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Author: Lebanon Wilson Chamber Marketing

"Helping Small Businesses, Industry Professionals and Civic Leaders work together to Connect, Grow & Belong."

Plans Revealed for New Train Museum Complex in Watertown, TN

The recently established 501(c)3 nonprofit Watertown Railroad Museum is set to announce plans and renderings for a new Museum Complex. The proposed 14,000 square-foot facility will house a museum, train hosting facilities, an event center, an observation deck, restaurant space and an outdoor park area becoming the anchor of WRM goals.

The facility is set to be developed around the former Railway Express Agency building constructed in 1900. The historic brick portion will house the new, immersive museum showcasing the importance of railroading in Watertown. While Tennessee Central Railway Museum has been running its excursion trains to town for 30 years, the anticipated addition of Nashville Steam Preservation Society’s restored steam engine 576 adds an exciting new twist to the train experience. The museum will enhance the ability to attract visitors to town even on days when excursions are not operating.

This building projects the WRM mission: “To bring tourism to Watertown, TN, using education of railroad history by creating museum exhibits, events and excursion train hosting.” A museum to showcase Watertown’s railroad story, a destination complex to experience history while creating memories, and a tourist attraction to make an economic impact—all of this opens the town’s future to more benefits for local businesses and the city infrastructure while working to maintain the small-town charm of Watertown.

“We are very excited for the development of the Watertown Railroad Museum,” said Joey Bryan, Vice President of the Nashville Steam Preservation Society, “as we plan to recreate a 1940s rail journey from the hustle and bustle of the city out to the country using steam locomotive No. 576, this facility will give future riders a chance to explore the history of the area during the layover in Watertown. The museum paired with the future turntable and railyard will give people a full circle experience.”

An invite-only kickoff event will take place on Saturday September 20th, 2025, in Watertown, TN, at the future complex site. It will be an exciting day in Watertown as the TCRM will arrive with their “Train Robbery” excursion hosted by the reenactment group, Dead Tree Desperados. This will be the 25th anniversary for the Desperados.

Media is invited to attend the kickoff event from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm in the future museum building at 129 Depot St., Watertown, TN 37184. A video presentation will take place at 6:00 pm. A video rendering of the future building is available upon request.

For additional information contact: Chris Ferrari at 615-218-6249 or email: cferrari@watertownrailroadmuseum.org

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Best Face Forward Ribbon Cutting

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of celebrating Best Face Forward, LLC with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!

Owned and operated by Kelly Swavely, RN, Best Face Forward is committed to helping clients look and feel their best through safe, ethical, and expertly delivered aesthetic treatments. With 15+ years of nursing experience spanning emergency medicine, wellness therapies, and aesthetics, Kelly provides care rooted in safety, compliance, and only FDA-approved treatments. We’re proud to welcome Best Face Forward to the Chamber family!

Best Face Foward is located at 719 B McFadden Ct, Lebanon, TN 37087

Pictured with Best Face Forward owner Kelly Swavely, RN are friends, family and supporters. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Board of Directors and Ambassadors are also pictured.

Ribbon Cuttings are sponsored by Wes DuganFarm Bureau Insurance Castle Heights Office

SOLAR INSTALLER TRAINING


Goodwill now offers hands-on training for solar installer jobs. This is a four-week training course, 40 hours per week. The fast-growing solar industry has a high demand for knowledgeable installers. You will also benefit from a host of wraparound support services to meet your unique needs. From transportation, mentoring, and other services, we can connect you with what you need before, during and after your training.

FOR MORE INFO: goodwillcta.org/solar

Free Construction Training


Goodwill offers a Construction and Weatherization Training Program designed to help participants acquire the skills and knowledge needed to embark on rewarding careers in residential or industrial construction or related fields. Participants attend classes four days per week for four weeks at Goodwill’s facility at 7237 Cockrill Bend Boulevard in West Nashville. Three hours of each day are spent in the classroom, and three are spent in the workshop.

Construction Info Session: Every Tuesday, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

FOR MORE INFO: goodwillcta.org/construction

Racing into Savings – Sam’s Club Plus Members Get Free Music City Grand Prix® Tickets

Sam’s Club Lebanon has an exciting offer you won’t want to miss!

When you sign up for a Sam’s Club Plus Membership for just $60, you’ll receive two sets of tickets to the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix® at the Nashville Superspeedway on August 30–31, 2025.

That’s 2 tickets for each day — a $200 value — included with your membership. It’s a huge savings on top of all the incredible benefits that come with being a Sam’s Club Plus Member, like cash rewards, early shopping hours, and free shipping on most items.

Don’t wait — this promotion is the perfect chance to experience the thrill of race weekend while unlocking all the perks of membership.

Sam’s Club #7673
600 Willard Hagan Drive
Lebanon, TN 37090

For more details, contact:
Michael Melton
Member Team Manager
mamelto.s07673.us@samsclub.com

Ribbon Cutting Celebration with The Pantry at Poppie’s Boutique

Yesterday, we joined Poppie’s Boutique to celebrate the grand opening of their newest addition — the charming upstairs loft, now home to The Pantry at Poppie’s.

Owner Sarah Collins shared how her mother and grandmother, both amazing hosts, inspired her to create this space. The Pantry focuses on the home — offering a whimsical collection of gifts, garden treasures, and cottage finds, all thoughtfully curated by Sarah and her team. If you know Sarah, you know her heart is all about the cozy, the cottage, the plants, the food, and all the little touches that bring peace and beauty into a home. This new space is no exception.

Poppie’s Boutique is located at 132 Public Square, Lebanon, TN 37087

Pictured with owner Sarah Collins are staff, friends and supporters. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Chamber Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.

Ribbon Cuttings are sponsored by Wes DuganFarm Bureau Insurance Castle Heights Office

Director of Development and Marketing Job Posting

August 12, 2025

 Job description 

Rest Stop Ministries, Inc., a faith-based 501c3 in the Greater Nashville TN area dedicated to comprehensive, holistic, trauma-informed healing and economic empowerment of female survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, is recruiting for a dynamic Director of Development & Marketing to join our leadership team. The ideal candidate will possess a passion for serving our unique client population, and will have experience in the Development function within the Nonprofit sector, preferably with an established presence in the Middle TN philanthropic community. 

 Position: Director of Development & Marketing 

The primary objective for the Director of Development & Marketing is to increase revenue and brand awareness through effective strategies for funding and marketing the mission & vision of Rest Stop Ministries, a long-term residential restorative program for adult female survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. 

The primary responsibilities include directing all aspects of donor relations from cultivation, solicitation, and appreciation to managing the donor development database/CRM and providing associated analytics reports. Related responsibilities include directing branding and strategic communication. 

This position reports to the Executive Director and collaborates with the Senior Director of Finance & Administration. This position supervises and teams with the Community Engagement Manager who is primarily responsible for content creation and constituent engagement within our varied marketing channels and brand guidelines, as well as recruiting & orienting volunteers, and assisting with events management. 

Principal Duties: 

  • Work with Executive Leadership to create and implement annual fundraising plans and goals in keeping with the organization’s culture & core values and philanthropic philosophy. 
  • Design, implement, and manage a donor stewardship program for the cultivation, solicitation, and ongoing relationship management of individual, church, corporate, and foundation donors. 
  • Own the CRM/donor database (currently Kindful and Salesforce) keeping accurate, up-to-date records, and produce regular reports and analytics for Executive Leadership.
  • Manage the $1M Annual Fund, grow monthly donors, grow major gifts, establish & facilitate planned giving/legacy giving and stock giving opportunities. 
  • Plan and oversee logistics for fundraising and donor events, primarily the Annual Gala and other special events, in collaboration with the Executive Director and assisted by the Community Engagement Manager. 
  • Serve on the Grants Team with shared responsibility for grant opportunity research, grant writing, grant reporting and grant tracking. 
  • Direct strategic communication and brand management through all marketing channels such as website, social media, newsletters, impact reports, etc. and supervise the work of the Community Engagement Manager as primary team member. 
  • Team with the Executive Director and Community Engagement Manager, to manage and maintain community relationships with all key stakeholders and potential partners, which will include public speaking and training presentations. 
  • Working closely with the Executive Director and according to policy, oversee media relations and publicity efforts to promote the agency 
  • Develop and manage the annual budget for your areas of responsibility in coordination with the Senior Director of Finance & Administration
  • With Senior Director of Finance & Administration, manage external creative, media and web development vendors to ensure optimal delivery of scope of work. 
  • Participate as a member of the Leadership Team, supporting the overall success of the organization and alignment of activities to strategic priorities. 

Qualifications: 

  • The most competitive candidates will possess: 
  • Minimum bachelor’s degree; master’s degree in nonprofit management or related fields preferred (CFRE, Marketing, Business, Liberal Arts) 
  • Minimum 3 years’ experience in development, fundraising, sales, branding, marketing, relationship building; nonprofit experience preferred 
  • Excellent customer service skills 
  • Strong supervisory and leadership skills 
  • Strong working knowledge of Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Canva, and a CRM (Kindful and/or Salesforce a plus) 
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills; public speaking skill 
  • Strong nonprofit sector knowledge 
  • Well-versed in a variety of communication and marketing software, including Mailchimp and Later 
  • Grant writing 
  • Budget creation & management 
  • Strong attention to detail with a positive, problem-solving approach 
  • Team player adept in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities and deadlines 
  • Demonstrated ability to build rapport and gain trust with diverse populations 
  • Reliable transportation is required – travel throughout community reach expected; mileage reimbursement or/agency vehicle usage considered beyond reasonable radius 
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality as required by law and professional codes of ethics 
  • Ability to motivate others toward goal achievement and teamwork 
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure
  • Ability to work independently with a strong sense of focus
  • Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate 
  • Ability and willingness to work irregular hours when organization needs dictate
  • Must have a valid driver’s license, state-required driver’s insurance and access to reliable personal transportation  

How To Apply: 

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to MicheleSpeich@reststopministries.org, expanding on your specific interest and qualifications. Phone calls will not be accepted. Priority will be given to submissions received by August 19, 2025. 

Employment will be subject to background check, references, and verification of information supplied. 

Details:

  • Starting Salary Range: $45,000-$50,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications 
  • Employee Benefits: RSM offers a Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA), a generous PTO plan (starting at 15 days in the first year), and 8 paid holidays per year 
  • Date Posted: 8/5/2025 
  • Job Type: Full-time 

Benefits: 

  • Health insurance 
  • Paid time off 

Experience: 

  • development/fundraising: 1 year (Required) 
  • marketing: 1 year (Required) 
  • grant writing: 1 year (Preferred) 
  • Supervising: 1 year (Required) 

Ribbon Cutting & Open House at Modern Revival

This Saturday, August 9, Modern Revival celebrated one year in business with a ribbon cutting at their beautiful storefront on the square. The ceremony was conducted by the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce.

Modern Revival is a thoughtfully curated retail shop offering home décor, house plants, and vintage finds, all nestled right on the Watertown square. Whether you’re looking to refresh your space or discover something unique, this charming store is full of inspiration and character.

Modern Revival is located at 312 Public Square, Watertown, TN 37184

Pictured with Modern Revival co-owners Aimee Harmon and Shannon Patrick are friends, family and customers. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Chamber Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.

Ribbon cuttings are sponsored by Wes DuganFarm Bureau Insurance Castle Heights Office

ADC Contractors Ribbon Cutting

Today we celebrated a special Ribbon Cutting with ADC Contractors!

Join us in welcoming the new ownership team, Chris & Tara Thomas and Chad Morgan, as they lead ADC into an exciting new chapter. ADC has been a valued member of the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce since November 1991, and we’re honored to stand alongside them as they continue their legacy of excellence. During our visit, we noticed one of our Chamber membership plaques from the 90s proudly displayed on their wall — an unexpected piece of our Chamber’s history!

ADC is a full-service paving and pavement maintenance contractor, offering a wide range of asphalt and concrete solutions. Their commitment to quality workmanship and community partnerships continues to pave the way for lasting success!

ADC is located at 95 Dixie Ave, Lebanon, TN 37090

Pictured with ADC owners Chris & Tara Thomas and Chad Morgan is Andrea Wilke – Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce VP Membership & Finance, Chamber Board of Directors, Ambassadors and representatives.

Ribbon Cuttings are sponsored by Wes DuganFarm Bureau Insurance Castle Heights Office

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