Oak Ridge Today

ETEC honors winners of Muddy Boot Awards, Postma Young Professional Medal

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Harold Conner Jr.
Harold Conner Jr.

The East Tennessee Economic Council honored four winners of the Muddy Boot Award and one recipient of the Postma Young Professional Medal during its annual awards luncheon this month.

The four Muddy Boot Award recipients have long résumés of service in East Tennessee, ETEC said. They are Harold Conner Jr., Edwena Crowe, Lee Riedinger, and Lamar Alexander.

Conner and Crowe have served in “just about every capacity one can in the community and the Oak Ridge Department of Energy Complex,” ETEC said, while Riedinger is recently retired as director of the University of Tennessee’s Bredesen Center. The three were named 2019 Muddy Boot Award winners.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge resident appointed to state judicial conduct board

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Edwena L. Crowe of Oak Ridge has been appointed to Tennessee’s reconstituted Board of Judicial Conduct.

The appointment was announced in a Wednesday afternoon press release from the office of Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican.

The Board of Judicial Conduct was created by the Tennessee Legislature to investigate complaints against judges and ensure accountability and ethical conduct in the judiciary, the press release said.

“Edwena Crowe is a pillar of this community and a woman of strong ethical character,” McNally said in the press release. “The Board of Judicial Conduct needs citizens who are able to look at the evidence, make decisions, and stand by them. Edwena is a highly skilled executive who understands how to make good decisions based on the evidence presented. The Board will be stronger with her contributions. I am confident she will do well.”

[Read more…]

Golf tournament to benefit Free Medical Clinic

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Free Medical Clinic

A golf tournament in August will benefit the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge.

It’s the 16th Annual Summer Golf Challenge for the Free Medical Clinic, and it will be held on Saturday, August 15, at the Oak Ridge Country Club. The tournament has a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start, and it is hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Hoofers Golf Club, and the Oak Ridge Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

The Free Medical Clinic is a nonprofit medical group that provides medical care at no cost to residents of Anderson, Roane, and Morgan Counties who do not have insurance or cannot afford care because of low income. The clinic is staffed primarily by volunteers and relies on donations from individuals, churches, and local organizations for financial support. Although the number of patients seeking care has increased significantly in recent months and donations have not kept pace, the clinic continues to serve as many as possible with the resources at hand. [Read more…]

United Way raises $1.17 million, about 90 percent of ‘bold’ goal

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Greta Ownby and Edwena Crowe

UWAC Board President, Greta Ownby, left, announces Edwena Crowe, right, as Volunteer of the Year. (Submitted photos)

The campaign was complicated by the partial government shutdown in October, but the United Way of Anderson County raised close to $1.2 million this year, or about 90 percent of its goal.

The results were announced at an annual meeting and campaign announcement at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The campaign goal, which was described as “bold,” had been $1.3 million. The total amount raised was $1,172,742. The United Way said this will allow for stable funding for its agency programs.

“Unfortunately, we will not be able to increase funding to our community partners,” UWAC Executive Director Rick Morrow said. “Last year’s total resulted in a reduction of $200,000 to the funding pool, and this year’s total will only allow for continued funding at that level.” [Read more…]

Guest column: ‘Tis the season of giving

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

By Charles, Edwena, Rebecca, and Nicholas Crowe

United Way of Anderson County’s 2013-14 Campaign Chairing Family

As the holidays are upon us, we are reminded of how fortunate we are and become increasingly aware of how many others do not share our good fortune. Donors are inundated with requests for food, spare change, and gifts to make the holidays brighter for those who are struggling. It is a season of giving, so to speak, but what happens when the calendar strikes January? Back to work, back to school, and back to our routines, but the needs are still there for many in our community. There are still more than 50 percent of children on reduced lunch programs in our schools, there are still families visiting emptying food pantries, and working poor who make every effort to support their families and still have to choose between paying the electric bill or the rent. United Way of Anderson County works to mobilize the caring power of our community to create lasting change.

UWAC had to reduce funding to our partner agencies by $200,000 last year. These agencies do a phenomenal job of leveraging their allocations and running their programs so efficiently, doing more with less. A dollar a week in our pocket doesn’t seem to go very far, but $1 a week invested in the Green Thumb Garden Program run by Second Harvest Food Bank can provide gardening supplies to grow $1,400 of food for three families, fresh produce that is not often found on pantry shelves. Ten dollars a week can provide emergency food, clothing, and shelter by American Red Cross for a family of three in a time of crisis. Each year, a team of more than 30 community volunteers closely audits the agencies and programs requesting funding. Your friends and neighbors make certain your dollars are being efficiently invested. [Read more…]

ORAU exceeds $100,000 in annual giving campaign for sixth consecutive year

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

ORAU Annual Giving

The 2013 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign Chair Sarah Roberts, pictured far right; Co-Chair Michael Ickowitz, pictured far left; ORAU President and CEO Andy Page, pictured second from left; and keynote speaker Edwena Crowe, one of four Crowe Family members serving as the 2013 United Way of Anderson County Campaign Family, reveal ORAU’s combined giving total of $132,109.32.

For the sixth year in a row, Oak Ridge Associated Universities has broken the $100,000 mark in donations as part of the annual giving campaign for the United Way and Community Shares, a press release said.

During a concluding ceremony on Nov. 12 in the ORAU Pollard Technology Conference Center, ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page announced the 2013 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign total donation amount—$132,109.32. As part of the total donation, ORAU gave $98,432.34 to the United Way and $33,676.98 to Community Shares. [Read more…]

United Way of Anderson County sets fundraising goal at $1.3 million

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Crowe Family

The 2013 United Way of Anderson County Campaign Family—Charles, Edwena, Nick, and Rebecca Crowe—ask everyone to join the UWAC family this year. (Submitted photo)

“The measure of a community is how it treats its vulnerable members.”

~ Various people including Gandhi and Pope John Paul

By Edwena, Charles, Rebecca, and Nick Crowe, the 2013 Campaign Crew for United Way of Anderson County

The United Way of Anderson County board of directors—under the leadership of the campaign crew of Edwena, Charles, Rebecca, and Nick Crowe—has established a fundraising goal of $1.3 million for the fall 2013 campaign.

“We recognize this is a bold goal, one that may be difficult to achieve,” said Charles Crowe. “Yet, we are all in this together, and together, we can begin the recovery that is so important to our county.” [Read more…]