Lake Martin Living July 2015

Lake Martin Living People, events and culture in the Lake Region

July 2015 www.lakemartinmagazine.com Lake Martin Living 1

The Landing at Parker Creek

Food. Games. Atmosphere.

A new restaurant and new concept has opened on beautiful Lake Martin, The Landing at Parker Creek has arrived.

The restaurant offers fast-casual pavilion dining with salads, burgers, kids’ meals and breakfast. With 21 new boat slips, people can park their boat and walk right up for breakfast, lunch and dinner by the lake.

The restaurant kitchen and bar are made from shipping containers a novel idea keeping the marina theme. Guests are able to sit under 1250 square feet of pavilion to dine. Plenty of overhead fans to keep you cool and gutters to keep the rain out.

On the point guests can enjoy family style games such as corn hole, ladder toss and ring toss. There is a bar for the adults which offers good local craft draught beers like Good People IPA, Avondale and more.

Signature drinks and quality liquors are served as well.

The Landing at Parker So come visit usCreek at TheLogo Landing at Parker Creek, a truly different, casual

2/c: Blackdining & PMS and 874 drinking (gold) atmosphere on beautiful Lake Martin.

Fri 11:00am - Until Sat 8:30am - Until (kitchen closes at 9:00pm) • Sun 8:30am - Until Sat & Sun Brunch 8:30am - 10:30am 8300 Parker Creek Marina Road, Equality, AL

2 Lake Martin Living

www.thelandingatparkercreek.com

Lake Martin Living 3

From the Editor

J

uly is the middle month – the middle of the year; the middle of summer; and the middle of fun!

July is Sun Festival time, and that means eight whole days of fun for every age and interest. In addition to the return of Sun Festival’s most popular activities – the medallion treasure hunt, band battle, dog parade, hike at Smith Mountain, pageants, 5K run and more – there’s new fun at this year’s community-wide celebration. This year, Prosperity Again Through Health (PATH) has partnered local chefs with aspiring junior chefs for a farm-to-plate cook-off at the MainStreet Farmer’s Market. Dark Insurance Agency will launch the first Sun Festival Cornhole Tournament with a $500-prize package for the winners and more prizes for the Needs More Practice team, and Lakewinds Golf Course will host the new Hittin’ the Links event with special discounts.

This year, you can enter the Russell Medical Center pie-baking contest or just turn out for the tasting. Get on the pontoon boat with Paige Patterson of Lake Home Realty or join the big block party at Strand Park.

My husband and I have volunteered with Sun Festival events in the past, and this year, we are excited to be an even bigger part of it as a new community theatre organization, Alexander City Theatre II, makes its debut with a comedy in three acts, A Very Rich Woman by Ruth Gordon at the Central Alabama Community College auditorium.

So be sure to visit the Sun Festival section in this issue of Lake Martin Living magazine, starting on page 36, to plan your week of fun.

And there’s fun ahead this fall, too, as artists prepare for this year’s annual Lake Martin Living Art & Photography Contest. Submissions are due in September, and the winning work of art will be featured on the cover of the October magazine. You’ll find details on page 34, so don’t wait to get started.

The Allen boys of Dadeville are reaping the benefits of starting early. This rodeo family lives to throw a rope, and they’re good at it. The juniors excelled at the state level this year and attended their first nationals event last month.

Read about their fun on page 46.

And don’t forget the fun we already have enjoyed this summer. See the Fourth of July celebration photos on page 24 and then turn to the Oh Snaps! photos starting on page 55 to see what your friends and neighbors did for fun this summer.

Then, go out and find yourself in the middle of some fun!

Lake Martin Living Editor & Publisher Kenneth Boone Managing Editor Betsy Iler Contributors Dave Jennings Luke Robinson Fletcher Scott Susan Foy Fred Muenzmay Sandra Carlisle Emily Suddath Cara Clark Cliff Williams Mitch Sneed Robert Hudson David Granger Jim Denney Magazine Distribution Manager David Kendrick Creative Services Audra Spears Darlene Johnson Hallie Holloway Marketing/Advertising Sales Tippy Hunter Missy Fonte Scott Hardy Heather Glenn Kim Morse 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 If you have any questions or comments about Lake Martin Living please feel free to contact members of our Reader Advisory Board.

Betsy Iler, Managing Editor 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 256-234-4281. A limited number of free copies are available at local businesses and subscriptions are $25 annually.

4 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living 5

FEATURES 23. WHAT'S FOR DINNER D ining decisions made easier 24. FUN ON THE FOURTH H ighlights of local festivities 30. A BUNDANT HARVEST? Sell it. Freeze it. Can it.

34. ART & PHOTOGRAPHY S ubmissions now being accepted 36. SUN FESTIVAL T ried, true and new this year 46. A BIG TIME D adeville cowboy family

IN EVERY ISSUE 9. AROUND THE AREA 10. BUSINESS MATTERS Sakura Bistro 14. HAPPY GARDEN 16. OUTDOOR LIFE 20. FROM THE TEE 52. FAB FINDS 53. MEDICAL NEWS 54. MONEY MATTERS 55. OH SNAP! 60. LAKE REGION EVENTS 70. THE LAST WORD

24

Russell Lands Fourth of July fireworks show.

Photo by Kenneth Boone

Lake Martin Living 6

Lake Martin Living People, events and culture in the Lake Region

July 2015

www.lakemartinmagazine.com Lake Martin Living 1

ON THE COVER Alexander City's third annual Sun Festival celebration starts July 18 and continues for eight days with 59 community-wide activities and events.Photos by Kenneth Boone, Mitch Sneed and Cliff Williams

7 Lake Martin Living

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AROUND THE AREA

Turtle race reaches finish line For 35 years, home folk and visitors alike have thrilled to the sights and sounds of racing box turtles in Alexander City at the annual Turtleneck Turtle Race.

Alas, no more.

Kenny Dean, who started the annual event in his front yard in the Turtleneck community near Wind Creek, said he’s ending his turtle equivalent to the Kentucky Derby after 35 years.

“I think 35 years is a good stopping point,” Dean said, “We’ve had a great run.

It’s been a great thing for the community and a great thing for the organizations that have benefited from it.”

Dean said that, over the years, the Last Lap

American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Foundation had benefited from money raised by the turtle race. He said he was particularly proud of the funds the event raised for the Alzheimer’s Foundation since his mother suffered from the disease.

“That meant a lot to the family,” Dean said.

Dean said the event started in Turtleneck, “probably over a cold beer. And, like a lot of things I’ve been involved with, there was really no rhyme or reason to it. But when it hit the national news with (NBC News’) Jessica Savitch and (The Today Show’s) Willard Scott, it really took off.”

Competitors release turtles for the last Turtleneck Turtle Race.

~ David Granger

Mistletoe named to top 12 list

Alexander City’s Mistletoe Bough Bed and Breakfast was recently named to the Top 12 ranking in Alabama from onlyinyourstate.com.

That new mark goes along with mentions and recommendations from lifestyle publications like Southern Living and from many online reviewers.

Along with stately descriptions of the home, almost all reviewers on the website referenced the friendliness of innkeepers JoAnn and Jesse Frazier.

“JoAnn greeted us in the driveway with her southern charm,” one TripAdvisor reviewer commented. “She was a perfect hostess.”

“This is a beautiful place,” another reviewer said. “But JoAnn makes it feel like a home that you are welcome in with open arms.”

“I worked for Coca-Cola in L.A.,” JoAnn said. “We were getting ready to retire and I liked the idea of a bed and breakfast in the South. I saw Mistletoe for sale and waited for a work trip to Atlanta to look at her. Three months later, I made that trip to Atlanta and then to Alex City. When I turned the corner onto Hillabee and saw her up on the hill, I knew she was the one.”

JoAnn and her husband Jesse have been running the bed and breakfast for the last nine years.

“It has been like a dream,” JoAnn said. “One guest mentioned we were living in a movie. They are correct, we are living in a Hallmark movie.”

Among Alabama's Best

Mistletoe Bough's JoAnn Frazier fluffs the pillows to ready a room for guests.

~ Cliff Williams

Lake Martin Living 9

I

f you’ve been in Alexander City for any length of time, you’ve either already been to Sakura Bistro, or you have friends begging you to go and try it. Since an extensive renovation and remodel in fall of 2014, plus a name change and transition from basic Chinese lunch buffet to Asian bistro, the small restaurant featuring a hibachi grill and sushi bar on Highway 280, a blend of both Chinese and Japanese traditions, has had extensive success.

Owners Jing Pan and Yong Lin, husband and wife, explained that Sakura Bistro, previously known as City Buffet, has long been a family business. During a brief period when the business was run by their family members while they lived out of state, they received a desperate call that the Slicing Sushi restaurant needed help. The couple was taken Above: Since reopening this year, Sakura Bistro owners Jin Pan and Yong back when they learned from their family that Lin have hired a sushi chef to bring this sales were plummeting and customer satisfaction culinary delicacy to their customers; was not where it should be.

Right: The restaurant serves beer “It was at that time that we decided to and wine and has applied for ABC authorization to sell liquor. move back to Alexander City and take over the restaurant. We were happy to help our here from the beginning and family out, as they simply had limited restaurant management have seen everything that experience,” Jing Pan said. happened from December Running a well-received restaurant is no easy task. Jing Pan until now. It didn’t take long regularly works more than 13 hours a day, but the hard work for everyone on staff to move has certainly paid off. Pan explained that her husband is also from that and go from slow by default a perfectionist, but that perfectionism might be very service to excellent service,” he said. well what has helped boost sales, improve customer service and By the time of the official grand opening in conjunction change the look, feel and reputation of the restaurant that had with the Chamber of Commerce in April, business was going not been open for more than seven months. extremely well; customers were pleased; and the staff was With the restaurant atmosphere so dramatically changed, enjoying their jobs. and menu choices so plentiful, it wasn’t long before word-ofSakura Bistro now employs 14 staff members, including the mouth traveled, and the restaurant staff was in over their heads. owners.

“We had a soft opening when we first opened in December, “We have one sushi chef and one hibachi chef. My husband, and we really had not even promoted the restaurant in the Yong, helps out with both the sushi and hibachi as needed. community yet,” waitress Erica McGhee explained.

In addition to this, we have five relatives that work for the Erica McGhee came to Sakura Bistro the first day it opened, business in various capacities, as well as five waitresses,” Jing Pan not as an employee, but as a customer. explained.

“The service was awful,” McGhee laughed. “Because it was “Everyone that is here is in here for the long haul and is so bad, I went to Jing Pan and asked if she needed any help for committed. We love working together,” Erica McGhee added. staff.”

Customer Freddy Alford said he believes that in addition Because of the overwhelming response from the community, to the food and great atmosphere, the location has helped the Pan was not prepared for the customer demand they would see business to thrive as well. in the first month. She eagerly hired McGhee, who has stayed “Having a business on 280 is without question what has really from the very beginning. helped this business,” Alford said.

Regular customer Freddy Alford agreed. “I’ve been coming He also likes the restaurant’s late hours.

10 Lake Martin Living

BUSINESS MATTERS

Sakura Bist ro STORY BY EMILY SUDDATH & PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

“This is truly one of the few restaurants in the area that is open until 10 p.m., which is really helpful for customers who are getting off work late or would rather not eat dinner quite at 6 p.m.,” he explained.

Martin Dean is another regular customer at Sakura Bistro.

“While I don’t do sushi, I do just about everything that is off the Chinese menu, on the hibachi side,” Dean said.

“When people think hibachi, they typically think of someone cooking live in front of customers,” Dean said.

“Sakura offers fantastic hibachi, but not with that same sort of presentation. However, it is still a much better trade off.

At restaurants where they cook in front of you, you’re really paying mostly for the show. Here, you’re paying for quality food with the addition of having excellent service. They bend over backwards. Whether it’s just yourself dining in, a big party or large carry-out order, the staff here doesn’t fail to impress.”

In addition to the great food, the restaurant offers live music on Saturday nights, featuring local musicians. The restaurant also features a happy hour Monday through Thursday, with

the first two beers between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at half price.

Sakura Bistro also regularly offers sushi specials, including the Martin Dam, which features shrimp tempura, cucumber and cream cheese with crab and spicy mayo on top.

As for the future, the owners hope to one day add a full bar.

“Right now, we only offer beer and wine. We are currently working with the ABC board about getting a liquor license, which we hope to receive by the end of the year. This would help us to offer mixed drinks to our customers and build upon the good atmosphere we already have in our bar area,” Jing Pan explained.

“This is hard work, but I enjoy it here. I love my customers, and when I’m here I’m with the customers and staff that I love, it’s not as hard as it could be,” Jing Pan said.

Sakura Bistro is located at 4034 Highway 280 in Alexander City. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The menu includes vegetarian and gluten free options. For more information, visit the Facebook page or call the restaurant at 256-234-9833.

Lake Martin Living 11

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Scented Geraniums or Pelargoniums?

W

ell that sounds like a botanical question.

Pelargoniums first appeared in Britain in the mid-17th century. The species was collected in South Africa and brought to Britain in sailing ships from India, which called in at the Cape of Good Hope for food and water on the way back to England.

In that first instance, it was wrongly recorded that the plants were collected in India itself.

The plants became popular amongst the wealthy that had the means to look after them. The species were so fertile that hybridization took place easily.

The above history introduction is from Hazel Key, who authored 1001 Pelargoniums, (National Pelargonium Collection, Pebworth, Warwickshire, England).

Selling herbs and plants at the Alexander City Farmer’s Market on a recent Saturday brought new light into these old eyes and a lot of information about Geraniums and Pelargoniums.

We have been referring to Scented Pelargoniums as Scented Geraniums and when a few customers questioned us about the plants we have been selling for 15 years and not calling them by their correct names, we had to do some research.

Although scented geraniums are in the same family as true geraniums and share some similarities, they are actually a separate genus.

Most scented Pelargoniums have small flowers. The leaves can be finely cut or broad and succulent. The scents often mimic other plants, such as roses, lemons, apple, mint and others. Each flower has five petals, two larger upper petals and three smaller lower petals.

The flowers do not have a scent. The plant’s scent comes from the oil under Sweet Scents

Top to bottom: Vancouver Centennial Pelargonium; Coconut Scented Pelargonium; and "Mosquito" Citrosa Scented Pelargonium

14 Lake Martin Living

Happy Garden

the leaves of the pelargonium, a slight touch or brush with your hand releases the fragrance.

These plants enjoy full sun to partial shade.

When grown indoors, scented pelargonium will Fred Muenzmay require bright light.

One of the most widely used Scented Pelargoniums is the Mosquito Plant, (Pelargonium citrosa).

Plant scented geraniums where you will rub against them along a walkway or at an entrance. These are great plants for containers, as they fill out and spill over the edges. Scented geraniums are especially nice in individual pots, clustered together.

Stems and leaves can be used in arrangements or dried for potpourri.

Scented Pelargoniums are edible plants, and the leaves are often used to scent foods, including cakes, jellies and sugars.

Scented geraniums will tolerate most any soil, but a slightly acidic pH of about 6.0 to 6.8 is ideal.

Scented Pelargoniums are very drought tolerant and don’t like to sit in wet soil.

Water when the soil feels dry about an inch below the surface. Go easy on the fertilizer. Scented Pelargoniums are light feeders, and their scent will be stronger if they are grown on the lean side.

Occasional pinching and pruning will make your scented geranium plants more full and bushy. ~ Fred Muenzmay of Eagles 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 16 years.

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Lake Martin Living 15

Small Life in Alabama Streams

Teeming with diversity

I

t is well known among most biologists that 95 percent of life on earth will fit in a coffee cup! Of course, whales, zebras and elephants won’t, but vertebrates only comprise less that one percent of all living things.

Even though we are accustomed to recognizing animals with backbones, such as fish, birds, reptiles and mammals, there are many more to which we pay scant attention.

Most invertebrates are invisible, but some are not. Scientifically, these organisms are referred to as macro invertebrates. They do not have backbones and are visible to the naked eye. This large group of animals includes mollusks, insects, crustaceans and annelids. Some of these organisms spend only a part of their life cycle in water as nymphs, naiads or larval forms, and the rest as adults on land or flying.

Perhaps this is the stage we often recognize, not realizing how dependent they are on water. Some macro invertebrates spend most of their lives in water. The mollusks, including snails,

16 Lake Martin Living

Outdoor Life

clams and octopuses, spend Recently, I talked most or all of their lives in with Dr. Paul Johnson, water. Aquatic freshwater program supervisor at the snails cling to rocks, roots Alabama Aquatic Center for and mud. Alabama’s Biodiversity. There are few biodiversity among snails facilities like this in the U.S. (Gastropods) is world Dr. Johnson, former research renowned, a fact not fully director for the Tennessee appreciated among the state’s Aquarium, is recognized as residents. an expert aquatic biologist Of the 703 species of specializing in phylum Gastropods in North Mollusca (clams, snails and America, 204 are found in mussels).

Alabama. When it comes “North America hosts to mussels, Alabama is the highest diversity of extremely bio diverse. The freshwater crayfishes, mussels state’s 182 species represent and snails in the world, and Fletcher Scott 22 percent of the world’s Alabama has the greatest species and 60 percent of U.S. diversity of freshwater species. crayfishes, mussels, snails Being filter feeders, these organisms and fish in North America,” Johnson play a crucial role in keeping our rivers explained. “This is mainly because we and streams clean. A great many of these have 10 major river basins draining are endangered, threatened or of special the state. Each of these watersheds has concern. This is mainly due to dams, its own complex geologic history. Our channelization of streams, sedimentation state physically encompasses at least six and introduction of invasive species. physiographic provinces, which include

the Lower Coastal Plain, Upper Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, Southwestern Appalachians and the Interior Plateau.

“Within each of these provinces are eco regions with their own unique flora and fauna. Rivers and their tributaries dissect many of these eco regions. This means the chemistry of the river and the sediment it carries can change, mile by mile. So can the community of living things the river supports.”

Johnson said the center is working to reintroduce populations of snails and clams in the Coosa and Cahaba rivers.

“Those rivers have a lot of biodiversity, which means they also have a lot of species in trouble. What we do is go out and collect samples of mollusks, assuming we can find them, from those rivers that have listed species (threatened or endangered). We take them back to our facility in Marion, Alabama, and place them in ideal breeding conditions to produce as many specimens as we can,” he said. “Then we go out and reintroduce them back into the rivers from which they came.”

From 2010 to 2014, biologists propagated a total of 60 species of mollusks and introduced nearly 120,000 back into rivers. Many of these were listed as threatened or endangered, Johnson said.

“It is interesting to note that when

the Coosa River was first dammed back in the early 1900s, it caused the largest extinction the world had known at that time. In fact, there was a huge cataract (waterfall) near Wetumpka called the Devil’s Staircase. Before the river was impounded, it was said that you could hear its roar four miles away,” he said.

“The Tallapoosa flows through the last remaining segment of Piedmont in the U.S. This province has an old and complex geologic past,” he noted. “It is composed mainly of igneous (once molten) and metamorphic (rock heated until its chemistry is altered) rock, which doesn’t break down easily into mineral components. This means the biodiversity the river can support is low. The Piedmont has the lowest biodiversity in the state, but I’d like to add that the rivers and streams in the Piedmont are very fragile. They cannot handle the sediment loads other rivers can. This is the biggest problem I see in that watershed.

“The Tallapoosa does have several listed species of mussels, such as the Fine-lined Pocketbook and the Southern Pig Toe. None of them are endemic to the Tallapoosa and occur elsewhere,” Johnson added.

The health and stability of these systems must be maintained, he said, to avoid the consequences of having species listed, rivers having to be cleaned up, water quality reduced and

our physical and mental wellbeing diminished.

“Mussels are filter feeders,” Johnson explained. Each mussel has the capacity to filter one to two gallons of water per minute. Historically, we had 70 to 300 mussels per square yard in our rivers.

We literally had mussels upon mussels thriving in our waters. It was once said that you could see clearly 15 feet straight down to the bottom of the river.”

With places like the Alabama Aquatic Center for Biodiversity and cooperative efforts among interested groups of people like the Alabama Clean Water Partnership and Alabama Power Company, a lot can be accomplished to restore populations of snails, clams and fish to their former capacity. It is also prudent to note that regardless of the efforts to reproduce captive specimens, they must have a clean, viable place in which to thrive. Although we may not live in the most biodiverse region of the state, we can still take pride in keeping our rivers, streams and lakes clean. Whatever potential a river holds for diversity, it should be looked at as a reflecting pool of our own health. ~Fletcher Scott is a retired teacher who taught science for 38 years at Benjamin Russell High School. He is interested in nature, hunting, fishing, photography and family.

A Snail's Pace

From left: Gravel bars such as this one are necessary for the growth of snails; Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminia) are an invasive species in the Tallapoosa basin; Yellow Elimia (Elimia flava) the most common snail in the Tallapoosa basin; The rough hornsnail, Pleurocera foremani, is a federally Endangered Species that is endemic to the Coosa River near Wetumpka, Alabama (Photo by Paul Johnson); Yellow Elimia crawling on a bed of sand.

Lake Martin Living 17

18 Lake Martin Living

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Lake Martin Living 19

Birdie-watching in the New Year

H

From the Tee

appy New Year! August represents a new which all balls in the rough will be deemed hazards. year for the Central Alabama Community You will also see our boys playing rounds of golf College (CACC) Trojan Golf Program. from the white and red tees, putting the emphasis on This college athletic program has enjoyed plenty of wedge play. successes, not all of which are found in the scores the I’m tightening up Willow Point’s golf course so boys shoot on the golf course. much for this year’s team to prepare the players Since moving to Alexander City to coach the for the upcoming year’s tournament sites. Our CACC Trojan Golf Program, I have had the honor two most critical golf tournaments are our district and pleasure of becoming associated with some championship and our national championship extraordinarily fine young men. These boys have tournaments. come from all over the country – the world, in fact – This year’s district championship in April of to play golf and attend college in our fine city.

2016 will be played at Terri Pines Country Club in Dave Jennings In a very short few years, I have little doubt; I will Cullman, Alabama. If you’ve ever played this course, be recruiting the sons of my past players. Thinking you know how important it is to control the tee ball. about that really makes me feel old but also grateful Our national championship will be at Duran for the opportunity. I stay in contact with nearly all of my past Golf & Country Club in Melbourne, Florida. Duran is a nice players, and it is a thrill and a joy to watch them mature, start golf course with fairly wide fairways that are bordered by water families and begin their careers. hazards or out of bounds on one side or the other on each and In this new year, the CACC golf team roster will include four every par 4 and par 5. It is critical to control the tee ball on this sophomores and five freshmen. Returning to CACC will be course.

Scott Bryan (England), J.T. Watkins (Hoover, Alabama), Brady Birdie opportunities are plentiful at Duran if the golfer plays Cliett (Medder, Georgia) and Lauri Hacklin (Finland). away from the hazards. This is my reasoning for the one side or The new Trojan golfers this year are: Trey Poteet (Tennessee), the other rough penalties at Willow Point.

Mark Connelly (Florida), Steven Wysocki (Georgia), Jacob Although 2014-2015 was not how CACC Golf typically Miller (Georgia) and Reynolds Carl (Auburn, Alabama). I am cares to finish a national tournament, I am still very proud of very anxious to the young see this group men who move in and represented start working. our college Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Cullman, AL – Wallace State Fall Invitational I assure golf program.

Sept. 28-29 Cullman, AL – District IV Preview you, we will be Once again, Oct. 9-10 Melbourne, FL – NJCAA National Preview putting in the CACC Golf Oct. 26-27 Gulfport, MS – Miss. Gulf Coast C.C. Fall Invitational work this year finished the Nov. 9-10 Alex City, AL – Willow Point C.C. – CACC Fall Invitational for an attempt year as Team to win our 7th Academic AllNational Junior College Athletic Association Championship title. Americans.

If you are on the Alexander City CACC campus early in the Each of our four sophomores transferred to various morning during the week this fall, you will most likely find our universities to further their educations. Once again, as I met boys working on their wedge game at 6:15-7:15 daily. This will with them before they packed their moving vans at the end of be a great opportunity for them to hone their skills with the the year, each one said, “Coach, I wish CACC was a four-year important 100 yards and in game. college. I love it here!”

For this group this year, Willow Point Country Club will have Friends, thank you for treating the golf team members of my many more hazards than those already found on this beautiful team so well. You’ve helped to make these young men feel at lakeside golf course. During qualifying rounds, each tee shot home. This area and the people found here are special. We are landing in the rough will incur a 1-stroke penalty, and on days of all so blessed. my choice, the even number holes will designate the left rough as a hazard, and the odd holes the right rough a hazard. There ~ Dave Jennings is the men’s golf coach at Central Alabama will be days when that order will be reversed, as well as days on Community College.

2015 CACC Golf Fall Schedule:

20 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living 21

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Dining decisions made easier with summer guide

S

ummer fun means picking up sandwiches on the way to the lake; gathering around a colorful table with fajitas, margaritas and friends; and stacking barbecue on a bun between games of horseshoes in the backyard. But what to eat and where to find it are decisions that often stall the good times.

The games are put on hold to cook a meal or shuffle through websites on a mobile device, searching for menus, locations and hours, until someone whines that there just has to be an easier way.

And that’s true. There is an easier way, and it’s right here in this edition of Lake Martin Living magazine.

Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., this month introduces the Lake Martin Summer Dining Guide for 2015, an insert accompanying every priceless issue of Lake Martin Living in July and August.

This handy dining guide puts what you want to know about summer dining in the Lake Martin area right where you need it – in your hands. We collected menus, locations, hours and specials for 17 area restaurants all around the lake and printed up a handy booklet that you can keep at your fingertips for those times when you need a little inspiration to satisfy the appetite.

The dining guide includes everything from sub sandwiches to dinner and wine; soda fountain fare to burgers and fries under the pavilion; barbecues and bistros; fish to fried foods; Mexican and Korean and that all-time favorite, pizza. Dine-in or carry out – even pick it up at the grocery store and make it in minutes at home.

We’ve listed restaurants in Tallassee, Blue Creek, Dadeville, Alexander City, Russell Crossroads and Kowaliga, so all you need to do when hunger strikes – no matter where hunger strikes – is browse the guide for which one appeals to you this time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Keep the dining guide on the coffee table, in a kitchen drawer, on the bedside stand or under a magnet on the refrigerator. Keep another on the boat, so you can call in an order that will be hot and delicious when you arrive.

And next month, you can even give your guide to a friend or neighbor and still find the right place for dinner without interrupting the summer fun, because we’ll send you another dining guide in the August issue.

Lake Martin Living 23

24 Lake Martin Living

Fun on the Fourth Fireworks, Concerts, Parade, Eagles and Art highlight Independence Day celebrations PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE AND MITCH SNEED

Lake Martin Living 25

A Spectacular Fourth

Previous pages, clockwise from left: Hundreds turned out for the boat parade despite gray skies; Fireworks went off at The AMP between cloudbursts; Vendors said this year's Arti Gras was one of the best in the event's history; Pottery was among the crafted items available at Arti Gras. These pages, clockwise from above left: The shark-themed boat parade entry featured an "armless" surfer and a diver in a shark cage; Alexander City fired off its color show later than planned, due to rainy weather; Watermelon made a delicious picnic treat; Boat parade entries wound through a sea of spectators; Rexton Lee at Hackneyville; Marianne Hudson showed off Auburn University's mascot eagles; Arti Gras this year was a two-day event.

26 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living 27

28 Lake Martin Living

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Lake Martin Living 29 3/18/15 11:25 AM

What to do

with an abundant harvest?

Sell it. Freeze it. Can it. Dry it.

And where to find what you need to know.

STORY BY BETSY ILER

S

pringtime worries of not having enough garden produce are now giving way to the quandary of what to do with the excess. After you’ve pressed as much as you can upon your friends and neighbors, what are the options for the berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers you have left?

“You can sell it at the farmer’s market, can it or freeze it,” said Tallapoosa County Extension Agent Shane Harris. “It only takes about 10 minutes to fill out the paperwork for a permit to sell at the market, but the permit is free.”

The grower’s permit is a state requirement, Harris explained, but gardeners can complete that requirement at the extension office in the county courthouse in 30 Lake Martin Living

Too Much of A Good Thing

Left: Extra blueberries can be frozen, dried or turned to jam, jelly or sauce; Right: When you've sold or given away all the excess garden produce you can, turn to the experts.

Dadeville and can sell their excess produce in the Auburn and Tallassee markets, as well as Alexander City’s MainStreet market.

Individual markets may have other requirements for growers, so be sure to check with the respective market.

“Use it!” suggested Barbara Muenzmay of Eagles Roost Farm in Rockford, Alabama.

Muenzmay and her husband, Fred, use excess herbs from their garden in creative ways, such as sprinkling sage on meat and then cooking the entré with wine.

She uses rose and coconut pelargonium leaves to scent

Lake Martin Living 31

pound cake; then serves the cake with ice cream.

Toss any vegetable with a little olive oil and herbs and roast them for a healthful side dish that changes from meal to meal, depending on the varieties used. While a vegetable supper can be healthy and delicious, you can turn roasted vegetables into a main dish with meat by placing chicken thighs on top of the vegetables before cooking. Turn the thighs at the halfway point.

Check cooking websites for new recipes, Harris said.

The extension service food blog is a great resource for finding new ways to cook fresh food.

For a delicious appetizer, scoop a mixture of cream cheese and cheddar cheese into jalapenos that have been sliced lengthwise. Add herbs or Cajun seasoning and grill or broil until the cheese melts and browns slightly. To take some of the heat out of the jalapenos, parboil them and cool before stuffing. Add leftover cooked beef or shredded chicken to the mix for variety.

You can also finely chop any vegetable and add it to meatloaf. It’s a great way to flavor the meat and get kids to eat their veggies.

And if your appetite just can’t keep up with the supply, said Alabama Cooperative Extension Service (ACES) preservation agent Patti West, can it, freeze it or dry it.

West travels the state teaching canning, freezing and drying techniques, as well as jam and jelly making. Next month, she’ll teach a vegetable soup-canning workshop

32 Lake Martin Living

in Anniston, and that might be a great way to enjoy that garden produce all through the winter. She also will teach a food-drying class in Randolph County.

“You can go to the ACES website and download publications on canning and safe food handling,” West said. “Go online to ACES.edu and click the publications tab; then, choose home food preservation.”

The National Food Preservation site also is a good source, and the USDA site has home canning recipes, West said.

“It’s important to follow a tested recipe, because if canning is done wrong, it can be dangerous,” she noted.

“The NCHFP.uga.edu site at the University of Georgia is easy to navigate, and it has a link to the USDA publications. There is the complete guide to home canning there.”

Many of these sites also include information about drying fruits and vegetables.

A good commercial site, West said, can be found at www.freshpreserving.com, which is maintained by Jarden Home Brands, owner of Ball home canning supplies.

“They have a pectin calculator that adjusts to the amount of fruit you have,” West said. “That’s very convenient and helps you to adjust your recipe if you don’t have the full amount of fruit called for in your jam or jelly recipe.”

In addition to using excess fruit for jams and jellies, fruits can be canned or frozen.

“Wash them; sprinkle a little sugar over them; and seal them in a freezer bag,” Muenzmay said.

Freezing portions in appropriately sized bags will make it easier to use the fruit later for baking, sauces and desserts.

Not only can these options break you out of the whatto-do-with-all-of-these-tomatoes rut, but also they can help you to save money by preserving what you grow.

Homegrown vegetables and fruits also can help you to maintain a healthy diet long after the garden has finished producing.

䌀伀吀吀䄀䜀䔀 䰀䤀嘀䤀一䜀 漀渀 䰀䄀䬀䔀 䴀䄀刀吀䤀一 一伀圀 䄀嘀䄀䤀䰀䄀䈀䰀䔀 夀漀甀ᤠ瘀攀 攀愀爀渀攀搀 礀漀甀爀 猀瀀漀琀 愀琀 琀栀攀 氀愀欀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 渀漀眀 䌀攀搀愀爀 倀漀椀渀琀 最椀瘀攀猀 礀漀甀 琀栀攀 漀瀀瀀漀爀琀甀渀椀琀礀 琀漀 琀愀欀攀 椀琀⸀ 吀栀椀猀 甀渀搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀攀搀 瀀攀渀椀渀猀甀氀愀 栀愀猀 漀渀氀礀 ㈀㐀 挀漀瘀攀琀攀搀 氀愀欀攀昀爀漀渀琀 氀漀琀猀 琀栀愀琀 漀昀昀攀爀 攀砀琀爀愀漀爀搀椀渀愀爀椀氀礀 挀漀渀瘀攀渀椀攀渀琀 眀愀琀攀爀 愀挀挀攀猀猀 琀漀 礀漀甀爀 昀愀瘀漀爀椀琀攀 搀攀猀琀椀渀愀琀椀漀渀猀 漀渀 琀栀攀 氀愀欀攀⸀ 吀栀攀猀攀 渀攀眀 挀漀渀猀琀爀甀挀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 䌀爀愀昀琀猀洀愀渀ⴀ猀琀礀氀攀 挀漀琀琀愀最攀猀 挀漀洀攀 眀椀琀栀 愀渀 愀洀愀稀椀渀最 氀攀瘀攀氀 漀昀 搀攀琀愀椀氀 愀渀搀 搀攀猀椀最渀 琀栀愀琀 攀洀戀漀搀礀 琀栀攀 洀漀猀琀 愀氀氀甀爀椀渀最 瀀愀爀琀猀 漀昀 氀愀欀攀 氀椀瘀椀渀最⸀ 匀漀 搀漀渀ᤠ琀 洀椀猀猀 漀甀琀 漀渀 礀漀甀爀 漀瀀瀀漀爀琀甀渀椀琀礀 琀漀 攀渀樀漀礀 猀漀洀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀 洀漀猀琀 攀砀挀攀瀀琀椀漀渀愀氀 猀椀琀攀猀 漀渀 琀栀攀 氀愀欀攀⸀ 倀椀挀欀 礀漀甀爀 猀瀀漀琀 琀漀搀愀礀 愀渀搀 洀漀瘀攀 椀渀 戀礀 匀瀀爀椀渀最 ㈀ ㄀㘀⸀ 䌀漀渀琀愀挀琀 䐀愀洀漀渀 匀琀漀爀礀 昀漀爀 椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀⸀

Lake Martin Living 33 䐀䄀䴀伀一 匀吀伀刀夀 ∠ ㈀ 㔀⸀㜀㠀㤀⸀㤀㔀㈀㘀 ∠ 䌀䔀䐀䄀刀倀伀䤀一吀䰀䄀䬀䔀䴀䄀刀吀䤀一⸀䌀伀䴀

2015 Contest

Art & Photography T

his year’s Lake Martin Living Art and Photography Contest judges will be looking for creative use of materials and subject matter when they choose the cover art for our October edition of the magazine, and you have two months to let those creative juices run wild.

A tradition of many years, the annual Lake Martin Living contest showcases local art and artists. The winner each year is featured on the cover of our October magazine edition. We also feature artists’ works in a special inside section of the magazine, and all entries are displayed at Alexander City’s Wine Emporium and Gallery 128 from the end of September until Oct. 25. Those visiting the exhibit at Wine Emporium/Gallery 128 are invited to vote for the People’s Choice winner Sept. 30 through Oct. 3.

Submissions in acrylics, oil, watercolor, pastels, pen and ink, pencil and photography are welcome. All entries must reflect life in East Central Alabama, highlighting lifestyle, landscape and loveliness of the local area.

Entrants can submit up to three works of art. Only ready-to-hang works will be accepted. The contest is open to artists of any age, and there is no fee to enter. No prizes or monetary awards will be given.

This contest is just for fun! A panel of local artists will judge the entries.

To submit an entry, bring artwork to the Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., office by or before 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. The office is located at 548 Cherokee Road in Alexander City. Be sure each entry is clearly marked with the artist’s name, address and telephone number before submitting it.

View the entries and cast your votes for the People’s Choice award Sept. 29 through Oct. 3 during normal business hours at Wine Emporium/Gallery 128 at 128 Calhoun Street, Alexander City, next door to The Shoppes of Queen’s Attic. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Winners will be announced in the October edition of Lake Martin Living magazine, which is available by subscription or free of charge at your favorite local merchants after the 15th of each month. Entries will remain on display until Oct. 24, and artists should Cover Art Top left: Nancy Duchene's weathered retrieve their artwork from barn took first place in last year's Wine Emporium/Gallery contest; Left: Langley Tolbert's "Regatta Time;" Above right: Shannon 128 the last week of the month.

McDuffie's Old Elkahatchee Bridge.

34 Lake Martin Living

“Entrants really need to pick them up as quickly as possible,” said Henry Foy, owner of Wine Emporium/ Gallery 128.

Neither Lake Martin Living nor Wine Emporium/Gallery 128 are responsible for artwork entered in the contest, and we reserve the right to withdraw any entry from the exhibit for any reason. Any art not picked up by Nov. 1 will become the property of Wine Emporium/Gallery 128.

Please call the editor at 256-234-4281 or email editor@ lakemartinmagazine.com with any questions.

BIRCHFIELD FARM • Fresh Produce • Tilapia • Aquaponics Farm Group Tours Available Call to Schedule

Tilapia available for pond management Radney Funeral Home PO Box 99 1326 Dadeville Road Alexander City, Alabama 35011 256-234-2511 www.radneyfuneralhome.com

Langley Funeral Home PO Box 130 21837 U.S. Highway 280 Dadeville, AL 36853 256-896-2571 www.langleyfuneralhome.com

Tony Birchfield 205-928-0130 1632 Madwind Road, Jackson’s Gap, AL 36861 Lake Martin Living 35

36 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living 37

1-5:30 p.m.

Oh the Places You’ll Canoe 5:30 p.m.

Doggin’ It at the Lake - Wind Creek State Park 7-9 p.m. Motown Madness in the Park - Strand Park Downtown

Thursday, July 23

Sun Festival Event Schedule Saturday, July 18 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Miss Sun Festival Pageants - BRHS Auditorium 8 p.m.

Glow in the Dark 5K - Strand Park

Sunday, July 19 5-7 p.m.

Sun Festival Block Party - Strand Park

Monday, July 20

6:05 a.m.

7 a.m.-Dusk 9 a.m 9 a.m.-noon 5:30 p.m.

7-9 p.m.

Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt Hittin’ the Links - Lakewinds Golf Course KidsFest Tumble Fun - Top Flight Gymnastics Hanging at the Home - Area Nursing Homes Dawg-Gawn Good Parade - Strand Park Good Old Days in the Park - Strand Park

Tuesday, July 21

6:05 a.m.

Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt 10 a.m.-2 p.m. KidsFest Taking Care of Me - Strand Park 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate America’s Heros - Bill Nichols Veterans Home 2 p.m. Movie Day at the Library - Mamie’s Place Children’s Library 2:30-4 p.m.

Bingo - Jake’s on Broad Street 3-5 p.m.

Show Me the Movie - Playhouse Cinemas 5 p.m.

Show Your Colors - Strand Park 7-9 p.m.

Boot Scootin’ Boogie in the Park - Strand Park 7-9 p.m. ACT II presents A Very Rich Woman - CACC Auditorium

Wednesday, July 22

6:05 a.m.

Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt 9 a.m.-noon KidsFest Tribal Celebration - Strand Park 10 a.m. Story Time at the Library - Mamie’s Place Children’s Library 1-5:30 p.m.

Family Day at the Lake - Wind Creek State Park 1-5:30 p.m.

Hook ‘Em at Sun Festival

6:05 a.m.

Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt 9 a.m.-noon Fun in the Sun - Airport Pavilion 9 a.m.

Pie-baking Contest - Strand Park 1-3 p.m.

KidsFest Get Your Art On - TBD 2 p.m. Star Shine Face Painting - Mamie’s Place Children’s Library 2:30-4 p.m.

KidsFest Build Your Own Sundae Carlisle’s Drugs 3:30 p.m. Nancy Anderson Speaks on Zelda Fitzgerald Adelia M. Russell Library 6 p.m. Sunset Hike at Smith Mountain - Smith Mountain Park 7 p.m.

Celebrate the “Son” Concert - BRHS Auditorium 8-10 p.m.

Praise in the Park - Strand Park

Friday, July 24 6:05 a.m.

Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt - Tallapoosa County 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest - Chamber of Commerce 9 a.m.-noon KidsFest Wet ‘n Wild - Alexander City Pool 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Red Cross Blood Drive - Association of Realtors 12-4 p.m.

On the Pontoon - Lake Martin 6-8:30 p.m.

Darlin’ Let’s Eat Out - Participating Restaurants 7 p.m.

Band Battle - Strand Park 7-9 p.m. ACT II presents A Very Rich Woman - CACC Auditorium

Saturday, July 25

7-11 a.m.

MainStreet Farmers Market - Broad Street Plaza 8-10:30 a.m. Get Up, Get Going - Strand Park 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Motorcycle Sun Festival Ride & Show - Chamber of Commerce 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun Festival Car Show - Chamber of Commerce 9-11 a.m. “Getting on the Path” Farm to Plate Cook-off Broad Street Plaza 9 a.m.-noon “Getting on the Path” Wellness Fair - United Way Building 12-4 p.m.

On the Pontoon - Lake Martin 12-6 p.m. Summer Tailgate & BBQ Cook-off - Charles E. Bailey Sportplex 1-5 p.m.

Cornhole Tournament - Sportplex 7 p.m. David Nail Concert & Fireworks Show - Charles E. Bailey Sportplex

Download the Alexander City Chamber Mobile App to stay connected! Available on Android and iTunes.

38 Lake Martin Living

Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt STORY BY EMILY SUDDATH

T

hree years ago, when Alexander City introduced its first Sun Festival, residents were also introduced to the Pie in the Sky Treasure Hunt. What started as a fun riddle game has become a hit among the locals. Sponsored by US AmeriBank, the game offers a $200 prize to each daily winner during a five-day long challenge, with a grand prize of $1,000 at the end of the event.

Kim Dunn, director of marketing and special events with the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, said players essentially are given a new clue each day, with the first one offered this year on the morning of Monday, July 20. Another clue will follow each subsequent morning until Friday, July 24.

The clues, given in the form of riddles, are released on the Sun Festival Facebook page, on the Good Morning Lake Martin television program and Kowaliga County 97.5, as well as printed in The Outlook and posted on The Outlook’s Facebook page. Each day’s clue hints at the hidden location of a medallion.

Find the medallion; win the money.

Finders take the medallion to Lake Broadcasting to claim the prize and inform other players, via radio and social media, that the day’s riddle has been solved.

The riddle can be solved as a group or individually, Dunn said.

The name of the $1,000-grand-prize winner is selected from the week’s five daily winners and is announced at the Sun Festival concert on Saturday, July 25, which this year will be headlined by country music recording artist David Nail.

What motivates players most in this Sun Festival staple activity is the 1-in-5 chance of taking home $1,000. In addition, daily winners can win more than once, but the odds are high, and there’s a lot of competition.

“You’ll drive around town and see all these people walking around, looking like they’re searching for something,” Dunn explained. “A lot of people participate.”

One of last year’s daily winners of the event was Alex Vardaman, co-owner of Top Flight Gymnastics and Cheer in Alexander City. Vardaman, along with his nephew, Brooks Vardaman, a baseball player at Alexander City Middle School, sought to solve the riddle and vie for a chance at $1,000. While

Searching for Gold

Last year's $200 winners, Brooks and Alex Vardaman found the medallion at Alexander City Chiropractic on Church Street.

the two-man team did not win the grand prize last year, their success at solving a daily riddle has fueled them to try again this year.

“It’s an awesome idea. It incorporates both mental and physical challenges; yet, it’s fun. If you’re really serious, you’ll have your running shoes on.” Vardaman explained.

Vardaman and his nephew plan to be up and ready before sunrise every day for this year’s game. But they won’t be the only ones, and spectators should be able to easily spot the players around town.

Those who are committed to winning sport the same “medallion search uniform,” as Vardaman described it.

“A cup of coffee; a clipboard with the riddle printed from The Outlook and a good pair of running shoes,” he said.

“There are a lot of us out there that early, and more join throughout the day. You’ll see people all around town with their clues in hand. Last year, we’d pass people, knowing that they were participating, and sometimes we’d help each other.

Sometimes we wouldn’t, especially when we were narrowing in toward the end,” Vardaman explained.

But the search for the medallion is not an easy one, as the hiding places are less than obvious. Last year, someone found a medallion in an unsuspecting deep puddle off the side of the road, intentionally placed there by the organizer of the game.

“I saw people coming out with rakes and shovels. We were questioning ourselves, ‘Would they really hide this medallion here?’ but we discovered that, really, they will,” Vardaman said.

Clues have been hidden everywhere – from the tops of buildings that may be accessible only by ladder to inside UPS packages on doorsteps.

But before players start to open up someone else’s mail, Vardaman explained that the clue he found was on a cardboard box, which was disguised in the name and mailing address with a note that hinted at the game and said, “Open Me.” Dunn said this year’s competitors should expect the unexpected. None of the hiding places this year will be similar to those used in years past, she said. Each day’s riddle will be uniquely crafted, and each medallion meticulously hidden.

Lake Martin Living 39

The ‘Un-incompetent’ Mrs. Mathew Lord

M

rs. Mathew to purchase a spacious Lord of luxury yacht and sail Atlanta’s into the “wild blue upper-crust society yonder.” has her eye on a yacht, “Wide I’ve been to; but her daughters wild is what I’m looking and son-in-law have for,” Smith tells the Alexander City Theatre II other plans for the younger Minot. presents family fortune in the “The chemistry Alexander City Theatre between Patti Smith II (ACT II) premier of and Mollie Barrett is

By Ruth Gordon A comedy in three acts A Very Rich Woman exceptional,” said the

by Ruth Gordon. This play’s co-director, Betsy July 21 & 24 - 7 p.m. l July 26 - 2 p.m. hilarious Sun Festival Iler, ACT II’s president.

CACC Auditorium Alexander City community theatre “They are in tune with ‘first’ will be presented each other throughout Tickets $10 July 21 and 24 at 7 p.m. the production. They Available through www.brownpapertickets.com, and July 26 at 2 p.m. in feed off each other and A Second Act Consignment, or Board Members & Cast the Central Alabama are very funny, and that Community College interaction will be a real HEA Auditorium. treat for audiences.”

Tickets are priced When Lord’s children, at $10 and are now played by CACC English available at www. teacher Heather Johnson brownpapertickets. and Alexander City’s com and a number Brittany Rae Smith and of local merchants, John Bowden, plot to including MainStreet, have the tea matriarch Wine Emporium, declared incompetent, The Alexander City Outlook, A Second Act and Karen Lord and her friends, including Alexander City attorney Jennings’ office at 124 Calhoun Street. In addition, tickets Derrick Blythe as Oliver Sears, do some plotting of their can be purchased from cast members and ACT II board own – with hilarious results. members.

The cast includes several professionally trained and The production stars Alexander City native and experienced actors, Iler said. community theatre veteran Patti Smith as the 75-year“Brittany Rae Smith earned a bachelor’s of fine arts old widow who is eager to spend the wealth that her late degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, and husband and she amassed in the tea industry. Smith played her training is an asset to the entire cast. She makes a several roles in productions with the Lakeside Players, commanding entrance in the first act and keeps that including Nelli Forbush in South Pacific and Billie Dawn energy and momentum going into the third,” she noted. in Born Yesterday.

In the second act, Debra Self of Alexander City is a In the opening scene of A Very Rich Woman, Mrs. Lord convincingly unlikeable sanitarium supervisor in the style makes plans with best friend Gladys Minot, played by of Ken Keasey’s Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Jim Pearson second-grade teacher Mollie Hardy Barrett, Cuckoo’s Nest. Self also holds a BFA and has played roles in

A Very Rich Woman

Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

40 Lake Martin Living

South Pacific, Steel Magnolias, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz and other productions.

“Jim ‘Mac’ Tyson of Wadley is a student at Southern Union Community College, and he approaches his role as would-be taxi driver Alex Rovenesco with confidence and professionalism, which is not easy. Rovenesco makes his entrance as a nervous, awkward character that grows into the role of Mrs. Lord’s bodyguard and beyond, and Mac makes each phase of the character’s development believable and entertaining.

“In addition, Skye Walker, also at Southern Union, plays Mrs. Lord’s eavesdropping granddaughter who brings her parents’ evil plans to light.

She’s delightful as the daffy Daphne Bailey in conveying the breadth and depth of the incompetency scheme with all the flightiness of a teenaged space cadet,” Iler said.

Additional cast members include Angela Mullins who is known across the area for her roles with the Sixth Street Baptist Church drama team and co-director Rob Iler as the doddering butler. Their off-the-wall antics will keep the audience laughing, even during scene changes, Iler said.

Jacob Iler and Justin Brown will share the roles of Mrs. Lord’s gardener and chauffer, and Heather Glenn has the role of her secretary. BRHS rising freshman Amari Johnson will play the nurse, Miss Moran.

“For this production, Alexander City Theatre II has truly drawn from the talents of the community,” Iler noted.

“Lake Martin Home Health and Lake Martin Community Hospital loaned us the most wonderful hospital set furnishings; Be You tiful Salon is helping us with hair and costumes; Melanie Wilkes at Russell Home Décor has done a fabulous job with the set; and Karen Kison and her crew have begged and borrowed period costumes to transport the audience to 1980s Atlanta for an evening or afternoon of delightful entertainment.”

Follow Alexander City Theatre II on Facebook.

Put on the "Dawg" for annual parade

D

ress up the family Gawn to the Dawgs Entry into the annual Sun Festival dog for this Sun Dawg-Gawn Good Parade is free Festival event and the parade is open to the public. designed just for her. Each dog will be judged and ranked, and winners will be announced six categories, including the best “Dawg-Gawn” costume; best manners, most energetic, most adorable, most likely to jump the fense and the happiest tail.

There will even be a non-dog category in which to enter your cat, rabbit, bird, calf, lamb, chicken, horse, iguana, snake or other animal.

Just dress them up and bring them along to contend for the “Thank God I’m Not a Dog” award.

Just rememeber to bring a pooper scooper for the mess your pet may leave behind.

Registration begins at 5 p.m. at Strand Park on Tallapoosa Street in Alexander City. And it’s not just the pets that will be entertained.

Bring a lawn chair to watch the antics. The parade starts at 5:30, but come early to dog-watch and decide which dog looks most like its owner.

This event is sponsored by Alexander City Veterinary Clinc; Beds, Baths & Bark-On; Marsha C. Mason, attorney at law; and Wells Fargo.

Lake Martin Living 41

Clash of the Cooks PATH pits chefs against each other in scrap for the purse STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

P

rosperity Again Thru Health (PATH) this year will invest in the future when three local chefs team up with 12 kids in a MainStreet Farmer’s Market cook-off for a $300 purse.

“PATH concentrates on one aspect of health every quarter, and this quarter, we are focusing on buying local and eating fresh,” said PATH event chair Ella MacFiggen. “Last year at Sun Festival, we had three chefs that competed in a cookoff. This year, we wanted to get kids interested in eating and cooking healthy, so we decided on a junior chef cook-off with professional chefs as coaches for each team of kids.”

Chris Doggett of Willow Point Golf & Country Club, Brad MacFiggen at Russell Medical Center and Henry Foy of Café 128 will serve as coaches for George Ammons, Lydia Ballard, Cameron Benefield, Luke Doggett, Madison Fuller, Timothy 42 Lake Martin Living

Gates, Carley Henderson, Bradley Jordan, Emma Clare Jordan, Taylor McVey and McKennon Pritchard.

Each chef will choose a recipe for junior chefs to prepare for public tasting at the market on Saturday morning, July 25, PATH’s MacFiggen explained.

“There will be four kids with each chef, and on July 18, they will do a run-through. The kids will choose ingredients at the farmer’s market for their secret recipes, and they will go to an off-site kitchen to practice preparing it,” she said.

The chef teams will use kitchens at The Arbor, the Lake Martin Area United Way and Café 128 to prepare a small portion of the team’s selected dish.

On July 25, the junior chefs will again make selections from farmer’s market vendors. This time, they will prepare dishes on-site, as each chef will bring grills, ovens, cooktops

or other equipment needed to prepare the selected dishes.

While they work, Dr. Doug Roberts will emcee a wellness fair from 9 a.m. until noon to introduce participants to wellness services and products from local vendors who will provide wellness education programs and offer giveaways to market attendees.

In addition to the cook-off event, there will be goat milking and a scavenger hunt; lessons in herbal cooking; Team cooking

Opposite: The PATH cooking teams include Chris Doggett with Emma Clare Jordan and McKennon Pritchard; Henry Foy as the coach for George Ammons, Blair Dunn and Taylor McVey; and Brad MacFiggen with Madison Fuller, Carley Henderson and Bradley Jordan; Not pictured: Lydia Ballard, Cameron Benefield, Luke Doggett and Timothy Gates; Below: Doggett and team member Emma Clare Jordan fight off competitors Ammons and McVey.

and fresh smoothies to taste.

Market patrons will be able to taste the offerings of the junior chefs, and Alexander City Schools Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper will judge the entries on nutritional value, taste and affordability. The top team will win $300.

Chef teams also will use produce from the PATH Community Garden and can bring other ingredients as well. PATH will purchase the ingredients needed by each team.

Market patrons can pick up a copy of each entered recipe at the cook-off event on July 25.

MacFiggen, a founder of PATH, said the nonprofit organization’s board members hope the event will demonstrate to children that cooking and eating healthy can be fun and will help them to develop health-centered habits and lifestyles.

Lake Martin Living 43

Band Battle returns for second year STORY BY DAVID GRANGER

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ne of the most anticipated events of Alexander City’s annual Sun Festival is the Friday night Band Battle in Strand Park, which will pit six groups against each other for cash and the opportunity to open for the festival’s headliner act at the Sportplex Saturday night.

For 2015, the second year for the competition, the Band Battle committee selected six bands to go toe-to-toe July 24. At stake are $1,000 and the opener’s spot for country music sensation David Nail the following night.

“Last year was our first year for Band Battle,” said Ann Rye, executive director and president of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. “We started it thinking that it would be an opportunity to highlight talented start-up bands from our area, give them a chance for exposure to a large audience and help build their resumes by their being able to say that they opened up for a really big popular artist like David Nail.”

Band Battle 2015, sponsored by Russell Lands, will feature Lady Di and The Stage Fight Clockwise from above: Dynamic Band, Blackberry Union Road, Blackberry Breeze, the Brooke Danielle Breeze; Tyler Braden; Band, Union Road, Painted and Brooke Danielle Band (unpictured: Ivy and Tyler Painted Ivy and Lady Di and The Dynamic Band)

44 Lake Martin Living

Braden & Bradley Roberson. The six finalists were chosen from 11 entries that each submitted an audio- or videotape to the Band Battle committee.

“Our Band Battle committee is made up of different people from different backgrounds that enjoy different genres of music,” Rye said. “I feel like the committee’s makeup allows us to get a good mix of artists.”

Last year’s Band Battle champ, Funk Nation, has proven that the Band Battle title can pay big dividends.

Since winning last year’s competition, Funk Nation has worked on a new album and toured with several R&B bands.

The band connected with an agent last year at Band Battle and has been booked to perform at universities (including Alabama and LSU), as well as venues and clubs in the Carolinas, Louisiana and elsewhere.

The participants in Band Battle 2015 all come from Alabama, including Dadeville and Alexander City, with the one from farthest away hailing from Centre and one band that includes two Alexander City natives.

“Bring a lawn chair and come hungry,” Rye said. “Food will be available for purchase.

Alcoholic beverages are allowed, so bring your cooler, but please drink responsibly.”

David Nail Finale STORY BY MITCH SNEED

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t’s right there on country music star David Nail’s tour schedule, smack dab between Big Flats, New York’s Summer Sound Stage and Harrington, Delaware’s State Fair.

“Alexander City, AL: Alexander City’s Sportplex.”

Yes, Nail, singer of top-ten country singles Red Light, Let It Rain and Whatever She’s Got, on July 25 will headline the concert and Winn Dixie fireworks show that caps off the week of activity that is Sun Festival.

“We think David Nail will prove a great draw for us, both locally and for our tourists,” said Kim Dunn, director of marketing and special events with the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates a citywide effort to produce Sun Festival each year.

“He’s a great artist who had a No. 1 song last year (Whatever She’s Got). He’s timely and played on the radio on a regular basis, so we expect a big crowd on the final night of Sun Festival,” Dunn said.

Nail, whose latest studio album I’m a Fire reached as high as No. 3 on the country album charts, is a native of Missouri, quite a sports fan (Just check his Twitter account!) and a die-hard fan of his home-state Missouri Tigers, even though he attended Arkansas State University.

Topping It Off “Love my home Top 10 hit musician David Nail state more than will top off this year's Sun Festival most,” Nail recently celebration as the headline act at tweeted. “Bleed the Sportplex Saturday night. black and gold and will forever.”

Tickets for the concert and fireworks are $15 in advance and $20 on the evening of the show, which starts at 7 p.m.

Seats are available in the stands or on the football field.

Bring lawn chairs or a blanket for field seating. Concessions will be available inside the stadium, but no coolers will be allowed.

For information, contact the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce at 256-234-3461.

Lake Martin Living 45

46 Lake Martin Living

A Big Time Dadeville cowboys take family seriously

STORY BY CARA CLARK & PHOTOS BY JIM DENNEY

Lake Martin Living 47

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aybe there’s a little bit of John Wayne in those who have met the business end of a steer’s horns or a bronco’s hooves – a confident swagger and a cache of rodeo prizes. They’re up at daybreak and still working at sunset, and when they’re good at what they do, it shows in the way they carry themselves.

And when they’re not just good but really good, they’re humble, as well as confident. It’s the way they were raised.

“It’s been a big blessing,” said Ed Allen, a Benjamin Russell High School teacher who started roping when he was 14 years old. “The good Lord has blessed us in more ways that we can ever talk about. We remain healthy; all of the horses are healthy; we get to go to the places we go to and meet the people we meet. It’s a big time.”

Allen got his start in the rodeo circuit by helping some other cowboys with cattle work in his hometown of Lafayette, Alabama. From there, it seemed a natural step to try his hand at the amateur level. The next thing he knew, he was in the High School National Rodeo finals in 1981.

He suddenly found himself on the fast track to the school of hard knocks. Rodeo is tough on the mind and requires intense concentration, a grueling schedule and a shift of lifestyle priorities.

He turned it into a four-year rodeo scholarship at Southwestern Oklahoma University.

“I’ve been roping for roughly 35 years,” Allen said. “My 48 Lake Martin Living

oldest son is 15, and the youngest are 12-year-old twins.

They’ve been roping since they were 6 or 7.”

Allen’s boys took to the sport with the enthusiasm of their father, roping steers from horseback at 7 and competing at 8 years old.

His oldest son, T.J., now a high school freshman, made it to the Junior High National finals last year.

This year, T.J. stepped aside to help his sixth-grade brothers, Wyatt and Colton, launch their junior high careers, which ended with a bang.

In early May in Headland, Alabama, the two competed against cowboys from across the state. They swept the competition, and along with it, the saddles, buckles, jeans and cash prizes that came with the win.

In the junior high division, they won first and second in breakaway roping, first and second in ribbon roping and first in team roping. They also tied for all-around best cowboys and competed last month for the first time at the National Junior High Rodeo competition in Des Moines, Iowa.

The sixth-graders took home all those statewide trophies while competing against kids on their way to high school.

And their brother was just as competitive at their age. Some might say it’s in their genes.

“My wife (Kandi) grew up in Montgomery, and we met at the rodeo finals in 1990 and married in 1993,” Allen said.

The couple settled in Dadeville, where they have lived for

Heads and Tails

Previous pages: T.J. Allen heads a steer while his younger brother Colton heels; Clockwise from above left: Colton and T.J. practice roping skills after school; the Allen family - Ed, Wyatt, T.J., Kandi and Colton; heading a steer is intense work for T.J.

23 years.

For the Allens, every day is a rodeo. Most afternoons after school find the family at home on the 45-acre property where they raise roping steers. Allen leases another 350-400 acres for the Corriente cattle that make the best rodeo stock. The family practices with these cattle and lease them to other riders who want to get the hang of roping.

Allen said the team roping competitions employ a handicapping system that keeps competition friendly and fair at all ages and skill levels. Events are scheduled across the Southeast and West.

Along with the cattle, the family keeps eight to 12 horses that are part of the successful roping team.

Wyatt, who has taken home his share of buckles, said a rider has to keep a good perspective to do well in rodeo. “You just can’t let it go to your head and Lake Martin Living 49

Throwing Loops

Above: Wyatt prepares to catch the steer's heels as his brother Colton throws a loop over the head; Left: the key to roping, said Colton, is a good relationship between horse and rider.

feel like you’re the big dog,” he said. “My dad taught me and my brothers how to rope, and we’ve just gotten better and better. I just try and try to have the best time I can and stay humble.”

Wyatt said having a good horse is a big part of winning.

Another part is having a father who believes in you.

“He wouldn’t give up even when we felt like giving up,” Wyatt said. “He just taught us and never gave up. My dad is one of the best ropers around.”

Wyatt and T.J. are headers, meaning they rope the heads of the steers they chase in team roping competition. Colton and Allen are heelers, following the steer and aiming the 50 Lake Martin Living

loop at the animals’ back feet.

It’s tough to place the horse and the loop just right with a steer that has no intention of cooperating, they noted.

“You’ve gotta be on your game, cause if you’re not, the other guys are going to take it,” Colton said. “You have to be there wanting it, and you have to take it.”

Colton said the key to roping steers is working with your horse as a tool.

“In a good partnership, you have to take really good care of your horse, and he can work with you,” he said. “My horse has a good attitude.”

The boys credit their success to a father’s willingness to teach them.

“I don’t see any other dads doing what he does for us,” Colton said. “He really does spend a lot of time. The most important lesson he’s taught me is to stay humble and put God first. If you think you know everything, you’re going to mess up; you’re going to get beat.”

The right attitude, T.J. said, is essential.

“If a person is down on himself and doesn’t have a good attitude, he’s not going to be successful. I like to rope with the people who are positive and want to win. That’s the most important lesson I’ve learned from my dad. You have to have a good attitude all the time, not just some of the time. You’ve got to try hard and give 110 percent every time. We say you keep God first in everything you do and have fun and do your best. And he’ll do the rest.”

T.J. said he’s aware of the rare opportunity he and his brothers have been afforded.

“Not many people have this opportunity,” he said. “I have him as a dad, a teacher and a partner in the roping arena. It’s pretty nice to have a dad that is intelligent enough to teach you a class and to teach you a sport like team roping.”

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Lake Martin Living 51

FABULOUS FINDS FROM OUR REAL ESTATE ADVERTISERS

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4174 Goodwater Road, Goodwater • $348,700 The Ultimate Country Estate! A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO And lots of room for it in this 4BR/3.5BA nestled on +/- 16 acres with stocked catfish pond, fun in the sun backyard with pool, pool house that includes half bath and lots of area for entertaining poolside or in the shade. Watch the color of the seasons change in your own professionally landscaped yard. See for yourself the family features this home offers. Call today! Horseshoe Bend School District.

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The Village at Lake Martin • $599,000 Custom built waterfront home. One of the larger lots w/a fabulous view, year round water, private floating pier & dock, detached double carport, 3 BD/ 3bth, 4th or office, Master on main, dining room, hardwood & stone floors. F/P, Granite counter tops, stainless appliances, Surround sound wiring, custom cabinetry and media room.

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Parker Creek • $499,000 Nestled in the woods, a true lake cabin! Rustic interior with wood floors, walls & ceiling. Huge bonus room for all the kids. The view is awesome, sandy bottom for swimming and plenty of outdoors spaces in the sun or shade.

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Little Kowaliga Creek • $350,000 Awesome 3 bedroom, 3 bath lake cabin. Gorgeous wood floors and ceiling in the open great room that flows out to a wraparound porch. Large master suite and another great room downstairs.

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The Ridge Phase 2, Ella Belle New Lake Beauty! Legacy New Homes, a first-class builder, is now crafting a superb new lake home. Top-notch design that features an open floor plan, 2 master suites on main level, 2 additional guest suites & 2nd greatroom on terrace level, ample boat toy storage, & even more fine benefits. Generous outdoor living spaces inspire fun family gatherings and therapeutic sunsets. Offered at $1,500,000. Call for more detailed information.

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South Ridge Harbor Ridge Redux!

The best got better. We are proud to introduce this new design for South Ridge Harbor by Krumdieck Architects. This upscale lake home design features carefully crafted indoor family spaces and expansive outdoor living. You will love the private owner’s retreat offering a master den with fireplace, sleeping suite and expansive bath. This ultra-cool design is sure to redefine lake homes on Lake Martin. Call one of our sales executives at 256.215.7011 today to discover the details. We are breaking ground soon so stay tuned!

Russell Cabins, The Longleaf Announcing New Phase of Russell Cabins – Paddock Point! This Jonathan Torode design is a perfect plan to consider at Paddock Point.

With three bedrooms and three full and two half bathrooms, it’s a perfect layout for family enjoyment. The Owner’s suite is on the main level for easy access to the spacious kitchen area with large dinner island. The upper level is a versatile design that offers two options for Extra living/sleeping.

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South Ridge Harbor, The Double Main One of the many designs available to build at South Ridge Harbor. Architect Larry Furlong created the perfect plan for lake living. Owner’s retreat and guest suite on main with open kitchen-dining-living area. Laundry on both levels. Terrace level has two options providing two or three bedrooms and baths, family room and lake prep storage.

Outdoor living on both levels. Call for additional details.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin Emily or Rhonda 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com

52 Lake Martin Living

RMC sponsors healthy habits at Sun Festival

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Blood drive, pie tasting and free cancer screening Medical News

ussell Medical court judge and county Center has always sheriff have in common? taken a leading role They are serving as in making our community the official judges in the a healthier place to live. upcoming Pie Fest & Blood is always in high Tasting event to be held demand, particularly in during Sun Festival on the summer when supplies Thursday, July 23! historically run low, and it Dr. John Adams, Judge is a commodity that cannot Tom Young and Sheriff be created in a lab or pulled Jimmy Abbott are looking from a warehouse when the forward to sampling those need arises. Maintaining a family recipes and holiday Susan Foy safe and stable blood supply favorites submitted by is a crucial way to save lives community bakers. and to ensure an adequate response to This yummy contest is sponsored by emergency situations. the Seniority program at RMC and will The American Red Cross Blood be held in Strand Park at 10 a.m. under Services is the primary supplier of the big tent. Admission is free to the blood and blood products to Russell public, so come out and enjoy samples Medical Center, meaning we depend and vote on the People’s Choice Award. on the Red Cross to supply blood for Bragging rights for the blue ribbon patients who receive treatment here. winner will include having their pie We truly need, and are counting added to the menu at Docks Cafeteria on, members of the Lake Martin on the ground floor of the hospital. community to donate blood to the Red In addition, the winning recipe will Cross whenever eligible and to sponsor be served to 450 ladies during the Red Cross blood drives at schools, Breast Cancer Awareness luncheon in churches and workplaces.

October.

The upcoming Sun Festival Red Pie bakers and pie tasters are needed.

Cross Blood Drive will be a great What a fun way to enjoy a morning opportunity to give blood. This event during Sun Festival and meet other will be hosted by the Lake Martin members of our Seniority program.

Association of Realtors at their office In case of rain, this event will be located at 807 Cherokee Road. The moved to the RMC Community Room. hours will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For additional information, please For additional information, contact contact Jessica Sanford, Community Rebecca Jones, RMC Laboratory Relations at 256-329-7322.

Director at 256-329-7181 or email her Once again, Dr. Tony McLeod, ENT at rjones@russellmedcenter.com. specialist, will conduct a free mouth, And thank you for supporting the neck and throat cancer screening on American Red Cross and giving the gift Tuesday, Aug, 4, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the of life.

Total Fitness area of the Professional What do a new RMC doctor, circuit Building.

Dr. Shanker Unnikrishnan

This simple, non-invasive screening only takes a few minutes. No appointment is required. Factors that can increase the risk of oral cancer include: Tobacco use of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, among others; heavy alcohol use, or a previous oral cancer diagnosis.

Russell Medical Center welcomes Dr. Shanker Unnikrishnan, M.D., to our hospitalist program. Dr. Unnikrishnan is from Troy, Alabama, and comes to Russell Medical Center from Selma, where he has practiced since 2010.

He received his medical degree from Ross University and completed his residency at UAB’s Selma Family Medical Residency Program. Dr. Unnikrishnan serves as Medical Director of the RMC hospitalist program. ~ Susan Foy is marketing director at Russell Medical Center.

Lake Martin Living 53

Equity Option for Big Purchases

S

Money Matters

ummer is a time when a lot of people look from a HELOC in any number of ways today, to make improvements around the house, such as taking a dream vacation, buying a boat, such as doing a renovation, putting on paying for a wedding, putting in a swimming an addition or maybe buying that pool they’ve pool, purchasing an investment property or always wanted. making car repairs, just to name a few.

With home values on the rise, and You must qualify for a HELOC, just like homeowners in the Lake Martin area faring any other loan. Having equity in your home better than many other areas, you may be looking isn’t the only qualifier for a HELOC. The bank to start a new project. And if you have equity underwrites the line of credit, just like any other in your home, a Home Equity Line of Credit loan. That means the bank will look at your (HELOC) might be a good way to pay for it. credit score, debt-to-income ratio, tax returns A HELOC allows you to borrow against your and income. Additionally, the bank will want an Sandra Carlisle appraisal done on the home. home’s equity – the difference between the value of your home and the amount you still owe on your There are many benefits to a HELOC. In mortgage – to make discretionary purchases, or even to pay addition to the variety of ways you can use a Home Equity off debt.

Line of Credit, this type of funding is less complicated and Here are some things to know about this type of line of offers a lot of flexibility and convenience as well. credit if you’re considering it as a financial option for your Unlike a regular fixed loan that you can only borrow from next big purchase. one time, an equity loan is “revolving debt,” so it can be used Understand how a HELOC works. A HELOC, much like again and again during the term of the loan, normally 10 a credit card, is known as a revolving line of credit. This years. means you can borrow up to a preset limit, and during the The payments for a HELOC offer a lot of flexibility. life of the loan, you can pay it down and then use it again Most lenders don’t require you to pay on the principal each as needed. You can use a HELOC even if you still have a month. As long as you pay the interest charges, you can mortgage on your property. As long as the value of the home make the principal payments as you see fit, so if you get is more than what you owe, a HELOC could be an option for a big bonus or large tax refund, or you sell an investment you. property, you could use that money to make a major You can use a HELOC for many different purposes. principal payment.

While originally designed for home improvement and repair A lot of items you would use a HELOC for can be taxpurposes, you can use the deductible. It’s best to check with your accountant to see funds what qualifies.

HELOCs usually close much faster than a traditional mortgage. A bank can get one closed in as little as two weeks, assuming all the paperwork is completed.

But also remember this: Even with its many benefits, a HELOC might not be right for you. HELOCs are not the best fit for everyone’s situation. For example, if your house is paid off, but you’re on a limited fixed income, you might be better off with a more structured fixed loan.

Every situation is different, and your bank should take an individualized approach to find the best solution to fit your needs and circumstances. Contact your banker to answer any questions you have about Home Equity Lines of Credit. ~ Sandra Carlisle is Senior Vice President, Market Manager at USAmeriBank, based in the Dadeville office.

54 Lake Martin Living

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Russell Lands Arti Gras July 3, 2015 Russell Crossroads 1. Mary Lyman Boone and Janet Price 2. Alisa Shivers and Jessi Norwood 3. Libby and Kevin Engstrom 4. Christie and Pat Jamison 5. Mike Young 6. Leighann Harris, Kristi Dutton and Ella and Georgia Harris

Lake Martin Living 55

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Hackneyville Fireworks Bash July 3, 2015 Hackneyville 1. Jasmine Scott and Gracie Barker 2. Joe and Janice Eppinger, Larry and Rhonda Brown 3. Natalie, Colton and Ashley Burton 4. Blake and Blakely Vernon 5. Chelsea and Daiseigh Cleveland 6. Jared Williams, Gabbie Smith, Maggie Abernathy, Mathew Wilson and Evan Bently 56 Lake Martin Living

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Jazz Fest 2015 June 12, 2015 Strand Park, Alexander City 1. Andrea Dobbs, Miranda Gill and Ernie Luster 2. Maggie Springer and Liz Edge 3. Skip Donnell and Cindy Holliday 4. Libby and Ken Housand and Elizabeth Hare 5. Rob and Sherri Taunton 6. Sam Sturdivant, Dylan Cecil, Matthew Anderson, Darby Hines and Scott Sturdivant 7. Johnny James and Kathi Odom

Lake Martin Living 57

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Lake Fest June 26, 2015 DARE Park, Dadeville 1. Siriya Hart, Mary Jones and Curreia Hart 2. Emily Missildine and Rebecca Parvin 3. Sara and Gabe Thomas 4. Amanda Fowler 5. Megan Schleicher, Maya Perry and Mary Downes 6. Jeffery and Donna Baker 7. Mickey Tapley, Jenifer Everett, Stephanie and Andre Gurksi

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Lake Martin Area United Way Day of Action June 18, 2015 Alexander City and Tallapoosa County Schools 1. Ellen Abernathy 2. Pam Holloway and David Horley 3. Honey Haynes 4. Diane Lemmond and Janice Glaze 5. Misty Anderson, Tammy Richardson, Brandy Gray and Jimmy Harmon 6. DJ Layfield 7. Misty Butler, Principal Delynn Bouldin and Marbry Cook 8. Wayne McCormick and David Horsley 9. Shannon Bost

Lake Martin Living 59

Calendar

THE LAKE REGION

FEATURED EVENT

Make a mountaintop memory More than simply a hike to a great view, the Sun Festival Sunset Hike to Smith Mountain at 6 p.m. July 23 will be an experience to be shared.

In addition to a guided hike to the top of Dadeville's historic mountain, there will be stories of its past, including the retelling of the restoration of the mountain's firetower that sits high above Lake Martin.

The three-quarter mile hike from the parking lot to the mountaintop will tour the greenery and beauty of Alabama, including reforestation of the state's longleaf pines. Atop the 780-foot firetower, hikers will be treated to a picturesque view of Lake Martin and the surrounding countryside.

Bring water, a good pair of hiking boots and a flashlight, as you may want to stay past sunset.

Dogs are welcome along the trail but will not be allowed on the firetower.

This Sun Festival event is sponosred

by Madix, Rep. Mark Tuggle and Wellborn Forest Products. For more information, contact the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce at 256234-3461.

Sunset at the Firetower

Guided tours of the tower and its history are part of 2015 Sun Festival.

60 Lake Martin Living

LAKE REGION EVENTS Now through July 24

Lindsey Christina Exhibit

Birmingham artist Lindsey Christina brings Old World press art with a modern twist to Gallery 128 through July 24. The downtown gallery is located at Emporium Wine on Calhoun Street in Alexander City.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 18

Lions Lake Martin Charity Poker Run

This annual charity event on Lake Martin, sponsored by Russell Marine, raises funds for area charities. Players can sign up at 8:30 a.m. at The Ridge Marina before visiting each of the Russell marinas to collect a hand of cards. Highest and lowest hands win prizes at the post-event party at Kowaliga Restaurant. Best costumed crew wins a prize as well. Call 256212-1416 for entry details.

July 18

Horseshoe Bend Militia Day

A Tennessee Militia Living History Drill will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Horseshoe Bend National Park. Demonstrators will show how militiamen trained before taking up arms in the Creek War of 1813-1814.

For details, call 256-234-7111.

July 18-25

Sun Festival

The third annual SunFestival in Alexander City kicks off Saturday, July 18, and features a week of parties, paddling races, arts and crafts fun, concerts in the park, theatrical productions, barbecue cook-offs and a finale concert with headliner David Nailor with a fireworks show. Fun for the kids and the whole family.

See page 36 for more information or call the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce at 256-234-3461.

July 18

Book Sale

The Friends of the Dadeville Public Library will sponsor a book sale in the library basement (205 North West Street) from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Stuff a plastic bag full for only $5 and spend the rest of the summer reading! Best sellers, fiction, nonfiction, biographies, travel books, books for young readers, coffee table books, self-help and more.

All proceeds benefit the public library. Call 256-825-7820 for more information.

July 19

Tallapoosee Historical Society

The quarterly meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Call Will Ponder at 256825-4492 or Sharon Gaither 256-8254687 for meeting location and details.

July 24

Big & Rich

Country music duo Big Kenny and John Rich will appear at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Casino. Visit ticketmaster.com for tickets and details.

July 28

Clay Greer Exhibit

A rising Alexander City artist, Clay Greer will exhibit his collection entitled Decadence at downtown Alexander City’s Gallery 128.

Greer will present a new collection of works inspired by both his Southern upbringing and time spent apprenticing under master artist Nall in France. The artworks exhibited will include oil paintings, thermographic prints and sculpture, each with a unique story to tell.

Gallery 128 is located in Emporium Wine at 128 Calhoun Street in Alexander City. The exhibit will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aug. 22

Horseshoe Bend Muster on the Tallapoosa

Horseshoe Bend Military Park will hold a commemoration of its establishment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A living history show will illustrate life during the early 1800s for both American Indians and the earliest American settlers. For details, call 256234-7111.

Aug. 29

Crossroads Garden Pancake Breakfast

The Community Garden Club will host a pancake breakfast benefit in the Arts Cabin at Russell Crossroads from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Pancakes, juice and coffee will be served. The cost is $5 and should be paid with cash or check.

Sept. 5

Crossroads Garden Pancake Breakfast

The Community Garden Club will host a pancake breakfast benefit in the Arts Cabin at Russell Crossroads from 8 to 10 a.m. Pancakes, juice and coffee will be served. The cost is $5 and should be paid with cash or check.

Sept. 6

Labor Day Concert at The AMP

The Vegabonds will headline the final concert of the summer at The AMP at Russell Crossroads. The kid-friendly event has space for picnicking so be sure to bring lawn chairs, blankets and coolers. Watch future issues of Lake magazine for the complete concert line-up.

Season-Long Events MainStreet Farmers Market

Shop the produce of local growers every Saturday morning at the Broad Street Plaza in downtown Alexander City to pick up fresh, seasonal, fruits, honey, jams, jellies and relishes, eggs,

Lake Martin Living 61

herb plants, lotions, creams, shampoo and conditioner, soaps made from goats’ milk and beeswax byproducts.

Local growers will offer their products from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Catherine’s Market Wine Tastings

Gather around a table with friends at Catherine’s Market from 5 to 7 p.m. every Friday from through Sept.

4 to taste a selection of wines. Your $5 tasting fee will be applied to the purchase of any featured wines for the evening.

Yoga on the Green

Bring a mat and a bottle of water to the Russell Crossroads Town Green at 7 a.m. Saturdays through Sept. 5 to start the day with yoga.

Fridays on the Green

What could be better than bands, lawn games and beautiful sunsets on the Town Green all summer long? The music starts at 6:30 p.m. every Friday,

just in time to drop your luggage at the lakehouse and meet your friends at Russell Crossroads.

Catholic Mass (Holy Eucharist) at Church in the Pines

Every Saturday at 6 p.m. through September 5. For information, contact the Rev. Msgr. F. Charles Troncale at 334-283-2169.

Library Storytime

Storytime for children ages 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Electronics Recycling

The City of Alexander City Public Works Department will host 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. Electronics contain a number of harmful chemicals. The events give citizens a chance to get rid of old and outdated electronics without risking the water supply by sending them to a landfill. 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.

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 73300 Central Plank Road, Highway 9 in Wetumpka.

Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony Exhibit

62 Lake Martin Living

The Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony on Lake Martin exhibit is on

display at the Alexander City Board of Education building all year long.

The BOE is located at 375 Lee Street.

$20 on the 20th The Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce is asking our community to "Spend $20 on the 20th" of each month to help our local economy.

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 at will between 1 and 8 p.m. with a business meeting at 5, followed by show-and-tell. Bring sewing projects, machines and questions.

Real Island Supper The Real Island community hosts a covered dish supper every third Friday of the month (2nd Friday in December) at the Real Island Volunteer Fire Department and Community Room, 1495 Real Island Road, Equality. We have a lot of fun, and everyone is welcome. Admission is $3 per adult; bring a covered dish to share. Some nights are “themed,” so call ahead to find out if costumes or certain types of food are in order.

For more information, contact Dianne Perrett at 256-329-8724.

Church of the Living Waters Services are held at 9 a.m. every Sunday though Sept. 6.

July19 Rev. James Cullens July 26 Rev. Mark Gainey Aug. 2 Dr. Roy Hornsby Aug. 9 Mike Kolen Aug. 16 Rev. Tommy Greer Aug. 23 Rev. Rusty Hutson Aug. 30 Rev. Al Perkins Sept. 6 Billy Coleman

Red Flag Pest Control When the problem has to stop!

Has your home been inspected lately?

256.825.0430

Serving Central Alabama Hwy. 280, Jackson’s Gap

1.888.943.0353

Lake Martin Living 63

9

Goldville 280

Goodwater

5 To Sylacauga

Legend

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

63

New Site

Public Boat Ramps 22

280

Churches

23

Camps & Parks

Timbergut Landing

9

Power lines

19

280

18

9

U.S. Highways County Roads

14

Alexander City Flint Hill Church

22

Camp ASCCA

Alex City Boat Ramp

10

Rockford

3

49

128

22

Piney Woods Landing

Wind Creek 63 State Park

COOSA COUNTY

Horsesh Nation

Jaybird Landing

Jacksons Gap

Pleasant Grove Church

11

9

Mt. Zion Church

259

Friendship Church Liberty Church

20

Bethel Church

D.A.R.E. Park Landing

22

Smith Landing Willow Point

24

Seman

4 Camp Kiwanis

Church in The Pines Trillium

1 Children’s Harbor Ko w

ali

11 20 9

Church of the Living Waters

The Ridge

The Amp

ga

2

49 Stillwaters

22

Union Landing

Ba

Walnut Hill

y

26

80

24

Lake Martin Baptist Church

Camp Alamisco

Kowaliga Boat Landing 55

Pleasant Ridge Church

34

6 63 17 7

Equality

231

16

8

57

New Hope Church

Dadev

280

Union

90

50

Central

Red Hill

15

Union Church

63 229

49

Eclectic

6

Santuck

21 Kent Reeltown

120

14

231

14

25

ELMORE COUNTY Wetumpka

64 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

66. SpringHouse 256-215-7080

12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 76. Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070

17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

50

Camp Hill

54. Teresa Catering & Wedding Cakes 256-249-2021 www.teresacatering.com

4890 County Rd. 41, Sylacauga, Al 35150

86.Homeplate Cafe 256-825-0583

191 East South St., Dadeville, AL 36853

13

Business & Shopping 280

Waverly 50

94 Tallapoosa Ford 256-234-3432

1551 Hwy. 280, Alex City, Al 35010 10 5. Karen Channell State Farm Financial Services 256-234-3481

5030 Hwy. 280, Alex City, Al 35010 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

13 4. Artistic Teak Traders 256-896-1111 334-559-6625

1405 Old Hwy 280, Camp Hill, AL 36850

Loachapoka

4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 15 334-541-2132

1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 4. Russell Building Supply 16 256-825-4256

350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853 4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 17 256-794-1333

111 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 . Dark Insurance 18 256-234-5026 www.darkinsuranceagency.com

410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 19 . McDaniels Storage Center 256-234-4583

1040 Highway 280, Alex City, AL 35010 . Kowaliga Whole Health & Pet Care Resort 20 334-857-1816

8610 Kowaliga Road, Eclectic, AL 36024 19 Eclectic Emporium & Antique Gifts 21 334-541-5060 124 Claude Road, Eclectic, AL 36024

Hotels & Lodges 34. Creekside Lodge & Conference and Event Center 22 256-307-1440

6993 Hwy. 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853 34. Cherokee Bend Bed & Breakfast 23 877-760-7854

5833 Hwy 22 E, Alex City, AL 35010

Churches 34. Red Ridge United Methodist Church 24 256-825-9820

8091 County Rd 34, Dadeville, AL 36853 34. Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 25 334-252-8618

2602 Gilmer Avenue, Tallassee, AL 36078

(12 miles South of Lake Martin)

Dock Builders 3. Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc 26 Marine Construction Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443

180 Birmingham Road, Eclectic, AL 36024

4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 14 256-234-2567

1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010

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 65

Who’s DINER Who’s Hungry?

1560 Hwy. 22W, Alex City • 256.212.1501

256.329.9611

TANNING! MOVIES & GAMES

2006 Cherokee Road, Alexander City www.rack.myvideostore.com

Buck’s Dairy Quick

Home of Buck’s Famous Slaw

256.392.3565 1171 Tallapoosa Street, Alex City

66 Lake Martin Living

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

Templeton Plantation Pet Hotel & Grooming Spa

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

Where your pets have a room instead of a cage!

By Appointment Only: 256-794-0401

Locally Owned & Operated By Jeff Rothstein

3724 Pepperell Pkwy.

Opelika, AL (Old Midway Plaza)

(334) 364-0174 Serving Lee, Tallapoosa, Elmore, Macon & Coosa Counties As seen on HGTV’s Lakefront Bargain Hunt – “Home Sweet Home, Lake Martin, AL”

www.

Selling Lake Martin .com

ke Martin Experts” “The La

Amy Clark Estate, Inc Inc. Real Estate @ Lake Martin

256/749-3333 256/749-2102

dB

Lawn Care Darrell Brooks, Owner Cutting •Edging Weed Eating •Mulch Weed Control

256.267.0518

To Advertise in the Business Directory section of Lake Martin Living please contact one of our Sales Representatives @ 256-234-4281 Lake Martin Living 67

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

68 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 Furniture 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 256-2344281 to start your subscription.

AD INDEX 1st Insurance................................................. 8 A&M Plumbing............................................ 62 Above & Beyond Cleaning & Concierge.........28 Alex City Guide Service........................................ 32 Alex City Taxi & Shuttle................................ 67 Amanda Scroggins, RE/MAX Around the Lake.... 51 Amy Clark Real Estate.................................. 67 Auburn Dental Spa...................................... 32 Birchfield Farms........................................... 35 Bob Alexander Landscaping........................... 8 Brown Nursing Home.................................... 7 Buck's Dairy Quick....................................... 66 C&C Wood Products.................................... 66 Com-Link, Inc................................................ 8 Cutwater Marine......................................... 18 Damon Story, Cedar Point............................ 33 DAVCO Development.................................. 67 DB Lawn Care.............................................. 67 Deerfield Venue........................................... 28 Designs by Trish............................................. 7 East Alabama Medical Center...................... 22 Four Seasons Irrigation................................. 67 George Hardy, D.M.D.................................. 63 Harold Cochran, State Farm Insurance..............67 Interscapes........................................................22 Jan & David Hall, Lake Martin Realty.................12 Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.............. 13 Karen Channell, State Farm Insurance.....................67

Kelly’s Heating & Air.................................... 69 Lagasse Construction Inc............................. 22 Lake Martin Community Hospital................... 3 Lake Martin Dock.................................... 5, 67 Lakeside Concierge...................................... 67 Lakeshore Discount Pharmacy........................ 7 Lex Wedgeworth......................................... 18 Mark King's Furniture............................ 18, 71 Millstone Nursery........................................... 7 Movie Rack.................................................. 66 Music Depot................................................ 67 Nail's............................................................. 7 Patrick Mahaney.......................................... 66 Patterson Air................................................ 29 Playhouse Cinemas...................................... 66 Radney Funeral Home.................................. 35 Red Flag Pest Control.................................. 63 Reinhardt Lexus........................................... 63 River Bank & Trust........................................ 15 Russell Lands............................................... 19 Russell Medical Center................................. 72 Satterfield, Inc.............................................. 5 Sears............................................................ 67 Southern Sash............................................. 12 Special Arrangements.................................. 28 Sylacauga Country Club............................... 21 Tallassee Community Hospital...................... 69 Templeton Plantation................................... 67

The Landing at Parker Creek.......................... 2 Thomas Self Storage.................................... 28 Trinity Custom Homes.................................. 12 Virginia Pettus, ARONOV Lake Martin............ 5 Watson's Backyard Living............................. 21 Who's Diner................................................ 66

Lake Martin Living 69

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Bringing in Lex-Luther-Lovin’ Dollars

W

The Last Word

oot! After much debate and a As a boy, I had a pretty stout collection of few surly letters to the editor, comic books myself, and I can say with 100 Alexander City has finally gotten the percent certainty that those collectors don’t support and approval it needs for an arts and mess around. Let me tell you one thing: If entertainment district. This is huge news for you put on a comic book convention, those district-lovers everywhere (and for those who people will come out of the woodwork (in their enjoy entertainment in said district). parents’ basement) to be there.

Just as important as the ability to entertain Now, you have to approach it relatively is the know-how to entertain. What kinds of seriously; you can’t go half-hearted into a comic businesses or events attract the most tourism convention. There may need to be some locals and patronage? Fortunately, Uncle Luke is here dressed as Spider-Man or The Joker to make it to help. (Unfortunately – but unrelated – I have authentic, but as long as the content is good, Luke Robinson the collectors will show and downtown will just been handed a “cease and desist” order from the 1990s rapper “Uncle Luke” to stop be the beneficiary of a lot of Lex-Luthor-lovin’ calling myself that.) dollars.

Here are a few thoughts on how to make Alexander City Music or Art Shows. Yes, we have Jazz Fest already, but the entertainment capital of ... the ... Lake Martin ... area. we can do more, like a mini-Jazz Fest each month from (I’m trying to aim low initially, people; we need baby steps April to August. Get up-and-coming bands instead of here). huge names. Build this event in a grassroots way. Think Festivals – and lots of them. There is a festival for outside the (music) box! A ukulele tournament? A kazoo “urrythang” these days, and we need to get in on that convention? Anything that could be a little funky will action tout de suite! Spivey’s Corner, North Carolina, bring people in for a while. has its National Hollerin’ Contest, and Marlinton, West Cook Offs. I mentioned this thought a bit earlier, but Virginia, has the Roadkill Cookoff, so those two peachy they always work. We have an award-winning chef (Rob thoughts are taken.

McDaniel of SpringHouse) in these parts. We could ask The way I reckon, we need to go one of two ways him for advice. Wickles Pickles is a blossoming niche food with this idea: 1) A festival centering around something product right in Dadeville. Get a few ideas from their uniquely indigenous to our area; or 2) something that is marketing guru, Lacey Howell. We used to have something the exact opposite of that for novelty purposes. called the “Taste of Lake Martin.” Let’s do that again. (My If you prefer the former, maybe we go for something a apologies if it’s been done lately; I simply don’t remember little out there that still is unquestionably associated with it in awhile.)

Alexander City, like a festival of trains. After all, the tracks Tie any or all of these ideas into the new entertainment run right through our little berg, and I’ll be a conductor’s district and voila! Instant tourism! whistle if a choo-choo doesn’t keep me from making Luckily, some of our more active citizens have been whatever appointment I am late to every week. proactive by kick-starting the newly-formed Alexander How about the “Bad Movie Jamboree” in honor of “Troll City Theatre II, which will be opening A Very Rich 2”and its Alexander City native George Hardy as the lead Woman at the CACC auditorium this month. More luckily, character? you don’t have to be a very rich woman to afford tickets – Or we could have a gala on a topic that has absolutely they’re only $10! nothing to do with Lake Martin; maybe “The First Annual Whether you were pro or con when it comes to the Blimp-a-Thon” to celebrate the airplane’s bloated cousin entertainment district ordinance, now that it has passed, I or “The Yearly Tito Jackson Gala” where we could pay hope you will do all you can to make sure Alexander City’s homage to the least appreciated member of the famous entertainment district thrives. In the end, it is certainly in singing family. the best interest of the community that this idea works.

Any of these ideas are gold, Jerry. Just gold.

How about collector conventions? We all collect ~ Luke Robinson is an Alexander City native who also something, right? Arrowheads, stamps, encyclopedias, writes a weekly sports column for The Alexander City spouses, debt … something.

Outlook.

70 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living 71

FREE

Mouth, Throat & Neck

SCREENING

4

Tuesday, August

TH

2015

Increased risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption and previous diagnosis, although 25% of oral cancers occur in people with NO risk factors

1:00pm - 3:00 Lobby of Total Fitness

(ground floor, Professional Building) Conducted by:

F. Anthony McLeod, Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist Oral Cancer is a silent killer but studies indicate an 83% survival rate with early detection. For more information, contact Jessica Sanford, Community Relations coordinator 256-329-7145

72 Lake Martin Living