Discover The Essence of St. Clair February and March 2022

Dowsing to Find Graves • Royals and Rebels Springville Growth • Pell City Retail • The Depot Construction

February & March 2022

Iron Bowl Tradition

A family divided on football grabs headlines

The Right Path Pell City man finds future on hiking adventures

OUTDOORS SLINGSHOT COMPETITION COMES TO HORSE PENS 40, ULTIMATE CAMPING COT AND MORE

One of our best is St. Clair’s best, too!

Family Man, Community Leader, and Lawyer

Congratulations, Lance Bell!

Voted Best Lawyer in St. Clair County by the readers of Discover Magazine

tfrbf.com | 1905 First Avenue South Pell City | Phone: 205-338-7273 | Fax 205-338-6094

No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.

Discover The Essence of St. Clair February & March 2022

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40

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RIGHT PATH

GRAVE DOWSING

SLINGSHOTS

Pell City native finds his future on hiking trail

Finding where the bones are buried

Southeast tournament comes to Horse Pens 40

Traveling the Backroads Royals and Rebels

Iron Bowl Tradition Bell Family love of game becomes national story Eric Bell: Auburn’s No. 1 fan Toomer’s tree connection in Pell City

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Page 22

Outdoors Section

Page 38 GO-KOT, the bed you can take anywhere made here Page 48 Ethan’s Heart and GO-KOT on a mission together Page 56

St. Clair Business Page 27 Page 28

About THE Cover

Springville retail growth The Depot construction Pell City retail bonanza CVEC chief retires, Cullimore promoted

Page 58 Page 62 Page 68 Page 70

Taking aim at Southeastern Slingshot Tournament at Horse Pens 40. Photo by Mackenzie Free.

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Writers AND Photographers Carol Pappas

Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines during her career. She won dozens of writing awards and was named Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn University.

She serves as president/CEO of Partners by Design, which publishes Discover.

Roxann Edsall

Paul South Paul South, a native of Fairfield, is an Au¬burn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, he had a versa¬tile career as reporter, columnist and first full-time sports information director at Samford University.

Elaine Hobson Miller

Roxann Edsall is a freelance writer and former managing editor of Convene Magazine, a convention industry publication. She has a degree in (broadcast) journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, worked as a television news reporter in Biloxi and as a reporter and assignments editor in Birmingham.

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.

Loyd McIntosh

Scottie Vickery

Loyd McIntosh is a freelance writer and marketing professional originally from Trussville.

He has contributed to more than 30 online and print publications. Loyd is also a former reporter and sports writer for several newspapers throughout the Southeast, including The Daily Home, and was the managing editor for The Cahaba Times and Upper90 Magazine.

Scottie Vickery is a writer with a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and was a reporter for The Birmingham News.

Her first assignment was covering St. Clair and Blount counties. She has more than 30 years of writing and editing experience and her work has appeared in a variety of publications. She also has worked in the nonprofit industry.

Linda Long

Wallace Bromberg Jr.

Linda Long has worked in communications for more than 25 years in print, broadcast, nonprofit promotion and event planning and implementation. Her writing has appeared in publications across the state. She served as news and special projects producer for NBC13 News, where her work won national, regional and state honors, including two Emmy Award nominations.

Wally was born in Birmingham. He graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 1973, and went on to Auburn University where he graduated in 1976 with his B.A. in history and minors in German and education. Wally’s skills in photography blossomed during college.

Upon graduation, he entered his father’s business, National Woodworks, Inc.

Meghan Frondorf Meghan Frondorf is a professional photographer and co-founder of Mac + Meg Collective.

She has been doing photography for 12 years locally & across the country. She enjoys doing nature/freelance and lifestyle photography.

Robert Debter Robert Debter was raised on his family’s Hereford farm in Blount County and previously served as vice president of the Blount County Historical Society. He has been the archive director of the Ashville Museum & Archives since May 2016 and traces three branches of his ancestry to St. Clair County in 1820.

Kelsey Bain As the owner of Kelsey Bain Photography, Kelsey is a regular contributor of photos and editorials for our publications. An Alabama native and graduate of Auburn University, Kelsey now resides on Logan Martin lake with her husband Adam and their daughter, Sawyer.

Mackenzie Free Mackenzie Free is a Birmingham native now residing in Steele. She has been practicing photography for 8 years and been featured in several nationally publicized magazines. She is co-founder of Mac + Meg Collective.

From the Editor

‘Think big’ and ‘What if ’

Over the years, my philosophy has always been to ‘think big.’ Whether it was in business or in personal endeavors, my sentences usually begin with “What if …?”, coming at it from what can be, not what stands in the way.

That’s why I’m particularly drawn to many of the stories in this edition of the magazine. They all are rooted in the ‘what if’ concept – seizing opportunities and making the most of them.

For a retired military couple in Ashville who wanted to go into business, they got it off the ground – literally – by sticking to their core belief of supporting local by making it locally.

They make cots for a living, but not just any cot. Chances are if you’re in the military or a serious camper, you’ve gotten off the ground yourself with a GO-KOT® they manufactured right here in St. Clair County.

Bennett Fisher shares the notion. He’s what they call a thruhiker. Wikipedia defines it as “the act of hiking an established end-to-end trail or long-distance trail with continuous footsteps in one direction.” Along the Pacific Crest Trail, this Pell City native reimagined the technical sun shirt, went to school in Utah to study outdoor product design, designed and sewed his own prototype. He successfully tested it along the Continental Divide Trail, created his own company – Jolly Gear Apparel – and launched it.

That entrepreneurial spirit isn’t lost on Mike Ennis, pastor of Faith Community Fellowship Springville Campus. He and others saw the need for a community center rather than a church only. So, they thought big, and the end result will be a 60,000-square-foot project on 20.43 acres on U.S. 11 containing space for everything from physical fitness and education to arts and worship.

Called The Depot, referencing the city’s history as a train stop, it includes a community café and catering kitchen, multipurpose areas, conference rooms, coworking spaces, a teen center, independent living and two auditoriums. Built in

Discover

two phases, it will house a pre-school and K-8 Esteem Academy as well. Overseen by a nonprofit organization, it will truly be a community center with the church only as a tenant.

We see that same visionary nature in new business heading St. Clair County’s way. Developer Bill Ellison saw a need for national retail chains for his adopted home of Pell City, so residents don’t have to travel to bigger cities to shop. Just announced is a 19-acre retail development on the old county hospital property fronting Interstate 20. Big names like Hobby Lobby and T.J.Maxx are now expected to call Pell City home.

At Horse Pens 40 up on Chandler Mountain – already a destination point for world-class bouldering, a songwriting festival, bluegrass festival and craft fair – the owners took aim at hosting the Southeast Regional Slingshot Tournament. And they were right on target, hitting the mark with shooters from all around.

There’s plenty more in this issue of Discover. Turn the page and discover it all with us.

Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher

The Essence of St. Clair

February & March 2022 • Vol. 64 • www.discoverstclair.com

Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer Dale Halpin • Advertising Toni Franklin • Graphic Designer Brandon Wynn • Director Online Services

A product of Partners by Design www.partnersmultimedia.com 1911 Cogswell Avenue Pell City, AL 35125 205-335-0281

Printed at Russell Printing, Alexander City, AL 7

Bennett Fisher, also known as Jolly, on Continental Divide Trail in Tetons 8

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

2018 Pacific Crest Trail in Goat Rocks Wilderness in Washington in front of Mount Ranier

The right path Pell City native discovers his future along hiking trail Story by Scottie Vickery Photos courtesy of Bennett Fisher When Bennett Fisher agreed to hike the Appalachian Trail with his father after his high school graduation, he thought the trip would buy him some time before making major life decisions. But somewhere along the 2,189-mile trek he took to avoid thinking about his future, the Pell City native discovered it instead.

“I didn’t know where I wanted to go to college or what I wanted to do, and I figured it would allow me to put the decision off a bit,” said Bennett, a 2015 Pell City High School graduate. “But while we were backpacking, the people we met were really cool, the gear was really cool, and I started thinking it would be fun to be a designer.”

Seven years later, Bennett’s dream, which started taking shape on that trail, is a reality.

Last October, he launched his online company, Jolly Gear (jollygearapparel.com), which

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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The right path

Photo by Tommy Corey

Continental Divide Trail, 2021.

From left, Wildcard, Rocket, Turbo, Jesus, Poison, Jolly, Walkie Talkie, Mittens and Salty

offers the hybrid sun shirt he designed to meet a hiker’s every need.

It’s fast drying, offers sun and odor protection, and unlike most outdoor shirts available, it’s a vibrant, colorful creation that looks great in photos.

He named the shirt the Triple Crown Button Down Sun Hoodie, a nod to the Triple Crown of Hiking: conquering the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide.

“It’s where fun meets functional,” said Bennett, quoting the tagline on the Jolly Gear logo. “I really enjoy the outdoors, and I like to problem-solve. I wanted to design something and make it different, better and special. People are buying them, and I’m just overjoyed.”

The first steps The summer before Bennett’s senior year of high school, he was at the beach with his parents, Henry and Vicki Fisher, when they saw a father teaching his son to catch a wave. “I was joking around and said, ‘I wish my parents were cool enough to teach me to surf,’” he recalled. “My father said, ‘Well, if you want a cool dad, why don’t we hike the Appalachian Trail next summer?’”

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Pacific Crest Trail, 2017, in the Sierra Nevadas on Glen Pass. From left, Dustin, Jolly, Cola, Lunch

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

Jolly on Continental Divide Trail in Teton Wilderness along Teton Crest Trail

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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

The right path Bennett agreed, and a few months later he posted about it on Instagram. “My dad texted me and said, ‘Oh, you’re serious.

I guess we’re doing this,’” he said. “We’d never backpacked before. I grew up camping, and we’d take day hikes, but we’d never loaded up a backpack with four days of food and set out with no vehicle or anything. I knew nothing.”

His father researched gear and got what they needed, but Bennett didn’t give the trip a lot of thought in advance. “The day we left was the first time I’d fully loaded my pack,” he said. “My friends asked all these ‘what if’ questions – what if you get hurt, what if the weather is bad – but my plan was that I was just going to walk.”

The trek, which stretches from Georgia to Maine, took 5 ½ months, and Bennett was a different person when they finished in December. “I had some of the most real conversations I’d ever had with my dad,” he said. “He told me that he wanted to prove to himself that he could still do something that was epic.”

Bennett didn’t know it then, but each step he took brought him closer to his own epic adventure: designing a product, launching a brand and becoming a business owner at 24.

“Right now, this is a side hustle, but I can see it becoming something much bigger,” he said.

The winding trail Bennett, now 25, has always loved the outdoors, but he was surprised at how many other people seemed to, as well. Hikers were everywhere on the Appalachian Trail, and “I thought, ‘There are jobs here; people are doing this,’” he said, adding that the hiking community has grown tremendously since 2015.

He came home, enrolled at Jefferson State Community College and graduated in the spring of 2017. During his last semester, he began preparing to hike the Pacific Crest Trail with a friend while also researching options for the next phase of his education.

He stumbled across Utah State, which offered a major in outdoor product design and development. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I’d had the idea to work for a brand like Osprey or Patagonia, and I thought I could get a degree in this and work for a company like that. Plus, I’d always wanted to go to Utah. It seemed like kind of a mystical place to me.”

To make it work, Bennett needed to save some money. He decided to take a gap year and enroll in the fall of 2018. In the meantime, he and a buddy set off to conquer the 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, which starts at the Mexican border in southern California and winds through Oregon and Washington before ending at the Canadian border.

It was a lofty goal, and Bennett made it halfway before breaking his ankle. Although he was disappointed, he wasn’t giving up on his hiking goals or the dreams for his future. He found jobs at an outdoor apparel store and an indoor climbing facility, put some money aside and learned he’d earned a scholarship that made his Utah adventure possible.

“Before school started, I finally did the whole Pacific Crest Trail that summer,” Bennett said. In addition to marking the hike off his bucket list, he got the inspiration for the Triple Crown Button Down he would eventually design.

“You become pretty close to people pretty fast when you’re backpacking because you spend so much time together,”

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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The right path

Bennett said. “You meet folks out there, and they become your trail family – the people you camp with, eat with, hike with.”

One hiker he met was a guy named Max. “He was wearing his mother’s gardening shirt, which had a hood, long sleeves, and buttons,” Bennett recalled. “At the time, everyone had to choose between a sun hoodie, which didn’t have buttons (allowing you to open the shirt to catch a breeze), or a fishing shirt. The rest of the trail, I kept thinking that I wanted to design something like that.”

Pacific Crest Trail, 2018, finish photo at northern terminus monument on Canada Border.

Clockwise: Jolly, Frick, Lightning and Red Cross.

From video shoot in Logan, Utah, for launch of Jolly Gear

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Triple Crown design The thought made him even more excited about school, but once in Utah, he grew discouraged. “All these people had been in art classes growing up, and they were all light-years ahead of me,” he said. Being several years older than his classmates didn’t help either, and “it was pretty intimidating to be around such talented folks.”

Despite his doubts, Bennett continued to do what he’s always done: he just kept going. Two sewing classes were required for his major, and that’s when everything started falling into place. In the first class, he had to make either a jacket or a shirt, and his Triple Crown Button Down first came to life. “It took me 72 hours to hand-sew that first prototype,” he said.

The shirt was a combination of a Performance Fishing Gear shirt and a sun hoodie. Thumb holes in the sleeves offered sun protection for the hands while the hood protected the neck. Two zipper pockets on the chest are perfect for holding a phone or wallet.

“I combined a button down and sun hoodie into one; there’s no more compromise,” Bennett said. “At that point, I thought I had just made the shirt for myself, and I was pretty proud of it.” His confidence grew when he earned a perfect score, and the shirt was named runner-up in a vote by his classmates.

His final semester, he took a class on logo design and branding. “We had to create a fake company and a fake clothing line,” he said. The logo he designed was an outline of a man’s face with a long beard, which is actually an image of a pine cone. He landed on Jolly Gear for the name, in honor of the nickname he got on the Appalachian Trail.

“They called me Jolly because I was very positive and optimistic,” he said, adding that long-distance hikers go by nicknames. “Most of the time, people give you the name. My dad was Powerslide because he slipped on the rocks a lot but still managed not to fall.”

Launching a dream At the time, Bennett thought he was just completing a class project, but graduating in May 2020 in the middle of a pandemic made him rethink things. “I graduated when no one was hiring, and everyone was getting laid off,” he said. “All of these outdoor companies were letting people go. How was I, a guy with no experience, going to get a job over people who had been doing this for 10 years?”

He found a job as a software tester and decided to launch Jolly Gear on the side. He offers hats and T-shirts, as well, but the star is the Triple Crown Button Down, which features all of Bennett’s must-haves. The four-way stretch fabric is extremely lightweight, odor-resistant and offers UPF-50 sun protection.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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The right path Fly fishing in Logan, Utah, where he lives now. Photo is from video made for Jolly Gear launch.

In addition to thumb holes, there’s a hair hole and cinch cord in the hood, and most importantly, it’s bright and colorful. “I wanted to have fun patterns” so it would stand out from the typical solid khaki, gray, light blue or yellow options. Longdistance hikers typically wear one shirt for weeks or months at a time, and “I wanted to create something you’d be proud to show in every single picture on the trail,” he said.

In an effort to earn his own Triple Crown, Bennett was hiking the Continental Divide, which spans some 3,100 miles through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, when the first samples were finished last summer.

He had some shipped to himself, and he and a few members of his trail family picked them up together. “We literally ripped our shirts off in the post office and tried them on,” he said.

“I had never seen the print in person, and the size of the flowers was exactly what I had imagined,” he said. “Eight of us wore them on the trail and out to dinner. They got a lot of attention, and everybody loved them. People have told me it’s the fastest-drying shirt they’ve ever had.”

While Bennett hoped to earn his Triple Crown while wearing his Triple Crown Button Down, he fractured his left foot 1,650 miles into the trip. He plans to pick up the trail where he left off and finish the hike this summer, but he’s thrilled that one of his seven friends who wore the shirt finished and earned his Triple Crown in style.

Despite having been worn for thousands of sweaty miles, the shirt “still looks beautiful,” Bennett said. “He actually wore it on a date a few days later. I was so excited – it’s everything I hoped for and more.” l

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Appalachian Trail, 2015, to raise money and awareness for a young friend’s illness.

Meeting up with him and his father on trail from left: grandmother, June Adonis Fisher; mother, Vicki Fisher; father, Henry Fisher, AKA Powerslide, and aunt, Sarah Engstrom.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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Traveling the

BACKROADS

Royals and Rebels

The story of Judge James T. Green and his family

Inzer House, home of Judge John W. Inzer in Ashville. He was Greene’s law partner.

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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

Story by Robert Debter Photos submitted From its nondescript exterior, it looks just like many a building scattered throughout Alabama, just an old National Guard armory that has seen better years. But what or who – lies underneath – is the story here.

It may mark the end of an era for this St. Clair County couple, but it preserves the story behind the beginning of their life and lineage in the county, rooted long ago in royalty.

James Thomason Greene was born on Feb. 2, 1849, to John Greene, who was born in Cork County, Ireland, in 1814, and came to America in 1832, and Elizabeth (Thomason) Greene, a descendant of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Elizabeth’s father, James Thomason, served as St. Clair County’s first probate judge from Nov. 20, 1818–Nov. 20, 1819, and her brother, John Isham Thomason, also served a probate judge from Dec. 13, 1845–Jan. 15, 1848, and Jan. 30, 1850–June 8, 1850.

Her grandfather, John Duett Thomason, was a Revolutionary War soldier who held a commission in the Carolina Regiment and was wounded at the Battle of King’s Mountain. After the war he made his way through South Carolina and Georgia, he came to St. Clair County. He had acquired many acres in modern day Springville and St. Clair Springs through a land lottery for men with Revolutionary War service.

It was this patriot who married Elizabeth Stuart Diamond, and their final resting place is underneath the Ashville Armory. Elizabeth’s mother, also named Elizabeth, was born into the House of Stuart and was listed in Burke’s Peerage until her name was removed after she married a commoner named John Diamond.

Charles Dickens once said, “In love of home, the love of country has its rise.” It seems a fitting proverb for John Duett Thomason and one that was transferred to his granddaughter and great-grandson. Elizabeth was an ardent Southern patriot who, in the tumultuous and dark military rule of Ashville following the subversion of the Confederate government, raised the Confederate flag on a fishing pole line each morning. According to legend, she slept under the flag each night for she said that this gave her a sense of complete safety and security.

At the age of 13, James enlisted as private in the Confederate States Army and served until ill health forced him to leave service.

The young James was a public, spirited man and in 1871 and began reading law. The next year saw him admitted to the bar and also appointed to register in chancery, a position which he would hold until 1880.

From 1876–1881, he served as chief clerk to Judge Leroy Franklin Box, later state superintendent of education, at his office in Montgomery. Greene would go on to represent St. Clair County in the Alabama State Legislature from 1884 to 1886 and during his term was chairman of the Committee on Education.

He continued to serve the people of St. Clair County as probate judge, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and uncle, from Sept. 14, 1887–Nov. 1, 1892. Judge Greene practiced law in Ashville from 1872–1876, 1881–1886 and 1892–1901. He also opened the “Law Office of Inzer & Greene” with Judge John W. Inzer in Ashville. His son,

Judge James T. Greene Gardner Greene, would one day study law.

On October 13, 1873, he married Margaret Ashley and to them were born 10 children: Otis, Claude, James Gardner, who be known for his heroism in World War I, Postelle, Evelyn, Ethel, Margaret, Marie, Nelle and John Benjamin.

Judge Greene was a Mason and a member and Worshipful Master of Cataula Lodge No. 186 in Ashville, a member of Lodge No. 443 in Anniston; a royal host of Anniston chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Chancellor Commander of Anniston lodge, No. 46, Knights of Pythias. He was also an Elk and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Judge Greene died on April 10, 1910, in Pell City while trying to recover from a severe cold that had settled on his lungs. His obituary notes, “He was one of St. Clair’s most distinguished citizens and by his strength of character and kindly disposition had held the love of our people for several generations.”

His son, the gallant World War I hero Gardner Greene, was born in Ashville on April 16, 1878, and after finishing his primary education, studied at the Inzer & Greene Law Office, run by his father and Judge John Washington Inzer at Ashville. He was licensed to practice law in 1897.

At the age of 20, the young lawyer volunteered for the Spanish-American War and served with distinction as a private and non-commissioned officer. In 1900, he entered the George Washington University Law School, graduated in 1901, and soon after, he entered service in the United States Census Bureau. In 1908 he opened a law office in Pell City and continued to practice there until he entered service in the Army.

Greene organized the Pell City Guards, known as “Company C” Fourth Alabama in 1915 – before the regiment was demobilized, war was declared on Germany, and the Fourth Alabama became the 167th United States Infantry.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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Traveling the

Company C, Rainbow Division

BACKROADS

Gardner Greene

It was one of the regiments of the now famous “Rainbow Division.”

Captain Greene, in command of Company C, sailed for France and entered the trenches of the Toul sector early in 1918. He served continuously with his company until July 31, when he was gassed, but under skillful treatment recovered and returned to command his company in late August.

On September 12, 1918, while leading his troops into battle with the German forces in the Saint Mihiel sector, fire from a machine gun struck him in the forehead, and he died instantly.

He was buried at the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial in Lorraine, France.

Greene was universally loved and respected and was popular in his regiment. He was a Mason, a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and one of the leaders of the St. Clair County Bar. Nearly a century before, his ancestors would be laid to rest in Ashville’s first cemetery, where the armory stands now. On a corner of the building, a plaque commemorates the royalty – both of historic nobility and local legends.

It simply reads: ELIZABETH DIAMOND THOMASON 1739-1829 7th Gen. from Mary Queen of Scots John Thomason, R.S. 1724-1825

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Editor’s Note: The name in all capital letters denotes her royal roots, niece of Queen Anne of the House of Stuart. The R.S. following his name signifies, Revolutionary Soldier. The plaque was dedicated in 1989 by the Broken Arrow Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution. l

Plaque on Ashville Armory

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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IRON BOWL TRADITION Bell family love of game becomes national story of Auburn-Alabama rivalry

Drone view of tailgate party in the front field at Merrymon’s house

Story and photos by Carol Pappas Photos courtesy of Bell family Alabamians know there’s only two answers to this question: “Who’re you for?” As one old sports editor once wrote, “It needs no further explanation.”

“Auburn,” says one. “Alabama,” says the other. The replies come quickly and easily. Which answer depends on which way you lean. But make no mistake, you lean one way or the other. Have to. After all, this is Alabama.

No one knows that much better than the Bell family of Pell City. Around here, they would call it a mixed marriage of allegiances. Part of the family roots for the orange and blue of Auburn. Other parts pull for the red and white of the Crimson Tide.

Their passion for their teams runs as deeply as their roots in the family. So, it’s no small wonder that when CBS was looking for the perfect story to illustrate the intense rivalry known as the Iron Bowl, they uncovered a treasured tradition – just like the Bells did nearly four decades ago.

“In the late summer of 1982, my dad was a contractor,

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and he was digging footing for a home in Skyline,” a Logan Martin Lake subdivision, recalled Mack Bell. At the time, it was one of the first homes being built there.

When his father’s backhoe dug its first scoop, they heard a loud metallic clank. “It was an old iron pot full of dirt,” he said. “It had been there for years,” estimated at 140 to 150 years old.

“Mom cleaned it up,” Bell said, and it eventually led to a decades-old tradition for this family split by alliances. What better way to commemorate the Iron Bowl than with, well, an iron bowl?

Every year, the Bell family has a Christmas party, and talk naturally leads to ‘the game.’ Mack’s side of the family is Alabama. Cousin Jimmy’s side is Auburn. That year, 1982, Bo (Jackson) went over the top and Auburn won the title of Iron Bowl champion for the first time in 10 years.

Mack told his father, Bill, “This Christmas, let’s give the iron bowl to Jimmy.” Bill did indeed present the bowl to his nephew but with a playful nod to their opposite allegiance, he told him, “Here’s your bowl, and you know where to put it.”

And thus began the tradition.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

Mack and Brenda Bell on camera

IRON BOWL TRADITION

CBS crew getting the story CBS ENTERS THE PICTURE The national network, CBS, aired the game in 2021.

Producers wanted to put together a five-minute story as part of its pregame coverage to show viewers across the nation just how divided the rivalry is in Alabama.

Through research, they found an old newspaper story about the Bells’ iron bowl trophy, and they started trying to contact Jimmy. When he saw the New Jersey number coming up, he thought it was a scam. Voicemails to the contrary still didn’t convince him so he didn’t return the call.

Finally, CBS staff contacted the local newspaper that ran the original story and got in touch with Jimmy, saying, “Call this guy. He’s for real.”

Jimmy obliged but warned CBS not to come if they were going to portray the family as a bunch of rednecks from Alabama. Assurances satisfied the Bells, and a CBS crew arrived a couple of weeks before the game.

They spent hours filming, interviewing and re-enacting the awarding of the trophy and condensed it into a five-minute segment viewed across the nation. They even provided a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings to recreate the meal. Bright lights, moving furniture and placing everything

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just so turned Bell’s house in Pell City’s Hunting Ridge into a real set for a television show.

“Three big cameras, lighting, monitors” – and the stage was set, but not before they changed all the light bulbs and took out the TVs to cut reflection. A drone flew over the house, capturing even more footage. “Obviously, it’s an experience we won’t ever have again,” Jimmy said.

TRADITION CONTINUES The experience they will have – over and over again, they hope, is the passing of the trophy from family member to family member.

In the beginning, they passed it around for three years with just the score noted. “Uncle Dick,” Mack’s uncle and Jimmy’s father, Dick Bell, presented a new version when it was his turn – a base with plaques commemorating the member of the family who received it along with year and score. The deceased have their plaques inside the base, which is open to the back to read in remembrance. The trophy tradition is now on its second base, ready for a third.

Dick Bell had saved wood from an old barn on the Scott farm, which had been built of heart pine, pegs and square

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

Olivia Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

The iron bowl nails. He had the first base made and saved the wood to continue the tradition after he was gone. Small brass plaques affixed to the base were for the names.

As for the potential for towering bases underneath that old iron bowl, Jimmy said, “I hope it looks like the Indy 500 trophy,” which is over five feet tall.

Whoever receives it each year has the honor of choosing the next recipient. “It’s a reason for us to get together,” said Mack.

“It’s a secret until they get it.”

More family are coming to the party because of the interest in the trophy, Jimmy said. As for the recipient, “They’re happy until they realize they have to give the next party.” The family gets together a week or two after the ballgame for a gathering full of family, fellowship, fun … and football.

“It was a tradition we thought would last a year or two, but Dad and Uncle Dick spurred it on,” said Mack.

And, of course, talk naturally turns to the game. “Obviously, the subject of the ballgame comes up,” Jimmy said, calling the 2021 version “a heartbreaker,” when Auburn lost in quadruple overtime. “It works both ways,” he added, noting the Bell version of the series is even. He counted the plaques this year – 18 on each side.

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Stay-at-home tailgating during pandemic DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

25

IRON BOWL TRADITION

From left, Mack and Brenda Bell, Yvonne and Jimmy Bell sport their colors

They can rattle off memorable moments in those 36 games, just like ‘Who’re you for,’ they need no further explanation to fans around these parts. “Bo over the top,” Kick Six, 1989 – the first time it was played in Auburn and Tiffin’s kick.

Mack and Jimmy talk of their earliest memories, going to Legion Field without a ticket but getting in anyway. Jimmy remembers his grandfather stopping at the old Golden Rule in Irondale on the way to pick up a bagful of barbecue and Cokes. “As a young kid, that was a highlight.”

His wife, Yvonne, adds a biblical reference for the lifetime of traditions. “Train up a child, and he won’t depart from it.”

Mack’s wife, Mary, agreed. “We’ve got to keep the younger generation involved and continuing the tradition.

“It’s third generation now, and the fourth is coming.”

Mack, now retired and many years removed from his days at the University of Alabama, has a simple analogy for whether it means more to beat Auburn or win the national championship. To him, you can’t have one without the other.

“The road to the national championship – you’ve got to go through Auburn and the Iron Bowl. It’s the first round of the playoffs.”

Looking back on years and generations that have gone into this family tradition, Mack said, “It’s been a helluva ride. I never thought it would grow to this.”

He and Jimmy and the entire Bell family hope it never ends.

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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

The two who started it all – Dick Bell and Bill Bell

Eric Bell: Auburn’s No. 1 fan

At event honoring Bo Jackson and his Heisman Trophy at Auburn, fans could take photos with the trophy to look like a Sports Illustrated cover. Of course, Eric’s on the cover.

Left: Eric Bell’s love of Auburn always evident

By Carol Pappas For the Bell family and all who know them, it’s nearly impossible to think of the Auburn-Alabama rivalry without mentioning Jimmy and Yvonne’s late son, Eric.

Born with Down syndrome, Eric grew into arguably the biggest Auburn fan around. His Uncle Mack said, “When I think of Auburn, I think of Eric. When I think of Eric, I think of Auburn.”

Jimmy and Eric spent years traveling to the Plains together in their motorhome, spending time in the Loveliest Village that are a cascade of memories – good ones. Jimmy’s description of those days sounds much like the title song of the television show, Cheers, “where everybody knows your name.”

Because of Eric’s natural, gregarious spirit, everybody knew Eric’s name. He got to know everyone around the stadium. “Eric even knew the trainers,” Jimmy said.

“They gave him a helmet. Aubie (Auburn’s mascot) came over one day and sat at the motorhome with Eric. He got everybody’s autograph, even the people who cut the grass.”

Bar none, “Eric was the biggest Auburn fan ever,” said his aunt, Vicki Merrymon.

Jimmy said the highlight of his own life was seeing how much fun Eric had. “He had a good time. If you were an Alabama fan, he’d tell you, ‘Roll Tide.’ I learned so much from him. He had no hate.”

Even in an Alabama defeat, he found a way to comfort an opponent. Leon Clements, a local convenience storeowner and huge Alabama fan, was friends with Jimmy and Eric. For years, they parked the motorhome on a lake lot they owned near the store.

When Jimmy and Eric returned from an Iron Bowl game where Auburn emerged victorious, Jimmy explained to Eric that Leon would be upset about Alabama’s loss. Just tell him you’re sorry, his father advised. Otherwise, it would make Leon feel bad.

And Eric expressed remorse to his friend – his way.

He put his arm around him and said, “Leon, I’m sorry Alabama sucks.”

Eric passed away in 2009 at the age of 31. His framed photo in traditional attire – an Auburn jersey – sits prominently in Jimmy and Yvonne’s living room, reminding them of his love for Auburn and their love for him.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

27

IRON BOWL TRADITION

Toomer’s tree finds home, tradition in Pell City

By Carol Pappas There’s another tradition surrounding Auburn and part of the Bell family. This time it involves a tree, but not just any tree. It’s a direct descendant of the famed oak trees at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn.

Following an Auburn victory, thousands of fans converge on the corner of College Street and Magnolia Avenue at what is known as Toomer’s Corner, across from the iconic Toomer’s Drugs, and they roll the trees with toilet paper to celebrate. The decades-old tradition becomes a sea of white waves dangling from the treetops – jubilant fans down below taking part in their creation.

In 2005, acorns from the stately trees were planted and nurtured by Forestry and Wildlife Sciences students, and a limited number of their seedlings were sold to raise funds for student scholarships. Jimmy bought three – one for his sister, Vicki Bell Merrymon, one for a friend and one for himself.

Jimmy’s tree died after being planted to close to his house and had to be moved. But Vicki’s tree thrived, now standing 30 feet tall in a field in front of her Hardwick Road home. The Merrymons may not be in Auburn for the traditional rolling, but when Auburn wins a big game, their tree gets rolled just the same.

“If we beat Alabama, we go out and roll it,” said Vicki. “We’ve rolled it some for basketball. You know, it’s Auburn.”

Grandson Owen has helped roll the tree when he was visiting. When he can’t be there, he and his family keep the tradition alive by rolling a tree in Chattanooga, Tenn., where they live.

Vicki and husband Dana’s most memorable rolling of the tree? When Auburn won the national championship in 2010. Playing in the Rose Bowl out west, it was late at night back in Alabama when Auburn was crowned champion.

That night, Vicki said, “We rolled it in the dark with flashlights.” l

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Toomer oak descendant in Pell City

Merrymon’s son, Jason White, and grandson, Owen, continue family tradition.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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Grave Dowsing Wayne Gregg and Frank Waid dowsing.

Finding where the bones are buried

Story by Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr. About 50 people gathered inside Reeves Grove Baptist Church on a fall Saturday, listening attentively as The Backwood Boys sang Ain’t No Grave (Gonna Hold This Body Down), Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and other old spirituals.

They heard a brief history of the church and received apples from the apron pockets of several women dressed in the fashion of the late 1800s, when the church was established.

But the main attraction was outside, after these presentations, when two grave dowsers approached the old church cemetery, dowsing rods made of wire in their hands. Dowsing has been used for centuries to locate water, graves, pipelines and other underground objects by watching the motion of a pointer – usually a forked stick or paired bent wire. At Reeves Grove, the group was locating graves as part of its ongoing restoration project at the historic church.

It didn’t take long for Wayne Gregg’s rods to cross, indicating a grave. According to the marker, that grave belonged to Elizabeth McCorkle, wife of the original owner of the McCorkle Plantation upon which Reeves Grove now stands. Something

30

The old section of Reeves Grove Baptist Church cemetery

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

31

Grave Dowsing

Backwood Boys Mark Willingham, Marlin Galloway and Adron Willingham play at grave dowsing event.

wasn’t quite right, though. The markers weren’t where they were supposed to be. His rods indicated the presence of a second body that wasn’t represented on the grave marker. “We think it might have been Elizabeth’s husband,” says Linda Moyer, chairperson of the Reeves Grove Historical Committee.

The group soon moved on to the slave section of the cemetery, where the graves have no stones.

The committee wants to mark those graves and give the folks buried there the recognition they are due, even if their names are unknown.

Gregg, who is from DeKalb County, wasn’t the first dowser to notice the anomaly of an extra person in a grave, however. “I went up there one afternoon with some members a week before they had the official event,” says Frank Waid, a Springville grave dowser who studied under Gregg. “We laid out the McCorkle Cemetery and marked a bunch of graves with flags. (Moyer says they put ribbons on the graves of the church founders.) One kept giving all kinds of problems.

I was getting readings of male and female bodies.

I said, ‘Something’s wrong here. I think there’s two people in this grave, but I’m not sure, because I’m not as experienced as Wayne Gregg.’ So, when they had the special day and demonstrated dowsing for the people, Wayne started walking in the spot where I had been walking and said, ‘There are two people buried here!’”

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DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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Wayne Gregg and Frank Waid demonstrate grave dowsing for friends of Reeves Grove Baptist Church.

Members of the Reeves Grove Historical Committee placed white ribbons on the graves of the church’s founders.

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Glenda Tucker talked about the fashion of the late 1800s.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

Grave Dowsing The dowsing event was another effort to raise awareness and money for the restoration of the original church building. The church historical committee is restoring the sanctuary and its attached fellowship hall to be used as an event venue.

But restoration wasn’t uppermost in the minds of those in attendance on dowsing day. People were so interested in Gregg’s presentation on grave dowsing that their questions and his answers pushed his allotted 30-45 minutes on the program to an hour. “They were fascinated,” says Moyer. “They also enjoyed Macki Branham’s brief history of the church and Glenda Tucker showing off a fashionable dress from the McCorkle era.” The dress was once worn by Eliza Elizabeth (Moore) Keith, (December 16, 1827-January 8, 1891), the great-great-grandmother of Glenda’s husband, Harry Tucker.

The Backwood Boys – Gallant musicians Adron and Mark Willingham on guitars, Marlin Galloway on mandolin – continued to play as the audience filed outside behind Gregg and Waid for the actual grave dowsing. Gregg narrated while Waid demonstrated dowsing techniques.

“I use two wires I got from Wayne,” Waid says. “If they cross high, it’s a female; if low, it’s a male. Lots of times (during the 1800s) women died in childbirth and they buried mom with her baby on her chest. Wayne can tell that, but I don’t have that experience yet.”

Waid noticed that all the graves in the slave section were small and wondered whether they might be buried in a fetal position. “They wouldn’t have had the resources for caskets, so they probably wrapped the bodies in blankets,” he said.

“Most of these slaves came from South Carolina, and they were Caribbean slaves, so some of their beliefs determined how they were buried.”

Waid took a grave-dowsing class from Gregg about three years ago at his wife’s urging. She is a member of area historical and genealogical societies and thought grave dowsing might add depth (no pun intended) to that type of research.

“He gave a long, interesting class that morning, we had lunch, then went to an old cemetery,” Waid says. “We started practicing dowsing. Somehow it seemed to work for myself and Joseph Williams, also from Springville and part of the Springville Preservation Society. It was amazing! There were some people there who couldn’t get the hang of it, or it didn’t work for them, but for Joseph and me and one other lady, it did.”

In a self-published booklet titled, Dowsing for Fun and Profit, Gregg writes, “In Peru, a rock carving more than 9,000 years old depicts a man holding a forked dowsing stick,” he writes. Modern dowsing begins to appear in records around the 15th century in Europe.

Although most scientists are skeptics, Gregg says dowsing has been proven many times. “I recently read a German government 10-year report recorded by a physicist at the University of Munich,” he says in his booklet, which he published several years ago. “He described how dowsing was used to locate water sources in arid regions of Sri Lanka, Zaire, Kenya, Namibia, Yemen and other countries. The success rates by dowsers in 691 drillings was an amazing 96%, where a success rate of only 30% would be expected from

A pair of dowsing rods conventional techniques.”

Gregg got interested in dowsing when he went to work for Southern Bell telephone company in 1963. “The older guys who repaired underground cables taught me,” he says. “We didn’t have the modern devices we have now.”

Although dowsing is sometimes related to spirituality and witchcraft, Gregg says he doesn’t have any special powers, nor is he gifted in any way. It has nothing to do with witchcraft, because “it works for the majority of those who try it, and I know we are not all witches.” At times he has thought he discovered what makes it work, such as disturbance of the earth’s energy fields, only to find it was not true, particularly when it comes to determining the gender of a person in a grave. “Albert Einstein referred to dowsing as quantum physics, yet unexplained,” he says.

Still, people for whom the stick worked were called “water witches” by our ancestors, who hired them to locate underground water. “Rods work for a large percentage of first timers,” Gregg says. “Forked sticks work for only a very small percentage.”

For grave dowsing, he uses wire rods, which can be made of any stiff wire. The most common are coat hangers. The rods are made by bending the wire into an “L” shape, with the handle being the length of the dowser’s hand and the long part extending in front of him for 12-18 inches. “Rods will work for a large percentage of those who try for the first time,” he writes in his booklet. “They will never work for some, no matter how hard they try. Excessive jewelry, cellphones and other items worn on the body will sometimes make a difference.”

In his booklet, he explains how to hold the rods (elbows at waist, forearms parallel to the ground). He cautions NOT to place one’s thumbs over the bend of the handle, as this will restrict movement. Don’t grip too tightly, he cautions, only enough to keep the rods parallel. Approach the gravesite walking very slowly. “The rods will cross in front of you when you are over the grave. Once you step off the grave, they will uncross.”

He says the rods will respond the same to any burial,

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

35

Grave Dowsing

including stillborn infants through adults, even animals. “It makes no difference if the body was buried wrapped only in cloth, in a wood or metal coffin, or a coffin inside a vault,” he writes. “The age of the grave makes no difference. It can be recent or hundreds of years old.”

He says in order to more easily find unmarked graves and determine gender, it’s important to remember that most cemeteries in the United States bury their dead in a Christian manner. Their bodies are laid on their backs with their heads pointing west and their feet pointing east, as if they’re looking east for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

“You will discover that unmarked graves in an established cemetery will be buried in the same rows as marked graves,” he writes. “In a cemetery with no markers, it will be necessary to determine east and west directions to know the position of graves. Locate unmarked graves by walking slowly across the area you suspect. If graves are present your rods will cross and uncross as you move from one grave to the next.” Above all, he says, practice, practice, practice to get good at dowsing.

36

At 80 years of age, Gregg doesn’t dowse as much as he used to. He doesn’t have plans to conduct another workshop, either, but his booklet, which also discusses dowsing for water pipes and buried cables, is available, along with two wire dowsing rods, for $10.

Several folks at the Reeves Grove dowsing event bought the package, and just about everyone came away with a new perspective on the subject.

“Through the years, the McCorkle property gradually got sold bit by bit to various people, and we found out the day of the dowsing event that the original cemetery probably extends into what is now the Fant property,” Moyer said. “Now we know where the graves actually are in the old slave section.”

Editor’s note: For more about the restoration project, go to discoverstclair.com/back-issues and scroll down to April 2019, page 42.

Call Gregg at 256-706-3262 for information on how to obtain the booklet and rod set. l

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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One good thing that has come from the pandemic that has limited the comings and goings of so many for nearly two years is a resurgence of getting outside and enjoying the great outdoors.

In St. Clair, there is no shortage of places to go, sights to see and experiences to savor.

As St. Clair Tourism puts it: “It’s in our nature.”

With two lakes running through it and a number of creeks and streams, St. Clair County is blessed with all kinds of watersports and recreational activities.

From boating to fishing to kayaking, just pick your place. Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes are home to some of the greatest fishing around. They were part of the Alabama Bass Trail Championship Tournament Series in February.

While the Bassmaster Elite series won’t be taking place on one of those lakes like 2021 at Neely Henry, St. Clair will make its mark on the biggest of all – the Bassmaster Classic. Three pro anglers from St. Clair County, all Elite winners, will compete in the Classic – Wes Logan of Springville, Matt Herren of Ashville and Joey Nania of Cropwell.

Want to get out and about on a kayak? Novices and experienced paddlers alike are drawn to Big Canoe Creek, which feeds into the Coosa River and Neely Henry Lake. Let Yak the Creek in Ashville and Big Canoe Creek Outfitters in Springville help you experience getting back to nature and see it all from a different perspective – a kayak or canoe. Tours and on-your-own trips are available.

Forever Wild has designated Big Canoe Creek and surrounding acreage as a nature preserve, and it will be opening in the future with all sorts of outdoor opportunities.

More daring and a lot more experienced? Try the Great Alabama 650, the world’s longest annual paddle race coming in October. It’s 650 miles of scenic Alabama rivers and lakes, and it comes right through St. Clair on Neely Henry and Logan Martin.

Not so daring, but love it just the same? Become a volunteer or just be a spectator. There’s something for everyone.

If boats are your thing, check out two major boat shows – Alabama Boat Show and Expo at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds March 4-6 and Logan Martin LakeFest at Pell City Lakeside Park May 21-23.

Want to take a hike? St. Clair has a variety of trails. The Preserves, lakeside parks at Neely Henry and Logan Martin offer scenic trails and other amenities for hiking, biking, birdwatching, picnicking or just plain relaxing lakeside. They are located at Double Cove Park on Logan Martin near the dam and at Ten Islands Park on Neely Henry.

Other scenic hikes include the nature trail at Lakeside Park on Logan Martin in Pell City and Camp Sumatanga’s trails near Gallant.

How about a ride? Bicyclists regularly ride the backroads of St. Clair County. The Century Rides of Birmingham Bike Club – 100 miles – include a scenic ride through Riddles Bend along the Coosa River to Rainbow City, to Steele and to the top of Straight Mountain, where the view is incredible, then back to the historic town square of Ashville and ending at the high school.

Atop Chandler Mountain, check out Horse Pens 40, where ancient stones – boulders – have stood for centuries of geologic history. Today it is home to one of the Bouldering Triple Crown series, where climbers from all around the world compete in the fall.

All year long, the boulders attract climbers from near and far, beginners and pros, wanting to try the challenges of bouldering.

It also is home to a growing Southeast Slingshot Tournament, again attracting competitors from near and far to test their skills in this ancient sport.

The Ridge in Springville is becoming quite the outdoor venue. Begun as an off-road riding park, it now offers disc golf, ATV and side-by-side rentals, zip line and rappelling tours. It has motocross tracks, kids-only track, pee wee track, beginner riding field, single track and ATV/ side-by-side trails. Camping accommodations and hotel stays are available at what they have dubbed an “Outdoor Resort.”

OTHER REGIONAL ATTRACTIONS

If it’s not in St. Clair, chances are your favorite outdoor opportunities are still close by.

Hiking trails, old mining sites and a nature center can be found at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve with its 1,038 acres between Irondale and Leeds.

At Civilian Marksmanship Park in Talladega, which is open to the public, find a 600-yard rifle range, 100-yard multi-purpose range and a 50-yard pistol range. It features 15 action pistol bays, an unknown distance range and a trap field, 5-stand field and 15-station sporting clay fields with automated trap machines. It is billed as one of the finest public facilities in the nation. Top Trails in Talladega is more than 2,800 acres of adventure and fun with off-road trails for quads, side-by-sides and single-track bikes at the foot of Mt. Cheaha, Alabama’s highest point. Love cars, bikes and vehicles that go fast? Check out Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln and Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds. Want to know more about their history? Both have a museum. See their calendars for year-round activities and events.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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Josh Dill takes aim.

40

OUTDOORS

Southeast Regional Slingshot Tournament Competition finds home at Horse Pens 40 Story by Paul South Photos by Mackenzie Free There’s something on target about one of the newer events, the Southeast Regional Slingshot Tournament, to come to Horse Pens 40.

The park, an ancient ground settled by native peoples – including the Creek and Cherokee – centuries ago has been transformed through the years through war and new settlers, but its ancient trees and boulders remain largely unchanged.

While owned today by the Schultz family, the park has a simple mission, driven by the presence of more than 60 rare, threatened, protected or endangered species, as well as the other flora and fauna in the park: “Leave No Trace” of human hands.

By the 1950s, Horse Pens was home to craft fairs. By the 1960s, the new phenomenon of outdoor music festivals drew bluegrass and Americana roots music legends like Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Lester Flatt, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss and Birmingham’s own Emmylou Harris, delighting audiences hungry for the high lonesome sound.

Music still rings, and artisans and craftspeople still show their wares there, but now, there is even more to what has become a

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OUTDOORS global destination point The park is known as one of the best bouldering courses in the world with its massive rocks beckoning climbers from near and far. Horse Pens is home to the Triple Crown championship of bouldering, raising its profile much higher than the allure of its boulders that draw competitors from around the world.

Sling shooting thriving atop Chandler Mountain

Add to its already established bouldering reputation the competitive slingshot tournaments, one of only a handful in the United States, and Horse Pens is becoming a sports destination point all over again. A onetime weapon of war older than the Scriptures became a kid’s toy in the 1940s and is now part of a small but growing sport. The roots of the slingshot can be traced back 2,500 years.

Competitively speaking, what once meant knocking a Campbell’s soup can off a fencepost with a rock is now nailing tiny targets from more than 30 feet away.

In late September, Dan Ambrosius of Steele won the most recent Southeast Regional tournament at Horse Pens, one of five such tournament titles he’s captured nationwide.

Growing up in the jungles of the Philippines as the son of American missionaries, he began shooting slingshots as a toddler. But make no mistake, Ambrosius’ first slingshot was no toy, but a survival tool.

“As jungle missionaries, when I was a small child, all the tribal people had slingshots. I was introduced to a slingshot at three or four years old.

“Over there, we ate whatever we shot – birds, small animals, all kinds of stuff. So, coming to this country, I’d always had a slingshot and always been interested in it.

About seven or eight years ago, I found out through social media that tournaments existed. For all I knew, I was the only one in this country who was good with a slingshot, period, because I’d never met anyone that could shoot as well as me, ever,” he says.

When he entered his first competition, the prestigious East Coast Slingshot Tournament in Alverton, Pa., he learned quickly that there were indeed others who could shoot as well, if not better. Ambrosius finished in the top 10, but competitive sling shooting had won his heart.

He quickly learned others were better, and the pressure of competition was far different

42

Admed Alfrookh demonstrates for his father, Mohammed

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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than tracking animals in steamy Filipino jungles.

“I didn’t realize how accurate you had to be,” he says. “My slingshotting up until tournaments was always designed to kill things. It was about the biggest ammo as fast as you can shoot it and kill the game. In tournament, it’s either you hit the target, or you don’t.”

While the Pennsylvania tournament is highly regarded in slingshot circles, the Southeast Regional at Horse Pens is perhaps the sport’s fastest-growing competition in the United States because of a growing number of shooters in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas.

About 60 shooters competed in the 2021 event, renewed after COVID-19 forced cancellation of the 2020 event.

Horse Pens 40 Park Manager Ashley Ensign said that bouldering remains the biggest draw at the park, which makes it a big economic driver for St. Clair and neighboring counties.

“The largest rock-climbing competition in the world is the Triple Crown Bouldering Series and Horse Pens is part of that,” Ensign says. “Even with the current situation we have now (the pandemic), we had over 300 competitors and roughly 400 spectators, and all from out of state.”

Horse Pens also hosts an annual Songwriters’ Festival, Ensign says. But she gives high marks to the slingshot event. “It’s not something you see every day, so it’s always fun,” she says.

While sling shooting is growing slowly in the United States, it’s wildly popular in other countries, particularly in Europe and Asia. As of now, China is the world’s superpower in the sport. Asked to compare the sport’s popularity overseas to the United States, Ambrosius doesn’t mince words.

“It’s not even close,” he says. “In the United States, there are 10 to 15 of us that would be considered world-class shooters – that could go overseas and compete in a tournament. I’ve been invited to China, Italy, Spain, England, all expenses paid, because they want Americans to come over and participate.”

He adds, “There are only a few of us (in the States), whereas in China, there are millions and millions of competitive shooters. Gymnasiums are full of shooters all over the country every weekend in China with competitive slingshot shooting. It’s a huge, huge business.”

The reason slingshots are so popular? More restrictive gun laws.

“They don’t have the freedom with firearms that we do in this country,” Ambrosius says.

There’s a push to make it an Olympic sport.

Once that happens, Ambrosius believes the sport will take off in popularity.

Companies are banking on that. The internet features a variety of sites, where shoppers can find slingshots ranging in price from $5 to high-

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OUTDOORS

From left, Seth Hood, Zander Hood, Jeremy Hood and Dan Hood ready their shots tech versions up to $1,000 or more.

The iconic American toy company Wham-O first marketed the slingshot after World War II. And unlike other competitive sports where the competition is sometimes cutthroat and money pulls the strings, the slingshot – a sport propelled by an elastic band – is not about money, but about camaraderie. Trophies for the winners – not cash – are the only tangible rewards.

But there’s another reward to the slingshot, Ambrosius says. Taking aim with this childhood toy seems to melt away the years like ice on an August Alabama sidewalk.

“It just takes you to a different place,” Ambrosius says. “You become younger and more playful. It takes you to a place that’s not so much in the present. You’re a kid again, and you’re doing something that’s really, really fun. It’s just so fun to hit a can with a slingshot. It’s just fun.”

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Tourney winner Dan Ambrosius, center, poses with other competitors

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OUTDOORS

GO-KOT

Building the bed you can take anywhere Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Mackenzie Free

Mike Downing demonstrates the gear.

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Two large pallets sit shrink-wrapped and ready to go on the loading dock, just waiting for pickup. Dozens of similar shipments have started their treks from this location already this year.

From the simple facade in Ashville, you’d never know that within its walls is produced a product sought after by the military, by campers, by other countries and by your own neighbors.

Owned and managed by two military veterans, the company, GO-KOT®, produces a foldable and packable cot and does it all in St. Clair County.

Mike and Teresa Downing bought the 43-yearold company in 2017 from O’Neal Behel and Pete Smith, who were operating it in Jasper.

Several other buyers were interested but wanted to take the operation overseas. Behel and Smith were passionate about selling to someone who was committed to keeping the operation in Alabama. Equally committed to keep the product “Made in America,” the Downings bought the company, operated it in Springville, then moved it to Ashville just over a year ago.

American-made is also the reason they sell to their biggest domestic client, the U.S. military.

“We are the only Berry-compliant, low-profile cot on the market,” explains Teresa. The Berry Amendment is a federal requirement that items purchased by the Department of Defense give preference to domestic companies who grow, produce and/or manufacture products in the United States. The cot’s fabric, aluminum, steel and hinges are all domestically made.

“Everything about it is made right here in the USA. We’re very proud of that,” says Mike.

The fabric, an extremely durable Cordura brand 1,000 Denier, comes in 50-yard rolls, each weighing about 65 pounds. The frame is made of aluminum, and legs are steel. Both of those elements are shipped in. “Shout out to the best UPS driver out there, Tina Hopper,” Mike says enthusiastically. “She works hard for us.”

Their facility is capable of shipping out 4,000 cots a year, a modest number by major chain standards, but a challenge for a “boutique” local

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Greg Burckhard at the cutting table DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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company. “Our competitors are big companies. They have lots of products. We have one product that we make really well,” Mike adds. “The big companies have massive budgets.

And they don’t make it locally.

“The biggest challenge in current times is, predictably, shipping. Lead times for materials they need for production has more than tripled in the past year. “What used to take us 6-8 weeks can now take 6-8 months,” Teresa explains. “That means we have to order it way before we need it. That’s not typically good for a business plan.”

The pandemic has also caused some staffing issues. They have a small staff of mostly family and friends. One of their employees on the sewing line is a working mom who struggles with being able to work amid COVID-related school closings and exposures.

Two days a week the Downings have help with the business, but both work hands-on with their product – Teresa on the sewing line and Mike in the metal shop. On those days, after the fabric is marked and cut, the leg holes are stamped out by a huge hydraulic press. Each of the four sewing stations completes a specific task in finishing the fabric and carrying bag.

Meanwhile, in the metal shop, aluminum tubes are being cut and hinged, and the steel legs are bent into the cot’s signature pattern. As the fabric and frames are finished, they are sent to the packing station to be assembled.

The company’s beginnings can be traced back to Pete Smith’s work with a Boy Scout troop. The boys needed cots, so Smith experimented with a product and began making them. The youths and leaders loved the cots, and subsequently

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Teresa Downing at the sewing line

Greg and Mike cut fabric from a bolt.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

Teresa Downing at the sewing line

OUTDOORS Mike and Teresa Downing

Cutting machine

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Lengths of fabric waiting for sewing line.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

the business took off.

Still, quality remained a foundational tenet for the company.

When someone complained that the cot squeaked, founder Smith developed a technique to stop the squeak. It’s a technique that is still followed today. Each of the frames is assembled and rubbed end to end with a bar of soap prior to putting the fabric on. “He was such a perfectionist. He took any little comment he ever got and figured out how to make it better,” says Mike. “We don’t get returns. And we have a great product and a great warranty.”

Campers love the cot to get them up off the ground. It’s warmer and more comfortable. But it doesn’t stop at camping.

“People also buy them for use at home,” says Teresa. “When my son was still at home, he’d have six or seven friends over, and we used the cots for extra sleeping.” Mike even says he sleeps on one occasionally to help his back.

Son, Gabriel, may be using the cots more in the future, since he’s a military man himself. A 2018 graduate of Moody High School, the 22-year-old is now a junior at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Gabriel is at least partially responsible for their involvement in the GO-KOT® business. “I owned a small boutique in Springville when Gabriel was in 8th grade. We just didn’t have any time to spend together,” explains Teresa. So, she decided to close the boutique and the couple got into the military supply procurement business, sourcing items for the government. They discovered GO-KOT® products in the process and contacted one of the owners about becoming a distributor for him.

He declined because he didn’t want to create a bigger need than he could fulfill locally. The 80-year-old Smith did, however, offer to sell it to them. They spent several months being mentored by him and learning the business. “I didn’t

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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OUTDOORS

even know how to operate a sewing machine,” says Teresa.

“The extent of my sewing skills was putting back on the occasional button.”

Mike and Teresa are quiet, unassuming people. They met when they were both in the Air Force. After tours in Germany, Georgia, Mississippi, Iowa and Ohio, they retired at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Now they’re working more than full time and say they are inspired by the opportunities their business success has afforded them in missions. They’ve taken several mission trips to Bulgaria, but their favorite mission is a local one. They produce a specialized cot for a homeless mission in Birmingham called “Ethan’s Heart.”

Teresa explains how she saw the story about Ethan Hill on the news and knew they had to help. “He’s a really good person,” she comments on Ethan. “He was just six years old and met a homeless man, used his own Christmas money that first year to buy things to help him and others.”

The couple invited Ethan to come to their operation and decided to support him in his effort to help the homeless. The specialized cots are printed with the words “Jesus loves me, this I know,” a message they hope will be encouraging to those who have found themselves in difficult times.

“Our thought process is that people who don’t have a place to sleep, (those words are) the last thing they see before they close their eyes,” Teresa adds. Since their meeting, the Downings and GO-KOT® have provided about 25 of these cots for Ethan’s mission each year. Ethan trains the recipients on the 60-second set-up procedure before he gives them to each person.

“They’re super fast to put together,” says Mike,

54

demonstrating as he talks. He opens the bag, pulls out the cot and unfolds it. Then he pops the legs into holes in the frame and flips it over. It’s ready to use in seconds.

The cots come in two sizes and several colors. The standard cot is 74-inches long and sells for $189. The premium cot is 84-inches long and sells for $209. Cot accessories, like end kits (to keep sleeping pads in place) and side bags for cellphones and flashlights are also available.

They recently added a dog bed that is two-thirds the length of the standard cot. Go to campingcot.com for more information or to order. Teresa also invites locals to call (205) 384-4134 if they would like to purchase a cot.

For the local bargain hunter, they sell products with slight imperfections at a 25% discount.

The two pallets on the loading dock are headed to Japan, one of GO-KOT’s biggest markets. “They love things that are made in America,” explains Mike. “The Asian market is extremely big for us, so much so that we have three distributors there.”

Mike adds, “The shipping rates are good here, though, because of being in such an accessible location near Interstate 20.”

The Downings also credit the St. Clair County Economic Development Council with being helpful and accessible. “You can talk to an actual person to get help and answers,” says Mike. “It’s our life and our business. People tell you it’s just business. Don’t take it personally. But for us, as involved as we are, it’s very personal.”

Even as all-consuming as the business is, they see themselves continuing for years to come.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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Ethan’s Heart and GO-KOT on a mission together

By Roxann Edsall Submitted photos Ethan Hill and his nonprofit Ethan’s HeartBags4Blessings handed out special editions of the GOKOT® to some of Birmingham’s homeless population in December at the city’s Linn Park.

Along with the cots, more than 200 Winter Survival duffel bags were given to those for whom the cold is more than just an inconvenience. These bags included food and non-food items donated to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit group through corporate sponsors, a GoFundMe page and an Amazon Wish List. Non-food items included sleeping bags, washcloths, hand warmers, raincoats and thermal blankets.

At just six years old, Ethan was moved by his concerns for a homeless man he kept seeing under the freeway. “He wanted to know what was going to happen to him when it got cold,” said mom Ebony Hill. He was so deeply concerned that he asked to use his Christmas money that year to purchase supplies for “Mr. Marcus” and other homeless people living under the freeway in Birmingham.

In the five years since its inception, the nonprofit has grown so much that the young philanthropist is frequently asked to speak on behalf of the homeless and holds fundraisers throughout the year to raise money and supplies for the next giveaway event.

Editor’s note: For more information or to donate to this continuing mission, go to ethansheartbham.org.

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • February & March 2022

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St. Clair, Alabama

Business Review

Laster Sundries and other new businesses grace downtown.

58 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • Business Review • February & March 2022

Story by Linda Long Photos by Graham Hadley

Springville booming

Emphasis on ‘good growth’

“Growing like gangbusters!” That’s how Springville Mayor Dave Thomas describes what’s going on in his town.

To those who think of Springville as the quintessential small, quaint, Southern town with sidewalks and antique shops lining Main Street, that might seem a contradictory remark. But to quote Bob Dylan, “the times, they are a-changin.”

“The antiques have given way to boutiques,” said Thomas. “A portion of our population wants Springville to never change, but I’m afraid that’s not reality. We’re going to continue to grow. So, the best we can do is to properly plan and manage the growth. We just need to do what it is we want to do and can do with our community, and what we don’t want to do is just as important,” he said.

“It’s quite a juggling act. Sometimes, it feels like your juggling chain saws,” Thomas said with a laugh.

Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, understands the mayor’s challenge. “Springville is not the largest city in St. Clair County, but that’s not their goal. Springville is focused on quality over quantity. It may mean they grow slower, but the growth they have brings tremendous value to the community.”

While Springville is not the largest of all the municipalities in St. Clair County, it does have the highest median household income in the county of almost $84,000, and the homes are probably among the most expensive.

“Their median household income is the same as Homewood even though Homewood is about five times larger,” Smith noted.

Calling it Springville’s vision for its community, Smith said, “they have always put their money and their efforts toward supporting small business and focusing on quality of life, safety and supporting their schools. Folks that live there in Springville take tremendous pride in making their community the best it can be,” Smith asserted, “and they are well on their way.”

“Personally, I think Springville is a hidden jewel in the region,” said Nikkie Posey, president of the Springville Chamber of Commerce. “As a community, it is very welcoming, and there are affordable options for shopping, living and visiting here. There is a great vibe in the city

Springville Antique Mall is full of amazing antiques and collectbiles. right now for small business with a lot of community following, which is one reason I opened my business downtown in Springville and got so involved with the Chamber.”

Posey, owner of Pinkhill Organics said she named her shop for the town’s original name, Pinkhill.

“Nobody knows where the name came from,” said Posey. Because of many other businesses already using the word spring in their names, she opted for something different.

“So, I did some research and discovered Pinkhill and just ran with it,” she said. “Springville is becoming a place to come to stay, shop, to live,” said Posey. “People want that small-town feel that, as a community, we feel we have. As a community, that is something we want to maintain. We want to have good growth – controlled growth – without losing that small, hometown feel.”

According to Smith, in looking at new businesses or projects for Springville, “we always want a good fit.

Many times, projects by residential developers have

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Business Review

Springville Growth

been turned away because they didn’t want to build the quality development that city officials wanted.”

The mayor remembers one such proposed development. “This young man, actually homegrown, wanted to do something in his community. He wanted to build, in his words, ‘high density, affordable housing.’

These would be on tiny lots just packed. I told him your business is not mine. My business is what’s good in Springville.”

Continuing, Thomas said, “I like to see opportunities available to locals, not just corporate chains, big box stores, and developers who are interested in nothing more than making their money and moving on to the next project.”

One project it seems almost everyone can agree is good for Springville is the Forever Wild Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve set to open just north of town. According to Smith, the preserve “checks all the boxes on what is a good fit for Springville. It will have walking trails, biking trails, horseback riding, kayaking and canoeing in Big Canoe Creek and will allow people in Springville and outside the area to come and enjoy outdoor activities.

According to Thomas, a lot of folks in Springville are concerned at how neighboring Trussville has, in his words, “continued to explode” in growth over the years with strip malls and more and more subdivisions.

“Now, I’m not knocking Trussville,” he said, “but we don’t want to be them. We want to continue to be Springville. Of course, we’d like to get more storefronts filled, and we’re working on that. Things are happening in that regard.”

He points with pride to a new restaurant similar to Vestavia’s successful Backyard Market that will be opening, as well as a new bottling operation. “It’s from the same folks who bottled the water at Blount Springs.

Now they’ll be doing the same thing with Springville water,” said Thomas.

He said the group already has a contract with Publix to develop local label products to put on their shelves.

“They’ll be using Springville’s finest bottled water as a marketing hook.”

Promoting small business throughout St. Clair County falls to EDC Retail and Marketing Specialist Candice Hill. Toward that goal, Hill is working with chambers of commerce with what she calls Relevant Roundtables.

“We hold these every quarter as a way to touch small businesses and provide educational opportunities,” she explained. The meetings cover topics like social media and accounting practices among others. Hill said the resource is for all small business whether they are continuing to grow or just starting up.

Remembering back to when he first moved to Springville some 30 years ago, Thomas said, “Springville was lined with antique stores. The town had a Norman Rockwell-esque feel to it. Well, the antique stores are mostly gone, but what makes downtown appealing hasn’t changed. It hasn’t gone anywhere. The essence is still here. Everybody shares the same sentiment. Springville really is exceptional.”

A portion of Main Street

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Pink Hill Organics

Nichols Nook

Business Review

Springville Growth

The Depot construction begins Another sign of Springville growth

Story by Linda Long Photos by Graham Hadley and submitted There’s yet another sign of ‘good growth’ in Springville these days. The Depot, a facility now under construction in Springville, gives new meaning to the term multi-use. The first two phases of the 60,000-square-foot project on 20.43 acres on U.S. 11 will open next fall. The complex is planning space for just about everything – from physical fitness and education to arts and worship.

Mike Ennis, pastor at Faith Community Fellowship Springville Campus, says the project has been under way for the past four years. “It started with the opening of our church

campus here in Springville and realizing the community was very centered around athletics. It was birthed out of some of the challenges facing Alabama.”

Because Alabama ranks low nationally in economics and health, “We felt like rather than building a church, we’d rather build a community center. Something the entire community could use. Something that would hopefully improve both the economics and health of our community and provide athletic opportunities.

Explaining that the center is “not just for young people and not just people who are a part of our church, we really wanted to build something that would serve the community at large.

That’s been the driving factor behind it from the beginning.”

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The Depot includes a community café and catering kitchen, multipurpose areas, conference rooms, coworking spaces, a teen center and independent living.

The center also includes an auditorium which the church will use, Ennis says, but his church won’t own the building. It will be a tenant. “We realized to make a decent impact and provide the most opportunity, we needed to hand it off to a property management group,” he said.

Surgance, Inc., 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, is overseeing and managing the project.

Ennis, who served on Springville’s strategic planning committee, said the committee decided Springville needed a facility like this one, which will include two auditoriums, banquet and meeting rooms, school grades K-8 and a preschool called Esteem Academy. Surgance is also partneringOPEN with10:30 the- 9:00 St. 7 DAYS A WEEK Clair County Board of Education, providing space for its virtual academy.

Representatives of regional, state and national organizations have been involved with the childcare and education committees to help with planning. It will include early childhood education, virtual school, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Academy.

“There’s really nothing like it on this end of the county,” said Ennis. “We’re hoping to reach out to Springville and beyond.

We’ve had a super positive response from everybody we talk to.

I think there’s a real need for something like this.”

Phase I of the project is a 10,000-square-foot building, which is expected to be completed by June 2022.

Construction underway on The Depot

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Business Review

Retail bonanza for Pell City Vacant hospital land sees new life as shopping center

Story by Carol Pappas Staff and submitted photos In the 1970s, this land gave way to a new, threestory hospital for St. Clair County in Pell City. In the 1980s to accommodate this quickly growing city, a fourth floor was added. Ten years ago, the hospital saw its last patient moved to its new stateof-the-art hospital across Interstate 20 – again to accommodate the growth of a thriving city.

An abandoned building stood dormant for years then was demolished to once again make way for growth, this time in retail.

For five years, local developer Bill Ellison had been recruiting national retail brands, like Hobby Lobby and T.J.Maxx, to various properties around Interstate 20, but it wasn’t until McSweeney Automotive cleared trees on its development at the corner of I-20 and U.S. 231 that he saw the ideal spot. An unobstructed view left by clearing the trees revealed the old hospital property – visible

from U.S. 231 and I-20. “That day, I saw the opportunity,” Ellison said. “That’s it!,” he told himself.

That act of clearing the land led to making it the perfect location for the retailers he was after and more. He approached county officials with the idea that it would be the perfect spot for retail development. It had all the right essentials of Interstate 20 frontage, plenty of acreage and the key – access and visibility from the interstate and U.S 231.

The St. Clair County Commission, which owned the property at the time, gave Ellison options on the land. Later, the City of Pell City assumed ownership of the property. Knowing the kind of retail the city and county needed, Ellison recruited a national commercial development company with a proven track record for this type of development.

Ellison had been making calls on the national retailers, but he was a local developer without the national relationships he needed to swing the deal,

68 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • Business Review • February & March 2022

he said. He learned of the reputation of key executives of a development company that had those national ties, and he met them at a national shopping center conference in Las Vegas.

Those executives, now with Noon Development based out of Chattanooga, Tenn., began marketing the property, and in recent weeks, officials in Pell City announced the first two confirmed tenants with others to come.

Noon developed the Trojan Marketplace in Troy, where Hobby Lobby and T.J.Maxx are the anchor tenants along with Ulta Beauty, Five Below and Rackroom Shoes.

Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but not deterred, the Pell City development is now becoming a reality. Officials announced Hobby Lobby and T.J.Maxx as anchor tenants on the 19-acre tract with more news on the way about other household name tenants committing to set up shop there.

“The two anchor tenants are confirmed,” said Pell City Manager Brian Muenger. While others have not yet confirmed, Muenger said other tenants frequently locate with anchor tenants and are “proven, name brands. We are very happy to see them committed to it.”

Muenger pointed out that there are four outparcels in addition to the 135,000-square-foot retail complex. The one closest to the interstate has been reserved for a restaurant. In the agreement with the city during adoption of tax abatement incentives, the city will provide the land for a national, sitdown restaurant provided the developers locate one there within two years. If not, it reverts back to the city. “Rather than simply filling the space, we specifically said a national restaurant has to be part of the development.”

For years, citizens have been asking for amenities that would improve the quality of life in the city – more upscale restaurants and quality retail. “The developers are confident they can deliver on that agreement,” Muenger said.

To further ensure the city gets the kind of development its population wants, there was a pre-approved list of retailers.

The “gap” going unfilled for the city, Muenger said, has been soft goods and a sit-down restaurant.

The city has solidified its opportunities by partnering with the St. Clair County Commission as well. All involved see it as a “game changer” for the region.

The city is filing a petition to validate the project with the court, which will review the development agreement to ensure it complies with state law. Once approved, “that’s when work will begin,” Muenger said. Groundbreaking is expected later this year – mid-2022. As a comparison, the Trojan Marketplace broke ground in December 2019. It opened in May 2021.

There is grading work to be done at the U.S. 231 intersection and clearing more trees at the interstate.

“We’re excited about it,” Muenger added. “This is the highest and best use of this property. It will establish Pell City as a viable shopping destination, keeping dollars in the community that frequently were spent somewhere else.”

Ellison agreed. “There is a natural progression in commercial development in a community. Brands follow brands. In the future, any retailers that looks to expand in St. Clair County, they’re going to look at Pell City first. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it keeps local tax dollars at home to do some good in the community – providing funding for schools, infrastructure and a better place to live.”

The development, Ellison noted, “greatly expands our

Photo taken from the interstate the day the trees were cleared, and Ellison envisioned the possibilities for the property

shopping trade area. People who would not ordinarily shop here will come here. While they’re shopping at the new stores, they’ll shop at existing stores, too. It’s a win-win for everybody. It makes us a stronger economic hub than ever before, building on our already firm position in the region,” Ellison said.

“This property has been a tremendous partnership between the city and county commission,” said Commission Chairman Paul Manning. “It began with us working together to construct a top-rated, new hospital but then continued with the redevelopment of the hospital’s old site.”

Officials project the investment will generate more than $30 million in tax revenue over 20 years – $11 million of which is allocated to schools – and create a significant number of jobs.

“This project will be good for the City of Pell City, the County Commission, and all of our citizens,” Manning said. “This project will provide both job and shopping opportunities that will help keep our families shopping local and attract more shoppers from outside of the county.”

St. Clair Economic Development Council Executive Director Don Smith echoed the essence of the development’s potential impact and talked of the partnership that helped bring it about. “The County Commission and Pell City have a long history of successfully working together on transformational projects. This project was no exception and would have been impossible without both entities supporting one another.”

DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • Business Review • February & March 2022 • 69

Business Review CVEC bids farewell to longtime CEO Cullimore appointed to replace Fuller

Jon Cullimore and Leland Fuller

Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative said goodbye to its longtime CEO, Leland Fuller. During a retirement luncheon, the Cooperative honored his many years of service to the organization by dedicating its recently completed meeting facility to Fuller.

“In recognition of his leadership and tireless dedication to Coosa Valley Electric, the Board of Directors names this the Leland M. Fuller Meeting Facility,” said Coosa Valley Electric Board President John M. Davis.

With his retirement, Fuller closes out a 38-year career with the company. During his time, the Cooperative underwent drastic transformation, and his list of achievements cannot be understated.

His leadership and skills helped to modernize the utility’s operations, consumer service and billing. He was able to implement changes that dramatically improved efficiencies and quality of service to the Cooperative’s more than 17,500 consumers.

Not long after he started, Fuller worked to partner CVEC with local economic development agencies. Seeing not only a need for the Cooperative to improve its income, he saw needs in the area communities to recruit new industries and good-paying jobs.

“We wanted to attract business to our area,” Fuller said.

“The results speak for themselves. We helped bring in numerous new industries, 5,000-plus jobs and more money in our local economies.”

Thanks to his efforts, the Cooperative saw a greatly improved bottom line. The addition of larger industrial and commercial consumers on CVEC’s power lines translated into more stable electric users and an overall reduction in the cost of wholesale power.

In the 1990s, Fuller answered calls from consumers and helped get CVEC into the propane business. Coosa Valley Propane is now the premier provider of propane service to thousands of customers throughout the area.

Over the past couple of years, he led the charge to get the Cooperative into the broadband internet service business.

Coosa Valley Technologies launched in March this past year and will start serving its first customers this month with the fastest, most reliable internet service available anywhere.

“Mr. Fuller, on behalf of the Board of Directors, we thank you for your service,” Davis said. “We hope you enjoy your hard-earned retirement.”

With Fuller’s retirement, the Board of Directors appointed longtime Manager of Marketing and Member Services Jon Cullimore to take over as the new CEO. “I have been given the opportunity to succeed Leland as your next general manager,” Cullimore said to employees and board members in attendance. “I am inheriting a wonderful organization, and I am blessed with you all – the best team of employees anybody could ask for.”

Cullimore assumed his duties as of Jan. 1, 2022.

70 • DISCOVER The Essence of St. Clair • Business Review • February & March 2022