A Publication of the Daily Mountain Eagle
volume 8 • issue 2 • winter 2020
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CJ Harris finds a new groove
Rachael L. Johnson CJ Harris finds a new groove CJ Harris finds a new groove CJ Harris finds a
/ Soap, Softball and Ministrynew groove / A lineage of educators
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ABE CANNON
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TYLER HERRON
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TOMMY PARRISH
KEITH RICE
JOSH SALTER
JOHN SOFTLEY
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STEVE MASON
BRIAN BURGETT
TIM DODD
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VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 2 • WINTER 2020
FromTheStaff... MAGAZINE Established October 2012 PUBLISHER James Phillips EDITOR Jennifer Cohron ART DIRECTOR Malarie Brakefield CONTRIBUTORS Jake Aaron, Scott Eric Day Photography, Ron Harris, Nicole Smith, Rick Watson ADVERTISING Jake Aaron, Brenda Anthony, Zach Baker, Renee Holly, Liz Steffan BUSINESS MANAGER Charlette Caterson DISTRIBUTION Michael Keeton
Walker Magazine is a publication of and distributed seasonally by the Daily Mountain Eagle, a division of Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored for retrieval by any means without written consent from the publisher. Walker Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited materials and the publisher accepts no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of claims in any advertisement in any issue. Walker Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or changes in information. The opinions of contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine and its publisher. Our mission is to promote Walker County and to showcase its many attributes as a quality place in which to live, to work and to play. We welcome ideas and suggestions for future editions of the magazine. Just send us a brief note via email. © 2020 Daily Mountain Eagle WALKER MAGAZINE P.O. Box 1469 Jasper, AL 35502 (205) 221-2840 email: walkermagazine@mountaineagle.com
For 30 issues now, we have been sharing stories about the best of Walker County. Local schools appear frequently in these pages because so many of us take pride in our alma maters. It isn’t the buildings themselves that matter most to us, however, but the teachers and principals who have impacted our lives. Often, great educators beget great educators, and it is those family ties that we are celebrating in our winter issue. Daily Mountain Eagle education reporter Nicole Smith searched both local school systems for relatives who have dedicated their lives to the same mission. She found quite a few and ultimately selected six sets to profile — Garrett Kirkland, Scott Kirkland and Leslie Burrough of Carbon Hill High; Darius and Jada Gilbert of Jasper High; Shawna McCullar and Chris McCullar of the Walker County Center of Technology; Mary Barton and Danielle Phillips of Sumiton Christian School; Monica Brown of Oakman High and Chris Stephenson of Sumiton Middle; and Christian Matthews and Tamara Matthews of Jasper High. We hope you enjoy learning about how these husbands and wives, parents and children, siblings and cousins ended up following in each other’s footsteps. Family brought Rachel Johnson, the subject of our cover story, to Walker County. Johnson, who moved to the area after marrying a Carbon Hill native, once dreamed of becoming an actress but eventually realized that she was meant to help bring out the beauty in others. Johnson’s career has taken her to several movie sets but she is now enjoying her work at Sendy’s Beauty Salon & Spa in Jasper. Also in this issue, we share the story behind Operation Suds, a local online business that offers homemade soaps and other bath products. Once again, family is at the heart of this story. It was Shanon Hyche’s love for his daughter and God who inspired him to begin a ministry for softball players, and it was Christa Hyche’s love for her husband and support of his goal of having an official nonprofit that inspired her to start Operation Suds. Don’t miss our From the Vault page, which has some fun photos from the early days of Skate Galaxy, and our We are Walker County profile on local postal carrier Debra Hatfield. As always, we welcome feedback at walkermagazine@mountaineagle.com. We’re striving to put out a better product with each quarterly issue, which means we’re constantly evaluating what is working well and where changes need to happen. If you have a specific story or even a general topic that you would like to see featured in the magazine, we’d love to hear it.
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OnTheCover Hairstylist Rachel Johnson has worked on several movie sets but lives locally. Signature on front cover is not an actual signature.
Photo by Scott Eric Day Photography
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New Year. New Improvements. FULL SPEED AHEAD IN 2020
Thanks to Jasper’s rock solid financial management, 2020 is looking incredibly promising.
• C Spire and Alabama Power partnership with the city to bring high-speed internet to Jasper in 2020. • Fund balance increased from $1.4 million to $7.1 million in only three years. • Major improvements to Airport Road. • Sidewalk, curb and gutter improvements in downtown Jasper and other areas. • $6 million spent on paving in two years. • $1 million spend to provide equipment to add efficiency in operations. • Funded community projects to improving parks, streets and neighborhoods. “2019 was a Banner Year for our City and progress is moving at an accelerated pace.”
• Building relationships to bring services to residents.
- Mayor David O’Mary
Mayor David O’Mary District 1 Sonny Posey Inc. 1887
District 2 Danny Gambrell
District 3 Gary Cowen
District 4 Jennifer W. Smith
District 5 Willie Moore, III
(205) 221-2100WINTER | 400 19th St. W, Jasper, AL 35501 | www.jaspercity.com 2020 A PUBLICATION OF THE DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE WALKER MAGAZINE
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What’sInside
08 | From The Vault Skate Galaxy, 1981 10 | Operation Suds Shanon and Christa Hyche 18 | Family ties A lineage of educators
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10 34 | Behind the Chair Rachael Johnson
42 | Community Calendar What’s going on in the county 44 | Snapshots Past events in Walker County 50 | We Are Walker County Deb Hatfield
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Vault From The
Skate Galaxy, 1981 Compiled by Jennifer Cohron Photos courtesy of the Daily Mountain Eagle
Skate Galaxy opened to the public in February 1981. The ultramodern skating center featured a 15,000-square foot rink, a “black magic” floor, light show, party room, recreation room and snack bar. The rink was owned by Gene and June Stidham of Hamilton. The couple were members of the Roller Skate Rink Owners of America, an organization dedicated to the advancement of roller skating. In 1983, Jasper Mayor Jack Nicholson signed a proclamation for the National Roller Skating Week. The American Heart Association and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports encouraged Americans to try roller skating as an exercise program.
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Carol Owen, winner of the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Skate-aThon, skates around the rink with little sister Kelly.
Hoyt Franks, left, and Jason Roberts fly around the rink in 1983.
Hoyt Franks and his friends take a break from zooming around the rink at Skate Galaxy. Hoyt Franks shows off his roller skates.
Unnamed skaters get some air beneath them at the roller rink.
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Operation Suds Text by JENNIFER COHRON | Photographs by MALARIE BRAKEFIELD and DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE ARCHIVES
T
he mysterious ways of God are commonly acknowledged. In the Hyche household, He works through softball and soap.
Shanon Hyche offers free softball lessons through Mission 34, which he launched in 2018 with his daughter, Emma, a former standout softball player at Cordova High School who now plays at Wallace State Community College, and family friend Chuck Cordell. His wife, Christa, started Operation Suds in June to help raise the $1,000 needed to apply for nonprofit status. Shanon Hyche struggled with what he believed was a call to preach until he realized that the softball field was an untapped mission field. “Some people think, ‘Well, it’s sports. They don’t have to do that.’ It’s not just that. I could tell you stories about the kids and even the parents that this has touched. There have been many tears. It’s been powerful and blessed me more than anybody,” Hyche said. Mission 34 (so named because Emma wore number 34) currently offers free weekly individual hitting lessons to five or six players of all ages, though those numbers increase as the season gets underway. Hyche is committed to giving each player the attention she needs to hone her skills, especially if she can’t afford to take any other lessons or play on a travel team before reaching the competitive world of high school athletics.
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He also accepts used equipment and distributes it as the need arises. He gave one high school player a glove, only to learn that it was the same glove that she and her family had looked at recently but had not purchased. “She said, ‘How does that happen?’ It’s God. It’s nothing but that. As simple as that was, He can use anything,” Hyche said. The equipment goes not only to players who take lessons from Mission 34 but also to area park and recreation teams. The program donated 51 helmets this year to a school in south Alabama that was starting its first softball program. Hyche has even received a request from a high school team in the Phillipines that only had a bat and four gloves to use. In its inaugural year, Mission 34 hosted a free camp attended by 35 players and staffed by representatives from four area schools as well as Bevill State’s softball team. Each participant received a t-shirt and a Bible as well as a meal. After taking a year off because of illness in the family and because Emma was settling into her freshman year of college, Hyche’s goal is to offer a camp in the spring and in the fall this year. The next goal for Mission 34 is to acquire a building for area players to use. A long-term goal is to sponsor a travel ball team that would allow youth to play for free.
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“That’s down the road, but it’s where we want to go. We want to touch as many kids as we can, teach them responsibility and accountability, know that they’re valued and ultimately spread the Gospel,” Shanon Hyche said. To apply for grants or to allow supporters to claim donations on their taxes, it is necessary to become a nonprofit. As a result, the Hyche kitchen is now a part-time lab that churns out soaps, bath bombs, salt scrubs, body butters and shower steamers. All proceeds are currently being used to save up for the nonprofit status filing fee. Christa Hyche is self-taught in the art of soapmaking. “There is a lot of research you have to do, especially with the bath bombs. I had never used one and didn’t really know what they did. My first one didn’t float. It turns out they float, they spin, they spit out different colors. It takes a lot of research to figure out how to make them work,” she said. Hyche also uses pure essential oils and menthol crystals in some products, which required her to research which ones
were not safe for children of a certain age so they could be labeled appropriately. The Hyches’ son Cole had the molds she needed to get started from his days making cold-processed soaps, which are made with lye. She opted to go with a hot process, which requires her to melt down blocks of soap and add colorants and fragrances. The soap itself is detergent free, and Hyche keeps a line of products for those who prefer fragrance free products. For all other customers, Hyche offers a range of scents – rosemary peppermint, cotton candy, eucalyptus spearmint, vanilla bean, lavender, cucumber melon, apple cider and more. Fruit, coffee and baking scents are the most popular scents. Hyche even has masculine scents such as Inspiration Drakkar. “She’s always coming up with new stuff, and it’s trial and error with the scents and the look you want. It can be a lengthy process at times,” Shanon Hyche said. Christa Hyche strives to give customers a product that is good
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“
We want to touch as many kids as we can, teach them responsibility and accountability, know that they’re valued and ultimately spread the Gospel. - S H A N O N H YC H E
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for their body, mind and spirit as well as affordable. “I was always that mom who never buys herself anything because they’re always buying stuff for their kids. I would like for moms to have something nice that they don’t have to spend a fortune on,” she said. Operation Suds products are sold through Etsy and at The Tin Cup in Jasper. Once Mission 34 becomes a nonprofit, the funds from the business will be used for local mission projects. “We have two kids in college, so we do what we can do with our time. Something like this is another opportunity to help a church or an organization any way that we can,” Shanon Hyche said. •
WINTER 2020
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A lineage of educators Text by NICOLE SMITH
The love of teaching runs deep within the lifeblood of these families. Learn their backstories and how instructing transformed their lives.
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The Carbon Hill triad GARRETT KIRKLAND, SCOTT KIRKLAND AND LESLIE BURROUGH Photos by NICOLE SMITH and JASON CLARK
IT’S NOT EVERY DAY THAT A MAN AND HIS TWO CHILDREN ALL HAVE CAREERS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION — AND WORK AT THE SAME SCHOOL. Scott had a humble upbringing in Carbon Hill, graduated from the small town school, and met his wife at a little church in nearby Eldridge. They had two children, Garrett and Leslie, who also have Carbon Hill as their alma mater. During their school years, their father was just down the hallway. Scott was formerly employed at a manufacturing plant in Hamilton. He didn’t hate his job, but it simply wasn’t his dream, so he went to school. “I went to college for 12 years to get a four-year education, and I worked,” Scott said. “I always dreamed of being an ag teacher.” His desire to work with students came naturally, considering his aunt taught at Carbon Hill, as well as his aunt’s daughter. He was also inspired by his former agriscience teacher. Scott continued his studies until he obtained a degree in his mid-30’s to teach. He taught for two years at Mt. Olive and another two years at Townley until he finally made it home to Carbon Hill, where he teaches agriscience and used to coach basketball. He just Scott Kirkland watching a entered his Carbon Hill game 20th year in from the sidelines. education. “Best job in the world,” Scott proclaims. It is their father’s love for students
that inspired Garrett and Leslie to follow in his footsteps. “When I was really young, I always wanted to be a teacher. I was playing school all the time,” Leslie said. “I had my little classroom set up. I’m sure I made Garrett be my student a few times.” In fact, Leslie said her teachers at Carbon Hill would often give her old books and materials that were no longer being used, and those items became part of Leslie’s make-believe school. “When I was younger, I was already working as a teacher,” she said. “I had so many wonderful teachers. There were so many teachers that made me want what they had, that made me want to go back and be what they were for me.” Leslie briefly considered exploring other career options, but she ultimately knew that being a teacher was her calling. She began teaching in 2013 after going to college, and after three years of working at another school, she, too, came home to Carbon
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At left, Garrett Kirkland as a high school basketball standout. At right, Kirkland as Carbon Hill’s head coach in later years.
Hill High School. Leslie teaches 10th- and 12th-grade English and is the cheerleading sponsor. It wasn’t long before Garrett joined his father and sister at the school. “I knew I was going to be a coach and a teacher, from the time I was little,” Garrett said. “I really wanted to be at Carbon Hill, specifically.” Garrett’s educational career began in 2017. He taught one year at Sumiton Elementary School and then returned to his alma mater as a basketball coach and driver’s education teacher in 2018. Being a basketball coach is sentimental to Garrett, considering he played in high school under his mentor, Robert Epps, who coached the school’s boys basketball team to multiple wins. “I can’t think of a school in the world that I would rather work at than where I’m at now,” he said. “I think that says a lot about how good the school is. I love it here.” The Kirklands’ love for the school runs deeper than many may realize. The old Carbon Hill High School burned in June 2002, and the Kirklands have since acquired the land atop the hill and are renovating buildings on the school property that were left unscathed during the fire. Garrett and his wife, Jessica, are remodeling the old ag building to be their family home, and Leslie and her husband, McClain, live in the old home economics building with their two children. A couple of current school employees live in apartments that were created in the back of the old school’s gym. Garrett even called one of the apartments home when he would return to Carbon Hill during his college years. Scott and his wife, Georgette, live elsewhere in Carbon Hill in an old commercial building from the 1920s.
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“The love for this place runs deep,” Leslie said. Scott added, “There’s not a lot here, but it’s home to us.” School mornings are even the same as they were years ago. “We literally eat breakfast at mom and dad’s house every morning and leave there and come to work here,” Garrett said. “One of my favorite things about working here is getting to work with them,” Leslie said. “We’re a pretty close family, and we like to be around each other. I love getting to walk in this building and work with my dad and my brother.” Scott said there’s nothing that could take him away from Carbon Hill High School, and it’s where he plans to retire. The feeling is mutual for his children. Their love for students also cannot be wavered. “There’s a statement in education, and I take it to heart,” Scott said. “It’s, ‘They’re never going to remember what you teach them. They’re only going to remember how you make them feel.’ I try to make them feel good every day.” Leslie and Garrett credit their father’s character as a motivator for them to be better educators. “He’s the best at just treating everybody good, no matter what their background is,” Garrett said. “Some of the kids that are less fortunate, that’s the ones you’re going to see him around. I like doing the same thing. That’s probably the main thing I’ve learned from him.” “I feel like children are just drawn to him. I remember going to the swimming pool in Carbon Hill when I was little, and he would have kids just hanging off of him,” Leslie said. “I don’t know anybody that loves people the way that my dad does. I loved coming to school and having my dad here and being able to go to him for advice. He’s the same way with his students. He treats his students like his kids. I’ve seen him do that my whole life. He’s just the most loving person I know. I definitely try to carry that over into my classroom.” •
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The Tide that binds DARIUS AND JADA GILBERT Photos by NICOLE SMITH, RON HARRIS and JASPER VIKING SPORTS
TWO WORLDS COLLIDED ONE FALL SEMESTER ON THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA’S CAMPUS. Darius Gilbert was in his sophomore year — a linebacker for the Crimson Tide. Jada Gilbert was two weeks into her freshman year at the university and highly focused on her studies. On an ordinary day, the two crossed paths in UA’s Ferguson Center, and Darius expressed his interest in dating the new girl on campus. There was one dealbreaker for Jada, however. “I found out he was a football player, and I didn’t want to have anything to do with him,” Jada said. But Darius was persistent. “She played a little hard to get. She didn’t want to date a football player. I chased her for about two months,” he said. “I used to call her, and she may or may not have answered. Eventually, we went on our first date and ended up clicking.” Jada smiled as she recalled the early years of their relationship. “Playing hard to get, it cost me, because when I fell, I fell hard,” she said. They have been together ever since and later married. They have one daughter, Jordan. Both graduated from UA, with Jada earning a bachelor’s degree in health science and Darius focusing on general health studies. Before long, they both found themselves working in education. “My original plan was to implement health programs — very business-minded — and then Darius decided he wanted to coach,” Jada said. “Jordan was getting ready to start kindergarten. So I always tell the funny story that I got into education for the wrong reasons because it was very convenient.” She worked as a Darius Gilbert during his time paraprofessional for three years on the Alabama and during that time earned football team. a master’s degree in special (collaborative) education. While education wasn’t her first career choice, she finally knew it’s the path God had intended all along. WINTER 2020
“I absolutely loved it. I really felt like that was what God led me to do instead of the business part. I absolutely love collaborative education and kids,” she said. Jada has been at Jasper High School for the past four years as a collaborative instructor. Her goal is to one day work as a counselor. Darius is also employed with Jasper High as an assistant principal. He has coached football, girls basketball, and baseball as well. Being a coach wasn’t necessarily his career goal. “It’s funny, maturing and growing. You get there and you think you’re going to the NFL. Things in life happen, and it doesn’t happen, so you have to redefine what you’re going to do in life,” Darius said, admitting he doesn’t talk often about his time playing football at UA. “It’s just something I really don’t broadcast. I try not to be defined by playing at Alabama. My wife and my daughter get on to me sometimes for not telling people, but it was a good time in my past. They were great years. In ‘99 we won the SEC Championship. Going into my junior year, we were ranked third in the country. It was a great time in my life, but it has passed. I’ve moved on.” He played for the Crimson Tide from 1998 to 2001. Playing sports is in Darius’ blood. He grew up playing football, basketball, and baseball, so his decision to become a coach wasn’t far-fetched. He went on to earn a degree in exercise science and physical education and also has a master’s in collaborative education and administration. His career has taken him to many school systems across the state, including his alma mater of Oxford. He was at Walker High for one year and then took a head football coaching position at Wilcox County High School. A year later he and Jada both were at Athens Middle School and A PUBLICATION OF THE DAILY MOUNTAIN EAGLE
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Darius and Jada Gilbert with their daughter, Jordan.
then returned to Jasper High together four years ago. Jada moved schools as well many times over the years and once even worked at an alternative school in Oxford. “I absolutely loved it. The challenge of having compassion and also being firm, that’s my strong suit,” she said. Jada and Darius admitted that moving around for work was tough, but every decision came with much consideration. “Every decision we made, it was one we made together. We prayed about it and made sure that was what God wanted us to do,” Jada said. “We have one of the best marriages ever. Not trying to brag, but we do. We try to make sure that we keep the other person’s ideas in mind, and then we always talk to Jordan.” Since Jordan was in the sixth-grade, Jada has been fortunate enough to work in the same school building where her daughter was enrolled. “Sometimes it’s not always easy, but you have to compromise and you have to communicate. You have to give and take. It’s not 50/50. It’s 100/100. You have to be in it for each other,” Darius
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said of his relationship with Jada and the sacrifices they’ve made as a family. “She’s a special lady to me. She’s a great mother. She’s a good counselor, a good listener. Jada means wisdom, and she reminds me of that a lot. She’s a wonderful lady.” “He’s a really great guy. Really blessed,” Jada said. “He is very humble and very modest. I love that about him.” Their daughter, Jordan, is a senior this year at Jasper High School, and she has excelled on the school’s volleyball and basketball teams. Darius said he isn’t sure Jordan will follow in he and Jada’s footsteps as an educator, but she is interested in pursuing a degree in communications. Both Jada and Darius said they love being a part of the Jasper City Schools system and are happy to be Vikings. “What I really like about the school system is it’s a really closeknit family. They treat my family like family,” Jada said. “I love my job. I like it here in Jasper. They’ve been good to me,” Darius added. “This is where my daughter’s going to graduate from, and I just enjoy being here.” •
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United for good SHAWNA MCCULLAR AND CHRIS MCCULLAR Photos by NICOLE SMITH, SHAWNA MCCULLAR and CHRIS MCCULLAR
IF EDUCATORS CHRIS MCCULLAR AND SHAWNA MCCULLAR ARE IN THE SAME ROOM, IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG TO REALIZE THE TWO ARE RELATED. The cousins have a sibling-type banter that can’t be missed and while the two may have many differences, their hearts are in the same place. Shawna and Chris both grew up in the small community of Thach in Walker County and were part of a large family. Chris was born to Ronald and Paula McCullar and Shawna to Jack and Reda McCullar. Ronald and Jack are two sons of J.E. and Myrtle McCullar. Chris and Shawna inevitably spent much of their childhood together. “Some of our favorite memories are exploring the woods, creek, and ponds from dusk ‘til dawn with our other cousins at grandma’s farm growing up — with maybe a few tussles and
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bottle-rocket wars thrown in the mix,” Shawna said. “Wish we were that close again,” Chris admitted. “We used to have family get-togethers where we would have 50 of us there. Every holiday we would be there at our grandparents.” Chris said he was a bit mischievous as a kid, all while Shawna was pretending to be a teacher. “In third-grade, I got my first C in conduct because my teacher said I wouldn’t stop teaching the class,” Shawna said. “I would go around and want to grade people’s papers. Maybe I was just bossy, but I thought I was supposed to be the teacher.” Both Chris and Shawna graduated from Curry High School, attended Walker College and later Auburn University but neither entered college with the goal of being a teacher. Chris wanted to be a veterinarian and worked on a livestock
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Opposite page, Shawna McCullar and Chris McCullar as children.
judging team in college. “I got a chance to work with a lot of high school youth down there through livestock shows, livestock judging contests. I really enjoyed working with those kids, and that’s probably what got me started wanting to get into teaching,” he said. When Chris didn’t get accepted into veterinary school, he already had a degree in animal dairy science under his belt and used it as he entered a master’s program in agriscience education. He later did student teaching with an ag teacher in Cullman County and started teaching in 1997. His first job, ironically, wasn’t teaching agriscience; rather, he taught chemistry and physical science at Curry High School, his alma mater. Chris comes from a long line of educators. His great-grandfather, James Taylor, was a teacher for a few years, and Taylor’s daughters, Audie, Maudie and Gertie were all teachers for more than 30 years each. Chris’s grandmother, Audie Lee, taught in Walker County and Winston County schools. Audie had two girls, Paula and Pamela, who were also educators. Paula, Chris’s mother, taught for 26 years in various communities, including Meek, Eldridge, Thach, and Curry. Pamela, his aunt, taught for 27 years. Eventually, Chris secured a job teaching agriscience at Parrish High School and later went back to Curry High to lead the school’s agriscience program for 13 years. “I loved what I did. That’s where I wanted to retire from,” he said. “I felt like I made a positive difference in kids’ lives there.” Shawna was on her own journey that would take her outside of Walker County for a large portion of her career. She graduated from Auburn University with degrees in English, literature, and psychology and decided to pursue her love for education by getting a master’s degree in the field. Her first teaching job was at Carbon Hill High School, where she taught English for two years. Shawna soon married and moved to Gulf Shores. She taught English at a school there for
many years and later traveled to Virginia to run some learning centers in the area. After teaching for a short time in Muscle Shoals, she was about to make her way back to Walker County. Chris and Shawna didn’t know, but they would soon be working together. “Everything happens a particular way for a reason. We always end up where God had us headed anyway. He just directs us along the way,” Chris said. In the spring of 2014, Chris was offered the position of director at the Walker County Center of Technology (WCCT), and in the fall of that same year, Shawna was named the Walker County Career Coach. She is one of many career coaches across the state of Alabama and is responsible for mentoring students in Walker County and Jasper City schools. “This is the perfect match of my background in the business world and education,” Shawna said, recalling her reaction when she got the job. She and Chris may not see each other every day, but the center of technology is essentially Shawna’s home base when she isn’t at schools. For the past six years, the cousins have worked together to help change the stigma that once surrounded career tech education. “In the past, it was a place where kids who weren’t going to go to college were dumped. A lot of times they were just put on a bus and sent up here and told, ‘You’re going to take something,’” Chris said. “We have gone to great links to make sure we get the right student in the right class at the right time, and I think it’s all finally coming together.” Since Chris became director of WCCT, he has implemented a scheduling change that now has students coming to the center according to their grade level. Before, students of all experience levels were learning in the same classroom. The move allowed for the creation of a simulated work environment for seniors. WCCT now has a number of industry partnerships that have resulted in students securing jobs before they even receive their
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Chris McCullar and Shawna McCullar are pictured during their youth, at left. At right, they now work together to serve career tech students in Walker County.
high school diplomas. New opportunities have been created at WCCT, such as the center’s growing aviation program, and a new STEM Academy welcomes select seventh- and eighth-grade students each week to explore programs that WCCT has to offer. Chris is surrounded by a team of instructors that helped 550 students receive credentials last year. “Career tech students, for too long, have been the forgotten half of students. My goal now is to focus on that group of students and try to get every one of them a credential to where they can get a high wage, high demand job and break some cycles,” Chris said. “Some of these destructive cycles that happen over and over again in our county, I think we have the opportunity to help break them. That’s what I want to do.” Shawna spends much of her time out in the field to educate students on available career options.
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“As an English teacher at a high school, I truly thought that if my kids didn’t go to college I was a failure. I have since changed that mentality,” she said. According to Shawna, less than 20 percent of students in Walker County actually go on to further their education after high school. It’s a statistic she wants to change. “I don’t think kids should be forced to either do AP classes or career tech classes. They should have the opportunity to do both,” she said. “Kids should be able to have the chance to be both college and career-ready. I think that’s something that we have to work on. It’s going to take years to break down the stereotypes, but I see progress being made.” Chris and Shawna said they are committed to providing resources to help every student succeed. “We come from the same way of thinking, and we’re passionate about the same things,” Shawna said. •
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Called to teach MARY BARTON AND DANIELLE PHILLIPS Photos by NICOLE SMITH and MARY BARTON
IT ALL STARTED AT A LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE IN THE MID-1970S. Mary Barton was a young 20-something who spent her early career years working at an insurance company and later a department store. At 28 years old, she was asked by a friend to be a substitute teacher at the quaint schoolhouse on Sullivan Road in Sumiton. The rest, as they say, is history. “I loved it so much that she would have to call me when I got home and say, ‘Mary, you forgot to get paid today,’” Barton said with a quick laugh. “To me, it was just fun. I just loved it. I had found my niche in life.” Sadly, the little red schoolhouse fell victim to a fire, and its kindergarten enrollment was transferred over to Sumiton Church of God. It was the start of education at the church, and Barton taught the first kindergarten class there in ‘76 or ‘77. She never left, and the school later became known as what it is today, Sumiton Christian School. “The kindergarten was open for about eight years. Then we started a Christian school, and we went through the fifth-grade. To begin with, it was maybe 80 something students, and then we started adding a class a year until we are what we are today,” Barton explained. Her daughter, Danielle Phillips, attended Sumiton Christian through the eighth-grade (the highest grade level at the school during that time) and was even enrolled in her mom’s kindergarten class. Phillips was also part of the school’s first cheerleading squad. Being in her mom’s shadow ultimately inspired Phillips to become a teacher.
“I feel like I was born into this place,” Phillips said of Sumiton Christian. “My younger sister and I would come up here during the summers and leading up to school starting back. We were here playing around while she (Barton) was getting her classroom ready. I got to see all that a teacher does, and I started getting interested in it.” After graduating from Corner High School, Phillips attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She returned to her roots as a substitute teacher at Sumiton Christian in 1997. “I even came to my mom’s room for the first week of school because she told me that I needed to see how the first week of school went and how to start a class,” Phillips said. “I learned more that first week than I learned five years of going to college. ... I’m so glad that I was here for that week.” Phillips’ first year as a full-time teacher was at Sumiton Christian in 1998, and she is now in her 22nd year of education. She teaches third-grade. Her two sons, Jayden and Carson, attend Sumiton Christian School. Barton has two other daughters, Shellie Henderson and Julie
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Previous page, center, Mary Barton during her early years of teaching, pictured back row, far right. Previous page, bottom, Mary Barton’s first day of school at Sumiton Christian. This page, bottom left, Danielle Phillips is pictured second from left, bottom row, in her mom’s kindergarten class at Sumiton Christian.
Phillips, and Julie was a Sumiton Christian graduate. Two of Barton’s grandchildren have graduated from the school, along with a granddaughterin-law. Five of her grandchildren also attend Sumiton Christian. Phillips and Barton both speak fondly of the teaching profession. Barton just started her 43rd year in education, and she even has a scrapbook in her classroom that is filled with photographs to document her journey. “I feel it’s a calling. I’m able to teach the children about Jesus, and they can tell you things about the Bible. They quote Bible verses and know what the Bible verses mean,” Barton said. “I love teaching them patriotism, a love of country. To me, it’s God, family, and country.” She added, “I love to see the light turn on in their eyes whenever they’ve learned something.” Phillips said she has learned much from her mother’s 43 years of wisdom, in terms of working with children. “You start every day over again, fresh,” Phillips said, recalling advice from her mother. “You might have had trouble with a student, say the day before or even a few minutes ago, but you don’t keep on holding that against them. You just put that out of your mind, and you’re starting over fresh. I believe that has helped 28 / WALKER MAGAZINE
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me the most in dealing with students.” Aside from a love for teaching, their devotion to Sumiton Christian is just as apparent. “We care about each other. We pray for each other, and we really are a family,” Barton said. “We have a lot of pride in our school.” “I’ve always been here, and this school has always been a part of me,” Phillips said. “Sumiton Christian, for me, is like coming home. God is in this place.” •
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A divine plan MONICA BROWN AND CHRIS STEPHENSON Photos by JAKE AARON and NICOLE SMITH
SIBLINGS CHRIS STEPHENSON AND MONICA BROWN DIDN’T PLAN ON HAVING CAREERS IN EDUCATION BUT SAY THERE’S NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD SEE THEMSELVES DOING. Brown is Oakman High School’s librarian, and Stephenson serves as Sumiton Middle School’s principal. Despite their eightyear age difference, they both decided to become teachers at the same time. Monica Brown’s now-husband, Jeremy Brown, was a youth pastor at Aldridge Community Baptist Church when the two met in their mid-20s. Monica was working as a paralegal but spent a lot of time at the church, as did her brother, Chris, who started teaching Sunday school while he was a junior in college. Jeremy Brown had decided he wanted to pursue a career in
education, and it wasn’t long before Chris and Monica were also on board. “I think it originated out of our love for working with kids at church,” Monica Brown said. “What better way to do that than to get into secondary education.” “He was a great mentor to me at a crucial time in my life,” Stephenson said of Jeremy Brown. “I wanted to do something that I enjoy doing and something that I felt would make a difference.” Chris and Monica only have one family member that has worked in education, their mother, Vader Stephenson. She was once a substitute teacher and was a school receptionist until she retired. After Monica returned to college and was certified to teach, she worked as a teacher in Carbon Hill for one year and taught
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At left, Chris Stephenson talks with a group of students at Sumiton Middle School. At right, Monica Brown works with students to craft Oakman High School’s yearbook.
in Curry for three years. She then became an English teacher at Oakman High School in 2005, and it’s where she’s been ever since. Years later, she became the school’s librarian. Jeremy started coaching and teaching at Oakman High the same year Monica did, and he remains at the school as a history teacher. Monica Brown said even though she changed her career path from being a paralegal to a teacher, she knows working in education was her calling. “I can’t see myself doing anything else,” she said. Brown insists that teaching isn’t just about relaying textbook concepts; rather, it’s about helping to shape the next generation. “It’s phenomenal when they, God bless them, finally learn subjectverb agreement, but it’s way bigger than that,” she said of students. “It’s seeing them make a good choice in a hard situation, seeing them stepping up and being a leader, not a follower. Stuff like that trumps the other, by far. We love the content. We love what we do. We love teaching, but we love the kids more.” Monica and Jeremy have two daughters — Riley, an Oakman graduate, and Savannah, who just entered high school at Oakman. Stephenson recalled completing his student teaching experience at Oakman High School and said he has never forgotten some advice he received. “A guy told me, he said, ‘Imagine doing something that you would enjoy doing even if you were not getting paid for it. That’s what you need to try to do.’ It sounds like a cliche saying that but it was true,” Stephenson said. “It’s weird because the guy that told me that is superintendent now (Dr. Joel Hagood).” Stephenson also recalled how Walker County Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Dennis Willingham was a role model to him during his junior year at T.W. Martin School in Goodsprings. Willingham coached basketball at the time and was Stephenson’s history teacher. “He was a good mentor to me. He’s always been there, and he really loved his job,” Stephenson said. Once Stephenson graduated from college he returned to his alma mater to teach history for two years and coached multiple sports at Parrish. He then spent six years teaching and coaching in Cordova
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and was later assistant principal for two years at T.S. Boyd School. Being an administrator was always a goal, but Stephenson said it was difficult to leave the classroom. “I do miss those days of being in the classroom, in the trenches, just trying to influence change on an individual level,” he said. After leaving T.S. Boyd he was assistant principal at Sumiton Elementary School, which was then a K-8. When the new elementary school was built, grades were reconfigured and Stephenson became assistant principal of Sumiton Middle School, where he was named principal in 2015. Stephenson is married to his wife, Candice, who recently started substitute teaching, and they have four children — Chloe, Grayson, Madeline and Courtlyn. Stephenson spoke again of how he’s grateful that youth pastoring led to a career he never dreamed to have. “It’s funny how you think you know what’s best for you until God really shows you what’s best for you,” he said. “I feel like that’s what has happened time and time again in my life with decisions.” “I don’t know how we got started,” Monica Brown added. “We just did. It was just part of a way bigger plan.” •
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Monica Brown and her husband, Jeremy Brown.
Always a Viking CHRISTIAN MATTHEWS AND TAMARA MATTHEWS Photos by NICOLE SMITH, TAMARA MATTHEWS and JASPER VIKING SPORTS
CHRISTIAN MATTHEWS ADMITS HE IS MUCH LIKE HIS MOTHER, TAMARA MATTHEWS, IN THE CLASSROOM. IT’S THEIR DIFFERENCES, HOWEVER, THAT HAVE MADE THEM SHINE IN VARYING ARENAS. Tamara taught in the Jasper City Schools’ system for 25 years, primarily overseeing the middle and high school choir groups and teaching elementary music. “Christian says that I followed him around. I was able to teach all four of our kids by doing both, and it was a wonderful career. I loved teaching, and I love music, so it was great to share that,” Tamara said. She also coached cross country and taught dance and theater during her time with the school system. She retired in the spring of 2014, and her son, Christian, started his career with the school system in the fall of that year. “We did not teach together, but that worked out well. It was time for him to have a start here. I had been here a long time,” Tamara said.
Christian graduated from Walker High School and attended Birmingham-Southern College, where he played tennis. Sports was always in his blood, and he knew he wanted to be a coach, but Christian also pursued a degree in history so he could teach. “I loved all sports. I played football, basketball, and tennis here, and my favorite one was whatever season it was,” Christian said of his childhood. He did his student teaching fresh out of college at Walker High in 2014 under Geri Manasco. He was offered her position when she left months later, which he accepted — trading his plan of going on to grad school. Christian coaches football and tennis for the Vikings at nowJasper High School and helped bring home state tennis titles in 2015, 2016 and 2018. He also teaches 10th- and 11th-grade history. “It’s different every day. I like that,” Christian said. “Football and tennis were my two sports, and I get to do both of those here, and I get to do education as well. To get to do all of these things
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Top left, Christian Matthews coaching tennis for Jasper High School; Top right, Christian Matthews, at left, with his brother, Eli Matthews; Bottom left, Tamara Matthews at her last Encore performance with Walker High School in May 2014; Bottom right, Tamara Matthews during her years of coaching cross country for Walker High School.
just makes it enjoyable for me.” Even though Tamara retired from Jasper City Schools, it wasn’t long before she was working with children again. She is the children’s director at United Methodist Church in downtown Jasper, where she works with preschool students and teaches them music. “Once you’re around kids, you just can’t leave it,” she said. Tamara said her love of music started early when she learned to play the piano, and she went on to major in music at Auburn University, graduating in 1980. She then taught elementary music in Americus, Georgia for two years before moving to Jasper. She’s originally from Jefferson County but is happy to have put down roots in Jasper where she lives with her husband, Joe Matthews, the City of Jasper’s engineer. She has three other children, Eli Matthews, Darcy Mosley, and Amy Dill. Both Christian and Tamara spoke at length about their love for children and how that inspired them to be educators. 32 / WALKER MAGAZINE
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“The reason everybody does it is for the kids, the relationships that you build. That’s probably the biggest thing, for me, is the kids,” Christian said. “It’s fun to see them come back and run into them at other places.” “You get so close to the kids and develop great relationships with them. I still talk to a lot of my former students,” Tamara added. She said seeing her son follow in her footsteps and watching him grow as an educator and a coach has been a blessing. “I thought about why teacher’s kids became teachers,” Tamara said. “I think they see their parents enjoying the day-to-day teaching — the interaction with students — but I also think that they spend so much time at school with their parent that school is like home. School becomes a part of who they are.” Christian said he has adopted his mother’s laid-back teaching style and, like her, also encourages his students to strive for greatness. “I am so much more like her in the classroom than I ever thought I would be,” he said. •
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Behind the Text by JAMES PHILLIPS Photographs by SCOTT ERIC DAY PHOTOGRAPHY Set photographs submitted BY RACHAEL JOHNSON
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R
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I feel like life is hard when you are not on what God is wanting you to do, so you should start paying attention.
RACHAEL LATHAM JOHNSON SPENT A DECADE BEING A HAIR STYLIST TO THE STARS, BUT SHE IS QUITE HAPPY NOW BEING BEHIND A CHAIR AT SENDY’S BEAUTY SALON & SPA IN DOWNTOWN JASPER TAKING CARE OF A COMMUNITY THAT SHE HAS CALLED HOME FOR ONLY A YEAR. Johnson grew up in Carrollton in Pickens County, but she also spent much of her formative years moving to various locations across the country from Mississippi to California. “My parents divorced when I was 10 months old. My dad stayed in Carrollton while my mom moved to Jackson, Mississippi. With my mom we moved a lot, so I came back to Alabama my freshman year of high school because I was afraid the moving would get me behind in school.” Dreams of becoming an actress led Johnson to move to Los Angeles after high school. For several years, she attempted to catch a big break on the screen, but spent more time managing bands and waiting tables than acting on film. “It was hard to get an agent in that time period, from 1996 to 1998. That was a time before there were a bunch of different body types in movies and television. They wanted everyone to be a certain size. After four years of being told that I was fat, it started to wear me down a bit,” she said. Johnson said she has always had a strong faith, which is what led her away from acting and to hair styling. “I feel like life is hard when you are not on what God is wanting you to do, so you should start paying attention,” she said. “I started paying attention.” A makeup and hair class during her acting days was something that she excelled at, so she kept that in the back of her mind as she moved to Tuscaloosa at 25. “Kimberly Carruth, who still works at Image Makers in Tuscaloosa told me if I ever went to beauty school to call her and she would be my mentor, and that is what happened,” Johnson said. “I started my career there at Image Makers and stayed for five years.” Johnson then took her stylist skills to Tucson, Arizona for several years before moving to Nashville in 2011.
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“I was having a going away party on April 27, 2011, and I was late getting to that party because I was trying to make sure all my family and friends were okay from the storms that day,” she said. “I was supposed to move to Nashville the next day, but I came to Tuscaloosa and worked the recovery efforts for eight weeks before finally moving to Nashville in July 2011.” About a year after moving to Nashville, she met a person who was working on a film in Kentucky and needed a hair stylist. “I started very green,” Johnson said. “It was 18hour days for several months. I learned so much about myself and God and perseverance. I loved the camaraderie and loved what I was doing. I started booking more films and letting the salon go. After my third film, I took a deep breath and took a leap of faith, and now I’ve been doing it for almost 10 years.” Johnson with Darius Rucker and a co-worker on the set of CMT’s Still the King where Rucker played the role of Jesus.
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Top left, Johnson on set with actor Jon Voight in 2015’s Woodlawn. Top right, Johnson with actor Robin Williams in 2013 on the last day of shooting the film Boulevard.
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Shauna Galligan, who was Courtney Eaton’s stunt double in the 2019 movie Line of Duty, is shown here mid-stunt.
A shot from the Imagine Dragons video shoot for their hit song “Natural”.
That first film was a faith-based film entitled The Song. After that, she worked with director Chris Dowling on Run the Race, Where Hope Grows, and Laugh. Love. Karaoke. as department head of hair, covering all aspects of hair from design to creating wigs. She would also work on the bigger name actors’ hair, while assistants handled the other performers. She met comedian Chonda Pierce on the set of Laugh. Love. Karaoke., and is now her personal hair dresser. Johnson also worked on the Aaron Eckhart film Line of Duty, which was filmed last year in Birmingham, and was head of hair for the Billy Ray Cyrus series Still the King. While she has enjoyed working in the film industry, Johnson said she is building her clientele at Sendy’s and loving living in Walker County. She moved to the area a year ago after marrying JoDee Johnson, a Carbon Hill graduate who works full-time for the Army Reserve out of Haleyville.
Johnson with actress Cara Buono on the set of All Saints.
“I’m ready to get more involved in a community setting,” she said. “I am liking being behind the chair again. I’ve currently cut my film schedule back and I am working at Sendy’s in Jasper. I’ve loved watching downtown Jasper grow since I’ve been here. The entertainment district is great, and we have seen more and more foot traffic.” •
To contact Rachael, call (205) 292-5314 or email rachoncld9@yahoo.com.
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THINK YOU MAY BE PREGNANT AND DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO? CALL US.
M-S 8am-7pm • Sun. 9am-7pm
The Pregnancy Test and Resource Center is a nonprofit pregnancy center offering free and confidential services. We strive to serve with excellence and offer a nonjudgmental atmosphere.
Marlee Jane’s
We offer FREE pregnancy testing, ultrasound, and information on pregnancy options, a clothes closet, parenting classes and more!
Baby & Kid’s Boutique
Readers’
Choice Awards 2019
1707 2nd Ave., Jasper, AL 35501 www.ptrcjasper.org
205.221.5860 OPEN: Monday–Tuesday 9am–4pm Wednesday 8am–2pm Thursday 9am–5pm
www.MarleeJanes.com 460 20th St. West, Downtown Jasper
The Pregnancy Test and Resource Center is a 501.c.3 ministry that operates primarily through donations of individuals, churches, and businesses. Donations of new or gently used baby items up to size 2T are accepted. Volunteer positions are available.
(205) 512-1199
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CommunityCalendar
JANUARY – MARCH
To submit major community events for consideration in the next issue, send them to walkermagazine@mountaineagle.com. January 16 WALKER COUNTY LAKE REOPENS The Walker County Public Fishing Lake in Jasper will be open six days a week from sunrise to sunset. The lake is closed on Wednesdays. The lake’s facilities include a boat ramp, fishing pier, restrooms, boat/canoe rentals, bait, tackle, and snacks. January 18 VETERANS FOR VETS Veterans for Vets is a new event designed to provide an opportunity for a local disc golf community to raise money that gets returned to that same community to organizations tasked with serving veterans! All proceeds for the event will go to Jasper VFW Post 4850. Your $25 per person entry fee ($50 for the team) will get you a selection of TWO tournament-stamped discs (one putter and one driver/midrange). Dynamic Discs is providing trophy discs for the top finishers. Two rounds, both best shot. The division you choose should be based on the experience of the best player. In addition, there are divisions for current or former service members for those that wish to sign up for them (must be at least one on the team). Check-in/Late registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the event will last until 3:30 p.m. at The Eagle Disc Golf Course in Jasper. January 20 KING DAY MARCH FOR NON-VIOLENCE The King Day March for Non-Violence is held each year to honor and remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, message, and legacy. The march will begin at 12 noon from the A.P. Howell Coke Oven Park, with a program to follow at the Percy L. Goode (Frisco Gym) Community Center. For more information, call 205-200-9511 or 205-275-2000.
January 21 CANDLELIGHT PRAYER SERVICE ON THE SQUARE The Pregnancy Test and Resource Center will host a candlelight prayer service from 7:30 p.m. until 8:15 p.m. for Sanctity of Human Life month on the courthouse square in Downtown Jasper. Candles will be provided. Attendees may bring their own candle and/or chair. January 28 WALKER COUNTY ARTIST SHOWCASE The Walker County Artist Showcase Exhibit will be open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. through April 16 at the Bankhead House and Heritage Center in Jasper. Admission is free. February 1 BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL Oakman Lion’s Club Bluegrass Festival will take place from 6:00 until 9:30 p.m. at the Oakman Senior Citizen Center. The cost of admission is $7. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Bill Hyde at 205-533-3953. February 8 BAMACARRY FREEDOM CONFERENCE The 6th Annual BamaCarry Freedom Conference will be held at the Jasper Civic Center. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and will go until 4:30 p.m. Advanced tickets include lunch and are $30. Tickets at the door do not include lunch and are $25. Tickets may be purchased at bamacarry.yapsody.com.
February 14 BEN FARLEY & THE BEAUTIFUL LOSERS CONCERT On Valentine’s Day, Ben Farley & the Beautiful Losers, with opening act - Hey All!, will play a free concert at Twisted Barley Brewing Company in Jasper. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. and ends at 11:00 p.m. All ages welcome and no cover charge. February 21 PTRC CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF LIFE GALA The Pregnancy Test and Resource Center will host their annual gala at the Jasper Civic Center. For more information, contact the PTRC at 205-221-5860. March 8 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME Remember to set your clocks forward one hour at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March. Also remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. March 19 SPRING BEGINS Spring officially begins with the vernal equinox at 12:15 p.m. This event marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. So enjoy the increasing hours of daylight, from earlier sunrises to later sunsets.
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Downey Branch Mitigation Bank Drummond Company, Inc. is proud to announce an exciting conservation project in Walker County: The Downey Branch Mitigation Bank (DBMB). This project is located 13 miles west of Jasper, where Drummond will conduct enhancement activities in degraded bottomland hardwood wetlands and restoration of perennial and intermittent streams, among other conservation activities. The p primary service area for stream and wetland credits generated at the DBMB is the Mulberry Fork watershed and includes portions of Cullman, Walker, Winston, Blount, Jefferson, Marshall, Tuscaloosa and Morgan counties. Drummond is committed to preserving and enhancing our natural resources for future generations to enjoy.
To learn more or purchase mitigation credits, visit http://www.drummondco.com/our-commitment/to-the-environment#dbmb or scan the QR code below.
www.DrummondCo.com
205-945-6300
Snapshots NAUVOO CHRISTMAS PARADE December 7, 2019 | Nauvoo
Laverda Concord and Noah Keeton
Linda Thaler, Alabama’s Oustanding Teen Zoe Champion, Miss Walker County Outstanding Teen Sophia Porrill and Rising Star Dayln Brown.
Jud Allen and Chris Harris
Margaret Lee and Gene McDaniel
The annual Nauvoo Christmas Parade celebrated 30 years of bringing the community together.
Making sure you’re ALL SMILES all year long! (205) 384-4000 | www.coxdental.com 914 Hwy. 78 East, Jasper, AL 35501 44 / WALKER MAGAZINE
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ADAM COX, D.M.D. JAMES COX, D.M.D.
CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR AWESOME GIVEAWAYS!
EAST WALKER CHAMBER CHRISTMAS PARADE December 12, 2019 | Dora
Kaitlin, Beau and Rhett Young
Sky Cleckler, Gabrielle and Victoria Jent
Braylee Hood and Ryleigh Winsett
Randi Levan Hubbard, Zayda, Suzanne and John Light
Lawanda and Gabby MacKay with Santa
The East Walker Chamber Christmas Parade is a fun family event that gets kids of all ages in the Christmas spirit.
205.295.5202 ATHLETIC PERSONAL TRAINING STUDIO
1804 Highway 78 W. Jasper, Alabama WINTER 2020
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Snapshots LEE’S JINGLE BELL RUN December 14, 2019 | Downtown Jasper
Holly Hand and Kaiden Kennedy
Ansley, Jeremiah and Kroy Alexander with their dog, Jasper
Brian Alexander, Ashley Domino and Danielle Goins
Shane Mitchell as Santa Claus
Chloe Corry and Madilynn Vines
Brylee Smith and Tana Collins-Allred
Since 2006, the Jingle Bell Run in downtown Jasper, a 5K run/walk, is held in memory of Lee Smith. The Jingle Bell Run benefits local non-profits Living the Dream in Jasper, Happy Birthday Jesus, and also local children in need.
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“ROAR INTO 2020” NEW YEARS EVE PARTY December 31, 2019 | Tallulah Brewing Company, Downtown Jasper
Tony and Michelle Love
Akeyla Holifield and Casara Gillespie
Kevin Gilbert as Babe Ruth and Kohen Bagwell
Josh and Keri Bagwell
Robyn Helms and Matthew Parrish
Allison Cannon and Courtney Burgett
Tallulah Brewing Company held a “Roar Into 2020” New Years Eve Party at their brewery in downtown Jasper where people were able to come dressed as citizens of the Roaring 20’s to ring in the new year.
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Commercial | Residential | Service | Gas Piping Sewer Repair/Replacement | Tankless Heaters Camera Inspections
2102 Commerce Avenue | Jasper, AL 35501 (205) 387-2547 48 / WALKER MAGAZINE
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WeAreWalkerCounty with
Debra Hatfield
“I love my job and am proud to work for the USPS. You get really comfortable with a lot of folks, especially the older ones. They look forward to seeing you. They’ll be the first ones to tell you you’re late or you’re really early. At Christmas, they bake you sweet things and put them in the box. Some people send you Christmas cards. You get to know people in your community.”
Debra Hatfield began working for the United States Postal Service in 1998. She began as a rural carrier and has been a city carrier since 2005. She has organized the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, sponsored annually by the National Association of Letter Carriers, for the Jasper Post Office since 2012. 50 / WALKER MAGAZINE
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Many people have
no financial plan for the future.
Do you? I can help you create a financial plan for life – protection, saving and retirement. Call me today. Let’s talk about your plan for life.
Modern Woodmen of America
Cameron Lee, FIC 1660 Highway 78 E. Jasper, AL 35501 B 205-221-1041 cameron.lee@mwarep.org
DOUG0312 Registered representative. Securities offered through MWA Financial Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Modern Woodmen of America. Member: FINRA, SIPC.
nelsonbryancross.com
Jasper, AL 205.387.7777
Pat Nelson
Bob Bryan
Gina Cross
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No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.