Lee Magazine - February/March 2011 by Lee Magazine

LEE M

Her Brothers’ Keeper FREE

VOLUME 4 • NUMBER 1

SANDRA TAYLOR:

LEE

editor’s note

contents M

A G A

FEBUARY/MARCH 2011

hree years ago I sat down with Janeane Barrett and her daughter and talked about Janeane’s husband, Doug, away in Afghanistan. She and daughter Allison were the cover girls for the inaugural issue of Lee Magazine. Today, Janeane, a retired Auburn Public Schools teacher, writes our education column, Smarts. Bringing Janeane on board is just one of the many ways Lee is becoming part of the community. Janeane’s debut with Lee marks an important milestone for my Lee County journey, almost bringing me full circle to our first issue. That makes this a good time to say good-bye and hand things over to a new editor, who I expect will do wonderful things for the magazine. I warned Jessica Armstrong what she was getting into with this job: the hurry-up-and-wait, the deadlines, and the interesting, warm, funny – and even sometimes angry -- people she’ll meet when she takes over as editor. She’s up for it. Beginning with the next issue, she’ll be at the helm. I’m a little jealous, a little sad, and a bit proud to hand it over to her. Jessica is a long-time journalist who teaches at Auburn University. One big advantage she brings to the job is that she’ll be right here in Lee County. As some of you know, I’ve had to manage by visits down Interstate 65 and the Internet. Not the best way to do things, but one that worked for us in these early years. Lee Magazine is and always has been Publisher Beth Snipes’ baby. When Beth first called me and invited me to join her, I was working for a newspaper in Toledo, Ohio. She and I had been friends since working together – I hesitate to say how many decades ago – at a small newspaper in Ohio. I was the city editor. She was the photo editor. By the time the magazine started, my husband’s job had taken us to Louisville, and I began working full-time as a freelancer. My duties with Lee Magazine fit neatly into my new role until time and distance conspired against the arrangement. I want you to have the attention you deserve from an editor who you don’t have to drive all day to meet. And I’m also hoping Jessica’s more organized than I am. So please welcome Jessica Armstrong to Lee Magazine, and thanks for making this such a great experience for me.

6 Food Save Time on Tasty Entrees

8 Garden Magnolias Spring Bloomers

10 Brawn

Promises You Can Keep

12 Fashion Bag It!

14 Smarts

The Lap Classroom

18 Momitude

Name That Babye

Jenni Laidman

20 COVER STORY

SANDRA TAYLOR: In Charge of History

26 Calendar

Plenty to Do in Lee County

COVER PHOTO BY BETH SNIPES

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 Sales manager: Meg Callahan Sales reps: Betsy McLure Blake Copy Editor: Joey Harrison Web Designer: Brock Burgess Distribution: John Snipes

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

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 Connie Cottingham Kelly Frick Janeane Barett

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LEE M

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

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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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By Heida Olin

aybe the economy plays a role, but people crave home cooking right now. The trouble is, few have the time to make the stuff that grandma made and get dinner on the table before Jay Leno comes on the air. We are all so busy that the evening meal frequently ends up being frozen pizza. But convenience doesn’t have to be so blasé. You can make roasted vegetable sauces and rich stocks and freeze them in usable portions. You can freeze leftover salmon and roast an extra chicken. Or you save time and buy grocery store rotisserie chicken, keep canned salmon on hand, and stock up on pre-washed, pre-cut veggies. It’s all tasty. It’s all good.

MAKE IT

Snappy

A short cut to comfort food PORCUPINE MEATBALLS If I don’t make this recipe at least once a month I hear about it. You can use a pressure cooker to make it fast, or cook it in the oven. I include both methods. This recipe can be doubled or tripled. Just make sure the meatballs are partially covered with sauce.

6 LEE MAGAZINE

1 pound ground round 1 small onion, diced 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash’s Extra Spicy seasoning or 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt ¼ cup uncooked long grain rice

Cooking spray 1 can condensed tomato soup or 1 cup of homemade roast tomato sauce. 2 tablespoons water

Mix the ground round, diced onion, Worcestershire, seasoning, and rice.

F O O D Make meatballs about the size of golf balls by patting the ground beef into a square about the thickness of a golf ball. Using a bread knife, cut the square into a grid of equal-size pieces, then roll the pieces in your hand to form balls. For the oven version, spray a 1½- to 2-quart casserole dish or square baking pan with cooking spray. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the bottom of the dish. Mix the water and soup and pour over the meatballs. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for an hour. For the pressure cooker version, pour the tomato soup and water into the pan. While the soup is heating, drop the meatballs into the soup mixture, shaking the pan to distribute the meatballs over the bottom of the pan. They will not be totally covered by the sauce. Cover the pan and bring the pressure to 15 pounds. Let the pressure stay at 15 pounds for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat source and let the pressure come down naturally. This usually takes only a few of minutes.

ing dish with cooking spray and cover the bottom with the onion and celery. Sprinkle rice over the vegetables and shake the dish well so the rice is spread evenly. Lightly season the rice with salt and pepper. Pour broth over the rice, and then nestle the chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture. Cover well with foil and bake for an hour.

GRANDMA’S CHICKEN AND RICE Revised Grandma never used canned cream of mushroom or chicken soup in her chicken and rice; she relied on the seasoned chicken stock and herbs to give it her flavor. Although I use boneless, skinless chicken here, you can substitute a whole chicken, cut up, for more flavor. To make this more convenient, use frozen chopped onion (you can find them in the freezer section of the grocery store), canned chicken broth, and chop up ready-toeat celery.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped ½ cup celery, chopped 1 cup potatoes, cubed 1 cup carrots, grated 2 teaspoons of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning 1 can peas 4 cups chicken broth 1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits ¼ cup of flour ¾ cup milk Parsley (optional)

4- 6 boneless, skinless breast pieces Lawry’s chicken seasoning, any variety Cooking spray 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1½ cups uncooked long-grain rice Salt and pepper to taste 3 cups chicken broth

Spray the chicken breast pieces with cooking spray and press on chicken rub. Set aside about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 13-by-9-inch bak-

CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS 2011 This was always a Sunday dish when I was growing up. Grandma would start the chicken simmering on the stove before church then come home, throw on an apron, and be elbow deep in the floury dough within minutes. For the same results in less time, use Purdue Short Cuts chicken strips already cooked or a grocery store rotisserie chick. Simply Potatoes, in the dairy section, has precooked cubed potatoes you can just bring to a boil. Grated carrots, ready-to-eat celery, and frozen chopped onion complete your short cuts. You can get this dish to the table in 30 minutes.

Heat Dutch oven with about a tablespoon of cooking oil. Add onions and celery, sautéing until onions are transparent. Stir in the chicken, potatoes, carrots, and Creole seasoning. Add the liquid from the can of peas and set the peas aside. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender — about 10 minutes depending on the size of your cubed potatoes. Meanwhile quarter each

biscuit. Blend milk and flour together and add it and peas into cooking liquid and return to boil. Drop the biscuits on the top, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and check that the biscuits are firm, not doughy, and keep warm until ready to serve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

QUICK SALMON PATTIES Canned red salmon has all the goodness of fresh salmon. Although a little pricy, it’s worth keeping a couple of cans on the shelf. It’s great for tossing with pasta and a cream sauce or making into a salmon loaf. 1 can of red salmon 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon dried parsley 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped Lemon pepper to taste 3 slices of bread pulsed in the food processor to fine crumbs Fine dry breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs (optional) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, cut into eighths

Drain the salmon, reserving the liquid. Place the salmon in a large bowl and remove any of the silver skin or large bones. (Salmon bones are edible and the tiny ones actually dissolve into the meat when cooking, but the large ones just make the patty unappetizing.) In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the reserved salmon liquid, and parsley. Stir this mixture, the scallions, and lemon pepper into the salmon, then add the fresh breadcrumbs, stirring with a light hand so the mixture remains somewhat loose. Form into patties that fit into the palm of your hand. Then, if desired, dredge in dry breadcrumbs. Sauté patties in melted butter and olive oil. Serve with lemon.

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 7

G A R D E N

Photos by Connie Cottingham

Magnolia madness

Oriental species (M. liliflora) to create M. x soulangeana, introduced to American gardens in 1820. These are the saucer magnolias, twenty- to thirty-foot deciduous trees that bloom in a variety of colors. They are hardy from zones four to nine, but susceptible to late winter freezes. Another group has star-shaped flowers. Star magnolia (M. stellata) is a deciduous species native to Japan. The fragrantblooms are usually white, with strappy petals, on a shrub that reaches fifteen to twenty feet. Kobus magnolia (M. kobus) is another Japanese native with star-shaped flower that can reach thirty to forty feet. Both were introduced in the 1860s and

In search of the perfect deciduous bloomer By Connie Cottingham

he majestic Southern mag- or www.hydrangea.com (770)463-2400). nolia tree, with glossy green Magnolias are among the most ancient leaves and creamy summer and primitive of flowering plants, growblooms, is fundamental ing among ginkgos and redwoods millions to our landscapes, native of years ago. The first magnolia brought woodlands, and local art. But there are so to England, a country with no native many more magnolias you magnolias, should know. was the semiIn fact, there are more evergreen than two hundred eversweetbay or green, semi-evergreen, and swamp magdeciduous species of magnolia (Magnolias. The Magnolia Socinolia virginiety lists more than a thouana), sent to sand named varieties. If you the Bishop are fond of the evergreen of London Southern magnolia, you will Decidous magnolia by one of his fall in love with the deciduous magnolias. missionaries in America in 1687. Our Deciduous magnolias, which drop their native evergreen Southern magnolia (M. leaves in fall and bloom in early spring grandiflora) arrived in England in the (usually February and March), are among 1700s. Asian species of magnolias made the most elegant magnolias, often with the trip this way by the late 1700s. large, graceful blooms that stand out on Yulan magnolia (M. denuta), from cenbare branches. I will describe some of the tral China, was introduced in 1789. About more popular deciduous species and let thirty feet tall, this plant has creamy buds you search your local nurseries and plant and white flowers. Early blooming makes catalogs for available plants. One area it susceptible to late freezes. nursery for deciduous magnolias is WilkIn the early 1800s, a French Cavalry erson Mill Gardens in Palmetto, Georgia ( officer crossed the Yulan with another

8 LEE MAGAZINE

are among the most cold tolerant (zone four) deciduous magnolias, but they take the heat well too. There is even a group of deciduous magnolias native to the United states. I have seen two in their native habitat, one in northern Arkansas, another in southern Mississippi. Each had leaves more than twenty-inches long. The best spot for deciduous magnolias would have full sun or some afternoon shade or high pine shade, good moisture but also good drainage (not boggy), neutral to acid soils, an evergreen or dark background to show off the blooms, and space to show off these specimen plants. Early blooms mean an occasional late freeze will destroy the blooms, but blossoms in milder springs will more than make up for that. These plants are seldom bothered by pests or diseases. If you need to prune, do so after the plant blooms. As you drive around, visit garden shows, and browse your local nurseries, notice the deciduous magnolias. Such elegance and grace can grow in your garden. Connie Cottingham is licensed in three Southern states as landscape architect. You can reach her at connie@lee-magazine.com.

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Spring tonic KISS those resolutions good-bye By Lisa Gallagher

hate to be cruel but, remember that New Year’s resolution? Or are you trying to forget it with another donut? My neighbor Jeff grew so tired of the annual pattern of resolution failure and selfrecrimination, he swore this year would be different and resolved to gain weight and lose more hair. The start of a new year brings out the optimist in most of us. Fitness centers are full in January and February, and the consistent gym goers complain about “the resolutioners.” Sometimes the complaint

10 LEE MAGAZINE

is followed by, “Oh well, they will be gone by March.” Well March is nearly upon us, so how can you repair that resolution that’s – if you’re like most of us – already broken? Experts advise us to make SMART goals, that is, Specific, Measureable, Action-based, Realistic and Time-based. If this great advice sounds too ambitious, let Jeff be your inspiration. Set KISS goals. You know what that stands for, right? Here are some of my favorites to revive your resolve.

• GO TO BED EARLIER. You’ll get more rest, have more energy, eat less carbohydrate, and are more likely to exercise. • PUT A GLASS of ice water by your bed every night. You’ll drink more water and sleep better. • GET ORGANIZED in order to avoid unnecessary stress. Pack everything you’ll need for tomorrow’s workday tonight. Wake up fresh and prepared, and get to work fifteen minutes early. Less stress

Plan for fun; it doesn’t just happen. A couple of “fun pockets” each week should be a minimum target. equals less belly fat. • DON’T FORGET YOUR LUNCH. If you pack a healthy lunch at home the night before, you will eat less fat, sodium, and calories, and you will eat when you’re hungry. Waiting until you’re starved and then going to a fast-food drive through will sap your energy. • SOAK UP THE SUN to improve your mood, energy, and vitamin D level, boosting your immune system. Fifteen minutes a day, minimum, but wear sunscreen on your face. • LEAVE WORK ON TIME. If you work nine hours instead of eight, and spend your lunch hour at your desk, you probably won’t stop by the gym on your way home. More likely you’ll crash on the couch with a glass of wine and some potato chips. Instead of focusing on the negative, “I should not have those fatty, salty chips,” focus on the basic problem. “I need to save some energy for myself, and not spend it all on work or on others.” • PLAN FOR FUN; it doesn’t just happen. A couple of “fun pockets” each week should be a minimum target. An exercise session with a buddy, lunch with a friend, a glass of wine after work all qualify if they involve smiles and laughter. If you are having trouble sticking to an exercise routine, or finding the time to eat a better diet, following your own set of KISS goals will help. Identify what’s getting in your way. Why are you tired? What’s making you feel stressed? What is sucking up all your time? Is the source of the problem worth the price you’re paying? Can you work around the obstacle? Keep it simple sweetheart, and give yourself credit for all you do accomplish. It’s like giving yourself a great big spring KISS.

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 accessories department. White is still a summer essential (unless you’re like me and will never keep it clean). Expect to experiment with mustard, pumpkin, perhaps a dusty rose and taupe two-toned bag. The big trend this spring is the north/ south handbag – a bag that is taller than it is wide. Be careful if you find yourself swooning over this. If the proportions are off, and it is way taller than it is wide, you risk looking a little like you’re carrying Barney’s (the purple dinosaur, not the department store) bottomless magical bag. The great thing about the north/south bag is how unexpected it will be. It seems the only type of bag in the recent years has been east/west (wider than it is taller). Expect a lot of compliments. Trust me. Based on observations, handbags will also be less likely to be made from canvas

Gottahaveit!

BAGGING FASHION THAT SPANS THE SEASONS By Taylor Dungjen

12 LEE MAGAZINE

said I’d buy it to start the New Year off right. Well, so far, there’s no new bag in my life. Now that I’m thinking about it, it’s tax time, which means I should be getting a refund check any day now. I think this means that this is the perfect time. And, lucky for me, the bag I swoon over every single day happens to fall in line with what’s on point for this season. What you’re likely to run into are lots of (still) oversized bags in solid neutrals. And I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I’m going to bet that there will be many fall-type colors sneaking into your spring and summer wear, especially in the

or look like any of them could double as a beach bag. Soft, slouchy leather should win you over this year. That, too, is a bonus because leathers always translate best into fall and winter. Think of this spring’s investment as a love for all seasons. That’s what I’m planning, anyway. Especially considering what this bag says about me. Dear state and federal government, how’s that refund check coming? What would T-Pop do? The only thing left to do, for me, anyway, is close my eyes, hold my breath and click “buy me.” Taylor Dungjen is a freelance writer who often covers fashion. Write to her at taylor@lee-magazine.com

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very once in awhile a friend on Facebook will post a quiz so stupid I have to see what my results are. From these quizzes I’ve learned a few things about myself. For example, my Jersey Shore name? T-pop. The same friend posted another quiz – interestingly enough, this friend also happens to be a guy – which would determine “What your handbag says about you.” According to this quiz, my handbag – or rather the one I want but can’t bring myself to spend more than I make in a single day on – says that I am relaxed and alert, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. I am high maintenance but lost outside my normal environment. I am open and comfortable with myself. I am creative, stuck in a whirlwind but always able to pull things together. I am practical, down to earth, quiet, and reserved. Does that sound like a T-pop to you? I’ve been pining after this beautiful, gray, across-the-body oversized bag since January 2009. I said I’d buy the Moop bag when I got a real job. Got one, didn’t buy the bag. I said I’d buy it for Christmas. Christmas came and went … no bag. I

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DEAR RHONDA, I’m so confused! I read so much about Retinol products that make skin look and act younger. Do I want vitamin A, retinol, or a retinoid? What is the difference between the three? Should this be the only product I use? Does it do it all? I want the best for my skin, but I don’t have the cash to throw away trying each one. Will you help me get the biggest bang for my buck? Sincerely, CASH-STRAPPED AND CONFUSED

DEAR CONFUSED, You are on the right track with Vitamin A, long called “the skin vitamin”. Vitamin A and its components, retinol and retinoid, are used to normalize, improve hydration, and help prevent and reverse photo-aging of the skin. In addition to a product with Vitamin A you should have a well-formulated skin care plan. No one product does it all, even those including superstar Vitamin A. Keeping skin healthy and young requires a combination of ingredients and products that work together to give your skin exactly what it needs. With the cost of products today, it pays to consult a skin care professional. I highly recommend using medical grade products so that you know you are getting exactly what you are paying for. Call for your free consultation today! Hy d Sincerely, Fa ratin cia g l

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Making children hungry for reading By Janeane Barrett

on’t worry about teaching your child to read. Your bigger task is far simpler: Teach your child to want to read. Learning to sound out words is only one part of learning to read. Background knowledge and motivation are equally important. By reading aloud, you’re building background knowledge and fostering a love of the written word. A former colleague of mine calls this being “lap read.” Think of your lap as the earliest classroom. Reading to your child is important for a lot of reasons. It tells your child about a world where there are sharks, mountains, skyscrapers under construction, and ancient ruins. You might not afford a family trip to Paris, but you can both visit Madeline there from a cozy corner of the couch. Through stories read aloud, you pour into your child’s ears the words he or she will someday be asked to read and understand in school. Yes, your child will learn new vocabulary in school, but the words

14 LEE MAGAZINE

he knows before entering school will determine how much he understands what the teacher says. Having rich background knowledge contributes to school success. Reading aloud also improves a child’s attitude about reading. Children will do over and over whatever brings them pleasure. Every time you read to your child, you teach her to associate books with pleasure. From the day you bring your new baby home, read to her regularly. Whether it occurs when she is in your lap, at mealtime, or in the bathtub, kids who begin reading early are those who were read to regularly. I highly recommend the book, The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease. Trelease says children who achieve early classroom success consistently come from homes with four factors in common. Parents who read to the child regularly. A wide variety of printed material — books, magazines, newspapers, even com-

ics — are available in the home. Paper and pencil are readily available. People in the child’s home stimulate the child’s interest in reading and writing by answering endless questions, praising the child’s writing and reading efforts, taking the child to the library, buying books, writing stories the child dictates, and displaying the child’s efforts prominently. Reading to your young child will help prepare him for school. Students who enjoy reading will read more. Students who read the most also read the best, achieve the most and stay in school the longest. READING: A BEGINNERS GUIDE A great place to start with your prereader is with wordless books and predictable books. Wordless books can be “read” by pre-readers and by adults who want to “read” to their children. With a wordless book the adult tells the story using the pictures as clues to the emerging plot. A wordless book we enjoyed was

S M A R T S Good Dog Carl. There is a series of Carl books. The parents go off and leave Carl the Rottweiler in charge of the baby. (A child-care strategy not generally recommended by the experts.) Then Carl and the baby have wonderful adventures. Many of these books are made with virtually indestructible cardboard – another plus. For very young children, look for some predictable books. These picture books contain repeated word and sentence patterns. Children begin to predict the pattern and join in on the reading. These books will often be the first book a child “reads.” I loved Dr. Seuss books when I was a child and they became some of our favorite read-alouds for my kids. My daughter still lists Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat among her favorite books. The first book my son “read” was A Foot Book by Dr. Seuss.

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ARE YOU MY MOTHER? by P.D. Eastman BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? by Bill Martin Jr. CHIKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE by Maurice Sendak GOOD NIGHT MOON by Margaret Wise Brown IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE by Laura Numeroff MILLIONS OF CATS by Wanda Gag OH, LOOK! by Patricia Polacco TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO by Arlene Mosel THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle This list of books brings back such fond memories. I have saved many of these well-loved books in hopes of reading them to grandchildren someday. For a more comprehensive list, refer to The Read Aloud Handbook or visit the children’s section of the

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NAMING RIGHTS & WRONGS

The delicate task of selecting a lifelong label By Kelly Frick

Baby names can be a lot like items at a garage sale. One parent’s trash is another one’s treasure. I’ve been thinking about this lately, particularly after a couple of recent events. The first came when I ran across a news story about a man arrested in connection with a shooting in 2006. The man’s name was Lando Calrisian Young. First name Lando. Middle name Calrisian. Like the Star Wars character. Seriously. The story went on to say the man often went by an alias. No kidding? Gee, I wonder why. The second happened as a coworker told everyone in our office that he and his pregnant wife found out they are having a girl. Her name is going to be Lily. Half the folks in the office said “What a lovely name.” The others said nothing, but looked as though they had smelled the inside of a diaper pail. It reminded me of when I was pregnant with my first child. The baby was about the size of a peanut when my mother asked if we were thinking of names. “If it’s a boy, I like the name Spencer,” I told her. “No,” she ordered. “I hate that name.” Ditto for the next ten names I mentioned. After that, I didn’t tell her — or anyone else for that matter — names I was considering. (Spencer, however, was forever tainted for me.)

18 LEE MAGAZINE

Naming a child requires deep thought and careful compromise. It should be fun — remember giving your baby dolls exotic names? — but it’s intensely stressful. This is the name your child will be stuck with FOREVER. Pick wisely, or else your child will be the butt of cruel playground pranks and lively Internet chatter. You don’t want your child to end up as Fanny Whiffer or Champagne Dreams. And even if you are a celebrity, Apple and Bronx may be a bit embarrassed when ordering business cards. My children, Emma and John, arrived after nine months of heated debate with my husband. We agreed that we BOTH had to like the name or it was immediately thrown off our list. I had my heart set on Claire and Patrick. He nixed them right out the gate. I axed his first choices: Elizabeth and Theodore. I remember spending an entire evening thinking of book characters from which to craft the perfect name. The next day, at a doctor’s appointments, we sat next to a new mother. She was holding her six-week-old son, D’Artagnan. “From ‘The Three Musketeers?’” my husband inquired. “Yep,” the mom answered. “We just loved the movie.” We promptly threw out the book character idea and crossed Scarlett and Holden off the list. (I neglected to remind my husband that Emma is the title of a delightful Jane Austen book until after the ink on her birth certificate dried. This was also just before Emma skyrocketed up the list of most popular baby names.) We could have tried song titles like my friend Bill. He’s a huge Beatles fan. His son’s name is Julian. As in “Hey Jude.” “My wife and I never, ever agreed on boy names. Not even close,” he told me. “Julian was the only one. I mean THE ONLY ONE.” Sure, Bill. It had nothing to do with a little ditty by LennonMcCartney. “I do call him Jude,” he admitted. A boy in my daughter’s class is named Lennon, as in John Lennon. Emma says Lennon explains that every time he meets someone new. I guess even at 11 you don’t want people to think you were named after Vladimir Lenin. I wonder how John’s schoolmates, Kennedy and Reagan explain their names. My niece is Elle. My brother isn’t even ashamed to say it’s because he was obsessed with supermodel Elle MacPherson as a teenager. I have no idea how my friend Melissa came up with Gage and Devri. If she had given me a heads up before their births, I probably would have steered her in another direction. But when I looked at those sweet baby faces for the first time, well, their names just seemed to fit. Which is what happened when my name-hating mother arrived at the hospital to meet her first grandchild. “Mom, this is Emma,” I told her as she nestled the pink-blanketed bundle into her arms. “Emma,” my mom repeated as her eyes lovingly gazed at my baby girl. “What a lovely name.” Kelly Frick is a writer and mother of two.

If there was a Heisman Trophy for community banking ... well, we’d have a few of those.

AuburnBank is the only bank in Alabama to be named one of U.S. Banker’s “Top 200 Community Banks” for five consecutive years. Stop in and find out why.

Her Brothers’ Keeper Sandra Taylor: History’s Guardian

andra L. Taylor took her new job in Alabama because she got a bigger office. And she got one with a view – a wide-angled view, at that. Taylor’s “view” stretches more than 90 miles from Moton Field in Macon County -- where the Tuskegee Airmen trained for their legendary missions -- to Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University. To Montgomery, the old capital of the Confederacy, and on to Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, where one cold Sunday in March 1965, peaceful protestors met police violence in the nation’s most unforgettable scene of civil rights violence. Taylor is the National Park Service’s superintendent of those historic sites, but she’s more than her title implies. She’s their gatekeeper, as well. Preserving the integrity of the historical spaces means safeguarding the intellectual property as well through projects like the Tuskegee Airmen Oral History Project. “The great stories of these national treasures express a special capacity to endure and to succeed,” said Taylor, who became

superintendent almost a year ago. “These are very inspirational places. The personal sacrifices and contributions of the people involved in their history continue to highlight the greatness of America’s legacy.” Though deeply immersed in these hallowed properties, Taylor isn’t from here. While the racial turmoil was brewing in the South, Taylor was growing up a world away in Pennsylvania, where public schools were integrated in 1881. There were no clashes over desegregation in Taylor’s integrated high school, an allgirls Catholic school, or at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 1974. “I mostly knew about Alabama through the television news and pictures in magazines,” Taylor explains, “Witnessing people being hosed down with water from fire hydrants, bitten by dogs, being spat on – it made me feel anger and fearful of Southern white people. It also seemed so contradictory to witness other white people marching arm in arm with blacks, going to jail, sacrificing their lives. That made me feel hopeful. I wanted

Story by Mary Wood Littleton 20 LEE MAGAZINE

to be as brave as the people I saw sacrificing their lives for the rest of us. We watched the programs with my parents. They sheltered my brothers, sisters and me from the harshness of the world, yet they still exposed us to the reality of it.” Taylor’s parents also transmitted a sense of responsibility, one she feels the weight of in her work, but she’s clearly delighted to have the enormous opportunity to protect and promote these historic spaces, as well as to educate people about the events that took place in them. Taylor joined the

Photos by Beth Snipes

Sandy Taylor pauses on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma

Park Service in 1993, and exemplifies its mission: to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” “I feel it’s my chance to create something immortal – particularly with regard to gathering and chronicling the many personal stories from people who marched in Selma or pilots who were trained in Tuskegee,” she says. “The people telling these stories won’t be here forever, but their stories will live on. It’s my job to preserve as much as I can of these national treasures.”

efore coming to Alabama, the Park Service took Taylor to some of the most beautiful places in the United States – including postings at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Virgin Islands National Park on St. Thomas and Hassel Island. She was most recently based in Washington, D.C., where she was the Park Service’s program manager for supervision, management, and leadership. It wasn’t until 2009 that she came to Alabama as interim superintendent. Taylor’s first love was politics. She worked on Capitol Hill for Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Hugh Scott for four years, but the Watergate Hearings soured her as-

pirations for a career in politics. Upon returning to Erie in 1978, she met her future husband, a handsome naval officer named Harvey Mattox, on what he describes as his “first and last blind date.” Mattox also works with the National Park Service as the repair/rehabilitation program coordinator for the Southeast Region in Atlanta. The couple shares two homes – one in Opelika and another in Atlanta – alternating weekends between them. Yes, Taylor and her colleagues work in park ranger uniforms (complete with Smokey Bear hats). But the Park Service means much more than forests: it has domain over many historic properLEE MAGAZINE 21

ties. Taylor oversees construction at the Tuskegee Airmen site and the Selma Interpretive Center and the acquisition of the Lowndes County Interpretive Center from the State of Alabama. he Airmen site only came under the auspices of the Park Service in 1998, when it was designated as the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site to commemorate and interpret the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II (See sidebar.). Before his death in 2002, Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. -- the founder and commander of the Tuskegee Airmen and the first black general in the integrated U.S. Armed Forces – expressed his delight that the site had secured a faithful partner in the Park Service. Taylor works with some of the original Tuskegee Airmen, who remain involved in preserving the history of the program. In fact, Taylor’s group recently discovered another member of the original 1939 class who was living in New York. They quick-

22 LEE MAGAZINE

ly took the proper steps to ensure he was recognized, as others had been in 2007, by a Congressional Medal of Honor. The airmen’s site at Moton Field includes ten structures where visitors can see historic airplanes, learn to fold a parachute, and tour multiple exhibits that capture the administrative offices, war room, and even the tearoom, exactly as they would have looked in the early 1940s. Taylor is supervising another in a series of expansions and improvements to the site – adding visitor parking, improving the roads, and creating a picnic area for visitors. Taylor and her group are preparing to assume ownership of the Lowndes County Interpretive Center, which is at the midpoint of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. The center was built on a site known as “Tent City,” where many black sharecroppers lived with their families for many years after being evicted by white landowners in retaliation for their efforts to secure civil rights. Appropriately, the center serves as a rest area

and welcome station for travelers, but also boasts an outstanding museum featuring exhibits that help visitors experience the spirit of the march, beginning with a glasspaned ceiling inspired by the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The Park Service will take over the center’s ownership and management from the State of Alabama in mid April, and Taylor must ensure that any building deficiencies are addressed before the Park Service assumes responsibility. ne of Taylor’s first, and most difficult, tasks after taking the job was selecting the site of the third interpretive center along the Selma to Montgomery march. She chose Alabama State University’s campus to house what will be the Montgomery Interpretive Center, because the site will offer the best educational opportunities and appreciation for the stories of this historic movement. Many significant events took place on the ASU campus in the period leading up to and following the march from Selma, and many ASU students participated in

it. Also, alumnus Ralph Abernathy was a 1950 ASU graduate in mathematics; he founded the Montgomery Improvement Association, which, with Martin Luther King Jr., organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott. “We anticipate that the Montgomery site will have the heaviest visitor traffic,” says Taylor. “ASU has offered five acres of its campus for the project, and they have assured us that the center will receive continuous financial support.” This is the first property that Taylor will have shepherded from conception through construction. Although relatively unchanged in recent years, the components of the Tuskegee Institute Historic Site -- The Oaks: Home of Booker T. Washington and the George Washington Carver Museum -- require steady management. Coming under the auspices of the Park Service in 1974, these sites are rich with the history of these two great men, as well as the struggle and survival of one of the nation’s finest historically black colleges. Taylor’s team manages a large number of visitors to Tuskegee every year and was recently occupied with the inauguration activities of Tuskegee University’s newest president, Dr. Gilbert L. Rochon, only the sixth president since the school was founded by Washington in 1881. Taylor is a doer – always has been. She was taught from an early age to get involved. “As young people, we were required to be in leadership positions in school, church, the NAACP Youth Carver Council,” she says. “We helped Mom keep the bedrooms clean so we could provide accommodations for travelers unable to stay in hotels. [My] mother’s message to us still rings in my head, `You cannot go through life sitting on the sidelines, we

are our brother’s keeper, and you must always require others to treat you with respect.’” When Taylor isn’t managing the East Central Alabama sector of the Park Service, she also enjoys interior design, decorating, gourmet cooking, searching for antiques, and coaching and mentoring others. She has been renovating her Atlanta home for the last several years, and has even found a way to bring a small sense of one of her favorite national parks inside. “I just finished a room that recreates the feeling of being in a forest of Aspen trees,” she says, “and I just love it.” The Park Service provides poignant personal accounts and other rich resources about all of these historic sites on its website, www.nps.gov. Mary Wood Littleton is a freelance writer from Auburn, Ala., and executive director of the Greater Peace Community Development Corporation in Opelika.

SID DICKENS TILE R A SOUTHERN CROSSING EXCLUSIVE

HANDCRAFTED PALECEK LEAF BOWL MATCHSTICK PLAQUES AND FRAMES R A SOUTHERN CROSSING EXCLUSIVE

ROBERT WEISS TRAY, REVERSE PAINTING ON GLASS

cinda b BAG R A SOUTHERN CROSSING EXCLUSIVE

Did you know... TUSKEGEE AIRMEN rior to World War II, the world of military aviation was closed to African-Americans. But pressures on the world stage prompted Congress to pass the Civilian Pilot Training Act in 1939. Pilot program were established on college campuses across the country to prepare large numbers of trained pilots to meet military demands. Tuskegee Institute was chosen to be one of a half dozen sites at black colleges. Although the U.S. Army Air Corps denied flight training to African Americans, the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 outlawed discrimination in military training. In 1941, the Tuskegee program got a boost from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who visited Tuskegee

HEARTSTRINGS PERSONALIZED JEWELRY AND GIFTS R A SOUTHERN CROSSING EXCLUSIVE

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LEE MAGAZINE 23

ultimately driving the marchers back into Selma and the Brown’s Chapel area. The nation watched via national television, and the marchers’ principles of nonviolence were tested, but leaders, including John Lewis, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, translated the fermented anger into a resolve that bolstered the voting rights campaign. Two days after Bloody Sunday, 2,000 marchers – including clergy from around the nation invited by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. – marched to the end of the bridge, knelt in prayer, and then turned around. They had opted to comply with a court injunction against another march. The injunction was soon lifted, and the historic march from Selma to Montgomery began on March 21, two weeks after Bloody Sunday, when 4,000 marchers set out on the 54-mile trek to Alabama’s state capitol. The march took five days, with participants spending the four nights at campsites along the route – David Hall Farm, Rosie Steele Farm, Robert Gardner Farm and the City of St. Jude. Three people lost their lives. By the time the marchers entered Montgomery, they were 25,000 strong. Rep. John Lewis (DGa.) would later say, “The Voting Rights Act was literally written on that highway between Selma and Montgomery.”

Sandy and husband Harvey Mattox,

Army Airfield and was taken on a ride by Charles (Chief) Alfred Anderson, the first African American to earn his pilot’s license, and also the first flight Civilian Pilot Traning instructor. Shortly thereafter, the 99th Pursuit Squadron was established and soon became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Beginning in 1943, the Tuskegee Airmen began active combat in North Africa and Europe, showcasing their skill and dedication through more than 15,000 sorties in 1,500 missions. They never lost a single escorted bomber to enemy fighters. The distinction earned by the elite Tuskegee Airmen – returning from World

24 LEE MAGAZINE

War II with 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, Legions of Merit, and the Red Star of Yugoslavia – paved the way for the eventual desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948. JUBILEE CELEBRATION ubilee commemorates Bloody Sunday, the historic day of March 7, 1965, when 600 marchers began crossing the bridge from Selma. They were met by a “sea of blue” Alabama state troopers, some on horseback, others wearing gas masks. The marchers stood still while the troopers advanced, releasing tear gas, and beating and whipping anyone in their path, and

THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 igned into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, it put an end to illegal efforts to deny minorities access to polling places by requiring municipalities to seek approval from the U.S. Department of Justice before making any changes to voting procedures. In 2006, Congress voted to extend the Voting Rights Act for another 25 years, although some jurisdictions – such as Shelby County, Alabama (a predominantly white area of Birmingham) – are currently petitioning in federal court to have requirements for federal approval lifted. They argue that the racial discrimination from 40 or 50 years ago doesn’t justify continued election monitoring for the group of 16 mostly Southern states.

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calendar WHERE

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2011

AUBURN CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, 479 East

TELFAIR PEET THEATRE, at the corner of

Samford and Duncan avenues. Tickets: 8444154 or http://goo.gl/Osvn. Information: 844-4748 or theatre@auburn.edu.

JAN DEMPSEY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER GALLERY, 222 East Drake Avenue, Auburn.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission: free. Information: 5012963. JULE COLLINS SMITH MUSEUM OF FINE ART,

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.

26 LEE MAGAZINE

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: To celebrate that there’s nothing so nice as formal wear, 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, cost $50. Information: 821-3222. ONGOING THROUGH FEBRUARY 12: Birds of the Gulf Coast: Selection from the Miller Audubon Collection, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. ONGOING THROUGH FEBRUARY 19: Winter Invitational – “From A to Z,” an exhibit of works by local and regional artists, Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Admission: free. ONGOING THROUGH MARCH 12: Stranger in Paradise: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. FEBRUARY 1, 8, 15, 22 AND MARCH 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 AND APRIL 5: Baby Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, for infants six months to eighteen months and their parents, features stories and crafts. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196. FEBRUARY 2, 9, 16, 23 AND MARCH 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 AND APRIL 6: Toddler Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, for children ages eighteen months to three years and their parents, features stories and crafts. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196.

FEBRUARY 2 & MARCH 2: Magic Tree House Club, for children reading the Magic Tree House Club book series, 3:30 p.m., Auburn Public Library. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196. FEBRUARY 2: Quink Voice Ensemble, Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 8444165. February 3, 10, 17, 24 and March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and April 7: Preschool Story Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, for children ages three to five and their parents to hear a story. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196. FEBRUARY 3 & MARCH 3: Teen Café at the Auburn Public Library. High school students can play Wii games, read graphic novels, dance, and listen to music. Information: 5013196. FEBRUARY 3, 10, 17, 24 AND MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, AND 31: Home School Chess Club, 3:30 p.m., Auburn Public Library. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196. FEBRUARY 5-APRIL 30: Outsiders on the Inside: Contemporary Folk Art in the Permanent Collection, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. FEBRUARY 5-APRIL 30: Prints by Edvard Munch, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. FEBRUARY 5, 11 & 12: Storybook Farm 2011 Cowboy Roundup, 300 Cusseta Road, Opelika, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., includes cowboy

grub by Longhorn Steakhouse. Tickets: $30 for parent and one child; $5 for each additional cowboy. Funds support equine therapy for children. Information: www.HopeOnHorseback.org or 444.5966 FEBRUARY 8 & MARCH 8: Puppet Play takes place at the Auburn Public Library, 3:30 p.m. Admission: free. Information: 5013196. FEBRUARY 15: “Cain Raises Abel” screens as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 6 p.m. Admission: free. FEBRUARY 16: The Auburn Chamber Music Society presents the St. Lawrence String Quartet, 7:30 p.m., Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall. Information: 844-4165. FEBRUARY 17 & MARCH 24: American Girls Club, for children reading the American Girls book series, Auburn Public Library, 3:30 p.m. Admission: free. Information: 5013196. FEBRUARY 17: Grammy Award winner Art Rosenbaum, artist, musician, and friend of outsider artist Howard Finster, presents banjo picking and a slide show, 5 p.m., Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. Rosenbaum, an emeritus professor at the University of Georgia, Athens, won a Grammy in 2009 his field recordings of traditional American music. FEBRUARY 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, AND 26: Auburn University Theatre presents The Light in the Piazza, Telfair Pete Theatre. The February 20 performance is at 2:30 p.m., all other performances are at 7:30 p.m. General admission: $15. Students with a

valid Auburn University ID admitted free. FEBRUARY 18: The Paris Piano Trio performs at Auburn University’s Goodwin Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $20. Information: 887-9379. FEBRUARY 18: Auburn University Concert and Jazz Bands perform at the Auburn Performing Arts Center at Auburn High School, 405 South Dean Road, at 7:30 p.m. Admission: free. Information: 844-4165. FEBRUARY 19-JUNE 11: A Wren by Any Other Name: Selections from Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Collection opens at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. FEBRUARY 19: 22nd Annual Love Your Heart Run/4th Annual Crank Your Heart Ride, a fundraiser benefiting those with special needs in Lee County, takes place at Chewacla State Park, 124 Shell Toomer Parkway, Auburn. Registration begins at 7 a.m. Preregistration is $16; registration $20 the day of the run. Pre-registration for the bike ride is $20, and $25 the day of the ride. Pre-registration for both events is $25 and $30 the day of the race. Information: 501-2940. FEBRUARY 22-MARCH 31: “Collaboration,” a fabric works exhibit by members of Studio 222, opens at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Admission: free. FEBRUARY 24: Travis Bennet performs on the horn, Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall at Auburn University, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165. FEBRUARY 24: Patricia Gray Berman lec-

tures on “Edvard Munch’s Modernity,” 4 p.m., Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. Berman, a professor of art at Wellesley College has published on Munch’s work. FEBRUARY 25: East Alabama Arts presents Tango Fire at the Opelika Performing Arts Center at Opelika High School, 1700 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, 7:30 p.m. Admission is $40 for adults, $35 for seniors, and $26 for students. Information: 749-8105.

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Calendar continued FEBRUARY 25: The Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series presents Mike Agranoff, 7:30 p.m., Auburn Unitarian Universalist Church, 450 Thach Avenue. Tickets: $10, students $8, children 12 and under, free. Information: www.sundilla.org. FEBRUARY 26: Children from kindergarten through high school create landscapes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Saturday Art Club at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. FEBRUARY 28: Jeremy Samolesky’s piano recital takes place 7:30 p.m. in the Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall, Auburn University. Admission: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165. MARCH 2: Guest performers Angela De Boer, horn, and Arunesh Nadgir, piano, 7:30, Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall, Auburn University. Admission: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165. MARCH 2: The Auburn Community Orchestra performs 7:30 p.m., Telfair Pete Theatre. Admission: free. Information: 8444165.

MARCH 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13: Auburn University Theatre presents Summertime at the Telfair Peet Theatre. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. on the 9th through 12th and 2:30 p.m. on the 13th.Tickets: $15; students with a valid Auburn University ID admitted free. Information: 844-4154.

MARCH 12: Learn how to make stuffed sau-

sage the old-fashioned way at Second Saturday, at the Lee County Historical Society, 6500 Stage Road, Loachapoka, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: free. Information: 8873007. MARCH 15: “Awake My Soul: The Story

of the Sacred Harp” screens as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 6 p.m. Admission: free. MARCH 24: Patrick Kearney, guitarist, per-

forms 7 p.m. at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. MARCH 24: Jacques Wood performs on cello,

7:30 p.m., Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall at Auburn University. Admission: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165.

MARCH 5-29: Auburn Preservation League Photography Exhibition, a juried exhibition of photographs of Auburn historic sites and buildings, Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Admission: free. MARCH 5: Dance the night away to Kidd Blue at the Fat Cat Mardi Gras Ball benefitting the Lee County Humane Society. Tickets: $60 and include dinner and dancing. The ball begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Event Center Downtown, 614 North Railroad Avenue, Opelika. Information: 821-3222.

MARCH 25: The Sundilla Acoustic Concert

MARCH 9: Baroque trumpeter Nathaniel Mayfield performs in the Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall at Auburn University, 7: 30 p.m. Admission: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165.

28 LEE MAGAZINE

by David Leung and Jeremy Samolesky takes place 7:30 p.m. at the Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall, Auburn University. Admission: $10; $5 for students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165.

MARCH 10: “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” screens as part of the Southern Outsiders Film Series at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at 6 p.m. Admission: free.

MARCH 3: “Inherit the Wind” screens as part of the Southern Outsiders Film Series, 6 p.m., Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free.

MARCH 5: Opelika Citywide Cleanup, 9 a.m. to noon. Information: 749-4970.

MARCH 30: A violin and piano performance

Series presents John Flynn, 7:30 p.m., Auburn Unitarian Universalist Church, 450 Thach Avenue. Tickets: $10, students $8, children 12 and under, free. Information: www.sundilla.org. MARCH 26: Garden in the Park arts and

MARCH 31: Dancing with the Stars of East

Alabama. Local dance pros and stars battle it out on the dance floor to benefit The Child Advocacy Center. 7:00 at the Event Center Downtown, Opelika. General admission 30.00 reserved seats $50. Visit dancingstarsofeastalabama.com for detail. MARCH 31: The Adaskin Trio performs at

Auburn University’s Goodwin Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $20. Information: 8879379. MARCH 31: The Auburn Chamber Music So-

ciety presents the Kandinksy String Trio, 7:30 p.m., Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall. Information: 844-4165. APRIL 2-JULY 23: Reconsidering Regional-

ism: Contemporary Prints About the South opens at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission: free. APRIL 3: Auburn University Music Depart-

ment presents the Spring Chorale Concert, 2:30 p.m., Auburn United Methodist Church, 137 South Gay Street. Admission: $10; $5, students with a valid Auburn University ID. Information: 844-4165.

crafts festival, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Opelika Municipal Park, 1102 Denson Drive. The festival includes vendors, children’s activities, and live entertainment and benefits the little red caboose at the Opelika Depot. Admission: $2, adults; $1, children. 749-4970. MARCH 26: Children from kindergarten

through high school create art from clay from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Saturday Art Club, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Instruction is tailored to each age level. Parents are encouraged to attend.

APRIL 16: The 5th annual Art Walk for Chil-

dern. Registration at 8:00 a.m. and walk run at 9.00 a.m. at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. See page 30 for more details.

Event Center Downtown ...MAKING DREAMS REALITY

Event Center Downtown is a one-of-a-kind special events center housed in the former Coca-Cola building, giving new life to a familiar structure. The center retains much of the building’s original charm combined with modern state-of-the-art additions. • WEDDINGS & RECEPTIONS • CHARITY EVENTS • PRIVATE PARTIES • TRAININGS & SEMINARS • CONCERTS • EXHIBITIONS & TRADE SHOWS

EVENT CENTER DOWNTOWN 334-705-5466 614 N. Railroad Ave., Historic Downtown Opelika, AL Visit http://www.facebook.com/eventcenterdowntown www.eventcenterdowntown.com • info@eventcenterdowntown.com

artistically themed Christmas trees, on display at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Information: 501-2963.

DECEMBER 1: Magic Tree House Club, for children reading the Magic Tree House Club book series, 3:30 p.m., Auburn Public Library. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196.

DECEMBER 1, 8, AND 15, JANUARY 6, 13, 20, AND 27, AND FEBRUARY 3: Preschool Story Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Pubic Library, for children ages three to five and heir parents. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196.

DECEMBER 2: Join the director and curaor of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art for a 1072 Society Exhibition Lecture at 5 p.m. Each piece in this year’s 1072 Society Exhibition will be discussed, including works by John Buck, William Wegman, Roger Shimomura, and Jim Dine. Admission: Free.

DECEMBER 2: Teen Café at the Auburn Public Library. High school students can play Wii games, read graphic novels, dance, and lisen to music. Information: 501-3196.

DECEMBER 2: Celebrate the holidays with Aubie as part of the Auburn University Holiday Celebration, 6:30 p.m., Samford Lawn. The celebration includes carols, the lighting of a Christmas tree, cookies, and hot chocolate. Bring a Toys for Tots donation. Information: 844-4788.

DECEMBER 2, 9, AND 16, JANUARY 5, 12, 19, AND 26, AND FEBRUARY 2: Toddler Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, for children ages eighteen months to three years and heir parents. Listen to a story and make a craft. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196.

DECEMBER 2: A Little Lunch Music from noon to 1 p.m. at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art presents an informal, free concert by cellist Laura Usiskin, cello fellow of he Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. The Museum Café will be open.

DECEMBER 4: The Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual Downtown Auburn Christmas Parade beginning at 10 a.m. Tim Hudson, Braves pitcher and Auburn alumnus, is his year’s grand marshal. Information: 887-

DECEMBER 4 AND 5: The Auburn University Singers perform their Fall Show at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Telfair Pete Theatre. General admission is $10. Students and children admitted for $5. Information: 844-4165. DECEMBER 6 AND ALL MONTH: Everyone is invited to the Boys and Girls Club Art Exhibit Opening at the Auburn Public Library at 5:30 p.m. The artwork will be on display at the library throughout the month of December. Admission is free. Information: 501-3196. DECEMBER 6: East Alabama Arts presents Fiddler on the Roof at the Opelika Performing Arts Center, Opelika High School, 1700 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $40 for adults, $35 for seniors, and $26 for students. Information: 749-8105. DECEMBER 6: Jazz duo Patrick McCurry and Patrick Bruce perform at Hamiltons on Magnolia from 6:30 to 9 p.m. No cover charge. Information: 887-2677. DECEMBER 7: Puppet Play, a puppet performance, takes place at the Auburn Public Library, 3:30 p.m. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196. DECEMBER 7, 14, AND 26, JANUARY 4, 11, 18, AND 25 AND FEBRUARY 1: Baby Time, 10 a.m., Auburn Public Library, a time to hear stories and make crafts for babies ages six to eighteen months and their parents. Admission: free. Information: 501-3196. DECEMBER 8-12: Admire the decorated porches of Opelika’s historic homes for the 17th Annual Opelika Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour. The driving tour will be December 8, 9, 10, and 12 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The walking tour will be December 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission: free. Information: victorianfrontporchtour.com or call 749-9885. DECEMBER 9: Children ages three to eleven are invited to a Children’s Holiday Party, Auburn Public Library, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Children will make seasonal crafts, play games, and hear holiday stories. Information: 501-3196. DECEMBER 9: A Little Lunch Music from noon to 1 p.m. at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art presents a free performance by The Woodfield Trio, including Patrick McCurry on woodwinds, Charles Wright on cello and Barbara Acker-Mills on piano. The Museum Café will be open.

Live Your Life Fit Club A TEEN FITNESS PROGRAM for ages 11-15

oday, 1 in 3 children, teens, and young adults are overweight or obese, a number that continues to grow rapidly. While many initiatives focus on obesity prevention, what is to become of today’s generation of overweight adolescents? Live Your Life is an after-school environment to lose weight, improve fitness, and make lifelong lifestyle changes that are sure to transform children’s lives. Is this the club for you? If you have tried diets or exercise to lose weight without long-term success, LYL is the club for you! By integrating fitness training, nutrition, and self-esteem sessions, you can reach your goals! This club offers intensity and structure, while providing young people a safe place to talk about their goals, struggles and accomplishments.

Live Your Life Fit Club

Opelika SportsPlex & Aquatic Center 1001 Andrews Rd. Opelika, AL 36801 334 •705 • 5560 www.opelikasportsplex.com

334.329.4669 or 334.705.5560

MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, & THURSDAYS 3:30 PM-5:30 PM AGES 14-17 WELCOME Contact Rebecca Ellis or Lisa Gallagher for membership.

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• Quick, in-office procedure • Safe & effective treatment • Virtually painless procedure with no downtime from your regular activities • Alternative to prescription medications AUBURN FOOT CARE CENTER

(334) 466-1401

BRETT S. STARK, DPM 785 NORTH DEAN ROAD, SUITE 100 AUBURN, AL 36830

Photos courtesy of Neil Van Dyck, DPM; Roseville, CA