News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Trees made entirely of trash and recycling will be on display this weekend as the Sparta Woman’s Club raises funds for the Special Warriors program.
Woman’s Club member Sanda Ayers said local businesses and organizations assembles the trees to show people that sometimes, trash can be turned into something useful. Ayers said the Woman’s Club wants to give the community a Christmas experience different than what they are used to and help a worthy cause.
“Everybody goes to concerts and to Christmas parties and stuff, this is just a little twist,” Ayers said. “We’re hoping that it’s because it’s a little twist that we’ll get a big turnout and raise a lot of money for these Special Needs Warriors.”
The Special Needs Warriors is a group of powerlifters at the Sparta YMCA that encourages mental and physical activity in the special needs community. The trees will be on display Friday from 4-7pm and Noon-6pm Saturday, on the second floor of the American Legion building.
“The women’s club is an international club, and they have always tried to make the community better,” Ayers said. “The way you make the community better is by getting people together and networking and figuring out what is needed in your community, and helping.”
Ayers said the Special Warriors offer children with intellectual and developmental disabilities powerlifting classes and opportunities for socialization and fitness. Ayers said the group needs funding for equipment and trips to competitions. Ayers said in addition to refreshment sales, the event will raise funds by allowing attendees to pay $1 to vote on their favorite tree.
Ayers said this is the first year of the event, but she hopes it will grow in years to come. The space being used this year can accommodate 12 trees, and the club had to turn down several organizations that wanted to participate due to lack of space.
“It is environmental,” Ayers said. “I think a lot of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the 4-H clubs that are doing these, I think that’s a lot that’s behind it to show that trash may not be trash, it can be recycled into different things.”
