Town Talk

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

--John Lennon

HEARD ON THE TOWN

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT of Chattanooga honored four businesses during the eighth annual Free Enterprise Society Breakfast Banquet. Honorees receiving the organization's prestigious John G. Kain IV Corporate Citizenship Awards were Tenth Street Capital, First Tennessee Bank, McKee Foods and Tennessee Valley Authority.

The awards were presented by East Lake Elementary students Cody Sowers and Marlisha Caldwell.

Winners are selected based on the largest number of Junior Achievement programs taught in the classrooms and categorized by the number of employees eligible to volunteer, according to Martha Brown, JA marketing manager.

Also recognized were Jean Wenn Luce, manager of marketing communications from Unum, with the W. Max Finley "JA Volunteer of the Year" award. Finley was one of the founding Junior Achievement board members in 1960. Luce has been involved with the organization since 1997.

"Because of the unwavering support and commitment of businesses and their volunteer teaching in our local school classrooms, lifelong impact is made on students participating in the Junior Achievement program," said Brigette Thurman, Junior Achievement of Chattanooga president.

The "Free Enterprise Society" was established in 2004 to raise awareness and recognize individual supporting Junior Achievement of Chattanooga's programs in the Hamilton, Catoosa, Marion and Walker County school systems, Brown said.

In 2006, the first John G. Kain IV Corporate Citizenship Awards were presented in order to honor those companies that go above and beyond in their volunteer support of Junior Achievement, Brown said.

Kain was one of the founding board members of Junior Achievement of Chattanooga. He served as chairman of the board from 1960-1962 and served on the National Board of Junior Achievement. His son, John Kain, was present at the event.

Up next for the local JA chapter is the "Big Bids for JA Kids" Auction Party at Bessie Smith Hall on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. In addition to a live auction, bidders will have the opportunity to bid on silent auction packages.

Among the items up for bid are a Bonefish Grill wine tasting for 10 with appetizers, oak grilled fish and desserts; four round-trip Southwest Airline tickets; an iPad; a Destin, Fla., beach vacation; a woman's Alwand Vahan gold/silver bracelet; a NASCAR package for four for the Talladega 500; and a Chattanooga Fun Day package.

The "Big Bids for JA Kids" online auction opens Jan. 30 and goes through Feb. 8 at www.biddingforgood.com/bigbidsforjakids.

Last year's auctions raised more than $48,000 for Junior Achievement's kindergarten-12th-grade programs.

Junior Achievement of Chattanooga is the area's premier economic education nonprofit organization, specializing in placing volunteers from the business community in the classroom to help students see first-hand the value of their education, according to Thurman. Junior Achievement of Chattanooga has been serving the Greater Chattanooga community since 1960.

Tickets to the auction at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center are $50 per couple or $25 per person. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Guests will enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine.

For more information, call 892-4488 or email Renee Penney renee@jachatt.org.

EAR TO THE GROUND

THE PET PLACEMENT Center's "$20.12 Adoption Event" will be tomorrow at 5975 Dayton Boulevard in Red Bank.From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., dogs and cats over the age of 6 months can be adopted for $20.12.

All pets leave spayed or neutered, updated on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed and treated with flea and heartworm preventative.

"We have learned that money doesn't equal a good home," said Kerry Moyers-Horton, the center's executive director. "Every adopter must consider the cost of caring for a new dog or cat companion, but charging a higher adoption fee doesn't guarantee the new pet will be taken care of any better than one adopted for less."

"We have all sizes, colors and ages from which to choose. Everyone needs a furry friend to keep them warm during the cold winter months, and just think of all the fun you'll have outdoors once spring has sprung and the sun is shining bright," Moyers-Horton said.

TOASTS

YOU'RE NEVER TOO old for an adventure. So when Vance and Charlynne Fry of Harrison were given tickets to ride on a hot-air balloon to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, the energetic couple were thrilled.

The balloon ride was a gift from the Frys' good friends, Delores Beery and Leldon Nichols.

"We traveled to Cumming, Ga., to connect with Balloons Over Georgia," Mrs. Fry said. "We enjoyed a 15-mile ride over hill and dale covering Forsythe and Cherokee counties. We traveled over farms, rivers, parks, subdivisions, country roads, ridges, knolls, state highways and freeways. The 500-yard-high was very beautiful and quiet, except for the occasional noise of our pilot navigator pursuing his job of keeping us moving with his kerosene burner."

Mrs. Fry said a chase car on the ground followed the balloon during the hour-and-a-half ride, keeping contact to see where the pilot would land. "We were not scared, just a bit curious and excited to experience a brand new adventure. We did not know what to expect and were pleasantly surprised to realize the awesomeness of it all.

"The experience was most definitely an adventure and one we shall never forget," she said. "We are planning to repeat with another ride on our 100th anniversary."