Volunteer Tennessee and Tennessee first lady Maria Lee announced the official launch of the statewide volunteer opportunities portal on Thursday, the Tennessee Serves Network (https://t.e2ma.net/click/oj9bld/ojl5vh/wdqvhk). The Tennessee Serves Network is a statewide collaboration of volunteer centers dedicated to bringing people and community together through an easily accessible online portal. The portal launch also marks the second anniversary of the first lady’s volunteer initiative (https://t.e2ma.net/click/oj9bld/ojl5vh/c6qvhk).
Through the Tennessee Serves Network, community organizations can post current volunteer opportunities and request volunteer assistance based on skills and interests. Potential volunteers can then search a variety of service opportunities; examples include writing letters to homebound seniors, food distribution, outdoor clean up and beautification, to helping communities rebuild after a disaster. The Tennessee Serves Network is hosted by Volunteer Tennessee. Visit our website at thunder 1320 for the links to the portal.
“Tennessee Serves was launched to engage Tennesseans in the everyday ways they can serve their neighbors and give back to their communities,” said Maria Lee, first lady of Tennessee. “Today, on the second anniversary of Tennessee Serves, we are thrilled to partner with Volunteer Tennessee to officially unveil the Tennessee Serves Networks and introduce a new way Tennesseans can locate available volunteer opportunities based on their passions and abilities.”
“Volunteer Tennessee’s original goal was to create a statewide network that not only engages more Tennesseans in volunteer service, but also provides a manageable process for organizations to recruit and place volunteers,” said Jim Snell, executive director of Volunteer Tennessee. “Now, with the Tennessee Serves Network, we’ve made that possible, and volunteers across the state can quickly connect with opportunities for service and help others in these times of great need.”
The Tennessee Serves Network is hosted by Volunteer Tennessee. Volunteer Tennessee is the 25-member, bipartisan citizen board appointed by the governor to advance volunteerism and citizen service to solve community problems in the Volunteer State.
To register your organization or search for volunteer opportunities in your community, visit www.volunteertennessee.net(https://t.e2ma.net/click/oj9bld/ojl5vh/ojtvhk. The volunteer portal is also accessible through the MyTN app, the state’s mobile app that compiles multiple state of Tennessee services into one convenient resource. Visit MyTN.gov to easily download to a device by clicking the Apple or Android store icons.
Coffee County Schools summer feeding program
Coffee County Schools will have a summer feeding program throughout the summer. They will serve breakfast from 7:00 to 8:30 and lunch from 11:00 to 12:30. The program will run from June 1st through June 30th and July 5th through July 16th. The meals will be available for pickup at Coffee County Middle School. This is free and available for all children ages 18 and under.
Sportsmen & Businessmen’s Charitable Organization Donates to Coffee County, Manchester, and Tullahoma City Schools
The Sportsmen and Businessmen Charitable Organization (SBCO) donated $17,000 to Coffee County and Manchester City Schools’ Family Resource Center and Tullahoma City Schools’ Coordinated School Health.
“It is a mission of SBCO’s to support programs that directly assist the children in our community. We are proud to contribute to Coffee County Schools’ Family Resource Center’s ‘Invest in the Best’ program, Manchester City Schools’ Family Resource Center’s ‘WeCare’ program, and Tullahoma City Schools’ Coordinated School Health. Each of their programs are outstanding student support initiatives that continually address the barriers hindering the social, personal, physical, and academic wellbeing of students,” said Carter Sain, SBCO President.
The Sportsmen and Businessmen’s Charitable Organization has been serving the Coffee County community for 38 years.
CCHS Summer Institute
Coffee County High Schools Summer Institute will take place June 7-11 and June 14-18. This is an opportunity for students to receive more than 1 credit. Summer Institute is for credit recovery only.
Summer Institute registration forms are available at the high school.
There is no cost this year for Summer Institute. The registration form is due by Thursday, May 27th, and is to be turned in to the Student Counseling Center at the high school.
Summer School is for credit recovery only (minimum of a 50 for the semester or yearly average). Students will not be allowed to earn new credit.
Tennessee becomes first state to mandate bathroom signs about transgender use
Tennessee is the first state in the U.S. to require businesses and government facilities open to the public to post a sign if they let transgender people use multi-person bathrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms associated with their gender identity.
Governor Bill Lee signed a bill on Monday that represents the law. The law will go into effect July 1.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, the bill as discriminatory and said the required signs are “offensive and humiliating.”
Lee, had previously been quiet on whether he would sign the bill. Instead, he told reporters earlier this month that he always had “concerns about business mandates” but was still reviewing the bill.
Lee’s approval came just a few days after he signed legislation that puts public schools and their districts at risk of losing civil lawsuits if they let transgender students or employees use multiperson bathrooms or locker rooms that do not reflect their sex at birth. It was the first bill restricting bathroom use by transgender people signed in any state in about five years, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
Lee also signed a different proposal this year that bars transgender athletes from playing girls public high school or middle school sports.
Multiple COVID-19 pop-up vaccination sites available in Coffee County this week
Those wishing to receive COVID-19 vaccination in Coffee County will have multiple opportunities to do so over the coming weeks.
Wednesday
Manchester Health Department 9:00-11:00
Tullahoma Health Department 9:00-11:00
Southern Family Markets Building, Manchester 3:00-6:00
Thursday
Manchester Health Department 9:00-11:00
Tullahoma Health Department 1:30-3:30
Southern Family Markets Building, Manchester 11:00-2:00
Spring Street Market 7:00-11:00
Friday
Manchester Health Department 7:00-9:00
Tullahoma Health Department 7:00-9:00
Coffee County CAC launches Join Our Quest initiative
The Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center has launched a Join Our Quest initiative, which aims to raise awareness of child abuse. Join Our Quest initiative invites community members to raise awareness by displaying the Coffee County CAC’s poster and posting a picture on social media. If you would like to display a poster, contact them at 931-723-8888 and ask for the poster.
The Coffee County CAC fights child abuse in Tullahoma. In 2020, of the 347 referrals received for services in Coffee County, 40% of the children were 6 years old or younger, 36% between the ages of 7 and 12, and 24% were between 13 and 18. Child abuse could affect any family, church or community. Data show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys will experience sexual abuse by the age of 18. With the confidential nature of child abuse cases, raising awareness is challenging and vital. Stigma, misconception and lack of awareness lead to the continuing cycle of child abuse.
Join the quest to a healthier society by donating to the center. Not only would breaking the cycle of child abuse lead to fewer victims but it would lead to a healthier society. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, 14% of all men in prison and 36% of women in prison in USA were abused as children. Children who experience child abuse are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity.
Learn to recognize possible indicators of abuse and neglect. State law mandates anyone suspicious of child abuse to report it. If you suspect child abuse, call 877-237-0004. You can report suspicions of child abuse anonymously. In 2020, in Coffee County, there were 4 investigations involving the death of a child; 244 investigations involving sexual abuse allegations; 333 total severe child abuse investigations.
Tennesseans can apply for federal help with COVID-19 funeral expenses
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency encourages Tennesseans who lost loved ones to COVID-19 to apply for the assistance that is still available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help with funeral expenses.
“We’ve had about 38 percent of those eligible in Tennessee for COVID-19 funeral to apply with FEMA for the benefit,” TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said. “At this time, there is no application deadline, so funeral assistance is still available and can help many who faced an unexpected and tragic expense.”
Tennesseans who may be eligible for the funeral assistance benefit can begin the registration process by calling FEMA’s COVID-19 funeral assistance phone number, 844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585), between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The application process with FEMA should take about 20 minutes and multi-lingual services are available. FEMA is not accepting online applications for the benefit, so a call to FEMA’s COVID-19 funeral assistance phone number is necessary to register and begin the process.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or qualified aliens who incurred funeral expenses after Jan. 20, 2020, for a death attributed to COVID-19.
An applicant may apply for multiple deceased individuals with a maximum allowable amount of $9,000 per funeral, and a maximum of $35,500 per application.
More information on who can apply, what is eligible, and a list of frequently-asked questions can be found at COVID-19 Funeral Assistance | FEMA.gov.
Tennessee Department of Health “Give It A Shot” ad campaign
The Tennessee Department of Health announced on Monday, a new ad campaign, “Give It A Shot” focused on addressing vaccine hesitancy among Tennesseans. The ads will air across the state on broadcast, cable, and digital media. Some digital placement for this campaign began on May 1 and this is the next phase in the campaign rollout.
“The most effective tool we have for combatting the COVID-19 virus is a vaccine,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP. “We recognize many Tennesseans have questions or concerns about the COVID vaccines and our goal is that these messages help to address some of those hesitancies. At the end of the day my hope is we will continue to see a steady increase in vaccine uptake across our state as more and more individuals feel more comfortable and confident in receiving the vaccine.”
This PSA will run from May through November. A toolkit is available to download campaign assets at https://app.box.com/s/4tlccdbfitmion6mubovmvgq3kyt9fqh.
All local health departments are offering walk-in options. Individuals can also schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment by visiting covid19.tn.gov or vaccinefinder.org.
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health.
Man wanted in Grundy County
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and Tennessee Highway Patrol are currently looking for Timothy Alan West. West fled from Tennessee Highway Patrol on I-24 and crashed his vehicle at Ball Park Road in Pelham. He has warrants from Indiana for DUI and shoplifting. He was last seen wearing a gray tank top, denim shorts and possibly a denim jacket. He is 43 years old, 5’8”, and 150 pounds. He has blonde hair and hazel eyes. If you have any information, call your local law enforcement.
