Pioneer Palooza at ER Elementary

On Saturday, Oct. 24, East Ridge Elementary will host their Fourth Annual Pioneer Palooza Event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the school campus, located at 1014 John Ross Road. There will be food, local vendors and games for all attendees to enjoy.

Bracelets may be purchased for $8 before close of school on Thursday, Oct. 22. On the day of the event bracelet cost will be $10. The cost of the bracelet includes unlimited games and inflatables.

All proceeds raised will go toward the school’s Leader in Me program to help the students develop problem-solving, communication and leadership skills.

East Ridge Elementary would like to thank the following sponsors: Crosspath at East Ridge, Redemption Point Church, Stanley Heights Baptist Church, Pizza Hut, 1885, Elder’s Ace Hardware, Chick-fil-A and Fazolis.

For event details, contact Blaise Kovacs at kovacs_b@hcde.org or (423) 493-9296.

About East Ridge Elementary

East Ridge Elementary has over 1000 students enrolled, making it the largest elementary school in Hamilton County. 85% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. There are over 20 countries represented in the school. East Ridge Elementary is working to become the first “Leader in Me” school in Hamilton County. For more information, visit ere.hcde.org.

About Dick Cook

Dick Cook has lived in East Ridge since the Kennedy Administration when his parents bought a house on Marietta Street. Dick graduated from ERHS in 1976 before going on to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he studied Political Science. Dick worked for the Chattanooga Free-Press and the Chattanooga Times Free Press for 22 years. Free-Press Sports Editor Roy Exum plucked him out of production in 1989 and gave him a job as a sports reporter. Dick covered everything from prep sports to the whitewater events on the Ocoee River for the 1996 Olympics. When Chattanooga's two paper's merged, he became the Crime Reporter covering both the Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments. He was among reporters who were honored by the Associated Press for the TFP's coverage of the 2002 fog-shrouded crash on I-75 in Catoosa County, Dick and his wife, Cathy, live on Marlboro Avenue where they are seen frequently chasing around their three grandsons.