Holladay Properties Chief Development Officer Allen Arender leads a toast at the future site of the Carousel of Dreams at The Factory at Franklin on Dec. 9, 2024.
Williamson County community and government leaders gathered at The Factory at Franklin on Monday to celebrate the city’s future Carousel of Dreams and its new nonprofit The Circle of Giving.
A hand-carved horse that will soon be a part of the Carousel of Dreams by Franklin artist Ken Means sits on display at The Factory at Franklin on Dec. 9, 2024.
The carousel, set to open in early 2025, is the work of master carver, painter and mechanical engineer Ken Means who has spent decades hand-crafting carousel figures after carving his first piece, a wooden rocking horse, as a Christmas present for his children in 1979.
Carousel figures designed and hand-carved by Franklin artist Ken Means.
In 2019, he moved to Franklin from Oregon and began working in a rented space inside the Factory, which will now be the permanent home for his art.
The carousel will feature 36 animal figures from horses to dragons, as well as wheelchair accessible chariots, all of which can be sponsored by generous members of the community to benefit the new nonprofit.
Proceeds from the carousel’s operations will benefit the Circle of Giving nonprofit, launched by Factory developer Holladay Properties and led by President and CEO Brandy Blanton, who also serves as a City of Franklin Alderman.
According to a news release, the non-profit will provide financial support to Williamson County charities that “align with its mission.”
Circle of Giving non-profit President and CEO Brandy Blanton (left) leads a Q and A with Franklin artists Ken and Bettie Means at the debut of the Carousel of Dreams at The Factory at Franklin on Dec. 9, 2024.
“We talk about our city, and specifically about how we do a great job of balancing progress and preservation-That's exactly what this is,” Blanton said. “You'll learn that while this is not a historic carousel, it's gonna to be, it's gonna to be a new asset to our community, which is progress.”
Blanton led a Q-and-A with Means and his wife Bettie, and previewed an upcoming documentary that details Means’ work leading up to the carousel’s opening.
“A carousel brings a community together,” Means said. “You have old people that it brings back memories to them, or they're taking their grandkids or their children to ride the merry-go-round around the music. I've never seen anybody walk away from a carousel with a sad face, and I go to a lot of carousels.”
“Having landed in this community that prides itself on giving back so much, we felt like the opportunity was for this Carousel of Dreams to be the cornerstone of a new factory nonprofit foundation,” Holladay Properties Chief Development Officer Allen Arender said.
The Circle of Giving’s Board of Directors include board chair and Franklin Alderman Matt Brown; Visit Franklin president and CEO Maureen Thornton who will serve as the board’s secretary; Holladay Properties vice president of accounting Grace Ledbetter who will serve as the board’s treasurer; Third Coast Clay Owner Deborah Brannan; community volunteer and educator Breanne Hammons; human resources executive Greg Freeze; one:eight Entertainment owner Greg Ham; Truland Development Company partner Amanda McKeehan; senior partner at Buerger, Moseley and Carson, Jeff Moseley; advisor, mentor and speaker Louis Upkins Jr.; retired Tennessee National Guard Brigadier General Kurt Winstead; and Holladay Properties Chief Development Officer Allen Arender who will be an ex-officio member.