Headlines / Local / Commentary / Black History / Political / Entertainment / Education / Communities / In the Driver's Seat--Other News / Business / Sports / Health / Faith / Arts & Culture / Legals WEEK OF MARCH 11 - 17, 2010   LAND PLANNING COMPANY DONATES 100,000 TREES TO TENNESSEE   SC&A president Chris Clark Nashville-based SC&A simply asks Volunteer state to accept trees, plant them to aid the environment and to help honor his dad It seems everybody has a favorite tree story. Chris Clark has his, but he’s looking for 99,999 more. Clark, president of SC&A in Nashville , Tenn. , is giving free trees to people all across Tennessee who will plant them. From shopping malls, neighborhood associations and corporate campuses to municipalities, public schools, and even state parks, Clark is donating 100,000 trees. “I heard once that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago,” Clark said, “but the second best time to plant one is today.” Over the next few weeks, SC&A, Clark’s multi-disciplinary land planning company with clients nationwide, will be coordinating his gift through at least 10 distribution centers across Tennessee .  Each of Tennessee ’s 95 counties have been allocated 600 bare rooted whips ranging from 24-48” tall. Because of their Springtime expiration, Clark hopes to find plenty of people who are willing to step up and plant them now. All anyone needs to do is request trees at www.FreeTreesTN.com in quantities up to 100. “Basically, if you have a business or a home with any amount of land, if you know someone who has a large yard or easement,  if you represent a public or private entity with planned tree planting projects, or even if you know of a stream bank or open space that’s begging for a tree, just get in touch with me,” Clark said. The species Clark has chosen to donate are all indigenous and grown in Tennessee . They include Nutall Oak, Overcup Oak, Sawtooth Oak, Shumard Oak, Swamp White Oak, Tulip Poplar (the State Tree), Shortleaf Pine, and Bald Cypress. The trees will be equally divided amongst species for each count with special requests considered if received before March 20. The gift is in large part to honor his father, SC&A founder Steve Clark, who passed away the first day of Spring six years ago. The Company is celebrating its 35th year of quality sustainable design that achieves a balance between the use and management of our nation’s resources. “My dad believed that the simple act of planting a tree helps foster eco-sensitivity and is something that translates into greater appreciation of our planet,” Clark said. “I want every family who might want a tree in their yard to have one. If you think about it, I’m not going to be here when these trees mature so really I’m doing this for my children and other kids across Tennessee .” Clark says his mission for 100,000 Trees Tennessee is to promote self-action and to emphasize the importance of taking responsibility for the world around us all. His mission is to simply plant enough trees to make Tennessee greener and healthier. If every K-12 school in Tennessee alone planted 25 trees, Clark estimates half of his goal would be achieved. Those same schools could go deeper by writing curriculum around tree planting projects, exactly the kind of ownership and energy Clark is hoping to create. I do what I do for you, your children, and your children’s children. –Steve Clark, founder SC&A, Inc. ABOUT SC&A, Inc. Steve Clark & Associates was founded in 1974 with a commitment to quality sustainable design. From industrial land projects to commercial developments, SC&A works nationwide to achieve a balance between the use and management of our nation’s resources. As part of its commitment to the environment, and in celebration of its 35th anniversary, SC&A is giving away 100,000 trees to be planted across the state of Tennessee . You can learn more at www.SCA-NR.com or www.FreeTreesTN.com. Back to top    Mathematician, longtime Vanderbilt professor Charles K. Megibben dies Charles K. Megibben, who played a major role in developing the mathematics department of Vanderbilt University into a major research center, has died. He was 73. Megibben, an internationally acknowledged leader in the theory of abelian groups, a major field of algebra, died March 2 in Nashville while undergoing heart surgery. He was a professor of mathematics, emeritus. “Charles Megibben is one of the people who steered us in the right direction,” said Matthew Gould, professor of mathematics, emeritus. “He pushed very hard for more research in the department.” Megibben, a native of Lexington, Ky., came to Vanderbilt in 1967 after earning a Ph.D in math from Auburn University and short teaching stints at Texas Tech College and the University of Washington. He was known to eschew the published textbooks, instead preparing and distributing lecture notes to present mathematical theories. Some of his colleagues taught using Megibben’s lecture notes, Gould said. “My office was rather near his,” Gould said. I’d very often hear him speaking with undergrads with math questions, and his blackboard was always filled with notations from those sessions. He was very popular among students.” Megibben became a professor of mathematics, emeritus, in 2005. Survivors include wife Dottie Megibben, four sons, one daughter, one brother, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were scheduled for 4 p.m. March 5 at Phillips-Robinson Funeral Home, 2707 Gallatin Road. Back to top  Donelson Christian Academy Launches Boosterthon Fun Run To Boost School Funding Booster Team Members Teach Fitness, Leadership and Character to Students While Raising Needed Funds For Schools Donelson Christian Academy kicks off a 2-week fitness, leadership and character program called the Boosterthon Fun Run today. The Booster program replaces former product sales campaigns, and engages students, parents and school faculty and staff in an exciting challenge to boost both funding and enthusiasm in the classroom. Similar character programs can cost thousands of dollars, but Booster covers all administrative costs and has shown a funding increase of nearly 70 percent over other traditional methods. “Booster helps schools raise funds, but more-so, we’re out to impact the world one student at time,” said Chris Carneal, Booster founder and president. “More than the fitness and financial benefits, the big win is what the students gain by way of character education. Not only are our team members enthusiastic, they are incredible role models. They have taken it upon themselves to be a good influence for students across the nation, and impact the world in a positive way.” Founded on the visible need for fitness, leadership and character development in schools, the Boosterthon Fun Run was created to change the landscape of education funding strategies and to empower today’s youth. The Atlanta-based company with a vision to serve students and schools has grown significantly since its inception in 2001, serving over 1,000 schools and helping them raise more than $54 million. How does Booster work? Students are invited to gather pledges for each lap they run in the Boosterthon Fun Run, the culminating event of the 2-week program. Prior to the actual run, Booster team members bring the classroom to life teaching values based on the theme “STAND UP” which represents the following character initiatives: • Serve One Another • Take Time to Read • Ask Great Questions • Never Give Up • Discover Your Talents Booster’s hassle-free program encourages students to live healthy, active lifestyles and make positive choices. In addition, schools are seeing donations pour in from all 50 states in most cases and several countries outside the U.S., a feat rarely seen with other methods. The key to Booster’s success is a derivative of a corporate culture that builds from the inside out. The company’s grounded character internally enables their team to make a huge impact in the communities they serve, changing the world one child and one leader at a time. Back to top   How Christians and Jews understand Jesus, the New Testament and each other Amy-Jill Levine, a leading Biblical scholar from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, will address “Jesus, Judaism and Jewish-Christian Relations” at Vanderbilt on Thursday, March 18, at Wilson Hall, Room 103. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. and is followed by a complimentary reception at 5:30 p.m. in Wilson Lobby. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-seated basis. Parking will be available in Terrace Place Garage at 21st Avenue South and Terrace Place.   The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies, Levine’s most recent books include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (HarperOne), The Historical Jesus in Context (Princeton) as well as the 14-volume series Feminist Companions to the New Testament and Early Christian Writings (Continuum). Levine’s speech is part of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series, which brings to Vanderbilt and the wider Nashville community intellectuals who are shaping the world today. For more information about the Chancellor’s Lecture Series, visit www.vanderbilt.edu/chancellor/cls, e-mail cls@vanderbilt.edu or call (615) 343-2574.   Back to top