March 16, 2018

March 16th - April 5th, 2018

AthensNowal.com E-MAIL: info@athensnowal.com ADVERTISING: Ali Elizabeth: 256-468-9425

See Our Listings Inside this edition...

Pages 25 - 32

Special Feature Athens and Limestone County Bicentennial Quilts...

The Friendship Quilters Guild issued a challenge to its members to use their sewing creativity to...

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Horse Whispering

The 2018 Athens-Limestone Hospital Foundation Gala: Denim, Diamonds And A Mystery

By Ali Elizabeth Turner It’s time once again for the annual Athens-Limestone Hospital Foundation Gala, which will be held on the evening of Saturday, April 28. By popular deContinued on page 15

Restore Therapy Pavillion: Upscale Rehab In Your Hometown City

Heart Rhythms...

“I can feel your heartbeat. It’s the same as mine. I am part of you. You are part of me. Neither one alone but together we can strengthen the pulse of the world.”

Kate McGahan....

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By Ali Elizabeth Turner

Foreman's Forum

It was over 50 years ago that Doug Maund, founder of Athens Pharmacy, and the late Dr. William Pennington, a well known and beloved “country doc” in the truest sense, teamed up to found the long-term and rehabilitation facility at 611 Market Street, now known as

Fare Thee Well, Dear Brother...

Early in the morning this past Tuesday, March 13, Paul Jean Foreman, the writer of this column said goodbye to this life...

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March 16 - April 5, 2018

Continued on pages 17

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March 16 - April 5, 2018

Publisher’s Point Publisher / Editor Ali Turner

Copy Editor

Yvonne Dempsey

Graphic Design

Jonathan Hamilton

Web Design Teddy Wolcott

Contributing Writers Janet Hunt D. A. Slinkard Lisa Philippart Lynne Hart Anna Hamilton Rosemary Dewar Holly Hollman Tim Lambert Deb Kitchenmaster Cayce Lee Jackie Warner Eric Betts

Changing Lives, Post-it

By Post-it It’s been a month since 17 people, 14 students and three teachers were gunned down at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida by a messed-up young man by the name of Nikolas Cruz. The aftermath has been fairly predictable, and there is little in this latest school shooting that can in any way be

they cause suicidal and/ or homicidal thoughts or actions) have once again come under scrutiny, and the National Rifle Association has been not surprisingly portrayed as the League of Lucifer itself.

What is different this time is that there has been a groundswell movement of students who are justifiably upset

worried about the idea of having highly-trained people in their halls or classrooms who can protect and defend them. My guess is that their belief is that the presence of an armed person would somehow sully the purity of their academic experience. That would have been my thought 50 years ago. After all, it

Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3 All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 4 Special Feature . . . . . . . . 5 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . 6 What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 8 Slinkard on Success . . . . . . 9 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 PlayAction Sports . . . . . . 11 Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12 Cooking With Anna . . . . 13 The Millennial Mind . . . . 14 Cover Stories . . . . . . . . 15 & 17 Health and Fitness . . . . . . 16 Learning As A Lifestyle . . . 18 View From The Bridge . . . . . . . 19 Horse Whispering . . . . . . 20 Mental Health Minute . . . 21 Medical Update . . . . . . . . 22 Foreman's Forum . . . . . . . . 23

March 16 - April 5, 2018

considered unique. Broward County Sheriff’s Department has been nicknamed “Coward County” because no officer went in to take the shooter out and save the lives of the kids and teachers. FBI has come under fire because of all the warnings they were given that indicated that Nikolas was dangerous and ready to explode.

SSRI-style anti-depressants (the ones that carry the black box warning that they are not suitable for adolescents because

about what happened, and have bought into the idea that the problem is guns and not the gunner.

I used to believe that gun control was the solution, and I no longer think that is the case. I also used to think that people who believed in the 2nd Amendment as intended by the Founders were Neanderthals, while I was the embodiment of enlightened, transcendent, morality because I was a pacifist. I am no longer that, either.

The kids also are really

was the era whose battle cry was, “Make love, not war.” By contrast, Federal legislation has been passed to help prevent more school violence, and Florida will be requiring that would-be purchasers of long guns be at least 21 years of age.

So, with emotions high and activism on both sides fomenting, it is encouraging to know that our own Athens High School students have made the news for their mature response to the

walk-out that was held across the country on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. Rather than leave school to express their outrage over school shootings and violence in particular, the Athens High kids came up with some ideas that were not only as marvelous as they were measured, they involved Post-its, as well as acts of kindness.

They wrote ideas for doing all manner of kind things on Post-its, and put them on what they called the Kindness Wall.

Then they had some moments of silence for the fallen. One by one students went up to the wall, picked up a Post-it, went and performed the deed, and when they were finished put the Post-it on the right side of the wall, which had been set aside for the finished act of kindness.

Sophie Greenhaw is the AHS Student Council Secretary. About their plan, she said, "We're… hoping that it just creates a better school environment where more people just feel involved and feel loved on." We are hoping so, too, Miss Sophie, and Athens High, you have done us proud.

Thank you.

Ali Elizabeth Turner Athens Now Information & Inspiration 256-468-9425 ali@athensnowal.com Website: www.athensnowal.com

athensnowal.com www.athensnowal.com

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All Things Soldier

Mary Ellis, WWII Spitfire Pilot, Still A Spitfire

by Sarah Oliver

The following article tells about Mary Ellis, a delightful flying ace from WWII who is still able to man the controls of a Spitfire and fly with the best of them. This was written by Sarah Oliver for the British publication “The Mail On Sunday,” from February 5, 2017. Enjoy!

100-year-old woman who flew spitfires during the Second World War celebrates her centenary by getting behind the controls again Tearing through the skies above the South Coast, two Spitfires evoke powerful memories of Britain's wartime resilience.

But this stirring image holds a further poignancy – for in the cockpit of the lead aircraft sits Mary Ellis, celebrating her 100th birthday by recreating her time as one of the ‘Atagirls,' the select gang of female pilots who flew Britain's fighters during the war. And over her shoulder is one of the actual Spitfires she flew during her 1,000 flights as a First Officer with the Air Transport Auxiliary.

“Wizard, this is wizard!” yelled the delighted centenarian through her intercom. Mary was handed the controls of the 275 mph twin-seater as it swooped over West Sussex. After about 15 minutes, she turned for home, and told her co-pilot

Matt Jones: “Goodwood on the nose, you have control …”

Then she settled back to enjoy the ride back to base.

Earlier, Mary watched in delight as Spitfire MV154 took its place beside her in an extraordinary airborne tribute. It was a plane she had delivered to RAF Brize Norton from Southampton on September 15, 1944, and it hides a sentimental secret.

For at the end of the 25-minute wartime flight, she signed the cockpit, scrawling her maiden name Wilkins and the initials ATA. She hoped her tag might be spotted by a handsome pilot and lead to a wartime romance – although the impulsive act, a career one-off, didn't bag her a boyfriend.

Mary, originally from Oxfordshire, had her first flying lesson in 1938, and flew for pleasure until 1941 when she heard a

BBC radio appeal for women pilots to join the auxiliary service and so release male pilots for combat duty.

Speaking at a surprise birthday party on Thursday, Mary said: “The war was a challenge and one had to do something about it. I went on and on until I flew

everything. I love the Spitfire – it’s my favourite aircraft, it's everyone's favourite, it's the symbol of freedom.”

For four years she ferried warplanes from factories to frontline squadrons. The 166 women of the ATA – about one in eight of the total – have been Mrs Ellis looked back over her left shoulder and glanced at the aircraft she once flew (pic by Andy Annable)

Vietnam Veterans of America (Chapter 511) Mary Ellis (pictured during her time as an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot in WW2) celebrated her 100th birthday Feb. 2017

$7

March 19th

11am - 1pm and 5pm-7pm

Musical Entertainment • 5-7pm 17915 W Elm St • Athens, Alabama • 256-232-0029 Page 4

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dubbed ‘The Female Few,’ echoing Winston Churchill's description of the RAF airmen who fought in the Battle of Britain.

Mary was usually found at the joystick of a Spitfire or a Hurricane but ultimately flew more than 50 types of aircraft, logging 1,100 hours of flight, much to the astonishment of some colleagues. As she sat on the airfield ready to deliver

her first Spitfire, the mechanic standing on the wing asked how many of them she'd flown.

When she said it was her first, he was so startled he fell right off. The largest aircraft she flew solo was the Wellington bomber. After landing at an East Anglian airfield, Mary was greeted by the ground crew who asked where the pilot was. “I'm the pilot,” she said. They insisted on searching the aircraft before they believed her.

It was dangerous work. Mary was sometimes ordered to move combat-damaged planes that were not officially fit to fly, but had to be taken for repairs. She crash-landed twice and was shot at once. Fourteen of her fellow ATA female flyers lost their lives, including aviation pioneer Amy Johnson Mary – who to this day needs no spectacles, nor a walking stick – was one of the last six women serving in the ATA when it disbanded after the war. She remained a private pilot and then became managing director of Sandown Airport on the Isle of Wight. She married Don Ellis, a fellow pilot, in 1961, but was widowed in 2009.

Matt Jones, who flies Spitfires for Goodwood-based Boultbee Flight Academy, reunited Mary with MV154 after first meeting her in 2015. He conspired with the plane’s current owner, pilot Maxi Gainza, to bring it to the UK from its base in Bremgarten, Germany.

He said: “I gave Mary control of our Spitfire. I wasn’t sure where we were but Mary was very clear. She pointed us towards Thorney Island, up through the Witterings, flew on to Selsey Bill and then Bognor Regis, never losing a foot of altitude.

“She showed me precisely how she was able to deliver all those aircraft with just a map, a compass and a stopwatch. I was utterly humbled by a superior aviator who also happens to be 60 years my senior!”

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Special Feature

Athens and Limestone County Bicentennial Quilts

by Holly Hollman The Friendship Quilters Guild issued a challenge to its members to use their sewing creativity to symbolize historic sites in Athens and Limestone County for the bicentennial. Both Athens and Limestone County are 200 this year.

A tie between Kim Johnson and Cecelia Bradford. Johnson created the Courthouse and painted cotton bolls on her quilt.

Bradford recreated the steeple of Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The quilters drew the name of a historic site and had to research the site and then determine how to interpret the site through a quilt.

Carole Hamilton won Carole Hamilton with her quilt representing first place with her Cambridge United Methodist Church and the star design for Cam"star" the community never got when it lost Jane Clark placed second for her bridge United Methodout to Athens as county seat interpretation of Athens State University. ist Church. Hamilton During her research, HamilShe used the bear claw design and included said the Cambridge com- ton said she discovered that Hebrew the Bear mascot as well as columns. munity was among the ar- worshippers sometimes used also included two colducts services. eas in consideration for the quilts on the walls to block umns to represent seat of Limestone County. wind after the Union Army Jane Clark placed second Founders Hall.

When Athens became the used some of its planks for with her depiction of Athseat, Cambridge lost its firewood during the Civil ens State University. She Kim Johnson and Ce"star" on the map and nev- War. Although Cambridge used the bear claw pattern celia Bradford tied for and added the school mas- third place. Johnson er materialized into a city. is not a city, the cot, Hebrew church still conthe Bear. Clark

made the Limestone County Courthouse and painted cotton bolls on her quilt.

Bradford made the steeple of Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Downtown Athens because the steeple is an iconic part of the downtown skyline.

Other quilters also made creations for the Presbyterian Church, Athens State, and Gulf Station.

Sonja Nurmi created the imitation of a stained glass window for her quilt to represent Cumberland Presbyterian Church

March 16 - April 5, 2018

Roxana Pressnell created a quilt to represent Gulf Station with women filling up at the station and driving to the quilt store.

Pandora Jurisoo used silk to create books on shelves to represent Athens State University

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The bicentennial quilts will be on display starting late March through September at Athens City Hall. The quilts then will go to High Cotton Arts for the "Art As Our Narrative: A Bicentennial Exhibit," from October through December.

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Calendar of Events 2018 Extreme 10K, 5K, and Camo Fun Run Mar 24

Women Empower Women Organization & Food Pantry First Saturday of Each Month

Joe Wheeler State Park. 4401 McLean Drive in Rogersville from 8:00AM-11:00AM. Registration information: Alapark.com

Prayer • Elderly Assistance • Feed The Hungry Clothes • Scholarships • Empowering Women Volunteers Wanted & Needed Call for Details -256.233.5995 Meeting Time: First Saturday of Each Month at 1:30pm Food pantry open now. wewoa.org • E-Mail: wew5995@gmail.com

Athens Relay for Life Ribeye Sandwich Lunch Mar 27

Emmanuel Baptist Church. 1917 U.S. Highway 72W in Athens.

11:00AM-1:00PM with the Limestone County Cattlemen's Association selling for $10.00 with chips benefiting American Cancer Society. Dine in or carry out. Delivery for 5 or more lunches - schedule delivery 256-233-8730 or 256-232-1399.

SilverSneaker™ Stability class Every Thursday

11:30am – 12:15pm. This class will meet every Thursday at East Limestone Senior Center at 25820 Nick Davis Rd. SilverSneaker™ Stability is a group exercise class designed specifically to keep participants “safe on their feet”. This class will include standing and walking exercises that will be beneficial in decreasing the risk of falling. Chairs are encouraged for warm-up and cool-down only. Donations for the class are accepted. For additional information, call Janet at 256-614-3530 or email at jhunt9155@gmail.com.

Ladies Sip N Shop Mar 16, 23, 30

Vietnam Veterans Building. 17915 West Elm Street in Athens.

2:00PM-6:00PM featuring local independent businesses and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy.

Easter Egg Hunt Mar 31

Joe Wheeler State Park. 4401 McLean Drive in Rogersville.

11:00AM-12:00PM for ages 11 and under with over 2000 eggs to find, games, arts and crafts, and the Easter Bunny.

Athens-Limestone Community Breakfast Apr 4

Limestone County Event Center. 114 West Pryor Street in Athens.

7:00AM-8:30AM. Hosted by the City of Athens and Limestone County to benefit the Arrowhead District of the Boy Scouts.

Guest speaker Limestone County Archivist Rebekah Davis with "Hiking Through History", a bicentennial salute to Limestone County, Athens and Mooresville. For tickets information or to register, contact Vicki Rosengarten at 256-272-3523 or Vicki.

Rosengarten@scouting.org

Volunteers Needed Mar 23

Kindred Hospice. 5000 Bradford Dr., Ste. 3A. Huntsville.

OPEN HOUSE! 12pm. We need volunteers for the Madison & Limestone areas. We have various opportunities for you! Come out and enjoy food and conversations about our 2018 volunteer program. Contact Jakita, 256-837-1290.

Elkmont VFD 1st Annual Charity Golf Tournament Mar 24

Southern Gayles, 22230 Mooresville Road in Athens. Foursome. $65.00 per player or $250 for foursome. Deadline Mar 20.

Information and Registration: Chris Carter 256-777-2111

Easter Open House at Welleswood Venue Mar 24

1005 Elkton Street in Athens 1:00PM-4:00PM with treats and the Easter Bunny. For more information: Lisa 256-616-2052.

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Equal Work, Equal Pay: Money MATTERS Apr 10

With guest speaker Lilly Ledbetter. Ledbetter was hired by Goodyear in 1979 as a supervisor. After working there for 19 years, she received an anonymous note revealing she was making thousands less per year than men in her position. This letter led her to file a sex discrimination case, which resulted in legislation known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

The Athens State chapter of AAUW invites you to join us at McCandless Hall at 6:00 PM. There will be a reception and book signing to follow, along with door prizes and giveaways.

FREE. Athens.edu/EqualPayDay

Finding Your Purpose Conference for Women Apr 28

Featuring Jennifer Frith at New Oakland Baptist Church. 20959 Old Elkmont Road, Athens, AL 35614. 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m. All Ladies invited. Any questions contact Tina Murphy @ 256-216-6947 or Deborah Hargrove at 256-497-6100.

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March 16 - April 5, 2018

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What Makes Ronnie Roll

Enjoy The Ride, Part 4

by Ali Elizabeth Turner Mayor Ronnie rolled in, greeting everyone on the way, full of enthusiasm about the Poke Sallet Follies which had been held the previous Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The Follies were by all accounts a big hit. City Councilman Frank Travis had taken on the role of director, and the theme for this year was “The Book of Athens,” with specially produced vignettes from the past 200 years of our city and county history.

“We have gotten so much positive feedback from people,” said the mayor.

“Frank and his crew—the actors, the people who built props, did the sound and lighting, all the volunteers, everyone did a fantastic job,” he added. “There was a lot of live music this year. Usually Poke Sallet raises between $18,000 and $20,000 for the Council on Aging,” he said, and while

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a way that fosters long-term habits. Gilliand says it this way:

he had not been told the amount of this year’s take, he expected it to be good.

Since we have been doing a series on Steve Gilliam’s book, Enjoy The Ride, it was gratifying to know that because once again Athens had come together for a worthy cause, our town had a great chance to put “legs”

to the title of the book as well as its theme, and create something both enjoyable as well as memorable for our whole area.

Since our last meeting two weeks ago, Mayor Marks and the finance team had been to New York City to face down the financial industry “powers that be” with respect to our bond rating as a city. “It went well, and because of everyone’s hard work, we have one of the highest ratings of any city in the state of Alabama,” he said. The result is that we now have approval for the $20 million dollar package that will serve to build the new Sportsplex facility, the new Parks and Rec building, and to build

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the Pilgrim’s Pride Park.

We moved on to the newest section of Enjoy The Ride, and Mayor Ronnie read me some of the things that had been speaking to him. As always, the end game with anything that he reads is to cultivate a cognitive lifestyle that is doggedly positive while being realistic, along with being solid with respect to biblical principles. Understanding the actual phenomenon of motivation, how it works, and when it is either misused or misapplied is most important. The kind of motivation that comes from the halftime pep talk or Sunday morning sermon is at best short-lived if people are not inspired to think then act in

“Most motivation is like a bowl of cereal—it just doesn’t last long, and you end up hungry in a few hours. As a speaker and author I firmly believe my primary purpose is to get a person thinking. When I can penetrate a person’s heart through their mind, I have found the ultimate source of their motivation. Motivation is an inside job that is determined by the individual person. The greatest thing you will ever learn is to use what you learn.”

We then talked about wanting to be the kind of people who could provide more than the motivational equivalent of empty-calorie cereal, and growing on to become self-motivated so that we could inspire ourselves as well as others when we need to. Once again Mayor Ronnie had a “fire” to put out, so he put on his “Smokey the Bear” hat; we prayed for wisdom, protection, and strength for the task; and then it was time for Ronnie to roll.

March 16 - April 5, 2018

Slinkard On Success

Are You A Hero Or A Zero?

by D. A. Slinkard

D.A. Slinkard is the manager of the Athens Staples store Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Seriously, stop it! Now, I want you to tell your family to stop feeling sorry for you and stop with the excuses they keep making for you. We have too many people running around with the victim mentality, blaming others for their own life failures -- excuse after excuse when the truth points back to the person staring back in the mirror.

The place you are at right now in your life is because of life choices you have made; but this is reality for too many people who are afraid to admit it.

When I look at the world, I notice our society is teaching our men to be more feminine and our women to be more masculine. Values we once treasured are but a distant memory of the way things used to be when our men were men and our women wanted a hero, not a zero.

To get back the mentality that made America great, we are going to have to change the way we think.

Honestly, the only feminine thing about me is my wife. Sadly though, we have role reversals throughout society in which moms are having to be dads and dads are having to be moms. If only we could keep the core nucleus of the family together, and we do that by making better choices.

Life is all about choices, and if you make a bad decision, then you are going to get bad results.

If you make good decisions, then you are going

March 16 - April 5, 2018

becomes are we going to make good decisions or bad decisions?

We need to pay attention to the daily decisions we make because the results of today are directly related to the choices we made yesterday. There are too many people out there looking back on their life wishing they would have done more with their life, taken advantage of the opportunities they had.

These are nothing more than the choices they made. When you hear someone say they regret the things they did not do, they are saying they regret the choices they made.

to have positive results. If we had our moralities back when it came to choosing our spouse, and if we did not rush to make decisions, just maybe we would not live in a society with a divorce rate greater than fifty percent. How different would our society be if parents stayed married because when they said, “I do,” they actually meant until death do us part?

Don’t believe me, ask the child who has been impacted by divorce.

decisions they have made over the course of time, yet the same can be said for the person who is thriving in life. We all want to find success in life, and we all have different definitions of success. The question

Start today with the mindset of being intentional. I wonder how different my life would be if someone would have told me twenty years ago to be intentional in my decisions because, no matter what, I would eventually have to live with them. Good or bad choices – we reap what we sow, and some of us like what we are getting while the majority of people go through life with

dread and “What if...”

wondering,

Do not let this be you. Decide now that you are going to do something with yourself and the choices you make. Most notably, though, is getting past feeling sorry for yourself.

Everyone on the planet has had something horrible happen in their life, and just because something bad happened to you, it does not make you special. It is a tough reality that was hard for me to understand, but I eventually got it through my head that someone else had it rougher than me. I no longer played the victim and decided I would do something different.

I think about who I am today versus who I was as a teenager, and I cannot begin to tell you the difference. Youth is wasted on the young because of the stupid decisions they make; but you can decide now whether you are going to be the hero or the zero. The decision is always yours.

There is a misconception that somehow people wake up one day and they are in a bad situation. This is not how life works. The person who is down and out is at this point in their life because of a culmination of

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Tourism

Spring and Easter Activities in AthensLimestone County Keep You Hopping

by Cayce Lee Social Media Specialist, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association Easter comes early this year, landing on Sunday, April 1, and the chances to make family memories, take photos with the Easter Bunny, welcome spring, and celebrate the reason for the season are many and start mid-March.

(Hobbs Street one block past the Athens Police Department) from 6:30 A.M.7:00 A.M. For more information: Jason Parnell 256-232-6119

Here are a few opportunities for you to enjoy: Mar 17, 2018 -- Spring Gathering with Mooresville Mercantile (5081 Mooresville Road in Mooresville, AL) Welcome spring by enjoying the crafters, artists, small businesses, and community organizations that join them under the trees from 9:00 A.M.-Noon.

Mar 17, 2018 -- Sheep Shearing Demonstration with Gary Lawson at 1818 Farms (24889 Lauderdale Street in Mooresville) starting at 9:30 A.M. Free. Reserve your space at 1818Farms.com Mar 17, 2018 -- Limestone County Master Gardeners workshop at Lowe's Receiving Area (1109 U.S. Highway 72E in Athens) from 10:00 A.M.-11:00 A.M. for "Fruit Trees" with Chris Becker of Limestone County Extension Office.

For additional information contact Janis Dill at 256-

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771-0031.

Mar 21, 2018 -- Storytelling Hour Easter Egg Hunt at the Ardmore Public Library (25836 Main Street in Ardmore) starting at 10:00 A.M. For more information: (931) 427-4883 Mar 24, 2018 -- Easter Spring Fling Craft and Vendor Show at the Vietnam Veterans Building (17915 West Elm Street in Athens) from 10:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Free admission.

Mar 24, 2018 -- Easter Open House at Welleswood Venue (1005 Elkton Street in Athens) from 1:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M. with treats and the Eas-

ter Bunny. For more information: Lisa 256-616-2052 Mar 24, 2018 -- Friendship Flashlight Egg Hunt at Friendship United Methodist Church (16479 Lucas Ferry Road in Athens) starting at 5:30 P.M. with food and activities followed by egg hunts for everyone starting at 6:00 P.M. More information at friendshipumc.org Mar 25, 2018 -- Friendship North Campus Flashlight Egg Hunt at Friendship North (21960 Easter Ferry Road in Elkmont) starting at 6:00 P.M. Mar 30, 2018 -- Good Friday Observance -- local govern-

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ments, area agencies, attractions, restaurants, and shops may be closed or have modified hours of operation in observance of this holiday.

Please call ahead to confirm availability and hours.

Mar 31, 2018 -- Easter Egg Hunt at Joe Wheeler State Park (4401 McLean Drive in Rogersville, AL) from 11:00 A.M.-Noon for ages 11 and under with over 2000 eggs to find, games, arts and crafts, and the Easter Bunny.

Apr 1, 2018 -- Easter Sunrise Service with the Athens-Limestone Ministerial Service on Beasley Field of Athens State University

L w s m w g Apr 1, 2018 -- Easter i Sunrise Service with Full s Gospel Tabernacle (17470 A Seven Mile Post Road in Athens) from 7:00 A.M.- T 8:00 A.M. with Sunrise s Breakfast to follow in the w L fellowship hall. g Apr 1, 2018 -- Easter Sun- t day Buffer at Danielle's M at Joe Wheeler State Park Lodge (4403 McLean A Drive in Rogersville, AL) T from 11:00 A.M.-2:30 P.M. n Adults: $15.95; Children T R $7.95 Athens-Limestone County p Tourism Association offers t a unique trail, Glory Road, s which visits 35 historic i and community churches.

The brochure for this driving trail is available at the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center located at 100 North Beaty Street in Athens.

A

T b a b m a a t i t e t C e w w Y p

Don’t forget the upcoming April Historic Walking Tours each Saturday available in Athens, Elkmont, and Mooresville. These free, guided tours step back into the history of each community and will be marking our Bicentennial for Athens, Mooresville, Limestone County, and the State of Alabama.

For more information on the tours, visit: www.visi- C tathensal.com/saturdayO walks.html C For more events to fill your t calendar throughout the r year, please check out our C website: VisitAthensAL. i com r

March 16 - April 5, 2018

PlayAction Sports

Local Winter Sports Wrap Up

by Tim Lambert

Tune in for the PlayAction Sports Update, three times each weekday on 1080 AM WKAC. Visit us online at www.pasnetwork.net!

email: playactionsports@hotmail.com Limestone County athletes wrapped up their winter seasons recently. Some even made it to state competition with mixed results. We've got highlights from the closing weeks of each of our local schools:

Tanner

All-County Boys' Basketball Team

The varsity Rattlers outlasted West Limestone 43-32 to win the Limestone County basketball tournament, while the JV girls defeated East Limestone. Varsity teams went on to down Ardmore when the regular season resumed.

In the first round of the area tournament, the Lady Rattlers clobbered Hatton. In the subregional tournament, the Tanner girls lost to Cold Springs, while the Rattlers smacked Falkville. The boys made it to the state semi-finals after beating Sulligent and Mars

Photo Credits: Dean Baucom

Ardmore The JV Tigers won the Limestone County tournament with a victory over East Limestone. The Ardmore girls were put out of the area tournament with a loss to Mae Jemison.

Athens Bible School The Trojans topped St. Bernard on the basketball court.

They also dominated Paint Rock and a last-second shot put them over Heritage Christian. The ABS girls had their season ended by Paint Rock in the area tournament.

Athens The Golden Eagles' basketball team downed Hartselle and came out on top with a buzzer-beater against Cullman, while the girls also got a win. Athens varsity teams also swept Tanner. An overtime loss to Muscle Shoals in the area tournament ended the boys' year. The girls were eliminated by McAdory in the sub-regionals. Deacon Cowart and Thomas Carter each finished second in their weight classes at the 6A state wrestling tournament. Trent Young and Ryan Tibaldo placed third.

Clements On the basketball court, the Colts beat Danville, the girls turned back Brooks in the regular season. The Lady Colts sent Elkmont packing in the area tournament's first round and, following a loss

March 16 - April 5, 2018

to West Morgan, moved on to the sub-regional tournament where they fell to Carbon Hill.

East Limestone The varsity Lady Indians edged Tanner 47-44 in overtime to claim the Limestone County basketball title. The middle school boys also beat Tanner in their championship game. The Lady Indians posted a 42-31 win over Brooks. Varsity teams also swept Elkmont in regular season action. The East girls took Brooks out of the area tournament and won the area title with a victory over Lawrence County. Pleasant Grove upended the Lady Indians in sub-regional play. At the state 1A-5A wrestling tournament, Sam Allred was third in his weight class.

Elkmont The Elkmont boys defeated Carbon Hill in the sub-regional basketball tournament, but fell short against Lauderdale in the regional semifinals. Chase Prater was third

All-Country Girls' Basketball Team Photo Credits: Dean Baucom

in the 1A-3A 1600 meters at the state indoor track meet.

James Clemens The Lady Jets downed Columbia and both teams slipped

by Grissom in regular season games. The James Clemens boys topped Buckhorn in the area tournament first round, and then lost to Sparkman in the finals. A loss to Hoover in the regional tournament ended the Jets' season. At the state indoor track meet, Vada Samuels won the 400 meter dash, Nolan Smith was sec-

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ond in the 400, the Lady Jets 4x200 meter relay team finished second, Shataeya Ligon placed third in the triple jump and 60 meter hurdles, and the 4x400 team came in third.

Lindsay Lane The Lions held off Addison in the regular basketball season.

In the area tournament, they eliminated ABS in the first round and advanced to subregional play despite a loss to Decatur Heritage. The Lions were sent home after a loss to Sacred Heart.

Hill, but a comeback fell short against St. Luke's Episcopal.

West Limestone

The middle school Lady Wildcats topped Clements in the title game of the county tournament. In later season action, the West boys topped Elkmont 37-31. The Lady Wildcats' season ended in the area tournament against Danville. The boys' team came up short to Fayette County in the sub-regional tournament.

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Clean and Green

Help Us Reward Others Doing Beautiful Things

by Lynne Hart Executive Coordinator - Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful

There are many things to love about Athens and Limestone County. Some of my favorite things include the friendliness of the people I meet, the increased awareness and concern people have about our local environment, and the efforts to keep Athens the lovely bedroom community it has always been.

There are some things, though, that concern me.

I cringe when land is purchased and prepared for building new developments and every single tree is removed and none are replaced. The neighborhood I live in is one example of that. There is more concrete than there is green space.

It was necessary for me to move to such a neighborhood when my husband was still with me and needed a safe, handicap-accessible home.

If it were up to me, I would have trees lining our streets, which would be no problem because we have underground utilities. Because of all the concrete, there is nowhere to plant them even if the development agreed to it.

Benefits of Green Spaces Close your eyes and picture your favorite park or other green space. Now imagine that place with no grass, no trees, no flowers, and no green. The tranquility of the place you imagined most likely vanished along with everything green. It has been proven that green spaces provide stress reduction, lower crime rates, improved mental health, and

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increased self-esteem. It also increases community appeal, drawing people to come to shop, visit restaurants, and participate in community activities.

these businesses, industries, churches, and public buildings for consideration to receive a Beautification Award sign, which they will display for one year.

Human beings are not designed to live in sterile, concrete environments. I personally feel a noticeable difference in my mood when I leave my nearly treeless, minimally green neighborhood and enter an area with trees, birds, flowers, and oth-

Nominations will be accepted through May 15, 2018.

Judging will take place in June by Master Gardeners who live outside of Limestone County.

Nominated properties do not have to be elaborate. The board is looking for landCalhoun Community College also received an award last year.

Lyla's Little House in Mooresville received a Beautification Award last year.

er signs of nature.

Submit Nominations Our Athens-Limestone Beautification Board is all about the beauty of green space.

This board enjoys rewarding those responsible for the most beautiful landscaping of businesses, industries, churches, and public buildings located within Athens and Limestone County.

This is where we ask for help. We count on AthensLimestone residents to help us find the best landscaped properties and nominate

scaping that displays the following characteristics: • Suitability of landscaping to the site, interesting design, and use of color and texture in plant selection • All constructed walls, walks, etc. in good condition with materials used being suitable in color and size (if present) • A variety of healthy, well cared for plant materials exhibiting color, texture, and interest • Active maintenance evidenced by properly trimmed

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trees and shrubs; properly mowed, healthy grass; proper trimming and edging; no evidence of weeds or debris; and neat and perfected appearance.

• No visible litter, with bulk trash containers concealed (if present) Properties may be nominated online by visiting www.

KALBCares.com.

Click

the Beautification icon and scroll to Beautification Awards. You can also find the form by going directly to www.KALBCares. com/beautification-awardnomination-form-businessand-industry. Nomination forms will also be available at the KALB office. Please provide the address of the property and, if possible, a contact at the business, church, or public building being nominated.

We’re in this together, and together we can make beautiful things happen.

Please call the KALB office if you have any questions about this or any of our other programs or projects.

(256) 233-8728 KALBCares@gmail.com www.KALBCares.com

Become a Fan

March 16 - April 5, 2018

Cooking with Anna

May The Road Rise Up To Meet You...

by Anna Hamilton

St. Patrick’s Day in this Saturday, March 17, so put on your green clothes and get ready to dance an Irish jig.

The Irish have a rich tradition of food, drink, and folklore. Many settlers from Ireland and Scotland settled in the South after they made the long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

You can see their influence in many things we hold dear here in the South.

Appalachian music, Bluegrass music was greatly influenced by the music from Ireland and Scotland. “Buck” dancing and “Flat-foot” dancing got its start in the traditional dancing of Ireland. Many of our food traditions also came with the settlers. Simple dishes of roasted meat, potatoes, cabbage, and soda bread are still enjoyed today.

One of my favorite Irish dishes is Colcannon. Colcannon is an easy traditional Irish smashed potato recipe with cabbage, or kale, butter, cream, salt & pepper. This is a great dish to use up leftovers. I always seem to have half a head of cabbage in my fridge and a least a couple of potatoes laying around. Why have boring, plain ole mashed potatoes, when you can have Colcannon.

It’s super easy to make and super easy to customize.

Add meat if you want to, try it with sweet potatoes

for a fun alternative, put it in a casserole dish and top it with cheese. Make this yummy, stick-to-yourribs dish your own. May the luck of the Irish be with you!

I want to leave you with one of my favorite Irish Proverbs. “May the Road rise up to meet you. May the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rain fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Colcannon What You Need:

Directions:

4 cups of russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 cups of shredded cabbage 4 green onions, chopped 6 tbsp salted butter, divided 1 cup of sour cream Salt & pepper to taste

March 16 - April 5, 2018

1. Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, drain and return to same pan.

2. Add sour cream to potatoes, pepper and 4 tbsp of butter, mashing gently to allow for a chunky texture.

3. While potatoes are cooking, sauté cabbage and green onions in 2 tbsp butter over medium heat until cabbage is soft and starting to char. Add to smashed potatoes and stir.

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The Millennial Mind

The Postmodern Motto: Down Logos! Up Eros!

by Rosemary Dewar Whatever pleases the eyes, burns the ears, and itches the palms seems to be a recurring theme for popular consumption. The classic gothic literary style has not ventured too far from its usual components of over-dramatization, hyper-sexuality, and relentless tragedy. When the market says, “Sex sells,” it only means that a particular type of sex sells. The usually depicted Americana classic stereotype of the white picket fence family doesn’t fetch a reaction that compels contemporary culture to embrace it. Although we are experiencing a call to get back to classic Western cultural norms such as the nuclear family, we are also living with a pervasive entertainment high which highlights competing levels of deviance. The 90th annual Oscars proved yet again that those in Hollywood have dubbed themselves as the givers of culture. The more outlandish

or imaginary the victimhood, the more the Left demands the public embrace it.

The eye is naturally drawn to what is out of order. This is not to be confused with what is referred to in mathematics as a “standard of deviation” similar to the Golden Ratio, which demands a high level of order even to manifest. Another example of the importance of order would be the reproduction of butterflies. Should a female identify a variant in the male’s wing-pattern that is only a minute fraction off, it will not be selected. Similarly, humans scientifically find symmetry more appealing. When it comes to the standards of human nature and social interaction, a person could be the most demonstrably symmetrical, attractive person, but if their moral standards deviate too far from responsible freedom, that person would be considered ugly.

Our culture seems to be em-

bracing two insidiously ugly notions: beauty is not to be strived for, and standards for morality are subject to each individual’s personal definition. It is impossible to find a common goal and create a way of life with one’s neighbors without sharing mutually agreed-upon standards.

When standards like the nuclear family, biological gender, personal responsibility, and individual freedom are done away with, we can find ourselves in a highly constrictive environment. As depicted in the movie The Giver, children are birthed by artificially inseminated surrogates.

The children are assigned to people who are assigned to be couples. Individuals are drugged every day to manage their emotional state. The protagonist, Jonas, is selected to learn from the Giver in order to become one himself. Jonas then learns of all that comes with humanity and how even

the most inconvenient truths expose beautiful realities. Jonas’s female friend is assigned to be a surrogate, has twins, and then one of the twins is to be eliminated because they share too much DNA in order to fit in the environment. Jonas’s newly found knowledge finds it wrong to kill an innocent baby.

Why is it wrong to kill the baby, and why is Jonas right to preserve the baby’s life?

Humanity has endless amounts of history and science to reference in order to deduce standards that preserve a moral society. When a culture aims to tear away at the foundation it is built on, society will cease to function. One doesn’t get to pick and choose which rules they get to defy without there being consequences that have uncontrollably detrimental results.

Abandoning logic in order to satisfy any passion that sways one in the moment is a critical mistake. Eros is not solely a salacious love; it is also uninhibited passion. Romans determined that Eros was a source of unprofitable diversion. In a morally lacking society, death

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is the only counter-balance to passion. The saying, “You can have too much of a good thing,” holds true.

Author Malcolm Muggeridge summed this up perfectly when he stated, “It has become abundantly clear in the second half of the twentieth century that Western Man has decided to abolish himself. Having wearied of the struggle to be himself, he has created his own boredom out of his own affluence, his own impotence out of his own erotomania, his own vulnerability out of his own strength; himself blowing the trumpet that brings the walls of his own city tumbling down, and, in a process of auto-genocide, convincing himself that he is too numerous, and labouring accordingly with pill and scalpel and syringe to make himself fewer in order to be an easier prey for his enemies; until at last, having educated himself into imbecility, and polluted and drugged himself into stupefaction, he keels over a weary, battered old brontosaurus and becomes extinct.”

March 16 - April 5, 2018

Cover Story

The 2018 Athens-Limestone Hospital Foundation Gala: Denim, Diamonds And A Mystery

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

mand, Denim n’ Diamonds is back, which is a concept that makes it possible for you to come in a tux, a formal, or your best denim and boots.

You cannot over or under dress for this event! There is something new this year, and that is that the entire venue has been changed to include a professionally produced murder mystery dinner. Also new this year is the location—the Jackson Center in Huntsville will be the site where you will be able to bid on auction items, feast on a gourmet double entrée, have your picture taken by professional photographers, and try to figure out, “Who dun it?” All the fun is for a worthy cause, and this is the Foundation’s biggest fundraiser each year. Over the years, they have raised thousands of dollars in order to purchase important pieces of medical equipment, upgrade rooms, and provide new ser-

vices at the hospital.

The focus of this year’s Gala is to raise funds for sleeper healthcare recliners for each room. Being able to have family members comfortably stay in the hospital rooms right near their loved ones helps in the healing process, as well as makes a positive impact on Patient Satisfaction indexes, which has never been more important. The work of the Athens-Limestone Hospital Foundation has been instrumental in helping our local hospital grow in size as well as caliber. In the last 67 years, the hospital has become a 71bed acute care facility, and will be soon opening a new outpatient Surgery Center.

While keeping pace with technological advancements in healthcare, they are maintaining the hometown atmosphere that makes them the award-winning hospital that they are today.

I spoke with Jessica Jones (who is once again chairing the Gala), Amanda Hamlin,

Dual Entree Menu Butcher's Tender with Burgundy Wine Sauce Grilled Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce Gouda Polenta Cake Sauteed Asparagus Freshly Baked Rolls and Butter * Vegetarian option available *

Music by Nashville's Nate Jackson and Band beginning at 9pm

and Leah Beth McNutt of the Foundation about everything from the menu to the auction items to the perfect shoes for the soirée, and enjoyed listening to how much they are looking forward to this year’s event. All three of them were particularly enthusiastic about the murder mystery dinner, and are confident it is going to be a big hit.

Jessica said, “We are excited about the change of concept that we’re taking the Gala in with the murder mystery.” Leah Beth mentioned that it will also be possible to play a table-side version of “Clue” that is related to the performance, but it won’t be interactive. You don’t have to play the part of “Colonel Mustard in the library with a candlestick” in front of the rest of the attendees!

Another new feature of this year’s Gala will be having four artists from High Cotton Arts posted around the room creating live art while the evening’s festivities are occurring, and each piece of art will be available for purchase.

In addition, High Cotton will be producing a custom piece for the auction which will be framed by Camilla Gaston of Timeless Frames.

There are always high-end auction items which have been generously donated, and for these women, this year

the raffle for a genuine Louis Vuitton handbag looks to be the most intriguing. Hamlin Homes has partnered with Dream Key Realty to make it possible to own an haute couture bag for a relative song— for $25 a raffle ticket, or five tickets for $100. Whether you are a diamonds gal, or you’re choosin’ to just be rockin’ the denim, you are going to want to buy enough tickets to give yourself a fighting chance at baggin’ this bag.

Once again there will be a Big Green Egg outdoor Kamado grilling / smoker system, a Yeti cooler, lots of fine jewelry, destination vacations here in the states as well as abroad, and goods as well as services of all kinds. “We still have room for more items as

well as more sponsors,” said Leah Beth, but stressed that with only a few weeks until the Gala, if you are interested in donating, sponsoring, or purchasing tickets you need to call her soon at 256233-9557.

Jessica, Amanda, and Leah Beth wanted to thank the corporations, businesses and private donors who have come together to make this Gala possible. They include Alabama Farm Credit Union, Federal Mogul, First National Bank, Steelcase, Pathology Associates, Robins and Morton, Morell Engineering, and the Lioce Group. They hope you will save the date and join them for a most memorable evening!

Tickets: $175 each Call 256-233-9557 March 16 - April 5, 2018

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Page 15

Health and Fitness

Move It!!!

by Janet Hunt

Janet Hunt is a Certified Personal Trainer and can be reached at 256-614-3530 to schedule an appointment.

Physical activity reduces the risk of nearly three dozen harmful conditions and life-threatening diseases.

Medical dictionaries, fitness and exercise data sources all indicate that the following medical conditions respond positively to physical activity: 1.Low cardiovascular fitness - cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement.

2.Coronary heart disease – generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

3.Endothelial dysfunction – compromise of normal function of the endothelial cells (inner lining of blood vessels) leading to the inability of arteries and arterioles to dilate fully in response to appropriate stimulus.

4.Peripheral artery disease (PAD) - plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other substances in the blood.

5.Hypertension 6.Stroke 7.Congestive heart failure a weakness of the heart that leads to a buildup of fluid in the lungs and surrounding body tissues.

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problems.

31.Preeclampsia - pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, often the kidneys.

32.Erectile dysfunction 33.Hemostasis (blocked blood flow)–an abnormal blood flow obstruction such as plaque.

8.Osteoporosis - disease of the bones. Bones become weak and may break from a minor fall or another minor accident 9.Osteoarthritis - most common form of arthritis.

Chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling.

ver, and changes in bowel movements.

16.Constipation 17.Gallbladder disease 18.Accelerated biological aging/premature death 19.Type 2 diabetes (including insulin resistance and prediabetes)

10.Rheumatoid arthritis - a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the small joints in your hands and feet.

20.Metabolic syndrome the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke

11.Depression

21.Obesity

12.Anxiety

22.Colon cancer

13.Cognitive dysfunction - mental health disorders that primarily affect learning, memory, perception, and problem solving, and include dementia.

23.Endometrial cancer

14.Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - accumulation of fat in the liver of people who drink little alcohol 15.Diverticulitis - inflammation of one or more diverticula (small bulging sacs pushing outward from the colon wall) characterized by abdominal pain, fe-

develops during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar, causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health.

30.Polycystic ovary syndrome - a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of female sex hormones.

This may lead to changes in the menstrual cycle, cysts in the ovaries, trouble getting pregnant, and other health

34.Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. Most deep vein blood clots occur in the lower leg or thigh.

35.Pain There is just not a simpler way to say it. “Move it, my friends, and if you need help, call me!”

For information about exercise classes in the Athens/ Limestone County contact Janet Hunt, an ACE Personal Trainer and an ACE Group Fitness Instructor, at 256-614-3530 or jhunt9155@gmail.com.

24.Breast cancer 25.Sarcopenia - loss of muscle mass and strength, which in turn affects balance, gait and overall ability to perform tasks of daily living.

26.Balance problems 27.Bone fracture/falls 28.Dyslipidemia–high total or high LDL cholesterol level, or lowHDL cholesterol.

29.Gestational diabetes -

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March 16 - April 5, 2018

Cover Story

Restore Therapy Pavillion: Upscale Rehab In Your Hometown City

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

Athens Health And Rehabilitation, LLC. In April of 2017, AHR broke ground on a new facility on the east side of the existing set of buildings that is called the Restore Therapy Pavilion.

It is now 11 months later, and the beautiful, state-ofthe-art facility is open for business.

Lory Walmsley, the Admissions Coordinator at AHR’s Restore Therapy Pavilion, told me, “People don’t understand that the importance of therapy is greater than just about anything else in this type of facility.

There is speech therapy, occupational, physical and memory therapy, and more.

Those services are what make it possible for people to go home and live well.”

Speaking of therapy, let’s talk about the art on the walls and in the rooms. I have never seen anything like it in a place like this.

There are photo/paintings on the wall that are so mesmerizing that if I worked at Restore I would probably get fired because I wouldn’t be able to keep from finding an excuse to look at them. Art this beautiful can have a profound effect on people as they are recovering, and Lory and I joked that we would fight each other over the one hanging on the wall on the way to the dining room.

Ahhh… the dining room.

There are crisp linen tablecloths on the tables, and in the kitchen, there is a marble counter that has convection heating elements below and completely removable chafing dishes on the top. The marble stays

March 16 - April 5, 2018

cool, and the food stays hot.

The sign outside the serving room simply says, “Nourishment.” It is indeed that, and so much more. Sitting in a lovely dining room is another type of therapy; one of community, enjoying food together, and perhaps sitting up just a little straighter while placing a cloth napkin in one’s lap can serve as a form of occupational therapy.

I spoke with Nathan McGriff, who is Restore Ther-

Wallace State. He has 12 years of experience with everything from athletes to geriatrics. The new Restore Pavillion is like a dream come true for Nathan. “First of all, it’s huge. There is room to do everything,” he said. He then showed me a harnessed-based movement system that is suspended from the ceiling and travels along tracks. Four people can be receiving therapy at once, and there is no possibility of any of them falling. Because they are not dependent on the therapist for balance, the therapist is free to be more observant as to their movements and improvements.

Being in the harness also makes it possible for rehab patients to do movements earlier because of the support from the system. It speeds up recovery.

Another exciting feature of the new Restore Therapy Pavilion “gym” is a full kitchen, complete with a washer and dryer and bathroom. This will be the testing ground for those that are good candidates to return home to unassisted living, and it’s a fun one. “They

apy’s Physical Therapy Director at AHR. Nathan’s parents are both nurses, and he grew up in Sulligent. “I was always around the medical profession,” he said, “and at first I thought I would do highlevel sports rehab and therapy.” He has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Jacksonville State, and then received his PTA certification from

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might make brownies,” said Nathan, and have the satisfaction of creating something delicious, as well as demonstrate the level of their recovery. They do not go home until they can do a load of laundry, and take care of all their personal hygiene needs.

Lory told me that AHR has many special features that set it apart. There is no charge for a private room.

There are flat screen TVs in each room, and in the only two semi-private rooms, each person has their own TV and controls. Each room has a mini-fridge.

Most importantly, AHR accepts an unusually high number of insurance programs, including Medicare, United Health, Blue Cross, Humana, Health Spring, and more. If this is the kind of care for which you are looking, either for yourself or a loved one, then call the Restore Therapy Pavilion today at 256-232-1620 to schedule a tour, and be sure to take the time to thoroughly enjoy the care and beauty of the staff as well as the facility.

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Learning As A Lifestyle

Conflict Resolution With Satisfactory Results by guest writer: Eric Betts Assistant Director, Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics at Athens State University

Why is it important to resolve conflict?

There are absolutely no upsides to ignoring conflict and allowing it to go unaddressed. It is an illusion to believe that the issues will work themselves out eventually.

When there is conflict, even the innocent party is sullied in some way. Even though one may feel that he or she is innocent and not the real source of the conflict, it is best to work it out with the one who feels that they have been wronged.

Many avoid addressing conflict because it is so unpleasant, emotionally draining, and difficult by its very nature. What is often overlooked is that being shy about the tension that exists, only creates greater tension and explosive situations down the road.

It is said that “fullblown battles use up resources -- time, energy, good reputation, motivation.

By negotiating, you avoid wasting these resources, and you may actually make new allies and find new resources!”

There are five ways that parties Page 18

often approach conflict, and only certain ones will solve the issues: (1) Denial and avoidance appear to be the most peaceable way and the path of least resistance, but that approach will lose every time.

(2) Competing and fighting is another attractive way. This attitude says, “May the smartest, strongest, and the most resourceful win.” The compete and fight approach, while attractive, causes everyone lose to a degree, some more than others.

(3) The smoothing over the problem approach only delays inevitable hostility

and negative emotions and actions.

(4) Compromise and negotiation will create a win for both sides, yet they also must be willing to give up or loose in some area in the agreement.

(5) Collaboration takes longer, but eventually is a win/ win because it pulls back the skin of the onion and gets to the meat of where the real interests lie. The Collaboration approach continues the dialogue until the compatible interests are discovered, the relationship grows, and both are committed to preserving the interests of both.

Other important as-

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pects of conflict resolution involve being soft on the person and hard on the problems. Attack the problem and not the person. The object is to preserve and build relationships while tackling the problem. One must have the wisdom to separate the problem from the person who one feels is causing the problem. In this approach, the parties work together to eliminate the problems that are hurting the relationship.

How soon should one seek to resolve conflict? As soon as the first signs appear, begin to deal with them. Delay is not an option. There are three main issues

that create conflict: (1)Criticizing someone “behind their back.” (This is perhaps at the top of the list.) It is vitally important to go directly to the person that you want to change their behavior.

(2) Not being an active listener who makes sure he or she understands exactly what is being stated. This creates the frustrating “I thought you said…

No, I didn’t…Yes, you did” situations.

(3) Cutting off communication with those with whom you disagree or are seemingly unfriendly. This only adds to the tension and hostility.

The best ways to begin the process is to be respectful, honest, separate the emotions, and don’t assume (things are not always what they appear). If you can preserve the relationship and eliminate the issues, you will have gained a great victory. If the issues remain, keep the communication going and don’t give up. May the wisest and the strongest person take the first step in resolving the conflict.

March 16 - April 5, 2018

The View From The Bridge

Competing Priorities! What’s The SMART Thing To Do? Jackie Warner

Career Development Facilitator “Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters

by Jackie Warner

Stop and collect your thoughts so that you move smart and not just move to the next task.

1. First things first!

Take the time to review all required projects and tasks, identifying the deadlines. Complete this on paper or with an electronic device, so you truly see what you have on your plate.

2. Remember the big picture - Don’t get stuck in the weeds.

3. Take each item and determine purpose, complexity, timeframe, and urgency.

take a picture of what you see on the screen for use later.

4. Draft out the plan of action to execute.

5. Track your time on tasks; are you able to break the tasks down?

6. Keep your schedule in front of you. Know where you are and what percentages have been completed.

7. Evaluate what really needs to remain on the list, and delegate what you can.

8. Change and Flexibility is key.

9. Learn how to say no.

10. Take advantage of your SMART Devices!

I would venture out to say that most of us have at least one smart device we use daily, paying $40 - $80 per month. Are we really getting the best

March 16 - April 5, 2018

Until Next Time, Be Sincere, Kind and Intentional use of it? So as we tackle those competing priorities, let’s be smart about it, and let our money work a little harder for us. If you haven’t used the following features on your smart devices as time-management tools, then it is time. This is just a start…

1. Calendar - Input your appointments and set up reminders.

2. Timer - Set your timer so you don’t get sidetracked when completing tasks.

3. Audio Recording - Instead of trying to remember everything,

Jackie Warner, Community Outreach Specialist Email: thebridge.us@gmail.com Check out upcoming events: http://thebridgeus.yolasite.com/

record and then play back when needed.

4. Banking - Who has time to stand in line or go to the teller machine? Do your banking online with just 2 clicks…

5. Shopping - Amazon, Walmart…the list is endless. No more bad customer service; you are in control.

6. News - Set up news links and Google alerts for the news and weather you need to know.

7. Screen Capture - Use your device to

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Page 19

Horse Whispering

Heart Rhythms

by Deb Kitchenmaster “I can feel your heartbeat. It’s the same as mine. I am part of you.

You are part of me. Neither one alone but together we can strengthen the pulse of the world.” - Kate McGahan.

Hearts! Heartbeats are crucial in sustaining life on our ordinary days, our celebrating moments, times of grieving and disappointments, achieving and accomplishing, and forgiving and loving one another. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for EVERYTHING you do flows from it.” Scripture is clear that the heart is hugely important as far as one’s wellbeing and health are concerned.

God’s greatest command to us is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind.” Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” Perhaps another way of saying it, especially as it applies to horses and their humans is, “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you (some horses would say a BIG ‘thank you’ to that). Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

When we dismount from the rhythm of grace, our feet walk down various paths. Other than paths of righteousness that strengthen our hearts with joy and peace, our hearts can become troubled, afraid, greedy, hard – even wicked, e.g. an “irregular” heart beat.

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then match each other.

This research is especially exciting to me because synchronizing is what animal B.E.S.T. is all about.

By monitoring the changes in the heart rhythm patterns, emotions can readily be distinguished.

When an emotion, such as sadness, fear, anger, or

Research shows a horse’s HRV (heart rate variability) rhythms, although somewhat slower than human HRV rhythms, oscillate within a similar frequency range (0.01 to 0.4 HZ) indicating that the same instrument setting can be used to accurately measure HRV in both humans and horses.

Boulder Creek, California, is involved in research

showing how people and animals affect each other.

Research Director, Dr. Rollin McCraty says, “It appears that there is a type of communication occurring between people above and beyond body language or verbal communication. I believe we’ll see in future research studies that we are affecting each other’s moods and attitudes both positively and negatively by the electromagnetic fields we radiate. In our work with pets and their

owners, we’re seeing that a pet owner can create what we call a heart-filled environment when practicing heart-focused techniques.

The pets respond by becoming more affectionate, more animated, and more connected with the pet owner.”

Electro probes connected to both human and pet showed that when the human petted/groomed and emotionally bonded, the hearts of the owner and pet started to synchronize and

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frustration is experienced, heart rhythms become more erratic and imbalanced. Joy, appreciation, and love produce ordered, balanced heart rhythm patterns. Regular rhythms appeared in the human’s HRV when they were sending emotions of appreciation and care toward the horse.

One research study showed that it does not matter if the horse already knew the human or not. The person’s HRV was more important than whether they had a relationship with the horse.

That meant that when a horse interacted with an unknown human, the horse’s stress level was entirely dependent on the stress level of the human.

This highlights the NOW that horses live and remain in. If someone had an unstressed, balanced HRV, then the horse was inter-

ested in interacting with them which was reflected in the horses’ HRV readings, indicating they were relaxed. In cases where the horse is relaxed and the human is exhibiting stress, it is possible that the horse’s calming feeling may be transferred to the human to help the person relax. Research also indicated that it may be the responsibility of the human to promote bonding. For example, when a horse is experiencing positive emotions from a person, the horse will approach and stay close to the person, which may instill a mutual trust between the two.

Consider the unforced rhythms of God’s grace (for by grace are you saved, healed, delivered, and made whole). Guard your heart simply means to remain or abide in PEACE. Keep your heart open. You may be led to a horse. Whether connected to a horse or not, the end result is to “RECEIVE” unconditional LOVE so that each time and every time becomes a defibrillator that jump starts the very core of your being (heart) into harmony, peace and well-being.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON.....

Your NEIGHbor, Deb Kitchenmaster Corral Connections www.corralconnections.com 256-426-7947 Animal B.E.S.T. practitioner dkitchenmaster@mchsi.com

March 16 - April 5, 2018

Mental Health Minute

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor

Maybe the fear is that we are less than we think we are, when the actuality of it is that we are much, much more.

- Jon Kabat-Zinn

As you may be able to tell from my writing style, I am not from around here! I was actually trained to become a mental health counselor in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado. I had the unbelievable opportunity to intern and then work for a mental health center that served adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. As part of my experience there, I learned how to effectively use dialectical behavior therapy as a treatment for many of my clients.

But, what I truly liked about DBT was that the skills that were taught could be used by everyone in everyday life. The word dialectic actually means finding a balance between two things that may be quite different. So, according to the founder of DBT, Marsha Linehan, the balance in a therapy session is for the therapist to accept who you are AND to expect you to change.

The basic components of DBT are as follows:

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Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT. And the core of mindfulness is to BE in the Wise Mind. As you might imagine, not many of us truly achieve Wise Mind…that perfect balance between the emotional and rational sides of our brains. However, there are 3 “what” skills and 3 “how” skills that can help us work toward that goal.

These are actually some of the life skills I was talking about earlier – observe, describe, participate; nonjudgmentally, one-mindfully, effectively. By remembering to focus on the what and how skills, we can find ourselves in that place called the present moment.

Distress Tolerance is the ability to use stress survival techniques that our Wise Mind has allowed us to accept. These strategies include the use of distraction, self-soothing through the senses, and improving the moment. One distress tolerance skill I use quite often with many of my clients is pros and cons. The chart goes beyond simply the positives and negatives of a behavior or situation. It includes looking at both sides of making and not making changes in your life. Another distress tolerance skill I use in my practice is called radical acceptance. Radical acceptance is the ability to acknowledge what is, to

allow you to move on. The key concept emphasized is that acceptance does not mean approval.

Emotion Regulation is the effective management of our feelings. Dr. Linehan uses acronyms quite often to assist clients in remembering the strategies taught in each area. For example, one emotion regulation skill is called PLEASE, used to remind you to take care of yourself by reducing vulnerability. P and L stand for: Treat Physical Illness, E is Balanced Eating, A is Avoid Mood Altering Drugs, S is Balanced Sleep, and E is Get Exercise.

Another commonly used ER skill is called Opposite to Emotion Action, which encourages you to alter your emotions by altering your actions. For example, if you

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are feeling depressed and just want to spend the day in bed, you can choose to challenge the emotion by going for a walk, or visiting with a friend.

Interpersonal Effectiveness brings all the previously learned skills together to improve your ability to interact with others. The acronyms for this skill set are DEARMAN, GIVE, and FAST. I often use GIVE to teach relationship effectiveness with my clients who are struggling in their marriages. GIVE stands for Gentle, Interested, Validate, and Easy Manner. I encourage you to do an internet search for the meanings of some other interpersonal effectiveness acronyms such as DEARMAN and FAST. I believe that most of us need

reminders on how to communicate with our fellow human beings.

As you might imagine, DBT training required a year-long commitment to learning and using these techniques in the group settings, as well as providing a continuity of care through individual counseling support. Understanding and using DBT has proven to be an effective tool in my counseling toolbox.

Until next time…Lisa Lisa Philippart is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who divides her time between her own private practice in Huntsville and providing personal counseling services at Athens State University.

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Medical Update

Six Tips To Reduce Confusion In Older Patients After Surgery courtesy BrandPoint content (BPT) - The longer you live the more likely you will develop a medical condition that requires surgery or a procedure.

In fact, half of all people 65 and older will have at least one surgical procedure in their lifetime.

And along with common potential side effects from anesthesia during surgery such as nausea, chills or muscle aches and itching, older patients are at risk for confusion or short-term memory loss.

But, rest assured, there are steps seniors can take to minimize these side effects.

"The aging brain is more vulnerable to anesthesia and surgery, but there is research that provides guidance to decrease these risks," said James D. Grant, M.D., M.B.A., FASA, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

"Older patients should talk with their physician anesthesiologist prior to surgery about their entire medical history and any memory problems they've had in the past, so an anesthesia plan can be developed that ensures their safety and reduces the chance of side effects or complications."

memory and paying attention. It may not start until a few days after surgery, comes and goes, and usually disappears after about a week.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) - This is a less well understood but more serious condition that can lead to long-term memory loss and make it difficult to learn, concentrate and think. Because some of these problems are already common in elderly people and may be the sign of an underlying long-term cognitive decline, the only way to determine if a patient actually has POCD is to conduct a mental test before surgery.

Researchers in anesthesia care continue to study and learn more about these conditions and how to prevent or reduce the effects.

During Patient Safety Awareness Week (March

11 to 17) ASA offers six tips for seniors to help limit confusion after surgery: 1. Ask your physician to conduct a pre-surgery cognitive test - an assessment of your mental function. The physician can use the results as a baseline for comparison after surgery.

2. Be sure your caregiver, a family member or friend stays or can visit with you as you recover, carefully observes your physical and mental activity after surgery and reports anything troubling to your physician.

3. Check with your physician before taking medications after surgery that can affect your nervous system, such as those for anxiety, seizures, muscle spasms or sleep aids.

4. If you wear hearing aids or glasses, ask that they be made available as soon as possible after the

5. Request a hospital room for recovery with a window if possible, so you can tell whether it's day or night.

6. If you will be staying overnight in the hospital, pack a family photo, a clock and a calendar, or other familiar objects from home, to help you readjust.

In 2016, ASA launched the Perioperative Brain Health Initiative, which has engaged a multidisciplinary group to work with health care providers, payers and the public to create better access to care that minimizes the impact of pre-existing conditions that may impair mental thinking or intellectual abilities, and optimizes patients' cognitive recovery and their experience before, during and after surgery for adults 65 and older.

To learn more about pre-

paring for surgery, visit a s a h q . o rg / w s c p r e p a ringforsurgery. You also can download and print Preparing for Surgery: An Anesthesia Checklist to take with you to visit your physician anesthesiologist prior to surgery, as well as when you go to the hospital or outpatient clinic for the surgery. A brochure on seniors and anesthesia is also available for download. To learn more about the critical role physician anesthesiologists play before, during and after surgery, visit www.asahq.org/ WhenSecondsCount.

The American Society Of Anesthesiologists Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 52,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology.

ASA is committed to ensuring physician anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of patients before, during and after surgery to provide the highest quality and safest care every patient deserves.

For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org.

To learn more about the role physician anesthesiologists play in ensuring patient safety, visit asahq. org/WhenSecondsCount.

Like ASA on Facebook; follow ASALifeline on Twitter.

Two anesthesia-related surgery risks more common in older people include: Postoperative delirium - This is a temporary condition that causes the patient to be confused, disoriented, unaware of their surroundings and have problems with

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procedure.

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March 16 - April 5, 2018

Foreman’s Forum

Fare Thee Well, Dear Brother

by Ali Elizabeth Turner tea, and her comment was, “I’m sitting here, drinking tea, and have read Athens Now from front to back.

Bravo to you for your heart and to Paul Foreman for his common sense.”

Early in the morning this past Tuesday, March 13, Paul Jean Foreman, the writer of this column said goodbye to this life, and slipped away into the next. He never had any doubt where he was going, or who was going to take him there, and while he fought harder to stay than just about anyone I have ever known, Heaven is now his new address. I have no doubt that now he has taken his first breath on the other side, he has no regrets.

I remember clearly the first time I met Paul. He and his wife Joann were promoting his book, Bloodstains In Paradise at Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning. While the book dealt with crime and was based on things he experienced as a law enforcement officer with decades of experience under his belt, I remember when Paul told me with a grin that, “It won’t make your pastor go over in a dead faint.”

I immediately liked this guy, and I liked his “Ladybug.” I came to really like the way his Ladybug stood by her man, in all that he did, down to the end. At the time we met, I had two writers who were handling the personal security column of Athens Now, as that particular subject had become a topic of great importance to me, especially after my time in Iraq. Business had become too good for the current columnists, and they had to vacate their spot in order to manage the boom in their business.

March 16 - April 5, 2018

It took no time to figure out who I wanted to fill the slot.

The day Paul came down to the Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful office so I could take his head shot pic, he looked like a kid on Christmas morning, ready to tear into presents to see what was there. Turns out, the “presents” were all for us, and they came in the form of his articles. While Paul certainly had the creds, as far as being a NRA certified trainer, as well as someone

with lots of time roaring in Florida as a LEO (Law Enforcement Officer), it was his faith and what his friend Tony Llewellen calls “plain-ol’-walkin’-around sense” that made him so endearing, and not just here in Athens.

It is the dream of every newspaper columnist to have someone “who is not from around here” follow and enjoy their column. I have a business associate and dear friend who hails

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from St. Louis, MO, and she and her husband, a retired Air Force intel officer are strong proponents of the 2nd Amendment. She so appreciated Paul’s measured wisdom and even approach to difficult topics, especially since they lived through the nightmare of the close-by meltdown of Ferguson a few years back. I’ll never forget one morning when she called me, having read the paper while having her morning

As much as I appreciated that common sense, and the fact that he was so diligent when it came to crafting his columns, it was watching the warrior come out when he faced down the enemy we have come to call “the Big C,” better known as cancer.

He would send out texts with prayer requests, or victory reports when the medical news was good, and he would always tag them with, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY!” But what got me the most was when he sent out a text that said, “Sometimes I am awake in the night and can’t sleep.

Anyone on your prayer list that I can add to mine when I pray in the night?”

I gave him the name of a struggling family member, and just knowing Paul Jean was praying for others, especially when he was in the fight of his life, will always inspire me.

One of the very last texts he sent me, which was on the 24th of February sums it up: “Hospice got me [SIC] Hospital bed, a walker chair, a potty chair.

Life is great!” Indeed, life is, dear bro, and I am so glad that your pain is gone and Life for you is now AWESOME! Just so you know, I am keeping your texts for whatever may be ahead, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the years of the Forum that shall forever be Foreman’s.

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