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Shopper Blog: In quest for homecoming queen, Karns students reap the rewards

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Shopper Blog: In quest for homecoming queen, Karns students reap the rewards

KARNS

In quest for homecoming queen, Karns students reap the rewards

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News

About a dozen Karns High School homecoming queen candidates jumped into summer with a plethora of moneymaking ideas.

From pizza parties at Pizza Hoss to fundraising nights at Salsarita’s, car washes at Ingles, Food City and Advanced Auto – and some candidates even flocking neighborhood yards with pink flamingos – the summer was filled with hard work with a winning attitude for the candidates.

Back in the day, homecoming queen was a popularity contest among one’s peers. It was part of the pageantry that welcomed alumni back to their old stomping grounds.

Now, it’s a way to help fund extracurricular activities. The candidate who earns the most money wins. Each candidate represents a club or sport – from cheerleading to basketball to baseball to volleyball, almost every group has a representative on the homecoming court.

This year, many of the candidates are on the cheer team.

Katherine Burgess is running for homecoming queen on behalf of the boys soccer team. The coach is history teacher Steven Gallaher, who made quite an impact on Burgess as her favorite teacher.

“I just wanted to support him and the soccer team as best I could,” said Burgess. She is raising money through a car wash and a Salsarita’s fundraiser. She’s on the cheer team and said running for homecoming queen was a way to show school spirit.

According to Burgess, the cheer team was encouraged to participate by their coach, Dewanna Glover.

Katelyn Maples, who was the first candidate to hold a pizza party fundraiser at Pizza Hoss, said she has always admired cheerleaders and especially homecoming queens.

“I love their school spirit and their confidence. They show leadership, kindness and inclusivity. That’s what I want to do,” she said.

Her pizza party was so successful that the owners of Pizza Hoss opened their restaurant for more homecoming fundraisers, each one a rousing success.

The annual Karns Fair was a major fundraiser for each candidate, with sales of everything from Karns T-shirts to candy to homemade crafts.

“Running for homecoming is hard,” Maples said. “You really need business sponsorship, that’s a large part of it. I didn’t do so well with that part. There are a lot of people running.

“Homecoming is coming up quickly. We had to start early in the summer to be competitive. Last year, I think the winner gathered about $9,000. The hope for me is to beat that and I’m working hard at it.

“For me, it’s fun,” she added. “I’m trying not to stress out about it but find the fun in it. I just look on the bright side and think I’m just hanging out with my friends. I’ve always wanted to represent the cheer team; I mean, I’ve had my eye on homecoming queen since I was a little girl. It’s a long time coming.”

Info: https://www.knoxschools.org/karnshs

HALLS

Fitness has turned Erin McCroskey’s life around

Al Lesar, Shopper News

Once she emerged from a 20-year battle with alcohol, Erin McCroskey has dedicated herself to making life better for others through health and fitness.

“I was in a very, very dark place for 20 years,” said McCroskey, a 1998 Karns High School graduate. “After high school, alcohol always came first.”

McCroskey said it was Sept. 25, 2020, when she had her last drink and “I surrendered my life to Jesus.”

“Immediately, my life began to change,” she said. “I looked at things differently. I had always been a dreamer.”

One of the first things she did was turn to fitness to regain control of her body.

“I was at the gym from 2015 to 2020,” said McCroskey, who now lives in the Fountain City area. “I’d work out and then go get drunk.”

The alcohol took a toll on her body. It caused an inflammation that took 90 days to finally eliminate.

A competitive swimmer in high school, as well as being a cheerleader (she cheered in a New Year’s Day parade in England when she was 15) and participating in other sports, McCroskey organized a sprint triathlon with friends to celebrate her new life.

‘You can truly do anything’

Once bitten by the competitive bug again, the 5-foot-4 McCroskey began an 18-week training regimen to get ready for the Chicago Triathlon (one-mile swim in Lake Michigan, 25-mile bike ride, 6.2-mile run) in August 2021. The daily workouts trimmed her down from 167 pounds to 135.

“I had panic set in right before the start,” McCroskey remembered. “I didn’t have an option. I couldn’t quit. I was determined to get through it.”

Being an accomplished swimmer in the pool didn’t prepare McCroskey for the open-water experience in the first leg of the event.

“There were hands and elbows everywhere,” she said. “There were times when I couldn’t breathe. I trained in the Tennessee River, but that didn’t help.”

McCroskey finished. Her time wasn’t great and she placed in the middle of a large pack of competitors. But … she finished.

“You can truly do anything if you put your mind to it,” she said. “Just getting through it was a relief.”

Accountability, consistency

Sharing the feeling of accomplishment and achievement has become McCroskey’s mission. She has formed Champions Inc., in which she is a traveling personal trainer who meets clients in their own environment.

McCroskey brings along the equipment that helps her clients − ranging in age from 19 to 69 − work on strength, flexibility and mobility.

“Everything I do is specifically tailored to that client,” the 44-year-old said. “We’re not just going through the motions. I’m holding my clients accountable to achieve their goals.”

Besides the personal workouts, McCroskey also has one-hour group sessions at Victor Ashe Park at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays. The first class is free; after that it’s $5 per class.

Mondays and Wednesdays at 5 a.m. she teaches a class at New Start Fitness (4652 Fennel Road).

Through the online votes of friends and clients, McCroskey reached the top five of her group in the HERS Magazine Ms. Health and Fitness 2024. A cover shot and $20,000 are the prizes.

“I figured I’d just take a chance on this,” she said. “It won’t make or break me. It’s just fun to be a part of it.”

For more information, or to schedule a session with McCroskey, contact her on social media or at 865-258-3424.

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