Madison Living Magazine, Oct. 2022

THE MADISON MOM

Elizabeth Neal leads local mothers to everlasting memories with their children

Bob

Joshua

John

MARKETING

CONTACT US

Madison Living Magazine

Madison Record 7734 Madison Blvd. Suite 115 Huntsville, AL 35806 madisonlivingmagazine.com

For story ideas, call John Few at 256-763-1150 or email john@themadisonrecord.com.

To advertise, call Donna Counts at 256-714-7152.

Madison Living is published month ly by Tennessee Valley Media, Inc. A one-year subscription to Madison Living is $27.99 for 12 issues per year. Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Madison area. To subscribe, call 256-772-6677.

Copyright 2022

Madison Witches Ride • Oct. 23, 2-6 p.m. • Palmer Park in Madison • www.mvpmadison.org/madison-witches-ride

An imaginative fundraiser with Halloween flair will debut on Oct. 23 and promises to attract ugly, wart-nosed conjurers as the featured celebrities. The inaugural Madison Witches Ride, Roll & Stroll will feature local enchantresses from 2 to 6 p.m. in a fun-filled, two-mile bike ride (or walk, if the witch prefers) at Palmer Park. Witches will ride their brooms or bikes, parade their pets from their evil castles and stroll through Palmer Park. They will bring Halloween cheer as they throw candy to hundreds of onlooking children along the route. Madison Visionary Partners is hosting Madison Witches Ride as a fundraiser to benefit the renovation project for Kids Kingdom playground. All witches are welcome, from the good to bad, sweet to spooky, goofy to gorgeous. Organizers encourage friends to dress alike in a Witch Squad or possibly ‘fly solo’ with your own creative masquerade. All sorts of witches are welcome. To register, visit mvpmadison.org/madison-witches-ride. For more information, visit Facebook/ Madison Witches Ride.

Party for the Animals Special Concert Fundraiser • Oct. 6, 5-8 p.m. • Burrtitt on the Mountain • burrittonthemountain.com

Burritt on the Mountain is celebrating a momentous occasion. In 2000, Butch Damson and the late Dr. Lewis McCurdy formed a planning committee to add a barnyard to the Burritt landscape to help in depicting farm life in the 1800s. Hoping to attract families and children to the Museum and Historic Park, the McCurdy Barnyard was founded in 2002. The McCurdy Barnyard is turning twenty and to help celebrate, a special concert event has been planned for Thursday, Oct. 6, from 5-8 p.m. In concert at the Isenberg Gazebo will be Kaleidoscope featuring a full horn section. The concert begins at 6 p.m. A full cash bar will be open for this special event. We will feature food specials to share, $20 Charcuterie Trays and $20 Assorted Wrap Trays. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at burrittonthemountain.com. Enjoy a famous Burritt sunset view at 6:30 p.m. Tables will be set at The View to sip a cocktail or dine on snacks, but outside chairs and blankets are welcome for the concert.

Huntsville Ballet to present HBC Unplugged on Oct. 21-23

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new season is underway for Huntsville Ballet Compa ny or HBC with four major productions on the schedule.

HBC uses the power of dance to inspire and nurture the art of classical ballet through educational excellence, ar tistic achievement and outreach. The tone of each produc tion varies to fulfill the audiences’ diverse tastes.

The organization will present “HBC Unplugged” on Oct. 21-23 at Dream Theatre Performing Arts Center, 3401 Holmes Ave. NW in Huntsville. This production is the world premiere of “Tumbleweed Suite” with choreog raphy by Huntsville Ballet Artistic Director Phillip Otto.

Inspired by George Balanchine, this energetic new piece of choreography captures the spirit of the Old West by in fusing classical ballet with traditional western themes and American folk dancing.

Performance times for “HBC Unplugged” will be Oct. 21, 7 p.m.; Oct. 22, 2 and 7 p.m.; and Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. Single tickets cost $35.

In HBC’s 54th annual production, “The Nutcracker” will include special guests from Huntsville Symphony Or chestra. In this enduring Huntsville tradition, Clara’s en chanting story comes to life at the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall with Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, masterful choreog raphy, enchanting scenic designs, brilliant lighting and stunning costumes.

“The Nutcracker” showtimes will be Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 10, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Dec. 11, 1 p.m. Tickets cost $45, orchestra; $40, loge; $35, balcony; and $150, ‘Sweet Seat Tickets.’ All student performers are registered HBC students.

For more information, visit huntsvilleballet.org.

6

E in Madison. Dress in their favorite

baskets that will be up for auction. Proceeds will go to

Rotary Club of Madison

event

open to anyone at least 21 years old. For tickets, visit Eventbrite.com and search for “Dead Parrots.”

more

madisonalrotary.org or parrots.madisonalrotary.org.

Circus

www.venardoscircus.com

by former Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Kevin Venardos (veh-NARR-dos), the Venardos Circus wraps world-class animalfree circus acts into a Broadway Musical-style format dubbed “The American Circus with the heart of a Broadway Show.” Ve nardos Circus proudly features its own custom-made big-top, a classic red-and-white striped tent, with an intimate feel and limited seating. The circus performers also are the crew in this traveling tour, much like the original circus tradition. There are no animals in Venardos Circus. Guests can expect to be transported back in time to the center ring of a centuries-old tradition, but one that has been reinvented for the next generation. Theatre lovers and nostalgic circus fans alike will appreciate the intimate experience and sentimental way the show pays homage to circus traditions through the lens of high-quality entertainment for a modern family audience.

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Charlotte’s Web • Oct. 14-16 • Fantasy Playhouse

Friday night at 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Von Braun Center • www.fantasyplayhouse.org

Wilbur the pig may be the rambunctious runt of the litter, but his lovable spirit charms a little girl named Fern and the whole Arable barnyard! When Wilbur discovers his woeful fate, he will need the help of Charlotte, a loyal spider with a flair for writing, and a scavenger rat named Templeton for a chance at a new life. With unforgettable characters made popular by the E.B. White children’s book, Charlotte’s Web is a timeless story of true friendship, perseverance, and working together to help others in need.

Lauren Daigle in concert • Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. • Orion Amphitheater • MidCity District in Huntsville • theorionhuntsville.com

Lauren Daigle is a two-time GRAMMY, seven-time Billboard Music Award and a four-time American Music Award winner. Her platinum debut album, How Can It Be, produced three number one songs, “First,” “O’Lord” and the GRAMMY nominated “Trust in You.” But it was her sophomore release Look Up Child, her second consecutive platinum album, that broke geographic and musical boundaries, revealing Daigle as one of the most impressive vocalists of our time.

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Madison City Farmers Market

Trinity Baptist Church in Madison

Open Saturdays 9 a.m. - noon

Located at 1088 Hughes Road at Trinity Baptist Church in Madison, the market is the area’s original local, producer-only farmers market, founded in 2007. Everything sold at the mar ket is grown or crafted by local farmers and craftspeople. The vendors provide a wide selection of the freshest local veggies, fruits, cheese, eggs, meats, milk, herbs, honey, jams, relishes, home-baked goods, plants and flowers. Come see creations from local artisans including handmade cards, soaps, lotions, candles, wood crafts, sewn items and other handmade prod ucts. Go to www.madisoncityfarmersmarket.com for more information.

Old Thyme Market

Downtown Madison • Fridays 3-7 p.m. facebook.com/OldThymeMarketMadisonAL.

Old Thyme Market is the newest farmers market in Madi son. The market is making its home in downtown Madison every Friday afternoon throughout the summer. Old Thyme Market includes farmers, craftsmen, artisans, and local busi nesses selling goods such as produce, local honey and pre serves, pottery, and art. The markets also feature refresh ments from Black Dog Grounds and Sounds, Suzy’s Pops, and Nanny’s Lemonade, and live music will be performed every week by local musicians. The market takes place every Friday from 3 - 7 p.m. now through September on Garner Street in downtown Madison.

THE BRAWL IS BACK!

The second annual Railyard Barbeque Brawl will bring fun, music and, of course, great BBQ to downtown Madison

GetG

your appetites for good food and good music revved up for the second annual Railyard BBQ Brawl and Music Festival on October 29.

The brawl will be held in downtown Madison on an open field on Martin Street, one street south of Main Street, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The inaugural festival was held last year as a way of celebrating a return to normalcy after the COVID pan demic.

“Coming off one of the most unprecedented years in our lifetimes, families were ready to get out and start getting back to a ‘normal’ life,” organizer Eugene J. Jung said about last year’s event..

The celebration continues this year with barbecue and music from Walker Montgomery, who was chosen as an Artist to Watch in 2022 by Country Now and Music Mayhem Magazine. He is the 21-year-old son of John Michael Montgomery and nephew of Montgomery Gen try’s Eddie Montgomery, and has already made a strong name for himself.

Other acts include country artist Dylan Marlowe, The Red Clay Strays and Falcon Punch.

The barbecue cook-off is sanctioned by Kansas City

Walker Montgomery

Fall

The Red Clay Strays

Barbecue Society. Barbecue teams can register at rail yardbbqfest.com.

The festival will include plenty fun for the whole fam ily with various activities and games.

For more festival information, email railyardbbqfest@ gmail.com or visit railyardbbqfest.com, Facebook/Rail yard BBQ Festival or Twitter @RailyardBBQFestival.

BUSINESS

THE ARK PET SPA AND HOTEL

Pet hotel goes above and beyond for both pet and parent

STORY BY ERIN COGGINS PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

AAccording to the National Pet Owner’s survey spon sored by the American Pet Products Association, 70% of American households have a pet. And of that 70%, the majority admit to treating their pets like a member of the family. With that in mind, the premise of The Ark Pet Spa and Hotel was formed.

The Ark Pet Spa and Hotel originated in Chattanooga in 2006 and opened a Madison location in July 2020. Since opening, the business has taken the adage “treating pets like royalty” to new heights.

“Since early on we’ve been focused on providing a safe, fun and loving environment for guests and their pets. We do that by ensuring the highest trained crew members, the best facilities and the latest in pet care techniques and products,” vice president of development, Adam Harbin said.

Although Harbin says that dogs and cats are the busi ness’s bread and butter, the Ark Pet Resort and Spa also serve small domestic pets. The idea behind opening up boarding and service to these smaller animals is to pro vide families with several pets boarding opportunities for the entire pet family.

“We’ve had dozens of different “exotic pets”. Just a few include: bearded dragons, miniature pigs, sugar gliders,

rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, parrots, pythons, chick ens and ferrets,” Harbin said. “We’ve had requests for miniature horses and goats as well. Our crew always en joys caring for the exotic pets when they come in to board with us.”

Daycare and boarding are the most popular services provided, but the Ark Pet Spa and Hotel takes it to a dif ferent level by employing dog language experts. Each member of the crew, completes several hours of handson and line training called “The Ark University” before they are entrusted with an entire play yard of dogs. They are also trained in basic pet first aid and CPR.

“We train our crew members how to perform a ‘5 step dog assessment’ to ensure new dogs coming to daycare and boarding are both friendly with other dogs and people, but also to ensure they will genuinely enjoy the free play daycare atmosphere,” Harbin said. “Daycare is not for every dog and that is okay. Our crew is trained in monitoring play behavior to make sure the dogs are hav ing fun and playing in a safe manner.”

Besides the thoroughly trained dog language experts, Harbin says the dogs benefit from the daycare by getting relief from boredom, exercise, socialization and relief from separation anxiety. The benefits do not stop there,

though. Harbin says the pet parent also benefits.

“For the pet parents there is peace of mind knowing your dog is not at home bored, missing you, eating your shoes, locked in a crate, barking at your neigh bor or ripping up the couch,” Harbin said.

Pet parents are also provided a peace of mind while boarding their pets with Ark Pet Spa and Hotel’s uti lization of pet cams. Each dog owner is given a pass word that allows them to access the cam on their pri vate devices.

“There is nothing like jumping on the pet cam from 500 miles away and seeing your dog with a couple puppy friends and our crew member chasing bubbles or playing chase in the yard,” Harbin said. ”It’s also fun and a bit addicting. You can waste lots of time watching the dogs play.”

As if these perks were not enough, the business op erates one of America’s highest quality pet bakeries and market, Slobberbones. The bakery offers guests a small, well-picked selection of treats, toys, food and baked dog cookies. The Slobberbones’ staff is edu cated in pet nutrition and about every product in the store and enjoy talking to customers about the perfect diet for their pet.

“We do our best to select treats that not only look

but are good for your dog,” Harbin said. “The most popular treat is the “birthday” iced cookies and

Despite all the pampering the Ark Pet Spa and Ho tel offer their clientele, the also have a commitment to spreading the love for pets in the community. They have been giving back to the community since open ing in 2006, selecting four giving categories to focus on per year. The year’s recipients include the U.S. Veteran and service Dogs and somfort Dogs, disaster relief for pets, helping pets of the homeless and local shelter adoptions.

“Our Madison location has aided the American Red Cross Pet Relief Fund, Project K9 Hero and the Greater Huntsville Humane Society through various projects. We have organized food and supply drives, donated portions of gross sales to various national and local charities,” Harbin said. “Our crew also loves volunteering for these charities whenever possible.”

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THE MADISON MOM

The Madison Mom leads local mothers with their children to everlasting memories

STORY BY BOB LABBE PHOTOS BY ASHTON WILLIS (BELOVED IMAGERY)

SharingS

life experiences and those memories has led Elizabeth Neal to become known as The Madison Mom. She has led a barrage of information through “The Madi son Mom” on Instagram, Facebook and on a new website of www.themadisonmom.com. Those social media outlets have allowed her and the rest of the Madison area to share life’s little moments and find out interesting things to do and places to go in the immediate area.

“I read the book The Power Of Fun: How To Feel Alive Again and that changed my life as it inspired me to try new things and more experiences,” said Neal. “I have taken what I learned and incorporated into what I’m doing with The Madison Mom,” said Neal. “I plot out an entire month and publish those findings through a calendar of events.”

The calendar is provided as a digital or printable calendar option. That way every mom knows what’s going on each day in the area. Neal’s currently even posting a “Peek at the Parks” series where one park is highlighted each week and those viewing the posts can see how each park is laid out and how others can enjoy a park near where they live.

Neal and her husband, Todd, have two children, Owen,

4, and Hazel, 2. Neal is the Library Media Specialist at Midtown Elementary, which is the newest school among Madison City Schools. The idea of creating a way for local families to find out what was happening in the immediate area came about after the COVID restriction period as she mostly stayed home with her family and did not see anyone. She added, “When the world finally opened up, I wanted to get out and do things and share with others how they can make a great day with their children.”

Hazel was born during the initial part of the COVID 19 epidemic in 2020 and since that time Neal has had a whirl wind ride of providing rich experiences for her children and documenting those experiences for her children’s future. Madison and the surrounding areas have an abundant, rich opportunities with an array of things to do. For Neal, those experiences range from strawberry picking, farmers mar kets, tulip fields, trampoline parks, baseball games, festivals or just a simple trip to the local grocery store. Neal shares these experiences on the three social media outlets.

“I’ve always taken pictures and videos of my kids as this is nothing new for me,” stated Neal who celebrated her sixth

wedding anniversary with Todd in August. “The sharing is new for me as I think it’s very important for moms to get out with their kids and embrace the chaos of having chil dren. For me personally, having children sparked the idea of attending church more regularly with my kids.”

“I grew up in Madison, attended elementary, middle and high schools here and I have seen how fast our commu nity has grown and continues to grow,” said Neal. “With the influx of people coming to our area I love being able to show newcomers how to ‘live like a local’ and enjoy what we have.”

The website has so far been a big hit as hundreds of views are happening each day. The site has a Guide for Madison tab where visitors can search numerous catego ries of events and places to go for family outings. The site also includes a New Events page and according to Neal currently has the largest traffic on the website. She adds events almost daily to the page and are listed chronologi cally.

“I feel its really helping our community and I’m very ex cited about seeing new people visit the website,” said Neal, who added, “This is a great resource for people throughout our community as they can research things to do with their kids and include the whole family.”

The 31-year old Neal said she never explored many of the places she finally experienced and having Madison Mom is a hobby and is very rewarding. The items on Instagram she handles herself and her friend and fellow teacher, Jes sica Cantrell, who works at the Central Office of Madison County Schools, helps by bouncing ideas off one another and sharing experiences each have with their families.

Neal credits her mother, Pat Posey, who died 10 years ago, as a sentimental force behind what she does with The Madison Mom as she indicated she has very few photos of her mother. “She is the main reason I long for collecting memories,” said Neal.

Coming soon to the Madison Mom website Neal said she plans on promoting the website and the other social net work connections by offering Madison Mom T-shirts. She will design what she feels is the correct T-shirt and then join up with a graphic designer for the final look. She feels she may host a “pre-order” type format on the T-shirts and ship the purchases upon completion of the pre-order.

The Instagram portion of Madison Mom has taken off in wild proportions. People have reached out to Neal through Instagram and wanted to become friends. “I’ve met with a few of them and it’s fun to meet new people and learn what many new families to our area are searching for,” said

Neal. “The posts on Instagram go directly to Facebook.”

As a parent, Neal feels a responsibility to offer every thing possible to her children in the aspect of experienc es. Having outings with her children such as strawberry picking, visiting the farmers market, tulip fields, lavender fields, trampoline parks and baseball games or making a quick trip to the grocery store are simple, but important times to spend with any child. “One of my greatest pri orities as a mom has been to provide rich experiences for my children and make memories that last a lifetime. Our beautiful city and surrounding communities have pro vided unlimited opportunities to do just that,” said Neal. “There’s so much to do and see. With the influx of people coming to our area, I love being able to show newcomers how to ‘live like a local’ with a look at the plethora of di verse places to eat, play and see.”

Once making visits to any of the numerous locales or events, people are encouraged to post about the experi ences and are asked to leave nothing to the imaginationinclude everything about the trip as possible. Creating a rich list of all visits is important to the scope of The Madi son Mom.

Neal added, “This has turned into an awesome oppor tunity for me to simply share the things we do, so that other families can do the same.”

The Madison Mom- it’s all about those moments, which become memories…forever.

WOMEN

MARIE NEWBERRY

Her love for art has positively influences the local art scene and inspires other generations to discover the beauty she has found

STORY BY JOHN FEW PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

Editor’s note: The Madison area has many influential, trail-blazing women leaders who are making a huge impact within our com munity. Over the next few months, we will spotlight several of these remarkable women and why we consider them some of our area’s most influential people. This month we will look at a remarkable example of leadership through a love for the arts. Marie Newberry has been very influential in sharing her love for anything art to others and promoting local artists. More than that, she has played a huge role in continuing this area’s opportunities to enjoy the arts for generations to come.

When it comes to influential women of Madison, there are many ways that leadership is passed from one to an other. Marie Newberry’s volunteerism and support of the local art scene is a prime example of continuing a legacy in the greater Huntsville and Madison area that will impact generations to come.

But like most inspirational people, her passion for the arts had a beginning that originated from someone else. Marie said her love for everything art was planted within her as a child, from the influence of her mother. “She was not an artist or musician, but she loved music and the arts in general. She always had music playing. She was in the choir at church, and I grew up loving that,” Marie said. “My dad taught my siblings and me the wonders of math, science and space exploration, but my mother was always into the arts. I grew up loving both.”

WMarie’s art appreciation was fostered through art les sons while she was in school, and eventually, she passed it down to her children in many of the same ways her mother passed it to her.

Growing up, Marie’s daughter Michelle Epling, now Madison Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said her mother incorporated art into their daily activities. “As a kid, she and I would work on crafts galore,” Michelle said. “We had a huge rubber stamp collection, and we would make note cards together. She would let me mod podge. Kitchen table disasters were a frequent occurrence at our house.”

The love of art is now being passed down to Marie’s grandchildren. “She makes scrapbooks for each one dur ing what we call Gigi Camp in the summer,” Michelle add ed. “Each child has a book of the artwork they do each day

while at their Gigi’s house.”

Marie’s passion for art has spread over the years into the community. Her support and volunteerism is seen in many local organizations such as the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild, where she has served as president, and is also a member of the HSO Board of Trustees. She fur ther serves on the board for Arts Huntsville and the Hunts ville Museum of Art Guild. Marie is the 2022 chair of the Huntsville Madison County Library Foundation, past pres ident of the Gothic Guild and past chair of the Burritt on the Mountain Board of Directors.

Through her diligent work in many of the committees within these organizations, Marie has strived to ensure the local art community is thriving and ready to embrace new generations of art lovers.

“I do try to promote the local artists,” she added. “The problem is, I like it all – not only the watercolors, the acryl ics and oil paintings; I like sculptures, I love glass. I have a passion for all art mediums,” Marie said.

She learned a lot about art from a close friend. She taught her to pick out artwork that you love and that “speaks” to you. “If you keep staring at a piece of art – you will regret not owning it,” Marie noted, adding her friend taught her that. “Also, you find that your tastes change as you go

through life.”

Marie said many of her pieces are from regional art gal leries, local shops, from local artist friends and her family, the annual Huntsville Museum of Art Gala and from artist events at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

Through her many opportunities to serve, Marie has de veloped an even deeper appreciation for the local art com munity. “This community has a lot of musicians and a lot of artists, of all kinds,” she said. “The Lowe Mill Arts & En tertainment District in Huntsville is a perfect example of a broad mixture of artists. Huntsville, Madison, and Madi son County, as a whole, has shown strong support for the arts community.”

Marie pointed out the vast number of opportunities to enjoy local musicians, from Concerts in the Park and City Lights and Stars at Burritt on the Mountain, to Huntsville’s newest venue the Orion Amphitheater. For the art lovers, there was the recent Monte Sano Arts Festival and the upcoming Artist Alley at the Madison Street Festival. Of course, there is Huntsville’s premier arts festival Panoply that marked its 40th year earlier this year.

“This area does such a great job showcasing all different art forms,” Marie said. “I hope everyone takes time in life, and throughout their lives, to enjoy and appreciate the arts.”

Recently, Marie and her husband Joe hosted Arts Huntsville’s Art Tour of Homes Preview Party partnered with the Western-edition expansion. At the fundraiser to support the nonprofit’s four core program areas – arts community support and promotions, arts education, community events and public art – guests were treated to a tour of the Newberry’s eclectic art collection along with fine food and florals.

Danielle Hart, Arts Huntsville’s Development and Me dia Relations Manager, pointed out that Marie is a mem ber of the Symphony Guild – this group promotes mu sic education and takes their passion for music straight to the community’s younger generation. “If you look at what the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra does for fourth-grade students with their Young People’s Con certs, how they host Free Family Concerts, or how they show up with the Instrument Zoo at Panoply Arts Fes tival, they expose children to things they will carry with them for life,” Hart said.

Hart also pointed to additional examples of the many initiatives like those of the Huntsville Museum of Art Guild that promotes art education through Create Satur days; the free workshops are held five times a year. She further noted initiatives of the many local dance com panies, Fantasy Playhouse and the North Alabama Arts

Education Collaborative, soon to be Creative Launch pad, that are also impacting young lives. “Experiencing the arts gives area students the opportunity to grow into more-rounded children, developing both sides of the brain while exploring their individuality,” Hart added. “There are so many great local organizations that are pouring into our future leaders.”

Statistics have shown that exposing children to art drastically reduces the dropout rate in high school.

“We are very fortunate to live in the area we do and have the vast opportunities before us to enjoy, foster and pass on our love for art to others,” Marie said. “There certainly were those in the community before us that pi oneered the way, and I am very grateful to them because it was through them that we have what we have today. I think it is very important for those of us who are enjoy ing the fruits of their labor to continue it, so our children and grandchildren have these same opportunities to en joy the arts. I am only one of many in our community serving the next generation.”

For information on how to also get involved or support the local arts community, Arts Huntsville is a great place to start. Their service area is a 35-mile radius of Hunts ville and covers Madison and Madison County. You can find them online at www.artshuntsville.org.

Dreams are coming true

DDreams take time and a lot of hard work, and you can look no further than The Whita ker Cottage Community at Davidson Farms to see what I mean.

Two years to the day we broke ground on cottages to serve young ladies in foster care, we are officially ready to welcome them home!

The cottages are a bridge to independence for our girls. No longer will they be aban doned and alone when they age out of care. Five beautiful cottages will be their home as

they earn a college degree or find a career that will carry them through life.

Our girls would not have these homes if not for this incredible community. From big busi nesses who wrote checks to small churches who wrote prayers, every gesture helped to build the Whitaker Cottage Community.

And while the cottages are finished, we are not! Kids to Love will keep growing and serv ing and I can’t wait to share with you what’s next!

Lee Marshall

to

/ CEO

Foundation

Meet Maj. Gen. Dr. W. Scott Lynn

IIf you’ve ever been a patient at Madison Hospital, you know the incredible quality of our physi cian team.

But did you know our medical staff includes a general from the Army Reserve?

support active-duty military operations.

In addition to being one of the region’s best and bright est radiologists, Dr. Lynn is a veteran of Desert Storm and has served in the Army, both on active duty and in the Army Reserve, since 1989.

...

Mary Lynne Wright President Madison Hospital

In late June, Dr. W. Scott Lynn, a neuroradiologist with Radiol ogy of Huntsville and a member of Madison Hospital’s medical staff, was promoted from briga dier general to major general overseeing the Army Reserve Medical Command’s nationwide operations.

Based in Pinellas Park, Fla., the Army Reserve Medical Command provides medical, dental, blood donor and veterinary ser vices for America’s nearly 200,000 Army Reserve soldiers. That’s a big job that takes a big team. The command has about 8,200 “warrior medics” at 110 locations across the United States; many are deployed overseas each year to

Dr. Lynn attended Vanderbilt University on a four-year ROTC scholarship, graduating with a double major in elec trical engineering and math. Luckily for our community, he was also interested in medicine and earned his medi cal degree from UAB followed by a radiology residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San An tonio. Dr. Lynn completed his neuroradiology fellowship at Wake Forest University while simultaneously serving in the Army Reserve.

His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Army Surgeon General’s “9A” proficiency designator recognizing the highest level of professional achievement in the Army Medical Corps

Madison Hospital congratulates Dr. Lynn for rising to the highest ranks of his profession in radiology as well as the Army Reserve. Please join us in thanking him for his service – to our community and our country.

HISTORY

MADISON STATION

A photographic journey into the heart of Madison, the historic downtown area once known as Madison Station

THE PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION OF HISTORIAN JOHN RANKIN

Welcome to the Madison of yesteryear

This is the first part of an ongoing pho tographic journey through the history of Madison. The following photos are part of historian John Rankin’s collection. Each month we will bring you more historic pho tographs from his many years of compiling stories of Madison’s past. You can read his weekly history column in The Madison Re cord (www.themadisonrecord.com).

To kick this seies off, we are looking at various photographs depicting many of the scenes and buildings once located in downtown Madison in honor of the Madi son Street Festival’s 40th anniversary on Oct. 1.

Madison’s first drug store in 1871. It was located at the east end of Main Street near Black Bear.

Mable Sawyer at her dress shop at 204 Main Street, where Noble Passage Interiors is today.

The A. H. Lewis store in about 1910 on 104 Main Street, which later became the location for Zion Gourmet Popcorn.

Madison’s first post office. It was located at the south end of Buttermilk Alley.

Hafley Hotel, later known as Smith Hotel and the Bronaugh House, was located on Main Street.

Madison Methodist Church on Church Street

Train tracks through Madison

112 Main Street - Humphrey-Williams store.

West end of downtown Madison.

TRAILBLAZING

STORY BY GREGG PARKER

Joshua Vannoy maneuvers in Esports for Ole Miss scholarship

JoshuaJVannoy’s

mastery of 21st-century, high-level video games steered him to capture a scholarship at the University of Mississippi.

Joshua excelled with the Esports Team at Bob Jones High School. This team compiled an unprecedented re cord with five consecutive state titles at Alabama Esports State Championships.

Players compete on PCs. The most popular game and Joshua’s forte is “Rocket League.” Joshua ranked as the number one player for Rocket League in the State of Ala bama.

This fantastical sport-based video game features a competitive game mode, based on teamwork and outmaneuvering opponents. Players work to advance the ball down the field and to score goals. Some people com pare the game to ‘vehicular soccer.’

That game description appears in the resolution from Alabama State Senators Tom Butler and Arthur Orr for the Alabama State Senate that commends the Bob Jones Esports Team “for numerous impressive titles and earn ing the Alabama High School Athletic Association State

Championship for Classes 1A-7A for the second consecu tive year.”

The company, Epic Games, produces Rocket League, and Psyonix develops the game, Aubree White said. White is Head Coach of Bob Jones Esports Team.

“I have been playing computer games since I was four years old,” Joshua said. “Over the years, I have devel oped an interest in computers, as well as building from the ground up!”

In fall 2021, Joshua’s parents, Larry and Lisa Vannoy, started researching colleges and collegiate Esports. “I was impressed with the number of colleges out West that have state-of-the-art facilities for Esports. I found very little in the South that actually had a facility and tryouts. Most seemed to be clubs and no real scholarships,” Lisa said.

By chance, Lisa emailed the Esports coach at Ole Miss, which has an Esports Venue, thanks to a generous donor. She submitted Joshua’s Discord, Twitter and Twitch ac counts to determine the university’s interest.

“Ole Miss wanted him from the beginning,” Lisa said.

“They had researched him and followed him (online). A tryout wasn’t necessary. Ole Miss knew he was being re cruited by others.”

“Only one trip to Oxford, Miss. and Joshua knew that was where he wanted to go and play College Rocket League,” Lisa said.

“I do play several other games, one of which is called ‘Valorant,’ but most of the games aren’t played in high school,” Joshua said.

On August 15, Joshua returned from a weeklong trip to a National Esports competition (as a spectator, not a com petitor) and, in a quick turnaround, left for Ole Miss on the same day.

Classes at Ole Miss started Aug. 22. “I’m currently reg istered for 15 hours this semester. As far as difficulty, I do expect them to be harder than high school . . . I’m finding out,” he said.

At Ole Miss, Joshua brought familiar belongings from home in Madison. “I live in one of the contemporary dorms called Burns Hall. It has its own bathroom. I share (the space) with a roommate,” Joshua said.

Joshua’s dorm room is set up to accommodate Esports. “I built a high-end gaming computer to bring to college,”

he said. Joshua’s custom computer includes an Intel I-9 12900K processor with liquid cooler, AMD 6950XT Gam ing Graphics Card, 64 Gigabyte 400 MHz RAM, 4 Terabyte SSD memory, 32-inch 240Hz Curved Monitor and Logi tech G Pro Mouse.

“I use a headset, along with a freestanding mic,” Joshua said. “I also brought a Predator Gaming laptop that I won in a Rocket League tournament.”

For this year, Joshua decided not to ‘rush’ for a frater nity. “I wanted to make sure there was enough time for my studies and my commitment to playing College Rocket League,” he said. “I’m sure I will add a couple clubs once classes start.”

Not surprisingly, computer science is Joshua’s major. He also is pursuing a minor in intelligence and security studies.

His interest in cyber security resulted from enrolling in several courses at Bob Jones. “I hope to work for a threeletter agency, such as the CIA, FBI or DIA,” Joshua said.

With his dedication to Esports, Joshua plays many hours. “I’m on a non-collegiate team that plays in weekly tournaments, practices and scrimmages, as well as my col legiate team that has the same type of schedule,” he said.

On weekends, he plays 12-plus hours each day but real izes that he must adjust his weekly schedule when classes demand his time. “Practice (in Esports) is what develops the skills to be competitive. I’m shooting to become a pro someday,” Joshua said.

At Ole Miss, he is a member of most competitive Rocket League group, the Red Team. Getting an early start, he played and competed with the Red Team during summer 2022.

“It’s hard to compare Rocket League in college to that of high school. Colleges seek out and recruit players from all over, but high schools pull from their student body,” he said.

“I enjoyed my team at Bob Jones and developed great friendships. We really clicked as a team and played well to gether as we won five State Championships,” Joshua said. “Ms. Aubree White at Bob Jones is a patient and encourag ing coach that has a successful and growing program that I enjoyed playing for.”

“I hope to create that kind of camaraderie with the Ole Miss team. Ole Miss is fortunate to have a large financial donor that is giving them an opportunity to build a great gaming Esports facility . . . something that Bob Jones defi nitely needs to continue on their path of greatness in Es ports,” Joshua said.

FOOD

STUFFED PEPPERS

STORY BY LINDSEY BOOTHE

WhenW

I was a little girl, my grandma used to make us stuffed peppers for dinner sometimes. She only used green bell peppers, because that was all we had access to. They were heavy on the rice to make the meat stretch, so these ones are a little different. If you like spicy foods, you can use a hot sausage and pepper jack cheese.

Stuffed Peppers

• 1 pound chorizo sausage

• 1 yellow onion and drain

• 1 cup cooked brown rice

• 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

• 2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella or pepper jack)

• 4-6 green bell peppers

Directions

Dice yellow onion and combine with raw sausage. Brown over medium high heat until sausage is cooked through and

onions are translucent. Drain and set aside to cool slight ly. Combine sausage and onion mixture with rice and add tomato sauce. Mix until blended and add 1 cup of cheese. Incorporate thoroughly. Remove the top from peppers and hollow them out. Stuff peppers tightly and until meat mix ture is to the top of the pepper. Add remaining cheese on top of each one. Place in a rimmed baking dish and bake at 350° until peppers are softened and cheese is browned, about an hour.

This recipe was submitted by Lindsey Boothe, owner of Alabama Treenware. Lindsey hand carves wooden kitchen utensils, including the one pictured here, in her Madison, Alabama, wood shop using all local hardwoods. Alabama Treenware regularly posts stories and recipes such as this one online at www.facebook.com/alabamatreenware and on Instagram @Alabamatreenware. Visit www.alabam atreenware.com to learn more.

Madison’s Tootsie Roll 5K is on a roll

... John Peck Madison City Schools Communications Director

WWhen runners take their mark Nov. 5, it will mark the 5th annual run by the Knights of Co lumbus benefiting special education programs in Madison City Schools. KofC fund drives have generated almost $200,000 for Madi son’s SPED school programs for things like software, tailored teaching tools, learning aids, special sensory rooms, and more.

Registration is still open for runners (and walkers) to register for the event, which starts and ends at Madison City Stadium. Go to: runsignup.com/Race/AL/Madison/KofC TootsieRoll5K

Dr. Susan Zinkil, Director of Special Educa tion for Madison City Schools, said the Tootsie Roll 5K holds a special place in her heart as she has seen directly how students with disabilities benefit from its support.

Last year, funds from the Tootsie Roll Run were given to SPED teachers for new and inno vative classroom projects. One such program was, Panther Perks, a new Coffee Cart for Dis covery Middle School. Some of the students in the ELC at DMS sold coffee to the faculty and staff while practicing counting money, making change, and communication skills.

What began here 30 years ago as a Tootsie Roll Drive outside storefronts has evolved into a 5K run/walk that made it a more communi tywide event.

Jerome Villareal, race sponsor and grand knight of the KofC Council 10232 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, said the 5K has exceeded expectations both in funds for SPED and raising awareness to helping people with intellectual disabilities.

Madison City Schools

“In the years following our 2012 season we began to see a sharp decline in places that allowed us to hand out Tootsie Rolls and collect donations for whatever reason - corporate policies, liability issues, whatever. We went from about 10 storefronts in Madison to one or two and in 2020, went to zero because of the pandemic. In 2018, we had begun the Tootsie Roll 5K. It’s grown from 86 signups to over 250 last year and this year we hope to have 500.” The course change from the Bradford Creek Greenway to a course downtown beginning and ending at Madison City Stadium has greatly improved its appeal.

Knights of Columbus councils 10232 at St. John and 17519 Most Merciful Jesus are the founders and chief or ganizers of this growing event. Helping People With Intel lectual Disabilities is a hallmark focus of Knights of Co lumbus chapters nationwide.

A quote from St. Pope Gregory the Great summarizes the objectives for the Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll 5K: “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours.”

The run has come to symbolize both a fun activity for families and a serious one for hard core runners. It is now

a certified 5K course with USA Track and Field.

Know that by participating, you are contributing to your local community. A special shoutout goes to those who have participated in the past with hopes of continuing sup port. Even if you don’t run or walk, consider a donation for the benefit of the Special Education program of Madison City Schools.

Helping this wonderful cause is what makes the Tootsie Roll 5K even that much sweeter.

Knights of Columbus leaders were given a tour of a special education classroom at Discovery Middle to meet students and observe what past funds have been used for (above). Two big acquisitions are a sensory room and a coffee cart (below), which students use to serve faculty in the building and gain skills.

OUT&ABOUT

BOB JONES HOMECOMING PARADE - It’s that time of year again! With the start of school follows the annual homecoming celebrations at area high schools. This month we are bringing you scenes from the Bob Jones High School and James Clemens High School homecoming parades. Both were held last month in preparation for the homecoming games. On these two pages we are bringing you fun photos of the Bob Jones homecoming parade. On the following set, we will have James Clemens. Photos By Kassidy Wilkins

OUT&ABOUT

In his younger years, Liberty Middle Principal Shannon Brown was slamming against 250-300 pound linemen for the Crimson Tide and later, the Atlanta Falcons before a knee injury abruptly ended his playing days. Last month, he was getting slimed by ice cream fixings by hundreds of cheering middle schoolers. The stunt was fulfillment of a promise if the school met its $20,000 fundraising goal for the Liberty PTA. The students raised over $24,000 from pledges, donations, and personal contributions. A last minute surge came in after popular LMS Coach Anthony Simpson - also a former UA player and NFL signee for the Green Bay Packers and later, the Canadian Football League) joined Brown for the dessert dump. September 8 was their day of reckoning before bleachers filled with jeering students. After posing for a thumbs up pic, they donned goggles and sat side by side for their humiliation. The stunt was to make them into an ice cream sundae. Students lined up to pour vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and various varieties of sprinkles all over them. Brown said the experience was worth it because of the support for his school and the joy it brought students. “I’ll be more than happy to accept a body slam like this from these kids, having all this sweet stuff dumped on me for this worthy cause.”

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You and our bab ’s bond is nine months in the making and we’re here for you every step of the way.

See why more Moms deliver at our hospitals than any other hospital in Alabama Visit oHHbaby.o g to schedule a tour or to lear n more about our dedicated mater nit ser ices.