Oak Ridge Today





Habitat for Humanity celebrates volunteers of the month

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By Charlotte Bowers

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County has been blessed with incredible volunteers. Last year, we decided that we would like to recognize individual volunteers each month. Our community retailers and restaurants have been very generous in donating gift certificates and other items to reward our special monthly volunteers. Oak Ridge Floral, located in Grove Center, donated bouquets of flowers. Terry Stansberry, owner of Terry Tags, made a beautiful plaque. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, The Soup Kitchen, Red Lobster, Krystal, and IHOP all donated gift certificates for these special volunteers.

Mary McKeethan

Mary McKeethan 

 

The Volunteer of the Month for April was Mary McKeethan. Mary has been volunteering her time in the ReStore since 2010. Her warm smile and friendly attitude make her a favorite of our customers. After Mary retired from the Jackson Square Pharmacy, she decided she wanted to do something for the community. Liz Vane, former family services coordinator at Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, told her about Habitat. She decided that working at the ReStore would be a fun way to serve because she likes people. Working in retail made her realize she loved interacting with the public. She also loves working with children. After substitute teaching for many years and teaching Sunday School at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oak Ridge, she now volunteers with the after-school program at Willow Brook Elementary School.

Jim Bailey

Part of the Wednesday crew with Jim Bailey at center. (Submitted photo)

 

 

The Volunteer of the Month for May was Jim Bailey. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity selling building, plans to relocate

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Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County ReStore

The Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County ReStore is located in Grove Center.

 

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is selling its building in Grove Center, and officials said they want to move into a more economical facility.

“We have a 70-year-old building, and the cost to maintain the property hinders us in fulfilling the Habitat mission,” the nonprofit organization’s board of directors said in a statement. “Habitat for Humanity International recommends not owning real estate, with the exception of properties on which to build houses.”

The board said many customers have been concerned because they have seen the “For Sale” sign on the Habitat ReStore and office in Grove Center.

“We are not going out of business!” the board said. [Read more…]

UT study finds climate change threatens North American turtle habitat

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Eastern Box Turtle

A Terrapene carolina, or eastern box turtle, near Lake Poinsett, Ark., in 2013. (Photo by Beth A. Reinke)

KNOXVILLE—Although a turtle’s home may be on its back, some North American turtles face an uncertain future as a warming climate threatens to reduce their suitable habitat.

A new study conducted at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville reconstructs the effects of past climate changes on 59 species of North American turtles and finds that the centers of the turtles’ ranges shifted an average of 45 miles for each degree of warming or cooling. While some species were able to find widespread suitable climate, other species, many of which today are endangered, were left with only minimal habitat.

Species in temperate forests and grasslands, deserts and lake systems, primarily in the central and eastern United States, were more affected by climate change than species along the Pacific Coast, in the mountain highlands of the western United States and Mexico, and in the tropics, according to the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE. [Read more…]

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