Cool Aid Program
COOL AID PROGRAM gets fans and air conditioners to needy individuals. On hot, hot days and nights, this ministry saves lives. If you need a fan or air conditioner, contact Dwight Ogleton at 615-818-2459 or 615-895-8555. If you would donate an air conditioner or fan, contact Dwight Ogleton (same phone numbers). If you wish to make a financial contribution to the COOL AID PROGRAM, go by FirstBank (615 Memorial Blvd.) and tell them you have a gift for COOL AID. READ MORE »

Dan Whittle photo exhibit at Arts Center of Cannon County
May 25-June 30, 2012 Dan Whittle's photo art is on display at the Arts Center of Cannon County (1424 John Bragg Highway in neighboring Woodbury). Admission is free to the Marly Berger Gallery. This well known journalist-photographer-author has creative nature photos and captures life in action through the lens of his camera. In addition to the exhibit, the public is invited to a reception honoring Mr. Whittle on Friday, May 25, 2012, from 5-7PM at the Cannon County Arts Center. For more information, phone 615-563-ARTS (2787). READ MORE »

Dance Camp
Mon-Fri (July 9-13, 2012) Summer Dance Camp at the Springhouse Worship and Arts Center (14119 Old Nashville Highway; Smyrna, TN; same as Lamplighters Theatre). Fee is $150 per student, if you register before July 2nd. ($170 after that date). On site registration is also available. Phone 615-852-8499 for more information. READ MORE »

Greenway 100 (walk 100 miles in 1-year)
any day (between now May 19, 2013) sunrise-sunset GREENWAY 100 with a walk, run, bike, hop or crawl the Greenway Get a cool T-shirt and more by walking 100-miles in one-year. This year long campaign is created to help you get fit. There is a $10 application fee. Phone 615-893-2141. READ MORE »

International FolkFest
Sun-Sun (June 10-17, 2012) INTERNATIONAL FOLKFEST as our own Cripple Creek Cloggers and founder Steve Cates welcome dance groups from around the world to Murfreesboro and the mid-state area. This year Martinique, Belgium, Austria, and the Czech Republic will be in the Heart of Tennessee. There are numerous volunteer opportunities. See the FolkFest website: http://www.mboro-international-folkfest.org 7PM Wed. (6/13) at Central Christian Church 404 E. Main St., Murfreesboro); 7PM Thu. (6/14) at Manchester Arts Center (128 E. Main. St., Manchester) admission $10; 7PM Fri. (6/14) at Patterson Center (521 Mercury Blvd., Murfreesboro) $5 admission; Sat. (6/15) 8:30AM-1PM stage on the east side of historic Murfreesboro square, free performance, opportunity to talk with visitors and learn about their country. READ MORE »

Middle Half Marathon
Sat. (Oct. 13, 2012) 7AM 6th Annual Middle Half Marathon and Murph's Fun Run. The 13.1-mile course starts and stops at MTSU's Dean Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium and the course is around the beautiful flat and tree-lined Murfreesboro historic district. The Murfreesboro Half Marathon course has been certified as accurate in measurement according to the standards adopted by the USATF Road Running Technical Council. Remember, last years 2,500 max was reached in 11 days. NOTICE: Registration begins 8AM on June 1st (nothing before that). Go to www.themiddlehalf.com. READ MORE »

Nikki Giovanni: "Life in the Bottoms"
Tue (May 29, 2012) 5:30PM Renowned social activist and poet Nikki Giovanni will speak at New Vision Baptist Church (1750 N. Thompson Lane). "Life In The Bottoms" is the final part of MTSU's 2012 local history series. The evening begins with a barbecue dinner at 5:30PM. Then at 6:30PM oral history reports from the field school will be presented. At 7:30PM Giovanni will present her talk, “Something called progress killed my grandmother: Urban Renewal and African American Neighborhoods.” Tickets are $25 and available at the Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center. Phone 615-867-2633. READ MORE »

Phone "811" Before You Dig
Reminder, before you dig--phone 811. With one phone call to 811, someone will come to your property and mark all burried phone lines, cables, pipes at NO CHARGE. Please allow 2-3 business days. READ MORE »

Primary Care & Hope Clinic SPONSORSHIPS

The Primary Care & Hope Clinic serve the healthcare needs of uninsured and under-served persons in our community. During this organization's 20th annversary year, there are two upcoming major events in which sponsorships are available.
Sat. (June 16, 2012) 6PM 20th Anniversary Luau at the Stones River Country Club.
Sat. (Aug. 25, 2012) 4-8PM Taste of Stones River at the Avenue of Murfreesboro.
For more information, contact Bette McFarland (phone 615-893-3930, extension 207) or e-mail her at bette.mcfarland@hopeclnc.org

Ready Family Reunion (ENTIRE community welcome)
Sat. (Aug. 11, 2012) READY FAMILY REUNION at the Woodbury Senior Citizen Center. THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS INVITED. Activities will include a social on Friday night at the Cannon Inn. On Saturday there will be breakfast at the Readyville Mill, a family history exchange and the reunion that evening with live entertainment, all you can eat buffet, drawings and prizes. You and those interested (local non family residents are invited) can contact Larry Ready (10th generation from Richard Ready) at the address above or at ReadyFamily@webtv.net or phone at: 256-303-2380. READ MORE »

Red and Black Reunion
Fri. (May 25, 2012) 7PM "Red and Black Ball" with the Jimmy Church Band at the Embassy Suites. Alumni and friends of historic Bradley Academy come home to share memories and preserve local history with the weekend of "Red and Black" reunion activities. One of those includes a luncheon presentation on Saturday (May 26) of the musical "The Color Purple" at the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts. READ MORE »

Southern Girls of Rock'n Roll Camp
Mon-Sat (July 23-28, 2012) 8:30AM-5:30PM 10th Anniversary of YEAH's Southern Girls of Rock'n Roll Camp. This is a summer day camp for girls ages 10-17. It is held at MTSU's Wright Music Building. Camp tuition is $300 (scholarships are available along with monthly payment plans). For information or to register, go to their website: www.sgrrc.com READ MORE »

Health and Literacy in Rutherford County

Published: August 23, 2011

Health and literacy. The connection between these two words may not be immediately apparent, but the connection is vital. Health and literacy are intrinsically linked; their relationship represents a deeply-rooted issue in the medical world, one that deserves careful attention. Among elderly people, the evidence suggests that those with low health literacy have generally poorer health and die sooner, and more than a third of adult Americans have trouble understanding even basic medical information.

On Thursday, Read To Succeed, Middle Tennessee Medical Center, and Primary Care & Hope Clinic will focus on these issues at a Health and Literacy Forum, open to all local medical professionals or interested community members. The forum will last from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the Meeting Room at MTMC, with lunch provided to those who RSVP to adultliteracy@readtosucceed.org or 615-738-READ. Pharmacist Shane Reeves, physician Utpal Patel and educator Penny Myers will lead a discussion on identifying the signs of a low-literacy-level patient, how to support that patient, and how to improve literacy in our community.

Health literacy is the notion that a person is able to obtain, understand, and act on information provided about a health issue or prescribed medication. Low or limited health literacy can result in a patient's misunderstanding of a diagnosis or treatment options, medication errors, or poor health outcomes in general. Providing quality health information is not enough. The ability to read—and understand—is necessary in order to make decisions and take action.

At the first Read To Succeed Health and Literacy Forum this past spring, held at Primary Care & Hope Clinic, the attendance exceeded the location’s capacity by dozens. The interest generated by both health providers and educators showed a distinctive need for several more of these events.

"Read To Succeed has begun offering Health and Literacy Forums to showcase the important issue of literacy as it affects not only one's education and career performance, but also how it impacts other aspects of life, including health,” says Shelly Stanley, Read To Succeed’s Adult Literacy coordinator. “Many of the learners in our one-on-one Adult Tutoring program have expressed difficultly in handling forms, insurance, preventative care, and especially emergency medical issues because of their lack of reading and writing ability. RTS is striving to educate health care providers to better serve these individuals, while also equipping these individuals to better function in the health care community."

Read To Succeed plans to hold these forums throughout the year—the next will likely be held in North Rutherford County.

If you’re interested in attending Thursday’s forum at MTMC, please e-mail adultliteracy@readtosucceed.org or call 615-738-READ to RSVP.