Volunteers needed to build a playground in Montgomery Village

Volunteers are needed to build a playground on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at Community Unity Park, 4530 Joe Lewis Road, in Montgomery Village. The project is a joint effort of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), the city of Knoxville, Knox County and playspace nonprofit Kaboom.

Kid-designed and community-built, the organizers have already set a ribbon-cutting for 2:30 p.m. on Build Day, July 29. Construction will start on Wednesday morning, after two days of site prep.

Neighborhood children and their adults helped conceive the playspace in community design sessions held in June.

Once complete, the playground adjacent to Community Unity Greenway will feature two slides, two group swings, ladders and monkey bars, an adaptive merry-go-round and a Cozy Cocoon chair that offers sensory escape. The design also includes an adult fitness area with chin-up bars, parallel bars and a balance beam. An ADA-accessible path will provide improved access.

Funding for the new playground comes from the city of Knoxville and Knox County, each of which contributed $100,000. Kaboom supported the playground build as part of the nonprofit’s nationwide effort to end playspace inequity and ensure every child can experience the numerous physical, social and mental health benefits of play. KCDC coordinated community support and contributions to make the build a reality.

Those interested in volunteering for the build can sign up online. Work is available for all levels of skill and ability. Donations also are welcomed to cover refreshments for volunteers.

Catherine Howell of MoxCar Marketing + Communications provided information including the rendering for this story.

Tennessee has experts in pet obesity

The UTCVM Veterinary Obesity Center is staffed by world experts in pet obesity. Dr. Angela Rollins and Dr. Maryanne Murphy are board certified veterinary nutritionists with numerous publications in the fields of nutrition and obesity. The Center’s coordinator, Tammy Moyers, is an experienced veterinary technician with a specialty certification in nutrition.

Angela Rollins

Angela Rollins, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition) is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and clinical professor at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She received a bachelor’s from UT in 2000. She then attained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and PhD in comparative and experimental medicine from the University in 2004 and 2009, respectively. She also completed her nutrition residency training at Tennessee while earning her doctorate.  She has authored numerous research publications in the field of animal nutrition with a primary research focus on companion animal obesity physiology, treatment and prevention.

Maryanne Murphy

Maryanne Murphy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition) is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and clinical associate professor of nutrition at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Murphy received dual bachelor’s degrees in animal sciences and biological sciences from Rutgers University in 2004 and her DVM from Iowa State University in 2008. She completed a rotating general medicine and surgery internship at Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists in New York City in 2009. Both Dr. Murphy’s clinical nutrition residency and PhD were completed at the University of Tennessee, and she achieved board certification in 2013. The focus of Dr. Murphy’s dissertation research was energy metabolism and satiety in lean and obese dogs. After working as a clinical nutritionist at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, for a few years, she returned to the University of Tennessee in 2016.

Tammy Moyers

Tammy Moyers, LVMT, VTS (Nutrition), graduated from Lincoln Memorial University in 1991 with her associate degree of applied science in veterinary technology. She received her VTS (Nutrition) certification in 2014. Moyers has been a veterinary nurse at UTCVM since 1996 and her special interests include obesity and weight management.

For more information, email utvoc@utk.edu or phone Tammy Moyers at 865-974-8387.

Ribbon-cutting today for Pathways Learning Academy

Learning Care, the second largest early education provider, and Faith Promise are opening a Pathways Learning Academy – a new early childcare center on Faith Promise’s Pellissippi campus in Knoxville. It’s the first of two locations launching this summer under a partnership model that pairs Learning Care’s curriculum and operations with a church community already embedded in local families’ lives.

Today’s ribbon-cutting is 4-4:30 p.m. (7-21-26) at 10740 Faith Promise Lane, Knoxville. It is hosted by the Knoxville Chamber.

Kristen Rogers

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Pathways Learning Academy into our space,” said Kristen Rogers, Central fpKIDS Pastor at Faith Promise. “It’s an incredible opportunity to partner with families every single week, build relationships that matter and create a place where kids are known, loved and encouraged. We believe this is one more way our church gets to invest in the next generation and make a lasting impact in our community.”

Learning Care has a proprietary SproutAbout app that includes live streaming access.

Notes & quotes

Cades Cove is vehicle-free on Wednesdays, sunrise to sunset. Cycle, walk or run the 11.1-mile loop with nothing to worry about except the bears.

Outdoor Knoxville lists hundred of activities. It’s free online at Legacy Parks Foundation.

Thursday, Aug. 6, is Election Day in Knox County. It’s the general election for county offices – mayor, trustee, sheriff, etc., at-large county commissioners and some district commissioners and school board members. The Republican and Democratic state and federal primaries will also occur – pick one to select nominees for the November general election. Town of Farragut will be electing a new mayor and two members of the board of aldermen. Early voting is underway and ends Saturday, August 1. Info: knoxvotes.org/.

Quote: “If the main pillar of the system is living a lie, then it is not surprising that the fundamental threat to it is living in truth.” – Václav Havel, political activist, first president of the Czech Republic (1993 to 2003).

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Sandra Clark writes daily at KnoxTNToday – the Let’s Talk series, including Let’s Talk – Law, Let’s Talk – Neighbors, Let’s Talk – Schools, Let’s Talk – Leaders and Let’s Talk – Outdoors.

Enjoyed this article? Read more Let’s Talk – Neighbors columns by Sandra Clark.

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