The City of Oak Ridge Wellness Committee is leading a Holiday Hike on Cedar Hill Greenway on Saturday.
Hikers will walk a 2.5-mile loop. The hike starts at Cedar Hill Park at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
City employee Daniel McFee said it’s about a 1.5-hour hike, and it’s open to the public.
McFee said the hike would probably be rated beginner to moderate. It has varying terrain on a mostly single-track trail. There are some hills, but they’re not real bad, McFee said.
Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County (ASAP) has won a GOT OUTCOMES! Coalition of Excellence award by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, or CADCA. ASAP won in the “Milestones Award” category for their efforts to reduce underage drinking rates in the community, a press release said.
Sponsored by CADCA’s National Coalition Institute, the GOT OUTCOMES! Awards give national recognition to coalitions that make a strong case for their contribution to population-level substance outcomes by using an inclusive, data-driven, and comprehensive community problem-solving process. Coalitions complete a competitive and rigorous two-phase application process and are judged by a panel of experts at the federal, state and local levels.
The Milestone category provides newer coalitions—or those with more recently implemented strategies—the opportunity to highlight their contributions toward achieving community-level reductions in one or more substance abuse or substance abuse-related issues, the press release said. [Read more…]
The public is invited to attend the Oak Ridge Community Band’s Christmas Sing-Along Concert at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, December 14, at the First Baptist Church. This is a free concert, dress is casual, and there will be refreshments at the conclusion of the program, a press release said.
It said the audience will be given Christmas song books and will have the opportunity to sing familiar Christmas carols accompanied by the band.
In addition, the Community Band will perform several holiday tunes including a medley of Christmas carols in “Celebrate Christmas,” “A Christmas Flourish,” “Auld Lang Syne,” and the traditional holiday favorite “Sleigh Ride.” [Read more…]
The staff at the Anderson County Detention Facility has volunteered to let the facility be used as a Toys For Tots drop-off center for Christmas 2014.
Gifts for children that are new or unopened will be accepted in the drop-off box located in the Detention Facility lobby at 308 Public Safety Lane in Clinton. The box will be available to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day until Monday, December 15.
Toys For Tots is an official activity of the United States Marine Corps and a mission of the Marine Corps Reserve, a press release said. First founded in 1947, the U.S. Marine Corps adopted Toys For Tots and expanded it into a nationwide community action project.
Now an international project, in 2012 Toys For Tots distributed almost 17 million toys to more than seven million children across the world, the release said. [Read more…]
A float by Second Baptist Church featuring a large sleigh and reindeer won first place in the Dec. 1, 2012, Christmas parade in Clinton. (File photo courtesy of Janet Hawkins)
Clinton’s traditional Christmas Parade of bands, floats, and many other processional entries will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 13. This year’s theme is “The Gifts of Christmas!”
Businesses, churches, schools, and other marching groups are encouraged to register and participate in the parade. The parade entry fee of $10 is payable to the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, and the deadline to register is 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 10. There will be no late entries, a press release said.
Entry forms can either be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce office located at 245 North Main Street, Suite 200, Clinton, or to receive a form by mail, fax, or email, call the Chamber at (865) 457-2559. You may also obtain a registration form, map, and instructions at www.andersoncountychamber.org. [Read more…]
Santa will be on the Secret City Excursion Train in west Oak Ridge this weekend. (File photo/November 2012)
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This weekend, the jolly old gent parks his sleigh and joins us on the Secret City Scenic Train for a fun-filled, climate-controlled trip through beautiful Poplar Creek Valley!
Special Car Host: Santa
The ride includes:
The trains leave 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Saturday December 13.
They leave at 1 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, December, 14.
The train departs from the Heritage Center at 2010 Highway 58 at the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge. [Read more…]
A Gift Sale in Grove Center this month benefits Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County.
The Gift Sale has been extended through 3 p.m. Christmas Eve. The sale will also be open today (December 23) until 6 p.m. at Habitat for Humanity at 105 Randolph Road in the Historic Grove Center.
The sale features exquisite jewelry, accessories, exotic beads, apparel, linen, handicrafts, and tribal art designed and crafted by banjaras (gypsies) and artisans in India. [Read more…]
AAUW, American Association of University Women, will hold its Holiday Green Tea on Sunday, December 14, from 3-5 p.m. in Room 102 of the Activities Building of First Presbyterian Church at 1051 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
Pictured above are Joanne King, Mayme Crowell, and Fay Martin, who were the hosts at last’s year’s tea.
Funds raised from the tea will go to local scholarships and other AAUW programs. The public is invited to attend and enjoy the festive event, a press release said.
A special Service of Memory and Hope will be held in the sanctuary at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9, at First Presbyterian Church, located at the southeast corner of Lafayette Drive and Oak Ridge Turnpike.
“The candlelight service is especially for folks who find the holiday season difficult because of the loss of a loved one or other struggles,” said the Rev. Sharon Youngs, who will conduct the service.
The third annual service at the church will include music and readings designed to bring comfort and solace to worshipers, a press release said.
Lydia Birk
By Lydia Birk
United Way of Anderson County 2014 Campaign Chair
You might recognize them, four special days that have grown up around Thanksgiving.
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, “Cyber” Monday, and Giving Tuesday all start with Thanksgiving, a day when all Americans reflect on family and give thanks for their many blessings.
On Black Friday, Americans turn their attention to shop for great deals to stretch out those blessings; Small Business Saturday, we are all asked to support our locally owned small business; and Cyber Monday, Americans are all clicking away online for that Christmas bargain.
#Giving Tuesday is new, only three years old now. Americans everywhere are asked to consider sharing a little of their blessings with organizations that can turn their small gift into large rewards. [Read more…]
Open for lunch and dinner, and with a large catering menu, Mediterranean Delight offers savory and sweet treats ranging from hummus and shawarma to baklava. Mediterranean Delight is located on Bus Terminal Road behind Methodist Therapy Services.
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With the hustle and bustle of holidays all around, it’s a great time to treat yourself and your loved ones to a special meal. Fortunately, with ADFAC’s “Dine and Donate” event, there is a way to do that and support the less fortunate in our community.
On Monday, December 8, seven local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC).
Restaurants participating on Monday, December 8, are: [Read more…]
Kern Church will host its annual Alternative Gift Fair this Saturday, December 6, in conjunction with the UMW Bake Sale/Mini-Bazaar. Sokun Carathers (from left), her daughter Kiana, and Marcia Walker display just a few of the fair trade items that will be for sale. (Submitted photo)
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Kern United Methodist Church will have its annual Alternative Gift Fair this Saturday, December 6, in the church’s Family Life Center from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
This annual event offers unique gift items that help end hunger and poverty for the families of artisans in economically disadvantaged areas around the globe. “Shop the World Gifts” of Englewood, Tennessee, and “Moja Fair Trade Fashions” of Maryville, Tennessee, will have booths full of beautiful, useful gifts for everyone on your list. Moja works directly with artisans in Kenya and Uganda to provide ethically produced and fashionable jewelry, accessories and home décor, while Shop the World Gifts obtains their merchandise through missionaries and several fair trade organizations. [Read more…]
