Elmore County Living October 2015 by Tallapoosa Publishers

Cornfield County Farm

Go pumpkin pickin' & Sunflower mazin'

Read about 7 local innovators

who are MAKING IT HERE

SALUTING ELMORE COUNTY

ENTREPRENEURS

Elmore October 2015

County Living

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Frontier Days at Fort Toulouse November 4th-7th

$8 adults, $7 children 6-18 years old, children under 6 are free. Family Day is Saturday, Nov. 7 9am-4pm

Photo: John Greene Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park l 2521 West Fort Toulouse Road, Wetumpka For more information, call 334-567-3002 l www.fttoulousejackson.org

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Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park

Christmas Events: November 29th

Hanging of the Green Sanctuary - 5:00 pm

December 6th Child Development Center Christmas Program 205 West Bridge Street

Sunday Morning Schedule 8:30 am Contemporary Worship 9:45 am Small Group Bible Study 11:00 am Traditional Worship

Christ is Born Sanctuary - 3:30 pm

December 13th Christmas Musical

All is Well Sanctuary - 5:00 pm

December 20th Preschool and Children

Birthday Party for Jesus Fellowship Hall - 9:30 am

Child Development Center & Preschool Open 7:00am - 5:00pm Monday - Friday • 334-567-3319

December 24th Christmas Eve Candle Light Communion Sanctuary Sanctuary - 5:30 pm

www.fbcwetumpka.com • 334-567-5191 Know ELMORE It. Live It. Share It. COUNTY LIVING

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From the Managing Editor's Desk

One of the best things about our jobs as magazine writers is that we get paid to do fun stuff! This month, that fun stuff included bird watching at Fort Toulouse-Jackson Historic Park with some great folks who used to be strangers; spending a bright autumn morning in a sunflower maze with sweet, laughing children; and picking the brains of Elmore County business owners who acted on great ideas and are making it here. Life just doesn’t get better than this. I’ve loved bird watching since college when an elderly gentleman in my speech class persuaded me to pay more attention to what flies among the overhead branches. For the rest of the semester, Jim Post often helped me identify the birds I saw on my hikes through the Des Plaines Forest Preserve, and at the last class, he presented me with his old, worn bird guide; the binding had long ago disintegrated, and metal O-rings held the pages together. What a treat it was then to meet Larry Gardella and a dozen passionate bird watchers Sept. 19 for the Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail excursion. We saw 41 species, including an osprey that – right in front of us – snatched a fish out of the Coosa River for breakfast. Join us on page 10 as we look for migratory birds and Walk the Fort on an early Saturday morning. Assistant magazine editor, Mia Osborn, had a fun-filled morning at Cornfield County Farm with a class of wideeyed and impressionable preschoolers, including Sophie Arant on the cover of this issue. That shot by Barry Chrietzberg captures all the joy there is in being a child in a pumpkin patch. Read about the A-Mazing Morning they had on page 28. Something else we found amazing this month is the entrepreneurial spirit of Elmore County’s innovative business owners. In our Making It Here section starting on page 14, we showcase seven local companies that are building on the success of great ideas. All of our staff writers pitched in to bring you these inspiring stories that we hope will encourage you to act on your own great business ideas. This really is a great place to live, work and play, and we’re just happy to be able to play in Elmore County and call it work!

STAFF President & Publisher Kenneth Boone

kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com

General Manager

Shannon Elliott

shannon.elliott@thewetumpkaherald.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

Creative Services Audra Spears

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors Barry Chrietzberg Jeff Langham Mary K. Moore Willie G. Moseley Carmen Rodgers Jacob Saylor Kevin Taylor Jim Denney Cory Diaz David Granger Kathy Monroe Bill Goss

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

Betsy Iler, Managing Editor

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

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CONTENTS ON THE COVER

Sophie Arant thoroughly enjoyed swinging in the yard at Cornfield County Farm with her preschool classmates. Photo by Barry Chrietzberg

8 In Every Issue

Features

Columns 36

Back in the Day

Walk the Fort

Extra! Extra!

Movie Man

Making It Here

Coming Up

Community Care

A-Mazing Morning

Out & About

The Gamer

52.

Where to Find Us

Southern Delights

Osceola

Best Never Seen Movies Breast Cancer Awareness

Migratory Bird Watching Turning Great Ideas to Success Pumpkin Patch Preschoolers

YouTube Channels Hand in the Candy Jar

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News Briefs

Calendar of Upcoming Events In Elmore County Distribution List

Art Bolin

(334) 657-8385 ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

Ready for Anything Training

Tallassee Celebrates 2015 Homecoming with parade The Pride of Tallassee Marching Band ushered in this year’s Homecoming Parade with floats, cheerleaders and football players while the class of ’96 joined the parade as part of their class reunion. The Homecoming Parade drew a large crowd of spectators, which lined the entirety of Barnett Boulevard, beginning and ending at City Hall.

Arts Council kicks off 2015 season McCraney-Cottle Arts Council popped the cork on the 2015 season as they hosted a wine and cheese reception at the offices of the Segrest Law Firm on King Street in Tallassee. Entering it’s 52nd year, the McCraney-Cottle Arts Council is a Tallassee staple that hopes to promote and encourage the development and appreciation of the fine arts and performing arts in an around the community of Tallassee. For show or ticket information, find McCraneyCottle on Facebook or call director Mona Mills at 334201-4892.

ECHS takes Best in Class Elmore County High School dominated the Best in Class awards at the Lake Martin Invitational Band Competition in Alexander City Oct. 3. The Maroon Machine earned superior ratings in all but one category. “For the first competition of the year, we are very pleased with it,” said Anthony Vittore director of The Maroon Machine.

Winning in a Field of Dreams

Teamwork, home runs and the love of baseball won the day in Prattville Sept. 17, as the Millbrookbased travel baseball team, Alabama Sox 10U, played a game with the Field of Dreams league,

which gives special needs and disabled children from the tri-county area, and beyond, a chance to play baseball and other sports. Zach Stevens, who plays pitcher and shortstop for the Sox, said he had fun helping lead the Field of Dreams kids around the bases and seeing them enjoy themselves. “It was pretty fun to see the kids have fun,” he said.

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Hundreds of people flooded into the Lowe’s parking lot Sept. 26 to see fire demonstrations, receive free smoke detectors and talk to first responders about how to handle emergency situations during the annual Preparedness Fair and Safety Saturday. Volunteer fire departments from across the county showed off some of their new fire trucks. Adults and children also were able to see different fire demonstrations, from battling a grease fire to how effective sprinklers and smoke detectors are in preventing heavy damage and even death. “I think this is one of the largest turnouts for this that I’ve ever seen,” said Elmore County Commission Chairman David Bowen. “I think everyone had a great time.”

New Gymnasium opens to rave reviews Elmore County High School’s new 2,500-square foot gymnasium held its first-ever athletic event Oct. 6. Opening two months after its original projected completion date in July, the $2.5 million project seats 600 spectators. Elmore County principal Wes Rogers said seeing the finished product was

ACTS Christmas program accepting applications for help The A.C.T.S. (Association of Christians in Tallassee) program is accepting applications through Oct. 15 to help families with the cost associated with the holidays. “We just started our application process and right now I am approving those Christmas applications,” said Pricilla Newman, secretary of A.C.T.S. and member of the executive committee. Mrs. Newman who joined the program as a volunteer has been a member for five years now. Maryland Sayers is coordinating this year’s application process. “She has volunteers in place to help people who come in to apply,” said Newman. “We do food boxes and toys here as part of our Christmas program but we also screen for Toys for Tots.”

worth the wait. “It’s almost indescribable,” Rogers said Wednesday. “I was looking back at the first drawings of this gym, and this it better than I ever thought it’d be.” Just a handful of students had seen the finished gym before the Oct. 6 volleyball matches.

Extra! Extra! News from Elmore County and surrounding areas

Bark in the Park The 10th annual Bark in the Park at Ft. Toulouse drew a crowd of pet lovers and more than 200 dogs for the Pup Parade and other fun contests, including best dressed. Six dogs found new homes at the event, and 20 dogs were microchipped.

WHS band wins 11 trophies The Wetumpka High School “Pride of the Tribe” Marching Band may have needed an additional trailer to bring back all the trophies won Sept. 26 at the 35th Annual Phenix City Invitational Marching Festival. The band collected 11 superior ratings, the highest number a band can receive. The Pride of the Tribe was named Best in Class as a whole among all bands performing in the 3A level competition. The drum major, majorettes, pit percussion and battery percussion also were named Best in Class.

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Lee McElvaine, Larry Gardella and others watch an osprey over the Coosa River at Fort Toulouse-Jackson Park

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Walk the Fort Birdwatchers gather at Fort Toulouse-Jackson Story by Betsy Iler Photos by Jim Denney

hough inclement weather could influence some to move early, an estimated 350 North American bird species will make their long flights through central Alabama to southern wintering grounds this month. When they do, they’ll bring a host of humans with them. Fall bird migration began in September in Elmore County. It will reach its height this month and continue into November with the most hardy species bringing up the tail end by Thanksgiving. As the birds make the miles-long journey from the cold and dark northernmost reaches of North America to more hospitable winter habitat, some 9 million Americans will follow their progress online and in person, according to a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USF&W) survey. Twenty percent of North America’s 46 million people are avid bird watchers, the USF&W survey found, and they spend upwards of $36 million annually pursuing the hobby. Though equipment for the popular pastime can be minimal – a bird guide and a pair of binoculars – passionate birders monitor migration sightings online and visit areas where rare birds could be sighted. The Alabama Birding Trail was established to attract those visitors with the dedication and maintenance of places that are conducive to spotting and identifying the state’s native and migratory bird population. Part of the Alabama Trail, central Alabama’s Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail includes 34 designated birding sites over 3.5 million acres in nine counties. Piedmont Plateau Trail Coordinator Joanne Ninesling last month kicked off Elmore County’s fall watching season with a bird walk at one of those sites on the grounds of Fort Toulouse-Jackson National Historic Park. Veteran birder Larry Gardella of Montgomery led the walk, which drew participants from as far away as Maine. Director for Advocacy at Legal Services Alabama, Gardella himself migrated from Long Island, New York, to the South several years ago, lighting first in Atlanta before moving to Montgomery. During his tenure in Atlanta, Gardella renewed

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An osprey picks up breakfast on the river

Gardella searches the treetops with glasses ready

a boyhood passion for bird watching, but since landing in Alabama, he’s taken the pastime to the extreme. Gardella has recorded sightings of more than 4,500 of the world’s 10,000-plus bird species. His postings on Alabama bird watching websites attracted new and experienced watchers alike to the Sept. 26 event at the park where the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers meet to form the Alabama. Rob O’Connell was one of the 13 birders who followed Gardella as he strolled through the park calling out resident and migratory species. A native of Maine, O’Connell was in Alabama on business for the week and said he enjoys the local bird watching when he travels for his job. “This is my first time here. It’s a beautiful area and, apparently, a great place to find birds,” O’Connell said. During the two-and-a-half-hour trek through meadows, past the forts and the replica Indian village, Gardella pointed out more than 40 species, including the migratory Redstart that darted in and out of cover in the park’s pines and Silverbells. With most of the day’s sightings, Gardella heard the birds before making visual contact. “White-eyed vireos over here on the left,” he noted without glancing from the path. Identifying birds by their calls helps a birder know what to look for among the branches, he said. “The best way to learn bird identification is to watch a video that shows the bird at the same time that it is calling, so you learn to associate the call with the bird,” he said. Gardella said he takes at least one international trip each year and combines birding with the cultural amenities of the host country. His best worldwide birding experience was in Bhutan, he said, where he added more than 200 species to his life list in less than a week. “We would go out birding early in the morning and have

A green heron eyes a snack below

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ettes that often appear in the opening breakfast in the field,” he said. “It’s a great pages of bird guides. In silhouette, the way to start the day. In the afternoon, we beak and body shapes are readily recogwould experience the culture of the area. nizable without the distraction of colors In Bhutan, we also saw a rare Red Panda and field marks. and met the king.” When it comes to differentiating closely The combination of bird watching with related species, such as the Blackburnian other activities is popular among those warbler from the myriad fall warblers, whose passion for avian adventure leads those markings are important, Gardella them to new places. said, pointing out the bold, bright wing Dwight and Carol Lammon of Tuscalobars of a Blackburnian. osa like to go antiquing when they travel “This is a real treat. The Blackburnian to see birds. A red-bellied is one of the most dramatic warblers with On this, their first trip to Elmore woodpecker checks those bold, bright wing bars,” he said. County, they brought some students from bark crevices for bugs “This is a pretty incredible sighting for the Dwight’s Introduction to Bird Watching day.” class at the University of Alabama. They The group witnessed another rare sight on the banks of had spent the previous night at a local hotel and planned to the Coosa River. browse the antique shops in the area before heading home. As Gardella recited an inventory of birds in the area – Dwight was hoping to find some old bird guides among Indigo Buntings, Night Hawks and Peewees among them the shop offerings, so he could add to his antique book col– an Osprey lifted from a nearby branch. It winged into a lection. turn mid-flight and hesitated; then, dipped and dove into Ken Hare of Montgomery was the most novice birder in the water, submerging more than half its body in the river. It the group. He joined the ranks of birding hobbyists in May came up with a silvery fish for breakfast. but already has some 120 species on his list. Birding opportunities like this are available along the “I started watching them in my backyard, and when I ran across the Alabama Birding website, I figured I might as well Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail throughout the year, Ninesling said, but fall, winter and spring offer the easiest viewget into this,” Hare said. ing. For more information about birding at Wetumpka’s Fort He picked up some tips from Gardella that will serve him Toulouse-Jackson Historic Park and other Elmore County well in his new hobby. sites, visit www.alabamabirdingtrails.com/counties/el“When you see titmice, it’s a good indication that there more or the Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail Facebook page. are other birds in the area, so look around,” Gardella said. Additional information about birding in Alabama is avail“Learn to imitate the titmouse, as it gets the other birds acable through the Alabama Ornithological Society at www. tive, and you can call up some of the more elusive species.” aosbirds.org. Another help in identification is the study of bird silhouBirders turn skyward to count migratory birds on their lists

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MAKING IT HERE

Tru-Turn employees ready shipments from the warehouse

Tru-Turn:

Hooking a great idea Story by Kevin Taylor Photos by Barry Chrietzberg It all started decades ago when Wes and Steve Campbell’s father was fishing near his grandfather’s gristmill. The hook got caught in the mill. After releasing it, John W. Campbell carefully bent the hook back and even added a small kink to it. That soon became John’s favorite, because few if any fish ever fell off the newly configured hook.

Years later while stationed at Maxwell Air Force Base, Campbell worked with early version IBM punch cards, which had to be sorted. Using the same technique he used to fashion his fishing hook years prior, he bent paperclips to help in sorting the cards. Then in the spring of 1959, he again used the technique to avoid having fish fall off his hook. He began to share his bent hooks with Air

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Force officers, and before long, a local tackle shop 1984. “We wanted to get away from the hustle and requested them. bustle and could not turn down such a great deal By 1960, Tru-Turn Hook was incorporated. where we are now,” Wes said. Wes and Steve joined their dad, making the Seven years after moving to Elmore County, hooks in their home when they were just tall Tru-Turn’s founder, John W. Campbell, passed enough to sit at the dinner table by themselves. away. “I remember sitting there with Mom and Dad Even many years removed from the business, at the dinner table packaging hooks when I was 8 Wes and Steve’s father continues to influence the years old,” Steve Campbell said. company. It wasn’t long before Tru-Turn hooks were “If Dad was alive today, he’d be sitting at his found in Walmart stores. “I remember we had pizza boxes stacked to the desk telling us we need to do better,” Wes said. “I think he’d be proud of what we’ve accomplished ceiling filled with hook displays,” Steve’s brother to grow the company and be a supporter in the Wes said. community by donating hooks for children's In addition to Tru-Turn, the Campbell brothers charities and fishing events. added Daiichi, XPoint, StandOUT, Mr Crappie “Yea, he’d be proud, but he’d also look to the and Team Catfish hook brands to their line. future and tell us there are plenty of opportuniThey purchased the Blakemore Lure Company ties and challenges ahead.” in 2004 to add Road Runner and Real Magic products. Now, the Wetumpka-based company of 45 employees produces up to 2 million fishing lures and 10 million hooks a year. “And we’re still a small fish in the big pond,” Wes said. Maybe so, but there aren’t any “small fish” that can say their hooks are now in every military survival kit. Given the turning action of the hook to ensure a solid catch, the U.S. military saw the Tru-Turn hook as a must-have for U.S. servicemen and women to have in their survival kits. In addition to the U.S. Military’s stamp of approval, Bassmaster Magazine did a feature article in 1981 to test a certain number of hooks. Anglers and scientists alike said Tru-Turn was the overwhelming favorite. “Our sales went up from $80,000 to $1 million in five years,” Wes said. Despite their success, the two remain humble even to this day, so humble that most people don’t know where their business is located in Wetumpka; it doesn’t even have a sign Wes and Steve Campbell joined on the front of the building or on the their father's endeavor as soon mailbox. as they could sit at the table Wes and Steve moved the company from Montgomery to Wetumpka in

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breakfast on the river.

AES MAKING IT HERE

Story by Willie G. Moseley Photos by Willie G. Moseley & Barry Chrietzberg

Jason Benton started working at his father's company when he was 20 years old

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The next time you’re in a Super Walmart or other “big box” retail store, take a look at the ceiling. Those square or hexagonal-shaped contraptions with louvers that are suspended from the top most likely were made by AES Industries, located on Alabama Highway 229 South in Tallassee. The ceiling-mounted drop box diffusers distribute heated and cooled air throughout large interior spaces. AES Industries also manufactures roof curbs, which are large frames designed to mount exterior heating and cooling units on buildings. The company fabricates these items out of galvanized steel and ships them to giant retail corporations, including The Home Depot, Kroger, Best Buy and Target, among others. They also make and sell smaller versions of their products to national chains that have smaller squarefootage locations, such as McDonald’s, Walgreens and Dollar General. AES Industries was founded in 1988 by Ricky Benton and Lenard McGharr, both of whom are now deceased. Ricky Benton’s son, Jason, is now president of the operation. Benton began working with his father’s enterprise at the age of 20, and he’s been a part of the tremendous growth that AES has seen since the turn of the century.

The company's products are installed in "big box" stores nationwide

“Our Tallassee facility began in east Tallassee, and we opened this facility in 2001,” Benton said, “We now have 95,000 square feet and have continued to expand as the demand for our products and services has increased. We presently have 132 employees here.” The company also has facilities in Weatherford, Texas (40,000 sq. ft.), Reno, Nevada (12,000 sq. ft.), and Wheeling, West Virginia (65,000 sq. ft.), and the Tallassee plant has diversified to include two new divisions on the company sign out front. “AES transitioned to include national account HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) replacement and recycling due to growing customer needs,” Benton explained. “The average life of non-coastal HVAC equipment is 15 years, with coastal HVAC lasting eight to 10 years. AES Mechanical is a nationallylicensed HVAC contractor that focuses exclusively on national account HVAC replacement. This allows our retail customers to have a single-source replacement program.” The company has more than 20 specially-trained crews that travel the country for installation projects. The recycling facet is known as AES Reclaim, an appropriate name for the disassembly of worn out or expired heating and cooling equipment. “We wanted to manage waste streams from end-oflife HVAC equipment,” said Benton. “Expired equipment poses a significant environmental risk if not properly handled and recovered.” The AES recycling program is used exclusively by many of the same accounts that purchase AES Industries’ drop box diffusers and roof curbs. “We recycle copper and other metals, as well as parts from electric motors, and we salvage the refrigerants and oil in such machinery,” the company president said. “And we conform to Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.” And the future of AES looks bright, said Benton, who has an eye on the next wave of activity of the Tallassee-based business. He expects the next boom to hit in about two years. “If you remember, there was an explosion of retail construction – particularly ‘big box’ stores – from around 2001 to 2008,” he said. “The greatest demand for HVAC replacement will happen between 2017 and 2022 when those units that were on the buildings that were constructed in that earlier boom start to expire. We plan to continue to grow our customer base within our existing business, specifically with replacement and recycling.”

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company when he was 20 years old.

Worthy MAKING IT HERE

Story by Carmen Rodgers Photos by Carmen Rodgers & Barry Chrietzberg

Bo Worthy is a true American entrepreneur in Eclectic, Alabama. He owns Worthy Promotional Products, which markets a full line of licensed personal products for the sports industry, including the NFL, SEC, MLB, NBA, NHL and Major League Soccer. And recently, Worthy added NASCAR to the list of licensing labels he serves. Auburn graduate and former Mayor of Eclectic, Worthy moved to the community when he was in the sixth grade. He started a Hercules bags company in a small warehouse in downtown Eclectic and moved to a larger facility on U.S. Highway 63 when his business outgrew its original location. Then, in 2006, he saw a niche in personal care products and started his own product line, Bahama Bo’s.

“The business actually started out of my home,” Worthy said. But the economic downturn that started that same year proved very challenging and difficult for the up-and-coming business. Financial markets collapsed, and the company was up against incredible headwinds. In 2010 and 2011, Worthy began looking for other ways to sell his brand. He thought about selling products to stadiums that needed sunscreen for the fall season. Worthy approached Auburn University and asked about selling the Bahama Bo’s sunscreen in the concession area inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. An Auburn rep told him that the university outsourced the concessions, so Worthy contacted the concession company and sent a sample.

Worthy sells 12,000 licensed products to stadiums

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He was offered an order for 14 stadiums if he could print Bo Worthy put his idea into the products with team logos. action within three months But there was a hiccup. Collegiate and professional licenses are very difficult and tedious to acquire. “I said, ‘Let me work on this, and I’ll call you back.’ I hung up the phone, and I walked next door to my son Matt’s office. I said, ‘Matt, something really good just happened,’” Worthy explained. Worthy had a vision of what the product line could be if he licensed it, because no company had yet created a full line of personal care products in the licensed sports category. Undeterred by the setback, Worthy applied for the collegiate licenses and was ready to roll with the new business plan in 60 days. “It took a lot of hard work, but we were blessed,” he said. Since then, Worthy Promotional Products has become a major manufacturer and run.” distributor of licensed personal care products. Everything Worthy Promotional Products sells is “When you take all the teams and all the products made in America, and the company ships throughwe have for each team and multiply it out, we manout North America, including Canada and Mexico. age over 12,000 different items,” said Worthy. In addition, the man who served as Eclectic’s The company now employs 20 people, and mayor from 1992 to 2000 continues to support the Worthy expects that number to double as the family local community. He recently donated 200 printed business continues to grow. Two of his sons work for lip balms to the Eclectic Youth Football League to be the company as well, he said. sold at the youth football concession stand. “Matt’s job is to get orders in the door; Chas’s job But the founder of Worthy Promotional Products, is to get orders out the door, and my job is to find the LLC, didn’t stop there. In 2010, he published a book money to pay for everything,” he said. about entrepreneurship. Johnny’s Lemonade Stand: Keeping a clean and efficient warehouse is key to How You Can START-UP Your Own Business tells the the operation. Using a library style housing system, story of a young child named Johnny Mac Williams each product is categorized in a manner that offers who wants to earn money by starting his very own quick and accurate access. small business. “This is what we call our label library, and we run Worthy used the book to demonstrate the business it like a high school library with a Dewey Decimal principles that are essential to successful entrepreSystem,” he explained. “We keep rows and rows of neurs of all types. The book is available at Amazon, team logos, and each team listed has its own home eBay, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. where we keep extra labels after we do the print

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AA Farm Creamery One man's organic approach to cheese making

MAKING IT HERE

Story by Mia Osborn Photography by Barry Chrietzberg

Cheese cures in Adams' store room

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For Aric Adams, it all started with a messy yard. Adams and his wife, Donna, were happy when they moved to the outskirts of Millbrook, but keeping the underbrush trimmed proved to be a problem. “When we bought this place, it was overgrown big time. We were trying to manage it by hand, and we weren’t getting anywhere, so we got some goats,” said Adams, a culinary school graduate who never thought the goats he bought to clean up his land would change his life. Before long, though, he began to see them as more than living lawn mowers. “I like food science. I started working with goat milk. Then I tried making cheese. Before I knew it I was making more and more,” said Adams. That’s how AA Farm Creamery was born. Today, Adams’ hobby is a thriving one-man business, and though he switched to cows instead of goats, he still works from the home where it all began five years ago. One side of the house constitutes the creamery, a series of low buildings that seem to have grown out of the land itself. The farm produces several types of cheese, including wheels of aging cheddar and some products that can't be found anywhere else. “Our Timberbrook is a hybrid, alpine-type cheese that’s a cross between Asiago and Gruyere,” Adams explained. According to Adams, his sustainable process sets his cheese apart from that produced by other creameries. “It’s not all sterilized milk that’s had laboratory inoculants given to it. This is natural to

our environment,” he said. Adams’ creamery has none of the industrial-grade fences and loud machinery of a modern dairy farm. AA Farm Creamery runs on cow time, not the other way around, he said. Beyond the creamery buildings, Adams’ seven cows roam free on acres of hilly pasture. “As it gets cool, milking time gets to be later and later in the day, because they’re a little slower to come up,” he said. Adams' dedication to working in harmony with the land is clear from the way he treats his animals, and also from the land itself. The ground is dotted with breaks made of rocks and fallen trees. Adams builds them all himself to keep erosion at bay. “I didn’t want the clear cutting you see in most modern cattle-type agriculture,” he said. “I’m trying to use all natural stuff from the land.” Adams sells his cheese to a few restaurants in Montgomery and Tuscaloosa, but most of his business comes from the Saturdays he spends at the Tuscaloosa River Market. Between market day, tending to the cows and the long process of cheese making, Adams said he’s looking forward to some time off soon. “Once I get the pastures up to where I’d like them to be – another year or two of work – I’ll be able to get out and socialize a little bit more." But even though it takes up most of his time, Adams still loves what he does. “I can’t see myself doing anything else,” he said with a smile. For more information on AA Farm Creamery, visit Adams’ website at www.aafarm.webs.com.

An overgrown yard led to Adams' creamery business

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Leading information

MAKING IT HERE

Story by Kevin Taylor & Photos by Barry Chrietzberg

When it comes to Information Transport Solutions, Inc. (ITS), every employee is a stakeholder. That’s because every employee of ITS also is the company’s owner. Based in Wetumpka, ITS is a full-service provider of technology solutions through the integration of voice, video and data to make their client organizations more productive and profitable. In its short history, ITS has been placed on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest growing private companies in the country. That growth is dependent on the thoroughness and top-notch customer service each ITS employee strives to give their customers, according to CEO Steve Meany. “Customer service is our passion, and technology with integrity is our mission,” he said. ITS was founded by Tomi Selby in 1993 and has grown from servicing a Central Alabama school system to now servicing a major university, large corporations like AirBus and major heath care facilities and providers in the state, as well as more than 100 school systems in the state. Selby has more than 25 years of information technology experience in the commercial and government sectors. While working for the Department of Defense, she spearheaded several key initiatives in support of Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s. She used networking technology to establish remote connections from the states to troops in the field. Her work also helped save the Air Force $40 million a year to drive the wide scale deployment of Internet protocol networks at 135 bases worldwide. After leaving the Department of Defense, Selby founded ITS. Her first job was to cable a school system in Central Alabama. She managed to complete it with help from close friends and family. And then, the company took off. “She grew those cabling services to offering the necessary infrastructure from computer network components to telecommunications services and training for the solutions. More and more grew over

time,” Meany said. ITS’ reach also grew. It grew so much that a second office had to be located in Mobile. The move was necessary when ITS took on AirBus as a customer. The company later added the Mobile School System to their customer base. “We pride ourselves in our customer service, and with that, we are proud to say we can reach a client within an hour from within the state,” Meany said. While Meany has been CEO of ITS for three years, he and Selby have been close colleagues since 1989. Meany said he tried to recruit Selby to work for his company in 1997, but she turned him down. Selby, in turn, recruited and hired Meany in 2012. While her success began with the military, Selby’s company has built a reputation unquestioned among the school systems in the state. ITS played a huge role in helping to solidify former Gov. Bob Riley’s vision of ACCESS classrooms, through which school children in rural systems could be offered video conferencing access to subjects not physically taught at their schools. A few years later, ITS became a major player in the development of 21st century classrooms by trading in dusty chalkboards for SMART boards. A number of school systems across the state now use this technology in which a special pen is used on a whiteboard where particular curriculums are projected from a computer. After great success within school systems, ITS began to take on major contracts with the State of Alabama, higher education and the public sector. In fact, the new Elmore County Emergency Operations Center, which will house the county emergency management agency, E-911 administration and the sheriff’s dispatchers, is being serviced by ITS. Even as the business booms with a growing client base, Meany said Elmore County is still home for ITS. “Not only is our founder from here, but we just love Elmore County,” he said. “It’s the perfect location.”

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ITS

Steve Meany joined ITS as CEO three years ago

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MAKING IT HERE

Pamela Raymond's company wrote the USPS mailbox specifications

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Imperial Mailbox Setting the industry standard Story by Mia Osborn Photo by Barry Chrietzberg Imperial Mailbox Systems (IMS) in Millbrook is a local business with a distant reach. Their aluminum mailboxes, street signs and lampposts can be found nationwide. And though IMS is a national authority in its field, the business has a family at its heart. John H. Clark Sr. formed IMS in 1989. Clark got his start manufacturing storm doors. When he saw the opportunity to expand his business into mailboxes and other curbside items, he jumped in headfirst. “Dad was able to see the potential for this business immediately,” recalled his daughter, Pamela Raymond. “He filled up the mini storage units across the street with mailboxes before he ever sold the first one. But he believed in it that much.” Raymond is the current owner and manager at IMS. She has lived in Millbrook nearly all her life and has been involved with her father’s work from the beginning. In the four years since she took over Imperial, Raymond has worked to maintain the company’s production standards. Those standards are set very high. It’s not an exaggeration to say Imperial wrote the book on mailbox manufacturing: In the 1990s, the U.S. Postal Service invited IMS to write the official rules for the size and dimensions of curbside mailboxes. The company was chosen for the task because of the unique “breakaway” design of their mailboxes, Raymond said. “The company had developed a unique bolt up system versus a welded product,” she explained. “This allows for part replacement if damage occurs, instead of replacing the whole system.” All IMS products are built along this breakaway design, which makes them an affordable choice for

personal use, as well as large-scale projects such as street signs in a new housing development. Raymond works with a team of 24 employees to ensure that every order, no matter how large or small, upholds the IMS reputation for quality. “Our staff is family, and I’m extremely proud to be able to provide employment in Millbrook. We have jobs here that can be stepping stones for young people that want to learn a skill,” she said. The number of skilled jobs at the company continues to grow, as this year, Raymond opened Imperial Powder Coating in the Millbrook warehouse. Powder Coating is a different way of painting. A surface is covered in colored powder; and then, the hardware is baked in a huge oven. The heat causes the powder to stick to the surface, creating a shiny finish that looks the same as traditional paint but is more durable. “I’m getting that business going now,” she said. “We did it, because nobody around here was big enough to support what I wanted to do. We just dove in!” This eager attitude towards business runs in the family. Raymond’s nephew, John, is now the head of the IMS sales department and product development, and her son, Mitchell, is instrumental in the powder coating business. “If something’s in your blood, it’s in your blood,” Raymond said. And apparently, entrepreneurship is in the blood at IMS. For more information about Imperial Mailbox Systems visit www.imperialmailboxsystems.com or visit the Facebook pages for Imperial Mailbox Systems and Imperial Powder Coating.

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South Central Skateboard MAKING IT HERE

Story by Corey Diaz Photo by Barry Chrietzberg

When Chris Atchison was 14 years old, skateboarding became a lifestyle instead of just a hobby. Like most teenaged riders, Atchison dreamed of being a professional, and he constructed ramps for practice and training toward his goal. He knew he wanted skateboarding to be his life, so when he realized turning pro wasn’t going to happen, he looked for another outlet. During his senior year of high school, he began the work on what would become South Central Skateboarding Manufacturing, now located in Elmore, Alabama. “When I was 14, I skated all the time,” Atchison said. “I kind of wanted to be a pro skateboarder, but that wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t good enough, so I decided to do the next best thing, and that’s make skateboards. “I was used to building ramps and stuff, so I was familiar with woodwork and I liked working with wood. So I combined that with my love of skateboarding to start making skateboards.” Atchison started out in 1992 by ordering blank decks from California, printing his own logo on them and selling them to local riders. Once he raised enough money, he began pressing boards in his bedroom and on the back porch at his parents’ house. “At first, it was a little difficult. I had to learn everything by trial and error,” Atchison said. “At the time, there weren’t many manufacturers, and the process was top secret. “For the first two or three years while I was perfecting my process, I started a window washing company. I would wash windows during the day, go to college at night and make skateboards on the weekend.” After traveling to various demos, contests and skate hotspots across Alabama, Florida and Geor-

gia for a couple of years, Atchison had built up his clientele base to where he could press skateboard decks full time. Since then, South Central Skateboarding has turned into a worldwide company with Atchison shipping decks to industry bignamed companies and shops from his operation in Elmore. He’s had professionals, including professional skateboarder Jim Greco, ride his boards and has pressed decks for industry leaders, such as Five Bros and Politic out of New York and Bacon out of Portland. “We ship to companies and shops. What they’re looking for is a skateboard made from Canadian hardwood maple or American hardwood maple with a certain shape and with whatever graphics they want on them,” he said. “But they’re also looking for someone who will give them good service.” Due to the ever-evolving pace of the skateboard industry, Atchison said, his company makes several shapes and sizes of decks, doing it all from start to finish. “We do to the nearest end 16th-inch sheet, run it through the glue spread, press it up and cut them out. We finish them out and put graphics on them,” Atchison said. “Up until 10 years ago, the concaves on the decks changed a fair amount. The past 10, we’ve been lucky that the concaves have stayed about the same. Shapes are constantly changing, especially recently. Everybody wants to go with at least retro shape in his or her skateboard lines now. We do pool shapes, cruiser shapes. We’re constantly making new shapes – up to five new shapes a week.” Much like he did in his start, Atchison said a lot of the skateboard manufacturing industry is about learning and evolving frequently. “You learn everything. The industry has

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Chris Atchison started making skateboards in his bedroom at age 14

evolved over time,” he said. “We change with whatever shapes change. The concaves that are constantly changing.” For the last 23 years, Atchison has seen his manufacturing company grow into a demanded brand in the very industry and sports world he wanted to be a part of. He said he felt like he’d be here one day; he just didn’t know when.

“It’s kind of good to reflect a little bit. It takes hard work and effort, and my margin for error is pretty small,” Atchison said. “If I was making more money, it’d be a little more rewarding. At this point, it’s a business, and it’s work. “I’ve worked for myself for so long, it’d be tough to work for someone else. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.”

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Thousands of sunflowers make up the farm's maze

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A-Mazing Morning Preschoolers in a Sunflower Patch Story by Mia Osborn Photos by Barry Chrietzberg

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Friendly scarecrows guard the front gate

or years, Donny and Paula Westbrook dreamed of creating a cornfield maze. “We’ve had this idea ever since our first child was very young,” said Paula Westbrook. When the couple got the opportunity to purchase farmland in Wetumpka’s Redland community, they saw the chance to make their dream come true. Cornfield County Farm is now in its third year, and the Westbrook’s vision has grown along with their family. What began as a single corn maze has become a full day of activities for kids with hayrides, a zip line and a cannon that shoots corncobs. Fun for all ages! Children can compete with one another at the Duck Race; a row of water pumps and troughs that power rubber ducks downstream. More energetic kids can try the Rat Race, where they climb into sections of pipe and run to roll themselves forward, hamster-style. There are also some educational activities for younger children and school groups. “We do a cotton and corn demonstration for kindergarteners and first graders,” said Westbrook. “We show them how to pick cotton and how to get the corn off the cob. We have a sheller for the corn we show them how to use.”

To make sure Cornfield County Farms has unique attractions, the Westbrooks have gotten creative. This year, Donny dug a pit for gaga ball, a little known game of ball tag. “The kids hit the ball around with their hands, and if it hits one of them from the waist down, they’re out. My kids love that,” Westbrook explained. The farm store features snacks like funnel cakes and sodas, as well as pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, so visitors can pick out the perfect souvenir. While October is the biggest month at Cornfield County Farm, the Westbrooks work all year at designing, building and maintaining the attractions. “The corn and sunflowers are the hardest. We have to prepare for those,” said Westbrook. “We did a cover crop back in the spring; then, we fertilized. It’s a long process.” When the crops are low, Donny mows out the maze pattern. “They have GPS software you can buy that maps it out for you, but we don’t have any of that. We just do it freehand,” said Westbrook. Once the mazes are cut, there’s a struggle to make sure local wildlife doesn’t ruin their hard work before visitors arrive. Last year’s sunflower maze suffered from grazing deer. This year, the Westbrooks installed an electric fence to

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MacKenna Burton flashes a winning smile at the Duck Race station

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Clockwise from top left: A seasonal display at the Farm entrance; Kids play in the corn box; Ella Cox smiles in the sunshine; Visitors of all ages enjoy a hayride; Hudson Sanford, left, and Jack Howell, right, lead the way through the maze.

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keep animals at bay until the “I’m in charge of admissions, A butterfly stops to admire day before the Farm opened. but on a busy day, I’ll go the seasonal beauty Once the season is over, the around and relieve whoever corn maze will be torn up and needs it.” the field prepared for the next Although Cornfield County year. The corn itself is used in Farm takes a lot of work, the another family business. effort is paid off in the smiles of “My brother-in-law’s been children, parents and teachers using it to feed his cows,” who come to visit. Westbrook said. “We’ve been coming Family is the key to keeping here since the first year Cornfield County Farm runthey opened,” said Michelle ning. On a busy day, the WestHolmes, instructor at First brooks need 10 to 12 people Baptist Child Development working the different activity Center of Wetumpka. “This is stations, driving hayrides and one of my favorite field trips. I dispensing snacks. love it.” “We don’t really have emHer student MacKenna ployees. We just have people Burton agreed. “I am having that jump in there and help,” fun. My favorite thing is the said Westbrook. sunflower maze. I like them, Most of these volunteers are because the sunflowers smell family members who wouldn’t so good!” have it any other way. Cornfield County Farm is “We try to pay them, but a lot of our family won’t take open to the public every weekend in October. Admission pay,” said Westbrook. “What can you do?” is $10. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays One of these family members is Donny’s mother, Jenny from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. During the week, the farm is only Westbrook, whose job changes from day to day. open to groups by appointment. For more information, “I do whatever they need Mama to do,” she laughed. visit www.cornfieldcountyfarms.com. School and church groups flock to Cornfield County Farm every October

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From Euphaubee Creek to Seven Gables

Osceola’s Tallassee Connections Bill Goss

BACK IN THE DAY Tallassee's

bill goss has been writing historical accounts for area magazines since

2003.

Osceola (1804-1838) was part of the A legendary Seminole warrior, Osceola Muskogee-speaking migrants who settled was born in 1804 in the Upper Creek village in central Florida after the Creek War. They of Talisi (also known as Tallese and later Old joined the Seminoles, a Florida-based tribe Tallassee), which was located 4.7 miles south who never did sign a treaty with the U.S. of present-day Tallassee at the mouth of Eugovernment. phaubee Creek on the east (left) bank of the Osceola was never a hereditary chief, nor Tallapoosa River. Known as William (Billy) Powell to Anglo- was he ever elected to the Post. He is alleged to have participated in the First Seminole Americans, Osceola became a leader of the War (1817-1818) and Florida Seminoles and became a leader of the is credited as having Seminoles who refused initiated the Second to be moved to OklaSeminole War (1835homa west of the Mis1842). sissippi. He emerged as The name Osceola one of the most vocal came after he moved opponents of Indian to Florida in 1814. It is removal among the the Anglicized form of Seminoles. the Creek Asi-yahola, On Dec. 28, 1835, which means a black Osceola led an attack drink singer or speaker. on Fort King, which The people in the was near modern-day village of Talisi were Ocala, Florida. Amerimixed-blood Native can Indian Agent Wiley American (MuskogeeThompson was assasCreek), English, Irish sinated as a result of and Scottish, and some this event that, along were black. Osceola’s with Chief Micanopy’s Creek mother, Polly ambush of Major FranCopinger, was part Osceola cis Dade’s troops south Muskogee and part Cauof Fort King, the Battle of Withlacoochee and casian. She had married Englishman William raids on sugar plantations in East Florida Powell, an Indian trader. Some historians in early 1836, marked the beginning of the think that Osceola’s birth father actually was Second Seminole War and branded Osceola a Muskogee who died after his son’s birth. as an outlaw. The seven-year war, 1835-1842, Osceola’s great uncle on his mother’s side, is regarded by historians as the longest and Peter McQueen, was chief of Talisi, where Osceola was born. McQueen became a leader costliest Indian war in United States history. At the time of the Fort King attack, Osceola of the Red Sticks during the Creek War of was 31 years old. 1813-1814. As that conflict escalated, many With his leadership of the resistance well Creeks fled from Alabama to Florida; among recognized, Osceola was the primary target them were Osceola and his mother. They followed Peter McQueen and became separated of U.S. Army operations. He was captured by deception in October 1837. from William Powell. The boy Billy Powell Frustrated by the Indian leader, General was captured by Andrew Jackson’s troops Thomas Sidney Jesup accepted his request during his 1818 campaign in Florida but was to negotiate under a flag of truce, but when released because of his young age.

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Osceola and more than 80 of his followers set up camp one mile south of Fort Peyton for the duration of negotiations, they were arrested. Despite the public outcry, Osceola was taken to St. Augustine, Florida, and imprisoned at Fort Marion, which is now Castillo de San Marcos. On Nov. 30, 1837, some 20 of Osceola’s Seminole followers escaped from Fort Marion, but the Indian leader apparently was suffering from malaria and was not among them; however, because of the escape, General Thomas Jesup transferred Osceola and about 200 Seminoles from St. Augustine to Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina, the following month. Soon after arriving at Fort Moultrie, Osceola’s health rapidly deteriorated. During his brief incarceration at Fort Moultrie, he sat for a portrait by George Catlin just days before his death on Jan. 30, 1838. On that morning, Osceola realized he was dying. Too weak to speak, he signaled Dr. Frederick Weedon that he wished his chiefs and the officers at Fort Moultrie to join him. His two wives prepared him in full dress. He shook hands with all present – his chiefs, the officers, the doctor, his wives and his two small daughters. The officers and chiefs wept at the death of a man revered even by his enemies. He was just 33. Osceola was buried outside Fort Moultrie on Sullivan Island with military honors. The epitaph on his tombstone reads: “Osceola, Patriot and Warrior, Died at Fort Moultrie, January 30, 1838.” Before his interment, Osceola’s head was removed by Army doctor Frederick Weedon (1784-1857), the physician who had treated Osceola at Fort Marion, in St. Augustine and at Fort Moultrie. The documented reason for the removal of his head specified scientific research, but there is some speculation that it might have been done in revenge. Dr. Weedon was the brother-in-law of Wiley Thompson, the Indian Agent shot dead by Osceola. Weedon also made a death mask of Osceola’s head. It is housed at the New York Historical Society’s galleries. Osceola’s severed head was given to Dr.Valentine Mott, founder of the Medical College of New York. It was displayed in the school’s medical museum until 1866 when it was allegedly lost in a fire. There is another Tallassee connection to this story: Dr. Frederick Weedon was the great-grandfather of Tallassee’s Mildred Weedon Blount (1898-1981). Mildred and Roberts Blount (1893-1967) built Seven Gables in 1941, one of Tallassee’s historic homes. In 1949, Mildred Weedon Blount owned a diary and letters of Dr. Frederick Weedon. Sometime later, she donated them to the Alabama Department of Archives.

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Part II

BestMOVIES YOU'VENEVERSEEN

Last year, I wrote a column about the greatest movies you have probably never seen, but compared to what is out there, it was a very short list. So here’s the second installment, a few suggestions for the next time you are surfing, streaming or purchasing movie treasures. Changeling (2008): Directed, co-produced and scored by Clint Eastwood, this film is based partly on real-life events – a 1928 kidnapping and murder case in Los Angeles, California. Anchored by a powerhouse performance by Angelina Jolie, Changeling is an unjustly overlooked gem. Shining Through (1992): This World War II spy drama with Michael Douglas, Melanie Griffith and Liam Neeson was neither a commercial nor a critical success. The Razzie Awards declared it the Worst Picture of 1992. I completely disagree with these critical barbs and heartily endorse this cinematic misfire. Fearless (1993): Celebrated director Peter Weir (Witness, Dead Poets Society), Jeff Bridges, and Isabella Rossellini create an unforgettable film experience. Bridges is an airline crash survivor dealing with the devastating aftermath of this event and subsequently provides one of the best performances of his career. Black Sunday (1977): One of director John Frankenheimer’s (The Manchurian Candidate) best thrillers features a race against time to thwart a terrorist attack that utilizes the Goodyear Blimp as a weapon of mass destruction at the Super Bowl. This is an edge-of-yourseat nail biter! Ordinary People (1980): Oscar winner Robert Redford directed Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton in this story concerning the disintegration of an upper-middle class family

following the death of one of their sons in a boating accident. The film won a total of four Oscars, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. What’s Up, Doc? (1972): A delightful screwball comedy starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O’Neal, and Madeline Kahn in her first feature film role. You will find it on the list of the 100 greatest comedies published by the American Film Institute. This is a “G” rated treat for your next family movie night. Coma (1978): Geneviève Bujold and a young Michael Douglas shine in this medical chiller that will make you want to postpone surgery indefinitely. One of director Michael Crichton’s early hits before he soared into the stratosphere with TV hits (ER) and movie blockbusters (Jurassic Park). The Fury (1978): This is a mind-blowing supernatural thriller directed by Brian De Palma (Carrie) and starring screen icon Kirk Douglas. Legendary film composer John Williams provides the film’s eerie score. Dad (1989): Gary David Goldberg (TV’s Family Ties) directed Jack Lemmon, Ted Danson, Olympia Dukakis, Kevin Spacey and Ethan Hawke in this humorous and deeply touching treat about the loving bonds between fathers and sons. Targets (1968): Screen horror legend Boris Karloff stars in this tense thriller about a crazed sniper on the loose. This cult favorite is currently included as one of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Guarding Tess (1994): Shirley MacLaine plays a fictional former First Lady, and Nicolas Cage serves as one of the hapless Secret Service agents assigned to protect her. Their mutual journey from resentment to respect provides a highly entertaining film experience.

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Starting Over (1979): A romantic charmer about a recently divorced man (Burt Reynolds in one of his best roles) who is torn between his new girlfriend played by Jill Clayburgh and Candice Bergen as his ex-wife. Jeremy (1973): Teen stars from yesteryear, Robby Benson and Glynnis Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, play two high school students who share a brief and bittersweet romance. The two stars dated each other in real life and appeared together again in the next movie on the list. Ode to Billy Joe (1976): Inspired by the 1967 hit song by Bobbie Gentry and directed and produced by Max Baer, Jr. (Jethro of The Beverly Hillbillies), this Southern fried soaper once again paired real life lovebirds, Robby Benson and Glynnis Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor. Ragtime (1981): Based on the historical novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow, set in the early 1900s and including fictionalized references to actual people and events of the time, this movie features the final film appearance of James Cagney. A modest success at the box office, Ragtime was nominated for eight Oscars. The Other (1972): This psychological chiller was directed by Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird) and adapted for film by Tom Tryon from his novel that was a bestselling blockbuster in its day. Madame X (1966): Lana Turner provides a relentlessly melodramatic performance in this soapy tear jerker from iconic producer

Ross Hunter (Pillow Talk). The heart wrenching conclusion will wring a few tears from even the most stoic viewers. Henry Poole Is Here (2008): This challenging and unusual film focuses on a dying man whose religious neighbor insists the water stain on the side wall of his house is an image of Jesus Christ. This is a humorous and thought provoking examination of faith that is not to be missed. Yanks (1979): A lush period drama set during World War II in Northern England, directed by John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy) and starring Richard Gere, Vanessa Redgrave and William Devane, Yanks is a box office underachiever that deserves to be seen. An Unfinished Life (2005): Robert Redford stars as a Wyoming rancher seeking to rebuild his relationship with his daughter-in-law, played by Jennifer Lopez, and granddaughter. The ever reliable Morgan Freeman also stars. The Face of Love (2013): Annette Bening, Ed Harris and Robin Williams (in one of his last roles) star in the moving tale of a recent widow (Bening) who falls in a love with a man who physically resembles her dead husband. So go forth! Surf the channels, stream the flicks or walk the home video aisles to track down these movie treats!

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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.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 40

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Cancer - There’s that word again. Cancer is not just one disease, but a large group of diseases with two main characteristics: 1) the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in an area of the body; and 2) the ability of those cells to spread from the original site to other areas of the body. Breast cancer is a malignancy that starts in the cells of the breast, and while it most often occurs in women, men can get it, too. Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. women. Men are generally at low risk for developing breast cancer but should certainly report any change in their breasts to a physician. Many of the risk factors for breast cancer cannot be changed: Simply being female is the biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer. A woman cannot change her age or her family history, which are risk factors as well. As with many diseases, the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. Two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women 55 and older. The risk of developing breast cancer is

American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Screening recommendations for women at average risk:

• Yearly mammogram, beginning at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. • Clinical breast exam about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over. • Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast changes to a healthcare provider right away. Breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s. Note: Women at higher risk may need to get screened earlier and more often than recommended here. Talk to your healthcare provider about your specific screening recommendations.

also higher in women who have a close blood relative with a history of the disease. Some risk factors can be changed, such as being overweight. Lack of exercise, cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol and an unhealthy diet are all risk factors for breast cancer that women can change. Breast cancer typically produces no symptoms when the tumor is small and most easily cured; therefore, screening and early detection are vitally important. The goal of screening is to find the cancer before symptoms appear. Early detection of breast cancer improves the chances of successful treatment. Women are urged to follow recommended screening guidelines for detecting breast cancer at an early stage. Early detection of breast cancer saves thousands of lives each year. The Most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. A mass that is painless, hard and has irregular edges is more likely to be cancerous, but breast cancers can also be tender, soft, rounded and even painful. It is important to have any breast mass, lump or breast change checked by a healthcare provider. Other possible signs of breast cancer include: Swelling of all or part of a breast, even if no distinct lump is felt; skin irritation or dimpling; breast or nipple pain; nipple retraction (turning inward); redness, scaliness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin; or a nipple discharge other than breast milk. Any of these symptoms can be caused by things other than breast cancer; however, report any symptoms to your healthcare provider for evaluation of the cause. Sometimes a breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collar bone and cause a lump or swelling there before the original tumor in the breast tissue is large enough to be felt. Once again, early detection is crucial. Survival rates increase significantly when breast cancer is detected early, before it has spread to other areas of the body. Breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller and still confined to the breast. An annual mammogram can detect cancer early, and that is when it is most treatable. In fact, mammograms can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or a physician can feel them. Make it a priority to talk to your health care provider about breast cancer screening. It is an important conversation to have.

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Kathy Monroe

COMMUNITY CARE Kathy Monroe is the Assistant to the

Administrator and the CFO at Community Hospital.

Start your own channel

I recently decided to jump ship at a couple of the places I was working to focus on a project of my own – don’t worry, Elmore County Living isn’t on that list! The idea of being my own boss has always been intriguing. With one year of college left, I thought it would be a stellar idea to take advantage of my free time, investing in myself, rather than in others. The project to which I’ve been devoting nearly all of my wits for the past two months comes in the form of a geeky, gaming-related YouTube channel. Though many of us use the video service, very rarely do we think about the content creators behind the scenes. In fact, the highest paid and most-viewed YouTuber operates under the name of “PewDiePie.” He publishes all sorts of content, but

most is pertinent to one thing: video games. I figured there could be some way to carve a small slice of the pie for myself, and I recruited a close friend of mine, Dennis, to help out with the effort, as it’s tough to stay afloat and produce content throughout the week when you’re going it alone. We brought one of Dennis’ friends on as a contributor, making our channel a three-person team; however, we certainly have faced some trials and tribulations as a budding content creator on YouTube. Though we’ve not yet found success, we have learned a few things and offer these suggestions for those who may be thinking of forging their own path on the Google-owned mega site.

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One thing Dennis and I established before we ever started working on our channel was that we wanted to have a lot of material prepared before we published our first video. As luck would have it, this was one of the best calls we’ve made so far. Once you have launched, you have to deal with both the marketing and creation of new videos, so a YouTube channel can become time-consuming. At the end of September, Dennis and I had about 10 videos saved. Since we plan to release three videos a week, we’re about three weeks ahead of the game. A large backlog will help us to stay consistent, so viewers can expect a new video from us on certain days of the week; furthermore, you can be a bit more flexible in choosing when videos go live, as scheduling is everything.

with a content focus that is far too broad; i.e., with no clearly defined focus. Frankly, these are also the channels that are struggling, regardless of their video quality. We’ve chosen to designate video games as our primary focus, so if someone subscribes to us, they can expect subject-pertinent material. Originally, our plan was to cover a myriad of geeky subjects, but we realized that there is a wealth of news and content to grab from video games. It’s almost impossible to spread our wings to other areas, such as movies and television, because we just don’t have the manpower right now. We toyed with a few videos about The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, but we were spreading ourselves too thin. A team could create individual YouTube channels about those television programs alone, and there would be years’ worth of material from which to create videos.

Work with trustworthy, passionate people.

Set aside money for advertising and use social media.

Have a backlog of quality content ready for your launch.

Obviously, this doesn’t apply if you’re working alone, though it can be exceedingly difficult to keep up with quality content creation alone. I’ve known Dennis since 2009 when I first started working in video games journalism. He is one of the most hardworking, generous people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. We’ve established credibility with one another, which has spawned a pretty amazing business relationship between us. Plus, we both genuinely love video games, which means that working isn’t really work; it’s just plain fun. Even if our project never finds monumental success, we aren’t wasting our time. In a more practical sense, you need to be able to trust your team: passwords, content and accounts are all things shared between a team of video creators. If your channel explodes and becomes a sensation, you need to be able to trust your coworkers. It’s best if you can establish that trust sooner rather than later.

Target an audience and stick to it.

This one should really be a no-brainer, but I constantly see fledgling YouTube channels

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.

As a college student with seniority, my situation might be quite different from yours, but funding can be infuriatingly hard to allocate; I’m paying for advertising out of pocket. Social media and most web services are akin to a snowball: You’ve got to get them rolling first, and you’re going to struggle for those first few subscribers. Once people start sharing and engaging with your content, the sky is the limit. While I can’t confirm or deny this from my own experience, many successful social media users agree that advertising becomes less important after you’ve attracted an audience. If you can get your content in front of people for a pretty low price, there are cost-effective ways to market your material. In closing, I’ll offer a condensed version of advice I was given by a successful YouTuber: Create good quality content, and the subscribers will follow. It might take a year or more, but keep at it. Make sure your content is relevant, and success is sure to come. We’re going to test this theory over the next few months to see if it’s true. If you’d like to follow our progress, search for our channel, “Chosen Totem,” on YouTube.

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Coming Up CALENDAR OF EVENTS Now through Oct. 31 Titus Maze of Terror

The Maze of Terror will be open each Friday and Saturday with 10 rooms and the Enchanted Forest. Admission is $12 per person; this attraction is not appropriate for young children. Proceeds will benefit the Titus Volunteer Fire Department. The maze is located on County Road 29 in Titus. For information, call 334-399-0623 or 334-300-6857.

Oct. 15-18, 22-25 Tuesdays with Morrie

Based on Mitch Albom’s poignant bestselling book by the same name, this play combines comedy and drama with a class in the meaning of life as the author is reunited with an old professor battling Lou Gehrig’s disease. Call 334-868-1440 or visit wetumpkadepot.com for tickets.

Oct. 17 Cruise-in Car Show

Check out the cruise-in car show from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Super Foods on Gilmer Avenue in Tallassee.

Oct. 17 Angel Fest

Join the fun at the annual Angel Fest at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Millbrook from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shop unique arts and crafts, the bake sale and silent auction. Live entertainment, a children’s carnival, concessions and a Boston butt sale. All proceeds help others in the Millbrook and West Elmore County communities. For vendor information or to pre-order Boston butts, call the church office at 334-285-3905 or visit www. stmichaelandallangels.com/angel-fest/.

at Fort Toulouse-Jackson Historic Park. Frontier Days will be discussed, and Kim Urquhart will provide musical entertainment.

Oct. 24 Cotton Festival

There will be concerts, contests, food and arts and crafts from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. in downtown Eclectic. Young ladies from infant to 19 years of age are encouraged to enter the Alabama Cotton Queen Pageant. Call 334-541-3581 for information.

Oct. 24 Cotton Fest Fun Run

Proceeds from the 5K and 1-mile fun run will benefit Eclectic Elementary School. Race starts at 7 a.m. in downtown Eclectic. For information, email EclecticElemPTO@ gmail.com.

Oct. 25 Trunk or Treat Family Game Night

Ghosts, goblins and other costumed creatures will meet in the Food Outlet parking lot in Millbrook between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to show off their costumes and collect candy.

Oct. 26 through Dec. 29 Elmore County Art Guild Exhibit

Visit the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery at 408 S. Main Street, Wetumpka (second floor of the City Administrative Building), to admire the artwork and view the winners of this year's competition.

Oct. 19 Wetumpka TEA Party Meeting

State Auditor Jim Ziegler will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the Elmore Community Hospital in Wetumpka.

Oct. 20 Friends of the Forts

Meet at 6 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Wetumpka to hear the latest news about what is happening

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Oct. 27 Candy Walk

The annual Wetumpka Candy Walk will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. behind the City of Wetumpka Administrative Building for toddlers to fourth grade students. For information, call 334-567-5147.

Oct. 31 Craterfest Halloween Day

Music, food, arts and crafts, a kids zone and more from noon to 4 p.m. at Gold Star Park. The biggest thing to hit Wetumpka since the impact crater is free to the public. There will be face painting, pony rides and a petting zoo, bounce houses, swings and trains. Visit www. wetumpkachamber.com/Craterfest for details.

Oct. 31 Fall Festival

Join the fun at Russell Crossroads 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the pumpkin patch, scavenger hunt, face painting, bobbing for apples, pie and and canning contests, hotdogs, boiled peanuts and more. $25 per family. Call 256-3971019 for information or check them out on Facebook.

Oct. 31 Holtville/Slapout VFD Fishing Tournament

Meet at Bonnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Point on Lake Jordan at dawn for a chance to win the $2,000 at this tournament to benefit the local volunteer fire department. Entry fee is $100, with an optional additional $10 for the big fish pot. For information, call David Deese at 334-595-2113 or Jason Culpepper at 334-850-7553.

Oct. 31 WYLD in the Woods 5K Trail Run

Grandview Family YMCA will sponsor a 5K run at 8 a.m. and a 1-mile fun run at 9 a.m. to benefit the annual support campaign. Meet at 7 a.m. at the YMCA. Contact Grandview YMCA for entry information.

Oct. 31 Boo Fest

Join in the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, games, free treats, concessions, music and fire and police displays at Village Green Park in Millbrook from 10 a.m. to noon.

Nov. 5 Art Guild Reception

The Kelly Fitzgerald Memorial Gallery will host the Elmore County Art Guild Reception from 5:30 p.m. to

7 p.m. at 408 S. Main Street in Wetumpka (second floor of the City Administrative Building). Congratulate the winners as they are selected at the reception and see the new additions to KFMG's permanent collection. For information, call 334-328-0730.

Nov. 4-7 Frontier Days

This living history event will show what life was like in the Frontier South during the early years of European and American exploration and settlement from 1700 to 1820. Frontier trades and crafts will be demonstrated by living hisotry specialists and craftsmen in period costumes. Admission $8 for adults and $7 for students. For information, call 334-567-3002.

Nov. 6-7 Renew Our Rivers

LMRA and Alabama Power Company will sponsor the annual fall cleanup of Lake Martin Friday and Saturday. For information, contact John Thompson at 334-323-7880 or Norm White at 256-307-1052 or at normwhite@ rocketmail.com.

Nov. 7 Century Ride

Bicycle through the beautiful Alabama countryside to benefit New Water Ministries in Dadeville. Choose a 30-mile loop to the winery; 60-mile loop to Auburn or 100-mile loop through Tuskegee and Notasulga. Pre-ride event includes dinner the evening before the ride with Brian Toone, 7th place Race Across America rider). Lodging options available. Ride-only registration $65; pre-ride dinner $25; $250 donation includes ride registraion, preride dinner, T-shirt and New Water gift box. Registrations are tax deductible. Call 256-307-1440 for information.

Nov. 6-8 Battles for the Armory

Get an active view of history at the reenactments of the Battle of Chehaw Station and the Battle of Franklin. This event in the Tallassee Historic District and Gibsons Plantation will include interactive exhibits, period artillery, infantry, a field hospital, blacksmith, carriage rides,

ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

tour of the Confederate Armory and more. Admission charged. For information, call 334-391-4017 or visit www. tallasseechamber.com.

Nov. 11 7th Annual Musical Tribute to Veterans and Gallery of Honor Exhibit

Honor our veterans at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Wetumpka during this unique event.

Nov. 12-14 Charis Crafters

There will be a wide variety of handmade crafted items and homemade delights perfect for gift giving or decorating. Door prizes every hour. Tickets are $5 and are good for both days. Ticket and cookbook proceeds will be donated to charity. For information, call Del Mock at 334201-1817 or Nancy Brunson at 334-399-030. Event will be held at the Wetumpka Civic Center from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday.

Season-Long Events Jasmine Hill Gardens

Alabama’s “Little Corner of Greece” will open Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 31. Admission is charged. For information, visit www.jasminehill.org or call 334-263-5713.

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 73300 Central Plank Road, Highway 9 in Wetumpka.

Children’s Harbor Thrift Store

Nov. 12-15, 19-21 Miracle on 34th Street

Millbrook Community Theatre will present this classic tale of love, decency and generosity of spirit as Kris Kringle takes a Christmas job as Santa at a New York department store. Tickets are $11 each and can be purchased online at www.millbrooktheater.com.

Nov. 13 Pints for Pits

Master Gardeners Lunch and Learn

Mulligans Irish Pub in Millbrook will host this fundraiser for Hotel Pit Bull’s medical fund. A $10 donation at the door earns a free drink ticket. There will be raffles, and Jessica Meuse will provide music. For information, logon to www.hotelpitbull.org.

Located at Children’s Harbor at Lake Martin 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 Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children's Hospital. Call 334-857-2008 for information. 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/.

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OUT & ABOUT

2 3

Blessing of the Animals, Trinity Episcopal Church October 3, 2015 4

1. Hannah, Johan, Barkus, Elsa, Gretta and Sue Beumer 2. Gary and Carol Wright and Goldie

3. Warren Jones and Baron and Mide Davis and Chester 4. Louise Lambert and Sunny and Barbara Davis 5. Beverly Roberts, Sandy Campbell and Coco, Lee Campbell and Stormy 6. Cathy Saylor, Bob and Charlotte Henderson and Kate Saylor

Wetumpka Elementary School 9/11 Observance September 11, 2015 6

1. Dr. Andre Harrison 2. M.G. Hafley and Danny Billinglsey 3. Andrew McCullers, Michael Brown, Troy Aadson, Stacey Grier, Greg Willis, Lance Kenney, Steve Lewis, James Payton, Billy Spivey and Prentiss Bullen 4. Natasha and Cally McMillan 5. Jerry Willis, Bonnie Sullivan, Michael Morgan and Jayne Shell

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OUT & ABOUT

His Eyes Ministry Barbecue Tallassee Tailgate Partners October 3, 2015 1. Mary Gallagher 2. Carl Thornell

3. Toni McGhar 4. Kay Massey, Josh Fomby and Daniel Marshall 5. Charles and Verla Norris 6. Jessie Cone 7. Wendy Fomby and Cara Harper 8. Carl Mullins and John Norris

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OUT & ABOUT

Titus Bluegrass Festival Titus Alabama September 26, 2015

1. Tim and Luke Hartley 2. Judy and Frank May, June Ward and Phyllis Kennedy 3. Stephanie, Cooper and Mary Wallace 4. Kathy and Don Shaw 5. Patrick and Cindy Murphree 6. Kathy and Wayne Atchison 7. Denise and Lee Wilkerson and Kevin Milam

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OUT & ABOUT

1 2

2 4

Millbrook Night of Bands Foshee-Henderson Stadium September 17, 2015

1. MacKenzie Mitchell, Payton Poole, Connor Duncan, Andrew Hall and Caelan Gantt 2. Carmen Stroud, Christen Curlee, Lindsey Winter, James Robert, Chris Greory and Peter Garrett 3. Emma Burnham, Hope Sharp, Loren Schwab, Bailey Clem, Morgan Steele, Pashen Cartwright, Jade Shell, Harlie Yankey, Kaitlynn Slaughter and Laura Fields 4. Kelly Clifton, Hannah Donovan, Sydney Cox and Holly McDaniel 5. Kouri Lewis, Brooklyn Hale, Nolan Waters and Andrew Singleton

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OUT & ABOUT

Tuckabatchee

Education Day 4

Tallassee October 2, 2015 1. Farris and Angie Powell 2. Charles Pollard 3. Debra Hughey and Butch Fuller 4. Ginger Jones, Elishia Ballentine, and Pete Dunaway 5. John McKay Short

6. Greg Messer

7. Ann Christian and Lee Borden

Bark in the Park, Wetumpka September 20, 2015 1. Ashley Nelson, Morgan Hollingshead and Penny McLendon 2. Kelsee Looney 3. Andrew Harris 4. Emily Owen and Emily Hudson 5. Robb and Kathryn Fifield, Jennifer, Kimber and Karly Simpson 6. Savannah and Amber Rigby

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Business & Service Directory or Fall/Halloween Déc and Costumes at ices. ROCK BOTTOM pr New winter clothing com ing in every day!

The Humane Society Of Elmore County

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

Call today 334-567-7811.

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

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

Wetumpka

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 â&#x20AC;˘ To Join, Call 334-567-7811 Alabama State Employee Credit Union............. 7

Jackson Thornton...................................................... 2

Art Bolin, Realty Central.......................................... 7

Karen's Mane Tamers.............................................52

Collier Ford................................................................... 5

Kowaliga Whole Health.........................................52

Community Hospital..............................................35

Lake Martin Hospice...................................................... 5

Elmore County Hospital.......................................... 5

Mark's Service Center & Body Shop, Inc................... 7

First United Methodist Church of Wetumpka........... 7

Russell Lands.............................................................56

Fort Toulouse........................................................................ 2

Tallassee Health & Rehab, LLC.............................34

Gassett Funeral Home...........................................34

The Gab.......................................................................52

Holley's Home Furnishings..................................55

Wetumpka First Baptist Church........................... 3

Humane Shelter of Elmore County...................52

Wetumpka Health & Rehabilitation LLC............ 7

It's Clutter Chaos......................................................52

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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 Shannon Elliott or Jayne Carr At 334-567-7811 or stop by our office located at 300 Green Street, Wetumpka AL 36092

Caught! There was Dad with his hand in the candy jar

M.K. Moore

DOWN HOME 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.

When I was a kid, Halloween was a freewheeling, hedonistic bacchanalia straight out of Pinocchio’s Pleasure Island. Templeton the Rat at the fair. My every Willy Wonka dream come true. I could dress wild, run wild and eat wild – at least as wild as a little kid with parental supervision on an Air Force base could be. Whatever my sister and I wanted to be, Mom created. One year, I was Witchy-Poo from H.R. Pufnstuf. Not only did my mother dye fabric and construct the dress, cape and hat, but she also created a stage-putty nose and green make-up. There was only one rule: We could eat no candy until we brought it home, and mom or dad had inspected it. Fat chance! But the one thing we didn’t touch was the homemade treats. These always seemed suspicious, even if made by a wellknown and beloved neighbor. And at that age, I was usually missing a tooth or two, which made a popcorn ball or candy apple tough to chomp surreptitiously while walking to the next house. At home, the candy was dumped out and inspected. “Good” candy, such as Baby Ruth bars, Tootsie pops, Lik-em-Aid and candy cigarettes went into one pile. Second-favorite Brach caramels, candy corn and those little wax bottles with flavored syrup went into another pile. The OK candy – Smarties, Dum Dums and gum – went into a different pile. Not-so-favorites were traded for good candy, with my mom watching to make sure I didn’t fleece my little sister in these high-level trade negotiations. She also watched my dad. Long about age 8, I realized that during the pre-binge candy inspection, most of the “good” candy was confiscated by my dad on the grounds that it was “damaged.” Once I got wise to him and started a very vocal protest, he switched to collecting a “candy tax.” Needless to say, I learned right quick that

the household government was going to take an obvious toll on my candy wages. After that one night of blissful sugar coma, mom put all the candy, regardless of status or ownership, into a jar; thereafter, we were allowed to select one piece per day until it was gone. Knowing what good candy had gone in the jar, I plotted my strategy carefully over the next weeks. I knew down to the piece how long the tootsie rolls would last. I accounted for the fact that I had to swap first pick every day with my sister. But I knew I could convince her to take that box of Dots instead of the last pack of Sugar Babies. I also knew that I could cajole her into climbing up on top of the fridge to sneak a couple of extra pieces. The girl could climb like a monkey! But she never pinched the good candy. That would be noticed. She only went for the Bit-o-Honeys or Mary Janes, while I directed her covert op from the ground. When it came to the candy jar, I had a complete mental dossier. So when the good candy started going missing ahead of my carefully constructed resource allocation plan, I knew there could only be one culprit: Dad. When confronted, he denied it, repeatedly and consistently. The man had a top level armed forces security clearance; he could withstand interrogation. Not to be thwarted, I launched a reconnaissance effort and caught him red-handed raiding the candy jar. I was fuming mad, but I also got in trouble because my little sister snitched about our own candy raids. My biggest mistake, I thought, was that we had been sneaking lesser candy when we could have been going for the good stuff. It was a hard-won life lesson. From then on and to this day, I’ve made it a practice to always go after the good candy first. When others are gathering low-hanging fruit and sliding by, I’m reaching for the Butterfingers at the top of the fridge. Go big or go home! Oh, and after I caught Dad with his hand in the candy jar, Mom hid the jar – from all of us.

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Hwy 231 Acrosss from Caffco Floral Outlet

Opening Oct. 19 Register for FREE prizes that will be given away at our Grand Opening Nov. 12

256.234.4141 Alexander City

334.279.3101 Montgomery

WWW.HOLLEYSHOMEFURNISHINGS.COM ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

PRESENTING THE NEWEST COLLECTION OF LAKE HOMESITES RUSSELLLANDSONLAKEMARTIN.COM | 256.215.7011 | LAKE MARTI N, ALABAMA 56

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