A Safety Net of Services for Families

 

Founding Families 2005 Honorees

Public Service Family

Reuben Pelot, III, D.D.S. and
City Councilwoman Barbara Pelot

Dr. Pelot and Councilwoman Pelot have a long history of community involvement and commitment to service.  In addition to Barbara's service to City Council as 2nd District representative, the couple's proudest achievement is the Indigent Dental Clinic they founded in 1998.  Housed at the Volunteer Ministry Center, the clinic now performs between 60 and 100 dental procedures on approximately 60 homeless people each month.  Dr. Pelot currently performs dental procedures, and the couple continues to serve as administrators of the program - recruiting equipment, supplies, volunteer dentists and dental professionals on an ongoing basis.

Foster or Adoptive Family

Kim and Jeff Friar

Kim & Jeff Friar's family exemplifies the best in foster and adoptive families.  Their family includes their two birth children, Ashley and Andrew, now 20 and 17, and their four adopted children.  Eight years ago the family of four made the decision together that they wanted to foster children.  After completing their training, the first call they received was a request to take three foster children together - brothers Dillon, Damon and Devin, then ages one, two and three.  The Friars have since adopted the three boys.  Their youngest is adopted daughter Jamie, who also came to them first as a foster child.  Over the past eight years, the Friar family has welcomed and nurtured numerous other children on a temporary basis.

Inspirational Family

Nanette, Danielle and Jonathan Scruggs

When life challenged Nanette Scruggs and her two young teenagers, Danielle and Jonathan, with the loss of their husband and father, the family responded with strength, faith, and determination grounded in strong values.  While Nanette worked two jobs to provide financially, the Scruggs family opened their home to two foster children, who are now young adults still connected with their foster family.

Today, Nanette continues to strive toward new goals, and is attending school to become a respiratory therapist.  Danielle has earned a masters degree with honors in human resources and now works in that field.  Jonathan, who is also pursing an advanced degree, has worked as an intern with Congressman Harold Ford Jr. in Washington, D.C. 

Philanthropic Family

The Shafer Family

The entire Shafer family is being honored for philanthropic efforts that have spanned several lifetimes of community service - giving of both time and money to make things happen positively for Knoxville.

Bo and Mary Shafer's service with non-profit service spans a wide variety of causes and agencies.  Bo twice chaired United Way campaigns and they have chaired many capital campaigns, including the Salvation Army Center of Hope and the Volunteer Ministries Center.

Lyn and Gene Overholt have been equally involved.  A focus for their work has been in the medical community, and over the years they have opened their home for dozens of causes.  Lyn spent many years at Rule High School taking care of teenage mother's babies so they could attend class.

Elisabeth and Bill Sansom are very active in their church and community.  A recent focus for them has been the building of the Boy Scout Council's new facility, which is named in honor of Bill and Elisabeth's son, Lewis.

 

Who do you know that should be nominated?  Click here to enter their story into consideration for the 2006 Founding Families Awards.