December 2011 - January 2012
Flying High World-famous stunt pilot bringing aerial antics to skies over St. Clair
A Special Look:
St. Vincent’s A new era in medical care for St. Clair County begins
Sweet Apple Farm • Rodeo Comes to Town • Inventive Mind Meat on Demand • Specialty Candies • Alpha Ranch
2 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 3
Features and Articles D iscover The Essence of St. Clair
December 2011 - January 2012
Flying High Over St. Clair County Greg Koontz is known worldwide for his aerobatics and teaching skills
Page 50 Cover photo by Jerry Martin
Paradise Found
How a vision for a property became Sweet Apple Farm Page 10
• A decade in the Making
Hospital completion spanned a decade of effort in St. Clair Page 26
• Ministry of St. Vincent’s
The spiritual motivation behind the hospital’s mission Page 29
Recreational Arena
Rodeo just one of many uses promoters plan for new venue
Page 38
Hidden Treasures
Little Smoky Mountain retreat
Page 42
Making Candy in Moody
Independent candy maker has something for everyone to enjoy Page 58
Meat on Demand
A vending machine of a different kind Page 62
Business Briefing
St. Vincent’s St. Clair
New hospital opening will change the face of medical care in St. Clair Page 16
• Local Impact Personal
St. Vincent’s project affects the lives of those who made it happen Page 25
Volunteerism Defined Traveling the Backroads
St. Clair was once home to several spring-fed resort getaways Page 32
Page 64
Helping to rebuild Alpha Ranch Page 66
Inventive Mind
Master tinkerer turning heads
Page 76
online @ www.discoverstclair.com
Why We’re Excited about the New St. Vincent’s St. Clair
The St. Clair County Health Care Authority, St. Clair County Commission, City of Pell City, St. Clair County Economic Development Council and St. Vincent’s Health System have worked together to build this 40-bed, 79,000 square foot two-story hospital that will replace the existing St. Vincent’s St. Clair.
The new hospital will feature: • An expanded Emergency Department with two trauma rooms and ten exam rooms, and a spacious, comfortable waiting room. •
•
•
All private rooms with six intensive care beds and 34 medical/surgical beds, which includes two extended-stay suites for patients and their families. The latest in diagnostic technology, including a 64-slice CT scanner, a completely upgraded MRI, nuclear medicine, state-of-the-art cardiac stress lab, ultrasound, bone density screening and fully digital mammography equipment. Inpatient and outpatient surgery centers, including orthopedic services and a GI lab. The surgery centers feature the most modern technology as well as comfortable waiting rooms for families.
We have a medical staff of more than 100 physicians in 16 different specialties who, along with our associates, provide compassionate quality care that is uniquely St. Vincent’s. The best part…it’s all right here in St. Clair County!
The new hospital opens Saturday, December 10, 2011.
The New St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital Grand Opening Events The public is invited to the following grand opening events:
Sunday, December 4
Community Open House 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 6
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Grand Opening Reception and Facility Tours 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Writers AND Photographers Carol Pappas • editor & publisher
Mike Bolton
Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine. A newspaper veteran, she retired as editor and publisher of The Daily Home, St. Clair Times and Lakeside Magazine to start her own multimedia company. She has been published in various newspapers and magazines, won dozens of writing awards in features, news and commentary and was named Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn University for 2011.
Mike Bolton was a senior reporter for the Birmingham News for 25 years covering mainly outdoors and NASCAR. He was an eight-time winner of the Associated Press Sweepstakes Award for best sports story of the year. He retired from the News in 2009 but still contributes stories. He has lived in St. Clair County for 22 years.
Jerry Martin Jerry Martin is chief freelance photographer for Partners by Design, a multimedia group based in Pell City. He is a veteran newspaper photographer, whose work earned numerous state awards. His photographs have appeared in many magazines, publications and online.
Jerry C. Smith Jerry C. Smith’s interest in photography and writing go back to his teen years. He has produced numerous articles, stories and photographs for local websites and regional newspapers and magazines, including the St. Clair County News, Sand Mountain Living, and Old Tennessee Valley. His photos have appeared in books, on national public television, in local art displays and have captured prizes in various contests. A retired business machine technician and Birmingham native, Jerry now lives near Pell City. He recently published two books: Uniquely St. Clair and Growing Up In The Magic City.
Amanda Pritchard Beginning her writing career by auditioning to be a VJ on MTV, Amanda E.H. Pritchard has been writing for the past 10 years. Throughout her career Pritchard has been featured in national, regional and local publications. She lives in Leeds.
Elaine Miller Elaine Hobson Miller is a freelance writer with a B.A. in Journalism from Samford University. She was the first female to cover Birmingham City Hall for the Birmingham Post-Herald, where she worked as reporter, food editor and features writer. A former editor of Birmingham Home & Garden magazine and staff writer for Birmingham magazine, she has written for a variety of local, regional and national publications, including American Profile, Woman’s World, The Dallas Morning News and The Birmingham News. She is the author of two non-fiction books, Myths, Mysteries & Legends of Alabama and Nat King Cole: Unforgettable Musician. She is a member of Alabama Media Professionals and NFPW (the National Federation of Press Women). Originally from Birmingham, she lives in a log house in the middle of the woods in Ashville.
Discover The Essence of St. Clair
December 2011 - January 2012 • Vol. 3 • www.discoverstclair.com
Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer Brandon Wynn • Director of Online Services Arthur Phillips • Advertising Mandy Mayfield • Advertising Jerry Martin • Photography
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6 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 7
St. Clair lives up to Discover name From the Editor There is good reason we named this magazine Discover. It seems that around every bend in the road, we discover something new about this county we call home. This month, it could be the 80-acre private estate in Pell City that “Miss Tina” turned into an event venue called Sweet Apple Farm. Or the picturesque 113-acre tract we found in northern St. Clair County once known as “Little Smoky Mountain.” We have discovered a great deal about St. Vincent’s St. Clair, the county’s new state-of-the-art hospital which is set to open this week — from the local hands that designed and built it to the history behind this centuries-old ministry of health care. We even got an inside peek at this impressive hospital to take readers on an extensive tour. When we turned back time, we found how two St. Clair County communities got their names. But more important, we discovered they were resorts built around the mineral springs found there. You may have noticed our high-flying cover. That’s just a pilot we discovered in Ashville who trains aerobatic flyers from around the country, putting on quite a show each year just off Slasham Road. And we returned to Shoal Creek Valley, where residents continue to rebuild from the devastating and deadly tornado that ripped this close-knit community apart on April 27. There, we discovered a trio of volunteers who won’t give up on helping rebuild Alpha Ranch. They have been working there ever since the day after the storm, simply saying there was still more they knew they could do. That’s not all that is in this issue. But we’ll let you discover it for yourself. As you turn the pages of this edition and the ones that follow, we hope you’ll discover something new and intriguing about the essence of St. Clair County. Everywhere we look, it seems like we do, too.
— Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher
8 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 9
Paradise Found Sweet Apple Farm
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Jerry Martin Her inspiration came from the rolling pastures, an 1840s log cabin and a nondescript barn she turned into a crystal chandelier showplace. It was paradise found the moment she saw it, but the “vision” took nearly a year to evolve. And now, on the outskirts of Pell City lies a majestic estate known as Sweet Apple Farm — a picturesque event venue “Miss Tina” wants to share with all who dream of celebrating a special day in a dream-come-true place. The sprawling 80-acre estate didn’t always look as it does today. “A labor of love” over 12 months transformed it into a perfect place for weddings and other special events and parties. The empty shell of an 1841 log cabin is fully restored and decorated with period antiques to be used as a honeymoon suite. The former owners, Bill and Barbara Alvis, bought it and had it moved to the property. But it remained a shell until Miss Tina, who got her abbreviated name from Alabamians who couldn’t pronounce the longer, Italian version, began her work there. “Now it is a real home for somebody. I tried to keep the integrity as much as I could but with modern conveniences.” Just across the way is a garage turned into a guest cottage
10 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair
Miss Tina on the porch of the 1841 cabin she restored
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 11
Paradise Found
12 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Old manhole covers are used to create this seating area.
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with courtyard and patio and all the amenities for a comfortable and memorable stay. A nearby potting shed is now a dressing room and bathroom. A gently rolling pasture of lush green features a simple, white archway to frame a wedding ceremony. Or move the nuptials inside to a small barn turned chapel. A white picket fence fronts the property for three quarters of a mile, and two ponds are home to catfish, bream “and very large turtles,” she said. But the focal point that draws like no other is the crystal chandelier barn with hardwood floors that evokes a magical feel as soon as she flips on the light switch. The kinship she feels with this part of the property is evident when she refers to it as a person rather than a structure. “When I found her, I didn’t know what to do with her. I’ll know when I get there,” she said she would tell herself. Her contracting crew, led by Pell City’s Randall Weaver, gutted and restored the home she lives in first. “But I was drawn to the barn over and over again.” Every day when the crew left, she would sit on a trash can and think and pray about what to do — “How can it best serve other people and makeWtheir dreams come true?” orking For You. Then she envisioned it — the whole place bathed in lights from dangling crystal chandeliers, reflecting in the rich and rustic texture of hardwood floors. “Then I knew the road I was on.” It was then that she started her due diligence, she said, researching to see if it could become a viable business. Much to her own surprise, she found there was nothing like it in the area. “I followed my intuition, and it has been an honor and privilege to create this.” The barn can play host to 150 people for a seated dinner or 200 for a buffet. A commercial prep kitchen services the barn, which boasts mammoth windows and glass doors all around to let the outside in — bringing the rolling hills into a perfectly framed view. From the ceiling beams hang rows and rows of imported chandeliers put together by hand by her electricians.
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 13
Paradise Found
The chandelier barn is a drawing card for this event venue.
A view from the loft of the cabin
14 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
It is hard to imagine that it once served as a home to pigs and horses containing nothing more than stalls and a dirt floor. Today, it is has the feel of an elegant ballroom nestled cozily in the countryside. When she moved to the region from Miami, “I thought I was retiring.” But the land and all that came with it beckoned her to see it as a “gift” to be shared others. With a background in construction developments along with a radio talk show career, stints in newspaper writing and photography as well as wedding photography, Miss Tina is quite a story all on her own. Her distinctive voice set her on a path to radio when she was discovered by Roy Leonard and Paul Harvey, she said. “I did voiceovers for them.” That led her to a talk show from a “feminine view” and various other careers and challenges over the years in Chicago and Miami. She was never content to do just one thing, and her versatility shows in virtually every square inch of Sweet Apple Farm. “It took Randall a month to quit rolling his eyes,” she said of her contractor’s reaction to the plans she had for the property. Custom benches are found all over the land. Solar lights at night shine “like diamonds,” she said. And an 1800 bell stands sentry over the chapel and her home. A fire pit, a deer sanctuary, a screened pavilion, a walkway uncommonly made of manhole covers and stone and a “serenity pond” are but a few of the unusual touches she has given the place to make it a destination point like no other. “I love helping people. That’s my bottom line. This has been the grandest challenge I have ever awarded myself, and I am humbly pleased to have met it. I created a very beautiful place to help make people’s dreams come true.” Just like hers. l
Fall colors surround this decorative lampost. December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 15
16 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
St. Clair’s Big Christmas Present:
St. Vincent’s Ready to Open Stories by Carol Pappas Photos by Jerry Martin
In just two days, on Dec. 10, the doors are expected to officially open on St. Clair County’s early Christmas gift — a state-ofthe-art hospital that is expected to change the face of health care throughout the entire region.
Finishing touches have been applied to the impressive building rising from the ridge overlooking Interstate 20 on Pell City’s north side over the past two years. And officials are preparing for a move from the county’s health care past to its promising future. The final vestiges of the old St. Vincent’s St. Clair on Dr. John Haynes Drive will close at 6 a.m. Dec. 10, and the new St. Vincent’s St. Clair will be official and, more importantly, open for business. It has been a dream 20 or more years in the making, but the region’s red-letter day has arrived, and the community has watched its health care future going up with great anticipation. St. Vincent’s has long been a trusted name in medicine in the Birmingham area, and its reach into St. Clair County has been a perfect fit for both entities, officials say. “This new hospital has truly been a collaborative effort between the St. Clair County Health Care Authority, St. Clair County Commission, City of Pell City, St. Clair County Economic Development Council and St. Vincent’s Health System.” said John D. O‘Neil, president and CEO of St. Vincent’s Health System. “For many years, leaders in St. Clair County have worked toward building a new
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 17
St. Vincent’s
Architect Jared Bussey (left) of Birchfield Penuel & Associates talks with Terrell Vick inside new chapel.
hospital. St. Vincent’s Health System and our parent organization, Ascension Health, also are committed to improving accessibility to quality health care in the communities that we serve. Together, we’ve made the vision of a new hospital a reality,” O’Neil said. “The opening of the new state-of-the-art St. Vincent’s St. Clair will have a tremendous impact on Pell City and the surrounding communities for years to come. We anticipate that additional physician specialists will join the medical staff and new services will be added. We are going to continue growing right along with St. Clair County.” The 40-bed, 79,000-square-foot facility with an additional 40,000 square feet of adjoining professional office space features “the latest and greatest equipment,” according to St. Vincent’s St. Clair Chief Transition Officer Terrell Vick.
18 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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Breaking ground on a new era in health care. The City of Pell City and our community thank you for your investment in our city and your commitment to quality health care for all of our citizens. December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 19
St. Vincent’s Signing the chapel floor with special tributes are, left to right, hospital associates Meredith Moorer,Paula McCullough and Paula Leverton.
Three operating rooms, Gastrointestinal lab, pathology, pharmacy, larger intensive care unit, imaging, rehabilitation, digital mammography, bone density testing, nuclear medicine, dialysis and a 64-slice CT Scanner are but a handful of services and features of the new hospital. A patient can even have a test done in St. Clair and have it interpreted in real time in Birmingham if need be. In addition to its regular patient rooms, the hospital has two additional ones with a family room adjoining for extended stay, which was made possible by a $1 million donor. Six large patient rooms make up the Intensive Care Unit with surgery and recovery units adjacent to it. Initially, the hospital’s offerings will focus on basic surgery. There are 10 same-day surgery suites, which are not included in the bed count of the hospital. The Emergency Department boasts 12 rooms — 10 private exam rooms
20 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
With sincere appreciation from the 2011 Health Care Authority, Lawrence Fields,Chairman
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 21
St. Vincent’s and two trauma rooms — a sizable step up from the eight cubicles in service in the old hospital. A separate entrance for ED and separate waiting areas for infectious and clean triage make the hospital more effective in dealing with emergencies and better serving patients. A modern cafeteria with dining inside and a garden outside is serviced by Morrison’s and a Starbuck’s coffee shop are ready to meet food and drink needs of visitors, patients and staff. And the entire facility has wi-fi capabilities. The design of the hospital puts patient and visitor convenience first. It is set up in service units with separate registration for one-day surgery, Emergency Department, Rehabilitation and Imaging. “It is easy for patients and visitors to navigate,” Vick said. It is possible for them to park and walk
Rich color schemes and materials welcome visitors
A spacious rehabilitation area
The Intensive Care Unit 22 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
One of the X-Ray rooms
One of the surgical units
ALAN C. FURR
DISTRICT JUDGE
ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ALABAMA
straight to the area they need. In the adjacent professional office building, St. Vincent’s will lease 20,000 square feet of space for its medical groups, and there will be timeshare space provided for specialist services like cardiology, general surgery, pulmonology and orthopedics. Three cardiovascular groups along with two generalsurgery groups already cover the area. “We hope eventually to have full-time services in those specialities,” Vick said. The professional office building is expected to open in coming weeks, and a sleep disorder clinic should follow in March. A round chapel with intricate stone work inside and out is a focal point of the hospital and offers a spiritual haven for patients and visitors as part of this faith-based health system.
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 23
St. Vincent’s Vick, who has been with the hospital for nearly 40 years, can’t seem to mask his excitement over the prospect of this new facility. It has been a long time in coming and would not have been possible without the team work of St. Vincent’s, St. Clair County Commission, St. Clair Health Care Authority, St. Clair Economic Development Council, Jefferson State Community College, City of Pell City and the State of Alabama. Chuck Penuel, whose architectural firm, Birchfield Penuel & Associates, designed the new hospital, called it “an important part of the St. Vincent’s ministry as it reaches further into the community providing the same quality health care as it has provided in the Birmingham area for so many years. “It is certainly one of the most challenging projects due to the nature of working with four clients instead of one — the county, city, health care authority and St. Vincent’s,” Penuel said. “It’s a diverse group, but it shows that a common interest results in a positive outcome for the community.” “I’m happy for our associates and our medical staff,” Vick said. “And we wouldn’t be here without community support.” l
The latest equipment is a hallmark of the new hospital.
A view of the first floor entrance corridor from above.
Patient rooms are large and feature hardwood laminate flooring. 24 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Local impact more than a phrase When architect Russ Realmuto of Birchfield Penuel & Associates took the lead on designing a new hospital for St. Vincent’s and St. Clair County, it was more than just a professional project to him. It was personal. “My family homesteaded the land in the 1840s. I live a mile and a half from it.” It’s home. And Realmuto calls his role in designing the new, state-of-the-art hospital “very much an honor.” As a side note, he mentions he is due for surgery in coming weeks. “My surgery is the first scheduled in the new hospital,” he said with apparent pride, adding that he hopes others will take his lead. “It is very important that we all support the hospital now that it’s built. St. Vincent’s has such a good reputation,” but it will take a consistent community commitment to help grow the hospital. “We feel like it is going to expand. We designed it to expand in so many different directions. It has a lot of expansion paths,” like Emergency Department treatment areas and more space for more physicians. The medical office building is built to expand. “It is a gorgeous site.” Realmuto is not unlike others who have worked on this project. It’s not just a hospital building to them. It’s doing something good for their hometown. Jason Goodgame, vice president of Goodgame Company, is the project manager, who also is a Pell City native. His company joined forces with Hoar Construction, the lead contractor on the hospital, to sell it as a local Participation and Inclusion project, which meant that 25 percent of the project had to have local participation. To St. Clair County companies, that meant $6 million. Much of the money to build the hospital came from hospital taxes of local people, and it was a way to give back, Goodgame said. Hiring local has been the mantra of this project throughout. It is not uncommon to see names like Southern Landscapes, Joiner Plumbing or Johnny’s Electric — all St. Clair County companies — heading in and out of the site to do their work. Nelson Glass; Kirkpatrick Concrete, which is owned by National Cement Co. in Ragland; Jenkins Brick; and Alabama Brick are just a few of the companies with ties to St. Clair County. The stained glass windows of the chapel were by Leeds Stained Glass, a Pell City-based company owned by Terry Barnes. A family business, Barnes said, it began as a church furniture endeavor that eventually led to making stained glass windows for churches
designed it to expand in so many “ We different directions.
— Russ Realmuto, new St. Vincent’s architect
From left, architects Chuck Penuel, Russ Realmuto and Jared Bussey.
and chapels all over the world. “We are very excited” to be a part of the St. Vincent’s project, Barnes said. The hospital will be “a number-one draw for the community. You are always excited about doing something in your own community.” For Goodgame Company, “it was important for us to be a part of it. To have our family company’s name on a building that is going to be here for the next generation is important,” Goodgame said of the 57-year-old business. “It was a chance to be a part of something that is going to be here a long time, just like our business.” l
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 25
St. Vincent’s
More than a decade in the making
Groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital facility As motorists headed up and down Interstate 20 over the past two years, they might have thought the massive construction on a hillside overlooking the busy highway is an overnight success story. After all, what they see has gone up relatively quickly. But it’s what they don’t see that tells the story of a long road to get to where St. Vincent’s St. Clair is today. The new stateof-the-art hospital, set to open Dec. 10, is far from a recent development, local officials will quickly tell you. This has been a vision decades in the making. It has spanned multiple mayoral terms in Pell City and on the St. Clair County Commission. The talk of a new hospital dates back to the St. Clair Regional Hospital Board and later, the county’s Health Care Authority. And it has gone through a series of health systems before finding just the right fit with Ascension Health and St. Vincent’s Health System. But the vision seemed to really start taking shape around 2003 when officials acquired land just north of the interstate. The first to locate there was Jefferson State Community College. The obvious next choice for the adjoining campus was a new hospital.
Guin Robinson, who was mayor at the time and had previously served on the St. Clair County Hospital Board, recalled the needs. “Our hospital was an aging building. It was cost prohibitive to expand or update. There were no private rooms or baths. “We knew that if we were going to be the county we envisioned us to be, something had to happen,” Robinson said. “We couldn’t have written a script any better for what transpired.” Anywhere along the way, the dreams of a new hospital coming to fruition could have fallen apart. But they didn’t because when one area of the vision would falter, a partner stepped up to make sure the whole vision was realized. “It took all entities,” Robinson said. And now, the Health Care Authority, St. Clair County Commission, City of Pell City, St. Clair Economic Development Council and Ascension Health, St. Vincent’s parent company, are solid partners in a vision that has the power to change the face of the region. “Had one of the parties not stepped up, the entire project would have been in jeopardy,” said Pell City Mayor Bill Hereford, who served as chairman of the hospital board before becoming mayor. “Quality of health care is one of the top three
26 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 27
St. Vincent’s
More than a decade in the making
Pipes are piled at the construction site as the hospital begins to take shape.
Jason Goodgame (right) discusses plans with Ron Bailey.
The hospital construction dominated the property off Interstate 20.
or four issues of any community. This new hospital ensures the highest quality health care for the next generation.” Hereford agreed the land acquisition was the tipping point. “It has been like dominos, only they aren’t falling down. They’re standing up.” He cited breakthroughs like Jefferson State as a place to train nurses and the new hospital set to open. Behind it, a state veteran’s home is going up. A townhome development is under construction nearby. “It is a great day. The ripple effect has been tremendous.” St. Clair Economic Development Executive Director Don Smith couldn’t agree more. “There are always identifiable moments that positively change a community’s future, and for St. Clair County, one of those moments took place when St. Vincent’s Health System took over management of our existing county hospital. “Without their partnership, leadership and a strong commitment to premium health care, we would not have a new state-of-the-art hospital opening in Pell City. This new hospital is an economic developer’s dream project. It provides a quality health care service, creates new jobs, and helps our organization successfully recruit new employers to our county,” Smith said. When new manufacturers are looking for a new area to locate, they are always interested in the quality of that community’s health care, Smith explained. “They know that their employees’ health has a direct effect on their success. In addition, having this new hospital will directly create other opportunities like the Department of Veterans Affairs Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home across from the new hospital,” which will create 300 new jobs. “This project would not have come to St. Clair County without this new hospital being constructed.” Smith credited the county commission for its foresight in moving the entire project forward. “The County Commission has recognized for quite some time that having a new hospital in our community would have an incredible effect on local economy for generations to come. We are very fortunate to have such proactive elected officials throughout our community.” County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon, a driving force behind the project and a constant proponent over all these years, once called the 160-acre tract of land a “green field” that is now growing a community college, a hospital, a professional medical building, a veteran’s home and a residential development. “I’m looking at the new hospital and all the things with it as a small UAB-type development for St. Clair County,” Batemon said. “The hospital is driving the school, and it’s driving the Veteran’s Home and any other developments that will go out there. It’s our small education and health complex.” What’s next? “It is definitely going to be the catalyst that moves the county and the region forward,” Batemon has said. Lawrence Fields, who chairs the Health Care Authority and is a former mayor himself, called it “one of the best economic engines to come to St. Clair County in a long time.” He pointed to the five-member partnership as the key to success, too. “It is outstanding that everyone worked together as well as they have.” In addition, “We have a great board, a good mixture from all over the county” who lent their support. “I don’t think anything will surpass this,” Fields said. “It’s like what (St. Vincent’s CEO) John O’Neil says — ‘It’s one of the most modern, rural hospitals in America.’ I just have to pinch myself when I ride by.” l
28 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Health care a ministry for St. Vincent’s
Stained glass windows depict The Trinity.
You see it in the windows. Three stained glass windows — one round and two rectangular — tell the story of the Trinity. The center window represents the dove, signifying the Holy Spirit. To the right is the symbol of Jesus Christ. To the left is a hand reaching down, God, the Creator. Stacked stone circles the wall underneath, inside and out, showing that “God is with us and a part of us,” said Wayne Carmello-Harper, senior vice president for Mission Integration at St. Vincent’s Health System. His description is not that of a church but rather the chapel at the new St. Vincent’s St. Clair, a refuge for families and associates seeking a place for prayer and meditation. The chapel represents that “deep reverence for the dignity of human life in every single person — a deep respect for all humanity,” Carmello-Harper said. While the Catholic Church certainly is a significant part of the hospital’s history, the chapel
is for any spiritual group. “It is a place to reflect on and be mindful of the spiritual elements of our lives,” he said. The Rev. Randy Howell, a Baptist minister, will continue to serve as chaplain for the Pell City-based hospital, and the chapel will serve as that quiet and sacred space where all are welcome. There is no denying the church’s prominence in the history of St. Vincent’s or in its new quarters in St. Clair. The Eucharist, blessed by the bishop, is in it. A lighted lamp with electric flame is housed there with the Eucharist in reserve. Underneath the chapel’s altar is stone with donated relics from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American saint canonized by the Vatican, and St. Vincent DePaul, a Catholic priest in France who organized people to care for the sick before the French Revolution. DePaul organized a group of women later to
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 29
St. Vincent’s
Health care ministry
The chapel will serve as a quiet place for reflection and meditation.
Carmello-Harper signs chapel floor. Personal tributes are now a part of finished chapel. be known as the Daughters of Charity to help him meet the dire needs of the sick during the black plague. They would provide food, care for them and be with them. “The people named them from the streets. ‘There go the daughters of charity,’ they would say as they passed,” Carmello-Harper explained. Now, they are in 92 countries around the world and their work continues at St. Vincent’s St. Clair. At the time of DePaul and the Sisters of Charity, it was unusual for nuns to go outside the walls of the convent. But DePaul broke with tradition and sent them out into the community to help. “The streets are going to be your convent,” Carmello-Harper said of DePaul’s direction. It is the “same vision” St. Vincent’s Health System has
today — “Go out into the larger community. People have a right to have health care close to where they live.” It is the same vision that was the genesis of the original St. Vincent’s Hospital on Birmingham’s Southside. In the 1890s, Birmingham was an ore-mining boom town. With many accidents in the mines, there was no place to take the injured miners, no place to treat common outbreaks of typhoid, cholera and smallpox. Father Patrick O’Reilly at St. Paul’s Church urged help from the Daughters of Charity to come to Birmingham and start a hospital. And in 1898, four Daughters of Charity began taking patients in a three-story mansion of industrial pioneer Henry DeBardeleben. There, the sisters saw and treated their first patients, regardless of ability to pay. The next year, Sister Chrysostom Moynahan joined the effort as Sister Servant, having been trained in Boston as a nurse. She became the first registered nurse in Alabama. According to St. Vincent’s, her license number was “1.” She opened the first outpatient clinic in Birmingham and founded the state’s first school of nursing. Despite the conditions of the time, according to records of St. Vincent’s, “They put on their aprons and started to work with all those who needed health care. They were women of strong faith. Their legacy continues today with St. Vincent’s Health System, which now includes four hospitals and a health and wellness facility.” “It is what sets us apart,” Carmello-Harper said. “For us, it’s a ministry. We are continuing the healing work of Jesus. Everyone who works here contributes to that ministry,” whether they work in the accounting department or in the operating room. “It is why we do what we do. “St. Vincent said that anyone can carry bread or soup to the sick, it’s the way in which you do it, that’s what sets us apart — the way in which we do it.” l
30 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 31
Traveling the
The
BACKROADS
Springs of St. Clair
Alabama is blessed with an abundance of mineral springs, including two in St. Clair County — St. Clair Springs and Cook’s Springs. In the old days, such waters were thought to be curative and health-giving; in a single, $10 word of that era, salubrious.
By Jerry Smith Photos by Jerry Martin Historic photos from the St. Clair Historic Development Commission Visited by various Native American cultures from as far back as 10 millennia, these springs caught the attention of post-Colonial whites during migrations following the Indian Wars of 1814-16. Many of these pilgrims were taking advantage of land patents granted for military service under Andrew Jackson. Mattie Lou Teague Crow, in History Of St. Clair County (Alabama), speaks of such a migrant family traveling through St. Clair on their way from Georgia to settle in south Alabama. The young wife became deathly ill while en route. She was also great with child, so the family decided to make camp near a spring basin on present-day Alabama Highway 23, a few miles east of Springville. While the men were out hunting food, she became delirious and ravenously thirsty. In desperation, she began clawing in the moist ground with her bare hands. The holes she dug slowly filled with mineral water, of which she drank deeply. Within a few days, her illness abated. Naturally, her miraculous cure was attributed to those waters. Or so the legend goes. Word quickly spread, and the area soon became the town of St. Clair Springs, with people arriving from far and wide to sample its lithia, chalybeate, multi-colored sulfur, and freestone waters. According to Mrs. Crow, the first official landowners
32 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Lovett’s Boarding House, St. Clair Inn in background, St. Clair Springs
Pavilion at Cook Springs Hotel
Mountain View Hotel, Cook Springs
LaFayette Cook
were the Thomasons, who set up a tavern and inn near the spring basin in 1832. St. Clair Springs, first named Cornelia after a hotel owner’s daughter, soon became a resort boom town, complete with bottling plant, several hotels, spas, even a bowling alley. St. Clair Springs was a thriving community, prospering well into the Roaring 20s. In addition to supposed health benefits from daily bathing and drinking of its marvelous waters, visitors enjoyed dancing, bowling, croquet, picnicking, a carousel, swimming, gourmet meals and being pampered in their choice of three deluxe hotels. Many affluent city dwellers vacationed there to escape the crowded bustle and unhealthy conditions of local metropolitan areas such as Birmingham, which in those days often hosted malaria, cholera and yellow fever. Many arrived by train, then were transported by auto or horse-drawn coach to the resort area. Mrs. Crow also tells of St. Clair Springs merchants sponsoring annual picnics on the first Saturday of each May for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, a brutal murder committed during one of these galas tainted the area’s resort image forever, and St. Clair Springs fell into a rapid decline. The last of its three fine hotels burned to the ground in 1925. Today, St. Clair Springs is little more than a few vintage homes scattered along a couple of quiet city
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 33
Traveling the
BACKROADS
Montgomery-Scott home in St. Clair Springs
A group enjoys life at St. Clair Springs. 34 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
blocks that hardly bespeak a once-prosperous community. The spring basins draw little notice unless you know they’re there. Still, it’s possible to pull off the road, stroll among the springs, admire those country mansions, and allow one’s imagination a little latitude. It’s on AL Highway 23, between U.S. Highway 11 and Ashville. Not long after St. Clair Springs began to thrive, another resort was born in the southwestern corner of the county, Cooks Springs, founded by William Praytor Cooke Sr., a Jefferson County native who was a merchant and Realtor by trade. In her book, The Village and Its Neighbors, Anita Smith tells of the Cooke family’s first resort, which was little more than a few rustic cabins built in the 1840s around some mineral springs Cooke had found on his St. Clair property. Cooks Springs was a very lowbudget operation in those days, built as a supplement to Cooke’s gristmill and farm interests. It became inactive during the Civil War, but revived somewhat in the years that followed. However, it was not destined to flourish until after William’s death in 1872. His youngest son, LaFayette, ultimately put Cooke’s resort on the map. An ambitious and hard-working young man, at age 18, LaFayette established a prosperous sawmill and farm on his one-ninth share of William’s 300 acres of land, which quickly prospered. He then collaborated with his two brothers, John and Osburn, to form a family-owned mercantile firm. The brothers began acquiring St. Clair property and, by the 1880s, owned some 1,700 acres. Using lumber from his own sawmill, LaFayette built a fine two-story, 60room hotel under the auspices of Cooke Brothers Mercantile Company and, a few years later, bought out his brothers’ interest in CBMC, which became L. Cooke & Co. LaFayette now owned outright a fine resort hotel, 1,700 acres, the mineral springs, and a railroad station connected to his hotel by a short walking bridge. According to Ms. Smith, Cook’s Springs Hotel, also known as Cooks Springs Hotel, Cook Springs Hotel or Mountain View Hotel, was considered
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Pavilion at St. Clair Springs one of the finest of its day, providing every amenity a resort guest could desire. In addition, there were several private cottages around the spring basin. A large pavilion sported an upstairs dance floor where Saturday night dances were held with music by local bands. These dances and other resort functions were frequented by area residents, particularly from nearby Leeds. Guests could relax on a very long veranda, or mingle in an opulent main lobby and dining room capable of feeding 200 people in style. Mrs. Crow adds that this dining room served fresh vegetables, milk and butter from the resort’s own garden, and the seating was actually inadequate for the number of guests during peak seasons. The view of Bald Rock Mountain was said to be breathtaking, and the hotel offered walking excursions to its crest. Eventually Cooke added a swimming pool, tennis courts, a bowling alley and skating rink. Their newspaper ads read: “Five Important If’s” If it’s health ... If it’s pleasure ... If it’s a delightful climate ... If it’s to avoid mosquitoes ... If it’s to get away from work and worry and take a real vacation, build up your system and be assured of perfect health during the winter. ... Then come to Cooks Springs and get all these at nominal cost” Its “salubrious” waters consisted of sulfur, magnesia, chalybeate, alkaline, and Blue Ridge lithia freestone. Among these mineral waters supposedly lay the cure for a bewildering host of human ailments and personal concerns, with no end to the resort’s claims of successful treatments. A little settlement grew up around Cooks Springs, including a church camp just down the road. As the resort
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 35
Traveling the
BACKROADS
Cook Springs Baptist Church
business began to wane in the 1940s, however, the hotel hosted fewer and fewer guests. By then, it was mostly occupied by church campers in the summertime, but when the campground built its own dormitories, even that need faded. Just before closing for good, the hotel was split up into apartments. Finally, in the late 1940s, it was abandoned to the elements. This fine old hotel was torn down in the early 1950s, its lumber recycled to build houses elsewhere. At least it was spared the ignominy of burning to ashes like those in St. Clair Springs, but its legacy lives on at nearby Village at Cook Springs, a senior living facility built on Cooke property whose history is detailed in Smith’s The Village and Its Neighbors. The Village housed several former patrons and workers from the hotel. No doubt they had many stories to share. l
36 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 37
Rodeo Time and More New recreational arena means it’s
A cowboy tries his luck.
38 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
By Amanda Pritchard Photos by Jerry Martin Travelers along Blair Farm Road might have experienced a double take a couple of nights this fall as they passed an arena full of bucking broncos and calf-roping cowboys. It was the scene of a rodeo, an example of one of many big plans a newly formed Recreation Board has for the property that lies just off US 174 between Odenville and Pell City. The property now belongs to the Recreation Board put in place by the St. Clair County Commission. Once a place for rodeos, the land acquired approximately two years ago by the Commission will soon be a multipurpose event arena. “We purchased it to develop a recreation facility primarily centered on agricultural ideas, such as small rodeos, horse shows, antique tractor and car shows, calf shows, 4H projects, etcetera,” said Commission Chairman Stan Batemon. Those aims will get help from board members Lude Mashburn of Odenville, Kenny Womack of Riverside, Brad Sanders of Odenville, Herschel Phillips of Argo and Donnie Smith of Ashville. Another driving force is Commis-
A recreation board hopes to bring all kinds of events and shows to the arena.
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 39
sioner Ken Crowe who complimented the board’s make-up. “This is a good group with different interests who work very well together.” It is implementing plans to add a pavilion, concession stands and horse stalls, projects Crowe said he hopes will begin this year. Additional plans include “slowly increasing the public funding for this board as the board discovers more uses for this property and forms plans to offer quality activities to the citizens of St. Clair County,” Batemon said. “Many activities planned for this facility will be self-supporting and will produce adequate funding to make their program pay its own way, much the same way that municipal ball fields, swimming parks, etc. pay much of their way also without the need for tax-based assistance.” In charge of promoting and running the events at Blair Farm Road, the Recreation Board will oversee events that will benefit the county. It can be a place for monthly farmer’s markets, county fairs and opening the area up to schools and churches. “It’s good exposure,” Crowe said. “It allows neighboring areas and people within our community to find out more about us. It will be a great space for city groups to have fundraisers.” Looking forward to delivering on all the possibilities, Batemon said, “The County Commission is very excited about the future for this arena park.” l
Rodeo Time
A crowd enjoys the show at the arena.
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 41
Hidden Treasures A little Smoky Mountain retreat
By Carol Pappas Photos by Jerry Martin When Tammi Manley turned over the keys to a cabin tucked into the curve of massive rock bluffs on a mountainside in north St. Clair County, it was more than a simple property transaction for the BlountSt. Clair Realtor. She had a vision when she moved there in 1992, and she and a close circle of family and friends set out to bring that vision to life. It was part of a much larger tract of land that had once been sold for timber, but no one seemed interested in this section because of the rough terrain. “Initially, there was a chert road and a one-room cabin sitting at the foot of the mountain surrounded by rock bluffs with a creek flowing beneath the deck,” she recalled. It was a one room, 400-square foot cabin. “There was nothing — no fencing, no pastures, no bridges, no structures other than the cabin. I literally drove through the creek to get to the cabin. Everything still seemed wild at this point, but you could see the potential for something special.” She was right. The sprawling 113 acres climbs seemingly straight up in places,
42 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair
The once one-room cabin is now a full size rustic retreat.
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 43
44 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Hidden Treasures
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with imposing rock bluffs casting shadows across colorful, leaf-laden trails in the fall. Maples, oaks and hardwoods of varying sizes and hues envelop an open valley of pastureland and tower over the creek that spills gently across well-worn rocks as it meanders down the hillside. Across the way is an unforgettable mountain view. Down below is a barn with a corral, a place where she once taught riding lessons to children and the public. Above the barn is a loft apartment that was shared with guests seeking a place to relax and take in the beauty of their natural surroundings. “The setting of streams, mountains, rock bluffs, wildlife and wildflowers had many saying it felt like a retreat. It honestly had a profound effect on people,” she said. “The farm was often referred to as the Little Smoky Mountains.” It is not unlike countless other places around St. Clair County, especially in the northern end. Mountains, wooded trails, ponds, pastures, trees, plants and wildlife have turned many a city slicker into seasoned outdoor enthusiasts around these parts. The views can indeed rival the Smokies, and the
Sarah Manning Brazzolotto Due to current family obligations and church commitments which must take priority at this time, it is with deep regret that I will not be seeking election to the St. Clair County District Court in 2012. My sincere and heartfelt thanks for the encouragement and support extended to me by my many friends and supporters. Sarah Manning Brazzolotto, Attorney at Law 1908 Cogswell Avenue Pell City, Alabama 35125 (205) 884-7726 sarahmbrazzolotto@yahoo.com
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 45
Hidden Treasures Smoky Mountain retreat
A stream runs near the cabin’s deck and down the property. tranquility of it all is a natural draw. “We are seeing more and more people wanting to make an investment in land or to have a unique getaway,” she said. And Manley, who specializes in farms, land and recreational property at The Real Estate Group, tries to oblige. Real estate was a natural fit for her, she said. She grew up on a large cattle farm in North Alabama and worked part-time for years with Night Hawk Publications for hunting and fishing. She also worked for several years mapping thousands of acres for a large Birmingham firm. “My experiences gave me a very good background for what can be done with recreational property and its appreciation by people who value an outdoor lifestyle,” Manley said.
46 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 47
Hidden Treasures Smoky Mountain retreat The barn and loft living space.
Native Alabama plant, Purple Beautyberry, found on property
She developed this particular piece of property in accordance with her own love of the land, but she shared it with others through the riding camp and as a retreat. She credits her brothers and friends with a “group effort” design, which led to this tranquil setting discovered just minutes from an interstate highway. “I have special memories of the team effort that resulted in a special place to be shared with others.” Lyman Lovejoy and Brian Camp of Lovejoy Realty actually sold the property to the new owner who was looking for a special place with a lot of acreage. “It was a pleasure for us to show this farm. We walked over every bit of it. It is one of those farms you can’t wait to go back and show,” Lovejoy said. “In 40 years, it’s one of the most unique places I have ever sold.” When it came time for Manley to finalize the sale, it was more like passing the mantle than the keys to a cabin. As the new owner puts it: “I feel like crying every time I have to leave.” l
48 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Christian Love Pantry … Seeing Needs and Filling Them
For more than three decades, the Christian Love Pantry has been helping thousands of families in their greatest times of need, providing food in emergency situations for 200 families each month. Serving all of St. Clair County, our work is made possible through generous donations from individuals, businesses, organizations and United Way.
Won’t you help this holiday season?
Monetary contributions and donations of non-perishable items are welcome and appreciated. As a 100% volunteer-based organization, we encourage volunteers to join our efforts. Volunteer opportunities are available.
St. Clair Social Services 205 Edwin Holladay Place Pell City, AL 35125
205-338-2358
Open Monday-Friday 9 to noon, except holidays
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 49
Several stunt pilots preformed during the air show at the Koontz fly in.
Flying High Over St. Clair County 50 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Greg Koontz is known worldwide for his aerobatics and teaching skills By Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Jerry Martin The tall, chubby guy in overalls and white teeshirt runs up to the airshow emcee and in a drawl as Southern as coon dogs and camouflage starts babbling about redeeming a flight instruction coupon. Trying to get rid of the man, who claims he’s Clem Cleaver from Alabama, the emcee motions him toward a little yellow airplane. He tells the man standing beside it to give the guy a demo. But when Clem climbs aboard, he “accidentally” takes off on a wibbly-wobbly solo flight that culminates with his landing atop a pickup truck that’s doing 55 miles per hour down the runway. It takes skill to do that. Not just the skill of landing on a moving target, but the skill of making it appear that you don’t know what you’re doing. Make no mistake about it, Greg Koontz knows what he’s doing. An aerobatics pilot, Master Flight Instructor, aerobatic pilot evaluator and the 2011 recipient of the FAA’s Flight Instructor of the Year for the Southern Region, this St. Clair County resident got his student pilot’s certificate three days before getting his driver’s license. He’s been flying high ever since. “I learned to fly in 1969, and soloed before I got my driver’s license,” says Koontz. “At 17, I got my pilot’s license. My first plane was a 1946 Piper Cub that I rebuilt in my mom’s basement.” The Clem Cleaver role is part of a comedy routine Greg and his Alabama Boys perform at air shows throughout the country. He developed this act in 2005, but he has been performing aerobatic maneuvers since he was a teenager. His father was a corporate pilot and took 7-year-old Koontz to an air show. At the end of the show, he announced, “I want to be an air show pilot.” At 18, Koontz went to work for Moser’s Aero Sport Inc., in St. Augustine, Fla. His main job was flight instructor, but at 19, he began performing in Colonel Moser’s Flying Circus, flying air shows all over the Southeast and parts of the Caribbean. That’s where he learned the truck-top landing. “Jim & Ernie Moser were inducted into the Air Show Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in November (2011) by the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS),” he says. “It makes me proud that I was part of that operation.” He spent 10 years running flight schools and charter businesses before taking a job as corporate pilot for McGriff, Seibels & Williams, Birmingham
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 51
Flying High
Greg Koontz has 14 sponsors’ names printed on his Super Decathlon aerobatics plane. insurance agents. He held that position for 20 years, doing air shows on the side. In 1995, he started coming to St. Clair County to do aerobatic maneuvers at a model airplane show the late Bud Caddell held every year on Slasham Road. When Caddell’s son stopped holding the shows about two years ago, Koontz held an open-house for some of his flying buddies. Strangers got wind of the event, mistook it for an air show and started showing up. “I fed barbecue to 400 people this year,” Koontz says of his October lawn party. “With so many strangers and the cost of feeding folks, I may have to start charging and actually calling it an air show.” The festivities take place on Koontz’s little piece of heaven on Slasham Road. When he and his wife, Cora, started coming out for the Caddell shows, they thought it was a beautiful area. In 1999, Bob Dugger sold them a corner of some land he had just purchased, along with rights to Dugger’s private grass runway. They built the hangar in 2002, and in 2004, after the last of their two children headed off to college, they built their house. They opened Sky Country Bed & Breakfast in 2005, using two spare bedrooms for their fly-in guests.
52 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
An aerial photograph of the landing strip and property.
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 53
Flying High
Some of the 400 folks the Koontzes fed at their “lawn party” go through the chow line.
Visitors at the Koontz bed and breakfast relax on the porch.
Cora Koontz puts the finishing touches on a bedroom at the bed and breakfast.
Jeremy Smith of Jemison, Ala. makes adjustments to his weight shift control flex wing air craft.
“I have the only aerobatic school with a B&B on a private grass air strip that I know about,” Koontz says. He teaches several types of aerobatic courses, specializing in beginners, and stays booked six to eight weeks in advance. “People who buy an aerobatic plane and want to expand their capabilities will take my complete course, but lots of people take aerobatics just to improve or enhance their flying abilities,” he says. About 80 pilots a year train under Koontz at his headquarters. Hearing about him from air shows and the Internet, they come from all over the U.S. and around the world, including Spain, Portugal, Germany, South Africa, Argentina and the Philippines. The courses run from two to five days, with most pilots from outside the U.S. staying for five. “The fun of doing this business is sitting around the dinner table talking with folks,” he says. He not only trains pilots, but does his own basic maintenance (he’s a licensed aircraft mechanic), all the cooking and grocery shopping, too. “My wife doesn’t cook,” he explains, not appearing the least bit bothered by this. After all, she works a full-time job in Birmingham. They were married in 1975, after he taught her to fly in 1974. Koontz holds aerobatics clinics worldwide, in places like South Africa, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Canada and all over the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii. He did an air show a few years ago in the United Arab Emirates, and he’s helping establish Portugal’s first aerobatics school. He’s also an aerobatics competency evaluator. Aerobatic pilots start performing at 800 feet above ground, and must be
54 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
evaluated every time they want to certify to fly at a lower altitude. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires aerobatic pilots to be re-evaluated annually and gave that task to ICAS. Koontz is chairman of the national committee that does this, the ACE (aerobatic competency evaluators) committee, managing a nationwide group of evaluators from every state. Three airplanes dock in his hangar today, including a red Super Decathlon built by American Champion Aircraft of Wisconsin and emblazoned with the names of 14 sponsors. He also has a 1941 Piper Cub and a 1939 clipped-wing Cub. He uses all of those planes when he trains pilots and sometimes uses the pilots’ own aircraft. He recently purchased a Cessna 182 that he calls his traveling plane. It has four seats — room for Greg, Cora and two guests. “I always promised we’d get a traveling plane, one to take trips in, rather than to do tricks in,” he says. The difference between a “traveling plane” and an aerobatic plane is more than just its seating capacity, however. An aerobatic plane is aerody-
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 55
56 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Flying High
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namically designed to do maneuvers and structurally designed to handle the G-forces they encounter. Koontz performs in 20 air shows a year, flying to them in his Super Decathlon with one of the Alabama Boys. The remainder of the troupe, which includes son, James, Steven Smith, Fred Masterson, Tommy Foster and Bob Dugger, travels in the pickup that Koontz lands on during their routine. Not all of the Boys go to every show. The truck pulls a trailer carrying another yellow Piper Cub, its wings separated from the body and stowed on the inside walls of the trailer, like a dismembered butterfly. Koontz uses it for his comedy act, but flies the Super Decathlon for his aerobatics. “Aerobatics is a very old, traditional act that has been around for many, many years,” he says. “I traced it back to the 1930s to a man named Mike Murphy. All aerobatics today are pretty much the same as Murphy invented, but with individual twists.” Fellow aerobatics performer Patty Flagstaff of St. Augustine, Fla., herself a six-time member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team and the first woman to win the title of U.S. National Aerobatics Champion, has known Koontz for 15 to 20 years. She has nothing but praise for his talents. “He’s a real pro, and I’ve never met anybody who doesn’t think highly of him,” she says. “He’s very well liked and he’s a really, really entertaining showman. I don’t do a lot of training because I don’t have a training plane, and I’m very careful who I send people to for instruction. But I’ve sent a lot of people to Greg, including a relative and one of my best friends.” Like Patty, Koontz flies for the adventure, the freedom and the challenge. “Obviously, it’s a big thrill, being way off the ground like that, but it’s also the accomplishment that I enjoy,” he says. “It takes years and years to get better at it, and there’s always a new challenge.” The entertainment component fascinates him, too. It’s a niche in aviation only a few people fill. “I like entertaining people. It’s very gratifying to me to land and have hundreds of people wanting my autograph. It’s fun to have that attention because I did a good job of entertaining.” Aerobatics is a dangerous sport, he’ll admit that. He has lost five friends from air show crashes this year. “That’s the secret in this business,” he says, “Don’t hit the ground.” l
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 57
Making Candy in Moody Independent business bringing its sweet operation to town
Chocolate drizzled marshmallows
By Amanda Pritchard Photos by Jerry Martin Creating a candy wonderland for children of all ages, store owner and creator Hanson Watkins opened Indie Candy in Crestline Village with that goal in mind. The business has thrived, and now she is expanding production in Moody. In looking for the perfect place to expand her business, Watkins searched within an hour radius all around Birmingham, but ultimately knew she wanted to settle in Moody. “My father
58 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Confectioners Laura Rios and Charlandria Ammons examine their work before setting it out for display.
Chocolate truffles with lemon
has done business in Moody for 30 years. It has a great reputation.” This natural gourmet sweets shop specializes in allergen-free candies. Still keeping its storefront in Crestline Village at 73 Church St., Watkins will over time be building her workforce from seven employees to approximately 25 once the expansion is complete. Featuring treats that Watkins calls “super duper handmade,” Indie Candy provides sweets that are free from the big eight allergens — wheat, soy, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, dairy, fish and shellfish. “If it’s on the market and fits in our all-natural, allergen-free category, then we have it,” Watkins said. Producing hard candy, chocolate and gummies, Watkins says, “Indie Candy focuses heavily on quality ingredients, keeping things fresh and shipping immediately.” Citing its best-seller as flavored gummies, Indie Candy packages its edibles in festive seasonal wrappings. “Everyone’s gone crazy for our pumpkin pie brittle. We’ll have it packaged in our gift tins for Christmas.” Making it a mission to bring new experiences to candy lovers, young and old, Indie Candy Public Relations Director Beth Norris said, “Watching kids come in and eat their first piece of chocolate is out of control. Women come in all the time who haven’t been able to have candy and ask which section can
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 59
Making Candy
Beth Norris, Indie Candy’s public relations guru, holds a festive Christmas mug full of their delicious hot chocolate mixes.
they have. When we say all of it, they get so excited.” Celebrating brisk Halloween sales, the staff at Indie Candy shipped more than 8,000 individual pieces of candy. Indie Candy does not just make candy for others. They treat themselves, too. Watkins and her family have had trouble finding the right edibles without allergens and food dyes, so she looked to herself to provide the goodies. Mango and cherry gummies are her personal favorites, while Norris says she prefers the truffle apple. Offering alternatives to allergens, Indie Candy can be purchased at its Crestline location or through its website at www.indiecandy.com. New customers can also “like” Indie Candy’s Facebook page to find out what’s cooking in the kitchen. Indie Candy’s move to Moody with its production facilities will be completed soon. The new location is at Moody Acres where Minnie’s Bakery once occupied space. Looking forward to expanding her business, Watkins said, “This is such a big deal for families who haven’t been able to have candy before. We can’t help but feel like what we do matters.” l
60 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Indie Candy owner Hanson Watkins showcases some of her favorite treats.
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 61
Meat On Demand
One local store puts new twist on vending machine business
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Jerry Martin Tucked away in the middle of an aisle at Lil Mart in Odenville is a vending machine that is drawing the curious and the consumer alike. Among the shelves of canned goods, chips, bread and other typical convenience-store fare is a machine that adds a new convenience for shoppers. It actually dispenses meat. Feel like steak for dinner? Got it. How about a pork chop? It’s there. More into Southern comfort food, like sausage? It’s there, too. Just stick your paper money, debit card or credit card into the slot, press the button to make your selection, and one of the shelves spins around to allow the buyer to open the compartment and pull out fresh, packaged meat. It looks much like vending machines that hold sandwiches or juices, but this one gives added convenience to neighborhood shoppers looking for a main course just down the road a bit. Located on US 411 between Odenville and Moody, the store is in a rural area, which means shoppers must travel to larger areas to find a regular grocery store. By having the Smart Butcher machine in the store, it simply gives shoppers an alternative close by. “Quality Meats on the Go” is the Smart Butcher’s slogan. Lil Mart Manager Amir Sagani said a friend of his who had the meat machine asked if he could test it in his store. “I said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it. Let’s see what it will do.’ He can put anything in there — whatever the customer asks
62 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Debra Pack retrieves her sausage from vending machine.
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for, he could put it in there.” The sales are recorded via cell phone. “If it runs out of something, he’ll know.” A week into the placement of the Smart Butcher, sales weren’t so brisk. “People have looked at it,” Lil Mart Manager Amir Sagani said. “But no sales yet.” Then, Debra Pack of Margaret stopped by and was coaxed into trying it. She slipped a bill into the machine, pressed the button for Conecuh Sausage, the shelf whirled around and she reached inside and claimed the first purchase. Will she use it again? “Yeah, I will,” she said. “It’s pretty neat — something quick for supper. It’s perfect.” l
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 63
Business Briefing
Expansions tell story oF more growth Around St. Clair County, business expansions are abundant these days, telling a future of more growth up ahead for this quickly growing county. While much attention centers on new business, existing business provides a strong foundation for growth through expanding their facilities and providing new jobs. St. Clair County Economic Development Council Executive Director Don Smith is encouraged by sizable investments being made in the manufacturing sector. • In Pell City, Eissmann Automotive has invested more than $2.7 million in an expansion and added 40 new jobs. • Andritz, another Pell City-based industry, is investing close to $2 million in expanding its facility and increasing its workforce by 10 percent. • WKW Erbsloeh, also a member of Pell City’s industrial community, has increased employment to more than 600, and officials hope to continue the growth. Recent expansion investments total nearly $80 million, adding more than $20 million in new payroll. • In Springville, Buckner Barrel is in the process of constructing its new facility, which will add more than $2 million in additional manufacturing space and 15
64 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair
employees. • Red Diamond’s new Food Distribution expansion to the campus in Moody will complete the company’s move to St. Clair County with 30 percent more space on the existing campus and the transfer of 50 jobs from the Birmingham area. “St. Clair County has been very fortunate this year to have a number of good expansions in our manufacturing sector,” Smith said. “The competition for company funds is fiercer than ever, and it’s a good sign when our community is selected for new investment instead of dozens of other locations. This new investment in equipment and the new jobs created in turn allows the EDC to be more successful in recruiting retail projects. “New retailers will rarely locate into a community whose economy is not growing.” The EDC has been hard at work in the past several months, cultivating relationships with existing St. Clair County industries in order to secure industrial expansions. “We are glad to see these businesses continue to thrive in this area,” Smith concluded. “Each one of these companies who are expanding are well run and will be in our community for years to come.”
By Amanda Pritchard Photos by Jerry Martin Chick-Fil-A opens in Pell City
Working toward its mission to “Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant,” Chick-Fil-A is making that mission possible by being an innovator of the chicken sandwich. Chick-Fil-A opened its second St. Clair County location in Pell City in November, greeting customers with store promotions like free chicken for a year and premiere night for raving fans. The offer of free chicken was so appealing, customers camped out in the store’s parking lot the night before to be among the first 100. “We’re excited about being in Pell City,” said Pell City store operator Heath Kyle, who has worked for Chick-Fil-A for the past 11 years. “It’s a great opportunity for people to come to another location in St. Clair County.” Calling Chick-Fil-A “not your typical corporation,” Kyle said he was fortunate to have the opportunity to run his own business while at the same time impacting lives. The Pell City location will immediately affect at least 65 people by providing them with jobs. The new Pell City Chick-Fil-A location is a 5,000-square-foot, stand-alone restaurant that seats 144 guests inside and 24 on the outside patio. This location will also have a double drive thru as well as a children’s area.
Publix getting good reviews
Publix is the place “where shopping is a pleasure.” Just ask Pell City residents who are glad to see it in their area. Before the doors even opened back in late August, more than 800 people attended its job fair. “Customers have commented that they are glad to finally have their own Publix,” noted Brenda Reid, Media and Community Relations Manager for Publix. “Many customers are new and discovering the great products and services that we offer. Our fresh-baked cakes and deli fried chicken have been a big hit,” she said. Not only is it going as expected since opening this summer, the location is exceeding expectations. For Publix management, business is not just about sales, it’s about how the community has embraced them. “I have been to many store openings, but never have I seen such a warm and enthusiastic welcome,” Reid said. “(Pell City) Mayor (Bill) Hereford was there for the opening and expressed his appreciation for us opening the store there.” As for the support Publix received at its grand opening, “Hundreds showed up for the grand opening and cheered when we cut the ribbon. You can’t ask for a better welcome.” Not only is Publix proud to be a part of the Pell City community, it also wants to give back. “Publix is proud to support programs focused on youth, education, hunger and homelessness. We just kicked off our ‘Food for Sharing’ food drive in store, and we will be donating the food to the Christian Love Pantry,” she said. “We kicked off our toy drive Nov. 25, and proceeds will go to the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots Campaign. We look forward to getting to know our neighbors and becoming a good steward in the community,” Reid said. “First impressions are very important, so we work hard every day to earn the business of the community.”
Cajun cookin’ coming to Pell City
Pell City’s newest culinary addition is the Bayou Steamer, expected to open in early December in Cropwell Commons. Chef Daniel Salas, who has served as sous chef and in restaurant management for the past few years at various restaurants, said Bayou Steamer will be offering Cajun favorites like Etouffee, gumbo, Jambalaya, blackened fish, steaks and “Gator bites.” “We’ll have boiled crawfish in season” with traditional corn and sausage as well as a crawfish bisque,” he said. Owners are Rick Towery, Rick Otwell and Dennis Smothers, and the restaurant will offer weekly and nightly specials, Salas said. In addition to providing dining, Bayou Steamer will serve beer, wine and has a full bar. Televisions for sports will also be available.
DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 65
Rober Hood, left and Terry Gamble clean boards made at the Alpha Ranch sawmill.
66 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Volunteerism Defined:
Terry & Sandy Gamble, Robert Hood help Alpha Ranch rebuild after April’s deadly tornadoes By Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Jerry Martin “Hear that wind coming down the valley?” asks Sandy Gamble, turning her left ear toward the door, which sounds like it’s about to rattle off its hinges. She laughs nervously. “Yeah, it’s scary. There are no trees now to block it.” Sitting in a folding metal chair in Alpha Ranch’s new shop building, she glances at the door and windows, as if expecting that wind to pick up the shop and carry it away. It wouldn’t be the first time. It happened April 27, when tornadoes tore through Shoal Creek Valley, destroying almost everything in their path. Sandy and her husband, Terry, live in the Clay-Trussville area normally. But nothing has been normal for them since the storms. On May 23, they parked their 26-foot travel trailer at Alpha Ranch on County Road 22, better known as Shoal Creek Road. Volunteers extraordinaire, they have devoted themselves to rebuilding the ranch and helping Gary and Phyllis Liverett rebuild their lives. They came out to Alpha Ranch with Bridgepoint Community Church (ClayChalkville) a few days after the April storms. Their congregation put in half a day helping with the cleanup. “We came home that day crying, saying we can do more than just half a day with the church,” Sandy says. The Gambles met the Liveretts more than 20 years ago, when they worked together at Bridgepoint’s Camp Chula Vista. They had kept in touch, so the Gambles thought about the Liveretts when the storms hit. “We moved here to help clear debris and for her to cook and for me to work,” says Terry, taking a puff from his cigarillo. After the tornadoes, nothing remained of the original 120-by-40-foot shop building but the concrete slab. Used to
Sandy Gamble works in the kitchen at Alpha Ranch.
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 67
Volunteerism Defined
Lumber is stacked after the sawing process at the sawmill at Alpha Ranch. teach trades such as auto repair, carpentry and electrical wiring to the at-risk teenage boys who live at Alpha, its reconstruction was a priority so the Liveretts could store materials and machinery while rebuilding the ranch. Once the shop was 85 percent complete, most volunteers had gone home. Only the Gambles and Robert Hood, an Odenville man who has worked alongside them, remained. “Robert and I did all the finish work,” Terry explains, while keeping a watchful eye on his 28-month-old grandson, Hayden, who is running around in miniature overalls asking grandpa to kiss his boo-boos. “We built the work benches, the cabinets, the roof and walls, did the electrical work and
the plumbing.” With the shop almost complete, attention has turned to rebuilding the two homes destroyed by the tornadoes. One will be occupied by the Crawfords (daughter, son-in-law and nine grandchildren of the Liveretts) and the other by Phyllis and Gary. Maybe the houses will be complete by Christmas, maybe not. Two years ago, Terry retired from Norfolk Southern Railway and the Army Reserves, two positions he held simultaneously for 36 years. He was deployed five out of the final 10 years of reserve duty, serving in the first Gulf War, in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Horn of Africa and Bosnia. His job was humanitarian assistance, rebuilding roads, schools and churches that had
68 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 69
Volunteerism Defined Gary Liverett surveys damage as rebuilding began.
been destroyed by war. He had seen plenty of destruction, yet none of that prepared him for what he found in Shoal Creek Valley after the April storms. “I was shocked at the devastation, but more shocked at the attitudes of the people out here,” Terry says. “These people lost everything, yet you did not see them down. They just took things day by day.” Sandy often cooked breakfast for 50 and lunch for 150 workers and valley residents. At first, she and Terry bought the food, then donations started coming in. “One Saturday we didn’t have any food, and a pipe workers’ union pulled up with barbecue and baked beans,” she says. “We never ran out of food. We couldn’t keep water, Gatorade and ice, though. People were drinking four to six bottles a day during the hot summer. Hardin’s Chapel kept us supplied. I bet they bought 20,000 bottles of water.” Cooking for hundreds of people and building a shop isn’t exactly what the Gambles had planned for their leisure years. They spent the first year of Terry’s retirement traveling the world, aided by Terry’s “space available” status on military flights. They were accustomed to helping people in need, giving money here, a spare bedroom
Two ranch mules look unaffected, but animals suffered tornado’s effects, too.
70 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 71
Volunteerism Defined
Thanks to lots of help and generosity, the sawmill is in operation at Alpha Ranch and a huge boost to rebuilding efforts there.
there, but had never encountered the overwhelming needs they found in Shoal Creek Valley. “What got to me was the sentimental things I saw in the lake after the storms, like the teddy bears and the sofa and the dormers to the Liverett house,” Sandy says. Terry has a brand-new bass boat that didn’t see water all summer, and he is building a street rod that he hasn’t touched in months. He has reduced his work load to three days a week, however, and manages to get in a little hunting. So, what are the Gambles taking away from this experience? “We thought we were going to be blessing other people out here, but we’ve received the blessings,” says Sandy, a retired school teacher. “I had surgery on my hand in Octo-
ber, and I was homesick for this place.” Terry appreciates his new friendship with fellow volunteer, Robert Hood. After school started, most of the other volunteers went home, but the Gambles and Hood remained. “I never knew Robert before all this, but I’ve enjoyed working with him immensely,” Terry says. “Gary will make a list and Robert and I will go down it, checking off as we get something done. We work well together.” Like the Gambles, Hood thought he would put in a few days at the Ranch, then return to his normal routine. “Extreme Ministries (a Pell City-based organization that mobilizes volunteers for construction-related projects) sent out an email through our church (First Baptist of Pell City) asking for volunteers for three weeks,” Hood says. “I said I would
72 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
How you can help Alpha Ranch It has been seven months since a tornado flattened Alpha Ranch, and the rebuilding continues. So does the need for help. “We still need skilled laborers and local woodcutters,” Liverett said. “Monetary donations are always appreciated. We have a long way to go.” The clean-up efforts have produced a lot of firewood, and Liverett said Alpha Ranch could use a volunteer group, a church group or youth group with adult supervision to split and stack wood. Donations may be made to: Alpha Ranch, P.O. Box 99, Ragland, AL 35131. To contact Liverett, call 205-368-0530. work three days, Monday through Wednesday, for those three weeks. The need was so great, after one day I realized that wasn’t going to be enough.” Hood says he could find plenty to do at his house, such as picking up limbs and raking leaves, but in Shoal Creek, he gets a sense of satisfaction knowing he’s giving something back to the community. A retired plant manager for O’Neal Steel, he is accustomed to volunteering, though. For eight years he put in 2,000 hours a year as a certified reserve deputy sheriff for St. Clair County. He gave that up in 2008 when congestive heart failure made it difficult to wrestle detainees to the ground. He had never wielded a hammer much or installed a toilet before his stretch at Alpha. “Now I’ve done roofing, plumbing, wiring, carpentry, I’ve set trusses, whatever needed to be done,” he says. “But I tell people I just come out here for the lunches.”
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Volunteerism Defined A new building is being built at Alpha Ranch while rubble from the stom still litters the water nearby.
Neither the Gambles nor Hood know when their lives will regain a sense of normalcy. “We’ll go home for Christmas, but we won’t go home permanently until the Lord tells us to,” Sandy Gamble says. “How much longer will I be here? My wife wants to know, too,” says Hood. “She has no problem with it, though. Since the latter part of September, I’ve cut back to three days. I volunteer two days a week for the county, filing papers at the courthouses in Ashville and Pell City.” Ann Bobo, Terry’s first cousin and fellow church member, says the Gambles always have been very giving, very kind people who love to
do things for others. “They are always willing to help somebody out, but privately so that they don’t get any accolades for it,” she says. Gary Liverett can’t say enough good things about Hood and the Gambles. “Terry and Sandy have such heart. Sandy has helped feed people up and down the valley. They are a good example of what real volunteerism is,” he states. “Most people have gone back home. They’ve sacrificed and stayed.” He never knew Hood until he came out with Extreme Ministries. “He has worked constantly and tirelessly; he, too, is the epitome of volunteerism,” Liverett said. l
74 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 75
Brilliant mind yields practical solutions Master ‘tinkerer’ turning heads around the world Story by Mike Bolton Photos by Jerry Martin
For those who have never met St. Clair County’s Wayne Keith, the first impression is never what was expected. To the Mother Earth News crowd to whom he is becoming a cult hero of sorts, he doesn’t have the long hair and tie-dyed T-shirt they envisioned. To the college professors who are flying him across the U.S. to speak to distinguished panels so his vast knowledge may be harvested, he’s neither the polished engineer with a pocket protector full of slide rules or the quirky inventor that they might have imagined. Wayne Keith is just a 63-year-old farmer in overalls who likes to tinker. “He’s just a regular guy” is the resounding response from those who meet him for the first time. On this morning, Keith arrives at the Jack’s in Springville, and his old, wood-burning Dodge truck that is causing such a stir across the U.S. and in foreign countries doesn’t even get a second glance. An old pickup truck with three big drums in the back is as common of a sight in Alabama as Hoverounds are in south Florida. Inside, he joins the gathering of old men who assemble daily at what they jokingly refer to as the table of knowledge. There, the old men sip coffee and feign genius as they attempt to solve the world’s problems. Keith’s presence in the group is a paradox. To the old men, he’s just Wayne, the local farmer that they have known all of their lives. He is unique, however, in that he’s actually a genius solving the world’s problems. While the old men tell their stories, Keith doesn’t bother to explain that he has just returned from the Go-Green Festival in Missouri, where his wood-burning truck was held in great awe by patrons. Nor does he explain that he was the keynote speaker at the Envi-
76 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Keith’s truck can travel up to 90 miles per hour. December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 77
Inventive mind
Windmills damaged by tornado once powered property, resulting in an electric bill of $30 a month. ronmental Protection Agency’s national convention in Atlanta. There, the good old boy armed with nothing more than a Springville High diploma was surrounded by some of the most-educated environmental scholars in the world. “When I sit on these panels, I’m the only one that doesn’t have Ph.D at the end of my name,” he says from the log cabin he built in the woods near the St. Clair Correctional Facility in St. Clair Springs. “It’s always a little humbling.” Before Keith got the world’s scholars attention with a truck that burns firewood instead of gas and travels 5,200 miles on a cord of firewood, he says he was just another bored high school student and an uninspired worker who was unhappy with his job for four decades. “In high school, all I cared about was hunting, fishing and building stuff,” he said. “Going to college was never considered. “I worked in the engineering department of a trailer manufacturing plant, and I spent five years building
The Keiths in the log cabin they built.
78 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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small trailers on my own. I was a Springville policeman for years with the K-9 unit, and then I went to St. Clair Prison as the dog trainer there. The whole time I farmed.” The entire time he was working in a controlled environment, he yearned for something else, he says. An avid reader, he once read about vehicles from several countries being forced to run off of burning wood because gas was in short supply during World War II. That piqued his interest. “When we had the oil crisis in the United States in 1973, and the price of gas shot up, I began reading more and more on the process of gasification (burning bio-mass to convert into a flammable vapor),” he said. “I learned everything I could find out about it. “But in 1974, the oil embargo was lifted, and gas prices went back down. I just kind of forgot about it.” Keith became somewhat of a noted tinkerer and inventor in the years that followed. He built a sawmill from junk steel he gathered from around his farm, and he cut wood for locals wanting to build their own homes. He estimates he has cut lumber for about 60 local homes. He eventually cut wood from his own farm and built his own
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 79
Keith fuels up his truck with chipped wood.
80 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
Inventive mind Setting the world speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats. log cabin on the property. The beautiful home boasts oak floors and beams as well as numerous other woods throughout. “No other human hands except those of me and my wife touched the cabin while we were building it,” he said. “We never bought anything to build the house except nails. “The sawmill has operated 12 years, and there has never been a breakdown.” Building your own home isn’t that big of a deal for many in rural Alabama, but Keith’s next invention got local tongues wagging. He took scrap metal from his farm and built what he called a “Flying Jenny.” The carnival-like ride had kids across the county clamoring for a ride, especially when they learned it would toss them in a nearby creek. But it was Keith’s next project and the increasing cost of electricity that made local adults sit up and take notice. The 63 year-old built two windmills on his farm near his house, and the wind-driven fans supplied more than half of the electricity needs for his home. Soon after, others wanted plans, so they could build their own on their farms. “The windmills have a generator that direct current to a battery bank,” he explained. “The battery bank has an inverter that converts the battery power into power that can run your home.” Those windmills were destroyed in a storm earlier this year, but he plans to build them back. Keith insists he is neither an environmental nut nor should he be a hero to the “Green” crowd, but almost reluctantly he admits he more and more is being seen as such. He insists he’s just a tinkerer who is looking for a cheaper way of getting through everyday life. “I’m not a tree hugger,” he says with a laugh, “but if something I build allows me to do things more cheaply and it is more environmentally friendly, that’s fine, too.” Gas prices fuel Keith’s innovation again Rising gas prices in recent years once again piqued Keith’s interest in the wood-burning powered vehicles of World War II. “I drew a line in the sand and decided that in 2004 if gas hit $1.50 a gallon, I was going to do something,” he said. “When gas reached that point, I started studying.” The worldwide availability of cheap gasoline and the inefficiency of wood-burning vehicles caused the gasification process to pretty much be ignored following World War II. Keith
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 81
Inventive mind Keith aboard his truck at sunrise.
by no means invented the process, but scholars say what he is done has perfected it to the point that it has now become viable. What gasification does is take a bio-mass, such as dried wood, and burn it in a low-oxygen container. That converts the burning bio-mass into a combination of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane, the vapors of which are flammable. The vapors are piped from the three containers (one of which is a fuel filter made from hay) in the back of the truck to the engine where it burns like gasoline. Auburn University and Texas A&M have run extensive tests on Keith’s trucks and have come up with startling conclusions. Since the vehicle completely burns the wood and emits no smoke, it results in 70 percent lower emissions than the total electric vehicles on the market today. The only real emissions are the ashes which are called bio-char, and they make excellent fertilizers for gardens. There is also water condensation that must be drained. Tests show the process is 37 percent more fuel efficient than gasoline. David L. Bransby, professor of bioenergy and bioproducts at Auburn University, says Keith is not some country bumpkin inventor. He says Keith’s near perfection of the gasification process has created interest across the U.S. and world. “He’s an extremely smart individual,” Bransby said. “I know of no well-qualified engineers that have been able
to accomplish what he’s done. And he’s done it without any college education. His understanding of the process is exceptional.” Keith’s plans are to work out a few more kinks in the process and then apply for patents. At that point, he plans to sell the process to a company that will convert trucks from gas to wood-burning. Land-grant universities from across the country are interested in the process for an entirely different application. Bransby says he doesn’t see the process as being viable for most U.S. drivers but sees it as a low-cost source of energy for farms. An internal combustion engine coupled with a generator could produce electricity to power chicken houses and cattle operations and the waste-heat generated from the engine’s exhaust could supply heating needs. Meanwhile, Keith is traveling the country speaking to universities about the process. He’s spoken in Michigan three times and in Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida and other states. He even drove one of his trucks to the Bonneville Salt Flats, where he set a world speed record for wood-burning vehicles. “Some of these trips, as the one to Bonneville, are up to 2,000 miles round-trip,” Keith said. “You may literally see 1 million vehicles on the road on a trip like that. “It’s pretty neat to think that you are the only one running off of wood.” l
82 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair | December 2011 - January 2012
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December 2011 - January 2012 | DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • 83