Oak Ridge Today

Breakfast Rotary has computer drive for ETTAC on Saturday

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A low-cost, big-impact opportunity to help people who have disabilities

The Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club is sponsoring a computer drive for the East Tennessee Technology Access Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2. The computer drive will be in the parking lot of TNBank on the corner of Illinois Avenue and Rutgers Avenue.

ETTAC will accept working computers that are XP or newer, both desktop or laptop, Macs, iPads, iPods, monitors, and accessories. You can be assured that ETTAC wipes them clean of all your personal information and then gives them or loans them to people with disabilities who cannot afford to purchase a computer.

“Please don’t remove the hard drives,” a press release said.

Currently, ETTAC has a waiting list of 45 people who want a computer. [Read more…]

Three ORHS seniors win Brad Sturm scholarships

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Brad Sturm Scholarship Winners

Two Rotarians and the winners of the Bradley Sturm Memorial Scholarships are, from left, Barry Stephenson, chair of the Brad Sturm scholarship selection committee, Rotary Club of Oak Ridge; Diane “Grace” Malone; Megan Pitz; Holly Gubanc; and Mel Sturm, scholarship sponsor. (Submitted photo)

 

The three Oak Ridge High School seniors who won the Bradley Sturm Memorial Scholarships for 2015 are Holly Gubanc, Diane “Grace” Malone, and Megan Pitz.

Mel Sturm, a local businessman for years, said he started the endowment for the scholarship fund in 1976 for two reasons. He wanted to give back to the community that had supported his businesses. And he was determined to combat the tendency of Oak Ridge students, many of whom have parents who work for the federal government or government contractors, to view “free enterprise” and the “profit motive” with suspicion.

The scholarship program is administered by a Rotary Club of Oak Ridge committee consisting of Barry Stephenson, chair, and Jim Sumner, Larry Beeman, Jim Charles, Hal Schmitt, and Mel Sturm. ORHS economics teachers Beverly Baumann and Teresa Seals play key roles in the program. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge dragon boat festival expected to grow

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Mark Watson and Penny Behling at Dragon Boat Festival

Penny Behling, CEO of Dynamic Dragon Boat Racing, makes an announcement before the races begin at the Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival last May. Looking on is City Manager Mark Watson, then president of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, which initiated the festival. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

Penny Behling wants you to have fun on Saturday, May 30, at the Oak Ridge waterfront, and help raise funds to support the good works of the people of Oak Ridge.

She wants you to be safe as a member of a dragon boat team, and she is sure that you will meet new people, make new friends, build self-confidence, and contribute to your team and the community’s well-being.

Behling is the chief executive officer and owner (with her husband Chris) of Dynamic Dragon Boat Racing LLC of Knoxville. She will be the race director of the second annual Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival, which is again being launched by the three Rotary clubs of Oak Ridge.

Dynamic was the race director of last year’s inaugural festival, which attracted an estimated 5,000 people and a media team that broadcast the Oak Ridge races to a television network in Beijing, China, which has an audience of a billion people. [Read more…]

Democratic Women’s Club to hear about Selma anniversary on Monday, March 23

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The Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club will hear about the recent 50th anniversary observance of the Selma-to-Montgomery March at its meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, March 23, at Shoney’s Restaurant at 204 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

Heidi Brenner, who attended the Selma anniversary with about 20 members of the Oak Ridge United Universalist Church, will be the guest speaker. Other local organizations that sent members to Selma, Alabama, included Organizing for Action, the NAACP, and the Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Club. [Read more…]

Lunch-4-Literacy on Tuesday raises money for literacy grants

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The 23rd Lunch-4-Literacy event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, at the Oak Ridge High School food court.

This year’s author is Mike Tabor, author of the book “Walk of Death.” This is a riveting, spine-tingling tale of drugs, fraud, murder, and switched identities, a press release said.

Here is a short summary of the book: [Read more…]

Shirley Raines to speak at Altrusa January 28

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Submitted

“Like Lessons Learned from Children’s Books and Stories” will be the topic when Shirley Raines speaks to the Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge on Wednesday, January 28.

Raines—who is a speaker, consultant in education and leadership development, and former president of the University of Memphis—will delight us with her humorous approach about how stories shape our lives in families, in classrooms, and in careers.

Raines began her career as a teacher of young children, then became a Head Start and child care director. She later wrote 14 books for early childhood educators. [Read more…]

Lunch Rotary donates to memorial garden at Emory Valley Center

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Oak Ridge Lunch Rotary and Emory Valley Center Bob Craig Memorial Garden

Pictured above from left are Cindy, Emory Valley President Jennifer Enderson, Kim Moore, Judy Craig, Cassie Russell, Jack Bailey, and Bill Martin. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

Emory Valley Center recently dedicated the Bob Craig Memorial Garden outside of the Adult Enrichment Classrooms in the Daniel Arthur Building. Bob Craig was a longtime community advocate actively involved in the Oak Ridge Lunch Rotary, the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, and a variety of other area business and organization committees and boards.

Through a donation from the Rotary, Emory Valley was able to purchase a park bench and two raised flower beds, making it easier for people with disabilities to participate in planting items.  Several people participating in the Emory Valley Enrichment program, staff and volunteers painted the fence, weeded and mulched the area, and created beautiful birdhouses for the garden. There is also a picnic table in the garden for everyone to enjoy. [Read more…]

Camera Club to feature photo exhibition, competition on Jan. 13

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Pat Postma Photo

Image by Pat Postma

 

Submitted

If you would like to learn more about photography, one of the most cost- and time-efficient ways to do so is to join a camera club and Oak Ridge has a good one!

The Camera Club of Oak Ridge has monthly meetings that alternate between presentations by some of the area most accomplished professional photographers and intra-club competitions with expert judging who teach photography during the process of evaluating the images. The public is welcome to attend an initial meeting for free, and a yearly membership cost is nominal. [Read more…]

Photos: Breakfast Rotary Christmas Angels at Linda Brown Realty

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Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Christmas Angels at Linda Brown Realty

Members of the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club’s Christmas Angels and friends and family met at Linda Brown Realty on Saturday to load vans and SUVs with Christmas gifts for families in need. (Photos by D. Ray Smith)

 

Members of the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club’s Christmas Angels and friends and family met at Linda Brown Realty on Saturday morning to load vans and SUVs with Christmas gifts for families in need.

“Thanks to all who participated and thanks especially to Linda Brown and Nancy Donsbach for organizing the effort,” photographer D. Ray Smith said. “Linda has graciously made her office into ‘Christmas Angel Central’ again as she has for the past several years. I well remember when my grandkids were young and they came with me to distribute gifts to three families. My grandsons still recall that experience with fondness at each Christmas gathering of the Smith family!”

Here are are four more photos by Smith: [Read more…]

Key Club, Kiwanis members, friends help with toy project at Holiday Bureau

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CHS and ORHS Key Club at Holiday Bureau

Clinton and Oak Ridge High School Key Club Members helped move toys at the Holiday Bureau on December 9. (Submitted photos)

 

Key Club and Kiwanis members and friends helped with a Toy Moving Project at the Holiday Bureau on December 9, a press release said.

The Key Club members were from Clinton and Oak Ridge high schools. They joined members and friends of Oak Ridge Kiwanis. Toys were moved from storage areas, and related tasks were completed such as filling grab bags with small gifts, the press release said.

Toys and gifts were selected by family representatives for their children and youth beginning Thursday, December 11. Toy selection followed clothing and food voucher distributions to families who registered with The Holiday Bureau at 728-B Emory Valley Rd in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Apply for literacy grants from Altrusa, Breakfast Rotary by Dec. 31

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There is a December 31 deadline for grant applications for work that will improve literacy in Oak Ridge and Anderson and Roane counties.

The application deadline was announced this week by Altrusa International of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club. Applications and award criteria may be found on the Altrusa International website at www.oakridge.altrusa.org/What-We-Do/Literacy.aspx or the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club website at www.orbrc.org.

“Lack of literacy skills continues to be a serious problem in the lives of many of our East Tennessee neighbors and for many throughout the world,” a press release said. “Non-readers and below-grade readers cannot realize their full potential in life, which in turn adversely affects our local and national economies and society in general.” [Read more…]

Short to speak at Democratic Women’s Club tonight; officers to be elected

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Brenda Freeman Short

Brenda Freeman Short

Brenda Freeman Short, East Tennessee vice president of the Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women, will be the guest speaker at the annual business meeting of the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club. The club meets at 6 p.m. Monday, November 17, at the Oak Ridge Power Squadron at 343 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

The club will hold election of officers for 2015. A spaghetti dinner with a choice of meat or vegetarian sauce will be served, and the cost is $5 per person. For reservations, e-mail Ann Mostoller at [email protected] or call Mary Matheny at (865) 483-8937. [Read more…]