GO L CAL
Everyone can support the community
Be a good ambassador for the area
Support local businesses, nonprofits, schools, churches, health care and industry
Vacation at Lake Martin
For family & friends.
For life-long traditions.
For endless outdoor pursuits.
For breathtaking views.
For Coore & Crenshaw golf.
For Lake Martin.
russelllands.com
FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
What do you do when you want to support your community? You ‘Go Local.’ Say it out loud – “Go Local.” Tell your neighbor, get the bumper sticker – “Go Local.” Do everything to make this the year we all vow to ‘Go Local’.
‘Go Local’ means more than spending money locally. Investments of our time and talent build our communities into better places to live, work, play and chill. In this edition of Progress 2025, we celebrate a powerhouse of people, organizations, activities and businesses making a positive difference, now and for our future.
Investment in your local community is an investment in you, your family, friends, neighbors, schools, parks, churches, health care, retail stores, nonprofits, industries and more. Every dollar spent, donated and earned pays local benefits to each of us.
Tallapoosa County District 2 Commissioner and Alexander City Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Robinson says this well in the article on page 20. When local business and government entities commissioned a study years ago, they learned that a huge percentage of tax dollars were lost in grocery sales, as residents drove outside our economic development area to make purchases. The study sparked a collaboration and through several administrations, strategies and years of collaboration, the effort resulted in the recent opening of The Gateway shopping center in Alexander City.
On the education front, Central Alabama Community College offers a host of certified programs locally to train students for industries that have chosen to grow here. CACC President Jeff Lynn outlines the process on page 30. Education efforts have also found their way to area schools and are evident in the construction of a new state-of-the-art high school in Alexander City (see page 40) and nationally recognized programs at Coosa Central High School (see page 44) and Dadeville High School (see page 36).
Medical advances have been made in local health care as well with the Legacy project at Russell Medical, an award-winning hospital that redefines rural health care. Russell Medical CEO Jim Peace discusses the exemplary care available locally on page 72.
Volunteer organizations like the Dadeville Beautification Board and Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry offer opportunities to roll up your sleeves and work with your neighbors to improve the quality of life in our communities. Learn more about these efforts on pages 86 and 94.
Check out the calendar on page 122 to learn about local events. Join the fun. Get to know your neighbors and get involved. Be a part of the good that’s happening as you vow to make this the year to ‘Go Local.’
Tippy Hunter, General Manager
OUR TEAM
Chairman - KENNETH BOONE
General Manager - TIPPY HUNTER
Editor-in-Chief - BETSY ILER
Creative Services - AUDRA SPEARS
Audience Development Director - BAILY TERRY
Newspaper Managing Editor - LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN
Business & Digital Development - ANGELA MULLINS
ALEXANDER CITY
Multimedia Reporter - MELODY RATHEL
Multimedia Reporter - ABIGAIL MURPHY
Sports Editor - SAMUEL HIGGS
Production Manager - LEE CHAMPION
Production Assistant - MAC DAVIS
Office Clerk - LINDA EWING
Advertising Manager - RENEE TRICE
Advertising Sales - SAMANTHA HIMES
Advertising Sales - ERIN VICKERS
ELMORE COUNTY
News Editor - CLIFF WILLIAMS
CONTRIBUTORS
KENNETH BOONE
SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
AUSTIN ELLIOTT
AUDRA SPEARS
ABIGAIL MURPHY
MELODY RATHEL
CLIFF WILLIAMS
SAMUEL HIGGS
LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-4281 | alexcityoutlook.com | lakemagazine.life
127 Company Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 thewetumpkaherald.com | tallasseetribune.com
‘Go Local’ is the best way to support our community. Shop at local businesses; eat in local restaurants; donate to local organizations; volunteer for local causes; support local education; and worship in local churches. Going local supports jobs and builds infrastructure. GO LOCAL
Photo by Kenneth Boone
Lake Martin Economic Development Alliance
Locals can help communities make a positive impression on potential industry
STORY BY BETSY ILER
The country’s first graphite processing plant expects to be operational early next year
LLocals play an important role in encouraging industry to move here and grow here, though most residents in the area might never know the impact they had on a potential project. Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance Executive Director Denise Walls said the community’s role in attracting and keeping industry is paramount to success.
“When companies are looking at where to locate, they never come into a community blind,” Walls said. “They look at the social media in the area, read the newspaper and make secret visits to see the real deal before making an official visit. They might attend local events, strike up conversations with people who live here, and our local officials wouldn’t know anything about them being here. It’s important for locals to be good ambassadors.”
With that in mind, Walls urged citizens to not air grievances on public social media sites. Complaining to the general public about local government, neighbors or area businesses rarely solves problems, she said, but it leaves negative impressions for anyone scoping out the community. It’s better for the community’s economic security if such conflicts are addressed directly between the entities involved, without airing ill feelings publicly.
“New industries are sifting through mountains of data on a lot of communities, trying to narrow down the list of places to consider. They are looking for a reason to cross us off their lists. Don’t give it them,” she said.
Maintaining homes and personal properties is another way locals could help the community put its best foot forward for new industry, she said.
“These companies are looking to invest millions of dollars in our community. They want to know that we are investing in ourselves,” she said. “Don’t litter. Do what you can to keep your house, your lawn, your
neighborhood in good condition. If we want nice things – like a new industry – we need to take care of what we already have to show new industries how we would take care of their investment, too.”
Once the Lake Martin area has passed the elimination litmus test, Walls works with local and state officials to reel in the prospective industries.
“Whether it’s a company from outside our area, an existing business here or a local person who wants to start an industry, LMAEDA has connections to resources. There are incentives from the state that can help with the launch, the building site, equipment,” Walls said. “Come in, sit down and talk with me.”
New industries that are planting their roots here include Two Rivers Lumber Company, which just started vertical construction at Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park, expects to be in production in August of this year. Two Rivers will bring 130 new jobs to the area.
In addition, Westwater Resources expects to close on their financing soon and begin production in their graphite processing facility in 2026.
“There has been a delay with Westwater, but they’ve been making progress all along. It’s just slower than they hoped, as their equipment has to be custom made. No one else is doing what they are doing. They can’t buy their equipment off the shelf,” Walls explained. “They continue to generate interest from global customers. They have visits from potential customers monthly. These visitors who wouldn’t otherwise come to our area, so we have a chance to make a positive impression on them.”
In 2025, Walls will focus on obtaining developable property for future industry, as well as supporting existing industries.
Kwang Sung was recently purchased by Seoyon E-Hwa Manufacturing and expanded, adding 80 new local jobs
“Right now, we have limited available property that we own or control, and that prevents us from being put on some of those lists of communities that companies are looking at,” she said. “That’s how the State vets projects and other requirement. When a company comes to them with a project that requires some acreage or a building, the State looks through their database for communities that have what the company needs. If we don’t have any property, we never get the referral; we never get the chance to make a good first impression.”
A good site for industry would be on or close to U.S. Route 280 with water sewer and gas access, Walls said. It also would be easy to get in and out of for trucks transporting materials and supplies.
But half of Walls’ efforts will be dedicated to existing industries that are planning expansions.
“Existing industry is very important to our area. Companies that are already here and are growing and expanding are the backbone of economic development,” she said. “About 80 percent of job growth comes from within the community.”
Such recent expansions have created 180 new jobs at William T. Thweatt Industrial Park in Dadeville.
Kwang Sung was purchased by Seoyon (pronounced ‘say-whon’) E-Hwa Manufacturing, and one of their buildings was expanded to add 80,000 square feet for plastic injection molding, creating 80 new jobs, Walls said.
“They also have a lab to repair the molds they use. I believe it is the only lab for repair in our area,” Walls said.
Sejin recently partnered with JW Holdings and will build a 50,000-square-foot addition to their local facility for a new paint project, which is unrelated to the existing injection molding the company currently does. The new project will add 100 jobs.
“Any time an existing industry does an expansion, we need to support that just as much as we do new industry coming in,” Walls said. “If they need a new skillset, we bring Central Alabama Community College Dean of Workforce Development Michael Barnette or President Jeff Lynn into the relationship, so CACC can train their future workers. We also foster relationships with the high schools and voc-tech schools.”
LMAEDA acts as a liaison to connect company officials with local resources, responding to their needs in a timely manner, but locals play a vital role as well. They roll out the welcome mat when visitors check out the community online and in person.
“When companies are looking at where to locate, they never come into a community blind. They look at the social media, read the newspaper and make secret visits to see the real deal. They might strike up conversations with people who live here, and our officials wouldn’t know anything about them being here. It’s important for locals to be good ambassadors.”
➥ Denise Walls, LMAEDA Executive Director
Walls shares the local economic status with civic organizations, like the Kiwanis Club, to stress the importance of local support
Open A Business
Your community needs you
STORY BY BETSY ILER
OOpening a new business is one of best ways to support your community, as your investment helps to meet local needs and grow the local economy.
“We all benefit from local businesses,” said Steve Robinson, Alexander City Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, as well as Tallapoosa County District 2 commissioner. “The sales tax revenues from local businesses help all of us.”
Alexander City Mayor Curtis “Woody” Baird said supporting local businesses is one of the most important things we can do to help the City.
“The general fund is where sales tax revenues go,” Baird explained. “The general fund supports city services. Our first responders are paid from the general fund. Public works – our roads, street signs, cleaning out the storm drains – comes out of the general fund. Getting trees out of the road after a storm. That’s all from the general fund.”
Local businesses support local jobs and contribute to the City’s general fund for infrastructure, first responders and public works
Alexander City Finance Director Romy Stamps said sales tax revenues contribute about half of the general fund budget.
“From month to month, we average 47 percent of the general fund is coming from sales taxes,” she said.
“Local businesses are a very, very important part of the City’s organization,” Baird said. “We have to support local businesses to support the first responders and public works.”
In 2025, Alexander City’s general fund is budgeted at $31.6 million, Baird said. That means $14.9 million will be generated in sales tax alone – sales taxes from local businesses, owned, operated and run by your friends, family and neighbors.
Every startup, every grand opening, every new business helps the communities in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties to thrive, so starting a new business
could be one of the best things to do for your community. At the same time, starting a new business can be risky, so it’s important to be prepared, know your market and set realistic projections, especially over the first couple of years as you build your customer base.
If you need capital for your new business venture, local banks are anxious to support you. Coming in with a solid business plan will make the process faster and easier, said Mark Spencer, Central State Bank Market President in Alexander City. Spencer has more than 20 years of local banking experience and is grounded in helping businesses grow success in the area.
“Your business plan should include a description of what you want to do, along with cost projections, revenue projections and your marketing strategy,” Spencer said. “You’ll also want to include a discussion of the risks involved. Who or what is your competition? What if you have a product failure? How will you deal with those issues?”
Bring personal financial records along for your meeting with your banker, he said. A couple of years of past personal income tax returns also could be helpful.
“If you have other sources of income or experience in the business you are starting up, let your banker know that information, as it could reduce your risk,” he said.
“One of the biggest advantages to using local bankers is that they understand the market and can help you with your vision,” Spencer added. “They often know the demand for the product or service you want to provide.
“Partner with your banker and establish a good rapport, an open and fluid dialogue. Information sharing is key.”
Among the biggest mistakes in business start-ups is misrepresenting projected income and falling short of expected revenue goals. And thorough research is the best way to avoid pitfalls, Spencer suggested.
“Do as much research as you can. Part of your business plan write-up is to justify the demand in the area. Include an additional consideration for operating funds. How will you sustain operations in the months it takes you to build up your customer base?” he said.
Your commitment to the business is another important aspect to consider. Be honest with yourself – as well as your banker – about your dedication to the start-up effort.
In business – as in real estate – they key is location, location, location. A great idea located far from its intended audience takes greater risk than one in an area convenient to its customers. Low rent is low for good reason, so choose a location that will help your business grow and be prepared to pay for it.
Aside from a great idea, location and financial backing, be sure to obtain the proper licenses to do
“Local businesses are a very, very important part of the City’s organization. We have to support local businesses to suppot first responders and public works.”
➥ Curtis “Woody” Baird, Mayor of Alexander City
business in the state and county and, if applicable, the city where your business will be located. State/ county licenses must be purchased at the Office of the Probate Judge at the Tallapoosa County Courthouse. The type of license required, and the cost of obtaining it, depend very much on the type of business you intend to open. Operating a business without a license could carry some hefty fines, so make a note to have this taken care of before you open the doors on your new venture.
Business licenses for the state/county are valid for a fiscal year – October 1 through September 30 – so make a point of renewing that license before the deadline to avoid paying penalties. Many businesses are exempt from obtaining a state/county license, so call the Business License Section of the Probate office for information about exemptions and costs for the type of license you might need. That number is 256-825-4266. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
And be proactive by calling your local City Hall to learn about city licenses. In this case, it’s not better to ask forgiveness instead of permission, as penalties could apply.
Got a great idea for a new local business? Your community needs for you to research that idea and perhaps go so far as to begin the entrepreneurial adventure. Doing so could help us all.
Steve Robinson Chamber President
STORY BY ABIGAIL MURPHY
As a county commissioner and chamber of commerce CEO,
Steve Robinson is an enthusiastic community cheerleader
Robinson loves to recognize the efforts of others
TTallapoosa County District 2 Commissioner Steve Robinson, a cheerleader for tourism and the lake as an economic engine for the area, recently stepped into the role of Alexander City Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.
“There’s a lot that’s out there in terms of development and people investing in our community,” Robinson said. “Highway 63, The Gateway property with Publix being open now, in addition to Marshalls and Five Below and all the other stores that are there, Rack Room Shoes, Starbucks, so it’s a big deal. People are aware of what it’s going to mean to our community. There are investors that are buying property around The Gateway and other parts of our community.”
Robinson said when people ask how they can support the community, he tells them to spend locally. Alexander City has experienced business growth over the past few years, so there are plenty of businesses to support. The more the local economy is supported, the more businesses will be incentivized to join and remain in the community.
“When people spend money at a local hotel, that local hotel is paying for infrastructure, helping us with sales taxes, you know, covering infrastructure expenses. When somebody goes and eats, that’s helping the employees and that establishment,” Robinson said. “And so those employees in that establishment would take the money that they’re earning as employees, and they’re spending at the grocery store. It’s the churn effect, or the multiplier effect of the dollars.”
Through a local study, the chamber learned Tallapoosa County residents were spending roughly a million dollars a month on groceries outside of the county. This is why projects like The Gateway are so important because this development offers more grocery and retail options for the community. People aren’t going to spend money here if the area doesn’t offer what they are looking for, he said.
That’s why the chamber has been working on the New Horizon Strategic Plan. The plan focuses on recruiting retail and commercial businesses, supporting existing businesses, partnering with the education sys-
He’s quick to lend a hand whenever it’s needed
tems, fostering destination marketing and community engagement, as well as promoting workforce development. The workforce development initiative resulted in the chamber hiring Jaden Tuck as the workforce and career readiness coordinator.
“Right now, Jaden is working on the World of Works program, so kindergarteners, or even pre-K, can actually go into this career world,” Robinson explained. “They see the police department and the fire department, the veterinary clinic, so they can begin to think about what they want to be when they grow up. We’re investing and trying to associate, ‘Okay, if you want to do this, then here’s the best way to get there.’”
All to say, supporting local businesses is more than just shopping in local stores: It’s also about supporting local schools and local opportunities.
The baseline for the chamber is to promote businesses. Robinson said an important way to do that is to show the community that local businesses support them. Sun Festival, for example, has sponsorship opportunities, and the chamber puts sponsorship funds into marketing materials, so people know that businesses are supporting them.
Another effort the chamber makes to encourage local shopping is the ‘Tis’ the Season to Shop Local’ campaign. Tis’ the Season encourages residents to shop at local businesses, especially small businesses, for the holiday season. For Tis’ the Season, shoppers get a stamp card and for a minimum $10 purchase at each establishment, they get a stamp. Once the stamps fill the card, the card is entered into raffles for shopping cards at local stores.
Economic success in the area is evidenced by the Lake Martin Innovation Center and the Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism board. Robinson said the Innovation Center is great because it can recruit businesses, gain the support of the city and offer networking opportunities for business owners.
The tourism also has been an asset to both the city and the county.
“We’re in the process of moving the tourism group into the innovation center,” Robinson said in November.
“That will allow us to leverage the synergies between what the chamber is doing and what the city is doing from the county perspective. We’re all trying to pull in the same direction if you will, and I think we can accomplish quite a bit.”
Tallapoosa County was one out of two counties in the state that was not negatively impacted financially during the pandemic, Robinson said. With remote work, many people moved full-time to their lake homes.
Now, roughly 10,000 people live in Tallapoosa County and commute out to work; k, and about 7,700 people work and live in Tallapoosa County. Robinson said the 10,000 people who could live closer to work but choose to live indicate the quality of life in the area.
Another recent gain for the Alexander City area was Wind Creek State Park as the emergency relocation choice for a major professional B.A.S.S tournament last fall when Hurricane Helene damage forced the event to move from its original location. The City of Alexander City, the tourism board and other local entities put together a relocation presentation that was accepted by tournament officials.
“When you have a tournament like that, there’s a
pre-fish period; and then, you have the three-day tournament,” Robinson explained. “We were able to look at some of the impacts economically from just the lodging. So, there were 1,062 heads in beds, and that had a $135,000 economic impact for us. So, we look at those things, and we’re just trying to prepare ourselves to take advantage of what’s ahead.”
Robinson said the chamber and tourism board estimate a need for 900 additional beds in Alexander City. Capacity at current hotels and the planned hotel behind The Gateway will provide about half the beds needed. So, lodging is definitely something the chamber and the City are looking at moving forward along with more mid-range housing options.
At the end of the day, business is a community-wide effort, and shopping locally plays an important role in that.
“We’re looking at trying to get investors to come here, and they’re certainly willing,” he said. “If we can get economic development, the chamber, the county, tourism, everybody working together, I think we can take full advantage of the opportunities ahead of us. I’m excited about that.”
The annnual Renew Our Rivers cleanup is one of his favorite things to do around the lake
Academics, Art and Athletics Key at Alexander City Schools
STORY BY MELODY RATHEL
FFor the Benjamin Russell High School Wildcats, tradition lies in the core of its values while instilling the importance of passion to its students.
Students in the Alexander City School system move through five schools, starting with kindergarten at Jim Pearson Elementary School before moving to Stephens Elementary School in fourth grade. Following Stephens, students attend Radney Elementary School for grades five and six. In seventh grade, students attend Alexander City Middle School until eighth grade when they transition to Benjamin Russell High School to finish their primary education.
Through all of the grades, the focus is to help students pursue their true passions. ACS Superintendent Dr. Jose Reyes believes there are three important principles to the foundation of a successful school system – academics, arts and athletics.
“We have some kids that athletics is their No. 1 desire. It is
what they want to do,” Reyes said. “You have some who are on the more creative side. Then you have some who are more academic focused.”
Reyes’ goal is to provide several opportunities for students to explore the possibilities at any point of their education. Through extracurricular activities like chorus, band, art, various sports and several career technical education programs, students have the chance to look into careers before graduating high school.
“Some students may go to college for athletics, but they may not become professional athletes,” Reyes said. “What is a secondary result of that? They go to college, and they get an education. What I’m saying is that each one of those piggybacks off of the other – every kid loves one of those three things, and they all work together. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”
Most students gravitate to academics, art or athletics, Reyes said
Athletics and education have a symbiotic relationship, said Superintendent Jose Reyes
The goal is for students to do one of three things before graduating – enroll in further education, enlist in the military or become employed, preferably locally.
“This means students can pursue some type of postsecondary education, whether it be a four-year institution or a two-year institution,” Reyes said. “Or we want them to be employed, meaning that, while here, they received some type of skill training that gives them the ability to be employed in an industry, especially in this county. Or we want them to potentially enlist and be part of the armed forces.”
To provide students these opportunities, ACS has honed in on its career tech programs, and not only at the high school level. Starting as early as elementary school, students are introduced to various careers they could pursue, said ACS Career Technical Education Coordinator Josh Williams.
Williams, along with students from career tech programs at the high school, visit elementary and middle schools to introduce the younger children to the programs available to them when they reach the high school level. For more handson experience, eighth grade students get to visit the high school to get a firsthand look at how the career tech programs actually operate there.
Students have the opportunity to take courses in health sciences, mechanics, business and more. While students in these courses get to learn about these fields, they also get the opportunity to complete hands-on work through simulated labs based on the corresponding courses.
To take it one step further, ACS has developed strong partnerships with Central Alabama Community College to help
provide better opportunities for students following graduation. Some students attend dual-enrollment classes in which they earn college and high school credits concurrently. Reyes said many students graduate with associate degrees at the same time they graduate high school.
“We have some students in a program called the Learning Experience and Placement program,” Reyes said. “When students graduate, they already have all the skills and can step into the workforce.”
Through this program, students in dual-enrollment and trade programs can take jobs with local industries.
While the programs within the school are student-focused, one of the main things students receive throughout their time at ACS is a sense of community and tradition; so much so that alumni attend homecoming events every single year to reconvene with their classmates. In more recent years, alumni have even planned events over an entire weekend to reminisce about their times in the Alexander City Schools.
Aside from setting students up for their futures, ACS has provided students a foundation to carry their Wildcat pride with them no matter where they go. For decades, the school system has worked diligently to accommodate students’ needs while allowing them to pursue their individual interests.
While many can relate to the experience of growing up in a smalltown school system, those who experience the ACS tradition will understand the pride that comes with attending a school with rich traditions, strong core values and the ultimate sense of pride.
Certified programs at CACC lead to good paying jobs in the community
Developing a future workforce
STORY BY MELODY RATHEL
PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS, MELODY RATHEL & COURTSEY OF CACC
IIt’s no secret that career technical education is catapulting young adults into successful careers. While schools across the nation have implemented career technical education programs to get students ready for their future careers, postsecondary institutions take it to the next level. Central Alabama Community College goes the extra mile to bring success to its students.
“It gives them an idea of what they want to do,” CACC Dean of Workforce and Economic Development Michael Barnette said. “We have kids that want to go to a two or four-year college, but we also have some who just want to go to work.”
With multiple workforce development programs, students can find a world of opportunities at CACC. Automotive manufacturing, welding, nursing, industrial electronics technology, computer information systems, cosmetology and commercial driving are just a few to name when it comes to workforce development programs at CACC.
These programs are designed to give students not only the fundamental knowledge of their future careers, but also the necessary skills. So much so, the instructors of these programs are people who have experience in their respective fields.
“What’s going to be the common denominator of a good program is the instructor,” CACC President Jeff Lynn said. “We have some of the best instructors I’ve ever worked with in the Southeast. They have to have knowledge of their industry, so we hire people from business and industry all the time because they have that common understanding of what the true job is, bringing that mentoring to teach the student about true careers; knowing the technology is one thing, but they have to talk about all the other things they need to know about how to be successful in that job.”
With instructors bringing students knowledge from a firsthand perspective, they give students the ability to learn the necessary information and skills using knowledge they have applied from the industry.
“All of the equipment we purchase has that hands-
on ability where you can learn it in a classroom, but then you can go out and operate it on a piece of equipment,” Lynn said. “They’re working with real, live equipment that you would find in the industry.”
For example, students in CACC’s machining programs simulate hands-on work using equipment located at SL Alabama, LLC, where automotive parts for Kia and Hyundai are produced.
For other career tech programs, students get handson experience through work-based learning.
“Students will actually go and work for companies in their industry,” Barnette said. “It could be nursing, health care, manufacturing, logistics or any other program, but they’re actually going and working. While they’re working, they’re learning the theories and going through and looking at what they have learned in school, in real life.”
Although the ultimate goal is to prepare students for a future career anywhere, the local com- munity college works alongside local industries to help streamline the process of getting jobs for students following college.
“We’re constantly focused on companies and what their needs are, and we’re trying to incorporate those needs,” Lynn said. “My job is to make sure we have programs
“Students will actually go and work for companies in their industry.”
➥ Michael Barnette CACC Dean of Workforce & Economic Development
The commercial driving certification prepares students for jobs in the trucking industry
Students take pride in their accomplishments
Teachers help students develop problem-solving skills
CACC’s nursing certification programs graduate students in a high demand profession
that local companies need to support them.”
Career tech courses for student certification are not the only courses offered at CACC. While many career tech courses count as credits for students to graduate, CACC also offers free courses for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge on a certain topic.
Non-credit classes include CACC’s Skills for Success courses, which are free for anyone to take and teach new skills, such as heavy equipment operation, fiber optics, land survey classes and others. These classes are available to people as young as 14 years old.
While these courses do not provide credit toward graduation, they provide skills needed in various fields. Like instructors of for-credit courses, those who teach Skills for Success courses are knowledgeable in their fields as well.
“My success is really through my instructors,” Barnette said. “I’ve got a great group of instructors on the credit and non-credit sides. I tell them all the time; I work for them. If they can think it, we can do it. That’s what we try to put out in the community. It really always revolves around what the community needs and what our industries need because they’re the ones that are going to hire our students.”
Both Barnette and Lynn believe the cohesive relationship between CACC and various local industries
build a cycle that not only benefits local economic development but provides opportunities for students they might not have otherwise.
“I make sure I’m doing everything I can to put a quality student in industry,” Barnette said. “Not everybody’s cut out for a four- or two-year degree. Some just want to go to work, so if we can accomplish that and make sure we’re taking care of their aspirations and dreams, then they are successful, right?”
With both community and student success in mind, Lynn, along with CACC instructors and administrators, work diligently to provide students with ample opportunities for learning in the programs they choose, as well as opportunities for work following graduation.
“We’re here because they’re our students,” Lynn said. “They pay our salaries, so they deserve the very best we can do to train and educate them to get a really good career or transfer to a four-year school. Every day, we think of those stories about what our former students are now doing, and it makes you get up the next day and think about how you can do that even better. It’s all about our students and the communities we serve.”
At Central Alabama Community College’s first student showcase, student Rebekah Burton informed students about the importance of cybersecurity in today’s society
Through field work, students gain skills they can apply to any future career
FFA projects grow plants as well as students’ knowledge
DADEVILLE FFA
Growth through experience
STORY BY AUSTIN ELLIOTT
LLed by longstanding FFA advisor and DHS agriscience department leader, Matthew Wilson, Dadeville High School Future Farmers of American has formulated a juggernaut that is now one of the country’s premier programs. The Tigers placed fourth at last year’s state competition for the first time in 20 years. This milestone, along with others, has solidified Wilson’s forestry and farm training as a success.
Wilson hails from New Site, Alabama, and is a graduate of Horseshoe Bend High School, class of 2018. While a student there, Wilson discovered his passion for forestry and farming. Having an older brother who was already a member of FFA, Wilson took a swing at joining himself. He now believes it was the best decision of his life.
“I’ll be honest, I learned a lot through my own experiences, whether it be college with hands-on experiences or outside of college in teaching roles,” Wilson said. “I didn’t grow up really with any agri -
cultural background at all, but the impact that it made on my life made me want to do that for other students.”
During his time with the FFA, Wilson held both district and state officer positions. After college, he completed a three-semester teaching internship at Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City before advancing his career in Dadeville. For the past two years, he has served as the agriscience teacher and FFA advisor at DHS.
Through the FFA program at Dadeville, students are offered opportunities to expand their knowledge of forestry and agriculture. Wilson has implemented his unique style of teaching into the classroom and beyond, allowing his students to become a part of the projects using hands-on experience and developing a curriculum for his students to enjoy.
“In class, we try to be very hands-on through multiple projects in the shop and in the greenhouse,” said Wilson. “Then on the FFA side of it, almost
every single one of our contests is hands-on. If it’s a leadership element, which Addison Caldwell and Clay Harris are currently training for, then we’ll have the kids who are running for state office and for district office write an application, tell the judges about themselves, and then actually stand up in front of a committee.”
One of the key elements of the flourishing program at DHS is the community engagement within the program. Wilson is well aware of the importance of interacting with the community and giving back to it. Working alongside the beautification board in Dadeville, Wilson and his students have planted azalea trees in Keebler Park. The park is known to be a treasured landmark for locals and is just one example of how Wilson incorporates the community to be a part of the FFA program.
“Dadeville shows up whenever we need something. They’re really involved with our program, and they love it,” Wilson said. “It’s very community oriented. They enjoy seeing the kids doing fundraising, and we can actually point to what we’re doing with it. For example, coming up in October, I’m going to take 20 kids to the national convention, and that’s huge. There aren’t many chapters that do that.”
As the leader of the FFA, Wilson also collaborates with other organizations and agriscience departments statewide.
“Local Cattlemen and Farmers Federation does a lot to support us,” Wilson said. “They donated money for our trip this past year to go to the Sun God Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia.”
Through multifaceted facilities and space for peak learning opportunities, Wilson teaches his students the core principles of farming and landscaping.
“We are considered a general hyper-science program, in which we have a very active shop and a very active greenhouse,” Wilson said. “We try to do a good job of covering everything. Just because there’s not something local doesn’t mean there’s not a job for you.”
Students who want to further their knowledge of technology in forestry and agriculture have the opportunity to work at Bonnie Plants, just 30 minutes away from the heart of Dadeville in Camp Hill, Alabama.
Students can expect to take all of the things they learn from FFA and translate them into future collegiate opportunities. As students graduate high school and enter into the work force, they will have skills that they can apply locally in nursery landscaping and aquaculture around the lake area.
In addition, there are lifetime bonds formed by current and past members of the organization.
“There are around a million dollars in scholarships every year for the kids,” Wilson said. “There’s also a supportive community that is here within the organization and each local branch of it.”
With the recent success of Dadeville’s FFA pro -
gram, interest and student membership continue to grow. Currently, the program has 46 members, with 15 of them eligible to become state officers, the highest honor bestowed by the organization.
The FFA and agriscience programs at Dadeville High School are becoming beacons of light for many students and community members for years to come.
“I truly believe that it is for everybody,” Wilson said.
Some projects serve as physical education in addition to ag lessons
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A New High School
STORY BY AUSTIN ELLIOTT PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEXANDER CITY SCHOOLS
HHigh schools can be the glue that holds smalltown communities together. They also can be the core of growth and development within those communities. The construction of the new Benjamin Russell High School is preparing to do both. From new technological advancements to expanded extracurricular activities, the new and improved BRHS aims to be a hub of limitless inspiration for all of Alexander City to enjoy.
Jamie Forbus, deputy superintendent of the Alexander City Board of Education, has served in various roles in the Alexander City educational system for nearly 30 years. Alongside many of the minds behind the Benjamin Russell High School project, Forbus lends his experience in the educational system to suggest layout ideas for the new school.
“It’s been a neat process to be involved in,” said Forbus. “I have enjoyed it and learned a lot about the construction
process – everything from choosing the fixtures to talking about the scope of the project and different aspects of funding.”
One of the core concepts behind the project was preparing the school to be significantly larger, not only in square footage but also in student capacity. Currently, Benjamin Russell High School holds just shy of 700 students, but the new high school will be nearly twice the size of the current building, Forbus expects there to be up to 1,000 students roaming the halls, if not more.
“Our current high school was built in the 1950s,” said Forbus. “And though the building has served us well for many years as a high school, we began to realize that in order to offer our students all that they needed to be successful, we needed to look at putting a new state-of-the-art facility in place so that our students could compete beyond high
Builders expect the project to be complete by January 2026
The new school will foster career development
school and in the workforce with people from all over the state of Alabama – really, all over the Southeast.”
Throughout Benjamin Russell High School’s history, athletics have played an important role in the pride of the maroon and white, as well as in the community. When factoring in where to place emphasis on the upgraded structures, athletics was a key focus.
A new competition track will be a welcome addition to the facilities. Hosting competitions will aim to attract outof-town visitors, providing a boost to local school programs, fundraising and the economy.
“We will have a competition track on campus, and I think that’s a big deal,” said Forbus. “We’ve never been able to have track competitions on our campus, and we’ll be able to do that now.”
During the design process for the new high school, leadership prioritized input from the community, working with local businesses to align curricula with workforce needs. By equipping students with relevant skills, the school aims to prepare graduates for job opportunities in Alexander City, contributing to the area’s economic growth.
Another point of emphasis behind the design of the new high school includes state-of-the-art technological advancements and career readiness.
Through partnerships with Central Alabama Community College, students will have the option to dual enroll in courses for college credit. In addition, new advances in the agriscience division will open opportunities for advanced welding courses for high school students, including additional welding hoods and a small engine shop for marine mechanics in the future, which will support the growing local marine maintenance needs.
The new high school will also include a culinary department that will be one of the best in the state. Top-of-the-line facilities and equipment will be offered to all students who choose to pursue careers in the culinary arts. With there already existing a strong desire within the community to further the dining experience, this aspect of the new high school will be of great benefit to the students and the community.
“One thing that’s big in our area with Lake Martin is the hospitality and culinary industry,” said Forbus. “So just
The new school will have a competition track where meets can be hosted
with that program, now we’re going to be able to provide industrial-quality ovens and equipment for our students to work with.”
The department will also provide students with opportunities to receive recognition for their work at Benjamin Russell High School, which will transfer to the next levels of their training.
“When they finish school here, they could be credentialed in hospitality or culinary, and then go straight to work in that industry close by,” said Forbus. “They could go to work at a lot of the restaurants that we have around the area. They will have an opportunity to not only work with equipment but take what they have learned from their classes and apply it in our community.”
Shannon Benefield has been the principal at Benjamin Russell High School for the past four years and has served within the school system as a high school teacher since 2009. Benefield has been involved throughout the creation and implementation of the building phases of the new high school.
“Our kids deserve a state-of-the-art facility because we have some hardworking kids here in this town,” said Benefield. “These kids have a blue-collar mentality, so giving those students and our children the best opportunities that they can get to be competitive with people around our area and for them to be successful is what it’s all about. It’s exciting.”
The new Benjamin Russell High School promises an enhanced experience for everyone who calls Alexander City home. By embracing its upgrades and innovations, the community is supporting the revitalization of a proud Central Alabama city and creating an environment that prepares future generations to become skilled members of the workforce.
“Just expanding the possibilities for us as far as people taking pride in our community,” said Forbus. “And not only taking pride in our current community members, but taking pride in our future ones as well, and attracting new residents and new businesses that will ultimately help our city flourish.”
Members of the construction team expect the new high school to be open and operational by January 2026.
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Central Coosa Career Tech
STORY BY MELODY RATHEL
TThe rural school system in the heart of Coosa County puts a spotlight on career tech education and setting students up for success, said Central Coosa Career and Technical Center Education Director Hester Hamby. The Central Coosa Career Technical Center offers a variety of programs that help students explore avenues for future jobs and studies.
One of the school system’s longest standing programs at CCCTC is the Business Information Technology program. This program offers computer science courses that help students gain an understanding of basic technology that might be useful in any number of career paths.
“Our students in that program are learning cybersecurity,” Hamby said. “They’re learning coding, programming and networking, as well as general software to be useful in any workforce setting.”
Students learn the ins and outs of Microsoft pro-
grams like Excel, PowerPoint, Word and other software present in many fields. This curriculum provides ample opportunity for advanced certification.
“Oftentimes, I refer to them as the program that’s been around the longest, or at least has had the same teacher for the longest amount of time,” Hamby said. “Brett Thomas is the king of certifications. He just has a way of teaching in a manner that our kids are getting certified. His program really is the one that pushes out the largest number of certifications a year.”
While the BIT program has been in full swing since the development of the center three years ago, it continues to grow, offering students more options as they prepare for future careers.
The newest program introduced to CCCTC students is the Educators in Training program, which teaches students what a career in education might look like.
“It teaches teaching strategies and practices that
CCCTC students are now regulars at district, state and national competitions
Students who are interested in becoming teachers can get a sense of the job in the once-a-month Cougar Club
anybody that wants to go into an education field would need to know,” Hamby said. “It goes over different methods of teaching, differentiated learning and other important factors. It’s really preparing those students for that.”
Though new among the offerings, this program has already made a difference for students looking to enter careers in education. Following a curriculum in a classroom can give students the knowledge they need; however, hands-on learning provides students with experience.
“Last year, they had the largest number of students become employed during the summer,” Hamby said. “Through our partnership with Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement, several of our students were able to secure jobs. SAFE offers a summer STEM program with our elementary school, so those students were able to put those skills and that knowledge to use while they earned a little bit of money helping as the co-teachers in those elementary school classrooms.”
To expand on hands-on experience, the CCCTC started a new program in the last year called Cougar Cub Academy. This program allows students to engage with a younger age group once a month. For two days each month, EIT program instructor Lisa Worley allows
“Last year, they had the largest number of students become employed during the summer. Through our partnership with Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement, several of our students were able to secure jobs.”
➥ Hester Hamby Central Coosa Career and Technical Center Education Director
parents in the community to bring their pre-K children to lessons prepared by students.
“Her students actually prepare the lesson plans and carry out the different lessons for the kids that come,” Hamby said. “Our students are designing and utilizing those skills they’re learning in her class to make sure the day runs smoothly. The Cougar Cubs are having a good time, but ultimately the students are learning stuff.”
Students teach the children colors, numbers and other basic knowledge; however, teaching is not the only experience students receive through the Cougar Cub Academy.
“It is a great way for that program to offer a simulated experience,” Hamby said. “One day, one student might be the administrator, and another will be a coteacher. It’s a really good way for that program to offer that simulated workplace.”
The Cougar Cub Academy also gives students the opportunity to see other aspects of working in a school environment. Students plan theme days, from planning related activities to decorating and executing the theme day. Although the Cougar Cub Academy is only available for two days each month, Hamby hopes to grow the academy as the program expands.
The Cougar Club helps CCCTC students gain realistic teaching skills
The simulated workplace model is one the CCCTC aims to provide students in several programs. Automotive Services Technology is another program that offers students the ultimate hands-on experience.
In this program, students learn not only the basics of automotive repair, but also how the automotive industry works in real time. In the last year, the AST has taken the simulated workplace to the next level. Students have created and run a fully operational body shop, Triple C Automotive. At Triple C, students are not only utilizing their knowledge on automotive repair, but also running a business.
“That particular program requires students to interview for their class position every semester,” Hamby said. “They are given a simulated workplace job during their class period based on the skills they have shown through their interview, resume and interviewing process, or through their work done the previous semester or school year.”
In the shop, some students are service managers in charge of Triple C and its operation during their class period with the oversight of their instructor, Jarrod Washington.
“They have created their own policies and procedures manual through their class that incorporates safety, as well as day-to-day operation protocol,” Hamby said. “They have people that are in positions to supervise each other. They really operate as their own business through live works projects.”
Students receive requests for services on the vehicles of other students, faculty, staff and people in the community. They then diagnose issues, communicate the situation to their client and proceed with the project if the customer agrees to the service. To keep track of the services done, one student is responsible for maintaining invoices and keeping track of the hours spent working on the project.
Hamby said students have access to a room with various parts they might need for a project. To assist with the shop’s supply, Triple C has partnerships with several local automotive businesses, including AutoZone, O’Reilly’s and Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers.
“It really is a full service automotive repair and maintenance shop,” Hamby said. “We are really thankful for that. They are operating it as if they were in a dealership setting, or if they were working for an automotive repair business. The students are able to move up through the ranks because of that simulated workplace as they develop new skills, but it also allows them to find what they’re good with.
“Despite Triple C being a repair shop, the business offers a position for a student looking to go into any field. We’ve started a social media and marketing management position at Triple C. Those students are responsible for taking the pictures and doing the social media write-ups about that program and about their business.”
As the AST program continues to grow, Triple C follows right behind it. More recently, Triple C has begun offering a service for detailing.
Winning at the state level builds confidence
Students run all aspects of an automotive repair shop
CCCTC students placed fifth in the national competition
“We started doing it so the students can learn how to detail and the importance of what it does for a vehicle,” Hamby said. “Making sure it continues to run and be a car that somebody wants to drive.”
The additional services provide students with more experience, as well as opportunities to take their skills to new jobs after graduation.
“It’s done at a very good price at about $10 per hour,” Hamby said. “People can make donations, and the money they make over the actual charge of the detailing work goes to the fundraiser to help them go to their district and state competition.”
The AST program has made a name for the Coosa County Schools system. Every program at CCCTC works in conjunction with a career tech student organization – the BIT program works concurrently with the school’s Future Business Leaders of America organization, and EIT works concurrently with Family, Career
and Community Leaders of America. AST students work with SkillsUSA.
In July 2024, Central Coosa High School SkillsUSA students made it to the organization’s national competition after placing first at the state level. They competed against 103 teams from around the country and placed fifth overall.
SkillsUSA is not the only career tech student organization at Central Coosa Schools taking the nation by storm.
“Our campus also houses Jobs for Alabama Graduates,” Hamby said. “It’s a pure elective for students. Our JAG instructor, Deborah Phillips, took a student to nationals her first year, and she had a team compete nationally her second year. I think her work and the effort she has put in for her students has inspired and motivated other students in other programs.”
While the CCCTC offers many programs to give students hands-on experience in their potential future careers, it also partners with Central Alabama Community College to offer healthcare programs through dual enrollment. Additionally, students can take agricultural education courses online.
After its development in 2022, CCCTC has received funding from several organizations that support its pursuits. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Soil and Water Conservation, Alabama Technology in Motion and the Alabama State Department of Education, along with multiple other organizations, have provided the center with funding to continue its career technical education efforts.
Although a small school system, Coosa County Schools is making its name known throughout the country while getting its students ahead of the game before graduating high school.
Students gain skills they can apply to any career field They visit historic places
A Jeff Lynn
Visionary for our children’s future
STORY BY BETSY ILER
Although Jeff Lynn’s hometown of Auburn is not too far from Alexander City, his professional career has taken him around the world. Now, he has brought both his life and career experience to help benefit the Alexander City community.
Lynn, president of Central Alabama Community College, has always been familiar with the Alexander City area. As a kid, he spent time visiting his relatives who lived here.
“Alex City has always been near and dear to me,” Lynn said. “Years ago, my mom lived near here. My grandfather had a farm between Daviston and New Site. It’s been a phenomenal city.”
His journey to settling down in the area himself started well into his professional career. After graduat ing from Auburn, Lynn began his career in medical device manufacturing, working at a contact lens plant. He remained about 10 years until his company began the journey to build a new plant.
“We actually selected a location just a little bit further north of where we were in Atlanta in North Fulton County to build a new plant,” Lynn said. “I used the State of Georgia’s incentive program; it’s a training workforce selection program called Quick Start Georgia. I used them for about three years; and then, in turn, they offered me a job to work for the State of Georgia to go out and recruit companies to move to Georgia.”
Although this job offer was just a stepping stone in his career, it created a chain reaction that took him to new heights and places in his career.
“My primary job was to recruit companies to move to Georgia and then take care of all their work force and recruiting needs,” Lynn said. “It was very customized training. We traveled the globe, recruited, and we went back to the plants in various countries to
develop customized training programs for them.”
Lynn traveled to several continents working with global corporations, spending time in countries across Asia and Europe. In South Korea, he worked closely with Kia Motors, helping them move to Georgia and expand their technology. In Japan, he worked with multiple vehicle suppliers such as Honda, Yamaha and Toyo Tire. In Europe, he spent time working with companies in Poland, England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
Jeff Lynn
remained in this role until 2008 when he was recruited to start a workforce training program called Louisiana Economic Development Fast Start.
Throughout his tenure in Georgia, Lynn’s company was a top-ranked company for workforce training and Lynn’s goal was to bring the program in Louisiana to the forefront as well.
“Very fortunately, in hiring the right people and doing the hard work, we became No. 1 in the nation 15 months after I moved,” Lynn said. “We stayed No. 1 in the nation for the whole time I was there.”
It was while he was in Louisiana that Lynn was recruited by Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy Baker. Lynn still frequented Auburn to visit his mother, and Baker asked for a conversation.
That conversation ultimately brought Lynn closer to home as he was offered a position with ACCS. and moved back to Alabama in October 2016, he became president of CACC four years later.
Since he took the role in 2020, his main focus has been to provide students with an education that not only propels them into their future careers, but also provides them with success. Concurrently, he aims to encourage local economic development by providing a well-rounded workforce.
“I think Alex City is on the cusp of some great things,” Lynn said. “Everyone is working together on everything from affordable housing to quality of life to great workforce programs. CACC can make sure the existing companies here have the workforce they need to be sustainable and possibly expand. If a company has an opportunity to expand, we’d want them to expand here versus going somewhere else, right?”
Lynn works directly with local companies to determine their needs and, in turn, works with CACC instructors to provide students with necessary skills and knowledge to benefit those industries. His ultimate goal is to help Alexander City maintain its consistent growth through bringing in new businesses.
“We can leverage all those things through the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance,” Lynn said, “and go out and recruit aspirational companies to move into the area to grow jobs, to grow wealth and to continue to prosper and create those jobs we need in the area.”
Through his experience in organizational recruitment combined with his role as president of CACC, Lynn believes CACC is providing the skills students need to be successful in industries throughout the area to ultimately promote more growth throughout the area.
“What I need to do is make sure CACC is an economic engine that can support all of those things by offering programs that are really in need and in demand. They’re focused on those companies we currently have, and also the aspirational companies we’re trying to recruit into the area.”
Since Lynn moved to Alexander City, he has become very involved with the community, sitting on the boards of the chamber of commerce and the LMAEDA. Throughout the state, he serves on several boards, including Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association, Aerospace Alliance and Alabama Germany Partnership.
Now that Lynn has been in Alexander City for nearly a decade, he is proud to call it home and be part of its increasing development.
“The people here are just some of the best people you could find anywhere,” Lynn said. “It’s a never ending project to make sure that we’re really striving to do the best we can and to leave it a lot better than we found it.”
Lynn (Right) engages with students as well as corporate leadership
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60 Gene Stewart Blvd. 901 N. Broadway Sylacauga, AL 35150 14 Fay S. Perry Drive Childersburg, AL 35044
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Sylacauga, AL 35150 Phone: (256) 245-4776 Voice Response: (256) 249-8318 www.myhscu.com
Alexander City Schools Education Foundation
IIt takes a village to provide students with a wellrounded education.
From parents and community members to school staff and administration, providing students with a variety of learning opportunities takes teamwork and dedication. The Alexander City Schools Education Foundation works with school system constituents to create those opportunities and support teachers and administrators.
ACSEF Executive Director Lisa Harris recently outlined the foundation’s goals and future projects for the Alexander City Kiwanis Club, just one of many organizations that work to support kids in the community. From curriculum materials to field trips, the foundation has funded several programs to give students out-of-thebox learning experiences.
Harris said ACSEF is made up of 25 board members who work behind the scenes to ensure teachers have adequate materials. They help make schools safer for teachers and students and help fund ever-changing
technology needs in Alexander City schools. Another goal of the ACSEF is to provide students with culturally enriching experiences, such as field trips exposing students to future career options. The foundation has provided grade-level field trips to the State Capitol in Montgomery, the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Majestic Caverns in Childersburg, Six Flags Over Georgia, the National Infantry Museum and the Springer Opera House.
When technology made initial advances in classrooms across the country 10 years ago, ACSEF provided an iPad for every student in appropriate grades. ACSEF board members also noted that extreme temperatures on school busses sapped students’ energy and ability to think clearly, so they paid for the installation of air conditioning on the system’s older busses. These are just a few of the ways the foundation steps in to make a difference for local students.
To highlight other projects the foundation has taken
STORY BY MELODY RATHEL
ACSEF helps students achieve graduation through amenities and programs not funded in the school system’s budget
Funding learning opportunities above and beyond the classroom
on, Harris showed a video outlining the foundation’s work. In the video, students attested to their experience visiting Auburn University and the hands-on experience they had with various colleges and programs oncampus. The foundation even funded trips to Disney World to allow students in the hospitality and tourism classes at Benjamin Russell High School to see firsthand careers in hospitality.
“These trips align with curriculum and allow our students to have experiences they might not have if the education foundation was not ensuring these opportunities,” Harris said. “We believe these trips can change lives and open up a world of exposure and awareness for our students.”
To raise money for these events, Harris said the nonprofit organization relies on donations from individuals and local community organizations, as well as corporate donations, to fund learning opportunities for students. One such effort, the annual Russell Forest Run
that takes place each year in February, has raised more than $130,000 for ACSEF.
“We spend our money in the schools,” Harris said. “Every dime we have goes right back to every school. We make sure our focus continues to be teacher grants and cultural experiences.”
Harris said when board members meet, they discuss with school administrators what the schools’ needs are. From there, they work hand-in-hand with the ACS Central Office to make sure funding goes to necessary items and activities.
“Every year since I’ve been director, I think it’s just been a constant climb,” Harris said.
ACSEF is just one of the many innovative ways the community supports local schools and children.
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Salons, Spas & Yoga
STORY BY BETSY ILER
The area offers a variety of options for massage
RRelaxation is at the top of the list of Lake Martin’s best attributes. To help you get there, the area offers a variety of self-care and spa options, from certified massage therapists to aestheticians and even free yoga.
Oasis Salon & Spa
Schedule a full day of pampering to calm your mind, body and soul at Oasis Salon & Spa in Dadeville. Start with a body wax to get bikini ready for your down time in paradise. Touch up those eyebrows and the lip, chin or go full face for a completely smooth finish.
Take in a relaxing massage with essential oils, body scrubs and deep tissue techniques to work away the tension and stress of tight muscles. The Oasis team includes three licensed massage therapists to address your unique needs.
Then, give your hair a conditioning treatment, too. And freshen up with a new style that will be as easy in town as it is at the lake.
Finish your self-care day with a signature facial, chemical peel, microdermabrasion or dermaplaning, customized to leave your skin radiant. On your way back to the lake, shop the boutiques and gift shops in downtown Dadeville to find the perfect new outfit and accessories for your new look.
Schedule your day at 256-373-3733.
Shay Aesthetics &
Wellness
Lake Martin’s master cosmetologist and certified medical aesthetician, Shay Rogers applies expertise in traditional and diverse modalities, like hyperbaric oxygen and compression therapies to help your body recover from an over-exuberant day behind the boat.
From makeovers for that special wedding on the lake to repairing the effects of the environments you live in, heal your skin – safely and with medically sanctioned methods. Shay Aesthetics & Wellness offers care beyond the salon.
Call 256-537-4307.
Integrative Massage
Recently opened in Alexander City, Integrative Massage is a treatment-based, medical massage therapy accepting referrals from doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists. Licensed massage therapists offer a range of treatments designed to promote recovery and restore balance, including myofascial release, trigger point therapy, cupping, hot stones, targeted deep tissue massage and more. Visit the website at integrativemassagealexandercity.com to learn more and book an appointment.
Yoga
The same great minds at Oasis Salon & Spa offer Satori Yoga and Wholistic Wellness Center. Book a vinyasabased class with certified instructors to focus on breath, alignment and strength building. Email satoriyoga2023@ gmail.com.
Or let a Lake Martin Yoga instructor come to you for a private session, group or community class. Choose a Vinyasa sequenced flow to invigorate and rejuvenate or restorative Yin yoga to alleviate tension – the perfect complement to a fast-paced lifestyle. Learn more at lakemartinyoga.com.
St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City hosts a free, mixed level yoga session at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday in the parish hall. Led by a certified instructor, the class is appropriate for those new to the practice, as well as those with experience. No reservations are needed. Simply show up with your mat and water and join the class.
You’ll also find yoga classes at area fitness centers, including Knect Fitness in Dadeville and Anytime Fitness in Alexander City, as well as the Wellness Center at Lake Martin Community Hospital and Total Fitness at Russell Medical.
And all summer long, Russell Lands hosts free yoga with certified instructors on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. Just show up at 7 a.m. with your mat, towel and water.
Russell Lands hosts free yoga sessions at Russell Crossroads on Saturday mornings all summer long
Shay Aesthetics offers medically based spa treatments and makeovers
Support Local Churches
Worship congregations impact the whole community
TThe ‘Go Local’ theme isn’t limited to retail sales. While mega-churches put on an exciting show in larger communities, local churches in Tallapoosa and southeast Coosa counties offer a personal, heartfelt, feet-onthe-ground approach to tending body, mind and spirit right here at home. The area’s 150-plus local churches embrace and serve the community in ways the megachurches cannot, sharing music, caregiver and grief support, food and more to members and neighbors across the county.
Red Ridge United Methodist Church just off state Route 49 outside of Dadeville invites the wide community to uplifting musicals during Christmas, Easter and other special seasons, said Kim Walls, who directs the music program there.
“We have space in our sanctuary to accommodate a small orchestra, and we usually do two or three special music services a year,” Walls said. “The choir starts preparing three or four months out, learning the music and practicing. Sometimes we bring in professional singers, and that improves the quality of the programs. And other times, there might be some theatrical drama as part of it, as well. It means so much to the people involved – not only the singers and the actors, but also the organist, the audio visual team, costumers, the team providing refreshments or helping with parking and the people who help us get the word out to the community about these events.”
These production services also provide opportunities for many to hear a live orchestra for the first time.
STORY BY BETSY ILER
“And to hear it from 6 or 10 feet away,” added Walls’ husband, Mike. “My dad has local caregivers, and when they came to the service, they told me it was the first time in their lives to hear an orchestra and how powerful it was to have that experience so close.”
First-hand experiences abound in local churches. At St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City, parishioners started a drive-thru soup-and-sandwich ministry to provide social interaction and a hot meal for anyone who drove through the church parking lot during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was such a success that we’ve continued it every Tuesday evening,” said the Rev. Rob Iler, rector at St. James. “We have soccer moms who pick up dinner for the kids; nurses who come by at the end of the long
“It’s a kindness that feeds the soul.”
➥
day. There’s a group of elderly women who pick up soup and sandwiches and then go to the house of one of them and eat together. It’s a kindness that feeds the soul.”
This ministerial twist on fast food was an offshoot of the Feast of Sharing program at Cornerstone Methodist Church in Alexander City. Cornerstone volunteers have served a hot, sit-down meal once a week for more than five years. In the casual dining atmosphere, extended families can reconnect; diners can share resources and find a listening ear when needed.
That listening ear can be a lifeline for spouses and children of Alzheimer’s patients. Flint Hill Church welcomes those caregivers to a gathering on the first Monday of each month.
Rev. Rob Iler Rector, St. James Episcopal Church
Members at Cornerstone Methodist Church in Alexander City serve a meal every week through Feast of Sharing
Caring for others is an important part of ministry at Flint Hill Church
Funds raised at the St. James bazaar are distributed to benefit local nonprofit organizations
“Talking with others who have similar struggles is helpful,” said Mary Perry, administrator at Flint Hill.
Caregivers often lose their own lives by dedicating their time to loved ones with dementia, but groups like the one that meets at Flint Hill offer support in many ways. Participants can share resources and coping strategies in a confidential atmosphere, raise non-medical concerns, cry, laugh and know they are not alone in their grief and loss. Caring for the caregivers is one of the best ways to care for the patients.
Caring for families also benefits greatly from the ‘Go Local’ work of churches.
First Baptist Church of Alexander City recently started The Man Church, a men’s Bible study focused on men – problems specific to men; men’s responsibilities to their families, their communities and their churches.
“Women have said this is the best thing that’s ever happened to their husbands or boyfriends,” said program organizer Bill Parks. “It teaches a man what it means to be a man from the Bible.”
The program averages 80 men in attendance every week. After a presentation, the participants break into small groups for discussion.
“We hear the comments from the men themselves, how they appreciate something like this being available for them to learn and understand,” said Parks. “We hear comments from women. They see a change in their men because of it. That’s the sole purpose, to lead Godly men into God’s family.”
Most of the churches in the area offer a multitude of programs that impact locals. In addition to the music
services at Red Ridge United Methodist, the church hosts a grief support group. At St. James, proceeds from an annual three-hour bazaar fund outreach for a year.
“What we have to offer is a place for confidential, nonjudgmental sharing,” said Rev. Dorothy Scott at Red Ridge. “We’ve been meeting every Monday at 10 a.m. for about a year. Some people come all the time. Some drop in when it’s been a bad week. What’s great is that about half of the people are not members at this church. And everybody’s journey is different. You don’t just wake up two weeks after the funeral service and go along as if nothing happened, as if the person you are grieving is no longer missing. And some people are grieving things other than death. This is a safe space for people to tell their stories, find people who listen with ears that understand.”
At St. James, parishioners work all year to create beautiful pottery, woodworks, fabric art and frozen meals for a bazaar that annually generates more than $20,000 for community outreach. Beneficiaries of this fundraiser include the Tallapoosa Christian Crisis Center, the local Red Cross and a backpack program that provides food for needy children every weekend.
While the grand scale efforts of mega-churches outside of the local communities are important and make a difference, going local with churches in the area has a powerful, visible impact on people who live and work and play right here.
About 80 men regularly attend The Man Church Bible study at First Baptist in Alexander City
St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City feeds 120 people weekly through Soup-to-Go
Special music presentations at Red Ridge United Methodist Church often include an orchestra
Lake Martin
Vacation like a tourist at home
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS & KENNETH BOONE
Rent a lake house or stay with friends to gain waterfront access to great times on the water
NNo sense in letting the visitors have all the fun. From boating and fishing to watersports, sunsets, hiking and more, the lake area offers a plethora of recreational opportunities that attract thousands of visitors every year. Maybe all those tourists aren’t wrong. Maybe Lake Martin really is a great place to vacation – even for those who live here year round.
After all, the scenery is beautiful. There’s lots to do – on and off the water – and vacation dollars spent here support neighbors’ jobs, local schools and local infrastructure.
At more than 41,000 acres and nearly 900 miles of shoreline, Lake Martin has something for everyone: large expanses of open water and hundreds of quiet sloughs; a variety of lakeside restaurants; more than a hundred miles of hiking trails; public and private golf courses; camping; fishing; geo-caching; a sailing club; and a state park that offers even more activities. More than half of the lake’s shoreline is natural and undeveloped, so even locals enjoy a sense of getting away from it all on the water and in the woods.
Locals have the option of sleeping in their own beds or taking a real vacation at a VRBO or Airbnb where someone else does the housekeeping and maintenance. Three new hotels are under construction or in planning stages to offer even more lodging options. Choose a lake location and terms online and pack a bag to capture that sense of really getting away. It’s just that easy.
Local marinas and outfitters offer boat rentals, from kayaks to party pontoons. Pull up at Chimney Rock to watch the daredevils or slip around the side of Acapulco Rock and raft up with friends for an afternoon of flinking (floating and drinking) in the cleanest lake water in Alabama. Let the grandkids bounce behind the boat on a tube while the grownups sit in the boat and video the fun. Learn to sail – for free – at Dixie Sailing Club’s annual Introduction to Sailing classes. Float through undisturbed wilderness on the Tallapoosa River, sighting bald eagles and riding through just enough whitewater to keep the trip interesting.
Don’t want to mess with a boat but don’t want to
Dixie Sailing Club hosts several big regattas on the lake each year
Martin Dam makes all the fun possible
The 4th of July is a blast at the lake
Fishing tournaments fill weekends all year long
miss the sunset either? Schedule a guided sunset cruise and enjoy the views with cocktail in hand. Local guides know all the landmarks and can tailor a cruise to any focus, from slow-floating by million-dollar homes to scouting the lake’s fishing holes.
Serious anglers will find many tournament options, especially in cool weather, perfect timing for the rest of the family to hike Wind Creek State Park’s Speckled Snake Trail with Naturalist Dylan Ogle. In warmer weather, the family might prefer the thrill of the Screaming Eagle canopy zipline tour, the serenity of a relaxing day at the state park beach or the exhilaration of a trail ride on the back of a horse. Meet up at the tournament weigh-in mid-afternoon and share stories of the day’s adventures over a lakeside picnic.
There are lots of other lake adventures to explore, like foiling, wake surfing and wake boarding. Sign up for a clinic session at a local marina and learn tips from local pros and coaches. Always wanted to try flyboarding? Take a vacation at Lake Martin and learn.
Not spending the vacation at the lake also is an option: Off-water adventures abound. Nothing gets the heart pumping like a trip to Lake Martin Machine Gun, running the 100-mile Lake Martin Ultra in March or joining the Water Cycle century bicycle ride to raise money for Auburn’s Engineers Without Borders chapter. Plan a staycation around the Lake Martin Songwriters Festival and hit a show at every one of the event’s 17 local venues. Take a carriage ride through Russell Forest. Climb the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association’s restored fire towers. In addition to the Smith Mountain Fire Tower, a second tower will open this summer near the Overlook trail system.
Take a week off to play the area’s golf courses.
Including the GolfDigestawardwinning Wicker Point Golf Club, the area offers eight courses within a twohour drive, so the vacation might have to stretch over two weekends, as well as the normal work week. Introduce the kids to the “golf vacation” concept at Wind Creek State Park’s miniature golf course.
Would it really be a vacation if the ladies don’t shop? Perhaps not, but the area boasts plentiful boutiques, home décor and antique shops to keep the girls shopping for days. They can even pick up Lake Martin souvenirs to remember the vacation.
A local vacation isn’t such a far-fetched idea. Even locals are allowed to have fun. And locals benefit the most from tourism dollars spent here.
“When locals do things in their own area, supporting restaurants and other local businesses, those tax dollars come back into our economy to build our infrastructure,” said Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism President and CEO Sandra Fuller.
Catching Lake Martin’s spectacular sunsets is a favorite way to unwind
Birdwatchers flock to the lake for abundant wildlife
Watersports are a main attraction
Russell Medical CEO Jim Peace said the hospital partners with education from elementary through university levels
Local Health Care
Quality, Convenient and Close to Home
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY SAM HIMES, ABIGAIL MURPHY & AUDRA SPEARS
TThe difference between a physician who works in a rural community and one at a major medical facility in a large city is that the rural doctor has chosen quality of life, said Russell Medical CEO Jim Peace.
“They’ve all received the same training and education,” Peace said, “but rural community doctors have chosen to live in a small town, where their patients have better access to them. They see them at the grocery store, at the soccer field with the kids, at church.”
A rural doctor is one who focuses on the patient, not on research, added Russell Medical Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michele Goldhagen.
“For patients here, that means quality care. We’re held to a higher standard, because we do see our patients in the community,” Goldhagen said. “It also means consistency in care.”
Other advantages in going local for health care include short commutes back home after treatments; hospital stays where friends and family can visit; and supporting local jobs for medical office personnel,
nurses, technicians and support staff.
“It’s quality, convenient and easy. Why would you not stay in this community for health care?” Goldhagen said.
In Tallapoosa County, Russell Medical and Ivy Creek Healthcare offer more than 20 specialties, from cardiology to pediatrics and pulmonology. And both facilities offer a variety of entry points into the healthcare system, from urgent care offices to satellite clinics, emergency rooms and more. In this way, patients who don’t need emergency room services can visit walk-in offices with extended hours. Elderly patients and those with mobility issues can more easily receive care at rural health centers in Dadeville and New Site. Those without transportation can use Alexander City’s public transportation system.
“We pay Arise for every rider that comes to our facilities, so clinics are accessible for those who can’t drive there,” Peace said. “Our goal is to provide exemplary care to everyone.”
Russell Medical’s affiliation with UAB means better local care
Russell Medical also is affiliated with University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“Here, we have UAB doctors – surgeon, cardiologist, radiation oncologist and medical oncologists. The Cancer Center here is a joint venture with UAB. It’s one of a kind, a truly unique facility,” Peace said. “Our relationship with UAB is such that we are able to keep what we have here but we have a pathway for doing more. If a patient exhibits a need for services we don’t have, we can consult with UAB or send the patient there.”
A multi-facility project now underway will offer geriatric medicine and a variety of living options for aging members of the community. The Benjamin Russell Legacy Project on the Russell Medical main campus will include 26 independent living cottages. The Benjamin Russell Center for Advanced Care, which opened last year, houses medical specialists and services under the direction of a Board Certified geriatrician.
Supporting health education is another important aspect of community care, Peace said. Russell Medical works with Central Alabama Community College and other schools to train nursing and medical students.
“We train for radiation, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, technicians, Auburn and Dothan osteopathic medical students every day, to name a few,” Peace said. “Russell Medical last year was a hundred years old. We are creating an endowment for future educational needs. We’re trying to raise a million dollars to establish that. We’re halfway there.
“Our master site plan for medical students includes establishing residency programs for the future.”
It works, said Russell Medical Foundation Executive Director Tammy Jackson, because the physicians here
are passionate about what they do, and it’s easier to do it in a rural setting.
“Our physicians love to educate,” Jackson said. “They have a willingness to give back and to train.”
“It’s the DNA of our community. We love caring for others,” Peace said.
The hospital also takes education into the community. Jackson and Peace often make presentations to local civic clubs and students in all grades at local schools.
“We partner with Auburn’s school of nursing to provide education on obesity and mental health,” Jackson said. “We teach the children in every fourth and fifth grade class across the county where to find healthy foods. That’s information that goes home with them.”
Russell Medical meets or exceeds the metrics statewide as a hospital.
“We’re rated in the top three statewide for outcomes,” Peace said. “That doesn’t mean much to the general public, but what it means to our patients is better outcomes in things like length of stay, infection rates and mortality.”
“We have the equipment, too,” Jackson said. “Robots in surgery, the latest technology in MRI, mammogram and orthopedic surgery.
“We provide great care in this community, and we’re so blessed.”
“Russell Medical and its providers keep asking, ‘How can we better meet the needs of our patients?” Goldhagen said. “We wake up every day with the goal of being exceptional. We prefer perfection, but we’ll settle for excellence.”
Dr. Ben Chappell (Left) is the newest doctor at Lake Martin Community Hospital
Delightful Dining
STORY BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE, ASHTON JOHNSON & COURTESY OF RUSSELL LANDS
FFrom waterfront venues to elevated culinary atmospheres, Lake Martin is home to some of the most unique destinations in the Southeast for unforgettable local dining experiences.
The Landing at Harbor Pointe is one example of these exceptional destinations. Quickly becoming one of Lake Martin’s most popular new hangout spots, The Landing at Harbor Pointe offers a relaxed, openair dining experience. Owned by renowned sportscaster Herb Winches, the outdoor dining venue features stunning waterfront views and an authentic lakeside atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to unwind after a day on the water or a visit to the iconic Chimney Rock.
Created by Chef Zach Chanin, the distinctive menu highlights coastal American cuisine. From the West Indies crab salad, born in Gulf Shores decades ago, through the sushi and poke bowls and New Orleansstyle dishes shine. New England-inspired crab cakes add to the diverse selection.
Langostino lobster tacos, hot quail sliders, Parmesan truffle fries and the renowned Landing Burger are just a few standout dishes that have become staples on the menu as well. As one of the few spots in the area serving a variety of fresh seafood and sushi, The Landing at Harbor Pointe stands out as a truly unique dining destination.
“We designed The Landing at Harbor Pointe to be very comfortable as an outdoor venue,” said Winches. “The bar that we have is very unique, but the food is the main attraction.”
To complement the menu, guests can sip on handcrafted specialty cocktails, including the beloved Bushwhacker – a creamy, frozen blend of rum, Kahlúa, Baileys and ice cream, perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.
Conveniently located near Harbor Pointe Marina in Dadeville, this seasonal lakeside retreat is open from
An inspired menu and spectacular sunsets make The Landing at Harbor Pointe a popular dining destination at Lake Martin
Sushi at The Landing at Harbor Pointe
spring through September, making it a must-visit summertime hotspot.
For current hours and menu updates, visit The Landing at Harbor Pointe on Facebook or thelandingatparkercreek.com.
Located in the vibrant Russell Crossroads, Fanny Goldmine Diner is your go-to spot for delicious homestyle meals and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a loyal regular, there’s always something new and exciting to experience at Fanny’s.
The menu is packed with classic Southern favorites, each with a unique Fanny’s twist. From the signature Smash Burger to savory pancakes, every dish is crafted with care. Plus, you can enjoy breakfast at Fanny’s Goldmine Dinner all day long.
Exciting changes are on the horizon at Fanny Goldmine Diner. Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy table service for breakfast, lunch and dinner, enhancing your dining experience with personalized attention and comfort.
“We have had fun watching Fanny’s continue to grow,” said J.B. Hampton, Fanny Goldmine Diner’s general manager. “We are also excited about some of the changes that are about to take place.”
Fanny Goldmine Diner is thrilled to introduce a bar at the venue, offering a curated selection of beverages to complement meals.
Visit them at 57 Russell Farms Road and discover why Fanny Goldmine Diner is a favorite destination for both locals and visitors alike. With its warm hospitality, delicious food and exciting new features, the
friendly staff can’t wait to welcome you and make your visit special.
Visit fannygoldmine.com for the full menu and hours of operation.
In Dadeville, The Funky Goat claims the title as Lake Martin’s foodie bar.
Located in the heart of downtown, The Funky Goat is a unique dining destination that aims to take bar food to a different level. The fun, vibrant atmosphere and bright décor match the bold flavors coming out of the kitchen. Created by true food lovers, The Funky Goat was born from a passion for creating a dining experience that owners, Jeremy and Stacey Jeffcoat, would want to visit.
“We’re foodies. We love watching the Food Network and trying different foods, so we wanted to create a place that we would be excited to try,” said Stacey Jeffcoat. “We just want to keep making great food and drinks for the Lake Martin area.”
The Jeffcoats’ commitment to creativity is reflected in the menu. A must-try is the Mary Had a Little Slider – two juicy, fresh-ground lamb sliders blended with shallots, parsley and mint, topped with creamy goat cheese, crisp arugula and locally sourced pepper jelly. Other fan favorites include the Southern Soul Egg Rolls, featuring slow-cooked pork and collard greens, served with house-made, tangy Alabama white sauce. The Hot Honey Pecan Wings bring the perfect balance of sweet and heat, ideal for dipping in one of The Funky Goat’s signature sauces, including housemade ranch or the Mississippi Comeback Sauce, a zesty, slightly spicy recipe passed down from the owner’s grandmother.
Beyond the inventive food and handcrafted dipping sauces, guests keep coming back for the rotating menu specials, craft cocktails and an exciting lineup of live music and local events.
“It’s more fun to eat in a bar than to drink in a restaurant,” said Jeffcoat.
At The Funky Goat, it’s all about good food, good drinks and good times – a place to kick back and enjoy something deliciously different. Visit The Funky Goat’s Facebook page for its live entertainment and event schedule, as well as current menu offerings.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Alexander City, Castelluccio on Main Street offers authentic, madefrom-scratch Italian cuisine. With the aroma of freshly prepared dishes filling the air and the smooth sounds of Sinatra in the background, Castelluccio offers an inviting and intimate atmosphere that encourages guests to slow down and savor the moment.
“In an age that’s so divisive and designed to separate everyone, I just wanted to create a place where friends and family could get together at the dinner table and laugh a little, like family and friends used to do,” said owner Jody Sheffield.
By day, the restaurant offers a delicious lunch buffet featuring classic Italian favorites like lasagna, beef ravioli, Alfredo pasta, fresh bread and salad. In
Lake Martin Iced Tea at The Funky Goat
addition, the homemade banana pudding is a Southern favorite only available during lunch hours, making it a must-try.
As the sun sets, Castelluccio transforms into an intimate date-night destination. With soft lighting and rustic charm, the atmosphere is perfect for couples, small gatherings and special occasions. Though walkins are welcome, reservations are encouraged, as it’s a popular spot that fills up quickly.
Signature dishes like Chicken Marsala and Filet Alfredo keep guests coming back while desserts like the house-made tiramisu add the perfect finishing touch. For those looking to unwind, happy-hour-anda-half runs from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through
Saturday, offering half-priced appetizers and beer, as well as $3 off cocktails and wine.
At Castelluccio, the philosophy is simple: great food, great service and great company. Whether stopping in for a quick lunch, a romantic dinner or an evening of drinks and conversation, Castelluccio invites everyone to eat, laugh and stay a little longer. Visit Castelluccio on Main Street for lunch specials and featured dishes.
Lake Martin offers unforgettable dining experiences, making it a premier destination for food lovers. Whether seeking bold flavors or intimate settings, there’s something to discover and savor at every turn.
Breakfast, lunch – and now dinner – are available at Fanny Goldmine Diner, Russell Lands’ newest dining option
Breakfast at Fanny Goldmine Diner
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders at Fanny Goldmine Diner
Fitness
WWith a variety of options across the area, there’s a way to stay in shape for every style, schedule and focus, from working out solo to group classes that include nutrition, as well as spiritual aspects. Local exercise venues address multiple facets of good health by building social connections and addressing mental health issues, as well as providing equipment and facilities to promote physical health.
Total Fitness
Total Fitness at Alexander City’s Russell Medical includes six disciplines of focus: physical therapy, occupational therapy, sports medicine, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, speech therapy, and medical exercise and community fitness. Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Cara Tidwell said Total Fitness is a medical-based fitness center, and it’s open to everyone. Total Fitness staff specialize in treating chronic illnesses, such as arthritis, diabetes, orthopedic issues, etc., but they also work with obese children and create exercise prescriptions for athletes.
They offer a variety of classes for all ages, from low to moderate to high intensity classes, group exercise classes and personal training. All the fitness specialists have backgrounds in exercise science or related fields.
“Just to give people an idea about the assessment
process, you will meet with a fitness specialist, and we’ll set up an appointment,” Tidwell explained. “We’ll review all of your health history with you and create an exercise prescription for you. We will orient you to the right equipment and the right classes that could benefit you the most.”
While the facility is open to anyone, those receiving therapy services receive a two-week pass to the fitness center. Many of the therapy services also come through referrals or other Russell Medical departments, offering a streamlined treatment plan.
In addition to personalized care, Total Fitness has updated amenities. Within the past year, the facility has added new strength training equipment and renovated an aerobics arena. Some of the other amenities include the SwimEx endless pool and two gyms where members can work out.
Total Fitness is an authorized provider for American Red Cross, Silver and Fit, Silver Sneakers, Renew Active and the Arthritis Foundation.
Total Fitness’ operating hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Prime Fitness
Prime Fitness is a local studio with a full schedule
STORY BY ABIGAIL MURPHY
PHOTOS BY SAM HIMES, AUDRA SPEARS & BETSY ILER
Knect Fitness in Dadeville adds a social element to working out
of group classes, personal training and workout options from which to choose. Some of the classes include body pump, circuit, total body and spin.
Owner and fitness instructor Riley Goree has seen such success with Prime Fitness that the facility is expanding into Prime Sports with more workout options and equipment, such as stationary bikes and weights. They’ll also offer batting cages for baseball and softball practices, a cold plunge and an infrared sauna. To support this expansion, Prime Fitness recently relocated from downtown to 2227 Dadeville Road in Alexander City. With the new location, Prime Fitness has already expanded its classes to include aerial Pilates and bungee fitness.
Prime Sports plans to offer childcare for parents working out. The center is a pick-up location for Fit Five meals, Thorne supplements and FIT AID drinks. Members can also participate in Prime Fitness’s customized nutritional coaching.
Anytime Fitness
Anytime Fitness in Alexander City is open 24/7 to meet fitness needs on any schedule. This location is owned by military veteran Jose Garcia who understands the importance of overall fitness through dieting and exercise. Anytime Fitness creates workout plans
and meal plans for its members.
The center offers multiple cardio equipment options, such as cardio TVs, treadmills, elliptical cross-trainers, exercise bikes, stair climbers, rowing machines and spin bikes. They also have strength equipment, including squat racks, plate loaded, dumbbells and barbells and functional equipment, such as kettlebells, suspension training, battle ropes, multifunctional rack, medicine balls, plyometric boxes and resistance bands.
Anytime Fitness also offers group fitness classes, such as bootcamp, Silver Sneakers, corrective and line dancing.
The facility is located at Broad Street Plaza.
Studio West
Conveniently located in downtown Alexander City, Studio West offers strength and conditioning classes for total body fitness, as well as personal training and bootcamp. Personalized workout plans and nutritional guidance are part of the personal training program, and West emphasizes motivation and accountability to keep her clients moving forward. Classes take on a social aspect as members encourage each other through the Russell Forest Run and the Atlanta Spartan Trifecta Weekend.
Visit Studio West on Facebook to learn more.
Riley Goree promotes health and fitness at Prime Fitness in Alexander City
Planet Fitness members have access to facilities across the country
Total Fitness takes a health focused approach to fitness
Planet Fitness
At Planet Fitness in Alexander City, monthly members have access to the chain’s facilities around the country, as well as the local facility. Members have access to hundreds of workout videos, personal fitness trackers, rewards, discounts and more. The class schedule includes 30-minute circuits and an option to design your own program.
Visit Planet Fitness online at 987 Market Place from 5 a.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday, 12 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Wellness Center of Lake Martin
In Dadeville, the Wellness Center of Lake Martin sports a full-fledged gym, massage therapy, physical therapy, aqua therapy, saltwater pool, weight training, cardio staging area and personal training. Associated with Ivy Creek Healthcare’s Lake Martin Community Hospital, the facility offers group classes for water aerobics, spin, line dancing, yoga, jiu jitsu and karate. A cardiology office is expected to open soon.
The Wellness Center honors Silver Sneakers, Silver & Fit and Renew Active programs. The gym is also affiliated with Spartan Deka, which means certain fitness events can be held at the facility.
“Every age group comes through here,” Fitness Coordinator and Personal Trainer LaVon Calhoun said. “Even babies, because we had swimming lessons for newborns. We’re definitely more open than just a gym with weight and cardio. We have this big space here. This is where we do our group classes. We have an outside area. When it’s a good day, I take my clients outside to the grass area.”
Outside of the special programs, the gym is available to anyone age 15 and up. The gym is open 24/7, and the pool is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“I’m a retired college soccer coach,” Wellness Center Director Michael Keating said. “I was asked to run this facility, and we think we’ve done it wonderfully. We think our growth has been stupid good. And I really mean, our demographics cover 15-year-olds to 87- and 88-year-olds that still come in here and perform functions on treadmills and recumbent bikes and other elements.”
The facility is located at 309 Mariarden Road in Dadeville.
Knect Fitness
Just outside the gates at StillWwaters in Dadeville, Knect Fitness offers a wide variety of workout and group fitness classes. Knect Fitness accepts Silver Sneakers and Silver & Fit. The center also offers total fitness and yoga classes. Owner Holly Keel has worked in the fitness realm for the past 25 years. Knect Fitness also offers personal training and plenty of gym equipment to customize your own workout.
The gym is open 24/7 and is staffed every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dadeville Beauty
IIt takes many hands to make a place beautiful, and the Dadeville Beautification Board works to do just that.
The last year has been a whirlwind for the board. The City of Dadeville was awarded Tree City USA for the 10th year in a row. This is an honor promoted by the Arbor Day Foundation and is based on a city’s commitment to public tree care. The Dadeville Beautification Board played a big role in aiding the city in this accomplishment.
But that’s not all the beautification board has been up to.
“Our first big project this year was the memorial garden at Keebler Park,” co-chairperson Elaine Forbus said. “When doing that, we also helped construct the bathrooms at Keebler Park. Hellas Fibers also had a big cleanup with us before the memorial garden dedication.”
The memorial garden is in memory of the lives lost during the April 15, 2023, shooting as well as honoring those impacted. The dedication ceremony was held the Sunday before the one-year mark of the shooting. State officials, local officials, community
members, loved ones and survivors gathered that Sunday afternoon.
The garden has an obelisk monument and is surrounded by a circle representing the circle of life. Using expansion joints, it’s divided into four sections for the four lives lost. The sidewalks extending out are divided into 32 sections for the 32 injured. There are four benches placed around the garden where visitors are invited to sit and reflect.
With the monument still under construction, there stands a temporary monument made out of concrete. The permanent monument will be made of black granite and inlaid with gold in honor of Dadeville High School’s colors.
Along with the garden, the beautification board is working with the City to get a security system installed at Keebler Park. Member and certified arborist Jerry McGukin is also working to get an invasive species, Japanese Climbing Fern, under control at the park.
This past year, the board was awarded Alabama Power’s Good Roots Grant of $1,000, which went toward the trees around the garden. The board has
■ ■ ■
STORY BY ABIGAIL MURPHY
Dadeville Beautification Board members assist with the Memorial Day flag planting at Pennington Park
received the grant for 2025 as well with plans to replace a dead tree by the Tallapoosa County Board of Education building, add trees to the upper play area and replace the dead dogwood trees on East Lafayette Street.
Outside of the grant, the board assists with setting out American flags each Memorial Day at Pennington Park. The board also helps clean up the square, picking up any trash or litter as needed.
During the Christmas season, the board installs the Christmas decorations around town, as well as the maintenance with any lights that need replacing during the season. Board members put in more than 360 volunteer hours last Christmas and put up mroe than 60,000 white lights.
“When we talk about all this work we have been doing, especially at Keebler Park and our Christmas decorations, we want to give credit to Matt Wilson and Vanessa Tolbert at Dadeville High School,” Forbus said, “for bringing students and helping us with these projects.”
Local high school students helped with a tree planting project
DBB members relocated downtown crepe myrtles when the courthouse square was renovated
DBB volunteers are supported by corporate and individual donations and grants like the Alabama Power Good Roots program
Entertainment
FFrom a day on the lake to a night on the town, Tallapoosa County is abuzz with entertainment options whether you’re drawn to the magic of theatre or the local music scene.
Dadeville Performing Arts Center
On the east side of Lake Martin, the Dadeville Performing Arts Center in the heart of downtown offers book signings, art and photography contests, live performances and music. The Dadeville Performing Arts Center is not only a hub for organized community entertainment events, but the venue also gives people opportunities to hone their artistic skills.
DPAC founder Kim Walls said she opened the center in 2021 to give people a place where they could practice their musical skills.
“There wasn’t a lot going on then with the COVID-19
pandemic, so it was a good time to start and get people involved in getting back together in music,” Walls said. “I knew a lot of people who just quit playing music during that time, because they were getting older, and they didn’t want to get sick. It was really wonderful that we could start it.”
During that time, Walls knew more people were interested in learning the mountain dulcimer, and she wanted to give local children an area to build confidence and stage presence outside of school activities. Now, the Lake Martin Dulcimer Club practices there, and DPAC is home to the Dadeville Community Chorus. Local youth are encouraged to get involved; many practice musical theatre productions, as well as take part in art classes in conjunction with Everything’s Art.
“We like all styles of music,” Walls said. “We want to
STORY BY MELODY RATHEL
PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS, BETSY ILER & AUDRA SPEARS
keep it family friendly, so any style of music could happen here. We’ve branched out into other performing art areas. We’ve had book presentations and theater productions.”
Since the founding of DPAC, Walls is thrilled to see how the center has grown. People from all over Tallapoosa County visit DPAC regularly.
To stay updated with events, follow Dadeville Performing Arts Center on Facebook.
Alexander City Theatre II
On the north end of Lake Martin, find a theatrical treat in Alexander City Theatre II.
This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was formed in 2015 by a group of local theatre lovers after a live performance for the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce’s Sun Festival, according to the ACT II website. Since its inception, the group has staged several productions – from
No admission is charged for ACT II productions
Broadway thrillers to hilarious holiday comedies. Due to the support of local sponsors, admission to ACT II plays is free.
From lifelong thespians to those with a newfound love for acting, ACT II has a role for anyone.
Last year’s ACT II season included the classic thriller, Wait until Dark, about a blind woman who must out-smart a trio of thugs who come to her Greenwich Village apartment to recover a heroin-filled doll that accidentally fell into her hands. The children’s play, Sister Act Jr., was the summer production, said ACT II President Karen Kison.
“I always pick plays that have children in them, because I think it’s very important for kids,” Kison said. “It teaches them self-confidence and self-assurance to stand on the stage and talk in front of people.”
During the holidays, ACT II helped the community get into the holiday spirit with Colin Adrulonis’ Have Yourself a Crazy Little Christmas, a hilarious play about how wrong the plan for a special family celebration could go.
Additional productions include It’s a Wonderful Life Live Radio Play, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Driving Miss Daisy, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Sweet Delilah Swim Club, among many others.
In addition to acting and directing roles, ACT II volunteers build sets, create costumes, find vintage props, promote upcoming productions, run sound and lights and special effects and more.
Follow Alexander City Theatre II on Facebook to learn about upcoming shows, auditions, work days and other opportunities. To donate to ACT II, visit actheatre2.com.
Alexander City Arts
Alexander City Arts promotes performing arts in Alexander City and its surrounding areas by booking touring productions at local venues. The organization was created to encourage and promote different art forms in Alexander City through education, artistic development and exposure. ACA hosts presentations by local, national and international performers, some who have traveled from as far as Ireland to share their talents with the community.
Chuckwalla’s Pizza hosts music on summer weekends and regularly hosts charity events events
Russell Lands hosts the two-day RXR Music Fest over Memorial Day weekend
In 2024, ACA brought names like Duo Baldo, Jukebox Saturday Night and the Glenn Miller Orchestra to town. Some hometown artists were included in ACA’s 2024 lineup, such as Scott Blake’s annual Christmas with Friends production.
“Having the Christmas with Friends concert in our lineup is important to fulfilling our mission,” ACA Council President Henry Foy said. “It is an opportunity to showcase local talent, to inspire our hometown artists and connect with a broader audience.”
At the start of 2025, ACA included a canine cabaret titled Mutts Gone Nuts, featuring former shelter dogs that have made it to the big stage.
ACA has included standup comedians, tribute bands, world-renowned choirs and more in its lineup as well.
“Our board and committees have been diligent in the off-season identifying artistic presentations that offer variety and broad appeal for our community,” Foy said. “We look forward to seeing a lot of excitement from our longtime supporters and a lot of new faces as we expand our programs and celebrate creativity in Alex City.”
Music at Lake Martin
Entertainment in Tallapoosa County is not limited to the cities within it. With an abundance of talented musicians around Lake Martin, there is live music in many venues around the lake all summer From The Social to Chuck’s Marina, Kowaliga, Boondocks, Niffers, the Southwind Stage and other venues, a variety of music genres can be heard lakeside or over dinner.
Off the water, music venues offering live music include Zazu’s Verandah, The Funky Goat, The Local at 41 Main, Lake Martin Brewing Company, Copper’s Grille and the Waverly Local and more.
Weekends at the lake start with Friday on the Green at Russell Crossroads with free concerts on the Town Green stage all summer long. Hosted by Russell Lands, visitors are invited to bring their picnics on Friday evenings and enjoy lawn games and fun with friends and family.
The Town Green also hosts RXR Fest music series on Memorial Day weekend and the annual Labor Day concert. Another Russell Lands venue, Lake Martin Amphitheater presents a July 4 concert with one of the South’s most impressive and patriotic fireworks display. Black Jacket Symphony presented two album concerts
at The Amp last year and looks forward to bringing them back. The Amp also hosts an annual concert by the Benjamin Russell High School band in late October. Visit russelllands.com/blog/events for these and more entertainment options from Russell Lands.
In addition, Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism organizes the Lake Martin Songwriters Festival in the area every July. For five days, 30-plus songwriters entertain guests at more than 15 venues around the lake. The event includes a young songwriter competition, a tour of local Hank Williams sites and a private reception where songwriters mingle with event sponsors.
Visual Art
Tallapoosa County is home to artists who find working at the lake is inspiration, to the delight of local art lovers, collectors and enthusiasts.
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., celebrates local artists through the Annual Lake Martin Living Art & Photo Show. Submissions are displayed, and winners announced, at a standing-room-only reception at Dadeville Performing Arts Center. Winners in three categories take home more than $1,000 in prizes and are featured in the October issue of Lake Martin Living magazine, with one of the winners’ works on the cover.
Many more artists enter juried art shows, sales and bazaars. Russell Lands hosts art shows on the Town Green several times a year, including Arti Gras, Art on the Lake, Christmas at Crossroads, Fall Festival and more. St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City displays pottery works for sale for just three hours on a Saturday in November to fund local community outreach endeavors. Visit Russell Lands and St. James social media and websites for details.
Everything’s Art, a nonprofit art education organization in Dadeville, maintains a steady schedule of events for local children, from summer art camps to music introduction and more. Many of these programs are free for local children, with the hope that they will grow up to appreciate art and music and find their own voices with confidence.
From fine arts to live music, art shows and more, there’s no scarcity of year-round entertainment in Tallapoosa County. Whatever the avenue, there is art and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.
DPAC hosts the Lake Martin Living Art & Photo Contest in September
Alex City Arts presents productions at venues throughout the community, including the BRHS Auditorium
Local Volunteers
VVolunteerism efforts are the lifeline for keeping the Lake Martin community thriving. Volunteering in the community not only offers a personally rewarding experience but also provides opportunities to connect with others, support positive initiatives and make a meaningful impact locally.
One organization making waves in Tallapoosa County is the nonprofit Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry.
Established in 2000, Loaves and Fishes began when several local church organizations saw a rising need for supplemental food options. Operated entirely by a volunteer committee and compassionate community members, the organization achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2023, strengthening its mission to combat hunger in the community.
Each week, Loaves & Fishes distributes approximately 10,000 pounds of food, or enough to prepare 350 boxed meals. Additionally, their van ministry delivers 50 to 60 food boxes weekly across Tallapoosa County, ensuring vital resources reach families in need.
Volunteer efforts from the community are what keep this organization thriving.
“It takes about 16 to 18 volunteers each week to run it,” said Harry Wooten, president of the board of directors at Loaves and Fishes. “People are stationed inside the food pantry to help distribute meats, run the snack station and the canned food section. We also have volunteers that help load boxes into cars.”
Currently, more than 1,000 local families rely on Loaves & Fishes for meals, with an average of 10 to
15 new families joining each week. Every Thursday, families begin lining up as early as 6 a.m. at the food pantry to receive boxed meals containing three to four well-balanced dishes, including quality meats like chicken and pork chops, canned fruits and vegetables and dry staples, such as beans and rice.
To continue raising funds for their mission and broaden community awareness of their efforts, Loaves & Fishes hosted its inaugural Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry Charity Gala last November. Held at New Water Farms, more than 200 people attended the event, which featured a steak dinner, silent auction and live entertainment.
“The gala was a tremendous success,” said Wooten. “We raised money and awareness, and it was a fun night for everyone. The plan is to make our gala an annual event.”
Join the mission to combat local hunger in Tallapoosa County by volunteering to help Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry unload food trucks, distribute meals, volunteer for the gala and more. Contact loavesandfishesfoodpantry@outlook.com to become involved today.
In addition to Loaves & Fishes, there are many ways to volunteer in local Lake Martin communities.
ACT II in Alexander City offers volunteers the opportunity to experience the magic of community theater. From one-act plays to full-scale productions, ACT II presents four shows each year, including children’s plays. In addition to actors, the theater welcomes volunteers to help at all levels of production,
STORY BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL MURPHY, AUDRA SPEARS, BETSY ILER & COURTSEY OF CAMP ASCCA
Harry Wooten with Loaves and Fishes, (Center Right) receives a donation from the Lake Martin Dadeville Area Kiwanis Club
seeking assistance with stage design, costumes, makeup, tech lighting, directing and more. To get involved with ACT II, volunteers can contact acttheatreii@ gmail.com.
Lake Martin Resource Association is dedicated to protecting and preserving the beauty of Lake Martin’s shorelines. Each year, LMRA organizes various community trash cleanup events, highlighted by its largest initiative, Renew Our Rivers, held each November. Volunteers across all surrounding communities are encouraged to participate in these cleanup events to help keep Lake Martin beautiful and safe for generations to come. Contact lmra.info for more information.
More tham a hundred volunteers answer the call when Lake Martin Area United Way plans Days of Action at local schools. Folks of all ages, races and walks of life paint classroom, clean lockers, wash windows and replace landscaping. Co-workers bond as they laugh and labor together for the area’s kids.
LMAUW volunteers also organize school supplies for the an annual backpack giveaway that helps all students obtain the required materials for their grade levels.
They help put together the annual campaign kick off party, assist with details and decorations for fundraisers, work in the office . Volunteers receive training, prepare materials and respond at the drop of a hat to disasters through Tallapoosa Coosa VOAD. They collect books and help with the summer reading program, so children don’t fall behind during the break from school.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities at LMAUW by visiting unitedwaylakemartin.org.
Camp ASCCA, located in Jackson’s Gap, is a nationally recognized summer camp offering therapeutic recreation for children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. At ASCCA, campers enjoy a week filled with classic camp experiences, including bunking in cabins, zip lining, tubing and live musical performances on an outdoor stage.
Each summer, ASCCA seeks enthusiastic young adults to join as camp counselors, helping bring these activities to life. Ideal candidates are individuals with strong moral character, a love for the outdoors and a passion for working with special populations. Counselors do receive a small compensation for their time, and there is a specific need for male volunteers as camp counselors. For more information, visit campascca.org.
There are countless ways to engage and make a difference in the community. From supporting the United Way to joining the Dadeville Beautification Board or assisting at the humane society, local volunteering creates a meaningful impact. When locals turn out and give their time, the results are felt throughout the area. Let this year be one filled with giving to make a positive difference in our communities.
Day of Action readies local schools for fall classes
Renew Our Rivers volunteers pick up trash around the lake
Camp ASCCA provides thrilling outdoor experiences for campers with special needs
ACT II draws together people from all walks of life
Donate Locally
STORY BY BETSY ILER
‘Go Local’ with your donations to nonprofit organizations and churches to improve the arts, schools, food programs, children’s charities and much more right here at home. The vast majority of area events are fund raisers for local nonprofits that provide entertainment, food, school supplies and operating funds to boost the quality of life in Central Alabama. Donating locally means your contributions stay here to make a difference.
Lake Martin Area United Way raises more than half-a-million dollars annually to support 27 agencies based in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties, and 100 percent of those funds are distributed through local organizations, like the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, Alexander City Rescue Squad, Meals on Wheels and the ARISE transportation service.
“Local businesses and individuals help us meet our funding goals every year, and we couldn’t do all that we do without them,” said Courtney Layfield, executive director of the LMAUW. “Those donations change lives.”
LMAUW launches annual campaigns with an event that turns the spotlight on the work of the agencies they serve. Then, local companies host United Way speakers who have directly benefit ted from those contributions. In many compa nies across the service area, local donations are matched by corporate leaders.
LMAUW also provides backpacks and school supplies, assistance for families forced out of their homes due to fires and emergency information fol lowing natural disasters, like tornadoes. When the call for help comes in, local donations help United Way to meet the need. To be a difference-maker for the area’s United Way effort, visit unitedway lakemartin.org.
Camp ASCCA on Lake Martin’s eastern shore line provides similar camp services for develop mentally disabled campers, kids with autism and head injury patients, as well as science camps for elementary school students. The facilities include a climbing wall, outdoor stages where musicians like Red Clay play concerts, a swimming pool and arts and crafts buildings. Check out their programs at campascca.org.
These organizations and more address serious issues for their constituencies. Other local orga nizations focus on improving the quality of life within our community.
Donations to Alexander City’s community theatre allow the 501(c)3 organization to present quality productions free of charge to audiences four times a year. Operating and staging costs for ACT II run about $30,000 per year, most of which is raised through a spring letter campaign. Now in its 10th anniversary year, ACT II holds open auditions for every play the group stages, providing opportunities for all ages and races to participate and gain public speaking confidence, as well as backstage and leadership skills. The organization unites facets of the community that might otherwise never meet. Among the productions ACT II has staged are classics like Driving Miss Daisy, A Christmas Carol and Arsenic and Old Lace , with Steel Magnolias and Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap planned for the upcoming season. Visit actheatre2.com to donate or get involved.
In Dadeville, donations support the Dadeville Performing Arts Center on the courthouse square and help the organization maintain affordable ticket prices for weekly events and presentations. Donations help make improvements to the 100-year-old building where art shows are held -
holiday programs; and where area school children attend weeklong arts camps at no charge. Learn more about how you can support DPAC at dadevil -
Main Street Alexander City’s Chili and Gumbo Cook-off supports downtown businesses through an event that draws potential shoppers to the area. Dadeville’s Fur Ball raises funds for a local animal shelter. The sale of T-shirts and a table decorating contest support the annual Jazz Fest, a twoday free concert series at Strand Park in Alexander City and at Lake Martin Amphitheatre. The Lions Club Lake Martin Poker Run has raised more than
annual summer social in Dadeville brings the community together with music, barbecue and games to raise funds for the Lake Martin Dadeville Area
There are so many fundraising events here that are disguised as just plain fun that you could fill your social calendar with opportunities to invest in your own community. Check them out and make a
Thriving Downtowns
STORY BY ABIGAIL MURPHY
PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL MURPHY & AUDRA SPEARS
TThe area’s downtowns are centers for history, culture, identity and economics. They reflect the local culture and exude an upbeat vibe through shopping, dining and entertainment options.
Alexander City’s downtown district is a hub of retail shops and a central gathering spot for the heartbeat of the community.
Opened in 1999 by nine local women, the Cloud Nine boutique quickly built a reputation for carrying quality clothing, jewelry and gifts. Last year, the former owners passed the baton to manager Amanda Silavent, who continues to serve the area with style in apparel and accessories, bridal registries, home décor, gifts and more.
Beth Haynie is another retail business owner in the downtown area. She opened her first shop, Downtown Girl, in 2017 and opened Haynies Shoes & Clothier in 2023. Both stores started out of Haynie’s passion for fashion. While Downtown Girl focuses on women’s clothing, Haynie’s Shoes & Clothier offers women’s athleisure wear, shoes and men’s apparel.
“We’ve got anything from a leather duffel bag to a nice hat,” Haynie said of Haynies Shoes & Clothier. “We have belts, scarves, jackets, dress pants. You can literally find a whole outfit for a man in here.”
Main Street also is home to Unlimited Designs for embroidery, screen printing and school or sports apparel.
The Square on Calhoun Street holds an array of stores, art exhibits and pop-up vendors. Some of the stores in The Square include Half Moon Market and Décor, Up at the Barn Antiques, Coosa Collectibles, Southern Renaissance Antique, Love the Lake Collectibles, Hutch and Sons with art and vintage items, Sweet Tea Boutique for clothing and accessories, Camden Collection Antiques, Picket Fence Antiques, Nunnie’s Nest, Foreign Affairs with leather and textiles, Sherry Bernie Designs with pottery and Lake Martin Book Exchange.
Dadeville’s downtown features several restaurants and boutiques, a bakery, a furniture store and more
And for beauty essentials, downtown is home to Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio as well as Shining Beauty Hair and Fashion.
Alexander City’s downtown offers fine dining at Castelluccio’s, breakfast and lunch at Alana’s at The Square, authentic fare at Karib Kitchen and a dose of nostalgia at Carlisle’s 100-year-old soda fountain.
Strand Park, just off Main Street, is the summer setting for free concerts all summer long, starting with Strand Sessions in the spring, Jazz Fest, Blues in the Park and more.
Dadeville’s downtown is enjoying a revitalization after an extensive repaving project around the historic courthouse square. Retail spaces like Lake Martin Boutique offer apparel, accessories and gift items.
Another popular boutique is Ellaby’s Boutique, opened in 2020 byBillie Shae Gray. The shop offers women’s clothing, accessories, gift items, purses, shoes, jewelry and more.
“It’s just something me and my daughter always dreamed of doing,” Gray said when she first opened. “We really enjoy clothing and shopping together, and it’s something we’ve kind of always envisioned ourselves doing if we got to the point where we could.”
A more recent store to the Dadeville community is Flutterflies Gift Shop. The gift shop opened in 2023
with copper art, Caroline Hill purses, candles, Bogg bags and food products, such as spices, olive oils and vinegars. Flutterflies is located along the Dadeville square inside Sweet Magnolia’s Salon.
Another newer retail shop to Dadeville is Bee-N-B, which also opened in 2023. Local beekeeper and owner of Alabama Bee Company Ted Kretschmann decided to set up a shop to provide a place for locals to get his honey.
Most of Alabama Bee Company’s honey is for industrial use, so it goes out in barrels, but as a Dadeville resident himself, owner Ted Kretschmann wanted to give back to the community by setting up a quaint local store where individuals have access to his honey. Bee-N-B offers 100 percent pure raw natural honey, beeswax candles, honey based personal care products and ornament baskets.
“Dadeville’s downtown square is booming, with new merchants and restaurants bringing fresh energy to our community,” Lake Martin Dadeville Chamber of Commerce president Rhonda Gaskins said. “Over the past year, we’ve welcomed 18 new businesses, many of them adding to the charm and vibrancy of our downtown area. It’s an exciting time for our local economy and for everyone who calls Dadeville home.”
Alexander City’s bustling downtown is picturesque and walkable
U.S. Route 280
UU.S. Route 280 through southeast Coosa County and Tallapoosa County bustles with reasons to shop and do business locally, from popular eateries to home stores, grocery stores, specialty retail, healthcare, coffee stops and more. The four-lane corridor caters to residents and visitors alike with fast and friendly customer service focused on providing what you need, when you need it.
Just outside of Alexander City in southeast Coosa County, the Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park is home to thriving industries that provide hundreds of local jobs and serve the manufacturing, distribution and warehousing industries and more. Westwater Resources subsidiary, Alabama Graphite Products, chose this site for a $202 million graphite processing plant, which
will supply graphite for batteries to power electric vehicles, electronics and other tech industry needs across the country. Two Rivers Lumber will locate at the Kellyton Industrial Park, adding 130 new local jobs in one of the fastest growing industries in the state.
Topping the hill just inside the Tallapoosa County line to the north, U.S. Route 280 flows seamlessly through the largest city in Tallapoosa County. The Home Depot supplies building, maintenance, gardening and other outdoor project supplies in their easily accessed showroom. Practically next door, Satterfield Outdoor Living specializes in welding supplies, power equipment and outdoor kitchen and grilling supplies with product lines from Scag mowers, Stihl, Echo and
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE, CLIFF WILLIAMS & SAMUEL HIGGS
Big Green Egg. Satterfield is locally owned and has served the Lake Martin community for more than 25 years.
One of the area’s most reputable auto repair shops, Foster Automotive, also is located on U.S. Route 280, just inside the county line.
Alexander City’s Main Street Family Urgent Care facility is on U.S. Route 280, as is the Russell Medical campus of healthcare providers, including an award winning medical center with 28 specialties and an in-house rehabilitation center. The Russell campus is home to Russell Medical – UAB Cancer Care, Total Fitness and the new Benjamin Russell Advanced Care Center with a dedicated geriatrics specialist.
From fast food to dining in style and finding all the ingredients you need for a home-cooked meal, you’ll find it all on U.S. Route 280 in Alexander City. The collection of fast food restaurants along the highway includes Arby’s, Wendy’s, Cap’n D’s, McDonalds, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Subway, Zaxby’s, Dominoe’s and Taco Bell.
Fast casual and dine-in options include The Wharf Casual Seafood, Ruby Tuesday’s, LaPosada Mexican Restaurant, Ronin Sushi & Bar and more.
Walmart, Renfroe’s, Winn-Dixie and Publix grocer-
In Alexander City, U.S. Route 280 bustles with restaurant, grocery stores, clothing options and more
ies carry all of your cook-at-home needs, as well as numerous household items, from pans and dishes to clothing, specialty spices and name brands you love.
Slip by Scooter’s Coffee or Starbucks for your morning cup of Joe or afternoon pick-up brew.
You can even rent a moving truck on U.S. Route 280; buy shoes at Shoe Station or Rack Room Shoes; or fill your tank with gas from a wide selection of major service stations. You’ll find hotel accommodations on this main thoroughfare, and more places to stay under construction, like the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.
Find clothing for everyone in the family at CATO, Walmart or Marshall’s. Look for bargains at Five Below, Dollar Tree, General Dollar and America’s Thrift Store; ethnic beauty supplies at A’s Beauty; or guns and ammo at The Sure Shot.
Check out the boats, ATVs, apparel and accessories at Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors.
Need to charge your electric vehicle? Plug in at the new Aldi grocery and shop while you wait.
If thrifting is your passion, duck into America’s Thrift Store for clothing, toys and household goods, or visit the Salvation Army Thrift Store. Both are located on U.S. Route 280.
And just before you cross the Tallapoosa River
Outdoor recreational vehicles, apparel and toys are available on U.S. Route 280
Health care is available without an appointment
Bridge, you’ll find River North Marina to the north and the Elks Lodge to the south.
River North Marina is in the Russell Marine family, where you’ll find Aqua Patio, Bass Cat, Chris Craft, Crevalle, Hurricane, Key West, NauticStar, Nautique, Sanpan, Sea Ray, Supreme and Sweetwater boats, as well as Sea-Doo personal watercraft and Can-Am ATVs, along with an inventory of pre-owned vessels. A knowledgeable sales staff can help you choose the right boat for your lake lifestyle.
Elks Lodge No. 1878 is a popular local venue for wedding receptions and other special occasions. Located on the lake with beautiful views, the lodge also hosts weekly dinners for members and their guests.
Just over the bridge, visit Lakewinds Golf Course, an Alexander City Parks & Rec amenity that features 5,500 yards in a par 70 layout. The course challenges players with small greens and three water hazards and treats golfers to the plant and animal life of Lake Martin.
Need to pick up some quick snacks, a greeting card or your favorite lipstick? Duck into Dollar General on U.S. Route 280 as you approach Dadeville.
You’ll find numerous options for grabbing lunch on the go on U.S. Route 280
In this stretch of the highway, you’ll also find the Madwind Craftsman. Talented wood and metal craftsman, John Howell, has created spectacular doors, tables, wine racks, garden adornments and other furnishings and accents that grace many of the lake’s most beautiful homes.
On U.S. Route 280 in Dadeville, you can grab a burger at McDonald’s or Jack’s, buy a truck at McKelvey Chevrolet or new windshield wipers at AutoZone. You can enjoy Mexican cuisine at Azteca’s Grill or purchase fresh seafood at Oh Crab.
And if you spend all the cash you have, there are ATMs and banking services at Heritage South Credit Union, River Bank & Trust, Valley Bank and inside several additional stores and businesses on U.S. Route 280.
With all that’s available, and even more on the way, there’s no reason to shop anywhere else.
The 280 corridor through Coosa and Tallapoosa counties meets all of your local shopping needs
Purchase or service your vehicle along the highway through Dadeville
Grocery Stores
GGrocery shopping close to home saves time and puts shoppers’ dollars into local communities, and with online ordering and delivery options, it’s easier than ever for residents and visitors to purchase groceries locally. In addition to quick-stop shops around the lake, the area now boasts seven major grocery brands to meet a wide variety of taste buds and budgets, all within an easy drive of town and the lake.
You’ll find a top-of-the-line gourmet market at Russell Crossroads just inside the Tallapoosa County line on state Route 63. Catherine’s Market features meats, seafood, cheeses, a bakery and a deli in the red barn-styled store next to the Naturalist’s Cabin. This specialty market is named in remembrance of the small grocery by the same name that operated nearby in the early days of Lake Martin.
Here, you can pick up a bottle of wine for your host at a weekend lake house or find Ashley Mac’s picnic items to enjoy across the street at a free Friday On The Green concert to kick off a summer weekend at the lake. Catherine’s also offers catering for business meetings and gatherings of your family and friends, so you can relax and enjoy your time at Lake Martin.
On the opposite side of the lake, Lake Martin
Catherine’s Market offers convenient upscale grocery shopping at the western edge of Tallapoosa County
Grocery opened last July in the shopping center just north of the StillWaters main entrance on state Route 49 to offer convenience to residents and visitors at the southeast side of lake. Local realtor Eric McKinley launched the full-service grocery when he saw the area booming.
“I just really felt like it was needed,” McKinley said. “I feel like this side of the lake is really starting to explode.”
Lake Martin Grocery stocks fresh produce, meats and household staples. McKinley stocks the store through the Piggly Wiggly warehouse network but also includes a wide selection of options from other vendors. He’s paid special attention to the produce and meat departments.
“We’ve got a great team in those areas,” McKinley said. “Our butchers are just phenomenal at what they do. We’re buying top-of-the-line meat, so we get certified Angus, and everything we’ve got is high quality. Our butcher and his team will cut steaks to choice. Our produce manager has been phenomenal. He’s handled all the produce. He knows exactly what to buy, where we need to buy it from and so on so forth. I just rely on him.”
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE, CLIFF WILLIAMS & SAMUEL HIGGS
Another grocery option on the east side of Lake Martin is 34 Market, a stone’s throw from the intersection of state Route 49 and county Road 34. Don Arthur opened this combination wine shop, grocery and gift store in the spring of 2019. At the time, there was no grocery option within 10 miles for people in the area. At 34 Market, shoppers can find a wide selection of wines, common grocery items and fresh produce. Arthur stocks as much as he can from local growers and producers – like in-season blueberries from New Water Farms and cookie doughs from Dadeville’s The Grand Bakery.
“We sell as much local as is available,” Arthur said.
Arthur offers steak, chicken and fresh seafood, as well as local favorites, such as Chimney Rock hot sauce. And he occasionally partners with suppliers to host wine tastings.
In addition, shoppers will find a selection of hostess gifts, like Lake Martin Christmas tree ornaments, pottery and other gift items at 34 Market, many of them unique to Lake Martin. It’s another convenience for those visiting friends and family at Lake Martin.
In Dadeville and Alexander City, Renfroe’s Markets are a popular choice for organic grocery options and specialty items. The craft beer portion of the store is given a lot of attention by the Montgomery-based company. Offering customers opportunities to try unique and sometimes hard-tocome-by beverages, Renfroe’s hopes to achieve an edge in the grocery market.
“We try and focus on that. It’s been a big staple of ours. We try to get as much craft brew as we can. A couple of years ago, we partnered with Back Forty Beer Company. They brew a private label for us called Froe’s Local Light. It’s neat for us to have our own beer. We try to give as many options as possible to our customers. Something new is always coming out, a new flavor or brand. We’re always wanting to stay on top of that. We always want to give our cus-
Lake Martin Grocery serves customers in the southeast lake area
Renfroe’s is a popular choice for organic groceries
34 Market carries fresh local produce and hosts fine wine tastings
tomers the best that we can,” said Renfroe’s Market Vice President Rob Renfroe.
Publix opened last November in The Gateway at Lake Martin shopping center at the intersection of U.S. Route 280 and state Route 63 in Alexander City. The upscale grocery had been courted by city officials for more than 10 years, and the opening was celebrated, not for the wide selection of products and customer service standards but also because additional retail stores often follow the grocery store to new locations.
“This store is greatly important for us,” said Steve Robinson, president and CEO of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. “We have Publix as the anchor store, which has brought other stores with it, and it’s so important. It’ll have an incredible financial impact.”
Find specialty coffees, an expanded produce department, fresh seafood and even an eat-in deli at Alexander City’s newest grocery option in a location convenient to lake traffic.
Just a half mile north of Publix on U.S. Route 280, Alexander City’s longstanding Winn-Dixie is in the conversion phase of becoming an ALDI store, according to a statement issued recently by the City of Alexander City.
“This addition will diversify our grocery shopping options and provide residents with new opportunities for quality and affordable shopping,” said Alexander City’s Public Relations Specialist Jessica Sanford. “We look forward to seeing how ALDI will positively impact our community.”
Bridging the gap between traditional grocery stores and national wholesale clubs, ALDI offers savings through a scaled-down design for product displays and efficiency while maintaining a wide inventory of grocery items. Bring your own bags and be prepared to pay a 25-cent deposit for the use of a grocery cart (your quarter is refunded when you return the cart to the corral).
Piggly Wiggly offers three shopping options in Tallapoosa County. Stores are open in Alexander City, New Site and Goodwater. These mid-sized groceries are convenient for a quick stop after work to pick up dinner fixings or a bottle of wine, as well as a week’s worth of groceries. The welcoming, friendly, neighborhood atmosphere focuses on customer service and consistent shopping options.
Find big box convenience and selection at Alexander City’s Walmart on U.S. Route 280. With an emphasis on low prices and everything from auto parts to cosmetics, household items, fabrics, selected furnishings, plumbing supplies, sports equipment, school staples and video games, Walmart could be the one-stop shopping experience that fits a busy lifestyle.
Whatever you’re looking for in a grocery store, you can find it locally.
Publix opened last November at The Gateway shopping center in Alexander City
Wine Shoppes
TThere’s nothing more appealing on a hot summer day at Lake Martin than laying back in an Adirondack chair, sipping a glass of fine wine as the sun sets over the water. Fortunately, that dream day is easy to turn into reality, as Lake Martin is home to several specialty wine stores, and the perfect glass isn’t hard to find.
Emporium Wine in Alexander City has been providing quality wine to locals and lake visitors for more than 20 years. Owner Henry Foy grew up in Alexander City but spent much of his career in Atlanta. After retiring from the food and beverage industry, he moved back to his hometown. Foy soon noticed a hole in the market – finding quality wines. At the time, the only wine available was whatever the local grocery stores
“We wanted to be downtown for a reason, and although I have considered many times other locations that were not downtown, I have no regrets about being downtown.”
➥ Henry Foy Owner of Emporium Wine
happened to carry; there was no designated wine store.
Foy said he knew he could create an asset for the commu nity by opening Emporium Wine. He also decided to open up downtown because it was an area he felt could benefit from a wine shop. He set up his first store in a small space at 15 Main Street, but the shop soon outgrew the space. So, he moved around the corner to 128 Calhoun Street.
“We wanted to be downtown for a reason, and although I have considered many times other locations that were not downtown, I have no regrets about being downtown,” Foy said. “We look forward to what downtown could be and maybe will be.”
Emporium Wine also carries cigars and spirits. Foy said the 20-year milestone in May 2024 was quite a feat, and the business has been a labor of love.
Emporium Wine is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Foy also hosts wine tastings throughout the year.
Down state Route 63, Grain and Leaf at 8469 state
STORY BY ABIGAIL MURPHY
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
Emporium Wine stocks a variety of quality wines
Henry Foy
Grain & Leaf carries a selection of artisan spirits and cigars
Route 63, Suite 103, is a boutique shop with artisan spirits, cigars and wine. The boutique aims to have wine tastings every four to six weeks to introduce people to wines from all over the world.
“It’s to provide knowledge on different grape varietals,” Sales Associate Megan Vickers said. “It’s just something fun for the community to do.”
Grain and Leaf also hosts tasting events for other commodities, such as bourbon and olive oils. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, on the east side of the lake, Lucky Flight Bottle Shoppe opened along state Route 49 in November 2023. Owner Annie Lee said one of the unique features of Lucky Flight is the wine dispenser machines. These dispensers sell wine by the ounce, so customers can enjoy a taste, a half glass or a full glass.
As a flight attendant, Lee is focused on bringing wines from around the world to Lake Martin with specialty wines from France, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina. Lucky Flight was named after multiple passions for Lee. The first is Lucky, which is her dog’s name, and flight for both airplane flights and a flight of wine.
Lucky Flight also hosts events throughout the year. There are, of course, regular wine tastings but also live music and pop-up shop events. This past year, Lucky Flight offered a pop-up shop event with Auburn
Oil Company Booksellers to bring wines and books together. Lee said she hopes to do a pop-up shop with Kingfisher Leatherworks sometime in the future, as well as offer one-on-one wine classes.
“I want to do fun things like that,” Lee said. “Give you something to do. Call your girlfriends. Everybody can join you and come out for a night on the town.”
Lucky Flight Bottle Shoppe is open Wednesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
One more stop for wine around the lake is at 34 Market. While the market specializes in many goods, it also has a quality selection of wine. This store is near the intersection of state Route 49 and county Road 34 –just around the corner for those in the StillWaters area.
34 Market hosts regular wine tastings, especially during the summer months, with the help of Rush Wines, Alabama Crown, Pinnacle and more. Each tasting includes three to four wines, but the market is open year-round with all kinds of wine from which to choose.
34 Market is open Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
At Lucky Flight, wine can be purchased by the ounce
Customers find an extensive wine collection at 34 Market
Alex City Parks & Rec
AAlexander City Parks and Recreation provides the community with many opportunities to enjoy the amenities throughout the city, from dedicated green spaces, playgrounds and parks to events, sports programs and more, but for Director Kasey Kaschak, there is still more on the horizon.
With four parks, two city pools, four playgrounds, one golf course, one boat ramp and 20 athletic fields, there are plenty of places for residents to get out and enjoy. The parks and rec department and its 10-man maintenance team enhance the quality of life for citizens and visitors in Alexander City.
In Kaschak’s eyes, the upkeep is what takes precedence for the community, and he understands its impact, not just on physical health but also how it helps mental health.
“It’s important for us to provide these facilities for the public,” Kaschak said. “We have a pretty strong belief that recreation is a very important part of the community, not only for health reasons but just for mental health reasons. Getting out and enjoying our
parks and breaking from the norm and providing everyone with different opportunities.”
Kaschak said trails in the lake area could lead visitors to seek additional recreation opportunities.
“They’re going to attract people from the community, but if you have a walking trail system, you’re going to bring in people from surrounding communities as well,” Kaschak said. “Because there’s a very large group of people who really enjoy nature hiking, and that’s important, too, because you bring people in town; then, they are more likely to spend money in town and more likely to stay here.”
It is not just the upkeep of facilities that are one of the focuses for the parks and rec department, it is what they can provide for the youth. One of the larger projects has been the revitalization of the Imagination Station in the Sportplex, which just won Facility of the Year for a city in Alabama with a population less than 15,000.
“I think that it was important for us as a community to show that something’s going to divide us,
STORY BY SAMUEL HIGGS
PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS & MELODY RATHEL
something’s going to unite us, and we’re going to work together to build a playground of that magnitude,” Kaschak said. “I thought it was important to get it built as quickly as we possibly could. We haven’t even begun to see how many people it’s really going to be out there because we opened it in November, and it’s been cold ever since. I love the Imagination Station; it’s a great facility.”
The parks and rec department is also a big proponent in youth sports offerings: football, basketball, baseball, softball, flag football and many more. Kaschek is adamant about the good that youth sports can provide for the kids of Alexander City.
“We try to offer sports year round that are utilizing different kinds of muscle groups, different rules and different aspects of the game,” Kaschek said. “Some kids who may have never enjoyed basketball. They come to our league and they’re like, ‘Hey, I really like basketball.’ So, they’re not pigeonholed in just one sport. So, we like a holistic approach in providing youth athletics.”
There is still much the parks and rec department has its eyes on to improve throughout the years; however, Kaschak wants to make sure that all the facilities they have now are in top shape to encourage more visitors. He’s thankful for his team, which shares similar aspirations to him, as they look to continue to provide the people of Alexander City ample opportunities to live more active and healthy lifestyles.
“We have a really good group that takes great care of this place, and you can tell that they care,” Kaschak said. “We’re constantly going to find ways to make things better. We’re trying to break out of this maintenance mode that we’ve been in for the past few years and get more into advancing.”
The Benjamin Russell High School football team plays at the sportplex stadium
Imagination Station is an award-winning playground
Advancing recreational opportunities is the goal for Alexander City Parks & Rec Director Kaschak
Generals’ SPIRIT
SSmall towns in Central Alabama find a way to make a big impact. That could not have been more true for the Horseshoe Bend athletic programs in 2024.
This past year, the Generals saw success through multiple teams. In the spring, the softball team made an appearance in the state tournament for the first time since 2017. Then this fall, the volleyball team went to the state tournament for the first time since 2020. It all rounded out with the football team’s success this year when the team not only made the playoffs for the first time in eight years but also finished with a winning record for the first time since 2016.
But with success comes additional costs for the athletic programs. Things like transportation, meals and
hotels are all factors smalltown teams face; however, rather than sit back while the programs scraped by with the money the school designated to the teams, the community took matters into their own hands.
“People in our community are proud of our kids, and they want to support any way they can,” Horseshoe Bend Athletic Director and Football Coach Jeremy Phillips said. “I’ve noticed in the fundraising this year that there are just straight donations. I mean, it’s been unbelievable. The support that’s behind our sports teams and people that are willing to help – I can just make a phone call if I need something, and it’s done.”
Phillips knows about smalltown life from his own playing days and from his six years at Horseshoe Bend.
STORY BY SAMUEL HIGGS
PHOTOS BY SAM HIMES
He is aware of the impact that sports can have on a community and has seen firsthand what it means to the people of New Site.
“I grew up in a small town, so I’ve experienced it from a player and a coach standpoint,” Phillips said. “When you grow up in a small place, especially like New Site, where you don’t even have a red light in the town, there’s not a whole lot of stuff to do. So, it gives you something on a Friday night or on a Tuesday night to go watch a basketball game, baseball game or softball game. It just gives you something to kind of rally around. Kind of like there’s something to cling to and something that can get you to be proud of your town and be proud of where you’re from.”
Attendance has never been an issue for the Generals; regardless of the sport, the stands will be full. It does not matter if the team is losing or winning, the New Site faithful will be there to root for the kids in the community.
“There are people behind you, supporting you through the wins or the losses. Either way, they’re always there, and it doesn’t matter what’s going on; they’re going to show up and be supportive,” Phillips said. “It’s phenomenal. New Site is a special place. Ever since I’ve been here, we’ve had some losing seasons, and we had a winning season this year. And honestly, the support, like attendance for instance, never changed. That’s one thing that I’ve always loved about
Horseshoe Bend’s teams play to make their hometown proud
Townspeople offer overwhelming support
School spirit rides high at Horseshoe Bend
Students play to make the town proud, said Athletic Director Jeremy Phillips
Attendance is high whether teams win or lose, Phillips said
coaching here is win or lose, they’re going to be there to support you, and that means a lot.”
Phillips stressed that New Site, as a whole, is a special place when it comes to athletics, but the community is ultimately what makes the stage even grander.
“New Site is a place where you want to raise a family, because you want to be part of something like that smalltown community, and everybody behind everybody and support in any way they can,” Phillips said. “New Site is a different animal, too, because you got three smaller communities together, and they are all coming together right there. You have kids from all different types of backgrounds. But it’s even more amplified at the smaller level. It’s just a wide range of people, and they all come together at a sporting event, and they’re all pulling the same way. Nobody cares what people’s views are, and everybody just wants the Generals to pull out a win.”
Horseshoe Bend’s strong sense of community has made waves for the athletic program, giving the athletes something to play for. Phillips has seen what it means to the kids he coaches and even some of the previous athletes who used to represent Horseshoe Bend on the field or court.
“They’re playing for something bigger than themselves,” Phillips said. “They’re playing for these guys and girls that went through it all before. They went to the same school they went to, and it’s more of a pride thing. They want to put out a product that’s going to make the ones from the past proud.”
CALENDAR
The Lake Martin area is a year-round destination for fun with music festivals, art shows, live theatre and more every month.
JANUARY
First Day Hike
Start the New Year right and join the naturalist at Wind Creek State Park for a morning hike on New Year’s Day. You might discover that winter life bustles in the forest, and you’ll certainly get some exercise. For details, visit alapark.com/parks/wind-creek-statepark.
Polar Plunge
This annual departure from sanity raises funds for the Lake Martin Resource Association buoy program, which maintains more than 400 safety, hazard and lighted buoys around the lake for the safety of boaters and swimmers year round. Plungers can pick a theme and dress in costume to win a cash prize. Not into plunging into frigid lake waters in January? Spectators are welcome! Come out for the music, food and fun. Visit lakemartinyp.org for information.
FEBRUARY
Valentine’s Charity Ball
This annual evening of music and dinner out includes a silent auction, steak dinner and a great time with your sweetheart. It also raises funds for Lake Martin Area United Way and the Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce. Visit websites and Facebook pages for both organizations for details.
Russell Forest Run
Come out to walk or run this 5K or 10K that raises money for Alexander City Schools Education Foundation special projects. ACSEF furnished students with their first iPads and installed air conditioning in school busses, among other worthwhile projects. The party after the run includes a live band, beer, Russell Lands’ World Famous Grits Bar the awards ceremony. Register for the race at russellforestrun.com.
MARCH
Plug Day
One of the most important days at Lake Martin occurs during the off-
season. Plug Day is the day the rule curve changes at Martin Dam, and the water level begins its 50-day climb to full pool, making way for summer fun. Follow the Countdown to Full Pool from Plug Day to April 19 with Tallapoosa Publishers on social media and celebrate Plug Day at your favorite local watering hole.
Water Cycle
Sponsored by Alabama Power, this bicycle event starts and ends at Martin Dam. Sign up for the 15, 30 or 60-mile ride to benefit Auburn University’s Engineers Without Borders USA. EWB helps to provide drinking water for people in third world countries. Riders get T-shirts, bags of goodies and a fabulous lunch when they come in off the trail. For details and entry information, check out ewb.auburn.edu/watercycle.
Water Cycle
Dadeville Chili Cook-off
Warm up on a cool spring day with a hot cup of chili to benefit Lake Mrtin Dadeville Chamber of Commerce. Prizes are awarded for best chili and best looking booth. Go whole hog and put your chili on a hot dog. Local musicians play all day. Visit the chamber’s website or Facebook page for details.
APRIL
Old 280 Boogie
Bring chairs and blankets to help the quaint burb of Waverly celebrate the day U.S. Route 280 was diverted to bypass the town. Standard Deluxe hosts this two-day event with music all day, food, vendors and T-shirts. Visit standdarddeluxe.com for details.
In-water Boat Shows
Visit your favorite marinas around the lake for boat show
In-water boat show at The Ridge Marina
discounts on vessels and gear. These shows include food, music and fun, too!
MAY
Derby Day
Kick off spring at the lake with a good old fashioned horse race. Russell Lands hosts this Derby Day event at The Stables at Russell Crossroads with mint juleps, a cake auction and opportunities to raise money for Alexander City Schools Education Foundation. It’s all free, and there are prizes for the best hats and most dapper seer-sucker suits. Visit russelllands.com/blog/events for details.
Blues in the Park
Day of Action
Pack lawn chairs, coolers and lots of sun screen for a full day of fun at Strand Park in Alexander City. This free music festival includes vendor booths, music and specials at local restaurants in the downtown entertainment district from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
RXR Fest
Celebrate the official start of the Lake Martin summer at Russell Crossroads’ annual RXR Fest, a free two-day concert series on the Town Green. Meet your friends for lawn games. Share a bottle of fine wine. Bring a picnic supper and the pup on a leash to kick off a great summer. The Town Green also hosts Yoga on the Green on Saturday mornings during the summer and Friday on the Green concerts to start your weekend at the lake on Friday evenings.
JUNE
Sun Festival
Alexander City Chamber of Commerce hosts this annual celebration of summer with more than a week of activities and music, culminating in the annual Jazz Fest in Strand Park. Bring the kids out for water slides in the park, big trucks on Main Street and more. Find the festival’s medallion and win $200. Visit alexcitychamber.com for details.
River Fest
Sign up early for this 6-mile paddle on the Tallapoosa River’s Harold Banks Canoe Trail, hosted by Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism. There are only 150 slots, and they go fast! New Site hosts a great festival for this event, with trade day booths, a cornhole tournament, music and more. Check out the New Site River Festival Facebook page or visit explorelakemartin.com.
Volunteers help get local schools ready for the upcoming school year when Lake Martin Area United Way springs into action. Projects include landscaping, painting, cleaning and more.
Summer BBQ Social
Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce hosts this annual blowout to celebrate summer and a great community with food, music and fun. Look for details in the May issue of Lake magazine. For more information, call 256-825-4019.
JULY
Celebrate Freedom
Come out to the Benjamin Russell High School lawn for patriotic displays, live Christian music, food and fireworks. No pets and no alcohol.
Russell Marine 4th of July Boat Parade
Gather your tribe and dress up your boat for this annual boat parade on Lake Martin. Prizes are awarded for the biggest flag, most patriotic boat and crew and more. Registration is free, but all boats must be registered at Kowaliga Marina prior to the start of the parade. Spectators line the parade route in boats and gather on the shoreline.
Farmers Market
Main Street Alexander City hosts a farmers market on Calhoun Street every Saturday morning all summer long. In addition to plump blueberries, crisp vegetables and sweet peaches, there are jams, jellies and bread, as well as fresh baked goods, jewelry and more.
Arti Gras
Visit this annual juried art show under the big tent on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. Held on the holiday weekend in July, this show boasts pottery, artwork, boutique clothing, jewelry and other works by artisans from across the Southeast. For details, visit russelllands.com/blog/ events.
Day of Action
Farmers Market
AUGUST
Alexander City Chamber Open
Pick your best golfers for this annual golf tournament, hosted by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. Great prizes, fabulous food and fellowship are on the agenda, and sponsorships are available. Contact the chamber at 256-234-3461 for more information.
Dadeville Performing Arts Center
Dadeville Performing Arts Center hosts musical entertainment, authors and theatrical events all year long, from bluegrass jams to soulful sax, book signings and children’s plays. There’s always something happening at DPAC to add a little kick to your step.
SEPTEMBER
Labor Day
Music Fest
The summer ends with a twoday concert series at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. Details are posted at russelllands. com/blog/ events.
College Football
NOVEMBER
Renew Our Rivers
Alabama Power and Lake Martin Resource Association team up to clean the shoreline and roadways at Lake Martin. Hundreds of volunteers visit supply and drop-off sites all around the lake for this annual event that helps to keep Lake Martin clean. To join the effort, visit lmra.info.
Annual Holiday Open House
Dadeville Beautification Board decorates the courthouse square with garland, lights and shimmering holiday trees, as local businesses open the Christmas shopping season with special sales, refreshments and music. Bring the kids to meet Santa Claus and have their pictures taken while you find something for everyone on your Christmas list.
Your favorite lake area venues tune in to the games with food and drink specials. Catch all the games at Lake Martin. Visit lake venue Facebook pages for special promotions.
OCTOBER
Dadeville Fall Festival
Celebrate the best season at Lake Martin in downtown Dadeville. Just off the square, the streets are lined with vendors, inflatables for the kids, performing musicians and lots of food, courtesy of Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce. Call 256-825-4019 or visit the chamber’s Facebook page for more information.
Oktoberfest
Join the fun at Alexander City’s Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, featuring a car show, arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, entertainment, food and more.
DEECEMBER
ACT II Christmas play
Alexander City Theatre II presents its annual Christmas play, showcasing the talents and abilities of local townspeople with classic scripts, great sets and quality productions with free admission. Visit the Alexander City Theatre II Facebook page or actheatre2.com for announcements.
Hometown Christmas Parade
Presented by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, the annual holiday parade winds through the streets with elaborate floats, dancers, bands, Santa and Mrs. Claus and more. Call 256234-3461 for entry information, the theme for this year’s parade and route details.
New Year’s Eve at Zazu’s Zazu’s Verandah on the beautiful courthouse square in Dadeville hosts a New Year’s Eve event to celebrate the old and the new. Start the New Year with friends, music, food and fun.
For more events happening throughout the area all year long, check out the calendar pages every month in Lake and Lake Martin Living magazines, free at your favorite local businesses around Lake Martin.
Hotel Fiction at Russell Lands’ Labor Day Music Fest
New Year’s Eve at Zazu’s Verandah
