Warming Centers OPEN

Warming centers will be open on nights when temperatures fall to 25 degrees or below except the Veteran Center opening at 32 degrees and below.

Here is the list serving Knoxville at present.

In Knoxville, the Eternal Life Harvest Center has two locations — 2410 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. and 1801 Western Ave. (Pets will not be allowed.)

Church Street United Methodist Church, located at 900 Henley St., and Cokesbury Church, at 9919 Kingston Pk.

ReLAUNCH Back Into Life and the Salvation Army will be opening a warming center at 409 N. Broadway.

Knoxville Area Transit is providing free rides to warming centers starting at 3 p.m. this past Sunday.

Operation Vet Rescue is opening a warming center for unhoused veterans at CareCuts in Knoxville. The center will operate on any day that temperatures drop below 32 degrees. However, pre-registration for the center is strongly encouraged due to capacity limits. To qualify, veterans must present either a DD214 or a valid ID indicating veteran status.For more information, you can email info@ovrtn.org or call (865) 205-5912.

For warming center details or donation and volunteer information, click here.

 Toy Store

Central Baptist Church hosted the annual Toy Store for families in need in the community. The store provides registered participants with everything from pajamas to toys.  Speaking of pajamas, the sewing group, Grandma’s Pajamas from Fountain City Presbyterian Church, provided 202 pairs of pajamas. The Toy Store is a combined mission of several local churches in the area connected to Fountain City Ministry Center.

Operation Mobilization

The Fountain City Business and Professional Association met last Wednesday to share a meal and be inspired by David Crocker, former pastor of Fountain City Methodist Church. He spoke about a service under the Operation Inasmuch umbrella: Operation Mobilization.  The mission is to provide reliable, safe transportation for the under-resourced in Knox County.

Help in three ways:

  1. Receive and repair donated cars to give to qualified individuals without transportation.
  2. Volunteers repair cars for free under the supervision of a certified mechanic.
  3. Provides buying guidance to those with resources to purchase a car.

The organization has two local vehicle shops donating time and expertise to the mission.

If you want to be involved or get more information, visit the webpage or contact bobbie@mobilizingknoxville.org

News & Notes

RT Lodge announced the retirement of General Manager Gary Doyle, whose leadership has shaped the property for more than two decades. Doyle joined RT Lodge in 2004 after an already distinguished career that included serving more than 10 years as innkeeper and manager at Blackberry Farm during its formative years in the 1980s and early 1990s. Doyle will remain on RT Lodge’s board of directors, but will pass the role of general manager to seasoned hospitality executive and Blount County native Kelley Harris at the end of this month.

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