Hometown Heroes

Not all heroes wear a cape. Sometimes, it’s the e ver yday individual that makes the biggest difference. The City of Ne wber n would like to thank e ver yone in the community for all they do for one another.

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

Joseph Campbell

Safety in Education

By: Rachel Townsend

Considering society’s current landscape, safety in education has never been more important. The faculty and staff at Dyersburg City Schools and Dyer County Schools have worked around the clock to make sure proper protocols are implemented to ensure the safety of students while also providing an environment that is friendly, inviting, and promotes learning.

From the Handle With Care program, P3, the interpersonal relationships cultivated over time between students and their teachers and SROs, to the more recent installation of screening devices, both city and county school systems have entered into the 2023-24 school year with more protocol in place than ever before and will continue adding those extra layers of protection for students.

Marty Essary serves as SRO at Finley Elementary School where students not only look to him for safety and protection, but as a trusted adult, mentor, and friend.

Dyer County Schools

At Dyer County High School, Director of Schools Cheryl Mathis says many of the same safety precautions are being implemented as seen with Dyersburg City Schools. She says the District partners with the Dyer County Sheriff’s Department to implement safety programs, and also maintains a strong community partnership with Newbern Police Department which works closely with the Dyer County High School’s Buckle Up Club.

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

A new way Dyer County is reaching out to students to prevent safety issues is through the installment of sensory rooms. Available to students at each school level, these rooms are designed to help students who may be experience emotional distress due to a variety of factors with a place to decompress and regroup.

Behavioral specialist Jeremy Porter says these sensory rooms are rarely abused by students and provide a proactive approach to school safety.

Porter is one of four behavioral specialists at Dyer County Schools. Behavioral specialists are trained to observe students who exhibit signs of unusual behavior and help those students understand and work through their feelings.

Another key element to supporting a safe school environment is the presence of SROs and the relationships they develop with students. At each school, SROs are more than just a police presence—they serve as a guiding hand and mentor for each child they interact with.

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

Dyer County Behavioral Specialists include Emily Morgan, Cari Beth Walden, Christy Dye, and Jeremy Porter.

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

Newbern Elementary School SRO Eric Lanier shares a fist bump with student Bri’Asia Wilkes

Dyer County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Walker, who serves as the supervisor for all county school SROs, says each SRO participates in annual active shooter training courses. Annually, students are taken through training scenarios to prepare them in the event of an intruder.

Walker says the Handle With Care program, a state-wide crisis intervention and behavior management school program initiated by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, has been instrumental in allowing schools the information they need to help students who may be dealing with a home situation or other crisis in which law enforcement was involved in their home environment. Without disclosing the details of the student’s situation, Walker says the Handle With Care program allows SROs to share with teachers the need to address students in question with sensitivity with respect to their individual hardship.

Walker has been an SRO for seven years. He says his time as an SRO has been the highlight of his career. “I love graduation every year. I love watching those kids cross that stage and you know they have accomplished a lot,” said Walker. “It’s pretty neat when you see the kids out in the community and they come up and hug you and want to talk. We establish close relationships with hundreds of kids in this community. Since the kids in the lower grades are interacting with SROs, they are more comfortable with them by the time they get to the high school level. I have 4,000 kids. Every one of these kids is like one of my own.”

Pictured above is the sensory room at Newbern Elementary School. This room is used as a place for students facing behavioral issues or with special needs to decompress when becoming overstimulated in classroom. Students who need to use the sensory room spend time with a behavioral specialist or school guidance counselor.

Photo/submitted Cheryl Mathis, Director of Dyer County Schools

Photos/Rachel Townsend

Dyersburg City Schools

At Dyersburg City Schools, high school SRO Jesse McNeil is of just one of four SROs from the Dyersburg Police Department who has, over time, developed a strong relationship with students and staff.

In early 2023, Dyersburg City Schools welcomed parents and staff to discuss safety concerns at every level of education in a series of safety meetings where measures currently in place and up-and-coming installments to the District’s plan of action were discussed in detail.

Neil was then noted by students, staff, and parents as being a valued asset to the school, commended for the trust and mentorship he provided to students. These sentiments were extended to each of the District’s valued SROs, who dedicate themselves to preserving the safety and wellbeing of students each and every day.

Photos/Rachel Townsend

Students at Dyersburg High School are seen here with SRO Jesse McNeil.

Among measures the District has taken to provide additional layers of protection, the new Evolv Screening System was installed in August of 2023. The AI weapon detection system provides non-invasive screening on anyone entering the school building or attending athletic events.

Three Evolv dual lane systems were integrated between campuses of Dyersburg High School and Dyersburg Middle School.

The Evolv technology allows students and visitors to walk through school entries at a natural pace without having to stop or hand over their belongings, which they would have to do when walking through a traditional metal detector. The Evolv system is able to detect weapons while ignoring harmless personal items like cell phones, keys and coins.

Evolv’s clients include Bridgestone Arena, Orpheum Theater, Nissan Stadium, and Six Flags Theme Parks.

In addition to the Evolv system, the District has always maintained a strong partnership with Dyersburg Police Department to promote safety and also integrated other safety measures including bullet resistant window film, access control doors, controlled traffic flow, secured vestibules, SROs at every school, anonymous reporting system, and the SafeTN app.

Director of Schools Kim Worley says, “The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority. We are excited about the new enhancements to our security program. The

Monday – Friday 9a – 4p After hour appointments available (731) 676-3361

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

Pictured above is Carrie Eno, DHS behavioral specialist. Eno is one of seven behavioral specialists employed with Dyersburg City Schools including Chris Dishman, Sarah Morris, Brad Smith, Laura Nolan, Bryan Jordan, and Hillary Jackson.

Evolv Screening System allows us to add another layer of security for our schools, without detracting from the learning environment. Our safety initiatives are the combination of multiple safety measures, the diligence of our staff and students, and the professionalism of our campus SROs, who go above and beyond to provide a safe, secure learning environment. We want to give every student a chance to grow without worrying about their safety!”

Relationships and trust built between SROs, teachers, and students are important in promoting a safe and healthy school environment.

Photo/Rachel Townsend

Frazier Honors Its Employees Who Serve the Community & Nation

By: Jason Peevyhouse

There are multiple ways the members of our fire departments and branches of the military serve our community. For veterans, it can be joining the workforce after their time serving the United States has come to a conclusion.

At Frazier Industrial in Dyersburg, the facility employs a number of people who have served their country and those who still serve their communities as fire fighters, EMTs, and other occupations on a volunteer basis.

Frazier Industrial’s Jodie Parker serves as a volunteer fireman and shared the reasons why he chose to serve his community away from his full-time job with the facility.

“I wanted to help the community,” Parker said. “And, it’s also the adrenaline rush.”

Fellow Frazier employee Cody Dennison also pointed to wanting to help the community as a key factor in becoming a fire fighter.

The facility also employs its share of veterans, who also shared why they chose to serve their country as part of the armed services.

“I personally joined because I have many family members that have served this great country so there are patriotic family values tied to my decision,” Warren Shaver shared. “In addition to the fact that serving offers good pay, travel, education, training, and health care, it also imparts a feeling of doing something meaningful for others and your country.”

Shaver also talked about Frazier’s dedication to its employees who are veterans.

Warren Shaver

Jeremy Akers

James Standefer

Joe Atchison

“There are several veterans working along side me here at Frazier,” he explained. “I believe because Frazier sees value in our country’s veterans. Veterans, in my opinion, are motivated, quick learners, selfless leaders, and display a heightened level of teamwork and discipline.”

Shaver’s fellow employees, Jeremy Akers and Joe Atchison, cited the experience of serving their country was one factor in enlisting, while James Standefer pointed to his family history as a reason he joined the armed services.

Frazier Industrial Company is the leading manufacturer of structural steel storage systems. Don Frazier officially Founded Frazier Industrial Company in the summer of 1949.

The company initially began as a one-man proprietorship selling several lines of material-handling equipment. Frazier would not stay a small company for long as Don had his sights set on revolutionizing the storage industry. The same year the company was founded, Frazier began producing its first selective pallet racks from pipe and fittings.

Selective racking quickly became Frazier’s cornerstone product. Over the years their design evolved into the H-series, and eventually, the current Sentinel that’s played an integral role in helping Frazier become the company it is today.

In July 2018, the Dyersburg facility joined nine additional plants across the United States, Canada and Mexico as part of Frazier’s flexible manufacturing network.

The Dyersburg Facility currently employees 120 team members and growing. The members of its staff look forward in serving our community through an events team that raises contributions to share with our local community.

Victoria Moats

Dyer County Legislative Body

Tigrett, Bonicord, & Fowlkes

Greg Vestal

Larry Shawver

Newbern

John Uitendaal (Chairman)

Brandon Dodds

Trimble, Tatumville & Roellen

Bradley Gray

Steve Moore

Millsfield & Bogota

Robert Kirby

Doug Singletary

Finley & Lenox

Jimmy Hester

Steve Sartin

Future City, Bruce & S. Dyersburg

Terry McCreight

Tonya C. Fuller-McKellar

Courthouse

Debbie Bradshaw-Hart

(Budget Chairman)

Debra Roberson

East Dyersburg

Hunter Jackson

James T Cobb

Community Center & Hurricane Hill

Mark Korn

Pam Newell

North Dyersburg

Dob Johnson

Kim Peckenpugh

Dyer County Mayor David Quick

Local man thanks first responders and law enforcement for saving his life

“How many people were involved in saving my life?”

By: Rachel Townsend

On August 19, 61-year old Randall Priest lost consciousness while undergoing his dialysis treatment at home. Priest described the moments between starting his treatment and waking up at the hospital as flashes of consciousness, where he vaguely could recall moments in which first responders were attempting to save his life. Priest says he hooked himself up to his dialysis machine around 4 p.m. that evening and inadvertently bypassed the fill for his dialysis solution. By the time he realized his error, he says he was already starting to lose consciousness.

“It usually fills me up with about 1500ml of the solution,” explained Priest. “Well, it only filled me up with 23ml. I had already taken my insulin which would have balanced it out. By the time I figured it out—my alarm had went off saying it was having problems draining—I looked at it and realized what had happened. Well, I had already been on insulin for 2 hours. My blood sugar was 34 and I blacked out.”

Somehow, Priest says he was able to alert authorities by using the SOS on his cell phone, but the details are hazy.

“I was out of it for about 3-4 hours,” said Priest. “I don’t know how I did my SOS. I was totally out of my head.”

Priest was admitted in the hospital until the following Thursday. Upon his recovery, he spent time considering the effort put into saving his life that day.

Photo/Rachel Townsend

“I’m grateful I’m still alive,” said Priest. “God put those people in place to do their job and they were there and they saved me. They all came together to save my life. I should be dead. If not for all of them doing their part, I don’t know what would have happened to me, and that ‘me’ could be anybody.”

E911 Dyersburg Director Gloria

Spence released the following statement on behalf of Priest’s testimony:

“On August 19, 2023, around 7:52 p.m., Mr. Randall Priest dialed 9-1-1 just before he fell unconscious, rendering him unable to tell the operator on the other end of the line what was happening. Dyersburg 9-1-1 Operator Samantha Elmore could see the call’s address and hear a beeping sound in the background but nothing else. She initiated the teletype system to determine if it was a distress call from someone using equipment for people who are hard of hearing, but there was no response.

“She continued listening closely to hear coughing and sounds of distress. DPD Officers were dispatched to investigate the unknown problem from the open 9-1-1 line, not knowing what they were going into. They arrived on the scene and ultimately requested EMS for a male in and out of unconscious—prompting a dispatch to DFD rescue and an ambulance immediately. In the words of Mr. Priest himself, “They all saved my life. How many people were involved in saving my life?”

So who did it take to save Priest’s life?

On the night of the incident, Spence said three Dyersburg 911 operators, two Dyersburg Police officers, two medically trained Dyersburg firefighters, one Medlink dispatcher, and two paramedics with Medical Center ambulance service were involved in saving Priest’s life.

And It all began with a single and only call to 9-1-1.

“At Dyersburg 9-1-1, we dispatch a responder for every 9-1-1 open line or hang-up that plots on a map in the City of Dyersburg because we never know why somebody made that call,” said Spence. “There have been 3,095 9-1-1 hang-ups or open lines since January 2023, making it the highest type of call dispatched in Dyersburg to date. These calls could be from someone in danger, someone with a medical problem, or an accidental pocket dial from a cell phone. Your 9-1-1 operators are trained to listen for background noises but can streamline the correct response more efficiently with a conversation (voice or text) from the other end of the line. If you dial 9-1-1, please stay on the line to let the operator know if someone needs police, fire, or EMS or if it was dialed accidentally.”

Another example of Dyersburg 911 making a difference!

Dot Foods

“Supporting Communities Through the Provision of Essential Services & Charitable Contributions”

By: Rachel Townsend

Dot Foods has been feeding America since the 1960s.

Dot Foods-Dyersburg palletizes $12M in food every week for clients across the nation. General Manager Matt Duggan says every person employed at Dot Foods is part of a vital process. From administration workers, warehouse pickers, spotters, and CDL drivers to dispatch, inventory, clerks, mechanics, and sanitation workers, every person employed at Dot Foods is instrumental in ensuring that thousands of individuals are provided the essential foods they need to sustain their communities and businesses.

Dot Foods is not only a leader in food distribution, it is a leader in advancing the communities it serves. Programs including Neighbor-to-Neighbor, Dot Foods ALZ Trivia Night, and an array of charitable contributions to the community, are all funded through Dot Foods, with generous annual donations also contributed by members of its staff.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor

In 2022, Dot Foods’ Neighbor-to-Neighbor program at the Dyersburg distribution center made a donation to four area food pantries with $5,000 worth of products from Dot’s current inventory, resulting in a total donation of $20,000 worth of food and other necessities. The program has existed at Dot Foods-Dyersburg since 2015. Neighbor-to-Neighbor recipients included Dyersburg Christian Center/ Pavilion of Hope, Salvation Army of Dyer

Dot Foods’ Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program began in Dyersburg in 2015. Since then, the company has donated $20K each year to local food pantries.

County, Reelfoot Rural Ministries, and First United Methodist Church Food Pantry/Bags of Hope of Ripley.

“Hunger is a problem in almost every community,” said Duggan. “At Dot Foods, we can help fight hunger in our local communities. The Neighbor-to-Neighbor program at Dot is all about partnering with local food pantries that can provide our quality products to people that need those most.”

$500K food donation during Covid-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dot showed its commitment to strengthening the community by providing food donations totaling $540,258 to pantries located in counties of Dyer, Lake and Obion. The contributions provided sack lunches for kids for 10 weeks. Reelfoot Rural Ministries Executive Director Robert Craig said, “Dot Foods exemplifies what it means to be a good community partner.” Craig said excess food was delivered to schools and non-profits in Dyer, Lake, and Obion Counties.

Photo/submitted

“We were in a unique position where we could offer an innovative solution,” said Duggan. “We partnered with some wonderful agencies to help distribute dry, frozen and refrigerated food products to the families in need. This was a total team effort, and we could not have executed this plan effectively without the help of our local agencies.”

ALZ Trivia Night

The Dot Foods ALZ Trivia Night in Dyersburg was started in 2015 and over the past eight years has raised roughly $115,000 in funds to support Alzheimer research through the Alzheimer’s Association. In addition to funds received from Trivia Challenge team sponsors, Dot Foods employees all provided substantial donations in support of ALZ fundraising, an effort equally matched by the Tracy family. The event was organized by DOT Foods, in honor of their founder, Robert (RT) Tracey, who died in 2006 from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Over the past eight years, the Dot Foods ALZ Trivia Night in Dyersburg

Photo/submitted

Dot Foods General Manager Matt Duggan (left), Warehouse Manager Lee Haeberle (second from left), and Operations Management Trainee Lafe Long (right) are seen along with Salvation Army Kitchen Manager Francene Epley.

Photo/William Northcutt

has raised roughly $115,000 in funds to support Alzheimer research through the Alzheimer’s Association.

Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society

“Helping Animals Find Their Furever Homes Since 1986.”

By: Rachel Townsend

The Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society (DDCHS) is a 501(c)3 dedicated to advancing the welfare of animals in our community. The shelter cares for animals in crisis through animal control services and provides kindness and compassion for all animals. Unlike many cities and counties, the DDCHS is not owned or managed by local government but is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers and a small crew of dedicated animal advocates who are committed to exacting positive change in the lives of abandoned, abused, or homeless animals in the community.

“Our goal is to end the suffering, abuse, neglect and abandonment of animals and to help these animals find foster care, rescues, or ultimately home adoptions. We strive for all animals to be treated humanely and lovingly,” says Humane Society President Shari Tidwell.

The Shelter works closely with animal organizations, including rescues like Paws to Care, and aims to provide a comprehensive safety net for animals, and options for owners to find solutions when problems occur with their pets. The Shelter is a safe refuge for all animals-young, old, sick, healthy, shy and outgoing, and accepts all that space allows.

Photos/Pioneer Photography

As a non-profit organization dependent on community donations for sustainability and resources, the Humane Society hosts a multitude of annual fundraising events. In 2023, the organization collectively raised nearly $20K through its annual Cups for Pups event, held in early spring, and the Songwriter Showcase, which was hosted by Burks Beverage and Broadcasting.

Tidwell notes that mandatory holds on some dogs, tests, quarantine, vaccines, not to mention the paperwork involved during an intake, rescue, adoption and medical situations, create further problems when dealing with overpopulation and a limited workforce or volunteer pool.

“The Humane Society is not just a place of playing with dogs, feeding, and watering. It is a massive process to care for an animal with a vague history and unknown background, along with possible disease exposure,” Tidwell says.

Another challenge the Shelter faces concerns the design of the facility, which was not made for the purpose of housing ani-

mals. She said the building is aging and in constant need of repairs. Building expenses coupled with vehicles maintenance and vet bills place a large strain on the organization’s budget.

“Ventilation is inadequate considering the amount of animal waste,” says Tidwell. “Expenses on vehicles and building repairs is frequent and it has been a challenge to find help with costs. A new facility appropriate for animal care with outdoor living areas for larger dogs would be ideal to help the staff and the citizens of our community. A building specifically built to house animals would allow the staff to tackle large problems like dog attacks, abandonment, and strays. Working closely with law enforcement to help with abuse of animals and dog attacks is a win-win situation for every citizen in our county.”

Tidwell emphasized that animal welfare is a public concern for everyone and the Shelter is committed to caring for all animals left in its care to the best of its ability. “We want to halt scrutiny from the public and social media and build a relationship with all animal-advocates to work together for a loving facility,” says Tidwell.

Photos/Pioneer Photography

In early 2023, Lowe’s hosted a Car Show fundraiser for the Shelter raising roughly $1K.

Shelter Director Jenny Humphrey expressed that creating a more compassionate society would mean prioritizing community education about animal welfare, promoting spay/ neuter programs, recognizing the crucial role of animal control, and empowering individuals to contribute to the cause.

“Animal welfare is a pressing concern that demands our attention and action,” says Humphrey. “There is a great need for increased awareness, active participation, and the transformative impact that these efforts can have on animal welfare. By raising awareness about responsible pet ownership, proper care, and the prevention of animal cruelty, we can create a more compassionate society,” insisted Humphrey. “With the proper instruction and programs, we can equip individuals with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and take action to protect animals.”

Promoting spaying and neutering of pets is an effective way to address the issue of overpopulation and reduce the number of homeless animals. These programs not only prevent unplanned litters but also contribute to the overall health and well-being of pets.

By partnering with veterinary clinics, offering financial assistance, and creating incentives, communities can encourage responsible pet owners to embrace spay/neuter practices, leading to a significant reduction in animal suffering.

The Dyersburg - Dyer County Humane Society is in the very beginnings of creating such a program. Animal control agencies are instrumental in ensuring the safety and welfare of both animals and the community at large. The Animal Control Officer’s responsibilities include aiding in the enforcement of animal welfare laws, responding to animal-related emergencies, and providing essential services such as rescuing stray animals and investigating cases of cruelty. Recognizing and supporting the crucial role of our animal control agency is essential for maintaining a harmonious coexistence between humans and animals within our community.

Humphrey says, “Empowering individuals to actively contribute to animal welfare initiatives is vital for sustainable change. Volunteer programs, fostering networks, and adoption drives provide opportunities for community members to make a positive impact.”

Encouraging responsible pet ownership, reporting animal cruelty, and supporting the Humane Society are simple yet impactful ways in which individuals can contribute to the well-being of animals in the community.

Additionally, promoting responsible pet ownership within the community can involve initiatives such as microchipping pets, properly restraining them, and ensuring regular veterinary care. Collaboration among community leaders, animal welfare organizations, and local law enforcement agencies can enhance the impact of these efforts and create a more compassionate environment for animals and a safer community environment.

“By fostering a culture of compassion, responsibility, and respect towards animals, communities can make a significant impact in improving animal welfare,” says Humphrey.

“Through education, proactive measures, and community engagement, we can create a society where animals are treated with the care and dignity they deserve. Together, we can work toward a brighter future for our furry companions and build a more compassionate world.”

Photos/ Pioneer Photography

Adoption events are a must for any Shelter. The Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society hosts multiple adoption events every year which allow members of the community to adopt a pup at a discount adoption rate. Other resources available include information and services for spay/neuter, and information on what to consider before deciding to adopt.

Paws to Care

“Saving Lives Together and Educating The Community on Animal Welfare”

Established out of a local need to help the abundance of stray or abandoned animals in Dyer County, Paws to Care and its group of dedicated volunteers spend countless hours working to place countless thousands of four-legged companions into loving homes. While each animal saved is a priceless, heart-touching moment, there are so many animals who will never reach their forever homes, and in those cases, rescue can take a heavy toll on those volunteers working so hard to make a difference. Paws to Care isn’t alone in the fight. The organization partners with the Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society, as well as a multitude of rescues to network animals and handle adoptions.

Spay and Neuter Programs

Educating the public on spay/neuter programs is essential in controlling the animal crisis. Dyer County is inundated with hundreds of homeless pets. Shelters and rescues stay at 100 % max capacity all of the time. In an effort to combat the crisis and stop this endless cycle, Paws to Care has developed a low-cost spay/neuter program to provide assistance to those pet parents who need it. This service is provided to not only Dyer County, but five other surrounding counties. Spaying/neutering has other benefits as well, including helping to prevent mammary gland tumors/cancer, testicular cancer as well as pyometra. The spay/neuter program is income-based and available while funding lasts. Individuals are invited to fill out a spay neuter application at pawstocare.org.

Vaccine Clinic’s SAVE LIVES

Parvo and Distemper are two of the deadliest and most highly contagious diseases affecting pets in the Dyer County area. In an effort to educate pet parents on the importance of vaccinations to prevent these deadly diseases, Petco Love sponsors a free vaccine clinic held twice a year in partnership with Paws to Care. Those interested simply need to fill out an application form and bring their pet! A convenient drive-thru service is offered for pups, while cat companions can be brought indoors.

Trap/Neuter/Return Program

While feral/stray cat colonies can be beneficial in helping to control rodent populations, they can quickly multiply, producing thousands more every single year. Our Trap Neuter Return program helps to keep these numbers from continually growing out of control . This program is infantile and is seeking more volunteers to grow.

Foster a cat or pup!

Fosters are the first step in our animal’s journeys to finding their perfect families! For some, a foster home provides that first feeling of safety and being wanted and loved, especially for those who’ve been out on their own just trying to survive. It’s remarkable to see these animals begin to thrive in a home environment with foster parents there to encourage them along their way as we network them with our partners and potential adopters. This also helps prepare them for when they meet their new families! Fosters provide important information on personality and health of the animal they are housing. None of this could be done without fosters. The citizens who contact us with animals needing to be rehomed or strays are asked to foster these animals while we work. We consider them our community fosters and without them we could not do what we do. Upwards of 350+ animals are being networked by Paws to Care at any given time.

Animal rescue efforts

Animal rescue can be a very rewarding experience, but it can also be devastatingly heartbreaking. On a daily basis, volunteers see the best of the best and the worst of the worst. The current stray/homeless population is unlike anything ever seen before, locally and nationwide. In Dyer County, animals are rescued daily who have been deliberately and illegally, turned loose or dumped to fend for themselves.

“The conditions some of these animals are in are almost more than we can stomach some days,” said Paws to Care representative Kelley Seaton “We see everything from animals starving to the point they’re nothing more than skin stretched over bone, to animals who have been deliberately burned, to animals who’ve been hit by cars, and animals who are so covered with mange and external parasites, their skin is busted open, bleeding, excruciatingly painful and filled with infection. In addition to the strays, we also encounter numerous animals who do have families but who can no longer keep them for one reason or another. We always try our best to keep these families together first, if at all possible, by offering help that has included anything from temporary food assistance to medical care to loaning out kennels/crates.” Seaton says no rescue or facility in this country has the amount of space, staff/volunteers or funding to house every abandoned/rescued animal.

“A home environment is always less stressful and more beneficial to any animal’s emotional, behavioral and physical well being and better prepares them for a successful transition into an adoptive home. Sadly, many animals who come from a shelter environment are returned simply because they aren’t prepared for what life is like in a real home,” said Seaton. “They aren’t given the time needed to fully decompress and learn how to live in a less hectic, more stable environment, which can take months to happen. Foster homes give them this much needed advantage! “

Enriching lives through behavioral training

One thing that makes Paws to Care different from other animal welfare organizations is the amount of focus, time, and effort the organization places on training and enrichment for the dogs that are already in their care. “Dogs in our facility do not sit locked away with no attention. We are extremely proud of the fact that our volunteers work so hard on training not only the dogs physical bodies, but also their minds,” said Paws to Care Dog Coordinator Kelly Ford. “Our volunteers spend time planning different activities for our dogs and then make these activities and ideas come to life. This is one reason we cannot take in every dog that we are contacted about. We feel a strong sense of responsibility to those who are already in our care. The joy is indescribable when you see a shy, fearful dog, become happy and carefree while in your possession.”

Resources are vital

“Through hard work, determination, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears, our ever-growing kick-butt team of volunteers has joined forces with some incredibly amazing supporters who make it possible every single day for us to help the thousands of animals we’ve saved and will continue to save!” said Paws to Care Director Diana Griffith. “We have built strong relationships with members and businesses throughout our community and other areas who have committed to joining this fight with us! We couldn’t do any of this without that support from this community. We are determined to change the face of animal welfare in this community and eliminate homelessness among companion animals through education, legislation, low-cost spay/neuter programs, network partnerships, adoption and direct action!”

Dyer County 911 Communications

By: Jason Peevyhouse

The Dyer County 911 Communications Center is staffed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and is the hub for all activity that occurs within Dyer County. No matter what the problem, the 911 Telecommunicators will find the appropriate units to respond and solve problems as quickly as possible. If the call is a medical, law enforcement, or fire emergency, or a concern that requires a response (such as a streets or highway problem), Dyer County 911 takes pride in giving the finest possible appropriate response to our citizens’ concerns with professionalism and courtesy.

The 911 Telecommunicators are not a sworn police officers; yet they are normally the first line of communication between the community and law enforcement. Each 911 Telecommunicator must be knowledgeable in the operation of the multiple computer systems used to perform the many different jobs for all of the county emergency services. Each 911 Telecommunicator receives on-the-job training, AHA CPR & AED, online Powerphone Law Enforcement, Fire and Medical with T-CPR, FEMA courses, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children courses, ADA & TTY, classes at the TBI as well as 2 online APCO courses with a certified APCO instructor. The communicators are required to complete all of the above training before being released to answer emergency calls on their own.

With the above each 911 Telecommunicator is certified to give medical and CPR/AED instruction over the phone if needed until EMS arrive on the scene. Dyer County’s communications center 911 telecommunicators, in addition to answering 9-11 phones, answer all non-emergency lines and administrative lines, monitor and dispatch City of Newbern Police, City of Trimble Police, Dyer County Sheriff Office, 11 county-wide volunteer fire channels and Jackson MedLink. They also monitor cameras around the county and City of Newbern. The center also makes entries into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) such as orders of protection, wanted persons, missing/runaway persons, stolen articles, guns, vehicles, boats, and registered sex offenders. Your 911 telecommunicators strive to quickly gather information and send the needed resources to emergencies in our county. Those saved seconds have translated into saved lives for the citizens and visitors to Dyer County, City of Newbern and City of Trimble. The Dyer County 911 Communications Center is very proud of this group of men and women who serve the community on a 24-7 basis.

Getting an Early Start On a Firefighting Career

By: Jason Peevyhouse

The Dyersburg Fire Department is the only full-time fire department in Dyer County and, as such, has a variety of members among its ranks. These ranks range in age from younger to older and fill out the rosters of three shifts (A, B and C) across three stations. The variety spreads past the ages of the firefighters into their backgrounds, ethnic diversities, the nicknames they earn and many other aspects which encompass their lives.

For recent Dyer County High School graduate Nathan “Mort” Ferguson he is unique in that he has already entered the department just a couple months after finishing high school.

Ferguson’s motivations in joining the department are a common one among those in the field.

“Well, I was just really eager to help people,” Ferguson explained. “That’s my number one thing – I always like helping people. No matter what time of night, no matter what time of day. No matter if I know you good, no matter if you’re my best friend. I’m going to help whoever.”

This philosophy in life was inspired by his father, Bret Ferguson.

“Just seeing my dad do that all these years and that’s my role model,” Nathan said. “So, I’m going to follow in his shoes.”

Nathan Ferguson

Nathan explained his father is just a helpful person and his personality leads to this. “He just does anything to help,” Nathan said. Ferguson is currently taking EMT classes at Dyersburg State, which is a one-semester course. Dyersburg Fire Department Chief Brett Sipes said getting someone as young into the department can be beneficial in multiple ways.

“It’s good for them and it’s good for us,” Sipes said. “We get to train them in the way we expect them to be.”

Sipes said from all the reports he’s been getting, Ferguson is doing well this early in his training. “He’s learning and is very attentive,” Sipes added. “He’s asking people for help when he needs it.”

The Dyersburg Fire Chief agreed this first year for Ferguson is about learning as much as anything. “He’s got to learn,” Sipes explained. “This first year is EMT school, then fire school.”

The Dyersburg Chief said Ferguson first approached him about joining the Dyersburg Fire Department during his senior year of high school. Ferguson’s inquiries about the job showed Sipes the young man had a lot of interest on his part.

Sipes also explained a recent regulation change helped create this situation.

“It’s been rare for the last 20 years because you have had to have been EMT certified before we could hire someone,” the chief said. “But now, when we got that changed with the partnership with the Northwest Workforce Board and Dyersburg State, we give them a year to complete EMT school and be certified.”

After completing the class this December, Ferguson will then have to pass the national registry to become certified.

Newbern FD’s New Brush Truck Provides a Variety of Aid

By: Jason Peevyhouse

Recently, the Newbern Volunteer Fire Department got an upgrade in their equipment as a grant funded the purchase of a new rescue and extrication truck. The new apparatus replaced the department’s old rescue truck.

“We worked for it and got our grant for it then the city paid for the rest of it,” Newbern Fire Department Chief Phillip Cottrell said.

The truck is not used on every call and is primarily a major asset in grass fires and extrications. In just over a year of time the truck has been in service, Cottrell estimated the department has used it in about 50 calls. “It has saved property damage and saved a bunch of lives,” Cottrell said. “It’s got our extrication tools on it so, when we work a wreck, it rolls.”

Cottrell added it’s an important benefit to have in a small community like Newbern and its surrounding areas.

“We have a lot of major highways and a lot of back roads,” the chief added. “And we have floods. It comes in real handy to

be this far south to go to the Gibson County line or the Obion County line and we can get there much quicker than others.”

The truck has been also used in mutual aid circumstances in Dyersburg as well as many of the counties which touch Dyer County. Newbern’s assistant fire chief, Trevor Cottrell, explained a very beneficial feature which the truck gives the department that it had not had in the past.

“It gives us the ability to hit swimming pools and flood waters to get water,” Assistant Chief Cottrell explained. “It will draft water straight out where, before, we couldn’t get into somebody’s pool to get water. Our trucks are too heavy.”

This comes into play outside of the city limits a lot, according to Newbern’s assistant chief.

“If you look around at your residence (out of the city limits), everybody has got a pool or at least every other one,” Cottrell added. “Or a pond. We can also hit flooded water or creeks.” The truck is named Rescue Unit 49.

Trimble Fire Department Keeps Eye on Its Small Town

By: Jason Peevyhouse

As the smallest independent fire department left in Dyer County, Trimble Fire Department (TDF) continues to be there for the small town on the edge of the Obion County line.

For TFD Chief Scotty Funderburk, who was born and raised in the community he now serves as the head of its fire department, serving this town is very important to him.

“We do it for the people of Trimble, first and foremost,” Funderburk explained. “So they have somebody here that can protect them when they need it the most.”

Funderburk agreed that growing up in the community does make his bond with Trimble stronger.

“I grew up here my whole life,” he explained. “I don’t know as many people here now with people moving in and out and older ones leaving us. We’re becoming the older crew now.”

As its chief, Funderburk has a goal for his department as well as for himself.

“I’d like to show the town that there are people that care and anybody else that wants to do this is more than welcome to

come and join us,” he added.

With less than ten members including one junior member of the crew, the Trimble Fire Department is the smallest of the county’s fire departments which is not under the umbrella of the Dyer County Fire Department. It serves about a 15-mile radius and also has a mutual aid agreement with Obion County, Gibson County and Newbern as well as surrounding areas. The department can provide fire and medical assistance.

The department is still very active in the community outside of the duties which come with the job.

One of their bigger events in the community comes during Fire Prevention Month in October.

“We’re going to the school among the young grades,” Funderburk said. “We’re going to bring our fire trailer and equipment.”

This is something the department has done on a yearly basis and Funderburk explained the benefits of familiarizing the Trimble School’s students with the TFD.

“This is so the kids can get accustomed to seeing us,” he added. “A lot of kids can get scared seeing us come in with all the gear we have to wear to go into a house when there

is a fire. That could be scary for the younger ones. So, we try to teach them to not be scared and that we’re here to help.”

Being a volunteer fire fighter is something of a calling for those who do it. And, it is largely inspired by an individual’s desire to help people.

“All my life I was wanting to make an impact,” Trimble Fire Fighter David Bettencourt said. “I was going to go into the Marines but I decided against it. Then I started hanging out with a buddy that lived over here and he started doing this. I joined them because a buddy of mine from work talked me into coming and checking them out.”

Bettencourt said the most rewarding part of the job was helping people out at the lowest point of their day.

As TFD’s Cindy Bettencourt explained, there are other ways the department helps out with fire prevention.

“We have free smoke detectors that we give out to anyone who needs them,” she explained. “The guys will come out and install them if they need to. It gives the community a chance to make sure they’re safe.”

The smoke detectors last for ten years. The department also plans to distribute carbon monoxide detectors in the future.

2023 Dyer County Fire Department

By: Jason Peevyhouse

In addition to fire departments in Dyersburg, Newbern and Trimble, Dyer County is home to nine fire stations and approximately 130 volunteers in those departments in the communities of Millsfield, Bogota, Lenox, Finley, Fowlkes, Bruceville, Tigrett, Bonicord, and Tatumville.

According to Dyer County Fire Chief James Medlin, annually the departments respond to many medical calls with the ambulance service, which is about eighty percent of the calls. The departments cover many grass fires as well, which occur usually in fall, spring and winter months. Medlin noted that fortunately structure fires are not as frequent. Medlin noted his central office is located at 1910 Pioneer Road in Dyersburg.

The Dyer County Fire Department Chief added anyone interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter can contact him or one of the local station chiefs. The state does require training to be a firefighter. The department can provide that for them at no cost right here in Dyer County. The DCFD does have a class called Basic Fireman Class, or Rookie School. It is a 64-hour class and it is scheduled to begin in January. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter can get the individual in the class at no cost to him or her. DCFD is always looking for good volunteers.

Dyersburg Electric System: Keeping it Light and Cool

By: William Northcutt

The origins of Dyersburg Electric System (DES) stretch back to 1902, when the city bought out Frank Shepard’s electric company. The city provided its own energy until 1957, when, as their homepage says, “the demand for electricity had outgrown the city’s generating capacity.”

From that year onward, TVA has supplied the DES with energy at a wholesale rate, which, DES claims, allows the city to provide energy at the lowest prices possible. Dyersburg’s 16,000+ population and the growing industrial and commercial enterprises of the city keep the demand up. And in an area where mother nature can wreak havoc on electrical services, it’s good to know that DES is putting their all into it.

Ice- and wind-storms stretched resources to the limit in early 2023, but DES got down to work both here and in neighboring counties. After Covington was brutally buffeted by storms-buildings and the power system destroyed- DES went to the rescue, sending an engineer, work crews, and heavy gear to restore power to the people.

As Vice-President of Finance Robby Richards says, “We have volunteers ready and willing to go.” CEO Steven Lane remarked after the event that he was “Proud of what (the employees) did” in Covington, and obviously, what they did during other weather events in Dyersburg too.

The needs of Dyersburg’s residents and business are paramount to DES. The infrastructure is strong and well-maintained. DES continues to provide reliable power to our homes, businesses, factories, hospitals, medical centers, and schools. The company has an outreach program, sending employees to schools, teaching students about safety.

Their crews work inside and out, no matter the weather. In the record-breaking heat of 2023, dressed in heavy, hot gear, they replaced poles and transformers, checked lines, made repairs—anything to keep Dyersburg well-lighted and cool.

In short, their services are invaluable to health, education, business, and every citizen who call this area “home.”

Forked Deer - Lighting Up and Connecting the Rural to the World

By: William Northcutt

Initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt’s new deal and the Rural Electrification Act of 1935, Forked Deer was founded on August 18, 1940, in Halls, TN, bringing light, electricity, and jobs to rural areas in West Tennessee, including Dyer County’s own Nauvoo area.

The Forked Deer Cooperative powers homes, farms, churches, schools, and businesses, providing light and electricity to the hollows, fields, hills, and valleys throughout the reaches of rural West Tennessee. Additionally, they provide telephone services to areas overlooked by Ma Bell back in the day.

In the not-too-distant past, broadband internet services were available there, but at prohibitive prices, supplied by satellite companies, whose service wasn’t always reliable. However, the co-op instituted “Forked Deer Connect” in 2018, and the area got fast, stable communication and work possibilities, streaming, gaming, and an endless number of activities made possible by fast-speed internet.

Forked Deer’s CEO Jeff Newman says, “Just as the electric co-ops did back in the 1940s, Forked Deer Connect’s purpose is to provide services to rural Tennesseans. By utilizing the co-op’s fiber network, Forked Deer Connect can help improve the lives of our consumers.”

In 2019, Forked Deer received the nation’s first USDA ReConnect Grant for $2.8 million to build a fiber-to-the-home network, funded by a $600 million federal program. “High-speed Internet access is more than a convenience,” Newman said, “it is absolutely necessary for education, healthcare, and commerce. Our rural communities cannot be left behind. (We are) bringing modern connectivity to the communities we serve.”

Serving the yards and fields of its customers, Forked Deer also installs and provides power for electrified irrigation systems. During today’s scorching hot summers, Forked Deer is doing its best to keep nature green while providing customers with the modern services available in urban areas.

Newbern Electric Makes Businesses Run, Enhances Lives

By: William Northcutt

Newbern Electric System (NES) is owned by the city and managed by Sandy Hill, a longtime employee who loves his job and loves Newbern.

He says, “We serve 3,200 residential, commercial, and industrial customers,” adding, “we have three delivery points from the TVA.” Further, he says, “We have three substations and 9-circuits. 161,000 volts of electricity (on each line).” Serving the community requires over 60 miles of those lines.

Impressive numbers, perhaps, but what that translates to is reliable services for residents, industry, schools, medical offices, law enforcement, and others. And when service is down, Hill says he’s got crews ready to roll. The last tornado took down 30 poles, and NES went straight to work, getting the town online again as soon as possible.

“Everybody pitches in during those times,” he says, and he praises area residents. During last winter’s ice storm, he continues, “We even had farmers pulling our trucks out in fields so our guys could get to the lines.”

The reliable service NES provides means that industry can operate successfully; that creates jobs and contributes to the economy, making a better life possible. Hill mentions

Recent projects include the installation of speakers in downtown Newbern, something that adds a bit of joy and atmosphere to the gazebo, to the sidewalks, outside the shops and around the train station. NES provides schools and the city with fiber optic services, contributing to education as well as the city’s IT needs.

For safety’s sake, they’ve been converting streetlamps from the dimmer yellow conventional bulbs to LED lighting. Crew leader Ben Brooks, an 18-year veteran with the service, says that the LEDs have more lumens, thereby creating more effective lighting for drivers, making the roads safer for everyone.

Newbern is one of about 450 cities who own their own energy companies, that out of the around 1,600 energy companies across the nation. Incorporated in 1939, NES continues to light the way for its residents and businesses, contributing to the lives of people in the city and the surrounding area.

SRG Global, Tyson, Royal Guard, Danfoss Hydraulics, and Westlake Pipes and Fittings, among others.

Dyer County Department of Veteran Services Helping Veterans Live Their Best Lives

By: William Northcutt

A Desert Storm Veteran who spent 23 years in the Army and Tennessee Army National Guard, Benny Spain became the Service Officer for Dyer County Veteran Services in 2018, and since that time has encouraged veterans and veteran spouses/widows to stop in and learn more about eligibility requirements and processing claims for current compensation programs. His office will soon be located in the Dyer County Community Complex on Community Park Road, and veterans can expect to receive the same help they’re used to receiving by the department.

Spain says the agency aids veterans and their widows with processing paperwork and determining eligibility for various funds and benefits owed to them. They help with the paperwork for those with war-related disabilities, those who need healthcare benefits, those with VA pension claims.

Dedicated to helping area veterans, Spain says the reward for him is not money or even getting thanks. He loves what he does and says, “I get my reward from being able to help veterans and their families. That’s what I’m here for.”

On his days in the office, he checks correspondence and messages, further contacting his fellow veterans and their families about the statuses of their claims or applications.

He helps people with or without appointments. “I’m not going to turn anyone away,” he says. At times, he’s served veterans from Obion, Crockett, and other surrounding counties. He’s even assisted vets or their widows from Arkansas and Mississippi.

He says, “Some places don’t have a service officer, and I help them.” On vacation in Cancun, Mexico, Spain learned that a Mississippi widow of a deceased Vietnam vet had not received the help she needed from services there. Via phone and email, Spain was able to help here with the paperwork and got her rightful compensation, retro pay, and even burial reimbursement.

Spain and other vets show up for the Veterans Day Parade, in full uniform, a reminder to all that they selflessly sacrificed for the good of us all, for freedom, for love of country and community.

According to the latest data from the State of Tennessee, Dyer County has a veteran population of over 2,200. Veteran Services helps with education, homelessness, outreach, mental health, as well as benefits. Dyer County can thank Spain’s office for the good it continues to do for the vets, doing good, by extension, to all of the county’s residents.

Dyersburg Police Department

By: Jason Peevyhouse

There are multiple ways for a police department to stay in touch with and assist its community through outreach programs. Dyersburg Police Chief Steve Isbell is an advocate for community policing. Community-oriented policing allows agencies and organizations within the communities served to be called upon to identify common problems or concerns between a shared demographic. In doing so, local law enforcement can address those problems in order to strengthen the bonds between the community and law enforcement.

In community policing, community based organizations and agencies are brought into crime prevention partnerships through programs such as a neighborhood watch, youth education, and community activities with local law enforcement. This emphasis on building community partnerships, specifically in schools, has been found to increase social connection with law enforcement.

Isbell noted all five of the City Schools, including the Learning Resource Center at Dyersburg State Community College has a school resource officer. Another way the Dyersburg Police Department has enhanced its own community policing is creating an initiative called Community Changer, which was started in 2018.

According to Isbell, core principles of Community Changer are Civility-Be kind to one another; Mentoring-Be the person you needed when you were younger; and Community Policing-Working with the community to make it a better place. He added there is a little saying the department has regarding this program - ‘be the person you needed when you were younger. The Dyersburg Police Department is the largest of the three cities in Dyer County. There are about 60 sworn officers in various departments under the leadership of Patrol Captain Thomas Langford, Criminal Investigations Division Captain Billy Williams and Operations Captain Roger Dudley.

Dyer County Sheriff’s Department

By: Jason Peevyhouse

The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office located at 401 East Cedar Street in Dyersburg, houses the Patrol, Jail division, and Administration for Dyer County Law Enforcement. In addition to providing communications services to the various divisions in the department, Dyer County 911 Dispatch also provides dispatch for Fire and EMS calls in rural Dyer County.

The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office patrols all across Dyer County. The department covers an area from the borders of Obion and Lake counties from the north to Lauderdale and Crockett counties to the south. This also includes from the Gibson County line from the east to the Mississippi River at the west. Factor in a population of around 36,000 and over 527 square miles, the deputies are constantly within the county patrolling. The Dyer County Sheriff’s Department has 30 certified officers overall.

Like other agencies in Dyer County, the DCSD is also involved with the community. In addition to having a School Resource

Officer in each school, the department also holds the Sheriff Toy Run every year as well as Fight Crime Invest in Kids. This is a program targeting at-risk youth and supports early and preschool education. It interacts with those children through the toy runs. The department also assists its rural members. In 2012, the DCSD created the Dyer County Farm Watch program that was to help reduce agricultural crimes and to communicate more with farmers. The farmers were having things stolen - including irrigation, wiring, and other important items. That program has helped stay in contact with the agricultural community and helped reduce agricultural crimes.

Newbern PD Utilizes Community Outreach to Stay Close to Public

By: Jason Peevyhouse

As important as a police department is within a large city, small-town police departments can be even bigger in cities the size of Newbern. One way a department like Newbern’s can be important and assist its community is through outreach programs like Chief Greg Barr and his officers take part in through the course of the year.

Recently, NPD Investigators Danny Tippit and Samora Hall spoke with students in Mary Greer’s career class about being an investigator today and held one of these local outreach programs.

“He is one of the key figures in going to the school and other community events,” Barr said of Tippit. “He provides some education and insight on what we do. In that instance, he and Samora went to the high school. Ms. Greer had some students who were interested in law enforcement.”

Barr said the two members of the NPD shared what they do during the course of their jobs with the students in the high school class.

“It was pretty wide-reaching,” Barr added. “I encourage any of the officers, when they get an opportunity to speak with the public and community, to do so.”

The outreach programs aren’t only targeted at the high school level.

“We’ve had Officer Cranston Fisk and Officer Bill French go to the schools and read to the kids,” Barr added. “Just to provide the community with another viewpoint of what law enforcement is – other than always being seen as enforcement only or having to lock someone up and take them to jail. We want to be a positive influence on the community in every aspect.”

Barr agreed the amount of television programming – both documentary and fictional – has made the public more interested in law enforcement.

“There’s a lot of people that when we do those different schools of different ages in class they often bring up watching their favorite police shows,” the Newbern Police Chief explained. “We sometimes have to burst their bubbles that it’s not quite the same. You can’t solve these crimes in a 30-minute episode in real life.”

Barr stressed the fictional shows like Law and Order as well as others are not always realistic. This is where going into the schools and educating citizens at an early age is beneficial.

ALAN’S BARBER SHOP

(731)

Hours: Closed Monday

Mayor John Holden & Board of Aldermen City of Dyersburg

Dyer County Health Council

“Educating the Community on Mental and Physical Health Concerns”

By: Rachel Townsend

The Dyer County Health Council was formed over 20 years ago in a collaborative effort between the Dyer County Health Department and key community stakeholders in order to promote the importance of physical and mental health throughout the Dyer County community. The mission of the Dyer County Health Council is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of Dyer County citizens through education, support, and advocacy.

A three-year plan of action was created in 2022 to address three of the Dyer County’s largest health concerns including mental health, substance misuse, and nicotine use. Through a partnerships with local and area-wide agencies, the Health Council has hosted and sponsored events targeting these priority areas, in turn, cultivating a healthier Dyer County.

The Health Council partners with and participates in a multitude of events with agencies including Dyer-Lake CASA, the Dyer County NAACP, Future City, Dyersburg State Community College, Prevention Alliance of Dyersburg/Dyer County, Dyer County YMCA, the DCHS Buckle Up Club, LifeChoices (Life Maze), West TN Children in Disaster, and many others.

The Health Council is led by Chairwoman Delta Newhouse and comprised of members Christi Bane, co-chair and Lynette Harris, secretary. Public Health Educator Robyn Russell also serves in a vital position to the Council by offering guidance, resources, and assistance. The Health Council meets bi-monthly with partners in the area. The Health Council also includes subcommittees focusing on prevention, mental health, and a Youth Health Council.

Some of the Health Council’s largest partnered events in 2023 include:

2023 Nami Glo Walk

In 2023, the Health Council was one of many agencies to partner with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for a milelong glo walk at Oakview Park in Newbern. The event welcomed a crowd of hundreds for an evening where free community resources and stories were shared in addition to fellowship, food, and activities.

Among those supporting the event were Professional Care Services, Prevention Alliance of Dyer County/Dyersburg (PADD), Youth Villages, Tennessee Department of Health, TN Suicide Prevention, Perimeter Health, Celebrate Recovery, Pathways, Hopefield, Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse (Newbern office), Cornerstone Church of God, West Tennessee Legal Services, the Dyer County Rescue Squad, Jack FM, Newbern Police Department, Newbern Traffic Control, Dynamic Dyer County, the Dyer County Youth Health Council, TN Save A Life, NAMI of Dyer County, NAMI Gibson County, Jason’s Foundation, Hexpol, City of Newbern, Once-Driven, Forever Sun-Kissed (Samorah Hall), By George, You Got it!, Eddyville Pork Skins, Antojitos y Taqueria Don Chelis, Chick-fil-A, Farmhouse Barkery/All Things Pie and More, and Sweets by Sweetie.

Red Sand project

The Red Sand project has been hosted in Dyer County since 2014. The Red Sand Project is an interactive art exhibition

where community members, individually or collectively, pour red sand into the cracks of sidewalks to show how the individuals of human trafficking fall through the cracks of society. In 2023, the project was recognized by several organizations including McIver’s Grant Public Library, the Newbern Police Department, and the Dyer County Health Department.

TNStrong Youth Summit

TNSTRONG (Tennessee Stop Tobacco and Revolutionize Our New Generation) is a student-led initiative whose mission is “To inspire and prepare Tennessee students to create a tobacco-free tomorrow.”

Youth Summit

In 2023, members of the Health Council joined roughly 300 teens, advisors, and TN Department of Health staff for the TNStrong Youth Summit to hear from motivational speakers, enter a paper airplane contest, attend breakout sessions from many tobacco prevention professionals, network with peers from around the state, and play the life-size game of Life during the Life Maze provided by LifeChoices of Dyersburg.

The Dyer County team secured 3rd place during the scavenger hunt contest that used Chattanooga as a backdrop to solve tobacco prevention-related riddles. Students and advisors were also able to brainstorm with their hometown teams to develop strategies to apply tobacco-free policies and prevention activities in their communities.

SpinSmart: Tobacco Roulette

Prevention Alliance of Dyersburg-Dyer County

and The Dyer County Health Council hosted SpinSmart:Tobacco Roulette, a game-show style educational approach to learning, as one of the breakout sessions. This activity educates the attendees on the dangers of nicotine use, clarifies fact from fiction regarding the ingredients in cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes and provides insight to marketing

techniques used to attract youth customers.

Hidden In Plain Sight

Russell was able to share the Hidden in Plain Sight Program with many adult advisors and TN Dept. of Health staff. The Hidden in Plain Sight room provides parents with clues from a teen’s bedroom to help them determine whether their child might be experimenting with or using drugs, tobacco/ vapes, and/or alcohol. Room decor, hidden compartments, and items to conceal use are located throughout the room.

Take-Back Day

The Health Council is a proud partner of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. Each year, the Take Back event provides a way for thousands of folks from across the country to clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in prescription drugs - safely and anonymously. The 2023 event was hosted on April 27, 2023, through a community partnership between the Dyer County Health Council, Prevention Alliance of Dyersburg, the Dyer County Sheriff’s Department, and the Dyer County Health Department.

Day of Hope

In March of 2023, the Health Council partnered with a multitude of local agencies for a resource fair recognizing Tennessee’s Day of Hope. The resource fair is held annually and is free and open to the public. Anyone struggling with mental health or substance misuse, their families, and their community is encouraged to attend.

The annual Day of Hope began in 2020, when Governor Bill Lee signed a proclamation in recognition of community events planned across the state to educate, energize, and empower Tennesseans to do what they can to get involved and reverse the trends of deadly drug overdoses and suicides.

Agencies and resources available on the day of the event

included: free Narcan training and kits by TN Save A Life; treatment, recovery services, and referral information from TN Redline; resources for suicide attempt and suicide loss survivors from Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network; information on the relative caregiver program and healing from sexual and domestic abuse from WRAP of West Tennessee; mental health outpatient services and NAMI resources from Hopefield Mental Health Foundation; and primary prevention and intervention resources from Prevention Alliance of Dyersburg and Dyer County (PADD) and The Dyer County Health Council.

Upcoming 2023 Events:

Family Fun Carnival

On September 23, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at McIver’s Grant Public Library, the Dyer County Health Council will be hosting a Family Fun Carnival to bring awareness to mental health resources for suicide prevention month. Many Community Partners will be involved including Prevention Alliance of Dyersburg/Dyer County, Professional Care Services, NAMI, Hopefield Mental Health Foundation, Eagles Nest, McIver’s Grant Public Library, TN Suicide Prevention Network, TN Save a Life, and more.

Community Baby Shower

On October 12, from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. at Dyer County Fairgrounds, the Dyer County Health Council will be co-hosting a Community Baby Shower along with UTM Healthier Beginnings and Mother 2 Mother (Nashville). This will be a free event open to any new or expecting mother in Dyer County. Registration Link will be coming soon for this event. There will be many community partners in attendance.

To learn more about the Dyer County Health Council or to join, contact Robyn Russell at 731-285-7311 ext. 1025 or at 731-345-0334.

Connect with TDH on Facebook and Twitter @TNDeptofHealth!