MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government is seeking adult and youth nominations for the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards (GVSA). Nominations are due by November 1, 2024, and are located at https://mcgtn.org/comm.

As part of its effort to promote a culture of volunteering, GVSA recognizes people who contribute to the community on a local level. The GVSA promotes statewide volunteerism and strengthens community service participation throughout Tennessee every year. GVSA seeks to recognize one youth and one adult in each Tennessee county for exemplary volunteer work.

“Volunteerism is something close to my heart. There are a ton of unsung heroes who make a difference every day without seeking reward. Recognizing them is one way to show appreciation and encourage others to get involved,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.

All nominations will be judged by a local committee. Final selections are due by November 1, 2024, to the GVSA Tennessee staff in Nashville. As well as nominees from other counties across Tennessee, Montgomery County's adult and youth nominees will be honored at the annual GVSA Ceremony on February 16, 2025.

Please send your nomination form or questions to Montgomery County Social Media and Marketing Specialist Valerie Linares at [email protected] or call 931-648-8482 ext. 2.

# # #

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government welcomes the 2024-2025 Mayor’s Emerging Leaders, a group of 26 high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors serving as unofficial county committee members.Students participating in this year’s Mayor's Emerging Leaders Program, which began in late August, can attend committee meetings, and gain an inside look at how their local government operates. During the sessions, students are recognized and encouraged to ask questions.

"I am grateful to see students interested in learning about local government. The future belongs to our youth, so it is important for them to understand how their community works.," said Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.

County committees include the Airport Authority, Animal Control, Audit, Budget, E-911, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection, Jail and Juvenile, Parks, and School Liaison. The program is open to high school students in 10th through 12th grade. Announcements for the program are made through local media and social media and sent to school guidance counselors in the spring. Students start the program in late August and finish in May each year to coincide with their school schedules. The kick-off meeting for this year’s program was on August 21. This year activities have been implemented to give students an opportunity to get hands-on experience on what County Government offers. Some of the events include a leadership class with Director of Continuous Improvement Dr. Andrew Kester, volunteer activities at Rotary Park, meet and greet with our department heads and elected officials, and more.

This year’s participants are Abby Scoville (Clarksville Academy); Abigail Chambers (Montgomery Central); Abigail Fleming (Clarksville High); Abigail McKenna (APSU Middle College); Anna Hellums (Clarksville Academy); Braiden Jackson (West Creek High); Ella Roberts (Clarksville High); Ethan Caselli (Montgomery Central); Jerhen Jamison (Clarksville Academy); Katie French (Montgomery Central); Kenneth Reece (Montgomery Central); Kimora A. Rainey-Williams (Northeast High); Lindsay Lee (Rossview High); Mackenzie Prather (Rossview High); Madison Schwartz (Rossview High); Molly Scoville (Clarksville Academy); Nicholas Wojack (Kenwood High); Pheonix Brenner (Clarksville Christian); Sally Johnson (Northwest High); Sam Daughtery (Clarksville Christian); Trinity Smith (Clarksville High); Dillon Rich (Clarksville High); Nolan Woollen (ETC TCAT); and Wyatt Carobene (Clarksville Academy).

Not pictured: Alexis Perras (APSU Middle College) and Madison Schwartz (Rossview High).

# # #

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Council (MCHC) recently completed a comprehensive update to its Mental Health Directory. In August 2019, the Montgomery County Health Council published its first Mental Health Directory, created by a team of council members and Austin Peay State University interns. The directory listed mental health resources in the community, including information on hours, provided services, and accepted insurance plans. Since then, the Health Council has recognized that the biggest problem with having a directory is that the information often changes by the time it’s published. So, this past year, they’ve worked to create a directory that can be updated and corrected more timely. 

The Health Council found that FindHelp.Org was the best online site to meet this need. To access the site, type in your zip code and click the search button. The toolbar has a menu of categories, and Mental Health is under the Health category. 

If your clinic or organization is not listed or you wish to update your services, you can add your organization and edit your services by clicking “Claim Programs’ at the bottom of the screen on the website. Here’s the link to Claim Programs.

Find Help.Org Can Also Connect You to Other Community Resources

Along with helping people find mental health providers and services, Find Help can also help connect people to organizations that help with housing, finding a dentist, marriage counseling, childcare, food pantries, specialty health care, etc. Council members have worked to raise awareness of how the everyday stressors of being disconnected from community resources threaten our physical and emotional security. 

“Think of water dripping from a downspout onto a concrete block. Over time, we start to see a weathering effect. Human beings are very similar,” said Joey Smith, Public Health Director of Montgomery County. “Most days, we are well-adjusted and demonstrate resiliency to the stress from our needs not being met. But over time, like water dripping onto a concrete surface, these stressors also have a weathering effect on our health,” said Smith.    

The MCHC intends to have hard copies of the directory at the library and with other partners.  

The MCHC is a volunteer organization that promotes health and wellness in the community. Members meet at noon on the third Tuesday of each month on the second floor of the Montgomery County Health Department. 

If you or anyone else is in a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

# # #

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government Offices will be closed Monday, September 2 in observance of the Labor Day federal holiday. All County offices will reopen on Tuesday, September 3 during normal operating hours. 

Although County offices are closed on Labor Day, some online services are available through the Montgomery County, Tennessee website. Click the Gov tab for a list of departments.

# # #

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – On August 15, Montgomery County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Austin Peay State University’s (APSU) Continuing Education Program celebrated 15 individuals who successfully completed the APSU at MCEMS program as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). This group represents the third class to earn certifications since the collaboration between EMS and APSU began in 2021. 

Captain Mark Chandler, a District 1 Training Officer with Clarksville Fire & Rescue who participated, shared, “I expected to expand my knowledge in the emergency medical field and learn from what I hoped would be excellent instructors. January Bukowitz, Candice Silver, and their instructor cadre were excellent in providing education. I have served in emergency services and practiced emergency medicine for more than 30 years. I can say without reservation the course taught me new knowledge and skills to enable better patient care. This class did not disappoint and is an asset to Clarksville/Montgomery County.”

“We deeply appreciate our partnership with APSU. This program has helped us to open up a local opportunity for individuals interested in our field. I am always impressed by the level of professionalism and expertise of our instructors. We are blessed to have them as part of our team,” said Montgomery County EMS Director Chief Chris Proctor.

The next step in the process is for the 15 graduates to take their national cognitive written test to become licensed in Tennessee.

(EMTs) respond to emergency calls, perform medical services, and transport patients to medical facilities. The EMT course is a 14-week program provided through the Professional & Workforce Development Center division of APSU offering non-credit courses that do not require students to be enrolled in the university path.

For more information on the Professional & Workforce Development Center, please email [email protected], call 931-221-7816, or visit www.apsu.edu/continuing-education.

# # #