Dozier Honored for Community Service
Association Approves Elliott Park Plans
Reported by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At the April 15 dinner meeting, the Sewanee Civic Association honored Pixie Dozier with the Community Service Award for her selfless and compassionate work on behalf of others, particularly her volunteer work with the Community Action Committee and other Sewanee organizations.
Surprised and pleased by the honor, Dozier said, “The CAC has been my main project for 35 years. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the whole community.” Dozier served as the board chair of the CAC for more than a decade, seeing the CAC through difficult times. She staffed the office, delivered food, visited CAC clients, organized volunteers, and did whatever was needed to make sure that people in need were cared for in a loving and respectful way. Dozier has also played a vital role in the Sewanee Woman’s Club, the Sewanee Garden Club, the Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Auxiliary, and was recently elected to serve a three-year term on the Sewanee Community Council.
During the business portion of the meeting, Civic Association President Kiki Beavers thanked Community Chest fund drive chairs Marilyn and Tom Phelps. The fund drive surpassed the $101,000 goal, raising a total of $106,352.
The Civic Association elected the following officers for the 2015–16 academic year: Kiki Beavers, president; Lynn Stubblefield, vice-president; Lisa Rung, treasurer; Cameron Swallow, secretary; Aaron Welch, member at large; Elizabeth Clark Duncan, director of Classifieds; and Stephen Burnett, Parks Committee chair.
A project of the Parks Committee for more than two years, the Elliott Park restoration reached a milestone with the members of the Civic Association approving a design with an estimated cost of $65,000.
The Parks Committee presented three designs for consideration. The recommended design approved by the organization includes swing sets, a balance beam, bridge, climbing structures (a mushroom and monkey bars), spinning elements and a musical component. Other criteria met by the approved design include use of natural and local materials. The retaining wall will use Sewanee stone. The less costly design option, $50,000, used substantially more plastic and metal in play elements. The more costly option, $76,000, included more play elements.
The park will be ADA compliant and accessible, with access ramps at the adjoining sidewalk and parking lot. Plans call for a community build in September with the designer, GameTime, overseeing the work. University Physical Plant Services (PPS) has verbally agreed to “light maintenance” once the park is completed, Burnett said. The Parks Committee plans to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University to define ownership and maintenance responsibilities. Once drawn up, the MOU will be presented to the Civic Association membership for review. Burnett thanked PPS for their ongoing help with site preparation and design considerations. He also thanked the Sewanee Community Council, which recently awarded the project $5,000 for playground equipment.
With a design approved, fund-raising will begin. Burnett estimated the final cost at $70,000, naming several unbudgeted expenses: base material, retaining walls, drainage, and ADA access ramping.