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When employees of Imerys in Gleason (formerly Kentucky Tennessee Clay Company) met for their annual safety refresh workshop in February, they included an unveiling of a new safety mascot and simultaneously honored a recent retiree.
They gifted a young artist with a $500 scholarship in recognition of the colorful creation, fashioned to underscore safety issues at the plant.
Arnie, the new safety mascot, was introduced to the gathering of employees at a luncheon held at the Simply Southern event space in Gleason. Arnie is a raccoon decked out in safety headgear and vest as conceived by Gleason freshman Maryorie Pastrana.
Pastrana attended the luncheon along with teacher Jason Stephens and runner up Katie Freeman, a Gleason senior who also received prize money for her efforts. There she met the local safety committee. This committee decided last fall they wanted a safety mascot unique to their campus and reached out to Weakley County Schools to enlist the help of a school-aged artist who would benefit from the scholarship funds.
The new mascot is named for Kerry Arnold who worked at the Gleason facility for almost 42 years, the last 15 as a safety coordinator.