Month: November 2011

Wilderness at the Smokies resort home to Santa Hustle Half-Marathon Run-and-Walk this Sunday

Posted by Erin Freeman – November 29, 2011

Santa Hustle Run 2010

Sevierville, TN – Santa Claus is running to town, so don’t be a Grinch this holiday season!  The race will take place at the Wilderness at the Smokies hotel and waterpark resort on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at 9 a.m. ET.  More than 1,200 participants are expected to attend the Santa Hustle in the Smokies this year.

The Santa Hustle series has had great success in Chicago, with last year totaling more than 3,500 finishers. The Santa Hustle race in Chicago has been featured on the Rachel Ray Show and will be shown on the Travel Channel this winter. This year the race has expanded and will take place in Sevierville, Chicago, and Indianapolis.

“Wilderness at the Smokies is honored to be part of this fantastic addition to the Sevierville holiday offerings,” said Steve Cruz, General Manager of Wilderness at the Smokies. “Since the day we opened, Wilderness has tried to give people new, exciting ways to enjoy the Smoky Mountain area – and this is just one more example of how we are doing that.”

Participants in the holiday-themed race will receive a free Santa hat, beard and a customized shirt to wear while running. The top three runners from each age category will be awarded along with the participant and group with the best Santa costumes. All half-marathon participants will receive a Santa Hustle Finishers medal. After the race, everyone can enjoy an after party at the Wilderness with holiday music, food and drinks.

“We are so excited to bring this race to Tennessee and can’t wait to see 1,200 Santa’s running down Route 66,” event director Heather Frayn said. “You will also see over 100 volunteers dressed as elves along the course, giant inflatable Santa’s candy stations and more.”

The Santa Hustle Smokies is presented by Reebok and is hosted by Adrenaline Sports Management of Illinois. With stores in both Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, Reebok is happy to share their holiday cheer with the community and take part in this event. The Santa Hustle Smokies also benefits two charity organizations; The Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee and Harvestfield Ministries.

Pre-Race Packet Pick-Up is only available at the Wilderness at the Smokies on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Packet pick-up will take place within the Adrenaline Sports Management expo, which is open to all participants and the general public.

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is one of the area’s only year-round vacation destinations.  With a 36-hole championship golf course, two outdoor waterparks, a seven-acre indoor waterpark with a wave pool and the Southeast’s only Surf Rider, hot tubs, and countless waterslides and attractions, Wilderness at the Smokies has something for all age groups.  It is adjacent to a 200,000 square-foot conference, convention and event center known for hosting the areas largest conferences, athletic events and trade shows.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.santahustlesmokies.com or call toll-free 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Titanic Snow Princess Brings Holiday Magic to the Mountains

Posted by Erin Freeman – November 22, 2011

Titanic Museum Attraction's "Snow Princess"

Pigeon Forge, TN – The folklore of the Smokies tell of mystical characters traveling through the misty woods, bringing the winter snow and frost with them as they paint the region in sparkling crystal. From across the Atlantic, a new personality has arrived to bring the fantasies of the season to life in the mountains as the Titanic Museum Attraction welcomes the Titanic Snow Princess for the first time ever to the Smokies. With each magical visit, the princess’ arrival will be heralded with real, falling snow from the great ship’s bow.

“The Titanic Snow Princess is a shining star for this year’s Titanic Christmas in Winter Wonderland,” says John Joslyn, expedition leader of the first private exploration dive to the Titanic and owner of the Titanic Museum Attraction. “She represents the magic and mystery of the holiday season common to children in 1912 and today.”

The Titanic Snow Princess brings the fairy tale legends of her own home across the waters to the peaks and forests of the Great Smoky Mountains, delivering holiday enchantment beginning Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday, Friday and Saturday Thanksgiving week only at 6 p.m.) and continuing every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. through December 17 at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. The Snow Princess will arrive by horse-drawn carriage and, with the wave of her hand, will light the winter night with thousands of Christmas lights and decorations aboard the Titanic as the invisible sprites of the mountains magically create a snowfall from the ship’s bow to welcome the fairy tale royalty.

The Titanic Christmas in Winter Wonderland extravaganza features thousands of holiday lights, Edwardian-period decorations, costumed merry-markers, a magical Gift Shoppe brimming with original, one-of-a-kind gifts and a return of last year’s crowd favorite, the legendary weekend snowfall.

“Every day, but especially at Christmas, we remember and honor the men, women and children who sailed on the Titanic. At this special time, our guests truly experience what it was like onboard the ship in 1912, and how it might have looked on a Christmas voyage almost 100 years ago,” says Joslyn.

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, opens daily at 9 a.m. Reservations are strongly suggested since many days sell out entirely. Passengers may purchase tickets online at www.titanicattraction.com or by phone at (800) 381-7670.

Cedar Bay Entertainment, LLC owns and operates the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A privately owned-and-operated entertainment and development company, Cedar Bay is headquartered in Branson, Missouri, the site of its first Titanic Museum Attraction. Titanic Branson has welcomed more than four million guests and Titanic Pigeon Forge boards approximately 100,000 “passengers” each month.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

John D. Lee inducted into Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee Hall of Fame

Posted by admin – November 22, 2011

Knoxville, Tenn. – John D. Lee, current President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley (BGCTNV), was recently inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee Hall of Fame.

John D. Lee with Lawrence Hahn, former Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oak Ridge and Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee Hall of Fame member

The Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee Hall of Fame is open to any individual who has provided exceptional service to a Boys & Girls Club(s) in Tennessee, either from Club membership, serving as staff or on a board of directors, volunteering or any other beneficial service.

Lee, who recently announced his retirement of BGCTNV as President and CEO, has spent more than 40 years of his career working with the organization. He began as Assistant Executive Director in 1970 and he is only the second President/CEO in the organization’s history since its inception in 1943.

Lee’s retirement is effective Dec. 31, 2011. Lisa Hurst, current Executive Vice President of BGCTNV, has been named his successor.

L to R: John D. Lee (Tennessee Valley), Farzin Ferdowsi (Middle Tennessee), Chuck Owens (Kingsport), Steve McKinney (Rutherford County), James H. Tucker (Cleveland) (not pictured Bernal E. Smith, Sr. (Greater Memphis))

For more information about John D. Lee and the Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee Hall of Fame, contact Sarah Pope at (865) 584-0550 or spope@ackermannpr.com.

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About Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley
Boys & Girls Clubs currently serves more than 5,600 youth and teens, ages 5 to 17 years throughout the Tennessee Valley region. The organization also provides 404,401 USDA hot meals and snacks annually for youth free of charge. The Clubs serve a variety of youth, more than 80% of whom live with a single parent, foster parent or other nontraditional guardian. There are 16 Club locations strategically placed throughout Knox, Blount, Loudon and Northern Anderson Counties. The organization employs more than 260 trained, professional, caring staff and welcomes more than 1,200 volunteers annually. It is a charter member of United Way.

BPV Family of Funds Introduces BPV Core Diversification and BPV Wealth Preservation Funds

Posted by Ryan Willis – November 18, 2011

Knoxville, Tenn. – BPV Family of Funds has announced the launch of two new, publicly traded mutual funds created specifically to achieve sustained wealth accumulation and preservation.  Both the BPV Core Diversification Fund and the BPV Wealth Preservation Fund utilize actively managed, macro investment strategies that address investor risk through diversification and hedging.

In describing the mutual funds, BPV Family of Funds Senior Partner and CEO, Mike West, stated, “The goal of the BPV Core Diversification Fund is to achieve equity-like returns with substantially lower exposure to risk by fund investors.  Risk is actively managed by fund diversification across non-correlated asset classes.  The BPV Wealth Preservation Fund seeks to provide absolute returns with downside protection.  Utilizing a new breed of hybrid investment strategies, the fund seeks to safeguard investor principal and enables individuals to put cash resources to work, while maintaining an emphasis on wealth preservation.”

Mike West

George Hashbarger, Jr. will serve as portfolio manager for BPV Family of Funds.  He is a 19-year veteran in the investing and financial services industry.  Since 2001 Hashbarger has provided portfolio management services to BPV Wealth Management and Northshore Management Company.  Prior to joining Northshore, Hashbarger spent nine years in private equity investing at First Union Capital Partners and GE Capital.  As the funds’ portfolio manager, Mr. Hashbarger will be responsible for managing and monitoring the funds’ investment strategies and investments.

Assuming the position of Funds Managing Partner and Trustee for the BPV Family of Funds is Reed Keller.  Keller was previously an operating executive for private equity financed companies funded by Welsh, Carson Anderson, & Stowe, a New York private equity fund investing in healthcare, technology-enabled services and media companies.  He enjoyed a 20-year professional career as a consulting partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and its legacy predecessor firm, Coopers & Lybrand (C&L).

Additional information about BPV Family of Funds, the BPV Core Diversification Fund, and/or the BPV Wealth Preservation Fund can be found at www.bpvfunds.com or by calling 877-819-2188.

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About BPV Family of Funds – The BPV Family of Funds’ Advisor is BPV Wealth Management, an independent, privately held firm whose unwavering, primary focus is the accumulation and preservation of wealth for our investors.  We are wealth preservation minded.  In our view, the best way to accumulate wealth is to avoid substantial losses.  In order to avoid material losses, we believe investors need strategies that actively mitigate risk.  To that end, the BPV Family of Funds are actively managed, macro investment strategies that address investor risk through diversification and hedging.

An investor should consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.  Request a prospectus which contains this and other information by calling toll free (877) 819-2188 or visiting www.bpvfunds.com.  Read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money.

Mutual fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of experiencing investment losses.  There is no assurance that this investment strategy will consistently lead to successful investing.

BPV Funds are new and have limited operating history.

The BPV Core Diversification Fund and BPV Wealth Preservation Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. Separately Managed Accounts and related investment advisory services are provided by BPV Wealth Management, a federally regulated Investment Advisor.  ALPS Distributors, Inc. is not affiliated with BPV Wealth Management.

The BPV Family of Funds are offered only to United States residents, and information in this release is intended only for such persons. Nothing in this release should be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell shares of any BPV Fund in any jurisdiction where the offer or solicitation would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

BPV 000111    10/28/2012

Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Alcoa Inc. employees promote recycling to UT’s ‘sailgaters’

Posted by Ryan Willis – November 4, 2011

Knoxville, Tenn. – Alcoa Inc. volunteers ‘gathered by the river’ on Oct. 29 to help spread the word about aluminum can recycling before the University of Tennessee versus South Carolina college football game.

Alcoa volunteers (from left to right) Walt Brockway, Robin Brockway, Time Reyes and Paige Rose prepare to distribute blue bags and bins to tailgaters and "sailgaters" among the Vol Navy. The recycling event ended Alcoa's Month of Service with a promotion to encourage increased recycling away from home.

Building on the success of its “Let’s Tackle Recycling” program with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Alcoa volunteers talked about the importance of recycling to both tailgaters and “sailgaters” who are part of the storied “Vol Navy.”  The University of Tennessee is famous for its fleet of fans who boat up and down the Tennessee River to party before and after college football games.  Known as the “Vol Navy,” they are famous for big boats and big parties.

“Cans are the package of choice for boaters.  We want people to get in the habit of recycling wherever they’re using cans – at home, or away from home,” said Beth Schmitt, director of recycling programs for Alcoa Inc.  “In particular, we know more cans are typically used at special events like tailgate parties or boat outings.  Reaching people in this environment is a good way to remind them to separate their beverage cans for recycling no matter where they are.” 

Alcoa volunteers gave boaters blue bags for beverage containers used before the game, and take-home bins for future use on the boat or at home.  Filled blue bags were collected for recycling just before game time.  The collection program was preceded by an informative email blast to members of the Vol Navy Boaters Association, and it supported the University of Tennessee’s “Game Day Recycling Challenge,” sponsored by Keep America Beautiful, the Environmental Protection Agency and Alcoa Foundation.

Alcoa volunteers Robin and Walt Brockway show off their recycling spirit before the Oct. 29 UT football game.

“Including the work of Alcoa volunteers with the Vol Navy and our game day recycling efforts around the stadium, we recycled a total of 25,000 pounds or 12.5 tons.  That’s the most we’ve ever recycled from a home game,” said Jay Price, UT facilities environmental coordinator.             

“I estimate that we were right at a 50 percent landfill diversion rate for this game,” Price added.  “Hopefully enough to beat all of the other South Eastern Conference schools in the EPA’s Game Day Challenge.”  Last year UT finished third in the SEC.

The aluminum industry saves 95 percent of the energy it takes to make aluminum from raw ore when it uses recycled material.  According to Alcoa, this energy value drives the demand for aluminum cans.  “We could recycle billions more cans if consumers were in the habit of recycling regularly,” said Schmitt.  “We want recycling to be as much a habit as wearing a seatbelt when you get into a car.”

About Alcoa Tennessee Operations
Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations is the world’s largest producer of rolled aluminum can sheet for beverage cans and is based in Blount County, Tennessee.  Locally, it employs approximately 1,000 at its recycling and fabrication plants in Blount County, its hydropower facilities and its downtown Knoxville office. 

About Alcoa Recycling
Alcoa collects both aluminum cans and other aluminum scrap for recycling in its facilities in Alcoa, Tennessee and Yennora, Australia. The mission of Alcoa Recycling is to help people understand how important it is to recycle, and to make it easier to do so. Today, it’s more important than ever to recycle. Recycling not only reduces litter and conserves landfill space; it is also an important key to slowing and stopping the growth of greenhouse gases caused by power generation. 

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Media Contact:
Christy R. Newman
(865) 977-3358

Alcoa Foundation’s local grants announced

Posted by Ryan Willis – November 4, 2011

Alcoa, Tenn. — Alcoa Foundation has granted more than $250,000 to 12 non-profit organizations in Blount, Knox, and Sevier counties in Tennessee and Graham County, N.C. 

Alcoa’s Community Advisory Board -  a group of 11 business, community and government leaders responsible for evaluating and making recommendations to Alcoa Tennessee Operations and Alcoa Foundation on what projects should be funded – reviewed almost 50 grant proposals totaling more than $820,000 in funding requests.

 This year’s grant-selection focused on programs in the areas of empowerment – which includes youth leadership and development as well as workforce development – and education.  Special grants were also made to foster recycling efforts in the community and aid in recovery efforts at Second Harvest Food Bank.

“Results of recent community surveys, along with the business goals of Tennessee Operations and the valuable input of our Community Advisory Board, led us to narrow our grant making focus to efforts that promote STEM education, enhance recycling initiatives and train a workforce for jobs of the present and future,” said Chris Jackson, Alcoa Tennessee Operations Location Manager.

The following is a list of grants that Alcoa Foundation and Alcoa Tennessee Operations have awarded in 2011: 

Empowerment – Youth Leadership, Workforce Development
Organization Name 2011 Grant Grant Purpose
Adult Education Foundation of Blount County $25,000 Career readiness for adults
Knoxville Area Urban League $20,000 Project Ready
Leadership Blount $10,000 (year 1 of 2) Youth Leadership Blount program
Pellissippi State Community College $22,135 (year 1 of 2) Industrial Maintenance Technology program
Richard Williams Jr. Leadership Academy $18,500 Graduation Enhancement program
 
Education – Support programs in the areas of
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Organization Name 2011 Grant Grant Purpose
Boys and Girls Clubs of the TN Valley $15,000 Lego Robotics program
Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park $15,000 Programs for teachers of science and technology
Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team $26,834 STEM program for Graham County, N.C. school system
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont $20,000 Summer programs for teachers and students
 
Environment – Reduce and Recycle
Organization Name 2011 Grant Grant Purpose
Keep Blount Beautiful $40,000 Special events recycling initiative
Keep Knoxville Beautiful $20,000 City of Knoxville curbside recycling initiative
 
Community Enhancement – Critical Social Services recovery/response
Organization Name 2011 Grant Grant Purpose
Second Harvest Food Bank $25,000 Flood recovery efforts

About Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations
Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations is the world’s largest producer of rolled aluminum can sheet for beverage cans and is based in Blount County, Tennessee.  Locally, it employs approximately 1,100 at its recycling and fabrication plants in Blount County, its hydropower facilities and its downtown Knoxville office.  

About Alcoa Foundation
Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., with assets of approximately $436 million.  Founded more than 50 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than $530 million since 1952. In 2010, Alcoa Foundation contributed nearly $20 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, focusing on promoting environmental stewardship, enabling economic and social sustainability, and preparing tomorrow’s leaders through education and learning.  The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers, who in 2010 gave more than 720,000 service hours. Through the company’s signature Month of Service (October) program, Alcoa employees share their energy, passion and purpose to make a difference in our communities. In 2010, a record 49 percent of Alcoans took part in nearly 1,000 Month of Service events across 24 countries, reaching 59,000 children, serving 17,000 meals, planting 16,000 trees and supporting 3,000 nonprofit organizations. For more information about Alcoa Foundation, please access www.alcoa.com/foundation.

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Media Contact:
Christy R. Newman
(865) 977-3358