Lee Magazine - June/July 2011 by Lee Magazine

LEE M

Linda Drummond’s Long Road Back JUNE/JULY 2011 FREE

VOLUME 4 • NUMBER 3

I SING THE BRAIN ELECTRIC

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Tell you what...

Oh the places you go, if you’ll persevere By Judy Van Dyke

erseverance. That’s what my friend Linda Drummond has. I have known her ten-plus years and I know this has been one of the critical components in her success. (Mary Wood Littleton tells the story of Linda Drummond’s battle with Parkinson’s disease in this issue’s cover story.) Until I started first grade, I thought I was pretty successful. Things seemed to be going my way. But in Miss Pearl’s first grade class, I was crushed when my papers did not come back with smiley faces. Stella Stokes, however, seemed to be the golden princess of smiley faces. It just was not fair. My lesson here came from my grandma who pointed out, ‘“Fair’ is not in the Bible.” So, don’t expect life to be fair. Second lesson learned from my encounter with Miss Pearl: If you want something, figure out what you have to do to achieve it. I realized quickly if I adopted Stella’s neat penmanship, I could win smiley faces too. Sometimes the solution is right in front of you. Persevere. Other struggles are more difficult. I am almost fifty-eight years old (ouch!), and I am still sometimes afraid to use the word successful to describe my career. While I know I am truly blessed to be where I am today – a teacher turned lawyer turned developer – I don’t always feel successful. Sometimes, success seems to be the thing just out of reach. Mine has not been a meteoric rise. It was more like what Dr. Seuss describes in, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go.” “Sometimes you’ll be in a lurch and you’ll land with a thump and find yourself in a slump, and unslumping yourself is not easily done.” I’ve had to unslump myself. I suppose Linda has too. We all do. It’s all about persevering. For what it’s worth, here’s what I’ve learned along the way. •Accept criticism without taking it personally. Believe it or not, I am not always right. Use criticism or discard it, but don’t take it personally. Take it personally, and you’ll always be unslumping. • Wait Twenty-Four Hours. If something upsets you, wait a

full day to respond. This is my most important rule. Every time I break it, I regret it. • You will be forty-seven anyway. When I told my mother and grandmother that I was going to law school at forty-three, my mom said, “You will be forty-seven years old when you graduate.” My grandmother’s reply was priceless, “She will be forty- Judy Van Dyke seven anyway.” So don’t let age keep you from reaching your goals. It’s not too late. Recently I was talking to a younger woman I really admire. She is brilliant and had an awesome plan for a business she really wanted to start. But the time just wasn’t right. Her son is in the tenth grade and she couldn’t envision juggling the responsibility and travel with his needs. I told her my grandma story about law school. A few weeks later, we got together again for lunch. Guess what? She is going for it. She realized she is working more than sixty hours a week anyway and traveling several days a month. Turns out she just needed some perspective. Partners. If you are inclined to own your own business, choose any partners very carefully. We know about being “unequally yoked” in marriage, but you need the same consideration in a business partner. While there is a very clear legal path for divorcing a spouse, divorcing a partner can be even more tortuous. Mentoring. Seek good mentors. Share what you have learned and learn something from everyone you meet. Finding someone you admire, and then following her lead, is a great way to propel yourself forward. Through it all, persevere and smile. That’s what I’ve learned, and that’s what Linda Drummund’s story teaches. When you think about it, what choice do you really have? -lm

Judy Van Dyke is an attorney turned developer. She lives in Auburn with husband Jerry and children Lily & Gracie

The Place to Find

Your Healthy Balance

LEE M

For the smart, savvy Alabama woman Publisher: Beth Snipes Editor: Jenni Laidman Design and Photography: Beth Snipes Production: Garrett Golden Sales manager: Meg Callahan Sales reps: Betsy McLure Blake Copy Editor: Kim Darden Web Designer: Brock Burgess Distribution: John Snipes

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eople are searching for a hormone replacement therapy regimen that provides a resurgence of energy. You don’t have to have headaches, hot flashes, and a decreased sex drive. You can say farewell to mood swings and insomnia. With the results of a one-day saliva test, June Adams, a compounding pharmacist and bio-identical hormone counselor, will provide the natural human-identical hormones that your body needs. June’s problemsolving pharmacy provides natural progesterone cream, DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone. For some, it will mean an enzyme to reduce stress, or a glandular complex to support your thyroid. Both men and women can benefit from this simple test for a personal hormone profile. Accelerated aging, fat gain, mental fogginess, and general fatigue are not natural. They can be symptoms of a hormone imbalance for which there is a natural treatment. Find the right dose without the concerns of side effects from synthetic products.

Contributors Food: Fashion: Fitness: Garden: Momitude: Smarts:

Heida Olin Taylor Dungjen Lisa Gallagher Patti Householder Kelly Frick Janeane Barett

334-332-2961

LEE M

1550 Opelika Road Suite 6-220 Auburn, Alabama 36830 334-332-2961

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leemagazine.com Published by Pickwick Papers Publishing, LLC. Copyright ©2008 Lee Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction and redistribution prohibited without approval. For more information, contact editor@leemagazine.com.

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LEE contents M

A G A

June/July2011 3 Essay

The Key to Success

8 Food

Camp Food with Class & Taste

10 Summer Food Basil, beautiful basil

12 Garden

Berry, Berry Good

14 Brawn

If the Shoe Fits – It’s Not Enough

16 Fashion Your Seventies Summer

20 Momitude

Klutzes R Us

22 COVER

Brain buzz How Linda Drummond Battles Parkinson’s

29 Calendar

12 COVER PHOTO BY BETH SNIPES

6 LEE MAGAZINE

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LEE MAGAZINE 7

Gourmet for the Grill Quick packet meals are a camping treat By Heida Olin

y husband, Bernie, and I plan to check out some Civil War historic sites this year and do a little camping. We’ll haul our own rations and I’ll make packet meals wrapped in aluminum foil. You cannot beat packet meals — they’re fast, easy, and just different enough to bring fun to the table. My Buffalo Burgers recipe is our number one favorite. I don’t know where the name comes from — no buffalos were injured in the making of this meal. The great thing about packet meals is their versatility. Change the combinations of meat, vegetables, and spices, and you have the makings of several meals in a row that won’t bring a squeal of complaint. And, you can customize each meal to satisfy even the pickiest eaters in the family. I often accompany the packets with pasta or rice to provide a little starch. Here are a few guidelines to help you get the most out of your own grilled packet meals:

8 LEE MAGAZINE

Use heavy-duty aluminum foil. Steam that builds inside the packet is what cooks the ingredients. Regular foil punctures too easily, endangering the steaming objective. You’ll need an 18-by-12 inch sheet of foil for each serving. Spray the dull side with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Layer your food so that the flavors can marry while they cook. Vegetables should surround delicate meats such as fish, chicken, and pork tenderloin medallions. These items need the protection of onions, peppers, or other vegetables to keep the meat from scorching on one side. Ground meat patties cook really well in packets, but cook higher quality cuts of red meat (such as steaks) outside of packets. Test one packet for doneness before taking them all off the grill. Open the packet carefully to avoid steam burns and test the vegetables with a knife. Use an instant-read thermometer to test meat. Don’t mold the foil around the food.

Instead, heap the ingredients into the middle of the foil. The steam must have room. Bring two opposite edges of the foil together in the center and fold twice. Then bring up the remaining two edges and fold those together twice. Make sure the seams are tight. BUFFALO BURGERS I’m the only one who eats mushrooms in my family, so I take advantage of this opportunity to pile the mushroom slices on my packet. I prefer ground round in this recipe, but any kind of ground beef will work. 4 8-by-12-inch pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil Cooking spray One large onion, sliced 1 pound ground beef made into 4 burgers 4 small red potatoes, or fingerling potatoes, quartered

F O O D 2 carrots, sliced into quarter-inch coins Worcestershire sauce to taste Salt and pepper to taste Extras: sliced mushrooms, sliced peppers — sweet and/or hot, sliced zucchini or yellow squash

Spray each sheet of foil with cooking spray. Place sliced onions in the middle of each sheet, then top with a burger. Sprinkle the meat with Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to taste. Top with potatoes, carrots, and any extras you like. Seal the packets (see above) and place on a medium hot – 400-degree -- grill. These take about 30 minutes to cook, but test at 20 to 25 minutes. If you’re cooking on an open fire or on charcoal, place the packets on hot coals, but not in the fire. Turn frequently and test at 20 minutes. If you plan to make the packets ahead of time, use fingerling potatoes and baby carrots and toss them in a little olive oil to keep the potatoes from turning brown. PESTO CHICKEN PACKETS This is a simple but surprisingly elegant dish you could serve to company on a Friday night after a long week. Accompany it with rice or noodles for a hassle-free meal. 4 8-by-12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil Cooking spray 1/2 cup basil pesto 1/4 cup light mayonnaise 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (pounded slightly to equal thickness) 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained 2 cups asparagus pieces or sugar snap peas (you can use fresh or frozen sugar snap peas)

In a bowl, mix the basil pesto and the mayonnaise. Spray foil and place a chicken breast in the center of each sheet. Divide the tomatoes and asparagus or sugar snap peas among all four packets. Top vegetables with pesto mixture. Seal the packets (see above) and place on a medium-hot grill (about 400 degrees.) These take about 30 minutes to cook; test at 20 to 25 minutes.

To cook on a campfire or on charcoal, place packets on hot coals, but not in the fire. Turn them frequently and test at 20 minutes. TILAPIA AND SPINACH PACKETS Serve these delicate fish packets with hot rolls. Sister Schubert’s dinner yeast rolls are fast and tasty. Brush them with butter, and sprinkle each with a bit of parmesan. Elegant enough for Sunday dinner. 4 8-by-12-inch sheets aluminum foil Cooking spray 4 tilapia fillets 1 (10-ounce) package fresh baby spinach ½ cup Vidalia Cucumber Dill brand salad dressing 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

Spray foil and divide spinach between each piece. Top each with a tilapia fillet. Divide the cucumber dressing between each packet, slathering on the fish. Top each with green pepper strips. Seal the packets (see above) and place on medium heat -- 350 degrees -- for 10 minutes. Check to make sure the fish flakes nicely before taking all the packets off the grill. To cook on an open campfire or charcoal, place packets on the hot coals, but not in the fire. Turn them frequently. These will cook very fast directly on charcoal so take them off at about 5 minutes

PORK MEDALLIONS WITH APPLES Pork pairs so beautifully with apples. You can substitute pears for a twist. I toss some mixed small white, yellow, or purple potatoes – the kind that come in a mesh bag -- with a little peanut oil and sea salt, then add a couple of sprigs of rosemary. 4 8-by-12-inch sheets aluminum foil 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced 1 pound pork tenderloin cut into ½-inch medallions Pepper to taste 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1/2 cup honey mustard salad dressing

Place sliced apples in center of sprayed foil. Top with 2 or 3 pork medallions — it is fine if they overlap. Pepper the medallions then divide the garlic between each packet. Sprinkle with the chopped thyme, and drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the medallions. Seal the packets (see above) and place on a medium-hot grill, about 400 degrees. These take about 30 minutes to cook but test at 20 to 25 minutes. To cook on an open campfire or charcoal, place the packets directly on the hot coals, not in the fire. Turn them frequently and test at 20 minutes. ITALIAN CHICKEN RAGOUT I like to serve this spicy dish over noodles. It’s great for any day of the week. This calls for Gourmet Gardens Chili Pepper, found in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle. For best results, prepare this ahead of time and marinate in the refrigerator before grilling. 4 8-by-12-inch sheets aluminum foil Cooking spray 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces 1 yellow pepper, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 1 red onion, diced 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 jalapeno chopped fine or 1 teaspoon Gourmet Gardens Chili Pepper ½ cup Italian Dressing

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Divide among 4 sheets of sprayed aluminum foil. Seal the packets (see above) and place on a grill heated to medium high, 400 degrees. These take about 15 minutes to cook, but test the chicken at 10 minutes. To cook on an open campfire or charcoal, place the packets directly on the hot coals, not in the fire. Turn frequently and test at 20 minutes. -lm

Heida Olin is a local caterer and educator. You can reach her at heida@leemagazine.com.. Please visit her blog at www.lee-magazine.com LEE MAGAZINE 9

Have you heard the one about...

Basil?

By Beth Snipes

n basil

cinnamo

10 LEE MAGAZINE

year after year. Maybe we should give it a try after our neighbors leave for work. Basil took its hardest hit in the medieval period. People then thought basil was dangerous. Put a leaf under a pot and, in a few days, voila, you had a scorpion. It gets worse. They believed that if you stuck your nose in a basil bouquet for a good whiff, scorpions made a frantic dash for your brain. It’s probably best that we don’t know what started that. But reputations can be saved. Basil is a token of love in Italy. Carrying it in your wallet attracts wealth. Also, give a new homeowner a fresh basil plant to bring good luck. This is an important one: If you’re planning your wedding, try this before putting a down payment on the reception hall. Place two fresh basil leaves on hot coals. If they stay put and quickly burn, you are in a harmonious relationship. If the leaves fly apart, you are heading for disaster. Good to know. We can eat and smell basil as much as we want without worrying about arthropods in our noses or keeling over from basil poisoning. That wealth thing is pretty cool, though. Let’s believe that one and stuff our pockets. But if you really want good luck from basil, I say, make pesto.

sweet basil

emember, if you swallow gum, it will sit in your stomach for seven years. Have a sore throat? Breath on a frog and you’ll feel better right away. Who came up with this stuff? It’s easy to follow the logic of some folk beliefs. You can imagine a mother telling her veggie-hating child that eating blackeyed peas on New Year’s Eve brings good luck. But other folklore adages are kind of out there, such as the Russian folk remedy for curing a cold. Just stand in a tub of warm water while completely naked. Well, not completely; wear a woolen cap. Then sip tea and down three ounces of vodka. There, better? Basil, the sweet fragrant herb of summer, has occasionally suffered from a bad reputation. How could anyone think such a wonderful herb from such a good family -- the mints -- was a troublemaker? The Ancient Romans thought it was poisonous because their lambs wouldn’t eat it. OK, that makes a little sense. For some reason, the ancient Greeks thought it brought misfortune. Hard to believe from the name they gave it, Basileus, which means king or royalty. Was this a passive-aggressive way to tell their ruler what they thought? The Romans and Greeks, despite their antipathy toward the stuff, had growing advice. Want potent basil? Scream at the seeds as you plant. It went something like this: “*@)!*^%&(#…you basil!” They must have believed it worked since they did it

CLASSIC PESTO This is worth the summer heat 2 cups fresh basil leaves 4 cloves of garlic 1/2 cup grated high quality parmesan 1/2 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil Salt & freshly ground pepper

Drizzle 2 Tbs of olive oil in a hope skillet. Add nuts and brown slightly. Cool. Combine the basil, garlic, cheese and nuts in a food processor or blender. Process to mix. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and process to the desired consistency. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 1 cup.

VARIATION ON CLASSIC PESTO Using the recipe Classic Pesto as a base, you can create this to-die-for pasta dish. 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces 1-3 tablespoons Kosher salt 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into thin slices 1 pound linguine, fettuccine, or similar pasta Sea salt to taste. Put Classic Pesto recipe in a large pasta bowl. Heat 5 quarts water to a boil. Add potato slices and boil 5 minutes. Toss 1-3 tablespoons Kosher salt into boiling water and add broccoli and pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining pasta, scoop up a ½ cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta, broccoli, and potato. Thin pesto slightly with pasta water, starting with about ¼ cup and adding more if needed. Add pasta, potato, and broccoli to bowl. Toss to coat pasta with pesto. Season with sea salt to taste. Pesto has many uses such as pasta sauce, topping for fish or chicken, or simply spread on a good, crusty Italian bread. SALAD WITH BASIL DRESSING 1 bunch spinach, torn into bite size pieces 1 sm. Avocado, thinly sliced 1/2 med. red onion 1/2 c. Feta cheese, crumbled 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts DRESSING:

1/4 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 boneless chicken breasts Combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, basil, lemon peel, garlic, salt, and pepper in shallow baking dish. Add chicken, turning once to coat both sides. Chill 30 to 45 minutes, turning once. Prepare charcoal for grilling, or heat broiler. Grill or broil 4 inches from heat, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. SALMON WITH FRESH BASIL SAUCE 1 pound fresh salmon or steelhead fillets, skinned 1 tablespoon safflower oil 1/4 teaspoon pepper Salt to taste 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 2 shallots, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 cups basil leaves, packed loosely 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper to taste Rinse the fillets in cold water and pat dry. Cut the fish diagonally into slices about 1-inch thick. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, add fish and cook them on the first side about 3 minutes. Carefully turn the pieces over and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook them on the second side and remove from the heat. Transfer the fish to a warmed serving platter and cover the platter with aluminum foil. Add the basil and wine and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in cream, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir until sauce thickens. Pour over fish and place in oven for 4 minutes. BASIL MARINADE FOR SHRIMP 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 c. dry white wine 1 c. extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1/4 c. Dijon style mustard 3/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves Combine the wine, oil, lemon juice, mustard, chopped basil and freshly ground pepper and pour over the shrimp

in a shallow non-metallic dish. Marinate at least three hours. Prepare coals for grilling and skewer the shrimp on 4 skewers. Grill the shrimp basting with the marinade for several minutes on each side until shrimp is done. Do not overcook. FETA AND WALNUT SPINACH SALAD WITH BASIL DRESSING SALAD 1 bunch spinach, torn into bite size pieces 1 sm. Avocado, thinly sliced 1/2 med. red onion 1/2 c. Feta cheese, crumbled 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts DRESSING:

1/2 c. olive oil 1 tbsp. dried basil, crumbled 2 tsp. sugar 2 lg. cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 c. red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper Toss spinach, avocado, onion, feta, and walnuts in large bowl. Pour basil dressing over and toss. Serve immediately. Dressing: combine all ingredients in blender and mix well. Store in jar with tight fitting lid in refrigerator. Shake dressing well before using. SNOW PEAS AND BASIL VINAIGRETTE 2 tsp. white wine vinegar 1 1/2 tsp. crumbled dried basil Freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp. olive oil 1/3 c. drained bottled whole roasted red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips 6 oz. snow peas, trimmed and strings discarded or 6 oz. frozen snow peas In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, the basil, the black pepper, and salt to taste. Add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Add the red pepper strips and let them marinate for 10 minutes. In a saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the snow peas for 10 seconds. Drain them and refresh them under cold water. Pat dry. Arrange the peas on a large platter, interspersing the drained red pepper strips in a decorative fashion. Whisk the dressing and drizzle over the vegetables. -lm LEE MAGAZINE 11

G A R D E N

It’s the Berries!

• I planted the bushes too close together not realizing how big they would grow. Now, while I can easily pick the outside branches, I have to crawl into the middle of the four to pick the inside branches. At least crawling around keeps me in the shade of blueberries, but when I stand up, my knees remind me I’m getting too old for this. To adapt my crowded bushes to my aching knees, I pruned some of the middle branches to make a tent. Now I can sit in my private arbor atop a five-gallon bucket and bring in the harvest. I learned. Today I have more than thirty blueberry bushes. This flowering shrub native to North America is tolerant of our heat and humidity. There are plenty of reasons to add them to your landscape — and your diet. The fruit is a powerful antioxidant, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center. Antioxidants absorb free oxygen radicals, which play a role in cancer, heart disease, skin sagging and other signs of aging. One study at the University of Houston showed old rats fed lots of blueberries

GETTING THE BLUES IS A GOOD THING By Patti Householder We did not have blueberry bushes when I was growing up outside of Auburn. When I moved home after twenty-five years away, I had to have blueberries. I planted four blueberry bushes and did everything wrong, but I’m still savoring the benefits of my first plantings, which fruit in

12 LEE MAGAZINE

abundance now through mid-August. Among my mistakes: • Instead of plucking flowers off the first few years to prevent the formation of berries so the plant’s energy goes into root development, I ate what few berries emerged.

maintained their learning ability better than rats not fed blueberries. I can eat my weight (I am not saying how much that is) in fresh blueberries. I justify my gluttony by telling myself that I am fighting aging. Blueberries are easy to grow organically,

with few pests and disease problems. They require acidic, welldrained soil, with a pH of four to five, and full sun. Have your soil tested to see if you need to amend it. The shrubs are deciduous — meaning they lose their leaves. Their new growth is bronze in spring. In fall, the leaves show great color, adding to their versatility as a landscape plant. Their size ranges widely. Some varieties will grow no more than three feet tall and wide, and others are eight feet tall and wide. Rabbiteye varieties are most common in our area; Climax, Brightwell, and Premier produce in early season, Tifblue and Powderblue in midseason, and Centurion in late season. I have an evergreen variety called Sunshine, which grows no more than three or four feet, and has small tasty berries. And this year I added two new shrubs: KaBluey, with berries reputed to carry sweetness with hints of peach, strawberry, and raspberry, and Chandler, which boasts berries the size of quarters and bears for six weeks. Late fall and early spring are the best times to plant. Watering during the first year, while roots establish, is crucial. This is one of my family’s favorite during blueberry season:

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Blueberry Pound Cake Non-stick cooking spray. 1 package of yellow or white cake mix 1 8-ounce package light cream cheese 2 eggs 1 1/3 cup water 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla 2 cups of blueberries, fresh 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour. In large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except blueberries and pecans. Fold in blueberries and pecans. Pour batter into a 10inch Bundt pan coated with no stick cooking spray and dusted with flour. Bake 45 minutes, testing for doneness. The cake is done when a toothpick in its center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, invert, and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. -lm Patti Householder is the president of Lee County Master Gardeners and lives in Loachapoka with husband Jerry

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B R A W N

THE AGONY OF THE FEET Finding the right shoe for your workout By Lisa Gallagher Judy went for a walk with her office mates and took a spill. She stumbled on a rock and went down hard on her hands and knees. Thankfully the damage was limited to a bloody scrape and a hole in her scrub pants. Judy loves her new toning shoes – sneakers designed to increase toning of the thighs and derriere. Judy wears hers in the office and she’s happy with their performance. She says they improve her posture, and she has even noticed less fatigue and soreness in her lower back and shoulders. So what about the toning shoes caused this agile former marathoner to fall? The answer in the rocker-bottom soles that, according to company claims, create the muscle toning benefits. Although these shoes are OK for a smooth terrain, they are not recommended for rough terrain or lateral motion. One wrong step, and you’re off your rocker. There is little research into whether these shoes live up to the manufacturers claims, but lots of people are wearing them. As with any product, the claims might be loftier than the benefits. Nancy had a different shoe issue. She started taking Zumba and absolutely loved it. Finally an exercise program that wasn’t a boring, do-it-′cause-its-good-for-you task. Within two weeks she was a Zumba addict. She couldn’t wait to get to class and feel the stress leave her body. At the end of week three, though,

14 LEE MAGAZINE

No matter what your sport, there is a shoe out there for you. Do your research, and then work with a local store, or online store, with a good return policy. If you don’t get it right the first time, shop, shop again! both of her knees felt tight and a little sore. She was determined to stick with Zumba, so she iced her knees after every class. It wasn’t enough. A stabbing pain in her right knee often disturbed her sleep. Frustrated, she gave in and took a week off. In the grocery store Nancy ran into her favorite Zumba instructor, Jessica. Jess asked where her enthusiastic, front-row participant had been. After Nancy explained her knee problem Jessica advised her to buy court or aerobic shoes with a smooth bottom. This type of shoe has arch and foot support, and is designed for forward and lateral movement. Now Nancy has a pair of Ryka Studio Ds. She is back to doing the meringue, salsa, cumbia, and mambo to her heart’s content, with very little torque to her knees. Last, meet Lynne. An avid runner and fitness-class enthusiast, she was having trouble with her right big toe. OK, this isn’t a huge problem, but it was annoying that she couldn’t do lunges in BodyPump class. Her toe hurt, and it threw her off balance. She bought a pair of Vibram Fivefinger barefoot running shoes and

noticed an immediate difference. Her toes and forefeet felt great. When she ran in her new shoes she noticed she had to change how she ran. If she let her heel strike first, and rolled through her foot like many runners do, it jarred her right into her jaw. The Vibram running shoes forced her to land on her forefoot. Although research on this type of shoe remains inconclusive, this “barefoot” running method made her feel lighter and faster. Lynne is planning to work up to her previous running distance slowly, to give her feet a chance to get stronger, and her calves to adapt to the new running gait. No matter what your sport, there is a shoe out there for you. Do your research, and then work with a local store, or online store, with a good return policy. If you don’t get it right the first time, shop, shop again!

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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F A S H I O N

Look for something that just skims the floor, especially since the ideal shoe is a flat sandal — gladiators are so chic. Fawcett, Mary Tyler Moore, and Faye Dunaway for inspiration. I probably wouldn’t try a full-out Farrah feathered blow out, but more power to you if you can pull off a more modern, less … big version of the style. Or maybe a big floppy sun hat is more your thing. I feel more carefree and fun just thinking about it. The style gods have ruled skinny jeans are (finally) out. While they’re easy to style and perfect for wearing with tall boots in the fall, there’s no reason to limit yourself to them this summer —does anyone in Alabama wear long pants in the summer, anyway? Flared jeans — or khakis if you’re office-bound — are where it’s at. With the unbearable heat, look for lightweight cotton. Heavy cotton denim is uncomfortably hot. If you’re

A Flare for the Seventies j

Bring out your inner Farrah ... or Patti Smith By Taylor Dungjen

The Seventies — though I wasn’t even a thought at the time — were awesome. Far out, even. Political scandals, Bohemian Rhapsody, gamechanging journalism, and bell bottoms — nearly every bit of the decade rocked. Since I couldn’t be there to experience 16 LEE MAGAZINE

it the first time around, I’m hoping to channel it this summer, and perhaps beyond, by taking it from my closet to the mean streets of my neighborhood. I think I’ll listen to The Bee Gees to get in the mood and relentlessly Google seventies fashion icons like Farrah

uncomfortable, it won’t matter how good you look. Until I started researching seventies bell-bottoms and flares, I hadn’t realized how subtle yet important details make all the difference between a genuine-looking garment and a decades-later copy.

When flare jeans made a comeback in the nineties, they were tight through the hip and down past the knee, only flaring at about mid calf. The seventies pants were still snug through the hip, but were loose at the knee. It’s a subtle difference, but still noticeable. Perhaps more easily integrated into the sweltering heat are maxi dresses. I have never found a maxi dress that looks right on me, but that doesn’t stop me from being incredibly jealous of every woman who seems to get it right and makes it work. Length is important here. Picking a dress that’s too short is equivalent to wearing jeans that are too short. Don’t you hate hearing some smart mouth ask, “Where’s the flood?” Not my fault the pants shrunk in the wash. Look for something that just skims the floor, especially since the ideal shoe is a flat sandal — gladiators are so chic. For the height conscious, if you can snag a dress that’s just a hair longer and then pair it with a fun wedge, you’re in business.

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Again, try to avoid heavy fabrics and opt for something more delicate. There’s no limit to style — they come strapless, with long sleeves, and everything in between. There’s an endless range of colors and patterns. Can ya dig it? -lm Taylor Dungjen is a freelance writer who often covers fashion. Write to her at taylor@lee-magazine.com

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S M A R T S

Sharper by the Season Pack Learning Into Your Summer Fun By Janeane Barrett

ver the next two months your child could lose two months of educational acumen. Happy thought, isn’t it? Summer stretches before you with fun things to do, and now I’ve made you worry your kids are about to lose brainpower. But with a little guidance from you, your kids will have fun and learn along the way. Meet this challenge and your child builds great habits for a lifetime. She also will return to school in the fall ready to soar. It’s really not that hard to add learning to summer, and done right, you and your children will get a kick out of it. For instance, are you going to a baseball game?

18 LEE MAGAZINE

Suggest your child read a book about his or her favorite player beforehand. Heading to the beach? Pack a book or children’s magazines with your beach towel, sunscreen, and snacks. Reading just ten to fifteen minutes a day makes a difference. If your child is resistant, read to her while she eats her snack. Children will learn a lot if they help with travel plans. Send for brochures for all the states you will visit and read about the things to see and do. Even if you’re staying near home, there is plenty to read about. You could fill a summer and more with Civil Rights sites alone. Reading plays a central role in helping children maintain their skills. Reading as few as five or six books should be enough

to ward off summer setback, and reading more could actually advance your child’s skills. So help them select books that interest them, written at their level. One way you can find out if a book is a good match for your child’s reading skills is the “Five Finger Rule.” When your child has a book she’s excited to take home, have her read a page. Every time she encounters a word she doesn’t know, hold up a finger. If there are five or more fingers up by the end of the page, that’s a book you should read together. Pick an easier one for her to read alone. Fortunately, the children’s librarians in both Auburn and Opelika are well aware of the research on summer setback and have designed sensational summer reading

programs to motivate children to develop positive attitudes about reading and books. “Children and students who participate in summer reading activities continue their intellectual development from one academic year to the next,” said Eve Kneeland, the children’s librarian at the Auburn Public Library, explains. “Studies have shown that those who do not read during the summer continue to drop

behind, and by sixth grade, may be as much as two academic years behind those who actively participate in reading activities in the summer.” Tim Cooper, the children’s librarian at the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library in Opelika, agrees. “We want to help children maintain their reading skills during the summer vacation and encourage our younger patrons to use the library.”

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In addition, many schools have reading incentive programs. If your child’s school has a summer reading program, enroll them. Schools may send home a suggested reading list and ask you to verify what your youngster reads. But don’t turn all this reading into a chore. Make it fun, and get it done. -lm

Auburn resident Janeane Barrett recently retired from Auburn City Schools

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M O M I T U D E

EMERGENCY! ... I THINK

Our good friends, the hospital staff By Kelly Frick

t’s a bad sign when the emergency room doctor greets you with, “It’s nice to see you again.” Emphasis on “again.” Yes, we’re regulars at the emergency department. Fortunately, my children do not have a chronic illness. (God bless parents forced to deal with that.) My two kids are just klutzy — and rarely get hurt during their pediatrician’s office hours. The problem with klutzy kids is that you are never quite sure how bad their injuries are. Does the fall need a hug and a BandAid, or are we looking at six weeks in a cast. I can never tell. My most recent adventure in emergency medicine started when I arrived home from work last week. My sitter met me at the door, upset.

20 LEE MAGAZINE

“John fell off the swing set and landed on his head.” I’ve learned not to panic in these instances. I have no more panic left. I walked in to find John, age eight, sitting on the couch watching TV. He looked perfectly OK to me. No tears. No blood.

Greeeeaaaaat. I called an emergency room nurse I know — my mom. (I know, right? How lucky is that?) She sounded concerned. “You never know about neck injuries. He should probably have x-rays.”

After his warm greeting, the doctor examined John and ordered x-rays. As soon as doc left the room, John jumped off the bed and began dancing, doing moves that would put Elvis in traction. “Are you feeling OK, buddy?” I said to him. “Yeah,” he said.”Just my neck sort of hurts.”

We were leaving for the ER when my husband pulled into the driveway. “Hop in,” I called to him. “We’re headed to the hospital.”

“Again?” “Again.” You see, if emergency rooms had frequent customer cards like a coffee shop, we’d be on a free visit by now. I’ve had Emma to the ER for a broken arm, strep throat, dislocated elbow, a virus that caused a fever for six days, and another broken arm. John is still catching up with that record. He’s had a double ear infection and some injury that I can’t recall now because he was fine. This time, however, I was concerned. Landing on your head can’t be good. fter his warm greeting, the doctor examined John and ordered x-rays. As soon as doc left the room, John jumped off the bed and began dancing, doing moves that would put Elvis in traction.

“I’m pretty sure this is a waste of time,” my husband said, as we watched our gyrating son. “And money,” I added. But by this point, we’re committed. The wheelchair is waiting to take him to x-ray. And, big surprise, little Elvis was just fine. The doctor told him to be more careful in the future and take some Tylenol for the pain. I was a little chagrined to have wasted everyone’s time until I thought back to my own ER experience many, many years ago. Remember how I said my mom is an emergency room nurse? When I was twelve, I was klutzy too (Does this surprise you?) I was fooling around and twisted my ankle. I could barely walk. My mother, however, said, “I’ve seen a lot worse than that. Walk it off.” I couldn’t walk it off. I couldn’t suck it

up. I couldn’t shake it off. It took me fourteen hours to convince my mother I needed to see a doctor. I had a fractured tibia. And in a moment sweet to recall, my mother apologized to me. For eight weeks I wore a cast from my toes to my thigh, for two I wore a shorter one, and for a lifetime I have the pleasure of rubbing it in with Mom. I was happy to take John home without any fiberglass on his body, or prescription to fill — despite fleeting feelings that an injury would have at least absolved me of embarrassment. But better safe than sorry, right? Still, we’ve asked the hospital to consider a frequent-customer card. So far, no one has responded. -lm Kelly Frick is a writer and mother of two.

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LEE MAGAZINE 21

A Shock to the System LINDA DRUMMOND AND THE TAMING OF THE BRAIN Story by Mary Wood Littleton

inda Drummond’s handwriting was changing. Her normal loops and flourishes were shrinking into a cramped scrawl that was work to put on the page. It was 2001. She was thirty-nine years old with two daughters, six and nine. She thought she had pinched a nerve in her neck. She thought that might also account for the new tremor in her right hand. An orthopedic doctor poked, prodded, and tested in search of a cause for her troubles. He injected pain medicine into her spinal column and cortisone into her muscles, all in an attempt to fix the tremor. Nothing worked.

22 LEE MAGAZINE

Stumped, he sent her to a neurologist. That was 2002. The neurologist thought she had something called essential tremor, which makes hands shake. He put her on antiseizure medication. A pharmacist’s error led to an overdose. The pills were five times stronger than the doctor prescribed. The overdose put her in bed for days, worse than before. Discouraged, she waited four years to visit a doctor again. By then, every day was an exhausting battle. Her gait had changed, her walk had slowed, and she had trouble starting from a dead stop; it

was like pressing the accelerator in the car and never knowing when the engine would catch. “When I went somewhere with friends, I couldn’t keep up. I was shuffling my feet,” she said. When she washed her hair, her hands wouldn’t coordinate to scrub her scalp. And the tremor in her right hand was worse. She had to ask her husband, Dave, to help her with things she once did easily herself. Even the way she interacted with daughters Jordan and Mallory changed. “It was hard for them to understand that they couldn’t just rush up and hug me,”

People who meet Charter Bank Regional President Linda Drummond today would never know she’s battled Parkinson’s disease since she was thirty-nine.

she said. “They’d run up, and I’d say, ‘You have to give Mama a warning, because I could fall backwards. You got to warn me.’” till, in many ways, she went on as always, and successfully. In 2005, she became regional president of Charter Bank, where she had worked since 1990. The next year, though, she returned to the neurologist who had diagnosed her with essential tremor. He immediately realized his mistake. She had Parkinson’s disease. She was younger than most Parkinson’s patients. The average age of onset is sixty. But by this visit, she had

expected the diagnosis. “I just kind of knew that’s what I had, so it didn’t really shock me. I just kind of went cold. It shocked my family more.” Her sister Abbey Lee acquired many books on the disease, but Drummond just pushed them to the side. “I went into the denial mode. I had a very public job and I was in the hiding mode,” she said. She worked mightily to control her tremors so bank customers wouldn’t know how sick she was. The effort to hide symptoms left her exhausted and even sore. Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative

disorder of the central nervous system that initially causes shaking and rigidity. Movement slows, balance suffers, and walking grows difficult. The symptoms result from an unexplained but gradual death of a group of neurons that produce dopamine in the brain. Dopamine plays a critical role in movement. Although the disease is not terminal, the symptoms worsen over time, and there is no cure. oday, few would know Linda Drummond battles a life-changing diagnosis. Her symptoms are barely detectable. “I recently went horseback riding in the

LEE MAGAZINE 23

Dominican Republic,” she said. “That’s something I couldn’t have even imagined doing a couple of years ago.” But the journey to this moment took everything she had. The Parkinson’s diagnosis didn’t come with effective treatment. None of the anti-Parkinson’s medications the neurologist gave her seemed to work. Instead, they caused itching, a rash, and redness. Her tongue swelled. She was allergic to the drugs. “They were just horrible. They made you crazy.” They caused hallucinations and sleepwalking. “I call 2007 the year I lived outside myself,” she said. ne morning that year she woke to find she had filled out a stack of forms to accounts payable. Normally, each would instruct the accounts payable department to write a check to pay a specific bill. These didn’t. “They were just filled out all crazy. I remember doing it, but I was not in my right mind.” One form asked that a check for $500 be made out to her. In the “for” section she’d written, “In need of rest.” After that nightmare year, her neurologist retreated. “I think he thought I was a hypochondriac. He got tired of fooling with me.” The neurologist’s office called her. “The doctor says there’s nothing else he can do for you,” a staff member said. That was December 2007. Abandoned by her caregiver, she trudged forward without medication for the next eight months. It was a nightmare. But through it all, the 1980 graduate of Opelika High never stopped working. “I have an amazingly supportive staff here,”

24 LEE MAGAZINE

Before her brain surgery, Drummond invited girlfriends over for a head-shaving party. “I thought it would help everybody get over the shock of seeing me bald,” she said.

boasted Drummond. “We’ve had the same group for six years. They really watch out for me. When they’d see me shuffling across the lobby, they’d say ‘Big steps! Take big steps!’” Parkinson’s patients tend to use ever-smaller movements. he buzzing of a pager also helped keep up her spirits. It isn’t your usual pager. When it sounded, it meant someone was praying for her. “It would go off hundreds of times a day. When it did, it was just very emotional. I met a couple from church who my husband knows but I’d never met. The woman said, ‘I pray for you at 9 o’clock every day. When your pager goes off, you’ll know it’s me.’ To meet that person, to know she was sending that page, that she was praying for me, was very emotional for me.”

Her friend, Lisa Beck, owner of the Event Center Downtown in Opelika, watched Drummond’s efforts. “She always puts others first; she just shows up,” Beck said. Beck organized a party in Drummond’s honor, to pay her back for all the good she did. But even with these many signs of support, without medication, the disease was beating her up. “It makes me feel like the Tin Man with no grease. I’m slow. I’m rigid. The tremors were bad. I’m hopeless and I don’t know where to turn,” she said. “That’s when three different angels appeared to me.” One day in May 2008 a man from Atlanta visited to talk to her about the company

that built her house and the one he wanted to buy a few doors away. During the conversation he revealed that his wife had Parkinson’s. Her neurologist, Dr. Ray Watts, had moved from Emory University in Atlanta to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. he visit made Drummond remember something, and she paged through her phone log to see the notes she made during a September call. Her records revealed that an out-of-state coworker had praised a neurologist at UAB. The neurologist’s

able to make better.” She wanted to try something she had only read about, a surgery called deep-brain stimulation, in which surgeons implant electrodes in the brain to control Parkinson’s symptoms. “When can we talk about surgery?’” she asked him. “We can talk about surgery,” he answered. “But you need to get your mind right. You’ve had a traumatic experience. Just hold on, bear with me, give yourself a rest, and come back in January.” In January 2009, Watts put her on the drug long used for effective Parkinson’s control — Sinemet. It includes a chemical called levadopa, which the brain converts to dopamine. If she responded to Sinemet, she might be a candidate for surgery, he told her. Respond she did. Unfortunately, the drug doesn’t help forever. As the brain loses more dopamine-producing neurons, the Sinemet dosage must increase. But higher doses of Sinemet come with a sizeable side effect — writhing involuntary movements called dyskinesia. y summer of 2009, she could no longer tolerate the Sinemet. “The side effects were worse than Parkinson’s.” And the abnormal, repetitive movements produced pain. Now, as far as she was concerned, surgery was her only option. But no one was talking about it. She asked the nurse practitioner

Having people see her without hair was no big deal to Linda after what she’s been through.

name? Dr. Ray Watts. The day after the Atlanta man’s visit, a friend came into the bank with a message. “She goes, ‘Linda, there’s this guy you need to see.’” The friend had heard his name during her own hospital stay. “Everybody raved about him. His name is Dr. Ray Watts.’ “It was like God was slapping me in the face saying, ‘Hello!’ I got right on the phone.” Dr. Ray L. Watts isn’t just any neurologist. He’s the author of more than thirty research papers, most on Parkinson’s disease and its treatment. He’s also dean of the UAB School of Medicine and senior vice president for medicine at the university. While at Emory, he helped develop a highly regarded research and clinical center for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. He arrived at UAB pledging to make its neurology department one of the top 10 in the nation. Drummond saw him in September of 2008, and he put her on a well-known Parkinson’s drug, Azilect. True to form for Drummond, it had absolutely the wrong effect. “It made the tremors worse. I just had a total meltdown.” The neurologist counseled her not to lose heart. “I can’t cure you,” Watts told her. “But I’ve never met anybody I haven’t been

Linda and David with daughters Mallory and Jordan.

who was her regular contact in Watts’ office, “When does it become my decision, not your decision, to choose surgery?” The nurse talked around the subject, so Drummond repeated, “When does it become my decision, not your decision, to choose surgery?” Finally, her insistence worked, and she was on the path to surgery. Deep-brain stimulation involves implanting an electrode no wider than the thickness of a credit card into the brain. When placed in the right spot, a steady low-voltage pulse is thought to LEE MAGAZINE 25

Just before surgery, wearing the “halo” a surgeon screwed into her skull, Linda hears a pep talk from her husband, David.

block the noise from misfiring neurons, although just how the pulses improve Parkinson’s symptoms isn’t certain. Despite its success, the procedure carries a serious risk of complications and side effects. Drummond was undaunted. “I wanted to be able to work another fifteen years, to travel, to exercise again. I was completely at peace because I just knew the surgery would work for me. I was absolutely willing to take the risk.” efore her first surgery – her Parkinson’s required a surgery in each of the brain’s two halves — Drummond invited her girlfriends over for a head-shaving party. “I thought it would help everybody get over the shock of seeing me bald,” she said, “and it felt like a celebration and a sendoff for me. We had a lot of fun.” Her friends shared her excitement. “I was just so nervous for her and excited at the same time,” said Beck. “She had been

26 LEE MAGAZINE

so hopeful for this surgery for so long, and she went through so much to get approved. It was great when she found out she was finally going to have it. And the results were almost immediately miraculous.” Drummond was awake for the surgery. Surgeons needed to ask her to speak and gesture to ensure the electrodes were in the proper position. First, the surgeon screwed a metal frame called a halo into her skull so she would be unable to move while surgeons drilled a hole in her skull and inserted the electrode. he procedure itself was a weird sensation. “I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear the drill and feel the pressure on top of my head. It is freaky,” she said. At one point, she could hear the surgeons whispering behind her. It seemed to go on for twenty minutes -- although she now suspects far less time elapsed. “I could hear them talking that there was a problem. Something was wrong. I finally

said, ‘Hello! I’m here! What’s wrong?’” The doctors, suddenly realizing she’d been listening in, quickly assured her, “It’s not you. We’re talking about the machine.” It was unnerving, she said. “You don’t have someone awake with their brain open talking about a problem.” But no matter the fright, it was worth it. Although two weeks would pass before doctors turned on the electrode, the effect of surgery is immediate. “There’s a little honeymoon period,” Drummond said. “It’s from the testing during surgery. They tickle that little part of your brain, and you immediately feel better. Immediately, I wasn’t shaking. I walked better. I’m balanced.” She was back at work in a week. “I’d just put on my wig and go,” she said. “I felt so much better almost immediately. I got my life back!” ive days after the surgery, they implanted a stimulator under the

“I think positively, but you never know what the future holds, you don’t take anything for granted. And you just take things one day at a time and remember how blessed you are.” - Linda Drummond skin of her chest, near her collarbone. It was connected by wires beneath her skin to the electrode in her head. A week after that, they turned the device on. “It felt like a wave of motion for about five seconds,” she said. Then she was fine. “It has been amazing.” The first surgery placed an electrode in the left side of her brain, which controls movement on the right side of the body, where Drummond’s tremors were worst. On January 10 last year, her neurologist asked her, “What’s your biggest complaint?” “The tremors on my left side,” she said. Four months later, surgeons put an electrode in the right side of her brain and took those tremors away. ow most of Drummond’s symptoms are controlled by electric stimuli sent intermittently to the brain — 3.9 volts to the left side, 2.8 volts to the right. The stimulator under her skin controls the voltage, and she can adjust it with a remote control she carries in her purse. Every three to five years, surgeons will replace the battery in her chest unit. “My daughters Mallory and Jordan call it my ‘evil twin’,” she says with a laugh. “But it doesn’t bother me. I’m just so happy to be able to do everything again, like changing a light bulb or drying myself off from the shower. I had to rely on my husband, David, for that. I felt like such a burden.” Drummond still takes Sinemet to treat tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control, but the dosage is about half of what she took before surgery. You can find Drummond many mornings at the Opelika SportsPlex working out. She and Dave will be heading to Alaska on a cruise with two other couples in July. Later, she’ll go on

a mission trip to work in an orphanage in Honduras -- an impossible prospect just two years ago. Drummond also got involved with the newly formed Auburn/Opelika Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, which meets the second Sunday of each month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Monarch Estates, 1550 East University Drive, Auburn. She says the group helps her cope, and it allows her to help others by sharing her experiences. Recently, Drummond was appointed to the Parkinson Association of Alabama’s Board of Directors. “I think positively, but you never know what the future holds,” Drummond said. “You don’t take anything for granted. And you just take things one day at a time and remember how blessed you are.” Drummond says she gets her strength and positive outlook from her friends and

her faith. She remembers a sermon her pastor gave six weeks after her last surgery. Steve Scoggins at First Baptist Church in Opelika said, “If we never had a problem and experienced suffering, then we would never know God could help us,” she related. he holds the scripture he recited next in her heart. It seemed to put everything in perspective. It’s from the book of Romans in the New Testament. “We also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” -lm Mary Wood Littleton is a freelance writer from Auburn, Ala., and executive director of the Greater Peace Community Development Corporation in Opelika.

LEE MAGAZINE 27

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901 South College Street, Auburn. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4:45 p .m. Saturday. Admission: free. Information: 844-1484. LEE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, 1140 Ware Drive, Auburn. Adoption hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Drop offs strays or pick up found pets: Tuesday through Sunday, 8:30 to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Information: 821-3222; lchs@leecountyhumane.org. LEWIS COOPER JUNIOR MEMORIAL LIBRARY,

200 South Sixth Street, Opelika. Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Information: 705-5380 LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 6500

Stage Road (Highway 14), Loachapoka. Hours: Second Saturday of every month, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Information: 887-3007, webmaster@ leecountyhistoricalsociety.org. LOUISE KREHER FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE,

3100 Highway 147 North, Auburn. Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: free. Information: 707-6512.

WHEN

Thach Avenue, Auburn. Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 2-6 p.m. Information: 501-3190.

ONGOING: The Lee County Humane Society, 1140 Ware Drive, Auburn, offers Tuxedo Tuesday discounts for “tuxedo” wearing pets. All adoptions of black-and-white cats and dogs, as well as solid black cats and dogs, are $50. Information: 821-3222. ONGOING THROUGH JULY 23: Reconsidering Regionalism: Contemporary Prints About the South, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission is free. ONGOING THROUGH JUNE 24: Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center sponsors the 13th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, a competitive exhibit open to Lee County artists and craftsmen. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. ONGOING THROUGH JULY 30: Human Condition, a multimedia art exhibit of works by Christian Hamrick and Allison Hutto, at The Layman Group Loft, 168 East Magnolia Avenue (the top floor of Behind the Glass). Hours: 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free. Information: (206) 338-3930, public@laymangroup.com. ONGOING THROUGH AUGUST 23:

The Art of Frank Applebee, at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission is free. ONGOING THROUGH JUNE 27 AND AUGUST 27: Enter your pet in the Best Friends Calendar Contest through June 27. Vote for your favorite pet contestant June 27 to August 27. Enter pets online at www. leecountyhumane.org/special/calendar.html or by mail. Entry forms available online or at the Humane Society, 1140 Ware Drive, Auburn, 36832. Entries are $10 apiece, and votes are $1. The pet with the most votes will be the cover girl – or cover boy – and receive a pet portrait session. The next ten highest vote getters will fill other months. The best pet photo will also be featured one month as “Best in Show.” Information: 821-3222 ONGOING THROUGH JUNE: The Lee County Humane Society eliminates processing fees for all cats four months and older during Feline Frenzy. All cats adopted in June will be spayed, neutered, micro-chipped, with up-to-date vaccinations. Adopters must have a valid driver’s license or governmentissued identification and complete an application: Information: 821-3222 ONGOING THROUGH OCTOBER 8: The Royal Octavo Editions, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission is free. EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY THROUGH AUGUST: Learn to make jewelry, 6 to 8 p.m. at Wire Wrapping and Wine Night, Perch Bead Studio, 416 South Gay

Street, Auburn. Reservations: 209-1378. JUNE 22, 29, JULY 6, 13, 20, 27, AND AUGUST 3, 10, 17: Toddler Time at 10 a.m. at the Auburn Public Library for children eighteen months to three years and their parents to listen to a story and make crafts. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196. JUNE 22, 29, JULY 6, 13, 20, AND 27 AND AUGUST 3: Rising kindergarten through fifth graders are invited to Salmagundi, 2 p.m. at Auburn Public Library. Admission is free. EVERY THURSDAY THROUGH AUGUST: Learn to make jewelry at Beads and Bagels, 11 a.m. at Perch Bead Studio, 416 South Gay Street, Auburn. Reservations: 209-1378.

GUST 6: Art Club for kids in pre-kindergarten through second grade, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Admission is free. JUNE 25, JULY 9, 16, 23, AND 20, AND AUGUST 6: Art Club for kids in third through sixth grades, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. JUNE 25, JULY 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, AND AUGUST 6: Legos for Young Adults for high school students, Auburn Public Library, 10 a.m. Admission is free. JUNE 20 AND 27, JULY 11, 18, 25 ,AND AUGUST 1: Preschool Story Time, children five and under and their parents, Cooper Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Admission is free.

honey, and cheese at the Market at Ag Heritage Park, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Samford Avenue and Donahue Drive, Auburn. Open rain or shine, unless severe weather threatens. Information: 321-1603. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 7,14, 21, 28 AND AUGUST 4, 11, 18, 25: Preschool Story Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, for children three to five and their parents. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196. JUNE 21, JULY 19, AND AUGUST 2: Bingo Lunch for seniors, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Dean Road Recreation Center, 307 South Dean Road, Auburn. Admission is free. Bring a covered dish and a friend. Information: 501-2930. JUNE 20: Auburn Summer Jazz Concert, 7:30 p.m., Goodwin Recital Hall, Auburn University. Admission: $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID; $10 for others. Information: 844-4748.

JUNE 23, 30, JULY 7, 14, 21, 28, AND AUGUST 4: Stock up on fruits, vegetables, honey, and cheese at the Market at Ag Heritage Park, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Samford Avenue and Donahue Drive, Auburn. Open rain or shine, unless severe weather threatens. Information: 321-1603.

JUNE 21, 28, JULY 5, 12, 19, AND, 26 AND AUGUST 2: Kindergartners through fifth graders and their parents are invited to the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve for a Spring Discovery Hike. Admission is free. The walk is canceled if it’s raining.

JUNE 23, 30, JULY 7,14, 21, 28 AND AUGUST 4, 11, 18, 25: Preschool Story Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, for children three to five and their parents. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196.

JUNE 24, JULY 5, 12, 19, 26 AND AUGUST 2: Baby Time, stories and crafts for children six months to eighteen months and their parents, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196.

JUNE 24, JULY 8, 15, 22, 29, AND AUGUST 5: Teens in seventh through twelfth grades are invited to Art Club for Teens, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, noon to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

JUNE 24, JULY 5, 12, 19, 26 AND AUGUST 2: Tween Movie Time, rising fifth through eighth graders, 2 p.m., Auburn Public Library. Admission is free.

JUNE 25: Turtles, Terrapins, and Tortoises are the subject 10 a.m., Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Members, $2; nonmembers, $3. No registration required.

JUNE 24, JULY 5, 12, 19, AND 26 AND AUGUST 2: Teen Café at the Auburn Public Library. High school students can play Wii games, read graphic novels, dance, and listen to music. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196.

JUNE 28: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents Bill J. Brooks’ Elvis Lives, 7p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs, from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560.

JUNE 24, JULY 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 AND AUGUST 5: Kids through eighth grade are invited to Auburn Public Library for Lego Play All Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196. JUNE 25, JULY 9, 16, 23, 30 AND AU-

JUNE 23, 30, JULY 7, 14, 21, 28, AND AUGUST 4: Stock up on fruits, vegetables,

JUNE 21: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents The Fedoras, 7 p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560.

JUNE 29 THROUGH JULY 28: Summer

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Calendar continued Invitational 2011, an exhibition of artists affiliated with the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Admission is free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: 501-2963. JUNE 30 AND JULY 14 AND, 28: Third through fifth graders can participate in Junior Book Blog at Cooper Memorial Library. Kids can pick up a book list from the children’s desk. If they read seven books on the list and write a paragraph about the books by the deadline, they win a prize.

JULY 1 AND AUGUST 5: Writers, poets, and storytellers share their work at Expressions Café at Gnu’s Room, 414 South Gay Street, Auburn. Admission is free. Information: 821-5550. JULY 1, 8, 15, 22, AND 29: Movie Day at Cooper Memorial Library at 1:30 p.m. The library provides the popcorn. Admission is free. JULY 1: Opelika Fourth of July Freedom Celebration beginning 6:30 p.m., Opelika High School Football Practice Field, 1700 Lafayette Parkway. There will be the music of Muse, bounce houses, skydivers, and a fireworks display. Admission is free. Information: 705-5560. JULY 4: Auburn Fourth of July Celebration begins 6 p.m. at Duck Samford Football Stadium, 1600 East University Drive, including food, the music of the Weston Burt Band, goodies, and fireworks. Entertainment starts at 7 p.m. Parking available in the lot off East University Drive across from Winn Dixie Shopping Center. Admission is free. JULY 5: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents Crossroads, 7p.m., Opelika

Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560. JULY 5, 12, 19, 26: Summer Discovery Hikes, Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., for children five to twelve and their parents. Free. JULY 7, 14, 21, 28: Summer Nature Walks, Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Free. JULY 9: Enjoy Second Saturday at the Lee County Historical Society, 6500 Stage Road in Loachapoka, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Information: 887-3007. JULY 11, 18, 25: Forest Friends, 8:30 A.M. to 10 a.m. Ages 2 through 5, and their parents, Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Registration required. Information: 844-8091. JULY 12: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents Adam Hood, 7 p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560. JULY 19: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents Muse, 7p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560. JULY 21: The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art stays open until 8 p.m. for Third Thursday Late Night. JULY 22: Country Music Night with Ronnie McDowell at the Event Center

Downtown, 614 North Railroad Avenue, Opelika. Tickets are $25 in advance and available at the Event Center. Day of show, tickets are $30. Information: 705-5466. JULY 23: Learn about Venomous Snakes, 9 a.m., Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Admission: $2 members; $3 nonmembers. JULY 26: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents Martha’s Trouble, 7 p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560. JULY 29: The Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series presents Dave Potts, 7:30 p.m., Auburn Unitarian Universalist Church, 450 Thach Avenue. Potts will be recording the performance for his live album. Tickets: $10, students $8, children 12 and under, free. Information: www.sundilla.org. AUGUST 2: The Summer Swing Concert Series presents Fred Jones/The James Brown Trio, 7 p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 705-5560. AUGUST 9: The Summer Swing Concert Series Back to School Bash presents Route 66, 7 p.m., Opelika Municipal Park. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Opelika Band Boosters will sell hamburgers and hotdogs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Information: 7055560.

Have an event you'd like to add to our calendar? Just send your information to: editor@lee-magazine.com

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