The hustle and bustle of the holiday season are upon us. As we bundle up to ward off the sting of the winter winds, we realize how truly fortunate we are to have a warm coat and hat. Some of our neighbors aren’t quite as lucky. This year is the 17th anniversary of our Share the Warmth Coat Campaign sponsored by Columbia Sportswear.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year … and it’s the most hectic time of the year, too. Gifts to buy, boxes to wrap, meals to cook, rooms to decorate, cards to write – the list could go on and on. Outside the general lists are the special occasions and events not to miss. We’ve collected several of them in one spot to make it easier to add them to your calendars.

They say that Halloween is the spookiest time of the year. Legend warns it’s when the veil between our world and the afterworld is thin and spirits can easily pass from one side to another. We don’t know about that, but we do know it’s one of the “funnest” times of the year. Check out these family-friendly events in our local communities.

Did you know that one in four kids within parts of Mast Store’s region don’t have access to adequate nutrition?... Or that $1 can provide as many as ten meals for a family that struggles to feed their children on a daily basis?... Or that this year, through its annual Food for Kids campaign, Mast General Store is donating $15 for every pair of Merrells sold to a food bank in your community to feed children?

It’s beginning to feel and look a lot like fall – cooler temperatures, clearer skies, and pumpkins, lots of pumpkins. While it’s sad to see summer drawing to a close, it’s always exciting to see what fall has to offer. Here are a few ideas to help you Fall for Knoxville over the next several weeks. 

Mast Store’s Friends Day returns on September 11 with new partners and old friends alike. This day of giving recognizes organizations that work in each of our hometowns to activate volunteers around beautiful community assets which contribute to residents’ quality of life and the economic viability of the region. Mast will donate 10% of the day's sales to our partners.

Turn back the clock 15 years. Downtown Knoxville was a completely different place – devoid of people strolling the sidewalks with coffee cups in hand, cars waiting for other cars to pull out of parking spaces, or restaurants open on the 4^th of July. So much has changed since August 17, 2006.

It’s difficult to believe, but it’s back-to-school time already. We know back-to-school shopping is going to be particularly difficult this year because of shortages, but this is a time to think creatively to find substitutes and perhaps items that students didn’t know they needed for school.  

The Fourth of July is the perfect time not only to celebrate but also to reflect on what makes us American. We’re a unique people – to say the least – and among the best of our traits is that we’re a diverse people represented by the familiar but too often forgotten motto, “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one.

We know you have questions about land trusts: What are they? How do they work? Where are they located? Who can help with their work? What’s in it for me? All good questions, especially that last one because there’s something in their work for all of us!