FTC's Connected Magazine (July/August 2012)

Connected July/August 2012

Published for customers of

Dance Dance Dance

Courtney heads to California to pursue her dreams

Birds of Prey

Henagar man revives the art of falconry

Annual Meeting

Join FTC at the Agri-Business Center on Aug. 4

General Manager Comments

The impact of simple acts

A

n old friend sent me a note last week. He shared with me the impact on his life of a simple act of kindness by my parents some 38 years ago. In somewhat ironic fashion, I had recently stumbled across a reminder of something his parents did for my family well over two decades ago. It was a pleasure to share that with him. All of this occurred about the same time I sat at the dinner table listening to my son, who is a high school science teacher and coach, reflect on a number of observations regarding the contributions of different generations of Americans to our way of life in the context of the challenges his students face. I have a great admiration for my son and the reason he chose his career. He truly wants to make a positive difference in the lives of young men and women. I have no doubt whatsoever he will do just that. But he has his work cut out for him. His observations were alarmingly astute.

Our nation’s young people are facing challenges almost unfathomed three generations ago. Not too long ago, I listened to an elementary teacher recount the proportion (approximately 80%) of students in a recent classroom who were not living with even one of their biological parents. Similarly, I’ve also recently listened to more than one story of pre-teens responsible for making sure their younger siblings had something to eat. If you spend much time really thinking about what all of this means, it can truly be a depressing experience. Even within our business of telecommunications we can see the impact of society on our newest generation of customers. We often struggle to understand certain behavior because we are so far removed from the circumstances these young folks face. I try to

2 Connected - July/August 2012

remember, and it is about the only thing I feel comfortable saying for certain, that you cannot blame a 12-year-old for the fact they are essentially living alone.

My friend and I were truly blessed.

We never experienced a lack of caring parents and other adults around us. Our society is in much need of that today. Of this I am certain. For those of us who care enough to step into the gap there will be many opportunities to help others. We must be alert to those cries for help when they come. I had a chance a few weeks back to give some career advice to a group of high school students. At one point someone apologized for “taking up my time.” I hope I made clear to her just how important it was for me to give her that time. Why else was I put in such a position? Rick Warren summed up a great truth about life in the first sentence of his book, “The Purpose Driven Life”, “It’s not about you.” He’s right. It really isn’t.

At the end of our days, what is really going to matter, as far as this life is concerned, is the difference we made in the lives of other people. I, for one, can only hope and pray I spend my days well enough that someday someone sends one of my children a note telling them about something I did for them that truly made a difference.n

Fred Johnson

is Executive Vice President and GM of Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc.

“We Keep You Connected” is a member-owned corporation dedicated to providing communications technology to the people of Northeast Alabama. The company has over 15,000 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 Kenneth Gilbert Pisgah Exchange Gregg Griffith Henagar Exchange Randy Tumlin Rainsville Exchange

Connected Vol. 16, No. 4

July/August 2012

is a bimonthly magazine published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2012. It is distributed without charge to all customers of FTC. 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: Photo by Logan Ingle Courtney Willingham of Rainsville has been pursuing her dream of becoming a professional dancer since she was 13.

Read about where her determination is taking her on Page 6.

It’s back to school time! ! y d a e r is r e t u p m o c r Make sure you

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“We Keep You Connected”

Connected - July/August 2012 3

Making lifei sweet!

2012

Annual Meeting Saturday, August 4, 2012 Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center Highway 75 North in Rainsville

• Registration begins at 8 a.m.

• Entertainment by The Rick Webb Family begins at 9 a.m.

• Business Meeting begins at 11 a.m.

• Election for the Board of Trustees: Bryant, Pisgah and Geraldine Free Ice cream scoop and color-changing cup for the first 1,000 members registered! We’re also serving homemade ice cream!

Grand Prize: 1998 Chevrolet Pickup (must be present to win) Other prizes iPad, HDTV, Kindle Fire and more!

“We Keep You Connected”

Miley Westbrook is the daughter of Kerry and Amanda Westbrook of Fyffe.

4 Connected - July/August 2012

The Rick Webb Family FTC is pleased to return The Rick Webb Family to the stage as entertainers for their Annual Meeting. The group performed at the 2010 annual meeting to a packed house, and attendees loved the performance.

The Webb’s music ministry began more than 30 years ago with Rick and Phyllis. Both from North Carolina, the pair met while auditioning for the music group ReGeneration. “I had to chase her all over the country to catch her,” jokes Rick. The couple toured with ReGeneration for four years.

“The Lord used that time to prepare us for our current ministry,” says Rick.

Now with two of their three children touring with them as The Rick Webb Family, the Lord continues to bless their efforts. “We never dreamed it

would be so wonderful,” says Phyllis.

“They approached us and said they felt like the Lord led them to be a part of what we are doing. We’ve teased them and it’s quite true that if they leave us, we may never be able to do it again. We can’t imagine anything being more wonderful than ministering with our family.”

“It has actually been the best four years of our 33-year ministry,” adds Rick.

The Webbs’ music ministry consists of Rick and Phyllis, their daughter Hannah and oldest son Parker. Their program includes up tempo music, songs of encouragement and familiar songs that will engage the audience singing along. (source: rickwebbfamilymusic.com)

Annual Meeting Entertainment

The Rick Webb Family — Parker, Hannah Rick and Phyllis Connected - July/August 2012 5

: m a h g n i l l i W y e n t Cour

Photo by Logan Ingle

d e r i p s n i from l a n o i t a r i p s to in

By Diana LaChance

E

ighteen-year-old Courtney Willingham of Rainsville clearly remembers the exact moment she decided to pursue her passion and become a dancer. She was just 13 years old and had been taking dance lessons for only a couple of years when she had the opportunity to go see a touring show of the popular television program “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“It was the year Travis Wall was on tour, and I will never forget watching him and thinking ‘That is something I can do’,” Courtney recalls. “Before that, dance was a hobby and I knew I loved it. But after that, I realized what I could actually do with dance, and that I could really go somewhere with dance.”

So she packed as many dance classes as possible into her already busy school schedule, focusing first on ballet. “Ballet is like the foundation; if you can do ballet, you can do any type of dance,” she explains.

When her ballet teacher moved, Courtney began traveling to Hunts-

6 Connected - July/August 2012

ville to take classes from the directors at the Huntsville Ballet company, Philip Otto and Rachel Butler. This left Courtney relying on her father for rides until she turned 16 and got her driver’s license.

“My dad would drive me and wait everyday,” says Courtney. “After I got my driver’s license, I began driving myself to Huntsville every day after school and do ballet.”

As much as she enjoyed it, Courtney knew she would never end up as a ballerina. “Training to be in a ballet company was not what I wanted to do,” she says, “because it’s so confining and I’m going more for commercial dancing.” So while she was in Huntsville for her ballet classes, she would also go to other studios for hip hop and jazz classes.

It was during one of these trips that Courtney met Tyce Diorio, a “So You Think You Can Dance” choreographer, and received some encouragement that would redouble her dedication to dance. “He saw me do a solo at Merrimack Hall, and afterward he

told me that he couldn’t take his eyes off me,” she says. “He gave me some really encouraging advice and told me not to give up on my dream. That was one of the best times of my life.”

Before long, her dedication and skill started to garner notice among other big names in the commercial dance world. An agent spotted her at an audition when she was just 15 and eventually signed her to DDO Artists Agency. It was through that agent that Courtney learned of an audition in November 2011 for a new video by Lauren Alaina, last year’s runner-up on “American Idol.”

It was only Courtney’s second big audition. “I was super nervous,” she says. “There were people there who were really good dancers, who I knew but who didn’t know me.” But she knew that if she wanted the job, she had to rise to the challenge.

“I couldn’t hold back,” says Courtney, “because it was the opportunity I had been waiting for.”

Fortunately, the choreography turned out to be relatively basic,

Photo b

y Logan Ingle

You can watch Rainsville’s Courtney Willingham perform in two music videos. See her in Lauren Alaina’s music video “Georgia Peaches” (www.youtube.com/user/ LaurenAlainaAIVEVO) and in Little Big Town’s music video “Pontoon” (www.cmt.com/videos/ little-big-town/785168/ pontoon.jhtml).

Left - Courtney does a grand jeté leap during a photo shoot. This page top left Courtney (left) with Lauren Alaina (center) and another dancer who performed in the Georgia Peaches music video. Top right - Courtney. Bottom - Courtney teaching students at Alley Cat Dance Studio in Rainsville. and not “blow-my-mind difficult,” says Courtney. Just a couple of hours later she found out that she’d gotten the job. A few weeks after that, she was back in Nashville on set for the 13-hour shoot, tasked with teaching Alaina herself the dance moves.

“I went to hair and makeup – that was really fun because it was the first time anyone had done my hair and makeup – and then I was told to go teach Lauren the dance,” she says.

Courtney describes Alaina as “just a normal teenage girl.” But when it became clear that Alaina was better at singing than dancing, a lot of the footage was removed from the final version.

Nevertheless, the experience was a positive one and paved the way for Courtney to audition for other music videos and such high-profile dance shows as “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Best Dance Crew.” And recently, she’s started working closely with Tony Selznick, the founder of prestigious McDonald/ Selznick Associates, on how to man-

age her career.

“Tony is a great contact for me,” she says. “It’s very tempting to say, ‘I’m going to dance and not go to college,’ but he’s really encouraging me to go to school and dance.”

After all, Courtney adds, “I’m obviously not going to look like I’m 20 years old or be a backup dancer forever!”

That’s why Courtney, who just graduated from Plainview High School, will be starting her freshman year this fall at Santa Monica College in California – but not as a dance major. “I’m not going to major in dance, because I want to keep the passion for it. So my major is going to be broadcasting,” she says, adding that Santa Monica offers internships at VH1, MTV and Sony.

“Eventually,” she says, “I want to have my own dance studio.”

It’s a long-term plan that makes her father, Davy Willingham, happy.

“He’s more of a realist,” she says. “I know that he’s proud of me, but I know he’s also like ‘Courtney, you

need to go to college and you need to have a backup plan!’” Davy, owner of Body Vision Family Fitness Center in Rainsville, worked for Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative for 19 years.

As for what her mother would feel, Courtney can only guess; Cheryl Willingham died in a car wreck in October 2000, leaving behind her seven-yearold daughter and a four-year-old son, Chase. “It was really, really, really tough for me, but going through things like that just makes you stronger,” Courtney says. “No one will ever take my mom’s place. But I know God gave me the gift of dance to be my outlet and I know that every time I dance, it makes her proud.”

And ultimately, that’s what dance means to her. “I’ve been given this gift for a reason,” she says. “And while I want to dance in videos and movies, that’s not what it’s about. My goal is to share my talent and inspire people.

“I can’t imagine myself ever doing anything else,” she adds. “Ever.”n Connected - July/August 2012 7

   

the power of fiber

High-speed health care

By Andy Johns

Sometimes, size does matter. And the size of a file you can send with today’s modern technology matters a great deal to the rural medical community and their patients in North Alabama.

Note: This is the first article in an ongoing series examining how worldclass broadband Internet access will benefit various sectors of our community.

D

edra Capps sees high-speed broadband through the eyes of a patient in need. “A highspeed Internet connection has a huge impact on my ability to take care of my patients,” says Capps, a nurse practitioner and one of the owners of Family First Medicine in Rainsville. “When they are sick, they don’t want to have to wait on me to call in a prescription. I can send it instantly

through my broadband connection to the pharmacy of their choice.”

A prescription for speed

Broadband Internet enables pharmacies throughout the service area to receive prescriptions digitally and have them filled and ready for patients when they arrive. Andrea Boswell, pharmacist and pharmacy manager at Rainsville Drugs, says their highspeed connection from FTC is essential for their business. “Broadband is very important because without it we would only be able to fill one prescription at a time. We’re able to

fill prescriptions in seconds instead of minutes.” And when you’re talking about a pharmacy that fills 400 prescriptions per day, anything that saves time makes a big impact.

The pharmacy also uses its Internet connection to check a patient’s insurance information online to determine what is covered and how much insurance will pay. “We know what the insurance company will reimburse and we no longer have to hand-bill insurance providers,” she says. “Without broadband we would spend more time filling prescriptions and doing paperwork than actually counseling the patient,” Boswell says.

Vision Plus in Rainsville is working to convert their paper files to an electronic format as required by the federal government by 2015 8 Connected - July/August 2012

FTC’s connection also helps the pharmacy staff keep up with inventory. With only a few clicks of her mouse, Boswell can access her suppliers’ systems, showing availability of drugs, alternatives and drug information. “We can get orders the next day because of that,” she says.

With the added speed of broadband also comes additional safety. In 2006, Alabama’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program came online, giving doctors and pharmacies a way to check and see if a patient is getting medication from any other doctors or committing other forms of prescription fraud.

Digital diagnosis

In another change sweeping across the health care industry, the U.S. government mandated that clinics and hospitals start keeping electronic medical records by 2015. The changes promise to link health care and information technology like never before. As more doctors, pharmacists and specialists come online, patients should see big improvements both in the speed and quality of service. Additionally, it could save the health care industry and patients over $700 billion in a 15- to 25-year span.

FTC’s broadband will give local medical facilities the speed to quickly upload or download large files to other doctors, pharmacies, X-ray technicians and hospitals. Doctors will be able to share information easily, which should benefit patients. For example, if someone from DeKalb County breaks a leg on vacation in Florida, doctors there would be able to electronically review the patient’s medical history to look for drug allergies or other factors.

Capps is already using her broadband connection for a similar purpose.

“We have a radiologist an hour away who will review an X-ray within 10 minutes of us taking it if we need him to,” she explains.

Broadband means business Beyond the medical uses for the technology, broadband helps the business side of the clinic, too. “I certainly don’t think it would be easy to thrive in a business in today’s technological

world without broadband Internet service,” Capps says. “We have to have access to high-speed Internet in order to function. I need things keeping up with the way our practice grows."

Shelia Bell, office manager at Vision Plus on Church Avenue in Rainsville, says the practice uses broadband to bill insurance companies and order contact lenses and frames. “It speeds things up considerably,” she says.

They also provide printable paperwork on their website so patients can fill out forms before coming to the office. By September, they plan to have many of their patients’ records digitized as part of the national effort to move medical records online.

“We are working towards becoming paperless,” Bell says.

Even in the midst of the sweeping changes already underway, medical staff know there are more changes to come. Thanks to hard work and rural cooperatives like FTC, small clinics across the country will be able to meet the standards and deliver the same quality service as those in metropolitan areas. “Even though we’re in a rural area, we do have a good bit of technology in our facility,” Capps explains.

“I don’t think we should be deprived of broadband simply because we’re in a rural area. We need to grow just like metropolitan areas need to grow.”

FTC General Manager Fred Johnson understands the medical community’s concerns and assures doctors, staff and their patients that FTC is committed to providing the best quality, most reliable connection now and in the future. “As a cooperative, FTC was built to help this community flourish,” he says. “We do our part by ensuring that our members have access to the most reliable communications technology possible. Today, that includes broadband Internet traveling over fiber optic cable, so that's our commitment to our members. Doctors, pharmacists and patients throughout the service area are benefiting from that commitment already with faster diagnoses and lifesaving information being readily available. We're going to continue to make sure that our physicians and community have access to the resources they need as we move into a new era of medicine.” n

Dedra Capps,co-owner of Family First Medicine, says high-speed connectivity enables her clinic to upload X-rays to a technician who is over an hour away and get a reading within minutes if necessary.

A high-speed broadband connection enables Rainsville Drug’s Jordan Horton (left) and Andrea Boswell to fill prescriptions, verify insurance copays, check for drug interactions and much more.

Jenn Hilley uses a broadband connection from FTC to bill insurance providers and order inventory and supplies for Vision Plus in Rainsville.

Connected - July/August 2012 9

Bryant’s Workman earns national FRS scholarship

Chris Townson, FTC Manager of Customer Service and Support presented Natasha Workman with an FRS scholarship.

Natasha Workman of North Sand Mountain High School has been awarded a $2,500 scholarship by the Foundation for Rural Services (FRS) and Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative. FRS funded $2,000 of the scholarship and FTC funded the remainder.

Natasha was selected out of more than 1,400 applicants as one of only 30 students across rural America to receive this award.

The FRS scholarships are presented to rural high school seniors who are highly involved in their schools and communities and who have above-average academic credentials.

Natasha is a 2012 graduate of North Sand Mountain High School. She is the daughter of Howard and Cindy Workman of Bryant. Among the school activities she participated in were F.C.C.L.A., F.C.A, F.C.S, Spanish Club, basketball team and track.

She plans to attend Jacksonville State University and pursue a degree in nursing. After that, she would like to continue her educational quest and earn a Ph.D. as a medical doctor. n

Trotman, Shelley awarded FTC scholarships Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative places a strong emphasis on preparing today’s youth to be tomorrow’s leaders. This commitment is evident through its sponsorship of such events as Career Enrichment Day and the FRS Washington Youth Tour.

FTC is also proud to sponsor the annual FTC Scholarship Program. This program seeks to identify and honor students who display a combination of academic excellence, student activities and community involvement.

Two scholarships are offered. “One scholarship goes to a

high school senior,” explains Brandi Lyles, Marketing Director for FTC. “The other is awarded to a student already enrolled in college.”

Each scholarship is worth $1,500. An independent committee not affiliated with the cooperative determines the recipients.

“We congratulate our scholarship winners for their accomplishments,” says Lyles, who presented both scholarships. “FTC is proud to help them achieve their goals through our annual scholarship program.”n

2012 High School Recipient Vanessa Trotman • Excalibur Christian School Vanessa Trotman is a 2012 graduate of Excalibur Christian School. She is the daughter of Shelia and Johnny Trotman of Ider. During her senior year, Vanessa was dually-enrolled at Northeast Alabama Community College. Her hobbies include playing piano, composing music, singing, sketching, painting, reading and poetry. Vanessa plans to earn an associate’s degree from NACC before transferring to a four-year college to obtain a master’s degree in mathematics.

2012 College Recipient Karen Shelley • Northeast Alabama Community College Karen Shelley is a student at Northeast Alabama Community College. She will graduate the Northeast Nursing Program as an RN in May 2013. Karen is also a pastor’s wife, mother of five and competitive triathlete. Her ultimate goal is to become a family nurse practitioner and open a practice on Sand Mountain. Karen would also like to use her nursing skills in the mission field helping provide health care for those in need.

10 Connected - July/August 2012

Future leaders attend FRS Youth Tour in D.C. Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative continued its commitment to equipping tomorrow’s leaders by sponsoring students to the 18th Annual FRS Youth Tour.

The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) hosts its annual Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., as a way to educate young people about the telecommunications industry. Students are also exposed to the regulatory and legislative processes of government.

Students representing the Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative service area on the 2012 FRS Youth Tour were Natalie Graham of Plainview High School (daughter of Rev. Roger and Ginger Graham of Rainsville) and Quincy Nance of Pisgah High School (son of Tim and Delana Nance of Pisgah).

This year’s FRS Youth Tour was held

AT THE CAPITOL - Natalie Graham (left) and Quincy Nance attended the FRS Youth Tour In Washington, D.C., with their chaperones Darlene Johnson, FTC CSR Supervisor, and her husband Darrell.

the first week in June. As part of the four-day visit to the nation’s capital, students visited with elected officials and industry leaders. They also toured some of the most historical sites in the nation including Mount Vernon, which was the home of George Washington; the Smithsonian Museum; National Cathedral; Arlington Cemetery; National Zoo; U.S. Capitol and Library of Congress.

The Youth Tour is also a cultural experience for students, allowing them to spend time with peers from other parts of the country.

“The FRS Youth Tour is an excellent program,” says Brandi Lyles, FTC Marketing Director. “It provides these young leaders a greater insight into the important role companies like FTC have in rural America.”n

te xt in g

Ban on texting while driving begins Aug. 1 Governor Robert Bentley signed a law into effect on May 8 which makes text messaging while driving illegal on all Alabama roads effective Aug. 1. Alabama joins 37 other states that have already banned texting while driving.

The bill prohibits sending text messages, instant messages and emails while behind the wheel, but does not ban dialing the phone.

Drivers will face a $25 fine for their first violation and a $50 fine thereafter.

According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration texting while driving your vehicle makes you 23 times more likely to have an accident, and has been compared to driving while intoxicated. In a Harris Interactive Poll conducted for State Farm Insurance in February, 57 percent of teen drivers in the U.S. admit to having texted while driving.

“It doesn’t take a lot of common sense to know that you can’t text and drive at the same time,” said Governor Bentley before signing the bill into law outside the Alabama Capitol.

To find out more about this issue, visit www.fcc.gov/guides/textingwhile-driving.

Connected - July/August 2012 11

A bird’s eye view of hunting Henagar resident reflects on lifelong passion for ancient art of falconry

By Diana LaChance

B

ill Lang of Henagar didn’t set out to be one of only four licensed falconers in the county. But given that his love of raptors dates back to his youngest years, it may have been inevitable.

“In the early 1960s, my brother and I got some young kestrels and kept them for a year or so,” says Lang. After that, “an acquaintance found a nest of red-shouldered hawks and got us some youngsters, which we kept tethered on perches in our yard.”

At the time Lang could not find information on training birds of prey, so he and his brother kept them more as pets. After he graduated from college and bought a red-tailed hawk, however, he decided to take his hobby to the next level. “A friend and I had bought a paperback with a little information about training them," Lang recalls.

"Even though I was mostly guessing, I had that bird about trained.”

Shortly thereafter, however, he faced a setback courtesy of the federal government. “In the late 1970s, laws were passed that made it illegal to have a raptor unless you were a licensed falconer or a rehabilitator,” says Lang. As a result, he was forced to put his falconry efforts on hold — until a serendipitous meeting just four years ago.

“In 2008, I was at my nephew’s soccer game, and the father of classmate was there,” says Lang. “He mentioned a friend of his who was a falconer, and I got in touch with him and found out what I would have to do to get licensed.” It was no short order.

The first step was to contact Roger Clay, the wildlife biologist who oversees falconry, in the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division offices in Spanish Fort, Ala. Clay sent 12 Connected - July/August 2012

a packet of information that included how to prepare for an extensive written test covering everything from raptors’ natural history to health and diseases to hunting methods.

Lang passed the test on his first try, and then set about meeting the state’s second requirement — proving he had the capability to safely house a raptor in accordance with the law. Among other things, he says, “you have to have a facility, or mew, with vertical bars and perches, as well as a bath pen.” In Lang’s case, Tracy Nelson, an area biologist with the Montgomery office of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, came out to inspect his mew.

After that hurdle was cleared, Lang was then left with one final task. “I had to be an apprentice for two years under a master falconer,” he says, which posed a significant challenge given that there are less than fifty master falconers in the state. However, he managed to find a sponsor and get his first bird, a female red-tailed hawk he called Zeva.

“I trapped her in January of 2009, and I was real nervous,” recalls Lang, explaining that a wild-caught bird (as opposed to a purchased, captive one) is called a passager.

“There were lots of times I turned her loose that I wasn’t sure she’d come back! But she turned out to be pretty good.”

But not everything went smoothly at first. “Getting them to take food from you is the first step," Lang says. “That first bird, I had her six days before she would eat.” Once that hurdle was cleared, Zeva got to the point where she would step into his hand for food.

After that, says Lang, “you keep extending that distance

over time, so eventually you’ve got it so they come back to you from 70 or 80 yards.”

The real trick, however, is making sure the bird stays at a relatively low weight, called a response weight. That weight acts as a sort of guarantee that the bird will choose to accept food from the falconer rather than follow its instinct to hunt, which Lang says is only successful 10% of the time in the wild. “Even though it’s the part I like least, you have to control their need for food,” he explains, “so you have to weigh them every day to figure out the response weight.”

In Zeva’s case, her response weight was 38 ounces. “If I’d turned her loose at more than 38 ounces, I’d have been lucky if she came back,” he says. Of course, it helps if the food the falconer is offering is something worth coming back for.

“From 200 or 300 yards, they can see if you have something worth coming for," Lang says. "So when she came to the lure, I made sure it was a good crop of something to eat.”

Because Zeva was a passager, Lang set her free in May of that same year.

Though he was sad to see her go, he says, “I got her through the hardest part of her life, that first winter."

Now Lang needed the experience of training another bird. So a few months after releasing Zeva he set out his traps once again. In September of 2009, he captured a male red-tailed hawk he named Jewitt.

“He was so easy to train,” says Lang, speculating that it was because he had caught Jewitt at a much younger age than Zeva. “He caught three pheasants, three rabbits and several squirrels before I set him free.”

As for what happened to the prey Jewitt captured, Lang says “they mostly ended up as his food!”

After Jewitt, Lang decided he would try training a captive bird, one who was raised by her parents in a breeding program in Georgia. “That third bird was a Harris’s Hawk, which is native to the American Southwest," Lang says. "They’re the most social of hawks and they hunt in families. They’re so easy – that’s the thing about them.”

Sadly, the hawk died of West Nile virus earlier this year before Lang could fully train her.

Above: Bill Lang with Jewitt, a male red-tailed hawk he caught as a young bird and trained to hunt. He caught pheasants, rabbits and squirrels before being released.

Right: This female Harris’s hawk was Lang’s last bird. Here she landed in a field during a training exercise.

Now Lang must wait once again for trapping season, which runs September through January, to catch his next bird. “I am hoping to trap a Cooper’s Hawk, which is a small hawk that is more common than red-tailed ones,” he says. “It will be a challenge, because Cooper’s Hawks are not all that pleasant to deal with. But I want to try one.”

No matter what he ends up with, however, Lang says he “thanks the good Lord every day for letting wild birds be part of my life.” Not only

does he enjoy witnessing their aerial acrobatics, he says, “but I’ve been really amazed at the level of trust I see in those birds as I train them.”

And as for those who are squeamish about the killing involved, “that’s part of it," says Lang. “The birds are doing what they do in the wild; they’re just allowing you to be part of it.”

In fact, Lang refers to falconry as “another variation of hunting.”

To that end, he adds, “it’s certainly not for everybody. But I’ll do it for as long as I’m able.” n Connected - July/August 2012 13

Easy steps to permanently stop telemarketing calls!

If you are like most consumers, you are tired of being disturbed by telemarketing calls. There is help.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have established a National Do Not Call Registry.

Joining this registry can drastically reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive.

Here are some important facts about the list: • Once registered, telemarketers have up to 31 days to stop calling your number.

Adding your number to the Do Not Call Registry is easy!

Register online at

www.donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222 For TTY, call 866-260-4236 You must call from the telephone number you wish to register.

• You can register up to three non business telephone numbers.

• You can register cell phone numbers; there is not a separate registry for cell phones.

• Your number will remain on the list permanently unless you disconnect the number or you choose to remove it.

• Some businesses are exempt from the Do Not Call Registry and may still be able call your number. These include political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors and businesses that you already have a relationship with.

Strict Federal Trade Commission rules for telemarketers make it illegal to do any of the following regardless of whether or not your number is listed on the National Do Not Call Registry: • Call before 8 a.m.

• Call after 9 p.m.

• Misrepresent what is being offering • Threaten, intimidate or harass you • Call again if you’ve asked them not to

Beware of sales calls disguised as surveys The Federal Trade Commission says they have received numerous complaints from individuals who report receiving deceptive sales calls. The callers identify themselves with Political Opinions of America and ask you to participate in a brief survey, usually consisting of about three questions. After answering the questions the individual is transferred to someone offering them a bonus for participating in the survey — usually a sales pitch for a time-share disguised as a “free vacation.”

The FTC warns that if the purpose of the call is to try to sell something — even if it includes a survey — it is telemarketing and all Do Not Call Registry rules apply.

If you believe a call violates the FTC rules against telemarketing, you can file a complaint by calling 888-382-1222 or go to donotcall.gov.

14 Connected - July/August 2012

Businesses can be penalized for not following FCC rules Businesses in the FTC coverage area that make phone calls to customers or potential customers should be aware of National Do Not Call Registry rules and regulations.

The Do Not Call initiative, regulated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), requires FTC to notify our customers who use our service for making telephone solicitations and telemarketing calls of National Do Not Call rules and regulations. We recognize that few of our customers utilize cooperative services for telemarketing purposes; however, to ensure that our customers adhere to these rules and regulations, we are issuing this advisory to all business customers.

If you are a company, individual, or organization that places telemarketing calls, it is very important that you familiarize yourself with the operations of the National Do Not Call Registry.

Unless you fall under one of the established exceptions, such as telemarketing by charitable organizations or for prior business relationships, you may not make telemarketing calls to numbers included in the National Do Not Call Registry.

For information regarding National Do Not Call regulations, visit the National Do Not Call registry at www.telemarketing.donotcall.gov. You can find the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission rules governing telemarketing and telephone solicitation at 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 and 16 C.F.R. Part 310, respectively.

The Womacks use several different methods for grilling vegetables.

Grillin’ Tammie and Kevin Womack use her father’s secret sauce on most of their barbecue.

S

ummer is that time of year when everyone wants to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors.

Tammie and Kevin Womack of Sylvania say they don’t need an excuse to get outside and cook, though. This couple has been outside, grilling almost all of their meals year round for nearly all of their 26 year marriage.

“Kevin says my Hungry Jack casserole is the reason we grill,” laughs Tammie.

“When we first got married I made it a lot and we didn’t really like it. So we learned to grill.”

Today, the Womacks have seven grills they cook on. And Tammie says it’s not unusual for them to pull an entire meal off the grill. “We love to eat and we love to grill,” she says. It’s a good thing, too. Tammie and Kevin have been smoking and grilling meats for school fund-raisers at Sylvania for years. They started when their son Ben was still in school and continue to help for their daughter Rachel, who will start this fall as a senior. They also prepared all the food for Tammie’s parent’s fiftieth wedding anniversary and Kevin’s parent’s sixtieth.

Aside from grilling, the Womacks also love homemade ice cream. “We used to make a freezer of ice cream every single weekend,” says Tammie.

“Now we’re trying to eat healthier, so we don’t make it as often.”

Tammy and Kevin share some of their family favorites with readers in this issue. There are recipes for everything you need for a delicious meal including homemade ice cream for dessert!

&

Chillin’

Hash Brown Casserole

Slow-Smoked Beef Brisket

1 whole beef brisket, about 10 pounds 8 beef bouillon cubes 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Dry rub: 1/2 tablespoon salt 1/2 tablespoon paprika 1/2 tablespoon black pepper 1/2 tablespoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander Build a fire, situating the coals on only one side of the grill. In a small bowl, crush beef bouillon cubes. Mix with Worcestershire sauce. Cover entire brisket with wet rub. In another small bowl, combine all ingredients for dry rub.

Coat brisket with dry rub. When cooker reaches 225º, place brisket on the side of the grill that has no coals, fat side up.

Cook for 3 hours, then remove from heat and wrap in aluminum foil. Return to grill and continue to cook for about 5 more hours. Brisket is done when internal temperature of brisket reaches 185 to 190º.

Let the meat rest in the foil for one hour, then remove from foil and cut across the grain. Reserve juices from foil to drizzle over brisket slices.

Fruit Ice Cream

2 cups fresh fruit, diced 2 cups sugar (if using peaches, may need to increase to 2-1/2 cups sugar) 2 eggs, beaten

1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring sweet milk Combine first six ingredients. Pour into ice cream freezer. Add sweet milk to fill line. Freeze according to ice cream freezer directions. Makes one gallon of ice cream.

Hash Brown Casserole

2 pounds frozen hash browns 1/2 cup margarine, melted 1 pint sour cream 2 cups cheese, grated 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup onion, grated 1 can cream of chicken soup

Spray 9” × 13” casserole dish with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Pour into casserole dish. Bake at 375º for about 45 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and golden brown.

Grilled Vegetables

1 beef bouillon cube garlic salt 2 tablespoons olive oil fresh vegetables Cut up desired vegetables. Roll in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt to taste. Create a pouch with aluminum foil large enough to hold veggies and fold over to seal. Place on grill over indirect heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until they reach desired tenderness. n Connected - July/August 2012 15

“We Keep217• You Connected” P.O. Box 144 McCurdy Ave. N. Rainsville, Alabama 35986

Northeast Alabama Community College presents

Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012 6 p.m. • NACC Campus

138 AL Hwy 35 • Rainsville

the

Ider Mule Day

Claire Lynch band

Monday, Sept. 3 at Ider Park Admission $2 (Children 5 and under free)

Fun for the whole family!

Mule Pull and Draft Horse Show • Antique Engine Display Wheels of Time Cruisers Car Show Bluegrass and Gospel Music • Arts & Crafts Games for the Kids • Food Vendors • and much more!

For more information call 256-657-4184

Kelli Johnson

& Sweetwater Road

Foggy Hollow

Jam Session, Folk Artists & Food beginning at 3 p.m. on the front lawn Admission $15, NACC students free For tickets call 1-888-71-Tickets or visit www.showclix.com

For more info call 256-638-4418, ext. 2248 or visit www.nacc.edu

UFO Days

Saturday, Aug. 25 Fyffe Town Park

on Graves Street

Bring the whole family to Fyffe for the annual UFO Day — where UFO stands for unforgettable family outing. The day long event features a car & tractor show, musical entertainment, arts and crafts and hot air balloon rides. Call 256-623-7298 for more information.