Meet one of the newest members of Team Terra: Dara!

Q: Tell us about yourself!
My name is Dara, I am currently a Junior at Lee University, studying Exercise Science with an Athletic Training emphasis!

Q: What is your Favorite thing to do outside?
I love to go adventuring with my dog along the Ocoee! Anything that includes hiking, biking, kayaking, lake life, and of course my dog I’m having fun!

Q: What is your favorite book, movie, and TV show?
My favorite book is Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill, my favorite movie is My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and my favorite TV show is Gilmore Girls!

Q:  How long have you lived in Cleveland?
I have lived in Cleveland for 9 years now and absolutely love the Cleveland Community!

Q:  What is your advice for someone looking to be fit for shoes, never been to Terra?
I think my biggest piece of advice is don’t be discouraged or embarrassed to try something new! It’s OK if your feet do not feel the same in the shoes you try on or even in the shoes you’ve worn previously. Each shoe fits and feels differently!

Meet the newest member of Team Terra: Olivia!

Q: Tell us about yourself!

I am a senior at Lee University and am a runner on the Cross Country and Track & Field teams! I am majoring in Business Administration, minoring in Nonprofit management, and am currently starting my MBA! I am from York, Pennsylvania and I love to laugh and spend time with family and friends.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do outside?

Of course, my favorite thing to do outside is run! I also love to go on hikes, have picnics, and ski with my family in Pennsylvania or other surrounding states.

Q: What is your favorite movie, book, and TV show?

My favorite movie has to be American Sniper or The Best of Me (I know, starkly different choices). My favorite book is What She Left Behind and my favorite TV show is Revenge. 

Q: How long have you lived in Cleveland?

I have lived in Cleveland since I came to Lee in August 2019.

Q: What is your advice for someone looking to be fit for shoes, never been to Terra?

Let us help you fit different shoes and then you can tell us what feels best! No shoe is “right” or “wrong”, it all comes down to personal preference and what feels right on your foot!

Every year Cleveland State Community College presents the Community First Awards to honor individuals from the region for the ways that they have supported and served the local community. This year, our very own Brittany Katz was selected as an Honoree in Philanthropy!

If you have been around Cleveland for a while, Terra owner Brittany Katz is no stranger to you. A board member of MainStreet Cleveland, the Chamber of Commerce, and currently the “Sargent in Arms” for Cleveland’s Rotary Club, Brittany has been an active member of the Cleveland community since she moved here in 2016. Though she has been creatively using Terra and her other venture Cleveland Coffee & Market, to support the community from the very beginning, after the difficulties of this past year, she wanted to give back in a more direct way. Out of this desire, Brittany, along with friend and owner of Carroll Printing Andrea Boddeker, started what they call “The Small Biz Give.” Each month a portion of proceeds and physical goods from their businesses — Terra Running Company, Cleveland Coffee & Market, and Carroll Printing — are donated to a local non-profit. Already this year, thousands of dollars have been donated locally through The Small Biz Give.

“2020 was the most uncertain year we have ever had. Small businesses rely heavily on the local community and we wanted to support the people who have supported us. The Small Biz Give is another way to include customers in supporting their community as well as helping them understand the difference between us and a big box store… when you buy local you support friends and neighbors, you provide local jobs.”

Beyond The Small Biz Give, Brittany and her crew at Terra Running and Cleveland Coffee & Market have been finding ways to rally around the community since the beginning of 2020’s troubles.

“We started by fundraising with the I Believe in Cleveland shirts to benefit those affected by the tornado last April. We also collected donations from customers to help bring hundreds of coffees to healthcare workers at Tennova. We help local artisans sell their goods [through Cleveland Coffee & Market] and, of course, we always use as many local businesses as possible for all of our own business needs; if we are going to spend money we are going to spend it here.”

Though the Community First Awards happen every year, for 2021, the selection committee focused specifically on individuals who put the community first despite the pandemic and all of its challenges. With this in mind, Brittany was selected by the committee as an Honoree in Philanthropy for how she has served the community with generosity and grit even in the face of her own businesses' challenges. In the words of the committee, “Everything she does puts the community first.”

Congratulations Brittany and a big THANK YOU for all the ways that you serve our community!

Meet the newest member of Team Terra: Tiffany!

Q: Tell us about yourself!

A: I am originally from the East Coast — 30 minutes north of Baltimore, Maryland (Go Ravens)! I found my way to Tennessee when I moved here to go to college. After graduating, I worked at Lee University for almost a decade (CRAZY) and I just transitioned to Team Terra! Though you will definitely find me working on the floor in the store, I am also going to be helping put on events and managing our marketing. Other things to know about me? I love coffee, music, travel, and my cat Theodore (who is perfect).

Q: What is your favorite thing to do outside?

A: Not surprisingly, my favorite thing to do outside is run! If we are getting specific, trail running has become my favorite even though I am relatively new to it. Since I also love hiking, trail running is the best of both worlds. Recently, I have also started mountain biking, which has been a blast. I am so thankful that there are so many amazing trails around the Cleveland/Chattanooga area!

Q: What is your favorite movie, book, and TV show?

A: Though I definitely enjoy a good movie, I am generally more of a documentary person. Right now I would recommend Kiss the Ground and Honeyland (two completely different types of documentaries). As far as books, my “favorite” is probably Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. It is honestly a tough read since it is about real people living in the slums of Mumbai, but it is excellently written and certainly sticks with you long after finishing. My favorite TV show is much lighter than either of my previous picks — Parks and Recreation! I don’t know if watching Leslie Knope and the crew in Pawnee will ever get old for me. Brooklyn 99 is definitely a close second, though!

Q: How long lived in Cleveland?

A: If you count my time as a college student, I have been in Cleveland since 2009, though I officially moved here in 2013 when I started working at Lee University as a Resident Director. It is crazy that I have been here for so long!

Q: What is your advice for someone looking to be fit for shoes, never been to Terra?

A: Don’t assume that you know your shoe size! Running shoes should fit a little bit bigger than your regular street shoe since feet swell during activity. I made this mistake when I first got into running and ended up with a lot of blisters, a lost toenail, and numbness and tingling in my feet — all because my shoes were too small! This is why it is so important to let us size and fit your feet; we will help get you in a pair that feel comfortable for whatever type of activity you plan to do in your shoes.