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By Dave Palmer
As seems to be true each year, this year had a few firsts. For the first time this year we had an actual tour group go through. This was a group of senior citizens who even had their own bus. Accompanied by our own Beth Booker, this group not only went through the regular tour, they also were able to make special arrangements with neighbors Mike Branan and Tom Havasy to go through their wonderful home prior to going on the full tour. Thanks Mike and Tom for your help and support. On
Saturday evening, the tour goers enjoyed special holiday music As always, the homeowners, volunteers and tour committees worked long and hard to make the tour the success it was. Special thanks have to go to tour chair Penny Baxter, who overcame obstacles that few of us could to insure a smooth successful tour. In this she was ably aided by Tomica Miller, who stepped in and was invaluable help no only to Penny, but was also the premier salesperson of ads for the calendar. Jesse Ursery did his usual outstanding job of putting the calendar together and getting it printed. And this year he didn't even kill anyone. Did you know that Jesse is also the Jack-of-all-trades during the actual tour? He's the one running around making sure everyone has tickets, change and any other thing that may be needed. How do you do it all, Jesse? Pete Creel has become the guru of ticket sales, making sure that the ticket booth is manned and runs smoothly and that everything is well accounted for. Along with Andy Anderson, Tomica Miller and Doug Owenby, Pete put up and then removed the banners you saw around the area advertising the tour. Oh yes, he also put out and removed the signs marking each home on the tour. We need to thank Chet Kilgore for again making arrangements for the ticket booth and generator. This year Chet, along with Cleveland's Interiors, donated a wonderful bowl as the drawing prize for people who filled out the back of their tickets. Thanks, Chet. Ever time I turned around I was running into Marvin and Dodi Payne. Need someone at the empty house on Oklahoma? Marvin is there. Jean Campbell short on help in her home? Dodi is there. You get the idea. Wherever help is needed they will be there. Thanks Marvin and Dodi. David Vogel did double duty this year, not only serving on the tour committee, but also allowing his new home to be on the tour.
By the way, we are already gearing up for the 2001 tour. We are very happy to announce that Danelle Owenby has graciously agreed to assume the mantle of tour chair. She says that she is looking forward to the full support of everyone in the neighborhood in carrying on and making this year's tour the best ever. Watch this space for opportunities to help. -- The Webmaster would like to thank Brian McDaniel for providing the interior shots of the homes that participated in the 2000 Home Tour. |
In
the twelve years Old North Knoxville has been hosting the Victorian
Holiday Home Tour, there is one constant found in each tour. This is the
unpredictability of the weather. Some years we have had to have air
conditioning on, others have seen rain, even others snow and sleet. This
year proved no different with cold weather and the threat of snow. It
didn't stop either the homeowners and volunteers or the loyal people that came
out to view some of the finest homes in the Knoxville area. Our final
count of tickets shows we had about 800 hardy people go through the tour this
year.
provided by the Knoxville
Children's Choir. This wonderful group of youngsters, in two different
groups, made the rounds of the tour homes caroling at each one for a short
period. This was a feature much appreciated by our tour goers. After
singing their hearts out, the choir was treated to hot chocolate and cider along
with cookies and other treats at the home of Laura Hagler. Thanks,
Laura, for providing this wonderful party. We hope to add this group as a
regular part of the tour in the future.
I know I
haven't mentioned everyone who worked so hard on the tour, but that doesn't mean
we don't appreciate each and every one of you. Without you there couldn't
be a tour. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!