Hartselle Living July/August

LAUREN LONG • TOWN & COUNTRY RESTAURANT • DR. JEROME WARD

HARTSELLE LIVING July/August 2022

LIFETIME OF SERVICE RETIRED COLONEL CAPS THREE DECADES IN MILITARY TEACHING CIVIL AIR PATROL

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FROM THE EDITOR

H

Have you heard the saying “Kind people are my kind of people?” Of course, you have. It is probably more of a cliché these days, but I for one definitely connect with it.

When I interviewed Lauren Long at her Hartselle

clinic on Sparkman Street, I knew almost immediately that she would be my kind of person. Well, to be honest, I had a pretty good idea we would hit it off when I received an email singing her praises back in March. In part, it read “Her demeanor as well as her vision is extraordinary. She is humble with a side of humor, and her love for a community that isn’t her own is heart filling.” SOLD. As it turns out, Long’s story is all that and more – just what I look for to fill the pages of Hartselle Living.

Stories of kind people living out their passion, serving and bettering their community, all while asking for nothing in return.

You’ll find those things are a common thread that binds all the stories in this issue together.

Also in this issue of Hartselle Living, we feature a longtime and well-loved Hartselle educator who retired in June after more than 30 years in the classroom.

Turn to page 25 to read about the lasting impact Dr. Jerome Ward has left on Hartselle City Schools.

Our cover story is about the amazing career of Col. Brian Williams. Trust me when I say this is one you won’t want to miss.

These stories and more are inside this issue of Hartselle Living, and we hope you enjoy reading about the kind people in our community.

As always, thanks for reading,

ON THE COVER

Col. Brian Williams spent more than 30 years in the U.S. Army.

Now he shares his military experience with Civil Air Patrol students at Hartselle High School.

Photo by Rachel Howard

4 Hartselle Living

rebekah.yancey@hartselleliving.com

25

7 LIFETIME OF SERVICE Retired colonel caps three decades in military teaching Civil Air Patrol

13 ACHIEVING THE DREAM Lauren Long inspires passion for pediatric therapy

FOOD & DRINK 19 A FAMILY LEGACY 22 STAY COOL ON HOT SUMMER DAYS

SCHOOL & SPORTS 25 SAYING GOODBYE Jerome Ward retires from Hartselle High after 20-year career

33 READ THIS BOOK 36 CHAMBER CONNECTIONS

HARTSELLE LIVING

CONTRIBUTORS

STAFF Editorial Rebekah Yancey Contributors Constance Smith Michelle Blaylock Susan Hayes Jodi Hyde Bennett Leigh Caleb Suggs

CONSTANCE SMITH, writer Constance Smith is a lifestyle blogger and YouTuber at AGoodLifeFarm. com. After 25 years of Army family life, Constance has planted roots here in Hartselle. She now homesteads on her small farm, where she raises heritage breed animals and is focusing on permaculture gardening. In her spare time she enjoys photography, art, kayaking and other outdoor sports.

Marketing Baretta Taylor Anna Baker Terri Haston Administration Beth Jackson

CONTACT US Hartselle Newspapers, LLC 206 Cedar St. NW P.O. Box 929

RACHEL HOWARD, photographer Rachel Howard is a Hartselle native who is proud to own and run a business in her hometown. Capturing moments on camera allows her to give the gift of memories, and that makes her soul smile. She is an avid fitness-lover and teaches spin classes as a side hobby.

She enjoys singing, playing golf with her husband Nick and being a dog mom to Ralphie and Bud.

Hartselle, AL 35640 Phone: 256-773-6566 info@hartselleliving.com Hartselle Living is published bimonthly Hartselle Newspapers, LLC. A one-year subscription to Hartselle Living is $16.30 for 6 issues per year.

Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Hartselle area.

To advertise or to get more copies, call 773-6566.

Copyright 2022 by Hartselle Newspapers, LLC

6 Hartselle Living

JODI HYDE, photographer Jodi Hyde has a genuine love for the Lord and tries to shine His light in everything she does. Jodi loves outdoor activities and spending quality time with her family. As a photographer, Jodi manages to freeze life’s precious moments and capture them on camera.

She loves meeting new people and being creative through her photography business. Hartselle is her hometown, and is currently where she resides, and where she loves to serve in the community.

LIFETIME OF SERVICE Retired colonel caps three decades in military teaching Civil Air Patrol STORY BY BENNETT LEIGH PHOTOS BY RACHEL HOWARD AND CONTRIBUTED

B

Brian Williams retired from the military after serving 30 years in the U.S. Army, both active and in the Alabama National Guard – but found he couldn’t quite leave it behind.

When the Decatur High graduate, who had traveled and lived all across the globe, settled in Hartselle in 2016, he planned on spending time with his three children, fishing and being “fully retired.”

That didn’t last long.

“I had served in the Civil Air Patrol in high school and had really found my place,” he explained, “When I came back to Morgan County, I discovered the closest unit was very small, roughly three cadets, and the cadets did not often attend the weekly meetings. My younger daughter, Alleigh, expressed an interest in flying and becoming an astronaut, and she seemed to enjoy the meetings – but obviously preferred to have more cadets in the unit.”

So, Williams made an appointment with Dr. DeeDee Jones, superintendent of Hartselle City Schools, to talk about recruiting for CAP in the middle and high schools.

“Dr. Jones kept asking questions and then asked me if this could be a class during school instead of an after-school activity. I thought about it and did some research, and the CAP Program in Hartselle was born.”

Williams teaches CAP classes at Hartselle High and Hartselle Junior High schools. The Ala-134 Fighting Joe

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Commissioned into the Army at Marion Military Institute, Williams finished his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama in Florence. His senior year there, he received a letter from the Army, letting him know he was selected for active duty as a regular Army officer. After graduation, Williams reported to Fort Benning, Ga., where he completed infantry school, then deployed to West Germany to “hold the line” against the Communist Bloc.

During his time in Germany, Williams had a once-in-a-lifetime experience: seeing the Berlin Wall come down.

“It started out as a training deployment for my battalion to go to Berlin and learn more about how to fight in cities,” he said.

“One evening after duty, he was visiting with a friend stationed in the Berlin Brigade when his buddy’s girlfriend came into the room and said they all had to go down to the Brandenburg Gate to the Wall. Stepping out of the subway, they saw an ocean of people surging to the Wall. Reporters were there to cover the party-like atmosphere, and the crew of friends realized people were climbing up and over the Wall.

“Of course, we had to join in,” Williams said. “It was crazy. We had just gone on a tour of the eastern side and seen how depressing and sad East Germany was under the communists, but now as we climbed up and over this massive structure, there was nothing but joy.” However, Williams said they soon realized they – a couple of American Army officers – were on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall, with Stasi – East Germany secret police – occasionally grabbing people out of the crowd and whisking them away.

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“When the water cannon truck showed up, and we saw the water dribbling out, we knew it was time to head back to the west,” said Williams. That fateful night in October 1989 was something he said he will always remember – especially because his father served in the Army when the Wall went up in 1961.

After the Soviet Union dissolved, and the Cold War essentially ended, Williams said he took his cue to consider other career paths in life. Returning to the United States, he re-enrolled at UNA and earned his Master of Business Administration while serving in the Alabama National Guard. “I loved the Guard – especially the unit I was in, the 20th Special Forces Group,” Williams said. “Getting to jump out of airplanes, travel to Central America and getting paid to do these things part-time … These were some of the best experiences I had in the Army.”

Working a civilian job in Birmingham, then-Maj. Williams was offered an opportunity to return to active duty in Washington D.C., as what is known as a Title 10 Guardsman. He and his wife of six months, Jennifer, moved to northern Virginia, where Williams worked as a manpower officer at the National Guard Bureau near the Pentagon.

After being selected to go to Command and General’s Staff Officers College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Williams joined other majors for what is often called officers’ finishing school.

It was there, as small groups were assembling for a lecture on military history one morning, that he and his fellow soldierstudents witnessed on television the first plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York, Sept. 11, 2001. “We knew something bad was going down,” he said. “We were absolutely dumbfounded

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– Col. Brian Williams when the instructor came into the room and told us to turn off the news because we had to get through our lesson – a history professor ignoring history happening before us to follow his lesson plan.”

That day changed Williams’ life, as it did for so many others across the country. “I received orders back to D.C. and immediately was sent to the Pentagon to work in the Army Operations Center,” he said. “It was brutal work.” The 12-hour shifts, with two-hour turnovers each shift, seven days on, three days off, were unstainable long-term. “We were going to war and had to get troops trained, equipped and out the door,” said Williams, “but flipping constantly between day shift and night shift wore you ragged real quick.” He said those seven months were the longest of his career, missing time with his family: “It was three lumps in the beds when I went to work and three lumps in the bed when I got home.”

Williams spent the next few years bouncing between the Pentagon and nearby assignments in D.C., working on the Joint Staff and promoting to lieutenant colonel before getting reassigned to NORAD/USNORTHCOM in Colorado. “By the end of that tour,” he said, “my girls had spent four years in Colorado and could snow ski before they could ride their bikes.”

His second year in Colorado, Williams received orders to be a combat adviser in Afghanistan. He spent three months learning a little of the language, advanced combat lifesaving and how to conduct counter insurgency. Then it was off to war.

He said the first thing he recalls after landing in Kabul International Airport was the heat, stink and an immediate explosion near the runway. “Good grief,” he said, “we hadn’t even gotten off the plane and things were happening.”

Assigned to a small Forward Operating Base in northern Afghanistan, Williams started to grow the mission there. “I was put in charge of a bunch of shipping containers that had been remodeled to be quarters, with a generator on the place that worked most of the time,” he said. He and 17 other soldiers and one Navy cook were eight hours away from the nearest American base. Sleeping with his sidearm under his pillow and his rifle and body armor next to his bunk, it seemed surreal. “I improved the place, went out on patrols and got into some gunfights, and I grew close to the guys I was with,” he said. “It was dirty, tiring work, but those NCOs in the teams were magnificent. I trusted them to do their jobs, look after each other and get the job done, and they didn’t let anyone down.”

After five months, Williams was reassigned to be the chief of staff for the U.S. forces in the northern part of the country.

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I don’t think you can do anything for 30 years and not miss it. I might not miss some jobs, a few really bad bosses and the stink of Afghanistan, but I do miss wearing the uniform – every day.

Hartselle Living 11

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After Afghanistan and Colorado, it was back to D.C. and the Pentagon. Once he completed Army War College, Williams was promoted to colonel and started working on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he really got to “see how the sausage was made.”

“I had a pretty cool job: I was the guy who made sure my fourstar boss was prepared for all the chief’s meetings, known as TANKS,” he said. He said being on the highest levels of policy in the Department of Defense was a huge learning experience. “In the end,” said Williams, “you realize it’s just a bunch of people sitting around a table, trying to figure out how to solve some pretty wicked problems and doing the best they can.”

After that assignment, Williams reported back to the War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, to be an instructor.

“It was a great transition job,” he said. “I was in such a high-paced and stressful job where there was zero tolerance for mistakes in the Pentagon. This was more laid-back and gave me more time with the family.” Williams said he felt the stress fade and knew retirement was on the horizon.

Retirement brought one last move for the family of five to Hartselle, a place where they love the people, climate and smalltown community feel. Active in Rotary, the American Legion and Hartselle First United Methodist Church, Williams has his plate full once again.

“I am often asked if I miss it, and to be honest, I really do,” he said. “I don’t think you can do anything for 30 years and not miss it. I might not miss some jobs, a few really bad bosses and the stink of Afghanistan, but I do miss wearing the uniform – every day.”

ACHIEVING THE DREAM Lauren Long inspires passion for pediatric therapy STORY BY REBEKAH YANCEY PHOTOS BY RACHEL HOWARD

T

The words “Different, Not Less” are painted alongside a colorful mural of a Monarch butterfly on the building on Sparkman Street that houses Achievement Pediatric Therapies. Lauren Long says those words are at the heart of the pediatric occupational, behavioral, mental health and speech therapy clinic she owns with her husband Shannon.

Other inspirational phrases line the halls of the clinic, including “We see the able, not the label” and “Human.

Kind. Be both.”

The Longs opened the business in the summer of 2019 – after completing the remodeling work themselves. In three short years, the clinic has grown from seven appointments per week to more than 100.

Long is an occupational therapist who has worked with elderly patients in nursing homes and through home health agencies, but she said she loves working with children the most.

Lauren and Shannon did not have any children when they began the journey of opening Achievement Pediatric Therapies, but shortly thereafter they welcomed a daughter, Chapel, now 4, who is on the spectrum.

“I think it was in our path – I think it’s where the Lord led us,” Long says. “Different, not less” has a really true meaning to me now.””

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Long says being a therapist for children on the spectrum is completely different than having a child of her own with special needs.

“I was two different therapists, but I’m a better one now,” she said.

The clinic features several treatment spaces including a gym complete with a climbing wall, sensory room, speech, occupational therapy and feeding rooms.

The clinic’s most important employee, as Long puts it, is a white-and-grey Lion Head rabbit named Nala.

“Nala endures a lot, but she’s a trooper,” Long says. “She’s the best bunny ever. On the weekend she will go out and jump on the

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trampoline. It’s the weirdest thing but we love it. “Nala, bunny, jump, feel” – there are a lot of words to incorporate into therapy, and she is very good with children.”

Now employing 20 people, for Long, success is not only defined by her business thriving and being profitable. Seeing their patients make slow, steady progress is her dream come true. She attributes that growth to prayer.

“Our first client to ever be treated was nonverbal. She was a severe case. Three years later and she’s still coming to see us but she comes in saying “Hi” and sassing us – hiding toys because she knows she’s not supposed to have them. That’s her way of communicating. That’s progress.

“Our ultimate end here is to help these children learn to communicate in society. These kids are going to turn 18 and then they won’t be able to come here anymore and they’re going to be expected to get on disability or go to a group home – and we don’t want that,” Long says. “We want them to be able to have jobs, to be able to communicate if they’re hurting or if someone hurts them.”

Long, who lives with her family in Guntersville, said they were welcomed to Hartselle with open arms.

“We were working here painting and we had so many people stop by and ask if they could help,” she said. “Mike Tucker with his two boys were the first to stop by and we still have a relationship. Everyone has been so great.”

Long says she is not much of a risk taker, but it was her passion for helping children with special needs that make her take a leap of faith to open Achievement Pediatric Therapies three years ago.

“I like planning and strategy, I like knowing how things are going to happen,” Long says. “My husband was the one who gave me his entire 401(k) so we could open the clinic. After buying and renovating the building, we had $2,000 left and three days before payroll was due insurance came through.”

They made payroll that week and every week since.

The children her clinic helps every day are why Long says she decided to take the risk for which she now constantly reaps the reward.

“We see miracles here daily.”

Hartselle Living 17

I

Solving life’s VEXING problems

In its telling of the Apollo 13 almost-disaster, the answered the call to creatively solve a problem Apollo 13 movie features a memorable moment where within given parameters. engineers sit in a room with everything that can be Accomplishing this with individual effort is found on the spaceship emptied from a cardboard box worth applause, but accomplishing this as a team onto a table. The leader then holds up those assorted is particularly notable. First, it requires finding spaceship pieces challenging his team with, “We’ve several strong thinkers with valuable ideas, and it got to find a way to make this fit into a hole for this then requires them to submit those ideas. But then using nothing but that.” it requires those thinkers to dismiss some ideas in

BY SUSAN HAYES Teachers who watch Apollo 13 are generally focused favor of others. Robotics builds require planning, FEDERAL PROGRAMS on one thing: How do those engineers think through the building, testing, modifying, testing, modifying, COORDINATOR HARTSELLE CITY SCHOOLS solution of a problem such as the one they face in the testing, modifying and then letting go. movie – and in real life? And what kinds of things can I, a And so Barkley Bridge’s boasts of being a Cognia Hartselle City Schools teacher, do to nurture that kind of thinking?

STEM Certified school and a Project Lead the Way school are That is what STEM learning is all about. It’s not about activpositive, and its boast of an award-winning robotics team is ities; it’s about creative problem solving with the tools that are impressive, but the real value is in the problem-solving capacity available and within the parameters that exist. And though it of the brains on the team; and in the problem-solving capacities channels through science, technology, engineering and math; the of the student brains that had nothing to do with the team but brain does not recognize that problem-solving is content-specifbenefitted from the same or very similar STEM instruction. ic. In other words, when a brain learns to solve problems, it can BBES teacher and award-winning-vex-team-coach Kim Jared take the process to all types of problems in all types of situations. summarizes the benefits of STEM education best when she says, And so, when the Barkley Bridge Elementary School Vex Ro“STEM education equips our students with the ability to criticalbotics Team won the Build Award from among 519 competing ly think and problem-solve in a collaborative way. This will allow teams and were then invited to compete globally at Vex World, them to succeed in whatever career path they choose.” the real win for sponsor Kim Jared was not in the invitation, If NASA’s flight director Gene Kranz were to comment, he may but rather in the satisfaction that the seven member team had refer to it as Hartselle City Schools’ finest hour.

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FOOD & DRINK

A FAMILY LEGACY STORY AND PHOTOS BY CONSTANCE SMITH

T

Tina Sampson and her husband J.R. opened a new restaurant this year, named Town & Country. It is located on the north side of Hartselle on Highway 31.

Running a restaurant isn’t a new thing for the Sampson family. J.R.’s mother, Wilma Sue had a restaurant with the same name many years ago in Arab. She was a feisty lady who inspired the family to open another restaurant in Arab three years ago. Town & Country is Wilma Sue’s legacy and that restaurant was their only location until this year.

Tina’s daughter Amber Kugler and her husband both live and teach here in Hartselle. And with the grandbabies being here, Tina and J.R. found themselves spending lots of time in Hartselle and the family asked them to open a second location. After much debate and prayer, they decided to go for it.

The Town & Country restaurant features homestyle, country cooking. In addition to the full menu, they offer classic plate lunch daily specials that include a “meat and two” or a “meat and three” with dessert and

20 Hartselle Living

the drink. Some of the most popular offerings are the hamburger steaks, catfish or Tina’s personal favorite, the chicken salad. But the chicken and dressing, Tina makes that herself with her own special recipe.

The homemade cakes are made fresh, and you can see a variety of them in the dessert case out front, like lemon cream, Butterfinger or red velvet.

The Hartselle location is decorated with a similar style as the original location in Arab. From the front porch seating to the interior, it has a welcoming atmosphere that is family friendly.

The walls are adorned with signs to inspire and uplift with positive quotes. One customer told her she had been having a really bad day and when she looked up at the decoration over her table, that the quote was just what she needed at that moment.

While the Sampsons were nervous about opening a second location in Hartselle and knew it would be a great deal of work,

they knew they wanted to try. Tina says she has the sweetest workers who are simply amazing. That if it wasn’t for them, she wouldn’t be able to do this.

What really blew her away though, was how kind and welcoming the people of Hartselle are. She said there’s just something special about small towns like Hartselle, “there’s a lot of good people here.” And she couldn’t believe that after only a few weeks of being open, the restaurant already had “regulars.”

The restaurant has already been recognized as a “Best of the Best” in the Hartselle Enquirer.

Town & Country also offers a banquet room for private parties and events, in addition to their dining area. There has already been class reunion gatherings, baby showers and other family parties there. Contact them to reserve the room for your event.

Town & Country is located at 2100 Highway 31 NW, Hartselle.

Hartselle Living 21

STAY COOL ON HOT SUMMER DAYS STORY AND PHOTOS BY CONSTANCE SMITH

H

Hot weather is here and when it is like this, you certainly don’t want to have stand over a stove and heat up the kitchen.

These recipes are great options for those sorts of summer days. An entrée of grilled chicken with a homemade pineapple salsa and a dessert that takes minutes to make and requires no cooking at all.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA Flavorful glazed grilled chicken with a fresh, summery pineapple salsa.

You can grill this outside in just a few minutes, and head right back into the air conditioning. No sweat needed.

INGREDIENTS • ½ c finely diced red onion • 1½ c diced fresh pineapple • 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and minced • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 lime, zested and juiced • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts • 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil • 1 tsp each, salt & pepper • 1 Tb garlic hot sauce (like Cholula chili garlic hot sauce) • 3 Tb orange juice INSTRUCTIONS 1. To begin, combine the onion, pineapple, jalapeno, salt, lime zest and juice in a small bowl. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Set this aside for now.

2. Combine the garlic hot sauce and orange juice together in a small dish.

3. Heat your grill to 400 degrees. Brush the chicken with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt & pepper.

4. Cook these on the grill for about 5-7 minutes on each side until it is cooked through.

5. When the chicken is almost done, brush the beautiful glaze all over.

6. Let it cook the last couple minutes and let that flavor just seep into the meat.

7. Top with your summery pineapple salsa.

8. Enjoy!

Tip: If you make the salsa ahead of time, it will allow the flavors to combine even better.

Hartselle Living 23

BERRY FOOLS This dessert recipe has a funny name, but once you try it, you will absolutely be in love with this perfect little summer dessert. Though you can enjoy it all year long.

The first time I made a version of this was for a gathering of friends in the winter… in Alaska!

• • • • •

INGREDIENTS 1 1/3 c fresh raspberries, divided 1/4 c powdered sugar, divided 1 c heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 - 4 thin, crisp cookies (I like using waffle crips)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. To begin, place 1 cup of the berries in a shallow dish.

2. Sprinkle with two tablespoons of the powdered sugar.

3. Mash the sugar & berries together with a fork. Set those aside for now.

4. In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Beat them together on high speed just until stiff peaks form.

5. Add the berry mash to the whipped cream, and fold it together until it is swirled in, but not completely mixed.

6. Scoop the mixture into small dessert dishes.

7. Stick a cookie or two into each dish.

If the cookies are large, break them in half and arrange them in a pretty way.

8. Top each with a beautiful berry.

9. Enjoy!

Tip: This effortless dessert can also be made with blackberries or strawberries.

24 Hartselle Living

SCHOOL & SPORTS

SAYING GOODBYE

Jerome Ward retires from Hartselle High after 20-year career STORY BY CALEB SUGGS PHOTOS BY RACHEL HOWARD AND CONTRIBUTED

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When this past academic year came to a close, the commencement ceremony had been held and the hallways were void of echoing voices, Dr. Jerome Ward turned in his school keys, took one look around Hartselle High School and walked out, leaving behind a career that spanned more than two decades educating students of Hartselle City Schools. Ward officially retired from his long-held post June 1.

“At this point it’s still fresh so I don’t think it’s really settled in yet,” Ward said.

“I don’t think I’ll ever stop teaching. That love for learning will always be there.”

A TRUE CALLING

His storied career in the classroom was much more than just a job, it has been more of a calling for the husband and father of four.

“When I was in eighth grade at Hartselle, we did a unit on careers and I decided to research education,” Ward said. “It was then I heard the Lord speak

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to my heart and I knew that was the career path I needed to be on.”

Never wavering from that path, Ward studied pursued degrees in education at Athens State, UNA and Samford. Along the way he met many educators who would impact his future in many ways, but the biggest came from a teacher whose class he didn’t even attend.

“I think we all have those teachers that impact our lives and mine is certainly a long list. But I think the one that affected me the most was Dexter Greenhaw,” Ward said. “He was the band director at Hartselle after I graduated and he reached out to me to see if I wanted to help. We became very close; he was almost like a second dad to me. He taught me how important building relationships is, as well as little things that I would incorporate into my teaching and my personal life.”

Relationships would become an even bigger aspect in Ward’s teaching after, at just 30 years of age, he spent two years as a college professor at Wallace State.

“Teaching at a college was almost like a business, and it made me realize how important relationships are,” Ward said. “I

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greatly missed that day-to-day interaction, that connection I had with my students.”

Once back at Hartselle, relationships became an even bigger piece of Ward’s methods.

“One student that stands out to me was Janson Frazier. On the first day he smarted off to me so I pulled him aside, called his dad who I knew and told him that wasn’t going to fly,” Ward said. “I gained Janson’s respect and after that we had a great relationship. Unfortunately, he passed away in an accident serving our community as a firefighter. But he will always be special to me, and the same goes for all the other relationships I’ve built.”

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Hartselle Living 29

AN INTIMIDATING FRIEND

When it came to his class, Ward expected nothing but the best.

“I was never going to give an A grade for C work,” he said.

His class grew a reputation for the high standards it had, which simultaneously turned Ward into an intimidating figure for some.

“I don’t think I was too aware of that,” Ward joked. “I always took the approach of saying what you mean and meaning what you will say. I held the bar high and pushed my students to reach it each year.”

Ward’s style of teaching endured him to many students. It has become commonplace for former students to reflect on Ward as one of their favorite teachers and his class as tremendous preparation for the next level of education.

“The best paycheck you can have as a teacher is when a student comes back and 30 Hartselle Living

says thank you,” Ward said. “I have stacks of letters and emails from teachers who thanked me for pushing them to be the best. As a teacher, knowing you made a difference, that’s what it’s all about.”

A NEW CHAPTER

As the old saying goes, when one door closes another one opens. Ward has always been heavily involved in church, mostly as a music minister. Recently, however, he took an even bigger step, becoming the pastor of Destiny Church in Falkville.

“Being a pastor is definitely a much different job than anything I’ve done before, but I felt like it was what the Lord had called me to do,” Ward said. “He’s really been blessing me too, we’ve had great numbers and have a lot of good stuff going on.”

Ward said his career in teaching has prepared him for this new task.

“If the Lord had called me at a young age to do this, I probably would have balked at it,” he said. “But I think he knew I needed to go through everything I did to get to this point.”

And while he may be retired now as an educator, Ward says the teaching won’t stop.

“I’m still teaching at a different level,” he said. “Teaching and preaching His word and hopefully helping to lead others to the Lord.”

And after the feeling of retirement has settled in, Ward hopes he will be remembered fondly at Hartselle.

“My hope is that I will be remembered as someone that was tough but fair. Someone who treated his students with respect, and pushed them to realize they were capable of achieving anything they set their mind to.”

Ward and his wife Tracy have been married for 14 years. The couple have four children: Aden, Ty, Eli and Dixie Anne.

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Read through the summer at the Hartselle library

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Greetings from the William Bradford Huie Library one of the grand prizes for your designated age of Hartselle. As always, we are continuing to add group. The grand prizes include kindle tablets and programming and expanding the services we offer leap pads. Prize drawings we be held July 28 at to our patrons.

10:30 a.m. Other events during our summer reading Our summer reading program is off to a great program include two story times each week, movies, start with 55 children and 19 adults attending our paint classes and book club. Stop by the library and kickoff event June 2. This year our summer reading pick up our calendars for times and events. program will continue until July 28. Library staff We would like to give a big shout out to all those have been creative and have worked very hard to in our community who helped to make our summer decorate the library in our “Oceans of Possibilities” reading program a success this year. Special thanks

BY MICHELLE BLAYLOCK LIBRARY MANAGER theme. to City of Hartselle, Friends of the Huie Library, WILLIAM BRADFORD HUIE We have teamed up with local merchants for Whinny Wisdom who provided the Oceans of LIBRARY OF HARTSELLE a downtown Hartselle scavenger hunt. Stop in Possibilities Buttons, and all the merchants that the library and pick up a map and stickers, then walk through participated in the downtown stroll. Those merchants are: Zoey’s downtown to match the stickers to the animal decals our Downtown, Something Blue Too, Something Vintage, Moe’s BBQ, downtown merchants have displayed. When you have found Forever Kate, Keramos Ceramics, Whinny Wisdom, Sherry’s them all, pop back in the library to get a “Oceans of Possibilities Sparkle, Eatin’ in the Attic, JPosh Apparel, Shoefisticated, the downtown stroll button.”

Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce and The Freight House.

We also have book bingos and summer reading logs for all We would also like to thank Oliwia’s Shave Ice for allowing us to ages. The book bingos can be completed weekly for grab bag meet there for an off-site program. prizes. Reading logs may be completed for one chance to win We hope to see you soon at the library!

32 Hartselle Living

READ THIS BOOK

Summer vacation guides: This summer, check out these recommended vacation guides for places all over the United States. They include pre-made itineraries, food ratings, hotel accommodations, and much more to make your summer vacation fun and action packed.

From the librarians: The William Bradford Huie Library of Hartselle is proud to offer readers recommendations from our librarians. These books are picked by Sarah Laughmiller, Chrissy Tucker and Alex VanKoughnett.

Visit the library to check these out and more.

“FLORIDA”

Author: Fodor’s Travel

This travel guide from Fodor has all the essential information if you are looking to visit places in Florida this summer. The guide introduces readers to 13 areas of Florida with detailed guides for each location. In addition, this guide also has focused sections on Miami, the Florida Keys, the Everglades and the theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Walt Disney World Resort. At the back, you will find multiple fold out maps.

“NEW YORK CITY” Author: Lonely Planet

New York City is one of the most visited places in the world. The historic churches, Ground Zero, Times Square, Broadway and more bring people to NYC. This new guide from Lonely Planet will help you plan a safe and fun-filled vacation. Most importantly, this guide has great information on how to travel to and in NYC post pandemic. The book features a detailed map that will help you get from place to place with ease.

Also, the book has what type of scams and dangers to avoid when sightseeing and eating at restaurants.

“BOSTON”

Author: Fodor’s Travel

Fodor’s travel guide to Boston is a great tool in mapping your next great Boston adventure. Whether you’re wanting to take a leisurely stroll through Boston Common, grab a cannoli from Mike’s in North End or walk along the Freedom Trail, this book has it all. Take the train over into Cambridge and tour the prestigious Harvard or MIT. Maybe even ride up to Salem and see where the famous witch trials took place and see some familiar buildings used in the movie Hocus Pocus. Any history-lover will enjoy being immersed in the foundation of our country. And that starts here in Boston.

“WASHINGTON D.C.”

Author: Fodor’s Travel

Washington D.C., our country’s Capitol, is full of exciting places to explore. There’s something for everyone.

From visiting Mt. Vernon (the home of George and Martha Washington), to walking the National Mall and touring the free museums, there’s something for everyone in D.C. If you’re near the Capitol building and hungry, check out We the Pizza. It’s a great spot to grab a slice and maybe get a glimpse of a government official. If you’re near the White House and National Treasury and want a sweet treat, Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken is the place to go. Washington D.C. is where you can see firsthand how our country operates and learn about each branch of government up close.

“THE CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA” Author: Fodor’s Travel

The Carolinas & Georgia will be home away from home. You’ll find delicious southern cuisine everywhere you go. Beautiful small towns with rich history and full of character are around every corner where gorgeous old homes, cemeteries and civil war sights draw you in. If you’re not a history person, there is biking, hiking, fishing, beaches and more to explore. Whether you’re headed to Raleigh, Charleston or Savannah, this makes for a great weekend getaway, family trip or girls’ trip with friends.

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SUBSCRIBE NOW! EVERYTHING HARTSELLE. ALL YEAR LONG. Go to Hartselleenquirer.com and subscribe for $16.30 for 6 issues per year or call 256-773-6566 @hartselleenquirer

G N I V I L E L L E S HART HARTSELLE LI VING NNECTIONS

CHAMBER CO

• GARY ORR

• READ THIS

BOOK

2 May/June 202

LAUREN LONG

July/August

• TOWN & CO

UNTRY RESTAU

RANT • DR. JE

ROME WARD

2022

SERVICE

WITH A

SMILE

N BECKY WATSOER KROG RETIRES FROM47 YEARS AFTER

LIFETIME OF SERVICE RETIRED CO LO IN MILITARY NEL CAPS THREE DECADE TEACHING CI VIL AIR PATR S OL

#HeyHartselle

Follow @hey_hartselle on Instagram and use the hashtag #HeyHartselle for a chance to be featured on this page in each issue. @amandahousephotos Pickle fries at the pool

@rebeccamhouse our girl picked up her dress today & we had lunch with a skeleton

@heathersmith_2 We definitely ate more than made it into the bucket but it was such a fun experience! clearly Jay was a big fan!

@inspiredgl @ Quail Creek Resort & Conference Center Hartselle Living 35

The 2022-23 HACC Board of Directors was introduced at the annual meeting May 6. They are pictured with president Missy Evans. From left, Lindsey Tapscott, Evans, Beth Kershner, Maegan Jones, Christy Richardson, Eddie Turrentine, Mark Villarino, Stewart Smallwood and Houston Blackwood.

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ANNUAL MEETING AND AWARDS GALA

The Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce held its 45th Annual Meeting and Awards Gala May 6. More than 250 people were in attendance at the Kentucky Derby-themed celebration held at The Tabernacle Farm in Hartselle.

The evening consisted of a welcome and update from Chamber President and CEO, Missy Evans, and a keynote address from Kathy Boswell, Vice President of Community Engagement of the 2022 World Games, which will be held in Birmingham this July.

A highly anticipated part of each year’s meeting was the presentation of four esteemed and community-elected awards. In a special homage to Mother’s Day weekend, most of this year’s award recipients were introduced by their children. Award recipients included Nancy Groover (Dr. Thomas Guyton Humanitarian Award), Jeff Johnson (John

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J. Sparkman Citizenship Award), Janan Downs (E.R. Roberts Business Award) and Cleo Stubbs (Tommy Ed Roberts Civic Award.)

The gala closed with remarks from outgoing board chairman Brad Sheats and included the passing of the gavel to Stewart Smallwood who will serve as the upcoming chairman.

The event concluded with dancing and music provided by local favorite Natchez Trace. Sponsors for the event included presenting sponsor Hartselle Family Dentistry, gold sponsors Main Street Mortgage, Morgan County Commission and DiamondPro, silver sponsor Redstone Federal Credit Union, It’s Your Day, ACE Auto Body, CerroWire, Davidson Homes, Daystar Church, Hartselle Utilities, Peck Funeral Home, Peck-Glasgow Agency, Plastic Recyclers Southeast, Inc. and The Something Blue Shoppe.

BECOMER A MEMBE NEW MEMBERS: • Moore Pressure Washing • SOZO Digital Media, LLC • Southern Fidelity Mortgage Group of Huntsville • Healthsource Chiropractic of Hartselle • LifeLinks, LLC • Benefit Aesthetics & Wellness Clinic • Trent Standridge – Country Financial • Hartselle Sandwich Company (DBA Jimmy John’s) • Decatur Pediatrics – Hartselle • Mega Granite & Marble, Inc. • Adobe • First Federal Mortgage

CHAMBER INTRODUCES NEW MEMBERSHIP MODEL

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In May, the Chamber introduced a brand-new way to make more from your membership. The new benefitsbased membership model replaced the traditional tiered dues structure and offers Chamber members a more personalized membership by providing credit and bundle options that cater to each member’s individual goals and interests. Goals for the new membership model are to clearly communicate the value of Chamber benefits to provide enhanced benefits

annually to members that invest in higher levels, increase the engagement of members by including prepaid visibility, education and relationshipbuilding opportunities in their membership packages, and increase the engagement of smaller businesses. The new model includes credits members can use toward events, sponsorships and advertising. For questions about the benefits-based membership model, contact Chrystalynn Beard at chrys@hartsellechamber.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS: • July 14 – Hartselle After Hours • July 16 – Serve Day • July 21 – Modern Workforce Strategies Summit • July 25-29 – Fill the Bus • July 28 – Ribbon Cutting for Cain Park Neighborhood: Davidson Homes • August 3 – Teacher Welcome reception • August 11 – Quarterly Non-Profit Meeting • August 18 – B.O.S.S. Breakfast

Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 817, Hartselle, AL 35640

256. 773.4370  admin@hartsellechamber.com Hartselle Living 37

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