JOHNSON CITY — Referees, coaches and players filled the banquet hall at Carver Recreation Center for the annual Region I Football Officials Association banquet Monday night.

The evening was highlighted with David Birkner, secretary/treasurer of the association, announcing that the organization will be starting its own charter of the National Football Foundation, called the Mountain Empire.

The NFF currently has 30 chapters from around the nation, two of which are in Tennessee — the Memphis Chapter and the Middle Tennessee (Nashville) Chapter.