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American Red Cross blood shortage continues
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The critical blood shortage issued by the American Red Cross last week continues to affect the Tennessee Valley. Donors of all blood types are needed now and are asked to donate this Wednesday, Aug. 10.
Many donors are busy or traveling, school is out of session, and donations in May and June dropped to the lowest levels the Red Cross has seen during this time frame in over a dozen years. Demand for blood remained steady during the same period, which is why the Red Cross needs people more than ever to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All types are needed, but especially O negative, which can be used to treat any patient.
The Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region provides life-saving blood to 57 hospitals and must have 600 people give blood and platelets each weekday to meet hospital demand. Accident victims, as well as patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, blood disorders and other illnesses receive life-saving transfusions every day. There is no substitute for blood and volunteer donors are the only source.
Locally, you may give blood Wednesday from 1-6 p.m. at McMinnville Civic Center.
As an extra incentive this summer, anyone who presents to donate blood with the Red Cross between July 1 and Sept. 5 is automatically entered into a drawing for a $250 gas card. On Labor Day weekend, anyone presenting to donate Friday through Monday is automatically entered into a drawing for a $1,000 gas card.
Plus, anyone who presents to donate blood from May 25 through Sept. 14 is automatically entered into the Red Cross Racing “Summer Drive Sweepstakes” to win a brand new 2012 red candy metallic Ford Fiesta SE, courtesy of Ford Motor Company. One winner is selected by random drawing Sept. 19.
For more information, or to schedule your summer blood donation appointment, please visit redcrossracing.com or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Local farm partnership brings fresh beef to Warren County Schools
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Warren County Schools has beefed up lunch menus this school year through a new community partnership. Thanks to a collaboration between the district’s School Nutrition Department and Barton Creek Farms, students at Warren County High School, Warren County Middle School, West Elementary, Eastside Elementary, and Dibrell Elementary are enjoying locally sourced, farm-fresh beef in their lunches as part of a pilot program.

The initiative, spearheaded by Terri Mullican, Director of School Nutrition, has already shown great promise in its first few months. The partnership with Barton Creek Farms, located in Rock Island, Tennessee, ensures that the beef served is not only local to Warren County but of the highest quality. Barton Creek Farms specializes in farm-to-fork beef, with grass-fed and grain-finished cattle. Each calf is born and raised in Rock Island and goes through USDA-inspected processing, ensuring it meets the strictest safety and quality standards.

“When the opportunity arose to provide fresh, local beef, we knew it was a no-brainer,” Mullican said. “The fact that it’s a product from right here in our community makes it even more special. We can’t wait to implement it district-wide.”

Barton Creek Farms delivers fresh ground beef to the district monthly, and the nutrition

department incorporates it into homemade recipes such as lasagna, meatloaf, chili, and tacos.

As of now, the beef is being served at five schools, but the ultimate goal is to expand the program to all ten lunch-serving schools in the district.

The pilot program originated from a conversation between Mary Roller of Barton Creek Farms and Mullican. Roller, recognizing the farm’s potential to support local schools, reached out to gauge the district’s interest in serving local beef to students. Around the same time, a Warren County school board member contacted Mullican to share information about a similar partnership in neighboring Dekalb County, which helped push the initiative forward.

The timing worked in the district’s favor, as the nutrition department was able to fund the purchase of the beef using existing resources, eliminating the need for additional funding. Now that the pilot program is enjoying a successful run, the department has budgeted to extend the partnership district-wide for the 2025-26 school year.

Dr. Grant Swallows, Director of Schools, praised the program’s economic approach to student nutrition.

“This pilot is a perfect example of how we can use local resources to continue providing nutritious, healthy meals for our students,” he said. “We are grateful for partnerships like this one that benefit both our students and our local community. We always strive to support our local businesses when we can because our community is so good to us.”

In addition to working with Warren County Schools, Barton Creek Farms also partners with local restaurants to offer farm-fresh beef on their menus. The farm’s offerings include ground beef, steaks, roasts, and custom cuts by the quarter, half, or whole cow, meeting diverse consumer needs.

As the program continues to grow, the district hopes to expand its focus on farm-to-school meals, benefiting students’ health and connecting them to the agricultural roots of the community