The Lee University 423 PR Bateman team, Megan Ash, Allie Cable, Megan Jafari and Katelyn Tresh, hosted a Fun Run and Chili Cook-off on Saturday at Greenway Park in Cleveland. Approximately 100 people attended the event, including Cleveland families, college students and Bradley County organizations.
Participants learned about the details of Home Matters and its value within their neighborhoods from two Bateman team members and two community leaders, Mayor Gary Davis’ Executive Assistant Lindsay Hathcock, as well as Mayor Tom Rowland. To conclude the speeches, Mayor Rowland presented an official proclamation issued by State Rep. Kevin Brooks, proclaiming the month of February 2015 as Home Matters Month in the state of Tennessee. The proclamation urges everyone to “Be a Neighbor. Be a Volunteer. Be Tennessee.” and challenges all Tennesseans to help the Home Matters movement take action now.
In addition, local organizations and Lee University on-campus clubs brought a crock pot of their own unique chili recipe to be judged for a prize. Mayor Rowland and Hathcock tasted 14 crock pots of chili, awarding Triple E Construction the winner. Other chili participants included Blythe Old Field Community Association, Bradley County Housing Coalition, Impact Cleveland, North Cleveland Church of God, Salvation Army, WinShape Homes, Young Life and more. Crystal Geyser donated hundreds of water bottles to the event as well.
On the 60 degrees and sunny day, many of the attendants brought their families, friends and pets to walk or run the 2.3 mile route on the Greenway. Participants wore a running bib, where they wrote a statement to share what Home is to them. Race winner, Mark Lorello of Impact Cleveland, received an orange Home Matters T-shirt as a prize and stated, “This is a great event and an excellent way to bring the community together for a good cause. It’s all about community and helping one another thrive, which is just like stirring a pot of chili.”
The Fun Run and Chili Cook-off was the Bateman team’s second event in their statewide campaign titled, “Be a Neighbor. Be a Volunteer. Be Tennessee.” The campaign’s aim to raise awareness about the national movement, Home Matters, and its beliefs on the significance of affordable housing.