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July Newsletter

June was a very exciting month at Creative! Some of the highlights include an exciting visit from United States Congressman John Rose and Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster, a very successful inaugural 5K to benefit Veterans, and helping out with a space camp! We even learned that Creative will once again be a beneficiary of the Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival coming October 21st! Believe it or not, there’s even more to tell! Just keep reading on to find out just how exciting June was for Creative Compassion!

A Visit from a U.S. Congressman

Our patience at Creative paid off in a big way in June! Late last winter, we reached out to Congressman Rose’s office for a meeting. As you can imagine, a Congressman’s schedule is very full! At long last, Congressman Rose’s District Director, Rebecca Foster, contacted us to let us know the Congressman would be in Crossville on June 29^th and that he had an hour in his schedule that would free him up to come for a visit! Initially, we had requested a visit to his office. How much better, though, to have him stop by our office!

Initially, we were scrambling to figure out how to make the best of this precious hour we would have with Congressman Rose. Then, Mrs. Foster wanted to know if the Congressman could visit a work site. That gave us an idea! We arranged for transportation that could take us on a sight visit. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) came through for us with a van. We were even able to arrange for TCAT President Cliff Wightman to drive the van for us!

As soon as the Congressman arrived, he wanted to know about our history. We were able to share how the message of a sermon resonated with our founder, Mike Smathers, and ultimately led to a very successful housing nonprofit right here in Crossville. The Congressman was impressed.

We then loaded up in the van and took Congressman Rose on a tour of some of our local work. We showed him a home that we built for a veteran. It’s such a beautiful home! We then showed him a Habitat for Humanity home that had aged very well over many years but now needed a new roof. We were able to replace that roof, with a low-interest loan, that the home buyer was able to pay off in half the time. After showing the Congressman a couple more projects, we headed toward Homestead.

There, we gave Congressman Rose a walking tour of a new home construction site. He was impressed by the quality of the construction. Our project manager, Tony Schubert, was even able to stop by and chat with all of us.  

I was thrilled to be able to tell the Congressman that the Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival will benefit veterans this year, with half the proceeds going to Creative’s veterans’ assistance program and the other half going to the Cumberland County Veterans Assistance Council. He even had Mrs. Foster put it on his calendar!

It was a wonderful visit and we are so very honored to have been able to show off our nonprofit to a United States Congressman! It was a good day, indeed.

Cumberland County Mayor Foster Visits Creative

June 28^th was set aside by the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises (FAHE) to showcase housing nonprofits within that federation. Creative Compassion is a proud member of that group that encompasses the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia. Altogether, there are more than 50 housing nonprofits represented by FAHE, with each of us working to help people realize the dream of home ownership.

As part of our showcasing, we invited Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster to visit our office and to go on a tour of some of our projects around town. TCAT’s Cliff Wightman drove the TCAT van for us and we spent nearly two hours seeing projects and ultimately visiting a new home building site.

We were accompanied by others, as well. Those included County Commissioner Greg Maxwell and Crossville Chronicle reporter Sheryl Duncan. We were also joined by Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s (THDA) Bill Lord and Aaron Toran, who drove in from the Nashville area. Bill and Aaron were able to answer any questions anyone might have about their agency, which is such a vital part of our success at Creative!

Afterwards, we returned to Creative and invited everyone to stay for a wonderful lunch that Deputy Director Sarah Halcott had prepared. We enjoyed this visit so much and encourage anyone who would like a tour of Creative to reach out to us and we will certainly see what we can do to make it happen!

A Successful & Patriotic 5K

The inaugural Stars & Stripes 5K for Creative Compassion’s Veterans’ Assistance Program was a huge success! More than 70 runners registered to run or walk the course that led from the Cumberland County Fairgrounds to the beautiful Obed River Park. The weather was perfect, albeit a bit humid, and everyone had a wonderful time.

The Crossville City Fire Department came out and raised the American Flag from a fire truck. That was quite a sight to see. Runners began the course by running underneath the flag.

Cumberland County’s own Tim French carried a flag in honor of a fallen hero. Tim can be seen nearly every week walking the streets of Crossville with a flag to honor a fallen soldier.

Even Bigfoot showed up! He was at the water stop halfway through the course and was decked out in his patriotic apparel.

The course was lined with signs that told of various military facts.

The ages of the runners varied from four to 85! The fastest time was accomplished by Fidel Balderas at 22:21.7. Congratulations, Fidel! Timing was provided by Mackzumized Timing. Trophies were awarded to the winners of each age group and those are listed below:

9 and under: Noah Fellows (44:18.2)

10-14: Jordan Pena (35:46.6)

20-29: Michael Sutton (28:47.0)

30-39: Nick Jenkens (22:58.1)

40-49: Tiffany Pena (41:13.1)

50-59: Fidel Balderas (22:21.7)

60+: Woody Gregory (28:50.0)

I should note that two runners, Marcella Tucker and Lillie Sweet, were in the 80+ group and finished in 1:01:00.4 and 1:01:01.6, respectively! Congratulations to those two sweet ladies. If I’m still crushing 5Ks at 80+, I’ll be quite satisfied!

I should also note that next year we will have trophies for top male AND female winners.

A huge THANK YOU to all who came out and participated and to all who volunteered and sponsored! We especially thank Jeff Woods Construction for sending a fleet of volunteers that took a huge burden off our shoulders. The race was certainly a success, and we plan to make this an annual event!

Thank you so much to our sponsors who’s support made this 5K such a success!

Creative Helps Sponsor a Space Camp

Our very own deputy director is also a local meteorologist who has a passion for anything in the sky, including things well beyond the skies of our planet. Mark hopes to spread that passion to area kids who also deem themselves “NASA nerds.”

This all translated to the first ever space camp for kids in Crossville on the 22^nd of June. The first class was for 11–14-year-olds and discussed the vastness of space and how we explore it. The kids made paper rockets, a crafty space shuttle, and even a sputnik satellite! Alka seltzer tablets in water were used to blast off the shuttle.

The supplies were purchased by generous folks in the community via Amazon Wish List. We are all so grateful for their support!

At the end of the day, we enjoyed pizza sponsored by Creative Compassion. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day of space camp!

Creative Around the Community

June began with a visit to the Lake Tansi Exchange Club, where Creative deputy director Mark spoke to the group about Creative and what our mission is. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk to an outstanding group of people.

On the seventh, Creative hosted the housing caucus for East Tennessee at Roane State Community College. Board members Denise Cooper, David Robbins, and Kim Scruggs also stopped to visit. Creative thanks The Flying Pig for the wonderful catering and Roane State for being such pleasant hosts!

On the 26^th of the month, the Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Committee met to decide who would benefit from the festival this year. We are so excited to announce that the money will be split 50/50, with half of it going to the Cumberland County Veterans Assistance Council and the other half going to Creative’s Veterans’ Assistance Program.

On the 30^th, Mark visited the Senior Center on Highway 127 South. Mark spoke about how Creative can benefit them and that we’re here to help in any way we can. Mark felt welcomed and looks forward to visiting them again sometime!

Volunteer with Creative!

If you’d like to be made aware of volunteer opportunities with Creative just send an email to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com! You’ll then be notified of volunteer opportunities for our nonprofit. There’s no pressure to volunteer, but you’ll be notified of those opportunities when they come up!

Also, don’t forget the Walmart SparkGood program! Creative is a part of that now and you can donate each time you shop!

July Newsletter

June is National Homeownership month, and it couldn’t come at a better time for Creative. This month’s issue features a happy new homeowner! It’s always such a thrill to hand over the keys of a new home to a first-time homeowner! This month’s newsletter also features a story about our Stars & Stripes 5K for Veterans, a home tip you are sure to find useful, a delicious and simple recipe, and more! Check it all out below in Creative’s June newsletter!

Another Happy Homeowner!

The month of May featured the completion of our 186th home! Congratulations, Faith! We just know that you will create many happy memories in the years to come within the walls of your new home!

The excitement continues with yet another framed home next door to the one above!

A Patriotic 5K for our Veterans

We’ve been hard at work to make sure the Stars & Stripes 5K is both fun and successful! The race will take place on June 24th and will begin at the front entrance to the Cumberland County Fairgrounds. The course will take 5Kers to Obed River Park and back to the entrance of the Fairgrounds. Snacks and water will be provided at the 5K. We welcome folks to walk or run the course, whatever you’re comfortable with.

Goody bags await the 5Kers, as well as a t-shirt and medal, for completing the race. Winners of each age category will receive a prize.

Stonecom radio will join us and announce the event over the radio! Be sure and stop by their tent!

Tim French will be there to walk with a flag in honor of a fallen Veteran. You may recognize Tim from carrying the flag around town. It’s always a treat to see that beautiful flag waving with Tim along his route.

To learn more and/or to get your tickets, just go to https://ccihomes.org/stars-stripes-5k

We are very thankful for our sponsors! The top sponsors are Innovative Restorations and Chick-Fil-A!

Movie Night Postponed

Unfortunately, a moratorium has been placed on Jurassic Park for the summer, due to this being the 30^th anniversary of the movie. This means we are no longer allowed to show the movie at the Palace. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please stay tuned for future movie announcements!

Ask Creative

Our deputy director is also a meteorologist, and he has some tips to keep you cool this summer and energy cost down.

With summer’s heat upon us, now is a good time to remember some simple ways to keep your home cool and energy cost down. First of all, keep the blinds closed on the side(s) of the house that are receiving sunlight. Blocking out that warm sunshine is an easy way to stay cooler. Make sure your ceiling fan setting is set to counterclockwise spin in the summer. This pushes air down from the ceiling. In the winter you want that setting to be clockwise and pull air up from the floor. This can help keep energy costs down and you are more comfortable.

Finally, plant deciduous trees in the yard, especially on the side of the house that gets the most sun. These will provide shade for the home in the summer and keep it cool, but then the trees drop their leaves in time to give you warm sunshine when you need it in the winter. Even a small tree can provide lots of shade. Plus, trees add so much beauty to your landscape!

Creative Honors

It’s been said that the best parts of your father are the best parts of you. Never forget where you came from. We can never be too thankful for the fathers who do their best for the kids in their life. If you were blessed with a wonderful father in your life, be sure and thank them this Father’s Day!

Home tip of the Month 

With the warmer summer months comes the threat of mosquitoes! Lower the risk of those bites around your home by getting rid of any standing water. Even a small dish of water can become a nursery for hundreds of mosquitoes!

The males don’t bite but the females do. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), applying a paste of baking soda and water can relieve the symptoms of an itchy bite. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with just enough water to make a paste. Apply to the bit location and relief should come within 10 minutes.

Creative Compassion Cares

For the month of May, Creative was able to help five families with rent/mortgage and/or utility bills! One of those families consisted of five family members, while another consisted of three. These are households facing financial emergencies who applied for help from us. This program is called RUPA, which stands for rent/mortgage utility payment assistance.

A partnership with St. Alphonsus Church, Good Samaritans, and Cumberland Fellowship Church allows us to make our dollars go even further. If you would like to donate to this wonderful program, find the donate button on our website or send a check to Creative Compassion, 20 Penny Lane, Crossville, TN, 38555. Make a note that this is specifically for RUPA if you wish. Every dollar put into that program goes to helping local residents facing financial emergencies.

We still have free weather radios available for low-income folks! Just go to https://ccihomes.org/apply and click on “weather radio campaign application.” Creative will even program the weather radio for you for free.

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

Try this delicious recipe and let us know how you like it! If you have kiddos around, have them help you figure out the toppings!

Pizza Bagels

Ingredients

• Two plain Bagels
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• Choice of toppings (pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, etc.)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Using clean fingers, scoop a small trench out of the bagel. Fill each bagel with about 2 tablespoons marinara sauce. Top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and add toppings as desired. 

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake 7-8 minutes, until cooked through. Serve immediately. 

To cook in an air fryer: Place bagels in the foil-lined basket of an air fryer at 400°F for 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

(Recipe compliments of https://www.countryliving.com/)

Creative Around the Community

Our deputy director attended the annual Legislative Conference the week of May 22nd. The conference was held in Gatlinburg and featured representatives from across the state. Mark learned about all the new changes coming to legislation, as well as the funds available for helping our local residents. Mark enjoyed the conference and even got some fresh ideas!

Volunteer with Creative!

If you’d like to be made aware of volunteer opportunities with Creative just send an email to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com! You’ll then be notified of volunteer opportunities for our nonprofit. There’s no pressure to volunteer, but you’ll be notified of those opportunities when they come up!

Also, don’t forget the Walmart SparkGood program! Creative is a part of that now and you can donate each time you shop!

A Creative Funny

May Newsletter

A Creative Tour de’Jour

Movie Night at the Palace!

Come join us for movie night at the Palace, where we’ll be sponsoring the showing of Jurassic Park! That movie is celebrating 30 years since it’s first showing on the big screen in June of 1993. Tickets are only $5 and the proceeds benefit Creative Compassion. Hit the concessions stand for the “T-Rex special” of popcorn, a snack, and drink for only $5!

So, come out and support your local housing nonprofit on June 17^th at 7:00 p.m. at the Palace Theatre in downtown Crossville. We’ll see you there!

Ask Creative

Creative’s Jessica Schubert handles our mortgage applications and many of the other applications for housing assistance that come into our office. She stays busy! I asked Jessica what advice she would like to give to anyone seeking to apply to Creative for help. Her response is simple but could certainly save you a lot of time!

“When you are working with a mortgage loan packager, it is best to turn things in promptly and organized.
This will ensure smooth and efficient application processing.”

Turning in applications without turning in required documents costs you time and could cost you gas money on unnecessary trips to our office. If you need assistance in understanding what is required, just ask us when you get the application and we’ll be happy to assist!

Stars & Stripes 5K Postponed

Due to the passing of Deputy Director Mark Baldwin’s father, the Stars & Stripes 5K scheduled for May 13^th has been postponed to June 24^th. Thank you so much for understanding.

We’ll see you for a great 5K on the 24^th of June!

If you would like to learn more about this 5K or would like to get tickets, just visit our link at https://ccihomes.org/stars-stripes-5k.

Creative Around the Community

Deputy Director Mark Baldwin has been busy telling folks about Creative! Mark enjoys talking about his favorite nonprofit and letting others know what a wonderful asset Creative is to our community! It’s also a great opportunity to tell others what Creative may be able to do for them!

Central Baptist invited Mark to come out for a visit to the Legacy group on April 5. This group of senior citizens at Central gave Mark a very warm welcome and he thoroughly enjoyed his visit there. They even later invited Mark to participate in the National Day of Prayer ceremonies at the church.

The next day Mark visited the Friends of the Library at the Art Circle Public Library. That group of book lovers enjoyed hearing of Mark’s publication in Chicken Soup for the Soul, and they enjoyed hearing about weather and Creative. Mark enjoyed his visit and looks forward to them having him back again.

On the 11th of April, Mark ventured all the way across our parking lot to visit Lil Punkin Daycare. Mark joked that this was the shortest trip to a talk yet! Mark visited the kiddos over there and read them a story. Now, they wave at Mark when they’re out on the playground and Mark pulls up to the office.

Mark attended the Lake Tansi Exchange club spaghetti dinner on April 21. Mark took his Kids on the Rise mentee, Shannon, and they both had a great time. Mark was impressed with the Exchange Club last October when they sent over volunteers to help him out with the Bigfoot Festival that benefited Creative. The spaghetti supper had lots of great food, great prizes, and great company. Mark even won a car cleaning kit that will help him keep his car spotless for the summer ahead. Now, if only he could find someone who will use this kit to clean his car for him (ha!).

The month concluded with a trip to Washington D.C. to advocate for funding for low-income housing. Creative is part of FAHE, the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises. FAHE makes home ownership possible for those who can’t afford a home. Creative accompanied them to D.C. for this advocacy. Hopefully much will come from this advocacy and housing nonprofits in this region will be able to help even more people!

Creative Honors

This month, Creative honors all the mothers, whether by birth or adoption, who have loved and supported us through the years. On Sunday, May 14^th, our country recognized the official day that has been set aside to honor mothers.

Mother’s Day was founded by Ann Jarvis, who held a service to honor mothers at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia in 1907. She came up with the idea for a Mother’s Day after her own mother passed away in 1905. She petitioned President Woodrow Wilson for an official Mother’s Day in the U.S. and that request was granted in 1914. 

Creative hopes that each and every one of you either spent Mother’s Day celebrating your mother or cherishing the fond mothers that you’ve been left with of your mother.

Home tip of the Month 

We know you can’t wait to get outside to the grill! May is definitely the month that teases us outside for the grill the hardest. Before you do, make sure you don’t have any gas leaks. Easily test this by brushing soapy water over the gas lines. If you see bubbles, you have a leak. Replace or tighten the line before you grill.

If you wonder how much gas is in the tank, just pour hot water over it (hot but not boiling). Now, run your hand down the side of the grill. Where you feel the water turn cool is where your fuel level is. It’s not as accurate as a gauge, but it does the trick when a gauge isn’t available.

Creative Compassion Cares

For the month of April, Creative was able to assist six families with rent/mortgage or utility bill assistance! That means that six families received emergency assistance with rent/mortgage and/or utility bills.

One mortgage application was approved in April and that future homeowner is currently looking for a home to buy.

We also have eight Carol Peterson grants in the works! The Carol Peterson grant is a grant available through the Carol M. Peterson Housing Fund (CMPHF). The grant provides homeowners with up to $15,000 to fund accessibility and emergency repairs for low-income special needs and elderly homeowners. The deadline to apply for this grant has passed for 2023 but check back with us in the spring of 2024 for next year’s applications!  

We still have free weather radios available for low-income folks! Just go to https://ccihomes.org/apply and click on “weather radio campaign application.” Creative will even program the weather radio for you for free.

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

It’s time to get those mouth’s to watering for cookouts! We’ve got a recipe that is sure to make your family and friend’s mouths water and faces smile! Give it a try!

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Pineapple

Ingredients

• chicken breast – cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
• teriyaki marinade – made with a combination of water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar (or honey), cornstarch, garlic powder (optional), black vinegar, and salt.
• pineapple – grilled pineapple is super sweet and juicy, which pairs perfectly with teriyaki chicken.
• bell peppers – green pepper, yellow pepper, and red pepper, for threading onto the skewers.
• red onion – for threading onto the skewers.
• olive oil – for grilling.
• white sesame seeds – to sprinkle on top.

Instructions

Prepare the teriyaki marinade. In a small pot, add the teriyaki marinade ingredients (water, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, dark soy sauce, garlic powder, vinegar, and salt. Stir well to combine. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture boils and starts to thicken. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside for at least 1 hour to cool off completely. Set aside ⅓ cup of the teriyaki sauce.

Marinate the chicken. Cut out chicken breasts into 1.5-inch thick cubes and add them into the teriyaki marinade. Stir with a spoon to coat all the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for the best results).

Skewer the chicken. Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with bell peppers, red onion, and pineapple. I like to thread the pineapple on both ends to help immobilize the cubed chicken.

Grill the skewers. Lightly brush olive oil over grill pan. Preheat the grill over medium high heat for 5 minutes. You will notice the oil shimmer and sizzle when it’s hot and ready. Place the skewers evenly apart on the grill pan and grill for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.

Serve. Transfer the skewers onto a plate and drizzle with the reserved teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds and serve over steamed rice.

Tips

Marinate the chicken. It is crucial to let the chicken marinate at least for an hour to allow the flavors to infuse and for it to get juicier. If you are able to let it marinate even longer, it will taste that much better. I prefer letting it marinate overnight when I have the time.

How to cook skewers in the oven instead. You can absolutely cook these skewers in the oven as well. This way you can cook them all year round. They just won’t have those charred grill marks but will still taste delicious. To bake, place skewers on a baking tray and roast at 480 F for 12-13 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches 165 F. You can add some charring by placing them under the broiler on high for 1 minute. Keep a close eye on them because they can burn quickly.

Volunteer with Creative!

If you’d like to be made aware of volunteer opportunities with Creative just send an email to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com! You’ll then be notified of volunteer opportunities for our nonprofit. There’s no pressure to volunteer, but you’ll be notified of those opportunities when they come up!

Also, don’t forget the Walmart SparksGood program! Creative is a part of that now and you can donate each time you shop!

A Creative Funny

A Creative Tour de’Jour

Movie Night at the Palace!

Come join us for movie night at the Palace, where we’ll be sponsoring the showing of Jurassic Park! That movie is celebrating 30 years since it’s first showing on the big screen in June of 1993. Tickets are only $5 and the proceeds benefit Creative Compassion. Hit the concessions stand for the “T-Rex special” of popcorn, a snack, and drink for only $5!

So, come out and support your local housing nonprofit on June 17^th at 7:00 p.m. at the Palace Theatre in downtown Crossville. Get your tickets online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36136/production/1163035

We’ll see you there!

Ask Creative

Creative’s Jessica Schubert handles our mortgage applications and applications for housing assistance that come into our office. She stays busy! I asked Jessica what advice she would like to give to anyone seeking to apply to Creative for help. Her response is simple but could certainly save you a lot of time!

“When you are working with a mortgage loan packager, it is best to turn things in promptly and organized. This will ensure smooth and efficient application processing.”

Turning in applications without turning in required documents costs you time and could cost you gas money on unnecessary trips to our office. If you need assistance in understanding what is required, just ask us when you get the application and we’ll be happy to assist!

Stars & Stripes 5K Postponed

Due to the passing of Deputy Director Mark Baldwin’s father, the Stars & Stripes 5K scheduled for May 13^th has been postponed to June 24^th. Thank you so much for understanding. We’ll see you for a great 5K on the 24^th of June!

If you would like to learn more about this 5K or would like to get tickets, just visit our link at https://ccihomes.org/stars-stripes-5k.

Creative Around the Community

Deputy Director Mark Baldwin has been busy telling folks about Creative! Mark enjoys talking about his favorite nonprofit and letting others know what a wonderful asset Creative is to our community! It’s also a great opportunity to tell others what Creative may be able to do for them!

Central Baptist invited Mark to come out for a visit to the Legacy group on April 5. This group of senior citizens at Central gave Mark a very warm welcome and he thoroughly enjoyed his visit there. They even later invited Mark to participate in the National Day of Prayer ceremonies at the church.

The next day Mark visited the Friends of the Library at the Art Circle Public Library. That group of book lovers enjoyed hearing of Mark’s publication in Chicken Soup for the Soul, and they enjoyed hearing about weather and Creative. Mark enjoyed his visit and looks forward to them having him back again.

On the 11th of April, Mark ventured all the way across our parking lot to visit Lil Punkin Daycare. Mark joked that this was the shortest trip to a talk yet! Mark visited the kiddos over there and read them a story. Now, they wave at Mark when they’re out on the playground and Mark pulls up to the office.

Mark attended the Lake Tansi Exchange club spaghetti dinner on April 21. Mark took his Kids on the Rise mentee, Shannon, and they both had a great time. Mark was impressed with the Exchange Club last October when they sent over volunteers to help him out with the Bigfoot Festival that benefited Creative. The spaghetti supper had lots of great food, great prizes, and great company. Mark even won a car cleaning kit that will help him keep his car spotless for the summer ahead. Now, if only he could find someone who will use this kit to clean his car for him (ha!).

The month concluded with a trip to Washington D.C. to advocate for funding for low-income housing. Creative is part of FAHE, the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises. FAHE makes home ownership possible for those who can’t afford a home. Creative accompanied them to D.C. for this advocacy. Hopefully much will come from this advocacy and housing nonprofits in this region will be able to help even more people!

Creative Honors

This month, Creative honors all the mothers, whether by birth or adoption, who have loved and supported us through the years. On Sunday, May 14^th, our country recognized the official day that has been set aside to honor mothers.

Mother’s Day was founded by Ann Jarvis, who held a service to honor mothers at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia in 1907. She came up with the idea for a Mother’s Day after her own mother passed away in 1905. She petitioned President Woodrow Wilson for an official Mother’s Day in the U.S. and that request was granted in 1914. 

Creative hopes that each and every one of you either spent Mother’s Day celebrating your mother or cherishing the fond mothers that you’ve been left with of your mother.

Home tip of the Month 

We know you can’t wait to get outside to the grill! May is definitely the month that teases us outside for the grill the hardest. Before you do, make sure you don’t have any gas leaks. Easily test this by brushing soapy water over the gas lines. If you see bubbles, you have a leak. Replace or tighten the line before you grill.

If you wonder how much gas is in the tank, just pour hot water over it (hot but not boiling). Now, run your hand down the side of the grill. Where you feel the water turn cool is where your fuel level is. It’s not as accurate as a gauge, but it does the trick when a gauge isn’t available.

Creative Compassion Cares

For the month of April, Creative was able to assist six families with rent/mortgage or utility bill assistance! That means that six families received emergency assistance with rent/mortgage and/or utility bills.

One mortgage application was approved in April and that future homeowner is currently looking for a home to buy.

We also have eight Carol Peterson grants in the works! The Carol Peterson grant is a grant available through the Carol M. Peterson Housing Fund (CMPHF). The grant provides homeowners with up to $15,000 to fund accessibility and emergency repairs for low-income special needs and elderly homeowners. The deadline to apply for this grant has passed for 2023 but check back with us in the spring of 2024 for next year’s applications!  

We still have free weather radios available for low-income folks! Just go to https://ccihomes.org/apply and click on “weather radio campaign application.” Creative will even program the weather radio for you for free.

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

It’s time to get those mouth’s to watering for cookouts! We’ve got a recipe that is sure to make your family and friend’s mouths water and faces smile! Give it a try!

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Pineapple

Ingredients

• chicken breast – cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
• teriyaki marinade – made with a combination of water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar (or honey), cornstarch, garlic powder (optional), black vinegar, and salt.
• pineapple – grilled pineapple is super sweet and juicy, which pairs perfectly with teriyaki chicken.
• bell peppers – green pepper, yellow pepper, and red pepper, for threading onto the skewers.
• red onion – for threading onto the skewers.
• olive oil – for grilling.
• white sesame seeds – to sprinkle on top.

Instructions

Prepare the teriyaki marinade. In a small pot, add the teriyaki marinade ingredients (water, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, dark soy sauce, garlic powder, vinegar, and salt. Stir well to combine. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture boils and starts to thicken. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside for at least 1 hour to cool off completely. Set aside ⅓ cup of the teriyaki sauce.

Marinate the chicken. Cut out chicken breasts into 1.5-inch thick cubes and add them into the teriyaki marinade. Stir with a spoon to coat all the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for the best results).

Skewer the chicken. Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with bell peppers, red onion, and pineapple. I like to thread the pineapple on both ends to help immobilize the cubed chicken.

Grill the skewers. Lightly brush olive oil over grill pan. Preheat the grill over medium high heat for 5 minutes. You will notice the oil shimmer and sizzle when it’s hot and ready. Place the skewers evenly apart on the grill pan and grill for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.

Serve. Transfer the skewers onto a plate and drizzle with the reserved teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds and serve over steamed rice.

Tips

Marinate the chicken. It is crucial to let the chicken marinate at least for an hour to allow the flavors to infuse and for it to get juicier. If you are able to let it marinate even longer, it will taste that much better. I prefer letting it marinate overnight when I have the time.

How to cook skewers in the oven instead. You can absolutely cook these skewers in the oven as well. This way you can cook them all year round. They just won’t have those charred grill marks but will still taste delicious. To bake, place skewers on a baking tray and roast at 480 F for 12-13 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches 165 F. You can add some charring by placing them under the broiler on high for 1 minute. Keep a close eye on them because they can burn quickly.

Volunteer with Creative!

If you’d like to be made aware of volunteer opportunities with Creative just send an email to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com! You’ll then be notified of volunteer opportunities for our nonprofit. There’s no pressure to volunteer, but you’ll be notified of those opportunities when they come up!

Also, don’t forget the Walmart SparksGood program! Creative is a part of that now and you can donate each time you shop!

A Creative Funny

April is National Month of Hope

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life,” Proverbs 13:12.

A Hope for a Better Life

Ask Creative

Creative Compassion board member Casey Sherrill is the COO for Jeff Woods Construction. When asked what concerns home owners come to them with this time of year, she said they’re hearing about issues related to homeowners’ roofs. “We’re in the spring storm season, which triggers lots of panicked calls immediately following a storm. To help alleviate some of the stress of homeownership in the wake of storms, there are several things homeowners can do from the ground that can tell them if it’s necessary to call in a professional.”

Casey went on to add the following pointers for home owners that could save them a lot of headaches down the road!

1. Granules: You’ve heard that saying, April showers bring May flowers. Spring showers can also bring unwanted conditions from your roof.  One area to keep an eye on during periods of rain is your gutters and downspouts. Unclogged gutters and downspouts are crucial for a healthy roofing system, but you can learn even more about your roof from your downspouts as well.  If after a heavy rain, you notice a buildup of granules, you’ll want to contact a roofing professional to perform an inspection to identify the cause.
2. Missing Shingles: During high winds during storms shingles can tear off.  After a storm, perform a visual inspection of the roof looking for shingles that may be missing or pulled up.  This is a great way to get ahead of any water damage by having the repair made immediately.
3. Ceiling Stains: Stains that appear on the ceiling inside the house can be an indicator of a leak somewhere in the roof.  As soon as they’re spotted, give a roofing professional a call.  When water has had time to penetrate all the way to the drywall, you want to act quickly to prevent further damage.

If you have a question that you would like us to answer just let us know! Send those questions to dd@creativecompassioninc.com!

Weather Radios Available

We still have weather radios available for qualified low-income residents. Thanks to the generosity of Midland Weather Radio and the incredible turnout we had at the Palace Theatre for Twister night, we have a total of 38 weather radios to give away! Several radios have already been claimed, but we still have several left. Our very own Meteorologist Mark will even program it for you, which means the radio will be ready to use as soon as you pick it up! Be prepared for rough weather this spring with a life-saving NOAA weather radio!

To access the application for a radio, just visit https://ccihomes.org/apply and click on the “weather radio campaign application” link.

A Creative 5K in May 

Creative is busy planning our first ever 5K in May! The Stars & Stripes 5K Color walk/run will take place at the Community Complex and nearby Obed River Park on Saturday, May 13^th. The race will benefit our Veterans assistance program at Creative.

This special Veterans assistance program began in 2019 to help local Veterans will housing needs. The objective is to help Veterans stay in their homes as long as they would like. By making necessary repairs and improvements, Veterans can remain in their homes and not face the threat of displacement.

Money from the 5K will also be used to help Veterans pay deposits on rental units. Those deposits can be a barrier for low-income Veterans to find housing and Creative aims to remove that barrier.

Registration is underway at https://ccihomes.org/stars-stripes-5k.

Please help us spread the word!

Creative Compassion Cares

Creative was able to help 12 families with our Rent/Mortgage and utility bill assistance program in the month of March. Creative was also able to complete one home repair. That’s 13 families whose burden has been made lighter due to some much-needed help.

One particular individual is a young person who suffered a traumatic injury. They are awaiting other assistance but fell behind on bills while waiting on that help. Creative was able to help her be more at ease, knowing that bills are now up to date.

A New Way to Help!

Walmart recently launched Walmart Spark Good Round Up where customers can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the change to their favorite nonprofit. We would love for you to choose us as your charity to receive these donations when you shop on Walmart.com! Just click on this link https://www.walmart.com/registry/registryforgood to sign up! Thank you for considering Creative Compassion for Walmart Spark Good Round Up!

With the cancellation of Amazon’s Smile program, this could be a new way to help! Just download the Spark app on your phone and make sure to use that at the register at checkout. The program operates by having you round up your receipt to the nearest dollar. The spare change goes to your nonprofit of choice, which we hope will be Creative Compassion!

Creative Honors

Last year’s Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival benefited Creative Compassion. That festival was a big success. The Obed River Band performed at the festival, and they were enthusiastically welcomed by festival-goers. The lead vocalist of the band was Trent McCoy; his singing and testimony were a blessing to everyone in attendance. His wife, Karen McCoy, grew up as a neighbor of the Smathers’ family.

Trent passed away suddenly last December. His welcoming personality and witty sense of humor will be sorely missed. We find comfort that Trent had a faith and trust in his Lord that should be the envy of us all. We know he’s now in Heaven and we’ll look for him when we get there someday.

A Creative Perspective from our Director

As with any nonprofit, we experience many different stereotypes about the work we do. Our Executive Director Sarah Halcott recently learned that some people assume that the ones we help will always be in the low income bracket. “This implies that those we help obtain a safe home to grow in will live lives that never change, they’ll never better themselves, and the children in those homes won’t grow up to live a better life; everything about this assumption is so wrong.”

“My personal hope behind every home built in my time at Creative is that this home will provide families the opportunity to go out in the world and increase major aspects of their life; their success, wealth, jobs, spirituality, creativity, and society.  My hope is this extends to any children in the home since they have a more secure home.”

“Having a safe and decent home to come home to each day is imperative to people feeling comfortable enough to take healthy risks outside of the home. This is what I believe Creative’s affordable housing opportunities provide.”

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

We’re getting a little bit devilish with this month’s recipe! While we certainly don’t want to leave out the eggs that will get colored this Easter, we also don’t want to forget the ones that will get deliciously deviled!

Million Dollar Deviled Eggs

Directions

Slice eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Transfer the yolks to another medium-sized bowl.

Add mayo, butter, mustard, pickle juice, sugar, salt pepper, and tabasco sauce. Use a fork to mesh well.

Now, spoon the filling into each egg white. Sprinkle with paprika and bacon.

Recipe from https://sugarspunrun.com/

Creative Around the Community

The month began with our Deputy Director, Mark Baldwin, visiting the Fairfield Glade Ladies’ Club meeting. He was the invited speaker and was asked to share information about what Creative does. Mark was honored to have been invited and thankful for the warm welcome he received there.

On the eighth of March, Mark and Executive Director Sarah Halcott travelled to Nashville to visit with Speaker Cameron Sexton. It was a wonderful visit and the Speaker listened intently to the successes and challenges that Creative faces. We thank Speaker Sexton for taking time to listen to us.

On the 14^th, Mark met with the Fairfield Glade Methodist church folks to explain what Creative does. They have so very graciously decided to give 50% of their Easter offering to Creative! We are so thankful for this generous gift!

Finally, Creative is hosting another Weather & Wine talk at Stonehaus Winery on the 1^st of May! Meteorologist Mark will regal us with very interesting information about weather’s impact on the grape industry, which in turn affects the wine industry. Attendees will enjoy some wonderful refreshments and will even get to perform a couple of experiments! Get your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/weather-wine-talk-tickets-607468493617

Creative Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to be notified of upcoming volunteer opportunities with Creative, just send your email address to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com! This is just a notification service and not an expectation that you can help with every event.

A Wine & Weather seminar will be held at Stonehaus Winery on Monday, May 1 at 3:00 p.m. Volunteers may be needed to help set up for that.

The Stars and Stripes 5K on May 13 will require volunteer help. If you would like to assist with that just let me know!

Coming this summer will be a showing of the original Jurassic Park at the Palace. Volunteers can help with seating movie-goers and directing them to the restroom and concessions.

Also coming this summer will be a space camp held at Pineview Elementary. This event is sponsored by Creative. The date for that is tentatively set for June 17th.

Volunteers who would like to proofread the newsletter are welcome to do so!

On October 21st, Creative will need volunteers to help with our fundraiser at the Bigfoot Festival. More details will be available in the coming months.

If you’re interested in any of these events just let me know at dd@creativecompassioninc.com

A Creative Funny

March is a Month for Fresh Starts

The beginning of spring can be a good time to start anew! If you’ve set a goal for yourself in the past and have fallen short of that goal, the start of spring can be your reason for a fresh start!

A Twisted Success!

Creative Compassion teamed up with the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and City Fire to host a very unique event on February 25th. With a sponsorship from Crossville Leisure Services, we hosted a movie night at the historic Palace Theatre in downtown Crossville that featured the movie Twister! The movie is based on a group of storm chasers in pursuit of solving the many mysteries surrounding tornadoes.

The movie was shown on the final day of severe weather awareness week. The main purpose was to bring attention to severe weather awareness and remind folks of what they need to do to prepare for the spring storm season. The peak of severe weather season comes in March, April, and May.

Cumberland County EMA Director Travis Cole was on hand to answer any questions folks had for him. He was joined by City Fire and Creative Compassion’s own Deputy Director and local meteorologist Mark Baldwin.

The movie was a roaring success! The theatre was almost filled to capacity and the concessions broke a record for the Palace! I guess there’s something about twisters that makes a movie-goer hungry!

Tickets were only $5 and the Palace had a concessions special called the F-5 that got a movie-goer candy, popcorn, and a drink for only $5.

Money from ticket sales will be used to buy weather radios for low-income folks. A form is available through Creative Compassion for anyone who would like to apply for one of those radios.

The weather radio most recommended by meteorologists is the Midland NOAA Weather Radio. That company graciously sent us five free weather radios to add to the ones that we’ll be able to purchase from tickets sales from the movie.

The movie was so successful that about three dozen weather radios will be given out to those who apply and qualify!

If you or someone you know are low-income and would like to apply for a weather radio, please visit  https://ccihomes.org/apply and look for the “weather radio campaign application.”

Ask Creative!

Creative asked board member and Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union president Denise Cooper to share some advice for our readers who may be considering repairing or remodeling their current home or considering the purchase of a new home. Denise has some sound advice that we would be wise to follow!

Repairs or Remodeling: “Always check with friends, family, local social media groups, and co-workers for referrals and recommendations before committing to a repair company. Always get a detailed written contract for the price and quality of materials for repairs. This can save a lot of heartache in the future if there are disagreements in the quality of work or material.”

Buying a home: “Work with a lender to find out how much you qualify for a monthly loan payment.  Just because you qualify does not mean you want to spend that much every month for a loan payment, insurance, maintenance, and taxes. Consider saving that monthly amount for 6 to 12 months before making a purchase. This will acclimate you to not having that cash available for other needs and wants. At the end of that time you will have more funds for the down payment or for furniture and/or appliances.”  

If you have a question that you would like us to answer just let us know! Send those questions to dd@creativecompassioninc.com!

Creative Compassion Cares

In the month of February, Creative met the needs of four applicants for our RUPA program! Those four households had a total of nine residents. The RUPA program assists local residents who need a helping hand with rent, mortgage, or utility bill assistance.

A partnership with Cumberland Fellowship, St Alphonsus, and Good Samaritans allows us to help even more people. We are so very proud of this partnership and the work our partners are doing for our community!

At least one of those individuals was a local Veteran who had fallen behind on a utility bill. Creative was able to assist them in getting their water turned back on and caught up on that utility bill.

A Patriotic 5K for the Veterans

Money from this 5K will go toward helping local Veterans avoid homelessness. Proceeds from this race will allow Creative to help with home repairs and other housing assistance that intends to keep Veterans comfortable and safe in their homes.

The soaring cost of rental deposits can also be a barrier to housing, especially for low-income Veterans, and we aim to help with that with funds from this chip-timed race. We owe our Veterans more than we can ever repay, but we can help them when they need a hand. Thank you for wanting to be a part of Creative Compassion’s mission!  

This race will be a unique red, white, and blue color walk/run! So, be prepared to leave the race looking quite patriotic! We’ll have snacks, music, and more! Come on out and join us. It’s sure to be a good time for a great cause!

Please help us spread the word! Registration is underway for the first ever Creative Compassion Stars and Stripes Color 5K to benefit Veterans! That registration can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stars-stripes-color-run-5k-tickets-519777788357

Creative Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to volunteer to help out with the Stars & Stripes Color Run 5K, just reach out to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com. We have several opportunities that we can share with you if you are interested!

Creative Honors

This month Creative would like to honor the emergency services and Volunteer Electric folks across the plateau. They all worked tirelessly on Friday, March 3, when strong winds swept across the plateau. Numerous trees and powerlines were downed, and some structures were even damaged. We are grateful to those who devote their lives to keeping us safe. We’re also grateful to all the linemen who worked so hard to restore electricity across the region in the aftermath of those winds.

From the bottom of our hearts, we say thank you!

Creative Kitchen Tip 

Are you looking for a new way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the family? Try creating a fun St Patrick’s charcuterie board! With St. Patty’s Day coming on a Friday, it’s a good excuse to create a sweet charcuterie board of all sorts of festive treats. Be sure to make it green and encourage the kids to help you figure out what to put on the board. Half the fun can be seeing what you create as a family!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

If you’re looking for an Irish recipe to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day, look no further than Creative’s festival recipe of the month! Serve this dish to friends and loved ones and even share with them this bit of history from the Farmer’s Almanac. “The word “colcannon” derives from the Gaelic term cal ceannann, which means “white-headed cabbage. In Ireland, during the 17th and 18th centuries, potatoes, cabbage, and leeks were considered foods of the common man. So it makes perfect sense that one of the country’s most popular dishes would combine these ingredients. It’s not uncommon to find a colcannon recipe printed on the back of a bag of potatoes in Ireland.”

Irish Colcannon

Ingredients

Directions

Combine cubed potatoes, chopped cabbage and green onions in a large pot on top of the stove.  Cover with water, bring to a low boil and cook 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are done.  Remove from stove and drain.  Add the butter, salt, pepper and milk.  Mash until like mashed potatoes.  I just use a hand potato masher.  Spoon into a casserole dish and serve. Can sprinkle on some green onion tops. Makes 8 – 10 servings.  Enjoy!

Note:  You could add bacon, chives, a little garlic powder or even nutmeg to this dish. This Irish colcannon can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

Recipe compliments of https://thesouthernladycooks.com/

Colcannon Song

Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?
With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.
Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake
Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?

Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I.
And the more I think about it sure the nearer I’m to cry.
Oh, wasn’t it the happy days when troubles we had not,
And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot.

Creative Around the Community

Creative Compassion’s Meteorologist Mark visited Uplands on the final day of February to talk weather and wine! The event was well attended. Creative Compassion’s director Sarah Halcott was quite busy at the Creative table, with folks wanting to know more about our nonprofit. We are very grateful for the warm reception we felt there and hope to be invited back soon!

Earlier in the month, Creative supplied the Fletcher House assisted living folks at Uplands with Valentine’s candy, flowers, and a card wishing them the very best Valentine’s Day. Those were all displayed in the common meeting room and the smiles on the residents’ faces just made our day here at Creative!  

On the 15^th, Creative’s Deputy Director Mark Baldwin spoke with the new Leadership Cumberland class at the Chamber about his work at Creative and to give his perspective on what it means to be a leader. Mark appreciates the welcome he received and looks forward to being invited back to future Leadership classes!

A Creative Funny

February is the Month of Love

“And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love,” I Corinthians 13:13.

We can lose sight of our faith, and we can lose sight of hope, but we can never lose the love of God.

Twister Returns!

Creative is getting, well, creative about home safety during severe weather! One of our missions is to help people be safe in their home. Weather radios can give life-saving advanced warning of the approach of dangerous storms. The radios are especially effective at night when people might be sleeping when severe weather strikes.

The peak of severe weather season in the U.S. is in March, April, and May. It is worth noting that for those of us in the South, severe weather can occur any month of the year.

Meteorologists advise having multiple ways of getting severe weather information, with one of those ways being a weather radio. They also suggest having a reliable weather app to notify you by your phone when rough storms are approaching.

The last week of February is severe weather awareness week here in Tennessee. The final day of that week is Saturday, February 25th, and that’s when we’ll be showing Twister at the historic Palace Theatre in downtown Crossville. Tickets are only $5! Money raised will go toward buying weather radios for low-income folks in our community.

The Palace will have a special on movie treats, as well! Movie-goers can get the meal deal of nachos, hotdog, or taquitos plus drink for $5 and/or the Twister deal of candy, popcorn and drink for $5.

Come out and join us and see cows (or was it the same one?) fly across the big screen for the first time since the movie debuted in 1996! Get your tickets today on the Palace Theatre website at https://crossvilletn.gov/department/palace-theatre/

Home tip of the Month 

Are you anxious for spring and beautiful spring flowers? Pick up some fresh-cut flowers the next time you’re at the store! You should be able to find some good deals on some fresh-cut flowers, especially after Valentine’s Day. Put a fresh bouquet on the table to enjoy!

Creative Compassion Cares

Creative has been busy helping folks in our community! For starters, our home repair program helped two households with much-needed work. Both households involved senior citizens who needed handicap-accessible bathrooms. This work will help keep those folks safe in their home!

The rent/mortgage and utility payment assistance program, RUPA, continues to do great things for the people in our Upper Cumberland community. The month of January ended with 10 households receiving assistance for bills they couldn’t pay. Since the RUPA program restarted in December, a total of 18 households have received assistance.

To qualify for RUPA, an individual fills out a simple application. After that application is completed and the need is confirmed, assistance is rendered swiftly to help get them back on track with their payments. Applicants must wait 18 months to reapply for assistance, creating a program that is a hand up to those who need it.

A partnership with St. Alphonsus, Cumberland Fellowship, and Good Samaritans allows us to help even more folks, especially when the amount of assistance needed is significant (ie. rent or mortgage assistance).

The RUPA program operates on donations, with 100% of those donations going into the program. If you feel moved to give and want to support this program, please find the donate button on our website or send your gift to Creative Compassion, 20 Penny Lane, Crossville, TN, 38555. Please specify “RUPA” on your gift. Thank you!

Creative Volunteer Opportunities

Twister

There is a need for volunteers for the showing of Twister at the Palace Theatre in Crossville on February 25. That movie begins at 7:00 and volunteers would need to arrive by 6:00. Volunteers can assist by guiding people to their seats, advising where the restrooms and concessions are located, as well as greeting movie-goers as they arrive!

Stars & Stripes 5K

The Stars and Stripes 5K in May will require help from volunteers. Some of the volunteer opportunities will include:

If you are interested in volunteering, just reach out to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com!

Creative Honors

This month we honor Treva Wilson. Treva worked as a seamstress and was a faithful member of Rinnie Freewill Baptist Church. She was also a 50-year Member of the Order of The Eastern Star in Clarkrange, Tennessee – Mary Chapter 11. The members of the Order of the Eastern Star are dedicated men and women who sincerely reflect the spirit of fraternal love and the desire to work together for good by giving their time to meaningful projects that benefit mankind.

Treva’s family will think fondly of the memories of a friend, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Ninety-three years of life well-lived.

Treva Lowe Wilson

November 17, 1928 – October 11, 2022

Creative Kitchen Tip 

After chopping food, use the dull end of a knife to scrape the contents from the work surface.
Ingredients like onions are often chopped, then scraped into a bowl or cooking vessel. Always flip the blade over to use the end opposite of the sharpened blade for scraping. Otherwise, the blade will dull considerably, making it less efficient and more likely to slip when chopping or slicing. (credit: Food Network)

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

The Saxons claimed February was “cake month” and I think they were on to something! In this month’s newsletter I have a cake recipe that can be savored any month of the year! The best part is that it contains no expensive eggs! Well, the chocolate part is pretty dang awesome, too…..

Crazy Cake

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a 9×13-inch ungreased baking dish; form 3 wells in flour mixture. Pour oil into the first well, vinegar into the second, and vanilla into the third. Pour cold water over all and stir well with a fork.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Frost with your favorite icing.

4. Enjoy!

(Recipe from allrecipes.com)

Creative Around the Community

Creative is planning the first 5K to benefit the agency! The race is planned for Saturday, May 13th, at 8:00 a.m. at the Community Complex. The area is also known as the Fair Grounds. The Stars & Stripes 5K will benefit Creative’s mission to help Veterans in our community with necessary home repairs. This includes building handicap ramps into a home.

The race will take place on the weekend in May set aside to honor the families of Veterans. It’s a time to remember the sacrifices made by the families for a friend or loved one who has or is serving.

Come out and show your support! We’ll have some cool shirts for you to wear and a cool medal at the finish line! We’ll see you there!

If you’re interested in sponsoring just reach out to Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com or call Creative at 456-6654. We sure would appreciate it!

Another Way to Give

Thanks to a generous donation in December, Creative is now set up with Benevity! For those who are unfamiliar with Benevity, they are a service designed for donations mainly through workplace giving. With 20 million supporters, more than 10 billion dollars worth of donations have resulted from this service!

If you would like to connect your workplace to Benevity and ultimately to Creative, just reach out to Deputy Director Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com. We would love to see your workplace support our work in our community here in the Upper Cumberlands!

A Creative Funny

January is the Month for New Beginnings

May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door. ~ Irish Blessing

A Special Party at the Palace 

Creative had a very special Christmas party at the Palace Theatre in downtown Crossville in December. Members of the Bigfoot committee, Creative staff and board members attended the party.

There was lots of food, fun, and fellowship. Sarah Halcott, Executive Director for Creative, prepared a beautiful charcuterie board of delicious delights for us to enjoy. A friend of Creative’s, Pam Brackett, made a delicious white chocolate peppermint cheesecake for us to enjoy. We did not leave the party hungry!

The most special part of the evening came when Creative was presented with the check from funds raised at the 2022 Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival! That festival raised $7,500 for Creative and will be put into our rent/mortgage and utility assistance program (RUPA).

In addition to the check presented to Creative, the Bigfoot Festival also presented the check to the Cumberland County Animal Shelter from money raised from the Bigfoot 5K Glow Run the night before the festival. Money from that unique 5K totaled $500 and was very much appreciated by the Animal Shelter.

Creative was delighted to have our Founder, Mike Smathers, and his wife, Judy, join us for the party. An event always becomes more special when they attend! We were also thrilled to see Mike win a custom-made quilt during the door prize giveaways! That quilt was made by our Executive Director Sarah Halcott.

The weather outside was rather frightful that evening, with rain absolutely pouring down, but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits at all.

Home tip of the Month 

Organize your board games before they are needed. Houzz.com suggests making sure each game has all the pieces you need and that all the cards are in the card deck. Then, when winter storms knock out the lights, you’ll be all set to go with the board games and playing cards. Haven’t played a certain game in a while? Consider giving it away to someone who might enjoy it more.

Creative Compassion Cares

The rent/mortgage and utility assistance (RUPA) program restarted in December, after a three-month hiatus. Eight households were helped in the month of December and just in time for the holidays! The RUPA program now services five counties in our service area, including Cumberland, Fentress, White, Putnam, and Overton.

Creative’s home repair program helped two households in December. One family received a water heater replacement and the other received HVAC repair. Creative is thankful for the Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Project Hometown Help grant for making that assistance possible!  

We are also excited to announce the progress of our latest home build! This house has received its long-awaited drywall and is ready for interior paint.  We look forward to sharing the home’s progress to final home sale.  Creative helps homebuyers obtain affordable mortgage financing.  The homebuyers can then use their mortgage to build a modest home with Creative or purchase a home on the market using a realtor of their choice.  Be on the lookout for a couple of specs homes we are starting in the coming months!

Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to be a volunteer with Creative just keep checking back here for opportunities! Those will be announced here each time an opportunity comes up. You can also email Deputy Director Mark at dd@creativecompassioninc.com to be placed on an email list that can keep you informed of opportunities.

Money Saving Tip

Would you like to save a little bit of money this year with little effort? Try the 52-Week Challenge! Simply save $1 the first week of January, then add a dollar the second week, for a savings of only $2 the second week. Each week, just add a dollar to the savings. By week four you’ll be saving $4 and so on. By the end of the year, you will have saved $1,378!

Meet the Creative Crew

For this month’s newsletter I am proud to introduce our Chief Financial Officer Janie Burgess. Before coming to Creative, Janie worked in the medical field in administration for 33 years.  In 2009, she embarked on a very different career path that led to her being hired at Creative Compassion as the accounts payable clerk. In only two short years Janie was promoted to Executive Director! Six years later she stepped down as executive director to partially retire and take the sole position of accounts payable clerk. 

“My heart is with the nonprofit world for housing, as there are so many people that must settle for substandard housing, and they deserve better. I pride myself on working for such a good organization that not only speaks for itself in its various efforts concerning housing but continues to take the concerns of our community’s needs to heart!”

Janie has faithfully attended Homestead Methodist Church since she was two years old. It’s also the church where she married the love of her life, Royce. They will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on the third of March this year.

One of Janie’s hobbies is tending to her Orchids. One can be seen in the foreground of the picture below here at the office. Her favorite color is the white Orchid. It only seems appropriate that white orchids represent a pure and humble faith, something Janie’s shows us every day.

Creative Honors

With the new year, we’re starting a new section for the newsletter for those who would like to give to Creative in honor of someone they have lost. Your gift will go to help someone in need and will be in honor of your loved one. Both the gift amount and/or the name of the giver may remain anonymous if they so choose. Our first honoree is Lisa Lane.

Lisa was a remarkable mother, wife, and friend and her absence is felt with each passing day. A special education teacher for more than 30 years, Lisa also touched the lives of countless students and fellow teachers. She spent much of that career in Morgan County, where she moved from Indiana after completing her studies at Ball State. It was after making this adventurous move that she met her future husband of 33 years, Albert. Her loving spirit helped so many people in need over the span of her life. It’s been said that most people collect things during the course of their life. Lisa had a reputation for collecting people.

Lisa devoted her life to Christ and was a member of Lancing Presbyterian Church for over 30 years.

Of all the tributes on Lisa’s Facebook page after she passed, one in particular testifies to the Lisa so many of us knew and loved so much. “You will always be an inspiration to me, you believed in me when I couldn’t keep up with the other kids, you fought for me and with me when I wanted to give up. You never got frustrated or gave up on me when I just couldn’t master what should have been simple tasks…. Without you I wouldn’t have made the life I have today, I am a better person due to the impact you left on me.”

All of us who knew Lisa are better people because of her.

Lisa Lowery Lane

March 21, 1958 ~ September 26, 2021

To donate in Lisa’s honor, just visit our “donation” link on our homepage or send a check to 20 Penny Lane, Crossville, TN, 38555. Please make a note that the donation is in Lisa’s honor. Thank you!

Creative Kitchen Tip 

It’s the new year and that means it’s time to clean out those kitchen drawers, right? The drawers you use the most tend to also collect crumbs the most. While you have everything out of those drawers for cleaning, assess their use. When was the last time you used that cherry pitter or garlic press? Do you have two of something? Consider finding another place to keep the things you rarely use or even donate them to someone who will use them.

This will leave you with clean and less cluttered drawers. A win-win, for sure!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

Soup and January just seem to go together so well. Try this potato soup the next time you crave something warm and filling on a cold winter’s day.

Easy Creamy Old Fashioned Potato Soup

The Vegetables

4 cups diced Russet potatoes, 2 large potatoes, about 2 pounds

1 cup diced carrots, about 2 large

1 clove garlic, mashed and diced

3 cups water

1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, chicken or turkey flavor is great

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

The Sauce

Instructions

Preparing the Vegetables

1. Boil the veggies. Peel the potatoes (2 large potatoes, about 2 lbs) and dice them into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a stock pot or 3-quart pot. If you have not quite 4 cups of potatoes, or more like 5 cups, don’t sweat it.

2. Peel the carrots and dice them about the same size as the potatoes. Add to the pot.

3. Smash and mince 1 clove of garlic and add to the pot.

4. Add 3 cups of water to the potatoes and carrots. The water should be just barely covering the vegetables, so add a little more (or less) to make sure they are just barely covered. (We are not draining these potatoes; this water will be part of the soup.)

5. Add a heaping tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Base. The Roasted Chicken flavor or Turkey base is often preferred. If you don’t have Better than Bouillon, you can use a couple teaspoons of bouillon granules or cubes. Those are much saltier than the paste so be careful.

6. Chop about 1/4 cup fresh parsley or use 1 tablespoon dried parsley. Add it to the pot.

7. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium to keep it at a steady simmer. Vent the lid (tilt it so that steam can escape.) Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are very tender. You should be able to smash one with a fork easily. Remove from heat.

8. Use a potato masher and roughly mash the mixture to your desired texture. You can leave it very chunky by not mashing at all, or if you want an ultra smooth soup you can use an immersion blender.

Make the white sauce 

1. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart pot or larger, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Once it is melted, add 1/2 cup flour and use a whisk to stir it together into a paste. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook this mixture for 1-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Slowly add the 4 cups of milk, 1 cup at a time. Use the whisk to incorporate the milk into the roux (roux=butter/flour mixture) every time you add more. See photos. It should take a few minutes to add all the milk.* If you dump it in all at once, you will have flour chunks in your soup.

3. Once all the milk is added, keep stirring often so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Your heat should still be on medium. Wait until the mixture has come to a boil (consistent bubbles rising from the center) and then let boil for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat.

Note: If you are in a rush, add the 4 cups of milk to a glass measuring cup and microwave for a couple minutes until it is warm, then add to the flour. This will help your white sauce come together faster.

4. Pour the white sauce into the pot with the potatoes, using a spatula to scrape all that goodness in. Stir the mixture together.

5. Serve warm and garnish with extra chopped parsley, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions. Better yet, let each person garnish as they please! (

Recipe from https://thefoodcharlatan.com/easy-potato-soup-recipe/)

Creative Around the Community

The month began with an exciting opportunity for Deputy Director Mark Baldwin. The Fairfield Glade Rotary Club elected Mark to the position of “Publicity”. Mark attends weekly meetings with that club and enjoys the volunteer spirit of that rotary. “It is an honor to be elected to a position within this wonderful community organization.”

Creative had their December board meeting in the middle of December, which consisted of business and pleasure. A holiday lunch consisting of ham, broccoli, and potatoes was enjoyed by all who attended. A delicious homemade pumpkin roll was enjoyed for dessert.

On the 21st, we had our staff party to celebrate our coming Christmas vacation. That vacation began December 22 and ended January 2nd. We had a wonderful lunch of ham, mac-n-cheese, hashbrown casserole, and cake for dessert.

Amazon Smile

An easy way to contribute to Creative Compassion is through Amazon smile. Just go to Smile. Amazon.com and log in as you would if you were going to shop. Then, select Creative Compassion as your charity and get to shopping! It costs you nothing and Creative gets a 5% donation from Amazon with each order you place. It really adds up over time!

For instructions on setting up Amazon Smile on your desktop or app, just visit https://smile.amazon.com/charity/smile/about. Money raised this way will stay right here in our community to help our neighbors!

A Creative Funny

December is the Month of Reflection

“It seems like everything sleeps in winter, but it’s really a time of renewal and reflection,” Elizabeth Camden.

Reflecting on an Incredible Year

Amazon Smile

A very simple way to contribute to Creative Compassion is through Amazon smile. Just go to Smile. Amazon.com and log in as you would if you were going to shop. Then, select Creative Compassion as your charity and get to shopping! It costs you nothing and Creative gets a 5% donation from Amazon with each order you place. It really adds up over time!

For instructions on setting up Amazon Smile on your desktop or app, just visit https://smile.amazon.com/charity/smile/about. Money raised this way will stay right here in our community to help our neighbors!

Home tip of the week 

While many of us certainly look forward to the holidays and all the joy they can bring, we must also be aware that there are Grinches among us who look to steal some of that joy. American Home Shield recommends keeping a radio or TV on to make the home appear to be occupied. They also recommend keeping indoor and outdoor lights on a timer and not displaying gifts in front a window. If you’re going to be gone for the holidays get a neighbor to check your mail. Finally, never hide the door key someplace obvious. Burglars know to look under the door mat, under flower pots, and over the door. Doing a few simple things can help keep your home safe from those holiday-stealing Grinches!

Creative Compassion Cares

Creative Compassion has received a $5,000 grant from The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and $6,750 from your local Cumberland County United Fund! These funds will be used to support our RUPA program in 2023, and will directly help us to provide at least 60 families with housing and utility payment assistance that we have not helped previously.  Other local donations from churches, businesses, and individuals will help this program reach even more people in financial need!

The Community Foundation awarded more than $2.8 million in grants to 435 nonprofit organizations as part of the 2022 annual grantmaking process.

The RUPA program began in 2022.  It was put in place by Creative’s local Board of Directors and initially funded by Cumberland County United Fund and our agency.  We are happy to have helped 50 families with these funds.  However, the need is great and we ran out of funds in August of 2022.  With the rising costs of household necessities, groceries, fluctuating gas prices, and other factors, we anticipate the need of those in financial distress will increase in 2023.  Please consider donating to our program by exploring our website:  ccihomes.org.

The Community Foundation awards discretionary grants annually from their unrestricted and field-of-interest funds through an open application process to Middle Tennessee nonprofit organizations addressing community needs and benefiting the well-being of citizens through valuable programs and innovative services. The Foundation connects generosity with the need to build a stronger community for the future. To learn more, please visit www.CFMT.org .

To learn more about the work your local United Fund is doing in Cumberland County, please visit www.cumberlandunitedfund.org/.

Finally, don’t forget to stop by First National Bank of Crossville and check out our Creative Compassion Christmas tree! We are in spot number 11, which is to the left of the entrance facing south. Go inside and check out all the beautfiul trees. It’s free! And don’t forget to vote for Creative’s tree!

Money Saving Tip 

According to organisemyhouse.com, we can all save money on holiday decorations by making note of the holiday decorations that need to be replaced as you take them down this year, rather than waiting and dealing with those matters next year (and hoping you remember what needed replacing!). Take advantage of post-holiday sales in January to replace that set of lights that didn’t work, that electric candle that stopped working two days before Christmas, and so on. Make note now of what you wish you would have had this year and then get those items during the post-holiday sales. Those sales can save you at least 50%!

Take pictures of your holiday decorations before you take them down and either save the pictures or share them on social media. That can save you time next year when you look back on those pictures to see where you had your decorations the year before. That can save you time and allow you to mix things up from year to year just in case you don’t want the same arrangement of decorations from one year to the next.

Creative Christmas Kitchen Tip

Keep Christmas meals simple and you’ll be less stressed. Also, when making fewer dishes there’s less room for error. An entrée, two or three sides, and a dessert (or two!) is perfectly fine. If your table is full of picky eaters or guests with dietary restrictions, do your best to accommodate them, but don’t be afraid to ask them to bring a dish to pass. No one should expect you to make three different versions of the same dish. 

Also, have some easy-to-prepare drinks on hand, such as warm apple cider, hot tea or cocoa. They’ll be perfect for sipping before, during, and even after dinner. Have some Christmas cookies (store-bought is fine!) to have alongside those beverages and you’ll be a hit!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

This simple casserole is for those of you who don’t have a lot of time but want to bring something delicious to Christmas dinner. This casserole is sure to please!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Serves 8

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut baked potatoes into 1-inch. cubes. Place half in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the salt, pepper and bacon. Top with half of the sour cream and cheeses. Repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until cheeses are melted. Sprinkle with onions.

Creative Around the Community

Creative has once again been out and about in the community! November offered many wonderful opportunities for our nonprofit to be recognized.

On the 10th of the month, Creative was invited to join the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) for their breakfast for Veterans. Creative was honored to attend. We were also thankful to be given an opportunity to share the services that we offer for Veterans. We’re always grateful for our Veterans and welcome them to come to us for any home assistance need they may have.

Later that afternoon, Creative took part in the United Fund fair at Fletcher House for assisted living in Pleasant Hill. Several residents stopped by to learn more about Creative. A quilt similar to the ones we give many of our new homeowners was with our display, and visitors were quite impressed with that.

Saturday, November 12, brought the closing ceremonies of the Field of Honor at Garrison Park in Crossville. The 520 American flags that had been so beautifully standing for more than a week had to be rolled up and put away at the close of that day’s ceremonies. Creative was honored to volunteer for that task. We especially thank the Tansi Exchange Club for putting together that wonderful event!

The Chamber of Commerce annual membership gala was November 17. The event was held at Homestead 32 in the Homestead community. More than 200 Chamber members attended, including Creative Compassion. It was a wonderul evening of networking, awesome food, and friendship.

A Creative Funny

November is the Month of Thankfulness

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
—Anthony Robbins

Thankful for a Successful Bigfoot Festival 

Home tip of the week 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving Day is the number one day for home cooking fires. Make sure you’re safe with turkey deep fryers, check fire detector batteries, and make sure the fire extinguisher is up to date and that everyone knows how to use it correctly.

If a fire does break out on the stove, never use salt, water, or flour to put the fire out. Those substances can cause the fire to spread. For oven fires, turn off the oven,and keep the door closed. Call 911 if needed.

Creative Compassion Cares

This month, Creative is thankful for all those we’ve been able to help this year. The new Rent/mortgage, utility assistance program (RUPA) has helped 50 families this year! These families faced financial emergencies that left them unable to pay necessary bills.

Thanks to a start-up grant from the United Fund, donations, and a partnership with St. Alphonsus, Cumberland Fellowship, and the Good Samaritans RUPA money was able to go even farther. We hope to help even more people next year!

We’re also thankful that we secured more Carol Peterson grants than we’ve ever been able to secure this year, along with the largest HOME grant in our agency’s history.

Finally, we’re thankful for the first festival to ever benefit Creative. The Upper Cumberland Bigfoot festival was a success and we are so grateful for that.

Look for a full year-end review of Creative’s activities this year in next month’s newsletter!

We’ve a lot to be thankful for at Creative this year and we thank each and every person who has had a hand in our success!

Money Saving Tip 

That Thanksgiving grocery list is looking more expensive than ever this year with inflation running so high. Look for ways to save money on that list by using coupons. Not a fan of cutting those coupons out of the paper? You’re in luck! There are many apps that help you save without you having to cut out a single coupon! According to Investopedia, the following apps are some you may find very handy! Keep in mind that some grocery stores also have their own apps that can help you save money.

Meet the Creative Crew

Mark Baldwin joined the Creative crew on January first, after serving on the Creative Board of Directors for two years. As Deputy Director, Mark is involved with lots of community outreach programs to help get word out about all the services available with Creative. Mark’s elected position as county commissioner made him a good candidate for the outreach skills needed for the deputy position.

Mark first became familiar with Creative when a fellow co-worker invited him to be on the board. The co-worker had been the recipient of a Creative Compassion home and wanted to give back by serving on the board. After a couple of meetings, Mark was excited to join the team.

Mark is a meteorologist by degree and enjoys keeping his weather website updated daily. His far-reaching influence on social media allows him to easily add material about Creative from time to time.

“I was impressed with Creative from the start. Once I started to learn more about their history and mission, I wanted to tell others what I had learned. I’ve been so inspired by the mission of our RUPA program that began in January. Helping others is what it’s all about! I am so thankful to be a part of the staff now and can’t wait to see what Creative does next!”

Creative Kitchen Tip 

Dispose of any leftovers in the fridge to make room for fresher food, especially at the holidays. While a packed freezer can keep food colder, food packed too closely in the fridge can inhibit airflow and cause uneven cooling within the fridge.

Food experts recommend cleaning out the fridge two weeks before Thanksgiving. That gives you room to store food items both before and after the big feast. Keep in mind that frozen turkeys may need a few days to thaw in the fridge. Thaw that turkey in a container to avoid cross contamination.

If your fridge gets crowded, consider using labels to allow fast and easy identification of food items in containers. There’s nothing worse than craving that last bit of pumpkin pie but you can’t figure out what container it’s in!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

We all have a holiday favorite food and mine has always been my Granny Lorene’s pumpkin pie! I always looked for this holiday favorite on the table! Now, enjoying a piece of that pie not only makes my taste buds very happy, but also conjures up wonderful memories of a grandma who loved us all so very much.

Granny’s Lorene’s Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

Directions

Combine all ingredients and carefully mix with a spoon (don’t whip) and pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Top with cool whip if you dare to take those taste buds to higher level. Enjoy!

Creative Around the Community

October was filled with Bigfoot festival preparations. However, Creative did make an appearance at the Allardt Pumpkin festival! The Creative booth was visited by folks from near and far, giving us the opportunity to tell even more folks about our wonderful organization.

A Creative Funny

July is National Grilling Month

When Columbus landed at Hispanola in 1492, he observed Natives cooking meat over an open flame, using green wood to ensure that the food didn’t burn. They called it barbacoa. By 1540, explorer Hernando de Soto observed the Indians of the Chicksaw tribe near Tupelo, Mississippi using the same cooking method to cook pork. Barbequing was spreading through the Americas!

Today, barbequing is one of the most common American activities for the summer. Not only is grilling a fun way to prepare a healthy meal, it’s also a good opportunity to spend time outside. Make sure to take time to enjoy both the outdoors and your time with family and friends this summer!

A Big Sponsor for a Bigfoot Festival  

Creative was elated to learn that Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union will be the main sponsor for this year’s Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival! That festival will benefit Creative Compassion’s mission to help those in need in our area. Last year’s inaugural festival brought in about 8,000 festival-goers.

This year’s festival will feature celebrities from the show Mountain Monsters, as well as former FBI agent-turned-actor Ben Hansen! Music by the Obed River Band will fill the air, as well as music by an up-and-coming artist out of Georgia named Kaleb Garrett. The festival will feature more than 100 vendors and a big kids area under the big white tent. Be sure and mark your calendar for a family-friendly festival filled with good stories, good food, and great company!

Home tip of the week 

Hang at least one mirror in every room. According to Thisoldhouse.com, mirrors can make a space feel brighter because they bounce light around the room. Hang the mirror on the same wall as the window or, better yet, perpendicular to the window. Keep in mind that placing a mirror on a wall opposite from a window can actually bounce the light right back out the window!

Creative Compassion Cares

We are so very proud to announce that 100% of our Carol M. Petersen Housing Fund applicants recieved funding this year! This grant is from the federal home loan bank of Cincinnati. Six households applied and all six were granted funding. This is the largest number of applicants that Creative has submitted at one time.

“Through the Carol M. Peterson Housing Fund (CMPHF), the FHLB provides grants up to $7,500 per homeowner to fund accessibility and emergency repairs for low-income special needs and elderly homeowners. The fund is named in honor of the former FHLB executive who spearheaded FHLB’s affordable housing and community investment initiatives for more than two decades,” Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati.

Our new program to help families facing financial emergencies continues to help families in our community. As of today, Creative has been able to assist 29 local families with various needs. Those needs consist of utility bills, rent, or mortgage assistance. This program was initiated by a generous $5,000 grant from the United Fund of Cumberland County. That money has been exhausted and now the program is supported by donations to Creative.

We continue to enjoy a partership with St. Alphonsus, Cumberland Fellowship, and Good Samaritans! Whenever an individual comes to us with a need that is too great for us to meet, we can reach out to the other three organizations and pool our resources to meet the need.

Applicants need only access our website or stop by our office to fill out the necessary paperwork. The money then goes either straight to the utility company or to the holder of the lease or mortgage. Donors can feel certain that their money is put to good use in this program. To support Creative’s mission to help those facing financial emergencies, please consider giving on our website at https://ccihomes.org/ or by mail or office visit at 20 Penny Lane, Crossville, TN, 38555. There are many in need in our area and every donation can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Money Saving Tip 

Landscape with transplanted plants. If a friend, family member, or neighbor has a plant you love, ask if you can have some seeds from the plant or even a trimming to start your own. Many plants can be (and usually should be) divided and spread apart. Ask if you can have one of those divisions for your own garden. This will save you money at the nursery, as well as provide a memory of who gifted you the beautiful plant for many years to come!

Meet the Creative Crew

Denise Cooper has been a board member since 2019.  Denise was inspired to join the board after Creative’s Executive Director, Sarah Halcott, presented information to the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union staff about the purpose of Creative Compassion.  Sarah’s passion for Creative inspired everyone in the room as she spoke of how Creative helps those with lower incomes, the elderly, the disabled, and veterans get into a new home or to make repairs on their existing home.  To this day, Denise still sees that same focus that Sarah and the other board members have in serving the community. 

Everyone at Creative is thankful that Sarah’s talk inspired Denise to take action. In the spirit of the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union, Sarah wanted to help the community that she loves so very much. Her professionalism and kindness inspire all of us to keep working hard to make our community an even better place to live.

Denise has worked for Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union for over 40 years and enjoys living a simple life on a tiny farm in Cumberland County with goats, her dogs and a garden.

Kitchen Tip 

Mix up your favorite beverage and freeze it into ice cubes. Then, when you need ice for that drink you can add ice cubes that are already your drink in frozen form. This keeps “regular” ice cubes from watering down your drink.

This tends to be an idea most used with Kool-Aid, especially for the kids. Wrap a piece of Saran wrap around the tray and punch popsicle sticks into each tray. The Saran wrap helps keep the popsicle sticks in place. After the cubes are frozen everyone can enjoy a delicious frozen treat!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

Nothing says summer like grilling out! Try this recipe for some delicious grilled vegetables. A mouth watering recipe that’s also healthy. What a win!

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1 Soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes. (Omit if using metal skewers.)

Step 2 Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Thread tomatoes 1 inch apart onto skewers. Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus.

Step 3 Brush zucchini, next 5 ingredients, tomatoes, and asparagus with olive oil; sprinkle with desired amount of salt and black pepper.

Step 4 Grill sweet potatoes, covered with grill lid, 6 minutes on each side or until tender. At the same time, grill zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, and eggplant 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender. Grill green onions, asparagus, and tomatoes 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until tender and grill marks appear. Remove from grill, and brush with vinaigrette. Arrange on a serving platter. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

Just in case you need a simple vinaigrette recipe, try this one from The Food Network!

Creative Around the Community

Some of you may have heard Creative’s public service announcement (PSA) on the radio last month. The PSA airtime was offered to Creative for free by StoneCom radio stations in Cookeville, TN to announce our grant to help veterans who need home repairs. We are very grateful for that opportunity.

Earlier in the month, Creative’s Deputy Director Mark Baldwin spoke with the Cumberland County Master Gardeners group monthly meeting at the Communty Complex. Mark spoke to the group about the effects of weather and climate on gardening but he also had the opportunity to speak about Creative’s mission. In the weeks that followed, donations came in from the group that helped with our program to help folks facing financial emergencies.

The Lifelong Learning program at Roane State Community College invited Mark to come speak on preparing a home for adverse weather. Mark also had the chance to speak about Creative, which led to a $500 donation from a student in the class!

Creative set up once again at Friday at the Crossroads in Downtown Crossville in June. We were impressed by the number of folks who stopped by our booth and learned about Creative and our mission. There was a great attendance, the weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was lively and fun-loving! We can’t wait for Friday at the Crossroads to retun in August!

Another interesting fundraising event this month involved local authour Rita Reali. For the past three months, Rita has been offereing a portion of her book sales to Creative. In June, Rita hosted a book reveal party and asked Creative’s Deputy Director Mark Baldwin to emcee the event. Rita once again offered a portion of book sales from her new book to Creative. We even had donations from the audience! It was a wonderful event and everyone had the best time.

Chronicle story on sponsorship

A Creative Funny

June is National Homeownership Month

In 1995, National Homeownership Week began as a strategy of President William Clinton’s administration to increase homeownership across the nation. In 2002, President George W. Bush expanded the observance to the entire month of June.

National Homeownership Month in June shines a spotlight on supporting the American Dream of homeownership. It’s also a time to recognize the organizations that help individuals and families to achieve their goals.

Weather & Wine Fundraiser

The first Weather & Wine class was a huge success! There were beautiful Charcuterie boards of delicious food, there was lots to learn, and good company to share it all with! Wine tasting was offered to those who were interested, along with a history lesson of Stonehaus Winery.

Money was raised for Creative’s program to help those facing financial emergencies and that is the most important part of all. Money raised at this event will help ease the burden of folks in our community who are facing tough times.

If you missed this class don’t despair! We’ll definitely be doing this one again in the fall!

Home tip of the week 

Sometimes it’s necessary to make marks on the wall when hanging pictures. Marking the edges of where the pictures should go makes that task a lot easier! Use white chalk the next time you need to make those marks. The chalk will work well to outline borders and it easily wipes off the wall afterward!

Creative Compassion Cares

Creative has now helped 26 families with rent, mortgage and utility assistance! We have prevented evictions, some of which would have involved children, helped folks keep the lights on, the water running, and more! This wonderful new program by Creative is making a very positive difference in our community.

We are so grateful for the donations to our program. The first week of June has already seen more than $500 worth of donations to the program! In addition, our partnership with St. Alphonsus, Cumberland Fellowship, and Good Samaritans allows each of us to help even more people facing financial emergencies.

If you would like to give to this program just find the donate button on our website. You can also mail checks to 20 Penny Lane, Crossville, TN, 38555. We’ll put your money to use in a way that could change someone’s life.

Money Saving Tip

Consider a barter system among your friends and family to save money! For instance, maybe you are the one they call when they need a squeaky door fixed. You can then call on them for a similar favor as needed. Everyone can help each other in some way, with no money changing hands. Make a list of each other’s talents and see how well it works!

Meet the Creative Crew

This month’s spotlight is on Sarah Halcott, the Executive Director of Creative Compassion. Sarah had this to say about her experience here at Creative:

“I did not even know Creative existed until 2015 when I needed to complete a job placement program sponsored by the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency.  I’m a Crossville native & love the Plateau!  Those 10 weeks turned into a full-time job!  I’ve always said I want to work for the best, and I truly think Creative fits that standard.  We may not have the best facility, but we have the closest staff and greatest volunteers on our Board who care about helping people where we can.  We may not be the most well-known, but we have managed millions of dollars in federal & state grants and brought needed funds to our local area since 1992.” 

Sarah leads by an example that reminds many of us of a lady in the Bible named Ruth. Like Ruth, Sarah leads with kindness and servant leadership. Those of us who know Sarah know her to be a quiet person (well, most of the time. (ha!)) but one need not make a lot of noise to use kindness to change the world, just as the story of Ruth shows us all.

Sarah shared a quote by Achim Nowak that she thinks fondly of. She noted that it describes our nonprofit perfectly, but I think it also does a wonderful job of describing Sarah’s character. The quote reads, “Lead with quiet authority.  Confidence does not shout.”  

Kitchen Tip 

Forget to bring the eggs to room temperature? No worries! Just set them in some very warm water (not hot!) for about 5-10 minutes. Problem solved!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

Blackberry Icebox Cake

The perfect dessert for those hot summer days when the oven is best left off!

Preparation

Step 1 Measure out 2 cups blackberries from two pints. Slice berries in half lengthwise and transfer to a medium bowl. (Save remaining berries for decorating later.)

Step 2 Add 1/2 cup blackberry jam to bowl with berries. Using a citrus juicer, juice one lemon over berry mixture. Let sit 10 minutes.

Step 3 Using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups heavy cream in a large bowl, starting on low speed and icnreasing to high, until soft peaks form.

Step 4 Beat in 1/4 cup powdered sugar and pinch of salt just to combine.

Step 5 Line a medium bowl (6-cup capacity) with a plastic wrap, pressing into bottom and up sides and leaving plenty of overhang. Line the bottom of bowl with a layer of vanilla wafers.

Step 6 Spoon about 1/4 cup berry mixture over wafers. Scoop 1 1/2 cups whipped cream into a small bowl; cover and save in fridge for later. Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining whipped cream evenly over wafer and berry layers. Repeat layers with wafers (breaking to fit as needed–no one will know), blackberry mixture, and whipped cream, using more for each layer as the bowl gets wider, until you run out of all the components.

Step 7 Bring up plastic overhang to cover and chill at least 24 hours.

Step 8 Unwrap plastic from top of cake and place a large cake stand or platter firmly over it. Flip over and lift bowl away; peel away plastic wrap. (Ta-da!)

Step 9 Using a whisk, beat reserved whipped cream back to soft peaks, then usa spoon to dollop cream all over cake and spread around evenly.

Step 10 Cut reserved berries in half lengthwise and arrange them on top.

Step 11 Slice cake into 8 pieces to serve.

Step 12 Do Ahead: Cake can be assembled 2 days ahead and can also be unfolded and covered in cream 1 hour ahead; either way, keep in the fridge until the last minute.

Creative Around the Community

Earlier in the spring, our Deputy Director, Mark Baldwin, was invited to speak to the Jamestown rotary about Creative and what our organization does. On the 10th of May, Mark visited the group they were very interested in the work we do. They even invited Mark to come back and speak again! They were wonderful hosts and Mark can’t wait to visit them again.

The month ended with Mark attending a Legislative Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This gave Mark the opportunity to let other legislators from across the state know what we do and why our work is so very important.

A Creative Funny

How do electricians get confused?

They get their wires crossed. 🙂

May 2022 Newsletter

May is National Military Month

There are more military related observances during the month of May than any other month. This makes May the ideal month for recognizing our service men and women. Among those observances are Armed Forces Day (May 21) and Memorial Day (May 30). We thank all those who have served!

All gave some, some gave all.

Veteran’s Assistance

Creative Compassion’s Veteran’s Assistance program was started in 2019. This program has proudly helped eight veterans in the Upper Cumberlands with various home repairs and improvements. We thank the Home Depot Foundation, in partnership with the Housing Assistance Council (HAC), for the funding of this grant.

Pictured below is a fellow Army Veteran who benefited from a new heating and air conditioning unit thanks to money from this program. The new unit is energy efficient, which will save him money in the years to come.

If you or anyone you know is a veteran and is in need of a home repair please send them to Creative! Funds are available for distribution and we would like to see the money put to good use for an American hero. We have more info on our website or you can give us a call at (931) 456-6654.

A Bigfoot Festival to Benefit Creative 

It’s a festival unlike any other and this year it benefits Creative Compassion! The inaugural Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival was held last year and was a raging success. This year’s festival is expected to draw an even bigger crowd!

The festival begins Saturday, October 15^th, at 9:00 a.m. and wraps up at 6:00 p.m. that evening. Jeff and Willie from Mountain Monsters will be there, as well as Ben Hansen from Fact or Faked. Other Bigfoot experts coming include Thom Shay and Charlie Raymond. You just never know who you might run into at this eccentric festival!

New to this year’s festival is a Bigfoot 5K Glow Run the evening before the festival! That is already proving to be very popular and folks are already signing up! That race will feature live music and too much fun. Glow sticks will light up the runners as they run to the Obed River and back at the Fairgrounds. Runners will be timed by chips in their bibs and an awards ceremony will follow the race! That race will begin at 8:00 p.m.

To learn even more about this incredible festival, just visit https://ucbigfoot.com/!

Home tip of the week 

Pull your refrigerator away from the wall at least once a year and vacuum the dust off the condenser coils. This helps your refrigerator continue to work efficiently and extends its life. Add this to your spring cleaning list and enjoy a more efficient fridge the rest of the year!

Creative Compassion Cares

Creative has now helped 19 families with either rent, mortgage or utility assistance since this new program began in January. These are families who came to us and were struggling due to a financial emergency. The grant for this program was made possible by the United Fund of Cumberland County, though that money will soon be exhausted. Fundraising events, such as the Weather and Wine class, as well as generous donations from the community, will provide additional funding for other families to receive help going forward.

The importance of this program is emphasized in the following quote from a gentleman we recently helped.

“This will get me over the hump of winter.  January, February, and March [heating] bills were so hard.  I’ve struggled so hard since January.  I don’t know how I would have done it without you.”

If you would like to give to this program, just find the donate button on this page or reach out to our agency.

Money Saving Tip 

Treat yourself! Just be sure to use your treat as an opportunity to save. Match the cost of your nonessential indulgences in savings. For example, if you splurge on a strawberry ice cream cone (or three!) while out running errands, put the same amount into your savings account. Before you know it, you’ll have a sweet amount of savings in that account!

Meet the Creative Crew!

Beginning with this month’s newsletter, you will meet each and every one of the staff and board members that keep things running smoothly here at Creative Compassion! For this month, I would like to introduce you to Kim Jordan. Kim has been on the Creative Compassion Board of Directors since 2014.  She has held the Secretary/Treasurer position, Vice President position, and currently sits as the Board President for 2022.

“Since I became a mom I always tried to give back, volunteered, coaching t-ball, basketball, and soccer. I moved to Crossville from Massachusetts and started volunteering and helping with the kid’s school sports. In that time, I applied for a home through Creative Compassion and I got approved! I was so happy and proud of myself! After I moved in, I got a call from a board member from Creative Compassion asking me to be a board member… I was a little nervous to say the least, but I wanted something else to do (since the kids have grown up), so I decided to give it a try. I wanted to be able to help another family and have them feel as happy and proud as I was with myself. It’s been 7 1/2 years now and I love it, and I continue to love helping hardworking families achieve their goals.”

We are so very proud of Kim and all that she has accomplished. Her contagious smile is always nice to see at our board meetings. Just keep in mind that there’s one word you can’t say around Kim, as I’ve learned the hard way many times. Don’t say the “snow” word and no one gets hurt! Kim will be quick to point out that she moved here from Massachusetts “to get away from that nonsense.” (ha!)

Thank you for all that you do, Kim!

Kitchen Tip 

Since May is the month we start tasting those delicious strawberries, it seems appropriate to share a strawberry-related kitchen tip! To wash those beautiful berries just place them in a colander and gently rinse them under cool water before removing the stems. If the stem is removed before the wash, the water will have a greater affect on the texture and flavor of the strawberries. We sure don’t want to risk losing any of that sweet and delicious strawberry flavor!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

Strawberries begin to ripen in Tennessee just as the weather is really warming up! This means you just might get a craving for a delicious strawberry milkshake. Check out this tasty recipe by Mary Gormandy White!

Ingredients

Makes approximately three, 12-ounce servings

• 1 pound of fresh strawberries
• 1 pint of vanilla or strawberry ice cream
• 1/2 cup of milk (your choice of whole, 2 percent, or skim)

Instructions

1. Hull the strawberries and cut them in half.
2. Place all ingredients in a blender.
3. Process until smooth (approximately 45 – 60 seconds).
4. Test before serving, adding additional time if needed for desired smoothness or adding more milk to adjust consistency.

Variations

There are plenty ways to vary this basic recipe for a strawberry milkshake. Consider:

• If you like your shakes thinner, add a bit more milk or even a few splashes of water.
• If the initial concoction is a bit too thin, add more ice cream or a few ice cubes and blend for 10 – 15 seconds longer.
• Blend in a few teaspoons of sugar or other sweetener (stevia, Splenda, etc.) if you like an even sweeter milkshake.
• For a silkier texture, blend in a small amount of strawberry or vanilla yogurt. Start with 2 tablespoons, adding more as needed to get to the texture you prefer.
• Use frozen strawberries instead of fresh.
• Enhance the fruit flavor by blending in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of another fruit that pairs well with strawberry, such as other types of berries, kiwi, or banana.
• Reduce carb count by using Hood Calorie Countdown Whole Dairy Beverage instead of milk and a reduced carb ice cream such as Breyers CarbSmart.

Serving Suggestions

Serving suggestions to consider include:

• Garnish the side of the glass with a whole strawberry and a sprig of mint. Cut a slit in the strawberry to set it on the rim of the glass.
• Top off the shake with a generous portion of whipped cream.
• Add a few sliced chopped or sliced strawberries to the top.
• Drizzle chocolate sauce on top of the shake.
• Fill the glass halfway up, drop in some chopped strawberries, then fill to the top.
• Invest in a set of classic soda fountain shoppe glasses if you plan to serve milkshakes often.
• Be sure to include a straw.

A Strawberry Festival to Remember

The city of Portland, Tennessee, is located about 45 miles north of Nashville and hosts one of the biggest strawberry festivals in the region on May 13-14! Just take I-40 to Lebanon and then hit Highway 109. That stretch of beautiful highway will take you right to Portland and to a lip-smacking good strawberry festival! For more information, please visit the festival’s website at https://www.middletennesseestrawberryfestival.net/.

Weather & Wine

Everything is coming together for the Weather & Wine class coming up on May 13th! Attendees will be treated to refreshments and fun and informative class by Meteorologist Mark! Few other industries are as impacted by weather and climate as the grape and wine industry. Changes in the past have influenced wines of today, and changes to come in the future will influence the wines of the future. It’s all very intriguing!

This creative fundraiser will benefit Creative Compassion and our mission to help folks with rent, mortgage, or utility assistance due to financial emergencies. The program has helped 19 families so far this year and many more will need our help by year’s end.

So, get your tickets today and support a very worthy cause while enjoying a very cool class! Tickets can be purchased for $25 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/327368938307. The class is filling up fast, so get your tickets today!

Creative Around the Community

Creative’s booth at the Master Gardener Flower, Lawn, & Garden Show last month was a hit! So many of you stopped by to chat and learn more about our organization. We had our new promotional car air fresheners to give away, free candy, as well as opportunities to register to win a baby sasquatch or yeti! It was all so much fun and we very much enjoyed talking with everyone who stopped by!

Roane State’s Open House was Monday, April 25th and we had such a blast there! So many folks stopped by and get their picture with the rarely-seen big man himself! And yes, Bigfoot is seen here clutching a baby sasquatch.

Creative’s Deputy Director, Mark Baldwin, was invited to speak with the Fairfield Rotary Club for their final April meeting. Mark spoke Creative’s mission and how this nonprofit has helped and will continue to help the community for many years to come! Mark was thankful for such a welcoming audience and a very warm reception!

A Creative Funny

Q: What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry?

A: If you weren’t so sweet, we wouldn’t be in this jam!

April 2022 Newsletter

April is the National Month of Hope.

We celebrate the power of hope–the belief that things will work out, especially when it seems otherwise. 

 Bookin’ a Fundraiser

Creative Compassion’s first fundraising event of 2022 was held at the Art Circle Public Library in downtown Crossville on March 5. Local author Rita Reali is currently writing a series of books that takes us into the intriguing lives of the Sheldons. The series highlights the human condition and takes readers on a journey filled with tests of love, loss, betrayal, hope, and faith.

Rita states that the biggest complaint she receives from the books are from people who begin reading the book just before bedtime. The page-turning series keeps readers up through the night. Rita’s advice is to start the books when you have a few hours to indulge in reading!

Rita has generously offered a portion of her book sales to go to Creative. That fundraising campaign began on March 5 and ends June 5. When you buy a book you support both a great local author and great local cause. To purchase a book(s), please contact Rita directly rita@LittleElmPress.com.

Creative is very grateful for Rita and her generous contribution to our organization. Be sure and give her a big thank you the next time you see her around!

If you would rather meet Rita in person and get your very own autographed copy of one of her books, just meet us at Grinder House Coffee on Saturday, April 30 from 11:00 – 1:00! Grinder House is located at 73 North Main Street in Downtown Crossville. Stop by to chat while you enjoy one of Grinder House’s delicious coffees or desserts. They also have a wonderful lunch menu!

A Creative Update

The new rent/mortgage and utility bill assistance program that began in January continues to help folks in our local community. Since January, Creative has now been able to help 14 families in need of assistance! Keep in mind that while Creative’s mission is to help mainly low-income individuals, this particular program is intended to help anyone who has encountered financial difficulty. If you or anyone you know needs assistance, please reach out to us today! The application for that assistance can be found at https://ccihomes.org/services.

A Busy March!

Creative has been busy getting the word out about our nonprofit! On the third of the month, Deputy Director Mark Baldwin was invited to speak with the Crossville Noon Rotary Club about Creative Compassion and explain what the organization does for the community. A big thank you to that Rotary Club!

On the fifth of the month, the Art Circle Public Library hosted the book signing that you read about at the start of this newsletter. Creative is so thankful for the Library’s sponsorship of that event and we are grateful to Rita Reali for being so generous with both her time and money.

On the 22nd, Mark had the pleasure of sitting down with Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-TN) at his Nashville office. It’s always nice to put in a good word about Creative with Mr. Sexton and to know that he appreciates us being here and what we do for the community.

On the morning of the 29th, Mark had the great pleasure of speaking with the Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club. They wanted to know all about Creative Compassion and the Bigfoot Festival coming in October that will support Creative! Mark says it’s always nice to start the day with good and friendly people! For more information about the Bigfoot Festival, please visit that website at https://ucbigfoot.com/. Look for a story on this festival in an upcoming newsletter!

Creative is so thankful for the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) for hosting our organization for Frito Bandito Day on the 29th. More than 80 students, faculty, and staff were served! It was a wonderful event and we are so thankful for that opportunity. We can’t wait to be invited back!

Home tip of the week 

Are you tired of the dread of using a hammer to drive a nail? If you’re anything like me, you’ve suffered the blow of a misguided hammer on more than one occasion! Next time, try using a comb to hold the nail in place. The comb should hold the nail in place and keep your fingers safe from that next swing of the hammer!

Creative Compassion Cares

Creative hired a Deputy Director this year who is also a local meteorologist. Many of you may know Mark from his website, MeteorologistMark.com. Part of Mark’s responsibilities involve coming up with unique fundraiser ideas. One of those ideas was inspired by the parent of one of the kids in Mark’s monthly class for kids at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT). She proposed a class for adults to learn about the impacts of weather and climate on the wine industry.

After looking into that topic, Mark decided there was definitely an interesting class to be had on this subject! That idea has turned into a fundraiser for Creative Compassion. Thanks to a sponsorship by Stonehaus Winery, that class will become a reality on Friday, May 13th at 5:00 pm! We hope you will join us for refreshments and a very interesting seminar on the impacts of weather and climate on wines and the grapes they rely on.

The class is limited to the first 40 who sign up, so be sure and secure your spot today! To learn more and to register for the seminar just visit https://ccihomes.org/weather-wine-seminar.

Money Saving Tip 

With gardening season upon us, it might be time to consider a vegetable garden, especially if you’ve never had one before. Seasoned gardeners know all about that delicious taste of a fresh-from-the-garden veggie and the pride that comes from harvesting those veggies from your very own garden. Those same veggies can also save you a lot of money. Even with increasing prices of seeds and fertilizers, growing your own vegetables can still be a cost-effective thing to do, not to mention the health benefits! According to Dengarden.com, the seven most cost-effective vegetables to grow are lettuce, broccoli, green beans, carrots, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, and tomatoes. My mouth is watering already!

For some added beauty to your garden, don’t be afraid to mix some flowers in with your veggies. In fact, many gardeners are convinced that Marigolds ward off pests like tomato hornworms and rabbits!

Kitchen Tip 

This month’s kitchen tip is more about gratitude. With real-estate it’s always about location, location, location. In the kitchen, it’s all about gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. Whether you thank God for your food before, during, or after a meal or whether you simply remember to thank the chef, always remember to be grateful for what you have to eat. And, of course, let’s not forget to be grateful for the ones we get to share our meal with, even if it’s just ourselves.

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

This month’s recipe features a Raspberry Poke Cake that our very own Janie Burgess prepared for one of our Creative Compassion board meetings. The cake was a delicious success! This retro Raspberry Jell-O Poke Cake is a potluck favorite. It’s made with raspberry-flavored Jell-O, but you can use any flavor.

Raspberry Poke Cake

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Chill Time: 3 hrs

STEP ONE:  First, make the cake and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Let the cake cool completely after baking.

STEP TWO: Next, prepare the Jell-O. Then, poke holes all over the cake with a wooden spoon handle.

STEP THREE: Using a measuring spoon, add the Jell-O to the holes. Chill the cake for at least three hours.

STEP FOUR: Finally, spread cool whip over the top and garnish with raspberries and sprinkles. 

A Creative Funny

I wanted to buy some literature on DIY shelving. Sounds easy, but try going into a book store and asking if they have “any books on shelves”. (credit: jokojokes.com)

March 2022 Newsletter

 “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday,” Isaiah 58:10.

A Very Gracious Offering 

Local author Rita Reali recently reached out to Creative Compassion with a very enticing offer. She offered a portion of her book sales to benefit Creative Compassion’s mission!

Rita told Creative that she decided to support our organization because she wants to see Creative succeed. “We need organizations like yours in our area,” Rita said. “I’ve always heard, ‘You can’t go through life with a catcher’s mitts on both hands: you’ve got to be able to throw something back’ This is my way of giving back to a cause I believe in.”

Rita is the author of a book series that takes a reader on an adventure with the Sheldons. While the books are written in such a way that they don’t need to be read in the order in which they were written, Rita suggests readers might enjoy the series more if they read the books in order.

Rita is a two-time international award-winning novelist and is a professional editor and proofreader. She’s also a national award-winning journalist and an award-winning essayist, parody songwriter, photographer and visual artist.

The onetime radio announcer and news director – “bitten by the radio bug” at an early age – weaves elements of the broadcast world and its miscellaneous quirky personalities into her novels. A native and longtime resident of Connecticut, Rita now lives atop the picturesque Cumberland Plateau in rural Tennessee, with her husband, cat and an assortment of fictional characters who keep life interesting.

You can meet Rita at the Art Circle Public Library on Saturday, March 5 from 12:30-3:30 for a book signing. The library has generously offered their beautiful Community Room for the occasion.

So, make plans to come visit us at the library on March 5. We would love to see you there! The books sell for $15 each, with the fourth book in the series selling for $20. Cash, check, and credit card are accepted.

Creative will provide light refreshments. In the book Second Chances, readers learn that Gary Sheldon’s favorite cookie is the Cinnamon-Walnut cookie. Rita has hinted that those may make make an appearance at the book signing! We hope to see you there!

Home tip of the week 

Use those plastic bread bag ties to label power cords! Just place the plastic tie on the cord and then label it with a sharpie. You’ll be helping out the environment by recycling and you’ll know which cord goes with each appliance. No more unplugging the wrong thing! A win, win for sure!

Creative Compassion Cares

The new rent and utility assistance program is off to a wonderful start! Since the program began on January first, Creative has helped 11 households with either rent or utility bill assistance. Those who qualified for assistance had experienced unexpected financial emergencies. To apply for assistance, just go to the “services” tab on our webpage at https://ccihomes.org/services.

The rent and utility assistance was funded by a grant from the United Fund of Cumberland County. Creative is very grateful for this generous grant that will help so many families.

Later this spring, Creative will once again be participating in the Carol M. Peterson Housing Fund grant. This grant is for low-income households that have special needs and/or are 60 years of age or older and inhabiting the residence. In the past, Creative has helped homeowners replace roofs, water heaters, plumbing, HVAC units, leaking exterior doors, etc. 

Special needs criteria includes physical, mental, or developmental needs. It also includes those who are co-occurring disabled, physically/emotionally abused, chemically dependent, aging out of foster care/orphanage or other residential facilities.

The low-income status will be determined from the application filed with Creative.

At least one applicant must have ownership in the home needing the repairs and they must live at the home needing the repairs (i.e. meaning their name must be on the deed).  Applicants can have a lien or mortgage on the home; it does not need to be owned “free & clear.” That home address must be in Cumberland, Fentress, White, Overton, or Putnam counties.

Applications are available by request via email, mail, or pick up at our office. If you have any questions, please call our office at 931-456-6654 and ask to speak with Jessica!

Money Saving Tip 

Change your HVAC filter every month during the heating months. Change it every month if your unit also uses the filter for air conditioning. Keeping that filter changed creates less stress on your unit and can save you as much as $60 a year! A clean filter also increases the lifespan on your unit. 

Bonus tip…take a sharpie and write the date you changed the filter in the white space around the filter. Then, you’ll always know when you changed it out last. 

Few things are worse than trying to clean up the mess from the egg that got away! I know this has never happened to you seasoned chefs, but if an egg should happen to slip away from you and splat on the floor, just sprinkle lots of salt on it. No more chasing that broken egg all across the floor!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

With St. Patrick’s Day coming on the 17th, Creative figured you all would like a “green” recipe for the occasion. This delicious cake might just help you have the best St. Patrick’s Day yet!

Pistachio Pudding Cake

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Cool: 1 hr

What you’ll need:

What you’ll need to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10 or 12-inch fluted Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, instant pudding powder, eggs, 7up soda, vegetable oil, and almond extract (if using); beat with an electric mixer or whisk vigorously for 2 minutes, until combined. Fold in the pistachios.
3. Pour evenly into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes, then run a dull knife along the edges to loosen. Then allow to cool completely.
5. Turn cake out onto a wire rack or plate; dust with powdered sugar.
6. Slice and serve!

A Creative Funny

Please don’t come to my garage sale if you’ve ever let me borrow something. —@Mjkspeaks (Reader’s Digest)

February 2022 Newsletter

 “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday,” Isaiah 58:10.

Welcome!

A new chapter in Creative Compassion’s 30-year history has begun! With the hiring of a new Deputy Director, Mark Baldwin, things are changing at Creative and we can’t wait to see what this new chapter brings for our non-profit!

Many of you may know Mark from his weather forecasts on social media and his website MeteorologistMark. The good news for his more than 20,000 followers is that his work with local weather will continue!

Mark served on the Board of Directors for Creative before applying for and being hired into this new role with Creative. He looks forward to working with Creative on fundraising ideas, as well as community outreach that educates the public on what Creative is and how we can help our communities.

One of Mark’s first projects is this monthly newsletter, which is a first for Creative! Mark’s background in journalism, along with his love of writing, makes him well suited for this endeavor. His skills and love for his community made him a shoo-in for a Deputy Director. We can’t wait to see what he does for Creative!

In the beginning…

Creative Compassion began with a sermon from the book of Isaiah. The verse that formed the heart of that sermon is the one you see titling this letter. That message of compassion resonated in the hearts of Mike and Judy Smathers and led them to create Creative. Thirty years later, we continue our work of serving our communities through the love of Christ.

Since our founding in 1989, Creative has helped more than 700 people with various housing needs, including making it possible for low-income individuals to become home owners. Creative also takes pride in helping local individuals with home repairs, as well as rent and utility assistance.

HOME Grant

Creative Compassion is celebrating the largest HOME grant in the agency’s history! The $640,000 HOME grant will make it possible for Creative to provide even more housing for local low-income families. The grant is a clear signal of the strong reputation Creative has built over the past 30 years.

The HOME grant is the largest Federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Were it not for Creative Compassion, this money would have gone somewhere else, costing our own region this much-needed money.

Home tip of the week 

Did you know that you can use crayons to fill in nail holes on the wall? Just find a crayon that matches (or closely matches) the wall paint and use the crayon to fill in the hole. This works great on white walls with a white crayon!

Just don’t let the kids see you do this. You may end up with more crayon on the wall than you bargained for!  

A New Creative Compassion Program

Creative has been busy reviewing applications for the brand new home utility and rental assistance program that began this month. Winter has been harsh and that means utility bills are high. For those who were struggling before the winter hit, the added stress of higher utility bills has quickly become a burden.

That’s where Creative Compassion steps in. After filling out an application that proves the need, applicants are then considered for financial assistance. Money never goes directly into the hands of recipients. Rather, it is sent to the utility company that is needing to be paid.

If rental assistance is sought, that need is also confirmed through an application process. If granted, the money then goes directly to the landlord.

All financial needs must be proven by the applicant. An applicant can only receive funds once every 18 months.

Assistance from this grant is made possible by funding provided by the United Fund of Cumberland County.

“After a hard year of financial difficulties resulting from events out of my control, my spouse… had an affair and left our home. I had to continue to pay for all our financial responsibilities…. After (some time) I had reached a point where I had fallen behind and just couldn’t keep up the financial burden any longer. My savings were depleted, and I could no longer pay for the financial responsibilities of two individuals on my salary alone. This assistance helped me get back on track and kept me from falling further behind. It was a true blessing.” – Cumberland County Family needing help with utilities.

Money Saving Tip 

Clean your lightbulbs. Dirty lightbulbs may emit as much as 30% less energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Cleaning those bulbs will make the room brighter, making it less necessary for other lights to be used. So, something as simple as just cleaning off the bulbs could put some extra cash in your wallet! That’s always a good thing!

Kitchen Tip

Do you get tired of buying bananas, only to throw several of them out because you didn’t use them before they went bad? Well, don’t be so quick to throw them out! Just peal them, slice them up, and place them in a freezer bag and freeze them. They’ll keep for several more weeks and will work perfectly in banana bread or smoothies! In fact, I use frozen banana slices quite often for my blueberry smoothies. Packed with potassium, antioxidants, and Vitamin C, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more delicious and nutritious treat!

Creative’s Recipe of the Month

Delicious Banana Blueberry Smoothie

DIY Bloopers

“I once started demolishing a wall… before I knew what ‘load-bearing’ meant.”

-Angela C. from Antioch, TN (Source: Zabitat.com)

We hope you’ve enjoyed our first newsletter! Stay tuned for the next letter coming in March!