Children to Experience the Thrill of Christmas Shopping through Regifting

November 5, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Christmas is the season for giving and children who participate in this year’s 6th Annual
Regifting Event will have a chance to experience that by doing something special for their parents and total strangers.

Regifting gives children ages 4 to 12 an opportunity to shop for their parents or caregivers at no cost. The gifts are then wrapped, tagged, and prepared for Christmas giving.

This year’s Regifting Event will be on Saturday, December 5 from 8 a.m. until noon or until all gifts are gone at the DeKalb County Complex. Families must pre-register their children through November 20 in order to be eligible for a chance to receive a door prize. This year children will be required to wear a mask. Please wait in your car while your children shop. All children who shop will receive a treat.

Donations are collected throughout the year for this event so that those who can’t afford to buy gifts can still share in the joy of giving by regifting something.

“We let kids come in and shop for their parents or caregivers. It’s not income based. It’s for anybody. They shop for free, wrap the presents, and fill out the card,” said Kim Walker, who organizes the annual event.

The children are then asked to prepare a blessing bag to be given to others.

This year, children will help assemble Blessing Bags for local nominees. You may contact Regifting event organizers to nominate someone who needs a blessing.

For their good deeds each of the children get to take home a goodie bag.

Walker said the hope is the children take home more than that. “We’re trying to share God’s love with kids to plant a seed so that no matter how old they are they always remember to help somebody else”.

The kids and other volunteers will also decorate a quilt square. “After they decorate the quilt squares we put them together and donate the quilt to somebody who needs a blessing in the community due to a health or life challenging issue,” said Walker. Again, you may contact the event organizers to nominate someone for the quilt.

If you need more information or would like to volunteer call or text Kim Walker at 931-212-7567 Monday through Friday responses will be after 4 p.m.

You may also contact Joanna Fuson at 615-517-9100 but no calls after 9 p.m.

You may email patchworkuc@outlook.com or visit facebook

November 5, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A DeKalb County Volunteer Firefighter escaped serious injury Wednesday afternoon after the fire truck he was driving crashed on Allen Ferry Road as he was responding to a vehicle fire on Cookeville Highway.

According to County Fire Chief Donny Green, Bill Brown was responding in Engine 59 (from the main station) to a vehicle fire on Cookeville Highway. While enroute, he was navigating a curve on Allen Ferry Road near Holmes Creek Road when the truck’s tires dropped off the side of the roadway. Firefighter Brown attempted to correct and the truck then crossed over the roadway and overturned.

“This was a very violent crash and we are so thankful that Bill escaped with minor injuries. Also, we can’t thank our partner agencies and community enough for the outpouring of support and concern shown,” said Chief Green.

As it was crashing, the fire truck clipped a utility pole and the rear portion of the truck separated from the cab and chassis.

The crash was investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. DeKalb EMS, Smithville Police and Fire, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene. Traffic was re-directed during the wreck investigation.

November 4, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A manager has been chosen for Smithville’s new Central Bark Dog Park.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting the Smithville Aldermen named Emmaly Bennett, who also serves as an employee at the DeKalb Animal Shelter, to oversee the dog park.

Bennett, who is a city employee, will be given a 90 cent per hour increase in pay for the extra duties.

The recommendation for a dog park manager came from Megan Moore, Director of the Animal Shelter, who addressed the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen during a recent special meeting and suggested Bennett for the job.

In her written proposal, Moore outlined the benefits of having a dog park manager: Increase safety and compliance of animals and people; reduce the risks of dogs being left unattended; and reduce the number of calls and stress to city officials by providing a contact for dog park related matters.

Moore said a dog park manager would be responsible for: checking rabies tags or certificates, upkeep of sanitation stations; landscape management, locking and unlocking entry, enforcing dog park rules, providing a non-emergency contact for citizens to report issues or suggestions, working with law enforcement if any issues arise, overseeing any future maintenance to the fence or equipment, and checking the park multiple times during normal business hours.

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