Today (6/12/26) at 11 a.m., folks from Grayson Subaru will present a big check to Ijams Nature Center at the visitor center plaza. To discover how much, you’ll have to attend. Or else, we’ll tell you ASAP.

Today’s donation follows a trail that began in 2008. Learn about Share the Love here.

Grayson Subaru has used corporate contributions to expand Ijams Nature Playscape at Grayson Subaru Preserve and the Mead’s Quarry Lake swim area.

Cindy Hassil, development director, said Ijams was selected as Grayson Subaru’s hometown charity from 2017-19 and again in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Support received from the 2017-19 events allowed Ijams to acquire 13.46 acres adjacent to Mead’s Quarry and create the Grayson Preserve.

The funding raised from the 2025 Subaru Share the Love Event will help Ijams with Phase 2 of the property and update the swim area.

During the first 18 months, the Ijams Natural Resource Management team and volunteers spent hundreds of hours removing invasive species to prepare the upper section of the Grayson Subaru Preserve property for additional community science plots.

For the past year, the Natural Resource Management team has worked with the Education team to prepare a new play space on the south side of the Mead’s Quarry parking lot that connects Mead’s Quarry to Phase 1 of the playscape.

Though smaller in footprint, the new area maintains the same aesthetic and character as the first. It incorporates landscape features shaped by the site’s former limestone mining operations, which created hills and valleys that now serve as forest playrooms. Features will include climbing and balance elements, nature-inspired musical and art pieces, and quiet sitting spots to rest and observe wildlife. Staff also are revitalizing an existing outdoor classroom to better serve the public and Ijams education programs.

Phase 2 of the Playscape is scheduled to open in spring 2027.

Ijams to get new CEO

Finalists in the search to replace Amber Parker, president/CEO at Ijams Nature Center since 2017, will be in town during June for on-site interviews and a selection should be made soon afterwards. Parker gave notice in February that she would leave on August 14, 2026, in a “planned transition.”

Amber Parker

Carl Van Hoozier Jr., Ijams board president, said “Amber has provided substantial advance notice and is fully engaged in supporting an orderly handoff. The board is confident in the path ahead and committed to a smooth leadership transition.”

Parker’s almost 10-year tenure has brought growth as Ijams added land, expanded conservation and education programs, strengthened community partnership, increased visitation and crafted a master plan.

Parker has owned a consulting service, RootSpark, for two years. “Our approach is to work closely with organizations to understand their unique challenges and develop tailored strategies for sustainable growth and success,” she said.

She came to Knoxville from Virginia, where she served for nine years as executive director of a field station on Wallops Island.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology from NC State University and a master’s in environmental studies from Prescott College.

In Memoriam

Nic Arning

James Nicholas “Nic” Arning has passed away in Knoxville, Tennessee, at age 79.

Nic trained as a lawyer (UT College of Law, 1974) but joined his family business, Arning Insurance Agency, working alongside his father, Vic. Nic never strayed far from home, graduating from Bearden High School in 1964 and the University of Tennessee in 1968.

Then, with the Vietnam War raging, Nic graduated from Officer Candidates School in the Marine Corps and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marines. After infantry training, he was a platoon commander in the jungles outside Da Nang. He was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Of his many service projects, he was most proud of helping establish the Knoxville Challenger League, which provides free recreational sports opportunities for children with disabilities.

On June 23, 2026, the family will receive friends and celebrate Nic’s life from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rose, Mann’s Heritage Chapel, 6200 Kingston Pike, Knoxville. The full obituary is here.

Bob Monday

Robert Wemyss “Bob” Monday, passed away on June 5, 2026, at age 78. He was a member of the real estate enterprise started by his father, William Eugene “Gene” Monday Jr. Monday Properties had signs all over town and division including property management, residential and commercial development and real estate sales.

Bob Monday specialized in commercial properties in a three-state region, developing restaurants and shopping centers. He also acquired, renovated and operated a portfolio of apartment complexes extending to Atlanta and several other Southeastern cities.

His obituary lists numerous boards and civic clubs that Bob served with including his family’s charitable foundation. He enjoyed ski trips, softball, music and family time boating or water skiing.

The family will receive friends 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, at Rose, Mann Heritage Chapel, located at 6200 Kingston Pike. The full obituary is here.

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