Sutherlin Subaru’s Love Promise to Knoxville
At Sutherlin Subaru, we are dedicated not just to our customers but to the entire Knoxville community. The Sutherlin Subaru Love Promise is our pledge to make a positive impact locally, supporting initiatives that enrich lives. Through our ongoing efforts, we have proudly donated over $300,000 to local East Tennessee charities and foundations. When you choose Sutherlin Subaru, you’re not just choosing a car; you’re helping us keep our promise to support and uplift the community.
Explore our range of vehicles: the versatile Crosstrek for your wilderness adventures, the spacious Ascent perfect for your family outings, or the exhilarating WRX for those who love a spirited drive. Drive with pride knowing that your Sutherlin Subaru is part of a bigger mission to foster a thriving local community.
Learning to Be Truly Thankful
We’re now more than a month out from Hurricane Helene. We weather all kinds of storms in Appalachia, but nothing like a Category 4 hurricane careening down the mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, changing the landscape of both the place and the people. As the mayor of the little town of Chimney Rock, NC, said, “Everything you take for granted has been washed away, literally.”
The scope of loss of lives, health, homes, and property has been so hard to bear. But out of it, the good news is the determined spirit, will, and effort that rose up to rebuild and restore. As a new University of Tennessee Volunteers’ helmet decal proudly displays, the people impacted by the storm and the heroes coming to help working together are #MountainStrong.
Marc and I invite you to join us in nurturing a renewed sense of gratitude for all our blessings and resolve to take nothing for granted. Our November Thankful issue spotlights people and places in our community for which we give thanks every day.
In our Veterans Day feature, learn how Director of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and Wars, Dr. Chris Magra, and his staff honor centuries of Tennessee military service as they document why we’re called the Volunteer State!
Executive Director Steven Matijcio reflects on his first year at the helm of Knoxville Museum of Art in a conversation that covers a lot of ground in the fine art of appreciation.
Open Arms Care Executive Director Nikki Byrd shares how her nonprofit builds community by providing homes with a heart to our fellow Tennesseans of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Our PYA Waltman partner Payton VeStrand explores a daily gratitude practice, backed by compelling data, and how it can affect our emotional well-being.
The Knoxville Chronicles podcast from the Knoxville History Project traces the history of Knoxville’s Tennessee marble industry back to the quarries at Ijams Nature Center.
May the many joys of Thanksgiving bless you and your families. As we enter the holiday season, we are grateful for your loyal support of our advertising partners who make it possible to tell stories that matter to our community.
AMY CAMPBELL
November 2024
PUBLISHER
Marc Rochelson | marc.rochelson@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Amy Campbell | amy.campbell@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jennie Treadway-Miller, Patricia Storm Broyles, Paul James, Jack Neely, Payton VeStrand, CFP ®
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Shawn Poynter, Wes Hope, Ben French, Knoxville History Project, Bruce Cole, Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville Museum of Art
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Zach Miller
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard
business monthly
Estate House Open House and Holiday Sale
The Estate House in Bearden invites you to the Annual Open House and Holiday Sale, on December 6, from 4-8 p.m. With sales on Rolex Watches and Jewelry Storewide, plus refreshments, and charcuterie bites. For more information: EstateHouseUSA.com/about
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Mother Baby Nutrition Foundation 2nd Annual Fundraising Gala
The Mother-Baby Nutrition Foundation is excited to announce its 2nd Annual Fundraiser, Monday, November 4, from 6-9 p.m. at the iconic Sunsphere. This event promises an evening of delicious food, live music, and community spirit, all aimed at supporting our mission to improve the holistic health of women and children in Tennessee. For more information about the event or the MotherBaby Nutrition Foundation, visit MotherBabyNutrition.com or contact Alex Gardner at 865.328.2146.
Real Good Gathering
On behalf of Real Good Kitchen Foundation (RGKF), Founder Bailey Foster is honored to extend a warm invitation to you to be a part of the inaugural food-focused evening, a Real Good Gathering, November 21 in the Dogwood Building at Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum. Real Good Kitchen Foundation is a community-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Knoxville through food business education programs and food access initiatives. For more information: TheRealGoodKitchen.com
KMA’s Steven Matijcio
A Conversation Covering the Common Ground of Gratitude and the Fine Art of Appreciation
ARTICLE BY PATRICIA STORM BROYLES PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAWN POYNTER, KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART
As Americans will come together for Thanksgiving around an extended family table, a very grateful Executive Director Steven Matijcio welcomes his East Tennessee neighbors to gather at a sensory banquet hall at the Knoxville Museum of Art. It’s a standing invitation to sample and savor, converse and celebrate, as they get to know themselves, their community, and their world better through the powerful expression of visual arts.
Anita, Maija Rose, and KMA Executive Director Steven Matijcio
Setting the table, creating the ambience, facilitating the conversation … whether organizing a successful Thanksgiving dinner or the next showstopper exhibition, there’s definitely a fine art to it. And Steven Matijcio is just the host to pull it off beautifully.
THE ART OF LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID
Art and love brought Steven and his family to Knoxville. Steven met his wife Anita in Houston in 2020 as he helped her search a grocery aisle for her favorite dark chocolate sea-salt caramels. But in the Covid era of shelf shortages – no luck. “I like to say we couldn’t find chocolate, but we found each other that day,” Steven laughs. “We met at a time when everything about life was heightened but everything event-wise was shuttered, so we had more time to incubate this burgeoning new relationship.”
Among many shared interests, they discovered professional passions in urban revisioning. Anita was an urban planner for the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and had been instrumental in introducing bike paths to the city of Houston. Steven, as
“tiburón toro” by Alan Sheppard, 10th Grade, Maryville High School, Sculpture-Plaster of Paris. East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition Nov. 2023
“Cycle of Life” (“Sky” detail) by Richard Jolley, Blown, cast and acid-etched glass and welded steel. Ann and Steve Bailey Hall
Director and Chief Curator of the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston, had organized an exhibition called Buildering: Misbehaving the City where artists re-imagined the urban experience.
“Instead of looking at cities as rote machines for moving people from one place to the next, we wanted to find artistry and inspiration traveling through these settings. I’m interested in the way we can rethink movement and navigation to improve the human experience. Anita is interested in the way art, architecture and design can be married to make the urban experience more livable and uplifting. I loved those shared places of appreciation that spanned both our experiences and aspirations of how a city can be lived.”
THE ART OF NEW PARENTHOOD
But a lovelier, shared appreciation in their lives came in 2023, leading to a decision to leave Texas for Tennessee. “We enjoyed great careers in Houston, but it was an intense environment. The birth of our daughter Maija Rose shifted our focus to finding and carving out time and space for her.” They started envisioning a place with natural beauty, a warm community, and an artistic pulse, where they could devote time to Maija in her first years.
Knoxville checked all the boxes. “We love the texture of life here and the vitality that comes with a university circulating through the core of the city. We have a view of the mountains from our home on the Dogwood Trail, but are still close to our favorite parts of Downtown. We take our out-of-town guests to Market Square, and then 45 minutes outside of town, we’re in the Smokies.”
Steven and Anita are both thankful for the KMA patrons (especially Ann and Steve Bailey) that brought them to Knoxville, where they could build a fruitful foundation for Maija’s life. Steven adds, “I’m especially grateful for Anita taking this leap of faith with me.”
“Maija fills places in my heart I didn’t realize held more space. Even a walk in the backyard, discovering the world with her, has forever endeared me to fatherhood.”
When Steven speaks about fatherhood, he uses the imagery of art. “When Anita was pregnant, we asked other parents how our lives would change. One artist told me the width of the way you feel love will expand vastly–where the things you thought you knew the ends of, you will feel in a broader landscape. Maija fills places in my heart I didn’t realize held more space. Even a walk in the backyard, discovering the world with her, has forever endeared me to fatherhood.”
THE ART OF JOYFUL EXPERIENCES
When Steven speaks about sharing art with the museum’s many audiences, he uses the imagery of a novelist. “I’ve been a curator most of my career and writing about art is one the most difficult, yet rewarding things I’ve done. As such, I want to feel and speak about the work with language that is lyrical, passionate, and reflects the work stylistically.”
Maija Rose and Steven Matijcio in a children’s hands-on creative space at KMA
Giving tours is one of Steven’s favorite parts of his practice. “I can spend months interpreting what a work could mean. It’s a joy to share what has enriched my experience with others, which in turn, starts another conversation. When those lightbulbs go off with their own responses and readings, that is art’s greatest success.”
Steven, who has a formidable track record of engagement with contemporary art and artists at the global level–Poland, South Korea, Germany and across Canada–has also found listening to his new community and learning about his new hometown’s heritage is a joy.
The annual East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition brings many audiences to KMA
THE ART OF CELEBRATING LOCAL
“I had the pleasure of taking a downtown tour with historian Jack Neely to help me understand Knoxville’s robust history, and its pride of place,” Steven explains. “What I knew of the KMA before coming here was that as curator, Stephen Wicks had such respect for the history and development of art in East Tennessee, as exemplified with the Higher Ground exhibition. To further articulate who we are on an expanded stage, Stephen placed local work into dialogue with art being made nationally and internationally. By way of contrast and comparison, it crystallizes what makes Knoxville and East Tennessee so unique, and evokes a far greater appreciation.”
[In 2023, Higher Ground, A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee, the KMA’s flagship permanent exhibition was installed in newly renovated entrance level galleries. The exhibit, accompanied by a 300-page catalogue edited by Stephen Wicks and Jack Neely, traces the evolution of artistic activity in Knoxville and its Appalachian environs from roughly the 1860s to the 1980s.]
“Newcomers can feel unequipped to appreciate art, but all you need is a curious spirit. Indifference is the ultimate enemy of art.”
“Belle Isle from Lyons View” by James Cameron 1859, Oil on canvas. Higher Ground Galleries
Higher Ground, KMA flagship permanent exhibition, was installed in newly renovated entrance level galleries in 2023
Approaching his first anniversary at the museum, Steven reports 70,000 KMA visitors annually. He admits the next goal of 100,000 annual guests will stretch them, but new strategic plans will build more audiences through partnerships like KMA has with the Big Ears Festival and the University of Tennessee. “We excel at mixing fine art with music, dance, and theater to attract those audiences in the cultural arena. And, there are so many new people moving to Knoxville to bring into the fold.”
In praise of the museum’s solid financial footing that allows such ambitious goals, Steven is grateful to the diligent work of former executive director David Butler, the board, the staff, and the many volunteers, members and donors at every level who invest in KMA. “Their support builds the social capital that gives people reasons to come back again and again.”
THE ART OF GENERATIVITY
Steven bears all the signs of someone whole-heartedly committed to the well-being of the next generation of art appreciators. “I’m excited about hosting the annual East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition that brings in a plethora of students, families and supporting communities to celebrate the creativity of young people. There’s a purity in nurturing their youthful artistic spirit while countering the tired bias that you can’t make a living in the arts. Creative industries can circulate in such broad, often unexpected fields. Investing in cultural amenities has tremendous benefit for a community’s health. With our full menu of educational programming, from Family Fun Days to the Summer Art Academy to student exhibitions, the KMA enthusiastically encourages young people to find a place in art.”
“I’m excited about hosting the East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition this November to celebrate the creativity of young people.”
Steven readily acknowledges that newcomers can feel unequipped to appreciate art. “But all you need is a curious spirit. Love it or hate it, I want you to feel something when you’re in this space. Indifference is the ultimate enemy of art.” Admission is free, so it’s a risk-free proposition. “Stay five minutes or five hours. When something moves you, you’ll want to tell other people. There’s a fundamental generosity to word of mouth.”
Steven and his talented staff, supported by a dedicated volunteer organization, set a generous table at KMA, serving up a deliciously diverse fare of exhibitions and artful events. With an open invitation to everyone.
“We’re grateful we can make access free and open here,” Steven sums up, “so that art can do what it does best–serve as catalyst for gathering, imagining, and inspiring a more creative community.” Learn more at Knoxart.org
Honoring Volunteer State Veterans
ARTICLE BY PATRICIA STORM BROYLES
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAWN POYNTER
Dr. Chris Magra, Early American history scholar, award-winning author, and University of Tennessee Professor since 2010, added a life-enriching role in 2022. As Director of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War, he and his staff endeavor to remember and honor Tennessee veterans.
ARCHIVING CENTURIES OF MILITARY SERVICE
STORIES AT THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF TENNESSEANS AND WAR
Dr. Chris Magra, Director of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War, located in the University of Tennessee Hoskins Library
“VETERANS FEATURED ON THOSE WALL BOARDS BROUGHT FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO THE DEDICATION CEREMONY. IT WAS A JOYOUS OCCASION, BUT VERY EMOTIONAL FOR THOSE VETERANS TO KNOW THEIR STORIES MATTER.”
WHAT IS THE CENTER’S WORK?
Our mission is to research, preserve, and share the stories of Tennesseans serving in wars since the 1700s to present day. Relationships have developed with veterans and their families who donate letters, uniforms, flags, service records, photos and other memorabilia. As part of the flagship University of the state, we want to be the go-to resource for Tennessee’s military history. The Center has become a researcher’s resource in Tennessee military history. All of the work of the Center is privately funded. Many of our veterans’ families choose to donate in gratitude.
HOW IS THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED?
The Center opened within the UT history department in 1983 to record oral histories of WWII veterans. When I became director in 2022, I narrowed our focus to Tennessee veterans, but expanded the research and archiving to all wars since the 1700s. We have a small staff (less than 20 and none full time) with one Ph.D. candidate research assistant, some undergraduate history majors we employ, and an undergraduate internship program which gives our history majors valuable job experience in public history careers (museums, library archives, and battlefields, etc.).
Our interns are from all over the state and help retrieve stories from throughout Tennessee. Some have family members or friends who are veterans. We sit down and interview veterans to record their experiences. For wars with no living members, our team does archival research. The findings are often extraordinary. One of our interns, himself a guardsman, discovered there are six Tennessee National Guardsmen who have won the Medal of Honor.
The Center has a growing archive that is professionally managed by UT Library staff. We’re building a broad repository of military memorabilia. We even have a plane that’s been disassembled in the warehouse.
CONTINUED >
The Center houses military memorabilia, like the Army issue shovel of Dr. Magra’s father, Captain Paul Magra (1959 to 1968)
Caroline Workman, social media intern; Morgan Hardy, Ph.D. candidate, research assistant; Dr. Chris Magra; Nathaniel Adams, Tennessee National Guard and intern
Sharp’s Ridge Veterans Memorial Park
TRAIL HEAD WALL BOARDS
Marilyn Childress, a veteran and president of the Knoxville-based Veterans Heritage Site Foundation, approached Dr. Magra to partner on an installation at Sharp’s Ridge Veterans Memorial Park. The site was set aside in 1953 to honor veterans, but there was no information inside the park about Tennessee veterans. The Center researched wars from the Civil War to present day to create eight information wall boards about each war and the Tennesseans who served. “Along with photos and narratives, a QR code links to the Center’s website which lets the public access our archives,” Dr. Magra explains. “We fully funded the project and worked with a local sign company who produced state park-quality signage, now installed at the trail heads for hikers and bikers. For the first time in 71 years, the 150-acre memorial park actually honors veterans. At the dedication ceremony last August, living veterans featured on those wall boards brought family and friends to celebrate. It was a joyous occasion, but very emotional for those veterans to know that their stories matter, an outcome which is intrinsic to the mission of the Center.” Visit Cstw.utk. edu/sharps-ridge-veterans-memorial-park/
HOW DOES THE PUBLIC LEARN MORE?
Our website is the chief access point for the public. We also promote our work and solicit stories through our YouTube channel and Social Media platforms. Many interviews are on cassette tapes (some four or five hours long) which we’re digitizing to post on YouTube. We’re digitizing all collections so they are open, free, and accessible to anyone in the world. These stories don’t do anybody any good sitting in a filing cabinet.
We also present at events at community organizations. I am a regular speaker at Rotary Clubs and Daughters of the American Revolution chapters. We have a working relationship with the East Tennessee History Center where I present programs and we partner with nonprofits like the Veterans Heritage Site Foundation–a wonderful group that does Wreaths Across America in Tennessee.
Word of mouth is strong for us. Family members who find items and don’t know what to do with them, but want them preserved, reach out to us. In Panera recently, a gentleman overheard my conversation and volunteered his family’s letters from World War II.
HOW DOES THE WORK IMPACT YOUR TEAM?
None of us are devoted full time to this, but we pour a lot of ourselves into the work. It feeds our souls. Too often I hear: ‘I didn’t do anything important. My story doesn’t matter. You don’t want to hear what I have to say.’ I always tell that veteran, ‘Your serving, your story, whatever your military service, has value and matters to the country you served.’
I love interviewing our veterans: WWII veterans (at this point in time, especially powerful), Vietnam vets, Gulf War and War on Terror vets, and people who were part of the Cold War. As a professional historian, my work is centered on the American Revolution, and because I can’t talk to those who served in that war, I often think, if I could just ask them this . It’s a privilege to get the opportunity to speak with veterans. If I have a question about a particular battle–interviewing someone who was there and lived it is an irreplaceable resource.
My father and brother were veterans. I have a heart for veterans and believe they are an underserved population. We can do more as a country. One of the things I can do, as a trained historian, is to honor them by researching and preserving their stories. More than a job, it’s a way I can give back to our veteran community in gratitude for their service.
To donate materials for archives, schedule interviews, or donate to help fund the Center, visit Cstw.Utk.edu or email cmagra@utk.edu
Season For Giving
Navigating Compliance Obligations and Fundraising Regulations for Nonprofits
Article by Mital D. Patel
Patel & Eisenhower, PLLC
As the holiday season approaches, many of us feel inspired to give back and o en times that results in creating a nonprofit. is spirit of generosity prompts us to donate, volunteer, and advocate for causes close to our hearts. is generosity, however, comes with the responsibility to ensure these organizations comply with legal guidelines. Understanding compliance obligations and fundraising regulations is essential for protecting nonprofits' integrity and ensuring contributions are used e ectively.
Nonprofits must fulfill several key compliance obligations. ey start by incorporating at the state level, filing articles of incorporation and dra ing bylaws, then applying for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS to obtain federal tax-exempt status. Annual reporting, typically through Form 990, is required to promote financial transparency. Nonprofits must also comply with state regulations, including timely renewal of registrations and filing of an Annual Report. Additionally, having an active board of directors is crucial as they fulfill the nonprofits fiduciary duties and maintain meeting records. Tennessee mandates at least three board members for nonprofits.
Once established, nonprofits must navigate various fundraising regulations. Many states require registration before soliciting donations, especially when fundraising across state lines. is process o en involves submi ing registration applications and annual renewals. Compliance with state laws governing charitable solicitations is also necessary, which includes disclosure requirements about the organization and the intended use of donations. When receiving grants, nonprofits must follow funder-specific terms, including reporting on the use of funds and outcomes. Protecting donor privacy is vital; nonprofits must adhere to data protection regulations by safeguarding personal information and o ering donors anonymity.
is holiday season, it’s important to support nonprofits responsibly. While navigating compliance and fundraising regulations may seem complex, it is vital for their sustainability and integrity. Nonprofits that understand and adhere to these requirements can focus on their missions and build trust with donors and the community. Consider consulting with legal experts to ensure your organization’s compliance, allowing for a more significant impact in your community this holiday season. Let’s continue to give back in meaningful ways!
A Home with Open Arms Care
COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS ALWAYS WELCOMED AND APPRECIATED
ARTICLE BY JENNNIE TREADWAY-MILLER
When Executive Director Nikki Byrd started with the nonprofit organization, it was as the Day Program Director in 2011. Open Arms Care had been in operation for more than 20 years at this point, serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing community homes as Intermediate Care Facilities. The organization fulfilled a need to house residents after three major institutions across the state closed in the late-80s. Today, Open Arms Care provides lifelong housing and daily care to upwards of 300 Tennesseans and is the largest private intermediate care program in the state. Currently, Open Arms Care serves approximately 80 residents in Knoxville across 14 homes, and they are always in need of help and support from the community.
WHAT’S THE MISSION OF OPEN ARMS CARE?
We provide care for individuals in a community setting. My youngest is eight years old and my oldest is 78. It gives them an ability to live outside of home but not in an institution. The way I explain it to parents is that they get a lot of help from the school system, but once their kids reach 22, they still need help. It’s like letting them go to college. You’re still involved as much as you wish to be, but we are here to provide medical care and active treatment, to teach them things, and to help them become as independent as they are able. That’s what’s different from a nursing home. Clients need to be learning new skills and maintaining their capabilities. We have physical therapy, speech and occupational therapy, and licensed behavioral analysts who assess clients annually or more frequently if needed. We meet and put together an Individual Support Plan, which encompasses all of that.
SHAWN POYNTER
Nikki Vinsant Byrd, Executive Director, Open Arms Care, Open Arms Care Knoxville/Greeneville
HOW ARE THE HOMES DESIGNED?
The homes look as normal as possible, so they are in neighborhoods in and around Knoxville. The four-bedroom homes are about 2600 square feet and the eight-bedroom homes are around 5500 square feet. They are usually side by side so they can share a driveway. We’ve rebuilt the homes in the last few years and took great effort to make them as typical and as nice of a home as you would want. But we took time to adjust the bar in the kitchen so someone in a wheelchair can access it. The bathrooms are accessible, and the hallways are a little wider. We don’t want these homes to look institutional. We want the clients to feel at home. They really like decorating their own bedrooms.
WHAT DOES EVERYDAY LIFE LOOK LIKE FOR CLIENTS?
There are staff who are there 24/7–the direct support staff. The ratio of staff to clients depends on need, so for a four-bedroom, we want two staff there and a nurse who will float between homes. For the eight-bedroom, we want three or four staff with a nurse who floats. We try to match up clients whose personalities fit well together or maybe it’s more of a kids’ house. Some homes are all men, some are all women. We have meetings about that and talk through everything with guardians and parents.
The enrichment center is on Ball Camp Pike where clients can come for all kinds of activities based on levels the clients can accomplish. They have crafts or music therapy, or we’ll have a petting zoo come out. They may go for a picnic or the zoo or go bowling, so we’re coordinating with everyone and their doctor’s appointments. We’ll get together to watch a UT football game, or we’ll meet at one of the homes to grill out.
“ We’ve rebuilt the homes in the last few years and took great effort to make them as typical and as nice of a home as you would want.”
Nikki and Blake
“Honestly, the clients have more to give than people give them credit for. They give more to us than we give to them.”
HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OPEN ARMS CARE?
We’d love anyone who’d like to volunteer at the enrichment center, anyone with special talents like art or music, anyone who wants to donate to our foundation, anyone who is caring, compassionate, and has a heart for helping others. Honestly, the clients have more to give than people give them credit for. They give more to us than we give to them. It’s a blessing to work with them and be a part of their lives, so much more than one would think. Though they may be nonverbal, I have some who communicate with their eyes, and they have something to say. It takes some patience and time to develop those relationships, but they have a lot of love to give.
Learn more at OpenArmsCare.org.
Nikki and Lauren
Cheyenne and Loretta
Learn to Fly!
endless love
ARTICLE BY PAUL JAMES AND JACK NEELY
Through the Keyhole: Knoxville’s Extraordinary Marble World
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KNOXVILLE HISTORY PROJECT, BRUCE COLE AND IJAMS NATURE CENTER
Downtown Custom House, built in 1872. (Knoxville History Project)
For anyone who has spent much time in Knoxville, there is one thing that you might encounter in almost every part of the city, and that’s Tennessee marble. It graces several impressive buildings downtown and you can see where it was once extracted at Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville. While the Ijams park still retains the original acreage where Harry and Alice Ijams developed their own farm into a semi-private bird sanctuary, its expanded grounds have, since the early 2000s, encompassed two reclaimed quarries creating an extraordinary landscape like nothing else anywhere.
In the latest episode of Knoxville Chronicles, a podcast produced by the Knoxville History Project that highlights some of the most interesting of the city’s old stories, “Through the Keyhole” takes a look back at Knoxville’s marble industry and features a conversation with Ben Nanny, the conservation director at Ijams, who has been directly involved in the cleanup and redevelopment of these remarkable places. When visiting the quarries, Ben says, “It really does feel like you are going back in time. It’s a great piece of history, it’s a great story about what used to make a livelihood for Knoxvillians and particularly this South Knoxville community.“
The Marble City was a self-coined term for Knoxville from the late nineteenth century and still used well into the twentieth. Multiple downtown businesses used that name, like the Marble City Bank and the Marble City Saloon. After 1915 or so, even one neighborhood to the west along Sutherland Avenue became known as “Marble City,” and still makes that claim. Opened in the late 19th century, both Ross Marble and Mead’s quarries employed hundreds of workers, some handling steam-channeling machines that pried huge blocks of stone from the rock face. It was a dangerous place that operated 24 hours a day with daily blasting
sirens, but, according to historian Dr. Susan Knowles, provided marble for two exemplary museum buildings: the J.P. Morgan Library in New York in 1906 and the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC in 1941.
Following the Great Depression, demand for marble slumped and Ross Marble and Mead’s Quarry transitioned to manufacture crushed limestone. The facilities limped along for several decades before finally closing. In subsequent years, Ross Marble became overgrown while Mead’s Quarry, particularly, became an unsavory dump. Eventually acquired by Knox County in 2001, Mead’s became a part of Ijams in 2001, when staff and volunteers began removing the almost endless piles of domestic and commercial debris that scarred the site. Ross Marble was added around 2008 through an acquisition facilitated by Legacy Parks Foundation, as part of its development of Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness, and opened in 2010 during Ijams’ 100th anniversary celebration. Thanks to Dr. Susan Knowles’ efforts, both quarries are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mead’s Quarry has an imposing cliff face and a 20-acre lake, which occurred after quarrying operations dug deep enough to strike below the water table. These days, visitors flock there to swim or rent a paddle boat. It can also be a dramatic place. In the spring of 2024, a sudden rock slide caused a brief tsunami across the lake injuring several visitors. Online videos of the event quickly became a social media sensation.
Mead’s Quarry, 1920s (Ijams Nature Center)
The Keyhole by Bruce Cole
Ross Marble is quite different–it’s a relatively dry ravine lined with imposing cliffs–and its most memorable feature isn’t natural at all, but a man-made wall of roughshaped marble blocks with an entrance, eight feet tall, known as “The Keyhole.” On the other side, stone steps lead down into the ravine where you can look up and see “God’s Chair,” giant shelves of limestone akin to a Mayan ruin. These quarries definitely have a sense of place.
Ben Nanny, who lives close to the quarries and has been involved in every step of their re-development, sums up what these quarries mean to him and the nature center: “The cool thing about the quarries is that they tell the different histories of the quarrying process from the cut marble that you’ll find in the Ross Marble sections, and the huge dimension stones that are lying all around. You get that feeling of the blasting that once occurred at Mead’s Quarry, which is indicative of the jagged walls that you can see across the lake. We can also interpret how rough we were on that space, how exploitative we
were of these resources, and how it's rebounding…both honoring the past and the future by reclaiming it. It’s so rewarding for Knoxville.”
Wherever you look in these quarries, you can’t escape the fact that this part of South Knoxville was rather an unusual place for the Ijams family to develop a bird sanctuary. But this natural haven and its adjacent quarries have co-existed alongside each other for many years. Now together, they have in part helped redefine the character and feel of South Knoxville.
ABOUT KHP
The nonprofit Knoxville History Project tells the city’s stories, focusing on those that have not been previously told and those that connect the city to the world. Donations to support the work of the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit, are always welcome and appreciated. Learn more at KnoxvilleHistoryProject.org
The history of the Ijams family, the nature center, and these quarries, is told in Ijams Nature Center by Paul James (Arcadia Publishing, 2010). Look for the title at Ijams, East Tennessee History Center, and Union Ave Books, and online at KnoxvilleHistoryProject.org
God’s Chair (Ijams Nature Center)
Ross Marble Quarry by Bruce Cole
Indexing Happiness
ARTICLE BY PAYTON VESTRAND, CFP ®
The World Happiness Report captivates audiences worldwide by tackling a fascinating question: Can happiness be quantified, and if so, which country can claim the title of the happiest? The 2024 edition revealed several intriguing highlights worth exploring.
Before delving into the specific findings, let’s understand what the World Happiness Report is and how it attempts to measure happiness. This annual publication ranks countries based on the perceived well-being of their citizens, utilizing data gathered from the Gallup World Poll[1]. The updated rankings are typically unveiled around March 20 to commemorate the International Day of Happiness.
The methodology behind these rankings is also worth exploring. Participants are asked to envision a ladder where the top rung (10) represents their ideal life, and the bottom rung (0) represents their worst imaginable life. With this metaphorical ladder in mind, respondents evaluate their current life satisfaction on this 0-10 scale. Each year, over 100,000 individuals across more than 140 countries participate in this survey.
One striking feature of the rankings is the dominance of the Nordic countries. Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden occupy the first four spots, while neighboring Norway takes the seventh spot. In contrast, the United States sits in 23rd place, falling out of the top 20 for the first time since the report’s inception in 2012 and trailing countries such as Kuwait (13), Lithuania (19), and Slovenia (21). On the other end of the spectrum, countries dealing with extreme poverty, government corruption, and conflict-related violence tend to occupy the lower rankings of the index.
This Nordic dominance is not a recent development; each of the five Nordic countries has consistently ranked in the top 10 since the rankings were first unveiled over a decade ago. This raises the question: what factors contribute to the perception among citizens of these countries that they are experiencing their ideal lives? Analysis conducted by the World Happiness Report suggests various reasons, such as low levels of income inequality, generous government assistance, and strong social cohesion.
While we may not be able to single-handedly tackle systemic issues in our country, we can adopt straightforward strategies to improve our own happiness. For example, research has recently embraced daily gratitude practices as a way to enhance positive emotions, promote physical health, and even strengthen relationships and societal ties[2].
This practice can take many different forms, but a simple way to start is the “Three Good Things” exercise, where participants write down three things that went well in their day. These can be simple, common occurrences or milestone events, and can be especially powerful when completed before bedtime, when negative thoughts and anxieties often crowd out the small victories of the day.
This holiday season, when our focus is so often on what we don’t have, take time to reflect on the good that we do have. Who knows? We might just bump ourselves up a few spots on next year’s happiness index.
PYA Waltman Capital, LLC (“PYAW”) is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about PYAW’s investment advisory services can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. PYA-24-39
[1] worldhappiness.report/ed/2024
[2] The Science of Gratitude ggsc.berkeley.edu
THANKFUL FOR HELPERS
“If you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s hope.” — Fred Rogers
ARTICLE BY WEST KNOXVILLE LIFESTYLE STAFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALICESON BALES
HELP. HOPE. HEROES.
“My mother used to say whenever there would be any catastrophe, ‘always look for the helpers … there will always be helpers’… rescue teams, medical people … anybody who is coming into a place where there’s a tragedy … if you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s hope.” — Fred Rogers HELP. HOPE.
Twin four-letter words. Small but mighty bookend words that bring us to tears when, at the darkest hour, we know both are on the horizon. When help is coming, hope is here.
HEROES.
Like all our neighbors in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, the West Knoxville Lifestyle Staff was inspired by the immediate, self-sacrificing, and life-saving help from the response teams that rushed to the aid of thousands endangered by Hurricane Helene in mountainous terrain turned more treacherous by unprecedented water and winds.
There aren’t enough words to express gratitude for the selfless service of first responders, rescue squads, medical teams, emergency management teams, local, state and federal law enforcement, fire department crews, national and state guardsmen and women, active-duty military units, utility line crews, federal, state and local government agencies, and non-profits.
GRATEFUL FOR THE VOLUNTEERS
"The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others." DeAnn Hollis
PICK-UP TRUCKS. ATVS.
HELICOPTERS. MULES.
The faithful character and fierce spirit of our Volunteer State, shining brightly from folks coming
from communities everywhere, remains undaunted in this dark season from the very beginning of the disaster and continues today.
Local businesses, churches and other faithbased groups, schools, community organizations, and thousands of individuals jumped in immediately and have volunteered tens of thousands of hours donating, gathering, and delivering water, food, medical and other vital supplies for living. They’ve been boots on the ground, working side by side with the people who lost so much, helping clean up and rebuild. They are still hard at work over a month later, committed to helping our neighbors in these beloved mountain communities for as long as it takes.
If we are blessed to sit down with our families in a warm home to enjoy a bountiful table this Thanksgiving, let’s not forget our neighbors impacted by this historic storm who have lost so much and still endure hardships now, for months, and perhaps years to come.
Here are just a few resources that can be your hands and feet of help and hope.
• The American Red Cross RedCross.org
• The Salvation Army SalvationArmyUSA.org
• East Tennessee Foundation EastTennesseeFoundation.org
• MTNways.org
Photo: Just one team of thousands of volunteers helping clean up and rebuild in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. From left: Yassin Terou, owner of Yassin’s Falafel House, the Towering Oaks Cross Country Team with coaches David Scott and Sam Helfrich and Tabernacle Mission Soup Kitchen Director Mary Goldman, Greeneville, Tennessee
HOW TO: seasonal home scents
ARTICLE BY CELENA CISCO
Fall essential oil combinations provide a warm and cozy scent while also protecting from sickness prevalent in the colder season. Follow these oil combinations to create your own seasonal scent.
immune boost
DIRECTIONS :
Combine the following essential oils with a base oil (coconut oil).
M
SWEET
B E W E L L N E S S
INGREDIENTS:
• Cinnamon: Antibacterial; Antiviral
• Clove: Antibacterial; Antiseptic
• Lemon: Uplifts; Kills Bacteria Reduces Inflammation
• Oregano: Antimicrobial; Antioxidant
• Eucalyptus: Decongestant; Provides Healing
HOW TO USE:
Apply to wrists or feet. Do not use it on your face.
home defender
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the following essential oils.
INGREDIENTS:
• Orange: Reduces Stress; Antimicrobial
• Eucalyptus: Decongestant; Provides Healing
• Cinnamon: Antibacterial; Antiviral
• Black Pepper: Supports the Nervous System
• Clove: Antibacterial; Antiviral
• Rosemary: Reduces Stress; Helps with Respiratory Fatigue
HOW TO USE:
Fill the diffuser with water and apply the desired amount of drops.
events
SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
NOVEMBER 11TH
Veterans Day Parade
Gay Street, Downtown Knoxville | 10:30 AM
American Legion Post 2 invites you to the 99th Veterans Day Parade, Monday, Nov. 11. The parade will begin at 10:30 and travel down Gay St. Join us in honoring the men and women who have served honorably in the United States Armed Forces. Visitknoxville.com/event/veterans-day-parade/27784
NOVEMBER 14TH
MoxCar Marketing + Communications Masterworks Series: The Firebird
Tennessee Theatre | 7:30 PM
The Knoxville Symphony takes flight in November with a fiery program featuring Auerbach’s driving “Icarus,” Williams’ enchanting “Hedwig’s Theme,” and Stravinsky’s thrilling suite from “The Firebird.” KSO Concertmaster William Shaub takes center stage with Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto. Nov. 14 and 15. KnoxvilleSymphoneyOrchestra.com
NOVEMBER 21ST
A Christmas Carol
Clarence Brown Theatre | 7:00 PM
Knoxville’s Most Beloved Family Tradition! For more than three decades, Knoxvillians have returned year-after-year to experience this timeless story of hope and redemption. This season, make “A Christmas Carol” part of your holiday tradition. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll create a wonderful memory… and you will leave the theater with a warm heart and renewed spirit! Nov. 21-Dec. 21. ClarenceBrowntheatre.com
NOVEMBER 23RD
Home Alone: Film + Orchestra
Tennessee Theatre | 8:00 PM
Bring family and friends to the Civic Auditorium (but first check to see you have all your children) for holiday favorite Home Alone. Enjoy the hilarious hijinks of Kevin and the “Wet Bandits” projected on the big screen as the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ unforgettable score live. KnoxvilleSymphoneyOrchestra.com
NOVEMBER 23RD
Hot to Trot 5k/10k/Fun Run
Turkey Creek | 7:30 AM
The Hot to Trot 5k, 10k and Fun Run are great ways to start your Thanksgiving Day! The 5K course starts on Parkside Drive in front of Fleet Feet Knoxville and runs through Turkey Creek area then loops back. The 10K course is a two-loop course. The Fun Run is out and back on Parkside Drive for a total of one mile. Runsignup.com/Race/Events/TN/Knoxville/HotToTrot
NOVEMBER 24TH
Retropolitan Craft Fair
The Mill & Mine | 11:00 AM
Over the past decade, The Retropolitan Craft Fair has grown from a fledgling local market into one of the premiere maker events in the Southeast. We’re proud to be part of Knoxville’s flourishing maker community and are grateful to our sponsors, vendors, and patrons for making this little dream of ours a reality. www.retropolitancraft.com
Want to be featured?
GET IN TOUCH AT CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/WESTKNOXVILLE
NOVEMBER 25TH
Town of Farragut Light in the Park
Founders Park at Campbell Station | 5:30 PM
From dusk to 10 p.m. nightly Nov. 25-Jan. 1, thousands of holiday lights will twinkle along Campbell Station Road as part of Light the Park. Beginning with Countdown to Light the Park from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25. Santa will flip the big switch. Live entertainment, crafts and refreshments will precede the lighting. There will be giveaways, food trucks and caroling scheduled throughout Light the Park. Facebook.com/FarragutParksAndRec
NOVEMBER 26TH
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Gala Among the Trees
Knoxville Convention Center | 7:00 PM
East Tennessee Children's Hospital invites you to the Gala Among the Trees, presented by TennesSEED Erosion Control. Wear your holiday best, enjoy delicious food and celebrate an elegant night among the trees to benefit Children's Hospital. Tickets: $150/adult. Etch.com/Ways-to-Give/Events
NOVEMBER 27TH
40th Anniversary East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Fantasy of Trees
Knoxville Convention Center
East Tennessee Children's Hospital Fantasy of Trees presented by Axle Logistics. Travel through a forest of more than 350 beautifully designed trees, holiday accessories, storefront windows, door designs, table centerpieces and an Adopt-a-Tree forest decorated by local school children. All priced to sell. Benefiting Children's Hospital and the lives of kids throughout East Tennessee and beyond. Nov. 27Dec. 1. Etch.com/Ways-to-Give/Events
NOVEMBER 28TH
40th Annual Regal Turkey Trot and Kid's Mile
Downtown Knoxville 227 West Depot Avenue | 8:30 AM
Run a 5k or mile with your family, friends, and co-workers in the oldest and largest holiday race in East Tennessee. The Little Gobbler one-mile run starts at 8 a.m. The 5K starts at 8:45. Presented by Knoxville Track club, the race will be running the same downtown Knoxville course that participants run year after year (taking into account the current Gay Street Bridge closure). Ktc.org/Events/Regal
NOVEMBER 29TH
East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition 2024
Knoxville Museum of Art | 9:00 AM
The 19th Annual East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition, presented by the Knoxville Museum of Art showcases the strength and diversity of art education programs in East Tennessee, celebrates talented middle and high school students, and supports arts education. Students participate in a juried exhibition to have their artworks displayed in a professional art museum environment. Nov. 29-Jan.12. KnoxArt.org/event/etrsae
NOVEMBER 29TH
Holidays on Ice
Market Square | 4:00 PM
Skate with a date or friends and family in the heart of Market Square. Presented by Home Federal Bank, the open-air rink opens the day after Thanksgiving through Jan. 5, 2025. Knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/special_events/knoxvilles_holidays_on_ice
OK. It’s Confession Time
Which is fine because I have no problem admitting when I am wrong. (Yes, that is sarcasm.)
Anyway, not so long ago, whenever someone would start talking about all the toxic things in food, clothing, and everything else I would just roll my eyes and think they were nutty. However, over the last few years, I have found myself turning into one of the crazies I just described!
The “final straw” is embarrassing to admit, because it was right in front of my face and I never put the pieces together. I knew that the skin is the largest organ in the body. So, why didn’t I ever think that whatever it absorbs has a notable impact on what happens on the inside? Well, I know now!
The end result is this: We now carry a number of products that are as “clean” and natural as possible. Davroe remains committed to providing products that are 100% vegan, plant-based and sulphate, paraben, and petrochemical free. The response has been terrific and people overwhelmingly like the performance! So, if you’re looking for clean hair products, then ask us about Davroe.
And since we care about more than just your hair, we started carrying RainwaterFarms products. They are passionate about creating clean products from lip balm to laundry soap. The more you learn about this, the more inclined you’ll be to pay attention to what goes on your skin and in your mouth! So, if you are one of the “clean-freaks”, or just want to see if it makes a difference for you, then we’ve got you covered!
And, just so you know, this “clean” doesn’t mean you will stop frantically wiping your house down before your friends come over… just sayin’!
Schedule Your Appointment Today At One Of Our 8 Salon Locations
dip -giving
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
Fall is synonymous with gathering with friends and family and enjoying time together. Whether it is for Thanksgiving, a football watch party or a simple fall gathering, these easy appetizer dips are the perfect shareable snack to share.
garlic herb feta dip
ingredients:
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 whole garlic bulb, roasted
• 1 ¼ cup feta cheese
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
fig & honey brie
ingredients:
• 8 ounce brie wheel
• 1/3 cup fig spread or jam
• ¼ cup pecans
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
directions:
First, cut the head off of the top of the garlic bulb, and drizzle olive oil on top. Wrap in foil, and place it in an oven heated to 425 degrees. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft. Squeeze roasted garlic into a bowl, and set aside. Next, add the yogurt, feta, lemon juice, salt, pepper and water in a blender and lightly blend. Add the roasted garlic and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables. Enjoy!
directions:
Place brie in a baking dish. Spread the fig spread on top of brie and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Drizzle with honey. Add fresh herbs, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with pita chips or crackers.
creamy pumpkin cheesecake dip
ingredients:
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
directions:
Place cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl, and soften for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in pumpkin and blend until combined. Mix in heavy whipping cream and mix on high for 2 minutes. Next, stir in pumpkin pie spice. Serve with sliced apples, pretzels, graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
We Care for Your Skin
Receive the care you deserve in a friendly, welcoming environment with knowledgeable staff. Medical Services include treatment for skin cancer, acne, psoriasis, moles, rashes, eczema & more. We offer a variety of laser procedures including vein treatments, pigmented lesions, hair removal, micro-needling, skin tightening, CO2, and tattoo removal. Our goal is to help you achieve and maintain healthy skin. You will see only Board-Certified Dermatologists at each and every medical visit. We promise to schedule an appointment within 1-7 business days.
FDA-approved to temporarily make moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines look better in adults.
fillers made with Hyaluronic Acid to help add volume to different areas of the face without surgery.
A series of injections to the treatment area under the chin, destroying fat cells and producing gradual results.
Dermal
Botox ® Juvederm ®
Kybella ®
ACNE | SCARS | HAIR REMOVAL | REDNESS | SPIDER VEINS | WRINKLES | SUN AGING AND MORE