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We’re always thinking of

WAYS TO HELP our members

save electricity.

And then we thought, why stop there?

To help our members save money on goods and services of all kinds, including prescription medications, we started the Co-op Connections program. Just take your Co-op Connections card wherever you go, pull it out anywhere you see a Co-op Connections door or window sign, as well as your local pharmacy, and say hello to savings.

The card is yours. The savings are yours. All because you’re a member of a Touchstone Energy cooperative.

We’re always looking out for you. To learn more, visit www.dremc.com.

(931) 684-4621

Looking out for you

Welcome to Shelbyville and Bedford County

The Walking Horse Capital of the World.

H OME

OF THE

Š 2004 Sharpie is a registered trademark of Sanford LLP

City of Shelbyville 201 N. Spring St. Shelbyville, TN 37160 (931) 684-2691

Bedford County Public Square Shelbyville, TN 37160 (931) 684-7944

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VIDEO TOUR INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Bedford County through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesbedfordcounty.com.

EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; find related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

A GARDENER’S PARADISE

OF BEDFORD COUNT Y SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SARAH B. GILLIAM, KIM MADLOM, BILL McMEEKIN ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN DATABASE PROJECT MANAGER YANCEY TURTURICE DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SHEILA BURKE, PAMELA COYLE INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER DESHAUN GOODRICH SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, KYLE KEENER, JESSE KNISH PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER, CANDICE SWEET WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MARCIA BANASIK, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN

Tennessee is a great place to garden. We have long growing seasons, abundant rainfall and a mild climate in which many different kinds of plants thrive. Find out more at imagesbedfordcounty.com.

BARBECUE: A SIMPLE SOUTHERN PLEASURE One of the simple pleasures of Southern dining is the downhome barbecue experience. No matter where you go, you’ll find tender, tangy and slowly smoked barbecue. Get a taste of regional cuisine at imagesbedfordcounty.com.

A B O U T T H I S M AG A Z I N E Images of Bedford County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Bedford County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

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OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Images of Bedford County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce 100 North Cannon Blvd. • Shelbyville, TN 37160 Phone: (931) 684-3482 • Fax: (931) 684-3483 E-mail: www.shelbyvilletn.com VISIT IMAGES OF BEDFORD COUNTY ONLINE AT IMAGESBEDFORDCOUNTY.COM ©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Member

Magazine Publishers of America

Member

Custom Publishing Council

Member Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce

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2008-09 EDITION | VOLUME 10 TM

OF BEDFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 6 WALKING HORSES ARE US For 10 days each August, Bedford County takes on a festive air as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration gallops into town.

BEDFORD COUNTY BUSINESS 16 The Sky’s the Limit Shelbyville-based Jabiru USA Sports Aircraft makes the skies friendlier for some pilots.

18 Biz Briefs 20 Chamber Report

8 IT’S HIP TO BE ON THE SQUARE Shelbyville’s old-time square is taking on a new life as a downtown destination.

10 SOAK UP THE SERENITY The county is home to a number of quaint inns that cater to those seeking solitude.

D E PA R TM E NT S 4 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Bedford County culture

21 WHEN ARTS FLY The Fly Arts Center is beginning to put the Shelbyville theater scene on the cultural map.

22 DRAFTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS The CAD program at Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville caters to local industries and job seekers.

24 FIT AND FRIENDLY The folks at Harvey’s Gym of Shelbyville welcome everyone who comes through their doors as if they were family.

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13 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Bedford

25 Health & Wellness 27 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know ON THE COVER A horse grazes in a field.

Photo by Jeffrey S. Otto

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

I M AG E S B E D F O R D C O U N T Y. C O M

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Raise Your Glass It’s wine-all-you-want at Tri-Star Vineyards and Winery in Shelbyville.

The business is owned and operated by Bedford County residents Perry and Elaine Casteel, and the couple offers free tours, tastings, a gift shop and wine sales. Their varieties include wines ranging from dry to sweet and from white to deep reds, including grape, muscadine, fruit and berry choices.

The winery is open to the public for tours and tastings from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Grip It and Rip It Of course, Riverbend Country Club is a beautiful course.

Well-known architect John Floyd designed the private 18-hole golf course, and Riverbend opened in 1960. It is a par 72 that plays 6,495 yards from the longest tees.

Members pay reasonable greens fees, with prices at $39 for 18 holes on weekdays and $49 on weekends. Those prices include a golf cart, and Riverbend also features a 20-tee practice driving range.

That’s a Big Pie Th The world’s largest Moon Pie – along with the crowning of the Moon Pie Queen and Moon Pie cr K King – are all part of the annual RC and Moon P Pie Festival.

Every June, people travel to the small town of Bell Buckle to celebrate the combined tasty treat of a Moon Pie washed down with a Royal Crown Cola. Events include a parade, Moon Pie eating competitions, live music, craft displays and children’s activities.

There is also a cutting of the world’s largest edible Moon Pie, which measures four feet in diameter and is 14 inches thick.

Fandom’s Favorite Marker Celebrities sign many of their autographs with Sharpie permanent markers, which are manufactured at Sanford Corp. in Shelbyville.

The popular writing instruments have actually been manufactured for more than 40 years, and the company announced in 2004 that the writing instruments would be manufactured and distributed from Shelbyville. Today, the plant has 900 employees.

Besides Sharpie, Sanford Corp. also produces brand-name pens and markers such as Paper Mate, Parker, Waterman, uni-Ball, Prismacolor, Accent highlighters, Expo dry-erase makers and Liquid Paper.

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Almanac

The Big Cheese The Bedford Cheese Store has been churning out a variety of fresh cheeses in Shelbyville for quite some time.

The manufacturing facility on Deery Street makes several varieties of cheese and delivers the products right to customers’ doors. All cheeses made by the Bedford Cheese Store are 100 percent natural with no additives.

The company produces other dairy products, including milk and butter, along with eggs and egg substitutes. The Bedford Cheese Store also packages meats such as beef summer sausage and country ham, and also processes and distributes jams, jellies, sauces and dressings.

Bedford County | At A Glance

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Bedford County, visit imagesbedfordcounty.com.

POPULATION (2006 ESTIMATE) Bedford County: 44,062, Bell Buckle: 406, Shelbyville: 19,149, Wartrace: 568 LOCATION Bell Buckle, Shelbyville and Wartrace are all located within Bedford County in south-central Tennessee, approximately 50 miles from Nashville and 25 miles from Murfreesboro.

BEGINNINGS Shelbyville was established in 1807 by an act of the Tennessee legislature. Respected community leader Clement Cannon donated 100 acres of land where Shelbyville now stands.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce 100 North Cannon Blvd.

Shelbyville, TN 37160 Phone: (931) 684-3482 Fax: (931) 684-3483 www.shelbyvilletn.com

Fast Facts Q Bedford County celebrated its bicentennial on Dec. 3, 2007.

Murfreesboro 70S

231 3

Bell Buckle

41A

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Wartrace

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Shelbyville 41A

Bedford County

Normandy

L Lewisburg

BEDFORD Tullahoma om 23 231

Q It’s true. All sports teams at the Webb School in Bell Buckle are nicknamed the Feet.

Q The multimillion-dollar company Jostens Inc. – a name known throughout the country for its yearbooks, class rings and other graduation products – runs a busy production facility in Shelbyville.

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Bedford County at imagesbedfordcounty.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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Q According to historians, Shelbyville was named for Indian fighter Col. Isaac Shelby, who later became prominent in state and national politics.

Q The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is the ultimate competition in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, with festivities taking place each year for 11 days and nights in Shelbyville.

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Walking

Horses

‘CELEBRATION’ PERMEATES THE CULTURE OF BEDFORD COUNTY

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Are Us

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STORY BY REBECCA DENTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

F

or 11 days each summer, Bedford County takes on a festive air.

Local schools cancel classes, vendors set up tents along the streets, hotels are booked solid and restaurants are packed as more than 200,000 walking horse fans from across the country flock to Shelbyville for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

A kind of “world series” for walking horses – known for their distinctive high-in-the-air, front-foot gaits – the Celebration is one of the largest horse shows in the world. It’s the centerpiece of the walking horse industry, and the event sets the standard for walking horse shows throughout the country.

“It is the showpiece of the area, and it is so important to the community,” says Dr. Doyle Meadows, new CEO of the Celebration. “The direct impact of the Celebration and surrounding days is in the vicinity of $38.5 million.”

Add the other, related events in Calsonic Arena, and the Celebration buoys the local economy by more than $50 million.

But the influence of the walking

horse industry extends far beyond the Celebration, Meadows says. Training and breeding facilities in Bedford County buy feed, tractors, equipment and fences – and the owners and employees build homes and pay for groceries, food and a whole range of local services year round.

“There are now five separate condo developments within walking distance of the Celebration grounds,” says Jeffrey Howard, publisher of the weekly Walking Horse Report newspaper, which covers the industry nationwide. “Just about everybody I know has a second home here. The homes have helped the look of Shelbyville and the tax revenue, and it’s all because of the horse industry.”

The walking horse industry also permeates the culture of Bedford County, from the look of the countryside to the names of businesses.

Visitors can’t get to Shelbyville without passing a major farm, breeding or training operation. Restaurants and hotels display photos and sculptures of walking horses, shops sell walking horse jewelry and memorabilia. Some restaurants, such as the Strolling Jim restaurant in

Horses gallop in a pasture at Waterfall Farms, the largest walking horse breeding farm in the country. Left: Ritz on the Corner and his trainer, Sam Martin, stand silhouetted in a barn at Sand Creek Farm near Shelbyville.

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Wartrace, are even named for famous walking horses.

“You see a lot of businesses that have the word ‘Celebration’ in it,” says Meadows, who met his wife, Gloria, at the Celebration in 1989. “The visibility and significance of the walking horse and the Celebration manifests itself year round.”

Founded in 1939, the Celebration takes place in a 105-acre complex with 63 barns that contain 1,650 stalls, an outdoor stadium that seats about 30,000 people, a covered warm-up ring called Champions Arena, and a 4,400-seat indoor arena.

Champions in more than 30 different divisions are crowned during the festivities, with the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse named on the Saturday night before Labor Day. The Celebration also includes a large trade fair, a barbecue cookout, dog show, equine clinics, stable decorating contests and more.

David Williams, operations manager for Waterfall Farms in Shelbyville, understands the excitement surrounding the county’s premier event.

“There’s nothing like riding into that Celebration ring, riding a favorite horse and hearing the roar of the crowd,” he says. “That’s what’s addictive to people.”

Williams works on the largest Tennessee walking horse breeding farm in the county – and the country. The 1,100-acre, park-like facility, owned by Bill and Sandra Johnson, breeds about 1,500 mares each year.

“For a horse guy like me, Waterfall’s like being at Disney World,” Williams says. “If they quit paying me, I’d still show up. But don’t tell my boss that.”

Williams is typical of the many people who work in the industry. His father owned walking horses, and they’ve always been part of his life.

“This is the mecca of the Tennessee walking horse,” he says, adding he can’t imagine living anywhere else.

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It’s

Hip

to be on the

Square

SHELBYVILLE’S OLD-TIME SQUARE IS TAKING ON A NEW LIFE

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

N

ancy June Brandon remembers when the downtown Shelbyville square was the place to be.

Kids and teens would ride bikes to the square and sidle up to soda shop lunch counters for after-school milkshakes. Their parents would shop at locally owned businesses, such as Heritage Jewelers, whose doors are still open decades later.

Today, the next generation of kids is still riding bikes, iPods strapped on arms, while a new wave of shopping, dining and even downtown loft living has transformed the square.

“We have a very thriving square,” says Cindy Drake, chairman of Main

Street Shelbyville, an all-volunteer organization working to promote the historic downtown. “We are lucky we are not starting from ground zero.”

In fact, revitalization efforts are gathering a new head of steam. Main Street Shelbyville is preparing to apply in February 2009 for designation as a certified “Main Street” community, like nearby Franklin, Columbia and Cookeville, which would open up federal funds for building renovations.

Planners say that a successful small downtown, which in Shelbyville also is called “Uptown,” thrives with a combination of public offices, retail stores, restaurants, entertainment and residents.

On four of those fronts, Shelbyville is

doing well. With the Fly Arts Center, the Capri Twin Theater – a renovated Art Deco theater that shows first-run movies – and spots like the new art gallery on Depot Street called The Gathering Place, the arts are booming. Well-known Shelbyville artist Jerry Ward, who was commissioned in 1990 to paint a portrait of former President George Bush’s dog, Millie, transformed one downtown building into his gallery and living space.

Public offices were already there. Retail is expanding, as is loft development.

A small grocery that carries staples like bread, butter, milk, snacks and sandwiches opened in 2008. Cindy Stephenson, a relocated Kansan who opened the shop in honor of a great-grandfather who had

Downtown Shelbyville Events 2008

OCT. 24 Homecoming Tailgate Party on Depot Street and The Great American Pencil Sculpture Competition OCT. 31 Uptown Halloween Trick or Treat

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NOV. 21-22 Uptown Holiday Open House

APRIL 25 Red Hat Day

NOV. 29 Annual Tree Lighting Festival

MAY 23 Memorial Day Celebration and Oldest Business Birthday Party

2009

FEB. 7 & 14 Livin’ N Uptown

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Cali observes downtown happenings from inside Ole Grapevine Antiques.

a market in Bedford County from 18861916, already has had requests for fried bologna sandwiches and classic peanut butter and jelly.

Just off the square, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is Bocelli’s Gourmet Pizza and Pasta Shoppe on Depot Street; The Coffee Break is on the square’s south side.

There are clothing boutiques, antique stores, banks, record stores, salons and churches. That Book Store, with new and used offerings, on Depot Street also is a popular destination.

Pat McMillan retired as a mental health contractor for the state of Michigan, bought a building on Depot Street, turned it into an art gallery and created an apartment above for herself.

“My son lives in Murfreesboro and called and said, ‘I found a building with your name on it,’” McMillan says.

Stephenson rents from her, in a smaller apartment in the back of the building.

The Gathering Place, which opened Dec. 1, 2007, has sitting areas and an antique dining table with chairs, because McMillan really wants folks to gather there, a sentiment that extends to the greater square, too.

“We want a great mix of shopping, eating and the arts,” Drake says.

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Operating for decades, the art deco Capri movie theater in downtown Shelbyville is still the place to be on a Saturday night.

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Soak Up the Serenity BEDFORD COUNTY’S COUNTRY INNS MAKE FOR GREAT ESCAPES

STORY BY REBECCA DENTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

K

Inside the Whitney Chapel at Parish Patch Farm and Inn, the benches are hewn from cedar trees on the farm.

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nown for its rolling hills, winding rivers and pastures dotted with grazing horses, Bedford County is home to a number of quaint inns that cater to those seeking solitude.

Parish Patch Farm & Inn is one of the area’s popular getaways. Nestled on a 300-acre working farm in Normandy, Parish Patch consists of a country inn with 21 guest rooms, a stand-alone conference center, a 120-seat limestone wedding chapel and Cortner Mill restaurant, which is housed in an 1825 gristmill.

The upscale Cortner Mill – featuring renowned local chef Bill Hall – overlooks the Duck River and specializes in fresh foods from the farm and the river, including beef, Cornish hen, trout, catfish, grilled duck breast and frog legs.

“We refer to it as ‘elegant country,’” says David Hazelwood, who owns the operation with his wife, Claudia. “When you have a special occasion, you don’t want ordinary food. We feature menu items that people don’t typically have at home.”

Relatively new to Parish Patch is the wedding chapel, built in 2004 as a wedding gift for the Hazelwoods’ daughter, Whitney. She was the first of many brides to tie the knot in the one-of-a-kind space.

“Since then, we’ve been doing a wedding every other week,” says Hazelwood, an ordained minister who can perform the ceremonies.

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The newly renovated lobby at the Walking Horse Hotel provides a comfortable space for guests to sit and relax.

“It’s become the biggest part of our business. We’re a onestop-spot for wedding needs. We can provide everything but the groom.”

The recently renovated Walking Horse Hotel in the quaint town of Wartrace is another much-loved getaway spot.

Built in 1917, the historic hotel features 12 rooms and a luxurious presidential suite. The hotel has long been a favorite lodging locale during the Walking Horse National Celebration, and owner Joe Peters – who bought the hotel in July 2007 – wants it to become a place that people seek for some R&R throughout the year.

Inside the Walking Horse Hotel is the upscale Strolling Jim restaurant, a 75-seat dining area with a slate entranceway, rosewood floors, elegant chandeliers, a cascading waterfall in the main dining room, and giant pictures of the legendary champion walking horse, Strolling Jim. Another feature of the elegant building is Chais Music Hall, which includes a 2,900-square-foot rosewood dance floor and rosewood stage where live music is performed on Saturday evenings. The music hall is named for Peters’ wife, Chais, who died in March 2007 of cancer.

“The music hall, restaurant and hotel are very personal to me,” Peters says. “It’s not just a business. This is my tribute to her.”

River Run Hunting Lodge & Mud Creek Farm in Shelbyville is BEDFORD COUNT Y

a different sort of hideaway. This quiet haven makes the most of the area’s wide-open spaces, with more than 500 acres of native grasslands, pine trees, fruit trees, creeks and ponds.

The operation is a favorite of quail, pheasant, deer and turkey hunters, but its modern facilities – a 5,000-square-foot deck overlooking the Duck River, WiFi service, nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms and three meeting rooms – also make it a popular destination for corporate events, family gatherings, weddings and other special occasions.

Not your average rustic retreat, the lodge features hardwood floors and stained-glass windows. The master bedroom includes a Jacuzzi tub and private balcony overlooking the swimming pool and river. The facility also has big-screen televisions with satellite programming, a heated swimming pool and tiki bar.

“We can tent the front yard for weddings and receptions,” says owner Ron Vannatta. “We have literally miles of hiking trails, and some folks like to fish or canoe down the river.”

The facility also includes a game room, billiard room, horseshoes, table tennis – and rocking chairs on the front porch for those who just want to sit and soak up the view.

“We can help you with your event, or you can have it catered the way you want it done,” Vannatta says. “We only have one group at a time, so the entire facility is yours when you book it.”

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Proudly Making our “Mark” in the Shelbyville-Bedford County Community

One Sharpie Way • Shelbyville, TN 37160 • www.sanford.com

Bemis Flexible Packaging Milprint Division A proud member of the Bedford County business community since 1991.

B

emis Company, Inc. is the largest flexible packaging company in North America and a major manufacturer of pressure sensitive materials used for labels, decoration and signage.

Bemis common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: BMS.

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Portfolio

Saddle Up NEW BREED OF SPOTTED HORSES PROVES GENTLE, SURE-FOOTED AND STRONG

S

BRIAN M C CORD

potted Saddle Horses look good and ride great on the trail. They also can show well, and enthusiasm among amateurs to show off their rides is running higher than ever.

The Spotted Saddle Horse Breeder and Exhibitor Association, which got its modest start in Shelbyville in 1985, now has 4,000 members and 25,000 registered Spotted Saddle Horses.

The breed, known for its smooth gait and unique color patterns, is popular for several reasons, says Freda Bullard, who handles publicity for association shows. Breeding, raising and maintaining a Spotted Saddle Horse is far less expensive than a Tennessee Walking Horse, she says. And owners can train their horses themselves.

“You don’t have to pay someone,” Bullard says.

The association holds two annual world championship events at the Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, and one-night shows dot the landscape of Middle Tennessee.

Bullard got hooked 20 years ago on a trail ride after moving to Tennessee from Florida.

“They were pretty and the color patterns were wonderful and I just had to have one.” Now, she has about 20. Check out www.sshbea.org for more information.

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Shelbyville now hosts two world championship competitions for Spotted Saddle Horses, a new breed that is gaining popularity.

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Portfolio

orget about TV’s fictional Mr. Ed, the talking horse. Beautiful Jim Key was a real horse, who learned to read, spell and talk. Born a sickly foal in Shelbyville in 1889, he also did simple math. Under the gentle tutelage of owner William Key, a self-trained veterinarian, entrepreneur and former slave, the horse gained the nickname The Marvel of the 20th Century.

The horse’s national debut came at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in Nashville. Writer Mim Eichler Rivas captured the lives of Beautiful Jim Key and William Key, his trainer, mentor and namesake, in Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Man and a Horse.

In the book, Rivas writes that President

William McKinley said this horse of humble beginnings was testament to the power of kindness.

After the Centennial, Jim Key hit the big time. He performed in major theaters, concert halls and big expos such as the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Mo. Beautiful Jim Key died in 1912, and his grave is off Highway 130, just south of Shelbyville and a few miles beyond the Duck River. But his legacy lives on – Jim’s tours and the publicity they created helped boost the humane movement, and, according to Rivas, two million children signed the Jim Key Band of Mercy pledge, “I promise always to be kind to animals.”

Come Home to Charleston F

Writer Mim Eichler Rivas resurrected Jim Key’s story in her 2005 book.

The restaurant is open from 11 until 2 for lunch Monday through Friday and rolls out a buffet on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, though the full menu is available, too. A typical lunch buffet might feature Parmesancrusted chicken; apple-marinated pork loin; a rainbow of salads, including one with spinach and strawberries; and a roster of sides. Charleston on Main, which opened eight years ago, also offers a buffet on Easter, Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving.

The restaurant, at 764 North Main St., does a brisk business in special events: rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions, as well as retirement, birthday and holiday parties. For more information, call (931) 680-1832.

JEFFREY S. OTTO

or Barbara Smith, comments such as “I feel like I’ve been to my grandmother’s house,” mean she’s done her job.

Smith and Becky Station co-own and run Charleston on Main, a Shelbyville restaurant that specializes in Southern cooking with a twist. Think of it as grandma’s house with a renovation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN YOUNG

A Horse Is a Horse F

The dining room sits with the tables ready for the lunch rush at Charleston on Main in downtown Shelbyville.

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Rescuing History From the Embers

T

JEFFREY S. OTTO

o call retired Shelbyville Fire Chief Garland King a collector doesn’t even come close.

His collection of Shelbyville, Bedford County and family

Garland King’s collection fills several buildings.

historical materials already fills up several buildings.

King has antique fire trucks, bicycles, gas pumps, cars, post office boxes, dentist chairs and tools. He’s got old bank records, pharmacy books and safes from almost every major Shelbyville business that either burned or moved. He displays perhaps the most complete collection of Tennessee license plates ever amassed and vintage Coke bottles with “Shelbyville” stamped on the thick glass from the town’s former bottling plant.

King, who retired in 1999 after 30 years as chief, opens the doors to his treasures for school groups, tourists, Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration visitors and anyone else who calls.

What was once called “urban renewal” – in this case controlled burning of buildings in flood-prone Shelbyville neighborhoods – kick-started King’s passion. As a young firefighter, he’d scour each house to be burned to make sure it was safe to set the fire, finding local memorabilia left behind. King has an index card for each of the 534 burned homes, with a black and white photograph and the home’s history.

“I’ve just enjoyed it and done it all my life,” King says.

“Everything you see here is Bedford County history.”

To schedule a tour, call King at (931) 684-5304.

For Whom Bell Buckle Tolls he Webb School Arts and Crafts Show brings 60,000 people to Bell Buckle each October, more than doubling the county’s normal population.

Patrons save up their money and book Bedford County’s motels and B&Bs a year in advance. With Bell Buckle proper a full three blocks or so long, farmers open their land for parking as a Lion’s Club fundraiser. Shoppers ride hay wagons to the show grounds.

The Webb event, with 150 booths of fine arts and crafts, is marking it 30th year in 2009. But it is far from the only show in town, says Billy Phillips, vice president of the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce.

An additional 600 exhibitors set up downtown, on Maple Street and in rented yards. And there’s a “round the world” food court with offerings far beyond typical festival fare.

Phillips has watched the trends shift over the years, though painting, sculpBEDFORD COUNT Y

ture, stained glass and fiber arts remain cornerstones of the Webb Show. Lately, handcrafted jewelry is the next big thing.

“For the last few years, a lot of people

have been really into fine jewelry,” Phillips says, “Years ago it was quilts, then a basket phase.”

– Stories by Pamela Coyle

PHOTO COURTESY OF JERE HALL

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The Webb School Arts and Crafts Show draws 60,000 people a year.

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Business

The

Skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Limit

COMPANY TARGETS BABY BOOMERS, OTHERS WHO WANT MORE FLYING FLEXIBILITY

Donny Bracey builds wings for the extra-light J-250 airplane in the Jabiru assembly facility at the Shelbyville airport.

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Pete Krotje, left, and his son, Matt, run Jabiru USA Sports Aircraft.

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

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ost kids dream of flying, either with an airplane mance is great with that kind of weight,” Kite says. or without. For those who actually grow up to The company makes two Jabiru models – the J170 and the become pilots, the sky’s the limit … until they J250. Customers can save some money buying them as kits; reach the age when strict federal regulations the J170, the smaller model, has generated interest among can ground older fliers. flight schools. Jabiru also makes its own engines, a rarity in That’s where Shelbyville-based Jabiru USA Sports Aircraft the U.S. light aircraft market. It imports components from comes in. As a maker of light sport planes, Jabiru offers Jabiru, an Australian company, and assembles them in models that pilots can fly without having to pass the Federal Shelbyville, handling everything from the fiberglass to Aviation Administration’s rigorous stress testing. These are not bonding and painting on site. pilots who pose a threat; they may have mild heart issues or Separately, Krotje and his team developed the Lightning, mild high blood pressure, says a light plane sold only as a kit, chief manager Pete Krotje. though the owners can opt Many of them want to for hands-on help putting it down size their planes and together in Shelbyville. skip the FAA’s medical cer“We were looking for a comtification; the medical tests plement to the Jabiru line, with a alone can cost $4,000 a year. low wing instead of a high wing, “It’s the baby boomer gensomething faster, sexier and SAM KITE eration and the generation more responsive,” Krotje says.

SMALL PLANE PILOT ahead of us,” Krotje says.

In fact, it was the develop“They’re financially secure. ment of the Lightning that They have everything they need to enjoy life, but every year prompted the company’s relocation to Tennessee from more of them are getting older.”

Wisconsin in late 2004. Krotje wanted more space, lower Those considerations were in the back of Sam Kite’s mind taxes, nicer weather and better access to markets in the east when he first fell in love with the J250’s engine. and south. Shelbyville was a perfect fit, Krotje says.

“It was pretty enough to put under your coffee table,” says Lynn Nelsen of Frostproof, Fla., south of Orlando, has owned Kite, a flyer for four decades. Kite owns the Southern Comfort airplanes since 1968. Retired from the U.S. Navy, Nelson was Training Center in Shelbyville and several companies in in Shelbyville recently getting help building his Lightning.

Kingsport, where he also raises walking horse colts and Black “This airplane is built stronger than most light sport Angus cattle and breeding bulls. planes, and I think it will hold up better,” Nelson says.

He commutes in his Jabiru, bought early in 2007. The The staff, which has grown from two to 19 since the airspeed, fuel efficiency and roominess are impressive, move to Shelbyville, produces about one Jabiru and one Kite says.

Lightning each week. For prices and specifications, check out “Two 200-pound men can sit side by side, and the perfor- www.usjabiru.com and www.flylightning.net.

“It was pretty enough to put under your coffee table”

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PHOTOS BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

Business | Biz Briefs

Sweet Aroma Café features a menu of traditional, Southern meat-and-three sides and desserts like this fudge pie.

SOUTHERN FOOD WITH A TWIST At Sweet Aroma Café in Unionville, the catfish is breaded by hand, the beans and greens are fresh, the cornbread is made from scratch, and the locals eat it all up.

Even the hushpuppies are refreshingly non-uniform: Robert Martin, who owns the restaurant with wife, Trudy, handles much of the kitchen work himself. The café, at 3379 Highway 41 North, about 12 miles from downtown Shelbyville, is getting solid business.

The café offers what you’d expect at a “meat and three” – a set menu of plates, a full complement of sides, plus daily specials that could include pulled pork or baked spaghetti.

But the menu has some twists for an old-fashioned Southern restaurant. It lists low-carbohydrate options, with carb counts on everything down to the salad dressing. And the kids’ menu goes beyond chicken tenders, grilled cheese 18

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sandwiches and burgers to include a scaled-down shrimp skewer.

Sweet indeed. The café is open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

THE LITTLE BANK THAT COULD In a climate of consolidation, First Community Bank of Bedford County isn’t simply holding on; it’s thriving.

The independent bank celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008 and is preparing to open its fourth branch office, on Highway 231 North.

Chief Executive Donna Stone says the bank can handle the same challenges that bigger regional institutions face while providing customers with hometown services they still appreciate.

First Community’s bottom line shows the approach is working. In 20 years, its capital has grown from $2.5 million to $30 million. It has $250 million in assets.

It’s grown from nine full-time employees

to 72, and six of the original nine are still working.

Stone is one of them. She came onboard with bank founder Bud McGrew from Peoples National Bank. McGrew passed away in 2008. Celebrating the 20th anniversary without McGrew was difficult, but going ahead with his vision is the legacy he would have wanted, Stone says.

“We still want people to think of us as ‘that little bank,’” she says.

A TRIBUTE TO FAITH AND BEAUTY In 14 years, New Covenant Christian Bookstore and Thomas Kincaid Art Gallery has outgrown its location twice, and now has 8,000 square feet on North Main Street purchased by owners Andrea and Dennis Lovvorn.

The Lovvorns call their shop nondenominational, and it is packed with fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children, along with Christian BEDFORD COUNT Y

T-shirts, greeting cards, jewelry and several popular gift lines, including Willow Tree, Momma Says and Precious Moments.

In 2008 the store was upgraded to a Thomas Kincaid Signature Gallery, the only one in middle Tennessee.

“My husband always felt like this is what he wanted to do, felt the Lord had called him to it,” Andrea Lovvorn says.

She has a bookkeeping background.

Dennis Lovvorn used to be a butcher at Dial’s Superette, in the very building that now houses the bookstore.

New Covenant, 800 N. Main St., is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

AN EXPERIENCED GREEN THUMB M & L Greenhouse in Shelbyville has rows of buildings with potted vegetable transplants, shrubs, trees, flowers, herbs, roses, vines and just about everything else for gardening.

But in its nearly 30 years, the business has gained a reputation for something even more valuable – an experienced green thumb on which local gardeners have come to rely.

“We are a source of information for what will grow here,” says owner Loraine Sutton.

The foray into running a greenhouse, though, came by accident. Sutton’s father had a mail route and along the way bought a small greenhouse. He presold 2,500 tomatoes to his mail customers, but the tiny greenhouse couldn’t accommodate all the orders.

A family business was born. Martha Davis, Sutton’s mom (and the “M” in M & L) worked at the greenhouse for years until retiring. Nieces, nephews and Sutton’s husband help out, too.

The greenhouse – still housed on the property where Sutton grew up – also handles the gardens on the grounds of the Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration.

It’s open all year at 199 Benford Rd. EVERYTHING BUT THE BRIDE Ask Kim Reed at Mary’s Flowers Gifts and Greenhouses if there’s anything she doesn’t do, and she has to think about it. “Change oil?”she says.

Since Kim and husband Chuck bought the business in 2002, they’ve added a landscape service that includes instalBEDFORD COUNT Y

lation of koi fishponds and other water features. They opened a bridal boutique in 2007 to offer wedding, bridesmaid, mother-of-the bride, prom dresses and tuxedo rental. Mary’s is also a fullservice florist, providing arrangements for weddings, funerals and cut flowers for all occasions. The shop sells gifts and plants, maintaining two large climate-controlled greenhouses and two shade houses for ferns and hanging baskets when the hot weather sets in.

“We do anything with flowers,” says Reed, a former accounting manager.

“I’ve been surprised just how much fun I’ve had doing it.”

The original business opened in 1942 and remains at 702 Adams Dr., Shelbyville. For more information, call (931) 684-3151 or visit their Web sites: www.shelbyvillelandscaping.com, www.shelbyvilleflorist.com and www.bridalboutiqueatmarys.com.

– Pamela Coyle

M&L Greenhouse has helped keep Bedford blossoming.

BEDFORD COUNTY NURSING HOME “Caring People Touching Lives” SERVICES INCLUDE • Skilled & Intermediate Care • Dually Certified Medicare/ Medicaid Beds • Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy • 24-hour Nursing Care • Private Pay Rates Available • Private Insurance Accepted

Wayne Schumann, Administrator and resident Frances Lynn

680-2300 www.bcnhtn.org

835 Union Street • Shelbyville, TN 37160

I M AG E S B E D F O R D C O U N T Y. C O M

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Business | Chamber Report

debris in the water and on the banks of the river, while businesses serve breakfast and lunch. Last year, four other counties in the Upper Duck River watershed joined in the cleanup.

The chamber also sponsors a Leadership Bedford program for adults and youth to develop skills necessary to become the town’s next generation of leadership.

– Sheila Burke

Boosting and Beautifying

I

f you’re looking to relocate to Shelbyville or just visiting and trying to find a place to eat, relax or shop, the Shelbyville-Bedford Chamber of Commerce may be the best place to start.

The staff at the chamber, which has been growing and has about 500 member organizations, has everything you need to get the low-down on all that Bedford County has to offer.

“Our signature event here, of course, is the Tennessee National Walking Horse Celebration,” says Walt Wood, CEO of the Shelbyville-Bedford Chamber of Commerce. The Tennessee National Walking Horse Celebration is the world’s Largest Horse Show. The event draws over 200,000 people from across the country to Bedford County in a twoweek period.

The direct financial impact? A whopping $38.5 million, Wood says. “That’s a very significant amount for an event in a rural community,” he says.

The chamber moves into high gear to make sure visitors can find accommodations, shops and local restaurants.

For those interested in relocating, the chamber is available to answer questions about neighborhoods, employment, schools and recreational activities.

And the chamber is integrally involved in making sure that Shelbyville retains its small-town charm and preserves its natural beauty as the city grows.

One of the chamber’s big projects is the Duck River Cleanup, an annual event that attracts more than 100 boaters, environmentalists and nature lovers.

Volunteers on foot and by boat clean up

JEFFREY S. OTTO

GROWING CHAMBER PROMOTES BUSINESS GROWTH WHILE PROMOTING BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS

Chamber CEO Walt Wood

TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY CENTER AT

SHELBYVILLE

Building Skills Guiding Careers Meeting the Needs and Demands of the Community and Industry Online Soft Skills and Computer Training

For more information or a campus visit, call: (931) 685-5013 1405 Madison St. Shelbyville, TN 37160 www.ttcshelbyville.edu

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Arts & Culture

When Arts Fly THEATER AND LOCAL ARTISTS SHINE IN SHELBYVILLE

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the month featuring music of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The center also hosts an acoustic concert series each spring.

The annual Festival of Trees, where residents come together and decorate Christmas Trees and children hear stories and make crafts, is held in November. The Bedford County History Museum also is housed inside the center, along with a memorial to veterans.

Operated by the Bedford County Arts Council, the center also displays the works of local artists.

Painting and drawing classes are offered throughout the year. A fiber guild meets at the Fly building. The center also offers a youth art program that teaches children to paint, mold and draw.

The Fly Arts Center makes Bedford County attractive to a lot of outsiders, Cole says.

It’s been successful because of the enormous community support and its devotion to the arts, she says.

“It is strictly there because of the interest of the community,” Cole says. “As with anything else, it’s been a long, slow progression to get where we are now, but we couldn’t have gotten here without the community.”

– Sheila Burke

STAFF PHOTO

edford County may be better known for its live horse shows than its live dramatic productions, but the Fly Arts Center is beginning to put the Shelbyville theater scene on the cultural map.

The center hosts musicals and plays throughout the year for both adults and children.

“They’re usually sell-outs,” Janice Cole, director of the Fly Arts Center, says of the productions.

During the first two weekends in December, guests are invited to take in dinner and a play. Past productions have included Nunsense, Steel Magnolias and Always Patsy Cline.

A youth group puts on productions for kids during the summer. In 2007, a production of the musical, Do Wop Little Red Riding Hood, featured 31 performers. A senior group performed Godspell for teens.

The theater, which was added to the building in 2003, has become a real boon for the center.

“Once we got our theater built, it seemed to attract more people,” says Cole of the center, which was originally a clothing manufacturing company built in 1927. But the Fly Arts Center isn’t just for theater enthusiasts.

There’s a dance program held there every third Saturday of

The Fly Cultural Arts Center offers live theater, community dances, children’s programs and a base for local artists.

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JEFFREY S. OTTO

Education

CAD instructor Drew Renegar works with drafting student Jaimee Richardson in the lab at Tennessee Tech Center.

Drafting a Course for Success CAD PROGRAM CATERS TO LOCAL INDUSTRY AND JOB SEEKERS

T

he Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville specializes in handson training, and the school’s computer-aided design technology program is a prime example.

Students enrolled in this popular program use computer-aided drafting systems to prepare three-dimensional technical drawings – detailed drawings used to build everything from machine parts to houses. Students can finish the program in about 20 months and go straight into a job, generally making from $11 to $15 an hour to start.

“We try to make this as realistic a work environment as possible,” says Drew Renegar, drafting and CAD technology instructor. “If a student is not interested in going to a four-year school, this program allows you to get trained quickly and be working in 16-20 months.”

The program offers two majors – mechanical drafting and architectural drafting – and averages about 15-20

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students each semester. Those who are mechanically inclined, creative and detailoriented are the best fit for this type of work, Renegar says.

After some intensive training, students are ready to fill the gap between engineers and manufacturers.

“Engineers come up with ideas, and CAD people draw it and make technical specifications,” says Renegar, who has about 20 years’ experience in the field. “In the case of a tool or a part for a machine, the draftsmen we train fill the role between the shop people and engineers.”

The TTCS program has an advisory committee of industry executives that meets twice a year and lets the school know what it’s looking for in graduates.

“We follow a state curriculum and tailor training to industry in the area,” Renegar says. One focus is making sure students are proficient in the software that’s actually used by local industry.

Software packages currently used are

AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks and Revit Architecture.

Renegar’s students have found jobs in all facets of industry – from drafting wind-tunnel designs in Tullahoma to drafting drill bits for a mining company.

Many graduates find work at the Arnold Engineering Development Center, a large complex of flight simulation test facilities at the nearby Arnold Air Force Base.

The program has a completion rate of 84 percent and a placement rate of 73 percent, says Ron Boyd, student services coordinator for the school.

In 2008, the school is planning to get a $20,000 rapid prototype printer – a machine that will turn students’ drawings into three-dimensional prototypes within five or six hours.

“It’s going to be pretty neat when we get it,” Renegar says. “If we draw it in the computer, within five to six hours we can have a model that we can hold in our hands.”

– Rebecca Denton BEDFORD COUNT Y

Gearing Up for Growth NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL OPEN IN 2009 Learning Way Elementary School, slated to open in 2009, is the first non-replacement school to be built in Bedford County since the 1950s.

The $11 million school is part of the county’s 10-year master plan, and it’s coming just in the nick of time.

“Over the past eight years, we’ve grown by 250 students a year,” says Superintendent Ed Gray. “It doesn’t seem like a tremendous amount, but 250 students a year for a small rural system means we’ll have to build schools.”

The 80,000-square-foot facility – a K-5 school – will fit 500 students, and an addition could be added to bring capacity up to 750 if necessary, Gray says.

The school is being built beside the new Harris Middle School and near the newly renovated and expanded Shelbyville Central High School.

Learning Way Elementary will be equipped with new technology, including wireless Internet access throughout the building, Gray says. It will be home to about 35 teachers and include all classrooms and auxiliary spaces for programs such as music and special education.

A new high school in Unionville, about 12 miles outside of Shelbyville, is also in the works and is expected to open in 2009.

– Rebecca Denton

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OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OUR EMPLOYEES

make the difference!

Helping to celebrate important moments in people’s lives ...

JOSTENS Graduation Products 1401 Union Street Shelbyville, TN 37160

(931) 685-6500 • www.jostens.com

announcements • diplomas • accessories

I M AG E S B E D F O R D C O U N T Y. C O M

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Sports & Recreation

Fit and Friendly LOCAL GYM BECOMES FAVORITE HOMETOWN HANGOUT

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gym,” he says. “We don’t put gyms in big cities. We want to locate in communities where we get to know the people, and they get to know us. We want to get involved and help support the good things going on in the schools and the community.”

In addition to the hospitality, excellent customer service by knowledgeable staff members makes working out at Harvey’s more gain than pain.

“It’s not easy to get yourself into the gym,” Harvey says, “so we try to make it a place where people want to come.

When you join, we include personal training with your membership. We’ll sit down with you and talk about your goals and your schedule and your lifestyle. Then we custom-design a training routine for you.”

The state-of-the-art facility has everything you’ll need to carry out your routine,

whether you’re just starting or already an experienced fitness buff. Harvey’s Gym has more than 20 cardio machines, all with flat screen TVs, and several aerobics classes to choose from. For strength and resistance training, the gym is equipped with Hammer Strength and Legend machines, as well as a full line of free weights.

Additional amenities include saunas in the dressing rooms, three tanning beds – their use is included in the membership – a kids’ room and multiple wallmounted flat screen TVs. Harvey’s Gym is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Harvey’s Gym legacy began in 1982, when the younger Harvey’s father, Andy Harvey, opened his first gym and karate school in downtown Columbia.

In the mid-1990s, he expanded, opening another gym in a Pulaski shopping center.

The second location gave surrounding merchants such an economic boost that the owner of the shopping center financed Harvey’s Gyms in a number of his smalltown Middle Tennessee shopping centers.

Brent Harvey Jr. struck out on his own to open the Shelbyville gym, located at 1733 N. Main St. He credits his team, which includes manager and trainer Tim Anderson and trainer Sheri Taylor, with helping make Harvey’s Gym of Shelbyville a hometown institution.

– Carol Cowan

JEFFREY S. OTTO

ewcomers to Shelbyville can expect to receive a warm welcome from a place most people wouldn’t immediately associate with Southern hospitality.

The folks at Harvey’s Gym of Shelbyville greet everyone who comes through their doors as if they were family.

“We want to be known for our hospitality,” says owner Brent Harvey Jr. “When people come in here, we are friendly, and we welcome them with the hospitality the South is known for.”

First launched in 2005, Harvey’s Gym is a bit of a Shelbyville newcomer itself.

But thanks to the quality of its facilities and service, and the town’s support, Harvey’s Gym has already realized an important goal: to become the local gym, Harvey says.

“In Shelbyville, we’re the hometown

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Manager Tim Anderson stands in front of the state-of-the-art equipment at Harvey’s Gym.

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Health & Wellness

New Building, New Approach FACILITY FEATURES UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY, PROCESSES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

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edford County Medical Center’s brand-new facility opened in June 2008 with a new CEO, upgraded technology, more efficient processes and a whole new approach to customer service.

The $50 million, 100,000-square-foot medical center on U.S. Highway 231 in the Airport Business Park replaces a nearly 60-year-old structure in a different location.

“We’re moving up, and we’ve upgraded equipment accordingly,” says CEO Dan Buckner, who came on board in January 2008.

The new Community Health Systems-owned hospital is a non-smoking campus, and all staff members – whether they’re nurses or maintenance workers – wear uniforms. Processes have been streamlined to cut down on patients’ paperwork, and new technology makes for faster, more convenient service.

For example, an integrated digital computerized radiography system allows an X-ray image to be uploaded into a computer in seconds.

“The radiologist and the ER doctor can look at the image together in real time and discuss it 30 seconds after it was taken,” Buckner says. “That will improve services quite a bit.”

One of Buckner’s favorite innovations is an automated system of individual phones that nurses wear on their belts.

The phones alert nurses when patients press the call buttons in their rooms. If a nurse is busy at the time, she can replay the message to remind her where she needs to go next.

“It’s an automated system to help the nursing staff be quick and responsive,” Buckner says. “The nurses are going to love it, and the patients will love it.”

Another big change is the medical center’s emphasis on customer service. Everyone on staff is taking part in a threeyear customer-service program.

“We’re investing for the long term,” Buckner says. “We want customer service to flow in our blood. We have every intention of becoming the impressive community hospital that Bedford County deserves.”

Employees have already embraced the change.

“Patients are seeing the difference,” Buckner says. “As soon as you get a spark going in the staff, it catches on pretty fast. And who doesn’t enjoy learning how to be excellent at their job?”

While a bit larger in size, the medical center’s new building drops from 104 beds to around 60, reflecting an overall trend toward larger, private rooms and more outpatient treatment.

The emergency area will double in size.

The new building also has been designed for expansion.

“Every single department has a plan for growth, and the design is well done so the building can grow without affecting the current level of service,” Buckner says.

“We’re not trying to be the rich and famous, do-everything hospital,” he adds. “We’re looking to be really good at what we do here at your local community hospital, where the nurses and doctors are your next-door neighbors.” – Rebecca Denton

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Heritage Medical Center’s new $50 million facility

“Our mission is to assist you to achieve healthy goals to enhance your well-being”

Health care services offered: • Primary care

• Smoking cessation

• Urgent care

• Well-woman visits

• Chronic disease management: Diabetes Hypertension Cholesterol Asthma

• Well-child visits

• On-site laboratory services

• Immunizations/ vaccinations: Influenza Pneumonia Gardasil Tetanus

• Physicals: Sports School DOT Employer

• Routine laboratory analysis • Headache/ migraine management • Specialist referrals

• Healthy weight management

Walk-ins welcomed.

Mary Lynne Walker, APRN-BC 3003 Fairfield Pike Bell Buckle, TN 37020 (931) 389-6875

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“Since 1973”

www.craigwheeler.com

1207 N. Main St. Shelbyville, TN 37160 (931) 680-1011 younginsur.com

508 Cannon Blvd. • Shelbyville, TN 37160 •

Winnett

Associates, PLLC

Certified Public Accountants and Consultants

State-of-the-Art Storage for Motorhomes, RVs, Boats, Cars + 600 more Regular & Climate Controlled Storage Units

(931) 684-8585

www.stornlock.net

1703 Green Lane • Shelbyville, TN 37160

514 Elm St., P.O. Box 745 Shelbyville, TN 37162

(931) 684-7142 Fax: (931) 680-2954 admin@winnettcpa.com www.winnettcpa.com

State Farm® Providing insurance and financial services. Home office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710

Deb Insell, Agent 923 N. Main St. Shelbyville, TN 37160 (931) 684-5274 www.debinsell.com

Distribution Center #6062 Here at Wal-Mart Distribution Center #6062, “Our associates make the difference for our stores and our community.”

The DC services 94 Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets. For the second year in a row Wal-Mart 6062 was awarded “Perishable DC of the Year.” This past year the Distribution Center processed over 41 million cases of freight and shipped 25,066 trailers, traveling 6.2 million miles. Our associates contributed to many charitable organizations in Shelbyville and other areas throughout Bedford County and Middle Tennessee.

285 Frank Martin Rd. • Shelbyville, TN 37160 (931) 680-3408 • Fax (931) 680-3404

P045151 4/04

M&L

GR EENHOUSE – LORAINE SUTTON –

199 Benford Rd. Shelbyville, TN 37160 (931) 684-5850

Serving Bedford County since 1979

Can you imagine … a world without children?

We Can’t.

Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org

Retail greenhouse & nursery | Landscape services | Deliveries to hospitals & funeral homes | Plants grown locally

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BEDFORD COUNT Y

Community Profile

BEDFORD COUNTY SNAPSHOT Shelbyville and Bedford County are home to the world-famous Tennessee Walking Horses. The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has been held before Labor Day every summer for more than half a century. The 11-day event draws more than a quarter-million visitors to the region.

EDUCATION Bedford County Department of Education, 684-3284 www.bedfordk12tn.com Elementary Schools Cascade Elementary (K-5) 389-0031 Community Elementary (K-6) 294-2434 Eakin Primary (K-3) 684-7852 Eastside Primary (K-3) 684-7112 Liberty School (K-8) 684-7809 Southside Elementary (K-3) 684-7545

Shelbyville Central High School (9-12), 684-5672

Annual average precipitation 56.73 inches

Other Schools

Annual average snowfall 4.8 inches

Adult Learning Center 684-8635 Alternative School, 685-1911 Bedford County Vocational School, 684-1889 Webb School (private, 6-12) 389-9322 Higher Education Middle Tennessee State University (615) 898-2300 Motlow State Community College, (800) 654-4877 Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville, 685-5013

Thomas Intermediate School (4-5), 684-6818

CLIMATE

Middle School Harris Middle School (6-8) 684-5195

Annual average temperature 59.2 degrees

High Schools Cascade School (9-12) 389-9389 Community High School (7-12) 294-5125

Monthly average low temperature (January) 29 degrees Monthly average high temperature (July) 89 degrees

MEDICAL FACILITIES Heritage Medical Center Shelbyville, 685-5433 Bedford County Medical Center Wartrace, 389-0600 www.bcmctn.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce 100 N. Cannon Blvd.

Shelbyville, TN 37160 Phone: 684-3482, (888) 662-2525 Fax: 684-3483 bedfordchamber@bellsouth.net www.shelbyvilletn.com Sources: www.shelbyvilletn.com, www.census.gov, www.bedfordcountytn.org THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

For tips and to compare cleaner, more efďŹ cient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

The area code for Bedford County is 931 .

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Home Town Specialist

World Class Automotive Supplier

Exhaust • Thermal Systems • Electronics Cockpit and Front-End Modules

Corporate Headquarters One Calsonic Way Shelbyville, TN 37162 www.calsonic.com

Dianne Arnold If there is a new address in your future then you need to talk to me.

As one of Coldwell Banker’s Top Agents Nationwide with over 22 years of Real Estate experience, I am the one to help you. I will show you unparalleled commitment in making your move to our area my first priority.

FARMS - HOMES - LAND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

Cell: (931) 703-5104 Office: (931) 684-5605 diannea@coldwellbanker.com www.diannearnold.com

Segroves Nelson Real Estate 202 Lane Parkway Shelbyville, Tennessee 37160

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Visit Our Advertisers Ascend Federal Credit Union www.ascendfcu.org Bedford County Medical Center www.bcmctn.com Bedford County Nursing Home www.bcnhtn.org Bedford County Tennessee www.bedfordcountytn.org

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation www.dremc.com Jostens www.jostens.com M&L Greenhouse

Bell Buckle Family Medical Clinic

Motlow State Community College www.mscc.edu

Bemis Flexible Packaging www.bemis.com

Sanford Brands www.sanford.com

Calsonic Kansei www.calsonic.com

Stor-N-Lock

Coldwell Banker – Dianne Arnold www.diannearnold.com

Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville www.ttcshelbyville.edu

Craig & Wheeler Realty & Auction Company www.craigwheeler.com

The Webb School – Bell Buckle www.thewebbschool.com

Deb Insell www.debinsell.com

Wal-Mart Distribution www.wal-mart.com

Dennis Young Insurance Agency Inc. www.younginsur.com

Winnett Associates PLLC www.winnettcpa.com

BEDFORD COUNT Y