Hensley, Haddad take charge of annual NJROTC fundraiser
These Farragut High School Navy Junior ROTC Booster Club members provided the meals for FHS NJROTC 2nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction Friday evening, March 23, in the school’s Commons. From left are Rosemary Hensley, event founder; Carolyn Rodgers, FHS Food Service manager; Cheri Burt, Mary Bales and Michele Boothe.
Speaking with Cmdr. Kevin Smathers, the school’s NJROTC Senior Naval Science instructor, “I said, ‘let’s do a spaghetti dinner,’” said Hensley, an NJROTC Booster Club member and mother of cadet Ensign Alex Hensley, an FHS junior.
The commander said, ‘good, you’re in charge.’ You don’t mess with a military order if you’re a volunteer,” added Rosemary, one of five boosters who served as volunteer cooks for the 2nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction Friday evening, March 23, in FHS Commons.
“Without Rosemary Hensley and Lisa Haddad (booster club president), this wouldn’t have been possible,” said Master Gunney Sgt. Bobby Hampshire, FHS NJROTC Naval Science instructor and event emcee.
With cadets selling 125 tickets to the event while auctioning off 75 items donated by close to 75 Farragut and area businesses, “the whole thing went smooth and really well,” Hampshire said. “I only had four items that did not get bid on, but they got sold. I held over only one thing.”
With a goal of raising $3,000 “for the kids,” Hampshire said, “We did come close.”
Hampshire praised cadets and volunteers for “working on up to the last minute” before the event securing auction items.
Other kitchen volunteers were Carolyn Rodgers, FHS Food Service manager, along with boosters Cheri Burt, Mary Bales and Michelle Boothe.
NJROTC competitions
The defending Knox County League Overall NJROTC Champions, Farragut NJROTC teams remain in competition to defend their crown.
The competition season will close, and the overall champion crowned, following the final competition, rifle drill, at Bearden High School Wednesday, May 2.
Farragut already has placed high in Armed Basic Drill (52 drill movements with a rifle) Unarmed Basic Drill (54 movements without a rifle) and Color Guard.
“Right now, we’re in contention of winning the overall again this year,” Hampshire said.
Competing schools also include BHS, Fulton, Central, South-Doyle, Loudon, Knoxville West, Anderson County and Gibbs (rifle only).
Annual Knox area NJROTC Field Meet at Fulton High School is scheduled for Friday morning, April 6.
This athletic competition is separate and does not factor points into Knox County League championship totals.
