Your presence is requested for the Ceremonial Ground Breaking of the NEW Blount County Animal Center—January 8, 2008 at 3pm

When: January 8, 2008 at 3pm

Where: 12-acre site located on Tyler Road located behind the

Boys and Girls Club

241 Currie Ave

Maryville, TN 37804

*The exact address has not been finalized as the road to the center is just being put in this week. Directions should be sourced based on the Boys and Girls Club address.

Who: Hosted by the Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation

What: The ceremony last approximately 30 minutes and will feature guest speakers (still waiting on confirmation of their attendance)

Why: Blount County is currently relying on the Loudon County Shelter to provide shelter to the homeless and abandoned animals in Blount County. The new Blount County Animal Center will feature an adoption center, over 140 kennels, medical suite and a focus on educational outreach to address the lack of spay and neutering of companion animals in the county.

Link...

Groundbreaking has started. Concrete is soon to be poured. Now is the time to really get involved with all the things going on with Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation and the New Blount County Animal Shelter.

Our next meeting is Saturday, January 12, 2008, at the Blount County Library. 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Come see shelter plans. Hear what we are doing to see that the animals in Blount County have a chance at life. That they do not starve on our streets, or be hit by cars, or shot or poisoned by people who are tired of dogs running loose.

Let us know if you are interested in the Memorial bricks which will pave a garden walk at the shelter, and I will see if I can have one of them brought to the meeting.

Come and make plans to dance the night away in the Gala Fundraiser, the first annual "Fur Ball" at the Royal Oaks Country Club. Dance for the Animals!

Come see us at the next meeting!! Bring your friends! Everyone who is interested in helping or learning about the new shelter is welcome to our meetings.

Terry

For more information call 865-524-3074. Remember to leave 56 days between donations.

Fine Arts Blount ArtSpace Gallery is hosting the Last Friday Art Walk.

Take a walk in downtown Maryville today, Friday the 25th, from 5:30PM to 8:30PM, and visit local businesses with displays from local artists (paintings, sculptures, glass blower, photographer, ceramics, and wood block prints).

Live music, Robinella, at Tomato Head.

Maps of participating businesses are available at Fine Arts Blount ArtSpace Gallery, 301 Church St. E, in downtown Maryville (865-982-0898).

Then, later if you are so inclined, head over to Music Row of Maryville for line dancing and square dancing from 8 to 11 PM. $5 admission. Music Row (865-983-8259) is at 2808 E. Lamar Alexander Highway (321). I believe Music Row is approx. 3/4 mile past Blount Memorial Hospital on the right.

Judge Mike Meares is touring Blount County and he want to meet YOU, your friends, family and neighbors. The tour is kicking off this Saturday, January 26, 1pm, at Bob's Mountaineer Restaurant on Chapman Hwy in Seymour. The Seymour Herald is going to be covering the event.

See the Elect Judge Meares website for more upcoming events.

An invitation to people concerned about the future livability and economic vitality of our community:

Visions for Blount County's Future: Balancing Growth and Quality of Life

Sunday, January 27, 2 – 3:30 pm
Blount County Library, Sharon Lawson Room

A program sponsored by The Raven Society
Guest speaker: Bridget Jones, Ed.D., Executive Director, Cumberland Region Tomorrow, a non-profit organization working to support and encourage quality growth in a 10-county region of Middle Tennessee through improved planning and coordination between public and private sectors, with emphasis on land use, transportation and rural preservation. Link....

Quality of life is key to both our economic health and our personal well-being. We know that high quality communities do not just happen. They require thought, effort, vision, collaboration and commitment.

Residents of Blount County value the small-town character of their communities and the open landscapes of their rural heritage, yet we must respond to the pressures for intense economic and population growth. The reality is that growth brings costs as well as opportunities. It requires both expensive new infrastructure and improvements to the old.

By planning for growth and guiding it, we can keep and enhance our county’s economic health and also maintain our unique assets.

This program will give an overview of quality growth: what it is, why we need it, and resources to help us plan for it. Please join us for this important program.

You are invited to stay for a brief Raven Society business meeting immediately following. Refreshments will be served.

Please forward this invitation to others. For more information call 256-8262.

For more information call 865-524-3074. Remember to leave 56 days between donations.

SPEAKER: Al Wiberly, a First Friday regular (except for summers when he is in Maine) since our beginning 4 years ago. Al's topic will be THE ENVIRONMENT--the big picture. He will discuss "Why the environment is going to hell."

Friday luncheons are held on the first Friday of the month, 11:30 am at Ryan's Steakhouse at Hunter's Crossing (Walmart) in Alcoa.

Citizen groups are welcome to join us at all First Friday Luncheons. Our programs tend to be non-partisan with an emphasis on good government and honest officials--both elected and appointed

Blount County Democratic Party Friday Luncheon
Ryan's Steakhouse at Hunter's Crossing (Walmart) in Alcoa
11:30AM TO 1:00PM