Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont gathered recently to raise $324,000 and celebrate a generous $2.5 million contribution to fund the organization’s “second campus” in Blount County.
The Marblegate fundraiser is held annually at Bill and Donna Cobble’s farm and event venue of the same name located in Friendsville. Cynthia Moxley was there and has exquisite photos of the food and fun. See her photo feature here: The Blue Streak.
Second campus details: Plans for a second campus for the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont are moving forward after the organization received a $2.5 million gift from philanthropist Amy Buckner Chowdhry.
Amy Buckner Chowdhry at Marblegate.
Buckner Chowdhry was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and holds a degree from Vanderbilt University. She founded AnswerLab in 2004 and grew the research firm into a 200-employee organization. In 2024, she transitioned to board chair and launched support for an array of nonprofits.
Her gift includes $2 million for construction of the new campus and an additional $500,000 to help Blount County students participate in Tremont programs.
The project has been years in the making, according to a press statement. Tremont purchased the Townsend property in 2019, but plans were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and later reshaped as funding opportunities changed.
“The second campus is an extension of what we’re already doing within the national park,” said Catey McClary, Tremont president and CEO. “We really started to imagine the new audiences that we could bring into the type of learning that we provide.”
The first phase will include an education pavilion where students and other groups can gather before heading into the surrounding fields and trails for hands-on learning.
The campus will also allow Tremont to offer shorter, day-long programs. Leaders say that could allow more students to experience outdoor education without committing to an overnight program inside the national park.
Megan Womack, Tremont’s development director, said the organization noticed a gap between local schools participating in its programs and schools traveling from farther away. Womack said the organization wants students who grow up with the Smokies as a backdrop to have opportunities to build a connection with the area.
The education pavilion is just the first phase of the second campus. Plans could include dorms, a dining hall and an activity center, creating opportunities for longer residential programs for students and adults.
Tremont also envisions programs for teachers, business groups and others. Womack said the goal is not simply to bring people outside, but to help them understand their relationship with the natural world.
Construction of the second campus remains dependent on fundraising. Tremont hopes to begin construction within the next 12 months.
Ellen Zavisca is running for Knoxville City Council
With the folks who got elected in August ’26 being sworn in today, Ellen Zavisca is announcing her candidacy for Knoxville City Council 2027. She running for at-large Seat A – the seat now held by Lynne Fugate who is term-limited.
Ellen Zavisca
Zavisca is, after all, a planner.
“Knoxville is growing, and we have a choice about who gets to thrive in the city we’re building,” Zavisca said. “I’m running because I believe everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to call home, regardless of their ZIP code or income.
“We need to invest in our neighborhoods, put working families and residents first, make it safer to walk and take transit, and make sure residents have a real seat at the table. After nearly 20 years of working to build a more livable, safe and equitable Knoxville for all, I’m ready to bring that experience to City Council.”
Zavisca began her career as a journalist covering local government and community issues before earning a master’s degree in urban planning and policy. For nearly two decades, she has worked as a planner focused on growth and transportation. We’ll hear more in the next year, but if anyone else out there is thinking about running, here’s the drill:
- Primary election is Tuesday, August 31, 2027
- General on Tuesday, November 2, 2027
- Pick up a petition starting Monday, March 22, 2027
On the ballot: City Mayor, at-large council seats A, B, C plus council District 5 and the city judge.
Four of the six folks now holding these posts are term-limited. Therefore, Knoxville will elect a new mayor, at-large council members to replace Fugate and Amelia Parker, and District 5 to replace Charles Thomas. Only Debbie Helsley, Seat B, and Judge Tyler Caviness can run for reelection.
Pool set to reopen at Jewish Community Center
The pool at the Allen Rosen Aquatic Center is expected to reopen on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, for normal hours, according to Jesse Feld, Knoxville Jewish Alliance CEO. The pool has been down with electrical issues for a bit.
Feld said members would be given four guest passes to make up for lost time. The pool closes after Labor Day. But before closing, the pool will host the fifth annual Pooch Plunge as a fundraiser for the Smokin’ Salmon swim team. You can sign up your dog to swim or register as a spectator. Details here. The Pooch Plunge will be from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
Notes & quotes
City of Knoxville seeks applicants to serve on the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC). Applications are due on Thursday, September 18, 2026, by 4:30 p.m. Learn more at city’s website or contact Debbie Sharp at dsharp@knoxvilletn.gov.
Jay Leno will be at the Tennessee Theatre on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets here.
Legacy Luncheon for the Parks is Friday, September 25, 2026, with speaker Conor Knighton, CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and author of a book about his visits to all U.S. national parks. The event is at Johnson University from 11:30-1 p.m. Ticket info here.
Quote: “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.” ― J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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Sandra Clark compiles obituary links and writes the Let’s Talk series for KnoxTNToday – Let’s Talk – Neighbors archive. Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Get daily articles in one place with our free newsletter. Send comments to news@knoxtntoday.com/.
