Shopper Blog: Keri Ferrari's shop helps those on path to spirituality, healing
POWELL
Keri Ferrari's shop helps those on path to spirituality, healing
Al Lesar, Shopper News
All Keri Ferrari wants in her Awakened Soul Spiritual Shop is positive energy and a safe place for people to feel comfortable.
“No matter what spiritual path you’re on, we’re here to welcome you,” Ferrari said of her shop on 2330 Merchant Drive in Powell. “There is so much bad in the world. You can learn so much by talking to people. Just pull up some folding chairs and hang out.”
The Awakened Soul Spiritual Shop offers something for everyone. If Ferrari doesn’t have something on hand, she’ll order it.
There are holistic healing components like herbs and crystals. Also on sale are tea, candles, incense, books and an assortment of other items that can be used in different spiritualistic rituals.
Ferrari doesn’t advocate the occult, but she does stock things that can be used in the practice.
“We have some things that are witchy,” Ferrari said. “If someone wants to do that, it’s fine with me. We’ll help as much as we can.”
Navigating a spiritual path
Ferrari moved to East Tennessee with her family when she was 19.
“I was raised Catholic, but I never felt Catholic,” Ferrari said. “I felt like I didn’t fit in. I had to travel my own spiritual path.”
She was someone who always needed a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the week to help her peace of mind. Ferrari found her way into the medical field. She worked several jobs within nursing homes.
“I was someone who didn’t like to give medicine unless it was something major,” Ferrari said. “If someone had something minor, I would like the holistic approach.”
In September 2022, Ferrari wanted something better for herself. She decided to throw caution to the wind, get over the need for the steady paycheck, and take the leap into the world of the entrepreneur.
“Since we first opened, it has been all about the community,” Ferrari said. “Like in the nursing homes, this has been my way to help people.
“I realized that I could open a shop on my own. I never had the belief in myself. That helped me get over needing that paycheck. I could do this.”
Ferrari said she has had a lot of people visit her shop who have had “Christian trauma.”
“They feel and believe differently from what is being taught,” she said. “This is a place they could come to talk about it.”
Vendors add to offerings
Besides the items that are on sale, Ferrari said she has several vendors come in throughout the month to deliver services.
There’s a woman who does energy work; a medium; several Tarot card readers; someone who works with sacred calendars; Crystal Reiki is offered; sound bath crystal bowls and more than 20 artist vendors. She is also planning pop-up vendor markets on random Sundays.
“With everything we have, it’s all geared toward helping people,” she said. “Everyone who comes in here says they love the energy of the shop. They say it’s a time-warp, back to when things were simpler.”
Awakened Soul Spiritual Shop is open 12-8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 12-6 Sundays.
OPINION
It's not easy to be normal
Leslie Snow, Shopper News
I’m making a salad for dinner, but I’m not paying attention to the cucumbers or the lettuce. I keep thinking about Zack and Olivia and their journey to buy a reasonably priced house in West Knoxville. It’s a daunting task.
As I pull the arugula out of the refrigerator, I think about all the things I want to say to them about buying a home in such a tight housing market. I want to tell them they’ll have to move faster than they’re comfortable moving. I want to explain that the old rules about making an offer have changed.
My mind is buzzing with information. So, I put my radishes aside and pick up my phone instead.
Zack answers on the first ring and I jump into a conversation about real estate. Only it’s not really a conversation. It’s more a forceful monologue or a verbal explosion. I have a lot of ideas in my head, and I want to share them all with him.
After five minutes of me talking and Zack listening, I hear him say, “Thanks for the information, but I’m at my apartment now. I better run.” I tell him I love him then turn back to my salad.
And for about five minutes I feel really good about the conversation. I’m pleased that I was able to share so many pearls of wisdom with my eldest son. Then the doubt starts to creep in like it always does, and I start talking to myself.
“You were pretty free with your opinions,” I say in my mind. “Why didn’t you wait until Zack asked for advice before you gave it? He has a realtor. You should let her do her job instead of jumping in to do it for her.”
Then the self-flagellation begins.
“You’re too opinionated.”
“You don’t respect boundaries.”
“Stay in your lane.”
During dinner, my stomach is twisted in knots. I wonder if Zack is mad at me. I wonder if I should apologize. I agonize over all my possible missteps while I load the dishwasher. Finally, I can’t take it anymore. I text Zack with a heartfelt apology.
“I’m so sorry I crossed a line while we were talking. I need to do a better job with boundaries. Next time, I’ll wait for you to ask for advice before I give it.”
He texts back immediately. “I was wondering how long it would take you to send your apology text. You did nothing wrong! You were trying to help us and we’re new at this. Why would I be angry? What’s wrong with you? Haha.”
The relief washes over me. And a memory pops into my head.
I was apologizing to a friend for some comment I’d made that might have sounded offensive if she took it the wrong way. She just laughed and said, “You’re so funny. After a conversation passes, I never think about it again. You think about everything!”
That was when I discovered that not everybody hand-wrings and worries over every conversation. I was stunned.
Every day, perfectly normal people have conversations and don’t dissect them. They don’t reexamine them for possible slights when they’re finished, and they don’t beat themselves up for any unintentional missteps. It blew my mind. I didn’t even know that was a possibility.
It turns out that adage I made up is true: There are two kinds of people in this world: those who agonize over every word they utter, and those who sleep at night.
Leslie Snow may be reached at snowcolumn@aol.com.
Money 'disappeared,' and donors to the defunct Liminal group are in the dark | Ashe
POWELL
New owners add amenities at Norris golf driving range
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Maybe a little “ding” at the Tennessee Tee golf facility can revolutionize the driving range industry across the country.
That “ding” would be part of the Ding System that is being patented by Tammy Diamond, the new owner of the driving range − which sits adjacent to Exit 122 Outdoor Power Equipment and near the Museum of Appalachia on Andersonville Highway − and James Bible, an electrical engineer who loves to work his way through a couple buckets of balls.
When Diamond bought the driving range in February 2023, there was an immediate push to clean up the facility and cut the grass. Among the early additions were yardage markers to lend perspective to the clients hitting balls, and a couple targets − just for fun.
The metal sheets that served as targets were slightly elevated. The 12 x 12 sheet is placed at 130 yards and a 2 x 6 piece is at 30 yards. When the targets are hit, it makes a pretty loud “ding.”
The fun doesn’t end there, though. Bible figured out a way to program an app that causes the target to light up when it’s hit. That little extra pizzazz could make it attractive to driving ranges everywhere.
Play any of 26 courses
Those “dings” and lights are just part of the fanfare that goes along with the revitalized facility.
Last fall, a simulator was added to the building adjacent to the hitting area. The high-tech equipment can be programmed to allow golfers to “play” one of 26 courses available. Every shot − except putts − is assessed by the computer after it’s taken. It’s located on the backdrop of the course projected onto the screen.
The simulator, in a building with four air conditioners and two heaters, can be rented for $60 for two hours. It is available by appointment only.
It is also equipped to have video taken for swing evaluation and lessons.
Diamond, who had traveled frequently for her sales job, moved to East Tennessee from the Corbin, Kentucky, area several years ago to be closer to a major airport. After initially settling in Halls, watching a stunning sunset from Brookstone Ridge was enough to encourage another move.
When she saw the driving range available, she thought that would be an entrepreneurial challenge to take.
“Owning a driving range is probably one of the more enjoyable businesses,” Diamond said.
Besides cleaning up the facility, solving vandalism issues was critical. Thanks to a machine that delivered balls automatically, the driving range had been available 24/7. However, once hours were limited to 7 a.m.-10 p.m., with surveillance and other security precautions taken, the vandalism has subsided.
Charging anywhere from $5 for 30 balls to $15 for 140 balls, they haven't increased rates from previous ownership. In the 11 months of 2023 that Tammy owned the facility, 1.3 million balls were collected.
The guy doing most of the collecting has been a lifesaver. Victor Miller is a retired veteran who donates his time just about every day. He’s mostly on the tractor picking up balls or mowing grass.
Don't forget the coffee
But golf isn’t the only selling point at the facility.
It’s kinda like, come for the golf, stay for the coffee.
One day, Diamond was standing in line at Starbucks. She noticed as her latte was being made, water was added.
“I didn’t want someone watering down my latte,” she said. “Right then, I knew I could do better.”
That’s when Brewtopia Craft Coffee was born.
For now, the high-end brew comes from a trailer that will remain stationary next to the driving range. Diamond is hoping to expand it to a mobile cart for events.
“When you order your coffee, we grind the beans right then,” Diamond said. “Everything is fresh. I’ve worked with the science of the coffee to make sure everything is smooth, not bitter.”
Diamond has even invented the Clinch River Latte: An espresso shot, steamed milk, caramel and a hint of cinnamon.
“I’ve spent lots of hours looking for the right product,” she said. “We didn’t want to open until we got everything just right.”
Besides the lattes, espresso and drip coffees, Brewtopia has muffins, Lotus (plant-based) energy drinks, hot chocolate and Arnold Palmers (tea with lemonade syrup).
“From all the research I’ve done, iced drinks are supposed to be more popular than hot,” Diamond said. “That’s not the case in what I’ve seen so far. Hot drinks are much more popular.”
Brewtopia Craft Coffee opened March 30. In its first five days, 209 cups of coffee were sold.
This gives the Norris area a high-end coffee opportunity nearby.
“Serving people has always been important to me,” Diamond said. “This new endeavor is a great way to do that.”
FARRAGUT
Rib Roast Fundraiser helps feed kids facing food insecurity
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
Year 18 for the Feeding God’s Children Chicken and Rib Roast Fundraiser was a rousing success as usual May 4 and 5 at Belk, 11397 Parkside Drive.
Feeding God’s Children board president Nathan Kluemper explained that the proceeds go toward feeding children in Appalachia and Guatemala.
It all started in 2004 when Sid and Shannon Kemp from Two Rivers Church in Lenoir City visited one of the poorest and most desperate communities in Guatemala City. They were so moved by what they saw, they co-founded Feeding God’s Children. The organization earned its 501(c)(3) status in 2008.
“We sponsor about 50 kids at a time in conjunction with Guatemalan medical staff who travel from one village to another. They team with several churches to provide medical care and supplements to improve the overall health of the child,” Kluemper said.
“It wasn’t long before we saw a need here at home in Kentucky.
“We do a food program for about 150 kids in six different schools in Kentucky. They go home with seven meals they can prepare themselves.”
The fundraiser offered a little something for everyone. Ribs were at the ready as was barbecued chicken, pulled pork sandwiches made with Texas Roadhouse rolls, and a side of coleslaw with baked beans.
Kluemper said he wanted to give special thanks to everyone who worked the fundraiser, but especially board member Luke Loveday, who organized the once-per-year fundraiser.
“All the volunteers put a lot of love … and a lot of fun into the food each year. It’s a lot of work, but we enjoy it,” Kluemper said.
At this point, 100 percent of the proceeds from the fundraiser go toward feeding children facing food insecurity.
“Without this event, we would have overhead; but since the rib roast is so popular we’re able to put 100 percent back into feeding the kids in Guatemala and Kentucky, Kluemper said.
“We need sponsors, but we’re competing with some really great organizations out there. We just have to find new ways to bring in income. The Feeding God’s Children Chicken and Rib Roast has been going on for about 18 years now and we do have a few corporate sponsorships that jump in there and help us with this event to make it a huge fundraiser for us every year.”
The organization recently launched a summer feeding program to reach those same kids dealing with food insecurity in Kentucky.
“We have teamed up with a ministry called Henderson Settlement,” he said. “We like to keep the money local, too, so we teamed with Mike Long’s Pic Pac, a local grocery store known for giving back to the community in Kentucky. They actually provide the food and deliver it; we just provide the funds.”
The organization also helps provide a Thanksgiving dinner at Mooreland Heights Elementary and Inskip Elementary with plenty of volunteer power so the teachers and staff can sit down and enjoy the meal with the kids.
Info: www.feedinggodschildren.org.
NORTH KNOXVILLE
Weekly mountain-music jam carries on Appalachian tradition
Jack Coker, Shopper News
Picture this: You’re walking down Central in the Old City, when you hear, distantly, distinctly, the melodic plucking of the banjo. Fear not, and no need to “paddle faster,” you are hearing the Old Time Jam at Boyd’s Jig & Reel.
For the past 10 years, Sarah Pirkle has played host to the Old Time Jam, helping to expose as many people as possible to the wonderful tones of the heartland.
“Jenny Boyd, the owner of the pub, is a friend of mine,” she said, “and is actually one of my former fiddle students. She had experienced jams in Ireland where people all sit around a table and play together, which is what we do. She asked me if we could host a similar thing at the pub.”
The jam session follows in the great East Tennessee music tradition of Appalachian folk tunes. The Old Time style is achieved by everyone playing together at once to achieve the mountain sound. “We take turns picking the tunes as we go around the tables, and mostly play instrumentals.”
Anyone is welcome to join Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. − if they are considerate and follow one key rule. “No percussion. I don’t want anyone breaking out a set of spoons,” Pirkle said.
Pirkle got her start in bluegrass when she was 19. “I was going to college for nursing and didn’t get my grant to go to my second year, so I had to take a year off. A friend of mine turned me on to bluegrass music and it lit my head on fire. I rented a fiddle and took some lessons. It took over my life. After eight months of lessons my teacher, Marty Kaufman, was moving out of state and couldn’t find anyone to teach the 10 students that she had. So she trained me to do it and it's all I’ve ever done since.”
Pirkle loves to share her love for music with younger musicians as well. This summer, she is running the summer semester Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program to serve the young people of Knox County. JAM seeks to preserve the mountain music heritage by offering low-cost lessons in fiddle, banjo, guitar, and other instruments of the Appalachian region to small groups of students in afterschool settings.
“It is $15 per two-hour session. It includes a snack and enrichment like visiting other musicians and storytellers. We also loan instrument to students that don’t have one,” Pirkle explained. You can find registration details at https://www.northsidedisciple.com/about-4.
While speaking with Pirkle, I did take the opportunity to ask her to explain the difference between a fiddle and a violin, a request she happily obliged. “You don’t spill beer on a violin,” she said.
BEARDEN
Biking and hiking trails around Concord Park enhanced by 70 volunteers, Parks and Rec
John Shearer, Shopper News
Several dozen Knoxville area residents who enjoy hiking or biking on the trails around Concord Park and elsewhere took some time on May 4 to do some building of them as well.
“Over 70 people came out and helped with the trail work,” an excited Matthew Kellogg, executive director of the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club, said of the effort done behind the ballfields in the multi-tract park. “We accomplished more than we ever expected.”
He added that when completed, the six trails – two of which will be specifically for mountain biking – should join in a seamless way with the existing 16 miles of trails and paths in the area. It should also give trail users and off-road bikers in this West Knox County park off Northshore Drive a little more of the urban wilderness feel like that at Baker Creek Preserve in South Knoxville, he pointed out.
AMBC board chairman Charlie DeBevoise added in an email that the work is very meaningful to enhancing outdoor opportunities in general in this part of town. “This is the culmination of a partnership between AMBC and Knox County Parks and Recreation,” he said. “With the completion of this last phase, Knox County will connect over 20,000 residents within two miles to their parks, trails, and green spaces. This is big news for that area.”
The volunteers, who worked side by side with a professional crew that has been doing a good part of the work, focused on such tasks as trail treadwork, burn landform work, putting in a picnic table, clearing a corridor for trail alignment, and even trying to remove some invasive brush. A local Master Gardener helped with the latter, Kellogg said, and other volunteers doing some of the work included a youth cycling wing of the club, a women’s only team, and others with AMBC.
Besides building trails, the workers were fostering positive relations and neighborly camaraderie. As Kellogg added, “It is unlocking a lot of community connections.”
The bike club has also been keeping busy in other areas of land preservation for outdoor use. Kellogg said the group has a contract to purchase two small tracts of undeveloped land to add buffer space and tree canopy by the Lost Chromosome Trail of the South Loop Route in South Knoxville.
They are busily trying to raise $35,000 for the purchase and development of a multi-use neighborhood connector trail there. “This property will conserve nearly three acres of land and bolster the buffer along the Urban Wilderness South Loop,” he said.
More information about the fundraising efforts and other activities of the group – including regular volunteer trail work on the first Saturday of each month during non-summer months – can be found at the group’s website, ambcknox.org.
“We’ve been around for 17 years and we have proven that we are willing to put in the work to get projects done,” he said in summing up the group.
Kellogg, who said the club has two fulltime staff members as well as two staff members provided by AmeriCorps, added that he became connected with the group as a volunteer several years ago before moving into the role of executive director.
Raised in Chattanooga, where his older sister, Jenny Hill, currently serves on that town’s City Council, he said he likes the non-work benefits of his job as well.
“I enjoy getting outside and breathing fresh air and getting out of the office,” he said, adding that he often takes his 3½-year-old with him to exercise.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper News brings you the latest happenings in your community
