It has been a difficult year, but that has not stopped one East Tennessee county from celebrating the achievements and selfless service of a local judge.
Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Bailey was recently named the winner of a 2020 Volunteer Spirit Award, an annual honor bestowed by The Greeneville Sun newspaper and the organization Youth Builders of Greeneville. Nominations are submitted by community members, and winners are selected by a Youth Builders committee.
The Volunteer Spirit Award was given to Judge Bailey in recognition of the numerous ways in which he has contributed to the betterment of Greene County and its citizens, including the role he played in bringing a much-needed Isaiah 117 house to the area.
Isaiah 117 houses give children who are removed from their homes a place to stay while they await placement in a foster home. The first Isaiah 117 house in the state was established in Carter County in June 2018. Judge Bailey was instrumental in ensuring that Greene County got its own as soon as possible, working to organize a committee that raised funds and educated the community about the need for an Isaiah 117 house. That effort was successful and Greene County’s newly constructed Isaiah 117 house was opened in November 2019.
Judge Bailey spoke about the importance of Isaiah 117 homes.
“When children are removed from their parents and are entering foster care, traditionally they go to the Department of Children’s Services office and they have to sit and wait in a cubicle or conference room until a placement can be found for them,” he said. “Now those kids can go and wait at the Isaiah house instead. It changes the whole dynamic for the child because when they go to this house they can get a meal, play video games, watch TV, take a bath or shower, get clean clothes, take a nap; it’s just like a regular house. There are so many things to keep them occupied. It’s been tremendous.”
Another way Judge Bailey has given back to his community is by co-chairing the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition. On the bench, Judge Bailey all too often sees lives that have been derailed by drug use, and he wants to do what he can to help others avoid that same trajectory.
“I try to educate folks on the devastating effects of drugs like methamphetamines in our community and how they’ve negatively impacted our families, our school systems, and many people’s job situations,” he said. Much of this outreach is directed at elementary, middle school, and high school students, who Judge Bailey regularly addresses.
Judge Bailey’s dedication to the struggle against illicit drug use is a longstanding one. Since 2006 he has presided over the Greene County Recovery Court, a special program focused on nonviolent offenders with substance use disorders. Program participants are connected with a variety of resources intended to address the underlying causes of their substance use disorders so that they can avoid incarceration and live healthy and productive lives.
Judge Bailey is also involved in a number of other professional and community organizations. For example, he currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference. He also serves on the board of the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In addition, he teaches Sunday school at his church and coached various sports for 15 years, a streak interrupted only by the pandemic.
Underlying all of this volunteer work is a belief that judges should not be hidden away from the public, but be fully engaged members of society.
“I think it’s important that judges be active and involved in community organizations and volunteer efforts so they can understand the needs of the community and the concerns of people in the community,” he said.
Judge Bailey has served as a General Sessions and Juvenile Court judge since he was first elected to the bench in 2006. Prior to that he worked in private legal practice for 11 years. From 2002 to 2006 he also served part-time as a Juvenile Court magistrate.
He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1995.
Usually the Volunteer Spirit Award is handed out at a special ceremony. The pandemic has disrupted those plans this year, though. As a result, Judge Bailey received his award in a different way.
“I didn’t know I’d been nominated and didn’t know I’d won until I opened a package at work one day and noticed a plaque in there,” he said. “It was quite a nice honor and a surprise.”
This is the 19th year that Youth Builders of Greeneville has given out Volunteer Spirit Awards. The organization was founded in 1946 “to promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, church and community as well as to contribute needful services to the community as a whole.”
