News From the World of Spark –
Hello again, friends of Spark! The warm weather continues (as if we needed to be reminded), but we did have some relief and much-needed rain, which has been helpful. For a bit of extra relief from the heat, we’d like to remind you of the YEE-HAW PINT NIGHT!
Fundraising
That’s right! Yee-Haw Brewing Co. is partnering with Spark from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 19. Grab a friend and head down to the brewery at 745 N. Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917.
During this event, Spark will receive $1 from EVERY single pint or pitcher sold at Yee-Haw! Bring your friends and have a safe and responsible time at one of Tennessee’s finest breweries.
If you can’t make it out and still want to donate, here is your chance!
New Spark Volunteer
New Spark Volunteer
We have a new volunteer, Jim Shaw, here at Spark.
The first thing you’d probably notice about Jim Shaw is his handlebar mustache – it’s a work of art.
The next thing you would definitely notice is how much he loves helping other people. It’s part of his nature, and it’s a great trait to have when you’re at a place like Spark that values collaboration.
The tech wiz started volunteering at Spark in February and has proven himself to be a terrific asset. After learning about Spark from a friend and researching the nonprofit, Jim worked out a schedule with Executive Director Mary Thom Adams and jumped into finding things that needed to be done and then doing them.
What he loves about Spark is the innovation.
“We don’t have a set way to fix a dynamic problem, but we will give you options,” he says. “We want to help people figure things out. I like that.”
Jim’s family moved around the country a lot when he and his younger brother and sister were growing up but settled in Knox County when he was 11. His father got him interested in home computers when most people had never seen one.
Jim wrote his first computer program for a science fair in third grade and won a $1,000 scholarship, so in hindsight it seems that computers were his destiny. However, he says his favorite job was his first – fixing arcade games at a Showbiz Pizza place when he was 15 years old.
After graduating from Karns High School, Jim went to Georgia Tech, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems. He has worked in several states, but he bought a house in Knoxville 17 years ago and plans to remain here to be close to family.
His first major project at Spark was working on a new iteration of the switch Spark created to modify toys for children with disabilities. His goal was to make it childproof, easier to assemble and keep the cost down.
He’s a big believer in the KISS principle: “Keep it simple, stupid.”
New Spark Board of Directors Members
Spark has two new Board of Directors members: John Baugh and Delana Baughman
John Baugh grew up in Knoxville and graduated from West High School. He majored in political science and Spanish for his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee and then went on to earn his law degree from the UT College of Law. He has been practicing law with his parents at Lay & Baugh Law for 11 years.
John’s focus is on estate planning and probate, but he is also a federal fiduciary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, advocating for veterans in legal dealings.
When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time in the mountains and on his family’s farm – they grow corn, but “It’s more of a getaway” – in London, Ky. He has recently discovered a love for travel through trips to Alaska and Europe.
John was attracted to Spark because he has “a couple of family members with unique needs and disabilities, and I’ve always wanted to give back to the community.”
Delana Baughman is the Business Development Director for Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Hospital, so she knows a little about how to support nonprofits. “I am a medical social worker by training and have been for 30 years,” she says. “Helping people connect to resources is my passion.”
A Loudon native, Delana graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in social work and went on to earn her master’s in health-care administration. She worked in Chattanooga briefly before joining Covenant Health. She and her husband of 25 years have two grown sons and love the outdoors. She’s also a fan of scavenger hunts.
Delana was drawn to Spark because of “the amount of assistance that this organization provides the community – so many people don’t realize that – and wanting to help promote that. It’s phenomenal, the impact.”
Contact Information
Spark
116 Childress St.
Knoxville, TN 37920
865-219-0130
SparkSparky.SparkTN@gmail.com
https://www.SparkTN.org
Spark is a designated 501(c)(3) organization by the IRS, and all donations of money, time, or equipment are tax deductible.