How Charles McDonald’s Leadership Has Impacted Bedford County.

by | Aug 2022

CHARLES MCDONALD is the show chair- man for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, but that’s not the only hat he has worn in the center ring. For the past five decades, Charles has given his all to help progress the horse show. 50 years ago, he started as an assistant to legendary Walking Horse photographer Les Nelson. The job consisted of carrying the camera around through the cheers, lights, and dust in the air. Then, he made his way up to the press boxes to coordinate and provide information to the press. He sat on the board helping make important decisions for the Celebration. He’s been the right hand man for CEO after CEO. And now, he is the show chairman of the historic TWHNC.

His days at the horse show started at a young age. He was born and raised here in Shelbyville, and he re- members his mother, Maude McDonald, was one of the original box seat holders. Decades later, the boy who helped carry a camera during the show is now a figure- head at the world-famous event.

“The celebration is such a community event,” Charles said. “It has not only a local impact but also a far-reaching impact for our community. I just see the value that it has brought to the community over all these years—how it has grown and what the finan- cial benefit and the entertainment aspect has been for Shelbyville and Bedford County.” And he’s right. The horse show brings millions of more dollars to the area according to public financial documents over the past ten years (causeiq.com).

When asked about making a smooth-running show he said, “There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that most folks don’t know.” Anyone who has ever been a part of an organization or event knows that speed bumps and hiccups happen. It’s the leadership’s job to have a smooth show where the audience has no idea that something went wrong. That doesn’t happen without a staff that works well together and does whatever needs to be done. Charles knows the staff is highly capable of handling any hiccups.

“We have a great staff. A lot of the staff has been with us for a long, long time. They do their job well and it comes off as a well-oiled machine with very few hiccups.”

When talking about the horse show, he was asked questions about his life, his accomplishments, and how his impact has changed the show for the better. When he answered, he spent most of his time talking about the good job that everyone else is doing. Charles is a humble man, who knows that a show this big only happens with a team.

With Charles’ leadership in the horse show, from carrying a camera to being the show chair- man, the horse show has made a lasting impact on people around the world—and a financial impact right here in Bedford County. With hu- mility, integrity, and a love for his hometown, Bedford County can celebrate knowing Charles is our neighbor. -GN

More Good News

Lindsey Trice: No Regrets

Lindsey Trice: No Regrets

LINDSEY TRICE was stuck. Life as she knew it changed forever on Mother’s Day in 2018 when she returned home from church to find her father lifeless. “I tried to resuscitate him. [I] tried to do all...

read more
Welcome to the Flavor Fiesta!

Welcome to the Flavor Fiesta!

BIRRIA TACOS have been hailed as a must-try dish, and Los Hermanos undoubtedly excels in this regard. I couldn’t think of anything better to warm me up on this cold night.  The tacos quickly...

read more
Shared Spaces and New Faces

Shared Spaces and New Faces

AS WE emerge from the fog of the pandemic, we’re searching to find balance in how we work today. We loved meeting in our pajama pants (for a while) and appreciated the flexibility of new work...

read more
In Other News

In Other News

New Alliance Unleashes Unlimited Opportunities for Economic Growth. Shelbyville-Bedford Partnership and Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a new collaborative relationship to support...

read more
In Other News

“In Other News.”

Wartrace music legend memorialized with historic marker.  WARTRACE CELEBRATED its musical heritage in June with the unveiling of a marker honoring jazz trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, a Wartrace...

read more
Recipes: Touchdown Favorites

Recipes: Touchdown Favorites

IT’S THAT time of year again when friends gather, jerseys are donned, and anticipation fills the air. Whether you’re an avid sports fan or simply enjoy the camaraderie, there’s one thing that can...

read more
The women of Shelbyville

The women of Shelbyville

THE TEST of history has proven that women have been foundational, like a sturdy rock that can withstand a storm. They overcame obstacles century after century, constantly adapting to the needs of...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Women of Shelbyville

JUST OVER 100 years ago, women finally received what other Americans, but not all, already had — the right to vote. Now, we have the opportunity to lift up and celebrate the groundbreaking women...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Recipes – Spread the love

MARCH 1 is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day — a day to celebrate the rich, gooey goodness of a pantry staple. What better way to start the day than with a batch of special pancakes? Then, keep up...

read more
From the heart

From the heart

IMAGINE LIFE is a car, and our goal is to make it from one side of the country to the other. The only way to do that is by having a full tank of gas. What is the gas in our lives, as humans, that...

read more
Celebrating a Masterpiece

Celebrating a Masterpiece

LABOR DAY weekend 1974, Saturday, September 7. The city inhaled Celebration energy and exhaled excitement and anticipation. Nine days of hopefuls— present and future—had entered the ring, walked,...

read more
History over and over again

History over and over again

I AM IN the middle of my third decade of life, and within the last two years, I’ve discovered something I always ignored: music from the midcentury. Life does not seem to be slowing down. Our...

read more
Connected for life

Connected for life

ON CHRISTMAS Day, in the early 70s, a truck driver drops coins into a truck stop pay phone while piling the rest of his change on the ledge below it. He’s anxious to hear his wife’s and children’s...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Faith – ‘Just as you are’

FOR OVER 30 years, children’s television host Mister Rogers came into the homes of millions via our television sets and told each of us one of the most important things a person could say to us. “I...

read more
More than books and Bibles

More than books and Bibles

FOR 14 years, he smiled back at customers from behind the meat coolers at Dial’s Supermarket, happy in his work there until the day he believes the Lord dropped the dream of a Christian bookstore...

read more
History over and over again

Tis the season

ALL I want for Christmas iiiiiiis…yoooooOOooooOOoouuuUUUuuu.” Can you hear it already? It’s that time of year once again. A time of year when a heated blanket feels like a hug. Every inch of the...

read more
All American all the time

All American all the time

THROUGH THE years, I’ve seen this location under many identities, but my all-time favorite is Penalties Sports Bar and Grill. This isn’t your average sports bar, so don’t let the name fool you. I...

read more
Passing on the gift of music

Passing on the gift of music

AT AGE 35, Jim Wood left his native Williamson County. He resettled in Flat Creek, a bucolic village in the Southernmost part of Bedford County, to escape the gravitational pull of Music City. Jim...

read more
Wine tasting on the square

Wine tasting on the square

SHELBYVILLE'S DOWNTOWN Wine Walk has become a fan-favorite event in Bedford County during the winter holiday season. At the event, attendees can sample and taste wines from local wineries and...

read more
The Dessert you Deserve

The Dessert you Deserve

LOCATED IN the beautiful North Main Marketplace shopping center is the sweetest spot in Shelbyville filled with sugar, spice, and everything nice. Mouth of The South Bakery is the brainchild of...

read more
Pretty old places

Pretty old places

AMY EDMISTON, creator of the digital scrapbook “Pretty Old Places”, invites you to pull up a rocking chair on the wraparound porch of the old homeplace where stories line the shiplap walls like...

read more
History over and over again

Life’s short; eat dessert.

WE DUST off the artificial pumpkin decorations and pull orange and purple wreaths from storage. We pull out rakes and sweaters as the weather drops like the leaves do. The weather feels therapeutic...

read more
High Calling Ministries

High Calling Ministries

GANDHI SAID, “Be the change you want to see in this world.” Jasper Wilson, director of High Calling Ministries (HCM), his wife, Israel along with a team of staff and volunteers are living this...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Go straight to the best

TAKE A deep breath and smell the aroma of lunch cooking in the kitchen. It was a very important meal. Jesus and the 12 stopped in to visit the home of Martha and Mary, in Bethany. Through the...

read more
A Sweet treat to Beat the Heat

A Sweet treat to Beat the Heat

GET ON Facebook and scroll for a while, and you’re likely to see a delicious post about the newest coffee, ice cream, and sweet shop in Shelbyville, JOS Fifteen Coffee. These instagram-worthy...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Someone Has Your Back

WHEN THE SMELL of warm caramel coffee lingers in the air of your vehicle on the way to work, you don’t have to think about watching your back. While not every driver on the road is aware of their...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Wartrace’s Annual Horse Show

CASCADE HIGH School’s annual Wartrace Horse Show fundraiser, hosted on August 6, 2022, was a success. The show is special every year, but one thing that makes it incredibly unique this year is that...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

History in the making

YOU’RE RUNNING down the court as fans cheer in the stands, your teammate makes a pass as you enter inside the paint, and swish, the team’s leading scorer makes a layup, and that’s game. Siblings,...

read more
Time Travel – no charge

Time Travel – no charge

A FRESH-BREWED POT of coffee waits for you as you take butter from the fridge and add three thick pats to your favorite saucer. You slowly pour sorghum syrup over the butter, swirling them together,...

read more
There For Us and Each Other

There For Us and Each Other

IN A SEA of students, a beacon light anchors an ever-changing tide of teenage lives. Help is on the streets too. At night and in the early morning hours, another light is prepared to lend itself...

read more
Better Than He Found It

Better Than He Found It

911 IT’S A CALL we hope and pray we never have to make, yet we’re confident someone will come when we do. Answering those calls is the responsibility of our first responders, and we envision an army...

read more
Pigskin and Passion

Pigskin and Passion

LITTLE GUYS dressed out in pads and grass-stained uniforms dot the field. They pass, catch, run, and tackle with the fervor of professional football players, although clumsily at times. With sweat...

read more
It’s Good To Be Back!

It’s Good To Be Back!

It’s finally here! Although the outside temperature argues for summer, your school spirit knows it’s fall. Tonight you’ve chosen shorts and flip-flops, but soon it will be flannel shirts, pants, and...

read more
Life on the Offensive Line

Life on the Offensive Line

RAPID GROWTH in any environment creates challenges. Adolescent rapid growth brings with it complications in healing from injuries, and repetitive sports-related injuries are a particular concern....

read more
The women of Shelbyville

Classrooms made of steel

THE CLASSROOM is like railroad tracks. Hard workers spent years, decades—centuries even—laying the groundwork for the trains to run smoothly from coast to coast. They’re strong. And they last for...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Prepping for Back to School

IT MIGHT be one of the most exciting yet stressful times of the year, rivaling that of Christmas. It requires preparation, planning, logistics, time, and money. I’m almost sure there are military...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

But, God

WITH THE first cup of steaming coffee in my hand and the stiffness still in my joints, I gently ease into my spot on the couch. A fresh, new day offers a blank page, although the to-do list in my...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

So much more than teaching

DEFINING THE meaning of teacher requires more than Merriam-Webster; it takes a deeper look and a second glance. More than a job with a summer-long vacation, teachers are motivated by their love for...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Recipes – Summertime Snacks

Sand Tart Cookies: Submitted by Elizabeth McGee INGREDIENTS 2 sticks butter1 t. vanilla2 1⁄2 c. flour, sifted1 T. sugar1 c. chopped pecans 5 T. powdered sugar DIRECTIONS In a large bowl, cream...

read more
The women of Shelbyville

The Sound of Trumpets

IF YOU took a snapshot of any 10 years in our country’s history, there is a hurt we were trying to heal. The same is true today. It’s our independence that lets us correct that, to heal, and to...

read more
A southern affair

A southern affair

EVER SINCE I first ate at Southern Fare restaurant, I knew they would be around for many years to come. Their first location was smaller in size, which could not handle the capacity of patrons...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

More than fireworks & cookouts

Here are fun facts to challenge your players:  DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: John Hancock’s was the first and only one on July Fourth. The remaining signatures were added over time, following the...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

The Dream Maker

WHEN VIKTOR Makela arrived in America from Finland, the Statue of Liberty welcomed him. He brought more than a few material possessions with him; he arrived with a heart filled with dreams. Makela...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Food, Fireworks & Fun

WE WELCOME a summer celebration more than ever, and Independence Day is the perfect time to gather for food, fun, fireworks, and flag-waving. There’s an event near you, so there’s no excuse for...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Freedom of fire

WHEN I was a young buck, I decided if there was a rule, I was going to break it. There have been many distinct times in my life when I have felt suffocated by others’ control, expectations, or...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Dreams do come true.

MANY YOUNG athletes dream of playing sports on a professional level. With the help of his family and the community of Shelbyville, Keon Johnson was able to turn his dreams into reality. ...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Floating Vacations on Local Water

Whether it’s relaxation or adventure you’re seeking, you don’t have to look far to find it. Middle Tennessee’s waterways will refresh and restore you. A lazy float with nature’s soundtrack of...

read more
Letter From the Editor: Savoring the Summer Delights

Selfless

THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER dictionary defines the word selfless as “someone who has no concern for self, or unselfish.” As the world keeps turning, it may feel like selfless people are few and far between....

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

In the spirit of selflessness

WEBSTER MAY define selflessness as having no concern for self, but givers in our community give the world and our lives deeper meaning. They take to heart the well-being and care of others and place...

read more
Breakfast at Ruth’s

Breakfast at Ruth’s

I’VE BEEN very excited to get to Ruth’s Kitchen and try her food. When the announcement broke on Facebook, Shelbyville responded with such enthusiasm, and it shows. At 9:40 a.m. the place was packed...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Do bunnies lay eggs?

Easter parades may have passed on by, but its many other traditions are alive and well. Even though the internet has changed how we watch movies, families still watch “The Ten Commandments” every...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

When empty is full

AS MORNING’S first light nudged the last of the darkness, Mary Magdalene walked with heavy heart and feet along the dirt road. The garden’s birdsong and fragrant blossoms, usually welcomed,...

read more
The Homes of Hope Organization

The Homes of Hope Organization

HOMES OF Hope (HOH) of Bedford County is a faith-based nonprofit organization. HOH inspires citizens within the community to recruit families to care for children in crisis. It also provides support...

read more
Best for All District Award

Best for All District Award

ON FEBRUARY 11, the Tennessee Department of Education awarded Bedford County School District the Best for All District Award. Bedford County School District is one of 68 districts to receive the...

read more
Fourth Fridays with a flair

Fourth Fridays with a flair

GET READY for this year’s series of Fourth Friday Fests on Shelbyville’s Historic Uptown Square. Coinciding with the Celebration City Region Car Club Cruise-In, the festival provides opportunities...

read more
Faith – Homesick Hearts

Faith – Homesick Hearts

AS THE regal, iridescent purple martins flew in and out of their colony housing, she pointed and asked through my phone’s translator, “Can I take one home?” Over the birds’ noisy chatter, I...

read more
Recipes – Date Night Dinner

Recipes – Date Night Dinner

Salmon Steaks with Wine Sauce: SUBMITTED BY MARY INMAN Ingredients- 4 salmon steaks, 4 oz., fresh or frozen1 T. margarine1 T. cornstarch 1/2 t. instant chicken bouillon granulesdash of white pepper1...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Remembering the Dream

WE REMEMBER the Dream that Martin Luther King Jr had 58 short years ago, as it continues to live on today. That dream further intensified the race to tear down the oppressive system that bounded the...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Faith – New Every Morning

Nullam vestibulum eget orci ac dignissim. Mauris aliquet aliquet magna sit amet bibendum. Nulla sit amet risus at sem sollicitudin tempus. Etiam massa neque, auctor at diam vitae, varius bibendum...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Bedford County Pink Ribbon Fund

2021 PINK RIBBON WALK: October 16 Join Bedford County Pink Ribbon Fund for the 2021 Pink Ribbon Walk (as a team or as an individual) You can register online to help women in the Bedford County area....

read more
Helping Hands in Bedford County

Helping Hands in Bedford County

VINCENT PEPPERS enjoyed every minute of consulting with the committee selected to distribute the $115,143.07 grant from the Healing Trust Foundation. The fiscal agent for the grant was the Community...

read more
Improving the Industrial Park

Improving the Industrial Park

THE SHELBYVILLE -Bedford Partnership is tasked with economic and community development. A component of the economic development mission includes industrial recruitment for the Shelbyville and...

read more
The Longest Winning Streak

The Longest Winning Streak

Professor Edward Finley, the football coach of the championship Bedford County Training School Tigers from 1937-1949, claimed he didn't have any secrets to his success. In a 1948 article in the...

read more
Aviation Day

Aviation Day

IF YOU’VE ever gazed skyward to watch an airplane flying overhead, then Aviation Day at Bomar Field– Shelbyville Municipal Airport is an annual family event you’re likely to enjoy. Now in its fifth...

read more
Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Beautifully Different.

Recipes – Summer Salads

These delicious summertime salad offerings will add a little bit of fun to any meal. Chock full of a variety of nutritious and fun ingredients, you’ll be glad you remembered to put salad back on the...

read more