Things and Stuff: 08/15/02

Notes from our business community
- and everywhere else

Patterson

BRENDA PATTERSON...

has joined Community First as a mortgage lender and vice president. A graduate of Western Carolina University, Patterson has 27 years of banking experience. She is a member of the Sylva Rotary Club and serves on the board of the Jackson County Community Foundation. She is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Jackson. A member of First Baptist Church, Patterson is married to Gary Patterson. They have one daughter, Laura, who lives in Greensboro.

JACKSON TRANSIT...

is featured this week in our Business Spotlight. See their ad on the back page of this section for some valuable back-to-school safety advice.

FRANKIE AVALON...

will perform at Harrah's Cherokee Pavilion next Thursday, Aug. 22. For information, call 1-800-HARRAHS.

COMMUNITY FIRST ...

Mortgage Co. has moved its offices across the parking lot to the building that formerly housed the eye care practice of Drs. Coy Brown and Brandy Hicks. Stop by and see them at their new location, 447 W. Main Street.

FIXTUREFACTOR.COM...

a privately-owned, Internet-only retailer of designer plumbing fixtures launched its website earlier this month. The new site was designed to make it easy for both the first-time buyer and the web-savvy shopper to locate and purchase products.

"The key to doing business on the Internet is to utilize the speed and pricing advantages of Internet transactions while providing service by real people," said Aaron Hazelton of Sylva, president of FixtureFactor.com. Headquarters for the Internet company are located on Main Street across from The Sylva Herald with Cherry Hill Cabinets, another Hazelton venture. For more information, e-mail them at info@fixturefactor.com, take a look at their web site at www.fixturefactor.com or for those determined to do things the old-fashioned way, call them at 631-3477.

FREE MULCH...

will be available at the town of Sylva's former water treatment plant off Fisher Creek Road beginning Thursday, Aug. 22, and every Thursday thereafter. Anyone may bring a truck between the hours of 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. and pick up mulch. Town personnel will load the trucks. Mulch will be available on Thursdays until further notice. For more information, call Tommy Thompson at Sylva City Hall, 586-2719.

DON'T FORGET...

the benefit for Nolita Estes coming up this Saturday, Aug. 17, at 6 p.m. at the Community Service Center. The event is being held to raise money for Estes to help pay final expenses for her late husband, J.C. Estes, and son Nolan Connor.

LOCAL RED CROSS...

staff members want to thank everyone who donated "quality of life" items for military personnel in Afghanistan. In addition to items dropped off at the Main Street office, AmVets Post 441 collected items at Wal-Mart last Friday. Literally hundreds of additional items were collected along with money to help purchase other necessities. Jackson County's branch office of the American Red Cross is planning another collection of items during the holiday season. For more information on the Red Cross and its programs, call Nancy Saxon at 586-2019.

A FUND-RAISER...

for Randy Franks took in more than $4,000. The benefit was coordinated by Betty Passmore and Kay Franks and was held at the Pumpkintown Community Center.

PATHWAYS FOR...

the Future, a non-profit center for independent living, is always seeking donations of good-quality, used computers. Pathways funds and supports CyberPals, a program that accepts used computers, refurbishes them and places them in homes of individuals with disabilities. Tax-deductible donation forms are available. If you have a computer to donate, call Pathways at 631-1167.

KIDS ON THE BLOCK...

an educational puppet troupe sponsored by Pathways for the Future, is seeking volunteers to promote disability awareness throughout the school systems. If you have two hours a week to donate, Pathways can train you to become a Kids On The Block puppeteer. For more information, call Loretta Womack at Pathways, 631-1167.