"An expert is a man who has stopped thinking — he knows."
— Frank Lloyd Wright
EAR TO THE GROUND
SISKIN HOSPITAL'S 10th Anniversary Possibilities Luncheon will be held on Feb. 13, with Trisha Meili, known as the Central Park Jogger, as keynote speaker.
"This is our largest community fundraiser for our patients in need," says Lindsay Wyatt, media/marketing/communications coordinator at Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation.
Meili's story is about the capacity of the human body and spirit to heal, according to a news release. On April 19, 1989, she went for a run in New York City's Central Park shortly after 9 p.m. Hours later, two men found her near death from an assault. In a coma, with 80 percent blood loss, a traumatic brain injury and severe exposure, she was not expected to survive by doctors at Metropolitan Hospital.
Meili details the story in her memoir, "I Am the Central Park Jogger: A Story of Hope & Possibility." Her experience brought an outpouring of support and love from family, friends and strangers. She credits the support as part of the miracle of her recovery as she relearned how to do simple things, such as rolling over, telling time, buttoning her blouse or identifying simple objects, the release says.
"I am extremely excited about sharing my message of hope and possibility at the 10th Anniversary of Siskin Hospital's Possibilities Luncheon in February," Meili says. "I am eager to let attendees know that whatever the challenge, we can do more than we ever thought possible, especially with the help of an exceptional facility like Siskin Hospital."
Tom Edd and Barby Wilson are serving as event co-chairs.
Individual tickets to the event are $75. For more information, contact Sandy Howell at 634-1208 or showell@siskinrehab.org.
TOASTS
HOLCOMB GARDEN CENTER keeps its ranking as one of the horticulture industry's top independent garden centers by recently being named one of "Today's Garden Center's Revolutionary 100."
Holcomb has been named to the list seven out of the last eight years.
According to a news release, the program surveys garden center owners and managers and culminates in a listing of the 100 most revolutionary garden centers in the nation. It is open to all independent garden centers, large and small, and is based on leadership and innovation, not on size or revenue.
"Being selected to be listed in the Top 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers is truly an honor and being selected for the seventh time makes this honor even more special," says owner Tim Holcomb.
With locations in Hixson and Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., Holcomb Garden Centers have been around for more than 40 years.
The 2013 Revolutionary 100 Awards program is sponsored by plant supplier Suntory Flowers.
Feature writer Karen Nazor Hill covers fashion, design, home and gardening, pets, entertainment, human interest features and more. She also is an occasional news reporter and the Town Talk columnist. She previously worked for the Catholic newspaper Tennessee Register and was a reporter at the Chattanooga Free Press from 1985 to 1999, when the newspaper merged with the Chattanooga Times. She won a Society of Professional Journalists Golden Press third-place award in feature writing for ...
