Elmore County Living March 2016 by Tallapoosa Publishers

Elmore March 2016

County Living

DRONES

What you need to know if you want to fly ... with your feet on the ground

Avery cool model train collection in Redland TALLASSEE'S SWEET YOUNG'UNS HIT THE HALF CENTURY MARK ELMORE 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?

Why Choose Community Skilled Care and Rehab?

Patient examples include: • Generalized weakness • Rehabilitation following surgery • Recovery following an accident • Rehabilitation after a stroke or heart attack • IV medication therapy • Rehabilitation following an acute care inpatient hospital stay

Our caring and competent team provides personalized treatment, tailored to each patient’s needs. • Nursing care provided by experienced RNs and LPNs • 24-hour physician in-house • Low patient to nurse ratio • Physical, occupational and speech therapy • Respiratory therapy • Dietary and nutritional services • Social services • Coordinated & planned activities program • Team approach to discharge planning Community Skilled Care and Rehab

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

A division of

Community Hospital 3

From the Managing Editor's Desk

In this issue of Elmore County Living magazine, we’re celebrating the kind of passion that drives people to change their lives. From sports to collections and working toward a charitable goal – from Tallassee to Millbrook and everywhere in between – we found lots of people in Elmore County who are passionate about how they spend their time, and some of them have been at it for a long time. Tallassee’s Sweet Young’Uns, for example, started playing together 50 years ago. The local musicians celebrate their golden anniversary this year, entertaining audiences across the South with their country rock harmonies and classic rock and roll. Corey Arwood talked with some of the original band members on page 18 about how they got started and how the music business has changed over the years. Another Elmore County personality who has been at a hobby for a long time is Santa Claus – er, I mean Redland’s Tom Jaworowski. Tom coupled a 71-year-old train collection with a 50-year-old passion of sitting in for Santa with kids at Christmas. The result is a 1,000-square-foot room that houses a remarkable train collection on a two-story mountain, as well as autographed photos of some wellknown personalities with Santa. Tom and his wife, Sue, invite local children to visit his studio throughout the year. Check out Tom’s collection on page 28. Brian Tannehill in Wetumpka has spent recent years growing a passion for drone flying, and he’s discovered that while the unmanned aerial systems may be easy to fly out of the box, they come with some important rules of operation. Get the low down on what’s flying around the neighborhood on page 24. Cory Diaz caught up with a couple of high school athletes whose passions for their sports are leading them toward their futures. Elissa Brown and Jack Broom have excelled at softball and soccer, respectively, and their love of athletics is carrying their educations forward. Meet them and discover how they fuel their passions on page 14. And on page 22, you’ll discover the passion of some local leaders who this month launch a new fundraising campaign for The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life through the Power in Purple program. Find out what they’re doing with a passion to make a difference in Elmore County. And then, let us know what you’re passionate about. Visit the Elmore County Living Facebook page and let us know what you love about Elmore County.

STAFF President & Publisher Kenneth Boone

kenneth.boone@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@alexcityoutlook.com

Creative Services Audra Spears

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors

Barry Chrietzberg Suellen Young Jeff Langham Mary K. Moore Carmen Rodgers Jacob Saylor Candice Briggs Corey Arwood Cory Diaz Alan Kouns Larry Johnson 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 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

Betsy Iler, Managing Editor

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Gassett Funeral Home FUNERALS • CREMATIONS • PRE-ARRANGEMENTS • MONUMENTS

Nearly 40 Years + Three Generations = Commitment 204 East Charles Avenue | Wetumpka, Alabma | Post Ofce Box 54 www.gassettfuneralhome.net | (334) 567-8433

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CONTENTS

ON THE COVER Brian Tannehill hopes to use his Phantom 3 drone for a commercial photography business when he meets the FAA requirements. Photo by Barry Chrietzberg

36 Columns

Features

In Every Issue

Back in the Day

Elissa Brown

Extra! Extra!

Movie Man

Jack Broom

Business Spotlight

Community Care

Sweet Young'Uns Turn 50

The Gamer

Miss Millbrook

Southern Delights

Power in Purple

40 42 54

Larry Johnson Good ‘Sports’

Local CRNP Honored Free Online Games Every Little Girl's Dream

24 28

Softball's Speedy No. 22 That ‘Little Extra’ Tallassee Music Scene Anniversary Pageant of Progress

Raising Relay Funds

Drones

What To Know in Elmore County

On Track

Collecting Trains For 71 Years

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News Briefs

The Studio in Millbrook

Out & About

In Elmore County

Coming Up

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Where to Find Us Distribution List

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Automotive technology expansion project begins at Elmore County Technical Center

Martha Roby, U.S. representative for Alabama’s 2nd district, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for an automotive technology expansion at Elmore County Technical Center. The project will include two vehicle bays, a vehicle lift, compressed air outlets for power tool use and rollup doors in about 2,000 square feet of work space.

FFA brings petting zoo to school Wetumpka Elementary School students were treated to a day of fun with farm animals by their high school counterparts in the FFA, who brought a farm’s worth of animals to their playground for a half-day petting zoo. The lineup included the usual characters found in a storybook farm, from pigs to chickens, goats, a dog and even a turkey. Jason Tew, FFA director, and Bonnie Sullivan, WES principal, said the miniature horse was the clear crowd favorite. “They were just learning about farm animals and getting to see farm animals,” Sullivan said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for them to see the animals they might hear about in school and make that connection.”

Tallassee holds Relay for Life kickoff event The 2016 Tallassee Relay for Life kickoff event was held last month at Cozumel Restaurant. The event began the yearly Relay for Life campaign. Members of the community who have been touched by cancer came out to show support. The group enjoyed bingo, conversation and good company. Many shared stories of how cancer touched their lives, both directly and indirectly. “I think it great. We had a good turnout and I was very excited to see our survivors, caregivers and members of the community,’” said Amber Voss with

the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The program showcased benefits from previous funds raised in the community and honored cancer survivors and caregivers. Relay for Life teams from previous years are gearing up for the upcoming campaign drive. The American Cancer Society is also looking for fresh faces to join new teams. For information or to volunteer visit relayforlife.org/tallasseeal or contact Amber Voss at 334-612-8174.

King models crater impact at presentation David T. King Jr., a geologist with the Auburn University Department of Geosciences presented a computer simulated model of a meteor impact last month at the annual Crater Days event in Wetumpka.

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Extra! Extra! News from Elmore County and surrounding areas

Playground Opens Tallassee Elementary School officially opened the new playground that has been in the works since before Christmas. The construction of this new facility was funded by a portion of a grant from the Poarch Creek Band of Creek Indians out of Wetumpka, along with the Fall Fundraiser. “I think what made our Fall Fundraiser so successful is we told them what the money would be used for,” said Jose Reyes, principal at Tallassee Elementary. It was a beautiful Friday morning when the playground was officially opened to the students. Angela Gantt and Shanikka Beacher, along with the students whose parents helped build the playground and a few friends, all gathered together on the new playground. After a quick group photo the kids took to play. “They are so excited to finally be able to play on the new playground,” said Beacher, assistant principal at Tallassee Elementary School.

Southside's TAG competes at state Tallassee Councilman Bill Godwin and Mayor Bobby Payne congratulated Southside Middle School student Baxlee Burton, a member of the Talented and Gifted teams that last month took part in a statewide competition held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Burton's team placed second in the competition.

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Former Elmore County Living editor passes Former editor of Elmore County Living magazine, The Wetumpka Herald and Eclectic Observer, Peggy Jo Blackburn, passed away Feb. 13 following an extended illness. Blackburn worked in local publishing for more than 20 years and earned more than two dozen Alabama Press Association awards. Tallapoosa Publishers Owner Kenneth Boone said that Blackburn was one of the best he had ever encountered in the newspaper business. "I got to work with Peggy the last few years of her career," said Boone, publisher of The Herald. "She was a hard worker, dedicated to her community and an excellent editor. I don't think I've ever worked with a more talented proofreader in my 30 years in the newspaper business."

Owner Melissa Wall hand selects each item in stock at The Studio

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Business Spotlight

The Studio Unique fare from artists near and far

Pieces of sterling silver jewelry by local artist Rick Bailes are among the most popular gifts Walls carries

Story & Photos by Mia Osborn

elissa Wall dreamed up The Studio in 2003, when she was searching for a place to shop. “At that time, we didn’t have any shopping here in Millbrook,” she said. Wall and her husband, Bob, started Sun Real Estate Inc. in 1994. In early 2000, the couple opened a real estate office in one of their own properties: The Village in Millbrook, a cluster of popsicle-bright offices and apartments overlooking the Pines Golf Course.

Wall turned her eye to the building next door for a shop specializing in handmade or unusual gifts from all around the world. She knew from the start that she wanted her stock to be unique. “You go into most stores now and everybody carries the same things. We learned quickly you’ve got to have something different,” she said. Armed with just her sense of style, Wall set out to create a curated shop with gifts for all occasions. More than 10 years in, Wall still selects each and every item that comes into The Studio’s showroom.

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Theresa Golden's handmade tray sets off themed dishes and napkins

Items are grouped into realistic vignettes around the store

The Studio carries unique gifts for every event

Hand crafted signs make a fun mix of artwork on the walls The Studio carries something for every occasion. The displays overflow with towels, tableware, jewelry and purses, decor, candles, gourmet snacks and more. Items are arranged by theme into small vignettes that almost look as if they could be in someone’s home. In one corner, a combination of handmade fish-themed artwork serves as backdrop to a bistro table picnic. The scene shows off the embroidered cloth napkins, ceramic dishes and snack trays to their best advantage. Many of The Studio’s products come from local craftspeople. “A lot of it is from Alabama. We have two or three artists from here in Millbrook; there’s a lot of talent around here,” she said. Wall is one of those talented people; she has been known to include her original paintings in the inventory. It takes a lot of work to run two businesses sideby-side, but Wall said The Studio is her passion project. “The store is precious, and I’m really proud of it,” she said. “I think everyone who owns a small business now does it for love.” Wall supplements the in-store shopping with options online, accepting orders through Facebook and Instagram profiles. If someone admires a photo of one of The Studio’s products, they can leave a comment or message Wall with the details of their order, and she will ship it. Still, Wall likes it when people come to browse in person. She enjoys helping visitors select the perfect gift and sharing her enthusiasm for the products. “We’re so blessed,” Wall said. The Studio is located at 233 Deatsville Highway in Millbrook. The store is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Contact Wall at 334-285-6233.

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Elissa Brown Alabama bound: Speedy Eclectic shortstop is No. 22 in the nation

Story & Photos by Cory Diaz

clectic native Elissa Brown has logged thousands of miles and worked countless hours to climb to the top of softballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most wanted list. Now entering her senior and final prep season, coming off two straight All-State caliber years, Brown already has her col-

lege destination figured out; she signed to play at the University of Alabama back in November. The leadoff hitter and shortstop is one of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best standouts on the diamond and ranks as the 22nd best high school softball player in the country for the Class of 2016, according to Flosoftball and fastpitchrecruits. com.

Elissa Brown hauls in a ball to catch a runner in a stealing attempt in her sophomore year

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It’s been a long road because Brown didn’t start near the top; instead, she was an “unknown.” “No one knew who I was for a while,” she said. “Even back when I verbally committed to Alabama in September 2014, nobody knew me. I started playing with these travel teams, with the Birmingham Bolts, a well-known organization, and then people started to notice me. So, coming from an unknown player to a ranked one, it’s a great feeling. It means a lot.” Growing up in Columbus, Georgia, Brown got her start in softball the same as most, playing in the local little league, but she didn’t hit the travel ball circuit until her family moved to Eclectic before she began her fifth-grade year. And it wasn’t until two years later that she realized college softball might be in her future. “Travel ball, that’s what you do, that’s where you really want to try to get to the next level. When I played with Alabama Elite with coach P.J. Gallardo, I played up in age a little bit, and we were going to all these places,” Brown said. “You’re going to all these places trying to get to the next level, having all these coaches looking at you. When I was with Gallardo, that’s when I really wanted to try to go to next level – seventh-grade. “When I was younger I Brown lays down a bunt wasn’t just stuck on the TV during her junior year watching softball. When we moved here and we started playing with P.J., it started to click a little bit more. My coaches would get phone calls; they say you got to reach out, and they’ll reach back out to you. I started thinking, I could be D-I, going to all these camps and they like me. At the SEC camps, I went to a few of them, and you’re shining maybe a little bit more than some of the other girls. I was thinking, yeah, I could do this.” Not only did Brown’s self-confidence grow, but also the confidence in her ability and skill on the field grew, along with the help of her dad, Primus, and

mom, Tara. Brown and her dad worked out nearly every day on the field, taking ground balls and hitting cages. Her mom researched new drills and tips on the Internet to help improve Brown’s game, and it paid off, as she was called up to the Elmore County High varsity team when she was in the eighth-grade. “A lot of people don’t have that support. There’s some players on my travel teams where their parents can’t make it sometimes,” Brown said. “I’ve got friends that their parents can’t make it to all the games. But my parents, they’re always there, and I’m grateful for that.” Her sophomore campaign at ECHS, Brown hit a staggering .570 with 24 RBIs, 62 runs and 62 stolen bases, earning All-State and All-Area, as her team reached the state tournament. She followed that with another stellar season as a junior, batting .500 with 16 RBIs, 49 runs and 41 stolen bases. “They say you get that three minutes of fame in the box. You get to contribute what you can do to help the team, everybody does,” she said. “That’s why there’s a lineup of nine people. You get your shot.” Troy University was the first to tender an offer to the speedy shortstop, before she committed to Alabama. She also received scholarship offers from instate UAB, as well as Ball State and Miami, Ohio. A “wild and fun” journey to sculpting her accolades, wearing the name “Alabama” across the front of her jersey and joining her Crimson and White family fulfills her dreams and place as one of the best, Brown said. “I’m excited to play for the coaches. Every time you see assistant coach Alyson Habetz, she’s always got a big hug for you,” Brown said. “And that’s what it’s like with them. They’re all so warming and welcoming. When you’re looking for a school, that’s what you're looking for, good coaches. Not only on the field, but off, too.”

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Jack Broom Building a future on that “little extra”

Story & Photos by Dory Diaz

occer always felt familiar to Jack Broom. The game came naturally to the Deatsville native, who scored 11 goals at 3 years old in his first match. From there, Broom’s love for the beautiful game soared and his talent blossomed, thanks to what he calls that “little extra.” “Work ethic goes into everything I try to do,” said Broom, a junior at Holtville High School. “I try to put in a little extra than what’s probably necessary all the time, so I can keep getting better at everything I do.” Whether it’s on the pitch or in the classroom, Broom never lets up, and the results have connected everything for him. The now 16-year-old sports a 4.3 GPA in school, and the relentless work on the field has garnered options to play soccer at the collegiate level, with strong interest

from UAB, as well as an opportunity to apply to West Point and play. “In the classroom and at home with school work, I try to get everything I need to get done; and then, I go and do a little extra work, so that I not only know the material, but I also know a little more than what we’ve covered,” he said. “You start to see everything connect. If you put in that little extra and see the results, you’ll want to put in a little extra in whatever you do.” Broom excelled and always played in a higher age group all through youth league soccer. By his seventhgrade year, he made the Holtville varsity soccer team, a season in which he came to the realization that the sport was a big part of his life. “Seventh-graders playing on varsity usually never happens. Those types of people get beat up on the field

Jack Broom clears a ball during a Class4A5A first round playoff match against Calera during his freshman season at Holtville

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because they’re not as fast or as strong,” he said. “I scored as a seventh-grader two or three times, and that’s when I finally decided I wanted to do this as long as I possibly can. I want to be a part of this team and support others coming up behind me. Soccer, in my opinion, is the greatest game. “When I scored my first goal, as I turned around, I saw one of the seniors, Dylan Carrico. He stopped and looked like ‘that didn’t just happen.’ I did the airplane, which is where I stretched my arms out to the side and ran down the field. Another senior, Wes Brown said, ‘he’s just in the seventh-grade, folks.’ Scoring that young, it definitely is a confidence booster.” In four seasons, Broom has scored 28 career goals, playing several different positions for his dad, Robby, who has been Holtville’s soccer coach during Jack’s entire prep career. The 16-year-old credits the example of his father and mother, Jean, for his work ethic and confidence on the pitch. “They always want me to be my best. They always push me to give that extra,” Broom said. “I see them, they’ll be here grading papers at 11 o’clock at night, when they probably could’ve done it all at school, but they’ve been helping me with my homework, taking me to soccer practices when I was younger or going to my games. They’ve given that extra. I see that, so I want to make it easier on them. They’ve given a lot to me, so I want to do a little extra on my own, that way they don’t have to do as much.” Every time he steps out on the field, Broom said, he gives 110 percent, practices with the goal to improve and hopes to be an example to the underclassmen. With aspirations of playing at the next level, and perhaps beyond, the high school junior said he wants to keep learning, another thing he’s picked up from his parents. “It’s going to take even more now than it has so far. You can only keep getting better, if you keep putting in the work,” Broom said. “So if I keep putting in the work, I get better, and that all just falls into place. Off the field, you have to keep your grades up. You have to keep wanting to learn. If you don’t learn, you don’t get better. You have to be able to see it all.” At this point, it’s hard to imagine being a collegiate soccer player, Broom said. And while opportunities have surfaced, he said it’s time to do what feels most familiar. “It’s kind of a sense of accomplishment, but at the same time, you want to keep going because college coaches just kind of said, ‘from what we’ve seen, you’re a good player. But if you can get better; what can you do that would show that you’re ready for this level of competition?’” Broom said. “It’s a sense of having caught their eye; now, show them what you’re willing to do to get to where they’re at. It’s an accomplishment, but at the same time, a desire to keep going.”

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Tallassee’s Sweet Young’Uns celebrate 50 years of music Story by Corey Arwood

allassee’s Sweet Young’Uns this year celebrate 50 years of music making and friendship. The band made Billboard's top 10 list with two songs and rubbed elbows with music greats along their road to 50 years together, including appearances with Dick Clark, the Hombres, Alabama, Sugarland, Dan Penn and Spooner. In 1996, the band was presented with a key to the city, and July 20 that year was declared Sweet Young’Un Day. And this year, the band was nominated for a place at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Sweet Young’Uns formed in 1966 with Larry Hoyle, Johnny Hassett and Ron Howard at the core. Hoyle and Howard previously had played together in a band called the Bootleggers. “We decided we needed to change the name because of the way the parents responded to it,”

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Today's Sweet Young'Uns (clockwise from top left): Craig Young, Chris Seymour, Ron Howard, John Long, Jr., Johnny Hassett and Larry Hoyle

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Howard said. “The parents didn’t like kids to go hear a bunch of bootleggers. “We came up with the name Sweet Young’Uns. I guess we figured they couldn’t complain about that. I always say if we’d known we were going to do this 50 years we’d have come up with some other name.” As teenage boys, the group saw the band as a way to meet girls. “I walked into a Halloween carnival, and the HerEctors (a previous Hoyle and Hassett band) were playing, and all these people were crowded around the band. I noticed that the first four or five rows of people were girls, and Larry was singing Love Potion Number 9. I thought, ‘this guy’s got something,’” Howard said. “They needed a The early vocalist, and I played years with saxophone and sang (front row a little back up, but left to right) I came and tried out Johnny for the band, and they Hassett, Ron hired me. I was the Howard, only one from out Larry Hoyle of town. The other (back guys were from Talrow) Chris lasse,” said Hassett, Seymour, who was from Union John Long, Springs. Jr., and The band started Craig with street dances Young and events in small town recreation buildings and National Guard armories across the southern half of Alabama, adapting their style and harmonies to the changing eras and audience preferences. “I could pick the homecoming dances we wanted to play for, and I’d call the high school. I’d say, ‘may I speak to the head cheerleader?’ And they’d get her to the telephone, and if they didn’t get her to the phone, they’d give me her name and phone number – can you imagine? They all needed to raise money, and I would say if ya’ll put on a dance and sponsor it and get all the kids there, we’ll give you 10 percent at the door. So we played all over South Alabama towards south Georgia and north Florida,” Howard said. The band paid $6 for 30-second spots on an AM radio station, WBAN. “In those days, you could make a record and take it to radio stations, and they would play it. You can’t do that this day and time, but back then, we made records

and took them to stations, and that’s how we got name recognition,” Howard said. “We came close to making it several times, but I always say the good Lord looked after us and didn’t let that happen, and as a result, we’ve been able to stay together and enjoy playing.” Real jobs – some that involved music and some that didn’t – eventually came along, as did families and children, but the band played on. “We never moved so far away that we couldn’t keep playing, so we just continued to play and next thing you know, it’s 50 years later,” Hoyle said. “We kind of had to change with the times. In the late 70s and 80s, this ‘new country’ came out, and when Alabama came along, we started playing that style of music, but we still had some of our 60s music in there. Now when we play, probably 75 percent of the music that we do is stuff we did back in the 60s and 70s,” Hassett said. “Our spouses have been very understanding,” he continued. “We were doing this before we were married, so it was more like, this is what we do,” Hoyle said. Over the years, other members joined the band for a while, including Craig Young, Johnny Long, Jr., and Chris Seymour who started with the band during the 70s era. While the band continues to play and has a number of gigs lined up for their 50th anniversary year, they’ll let the future write itself. “We kind of said that we would stay together to get through the 50, but after that, we just don’t know,” Hoyle said. “I doubt that there are a handful of bands in the world that have been together 50 years playing,” Howard added. “It’s fun when you get a good groove, and you know you’re sounding good. That people are dancing and having a good time. It’s just a good feeling,” Hassett said. “It is. There’s nothing like it,” Howard agreed.

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Miss Millbrook ‘Pageant of Progress’ now accepting entries

ick up application forms now for this year’s Miss Millbrook Pageant, set for 3 p.m. on April 2 at the Grandview YMCA Lodge. Contestants will be accepted in five age categories from 5 years old to 19 years old. Winners will participate in the Millbrook Mardi Gras and Christmas parades. The deadline for entry is March 28. Pageant registration fee is $35 and should be made to Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce at the time the application is submitted. A parents’ package, which includes two tickets and a Souvenir Program, can be purchased for $50. Miss Photogenic applicants also will pay a $25 fee for two pictures. No residential geographical restrictions apply for this pageant. Participants should attach a 5x7 or 8x10 color or black and white photograph to their applications. These photos will be used by the judges for recognition of each contestant; the Miss Photogenic competition; and People’s Choice Award. They also will be featured in the Souvenir Program for the event. All participants must attend a mandatory rehearsal at Camp Grandview YMCA on April 1. Contestants will be notified with rehearsal details. The entry categories include Little Miss for contestants 5 to 7 years of age; Young Miss girls 8 to 10 years of age; Teen Miss for 11- to 13-year-old girls; Junior Miss for 14- to 16-year-olds; and Miss for those 17 to 19 years of age.

Madison Trantham, 2015's Miss Millbrook, will pass on her crown April 2 Girls in the Little Miss, Young Miss and Teen Miss categories should wear Sunday or heirloom dresses. Junior Miss contestants should wear pageant dresses, and the dress code for Miss candidates includes floorlength formals, casual outfits and suits for the interview portion of the competition. Contestants will receive one free Souvenir Program. Others will be available at the door at $4 each. Tickets for the event are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Children ages 5 and under will be admitted free. Applications are available now at the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce office at 3453 Main St., Millbrook. For information, call the chamber at 334285-0085.

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Power in Purple to raise funds for Relay Story by Mia Osborn From March 28 to April 28, communities across Elmore County will fight cancer by painting their towns purple. Power in Purple is a fundraising campaign for Relay for Life. Amber Voss, community manager with the American Cancer Society (ACS) office in Montgomery, said the program is meant to draw attention to the help ACS can give cancer patients. “Power In Purple is a new campaign we are doing to

raise awareness of what the American Cancer Society can provide those in active treatment,” Voss said. Local leaders will spearhead fundraising activities in their communities to kick off the annual Relay for Life campaign, Voss said. Power in Purple team leaders include Wetumpka firefighter Lt. Bart Estes, Millbrook's Willie Mae Duncan (not pictured), Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis, Sue Morris and the Rev. Jonathan Yarboro. After the fundraising period ends April 28, the Relays will begin. Millbrook’s High Noon on Cancer Relay will take place Friday, April 29, at Village Green Park. The Racing for a Cure Relay in Wetumpka will be the following day, April 30, at the Wetumpka Middle School track. Tallassee’s relay theme will be Paint Your World Purple, and will be held June 3 at the Tallassee High School Football Stadium.

etumpka Mayor Jerry Willis will lead city hall in this year’s Relay for Life campaign. “The City of Wetumpka has always supported the Relay, and we want to continue that,” he said. “We would like to see it get larger than it has been in the past.” Willis credited the success of previous Relay for Life fundraisers to the generosity of people in his community. “The volunteers that have come forward to raise money over the years have had tremendous success,” he said. His motivation comes from the memories of those he has lost to this disease. “My life has been affected by loved ones who had cancer. Friends like Anne Robinson and Peggy Blackburn, who lost their lives to cancer, have stirred me to get involved and personally raise funds,” Mayor Willis explained. Willis said he sees contributing to Relay For Life as a sign of respect to those who lost the fight with cancer. “It’s a way to honor those people and what their lives meant,” he said. Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis

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ieutenant Bart Estes represents the Wetumpka Fire Department in this year’s campaign. Estes has a personal investment in the fight against cancer. “I've had four family members affected by cancer, the latest being my mother-in-law,” he said. When his mother-in-law received her diagnosis, Estes was with a fire department in Montgomery. Her struggle inspired him to start selling T-shirts for his first Relay For Life fundraiser, with great results. The fire department raised $3,500. Estes is now retired and living in Wetumpka, but he is ready to bring his energy to Power In Purple. He plans to go door-to-door asking for donations, on top of selling T-shirts. In years past, the fire department has sold food and entertainment at the relay, including a dunking booth. Estes said the dunking booth won’t be back this year, but they will have long and short sleeved shirts for sale at the Wetumpka Relay on April 30. Lt. Bart Estes

ue Morris has owned Prism Blinds in Millbrook for 20 years. This is her first time working with Relay for Life, and she said she’s excited to contribute to a cause that will prolong and enrich the lives of cancer patients until a cure is found. Morris plans to start fundraising with an email campaign. “I want to let them know every little bit will help,” she said. “It might save someone’s child or parent.” Morris is eager to raise awareness with the Power in Purple campaign. For her, spreading information is even more important than getting donations. “People need to be aware of what they can do to prevent cancer as well as what can be done to treat it,” she said. Morris is looking forward to participating in Millbrook’s Relay on April 29. “I think there’s a cure out there, I really do,” she said. Sue Morris

Jonathan Yarboro

onathan Yarboro is the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Wetumpka. He is working in conjunction with First Presbyterian’s Team Leader Therese Carter and his parishioners to raise funds. The First Presbyterian crew has quite a bit of fundraising experience. “Our church has sponsored a Relay team for over a decade,” Yarboro said. The church spreads fundraisers out over the year in order to contribute more. Fundraisers include selling Thanksgiving desserts and Valentine’s chocolates in the months leading up to the Relay. A church yard sale the month of the Relay rounds out the fundraising. Yarboro sees Relay For Life as an opportunity to reach out to those in the community hurt by cancer. “It affects our church family very deeply. Therese Carter lost a sister to cancer. The majority of people have lost family members.”

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Brian Tannehill's wife gave him the DJI Phantom 3 as a gift â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of some 700,000 drones that found their way into operators' hands in the last year

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Drones What to know before flying over Elmore County Story by Alan Kouns & Betsy Iler Photos by Barry Chrietzberg & Carmen Rodgers

etumpka volunteer firefighter Brian Tannehill one afternoon late last month piloted his DJI Phantom 3 – commonly known as a “drone” – over the Coosa River. Tannehill is an Air Force veteran, having retired from the military two years ago, and although his military career brought him in contact with aircraft, he only recently developed an interest in unmanned aerial system operations (UAS). “I wasn’t really a remote control guy as a kid,” he joked. “My dad actually gave me a little X-4, a model about the size of your hand, and I just started flying that around.” The new Phantom model is significantly more expensive than his first drone, with a base price at about $800. “It was a gift from my wife,” he explained. Tannehill’s drone is a “quadcopter,” with four propeller arms that extend outward from the center. He controls the drone with a handheld device that looks like a videogame console controller. It has two joysticks and a number of buttons on the surface. With the left joystick, he can bring the drone up or down and rotate left and right; with the right joystick, he can move it from side to side, forward or backward. “You get about 20-23 minutes flight time,” he explained. Tannehill is only one of the more than 300,000 newly registered drone users operating in the United States since the Federal Aviation Administra-

tion (FAA) opened up a new registration system this past December. Many of them are operating right here in Alabama. The FAA estimates more than 700,000 drones were purchased across the country this past Christmas season, which has raised some safety concerns with the government. It’s a matter of manned air-space safety, said Wetumpka Airport Manager Lynn Weldon, but so far in Elmore County, drone operators have stayed away from the airport. “We haven’t seen a single one flying here so far, and that’s good, because there are FAA regulations that they have to stay away from airports.” Last year, the FAA reportedly shut down some 30 drone clubs within 30 miles of the National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area, and as recently as last month, recreational drone use halted flight activity at the Dubai airport for more than an hour. To prevent such issues, the FAA requires registration of all recreational UAS vehicles and a pilot’s license for commercial use of a drone. Weldon said the way an owner intends to use a drone for business dictates the FAA regulations that would apply and the paperwork that owner would need to file. Tannehill said he is in the process of obtaining a pilot’s license and a Part 333 exemption to operate his drone for commercial photography use. The cost to obtain a beginner’s pilot license runs between $4,500 and $6,000, Weldon said. For hobbyists, the process is simpler and far less expensive. The potential drone operator pays a fee of $5 to the FAA to register any UAS weighing be-

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tween 1/2 pound and 55 pounds. Fines for flying without this registration could be as high as $27,500, according to FAA registration officials. And it’s not just the government voicing concerns. Residents have spoken up regarding privacy issues in response to the increased accessibility of drones, and that question of privacy hovers in the air for Tannehill and other flyers. “A manned aircraft can already fly over your home and take photos,” he pointed out. “Part of me says there’s no difference between flying a manned vehicle over your house or one of these. Common sense should come into play here; don’t hover over your neighbor’s house.” Tannehill also is a professional photographer and would like to use his drone for business. The drone technology allows him to take aerial photos, which would give his customers a new perspective on the typical photo session, but for now, any drone activity in which he takes part must have merit purely as recreational use of the device. By law, he cannot sell any photographs he takes with the drone. “I’ve got maybe six to 10 hours left to complete to get my pilot’s license to use this as a business,” Tannehill said. Although the public and the government may be reeling to catch up with the speed with which drone use has taken off, Tannehill is optimistic about the devices’ potential. “There’s a lot of use for farming, actually. With different types of spectral imaging, you can see if a field is over-watered or under-watered. You could help out with getting a better yield of crops,” he said. As a fire fighter, he was enthusiastic about drone potential for search and rescue missions.

“You can put a thermal camera on there and use it for finding hot spots in fires. You can get a 360-degree shot of a burning house or find kayakers lost on the river. “Of course, Amazon wants to deliver packages with them,” he chuckled. Joey Hamilton of Millbrook, a manufacturer-sponsored pilot and UAS operator for more than 30 years, has seen the potential for drone use grow in a variety of commercial markets that include real estate, law enforcement, home security and industrial safety, but it’s important for new users to learn and follow the rules, he said. “People think the FAA is behind the times on this and that there aren’t regulations about their use, but that’s a misconception. There are very strict rules. Unfortunately, a lot of people are not following the regulations,” Hamilton said. “A lot of people just think drones are bad because of what they’ve been told and because of privacy issues, but there is a wonderful side to drones,” he said. “They are being used by law enforcement across the country, and in industrial situations, a company can send in a drone with a video feed to assess a threatening situation without endangering a person. They are not all bad. Just visit the FAA website and make sure you are following the rules.” Those rules require a registration certificate prior to the very first flight, even for a hobbyist, Hamilton said, and the regulations for commercial use are very specific. “Right now, if you are using it for any commercial gain without the proper license, you can be fined $10,000 and spend three years in jail. That means if you are a real estate agent, and you take pictures or video and post that online, you have to have a commercial license. Or if you are accepting any money at all for your use of it, that’s commercial. “If you hire someone to operate a UAS, you need to make sure that person is a licensed operator, or you can be fined. The FAA is taking people to court and levying huge fines,” Hamilton said. “This is a fantastic up-and-coming business for anyone; just make sure you are following the rules.” For those looking to get into the hobby, the cost may be the first stepping stone. Parents can find options for as little as $15, but Tannehill said he doesn’t recommend that children go towards the upper end models like the Phantom. “I’d have a hard time buying one of these for my 14-year-old,” he said.

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Tannehill expects to earn a pilot's license, so he can use the drone commercially The price goes up depending on how a model is equipped; better, more expensive cameras and features like Virtual Reality displays can be pricey. “Get the best you can pay for,” Tannehill recommended. Although flying drones is an expensive hobby, Tannehill believes it has a fairly easy learning curve. “This thing flies itself,” he said. “It has auto-takeoff and auto-land. If I let go of the controls, it just hangs in the air.” At the same time, Tannehill is all about safety. “Learn about airspace. Learn how to fly the model you use. In the pilot’s world, they tell you to aviate, navigate and communicate,” he said. The world of droning also includes a social aspect, both online and in person. Tannehill joins conversations with other local pilots through a Facebook page group called “BAMA UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle),” through which members discuss all things drone related, and that community is growing, according to its moderator, Kevin Henderson.

“As prices are coming down on the equipment, more people are getting into it,” Henderson said. “And the ready-to-fly models attract more people. Five years ago, you bought the parts or at best, a kit, and you had to put it together yourself. There were just a handful of people who were into drones. Now, you can get a drone, slap a camera to it and start posting video to social media. It’s just that easy,” he said. The BAMA UAV Facebook group started last spring and already has 350 members, Henderson added. Tannehill suggested beginners go out to a large field away from other air traffic to acquaint themselves with their devices and just have good, safe fun, and Henderson advised that new owners make a thorough pre-flight check to avoid crashing and breaking the drone within weeks after purchasing it. But as Joey Hamilton pointed out, do so only after checking FAA regulations at www.faa.gov/uas and properly registering the vehicle.

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On Track

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Tom Jaworowski created a child's dreamland in a 1,000-square-foot room of his Redland home

Redland man's 71-year-old train collection includes thousands of cars and accessories Story by Betsy Iler Photos by Barry Chrietzberg ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

The two-story mountain runs 12 trains on nine levels

t started with O gauge in 1944. Tom Jaworowski was 6 months old when his father purchased that train set for him, and every Christmas thereafter, he added to it. Now 71 years old, Jaworowski’s train cars number in the thousands and run on a two-story mountain in a 1,000-square foot room of his Redland home. The mountain includes nine levels and can run up to 12 trains at one time, with a standard gauge track on the lowest level and O gauge on the remaining tracks. Jaworowski has constructed tunnels and bridges for the tracks, and he placed grain elevators, shopping centers, churches and restaurants along the routes, authenticating them with models of cars, miniature trees and small figurines of people and animals. There are police cars with flashing lights, ponds filled with boats and a lighthouse on the edge of a harbor; carnival carousels and a building that billows smoke as if it were on fire – with fire trucks tending it. He operates the trains with a remote control, so he can step away from the complex control panel that powers the tracks. The remote also feeds the sounds of the trains through speakers mounted around the room, so visitors are enveloped in the shrill whistles and clacking tires of the trains around them. But the mountain is just the beginning. The walls of Jaworowski’s train room are lined with shelves – 3 inches deep and 6 inches high – that hold thou-

sands of engines and cars. Any open wall space is covered with train art: posters, pencil drawings of stations, collections of train stamps and photographs. A curio cabinet holds some of his oldest pieces – a windup Walt Disney model of Donald Duck and Pluto that was developed during the Depression when the cartoon icon was facing bankruptcy; a 112-year-old spring-operated hand truck engineered in Germany with forward, neutral and reverse gears and brakes; and an engine he bought for $3,000 15 years ago. It was built between 1927 and 1929. “I told my wife I had to have it. That’s the most I’d ever paid for a piece,” Jaworowski said. Upstairs, the collector added an observation deck at the suggestion of his wife of 38 years, Sue, so visiting children and adults can watch the trains from above the mountain. And under the mountain, Jaworowski stores more trains Opposite: Clockwise from top left: Jaworowski remembers talking trains with Santa as a child (back) with his brother; the model building billows smoke as miniature firefighters battle the blaze beside the tracks; thousands of engines, passenger cars and cargo container cars line the walls in the train room; Jaworowski purchases most of his accessories at train shows around the country; all but one of the trains on the mountain are O gauge - the remaining track is a standard gauge; the collector frequently changes up the scenery on the mountain

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Jaworowski can operate the trains from a central position or with a remote control

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He keeps a stock of parts, so he can quickly make repairs when needed

and parts to repair his trains. “I used to think of it as an investment,” he said. “Now, it’s just a hobby.” When Sue and he built their home in 2001, they included the train room to hold Jaworowski’s extensive collection. “Before that, they were all over the house, even in the bathroom,” said Jaworowski, who retired six years ago from an IT position with the State of Alabama. “When we married, he had a tea chest full of trains. That’s all,” chuckled Sue. The trains are a way of life. When they travel, the Jaworowskis stop along the way to visit other collectors and see their displays. They stop at hobby stores and antique shops on a regular basis. The hobby takes them all over the U.S. and Canada, and they attend two National Train Collectors Association (NTCA) shows each year, where 16,000 members buy, sell, trade and just show off their engines, cars and accessories. “I mostly buy,” Jaworowski said. “My wife will tell you I never sell anything.” Jaworowski served the NTCA as president in 2001 and remains active in the organization, though he has slowed down his activity over the last two years due to pancreatic cancer, which is now in remission. The mountain is constantly under construction, as the collector adds new equipment and changes the cars he runs on a regular basis. Recently, he has applied himself to

the tedious project of adding realistic mountainsides to the levels on which his trains operate. Using Hydracal gypsum cement, he painstakingly drapes product-soaked paper towels over chicken wire forms. The product, nicknamed “turtle shell,” dries to a hard plaster that resembles the rocky sides of a mountain. At the top of the mountain, Jaworowski keeps on display a Christmas tree laden with collectible train ornaments – which offers a segue into his other hobby. For more than 40 years, Jaworowski has been the face of Santa Claus to hundreds upon hundreds of local children. “I never charge for it,” he said. “I just enjoy doing it.” In addition to playing the part throughout the area, he opens his home to school groups and visiting children, treating them to an up-close but hands-off look at the trains. “They turn to their parents and say, ‘I want one like this!’” Jaworowski said with a smile. And it’s not just the children who love “Santa’s” trains. One television cameraman arrived on Christmas Eve to spend 20 minutes working up a story about Santa’s trains; he stayed three hours. The couple hosts families of foreign officers at Maxwell Air Force Base, and Jaworowski has an autographed photo of former Gov. Bob Riley perched precariously on Santa’s lap. “I met Neil Young about 35 years ago,” Jaworowski said. Young, the occasional fourth member of the folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash, is a longtime fan of

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model trains. In 1995, Young held a 20 percent interest in Lionel, the leader in model railroading, and he continues to work with the company as a consultant. He is said to have spearheaded the development of remote control model train operation to make the hobby more accessible to his sons who were born with cerebral palsy. Jaworowski also is working on a 26-inch scale train that will run along the bank of a 1-1/2 acre pond at his home. “When the school groups come to see the trains, they have to park across the pond,” he explained. “I’m putting in the train outside to give them rides from the parking area to the house.” In his 71 years as a collector, Jaworowski said, he’s seen a vast number of changes in the model train industry. “The old trains don’t wear out,” he said. “You can fix them if you can find the parts for them. The old ones run on magnets, vibrations and electronics. They’re simple to fix. “The new ones are more expensive to repair. You might spend as much repairing one as it would cost to replace it.” Jaworowski said he encourages new collectors, telling them that it is an inexpensive hobby to start. “You can get a starter set for $100 to $150 and just add to it as you go along. I did this over many years, you know, not overnight.” In fact, he said, he might even sell a set to get someone started. Just give him a call at 334-514-4324 to come by and see Santa’s trains on the mountain.

In addition to cars, Jaworowski has other train collectibles, like lanterns and signs

Jaworowski finds model trains and accessories at shows around the country

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Graff Family Legacy More than two centuries of making Elmore County a better place to live

Larry Johnson

BACK IN THE DAY

Larry John-

son now lives

Robinson Springs, just a in

few miles south of where he

ElAlabama.

grew up at more,

The hisThe millstone tory of the fountain Graff family commemorates in America the presents an contributions interesting of the Graff story. Early family records indicate that a number of Graffs migrated from Germany in the early 18th century and settled in Pennsylvania. Most prominent among them was a man named Jacob Graff, a brick layer and merchant in Philadelphia. His claim to fame, other than being a very prosperous business man, is that he rented two furnished rooms in his home on the outskirts of Philadelphia to Thomas Jefferson when the inner city became too distracting for Mr. Jefferson to concentrate on his task to pen the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. The Jacob Graff House, originally built in 1775, was destroyed but was authentically reconstructed in 1975 and today is known as The Declaration House in the Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jacob Graff produced two sons, Jacob Jr. and one named Henry. John Henderson Graff was born to Henry and Elizabeth Graff in 1826 at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It is unclear if his father is the same Henry that was the son of

Jacob Graff, but the time lines are about the same. Whether he was or was not, John Henderson Graff migrated from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, to current day West Elmore County at Robinson Springs in the City of Millbrook some time between 1860 and 1865. He is documented in the 1860 United States census records of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as 23 years of age and employed as a clerk. There is no record of his motivation to â&#x20AC;&#x153;removeâ&#x20AC;? to Alabama, but one could surmise it was to continue his ancestral family tradition as successful merchants, since Robinson Springs at that time was prime territory for a successful business. On the other hand, he could have sided with the Confederacy when the Civil War broke out, as he is listed as a confederate veteran on the Confederate Veterans Memorial Monument on Monument Drive and Main Street at Robinson Springs. At any rate, Henderson Graff established a store and sold goods to pioneers in and around the Robinson Springs area. The

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exact location of the store is unknown today but is thought to have been just north of present day Thornfield, the old McKeithen plantation home, on County Road No. 7. Henderson Graff and his wife, Anna, produced several children, including a son, Thomas, who carried on the family tradition as a merchant by establishing a grist mill on Keena Creek, north of present day county Road No. 7 and Highway 14 that intersects in the heart of Robinson Springs. George Edwin Graff, Thomas’ son, was also a merchant and a farmer. George Graff established a grocery store and gasoline station at historical Robinson Springs on the east side of Main Street, across the way from the present day Dixie One Stop, which he also built before his death in 1975. I can remember in my youth riding by the old store and seeing the dispenser. Gasoline was first pumped into a clear glass holding tank before being dispensed into an automobile or maybe a tractor in those days. Many people in the area depended on “Mr. George” to support them through the depression years of the 1930s and early 1940s by carrying their grocery tabs until “pay day.” George and Mrs. Dorma Graff produced three sons: George Everett, James Edwin and William. The union of James Edwin and Mamie Graff resulted in the birth of three daughters: Judy, Joan and Jane. I was fortunate to marry their middle daughter, Joan. When Mark Waldo, Jr., the rector of St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church, which is located next to the great springs at Robinson Springs, was searching for a millstone to establish a water feature in the courtyard of the church, I remembered the perfect one. My father-in-law, Edwin Graff, had inherited one of the old millstones from his grandfather’s gristmill on Keener Creek. The Graffs gladly donated the stone in honor of the Graff family of Robinson Springs and later as a memorial to their daughter and my dear deceased wife Joan, a communicant of St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church. The millstone fountain is not only a beautiful appointment for the church and a memorial to Joan Graff Johnson but also a remembrance of the many contributions the Graff family made as founders and community leaders in Elmore County, Millbrook, and especially to the Robinson Spring community. I am proud to be a part of this family.

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Good ‘Sports’ Who doesn’t love a pulse-pounding sporting event? Who doesn’t love watching a thrilling movie? Who doesn’t love the irresistible combo of movies and sports? With these points in mind, here are a few of my random selections of must-see sports movies: The Pride of the Yankees (1942) – A moving tribute to the legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig (played by Gary Cooper) and his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Stratton Story (1949) – This inspiring true story of Monty Stratton, the Chicago White Sox pitcher in the 1930s, features screen favorites Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson. The Hustler (1961) – Screen icon Paul Newman is electrifying as small-time pool hustler “Fast Eddie” Felson, and he is joined by a stellar supporting cast that includes Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie and George C. Scott. Brain’s Song (1971) – Blockbuster ABC Movie of the Week centers on the friendship of pro football players Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) as Piccolo battles terminal cancer. An unforgettable tearjerker. Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) – This little-known film starts Michael Moriarty and a then-unknown Robert De Niro as baseball teammates. De Niro’s performance firmly planted him on the road to acclaim. Rocky (1976) – Yo, Adrian! Sylvester Stallone rocketed to superstardom in this Oscar-wining megahit, the ragsto-riches story of Rocky Balboa, a working class ItalianAmerican boxer who gets a shot at the world heavyweight championship. Rocky is considered to be one of the great38

est sports films ever made and has spawned six sequels. The Bad News Bears (1976) – In this classic comedy, a curmudgeon coach (Walter Matthau) clashes with a competitive California little leaguer (Tatum O’Neal). Breaking Away (1979) – A not-to-be-missed coming-of-age comedy-drama that follows a group of four male Indiana teenagers who have recently graduated from high school. The American Film Institute has included Breaking Away on its list of America’s 100 Most Inspiring Movies. Raging Bull (1980) – Biographical black-and-white sports drama directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta, an Italian-American middleweight boxer. After receiving mixed initial reviews, Raging Bull is now regarded as one of the greatest American films ever made. Caddyshack (1980) – The riotous comic quartet of Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and Billy Murray makes this one of the funniest sports movies of all time. Chariots of Fire (1981) – This inspirational true story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score (for its memorable and now classic instrumental theme by composer Vangelis). The Natural (1984) – Ingenious film adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s 1952 baseball novel by the same name benefits from masterful direction by Barry Levinson and a top-notch cast featuring Robert Redford, Glenn Close and Robert Duvall. Hoosiers (1988) – Set in the 50s, this sleeper hit tells the story of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team

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that wins the state championship. Gene Hackman shines as the coach in this deceptively simple story, and he is joined by a strong cast that includes Barbara Hershey and Dennis Hopper. Legendary film composer Jerry Goldsmith received an Academy Award nomination for his soaring score. Field of Dreams (1989) – This captivating fantasy has earned a well-deserved reputation as the ultimate male tearjerker. It stars Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster (in his final role). A League of Their Own (1992) – A fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League features direction by Penny Marshall and standout performances by stars Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and pop icon Madonna. Rudy (1993) – From the team that brought Hoosiers to the screen, this is the triumphant true story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who overcame impossible odds to realize his dream of playing football at his beloved University of Notre Dame. ESPN named Rudy one of the best sports movies of all time, and the American Film Institute selected it as one of the most inspiring films of all time. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) – A riveting and intensely moving film based on the life of prodigy chess player Joshua Waitzkin. Joe Mantegna, Joan Allen, Ben Kingsley and Laurence Fishburne head the impressive cast. Jerry Maguire (1996) – The ultimate date night movie, with a perfect combo of macho sports film and chick film, performed to the hilt by

Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding, Jr. (who nabbed an Oscar for his role) and Renee Zellweger. “Show me the money!” and “You had me at hello” are just two of the catchphrase treasures introduced by this winning flick. Remember the Titans (2000) – Set in the early years of school desegregation, this is the galvanizing true story of African-American coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) and his courageous efforts in leading a racially diverse high school team. Seabiscuit (2003) – Based on the best-selling non-fiction book by Laura Hillenbrand (Unbroken), this beautifully crafted film is based on the life and racing career of Seabiscuit, an “underdog” thoroughbred race horse that defied the odds and became a “big dog” at the height of the Great Depression. The impeccable trio of Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire and Chris Cooper star in this rip-snorting crowd pleaser. And on a final note: When it comes to recent releases set in the world of sports, don’t miss Woodlawn, which is based on the true story of Tony Nathan, a talented high school football player who helps lead the effort to desegregate Woodlawn High School in Birmingham in 1973. Woodlawn is a profoundly moving and richly spiritual film. As springtime sports are in full swing, get out and enjoy your favorite sporting event, and make sure you take the opportunity to enjoy these cinematic sporting events as well. Until next month ...

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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.

Alabama nurse practitioners honor local CRNP

Candice Briggs

COMMUNITY CARE Candice Briggs is

assistant

manager at

River Region Family Medicine with Ivy Creek Healthcare

Congratulations to Elizabeth Theeck, CRNP for “Some are treating a cold with Vitamin C and Ivy Creek Healthcare, who recently received the wounds with hydrogen peroxide,” Dr. Floyd said. 2016 American Association of Nurse Practitioner’s “There is no evidence that Vitamin C either Alabama State Award for Excellence. treats or prevents a cold. Instead, use a zinc Theeck is a state registered CRNP for Ivy Creek preparation like Zicam or Cold Eze, preferably. Healthcare. She received her Bachelor of Science Remember that these will have an unpleasant in Nursing from University of South Alabama taste. They will make food tasteless for a day but and her Master’s of Science in Nursing – with can shorten your cold by a day,” he explained. a specialty as a family nurse practitioner – from “And do not add insult to injury. Hydrogen University of Alabama at Birmingham. Theeck peroxide can damage normal cells. Use soap and has worked simultaneously as a labor and water, followed by gently blotting with a clean delivery RN at Baptist Medical towel, and cover it with a flexible Center and Clinical Adjunct fabric Band-Aid,” he continued. Instructor at Auburn University Dr. Lee Aldrich, a native of at Montgomery, as well as three Syracuse, New York, attended separate divisions of Ivy Creek Florida State University and Healthcare: urgent care nurse earned his master’s degree and a practitioner at Wetumpka Urgent Doctorate of Clinical Psychology Care, Chilton Urgent Care and at Auburn University. He Prattville Primary Care. practiced psychology in Boston, She holds certifications in BLS Massachusetts, for nine years and ACLS and has her Family before attending Ross University Nurse Practitioner certification School of Medicine where he with The American Academy received his medical degree. of Nurse Practitioners. The Aldrich completed his residency State Award for Excellence has in Family Medicine at UAB Selma honored nurse practitioners Family Medicine Residency. He is Elizabeth Theeck, CRNP who demonstrate excellence in a diplomat of the American Board clinical practice, made significant of Family Medicine, and for 15 contributions to increasing awareness and years has practiced urgent care medicine, where he acceptance of nurse practitioners or advocacy has seen a number of sports-related injuries, many for practice initiatives, such as leadership, policy, of which could be avoided. politics and research. “Many injuries are caused by beginning Call 334-365-2205 to schedule an appointment a program too quickly or without some with Theeck. plan,”Aldrich explained. Dr. Larry Floyd grew up in North Carolina In addition, proper treatment – even for what and moved to Alabama after completing may seem like a minor injury – can prevent undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University complications. and medical school at Duke University. He “Sprains or strains of any part of the body, completed his residency as part of the Medical depending on the sport and how strenuous College of Virginia program in Newport News, the activity, are typical but can become worse Virginia. Since then, he has practiced as a solo if not treated properly,” he said. “Sport specific primary care physician. He has practiced family stretching is recommended prior to and after medicine, urgent care and emergency medicine activity to help prevent sprains and strains.” for 33 years and said he has heard a number of Wetumpka Urgent Care is located at 11 home remedy myths in his work as an urgent care Cambridge Dr. To make an appointment with Drs. physician. Aldrich or Floyd, call 334-567-8633.

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10 Free Online Browser-Based Video Games

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.

If you’ve ever wanted to step into a new game without the hassle of spending hardearned cash, then this month’s column will hit your sweet spot. We’re taking a quick look at 10 titles that you can boot up right inside your web browser – yes, even Microsoft Edge.

10. Cyber Nations

First on our list of amazing games is Cyber Nations. This title is a simulation-based video game in which players rule a virtual nation. Cyber Nations is one of the oldest and less technologically impressive games on this list, but the title makes up for its failings by offering players a robust management simulator. Players determine all facets of the game: government type, national religion, tax rate and more. As the ruler of a nation, you can choose to make deals and trades with other countries or go to war with them – the world is your oyster. For those who enjoy games like Risk, we think you’ll enjoy this nation-builder.

9. Contract Wars

Fans of the Call of Duty series will feel at home with Contract Wars. This title is a firstperson shooter that is fast paced and includes intense, up-close combat action. The graphics in Contract Wars are well done, especially for a game that you don’t even have to download. In Contract Wars, there are several different modes and a variety of weapons. It should be noted that there are weapons that can be purchased with real currency, creating a somewhat pay-towin game environment; this means that players can purchase items with real money long before they would have ever been able to earn them otherwise.

8. Ballistic

Ballistic is probably the best-looking firstperson shooter game for web browsers. The graphics in Ballistic could even compete with some of last generation’s console releases. This title is available through Facebook and oozes

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perfection. Level design and gameplay mechanics are executed near perfectly, though there is one issue with the game that might turn some players away: Ballistic leans strongly towards the pay-to-win game archetype. Players can get better weapons and equipment through in-game currency, but the process will be a struggle compared to players who decide to drop a few bucks and get better gear from the start.

played through publisher Valve’s Steam service, which gives players the opportunity to engage with a host of different characters and stories; Immortal Arena has some of the most well written backstories for its armory of playable characters of any title currently on the market.

I grew up on Runescape, but there are many among the newer generations who still haven’t heard of the once-legendary title. Runescape has gone through a number of changes, including a massive graphical overhaul. Stepping into the world of Runescape offers players the opportunity to explore a massive, sprawling world. This environment is filled to the brim with fun quests, content and characters. Since the title’s 2001 release, Jagex – Runescape’s developer – has continually pushed additional content and updates to the title’s infrastructure.

The full version of this game may not be available on the web browser, but the original one is. Originally, Superhot was a much smaller iteration of the now full-fledged Kickstarter-funded production that gamers can enjoy. The game is a first-person shooter with one, small nuance: Time only moves forward when the player moves. This allows gamers to freeze bullets in midair, creating a truly strategic ecosystem for gamers to explore. The bite-sized browser version of this game can act as a faux demo for those of you who are enticed enough to consider purchasing the full title.

7. Runescape

6. Agar.io

Agar.io released in early 2015 to rave reviews, and the title bolted to the top of most-played game lists everywhere. Players enter a massive level as a little dot that can grow in size by absorbing other, smaller dots. The huge levels allow for an even more impressive number of players, and with absolutely no registration required, you can be up and running with this title in no time – this is one reason why Agar.io is probably so successful. Out of all the games on this list, none are more easily approached than this one.

5. Tome: Immortal Arena

There are a number of amazing, well-crafted online battle arenas for players to partake in, but Tome: Immortal Arena is something special. Although the game isn’t currently running in web browsers, Immortal Arena’s developer has said that they are looking at bringing support back to this function later this year. The game can still be

4. Drakensang Online

Drakensang Online is one of the few isometric roleplaying games available to players in the web browser. The title is massive, featuring a number of different quests to conquer. In addition, players will find various dungeons to crawl, as well as a trove of monsters to slay. There are four classes (specializations) that characters can choose to train under: Dragon Knight, Ranger, Spellweaver and Steam Mechanicus. Each of these classes has its own unique traits that give the game more of a dynamic feel. Be warned, though: Drakensang Online allows players to purchase in-game items with real money.

3. Superhot

2. Town of Salem

Town of Salem takes place in a colonial America, pitting players against one another in a multi-team, politicsoriented match. While a strong majority of the games on our list are relegated to the action and shooter genres, Town of Salem fits alongside Cyber Nations as a much more nuanced game. Each player fills a particular role in the town’s society, be it the Mafia’s Godfather or the Town Lookout – there’s also a unique role: the Serial Killer. Everyone has a task to fulfill, and it’s up to the Town’s citizens to do away with the Mafia and Serial Killer before it’s too late.

1. Bastion

Bastion first released in 2011 for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console, the game has now stretched its wings to a variety of other platforms, but none are more interesting perhaps than Google’s Chrome web browser. Bastion is easily one of the most beautiful games ever created, and the title features a host of amazing gameplay mechanics. In fact, this independently developed title garnered more than a fair share of Game of the Year awards after its publishing date. There was a time when you had to pay cash to experience this awe-inspiring title – now all you’ve got to do is open up Google Chrome.

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OUT & ABOUT

ARA Art Reception, KFMG

February 12, 2016 1. Manju Kumar, Shirley Esco and Cookie Knott 2. Wayne Turner 3. Janice Whorton

4. Carol Hickman and Cookie Knott 5. Kathy Willis 6. Henry Tucker 7. Sally and Brittany Matthews 8. Carolyn Osborn and Jo Glenn 9. Elizabeth Collins and Chuck Hanes

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OUT & ABOUT

6 4

Tallassee Arbor Day and Heart Walk 7

Dowtown Tallassee February 20, 2016 1. Susanna Fillingham 2. Penny Sorrell 3. Rob and Laurie Rygiel 4. Jeanna Kervin 5. Douglas Thomas 6. Allen and Karen Brown with their dog Mathis 7. Rick Golden 8. Alisha Tennyson

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OUT & ABOUT

Leisa Finley Election Party San Marcos Restaurant March 1, 2016

1. Chandler Weldon, Austin Finley, Braxton Leonard, Quinten Taylor and William Pierce 2. Rashawn Blassingame, Morgan Causey, Veronica Leonard and Arcadia Washington 3. Amber Goggans, Jill Corbin, Leisa Finley and Jada Loftin

Meteorology Madness

Alabama Wildlife Federation Nature Plex March 3, 2016 1. Brenden, Jennifer and Madison Chiras 2. Eric Snitil, Tyler Harris and Vernon Turner 3. Gabrielle, Jared, Shane, Abigail, Isabelle, Dora and Nathan Bonebarke 4. Kristen Terrell and Caroline and

Beverly Wheat

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Coming Up CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 17 Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Luncheon

Alabama District 30 Sen. Clyde Chambliss, Jr., will be the keynote speaker at this year’s luncheon, which is spon-

sored by Trustmark Bank. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at millbrookareachamber.com or purchase tickets at the chamber office at 3453 Main St. The event will be held at The Catfish House at 2060 Downing St. For information, call the chamber office at 334-285-0085.

Bag Jordan's Big Fish and win $10,000

The top prize at this year’s Big Fish Tournament on April 2 at Lake Jordan will be $1,000, and anglers will have seven hourly opportunities to win weighin prizes of $300, $200 and $100. The third annual tournament will begin at 6 a.m. at Bonner’s Landing. Participants may launch from any landing on the lake. Day-of-the-tournament registration will begin at 3:30 a.m., but anglers can register now by calling Hal Hodge at 334-657-1771 or 334-386-4307. Entrants also can pre-register by sending checks payable to Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce to Hal Hodge, 333 St. Simons Way, Deatsville, Alabama 36022 or hand deliver payment to Hodge at First Community Bank in Millbrook. The registration fee is $60 per angler. Only large mouth and spotted bass species at a minimum 12-inch length will be weighed, and all

eligible fish must be caught in the mouth with artificial bait. No dead fish will be weighed in this catch and release tournament. Three hourly weigh-in payouts will be made, starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. Entrants may weigh only one fish for each of the hourly contests, but the entered fish does not have to be weighed in the hourly period in which it was caught. The City of Millbrook will host a barbecue dinner for pre-registered anglers at 5:30 p.m. at the Millbrook Civic Center on Thursday, March 31. Last year’s event drew 160 anglers, and more are expected this year, said Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce Director Marietta Kouns. “We are very excited about this year’s tournament. It is a great event for Millbrook, and it’s always a lot of fun,” Kouns said.

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March 21-25 Expedition Lanark AWF Spring Break Camp at NaturePlex

Campers will explore the natural world through hands-on activities such as fishing, canoeing, crafts, games, hiking, wildlife watching, exploring and more! Camp is for ages 6-12 and costs $125 for the week. Camp runs from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Before care (8 a.m.-9 a.m.) and after care 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m.) is available for $40 for the week. Campers need to bring their own lunch and drink. The Pavilion Outpost (camp store) will be open before/during lunch for campers to purchase drinks, chips and candy for $1 each. Campers will be outside so please dress appropriately and bring changes of clothing and shoes. Call 334-285-4550 to plan your spring break.

March 31 Business After Hours

Wetumpka Depot Players will host a Business After Hours event from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Meet and greet the business owners of Wetumpka.

April 2 Miss Millbrook Pageant

The Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce will present “Pageant of Progress,” a celebration of young women and girls at 3 p.m. at the Grandview YMCA Lodge, 4700 Camp Grandview Rd. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 per person at the door; children age 5 and under admitted free. Applicant entries are due March 28. Entry fee is $35. Contact the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce at 334285-0085 for details, and see the article on page 21.

April 3 Words and Music

The Wetumpka Depot Theater will host a presentation of words and music from the Abandoned Rural America and The Land: God’s Gift exhibits now on display at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery at 2 p.m. The program will be held at the Depot, 300 S. Main St., next door to the City Administration Building in Wetumpka. There is no admission charge.

April 8 Adullam House Spring Talent Show and Fundraiser

Enjoy an evening of good food and great entertainment from the students of Adullam House

Christian Academy. Students from grades K-12 will compete for the title of “Most Talented” with dance, songs, drama and more. All proceeds go to Adullam House Christian Academy. Talent show starts at 6 p.m. in the AHCA gym. Advance tickets $5 or $7 at the door. Kids under 6 free. To purchase tickets contact Rachel Harborth or Ranee Aspy at 334-478-3888.

April 9 Lions Club Roaring 5K Run

Register now for the Roaring 5K Run at Park Greens on S. Ann Ave. in Tallassee. The run starts at 8 a.m. Registration fee is $25 before March 31; $30 thereafter. Visit www.tallasseechamber.com to register online or pick up an entry form at the Greater Tallassee Chamber of Commerce office at 17 Sistrunk St., Suite C, and turn it in before race day. Registrations turned in before April 1 will be guaranteed a T-shirt. Call 334-283-5151 for information.

April 15 Renew Our Rivers

Volunteers are needed for the annual cleanup at Yates and Thurlow dams on the Tallapoosa River. Bags and safety vests will be supplied. Contact Joel Johnston at 334-283-1054 for meeting place, times and details.

April 15 Crater Crawl

The Crater Crawl Glow in the Dark Fun Run and 5K Race takes off at 8 p.m. behind the Wetumpka City Administration Building at 408 S. Main St. The course begins along the River Walk in Gold Star Park and winds through downtown, crossing the Bibb Graves Bridge at sunset. There will be awards for the most creative glow-in-the-dark participant, and there will be dancing tunes at the after party. Register by April 1 to be guaranteed a T-shirt. Registration for the 5K is $20 if you sign up early; $25 after April 1. Fun Run registration is $15 before April 1; $20

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Country music’s Colt Ford to headline Craterfest Country music recording artist Colt Ford will headline the City Stage at the 4th Annual Wetumpka Craterfest April 16 at Gold Star Park. Ford has released five albums since 2008, including the Billboard Colt Ford will chart-topping Declaration headline this year's of Independence in 2012. The Craterfest concert Georgia native and one-time golf pro started by playing the mud truck circuit and has appeared with Toby Keith, Eric Church and Florida Georgia Line. The event will include two stages, which will feature a variety of local groups and individual performers from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m., including Markus Fox, Bradley Roberson and the Tyler Braden Band, Shades of Gray and Andrew McCarter, who placed third at this year’s Relay for Life Battle of the Bands Contest. A family-centered festival will include the popular KidZone with numerous brightly colored inflatables, face painting, pony rides, swings, a petting zoo and a four-car train ride. In addition, there will be games, cartoon character appearances and the National Wildlife Turkey Federation trailer. Arts and crafts and food vendors will be set up on the park grounds as well. And this year, the Wetumpka Impact Crater Commission will host crater bus tours for $5, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Crater tours will leave from the City Administration Building at 408 S. Main St. with volunteers who will guide participants through the site of Alabama’s only marine impact crater. The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery will display a multi-faceted art exhibit focused on the

crater, with storyboards documenting scientific research about the crater and including juried works. New to the event this year, the Wetumpka Rotary Club will host the inaugural River Region Duck Dash, a rubber duck race from the Bibb Graves Bridges to the Gold Star Park Boat Launch. The ducks will begin their swim at 4:30 p.m., and cash prizes will be awarded to the sponsors of the winning ducks in this fundraiser to benefit youth and help families in the community. A minimum contribution of $5 is requested for each adopted duck, and only 5,000 ducks will be launched. Visit www.duckrace.com for information. “The City of Wetumpka, the Wetumpka Crater Commission and Wind Creek Casino and Hotel sponsor and fully support the annual Craterfest music festival,” said Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Joe Hunt. “We’re looking forward to another successful event to bring the community together for fun and entertainment, while drawing attention to Wetumpka from outside the area.” Limited bleacher seating will be available near the stages, but Hunt suggested participants bring lawn chairs or blankets. For booth space information, contact the chamber at 334-567-4811 or email them at info@wetumpkachamber.org. Visit the chamber’s website at www. wetumpachamber.com for more details and announcements.

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Team Up to Clean Up on Earth Day Gather friends, family, co-workers and neighbors in Tallassee April 18 through 23 for this year’s Earth Day Team Up to Clean Up effort, sponsored by Stone’s Throw Landfill, Advanced Disposal and the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce. T-shirts and bags will be provided to registered team members, said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michone Roye. Provisions have been made to collect old tires and batteries, electronic equipment, litter and old appliances all week long, Roye said. “When you register your team, everybody gets a T-shirt, and then all over town all week, we see people in Team Up to Clean Up shirts picking up litter and cleaning up the town,” she explained. Advanced Disposal will provide a roll-off container from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the City Shop for non-hazardous materials, litter team debris and old appliances. Electronics can be dropped off at the Tallassee Recreation Center on April 21 for recycling, and Parker Tire & Auto will accept used oil, tires and batteries all week. Teams could pick up litter around their neighborhoods or businesses, or they could call the chamber office at 334-283-5151 to be assigned locations to

clean. In Wetumpka, there will be a plant swap and free gardening giveaways at the Recycle Center at 205 E. Charles Ave. Cash prizes also will be awarded to the winner of the elementary and middle school recycling projects contest in which all of the materials used are recyclable. The event starts at 8 a.m. and continues until 11 a.m. Call the City of Wetumpka at 334-5675147 for information.

after or $10 for the no T-shirt option. Late registration and packet pick-up at 5 p.m. on race day. Contact Jamie Young at 334-567-4811 for details.

will take place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information, visit www.fttoulousejackson.org/events/.

April 16-17 French & Indian War Encampment

The Fort Toulouse/Fort Jackson State Historic Site will present a program recreating the various Native American and European powers involved in the French and Indian War. The French & Indian War encampment focuses attention on daily life at a French frontier fort and Creek village in the year 1756. Soldiers will engage in mock battles, and souvenirs replicating items of the time period will be available from merchants on site. Living history demonstrations of military, Indian and civilian life

April 23 Renew Our Rivers

Volunteers are needed for the annual cleanup at Lake Jordan on the Coosa River. Bags and safety vests will be supplied. Contact Barbara Dreyer at 334-567-7551 for meeting place, times and details.

April 29 Millbrook Relay for Life

Millbrook will hold its annual Relay For Life event at Village Green Park. This year's theme is High Noon on Cancer, and the event will include

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luminaria tribute bags to honor or remember loved ones who have battled cancer, as well as a highenergy kickoff, a survivors’ lap, caregivers’ lap and a moving closing ceremony. For details, contact Amber Voss at 334-301-2628.

April 30 Wetumpka Relay for Life

Wetumpka’s Relay For Life event this year, Racing For a Cure, will take place at the Wetumpka High School Football Field from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.. There will be entertainment, a balloon release, luminaria bags and the traditional survivors’ and caregivers’ laps. For information, contact Amber Voss at 334-301-2628.

April 30 Walking Cemetery Tour

The Elmore County Historical Society will host the annual tour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., noting Wetumpka residents and Elmore County settlers, builders and most noted citizens, including John Kelly Fitzpatrick, Sen. William Thomas, Sgt. Geroge F. Sedberry and many others. Tickets are $5 and are available now at the Elmore County Museum, Wetumpka Public Library and from historical society members. Call 334-567-5097 for information or email elmorecountymuseum@gmail.com.

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.

Blue Grass Jam, Sit and Scrap and Sit and Sew

All three activities are held on the first Saturday of each month from 9 am. to 12 p.m. at the Alabama River Region Arts Center in Wetumpka. All acoustic instruments and skill levels are welcome at the Bluegrass Jam. Scrappers and papercrafters are encouraged to attend Sit and Scrap. All sewers and knitters are welcome at Sit and Sew. For complete details, call 334-578-9485 or visit www.arrac.org.

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 just south of the Lake Martin Ampitheater on Highway 63, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 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 Childrens Harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. Call 334-857-2008 for information.

Master Gardeners Lunch and Learn

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/. The April 12 program will cover goats – from start to finish. In May, Maple Man Donny Tomlin will present a program on Japanese Maples and in June, Bob Burgett will discuss organic community gardening. Don’t miss these great upcoming events!

Busy Bee Quilters

The quilters meet the second Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the City of Wetumpka Administrative Building. For information, call 334-4512493.

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Business & Service Directory Spring & Summer Clothing Now on the Racks Great deals on Easter Decorations and Gifts

First Community Mortgage NMLS #460892

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

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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 Southeastern Business Printers Hankins Insurance Hog Rock BBQ Wetumpka YMCA

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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 • To Join, Call 334-567-7811 Alabama State Employee Credit Union.............................................. 4 1 Collier Ford...................................................................................... 7 Community Hospital.......................................................................... 3 Cousins Insurance........................................................................... 3 5 Edgewood Academy......................................................................... 7 First Community Mortgage............................................................... 5 2 Gassett Funeral Home....................................................................... 5 Gene Jones Insurance...................................................................... 5 5 Holley's Home Furnishings............................................................... 5 5 Jackson Thornton.............................................................................. 5 Karen's Mane Tamers...................................................................... 5 2 Kowaliga Whole Health.................................................................. 5 2 Lake Martin Hospice.............................................................................3 5 Lake Martin Mini Mall.............................................................................2 Mark's Service Center & Body Shop, Inc....................................................4 1 Tallassee Health & Rehab, LLC.......................................................... 4 1 The Coffee Corner............................................................................. 7 The Humane Society of Elmore County............................................... 5 2 Wetumpka Depot Players................................................................. 3 5 Wetumpka Health & Rehabilitation LLC.............................................. 3 7 William Mason Salon...................................................................... 3 5

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

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Every little girl’s dream An elegant birthday dinner date with Dad and a Shirley Temple (extra cherries) on the top of the world

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.

It is my birthday month, which brings to mind one of the best celebrations ever. Not only was it my birthday, but it also was my first date. And because I’m the luckiest girl, my first date was in Las Vegas. Dating now has evolved into a more casual affair, but back in the day, on my first date, it was a formal affair. Because back in the day in Vegas, people dressed for dates and made actual reservations in sit-down restaurants with career waiters. Oh, those waiters! They were always men and always dressed in uniforms. No out-of-work actors in T-shirts posing as servers. These guys knew the ins and outs of formal service and were always slightly condescending; yet, they never batted an eye when I ordered my cocktail – a Shirley Temple with extra cherries. You see, I was six, and my date was with my father. Now I know that this whole thing was orchestrated my mother, but I was still beyond thrilled to be asked to go to dinner with my dad. Just us. At the appointed hour, after much girly preparation with my mother, I was presented dressed and pressed in a pink dress, new Mary Janes, cardigan, gloves and a little tiny purse. My handsome father, for once out of fatigues and in a suit, escorted me down the path to the car, where he open the door for me. I strained to remember not to clamber inside but to embark without ruffling my dress. And off we went! Our destination was the Top of the Mint at the Mint Hotel, that fabulous pink confection that sported, for a brief moment, the tallest tower in Vegas. This was Fremont Street of yore, before it fell into decay and was subsequently revived into an “experience.” I don’t have the clearest memories of living in Vegas, but I do remember the lights. Miles of neon and thousands of

blubs lit up Fremont. It was like having a fireworks show that never stopped. At The Mint, the lights raced up the front and exploded at the top of the building. At the very top of The Mint was a penthouse restaurant, which was accessed via glass elevator. You have to remember that this was not the Vegas, Baby of tourists in shorts or drunken Hangover bachelor parties. This Las Vegas glittered with gowns and hair-dos and tuxedos. This was the Vegas of the Rat Pack, Elvis and Hunter S. Thomson. At six, I felt more glamorous than Eloise at the Plaza, could possibly be. The waiter treated me as if I were a grown-up movie star, seating me and gently placing my napkin in my lap. I’m sure there were bemused smiles exchanged between my dad and the waiter when I ordered my Shirley Temple, extra cherries. This is where my memories of food stop. I remember standing at the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring at all the lights and twinkle of the city below. I remember being fascinated with the crumb scraper the waiter used to tidy our table after our meal. I remember a slice of cake with a candle. But the meal itself is lost to time. At the end of the evening, as we were leaving, the waiter gave me a flower. I clutched it, my tiny purse and my father’s hand as we descended back to earth in the glass elevator. The Mint was soon swallowed by another hotel. The once dazzling Fremont Street slowly sagged into disrepute, as bigger fancier hotels spread out to swallow the desert, and Vegas lost its elegance to become just a party town. But for one night in this little girl’s life, it was splendid. Although my father left us too early, this is one memory I have of just the two of us, and I cherish it. Dad set a pretty high bar for any future dates, ones that wouldn’t happen for many years into the future. But on my birthday, I remember our date and how I learned what it was to be treated like a lady.

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UNELIEVABLE SELECTION, UNBEATABLE PRICES. WHETHER YOU LIKE...

ALABAMA OR AUBURN TIN LAKE MAR RDAN O J E K A L R O KEITH OR BECKY

Let our design department help make your home or office all it can be. Our in house designers can help you with everything from a single piece to an entire house or office remodel. We specialize in casual and lake design as well as corporate design. Call or stop by today to speak with Keith or Becky!

in Alex City Our design staff s you covered & Montgomery ha

256.234.4141 Alexander City 56

334.279.3101 Montgomery

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING