Athens Now 9-18-2020

September 18th - October 1st, 2020

AthensNowal.com E-MAIL: info@athensnowal.com ADVERTISING: Ali Elizabeth: 256-468-9425 Degan Wilder: 256-426-2493

See Our Listings Inside this edition...

Pages 25 - 32

From The Vets' Museum Meet Colonel Donald E. Woodard...

Col. “Don” Woodard was born on 5 September 1941, in rural Johnston County (near Princeton) North Carolina, where his family worked as sharecroppers...

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Clean And Green A Very Exciting Close Out To KALB’s Spring Events!...

Yes, I said spring events. As we all know, 2020 has been one wild ride, and quite frankly, I am ready to get off!...

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Save September 26 For The Love For The City Cookout & Love-Fest

By Ali Elizabeth Turner On Saturday, September 26, from 11 a.m. 2p.m., the Oasis Center along with the people of Athens are going to throw what Oasis Senior Continued on page 15

There will be plenty of room for event parking

A Beloved Barn With A Past And Now A Future

By Ali Elizabeth Turner

Horse Whispering Cowboys For Trump...

Cowboys for Trump created an organization that is founded upon like-minded Americans who are concerned about the direction of our country...

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

Whitney, Ryan and Miss Reagan Schueler in front of the "old new" barn near New Hope

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In the sunset years of the 19th century, the Knight family settled in Cullman County near Good Hope, and built several homesteads that are still a part of their legacy. While barns have always been considered an essential part of a functional farm, these days it is far more common to tear down the old ones and build steel buildings in their stead. Most Continued on page 17

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

Publisher’s Point

Jexit, Lexit, Blexit, What’s Nexit?

Publisher / Editor Ali Turner

Copy Editor

Yvonne Dempsey

Sales & Distribution Degan Wilder

Graphic Design

Jonathan Hamilton

Web Design Teddy Wolcott

Contributing Writers D. A. Slinkard Lisa Philippart Leigh Patterson Sandra Thompson Anna Hamilton Deb Kitchenmaster Nick Thomas Eric Betts Roy Williams Jackie Warner Tim Lambert Charles Joseph Mae Lewis

Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3 What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 5 All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 6 Chronicles Of Charles . . . . . 7 Calendar Of Events . . . . . 8 Slinkard on Success . . . . . . 9 From The Vets' Museum . . . 10 PlayAction Sports . . . . . . . . 11 Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12 Cooking With Anna . . . . 13 Cover Stories . . . . . . . 15 & 17 Health And Fitness . . . . . . 16 Lifelong Learning . . . . . . 18 View From The Bridge . . . . 19 Horse Whispering . . . . . . 20

To say that 2020 is one of the most unusual years in American history—political and otherwise-- is an understatement, and there are a number of things that have developed that I would have previously thought to be highly improbable, if not impossible. Three groups of people who have traditionally identified themselves politically as Democrats are “exiting, stage left” (as 1960’s iconic HannaBarbera cartoon character Snagglepuss used to say) from the Democratic Party, and are planning on voting for President Donald Trump on November 3. They are Jews, Latinos, and Blacks, and their numbers are growing every day.

Because theatre has long been used to tell stories and express political narratives of every persuasion, “exiting stage left” in this context packs an ironic punch. In the verbiage of the theatre world: “Stage left is considered the open side of the stage, so, for example, if you want to give the impression that someone is exiting the stage and will keep going, like off into the distance, toward open possibility, etc., you'll have them exit stage left.” So, even though from the perspective of the actor as he or she is facing the audience, moving off toward the actor’s left actually serves to illustrate moving toward the right from the audience’s side of the stage.

Moving on, here is a more pragmatic perusal of the facts. All three people groups, as is the case with many people groups, pos-

Mental Health Minute . . . 21 Alternative Approach . . . 22 Special Feature . . . . . . . 24

September 18 - October 01, 2020

sess as a part of their cultural story irrefutable evidence of oppression. All have been owned by others, oppressed by others, and killed by others. Some of those offenses have occurred on American soil, and in the case of all three groups, throughout history those things occurred at biblical levels outside of our

borders.

Enter the Democratic Party, the so-called party of compassion, the party that is a voice for the oppressed, the party that lifts up the downtrodden, and the party of social justice, economic justice, reproductive justice, historical justice, ecological justice, gender assignment justice, gender re-assignment justice, marital justice, and whatever justice the previously mentioned quests for justice may have missed. This is the party that promised to bring economic justice by using the promise of a guaranteed income in exchange for removing men from their families through The Great Society of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

This is the party that wants the taxpayer to pay for the dismemberment and death of pre-born children, and makes

Candace Owens, Founder of Blexit

sure that their highly lucrative death camps are located in African-American neighborhoods. This would be a dream come true for Margaret Sanger, who did not attempt to hide that one of her goals was to eliminate black people.

The Lexit movement has as its slogan, “Leaving the Democratic Plantation of Enslavement.” They also say that they want to help Latinos leave the liberal left and embrace conservatism and conservative values. Jexit says, “Our mission is to educate Jews about this dangerous shift in Democrat policy, its voices, its spokespersons, and its clear shifting away from support of Israel.” They believe that the Democratic Party has turned its back on Israel, America’s strongest ally. They say further, “We cannot be complicit in this dangerous trend; Israel’s very existence depends on us.” And as for Blexit,

its founder, Candice Owens, states, “Blexit is the black exit from the Democratic Party. It’s the black exit from permanent victimhood, the black exit from the false idea that we are somehow separate from the rest of America.”

The deal-breaker for several young people was reading and comparing the respective party platforms. One of them doesn’t make a great deal of sense, and they came to that conclusion on their own.

Something is making the aforementioned groups long to be a part of something that is embodied in the last stanza of the national anthem: “the land of the free, and the home of the brave.” And, they want to be able to do it without being owned by anyone. My question is, “Who’s nexit?”

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

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

What Makes Ronnie Roll

Stay Connected, Stay The Course

by Ali Elizabeth Turner Mayor Ronnie and I met later in the day due to schedule conflicts, and I had just come off of a wonderful broadcast hour with Jerome Malone, who helps the mayor with the Mayor’s Youth Commission. Besides being a husband, dad, and business owner, Jerome is the senior minister at the Oasis Center, which is planning an appropriately social-distanced, city-wide event called “Love For The City Community Cookout And Love-Fest” on September 26. Mayor Ronnie and other members of City Council are going to participate, and more details on that begin on the cover of this edition of Athens Now. The event is sure to be “an oasis” for all Athenians. We talked about how much we are looking forward to it, both as individuals as well as for our dear town.

The idea of “staying connected and staying the course” ended up being the theme of our whole conversation.

The reason is because as COVID wears on, people are wearing thin on a number of fronts, and leaders in our area are being creative in their

connectivity.

Mayor Tommy Battle came up with the idea of getting together for lunch with other mayors whose cities border Huntsville, and the discussion was lively. They spoke with members from the construction industry and talked about COVID response, planning well for the future, and ideas for joint economic development.

The mayor wanted people to know that if someone on a utilities crew is diagnosed with COVID, he is bound in the current situation to shut down a project, and understands

how that can be frustrating. Recently, he had to send home a crew because of someone getting sick with COVID, and that was not an easy decision. “Public safety has to continue to be our number one priority, and this is not easy for anyone. There are still so many unknowns,” he said.

Some churches have gone back to exclusively having on-line services, which is certainly better than not meeting at all, but the mayor and all of us know that humans are social animals, and we are not designed to be

kept separate from each other.

We talked about the dangers of isolation and families not staying connected, both during COVID and when we are not facing a perplexing pandemic. There had been a situation where a young lady came perilously close to being sold as a sex slave to a buyer in Dubai through a “student exchange program.”

The buyer had seen her picture on the dark web, and she very likely would have disappeared forever.

Quick-thinking family members (who just had

that “knowing-in-their‘knower’-feeling” that something was really off) contacted authorities in a couple of states, and while the details have to stay vague, blessedly the girl is safely back with her family. “People need to understand that I-20, here in our own state is one of the pipelines for human trafficking,” said the mayor, and added, “just texting your kids is not enough. They need to hear your voice and see your face, now more than ever.” As always, we ended our time by praying, and then it was once again time for Ronnie to roll.

Please Do Your Duty And Complete The Census.

It Matters.

September 18 - October 01, 2020

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All Things Soldier

POW/MIA Recognition Day In The Time Of COVID

by Ali Elizabeth Turner I will never forget the first time I attended the somber, elegant, and sobering ceremony that has become the mainstay of honoring POW/ MIA veterans when we are not having to deal with a manufactured disease that has at times forced us to be sequestered, kept us from worshipping together, and crippled our economy. The ceremony was held at the Alabama Veterans Museum, and I expected to feel great respect for those I had once disrespected. I was sitting next to my “adopted dad,” MSG (Ret) Bill Schueler, USAF, who is a Vietnam vet; the kind of man that back in my days of B.C. Marxist insanity I would have referred to as a “baby killer.”

What I did not expect was to feel both waves of grief over whom I had once been, along with waves of relief knowing that I had been fully forgiven for whom I had been and what I had done. As I silently

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it can be said that because I have been forgiven much, I have been given the freedom to love much.

This year we are not able to gather together in order to remember, but Vietnam vet Ron Webster requested that Mayor Ronnie Marks, who also served in Vietnam, designate today, September 18,

as the day that we as grateful Athenians honor those who never came home and paid with their blood so we didn’t have to.

As you read this declaration, take the time to reflect on what we have been given as well as how easily we could let it slip away if we are not careful.

sobbed, my “dad” just put his arm around me, and waited while I cried it out. No words needed to be said, as we had visited this topic many times before, and I was grateful beyond words for his strong and comforting support in the midst of my meltdown. It is said that there are only two who have been willing to give their lives for the freedom of those who are undeserving; Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) and the American soldier. When it comes to undeserving, I fall solidly into both categories, and I am one about whom

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

The Chronicles Of Charles

The Budget Cure

by Charles Joseph

The average U.S. savings account contains $16,420.

That’s $1,580 less than the average American spends on nonessentials alone each year. It’s a given that having savings is important. But consider the average credit card debt per resident at $5,331 with only 55% paying it back in full each month. Making minimum payments at an APR (annual percentage rate) of 15.09% it would take 44 months (or 3.7 years) to pay back. This includes interest paid of $1,620.

Pretty bleak, right?

There is good news, however. There are strategies within each consumer’s control to overcome the darkness. Like making the mortgage payment biweekly instead of monthly. This saves an average of 30% on the interest and takes up to eight years off one’s mortgage. At its core, there is one fundamental element that influences these factors: budget.

egory, much can be conquered. For one, there is a sense of safety. You know that no matter what hits the fan, these bills will be paid and you will have shelter over your head.

Now let us move on to the secondary category within expenses: basic essentials. This category is where things become more subjective. Things to consider, as mentioned above, are food, gas, hygiene, etc. A good question here is how often do you eat out? Meaning, how often do you scrub the idea of cooking dinner at a cheaper price opting to pay that extra fee to eat out? Did you know that the average U.S. household spends up to $3,000 per year eating out per year? That is $250 per month!

Aside from your physical health, what are the benefits of eating out? The opportunity to socialize? Instant gratification? How important are these activi-

ties to you? Ask yourself: How does this expenditure play into my sense of budgeting priorities? Remember, the idea is not to hole up and never spend money. The goal is to know where your expenses are going and to have a predetermined idea of how much you will allot to each expenditure while evaluating how important the expense is to you. Is it worth not adding to your savings?

It has been recommended that a person or household have at least six months in savings to allow for emergencies, unexpected layoffs, or job difficulties (think pandemic) and the like. The median household (meaning the majority of people in the nation) makes $63,179 per year or $5,265 per month.

Sounds manageable, right? But what happens to your treasured credit score that you worked years to build up if you cannot afford the pay-

So, how does a budget work? First, the expense category must be examined. What are the primary expenses that you can count on to come out each month? Examples include the mortgage, cell phone, internet, utilities, etc. These bills are your constant. Therefore, you know that, aside from food, gas, and other basic essentials, these expenses will be covered first.

So, with this new information, a budget sounds like a pretty good idea, right? Let’s recap. Below is a list of things to consider when building the expense category of your new budget: 1. Create a sense of priority with each purchase that you make.

Know beforehand how much you have allotted to things like bills, groceries, and eating out.

2. Build a primary expense category that only includes bills that must come out each month no matter what. Pay these bills first if possible, and then consider the following: do you really need that extra television channel package to survive? How often do you even use it?

Making a budget is all about having priorities.

With the right priorities within your expense cat-

September 18 - October 01, 2020

ment because of an emergency? While it is true that some creditors allow a one-month forgiveness allowance from payment obligations, what happens after the payment hits the dreaded thirtyday overdue threshold?

Your score lowers, which raises any potential interest rates on future loans taken out for things such as cars or home improvements. Now, you are not only in credit card debt at a painful interest rate, you have little savings, and getting a loan is almost if not completely out of the question!

3. Build a secondary expense category. This category takes a little more thought and con-

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sideration. Which things will you have to buy this month to keep you from going without? Gas to get to work, groceries for the house, and pet food are just some examples that may fit into this category for you.

Now, remember to congratulate yourself. You have conquered the dreaded budget. When you break the monster down into smaller pieces, it really is not that bad. And there is incredible safety and reward in knowing where your money is going. Adulting is not always fun, but let’s face it, dealing with the elephant in the room is better than ignoring it, or worse yet, running from it!

In my next article, I will include a sample budget spreadsheet link when you visit our website www.athensnowal.com. I will also be continuing the conversation on budgeting. Once you have built your expense categories, come back to read about how to allocate savings and squeeze every last dime out of your budget.

Charles Joseph is an avid hiker, fisherman and kayaker having kayaked over a dozen rivers across the country. With a degree from Auburn University, he holds a background in accounting and banking. He is currently training as a financial advisor. Feel free to email any questions or requests for future articles to c.joseph0613@ gmail.com.

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Calendar of Events Chick-Fil-A Athens Virtual Race Thru September 26

This race will be held virtually. Registration open until September 25, 2020. Run the distance registered between September 5th and September 26th by 11:00AM. Submit time online, virtual race app available at registration link. Proceeds benefit East Limestone High School Band. Registration and Information itsyourrace

in Athens. 4:00PM-6:00PM. Buy your lucky duck or quack pack at the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention at the Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Booth or online at KALBcares.org for your chances at prizes like Walt Disney World Tickets, cash and other great prizes.

Veterans Post Free Veterans' Breakfast October 10

At the Amvets Post 21. 22769 Black Road in Athens. Receive a pancake or egg breakfast with the trimmings from 7:00AM9:30AM. Non-Veterans $6.00. All are welcome. For more information: 256-444-2793 or www.AmVetsAL21.com

3rd Annual Olde American Thyme Primitive, Antique and Vintage Show September 19

Ardmore High School. 30285 Ardmore Avenue in Admore, AL from 9:00AM-5:00PM with vendors offering premium primitive pieces. Entrance fee: $5.00 per person benefiting the Ardmore High School Band.

National Bike to Work Day September 22

Celebrate by peddling your way to work today and give your health, mental health and wallet a boost.

Boston Butt Fundraiser Pickup September 26

With the Piney Chapel Volunteer Fire Department. Enjoy a nicely smoked Boston Butt for $40.00 and help build Piney Chapel VFD's Station 2. Contact any department member or Assistant Chief Christ Teeples 256-998-0194 to order.

Purchasers of Boston Butts will be contacted with pickup time via test or phone call.

Coffee Call October 3

Veterans of all wars and their families are invited for breakfast and fellowship. 8AM-9:30AM at the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archive. 100 West Pryor Street in Athens. 256-771-7578

Play Outside Day October 3

Families everywhere are encouraged to get outside the first Saturday of every month and play in public parks, enjoy trails, hit the waterways, explore greenspaces and just play!

Limestone County offers over 20 trails to explore including walking, cycling, horseback riding and kayaking – perfect for all ages. For more information: 256-232-5411

1st Annual AMVETs Post 21 Horse, Pony, and Mule Fun Day October 10

Limestone County Sheriff's Rodeo Arena. AL-99 on the right past the Elm Street Intersection in Athens. 8:00AM-6:00PM. Open to riders of all ages. Come join the AMVETs of Post 21 fora day of fellowship and games.

6th Annual Sports-Plex Charity Car Show October 10

Athens SportsPlex. US31 and Elm Street in Athens. 9:00AM2:00PM benefiting Eli's Block Party Childhood Cancer Foundation. Registration:$20.00 per vehicle; registration ends at 12:00PM. Food and drink concessions, Kids' Dug Out Playground, DJ & music by David Sharp. Notice....we will be practicing 6 ft. social distancing and doing our best to be respectful of everyone's personal spaces. (at this point, mask will not be required but encouraged). Show and Shine only - No trophies or judging. All cars/trucks/bikes welcome. Door prizes and cash awards throughout the day. For more info: Joseph at 256-777-0606

The Right to Vote: History of Women's Suffrage October 14

Athens-Limestone Public Library. 603 South Jefferson Street in Athens. 11:00AM-12:00PM. Free and open to the public, visitors are invited to bring a lunch for this presentation by the League of Women Voters of Tennessee Valley. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

19th Annual Wacky Quacky Ducky Derby October 3

With KALB at Big Spring Memorial Park. 127 East Street Page 8

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For the health and safety of our volunteers and the public, we regret that the VVA Spaghetti Day has been canceled until further notice. Thank you for your support and understanding.

September 18 - October 01, 2020

Slinkard On Success

Think Like An Expert

by D. A. Slinkard

Our thought process is detrimental to the quality of life we have.

Whether our lives be good or whether they be bad, it all depends upon the way in which we choose our perspective.

Our thought process plays an integral part in our everyday living, and your thoughts could be holding you back from living the life you so desperately desire to have. It is no secret that it is much easier to think negatively and to be negative than it is to be positive. It takes work to be a person not bogged down by the negativity of the world.

If you can control your thought process, then you can control the outcomes you get. I did not realize this aspect until later in life; and I wish

I would have had someone, anyone, who could have taught me this when I was younger. In fact, I believe we do our youth injustice by not allowing them to think for themselves. When they are in a difficult situation, instead of allowing them to figure it out for themselves, we too often want to jump in to help get them to the final result. Sure, they get to where you wanted them to be, but they have no idea how or why they are where they are.

I want you to think about the last time you faced a challenge but did not know what to do. Did you give up? Just tossed your hands up in the air and walked away? Or did you try to figure the situation out? What was your thought process? I am a firm believer that

September 18 - October 01, 2020

too often we say to ourselves, “I cannot figure it out,” and our brain says, “Okay, you cannot figure it out,” and thus you cannot. However, instead of saying we cannot, we need to say we can.

For instance, I recently had a friend looking to buy a particular brand of car. As he was getting closer to purchase, he was noticing this brand everywhere. It seemed as if everywhere he went, this car was there. Have you ever bought something, say perhaps a specifically colored shirt or a particular brand, and then afterwards you started noticing the same item everywhere? The fact is that before you made the purchase, your brain was tuning it out, but afterwards your brain was telling you to pay atten-

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tion.

Our thought process is no different. Instead of thinking you cannot figure something out, just ask yourself, “If I knew how to solve this, what would I do?” Amazingly here, your brain will allow you to find the answer. Now, this cannot be forced and, yes, I understand you can easily disprove this method; but remember, when you are trying to disprove this method your brain is doing exactly what your thought process is telling it to do. You do not want it to work, so your brain will show you why it will not succeed. But change the thought process and your brain will show you why it will succeed.

Have you ever met someone you knew you were smarter than, you knew

you had more upstairs than they did, you knew you offered more than they brought to the table, yet they were further ahead in life? I guarantee you that their thought process is different than yours. The next time you face a difficult situation, instead of playing the victim you need to play the expert. Ask yourself what the expert would do and then do it. Many times, we stand around scratching our heads reaffirming our disbelief that we cannot make something happen, which if we would change the mentality around, we would be actively changing our lives.

If we want to see a change in the success/failure rate, we need to change the way we view our thoughts. Instead of the victim mentality being accepted and taught, we need to teach our youth how to be successful.

We need to teach them how to think instead of trying to dumb things down for them. I have learned a lot through the school of hard knocks, but the most important thing I have learned is controlling my thought patterns. I cannot determine the obstacles that will arise in my life, but I can make the clear decision about how I will respond. The next time you are faced with a challenge, will you tell yourself you cannot, or will you allow for your thought process to show you the way?

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From the Alabama Veterans’ Museum

Meet Colonel Donald E. Woodard

by Sandra Thompson, Director, Alabama Veterans’ Museum

Col. “Don” Woodard was born on 5 September 1941, in rural Johnston County (near Princeton) North Carolina, where his family worked as sharecroppers. One very hot summer day (103 degrees to be exact), Don was picking cotton for his landlord and observed jets flying from near-by Seymour Johnson Air Force; it was then that Don decided he wanted to pursue a military career. He was looking for adventure, and knew from reading that those planes were a part of that. Luckily for Don, his agriculture teacher picked up on his interest and helped him find the Frederick Military Academy (FMA) in Portsmouth, VA. In Don’s words, “Frederick had work scholarships, running water, three meals each a day, neat clothes (uniforms), phone booths, movies, and ice cream! I fell in love with the military lifestyle!”

One of the movies shown at FMA was, The D.I., about US Marine Corps drill instructors. Don was so impressed that he and a friend went right down and joined the Marines; the year was 1960. While serving four years as a reservist and active duty Marine, he managed to complete a bachelor’s degree; that is when Don decided to switch to the Army to attend Officer Candidate School. While being in the Marines was a great experience, Don felt the Army offered better opportunities. And thanks to his prior experience, he was named number one in his class, better known as the “Distinguished Graduate.”

While a Marine and early in

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his Army career, Don served in the Infantry Division. As his career progressed, he took command and served in many different areas, including the Signal Corps, Medical Service Corps, and the Adjutant General Corps.

Serving for 36 years took Don to 20 different countries -- Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam and the Caribbean Islands are just a few.

He also served in various assignments stateside; his favorites were Little Creek, VA; Camp Shelby, MS; and Gulfport, MS.

nally, in 1988, he completed the requirements for his Doctor of Education degree from a consortium of different universities, including VA Tech, Old Dominion University, and Clayton University. These degrees prepared him for his second career in the education field; he served as a teacher and principal for various grade levels, but high school was his main focus.

Don volunteers at the Ala-

bama Veterans Museum and is honored to serve on the advisory board at the Huntsville VA Clinic; he is also involved with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV.) He feels that veterans need to continue to serve in their community. Don would like to establish a viable “Speakers Bureau” and serve as an ambassador/speaker for the Veterans Museum.

After being widowed for 12 years, Don remarried in

October of 2018 in Seoul, South Korea. His lovely wife, Kyung, is a retired registered nurse and is very supportive of anything military. Don’s son, Scott, is a Citadel graduate and disabled veteran; he and his wife, Lori, live in San Antonio. His daughter, Leah, graduated from East Carolina University and is a mother of four; she and her husband, Sean, live in Athens.

There are many different memories from his career that stand out in Don’s mind.

He recounts some of the most poignant ones, such as his first airplane ride from Norfolk, VA, to Vieques, Puerto Rico, on a C-130 to train and prepare for the Cuban Missile Crisis. The plane made a perilous landing on an extremely short runway with the nose over water! Being a man of faith serving in the Middle East was very emotional; in the Tigris and Euphrates river areas, even the shepherds with their sheep made the scriptures more real. Being pulled from the field for three days to escort a congressional delegation and sleep two nights in a Saddam Hussein-type palace was an amazing experience. However, there are some darker memories, such as two soldiers injured by lightening, several vehicle accidents, and the devastating loss of 14 lives and 28 injuries when his battalion was hit with a scud missile attack. While all of this was going on, Don managed to graduate from the College of William and Mary in 1968 with a Master of Education degree. And fi-

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

PlayAction Sports

Fall Sports Get Underway Despite Obstacles

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

Football, volleyball, and cross country seasons began pretty much on time for local athletes. Due to COVID restrictions, some schools that were scheduled to play opening games against teams outside their normal territory were forced to either cancel or, in some cases, accept a forfeit and start their seasons with a loss already on the b ooks.

School organizers were determined to kick off things as normally as possible, however, and were successful beyond what most people might have expected. Highlights by school so far: Ardmore The varsity Tigers opened their football season with big wins over Tanner (4218), Elkmont (53-12), and Brewer (48-7). Varsity volleyball claimed victories against Clements, Athens Bible, Lindsay Lane, West Morgan, Colbert County, Colbert Heights, Danville, Vinemont, Brewer, West Limestone, Mae Jemison, and Lee. Athens Bible Volleyball wins came against Westminster Christian, Tanner, Whitesburg Christian, and Mae Jemison.

Athens High The varsity Golden Eagles were a local football team starting off with a forfeit; their first wins came starting in week three against Columbia (50-6) and Hazel Green (22-0). The JV team beat Hazel Green 26-0. The

Lady Golden Eagles have been extremely busy on the volleyball courts defeating Pelham, Vestavia Hills, St. John Paul II, Hatton, Gulf Shores, James Clemens, Madison Academy, Lindsay Lane, Florence, Columbia, Grissom, Sparkman, Bob Jones, Elkmont, Buckhorn, Hazel Green, Brewer, Westminster, and Lee. Clements The Colts’ first football victory came in week three against Phil Campbell (38-18). Volleyball teams have defeated East Limestone, Lauderdale County, and Tanner.

East Limestone Starting in week two, the varsity Indians dominated Lee 56-28 and followed that up with a convincing 43-15 win over Mae Jemison. Volleyball teams downed Randolph, Ardmore, Clements, Lauderdale County, Danville, Brewer, Lee, Lindsay Lane, Muscle Shoals, Elkmont, Priceville, West Morgan, Russellville, Haleyville, and Mae Jemison.

Elkmont The JV football team started their season off by edging West Limestone 14-13. On the volleyball courts, the Lady Red Devils notched victories against West Limestone, Rogers, ABS, Brooks, and Clements.

James Clemens The Jets were also charged with a forfeit against Murphy in their first football game; since

September 18 - October 01, 2020

then, they have beaten Athens 22-0 and Bob Jones 52-28. The freshman team blanked Sparkman 8-0. Lady Jets’ volleyball has turned back Florence.

Lindsay Lane The Lady Lions have been ranked second in Class 1A volleyball this season, posting wins over West Limestone, Decatur Heritage, Meek, Florence, Ardmore, Tanner, Asbury, Oakwood Adventist Academy, North Jackson, and Woodville. The JV football team upended Clements 21-12.

Tanner The Rattlers claimed their first football victory against Lexington 20-13.

Another win was awarded after Ider was forced to forfeit last Friday due to COVID effects on their team. The Tanner volleyball team beat Columbia and Whitesburg Christian.

West Limestone The varsity Wildcats are undefeated so far on the football field, defeating Clements (53-19), Deshler (33-14) and Central-Florence (28-20).

The JV team also has a couple of wins against Ardmore (7-0) and Athens (16-14). The middle school Wildcats also defeated Ardmore 7-0 and Elkmont 35-12. In volleyball action, marks in the win column came against Lindsay Lane, Waterloo, Colbert County, Elkmont, Vinemont, and Colbert

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East Limestone's Jordan Gardner picks up yardage against Mae Jemison (Photo credit: Dean Baucom)

Heights.

Local results from various cross country meets so far: Black and Gold Classic: Athens teams placed sixth in the large school A boys’ and girls’ and JV girls’ divisions, first in the girls’ B division, fourth in the boys’ B division and third in boys’ JV. Pepsi Challenge: Katie Serrato-West Limestone (fifth-small school girls), Kylie Gero, Sydney Freeman, Claire Deaton, Kayla Willett-James Clemens (third, fifth, sixth, eighth-large school girls), Ella Carter-James Clemens (seventh-junior high girls), Alex Kuntz-Elkmont (fifth-small school boys), Tyler Gohlich, Matthew Hill-James Clemens (fifth, eighth-large

school boys), John Luke Stovall, Cole RobinsonJames Clemens (fifth, tenth-junior high boys), Mason Brown-Lindsay Lane (sixth-junior high boys).

Chickasaw Trails: Sydney Perkins-Lindsay Lane (seventh-1A/2A girls), Katie Serrato-West Limestone (seventh-3A/4A girls), Henry WoodallLindsay Lane (eighth1A/2A boys), Jack Bradford-ABS (ninth-1A/2A boys), Caroline MalletteAthens (first-varsity girls large school), John Luke Stovall, Nicholas Rushton-James Clemens (fifth, tenth-varsity boys’ B team), Ria Sethi-James Clemens (seventh, varsity girls’ B team), Zachary Hinkleman-James Clemens (ninth-JV boys).

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Clean and Green

A Very Exciting Close Out To KALB’s Spring Events!

by Leigh Patterson - Executive Coordinator - Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Yes, I said spring events.

As we all know, 2020 has been one wild ride, and quite frankly, I am ready to get off!

Here at Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, we have had to twist around, push forward, and rethink our whole calendar of projects, programs, and events for this year, as has everyone else. We also had to cancel two of our largest events due to the COVID-19 pandemic: our onsite Earth Day and Outdoor EXPO and one of our largest fundraisers, the Duck and Run 5K. Though we were saddened by having to cancel those events, we were able to push forward two other very important spring events to August: our Household Hazardous Waste Collection and the Indorama Cash for Trash Challenge. This was the second Household Hazardous Waste Collection that KALB has hosted, the first being twelve years ago. The Indorama Cash for Trash Challenge was something new.Both were well supported by our community and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results!

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Our Household Hazardous Waste Collection was held on Saturday, August 29 in the Athens Middle School parking lot. We were so pleased to offer this much needed service to Limestone County residents. Our previous Executive Coordinator, Lynne Hart, was persistent in bringing awareness of the need for this type of event to our city and county government officials. It was an important issue because residents needed a safe way to dispose of the household chemicals, old paint, insecticides, yard chemicals, auto fluids, etc. that they had been storing up.

The city and county worked

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together and came up with a plan to provide funding for the collection.

KALB would like to thank the Solid Waste Authority of Athens/Limestone County, Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly (Thanks to Collin for volunteering at the event also!), the Limestone County Commission, Mayor Ronnie Marks, and the Athens City Council for working with us and providing funding for this event. We are very grateful to the Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Huntsville for partnering with us and for disposing of the paint that was collected. They were on site with us and were friendly and helpful, and they reduced our cost greatly by disposing of the paint collected. We would also like to thank Athens City Schools for allowing us to use the Athens Middle School parking lot for the event.

The collection was a great success! It was well attended and residents were truly grateful for the service that was provided. Almost 500 cars were serviced at the event. We credit our success not only to our sponsors, but to our hardworking volunteers, who were helping to make sure everything ran smoothly.

KALB would like to thank the

Mayor’s Youth Commission.

They raised money earlier this year and purchased breakfast and lunch for the volunteers.

Thank you to the youth commissioners who also volunteered. We would also like to thank Chick-fil-A for offering a discount on the food purchased for the volunteers.

Indorama Cash for Trash Challenge The Indorama Cash for Trash Challenge began in early March, and was supposed to end just before our Earth Day and Outdoor EXPO in April.

Indorama Ventures Sustainable Solutions, LLC approached KALB with an idea to encourage and incentivize Limestone County residents to get out and help clean up our roadways by offering cash prizes. Every individual or group who preregistered, cleaned a half mile of roadway, and had the cleanup verified were entered into a drawing for cash prizes, with $1,000 being the grand prize!

Some chose to clean several half-mile locations and were entered into the drawing for every half mile cleaned.

We had individuals and groups that completed their cleanups in March, just before the pandemic hit and the challenge was put on hold. The challenge was rekindled this summer,

Laverne Gilbert -- $1,000 Grand Prize Winner of the Indorama Cash for Trash Challenge and we had even more individuals and groups cleaning the roadways. This event ended on August 31 and the results are in! There were 47 entries into the challenge, which means that 23.5 miles of roadway were cleaned. There were a total of 70 volunteers that spent a total of 170 hours cleaning, and they picked up 261 bags of litter! The cash prize drawing was held on Tuesday, September 8, and here are our winners: $1,000 – Laverne Gilbert $500 – Deb Kohlhase $200 – Laverne Gilbert $100 – The River Rats

$100 – Tina Morrison $50 – The Siefert Family $50 – The Youth Group from Oasis Christ Church of Athens Thank you to Indorama Ventures for sponsoring this event, and for bringing awareness to our litter issues while encouraging our community to get involved and to be a part of the solution.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated, sponsored, volunteered, and supported our “spring” events!

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Collin Daly, Limestone County Commission Chairman volunteering at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection

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(256) 233-8000 KALBCares@gmail.com www.KALBCares.com September 18 - October 01, 2020

Cooking with Anna

Small Acts Of Kindness

by Anna Hamilton

A simple hello to a stranger, holding the door open for someone, helping someone reach an item on the shelf in the grocery store, letting the person behind you in line go first -- these are all small things that can make a huge impact on someone’s life. You don’t know the struggles of others as you pass them by every day. You may be the only goodness, kindness, and light they see.

I read a quote from Nikki Banas that illustrates this point beautifully: “You never really know the true impact you have on those around you. You never know how much someone needed that smile you gave them. You never know how much your kindness turned someone’s entire life around. You never know how much someone needed that long hug or deep talk.

So don’t wait to be kind. Don’t wait for someone else to be kind first. Don’t wait for better circumstances or for someone to change. Just be kind, because you never know how much someone needs it.”

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

Just be kind! With the turmoil in our country today could you imagine the difference if just everyone decided to be kind? It doesn’t cost any money to be kind. It’s easy to do, so why do so many of us decide to be unkind? For me, it’s easier sometimes not to engage. I always feel like I’m in a hurry and do not take the time to notice others around me. My husband is my best example in slowing down and noticing others. My husband is the kindest soul I’ve ever known. And while I’m feeling rushed and stressed, he is feeling relaxed and happy. I truly think it is because he takes the time to be kind.

Let’s all be kind and see how different this world could be. I think if we all decide to implement kindness in our lives, we will all be happier. Just be kind.

The recipe this week is a classic quiche, but without the crust.

My mom made quiche for us growing up, and I remember feeling so fancy eating this French dish. It is easy to make and a total crowd pleaser. Enjoy it for supper with a simple side salad.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. butter One 16 oz package frozen chopped broccoli 8 large eggs ½ cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp garlic powder ¼ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch dish.

Place the broccoli in a large microwave safe bowl. Add ¼ cup water. Cover and microwave on high for 6 minutes, stirring after the first 3 minutes. Drain well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt,

September 18 - October 01, 2020

pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in the broccoli, scallions, and cheese.

Pour mixture into the prepared pie dish. Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Allow the quiche to cool and set in the pan for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

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www.JuicePlus.com Page 14

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

Cover Story

Save September 26 For The Love For The City Cookout & Love-Fest

by Ali Elizabeth Turner continued from page 1

Minister Jerome Malone is calling “a big family reunion for our city.” The idea for this get-together was born out of the desire to show the world what can happen when people from every type of background come together in love. This has nothing to do with political strategies, the upcoming election, or even the good stuff that has happened in the past and worked well.

It also doesn’t have anything to do with the level of unrest that some cities have experienced this summer. It has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that we are called to love each other, and it’s high time we get to it. It’s something we need to do because it’s the right thing to do, period.

Jerome Malone and his

wife, Tiffany, are people who literally make me want to sing, and I do when I am with them. When they first opened A Splash of Ink and became members of the Chamber of Commerce, I had the joy of telling their story about a year ago. Briefly, Jerome left a comfortable, stable job in logistics at the Target Distribution Center and opened a custom T-shirt store on Hwy 31. More importantly, he was also teaching entrepreneurial skills to young people.

Jerome started pastoring at

September 18 - October 01, 2020

The Oasis: Christ’s Church at Athens, a body that longs to be an instrument of reconciliation and restoration of all kinds throughout the community. He and Tiffany have been in ministry for decades, and are passionate about what they do. Jerome has also been involved with the Mayor’s Youth Commission, and he and his family love this city. Earlier this summer they were able to move both the business and the fellowship into one building, located at Highway 72 and South

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Hine Street in Athens.

The Oasis Center has four spiritual pillars: to worship, to build community, to strengthen families, and to live life well, both individually and as a church body. They do not shy away from “the tough stuff,” and their theme scripture chapter is John 4, the exquisite parable about the woman at the well. She is promised the living water that will forever slake her thirst, and is invited to join the army of those who make it their life’s quest to respond to the love of God by worshipping in Spirit and truth. When she responds to that invitation, she goes and tells all, and the life-giving

water she just received is shared quickly and authentically. That is how the Oasis Center wants to live life and give life.

As you can see from the picture of the vision wall at Oasis, they are dedicated to live life together, think in terms of the Kingdom, pray, disciple, and gather together. Add in lots of music, tons of laughter, a solid dose of God’s Word, and top it off with celebrating communion together, and you have the heartbeat of this crew of committed believers. They are located at 1609 S. Hine Street in Athens, and they are waiting to be a blessing in your life.

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Health and Fitness

Building A Sustainable Lifestyle – Part 3

by Nick Thomas, owner of Prime Performance Training, and Certified Sports Nutritionist My hope is, at this point, that I have been extremely clear about what role nutrition can and will play in your life -which means now it is time to approach the activity level needed to sustain a healthy life. Let’s be real, there is no way that your activity level will be a constant over the years. You will go through phases of life, and time or physical limitations will be a factor, which of course makes the nutrition I’ve been preaching about even more important. But don’t worry, I’m not going down that path again.

The activity side of fitness is not everyone’s favorite topic, mainly because you don’t want to hear the actual reality of what it takes to be effective. There are multiple components to fitness which have to be met for your daily activity to be truly beneficial.

There are also other factors which vary based on the individual as well. Of course, age and physical ability and/ or injury is a consideration, but more than that are your goals. Things such as weight loss or gain, or even maintenance, call for different approach, along with muscle growth. Finally, what makes this all sustainable is not just success in achieving your goals, but the enjoyment of the activities getting you there. Simply put, you will never stick with some-

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thing you hate. A weekly and monthly plan has to be made with sound training knowledge of exercise that challenges you and provides a total body approach giving you balance, strength, and more, depending on your goals.

For most people, walking/ jogging on a treadmill or spending 30 minutes in the gym doing a basic split routine a few days a week is not going to develop change either way, at least not past a certain point…not to mention how bored you will become, which will ultimately lead to quitting. This is where the “sound training knowledge” comes in to play. The key is

having an educated trainer who truly understands the body and how to create challenging, personalized workout plans, which progress continually as you reach new levels so there are always new achievements to be excited about.

Working out should provide a release, it should be a tough but stress-relieving portion of your day. Yes, trainers cost money, BUT they provide you so many benefits.

First, a trainer is going to give you their expertise making sure to keep you from injury and/or exhaustion with the process in general. Next, it doesn’t matter what time

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of day you work out; there is just something about showing up dressed and ready and not having to think at all. Just do what you’re told to achieve a good burn and sweat. Finally, by having someone to keep routines fresh and new, you stay engaged physically and mentally achieving goals. Having someone to encourage you and keep you focused and pushing forward is priceless. The accountability factor you gain by paying for and scheduling workouts regularly with a motivating, educated trainer will exponentially increase your sustainability in living a healthy

life mentally, nutritionally, and physically.

Building a sustainable lifestyle is not about one key thing. It is about a personally specific combination of things, and it's most definitely about being able to adjust when needed. Never lose sight of the goal; this is to create ease and energy and happiness. The moment the stress of some portion of life becomes too much means it’s time to make a change.

Seek out what best fits you and make positive choices, even tough ones at times, to protect your lifestyle and create a sustainable and healthy future.

September 18 - October 01, 2020

Cover Story

A Beloved Barn With A Past And Now A Future

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

continued from page 1

of the time it is practical to do so, but there was something about this particular barn that pulled on Ryan Schueler, who married into the Knight family. His wife, Whitney, and he would go visit her parents at their cabin located on some adjacent property. And every time he would drive by the homestead, the old house and barn just seemed to be calling out to him with the need to be kept in the family. Ryan and Whitney dreamed of the day that they could buy the ten-acre place, and they were finally able to purchase it in 2017. “But it was the barn that sold me,” said Ryan with a smile. Whitney had always loved the barn, and as the family genealogist, she had heard heartwarming stories that span well over a century of life lived there. She longed for the chance to “write” stories of their own, and now they could.

The history of the house and barn is pure Alabama Americana—it belonged to Erasmus and Dicie Knight, and they raised a passel of kids there -- ten to be exact. In 1960, their children disassembled the farm house and used all of the elements to build one right

next door, and the next generation of Knights grew up there. The paneling and floors are from the original house, and Ryan and Whitney began to look for old farm implements, furniture, and rustic signs to decorate and make it their own. The result is a charming weekend retreat place that has been used for family reunions, an engagement party, and a wonderful wide-open place to ride out COVID while still “working from home.”

Whitney Schueler gave birth to their daughter, Reagan, a bit over a year ago, and as is the case in the 21st century, these days dads get to take paternity leave to be home with their newborns. Ryan decided to take his paternity leave this past May, and it was then that Ryan and his cousin Chad Lindsay set to work to restore the barn.

“It was covered with Virginia creeper,” Ryan told me, and later showed me just how destructive climbing vegetation can be. There were places where the vines were the only thing holding up portions of the barn. Both Ryan and Chad, who owns a Deckmasters Construction in Athens, were dogmatic that the old flavor of the barn needed to be preserved. There were also

September 18 - October 01, 2020

Chad Lindsay building the new barn under the old one before the original siding is re-installed

places where the barn had literally sunk; so great care had to be given to shoring it up, and keeping the “flavor” of the original structure. Where the creeper had done its worst, they took off the weathered exterior, built a whole new wall behind it, and put the original back on. The foundation corner posts were built on stacked shale, and as Ryan said, “It’s a miracle after all these years that someone didn’t clip this as they were going by on a tractor and pull down the whole corner.”

Speaking of tractors, Ryan’s has been an integral part of one of the other features of the property, and that is the beautiful crop of sunflowers that

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have been widely shared via social media. Ryan explained, “We planted the first crop in 2018, and just finished our third season. Cousin Reid sent some photos of the sunflowers and the barn to meteorologist James Spann, who then posted them on Facebook. All of a sudden, people were asking, ‘Where is that place?’” That gave birth to the idea of having a place each year to provide what Ryan calls “a private experience for photographers.”

So, it takes about a day to break up the soil, plant, and fertilize it, and as Ryan says, “We leave the rest to Mother Nature.” The results can be seen in the pictures you see here. They have added lighting and seating, and

family BBQs are most comfortable, with room for everyone to spread out.

Ryan and Whitney have a list of possibilities for what could happen with the property in the future.Barns have become the rage for “destination weddings,” a trend that is only expected to continue. “We had a family engagement party here for Whitney’s sister, and it really turned out well,” said Ryan. Other ideas include making a museum with farm tools and other reminders of yesteryear to teach Reagan and her friends about their heritage. They are grateful for Chad’s hard work, and for sharing the vision of restoring a beautiful barn and leaving a legacy.

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Learning As A Lifestyle

Common Assumptions About Leadership And Why They Are Wrong

by Eric Betts

Assistant Director, Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics at Athens State University What is leadership? Is it stature? Not at all! One can have an extremely small stature but can make a big impact, as renowned author and leadership coach John Maxwell points out. He uses the example of Mother Teresa. She was a small woman with a big impact. While many Catholic orders were declining, Mother Theresa's influence reached far beyond her immediate environment. Mother Theresa's followers served 25 countries on 5 continents. He says, “When she spoke, people listened and respected even if they disagreed.”

Is leadership all about position or impressive titles? Not at all.

Titles buy time -- either to increase your level of influence with others or undermine it.

Many great leaders throughout history never held political office, such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ben Franklin who has the same historical status as America’s founding presidents but never ran for president. We can say the same for Patrick Henry.

Harriet Tubman also comes to mind.

Maxwell also asks, “Can leadership be awarded, appointed, or assigned?” Is a person with business skill or expertise automatically a leader? I think we know the answer, but this question should be probed with more frequency when building an organization. This question may determine the rise or fall of an organization.

The ability to manage a company or organization does not translate into leadership.

Leaders do more than just distribute responsibilities and oversee how they are carried out, they also motivate, inspire, develop, and make people better. They help people buy into a larger vision,

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to appreciate the role they play in the vision, and to believe in themselves. They also create more leaders.

It is possible that a good manager can become a good leader; and it is possible for management responsibilities to be wisely granted to a great leader. It is also true that because one is a fantastic leader, it does not mean that they have great organizational and management skill. However, a great leader lacking in any area is always self-aware. Limitations in logistical expertise, technological abilities, research and development skills, do not prevent one from being a great leader. A leader knows his area of weakness and is able to see the strengths of others. They show that they are great at building strong teams to compensate for weaknesses.

The question is then asked, “What are the essentials that make a good manager into a great leader?” Tom Rath said it best in his volume on leadership entitled, The One Thing.

He shares with his readers how to make the leap from good management to influential leadership: “This ability to cut through individual differences and fasten them upon those few emotions or needs that all of us share is at the core of great leadership.

This ability is called empathy.

No matter how admirable his achievements, or how valuable his experience and expertise, when a leader lacks extended empathy, when he loses sight of those things we all share, he loses the ability to lead.”

Great leaders know how people feel and what they fear. Their understanding of the feelings of the individuals within the group help them motivate and inspire their group. Their recognition of those fears within

the group helps them to know how far and how fast they can change or how to help them to either overcome or manage those fears.

John Maxwell, identifies a tried and true test concerning the leap from management to leadership. He writes the following in his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership:

simply using people to achieve their own personal ambitions with little regard for the success of those within the group?

Does the leader believe in those that are being led? These are the questions that must be asked when one has the desire to lead others or when seeking out that leader within a group or community.

Leadership expert Mark Sanborn answers that question, “Look for opportunities to lead. Don’t wait for someone to bring them to you. What needs to be done at your organization? What problems need solutions? What opportunities could be seized? What could be improved? Initiative is a pre-requisite to effective influence. Look around. Pay attention. Get involved.”

If the leader is primarily concerned about personal success and goals, has no empathy, is simply looking for the help of others as a means to a personal end, this attitude will be felt by the group and ultimately undermine the leadership dynamic in the organization. If a leader has little regard for the betterment of others or for the well-being of subordinates, this mindset will infect others.

Those who are among the subordinates will eventually adopt an every-man-for-himself mentality as well, and the success of the whole will be severely compromised. As a result, those within the group will begin to think that the leader will not look out for them, so they must look out for themselves.

This bad energy is hurtful to an organization’s goals. This reminds us of the ancient saying: “A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.”

The capacity for empathy and influence for change are the two driving forces that are needed for a leader to leap from management to effective leadership. Sometimes leaders have a natural ability in this area, while some grow into it. Others must work hard to develop it. However, one must have a reason for why they desire to lead. There must be something larger than themselves that drives them to do what they do. What is the change that the leader is seeking? What is the greater good that the leader is working toward? Is the leader

Even though there may be titles held by people within an organization, if the title does not translate into leadership, the true leaders will emerge while not necessarily bearing a leadership title. This is where many group conflicts emerge. The battle will be waged between those with the most influence and those with the fanciest titles. Mark Sanborn explains why titles do not automatically make a person a leader.

He says “Titles should confirm leadership but they can never bestow it…Leadership should be borne out of a desire to

“The best way to test whether a person can lead rather than just manage is to ask him to create positive change.” He also states, “The true measure of leadership is influence…If you don't have influence, you will never be able to lead others.”

How does one who desires to be an effective leader, develop the capacity to influence others?

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contribute rather than simply achieve.” Bad leaders look for what they can take from a person, but great leaders are always looking for what they can give. Followers are less concerned about how much a person with a title knows than they are about how much the title-wearer cares. If they know you care, they will look to you to lead. Bad leaders are always looking for ways to receive help, but great leaders are always looking for ways to offer help.

So what are the marks of a leader? John Quincy Adams summarized it in just a few words: "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader."

If one is a great and effective leader, people will not feel demoralized, demeaned, taken for granted, unappreciated, and ready to quit after being in the presence of the one who has taken the responsibility to lead. Those who have these negative qualities and are seeking to lead, will find that those who follow will often contribute as little as possible toward a desired goal, and will take their skills to a more positive environment where they can grow. Their mental and emotional energy becomes so drained that they incapable of focusing on the goal and working toward it with enthusiasm. An effective leader is a good listener and is able to connect with people’s lives, hopes, and dreams.

Who is the leader? When they speak, people listen.

When they lead, others follow. People know they care.

Inspiration, empathy, influence, and integrity are the key ingredients that are musthaves in order to go from good management to effective leadership.

September 18 - October 01, 2020

The View From The Bridge

Chadwick Boseman: Nov 29, 1976 - Aug 28, 2020 May He Rest In Peace!

by Jackie Warner

Career Development Facilitator

“Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters

Talented and Creative - Let’s honor his memory from his very words… Enjoy…

"Sometimes you need to get knocked down before you can really figure what your fight is and how you need to fight it."

“When you invest in a

seed, watching it grow without you, that is a bitter pill to swallow,” he said. “Sometimes you need to feel the pain and sting of defeat to activate the real passion

and purpose that God predestined inside of you.”

"Throughout ancient times," Boseman said, "institutions of learning have been built on top of hills to convey that great struggle is required to achieve degrees of enlightenment.” As he delivered the commencement speech at Howard University in 2018, he said, “Each of you had your own unique difficulties with the hill. When completing a long climb, one first experiences dizziness, dis-

September 18 - October 01, 2020

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orientation, and shortness of breath due to the high altitude. But once you're accustomed to the climb, your mind opens up to the tranquility of the triumph. Savor that taste of your triumphs today. Don't just swallow the moment whole without digesting what has actually happened here. Look down over what you conquered and appreciate what God has brought you through."

“When you are deciding on next steps, next jobs, next careers, further education, you would rather find purpose than

a job or a career. Purpose crosses disciplines.

Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history.”

-Chadwick BosemanUntil Next Time, Be Sincere, Kind and Intentional Jackie Warner, Community Outreach Specialist Email: thebridge.us@gmail. com Check out upcoming events: http://thebridge-us.yolasite.com/

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Horse Whispering

Cowboys For Trump

by Deb Kitchenmaster

Cowboys for Trump created an organization that is founded upon like-minded Americans who are concerned about the direction of our country. Their logo reads C4T which represents a committed brand with committed members. These are men who have strength and resolve and believe our country is still worth fighting for.

The foundational blocks are Couy Griffin (a former pastor), Joshua Martin, Ramie Harper, Scott Chandler, and Dale Hooper. Cowboys for Trump members have visited state capitals; Washington, D.C.; and Mount Rushmore on horseback as they show support for Trump and advocate for an anti-abortion and pro-gun rights agenda. Facebook shows the count of their followers at 148,177.

As Righteousness is seated on the back of a horse, persecution comes roaring to unseat the rider whose voice is for the unborn, the Constitution of the United States of America, and our second amendment right to bear arms. In

June, a lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court “to vindicate the right of freedom of speech and association to organize and vocally support the president of the United States, Donald J Trump.” The lawsuit describes Cowboys for Trump as an educational initiative that doesn’t spend money in support or in opposition to any candidate for office.

According to the Associated Press, “The leader of the New Mexico group Cowboys for Trump (Couy Griffin) has been barred from in-person visits

with his son following social media posts that have generated threats and for refusing to abide by COVID-19 mask requirements, a state district judge ruled. District Judge Mary Rosner ruled July 14 that Couy Griffin can only see his son on FaceTime calls, after he ignored orders to remove social media photos of his son at Cowboys for Trump events.

The judge said Griffin also repeatedly has defied health orders to put a mask on his son at public events and has openly said he will continue to do so.”

A wrestling match took place within the walls of the courtroom and the committed Couy who stood and withstood was reunited with his son face-toface to enjoy father and son moments together! I had to put my sunglasses on when he was posting how he was going to spend the day with his son. His face was shining!

What is their vision? To support our sitting President Donald J. Trump and his ‘Make America Great Again’ policies. We believe securing our border, protecting our second Amendment, and protecting the lives of the unborn are the most vital and key aspects in America’s greatness.

We also want to stand up and support rural America through greater access to public lands, natural resources, and rural industries. We advocate against the attacks of environmental and radical endangered species acts. The backbone of America is found in the logging, ranching, mining, farming and oil and gas industries.

And those are the industries in which we support.

They were riding to Washington, D.C., to show support for President Donald Trump’s stance on border security and other issues. Griffin said in a Facebook video that he was getting ready to fly out of Newark, N.J., later that month when he got a call from the White House. Someone on the other end of the line told Griffin, a county commissioner from Otero County, N.M., that President Donald Trump wanted his phone number. A short time later, Griffin said he got a call from an ‘unknown’ caller who turned out to be President Trump. Griffin said, “He told me, ‘You guys are my kind of guys,’ and I told him, ‘You're our kind of president.’” Griffin told President Trump that they were planning another horse-riding trip into Washington, D.C., in the summer and that they planned to give him a customized cowboy hat that they hoped to give him last week.

Trump said, “I have 20 acres on the back lawn. I'll open the gates up and you guys can ride right in." The two of them talked about thirty minutes and covered several topics.

Horses and government have had a strong connection in our history’s heritage. The unity between horse and rider with government can be seen today when we see Cowboys for Trump coming to our streets carrying the American and WE THE PEOPLE flags.

Your NEIGHbor, Deb Kitchenmaster Corral Connections 256-426-7947 Cowboys for Trump arrived Animal B.E.S.T. practitioner in Williamsport along Conococheague Street on Feb. 18. horsinaround188@gmail.com

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September 18 - October 01, 2020

Mental Health Minute

Liar! Liar!

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor Can you tell when someone is lying? If you do a Google search on how to tell when someone is lying, you’ll find many articles that give you lists with items such as nervousness, voice changes, fidgeting, or averting eye contact. But if you have ever participated in a meeting of any kind, these happen all the time! In fact, these are perfectly normal reactions to a relatively stressful event, like a job interview. And just FYI, about 23% of people admit to lying during an interview.

Spotting a lie can be extremely difficult. We all have our idiosyncrasies when we lie, rather than some set patterns that are constant across all indi-

viduals. And often when people are lying, it is likely that some of what they are saying is actually true. It is difficult to sort through the information and figure out what is the deceitful part and what isn’t. For most people (narcissists excluded) lying takes effort because remembering lie upon lie requires tapping in to short- and longterm memory. When people are pushed to explain or clarify lies, they must now either escalate the lies or claim a misunderstanding and explain the truth. Then if they choose to escalate the lie, the indicators that they are lying tend to become more obvious. Knowing what type of lies to look out for can be helpful in spotting these possible untruths.

An error is a lie by mis-

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take. This type of lie is presented by people who believe they are being truthful, but what they are saying is not true. What is said is incorrect, so in this case, the lie is inadvertent.

This type of lie represents the most innocent of liars!

A lie of omission involves leaving out relevant information. These lies are easy to create and least risky for most people. It doesn’t involve inventing and remembering any stories.

It is passive deception, which results in less guilt for the liar. Restructuring a lie is distorting the context of the statements presented. In other words, the person says something (perhaps in sarcasm), changes the characters, or alters the scene. Restructuring can be extremely deceptive as the receiver attempts to figure out which parts of the story

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are true. Sarcasm employs ambivalence. People often use it to say the opposite of what’s true.

Refusing to acknowledge the truth is a lie of denial.

The extent of denial can be quite large. The speaker may be lying only to the receiver, just this one time, or they may be lying to themselves. Minimization is reducing the effects of a mistake, a fault, or a judgement call. It is a type of deception involving denial, coupled with rationalization, in situations where complete denial is implausible. It is the opposite of exaggeration. An exaggeration is a lie presenting something as greater than or better than it really is. People who exaggerate magnify beyond the limits of truth.

This is the classic, “I once caught a fish this big!”

And finally, fabrication is deliberately inventing a false story. Those who fabricate a story concoct or invent whole or part of a lie, often with the intention to deceive. These people are the ultimate liars…they are lying and they know it.

Now that we have discussed the types of lies to look out for, next time we will identify the categories of liars and learn how to deal with them.

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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The Alternative Approach

Dependency Epidemic

by Roy Williams America has changed.

Most of us over the age of 50 can remember not having to lock the doors at night. As young boys and girls our parents would let us take a walk down the street or road and never give it a second thought. Most of us were taken to church and volunteered to help in the garden or yard. We were taught to believe in God, work mowing yards, babysitting, hoeing, pulling weeds, or hauling hay just to have enough money to do something on the weekend.

When a man and woman chose to form a marriage partnership, it was expected, from the start, that it was a lifetime commitment. Planning to have children was an even more serious decision, requiring that they had a specific plan on how their children should be raised.

They understood that it takes a stable household to raise a child or children to adulthood, setting an example so they could grow up with the confidence to run their own lives and raise another generation.

Yes, things have certainly changed. Today most children in America live a privileged life. Many

grow up thinking that their parents are supposed to wait on them hand and foot, providing a place to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat while they watch TV and play video games. Ask them to vacuum the floor, load the dishwasher, or wash the clothes and they look at you like you have lost your mind.

Remember knowing that the yard better be mowed, your room cleaned, the garden hoed, and trash taken out before your mom or dad got home from work? Even when school was in session, you knew that you better do your chores and have your schoolwork done before you got to watch TV or ride your bike.

It was made clear to most of us that we were expected to treat adults with respect, especially the teachers, police, and others in authority.

We understood that we should choose our words carefully when talking to adults, and using vulgarity in public was not acceptable and could get your bottom tore up or get you grounded for days or even weeks.

Most parents understood that the discipline had to be severe enough that you

would always remember not to cross that line again. We were taught to say, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am” to adults and to follow the rules, which back then was very clear and easy to understand. We actually sat down at the kitchen table every night and had dinner as a family, which usually started with a prayer.

We understood who the leaders of the household care about.

As a society we must treat each other with respect. We must speak to each other with kindness.

Each person must develop good work ethics and, to the best of his or her ability, pay their own way. We must take responsibility for the decisions we make.

were and that what they said was how it was. You knew better than to backtalk either of your parents and that the mom and dad always had each other’s back. Yes, life was simpler because there were rules that everyone understood and that breaking the rules had some real uncomfortable consequences.

Fast forward to the twentyfirst century. Most children are raised in broken families, almost never taken to church leaving them confused about life in general.

Many grow up with no respect for authority, for their parents or siblings or anybody else, including themselves or God.

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It is time, as a nation, to go back to the basics and stop the division; and the only way to do that is for everyone to play by a basic set of rules that will automatically bring us back together.

You see, we don’t care what color you are, what size you are, how much money you earn, how old or young you are. But pay attention to what we do care about if we are ever going to have a truly successful civil society again.

As a true capitalistic nation, we must have a hardcore set of beliefs that bring us together. If we truly want to maintain our freedom as a people, we must agree on what we do

We must stop the dependency epidemic that has been perpetuated by a liberal government who in all reality wants everyone dependent on them instead of our own ability, and even more important, our God. Are we going to do it man’s way using his ideas and concepts or God’s way using His instructions and creations?

Stop believing the lies spewed from the mouth of man, which will only hold you in bondage; and start searching for the truth, and you will find freedom. John 8:32: You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Your friend in health, Roy P. Williams

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Special Feature

Stop Living A Lie

by Mae Lewis Often when we talk about faith, we talk about it as though it is something vague and nebulous that exists in our heads... ethereal, thought. We use statements like, “I believe in reincarnation;” “I believe that chocolate ice cream is healthy.”

Some things can be proven. Some things cannot.

Now, the nature of the universe is such that BELIEVING in a thing doesn’t make it true. Believing that chocolate ice cream is healthy doesn’t make it healthy. And here we have a breakdown. Many “liberated” minds cannot accept the fact that their beliefs may not be “TRUE.” If you begin talking about objective truth, they will call you narrow minded, and a bigot.

In the post-postmodern breakdown of objective truth (which is another subject entirely), we

make statements like, “Whatever you believe, is what is true for you.”

In other words, if you believe in reincarnation, then you will be reincarnated. But this only goes to prove my point.

We talk about belief as though it exists only as subjective truth…and it doesn’t matter if it exists in reality.

without a mirror. The mirror is the action. Unless you allow people to see the reflection, it might as well not exist.

Now let me pause here and say that belief and faith are not the same thing. Belief is a product of the mind, and faith is a product of the spirit. But for the purposes of this article... I use the terms interchangeably.

They both exist only in action.

Belief is ACTION. Faith is ACTION...and they both reflect one’s concepts about truth.

Faith is a public commitment. Fill in the blank for yourself: “I believe in _____.” Let’s say, for the sake of argument that your belief is in Santa Claus…“I believe that Santa Claus is real.”

Well, what are you doing about it? Do you put out cookies and milk on Christmas eve? Do you tell your kids to write letters to him? Do you help Santa every year by giving out gifts to children and to the needy?

Because if you don’t do those things, you either

FAITH and TRUTH work like a mirror reflection. Faith is the reflection of the truth. But you cannot see the reflection

Faith without works is dead. Faith must give birth to action, or it ceases to exist. Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for. Faith ONLY exists in real and quantitative actions.

don’t actually believe in Santa Claus or you are living a lie. Your belief is then POINTLESS. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. Faith REQUIRES matching your expectations with who you are. Your inner and outer worlds MUST match...or you are not a person of faith.

When you don’t live in line with your beliefs about truth -- your higher values -- you create a conflict in your body and mind that ages you, stresses you, and ultimately makes you false.

Do you believe that honesty and integrity are important? Do you also lie to your spouse or to your boss? If your belief and your actions do not match, you are living a lie.

Ghandi said, “If you believe something and don’t live it, that is dis-

honest.”

Do you believe that prayer works? When was the last time you prayed?

Do you ACTUALLY believe in a real God who throws people into hell?

Let me ask you -- When was the last time that you tried to keep someone out of hell? When was the last time you shared your “truth” with someone?

Penn Jillette (Of Penn and Teller) said, “I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward…how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize?

How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

Live a life of honesty... inside and outside. Examine your life and see where your beliefs and actions are incongruent.

You may need to make some changes. And they may be hard, but the value of an honest life will make it worthwhile.

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