Hardee's raises $350,000 to help nonprofits
Restaurants owned by members of the Independent Hardee's Franchisee Association raised just over $350,000 in its annual Stars for Heroes campaign, according to an IHFA release.
Fifty percent of the money was split between two national charities: The Dream Foundation and USACares. The remaining 50 percent was divided among regional charities that included Fisher House of Tennesssee, Fisher House of Wisconsin, Minnesota Military Family Foundation, National Military Family Association, Operation Homefront, Rangers Lead the Way, Stand Up and Play, The Highground, The Patriot Foundation and Veteran's Airlift.
The $10,000 donation to Fisher House will help shelter and support members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families who reside in the house while their loved ones receive medical care.
Free haircuts, meals for military personnel
Great Clips hair salons are giving veterans a free haircut starting Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, through Dec. 31.
Veterans who visit Great Clips on Nov. 11 can receive either a free haircut that day or a card authorizing a free haircut, which must be used by the end of the year. Additionally, other customers who come into any Great Clips salon on Nov. 11 and purchase a service will receive a card for a free haircut to give to a veteran. Cards are limited one to a customer.
On Monday, Nov. 17, Golden Corral will thank active-duty and retired U.S. military personnel for their service with a free dinner and beverage. From 5 to 9 p.m. that day, the national chain of restaurants will serve free all-you-can-eat buffet dinners to any person who currently serves or has served in any U.S. military branch. Military ID is required.
Golden Corrals are located at 1808 Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga and at 350 Stuart Road NE in Cleveland, Tenn.
Red Lobster will thank active military, veterans and reservists for their service with a free appetizer from Monday, Nov. 10, through Thursday, Nov. 13. The offer is available to diners with military ID at any Red Lobster restaurant, according to Madeline Jaeger, corporate communications account coordinator.
CSO playing free Veteran's Day concert
Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will present a free Veteran's Day concert on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium.
The concert, which will be conducted by Kayoko Dan, is open to the public. The symphony will be joined by the CSO Chorus, directed by Darrin Hassevoort.
The program will include an Armed Forces salute, John Williams's "Hymn to the Fallen" from "Saving Private Ryan" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Seating is general admission; doors into the hall will open at 6:30 p.m. More information is on the CSO website, www.chattanoogasymphony.org.
Sea Cadet funds Phones for Vets
Hunter Vespie, a 16-year-old Petty Officer First Class with the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corps, Signal Mountain Division, raised $1,224 for to buy 102 telephones for veterans who are patients at veterans hospitals.
For her fundraising effort, the Judge David Campbell Chapter of the DAR presented Hunter with the chapter's DAR Service to Veterans Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award.
Phones for Veterans is a project of the Tennessee Daughters of the American Revolution. After hearing about the fundraiser, Hunter took the project to her hometown of Lancing, Tenn. She travels from Lancing, which is between Cookeville and Knoxville, to Signal Mountain for bimonthly Sea Cadet meetings.
The phones are lightweight, inexpensive, disposable and designed to lie flat on a table or bed. They have large, raised numbers that are easy to read. Patients at VA hospitals may receive the phones while they are in-patient and may take them home when they leave. They provide veterans a means of keeping in touch with family and friends while hospitalized.
Three complete ROTC leadership training
Three area men have graduated from Army Reserve Officer Training Corps leader development and assessment course known as Operation Warrior Forge at Fort Knox, Ky.
Cadets in their junior and senior year of college must complete the 29-day training. Upon successful completion of the course, their ROTC program, and graduation from college, cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army, National Guard or Reserve. They are:
• Samuel T. Dickson, son of Wayne and Tammie Dickson, is a graduate of Chattanooga Christian School.
• Emmanuel Martinez, son of Edith Martinez, is a graduate of East Ridge High School.
• James R. Jolly, son of David Jolly of Dalton, Ga., is a graduate of Christian Heritage School in Dalton.
Nolan receives veteran's award
Sgt. Lecil Nolan, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War, has been named recipient of the annual Palmer Veteran's Apreciation Award in Grundy County, Tenn. The award is presented each November by town historian David Patton, sponsored by Citizen's Tri-County Bank.
Nolan served as an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam from January 1971 to December of that year. His military decorations included Combat Infantryman Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars and Republic of Vietnam Service Medal.
He is the son of the late Claude and Ruby Haynes Nolan and a graduate of Grundy County High School. He is retired from the U.S. Postal Service.
Basic training graduates
• Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C: Army Pvt. Alex McAtee, son of Brandy and Doug McAtee of Dalton, Ga.; Army Pvt. Bradley N. Weaver, son of Wade Crews, graduate of Soddy-Daisy High School; Army Pvt. Justin Williams, son of Randy and Terri Williams, graduate of Ringgold High School; Army Pvt. Michael Anderson, son of Michael and Shannon Anderson, graduate of Hixson High School; Army Pvt. Daniel Pody, graduate of Soddy-Daisy High School; and Army Pvt. Carolanna Towle, daughter of Elizabeth A. Pendergrass of Cleveland, Tenn., graduate of Cleveland High School.
• Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas: U.S. Air National Guard Airman 1st Class William P. Thompson, son of Myrna Thompson and Billy O'Neill of Trenton, Ga., graduate of Dade County High School; Air Force Airman Mason G. Crawley, son of Larry and Tracey Crawley of Chatsworth, Ga., graduate of North Murray High School; Air Force Airman Eddie A. Layne, son of Beulah and Gerald Layne of Dunlap, Tenn., graduate of Sequatchie County High School; Air Force Airman 1st Class James A. Grubb, son of Melanie and William Grubb, graduate of Central High School.