2019 July/August Franklin Living

JOEY RUSHING | THE PLACE OF GRACE | ANNA BETH GUNDERMAN

bloom

Business in

Cliftons find joy in Happy Trails Flower Farm

The Place of Grace

Jocelynn James dreams of faith-based rehab

The Way We Were

Bicentennial Committee brings history to life

M A D E T O M O V E Y O U.

H E AV E N , A S D R I VE N O N E A RT H .

For over four decades, the Allegro Bus has delivered a premium motorhome at an affordable price.

Off the beaten path, it becomes a haven of upscale residential living, complete with spacious interiors, high-end amenities, and exquisite design details.

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Editorial ALISON JAMES Contributors MONTANA HESTER APRIL WARHURST EMILY MAYS TRAE DURDEN MARÍA CAMP Marketing

Features 5

Faith Focus

6

What’s Happening

8

Business in bloom

PEGGY HYDE

12 Money Matters

TORI WAITS

13 The Way We Were

Administrative SOMMER MORRIS ____________________ Franklin Living is published bi-monthly

by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc. Copyright 2019 by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.

16 The Place of Grace 21 Taste of Franklin 26 Faces of Franklin County 30 Why I Love Franklin County

P.O. Box 1088 • Russellville, AL 35653 256-332-1881 fax: 256-332-1883 www.franklincountytimes.com

8 ON THE COVER: Rick and Tanis Clifton own Happy Trails Flower Farm. In addition to running a chiropractic clinic in Red Bay, they stay busy planting, harvesting and selling beautiful blooms to individual buyers and florists across the state and beyond. Read their story on page 8.

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FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR

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n most issues of Franklin Living, we try to feature a variety of stories – stories that fall under different themes.

We might have an education feature, a business feature and an agricultural feature.

Or we might have an arts feature, a community service feature and a religion feature.

One thing I think is really fun, however, is when those different category lines start to blur and intersect. That’s what you’ll find in this issue. After all, we know things are so rarely black and white: Hobbies become side hustles, careers become nonprofit passions, personal dreams impact communities and community innovations give rise to individual accomplishments. It’s in seeing an element of life transform and become so much more that we realize how intricate our world and our lives really are.

Our “community service” feature in this issue is also influenced by religion. It’s also growing into a business. It’s about health and compassion and more. Jocelyn James has long had a vision for a faith-based rehabilitation facility for women in Franklin County, and she’s working on making that dream a reality. James has taken her own story of struggling with addiction and crime and is using it to change the future of other women who need someone in their corner.

Our arts feature in this issue is also agriculture and business and passion; the Happy Trails Flower Farm can’t be boiled down to just one thing.

Many of our readers probably know the Cliftons of Red Bay – but if you only know them for their chiropractic practice, you don’t know the whole story.

Our Taste of Franklin features Anna Gunderman and her delicious recipe for stuffed peppers – which she developed during her FACS education at Phil Campbell High School. Our culture feature, the Way We Were, explores the past, present and future.

You see what I mean. Franklin County people are talented, full of passion and ambition. Their pursuits can’t be boxed in or easily defined.

We hope you enjoy this beautiful issue filled with the stories of beautiful and what they’re up to – how they are making Franklin County a better place.

Alison James 4

Franklin Living

FAITH FOCUS

Happy or Miserable?

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n the Gospel of John chapter 13, Jesus provides one of His greatest object lessons on what it means to be a Christian, a follower, a great leader and a happy servant of God. After He finished, He asked the question, “Do you know what I have done to you?” We also need take a good look at this lesson, hold up our lives in contrast to it and answer Jesus’ question personally.

After washing the disciples’ feet and carefully wiping them dry with His own towel, He said we’d all be happier if we would follow His example of service (John 13:12-17). Jesus says the blessing of happiness comes when we, from our hearts, become servants to others. It is very clear that God considers our relationships with each other very important.

On the other hand, the Lord teaches us in the words of John in Revelation 3:14-21 that even the children of God can be miserable. He tells the church in Laodicea that because they were lukewarm in their love and service to Him and one another, they were receiving the fruit of their service. He said, because they were filled with self-confidence and pride and “have need of nothing,” they were “wretched, poor, blind, naked and miserable.”

Jesus counseled them to “buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich and white garments, that you may be clothed that the shame of your nakedness may not be

revealed.”

So what does all this mean?

It appears the Lord is teaching that the blessing of happiness or the curse of being miserable is a matter of personal choice.

He says we get to choose for ourselves to live in happiness or misery.

If it is your goal to be miserable most of the time, the following actions and attitudes will ensure you are successful: Think about yourself. Talk about yourself. Dwell on what you want, need and desire. Pay very close attention to what other people think and say about you and order your life according to what they want and say. Do as little as possible for others and never accept responsibility for your actions.

If your goal is to be happy most of the time, do it the way Jesus says. Do something to help solve your own problems and always accept your obligations. Plan ahead, set realistic goals and welcome new experiences with optimism. Use your God-given talents and put your best effort into everything you do. Share your joys and sorrows with others and reach out to them with a helpful spirit.

What’s it going to be? Do you choose happiness the Lord’s way or misery doing what seems right in your eyes?

Let’s overcome whatever is holding us back! Jesus can make tomorrow better than today.

Grow With Us

www.alabamacentral.org Anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in any of our 28-county service area is eligible for ACCU membership.

Trae Durden has been the preaching minister at North Highlands church of Christ in Russellville since January 2013. He is married to Leann Durden, and they have a daughter, Darcy Grace, 15, and a son, Dalton, 12.

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What’s Happening Check out all the upcoming community events in Franklin County!

Submit community events for future issues of Franklin Living to alison.james@franklincountytimes.com. Requests must be received by the first of the month for consideration for the next edition.

Seamless Summer Feeding Program Now through July 19 Franklin County has a solution for children who might need a little help with breakfasts and lunches during the summer months: the Seamless Summer Feeding Program. The summer meal program is being offered in multiple locations across the county, including Belgreen, East Franklin, Phil Campbell, Red Bay, Tharptown and Vina schools. All meals are free for children ages 0-18 years. The child must be present to be served. Students do not have to attend the school in which they are being served a meal. The program continues through July 19, except July 4-5. Children can enjoy breakfast from 7-8:30 a.m. and lunch from 10 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.

Children’s Craft Classes

Jam on Sloss Lake

With summer underway, there can be a need to find interesting ways to fill school-free days.

The Little Stitch, 104 4th Ave. SE, Red Bay, is having an ongoing summer series of classes for children Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

All classes include light refreshments. Upcoming classes for children include July 10: Painting Wooden Birdhouses; July 17: Slime Without the Mess; July 24: Wind Chimes; and July 31: Picture Frames. Children’s classes are $10 each. All materials and supplies are provided with the class fee. Adult supervision is required for children attending.

Russellville’s 11th annual Jam on Sloss Lake will welcome the community for Independence Day celebrations, featuring a full day of live entertainment and ending with a bang of spectacular fireworks.

A car show will kick the day off at 7:30 a.m., accompanied by performances from Buford Parker, Jacob Green, Joseph Baldwin, Travis Womack and Southband.

Afternoon bands include Purpose at 4 p.m., the KGB at 4:50 p.m., Rewind at 5:50 p.m. and 3 Wheel Drive at 6:50 p.m.

This year’s headlining band, taking the stage at 8 p.m., is Shenandoah. Fireworks are slated for 9:30 p.m.

RBCEP Independence Day Ride

Rockin’ at the Roxy

Rock Bridge Canyon Equestrian Park, located in Hodges, will host a special Independence Day Ride July 6. For more information call 205-9353499.

The second Friday night of each month at 7 p.m. is the monthly Kerry Gilbert Band concert at the Historic Roxy Theatre in Russellville. The KGB will be joined by Steve Price, manager of the Shoals Theatre, in July and by Bryan Muse in August.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 and free for children younger than 6.

July

July 6

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July 4

July 12 and Aug. 9

Franklin Living

WHAT’S HAPPENING

The Way We Were

The Great Pretenders

The City of Russellville Bicentennial Celebration will continue in July and August with The Way We Were, a Saturday filled with historical demonstrations, exhibits and portrayals. The event will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Canteen on Washington Street.

The Franklin County Arts Council is sponsoring the 19th annual Evening at the Roxy during the week of the W. C. Handy Music Festival, July 25.

Entertainment will be presented by local talent, featured as The Great Pretenders, at 7 p.m.

Numerous local performers will take the stage. All proceeds go to the Historic Roxy Theatre.

Tickets are $5 (children under 6 enter free) and will be sold at the door.

Vina JulyFest

Break-A-Clay Day

July Fest is an annual opportunity for friends and neighbors to enjoy a time of fun and fellowship, all while supporting the local Vina Rescue Squad. Set for July 27, July Fest will start at 10 a.m. and feature live music along with a variety of vendors, including food and handcrafted items. Festivities will also include a car show – $20 registration fee – benefiting the Vina Fire Department. The crowd-favorite Draw Down returns this year and, to top it all off, a fireworks spectacular. Headlining band will be Yellowhammer, led by Cody Bass. Everything wraps up at 9 p.m.

As part of National Shooting Sports Month, the Alabama Youth Education in Shooting Sports will partner with Lost Creek Conservation and Wildlife Club to host Break-A-Clay Day at Cedar Hill Trap Range in Russellville. There will be family fun activities, food, door prizes, wobble trap, corn hole, a firearm safety class, shotguns and ammo on site and more. For more information email lostcreekcwc@gmail.com or call or text 256-284-3817.

The Roxy’s Christmas Spectacular Auditions

Watermelon Festival

July 13 and Aug. 10

July 27

Aug. 11-12

Auditions for The Roxy’s Christmas Spectacular will be held at the Historic Roxy Theatre in Russellville. Aug. 11, children ages 6-12 may audition at 1:30 p.m.; females ages 13 and older may audition at 3:30 p.m.; and males ages 13 and older may audition at 5:30 p.m. Make-up auditions will be held Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes prior to audition time. Shows will be Dec. 5-7 at 7 p.m., Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 3 p.m.

Franklin Living

July 25

Aug. 10

Aug. 16-17

The Franklin County Watermelon Festival began in 1981, and it has grown into the largest community festival in Franklin County. Hosted by the FC Chamber of Commerce, the festival offers two days of nonstop music, contests and entertainment, as well as the pageant to crown the Watermelon Queen, arts and crafts, a 5K, antique car and truck show, free watermelon and more. This year’s performers will include Rewind, the Joseph Baldwin Band, Shootin’ You Straight, Dixie Mafia and Kozmic Mama, topped off by headliner Absolute Journey Tribute.

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Business inbloom

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Franklin Living

“I

Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by APRIL WARHURST

can’t imagine doing anything else.”

That’s how Tanis Clifton feels when she thinks about the endeavor that dominates her week: Happy Trails Flower Farm, where she and her husband Rick cultivate cut flowers to dazzle and delight.

“We grow hundreds of different varieties of flowers,” said Tanis, who began Happy Trails in 2011 on their farm in Tishomingo County. The couple moved to the area 22 years ago and operates a chiropractic clinic in Red Bay, in addition to flower farming. “Every day I look at a flower that I have grown, and it just blows my mind that I’m fortunate enough to be there to see that. I think it makes me realize more of a closeness to the earth … There are a lot of people who are unhappy, working a job stuck inside and don’t have options to do things they enjoy, and that is so sad to me. Being out here and getting to see the beauty of nature and be amazed by things I wasn’t expecting, and try new flowers and get feedback from people who enjoy that too – it’s just super satisfying. It’s given me a way to have satisfaction in life, and I feel so fortunate that I’m not stuck in a job that I dread. I love this.”

The Cliftons make bouquets and arrangements they sell to Whole Foods as well as local florists and, their primary place of business, at The Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham – where they join other farmers, artisans and chefs for the massive outdoor farmers market. While the couple has developed a niche in growing and selling cut flowers, the venture blossomed out of more humble beginnings.

“We had gone to an agricultural seminar and had discussed getting a greenhouse because I’ve always been interested in gardening,” Tanis explained. “My family has always gardened. It just runs in the bloodstream I guess.”

The couple soon found themselves with a massive 35- by 75-foot greenhouse – and decided they needed to grow their gardening plans to match. “That’s more than just a little backyard greenhouse, so we had to decide, what are we going to do with this? I’ve always loved flowers, so I thought, ‘Let’s do flowers.’”

It was a decision that would lead the Cliftons on a journey.

They have spent the past eight years growing not only flowers but also their knowledge of their budding business. “There was a lot more to it than we had any idea. We’ve learned so much,” said Tanis. “I could have gone for a four-year degree to learn how to do all this. There is so much information you need to know” – from when to plant and when to harvest to how to keep plants at the proper temperatures. “I have to know all the things about a hundred different flowers … It is a lot of work. It’s not for the faint of heart or anyone without a good strong back.”

Just as the Cliftons, who have been married for 34 years, work together at their chiropractic practice in Red Bay – with Rick providing the medical care and Tanis handling logistics like scheduling, insurance and payment processing – they also work hand-in-hand at the flower farm. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are spent on chiropractic work, and the flower farm fills their Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, mornings and evenings – nearly every other spare hour, at least during the height of the season.

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Homestretch

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“We really start production and harvesting the flowers at the end of April and go through Thanksgiving,” said Tanis, who also feeds her passion through membership in the Red Bay Garden Club as well as the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. “We stay real busy at it. We get along, and we do what’s necessary to make it happen.

“Rain and weather dictate everything we do,” Tanis added. “We probably check the weather 10 times a day so we can plan our day … but we enjoy being outside, even when it’s miserable weather. I’d rather be out there than anywhere else.” Although Tanis is the true flower fanatic between the two, she said Rick has been behind her every step of the way. “He is super supportive in this venture. He says if I’m happy, he’s happy,” Tanis said. “If he wasn’t here to help, I don’t think I could have done this. It’s a team effort for sure.” Tanis said his response is always “Anything you need, baby” when it comes to Happy Trails.

Operating a flower farm has been a continuing learning curve for the Cliftons, and Tanis said they have made their share of mistakes and discoveries. They had to build a walk-in cooler, to keep flowers protected from the elements, and learn when to till the fields and how not to damage the soil.

“For us, we already had some capital investment at our farm – we had a barn, we had tractors – so

Thank You! ... To the men and women whose military service and sacrifices have protected our nation for generations.

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we had some things we would have had to purchase,” said Tanis. “We feel like we’re real fortunate.” Despite their initial resources, however, the startup costs still posed a challenge – from buying a delivery van and building the walk-in cooler to covering the cost for other supplies, like fertilizer and equipment – all combined with the difficulty of developing a steady market in a rural area.

“It took us about three years before we got out of the red.”

Tanis said they realized they were going to need a larger avenue for selling than rural northeast Mississippi and northwest Alabama could provide. “It doesn’t do you any good to have the most beautiful flowers in the world if there is nobody around to buy them.” That’s when they got started with Pepper Place.

“We actually get to see the people who are enjoying the flowers, and that is really rewarding,” said Tanis. “We felt we were not confident probably the first year. We realized at that point that our location was not conducive to enough options for sales, but we had to find a place, and if that meant having to travel, that’s what we were going to do. We needed it to be more than a hobby after all that we had invested.” Although the Cliftons have now pretty well solidified their market, Tanis said a flower farm is far from a burgeoning money-maker.

“You have to set yourself apart and have things other people don’t,” said Tanis, adding that in addition to the challenge of living in a rural area, they have started to face the challenge of competition, with the growth of the flower farming business. “If we relied on just Pepper Place or just Whole Foods or just florists, we couldn’t have done it.” The Cliftons also sell starter plants to other farmers. “You develop every market you can because they are all important to your bottom line.”

But although the financial side requires her attention to

Franklin Living

make Happy Trails a successful business, it’s out in the garden where Tanis finds fulfillment.

She grows a massive variety of flowers, including lilies, zinnias, sunflowers and celosias, plus “things I know a lot of people have never even heard of, but there are so many beautiful flowers these days, and our climate is perfect.”

Harvesting at peak means her flowers retain ultimate color and scent. “As soon as they are ready to harvest, we’re cutting them and getting them out of the field so people can enjoy them.” Her greenhouse is jam-packed with all sorts of blooms, including ranunculus, lilies, Star of Bethlehem, Canterbury bells, Dusty Miller and chrysanthemums. Outside the greenhouse she also grows flower beds around the barn and on a plot she’s leasing just down the street. “You can grow a ton of flowers on a small amount of land,” Tanis said. They start their seeds in the basement under low lights on a heat mat and transplant everything they grow.

Tanis said people always ask what her favorite flower is – but she has no easy answer. “It is so hard for me to answer that because I love them all. They all have their unique qualities.”

Topping the list, however, are lisianthus – “It kind of looks like a rose but has no thorns.

They come in white, pink, purple, yellow, green, and they look very delicate, but they are really sturdy and long-lasting” – as well as cockscomb, which “looks like the comb on a rooster’s head, and there are tons of varieties. They are all really bright and colorful and cheerful.”

In addition to her Tishomingo farm, Tanis started a lavender farm in Red Bay that’s now in its second year of growth. “We’re really excited about that.” As to what the future holds, Tanis said she looks forward to many more years operating Happy Trails Flower Farm. “We’re going to stick with it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

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LET US CAPTURE

MONEY MATTERS

Rebooting Financial Goals

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bluebirdredbirds.com

YOUR LOVE STORY 12

ave your new year’s financial resolutions fallen by the wayside yet? Believe it or not, we are officially past the midway point of the year. If you haven’t achieved the money goals you set early on, now is a perfect time to kick things back in gear.

Get back to saving – This is the hardest (and most important) money lesson.

We all set goals to save “x” amount by a certain date, but that’s a lot easier said than done. Something new to rejuvenate your savings: examine your routine.

Changing up a routine can help you break through a savings barrier. Always eat out on Saturday night?

Change it up. Make a meal at home instead, one you can have leftovers from the following week. Always go shopping on the weekend?

Try planning an inexpensive activity instead, like hiking or exploring a local attraction that’s cheap – or even better, free!

Back to budgeting – You knew it was coming. If you’re trying to get ahead financially, the budget has to be part of your plan.

Otherwise, you really don’t know what you’re spending and where you could cut some corners. Having a budget is one thing; putting it into action is another. The hardest part of the budget is actually telling yourself no to spending, especially for what feels like something small. The problem is that over the month, lots of little “small” expenditures add up to a chunk of your budget.

In the end, practice makes perfect. Take this mid-year

opportunity and seize it to get things back in check.

Think about your future – Whether it’s saving for retirement, buying a car, building a home or opening your own business, your future is up to you. No one else is going to ensure you get where you want to go. Take a look at the kind of future you’re hoping for and start mapping out the steps to get you there. Even setting a small amount aside specifically earmarked for your future plans is a great feeling. These important small steps work to trigger getting to your other financial goals as well.

Just like getting back into a workout routine after we’ve fallen off the wagon, getting back into a financial routine sometimes just takes a little shaking up. Try out some new tactics, do a little research on your goals or download an app to help you budget.

Emily Mays is vice president/ senior marketing director at Community Spirit Bank in Red Bay, working in finance for 13 years. She is an enthusiastic social media marketer, financial literacy advocate and go local supporter. She lives in East Franklin and has one daughter, Lola, 10.She lives in East Franklin and has one daughter, Lola, 10.

Franklin Living

Local historians bring to life

The Way We Were

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Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by ALISON JAMES

hen Alabama began its preparations for a three-year celebration of the state’s bicentennial, 2017-2019, Russellville and Franklin County started gearing up for special celebrations of their own. The bicentennial for Franklin County was last year, and Russellville’s is in 2019. Festivities have continued from month to month for more than a year now, and the latest efforts have been The Way We Were Saturdays at the Russellville Canteen.

Bicentennial commemorations have been driven largely

by Chris Ozbirn, Franklin County Archives director and chairperson of the Russellville Bicentennial Committee, who cherishes a passion for the county’s history.

“You’ve got to preserve history every way you can, and you’ve got to tell it. That’s why we do what we do,” said Ozbirn – “we,” of course, being her fellow committee members, who share her passion for preserving the past.

They conceived The Way We Were, a monthly series of historical demonstrations, exhibits and portrayals designed to inspire people’s interest in the history of Russellville and Franklin County.

The Way We Were kicked off with its first installment in May, and June brought the second in the series. Additional programs are scheduled throughout the summer: July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 14.

“Each event is different; we have different people and different time periods,” Ozbirn explained. “We’re working our way up to the big grand finale, Nov. 21. We’re wanting to show how people lived during this time, and not only how they lived – how they worked, entertained, every aspect of history that we can get out there.” Attendees to the first two Saturdays experienced the past through examining collections of quilts and arrowheads, taking a horse-and-buggy ride and “meeting” characters from the past like Washington socialite and Confederate spy Rose O’Neal Greenhow and “Aunt Jenny,” Jenny Brooks Johnson, a popular local figure from the Civil War era.

Ozbirn said this monthly series hearkens back to the committee’s Pioneer Day in 2018. “Trying to get that many people together at one time – that’s really a big job. So we decided we could actually show more and celebrate more aspects of it if we had it broken up into a series,” she explained. “Hopefully more people will come and see what we’re offering and learn how this area was way back then.”

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“You’ve got to know where you came from to get where you’re going.”

—CHRIS OZBIRN Bicentennial Committee member Doris Hutcheson said they received numerous requests from the community to host a similar event to Pioneer Day. Hosting The Way We Were has been the answer.

“It’s a way of telling people about our history and preserving that history. Our younger generation has no clue what went on 200 years ago or even 50 years ago,” she said. “This is our way of trying to inform them about our history.”

“To me, history is something everybody has to know,” Ozbirn added. “You’ve got to know where you came from to get where you’re going … I love Franklin County with all of my heart, and that’s why I work so hard to get (the history) out there.”

Ozbirn said plenty of people share her fervor for sharing history with the community. She and her committee were able to fairly easily line up participants for the summer

Franklin County Chamber of Commerce

39th Annual Watermelon Festival August 16 - 17, 2019 More Franklin County Events: July 4th Jam on Sloss Lake July 20th Watermelon Festival Pageant July 27th Vina Fest Shootin' You Straight

Friday Night Saturday Night www.FranklinCountyChamber.org 256.332.1760 14

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Willodean Davis (256) 762-5671 Lisa Green of Haleyville, Jerry and Melanie Smith of Crooked Oak, Tim Kent of Tuscumbia and Regina Madden of Russellville have been part of presenting The Way We Were at the Russellville Canteen.

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schedule of events – like Civil War historians Jerry Smith and Tim Kent, members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans who were among presenters at the June event.

“We are passionate about what we do because we know what we’re talking about,” said Smith. He and Kent do extensive research into Civil War history and focus on sharing the facts – especially the history that might be forgotten, overlooked or ignored. “We want to tell people the real truth.”

Alabama State President of the Order of the Confederate Rose Lisa Green – who is also president of the Jenny Brooks Johnston Chapter No. 18 – was another participant at the June session. Her association with the OCR is what drives her involvement in such events.

“The Order of Confederate Rose is an independent Southern heritage organization whose main purpose is to support the Sons of Confederate Veterans in their service to the South,” Green explained. “The OCR promotes the honorable memory of the Confederate soldiers, Southern symbols, true history and true Southern heritage.”

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The July 13 event will feature a number of craftsman who will demonstrate their skills. Glenn Rikard will be demonstrating chair caning, and Frank Richey will be making knives. Barbara Bishop will share her butter-churning skills, and Doris Alewine will be knitting. Additionally, Orland Britnell and William Bishop will be displaying old farm artifacts, cooking and household items; Joel Mize is going to do a presentation about Bylar Road; and Frank Stone will once again be giving wagon rides.

“It lets us see where we’ve come from – what our roots are and what we have built on all these years to get to where we are,” Hutcheson said. “We need to get back to appreciating our roots and our heritage, and maybe that way our future will be brighter – more the way it was intended to be.”

Aug. 10 will be a showcase of Native American culture, with guests Bob and Annie Perry, Randy Brown and Tony Turnbow.

The Way We Were presentations and exhibits will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Russellville Canteen, 217 Washington Ave., with one additional Saturday scheduled for Sept. 14.

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(256) 332-9920 Cell: (256) 762-5671 15

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The Place of Grace Franklin Living

Former addict inspires hope and healing

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Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by MONTANA HESTER

ix years ago Jocelynn James began praying over a building in Russellville – a building she hopes to see become a place of compassion. A place of hope. A place for second chances. The Place of Grace.

James’ vision for a faith-based rehabilitation facility for women is rooted in her own struggle with substance abuse, with the drug addiction that grew out of properly using prescription medication and ultimately led to more than a dozen felonies before it brought her to her knees.

“I lost everything. I lost my license, my car, my house, my job. I didn’t lose my kids, but I should have,” said James, who became addicted to prescription painkillers following nine laparoscopic surgeries and a hysterectomy after the birth of her son in 2006. “I should have died. I became an IV user. I was shooting up 15 times a day. It was the most horrific thing I have ever endured in my life.”

April 2007 was the first arrest that landed her in jail. She tallied up 17

Franklin Living

felonies and nine misdemeanors over five years, from drug manufacturing charges to theft. Nov. 5, 2012, was the last day she ever used drugs – the day she decided to turn herself in to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office after she saw her picture on TV as one of Franklin County’s most wanted.

“I was just sitting in the living room, me and my kids and my ex-husband. It was a

mugshot from when I first got arrested,” James said. “I looked OK. I looked normal.

I didn’t look like a drug addict, an IV user, because I had just started dabbling in drugs. I looked normal. When I saw that picture, and I’m sitting in the recliner weighing 93 pounds, I thought, ‘This is ridiculous.’ I was tired of lying, tired of stealing, tired of that lifestyle. There was no drug that could pick me up because I

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Teresa Davis, Undrea Gonzalez and Jocelynn James take a walk across the lawn of Lawrence Place, which they hope will someday be The Place of Grace.

was mentally and physically exhausted.”

When she left that morning to turn herself in at the FCSO, she said she told her children she was headed to pay a speeding ticket – not hard to believe, since she had racked up thousands in speeding fines. She wouldn’t see her children again for four months.

“There’s nothing easy about turning yourself in. But I did,” said James. Although she thought she would immediately bond out and start rehab, she found herself spending six months in jail – all through the holidays – before her chance to enter rehabilitation at The Lovelady Center in Birmingham.

“It’s was God’s way. I wanted to go to a rehab close to home, and they said no, you’re going to Birmingham. That was a dark time in my life because I got sober in there. I thought I was going to die,” said James, who completed the program Aug. 12, 2013. When she graduated rehabilitation, she was ready to return to Franklin County – and ready to go to work for the Lord.

“A lot of people think they can’t go back to their hometown, but I was adamant I was coming back because I was not that person anymore. I knew I was fixing to make a difference in Franklin County with God on my side,” James said. “When

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I came out of treatment in 2013, I just immediately started helping people. I was on social media, and I was in God’s word for a year.” Although she had lost her license, she began taking people to rehab – her mother would drive. She started a jail ministry in 2014, and she calculates she has spent about $13K out of her own pocket – from working four jobs and nearly 80 hours a week – helping women like her. She’s had a hand in helping more than 500 women turn their lives around, and she isn’t ready to stop there. That’s why she needs The Place of Grace.

“Everything is ready for this rehab facility except for our building,” said James, who has spent the past several years both praying for her idea of a faith-based rehab center for women in Russellville and bringing people into the vision who can help her make it happen.

“God has specially picked every person who has come on board with me.”

Two women who have been right by her side are her The Place of Grace board members: Undrea Gonzalez and Teresa Davis. Gonzalez is a long-time friend, and Davis met James through Davis’ involvement in the Life Being Restored ministry group; they first connected when James was still in rehab.

“I was so impressed with that young lady

– just her upbeat spirit, her personality – she was on fire for God,” said Davis, who has also watched her son battle addiction problems. “I knew then that she was going to take her sobriety and run with it, and she did.”

Davis said when James returned home, the two were attending the same church, and their friendship began to grow. “I’ve gotten to witness Jocelynn in her growth in sobriety and her growth in God. It’s absolutely amazing,” Davis said. “We all try to do what’s right, and we strive to do what God wants us to do, but to see somebody totally give their life to what God wants them to do is just amazing to me.”

In addition to Davis and Gonzalez, James has found support from other friends and community members, whether in the form of monetary donations, volunteer hours or other means of assistance. Megan Hovater built the program’s website and has helped with social media and fundraisers. For her, as for James, the missing is personal.

“I have a sister who has battled addiction for many years,” Hovater said.

“At one of the lowest points I ever saw my sister, my family reached out to Jocelynn for help, and she didn’t even hesitate.

She visited my sister in the hospital and helped her get into a rehab facility.

“Jocelynn has a true passion for this because she has battled addiction and won,” Hovater added. “She truly has a heart for helping women regain their lives ...

Franklin County needs this facility. The majority of the incarcerated in this area and surrounding counties are drug-related charges.”

“Jocelyn has this calling, and of course she needed some help to guide her into how to get it started, so Undrea and I put our heads together and made connections with people we knew who could help us,” said Davis. “This is something God has got his hand on because everything is falling into place. It’s been her passion, and she’s following what God is leading her to do.”

The last piece to fall in place for the facility will be the actual building. James is praying and working for Lawrence Place, located on Lawrence Street in Russellville.

“That’s a perfect facility – a perfect place for this program,” said James, adding she “literally wept because it’s perfect” the first time she toured the vacant former assisted living facility. The building boasts 37 rooms, meaning a 74-person capacity at two people to a room, each with its own bathroom. James was also pleased to find it has a chapel, “which is perfect for church, devotions and personal time with God.” Building a relationship with God is one of the things James wants most for the women who will be served by The Place of Grace. Although she knows everyone won’t ultimately accept Christ “that’s our goal – to lead them to Christ,” she said. “I’m doing this for God and his glory.”

Davis agreed the faith-based aspect is a crucial

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element of what The Place of Grace will offer its clients. “None of us, in addiction or not, can make it through the day without God guiding us,” she said. “I know there are people out there who think they can … but they are never going to have that inner peace without God. Somebody in addiction who tries to find recovery without God – I don’t see how they could ever have that inner peace.”

In addition to experiencing the love of God and taking part in regular church attendance, James said women who enter rehabilitation at The Place of Grace will be able to detox, either on site or potentially at another location, and will receive in-depth counseling and life skills classes, plus do volunteer work. They will be connected with paying jobs, and the facility will help them control that income to build a solid bank account so that, following rehab, they will be prepared to reenter society and lead productive lives. Clients could be referred to The Place of Grace from the court system or could call and sign themselves up for services. The Place of Grace will be a nine- to 12-month program.

“A place like this is doing nothing but making our county and community better,” said James. “These people are going to jail and coming out of jail with no recourse – nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to believe in them, no one to trust them. So what do they do? They go right back to where they came from.”

It’s a cycle she wants to stop with The Place of Grace.

Until then, she’ll keep helping and serving every way she can, one woman at a time. She’ll keep driving women to The Lovelady – she estimates she has made 3,000 trips in the past 5.5 years – and showing love to the women who need someone in their corner. “My phone never stops ringing. It rings all hours of the day, all hours of the night,” said James. “I have built a reputation that what I do, I do in love. I don’t look down on these women, and I don’t talk down to them, because I have been there … I do it because it’s what I’m supposed to be doing. I know that God did not let me die because I’m supposed to be doing this.”

Those who want to help or find out more can visit The Place of Grace on Facebook or at www. placeofgracecenter.com.

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Franklin Living

TASTE OF FRANKLIN

Chef in the making

Franklin Living

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Franklin Living

S

Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by MONTANA HESTER

ince she was a little girl, Russellville’s Anna Beth Gunderman has loved cooking, with a favorite pastime being to get in the kitchen with her mother, Amy Gunderman, to help whip up a cake or other dish.

The Phil Campbell High School 2019 graduate put her cookery to the test this past spring in the Franklin County Beef Cook-off. After claiming first place in the senior division in the county, she leveled up to the state competition – where her tasty stuffed peppers wowed the judges for a second-place finish against amateur culinary students from across the state.

“My mom is my teacher, and she was really the one who encouraged me to do it. I love taking her class, and I love to cook,” said Anna Beth, who took on the local competition with five fellow students from her mother’s Family and Consumer Sciences classes.

Amy and Anna worked together to craft an award-winning recipe. With recipe guidelines requiring beef as a primary ingredient and dictating limited sodium and fat quantities, Anna said she ultimately merged two recipes for a low carb dish sure to please – Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers.

“I just thought that would have a better chance of winning.

People like stuff like that. It’s different and better for you,” Anna said. “It’s kind of like a taco but healthier for you. I love it.”

Although Anna described cooking as a creative outlet and stress reliever, Franklin County competition day wasn’t exactly stress-free.

“The day of the competition was the first time I had cooked (my recipe),” Anna said. “The recipe is really easy, so I knew

pretty much what to do. I just had to follow the recipe really well.” She and her fellow competitors from Phil Campbell prepared their dishes at the school before carting them over to the A.W. Todd center for judging. “It was nerve-wracking because we were trying to cook in the kitchen and share utensils, and we wanted to be on time so we didn’t get points counted off or anything,” Anna said. “It was very chaotic.

It wasn’t as bad for the older kids because we were more experienced, but for the younger kids, it was chaotic for them … I had a lot of good experience because of my mom, and I’m thankful for that.”

Although mother/teacher Amy and father Gary were excited when Anna won the local competition, the senior Bobcat upped the ante by continuing on at state.

“I was very excited. I was very proud of her,” said Amy, who accompanied Anna to the state competition in Montgomery.

She said although she had high hopes for her daughter, she was still a little surprised she achieved second place. “I knew her dish would be good because they like things that are healthy and new, and that was actually a recipe we came up with and made it ourselves, so I knew it would be something different,” said Amy. Although Anna Beth’s dish seemed like a winner, the competition was fierce, and the logistics were another challenge. “I had to take all of my pots and pans and knives and everything I needed because the kitchen was not equipped,” said Anna Beth, who cooked her dish for state at a hotel in Montgomery. An 11 p.m. grocery run the night before ensured fresh ingredients, and a 6 a.m. wake-up call was required to make the early arrival to the competition. Once there, she found herself nose to nose with culinary students in full chef uniforms – leaving her feeling intimidated in her

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Franklin Living

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Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers Ingredients 1 ½ lb. lean ground chuck 6 large bell peppers – two green, two red and two orange or yellow 2 10-ounce cans of original Ro-tel tomatoes, drained 1 packet of taco seasoning 1 large onion 2 cups of Mexican cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil Toppings: parsley, Tommy Toe Tomatoes, sour cream and chopped leafy green lettuce

Directions 1. Brown ground chuck and onion. Drain fat. Add Ro-tel and taco seasoning and simmer for five minutes.

2. While the meat is simmering, brush the peppers, inside and out, with olive oil and bake 10 minutes.

3. Add one cup of cheese to the beef mixture, and stuff peppers with mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes.

4. Garnish with parsley and tomatoes.

5. Serve with sour cream and lettuce.

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Franklin Living

jeans and T-shirt. “I just crossed my fingers the whole time,” Anna said. At first she didn’t think she had a chance, “but I looked down at my dish, and it looked pretty good.”

The judges apparently agreed, awarding her second place.

“It’s a real hearty dish,” said Amy, who described it as Mexican meatloaf in a pepper. “Most dishes that are stuffed peppers recipes all have rice in them. This is one of the very few that doesn’t.”

The local Beef Cook-off was hosted by the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association and the Franklin County Cooperative Extension. Coordinator Caleb Beason said the 2019 competition was a revival of the event, as the Cattleman’s Association used to host it long ago until it dropped off.

“It brings full circle the beef cattle industry and really shows the cycle from pasture to plate,” said Beason, who also helps coordinate the Junior Cattlemen’s Association and is the ag teacher at PCHS. Red Bay, Phil Campbell and Belgreen participated in this year’s resurgence of the local event, and Beason said he thought it went well, thanks to the participation of the FACS teachers, Extension director Katernia Cole-Coffey and 4H Agent Janet Lovelady in cooperation with the Cattlemen’s Association. “They did a great job helping me as far as determining the rules and setting up the guidelines,” said Beason. “It was just a really good effective collaborative effort.”

Like Anna and Amy, Beason was thrilled with her finish at state, especially given the fierce competition. “I was very excited, and the thing we were proud of is that some of those students there were trained by professional culinary experts,” Beason said. “That goes to show that no matter what background you have, our family and consumer science teachers are doing a great job portraying how beef should be on our plates and proper food preparation practices.”

“I really appreciate Caleb working with Franklin County Cattlemen’s Assocation to bring the competition back,” Amy said. “Kids need something to motivate, and they need things to be involved and to see how competition works … I’m hoping we’ll have more state winners from here on out, since we have the interest back. Kids are driven by competition – everything is competition with kids these days.

Franklin Living

Everybody wants to be a winner.”

Amy said of her three children, Anna is the one who has enjoyed being in the kitchen the most – but taking on the competition was still a challenge.

“I’m proud of her for going out of her comfort zone and doing it,” Amy said.

That initiative is what she wants from all her students. “They need to be able to take care of themselves and take care of their families one day,” she said. “Most of these kids are not going to be living at home. They are going to have to take care of themselves. A lot of kids these days are used to cooking convenience things out of a box, so when they have to cook with a recipe, it’s things they have never had, and people are so busy and eat a lot of fast food – people don’t eat at home as much as they used to.”

She’s not likely to see that problem with Anna Beth. “I like trying to cook new things. I like to be challenged,” Anna said. “I always like to watching the cooking shows on TV. I really like Chopped because they give you different ingredients, and you have to know how to work with them … I’m always on Pinterest looking at stuff. I like doing really creative things.

“I like making things from scratch. I made chocolate chip cookies one time

from scratch and I didn’t think they were going to turn out very well, but they did. If I’m ever bored, I’m always digging through the pantry, trying to find stuff to cook.”

Anna Beth’s next challenge will be attending Northwest-Shoals Community College, with plans to continue into nursing school and become a registered nurse. “My dad’s a part-time nurse, and my sister is in nursing school. My dad has been nurse since before I was born,” Anna said. “I volunteered at Helen Keller last summer, and I worked in the volunteer lounge and labor and delivery, so that got me around a little bit of that, and I really enjoyed that.”

She encouraged other young people to take all the family and consumer sciences they can – “That’s something you’re going to need when you get out of high school. Mom teaches us how to cook but also how to sew, iron your clothes, interview tips, parenting tips, and you’re always going to need that kind of stuff no matter what you do” – and she thanked her family, Beason, PC Principal Gary Odom, Superintendent Greg Hamilton and the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association for all their support “It was just a really good experience, and I’m glad I did it.”

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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY Music-lovers of all ages turned out for the monthly Rockin’ at the Roxy show in Russellville.

Photos by MARÍA CAMP

Melanie and Shane Goodson.

Myra White, Pat Davis and Blakelee Myrick

Steve and Teresa Pounders

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Jean Dodd, Andrea Oliver and Bobbie Hatton

Charlene and Gary Isbell

Kerry Gilbert

Delora Jones, Sherry Harper, Shelia Graben and Eyvone Stidham

Franklin Living

Betty Tirey and Helen Benson

Johnny and Pam Taylor

Judy Grissom and Ann Gault

Kathy and Carl Hunt

Russell Smelser, Bonita Smelser, Jean Jackson, Peggy Risner, Carolyn Jacques, Carolyn Nash and Betty Flanagan

Franklin Living

Judy Johnson and Becky Evans

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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY

Morgan and Christopher Fowler

Clyde Baker, Faye Baker and Beth Shelton

Charlotte and Donnie Mitchell

Lanice and Kenny Vickery and Kathy and Billy Joe Cantrell

Jerry and Susan McDaniel and Wanda and Randy Bassham

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Ann Nix and Gwinda Sparks

Franklin Living

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY Carol Fretwell brings a Patchwork Quilt Program to Russellville Public Library as part of summer reading activities.

Photos by ALISON JAMES

Josey Dill

Giselle Sarabia

Camila Sarabia

Carol Fretwell

Kaylee Dill

Mason Cummins

Olga Sarabia and Karof

Franklin Living

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Why I Love Franklin County

Joey Rushing

J

oey Rushing has been Franklin County’s district attorney for 15 years. He’s been a Franklin County citizen nearly all his life, moving here when he was 4 years. He and his wife Tessa Rushing, a second-grade teacher, have two children: Will, 18, and Leah, 15.

for me. I also enjoy helping people and felt this would give me an opportunity to do that as well.

What is your favorite place to visit in Franklin County?

The ballfields and gyms (of course)

Where did you go to school?

Russellville High School, Class of 1988; Jacksonville State University, Class of 1992; and University of Alabama School of Law, Class of 1995

What are your favorite Franklin County restaurants, and what do you like about each of them?

43 Grill has great pork chops, El Patron has great tamales and I like B&J Café for the great smoked chicken.

How did you choose your career as Franklin County district attorney?

I wanted a fulfilling job, and I believed prosecuting individuals and holding them responsible for criminal behavior would be a good fit

Why do you love Franklin County?

I have lived here my whole life and have met so many nice people throughout my life that have had a positive influence on me. That is what brought me back here and why I love living here.

FAST 5

1. Favorite hobby: Reading 2. Favorite food: Pizza

3. Goal or ambition: (1) Treat people with respect and (2) Don’t take life too seriously 4. Church: First United Methodist Church, Russellville 5. Something people might not know about me is: In college I looked so much like Ferris Bueller/Matthew Broderick, I had several people ask if I was him, and one even asked for an autograph. Unfortunately, I recently had someone tell me I looked like “the before picture” of Jared from Subway.

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Franklin Living

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