Knoxville Vice Mayor Lynne Fugate, right, with former Knoxville City Council members Janet Testerman, left, and Lauren Rider at the Marbelgate festivities.
Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont gathered recently to raise $324,000 and celebrate a generous $2.5 million contribution to fund the organization’s “second campus” in Blount County.
Marblegate is the name of the annual fundraiser and it is held at Bill and Donna Cobble’s farm and event venue of the same name located in Friendsville.
The affair featured a cocktail hour followed by dinner catered by Bistro by the Tracks; short remarks by Charlie Sellars, the new superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Tremont CEO Catey McClary; a moving reading by Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Rose; a silent and live auction, and live music before and after.
Philanthropist Amy Buckner Chowdhry’s donation consisted of $2 million to help build the learning center at Tremont’s new campus in Blount County and another $500,000 to fund scholarships for students from Blount County to attend. The mission of Tremont is to expose people — especially children — to the wonders and benefits of being in nature.
Twins! Ha. Brandon Bruce is the chair of the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont’s board. He was the tallest person there! I asked my friend Margie Nichols Gill, who was the shortest one I saw, to pose with him! Good sports.
Megan Womack, left, development director, and Catey McClary, CEO of Tremont.
From left, Scott Gage, Kate Byrnes, Donna and Bill Cobble. Byrnes is a distinguished fellow with the University of Tennessee Baker School Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs. She formerly was U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia. Bill Cobble is founding president and current secretary of Tremont’s board of directors.
Pistol Creek Catch of the Day provided music for the cocktail hour.
The tent was packed!
Tawny Keene and Erin Rosolina, Tremont’s marketing director.
Sharon, left, and Mina Oldham.
Mike and Tasneem Knoebel.
From left, Margie Nichols Gill, John Gill, and state Sen. Becky Massey.
One of the silent auction items was this wheelbarrow stuffed with the makings of a fun party — or two!
From left, Joey Creswell, Janet Testerman, Knoxville Vice Mayor Lynne Fugate, and Scott Fugate.
Cheryl Massingale and Bob Page.
Some of the passed yummies!
From left, Elan Young, Jeremy Lloyd, and Jeff Killian. Lloyd is manager of field and college programs for Tremont.
From left, Bill Varner, Chris McQueen, Paul and Pat Green. Varner is an ex officio Tremont board member.
David and Sandy Martin.
Joe and Ann Huie.
Joe Edidin and Tanya Myers.
Tyler Thomas, left, Tremont’s manager of science literacy and research, and John DiDiego, Tremont’s education director.
Charissa and David Aranda.
From left, Melanie Fuertes-Hunt, Patrick Hunt, Adrian Jay, and Paige Graves.
From left, John and Cyndi Dexter, Kim and Mike Whitmore.
Kathy and Tom Dittmaier.
Beth Sumner Thurman and John Thurman.
Some folks went out on the patio to mingle.
Others explored the beautiful property by walking down to the lake.
Don and Carol Parnell.
Time to go inside where these pretty tables were set up.
That’s when we saw, from left, Michell and Jim Clayton with Brittany and Kirk Kipp.
And Bob Page, left, with former Knoxville Mayor and U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe.
From left, Pam and Charlie Sellars with Jeff Killian.
Andrew and Jenny Spatz.
Some of the speakers, clockwise from top left: Board Chair Brandon Bruce, Park Superintendent Charlie Sellars, and Archdeacon Jerry Askew, who said grace before the meal.
State Sen. Becky Massey and her husband, Morton.
Robyn and Jerry Askew.
Cathy Ackermann and Jim Sidwell. She is a founding and honorary lifetime member of Tremont’s board of directors.
Dinner time!
Cecilia and Caesar Stair IV. He’s a Tremont board member.
Catey McClary, left, with board member Whitfield and Brittany Bailey.
Elizabeth Rose wowed with her short reading about the impact when a child was exposed to nature.
The crowd was transfixed.
Desserts were served!
Philanthropist Amy Buckner Chowdhry. (Thanks so much!)
Tremont CEO Catey McClary and her husband, Jeff Killian.
This father-son team, Trey and David Alley, conducted a brisk live auction of 10 items.
One of my favorite items was this: a “painted in the moment” piece by Kathie Odom. When we arrived a little before 5, she had just gotten started on it. It was finished and framed by the time of the auction. It sold for $2,200!
Tammy White, left, and Carol Evans getting ready, as we were, for the “after party.”
Board member Alan Carmichael and Lauren Gass.
Amy Edge and Lynne Fugate.
Daniel Kimbro at the after party.
We loved the candle and sticker they gave us as parting gifts!
The colorful dresses were the other highlight. Nature was at the heart of the theme. Thanks to Amy Chowdhry for providing the event capstone.
Alan: You are correct — there were some awesome outfits! And another highlight — everyone seemed to be in a great mood!
I feel caught up since I didn’t make it.
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