Community
July 2, 2020 by Michelle Hollenhead
Farragut High School had two elite graduates who reported for duty at the U.S. Air Force Academy, doing so just one week after coronavirus-delayed FHS graduation ceremonies were held Friday, June 19.
Both Tony Lyons and Gabriel Reiman received their official appointments to the prestigious military academy from Retired U.S.A.F. Col. Rick Kuhlman in a Saturday, June 13, ceremony.
The duo arrived on the Colorado Springs, Colorado campus Thursday, June 25, where they joined fellow FHS alums already attending the Academy: rising sophomore Joely Gruhn, rising junior Kaitlyn Grunau and rising senior Spencer Flint, all of whom were home in Farragut earlier this year due to the coronavirus shutdowns.
Tony Lyons
“I’m of course extremely blessed and excited to have been appointed, and I couldn’t have done it without outstanding support from friends and family,” said Lyons, son of Gerald Lyons and Tian Lyons.
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July 2, 2020 by Tammy Cheek
As the 2019-20 Rotary Club of Farragut officers and board step away from their roles, after setting fundraising and other records this past year, Rotary 6780 District Gov. Greg Maciolek swore in a new board to meet “unusual” challenges at the club’s first in-person meeting since March in Fox Den Country Club Wednesday, June 24.
“You have a lot of responsibility,” Maciolek said in addressing the new leaders among 39 in attendance. “And the rest of the club has a lot of faith in you.”
Staci Wilkerson, RCF 2019-20 president, handed over the gavel to Edward Jones, who officially took the reins as RCF’s 41st president Wednesday, July 1. She said the past Rotary year was marked with firsts and broken records.
For instance, the club donated $120,546 in charitable giving and donated $2,718 volunteer hours, which is equivalent to more than $69,000, Wilkerson reported.
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July 2, 2020 by Michelle Hollenhead
Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is in desperate need of new toys for its patients —and Farragut is more than stepping up to the challenge.
According to a press release, hospital patients are not allowed to visit the common play areas, and brand new toys are needed to bring into the patients’ rooms.
St. John Neumann Catholic School is the latest entity to support the cause, and are calling it “Christmas in July.” The event will kick off Monday, July 6, and continue to Sunday, July 19, with plans to delivery the toys Monday, July 20.
“We have had a lot of positive feedback already,” said Mary Marlowe, director of admission for SJNCS, who is leading the drive with Patrick Wade, the school’s director of development.
“I think people want something to feel good about and to be able to help the community right now,” she added.
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July 2, 2020 by Alan Sloan
As East Tennessee’s only Level III Trauma Center — with University of Tennessee Medical Center the only higher-level trauma unit between Bristol and Chattanooga — Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center’s distinction officially was recognized by State of Tennessee Department of Health last month.
Culminating a roughly 18-month process beginning with the closing of St. Mary’s Medical Center near downtown Knoxville, with Level III Trauma care capability realized in February, this Farragut hospital was granted “provisional status” in June.
“Receiving designation as a Level III Trauma Center allows us to treat more patients with more complex trauma injuries,” Travis Simmons, TTCMC chief nursing officer, said. “Trauma patients may have a short window of time from the occurrence of the injury to definitive specialized care, and this designation means that we can provide trauma patients with the right level of care as quickly as possible.”
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