enderson said the AARP recognition was well-deserved.

“Emory Valley Center is so thankful for all that Dr. Caldwell has done on behalf of the center,” she said. “He is truly amazing.”

The press release said this is the second year that AARP has given money to charities chosen by the top three Andrus award finalists. Caldwell was among more than 30 people from across the state nominated for the award.

“As someone who has known Dr. Caldwell for years and has seen the work he has done for his community and this state, it was an honor to recognize him for his commitment and passion for helping others,” said AARP Tennessee Communications Director Karin Miller, who presented the check on Friday.

Anyone wishing to donate to the EVC Capital Campaign may mail a contribution to P.O. Box 5328, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, or go online to www.emoryvalleycenter.com.

Emory Valley Center receives $500,000 ARC grant award for new building

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Emory Valley Center Appalachian Regional Commission Grant

Local, state, and federal officials have supported a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant for a new building for the Emory Valley Center in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

A $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will help the Emory Valley Center build a new facility, a press release said.

The new building will be constructed next to the EVC’s current administration office on Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

The funding for the first phase of the project includes design and architectural fees as well as some initial construction costs, the press release said. Site work will include grading, tree and stump removal, fencing, and environmental protections such as settling basins.

The initial infrastructure work includes installation of underground utilities such as water, sewer, electrical, and telecommunication lines, the press release said.

[Read more…]