LAFOLLETTE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF) – Campbell County Tennessee, March 3, 2022, the Campbell Enhancement Fund (CEF) will hold an inaugural fundraising event, Celebrating Success, at Chapman Hill Winery, 450 S. Chapman Road, LaFollette, Sunday, May 1, 2022, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ninety (90) tickets are available at a cost of $55 each or two for $100. There will be ten (10) VIP tickets available for $75 each which includes a tour of the winery, a conversation with the winemaker and a tank tasting. For those purchasing the VIP Ticket, please plan to arrive at Chapman Hill Winery by 2:30 for the tour event.

                                    Event includes for each attendee:

Tasting of 5 wines of choice (1/2 oz. each)

One 6 oz glass of wine (may substitute non-alcoholic drink or wine slushie)

10% off bottle purchases

Finger-food buffet

Live entertainment by Gene Stevens and Kevin Craft

Tickets for the event may be purchased from Zach Sheets at Edward Jones Investments, 102 N Massachusetts, LaFollette, TN, any board member, or at etf.org/wine. No physical ticket will be necessary at the door, just bring your receipt. The current board members of CEF are Zach Sheets, Chair, Karen Cumorich, Vice Chair, Teresa Dabney, Rissa Pryse, Johnnie Hickman, Deborah Purcell, Brad Smiddy and Randy Brown. 

This is a perfect way to take advantage of our ability to get back to some normalcy, spend a late afternoon with friends and support a great entity that is designed to provide funding to Campbell County nonprofits.  The Winery is a great addition to our community and having businesses that are happy to give back to their community is always rewarding.  

CEF is an affiliate fund of East Tennessee Foundation (ETF).  CEF has been fortunate to have been a partner with ETF over the past 20+ years.  Through their guidance and leadership, CEF has provided over 100 grants to Campbell County Nonprofits totaling about $145,000.

Only nonprofits whose projects support and affects Campbell Countians are considered for funding. The funds available to grant have been limited in the past.  Just recently, CEF has been able to provide grant funding every other year. We hope with the advent of fundraising and by raising awareness, CEF will be able to make annual grants. 

CEF has been fortunate to be the recipient of grants from TVA and LUB and these direct grants via the CARES Act have provided $20,000 to our local Food Pantries, and $20,000 to help pay gas and electric bills during the 2020-21 timeframe. These resources along with support from our local Joint Economic Community Development Board (JECDB) have allowed us the opportunity to build our grant funding capability, however, to support the numbers, we need to increase our Fund balance so we are leaving our endowment to grow to be even more supportive in the future. 

If interested in participating or sitting on our Affiliate Fund Board, contact Zach Sheets at zach.sheets@edwardjones.com or Karen Cumorich at kleec43@gmail.com.

About Campbell Enhancement Fund: Campbell Enhancement Fund was established in 1999 through the generous gifts of time, vision, and resources by a group of Campbell County residents committed to strengthening their community and improving the quality of life in Campbell County. The Fund is a permanent endowment that will support programs and projects “now and forever” which builds community goodwill, seek to solve community challenges, and produce results that improve the quality of life for all Campbell County citizens.  

About East Tennessee Foundation: East Tennessee Foundation is a public charity and community foundation created by and for the people of East Tennessee. Serving 25 counties within East Tennessee, ETF consists of many donors joined together to make the region they love a better place. ETF seeks to build endowments, creating a permanent source of philanthropic funding for the East Tennessee region. For more information, visit www.easttennesseefoundation.org. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/03/2022-6AM)