Elmore County Living July 2016 by Tallapoosa Publishers

Dixie Art Colony Rediscovered

Mover & Shaker Bill Myers

Community Band Really ‘Pops’

Enter a Cover Contest! Back-to-School Flicks

Elmore July 2016

County Living

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Community Hospital 805 Friendship Road Tallassee, AL 36078 (334) 283-6541 www.chal.org

Community Skilled Care and Rehab Community Hospital of Tallassee is now offering a transitional level of care to those patients who need rehabilitative and restorative services on a shortterm basis. Our program is designed to assist patients when acute care hospitalization is not required, but the patient needs further care to reach a level of strength and wellness in order to safely return to their home or residential facility. We have partnered with Crain Rehab to offer the finest in inpatient rehabilitative care. Who Requires Rehabilitative Care?

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For more information please call: (334) 283-3857 E-mail: swingbed@chal.org Visit our website at www.chal.org 2

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From the Managing Editor's Desk

For a few short years, we homeschooled our children. We were living at Sewanee, Tennessee, where my husband was in graduate school. We didn’t want to drive the kids down the mountain to a failing public school, and we couldn’t afford the tuition at the private academy nearby. My job – typing papers and editing research for graduate students and instructors – offered a flexible schedule, so homeschooling worked well for our family at the time. We practiced multiplication tables on the hiking trails, learned science in the mountain streams and devoured books by Madeline L’Engle and Brian Jacques. My eldest – now 24 years old – still has the Redwall binder he compiled for his English class, complete with the maps and castle floor plans he drew from the narrative and the character analyses he wrote. Years later, the young adults our children had become told us it never felt like school. “It was fun,” they said. “We didn’t know we were learning.” We have just that kind of feeling about our stories in this issue of Elmore County Living magazine. We went from art history to chemistry, music lessons and leadership skills through the places and people we visited, but it never felt like we were working. We immersed ourselves in art history at a dilapidated shed at Lake Jordan one morning and discovered treasures from an all-butforgotten time in the formation of the Southern art tradition. As we turned our necks upward to see the paintings on the underside of the shed’s tin roof, it felt more like we were exploring than working. And we’re delighted to share with you the story and photos of the Dixie Art Colony on page 20. And on page 16, we highlight the leadership skills of Millbrook’s Bill Myers, a real mover and shaker with a heart for kids and community. Myers serves as director at the Grandview YMCA, and this year, he will lead the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce as president, too. We learned a little science at the new compounding pharmacy in Wetumpka (page 10) and tapped our feet to a musical program with the city’s community band, the Wetumpka City Pops, on page 12. We called it work, but it was fun. We hope you enjoy these learning adventures as much as we did.

STAFF Chairman

Kenneth Boone

kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com

President & Publisher Steve Baker

steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com

Managing Editor Betsy Iler

betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com

Assistant Magazine Editor Mia Osborn

mia.osborn@alexcityoutlook.com

Distribution Manager David Kendrick

david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing Consultant Jayne Carr

jayne.carr@thewetumpkaherald.com

Marketing Consultant Molly Brethauer

molly.brethauer@thewetumpkaherald.com

Creative Services Audra Spears

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors Suellen Young Jeff Langham Mary K. Moore Carmen Rodgers Jacob Saylor

Corey Arwood Cory Diaz William Carroll Amanda Hannon

To subscribe to Elmore County Living, $25 a year for 12 issues, please call David Kendrick at 256-234-4281 For Advertising Inquiries 334-567-7811 For Editorial Inquiries 256-234-4281

Betsy Iler, Managing Editor

All content, including all stories and photos, are copyright of

Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 99 300 Green Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 334-567-7811

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CONTENTS ON THE COVER This painting of renowned artist Arthur Stewart, perhaps a selfportrait,was among those discovered on the roof of a Lake Jordan shed in Deatsville. Photo by Kenneth Boone

36 Columns

Features

In Every Issue

Movie Man

Wetumpka City Pops

Extra! Extra!

Community Care

Movers & Shakers

Business Spotlight

The Gamer

Rediscovery

Southern Delights

Dialogues of War

Get Art Ready

38 54

Back-to-School Flicks Get School-Ready

The Go Phenomenon Meet Me at the Market

Making Music and Fun Bill Myers

Dixie Art Colony Legacy World War I and Vietnam A Cover Contest Invitation

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News Briefs PharMix Rx

Out & About

In Elmore County

Coming Up

Fun Activities for Everyone

Where to Find Us Distribution List

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Extra! Extra!

Eclectic police benefit from donated ATV The Eclectic Police Department recieved an all terrain vehicle from Wade Jones, owner of Eclectic

Pawn. The ATV will be used for special events and possibly search and rescue operations.

News from Elmore County and surrounding areas

County Commission to honor local veterans Award for Excellence given to Tallassee's Dr. Denise Reid Dr. Denise Reid, a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Georgia's Valdosta State University and a native of Tallassee, was selected by the College of Arts and Sciences Presidential Award Committee for her continuous dedication to increasing the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. Reid graduated from Tallassee High School in 1986. She is the daughter of Peggy Taunton and the late James (Jimmy) Taunton, both of Tallassee. “Some of the service that everyone does at VSU is out of duty,” said Reid, who joined the Blazer Nation family in August 1995. “Other service is selfmotivating. You find something you enjoy, and if you’re blessed, then you get to do that. For me, this has been trying to make STEM more interesting to students of all ages."

The Elmore County Commission is requesting names of Elmore County service members that have been deployed on behalf of our country since Sept. 11, 2001. This is an ongoing effort by the Commission to honor the service and sacrifice of Elmore County citizens who have protected our freedom. Names will be accepted through July 31, 2016. To submit deployed service member names, visit www. elmoreco.org to fill out an online form or call the Commission Office at (334) 5145841 ext. 5006. Name, rank, branch of service and dates of service needs to be provided.

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JAKES event draws kids of all ages The annual JAKES event hosted by the Elmore County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation drew kids and kids at heart to Fort Toulouse State Park in June. The event drew some 130 youngsters. Different stations were filled with children and their parents, as kids competed for family bragging rights. “The parents have just as good of a time as the kids,” said organizer and Chapter President Gene Calhoun.

Wags 'N Whiskers auction to benefit humane society

Ribbon cut on Eclectic library annex Dozens of area officials and residents were on hand in Eclectic July 5 for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Eclectic Library annex building, which turned into a dedication of the library in the name of longtime director Betty Coker. Eclectic Town Mayor Gary Davenport, master of ceremonies, gave a brief history of the library, which opened in 2010. At the end of the presentation when Davenport surprised Coker by proclaiming July 5, 2016, as Betty Ingram Butler Coker day in the town; he honored Coker by naming the library after her. The crowd gave Coker a standing ovation for her efforts as library director. Holding back tears Coker said,” This isn’t about me, this is about all of these people here."

The 11th annual Wags ‘N Whiskers Auction is set for Friday, July 29, at the Wetumpka Civic Center, 212 S. Main St., Wetumpka. The doors to the Civic Center will open at 6 p.m. DJ Ziggy from PowerSounds USA will be master

of ceremonies. Heavy hors d’oerves will be provided by Creek Casino Wetumpka. Purchase tickets ($25 couple/$15 single) at the Elmore County Animal Shelter (255 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka) or at the door.

Prizes were awarded this month for the 32nd Annual Elmore County Art Guild Show at the Wetumpka Depot Players Theatre. The show, which features 46 pieces by local artists, will remain on exhibit July 30.

Locals give back to Tallassee Fire Department After seeing the devastation of May's Tallassee Mill fire first hand, a team of locals designed and printed T-shirts to show their thanks to the Tallassee Fire Department. “We all think that they get such little reward or thanks for putting their lives on the line,” said Jim Bagley, who lives a mile from the mill and credits the fire department with saving his home and those of many others.

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who could no longer swallow, we could mix up a Elmore County residents who find their usual sublingual to be absorbed under the tongue,” Holli prescriptions hard to swallow might find an alexplained. ternative at PharMix Rx, the new compounding Another common change of delivery system is pharmacy in Wetumpka. This pharmacy mixes the creation of topical pain-relieving cream for medications on site, tailoring them to the needs of arthritis sufferers and others who need targeted patients who cannot take commercial pharmaceutipain relief without the liver and stomach harming cal medications. side effects of many pain relief capsules. PharMix PharMix Rx opened in April on Highway 231 Rx also works with veterinarians to turn animal in Wetumpka. Owners Holli and Patrick Anthony medications into tasty treats for pets. have lived in Wetumpka for 16 years. Patrick is the Holli said business manager, business has while Holli is the Compounding offers alternatives been growpharmacist. After for patients who cannot take ing slowly she graduated medications in their standard forms since PharMix from pharmacy Rx opened in school, Holli beApril, but not came intrigued by many people the small amount know they are of compounding available as an done at her first alternative to job. traditional phar“As the years macies. A big went by, I started part of her job seeing a greater involves visiting need and more local doctors’ cases of specialoffices to make ized medications them aware of helping people get the option. better, faster, ver“You have to sus the one-sizehave a prescripfits-all approach,” tion that needs she said. Holli attended the Pharmacy Compounding Cen- to be altered. We’re not for everybody,” she said. PharMix Rx patients must have prescriptions ter of America (PCCA) to receive her compounding for the medications they receive, and they do not certification. Then she and Patrick created a pharprocess insurance claims, which eliminates eligimacy based on traditional compounding practices, bility for some potential patients. But for the right the only one of its kind in the region. person, PharMix Rx can be incredibly helpful. Phar“This is what pharmacists used to do before the Mix Rx can also order and dispense manufactured pharmaceutical industry really took off,” Holli medications, if clients want to pick up all of their explained. prescriptions in the same place. At first glance, PharMix Rx looks like a typiThis month, PharMix Rx expanded its business cal pharmacy, but instead of ready-made pills to with the offer of hormone replacement consultabe counted into prescription bottles, the shelves contain powders and other raw substances to be re- tions. Many health clinics offer advice on hormone replacement for women going through premenstrucombined into a variety of medications and forms. al syndrome or menopause. Although a compounding pharmacy cannot le“We use only bio identical hormones, which gally reproduce a manufactured medication, it can are identical to those produced by the body,” said change that medication in some way that makes it Holli. more suitable for the patient. This can mean addFor more information, contact PharMix Rx at ing flavors, changing dosage, removing allergens 334-478-3522 or visit their Facebook page at www. – such as gluten, lactose or dye – or changing the facebook.com/pharmixrx. delivery systems of medications. “For example, if there was a hospice patient

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Business Spotlight

PharMix Rx Wetumpka pharmacist meets specialized medication needs

Holli Anthony mixes a prescription for a hospice patient who can no longer swallow pills

Story by Mia Osborn Photos by Kenneth Boone ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Wetumpka City Pops

Story by Mia Osborn Photos by Suellen Young

Anthony Vittore would be the first to say he doesn’t take many things in this world seriously. “I’m not a serious person. I’m 37, but I feel 14. If you ask my wife, she’ll tell you I’m about 10,” said the director of the Wetumpka City Pops, a community

band made up of volunteer musicians of all ages, skill levels and walks of life. The band has given the gift of music to the Wetumpka community for many years, but now under Vittore’s direction, the Pops are set to increase their range and visibility. “I love the diversity of this band,” said Vittore. “We have a trombone player who

Vittore brings energy to Wetumpka's community band

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Band members perform at all levels of skill

A high school band director by day, Vittore has directed the Pops since January

called to say he couldn’t make it tonight because he’s having a pacemaker put in. That just blew my mind because I’m used to dealing with high schoolers,” said Vittore, who is in his 14th year as the band director at Elmore County High School Though he spends his workdays surrounded by the youthful energy of students, he was quick to note that he finds the same satisfaction in his after-school job as the director of the Wetumpka City Pops, where band members’ differing backgrounds keep the good times rolling. “Even the older people in the group, they still act the same as high schoolers. They cut up and laugh. Of course, I probably cut up the most,” Vittore admitted. That was evident from the huge smile on his face as he joked with band members and guests before and after the Pops’ annual Independence Day Concert at the Wetumpka Civic Center on June 30; however, when the time came to direct the evening’s musical

selections, Vittore was all business. Under his direction, the Pops performed classic patriotic American numbers that included God Bless America and Armed Forces on Parade, which honored each branch of the U.S. military in turn. During the number, Duty, Honor, Country, Eagle Scout candidate Peter Garrett provided an appropriately patriotic voiceover. Vittore has been the Pops’ director since January. The Independence Day Concert was only his second performance with the group, but he has big plans to expand the band in the future. “Our goal is to grow this band as big as we can. We want to get the word out.” The ultimate goal is to add a full choir to the Pops’ roster, making the community band into a community cantata. The Pops will borrow members from the neighboring Eclectic community band to help round out their numbers, but they are actively recruiting new members, as well. Vittore extended

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Wetumpka City Pops, but he is more proud of an invitation to all musical members of the the work Pops members do by themselves. community to join up. “I don’t care if you’re in beginner band or “I’m so blessed they asked me to be a part of this,” said you’re a senior; Mayor Jerry Willis congratulates Vittore at a Vittore. “These we want you, and recent performance guys are crazy. we’ll take you. All I do is wave This isn’t like an orchestra. There’s my hands, and they do all the no first chair, no work.” second chair, no The Wetumpka ‘I’m better than City Pops will you.’ It’s just, be on break ‘what part do you through the rest want to play?’” Wetumpka of the summer, but practices Mayor Jerry Willis will resume on said he is fully Thursday, Oct. 27, in support of the at Wetumpka City idea. Hall. Vocalists “I like this and instrumentalists of all skill levels are cantata business,” he said, “because I can welcome. Visit the Pops Facebook page at sing.” www.Facebook.com/Wetumpka-City-Pops. Vittore is proud of his work with the

The band's public performances include an Indpendence Day program

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IS ALWAYS YOUNG.

Wild and full of wonder, it’s the place where we are still awed by sunrises and sunsets.

That’s the power of the lake.

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Myers checks in on a paddling class at Grandview

Bill Myers Mover and Shaker

Grandview YMCA executive director is on a lifelong mission for local families 16

Story by Mia Osborn Photos by Kenneth Boone

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ill Myers has a lot of love for the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). He ought to; after all, he was raised by it. “I grew up in Vicksburg, Mississippi and am a product of YMCA. I was one of those kids whose parents would drop me off at the Y when it opened, and the Y kicked me out at night,” Myers said. Now the Executive Director of Millbrook’s Grandview Family YMCA, Myers works with the organization that formed him. And he makes a difference in the lives of kids who rely on YMCA programs like he used to do. He hopes to do even more to help those kids, their parents and the community at large in his new role as President of the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce. When Myers was 14, he got his first job as a junior counselor at the YMCA overnight camp in Fort Gibson, Mississippi. “I made $35 a week at 14, and I thought I was rich. I loved every minute of it,” he said. Over the years, Myers has filled many different roles in the YMCA, from lifeguard to aquatics director to branch director, but he has always worked for the organization. His experience working at every level of YMCA management has helped him

become an effective leader at Grandview. “I’ve done everything from sweeping the floor and up,” he said. “When you work for the Y, you have to wear a lot of different hats.” That is especially true at Grandview, which is one of the largest YMCA facilities in the Southeast and organizes an amazing variety of programs. Grandview started as a girls’ overnight camp in the 1930s. By 1986, the camp had fallen on hard financial times and was donated Riding lessons are to the Greater offered regularly at the Montgomery Millbrook YMCA YMCA family. “Most people, when they think of the Y, think of a gym and swim. This is a lot more,” Myers explained. “We still have two lakes where kids fish, canoe, kayak and paddle boat. We do horseback riding, rifling, archery and just playing in the mud. Things kids don’t do anymore.” The camp was originally 60 acres, but two years ago, Grandview purchased an additional 130 acres of adjoining land. Myers and members of the YMCA Board of Directors had a unique opportunity to plan a new, expanded facility around the needs of the community. “John Foshee is the board chair for the Y. Our volunteer board is instrumental. We wouldn’t have this new property, our master plan or any of the things we have if it wasn’t for the board John has

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Archery is another option for kids at the YMCA

spearheaded,” said Myers. “It’s not me. It takes many hands.” When the board asked what the Millbrook community needed most, the answers included tennis courts, a soccer field, horseback riding and a zipline, just to name a few. Grandview’s master plan makes use of every inch of those 190 acres. Not all of the improvements could be made at once, of course, but Myers said progress has been steady, and the community has noticed. The number of children coming to Grandview can attest to that. When Myers came to Grandview nearly nine years ago, the summer program averaged 300 children per day. This summer, that number has nearly doubled. “Altogether, we see about 900 kids over summer. During the school year, it’s about 130 kids each day,” said Myers.

The number of kids and activities makes the Grandview YMCA more than a full-time job for Myers; it’s a lifestyle. He lives on the property with his wife, Brittany, and sons Weston and Jay. As the new chamber president, his life is about to get even busier. But it’s time he’s happy to spend. “Whether it’s through my work with the chamber or my work with the YMCA, I just want to make Millbrook a better place,” he said. This goal is the connection between Myers’ roles in the chamber of commerce and Grandview. “Whether we’re improving parents’ lives by enabling them to go to work without worrying what their kids are doing or whether we’re improving the quality of life for Millbrook overall through businesses and services we provide to local residents, that’s where I want to be,” he said.

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The 1937 Dixie Art Colony participants celebrated Christmas in July

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Art works were found on the ceiling tins of an old shed

Rediscovery Lake Jordan couple finds a legacy of Southern art under a shed at the former home of Dixie Art Colony

Story by Betsy Iler Photos by Kenneth Boone lmost lost to the undergrowth and overgrowth at an abandoned Lake Jordan cabin, an important slice of Southern art history will be preserved and shared after Robert and Chrys Bowden last fall purchased the former home of the idyllic Dixie Art Colony

(DAC). The owners of Blue Willow Home and Farm in Shorter bought the Lake Jordan property in a foreclosure last September. “It was rough condition when we got it. We actually had to bulldoze to find the property lines,” said Chrys. “Our Realtor said an artist had owned the place. When we found paintings on the tin roof panels, we started researching right away.”

At the time, the Bowdens had never heard of Kelly Fitzpatrick, but they soon learned that they had purchased the former location of Fitzpatrick’s DAC, a colony that helped to launch the careers of several notable Southern artists, including Arthur Stewart, Frank Applebee, Karl Wolfe, C.A. “Shiney” Moon, Mildred Nungester Wolfe and Warree Carmichael LeBron. “We started asking around about the art colony and were referred to Mark Harris. He came out in January, and we were thrilled when we realized what we have here,” Chrys said. Harris, the president and director of the DAC Foundation, began to research Dixie Art Colony’s impact on the history of Alabama art in 2011 when he came across an article by Lynn Williams in a 1996 issue of Alabama Heritage. This month, he expects to launch an extensive website,

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The Bowdens' living room was once a screened porch studio for some of the South's best-known artists

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which would include an artist dathe art.” Participants received a tabase, at www.dixieartcolony.org. The panels had been rearranged; postcard invitation Katz and Harris also are collaboratmatching panels were separated, ing on a book about the colony’s some of them lost, but as the lasting legacy. Bowdens prepare to dismantle the Fitzpatrick was instrumental in dilapidated shed, they plan to pair the founding of the Montgomery up again the pieces that they have Museum of Fine Arts. His paintfound – art signed by renowned ings in oil and watercolor depict Southern artists that include Richard the beauty of rural Southern life in Coe, Fitzpatrick, Moon, Stewart and landscapes, still life and regional the others. scenes of the work life of the day. “We would like to create an exhibHighly collected today, Fitzpatrick it that we could loan to museums,” also painted several greatly valued Chrys said. “We’d like to show some murals – privately and through the of the better panels.” Works Progress Administration Working with DAC Foundation, (WPA) of the Depression Era New the Bowdens plan to pair approxiDeal program. He was a founder mately 25 caricature sketches with and instructor of the DAC. some of the panels to create an Participants at the art colony had exhibit. painted small, simple remembrances Harris said the foundation hopes of their time there on tin sections to have some traveling exhibits as of the studio ceiling. A later owner well. used the painted panels to reroof a shed that stored farm “Dixie Art Colony was instrumental is starting some of equipment. the South’s finest art museums and schools,” said Harris, “We’re so thankful they turned the paintings with the who has conducted extensive research on the colony and art on the inside,” said Robert Bowden. “That preserved traced the careers of its most prominent members.

The Colony found a home at this Lake Jordan cabin

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Clockwise from top left: A sheet of tin that was removed from the shed roof shows paintings by Arthur Stewart and Heloise Hawkins; Dixie Art Colony members painted something in remembrance of the season - apparently, Warree Carmichael LeBron remembered an experience with lizards; the porches were added after the Colony stopped meeting; The tin tiles, originally thought to have been on the ceiling of the studio were mixed up when they were reused to roof the shed; a nearby waterfall structure on the property still stands.

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“Some of the colony artists went on to do important things in the world of art. Applebee founded the art department at Auburn University and was teaching there at the time of the colony. The art department at University of Georgia is named after Lamar Dodd, who was at Dixie Art Colony. Mildred Nungester, who met Karl Wolfe at the colony and eventually married him, is in the collection at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Karl Wolfe was a founder of the Mississippi Museum of Art,” Harris said. Internationally renowned portrait artist Arthur Stewart, an Alabama native whose work is included in the private collection of Queen Elizabeth II, first came to DAC at the age of 18 and later said he really didn’t know how to approach painting until he attended Dixie Art Colony. And the list goes on. The plein aire movement of the Depression Era fostered art colonies around the country in the 1930s and ‘40s, but unlike other colonies operating in the South at the time, DAC did not focus attention on the politics of the day but instead painted what came to be known as the American Scene style. DAC artists created Sallie B. Carmichael used the landscapes of the South’s courtyard kiln, now restored, serene beauty, portraits to fire painted china of working people the artists met on plein aire forays, such as Mildred Nungester’s Woman in a Sunbonnet and still life works like Fitzpatrick’s popular the Little Blue Jug. The colony thrived from 1933 to 1945. The first event was held at Camp Dixie on Lake Martin, which lent the effort a name. One year, it was held in Prattville, another in Florida, but in 1937, it found a permanent home at Poka-hutchi, which translates as “gathering place of picture writers” in Creek. By the early 1940s, more than 30 artists attended the colony sessions. All told, some 137 artists took part. DAC was more like an art camp than a colony. Invited artists stayed for a month in late spring, another month

in summer and weekends at other times of the year. They slept in dormitory style buildings – the women downstairs in the main house and the men in smaller buildings nearby. The artists ate meals in a common room, and social activities played an important role as friendships developed among the members. “We have found pictures of the artists in costume parties,” Harris said. “They would celebrate holidays and dress up for them – Christmas in July.” On the roof tin, the artists were instructed to paint a remembrance of their time at the colony, so the informal, almost hurried renditions include a Christmas tree by Richard Coe; a bathing beauty diving into Lake Jordan, which may be the work of Lamar Dodd; and a simple self-portrait by Arthur Stewart, among other works. But in 1941, World War II struck a local blow. Arthur Stewart was drafted, as were other young men of the colony. Rations affected the menus and the frequency of the colony’s plein aire forays that produced collectible works. When Sallie B. Carmichael suffered a stroke, DAC was not held in 1946. The colony did meet again in 1947 and 1948. After some years, DAC sparked the birth of another art colony on the coast, but the Lake Jordan cabin passed into other hands and fell into disrepair until the Bowdens found it. Their discovery of the roof tin panels sparked more research for the Bowdens, who have a penchant for finding and restoring old pieces. Chrys, a retired teacher, now upcycles furniture pieces and restores them to daily use. Robert Bowden, an artist himself, is looking up Kelly Fitzpatrick’s military records, as Kelly was severely wounded during the war, and that experience seems to have changed the artist’s outlook on life. She has decorated the summerhouse on the property in shabby-chic, repurposing a sink the couple found in the woods as an ice bucket when they entertain. Using photos of artists at the colony, they have re-es-

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tablished the DAC courtyard in its original location from the 1930s, uncovering and storing a kiln where Sallie B. Carmichael fired her hand-painted china. They have been careful to adjust their renovations to maintain the historical integrity of the grounds and buildings, though previous owners of the cabin have made numerous changes. For example, someone closed in the 30-foot by 40foot screened art studio where some of the South’s most historically significant artists met for classes. But even at that, Kelly Fitzpatrick’s bas-relief of Alice Boyd, Sallie B. Carmichael’s sister, is still embedded in the hearth. Boyd left Carmichael an inheritance with which her sibling purchased the Lake Jordan cabin where the DAC met. “It didn’t dawn on us all at once, but what we have here is an important part of the legacy of the art of the South,” said Chrys Bowden. “We’re really just thrilled.” Today, only two people who attended the Dixie Art Colony are known to be alive. Sally LeBron Holland – the daughter of Warree LeBron – and Martha Moon Kracke – the daughter of Shiney Moon – were children at the time. DAC Foundation, a non-profit organization, was founded to preserve and promote the history and legacy left by Colony participants. DAC Foundation also promotes local and regional visual arts through the collection, recognition, documentation and publication of relevant works.

Kelly Fitzpatrick's bas relief of Alice Boyd still graces the cabin's hearth

Social events at Dixie Art Colony included costume parties, like this Yuletide party held in 1941

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Story by Betsy Iler Photos courtesy of National Endowment for the Humanities

t was the first war of technology; the first war fought in the air; the first time that modern chemical weapons and radios were used. World War I changed war. It also changed lifestyles. This first war that changed the world started just 15 years after the Wright Brothers made their inaugural flight. Sixty years later in Vietnam, B-52 bombers, F-4 Phantom fighters and Huey helicopters ruled the air. Machine guns first appeared during WWI as well. These new weapons could fire 600 rounds at 1,000 yards, but they malfunctioned in harsh weather conditions. In Vietnam, the M-16 rifle performed better in wet and dry conditions. In addition, the M-60 machine gun could be fired from the shoulder or mounted as an artillery weapon with a range that doubled that of its WWI predecessor. The radio technology developed to communicate battlefield positions and strategies 100 years ago in WWI led to advances that also entertained troops during the conflict in Vietnam. The crude, grainy photographic images that crossed the Atlantic and appeared in America’s news magazines in World War I became living images from the jungles of Southeast Asia in Vietnam, changing not only the methods of war but also the world’s perspectives on such conflicts. Today, those perspectives vary even more, as people

from every walk of life have access to chronological data, photography, film and literature on these wars. Understanding those perspectives that are available through literary archives and filmography – and sharing new perspectives through discussion – is the objective of a grant project offered in Wetumpka this fall and winter through the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts. Dialogues on the Experience of War, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, will include six discussion sessions focused on book and film studies. “We applied for this grant because we knew that so many veterans, as well as others, could benefit from the project,” said Dr. Mark Wilson, Director of the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities at Auburn University. “And we chose Wetumpka as one of the six communities participating in the project because there is a large concentration of veterans living there.” The program is free and open to the public, though Wetumpka Library Director Susan Hayes said participants should sign up to help discussion leaders plan. “They could jump in if they missed a session though. Each discussion will stand on its own,” Hayes said. The program will include discussion of three resources each from World War I and the Vietnam War,

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and Hayes said the materials have already arrived at the library and can be distributed to those who sign up early. The World War I resources will include John Lewis Barkley’s Scarlet Fields: The Combat Memoir of a World War I Medal of Honor Hero, and Short Stories from World War One, an anthology by Davis, Bellah, March and Borden, as well as the film, The Big Parade. Vietnam War materials for discussion are Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, Michael Herr’s Dispatches and the film, Platoon. Though the library will organize the program and present the materials, discussion sessions will take place at the Elmore County Historical Society and Museum at 112 S. Main St. Sessions are planned for Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 11, Jan. 10, Feb. 14 and March 14. For more information, contact the Wetumpka Public Library at 334-567-1308.

U.S. troops march to war

For Every Stage Of Life NEW LOCATION! Established in 1991, OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery is proud to announce we’re expanding into YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. Located just outside of Elmore Community Hospital, OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery will begin treating patients in WETUMPKA, ALABAMA. Make Your Appointment today!

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Get Art Ready Invitation to an Art and Photography cover contest Storyâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;by Mia Osborn Artwork Photographed by Kenneth Boone

Winners from the 2015 contest include Mimi Amerson's colored pencil drawing, Double Strut (above), Barbara Bryan's bridge photograph on canvas (above right) and Steve Taylor's watercolor of weathered stumps (opposite right).

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t’s time to clean the paintbrushes, sharpen colored pencils and focus the camera lens on a regional art contest that's just for fun - the annual Lake Martin Living Art and Photography contest. Entries can now be submitted for this year’s competition, which will showcase the work of local artists and the beauty of East Central Alabama. Entries will be anonymously judged on creativity, skill, and how well the subject matter captures the essence of life in the area. There are no prizes, but the first place winner will have his or her artwork featured as the cover of Tallapoosa Publisher's October Lake Martin Living magazine issue, a sister publication to Elmore County Living. Every entrant will have at least one piece featured in a special gallery section inside the magazine. Each artist may submit up to three pieces of art. Each piece may be in a different medium, or they may all be the same. The most common media are paints, pastels, pencils and photography, but artists are welcome to submit works in non-traditional media – such as fabric art or stained glass – as long as the works are ready to hang on the walls of Gallery 128/Emporium Wine at 128 Calhoun St. in downtown Alexander City. To enter, artists should bring their works to the Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., office at 548 Cherokee Rd. in Alexander City by 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. Entries brought after the deadline will not be accepted. All pieces should arrive ready to hang. There is no entry fee, but each piece should have the artist’s name, address and telephone number written clearly on the back, along with the name of the piece (if it has one). Entries will be displayed at Gallery 128 the following month. The public can stop by to view the entries from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Oct. 4-7, visitors to the gallery can cast votes for the People’s Choice award.

Winners will be announced in the October issue of Lake Martin Living magazine, which is available through subscription or for free at local businesses after the 15th of the month. Artists should pick up their works from Gallery 128 after the show closes at the end of October. Artists are asked to retrieve their works as soon as possible. Neither Lake Martin Living nor Emporium Wine/Gallery 128 are responsible for artworks entered in the contest and reserve the right to withdraw any entry from the exhibit for any reason. For more information, email editor@lakemartinmagazine. com or call 256-234-4281.

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Looking to buy, build, or remodel a home this summer? Let our local team of lenders help you!

Klay Peters

Executive Vice President NMLS #822776 kpeters@primesouthbank.com 334-283-8368

Derona Wilson

Residential Lending Officer NMLS #201585 dwilson@primesouthbank.com 334-387-1655

Joel Hunt

Senior Vice President NMLS #822785 jhunt@primesouthbank.com 334-283-6594

Locations in Tallassee, Wetumpka, and Pike Road ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

School-Ready From gathering supplies to check-ups, vaccines and calming back-to-school jitters, prepare the whole family for the great year ahead

Amanda Hannon

COMMUNITY CARE

Amanda Hannon is marketing director

at ivy healthcare and is

working to-

ward her business degree at

Faulkner

university.

As the long days of summer vacation slip away, it will soon be time to prepare for “back to school.” The end of the summer holiday brings the start of a new school year with different teachers, new subjects, schedules and new friends. That’s a lot for kids to take on, but starting now can help them handle the changes more smoothly. To prepare children for the schedule changes, parents might consider adjusting bedtimes in the weeks prior to the start of school to make sure kids are getting enough sleep to be rested for school each day. That means turning off computers and cell phones at least one hour prior to bedtime. In the morning, make sure each student gets a good nutritious breakfast. Breakfast is tantamount to learning and mood elevation, and it’s a good start to anyone’s day. Help students start well organized by gathering supplies, getting books ready and laying out clothes for school the night before the first day of classes. Purchase supplies well ahead of time to be sure they will have everything they need, and let them check the supply items off the list, pack the items themselves and help to choose clothes, so they will learn to take responsibility for their school life. Make sure children are physically ready to go back to school with the proper paperwork and check ups from the pediatrician or family care provider. Dr. Jim Carlisle at Carlisle Pediatrics in Wetumpka recommends wellness visits during the summer to check eyes, ears, weight, etc., and to make sure that all vaccinations are current. Carlisle Pediatrics can provide parents with customized schedules of vaccines needed

from birth to 6 years, preteen and teenage years. Once the necessary vaccinations have been given, parents will receive a blue card, which is required by the school systems for acceptance of students for the new academic year. Sometimes students become anxious about starting school, suffering from stomachaches and headaches, and though some anxiety is normal, children’s worries sometimes are more serious than simple backto-school jitters. If parents are concerned, they should speak with their pediatrician or family care provider. The new school year also brings concerns of cold and flu season. This year, the flu mist will not be available for students. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) determined that the flu mist did not adequately prevent individuals from contracting the flu virus, so CDC now recommends that doctors go back to injectable vaccinations. Changing from the mist to an injectable vaccine could create problems due to limited quantities of the vaccine being available to doctors. Dr. Carlisle recommends getting in early to get flu vaccinations before offices run out of supplies. Another downside to changing from a mist to shots is the painful visit to the doctor and possible discomfort after injection. Acetaminophen, taken just after the vaccine, usually remedies the discomfort. As teenagers prepare for college life, health considerations continue to be important but often overlooked aspects of school. Jeana Murphy, certified registered nurse practitioner at River Region Family

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Medicine, reminds patients that in addition to the usual vaccinations, students should be tested for tuberculosis exposure and receive the meningitis vaccine. Many college students will transition to communal living situations in dorms, fraternity/sorority houses or apartments with several roommates. Vaccines for pertussis and meningococcal disease could be very important in these situations. Staph infections have also become more prevalent in the last few years. Parents and students should be educated on other ways to prevent the spread of these illnesses. Remind students that good hygiene practices – such as wearing shower shoes, washing hands routinely and avoiding eating/drinking after others. In addition, educate young people to be cognizant of their bodies. If they see any unusual rashes, sores or lesions, they should have these checked immediately. Staph is easily transmitted but can often be difficult to treat because of drug resistance. Early evaluation and treatment is important. Murphy also recommends routine wellness checks and sports physicals. Many schools require preseason physicals prior to sports participation. Sports physicals assess areas of concern for athletes before they start activities, workouts and play and could prevent further injury if undiagnosed conditions are discovered. “As soon as students receive their acceptance letters to college, they should begin the health screening process,” Murphy said. Colleges usually mail paperwork that must be completed by health care providers. Back-to-school is almost here, so now is the time to get students ready for their new adventures. Carlisle Pediatrics can be reached at 334-567-6915. Call Murphy at 334567-3309.

CRNP Jeana Murphy (right) examines a new patient at River Region Family Medicine

Dr. Jim Carlisle at Carlisle Pediatrics

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Back to School Unbelievably, it’s back-to-school time. To help get ready for school days and not “school daze,” celebrate some favorite films about life at school. I would be remiss if I did not start with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), a classic celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Ferris tributes have been held nationwide. Turner Classic Movies sponsored the movie’s rerelease in theatres across the country. Who doesn’t love Matthew Broderick as Ferris, the ultimate high school wise guy who raises playing hooky to an art form as he and his best buddies (winningly played by Mia Sara and Alan Ruck) share an adventurous day in Chicago? By the way, where are Mia Sara and Alan Ruck today? Just curious. Some other school-based crowd pleasers include: Mean Girls (2004) – Comedy Queen Tina Fey’s pitch perfect satire aimed at female high school social cliques. The film, now a cult favorite, launched actresses Rachel McAdams, Lizzy Caplan and Amanda Seyfried to even greater fame. It also serves as a refreshing look at its star, Lindsay Lohan, before she launched into infamy. Stand and Deliver (1988) is based on the true story of high school math teacher Jaime Escalante. Edward James Olmos portrays Escalante in the film and received a nomination for Best Actor. In celebration of its cultural significance, the film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2011. Say Anything … (1989) – Writ-

ten and directed by Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) in his directorial debut, this charming film centers on the romance between “Average Joe” John Cusack and class valedictorian Ione Skye (another actress MIA on today’s movie screens). Entertainment Weekly has recognized Say Anything ... as the greatest modern movie romance, as well as one of the 50 best high-school movies. Kindergarten Cop (1990) – This blockbuster comedy serves as the perfect role for Arnold Schwarzenegger as a tough police detective who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher in pursuit of a murderous drug dealer. Made at the height of Arnold’s career, this film perfectly captured his skills as both an action hero and comic actor. It is interesting to note that another action star from yesteryear, Dolph Lundgren, is appearing in a recently released, straight-to-video sequel, Kindergarten Cop 2. Viewers beware! Fame (1980) – Long before the television series, Glee, this popular film followed a group of students from auditions to freshman year to graduation at the New York High School of Performing Arts. Entertainment Weekly also singled out this buoyant musical film as one of the “50 Best High School Movies.” Additionally, the film has lived on as a television series, a stage musical, a reality competition series and a 2009 film remake. Carrie (1976) – Directed by the visionary

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Brian De Palma and based on Stephen King’s 1974 novel of the same name, this film serves as a wonderful anti-bullying promotional tool (if you haven’t seen it, upon viewing you will get the message via the movie’s chilling tagline: If you have a taste for terror, take Carrie to the prom). Carrie’s popularity has endured over the years via an ill-conceived sequel, The Rage: Carrie 2 in 1999, a 2002 television film, a short-lived Off Broadway musical in 2006 and a 2013 remake with Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. And don’t forget these other back-toschool faves that have been mentioned in previous articles: The Breakfast Club (1985) – The film that introduced us all to the “Brat Pack” and served as a high point of wunderkind director John Hughes’s career. Sixteen Candles (1984) – An endearing portrait of a teenager (Molly Ringwald) coping with the cringe-worthy fact that her parents have forgotten her birthday due to the distractions of preparing for her older sister’s wedding. Dead Poets Society (1989) – A painful reminder of the loss of an extraordinary talent, Robin Williams, whose masterful performance buoys this classic film about a teacher who encourages his students to “seize the day!” Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) – The touching finale of this film makes the heart of any educator sing! Richard Dreyfuss shines in the title role. October Sky (1999) – Based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal

miner’s son who became a NASA engineer, this story is a true celebration of the inspirational power of teachers and the boundless possibilities of their students. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) – Oddball characters, quirky situations, daffy quotations ... this film defies explanation but is one you have to “see to believe.” A wacky classic! Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) – Anchored by a lovely score by Oscar winning composer John Barry, this is a wistful and winning film about second chances. The role of Peggy Sue served as a career highlight for star Kathleen Turner. For a little nostalgia, why not revisit Sidney Portier in the 1967 classic, To Sir with Love. Long before Downton Abbey, Maggie Smith took home an Oscar for the role as an eccentric teacher at an exclusive girls school in 1969’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. In case you haven’t seen any of your favorites listed yet, perhaps one of these treats will ring your school bell: Hoosiers, Remember the Titans, Grease, The Karate Kid, Back to School, Never Been Kissed, Bring It On, Election, or The Paper Chase. Yes, it’s back to school time … time to hit the books … but also make sure you take time to press play for these cinematic celebrations of those unforgettable school days!

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Jeff Langham

MOVIE MAN Dr. Jeff Langham is State Assistant Superintendent for External and

Governmental Affairs and a lifelong lover of film.

For the past few years, summer hasn’t been kind to video games. Many in games journalism refer to the season as something of a “drought” period. The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is usually finished by June’s end, and the only thing that stokes gamers’ excitement is the expectation of massive, winter-time holiday treats. This year, Pokémon Go has changed everything. Go is so revolutionary that it’s carving out a genre of its own. The game has people of all ages running down sidewalks – and streets – to catch Pokémon. I spent an entire weekend in Prattville’s downtown area with a group of friends playing this game and walked nearly 20km. The notion that video games can’t be healthy ended with Go. The title uses your phone’s GPS features to create a virtual map. You and your friends can walk this terrain and encounter Pokémon, which – as you might expect – are ripe for the picking. Running into some of the com-

mon Pokémon can become something of a chore, though it’s always good to capture everything you encounter; the process doesn’t take long and you get valuable rewards and experience for doing so. What’s really struck me about this game is the number of people who are enjoying it. In the two days I have had Go on my phone, I have met more people and been more social than I have in the past two months. If someone had their phone out and was walking around, you could place a sure bet they were partaking in Go. Furthermore, there were probably close to 100 people running around – we nerds had taken over in dominant form. For the first time in my life – outside of nichepertinent expos or conventions – I was out in the world, surrounded by people of similar interests. There were probably more of us who knew how to evolve an Eevee into a Jolteon than those of us who knew why

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Kevin Durant joining The Warriors was such a big deal. Go pushes players from our houses, as most of us live in what are being called “dead zones,” where no one is gathered and very few Pokémon can be found. Sure, it’s possible to subsist and get the bare minimum out of Go if you really want to stay at home and be a Debbie-downer, but this is the dawn of a new era in video games – join the fun. The meeting spots in Go are called “Pokestops.” They are usually located at historical sites, landmarks, and churches. The Stops provide valuable resources like Poke balls, potions, and revives. As the game expands, so too will the offerings of these Stops. Players can attach a “Lure Module” to a Spot, which will draw Pokémon to the area. The Lure can be seen by players on the world map, which – surprise – also brings players running. These create incentivized meeting grounds, where people can chat, relax, and prepare to trek onward. Often times, players will stick to a certain area, as optimal routes can be hard to find. Stops refresh every three minutes, so there’s little reason for you to stretch too far in the quest for Pokémon. If you play Go, you’ll probably learn one or two areas like the back of your hand; my other haunt is downtown Wetumpka. In some ways, I feel that Stops should provide more to those who visi them and that they should take a lot longer to refresh. This would force players outside of their usual locales and encourage more intrepid exploration. On the flip-side, I think that Go has more longevity by keeping players bunched together – it’s probably a bit safer, too. Two people used Lures to rob 11 teenagers at gunpoint in early July; another person happened across a dead body. Both of these events occurred after Go had been released for only two days. That said, Go is adamant about nothing but safety. Every time you log in, the game tells you to watch where you’re going and what you’re doing. These are the only instructions on Go – everything else you must learn through experience or prior knowledge of the Pokémon universe. While some of us were admittedly put off by the lack of detail, I think it gives the game a true-to-lore feeling. What does a newly-crowned Pokémon trainer know about the world?

Like Jon Snow – nothing! Go also has a mostly-robust “Gym” system, where players choose a certain team: Mystic, Valor, or Instinct. You and other players vie for control over these virtual structures. It’s assumed these will be the main points of contention as Go is expanded upon. At the moment, the gyms are glitch-ridden and don’t work as intended. This is due in part to terrible server issues which plagued the game’s release; some people were completely unable to log in to Go until the morning after the game was made available. Since, players have experienced fewer problems, as Nintendo has done everything feasible to lessen such issues. While publisher Nintendo and developer Niantic have been mum on what’s to come for Go, the game is already a huge win for the Japanese giant. Shares for Nintendo were up after just three days on the market and the game’s player base seems to only be expanding as the days go on. If anything can confirm that we’re social creatures, it’s Go. If you’re to get Go-ing, you should sooner rather than later. Apart from the stable of maximally-dedicated students out for their summer vacations dominating the competition-oriented gyms, there’s also a time limit on this golden time in Go’s legacy. In three months, I humbly predict that many of the more casual fans will have left Go behind in our quest for the next big thing. Yes – updates and new features will bring people back in waves, but Pokémon has never been more popular. As we look into the great chasm of video game’s future, it’s important to understand that innovation is still the breadwinner. When Pokémon first crossed the world’s doorstep in 1996, I am positive that none of us thought it would still be such a force 20 years later. While the franchise has certainly gone through its ups and downs, we’re currently sitting at the peak of a Mount Everest-like climb into the stratosphere. There’s never been a better time to “be the best like no one ever was.”

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Jacob Saylor

THE GAMER Video games journalist

Jacob Saylor

has covered the massive

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. Follow Jacob on Twitter @skulldrey.

OUT & ABOUT

Elmore County Art Guild Annual Show Wetumpka Depot July 10, 2016 1. Mitford Fontaine 2. Shirley Esco and Peggy Sant 3. Carla Luck 4. Ashlee Thompson 5. Judy Graves

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OUT & ABOUT

Russell Marine Boat Parade

Kowaliga July 4, 2016 1. Lola Popov 2. Ila Louise and Mitford Fontaine 3. Beverly Nickolson and Terry Blankenship

4. Jacob Anderson, Linda Baker and Beth Anderson 5. Danny Westin 6. Robin Adair, Daniel Brown and Selena Bunn 7. Richard and Susan Estes and Collier Wilson

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OUT & ABOUT

July Fouth Celebration Downtown Wetumpka July 4, 2016 1. Brenda Yates and Allison Hill 2. Jacob and Brett Langford 3. Blanca, Delia and Jose Ramirez 4. Destiny, Bobby and Jourey Self 5. Cliff, Alyssa and Marty Lyons

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OUT & ABOUT

Millbrook Area Chamber

of Commerce Annual Luncheon Millbrook Civic Center June 16, 2016

1. Halley Pierce 2. Josh and Mandi Fortner 3. Fred Watts and Clay McConnell 4. Jimmy Sutherland, Staci and Kevin Kelley, Hal

Hodge and Tonya Alford 5. Justin Jones, Penny Nichols and Bill Myers 6. Larry Roberson, Jessie and Marty Bean 7. Janet Brown and Yvette Pickard

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OUT & ABOUT

Relay for Life at J.E. “HOT”‘O Brien Stadium Tallassee July ??, 2016

Relay for Life at J.E “HOT” O’Brien Stadium in Tallassee 1. Bubba Wood 2. Ronald Brantley 3. Coach Isaac Williams 4. Gene and Judy Bridgeman and Charles Turner 5. Regan Hagan and Nicholas Talley 6. Carolyn Scott and Kathy Miller 7. Willie Moseley 8. Shawn and Dylan McLain

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OUT & ABOUT

1 3

WHS Class of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;61 Reunion Wetumpka Depot Theatre June 18, 2016 1. Shirley Colquitt and Carolyn Kapelczak 2. James Horsley and Olga Reina 3. Seth Albritton and Billy Mercer 4. Ann H. Rowe and Brbara Matthews Kelley 5. Margie Roate 6. Richard Peak and Kam Boyle

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OUT & ABOUT

July Fouth Celebration Downtown Wetumpka July 4, 2016 1. Mattie Mates, Britni Manley and Katie Crumpton 2. Cliff Willcutt 3. Steve Davis and Steve Cardwell 4. Andrew Folk, Hayden Strickland and Justin Oates 5. Barry and Cheryl Parliament, Jeri Brown, Marie Kostick, Jessica and Al Grove

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OUT & ABOUT

5 6

Wetumpka City Pops Concert Wetumpka Civic Center June 30, 2016 1. Gary Bryant

2. Madelaine Garrett 3. Anthony Vittore 4. Chris and Laurie Biegler 5. Sherry Brinkman and Kason Rattan 6. Amanda Smith and Kendall Willis 7. Alexander, Brandy and Sophia Vittore 8. Jeff, Donna, Morgan and Kendall Buelman 9. Morgan Miller, Kendall Willis, Sean McDade, Amanda Smith and Taylor Blakely 10. Ronnie Warren, Marley Graham Spear, Debbie Warren and Morgan and Taylor Spear

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Coming Up CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Now through July 30 32nd Annual ECAG Show

The Elmore County Art Guild’s 32nd annual show will be on display at Wetumpka Depot Theater through July 30. Many entries available for purchase. Stop in at the theater at 300 S. Main Street, Wetumpka.

Now through Aug. 31 Miss Millbrook “Pageant of Progress”

Contestants aged 2 through 19 can register for this October pageant, a celebration of young women and girls. The pageant will be held at the Millbrook Civic Center, 3168 Park Circle. Registration fee is $60 and includes two guest tickets, a souvenir program and a contestant T-shirt. The pageant is sponsored by the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce. Download the application at www.millbrookareachamber.com or pick up an application at the chamber office. Submit a photo with application. Call Melissa (334-430-9654), Stephanie (334-3009655) or Melinda (334-657-0721) for details.

July 14-30 Calendar Girls

The women of Calendar Girls will bare it all, with the help of a few strategically placed buns! Wetumpka Depot Players will stage this Tim Firth production that was inspired by a group of Yorkshire, England, women who produced a calendar to raise money for leukemia research. This is a play about friendship, determination and hope. Grab the girlfriends and don’t miss this production. Visit www. wetumpkadepot.com for details and tickets or call 334868-1440.

July 19 The Way I See It

The children of renowned artist international Priscilla Crommelin Ball and Lt. Col. Quentin Crommelin Jr. will reminisce about their parents’, art and growing up around the world during this Tuesdays with Kelly program at noon in the Kelly Fitzgeral Memorial Gallery at 408 S. Main St., Wetumpka. Bring a sack lunch; drinks and desserts will be provided at this free program. Open to the public. Door prizes will be awarded.

July 21-23 and 28-31 Anne of Green Gables

Millbrook Theatre will stage the refreshing contemporary telling of the classic story by L.M. Montgomery and Sylvia Ashby. This play, which has charmed audiences the world over for years, tells the story of a young orphaned girl who by mistake is sent to a family who hoped for a boy to help them work the farm. The play follows Anne through her rebellious years, her transformation into a young woman and her romantic pairing with Gilbert. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Call 334-782-7317 for tickets and information.

July 22 Friday On the Green

This Friday’s free concert on the Russell Crossroads Town Green will feature Jonathan Bloom from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Bring coolers, blankets, chairs, kids and pets for live music, lawn games and time with family and friends.

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July 23 End of Season Blowout

Kowaliga Marina will host an end-of-season boat sale blowout with live entertainment from Jonathan Bloom, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Kowaliga Restaurant will cook-out on site. For information, call 334-857-2111.

July 23 Archery

Learn the basics of archery history, shooting and safety during this program from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the AWF NaturePlex. For information, call 1-800-822-9453.

Aug. 5 Friday On The Green

This Friday’s free concert on the Russell Crossroads Town Green will feature The Bank Walkers from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Bring coolers, blankets, chairs, kids and pets for live music, lawn games and time with family and friends.

Aug. 9 CAMGA Lunch and Learn

Sharon Reeves of hennypennypottery.com will present a program on pretty plant pottery at this month’s Master Gardeners program from noon to 1 p.m. at the Elmore County Extension Office, 340 Queen Anne Rd., Wetumpka. Bring a sack lunch; water and tea will provided at this free program. Call 334-567-6301 for information.

Aug. 6 Russell Marine’s Riverfront Wake Battle

The best wakeboard and wakeskate riders in the Southeast will battle it out for $7,000 in prizes at the Riverfront in Montgomery. For information, visit www. RussellMarine.net or call 256-794-1397.

Aug. 6 14th Annual Youth Fishing Rodeo

Admission for this event is free to kids aged 15 years and younger; however, participants are asked to pre-register, as space is limited. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Each young angler will receive a T-shirt and will be eligible for door prizes. Snacks and drinks available. Participants are encouraged to bring their own fishing gear and bait; however, a limited number of loaner rods and reels and some bait will be available. Program starts at 7 a.m. and concludes at 11 a.m.. For information, call 1-800-822-9453.

Aug. 6 Waverly Tomato Showdown

Mark your calendar and water your gardens to grow the winning entry at this year’s biggest and best tomato contest sponsored by Wickles Pickles at Standard Deluxe. Gates open at 11 a.m., and this year’s festivities include the famous BLT bar, a silent auction and live music all afternoon. For information, email Rachel@simsfood.com or check the showdown’s Facebook page.

Aug. 12 Friday On The Green

This Friday’s free concert on the Russell Crossroads Town Green will feature Sid Phelps from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Bring coolers, blankets, chairs, kids and pets for live music, lawn games and time with family and friends.

Aug. 16 What You See Is What You Get

Jason Powell of Petals from the Past will conduct a container gardening demonstration during this Tuesdays with Kelly program at noon in the Kelly Fitzgerald Memorial Gallery at 408 S. Main St., Wetumpka. Bring a sack lunch; drinks and desserts will be provided at this free program. Open to the public. Door prizes will be awarded.

Aug. 19 Friday On The Green

Join the fun at the Russell Crossroads Town Green. The featured entertainment will be shadowood, playing from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Bring coolers, blankets, chairs, kids and pets for live music, lawn games and time with family and friends.

Sept. 1 American Eagle Speaker and Movie

Join Nongame Wildlife Biologist with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Carrie Threadgill to discuss the success of the Bald Eagle Recovery Program in Alabama. Admission is $5. Meet at the AWF NaturePlex in Millbrook. For information, call 1-800-822-9453.

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Go Fishing AWF invites families for catch and release fun at local ponds

Ashton and Nathan Givens caught 21 fish at the Alabama Nature Center’s catch and release Go Fishing event on the grounds of the Alabama Wildlife Federation headquarters last month. Go Fishing is an event the Givens family of Pine Level always make a point of attending. “We always come when they have this fishing event. We have toured the Natureplex, but the pond is always the main attraction for the kids,” said Leon Givens, father to Jackson (15), Nathan (10) and Ashton (8). “They anticipate it, and they were all up early this morning wanting to know when we were going to leave to come out here.” The family brought their own bell rods and bait – worms, hot dogs and chicken livers – but park personnel also gave them bait to use, Givens said. “Most of what they caught was small, but catching them was fun,” he said. More than 20 groups took advantage of the fishing event at the center on Lanark Road in

Millbrook, despite the threat of rain and the occasional misty drizzle. “I wish they would offer fishing for kids more frequently. It’s hard to find a great place like this for them to enjoy,” Givens added. Guests at the park could take in a full day of activities that included movies and animal encounters at Discovery Hall. Daily admission to the park is $5 per person with a $20 maximum per family. Picnic lunches are encouraged, and guests are welcome to visit the displays at the Natureplex and hike the trails during their visits. Season passes and club options also are available. Regular programs at the Alabama Nature Center include archery, raptor information and hikes. The next Go Fishing catch and release event will be held Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. For a full schedule of events, visit www.alabamawildlife.org. Ashton Givens shows off her catch at an AWF Catch and Release event. Photo by Nathan Givens

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Sept. 2 Friday On The Green

Millbrook Farmers’ Market

Sept. 3 Russell Crossroads Community Garden Club Pancake Breakfast

The Community Garden Club members will be up early cooking pancakes for all to enjoy from 8 a.m until 10 a.m. on holiday weekend Saturdays. Come by the Artist’s Cabin and feed the family and help out the garden club.

Sept. 4 Labor Day Weekend Concert at The AMP

The summer concert series at The AMP comes to a dramatic close as concert goers of all ages gather for the final event of the year, featuring Rexton Lee, The Bank Walkers, The Alabama Gamblers and The Vegabonds. This annual concert is the unofficial end of summer, and the tradition is to finish the season with a great time. This year will be no exception. Visit The AMP on Lake Martin on Facebook, www.theamponlakemartin.com or call 256397-1019 for details to come on this year’s concert event.

Season-Long Events

Electronics Recycling

On the first Saturday of each month, electronic items for recycling are accepted at the Wetumpka Recycling Center on East Charles Avenue. There is a $10 fee to recycle tube televisions; other electronics incur no charge. Come from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other accepted electronics include computers, monitors, cell phones, chargers, modems, remotes, printers, batteries and more.

Santuck Flea Market

The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month at 7300 Central Plank Road, Highway 9 in Wetumpka.

Children’s Harbor Thrift Store

Located on Highway 63 south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats. Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children's Hospital. Call 334-857-2008 for information.

Master Gardeners Lunch and Learn

Tallassee Civitan Club

The Civitans meet at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Budde Building on Gilmer Avenue. This volunteer organization serves individual and community needs by funding and hosting special events for people with developmental disabilities. A social time at 5:30 p.m. preceeds meetings.

Countywide Cleanup Day

Pick up fresh produce from 8 a.m. until noon at the Village Green in Millbrook every Tuesday all summer long, starting May 31. Early birds will find some growers who arrive before 8 a.m. Support your local growers and enjoy the market.

Bring a sack lunch to the Elmore County Extension Office in Wetumpka from noon to 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month for a gardening presentation hosted by the Central Alabama Master Gardeners Association. Event is free and open to the public. Drinks provided. For information, call 334-567-6301 or visit www.aces.edu/ counties/Elmore/.

Busy Bee Quilters

The Elmore County Commission sponsors free cleanup days for residents on the second Saturday of odd numbered months. Drop off household and yard trash free of charge at the following locations: old highway department in Kent; old highway department shop in Holtville; Crenshaw Park; Sweeten School; Emerald Mountain Equestrian Center; county jail; Shaylee Place at Hwy 231 and Tutus Road; Old Central Transfer Station; Anne Building in Elmore; CEW&SA parking lot at Redland Road facility. There is no longer a drop-off at the intersection of Redland, Firetower and Dozier roads.

The quilters meet the second Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the City of Wetumpka Administrative Building. For information, call 334-451-2493.

Cruise-In Car Show

Pull into the Super Foods parking lot on Gilmer Avenue from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. the third Saturday of each month for a look at the spectacular wheels.

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Business & Service Directory

Serving all your favorite Seafood... Come taste our Snow Crab!

THURS - SAT 5 - 9pm 334.567.3156 Richard Thorton, Owner 8185 Central Plank, Santuck, AL

“HWY. 9 SINCE ‘89”

Wags &Wiskers Silent Auction

Friday July 29th 6pm Wetumpka Civic Center

$15 /Individuals $25/Couples $300/8 Hundreds of silent auction items and live auction event Tickets At Door Or At Shelter in Wetumpka

The Humane Society Of Elmore County

255 Central Plank Road • Wetumpka, AL 334-567-3377 hselco@bellsouth.net

Pick up Elmore County Living at these locations: Eclectic

Eclectic Town Hall Moose's Eclectic Library Johnson’s Furniture Tropical Tan Zone First Community Bank

Lake Martin

Russell Lands Russell Marine Nail’s Cotton’s BBQ

Millbrook

Verizon Wireless First Community Bank Lucretia Cauthen Realty Bliss Salon Millbrook Chamber of Commerce Realty Central Stone & Britt Law Gene Jones Insurance

Montgomery

Publix – Atlanta Highway

Wetumpka

Publix – Zelda Rd Publix - Vaughn Rd Publix - Taylor Rd

Prattville

Publix – Cobbs Ford Road

Slapout

Lake Pharmacy The Golden Frog The Boy’s Store First Community Bank

Tallassee

Kent Eagle Y Petro Parker Tire RoadRunner Herron Hill Pharmacy Friendship Grocery The Apothecary Community Hospital Tallassee Health & Rehab 5 Points Store Ben Atkinson Motors

Bennett’s Archery First Community Bank Russell Do It Center Bumper’s Karen’s Mane Tamers River Ridge Steakhouse Emerald Mountain Store Redland Market Seivers Accounting Wetumpka Depot Players A Touch of Class Angel Locksmith Verizon Wireless Unplugged Must Stop Café Alfa Realty Wetumpka Century 21 Brandt Wright Realty Wachovia Bank BB&T Jackson Thornton Lee’s Auto Repair McQuick Printing Company Hankins Insurance Hog Rock BBQ Wetumpka YMCA

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Adams Drugs Bell Chiropractic Wetumpka Urgent Care Aliant Bank A Beautiful Creation Austin’s Flowers Camo Country Alabama State Employees Credit Union Smokin S BBQ Elmore Community Hospital Wetumpka Preschool Wetumpka City Library Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce City of Wetumpka Administration Bldg. Coosa River Adventures Stoddard’s Bait Shop Collier Ford The Prissy Hen Wee Ones Daycare Wetumpka Health & Rehab Canal Grocery Kim’s Corner

Our Advertisers â&#x20AC;˘ To Join, Call 334-567-7811 City of Wetumpka......................................................................................................................3 Cloverdale Jewelers..................................................................................................................7 Collier Ford...................................................................................................................................7 Community Hospital................................................................................................................2 Edgewood Academy..............................................................................................................3 2 Holley's Home Furnishings..................................................................................................5 5 Jackson Thornton....................................................................................................................3 2 Jeffcoat Funeral Home.............................................................................................................5 Karen's Mane Tamers.............................................................................................................5 2 Kowaliga Whole Health.........................................................................................................5 2 Lake Martin Mini Mall...................................................................................................................... 1 9 Mark's Service Center.........................................................................................................................7 OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery........................................................................................ 2 9 Prime South Bank............................................................................................................................. 3 3 River Bank................................................................................................................................................5 Russell Lands on Lake Martin...................................................................................................... 1 5 Tallassee Health & Rehab, LLC.............................................................................................3 2 The Humane Society of Elmore County..........................................................................5 2 Wetumpka Health & Rehabilitation LLC............................................................................7 Wind Creek Casino..................................................................................................................5 6

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Don't see your ad in this issue of Elmore County Living? Neither did the thousands of potential customers who read our magazine monthly. To advertise please contact Jayne Carr or Molly Brethauer At 334-567-7811 or stop by our office located at 300 Green Street, Wetumpka AL 36092

Meet me at the market M.K. Moore

SOUTHERN DELIGHTS Mary Katherine Moore is an Alabama State Fair pepper jelly

champion, has butchered a wild hog in

her kitchen and grows

heirloom to-

matoes in her backyard.

Lucky us! We have a farmer’s market every Saturday in Wetumpka in the parking lot at Trinity Episcopal Church, across the street from McDonald’s. We live in the South, so you know I have to give you landmarks. Our farmer’s market is not huge, but it is growing, and everything is grown or made locally. Really local. Like your neighbors grew it or made it right here in Elmore County. And like visiting with your neighbors, visiting at the farmer’s market is just as satisfying. So I headed out on a recent Saturday to the farmer’s market, hoping to pop in and find a few early tomatoes. I should have known that throwing on an old T-shirt and slapping my hair up in a ponytail was probably not the best idea. It never fails that the minute I skip makeup to run out, I see everyone I know. But the farmer’s market vendors, our neighbors, are so knowledgeable and friendly, it hardly mattered. There was the honey man offering taste and explaining to kids about his bees. There was a young lady who decided to teach herself how to make bread. She explained that soaking the flour in vinegar made the energy in the wheat easier for our bodies to digest. I learned something! I also brought home two loaves of her scrumptious bread. There was a lady who is this year’s Alabama State Fair overall top cooking and baking winner. In addition to some fabulous cucumbers, she had jellies and some of her prizewinning baked goods for sale. We had a nice long chat about what it takes to compete in cooking contests at the fair. I came away with a bag of cheese straws. I bought a bag of new potatoes from a young man helping out at his family’s stand. He shyly counted my

change under the gentle watchful eye of his mother. I ran into a friend’s niece. She transforms old furniture into repurposed beauties using chalk paint. She took the time to explain how it worked and how the last step involves a coating of wax. Our little market goes beyond being a great source of local produce. You’ll find a community. Our community. The Wetumpka Farmer’s Market is open from 7 a.m. until noon every Saturday all summer long. The Millbrook Farmer’s Market sets up on the Village Green from 8 a.m. until noon every Tuesday. The Tallassee Farmer’s Market at Barnett Boulevard and DeBois Avenue opens from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. every Friday.

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

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ELMORE COUNTY LIVING