Farragut Rotary and Ridgedale School: A double blessing

Tom KingFarragut

There’s something special about being at Knox County’s Ridgedale School, also known as Ridgedale Alternative School. It is a school with two disparate student populations. The first floor is for middle school alternative students from around the county with various and sundry disciplinary-related issues. The second floor houses K-12 classes for special education students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

It is not your typical neighborhood school facing Western Avenue and has no PTA or PTO. So, the Rotary Club of Farragut is now a Partner in Education with Ridgedale, offering support with various projects identified by principal Diana Gossett and her staff.

One of those projects happened this past Saturday when a Farragut Rotary team of 18 arrived at Ridgedale around 8 a.m. and began the job of repainting student and staff lockers in six classrooms.

In one of the classrooms a big sign read: “Work to Achieve.”

In another classroom a sign read: “Kindness Will Be Rewarded.”

The Painting Rotarians & Friends achieved a lot of work in almost five hours and kindness was everywhere in those six classrooms. It was rewarding work. The Rotary team – made up of six club members, two women who have yet to even be inducted, and six young people who knew how to paint – put two coats of paint on the lockers. The work began about 8:30 and the lockers were all drying by 1 p.m.

The Rotarians were led by Teri Jo Fox and Val Privett. Other club members busy slinging paint were Megan Belcher, Arlene Weinstein, Julie Blaylock and past president Dale Read. Here’s who else showed up: Megan Belcher brought along daughter Grace, 9, and her friend, Isabella Ellam, also 9; Agnes Predny, Julie Blaylock’s mother; Arlene’s husband, Scott; Teri Jo’s husband, Eric Whitener, and she also brought along Teagan Sanford, 14, a Powell Middle School student who she mentors in the Girl Talk program; and Val had her stepdaughter, Morgan Buchammer, with her.

We had two women who came to paint and they are not even members yet – Beverly Kobus and Yvonne Key. And Beverly brought three painters with her – daughters Melissa, 15, and Rachel, 13, and Sydney Viox, 15, a friend.

Colt Williams, co-owner of Unique Construction, who is Teri Jo’s younger brother, furnished all of the paint rollers and brushes, floor coverings, trays and rags. He also did the taping and helped with the painting. His French Bulldog, Pierre, was the Mascot of the Morning.

Three members of the Ridgedale faculty helped as well – Carrie Balent, Ronnah McClure and Tammy Moore. They also kept the coffee, water and doughnuts handy.

Principal Gossett missed the morning with us as she was headed out of town for a conference. But she was there in spirit and sent the club this message:

“I was able to run by school before I left town today (Saturday) for a conference and the lockers looked great. Saying thank you doesn’t seem enough! I appreciate all the hard work. Improving our environment for students and teachers makes a big difference! The Farragut Rotary Club is truly a blessing for us.”

That works both ways, Mrs. Gossett!

 

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