Union County Business & Professional Association awarded scholarships to three Union County High School Graduates in 2019. Recipients spoke at the BPA June meeting and thanked the membership for their scholarships. Ethan Dyer received the Service Scholarship for performing over 200 hours of volunteer time to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and another 100 hours at Milan Baptist Church and as a coach for Union County Youth Basketball. He will attend Lincoln Memorial University and plans to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Business. Aimee Le Fevers was awarded the Jeffreys Memorial Academic Scholarship for her academic achievement and her participation in volleyball, tennis, and Beta Club. She will attend East Tennessee State University and pursue a degree in Business. Both Aimee and Ethan are valedictorians. Nathan Asher, who was unable to attend the meeting but also sent his gratitude, is the recipient of the Career & Technical Scholarship. Nathan plans to attend Tennessee College of Applied Technology to become a welder.

Aimee and Ethan also volunteered at the golf tournament that UCBPA hosts annually in May at Three Ridges Golf Course to fund the scholarships. Fifteen teams played in the 2019 tournament and raised more than $5000. Food City, Union County Education Association, and the Toppins Family were event sponsors. Li’l Jo’s Bar-B-Que catered the lunch. Union County businesses and citizens donated nearly seventy hole sponsorships. Team winners were 1st Place -KCB Excavating, 2nd Place - Ryan Burkhart, and 3rd Place -City of Plainview. Individual awards for Closest to the Pin were Brian Zimprich and Patrick Harrell and for Longest Drive was Taylor Bunch. Ryan Galyon scored a hole- in- one to win the Putting Contest that was sponsored by Collins Insurance Company. President Martin Shafer thanked all who supported the tournament. UCBPA Charities, Inc. is the 501c3 nonprofit that handles the stipend disbursements for UCBPA. Gail Corum is the Chairman of the Board. This year marked the awarding of over $100,000 in scholarships to more than 100 deserving Union County graduating seniors.

Also, on the BPA Program was Veteran Arnold Smallin, who spoke about the Veteran’s Place Fundraiser. Water and weather have caused peeling and cracking of the Veterans Wall. The cost of repairs is approximately $10,000 and will add a waterproof granite looking stucco, seal the back of the wall, and provide a concrete lined ditch behind the wall. The fundraiser was Saturday, June 15 at Wilson Park and included car shows, motorcycle shows, food vendors, craft vendors, silent auction, live auction, and a host of sponsors. Harley Martin coordinated the event.

BPA welcomed Allison Rison, a Claiborne Countian, who is the Union County Extension Summer Intern from Tennessee Tech University. Allison will be helping with the Farmers Market, 4H Camp, and other activities.

The UCBPA Prayer Breakfast raised just over $400.00 to fund donations to various Union County charities.

The BPA Litter Pick Up was also on June 15. Thunder Road Printing and Graphic Design is challenging other businesses to get involved in Keep Union County Beautiful.