Page 26 - May-June2019 Vol37 No1

TCAPWA EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
West Branch Young Professionals Gather
The very first of its kind, West Branch
Young Professionals held its inaugural YP
event at High Cotton Brewery on March
7. More than 50 young professionals and
mentors attended, ranging from Public
Works Directors and City Engineers,
to Heavy Equipment Operators and
Technicians.
The evening events included networking,
a personally guided tour of one of
Memphis’ finest hometown breweries,
some friendly competition to win great
prizes, and ultimately, bragging rights. Any
new members who joined the American
Public Works Association (APWA) during
the YP event were given a free beverage of
their choice, courtesy of High Cotton.
Young Professionals in the West
Branch structured its first meeting with
the mission and vision of YP in APWA
at heart: to recruit, develop, connect,
empower and retain young professionals
in APWA through increased opportunities
and resources, and to enhance their
professional development and success
within the association and the public
works industry.
Activities, Food and More
The evening began with a networking
hour full of introductions, handshakes,
and hugs; with experienced and tenured
TCAPWA members meeting the
new faces of the young professional
members. The nervous energy of the
young professionals was put to ease with
a choice selection of craft beer and fine
food, brewed and prepared on site by
High Cotton Brewery and Edge Alley.
The generous array of food and beverage
choices was graciously provided by young
professional meeting sponsors: SSR, Inc.,
Stringfellow Inc. and GemSeal.
With full stomachs and new friends,
attendees were introduced to the evening’s
events. On the agenda: an informative
tour of Memphis’ very own High
Cotton Brewery and a guaranteed ice-
breaker for the young professionals: The
Director’s Challenge, a highly competitive
Membership Drive Cornhole Challenge,
in which participants collected names
and positions served of the members in
attendance.
Buddy Kee, Heavy Equipment Operator
with The Town of Collierville, took
home the round of golf for four at any
26 TPW May/June 2019
ByEthanSkaggs
Memphis Public Links golf
course by identifying every
member present and every
capacity in which they had
served APWA. (He credits
his win to assistance from
the current Branch Director,
Mike Adams; former
Branch Director and current
TCAPWA Vice-President,
John Fox, and former Branch
Director and TCAPWA Past
President, Manny Belen.)
Attendees also were invited to test
their cornhole skills in a doubles play,
single elimination tournament for
a chance to win four tickets to the
new professional football team, the
Memphis Express. Justin Wilburn, Heavy
Equipment Operator, and Britt Gamber,
Sign Technician (both with The Town
of Collierville) were the champions
emerging from a field of nine teams.
The Tour
Event host and owner of High Cotton
Brewery, Ryan Staggs, personally
narrated the tour for the public works
professionals, describing all the intricacies
from brewing to canning. Coincidentally,
Ryan himself is a civil engineer by degree
and a former public works employee.
He formerly worked at the local utility
company before transitioning into full
time beer brewer and entrepreneur.
Attended by public works professionals
from across Shelby County and the
surrounding areas, the inaugural West
Branch YP event was considered a huge
success.
Next Up: Young Professionals Support
Edible Community Garden at Hickory Hill
Community Center
On March 19, Memphis City Council
accepted a grant from the Whole Kids
Foundation for a partnership with
the TCAPWA West Branch Young
Professionals and the City of Memphis
Division of Parks and Neighborhoods
to construct and maintain an edible
community garden.
The first grant of this kind, the garden
at Hickory Hill Community Center will
be furnished with six raised beds for
vegetables, pallet racks to house herbs,
and a beautiful painted tire assortment for
flowering plants.
West Branch members are honored to
come beside this wonderful program and
lend a helping hand in the construction
and future maintenance of the project.
This opportunity creates an environment
of continued partnership with local
neighborhoods, benefiting the patrons
and students at the community center, and
our Public Works professionals alike.