It’s always great to see Jim and Michell Clayton. I’ve known Jim more than 40 years. I covered him as a reporter and he was my first client when I started Moxley Communications, the precursor of Moxley Carmichael and now MoxCar Marketing + Communications.
Another successful “Tremont Celebration at Marblegate Farm” last month raised more than $310,000 to continue the non-profit’s mission of providing experiential environmental education. The fundraising dinner and auction at the beautiful Friendsville, Tenn,, farm of Bill and Donna Cobble was a sellout, as usual.
This relaxed and convivial evening with its long cocktail hour and relaxed outdoor vibe always provides an opportunity to catch up with our Blount and Sevier County friends as well as our Knoxville buddies. Since Alan is on the board of the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, we bought a table of 10 and hired a driver in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to take us safely there and back. As usual, the ride was almost as much fun as the event!
A big announcement at this year’s soiree was that Tremont has achieved its goal to raise enough money to fund a $5 million endowment. That endowment will provide scholarships that will allow hundreds of students to personally experience and learn about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
After checking in and getting name tags, it was easy to slip into “relax mode” as you approached the cocktail tent on this beautiful evening.
Marblegate Farm owners Bill and Donna Cobble, left, with Geri and Bill Muse. Bill Cobble also is secretary and a founding member of the board of Tremont.
Part of our Knoxville crew. From left: Bruce and Monique Anderson, Alan Carmichael, and Mitchell Moseley.
Brandon Bruce, second from right, is chair of the Tremont board. With him, from left, Jeff and Laura Gotcher and Tricia Bruce.
Just look at this stunning view right outside the tent.
The passed appetizers were delish!
More of our Knoxville crowd! From left, John and Margie Nichols Gill with Janet Testerman.
From left, Sean McCollough, Steph Gunnoe, Tremont board member Caesar Stair IV, and Cecilia Stair.
From left, Tremont President and CEO Catey McClary, Developmen Director Megan Womack, James Sidwell, Cathy Ackermann, Stewart McCorkle and Vicki Niederhauser. Cathy is a founding and honorary lifetime member of the Tremont board.
Donna and Chris Kinney.
From left, Carlos H. Amaya, Carlos Amaya, and Jon Robbins.
One of the best cocktail party atmospheres ever!
Jim and Lauren Gass.
Chris and Robyn McAdoo.
Rich Bryant donates his photography services for this event each year. He and I saw a lot of each other that night!
From left, Katherine and Chucky Blalock, Julie and Jason Holliman.
Melanie Hunt, left, and Susan Scott.
Sharon Moore and Phil Colclough. Sharon is executive director of the Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum. Clearly a nature lover.
Leisa Donaldson and Douglas Graves.
John and Karalyne Ley with David Arning, right.
Janet Testerman and Joey Creswell.
From left, Max Ferrari Maglia, Michaela Barnett, Will Kuhn, and Aaron Collins.
A peek inside revealed our friend Dino Cartwright who had located our table for us.
A theme through the evening was butterflies and these monarchs popped up everywhere!
Inside we saw our friend Tiffany Martin from Knoxville Utilities Board with her husband, Chris.
Anita and Steven Matijcio. He’s executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art.
Brittney MacDonald and Josh Grossbard.
Sandy Martin, left, and Jeanne Misenheimer.
From left, Sandy and Brian Railsback with Jill and Dale Thompson.
Those salads look ready to go!
My friend, soundman Drew Gilch, was ready, too!
Tammy Miller, right, stopped by our table to visit with Monique Anderson.
Traci and Tremont board member Tim Topham.
David Arning at a table with nine women! Way to go, David!
From left, Margie Gill, the Hon. Gary Wade, Bruce Anderson, John Gill, and Sandy Wade.
Ned Willard, left, and Joey Creswell.
Welcome remarks were by the Hon. Gary R. Wade, former chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court and longtime mayor of Sevierville.
Then, dinner time!
Not your average rubber chicken dinner!
Alan’s favorite course!
Tremont President and CEO Catey McClary made comments, thank yous, and introduced a video.
Auction time by our dynamic friend Dino Cartwright.
Tremont’s Jeremy Lloyd and Erin Rosolina. He’s manager of field and college programs; she’s marketing director.
Some folks stayed around for the after-party, but we heard thunder and decided to head home. Sure enough, we ran into rough weather on the way back to Knoxville and were glad we had departed when we did.
We said goodby to Tammy Miller, left, and Knoxville City Council Member Lauren Rider as we were leaving.
And we offered our downtown friend Georgiana Vines, shown here with John Gill, a ride back to downtown Knoxville. Fun times.
Always a great event for a great cause. Beautiful Marblegate always a perfect venue.
Debbie: I couldn’t agree more. You really can’t have a bad time there!