Oak Ridge Today

Lavender Festival in Jackson Square on June 21

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Lavender Festival

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The 16th Annual Lavender Festival will be held on Saturday, June 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square. This herb fair is a perennial favorite of folks from all around and focuses on all that is fresh, healthy, and good for the body and soul.

The Lavender Festival transforms Jackson Square into a hub of activity, information, fun, and of course, lavender. More than 100 vendors, exhibits, and demonstrations will offer products and information related to gardening, cooking, health, aromatherapy, and all things herbal.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” said Betsy Prine of Knoxville, who has attended the festival for about five years. “I love gardening. I love to see so many vendors together, and I love that it’s all natural.”

The Lavender Festival doesn’t just celebrate lavender. It also features the International Herb Association’s “Herb of the Year,” which this year is Artemisia. Artemesia isn’t just one herb, but a species which includes Tarragon, Mugwort, Wormwood, and Sweet Annie. Gardeners, cooks, and nature enthusiasts can be sure to find useful information about how to use Artemesia in healthy and beautiful ways. Visit the booth in front of the Jackson Square fountain to learn more about Artemesia this year. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Local Girl Scouts excel in community service

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Girls Scouts Reforestation

Cadette Troop 20737 planted trees to reforest a managed forest land on a private farm in Andersonville. From left to right are Savannah McNair, Megan McEahern, Hannah Tobler, Kasey Smith, landowner, and Brittany Wensell. (Photos courtesy Jerry Luckmann)

 

By Jerry Luckmann

Girl Scouts in Oak Ridge contributed more than 1,860 hours of community service during the past school year. Twenty-two troops, representing all ages and levels of Girl Scouting, tackled projects benefiting kids, local service organizations, veterans, senior citizens, and the environment.

The founder of Girl Scouts in the United States, Juliette Low, believed that community service offered Girl Scouts a unique opportunity to address community needs and develop leadership in every girl. The Girl Scouts in Oak Ridge have embraced this belief and worked to make it a vital part of every member’s experience.

Girls Scouts Food 4 Kids Project

Courtney Thomas, left, Daisy Girl Scout from Troop 20438, and Christina Thomas, Cadette Girl Scout from Troop 20148, sort and pack bags at the Food 4 Kids project.

Sixty girls and family members from nine troops participated in the Food 4 Kids project, packing monthly the nearly 2,000 bags of food that are given to children in Oak Ridge schools who need food at home on the weekends. More than 80 girls, representing eight troops, participated in the Dolls for Daisy project, to clean and refurbish hundreds of dolls for Christmas distribution at the Holiday Bureau. Girl Scouts donated health and beauty “goody bags” and Christmas decorations to the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge. Environmental projects included recycling “Capri Sun” bags in a local school and planting trees to reforest land in Anderson County. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival features something for everyone

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Secret City Festival Crowd June 2012

A large crowd waits to hear music during the June 2012 festival.

 

Make plans to attend the 12th Annual Secret City Festival on Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14, in historic Oak Ridge. Join more than 20,000 visitors and residents to celebrate the end of World War II and the heritage of Oak Ridge from 1945 to the present.

Here’s an overview of some of the many activities and events taking place at this year’s festival: [Read more…]

Secret City Festival reminds concert attendees of security procedures

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Secret City Festival Logo

Visitors to the Secret City Festival next weekend can expect tighter security measures and maybe a few delays when entering the concerts this year, all in the name of safety.

“In light of recent events, we’re being extra vigilant in our protection of our attendees, staff, and the community during the festival concerts,” said Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi.

No backpacks or coolers will be allowed into the concert site and all bags will be subject to search.  This includes bags used to store chairs. Visitors should expect delays if carrying in anything that needs to be searched. Organizers suggest festival attendees only bring their concert tickets, money for food, an ID to buy or consume beer, and a chair for the concerts. Once inside the concert site, festival seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The concert site opens at 5:30 p.m. [Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge from June 8-11

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Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge from Monday, June 9, and continuing through June 11.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau: [Read more…]

Keep Anderson County Beautiful announces Earth Day collection numbers

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Keep Anderson County Beautiful Check Presentation

Pat Imperato, left, vice chair of Keep Anderson County Beautiful, presents a check for $150 to Sister Marie Blanchette and some seventh-grade students from St. Mary’s School for contributing the most number of shoes per student as part of the recent community shoe drive. (Submitted photo)

Keep Anderson County Beautiful has announced the total amount of materials collected, including electronics and shoes, during the recent 2014 Earth Day Festival in Oak Ridge.

“This is one of the best Earth Days that we have had in terms of materials collected and diverted from our landfill through recycling,” said Pam Turner, KACB president. “The community really embraced the meaning of Earth Day while enjoying a beautiful day in the outdoors playing old-fashioned neighborhood games.”

More than 36 volunteers helped to put on the event, which collected 7,531 pounds of electronics, 5,400 pounds of personal documents for shredding, 3,100 pairs of shoes, 540 pounds of books, 108 pairs of eye glasses, and 56 pounds of blankets and towels for the animal shelter. [Read more…]

CONTACT Care Line to offer emotional support through chat, text

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CONTACT Care Line will launch chat and text-based emotional support, the first of its kind in East Tennessee with funding from the Trinity Health Foundation. This summer, CONTACT will pilot the Chat/Text Line in collaboration with community and educational partners in Knox and surrounding counties.

In a similar pilot program, Nevada’s TextToday program found that young people preferred text communication, believing it afforded more privacy and confidentiality than phone conversations. Young people were more likely to seek emotional support from strangers, who they believed would be less judgmental than people they knew, including family and friends.

In our fragmented modern world, the need for online emotional support is critical. Over half of people with mental, emotional, or behavioral health issues suffer their first symptoms in childhood or adolescence, and roughly 14-20 percent of young people experience these problems, according to a 2009 study. [Read more…]

Vacation Bible School at First Presbyterian on June 12-13

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“Abundant Life” is the theme of the free Vacation Bible School at First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge. The VBS will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday, June 12-13, in the Activities building.

“Learning to care about God’s creation will be our emphasis,” said Karissa Stewart, director of youth and children’s ministries at First Presbyterian.

Parents may drop off their children ranging in age from pre-K to fourth grade between 8 and 9 a.m. and pick them up between 4 and 5 p.m.

The children will learn about creation through crafts, music, games, and storytelling. Volunteers are needed to assist with the crafts and games. Call (865) 483-1318 to register your child for the VBS.

Nikon Small World opens at AMSE June 13

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AMSE Nikon Small World Marine Worm

Third place: Alvaro Esteves Migotto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Centro de Biologia Marinha, Sao Paulo, Brazil. “Marine worm,” (Stereomicroscopy, darkfield, 20X) (Submitted photo)

 

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Glimpse into a remarkable world that most have never seen. It is a window into the universe that can only be seen through the lens of a microscope, when Nikon Small World’s award winning photomicrographs exhibition opens June 13 at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

Combining the skills in microscopy and photography, a photomicrograph is able to capture an image of the world that the naked eye cannot see. A freelance photographer and artist with a passion for aquatic microorganisms, Wim van Egmond of The Netherlands, sought to blend art and science to capture the complexity and stunning detail of this fragile helical chain.

“I approach micrographs as if they are portraits. The same way you look at a person and try to capture their personality, I observe an organism and try to capture it as honestly and realistically as possible,” said Egmond of his winning image of a marine diatom, a colonial plankton organism. “At the same time, this image is about form, rhythm and composition. The positioning of the helix, the directions of the bristles, the subdued colors, and contrast all bring together a balance that is both dynamic and tranquil.” [Read more…]

Spotlight: Banners showcase art of the late Peggy Heddleson

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Peggy Heddleson

Peggy Heddleson

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“Peggy Heddleson Banners: A Celebration of Poetry in Felt,” a special proclaiming event honoring the memory of the late Margaret “Peggy” Thompson Heddleson, will be held from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, June 8, in the fellowship hall at Grace Lutheran Church at 131 W. Gettysburg Ave. in Oak Ridge.

Heddleson, who died in 2009, achieved acclaim as an artist in ceramics, painting, and basket weaving, but her banners, made of felt cloth with words, were her crowning artistic achievement.

Many of her banners were gifted to Grace Church, where she was a longtime member. On display in the sanctuary and the fellowship hall, they carry a message of faith and healing. Also on display for this event will be additional banners loaned by Peg’s daughter, Tina Armstrong. Many of the loaned banners deal with domestic violence and rape, topics with which Heddleson had some familiarity both from her own life and the stories many women shared with her as she traveled, giving “banner talks” advocating for battered women to church and civic groups. [Read more…]

‘Dine and Donate’ returns June 9, benefits ADFAC

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Outback Restaurant

Take a trip down under on Monday, June 9, where Outback Steakhouse in Oak Ridge will be serving up its signature steaks, seafood, sides, and more—with a portion of all sales going to support ADFAC’s work in the community. (Submitted photo)

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School is out, and Father’s Day is around the corner: These are just two of many reasons to celebrate with a Dine and Donate meal!

On Monday, June 9, five local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC. Officially launched last October, “Dine and Donate” is a yearlong event, with different restaurants participating on the second Monday of each month.

“Whether celebrating the fathers in our lives or simply beating the heat, dining out at least one of Monday’s Dine and Donate restaurants is a fantastic way to enjoy the season,” said ADFAC Board Member Cande Seay, who also chairs the Dine and Donate committee. “Plus, for kids of all ages who enjoy the outdoor pool in Oak Ridge, The Other One even offers poolside delivery!” [Read more…]

Mindfulness meditation program in Oak Ridge on Saturday

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Claudio Barrientos

Claudio Barrientos

Claudio Barrientos, director of the Mindful Center in Knoxville, will present a program on mindfulness meditation on Saturday, June 7, at Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge. The free 90-minute program, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the fellowship hall, is hosted by the church’s Mental Health Ministry Team.

Grace Lutheran Church is located at 131 W. Gettysburg Ave.

Barrientos will introduce ways to incorporate a few minutes of meditation in one’s daily life to help with many health issues, a press release said. The teachings are non-religious and evidence-based, rooted in the latest science of the mind, body, and brain, according to notes from Barrientos about the program. [Read more…]