Volume 27, Number 3
September 2015 Newsletter
MESSAGE from the PRESIDENT
by: Brenda Voiles
FUTIAWA President
Hello Everyone. Hope you are all doing well and are having a great summer. The days are already growing shorter, and we can feel the temps starting to feel more like Fall. I think it will be a welcome change. Football is just around the corner too….and we are all excited to see how the Vols are going to do this season.
I attended Steve Sutton’s retirement reception in Knoxville on August 20. It was a really nice event, and there was another reception for Steve in West Tennessee at the Lone Oaks Farm location on August 18. I heard many good things about this event as well. At the Knoxville event, there were two of Steve’s former 4-Hers who spoke. They told stories of Steve’s leadership and mentoring them as they grew up in 4-H – some of the stories were hilarious!!!! Steve’s influence on their lives is a testament to his dedication and commitment to 4-H and his long and successful career in UT Extension. Congratulations Steve!!!!
In April, I had an unexpected and exciting trip to Hollywood, CA, when I was selected to be in a Dyson Vacuum national commercial. There were nine Dyson vacuum owners who were selected to go to Hollywood for four days, where we spent two days filming this 120-second commercial. It was amazing to see all the behind-the scenes production work and how this was put together.
I had such a good time, and got to tour a bit of Hollywood while I was there. There are actually three different commercials and they are being shown on various TV networks, but I never know when they will be shown. If you are interested, here is the link to one of the commercials (but don’t blink, or you will miss me!!!)
The officers for Eastern and Cumberland area retirees are hoping to put together a Fall Get-Together. As of right now, it looks like it will be around lunch time at the 4-H Center in Crossville on Tuesday, October 13. Please mark your calendars and plan to be there. We would love to see you.
I hope you have checked out the FUTIAWA Facebook page….If not, please do so, and like and comment on the page. I hope you will use this media to post your own stories and/or pictures there. We would love to hear what is going on with you.
I saw this article in the U.S. News and World Report recently that I thought was interesting. Here is a part of it. See how you match up to what most retirees do all day:
What Retirees Do All Day
When you retire, you gain eight or more extra hours of leisure time each day. Here’s how people age 65 and older are filling their days:
Relax. As you might expect, retirees have a lot more time for leisure activities than people who are still working. People age 65 and older spend an average of over seven hours per day on leisure and sports, compared to just over five hours among the overall population. And senior citizens are equally as likely as younger people to surf the Internet for leisure and spend time socializing with friends, and only slightly less likely to exercise.
Watch TV. Americans watch an average of two hours and 45 minutes of TV per day. Retirees watch even more, averaging 4.2 hours of TV-viewing each day.
Sleep. The only thing seniors spend more time on than leisure activities is sleep. Retirees spend nine hours per day sleeping, compared with 8.7 hours daily among the population as a whole.
Household chores. Retirees took an average of 2.4 hours per day to tackle household chores, compared to 1.8 hours among all Americans. People age 65 and older spend slightly longer on housework, food preparation and cleanup, and lawn and garden care.
Eat and drink. The typical American spends about an hour and 15 minutes each day eating and drinking. Retirees linger slightly longer over meals, for an average of about an hour and a half each day.
Work. Not all people age 65 and older are retired. The typical senior citizen spends nearly an hour each day working.
Shop. Retirees have plenty of time to research and comparison-shop for their purchases, and they spend 0.87 hours per day doing so. Americans overall spend 0.72 hours acquiring goods and services.
Volunteer. Retirees spend very little time caring for household members (0.07 of an hour) and helping people outside their household (0.2 hours). However, retirees spend slightly longer than most Americans volunteering and pursing religious and spiritual activities, doing each for an average of almost 15 minutes each day.
Take care–and have a wonderful, happy and healthy Fall season.
Brenda Voiles
FUTIAWA State President
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.” — Sir J. Lubbock
Information About Retirees
Two retirement reception for Steve Sutton, who completed a 42 year career with UT Extension, were held in August. The first reception was held on Tuesday, August 18 in West Tennessee at the Lone Oaks Farm in Middleton, future home of the West Tennessee 4-H Conference Center. The second in Knoxville on Thursday, August 20 at the UTIA Plant Biotech Building. Donation in Steve’s honor are being accepted by the Tennessee 4-H Foundation for the Steve Sutton Endowment.
The Western UTIA Retirees held a summer reunion on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at Lone Oaks Farm, future home of the 4-H Conference Center and Camp, at 10000 Lake Hardeman Road, Middleton, Tennessee. Tours were conducted beginning at 9:30 a.m. Lunch was served at Noon. Fellowship and other activities continue throughout the day.
Fri 6/26/2015, Mildred Clarke , former FCS Assistant Dean, wrote: How nice to be remembered. I love the shower of cards, e-mails and all the good wishes. I am doing well and ready to resume water aerobics and other activities. I enjoy my Florida home but I continue to spend time reading Extension news letters and events. I have found some Vol friends and we enjoy keeping up with all the games. I am most appreciative for being a member of the Extension Family. Thanks for “lifting my spirits.”
To: FUTIAWA
Thank you so much for sponsoring the 4-H essay contest this year. I have learned so much through the 4-H program and they couldn’t run it without people like you. THANK YOU! for blessing me with this opportunity. Lauren Rhodes, Maury County 4-H member
Thu 7/2/2015, Rob Holland Jr., Director, UTIA Center for Profitable Agriculture, wrote: Many are aware that TAAA&S will be hosting the NACAA National Meeting in 2018 in Chattanooga. I’m serving on the fundraising committee and we want to reach out to all retirees and life members who may be interested in contributing to the effort. Please include the following in your next FUTIAWA newsletter. Thanks so much, Rob Holland
Members of the Tennessee Association of Agriculture Agents and Specialists (TAAA&S) are making plans to host the Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) in 2018. The event will take place July 29 – August 2, 2018 in Chattanooga.
There will be many ways that active members and retirees can be involved in the event. One of the first opportunities is fundraising. A committee Chaired by Troy Dugger of Hickman County is working to raise $250,000 for the event. “This event will be a great way to feature UT and TSU Extension as well as our great state. I feel NACAA members from across the country will look forward to visiting us and learning more about Tennessee and why we live here,” Dugger said.
Current employees and association members are able to give through payroll deduction. Retirees and others interested in donating are asked to contact any member of the fundraising committee or donate on line through the UTIA Office of Advancement
Donations should be designated as follows:
- S120020090/TAAA_02 A015004
- UT Extension-TAAA&S Support
Fundraising Committee Members:
Troy Dugger, Hickman County – Chair
Kevin Rose, Giles County – Vice-Chair
Dr. Keith Barber, UTIA Advancement
Dr. Robert Burns, Extension Administration
Tim Campbell, Dyer County
Ruth Correll, Wilson County
Kim Frady, Bradley County
Richard Groce, Maury County
Rob Holland, Center for Profitable Agriculture
Tiffany Howard, UTIA Advancement
Larry Moorehead, Moore County
Dr. Aaron Smith, Agriculture and Resource Economics
Melody Teague Rose, Greene County
Jim Todd, Shelby County
John Wilson, Blount County
E-Mail Address Changes
Former UTIA workers or retirees who have recently joined FUTIAWA as lifetime members are:
Janie Pedigo, Extension Director and Agent III, Smith County
Former annual members who recently updated their membership to lifetime membership are:
Lyle Donaldson, retired as Extension Leader, Pickett County
Jake Haun, Extension Agent Greene County prior to serving as County Director of USDA Farm Service Agency
Name links to obituary.
Sympathy is expressed to the family of Dr. Thomas J Whatley, who passed away on July 26, 2015 in Knoxville
at age 97. Dr. Whatley retired as Associate Dean of AgResearch (Agricultural Experiment Station). Services
were held Tuesday, August 4, at 10:00 a.m. with visitation from 9:00 a.m. until service time at Rose Mortuary
Mann Heritage Chapel, 6200 Kingston Pike. Interment followed the service at Highland Memorial Cemetery. Read Obituary.
Mary Louise Ruch Cates, 77, a former Extension Secretary in Franklin County, passed away August 15, 2015, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is survived by her husband, Dillion Cates, four children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, a brother, a sister, uncle and aunts and several nieces, nephews, and other relatives. Services and internment were on August 18.
Sympathy is expressed to the family of H. B. Garrison in the death of H. B’s wife, Pollyanna Lynn Garrison, who passed away Saturday, August 15, 2015. H. B. Garrison (now deceased) was the Agricultural Agent and Extension Leader in Overton County for a number of years. Mrs. Garrison also worked in the state 4-H Office many years ago according to the obituary. Both H. B. and Poly were active members of FUTIAWA as long as their health permitted. Graveside services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 23 at Smyrna Cemetery. Read Obituary.
We express sincere comfort and/or speedy healing to the following UTIA employees or retirees:
Marilyn Geraldson, retired Extension Food Marketing Agent, whose husband, Lee, passed away June 23, 2015. A memorial service were held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, June 26, in the Heritage Funeral Home Chapel. Interment followed in the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Read Obituary
The family of Barbara Avery Bean Stamey, widow of the late Ray C. Stamey, many years Extension Agent and leader in Monroe County and later District Agricultural Program Leader in District III. Barbara died August 19, 2015, at Wood Presbyterian Home in Sweetwater, at age 93. She had formerly been a resident of Chattanooga where she was a member of the Tyner Methodist Church and employed by Precept Ministries. She is survived by three daughters and their spouses, Carol McCulloch, Madisonville, Janet Joslin, St. George
Island , FL, Mary Miller, Harrison; two sons and their spouses, Wayne Stamey of Fredericksburg, VA, and Alan Stamey of Ringgold, GA; ten grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Visitation and funeral were held on August 21 with interment in Haven Hill Memorial Gardens.
We welcome Tom Gill to the UTIA family. Tom is joining UT as the Smith Chair in International Agriculture and will provide leadership for our UTIA Office of International Programs. His office is located at 110 Morgan Hall and his phone number is 865.974.5315.
The UT Foundation welcomes Angelia Nystrom as the recently appointed director of specialty programs in the Office of Institutional Advancement at the UT Institute of Agriculture. Nystrom is not new to UT. She served previously as the director of the Office of Planned Giving for the system UT Foundation office where she was responsible for soliciting planned gifts and advising on estate planning vehicles.
We’re excited to announce the launch of a new social media channel for UTIA.
Starting July 1st, you’ll be able to share and see the impacts you make on UTIA’s new Instagram channel.
For those of you who are not familiar with Instagram, it’s a social sharing site that uses pictures and short videos audiences can relate to. It’s also one of the fastest-growing social media channels, with over 200 million active users.
Instagram will help UTIA build upon our brand promise of Real Life Solutions in a unique way. We will use Instagram to visually represent how Real Life Solutions are making a difference across Tennessee, the nation and the world.
Tuesday, October 13 has been selected as the date for a Fall Gathering of the Eastern and
Cumberland area retirees at the 4-H Center in Crossville. Please put this date on your calendar, and pass the word to any retirees and friends you are in contact with. FUTIAWA President Brenda Voiles said: “I’m thinking of lunch at the 4-H Center in Crossville, and a tour of the camp, and a time for socializing.” More details will be available later.
. . . on the web at: www.FUTIAWA.org
. . . on Facebook
Join Us at Ag Day!
Don’t miss this year’s Ag Day on Saturday, October 3. The fun starts four hours before kickoff when the Vols take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in Neyland Stadium. Ag Day will be held in the renovated Brehm Animal Science Arena.
This year you will learn about a new statewide ag awareness campaign, “Magic Moments,” that will highlight the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives, as well as enjoy all of your favorite Ag Day festivities.
The fun includes live music, farm animals, departmental displays, an insect petting zoo, free popcorn and ice cream, a visit from the Vols’ mascot Smokey, a ribeye meal for purchase, and so much more! This year’s theme is “Magic Moments,” because there is no magic without “ag.” During Ag Day we will also celebrate the annual presentation of two Institute awards, the Horizon Award and the Meritorious Service Award.
Parking will be available in the highlighted areas 60-61 on the map. Please use River Drive for access.
State Officers
Brenda Voiles, President
Michael L. Keel, Past President
Charles Goan, Secretary-Treasurer
3867 Attley Drive
Louisville, TN 37777
865-983-7864
George C. Mays, Communications Director
Central Area
DeWayne Perry, Vice President
Warren Gill, Secretary-Treasurer
Cumberland Area
Carolyn Fox, Vice President
Linda J. Tinch, Secretary-Treasurer
Eastern Area
Ken Goddard, Vice President
Gene Burgess, Secretary-Treasurer
Western Area
Steve Glass, Vice President
Paul Sutton, Secretary-Treasurer
Membership in the Former University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Workers’ Association (FUTIAWA) is for anyone, and everyone, who has ever worked for The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The organization’s membership includes former employees from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Agricultural Extension Service.
It doesn’t matter if you were one of the support staff, a teacher, research scientist, Extension educator, a farm worker, custodian, laboratory technician or an administrator. If you worked at UTIA, we welcome you to join FUTIAWA.
A major objective of FUTIAWA is to unite all former University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture workers and to provide channels for communication and friendship after employees leave the Institute. Our newsletter and web pages are communication links with the Institute and current and retired employees.
When employees retire or terminate employment at UTIA, their names are added to our mailing list to receive several issues of the newsletter and an invitation to the next district meeting scheduled in the area where they reside. During this period, retirees have the opportunity to decide whether or not they want to continue their contact with former co-workers by joining FUTIAWA. The cost is $30.00 for a lifetime membership.
UTIA Retirees Association
2621 Morgan Circle Drive || Knoxville, TN 37996
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