‘15 cheers’ for wrestlers

from Pigeon Forge, Seymour

There’s no shouting “three cheers!” in this little segment today — it’s more like “15 cheers!” That’s how many wrestlers the high school teams from Pigeon Forge and Seymour qualified for this weekend’s state meet at the Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Arena. It started Thursday and ends today in Franklin.

In winning its regional meet last weekend, Pigeon Forge accomplished what is believed to be a first for any team from this county, beating second-place Farragut by a phenomenal 69 points. The Tigers qualified nine individuals, including Edward Holland and Cody Davis who won their regional weight classes.

Seymour, meanwhile, finished second in its regional and qualified six for the state meet, including Luke Hall, Trent Williams and Michael Raimondi, who won championships in their weight classes.

If the cards fall into place, Pigeon Forge, with nine qualifiers, may have a chance at a state title. All 15 who qualified from both schools have a chance at coming home with medals — or at least they’ll go to the mat trying.

Special citizen Linda Ogle

deserves a rose of her own

Local philanthropist Linda Ogle made some special deliveries on Monday and brightened the faces and lives of a lot of people — people she didn’t even know.

On the first official day that LeConte Medical Center was open, Ogle passed out long-stemmed roses during a ceremony in the lobby, as the Sevier County Choral Society provided soothing music in the background. Then she went around to each of the patients’ rooms, exchanging roses for smiles and hugs.

For Ogle, it was a mission of love. She made the rounds in memory of her friend, the late Grant Cantwell, who passed out roses to those going to, coming from, or staying at Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center. Cantwell died in 2008, and the community lost a true friend.

“Grant told me to do this,” Ogle explained humbly. “He sent me down here today.”

Linda Ogle didn’t have to carry on the tradition and she didn’t have to purchase the flowers herself. But she did both. She herself deserves a rose.

Banner Baptist youth group

has unique idea to feed needy

They came, they shopped, they spent and they did a truckload of good for the poor people of our community. And when we say “a truckload of good,” we mean they literally did a truckload of good.

Members of the Banner Baptist Church youth group in Gatlinburg recently made their annual shopping trip to Food City and spent a tidy $2,283.31 for a truckload of groceries for the Sevier County Food Ministries program. To raise money to make the purchase, a yard sale is held annually during the spring and a “poor man auction and supper” is held during the fall.

Here’s a neat part: The kids did it in January because they reason that most folks give to the food bank in November or December for the holidays. They figured that stock would be depleted and the food would be more needed in January.

The Banner Baptist kids set a precedent. How great would it be for a different kids’ group to follow suit for each month?