From the Tracks to the Plains 2nd Annual
January 2017
Therapeutic
Community Fair
Due to the huge success of the Therapeutic Community Fair in 2015, Auburn Parks and Recreation and the Exceptional Outreach Organization will host the second annual Therapeutic Community Fair Thursday, January 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Harris Center,
The fair will highlight opportunities for persons with intellectual or physical disabilities in relation to jobs, recreation, education, social activities and more. There will be fun, refreshments, and prize drawings throughout the evening. The City of Auburn works with the Exceptonal Outreach Organization (EOO) to provide programs for individuals with disabilities in Lee County and to support programs like Summer Therapeutic Camp, Lee County Special Olympics and Auburn University’s Best Buddies. The EOO raises money for its programs each year via the “Love Your Heart Run/Crank Your Heart Ride” at Chewacla State Park in February. The fair will feature more than 20 organizations offering information on their programs available to members of the Lee County therapeutics community including those who are older than school-aged, up to seniors.
Organizations confirmed to date include: Greens and Beans, AU Best Buddies, Camp ASCA, Lee County Special Olympics, City of Auburn Parks & Recreation, City of Opelika Parks & Recreation, BraveHeart, AU Kinesiology, AU Speech & Hearing Clinic, Storybook Farms, Lee County, Autism Resource and Advocacy, East AL Mental Health, Awesome Goals Soccer, Miracle League, AHS Transition Teachers, Community Market, Smith Group Behavioral Consulting, RehabWorks, City of Auburn Library, Exceptional Foundation East Alabama, A.O.R.T.A. and Women and Children’s Chiropractor. For more information on the fair, contact Dana Stewart at 334-501-2939 or email dstewart@auburnalabama.org.
Therapeutic Community Fair Harris Center Auburn, AL January 12th 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free Admission
The 3rd Annual Alabama Oyster Social is set for Saturday, January 28 at The Red Barn. This year’s event has partnered with an all-star roster of some of the South’s most influential chefs as well as Evans Meats, Ponce City Market, The Hotel at Auburn University, The Event Group, Hudson Family Foundation, Auburn Opelika Tourism, Kudu Grills, Summit Graphics, and Alabama Gulf Seafood. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory specifically to help with the relocation of research efforts and commercial farms to new farm sites, ultimately expanding the capacity of Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory to serve this flourishing, ‘blue-green’ industry. The goal is to raise $100,000 to help offset the financial crisis these farming families now face. Visit www.alabamaoystersocial.com for a complete line-up of chefs and participating businesses and to purchase tickets.
Opening January 3rd
Nash Dermatology offers a full array of dermatological services to help you maintain healthy skin.
Building Relationships Built on Trust.
A responsibility of citizenship in a democracy is to participate in the civic life of the community in which one lives. There are many ways to “pay your civic dues” in Auburn, such as volunteering for any of the numerous non-profits that serve those in need. Another way is to offer to serve on one of the City’s 21 boards and commissions. Each time there is an upcoming vacancy on any of the boards and commissions, the City Council announces the vacancy at a meeting one month prior to the appointment date. Vacancy information is also available on the City’s web page and in the Open Line newsletter. Seventeen of the boards and commissions are strictly City of Auburn ones. Some, such as the Water Board and the Industrial Development Authority, have independent authority found in the State Code. Others are advisory to the City Council on a variety of topics considered important to the community. Advisory boards include Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Tree Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, and the Greenspace Advisory Board. For four of the boards, the City Council appoints members to the boards of multi-governmental agencies, such as the East Alabama Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board, the Indian Pines Recreation Authority, Lee County Youth Development Center, and the Metropol-
Folks - It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. I hope you all had a great holiday season. I’d like to wish you and your family a Happy New Year from the City of Opelika! As you make your resolutions, take a moment to reflect on the positive events that occurred in 2016. As you know, we’re a city of character. Here are a few ways you can help us maintain that as we kick off 2017 and head into the colder months of the year.
Kevin T. Nash MD., PhD. 2375 Champions Blvd Suite 100 Auburn, AL 36830 334-539-8049 nashdermatology.com
Help the Elderly – Take a hot meal to a senior citizen. Nutritious foods help boost their immune system and keep them healthy during the cold months. Protect Your Pets – Bring your pets in out of the cold or prepare a warm, draft free home for them outdoors. Our dogs and
City of Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller
City of Auburn Mayor Bill Ham, Jr.
itan Planning Organization Citizens Advisory Committee. In 2017, in response to the Council’s desire to make sure that every resident who wants to serve knows about available vacancies, we’ll expand our advertising of announcements to include the City’s social media and eNotifier in addition to Open Line and the web site. We’ll also make an application form available by request from City Hall and posted on the City’s website at auburnalabama.org/boards. If you have an interest in serving on a board, watch for these vacancy announcements and send us an application. We look forward to hearing from many of you who are interested in serving this great community.
Best wishes for a fruitful new year in 2017!
cats need a little extra TLC this time of year! Avoid the Wintertime Blues – Get out and about and visit with friends and family. Don’t isolate yourself. Look for fun and laughter. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Wrap Up – Wrap up your pipes when the temperatures fall below zero. And keep a slow drip coming from your sink and tub faucets overnight or while away. Also, open cabinets underneath your sinks to allow warm air to reach the pipes. Take Care of Your Car – Get your car winterized before it gets too cold. Make sure your oil, wipers, tires and battery are all up to date. And, make sure you keep a car emergency kit in your automobile in case you have trouble. Be prepared in 2017 is my motto. Our City had a lot to be proud of in 2016. I’m energized and feel certain that 2017 will be even better! If you would like to read how the city fared in FY 2016, be on the lookout for my “State of the City” report coming soon. Warmest regards for a prosperous new year!
Auburn Young Professionals Program to Begin in 2017 The Auburn Chamber is thrilled to introduce Auburn Young Professionals in 2017, a brand new program for professionals ages 21-40 in the Auburn area. The kickoff event will be held at Moore’s Mill Club on January 31 from 5-7 p.m. The early-career, post-college days are an intense time of exploration, growth, engagement and establishment. Young professionals are learning their careers, but also developing lifelong relationships, and establishing themselves as part of a larger community. Engaging and preparing are a priority, which is the purpose of the Auburn Young Professionals program. There is no shortage of opportunities for young professionals to get involved, but many of them are short-term or narrowly focused. We envision Auburn Young Professionals as an all-encompassing hub for those in the first stages of their careers looking to prepare for future leadership or grow
deeper roots in the Auburn community. The program will offer leadership and professional development opportunities along with social and service components.
Proud Supporters of Storybook Farm
Thanks to a huge population of students who have decided to call Auburn home and so many who moved away and returned home to this community that they love, we know that we have a dynamic group of young professionals ready to be Auburn’s next leaders. More details and applications will be available soon! Mark your calendar and plan to join us on January 31 from 5-7 p.m. at Moore’s Mill Club. We look forward to meeting lots of new faces!
2017 Brings New Beginnings January 2017 starts a new era at the Opelika Chamber. Barbara Patton, who has been at the helm of the Chamber for several years retired at the end of 2016 and a new president, Pam Powers-Smith, will be taking over January 1. While, the board, staff and members are certainly excited to have Pam on board and to see all the new ideas she has swirling around in that pretty little head of hers, we thought it fitting to give Barbara a last pat-on-the-back for a job well done. Barbara’s background was so vast when coming to the Opelika Chamber in 2010. She was a business owner, had been the mayor of Opelika for two terms, and had been or is still on many state and local boards. This brought a lot of knowledge to the table as far as speakers and information that our businesses needed to hear from or know about. Under her leadership, a Total Resource Campaign was established in which all the Chamber sponsorships were sold at one time by volunteers. This year, for the 2nd year in a row, the Chamber went over its goal for sales of sponsorships! By selling the sponsorships at one time, the staff is free to spend more time on the actual events or programs that better serve the members.
A State of the City, A State of the Schools, and a Plant Manager’s Roundtable’s luncheon were just some of the events or programs launched during Barbara’s tenure, as well as the Young Entrepreneur’s Academy or YEA! Even though she loves just about everything there is at the Chamber, Barbara’s passion is probably Governmental Affairs and Workforce Development. The Chamber was lacking a few points in the Governmental Affairs category for a four – star accreditation. Barbara quickly saw this and got a group of board members to go to Washington D.C. to the Small Business Summit. There, they met with other chambers and city officials, as well as our national officials about issues challenging businesses today. Since doing this and a few other things, the Chamber has gone from a 3-star to a 4-star accreditation. Thank you, Barbara for your expertise these past few years. Although we know retirement is really not in your vocabulary, we hope you do rest and relax a little more than you have in the past. And know that your legacy lives on in each of us and the Chamber is in good hands.
Our Chosen Charity Since 2003 241 S. College Street Auburn, AL 36830 (334)821-8200 www.auhcc.com
17th Annual
March 4, 2017 University Station Auburn, AL
Celebration
of the Feast of Martin Luther King, Jr. St. Dunstan’s, The Episcopal Church to Auburn University, will hold their 17th Annual Celebration of the Feast of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sunday, January 15, 2017, beginning at 6:00 p.m. St. Dunstan’s is located at 136 E. Magnolia Ave. This year’s guest preacher will be Dr. Paulette Patterson Dilworth, Vice-President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Paulette Patterson Dilworth was named Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at UAB in October 2015. Prior to joining UAB, she was faculty and assistant vice president for access and community initiatives at Auburn University. Dr. Dilworth has accumulated more than 30 years of experience in higher education, diversity education consulting and training, recruitment, r e t e nt i o n , research, teaching and outreach.
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church 136 E Magnolia Ave Auburn, AL Sunday, January 15 6 p.m.
Presented by Auburn Rotary Club
Do you think you are the BBQ master? If so, get your team together and sign up for the 4th Annual Boda Getta BBQ contest to take place on Saturday, March 4th at University Station RV Resort in Auburn. There will be no gate fee this year and plenty of parking provided. This year’s event is presented by the Auburn Rotary Club. This Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event will bring professional and amateur barbecue teams from all over the Southeast to the Plains to compete for the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion titles. Seven of last year’s professional team competitors are ranked nationally in the top 100 KCBS teams for 2016. Twenty-five professional teams competed last year for the top honors in Auburn. The 2016 Boda Getta BBQ Grand Champion, Hickory Prime, is ranked #21 in the entire nation of 2,900 KCBS certified teams. Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) has recently added the amateur division as a sanctioned contest, which means the amateur teams will be judged by certified KCBS judges and not volunteers as in the past. Also, this year, cash prizes will be awarded in the amateur division. This division only requires that at least one of the team members is a member of KCBS ($30 annual fee). For only $100 you and your team may compete in the two categories for the amateur division, ribs and chicken. Visit kcbs.us for more details on how to compete in a KCBS competition. The 2017 barbecue event benefits FACES for Auburn City Schools and includes a fun fill Kid’s Zone, including Farmer Brown’s petting zoo, games and activities for children on that Saturday. The People’s Choice competition
and tasting will be back this year. Last year was the first year that the attendees of the contest could actually taste and judge the award winning professional team’s barbeque. This year’s People’s Choice area will be expanded in order to offer more tastings for a nominal fee. FACES, Foundation for Auburn’s Continuing Enrichment in Schools, is a non-profit organization that promotes innovative opportunities that enrich the educational experiences of students at Auburn City Schools. The Foundation falls under the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and funds mini-grants of up to $600 to teachers promoting classroom enrichment through creative programs. Founded in 1985, FACES has grown to have huge success as the Auburn City School system continues to grow. This year (2016) FACES awarded 70 grants for a total of $37,380.66. Every school and most every child in the Auburn City system will be impacted by these grants. Boda Getta BBQ Committee Event Chair: Jordan Moseley – 334.275.0888 Pro Team Chair: Jay Hovey – 334.319.6654 Amateur Team Chair: Drew Goodner – 334.444.1500 Sponsorship Chair: David Reaves – 334.559.7200
For inquiries: bodagettabbq@auburnchamber.com
bodagettabbq.com
Be A Champion
Holiday Stress Add a Few Wrinkles?
January 19th 11:30 a.m.
Procedure Spotlight
Bottling Plant Event Center Opelika, AL
Injectables
Botox & Juvederm
Facial injectables are used to treat worriesome wrinkles we all get as we age. Botox is best for wrinkles worsened by muscle movement such as frown lines. It is injected into the muscle and blocks the nerve impulses that cause wrinkles. Juvederm is used to fill in more permanent lines. It is injected into the deeper layers of the skin and replaces the fullness that is lost as we age reducing wrinkles.
You’re Invited to BE A CHAMPION with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County “A Road to a Brighter Future” Champions For Kids Annual Campaign Kickoff Luncheon, January 19th, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. at the Bottling Plant Event Center, with Special Guest Speaker, Opelika High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach, Brian Blackmon. Corporate sponsorships and tickets available. For table and reservation information, contact Betty Burns at 334-663-0426.
Come see Dr. Smith in January for
10% off Botox and Juvederm
Schedule your complimentary consultation today 334-759-6350
*RSVP by 1/14/2016*
Happy ! r a e Y w e 2017 N program To create awareness for local nonprofits in the communities we serve by building strategic partnerships that promote impactful community engagement.
In 2016, Community and Cause “Did Something Big”.
The twelve non-profit partners for 2017 are:
We increased our production and reach for Community & Cause, offering more opportunities for our area non-profits to share their mission. Our motto is From the Tracks to the Plains.
BigHouse Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County Child Care Resource Center Christian Women’s Job Corp The Exceptional Foundation The Food Bank of East Alabama Haddie’s Home Hudson Family Foundation Lee County Humane Society Storybook Farm United Way of Lee County Village Friends Village Values
We hosted two community events, Lemon-Aid for a Cause and Tailgate for a Cause. We saw the entrepreunuer spirit of the youth at work for our area non-profits as they set up lemonade stands across Lee County. Novice to savvy grill masters offered their favorite tailgate food sampled by event goers and celebrity judges. We shared over 120 events and celebrated the efforts of our twelve 2016 non-profit partners. We did this with you. Thank you for your support over the last year. This year, we will build upon the foundation you have helped us set. We will continue to offer area non-profits a vehicle to share with the community their mission.
YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS
We are excited to share their good works with you over the next year. We will continue to partner with area businesses who share in our vision to promote our community and the philantropic works that go on minute to minute in Lee County. If you or your business would like to partner with Community & Cause, please contact Beth Witten, Community & Cause Executive Director, at contact@communityandcause.com. The Community & Cause team wishes you a prosperous New Year!
A SERVICE TO MATCH YOUR NEEDS. A TEAM TO MEET YOUR NEEDS. Prewett Insurance Group 334-502-5111 1849 Ogletree Rd., Ste. 300 Auburn PREWETTINSURANCEGROUP.COM
Brought to you by the generous support of our Community Partners
Interested in joining as a community partner? Contact www.communityandcause.com
F rom The Tracks To T he P lains C O M M U N I T Y
C A L E N D A R
JAN 1 SUN NEW YEAR’S DAY JAN 1 SUN CAMP HIKE & BIKE CHEWACLA JAN 5 THU ACS CLASSES BEGIN JAN 6 FRI ACTA TENNIS MIXER YARBROUGH TENNIS CENTER JAN 6 FRI AU GYMNASTICS V. OREGON ST AUBURN ARENA JAN 7 SAT AU MENS BASKETBALL V. OLE MISS AUBURN ARENA JAN 8 SUN AU WOMENS BASKETBALL V. OLE MISS AUBURN ARENA JAN 11 WED AU CLASSES BEGIN JAN 12 THU AU SWIM AND DIVE V. TEXAS A&M JAMES E. MARTIN AQUATICS CENTER JAN 12 THU THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY FAIR HARRIS CENTER JAN 13 FRI AU GYMNASTICS V. UGA AUBURN ARENA JAN 14 SAT BENEFIT CONCERT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BOTTLING PLANT EVENT CENTER JAN 15 SUN 17TH ANNUAL MLK CELEBRATION ST. DUNSTAN’S EPISCOPAL AUBURN JAN 16 MON MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY JAN 16 MON CITY HOLIDAY JAN 16 MON CITY SCHOOLS HOLIDAY JAN 18 WED AU MENS BASKETBALL V. LSU AUBURN ARENA JAN 19 THU AU WOMENS BASKETBALL V. UT AUBURN ARENA JAN 21 SAT AU MENS BASKETBALL V. ALABAMA AUBURN ARENA JAN 22 SUN AU WOMENS BASKETBALL V. KENTUCKY AUBURN ARENA JAN 28 SAT 5TH ANNUAL POLAR PLUNGE SAMFORD POOL JAN 28 SAT AU SWIM AND DIVE V. FLORIDA JAMES E. MARTIN AQUATICS CENTER JAN 28 SAT 3RD ANNUAL ALABAMA OYSTER SOCIAL RED BARN
Calendar of Events brought to you by Auburn & Opelika Tourism Bureau
J A N U A R Y
J A N U A R Y
2 0 1 7
2 0 1 7
JAN 31 AU MENS BASKETBALL V. UT AUBURN ARENA JAN 31 AUBURN YOUNG PROFESSIONALS KICK OFF EVENT MOORES MILL CLUB
FOR EVENT DETAILS VISIT www.communityandcause.com