By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow
One of the groups I am really thankful for in Henderson County is Hope Springs Water. Compile a list of local folks doing good work and they are going to be near the top.
Hope Springs will be holding a Turkey Trot 5K and 1 Mile Walk Thanksgiving morning at the Cain Center in Athens. The race starts at 8 a.m. with the walk not long after that.
If you haven’t signed up yet, you can still register in the morning starting at 7 a.m. I also hear that there will be free flu shots for all who participate.
Jessica Richardson of Hope Springs said the proceeds from the Turkey Trot will help the organization buy a new piece of equipment.
“The money raised will help us purchase a new drilling rig that will allow us to drill in more difficult regions that our current rig cannot reach,” she said.
Hope Springs works to “provide sources of pure drinking water through drilling water wells, provision of water purification and sanitation systems, and fostering community health education initiatives in developing countries.”
The company donates 100 percent of the profits from the sale of its water toward its mission and it recently opened up another avenue for its work.
“We are establishing our own Ethiopian nonprofit, which will allow us to drill more wells in more areas, and we will be able to host medical teams and teams aimed at helping women and girls health initiatives,” said Richardson.
So come out to the Cain Center Thursday morning. Even if you can’t run a 5K you can take a leisurely stroll and help support a life-saving mission. It’ll make you feel better when you eat that second piece of pie later in the day.
USAF Band of the West for Christmas
You knew that Santa was coming to town, but did you know the U.S. Air Force is coming with him?
It was announced this week that the USAF Band of the West has been added to the great schedule of events for the Holiday on the Square celebration set for Athens on Saturday, Dec. 2.
The Band of the West “travels more than 125,000 miles annually and provides hundreds of performances to military and civilian audiences throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico.”
This is a band that has performed for presidents and international heads of state — and they are going to be on the square in Athens playing for Henderson County.
The big celebration includes Holiday on the Square from noon to 5 p.m., brought to you by Light Up Athens, and the annual Christmas parade.
Here’s the schedule:
- 1-5 p.m. — Holiday Market
- 1-5 p.m. — Activites for Children: arts and crafts, face painting, balloon artist
- 3:30 – 5 p.m. — Band of the West
- Dusk — Christmas tree lighting ceremony
- 6:30 p.m. — Parade
Malakoff Holiday Trash Schedule
In Monday’s column, I included a note that the Athens trash pickup schedule will be pushed back one day because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Well, the same is true in Malakoff. According to a post on the city’s Facebook page, trash service will be delayed one day. Trash will be picked up Friday, Nov. 24. “Please have your trash out by 7 a.m.,” they say.
(Follow Michael V. Hannigan on Instagram/Twitter @mvhannigan)