Mobile Food Pantry Set for February 27

February 4, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

As part of its community outreach ministry, the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church is again hosting a drive thru mobile food pantry sponsored by the TVA, Saturday morning February 27th 2021.

In partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, the church plans to prepare enough food boxes to serve up to 300 families regardless of their income status, on a first come, first served basis. Second Harvest will bring in pallets of food on trucks. The food will then be off-loaded and organized in preparation for the distribution. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Name, address, and household size are required.

Cars will line up facing north on College Street across from the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Recipients will drive through. Please have your own box or basket for the food to be placed in. Limit 2 households per car, unless a member from each family is represented.

Others who wish to volunteer may show up Saturday or call Myra for more information at 615-597-4197.

February 4, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Two outstanding DCHS football players have announced intentions to further their careers after high school on the collegiate level.

Quarterback Axel Aldino is signing with the University of Central Missouri at Warrensburg, Missouri to play quarterback and major in business marketing while Tyzaun Ladet will be playing at outside linebacker for Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee.

(Click link below)

https://ucmathletics.com/news/2021/2/3/mules-football-officially-announces-2021-signing-class.aspx

“I feel pretty excited to start a new chapter in my life and take the next opportunity I can,” said Aldino. “I chose the University of Central Missouri because the coaches there gave me a good opportunity and showed they were really interested in me. They showed me a lot of love especially (assistant coach) Dana Chambers. He recruited me really well and he always stayed in touch every week and made sure he knew how I was doing,” he continued.

Aldino was the 2020 team’s Most Valuable Player as well as the Region MVP and 1st Team All-Region. He was also a semi-finalist for the 2020 TSSAA Class 4A Tennessee Titans Mr. Football honor.

As for the awards, Aldino said while they are special, they wouldn’t have been possible without his teammates. “That wasn’t just me. Without everybody else on the team, I couldn’t have got all those awards. Individual awards aren’t really individual. They are team awards,” he said.

Aldino admitted that being nominated for Mr. Football meant a lot to him. “ It meant a lot because only one other person here has been able to do that (be nominated for Mr. Football) and that was Hunter Poteete in 2008. It felt pretty good”.

“I am really excited for Axel watching him grow up over these last four years as a young man and in the quarterback position. He started from day one as a sophomore and had a great progression. These last two years he was leader of our offense and made a ton of big plays. Of course he had some great guys around him too but he had to touch the ball every play and make decisions. There have been a lot of memorable moments watching him play and I am super excited for him to have the opportunity to play at the next level, said DCHS Tiger Coach Steve Trapp.

The Central Missouri Mules football program represents the University of Central Missouri in college football and competes in the NCAA Division II. In 1912, Central Missouri was a charter member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), and has remained in the league. UCM’s home games are played at Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Tyzaun Ladet was sidelined for the 2020 football season after suffering a broken leg in a California car crash last July that killed his mother and injured three of his siblings. In his junior year, Ladet was named the team’s Receiver of the Year and 1st Team All-Region. He caught the winning touchdown pass in the state play-off game against Marshall County that sent the Tigers to the quarterfinals.

“I started out thinking I might go to TSU but Bethel showed me the most love and stayed connected,” said Ladet.

As for his injury, Ladet said he is undergoing physical therapy. “I am doing a lot of physical therapy three times a week now. It just takes time”.

When he leaves DCHS in May after graduation, Ladet said he will take many special memories with him. “ My junior year was the best year for me. We made history (going to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs) and I got colleges to notice me. That playoff game with Marshall County really stands out because I got the game winning touchdown,” said Ladet.

“I am really happy for Tyzaun getting this opportunity based largely on his success his junior year because after last July with what he and his family went through he had to miss the entire football season this year. He has a lot of work ahead of him but the great thing is he has been good in the classroom and that has helped him because if he had not been a good student after going through what he has and having done the rehab he wouldn’t have this opportunity and I am really proud of him,” said Coach Trapp.

The Bethel University Wildcats are members of the Bluegrass Division of the Mid-South Conference along with Georgetown, Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson, Cumberlands (KY), Pikeville, Thomas More and Cumberland.. Bethel is a private, Christ-centered, 4 year university.

February 3, 2021
By:

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber is pleased to announce the latest media opportunity promoting tourism for DeKalb County for 2021. The Tennessee Home & Farm Magazine has agreed to spotlight the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival in their Summer 2021 Edition. This publication boasts a broad audience of more than 650,000 Tennessee Farm Bureau members. The magazine will be mailed to homes and businesses across the state during the weeks prior to the festival, which will be celebrating their 50th anniversary entitled, ‘The 50th Annual Jamboree Family Reunion’.

“I would like to say a special thank you to our local DeKalb Farm Bureau folks for rallying support to help us be selected for this valuable publicity opportunity,” said Chamber Director Suzanne Williams. “I always appreciate seeing our community work together to support our local tourism efforts, along with our beloved Jamboree that we are so proud of. We are also looking for local volunteers that would like to help us in a special planning committee for the 50th celebration, along with anyone that may be interested in volunteering during the festival for various roles.”

For more information on the upcoming Jamboree, coming July 2-3, 2021, go to: www.smithvillejamboree.com.