When High Cotton Brewing Co. announced its Paying it Forward for Gatlinburg event, a donation drive for items needed by those displaced by fires in Gatlinburg and Sevier County, I saw an opportunity. As I have mentioned before, I work in Horn Lake, Mississippi for the organization that sanctions the card game bridge in North America. Our largest regional tournament happens in Gatlinburg every spring, and it is so popular and well-loved that the attendance is often not far off that of our three annual national tournaments.
I went to HR and got permission to send out a solicitation email to all our headquarters employees. I explained that I was dropping items off at the donation drive Wednesday night, and if anyone else wished to donate items I would be happy to drop theirs off too. Several co-workers responded and we had a nice little haul of travel-sized toiletries, baby food, diapers, and travel toothbrush kits:
I took the stuff down there about 5:40 yesterday evening. “Hopefully I will beat the crowd,” I thought. I didn’t! I had to park two blocks away. When I got inside, they directed me to the room in the back, where a MASSIVE haul of donations was being assembled. It was easily five times what I expected them to take in – and remember, when I got there, there were still more than three hours for people to drop off donations. They’re going to have to find a pretty big truck to get all that stuff to East Tennessee.
I’m aware that the local media mines my blog for news stories. I know it’s after the fact, but you might want to give the organizers a call and see if you can get at least a short sound bite or a blurb for print. This is a fantastic example of how the community can come together on short notice to do good for others.
The Memphis music community has the back of three brothers injured in the Gatlinburg-area fires last week. Brothers Brandon, Jared, and Wesley Summers are recovering as they mourn their parents who died in the fire. A benefit, organized by musician Sydney Carty, will be held at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, this Saturday.
Tonight is the celebration of the opening of the Edge triangle, creating useful greenspace for humans and their pets. Food vendors, music and other activities will happen at the triangle from 4 to 7 this evening. You remember when I blogged about this several weeks ago and said I WILL BE THERE? Well, I wasn’t expecting freezing cold temperatures tonight. I won’t be there.
The Grizzlies’ 2016 Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl will happen on Sunday, December 18. Register at Bardog starting at 12:30 PM. The crawl will leave Bardog at 1:45 to walk to the Silly Goose, then will depart the Goose at 2:45 for the next stop, Tin Roof. Contest winners will be announced at Tin Roof at 3:45, then at 4 it will be time to walk over to FedExForum for the 5:00 game vs. the Utah Jazz. There will be door prizes and trivia throughout the crawl, and the ugliest sweaters will be entered for a chance to win courtside seats. Tickets are from $25 for Terrace IV, from $30 for Terrace II, and from $70 for Pinnacle III.
Ghost River is having holiday movie nights in its taproom this month. Here’s the schedule:
The best way to watch holiday movies is with your friends. Oh, and with beer. pic.twitter.com/4V7zuADuO4
— Ghost River Brewing (@GhostRiverBrew) December 7, 2016
WMC has a photo gallery of the Downtown ice rink that will open this weekend.
High Ground News has an article on Dr. Bean’s Coffee, which is being sold at grocery stores around town and which is set to open a brick & mortar location at 72 Madison next year.
Here’s an excellent article on Butch Jones, coach of the 2016 college football Life Champions. “Those close to Jones paint the picture of a good man with good intentions.” Good intentions are exactly what are needed to bring home that Life Championship trophy.
Linda McMahon, wife of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, has been picked by President-Elect and WWE Hall of Famer Donald Trump to lead the Small Business Administration.
Don’t stand in the way of small business growth. Linda McMahon knows what to do: pic.twitter.com/MQQhpTUegS
— Robert Harding (@RobertHarding) December 7, 2016
Grab you a copy of the 2017 Memphis Redbirds schedule here.
The Silly Goose is having its annual Christmas soiree on Thursday, December 22. Since Christmas Eve is on a Saturday, many people have the 23rd off, making the 22nd an effective weekend night for them. This party could get wild. There will be punch and live music and Santa will be there. If it is the same Santa as previous years, he really really likes it when pretty girls sit on his lap. Ladies: If the line for Santa is too long, you can sit on my lap instead.
The Grizzlies host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at 7 at FedExForum.
Off to work… possibly back at lunchtime with another post.