2021 Franklin Living July-August

TREY STANFORD D | PH PHILIP H IIL L IP I GOAD | PHIL CAMPBELL HOEDOWN

July/August 2021 Vol. 12 Issue No. 4

SOUTHERN STYLE College freshman launches men’s clothing business

CREATIVE CLEAN Rusty Armadillo Farm produces goat milk bath products

WONDERFUL WATERMELON Embrace Franklin’s favorite fruit

FROM THE COUNTRY TO THE COSMOS Franklin man’s career path leads from Pleasant Site to starry skies

“START RIGHT, START HERE”

GREENS

DEPENDABLE HARDWARE

15220A Hwy 43 Russellville

“HOMETOWN FOLKS, HOMETOWN SERVICE”

256.331.0123 • Just behind McDonald’s • Russellville

PLUMBING HARDWARE ELECTRICAL

Features 4 5 6 7 10 14 15 20 25 28 29 30

Editorial ALISON JAMES CIERA HUGHES Contributors PHILIP GOAD HEATH GRIMES EMILY MAYS Marketing SHELLEY OZBIRN Administrative SOMMER MORRIS

Letter from the Editor What’s Happening Money Matters Taste of Franklin Southern style Faith Focus Creative clean Country to cosmos Wonderful watermelon Faces of Franklin County Education Corner Why I Love Franklin County

10

15

____________________ Franklin Living is published bi-monthly

by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc. Copyright 2020 by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.

ON THE COVER: Keith Bates never imagined his upbringing in Pleasant Site would one day lead him into the space program.

To read his story of serving as an aluminum expert and ultimately working as chief engineer within the shuttle program, turn to page 20.

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

20

Bethany Ellison Malone, Attorney at Law 503 West Main Street Tuscumbia, AL 35674 www.bethanyellisonmalone.com

• Wills

• Estate Planning

• Probate

• General Practice

256-383-9444 FRANKLIN LIVING

3

FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR

W

ith each edition of Franklin Living, I find myself filled with inspiration, with new dreams and ambitions prompted by the amazing people we interview across Franklin County.

I never fail to be amazed by your stories and delighted to have the opportunity to share them.

After this edition, I want to open my own business like Sydney Medley, be part of the space program like Keith Bates and make my own goat milk soaps like Tracy McCauley.

Of course, none of these dreams are likely to be realized. I don’t think I have the patience or business acumen to be like Sydney, I know I don’t have the intelligence to follow Keith’s path, and I’m pretty sure to make goat milk soaps, you have to have goats.

But it’s fun to dream, to connect with these stories of amazing people doing amazing things.

In each case, the people we are featuring in this issue followed their passions

and their strengths to land them where they are today. Perhaps that’s the most useful truth we can draw from their stories – that we should bravely follow life where it leads us, embracing the opportunities that come our way.

In the end, for me that doesn’t mean launching a clothing business in my hometown, or providing innovative solutions in the shuttle program, or handcrafting my own all-natural bath products.

It means being a journalist – a storyteller – creating and sharing this magazine and the Franklin County Times, to give our people their moment in the spotlight.

Wherever your path might lead, may you follow it with the passion and determination of a Sydney, a Keith, a Tracy or any one of the other inspirational people we feature in each edition of Franklin Living.

Alison James

Discover the value of enrolling in a local Medicare Advantage plan.

Call us today for easy-to-understand answers to your Medicare questions. <RXU ORFDO )UDQNOLQ &ROEHUW DQG /DXGHUGDOH DJHQW -HVVLFD 7DWH

7ROO IUHH 9,9$ |

77<

www.VivaHealth.com/Medicare

Hours: Mon - Fri, 8am - 8pm | Oct 1 - Mar 31: 7 days a week, 8am - 8pm Viva Medicare is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Viva Medicare depends on contract renewal.

Viva Health complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-830-8482 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果䓟使 用繁體中文，䓟可以免費獲得語言援助服務. 請致電 1-888-830-8482 (TTY: 711).

H0154_mcdoc2040A_M_09/15/2018

4

FRANKLIN LIVING

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

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.

LifeSouth Blood Drives July 27, Aug. 4, 12, 22

The LifeSouth bloodmobile will be in Russellville July 27 at O’Reilley Auto Parts from noon to 6 p.m.; Aug. 4 at Listerhill Credit Union, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Aug. 12 at Russellville Hospital, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Aug. 22 at North Highlands Church of Christ from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., as well as at the Watermelon Festival Aug. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information visit www.lifesouth.org.

Rockin’ at the Roxy July 10 and Aug. 14

Rockin’ at the Roxy has returned to the stage after more than a of coronavirus year. The second Saturday 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 a special guest for each show. Doors open at 6 p.m. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 and free for children younger than 6.

Vina JulyFest July 31

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/Volunteer Fire Department. Set for July 31, July Fest will start at 10 a.m. and feature live music along with a variety of vendors, including an expanded variety of food vendors and handcrafted items. Festivities will also include a car show – $20 registration fee. The crowd-favorite Draw Down returns this year and, to top it all off, a fireworks spectacular.

Festivities will wrap up at 9 p.m.

Watermelon Festival Aug. 20-21

The Franklin County Watermelon Festival began in 1981, and it has grown into the largest community festival in Franklin County.

Hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, the two-day festival offers non-stop music, contests and entertainment, as well as the pageant to crown the Watermelon Queen, arts and crafts, antique car and truck show, free watermelon and more in downtown Russellville.

FRANKLIN LIVING

5

MONEY MATTERS 50 + miles of yard sales • It begins on Hwy. 25 N. at the MS-TN Stateline and ends on Hwy. 25 S. at the Tishomingo county - line south of Belmont.

It also includes Hwy. 72 and alt.172 to Burnsville.

Antiques, furniture, clothing, glassware, jewelry, collectibles, baby clothing, toys, tools and much more!

Tishomingo County Tourism 1001 Battleground Dr., Iuka, MS 38852

Trash & Treasures along the Tenn-Tom Waterway is a 50+ mile yard sale event in Tishomingo County, MS. Thousands of buyers and sellers participate in this annual event. Designated set-up areas are provided on a first-come-first- serve basis. There is no charge to participate. You can set up and sell, or stop by and browse; either way it’s a fun time for the entire family!

October 1-2, 2021 Friday - Saturday Sun-up to sun-down!

Tishomingo County Tourism Council

662-423-0051 Come Back To Quality Stop paying for name brands that don't last!

Since 1924, Aerus, formerly know as Electrolux, has had a reputation for quality products. Our name has changed but our values remain the same.

• Best in Class Products that remain eco-friendly • Knowledgeable and friendly customer service • At same location for 20 years

:EGYYQW ƽ &MV 5YVMǻIVW ƽ -IEXIVW

Made in the USA

6

Call Martha Ingram Russellville 256-332-1136 Cell 256-710-9868 Lux.lady@icloud.com Aerusvacuums.com

Overcoming life’s budget barriers

B

arriers in life are tough, and they can crop up anywhere – your job, your spiritual life and your finances. Not many of us are lucky enough to never have to worry about saving our dollars and cents, and barriers to budget seem to be endless.

In comparison, access to spending has never been easier.

In today’s digital age of money, it seems budgeting is even more complicated because we’re spending money we never actually hold or see. Our payrolls are direct deposited, and you can make a purchase right from your sofa without even going to get your credit or debit card from your wallet. I once purchased a new Fitbit while I was in the middle of a 10-mile training session.

With digital payments, I didn’t need my wallet or my card – just tapped “buy now” and continued my workout.

As we’re crossing over the midpoint of the year, I think this is a great time to look at our barriers that keep busting our budget and put some effort into getting refocused.

Barrier 1 – Not having a good handle on what you’re spending. This includes regular monthly bills and all the other swipes and “buy nows.” When I teach financial literacy to students, the lesson on keeping up with what you’re spending comes immediately after saving. You don’t have to keep an old-school check register, but we need to do more than depend on the available balance showing in our mobile app. This balance might not be accounting for everything you’ve spent if a merchant hasn’t pushed their transactions through for clearing.

What is the solution to this?

Start getting a handle on what you’re actually spending. Download an app, use a pen and paper,

whatever makes it doable for you. Track your spending so you know what you have to work with.

Barrier 2 – Setting unrealistic goals. Let’s be honest: We all do it.

We set some monumental – and fantastic – goal only to be severely let down.

What is the solution to unrealistic goal setting? Set goals that make sense for you – you can even do daily and weekly goals instead of monthly – and start with baby steps. For example, “Today I will not eat out,” and put $10 into savings instead. Or “This week, I’m going to save $25,” then actually take that money and put it in an envelope or into your savings account. Make it tangible.

Barrier 3 – Lacking in selfcontrol. This one is probably the hardest. If I could insert emojis into this article, this would be a “cringing face.” Removing the temptation to spend is difficult because you have to spend to live and take care of your family.

Many people have trouble with budgeting because we like to get out and do things. This barrier will definitely take the most practice.

The solution to a self-control problem is to get self-aware first and foremost. Identify what common triggers are and, like with any hurdle, take them on one at a time. For example, maybe Amazon is making it just too easy to shop. Try deleting the app or taking a one-month no online purchasing challenge. Even putting the things into your cart but forcing yourself to wait two weeks or a month before purchasing can add some objective perspective. When I do this, I usually end up deleting the items when I go back to my cart. Sometimes selfcontrol just comes down to tricking ourselves into doing or not doing something – and it is usually worth the challenge!

Emily Mays is vice president/chief administrative officer at Community Spirit Bank in Red Bay, working in finance for 15 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.

FRANKLIN LIVING

TASTE OF FRANKLIN

Something scrumptious Recipes and photos by AMY DOLAN MCCOLLUM

Summertime in the South is for grilling, barbecuing, fish fries and wonderfully fresh meals from the garden. For Amy McCollum, it’s also an opportunity to spend more time cooking with her daughters. Here are a few of her favorite recipes to tempt the tastebuds.

FRANKLIN LIVING

7

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH Instructions

Ingredients

1.

• 1/2 cup buttermilk • 1/2 cup water • Salt and pepper, to taste • 1 pound catfish filets, cut in strips • 1 1/2 cups fine cornmeal • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay • 1 quart vegetable oil, for deep frying

In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, water, salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into a flat pan large enough to hold the fillets.

Spread fish in one layer over bottom of pan, turning to coat each side, and set aside to marinate.

In a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag, combine the cornmeal, flour and seafood seasoning.

Add fish to the bag, a few fillets at a time, and tumble gently to coat evenly.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 365 degrees.

Deep-fry fillets until golden brown. Fish should be slightly crisp on the outside and moist and flaky inside.

Drain on paper towels.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

SOUTHERN SQUASH CASSEROLE Ingredients

3.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add squash, onion and • 2 tablespoons butter, divided bell pepper to the skillet, cooking and stirring • 6 yellow squash, about 2 pounds, for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are sliced (about 6 cups total) tender.

• 1 small sweet onion, diced 4. Remove from heat and season with salt and • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1/2 teaspoon salt pepper.

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 5. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk to• 2 eggs gether eggs, cheese, sour cream and may• 1 cup grated cheddar onnaise.

• 1/4 cup sour cream 6. Stir the egg mixture into the squash mixture.

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise • 3/4 cup crushed butter crackers 7. Transfer the squash mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Instructions 8.

In a separate bowl, combine crushed crackers 1. Preheat oven to 350 dewith remaining tablespoon of melted butter. grees.

9.

Sprinkle buttered cracker crumbs over top of 2. Spray an 8-inch or casserole.

9-inch square baking 10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until casserole is set dish with cooking spray and topping is golden brown. and set aside.

SOUTHERN BAKED BEANS Instructions

Ingredients • 2 large cans Bush’s Southern Pit Barbecue Baked Beans • 1 pound ground beef • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar • 1/2 small sweet onion, finely diced and cooked • 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced and cooked • 1/4 cup ketchup • 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard • 2 slices bacon, halved (to top baked beans, optional)

8

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cook ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Chop as it is cooking so the meat is in very small pieces. Drain and set meat aside.

In a medium baking dish, combine the cooked ground beef, onion and green bell pepper with all remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly combined.

Top the beans with the uncooked bacon and place into oven.

Bake for 45 minutes. Stir halfway through the baking time.

Remove, discard the bacon and let stand for five minutes before serving.

FRANKLIN LIVING

BEST-EVER DEVILED EGGS Instructions

Ingredients • •

8 large eggs 2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2-3 tablespoons dill or sweet pickle relish 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1/8 teaspoon salt dash of fresh black pepper garnish: paprika

•

•

• • •

SQUASH DRESSING Ingredients

1. Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan.

2. Add enough cool water to cover eggs.

3. Bring to a boil; cover, remove saucepan from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.

4. After 15 minutes, drain the water, and then fill the saucepan with cold water and ice. Allow to sit for five minutes.

5. Tap each egg firmly on the counter until cracks form all over the shell. Peel under cold running water.

6. Slice eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove yolks.

7. Mash yolks with mayonnaise.

8. Add relish, mustard, salt, and pepper and stir well.

9. Carefully spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites.

10. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika.

• • • • • • • •

Instructions 1.

Moisten cornbread crumbs with a small amount of squash liquid.

Combine all ingredients and spread into a greased casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned.

2.

3.

JALAPEÑO HUSHPUPPIES

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

This recipe yields about 12-15 hushpuppies, depending on the scoop size. High smoke point is one of the main reasons peanut oil is preferred over frying oil.

Because of its relatively higher saturated fatty acid content, peanut oil is more stable than many other regular vegetable oils. You can leave out the jalapeños if you don’t want spicy hushpuppies.

• •

1 cup cornmeal 3/4 cup self-rising flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup diced sweet onion 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped jalapeño peppers, to taste oil for frying, preferably peanut oil

• • • • •

•

Ingredients • • • • • • •

Instructions

Ingredients 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

2 cups cooked, mashed squash, well drained 2 cups cornbread crumbs 1/2 cup chopped onion 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 can cream of chicken soup 1/4 stick margarine, melted 1/2 teaspoon celery seed Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the cornmeal, flour and salt.

Add the onion and jalapeños. Stir until incorporated and the batter is thick.

In a heavy-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven, or deep fryer, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot to 360 degrees.

Working in batches, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter – I use a cookie dough scoop – at a time into the oil. Dip the scoop in water between hushpuppies to help the batter slide right off.

Be careful not to overcrowd the pot, as this will bring the temperature of the oil down too quickly.

Fry the hushpuppies until golden brown on all sides, turning in the oil for even cooking, about five minutes.

Transfer the hushpuppies to a paper towel-lined dish and sprinkle with salt, if desired, while hot.

12 oz. can of evaporated milk 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 2 cups sugar 2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring 1/2 gallon whole milk Ice Rock salt

Instructions 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Cream sweetened condensed milk with sugar.

Add half the can of evaporated milk and mix. Mix in other half of can.

Stir in vanilla.

Add a small amount of milk.

Pour mixture into ice cream freezer and fill to half-inch below the fill line with remaining milk.

Add 2 inches of ice.

Add salt and finish filling with ice.

LEMON-LIME SALAD Instructions

Ingredients • • • • • • •

1 package lemon Jell-O 1 package lime Jell-O 1 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 small can crushed pineapple 24 large marshmallows 8 oz. package cream cheese

1.

Pour two cups of boiling water over lemon and lime Jell-O mixes and add all the marshmallows.

4.

5.

2.

Stir until the Jell-O is dissolved and the marshmallows are melted.

6.

3.

Chill until thickened.

7.

Mash the cream cheese with the vinegar Mix cream cheese mixture with pineapple and pecans.

When the Jell-O is thickened, combine with cream cheese mixture.

Chill until firm.

Amy Dolan McCollum is retired from 27 years in education. She holds a home economics degree from the University of Montevallo. The last 13 years of her career she served as the Child Nutrition Program director for Franklin County Schools and as the Family and Consumer Science teacher at Phil Campbell High School. She is married to Tim McCollum, and they have five children – Leah and Lara Gunderman, Anna Gunderman Pressnell and Adam and Brendon McCollum – and one granddaughter, Brooklyn McCollum.

FRANKLIN LIVING

9

Southern style RHS 2020 grad launches men’s clothing business Story and photos by ALISON JAMES

10

FRANKLIN LIVING

F

or many new college students, the transition from high school to pseudo-adulthood proves to be a challenging time in life.

Between making new friends, enjoying new levels of independence, handling a full course load of classes and solidifying basic life skills like doing laundry and grocery shopping, most 18-19-year-olds find their plates are plenty full.

Then there’s Sydney Medley.

The 2020 Russellville High School grad finished her first semester at the University of North Alabama, celebrated her 19th birthday and launched her own men’s clothing store within the space of a month in December 2020.

Born and raised in Russellville, the daughter of Cassie and Jamie Medley said she once thought she might be a nurse or a teacher. With her mother’s role as director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, however, she wound up with plenty of opportunities to work with local small business owners – and she fell in love with the local business community, especially “the interaction with people, being able to help them find something they need and provide customer service.”

A conversation with Chase Sparks at Russellville Florist pushed Medley to take her own leap and join the Russellville business community with Kyle and Company Menswear, a men’s clothing shop named after her brother, Nathan Kyle. With her parents’ support, Medley made her new business official Dec. 27, 2020.

“It’s growing little by little every day,” Medley said. “I’ve loved every second of it.”

Although right now her business is conducted solely online and based out of her Russellville home – “My house looks like a storefront has thrown up a little bit, if we’re being honest,” – Medley said she hopes to one day join downtown business owners with a brick-and-mortar Russellville shop. Basing the business in her hometown is a no-brainer. “I love Russellville. I know they will rally behind me,” Medley said.

FRANKLIN LIVING

11

12

FRANKLIN LIVING

The UNA marketing major/sales minor said she has put her business focus on providing clothing for the Southern gentleman, as well supporting other locally-owned small businesses across the nation. Kyle and Company carries four brands – Burlebo, based in Texas; Southern Fried Cotton, based in North Carolina; Live Oak Brand, based in Maryland; and Smathers and Branson, also based in Maryland. T-shirts constitute the bulk of her merchandise so far, but the shop also offers dress shirts, shorts, caps and other items, and Medley said she aims to continue to expand.

“This is something she has dreamed about for a while now,” explained mom Cassie. “Hopefully by the time she is finished with college and has her degree, she can have it already established and be ready to work.” She said she is proud to see her daughter take the initiative at such a young age to embrace the local business community and follow her passion. “It gives you

FRANKLIN LIVING

hope for the future, that others will step up and do the same. I love new businesses coming in and being part of the chamber.”

The 6-month-old business has already received community support, as the younger Medley has leaned on people like Sparks – “He was the one who pushed me to actually create a business. He was like, ‘Just go for it. I wish I would have done it at your age,’” – and Yaneli Bahena, co-owner of The Ville Nutrition and a fellow 2020 graduate. Her parents have also been her continuous cheering section.

“I have leaned on my mom a lot, and it’s been awesome for us to get to do stuff together,” Medley said. “She saw the need just like I did.”

Medley said although she knows many new business fail, she is determined hers won’t be one of them.

“I’m just not going to give up. I’m not going to be the one who closes after a year,” Medley said. “I’ve learned a lot about how I just have to roll with it.”

13

FAITH FOCUS

Just say no

I

s it possible we have forgotten how to rest?

And in not carving out time for rest, is it possible we’re missing out on a major blessing from God?

Think about how we live today.

God has wired us with ambition that often results in attempting to use every waking hour to make gain – and when we’re not working, even our leisure schedule ends up being exhausting!

Dr. Richard Swenson defines the problem that plagues many of us as “a lack of margin.” He states, “The conditions of modern-day living devour margin. If you are homeless, we send you to a shelter. If you are penniless, we offer you food stamps. If you are breathless, we connect you to oxygen. But if you are marginless, we give you yet one more thing to do.”

Does looking at your to-do list and your calendar make you tired? If so, you might be missing the margin you so desperately need.

Under Old Testament law, God had commanded the Sabbath day be kept holy. Sabbath observance was God’s way of ensuring there would be positive margin in the lives of his people. However, by the time of Jesus’ ministry, this day designated for worship, rest and reflection had devolved into a burden at the hands of Jewish leadership. In Mark 2:27 Jesus reminded his critics that “the Sabbath day was made to help people; they were not made to be ruled by the Sabbath day.”

Today, Sabbath law no longer applies to Jesus followers because of his death, burial and resurrection (Hebrews 10:1-18).

Based on the New Testament example of the first-century church, we now worship on the first day of the week. We would do well, however, to not ignore God’s provision in giving his people an opportunity for rest.

How can we recapture an appropriate rhythm of work and rest in this busy-all-the-time world we live in?

An internet search will provide a variety of ideas for incorporating rest into our routines, including valuing down time rather than regarding it as wasted time; disconnecting from technology for a time; and getting a healthy amount of sleep, to name just a few.

Jesus successfully disconnected from people for a time of rest, and he made sure his disciples rested, too. His example speaks to the importance of resting.

The following idea might be the most crucial key to success: While it might not be easy, we must discipline ourselves to say “no” when social demands are overwhelming us. Being able to say “no” is the key to avoiding overscheduling and recapturing positive margin.

God knew exhausted people struggle to run good races.

Imagine a reality where you are in control of your time rather than feeling like time is controlling you. Learn to say “no” and get your margin back! Doing so will allow you to get some rest!

Philip Goad is the minister at North Highlands Church of Christ in Russellville. He is married to Marla, and they have a daughter, Kayla Thorne, who is married to Josh. They also have a son, Preston, and one grandchild, Greyson Thorne.

14

FRANKLIN LIVING

Creative clean Goat milk forms basis for handcrafted bath products Story and photos by MARÍA CAMP

FRANKLIN LIVING

15

O

n Rusty Armadillo Farm in Hodges, Tracy McCauley and her husband Doug grow a lot of their own fruits and a wide variety of vegetables and herbs, and they raise hens and goats – the latter of which provides McCauley with a special opportunity to tap into her creativity. Using goat milk, McCauley makes, uses and sells soap, lotion, bath salts, sugar scrubs, body butter and shaving soap.

She said she started making goat milk soap about seven or eight years ago in answer to having sensitive skin that reacts to artificial fragrances and is easily affected by poison ivy. She learned a lot by watching free videos on YouTube and checking other online sources.

Once she had the basics down, she started experimenting to tweak her products. “I’m not afraid of failure,” McCauley said. “I’ll try most things at least once.

If I keep with it, when I have the process down, I enjoy trying different things to adjust for my preferences.”

McCauley said goat milk soaps are harder than the average bath soap but have a nice lather – more of a creamy lather than a foamy one. She estimates a bar of goat milk soap lasts three or four times longer than a bar of soap bought in a store.

It’s important to her to have control of all the ingredients, McCauley explained. She started making soaps and other products for personal use and then expanded to creating gifts for friends and family and eventually to selling at community festivals and through Facebook.

McCauley says there are special considerations for making soap that includes lye – which helps with the irritation caused by poison ivy – as an ingredi-

16

FRAN RRANKLIN ANKL KLIIN KL IN LIVING G

ent. Fresh lye is caustic and could burn skin if touched too soon. Additionally, McCauley said she has to measure everything “pretty meticulously.” Adding too much lye can make the soap too hard and brittle; failing to add enough lye to the soap will make it too soft; and if the lye is added to the goat milk too fast, it will spoil the milk and turn the color. “It’s easy to ruin a batch,” McCauley said.

That’s why she needs to plan about a month ahead: three or four days to make the product and then two or three weeks to let it set before wrapping and sending it.

Tallow is another key ingredient in the soap. “When it reaches the right temperature, around 98-100 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s when you mix it in. The mixture then starts to thicken up really quickly,” she explained It’s at this point, McCauley said, that “organics” can be added, such as oatmeal, organic teas, herbs, peppermint or oregano oil or rosemary and essential oils. She uses both silicone and heavy wood molds to shape the soaps.

McCauley said sweet pea and lavender are popular scents, and cedarwood is her personal favorite. She also makes lemongrass, peppermint and citronella scents, among others. “On our farm, we try to avoid harmful chemicals and fragrances,” McCauley said. “I purchase matte clay for the pigment and make and buy essential oils. I know what I’m making is healthy, and I can feel good about what I’m using and selling.”

The essential oils McCauley makes are created by using a “whole lot of fresh herbs and adding a warm carrier oil.” She said she often uses grapeseed oil because it doesn’t alter the scent of the product.

McCauley said she finds working with her goats to be therapeutic. She said they bring her peace and there’s no “pretense or pressure” when working with animals – it “just feels real and joyful.”

The McCauleys enjoy using the products she makes with the goat milk, as well as drinking the goat milk, but they also have a lot of fun watching the baby goats grow and play and seeing the goats interacting with one another and with them.

Originally from Ohio, McCauley grew up on a farm. Later, she and her husband had a small farm where they raised ostriches. She spent 30 years as a hairdresser, a number of them in her own salon in Ohio, as well as in a day spa near Key West, Fla.

“I stay inspired by having multiple creative outlets. I enjoy keeping busy, and I love a challenge. I’m always working on a project or thinking about one.”

FRA RRANKLIN ANKLIN LIV IVING IVIN IN NG

17

These days, she is happily spending her time working on a variety of pursuits. “I stay inspired by having multiple creative outlets. I enjoy keeping busy, and I love a challenge. I’m always working on a project or thinking about one.”

It wasn’t until after moving to Alabama that she started raising goats. McCauley’s neighbor called one day because she knew she had grown up on a farm and thought McCauley might be able to help with problems one of her goats was having while giving birth.

Two of the babies were lost, but the third survived.

McCauley said she remembers going home that day and telling her husband they needed to start keeping goats. “When we were delivering the baby goat, I kept telling the lady’s granddaughter you just gotta have faith, and that’s what we wound up naming the baby I helped deliver. Four months later, we got her – along with two other goats about the same age – and they became the first on our farm,” she said.

“Goats are very social. They can even die of loneliness, so you wouldn’t want to have just one.”

At the moment, McCauley has 11 goats of three different breeds. The Nigerian Dwarf goats have straighter, sharper horns, while the Pygmies have curved horns that get longer and curlier the older they get. The Saanen goats are bigger – “standard size.” Some of her goats are half Saanen and half Pygmy. One of the goats is half fainting goat.

McCauley said she recommends not keeping too many goats together because they have a pecking order, as many animals do. They can “bang horns just to show who’s the boss.”

“All of my goats have been together for a while,” she added. “You can add more goats to a herd. After two or three days, they calm down, though they may be a little rowdy at first, being skeptical of strangers, as are many animals.”

When milking, McCauley said she doesn’t take all the milk. Instead, she shares it with the baby goats. Some people take 100 percent of the milk after a couple of months or even just a couple of weeks.

She milks once a day for about six months or so until the mother goat starts to wean the baby. She said you could theoretically continue milking a goat, as they keep producing as long as you keep taking the milk, but she’s unsure what the health implications might be for the goat, and that’s not an option she has ever pursued.

“Doug and I really want to be as self-sufficient as possible. We like to grow what we can for ourselves. I’d rather not buy it at the store if I’m able to grow it at home,” McCauley said. “A lot of the reason for this is to help ensure we have healthier

18

FRANKLIN LIVING

food, but the taste can also be better. I know our berries were grown in an organic way, and I can just go eat them off the vine and not worry. Although there are a lot of factors and steps in the process of growing our own food and making my own personal care products, I enjoy it.

“When I make items like the soaps, I like to do it on a day when I can have the house to myself and the dogs are outside. It smells

FRANKLIN LIVING

wonderful in the kitchen when I’m preparing the soap. It’s an enjoyable process.”

Among her other creative endeavors are painting, gardening, writing and pyrography. She wrote a children’s book, “Frog Prints,” that she and her daughter, Ashley Todd, illustrated together.

McCauley also makes her own bug spray using a witch hazel base and will soon start making

and selling soy wax candles. “Soy burns smoother and longer than beeswax, and it retains the scent better,” she said. “My candles will have wood wicks that crackle as they burn.” Some of the scents she plans to offer include rose, vanilla, mint, sweet pea, grapefruit, amber, cedarwood and bergamot.

McCauley can be contacted via Facebook, by cellphone at 305-395-1234 or by email at tracymccauley@yahoo.com.

19

From the country to the cosmos How one Franklin County man found his place among the stars

20

FRANKLIN LIVING

Story and photos by ALISON JAMES

I

t was 1971. In downtown Corpus Christi, Texas, Keith Bates ducked into a newsstand, where newspapers from all over the country were for sale. “I bought every one I could get ahold of – Denver, Chicago, New York, Miami – and took them home and took the want ads out of them.” The recentlylaid-off Bates scanned the job ads line by line and sent a resume to every likely option, more than a hundred, across the country.

Aluminum Smelters of New Jersey, a listing he found in the Philadelphia Inquirer, was the only job offer he got. So he and his wife Gail and their toddler son, Kevin, packed up and moved across the country for the new opportunity as supervisor in aluminum extrusion – a job that would be one in a succession propelling Bates into the national space program.

Keith Bates receives an award “in recognition of your dedication, commitment to excellence and your achievements in support of the manned space program.”

Franklin County natives Keith and Gail Rea Bates now live in Huntsville.

FRANKLIN LIVING

21

Bates’ story begins, of course, a little closer to home – in Pleasant Site, Franklin County, where he grew up. The Red Bay Class of 1965 alum said he was always mechanically-minded. He was working a pair of mules and driving a tractor to help with farm chores by the age of 12 or so, and by 15 he was working as a part-time auto mechanic and farmer. At that time he thought he would one day put his skills to work as a tool and die maker in the automotive industry. As it turns out, he could have set his sights a little higher, as his career would one day land him among the brightest engineering minds in the nation.

When Bates was a fresh-faced 18-year-old, he met the woman who would become his wife, Gail Rea. A mutual friend connected them, to facilitate a double date. “He says, when I walked into that living room, that he said to himself, “I’m going to marry her if there is any way in the world,’” said Gail, who also grew up in Franklin County, graduating from Belgreen in 1967. She didn’t share his immediate head-over-heels attraction, but eventually, she jokes, he wore her down. They married on Christmas Eve 1966.

Bates said he always had in mind that he would go to college, an ideal set forth by his parents. He started at the junior college in Phil Campbell, the first year the school had established a formal campus. It was the chemistry professor there, a graduate of Mississippi State, who convinced Bates to abandon his plan of majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama and instead enroll at Mississippi State to be part of the coop program with Redstone Arsenal. His mentor on the Arsenal was John Honeycutt – a man who would turn out to be a crucial connection later in life.

22

After finishing his degree in materials engineering – which he chose simply because it aligned with the co-op program – Bates moved his family to Texas for a year. The Texas job ultimately laid him off, setting him on the path that would lead to the space program.

From Aluminum Smelters, Bates’ career progression carried his family to Wisconsin, where he worked in a similar role for Vulcan Materials; to Reynolds Metals Company, where he started as a metallurgist in Texas and Sheffield before rising to application engineer based in Virginia; and to Revere Copper and Brass in Scottsboro on Goose Pond Island, where he rose all the way to mill superintendent.

It was his next opportunity, however, that would prove to be the defining job change in Bates’ career.

It was 1983, and Bates’ mentor Honeycutt was still working on the Arsenal. A colleague at NASA contractor United Space Boosters Incorporated in Huntsville asked Honeycutt whether he might know someone with expertise in aluminum who would be interested in coming to work as an engineer on the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle program – and Honeycutt knew the perfect man for the job. With Bates’ time at Revere coming to a close because of a plant shutdown, he was in need of a job, so the position at USBI came at the perfect time.

As he puts it in his resume, Bates “assumed increasing responsibilities,” rising from SRB senior materials engineer to chief of SRB Materials and Processes to manager of SRB M&P before transitioning to United Space Alliance in the same role, when

FRANKLIN LIVING

USA – a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin – continued the SRB contract.

In early 1997, the Bates dropped their daughter Amy off at the University of Montevallo and headed to Cape Canaveral, Florida.

A job Bates thought he might hold for a couple of years had become a 14-year career – and it wasn’t over yet.

His wife remembers the moment Bates told her he thought he was in the running for United Space Alliance chief engineer.

Of course, with a healthy dose of humility, Bates said he never thought he’d be selected. Nevertheless, in 2004 he found himself at the helm as SRB Chief Engineer, based at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“It’s the ultimate dream job for an engineer,” Bates said.

“You don’t have any personnel issues. We had hundreds of engineers and technicians working on the boosters, and every one of them reported to me, technically. I could tell any of them what they could do and what they couldn’t do, but they all had their own line of reporting.” With the personnel matters relegated to other managers, Bates in his role was able to focus on making unbiased and undistracted determinations about the readiness of the shuttles. “The chief engineer is ultimately responsible for making all technical decisions and taking the risks associated with those decisions, as to whether or not the vehicle is ready to fly – from the smallest to the biggest decision.”

Bates became chief engineer the year after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. “The first year, the only thing we did was try to get past Columbia. That wasn’t a booster problem, it was a tank problem, but we were all still dead in the water,” Bates explained. He had already been through the Challenger disaster of 1986 during his time at USBI and was involved in investigating the cause – for which he received a certificate of appreciation from then-NASA administrator James C. Fletcher. So recovering from a major shuttle disaster was, unfortunately, not a new experience.

During his first launch as chief engineer, in 2005, Bates’ 10-year-old grandson Austin was excited to watch the event on television – but probably no more excited than Bates himself.

“We were hyped up then because we hadn’t flown in over two years,” Bates said.

From 2004-2008, Chief Engineer Bates was the point person for 10 launches. Out of the total 135 missions flown by space shuttles during the Space Transportation System’s 1981-2011 tenure, he was involved in 128 of them in some capacity.

Bates has many memories from his work as chief engineer.

One that stands out happened one Saturday morning, when he was called in about 11 a.m. to assess the damage to a shuttle that had been struck by lightning the night before. The shuttle was on the pad, ready to launch, and the team needed Bates’ OK that it was cleared to fly.

“At 2 a.m., he still wasn’t home,” Gail said. “He had told me when he left, ‘I don’t know when I’ll ever be back.’ The only thing we had then were BlackBerrys, so we didn’t have texting, just email. He emailed me at 2 a.m. and said, ‘Pray for me. They are trying to make me sign off on this, and I’m not going to do it.’”

FRANKLIN LIVING

(PMEFO %SFBNT +FXFMSZ $ OE 4USFFU )XZ #FMNPOU .4

XXX HPMEFOESFBNTKFXFMSZ DPN

visit: www.pilgrimsusa.com

We offer a $4,000 sign on bonus $5,000 sign on bonus for drivers.

www.facebook.com/pilgrimsrussellville.

1-256-768-3707 23

The Bates show off a hand-crafted patriotic shuttle created by a young granddaughter.

24

With no way to ensure the shuttle was undamaged, Bates had to stand his ground against colleagues who insisted it was fine. “He knew if he signed it, and that thing blew up, it would be his signature,” Gail explained.

When another tropical storm blew in, requiring a delay to the launch, Bates and his team were able to take the time to check all the circuitry feeding into the systems and determine it was, indeed, OK. “We’ve never been so proud of a tropical storm before.”

In another incident, which Bates said was funny but required repair, one of the shuttles on the pad came under attack – by woodpeckers. “They were attacking the tank foam insulation. This foam is thick, and it has the texture of spray foam you would fill a hole in your house wall with. It’s real easy for woodpeckers to peck holes in … They were apparently making nests.”

In his capacity as chief engineer, Bates said, although he coordinated with the technical community, he was largely the final word for USA on the SRBs’ readiness for launch. It was a responsibility he shouldered with calm confidence.

“They said the more complex the problem and the tougher it was, the calmer I got,” Bates said. “I’ve been told that. I don’t remember it that way, but I don’t remember being nervous or scared. This has always been my approach: Plan for the worst, hope for the best. I expect the worst is going to happen, but we’re going to get through it.”

Bates transitioned out of the chief engineer role to director of design engineering in 2008, which allowed him and Gail to move from Florida back home to Alabama, based in Huntsville. After more than 28 years in the shuttle program, he retired in 2011 – but that wouldn’t last long.

After dismantling and rebuilding a classic car and winning car shows, Bates was at a loss as to how else to pass his retirement years. That’s when another opportunity with the space program arose. With the bulk of his career based in materials and processes, Bates continues to lean on that experience as consultant to the SLS booster at NASA-MSFC, a role he has held since 2015.

“When offered the opportunity to return to work on a part-time basis,” Bates said, “of course, it took me a while to think it over. I really struggled over the decision – for about two seconds.” He was immediately on board, and the consultant job is one he continues in to this day.

Interestingly, another man from Pleasant Site, Jerry Smelser, was project manager for the space shuttle main engine and external tank areas at Marshall Space Flight Center around the same time as Bates, though they never crossed paths professionally. Bates said he has always been proud Pleasant Site boasts not one but two men who were instrumental in the space program.

Bates gets choked up when he reflects on the way the Lord directed his steps through life. “None of the decisions I made were really my own,” he said. “Back then, I was just trying to keep a job. It was rough in the early 70s. Looking back on it …there’s not any way I was smart enough to do all that. I’ve been blessed beyond any imagination.”

FRANKLIN LIVING

Wonderful watermelon Courtesy of KATERNIA COLE-COFFEY Photos by ALISON JAMES

N

othing says summer like good friends and family gathering outside on the patio or front porch and enjoying a ripe watermelon. This refreshing, delicious summer treat is a favorite among almost everyone – and nowhere, perhaps, is that truer than here in Franklin County, where Russellville is the Watermelon Capital of Alabama. Looking for an economical dessert that feeds a crowd? Try a watermelon! Red or yellow, salt or no salt, forks, spoons or your hands, you have a mouthwatering, healthy, colorful, naturally sweet treat. From carvings to pickles, watermelon is a well-rounded fruit with many benefits. No matter how you slice it, watermelon reigns supreme!

FRANKLIN LIVING

Did you know?

Watermelon is 100 percent usable.

•

• • •

Watermelon flesh can be used in savory or sweet applications and even gilled.

Watermelon peel is perfect for carving and as garnish on the plate or glass.

Watermelon rind can be used for pickles, stir fry and slaw.

Watermelon seeds can be roasted and used on salads.

25

WATERMELON 101 From watermelon.org 1. Watermelon can be traced back to southern Africa.

2. The first evidence of people eating watermelon was recorded in Egypt in the second millennium BC. In the 10th century China began cultivating watermelon, and in the 16th century European colonists and the slave trade brought watermelon to the Americas, with the fruit first grown in Florida.

Watermelon reached South America in the 17th century.

3. Watermelon is a member of the cucurbitaceae family – the gourd family of flowering plants – which includes squash, zucchini and cucumber. Botanically, watermelon is a fruit, but it is grown using vegetable practices: planted from seeds, tended throughout its growth period, harvested and the field cleared like a vegetable crop.

4. In order to grow watermelon, you need sun, bees, well-drained sandy soil and water.

5. At full maturity, watermelons are harvested by hand.

26

6. Research shows taste is the top reason consumers buy watermelon.

7. Watermelons are 92 percent water, constituting most of their weight.

8. Watermelon varieties fall into four types.

Seeded: round, long, oblong and 5-45 pounds Seedless: round to oblong, 1045 pounds, with any small white seed coats in the flesh being undeveloped and edible Mini: round, seedless, 1-7 pounds, with thinner rinds that result in greater yield per pound Yellow-Orange: round, seeded or seedless, 10-30 pounds, generally sweeter than red-fleshed watermelon 9. Almost 85 percent of watermelon varieties grown today are seedless.

10. Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and Texas are the top watermelon-producing states. The year-round supply of watermelon comes from Mexico and Guatemala.

IS THIS WATERMELON RIPE? • Watermelons should be firm, symmetrical and free of bruises, cuts, dents or soft spots.

Some surface scarring, however, is normal.

• Watermelons should be heavy for their size. Each watermelon is 92 percent water, contributing to most of its weight.

• The ground spot – the part of the watermelon resting on the soil – changes from pale white to a creamy yellow at the proper harvest maturity.

FRANKLIN LIVING

MELON PREPARATION AND STORAGE • Depending on growing conditions, variety, handling and other factors, a whole watermelon has a 3-4-week shelf life after it is cut from the vine. Considering the supply chain, a whole watermelon is expected to have a 7-10day shelf life by the time it’s received by a restaurant or grocery store.

• A whole watermelon does not need to be refrigerated. The ideal storage temperature for whole watermelon is 50-59 degrees. Temperatures below 45 degrees cause chilling injuries like pitted rind, off flavor and loss of color.

• Remember to wash a watermelon before you cut it.

• Fresh-cut watermelon should be refrigerated and kept chilled when served.

WAYS TO USE WATERMELON IN COOKING: • Juice and puree – Blend until smooth and strain if desired.

• Glaze – Mix pureed watermelon into barbecue sauce for a subtle fruit flavor.

• Compress – A vacuum-sealing technique that removes air from watermelon, concentrating and intensifying the fruit’s juices, color and flavor. The product is slightly translucent. Season the watermelon, if desired, before vacuum sealing with ingredients that complement watermelon.

• Pickle – Watermelon rind is used to make pickles for Southern dishes and global flavor profiles, such as combining North African sweet spices to make preserved lemon and watermelon chutney. The rind can be “canned” for longer storage or quick pickled.

• Garnish: Use as an accompaniment when you need a bright, tart, sweet taste. Julienne and add to a salad or slaw, or include to add complexity to a beverage.

• Infuse – Infuse watermelon with single ingredients, like lime juice, tea and vodka or with a marinade before adding to a recipe.

Watermelon does not typically need more than an hour for marinating.

• Jell – Can be used to slow the release of watermelon flavor or present watermelon flavor with an unexpected texture.

• Foam – Create fresh foam from strained watermelon juice for a topping or freeze for a different texture and later use.

• Consommé – Strain watermelon puree through cheesecloth, allow to separate and decant the clear liquid.

DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS Watermelon is an excellent source of: • Vitamin A, which is important for eye and skin health.

• Vitamin C, an antioxidant that might aid in the maintenance of normal connective tissues and promote wound healing and support the immune system’s defenses against infections and viruses • Pyrisoxine, or vitamin B6, which is essential for enzymatic functions that convert food into cellular energy. The body uses it to help break down protein – so the more protein you eat, the more vitamin B6 you need.

• Potassium, which is a mineral found in every cell that is necessary for water balance and might help maintain normal blood pressure.

For more information on how to grow watermelons, contact the Franklin County Extension System at 256-332-8880.

FRANKLIN LIVING

27

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY The Phil Campbell Hoedown brings the community out for the town’s annual car show, contests and slate of live musical performances.

Photos by CIERA HUGHES Christina Jenner, Donald Palmer and Angelita Jackson

Sharon, Savannah, Sapphire and Anthony Bonds

Dameon Jetton

Bryan Messer and Denise Ogle

28

Troy Mather, Landon Mather and Taylor Hamby

Cyrus Miller and River Quillen

Jacob Thompson and Shea Anderson

Isaac Quillen, Ronnie Quillen, Christian Bonds and Mickey Quillen

Lynn Landers and Virgina Burks

Jonathan Chaney and Ashley Motes

FRANKLIN LIVING

EDUCATION CORNER

Turning lemons into lemonade

E

ven though this past school year is over, and everyone is now enjoying their summer break, I find myself still reflecting on all that our students and teachers were able to accomplish in a year when we never knew from week to week what challenges we would face because of the pandemic.

From three state championships – in baseball, girls’ tennis, and track and field – to a state runner-up finish for boys’ soccer, to multiple post-season appearances for our other athletic teams, to honors and accolades for our fine arts programs, to RHS being one of the Top 25 high schools in the state, the

2020-2021 school year ended up being a banner year for our system, despite changes, challenges, and uncertainty. For me, this goes to show that circumstances aren’t always an indicator of success.

Our students, teachers, coaches and directors could have lowered their standards for a year when they didn’t know whether they’d even have full seasons, inperson learning or scheduled performances. They could have just done what was required and no more than that. They could have used the pandemic situation

Come see us for your burial preneeds

907

to coast by – but that’s not how we do things at RCS. Instead, these students, teachers, coaches and directors pushed harder, worked longer and exceeded expectations. They learned not to take any practice, game, performance or regular school day for granted.

They made the most of what they were given.

They completely embodied the phrase “turning lemons into lemonade.”

I continue to be inspired by what all took place this previous school year, and I’m already looking forward with great anticipation to what this coming school year will hold. With all the hard work and extra resources we’ve already started implementing thanks to the federal COVID stimulus money our system received, I can’t wait to see how our system will continue to grow and what all we will be able to achieve.

As always, it’s GREAT to be a Golden Tiger!

Heath Grimes is the superintendent of Russellville City Schools.

He and his wife Amy have three daughters: Leah, Halle and Erin.

Why I Love Franklin County

Trey Stanford

F

or Russellville Coach Trey Stanford, the love of athletics runs deep. He graduated from West Limestone High with a scholarship to play football at the University of Alabama, after being a three-sport athlete in high school – football, basketball and soccer. The RHS head varsity soccer coach and assistant varsity football coach also teaches health education. He is married to Alicia Stanford, assistant principal at West Elementary, and they have two children: Triston, a first-grader at West, and Tyson, 2 years old.

1. How long have you been in Franklin County?

We have been a part of the Franklin County community now for 5.5 years. We are going into our sixth year teaching at Russellville.

2. What do you enjoy about your job? What makes it meaningful to you?

I love inspiring youth, and I enjoy working with kids. I love the fact that these young men and women will be out future, and hopefully I have a positive impact on them!

“It’s a very friendly place.

Everyone has so much pride for their community and school.”

30

3. What is your favorite place to visit in Franklin County?

City Lake Park or the ballfields.

4. What is your favorite Franklin County restaurant, and what do you like about it?

Honestly, when I do eat out, I love Wendy’s. Their staff is always so friendly and helpful. I love Pollo Loquillo; they have help us so many times with our soccer programs.

5. Why do you love Franklin County?

It’s a very friendly place. Everyone has so much pride for their community and school.

FAST 5 1. Favorite hobby: UTV riding/Polaris RZR riding at UTV parks 2. Favorite food: Latino food 3. Goal or ambition: To win a state title and to help kids around me reach their full potential 4. Church: Highland Park Baptist Church 5. Something people might not know about me is: I am very particular about my yard. I spend a lot of time keeping it up. I really enjoy it.

FRANKLIN LIVING

Healthy Smiles Begin at an Early Age!

• Pediatric dentist with 20 plus years of experience • Preventive dentistry (cleaning, sealants, fluoride treatments, and space maintainers)

• Restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns, extractions)

• Digital x-rays • Nitrous oxide • Oral conscious sedation 640 Cox Creek Pkwy, Florence, AL 35630 BC/BS of AL, Delta Dental Premier, Cigna Dental (otherinsurance accepted)

256-760-5660 Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 8 am - 5 pm

www.shoalspediatricdentistry.com No representation is made that the quality of dent al services to be performed is greater than the quality of dental services performed by other dentists.

FRANKLIN LIVING

31