Friends of Cordell Hull Lake are proud to announce the“ 2024 Singer Songwriter Festival” with Wildwood Resort and Marina. This fundraising musical night will be held Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 3:00 – 9:30 p.m. FOCHL is honored to be the beneficiary of this special event that will allow attendees an exclusive opportunity to listen to award-winning artists performing the hits they made famous while hearing the stories behind the songs straight from the writers themselves.

Guests will enter through the South Deck Pavilion at Wildwood Marina located at 7316 Granville Highway Granville, TN. Limited tickets are available online as well as in person the day of the event. The ticket sales link can be found at https://fochl.square.site/. Tickets are $20 for the entire event.

The Singer Songwriter talents are instrumental for top hits such as ‘I Love a Rainy Night’ and ‘The Hardest Goodbye’ and the pens behind artists such as Blake Shelton, Alabama, Tim McGraw, Johnny Mathis, Dolly Parton, Luke Combs, The Band Perry, and Rascal Flatts. Caitlin Evanston has toured with Taylor Swift and Kelsea Ballerini.

The magical music line up for the evening:

3:00-3:50 – Lucy May

4:00-4:50 – Brian Sutherland

5:00-5:50 – Caitlin Evanson

6:00-6:50 – Jeff Cohen

7:00-7:50 – Even Stevens

8:15-9:30 – James T Slater

The Friends of Cordell Hull Lake are also hosting an online auction. Bidders do not have to attend the Festival to participate and win the bid. The auction will feature items and experiences donated by businesses and individuals across the state, and all proceeds from the auction will go to the FOCHL. Items requiring pick up will be coordinated within the week. The auction can be viewed https://app.galabid.com/fochl2024/items .

The Friends of Cordell Hull Lake is a non-profit group of community citizens and business owners with a mission of promoting and preserving the natural, historical, and recreational resources of beautiful Cordell Hull Lake. To learn more or to become a member of the friends group visit http://FriendsOfCordellHullLake.org.

The first Saturday in November has become a highlight on the calendar and a busy morning on the campus of Gordonsville High School, as it marks the annual Chad’s Run 5K. This spirited event draws participants and supporters from all corners of the community, filling the campus with excitement and camaraderie.

Chad’s Run was established in honor of Chad Hunter, who suffered a life-altering automobile accident on February 14, 2004. This tragic event left him in need of around-the-clock care, prompting the community to rally together to support him. Proceeds from the race are directed into the Chad Hunter Trust, which provides essential financial assistance for Chad’s ongoing care and well-being.

In addition to supporting Chad, the event has a broader mission: each year, Chad’s Run awards scholarships to one senior from Gordonsville High School and one senior from Smith County High School. These scholarships are aimed at students aspiring to pursue careers in the medical field, furthering Chad’s legacy of compassion and resilience.

This year, the race will kick off at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2022, at Gordonsville High School. For those looking to participate, race day registration will open at 8:00 a.m., providing a perfect opportunity for both seasoned runners and newcomers to join in the fun and make a difference in their community. Whether you’re running, walking, or cheering from the sidelines, Chad’s Run promises to be a meaningful and memorable day for everyone involved.

Join us for the William Walton Harvest Festival on Saturday, September 28, 2024! This exciting event promises a full day of fun, entertainment perfect for families and friends alike.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Historic Smith County Courthouse will come alive with the sounds of live music performed by a diverse lineup of talented artists. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere on the courthouse lawn, where you can explore engaging demonstrations, partake in fun games, and let the kids jump to their hearts’ content in the inflatable bounce houses.

Stroll along Main Street and 3rd Avenue, which will be bustling with a variety of vendors and food trucks offering mouthwatering treats and unique crafts. The festival will also feature pioneer craft demonstrations, allowing you to experience a glimpse into the past.

This year’s festival is especially significant as we celebrate the 225th Anniversary of Smith County. To honor this milestone, we’re hosting an Authentic Costume Contest for those who come dressed in attire from the 1799 era. There will also be a cake walk showcasing delicious homemade cakes and treats.  A pie-eating contest and cotton candy eating contest for the youth will allow those with a competitive spirit to win some great prizes.

Don’t miss the Harvest Queen Pageant, which will kick off at 4:00 p.m., crowning this year’s queen amidst cheers and celebration.

As the festival winds down, stick around for a FREE concert sponsored by the American Legion Hall Post 57. Bring a chair and enjoy a relaxing end to a wonderful day!

For more information about this year’s event, please contact the Smith County Chamber of Commerce at 615-735-2093. We look forward to seeing you there!

Attention all former players of the Smith County High School Owls and Lady Owls Soccer teams! If you participated on these teams from 2002 to the present, we invite you to join us for a special Alumni Game on October 26th, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The event will take place at the Smith County Soccer Complex, located in Crump Paris Park.

This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with teammates, relive some cherished memories, and celebrate the legacy of our soccer programs. We encourage you to bring any memorabilia related to the teams—whether it’s old jerseys, photographs, or other keepsakes. We would love to include these items in our historical archives, and if you’re open to it, we can also take photographs for documentation purposes.

As part of our ongoing efforts to honor the history of Smith County soccer, we are working on compiling a book that captures the tradition and stories of our players. Your contributions will be invaluable to this project, helping us preserve the legacy of both the Owls and Lady Owls for future generations.

Join us for a delightful Fall Expo and Craft Share at the Pleasant Shade Community Center on Saturday, November 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.! This event promises to be a wonderful opportunity to explore a variety of unique crafts and handmade goods from local artisans.

We still have vendor spaces available for those interested in showcasing their talents and products.

For more information or to reserve your vendor space, please contact the number provided above. We look forward to seeing you there!

Gordonsville is preparing to light up the holiday season with its inaugural citywide Christmas lights contest, “The Lights of Gordonsville,” this December. Spearheaded by City Councilman Joe Robinson, the festive event aims to bring the community together in celebration of creativity and holiday cheer.

As part of the preparations, Robinson enlisted the talents of local students, inviting Gordonsville High School’s Art Club to participate in a special design challenge. Their task? Create the official artwork for the event’s banners and flyers. Not only would the winning student receive a cash prize, but their design would be featured across the city to promote the event.
The winner of the challenge was 9th-grader Scarlett Wilson, whose designs impressed the judges with their clarity, creativity, and memorable style. “Her designs were clear, memorable and creative. We are very impressed with Scarlett’s work,” Robinson commented. “Who knows, maybe she will decide to become a graphic designer one day, and we’ll be able to say we commissioned her first work!”

Robinson visited Gordonsville High School this week to personally present Scarlett with her $150 cash prize, along with a $100 donation to the GHS Art Club for their participation. Scarlett, age 14, was thrilled with the recognition, though she surprised many with her long-term career aspirations. “I’ve always loved drawn and animated media, and I think it’s cool to whip an idea out of my brain and onto paper,” she shared. Despite her love for art, Scarlett added, “I hope to become a mortician or embalmer.”

The Lights of Gordonsville contest promises to be a dazzling holiday spectacle, inviting residents to showcase their creativity through festive light displays. For more information or to enter the competition, visit the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages @TheLightsofGordonsville or email lightsofgordonsville@gmail.com.

Congratulations to Scarlett Wilson on her artistic achievement and to the community of Gordonsville for bringing such a festive event to life!

HAM Radio is not just a relic of the past, but an active, vital resource that serves our communities today. On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the area’s amateur radio operators and their clubs will showcase their skills and equipment in a competition at the Ag Center in Smith County.

During this event, participants will demonstrate their “Go Kits”—essential equipment that HAM operators can mobilize within one hour of being notified of a need. These kits are designed to operate independently of traditional communication infrastructures, such as cellular networks, fiber optics, copper wiring, the internet, or even the power grid. This means they can function effectively in local environments and transmit messages globally, ensuring reliable communication in times of crisis.

Many of these dedicated HAM operators collaborate with local and regional organizations, providing backup communication services when emergencies arise. They play a crucial role in supporting local hospitals, ensuring that their long-range communication equipment remains operational during critical times. Interestingly, most Tennessee Health Departments are equipped with communication radios that have yet to be tested or even unboxed since their delivery.

As public service sectors increasingly rely on digitally encoded, trunked, and linked systems—often dependent on internet connectivity—there is a significant risk that these systems may fail during a disaster. While these modern solutions work well most of the time, they can leave communities without communication capabilities when it matters most. HAM Radio serves as a reliable bridge in such situations.

We hope you’ll join us for this event to learn more about how HAM Radio continues to be a crucial tool for community resilience and safety. Additionally on this day a technician licensing study and testing class will be offered.

Smith County Young Farmers and Ranchers will host a Chili Cook-Off on Friday, October 18th, 5 p.m. at the Smith County Farmer’s Market.

For $8 you can get a bowl of chili, drink and chips. Every ticket purchased not only guarantees you a tasty dinner but also enters you into a drawing for exciting additional prizes throughout the event.

The Keep Smith County Beautiful committee is hosting a Fall Break clean-up day on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, The day will begin at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.

Thanks to the generous support of UCEMC CARES and Project Hometown Help grants a light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Clean-up supplies will be provided to all volunteers. Community service hours will be verified if needed.