Greater Talladega Historic
past,
Visionary
future
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 3
Greater Talladega Historic
past,
Visionary
2009-2010
future
A special publication from the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce
Staff
INSIDE
Chamber Focus........................................... 5 Destinations............................................... 10 Parks and Recreation................................ 16 A Home for the Arts................................. 20 Happenings............................................... 25 Downtown Revitalization......................... 26 Economic Growth..................................... 30 Lincoln in Transition................................. 34 Busiest Airport.......................................... 38 Healthcare Options................................... 40 Retirement Living..................................... 46 Learning Curve......................................... 48 MGH Arena............................................... 54 Higher Learning........................................ 58 Shocco Springs......................................... 61 Civic Clubs............................................... 64 Lake Protection......................................... 65 Making a Difference................................. 66
Editor
Carol Pappas Design Editor
Graham Hadley
Advertising Director
Pam Adamson Photographers
Bob Crisp Brian Schoenhals Writers
Carol Pappas, Graham Hadley, Jim Smothers, Laura Nation-Atchison, Heather Baggett, Meredith McCay, Brandon Fincher, Chris Norwood, Jonathan Grass, Elsie Hodnett, Matthew Quillen Published by The Daily Home in partnership with the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce 210 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160-2474 (256) 362-9075
Online @ www.talladegachamber.com 4 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
The Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce building sits just off the historic downtown square in Talladega.
Beyond business Chamber focuses on quality of life
Story by Graham Hadley For many chambers of commerce, their main mission is to help promote and support their member businesses. But for the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce, that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to providing services to communities in the area. “It’s about bringing the community together to enjoy our way of life,” said executive director Mac Ferguson. Of course, the chamber takes point when it comes to promoting existing businesses in Talladega, Lincoln and other areas in north Talladega County and attracting new companies to the region. But the chamber also helps the community by supporting a wide range of local organizations, like the United Way, and individual residents. By interweaving all of these services together under one roof, the Talladega Chamber of Commerce has become a driving force for improving, not just the economy, but the entire quality of life in the area.
“It’s the chamber’s opportunity to be the focal point to bring all that together,” Ferguson said.
The business of business
From providing information about the region to prospective new businesses to helping counsel people considering starting a new company, the Chamber of Commerce is in the business of helping businesses here. “It’s our job to help identify what the chamber and the city can do to enhance their business and growth,” Ferguson said. The chamber is the one-stop shop for business information and help. “We make it easy for prospective business to come here and open a business,” he said. From the word “go,” companies considering opening their doors in Talladega can find most of what they need to know from the Chamber of Commerce – and a hefty portion of that information is available online through the Chamber Web site, www. talladegachamber.com. Everything from regional demographics like average household income to current property values is at
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 5
your fingertips on the Web site. The Chamber is also poised to help in other ways, acting as a liaison between companies and local government and other agencies “and by increasing networking capabilities of these businesses” to learn about the needs and capabilities of other businesses, not just locally, but with other companies in the region and state, Ferguson said. For member businesses – whose numbers continue to grow – there are additional benefits, such as leadership programs, business promotions, special programs and more. “Our Board of Directors has taken an active role in instilling some of the core values in our programs … to develop leadership in our programs,” he said. And for both new and existing businesses, the Chamber can help connect company owners with trained business counselors by partnering with small business organizations, the state and education institutions like Jacksonville State University. The Chamber also acts as a sounding board and a collective organization for promoting overall business interests in the region, which can help with everything from regional advertising to helping facilitate the legislative process in a way that fosters a good business climate in Talladega County. These are just a few of the ways the Chamber of Commerce acts as an essential part of the foundation for the business community in Talladega County.
Beyond business
While there is no question a favorable business climate is important to the health of any community, what is equally important is the overall quality of life for people living and working there. From education to community outreach, the Talladega Chamber of Commerce has made that a core value of its mission. The chamber continues to work to improve educational opportunities for children and adults alike and has recently focused on helping local school systems find better ways to serve their students. “One of the core things that attracts new businesses is a good school system,” Ferguson said. Beyond that, chamber officials have been working to strengthen the network of support for youths in and around Talladega by reinvigorating its own student ambassador program and encouraging organizations like Big Brothers and Big Sisters to locate here. “Students need role models they can follow; they need mentors. Big Brothers and Big Sisters is exactly that, a mentoring program,” Ferguson said. “... That and our ambassador program are essential in helping our teachers and principals who want what we want to achieve their goals.” That network of support continues throughout the communi-
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ty, with the chamber working with local charities and non-profit groups to ensure all the needs of residents here are met. “We have a committee that comes together, mostly from our public housing areas, that is intent on identifying and finding solutions for problems” facing youths in the area, Ferguson said. A community with strong education and social services options is not only a better place to live – it creates a climate that in turn supports a robust economy and business environment, Ferguson said.
But wait, there’s more ...
With a strong business base and ever-increasing quality-of-life standards, this region of Talladega County has been able to hold communitywide events that draw people from across Alabama, the nation and even from around the globe. Already on the map because of the Talladega Superspeedway, which fills with tens of thousands of race fans twice a year and even has a major motion picture that bears its name; the International Motorsports Hall of Fame; Logan Martin Lake; and the beautiful mountains of the Talladega National Forest, the area has a host of other attractions and events that bring people to the region. In October, coinciding with the race weekend and Halloween, the chamber is hoping to attract thousands of people to town for a multi-day celebration involving everything from live music to
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trick-or-treating around the downtown square and in other parts of town, Ferguson said. “We intend to have a major event then.” The project, which Ferguson described as a “gala event,” is a cooperative effort between the Talladega Parks and Recreation, Ken Allen, the Ritz Theatre, the Merchants Association and others. The chamber is actually helping organize two Christmas parades this year, he said. For decades, the Talladega Christmas Parade was a spectacle to behold. Now, thanks to the efforts of the Chamber parade committee, those days of grandeur are returning, with former University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings scheduled to be the grand marshal. That will coincide with a special Christmas banquet at Shocco Springs. Lincoln is planning a parade too. “It’s the first one they have had in a long time. We are working with them on that,” Ferguson said. The Chamber is also busy working with residents, city leaders and businesses to prepare for Talladega’s special 175th anniversary, slated to take place over several days in 2010. The chamber is also helping organize other events in the area, including the Davey Allison Memorial Walk of Fame inductions and other gatherings throughout the historic business districts in Talladega and Lincoln. “We talk about these events building one on the other,” Ferguson said.
A number of new businesses have moved into the new Town of Munford as traffic along Alabama 21 continues to increase.
By taking this all-inclusive approach to serving Talladega, Lincoln, Munford and other cities and neighborhoods in Talladega County, the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce hopes to be the catalyst that builds strong communities where people want to live, work and raise families. “I think it brings identity to the community – says, ‘Hey, we are somebody,’” Fergusion said. It’s a “can-do attitude” that “promotes pride in our community and establishes a heritage for our children.”
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8 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
The Chamber board members are, front row, Lynne Stanford, Valerie Burrage, Fran Pope, Mary Jane Kiker, Kisha Linley; second row, Graham Hadley, Andy Whiddon, Executive director Mac Ferguson, Chad Jones, David Akins, Mike Challender, and President Jason Hurst. Not pictured are Gwen Hail and Rick Humphrey.
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Destinations
Things to do, places to see ...
Talladega National Forest and Appalachian foothills
Story by Jim Smothers Since 1969 NASCAR racing has made the name “Talladega� one that is recognized throughout much of the world, and two weekends each year Talladega Superspeedway draws crowds estimated at up to 200,0000 for events at the track. Track operators continuously innovate and look for better ways to accommodate their guests and improve their Talladega experience. While the Superspeedway is the biggest and best-known attraction to the north Talladega County area, there are other attractions in the area that draw in people for a variety of activities, including racing, hunting and fishing and family attractions. Right next to the Superspeedway is the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum, where visitors can get a close-up look at cars and artifacts of racing history not only representing NASCAR racing, but from a broad spectrum of speed competition. Its collection of racing vehicles and memorabilia, from 1902 to present, is valued at more than $15 million, and
Paddle boats at DeSoto Caverns
10 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
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Destinations exhibits are added every year. One of the most popular, and the largest, is the 54-foot long, “Superboat,” in which the late Tome Gentry set a world speed record in 1987, averaging 148.238 mph on a closed course and topping 170 mph on the straightaways. The museum is also home to the Budweiser Rocket Car, the first to break the speed of sound on land. An estimated 30,000 people per year make their way to the museum. It’s open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. every day except Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. A short hop from the Superspeedway and the museum is Talladega Short Track, a 1/3 mile oval clay racetrack that hosts racing March through October on Saturday nights and features an “Ice Bowl” race each January, a 30-plus-year-old tradition. The track also has a 1/6 mile track for dirt karting. The Talladega Gran Prix racetrack offers a different kind of speed experience. Built in 1985, the track was designed with motorcycles in mind. The track was also founded on another very important idea: to provide an affordable place for privateers and race teams alike, as well as clubs and small groups to tune and test their machinery and hold races. Motorcycle races, go-kart races, sports car races and a variety of club events have been held at the track. In downtown Talladega, one block south of Alabama 21, is a tribute to the late NASCAR champion Davey Allison. The Davey Allison MemorialWalk of Fame is a beautiful landscaped park that covers a full city block. Dedicated during the summer of 1994, the memorial is open 365 days a year with free admission. The park serves as a memorial to the late Davey Allison, as well as a tribute to NASCAR “All Star” drivers that are chosen by the fans each year. Plaques placed around a tri-oval walking path commemorate those drivers. Within site of Talladega is Mount Cheaha. At 2,407 feet above sea level, it is the highest point in Alabama. It is the site of an Alabama State Park which is located within the Talladega National Forest, so both state and federal facilities are available for camping, lodging, hiking, dining, swimming and more.
Entrance to the Pinhoti Trail
Talladega Superspeedway
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12 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
The state park has a hotel, cabins and chalets for rent (advance reservations recommended) and a mountaintop restaurant with an unmatched view of the Appalachian foothills. The park includes a stone tower and a lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. A handicapped-accessible boardwalk provides an easy path from Bald Rock Lodge to Bald Rock, a scenic overlook that is a highlight of the park. The Pinhoti Trail, more than 100 miles long, runs through the park and is popular with backpackers. A parking lot for the trail is available near the entrance to the state park. The Odum Scout Trail also meanders through 11 miles of the forest, beginning at the microwave towers at the highest point in the state and ending at High Falls. Other trails can also be found in the park and nearby, including the lake trail, Rock Garden Trail, Pulpit Rock Trail and the Silent Trail. The state park offers RV and tent camping with water
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Destinations
DeSoto Caverns
and electricity available. The National Forest has primitive camping areas and sites with restrooms and picnic tables and grills available. The Kentuck Trail in the National Forest is available for ATVs, and a 100-yard shooting range is maintained by the Forest Service at Shepherd’s Branch, off of Alabama 77 in Waldo. National Forest Service land is also open for hunting during the state of Alabama’s regular hunting seasons. Several undeveloped hunt camps are available throughout the Talladega National Forest. Hunters may also get a permit to go tent camping just about anywhere in the National Forest — call the Ranger’s office at 256-362-2909 to confirm your location. The National Forest
is a prime location for turkey, and whitetail deer are also common in the area. The Forest Service has an area designated for walk-in only turkey hunting. Additional fees and restrictions apply in Wildlife Management areas. Logan Martin Lake runs almost 49 miles along the Coosa River, from Neely Henry Dam near Ohatchee to Logan Martin Dam just above Childersburg. It is known as one of the best spotted bass fishing lakes in the country and is also home to blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, hybrid bass, largemouth bass, saltwater striped, striped bass, white bass and more. Several fishing tournaments have been held on Logan Martin, including
14 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
CCC tower at Cheaha Mountain State Park
the BASSMasters, and the lake is listed as one of the top five Alabama lakes for overall bass fishing quality by the Bass Anglers Information Team. Alert fishermen may also catch sight of eagles that have moved into the area and other waterfowl that have extended their habitat to the lake. Logan Martin Lake also is part of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, where many a kayaker are testing their skills to get a closer look at the beauty that is this waterway. Southwest of Talladega on Alabama 76 is DeSoto Caverns, a popular family destination that offers a full day of family activities in addition to tours of its popular cave. More than 20 attractions are available, including a three-quarter acre “Lost Trail” maze, panning for gemstones, Wacky Water Golf, climbing wall, the recently added Butterfly House and more. The cave tour begins in a room that is 12 stories high and larger than a football field. The walking tour is a third of a mile long and takes visitors past thousands of cave formations. The entrance ramp makes the cave wheelchair and stroller accessible, but motorized wheelchairs are not recommended. Two small areas of the tour are not handicapped accessible. Visitors to the area also enjoy seeing the covered bridge behind the Old Mill restaurant just off Alabama 77 in Waldo, or the Kymulga Grist Mill southwest of Talladega on Grist Mill Road, off of Alabama 21, which has a covered bridge adjacent to it open to foot traffic. A drive through Talladega’s Silk Stocking District to see the number of historic homes is a popular pastime, not to mention the city’s historic town square. Scheduled performances at the restored Ritz Theatre are also a special treat in the city. Talladega may be known for racing, but there’s certainly more to be discovered here.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 15
No shortage of fun
Parks and Recreation take center stage
Softball in Lincoln
Story by Heather Baggett Recreation Department. When it comes to recreational activities there’s no shortage of things to do in Talladega and Lincoln. Both towns feature parks and activities for people young and old. The Parks and Recreation Departments in both cities offer soccer, basketball, softball and baseball teams for youths in the area. Talladega’s parks and recreation department also offers extreme sports, T-ball and flag football for young people in town. “We offer a variety of programs,” Talladega Parks and Recreation Director Parvin Neloms said. “We opened up with our summer enrichment program. It starts in June right after school (ends for summer break). We have after-school programs for children ages 8-14 (at various community centers throughout the city.)” Lincoln Parks and Recreation’s newest addition is Lincoln Park, which has “four youth baseball fields, two youth and adult softball fields, one boys/high school baseball field, one regulation soccer field that can be converted into four youth soccer fields, two playground areas, a concession stand with picnic tables,” according to Roben Duncan, director for the Parks and
The city of Lincoln didn’t waste any time making use of the new park as it hosted a state baseball tournament over the summer. “With the soccer fields, that is one new sport that was added last year,” Duncan said. “Now there can be more baseball and youth and adult softball games played simultaneously with the opportunity for more tournaments.” Talladega’s recreation department recently installed new playground equipment at all the parks in the city. In addition to baseball, softball and soccer fields, the city offers fitness equipment, an indoor basketball court, walking track and an indoor pool at Spring Street Community Center. Adults and senior adults are not left without activities in either town. Lincoln offers walking trails, tennis courts and basketball courts at various parks throughout the city. Citizens can also take part in jazzercise, dance class and table tennis at Lincoln City Center. Talladega’s recreation department offers aerobics, ballroom dancing classes and senior basketball at Spring Street Community Center. Neloms said the department is planning to start an intramural sports program for college students in the area soon.
16 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
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Fun
New playground equipment at Harmon Park in Talladega Talladega is also home to two golf courses for those who like to spend a day on the links. Timber Ridge Golf Course is a private course open year-round and features a restaurant and snack bar. Talladega Municipal Golf Course is open to the public yearround as well.
Big plans for the future
The City of Lincoln recently obtained the Coosa River (Brecon) Annex property, and officials with the city have plans to develop the 2,832 acres of land into what could become one of the largest outdoor recreation areas in East Central Alabama. The area is being
considered for a park that would feature trails for hiking, OHVs, mountain biking and horse riding. The park could also include pistol and rifle ranges as well as public lakes and camping areas. Duncan said Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department also has plans to add to the amenities at Lincoln Park in the future. “In the plans for Lincoln Park are other phases, such as tennis courts, basketball courts, a wetpad/ park, a recreational building and a senior building,” Duncan said. “And the list can be endless if we get the right funding and our needs continue to grow with the growth of the community.”
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 19
Talladega resident Betty Donahue showed her quilts at Heritage Hall in June.
A home for the arts Heritage Hall
20 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
The Ritz Theatre
From paintings to plays, Talladega County has it all Story by Laura Nation-Atchison There’s a museum with monthly exhibits and an impressive permanent collection and a restored art deco theater offering full seasons of entertainment. Two libraries are also in the area, one in Talladega and another in Lincoln, hosting a variety of services and programs for youth and adults. “Our permanent collection reflects what’s been taking place in the art world, especially in Alabama, since 1990,” said Tommy Moorehead, artist in residence for Heritage Hall Museum. The museum opened in 1983. The collection got its early start with the museum’s yearly Cheaha Exhibition, for which museum board members approved purchase awards. The Cheaha Exhibit continued for 10 years, and two pieces were added to the collection from the exhibit each year. Moorehead planned the exhibit as a way to help produce a permanent collection. In addition to the pieces from the Cheaha Exhibit, other pieces are from local artists, giving the collection a local connection, some gained through the yearly Mardi Gras Gala and Art auction hosted by The Ritz Theatre and Antique Talladega, the theatre’s governing body. Artists have donated pieces for the collection through the years as well, Moorehead said.
“Our hope is that we offer people a look at a slice of Alabama art history,” he said. In addition to paintings, the collection includes pottery and sculpture along with three-dimensional art. There are two Frank Fleming pieces, a name known nationally in sculpture, and a painting from the late Barabra Gallagher of Mobile, now valued at probably five times the purchase price, Moorehead said. Folk art, work from artists sometimes termed as selftaught, includes pieces from Lonnie Holley, Charlie Lucas and Shelby Lee Horton, all Alabama artists who have received national and international attention. In addition to fine art, there are hundreds of photographs taken of early Talladega, and all have been preserved on CDs, a recent project at the museum. The building itself is a piece of art, Moorehead said, an original Carnegie Library building that once housed the Talladega Public Library. The building’s architect chose a beaux art classic style, and it was built in 1908. The architect, Frank Lockwood of Montgomery, also designed two major structures at the University of Alabama, the Music Department on the east side of the school’s quadrangle and the Museum of Natural History on the west end of the quad. With monthly exhibits, receptions are often held to introduce artists to the pubic.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 21
A home for the arts Talladega’s Little House Dancers perform at The Ritz for their yearly recital.
Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain
Puttin’ on the Ritz
At Talladega’s Ritz Theatre, national names in entertainment such as Judy Collins and Mickey Rooney, Diahann Carroll and Don McLean have taken the stage since 1998, along with national touring productions of “Porgy and Bess,” “Jane Eyre” and others. The 2009 Spring Season at The Ritz brought more than 3,000 people into the theater, with The Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Scaggs and a New York production of the tribute to Irving Berlin, “I Love a Piano.” “We’re here to attract a broad selection of cultural and performing arts,” said Tom Wofford, executive director for The Ritz and Antique Talladega. “And I would say that we are meeting our purpose of improving the quality of life here while also bringing in people from other areas.” The theatre has enjoyed an aggressive schedule for 11 years now, Wofford said. “And now, we’re on target and increasing the number of events we have,” he said. For the 2009 Fall Season, comic James Gregory will perform at The Ritz, along with two shows from Grammy winner Crystal Gayle. Country music legend Freddie Hart visits The Ritz, and there is also a performance of The Montgomery Ballet’s production of “The Sleeping Beauty.” Something new this year is a return of the Talladega Follies, showcasing local residents in a variety show directed and produced by a professional acting company. “We’ll put everyone on stage who ever wanted to be on The Ritz stage,” Wofford said. Another new development brings movies back to the theatre — popcorn, too — and Wofford has planned to start with classics that include “Gone With the Wind,” “The
Wizard of Oz” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It’s the generosity of donors who support The Ritz and Antique Talladega through Friends of the Ritz, other donations, support from the city and county, and from the State Arts Council that allows the caliber of entertainment offered, Wofford said. An economic impact study done last year showed that The Ritz had an economic impact of $900,000 for the year. Antique Talladega has grown from a starting budget of about $50,000 a year to its current budget of approximately $400,000. “This is part of our goal,” Wofford said. “To add to the area’s economics.” Located on Talladega’s downtown square, The Ritz has been noted as one of the best surviving examples of art deco architecture. Its original vitrolite glass façade was restored to the original condition. “So many people have such important memories from The Ritz,” Wofford said. “It’s a part of their lives and the history of the town.” The theatre closed in 1987 after providing decades of entertainment. The Ritz was originally a Martin Theatre, opening in the mid-1930s. By 1998, Antique Talladega formed, it members reopening the theatre with a performance from the National Symphony String Quartet. The theatre seats 400 on the main level and another 250 on the mezzanine.
Libraries add to quality of life
At the Lincoln Public Library, programming for children highlights the summer months. An average of 50 children a week attended this summer’s program, said Melanie Harris, library director.
22 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 23
A home for the arts
Members of Jacksonville State University performed for children, along with a program from Birmingham’s McWane Center, magicians and storytellers. The library has received a state-sponsored Web cam for use by people with family members in the military, which now gives the library five computers free for public use. There will soon be six available, with the library adding new computers in circulation, which will free one more for public use, Harris said. “We also have access to the Alabama Virtual Library and Homework Alabama from the state library system,” Harris said. The library makes book orders every four to six weeks, including books on the bestseller lists. There is a large children’s section in the library, with many of the local schools’ accelerated reading books available, Harris said. Their most exciting news is that a new library is planned for the near future. Armstrong Osborne Public Library in Talladega is also moving forward fast with its goals, said library director Brian Fielder. “One of our best accomplishments will be our new Computer and Career Center,” he said. Thanks to a donation from a library patron and a Friends of the Library member, the library has been able to add a glassed-in room for a new computer and multimedia room. “The room will allow patrons to have computer access while enjoying a quieter and more private environment for their research needs,” Fielder said.
The area will also be used to house the library’s business, entrepreneurship, career and computer literature. The center will also be the setting for various instructional classes hosted by the library for the community. Planned courses include topics such as resume writing and instruction in using different computer programs. The area was expected to be available to the pubic in early September. There is also a new teen and young adult center being planned, with tripled space for holding young-adult materials. A separate lounge area is in the planning stages, and as funding allows, there will be café tables to encourage groups of young people to get together in the library setting. There has also been shelving added in the children’s area and new cherry shelving placed at the library entrance to showcase new books and New York Times bestsellers in a prominent way. Shelving end panels on bookshelves are being added in the same wood tone to give the library a new look, Fielder said. Future plans also include adding a new circulation desk with four work stations and four checkout stations, Fielder said. The library also hopes to enhance the children’s area with more seating and a fantasy rain forest theme. Highlights of programs for the year include a visit from Alabama First Lady Patsy Riley and former Alabama Gov. John Patterson. The library also began hosting a free movie night once a month and now produces a newsletter.
Lincoln Chiropractic & Wellness Center I am proud to be the new owner of Lincoln Chiropractic and Wellness Center. I am thrilled to be a part of the outstanding group of people at Lincoln Chiropractic and Wellness Center as a Chiropractor and Acupuncturist. I have a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Psychology from UAB. I graduated Summa Cum Laude and 1st in my class from Texas Chiropractic College. I am a member of the Omega Psi Honor Society, American Chiropractic Association, Alabama State Chiropractic Association, and Jefferson County Chiropractic Society. “I have always had a natural desire to help people coupled with a keen interest in the anatomy and physiology of the human body. I look forward to making a positive impact on this community by educating people on how to live healthier lives. I welcome the opportunity to serve each and every one of you for your healthcare needs.” –Dr. Andy Whiddon
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24 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
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Happenings April in Talladega
Set for the weekend of April 9 and 10, 2010, there are home tours in Talladega’s historic silk stocking district and beyond, luncheons and teas along with live entertainment. Hosted by the city’s Pilgrimage Council, the event is a fundraiser to support Pilgrimage Council projects. Contact the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce at 256-362-9075.
Sunshine Saturday
Sunshine Saturday is held the first Saturday in May each year and is a main fundraiser for The Arc of North Talladega County, which provides programs and services for adults with delayed development. Held at Talladega’s Veterans Park, Sunshine Saturday offers children’s games, rides and prizes along with food and live entertainment. Contact The Arc of North Talladega County at 256-362-8064.
Mardi Gras Gala and Art Auction
Hosted by Antique Talladega, the event is a fundraiser for the organization which works to promote the city’s historic downtown and hosts a variety of entertainment events at The Ritz Theatre on the square. This year’s event is set for Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010 at the Speedvision Dome adjacent to Talladega Superspeedway. The day starts with a Mardi Gras Parade through downtown Talladega, and the gala includes a live and silent auction of regional and local art, dinner and beverages along with live dance music. For ticket information, call the Antique Talladega offices at 256-315-0000.
The Ritz Theatre
Comic James Gregory, Saturday Sept. 26, shows at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Celtic Crossroads brings Celtic music, Tuesday Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., tickets are $30. Crystal Gayle performs Saturday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35. Storyteller Dolores Hydock brings “The Lady With All the Answers,” Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 25 at $2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 Country music great Freddie Hart performs Friday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 31 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30. The Talladega Follies with a cast of dozens of local performers take the stage Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Tickets to all shows are available by calling The Ritz Theatre at 256-315-0000.
Talladega Texaco Walk of Fame
2009 inductees to the Walk of Fame are Morgan Shepherd and Jack Smith and the ceremony is Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. at Davey Allison Memorial Park in downtown Talladega. Following the ceremony, NASCAR fans can enjoy a grand fireworks display along with other entertainment starting at 8 p.m.
Gala Walk of Fame/Halloween Bash
The Walk of Fame, the Talladega Merchants Association, Antique Talladega and The Ritz Theatre, the Talladega Parks and Recreation Department and the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce have joined together to create a bash to attract thousands to the city for two days of Halloween fun Oct. 30 and 31, 2009. There’s a flash-
April in Talladega light Candy Hunt Oct. 30, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m., and country legend Freddie Hart performs at The Ritz at 7:30 p.m. There’s a second Hart performance Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2:30 p.m. Also Oct. 31, children are invited to trick or treat on the downtown square from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Afterward, the city’s attempt to produce a record setting number of people taking part in a group “Thriller” dance takes place on the square.
Talladega Follies: The Fabulous 50S
If you’re not in it, come enjoy entertainment from your friends and neighbors as they sing, dance and make you laugh for an evening you won’t forget! The Talladega Follies is a revival of the wildly popular “Follies” shows in Talladega held during the late 1970s and early 1980. Local singers, actors, dancers and musicians will make the “Grease” decade come alive again in this full-scale community production, performing songs like “Calendar Girl,” “At the Hop,” “Chances Are,” “Mr. Sandman” and “Shake Rattle and Roll.” Three performances Nov. 19, 20 and 21, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at The Ritz, $25. Call The Ritz at 256-315-0000 for tickets or to participate.
Christmas Tour of Homes
Christmas Tour of Homes hosted by the educators’ sorority Alpha Xi Conclave of Kappa Kappa Iota, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. Call the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce for information, 256-362-9075.
Talladega Christmas Banquet and Parade
Talladega’s 2009 Christmas Parade gets rolling Saturday, Dec. 19, at 5:30 p.m. with former University of Alabama Coach Gene Stallings as grand marshal. Stallings will be the speaker for the banquet that follows the parade, set for 7:30 p.m. at Shocco Springs and will also be available for a photograph and autograph session. Tables and general admission tickets are available from the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce, call 256-362-9075.
Talladega’s 175th Anniversary
Set for March 27, 2010, the celebration includes a Grand Parade, presenting a DVD of the history of Talladega, a time capsule and recognition of the city’s famous folks. Old photographs and other memorabilia are being collected for the event. Contact the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce to get involved at 256-3629075.
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 25
New life
Cities revitalizing historic downtowns
A number of buildings have recently been renovated in Talladega’s historic downtown square.
Story by Elsie Hodnett said. “We are very pleased to see it happen.” Talladega and Lincoln are historic cities, and their leaders envision a future that pumps new life into their historic downtown districts. In Lincoln, the city is heavily involved in its Downtown Streetscape project that will blend aesthetics with a restoration of the area. Talladega has long been involved in revitalizing its historic square, with the Ritz Theatre as an anchor and new businesses making use of other historic buildings as its supporting cast. “The Lincoln Downtown Streetscape project is a great project for our city,” Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson
In 2007, Lincoln was awarded a $150,000 transportation enhancement fund grant. The project was awarded in August 2009, with construction scheduled to start soon after. Jane Reed Ross, landscape architect and project manager for Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc., said the project will cover approximately one city block in old downtown Lincoln. “The streetscape improvements and park development occur on McClain Avenue and James Avenue between Magnolia and McCarthy streets,” she said. “The work includes sidewalk renovation, pedestrian
26 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
TALLADEGA MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT BOSWELL FIELD
566 Airport Dr. – Talladega, AL
256-761-4815
RECENT IMPROVEMENTS Runway..............3/21 Length........6002 ft. Width..............100 ft.
Race Day Accommodations MEMBERS: Jessie Brown III, Ms. Cora Green, Rex Griffin, Hubert Hubbard–Vice Chairman, Charles Johnson Calvin C. McRae, Ray Miller–Chairman Mike McWilliams, James D. Munroe, Jeff Roberts John Stephens, Wilby Wallace Jr.
New Corporate Area
AIRPORT BOARD ASSOCIATES: City Councilman Lance Grissett–Liaison Jane Goodson–Secretary
Instrument Landing System Being Installed
253957
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 27
street lights, shade tree islands in the parking areas, paving of streets and landscaping.” Property between the two avenues will have the grades smoothed to gentle slopes, the ground grassed and trees planted for the creation of a half-acre town green or park. “A brick crosswalk will lead from the buildings on McClain Avenue to a central set of steps that connect to the green,” she said. “Mayor Watson is working on plans for the James Avenue sidewalk to eventually cross the creek to Blue Eye Creek Fishing Trail that will feature fishing stations along the water’s edge, a terraced seating area and pavilion,” she said. “The projects will improve the quality of life for these spaces functionally, aesthetically, preserve the historical heritage of the area, as well as add additional green parks.” Watson said although the fishing station is not part of the grant, it will enhance the downtown area. “We think the fishing station will complement the downtown area and provide additional recreation for our residents,” he said. He is pleased to see the project moving forward and hopes it is completed before the city celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2010. The City of Talladega is also looking at downtown revitalization plans. “We have used grant money to rehabilitate cityowned downtown properties,” said Chris Stone, community development director for the City of Talladega. “We are looking at submitting a streetscape
grant for the city’s downtown in 2009.” Most of the old buildings in the city’s downtown area are privately owned. “The city owns The Ritz and a couple of other buildings,” he said. “And the city has allocated budget money for capital improvements on the city buildings.” The city received a $100,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant in August 2009 to renovate the cityowned Kendron-Waldrup Building on the north side of the downtown square. It is being revitalized for a private business. Stone said the city is limited on what it can do to revitalize privately owned buildings. The city has applied for a second USDA grant that would create a revolving loan fund that would provide low or no interest loans to existing businesses wishing to expand or new businesses locating anywhere in the city. “Construction began on the North Street parking lot in May,” he said. “The new parking lot will help alleviate parking concerns in the downtown area by adding 20-plus parking spaces.” Stone said additional renovation projects will be completed as funds become available. New businesses are starting to emerge around the square in its historic buildings known for their impressive architectural styles. And the partnerships among historic preservation groups and prospective businesses are paying dividends. The square is slowly coming back to life, and that should bode well for the city’s future.
28 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
After being nearly abandoned for years, Lincoln’s downtown is home to several new businesses.
Here when you need us In these uncertain economic times, it’s nice to know you can count on Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative. Like the comfort and security a simple night light can provide a child, we are there when you need us. We have no profits to maintain and no complicated financial structures. We have a simple, clear mission: Provide you the most reliable electric service possible.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 29
GROWTH Planting the seeds of economic
Honda Manufacturing of Alabama’s vehicles: The Odyssey, Ridgeline, Pilot and V6 Accord
Story by Jonathan Grass The past has seen businesses boom for Talladega and Lincoln, and those that witnessed it have positive outlooks that history may yet repeat itself. These cities have enjoyed healthy developments in their economic growth and job markets over the past 10 years due to several influential companies choosing to make their homes in Talladega County. Not the least among the driving forces behind this increase is Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. HMA has been a staple in Lincoln since November 2001. It employs more than 4,000 people at its engine and vehicle assembly plant in Lincoln, making it the top employer in all of Talladega County. Approximately 22 percent of those employees make their homes in Talladega County. “Honda’s success in Alabama can be attributed to the availability of a quality workforce, the necessary infrastructure for industry and the support of the local community and the state government,” said HMA spokesman Ted Pratt. Pratt said that when Honda announced plans to build a $400 million facility in Lincoln in 1999, it initially anticipated employing around 1,500 associates and produc-
30 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
ing approximately 120,000 vehicles a year. Today, the company has gone far beyond its original vision for the area with around three times the manpower and a capacity for more than 300,000 vehicles in 2009. Honda’s expanding product line has always played a significant role in building its Lincoln plant. In April 2008, HMA began mass production of the second-generation Pilot sport utility vehicle, and in July 2009, it started producing the Accord V-6 Sedan. Pratt said these new products not only increased the local job market within HMA’s walls but also did so through other companies and suppliers that catered to the new vehicle lines. In 2007, HMA underwent a $70 million expansion that added precision machining of crankshafts and connecting rods to its facilities for the manufacturing of its vehicles’ V6 engine blocks and cylinder heads. HMA complemented these advancements in 2009 with a $65 million addition of steel and blanking operations to support its two body-stamping lines. “The expansions provided the local economy with additional con-
HMA’s decision to open in Lincoln has been the catalyst for other industrial growth.
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 31
struction opportunities and further enhanced HMA’s manufacturing enterprise,” said Pratt. HMA now produces four Honda vehicles, including the Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV, Ridgeline truck and Accord V-6 Sedan plus the V-6 engines that make all of these vehicles go. It is the company’s largest light truck production source and the sole production source of the Odyssey minivan. HMA is a prime example of the area’s booming manufacturing industry. The plant combined with its various suppliers have made manufacturing one of the top five employing professions in Talladega and Lincoln. While large companies like HMA are instrumental in bringing jobs to the Greater Talladega and Lincoln areas, other companies have influenced economic buildups by making jobs outside of their own offices possible. For example, Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative is a non-profit, member-owned organization in Talladega that has made its mark on the local economy by helping pave the way for several businesses to set up shop in the area. CVEC provides more than electricity to the rural areas around Talladega and Lincoln. It has worked hard to enhance the local business opportunities in these areas by providing assistance to companies seeking developments across the region. Jon Cullimore, manager of Marketing and Member Services for CVEC, said it’s the responsibility of companies like this to bring jobs to rural America because, when businesses face difficulties in establishing themselves in cities due to space or costs, they often turn to areas outside those city limits. He stressed that helping businesses develop in these areas is a key in spurring the economy all over the country, just as CVEC has done here.
“It’s the only way to get growth,” said Cullimore. He elaborated that helping bring in businesses to the outside areas not only creates jobs but also allows local governments to do more activity within their entire coverage areas. He said CVEC was the first electric cooperative to offer such a large helping hand to its area’s economic concerns. CVEC has also encouraged local business growth by working with companies to help them obtain low or no-interest loans for development or expansion. Cullimore cited the establishment of Legacy Cabinets, one of Talladega’s top 10 employers, as such a partnership with the cooperative. “We help sponsor the loan-application process,” is how Cullimore describes CVEC’s part in these deals. He said CVEC can act as a facilitator for loans as well as help companies build themselves up due to its contacts with several industry groups and other agencies that can be beneficial to local businesses. Cullimore said CVEC has been responsible for bringing in more than 2,400 jobs to Talladega and Lincoln over the past 15 years through actions like these. He says the cooperative’s initiatives for advancing the Talladega area are far from over. The cooperative even has plans to build a new substation in Lincoln if the area continues to grow. “We’re constantly working to improve,” Cullimore said. One such notable improvement was the construction of Coosa Valley Industrial Park in 1994. This is a 128-acre facility that houses several companies and is also home to a 100,000square-foot speculative building, one of the largest in the state. The park and building were the result of a collaborative effort by CVEC and the Talladega County Economic Development Authority. Calvin Miller, who is executive director of the
32 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative
Talladega County EDA, said they have constructed four speculative buildings and are looking at plans for a fifth. CVEC has worked with Talladega County EDA, as well as other economic development authorities such as Calhoun County Economic Development Council, for more than 15 years to enhance business growth in Talladega and Lincoln. One of the beneficial results of such a partnership was the construction of three industrial parks. These parks have brought in several companies, including New South Express, PGW and several other Honda suppliers. Talladega County EDA’s work is building business growth in the area. Miller said the EDA’s plan for economic growth in Talladega is one of recruitments and expansions. It also helps companies through its financial work with incentive programs and tax abatements. In fact, when HMA first arrived, Talladega County EDA helped find the facility’s site in Lincoln. It had also aided in the automotive manufacturer’s expansions, beginning with the first one built for the production of Honda Pilots. Miller said he is hopeful that companies like HMA will bring Talladega and Lincoln, as well as the rest of Talladega County, out of the economic slump it has experienced in the past few years. The Lincoln area looks especially hopeful because the end of the recession should bring about a gradual escalation in automotive sales. He expects HMA to expand even further in the future. Cullimore agreed and commented that there are some new automotive-related industries looking at Talladega and Lincoln as possible sites. “Things are looking up,” Cullimore said. “I think over the next five years we have some real potential for some renewed growth and investments.”
Talladega College 142 Years of History, Excellence, and Learning
Traveling the road of the past into the future.
History Founded in 1867, Talladega College instills the values of intellectual excellence and morality in its graduates.
Excellence Talladega College continues to attract the top five percent of students nationwide.
Learning The liberal arts program serves as a foundation for the development of all students. All 16 majors are grounded in the liberal arts. 246855
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 33
A city in transition
New economic base changing face of Lincoln
Upscale neighborhoods like this one are becomming more common in Lincoln.
34 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Story by Elsie Hodnett Growing and evolving as a modern city while staying true to its history is a delicate balancing act. But in Lincoln, Ala., leaders are ensuring that their town does exactly that. They point to the upcoming 100th anniversary of incorporation, a celebration to be held in 2010, and note just how far Lincoln has come during that century of history. No longer a tiny crossroads town, Lincoln’s growth has been bolstered in recent years by the location of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama within its borders. Retail is on the upswing, residential growth abounds, and recreational opportunities are climbing. A new school and football stadium are central to the pride being felt there, and downtown revitalization is returning the commercial district back to grander days. “We are celebrating Lincoln’s 100-year anniversary in 2010,” Mayor Lew Watson said. “We are putting together a citizen’s committee to assist in the celebration planning.” Ideas for the centennial celebration include a commemorative coin and commemorative city pin, as well as chili cook-offs and other popular events. “We are thinking about a play to re-enact the incorporation of the town and possibly involve the schools in that project,” he said. Watson said city officials plan to visit other communities and get ideas from what activities those communities had during their celebrations. “Next year is also the Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns,” he said. “We plan to participate in that and combine it with our 100th anniversary celebration.” Plans for both celebrations are in the beginning stages but will involve numerous citizens and the activities will center on historic downtown Lincoln.
The Lincoln 5K run has become an annual event for the city, drawing people from across the region.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 35
Transition Workers install artificial turf at Lincoln’s new football stadium.
“We are also continuing to strive to improve city services and offer more services,” he said. Lincoln has greatly improved its infrastructure that will be the foundation for retail growth in the future. “We have one of the strongest water systems in the area,” he said. “We have never had to ask our customers to cut back water use.” And the city’s industrial park has city leaders envisioning significant growth potential in the
future. “During the past few years, we have concentrated heavily on expanding park services,” Watson said, pointing to the $4 million Lincoln Park, which opened in 2008. It serves as a compelling reminder of the emphasis Lincoln places on its quality of life. Lincoln Park features four baseball fields, three softball fields, a soccer and football field, two playgrounds, a concession stand, restrooms
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Beautiful upscale homes dot the Lincoln shoreline along Logan Martin Lake.
and more. “I think parks are an important part of the community, and that it is important to provide recreational activities for our citizens,” he said. Watson said future recreation projects include a driving range and a community lake. With much of the city running along the shoreline of Logan Martin Lake, Watson said, officials are looking at ways to capitalize on its proximity to this precious recreational resource. “We would also love to find a place to have a public boat launch on Logan Martin Lake” so that local off-water residents can enjoy the lake as well. Lincoln continues to thrive and grow while ensuring that its small-town feel remains intact and that its historic roots are preserved. It is a town that thinks big and takes the steps to bring dreams to fruition. And in the land of Lincoln, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Let’s do something giant. © RBC Bank (USA) 2008. Member FDIC. ® Registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. ™ Trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under license. RBC Bank is a trade name used by RBC Bank (USA) and its branch offices operate under this trade name. “Let’s do something giant.” is a registered trademark of RBC Bancorporation (USA). Used under license.
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 37
The busiest airport around
Race week puts unusual demands on airport
Story by Chris Norwood currently chaired by Ray Miller. Day-to-day operaAlthough it does not handle a single commercial passenger flight, Talladega Municipal Airport can still claim to the busiest in the country two weeks out of the year. That’s when NASCAR fans, drivers and their teams descend on the area for a race at internationally known Talladega Superspeedway. The airfield, located about eight miles out of town, was originally built for military use. It was acquired by the city of Talladega in 1969 at the same time the negotiations with NASCAR were just getting started. Although the airport and the surrounding industrial park are owned by the city, it is governed by a 12-member, City Council-appointed board
tions are handled by Talladega Superspeedway as the fixed base operator, with Jim Brock working in the terminal full-time. Most of the money for ongoing improvements comes from the state via the Federal Aviation Administration. Matching funds come primarily from the rent and lease of property around the airport. Tenants in the industrial park include ATAP (All Things Are Possible, a company that refurbishes heavy equipment, primarily for the military), Complete Car Wash, Gold Dust Flying Service, Pit Stop Ice Company and a Harley-Davidson testing facility, among others. The board has also built and rented several hangars, with more available. If everything goes as planned, the Talladega
38 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Municipal Airport will reach a major milestone next year, when an instrument landing system is due to be installed and is operational. All of the necessary renovations are nearing completion, and the ILS should be up and running by 2010.
The crowded airport during race weekend.
First flight in Talladega County? In 2002, the board renamed the landing area Boswell Field at Talladega Municipal Airport in honor an Eastaboga resident who many believe beat the Wright brothers to the first sustained flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft by several years. According to an essay submitted to the board by Probate Judge Billy Atkinson, Dr. Lewis Archer Boswell actually built his first model airplane in Mississippi in 1868, but destroyed it before moving to Alabama the following year. Boswell was awarded a patent for improvements to aerial propeller wheels in 1874 and applied for a patent for a steam-powered airplane engine, but the latter was never received by the U.S. Patent Office for some reason. By the 1890s, Boswell and E.R. Jacobs had built a plane powered by a small gasoline engine, which, according to contemporary accounts, was launched either off the roof of a barn or run along the ground “until it bounded over high spots in a field. It would become airborne and fly several hundred yards. … The doctor stated that he was in complete control until it landed,” according to Atkinson’s essay. As more powerful and more efficient engines became available at the turn of the century, Boswell found he could not afford them, even going so far as to request a loan from the U.S. Secretary of War. Eight months before the Wright brothers’ first flight,
Boswell earned another patent for a steering mechanism for air ships, which he combined with his patented propeller wheels into a design for a complete airplane. A metal framework for the plane was built, and an engine ordered, but Boswell died in 1909, before the engine could be installed.
2009 Fall Season Historic Ritz Theatre
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15 locations throughout the state. 1-877-428-6457 www.atn.org
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 39
Treating the patient No shortage of local healthcare options
Story by Meredith McCay investment in diagnostic services such as the Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega combines medical care with cutting-edge technology to provide patients in north Talladega County with the best treatments possible. The 122-bed facility houses 358 employees, 40 of whom are courteous staff physicians specializing in such fields as cardiology, orthopedics, nephrology and obstetrics. Those physicians are able to access patient records 24 hours a day in emergencies or if the doctor wishes to review a case after hours, thanks to a $4 million
LightSpeed Volume Computed Tomography. This VCT allows patients to experience faster scan times and gives physicians a threedimensional view of their patients in seconds. The whole body can be scanned in less than 30 seconds with the VCT’s capacity to scan 64 slices per spin. Single slice CT scans could take as long as 40 minutes to perform the same procedure. Larry Harris, director of Citizens’ imaging services, said other technology such as the 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner and the SPECT/CT Infinia
40 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Hawkeye helps radiologists obtain detailed images of a patient’s internal structures and makes consultations with other hospitals, including Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, almost effortless. “At Citizens Baptist, we recognize that fast, accurate diagnosis is critically important to good medical care,” Harris said. “Citizens’ imaging department offers total digital images. This added technology allows physicians to view and interpret images on computer monitors throughout the hospital, as well as at their office or even their home. It’s secure, round-the-clock access. We can transmit the images around the world for a specialty consultation.” The SPECT/CT Infinia Hawkeye offers pinpoint accuracy when searching for a tumor or lesion, and Citizens owns one of the four in Alabama. The Tesla MRI scanner allows for
From Citizens Baptist Medical Center to Baptist Health Center in Lincoln, the region has a wide range of medical professionals and services.
The
Art Gallery & Studio
PAINTINGS & DRAWINGS by
Art Bacon Prints Available
“Residents of Gritney Corner” Mixed Media 30”x24”
Talladega, AL 35160 256-268-2697 or 256-493-3512 www.artbaconartist.com By Appointment Only
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of North Talladega County The Arc is committed:
To secure for all people with cognitive, intellectual and devopmental disabilities for the opportunity to choose and realize their goals of where and how they learn, live, work, play and worship.
BRENDA J. BURT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
P.O. BOX 853, TALLADEGA, AL 35161 OFFICE: (256) 362-8064 CELL: (256) 493-2860 Sponsor of Sunshine Saturday for 33 years. 246839
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 41
Healthcare
painless, noninvasive scans to aid doctors in determining a range of conditions such as cancer, stroke, and musculoskeletal and heart disease. With such advanced imaging technology, Citizens also prides itself on locating quality staff radiologists to utilize the equipment. The Birmingham Radiology Group partnered with Citizens in May 2007 and has enhanced the hospital’s diagnostic services. Chairman of Radiology at Citizens Dr. Bryan Billions, who is also a specialist of neuroradiology an interventional radiology, said the hospital’s goal has been to hire physicians with training in additional subspecialty areas of radiology. “We bring expertise over and above what a general radiology group can provide,” Billions said. “This hospital has
made a significant investment in state-of-the-art radiology equipment. It’s as good as any hospital in the state.” Billions is joined by four partners in the radiology group, Dr. James Walker Jr., specializing in mammography and diagnostic and interventional radiology; Dr. Ricardo Bracer, specializing in diagnostic and interventional radiology; Dr. Russ Holman, specializing in musculoskeletal radiology; and Dr. Davor Lukatic, specializing in diagnostic and interventional radiology. Quality doctors close to home While the hospital recently had to say goodbye to Dr. Clay Davis and Dr. Mark Holbrook, Citizens President Steve Gautney is excited about recent additions to the staff in several areas of practice.
42 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
“We have welcomed family practice interim physician Dr. Billy Mills to BHC-Talladega and, along with Dr. Holbrook’s support, he began accepting Dr. Holbrook’s patients into his practice,” Gautney said. “In addition to Dr. Mills, general surgeon Manual Caceres, M.D., joined BHC-Surgical Associates and the practice of Ched Singleton, M.D., and began accepting patients in August.” Within the past year, Dr. Keddie Marsh, an obstetrician and gynecologist joined fellow OB/GYN physician Dr. Rosa Flores in her practice out of Citizens Baptist in the fall of 2008. The two established BHC-Women’s Health Care and are the only female physicians in the area specializing in women’s care. Baptist Health Centers-Lincoln also welcomed a new physician, Dr. Stacy TowlesMoore, who has been practicing medicine for more than 30 years. Towles-Moore joined the staff in Lincoln after completing a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Louisville Affiliated Hospitals in Louisville, Ky., and transferring from Gilmore Memorial Regional Medical Center in Armory, Miss. “She will be an asset to the Baptist Health Centers and the Lincoln community,”
Dr. Mark Ponder talks with a patient.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 43
Story by Meredith McCay Talladega Healthcare Center and Rehab Select have provided quality long-term nursing and short-term rehabilitation in the Talladega area since 1991. The healthcare center is a 234-bed facility with a usual occupancy rate of 95 percent or better, and its successful rehab unit, called Rehab Select, helps patients recover from surgery or injury in a family atmosphere with friendly staff members. Administrator Mary Tuberville said a combination of updating technology and finding trained, caring staff creates the success of Talladega Healthcare Center and Rehab Select. “We are receiving new equipment all the time,” Tuberville said. “We have state-of-the-art equipment for our patients to use during therapy sessions and for our staff to use to treat them. The staff is composed of specialists, trained nurses, social workers, dieticians, consultants, pharmacy staff, discharge planners and more.”
46 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Talladega Healthcare and Sunset Inn provide nursing and retirement living options for residents in and around Talladega County.
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This well-trained staff and updated equipment allows the center to provide care for patients 24 hours a day and seven days a week if they need it. The center has a new therapy department, made possible by in-house therapy provider Select Medical. This means it is that much easier for staff to provide both the rehab and nursing services that help patients regain control over their lives after surgery or injury. In Rehab Select, individual case management allows staff to determine which of their available services will best aid a patient. Those services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, balance training and neuromuscular re-education. Similarly, the staff may provide personalized nursing care based on each patient’s needs. The nursing services available at Talladega Healthcare Center include tracheostomy care, joint replacement therapy, post-amputation rehabilitation and prosthetic training, wound care, worker’s compensation injuries, orthopedic rehabilitation, tube feeding, intravenous therapies, pain management, allowing hospice care cases to come in, respite care and bariatric management. To learn more about Talladega Healthcare Center and Rehab Select, call 256-3624197.
P.O. Box 824, Lincoln, AL 35096 Main Phone Number: (205) 355-8200
2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 47
The learning curve
Pushing education to the forefront
48
Story by Brandon Fincher The quality of an area’s education system goes hand in hand with the quality of life of that area. It is rare you ever see one without the other. Fortunately, northern Talladega County claims three public school systems that provide their students a superior secondary education to prepare them for post-secondary work or to start their careers. The city of Talladega has five elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school with a career technical education center on its campus. All of the schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. With that many schools in a small city, it allows each local community of the city to take pride in and support a school it can call its own. Talladega is also home to Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, which is truly a one-of-a-kind educational system in the state. AIDB brings in a diverse range of deaf, blind and multi-disabled students from across the state to provide a specialized education that allows those students to go on to lead successful adult lives. AIDB has five campuses in Talladega as well as
Thanks to help from the local community, government and local businesses and industries, Lincoln (facing page) and Munford (top) have been able to build new, cutting-edge schools.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 49
Houston Elementary is the newest school in the Talladega City School System.
regional centers that provide outreach to students in several parts of the state. Schools in the towns of Munford and Lincoln fall under the umbrella of the Talladega County Board of Education. Both towns have an elementary, middle and high school located in close proximity of one another, and all of them have SACS accreditation. Though both areas may not have large populations, they enjoy high levels of community support as evidenced by the 5-mill property tax both school districts voted to renew to fund capital projects for the schools’ athletic and academic programs.
Talladega City Schools
The Talladega City School System offers a broad curriculum within the guidelines established by state, federal and local mandates. Academic programs are designed to prepare students for the future and to help them develop the self-confidence required to be successful in whatever life path they may choose. Interim Superintendent Douglas Campbell said, “The teachers, students and staff of the Talladega city schools are committed to excellence in everything we do. We believe a quality education comes from a real partnership between parents and professionals working together. “We’re proud of our school system and our students’ achievements in academics, athletics
and community service.” Talladega High School’s 2009 graduating class of 146 not only received more than $500,000 in scholarship money, they also had the unique opportunity to hear former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice deliver their commencement address. Students benefit from a faculty with almost 99 percent of core academic teachers designated as highly qualified as well as a student to computer ratio of 3:1. Technology such as white boards and ACCESS distance learning keeps students up to date in the rapidly-changing world of technology. The student focus has led to all five elementary schools making Adequate Yearly Progress under the No Child Left Behind Act. Zora Ellis Junior High also made AYP in all areas, and Talladega High School made AYP in reading and math for the 2008-2009 school year. Parents are also active participants in their children’s education. The school system’s prekindergarten program has workshops and training sessions for parents, and parents can monitor their child’s attendance and academic progress at any time via an online program. Each school also has an active PTO program. A particular point of pride among Talladega city schools is the active extra-curricular activities in which students participate. The Talladega High School ROTC program
50 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
won first place in the National Veterans Day Drill over 46 other schools; the THS boys’ basketball team made the state finals; the THS band received a Superior Rating in the state band contest; and the band’s ‘Dega Darlings color guard team was named the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit Alabama State Champions along with the Zora Ellis Junior High Ellis Emeralds being named region champions. Also at Zora Ellis, the school’s Honor Society participates in the city’s annual April in Talladega event. Zora Ellis’s Builder’s Club and Honor Society adopt service projects each year that enhance the school and/or the community. In addition, the school system partners with the Chamber of Commerce to form the Greater Talladega Area Chamber Senior and Junior Ambassador Program, where students will assist at special functions and various events hosted by the chamber.
AIDB
Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind’s history dates all the way back to its establishment in 1858, and it celebrated its sesquicentennial anniversary in 2008. It has grown into a world-class educational facility that is both state and nationally accredited. AIDB employs teachers and professionals who are certified at master’s levels in their area of academic expertise and carry an additional certification in deafness, vision or special education. AIDB President Dr. Terry Graham said, “AIDB is a multi-faceted education and service program that empowers children and adults to transform their disability into
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 51
Learning curve Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind is also home to Alabama Industries for the Blind (facing page).
ability, to live life to the fullest with confidence and satisfaction. “Our staff and faculty use the best practices in the classroom and job training sites combined with the latest in assistive technology to demonstrate our belief that there are no limitations to the success deaf and blind students can achieve in their personal and professional lives.” The Alabama School for the Deaf, Alabama School for the Blind and Helen Keller School of Alabama provide academic instruction and life preparation for children ages 3 to 21. These three schools feature strong academics, assistive technology and national championship athletics in a traditional or residential environment. The Gentry Facility is a postsecondary rehabilitation and training program for adults. It is strong in assistive technology and programs that prepare adults for work and independent living. Alabama Industries for the Blind employs more than 200 blind and deaf adults in a diverse manufacturing facility that
produces a variety of goods, including flight bags, helmet covers and all military neckties for the U.S. Armed Forces. AIB also operates supply stores at military bases in Alabama and Georgia. In addition, AIDB’s Instructional Resource Center for the Blind provides Braille and large-print books, materials and other services to all blind and visually-impaired students in Alabama, both at AIDB and in public schools. Outside of the Talladega facilities, AIDB operates Regional Centers in Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, MontgomeryAuburn, Mobile, Tuscaloosa and Tuscumbia. They provide services for people with hearing and vision loss from toddlers to senior citizens. Altogether, AIDB serves approximately 15,000 individuals each year who come from all 67 Alabama counties. All of these programs and services are free to Alabama residents who are deaf and blind. “With more than 1,100 employees, AIDB is one of the largest employers in Talladega County, and our presence is felt far
52 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
beyond the classrooms and manufacturing lines of our campus programs through the economic impact on the community,” Graham said.
Munford and Lincoln
Lincoln and Munford students are blessed with state-of-theart school facilities, which are all less than 10 years old, and as of this year, have all met goals for Adequate Yearly Progress. Besides the new educational facilities, new athletic facilities are also being used or are in the process of being constructed. Both towns have growing populations and supportive residents in those school districts who taxed themselves so their students could have better educational opportunities. Talladega County School System Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Lacey said, “As tradition holds, strong support exists for both the Lincoln and Munford communities as evidenced by increased property taxes for schools, volunteerism and extra-curricular activities. “Each community takes pride in the quality education provided for students and in the outstanding facilities.” In academics, students in both high schools combined to receive over $1.3 million in college scholarships for the 20082009 school year. Both towns’ middle schools had seventhgraders who received recognition for high scores on the ACT through Duke Talent Search. Advanced academic courses are offered at both high schools
through a combination of the ACCESS/Distance Learning program, on-campus classes and dual enrollment at local community colleges. Art and music education are offered at both elementary schools, and the county school system is also focusing in on incorporating technology into the classroom in all its schools to prepare students for a 21st Century working world. Athletically, Lincoln High and Drew Middle have had the state championship track team for two consecutive years. Lincoln High had a state individual champion in wrestling for two consecutive years, had the county champion volleyball team, and had the football area champions and playoff teams for two years. Lincoln Elementary’s archery team also competed in state competition. Munford High has been a traditional powerhouse in girls’ softball and again competed at the state level last year, and its volleyball team was area champion. Besides the strong individual support, both schools are also blessed with major corporate partners – Lincoln with Honda Manufacturing of Alabama and the Talladega Superspeedway and Munford with the U.S. Forest Service. HMA provides grant support to Lincoln, and many of its associates volunteer for projects for the schools. The Forest Service has made numerous improvements to the Munford schools’ facilities and assisted with creating outdoor classrooms and providing instructional support.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 53
MGH ARENA
A special way of reaching children Story by Jonathan Grass can’t undervalue the fun that the experience with the animals
“Go!” is a word that can mean a lot to a child who has spent a lifetime in silence. Sitting up straight is a major accomplishment when a child is blind and not accustomed to lifting his or her head or one who’s deaf and has balance problems. Yet such youngsters have been given the opportunities to find inner strengths through the help of some large, fourlegged friends and a family who has put their heart and soul into bringing them together. The Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian Center is indeed a special place to countless disabled children who come to Talladega to learn to build their lives. The 39,000-squarefoot horse track offers various horseback riding programs to give disabled children much-needed therapies that a regular class or therapy room simply can’t provide. This is a private foundation that strictly caters to students at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. Several of the staff and therapists are from AIDB. Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian Center is one of the largest therapeutic riding facilities in the country and offers these therapies to AIBD students at no charge. Therapies range from physical to occupational to speech and beyond. Blind children learn posture and interaction. Deaf children can improve their balance. There are countless benefits the place gives children with these and other physical disabilities. Children that can’t physically ride a horse even get therapy through activities like grooming and feeding the horses. Tim Greene, Arena coordinator, said he’s seen great changes in students’ communication, physical abilities, attention spans and muscle tone. “It’s not like sports, it’s therapy,” he said. “Each child has medical plans and goals as part of the therapy.” There’s also a physiological advantage to the equestrian activities. It gives them confidence most of the kids never knew they had. They also learn bonding when many are uncommunicative before starting sessions there. Despite its being work, one
is.
The facility was founded by Pat and Marilyn Greene in memory of their daughter, Marianna. Tim is Marianna’s brother. The entire family takes pride in keeping the facility up to what she would have been proud of. “We serve the largest number of sensory impaired people for our size in the country,” Tim said. All of Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian instructors and barn staff are registered with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. The staff also relies on volunteer help and is always on the lookout for more. “Our volunteers are what make this place go,” Tim said. The arena is always looking for new volunteers, and the only requirement is the desire to help the students. One of the Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian Centers’ specialties is hippotherapy, which gets its name from the Greek word “hippos,” meaning horse. This therapy uses the movement of the horse to help the children learn to improve movement, gross motor skills and trunk control. Hippotherapy at the Arena is always supervised by a licensed occupational therapist or physical therapist. The arena also has equine facilitated psychotherapy. In this, the students work on counseling or psychological goals using the horse as an equine partner. Elizabeth Stanley, lead instructor at the arena, said many children are vastly more communicative with the aid of their steeds. Students can also do other standard therapeutic riding to learn basic riding skills to help their physical well-being. The Arena program does not offer recreational riding, choosing to focus all of its resources on helping children who really need them. The center’s Awakenings program is a subsidiary of the Helen Keller School at AIDB. It allows those individuals who have severe or multiple disabilities and need constant care a chance to ride, too. The arena also hosts a rider’s club, where selected students practice three days a week to compete with other schools.
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54 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Workers at the Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrians Center help a student into the saddle.
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MGH ARENA Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrians Center
The club has competed in many events throughout the years, including the Special Olympics at Troy University. In April, the arena also hosts its Riders With Disabilities Horse Show, in which AIDB riders and those from other therapeutic riding centers show what they can do. And the students always finish these competitions with awards to show for them. All of these therapeutic riding programs are wonderful, yet would mean little if a child is unable to physically mount a horse. “Getting on and off the horse is the biggest safety risk,” Tim said. Some children can struggle too much, while others may not move enough to safely mount a horse. Wheelchairs and other weight issues can also present obstacles. The Greenes were able to tackle that problem with the August unveiling of the Marianna Greene Henry Arena’s new SureHands lift system. This is a device that fits under a person’s arms and legs, whether they require a wheelchair or not, and
lifts them via motor while assistants manually maneuver the rider over the horse and lower them safely onto it. Ellen Davis, an occupational therapist for AIDB who works with Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrians, said the system is invaluable because manually lifting some of the children was too dangerous for both the students and the instructors. Therefore, some kids who could never ride before will now get their chance. “It’s a special feeling because so many needed hippotherapy, and we just couldn’t get them on the horse,” Davis said. Davis said the system is incredibly safe and easy. She also noted that the motor is extremely quiet and does not disturb either the children or the horses. Tim first learned about SureHands lifts about two years ago. He saw it as a perfect opportunity to allow more children to receive the benefits of hippotherapy and equine facilitated
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psychotherapy. He researched the system and consulted with Davis, who had worked with human lift systems before, and found it to be a smart choice for the Talladega center. Davis said the children she’s worked with have always had a similar sentiment. She said they enjoy being in the lift and even find it can be less intrusive for getting them onto their mounts. Plus, they think being pulled into the air is a lot of fun. The $10,000 lift system was made possible though an initial $3,000 donation by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. Jim and Marcella Bennett, who were friends with Marianna, toured the facility for the first time and were so impressed they wrote a check for the balance. Specialties Manufacturing in Talladega donated all of the steel used to build the system. The SureHands lift is only the latest area that the Greenes have used to keep their arena the best it can be for the students. Only last year, they installed a new roof to ensure maximum weather protection, and 2009 will also be the first year that an AIDB speech therapist’s primary station will be at the Marianna Greene Henry Arena. There is also the Ability Room, which is a horse-themed physical therapy room, where kids have more fun doing exercises because of the theme. These improvements are all part of the Greenes’ mission to allow every AIDB student who needs it to benefit from riding. Children have come to the area from AIDB as young as 4 years old in the past. However, the average age for many of them tends to run in the 10 to 15 year old range. Disabilities and accidents have no age limits, and the Greenes realize it. AIDB’s E.H. Gentry facility, a full-service rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, uses the horses to accomplish its therapeutic goals. Although it’s not often, the arena has had riders in their 50s and 60s in the past, and those riders benefited just as much as the children. This whole equestrian program stemmed from the heart of the Greenes’ beloved daughter, Marianna, who always had two great passions in life — horses and helping children. This passion really took root when she assisted her brother, Michael, with helping children at a summer camp, some of whom were disabled. She took that passion further in life by enrolling in the University of North Alabama to study special education. While in school, she met and married student Jim Henry in 1979. She successfully managed her family life with time for her goal of helping children who needed her. She volunteered at a therapeutic riding program in Birmingham, where she was amazed at the difference horses can make to the disabled. Marianna took the next step by convincing her parents to
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open a small therapeutic riding facility for hippotherapy on their Talladega property, which was near AIDB. “She took me to watch horses and meetings and said, ‘You have the land and disabled kids nearby. I want you to start one,’” Pat said. Sadly, it turned out Marianna had a malfunctioning heart, and this would prevent her from seeing what her passion would ultimately become. She was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and passed away in 1989 at the age of 31. It wasn’t long before the Greenes were able to honor their daughter’s wish and initiated a pilot therapeutic riding program on their outdoor property. This started with eight students from the Helen Keller School. Marianna’s own horse, Solomon, along with two others were the first ones used in pilot program. “It needed to be more than a backyard thing. We built it up and made it sheltered, and it really took off,” Tim said. Indeed it did. Thanks to grants and donors, not to mention incredible results for the students, the Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian Arena became a fully-functional therapeutic facility and was dedicated in 1994. Since its beginnings, it has grown in size, capabilities and reputation. The arena now covers a large area, keeps an average of 15 horses per year and serves anywhere from 350 to 400 children annually. It has become a nationally known facility and has even been featured in the magazines People and Biography. Tim said he gets inquiries and visitors from all across the country. While they’re glad that the center is so recognized, Pat and Marily said the priority will always be the children.
TALLADEGA FOLKS! Did You Know About the LOGAN MARTIN LAKE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION? LMLPA is committed to: Monitoring water quality by monthly testing through Alabama Water Watch
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Networking local interests and concerns with other like-minded groups
Logan Martin Lake is YOUR LAKE and our members enjoy participating in many activities, as o o o o o o
Renew Our Rivers Annual Lake Cleanup and free picnic Water Quality Monitoring Water Festival School Science Project Grants Re-Licensing Committee Work Education: Newsletters, Quarterly Meetings, School and Group Presentations, Youth Education o Wetland Project o Citizen Action Advisory Group Meetings, etc.
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LOCATION: Citizens Baptist Hospital Meeting Room, Talladega
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 57
Higher learning
High school graduation is just the beginning
The line workers program at the Central Alabama Community College campus in Talladega is only the newest in a wide variety of academic and vocational classes available.
Story by Chris Norwood The Talladega area offers two different sets of opportunities to pursue a higher education. One is more than 130 years old, the other has been open for about four. Talladega College, Alabama’s oldest historically black college or university, was founded in 1867 by two former slaves. The oldest of the numerous historic buildings on campus, Swayne Hall, dates back to 1852. Other historic buildings include the President’s House (1881), DeForest Chapel (1903) and the Savery Library (1939). DeForest Chapel is named for a former college president and the father of noted inventor Lee DeForest. The chapel features 17 stained glass windows by David Driskell, which are historically significant in their own right. Even more well known are the Amistad Murals in the Savery Library, which were painted by artist Hale Woodruff. According to the school’s Web site, Talladega College “attracts the top 5 percent (of students) nationwide,” including those who complete high school with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Some 80 percent of Talladega College graduates go on to pursue advanced degrees. Academically, Talladega College offers a variety of four-year degrees in the broad categories of business and administration,
58 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 2009
Talladega College prides itself on recruiting students in the top 5 percent of their high school classes with a 3.0 grade point average or better.
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2009 | Greater Talladega: Historic Past, Visionary Future | 59
Higher learning Established in 1867 by two former slaves, Talladega College has recently undergone a major facelift, including this new entranceway completed earlier this year. humanities and fine arts, natural sciences and mathematics, and the Eunice Walker Division of social sciences and education. The school has also recently added a fine arts program, which graduated its first student earlier this year. The college is also home to the Tornadoes men’s basketball team, which won the USCAA Championship last year in the first year after the athletic program was relaunched. Community College offers education, training opportunities Central Alabama Community College operates three campuses in the state, including the newest addition in Talladega, which held classes for the first time in early 2006. The primary focus at the Talladega campus is on university transfers, at least among for-credit students, according to President Jason Hurst. “The credit classes are in things like English, math and other academic classes for a two-year general studies degree.” he said. The college also offers two-year programs in computer science, licensed practical nursing, registered nursing, cosmetology and welding. Short-term certificates, certification and two-year degree programs are available in electronics, industrial maintenance, machine shop and office administration. Non-credit offerings in Talladega include the recently unveiled line worker program, which trains students for employment in the electrical lineworking field. A diploma or Graduation Equivalency
Diploma, which are required for credit classes, are not necessary for non-credit classes, Hurst said. Short-term certificates and certifications are also available in most areas, including electronics, industrial maintenance, machine shop and office administration. Hurst pointed out that the Talladega campus also provides adult education, GED preparation and testing and community service classes as well. “We’ve offered four-hour photography classes before, or we could meet two or three times over a few weeks to work on Microsoft Excel.” Other classes have covered everything from stained glass to karate. “We’re also connected with the Alabama Technological Network,” which links all two-year colleges in the state, University of Alabama, Auburn University and various industrial interests. “We use ATN mainly for training people in existing businesses and industries, for leadership and management training,” according to Hurst. All degree and certificate classes cost $90 per credit hour, with most running three hours, Hurst said. The community service classes are priced individually from $40 per class to $120 per class. The CACC Talladega campus, located across the street from the County Health Department, also houses “one-stop shopping” for job seekers, including State Employment Service office, an office of the Alabama Skill Center, vocational rehabilitation and focused industrial training as well. For more information, visit www.cacc.edu.
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Religious retreat
Shocco Springs reborn into Baptist Conference Center
Story by Carol Pappas from around the state, the country and the world. Rounding a bend in the foothills of the Appalachians, the sense of something special just up ahead is inescapable. Pass the towering oaks and pines, pass the pool and lake and wind through a landscape of lodging — big and small — nestled against the rustic backdrop of a forest, and you know you have arrived at a retreat like no other. And for 60 years, the Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center has been that draw, that special destination point for thousands of people each year
They come for quality facilities, impeccable customer service Shocco’s staff offers, exciting recreational opportunities and good food. They are a combination that make Shocco Springs a retreat worth visiting time and time again.
Alluring springs, experience
The history of the land lying just outside Talladega proper dates well before the Alabama Baptist Convention and Shocco’s board of trustees from across the state turned it into a “Baptist Mecca in Alabama.”
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Retreat In the warm months, the private lake at Shocco is popular with visitors to the Conference Center.
In 1948, a Birmingham pastor wrote of Shocco, “There, one will be able to go and find physical rest and spiritual inspiration all at the same time,” a prediction that would come true. Long before then, the Indians knew it as an enchanted land where the springs’ healing spirit dwelled. Hernando DeSoto, the explorer in search of gold, is believed to have camped there in 1540 to aid his ailing men with the help of its healing springs. It has been a plantation, a resort, a health spa and a place where World War II workers lived in the 1940s. It also served as the meeting place, where discussions began to renew the football rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama with a young man named Paul “Bear” Bryant in attendance. But throughout the years, it intermittently served its eventual calling — a desirable place for spiritual transformation and renewal. “When you drive into campus, we want it to be impressive,” said executive director Buster Taylor. “We want it to speak well of Talladega and Shocco Springs.” Each year, people come from all around — Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama, primarily — but the guest list annually contains names of organizations from all over the United States and the world. Each year, Shocco hosts 500-800 Chinese. “Every summer, we’re the minority for that weekend,” Taylor said. They come for that unmistakable Shocco “experience.” And they aren’t disappointed. Taylor recounts so many positive stories from people over the years that traditionally begin with, “When I was at Shocco ...” Through July 2009, 1,527 “reported” decisions have been made at Shocco in its distinctly Christian environment. “That’s what we’re all about in Shocco,” said George Ricker, Shocco’s former director and present day historian as he related
yet another Shocco experience that changed a young boy’s life. “There are thousands of those that have happened.”
Shocco features
What sets Shocco apart is its facilities. By the numbers, Shocco offers 360 motel rooms, 55 conference rooms of all sizes, 20 buildings with lodging in them and as many as six with meeting space. Wireless Internet access through most of the campus is available. Couple the amenities with 725 acres, much of which is just the natural beauty of the forest, and it is easy to recognize the allure. It is known nationwide for its team building exercises, like the ropes course. It also has a paintball course, bazooka ball — the only one in the state — an aqua park, tennis courts, pedal car race track with adult-size cars, too. “We try to make it new and different and exciting,” said sales and public relations associate Wendy Westerhouse, who points out that Shocco attracts myriad groups that have outgrown other facilities. In addition to serving many of the 29,000 Baptist churches within a one hour’s drive of the conference center and camp, Shocco hosts mainly non-profit organizations, including those in government and education. For 10 years, it has served as a retreat for the clients of Alabama Department of Mental Health to help them with the challenges they face in life. “It is inspiring to see,” Westerhouse said. “We are a cup of cold water for these folks,” Taylor added. “They teach them how to deal with challenges, how to cope and become better citizens in our state.” From the largest of groups to the tiniest, Shocco opens its doors and has become known as a “Global Gathering Place” year after year. And with a single visit to this special place, it is easy to understand why.
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Testing the waters
LMLPA striving to keep Logan Martin Lake clean Water testing is an important part of what Logan Martin Lake Protection Association does.
Logan Martin Lake, one of Talladega County’s most precious resources, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year as well as offering a home to thousands more residents. It is good to know that the lake has a friend in an organization formed specifically to ensure that the waterway be protected. The Logan Martin Lake Protection Association earned non-profit status in 2000, but its beginnings were long before then. It formed in the early 1990s in the initial stages of ‘water wars,’ a struggle between Georgia and Alabama over water sharing agreements affecting the river that runs
through Logan Martin, the Coosa River. The LMLPA, with members hailing from Talladega and St. Clair counties, is heavily involved in lake cleanups, water quality monitoring, public forums for education and information about lake issues and promoting the lake’s economic and recreational interests. Membership has now topped the 300-mark, and this strong organization is making its presence felt up and down Logan Martin Lake and in the state and nation’s capitol. For more information about LMLPA, go to www.lmlpa.org.
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Lessons in civic duty
Clubs play a big part in helping communities
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is an oft quoted phrase which eventually became known as the Golden Rule. And in Talladega, Lincoln, Munford and surrounding areas, the Golden Rule is alive and well and thriving in a number of civic clubs whose service to the city is unparalleled. Thanks to the Junior Welfare League, there is a new park in town for children. Rotary and Kiwanis continue to be leaders in providing funding for worthwhile projects for the city’s young people, including scholarships and reading to Head Start youngsters as well as giving them free books. The Knights of Columbus sell Tootsie Rolls to raise money for the Arc, and the Lions Club’s work with projects for the blind population is well known. It is these kinds of service clubs that tell a lot about a community’s character, how they dedicate themselves to offering a helping hand. A willingness to get involved is the key to their success, and all of the area’s civic clubs play a vital role in the quality of life in Talladega and Lincoln.
The Lions Club donates to Alabama Lions Sight.
The Talladega Rotary and Kiwanis clubs joined forces to help support the Drug Taskforce.
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LENDER
Making a difference
Hugo Molliston
A friend called Hugo Molliston an “ambassador” for the city of Talladega. With his list of accomplishments, it is a difficult title to dispute. He has been the chairman and president of no less than 14 different organizations in the city, including the Board of Directors at Baptist Citizens Medical Center. And that’s not counting the Kiwanis Club, the Citizens for Good Government and the many other groups he has been a key member of. His work with April in Talladega and other city events is legendary. According to his friends, the sense of duty felt by Molliston did not come from a need to be recognized. Instead, it was the love of his hometown and the people in it “He is a willing leader, he always does the right thing,” said his friend Andrea Montgomery. “He’s a product of Talladega and he loves Talladega.” Molliston worked for nearly 30 years at Talladega Foundry and Machine Co., serving as president of the company from 1981-1990.
In 1995 he began his work with ATAP, Inc. (All Things Are Possible), which does contract work primarily for the U.S. Military. Marcia Washburn, CEO of ATAP, described Molliston as a man who was always thinking of others. “He had a list of people that he would call to wish a happy birthday,” Washburn said. “Not only did he call people here in our city but people who lived all over. He would call people from way back in his childhood.” Friends also say he is especially proud of his work at First Baptist Church. There he served on various boards and as a deacon while also performing in the adult choir. Frank Hubbard worked with Molliston on the Chamber of Commerce from 1988-1996. He described Molliston as a man who not only worked hard but inspired others to do the same. If you want a job done in an outstanding manner, Hugo’s the person you want for it,” he said. “He gets along with people in an exceptional way. It’s just a knack he has for being able to communicate and induce people to participate.”
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Making a difference
Sadie Curry
If you bring up the name Sadie Curry in any school in Talladega, chances are someone in the room will know exactly who you’re talking about. Curry has made her mark in education in Talladega. Throughout her teaching career, her passion for her students’ abilities made a lasting impression. She was honored as Teacher of the Year several times throughout her career that spanned 41 years and several county and city schools. She was also a finalist in Jacksonville State University Hall of Fame Teacher of the Year Competition in 1995 and 1996. She was named Alabama State teacher of the year three times. Talladega City Schools Superintendent Douglas Campbell called her a “friend to education.” “She was a very outstanding public school educator and continues to be so in retirement,” he said. 210 North Street W. • Talladega
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After her retirement from Dixon Middle School in 1999, she managed the convenience store she owned with her husband, Frank, before his death 2001. She also served in his place on the Talladega Housing Authority. Her heart has never left education, as she even tied her postretirement activities to it. Besides doing work with the housing authority, she’s been a tutor and volunteer with educational activities and has been a member of the Talladega City Schools Education Foundation. Curry has always felt strongly about doing what is important to you, even if it’s a simple matter of maintaining the family business. As she told The Daily Home in a 2002 article, “My family is afraid sometimes with me being here, but you can’t let anyone destroy your goals, your aims. My goal is to serve.”
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Making a difference
Jeanne Rasco Talladega attorney Jeanne Rasco is doing her part to change the perception of her hometown. “A lot of people don’t realize there’s this wonderful town, a lot of neat homes and a lot of history,” she said. “They don’t ever make it over to Talladega, they think it’s just a race town.” Rasco, an attorney, wife and mother of two, has been involved in countless organizations to help and to showcase the city. She is president of the non-profit Talladega City Schools Foundation (and will have completed three terms at that post) and helps raise funds for both middle and high school bands that her daughters play in. Family is important to Rasco. Both she and her husband Mark were chairs of the PTO at their kid’s schools. She said she and her husband of 21 years work as a team to get things done. “It’s because I’ve got this wonderful husband,” Rasco said. “That’s what makes it work.” But their work has not only been to improve the looks of Talladega. It is also an opportunity to meet the people in it. She participates in two garden clubs and the Talladega Study Club, giving her an opportunity to meet people she may not otherwise. Her family also attends First Presbyterian Church where she works with a youth choir. This is only a small sampling of the activities Rasco and her family are involved with throughout Talladega. But if you ask her, the effort put in is anything but a chore. “People are so kind to us, it’s easy to want to help the community,” she said. “If we didn’t feel like we were doing what we were supposed to it would be one thing. It’s been an easy thing to commit ourselves to community activities.”
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Making a difference
Jean Burk
If you need something done, give it to a busy person. Jean Burk has been busy for many years. The Lincoln native has been bettering her city through her time in local government as well as the many boards and organizations she has worked with. Her professional career began at First Alabama Bank. There she worked for nearly 40 years getting to know her community. Also, Burk was the Chamber of Commerce president in the early nineties. But some of her proudest accomplishments came from her work with local schools. She helped pass a tax to create revenue for new elementary schools in Lincoln and Munford in 1999. Shortly after the Honda plant was announced, Burk played a part in using the increased revenue to fund middle schools and high schools for both cities. All her time spent helping others did not take away from rais-
ing a family of her own. Jean and her husband, Colvin, will celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary in December. The “high school sweethearts” are the proud parents of two, grandparents of three and great-grandparents of three more. Burk served four years with the Lincoln City Council after retiring from banking. The Lincoln Sports Complex came to be under her watch. She also headed the committee responsible for additional classrooms, athletic facilities and library renovations at the schools she helped to build. Her work to help kids continues with the Talladega County Foundation Board, where they give scholarships to local students each year. “I work hard in my community, and I work hard at my church,” Burk said. “Anything that pertains to children, that’s where I am.” RENT THE EQUIPMENT. KEEP THE ADVICE.®
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Making a difference
Boyd McGehee Boyd McGehee worked for an agency in Birmingham before coming back five years ago. “He missed his hometown,” said his father, Bill. Born and raised in Talladega, McGehee has become a fixture in several organizations in the area. He is active in the Rotary Club, where he served as president. He is also president of the Donoho School Alumni Association. Outside of working with his father at Talladega Insurance, he helped organized the Young Agents Conference and plans to make it an annual event. Other community groups include the Red Door Kitchen, the Boys and Girls Club and the Chamber of Commerce. He also contributes to the Ritz Theater and is on the Antique Talladega Mardi Gras committee. McGehee recently started taking part in the “Leadership Talladega” course put on by the Chamber. The course is an education in the past, present and future of Talladega. “It builds a bond between the people that go through,” Bill said. “They learn a lot about the city and leadership in the city.”
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At Talladega Insurance Agency, we know the importance of family and community. That is why we are proud to say that we are a family owned and family operated business. In fact, four generations have seen the importance of this family run business and have returned to Talladega to help Talladega and the agency grow. In the 1920’s Turner Joel Jones purchased the Talladega Insurance Company and renamed it Talladega Insurance Agency. Later, his brother, George W. Jones, joined him in the agency. In 1950, William Boyd McGehee, Jr. (Billy) was working for his family’s pharmacy in Montgomery and decided that it was time for a change. He and his wife packed up their belongings and moved to Talladega to join his wife’s father in the insurance business. In 1974, Billy’s son, William Boyd McGehee, III (Bill), returned to Talladega Insurance Agency after having worked in Atlanta for Great American Insurance Company. Today, he is the president and owner of the agency. The newest family member to join the team is Bill’s son, William B. McGehee, IV (Boyd), who joined the agency in January of 2004. Boyd helps round out the fourth generation to return to the family business. Today, we represent 63 companies and are licensed to write insurance in 15 states. We are here to cover ALL of your insurance needs, whether they are homeowners, automobile, life, business insurance, workers compensation, or bonds.
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a history of overcoming obstacles through education. Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind – Investing in Life “I will not just live my life. I will invest my life.” Helen Keller
For over 150 years, the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind has provided superior education, service and care to those who are deaf, blind and multidisabled and their families. The history of Talladega and AIDB are forever intertwined. With more than 1,100 employees, AIDB is one of the largest employers in Talladega County, and our presence is felt far beyond the classrooms and manufacturing lines of our campus programs. AIDB’s multi-faceted education and service programs empower children and adults to transform their disability into ability, and our impact reaches into all 67 counties of the state. AIDB continues the tradition of excellence by providing educational and rehabilitation services from birth to aging through the Alabama School for the Deaf, Alabama School for the Blind, Helen Keller School of Alabama, Alabama Industries for the Blind, the Gentry Facility, MGH Special Equestrian Arena and Regional Centers located in Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery-Auburn, Talladega, Tuscaloosa and Tuscumbia.
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AIDB and Honda Manufacturing of Alabama: Partners in Education