Images Bedford County, TN: 2008-09

To help our members save money on goods and services of all kinds, including prescription

medications, we started the Co-op Connections program. Just take your Co-op Connections

card wherever you go, pull it out anywhere you see a Co-op Connections door or window sign,

as well as your local pharmacy, and say hello to savings.

The card is yours. The savings are yours. All because you’re a member of a Touchstone Energy cooperative.

We’re always looking out for you. To learn more, visit www.dremc.com.

(931) 684-4621 Looking out for you

We’re always thinking of

WAYS TO HELPour members

save electricity.And then we thought, why stop there?

336 C2 C3 C4.indd C2 7/29/08 8:52:18 AM

City of Shelbyville201 N. Spring St.Shelbyville, TN 37160(931) 684-2691

Bedford CountyPublic Square

Shelbyville, TN 37160(931) 684-7944

The Walking Horse Capital of the World.

Welcome to Shelbyville and Bedford County

© 2004 Sharpie is a registered trademark of Sanford LLP

HOME OF THE

336 TOC.indd 1 7/29/08 8:53:16 AM

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINEImages of Bedford County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Bedford County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

VIDEO TOUR INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Bedford County through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesbedfordcounty.com.

SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past content by section or search for specifi c articles by subject.

INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services.

EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; fi nd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

OF BEDFORD COUNTY

TM

WEB SITE EXTRA

What’s More lists, links and tips for newcomers

IMAGESBEDFORDCOUNTY.COM

or newfoor n

SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SARAH B. GILLIAM,

KIM MADLOM, BILL McMEEKIN

ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

DATABASE PROJECT MANAGER YANCEY TURTURICE

DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SHEILA BURKE, PAMELA COYLE

INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER DESHAUN GOODRICH

SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS,

TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER,

IAN CURCIO, KYLE KEENER, JESSE KNISH

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER

SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH

PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS.

MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,

KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS

GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, ERICA HINES,

ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND,

AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER, CANDICE SWEET

WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ

WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ

COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA MITCHELL

AD TRAFFIC MARCIA BANASIK, SARAH MILLER,

PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER

V.P./SALES TODD POTTER

V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER

V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART

V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK,

DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP

COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS

SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS

SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Images of Bedford County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce

and its member businesses.For advertising information or to direct questions

or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080

or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce

100 North Cannon Blvd. • Shelbyville, TN 37160Phone: (931) 684-3482 • Fax: (931) 684-3483

E-mail: www.shelbyvilletn.com

VISIT IMAGES OF BEDFORD COUNTY ONLINE AT IMAGESBEDFORDCOUNTY.COM

©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc.,725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,

(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.No portion of this magazine may be reproduced

in whole or in part without written consent.

Member Magazine Publishers of America

Member Custom Publishing Council

Member Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce

BARBECUE: A SIMPLE SOUTHERN PLEASUREOne of the simple pleasures of Southern dining is the down-home barbecue experience. No matter where you go, you’ll fi nd tender, tangy and slowly smoked barbecue. Get a taste of regional cuisine at imagesbedfordcounty.com.

A GARDENER’S PARADISETennessee is a great place to garden. We have long growing seasons, abundant rainfall and a mild climate in which many different kinds of plants thrive. Find out more at imagesbedfordcounty.com.

MOVING PICTURES PLUS

2 IMAGESBEDFORDCOUNT Y.COM BEDFORD COUNT Y

336 TOC.indd 2 7/29/08 8:53:17 AM

ON THE COVER A horse grazes in a fi eld. Photo by Jeffrey S. Otto

BEDFORD COUNTY BUSINESS 16 The Sky’s the Limit

Shelbyville-based Jabiru USA Sports Aircraft makes the skies friendlier for some pilots.

18 Biz Briefs

20 Chamber Report

DEPARTMENTS

4 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Bedford County culture

13 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Bedford

25 Health & Wellness

27 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

CONTENTS

FEATURES

6 WALKING HORSES ARE USFor 10 days each August, Bedford County takes on a festive air as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration gallops into town.

8 IT’S HIP TO BE ON THE SQUAREShelbyville’s old-time square is taking on a new life as a downtown destination.

10 SOAK UP THE SERENITYThe county is home to a number of quaint inns that cater to those seeking solitude.

21 WHEN ARTS FLYThe Fly Arts Center is beginning to put the Shelbyville theater scene on the cultural map.

22 DRAFTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESSThe CAD program at Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville caters to local industries and job seekers.

24 FIT AND FRIENDLYThe folks at Harvey’s Gym of Shelbyville welcome everyone who comes through their doors as if they were family.

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

TMTM

2008-09 EDITION | VOLUME 10

OF BEDFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE

BEDFORD COUNT Y IMAGESBEDFORDCOUNT Y.COM 3

336 TOC.indd 3 7/29/08 8:53:25 AM

Fandom’s Favorite MarkerCelebrities sign many of

their autographs with Sharpie

permanent markers, which are

manufactured at Sanford Corp.

in Shelbyville.

The popular writing instruments

have actually been manufactured

for more than 40 years, and the

company announced in 2004 that

the writing instruments would

be manufactured and distributed

from Shelbyville. Today, the plant

has 900 employees.

Besides Sharpie, Sanford

Corp. also produces brand-name

pens and markers such as Paper

Mate, Parker, Waterman, uni-Ball,

Prismacolor, Accent highlighters,

Expo dry-erase makers and

Liquid Paper.

Grip It and Rip ItOf course, Riverbend Country Club is a beautiful course.

Well-known architect John Floyd designed the private 18-hole

golf course, and Riverbend opened in 1960. It is a par 72 that

plays 6,495 yards from the longest tees.

Members pay reasonable greens fees, with prices at $39 for 18

holes on weekdays and $49 on weekends. Those prices include

a golf cart, and Riverbend also features a 20-tee

practice driving range.

Raise Your GlassIt’s wine-all-you-want at Tri-Star Vineyards

and Winery in Shelbyville.

The business is owned and operated by Bedford

County residents Perry and Elaine Casteel, and

the couple offers free tours, tastings, a gift shop

and wine sales. Their varieties include wines

ranging from dry to sweet and from white to

deep reds, including grape, muscadine, fruit

and berry choices.

The winery is open to the public for tours

and tastings from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and

Saturdays and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sundays.

That’s a Big PieThe world’s largest Moon Pie – along with the

crowning of the Moon Pie Queen and Moon Pie

King – are all part of the annual RC and Moon

Pie Festival.

Every June, people travel to the small town

of Bell Buckle to celebrate the combined tasty

treat of a Moon Pie washed down with a Royal

Crown Cola. Events include a parade, Moon Pie

eating competitions, live music, craft displays

and children’s activities.

There is also a cutting of the world’s largest

edible Moon Pie, which measures four feet

in diameter and is 14 inches thick.

ThThe

cr

K

P


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2313

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Bell Buckle

Wartrace

Shelbyville

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Fast Facts Bedford County celebrated

its bicentennial on Dec. 3, 2007.

According to historians, Shelbyville was named for Indian fighter Col. Isaac Shelby, who later became prominent in state and national politics.

It’s true. All sports teams at the Webb School in Bell Buckle are nicknamed the Feet.

The multimillion-dollar company Jostens Inc. – a name known throughout the country for its yearbooks, class rings and other graduation products – runs a busy production facility in Shelbyville.

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is the ultimate competition in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, with festivities taking place each year for 11 days and nights in Shelbyville.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Bedford County, visit imagesbedfordcounty.com.

The Big CheeseThe Bedford Cheese Store has been churning out a

variety of fresh cheeses in Shelbyville for quite some time.

The manufacturing facility on Deery Street makes

several varieties of cheese and delivers the products right

to customers’ doors. All cheeses made by the Bedford

Cheese Store are 100 percent natural with no additives.

The company produces other dairy products, including milk

and butter, along with eggs and egg substitutes. The Bedford

Cheese Store also packages meats such as beef summer

sausage and country ham, and also processes and

distributes jams, jellies, sauces and dressings.

Bedford County | At A GlancePOPULATION (2006 ESTIMATE)Bedford County: 44,062, Bell Buckle: 406, Shelbyville: 19,149, Wartrace: 568

LOCATIONBell Buckle, Shelbyville and Wartrace are all located within Bedford County in south-central Tennessee, approximately 50 miles from Nashville and 25 miles from Murfreesboro.

BEGINNINGSShelbyville was established in 1807 by an act of the Tennessee legislature. Respected community leader Clement Cannon donated 100 acres of land where Shelbyville now stands.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONShelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce100 North Cannon Blvd.Shelbyville, TN 37160Phone: (931) 684-3482Fax: (931) 684-3483www.shelbyvilletn.com

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Bedford County at imagesbedfordcounty.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

Bedford County


Almanac

336 Almanac 3.indd 5 7/29/08 8:51:25 AM

Walking

Us Are Horses

‘CELEBRATION’ PERMEATES THE CULTURE

OF BEDFORD COUNTY


336 F1 Walking Horses Are Us v3 .indd 6 7/30/08 2:38:45 PM

F or 11 days each summer, Bedford County takes on a festive air.

Local schools cancel classes, vendors set up tents along the streets, hotels are booked solid and restaurants are packed as more than 200,000 walking horse fans from across the country flock to Shelbyville for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

A kind of “world series” for walking horses – known for their distinctive high-in-the-air, front-foot gaits – the Celebration is one of the largest horse shows in the world. It’s the centerpiece of the walking horse industry, and the event sets the standard for walking horse shows throughout the country.

“It is the showpiece of the area, and it is so important to the community,” says Dr. Doyle Meadows, new CEO of the Celebration. “The direct impact of the Celebration and surrounding days is in the vicinity of $38.5 million.”

Add the other, related events in Calsonic Arena, and the Celebration buoys the local economy by more than $50 million.

But the inf luence of the walking

horse industry extends far beyond the Celebration, Meadows says. Training and breeding facilities in Bedford County buy feed, tractors, equipment and fences – and the owners and employees build homes and pay for groceries, food and a whole range of local services year round.

“There are now five separate condo developments within walking distance of the Celebration grounds,” says Jeffrey Howard, publisher of the weekly Walking Horse Report newspaper, which covers the industry nationwide. “Just about everybody I know has a second home here. The homes have helped the look of Shelbyville and the tax revenue, and it’s all because of the horse industry.”

The walking horse industry also per-meates the culture of Bedford County, from the look of the countryside to the names of businesses.

Visitors can’t get to Shelbyville without passing a major farm, breeding or training operation. Restaurants and hotels display photos and sculptures of walking horses, shops sell walking horse jewelry and memorabilia. Some restaurants, such as the Strolling Jim restaurant in

STORY BY REBECCA DENTONPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

Horses gallop in a pasture at Waterfall Farms, the largest walking horse breeding farm in the country. Left: Ritz on the Corner and his trainer, Sam Martin, stand silhouetted in a barn at Sand Creek Farm near Shelbyville.

Wartrace, are even named for famous walking horses.

“You see a lot of businesses that have the word ‘Celebration’ in it,” says Meadows, who met his wife, Gloria, at the Celebration in 1989. “The visibility and significance of the walking horse and the Celebration manifests itself year round.”

Founded in 1939, the Celebration takes place in a 105-acre complex with 63 barns that contain 1,650 stalls, an out-door stadium that seats about 30,000 people, a covered warm-up ring called Champions Arena, and a 4,400-seat indoor arena.

Champions in more than 30 different divisions are crowned during the fes-tivities, with the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse named on the Saturday night before Labor Day. The Celebration also includes a large trade fair, a barbecue cookout, dog show, equine clinics, stable decorating contests and more.

David Williams, operations manager for Waterfall Farms in Shelbyville, under-stands the excitement surrounding the county’s premier event.

“There’s nothing like riding into that Celebration ring, riding a favorite horse and hearing the roar of the crowd,” he says. “That’s what’s addictive to people.”

Williams works on the largest Tennessee walking horse breeding farm in the county – and the country. The 1,100-acre, park-like facility, owned by Bill and Sandra Johnson, breeds about 1,500 mares each year.

“For a horse guy like me, Waterfall’s like being at Disney World,” Williams says. “If they quit paying me, I’d still show up. But don’t tell my boss that.”

Williams is typical of the many people who work in the industry. His father owned walking horses, and they’ve always been part of his life.

“This is the mecca of the Tennessee walking horse,” he says, adding he can’t imagine living anywhere else.


336 F1 Walking Horses Are Us v3 .indd 7 7/29/08 8:52:33 AM

N ancy June Brandon remem-bers when the downtown Shelbyville square was the place to be.

Kids and teens would ride bikes to the square and sidle up to soda shop lunch counters for after-school milk-shakes. Their parents would shop at locally owned businesses, such as Heritage Jewelers, whose doors are still open decades later.

Today, the next generation of kids is still riding bikes, iPods strapped on arms, while a new wave of shopping, dining and even downtown loft living has transformed the square.

“We have a very thriving square,” says Cindy Drake, chairman of Main

Street Shelbyville, an all-volunteer organ-ization working to promote the historic downtown. “We are lucky we are not starting from ground zero.”

In fact, revitalization efforts are gathering a new head of steam. Main Street Shelbyville is preparing to apply in February 2009 for designation as a certified “Main Street” community, like nearby Franklin, Columbia and Cookeville, which would open up federal funds for building renovations.

Planners say that a successful small downtown, which in Shelbyville also is called “Uptown,” thrives with a com-bination of public offices, retail stores, restaurants, entertainment and residents.

On four of those fronts, Shelbyville is

doing well. With the Fly Arts Center, the Capri Twin Theater – a renovated Art Deco theater that shows first-run movies – and spots like the new art gallery on Depot Street called The Gathering Place, the arts are booming. Well-known Shelbyville artist Jerry Ward, who was commissioned in 1990 to paint a portrait of former President George Bush’s dog, Millie, transformed one downtown building into his gallery and living space. Public offices were already there. Retail is expanding, as is loft development.

A small grocery that carries staples like bread, butter, milk, snacks and sand-wiches opened in 2008. Cindy Stephenson, a relocated Kansan who opened the shop in honor of a great-grandfather who had

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

to be on the It’s Hip

SquareSHELBYVILLE’S OLD-TIME SQUARE IS TAKING ON A NEW LIFE

2008

OCT. 24 Homecoming Tailgate Party on Depot Street and The Great American Pencil Sculpture Competition

OCT. 31Uptown Halloween Trick or Treat

NOV. 21-22Uptown Holiday Open House

NOV. 29 Annual Tree Lighting Festival

2009

FEB. 7 & 14Livin’ N Uptown

APRIL 25Red Hat Day

MAY 23Memorial Day Celebration and Oldest Business Birthday Party

Downtown Shelbyville Events


336 F2 It's Hip to be v2.indd 8 7/29/08 8:52:38 AM

Cali observes downtown happenings from inside Ole Grapevine Antiques.

a market in Bedford County from 1886-1916, already has had requests for fried bologna sandwiches and classic peanut butter and jelly.

Just off the square, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is Bocelli’s Gourmet Pizza and Pasta Shoppe on Depot Street; The Coffee Break is on the square’s south side.

There are clothing boutiques, antique stores, banks, record stores, salons and churches. That Book Store, with new and used offerings, on Depot Street also is a popular destination.

Pat McMillan retired as a mental health contractor for the state of Michigan, bought a building on Depot Street, turned it into an art gallery and created an apartment above for herself.

“My son lives in Murfreesboro and called and said, ‘I found a building with your name on it,’” McMillan says.

Stephenson rents from her, in a smaller apartment in the back of the building. The Gathering Place, which opened Dec. 1, 2007, has sitting areas and an antique dining table with chairs, because McMillan really wants folks to gather there, a sentiment that extends to the greater square, too.

“We want a great mix of shopping, eating and the arts,” Drake says.

Operating for decades, the art deco Capri movie theater in downtown Shelbyville is still the place to be on a Saturday night.


336 F2 It's Hip to be v2.indd 9 7/29/08 8:52:38 AM

STORY BY REBECCA DENTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

Inside the Whitney Chapel at Parish Patch Farm and Inn, the benches are hewn from cedar trees on the farm.

Soak Up the Serenity

BEDFORD COUNTY’S COUNTRY INNS MAKE FOR GREAT ESCAPES

K nown for its rolling hills, winding rivers and pastures dotted with grazing horses, Bedford County is home to a number of quaint inns that cater to those seeking solitude.

Parish Patch Farm & Inn is one of the area’s popular getaways. Nestled on a 300-acre working farm in Normandy, Parish Patch consists of a country inn with 21 guest rooms, a stand-alone conference center, a 120-seat limestone wedding chapel and Cortner Mill restaurant, which is housed in an 1825 gristmill.

The upscale Cortner Mill – featuring renowned local chef Bill Hall – overlooks the Duck River and specializes in fresh foods from the farm and the river, including beef, Cornish hen, trout, catfish, grilled duck breast and frog legs.

“We refer to it as ‘elegant country,’” says David Hazelwood, who owns the operation with his wife, Claudia. “When you have a special occasion, you don’t want ordinary food. We feature menu items that people don’t typically have at home.”

Relatively new to Parish Patch is the wedding chapel, built in 2004 as a wedding gift for the Hazelwoods’ daughter, Whitney. She was the first of many brides to tie the knot in the one-of-a-kind space.

“Since then, we’ve been doing a wedding every other week,” says Hazelwood, an ordained minister who can perform the ceremonies.


336 F3 Soak up the Serenity v2.indd 10 7/29/08 8:52:45 AM

The newly renovated lobby at the Walking Horse Hotel provides a comfortable space for guests to sit and relax.

“It’s become the biggest part of our business. We’re a one-stop-spot for wedding needs. We can provide everything but the groom.”

The recently renovated Walking Horse Hotel in the quaint town of Wartrace is another much-loved getaway spot.

Built in 1917, the historic hotel features 12 rooms and a luxurious presidential suite. The hotel has long been a favorite lodging locale during the Walking Horse National Celebration, and owner Joe Peters – who bought the hotel in July 2007 – wants it to become a place that people seek for some R&R throughout the year.

Inside the Walking Horse Hotel is the upscale Strolling Jim restaurant, a 75-seat dining area with a slate entranceway, rosewood floors, elegant chandeliers, a cascading waterfall in the main dining room, and giant pictures of the legendary champion walking horse, Strolling Jim.

Another feature of the elegant building is Chais Music Hall, which includes a 2,900-square-foot rosewood dance floor and rosewood stage where live music is performed on Saturday evenings. The music hall is named for Peters’ wife, Chais, who died in March 2007 of cancer.

“The music hall, restaurant and hotel are very personal to me,” Peters says. “It’s not just a business. This is my tribute to her.”

River Run Hunting Lodge & Mud Creek Farm in Shelbyville is

a different sort of hideaway. This quiet haven makes the most of the area’s wide-open spaces, with more than 500 acres of native grasslands, pine trees, fruit trees, creeks and ponds. The operation is a favorite of quail, pheasant, deer and turkey hunters, but its modern facilities – a 5,000-square-foot deck overlooking the Duck River, WiFi service, nine bedrooms, seven bathrooms and three meeting rooms – also make it a popular destination for corporate events, family gatherings, weddings and other special occasions.

Not your average rustic retreat, the lodge features hardwood f loors and stained-glass windows. The master bedroom includes a Jacuzzi tub and private balcony overlooking the swimming pool and river. The facility also has big-screen televisions with satellite programming, a heated swimming pool and tiki bar.

“We can tent the front yard for weddings and receptions,” says owner Ron Vannatta. “We have literally miles of hiking trails, and some folks like to fish or canoe down the river.”

The facility also includes a game room, billiard room, horseshoes, table tennis – and rocking chairs on the front porch for those who just want to sit and soak up the view.

“We can help you with your event, or you can have it catered the way you want it done,” Vannatta says. “We only have one group at a time, so the entire facility is yours when you book it.”


336 F3 Soak up the Serenity v2.indd 11 7/29/08 8:52:48 AM

A proud member of the Bedford County business community since 1991.

emis Company, Inc. is the largest flexible packaging company in North America and a major manufacturer of pressure sensitive materials used for labels, decoration and signage.

Bemis common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: BMS.

B

Bemis Flexible Packaging Milprint Division

Proudly Making our “Mark” in the Shelbyville-Bedford County Community

One Sharpie Way • Shelbyville, TN 37160 • www.sanford.com


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Spotted Saddle Horses look good and ride great on the trail. They also can

show well, and enthusiasm among ama-teurs to show off their rides is running higher than ever.

The Spotted Saddle Horse Breeder and Exhibitor Association, which got its modest start in Shelbyville in 1985, now has 4,000 members and 25,000 registered Spotted Saddle Horses.

The breed, known for its smooth gait and unique color patterns, is popular for several reasons, says Freda Bullard, who handles publicity for association shows. Breeding, raising and main-taining a Spotted Saddle Horse is far less expensive than a Tennessee Walking Horse, she says. And owners can train their horses themselves.

“You don’t have to pay someone,” Bullard says.

The association holds two annual world championship events at the Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, and one-night shows dot the landscape of Middle Tennessee.

Bullard got hooked 20 years ago on a trail ride after moving to Tennessee from Florida.

“They were pretty and the color patterns were wonderful and I just had to have one.” Now, she has about 20. Check out www.sshbea.org for more information.

Saddle UpNEW BREED OF SPOTTED HORSES PROVES GENTLE, SURE-FOOTED AND STRONG

Shelbyville now hosts two world championship competitions for Spotted Saddle Horses, a new breed that is gaining popularity.B

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Portfolio


Come Home to Charleston

For Barbara Smith, comments such as “I feel like I’ve been to my grandmother’s house,” mean she’s done

her job.Smith and Becky Station co-own and run Charleston

on Main, a Shelbyville restaurant that specializes in Southern cooking with a twist. Think of it as grandma’s house with a renovation.

The restaurant is open from 11 until 2 for lunch Monday through Friday and rolls out a buffet on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, though the full menu is available, too. A typical lunch buffet might feature Parmesan-crusted chicken; apple-marinated pork loin; a rainbow of salads, including one with spinach and strawberries; and a roster of sides. Charleston on Main, which opened eight years ago, also offers a buffet on Easter, Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving.

The restaurant, at 764 North Main St., does a brisk business in special events: rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions, as well as retirement, birthday and holiday parties. For more information, call (931) 680-1832.

Forget about TV’s fictional Mr. Ed, the talking horse. Beautiful Jim Key was

a real horse, who learned to read, spell and talk. Born a sickly foal in Shelbyville in 1889, he also did simple math. Under the gentle tutelage of owner William Key, a self-trained veterinarian, entrepreneur and former slave, the horse gained the nick-name The Marvel of the 20th Century.

The horse’s national debut came at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in Nashville. Writer Mim Eichler Rivas captured the lives of Beautiful Jim Key and William Key, his trainer, mentor and namesake, in Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Man and a Horse. In the book, Rivas writes that President

William McKinley said this horse of humble beginnings was testament to the power of kindness.

After the Centennial, Jim Key hit the big time. He performed in major theaters, concert halls and big expos such as the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Mo. Beautiful Jim Key died in 1912, and his grave is off Highway 130, just south of Shelbyville and a few miles beyond the Duck River. But his legacy lives on – Jim’s tours and the publicity they created helped boost the humane movement, and, according to Rivas, two million children signed the Jim Key Band of Mercy pledge, “I promise always to be kind to animals.”

A Horse Is a Horse

Writer Mim Eichler Rivas resurrected Jim Key’s story in her 2005 book.

The dining room sits with the tables ready for the lunch rush at Charleston on Main in downtown Shelbyville.

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Portfolio


To call retired Shelbyville Fire Chief Garland King a collector doesn’t even come close.

His collection of Shelbyville, Bedford County and family

historical materials already fills up several buildings.King has antique fire trucks, bicycles, gas pumps, cars,

post office boxes, dentist chairs and tools. He’s got old bank records, pharmacy books and safes from almost every major Shelbyville business that either burned or moved. He displays perhaps the most complete collection of Tennessee license plates ever amassed and vintage Coke bottles with “Shelbyville” stamped on the thick glass from the town’s former bottling plant.

King, who retired in 1999 after 30 years as chief, opens the doors to his treasures for school groups, tourists, Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration visitors and anyone else who calls.

What was once called “urban renewal” – in this case controlled burning of buildings in flood-prone Shelbyville neighborhoods – kick-started King’s passion. As a young firefighter, he’d scour each house to be burned to make sure it was safe to set the fire, finding local memorabilia left behind. King has an index card for each of the 534 burned homes, with a black and white photograph and the home’s history.

“I’ve just enjoyed it and done it all my life,” King says. “Everything you see here is Bedford County history.”

To schedule a tour, call King at (931) 684-5304.Garland King’s collection fills several buildings.

The Webb School Arts and Crafts Show brings 60,000 people to Bell

Buckle each October, more than doubling the county’s normal population.

Patrons save up their money and book Bedford County’s motels and B&Bs a year in advance. With Bell Buckle proper a full three blocks or so long, farmers open their land for parking as a Lion’s Club fundraiser. Shoppers ride hay wagons to the show grounds.

The Webb event, with 150 booths of fine arts and crafts, is marking it 30th year in 2009. But it is far from the only show in town, says Billy Phillips, vice president of the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce.

An additional 600 exhibitors set up downtown, on Maple Street and in rented yards. And there’s a “round the world” food court with offerings far beyond typical festival fare.

Phillips has watched the trends shift over the years, though painting, sculp-

ture, stained glass and fiber arts remain cornerstones of the Webb Show. Lately, handcrafted jewelry is the next big thing.

“For the last few years, a lot of people

have been really into fine jewelry,” Phillips says, “Years ago it was quilts, then a basket phase.”

– Stories by Pamela Coyle

For Whom Bell Buckle Tolls

The Webb School Arts and Crafts Show draws 60,000 people a year.

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Donny Bracey builds wings for the extra-light J-250 airplane in the Jabiru assembly facility at the Shelbyville airport.

COMPANY TARGETS BABY BOOMERS, OTHERS WHO WANT MORE FLYING FLEXIBILITY

TheSky’s the Limit


Business

336 Business Section.indd 16 7/29/08 8:51:41 AM

M ost kids dream of flying, either with an airplane or without. For those who actually grow up to become pilots, the sky’s the limit … until they reach the age when strict federal regulations

can ground older f liers.That’s where Shelbyville-based Jabiru USA Sports Aircraft

comes in. As a maker of light sport planes, Jabiru offers models that pilots can fly without having to pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s rigorous stress testing. These are not pilots who pose a threat; they may have mild heart issues or mild high blood pressure, says chief manager Pete Krotje.

Many of them want to down size their planes and skip the FAA’s medical cer-tification; the medical tests alone can cost $4,000 a year.

“It’s the baby boomer gen-eration and the generation ahead of us,” Krotje says. “They’re financially secure. They have everything they need to enjoy life, but every year more of them are getting older.”

Those considerations were in the back of Sam Kite’s mind when he first fell in love with the J250’s engine.

“It was pretty enough to put under your coffee table,” says Kite, a f lyer for four decades. Kite owns the Southern Comfort Training Center in Shelbyville and several companies in Kingsport, where he also raises walking horse colts and Black Angus cattle and breeding bulls.

He commutes in his Jabiru, bought early in 2007. The airspeed, fuel efficiency and roominess are impressive, Kite says.

“Two 200-pound men can sit side by side, and the perfor-

mance is great with that kind of weight,” Kite says.The company makes two Jabiru models – the J170 and the

J250. Customers can save some money buying them as kits; the J170, the smaller model, has generated interest among flight schools. Jabiru also makes its own engines, a rarity in the U.S. light aircraft market. It imports components from Jabiru, an Australian company, and assembles them in Shelbyville, handling everything from the fiberglass to bonding and painting on site.

Separately, Krotje and his team developed the Lightning, a light plane sold only as a kit, though the owners can opt for hands-on help putting it together in Shelbyville.

“We were looking for a com-plement to the Jabiru line, with a low wing instead of a high wing, something faster, sexier and more responsive,” Krotje says.

In fact, it was the develop-ment of the Lightning that

prompted the company’s relo cation to Tennessee from Wisconsin in late 2004. Krotje wanted more space, lower taxes, nicer weather and better access to markets in the east and south. Shelbyville was a perfect fit, Krotje says.

Lynn Nelsen of Frostproof, Fla., south of Orlando, has owned airplanes since 1968. Retired from the U.S. Navy, Nelson was in Shelbyville recently getting help building his Lightning.

“This airplane is built stronger than most light sport planes, and I think it will hold up better,” Nelson says.

The staff, which has grown from two to 19 since the move to Shelbyville, produces about one Jabiru and one Lightning each week. For prices and specifications, check out www.usjabiru.com and www.flylightning.net.

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY S. OTTO

Pete Krotje, left, and his son, Matt, run Jabiru USA Sports Aircraft.

“It was pretty enough to put under your

coffee table”SAM KITE

SMALL PLANE PILOT



Sweet Aroma Café features a menu of traditional, Southern meat-and-three sides and desserts like this fudge pie.

SOUTHERN FOOD WITH A TWIST

At Sweet Aroma Café in Unionville, the catfish is breaded by hand, the beans and greens are fresh, the cornbread is made from scratch, and the locals eat it all up.

Even the hushpuppies are refreshingly non-uniform: Robert Martin, who owns the restaurant with wife, Trudy, handles much of the kitchen work himself. The café, at 3379 Highway 41 North, about 12 miles from downtown Shelbyville, is getting solid business.

The café offers what you’d expect at a “meat and three” – a set menu of plates, a full complement of sides, plus daily specials that could include pulled pork or baked spaghetti.

But the menu has some twists for an old-fashioned Southern restaurant. It lists low-carbohydrate options, with carb counts on everything down to the salad dressing. And the kids’ menu goes beyond chicken tenders, grilled cheese

sandwiches and burgers to include a scaled-down shrimp skewer.

Sweet indeed. The café is open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

THE LITTLE BANK THAT COULD

In a climate of consolidation, First Community Bank of Bedford County isn’t simply holding on; it’s thriving. The independent bank celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008 and is preparing to open its fourth branch office, on Highway 231 North.

Chief Executive Donna Stone says the bank can handle the same challenges that bigger regional institutions face while providing customers with hometown services they still appreciate.

First Community’s bottom line shows the approach is working. In 20 years, its capital has grown from $2.5 million to $30 million. It has $250 million in assets. It’s grown from nine full-time employees

to 72, and six of the original nine are still working.

Stone is one of them. She came onboard with bank founder Bud McGrew from Peoples National Bank. McGrew passed away in 2008. Celebrating the 20th anniversary without McGrew was difficult, but going ahead with his vision is the legacy he would have wanted, Stone says.

“We still want people to think of us as ‘that little bank,’” she says.

A TRIBUTE TO FAITH AND BEAUTY

In 14 years, New Covenant Christian Bookstore and Thomas Kincaid Art Gallery has outgrown its location twice, and now has 8,000 square feet on North Main Street purchased by owners Andrea and Dennis Lovvorn.

The Lovvorns call their shop non-denominational, and it is packed with fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children, along with Christian

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Business | Biz Briefs


T-shirts, greeting cards, jewelry and several popular gift lines, including Willow Tree, Momma Says and Precious Moments.

In 2008 the store was upgraded to a Thomas Kincaid Signature Gallery, the only one in middle Tennessee.

“My husband always felt like this is what he wanted to do, felt the Lord had called him to it,” Andrea Lovvorn says.

She has a bookkeeping background. Dennis Lovvorn used to be a butcher at Dial’s Superette, in the very building that now houses the bookstore.

New Covenant, 800 N. Main St., is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

AN EXPERIENCED GREEN THUMB

M & L Greenhouse in Shelbyville has rows of buildings with potted vegetable transplants, shrubs, trees, flowers, herbs, roses, vines and just about everything else for gardening.

But in its nearly 30 years, the business has gained a reputation for something even more valuable – an experienced green thumb on which local gardeners have come to rely.

“We are a source of information for what will grow here,” says owner Loraine Sutton.

The foray into running a greenhouse, though, came by accident. Sutton’s father had a mail route and along the way bought a small greenhouse. He pre-sold 2,500 tomatoes to his mail cus tomers, but the tiny greenhouse couldn’t accom-modate all the orders.

A family business was born. Martha Davis, Sutton’s mom (and the “M” in M & L) worked at the greenhouse for years until retiring. Nieces, nephews and Sutton’s husband help out, too.

The greenhouse – still housed on the property where Sutton grew up – also handles the gardens on the grounds of the Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration. It’s open all year at 199 Benford Rd.

EVERYTHING BUT THE BRIDE

Ask Kim Reed at Mary’s Flowers Gifts and Greenhouses if there’s anything she doesn’t do, and she has to think about it. “Change oil?”she says.

Since Kim and husband Chuck bought the business in 2002, they’ve added a landscape service that includes instal-

lation of koi fishponds and other water features. They opened a bridal boutique in 2007 to offer wedding, bridesmaid, mother-of-the bride, prom dresses and tuxedo rental. Mary’s is also a full-service f lorist, providing arrangements for weddings, funerals and cut f lowers for all occasions. The shop sells gifts and plants, maintaining two large climate-controlled greenhouses and two shade houses for ferns and hanging baskets when the hot weather sets in.

“We do anything with flowers,” says Reed, a former accounting manager. “I’ve been surprised just how much fun I’ve had doing it.”

The original business opened in 1942 and remains at 702 Adams Dr., Shelbyville. For more information, call (931) 684-3151 or visit their Web sites: www.shelbyvillelandscaping.com, www.shelbyvilleflorist.com and www.bridalboutiqueatmarys.com.

– Pamela Coyle

M&L Greenhouse has helped keep Bedford blossoming.

BEDFORD COUNTY NURSING HOME“Caring People Touching Lives”

Wayne Schumann, Administrator and resident Frances Lynn

SERVICES INCLUDE

• Skilled & Intermediate Care

• Dually Certified Medicare/ Medicaid Beds

• Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy

• 24-hour Nursing Care

• Private Pay Rates Available

• Private Insurance Accepted

835 Union Street • Shelbyville, TN 37160

680-2300www.bcnhtn.org



Chamber CEO Walt WoodJE

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TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY CENTERAT SHELBYVILLE

Building SkillsGuiding Careers

Meeting the Needs and Demands

of the Community and Industry

Online Soft Skills and Computer Training

For more information or a campus visit, call:

(931) 685-50131405 Madison St.

Shelbyville, TN 37160www.ttcshelbyville.edu

Boosting and BeautifyingGROWING CHAMBER PROMOTES BUSINESS GROWTH WHILE PROMOTING BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS

debris in the water and on the banks of the river, while businesses serve breakfast and lunch. Last year, four other counties in the Upper Duck River watershed joined in the cleanup.

The chamber also sponsors a Leadership Bedford program for adults and youth to develop skills necessary to become the town’s next generation of leadership.

– Sheila Burke

I f you’re looking to relocate to Shelbyville or just visiting and trying to find a place to eat, relax or shop,

the Shelbyville-Bedford Chamber of Commerce may be the best place to start.

The staff at the chamber, which has been growing and has about 500 member organizations, has everything you need to get the low-down on all that Bedford County has to offer.

“Our signature event here, of course, is the Tennessee National Walking Horse Celebration,” says Walt Wood, CEO of the Shelbyville-Bedford Chamber of Commerce. The Tennessee National Walking Horse Celebration is the world’s Largest Horse Show. The event draws over 200,000 people from across the country to Bedford County in a two-week period.

The direct financial impact? A whop-ping $38.5 million, Wood says. “That’s a very significant amount for an event in a rural community,” he says.

The chamber moves into high gear to make sure visitors can find accommo-dations, shops and local restaurants.

For those interested in relocating, the chamber is available to answer questions about neighborhoods, employ-ment, schools and recreational activities.

And the chamber is integrally involved in making sure that Shelbyville retains its small-town charm and preserves its natural beauty as the city grows.

One of the chamber’s big projects is the Duck River Cleanup, an annual event that attracts more than 100 boaters, environmentalists and nature lovers. Volunteers on foot and by boat clean up


Business | Chamber Report


Bedford County may be better known for its live horse shows than its live dramatic productions, but the Fly Arts Center is beginning to put the Shelbyville theater

scene on the cultural map. The center hosts musicals and plays throughout the year

for both adults and children.“They’re usually sell-outs,” Janice Cole, director of the Fly

Arts Center, says of the productions.During the first two weekends in December, guests are

invited to take in dinner and a play. Past productions have included Nunsense, Steel Magnolias and Always Patsy Cline.

A youth group puts on productions for kids during the summer. In 2007, a production of the musical, Do Wop Little Red Riding Hood, featured 31 performers. A senior group per-formed Godspell for teens.

The theater, which was added to the building in 2003, has become a real boon for the center.

“Once we got our theater built, it seemed to attract more people,” says Cole of the center, which was originally a clothing manufacturing company built in 1927. But the Fly Arts Center isn’t just for theater enthusiasts.

There’s a dance program held there every third Saturday of

the month featuring music of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The center also hosts an acoustic concert series each spring.

The annual Festival of Trees, where residents come together and decorate Christmas Trees and children hear stories and make crafts, is held in November. The Bedford County History Museum also is housed inside the center, along with a memorial to veterans.

Operated by the Bedford County Arts Council, the center also displays the works of local artists.

Painting and drawing classes are offered throughout the year. A fiber guild meets at the Fly building. The center also offers a youth art program that teaches children to paint, mold and draw.

The Fly Arts Center makes Bedford County attractive to a lot of outsiders, Cole says.

It’s been successful because of the enormous community support and its devotion to the arts, she says.

“It is strictly there because of the interest of the community,” Cole says. “As with anything else, it’s been a long, slow progression to get where we are now, but we couldn’t have gotten here without the community.”

– Sheila Burke

When Arts FlyTHEATER AND LOCAL ARTISTS SHINE IN SHELBYVILLE

The Fly Cultural Arts Center offers live theater, community dances, children’s programs and a base for local artists.

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Arts & Culture

336 Arts.indd 21 7/29/08 8:51:37 AM

The Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville specializes in hands-on training, and the school’s

computer-aided design technology pro-gram is a prime example.

Students enrolled in this popular program use computer-aided drafting systems to prepare three-dimensional technical drawings – detailed drawings used to build everything from machine parts to houses. Students can finish the program in about 20 months and go straight into a job, generally making from $11 to $15 an hour to start.

“We try to make this as realistic a work environment as possible,” says Drew Renegar, drafting and CAD technology instructor. “If a student is not interested in going to a four-year school, this pro-gram allows you to get trained quickly and be working in 16-20 months.”

The program offers two majors – mechanical drafting and architectural drafting – and averages about 15-20

students each semester. Those who are mechanically inclined, creative and detail-oriented are the best fit for this type of work, Renegar says.

After some intensive training, students are ready to fill the gap between engineers and manufacturers.

“Engineers come up with ideas, and CAD people draw it and make technical specifications,” says Renegar, who has about 20 years’ experience in the field. “In the case of a tool or a part for a machine, the draftsmen we train fill the role between the shop people and engineers.”

The TTCS program has an advisory committee of industry executives that meets twice a year and lets the school know what it’s looking for in graduates.

“We follow a state curriculum and tailor training to industry in the area,” Renegar says. One focus is making sure students are proficient in the software that’s actually used by local industry. Software packages currently used are

AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks and Revit Architecture.

Renegar’s students have found jobs in all facets of industry – from drafting wind-tunnel designs in Tullahoma to drafting drill bits for a mining company. Many graduates find work at the Arnold Engineering Development Center, a large complex of flight simulation test facilities at the nearby Arnold Air Force Base.

The program has a completion rate of 84 percent and a placement rate of 73 percent, says Ron Boyd, student services coordinator for the school.

In 2008, the school is planning to get a $20,000 rapid prototype printer – a machine that will turn students’ drawings into three-dimensional prototypes within five or six hours.

“It’s going to be pretty neat when we get it,” Renegar says. “If we draw it in the computer, within five to six hours we can have a model that we can hold in our hands.” – Rebecca Denton

Drafting a Course for SuccessCAD PROGRAM CATERS TO LOCAL INDUSTRY AND JOB SEEKERS

CAD instructor Drew Renegar works with drafting student Jaimee Richardson in the lab at Tennessee Tech Center.

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Education

336 Education.indd 22 7/29/08 8:52:26 AM

OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OUR EMPLOYEES

make the difference!

Helping to celebrate important moments in people’s lives ...

JOSTENSGraduation Products

1401 Union StreetShelbyville, TN 37160

(931) 685-6500 • www.jostens.com

announcements • diplomas • accessories

Gearing Up for GrowthNEW ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL WILL OPEN

IN 2009

Learning Way Elementary

School, slated to open in 2009,

is the first non-replacement

school to be built in Bedford

County since the 1950s.

The $11 million school is part

of the county’s 10-year master

plan, and it’s coming just in the

nick of time.

“Over the past eight years,

we’ve grown by 250 students

a year,” says Superintendent

Ed Gray. “It doesn’t seem like

a tremendous amount, but 250

students a year for a small rural

system means we’ll have to

build schools.”

The 80,000-square-foot

facility – a K-5 school – will

fit 500 students, and an

addition could be added to

bring capacity up to 750 if

necessary, Gray says.

The school is being built

beside the new Harris Middle

School and near the newly

renovated and expanded

Shelbyville Central High School.

Learning Way Elementary

will be equipped with new

technology, including wireless

Internet access throughout the

building, Gray says. It will be

home to about 35 teachers

and include all classrooms

and auxiliary spaces for

programs such as music

and special education.

A new high school in

Unionville, about 12 miles

outside of Shelbyville, is also

in the works and is expected

to open in 2009.

– Rebecca Denton


336 Education.indd 23 7/29/08 8:52:29 AM

Newcomers to Shelbyville can expect to receive a warm wel-come from a place most people

wouldn’t immediately associate with Southern hospitality.

The folks at Harvey’s Gym of Shelbyville greet everyone who comes through their doors as if they were family.

“We want to be known for our hos-pitality,” says owner Brent Harvey Jr. “When people come in here, we are friendly, and we welcome them with the hospitality the South is known for.”

First launched in 2005, Harvey’s Gym is a bit of a Shelbyville newcomer itself. But thanks to the quality of its facilities and service, and the town’s support, Harvey’s Gym has already realized an important goal: to become the local gym, Harvey says.

“In Shelbyville, we’re the hometown

gym,” he says. “We don’t put gyms in big cities. We want to locate in communities where we get to know the people, and they get to know us. We want to get involved and help support the good things going on in the schools and the community.”

In addition to the hospitality, excellent customer service by knowledgeable staff members makes working out at Harvey’s more gain than pain.

“It’s not easy to get yourself into the gym,” Harvey says, “so we try to make it a place where people want to come. When you join, we include personal training with your membership. We’ll sit down with you and talk about your goals and your schedule and your life-style. Then we custom-design a training routine for you.”

The state-of-the-art facility has every-thing you’ll need to carry out your routine,

whether you’re just starting or already an experienced fitness buff. Harvey’s Gym has more than 20 cardio machines, all with flat screen TVs, and several aerobics classes to choose from. For strength and resistance training, the gym is equipped with Hammer Strength and Legend machines, as well as a full line of free weights.

Additional amenities include saunas in the dressing rooms, three tanning beds – their use is included in the membership – a kids’ room and multiple wall-mounted flat screen TVs. Harvey’s Gym is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Harvey’s Gym legacy began in 1982, when the younger Harvey’s father, Andy Harvey, opened his first gym and karate school in downtown Columbia. In the mid-1990s, he expanded, opening another gym in a Pulaski shopping center.

The second location gave surrounding merchants such an economic boost that the owner of the shopping center financed Harvey’s Gyms in a number of his small-town Middle Tennessee shopping centers.

Brent Harvey Jr. struck out on his own to open the Shelbyville gym, located at 1733 N. Main St. He credits his team, which includes manager and trainer Tim Anderson and trainer Sheri Taylor, with helping make Harvey’s Gym of Shelbyville a hometown institution.

– Carol Cowan

Fit and FriendlyLOCAL GYM BECOMES FAVORITE HOMETOWN HANGOUT

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Manager Tim Anderson stands in front of the state-of-the-art equipment at Harvey’s Gym.


Sports & Recreation

336 Sports.indd 24 7/29/08 8:53:07 AM

Walk-ins welcomed.

• Primary care

• Urgent care

• Chronic disease management: Diabetes Hypertension Cholesterol Asthma

• On-site laboratory services

• Routine laboratory analysis

• Headache/ migraine management

• Specialist referrals

Health care services offered:

“Our mission is to assist you to achieve healthy goals to enhance your well-being”

• Smoking cessation

• Well-woman visits

• Well-child visits

• Physicals: Sports School DOT Employer

• Immunizations/ vaccinations: Influenza Pneumonia Gardasil Tetanus

• Healthy weight management

Mary Lynne Walker, APRN-BC3003 Fairfield Pike

Bell Buckle, TN 37020(931) 389-6875

Bedford County Medical Center’s brand-new facility opened in June 2008 with a new CEO, upgraded technology, more efficient processes and a whole new

approach to customer service.The $50 million, 100,000-square-foot medical center on

U.S. Highway 231 in the Airport Business Park replaces a nearly 60-year-old structure in a different location.

“We’re moving up, and we’ve upgraded equipment accordingly,” says CEO Dan Buckner, who came on board in January 2008.

The new Community Health Systems-owned hospital is a non-smoking campus, and all staff members – whether they’re nurses or maintenance workers – wear uniforms. Processes have been streamlined to cut down on patients’ paperwork, and new technology makes for faster, more convenient service.

For example, an integrated digital computerized radio-graphy system allows an X-ray image to be uploaded into a computer in seconds.

“The radiologist and the ER doctor can look at the image together in real time and discuss it 30 seconds after it was taken,” Buckner says. “That will improve services quite a bit.”

One of Buckner’s favorite innovations is an automated system of individual phones that nurses wear on their belts. The phones alert nurses when patients press the call buttons in their rooms. If a nurse is busy at the time, she can replay the message to remind her where she needs to go next.

“It’s an automated system to help the nursing staff be quick and responsive,” Buckner says. “The nurses are going to love it, and the patients will love it.”

Another big change is the medical center’s emphasis on customer service. Everyone on staff is taking part in a three-year customer-service program.

“We’re investing for the long term,” Buckner says. “We want customer service to f low in our blood. We have every intention of becoming the impressive community hospital that Bedford County deserves.”

Employees have already embraced the change.“Patients are seeing the difference,” Buckner says. “As

soon as you get a spark going in the staff, it catches on pretty fast. And who doesn’t enjoy learning how to be excellent at their job?”

While a bit larger in size, the medical center’s new building drops from 104 beds to around 60, reflecting an overall trend toward larger, private rooms and more outpatient treatment. The emergency area will double in size.

The new building also has been designed for expansion. “Every single department has a plan for growth, and the

design is well done so the building can grow without affecting the current level of service,” Buckner says.

“We’re not trying to be the rich and famous, do-everything hospital,” he adds. “We’re looking to be really good at what we do here at your local community hospital, where the nurses and doctors are your next-door neighbors.” – Rebecca Denton

New Building, New Approach FACILITY FEATURES UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY, PROCESSES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Heritage Medical Center’s new $50 million facility


Health & Wellness

336 Health.indd 25 7/29/08 8:52:52 AM

State Farm®

Providing insurance and financial services. Home office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710

Deb Insell, Agent923 N. Main St.Shelbyville, TN 37160(931) 684-5274www.debinsell.com

P045151 4/04285 Frank Martin Rd. • Shelbyville, TN 37160

(931) 680-3408 • Fax (931) 680-3404

Distribution Center #6062

The DC services 94 Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets. For the second year in a row Wal-Mart 6062 was awarded “Perishable DC of the Year.” This past year the Distribution Center processed over 41 million cases of freight and shipped 25,066 trailers, traveling 6.2 million miles. Our associates contributed to many charitable organizations in Shelbyville and other areas throughout Bedford County and Middle Tennessee.

Here at Wal-Mart Distribution Center #6062, “Our associates make the difference for our stores and our community.”

M&LGR EENHOUSE

– LORAINE SUTTON –199 Benford Rd.

Shelbyville, TN 37160(931) 684-5850

Serving Bedford County since 1979

Retail greenhouse & nursery | Landscape services | Deliveries to hospitals & funeral homes | Plants grown locally

Can you imagine …a world without children?

We Can’t.Call 1-800-996-4100 to help.

www.stjude.org

www.craigwheeler.com508 Cannon Blvd. • Shelbyville, TN 37160 •

“Since 1973”

1207 N. Main St.Shelbyville, TN 37160

(931) 680-1011younginsur.com

State-of-the-Art Storage for Motorhomes, RVs, Boats, Cars + 600 more Regular &

Climate Controlled Storage Units

(931) 684-8585www.stornlock.net

1703 Green Lane • Shelbyville, TN 37160

514 Elm St., P.O. Box 745Shelbyville, TN 37162

(931) 684-7142Fax: (931) 680-2954

[email protected]

Winnett Associates, PLLCCertified Public Accountants and Consultants


336 Community Profile.indd 26 7/29/08 8:52:22 AM

BEDFORD COUNTY

THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

SNAPSHOTShelbyville and Bedford County are home to the world-famous

Tennessee Walking Horses. The Tennessee Walking Horse

National Celebration has been held before Labor Day every

summer for more than half a century. The 11-day event draws

more than a quarter-million visitors to the region.

EDUCATION

Bedford County Department of Education, 684-3284www.bedfordk12tn.com

Elementary SchoolsCascade Elementary (K-5)389-0031

Community Elementary (K-6) 294-2434

Eakin Primary (K-3) 684-7852

Eastside Primary (K-3)684-7112

Liberty School (K-8)684-7809

Southside Elementary (K-3)684-7545

Thomas Intermediate School (4-5), 684-6818

Middle SchoolHarris Middle School (6-8)684-5195

High SchoolsCascade School (9-12) 389-9389

Community High School (7-12) 294-5125

Shelbyville Central High

School (9-12), 684-5672

Other Schools

Adult Learning Center

684-8635

Alternative School, 685-1911

Bedford County Vocational

School, 684-1889

Webb School (private, 6-12)

389-9322

Higher EducationMiddle Tennessee

State University

(615) 898-2300

Motlow State Community

College, (800) 654-4877

Tennessee Technology Center

at Shelbyville, 685-5013

CLIMATE

Annual average temperature

59.2 degrees

Monthly average low

temperature (January)

29 degrees

Monthly average high

temperature (July)

89 degrees

Annual average precipitation

56.73 inches

Annual average snowfall

4.8 inches

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Heritage Medical Center

Shelbyville, 685-5433

Bedford County

Medical Center

Wartrace, 389-0600

www.bcmctn.com

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

For tips and to compare cleaner, more effi cient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Shelbyville-Bedford County

Chamber of Commerce

100 N. Cannon Blvd.

Shelbyville, TN 37160

Phone: 684-3482,

(888) 662-2525

Fax: 684-3483

[email protected]

www.shelbyvilletn.com

Sources:

www.shelbyvilletn.com,

www.census.gov,

www.bedfordcountytn.org

The area code for Bedford County is 931 . IMAGESBEDFORDCOUNT Y.COM 27

Community Profile


Dianne Arnold If there is a new address in your future then you

need to talk to me.As one of Coldwell Banker’s Top Agents Nationwide with over 22 years of Real Estate experience, I am the one to

help you. I will show you unparalleled commitment

in making your move to our area my fi rst priority.

FARMS - HOMES - LANDCOMMERCIAL

PROPERTIES

Cell: (931) 703-5104Offi ce: (931) [email protected]

www.diannearnold.com

Segroves Nelson Real Estate 202 Lane Parkway

Shelbyville, Tennessee 37160

Home Town

Specialist World Class Automotive Supplier

Corporate Headquarters

One Calsonic Way

Shelbyville, TN 37162

www.calsonic.com

Exhaust • Thermal Systems • Electronics

Cockpit and Front-End Modules

Ascend Federal Credit Union www.ascendfcu.org

Bedford County Medical Center www.bcmctn.com

Bedford County Nursing Home www.bcnhtn.org

Bedford County Tennessee www.bedfordcountytn.org

Bell Buckle Family Medical Clinic

Bemis Flexible Packaging www.bemis.com

Calsonic Kansei www.calsonic.com

Coldwell Banker – Dianne Arnold www.diannearnold.com

Craig & Wheeler Realty & Auction Company www.craigwheeler.com

Deb Insell www.debinsell.com

Dennis Young Insurance Agency Inc. www.younginsur.com

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation www.dremc.com

Jostens www.jostens.com

M&L Greenhouse

Motlow State Community College www.mscc.edu

Sanford Brands www.sanford.com

Stor-N-Lock

Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville www.ttcshelbyville.edu

The Webb School – Bell Buckle www.thewebbschool.com

Wal-Mart Distribution www.wal-mart.com

Winnett Associates PLLC www.winnettcpa.com

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Documents

Images Bedford County, TN: 2008-09