Hartselle Living

HOLIDAYS AT HARTWOOD

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BIG TIME WINNER

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EASY HOLIDAY BITES

HARTSELLE LIVING November/December 2018 $ 4.95

PLANTING ROOTS SYNDERS RECEIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT

HARTSELLE HOMESTEADER MEET CONSTANCE SMITH

TABLE of CONTENTS

20 8 THE GUIDE 11 PLANTING ROOTS The Snyder family plants roots in well-known Hartselle home

16 928 WINS & COUNTING Tanya Lybarger is a big time winner on the court

20 EASY HOLIDAY BITES Constance Smith shares holiday recipes

26 CHASING DREAMS AND FAIRYTALES Hartselle native self publishes book series

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29 SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE Hartselle group builds bunk beds for children in need

33 HOLIDAYS AT HARTWOOD Dingbaums open their home to celebrate holidays with the community

39 OUT & ABOUT

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HARTSELLE LIVING STAFF Editorial Rebekah Martin Alison James Lauren Jackson Contributors Sam Roberts Bill Aycock Clif Knight Hope Thompson Lauren Estes-Velez

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Constance Smith Marketing Tori Waits Josh Moore

IN EVERY ISSUE

Administration Beth Jackson

8 THE GUIDE 10 THE QUESTION 38 OUT & ABOUT

Daniel Holmes

CONTACT US

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Hartselle Newspapers, LLC 407 Chestnut St. NW P.O. Box 929 Hartselle, AL 35640 Phone: 256-773-6566 Fax: 256-773-1953 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 2018 by Hartselle Newspapers, LLC

Hartselle Living 7

THE GUIDE NOV. 2วง4

NOVEMBER EVENTS NOV. 1 & 3 CHRISTMAS BACKPACK COLLECTION Morgan Baptist Association Nov. 1 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nov. 3 8 a.m. to noon.

NOV. 2 DOWNSOUTH CONCERT Highway 67 Roadhouse 9 p.m.

HARTSELLE V. ATHENS

VINTAGE MARKET DAYS OF NORTH ALABAMA Vintage Market Days is a vintage-inspired market featuring dozens of vendors displaying original art, clothing, antiques, jewelry, homemade food, decor and more. This event will be held at Celebration Arena in Decatur Nov. 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A ticket giving entry for all three days is $10, while a ticket for the last two days is $5. Admission for children 12 and under is free.

JP Cain Stadium 7 p.m.

HARTSELLE V. SCOTTSBORO JP Cain Stadium 7 p.m.

NOV. 2ศ 4 VINTAGE MARKET DAYS OF NORTH ALABAMA

NOV. 2วง4

SCOUTFEST Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Explorers, Venturers and adult leaders are gathering for Scoutfest 2018 at Point Mallard in Decatur to showcase what is special about scouting and participate in a wide range of activities and learning experiences. This event will be held Nov. 2-4 from 8-10 a.m. daily.

Celebration Arena 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

NOV. 2 AND 3 SCOUTFEST Point Mallard 8-10 a.m.

NORTH ALABAMA CHURCH

NOV. 22

TURKEY TROT OF MORGAN COUNTY 2018 3M Decatur is hosting its fourth Annual Turkey Trot of Morgan County Thanksgiving morning at First Baptist Church in Decatur.

People of all ages are encouraged to participate in the 5K event, 1-Mile Fun Run/ Walk and the 5K Cross it Challenge. The 5K Event costs $30 and begins at 8 a.m. The 5K Cross it Challenge costs $35 to register and begins at 8 a.m. The 1-Mile Fun Run costs $25 to register and begins at 9 a.m. Online registration closes Nov. 19 at 10 p.m. Every participant who registers before Nov. 11 will receive a free T-shirt.

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LIBRARY CONFERENCE Central Baptist Church 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

NOV. 4 CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE Downtown Hartselle 1-5 p.m.

NOV. 5 HARTSELLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES Burleson Center Noon to 1:30 p.m.

THE GUIDE

NOV. 9

NOV. 4

THANKSGIVING HOMESCHOOL SKATE Sportsworld Skate Center in Cullman 6-9 p.m.

NOV. 20 COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING CONCERT AND DINNER Serenity Baptist Church 6 p.m.

NOV. 22 TURKEY TROT OF MORGAN COUNTY 2018 First Baptist Church 8 a.m.

DEC. 3 HARTSELLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES Burleson Center Noon to 1:30 p.m.

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE Historic downtown Hartselle will be the site for a Christmas Open House Nov. 4 from 1-5 p.m. Attendees can visit Santa, shop, dine and enjoy music as they get a taste of the Hartselle community this Christmas season.

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DEC. 6 REMY NEAL AND THE RETROVALES CONCERT Princess Theatre 7 p.m.

DEC. 6ȃ8 “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE” PLAY First Baptist Church Chapel Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.

DEC. 8 THE POLAR EXPRESS ON ICE Dec. 8 at 1 p.m and 6 p.m.

Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.

Point Mallard

DEC. 13 ANNUAL HARTSELLE KIWANIS CLUB CHRISTMAS PARADE J.P. Cain stadium 7 p.m.

ANNUAL HARTSELLE KIWANIS CLUB CHRISTMAS PARADE One of the largest parades in north Alabama, the Hartselle Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade will be held Dec. 13 beginning at 7 p.m. The route begins at the football stadium and will go down Railroad Street to Main Street in downtown Hartselle. The theme for 2018 is “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” Cost for a loat is $15 for nonpro its and $30 for businesses.

All proceeds go toward the support of children in the area. Entry forms, found online, can be mailed or brought to the Hartselle Police Department between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Monday through Friday. Deadline for entries is Dec. 10. For more information, go to www. hartsellekiwanisclub.org/christmas-parade.

Hartselle Living 9

THE QUESTION

Fall weather is right around the corner.

What’s your favorite fall or holiday tradition?

“I love decorating for Halloween! And taking our kiddo to the pumpkin patch.”

-Kari Yatsko

“Every black Friday I watch all the kids while my mother, wife and sister go shopping.

When they get done I hit the woods. Every Christmas eve we make cookies and treats and deliver them around to all the emergency services that work while we are with our family.”

-Steven Thrasher

“Carving pumpkins, going to the pumpkin patch and decorating our home. (Our favorite Christmas traditions are) taking my kids to look at Christmas lights and the decorated trees in Earth park, decorating our home, baking cookies and treat and building our annual gingerbread house.”

“It doesn’t get much better than Friday night football!

And bonfires!”

-Susie Burgess

-Bonnie Dugger

“Pumpkin patch with the kids, decorating for Christmas and riding around looking at lights singing songs with the kids.”

-Caroline Hames-Wooten

“Apple orchard, pumpkin patch, cook outs, roasting marshmallows, fall festivals and kids picking out Halloween costumes.”

Like us on Facebook @hartselleliving for your chance to answer “The Question” in our next issue!

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-Wendy Demeski

HOME& STYLE

PLANTING ROOTS The Snyder family receives return on investment

STORY BY JENNIFER L. WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAM ROBERTS AND CONTRIBUTED Hartselle Living 11

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When Marianthe Snyder walked in the front door of the Duncan house, she knew it was home.

The Acadian-style home on Oak Lane in Hartselle was the first house Marianthe and her husband, Michael, looked at when preparing to move from Florence in 2015. It had been the home of Walter Duncan, a prominent Hartselle doctor, and his wife Elaine since 1960.

Michael Snyder retired from the U.S. Army in 2015 and lined up a job as the senior instructor for JROTC at Decatur High School.

Marianthe knew nothing of the area but looked online for homes with five bedrooms to accommodate their large family. She found the Duncan home and convinced Michael to come see it with her.

That was it.

She said the unique style of the house spoke to her — from the front door from New Orleans and the dining room chandelier from Italy to the multiple entrances to each room in the large home. Marianthe choose to keep the Duncans’ touches and has added her own throughout.

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Michael and Elaine Duncan

An artist of Greek heritage, Marianthe has traveled to 36 countries and has brought a little from each place to incorporate into her home décor.

“I’ve been called an eclectic bohemian,” she said with a laugh. “I guess that’s about right.”

After buying and moving into the home, the Snyders had Walter over for dinner a few times, and he shared some of the home’s history with them—something Marianthe treasures.

One of the historic connections the Duncan-Snyder house has is that legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant visited the home a few times in the 1970s to recruit Walter’s son, Conley Duncan, to play for him. Another interesting connection: The Snyder family has found a forever home in Hartselle. Daughter Lydia, 15, is involved in band, chorus and theater at Hartselle High School; daughter Marilyn, 12, is a cheerleader for Hartselle Junior High School; son Creighton, 11, adopted in 2008 from Guatemala, is in sixth grade at Hartselle Intermedi-

ate School; and daughter Eleanor, 8, is in third grade at Burleson Elementary School.

Marianthe has become involved with the Hartselle Kiwanis Club and serves on the Board of the Historic Burleson Center. She also volunteers at Burleson Elementary for art club on Fridays and at First United Methodist Church for a pre-teen Bible study on Wednesday nights. Michael also volunteers with the Wednesday night preteen Bible study at FUMC, and he serves on

the Hartselle Planning and Zoning Board.

“We just love the quality of life here and how the whole community really supports our children,” said Marianthe. “We plan to stay here and have this be our forever home.”

Marianthe said she also loves the antique places around town; she enjoys going on “treasure hunts.” “I love finding pieces that remind me of my travels,” she said, “and then finding a place for them in the house.”

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Family room

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Foyer

Upstairs bonus room

Dining room

Sun porch

FOYER The Duncan-Snyder House features marble quarried in Alabama and, of course, the front doors from a New Orleans estate. “Mrs. Duncan was from New Orleans,” said Marianthe, “and she hired an architect to build the house in the popular Louisiana Acadian-style and wanted those doors for her entrance.”

FAMILY ROOM The copper hood on the fireplace in the family room is a unique feature, and the Snyder family uses a built-in wall unit to display pieces from Marianthe’s Greek heritage.

DINING ROOM The dining room features the Italian chandelier bought by the Duncans on a 1990s trip to Italy, and it has plenty of room for large gatherings of friends and family for the holidays. The Snyders have “adopted” George Mills, 97,

a World War II veteran from Decatur who was captured as a POW during the Battle of the Bulge, hosting him and various cadets and service members Michael has taught or worked with over the years.

They “always have a friendly place to spend the holidays,” said Marianthe.

SUN PORCH The spacious sun porch has been converted to an artist’s studio for Marianthe, and visitors can always find her latest creation on an easel there. The room also features a large table for children’s homework and crafts.

UPSTAIRS BONUS ROOM The upstairs boasts a huge bonus room and bedroom for guests. A pool table and a collection of Masters memorabilia — a nod to Michael’s upbringing in Augusta, Ga. — fills the large space, where the children can play video games and host sleepovers.

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SCHOOL & SPORTS

928 WINS & COUNTING Tanya Lybarger is a big time winner on the court STORY BY CLIF KNIGHT PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAM ROBERTS 16 Hartselle Living

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When Tanya Lybarger enrolled at Hartselle High School as a sophomore in 1983, little did she realize that her basketball team would win backto-back state championships and catapult her into a dream-come-true coaching career at her high school alma mater.

“I attended Plainview High School at Rainsville through my freshman year, where I played basketball at a guard/forward position,” said Lybarger. “I was fortunate I was able to play for Hartselle as a sophomore and junior in 1983 and 1984 under head coach Jerry Reeves and in 1985 as a senior under head coach Johnny Cochran.”

Both ’83 and ’84 teams claimed state championships and had a positive influence on Lybarger, who Hartselle Living 17

went on to play basketball at the collegiate level at Austin Peay and Montevallo universities.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Montevallo and joined the staff at Hartselle High School in 1988 as a math teacher and assistant basketball coach. She also served as head coach of tennis for one year and softball for two years.

“I always wanted to coach,” said Lybarger, “but volleyball was not on my wish list when I started coaching.”

She was named head volleyball coach in 1992 and has coached her teams to winning records in all but one year of her 22-year tenure. Her teams combined have won 928 matches while losing 408. Their accomplishments include four county championships, 14 consecutive area titles, four regional championships and two super regional titles. They have also competed 18 Hartselle Living

There wasn’t a girl on that team who cared who got the recognition. They played so well together as a team.

- Tanya Lybarger

in 11 consecutive Elite Eight tournaments and advanced to the Final Four seven times.

The pinnacle of their success was winning the Class 5A state championship trophy at the Crossplex in Birmingham in 2012.

The Lady Tigers accomplished their goal by defeating defending state champion St. Paul’s 25-21, 25-23 and 25-21.

Lybarger credited her team’s success to the energy and focus it demonstrated throughout the match.

“There wasn’t a girl on that team who cared who got the recognition,” Lybarger

said. “They played so well together as a team.

“It wasn’t always that way during the regular season,” she added. “We had our ups and downs. We played in several tournaments but didn’t win even one. They peaked in the playoffs. They kept their focus and played their best when it counted the most.

“I don’t want to overlook the important role earlier teams played in helping us get to the top,” Lybarger ssontinued. “We had other great teams, some with better win-loss records, who didn’t make it all the way. It is

to their credit that we were able to build a strong foundation for our program and stay in the hunt for a state championship.”

On the heels of her team’s state championship run, Lybarger was named Class 5A Coach of the Year in 2013. She was selected to coach the North Volleyball All-Star team in the 2013 AHSAA summer games in Montgomery.

Lybarger said her coaching style is old school, even though today’s high school girls have to deal with more distractions than ever before.

“I make them leave their cell phones in their lockers and clear their minds of everything but volleyball when they’re practicing,” she said. “We expect them to exercise self-discipline, stay focused and work long and hard.

“Some of my former players tell me I’ve softened up since they played,” she joked.

Lybarger’s players not only work hard and perform well on the court – they excel in the classroom. They were recognized as winners of the 2018 AVCA Academic Award with a 3.93 grade point average. The award is presented annually by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

“The best part of my job is seeing the team come together and planting seeds that will help my players become better people when they leave here,” Lybarger said. “I’m always happy to have them come back and express what their volleyball experience has meant to them.”

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20 Hartselle Living

BOURBON BARBECUE MEATBALLS

BY CONSTANCE SMITH The holidays are upon us, and that means a season full of activities. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, the weeks are filled with family get-togethers, office parties, celebrations – and of course, let’s not forget the food. When it comes time to entertain this holiday season, we want to spend our time with friends and family, playing games, sharing stories and making memories.

What we don’t want is to spend all that time in the kitchen.

The answer to keeping stress low and spirits high this time of year is recipes that take little time to make or can even be made ahead. This frees you up to enjoy the holidays like you should.

Here are a couple of my favorite entertaining recipes to make.

They are simple to prepare, and no one needs to know you didn’t have to spend hours upon hours to make them.

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When we lived in Alaska, I made these meatballs for a wild game competition using ground moose meat. I called them “Drunk Moose Meatballs,” a name inspired by the whiskey barbecue sauce. They were a huge hit.

Not only did I win the vote, but when I shared this recipe on my website, it instantly became my all-time most popular appetizer. Since then, I make this with ground beef. You can also make it with a blend of venison and beef, if you have a hunter in the family.

The meatballs can be made the day prior and refrigerated. Then simply make the sauce the day of your party. Bonus: Not only do these meatballs make a great appetizer, but try serving them on rolls, topped with some shredded provolone cheese and sautéed peppers to make meatball sliders.

INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds ground beef ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 1¼ cup fresh bread crumbs (fresh bread pulsed in a food processor) 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1 Tb. parsley 3 Tb. butter 1 cup finely diced onion 1/3 cup bourbon whiskey 2 cup bottled BBQ sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray’s Brown Sugar & Hickory) INSTRUCTIONS: To begin, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl, taking a moment to break it up a little bit with your fingers.

Add in the Worcestershire sauce, fresh bread crumbs, salt, pepper and parsley, then gently mix this together with your hands until it is just combined.

You do not want to over work it or the meatballs will be tough.

Measure out your meat into balls that are about the size of a golf ball. Place them on

a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

To make the sauce, sauté the onions in the butter over medium low heat until they are golden brown and beautiful.

Pour in the bourbon and let it simmer for a minute.

Stir in your bottled BBQ sauce. Let it cook a minute, then turn off the heat.

When the meatballs are done baking, place them in a small slow cooker or chafing dish.

Pour the sauce over the top and gently stir to coat the meatballs.

Cover and let them sit on low heat for 30 minutes or until heated through.

RECIPE NOTE: If making these ahead of time, allow the meatballs to cool completely after baking. Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate until the party.

Make the sauce for them just before your event. If you are making these the day of your event, make the sauce while they are baking to save time.

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MOCHA FUDGE

BY CONSTANCE SMITH

INGREDIENTS: ½ cup milk 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter 2 cups granulated sugar ¾ cup marshmallow cream (also called marshmallow fluff ) 12 oz. dark chocolate (bittersweet) chips 1 Tb. instant espresso powder (not grounds) ½ tsp. vanilla INSTRUCTIONS: To begin, line a square 8- or 9-inch pan with parchment paper. Set it aside for now.

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the milk, butter and sugar over medium high heat.

Stirring continually, bring the mixture to a rolling boil and let it boil for two minutes.

Turn the heat down to low.

Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is melted together. Remove from heat.

Pour the fudgy mixture into your prepared dish, spreading it smooth on top.

Refrigerate for at four to five hours or until the fudge is firm.

Cut into squares.

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These little squares are the perfect bitesized dessert for your holiday spread.

The great thing about fudge is how well it keeps. Homemade fudge can last a week or two in the fridge and up to a month if stored in the freezer, so you can make this recipe well in advance. Fudge also makes a great gift from your kitchen. I happen to be a huge coffee lover, so of course I had to come up with a fudge like this espresso and chocolate version.

RECIPE NOTE: To keep your fudge tasting fresh the longest, place it in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Put pieces of wax paper between layers of fudge pieces to keep them from sticking together.

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FROM ARMY WIFE TO HOMESTEAD LIFE

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Eighteen homes.

I have lived in 18 different homes in my adult life before finally settling here in Hartselle. Now you might be wondering why I have lived in so many places, but you are also probably wondering who I am. So let me introduce myself to you.

My name is Constance Smith. I grew up in the Midwest, and after high school I joined the Army. Shortly after enlisting, I met this young soldier who stole my heart. Defying the odds, we got married three months after we met.

That was 27 years ago. Since then, my husband Jeff made a career of the Army. We have raised three homeschooled kids and have lived all over. When time was nearing for Army life to come to a close, we were stationed in Alaska. We had family in the eastern part of the country and hoped that our last duty station would bring us to this region. We said many prayers and were thrilled to have Redstone Arsenal as our final assignment.

One day a few years ago, we were driving to a friend’s home, and it brought us right through Hartselle for the first time. It was love at first sight. I was immediately captivated with this town.

The shops and covered sidewalks held a wonderful nostalgic air, making me think of the fictional Mayberry. I remember thinking to myself, “Wouldn’t it be great to live here?” As luck would have it, a short time later when we started house hunting, we found our forever home right here in Hartselle.

When my family moved to Hartselle, it was a pivotal time in our lives. It was the year our last child graduated high school and the year my husband retired from the Army. We had begun a new chapter. Jeff now works as a contractor in Huntsville – and myself? Well, in the past I did a lot of volunteer work within the Army community. I led family support groups and taught classes for new Army families. But mostly I was a homeschool mom and a blogger.

I began blogging when my kids were younger, sharing recipes and family happenings. Over time, blogging went from a hobby to becoming my profession. The subjects I would write about would shift here and there as my life grew and changed.

Homeschooling and Army life topics transitioned into travel and video blogging. But through the years, one focus has remained the same, and that is food.

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Constance Smith shares her journey to finding her home in Hartselle I’ve shared hundreds of recipes on my website, Cosmopolitan Cornbread, www.cosmopolitancornbread.com, and continue to provide family meal inspiration to my readers. While I am still a blogger and will be for the foreseeable future, I’ve now taken on a new job of sorts. I’m a homesteader.

When we began our house hunt for a place to put down roots, we looked for a home with a little bit of land. We wanted the space to grow a big garden and have animals. Even though we had lived in many apartments over the years, there were a few times we had rented farmhouses in the country. We got a taste of agrarian life, chickens and all, and we found that those homes were our favorites. We knew that when Army life ended, that was what we wanted.

We found that here in Hartselle. The day we closed on our house, I went straight home and put in my order for baby chicks.

I could not wait to get started. Homesteading is hard work, but it is work that feeds my soul. Jeff and I spent some time thinking about what we wanted to call our small farm and came up with the perfect name – A Good Life Farm. This is the good life we have dreamed of for a long time.

But this life isn’t just a good one for us. We do our very best to make sure that the animals who also live here have the best lives they possibly can.

Just like I’ve shared the foods that I feed my family, I now share my Hartselle homesteading life with the world. I write about things that I have learned, like tricks to putting in a tight fence or making homemade bug spray for the garden. I also share articles about restaurants that I visit here, local events like Depot Days or my volunteer work at the animal shelter.

This town of Southern Hospitality lives up to its nickname. I love Hartselle. From the moment I set eyes on this small town, I have adored it. Sitting on my front porch, rocking in the rocking chair and sipping my coffee, I have found contentedness. I’ve lived everywhere from Alaska to Germany, but I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

I look forward to exploring Hartselle, learning its history and meeting the people who live here and make it what it is. This life is one that I will share with all of you.

I’m Constance Smith and I call Hartselle home.

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ARTS & CULTURE

CHASING DREAMS AND FAIRYTALES Hartselle native self publishes book series STORY BY HOPE THOMPSON PHOTOS BY SAM ROBERTS 26 Hartselle Living

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Writing and publishing her own three-book series was never a dream of Hartselle native M.J. Boshers – until a few years ago while passing time at work.

“I was working second shift at my job and had a lot of free time,” Boshers explained. “I began reading a lot to pass the time, and then I decided I wanted to write my own book.”

Boshers, who said she never loved to read when she was younger, began reading books such as the Twilight series, the Harry Potter series and the Percy Jackson novels. Gathering inspiration from several young adult fiction/fantasy novels, Boshers began scribbling down ideas for her own story.

“It sort of started as a joke with my friends,” Boshers said. “I was just writing to pass the time. I never thought I would write a book and publish it.”

Although reading has become a recent favorite pastime for Boshers, writing has always been something she enjoyed. As a teen, Boshers wrote poetry and songs. Writing songs is still something she enjoys doing today.

“I always really loved writing my thoughts down in poetry or a song,” Boshers said. “When I

started writing down ideas for a story, though, I really fell in love with it.”

When Boshers began writing down ideas for a potential story, she first had the idea to write a children’s book involving fairies and make believe worlds. The more she wrote, however, the more she fell in love with her characters and telling their stories. This love for the world she was creating on paper evolved into a full novel.

It was the love for her characters and their story that convinced Boshers to publish her work.

“As I was writing about these characters, I just fell in love with them, and I thought if I was in love with them, then maybe other people would love them too,” she said. “Just as soon as I wrote the last word on the last page, I knew I wanted to publish it.”

The process of writing her first novel took Boshers six months to complete. Writing down notes at work and coming home in the evenings to type up the scenes on her computer was the easy part for Boshers. The difficult part of the process was trying to get her book published.

“It was a difficult process for sure,” Boshers said. “I sent my manuscript to several publish-

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ing companies, and I received some rejection of course, but I kept sending it to different companies until one accepted it.”

A year into the long, drawnout process of finding a publisher, Boshers decided the best way to get her book published was to do it herself instead of going through a third party. Using her own resources, Boshers’ saw her first novel, “The Faewitch,” land on book retailers’ websites in a matter of a week.

In “The Faewitch,” main character Sophie is a seemingly average teenage girl. She goes to high school and has a small group of friends she hangs out with daily.

Everything in Sophie’s life seems normal – that is, until a new kid shows up to school and strange things begin to happen.

As the story unfolds, the reader learns Sophie is far from normal. In fact, Sophie is immortal, being half fairy and half witch. Ripped from her normal life in suburbia, Sophie is whisked into a dreamland of extraordinary creatures who posses immortal powers. She is then faced with an evil force that wishes to do her and her family harm – and it is up to Sophie to protect her family and conquer the evil force against her.

Incorporating characters such as giants, wizards and fairies was something about which Boshers was adamant.

“It isn’t often that you see a book that incorporates wizards, giants and fairies,” Boshers explained. “I wanted to write a book that incorporated all three of these characters, and I wanted my main character to be relatable.”

Included in The Faewitch series are two other tiles, “Ancient Blood” and “Guardian of the Queen,” which take readers on a journey with Sophie through enchanted worlds where good takes on evil and Sophie is faced with the difficult task of saving the ones she loves.

For her Faewitch series, Boshers has been nominated for an Author Academy Award with nine other finalists in the young adult fiction/fantasy genre.

“I’m so excited about this,” Boshers said. “It’s very much like the Actor Academy Awards on TV – which means I will get to be all gussied up for the big event.”

The ceremony, which will be held in Columbus, Ohio, will allow authors from all over the country to join together and give presentations of their novels. First-place winners are 28 Hartselle Living

presented with the Academy Boon of Merit Award, along with several opportunities to gain recognition of their work through podcasts and specialized reading lists for their genre.

Becoming a finalist for the award is a great honor for Boshers, but she said this is only the beginning for her writing career. “I want to continue writing for sure,” she said. “I would really love to make this my career path one day.”

One of the projects Boshers has in mind for her future career is making her book series into screenplays for movies.

“It’s definitely a possibility,” Boshers said. “I have already been trying to contact some of the right people for this, so we will see what happens.”

Boshers said the process to write and publish her first novel was not an easy one, and between negative feedback and rejection from publishers, at times she felt like quitting – but her family was the support she needed the whole time.

“My family has been a great support system that believed me and kept pushing me forward.”

To show her gratitude for their love and support, Boshers dedicated her first novel to her family with the inscription, “For all who believed in me when I didn’t have the strength to believe in myself.”

The key to success, Boshers said, is to never give up on yourself or your dreams. Her encouragement to those who are struggling with following their own dreams and career paths is to keep pushing forward and keep believing they can accomplish their goals.

What inspires Boshers each and every day with her writing – and what inspired her to follow through with publishing her first book – was her daughter.

“I just kept thinking that I wanted my daughter to see me going after my dreams, and if I could do it, then she could do it,” she said. “I didn’t want her to be scared or see me quit because then she would think she could quit too.”

To see what new projects Boshers is working on, follow her on her social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or visit her website at mjboshers.com. To read “The Faewitch,” “Ancient Blood” and “Guardian of the Queen,” check out Barnes & Noble’s website or Amazon.

SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE Hartselle group builds bunk beds for children in need STORY BY LAUREN ESTES-VELEZ Hartselle Living 29

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One spring night earlier this year, Hartselle native John Jackson watched an internet reality show that spotlight a group of people in Idaho who made such an impact on him, he made a call to the creators the next day.

“Returning the Favor” is a reality web series that follows Mike Rowe as he travels across the United States in search of people who are giving back to their communities. Jackson happened to catch the episode that featured Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Twin Falls, Idaho, is home to Luke Mick-

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elson, who created SHP – an organization that builds bunk beds for children who are otherwise sleeping on the floor in some tough situations.

SHP was founded in 2012 when Mickelson’s church needed 12 bunk beds for some children in need.

After seeing the episode in May, Jackson did research on Sleep in Heavenly Peace and discovered the closest locations to Hartselle were in San Antonio, Texas, and South Carolina – and at that time, the group had nine chapter locations.

When Jackson first started the venture in Hartselle, he did so because of his personal interests.

“I like to do a little woodworking here and there, and it’s become an enjoyable hobby,” Jackson said. “I decided to press the button on the Sleep in Heavenly Peace site about creating a chapter in Hartselle.

After exchanging three or four emails with the creator, I was on a plane to Twin Falls, Idaho, to attend a president’s class on starting a chapter in Hartselle.”

The Sleep in Heavenly Peace business has since grown to 100 chapters in 36 states. The business is nonprofit and completely runs on donations.

“We have had several groups locally that have already poured in with products and with financial support,” Jackson said.

“Hartselle Lowe’s, Corum’s building supply, Alabama Overstock helps with mattresses in Hartselle, Magnolia River Services, Merrimack Realty – he’s one of my bigger supporters.

“Mattress Firm in Cullman has also donated mattresses for the beds,” Jackson added. “Life Church and Bellevue Baptist Church have donated time and money to this outreach program.” Whether

it’s $1,500 or $15, it will help, Jackson said. “We have been way busier than we planned to be – which is great. It just requires that many more people to help us get the job done.”

Since the group started in Hartselle, it has received dozens of requests for beds.

“Right before we had our first build day, we were really weren’t getting any requests for beds. I didn’t know how to plug in and find those in need,” Jackson said. “I decided to put the information on What’s Happening in Hartselle because it was summertime, and most options I could

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think of wouldn’t be available until school started back. So I posted it about 8 p.m. on that Facebook page, and by 7 a.m. the next morning, we had 20 requests for beds.”

Just like that – a nonprofit that no one had heard of locally had requests to help children in the community.

“We are so thankful we found volunteers and supporters who have donated money and wood toward these bunk bed projects,” Jackson said. “We finally had our first team build, and our core group of friends and people from church built five bunk beds, which is 10 regular size beds. Reggie Corum donated some wood, and we were able to do an additional bed. They have also really helped us with donating supplies.

“We currently have about 40 people waiting and 30-plus beds that we are trying to set up deliveries for,” Jackson added. “My wife and I both work full-time, so we’re doing a lot of these deliveries on the weekends. We deliver within a 50-mile radius. We’ve delivered locally and to Huntsville, Cullman, Vinemont, Moulton – just to name a few.”

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Jackson’s goal now is to have others across Alabama start chapters to cover greater areas.

“The way it works now, they can go on our website, and all the zip codes we service are linked to that request form,” Jackson said. “So they come to us. I’d love to see chapters in Birmingham, Florence and Huntsville for the parts that we can’t get to. We’ve also done deliveries in Tennessee a little bit – being that we’re the only one in Alabama.”

When it comes to the process of building the beds, Jackson said his team has created an assembly line program.

“There’s about eight to 10 core people I call my build team,” Jackson said.

“They are mostly friends and family, but they can’t be there all the time because they have kids and jobs, so we use six to eight on each build. Each time it takes a sponsor to allow us to use their location to get it done. We had Magnolia River Services in Hartselle and Decatur allow us to build 20 beds in their parking lot.

They had 20 volunteers from the com-

pany help us, so some of the core team were supervising. Another time, we went to Lowe’s. It took us about three hours to build 25 beds.

“It’s hard to say how long it takes to build each bunk bed because it’s an assembly line. A normal build day would take much longer for that many beds.”

The theme for Sleep in Heavenly Peace is simple: “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town,” and Jackson said he wants that to be the goal in Hartselle, too.

For more information about this organization, Jackson can be reached at 256616-6784 or by email at john.jackson@ shpdeds.org.

Bedding for the beds is accepted, and a drop-off location in Hartselle is at Warehouse Coffee Shop. All checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 1852 in Hartselle.

Jackson said all donations stay local for building of beds, and workers are strictly on a volunteer basis. For additional information about starting a chapter or additional locations or to request a bed for someone in need, visit www.shpbeds.org.

HOLIDAYS AT HARTWOOD

Dingbaums open their home to celebrate holidays with the community STORY AND PHOTOS BY LAUREN JACKSON Hartselle Living 33

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The Dingbaums have always enjoyed celebrating the sentimentality of the holidays. Now in their third year of living in Hartselle, they are bringing new traditions for their family and the community.

This year will be the second year Shannon and Tobey Dingbaum sell live Christmas trees, following their first time this fall to offer pumpkins and a haunted house.

When the Dingbaums moved to Hartselle three years ago, it was the space and charm of Hartwood Estates and the community that drew them to the 1911 home. “What really brought us here was the school system – this place and the sense of community,” Tobey said.

Although the home needed renovation and repairs, it seemed to be the perfect place for the Dingbaums. They have renovated nine other homes and said they have always enjoyed the chal-

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lenge, doing all of the work themselves.

“We have a soft spot for old homes that need love,” Shannon said.

With their 12 acres of land, the Dingbaums wanted to share their holiday spirit with the community. They said they hope to be able to share the old traditions and magic of the season.

“We always wanted the nostalgic feeling of picking out Christmas trees, and we really wanted to bring that back,” Tobey said.

Last year, the Dingbaums ordered 225 trees for Christmas. They had a delivery service for those without cars to take the trees, and a charity night for local children.

The Dingbaums will also have wreaths and fresh garland. In addition to bringing back the tradition of live trees, Tobey said he enjoyed meeting others from the community. “The community came out and supported us, and we met quite a few people,” Tobey said.

With the holiday festivities as well as renovations, the Dingbaums said they celebrate slightly differently. Tobey said things take different priorities, and the focus changes, but they enjoy being able to celebrate with the community. “We love it. We love being able share with everybody,” Tobey said.

Tobey and Shannon live on Hartwood Estates with five of their seven children, their four cats and one dog. The family moved because of Tobey’s job and began the Christmas trees as a way to create family fun. “We wanted there to be things for families here in town,” Shannon said.

This year the family also began the pumpkins and haunted house at the request of their son,

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Caleb. A senior at Hartselle High School, Caleb wanted to celebrate Halloween with the haunted house in particular.

“With him graduating, we wanted to do this before he goes,” Shannon said.

In addition to the holiday festivities, Hartwood Estates also welcomes vari-

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ous activities for local groups. Shannon said there have been Boy Scout camping trips in the area behind their home as well as movie nights for different groups. In the future the Dingbaums hope to introduce more holiday festivities at Valentine’s Day and Easter and

add to the Halloween and Christmas events.

Shannon said they have goals of adding hayrides and expanding the haunted house to go through more of their property. “We hope the community comes out and supports us so we can continue to grow,” Shannon said.

WHY I LOVE HARTSELLE: Rita Lee

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Rita Lee originally hails from Blount County, but she has called Hartselle home for more than 30 years. Lee works as Hartselle’s city clerk– controller.

1. Tell us a little about your family history.

I am originally from Blount County, a proud graduate of Susan Moore High School. Most of my family still lives there. My mom’s – Imogene Oden Skillman – dad was the Rev. Andrew Oden, who was a Baptist pastor for 70 years; he preached on occasion well past his 100th birthday and lived to be 105 years old, and he was in great health until his last few months of life. A wonderful legacy for his family!

2. How long have you lived in Hartselle?

33 years 3. What do you do for a living?

I’ve held the position of city clerk–controller for the City of Hartselle for the past 17 years.

4.What is your favorite thing to do in Hartselle?

Sit in my rocker on my front porch and read.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Hartselle?

Love them all!

6.Why do you love Hartselle?

I love my job with the City, and it is a peaceful, safe place to call home.

7. What makes Hartselle special to you? Even though we are “officially” a city, Hartselle still has that quiet, small-town feel and great people.

Fun five 1. If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? Read!

2. What fictional place would you most like to go and why? Mayberry. I would love to sit on Andy’s front

porch with him, Aunt Bea, Opie and Barney, sing and eat ice cream!

3. If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, for which activity would you win a medal? Shopping!

4. Which person in history would you most love to meet for lunch and why? Harper Lee. As a Alabama native, I have admired her and read several books and articles about her and her life since I read “To Kill A Mockingbird” in school. I think she would be fascinating to talk to.

5. What age do you wish you could permanently be and why? 30 – my daughter had just been born, I was a stay-at-home mom with her, and life was great!

To be featured in an upcoming issue of Hartselle Living, email your answers to these questions to news@hartselleenquirer.com.

Hartselle Living 37

DEPOT DAYS

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The Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the 38th annual Depot Days in September. The festival welcomed thousands to downtown Hartselle for games, local vendors, car show, tractor show and more.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LAUREN JACKSON 1: Eli and Ella Martin 2: Lane and Georgia Moorehead

8. Scarlett Poole, Kimberly Vega and Scarlet Littleton.

3: Savannah Miller, Maegan Hornsby and their dog Cooper.

9. Brooklyn, Addison and Connor Hargrove.

4: Bryar Wallace

10. Bentley, Jaycee, Dustin, Mercedes and Hagan Woodall with Brantley, Kameron and Paisley Ferguson.

5. Hillary and Sheena Riner 6. Nelly and Sana Harvey 7. Abigail Pearson, Bat Girl and Rapunzel

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11. Preston Johnson.

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DEPOT DAYS

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY BILL AYCOCK 1. Artie Dutton and Juanita Owens

8. Harper Steele

2. Branch Miller, Jaylyn Collins and Case Weissend

9. Jonathan Croley, Alex White and Brandon Turrentine

3. Buddy Wade

10. Lucas Hogan

4. Congressman Mo Brooks 5. Crimson and Eden Steele

11. Ray Hayes, Ed Wyle and Harry Hudson

6. David Mitchell

12. Sawyer McMurrey

7. Eli Mosley

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HARTSELLE HIGH SCHOOL VS. DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY HOPE THOMPSON 1. Zach Sandifer, Hunner Creel and Eli Sandifer.

8. Ty Dozier, Jayla Dozier and Dawn Dozier.

2. Christy and Darren Urbaan.

9. Bill Slate.

3. Nathan Hill and Anthony Henderson.

10.Destinee Allen and Nicole Allen.

4. Jada Henderson, Kylie Winton, Caroline Hill and Emily Cowart.

11.Bryanna Stepp, Conner McKee, Reagan Martin, Divan Patel, Jackson Terry and Isabella Gillette-Terry.

5. Carle Corder, Mikenzie Clemley, Sara McClellan, Caroline Wilson, Claire Grammar, Chloe Palmer and Claire Barley.

6. Darryl Green and Zane Green.

7. Stanley and Jo Ann Linderman.

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12.Officer Zeke Eubanks and Officer Larry Sharpley.

13.Dwayne Peebles, Talyn Ezell and Tim Witt.

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Hartselle Living 43

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Hartselle Living 45

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in our newly renovated suite

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Accepting new patients