There was excitement and a little friendly competition inside the Multi-Purpose Room of Jefferson City Christian Church as local businesses and community members gathered for the annual Jefferson County Parade of Tables.
Coordinated by our volunteer-led Jefferson County Advisory Committee and United Way of Greater Knoxville team members, the event is an annual tradition that turns a memorable evening into direct support for organizations that support local families.
The atmosphere inside the room was magical. Businesses arrived hours before the doors opened, working to get their table designs just right. When the event officially started, guests walked through the room, admiring the creativity at each table setting and casting votes for their personal favorites.
The room was packed with creative ideas that included everything from a full winter wonderland setup by Jefferson County Habitat for Humanity to an Alice in Wonderland theme by Citizens National Bank, and even a Mardi Gras display over at the FirstBank table. Trilight decorated their table around the theme “connection matters”. A colorful string linked each placemat to a miniature house, illustrating how Trilight’s fiber internet connects nonprofits and community members across the county.
Many groups used their space to place a direct spotlight on local nonprofit impact. For example, Brooks Lawnscape sponsored the Boys & Girls Club of Dumplin Valley table. Their display included placemats that introduced guests to the Boys & Girls Club kids, alongside a central tree with branches that featured upcoming events. Other tables focused heavily on organizational impact, featuring canned goods and pantry items on the In Her Footsteps table, and a house table centerpiece with a placemat message that read, “Love, you’re not alone,” from the Isaiah 117 House, which was proudly sponsored by Bush Brothers.
With bragging rights on the line, guests were on the edge of their seats as the voting tallies were counted. In the end, First Peoples Bank of Tennessee took home the Top Table award for the second year in a row. Their display was a colorful presentation of the First Peoples Bank story, featuring deep blues, pops of red, and gold accents. The centerpiece stood tall with black-and-white photos from their past and historic memorabilia, while each placemat shared details of the company’s journey.
“We designed the table to celebrate where we started,” explained Lannie St. Phillip, Relations Coordinator for First Peoples Bank of Tennessee. “Parade of Tables was all about an organization that does so much for our community. We love supporting United Way”.
While a little friendly competition is fun, the real win of the night belongs to the Jefferson County community. Every dollar raised at the Parade of Tables stays in Jefferson County to support organizations serving families who need it most.
“Each dollar raised allows us to award more dollars to nonprofits in our community,” shared Amy Orr, a Jefferson County Advisory Committee Member. “This event brings everyone together in a fun way to celebrate the work of our amazing nonprofits.” Amy not only represents Jefferson County on the Advisory Committee, but she also oversees the grant award process to ensure funding is placed with organizations that need it most.
An event like this does not just happen. It takes weeks of coordination, and we are grateful to the Jefferson County Advisory Committee for their hard work, Jefferson City Christian Church for opening their doors to host us, and every business and community member who bought a ticket and brought so much energy to the room.
To support United Way of Greater Knoxville and the work we are doing across our five-county footprint, donate today: https://uwgk.org/
See the photo highlights from the event.
