JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Removing the Labels, a non-profit organization based in Monteagle, has hosted its first ever Fall Festival in the community at Hannah Pickett Park.
The event was established as a major fundraiser for the non-profit, all proceeds going directly towards funding its operations. Jennifer Minks, founder of Removing the Labels, explained that the organization is dedicated to supporting families with special needs children, especially when visiting a medical facility. Minks’ established the organization in September 2024. Her motivation to establish it stems from her daughter who is diagnosed with Down syndrome. After taking her daughter to the doctor’s officeweren’t able to see her, Minks decided to take action in supporting families having trouble visiting a local clinic.
“The struggle for parents, single parents, and any family with special needs kids is a lot to take in. We want to help them to feed them and provide a gas card to go back-and-forth to the hospitals,” explained Minks.
Over 20 vendors set up shop for the event, ranging from vendors selling crafts and jewelry to others baked goods and entire cooked meals. Connie Marino of Everything Flour & Gnomemade was present during the event to sell homemade bagels, sourdough bread, cinnamon rolls, and animal treats. Karen Dickerson, owner of Homemade with Ms. D, also participated in the event to showcase a range of handmade beef tallow products including soap bars and skin cream. Dickerson is a retired school teacher of nearby Grundy County High School that was introduced to the business through several “God-wink” encounters, as well as her cousin. Since starting the business in Nov. 2024, Dickerson received much support from around the community for her products, especially as tallow products are increasingly becoming popular for skin care.
“Everybody knows me as Ms. D. That’s what the students called me, and a lot of my business is done on Facebook,” said Dickerson.
Additional vendors include DeVine’s Designs, Happily Ever Harris Homemade, and Pivot Coffee Company. Pivot Coffee, owned by Robby and Rainey Sanders, was one of the food trucks on-site that provided a diverse range of coffees both hot and iced for visitor to enjoy.
All vendors helped mark the Fall Festival as a successful new event for the Monteagle community, an event scheduled to be held once more during next fall.