While members and supporters of the Tellico Village Kahite Women’s Organization soaked in local art, food, music and architectural ingenuity as part of the organization’s annual Home Tour on Sunday in Vonore, the real winner each year is local charity, as the club has raised more than $160,000 for the community since its inception 10 years ago.
“This community is very charity-oriented, very involved,” Joan Mulliner, co-chairwoman of the Home Tour, said. “A lot of people put in many hours working at individual charities, so it’s just kind of an opportunity to do a broader swath across Monroe County.”
Nonprofits supported by the event, which raised more than $13,500 last year, include the Boys & Girls Club, Branches of Monroe County crisis center for women and the Good Shepherd Center. The Home Tour, which is in its fourth year, is expected to raise between $12,000-$14,000 this year.
Four couples opened their homes to participate in the event.
“Some homeowners volunteer because they know they’re doing it for charity, and then we take recommendations and make calls,” Mulliner said about the home selection process.
The theme for the tour this year was Celebrating Mountain Magic, and as part of the event, local artists from Tellico Village, Rarity Bay and Vonore were on hand to display their work. The Home Tour also featured local music and food from chef Michael Janke, who set up an outdoor patio and served food at his home, which was a fifth venue.
“We have lots of avenues to have fun and to raise money,” Mulliner said.
Marie Gettings, who opened up her home for the tour this year, said when she previously attended the event as a guest, she quickly knew she wanted to be part of the tour.
“I said, ‘Oh, I would like to do that sometime,’ and we just moved into our house in August, and it’s still a work in progress. You know, what it is is what it is, come see what I have and when you have a home there’s always something to do.”
Gettings said she did not decorate the home and just let the house’s beauty stand on its own.
“I’m a real simple person, and I have a very elegant home that stands for itself with some of the permanent structures, and I really didn’t need to add too much; we finally got some furniture,” she said with a laugh.
Moving to Tennessee from Freeland, Mich., the Gettings looked briefly at property in North Carolina, but when they found Kahite, they didn’t look much longer.
“I felt like that was something I always wanted to do just kind of share (my home), and it’s going to charity, so why not?” Gettings said about the tour.
Glenna Markwitz, who was in charge of ticket sales this year, said the Kahite Women’s Organization raises more than $20,000 each year to support charity, noting that the event was “very beneficial” for the community.
“Each year, we try to make it different and a little more fun,” Markwitz said.
