Lee Magazine March / April 2015

LEE

Play to the Olympics March/April 2015 FREE

VOLUME 8 • NUMBER 1

REITA CLANTON: From Backyard

EDITOR'S NOTE

T

his issue of Lee Magazine started out to be about playing this spring, and it has remained that, especially with the help of our outstanding columnists and “Guest Room” essayist, Ken Autrey. But it has become something more — a testament to the power of play and to the power of dreaming.

The woman on our cover, Reita Clanton, inspired the issue’s focus on play. A year or Katie Lamar Jackson so ago, I heard Reita speak to my local chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama.

During her presentation, Reita told us how she, as a young girl growing up in Opelika, learned the power of play at her neighborhood playground, a lesson that eventually took her to the Olympics.

What struck me about Reita that day was not only her many accomplishments, but the genuine delight she took in recounting her path from the playground to an Olympic stadium and how, some 30 years later, she is still in love with her sport and with a life as an athlete.

While it took me more than a year to finally do it, I knew that day that this was a woman whose story should be shared.

In truth, I have told her story to others many times since that presentation, and I am so happy to be able to share it now with our readers. And I have watched with delight as the U.S. Team Handball squads have come at her urging to our community to live and train and introduce us all to a “new” sport — at least new to many of us here in Lee County.

When I interviewed Reita a few weeks ago for this story, I

found her to be as genuine and excited about sports as she seemed to be the day I first heard her speak. And when I heard her presentation a week later to the Auburn University Women’s Resource Center’s 9th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference — the theme of which was “Women as Game Changers” — she brought me and other members of the huge audience to tears, the good kind of tears that come from being touched and inspired by a story.

Though she has already amassed a long list of achievements — she is a member of Auburn’s Tiger Trail, only the 12th woman to be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, an author, athlete, coach, teacher and professional speaker — Reita has not stopped dreaming and sharing that dream with others.

Top among her dreams is one she is helping realize with her colleague Liz Underwood, another remarkable woman athlete and coach who contributes her talent to help our local youth reach their full potential. s you will read, the two are about to launch a new program that they hope will help our children find and keep a love of sports and follow their own dreams. Lee County is already known as a place where young athletes can launch careers. With this project, our backyard could become known as a place where young people find a life-long love of play.

We hope you enjoy the stories in this issue and find in them an appreciation for Reita, Liz and the many other people who make Lee County such a wonderful place to live. More importantly, though, we hope you will find inspiration to go out this spring and enjoy the weather, friends and family and, most of all, to play and dream.

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Editor Katie Lamar Jackson

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LEE MAGAZINE 5

contents

March/April 2015

8 Garden It Takes One to Grow One How to Create New Plants From a Favorite

10 Health

18

Not in the Mood?

12 Brawn Three Steps to FITTNESS

22

14 Food Funny Yummy Words to Eat By

16 Power of Play Liz Underwood and Reita Clanton Know Winning Isn't Everything

14

18 COVER Reita Clanton Plays Her Way to the Olympics

22 Calendar

12

What's Up in Lee County?

28 The Guest Room Ken Autrey at Bat

8

COVER: Climbing Trees and Playing With Friends Paved the Way to Reita Clanton Career. Photo by: Beth Snipes

Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) Crinum or Southern Spider Lily (Hymenocallis latifolia)

SEX AND THE SINGLE PLANT “In the spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.”

—Tennyson

By Ralph and Carol Womer

N

ow that we have your attention — what an old, old joke, but it does sound a lot more interesting than propagation.

Reproduction in plants consists of two main methods, sexual and asexual.

Actually, we’re not even going into plant sex — with the birds and the bees, and pollination and all. We learned that back in grammar school. Rather, we want to mention ways to create plants from other plants through asexual methods.

I guess you could say we will be cloning our plants. That may sound a little hightech or even a bit like science fiction, but any time you make a plant from another plant, it will have the same genetic makeup as the parent. That means that it is a clone.

There are several methods of cloning that we will explore. Layering, air layering, cuttings, dividing and separation. Each method has its pros and cons, and each plant has its preferred method of propagation.

Before we look at each method, let me answer the question of why one would want to do this in the first place.

It certainly isn’t done to save time or 8 LEE MAGAZINE

money. One can go to the nursery and find gorgeous plants at a reasonable price in much less time and considerably less effort. The main reason for doing this, we feel, is more nostalgic than that. We like to keep the heirloom plants alive with what our southern gardeners call “pass-alongs.” In our family, we have a Night Blooming Cereus that has had many duplications. Its life with us began in California when a friend gave it to our son. Our son gave us a cutting which grew well, and we have had it for many years.

We were able to return the favor when his original plant died in one of its multiple moves. Since then we have shared starter plants with many of our friends, who have continued to enjoy this unusual cactus.

DIVIDING Most of you are familiar with this form of propagation of plants. When you go to buy daylilies from your local backyard grower, you are able to select the color and size of the flowers you desire. If they are plants with a one-rooted crown, just dig them up and pull them apart before giving them a new home in your flower garden. If they are united by a horizontal

root, like Ginger Lilies, first cut the stems and roots with a sharp knife to minimize injury. OK, we admit it! We have cut the root with our shovel and then planted them immediately, but then it’s difficult to kill a Ginger Lily. This is the easiest form of cloning, since the plant is doing most of the work for you. Examples: day lilies, ginger lily, irises and the southern spider lily.

SEPARATION Plants that form bulbs or corms are usually just separated. With bulbs, dig them up after the leaves have withered, separate them and replant them immediately. It is recommended that you not cut the leaves when they begin to whither. Neither should you tie or braid them. The bulbs need the nutrition provided to them by the leaves. One year I couldn’t resist the urge to cut back the fading daffodils and they rewarded me by taking the next season off! Examples: daffodils, tulips and narcissus.

Daffodils (Narcissus sp.)Plants that form corms can be dug up after the leaves whither. Then they should be allowed to dry for two to three weeks. Separate the new corms from the old ones, dust with a fungicide and put them away until planting time, usually in fall or early spring. Examples: crocus and gladiolas.

LAYERING A fun way to propagate an azalea is by layering. With this method — and there are many forms of layering — the

G A R D E N new plant is created by leaving it attached to the parent plant.

In simple layering, a low growing stem is bent at a right angle and forced into the ground. The underside of the branch may be cut partially through or just bruised or twisted. It is then held in an upright position by a wire landscape cloth peg. A coat hanger bent into a U shape works well for this purpose.

Soil is mounded over the base and the new plant is allowed to form roots. Then you just sit back and wait for the new plant to be separated from the parent and transplanted. Examples: rhododendrons, honeysuckle, most vining plants.

AIR LAYERING An interesting variation of layering is called air layering, because it does not occur in the soil. The basics of layering are still followed in that the stem of the parent plant is partially cut and separated by a small piece of wood such as a toothpick. The whole area is covered in sphagnum moss, Clamshell Propagator™ moistened and then covered in plastic or aluminum foil. A new device on the market for air layering is the Clamshell Propagator available from McGroatry Enterprises, Inc. in Ohio (backyardgrowers.com). This system includes moss and a plastic “shell” to enclose the root system while it is forming. Examples: rubber tree, dumb cane, many woody house plants and even fruit trees CUTTINGS Perhaps the most familiar form of propagation is the cutting.

We have been sharing cuttings from our favorite plants with family, friends and curious passersby for years. We have one friend — and you know who you are — who takes along a pair of clippers as she walks each day and “harvests” cuttings of interesting plants found along the way. Sometimes she even asks for permission!

Basically, cuttings can be any vegetative piece of the plant.

Stems from woody plants should only be taken in the fall or when the plant is dormant; however, such other parts as the tips of running vines and leaves can be taken at any time. The Queen of the Night that we share is usually propagated by this method. My wife just sticks the cut leaves from the parent plant into a root hormone and then into the potting medium, and they take root. But then, I believe Carol could put a creosote post in the ground and it would sprout leaves.

As always, check out the internet for a wealth of information on propagation. I’m sure there is one particular plant you want to reproduce, and you won’t even have to avert your eyes while they are doing it! -lm

Ralph and Carol Womer are both Master Gardeners and members of the Lee County Master Gardener program.

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9

I’m Just Not Feeling It What’s Happened to My Libido?

By Lee Sharma, M.D

D

o you find yourself making excuses in order to avoid intimacy with your partner? You are not alone. Lack of sexual desire is one of the most common complaints a physician hears from women (nearly 40 percent of women report sexual concerns), and there are many causes. A woman’s sexual desire (or libido) is influenced by many social and psychological factors — like her age, illness, stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain, amount of exercise, pregnancy, menopause, relationship status, alcohol consumption and many more.

Could It Be Hormonal?

Hormones affect everything we do, from sleeping to perspiring to our moods, so there’s no question that our hormones play a role in our sexual response. But narrowing the problem down to one or even a few hormones is difficult. Men’s sex drives are more physically observable, and changes in libido or sexual response are far more commonly related to changes in hormone levels. That’s why it’s easier to treat male problems with a single little pill. For women, blaming hormones for a drop or an increase in sexual desire is difficult, because sexual desire starts in the brain, which has no known hormone receptors.

Some women may wonder whether taking oral contraceptives may cause a drop in sexual desire. A review of 30 years of medical studies that looked at sexual side effects for women taking birth control pills shows no consistent evidence that suggests a change in sexual desire is caused by the hormones in these pills.

For the small number of women who do notice a change in libido, the numbers are evenly split between those who feel an increase in sexual desire and those who feel a decrease.

How Does The Pill Affect Sexual Desire in Women?

Because a woman’s reaction to the hormones in contraceptive pills depends on the chemistry in her body and the formulation of the hormones in the pills, she can feel an increase, a decrease or no change in the intensity of her sex drive.

Birth control pills are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, and the most widely researched. Another survey looked at 33 years of research articles that studied more than 8,000 women who were taking birth control pills. Of those, 22 percent reported an increase libido, 66 percent (nearly 2/3) 10 LEE MAGAZINE

reported no change, and just 15 percent reported a decrease in sexual desire.

Sexual desire is typically higher in men than in women, with testosterone (T) thought to account for this difference. Taking birth control pills can lower a woman’s levels of testosterone and free androgens, which could cause her to feel a decrease in sexual desire. For a normal premenopausal woman who doesn’t take birth control pills, T levels naturally decrease with age.

Birth control pills with a standard dose of the two hormones mentioned above (ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestral) have shown no significant effect on female libido, while pills with a slightly lower dose of these two hormones have been shown to slightly increase a woman’s sexual desire. Also, because COCs prevent a woman from ovulating, the subtle increase in libido that some women report during ovulation will not occur.

Can I Switch to a Different Pill?

With oral contraceptives, you may try different combinations of hormones given in various dosages, or your doctor may prefer that you try something besides birth control pills. Condoms, spermicides, IUDs, diaphragms, implants (Implanon®, Nexpl-

anon), injections (Depo-Provera®), and sterilization are a few other birth control methods.

Why Can’t Women Have Their Own Viagra?

The FDA is currently looking at a drug called flibanserin for the treatment of female decreased libido. It actually increases the production of dopamine in the brain, which is probably one of the most common reasons for decreased sex drive in women.

Dopamine is our “pleasure protein,” so when it's decreased, we tend to lose interest in pleasurable activities including sex. Although it was originally rejected by the FDA in 2010, because there was some concern that it may impair certain such motor skills as driving, the company re-submitted flibanserin in 2013.

It is currently in a phase III trial.

What Can I Do If I Feel a Drop in Sexual Desire?

Female sexual response is complex. Start by examining factors in your daily life that may cause a drag on your energy, as these can affect your level of sexual desire. Here are some things you can do to help recover that spark: • Have a check-up to uncover any health problems. Chronic pain or conditions like diabetes or even reflux can kill a mood before it has a chance to start.

• Eat healthy foods — appetite inspires appetite.

• Identify ways to reduce stress of daily life. Do something for yourself, like taking a walk or a bubble bath, after a hard day. Exercise is a great stress reducer and can jump start your libido.

• Communicate and reestablish trust and intimacy with your partner, as this is directly related to the experience of sexual desire. Giving a mutual massage can set the mood.

• Experiment with oils, lubrications or toys.This can be fun and lighten the moment.

• Use alcohol or drugs (prescription or recreational) in moderation so you remain alert and responsive.

• Don’t focus too early on orgasm — the pressure of trying to reach orgasm can turn you off.

• Talk to a therapist. If you’ve had negative sexual experiences in the past, they can contribute to biological and psychological problems that impact libido.

Above all, if you're having trouble with sexual desire or function, consult your doctor, who may recommend other treatments, medications or hormones. In some cases, your doctor may recommend consulting a sex therapist. -lm Lee Sharma, M.D. is a board-certified gynecologist in private practice.

Trained at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, she lives in Opelika with her husband Shash, children Sam and Rachel, and her puppy Ryker.

Shake Things Up to Manage Your Depression Q:

I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety issues for years, and have been to counseling. Some of the coping strategies my therapist taught me were helpful, but nothing seems to last overtime. After using some of the techniques they just seem to stop working for me. Am I doing something wrong, or is it just impossible to change something that has gone on for so long?

A: This is a very good question, and one I encounter quite a bit. Overuse, like anything, becomes less effective overtime and the returns and benefits decrease. This is why many therapists encourage learning multiple different coping strategies so that you have more resources/skills to turn to when one isn’t working. Also, switching up where you try your coping skills may help “shake things up” a bit, so to speak. A change in environment, like moving to another room, or stepping outside may seem minimal, but could disrupt that state-trait learning that has caused the coping skill to seem less effective. Also, many clients come back into counseling for “check-ins”, much like going to the doctor for check-ups to discuss what is working, what is not, and if medication would be a viable and appropriate option to compliment your daily self-therapy routine.

What you are experiencing can be very frustrating, and no you are not doing anything wrong! Fighting any mental health issue is not linear, so you will have good and bad days. Change happens overtime, and as long as you keep prioritizing your mental health, following the recommendations of your therapist, and keeping yourself physically healthy and rested, you will see positive change. Try to find a support person that can encourage you when you feel defeated, and talk to people that have recovered and find out what worked for them. Recovery is worth it!

For more information or to schedule an appointment please call 334.734.2603

East Alabama Center for Change 124 BRAGG AVE. • AUBURN, AL 36830 LEE MAGAZINE

11

One Is Not Enough!

Take Three Steps to FITTness

By Lisa Gallagher Liz came to my office and said, “I need help to get my body back! I don’t like my arms or my inner thighs, and let’s not even talk about my midsection!” She saw a picture of herself taken after running a half marathon two years ago and wanted those arms.

Liz, who had just turned 45, went on to say that it seemed every time she got close to where she wanted to be physically, she got injured. Running was hard, but the results were great.

That is, until her knee swelled up due to a torn meniscus. Previous to this, she hurt her shoulder doing a push up challenge.

P90X was fun, and she loved the variety, but, man, did it hurt her back. Liz loves to research, and she found so much advice on the internet and from friends and coworkers. She had information overload, yet, she couldn’t decipher what would get her results without getting her crutches — or Ben Gay, or a trip to the chiropractor.

The answer to getting fit is FITT*. The FITT principle works in three essential components for any well-rounded fitness program — muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility.

Frequency — how often Intensity — how hard Time — how long (duration) or how many sets of how many reps Type — mode of activity Muscular Strength and Endurance F — The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends at least two nonconsecutive days per week.

I — Choose a weight heavy enough to fatigue your muscles but light enough for you to complete the recommended repetitions using proper form.

T — One to three sets of 8–15 repetitions T — Eight to 10 different exercises that focus on the major muscle groups. Your larger muscles should be worked first.

Cardiovascular Endurance F — Three to five days per week I — for average individuals 70–85 percent of maximum heart rate • For Liz, who is 45 this was: 220 – 45 (age) = 175 • 175 X .70 = 123 beats per minute (bpm) 12 LEE MAGAZINE

• 175 X .85 = 149 bpm • Target heart rate during training is 123–149 bpm for a 45 year old T — 20–60 minutes per day, which can be broken up into 10-minute bouts. Total duration is dependent on intensity.

T — Jogging, walking, cycling, Zumba, swimming, tennis or any activity that involves the rhythmic use of large muscle groups for 10 continuous minutes or more.

Flexibility F — Two to three days per week, but more is better I — Slowly stretch to the point of slight tension or mild discomfort T — 10–30 seconds, 2–4 repetitions T — Static (still) stretches are safest. Ballistic (bouncing rapidly) stretches are not generally recommended, as they can cause injury. Dynamic stretches (with controlled movement) usually require more balance but are very effective.

In reviewing the FITT principle, Liz realized that in the cardiovascular endurance category she was doing more than ACSM recommendations. However she was completely ignoring her muscular strength (thus the flabby arms and thighs), and she rated herself at about 50 percent on her current flexibility routine.

Knowing about FITT really helped Liz cut through the plethora of information available to her. She knows what she needs to do to maximize results. She feels in charge and is excited about getting started.

It’s always recommended that you speak with your doctor before embarking on a new exercise program. Please work with your body, listening to the signals it sends you. So many people are in a battle with their bodies, and their bodies fight back with inflammation, pain and fatigue. Exercise is enjoyable if you start at your fitness level and simply enjoy getting FITT. *Fundamentals of Fitness, Alternate 11th Edition, McGrawHill Education, 2014.

Lisa Gallagher, director of the Fitness Center at the Opelika Sportsplex is a wellness coach, personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can contact her at lisa@lee-magazine.com

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What attracted you to the specialty of Pain Medicine?

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine are two very different and demanding Dr. Eric Robinson specialties. After eight years of practicing both, I began to enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out how to diagnose and treat patients with chronic pain more than practicing anesthesia.

How did you make the decision to go back to fellowship after so many years of practice?

I began to realize from various sources that a fellowship in pain medicine was necessary in order to treat patients appropriately, especially those with difficult or more complex pain conditions.

I had been doing epidurals and other basic pain procedures for years, but I wanted to be able to help those patients that I couldn’t help before. After talking with other physicians with similar interests at national meetings, I made the decision and applied to fellowship. I completed my pain fellowship from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2008.

If my doctor feels an epidural or spinal injection is right for me, do I have a choice where to have my procedure done?

Yes, of course. You are the patient, and your options should be made fully clear to you.Your primary concerns when being referred for any procedure should be: • Level of expertise of the physician who is to perform the procedure • The physician’s current training and board certification • Safety standards that will be followed • Financial advantages that may be available to you based on place of service What are the advantages of having my procedure done at Auburn Pain Specialists?

The greatest advantage is that you will see the same doctor for all your visits. You can be assured that you will be treated with respect, that you will be listened to, and that I will do my best to diagnose, and or confirm, your condition. Once the source of your pain is determined I will work with you to develop the best treatment plan for your particular pain condition.

Along with continuity of care, at Auburn Pain Specialists, all procedures are done conveniently in our office procedure suite using fluoroscopic (x-ray) guidance. You can be assured that your procedure will be done safely. At Auburn Pain Specialists we follow recommended sterile procedure guidelines. Although the risk of infection is never zero, we do all that we can to minimize the risk.

Privacy and convenience are important advantages for our patients with active lifestyles. At our office you won’t have the hassle of long check in times or long waits in rooms full of other

patients. You will already be familiar with us, just as we will be familiar with you and your medical history so care is delivered efficiently.

Out-of-pocket cost savings are a big advantage for office-based procedures. 'Place of service' is an important determinant of how much the insurance company pays, and therefore, how much your portion of any co-pay or deductible will be paid. For procedures done in the outpatient hospital setting, most patients have an outpatient facility co-pay which can range from $150 to $300 for most Blue Cross/Blue Shield patients.

In the office setting, however, you may have an office co-pay, which is substantially lower, usually around $25 - $50. Many insurance plans, including Medicare, have a 20% co-insurance.

For example, in the outpatient hospital setting the charges billed to Medicare are much higher making the portion you pay much higher. However, in an office setting, the amount charged to insurance is a much lower amount, making your 20% payment responsibility usually much lower.

Not every procedure can or should be done in an officebased setting. Sometimes patients would rather have certain procedures done in a facility. That’s okay, as long as it’s your decision. Because it should be your choice, make sure you know in advance what your out-of-pocket co-pay or co-insurance is prior to scheduling your appointment. Most places will tell you.

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Although a formal referral from your doctor is preferred, if you are seeking help on your own, we will help you make arrangements for treatment. Ideally, we prefer to work closely with your referring physician and your primary doctor to ensure that you are receiving the best possible, integrated care. At Auburn Pain Specialists we focus on all aspects of treatment for both acute, chronic, and cancer pain integrating best practice with the most advanced treatments available. We invite you to look over our website www.auburnpainspecialists.com and hope it helps you become more familiar with us and how we may be able to help you find relief, get back to living life, and enjoy more of your activities.

AUBURN PAIN SPECIALISTS 890 North Dean Rd, Suite 100 Auburn, Alabama 36830 334.501.2005 www.auburnpainspecialists.com

EAT THEIR WORDS

They’re delicious!

By Beth Snipes

C. E. Montague penned this in his , “A Writer’s Notes on His Trade.” He’s right.

Arming yourself with great quotes is like having a platinum credit card. Pull one out at the right moment and impress everyone. It’s the same with a great recipe collection so matching clever words and good food seems like a natural. LEE Magazine paired up the best food quotes and delicious recipes for you. Read on to learn Miss Piggy’s thoughts on artichokes, how to order at a“breakfast-anytime-of-day” restaurant and the secret of how Sophia Loren became Sophia Loren.

“

I went to a general store but they wouldn’t let me buy anything specific — Steven Wright, comedian

.

“

Vague Chicken Salad 2 or so cups cooked diced chicken A handful or two chopped red onion A couple of celery stalks, diced Enough mayonnaise to coat Maybe some pickle relish Salt and pepper Mix ingredients in any order you would like. Season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

14 LEE MAGAZINE

Bigstock Photo

o be amused by what you read — that is the great spring of happy quotations.”

Miss Piggy

Artichokes are just plain annoying. After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual ‘food’ out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking thirty or forty postage stamps.

— Miss Piggy, starlet Have the shrimp cocktail instead.

“

“

“T

Shrimp Stuffed Ar tichokes 4 large artichokes 1 pound cooked baby shrimp 2 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 teaspoon chopped basil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper Wash and trim artichokes. Steam over boiling water in covered kettle for 30-40 minutes, or until tender when pierced. Turn them bottom up, place on paper towels and chill thoroughly. Carefully spread the center leaves of each artichoke open enough to scoop out the thistle-like choke. Leave the edible artichoke bottom intact. Toss the shrimp with the parsley, basil, garlic and lemon juice. Blend the oil and mayonnaise and add to the shrimp mixture. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the artichokes with the mixture and serve.

.

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Everything you see I owe to spaghetti — Sophia Loren, actress

.

— Garrison Keillor, humorist

Chicken Pasta Salad

6 ears of corn 1 cup butter 2 tablespoon olive oil 6 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup parmesan 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped salt and pepper Preheat grill and husk corn, boil until tender. Cool. Melt butter in a saucepan, add olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, mix and pour into a shallow dish. In a second dish, mix bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley.

Roll the corn cobs in the melted butter mixture and then into the bread crumbs to coat. Grill for 10 minutes until golden brown.

“

I went to a restaurant that serves breakfast at any time so I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance

“

.

— Steven Wright, comedian

French Toast 2 tablespoon butter French bread 2 eggs 2 tablespoon cream 1 teaspoon vanilla fresh raspberries powdered sugar Melt butter in griddle . Beat together egg, vanilla and cream. Dip sliced bread in egg mixture and lightly brown on both sides. Remove from griddle and place on a warm platter. Sprinkle with berries powdered sugar and serve.

8 ounces spaghetti 2 cups diced cooked chicken 2 cups broccoli florets 11/2 cups sliced mushrooms 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup purple onion 3 radishes, thinly sliced 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped basil 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

“

A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch

.

— James Beard, food connoisseur

Break spaghetti in half and boil until just tender, drain. In a large mixing bowl, add the spaghetti and the next 6 ingredients; stir to combine. In a small bowl, mix together the salad dressing and the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and chill; toss before serving. If salad seems dry, add extra dressing.

“

The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook — Julia Child, master chef

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Crusty Corn on the Cob

low dish and pour Worcestershire over, rubbing to cover the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, then grill.

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until just tender. Stir in half and half. Bring to boiling then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Keep warm while grilling steak. Serve sauce with steak.

“

“

Sex is good, but not as good as fresh sweet corn

“

“

.

Sizzling Steak 2 tablespoon sirloin, 1 1/2 inches thick 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoon butter 1 lb fresh button mushrooms 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup light cream Brush both sides of steak with olive oil.

Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Place in a shal-

Spring Fruit Tart 1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg 11/4 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 8 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon juice peaches, berries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth.

Add egg and mix.

Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until light. Spread on crust. Arrange fruit on top. Chill and serve. -lm LEE MAGAZINE

15

Youth Sports Program Helping Harness the Power of Play

By Katie Lamar Jackson

L

iz Underwood and Reita Clanton both know how to win — they’ve built their careers on it — but they will be the first to tell you that winning isn’t everything. Play is, especially when it comes to our children.

That’s the message these two celebrated women athletes hope to spread in the coming months and years as they launch a new program aimed at providing parents and coaches guidance for helping children love sports for a lifetime, whether or not they ever play competitively.

Clanton, a former Olympian who is now coordinator of Auburn University’s Health and Performance Optimization Center, knows firsthand the power of play.

It’s what set her on a path to become an Olympian during a time when the only sports opportunities for young women were on the playground. But, oh, what an opportunity that playground provided Clanton.

“Back then, we went out and played every day. And the only rule we had was ‘you better be back for supper,’” she recalled. “There were no adults around to resolve things, but we had fun, and we learned some good life skills.”

“We had to choose our teams, make our rules, share our equipment and, if there was a conflict, we had to solve it or the game was over,” Clanton continued. “In 16 LEE MAGAZINE

the process, we practiced leadership skills, organizational skills, fairness, sharing and conflict resolution, all without a registration fee or adult supervision.

That’s a pretty rich experience.”

But it’s one that Clanton said is no longer readily available to many children.

Though today there are more children playing sports than ever before starting at earlier and earlier ages, their sports experiences revolve around team practices that are organized and run by adults. In that environment, said Clanton, children are being robbed of the “whole, full cultural experience of play.”

T

hat’s a concern echoed by Underwood, head coach for LeeScott Academy’s girls’ varsity volleyball team and a former head coach of Auburn University women’s volleyball team.

During her years at Auburn, Underwood led the Tigers to their only SEC West Championship and racked up 99 career wins, making her the second all-time winningest coach at Auburn.

While she is obviously always striving to win, Underwood is also deeply committed to making sure the young women she coaches enjoy the experience, win or lose. And, like Clanton, she is concerned that today’s children are not getting to experience the power — and the fun —

of play. An even bigger concern for both Clanton and Underwood is the damage that intense early specialization in youth sports is doing to young athletes.

“We are not the only ones who are concerned about this,” said Underwood.

Professional athletes, coaches and sports organizations are voicing concerns as they see an increase in injuries and burnout even in their younger players. Physicians, who are seeing sharp increases in youth sport injuries, are also worried.

“It seems like this is an issue whose time has come,” Underwood said, adding that a number of sports organizations worldwide, including the Alabama Youth Soccer Association, are working to “change the game” to better protect and nurture young athletes.

U

nderwood and Clanton want to begin changing the game here in our own neighborhoods by helping children find their way to sports through play. Over the past five years or so, they have worked together to develop a program they call the Youth in Sports Pipeline, a model to help parents and coaches figure out what is ageappropriate for their young charges.

The first stage, called “Play to Play,” focuses on the importance of offering children aged 6 to 9 physical activities that are fun. “Long-term surveys show that

and they can exit the pipeline at any time.

“We hope that, wherever a child decides to get off the pipeline, they are getting off healthier and still have a love of play that they are more likely to carry on into life,” said Clanton. And if they continue on through the pipeline to pursue sports in college and beyond, they have the physical and emotional foundation to make it to the next level. aking this pipeline work, however, requires buy-in by parents and coaches, many of whom are well-meaning but may not know just what is appropriate to ask of children at different ages and stages.

“We want to educate the adults who work with children so that they understand what children are capable of doing, physically and emotionally, at different ages,” said Clanton, who hopes Lee County will become a model community for this kind of program. “I’d like to see the Auburn-Opelika area be branded as a place where we can all say ‘this is how we grow our children up in sports,’” she said.

An opportunity to start just such a branding movement will be offered this summer when Underwood and Clanton launch the first in a series of Youth in Sports Pipeline seminars for parents through the Health and Performance Optimization Center. As the outreach unit of Auburn’s School of Kinesiology, HPOC is an ideal partner to help get the word out to the community. Parents interested in learning more can contact Clanton at rec0019@auburn.edu or Kristin Roberts at kar0032@auburn.edu.

“If we can get the proper information out to parents and coaches, it will take the stress off of everyone so they will have more fun,” said Clanton.

After all, as Underwood said: “It should be nothing but fun! How can you be the best you can be in anything if it’s not fun?”

THAT’s the power of play. -lm

M

Reita Clanton and Liz Underwood

the number one reason young children want to play a sport is because it’s fun,” said Clanton. “The number two reason is that they want to get better. Winning and losing are way down the list, if they are even there at all.” he “Play to Play” stage also strives to help children build a foundation of multilateral fitness. “If we are able to help kids develop the universal movement skills that we used to do naturally just through play and having fun, they are going to develop in an appropriate way,” said Underwood.

“That is the advantage that I had,” said Clanton of her childhood on the playground. “Because we road our bikes, hopped the curb, climbed trees and played

T

hopscotch and ball, I had a 360-degree range of motion and I could throw and catch. I had the fundamental skills. I could do anything.”

O

nce that foundation is in place and as they mature, children progress to the next stage of the pipeline, “Play to Train,” where they can master basic athletic skills, then on to “Play to Compete,” where they gain the more advanced skills needed to play organized high school-level sports.

The final stage, “Play to Win,” sets them on a path to compete at college and/or professional levels.

Katie Lamar Jackson is a freelance writer The beauty is that this pipeline allows based in Opelika, Ala., who has been covering children the freedom to choose just how everything from agriculture to the arts for more deeply they want to be immersed in sports, than 30 years.

LEE MAGAZINE

17

“Had I not had all those childhood dreams, I would not have been prepared to say ‘yes’ when that opportunity crossed my path, but I knew I had to go try this."

— Reita Clanton

Playing and Dreaming

How the Playground Launched Reita Clanton to the Olympics

By Katie Lamar Jackson

W

hen a sports reporter asked Reita Clanton how a small-town Alabama girl with little formal training in sports made it to the 1984 Olympics in a sport she’d never heard of until she was 22 years old, Clanton answered: “I’ve prepared for it all my life.”

And she had, beginning in childhood with the simple act of play that eventually, against all odds, led to her becoming a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Handball squad.

“From the earliest time I can remember, I loved sports, particularly sports you play with a ball,” said Clanton.

“But I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s when there were no opportunities for girls to play organized sports.”

“The boys had their recreation and Little League teams and coaches to learn 18 LEE MAGAZINE

Playing for the U.S. Olympic Team Handball squad in the 1980s was a dream come true.

about sports. All we girls had was the playground,” she recalled.

But for Clanton, the playground proved to be an ideal training ground for a future

Olympian, especially after Clanton, at the age of seven, moved with her family into a brand-new subdivision in Opelika.

Her neighborhood — in which the playground was the social hub — was filled with other children who could easily be recruited to form informal ball teams.

There Clanton had the chance to run, jump, climb, throw, catch and do all the things that children naturally do for fun.

Through that play, Clanton built an early foundation of athleticism that would eventually serve her well as an Olympian.

Clanton’s own backyard had one special piece of “equipment” — a young sweet gum tree that caught her eye as soon as her family moved into their new house. “I was immediately drawn to that tree,” she said. “It was the perfect climbing tree, because I could stand on my tiptoes and grab the lowest branch, then shimmy up the tree,” she recalled.

A childhood of play helped Reita Clanton become an accomplished athlete on the ball field as well as the ball court.

“My mom used to say that, whenever she was looking for me, the first place she always looked was in that tree,” laughed Clanton. “We lived in that house for eight years, and until the day we left I was climbing it.”

Not only did Clanton love the physical challenge of climbing to the top of that sweet gum, she also loved to simply sit in its branches. “Once I got to the top, everything looked so different. I could see so far, and I remember it making my heart feel so free,” she said. “I loved the solitude of being up there, where I’m sure I thought about a lot of things, but mostly

I dreamed about being an athlete.”

“As a kid, you don’t know why you dream. It just feels good. But looking back, I realize that my dreams were the knowledge and language of my heart, and my heart knew what I was capable of doing,” said Clanton.

“Every year, the tree grew and I grew, and the physical challenge got tougher. But the view got more expansive and so did my dreams,” she added.

Those dreams truly expanded — or perhaps became more focused — when Clanton was 11 years old and saw her first Olympic games.

“1964 was the first time that the Summer Olympic Games were televised, and I was glued to those black and white grainy images,” she said. Though Clanton loved seeing all the competitions, she was especially enthralled by the women’s sporting events.

“It was the first time I had ever seen women compete at such a high level,” she said. “I remember seeing the hurdles.

I loved to run and jump, and I thought ‘Really? There’s a race for this?’”

For weeks afterward, she would run around the neighborhood jumping over every shrub or bush she could negotiate LEE MAGAZINE

19

Playground fun allowed Reita Clanton to hone her athletic skills all the way to the Olympics and beyond.

pretending that she was a hurdler.

Seeing those women compete in the Olympic Games made Clanton’s dreams seem more plausible.

change and building a bridge to the future of Auburn University women’s athletics,” said Clanton. “We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.”

For the next several years, Clanton kept playing and dreaming, though she still no opportunities to play competitively even in her high school and junior college years. But that all changed when she came to school at Auburn University in 1972, just as colleges and universities across the nation were beginning to implement programs to comply with Title IX, an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibited sex discrimination in public education and federally assisted programs, including sports programs.

Luckily for Clanton, her professors at Auburn — among them Sandra Newkirk, Aletha Bond, Susan Nunnelly and Jane Moore — were working hard to make sure that all the female students who wanted to play had the opportunity.

“Those caring, dedicated women were navigating the sensitive currents of social

F

20 LEE MAGAZINE

or Clanton, that meant she was finally able to play competitively, and play she did, becoming an all-star member of Auburn women’s basketball, volleyball and softball teams. “I was in heaven,” Clanton said, adding that she seized every opportunity to play. “If it had been tiddlywinks, I would have gone out for it,” she laughed.

When she graduated from Auburn in 1974, Clanton thought her playing days were over. She took a high school teaching job that included coaching the girl’s basketball team, which was a testament to how quickly things had changed for young women athletes, especially considering that, just four years earlier in Alabama, there had been no high school teams for girls. Clanton took the job, grateful that she could at

least stay connected with sports through coaching.

However, her career took a dreamcome-true turn in October of that year when she got a call from her former Auburn volleyball coach, Sandra Newkirk.

Newkirk had received a letter from the U.S. Olympic Committee asking for possible candidates to play on the newly forming U.S. Women’s Handball team, which was to become an official Olympic sport for women in the 1976 Summer Games. Newkirk had immediately thought of Clanton.Though she was unsure of just what team handball entailed, Clanton was willing — eager actually — to try. “All of the sudden, this thing just drops right in my path, and in one moment I had to say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” Clanton recalled. But she was prepared, both physically and mentally, to embrace the opportunity.

“Had I not had all those childhood dreams, I would not have been prepared to say ‘yes’ when that opportunity crossed my path,” Clanton said. “But I knew I

Running, jumping, throwing, catching and all the skills Reita Clanton picked up on the playground and later through college sports were exactly what she put to use on the court as a member of the U.S. Team Handball Olympic squad.

had to go try this. It could have been hopscotch, and I would have still gone, because the desire in me to play was so real and strong,” she added.

A

fter scraping together the money to fly to the tryouts, which were being held at Iowa State University the following month, Clanton arrived in Ames, Iowa, still thinking team handball was a game where two to four players hit a small rubber ball against a wall.

“I wondered how many people could be on a team and fit in one little court?” she said. “Then I got there and saw that it was this wonderful game that involved running, jumping, throwing and catching, everything that I had ever done, all rolled into one game. I loved it from the beginning.”

Following those tryouts, Clanton was chosen from among more than 80 women who tried out for the 22-member team, and she began what would be a 10-year journey of training before she was able to

play in her first Olympic games.

The newly formed U.S. team wasn’t ready to play for the 1976 Olympics, so they set their sights on the 1980 games in the Soviet Union. But their hopes were dashed when the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics because of political conflicts with the USSR. The team kept training, though, and Clanton, along with five other women who had been initially chosen for the team in 1974, were finally able to compete in the 1984 games in Los Angeles, Calif.

Though they did not medal, they did unseat the top-ranked Chinese team in their first game, then the U.S. ultimately placed fourth in the competition, losing their shot at a medal to West Germany by one goal.

After the ’84 games, Clanton went on to coach numerous Olympic Festival teams and served as an assistant coach to the U.S. team for the 1998 Atlanta summer Olympic Games. Following those games, Clanton left handball to become the volleyball coach at the University of

The Mystic Order of East Alabama Fiction Writers’ book Not the Moth is available on Amazon.com or at The Gnu’s Room, extension of Heritage Gift and Gourmet 108 S 8th Street, Opelika

PERCH at Southside invites the public to a May Day event, “The Mystics, a Man, and Mary Ann.” Enjoy an evening of music, art and literature readings by The Mystic Order, the poetry of William O. Haynes, and the art of Mary Ann Casey and Gail Langley.

May 1, 5:30-8:30

PERCH

416 S. Gay Street, Auburn

LEE MAGAZINE

21

“If I had a dream for team handball, it would be that USA Team Handball finds a long-term home here, our national teams gain and sustain international competitive excellence and team handball becomes the next SEC sport.” — Reita Clanton Kentucky, during which time she was asked to carry the Olympic Torch as it passed through Lexington on its way toward Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

“That whole experience with handball has informed my life on so many levels,” Clanton said, including taking her to 26 countries. “It was a wonderful cultural and educational experience, and it widened my perspective on so many things.”

B

ut through those years, Alabama had remained near and dear to Clanton and, in 2002, she came home to be closer to her family. She soon took a job running a speed and agility training program, called the Athletic Republic, through East Alabama Medical Center’s HealthPlus Fitness and Rehab Works, a program she ran for seven years. Her current job is coordinator of the Auburn University School of Kinesiology’s Performance and Health Optimization Center.

The center is an outreach program of Kinesiology that serves people of all ages and athletic levels — from toddlers to high performance athletes to senior citizens — through a broad spectrum of programs aimed at helping everyone perform better on a daily basis. It is a perfect fit for Clanton, giving her an opportunity to make play and sports available to people of all ages and abilities.

It also put her in just the right place at just the right time to get handball back in her life. In May of 2013, not long after Clanton joined the Kinesiology staff, she got a phone call from her former handball coach, Javier Garcia Cuesta. Cuesta called just to catch up with Clanton and told her that he was coaching the men’s U.S. 22 LEE MAGAZINE

Reita Clanton holds court.

Team Handball squad. The more they talked, though, the more an idea began to take shape in Clanton’s head.

C

lanton, whose own Olympic experience had taken her to many training centers, knew that Auburn University had all of the infrastructure and support the teams would need to train, including the perfect practice facility, the Beard-Eaves Coliseum, which was standing empty at the time.

She and Cuesta began exploring the possibilities of Auburn making a bid for the team, an idea Clanton soon took to Kinesiology School Director Mary Rudisill.

“I’ll never forget her looking at me and saying, ‘I think that’s brilliant,’” said Clanton. By the end of August 2013, Clanton’s idea had become a reality: Auburn had a seven-year agreement to host USA Team Handball’s residency training program.

Having the teams here has been a boon on many levels. Not only did

Auburn University gain a number of new students from among the team members, but having the handball team here has raised awareness of the sport. And this may expand in the future, as Auburn is being eyed to become an official Olympic Training Center.

Though she is not serving in any formal capacity for the USA Team Handball training here at Auburn, needless to say Clanton is thrilled to have them here, and she has some high hopes for the sport as well.

“If I had a dream for team handball, it would be that USA Team Handball finds a long-term home here, our national teams gain and sustain international competitive excellence and team handball becomes the next SEC sport,” said Clanton. Though she realizes that may take some time, she certainly knows the power of dreaming.

“I think our dreams are the knowledge of our hearts, and our hearts know the truth about what we are capable of doing,” she said. For Clanton personally, that was true: “What was purposed in my heart was ultimately bigger than my circumstances.” But she also believes it can be said for anyone who follows their dream.

“It just seems like, if you follow your heart, the path rises up to meet you,” she said. “Things will be put in your path that you can’t ever imagine.”

Truth is, this small-town Alabama girl did imagine — and dream — and she’s proof of just how powerful dreaming and playing can be. -lm Katie Lamar Jackson is a freelance writer based in Opelika, Ala., who has been covering everything from agriculture to the arts for more than 30 years.

2011 - 2014 Super Lawyers

Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 Glenn Ave., Auburn. Information: 8877011; www.auburnchamber.com.

Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau, 714 East Glenn Ave., Auburn. Information: info@aotourism.com; 887-8747; www. aotourism.com.

Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center Gallery, 222 East Drake Ave., Auburn.

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m.

Information: 501-2963; www. auburnalabama.org/arts/.

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 South College Street, Auburn. Hours: Museum and gift shop are open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., extended hours every Thursday until 8 p.m.. Sundays 1 to 4 p.m.. The Museum Café is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn.edu.

Lewis Cooper Junior Memorial Library, 200 South Sixth St., Opelika. Hours: Monday–Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Wednesday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, 1–5 p.m. Information: 705-5380; www. cooperlibrary.com.

Lee County Historical Society, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy. 14), Loachapoka.

Open second Saturdays of each month, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Information: 887-3007; www. leecountyhistoricalsociety.org.

24 LEE MAGAZINE

Classic Book Discussion. Join writers and readers the second Thursday of each month at The Gnu’s Room in Opelika for a classic book discussion. Admission: free.

Information: 705-0484; thegnusroom@ gmail.com.

Opelika Chamber of Commerce, 601 Avenue A, Opelika. Information: 7454861; www.opelika.com.

WHEN

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Auburn Public Library, 749 East Thach Ave., Auburn. Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, 2–6 p.m. Information: 5013190; www.auburnalabama.org/Library/.

Kreher Preserve & Nature Center, 3100 Hwy. 147 N., Auburn. Open daily from sunup to sundown. Information: 502-4553; preserve@auburn.edu; www. auburn.edu/preserve.

"

WHERE

calendar

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March/April

ONGOING EVENTS A Little Art Talk. Take your lunch break at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art each Wednesday and hear a short (15-minute) talk focused on a single piece of art in the JCSM collection. You’ll still have ample time to drop by the café for lunch. Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm. auburn.edu.

A Little Lunch Music. Enjoy lunch in our café while listening to a casual performance, noon–1 p.m., presented by the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and musician Patrick McCurry. Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn.edu.

Baby Time. Bring your newborn–24month-olds to the Auburn Public Library each Tuesday for Baby Time, held weekly at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m., to enjoy 20 minutes of stories, songs, bounces and tickles. Information: 501-3190.

Brown Bag Lunch and Learn. Join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) on Mondays, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., for Lunch and Learn sessions held at the Clarion Inn & Suites in Auburn. Information: 8443105; www.olliatauburn.org.

Dominate Dominoes. Bones, cards, tiles, tickets, stones, spinners or just plain dominoes: Whatever you like to call it, grab a friend or two and join us each Monday, 1–3 p.m., at the Hubert and Grace Harris Senior Center in Auburn.

Admission: free. Dominoes and coffee provided. Information: 501-2930; www.auburnalabama.org.

Family Story Time. Bring the whole family to Auburn Public Library at 4 p.m. for our monthly Sunday Family Story Time programs featuring stories, songs, games and family fun at Family Story Times.

Information: 501-3190.

First Fridays. “Shop Late, Eat Local” in downtown Opelika the first Friday of each month. Specialty stores stay open until 8 p.m. or later, so come eat, shop and enjoy live music on the streets. Information: www.opelikamainstreet.org; 745-0466.

First Fridays with Satin Soul. Satin Soul, a smooth jazz and R&B band, plays on the first Friday of each month at The Event Center Downtown in Opelika. Doors open at 8 p.m.; show starts at 9 p.m.

Admission: $5. Information: 705-5466; www.eventcenterdowntown.net.

AUBURN C IT Y F EST,

First Wednesdays at the Auburn University Museum of Natural History. Make an appointment to join the staff of the Museum of Natural History from 4–6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month and explore the approximately two million specimens found in the museum’s eight collections. Admission: free.

Information: 844-4132; stonemk@auburn.edu.

Food for Thought — A 50+ Breakfast Speaker Series. Held on the second Tuesday of each month, 8:30–10 a.m., at Auburn’s Harris Center, this event features a free breakfast and speakers on a variety of topics. Admission: free; advanced registration required. Information: 501-2930.

“Jazz! Food! Art!” Hear live jazz, tour exhibits and enjoy food from the café each Thursday, 6–8 p.m., at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn.edu.

Pajama Time. Put on your pajamas, grab a blanket and a favorite bedtime “lovey” and join the to Auburn Public Library staff on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. for cozy stories, music and family fun. Information: 501-3190.

Preschool Time. Bring your preschoolers (ages 3–5) to the Auburn Public Library on Thursdays, held weekly at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., for stories, songs, movement rhymes and a fun craft during Preschool Time. Information: 501-3190.

Read and Reflect Book Club for Seniors.

Join Auburn Public Library Director Chris Warren beginning at 10 a.m. at Auburn’s Harris Center on the last Tuesday of each month as he leads a discussion on a selected book. Light refreshments will be provided. Each month’s book selection can be checked out at the library.

Information: 501-3190.

Second Saturdays. Visit the Lee County

Historical Museum on the second Saturday of each month 9 a.m.–3 p.m. for a day of historical fun and education featuring metal and fiber/ textile arts demonstrations, open-hearth cooking, food, old time music and more. Information: 887-3007; www.leecountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Third Thursday Poetry Series. The Third Thursday Poetry Series offers a 15-minute open mic session followed readings by selected poets at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The Museum Café opens at 5 p.m. The Cullars Improvisational Rotation jazz trio play at 6 p.m., followed by the readings at 7 p.m. Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn.edu.

AUBURN'S LARGEST

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Toddler Time. The Auburn Public Library hosts this event each Wednesday at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. for toddlers ages 18–36 months and their favorite adults to enjoy stories, songs, movement rhymes and a fun craft. Information: 501-3190.

BLUES

Wine Down Wednesday. Held every Wednesday beginning at 5 p.m. at The Event Center Downtown in Opelika, this event offers half-price house wines, full bar and free snacks. Information: 705-5466; www. eventcenterdowntown.net.

SOUL COALITION AND

Young at Heart Bingo and Lunch. Seniors can enjoy bingo and lunch, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m., at Auburn’s Hubert and Grace Harris Senior Center on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Upcoming dates are April 7 and 21, May 5 and 19. Admission: $3 or bring a cover dish.

Information: 501-2930; www.auburnalabama.org.

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LEE MAGAZINE

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calendars for this annual pet-centered event to be held 9 a.m–2 p.m. at Kiesel Park in Auburn. This event celebrates responsible dog ownership and is open to all dog owners and their favorite four-legged friends. Admission: free. Information: 501-2930; www.auburnalabama.org/.

Music Center. Expect a dazzling English musical showcase guided by the Brits’ unerring sense of occasion and featuring pianist Charlie Albright in a performance of Ravel’s glittering, jazz-inflected Piano Concerto in G. Information: 7498105; info@eastalabamaarts.org; www. eastalabamaarts.org.

APRIL 4: Easter on the Square. This

morning-long event begins at 10 a.m. with egg-citing activities for children of all ages followed by an Easter parade and an Easter egg hunt for children in 2nd grade or younger. Information: www. opelikasportsplex.com.

APRIL 4: 34th Annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Celebrate spring at this fun event, sponsored by Wells Fargo and Auburn Parks and Recreation, at Kiesel Park. This hunt, which begins at 111 a.m., is one of the largest in Lee County, with more than 30,000 eggs hidden over a four-acre area.

Four “hunting grounds” are available for the following age groups: 3 and under, 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12 years of age. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos after the hunt. Join us for some great musical entertainment, free sodas and balloons and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny!

Hamburgers or hotdogs will be available for purchase from the Kiwanis Club of Greater Auburn, proceeds from which will be given to needy families throughout our community. Admission: free. Rain date is April 5 at 2 p.m. Information: 501-2930.

APRIL 8: BBC Concert Orchestra. The

British are coming! But this time led by the charismatic and ever-popular American conductor Keith Lockhart, director of the Boston Pops and Brevard 26 LEE MAGAZINE

APRIL 11: Music In the Forest Series. The

9:30 a.m. to investigate eggs and nests then hike up to the homestead for an egg hunt!

No pre-registration is required. Canceled in the event of rain. Admission: free; donations are welcomed. Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; preserve@ auburn.edu; 707-6512.

2014 Music in the Forest Concert Series at the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center continues with a concert to benefit the AU Music Departments scholarship fund and Forest Ecology Preserve programs featuring the Auburn University Singers, 4:30– 5:45 p.m. Admission: $10. Picnics and chairs are welcomed. Light refreshments will be provided. Rain date is April 12.

Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; email preserve@auburn.edu; 707-6512.

APRIL 10: On The Tracks. On The Tracks

APRIL 12: Auburn University Gospel

draws hundreds to Historic Downtown Opelika to enjoy a fun night of food, drink, music and fellowship. Trail tickets are available through the website or on the night of the event. Private group tables are available. Prices for entering along with food and beverages vary depending on each vendor. Information: 745-0466; www. onthetracks.org.

Choir Concert. Made up of over 75 members, this exciting ensemble is under the direction of Director of Choral Activities William Powell, will perform at 3 p.m. at the City Church in Auburn.

Admission: free. Information: www. auburn.edu/music; 844-4165.

APRIL 2: Great Flashlight Egg Hunt.

Students grades 3–5 and their parents are invited to bring their flashlights and baskets to this nighttime egg hunt beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Moore Stadium in Opelika.

Information: www.opelikasportsplex.com.

fittings, exhibits and activities for kids. The bash will be held at Pick Elementary School and begins at 8 a.m. Information: http:// bikebash.org; 501-2930.

APRIL 9: Nature Walk. Join us from 8:30–

APRIL 10: Harpeth Rising Concert. The

Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series presents folk trio Harpeth Rising at 7:30 p.m. at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Auburn. Admission: $10 advance: $12 at the door. Information: www. sundillamusic.com.

APRIL 12: Dean’s Brass Quintet and Brass

Ensemble Concert. The Dean’s Brass Quintet, a chamber ensemble made up of performers on scholarship by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will perform beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Goodwin Recital Hall on the Auburn University campus.

Admission: $10; $5 for students and children. Information: www.auburn.edu/ music; 844-4165.

Woodwind Quintet and Bassoon Ensemble Recital. The quintet, under the direction of Karen Garrison, and the ensemble is under the direction of Shane Dickerson, will hold a joint recital at 6 p.m. in Goodwin Recital Hall on the Auburn campus. Admission $10; $5 for students and children. Information: www. auburn.edu/music; 844-4165.

APRIL

APRIL 11: Auburn Bike Bash. Join the

Auburn community by participating in the 16th Annual Auburn Bike Bash on Saturday April 11 hosted by the City of Auburn, the Auburn Bicycle Committee and Auburn City Schools. The event consists of bicycle rides of varying distances (3, 9, 19 and 29 miles), live music, bicycle inspections, helmet

13:

APRIL 13: Trombone Choir and Tuba-

Euphonium Ensemble Concert. These low brass ensembles, under the direction of Matt Wood, will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Goodwin Recital Hall on the Auburn campus. Admission: $10; $5 for students and children. Information: www.auburn. edu/music; 844-4165.

APRIL 14: Discovery Hike. Families with

children ages 5–12 can join the staff as we investigate eggs and nests, then hike up to the homestead for an egg hunt at the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center, 3:30– 4:30 p.m. Admission: free; donations welcomed. Cancelled in the event of rain.

Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; preserve@auburn.edu; 707-6512.

APRIL 16: Christina Stoddard Reading.

Nashville poet Christina Stoddard will be the featured reader for April’s Third Thursday Poetry Reading at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The reading begins at 7 p.m. and is preceded by jazz from 6–7 p.m. Admission: free.

Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn. edu.

APRIL 16–19: The Guest List. Auburn

University Theatre’s Annual Celebration of Dance will feature Jeri Dickey and Auburn student dance ensemble. Shows will be held at Telfair-Peet Theatre in Auburn beginning at 7:30 p.m. on April 16–18 with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on April

19. Admission: $15; $10, faculty, staff, seniors and non-Auburn students; free for Auburn students. Information: www.cla. auburn.edu/theatre; 844-4154; Theatre@ auburn.edu.

APRIL 18: Auburn Airwaves 2015. Kesha

and Nelly, along with a special guest performer, are slated to perform during the Auburn Airwaves at the Corner Block Party at Toomer’s Corner. The concert is slated to begin at 6 p.m. after the A-Day game. Admission: free.

Reception on April 23 at the Historic Nunn-Winston House at Kiesel Park from 5:30–7:30 p.m. The Preview Reception, an Auburn Chamber Business After-Hours event, will showcase fine art, accompanied by musical entertainment by Phillip Rowton, food by Jim N’ Nicks and tasty

continued.....

APRIL 22: Auburn University’s Jazz Band

and Jazz Combo Concert. This concert, to be held at 7:30 pm in Goodwin Band Hall; features the music of both groups under the direction of Mike Pendowski.

Admission: $10; $5 for students and children. Information: www.auburn.edu/ music; 844-4165.

Dancing Stars of East Alabama. This fundraising event under the Community Foundation of East Alabama and in partnership with the Junior League of Lee County will be held at the Auburn Arena and raises funds for local agencies that provide healing services to children of Lee County who have been hurt by life’s challenges. Information: www.dancingstarsofeastalabama.com; Tickets2015@aerowire.net.

APRIL

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Auburn CityFest Juried Preview Reception. Come spend a relaxing evening enjoying fine art, food and musical entertainment at the 11th annual Juried Art Show and Preview APRIL

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treats from Cakeapotamus. Information: auburncityfest.com; 501-2963.

children. Information: www.auburn.edu/ music; 844-4165.

com/EastAlabamaMystics.

MAY 1: Gretchen Peters Concert. The

APRIL 24. Naked Blue Concert. The

APRIL 29: Auburn University Campus

Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series features songwriting duo Naked Blue at 7:30 p.m. at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Auburn. Admission: $10 advance: $12 at the door. Information: www.sundillamusic.com.

Band Concert. The Auburn University Campus Band will perform at 7:30 pm in Telfair-Peet Theatre in Auburn. Directed

by Corey Spurlin and graduate student assistants, this ensemble is open to students across campus and requires no audition. Students perform traditional wind band literature. Admission: $10; $5 for students and children. Information: www.auburn.edu/music; 844-4165.

APRIL 24–MAY 3: “The Phantom of the

Opera.” Opelika High School’s Theater Society will present six performances of “The Phantom of the Opera” April 24–May 3 at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. Admission: $15 for adults; $10 for students. Information: 745-9715.

APRIL 25. Auburn CityFest. Auburn’s

largest free, outdoor festival, Auburn CityFest, presented by the Opelika-Auburn News is set for April 25, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Festival patrons are invited to come out for a day of “Blues & BBQ,” music, food and a stellar Children’s Imagination Station at Kiesel Park. Information: auburncityfest. com; 501-2963.

Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series presents singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters at 7:30 p.m. at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Auburn. Admission: $10 advance: $12 at the door. Information: www.sundillamusic.com.

MAY 2–3: Auburn University Singers APRIL 30: Vadim Serebryany Recital.

Guest pianist Vadim Serebryany, an associate professor of music at Huntingdon College who performs frequently with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, will hold a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Goodwin Recital Hall. Admission: $10; $5 for students and children. Information: www. auburn.edu/music; 844-4165.

Spring Show. The Auburn University Singers will perform in Telfair-Peet Theatre on the Auburn campus at 2:30 and again at 7:30 p.m. on May 2 and at 2:30 p.m. on May 3. Marking 43 years as one of Auburn’s greatest traditions, this show choir features students from all disciplines in a fun and engaging performance. Admission: $10; $5, students and children. Information: www.auburn.edu/music; 844-4165.

APRIL 30: 10th Annual Mayor’s Ball.

“Jeans & Jackets” is the theme of this annual event to be held at The Event Center Downtown in Opelika to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County.

Reception 6:30 p.m.; dinner 7:30 p.m.

Admission: $100 per person; sponsorship packages available. Information: 502-1311.

MAY 2: Bo Bikes Bama. Bo Jackson’s

4th annual Bo Bikes Bama ride, which benefits the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund, will take place in Auburn on May 2. Participating riders can choose either a 63-mile or 20-mile route. Information: https://bobikesbama.com.

APRIL 26: Music In the Forest Series. The

2014 Music in the Forest Concert Series at the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center continues with this free outdoor concert for the community featuring the Auburn University Music Department’s Saxophone Quartet. Food vendors will open at 3 p.m.; concert begins at 3:30 p.m. Picnics and chairs are welcomed. Canceled in the event of rain. Information: www.auburn.edu/ preserve; preserve@auburn.edu; 707-6512.

Auburn University/ Community Orchestra Concert. This concert will be held at 4 p.m. at the Jule-Collins Smith Museum in Auburn.

Admission: $10; $5 for students and APRIL

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28 LEE MAGAZINE

MAY 5: Koresh Dance Company. The

MAY 1: The Mystics, a Man, and Mary

Ann. Celebrate May Day with an evening of music, art and literature at Perch Jewelry Studio in Auburn. This event, to be held 5:30–8:30 p.m., features readings by The Mystic Order of East Alabama Fiction Writers, the poetry of William O. Haynes and the art of Mary Ann Casey and Gail Langley. Information: www.facebook.

Koresh Dance Company is renowned for its powerful stage presence and emotionally charged performances in balance with a deep commitment to education and community-building through collaboration. Don’t miss one of the company’s signature works as the company lights up the stage to the music of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero! Information: 749-8105; info@eastalabamaarts.org; www. eastalabamaarts.org.

MAY 7–8: S’more Fun with Mom. Join us

at the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center for S’more Fun with Mom, a mother–

allure ESSENCE BAZAAR AS SEEN IN:

son event to be held May 7 and 8, 6–8:30 p.m. Each night includes a night hike, cookout, s’mores and storytelling.

Mother/son duos may create their own keepsake photo frame and commemorate this special night with a 5×7 portrait. Rain dates are May 14–15. Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; preserve@auburn.edu; 707-6512.

MAY 12: Discovery Hike. Families with children ages 5–12

are invited to the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center, 3:30– 4:30 p.m., to learn all about bees, pollination and the waggle dance and taste some local honey during the Preserve’s May Discovery Hike. Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; preserve@auburn.edu; 707-6512.

MAY 14: Nature Walk. Bees will be the theme of this month’s

Nature Walk, held at 8:30 a.m. at the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center. Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; preserve@auburn.edu; 707-6512.

MAY 21: Nick Norwood Reading. Poet Nick Norwood, who

teaches at Columbus State University, will be the featured reader for May’s Third Thursday Poetry Reading at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The reading begins at 7 p.m. and is preceded by jazz from 6–7 p.m. Admission: free.

Information: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn.edu.

MAY 25–31: Bluegrass on the Plains. Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda

Vincent, Gene Watson, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver plus 15 additional bands will be on the stage for this year’s Bluegrass on the Plains. Information: www.bluegrassontheplains.com/; 821-8968.

MAY 26–29: Camp Discovery. This year’s Kreher Preserve &

Nature Center summer ecology camp, open to upcoming 3rd– 5th graders, features the theme “Flying High! Birds fly! Bats fly! Dragonflies fly!” Campers will learn all about the amazing flights of our friends in nature and of man’s venture to fly too! Campers will enjoy nature studies, crafts, games, hikes and more. Registration is $100 and includes a daily snack, all activities and projects, and a tee-shirt. Membership at the Magnolia level ($35 or above) is required for registration. All sessions are 8 a.m.–12 p.m.; though the camp will include a night session on Thursday, May 29, for the whole family to attend. Information: www.auburn.edu/preserve; preserve@ auburn.edu; 707-6512. -lm

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The Crack of the Bat On summer afternoons, I biked across town to practice, my well-oiled glove looped on the handle bars.

By Ken Autrey

M

any mark spring by the profusion of azaleas and the quiet encroachment of pollen. But for me the harbinger of spring is the crack of the baseball bat. I seldom watch the sport on TV, but on the first day of major league ball in April, I tune in for a few innings, no matter who’s playing.

Even a broadcast, lacking the dust of the base paths and the smell of mown grass, can pull me back to summer Little League at Felton Little Park when I played for the Red Sox. My reawakened angst about whether I’d make the starting team is tempered when I recall the satisfying smack of a line drive snagged in my Wilson glove or the sound of a hit on my Louisville Slugger’s sweet spot.

On summer afternoons, I biked across town to practice, my well-oiled glove looped on the handle bars. Even as a 10-year-old, I learned how baseball forces you to balance individual and group effort. At bat, it’s just you, the pitcher and a speeding ball that can look as tiny as an aspirin tablet. In contrast, on defense it’s all about teamwork. Granted, you’re all alone, hoping to make a play, when a pop fly or a hot grounder comes at you. But the whole team has to react when the ball is hit, especially with runners on base.

As a batter, you can fail two-thirds of the time and still have a respectable average. Even the best batters make far more outs than hits. Fielding is another matter. Every Little League game produces errors, but your teammates expect consistency.

Whether playing right field or short stop, you must succeed most of the time. Back then, those principles felt like life lessons.

The watershed year for youth baseball in Auburn came in 1955 when the local all-star team earned a trip to the Little League World Series. As a rookie who could only dream of such heights, I was glued to the radio when Auburn defeated a team 30 LEE MAGAZINE

from San Diego and then suffered a heartbreaking loss to a solid New Jersey squad that went on to the finals. Auburn won the consolation game and returned from Williamsport ranked third.

My own hardball days ended after I rode the bench for a season my freshman year in college. Now, I play vicariously through my grandson, the catcher on his Little League team. He loves the gear associated with any sport — baseball, soccer, lacrosse, or football — so it was inevitable that he would strap on shin guards, chest protector, and mask in the service of the Cubs. His younger brother plays T-ball, a dim substitute for the real thing but a step toward what used to be called “the national pastime.”

As I sit with other parents and grandparents watching them, winning and losing seem beside the point. But in my youth, every trip to the plate was life or death, every ground ball a test of character.

S

ince those days of wooden bats and hot flannel uniforms, a lot has changed. Every respectable community now has an expansive sports complex. Girls are no longer left out. They play soccer, lacrosse and softball. Last year, Mo’Ne Davis, pitching a shutout, made history as the first young woman to win a Little League World Series game. Teams from Taiwan and Japan are annual contenders for the championship.

Still, the essentials of the game endure. That’s why I can hardly wait for my upcoming trip to Tampa to see the Yankees in spring training. Even living in a town where life often revolves around football, I admire former team owner Bill Veeck’s comment, “There are only two seasons, winter and baseball.”

Ken Autrey is an award winning poet and author. He lives in Auburn with his wife Janne.

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