TLC Community Center to hold open house, big auction on Friday and Saturday

ELIZABETHTON — If you haven't made it to the new location for the TLC Community Center at 142 Lovers Lane (next to the intersection with the New Bristol Highway), this will be a good weekend to visit. The center is holding its big ribbon cutting ceremony with the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday. It will then hold an open house on Friday from noon to 7 p.m. to let everyone know about the TLC projects and programs.The next day, Saturday, will have the biggest auction in the history of TLC. It will begin at 8 a.m. with a chance to preview the many thousands of items up for sale in the auction and to register for the auction. The auction is led by Auctions for Causes and consists of the items from many estate sales. There are storage vans and garage bays filled to the brim with antique furniture, just waiting for the auction.There are also antiques, including a century-old typewriter, collectable bottles, dishes and other items, lots of old desks and other items from bygone days.Angie Odom, the founder and executive director of TLC, said. "We have acres of chairs. Any business that is interested in a huge purchase of chairs should contact us". Other furniture includes lots of hardwood desks, dressers, wardrobes, tables, and other items from estate sales, as well as other antiques and older collections.The proceeds from the auction will be used to make the final payments on the property and buildings that the TLC relocated to. There are other needs as well, such as an enlarged septic system to handle times when the center is used as gathering place during disasters like Hurricane Helene, including laundry and shower points.Odom started the center more than two decades ago as an abortion alternative program. In that time it has grown to help women meet the needs of pregnancy, infancy and growing families. It has also grown to become a response center to natural disasters and other local emergencies.