Connected March/April 2011
Published for the members of
“We Keep You Connected�
Hidden Miracles
How a baby & a brain tumor changed the life of singer Victoria Inman Griffith
Edit & share photos with
Broadband
Doing business and serving his community:
Bryan Thomas
Arenacross
Loud, dirty and lots of fun
General Manager Comments
It’s easier to face criticism when our motives are right
O
n the cover jacket of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s new book is a quote: “If no one is criticizing you, you aren’t doing very much.” I listened to a very critical reporter with extremely good hindsight badger Rumsfeld over why he would not apologize for being wrong on a very important point. Rumsfeld simply replied that he could not apologize for not knowing something that, at the critical point when he had to act, could not be known. He then quickly asserted his reason for acting on what he did know, and his motivation was beyond reproach. Agree with him or not, at that moment we learned something about Rumsfeld’s ability. We also learned something about Don Rumsfeld. I can only imagine the level of stress a U.S. Secretary of Defense faces. Nothing in my life will ever approach anything like that. Still, that quote resonates with me. I get criticized a lot. I expect it; it comes with the job. Sometimes it bothers me about as much as a passing gust of wind and sometimes it stings badly. Sometimes I handle it well; sometimes I do not. Can you relate? I would suspect many of you would tell me that the extent to which criticism bothers you probably has a lot to do with who is being critical. Most likely, the closer they are to you or the more important their position, the worse it is. Now, let’s face the ugly truth. Criticism is a fact of life; the more you try to do, the more significant your efforts, the more you will be criticized. Sometimes that criticism will come from people whose opinions are totally worthless in the grand scheme of things. But other times the source will be sound, perhaps even close to you – and it will hurt. At this point you may be expecting me to say something like this: ‘It isn’t the criticism that matters, it’s how you react to it that counts.’ That is NOT what I am going to say. Do you know
2 Connected - March/April 2011
why? Because criticism DOES matter… especially when it is valid. And even when it’s not, it still matters because it affects us. Oh sure, how we react is important, but I want to take it one step further. I want to challenge you to ask yourself how to do things well in the face of knowing that whether you’re right, wrong, or somewhere in between, you will be criticized for your actions. That’s what’s going to happen. It’s a simple fact of life. I just heard one of our nation’s leading financial analysts deliver a powerful warning against trying to please everyone all the time. It simply cannot be done. And for that fact alone, no significant decision you ever make or action you take will be immune from criticism. Nor will you, as a human being, ever be immune from error. So, faced with these two truths: 1) we can make mistakes and 2) we’ll be criticized whether we do or don’t, what is the one thing we can do to give ourselves some peace when we have the opportunity to make a difference in our world? Here’s my answer. You can make sure that whatever you do, first and foremost, is based on the right motive. You see, there are often good reasons for the failure of a well-intentioned effort but there are very few excuses that any of us want to hear from someone who’s acted out of poor or ill-intentioned motivation. Make no mistake about it, it is important for us to do our best. But in the end, look at it this way — our actions speak to our capabilities while our motives speak to our character.n
“We Keep You Connected” is a member-owned corporation dedicated to providing communications technology to the people of northeast Alabama. The company has over 16,000 access lines, making it the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative. Board of Trustees Randy Wright, President Flat Rock Exchange Gary Smith, Vice President Fyffe Exchange Danny R. Richey, Secretary Geraldine Exchange Lynn Welden, Treasurer Bryant Exchange Robert B. Burkhalter Pisgah Exchange Greg Griffith Henagar Exchange Randy Tumlin Rainsville Exchange
Connected Vol. 15, No. 2
March/April 2011
is a bimonthly magazine published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2011. It is distributed without charge to all member/owners of the Cooperative. Send address corrections to: Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc. P.O. Box 217 144 McCurdy Ave. N. Rainsville, Alabama 35986 Telephone: (256) 638-2144 www.farmerstel.com Produced for FTC by: WordSouth Public Relations, Inc. www.wordsouth.com On the Cover:
Fred Johnson
is General Manager of Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc.
Photo by Tina Thurmond With an unexpected brain surgery behind her, Victoria Inman Griffith is now focused on becoming a mother while pursuing a career in music. See story on page 10.
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Connected - March/April 2011 3
The Broadband Story
Broadband:
Edit and share photos with a high-speed connection By Jared Dovers
(Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series that looks at the many ways our members can use broadband Internet service for entertainment, education and connecting with family and friends.)
E
diting and sharing photos has never been simpler. Free from having to purchase film, develop photos and maintain bulky photo albums, sharing the photographs you take has become virtually hassle-free. To process and share photos with ease, you need a fast, reliable connection. You need the security and capability of a broadband connection. With the power of broadband Internet from FTC, everyone now has access to the tools to collect, edit and share photographs as easily as the professionals. Creating an online photo collection is simple, and there are several different resources to help you get started. First, start by collecting all the photographs you would like to share. If they are printed photos, you will need to turn them into a digital format that can be put onto your computer. There are several ways to do this, from purchasing a scanner for your home to using a professional service. Digital photographs will either be on your camera, phone or already on your computer. If you need to, simply import them from your phone or digital camera onto your computer. Below are a few popular online services that allow you to upload your photos, organize them into albums and share them with other people: 4 Connected - March/April 2011
Picasa
(picasa.google.com)
Picasa is Google’s service for uploading and sharing photographs. Picasa allows you to edit and enhance your photos before uploading them to the Internet. You can download Picasa onto your computer directly from the website, and it will automatically find the photographs on your hard drive for you. The program can be used to crop, color or correct your photos. You can also upload photos into galleries that will be hosted by Google. These galleries can be shared with anyone you like.
Photobucket
(www.photobucket.com)
Photobucket also allows you to use editing tools to enhance the appearance of any photo. Once you have created your account at their website, you can upload up to 500 megabytes of photos. If you need additional storage space, you can upgrade to a Pro Account for $1.67 per month. The Pro Account takes away the advertisements that the site displays for free users, as well as gives you a gigabyte of storage space. Many people enjoy having a large amount of space because it frees up their hard drive. Photobucket also makes it easy to share photo albums with anyone you’d like, as well as link your albums to your Facebook account.
Snapfish
(www.snapfish.com)
Snapfish also enables you to share photos by email, with a link, or on Facebook. It differs from other photo hosting sites with its ability to produce printed copies of the photos that you upload. Snapfish allows you to send in film, CDs or other materials and have them scanned and uploaded for you. Snapfish provides unlimited storage. Once your photos are on their servers, you can order Kodak prints and have them sent to your home or to your loved ones at a low cost.
(www.facebook.com) Facebook is the largest social networking site in the world, and while it does not contain many editing tools, it does come with great photo-sharing capabilities. Once you have a free Facebook account, go to the “Photos” tab on your page. From here, you can select “Upload Photos,” where you can choose any number of pictures from your computer to share. Facebook also allows you to select which of your friends can see your photographs, as well as lets you send photos to an individual through the messaging system. No matter what service you choose for editing and sharing your photos, a broadband Internet connection from FTC can keep you connected with fast, reliable service.
Process like a pro with Picnik.com By Kayleigh Jade Smith
D
igital photography has changed our world for the better, giving practically anyone the ability to capture photos of people and places they love – spontaneously and without a lot of expense. But that is only the first step. With today’s processing technology, you can take your photos from ordinary to amazing in minutes. There are many great online tools for doing this. My favorite is Picnik (picnik.com). Picnik has a ton of great features in both its free and premium accounts. Because I shoot senior portraits, engagement photos and such for clients, I use the premium account with its advanced tools. However, the free account is packed with plenty of awesome effects, and I recommend getting familiar with these before upgrading to a paid account. Getting Started: To begin with, go to picnik.com and set up a free account. After this simple process, click on “Upload Photos” from the home page and choose a photo from your desktop or picture folder. There are several tabs across the top of the page, but I want to focus on three of them. 1) Edit Tab: This is where I usually start processing. From the submenu, click on the Exposure Button. You will see two sliders, “Exposure” and “Contrast.” If your photo is too light or dark, adjust the Exposure slider. Next, move the Contrast slider slowly to the right to adjust the relationship between lights and darks. Experiment with these settings,
and learn how they affect different types of photos. Once you save these changes, click on the Color Button. Here you will see two sliders, “Saturation” and “Temperature.” Pull the Saturation slider to the right and watch the impact it has on your photo. Pull it left to decrease the saturation of colors (just a small move can give your photo a muted color appearance). TIP: Want black-and-white? Pull the saturation slider all the way to the left. Use the Sharpen Button to make your photos more crisp. Be careful – too much, and your photo will look jagged and harsh. 2) Create Tab: This is where the real creativity begins. Under this tab you will find buttons for adding effects, text, stickers and more to your images. You can also perform touchup techniques like fixing blemishes. Start by clicking on the Effects Button. Picnik provides several presets for basic, camera, and artistic effects. Some are marked “premium,” but there are plenty to choose from in the free account.
3) Save & Share Tab: Picnik offers a number of ways to share your photos with friends and family – print, email, Twitter, Facebook and more. Wrap Up: There is much more to Picnik than I’ve covered here. Just jump in, have fun, and play around until you get the hang of how different settings affect different types of photos. And whatever happens, remember that the Cancel Button and the Undo Button in the upper right corner can save your photos from most disasters. TIP: Don’t throw a bunch of effects at a photo just because you can. If the effects are what you see first, your photo is probably over processed. And for my most important tip of all — begin with a good photo. Study composition. Read sites about how to set up your photos, position your subjects and use elements of your surroundings as props. And spend a little time learning how shutter speed, ISO and aperture affect your images. Experiment, and keep practicing until capturing great images becomes second nature. Then the processing can take you to a whole new level of creativity.n Kayleigh Jade Smith is a theater major at JSU. See more of her work on Facebook – search for the page “Kayleigh Jade Photography.”
BEFORE AND AFTER: The right processing tools can have a dramatic impact on your photos. (Photos by Kayleigh Jade Smith)
Connected - March/April 2011 5
For Bryan Thomas, making a living in the furniture business is all about
Community Service
P
ractically a businessman since the day he was born, Bryan Thomas explains that running a successful retail store just comes naturally to him. The owner of Thomas and Son Furniture and the 2010 Rainsville Citizen of the Year says he learned how to make an honest living from the community in which he grew up. He has also been able to help grow the Northeast Alabama economy along the way. In 1963, Bryan’s father, the late Billy Ray Thomas, established Thomas and Son Furniture on Main Street Powell in Rainsville. The father and son team eventually bought the entire building, which originally hosted a restaurant, grocery store, hardware store and even a service station. In the past 48 years, the popular store has grown from a 1,500 square foot showroom into a 50,000-plus square foot superstore.
6 Connected - March/April 2011
By Nick Shell “From the time I was five or six years old,” says Bryan, “I came romping through. My first job was putting handles on bedroom furniture, and of course just sweeping and general things to help. I learned from the ground up.” Being his father’s only son and literally growing up in the store as he spent his after-school hours and weekends there, Bryan has seen every phase of growth in the family business. In fact, he has never held another job other than at Thomas and Son Furniture. A notable point in his involvement with the store was when he became old enough to drive the delivery truck, which his father Billy Ray referred to as their “rolling billboard.” It was during these teen years that Bryan began truly meeting the people of his community who make up a majority of his customer base. “One reason I have so many friends in this part of the world is because I got
to go in and sit down to talk with the customers,” Bryan says. Of course Thomas and Son Furniture’s customer base extends well beyond the city limits of his hometown. “We go all over Northeast Alabama, Northern Georgia, and Southern Tennessee,” says Bryan, “but still my biggest customer base is right here in Rainsville. I’m very proud of that because these people are who have made us what we are. “I don’t think there’s a better place in the world,” he adds. Bryan attributes part of what he learned about running a store to the successful businessmen he observed while growing up in his hometown of Rainsville. “Through the years, I got to see how they conducted business,” he says. “I got to see our little town go from just a few businesses up to where it is now.” In recognition of the store’s accomplishments, Thomas and Son
Furniture earned the Retailer of the Year award from the Alabama Retailer Association in 2002.
his father’s business mottos: “After a few years, they forget what they paid for it — but they know if it was good or not.” Bryan keeps in mind his father’s advice while continuing the family Like any proven business, Bryan business. He believes in the concept of admits that the store has “not selling something that had its share of growing you wouldn’t buy yourpains. For instance, furniself,” as his father always ture is not the only thing he told him. and his father ever sold in When describing his fatheir store, as they respondther, Bryan uses terms such ed to market pressures as “never met a stranger,” along with the changing “smart,” “a good buyer,” needs of their customers. and “a good guy.” “We were a full ser“He was the greatest vice store forever, it seems man I’ve ever known,” like,” he explains. “Besides Bryan says of his father, “I furniture, we sold TVs and miss him. I think about him appliances. I can remember every day. I wouldn’t be when the first remote conwhere I am today without STILL INVOLVED—Bryan Thomas keeps a photo of his father and trol television got here. We all his work and sacrifice.” store founder, Billy Ray Thomas, on his desk to remind him of all the unboxed it right here on the Bryan is full of hope lessons he learned about serving customers and the community. sidewalk.” about what lies ahead for Though the technology his family and the furniture of the late 1970s and early 1980s can The Agri-Business Center feastore. “I’m still a young man,” he says. seem a bit humorous to consider now, tures an exciting event nearly every “I’m not through. Hopefully in the being the first store to sell eight-track week. Besides horse clubs, ropers, and next five years I’m going to double tape/turntable stereo combos, VCRs barrel races, the facility has hosted stack my store. Instead of putting anand cassette tape players to the comarenacross, mixed martial arts events, other roof on, I’m going to put another munity was important for maintaining concerts and public ceremonies. The store across it.” a relevant business at the time. enormous building has the capacity to In a sense, Thomas and Son Fur“We were an exclusive RCA dealer seat some 5,000 people. niture still remains a father and son here in the county,” Bryan reflects, “so Bryan feels confident that the business, despite his father’s passing we had the first opportunity to rent new entertainment venue will help in July 2009. “I’ve always had the old movies at $2.99.” the local and nearby economies. “The man taking care of it up until the last However, competing with “big people driving in will need a place to several years, so now it’s my turn,” box stores” and more advanced eat, a place to buy gas, and a place to Bryan says. “I see what he has done electronic brands eventually proved stay for the night,” says Bryan. With with it and now I’m anxious to see to be an uphill battle. As Bryan and nearby Fort Payne and Scottsboro on what I can do with it.” his father phased out of these product either side, he is confident that RainsConfident in his plans, Bryan says lines, they also decided to relieve their ville will not be the only city to benefit “I’m looking at the big picture.” from the center. business of the burden of providing For a man planning to double Even in economic hard times, maintenance on the appliances they stack his store, it is clear that he is Bryan sees the Agri-Business Center as capable of not only looking at the big sold. Today, Thomas and Son Furnia promising way to generate tourism ture focuses on selling the products picture, but looking beyond the frame. business. “One thing people are not they have always been known for — In 2013, Thomas and Son Furgoing to give up is entertainment,” he high quality furniture. niture will celebrate its 50th year of says. serving the community. As the store approaches this exciting and impressive milestone, Bryan continues taking Bryan Thomas is a busy man aside care of customers and running his from running his furniture store. He Bryan speaks about his father business by the same principles he has been married to his wife Beth often when he talks about what he learned from his father and other busisince 1986. Together they have raised has learned as a businessman. He nessmen in the area. As he does so, he two sons, Shawn and Jordan. Bryan is compares Billy Ray to the slow and also inspires a younger generation of a member of the DeKalb Shrine and steady tortoise in the race against the business owners who now look to him the Rainsville Masonic Lodge. over-eager hare. Bryan recalls one of as a role model. n
Rolling with the punches
Giving back
Serving as secretary of the Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center Board, Bryan at last saw the grand opening of the new facility in 2010. It was a dream that took 10 years of planning, building and hard work on the part of several community leaders.
Fatherly wisdom
Connected - March/April 2011 7
As Arenacross catches on, more families are discovering a good clean way to get dirty
d
rmon
u a Th n i T By
I
f your idea of a fun night out with the family has never included dirt, noise and a few heart-stopping crashes, you may want to take the kids and check out Arenacross motorcycle racing. While it may not be the typical way to spend Saturday night, more families are discovering just how much fun it can be. Some who are not content to stay spectators are even becoming racers themselves. Locally, the best place to find this action-packed sport is the new Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center in Rainsville. Johnny West, of Warrior, Ala., is the owner and promoter of Tristate Arenacross, a Christian-based organization that encourages families to get involved with the growing sport. According to West, the Agri-Business Center has played a large role in their efforts. “It is the best facility in the state of Alabama by far,” says West. “They’ve done a great job building it, and we are really blessed for the
8 Connected - March/April 2011
opportunity to come in and hold races here,” he continues. “Our opening night attendance at the Center was the best on record in the state of Alabama for Arenacross. We’ve had riders from seven states sign up to race here.”
Arenacross?
Arenacross is an indoor version of Motorcross, which is raced outside on a dirt track. Because Arenacross is indoors, the track is smaller and the turns are tighter, making the jumps more difficult and packing every race with adrenaline-pumping action. Today’s Arenacross racers are dedicated athletes who push their endurance and their bikes to the breaking point, often for little more than a few bragging rights or a pat on the back. Cameron Kilby, 21, of Dutton has been racing since he was five. He explains what it means to be a serious competitor in Arenacross. “You have to spend a lot of time on the bike knowing what you can and can’t do,” says Kilby. “You have to have confidence to know you can jump. “You also have to be in shape,” he continues. “Arenacross is up there in the top five sports for endurance and
strength. You can’t sit at home and do nothing and expect to win. You have to practice in your down time.” Kilby says he practices on the public dirt track he owns in Dutton, or exercises in his home gym. “I work out about three or four times a week,” he says. “I try to ride at least three or four days a week.” Kilby races in the amateur class of Arenacross, which means he does not compete for money. “I’ve won a lot of races,” he says. “I like to travel to different places and see if I can beat the local riders. “There aren’t a lot of racers in this area,” he adds. “We are trying to get some Arenacross fans here.”
Surprising facts Johnny West says the typical Arenacross race is different from what people expect at a motorcycle event. “We have a church service before every race,” he says. “That surprises people. You can feel safe by bringing your entire family into this sport.” Tristate Arenacross has promoted six events at the Agri-Business Center since it opened in September 2010, and West is optimistic about future races already scheduled there. “Generally we have around 200 participants,” he says. “By the time we get this arena built up, that number should increase to 500.“
Precautions Arenacross is a family sport, but it is not without its risks. “In 2008 I broke my wrist and had three concussions within four months,” says Kilby. “My mom is always there and supportive,” he adds. “She’s been there when I’ve wrecked, but she knows that’s just part of it.” Arenacross can be expensive, especially for amateurs. All of the highspeed action takes its toll on the bikes. “It is fairly expensive to get started,” says West, “but it is a very familyoriented sport so that’s kind of hard to put a price tag on.” “There’s a lot of maintenance like replacing tires, grips and suspension,” adds Kilby, “but it’s worth it.” For the past three years, Kilby has been sponsored by Scott Black, a suspension expert who attends all of his races. Kilby himself is a certified motorcycle technician and co-owner of Rocket City Racing in Madison, Ala. with Scott Black. The brand new business specializes in dirt bike suspension repair. “I’ve been in this sport for so long, I can’t imagine not doing something that involves motorcycles,” Kilby says.
Going for the money Kilby plans to turn pro in 2012, which will mean competing for money each weekend. “Once you go pro, you can’t be an amateur again,” he explains. “I want to know I’m ready before I take that step.” Taking that step can be tempting. Sometimes the purse at an Arenacross event can be as much as $2,500 in one night for the winner. “In Arenacross, we have several different divisions where you can step up to be a pro,” says West. “It’s not free, it costs to race, but when you reach an A-class level there are paybacks. You can be a local pro and race and make a little money, but on the national level they get $10 million in contracts.” According to West, some families go to great lengths to help their kids achieve that goal. “There are children whose parents will actually move to give their child a better chance to
ride,” he says. “These people train year round; they hire trainers and riding coaches. People come from Canada to stay here during the winter; we’ve got people that come from Kentucky just for better weather.”
A family thing West understands the allure of Arenacross from both sides of the sport – as a promoter and Cameron Kilby is in the last stages of his amateur status in a dad. He says his family Arenacross racing. “People often go pro before they know what became involved in Mothey are doing and end up quitting,” he says. “They don’t want torcross 10 years ago. to put the time into it that it takes.” “When my son Jonathon started riding a mothat Tristate Arenacross is a Christian torcycle we took him to a organization. We put that first. trail in the woods,” he says. “He had “In fact, when my wife and I got a near accident where people were into this, we were not Christians. I coming the opposite way on the same actually proposed to her at a racetrack trail and they almost collided head-on. which we now own in Warrior. We I thought it would be safer to go to an were definitely not who we are today. organized event.” The good people we met in this sport West says his son loved the sport helped us so much.” and it quickly became the entire famWith aWith a laugh, West adds ily’s favorite thing to do. “When my that the same people who are often so son was racing competitively,” he says, “we would travel between seven eager to help can also be quite competitive when they need to be. “These to 10 states and race as many as 50 people will loan you a motorcycle weekends a year.” or parts to fix your motorcycle to go When he started Tristate Arenarace,” he says. “They’ll loan you their cross, West knew what kinds of things bike and then they’ll come and wreck he wanted to publicize. “As a promoter,” he says, “I want everyone to know you in the first turn. But it’s all in fun. “What drives me to do this and to do the best I can do at it, is I love the people,” he adds. “I love being part of the families. My wife and I get invited to birthday parties, we get tons of graduation invitations; people want to take a picture with us. It’s amazing.” West encourages anyone who wants to try Motorcross or Arenacross to visit their local motorcycle dealer and ask about the right gear before giving it a try. He adds that riders start racing as young as four years old on up to their 50s. “We have some little riders with training wheels,” he says. “Anyone can come out and participate.” n Johnny West of Tristate Arenacross is proud of the family atmosphere spectators can enjoy while attending his sport.
For more information about upcoming events call the Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center at 256-638-1650. Connected - March/April 2011 9
As her new album is released, Ider’s Victoria Griffith
By Tina Thurmond
A
s Victoria Griffith sang in a Nashville recording studio in August 2010, something odd began to happen. Her left foot started to tingle and twitch. She was alarmed, but forgot the episode almost as soon as it passed. Too much was happening in her life to worry about her foot. Griffith was working on her first album as a brand new Contemporary Christian recording artist, and her lifelong dreams were rapidly coming true. The preceding months had been a whirlwind of activity with songs to choose and appointments to keep. There were photo shoots and practice sessions, meetings on the phone and meetings in person. Everything seemed so perfect. What Griffith did not know was the problem with her foot was an early sign that death and life were simultaneously growing inside her body. One was a brain tumor which would try to take her life, and the other was a baby girl who would miraculously save it.
She can sing
Raised in Ider, Victoria Inman Griffith admits she had always led a charmed life. The only child of two successful parents, she grew up in a happy home. “My parents were terrific,” says Griffith. “They were always very supportive of me.” 10 Connected - March/April 2011
Ben and Dianne Inman, owners of Dakota Saddlery in Ider, raised their daughter in church and gave her a good example of what married life should be. “They never argued in front of me when I was a child,” she says. “If anything was ever wrong, I never knew it. “ Early in her life Griffith was extremely shy, which caused her mother to worry. One afternoon when she was eight years old, her aunt invited her to accompany her cousins to a singing lesson. “My mother didn’t think I’d do it,” she says, “but I went. My first song was “He Grew the Tree.” After I got through singing the teacher said ‘Wow, you can actually sing!’” Tammy Little Haynes, of Section, was a former Miss Alabama who had a small singing group made up of students. She invited Griffith to join. Soon, singing became the driving force in Griffith’s life. “I credit Tammy with discovering my talent,” she says, “and my parents with helping me develop it by taking me anywhere I needed to perform,” she says. “Each time I sang, my confidence grew.” Griffith took voice lessons from Haynes for several years. When she was 12, she received a music scholar-
ship to the Steve Hearst School of Music in Nashville. It was a two-week summer program which she attended for the next three summers. “I studied with a lot of different Southern Gospel singers there,” she says. “I learned things like how to breathe properly and how to project without straining my voice.”
Out of her shell
“I owe the biggest part of my personality to singing,” says Griffith. ”Music brought me out of my shell.” In high school, she sang with the FFA quartet where she once performed at an event attended by former Vice President Dick Cheney. In 2006, while singing at a Valentine’s banquet, she met the man she would fall in love with. Ryan Griffith’s warm smile and quiet way seemed tailor-made for the singer, who had grown into an outgoing young woman. “We balance each other out,” she says. “I’m a complete extrovert, I like to be loud and I enjoy being on stage. “Ryan is sort of a background kind of person,” she continues. “He’s a little quiet until you get to know him. We are very compatible; we compromise well and we love to travel together.”
Griffith attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., and sang in the renowned Campus Choir. She also sang with the college praise team and played trumpet in the Symphonic Band. She and Ryan were married in 2009, just before she finished college and took a job teaching English at Ider High School. “I had always wanted a career in music,” she says, “but I didn’t think it was a very practical choice since the music business can be so unpredictable.”
Just ask Jerry
While Griffith enjoyed her life as a wife and teacher, the desire to sing professionally stayed with her. “A lot of people told me over the years that if I ever got serious about becoming a singer to call Jerry Clifton,” she says. “Everyone said he had connections in Nashville.” Clifton, a business owner in Rainsville, had managed artists in the past in both country and Christian music. He not only had the connections in Nashville, but was impressed enough with Griffith to introduce her to them. “I always thought she was a phenomenal singer, but I never knew she was interested in singing as a career,” he says. Clifton agreed to manage Griffith and arranged for her to record a demo at the studio of local country artist Leah Seawright. Next, he called on his
old friends Michael and Jan Puryear of Nashville to listen to the demo and meet with her. Michael is a Dove Award-winning music producer and songwriter, and his wife Jan is a radio promoter. Both were impressed and agreed to work with Griffith. “She immediately reminded me of great singers like Natalie Grant, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood,” says Michael. “I actually wrote eight of the eleven songs on her album; all of them are original and really show who she is as an artist. Then, I put together some of the best musicians in Nashville to work with her. I could feel the heart and soul she put into a song when she sang live, but to discover that her ability would translate into the studio was very exciting.”
The testimony
Once the album was well underway, a piece of advice from Clifton sparked a bizarre coincidence. “I told Victoria that she needed to have a testimony to share with her fans,” says Clifton. “People need that connection with an artist to identify with them.” Victoria was admittedly stumped. ”I’ve always had a blessed life,” she says. “My family and friends, my husband and my marriage were always wonderful. I thought a testimony like mine was nothing people would be interested in.” In 2001, before she met her husband, he had gone through a traumatic surgery. “I said to him, ‘I haven’t had a brain tumor like you did, so I can’t tell people I’ve survived brain surgery.’” Just two weeks later, in a strange twist of fate, she could. After the first episode in the studio with her foot, Griffith was at home in Ider when it happened again. She immediately had a seizure and lost consciousness. At the hospital, her family was shocked to learn that she had a brain tumor which had been growing because of elevated progesterone levels in her body. The levels were caused by a baby she had no idea she was carVictoria’s album cover photo was taken just days before rying. They would she suffered a seizure and underwent brain surgery. She says she have to operate appreciates the blessings in her life now more than ever. immediately.
Doctors believed the tumor had probably been there since she was born. If not for the pregnancy, it would likely have grown slowly, undiscovered, until it took her life. Griffith says she went into surgery with a feeling of peace that she would be alright. “Ryan survived his surgery,” she says, “so I knew I’d be okay. I was afraid for the baby, but the day after my surgery all of the tests showed everything was alright.”
Fine at last
With the brain surgery behind her, Griffith is promoting her album, “Wellspring in the Wilderness,” and preparing for the arrival of the baby girl who saved her life. She continues to teach full-time. “At first, my students were really scared for me,” she says. “But I’ve made so many jokes about it — like if I forget something or say something wrong, I say ‘Oh, that’s just my brain tumor,’ even when it’s not. So they joke about it now, too.” All kidding aside, Griffith actually has no residual effects from the tumor. After several visits to her neurologist she has been given a clean bill of health. “Now when I share my story about the brain tumor,” she says, “I realize there was never anything wrong with my testimony to begin with. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to say God has given you a blessed life.” Like the album, the first single to be released nationally is called “Wellspring in the Wilderness.” “Out of all the songs on the album,” she says, “that is the one I identify with the most, especially since I’ve gone through everything that’s happened in the past year.” Everyone involved in her career, from the local musicians who make up her band to her manager and producer, has high hopes for Griffith and her new album. “We are really excited about what the future holds for her,” says Jerry Clifton. “Victoria has the determination, the will, and most of all, the talent to do great things. I really think people are going to love both her and this album.” n Connected - March/April 2011 11
A courageous wife and mother faces the fight of her life
When cancer comes to call By Tina Thurmond
“
M
rs. Duhon, I’m sorry, but you have Lobular Breast Cancer,” the doctor said over the phone. The next thing she knew, Mary Duhon was spiraling to the floor. It was 2009, and she had just returned from Huntsville, Ala., where she had undergone tests on her thyroid. “I had a sonogram that morning,” she says. “Before I left, the nurse told me the doctor needed to speak to me. I didn’t think anything of it, I just figured it was routine.” For Mary, the meeting turned out to be anything but routine. The doctor expressed concern over an abnormality under her breast which showed up on the sonogram. “I’d like your permission to do a biopsy right now,” he said. Puzzled, she refused. “He was worried about cancer, but I saw no reason to have a biopsy,” she says. “I had just had a mammogram a few months earlier and it was normal. Also, there was no lump. I had three small dents in that area, but I had never heard anyone say to check for a dent. So I told him no.” According to Mary, the doctor almost begged her to allow the test. “He looked across the desk at me with such sincerity and said he really didn’t want me to go home without a biopsy,” she says. “He said he would do it in his office, and promised he would personally call me with the results before dinner.”
12 Connected - March/April 2011
Reluctantly, she agreed. She went home thinking the entire process had been unnecessary, but she could not forget the sincerity in the doctor’s eyes. “I appreciated his concern and I figured the biopsies would at least make him feel better,” she says. “I never thought he would find anything.”
Early struggles
While facing cancer was unbelievable for her, Mary had more to think about than her own life. Her thoughts immediately went to her 14-year-old son Zach with whom she has an incredible bond. She and her husband Rodney had married when they were 34, and their son was not born until she was 39. It was a miracle which came 18 years after she had given birth to her daughter, Andrea. “I had been told by doctors that I had a one in a thousand chance of being a father,” says Rodney. “I heard those words so many times I just resigned myself to the fact that I would never hold my own child. “One day I came in from work,” he adds, “and Mary handed me this little plastic pregnancy test that showed positive. I looked at it, but didn’t really react. I just figured it was a mistake.” It was not until Mary’s first sonogram when he saw the baby on the screen that Rodney finally believed he was going to be a father. “I promise
you, he came off the chair and leapt a foot into the air,” says Mary. “He shouted ‘It’s a baby!’ I’ve never seen anyone get so excited.” A few months later, Mary and Rodney held their tiny, premature son at last. Zachary Beo Duhon was named after his French paternal grandfather who had died on the same day five years earlier.
Determination
From the moment he was born, Zach’s health was a constant battle. He had severe physical problems which required multiple life-threatening surgeries to correct. When doctors diagnosed him as a ‘failure to thrive’ baby who might not live, Mary refused to accept it. “I said, ‘Not my son,’” she declares. “I knew nobody in the world could take care of him like I could, so I quit my job and stayed with him full-time.” When Zach was 18 months old the couple received some devastating news. Their son had almost no hearing. “They asked us if he ever watched TV with no sound. He did. They also said he had no speech pattern which was not normal for a child his age. He could say ‘ma-ma’ but that was all. I blamed myself for not knowing.” She determined that nothing, not even hearing loss, would keep her son from having a normal life. “We took him to the Shea Ear Clinic in Memphis, Tenn.,” she says. “He went
through a lot over the years, but Mary and Rodney’s determination to get him well paid off. Zach could not hear until he was five years old. Doctors fitted him with cochlear implants which allow him to hear very well within a distance of three feet. “I remember the first time we saw him sit down and pay attention to a TV show,” says Rodney. “We had stopped at my sister’s house the day he got the implants. We were amazed when he finally sat down in front of the TV and watched an entire show.” Mary home-schooled Zach for most of his life. She never allowed him to think of himself as handicapped or even ‘special.’ “My son can do anything,” she says. It was with that attitude that she learned to loosen the strings of concern that bound her to him and just let him be a normal boy. “Because of his ears, he couldn’t get in a pool until he was five,” she remembers. “The first time I took him he just dove right in. The next thing I knew he was jumping off the diving board. I almost had a heartattack, but he came up smiling.” To further his education, the Duhons enrolled Zach in the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Talledega, Ala. But after 18 months, Mary and Rodney brought him home. “It was just too hard on our family,” Rodney says. “He had to live on campus and only come home on the weekends. Mary cried all the time.”
The big ‘C’
As promised, the doctor called Mary that evening with results — cancer. “I almost fell through the floor. Rodney had to hold me up. I couldn’t believe it,” says Mary. Her prognosis was grim. A large mass under her breast required chemotherapy, which caused her hair to fall out, and radiation treatments which made her sick. “I had a total mastectomy of my right breast,” she says. Unable to home school him any longer, Mary wanted to enroll Zach in Plainview School, but Rodney was apprehensive. Because Zach could not hear until he was five, his development has not been as fast as other kids. He had tried public school a couple of times before, but the attempts were always shortlived. “I told Rodney that Zach could do it,” she says.”He is not afraid of anything. He’s just a normal teenage boy. I knew he would be okay.” It was a struggle at first, but Zach finally adjusted to public school with the help of his full-time interpreter, Kim Bates “He is like a different kid,” Mary says. “Before, he didn’t know what people were saying if they were too far away and he was always very frustrated. Now he loves school.” Mary’s entire outlook on life has changed since facing breast cancer. “When you have had cancer and won, you stop caring what your hair looks like or what people think,” she says. “You just get determined to live life to the fullest and not let anything get in your way.” At every opportunity, Mary tries to educate other women about the dangers of Lobular Breast Cancer. “I wish people would stop concentrating so much on just looking for lumps and getting mammograms,” she says. “Breast cancer isn’t always in the form of a lump, and mammograms aren’t fool-proof. I didn’t know that and a lot of other women don’t either.” n
The Mayo Clinic defines Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) as a type of breast cancer that begins in the breast’s milk-producing glands, called lobules. The term ‘invasive’ means the cancer cells have broken out of the lobule where they began and have the potential to spread to other areas of the body. ILC typically does not form a lump and makes up only a small portion of all breast cancers. The most common is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the breast ducts. To help raise awareness, FTC spotlights The American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Relay For Life. Relay began in 1985 when surgeon Dr. Gordy Klatt ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the ACS. Today, Relay is an event where teams of people camp out at high schools, parks or fairgrounds and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Because cancer never sleeps, Relay events are up to 24 hours in length. Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with 20 other countries, gather to raise funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. To contact the ACS about Relay, go to: www.cancer.org. Make plans now to join your neighbors and friends for the DeKalb and Jackson Relay for Life events:
Relay For Life of DeKalb County When: April 29 Where: VFW Fairgrounds Fort Payne, AL
Relay For Life of Jackson County When: May 6 Where: Veterans Fairgrounds Scottsboro, AL
Zach Duhon spends his time building things at home. “I want to be an architect when I grow up,” he says. Connected - March/April 2011 13
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If you approve of our use of your CPNI as described above, no action is necessary on your part. You have the right to disapprove this use by contacting us in writing at P.O. Box 217, Rainsville, Alabama 35986, in person at 144 McCurdy Avenue, Rainsville, or by phone at 256-638-2144 within thirty-three (33) days after this notice is sent to you. Our drop box, located at 144 McCurdy Avenue North, Rainsville, AL 35986, is accessible twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days per week. If you disapprove of our use of your CPNI, you may not receive notice of new services or promotions, but your existing services will not be affected. If you do not notify us of your objection within thirty-three (33) days, we will assume you do not object and will use your CPNI for these purposes. You have the right to notify us at any time to object to the use of this information. Your election will remain valid until you notify us otherwise.
Sand Mountain Kitchens
Linda Dollar cooks up a beautiful country life Cheesy chicken roll-ups
Linda and Johnny Dollar, of the Peeks Corner community, have built a wonderful life out in the country. The couple, who have been married 36 years, live on a 200-acre working farm. Their son Ben, also farms. Their daughter, Sara, is a radiation therapist at Marshall Medical in Boaz and their daughter-in-law, Lisa, teaches at Cornerstone Christian School. Linda worked at Jimmy Wells Used Cars for nine years before becoming a homemaker. She loves working in her yard, and is also an accomplished seamstress who has designed elaborate window dressings to compliment her lovely home. Linda also makes keepsake quilts each year for her seven-year-old granddaughter Sagen. This year, Sagen’s quilt has a Parisian theme and is covered with pictures of shoes, hats and the Eiffel Tower. Linda takes art lessons and has created beautiful paintings throughout her home. With so many talents, some may wonder how Linda finds the time to be a terrific cook. “I wouldn’t say I’m a terrific cook,” she says, modestly. “I do love to cook, though. I get a lot of compliments on my peanut butter chocolate cake. It tastes really good and it’s not too hard to make.”
1 whole chicken 2 packages canned biscuits 8 ounces sour cream 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Boil and shred chicken. Add sour cream, cream of chicken soup and cheese; mix well. Flatten biscuits with a rolling pin, add a spoonful of chicken mixture to middle of biscuit and roll over like a turnover. Use a fork to seal the edges. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes.
Cheesy potatoes
8-10 medium potatoes 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 package potato topping seasoning 1 package real bacon bits 1 tablespoon lemon pepper 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Wash potatoes, leaving skin on and cut into small quarters. Mix canola oil, potato topping seasoning, lemon pepper and pour over potatoes, coating well. Place in a large baking dish or pan lined with foil. Bake at 400º for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and add cheese to top of potatoes, then return to oven for an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Pecan backs
4-5 cups pecans, chopped 1 can condensed milk 1 bag Kraft® caramels 1/2 block paraffin 6 ounces chocolate chips
in the freezer overnight. Melt paraffin and chocolate chips, together. When candy is taken out of the freezer, allow about 20 minutes to soften. Dip small spoonfuls of candy and dip in chocolate mixture. Toothpicks work well for this. If the candy becomes too soft, place in the freezer.
Peanut butter cake
2 yellow cake mixes 1 cup peanut butter
Icing: 1 stick margarine, softened 4 ounces cream cheese 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup milk, plus 2 tablespoons 8 cups confectioners sugar 1 cup peanut butter Optional chocolate ganache: 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Prepare cake as directed on box. When batter is smooth, add 1 cup peanut butter and mix well. Pour into three 9-inch cake pans, greased and floured. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes. Let cakes cool completely. For icing: Mix margarine and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Gradually add milk as needed. Add peanut butter and mix until blended. Spread on cooled cakes. Chocolate Ganache (optional): Heat whipping cream to a slow boil, remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Let set for about 10 minutes. Whisk until smooth and chill for about 30-45 minutes. Pour over iced cake.
Melt caramels in microwave at 50% power on 1-minute intervals. Be careful not to burn. Add condensed milk and mix well. Add pecans, one cup at a time. Place in a covered container and place Connected - March/April 2011 15
“We Keep217• You Connected” P.O. Box 144 McCurdy Ave. N. Rainsville, Alabama 35986
nacc theatre presents
The Wizard of Oz april 20 - 24 & 27- may 1 WED - SAT at 7 p.m. • SUN matinee at 2 p.m. Bevill Lyceum on NACC Campus • Rainsville All tickets $5 • Handicap seating available • All seats reserved “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” As cherished as ever, the musical fantasy Wizard of Oz flies into town and onto the NACC Theatre stage for an enormous spring production! Get ready for all of its images — the Kansas Twister, Yellow Brick Road, Dorothy, the Wicked Witch and flying monkeys!! Come fly with us to the land of magic, where you can click your ruby slippers three times and your heart’s desires will come true!
Antique Alley
Mentone Rhododendron Festival May 21 - 22
Mentone Brow Park Friday 6:30 - 10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
may 12 - 13
A bonfire and storytelling always get this event off to a great start. Live
Follow the scenic U.S. Highway 11 from Meridian, Mississippi to Bristol, Virginia for more than 500 miles
music, arts and crafts, food vendors, and much more round
of yard sales. There will be tons of treasures to find! For
out the weekend. For more
more information call 888-805-4740 or 877-871-1386.
information call 256-638-7709.