A 375 foot long replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC will be on display in Cookeville from October 22 to October 25, 2026. Cookeville is one of the remaining stops on the 2026 “Wall That Heals” tour of 31 communities nationwide. Admittance is free and it is open to the public 24 hours a day. The Wall is an exact replica, displaying the names of over 58,000 American service members who lost their lives during that war. All ages are welcome to visit the Wall, browse the exhibits and encouraged to leave notes, flowers and mementos of remembrance. The Wall, will be on display in Cookeville at the Putnam County Convention Center, 2121 Event Center Drive. The Convention Center is north of I40 on Tennessee Avenue at Exit 283. Members of the Carthage Rotary Club are planning to join other local volunteers to welcome visitors at the exhibit. For more information or to volunteer, visit ‘The Wall that Heals’, putnamcountytn.gov. For additional information about the exhibit, visit Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at www.vvmf.org.

 

The Carthage Rotary Club on Tuesday October 27 at 11 AM will feature three local residents with Alpha-gal Syndrome to share their stories. Alpha Gal is an emerging tick borne allergy that has a unique symptom, sensitivity to mammalian meat after a tick bite. Sometimes the first symptom is a life threatening allergic reaction hours after consuming meat that sends the patient to the emergency room. Mammalian meats include beef, pork, and lamb.

The allergic response is delayed 3-6 hours after eating and is diagnosed by a blood test. It was often undiagnosed, because of lack of awareness. Last year Tennessee passed legislation requiring Alpha-gal Syndrome reporting. The first documented death from Alpha -gal was also reported last year.

It was first recognized in 2009, after two dozen cases were reported in medical journals. Since then, there has been a significant increase in positive tests for Alpha-gal Syndrome. Mammalian meat allergy has increased 5,500% since 2015 according to one study. The Center for Disease Control has estimated that 450,000 Americans might be affected by the condition.

All are invited to attend this meeting at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce in Carthage, to learn more about Alpha-gal Syndrome and to experience a Carthage Rotary meeting. Please message the Carthage Rotary Club facebook page if you would like to join us, as lunch is provided, or call Barbara at 615 489-5900.

Contact Cheryl Puhl

847 428 8894 (text) or cherylpuhl@gmail.com

The Pavilion Senior Living at Carthage will host “Trunk or Treat in Wonderland” on Thursday, October 29, from 4 to 6 p.m. at its facility located at 130 Lebanon Highway in Carthage.

The community is invited to follow the rabbit hole for an evening of Halloween treats and fun with a whimsical Wonderland theme. Costumes are encouraged, and families are invited to come enjoy the festive atmosphere.

For more information, contact The Pavilion Senior Living at Carthage.

The Crew Anderson Denney Foundation is excited to announce that singer/songwriter Ashley Miller will provide live music during its upcoming “Pancakes, Pumpkins & Play” fundraiser on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Lock Seven Park, 367 Lock 7 Lane, Carthage.

Miller, a West Virginia native, brings a unique blend of bluegrass, folk, country and Americana to her music. She studied Commercial Music: Artist Development at Liberty University, where she was also a member of the bluegrass worship team E41.

Miller and her fellow musicians travel to churches and venues across the country, performing both traditional and modernized bluegrass music.

The “Pancakes, Pumpkins & Play” event will raise funds for the Crew Anderson Denney Foundation, which works to help families facing childhood illness and those navigating the grieving process. The event will feature pancakes, pumpkins, activities and live music.

Tickets are available now at Pancakes, Pumpkins & Play ticket page.

Businesses interested in supporting the event as sponsors are also encouraged to contact the Crew Anderson Denney Foundation at crewandersondenneyfoundation@gmail.com.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Tiger Football Club will once again present Lights of Long Branch, a drive-through Christmas light display celebrating the holiday season.

Visitors can enjoy a drive through sparkling lights, beautifully decorated trees and festive Christmas scenes designed for the whole family. The display will be open November 28 through December 23.

Admission is $15 per vehicle. Lights of Long Branch is located at 478 Lancaster Road in Lancaster, Tennessee.

For more information, visit LightsOfLongBranch.com or find Lights of Long Branch on Facebook.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tiger Football Booster Club.

 

The Smith County Heritage Museum is inviting individuals, families, clubs, groups and businesses to participate in its 2026 Decorated Christmas Tree Contest.

Participants must provide their own Christmas tree, and no lights will be allowed due to limited electrical outlets. Trees may be decorated at the museum on Oct. 22-24 and Oct. 29-31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Visitors will vote on the trees from Nov. 5 through Dec. 18. The tree receiving the most votes will win $25, and everyone who votes will be entered into a drawing for a 2026 Heritage Museum Christmas ornament. Winners will be announced Dec. 19.

To reserve a spot, call 615-735-1104 or email heritagemuseum@dtccom.net. The Smith County Heritage Museum is located at 107 Third Ave. N., Carthage, and is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

Amateur radio operators and community members are invited to take part in the Ham Radio Go-Kit Challenge, an Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Field Day, on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Carthage Courthouse.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. and focus on emergency communications, disaster preparedness and the role amateur radio can play when traditional communication systems are unavailable.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn about several important aspects of emergency response, including rapid deployment of communications equipment, off-grid power, life-saving traffic communications and community resilience.

The event will demonstrate how amateur radio operators can help communities stay connected during emergencies and disasters, particularly when power outages or damaged infrastructure disrupt regular communication services.

Organizers encourage the public to come learn about emergency communications and discover ways to become better prepared for unexpected disasters.

The Go-Kit Challenge offers an opportunity to see emergency communications in action and learn how radio technology can support public safety and community preparedness.

 

On Tuesday, October 6^th, starting at 6PM, the Upper Cumberland Extension Team is hosting our Beef Summit at the White County Fairgrounds at 565 Hale St in Sparta!  Our speaker for the event is David Bilderback from UT’s Center of Farm Management and he will be talking about buying vs. retaining heifers in your herd.  There will be a free meal provided as well.  If you are interested in attending, please call our office at 615-735-2900 or email wherber4@vols.utk.edu for more information!

 

Willette Christian Church will host a Community Clothing Exchange on Saturday, October 10, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Pleasant Shade Community Center.

The event is being held to help anyone in the community who may be in need of clothing. All clothing will be available at no cost, giving participants the opportunity to find “new to them” items for themselves or their families.

Community members are also encouraged to bring clean, gently used clothing they no longer need or want. Those item can be donated to the exchange, allowing someone else in the community to put them to good use.

Donations will be accepted, and browsing is free. Everyone is welcome to attend, whether they have clothing to donate, are looking for clothing, or simply want to support the community effort.

The Pleasant Shade Community Center is located at 43 Pleasant Shade Hwy, Pleasant Shade, TN.