October .2019 Page 7C
:eReporter
Continued from 3C
Libby Batchelor, Jermaiha
Navarro, Erin Brown,
Makayla Harvel and CaUie
News me.
Jan Humphries of the
CARE Cottage said that
most of the funds raised
will directly benefit stu-
dents at Monroe County
Middle School. For about
the last year CARE Cot-
tage has sponsored a Life
Skills program at MCMS
in which a group of about
a dozen students meet
weekly to work together on
skills that will help them
cope with challenges and
succeed in school and life.
Humphries said the funds
collected by the Big Hearts
Charities Club will keep the
Life Skills program going
into next year.
Some of the funds will
be used to have the CARE
Cottage therapy dog,
Gracie, officially certified.
Some funds will be used to
help buy Christmas gifts for
Monroe County children,
primarily those who are
students at MCMS.
"We run the Life Skills
groups off of donations"
said Humphries. "It's so
important what we do here.
We are so fortunate that the
Middle School has allowed
us to come in and that the
Sheriff's Office has allowed
us the time and resources
for them. We can make this
money go a long way"
I
By @lidewell
news@mymcr.net
As the High Falls Civic
Club held its first meeting
at the American Legion
Building on Blount Road,
Monroe County Commis-
sioner George Emami told
club members why plans to
make the American Legion
Building an active com-
munity center for High
Falls have hit road blocks.
Emami told the High Falls
Civic Club he is looking
for another building to be
the community center that
High Falls needs.
Emami, who attended
the Sept. 26 High Falls
Civic Club meeting, said
plans de-railed because the
county can't get internet
service at the American
Legion Building. It is in an
area that is not populated
densely enough to make
it profitable for internet
providers to run service to
it. Emami said that he tried
to contact several provid-
ers about service. Only
AT&T responded to his
requests for information.
AT&T quoted Emami a
cost of $6,000 for running
intemet to the building
with a requirement for a
36-month contract at $400
per month.
Emami said he is now
looking for another facility
closer to the businesses in
High Falls that has internet
access. He said the High
Falls community needs a
community center where
people can gather, espe-
cially children and young
people.
"I hear what people in
High Falls are saying, 'Kids
have got to have something
to do besides play in the
river, said Emami. "We
need to do something that
creates a sense of com-
munity. Y'all [in High Falls
Civic Club] are setting the
pace and example."
Emami said he is look-
ing for some place close
to High Fails State Park,
where everyone in the area
goes, that has internet so
that there can be classes
and activities for seniors
and youth, induding
dasses on Facebook and
GED dasses. He would like
to see volunteers sponsor
crafts and anything similar
that they have a heart to
do. He said he is asking the
2020 Leadership Monroe
Class to make its project in
High Falls because he feels
the greatest need is there.
High Falls Civic Club
president Bob Chappelle
suggested that the old pro-
pane station in High Falls,
which is now vacant, might
be a possible location.
Billy Power noted that the
American Legion Build-
ing needs new cross ties to
re-build the wall in front to
keep the yard in place and
improve the appearance.
The High Falls Civic '
Club is a long established
group that welcomes ev-
eryone who has an interest
in the High Falls commu-
nity to come meet other
residents of High Falls
and share information of
interest to those who live
in the area. It meets on the
last Thursday of the month
at 7 p.m.
After the Sept. 26
meeting at the American
Legion Building, the group
decided to continue meet-
ing there. The building is at
the intersection of Blount
Road with Towaliga South
Road. It was renovated by
Monroe County in 2014
after it was given to the
county by the American
Legion chapter. High
Falls Civic Club had been
meeting at the High Falls
Fire Station on High Falls
Road, a location that is
convenient for residents
of the area but has limited
space for parking and par-
ticipants when the group
invites speakers that gener-
ate large attendance.
County commissioners
had hoped the building
would become a commu-
nity center in High Falls
after it was renovated, but
it has seen only limited
use over the last five years.
It is available to rent for
functions like reunions,
parties and other get-
togethers. Commissioners
have recently discussed
having events for youth
and seniors at the building,
including regular educa-
tional activities sponsored
by Monroe County Library
and Monroe County Ex-
tension Service.
In discussing the minutes
from the last meeting, it
was noted that 15 boats
participated in the Annual
4th of July Boat Parade at
High Falls Lake, which the
Civic Club sponsors. The
Annual Memorial Day
Weekend yard sale and
BBQ fundraiser at the Fire
Station went well but did
not bring in as many dona-
tions as the previous year.
Chappelle said that the
club should get informa-
tion, possibly invite a
speaker, about the 1-75
Truck Lane project and
learn how it may affect the
High Falls area. lan Knecht
asked about the tornado
warning sirens; she had
asked County Manager
Jim Hedges about adding
a siren in High Falls when
he spoke at a Civic Club
meeting. One member
said one can subscribe to
get the county's tornado
warnings by phone since
it is probably more likely
that one will get the phone
warning than hear the
siren.
Knecht said a new tire
store is coming to High
Falls and that it would be
good for the Civic Club
members to support the
business as it opens with a
garage behind the Dollar
General Store. Catherine
DONNY'$
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Crusan shared that High
Falls State Park will not get
a new park ranger until
the end of the year. Since
the new ranger will pick
his associate ranger, the
park will also be without
this leadership for several
months. The park will have
a Fall Festival on Oct. 26.
The Friends of High Falls
State Park raised $2,000 to
buy a chipper to help clear
the banks of the lake so the
lake is more visible.
One person raised the
question about how to deal
with a 'drug house' in High
Falls at 50 Mace Manor.
He said there are 15-20
people living on the prop-
at Monroe County Com- will have its Thanksgiving-
missioners meetings Christmas social gather-
"I can't believe I've had to ing on Thursday, Dec. 5 m
scramble as much as I have at 7 p.m. at the American
on public comments;' said Legion Building in High I=
Emami. "It's your chance to Falls. Everyone is welcomew
come and have your say." and is asked to bring a dish
High Falls Civic Club to share.
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there is no sewerage and it
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ment Officer ]eft Wilson,
but he hasn't been able to
correct the problems. The
Sheriff's Office has had a
presence at the location
over the last few weekends
with both marked and
unmarked cars.
Chappelle asked Emami
when the legislative dis-
tricts for High Falls would
be re-drawn, and Emami
said he expected that to
happen after the 2020 cen-
sus. Emami said he contin-
ues to work to make it as
easy as possible for citizens
to make public comments
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