by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“We need to take a good look at enforcement of the dog policy and mechanisms for following up,” insisted Vice-Chancellor Rob Pearigen at the March 23 Sewanee Community Council meeting responding to a lengthy discussion prompted by a recent dog attack on campus. Council members also raised questions about upkeep of the Sewanee Market and proposed University apartments.

“The dog control policy was updated to be in line with Tennessee state law in September 2020,” said Superintendent of Leases Sallie Green. Prior to that, the most recent revision was 2014. Provost Scott Wilson summarized the policy: dogs were not required to be on a leash, but must be responsive to verbal command; owners of dogs posing a hazard may be issued a warning or citation and incur fines; victims of aggressive dogs should notify the owners, police, and animal control. (See the Lease Office or Provost’s webpages to view the policy.)

Council representative Marilyn Phelps cited a Feb. 28 Messenger story about a child chased and a person attacked by a dog. “People felt endangered and nothing was done,” Phelps said.

“The victim did not want to pursue it,” said Sewanee Police Captain Calem Knight, day shift. After being notified, the Sewanee police contacted Franklin County Animal Control, and the agency issued a warning.

“Why do we need to pivot to Animal Control?” Phelps asked.

“For a vicious dog, one that would be a safety concern, we have to rely on Animal Control because we don’t have the proper equipment, nor the proper training,” said night shift Police Captain Justin Smith. “We contain the dog the best we can until animal control arrives.”

In the past, Sewanee had a pound in the vicinity of the Equestrian Center, but Wilson said the structure needed repairs. If the facility was renovated, Wilson suggested the barn staff could care for the dogs. Green said funding could come from the Community Services budget.

Phelps also took issue with the policy wording, which stipulates the consequences for the owner of a vicious dog, “may happen,” not “will happen.” “The responsibility lands on the victim,” Phelps said, citing the requirement the victim should notify the dog owner.

Green argued things could often be resolved by people having a conversation with their neighbor.

“If someone was sexually assaulted on campus, we would not say go talk that out with the rapist,” said resident Brooks Egerton.

Council representative Katie Gohn asked, when a victim declined to press charges, could the police “take action?”

“We can issue a criminal summons if we feel we have probable cause,” Knight said. He pointed out people frequently did not report dog aggression incidents. Adding to the problem, the owner was often unknown, Smith said.

Egerton said there were police reports of dog attack incidents where the owner was known, but never questioned. “I’m not aware of the police issuing any citations,” Egerton stressed.

Another resident speculated the University could be sued if a person was attacked and no action was taken.

“A lot of the burden of responsibility is falling on the victim. This often involves power disparities. I can’t imagine a student [victim] would reach out to individuals of the community [who owned the dogs and were their superiors],” said Classics Professor Stephanie McCarter, whose child was chased and husband was bitten by a neighborhood dog. “We don’t want to worry about our kids being hurt. But it’s hard to say, ‘I want to press charges against my neighbor.’ Why wasn’t a citation issued? I would like to see more proactive intervention.”

“I’m sorry, Stephanie,” Pearigen said, “especially about your children.” Green, council representative Michael Payne, and Phelps will serve on a committee to tackle the dog policy question.

In discussion about upkeep of the Sewanee Market, Gohn remarked, “It was good to see a new roof, but there are still upkeep issues.” Gohn observed the building had long been in disrepair and, as a short-term lease, upkeep fell to the University. Vice President for Economic Development and Community Relations David Shipps confirmed that the future of the property was uncertain. “There have been lots of recommendations and studies about rethinking the area of the market and adjacent spaces,” Shipps said. “It boils down to a funding program to create the outcomes.”

Shipps likewise cited “funding” difficulty for delay in construction of the proposed University apartments. Shipps emphasized employee housing was “a priority. The plan, desire, outcome, and need remain the same.”

Updating the council on the investigation into lighting on campus, Pearigen said he, Wilson, and President of Facilities Management Robert Benton met with Duck River Electric. The utility will provide a map of all lighting on campus to facilitate further research about both over and under lighting concerns.

In the coming academic year, the council will meet on the following dates with reserve dates as noted if needed for urgent business: Aug. 25 (reserve), Sept. 22, Oct. 27, Nov. 24 (reserve), Jan. 26, Feb. 23 (reserve), March 23, April 27 (reserve), May 18, June 22 (reserve).

The annual Community Cleanup scheduled for April 26 begins at 9 a.m. Meet at the Mountain Goat Trailhead. Trash bags provided.

After the devastating flood during the hard freeze in December 2022, the oldest restaurant in downtown Sewanee had to close for three months, for renovations. It was during that time that Bill Elder, the seventh owner of Shenanigans, had a thought.

“What holiday should Shenanigans just ‘own?’ Well, considering the definition of the word, Shenanigans, it was a no-brainer!” And April Fool Fest began to take shape. Elder recalls he turned and saw the New Orleans Jazz Fest poster hanging in the dining room, and everything just clicked. “That was the first Jazz Fest I saw as a child. I wanted to bring that type of festival and energy to Sewanee. I wanted to do what I could to get as close to the Jazz Fest’s loose vibe for a good time as I could.”

The inaugural April Fool Fest at Shenanigans was on April 1, 2023, which coincided with the grand reopening of the downstairs dining area.

This year, the third annual April Fool Fest and Crawfish Boil will be from 3–11:30 p.m. CDT, on Saturday, April 5. Tickets are available on eventbrite at <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a...;. The menu consists of crawfish, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes. Boiled shrimp may be added to the menu Elder hinted, and other, well, shenanigans up his sleeve. Elder recommends getting your tickets early.

In addition to games on the lawn, there will be four bands this year. Live music starts at 4 p.m.

Easy Honey is the headliner. An on-campus favorite, Easy Honey started playing in Sewanee. The band honed their live show at college parties and took their batch of songs to record in Nashville. The group has since blossomed, infusing its singer-songwriter folk roots with an original blend of East Coast surf-rock, catalyzed by the band’s relocation to the up and coming Charleston, S.C. music scene.

Rounding out the line up are The Criticals, a Nashville based rock band; the Diamond Street Players from Atlanta, featuring boogaloo music with organ and bass; and the Aces Brass Band, composed of members from the Dynamites, with New Orleans style music.

Come for the food, play the games, enjoy the music and expect other Shenanigans style April Foolery.

Lunch will be served that day until 2:30 p.m. The regular dinner menu will not be offered that day.

Shenanigans is located at 12595 Sollace M. Freeman Hwy., Sewanee. For more information go to <http://www.shenanigans1974.com...;.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the March 18 meeting, the Sewanee Utility District Board of Commissioners voted to raise the capital depreciation threshold in response to a recommendation from the auditors. The board also took up a request from Deepwoods area residents for water service.

Before amended, the capital depreciation policy called for SUD to depreciate capital expenses costing in excess of $2,000. SUD’s auditors, the MG Group, suggested raising the trigger threshold to at least $5,000. Explaining, SUD manager Ben Beavers said, “$2,000 doesn’t buy as much as it used to.”

“We need to fund the depreciation,” SUD Board President Charlie Smith said in support of raising the threshold. “Anything we could save on that would probably be a good idea.” Raising the threshold means SUD has to set aside less money to replace capital assets.

“Most everything we buy is $3,500 and less for general operation things. Then there’s a gap and it picks up from $12,000 to $15,000,” Beavers observed.

Commissioner Donnie McBee brought the Deepwoods’ residents request to the board. “There are 14 or 15 people at the end of Deepwoods Road who want to know what it would take for them to get water,” McBee said. “They all went kind of dry last year.”

“There’s no good news for them,” Smith acknowledged. The residents would need to pay for the service line then turn the infrastructure over to SUD. Beavers estimated the cost of the line at nearly $1 million, based on a mile and a half of line at $120 per foot. Each customer would also have to pay for a meter, cost $4,100.

“There’s not enough density to make it worth our while to pay for the line,” Beavers said. “Putting in the Jump Off waterline almost bankrupt SUD.” There are no USDA or EPA grants available to fund the project, according to Beavers, although SUD would qualify for a loan.

Reviewing SUD’s American Rescue Plan Act grant funded projects, Beavers said he expected several to come in under budget. He received permission to reallocate unused funds from the Wastewater Rehabilitation project to clean any lines attached to manholes. He hopes to reallocate unused funds from the Asset Management project and Service Line Inventory project, as well.

On Sunday, March 23, the University of the South will welcome president of the House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church Julia Ayala Harris to All Saints’ Chapel where she will deliver the sermon at two services. These will take place at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

President Julia Ayala Harris serves as the 34th president of the House of Deputies, where she leads alongside the presiding bishop to guide the Episcopal Church in its governance and mission. Together, they balance the spiritual and organizational needs of the church, inspiring Episcopalians to embody Christ’s love in their communities. Re-elected at the 81st General Convention in 2024, she is the first Latina and woman of color to serve in this position.

President Ayala Harris’s leadership is marked by a deep commitment to truth-telling, reconciliation, and fostering a church that boldly reflects the love and justice of Jesus Christ.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Marlon Burnley calls himself a “theater maker,” resisting the limiting labels “actor, director, writer.” March 30, Sewanee will have the opportunity to witness award winning “theater maker” Burnley embrace all three roles in his one-man show “Black in the Box.” Through music, dance, and mask work, “Black in the Box” confronts the history of Black America seen through the eyes of those who lived it. Burnley created the four masks used in the performance from a 3-D print of his own face, building on that with clay to fashion the characters his imagination envisioned. For Burnley on a personal level, “Black in the Box” epitomizes the creative process of “running toward, not away” from what he long avoided, “dark and traumatic” Black history.

Burnley first visited the University two years ago as a director and to lead a Social Justice Theater workshop with students. “Marlon’s work was excellent,” said Theater and Dance Department Chair Jim Crawford. “I’ve been looking for an opportunity to bring him back to campus ever since.”

Asked how much being Black informed his creative process, Burnley acknowledged, “It’s everything. I wouldn’t have been able to say that when I started work on ‘Black in the Box.’” For him, theater making became a way to “get a better understanding of and to communicate the Black experience. I can show you better than I can talk about experiences and moments in history.”

The idea for “Black in the Box” grew out of a graduate school assignment to portray a work of literature or music using masks. Burnley created a character from the song “Mr. Bojangles.” “I got really interested in masked performance and how we can say a lot with our bodies,” Burnley said. Significantly, he has a background in both theater and dance and holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Georgia. Three other character performances embodying movement, music, and masks followed upon “Mr. Bojangles,” with the four masked performances coming together in “Black in the Box.” The play epitomizes Burnley’s inner drive “to approach a difficult subject in a beautiful and artistic way.

Burnley recently directed a production of “Macbeth” in what was once known as Seneca Village, an 1800s free Black community where Central Park now resides displaced by gentrification. Burnley reframed the story of “MacBeth” using costuming and set design borrowing on the Seneca Village theme. Rather than a story about evil, under Burnley’s direction “MacBeth” became a story about self-preservation. “In ‘MacBeth’ we often get caught up in the murder,” Burnley said, “but it’s really a story about the psyche and humanity.”

While in Sewanee Burnley will lead a Devised Theater student workshop using Shakespeare’s sonnets as the springboard to improvisation. “The sonnets are reflective,” Burnley said. “They look back on something. Whatever that inspires, we’ll turn into a performance.” In the Social Justice Theater workshop Burnley led two years ago, the students used current news stories as a jump off point to create theater.

Following the 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances of “Black in the Box” at the Tennessee Williams Center, Burnley will lead a conversation with the audience about Black history and how it’s been reflected in American performance traditions. Currently a professor at Kennesaw State University, Burnley offers this advice to young Black artists: “Continue the conversation even if it’s tough and no one is listening. When I started working on ‘Black in the Box’ in 2016, I never imagined I’d be driving up the mountain to Sewanee to perform the play. It’s taken on a life of its own.” Burnley’s one-man show received the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Male Performance at the International Orlando Fringe Festival and the Outstanding Male Performance at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival. “Black in the Box” is a must-see panoramic journey through generations of Black oppression, fear, resilience, and joy brought to life through Burnley’s transcendent performance.

Reserve your free tickets on eventbrite <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/b...;.

Mike Partin, president and CEO of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC), began his two-year term as president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) board of directors. Tony Anderson, NRECA’s outgoing board president and former CEO of Cherryland Electric Cooperative in Michigan, passed the gavel to Partin during PowerXchange, NRECA’s annual meeting on March 12, 2025.

Partin was elected NRECA president by the association’s board of directors. He is the immediate past vice president and previously served as secretary-treasurer. Ingrid Kessler, director at Lane Electric Cooperative in Oregon, was elected vice president.

“I want to express my appreciation to NRECA’s board for this tremendous opportunity,” said Partin, who has served on the association’s board for five years. “This is an exciting time for electric cooperatives as we seek innovative ways to meet surging electricity demand and deliver reliable and affordable power to our communities. Our success is crucial to the families and businesses we serve across the nation.”

“One of NRECA’s greatest strengths is our dedicated and talented roster of leaders that help electric co-ops tackle our biggest challenges and make the most of every new opportunity,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. “I look forward to Mike’s leadership of our board of directors.”

Since 2015, Partin has served as CEO and President of SVEC, which provides electric service across parts of nine southeastern Tennessee counties, including four in their entirety. He joined the NRECA board in 2020 and also serves on the boards of the Cooperative Finance Corporation and Seven States Power. Additionally, he is the chairman of the Southeast Industrial Development Association.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation’s landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $15 billion annually in their communities.

The Sewanee Herbarium will be hosting a series of public events in March and April as part of a celebration of plant diversity on the Cumberland Plateau and specifically the 40th anniversary of the Tennessee Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act and our discovery of the Sewanee Purple Phacelia (Phacelia sewaneensis) in Shakerag Hollow! The events are sponsored by the Department of Biology and the Office of Civic Engagement.

Join us for an insightful, series-launching presentation by Roger McCoy, State Director of Conservation Programs with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), on Thursday, March 27, from 4:45–5:45 p.m., in Naylor Auditorium (ground floor of Gailor Hall) on the Sewanee Campus. McCoy will discuss “The Role of TDEC in Conserving Plant Biodiversity on the Cumberland Plateau,” highlighting critical efforts to protect the unique and valuable plant communities in our region. Roger McCoy also holds the honorary position of Tennessee State Naturalist.

For many years McCoy served as director of TDEC’s Division of Natural Areas, where he managed and designated state natural areas and led rare plant recovery initiatives. McCoy holds a B.A. in Biology and an M.S. in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University.

Based on analyses of six floras in the region, the Sewanee Herbarium has concluded that 33 perecent of plant species are considered to be of conservation concern on the Southern Cumberland Plateau. This highlights the need for focused efforts to ensure future protections for these species. TDEC has been a leader in these conservation efforts in our region and has produced significant achievements, including the delisting of the Cumberland Sandwort (Geocarpon cumberlandense) from the federal list of endangered species.

Roger McCoy’s talk offers a valuable opportunity to learn about ongoing conservation initiatives and the vital role TDEC plays in preserving the natural heritage of the Cumberland Plateau. A reception will immediately follow the presentation. This event is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“Public education is a property right and can’t be taken away without due process,” insisted board member Sara Liechty, at the March 10 Franklin County School Board meeting. The board passed two resolutions addressing legislation soon to come before the Tennessee legislature for a vote, a resolution approving proposed legislation (SB 679/HB 401) providing funding for “pre-kindergarten students with special education needs” and a resolution opposing legislation (HB 0793/SB 0836) that would allow public schools “to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States.”

The resolution opposing HB 0793/SB 0836 argues “The Constitution of the United States includes the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause, which through court cases has been shown to include public education as a property right (5th Amendment) for all.” The resolution also cites the Tennessee Department of Education’s website’s commitment “to the belief that children from all backgrounds can succeed when given the opportunities they deserve.”

“Every student of ours is granted the opportunity to achieve their potential,” said board member Sandy Shultz in support of the resolution. Board member Erik Cole voted against adopting the resolution.

The resolution supporting SB 679/HB 401 pointed out the education of preschool students with special needs “was completely unfunded by TISA,” the state funding mechanism, even though public schools are required by federal law to provide for these students’ education. The resolution went on to state “many of the children in these classes require extra therapies like speech and occupational therapy” and “the Franklin County school system is, therefore, required by federal law and state guidelines to pay for four classroom teachers and four teacher assistants.” Passing SB 679/HB 401 “would satisfactorily remedy this issue.”

The board also discussed other proposed bills the legislature will take up this spring. Commenting on proposed legislation which “reduces the amount of state-mandated assessments for students,” Director of Schools Cary Holman said, “What do they mean by the word ‘reduce’? Are they going to take the tests completely away, reduce the number of test questions asked, or reduce the time a student has to take the test?” Holman also took issue with legislation which “increases, from 130 minutes per full school week to 60 minutes per school day, the minimum amount of physical activity required for elementary school students.” “If you look at what’s required [academically], how are you going to get 300 minutes per week in on top of math and a 90-minute reading block?” Holman asked. “It’s impossible.” Concurring, Shultz said, “They don’t see the real picture. It takes 10 minutes to get them to the playground and back.”

Liechty also brought attention to discussion at the federal level about dismantling the Department of Education and reducing grants and federal funding. “We could lose thousands of teachers in Tennessee,” Liechty observed.

During the comment period, the board heard from Douglas Malin, administrator at Elk River Health and Nursing Center of Winchester (ERHNC). Beginning this year, ERHNC will offer an annual $25,000 scholarship to a Franklin County High School student pursuing a career in the medical field. “We feel it is important we give back to the community,” Malin said. “It is a very difficult time for staffing in health care facilities,” he added, stressing the employment opportunities available. The scholarship, awarded over a four-year period, would go directly to the educational institution, providing $3,125 per semester. Applicants are required to have a 2.7 grade point average and to complete a FASFA federal student aid application. Scholarship applications, due April 1, are available from high school guidance offices, by phoning the Elk River facility (423) 967-0200, or from the Center’s office located at 32 Memorial Drive, Winchester.

The Sewanee Civic Association is inviting individuals, local groups and businesses to help collect donations of nonfood items for the Community Action Committee (CAC). This collection will augment the services provided by the CAC food pantry. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits cannot be used to purchase any nonfood items, which includes pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, household supplies, detergent, menstrual products, diapers, or other personal care items.

This is where you can help. Collect nonfood items March 23–28, and deliver them to the CAC at 216 University Ave., Sewanee. Individuals may also take their nonfood donations to Taylor’s Mercantile in Sewanee.

There is an Amazon wish list from the Sewanee Community Chest for those who want to order nonfood items. These will be delivered to the CAC. The Amazon link is <https://a.co/f6TXKX4>;.

The CAC will oversee the distribution of the donations to those in need. The CAC is an outreach ministry of the Parish of St. Mark and St. Paul, with generous support from the Sewanee Community Chest, other organizations and individuals across the Mountain. For more than 50 years, the CAC has provided food, financial assistance, and educational support for persons in the greater Sewanee community.

The event is sponsored by the Community Action Committee, the Sewanee Civic Association, and the Sewanee Community Chest.

The Mountain Goat Trail Race, sponsored by Mountain Outfitters, returns for the 10th time on Saturday, April 19.

The day features a 5-mile run, a 2-mile walk, and a half marathon, all ending at Mountain Outfitters. All proceeds will go to the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA) to support Mountain Goat Trail construction.

“We’re thrilled that it’s time to work once more with our longstanding sponsor, Mountain Outfitters, on the annual race. Entrants can expect the fun and the great drawings for gear that we’ve had pretty much every year it’s been run,” said Patrick Dean, executive director of the MGTA.

The 5-mile run will begin at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Sewanee; the 2-mile walk will begin at 10:15 a.m. at La Bella Pearl’s. Both will finish at Mountain Outfitters in Monteagle. Prizes will be awarded for the fastest men’s and women’s 5-mile finishers. Drawings for outdoor gear from Mountain Outfitters and presentation of awards are planned after the finish of the run & walk.

The half-marathon (13.1 miles) will begin at 8 a.m. at Mountain Outfitters and follow the Mountain Goat Trail to Sewanee, looping on side roads before returning to the finish at Mountain Outfitters. Drawings for outdoor gear from Mountain Outfitters and presentation of awards are planned after the finish.

To learn more or to register, go to <www.mountaingoattrail.org/race/>.

Spend a weekend (or just a day) with experts who will help you see and appreciate the wonders of the natural world hiding in plain sight. There are still many slots open for Trails & Trilliums, April 4–6, 2025, at the historic Beersheba Springs Assembly in Beersheba Springs, Tenn. Event details and registration are at <trailsandtrilliums.org>. Registration closes on March 30.

Although 22 hikes and walks are already sold out, there are over 50 sessions still open, including such gems as a Collins Gulf wildflower hike, a geology presentation by Dr. Bran Potter, a panel discussion about the Lone Rock Stockade, a cool salamander hike around Suter Falls, a tale-filled walk through time around Beersheba Springs with Sanford McGee, forest bathing, the annual Mack Prichard hike to Stone Door, and so much more!

Highlights of this year’s events include:

77 Hikes, Walks, Workshops, Presentations, and Hands-On Nature experiences to choose from.

Workshops on nature journaling, nature photography, nature writing, wilderness first aid, forest bathing, birding, landscape sketching and painting.

Hikes, walks, and presentations focusing on salamanders, wildflowers, birds, native plants, mushrooms, local history, trees, geology, mammals, snakes, naturalist tools and skills, and many more topics.

Hands-On Nature experiences that allow you to touch and explore opossums, snakes, turtles, toads, pelts, skulls, and more!

Native Plant Sale from Overhill Gardens on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Keynote by Jon Evans, professor of biology at the University of the South, who tells how iNaturalist and other crowdsourcing tools led to a groundbreaking discovery right in our parks on the South Cumberland Plateau.

Hootenanny and cookout on Friday night with music and good food on the Quad, followed by a Star Program, a Biofluorescence Program, and a Night Hike to Stone Door.

Wine & Wildflowers on Saturday night at the Big Red Barn in Beersheba Springs, with a social hour, dinner, and music – followed by a Campfire Program and Star Program.

Beersheba Springs Assembly (BSA) is an ideal location for a weekend getaway, just minutes from Stone Door and Savage Gulf. You can sign up for lodging and meals when you complete your online registration at <trailsandtrilliums.org>.

Volunteers also are needed from Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6. We are seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help make Trails & Trilliums 2025 a success. Most shifts are 3 hours or less, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the festival.

Volunteer questions? Contact Leslie Watts, <lesliewatts.littletomater@gmail.com>. Registration questions? Contact Andrea Sanders, <sandandrea@gmail.com>.

Are you interested in the unique wildflowers and botanical variety of the South Cumberland Plateau bioregion? The South Cumberland Regional Land Trust (SCRLT) invites you to our annual Bluebell Island Ramble at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 22, and running until about noon. Bluebell Island was SCRLT’s first conservation initiative in the late 1990s and protects the unique habitat on Bluebell Island in the Elk River, home to trilliums, bluebells, and many other species of wildflower endemic to our area.

Accessing Bluebell Island requires a stream crossing over a temporary bridge and about a 1 mile round trip walk on a flat, but unimproved, trail along the Elk River. Please don’t let concerns about access deter you. We’ll have several volunteers on hand to assist, we’ll do everything we can to help you get across the bridge, and there are many of the same flowers along the riverbank to enjoy even if the stream crossing is not possible.

Meet and park alongside the driveway at 13811 David Crockett Pkwy. E, Decherd, adjacent to the Elk River. This location is about 1 mile southwest on Hwy 64 from the Interstate 24 Pelham exit. The “E” in the 13811 David Crockett Pkwy. E address is very important with GPS devices. Weather does sometimes impact this event in terms of the water level of the river. Should the island be inaccessible that morning due to high water, the event will go on and SCRLT will post notices on Sewanee Classifieds along with our Instagram (@southcumberlandlandtrust) and Facebook pages. You can contact SCRLT at <hello@scrlt.org>.

The Sewanee Civic Association invites nominations for the 42nd annual Community Service Award. The award recognizes the person or organization that has made outstanding contributions to our community. The recipient is one who has helped make Sewanee a better place and has improved the quality of life for everyone in the area. Nominations are due by Friday, March 14.

Past recipients are not eligible to receive the award again. Send the name of your nominee, along with a paragraph of why you are nominating the person or group, to <sewaneecommunitychest@gmail.com>. Nominations can also be mailed to the Sewanee Civic Association, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375.

The service awards will be presented at the SCA annual membership meeting on Monday, May 5, in Kennerly Hall. Please join us to celebrate those who serve the community.

Past recipients include Leslie and Dale Richardson; Georgia Hewitt; Felix Wilson; Sue Scruggs; John Solomon; Kiki Beavers; Mountain Mask Initiative; Amanda Knight; the Sherrill family; Sarah Marhevsky; Kat O’Donohue; Mickey Suarez; GSA Allies; Pixie Dozier; Barbara Schlichting; Helen Bailey; Sewanee Youth Soccer; Dr. Matt Petrilla; Harry and Jean Yeatman; Marshall Hawkins; Karen Keele; Helen Shedd; Tom Watson; Susan Binkley; the Sewanee Senior Center Food Pantry (Lena McBee, Sue Hawkins, Charlsie Green); George and Ruth Ramseur; John Gessell; Dora Turner; the Community Action Committee; Geraldine Hewitt Piccard; Myrtis Keppler; Connie Warner; Ina May Myers; Pete Green; DuVal and Boo Cravens; Housing Sewanee; Betty Nick Chitty; Harry and Millie Dodd; the Sisters of St. Mary; Martha Dugan; Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Auxiliary; David Green; Joe David McBee; Robert Lancaster; Maria Webb; Doug Cameron; Galon Sherrill; Phoebe Bates; Marilyn Powell; and Louise Irwin.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Doug Cameron should give lessons in living what you love, and in a sense he has. “Moving a canoe around on water with a paddle feels like second nature to me,” Cameron said. What began as Boy Scout canoe trips on the Elk River to earn his merit badge led to white-water racing, authoring and editing books on outdoor sports, becoming a certified Wilderness EMT instructor, and along the way changing the lives of generations of young people, instilling in them a passion for the outdoors and outdoor sports. What is second-nature to a person often goes unnoticed, or at least by them. Cameron seemed a little surprised to learn on March 8 he will be inducted into the Southeastern Whitewater Hall of Fame at the Southern Appalachian Paddlesports Museum in Asheville, N.C. Cameron will join other Sewanee greats, 1972 white-water Olympian Carrie Ashton and Hugh Caldwell, the driving force behind the rebirth of Merrie-Woode, an internationally renowned summer camp for girls.

Two events standout when Cameron talks about his early life. A 1971 trip to the Hiwassee River with his wife Anne was Cameron’s “first white-water.” “I got deeply involved,” Cameron acknowledged, as though he were admitting falling in love. “I started going almost every weekend.”

Cameron’s life took another quirky turn following a month’s long camping trip with his brother Bobby and father Ben looping through Canada and down the west coast of the United States hauling their gear behind a trailer hitched to a Bronco. The adventurers’ conclusion: the two available guidebooks were inadequate. Ben Cameron, with New York City connections, persuaded the New York Times to finance a new guidebook, the New York Times Guide to Outdoors USA. A three-year gig traveling around the country, camping and writing narratives, living on advances came to an end when the Arab Oil Embargo curtailed unnecessary travel.

On a tip, Cameron returned to Sewanee to teach history at St. Andrew’s. He started an outing program there and soon the University snatched him up as the first director of the Outdoor Program. Along with Ashton, Caldwell, and Stephen Puckette, Cameron coached the Sewanee Canoe Team to 11 Southeastern Championships.

In the late 70s and early 80s Cameron and Puckette became familiar figures in white-water slalom racing, navigating a gated course in a decked canoe perched on their knees. Asked about the danger and close calls, Cameron said, “We built our skills based on getting out of stuff. We did several first ascents. We were the first people to paddle the Fiery Gizzard, going over those waterfalls.” Cameron and Puckette competed in the 1982 Nationals on the Ocoee River, and Cameron went on to become Chair of the National Slalom and Wildwater Committee.

Cameron followed Caldwell to Camp Merrie-Woode, where he spent his summers for the next 25 years. He was hired on as “the head of trips,” leading hiking, camping, and canoeing trips. Hearing Cameron talk about butt-sliding over moss covered creek boulders in cutoff jeans and sitting around the campfire singing and eating s’mores can make the listener envious of the fun.

Eventually Merrie-Woode hired specialists for the various outing activities, with Cameron assigned to paddling and sailing, a sport he took up when the Merrie-Woode program needed some TLC.

Sailing led Cameron down another unexplored road. In 2004, he and his sailing partner Michael Collins won a 300-mile race from Tampa, Fla., to Key Largo. “We got lucky weather,” Cameron said, lucky for the two experienced paddlers who surged ahead when the wind died down.

Cameron also began building canoes and small sailboats and writing articles about small watercraft trips and construction for Small Craft Advisor magazine.

Taking up another writing project, he edited the second edition of “Under the Sun at Sewanee,” updating the driving directions and advice about familiar area haunts. He laughed about an entry edited out of the first edition, “When a Sewanee gentleman has been bitten by a snake, the first thing you do is loosen his tie.”

Cameron has served 52 years as a volunteer firefighter and 43 years as an EMT. In 1990, the requirement to renew his EMT license every two years launched Cameron down yet another wilderness trail. “Most of those [EMT recertification] classes are really dull. You go to a conference room and sit there and listen to people drone on for a couple of days,” Cameron complained. Cameron found a better way, Wilderness EMT training taught by Wilderness Medical Associates. “The course was entirely hands on,” Cameron explained. “They’d teach something then you’d immediately go outside and have ‘made up’ victims. You’d solve the problems, critique it, then go inside and learn another topic.” His enthusiasm caught the attention of the instructors who invited him to train to be an instructor himself. Cameron has taught Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness Advanced Responder classes for the Sewanee Outing Program and at colleges and camps throughout the South.

Cameron maintains his favorite outdoors activity is “a days-long paddling and camping trip.” But Cameron is an unabashed Don Juan when it comes to his love of the outdoors. In talking with him about outdoors anything from whitewater rafting to teaching young people how to splint a broken arm on the trail, the same phrase comes up again and again, “I love it.”

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

After lengthy discussion at the March 4 meeting, the Monteagle Planning Commission tabled a vote on a zoning amendment that would allow retail and commercial businesses in C-3 zoning. The commission approved guidelines for the Board of Zoning Appeals and site plans for a residential development and a B&B.

Monteagle currently allows retail and commercial businesses in C-1 and C-2 zoning, but not C-3. Challenging the proposed amendment, acting president Richard Black read from the zoning ordinance in place since Monteagle first adopted zoning in 1984. “C-3 interchange commercial district is intended to meet the special opportunities and needs at interchanges with interstate highways ... addressing the unique opportunities and problems created by access to the interstate highway. Excluded are those uses which do not provide services or accommodations directly toward interstate traffic.”

“I don’t see anything in here where retail and commercial meet the guidelines in C-3,” Black argued.

“The problem,” said town planner Jonathan Rush, “is there is no current definition [of retail and commercial].”

Black countered the ordinance defining C-3 specifically excluded some businesses, citing kennels, banks, pharmacies, flea markets, funeral homes, and golf courses.

Commissioner Alec Mosley observed, to allow all retail and commercial in C-3 “would do away with the idea that usages which did not provide services or accommodations directed toward interstate traffic are excluded ... it would destroy the concept of a C-3 zone.”

Alderman Dean Lay, who served as mayor when Monteagle adopted zoning ordinances, brought a historical perspective to the discussion. By the definition, the other interstate exit should also be C-3, but was zoned C-2, Lay pointed out. “At the Sewanee exit, we never wanted truck stops, firework stands, and that stuff. We tried to keep that out.” The Sewanee exit was originally zoned C-2, changed to C-3, then changed back to C-2. “We were always told [when zoning was adopted] C-3 was your catch-all zone for what you don’t want in the downtown district,” Lay said.

“Some retail and commercial, with definition, is appropriate,” said Commissioner Katie Trahan.

“If we were to amend the ordinance without further definition, how would the C-3 zone differ from the C-2 zone?” Mosley asked. “We wouldn’t need a C-3 zone, [aside from] there are some things permitted in C-3, not permitted in C-2, like a truck stop.”

“What is not retail?” asked Mayor Greg Maloof. “If you’re selling goods and services, is that not retail?”

The commission agreed with Maloof’s suggestion to table the proposed amendment and take up the questions raised in a workshop.

“The workshop is going to have to be involved in the definition of what fits in C-1, C-2, and C-3,” Black stressed.

The guidelines adopted for the BZA apply the same five criteria the planning commission and council must take into account when considering zoning amendments: “agreement with the general plan for the area;” that the amendment “does not violate the legal grounds for zoning provisions;” possible “adverse effects upon adjoining or adjacent property owners unless such adverse effect can be justified by the overwhelming public good or welfare;” “that no one property owner or small group of property owners will benefit materially from the change to the detriment of the general public;” and “that conditions affecting the area have changed to a sufficient extent to warrant an amendment to the area’s general plan.”

The commission approved the site plan for the Joseph Estates subdivision on Laurel Trails Road. The site plan calls for five lots. Developer Paul Fantuzzi plans to build two story homes with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths.

The commission also approved the site plan for Pink Door Cottages, a home just off Main Street renovated by owner Deborah Reed for use as a B&B.