Goody's Family Clothing was started in this area, and has been around for 50 yrs. When it was family owned (Bob Goodfriend, the son, lives here) it was doing quite well. Goodfriend sold it 4-5 years ago, and they have been having trouble ever since. Not sure what the problems have been, but they compete with Walmart, Target, Penney's. I'm sure Ross's and Marshall's have had a real effect on them too. Plus, they were almost totally clothing, whereas, the other stores are more "one-stop" shopping. All the others are putting in new stores in the area. As i said, they are huge contributors to Children's Hospital (Goodfriends' son was literally "saved" at the hospital), holding a couple of huge events a year that each raise LOTS of money for the hospital. Goody's has been the primary contributor to the hospital which is the only Children's Hospital in the area.
ALCOA has a "town" built around it, between Knoxville and Maryville. Most of those people live right in that area.
Since we are located within the TVA system, not only do we have the river, there are 7 lakes in the system.
SeaRay/Brunswick (bowling, sporting goods) headquarters are here. They had already laid off several employees. I know it's a supply/demand thing, but, they too are also huge sponsors to charitable events in the area.
I know it's happening all over the country. I recognize that.
But, you know...I guess that's just it....it's been happening somewhere else. Not in my backyard.
And while it's been scary for the potential repercussions to the national economy, and heartbreaking for the people affected, as it has happened in other parts of the country....it hasn't happend to people I know, to people who I see in the grocery or out to dinner...it hasn't happened in my little part of the world.
That sounds so incredibly selfish and self-centered.....and really not meant that way.
However....maybe that's part of the answer to what's been happening in this country.
IT...whatever "it" may be ....natural disaster, plant closings, man created disasters.... they happen SOMEWHERE else....and unless IT happens in our own personal area.....we "separate" ourselves from the situation.
20 miles from me, is the huge ash spill from the TVA fossil plant. This will have an effect on the area for years, it may never come back to what it was originally. It's a horrendous mess. People have lost their homes, many fear what breathing this stuff in will do to their health. 1.1 billion TONS of toxic sludge was spilled out of a retaining pond into the area. It too, has made national news for the last 2 weeks.
Have we become so insulated in our own little worlds, so into "I, me, mine", that unless it affects us personally...or people we personally know....that it's just "another crisis on TV"?
Do we see so many news reports or movies of mayhem, disaster, etc,....that we become somewhat immune to the reality of them...until it rears it's ugly head in our own backyard?
Is all of this economic crisis, wars, terrorists, natural disasters.....some part of a divine plan where God is telling us to wake up and pay attention to Him, our children, families and friends...to what's really important. Is this like a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah or The Great Flood?
