Letter from Southeast Tennessee Executive Director, Julia Wright - June 2019

One of my very favorite proverbs is “many hands make light work.” This could not be truer when talking about our great team of volunteers and staff who worked together across the state and more specifically in our local community to install a goal of 3,400 smoke alarms for Sound the Alarm, Save a Life between April 27- May 12. In Southeast Tennessee, we exceeded that goal to install 269 alarms in the Orchard Knob community in one single day- April 27.

This year was a great success and our volunteers really did the “heavy lifting” to make sure we visited every family possible in the neighborhood. One of my favorite stories of the day was when one elderly resident indicated she woke up at 7 a.m. to make sure she didn’t miss us. Ms. Green said, “I can’t believe you come out on a Saturday morning just to help me. I can’t thank you enough.” I couldn’t agree with Ms. Green more, I also cannot thank you enough!

On April 28, our military families joined together for our third Military Kids Serve Too! event at the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga. Commander Joey Tanner presented challenge coins to our youngest heroes. Thanks to the Service to Armed Forces volunteers that organized and worked the event to make it a success once again. 

With Memorial Day just behind us, summer is well on its way and so is a busy schedule of events.  On June 18, we will be celebrating our chapter’s 101st year with our annual meeting and volunteer celebration luncheon. I hope you will be able to attend. Don’t forget, July is our annual summer volunteer picnic as well.

I wish everyone a fun and safe summer.