Tops in `24: Hardships, turmoil, yet Helene Town relief
-
Pieces of scattered green roofing can still be seen days after the collapse of the metal roof on D Dock at Sun Life Concord Marina on Fort Loudoun Lake from heavy snowfall Monday, Jan. 16. While work continued to clean up the dock, “We’re relieved to report that nobody was injured,” stated Ric Cheyney, chief of marine operations for Sun Life, in a press release. “Safety is, and will remain, our number one priority. ... Our dedicated crews continue their efforts to clean up and remove the damaged dock section ... and enhance overall safety stability.” Marina manager James Bisch said that while some boats were damaged, none sunk. No dollar amount of damage was estimated. - File photos
-
Volunteer Jenna Tamborino of Farragut takes a case of water from a Protech Automotive Solutions volunteer while filling a dump truck during a Town of Farragut-led Hurricane Helene relief effort in Faith Promise Church parking lot, West End Avenue, Friday, Oct. 4. - File photos
In terms of the darker side of Farragut and local news in 2024, a dead body was discovered in a pond at Willow Creek Golf Club, two anonymous threats were made targeting Hardin Valley Middle School, causing two evacuations — with a minor charged for one of the threats — and the winter weather destruction of a Dock D metal roof at Sun Life Concord Marina (see photo, above right).
Hurricane relief effort
However, in terms of how Town of Farragut responded to Hurricane Helene victims in northeast Tennessee, a huge bottled water relief effort kicked off and culminated Friday, Oct. 4, in the parking lot of Faith Promise Church, West End Avenue.
From Alex Cain, newly elected Town of Farragut Alderman in 2024 representing the North Ward, to Knox County Mayor Glenn “Kane” Jacobs — with help from Town officials — Farragut and the county each contributed big-time with water bottle drives to help these victims.
While Jacobs helped lead the county’s effort in a Knoxville-based water drive Saturday, Oct. 5, from the Town side of things came a water donation drive spearheaded by Cain and Town administrator David Smoak — along with help from several Town employees and at least one local business — in the parking lot of Faith Promise Church, West End Avenue, from early morning to early afternoon, Friday, Oct. 4.
The result, according to Cain, was roughly 12,000 cases (each case having from 40 to 48 bottles ranging from 16 to 20 ounces) collected, which was “two full dump trucks plus a Town of Farragut pick-up truck equivalent of water collected today. … And that doesn’t count three extra vans full” from Protech Automotive Solutions/Caliber Collision.
As for what prompted the Town’s response, “Monday, (a radio station) and The Sports Animal (radio), they were doing a supply drive at their radio station, and they had a company bring them a semi-truck trailer; their goal was to fill the trailer,” Cain said.
“... I reached out to David Smoak and to (Town Mayor) Ron Williams. I sent an e-mail out to all the aldermen and everybody and said, ‘Hey, can we, as a Town, do something like this?’ Then David Smoak ran with it after that. He coordinated.”
