Living The Good Life in Wilson County
What a difference a few years make with a new direction and focus. Before I get ahead of myself, let me first give some background on my athletic development.
Growing up I always enjoyed running. It came naturally to me. Being the youngest of four, I would always try to find ways to get noticed. So, running was the way I stood out. The compliments didn’t hurt either.
A few things that make life a little better for Angel & Becky!
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Prodyne Salad/Serving Bowl |
May is a time when most of us start to move the family dinner table outdoors. This is the perfect time to spotlight something Angel & Becky can’t live without in the spring, summer, fall or winter!
It’s the Prodyne Serving / Salad Bowl set. Perfect for use both indoors and outdoors! The cold bowl-on-ice acrylic serving bowl is great for everyday use or for entertaining. Simply fill the bottom compartment with ice and position the vented grate over the ice. The coldness will flow through to keep food in the main bowl chilled.
The best part about this founders’ favorite pick is you don’t have to leave Wilson County to get it! And lucky for you, WLM has teamed up with Cox’s Gifts and Jewelry in Lebanon to offer this must have at a discount to our readers!!
By AMELIA MORRISON HIPPS
Jim Hipps dancing with Amelia’s mother, Claudette Morrison on Amelia and Jim’s wedding day.When Becky and Angel asked me in December to write this column for Wilson Living Magazine, I had a much different idea in mind, but much has changed in my life since then.
However, as I’ve learned over the past year, there’s probably a very good reason that my initial idea never made it to ink on paper. I may not yet know what that reason is, but I’ve learned to trust even more fully that Someone greater than me does.
My move to Lebanon from Statesboro, Ga., in May 2006 was an answer to many prayers. Things were rocky at the television station in Savannah where my husband Jim worked. My father’s health was beginning to ebb, and being an only child, I needed to be closer than a six-hour drive away.
Today, as I write this, almost seven years have passed since I first arrived, and I can see God’s hand in the move even more clearly than I did then – especially during this past year – when He introduced me to the family I didn’t know I had in Wilson County.
Jim and Amelia’s four-legged children: Sir Robert Redbone, John Coal, Onyx Jasmine and Trixie Anne.A year ago in January, I left The Lebanon Democrat, something I never dreamed would happen when I arrived. I had planned to stay there until I either retired or died at my desk.
However, in the summer of 2011, it became apparent that my Daddy’s time on earth was ending after three consecutive months of hospital visits. His heart was beginning to fail in earnest.
By the end of that year, I knew that my parents would need me by their side more often than I could be there if I stayed at the newspaper. Not because Publisher Joe Adams would not be as accommodating as he could be, but because the demands of today’s newspaper industry would not allow the amount of time away I would need.
So, to give me the flexibility I needed, Jim and I started Capitol Newswatch, LLC, a news service providing coverage of the Tennessee General Assembly to rural, community-based newspapers throughout the state.
Amelia’s beloved dad, CottonWe knew, going in, that money would be tight, that wants would be put on the back burner, but we had faith that God would supply our needs.
Jim, who is officially retired, has three part-time jobs, so that helped meet our needs. He works as a crossing guard at Tuckers Crossroads Elementary School, as a drug test administrator and as a counselor for the Anger Management and Domestic Violence classes at the Wilson County Probation Office. He’s also an author with a new novel, “Tenacious Bulldogs,” and is writing the second one in the trilogy.
Throughout 2012, God always fulfilled our needs. When the General Assembly session ended, doors opened that allowed me to manage a couple of local political races. And in many ways, I learned more during that short time about who my true friends are than throughout my years at the paper. Politics not only makes strange bedfellows, but sometimes it also weeds out the chaff from the grain!
Today, while Capitol Newswatch is undergoing some changes, opportunities for freelance work continue to come my way – even if it takes a little more digging on my part – and our needs continue to be met.
By now, you’re probably wondering, “What does all this have to do with finding a ‘Piece of the Good Life’ in Wilson County?” It has to do with the people of Wilson County, and the friends we’ve made and those who have become members of the family we didn’t know we had.
In January, the knowledge that we have family here became as clear as the ice Jim slipped on that month. Within a five-day period, Jim broke his shoulder and upper arm and my Daddy died. It was during this time, our friends in Wilson County became living testimonies to the following words of an anonymous author: “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you no matter.”
Jim and Amelia on their wedding dayThere is no way I could ever list in this space the names of everyone who called to offer help, who said prayers of support, or who sent cards or flowers. But to each of you, I say, “Thank you, and we love you. You lifted us up when we were down, and for that, words of gratitude are inadequate.”
But a special thanks goes out to four people who have become like the sisters and brothers that Jim and I, who are both only children, never had. All four of them have lost their fathers; a couple both parents, so they knew first-hand the pain I was in when Daddy died.
Jeannie Mitzenberg is the sister I never had, who whenever we had to go to Chickamauga, would come by and check on our four, four-legged children; who came without question late at night when Daddy died to hold me and let me cry, who helped us get packed and not forget the necessities; and who came every day, despite being in physical pain herself, to give one of our dogs his medicine and collect our mail.
Former Sheriff Terry Ashe is the big brother I never had. He calls regularly just to check on Jim and me, and asks what he can do to help – even if it’s something as simple as hauling off the trash.
Pete Mecher has become like a younger brother to Jim. Despite having slipped on the ice the same day Jim did and breaking his ankle in two places which required surgery, he regularly calls or texts Jim to check on us, and makes my husband laugh with his jokes or stories.
And Marie Corhern is my little sister. She called within minutes of learning that Daddy had died and made me laugh when I needed it through her text messages.
When I arrived in Wilson County in May 2006, it was an answer to many prayers regarding employment and being closer to my parents. Today, God has enriched our lives with these individuals and the others too numerous to mention, each of whom are now members of the family we didn’t know we had, and are our “Piece of the Good Life” in Wilson County.
Amelia Morrison Hipps is a freelance writer, editor and publication designer who lives on Trousdale Ferry Pike with her husband and four dogs.
Wilson Living Magazine is proud to now have Amelia as a Wilson Living contributor. Look for her work in future issues.
By ROY HARRIS
When you hear the word Africa, what comes to mind? No doubt things like lions, leopards, elephants and perhaps giraffes. Maybe the book by Karen von Blixen called Out of Africa which inspired the movie by the same name.
All of those things come to mind for me and so much more. I am honored and very blessed to have opportunities to speak in most of our states here in America and also a number of countries around the globe. I had the unique opportunity a couple of months ago to travel to East Africa to the country of Kenya. I was the keynote speaker at a pastors’ conference for 350 church leaders from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. What a wonderful experience it was and one I will never forget.
Roy’s wife, Amy, showing the locals an American “high five.”
My 24-hour flight from Nashville featured stops in Detroit, Amsterdam and finally arriving in Nairobi the capital of Kenya, the largest city in East Africa. A smaller plane then delivered me safely to the city of Eldoret, 200 miles northwest of the Ugandan border.
Roy and one of his fellow pastors.Not knowing what to expect, I exited the baggage claim area and walked into the main terminal. Three well-dressed tall African men greeted me with the traditional African greeting of three embraces each. Two elementary age girls, dressed in bright red dresses and hair filled with braids and beads, formally welcomed me to Kenya, presenting me with a small Kenyan flag and my Official Speaker’s Badge for the week. We loaded up and headed for my hotel. The headlights on our van illuminated the surrounding countryside and this Tennessee boy knew he was not in Tennessee anymore. This began a week I will never forget.
There is an eight-hour time difference between Tennessee and Kenya but I came to realize there is also U.S. Time & African Time in a different sense. Nine-oclock in the morning U.S. Time could mean 9:15, 9:30 or 9:45 African time. When I arrived for the first session of the conference, I also soon realized that running water and electricity were not the norm for most people attending this conference. Only one person owned a car and most had walked, rode bicycles or traveled up to two days by bus to get to the conference. The conference was held in a huge tent in a fenced field complete with sheep, goats and chickens moving freely outside the tent. A portable generator supplied power to operate the sound system.
The African people were a joy to be with. I was impressed immediately with their smiling faces and friendly dispositions. They were neatly dressed. The ladies wore bright colored clothing and many of the men wore coats and ties. Many of ladies made their multi-colored clothing for themselves and their children. I was also impressed with how gifted and talented they were. Most of them were tri-lingual speaking English, their individual Tribal languages and Swahili, the most common language of Africa. They played a variety of instruments and had beautiful voices. They loved to sing and incorporated native African dance into each song.
The Conference began on Monday morning and ended on Thursday afternoon with a presentation of certificates to those who had attended all four days.
My wife Amy and her mother Diane were able to join me earlier in the week and Friday began a new chapter in our Kenyan experience. We left Eldoret early on Friday morning to visit some very special people about 50 miles away near Katali, Kenya. We had the privilege of visiting threeorphanages and a Bible Institute which trains bi-vocational pastors.
Our first stop introduced us to an orphanage school which cared for and taught about 100 children. We were amazed at how well behaved the children were and how much the teachers were able to do with very limited resources. They taught the basics using poster board taped to the walls. We asked the children if there was anything they wished they had for school. One little boy said: “our soccer was destroyed by a storm; could we get a new one?” The school could not afford a new one (we made sure they got a new one). This was typical of what we found in all three of the orphanage schools.
I was involved with Christian Education for almost 25 years so having the opportunity to visit and speak in educational settings to children and young adults is near to my heart. The Bible Institute semester had ended a couple of weeks earlier but several students made a special trip back to campus to hear me speak.
By RANDY RUDDER
There’s an old saying in south Louisiana that’s meant to establish the authenticity of a Cajun: “Who’s your mama, are you Catholic, and can you cook a roux?” Well, Leland Rutherford got a lot of his Cajun recipes from his mama and his Aunt Elza back in Creole, La., he used to be Catholic (he now attends a non-denominational church), and he can darn sure cook a roux.
Leland Rutherford shows off one of his tasty cajun dishes.Leland knows there’s a lot more to great Cajun cooking than just a good roux, though. You can’t order your seafood and spices from just anywhere; you have to get them straight from the heart of Cajun country. Rutherford makes regular trips to the Bayou to purchase his fresh shrimp, oysters, crab, and boudin sausage. And of course, you have to be sure to mix in a healthy dose of love and the wisdom culled from several generations of great cooks with every batch of jambalaya, shrimp etouffee, or gumbo.
Rutherford was born in Lake Charles, and raised in Creole, La., and spent most of his working career on the oil platforms off the Louisiana coast, seven days on and seven days off. On his off days, he would go alligator hunting or operate his shrimp boat. (The popular History Channel reality series “Swamp People” is filmed just a few miles from Creole.) “I had a nice shrimp boat with bunks and a kitchen and everything, and I would run that shrimp boat for seven days,” Leland said. “We would sell the shrimp at the market down in Cameron (Louisiana), and then I’d tie the boat back up and I’d head back out to work on the platforms.”
After he retired from working offshore, Leland even dug his own lake and stocked it with thousands of crawfish so he would have a continual supply for his culinary leanings. “Where I come from, the men do most of the cooking,” Leland said. “I would always cook for family or friends, or boil up a pot of duck gumbo at the duck camps.”
Rutherford often visited his daughter Dena and her husband, David Pinkston, who lived here, and eventually decided to relocate to Middle Tennessee. Rutherford’s wife of 41 years, Carolyn, passed away of cancer several years ago and he is now married to Jean.
Leland proudly stands in front of his new restaurant establishment on Lebanon road.When Leland first moved here, he purchased a home with nine acres on Bass Lane just off Lebanon Road. “When we got up here, and I got through remodeling the house and cleared off the woods, I got to praying about stuff, I started to see some doors open to maybe sell some shrimp here,” he said. “I noticed that it was hard to find fresh shrimp here in Middle Tennessee. Everything was frozen and came from other countries. And every time we would go back (to Louisiana) we would bring back shrimp with us. People would come eat with us and people would start saying, ‘Man, why don’t you bring back some shrimp for us next time you go, so we would. So we went to Georgia to go to school and we got our wholesale-retail license.”
Leland eventually built a storage facility on the property, with several freezers, and began selling shrimp and oysters and crab meat to local customers, largely through word of mouth. Then he built a concession trailer to sell Cajun food at the Wilson Country Fair. It was so popular, he decided to park the concession trailer across from West Elementary and sell his shrimp Po Boys, gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice to passersbys. Here again, the demand for his Cajun dishes became so popular that Leland began considering possible retail locations. He recently chose a spot in the Cool View Plaza across from the Hickory Hills subdivision on Lebanon Road in which to open his new restaurant. Leland plans to keep the storage building and the concession trailer running even after the new retail location opens, and Dena and David will continue to operate the business with him. David was a manager of several Nashville area Panera Bread locations and has a degree in business, so he and Dena will continue to lend their expertise in food service management for the company.
There will be a few new menu items at the new location, like alligator, boudin burgers, blue crab, and locally caught Cajun catfish, but the other favorites, like the gumbo and jambalaya, will remain. Rutherford still travels back and forth regularly to the Gulf to purchase his supplies, sometimes bringing back as much as a ton of shrimp at a time. He purchases fresh alligator meat from Hammond, oysters from Bayou La Batre, Ala., boudin sausage from Dry Creek, La., and shrimp from Delcambre.
Leland loves to tell stories of his days growing up in Creole, and of his family traditions, and does so in that unmistakable Cajun accent (he says some customers come by just to hear him talk). Like the story of his aunt Eve, a widow, who used to spend weeks before Christmas making homemade fruit cakes and hand-delivering them to neighbors and relatives, just to bless them. “And my other son, he still lives back in Creole, and he does a lot of cooking down there still, for church events and things like that. He’s got a big ol’ black pot with a paddle,” Leland laughed. “He was telling me the other day he cooked jambalaya for about 700 people down there. He had to cook five of those big ol’ black pots to feed ‘em all.”
So which dishes are the chef’s favorites? “Gumbo and jambalaya are some of my favorites to eat and to make, too,” Leland said, “because you can make pretty large quantities pretty easily. I also make a great Cajun spaghetti and etouffee, and we always have homemade potato salad and a corn on the cob or another vegetable with the meals. I love crab, too. The crab meat we get is blue crab, and it’s the real deal, too. We get about four of those really big jumbo shrimp and we stuff them with that crab meat, roll it up in some good batter, and deep fry ‘em,” he added with a big grin. “Man, that’s some good eatin’.”
by ELIZABETH SCRUGGS
As the days begin to get longer and the weather starts to warm, we all get spring fever. Everything in nature is fresh and new, and we want our homes to be the same. That’s when we get the urge to spring clean. This is also prime garage sale season, so there’s no better time to organize your garage and have a sale too!
Working with Monkey Bars Garage Storage Solutions, we are able to see these garage spaces get into tip top shape.
Does your space look like this?
If we are honest, most of our garages have looked like this at one time or another. Allow yourself a few hours, make a plan, and tackle it in small steps.
The first step when organizing any area is to empty the space. Sort and purge what you don’t use or need. Then divide the space into areas for specific tasks. Common areas in the garage would be for tools, gardening, toys, sports equipment and any automotive needs.
After you have your areas planned, use shelving, pegboard, hooks and plastic containers to keep like items together. Look at the walls and toward the ceiling for your storage space.
To the right, shelving has been installed all the way around the garage. The beauty of Monkey Bars Storage is that their powder coated steel construction holds 1,000 pounds every 4 feet of shelf.
They offer 12 types of hooks to hang virtually anything. After laying out your plan and installing any shelves that you need, place all your items into their designated areas. Label any containers clearly with a sharpie to identify its contents.
Remember not to store anything in your garage that may be sensitive to changes in temperature.
According to BND.com, in the U.S., “82% of homes have two-car garages or larger, but only 15% use them to park the car inside.” This is a sad statistic. Take some time this spring to get your garage in shape. Donate or sell what you don’t need, and use your garage as it was intended to be used- for your vehicles! If you need help with your project, give us a call.
Elizabeth Scruggs
Superior Construction and Design
969-3354
Todd McCann
Monkey Bars Garage Storage
305-7841
www.RescueMyGarage.com
by BRODY KANE
Standing left to right: Marsha McCalab, Shelly Lanius, Janie Brodhead, Anita Woolard, Sharon Newport, Tiffany Cunningham, Dale Vines, Debbie Walker, Mary Martin, Karla Hall, April Meadows, Lennie Graham, Sitting left to right: Billie Mercer, Judy Pierce, Brody Kane, Bernice Blankenship, Terri McDonough, Susan Partyka
I am the youngest of four. There are 10 years between my brother and I, and when we moved from Texas to Watertown, Dan, my brother, was 18 and in college. Therefore, growing up I was surrounded mostly by my two older sisters and Mother. My Dad, Bernie, traveled frequently as a salesman and would be gone Monday through Friday.
That left my Mother in charge, followed by older sister Mallorie, then Stacey and then me. As you can imagine, some weeks the house would be a hormonal nightmare! Somebody was always yelling, crying or laughing. Trying to figure out who had the strongest will between the three is a challenge. But if it came right down to it, I’d pick Nell, my Mother. Nell graduated from high school and immediately entered marriage and motherhood. While my Mom didn’t attend college or enter the career world, she was an M.D., CPA and CEO all wrapped into one.
My mother Nell with our oldest, Madison, when she was 2 years old. The only “red hat” photo we could find.Many may know her from Watertown. In fact, it was my Mother who got out her tape measure and measured off the first mile for the first ever Mile Long Yard Sale. While she kept herself busy with the Home Demonstration Club and antiquing, she was also active with us in 4-H, Scouts and as a youth leader in our church. Later she would volunteer to teach local adults how to read and write.
Today, my Mom suffers from Parkinson’s and a host of otherailments that have sadly taken a toll on her health, but I still remember well, one of her favorite group outings was being a member of the local Red Hat Society, formed as a by-product of her quilting group.
Well after we had all graduated and left home, my Mother began devoting some of her time to her own interests and soon fell into this group. For the few years she was in it, I remember how much she enjoyed it; the camaraderie, the fun, the sisterhood. She would don her red hat and meet her friends for lunch or dinner, often at the Loveless Café in Nashville. Honestly, I never quite understood what she found so entertaining but whatever it was, it made her happy.
So, when I learned a local chapter of the Red Hat Society was going to be an upcoming feature in the magazine, I gladly agreed to meet these fine women. I figured I’d finally see what piqued my Mother’s interest, so many years ago.
And I’m pleased I didn’t miss out on such a wonderful opportunity.
The Sugar Plum Girls are a group of Lebanon ladies who are affiliated with the National Red Hat Society. The Red Hat Society, which began in 1998, now has over 80,000 members in 31 countries. This grass roots women’s group was started by Sue Ellen Cooper, when she purchased herself, a red fedora, from a thrift store. Soon after, a friend of hers was about to celebrate a milestone birthday, and Sue Ellen bought her friend a red hat, as well, her purpose being to encourage this friend to remember to grow old in a playful manner. One by one, she and her friends started wearing their red hats whenever they would get together to step away from the demands of everyday life and enjoy some laughs.
A few things that make life a little better for Angel & Becky!
Becky“I can’t live without this stuff ! I usually wait too long between hair appointments. By using this, I can make it to the next appointment without everyone noticing my grey roots!”
Available at Aqua Bella Day Spa & Hair Studio in Mt Juliet, $12 754-7311
Angel“This is a must have for me. Just a few swipes of the magic wand after washing my face at night is all I need. I’ve never had lashes this long and full!”
Available at The Lett Center, Gallaher Eye Center – Call for pricing
Youth
Baseball
T-Ball/Coach Pitch Baseball
615-449-0303
416 Baird Park Circle
Lebanon, TN 37090
The Lebanon Recreation Department sponsors a T-ball and Coach Pitch program, which begins in the spring. The goal of this program is to teach children ages 4-8 the fundamentals of baseball. There are about 300 children in this program. This program is instructional. Every child gets to play. The focus of the program is on teamwork and having fun through the sport of baseball. The games are played at the softball fields next to Cainsville Baptist Church. Every child gets a shirt and a hat as well as a trophy for their participation. The Recreation department is responsible for registration, scheduling, drafting of teams buying equipment, insurance, and officials, and maintaining the two fields used by this program.
Kiwanis Little League Baseball
http://www.lebanonkiwanis.com
615-878-0208
Kiwanis Club of Lebanon TN Little League Inc
1312 W Main St
Lebanon, TN 37087
Rotary Dixie Youth (Ages 9-12)
Lebanon Rotary Baseball
607 Hill Street
Lebanon TN 37087
Contact Person: M.F.Donnell
Phone: 615-308-9230
Fax: 615-444-4640
The Lebanon Recreation Department also has a Jr. Pro Football Program that begins in August. Sign-ups are in July. Total participation in this league is about 200 players. Children ages 5-11 can participate in this league. The games are played at LRD’s football field located behind Walter J. Baird Middle School on Monday and Thursday nights. The Recreation Department is responsible for registration, scheduling, drafting of teams, purchasing uniforms, insurance, and equipment, as well as maintaining the field. The goal of this program is to teach children the fundamentals of football. This program also allows the children to have fun through sport and healthy competition. Along with the football teams, the Recreation Department allows each team to have a cheerleading squad. The cheerleaders can cheer during the games and perform for a few minutes during halftime. Each football player receives a jersey and a trophy for playing in the program.
Mt. Juliet – Spring/Fall Softball
615-758-8991
10835 Lebanon Road
PO Box 311
Mount Juliet, TN 37122
mtjulietleague@tds.net
Mt. Juliet Co-Ed Soccer
615-642-6130
City of Mt. Juliet & YMCA
Youth soccer at Cedar Creek Soccer Park
Registration: March 3rd at Mt. Juliet YMCA at Valley View
Fee: $80 for YMCA members, $85 for Mt. Juliet residents who are not YMCA members, $113 for youth who are not YMCA members or Mt. Juliet residents. Financial assistance is available for those that qualify.
Contact: Marsha Houser at 773-5363.
Adults
Mt. Juliet – Summer/Winter Men’s Basketball (Ages 20+)
615-642-6130
Registration: Monday, February 27th
Fee: $500 per team (14 game season)
All games played at the Mt. Juliet Community Center
Call Tim Henson at 758-6522 for more information
Adult Softball Leagues
615-642-6130 or 615-758-6522
Senior and Adult Leagues play at Mundy Memorial Sportsplex
Fee: $625 per team in Spring and $525 per team in Fall, $50 per player for Senior 55+
Pickle Ball
Senior Pickle Ball –
615-758-6522
615-773-8309
Every Monday & Wednesday at 9AM at the Mt. Juliet Community Center
Softball
Mt. Juliet – Spring/Fall Men’s Flag Football
615-642-6130
Veterans and Veteran Affairs/Hospital Volunteer
Hundreds of veterans use the Operation Stand Down program each and every year, and they receive medical assistance, food, performances, legal aid, grants for certain bills and expenses, shelter, movies, and even free haircuts.
Their offices are located at 1125 12th Avenue South in Nashville Tennessee. www.osdnashville.org/
Phone: 615-248-1981 Fax: 615-248-1987
Wilson County Food Donation Program for Veterans
Julia Ann Coleman
1312 W Main St
Lebanon, TN 37087
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5015 Lebanon
5015 Lebanon Post — Google
709 Meadowlane Dr
http://www.vfwwebcom.org/tn/post5015
1004 Chapter Vietnam Veterans of America Lebanon Chapter
2011 Goshen Rd
Lebanon, TN 37087
County: Wilson County
http://www.vva1004.com/
Wilson County Schools
615-444-3282
351 Stumpy Lane
Lebanon, TN 37090
Click here to go to Wilson County Schools main page
March 12-13: In-Service Days Optional (no students)
March 12-23: Spring Break/Intersession
April 6: Good Friday Holiday
April 11: 1/2 Student Day AM & 1/2 Stockpile Day for Prof. Development PM
May 28: Memorial Day Holiday
May 30-31: Exam Days
Carroll-Oakland Elementary
Elzie D. Patton Elementary
Gladeville Elementary
Lakeview Elementary
Mt. Juliet Elementary
Rutland Elementary
Southside Elementary
Stoner Creek Elementary
Tuckers Crossroads Elementary
W.A. Wright Elementary
Watertown Elementary
West Elementary
Mt. Juliet Middle
West Wilson Middle
Lebanon High
Mt. Juliet High
Watertown High School
Wilson Central High
Adult High School
Adult Learning Center
M.A.P. Academy
Wilson County Career Technical Center
Cedars Preparatory Academy
615-547-4612
410 West Main Street
Lebanon, TN 37087
Click here to go to Cedars Prep main page
Donelson Christian Academy
615-883-2926
300 Danyacrest Drive
Nashville, TN 37214
Click here to go to DCA main page
LIVING… IN WILSON COUNTY
Information & Links for the citizens of Wilson County
WILSON COUNTY
www.visitwilsoncounty.com
Wilson County Mayor
Randall Hutto – 444-1383
Commissioners
Becky Siever – 779-3167
Stephanie McDonald – 977-7094
Fred Weston – 754-5161
Chad Barnard – 547-4425
Jerry McFarland – 547-4041
Kenny Reich – 443-1216
Terry Scruggs – 237-0565
Frank Bush – 714-8775
Sara B. Patton – 286-2609
Nathan Clariday – 758-8333
Jim Bradshaw – 758-7447
Billy G. Rowland – 286-2217
Clint Thomas – 881-9123
Jeff Joines – 443-0298
Mike Justice – 881-4003
Jason Brockman – 773-5950
Gary Keith – 449-5663
Adam Bannach – 773-9329
William Glover – 453-0821
Annette Stafford – 449-2473
Eugene Murray – 444-5869
Wendell Marlowe – 758-5277
Bernie Ash – 804-4133
Paul Abercrombie – 444-6644
Randy Hall – 444-8508
City of Mt. Juliet
Mayor
Ed Hagerty – 969-4769
Commissioners
Ted Floyd – 479-8192
James Maness – Vice-Mayor – 357-7440
Art Giles – 564-0329
Jim Bradshaw – 545-7784
City of Lebanon
Mayor
Philip Craighead – 443-2839
City Council Members
Alex Buhler – 449-3945
Kevin Huddleston – 444-8042
Rob Cesternino – 405-4342
Joe Hayes – 444-4600
Haywood Barry – 444-6371
Kathy Warmath – 449-0045
City of Watertown
Mayor
Mike Jennings – 237-3326
Council Members
Jim Amero – 237-1777
Paulette Dorris – 237-3014
Brandon Howard (Vice Mayor) – 237-0525
Tom Nix – 237-3488
Tony Lea – 237-3731
Robin Vance – 237-9338
STATE OF TENNESSEE
TN US Congress
TN US Senators
Bob Corker – 202-224-3344
Lamar Alexander – 202-224-4944
TN Representatives
Linda Elam – 615-741-7462
Mark Pody – 615-741-7086
TENNESSEE LAW ENFORCEMENT
Lebanon Police – 615-444-2323
Mt. Juliet Police Department – 754-2552
Watertown Police Department – 237-3225
Fire Departments
Wilson County Fire Department – 444-8799
Lebanon Fire Department – 443-2903
Mount Juliet Fire Department– 444-8777
Watertown Fire Department – 237-3628
The Lions Club of Lebanon
615-444-8104
President: Larry Stone
P.O. Box 2279
Lebanon TN 37088-2279
Wilson County Beekeepers
615-286-2529
Contact: Carey Mitchell
petrabee@hotmail.com
Lebanon Birding Club
Contact: Stephen Zipperer
Stczipperer@gmail.com
lebanonbirding.org
Agape
615-547-4244
Diana Crawford, an experienced counselor with the Agape group, will be available for counseling by appointment on Mondays of each week. Agape will be able to file insurance claims for counseling done through Diana.
Bill Macke and Robbie Goad, experienced counselors who are members of the Maple Hill Church, are also available by appointment and will work out hours and times that fit both their schedule and the requirements of those being counseled.
Parent Pantry
1-615-449-7001
440 Park Avenue
Lebanon, TN 37087
Al-ANON/ALA TEEN
615-444-2892 or 615-444-8483
Meetings: Our House at 115 North Greenwood Street
NSDAR (Daughter’s of the American Revolution) Margaret Gaston Chapter
The Margaret Gaston Chapter of the TNDAR meets at 3:30 PM the 1st Wednesday of every month at Cumberland University K Room from January through June and from September through December of each year. Please look for updated information on the main page.
CASA
615-443-2002
102 East Main Street
Lebanon, TN 37087
volunteer@wilsoncountycasa.org
The mission of the Wilson County/Smith County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program is to provide specially selected and trained volunteers to speak up for abused and neglected children, one child at a time, so that each child is permitted to grow up in a safe and permanent home.
Oakland FCE Club
615-443-4171
Contact: Ruby Margo
Meetings: First Friday of every month at 10AM
Mt. Juliet West Wilson Historical Society
615-754-2418
Contact: Donna G. Ferrell
P.O. Box 337
Mount Juliet, Tennessee 37122
DGFerrell@aol.com
Leeville FCE Club
615-443-1367
Contact: Michelle Chambers
Meetings: Third Wednesday of every month at 10AM
Breast Cancer Friends Support Group
615-444-6106
Maple Hill Church of Christ
102 Maple Hill Road
Lebanon, TN 37087
Breakfast Rotary – Lebanon
Cumberland University Mitchell Student Center (K Room)
1 Cumberland Square
Lebanon, TN 37087
Meetings: Thursday at 6:45AM
Breakfast Rotary – Mt. Juliet
Victory Baptist Church
1777 Tate Lane
Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
Lunch Rotary – Mt. Juliet
1483 Mt. Juliet Road
Mount Juliet, TN 37122
Wilson County Shriner’s Club
1354 Brick Church Pike
P.O. Box 78545
Nashville, Tennessee 37207
(615) 226-7766
(615) 226-7903 Fax
Email Temple@AlMenahShriners.org
Grand Lodge of Tennessee
100 7th Avenue N.
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
Wilson County Republican Party
615-444-5732
500 South Cumberland Street, Suite C
Lebanon, TN 37087
Wilson County Christmas For All
615-444-7560
Contact Person: Alan Ricketts
P.O. Box 922
Lebanon TN 37088-0922
Wilson County Republican Women
500 S. Cumberland St. Suite C
Lebanon, TN 37087
RWwilsonco@yahoo.com
Wilson County Democratic Women
615-210-4834
http://www.tndp.org/profile/DelanaPatterson
Charities and Where to go for help
Local
Shelters and/or organizations that offer provisions for displaced.
While these facilities provide a valuable service to displaced individuals, they also offer a perfect opportunity to volunteer. You are welcome to volunteer goods, services or more importantly, your time.
Brooks House
http://www.brookshouse.org/history.html
PO Box 1222
Lebanon, TN 37088
Phone (615) 444-8882
Fax (615) 444-8851
Habitat for Humanity
606 E Main St
Lebanon, TN 37087
Wilson County Community Help Center
http://www.wilsoncountyhelpcenter.org/Welcome.html
203 W High St
Lebanon, TN 37087
615-449-1856
County: Wilson County
Healing Broken Vessels
http://www.healingbrokenvessels.org/
223 North Cumberland Street
Lebanon, TN 37087
615-444-3258
A faith based organization that provides Christian education for women in the Wilson County area. Their focus is lifestyle development, spiritual health and wholeness.
Local Groups working towards an International Goal
Trinity Hope Inc
http://www.trinityhope.org
2366 Cairo Bend Rd
Lebanon, TN 37087
Trinity Hope’s goal is to actively seek and be careful stewards of each dollar God provides so that the maximum number of students in the schools of the Christian Churches in Haiti have a meal each day. To facilitate the Christian Churches in Haiti ’s efforts to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the children in its schools as they are being educated.
Ignite Missions
http://www.ignitemissions.org/contacts
230 Westlynn Dr
Lebanon, TN 37087
(615-257-1206)
This Program is designed to help designated Villages in Honduras by providing them with daily life neccessaties and Christ centered learning.
Your PRAYERS OR DONATIONS will help provide a home for a Pastor, materials for Bible Study, supplies for children’s ministry and so on… in your village of choice!
Into the Word Ministries, Inc.
http://www.intotheword.org/
447 Hiwassee Rd.
Lebanon, TN 37087
Into the Word Ministries, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the primary objective of reaching the world through the use of mass media. Into the Word Ministries strives to apply the Word of God to our everyday lives. Into the Word publishes a weekly Bible based lesson on the Internet.
Wilson County Black History Committee
http://www.wilsoncountyblackhistory.org/
115 East Main Street, Suite B
Lebanon, TN 37087
615-449-2911
The Wilson County Black History Committee is a group of men and women dedicated to the memory of the founders and families of Wilson County’s thriving African American community.
Books From Birth of Middle Tennessee
http://www.childrenshospital.vanderbilt.org/BooksfromBirth
3401 West End Ave., Suite 460W
Nashville, TN 37203 Phone: 615.936.6353
To increase literacy and school readiness while strengthening the bonds of families. Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee wants to foster a love of reading in all Middle Tennessee children!
Area Organizations:
Dozens of non-profits and charity organizations across the nation can provide financial assistance for medical bills, insurance payments, prescription medications, and other forms of aid. Find a listing of how to get financial help with medical bills from non-profit organizations.
Education and Employment
Angels’ Place, Inc. – They have a comprehensive support center that helps lower income, single parents stay in school by offering them FREE childcare, tutoring, career planning, counseling, and also informal parenting classes. 412.321.4447
Dress for Success – The goal of the Dress for Success organization is to promote the economic independence of struggling or disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, career development tools, and a network of support to help women be successful in both work and in life. They are located in more than 90 cities in the US. 212.532.1922
Free job training – The United State Department of Labor created the Workforce Investment Act. Services are available for the unemployed, low income, seniors, and youths that can provide them with job training and skills that are needed in the workforce. More on Workforce Investment Act.
Goodwill Industries – This national organization provides career counseling, job placement and training programs, and resources that can help people find both temporary and permanent jobs. Increase your skills, and get assistance in finding a job. Learn more.
Mercy Education Project – This group dedicated to providing education, academic and life skills help to assist at-risk women and girls in achieving academic success and with a goal of eventual self-sufficiency.
The Midnight Mission – Provides help to the homeless through education, counseling, job training, and job placement. They also assist by providing shelter, food, clothing, personal hygiene needs and health care.
Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) – The RIF organization provides free books for children across America to help in their education, and they are free to choose and keep the books. By promoting a love of books among kids, RIF will encourage children’s literacy and also involves communities across the nation.
Angel Food Ministries – This is a non-profit, non-denominational organization that is committed to providing grocery bill relief and other financial support to people and communities throughout the United States. They help and serve hundreds of thousands of families every month across 35 states. There are no applications, qualifications, income restrictions, or minimums. Click here, or dial 1-877-FOOD-MINISTRY
Additional Assistance for Tennessee Residents is also provided by your local government that can help you with paying bills or that can also help you with paying your mortgage and foreclosure assistance.www.needhelppayingbills.com/…/tennessee_assistance_programs.html
Country K-9 rescues abused, injured or homeless animals. We arrange vet care when needed, and have all animals up-to-date on shots and spayed/neutered before adoption. Our adoption contract requires pet adopters to provide love, food, shelter and a fenced yard. If within 30 days for any reason the adoption does not work out, we require the animal be returned to us. We are a non-profit charity and ask for a donation with each adoption to our fund for future rescues. Our staff is all volunteer – all funds go directly to the care of our animals. Country K-9 also accepts donations of blankets, dog or cat food, cat litter, dog houses and cleaning supplies. All donations are tax-deductible and receipts are available.
Southern Starrs Inc
http://www.southernstarrs.org/
4020 Cairo Bend Rd
Lebanon, TN 37087
(615) 453-2592
Southern STARRS is dedicated to providing safe and goal oriented therapeutic and recreational horseback riding and animal assisted activities to special needs children and adults.
New Leash On Life
New Leash on Life is dedicated to improving the welfare of companion animals in our community through shelter, placement, spay/neuter, education and awareness.
New Leash on Life
P.O. Box 247
Lebanon, TN 37088-0247
Phone: (615) 444-1144
Fax: (615) 444-4997
Adoption Services
Bethany Richardson
phone: (615) 444-1144
email: bethany@newleashonline.com
Fix For Life Spay/Neuter Clinic
Physical Address:
511 W. Baddour Parkway
Lebanon, TN 37087
phone: (615) 453-2FIX (2349)
fax: (615) 443-8581
For Surgical Emergencies only (after hours):
Call (615)390-0505
Spay Neuter Program Manager
Jamie Andress
phone: (615) 453-2349 (615) 444-1196
email: jandress@newleashonline.com
One of the most beautifully restored homes in the area can be seen on a leisurely drive down West Main in Lebanon. The skillfully restored facility is known as “Mitchell House” and is the heart of the corporate headquarters for CBRL Group, Inc., the holding company for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.