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Signal Mountain Happenings

Check back often for all the latest Signal Mountain news between issues of the Mirror.

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Looking Back on Mark McKnight’s First Year at Reflection Riding

11/12/2018

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By Tish Gailmard

Many years ago, a college age North Carolina native accepted a counselor position at Camp Alpine in Mentone, Ala. Years later, Mark McKnight is celebrating his first year as Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center’s president, a year with a list of very noticeable accomplishments.

Mark’s camp counselor gig amplified his love of the outdoors, and he grew to appreciate our area’s geology, scenic beauty and ecological diversity. After graduating from Hampton-Sydney College with degrees in English and religion, a conversation with Dawson Wheeler, co-founder of Rock Creek Outfitters, brought Mark to Chattanooga, where he built Rock Creek’s brand into a force to reckon with in the outdoor world.

Within the retail platform, Mark was able to continue to connect people with the outdoors through many forms of recreation on public lands, including the wildly popular trail race series that still exists today. These trail races, with engaging names like Brow Beater, Savage Gulf and Stump Jump, showcase the many striking opportunities for enjoying the outdoor world in our community.

Mark then ventured into the start-up realm as co-founder of Roots Rated, once again connecting people with the great outdoors. His next gig was in the consulting business, after another call from Dawson piqued his interest - Reflection Riding was looking for a president to shake things up and carry this well known (but in need of a revamp) environmental education facility into the future. Reflection Riding hit the jackpot when Mark accepted the position.

During Mark’s first year, he took a deep look into both what Reflection Riding is doing and needs to do in this community. Mark assessed the management of this nonprofit from an ecological standpoint, recognizing that promoting biodiversity through better ecosystem management is imperative. He introduced successional fire as a natural method to maintain habitat and removed approximately 18 acres of the non-native invasive privet plant, replacing it with native plants. (Caterpillars don’t like privet, which means no songbirds, which means no predators, which results in an unhealthy ecosystem.) Removing privet and replanting with natives also eliminates homogenous woods and replaces them with Tennessee native forests.
Mark and his staff have increased and diversified programming for all ages. With updated marketing strategies, these exciting programs are well attended and reviewed. Want to learn to mountain bike? How about a guided nighttime canoe trip or a raptor training workshop? Want to feed the red wolves? Attend a few campfire concerts or the Earth Day Festival? You get the idea ... this place is hopping with fun for all ages.

In the spirit of the Lookout Mountain Conservancy, Mark’s quest is to make outdoor activities available to everyone, even changing Reflection Riding’s admission from fee-based to donation-based. “What we do has to reach everyone. Access, equity and inclusion,” stated this innovative leader. The organization is finding its visitors are happy to make a donation upon entering this nirvana and often many of them contribute again as they leave or purchase a membership. It’s the organization’s hope these excited visitors will become long-term supporters.

Mark hopes the community will become more devoted to the future of Chattanooga’s Nature Center and Arboretum by taking a leap of faith and investing in the future of this highly unusual 317-acre property that sits just six miles from Chattanooga’s center. “For those who believe in what we’re doing, we need them to invest in us. It’s time for smart growth while honoring the legacy of our founders - the Chambliss and Humphrey families and the Chattanooga Junior League,” Mark said.

Mark harnessed today’s technology to get this non-profit running lean, meaning more of your donation dollars go directly to the mission of connecting people with nature. The use of several software packages makes the business side of this non-profit run very efficiently, and utilizing inter-organizational apps means the staff gets out from behind the desk faster, leaving more time to be in the field, teaching and engaging visitors.

Reflection Riding is a truly fantastic place to unplug, but this savvy organization knows that technology can be leveraged as a great teaching tool and encourages visitors and staff to use the app iNaturalist to record what they see on the property and in their own circles of the world.
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School field trips, the native plant sale, and summer camps have been Chattanooga favorites for years. With Mark’s magic, these events (and many new ones), coupled with a new attitude, have lit a spark. Exciting things are going on here, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to be involved! Find out more at reflectionriding.org.


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2018 Leaf Season Information

11/9/2018

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Leaf season is nearly upon us. The Town will begin the first round of leaf pickup approximately
the second week of November. This year we will begin in Area 4, which is the east side of the
highway from Rolling Way south, covering Green Gorge, Palisades, and Carriage Hill, then
move to Area 5 and so on. Signs will be posted that state “Leaf pickup in this area next”. The
signs are posted approximately one week prior to being in your area. Please place loose
leaves at the curbside before your area is scheduled for the next pick-up to ensure they are not
missed. If leaves are not out as the crews pass in front of your house, they will be picked up
on the next rotation. A map of the pickup areas and a list of sign locations are posted on the
Town’s web site.

Each area takes approximately two weeks to complete. However, issues (especially weather)
may prolong pickup times. The crews collecting leaves are the same crews that are responsible
for maintaining the Town rights-of-way. This includes brush pickup. Brush will be picked up
on a very limited basis during leaf season (approximately November – February).

Limbs and yard waste can be taken to the Transfer Station (714 Mississippi Avenue), or
consider backyard composting and mulching as it is great for the lawn and the environment.

Loose leaves should be placed at the curb in a pile, separate from brush and other yard waste
should you have any. (This could damage the leaf machine and cause delays in pickup.) All
leaves must be away from utility poles, mailboxes, or other structures. Leaves must not block
drainage ditches or curbside drainage catch basins. This violates Stormwater Regulations.

For safety reasons, leaves must not hinder traffic nor block travel lanes. This is extremely
dangerous to motorists. Also, if you live at an intersection, keep leaves away from the
intersecting street. Wet or frozen leaves are slick and can make it difficult to stop.

Please call the Town of Signal Mountain Public Works Department at 423-886-2177 (option 2)
for questions and comments. Leaf pickup updates will be posted on Facebook.

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Covenant College Theatre Presents Shakespeare's "The Tempest"

11/1/2018

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At the time Shakespeare composed the play lavish entertainments called masques were in fashion at the court of King James I. It is thought that these entertainments inspired Shakespeare as he wrote, and as director Claire Slavovsky notes, “we really have an obligation to live up to the fact that Prospero is able to do amazing things with his magic and to present a feast for the eyes and ears.” This production will contain original music by John Reeder (‘17), performed by Reeder, violist Xaris Emmett (‘18), as well as several vocalists.

The fantastical play revolves around questions of power as well as revenge, justice, and mercy. The magician Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, are left stranded on an island when he is deposed. Prospero conjures a tempest which shipwrecks those who plotted against him. With his enemies stranded on the same island, Prospero seeks a reckoning, aided by his servant, the sprite Ariel.
Meanwhile, Miranda falls in love with the son of one of Prospero’s enemies, and his resentful servant Caliban teams up with two drunken clowns to kill Prospero and rule the island. Slavovsky remarks, “Prospero has the temptation of using his power to follow a dark, vengeful path against his enemies and must choose between that or mercy and forgiveness.”

Peter Upton (‘13) plays Prospero, alongside freshmen Elaine George as Miranda, Emily Cothran as Ariel, and Alex Wilson as Caliban. The Tempest will run November 1, 2, 3 and 9 at 8:00 pm and November 10 at 2:30 pm in Sanderson Hall Auditorium at Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
There will be a Q&A with some of the cast and crew after the Friday, November 2 performance, and a faculty discussion panel after the matinee on Saturday, November 10.Tickets are $10 for adults, and $7 for seniors, military, students, and Covenant staff.
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To inquire about group rates or to reserve tickets, please contact the box office at boxoffice@covenant.edu or 706-419-1051. Tickets may also be purchased online at covenant.edu/theatre or at the door as long as seats remain available.

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Girl Scouts Honor Sonia Young with Trefoil Soociety Award

11/1/2018

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Sonia Young, aka The Purple Lady, was honored by the Trefoil Society Award, which was presented to her by the Girl Scout Council of Southern Appalachians.

The Chattanooga Golf and Country Club hosted the event, which was absolutely lovely with pretty pepper plants and rolls of delicious Girl Scout cookies decorating each table. The Trefoil award is about girls’ empowerment, including gaining courage, confidence and character through Scouting, something that helped Sonia become the strong, independent, self-directed woman she is today. In fact, she still has her 72-year-old Girl Scout uniform (with a sleeve full of badges) because of how much it means to her.

Jeff Jackson introduced the honoree by reading a very touching letter from her daughter Melanie Ransom, who lives in New York. Representatives from almost every board Sonia ever served on were present, including The Chattanooga Theatre Centre, The Chattanooga Ballet, The Chattanooga Zoo, McKamey Animal Center and the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger Foundation. Her family, David and Finette Winer, and extended family, including Debby Alper, Jacqueline Marschak and Leonard Murray, Nancy Poston and Chip Caldwell, Marty Brown and Hazel McDermott, cheered loudly for her!

First Tennessee Foundation sponsored the event, and both departing president Jeff Jackson, as well as new president Jay Dale sat at the sponsor table. Sonia’s boss at UTC, Steve Ray, as well as some of her former UTC public speaking students, Kate Trundle and Cynthia Dale ,were there, as were Carole Klimesch, Marissa Ogles, Emily Straussberger, Mary Lucille Sharp, Mark Ramsey, JoAnn Yates, Virginia Polley, Margaret Reisman, Barbie Standefer, Linda Thompson, Martha Mackey, Sherry Dahrling, Cora and Ted Feintuch, Andrew Parker, Susan Robinson, Jamie McAloon, Mary Ollie, Paula Hurn, Darde Long, Amy Aallara, Liz Crowe, Chelsea Dale, Julie Taylor, Dee Hardin, Todd Olsen, Lisa Glisson, Nicole Coleman, Lynn and Rodney Strong, Becki Jordan, Owen Allen, Jo Coke and Katie Campassi.
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Other guests included Donna Killian, Rhonda Catanzaro, Cherie Martinez, Warren Mackey, Kristy Presley, Valerie Carnes, Amy Collet, Kathy York, Carol Alper, Teresa Jones, Lillie Wills, Cheryl Campbell, Amy Campbell, Melissa Youngblood, Kim Fookes, Valerie Rutledge, Marilyn Goler, Barby Wilson, Marguerite Hogan, Elizabeth Kramer, Rabbi Craig Lewis, Stephanie Crowe, last year’s honoree, and many others. Sonia was very moved by the outpouring of support she received, and of course, thanks everyone from the bottom of her purple heart!

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