Boomers (May, 2013)

Mid April - Mid May 2013

An analog girl in a digital world

Notes from behind the horn, part four BRAGGING RIGHTS

How to be a

HERO in someone’s life About the cover, pg. 4 Volume 3, Number 4 Gulf Coast Newspapers GulfCoastNewsToday.com

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Boomers

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There’s a women’s imaging center built around you.

When it comes to mammography and breast imaging, we go out of our way to make your experience with us as comfortable as possible, with our spa-like setting, soft, cozy robes, and specialty breast imaging technology.

Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your results will be interpreted

Shine.

by an experienced, full-time radiologist. It’s all to help your future remain as bright as possible. Call 251-949-3787 to schedule your mammogram or, to learn more, visit us at SouthBaldwinRMC.com.

Digital Mammography • Ultrasound • Bone Density 161 W. Peachtree Avenue Foley, AL 36535

The Women’s Imaging Center

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Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. A physician order is required for a screening mammogram, and you must provide your physician’s name when you make an appointment.

If you do not have a physician, a list will be provided for your selection. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician; follow-up is the patient’s responsibility.

68218_SBRM_Shine_7_167x9_83c.indd 1

2/26/13 2:44 PM

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Boomers

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INSIDE: Making the most of each day: Digital World

page 8 5u How to be a hero 10u calendar of events 12u Daddy’s Girl Weekend 14u Notes from behind the horn, 4

You Get What You Need... uRolling Stones, flipping pages Boomers magazine conveys information, activities and features for and about the baby boomers generation. While revisiting memories from the 1960s era and delving into critical examinations and comparisons thereof, Boomers also strives to pinpoint leisure activities; medical, political and environmental information; and technological options of specific interest to this group. The magazine offers possibilities of the past, present and future for a generation that never stops booming.

features@gulfcoastnewspapers.com

An Introduction to Boomers magazine

by Editor Jessica Jones

About the cover Foley's Performing Arts Association holds a live model class, where members may render an image of the model using their preferred medium and style. The Foley Art Center is located at 116 W. Laurel Ave. and can be reached at 251-943-4381.

16u Unsung heroes of space travel 17u Racking horses 18u Flashback 50 20u Bragging Rights 22u Two Americans in China 23u 6 Alcohol Facts 24u Optical World’s newest addition 24u Digestive Troubles 26u The Haven helps Belk Charity Sale 26u Help end child abuse 27u Tax Talk 28u Food for Thought 30u Medical imaging

Jessica Jones, Editor Editorial and Photography Paige Renka Layout & Cover Design Dr. Deni Carise, Steve Ellison, M. Dunn, Charles Flach, Marta Fuchs, Kelley Parris, Darren M. Rowan and Mary Sue Welsh Contributing writers Deirdre Davison, Dr. Linda Mitchell and Amanda Roberts Columnists Fred Marchman Cartoonist

Gulf Coast Newspapers 217 N. McKenzie St. Foley, AL 36535 251-943-2151 features@gulfcoastnewspapers.com

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Boomers

5

How to be a

HERO in someone’s life

By Marta Fuchs, MLS, MFT

I

am fortunate to have been raised by loving parents who despite the traumas and losses of war, continued to believe in the goodness of people and in the importance of helping others. They demonstrated through generosity of spirit and action, the difference we can make in someone’s life.

My father remembered as a child in Tokaj, Hungary, an old woman coming to the door selling a necklace of horrible smelling plants with garlic. He watched as his mother kindly gave some coins to the poor woman and thanked her. “She had to live from something, but it smelled so bad,” my father laughed as he told me.

You help those in need, and in a way that preserves their dignity.

When I was a teenager working summers at my father’s screen-making shop, we often reached for the stash of candies in the top drawer of his desk. Curiously, one day I opened the second drawer and discovered dozens of folders, each for a different charity. My parents worked day and night since we had come to America as Hungarian refugees after the ’56 Revolution, and we did have enough. But did we have enough to give to others? In folder after folder I saw that Dad had sent $5, $7, $10 to dozens of charities ranging from the United Way to the Heart Fund to orphanages in Israel.

You don’t have to have much to be generous. You help those less fortunate than yourself.

When the Jews of Tokaj, including my mother, were picked up in the spring of 1944, final destination Auschwitz, they were first forced to live on the temple grounds. Families were crammed into corners of classrooms and townspeople threw food over the fence. One of the town’s bakers brought bread to them every day.

A year later, that same baker also gave free bread to my father and to the few other Jewish men who survived five years of forced labor in the Hungarian Army.

“His name was Stajnovics but he had officially shortened it to Sztojan. He was Serbian and a very good man,” my father said.

Generosity of spirit is choosing to care and help those in need even if they are different than you are. Thank you,

Mr. Sztojan, for helping during those dark days.

As they began to rebuild their ransacked homes and shattered lives, my father and the men did not forget the family of the man who had saved them by defying Nazi orders to have them liquidated at the end of the war.

“Meanwhile, we sent packages to our Commanding Officer’s wife and child. Some of the labor camp men knew that they were living in Budapest. We took turns sending basic food supplies, for life was hard for everyone after the war. These monthly packages went on for a year or more and I remember each time it was my turn, she wrote a nice thank-you note. With one of these, she included a picture of him. In response to the last package, she said not to send her any more because she had found a good job and now could provide on her own for herself and the child. At the same time, she wrote that she had received word from Russia. Her husband had died in a labor camp in Siberia. He was a young man, our Commanding Officer, only in his 40s. And he had saved our life.”

Life was hard for everyone after the war. We help each other, somehow. We give back.

Coming by boat to America at 6-and-a-half years old, sea sick for 10 days and nights, I remember opening with my brother our soft navy blue cloth bags from the Red Cross. Inside were all these treasures: tiny little soaps, toothpaste and toys. We were so excited showing them to each other and playing with the drawstring to open and close the bags.

Years later in high school, I, too, made care packages for the Red Cross, joyfully placing little soaps and toothpaste in a different kind of bag, smiling as I imagined the children receiving them.

This isn’t work, no matter how many hours I’m doing it. It’s giving back, giving of my time, giving me pleasure, just like before.

When my daughter Sophie was in high school, she tutored kids at the local elementary school.

“One afternoon I was helping a quiet and shy little boy who was very sweet and very smart. The principal walked by, said ‘hello’ to me, and asked what we were working on. Towering over us, she said, ‘Oh come on! I know you

Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page can write neater than that! Show Sophie!’ The boy looked at me with very sad eyes and I said to him, ‘Really? You can write even better than that?! Your handwriting is perfect now!’”

“He started to erase everything he had worked so hard on and rewrote it all slower as neatly as he possibly could.

Again the principal wasn’t happy. The poor boy looked up at her as if saying, ‘What’s wrong now?’ and once again erased.

“I stopped him. ‘You don’t need to erase all this! You’re doing such a fantastic job! Just move to the next question.’

The principal gave me a stern look but thankfully walked away. The boy sat back in his chair, sighed, frustrated and upset. ‘Don’t worry! I am so proud of you! Your handwriting is beautiful and you’re doing so well.’ From the corner of my eye I saw him gazing at me and I turned to look at him. He smiled at me: the biggest smile I had ever seen him make.”

Validating. Reassuring. Speaking up. Comforting. Encouraging. Smiling. Generosity of spirit and putting into action what generations of her family embodied. Surely Sophie was a hero that day.

About the author: Marta Fuchs, a marriage and family therapist and librarian, is the author of “Legacy of Rescue: A Daughter’s Tribute” (available on amazon.com and blurb.com) and co-author, with her brother Henry, of the multigenerational extended family memoir, “Fragments of a Family: Remembering Hungary, the Holocaust, and Emigration to a New World.”

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Prudential

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Mid April - Mid May 2013

Making the most of each day: Digital World

By Deirdre Davison Generation Z is the Digital Native Generation. To be a Digital Native means that one was born during or after the world began going digital. Baby Boomers are Digital Immigrants. I’m definitely a stranger in a strange land. One need only watch me use my iPhone 4 or my fiancé’s flip phone to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’m an analog girl in a digital world. I make calls with it. I try to take pictures with it. I get giggles, jeers and assistance from my Gen Y family members.

My nieces and nephews, on the other hand, use their smartphones as appendage extensions. They download all sorts of stuff, stream music, stay connected 24/7 to Facebook and tweet each time they sneeze. They use their phones as computers and with good reason since they are computers! To be honest, I can barely read the print on mine even with my bifocals.

Most of the digital clocks in my house flash 12:00 because I can’t figure out how to reprogram them after a power outage. My surround sound system has four remotes. I actually have five remotes but my system is too antiquated for the universal to recognize the components. I’m alright being an analog girl in a digital world, however, because I learned things as a Baby Boomer that I still use today.

I learned from my grandmother how to be respectful to my elders. I learned from my parents how to talk to strangers and make eye contact. I learned how to fine tune a radio dial when the station faded out. I learned how to play well with others. I also learned the value of the mystery.

I know that social media is a good thing but not everyone needs to know everything that I do. Nor, God forbid, should anyone ever see candid pictures of me. When my historical image is digitized, I want one where I was in makeup, fully clothed and posing with my good side to the camera! You may ask where this diatribe is going and to be honest, I’m not quite sure. A senior moment perhaps?

My original focus was on the soap opera, General Hospital. It aired 50 years ago and was a huge part of my childhood. It was a huge part of a lot of girls’

Continued on next page

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Continued from previous page childhoods as well as an important part in their mothers’ lives. Three o’clock was the hour. I, like untold other little girls, dashed home from our neighborhood elementary school and parked beside my mother on our olive green Danish modern sofa. As was our ritual, she would wait for me and until I was a teenager and lapsed into temporary insanity, commonly diagnosed as puberty, I didn’t disappoint her. Once I was pushed back and comfortable on the sofa with my Mary Janes dangling off the edge, she would smile and ask me if I was ready to which I would almost squeal a resounding, “Yes!” My mother would then get up and walk across the room and turn on the first TV of my memory, a Zenith 19” portable television.

That magical box came to life and we became part of the Port Charles family cast on the seventh floor of General Hospital. We loved the handsome Dr. Steve Hardy and thought that Nurse Jesse Brewer was the reincarnation of Florence Nightingale. All of the melodrama became real, at least between three and four o’clock.

I grew up with General Hospital. I felt cheated if I missed an episode even though I later discovered that I could miss a month of episodes and still be up-todate on the story line. I knew all of the characters and celebrated each joy and sorrow with them. I grew up with a show that originally focused on the characters in a hospital. The show grew as the world and I grew.

The Hospital staff became less the focus of the drama as other Port Charles’ residents lives became more important.

Just as the show’s focus changed, so did mine. I outgrew my Mary Janes and instead opted for saddle oxfords, deck shoes and clogs. My dresses that were bought at Mother and Daughter so that I would look

Modern Plastic Cartoon by Fred Marchman

Boomers

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like my mother in miniature (which was a pipe dream since I looked like my dad) were cast aside for multicolored painter pants, polo shirts and peasant dresses.

My focus at three o’clock began to grow beyond the olive colored Danish modern sofa and outward toward boys, my girlfriends, boys, tennis and did I mention boys?

Still, my time with General Hospital was an important snapshot in my life. It gave me special time with my mother that no one else in the world shared.

It helped develop a passion for drama in me that still burns today, and it helped solidify my status as a founding member of the TV Generation.

Baby Boomers were the first generation to grow up with television and we loved it! So many of my childhood memories include iconic television shows like General Hospital, The Wonderful World of Disney, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and many more. Yes, we still read the classics like “Swiss Family Robinson,” “Heidi,” “Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn,” but we also tuned in and watched the written word come to life in 30-minute and one-hour segments.

We were being fed our imaginations on a visual spoon and we ate it up and asked for seconds. Yes, we were the TV Generation and proud of it. Today as my patience for bad television grows shorter, I find that I would rather read a book, an actual book. I like the tactile sensation of turning the pages, the smell of the paper and the residue that a paperback’s ink leaves on my fingers. I have an e-reader and do know how to use it but don’t find the reading experience nearly as satisfying. Granted, it takes up considerably less room on the night side table, but the digital experience just isn’t the same for me. Like I said, I’m an analog girl in a digital world.

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calendar of events uArts

Bay Rivers Art Guild’s “Working From Life”

April 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bay Rivers Art Guild (1704 Sixth Street, Daphne) A live model workshop with Benita McNider; bring-a-brown-bag-lunch. All mediums are welcomed. Enjoy the experience of creating a drawing/painting of a figure from a clothed, live model. Be sure to have a minimum of two canvases or sufficient pastel/watercolor paper for different poses. Please bring your camera. Cost is $70 for members includes modeling fee and $105 for members-to-be, includes the modeling fee and membership May 2013-14. Call the BRAG office, 251-621-0659, for more information and enrollment.

3rd Annual Old Time Country Festival

April 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Baldwin County Bicentennial Park (51233 State Highway 225, Stockton) In addition to the more than 20 featured exhibits a brand new pottery exhibit and two new musical groups will join in the fun at the 3rd Annual Old Time Country Festival. The newest addition to the exhibit lineup includes the pottery designs of Rhett Buckner and Laura B. Jurjevich. In addition to the demonstrations and exhibits ranging from tractors and engines, blacksmiths, chainsaw wood carvings, horse and mules, vintage automobiles, quilts, fresh produce, war memorabilia, pony rides, wagon rides and petting zoo there will also be live entertainment to enjoy. For questions about the event, contact the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History at 251-580-1897.

“Cherish the Bookstore”

April 20 at 2 p.m.

Page and Palette (32 S Section St., Fairhope) Featuring and honoring Alabama’s Poet Laureate, Sue Walker. The line-up of authors and poets who will be reading include Sonya Bennett, Mickey Cleverdon, Beth DeVan, Joe Formichella, Ren Hinote, Suzanne Hudson, Jessica Jones, Robert O’Daniel, P.T. Paul, Satch Sampson and Glenda Slater. Musical entertainment provided by Mike Odom. Everyone is invited to help us celebrate poetry month!

and Entertainment

Gulf Coast Harp Society Ensemble

April 21 at 4 p.m.

St. Lawrence Room at St. Lawrence Catholic Church (370 S Section St., Fairhope) May 5 at 4 p.m.

First Baptist Church, Pensacola (500 N Palafox St., Pensacola, FL) The Gulf Coast Harp Society Ensemble is planning a two concert series this spring. The concerts will have 10 to 11 harpists performing on pedal and lever harps. Harpists come from all along the Gulf Coast from Destin, Fla. to West Mobile. The music selections are folk, hymn tunes, patriotic and harp literature. After the performance the audience has a chance to speak with the harpists. There is no admission charge for the concerts but a free-will offering will be taken. For further information, contact Jeanne O’Connell, 251-928-2055 or jocmus@aol.com.

Sunday Sunset Concert Series

April 21, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

May 19, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Daphne’s Bayfront Park (adjacent to Village Point Preserve) For the third consecutive year, the City of Daphne and Catt’s Sunday Jazz Brunch presents the Sunday Sunset Concert Series. Timed to coincide with local sunset, three events are scheduled on the third Sunday of March, April and May: April’s concert will be the Baldwin Pops and in May the Mobile Big Band will perform. Concert-goers are urged to bring their own chairs or blankets and picnic baskets.

The University of West Florida Department of Music Jazz Combo and Jazz Ensemble

April 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Mainstage Theatre, Building 82 Center for Fine and Performing Arts The Jazz Combo and Jazz Ensemble will perform in a joint concert on the main university campus.

The UWF Jazz Combo will begin the evening by presenting jazz pieces from the likes of J. J. Johnson, Horace Silver and Herbie Hancock.

The UWF Jazz Ensemble will follow with instrumental and vocal jazz works by Bob Curnow, Johnny Mercer, Sammy Nestico, Pat Metheny and many more. This event is free and open to the

Mid April - Mid May 2013

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calendar of events uArts

public, but tickets are required. For more information or to reserve tickets, contact the CFPA Box Office at 850-857-6285.

The 16th Annual Alabama Writers Symposium

April 25-27 Monroeville Writers and scholars participating in the event include Rick Bragg, Gay Talese, Cassandra King, Chantel Acevedo, Marlin Barton, Kirk Curnutt, Anita Miller Garner, Peter Huggins, Nancy Dorman-Hickson, Randall Horton, Jay Lamar, Lisa Graves Minor, Jim Murphy, Don Noble, Wendy Reed, Jeanie Thompson, Adam Vines, Sue Walker, Lila Quintero Weaver, Margaret Wrinkle, songwriter Tom Kimmel and visual artist Betty Kennedy. For more information, contact Donna Reed at 251-575-8223 or email dreed@ascc.edu.

Music at Meyer Park concert series

April 25, May 9 and June 6 at 6 p.m.

Meyer Park (400 E 22nd Ave., Gulf Shores) The City of Gulf Shores has announced the lineup for their Music at Meyer Park concert series.

Grayson Capps heads back to his roots of South Alabama and joins the Meyer Park stage on April 25. Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band take over Meyer Park on May 9. The Brandon Green Band closes out the 2013 edition of Music at Meyer Park on June 6. All Music at Meyer Park concerts are free to the public. For more information, contact the City of Gulf Shores Special Events Division at 251-968-1172 or visit gulfshoresal.gov.

Cookies for Kid’s Cancer bake sale and baseball classic

April 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Halliday Park in Bay Minette The event will support pediatric cancer research.

For more, visit cookiesforkidscancer.org.

Bay Shore Ballet presents ‘Cinderella’

April 27 at 2 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Fairhope Civic Center (161 N Section St., Fairhope) Bay Shore Ballet Theatre of Fairhope returns to the stage this spring performing the beloved fairy tale,

and Entertainment

“Cinderella.” Tickets are now on sale at The Coffee Loft, 503 N. Section St., Page and Palette, 32 S. Section St., both in Fairhope, or by calling the Bay Shore Ballet Academy at 251-990-9744.

Performances will be presented at the Fairhope Civic Center, 161 N. Section St. in Fairhope on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. preview performance with special ticket prices of $5 for all seats, as well as an evening performance at 7:15 p.m. with ticket prices of general seating for adults, $12, and seniors and children 12 and under, $10.

Reserved seating is also available at a ticket price of $15 and tickets will be available at the door before the performances. Special Cameo performances are being presented on Friday morning, April 26 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. for Baldwin County school classes and community groups, also featuring a professional narrator.

Contact Vicki O’Neill, coordinator for the arts in education program for Bay Shore Ballet, at vkoneill@aol.com for more information.

The Baldwin Pops presents “Around the World in 80 Minutes”

April 28 at 6 p.m.

Henry George Park in Fairhope This concert is also the John Allen Memorial Scholarship Concert. The Baldwin Pops Band holds an annual scholarship contest for band students from Baldwin County who are seniors in high school and the winner receives a cash prize for college. This year’s winner will be announced at the April 28 concert. Donations for the John Allen Scholarship will be gratefully accepted at the concert or by mailing to Baldwin Pops Band, P.O.Box 38 Fairhope, Ala. 36533. This years concert includes seven high school seniors from five different schools, Daphne, Fairhope, Robertsdale, Spanish Fort and McGill-Toolen. More information can be found at www.baldwinpopsband.com, by searching for Baldwin Pops Band on Facebook, or by calling 251-987-5757. All concerts are free.

Town Hall Meeting with Congressman Jo Bonner

May 1 at 9 a.m.

John F. Rhodes Civic Center in Bay Minette

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Carolyn Haines’ Daddy’s Girls’ Weekend celebrates creativity, perseverance: Writers’ conference offers expert advice

By Jessica Jones Special Publications Editor features@gulfcoastnewspapers.com

W

riters and readers gathered at Mobile’s Battle House Hotel April 5 through 7 to learn writing secrets from published authors, editors, agents and publishers during Daddy’s Girls’ Weekend, a conference held by mystery writer Carolyn Haines.

Featured workshops included authors Sarah Bewley, Chris Grabenstein, John Hafner, Carolyn Haines, Patricia Harkins-Pierre, Dean James, DeWitt Lobrano and Sue Walker along with agent Debbie Carter, editor Mallory Kass of Scholastic and editor and publisher Benjamin LeRoy of Tyrus Books.

Dean James

In Writing the Traditional Mystery in a Thriller-Dominated World, author Dean James explained writing process and marketing options for the more literary mystery versus the fastpaced thriller genre.

His latest success, “Out of Circulation,” delves into traditional mystery with the backdrop of a library. He, writing as Miranda James, explained that basic tips for success include “strong char-

acters, plus a good sense of pace and place, a good conclusion and a marketing hook.”

He also offered some insight into his own writing style.

“I think outlining helps in two ways: to fill in the gaps and to develop characters,” he revealed. “But mostly I write and let the personalities come to me...the hardest part for me is the first 50 to 60 pages.”

He also said writers should be readers first and should stick to subjects of their own interests.

“If you want to write these books, you should really enjoy reading them,” he offered. “Readers can tell.

It’s like, ‘He was really grinding that one out.’ I can’t spend time on a book when it’s something I’m not interested in and wouldn’t want to read.”

He suggested that writers spend time with their stories in order to get better.

“Creativity is like a muscle — if you exercise it regularly, it responds,” he explained. “You need to have some sort of regular schedule if you’re writing a book. I have a full time job, so I end up writing a lot on the weekends.”

Carolyn Haines, Dean James and Ben LeRoy

Writing Under a Pseudonym allowed workshop attendees to hear pros and cons from three experts on the subject of author name and what it conveys to readers.

Carolyn Haines, Dean James and Ben LeRoy agreed that readers often associate authors with a certain genre,

Continued on next page photos by Jessica Jones / staff

Dean James presents a workshop on Writing the Traditional Mystery in a Thriller-Dominated World during a writers’ conference at the Battle House Hotel in Mobile.

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Continued from previous page character or series. A story of a different genre by the same author can be jolting to loyal readers, so a pseudonym might save reader anguish when crossing into unfamiliar territory.

Haines explained she had always wanted to write horror, but since romantic mystery was a singularly popular theme in the 1980s, she wrote in that genre as Caroline Burnes.

She also divulged that she wrote as Lizzie Hart because she had a story that was â&#x20AC;&#x153;completely inspired by malice with thinly veiled characters that everyone would recognize.â&#x20AC;?

LeRoy explained that some authors use pseudonyms to get new book contracts or to re-launch their careers, but he has used this tool â&#x20AC;&#x153;because I want a clean read â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to know I got it on merit.â&#x20AC;?

James said his publisher believed his books target a female audience, and that they would better relate to a female author.

Though most fans have researched Miranda James and know that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a man behind the pen name, he has shocked one or two readers at book signings.

He recalled that it was, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the first time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever seen someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jaw drop.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;To me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a compliment, because a lot of people think men canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write as women and women canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write as men,â&#x20AC;? he said.

LeRoy said that such marketing tricks and publishing demands can be hard for authors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The success of a book is such an organic thing; we tend to over-calculate things,â&#x20AC;? he divulged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a game of numbers and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the business of words.â&#x20AC;?

Ben LeRoy, Carolyn Haines and Dean James discuss writing under a pseudonym during Daddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Weekend writersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; conference held at the Battle House Hotel in Mobile on April 6.

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Boomers

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Notes from behind the horn, part four Cajun country, here we come (cont.)

By Charles Flach Our first club date was in Lake Arthur, La. at the Lake Shore Club. This was a dinner club with a large dance floor and gambling room in the back. Gambling was illegal in Louisiana, but if you paid the sheriff enough money, in most of the parishes, you had nothing to worry about. Ernie was an inveterate gambler and seemed to do well at the dice table. It caught up with him later on.

A beautiful Cajun girl came to the club several times a week and Ernie was madly in love with her. As soon as she entered the room, Ernie would have the band pull out the song, “I Love You,” and watch her dance by the bandstand.

So sad for Ernie, was that she never gave him the time of day. We played this club for four months and lived among the Cajun people.

Lake Arthur was a town of 3,000 population, located about 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the natives spoke Cajun and English, but many people only spoke Cajun. We lived in the homes of people who were the friendliest people you would ever want to meet. The rent was $5 a week, but we had to walk a few blocks to the only restaurant in town. Living in Lake Arthur was like living in another country. The town had only one, two-lane road for entering and exiting which must have been a nightmare during a hurricane. Fortunately, we never encountered one during our stay, but did go through two hurricanes in other cities.

The club was the major source of entertainment there, but we did go to our first and last donkey soft ball game there. Donkeys stood on the field, and when the batter hit the ball, he had to jump on the donkey and race to the bases. The batter must always remain on the donkey until thrown out or until the end of the inning. It was a sight to behold.

The mayor of the town also owned the hardware store and would loan us rifles to use in the countryside by a swamp. We used the rifles to shoot cottonmouth snakes and target practice. I became quite a marksman and killed many snakes. The mayor also loaned my buddy, Ralph, one of his boats to use on Lake Arthur, which was a huge lake covering several miles. Some of the local people would place traps in the lake and lines with huge hooks attached to them to catch turtles. One day, while Ralph and I were paddling around the lake in the canoe, we pulled on one of these lines to see if any turtles were hooked. Indeed, there was a turtle on the line, and as we pulled as hard as we could, up came the head of the largest Loggerhead turtle I had ever seen. It took both of us to get it in the canoe,

which almost capsized. We brought it back to the shore and a couple of Cajun fisherman said that they would take it to make steaks and soup. I imagine the turtle weighed close to 50 pounds.

One day, while walking past the mayor’s office, I noticed an attractive girl typing at her desk. I made a point to walk past that office everyday for several days, until one day she waved at me and I returned the wave. Not being one to forsake a golden opportunity, I entered the office and introduced myself to this fair maiden. This became my daily stop and eventually led to our dating. The fact that she had a new 1948 Ford cemented the relationship. We would drive to one of the bigger towns to listen to various bands that came through. She invited me to her house to meet her widowed mother. Her mother was gracious and seemed to take to me. Little did I know what surprise was in store.

I loved living in Lake Arthur with all the friendly inhabitants and the serene atmosphere that enveloped the entire town. The people treated us as though we lived there all our lives. It was somewhat like the fictional ShangriLa where you never want to leave. It reminded one of the phrase in the song, “Nature Boy,” which says, “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.”

If you needed to make a long distance call, you had to go to a lady who operated the switchboard in the back of her house. I visited her one evening to call my parents. The lady had me sit down by the switchboard which had all the holes to plug in one of the many attachments to connect her to the main phone company, where ever that was. You have probably seen these antiquated contraptions in old movies. Sarah helped me finally get through to my mother; I talked for 5 minutes and it cost me $1. If I had gotten to the lady’s house after 8:30 p.m., I’d have never made the call, because that’s when she shut it down. This will give you some idea how isolated Lake Arthur was, but we loved it.

I loved it so much that I took a trip back in 2008. When I drove into town, it looked like time had stood still. Nothing had changed. The house where we stayed was still there, along with the restaurant, mayor’s office, hardware store, park by the lake, the club where we played ... This was 60 years later. I took many pictures including one hanging on the wall of a convenience store outside town. The picture showed the cars of that era parked outside the restaurant.

The name of this eatery was Magnolia Restaurant; it had had a jukebox with the song, “Nature Boy,” previously mentioned and very popular in 1947. It was a Sunday, so everything was closed, but a policeman told me that the club was still operating.

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Boomers

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16

Boomers

Mid April - Mid May 2013

SURROUNDED BY THUNDER

The story of unsung heroes who made space travel possible

Submitted

F

engineers during Apollo 13. He worked side-by-side with Wernher von Braun and Kurt Debus, the GermanAmerican rocket scientists. If it hadn’t been for them, we never would have gone to the moon. Those two Germans figured out how to lift 125 tons into a 100-mile orbit, and 50 tons to the moon.”

rom America’s first satellite, Explorer I, through Apollo and putting the first man on the moon, aeronautical engineer Darrell Loan had a hand in them all. “Surrounded by Thunder: The story of Darrell Loan and the Rocket Men” (Inspire on Purpose Publishing), by Tom Williams, Tom Williams has the tale-telling talent to mix tons of tells the true story of this extraordinary factual history with a gripping style more often seen man, his family, friends and colleagues and in works of pure fiction…[book] is beautifully crafted. of a time not to be forgotten in America’s It makes the reader eager to stay glued to the page, history — a time that has never been surwhile yearning to look skyward, as if to see first-hand passed and that truly was and always will be, “Surrounded by Thunder.” the events Tom brings to life so well.

Only 12 years separated the launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik and Ameri— Don Farmer, novelist/former CNN News anchor cans landing on the moon, but during and ABC News correspondent and bureau chief those golden years of space exploration the most fearless aviators climbed aboard the most dangerous creations ever assembled Books about our heroes of flight, astronaut biographies to rocket into space and claim a true pinand program histories are generally considered excitnacle of human achievement. Information ing and ‘sexy’ to readers smitten by the ‘Golden Age’ on the mission dates, the astronauts, and of aviation and space exploration…rarely do we get a many of the unforgettable characters that made up this account of America’s race for true behind the scenes glimpse from the perspective space and then to the moon are all factual; of those unsung heroes who actually put our guys up however, thanks to the author’s talent for there… [book is] a highly informative and a true must gripping storytelling, this historical narread for space program aficionados. rative reads more like a science-fiction adventure.

Tom Williams has spent many fascinat— Al Hallonquist, Aerospace Historian/Life Member ing hours with Darrell Loan, an astute and National Aviation Hall of Fame active 83 year-old (fall and winter) resident and the Flight Test Historical Foundation of Marco Island, Fla., hearing of his exploits and secrets to give readers a factual look at what it took to put Americans into space; at the While “Surrounded by Thunder” is a non-fiction same time paying homage to the brilliant men “behind narrative of the early years of the American Space Prothe scenes” who actually made it all happen. gram, the exciting, fast-paced dialogue makes it more “It was only 12 years from Sputnik to boots on the like a front seat rocket ride at warp speed. So, climb moon,” says Williams. “Darrell was one of the top on-board, strap yourself in, and get ready to ride a true engineers at NASA from the 1950s, when Sputnik was rocket of adventure as the thrill of early space explolaunched and the space race started. He was on the main team and was in the front row when you see the

“ “

” ”

Continued on next page

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Boomers

17

The 42nd Annual Racking Horse Spring Celebration set for April 24-27

By M. Dunn The second largest Racking Horse Show in the United States returns to Decatur April 24 to 27 at the Morgan County Celebration Arena. Featuring different classes and divisions of Racking Horses (a breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse), the Spring Celebration is expected to attract entries from more than 25 states competing for honors, as well as more than $30,000 in prize money.

The competition begins each night at 6 p.m. with the Grand Champion to be announced on Saturday evening. On Friday, children are invited to participate in the Stick Horse class. This event allows children to bring their own stick horse for friendly competition in the arena. Every participant receives a ribbon. On Saturday, there will be a horse sale beginning at 10 a.m. in the Sale Barn.

General admission Wednesday through Friday is $6 per person, Saturday is $10 per person and free for children 6 years old and under. The Morgan County Celebration Arena is located at 67 Horse Center Road (off Highway 67 East) in Decatur.

For more information on the racking horse breed and a current show schedule, contact the RHBAA at 256353-7225 or visit its website at www.rackinghorse.com.

About the Racking Horse Breeders Association of America (RHBAA)

The purpose of RHBAA is to collect, record and preserve the pedigrees of Racking Horses, to publish a register or studbook and other such matters pertaining to the breeding, exhibiting and sales of Racking Horses.

Continued from previous page ration rises above controlled explosions and soars all the way to the mountains on the moon and the Sea of Tranquility.

Williams already has two action-packed novels under his belt, the second of which drew acclaim from New York Times bestselling author Steve Alten, and resulted in interviews on numerous television and radio programs, nationwide. He is also a highly successful columnist and feature article writer for a series of Scripps newspapers in southwest Florida and has had many of his articles featured in magazines and publications across the country. A 29-year veteran Master Merchant Marine Officer licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, he lives on Marco Island, Fla., with his wife Victoria.

For more information, visit www.lostandfoundadventure.com.

With the formation of RHBAA in 1971, the Racking Horse has grown in popularity. Today, there are more than 80,000 racking horses registered with the RHBAA, a not-forprofit organization headquartered in Decatur. The Alabama Legislature proclaimed the racking horse as the Official State Horse for the State of Alabama on Oct. 5, 1975.

“

…a story of science-truth more exciting than any science-fiction tale. From his exhaustive interviews with one of America’s pioneer rocket scientists, [author] delivers an enthralling account of how earthlings became spacemen in NASA’s early days. This read is a reallife space thriller.

”

— Chris Curle, former CNN News anchor and print journalist

18

Boomers

Mid April - Mid May 2013

Flashback 50: May uThis month in 1963

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Sir Winston Churchill announced his retirement from politics at the age of 88, for reasons of health. He pledged that he would remain an M.P. until Parliament was dissolved, but would not stand for re-election. n American mountaineer Jim Whittaker and Sherpa guide Nawang Gombu became the fifth and sixth persons to successfully reach the top of Mount Everest, following Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay (May 29, 1953), and Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger(May 18, 1957).

Whittaker, a 32 year old resident of Redmond, Washington, became the first American to accomplish the feat. n Former U.S. Vice-President (and future President) Richard M. Nixon continued his retirement from politics with the announcement that he would join the New York City law firm of Mudge, Stern, Baldwin & Todd on June 1.

Hundreds of African Americans, including children, were arrested as they set out from the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham to protest segregation. There were 959 people taken on the first day, and two days later, Public Safety Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor ordered the use of dogs and fire hoses to repel new demonstrators.

New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller secretly married his girlfriend, Margaretta “Happy” Murphy, despite being advised that his remarriage, after divorcing the year before, would hurt his chances for the Republican Party nomination for the U.S. presidency. Television comedienne Carol Burnett, 28, married television producer Joe Hamilton in a ceremony in Juarez, Mexico, on the same day, after Hamilton had obtained “a quickie Mexican divorce.”

Died: Ted Weems, 61, American bandleader, of emphysema; and Monty Woolley, 75, American actor Kuwait was approved to become the 111th member of the United Nations by the UN Security Council, over the objections of Iraq.

“Dr. No,” the first James Bond film, premiered in the United States with Sean Connery as Agent 007. The film had been seen in Europe since its premiere in London on Oct. 5, 1962.

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After the first six attempts at a successful launch of the MIDAS (Missile Defense Alarm System) satellite failed, MIDAS 7 was successfully placed into a polar orbit. During the first three years of attempts, three of the satellites failed to reach orbit, while the other three were plagued with power failures. MIDAS 7 would operate for 47 days, and would detect nine Soviet missile launches.

A settlement was reached between the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the leading business owners of Birmingham, Alabama, with the SCLC agreeing to call off its boycott of local retailers, who in return “agreed to desegregate lunch counters, rest rooms, fitting rooms and drinking fountains” and to hire more African-Americans for sales and clerical jobs. n Author Maurice Sendak, working on his first book for children, made the decision to abandon his original title, “Where the Wild Horses Are,” after concluding that horses were too difficult to draw, and changed the characters in the book to friendly monsters. The book, “Where the Wild Things Are,” would become a Caldecott Medal winning bestseller and launch Sendak’s career.

Canada’s new Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson, agreed to allow American nuclear weapons to be placed in Canada, following a two-day meeting with U.S. President John F. Kennedy at the President’s private estate in Hyannis Port, Mass. n Died: Herbert Spencer Gasser, 74, American neurophysiologist and 1944 Nobel Prize laureate Scheduled to make his nationwide television debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” folk singer Bob Dylan refused to perform after censors at the CBS network wouldn’t clear him to sing “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues.” Dylan would go on to greater fame, singing with Joan Baez in August during the “March on Washington.”

The Rolling Stones signed their first recording contract, after being asked to audition for Decca Records by talent scout Dick Rowe.

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Astronaut Gordon Cooper returned to Earth safely after making 22 orbits and traveling 546,167 miles in Faith 7. n Died: Oleg Penkovsky, 44, formerly a Soviet Army colonel and spy, was executed five days after being sentenced to death by a military tribunal for passing secrets to the United States and the United Kingdom.

Challenger Bruno Sammartino faced champion Buddy Rogers of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in a professional wrestling match at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Sammartino, using his signature move, “the Italian backbreaker,” defeated Rogers in only 48 seconds and would reign as the WWWF champion for the next eight years.

Died: Ernie Davis, 23, African-American football star who won the 1961 Heisman Trophy, but was diagnosed with leukemia after signing with the Cleveland Browns African-American civil rights activist Medgar Evers went on the air on the WLBT-TV News in Jackson, Miss., to deliver an editorial in favor of integration and civil rights.

WLBT allowed the unprecedented use of its airtime after pressure from the Federal Communications Commission to permit a response to segregationists. Evers would be murdered at his home three weeks later, on June 12.

The first successful interception of an orbiting satellite by a ground based missile took place as part of the American program, Project MUDFLAP. A Nike-Zeus missile, launched from Kwajalein Atoll, passed close enough to an orbiting Lockheed Agena-D satellite to have disabled it with an explosion. Seven other tests would be made, ending on Jan. 13, 1966. n Fidel Castro visited the Soviet Union.

The New York Journal-American said in a copyrighted story that NASA had revealed in a closed session of a congressional subcommittee that there had been five fatalities in the Soviet cosmonaut program, all of which had been covered up. According to the source, Serenty Shiborin had been the first man in space, launched in February 1959 and “never heard of again after 28 minutes when the signals went dead.” Other failed launches were said to have been Piotr Dolgov on Oct. 11, 1960; Vassilievitch Zowodovsky in April 1961; and two persons, possibly a man and a woman, launched together on May 17, 1961. Alexei Adzhubei, the editor of the newspaper Izvestia and the son-in-law of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, denied the reports of four of the five deaths in the newspaper’s May 27 edition, saying that the persons had been “technicians working on space equipment” and that two of them were still alive, although no denial was made about the alleged 1959 death of Siborin. n

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May 16 - Astronaut Gordon Cooper returns to Earth.

Born: Michael Chabon, American novelist (The Mysteries of Pittsburgh), in Washington D.C. n Died: Elmore James, 45, American blues musician (heart attack) Aldo Moro was asked to become the new Prime Minister of Italy by President Antonio Segni.

A rare case of two independent tornadic thunderstorms, near Oklahoma City, yielded data that would lead to the recognition of “a new stage in the development of thunderstorms: the severe/right-moving, or SR, stage.” n Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to resume diplomatic relations that had been severed on Sept.

6, 1960, following a conference between officials in Tehran at the invitation of the Shah of Iran.

On the 50th anniversary of its stormy première, The Rite of Spring was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by 88-year-old Pierre Monteux at the Royal Albert Hall. The composer, 81-year old Igor Stravinsky, was in the audience as an honored guest. n Jim Reeves was welcomed to Ireland by show band singers Maisie McDaniel and Dermot O’Brien, at the start of his tour of Ireland, and conducted a week long tour of U.S. military bases in England.

The initial announcements were made for the first diet drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company, with TaB cola, with “one calorie per six-ounce serving.” n Parnelli Jones of the United States won the 1963 Indianapolis 500, finishing 34 seconds ahead of Jim Clark of Scotland.

Died: Edith Hamilton, 95, German-born American classical scholar best known for her authorship of “Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes”

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Boomers

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BRAGGING RIGHTS Mary Ann Halliday and the Ecumenical Association A letter to the editor

By Evelyn Mais

E

ven though I don’t read every article, I (age 82) do enjoy Boomers.

The real point of my letter is to tell you about a wonderful, caring person in Bay Minette, whom I have known for 14 years. In addition to information in the enclosed newspaper article of August 2012, Mary Ann Halliday has worn many hats. She is the widow of Dr. George Halliday (a local doctor who passed away 35 years ago). He, too, was an active community citizen and had the ball park named after him.

His photo also hangs in the hallway of North Baldwin Infirmary.

Mrs. Halliday was a board member of many church and civic organizations in Bay Minette and Baldwin County. Mary Ann and Helen Callaway initated Catholic Charities Thrift Shop in Robertsdale.

MAH, as we lovingly call her, has been very active with North Baldwin Ecumenical Association for 20 years, serving as director. She opened the Benefit Shop around 1992 so the proceeds could support the Ecumenical Association, in order to help the needy ...

The following article appeared in August 24, 2012’s Baldwin Times:

A difference between hope and despair Joanna Bailey Volumes

“Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves,” according to Horace Mann, education reformer and United States Congressman.

The North Baldwin Ecumenical Association believes in doing for others as a vital part of their community outreach.

They do this by providing many people hardest hit by economic distress in North Baldwin County with a multifaceted program to help meet their needs, whether it be with food, enrollment in a low cost prescription plan, or help with a bill.

According to the association’s mission, their aim is “to provide for the needs of the poor and distressed on an emergency basis.”

The office, which is manned by Director Mary Ann Halliday and two staff members, Mary Robertson and Evelyn Mais, is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Located at 700 E. Second St. (on U.S. Highway 31 North) the North Baldwin Ecumenical Association was created 30 years ago by five local church-

es as a charitable and non-profit organization. According to Halliday, the group wanted to create a centralized location in North Baldwin for the needy to go for help.

The number of churches involved has grown during the years, and the pastors from these churches serve as the board of directors and offer their support to the organization.

Each month a given church signs up members of their congregation to volunteer with the Ecumenical Association, and each month a different church takes up a food collection for the food pantry.

The organization is a true community effort. During the year, area schools, North Baldwin Infirmary and the local post office provide additional, invaluable support by collecting food for the food pantry as well. “We are blessed with donations for our community,” Halliday said.

The organization also helps those who aren’t on Medicaid to get enrolled in the OZANAN Pharmacy program to help with the cost of their medications, making them affordable. Their clients are also given vouchers to the Benefit Shop, located next door, for clothing, furniture, school uniforms and other necessities. “The Benefit Shop is our backbone,” Halliday said.

“The dedicated volunteers work tirelessly to operate the Benefit Shop, manning the cash register, helping customers, sorting, folding and hanging clothing, and setting up displays of glassware and collectables. Donations and purchases at the Benefit Shop go directly to the Ecumenical Association and are a vital part of meeting their goals.

The organization is in place to help families on fixed incomes and the elderly with temporary distress or crises resulting from an illness in the family or the sudden loss of a job.

The aid provided by North Baldwin Ecumenical Association is on an emergency basis. If additional assistance is required, the client is referred to another local agency that offers long-term solutions to the issues that have created the emergency situation.

“We want this help to be given in the true Christian spirit of brotherly love,” Robertson said. “We want to do all we can to help our fellow citizen in their times of need, and we want to serve with a full expression of love and respect for the lives of others.”

And for those who find themselves in need, that’s a mission statement that can mean the difference between hope and despair.

North Baldwin Ecumenical Association is at P.O. Box 1595 Bay Minette, Ala. 36507, 251-937-5321.

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BRAGGING RIGHTS A tribute to Michael Scott Thomas: equal opportunity program manager

W

Submitted by Rose L. Davis hen growing up in Bay Minette, in the community of Bromley, it was the dream of Michael Scott Thomas to become a hospital administrator.

Scott, as he is known to most, is a product of Crossroads, Delta Elementary, Bay Minette Middle School and graduate of Baldwin County High School class of 2000.

He enrolled in the prestigious college of his choice, Tuskegee University, in the College of Allied Health.

Tuskegee was founded by Booker T. Washington, and it is famous for its renowned teachers and the world acclaimed scientist, Dr. George Washington Carver.

As fate has it, Scott was guided into the healthcare profession. Somewhere along the way, his passionate interests took charge, and being the caring and compassionate young man he is, made way to a keener revelation and intervention.

Scott received a bachelor of science degree in clinical laboratory science from Tuskegee and then enrolled at the University of Kentucky, where he earned a master’s degree, which enabled him to seek his dream job.

After working and becoming serious and dedicated to healthcare, Scott felt the need to channel his vocation farther, making healthcare his obsession. To see the smile on his face when he is discussing his profession, you know, as he says, “This is my destiny.

I was born to do this by nurturing my natural gifts.”

However, the story does not end there. He received more accolades as time went on working and learning more at every turn. Being hired in his present position as Equal Opportunity Program Manager with the V.A. Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Denver, Colo., has given him numerous opportunities to do his job the way he loves and to follow his passion. That is helping others and serving the wills and wants of those needing assistance. That in itself is a blessing, he says.

In this position, Scott cares so deeply about his work and it shows in his deeds. Making others feel comfortable and at ease boasts of a special quality he possesses. He is determined to make a visible difference focusing on altitudes instead of attitudes. He has many strategic goals for improvement.

Among those are implementing the Planetree model of care. Planetree seeks to maximize positive

healthcare outcomes by integrating optimal medical therapies and incorporating art and nature into the healing environment. Communicating and implementing diversity and inclusion in strategic planning throughout the organization is most vital. Improving recruitment and hiring of Veterans and persons with disabilities is a known must, as well as developing organizational and service–level workforce succession plans. Identify hard to recruit and retain positions and areas that are vulnerable to retirement is also a known essential.

Scott says in the end he knows that the job he has and does so passionately every day is “what God intended and I truly love it.”

His style and charisma are above board and really depict one focused young man. A support system is a necessity and he proudly admits it comes from dedicated co-workers who feel like family along with his faith in the good Lord and Master. One of his favorite quotes is, “Be at peace with yourself. You are as important as the stars” (from Desiderata), and he adds, “So are others around you.”

Scott comes from a very spiritual and loving family whose roots run deep in Baldwin County. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Marvin and Ruth Ann Thomas, older brothers SGT.-E6 Kenneth Thomas, U.S. Army, Fort Polk, La. and Marvin L. Thomas, Detroit, Michigan, schoolteacher and former Semi-Pro football with the NFL, AFL and CFL, grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Amos (deceased) and Ida Barnes of Bay Minette, and Mr. and Mrs. George and Nellie Thomas of Little, River.

At Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church, Scott is considered as one of the Heroes of Color. He is a devout member who believes firmly in rising above all circumstances to make this difference through determination, change and development. Being devout in his worship adds to his prayerful persona and daily reminds him to repeat Robin Roberts signature prayer, “The light of God surrounds me, the love of God enfolds me, the presence of God watches over me. Wherever I am, God is.”

Scott smiles broadly when he reveals how happy he is. Happy and blessed are good traits of life.

Speaking of happiness, on September 23, 2012, he married his college sweetheart and the love of his life, LaKia Gavins of Aurora, Colo., who is also a Tuskegee alumnus. They are the proud parents of a baby girl named Gia.

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Two Americans in China People, not governments

By Amanda Roberts On my blog I’ve written about some pretty horrible things that go on in China.

Just in the province of Hunan, where I live, in the last year we have seen the forced abortion of a 7 month-old fetus because it would have been the woman’s second child, a man crushed to death by a steamroller so the government could tear down his home for a highway and Amanda Roberts a mother thrown in prison for demanding justice for her 12 year-old daughter who was kidnapped and forced into prostitution. And these are only a few of the atrocities we know about. Human rights crimes happen every day in China, but most are kept hidden.

A friend of mine was once verbally attacked by her daughter-in-law for daring to live in such a corrupt country.

“How can you live in a country that ______?” she demanded to know.

I left a blank there because I don’t really remember what her exact complaint was and because it doesn’t really matter. I hear variations of the question all the time.

“How can you live in a country that has the onechild policy?”

“How can you live in a country that bans religion?”

“How can you live in a country that won’t free Tibet?”

They are right to be critical. The Chinese government has done some pretty awful things. But does my living here condone these actions?

I don’t think it does.

Even when living in America and being an American I don’t agree with all of my government’s policies. If you don’t agree with the coming changes to America’s gun control policies, does that mean you have to leave the country? Of course not. No one, in any country agrees, with their government 100 percent of the time. And that’s okay. Most people would not consider leaving their country because it is their home. It is where their families and friends are. People are what matter most.

I didn’t move to China because I agree with the government’s official policies on…pretty much anything. But I did come here for the people. I came to

Most people would not consider leaving their country because it is their home. It is where their families and friends are. People are what matter most. teach English and to help better the lives of the children of China. I think I have done that in some small way. Through volunteering, writing, teaching, I have touched many lives here, I hope, for the better.

I can’t make changes in China overnight. Even Chinese people cannot enact change on their own government very often or very dramatically. China might not ever eliminate the one-child policy, free Tibet, or allow freedom of religion, but that doesn’t mean I agree with those things. There are millions of people on an individual basis who matter far more than some faceless, corrupt bureaucracy. The comfort I can give, the knowledge I can share, the stories I can tell to individual people are why I live in China.

The people of China are not China’s government and I will support the people in any way I can.

About the author: Amanda Roberts has been living and writing in China for nearly three years. You can learn more about her and living abroad at her website TwoAmericansinChina.com.

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Keeping Alcohol in the Limelight:

6

Facts

for Alcohol Awareness Month

By Dr. Deni Carise When most people think of substance abuse, heroin, marijuana and prescription drugs often come to mind.

However, one substance that can be bought over-the counter legally is among the most destructive and sadly, overlooked.

Alcohol is society’s oldest and most widely used mind-altering chemical, it’s so ingrained in our culture, that it’s difficult to imagine it as illegal for adults.

Cocaine, heroin and now prescription drugs continue

1.

Alcohol is indeed a drug. What’s more, it’s a drug that carries especially high risks for adolescents, whose brains are still developing.

2.

Alcohol is a financial burden. Excessive drinking causes more public health problems than all other drugs combined and according to the CDC, costs society $224 billion, annually.

3.

More people abuse alcohol than illicit drugs. Eight percent of Americans over the age of 12 abuse illicit drugs; 34 percent abuse or misuse alcohol.

to occupy the headlines — as indeed they should — but alcohol deserves the same attention. Our nation’s alcohol problem may not seem as scandalous, but it’s just as serious. When compared to many drugs, alcohol is as equally life-threatening, claiming more than 80,000 lives a year.

As April is Alcohol Awareness Month, below is a list of six destructive powers of alcohol we’ve brought to the forefront – facts that are often overlooked:

4.

Alcohol destroys the brain. There’s no evidence to show that heroin — a drug perceived to be highly dangerous — causes extensive structural changes in the brain.

But there is evidence that this occurs as a result of long-term, heavy drinking. Also, heroin withdrawal is less likely to be fatal than alcohol withdrawal.

5.

Just because alcohol is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. We know that legal prescriptions drugs, if misused, are anything but harmless and cause a growing number of deaths each year. The same is true of alcohol. Drunk driving — one of the many causes of alcohol-related fatalities — accounts for 32 percent of all traffic deaths.

6.

Alcohol-related deaths are preventable. In fact, heavy drinking, including binge and underage drinking, is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

We must invest in education, screening and treatment efforts, so the public better understands alcohol’s dangers, and a person struggling with alcoholism can get help—before it’s too late.

Deni Carise, Ph.D. is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in behavioral health and substance abuse treatment and research and has been part of the recovery community for more than 25 years.

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Dr. Jonathan Patrick Cobb joins Terrezza & Associates Dr. Jonathan Patrick Cobb, O.D. was born in Opp. He graduated from Straughn High School in Andalusia in 2003. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Troy University with a B.S. in Chemistry in 2007. He attended University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry and was a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa honor society. He graduated in 2011 along with his wife Amanda whom he met in Optometry school. They currently reside in Daphne and are expecting their first child, Emma Grace, this month.

Dr. Cobb joined Dr. Gene Terrezza & Associates. in 2011 at our Foley location. Dr. Cobb specializes in primary eye care, glasses and contact lenses. He is currently on prescription drug management of glaucoma, dry eyes and ocular complications of systemic diseases.

Appointment hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays 8 a.m. to noon. We do accept walk-in patients as the schedule allows.

The office is located at 316 S McKenzie St. in Foley, 251-943-5115.

Don’t Ignore Digestive Troubles

By Darren M. Rowan, M.D., F.A.C.S., South Baldwin Surgical Associates Digestive troubles are common, ranging from periodic discomfort after a large meal to severe, chronic pain.

More than 70 million Americans suffer from digestive problems, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Digestive problems can occur at any age, but some are more likely as we age because the muscles responsible for moving food through the digestive system become weaker and less efficient. Sometimes, trouble results from the foods or combinations of foods that we eat. Other digestive disorders can be caused by chronic illness, infection, an allergic reaction or heredity.

The pain and discomfort from digestive issues can sometimes be relieved through dietary changes and over-the-counter medications, but the long-term effects of untreated digestive conditions on your overall health can be serious. Among the most common chronic digestive conditions are acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, or ulcer disease. These ailments affect the upper digestive system, also known as the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Symptoms vary, but may include: Swallowing problems, nausea , bloating, abdominal pain, vomiting, indigestion, constipation or diarrhea and gas.

Common Digestive Conditions

The following disorders are not curable, but controllable with a structured treatment plan that can include dietary and lifestyle changes and medication. Be sure to monitor and share your symptoms with your doctor, as digestive trouble can also indicate more serious conditions such as gallbladder or pancreatic disease, or some types of cancer.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): GERD is severe or chronic acid reflux (stomach acid going back up into the esophagus) that can lead to complications such as sleep disorders, esophageal bleeding, ulcers or

cancer. GERD symptoms are similar to those experienced with heartburn, but are more severe and frequent. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, coughing and wheezing, sore throat or hoarseness, a sensation of having a lump in your throat, a burning Dr. Darren Rowan sensation in the chest, and chest pain, especially when lying down at night. If you experience GERD symptoms for more than two weeks that isn’t relieved by taking over-the-counter antacids or medications, see your doctor. Untreated, GERD has been linked to several other conditions, from chronic laryngitis to asthma. Lactose intolerance: Lactose intolerance is the deficiency of an enzyme in the small intestine that helps the body digest lactose (the sugar found in milk and milk products). Health experts believe this condition may be hereditary or linked to damage to the small intestine that may occur with severe diarrheal illness, other digestive diseases, or chemotherapy. Symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating and gas. Lactose intolerance usually can be controlled through dietary changes or medication.

Peptic ulcer: A peptic ulcer usually occurs in the lining of the stomach or first portion of the small intestine. These ulcers are caused by bacterial infection or overuse of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Symptoms include pain in the midsection between meals or at night. Other symptoms include weight loss, bloating, nausea-vomiting and frequent burping. Medication is usually effective in treating this condition.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): IBS is a disorder caused by changes in the way the gastrointestinal tract works. It causes abdominal pain, bloating, and cramping, changes in bowel movements, and either constipa-

‘Digestive Troubles’ continued on page 29

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The Haven to Participate in Belk Charity Sale SUBMITTED Belk Stores will be holding a Charity Sale on Saturday, April 27, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Prior to the event, staff members and volunteers from participating non-profit organizations can sell $5 tickets for the event. The benefit is two-fold: all money generated goes to the non-profit. The buyer will then attend the 4-hour Belk event, with tickets in hand, and get fabulous discounts during the private sale. The Haven, an adoption guarantee animal shelter, will be participating in this upcoming Charity Sale. Tickets to benefit the Haven can be purchased at The Haven Animal Shelter in Fairhope, The Haven’s Resale Shop in Fairhope, Go Play Pet Service in Daphne, Mary Ann’s Deli in Fairhope, and Sanctuary Salon in Fairhope.

“We are grateful to Belk for creating this venue where non-profits, like The Haven, can generate much needed funds,” says Executive Director Mike Graham. Remember, all proceeds sold by Haven representatives go to The Haven to enable them to continue their life-saving mission of taking care of and finding life-long loving homes for the abused, abandoned, and neglected animals that come thru their doors.

About The Haven Adoption Guarantee Animal Shelter

The Haven rescues, re-habilitates, and re-homes over 900 animals each year serving Baldwin County since 2000. The non-profit animal shelter is responsible for leading the four municipal animal control shelters into creating a no-kill society for companion pets, caring for over 70 homeless cats and dogs at the shelter on any given day, and finding loving homes for these homeless, injured, neglected and abused and abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, evaluated both behaviorally and medically, fed, watered and marketed until they find their forever home.

Child Abuse Prevention month advocates programs and events

By Kelley Parris The month of April, designated as National Child Abuse Prevention month, spotlights the individuals and programs in all of our communities that work 365 days a year to prevent the most despicable form of cancer on our society, child abuse and neglect. With 112 community partners working on a shoestring we have effectively helped to reduce the number of child deaths in the 0-3 age demographic from unsafe sleeping environments and abusive head trauma

through education and training. This is just one example of prevention saving lives and contributing to the quality of life for every Alabamian; strengthening families supports healthy lifestyles in every community.

There will be events around the state that will celebrate prevention and raise awareness concerning child abuse and neglect prevention.

April kicks off with a Press Conference in Decatur and the events do not end until April 30, in Huntsville with an afternoon on Art celebrating children. Please get involved in your area and show your support for children and families.

The Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention held our 5th Annual “Children’s Trust Fund” Rally on the State House steps,

April 17. Rene’ Howitt the author of “Whose Best Interest? a fight to save two American kids” was the Keynote Speaker, Rep. Jim Barton, Rep. Christopher England and the Alabama Association of Realtors were honored for their tireless work in support of children and families. Please join us for an event in your area; for a full list of events, visit our website at www.ctf.alabama.gov.

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Help yourself reduce investment stress You probably aren’t too worried about it, but April is Stress Awareness Month. Each year, the Health Resource Network sponsors this “month” to inform people about the dangers of stress and to share successful coping strategies.

Obviously, it’s important to reduce stress in all walks of life — including your investment activities. How can you cut down on the various stresses associated with investing?

Here are a few possible “stress-busters:”

Know your risk tolerance. If you’re constantly worrying about the value of your investments, your portfolio may simply be too volatile for your individual risk tolerance. Conversely, if you’re always feeling that your investments will never provide you with the growth you need to achieve your long-term goals, you might be investing too conservatively.

Know what to expect from your investments. Uncertainty is often a leading cause of stress. So when you purchase investments that are mysterious to you, you shouldn’t be surprised if they perform in ways that raise your stress levels. Never invest in something unless you fully understand its characteristics and risk potential.

Be prepared for market volatility. Over the long term, the financial markets have trended upward, though their past performance can’t guarantee future results. Yet for periods of months, and even years, these same markets can sputter and decline. So when you invest, be aware of this volatility; if you’re prepared for it, you won’t be shocked when it happens, and you should be able to better keep stress at bay.

Maintain realistic expectations. If you think your investments are going to earn a very high rate of return, year after year, you are more than likely going to be disappointed — and you could easily get “stressed out.” You’re much better off, from a stress standpoint, not to expect eye-popping results.

Diversify your portfolio. If you were only to own one asset class, such as growth stocks, and that particular segment took a big hit during a market drop, your whole portfolio could suffer, and it could take years to recover — causing you no end of stress. But if you spread your investment dollars among a range of vehicles — stocks, bonds, government securities and so on — your portfolio has a better chance of weathering the ups and downs of the market. (Keep in mind, though, that while diversification may help you reduce the effects of volatility, it can’t prevent losses or guarantee profits.)

Think long term. If you only measure your investment success by short-term results, you can feel frustrated and stressed. But when you stop to consider your objectives, you may find that the most important ones, such as a comfortable retirement, are all long-term in nature. Consequently, it makes more sense to measure the progress you’re making with your investments in periods of years, or even decades,

rather than days or months. Instead of fretting over your monthly investment statements, compare where you are today versus where you were 10 or 15 years ago. The results may well surprise and help “de-stress” you.

Stress Awareness Month will come and go. But by making the right moves, you can help take some of the stress out of investing for a long time to come.

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors are not estate planners and cannot provide tax or legal advice.

You should consult your estate-planning attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

Steve Ellison, Financial Advisor 1745 Main St. Suite A Daphne, AL 36526 251-626-7701 www.edwardjones.com/taxtalk

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Food for Thought: Artisan Bread

By Dr. Linda Mitchell This week I taught the first in a series of Artisan bread classes.

I am excited about the wonderful group of students and the great facilities but I especially enjoyed the experience of kneading and baking bread. I prepared the Honey, Raisin and Rosemary Bread below. It makes up well with the chunks of walnuts, the Dr. Linda Mitchell golden glow of the raisins and the vivid green bits of Rosemary.

It’s definitely a gorgeous bread but the taste is where it rocks and it practically melts in your mouth especially if you serve it up with one of the specialty butters found below.

We also made sourdough starter from scratch. Now is the time to get going if you plan to give away home baked bread or sourdough starter as Christmas presents. You can buy starter ready-make and often trace the lineage from present day to several centuries back.

You never know, the starter you purchase could be the same starter used to prepare bread for a king or two back down the line … or so they say. Bread is economical, easy to prepare and the stuff of life. When you bake your own, the possibilities are endless.

Honey, Raisin and Rosemary Bread

4 cups all purpose flour, give or take a little 2 teaspoons instant yeast ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup honey ½ stick butter, softened 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk ½ cup walnuts, chopped 1 cup golden raisins 2 tablespoons chopped dried Rosemary Rosemary sprig for garnish

Mix together flour, sugar and salt. Add yeast and stir.

In a separate bowl mix together the honey and butter.

Heat slightly in a microwave or over low heat so the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in buttermilk and eggs. Add to flour mixture and stir until well mixed. Add enough flour to make a ball. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead. Knead in raisins, walnuts and rosemary, one ingredient at a time. Place in a well oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover with parchment or wax paper or use a clean kitchen towel.

Let rise in a draft free place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down (this is a fun part) and divide in half. Shape into two bread loaves and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Let rise 30 minutes to an hour. Bake in a preheated, 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve warm with Honey butter.

Bread tips:

If you want to prepare bread and freeze for later use, let it rise the first time, punch it down, shape it into loaves and wrap well to freeze. When ready to use, remove from freezer and allow to thaw and rise the second time. Then bake as directed on recipe.

Check out your yeast (proof it) before using. Use about ¼ cup of warm (baby bottle temp) water and sprinkle in the amount of yeast specified in your recipe.

Add a pinch of sugar and when the yeast bubbles or becomes foamy it is ready to add to your recipe.

Beurre Composé

(French for compound butter) A compound butter is butter that has been flavored by blending softened butter together with various ingredients. The recipe for all flavored butters is basically the same, you simply soften unsalted butter and blend in the chosen ingredients. Be creative, the special butter can make a simple bread or dish magnificent. After mixing, roll the butter into logs with wax paper or press it into molds to create shapes or simply serve it in a pretty dish.

Honey Rosemary

(a pretty butter that is good on waffles or bread) 1 stick butter, softened 4 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped

White Chocolate Butter

2 tablespoons white chocolate, melted and cooled Ground cinnamon to taste

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

(perfect for a fall supper or bake ahead and freeze for a quick meal anytime)

Chicken Mix

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces 1 onion, chopped ½ cup chicken broth 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page Salt and pepper to taste ¼ teaspoon ground thyme (or substitute fresh) 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Biscuit Mixture

(use your own biscuit recipe or shortcut with Bisquick mix) ½ cup Bisquick ½ cup milk 2 eggs Cook chicken in hot oil until it is no longer pink inside. Add onion and broth and heat to simmering. Then add veggies and seasonings. Heat until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in cheese.

In separate bowl, mix together baking ingredients.

Place 1 tablespoon mixture into each lined or greased muffin cup. Top with ¼ cup chicken mixture. The finish with 1 tablespoon baking mixture. Bake muffins for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from muffin tin and serve hot or cool and freeze for later.

Sweet Potato Souffle

(amazing, this simply melts in your mouth) 4 tablespoons sugar 2 -3 sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup all purpose flour ½ cup half-and-half or cream 1 tablespoon grated orange rind

‘Digestive Troubles’ continued from page 24 tion or bouts of diarrhea. IBS is diagnosed when the symptoms of pain, fullness, gas and bloating are present for at least three days a month, in a three-month period. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. IBS affects women more often than men, and is most often found in people under age 45. There is no cure for IBS, but it can be controlled through diet and medication.

If you experience any symptoms of severe heartburn or these digestive diseases, don’t continue to suffer.

Your doctor can help you manage or treat the symptoms, or confirm or rule out a more serious disorder. Be sure to note the nature, frequency and timing of your pain to share with your doctor.

Learn more by visiting SouthBaldwinRMC.com, click on “Health Resources” and “Interactive Tools,” and type in “Digestive Issues” for information on tests and procedures, or quizzes to test your knowledge.

1/3 cup fresh orange juice ¼ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) ¾ teaspoon salt 2 egg yolks 5 egg whites Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a souffle dish with cooking spray and sprinkle with sugar. Cook potatoes in microwave until soft. Peel and mix with butter.

Combine potato mixture, flour, half-and-half, orange rind, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and egg yolks. Mix until very smooth. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add two tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff. Fold gently into potato mixture. Carefully spoon mixture into souffle dish. Place on a baking sheet and into a 425 degree oven. Immediately turn oven temperature down to 375 degrees. Bake 1 hour or until souffle is puffy and golden.

About the Author: Darren M. Rowan, M.D., F.A.C.S., of South Baldwin Surgical Associates, earned his medical degree from LSU, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He completed his internship and residency at the University of South Alabama Medical Center. Dr. Rowan practiced in Covington, Louisiana with Ochsner Health System for 10 years before joining the south Baldwin Regional Medical Staff.

He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Rowan is now accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 251-424-1620.

Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your doctor that will benefit your health.

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Medical imaging …you have a choice Submitted by Precision Imaging Medical imaging technology has revolutionized health care in the past 30 years, allowing doctors to find disease earlier and improve patient outcomes. Frequently, upon hearing your symptoms, your physician will order medical imaging tests to assist in identifying your health problem…an MRI for back pain, a CT scan for a gastrointestinal disorder, an Ultrasound for pelvic discomfort.

You know that these additional tests will assist your doctor in his diagnosis; but did you also know that you, the patient, have the right to choose where you go for that medical imaging? Just as you may You, the patient, have the right to choose where you go for take your doctor’s prescription to medical imaging. Just as you may take your doctor’s prescription to the pharmacy of your choice, you may choose what facility you go to the pharmacy of your choice, you may choose what facility you go for your medical imaging. to for your medical imaging.

Factors that you should consider are technology, cost, patient care prices. If your insurance plan has a deductible or and convenience. Precision Imaging, a diagnostic coinsurance, or if the exam you need is not covand interventional radiology practice, has become ered by insurance, you may pay significantly more a leader in medical imaging in the Gulf Coast for your imaging exam at a local hospital than you because of superior performance in each of these will pay at Precision Imaging. areas of expertise.

Patient care and convenience is an essential eleAt Precision Imaging, the technology is all ment of Precision Imaging’s mission. Patients can digital, providing the radiologist (and the ordering frequently obtain same day appointments. Reports physician) instant access to the images on a comare typically faxed within 24 hours of the proceputer. dure and are available 24/7 on a web-based PACS Their 3-T Open MRI, the only one in the system for viewing by the ordering physiarea, is more comfortable, quicker and cian. STAT results can be faxed within provides the highest resolution image minutes upon request. available.

The highly trained staff are The 64-slice CT Scanner at under the leadership of Dr. Jason Precision produces the most Williams, a Board Certified detailed images of the body at Radiologist and founder of the lowest radiation dose availPrecision Imaging. The newly able. expanded facility presents a And, the Women’s Center at Spa-like environment and is Precision Imaging offers Ulconveniently located in the trasound, Bone Density, Breast heart of downtown Gulf Shores, MRI, Breast Biopsies and the Alabama. only 3-D Mammography technolSo, the next time your physiogy in Alabama. In short, Precician orders a medical imaging test sion Imaging offers the most state-offor you or a family member, rememthe-art medical imaging technology in ber, you have a choice. Call Precision this Gulf Coast area.

Imaging, 1680 W. 2nd St., Gulf Shores at If you are concerned about how much your imag- 251-948-3420. Life is precious and Precision Imaging exam will cost, call your provider and request ing takes care.

Patient Care and convenience is an essential element of Precision Imaging’s mission.

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