Diane Duncan first became acquainted with Town of Farragut committees when she won an award at a Farragut art show. She’s a metalsmith who designs jewelry, and she was surprised to win an honorable mention at her first show. Soon after, she saw an announcement in the newspaper about the opportunity to serve on town boards and committees.
“I thought, that sounds like fun.”
She’s served on the Arts & Beautification Committee since 2019, and she was right – it is fun. She’s now the chair. The two committees joined forces in 2019 because their missions are similar. The Beautification Committee was primarily responsible for Farragut’s annual Beautification Awards, which are given to businesses, subdivisions and religious institutions with noteworthy landscaping. The Arts Committee supported art shows and cultural events, like Farragut’s Celebrate the Season.
The combined committee continues to provide these programs, but Diane is especially excited about some of its newer offerings. Last year’s Art Fest, held at the Farragut Community Center, was a reboot of Bookfest, a longtime event held at Founders Park at Campbell Station. Art Fest was a hit with attendees, and it’s now Diane’s favorite event.
“It was a blast,” she says. “Art is one of those things that feeds the soul. It makes everybody happy.”
She also loved the inaugural Town of Farragut Photography Show, held in 2020. It was an easy event that included all ages, and participants were glad to have the opportunity to show their work. Another new event on the beautification side is the Make Farragut Beautiful: Red, White and Blue Salute, a décor and landscaping competition for residents that’s planned for Memorial Day weekend.
Diane is dedicated to offering more art opportunities to the community, and she’d like to see parents of younger children on the Arts & Beautification Committee. They would have fresh ideas as well as connections that could provide more publicity for events, she says. It’s a commitment to attend a meeting every month and volunteer at events, but she thinks it’s well worth it.
“It’s positive empowerment. It’s giving back to the community, making it better, not just for your family, but for everyone else.”
Farragut’s volunteer boards and committee are one of the things that make this ‘burb unique. Each organization plays a role in advising staff or the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as they work to make Farragut a better place. If you’d like to use your abilities to make a positive impact, this is the time to step up.
The window to submit applications to serve on volunteer committees opens Tuesday, March 1. Each of these will be accepting new members: Arts & Beautification Committee, Farragut Museum Committee, Farragut Education Relations Committee, Farragut Tourism/Visitor Advisory Committee, Board of Zoning Appeals, Board of Plumbing & Gas/Mechanical Examiners, Parks and Athletics Council, Stormwater Advisory Committee and Visual Resources Review Board. (Some committees require a background in a professional area.)
Find descriptions of each committee and the application at townoffarragut.org/committees. Applications are also available at Town Hall. For more information, call the Administration Department at 865-966-7057.
Notes
The Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen will have a Beer Board meeting and budget workshop at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 3. These were originally scheduled for the Feb. 24 board meeting, which was canceled due to an unforeseen emergency.
Town of Farragut marketing and public relations coordinator Wendy Smith is your reliable Farragut insider.