Lake Martin Living 1
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From the Editor's Desk
F
ranklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” This issue is full of people who devote themselves to the progress of this community by sharing their personal abundance, whether it’s an abundance of money, skill or just loving energy. Alexander City’s Prosperity Again Thru Health (PATH) program is an example of what can be accomplished when individuals with something to give come together to create an effect greater than the sum of their individual talents. Under the direction of Dan Replogle, PATH has designed a community garden that teaches kids where their food comes from, fighting childhood obesity while producing fresh vegetables for those in need. Meanwhile, the PATH FINDERS branch of operations is coordinating with Adams Nursing Home to bring music into the lives of patients with dementia. Read about their efforts to make Tallapoosa County a healthier place for people of all ages on page 26. Another story of generosity can be found on page 32. Mary Spencer spent years rescuing dogs before she realized her Great Dane, Stella, had the chance to rescue others from loneliness. The pair recently began volunteering at Bill Nichols State Veteran’s Home as part of a pet therapy program coordinated by the local office of the American Red Cross. Some people have turned what they can provide to others into a business that also provides for them. This is the case with Curtia Moon of Mxk events, this month’s Business Matters spotlight. Moon let her passion for event planning guide her into a second career, helping others make their special days even more special. Turn to page 10 for her story. Before we give to others, it helps to take stock of our own resources. On page 29, Betsy Iler explores the benefits of keeping a garden journal to maximize a plot’s output, leaving you with more produce to share. For more ways to spread the love from your garden, read Fred Muenzmay’s Happy Garden column on page 14. It includes instructions for creating themed kitchen gardens that can be given as gifts or used to add a special something to favorite family dishes. I hope this issue helps you to find a need in the community that aligns with what you have to give and inspires you to share some of your time and energy filling that need. In providing for those who have little, we may find that we have added to ourselves. Best springtime wishes,
Mia Osborn, Assistant Editor 4 Lake Martin Living
Lake Martin Living Editor & Publisher Kenneth Boone Managing Editor Betsy Iler Assistant Magazine Editor Mia Osborn Contributors Dave Jennings Luke Robinson Fletcher Scott Susan Foy Fred Muenzmay Cliff Williams Mitch Sneed David Granger Robert Hudson Kay Thomas and Karen Jennings Magazine Distribution Manager David Kendrick Creative Services Audra Spears Darlene Johnson Hallie Holloway Marketing/Advertising Sales Tippy Hunter Kim Morse Emily Guill Lake Martin Living P.O. Box 999 Alexander City, AL 35011 256-234-4281 www.lakemartinmagazine.com Reader Advisory Board W.L. “Buddy” King Fred Dobbs Ann Goree Donna Burkett Reggie Dean Feel free to contact members of our Reader Advisory Board. Lake Martin Living is published monthly by Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and submissions are welcome. Please address all correspondence, including story ideas, letters, pictures and requests, to: Editor, Lake Martin Living, P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011 or email editor@lakemartinmagazine.com. Advertising inquiries may be made by calling 256-2344281. A limited number of free copies are available at local businesses and subscriptions are $25 annually.
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FEATURES 24. CONTAINER GARDENS L ocal growers share tips for keeping a lot of vegetables in a little space 26. PATH PROGRAMS How the group is putting down roots to help Alexander City prosper 29. GARDEN JOURNALS H ow keeping good records can grow your harvest and soil health 32. HEALING THROUGH LOVE Animal therapy at local veterans' home
IN EVERY ISSUE 9. AROUND THE AREA 10. BUSINESS MATTERS MXK Events 14. HAPPY GARDEN 16. FROM THE TEE 18. OUTDOOR LIFE 38. MONEY MATTERS 41. MEDICAL NEWS 42. OH SNAP! 48. LAKE REGION EVENTS 58. THE LAST WORD 6 Lake Martin Living
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Noting the bloom date of this azalea in a garden journal could help ensure more flowers next year. Photo by Audra Spears.
ON THE COVER
Mary Spencer and her therapy dog, Stella, pose with Francis Beaulieu and Roger Thornton in the courtyard of Bill Nichols Veterans Home in Alexander City. Stella and Mary are one of many dogowner teams working with the American Red Cross to increase veterans’ wellbeing. Photo by Kenneth Boone.
Lake Martin Living 7
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AROUND THE AREA
Goodwater Man to Lead Destroyer Squadron Goodwater’s own Capt. Tony L. Simmons is the new commander of the U.S. Destroyer Squadron 2 after a change of command ceremony held on Naval Station Norfolk in March. Simmons, formerly Destroyer Squadron 2’s deputy commander, was born and raised in Goodwater and graduated from Goodwater High School as valedictorian in 1985. He went on to graduate from Austin Peay State University in Tennessee in 1989 and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, a year later. Simmons graduated from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in 1997 with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, and in 2002 from Air Command and Staff College at Air University, Montgomery’s Maxwell Air Force Base, with a master’s degree in military arts and science. “I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead such a high-quality team of sea-going professionals,” Simmons told his staff. “My commitment to you is to foster an environment of accountability, integrity, initiative and toughness. Buckle up for a swift and fun ride.” ~ Staff Reports
Captain Tony L. Simmons
Volunteers Gather for Countywide Cleanup Roll up your sleeves and turn out April 23 for the inaugural Tallapoosa County “Throw Away Day,” a countywide cleanup effort organized by Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership and Prosperity Again Thru Health (PATH), along with Lake Martin Resource Association (LMRA). Tallapoosa County commissioners have arranged for dumpsters to be available free of charge that day at 12 sites around the county. “The beauty of having so many locations for drop off is that no matter what area you live in or want to work in, there is a drop-off point to take the items,” said LMRA President John Thompson. Throw Away Day will include
organized litter and illegal dump cleanups all around the county, as well as spring-cleaning projects for homeowners in the area. Dumpsters will be placed at the following locations: District 1: Downtown Alexander City, next to the fire department District 2: Double Bridge area on State Route 63 (1 mile south of Elkahatchee Creek Bridge) District 3: Hackneyville and New Site VFDs and county shop in New Site District 4: Across from Siggers Grocery on Gibson Road, Camp Hill Town Hall and County Shop in Dadeville District 5: Red Ridge Methodist Church on County Road 34, Wall
Street Nutrition Center in Tallassee, Union VFD and Reeltown VFD. On April 23, volunteers can register and pick up bags and supplies at Alexander City City Hall at 8 a.m. to be assigned or to declare cleanup areas where filled bags can be retrieved later in the day. Anyone with a pickup truck or trailer who could be available to help the elderly or those who might need help getting larger items to the dumpster sites is asked to contact John Thompson at jthompson@lmra.info or 334-399-3289. For more information, contact Thompson, Sabrina Wood at 334-429-8832, or Shane Harris at 256825-1050. ~ Betsy Iler Lake Martin Living 9
BUSINESS MATTERS
A
Mxk Events
lexander City native Curtia Moon loves to throw a party; she loves it so much that last year she opened Mxk Events, an event planning business, at 107 Main Street. “For years, I was always planning parties and events for people – and paying for most of it myself – just because I loved doing it. People told me I should be getting paid for what I was doing, so I finally decided to make a business of it,” Moon said. When Moon started the venture, she stored party supplies at the home she shares with husband of 14 years, Bradgel, and their three children – Mon-tia, Xavier and Kaziyah – for whom the business is named. But when the party supplies began to take over, Moon rented space in an office behind The Coffee Corner in downtown Alexander City. The company offers full event planning services for birthday parties, showers, weddings, proposals, milestone celebrations and small-scale corporate events. “We do everything from helping our clients to find vendors to arranging catering, florists, printing invitations, decorating and cleanup,” she said. Mxk Events also can arrange embroidery and engraving
10 Lake Martin Living
STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS
services. “We want to alleviate the stress and pressure of planning the event, so our clients can just enjoy the time with their friends, family and co-workers,” she explained. Moon said she grew up watching her grandparents who worked special events at Willow Point Golf and Country Club. “They would get all dressed up to do events, and I always loved hearing them talk about how nice everything looked,” Moon said. Throughout the building of her business, Moon has maintained a full time office management job with a local company, reinvesting the proceeds from commissioned events to grow her business. She has taken courses through the Association of Bridal Consultants and recently completed a floral class. “We are planning to eventually offer a small event venue, as business grows,” said Moon, who has a staff of five, as well as a roster of suppliers. Visit Moon’s website at www.mxkevents.com for a full list of services offered or to view her photo gallery. Contact her by email at mxkevents@yahoo.com.
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Lake Martin Living 11
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Lake Martin Living 13
Grow a garden in your kitchen! I
have completed my radiation treatments and am feeling better each day. I do not remember a time when I have received so much attention, love and prayers. Not to mention homemade food, delivered to the house by some of the best cooks in the area. During radiation, I managed to lose 10 pounds of unneeded adipose tissue (my wife calls it fat). But my newfound thinness didn’t last long; in less than two weeks of eating all the wonderful dishes that had been brought to my home, I managed to replace every pound I lost. During the many visits and food drops, I found myself reflecting on comments folks made about their recipes and ingredients. I would ask, “Where did you get that recipe?”
Happy Garden
There were many answers, including “my mother,” “my children,” and “during a visit to Mardi Gras.” Several of the meals were inspired by travel. One friend was asked how she liked her visit to Italy; her answer was that she didn’t remember, as she was too busy eating her way through the country. I also heard several Fred Muenzmay comments from cooks to the effect of “My soup/salad/roast would have tasted better if fresh herbs or seasonings were used.” I thought all the dishes were great, but it is true that using fresh produce in the kitchen produces wonderful results. Eagle’s Roost Herb Farms is now preparing for the first of our two annual shows. One of the centerpieces at these shows is our seminar on potager gardens, also called kitchen or patio gardens. We bring all materials to make the gardens while customers select the plants they want and receive first-hand instructions on care and growing. We usually give multiple small seminars throughout the day for folks who have interest in different types of gardens for different types of cooking, including Italian, Asian, Mexican, English and salad gardens. These starter gardens make wonderful Mother’s Day gifts, as the giver and the receiver both benefit. We find families increasingly use potted Small Space, Big Flavor
This Mexican garden is sure to put some spice into taco night with its combination of basil, oregano, cilantro and Mexican mint marigold.
14 Lake Martin Living
indoor gardens to teach children how plants grow. Many retirement homes also welcome such gardens in residents’ rooms for the ambiance and interest they create. We also find that many gardeners only want to grow what they need during canning season, such as dill weed or cilantro/coriander for salsa. Potager gardens are defined by the diversity of plants they contain, such as leafy vegetables, flowers and herbs. We Salad Days have taken a few This salad garden will replenish pictures of some of itself as the leaves are clipped. the gardens we are
growing for our upcoming shows at The Alabama Wildlife Federation in Lanark, Herb Day in Old Alabama Town in Montgomery and the Alexander City Farmers’ Market. Some rules to follow when making a potted garden: Use potting soil. It contains vermiculite, which allows for oxygen spaces and water-retaining medium. Do not compress your soil. Just leave it loose as it comes from the bag. Wet your soil. Keep going until it is soaked. Fertilize once a week if you are using your plants often, monthly if not. A southern exposure works well for indoor plants. To know when to water, stick your finger into the soil up to the middle knuckle; if it is dry that far down, it is time to give your plants some water. Finally, the more you cut and use your plants, the better they grow. Time’s a-wastin’, so get started already! Have fun, eat well, be well. ~ Fred Muenzmay of Eagle’s Roost Herb Farms is a Master Gardener and has been in the business of growing organic herbs, vegetables and blueberries for regional and local farmer’s markets for 17 years. Contact him at fmuenzmay@earthlink.net.
Sample Kitchen Garden Themes Italian: Oregano; garlic and onion chives, flat and curly parsley; Italian and sweet basil; rosemary. Salad: Bibb and romaine lettuce; kale; salad burnet; lemon, sweet and purple ruffle basil; sorrel; cilantro/coriander; lemon verbena and onion chives. Seafood: Lemon thyme; lemon verbena; dill; bay leaves; garlic chives; lemon grass; Mexican mint marigold (replaces French tarragon) and green fennel. Mexican: Cuban, savory and hot oregano; Cuban and African blue basil; cilantro/ coriander; Mexican mint marigold.
English: Green fennel leaves; sage; rosemary; curly parsley; savory; sweet marjoram and sage. Crock Pot: Sweet marjoram; sage; rosemary; garlic chives; lemon verbena. Chicken: Curly and flat leaf parsley; rosemary; thyme; Mexican mint marigold; savory and sweet marjoram. Pesto: African blue basil; sweet basil; Genovese and Cuban basil. Tea: Peppermint; lemon balm; lemon verbena; green fennel leaves; sage; chamomile; parsley.
Lake Martin Living 15
‘Them Changes’ R
From the Tee
“I don’t know.” emember that song? “Them “What are the colors of the college?” Changes” was a great Buddy Miles “I have no idea.” tune and one of the first I learned “What is your mascot?” on guitar, as well as a lot of fun to play on “I don’t have a clue.” drums. When I played in a band – a long, These three questions will be answered long, time ago – this high-energy song around July 1. From there, I will move always got the crowd dancing. like Speedy Gonzalez to get all of our At Central Alabama Community logos, equipment and apparel orders in to College (CACC), we are going through be received by the start of our 2016-2017 a lot of changes. The merger of CACC, year. I have no doubt we will be successful Southern Union and Chattahoochee in getting everything in order; it will just Valley is sure to be a big transition for Dave Jennings be a little hectic. Luckily, as a lifelong us all. CACC administrators are working golfer, scrambling is something with from daylight to dark and beyond to make which I am well acquainted. this transition as smooth as possible. Many people have asked me how this merger will Although these changes will certainly take some affect our golf program. I have informed all of those getting used to, the students will reap the benefits. concerned that it will not hinder us in the least. One For example, students from Alexander City will now of the first things on my plate will be to have access to classes that were previously contact all of the surrounding fournot offered here but were available year schools to inform them of at one of the other two colleges. the name change. CACC has Our college has always been served a great number of about providing students university golf programs by with opportunities for transferring our wonderful success, and this merger student athletes their will allow for a larger way. Our record and variety of majors, in reputation for successful academics as well as transfers has proven to be the technical studies for a great recruiting tool for which CACC is known. our golf team, and I don’t Many things will be want that to change at all. changing for everyone I will also have to reach involved as our three out to the junior golfers colleges merge into one: to alert them of our name name, mascot and colors change. This will take some spring to mind right off the doing, but I hope to make it bat. While I was at the PGA painless and seamless. Each year, I Merchandise Show in Orlando, I receive dozens of phone calls from fourlooked at apparel for next year’s team in a year college golf coaches enquiring about our present number of booths. At each stop, manufacturing reps sophomores. We will continue to fill this need for approached me and began to show me features and them so that our golf program will remain one of the benefits of their products. most outstanding athletic programs in the nation. Then came the questions. When I played golf for our college in the mid“Coach, what’s the name of your college?” 16 Lake Martin Living
1970s, there were 17 junior colleges in Alabama that offered men’s golf. Since my employment as the men’s head golf coach in 2001, the number of junior college golf programs has shrunk considerably. Since then, Shelton State, Gadsden State and Northwest Shoals have dropped men’s golf. By 2006, only three colleges were left: CACC, Wallace State of Hanceville and Faulkner State in Bay Minette. I have pleaded with the presidents of Alabama community colleges to begin or reinstate golf programs at their schools. Since 2001, Alabama’s two-year colleges have been under the leadership of three conference commissioners. Four or five years ago, a fellow by the name of Dean Myrick became the commissioner of our ACCC Conference. Dean was a basketball coach at a junior college in South Carolina before taking this position in Alabama. He is very aware of the needs of coaches and has helped our programs and coaches immensely since his employment. Dean and I quickly became close friends, and he listened intently to my pleas for more golf programs to be offered at the junior college level in Alabama. Dean wasted no time, and his efforts will begin to be seen next fall, as Snead State and Calhoun College will both begin men’s and women’s golf. Jefferson State also is trying hard to implement men’s golf in the fall of 2016, and Marion Institute is scheduled to bring golf back to their college in 2017. These certainly are positive changes. I so appreciate the public’s concerns about how this merger will affect our golf program at CACC. This tells me that people care, and that is priceless to me. Next year, we may not be known as CACC. We may not be the Trojans. We may not be dressed in blue and white or blue and gold. But you can be assured that there will be a team of nine tremendous young men with great manners, high academic standards, strong work ethics and highly competitive natures representing our college and our community on and off the course. No matter what comes, we will maintain a strong bond within our community and the golf facilities we are privileged to use, as well as their memberships. In light of the positive things ahead, I ask that you please get up, dance and sing with us as we go through “Them Changes.” It’ll be a high-energy, exciting time to see how these upcoming changes will prove to be good for our favorite customers – our students. Until then, Go Trojans! ~ Dave Jennings is the men's golf coach at Central Alabama Community College.
Lake Martin Living 17
Shooting Shacks T
his past deer season, something that had nothing to do with deer, guns, trucks or places to hunt became apparent to me. It had to do with how weather affects opportunities to hunt. This hunting season was full of rainy, windy, cold days, with some surprisingly warm days thrown in at random. I’ve always equated long morning deer hunts with a high vantage point hanging in a tree. I can usually sit comfortably for several hours, watching the sunrise and hearing the birds begin their calls. Sometimes a gentle breeze rustles the leaves, while below me, deer nervously move about searching for acorns in pairs, one feeding while the other keeps watch. This idyllic setting is one that most hunters enjoy. Unless, of course, it’s pouring down rain. This deer season, there were too many rainy days for comfort. Maybe I’m getting older, or maybe I’m just wimping out, but those cold, rainy days killed my
18 Lake Martin Living
enthusiasm for being perched high in a tree. Although I’ve hunted in rain many times before, there comes a time when other options need to be explored. So how do you stay warm and dry while watching deer? Stay inside–inside a shooting house, that is. You can’t watch your surroundings like you would from a tree stand, but it’s better than anything on a rainy or windy day. Deer do move in rain and will feed every day, but you’ve got to be there to catch them. Humans have been hunting from concealment since the beginning of hunter/gatherer societies in Africa. It may have been hiding in a tree or behind a shrub or rock; anything that would offer an advantage in trying to outwit game. Modern hunting is not much different. By using concealments such as shooting houses, tree stands, blinds and camouflage, hunters are still trying to outsmart deer like our ancestors did in 10,000 BCE.
Outdoor Life
area of 4x5. This is Hunting is not a necessary part of life now the All Shapes, All Sizes the smallest I like to Left to Right: Maron way it was then, though some might argue this McConnell checks the build them.” point. One thing I know for sure is that most height of a window; A Unfortunately, hunters today do not endure the hardships our finished house on skids; A shooting house disguised McConnell has ancestors went through to harvest game. But why as an outhouse; This found that a suffer if it’s not absolutely necessary? house has a cover of standard 4x8 sheet My good friend, Maron McConnell, once told painted camoflauge. of plywood will not me, “I don’t care if it’s 20 degrees, pouring rain, perfectly cover a 4x5 or windy, I can hunt regardless of the weather.” floor. “Remember, I'm talking about the inside This is probably because McConnell also measurements from wall to wall. If you just use happens to build shooting houses, many of a cut from a standard 4x8 sheet, say a 4x5, your them atop 15-foot poles. He always begins his inside floor will be 41 inches by 53 inches. This is construction by mapping out the size of the just too small for two folks,” McConnell said. house. To get around this problem, McConnell uses “I have in mind how big my floor area will two sheets of three quarter thick 4x8 plywood. be. I’ve built them all sizes–4x8, 5x7, 6x6–all Fletcher Scott “Sometimes I'll use 5/4 boards for flooring if depending on how many folks you want to I have them,” he said. “Although these boards accommodate,” McConnell said. make strong floors, you have to cover them with a piece of He always tries to build his houses so at least two people 7/32 luan, which only cost about $11 dollars a sheet.” will fit comfortably inside. The luan makes it a lot quieter to move around the rolling “You might want to take a son or daughter, or maybe chairs with which most shooting houses are equipped. you’re guiding for someone else,” he said. “But if you hunt Carpet scraps are also added to further insulate the floor. by yourself, you’ll have plenty of room for a pack, tripod Once McConnell decides on the floor area, he begins or even a heater. The size I find to fit this bill now is a floor Lake Martin Living 19
constructing the walls using 2x4 studs, just like any other wall. He builds one side of the wall 5 inches higher than the other side to give the roof a slope. “I want water to run off the roof on either the right or left side, not in the front or back,” McConnell explained. His window frames are built from 2x6 lumber in a rectangular shape, and placed at the right height so that an average-sized person seated in a chair can see out. “For small kids and ladies, you can add cushions to raise the height. This is easier than lowering the seating position for a tall person like myself,” McConnell said. The windows themselves are usually made of Plexiglas that slide to the left or right. Each window can be made using two, three or four pieces of Plexiglas, depending on the size of opening needed. Each piece slides in its own dadoed (cut slot) groove. McConnell advised that each groove should be wide enough that the Plexiglas can slide quietly and not stick. Most of McConnell’s houses also have side windows. The exterior of shooting houses should be covered with material that can withstand the elements. Many choose wooded siding for the outside of shooting houses, but wood requires regular painting, and insects and gnawing animals may cause problems. McConnell often covers his houses with sheet metal. “Over the years, I’ve found this material to be weatherproof and long lasting with very little maintenance,” he said. “If I have some left over vinyl siding, I'll use that, too. It is also maintenance-free. I believe these materials to be the most cost effective in the long run.” On houses with metal siding, McConnell likes to add interior walls made of OSB (oriented strand board) or plywood to make the house warmer and quieter. “I also use sheet metal for my roof. I make it large enough to have a 2-foot overhang on all sides. This may seem a little excessive, but it keeps the rain from blowing against the house and also allows you to poke your gun barrel out without getting wet,” he said. When possible, McConnell tries to position his houses facing north to prevent morning and evening sun from shining into the hunter’s eyes. One of the most helpful things McConnell has found in his years of building shooting houses is the installation of a 20 Lake Martin Living
ceiling, especially in houses with metal roofs. “In freezing weather, your warm body and breath will produce condensation that will form under the sheet metal and this will drip on you. If you have a ceiling made from luan or plywood, this won't happen and you'll stay dry,” McConnell explained. Once a house is finished, it needs to be transported to the site. The moving process varies, depending on whether you plan to put your house on poles, or just on skids that will allow you to move it around. “Some folks these days may want their houses to be somewhat mobile,” McConnell explained. If the house he’s building will be placed on poles, he transports it in pieces strapped to his trailer. Once in the field, he’ll position the poles and then assemble the house from the ground up: floor first, then walls, and finally roof. He normally constructs the back wall on site, since it contains the door and frame. Once the house is completed, he adds the steps. “My stringers are made from 2x12s and my steps are 2x10s with an 8-inch rise for each. Of course, all this requires some help,” he added. If the house is going to be set on the ground, McConnell will finish it fully at his shop, then pull it up onto his trailer using the skids on the bottom and drive it to the Under Construction field. Once there, he uses a pull McConnell at work on off system he designed himself a shooting house. to secure the house, or he simply attaches ropes to the house’s base and drives his truck out from underneath it. Just like real homes, the cost of building a shooting house can vary greatly. To build a house the way McConnell likes it usually runs around $500. “I know they can be made cheaper, but there are certain things I like and I want them built in. Experience has taught me a lot,” McConnell summed up. The experience of talking with McConnell has taught me that next hunting season, when it’s raining, windy and cold outside, I’ll be warm and cozy inside of a shooting house. ~ Fletcher Scott is a retired science teacher who enjoys nature photography.
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Containe
24 Lake Martin Living
er Gardens STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
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mall yards, shady lots and time constraints keep many would-be gardeners from growing vegetables in the dirt, but gardening in containers could offer some solutions, said SpringHouse Garden Club’s Martha Tucker, who plants herbs and tomatoes in containers every year. “The main reason I do it is that I don’t have a good place in the yard that gets enough sun,” Tucker said. “I put the containers in the driveway, and the dogs guard them from squirrels.” Tucker uses self-watering containers that hold up to four gallons of water, which decreases the maintenance the planters need. “I can put the fertilizer in with the water, and the containers aren’t as labor intensive,” she said. After more than eight years of gardening in containers, Tucker said she’s learned that some varieties are better suited to the practice than others. The Mortgage Lifter variety she planted last year yielded eight-to-10 tomatoes per week during peak season – the perfect amount for her family for four – while the previous year’s heirloom plants only produced two tomatoes all season. “They just didn’t like being in the container,” she said. The greatest challenge Tucker found was in supporting the tomato plants in the containers. “You have to use something that is sturdy enough to support them or use a variety that doesn’t get big,” she said. “I have braced mine up against a fence to protect them from the wind, and I added support so they can grow up to 6 feet tall. “Cherry tomatoes do well in containers and determinant tomatoes seem to be better.” Determinant tomatoes are those that produce fruit all season long, as opposed to nonSmall Space, Big Flavor determinant, which offer all of Top Left: Tomatoes can their produce at one time, said flourish in containers, owner of Eagle’s Roost Herb but need lots of support; Top Right: Farm Fred Muenzmay. With Cucumbers are a more than 17 years at the organic great choice for Rockford farm, Muenzmay container planting; Left: Muenzmay uses grows peppers, cucumbers, 55-gallon drums for his cabbage, rhubarb, herbs, beans
and squash, as well as tomatoes, in containers. “You can grow anything in a container except corn, which requires more room and fertilization,” Muenzmay said. Used 55-gallon juice drums make excellent affordable containers, Muenzmay advised. A single drum at under $50 makes two large containers. “Drill three holes in the bottom and use potting soil and a half-and-half mixture of cow manure and degraded compost. It will take about two wheelbarrows full,” he said. “Use a manure tea only when first planting and never on the plants.” Muenzmay said the containers eliminate problems with rabbits, and deer seldom bother them. In addition, there’s no bending over to tend the plants. Containers also are great for herbs, he said, as some – such as mint and chives – tend to spread quickly and take over the garden if growth is not restricted. Tucker said she has had particular success with basil and chives in containers. “And I have had the same oregano in one container for eight years,” she said. She also had success with strawberries – she thinks. “It was nice because they hung over the edge of the container and were not laying in the soil, but I’m not really sure how well they produced because the dogs ate all of the strawberries!” she said. She also found that rosemary did not thrive well as a container plant. This year, she said, she might try blueberries, as the shallow root system is reputed to adapt easily to the container, and blueberries require specialized soil levels that are easier to maintain in containers. Containers also offer new gardeners a low-cost introduction to raising their own food. Containers eliminate the expensive and time consuming task of tilling the soil, and few garden tools are needed for plants in containers. And if the blue plastic juice drum clashes with the patio furniture, local garden shops and hardware stores usually have an assortment of containers to match every décor.
container planters.
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The PATH to Alexander City’s Community Garden STORY BY MIA OSBORN PHOTOS BY MIA OSBORN & STEPHAN TOMLIN
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he PATH program might be best known for organizing community wide Trash Walks. But the program, which is now going into its third year, cares deeply for the health of the people in the greater Lake Martin area as well as the environment. PATH has united schools, churches, businesses, and civic organizations in pursuit of their goal: to make the Lake Martin area the healthiest and most prosperous in Alabama within this decade. The PATH program was created by the nonprofit Council for Prosperity through Health (CP-H). Developed in 2013, CP-H started as a collaboration between several health-minded local business people, including Dan Replogle and local chiropractor Dr. Don Durbin. “A few of us came together and looked at statistics for this area. Health for an average Alabamian doesn’t look good compared to the national average,” Replogle said. CP-H started hosting monthly community meetings to raise awareness about local health issues and gauge areas of interest. From the information gained at these meetings, the PATH program was formed. PATH stands for Prosperity Again Thru Health. According to Replogle, the “prosperity” in the name refers not to money, but to the increased quality of life that comes with better health. The “again” indicates the community’s 26 Lake Martin Living
bouncing back from the loss of Russell Athletics. PATH’s goal is to help the area not only recover from the challenges of the past, but to excel. PATH has their work cut out for them. Alabama regularly ranks among the highest states in the nation in terms of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Tallapoosa county lags behind other state counties in some aspects of health. In the 2015 issue of an annual study done by the nonprofit group Voices for Alabama’s Children, Tallapoosa was rated 56 out of Alabama’s 67 counties for overall child well being based on childhood health, education, safety, and poverty rates. Despite these grim statistics, Replogle and other CP-H board members are hopeful that they can achieve big change by starting with the smallest members of the Nature Studies Children paint on community. the grass at a PATH “Children are a priority for us,” garden work day. Replogle explained. This year, PATH will focus most of its energy on fighting childhood obesity. One of the first child-centered programs PATH introduced was the community garden behind First United Methodist Church in Alexander City. For the last two years, the garden has hosted work days that introduced children to the concepts of gardening as well as to some visiting farm animals.
Green Pastures PATH rates those events as a success, Above Left: The but has had trouble getting work day sign from last guests to regularly contribute time to year's garden; the garden throughout the growing Above Right: Ashley Hoppers season. begins work on To help brainstorm ideas for the 2016 garden. increasing participation in the community garden, PATH teamed up with horticulturalist Ashley Hoppers, a graduate student at Auburn University. Hoppers wants to narrow the gap between kids and their food. Her favorite question to ask kids about fruits and vegetables is, ‘Where does this come from?’ Whether she is pointing out grapes, squash, or any other produce, the answer is always the same. “They say, ‘it comes from a tree!’” said Hoppers. It’s funny, but she also finds the reliable response sad. “We should be more connected to our food than that,” said Hoppers. “It shows how far we have pulled away from farming and from the earth in general.” Hoppers believes it’s important to get parents more involved in the process of gardening, as well as encouraging local families to take advantage of the free produce the garden provides. “If parents don’t think it’s important for their children to be healthy, they’re not going to be healthy,” said Replogle. Garden work days for 2016 began on April 9, with
another on Earth Day, April 22. In addition to the community garden, PATH is involved in other programs meant to teach children where their food comes from, including supporting the MainStreet Farmer’s Market and organizing the Farm-to-Plate Cook Off at the annual Sun Festival. PATH also has several programs meant for those at the other end of the lifespan. These are grouped together under the PATH FINDERS initiative, which helps individuals with dementia and their families to combat and understand the disease. PATH FINDERS kicked off last fall by participating in the 2015 Auburn Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Auburn University. A charity poker walk in downtown Alexander City soon followed. In 2016, PATH FINDERS is focused on gathering iPod Shuffles for donation to the residents of Adams Nursing Home as part of the Music and Memory program, a nationwide nonprofit devoted to exposing dementia patients to music. The CP-H board was inspired to get involved with Music and Memory after viewing Alive Inside, a documentary about the effect music has on the brains of elderly patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “Music memories are some of the last memories dementia patients lose. There are amazing examples of what happens when you expose them to music they enjoyed through their lives,” said Replogle. Growing research suggests that hearing familiar music Lake Martin Living 27
brings back memories that patients have lost access to and enables them to communicate more clearly with the outside world. In early March, PATH FINDERS members joined staff from Adams Nursing Home for a threeday Music and Memory training course. The lessons were live streamed from Music and Memory Executive Director Dan Cohen. The next step is to get the equipment necessary to share music with the residents of Adams. PATH FINDERS is currently accepting donations of iPod Shuffles for the Music and Memory program. Devices may be dropped off at the Alexander City Board of Education during normal business hours. “We’re also trying to get youth groups to volunteer to download the music,” said PATH FINDERS event planner Ella MacFiggen. PATH supports the Staying Put movement, a concept designed to keep seniors living independently for as long
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as possible by centralizing different senior services such as sitters, food delivery and transportation into one place. In addition to organizing Music and Memory, MacFiggen is compiling a directory of these services. The number of community health initiatives in which PATH is involved keeps growing, but the program needs a lot of different branches if it is going to make the area the healthiest in the state. Growing Together Volunteers at a previous “We’ve got a long way to work day. Work on the 2016 go, ” Replogle admits. garden began in early April. Given the dedication of the CP-H team, it’s not hard to imagine them succeeding. For more information on different PATH programs, visit www.pathlakemartin.com/ or contact Ella MacFiggen at ellafish62@gmail.com.
Write your way to a
GreenerGarden I
STORY BY BETSY ILER
t’s time to order those seed packets and roots you’ve been dreaming of all winter as you poured over the seed catalogs; time to think about where and how to plant them. Be sure to rotate your crop. You know, don’t plant those peas in the same bed where you put them last year. You do remember where you planted them last year, right? And you remember when you planted them and when they started to bear? Along with how much water they needed? You even remember that you decided to change the fertilizer this year. But what was it you were going to change – the amount or the frequency? Come to think of it, how much fertilizer did you use last year? You mean you didn’t write it down? Of course, you thought of doing that, but you were sure you would remember. After all, you were so excited to be planting them last April – or was it May? Hmm. You know, record keeping could be one of the most important parts of your gardening process this year, and next, and the year after that, said Tallapoosa County Master Gardeners President Ann Reigner, who has kept records of her garden for more than 30 years. Reigner said she refers to her garden records every season. “I check to see when I planted things last year and when it came up; if it did well,” Reigner said. “I also keep a plan of where I had things. I have diagrams of my garden from 30 years ago. It’s like a diary.” Reigner’s records include daily rainfall amounts and temperatures, as well as soil test results and notes on tasks that need to be addressed year round. She said her records help her with community service projects, such as the annual Christmas bazaar at her church where she has sold potted plants and bulbs, with the proceeds going to benefit community outreach. Reigner said she keeps her gardening records in a large folder. Other gardeners use store-bought calendars for their notes. Local gardener and photographer Lauren Graves developed her own gardening journal system when she couldn’t
find what she wanted on the market. Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s garden journal, Graves’ book includes notes from her grandmother’s garden journal as well. The book is available on her website at www.cabintiger.com. “I wanted a perpetual calendar, to be able to see at a glance what had happened years before,” Graves said. “We think we’ll remember these things, but we just don’t,” she explained. “We don’t remember when it rained last. Plants need 1 inch of water a week. You need to write down how much it rained, so you know if they are getting enough water. If you wait for your plants to tell you they need water, they are already in distress. Write it down, so you know when to water.” Graves also records first and last frost, planting dates, bloom dates, reminders of when to start or complete certain gardening tasks and gifts of plants, seeds or other gardeningrelated items from others. “A lot of people love taking pictures in their gardens. I tell them to include the pictures in their journals. Document with pictures what is happening in the garden at different times,” she said. “I started to see how everything works together when I began to keep records,” she added. “I started writing down when the first blooms appeared and when I saw the first hummingbird scouts each year. Certain birds migrate through here when certain seeds are dropping. And year after year, it’s almost to the date, and you can anticipate when things need to be done.” And record keeping is important at every level of gardening. Moe Corley has kept a project scrapbook for the local Master Gardeners for 10 years, recording service projects in the county, as well as membership and meeting information to which members and officers can refer at a glance. The scrapbook helps the organization document the progress and effectiveness of large projects, such as the Tallapoosa County Courthouse bed maintenance, as well as plan future projects. “One thing I learned from researching Thomas Jefferson’s garden journal is that our ancestors wrote these things down,” Graves said. “So should we.” Lake Martin Living 29
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Healing With Man’s Best Friend Canine therapy program brings joy to Bill Nichols State Veterans Home STORY BY MIA OSBORN & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
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or most people, cuddling up to a friendly dog is one of the fastest ways to relax. Experts have harnessed the soothing effect of interacting with animals through Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). The Bill Nichols State Veteran's Home in Alexander City is one of many institutions across the country benefitting from recent interest in AAT. For Mary Spencer and her Great Dane, Stella, working with the Bill Nichols AAT program has also been of personal benefit. AAT, also called pet therapy, brings specially trained animals into hospitals and assisted living facilities to improve the quality of life for those in long-term care situations. The use of animal companions to soothe the infirm or elderly is not new. There is record of animal interactions being used to treat the handicapped in Gheel, Belgium, in the 800s. Several studies have recorded the positive effect of AAT on residents of different institutions, such as nursing homes, hospitals and mental health facilities. These studies have explored the use of cats, horses and even dolphins as therapy animals, but not surprisingly, the most common AAT choice is man's best friend. The Bill Nichols AAT program was created with support from the American Red Cross. Hunter Smart, a program specialist with the Red Cross’ Alexander City office, said many are surprised to hear that his work has anything to do Canine Caretaker with animal Mary Spencer with Stella at Bill therapy. Nichols State Veterans Home.
“Most people, when they think about the Red Cross, immediately think of two things: disasters and blood donations,” explained Smart. Smart works for the Red Cross’ Service to Armed Forces division (SAF). Smart coordinates emergency notifications for every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, reaching out to soldiers overseas to bring them home in cases of family emergency. The SAF also provides services to those who have already served their country, in the form of bringing entertainment and healing to local veterans. “We created a pet therapy program to bring therapeutic services to our local veteran community,” Smart explained. “Our focus is on institutions like VA hospitals and veteran’s homes.” Smart feels close to the program because he is a veteran himself. He first came to Bill Nichols with a desire to help in any way he could. “Hunter came to us and said, ‘What can the American Red Cross do for you?’” Recalls Shonda Young, activity director at Bill Nichols. “Pet therapy was the number one thing the guys requested. So for about a year and a half now, that’s what they’ve done.” Smart manages a team of 11 volunteers and their canine companions across 35 counties. Most of the volunteers are located in South Alabama. One intrepid volunteer, Mary Stone, drove up to Bill Nichols from South Alabama with her dog once a month, but the Alexander City area was in need of a local pet therapy Lake Martin Living 33
volunteer. That's where Mary Spencer came in. An animal lover and long time resident of the area, Spencer was looking for a way to give back to the community while she recovered from double knee replacement surgery. She met Hunter Smart when she began volunteering at Bill Nichols during their monthly birthday party program. Like Smart, Spencer was eager to use all her resources to help the veterans. When the need for AAT volunteers came up, she knew she had found the right job. Spencer has always been a dog lover. She and her husband, Mark, have turned their farm near Kellyton into a haven for rescues. The Spencer farm is home to nine dogs, who range in size from a chihuahua up to Stella, the 4-year-old Great Dane who accompanies Mary Spencer to their twice monthly AAT visits. “We have all shapes and sizes,” Spencer laughed. Stella is one of only two Spencer dogs who was not rescued. She was a gift from the Spencers to their daughter, Sarah. Stella was just 6 weeks old when she came to live with the Spencers. As she grew, she proved to have enough love to share with the entire family, and beyond. “Stella loves people,” Spencer said. “When people come to our house, I think she thinks they’re coming to see her.” Spencer and Stella had explored pet therapy work once before, at USAmeriBank in Alexander City where Spencer’s husband, Mark, is senior vice president. Spencer enjoyed the experience, but she has found working with veterans to be even more rewarding. Stella, for her part, seems to view every veteran as a new friend. But she is always gentle, keeping close by Spencer without a single bark or jump. Stella is still in service dog training, but Spencer said her pet has always had the right personality for the job. “She’s big, but really docile. If she was Canine Caretaker
Bill Nichols residents Danny Tiner and Ray Coker visit with Mary and Stella.
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bouncy, it wouldn’t work,” said Spencer. The pair begins their rounds in the common areas of Bill Nichols. Then, they journey down the hallways of each of the four floors to visit individual rooms. Some veterans remember the pair and wave them over, eager to pet Stella and visit with her owner. Others leave their beds and armchairs and come to the doors of their rooms just to get a glimpse of the dog. Young said an AAT visit can give residents a fun social interaction in the moment, but the benefits of the therapy can still be felt after Stella leaves. “It has a calming effect,” she said. “It’s especially good for those with animals at home they don’t get to see anymore.” According to Smart, the best part of pet therapy is seeing veterans open up in the presence of an animal. “A lot of these vets won’t talk to strangers. They may 36 Lake Martin Living
not even talk to family members. But when they see that dog come in, they light up,” Smart said. It’s true that Stella gets people talking. Everyone wants to know about their new canine counselor, including how old she is, what she eats and how much she weighs (174 pounds). Several veterans share stories of dogs they used to own. Even residents who can’t or don’t wish to speak reach out to touch Stella’s fur. Smart and Spencer both hope to expand the Sharing Smiles pet therapy program, adding Pet therapy was more volunteers to let veterans requested by the resident veterans at Bill know that they have not been Nichols. Stephen Sellers forgotten. (Top) and Robert “It’s important to take time Higginbotham look to listen to their stories, to forward to Stella's visits. remind them they’re still loved and cared about,” said Smart.
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Lake Martin Living 37
How can I repair my credit?
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MONEY MATTERS
here is nothing any credit repair clinic can legally do for you that you cannot do for yourself for free – including removing inaccurate information. Credit repair fees can be substantial, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. A federal law called the Credit Repair Organization Act prohibits credit repair clinics from taking consumer’s money until they fully complete the services they Karen Jennings promise. These firms are required to provide consumers a written contract detailing the services they offer and terms and conditions of payment. One of the most common questions asked in credit repair is, “How long will an item stay on my credit report?” The Fair Credit Report Act (FCRA) governs how the credit reporting agencies manage your information. In the FCRA, there are limitations on how long items can legally be reported. The following data is a breakdown of the time limits by account type:
n Late payments Although some credit reports only show a 24-month payment history, late payments remain on your credit file for seven years from the last late payment date. n Collections and charge off accounts Credit accounts become collections or charge offs after they have gone 180 days or six payments past due. That 180th day of delinquency is called the last date of delinquency. The time limit in the FCRA requires these accounts to be removed seven years after the last date of delinquency. No other date on the credit report supersedes this. n Bankruptcies The FCRA allows for bankruptcies to remain on your credit report for up to 10 years. Typically Chapter 7 38 Lake Martin Living
bankruptcies are removed 10 years from the file date. Chapter 13 bankruptcies are typically removed after seven years from the file date. n Tax Liens Tax liens are like murder cases. Much like the way you can be tried at any time for murder, there is no statute of limitations on how long a tax lien may report on your credit as long as it remains unpaid. Once you have paid Kay Thomas it, a seven-year Statute of Limitations (SOL) is then applied to that account based on the released date. Make sure you file the release with your courthouse so that your seven-year timer can start. If you have an IRS lien of less than $25,000 that has been paid, you can use IRS Form 12277 to have it removed within 90 days. n Judgments Judgments show up in the public records section of a report because they were approved as a valid debt by either an executed court case or by default because the consumer never showed up for the court date. These accounts can be tricky because, although they have a SOL of seven years, the judgment holder may revive them at any time, as long as they follow the proper guidelines for doing so. The potential for them to remain indefinitely until paid is very real. When trying to fix your credit, be clear and concise in your disputes with all bureaus and get your documentation in order. You can mail a letter disputing each error with each reporting bureau, or you can submit it online at each of the credit reporting agencies’ respective websites. ~ Contact Karen Jennings and Kay Thomas at Thomas Mortgage, 124 Calhoun Street, Alexander City, AL 35010, 256-329-0003.
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123 Wind Crest, Alexander City • $1,150,000 Classic finishes make this bright and airy Windermere home with 5 BR and 4.5 BA a must see. Double boat house with winching system and ramp. This property has a beautiful stone outdoor wood burning fireplace with beautiful water views, screened porch and outdoor kitchen for all of your entertainment needs. Deep water dock with lift and jet ski ports. Lake Martin Realty Michelle Brooks 256.749.1031 www.LakeMartinRealty.com
104 Wind Trace, Alexander City • $998,000 A wonderful lake retreat in Windermere West on Lake Martin! This 4 BR, 3.5 BA waterfront home is immaculate & ready for move in. The rooms are large & flowing with high ceilings & quality finishes. A large study offers even more living options. Breathtaking water views can be seen from the 2,000+ square feet of decks & porches. Private boat ramp, DEEP water, and high property values. A good one! Lake Martin Realty Mimi Rush 334.399.7874 www.LakeMartinRealty.com
The Ridge, Double Rock Spring 2016 move-in ready from Derryl Thomas! This Mitch Ginn design boasts four bedrooms and four baths on two levels. Owner’s suite and guest suite on main level with kitchen-dining-living. Second family room, wet bar and two bedrooms on lake level with 277 ft. of waterfront. Russell Lands On Lake Martin Emily or Rhonda 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com
South Ridge Harbor, Stone Manor Newcastle Construction prepares the homesite for new South Ridge Harbor Gem! Architect David Smelcer has artfully blended natural stone and wood to create an eye-catching design offering vaulted ceiling and open floor plan with 2 master suites on main level. 3 additional guest rooms on terrace level, 2 family rooms, lake prep room, and more! Russell Lands On Lake Martin Rhonda or Emily 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com
232 Wind Mist, Alexander City • $995,000 459 North Ridge, Alexander City • $949,000 This is truly a remarkable home with many Come see the Kaldrovics home! It's intimate and inviting luxuries! Fantastic view on a point, year with a classic clean look. This home is much more than round water,330 ft of shoreline, 1800 sq ft of bedrooms and baths--generous space without losing that decks, and easy short steps to the lake!! Call quaint cozy atmosphere. Wake up each morning to coffee today to see this home! on the porch and drift to sleep each night with the tranquil Lake Martin Realty sounds of nature. Exquisite landscaping; handsome decor--Hugh Neighbors 256.750.5071 simply perfect in every way. Call today to see this home! www.LakeMartinRealty.com Lake Martin Realty India Davis 256.749.7592 www.LakeMartinRealty.com
205 Woodside Drive, Jackson’s Gap • $349,000 100 Harbor Place – Unit 207, Dadeville • $230,000 36 Pine Ridge Drive, Alexander City• $559,000 1880 Squaw Ridge, Eclectic • $450,000 This furnished, beautifully-updated, condo has a fantastic view of Awesome lake cabin in a most desirable Great cabin located in the Little Kowaliga Creek area of Lake Martin, sometimes it's all about the lake house and location. Very large and private wooded lot. Lake Martin! Enjoy the lake from this 4 bedroom, 2 bath here it is. This Sandy Creek area, move-in ready property Lake Martin & features 2BR, 2.5BA, granite countertops, stainless Vaulted ceilings, rock fireplace, wrap around cabin with an open kitchen, eating and family room. The features a vaulted ceiling and fireplace, open concept with appliances, a large deck lakeside, & outdoor water toy storage. There is 4 bedrooms/3 baths & lower level additional den. This also a DEEP WATER boat slip that can be purchased for an additional deck, 2 car garage, beautiful wood floors, extra- lakeside windows feature the lake, the view, the flat yard home has a screened porch as well as lakeside decks & $20,000. With easy access to the Marina & conveniently located near large den downstairs, screen porch. Ready for between the cabin and Lake Martin. The lot has 110+/gorgeous landscaping. A concrete golf cart path is a great the Lake's most popular eateries! The exterior of this complex is your summer enjoyment! feet of waterfront, seawall, pier with covered area, and almost fully complete in its renovation. Call me to see it today! Lake Martin Realty great swimming. Plan to visit soon before this one is sold! way to take all your supplies to your private boat dock. Lake Martin Realty Lake Martin Realty Jan Hall 256.329.6313 Lake Martin Realty Judy Voss 256.794.0779 Haley McKelvey 256.749.8353 www.LakeMartinRealty.com Becky Haynie 334.312.0928 www.LakeMartinRealty.com www.LakeMartinRealty.com www.LakeMartinRealty.com
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An eventful spring at Russell Medical Center
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Medical News
of 460 babies each year. We are proud to receive this his month, Medical Park Family Care recognition acknowledging our commitment to welcomes a new addition to the Lake exceptional obstetrics care as we deliver the future Martin family. Dr. Jamie Evans and family leaders of tomorrow, today! have recently relocated to Dadeville, where she has At Russell Medical Center, we strive to joined the Russell Medical Center staff as a full-time accommodate our patients with easy registration physician at Medical Park Family Care. and minimal wait times. Our new Pre-Access Center Dr. Evans hales from Oklahoma, where she served prepares customers for pending outpatient services as Clinic Medical Director for Cherokee Nation by completing the registration process over the Three Rivers Health Center in Muskogee. She phone several days before a scheduled procedure. obtained her medical degree from The University This allows patients to bypass the registration area of of Oklahoma College of Medicine. She completed the hospital and go straight to the service/procedure an internship in internal medicine and a residency Susan Foy area. This seamless process was implemented for all in family medicine at OU Family Medicine and scheduled outpatient visits starting April 4. To learn Preventative Health. Dr. Evans is certified by the more about the Pre-Access Center, please contact American Board of Family Physicians and is a Program Director Vickie Lux at 256-329-7109. member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She On Saturday, April 23, the UAB Medicine and the Cancer joins Tara Jones, CRNP, at the busy primary care practice located Center at RMC will host a Lake Martin day of bicycle riding as on Highway 49 in Dadeville. part of the Cycliad Tour. Cycliad is a UAB Health System Cancer Dr. Evans and husband, Lee, recently moved to a sprawling Community Network cycling event covering over 1,000 miles farm in Dadeville where they breed and train American Kennel across four states over four weekends in April. UAB Medicine Club certified Hunting Labrador Retrievers. Lee is an outdoor and the Cancer Center at RMC will welcome riders into the enthusiast who enjoys hunting, training the dogs and fishing in Alexander City campus from three riding distances including the ponds on the Evans’ new property. The Evans say they are Time Capsule Park and the former Ourtown Grocery location. looking forward to the charm of small town living in the South. It’s not too late to sign up and join the fun. Contact Jessica Dr. Evans says the timing was perfect for her family’s Sanford at 256-32-7145 for further information. relocation to Alabama. The theme for this year’s Relay for Life will be “Lights. “I’m looking forward to practicing medicine in a smaller Camera. Cure.” UAB Medicine – Cancer Center at RMC invites community, and fitting in with the townspeople,” she states. local cancer survivor and guest pairs to walk the red carpet and “Everyone has been incredibly helpful, friendly and welcoming. enjoy a glamorous evening celebrating survival with a cinemaWe look forward to getting involved with church and civic themed celebration and dinner on Tuesday, May 3, beginning organizations and meeting our new neighbors.” at 5:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Alabama Department Dr. Evans believes family medicine is her calling. of Transportation on Highway 280 in Kellyton. Just visiting “I enjoy following patients from adolescence through the department’s magnificent regional office is a treat in itself! adulthood. My focus is on prevention and wellness, not just Guests will be feted with hors d’oeuvres and complimentary chronic disease management. I want to establish a cohesive relationship with my patients and help ensure continuity of care.” photos on the red carpet before enjoying a seated dinner and an Old Hollywood cinema program. This is a free event for cancer Dr. Evans encourages appointments, but walk-ins are welcome. For appointments, please contact Medical Park Family survivors with one guest each, but reservations must be made by Wednesday, April 27. Reserve your seat by calling community Care at 256-825-9900. relations at 256-329-7145, or email jsanford@russellmedcenter. Kudos to Russell Medical Center for being one of the first hospitals designated a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity com. Care. This new designation was created by the Blue Distinction Last but certainly not least, don’t miss Relay for Life on Friday, Specialty Care program, which recognizes healthcare facilities May 6 at the Alexander City Sportplex. Opening ceremonies for that demonstrate expertise in delivering quality specialty care cancer survivors begin at 6 p.m. This event is sure to be a funsafely, effectively and cost efficiently. Only those facilities that filled evening for the whole family. For more information on first meet nationally established, objective quality measures for Relay for Life, please contact Event Chairperson Melinda Gilbert Blue Distinction Centers are considered for this designation. at 256-750-1370. Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the nation have recognized more than 280 hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers ~ Susan Foy is Marketing Director at Russell Medical Center. for Maternity Care. Russell Medical Center delivers an average Lake Martin Living 41
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Watermelon Wine Reception February 24, 2016 United Way Building, Alexander City 1. Tia Birmingham, Lauren Hanna and Lauren Watts 2. Tam Day and Linda Bodine 3. Dennis Nordlund 4. Karen Jennings, Ellen Martin and Sue Tate 5. Larry Jennings 6. Frye Gaillard and Anne E. DeChant
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7th Annual Russell Forest Run February 27, 2016 Russell Crossroads 1. Leah Hobart, Mary Lyman Boone and Dorothy Dixon 2. Danny Kibler, Bill Hamrick and Ben ParĂŠ 3. Allison Jaye and Feyard, Fariah and Feraz Kahn 4. Hugh and Sharon Thompson 5. William, Will and Winston Sheffield
Lake Martin Living 43
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Wellborn Mopar Show March 5, 2016 Wellborn Musclecar Museum, Alexander City 1. Melody Bergstresser, Nancy Hutcheson and Susan Kimbrell 2. Lance Gardner 3. Joan Long and Chuck Schosser 4. Cliff and Larry Daugherty 5. Walter and Pat Buck
44 Lake Martin Living
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United Way Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting March 10, 2016 7
USAmeribank, Alexander City 1. Cathy Kim 2. Debra Lamberth and Bill Hough 3. Heather Glenn 4. Bridgett Harrell and Sharrona Hayes 5. Michelle West and Scott Blake 6. Fred and Barbara Muenzmay 7. Whitney Hester and Stephanie Weldon
Lake Martin Living 45
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The Wizard of Oz March 18, 2016 Dadeville High School 1. Hollie Nelson and Hannah, Abigail and Amy Packer 2. Madolyn Daniel and Cole Patterson 3. Ryan and Ashley Gresko 4. Brittany Claybrook and Siriya Hart 5. Michael Askew and Luke Walker 6. Olivia and Talitha Smith and Laura Daniel 46 Lake Martin Living
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202nd Horseshoe Bend Anniversary March 19, 2016 Horseshoe Bend National Military Park 1. Autumn Angel, Elizabeth Ramos, Britney Schiveley and Candice Mane 2. Rose Ray, Amy Lashley and Michael Stenson 3. Jack Crawford and Angie Powell 4. Katlin Simpson and Payton Glaze 5. Tammy Spraggins, Brentley Robinson, Cody Thaggard and Walker Spraggins 6. Jim Landers and Jaqualla Cunningham 7. Waylon Burnett, Brooke Roberson and Shanna Bolan
Lake Martin Living 47
THE LAKE REGION
Calendar FEATURED EVENT
Every Picture Tells a Story
A
The Storytelling of Norman Rockwell
ctress and storyteller Dolores Hydock will present Every Picture Tells a Story: The Storytelling of Norman Rockwell on Tuesday, May 10, at 1:30 p.m. at Red Ridge United Methodist Church in Dadeville. This program is sponsored by the Alabama Humanities Foundation and Friends of the Dadeville Public Library. Hydock is a member of the Alabama Humanities Foundation’s Road Scholars Speakers Bureau. Originally from Birmingham, Hydock has delighted many with her skill in bringing to life a wide range of characters from history and literature. In Every Picture Tells A Story, she shares a behind-the-scenes look at how famed artist Norman 48 Lake Martin Living
Rockwell created A Thousand Words Rockwell's The Land of some of his bestEnchantment shows the vivid style loved covers for The that made him a household name. Saturday Evening Post. Rockwell is one of the most iconic painters of the 20th century. He used his artwork to tell stories through a single image. Hydock explores the inspirations behind his famous works with her engaging brand of storytelling. This event is free. Red Ridge Church is located at 8091 County Road 34, south of Dadeville. Call 256-825-7820 for more information.
LAKE REGION EVENTS April 17
Tallapoosa Historical Society
The historical society will hold their spring meeting at 2 p.m. at the Veranda Assisted Living Facility in Dadeville. Dr. Terance Winemiller of Auburn University at Montgomery will give a presentation on the old federal road. Admission is free for all and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Joan Samson at 256-825-7398.
April 21
Wine Tasting
Bridget Green from united-Johnson Brothers will share some exciting summer whites at Emporium Wine, 128 Calhoun St., Alexander City. There is no charge for tastings, which now are scheduled for the third Thursday of every month.
April 21
Verses of Pain and Love
Local author Runas C. Powers III will sign copies of and read from his most recent book at 2 p.m. at Adelia M. Russell Library in Alexander City. For information, call 256-329-6796.
April 22-24
Russell Marine In-Water Boat Show
Join the fun at the Southeast’s largest in-land, in-water boat show at the Ridge Marina on beautiful Lake Martin. With more than 100 boats on display, you can take a demo ride in the new 2016 models from 10 a.m. To 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Live music, fun, demos and prizes. For more information, visit www.RussellMarine.net, find Russell Marine on Facebook and Instagram or call 256-794-1397.
April 23
Renew Our Rivers Cleanup
The Lake Jordan HOBO Association invites everyone to the 26th annual Renew Our Rivers Cleanup. Volunteers will meet at Bonner’s Point at 8 a.m. Bags and gloves are provided. A picnic lunch will be served at noon. All participants will receive a Renew Our Rivers T-shirt from the Alabama Power Company. For more information, contact Barbara Dreyer at 334-567-7551.
April 22
PATH Garden Teaching Day
Join Prosperity Again Thru Health and the 4th graders from Stephens Elementary as we prepare Alexander City’s community garden for spring. The work day will begin at 1 p.m. at the community garden on Green Street behind First United Methodist Church. Anyone can attend and help. Volunteers should bring their own gloves and trowels. For information, contact Ella MacFiggen at ellafish62@gmail.com.
April 23
StillWaters 2016 Tour of Homes
Tickets are now on sale for the Tallapoosa County Museum and Historical Society Tour of Homes, which will feature several private residences at StillWaters on Lake Martin from 10 a.m.
until 3 p.m. Advance tickets are available for $15 at The Beauty Shop, Pearson’s Place, Mix It Up and the Plantation House in Dadeville; tickets are $20 on tour day. The tour begins at the Magnolia Room in the StillWaters Golfcourse Clubhouse, where ticket holders will pick up a map and directions to each home and will receive wrist bands that must be worn to gain entry. For details, contact Marsha Hartness at 256-675-0221. All proceeds will support the museum located on North Broadnax Street in the historical downtown area of Dadeville.
April 24
Shinyribs and Cook Out with Rob McDaniel
Shinyribs comes to the Outdoor Stage of Standard Deluxe in Waverly. SpringHouse Chef Rob McDaniel will host a cookout at the Standard Deluxe Feed Shak. Show starts at 5 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit www.standarddeluxe.com/ live-music.
April 29
Health & Wellness Fair
StillWaters Moonbrook Park will host a health and wellness fair from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. Physicians and nurses will be on site to administer a number of basic health tests, such as blood pressure and cholesterol checks and A1C finger sticks. The Life Saver helicopter will be landing on site. Moonbrook Park is located at 2129 Moonbrook Drive in Dadeville. The fair is brought to you by Lake Martin Community Hospital and Ivy Creek Healthcare. Call 334618-4616 for information.
April 30
Drug Take Back Event
Local law enforcement agencies will again be on site at Walgreens Pharmacy in Alex City from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to help people return their old, unwanted or expired over-thecounter and prescription medications. There is no charge and no questions will be asked.
May 7
Derby Day at The Stables
Ladies, bring out your hats, and guys, dig out your seersucker for Derby Day at the Stables, an annual fundraiser for Children’s Harbor. Cheer on your favorite horses during the “Run For The Roses” and enjoy some great music and refreshments. For details, visit www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com/events and look Russell Crossroads and The Stables at Crossroads on Facebook or call 256-397-1019.
May 13-14
Kiwanis Clay Shoot
Join the Alexander City Kiwanis Club at Five Star Plantation for the annual clay shoot competition and fundraiser. Shooters will compete in teams of five. Sign-up for a full team is $800; a half team (which guarantees two shooters) is $400. Individuals can sign up for $160 each. All proceeds support Alexander City Lake Martin Living 49
schools. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. on May 13 with a light dinner and Calcutta auction. Saturday shoots will begin around 7 a.m., depending on number of teams. Breakfast and lunch will be available. For more information, contact Matt Haines at 256794-3074.
May 16
Summer Reading Sign-Up
Parents and kids are welcome to Mamie’s Place Children’s Library in Alexander City to sign up for the summer reading program. Enjoy snacks, enter to win door prizes, and pick up your events calendar. Winners of this year’s bookmark design contest will hand out autographed copies of their creations. This summer’s theme is “On your mark...get set...read!” The six-week program will kick off on June 6. Sign up any time before then at Mamie's Place. Call 256-234-4644 for more information.
May 21
Blessing of the Fleet
StillWaters Yacht Club will hold the annual boat blessing at 10:30 a.m. in front of Harbor Point Marina. Pastor Bill Brown of Dadeville United Methodist Church will officiate. The yacht club suggests a $5 donation to the church. Blessing of the Fleet has taken place around the world for centuries to ask for safe passage on the water and good harvests for fishermen. For information, call A.B. Campbell at 256-825-4387.
May 21
Paddle for a Purpose
The annual Paddle for a Purpose launches from Children’s Harbor at 9 a.m. with 1-mile, 3-mile and 6-mile race options to raise money for the camp that serves terminally ill children and their families. Entry fee for the 1-mile race is $35; entry for the 3-mile and 6-mile races is $45. Call Sharon Johnston at 334-7990529 for details.
May 21
Union VFD Spring Festival
The Union Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (UVFR) will host its 34th annual Spring Festival at 5171 Highway 50, Dadeville. The festival will feature art and craft booths, live music, children’s activities, food, a military police dog demo, pet adoption booth, a cash raffle with thousands in prizes given away and more. For more information, call Kurt Pfitzner at 334233-9852 or email kppfitzner@gmail.com.
Season-Long Events Library Storytimes
Storytime for children ages 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Mamie’s Place Children’s Library in Alexander City holds themed storytime every Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Movie Days at Mamie’s Place
Watch a kid-friendly movie at Mamie’s Place Children’s Library in Alexander City on the first Tuesday of each month. The show starts at 10 a.m. 50 Lake Martin Living
Electronics Recycling
The City of Alexander City Public Works Department hosts an electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in conjunction with the Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership. Get rid of old and outdated electronics. Items accepted include desktop or laptop computers, computer mouse, keyboards, modems or routers, CDs and DVDs, power supplies, PC mix systems, home or cell phones, printers or copiers, mainframe servers, TVs, audio/video adapters, laptop chargers, cable boxes and nickel cadmium or lithium ion batteries. There is a $10 fee per television. For more information, call Sabrina Wood at 334-429-8832 or Amanda Thomas at 256-409-2020.
Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store
Located on Highway 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats. Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children's Hospital. Call 334-857-2008 for more information.
Memory Makers Quilt Guild
Meets the second and fourth Mondays at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Jr. Sportplex campus. Participants come and go between 1 and 8 p.m. with a business meeting at 5 p.m., followed by show-and-tell. Bring sewing projects, machines and questions.
Antique Car Cruise-in
On the first Saturday of each month, car enthusiasts cruise into Arby’s parking lot on Highway 280 in Alexander City from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Join the fun and enjoy an era of classic cars and classic music.
Charity Bingo
Play charity bingo at Jake’s Restaurant at 16 Broad St., Alexander City, at 6 p.m. every Thursday night. Cards are $1 and proceeds benefit local charities.
Amateur Radio Club
The Lake Martin Area Amateur Radio Club meets the second Thursday of every month at the Alexander City Church of Christ with dinner and fellowship following at a local area restaurant. Contact Tim Mayfield at 256-329-1172 or John Philips at 256-212-4063.
Santuck Flea Market
The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month except January and February. The Santuck Flea Market is located at 7300 Central Plank Road, Highway 9 in Wetumpka.
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9
Goldville 280
Goodwater To Sylacauga
Legend
TALLAPOOSA COUNTY
63
New Site
Public Boat Ramps 22
280
Churches
21
Camps & Parks
Timbergut Landing
9
Power lines
18
280
17
U.S. Highways
Alexander City
County Roads
13
Horsesh Nation
Jaybird Landing
Flint Hill Church
22
Camp ASCCA
Alex City Boat Ramp
Rockford
3
49
128
22
COOSA COUNTY
Wind Creek 63 State Park
Piney Woods Landing
Jacksons Gap
Pleasant Grove Church
11
9
Mt. Zion Church Russell Farms Baptist Church Friendship Church New Hope Church
259
20
Seman
4 Camp Kiwanis
Church in The Pines Trillium
9 9
11
Church of the Living Waters
The Ridge
1 Children’s Harbor Ko
wa
The Amp
19
2
lig
8
22 Red Ridge United 49 Methodist Church
Stillwaters
Union Landing
aB
ay
Walnut Hill
24
80
Lake Martin10 Baptist Church
Camp Alamisco
Kowaliga Boat Landing 55
Pleasant Ridge Church
34
5 63 16 6
Equality
231
15
7
Smith Landing
Willow Point 24
Dadev
280
57
Liberty Church
20
Bethel Church
D.A.R.E. Park Landing
Union
90
50
Central
Red Hill
14
63
Union Church
Refuge Church 229
49
Eclectic Santuck Kent
Reeltown
120
14
231
14
23
ELMORE COUNTY Wetumpka
52 Lake Martin Living
14
Tallassee 229
MACO COUNT
Lake Martin Region
Daviston 22
Marinas 11. Kowaliga Marina 334-857-2111 255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 22. The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300 450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 33. River North Marina 256-397-1500 250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010
hoe Bend nal Park
42. Real Island Marina 334-857-2741 270 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026
Restaurants
CHAMBERS COUNTY
ville
ON TY
56. SpringHouse 256-215-7080 12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 66. Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070 17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 76. Homeplate Cafe 256-825-0583 191 East South St., Dadeville, AL 36853
50
Camp Hill
86. Harbor Docks Restaurant at Anchor Bay Marina 334-639-4723 2001 Castaway Island Rd, Eclectic, AL 36024
Business & Shopping 94 Lake Martin Mini Mall 334-857-3900 7995 Kowaliga Rd, Eclectic, AL 36024
280
Waverly
5. Lakeside Mercantile 10 334-850-6357 8246 County Rd. 34, Dadeville 36853
50
11 4. Patterson Air 256-825-8600 334-850-3500 8400 Kowaliga Road, Lake Martin
12
12 4. Hodges Vineyards and Winery 256-896-4036 230 Lee Road 71, Camp Hill, AL 36850
LEE COUNTY
4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 14 334-541-2132 1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 4. Russell Building Supply 15 256-825-4256 350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853 4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 16 256-794-1333 111 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 . Dark Insurance 17 256-234-5026 www.darkinsuranceagency.com 410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 18 . McDaniels Storage Center 256-234-4583 1040 Highway 280, Alex City, AL 35010 19 . Kowaliga Whole Health & Pet Care Resort 334-857-1816 8610 Kowaliga Road, Eclectic, AL 36024 20. Shipwerck Sam's Yogurt@Smith Mountain 256-444-8793 1590 Pine Point Road, Alex City, AL 35010
Hotels & Lodges 34. Cherokee Bend Bed & Breakfast 21 877-760-7854 5833 Hwy 22 E, Alex City, AL 35010
Churches 34. Red Ridge United Methodist Church 22 256-825-9820 8091 County Rd 34, Dadeville, AL 36853 34. Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 23 334-252-8618 2602 Gilmer Avenue, Tallassee, AL 36078 (12 miles South of Lake Martin)
Dock Builders 3. Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc 24 Marine Construction Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443 180 Birmingham Road, Eclectic, AL 36024
4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 13 256-234-2567 1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010
Loachapoka 14
Notasulga 85
If you would like to advertise your business on our Lake Martin Region Map, for as little as $25 call 256-234-4281.
81
Lake Martin Living 53
THIS IS COMMUNITY. THIS IS YOUR MUSEUM. THIS IS AUBURN.
JCSM.AUBURN.EDU 54 Lake Martin Living
BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY
Beautiful skin, Beautiful you • Spa Facials • Acne • Anti Aging/Chemical Peels • Full Body Waxing First time customers will receive a FREE eyebrow wax with your spa service.
256-212-0409 getcrystalclearskin.com Inside Durbin Chiropractic 1101 Cherokee Road Alex City, Al 35010
SEE ME FOR INSURANCE
Harold Cochran 256.234.2700 haroldcochran.b2cn@statefarm.com
To Advertise in the Business Directory section of Lake Martin Living please contact one of our Sales Representatives @ 256-234-4281 Lake Martin Living 55
DON'T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE OF LAKE MARTIN LIVING! Subscribe today or visit one of our local establishments each month for a free copy.
ALEXANDER CITY
Alex City Marine Aliant Bank American Inn Anytime Fitness Baymont Inn BB&T Big B Bar-B-Que Campus of CACC Carlisle's Carlos Mexican Grill Catherine’s Market Chamber Of Commerce Cherokee Quick stop Citgo Cloud Nine Collegiate Deli Comfort Inn Dark Insurance Darwin Dobbs Days Inn Discount Food Mart El Rancho Grande Emporium Wine Grace’s Flowers Hampton Inn Holley’s Home Furnishings Hometown Pharmacy Jackson Drugs Jake’s JR’s Sports Bar & Grill Koon’s Korner Koon’s Korner II Lake Martin Building Supply Lakewinds Golf Club Larry’s General Store
56 Lake Martin Living
Little Black Dress Longleaf Antiques Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Mistletoe Bough Bed & Breakfast Queen’s Attic Regions Bank Ridge - Clubhouse Ridge - Marina River North Marina Riverbend Store Russell Home Décor Russell Medical Center Russell Lands Russell Retail Store Satterfield, Inc Senior Nutrition~50+ Center Sho’ Nuff Restaurant Springhouse Restaurant T.C. Russell Airport Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc The Medicine Shoppe The Sure Shot Willow Point Country Club Wind Creek - entrance Wind Creek - store Winn Dixie 280 BP 280 Exxon
DADEVILLE
American Motorsports Aliant Bank Bay Pine Marina City Hall
Chamber of Commerce Chuck's Marina Dadeville Wellness Center Foodland Foshee Boat Dock Homeplate Restaurant Harbor Pointe Marina Lakay’s Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Community Hospital Lakeshore Discount Pharmacy Lakeside Marina Niffer's At The Lake Oskar's Cafe Payne Furniture Pearson’s Place Poplar Dawgs Public Library Pug's Place PNC Bank Russell Building Supply Shell Station Sigger’s Stillwaters Country Club Store 34
ECLECTIC
Children’s Harbor Cotton’s BBQ Eclectic Do-It Center Johnson’s Furniture Kowaliga Marina Lake Martin Dock Lake Martin Mini Mall Nail’s Convenience Store
Peoples Bank
EQUALITY
Equality Food Mart Real Island Marina Southern Star
KELLYTON
Five Star Plantation
RED HILL Citgo
TALLASSEE
Community Hospital Chamber of Commerce The Tallassee Tribune
WALNUT HILL
Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Grocery
WETUMPKA
The Wetumpka Herald A limited number of magazines are available at these locations. To be sure a copy is reserved for you, call David Kendrick at 256-234-4281 to start your subscription.
AD INDEX 1st Insurance.................................................................51
Got You Hooked...........................................................22
Millstone Nursery.......................................................... 7
A&M Plumbing............................................................... 7
Harold Cochran, State Farm Insurance......................55
Music Depot..................................................................55
Alabama Power............................................................11
Hillview Memorial Park...................................................12
Prime Management....................................................21
Alex City Taxi & Shuttle.............................................55
Holley's Home Furnishings.....................................39
River Bank & Trust........................................................21
Bob Alexander Landscaping..................................... 8
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art......................54
Russell Lands on Lake Martin.................................23
Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation.............................. 7
Karen Channell, State Farm Insurance...............................55
Russell Medical Center........................................40,56
C&C Wood Products...................................................56
Kelley’s Heating & Air.................................................55
Satterfield, Inc........................................................5, 19
Com-Link, Inc.................................................................. 8
Lagasse Construction Inc.........................................22
Southern Sash................................................................ 5
Crystal Clear Skin.........................................................55
Lake Martin Community Hospital........................... 3
Southern Swing...........................................................12
DAVCO Development................................................55
Lake Martin Dock..................................................17,55
Tallassee Community Hospital...............................57
Designs by Trish............................................................. 7
Lake Martin Mini Mall.................................................. 2
The Coffee Corner......................................................... 5
East Alabama Medical Center.................................12
Lake Martin Realty............................................... 30-31
Ware Jewelers...............................................................59
Four Seasons Irrigation.............................................55
Lakeside Concierge....................................................55
George Hardy, D.M.D................................................... 7
Mark King Furniture...................................................13
The Swing Bed Program AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
805 Friendship Road Tallassee, AL 36078 (334) 283-6541 www.chal.org
Community Skilled Care and Rehab Helping Patients Transition from Hospital to Home When Rehabilitative Care is Needed. • Generalized weakness • IV medication therapy • Recovery following an accident • Rehabilitation following surgery, stroke, or heart attack. • Rehabilitation following acute care inpatient hospital stay
Why Choose Community Skilled Care and Rehab? • Low patient to nurse ratio • 24-hour physician in-house • Dietary, nutritional, and social services • Team approach to recovery & discharge • Coordinated & planned activities program • Nursing care provided by experienced RNs and LPNs • Physical, occupational, respiratory, and speech therapy
For more information call: (334) 283-3857 or E-mail: swingbed@chal.org
Community Skilled Care and Rehab A division of
Community Hospital Lake Martin Living 57
Fishing Up Memories
I
Catfish Catastrophe
amount am not a fisherman. Repeat: I am not a fisherman. is uncertain, but uncertain Never have been, never will be. in a good way. It’s tough to figure That is not to say I have never gone fishing; I in how a weekend of good weather, certainly have. I grew up on the lake, after all. good sport and all around good times will But I knew at an early age fishing wasn’t my thing, affect this community’s future tourism intake. despite my doing quite a bit of it in my pre-teen years. Surely you are asking, “Luke, how could a The big hindrance to my fishing career was that I was as bunch of overall-wearin’ line-casters make for such an likely to catch a fish by unconventional methods as I was economic boom ‘round these here parts?” via the traditional hook-line-and-sinker. First of all, your grammar is terrible. I don’t mean cool unconventional methods, Secondly, it wasn’t a bunch of specialized A&T like catching bass by hand or in my mouth. schools no one has ever heard of crowded More like accidentally snagging a catfish in the around a lit can of Sterno waiting on a eye. shotgun to start the fishing tournament. There I actually did that. I pulled a squealer right were some bona fide schools competing here, onto my pier by reeling him in through the filled with even bona fide-r future fishing stars. jagged metal hook in his eye. Teams from the Univeristy of Alabama and Even the catfish was looking at me with his Auburn University were here, which made one good peeper, as if to say, “C’mon, man! In for a veritable watery Iron Bowl. One can the eye?!” only assume fans of each school have already The optimist in me would theorize that accused the other of illegally baiting their maybe that cycloptic, whiskered wannabe hooks. anchovy was more a sign of the bountiful The Tide and Tigers weren’t alone, though. Luke Robinson fishing in lovely Lake Martin than it was Mississippi State, South Carolina, Florida and of my awful angling. Maybe, just maybe, Georgia universities all sent teams. Just think the fish in this area are just as friendly and of it as the SEC Basketball Tournament but a lot wetter. accommodating as the local human inhabitants, and that The coolest story to come out of the whole tournament catfish wanted to make me feel better about myself by involved a team that had a steering cable break. I don’t allowing himself to be caught. Alas, the optimist in me is an idiot. It was definitely my know any more about fishing boats than I know about bad fishing technique. But Lake Martin really is one of the fishing, but I assume a steering cable is important. So with nation’s hotspots when it comes to Piscean procurement (I nothing more than a trolling motor, the team was forced to fish just outside of the off limit marker. Unbelievably, am running out of synonyms for fish, both as a noun and the team caught one of the biggest fish of the tournament! a verb). Here’s hoping this tournament’s success leads to many Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you. But you should more Bassmaster events in our area. Here’s also hoping believe the good people at Bassmaster, who held their they one day have a category in which I could compete. College Series Southern Regional Tournament on Lake Maybe “Biggest Catfish Caught Using Its Cornea?” Martin back in February. Yes, that Collegiate Series Nah, probably not. Southern Regional Tournament! I don’t mean to joke about it. The tournament attracted ~ Luke Robinson is an Alexander City native who also collegiate fishermen from all over the South, and thus cast writes a weekly column for The Alexander City Outlook. a wide financial net over the Lake Martin area. The exact
The Last Word
58 Lake Martin Living
TAG HEUER CARRERA CALIBRE HEUER 01
Four world championships and two league MVP awards. Forty-six game winning drives. The longest winning streak in NFL history. Tom Brady is a champion, and champions never crack under pressure.
111 South College Street • Auburn, AL • 334.821.7375 The Shoppes at EastChase • Montgomery, AL • 334.386.9273 Eastern Shore Centre • Spanish Fort, AL • 251.338.9273 www.warejewelers.com
Lake Martin Living 59
60 Lake Martin Living