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Check back often for up-to-date news, events and article previews between issues of the monthly Lookout Mountain Mirror.

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Siskin Children's Institute Celebrates 75 Years

5/2/2025

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“People don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care.” These insightful and wise words are often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, but no matter who said them originally, let that truth sink in for a minute. And then consider the fact that Siskin Children’s Institute’s StarNight Gala is just around the corner, Saturday, August 23, 2025. This year’s event holds special significance as it marks the Institute’s 75th anniversary of bringing hope for children and families in our community.

For 75 years, Siskin Children’s Institute has been a cornerstone of support, empowering children with disabilities and their families through life-changing services. Since its founding in 1950, the Institute has been a beacon to building a brighter future for children of all abilities, and StarNight 2025 will honor these incredible milestones while spotlighting the true stars of Siskin - the children whose strength, resilience, and joy inspire us daily.

Patti and Jim Frierson know firsthand how critical, important and life-changing SCI is.

“Jim and I are grateful for the wonderful services that Siskin Children’s Institute provided to our daughter Anna and to us, as a family. We (and she) learned that anything is possible, and, after leaving Siskin she went on to Lookout Mountain School, and then Red Bank Middle and High School, where she was a cheerleader for 10 years! She is now at Chatt State and working at Warren and Griffin Law Firm. We owe so much to this strong start at Siskin. I continue to be involved because I want to assure that local families can continue to receive the expertise and experienced support that Siskin offers,” Patti shared.

Kim Leffew, director of alumnae engagement at GPS and StarNight committee member, also has personal experience with the Institute.

“Siskin didn’t just change our child’s life - it changed ours. The community of support we’ve received has given us hope and strength we never thought possible,” she said.

For the 2025 event, co-chairs Lynda Hood, executive director at the Chattanooga Bar Association, and Amanda Johns, director of people and culture at PlayCore, will join 25 community leaders who are all eager to help generate awareness about the developmental medicine and early intervention care provided at Siskin Children’s Institute. The committee is comprised of multiple leaders from many local businesses including CBL Properties, City Paper Company, Cornerstone Consulting Source, Emory Innovations, Inc., Fareri Academy, Girls Preparatory School, Husch Blackwell, NAI Charter, Shire Facial Plastic Surgery, Silverdale Baptist Academy, The Burd Law Firm, The Enterprise Center, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Transcard, Tennessee Valley Authority, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Vascular Institute of Chattanooga.

“We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate this year’s Diamond Anniversary at Star Night,” said Lynda Hood. “Siskin Children’s Institute is a remarkable organization that continues to make a profound impact on the lives of children and families in our community. Their dedication to providing essential resources, therapies, and support is truly inspiring. This milestone year is not only a celebration of their incredible work but also an opportunity for us all to come together, show our support, and help expand access to these vital services across the region. Let’s make this an unforgettable night of generosity, celebration, and hope for the future!”
“It’s been a while since we have had a team like this to help us with StarNight, said Don Mueller, president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute. We have the ability to help so many more children. Our only limiting factor for the number of children and families we can serve is funding. So, visit our website, sponsor a table, and help us make a difference in the lives of children today.”

Your support is vital to ensure that Siskin Children’s Institute continues its mission for another 75 years and beyond. You are invited to join us in this momentous celebration by becoming a sponsor or donating today. Visit www.siskin.org/starnight to learn more about sponsorship opportunities and stay updated on this unforgettable evening.

Together, let’s celebrate the stars of Siskin Children’s Institute and shine a light on the future of hope for children and families. Don’t miss this historic event and be part of a lasting legacy!

by Ferris Robinson
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Addie Ray Racing Brings Joy for All

5/2/2025

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Michelle and Chris Ray and their four daughters of Ringgold, Ga., are the true picture of a family in motion, in every sense of the word. Michelle and Chris Ray founded Chattanooga-based Addie Ray Racing in 2018, a remarkable nonprofit that reflects not only the couple’s passion for marathon and triathlon participation and an overall commitment to a healthy and balanced lifestyle, but most importantly, Addie Ray Racing is a testament to Michelle and Chris’s most firmly held personal values of inclusion, selfless generosity and above all, an unwavering dedication to family principles.

Built on the core belief that everyone, regardless of physical state or medical condition, is entitled to experience the “exhilaration of crossing a finish line,”, the Addie Ray Racing organization enables disabled or “differently abled,” a designation Michelle prefers) individuals to compete in organized public races (such as marathons and triathlons) while seated in a specially designed running wheelchairs, affectionately referred to as  “chariots,” customized for the assisted athlete and able to convert into bicycle trailers, if needed for the biking portions of  triathlons. At Addie Ray Racing events, each chariot is pushed by a volunteer runner and together the duo, referred to individually as the “chair athlete” and the “chair pusher,” complete the race as one, ultimately crossing the finish line and more importantly, providing a most unique and rewarding experience for each. 

The founding of Addie Ray Racing was set in motion by a series of serendipitous and unexpected events in the lives of Michelle and Chris Ray. College sweethearts at the University of Alabama, they wed in 2003 and within the span of 13 years they became parents to four daughters, Gracie, Glory (nicknamed Addie), Mercy and Honor. Second daughter, Addie, was born with Angelman Syndrome, a rare neuro-genetic condition resulting in cognitive and physical challenges that require around-the-clock care. Undaunted, Michelle and Chris adjusted seamlessly to Addie’s unique needs with their customary positive outlook and creativity, redesigning their career paths in decidedly entrepreneurial directions by crafting professions with flexible hours, ensuring 24//7 parental care for Addie.

A licensed midwife, in 2005, Michelle launched her own midwifery practice offering full spectrum maternity care. As practice owner, Michelle is able to establish hours that accommodate Addie and coordinate with Chris’s schedule. On a personal level, Michelle finds tremendous satisfaction as a midwife, describing her vocation as “a great and wonderful job… Giving birth is an emotional time for women, but in the best way possible. Mothers want only to love and protect their babies, and it’s my privilege to help them navigate their pregnancy and childbirth experience.” 

Chris has also carved out a career that is personally gratifying and also enables him to create a flexible schedule, prioritizing the wellbeing of his family. Graced with an innovative business acumen and a college degree in marketing, Chris runs a business that places caregivers in homes of the elderly, giving seniors the option of aging and dying at home. As a teenager, Chris witnessed a protracted illness and home death of his father, providing him with a unique understanding of what transpires when a family member dies at home, from the perspective of both the family and the ailing family member. This event was instrumental in leading Chris toward a career that allows him to draw on his experience and thoughtfully guide others through this challenging period eventually faced by most families. The couple’s work choices of Michelle welcoming those at the start of life’s journey and Chris supporting those at the end demonstrate not only the couple’s selfless and nurturing characters, but also reflect, in harmonious and near perfect symmetry, the full circle of care they provide.

As Michelle and Chris approached their mid-30s, the happy, busy and hard-working parents were out of shape and overweight. Additionally, Michelle had developed a worrisome health concern, whereby she was unable to hold down food. (Unaware of it at the time, this stomach condition would become a catalyst that would lead the Ray family in a completely unexpected direction that would impact their lives, and the lives of many others, in ways they could have never predicted.)

Visiting doctors but finding few answers, Michelle and Chris, with their usual upbeat determination, took charge of resolving Michelle’s diet mystery, culminating in a reevaluation and complete overhaul of the family’s diet, exercise habits and overall health and wellbeing.

First and foremost, to identify the offending food source, the Rays moved to a house with enough land to plant their own vegetables and fruit and raise chickens, cows, pigs and ducks. By adapting a purer, more organic diet, Michelle lost considerable weight, her stomach problems were resolved, and most significantly, healthy eating habits eventually became a permanent way of life for the entire Ray family. With a whole-body approach to health, the couple also started exercising, soon becoming avid runners. And while celebrating Michelle’s 35th birthday in Hawaii, Michelle, Chris and friends made the providential decision to hike the renowned Iron Man triathlon course in Kona. This period marked the beginning of the Ray family’s love affair with running and competitive racing.

The habit of running together as a family unit, as a default solution to childcare, transformed into a more beloved pastime when Addie was 9. With her energetic nature and preference to be “out and about and on the move at all times,” at a 5K in Dalton, Michelle seized the opportunity to borrow a sports wheelchair from a group of wheelchair athletes, giving her a chance to push Addie along the course of the race. An instant success, Michelle said Addie “had so much fun! She screamed, she laughed, she grinned. She just totally ate it up.”

Though the chariot is an expensive piece of equipment, Chris and Michelle immediately recognized its value so they created a GoFundMe enabling them to purchase Addie her very own chariot. This was a seminal moment for Addie, marking the start of her relationship with running, existing to this very day. Michelle explains, “almost 20, racing is still Addie’s No. 1 thing … she loves speed and loves to go, go, go…” Additionally, having a chariot impacted not only Addie, but, whether enjoying a leisurely Sunday jog or competing in a full blown marathon, the chariot enabled the Rays to run as a family unit, with all their girls gleefully in tow, most notably Addie, front and center, wearing the brightest smile of all.

But to Chris and Michelle, most stunning was the small miracle that occurred as the result of the wheelchair purchase. In being able to offer Addie the support and means to run and race, they unlocked doors and removed obstacles imposed by a physical condition that otherwise would have blocked her from partaking in some of life’s most basic, but also most affirming and confidence building experiences, such as being part of a group, understanding the vicissitudes of competition, and being able feel the pure and unparalleled joy of crossing a finish line. 

Noting the profound impact that racing made on Addie’s sense of self, engagement with the world and overall quality of life, planted a seed in the minds of Chris and Michelle, blossoming ultimately into their decision to create the nonprofit, Addie Ray Racing, in 2018. Michelle explains, “We just wanted other kids to feel empowered by their disabilities and to have as much fun as Addie was having! We also wanted to help other parents catch a break from caregiving, which can be constant for some families.” Surprisingly, it was slow going at first, as Michelle notes, “It’s actually really difficult to talk parents into letting their disabled children race. They are often fearful of what might happen to them… It took a lot of volunteers in the racing community to sit down with the parents… before they agreed to join in.”

Reluctance to participate was short lived, however. Since then, Addie Ray Racing has grown into a well-oiled organization, comprised of a cadre of dedicated volunteers, a fleet of 11 chariots, and a waiting list of wheelchair athletes eager to run in any of the approximately 13 yearly races in which Addie Ray Racing athletes compete. Most importantly, Addie Ray Racing has grown into a comprehensive and supportive community of local wheelchair athletes and families, providing a priceless and meaningful opportunity for all involved. Learn more at Addierayracing.org.
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by Sally Burke

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Breaking Chains to Make Change

9/13/2024

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Chattanooga is known for its natural beauty and outdoor culture, but like many other cities in America, struggles with violence on any given day. In 2021, Mayor Tim Kelly responded by forming the Office of Community Health (OCH) led by Dr. Geeta Maharaj as part of his One Chattanooga initiative. For those not familiar with the concept of One Chattanooga, it stems from the city mayor’s vision that every resident can thrive and prosper in Chattanooga. After taking a deeper look at crime and violence in the city, the mayor wanted more boots on the ground to address these issues and created the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention under the direction of Chris Sands.
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The Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention utilizes robust programming and alliances with community partners to meet its goal of decreasing crime and violence through the use of prevention and intervention. In visiting with the members of the team, it’s clear to see it is more than a job; it’s a calling for all involved. Uniquely talented and extraordinarily dedicated individuals make up this impressively cohesive team, which is composed of victim service advocates, a community outreach coordinator, a public safety coordinator, a program manager, a community safety manager, a youth intervention specialist, and violence interrupters.

In developing a road map to ending violence through prevention and intervention, the team, in collaboration with other departments, initially canvassed the streets of Chattanooga for one year collecting data and making connections with communities. What they found was Chattanooga had a youth crime problem, so they started there. The “Every Child Initiative” was created to target youth aged 14-24 who are at risk for joining a gang or are already in a gang and work to deter them as much as they could through prevention.

The team recognized that to truly empower the at-risk communities, it had to look at the root causes of crime and violence. Acknowledging poverty, fatherlessness, untreated mental illness and illiteracy all played a role in the genesis of crime and violence, committee members started engaging with the youth through various means. Counseling, teaching conflict resolution techniques, speaking about the importance of empathy, understanding, and peaceful coexistence, reading workshops, peer-to-peer storytelling, grief sharing, skills training, job fairs and mentoring are all part of the tremendous programming offered to the youth of Chattanooga’s most disenfranchised areas. Relevant programming is the key to giving at-risk youth opportunities for learning and skills development to help them break free from the chains of poverty and illiteracy. Chains that keep them bound to their current circumstances and at risk for perpetuating the cycle of criminal behavior and violence.

The number of prevention programs and exposure opportunities offered by the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention are numerous and all encompassing. It’s impossible to list them all and do each justice. “Walk With a Student” and “Fist Bump Friday” are two of the programs offered. “Walk With a Student” pairs an adult with an at-risk youth who walk and talk for just one hour a week for 52 weeks, one-on-one, and may also include taking the youth on exposure trips such as touring a college campus or attending a business meeting. Some past participants have been gang members who had never been outside of urban Chattanooga. Success stories include individuals who joined the military, went to college or started a small business. “Walk With a Student” is a model of prevention programming that has been effective in drastically changing the perspective and narrative of the at-risk young population of Chattanooga. Since the inception of this program, homicide crime has decreased 52%.

“Fist Bump Friday’” is a type of storytelling program that takes place at Orchard Knob Middle School. It puts successful members of the community (council members, business owners, doctors, lawyers, etc.) all of different races, in front of students to share their stories. Truancy rates are the lowest on “Fist Bump Fridays,” indicating the youth are eager and hungry for this type of interaction and opportunities it may bring to them.

Regarding violence intervention, the department has victims’ service advocates (VSAs) for those who have suffered an act of violence. Functioning similar to a case manager, VSAs not only offer support but also connect the dots of all the available resources for victims of violence. Keeping their fingers on the heartbeat of the communities served also allows the VSAs to effectively meet the needs, but also allows any concerns of potential impending acts of violence to swiftly be shared with the team to identify and enact prevention strategies.

When it comes to addressing crime and violence reduction, Chattanooga is leading the nation with its use of a unique and unusual workforce: former felons, known as “violence interrupters.” The goal of violence interrupters is to do exactly what its name says: interrupt violence through prevention and intervention. Implemented in 2021 by the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention, Chattanooga’s violence interveners have come to be known as the “423 Chain Breakers.”

The 423 Chain Breakers are a group of tremendously tenacious men who served time in federal penitentiaries, but rather than letting their past define them, they chose to return to their city and make a difference. These inspirational individuals have experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of violence, poverty, and a lack of education in disadvantaged communities. They were determined to put an end to this cycle and empower others to rise above their circumstances. What an ingenious way to address violence. Who better to have conversations with those who are about to make a bad decision than those who have already been there and done that.

The 423 Chain Breakers work in the most violent areas of Chattanooga known as Zone 3: East Chattanooga, Avondale and Bushtown. Since inception, the 423 Chain Breakers have reached out to and/or intervened with 5,352 individuals, both adults and youth. Over 2,784 students have been mentored at Washington Alternative School, Orchard Knob Middle School, East Ridge High School, Red Bank Middle and High Schools, Tyner Middle and High Schools, Brainerd High School and CADAS.

Crime and violence stats have started trending downward with the work of the 423 Chain Breakers. From January to May 31 of this year alone, crimes against persons are down 37%, crimes against property are down 60% and crimes against society are down 56%. Unfortunately, despite statistics showing the 423 Chain Breakers are having success in reducing crime and violence leading to a safer Chattanooga, it is only an experimental program for now. The goal is for the program to become a permanent part of the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention; however, that cannot happen unless it is a part of the city budget. Currently the program is funded with grant money, which is a year-to-year prospect. All involved are hopeful it will be a part of the city budget by 2026, the year the current grant funding expires.

Despite being a young department within city government, the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention has been received well and has become a credible resource for the Chattanooga Police Department, especially the 423 Chain Breakers. The Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention offers CPD another tool in the proverbial toolbox for addressing violence reduction through intervention and prevention. CPD is supportive of the Violence Interrupter program, developing a partnership with the 423 Chain Breakers to head off potential problems and keep at-risk youth from landing in jail or worse.

Breaking the chains of poverty, illiteracy and lack of opportunities in at-risk communities can only have a positive net gain for Chattanooga and the greater Hamilton County area when it comes to crime and violence reduction. Good things are taking place in Chattanooga by people wanting and willing to make a difference. Consider being a part of the solution by helping to make it and keep it safer. Volunteering, donating or championing the efforts of the 423 Chain Breakers are all great ways to help the cause.

It just takes one moment to change a life for the good, and as long as a person has hope, he or she will make it. The folks at the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention are doing a whole lot of good: offering hope, healing, love and opportunities. They truly are change makers!

To volunteer with the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention, call: (423) 643-7800.
To make a financial donation to the 423 Chain Breakers, Send a check to the City of Chattanooga via City Hall,  101 E 11th St, Chattanooga, TN 37402 with “423 Chain Breakers” on memo line

by JD Harper
JD Harper is a local author. GLINT, her debut novel, is set in Chattanooga amid its rich Civil War history and rock climbing culture. You can email her at [email protected]. ​
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Cheers for the Chattanooga Film Festival

8/27/2024

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The directors and staff of the annual Chattanooga Film Fest affectionately call it “summer camp for cinephiles,” and it’s an apt description. For three days, rows of film enthusiasts gather early in the morning in downtown Chattanooga to watch hours of short films, feature films, surprise screenings, and world premieres. Best-selling horror authors, talented local directors, social media-famous film reviewers, and locals who love independent movies mingle and chat.
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The organizers’ passion is unrivaled. The film festival is in its 11th year, and it’s an entirely crowdfunded endeavor, dependent on donations, badge sales, and tickets for individual screenings. Festival director Chris Dortch bounces from screening to screening, smiling and laughing and greeting people. He seems delighted to share an artistic medium that he loves so deeply with a diverse group of people.

I didn’t think I would get to attend the Chattanooga Film Festival in its entirety when, month ago, I bought an individual ticket to attend one of the in-person movie screenings. When I reached out to Chris, telling him how excited I was to come see the film, he graciously offered me a press pass for the entire festival so I could write about it for the Mountain Mirror and my online blog.

This year, the Chattanooga Film Festival was headquartered at the historic Read House downtown, and ran from June 21-28 virtually and June 21-23 in person. My favorite movie buddy (and Mountain Mirror writer!) Merrile and I soaked in the festival together throughout the weekend. Our days were packed. In the mornings, they’d show a two-hour block of back-to-back short films, followed swiftly by several feature films. Nothing overlapped, but, because the films were so close together, it took some intentional maneuvering to fit coffee and lunch breaks into our schedule.

It might be surprising that a festival that focuses heavily on horror had films that tapped into deeply authentic emotions. I love horror, and one of the things that I love about it is the way that the genre subverts narrative expectations. Horror can be sad, scary, funny, poignant, and clever. Its range is magnificent, and the organizers at the film festival did a wonderful job in choosing films that showcased that variety.

The film offerings were plentiful, with both local and wider-release options playing throughout the week. Some of the films were only available in-person, while others were available to watch online with a virtual or hybrid badge. The first day, Merrile and I saw A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree, a slow and meditative movie about Irish folklore and grief. I enjoyed Ganymede, an emotionally heavy horror drama about a young man navigating his self-discovery, and attended the world premiere of Video Vision, a horror-romance about a young woman who works at a video store and gets plagued by an analog villain. We even got to enjoy a surprise screening of the 1975 classic Race With the Devil, a road trip and “Satanic Panic” film rolled into one. The standout for me, though, was the festival favorite French-Canadian horror Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, a whimsical horror about a young vampire who refuses to kill humans. 

Merrile and I agreed that the short films were also delightful. Being immersed in a story for a brief time allowed the film to set a stage and offer a compact and effective narrative. Our favorite,13th Night, was about a man who makes a deal with a malevolent grinning being to save his daughter’s life.

We saw a slew of great films, but the opportunity to socialize with film fans and directors was an equally exciting experience. On the first full day of the festival, Merrile and I interviewed the writer and director, Nick Verdi, of one of the films that was showing that weekend. We’d enjoyed an advance screening of the film, an experimental small-town slasher called Sweet Relief, the week before, so we came poised with lots of questions. 

Nick’s comments about film-making resonated deeply, while encompassing the wider spirit of the film festival. “I like that my film gets split reviews,” Nick said, “because my goal is to have an effect. It’s better to love or hate it than think it’s just “good” or ‘fine.’” The kinds of films that inspired Sweet Relief, Nick said, are films that act like “devotional cinema” by allowing the audience to sit in their own uncertainties.

“People can be annoyed when they’re sitting with something they don’t understand,” Nick explained, “but they don’t realize that the film isn’t trying to tell you what’s good and bad.” Instead, it’s offering a kind of catharsis – a shared environment where the audience can sit with a film and experience it in community.

The Chattanooga Film Festival offers exactly that kind of communal shared environment. For a weekend, we socialized, laughed, cried, hid our eyes, and celebrated the creative work of passionate and talented people who love to tell stories.

For more information on the Chattanooga Film Fest, visit chattfilmfest.org. I’ll definitely be attending next year, and you should too!

by Henri Lowe

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EPB Mural Project Is Unveiled

8/27/2024

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On June 18, 2024, the MLK neighborhood experienced quite an accomplishment: The EPB substation mural project was completed. A ceremony for the artists and community took place and revealed the plentiful colors that would now line 10th Street. The theme of the newly unveiled works is “The Magic of Unity,” which is comprised of 10 murals. These are placed parallel to Douglas Heights Apartments.

Back in January, the EPB company put out an open art call to find local muralists willing to dedicate their time to the substation mural project. Ten were selected, and they vivaciously crafted one-of-a-kind pieces to represent the neighborhood. Listed at right are the artists and their works.

“We affirm our shared commitment to creating a city where creativity can thrive,” Mayor Tim Kelly announced at the ceremony. The resurgence of art can blatantly be seen amongst the streets of Chattanooga. Public art in this area has seen a significant increase due to this creativity movement. An enormous thanks goes to all the local artists who have participated in adding personality to the city. Projects like the EPB murals are increasing citizen engagement, as well as tourist engagement. Public art projects are unique ways to instill the culture and knowledge of the town into minds everywhere. Learning about Chattanooga’s past and characteristics is extremely important for providing protection of the city itself. The public art takes a creative turn on this, while communicating the artists’ own personal expressions. These ten murals are the latest take on the rich history the city has to offer.

The entire project has an overarching theme of “The Soul of MLK,” giving well-deserved recognition to the culture and community. The neighborhood is historically significant, as it was an area where African American artists could thrive in a time of chaos and violence. Long before the name was Martin Luther King Boulevard, it was known as 9th Street, or the Big Nine. In the 20th century, the South was heavy with segregation and racism, and 9th Street became one of the few vibrant areas for African American owned businesses. Black artists created music beyond compare and were able to express it here. Staple blues and jazz tunes were created among the Big Nine path.

More recently, the neighborhood is having a resurgence of hustle. New businesses are opening up in the area, giving it back to its former glory. The mural project is just one of several efforts to revitalize the MLK neighborhood. Many businesses and companies in the area participated in helping this artistic plan come to life, coming to a final reveal after four years.

In total, the creation is made of 41 unique murals, each telling a tale of sacrifice and advocacy. The idea of unity and expression is made clear in these vibrant pieces of art. Each has a special connection to the thriving MLK neighborhood history it had once before. The passion and determination is made apparent, as these artists put everything they had into presenting the message, using their own artistic twist. These murals are filled with pride for the MLK neighborhood, while encompassing all of Chattanooga.
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by Page Jenkins

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Get Healthy the Easy Way

6/12/2024

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Rhonda Voges Brown is so happy to introduce a lot of us to the wonders of making sourdough bread from a starter. This was the “rage” in the 80s, and it seems the trend has reemerged but with much more knowledge about its many benefits! Sour dough bread is fermented, which improves our gut health; gut health contributes 70 percent of our immune system.

Rhonda hosts sourdough “parties” in her home, where you learn about gut health, as well as go home with a pint jar of “the mother,” which is a starter that has been going on for 100 years! You also mix and shape your own loaf of bread to take home and bake.

After a fun evening, Rhonda also sends you home with a list of easy instructions and info for other recipes like hamburger buns and rosemary bread. At these “parties,” Rhonda shares all kinds of information, and dispels the myth that you must feed “the mother” all the time. She said that you can put it in the refrigerator for up to six months without touching it and use it to make bread after that! There are only three ingredients to add - flour, salt, and water - and it is super easy. She also shares food facts like kale has 50 percent more calcium than milk, and pineapple is anti-inflammatory.

Interestingly, Rhonda said that people who are not severely gluten intolerant can eat this bread also, adding that this is because of the “tug and tuck” method of kneading. She also stresses that good health starts with a healthy diet, and you can get healthy and stay healthy without having to go to the gym every day or run a marathon.

Rhonda believes that sourdough is the easy way to start getting healthy. The fermentation process helps with digestion and so many other things.

Her night gatherings are called Wine and Wellness and are really fun. In fact, she will even come to your house to demonstrate to a group of friends or a club. Any group can invite her to come teach all-things-sourdough!

I am lucky enough to be Rhonda’s neighbor, so she dropped some bread off for me to enjoy. Frankly, I am not partial to sourdough bread, but this was delicious and did not have a strong sourdough taste. If I can make bread and learn about its benefits, as well as sip wine and gather with friends, I am all in.

Check Rhonda out on Facebook or call her at (423) 315-0533 and experience this for yourself. I invite you to get your own “mother” to enjoy for years to come and to share with your other friends and family. Cheers to getting deliciously healthy!

Rhonda asks for a $25 donation for materials, and any extra is donated to Pure Hope, which strengthens and restores survivors of sex trafficking, or to a charity of your choice.
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by Gwin Tugman

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Bingo Benefits Orange Grove Center

6/12/2024

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The Orange Grove Center is a private nonprofit organization serving adults and children with intellectual and/or disabilities. Founded in 1953 by a group of Chattanooga parents and community leaders who were seeking services for children with disabilities, the Orange Grove Center partners with local businesses to provide jobs, as well as transportation, for the people it serves, and more.

Among those founders was the late Janet Strang, a long-time resident both Lookout Mountain and Summertown on Signal Mountain. The list of folks who have been involved with Orange Grove is long, ranging from Max Bahner, Skip Nardo and Larry Cash to Thomas A. Caldwell Jr. and the entire Kent family of Lookout Mountain.

Now a new generation is stepping up to continue the support, adding energy and savvy and a whole lot of fun to the organization, starting with a major fundraiser, Bingo for the Grove. Not exactly your granny’s bingo, this event features a delicious seated dinner, table-side bar service, music, dancing, and a crazy-fun signature bingo game with cash prizes!

Now on its third year, Bingo for the Grove raised over $125,000 for Orange Grove last year. These funds directly benefit transportation needs and enrichment programs in so many ways. Monies raised also support a salaried, full-time position necessary to re-launch Special Olympics teams and help with community involvement.  

Truly, Orange Grove Center touches many people in our community in many different ways.  Laura Carmichael Probasco, who helped create Bingo for the Grove and co-chaired it the past two years, has a dear family member, “Uncle Doug,” who has been at Orange Grove for 46 years. The positive impact Orange Grove has had on Laura’s family is the reason she is involved. In 2021, Laura set out to find someone who could help her co-chair Bingo for the Grove, so she enlisted Hallie Haley. Hallie had just moved to Lookout Mountain from Washington, DC, and was looking for ways to get involved in the community. Hallie was immediately drawn to Orange Grove and its mission. Last year, Laura and Hallie recruited Alicyn York to help with the chairing responsibilities, and in fact, Alicyn had attended the inaugural Bingo for the Grove and was eager to raise awareness for this fantastic organization. 

Julianna Robinson, along with Carmen Patty (vice-chair), Laura Probasco and Hallie Hailey (sponsorship chairs), Julia Bursch (vendor relations chair), Conley Crimmons (silent auction chair), Emma Grace Shannon (social media chair), Mary Clare Holm (decor chair), and Rayvn Cartwright (program chair) and are planning the 2024 event, which promises to be a fantastic evening. Each of these committees is jampacked with committed folks who are working their hardest to support this important organization.

Bingo for the Grove will take place at the Hunter Museum of American Art on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Just like the previous events, the 2024 bingo extravaganza promises to be as much fun as it is important.

“Our goal this year is to raise $150,000 for Orange Grove Center,” Julianna said. “This year’s event will be tented on the River Terrace at the Hunter Museum, which gives us the exciting ability to accommodate more guests. We can sell more individual tickets, as well as more sponsorship tables. Tickets will be $200 per ticket and will be available for purchase June 10.  

Contact Julianna Robinson at [email protected] for more information and for sponsorship opportunities.

Remember when I said this is not your granny’s bingo evening? I may need to take that back, depending on the age of your grandma. The theme is “Palm Royale,” so glamor up your make-up, tease that hair and channel Kristin Wiig as you not only secure your seat at this fantastic event in your 1960s get-up, but truly make a positive difference.

by Ferris Robinson

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