Mr Larry Ervin was born and raised in this community and began his love of music and community at an early age. Between singing with his family and starting saxophone lessons with Mr Craig, Larry’s love of music began and a journey that lasts unto this day.

During high school, Larry not only learned to play the drums, but was the first Black drum major at Alcoa High School, sang in church choirs and created/played in a band - 96 Proof.

After high school, Larry attended Berea College and was the Executive Director of the Black Ensemble. During his tenure, the Black Ensemble recorded an album. He also created another band - Silver Fox.

While in South Carolina with his family, Larry continued his love of people, community and music by directing the church choirs. Once he moved back to the Blount County area, his new church sent him to the Philippines five times as a missionary which was life changing. And, he also joined his brother’s band “Smooth Groove “, which took off like a rocket. Annually, he has directed the Community Martin Luther King Celebration Choir, most recently in January 2023.

Ms Nancy Nielsen was born and raised in a farming community in New Jersey, and was exposed to farms and gardens growing up and developed a love of nature and the outdoors.

After completing academic studies in Animal Science at SUNY in Delhi, NY, I then spent eight years in pharmaceutical research before moving to Ithaca, NY. and being responsible for the management of a research lab and its graduate students. She moved here in 1990 and ran the research lab until retirement in 2017.

As her children got older, she became involved in C.S.I.V., a nonprofit organization that promotes peace through children. She served on their board as the interchange chair which recruits children and leaders to experience other cultures by living together for several weeks in a family match.

As a result of an invite to a H.O.M.E. Inc meeting, she began attending regularly and became involved with their community projects. As a result of this activity she met Logan Hill and began volunteering on a gardening project to teach STEM to Alcoa middle school students. She didn’t need much encouragement because gardening is a passion of hers and loves sharing what she knows.

Betty Fowler Lenoir is a lifetime resident of Alcoa and graduated from Charles M. Hall High School and the University Of Tennessee School Of Nursing. Although she retired from nursing after 30 years of dedicated service, she continued to volunteer in the health clinic at Alcoa Elementary School. In addition, she worked in the Head Start program at New Providence Presbyterian Church — Maryville for several years.

Lenoir is a life-long member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church where she serves on the Trustee Board, the Ben and Frances Ross Pantry and the Women’s Ministry.

Her community involvement also includes serving as chairman of the Charles M. Hall Alumni Association’s Scholarship Committee, Hall Old Field Maryville Empowerment, Inc. (H.O.M.E., Inc.) Committee and Craig’s Chapel A.M.E. Zion Cemetery Committee. She has been employed with Foothills Funeral Home as a lady attendant for over 30 years.

Several young ladies have been presented to society with the Red Hat Jewels Debutante Ball, of which Lenoir serves as treasurer.

-thedailytimes.com

Marjorie Lockett Stewart was born in Selma, Alabama and graduated from Alabama Lutheran Academy. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Warren Wilson College, Master of Arts degree in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University and completed courses in Writing for Children and Teenagers from the Children’s Institute of Literature.

Stewart retired after 30 years of teaching in the Knoxville and Maryville City schools systems. While employed with Maryville City Schools, she developed a project funded by The Southern Poverty Law Center called the Diversity Trunk to broaden perceptions of youth based on exposure to diverse groups of people and to make it less difficult for teachers to integrate Multiculturalism into the curriculum. The project earned the State School Board Award of Excellence. After retirement, Stewart was contracted for one year by Maryville City and Blount County to provide diversity training for the systems.

She is currently on the Board of Directors for the Dorothy Mitchell-Kincaid Beloved Community Outreach Foundation where she serves as treasurer, board member of Blount County Community Action, member of the Alcoa, Maryville, Blount County NAACP, member of BCU and proud member of St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church. Marjorie’s past community services include, implementing and supervising educational and community programs for the Hall-Oldfield Community Organization’s Youth and Teens, Board Member of Girls, Inc., past Secretary of NAACP, served on the Racism Task Force and for years as a team captain for Relay for Life.

She is married to Dexter Stewart and they have two children. Keri Prigmore is the Director of Attendance, Coordinated School Health and Coordinator for the Homebound, Homeless and Homeschool Education Programs for Alcoa City Schools. Carl is an associate with Crady, Jewett, McCulley & Houren Law Firm in Houston, Texas. They are also the proud grandparents of Shayla and Quincy Prigmore and Knox Stewart.

-thedailytimes.com

“Adriel McCord is a native of LaGrange, Georgia, and came to Tennessee in 1996 to attend Maryville College. While earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in business and organizational management, McCord was a four-year letterman on the Maryville College men’s basketball team.

He currently holds several financial and insurance licenses. McCord began his career as a management associate with SunTrust Bank in 2001 and advanced through various roles to become first vice president. In 2013, he became vice president and private client relationship manager at First Horizon Bank. McCord’s wife, Nichole, is an assistant principal in Blount County Schools, and their son is an 11th grader at Maryville High School.

McCord is a member of the Leadership Blount Class of 2004, and is a past Leadership Blount board member. Currently he serves on numerous boards, including the Maryville College board of directors, United Way, Maryville City Schools Foundation and Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the Smoky Mountain Area. He also co-chairs the Blount County MLK Celebration Committee.

In 2005 McCord received the Kin Takahashi Award, which recognizes outstanding youth alumni of Maryville College. The Greater Knoxville Business Journal named him to its Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2016. In 2017, Adriel McCord receive the Tribute to Fatherhood Award from the Beta Theta Boule Foundation and was also inducted into The Daily Times Wall of Fame Class of 2019”.

-thedailytimes.com