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When life gives you lemons ...

Local families sell lemonade to benefit foster kids

September 17, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

A group of local families recently got together to man a lemonade stand in front of the Painted Tree on Kingston Pike to benefit Isaiah 117 House.

“Anyone in the area could volunteer to do a lemonade stand,” said Katelyn Reilly, whose family gathered with others to host a stand at the Painted Tree.

“I personally decided to volunteer for one because I am passionate about adoption and foster care,” she said. “Our adopted son who is 5 now was removed from his birth parents’ home out of concern for his own welfare due to a drug issue.

“Fortunately for us, his birth mother chose an adoption path for his life, and we were able to bring him into our home two weeks later,” Reilly said. “He was only 2 months old (when adopted), but many kids’ stories don’t have a happy ending like in our family.

“When they are forcefully removed from the home for their safety, oftentimes they leave without warning or many personal belongings and are brought to a child welfare office to await placement,” she said. “That is where the mission of the Isaiah 117 House steps in. We are a physical place filled with caring volunteers for children to go while they are awaiting placement in the foster care system.”

Virtue Church planning outdoor, dog-friendly service

September 17, 2025 by Staff reports

Virtue Church will be joining thousands of churches across the country Sunday, Sept. 21, in observing National Back to Church Sunday at the church, 725 Virtue Road, Farragut.

This year’s special event, centered on the theme, “Life is Better Together,” will be an outdoor worship service, starting at 11 a.m., when all members of the Farragut community — including their four-legged friends — are invited to attend, according to the Rev. Bill Lyle, pastor of Virtue Church.

He said the church decided to open up the event as a dog-friendly service because “most people that have dogs are like us: The dog is part of the family.”

The service will be followed by a celebratory cookout. Everyone is welcome.

“We know that loneliness is a growing issue in our culture,” Lyle said. “Our community should know that our church is a resource and a place where people can connect, find support, prayer and make friends for when life gets hard.”

Artfest

September 17, 2025 by

Many area children showed their talent while others learned some new skills when they attended Town of Farragut’s annual Artfest in the parking lot of Farragut Community Center, Sunday, Sept. 14.

Sponsored by Farragut Parks and Recreation, children went from booth to booth and made bookmarks; painted rocks, fans and masterpieces on easels; had fun with spiral painting art and more.

Afterward, they could hang up their works to dry on a line in the center’s lawn.

Farragut Lions Club’s to hold 9th annual Car Show

September 17, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

Knox Countians can help their children and neighbors by attending Farragut Lions Club’s 9th annual Car Show, which takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 4, in JCPenney’s parking lot along Parkside Drive.

“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year that we do to raise funds to help our club help the community in several areas, primarily kids’ sight screening, vision care, providing glasses for those less fortunate, hunger and diabetes awareness,” said Tom Nitz, Lion tamer and car show committee chairman. “One hundred percent of what we raise goes back into the community in those specific projects, whether that be vision machinery for the kids’ eye screenings or buying food for somebody or helping food pantries.

“We want (the show) to be a community event and try to partner with the area businesses as well, just to bring goodness to the community,” he said.

While the event for spectators is free, the car entry fee into the show is “strictly by donation,” Nitz said. “We don’t charge to come in, we just ask that they give a donation.

“Our primary funds from the car show come from the business community in the area by sponsorships.”

The show features cars and motorcycles from vintage to new.