Elmore County Living Spring 2011 by Price Publications

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

publisher’s

message Does February thunder lead to a snowy April?

y grandmother Sumners would be considered a country girl today. She grew up in a time when if you didn’t live downtown, you were from the country. I’m better off because of her upbringing — just because of the things she told me that helped me become wiser to the world around me. One of her favorite sayings in winter was “If it thunders in February, it will snow in April.” A lot of times it meant ice or snow, but it was always amazing to me how accurate the statement was. My brother used that expression with me recently when we were talking about how great the warm temperatures have been the last several weeks. “Don’t forget though, “ he chided, “it

thundered in February ...” I knew what he meant without him explaining further. Then, the other day I had lunch with an old friend, Steve Forehand, who is the legal counsel for Russell Lands, and who is a devout conservationist. He used the same expression with me. If I hear it again I’ll take back out my winter clothes. With Easter being so late this year — April 24 — it really makes you think about that ole saying, because we have a long time before April showers bring May flowers. Those April showers could bring with them some frozen precipitation — and you know what I mean. Let’s just hope it’s not one of those Spring snowstorms that drops16 inches of snow. Kim N. Price is the president of Price Publications, Inc.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

editor’s

note I

t looks like spring is finally here. I know everyone is ready to pack away their heavy clothing, go outside and enjoy the phenomenon of the grass quickly changing from drab brown to bright green. And, of course, there are more blossoms appearing every day for all of us to enjoy. We also hope you enjoy this issue of Elmore County Living and the people and places it brings to you. Several of this quarter’s stories involve creative area residents. In these pages you can meet an aspiring young singer, a potter who produces remarkable pieces despite her visual limitations and a wellknown local artist who has inspired many to follow in his footsteps. You can also take a look at the ambi-

Spring is in the air tious plans being put in motion to revitalize and renew Tallassee’s riverfront area. In contrast, you can step back into the past with a photograph of Tallassee’s 70-year-old Benjamin Fitzpatrick Bridge while it was under construction -- and read a bit about its history. In addition, let us introduce you to the “Deadutaunts,” a local roller derby team. You can also check out the Leadership Elmore County program -- how it started, what it is, who is involved and how you can participate if it interests you. So dive right in -- we hope you enjoy what you find! Peggy Blackburn is managing editor of Price Publications, Inc.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Inside Singing for her dream

Holtville graduate works to take her love of music to the next level

Forging county’s next leaders

12 10

Program begins its second decade training the leaders of tomorrow

Molding beauty, sight unseen

12 16

26 28

Lake Jordan woman sears vivid colors despite her failing sight

Girl power

12 20

Working women take their lumps in roller derby league

30 24

Passing on the gift of art

30 26

A landmark rising

30 28

Lakeside lookout

30 33

Rehabing a hub of history

Art teacher’s love of painting shines on in his students

Photo shows Tallassee’s bridge rising above river

Russell Lands commissions top architect to tailor home for Lake Martin’s beauty

Tallassee plans facelift of historic riverside

Elmore County Living magazine is published by Price Publications, Inc. in conjunction with The Wetumpka Herald, The Eclectic Observer and The Tallassee Tribune. Copyright 2011 by Price Publications, Inc., all rights reserved. Any reproduction of this publication is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. Kim N. Price - President/Publisher David Goodwin - News Editor Christy Cooper - Ad Sales Peggy Blackburn - Managing Editor Kevin Taylor - Copy Editor Ashley Vice - Multimedia Manager Jay Goodwin - Operations Manager Griffin Pritchard - Sports Editor Shannon Elliott - Ad Manager P.O. Box 99 • 300 Green Street • Wetumpka, AL 36092 • 334-567-7811

Tallassee Jane Parker - Assoc. Publisher Willie Moseley - News Editor Lauren Newman - Staff Writer Stephanie Weldon - Ad Sales

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Singing for her dream J

ess Meuse wasn’t your typical kid at Holtville High School. She wasn’t part of the in crowd. When most kids went out to party and have a good time, Meuse went straight home to her room where she would stay for hours. She wasn’t on the telephone talking endlessly to friends. Her best friend was a little blue guitar her mother bought her in 2005. Jess had never played the guitar, but she taught herself. She spent many hours in her room playing that guitar until her mother told her to go to bed. Music was always a part of Jess’ life, but it soon became her life. “I’ve always known that music is what I’ve wanted to do,” said Meuse, who graduated from Holtville High in 2008. “I was always really focused on it. “I was an outcast in high school. I would go home and play music. I never went out and partied. I was in my room playing my little guitar. I don’t know, I guess I’m a weirdo.” Now a student at UAB, Meuse continues to keep her focus on her music. As soon as she gets out of class a quick jam session is

By Kevin Taylor apt to break out. “I would be jamming outside and would be asked if I wanted to play here or there,” she said.

Holtville singer turns her passion into a career

But performing didn’t come naturally for her. The first time Meuse performed in front of an audience was at 12 years old during a talent show at a private Florida Catholic school. “I cried and covered my

face,” she recalled. “I was so scared and then I laughed at myself afterward.” Since then, performing in front of small or large crowds has become almost second nature. “I’m getting to the point

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 when I want to get up on stage and make people happy,” she said. “Now, I’m just going for it.” In between an impromptu jam session at a coffee house or on the lawns of UAB, Meuse has performed at the Alabama National Fair, local Mardi Gras parades and Wetumpka Brown Bag lunches. “I’ve made a lot of friends everywhere I’ve gone, and it’s really fun,” she said. So where does her calling for music come from? Meuse said she doesn’t know. “It’s always been a part of my life,” the 20-year-old said. “It’s the one thing that’s very consistent in my life. It’s how I cope with real life situations and it makes people happy and inspires people.” Who is her biggest fan? Her mother, Sheila, of course. “She’s the strongest person I know,” she said. “She’d told me so many times not to say if. I know she believes in me.” What kind of music inspires Meuse?

Jess Meuse performs music from her new CD. PHOTO BY KEVIN TAYLOR

8 “I listen to all kinds of music,” she said. “I like listening to groups from Coldplay to performers like Sara Evans. “I listen to heavy metal when I’m cranky, hip hop when I feel like dancing or country when I’m feeling low.” And who does she pattern her music after? Meuse said she doesn’t have one particular person or group she tried to emulate. “When I sing I’m just singing,” she said. “I’ve been told I sound like Stevie Nix. I don’t try to sound like her, but that’s a good person to sound like.” Her musical ability has a wide range, too. She can perform Lady Gaga to “the saddest country song.” Meuse continues to play in various locations around Elmore County and throughout the state. And she’s even tried out for American Idol in Atlanta in 2009. It didn’t go so well. “They told me to my face that I don’t have what it takes,” she said. Meuse recently sent in an audition tape to America’s Got Talent and has not heard a peep. “I even auditioned for the talent show at UAB, and they declined me,” she said. But it has not stopped her from performing. “It just pushes me and makes me think, ‘OK, I’ll make it my own way,’” she added. Since then, Meuse has started to come into her own. In October 2010 she performed in a Stars of Alabama Showcase where she met local music producer Tony Buenger. “We just started talking music, and then we started working together,” she said. “It’s amazing how much I’ve improved since the showcase.” In February, Meuse and Buenger began working in the studio to put together her first album, which is expected to be released in mid-March. “I can’t wait to have it done,” she said. “I’m excited to hear what other people think about my music.” Buenger, who owns and operates Guest House Studios in Eclectic, said he was surprised on how much Meuse improved just in the few weeks he worked with her in the studio while recording

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Jess Meuse lays down vocal tracks for her new CD at Guest House Studios in Eclectic. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

her songs. “Over time her vocals have really improved, and she’s much more disciplined to the point where she knows where to fit her vocals in her songs,” he said. While Meuse does sing cover music, she also has written a number of songs herself. “As a songwriter she’s really well established,” Buenger added. “Her lyrics are so powerful because you know they come from her heart and soul.” Through the bumps along the way and

the many hours on the road, Meuse has taken life as a musician in stride. She’s also learned it’s not as simple as it may look. “There are so many people out there trying to get famous,” she said. “I’ve learned that it takes time and you can’t be distracted. You have to want it and go do it.” Through strong support from her mother and friends, there’s no question Meuse wants it. “I can’t wait till that day when I put on those shows,” she said. “I’m gonna do the best I can to make people happy.”

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Learning TO Program enters 10th year forging future leaders

LEAD

eadership Elmore County will soon graduate its 10th class, with its members joining the more than 150 alumni of previous years’ classes. The program educates participants about the Elmore County community and local issues, promotes networking, encourages volunteerism, identifies By opportunities for comPeggy munity involvement and Blackburn much more. Organizers and participants are enthusiastic about the benefits of the endeavor. “I think LEC is one of the most important cooperative programs for our county,” said Marilee Tankersley, executive director of Leadership Elmore County. “One benefit of LEC is that most of the classes have representation from all of the communities in Elmore County and as they get to know each other, they get to know the communities that everyone is from,” said Kimberly Adams, a 2007 graduate. “LEC highlights the entire county — good and bad — but what you find is that the class develops a bond so they take pride in the good and develop a sense of dedication to fix what is bad, no matter where it is.” And Adams has first-hand experience of several local communities. She grew up in Millbrook, lived in Wallsboro (just north of Wetumpka) for four years and has lived in Tallassee since 2005.

Kim Adams, a 2007 Leadership Elmore County graduate, leads a session during the 2011 class curriculum. PHOTO BY PEGGY BLACKBURN

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

“The class becomes inElmore County. spired to improve their “Many have tried to county, not just their comclaim credit for putting the munity,” said Adams. idea together, but I can asCharles Rowe of Titus is sure you it was a joint efa member of the LEC fort of the class members,” class of 2008. Tankersley said. “Four or “I have the highest refive members wrote the gard for LEC and expect plan, others helped sell it to make contributions to it and others helped proas long as God will permit mote. Later, a handful of me to do so,” said Rowe. LEC members worked on “My respect and appreciafunding.” tion of the program could The Elmore County allow me to go on and on Food Pantry, support for in praise of it.” the Humane Society of ElLeadership Elmore more County, implementaCounty is a combined ven- 2011 Leadership Elmore County members Joel Hunt, Daniel Thompson and Brian tion of the Dolly Parton ture of the Millbook, Tal- Sims listen as a Neptune employee explains a portion of the plant’s manufacturing Imagination Library and process. PHOTO BY PEGGY BLACKBURN lassee and Wetumpka several other projects have chambers of commerce been introduced as LEC perience. with the idea for the Elmore and the Elmore County Coclass projects. “The steering committee County Economic Developoperative Extension System. The initiative developed by met in 2000 to start a proment Authority,” she said. Each year’s course consists the current class is a “Teachgram in September 2001,” “They convinced the seven of nine sessions -- one each ers’ Closet” intended to prosaid Tankersley. “The first municipalities, the county month from September vide supplies to faculty class was filled with 20 commission, school board through May. Every class de- members and started our tramembers at the county’s puband chambers to work tocides on a group project as lic schools. dition of working together. gether to try to bring induspart of their Leadership exAdams said she decided to “The first class came up try, retail, jobs and tourism to

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 enroll in Leadership Elmore County after hearing about the program from friends who were alumni and enthusiastic about it. “Also, it sounded like a great way to meet community leaders from different backgrounds while learning more about the county I grew up in,” she said. Rowe said he heard about the program through a notice in The Wetumpka Herald. “I immediately recognized this as an opportunity to improve my exposure to Elmore County and also as a way of giving back,” he said. “Life and my surroundings have given to me more than I ever expect to give back. Thus I am heavy into civic affairs in order to even the score as much as possible.” “I decided to participate in LEC because I wanted to learn more about Elmore County and see how I could help to improve it,” said Laurie Rygiel of Tallassee, a member of the current class. Angela Allen of Millbrook, another member of the 2011 class, said she decided to apply because of a friend’s positive comments. “Cecelia Ball had participated in LEC

Joey Scarborough of Milstead Farms explains to 2011 LEC class members how a cotton gin operates. PHOTO BY PEGGY BLACKBURN

and had only good things to say about the experience, so I decided to participate this year,” said Allen. Tankersley said the original steering committee decided the program would assist in informing participants about issues and needs in the area. “It has helped individuals grow in this awareness and helped build alliances

between agencies,” she said. “It has helped prevent duplication of efforts and identified people who could help.” Graduates said they benefited from the program in various ways. “Any and all exposure and benefits I’ve gained will benefit anyone I am blessed to have contact with in the present and future,” said Rowe. “Leadership

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

2011 class members Nicole Johnson, Pam Johnson and Susan Gill, left, listen during a recent visit to a cotton gin. Agriculture and Industries Commissioner John McMillan spoke to the current class in February. PHOTOS BY PEGGY BLACKBURN

makes available to each class member the equipping and opportunity to be an improved and more effective citizen. Progress demands new and fresh leadership be given by volunteers -- which is the base and backbone of America -- on a daily basis.” “It was an eye-opening experience for me to find out that you don’t know as much about your county as you think you did,” Adams said. “Additionally, when your entire leadership experience has been within your company and you are able to interact with community leaders from other diverse backgrounds you learn more about your own leadership style. “It reaffirms your positive attributes and it allows you to share your experiences with others, but it also challenges you to define your own weaknesses and helps you to work on improvement in those areas,” she added. “That’s the beauty of working on the class project - seeing different leadership styles emerge and learning to work with everyone’s style while creating a project that will benefit your county.” Rygiel said she has already reaped rewards from the course, although she is only two-thirds of the way through.

“Every community needs informed leaders who can get things done.” -- Marilee Tankersley “I have met people and seen places I feel I would not have -- for example the Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook,” she said. “And as a business owner I have had the opportunity to get its name out there more in other parts of Elmore County.” Allen said she has also benefited. “I am learning a great deal about all aspects of Elmore County,” she said. “It has been very informative and I have

enjoyed getting to know others in the class.” Many graduates of the LEC program continue to be involved with it long after they complete their class. “I served on the LEC board from 2007-2010 and I still chair one of the nine sessions,” said Adams. “It’s part of my commitment to make sure that LEC continues to be a valuable resource for people who want to learn more about Elmore County and use LEC as a vehicle to serve their community.” Rowe said he also continues his participation. “The motivations to continue to be active with LEC are many-fold,” he said. “The reward of seeing each class member each year as they learn more about themselves as well as others they meet and activities in Elmore County is a joy and reward on its own.” Allen said she thinks LEC is positive for participants and the communities in Elmore County. “LEC increases our awareness of the benefits of living in Elmore County,” she said. “It also makes us aware of the needs of our communities and how we might get more involved in them.” Rygiel encouraged others to participate

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 if they have the chance. “I have told other people about LEC and how they should take this opportunity if it arises for them,” said Rygiel. “I am a firm believer if each of us puts forth something in our county it will be a better place.” Applications to participate in Leadership Elmore County are typically due in late June or early July, and a limited number of participants are chosen each year. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and either live or work in Elmore County. Selection is based on diversity of vocation, gender, neighborhood, race and age. Tuition is charged for the program, which includes an overnight retreat in September. Application can be made for a partial scholarship. The application form and more general information is available at www.leadershipel-

morecounty.com. Monthly sessions include: orientation, team building, personality assessment and leadership skills; municipal and county government; history and culture; state government; industry, economic development and agribusiness; education; judicial and criminal justice; military; and health and human services. County leadership programs throughout the state and country are utilized to help citizens understand what is needed to assist with economic and community development. The focus is on teamwork and creating a positive environment for growth. “Every community needs informed leaders who can get things done,” said Tankersley. “We have built a network of people who care and want to help. I have been honored to be involved from the beginning.”

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

A beautiful feeling

Potter spins artwork she can barely see

Pottery artist Robin Rogers spins a pot in her studio overlooking Lake Jordan. Legally blind, Rogers uses her fingers to coax beauty from the clay, then adds brilliant colors in the glazing process. PHOTOS BY DAVID GOODWIN

obin Rogers’ pottery wheel sits by a window in a corner of her basement studio, overlooking a rustic slough on Lake Jordan. Her deck, and often her playing grandchildren, is in the foreground. Beyond that are her flowers, and the oaks and sweetgums. Beyond that, the water. “Sometimes I sit here and don’t know what to do with this hunk of clay,” she said. “But it’ll go round and round and round, and I’ll look out at

the lake and the flowers. Something always comes to me.” Rogers is legally blind. One eye registers heavily blurred images; the other is only light-sensitive. “I can’t completely see what’s out there,” she said, while sitting at her pottery wheel overlooking Lake Jordan. “But I know it’s there and that it’s beautiful.” She started making pottery

By David Goodwin

as her eyesight faded because of a degenerative disorder called Stargardt’s. “I had to have something to do with my hands and my brain,” she said. She chose pottery because “it’s a lot about feel.” But, she said, the “quality control is not always so good.” “The main problem is that if I have crack in a piece, I may not know about it until a customer points it out,” she said. But Rogers said she loves

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Using the Japanese raku technique to create intricate colors in the tiles and basin, Robin Rogers, at left, created the backsplash and lavatory for the master bathroom in her Lake Jordan home. Because most of her pieces are for sale, Rogers’ collection at home consists mostly of cracked or otherwise imperfect pieces, “because those are the only ones I get to keep,” she said. PHOTOS BY DAVID GOODWIN

everything she’s created, “especially the cracked pieces, because those are the only ones I get to keep.” Tables and shelves around the house are lined with her brilliantly colored clay artwork. A vase sparkles from a shelf above a stairway; she lifts it to show there’s no bottom. A lamp appears to be a molded box. “But the box wouldn’t open when I was done with it, so it got to be a lamp, instead.” Rogers’ love of pottery began with a colorful vase given as a wedding present when she married her husband Steve in 1970. She always loved it, and in the late 80s, decided to try her hand at recreating the colors she so adored. Rogers still has her first effort, a squat tan-colored little pot she shaped and fired in 1989. She’s sold an extensive line of angels, with simple shapes and irridescent shimmery lustres. Each Christmas has its own angel. Some are tall, others are chubby and short. Their heads may be adorned with a traditional halo, or flow with slender strands of hair. Each has a name like Praise or Victory. Victory, she said, was the angel she crafted while battling breast cancer, though she said “that was no big deal at all.”

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 But, she said, “I’m trying not to focus as much on the angels right now.” A friend recommended her most recent sales phenomenon. After seeing a simple yet evocative little Nativity scene, she called Rogers and told her about it. “And they sold like crazy,” she said. “Raku” pottery is Rogers’ current passion. The raku process focuses on creating brilliant colors in the multi-step firing process. Pieces are removed from the kiln when they are still redhot, and placed in a “reduction chamber” -- actually an aluminum garbage can -- with combustible materials like cardboard or newspaper. As the smoke fills the chamber

around each piece, it creates always-changing glaze effects that sear into the piece. One technique she’s worked with uses horse hair. She takes a piece out using special tongs at the “bisque” stage, around 1,100 degrees, and lays trimmings from a horse’s tail across it. It creates swirling dark brown patterns as the hair burns away on the blistering hot vase. “It squiggles up and makes it look like marble,” she said. Different people have been saving horse hair for her. Rogers prefers hair from the tail, she said, because “it’s more corse and works better. “How anybody thought of doing that, I can’t imagine,” she said.

Robin Rogers’s simple Nativity scene, above, was a big hit during the holidays. In the reduction phase of her “raku” pottery process, horse hair is seared into a red-hot piece to create a marble effect, inset. PHOTO BY DAVID GOODWIN

Roller rush

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

hey come from different walks of life. Some have established careers, some are mothers and some just have a mean streak. “A lot of us do this as examples — to our daughters, to our family and to other people — that women are capable of being athletes,” said By Johnna Scott, Griffin president of Pritchard the River Region Rollergirls, also an artist and a mother of three. “Women of all shapes and sizes can do amazing things.” Roller Derby has returned. But this isn’t the rock’em, sock’em, clock’em sport of the 1970s and early ‘80s. This version of roller derby is more tame. “There’s almost a finesse to it,” said Charles Boyer (who goes by the rink name FiveOh!). “There is definitely a lot more strategy involved in the way you score points than in the older derbies.” Teams line up with two racers in front (pivots), that control the speed of the laps, blockers in the middle and two jammers in the back. Points are scored after the first lap as jammers weave their way through the pack. Each opposing player passed by a jammer is worth one

Alicia Bohannon (Studabake) collides with Lyra Stephens (Fiend Club) during River Region Rollergirls practice. PHOTO BY GRIFFIN PRITCHARD

point. Bouts last 60 minutes (two 30-minute halves). “This isn’t like what you used to see on (cable), where girls are forearming each other or punching each

other’s teeth out,” said Boyer. “It’s very regulated with rules. There’s an extensive rulebook. There are legal and illegal hits. There are legal and illegal formations.” Kimberly Holman, who

Local ladies enjoy action of roller derby league competes under the name MoonPi, added that skaters have to take and pass a skills test before they are allowed to compete. “It’s very extensive,” said Holman. Skills vary from the obvious — skating around a rink — to the subtle — falling frontward, backward and sideways, and being able to walk on the skates. “The girls have to take a written test as part of their certification,” said Boyer. “Once they do that, then they can officially start practicing.” According to Scott, who competes under the name LeMasta Shake, the River Region Rollergirls came to be after an earlier league failed to come together. “There was a previous league (Bells and Bombshells) and it split, the River Region Rollergirls formed as a result of it.” News of the new team spread primarily through word-of-mouth. “You can sit and watch it or know without a shadow of a doubt that you want to get out there and do it,” said Scott. “I knew I belonged on the rink.” It also spread via open recruitment. “I came to an open-recruitment night with bands and

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 fell in love and have been here ever since,” said Madam Guillotine, who asked to keep her identity private. “I’ve been here since they started. I love it. I love to skate. And these girls are so great.” Before competing, the women are ranked in one of three skill levels. “First you have maggot; you pass a test and you become fresh meat, and you pass another test and you are a rollergirl,” said Kaelin Webb, who skates under the name Delirium. The squad held its fist competition Feb. 27 — an Alabama/Auburn fan showdown at Looney’s Skating Rink on Montgomery’s south side. “We’ve got Burn City (Auburn) and Tragic City (Birmingham) coming in to scrimmage with us,” said Heather Wilson, who skates under the name Zelda Fistgerald.

The River Region Rollergirls get ready for practice at Looney’s.

PHOTO BY GRIFFIN PRITCHARD

“We are going to divide the teams into Alabama fans and Auburn fans and compete against each other.” For the two established squads, it’s a simple workout. For the up-and-comers from the River Region, it’s a taste of things to come.

The River Region Rollergirls will actually start competing in April with a road trip to South Carolina. The squad will return home in May to face a squad from Rome, Ga. In June, the Rollergirls will travel to Auburn to face Burn

City. “We are still going through the process of making our schedule set,” said Boyer. “Typically teams bout every month. This is an amatuer league. Nobody has sponsors and if they don’t they don’t pay that much. Teams don’t travel far. Most of our big bouts are going to be within 150 miles. So we can keep a fan base that travels.” So the question remains — why derby? “It was something I did when I was in college at Birmingham,” said Holman. “I went to a couple of derby bouts. When I started working in Montgomery I was invited to a couple of practices and fell in love.” With competition as the focus, the group also serves as a way to bring different people together. “You have all walks of life out here,” said Webb.

22 “This is a chance to meet new people,” said Sheila Knight, who competes under the name Bloody Merry. Passion and experience are two different things. The roster is filled with girls passionate about the up-andcoming sport. However, experience is limited. “I was with another team and (team captain) Lyra (Stephens) told me about the team in Montgomery,” said Williams. “I came to practice and have been competing ever since.” Along with having a mean streak, one of the requirements to being a rollergirl is having a good derby name. Boyer chose Five-Oh! because he used to be an official. Williams chose Zelda Fistgerald because she’s a music fan. “I chose ‘LeMasta Shake’ because my maiden name is

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

“It’s a lot of working women, mostly mothers. It’s a lifestyle and a sisterhood,” said team member Alicia Bohannon. PHOTO BY GRIFFIN PRITCHARD

LeMasta and one of my favorite cartoon characters is GrandMaster Shake from Aquateen Hunger Force,” said Scott with a laugh. Holman chose MoonPi because she’s a self-described math nerd. “I needed cute things to go

with Pi (her jersey sports the mathematical sign Pi as her number),” said Holman. For Guillotine, she chose a historical reference for her name. “Madam Deficit was Marie Antoinette’s name because she was running up a huge

deficit in France,” said Guillotine. “Guillotine sounds more intimidating than deficit.” But the team is also filled with names like Studebake, who partners with Scott to be Shake-n-Bake. “She’s the founder of this,”

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 said Alicia Bohannon (Studebake). “This is a lot of fun. It’s a lot of working women, mostly mothers. It’s a lifestyle and a sisterhood. We are all different, and I don’t think we’d ever be the sorority girl-type. We have a little edge to us.” Webb chose the name Delirium after reading a graphic novel. Her jersey number is a question mark. “I got involved in this when it first started,” said Webb, who is a graphic designer by trade. “I was with Bells and Bombshells and wanted to continue competing. I love it. I can’t think of anything better to do.” Knight has been in the Air Force for 14 years. “I just thought the name was cool,” said Knight. Like any sport, competing in a roller derby brings with it a potential for injury. “I’ve had several hip injuries,” said Scott. “You can get rinkrash (from sliding on the floor) and bruised shins. But at least I have all of my teeth. But I’m still pretty new, too.” Webb is coming off a knee injury.

The “Dead-utants” take a breather during practice at Looney’s Skating Rink in Montgomery. PHOTO BY GRIFFIN PRITCHARD

“I tore my PCL and my ACL and was out for two months,” said Webb. “I did it in June and had to sit and watch my team derby without me.” Knight added that her only injury to date was shin splints. “But I play through them.”

Bohannon added that to compete you’ve got to have guts. “You’ve got to have determination and endurance to compete,” said Bohannon. “There’s a lot of commitment involved. You have to maintain your conditioning all the way through.” With the first official match set for April, the focus right now is practice. “Scrimmage, scrimmage, scrimmage,” said Scott. “We are going to be blocking, taking hits, falling correctly. We are going to do as much as we can to learn to play the sport as safely as possible. We have to learn all the different hand signals and learn to communicate as a team. The thing that is so cool about derby is that it challenges your body and your mind. It’s really exciting.” That excitment has filtered down to Scott’s children. “My 3-year-old wants to impress me,” said Scott. “He comes up to me and goes ‘Roller Derby — want to go.’ My oldest daughter thinks I’m Superwoman. She thinks this is awesome and wants to do it. The younger sister has already bought skates and gear. This is something that hijacks my entire life.”

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Making masterpieces Carr refined his gift by sharing it with others

obby Carr is the king. His throne is a worn, wooden stool next to a wide window that lets the light in just right on his canvas. An artist for more than 50 years, Carr’s work is as recognizable in Alabama as the names of his many successful students: Steve Garst, Butch Gantt and Lissa Ledbetter. “He’s the king,” said Garst, whose accolades include signature status in the International Society of Acrylic Painters and acBy Ashley ceptance into the 2011 Alabama Wildlife Federation Vice Flora and Fauna Show. As an educator and mentor to many Elmore County artists Carr has touched lives and encouraged careers in a wide range of the arts. But it isn’t just his vast knowledge, years of experience and expert instruction that colleagues appreciate, it’s his body of work. Carr works in oil, pastel and watercolor, and often paints from his own photographs. He said capturing a still moment is often important in portraits and landscapes. “The light and the weather change so quickly,” he said, adding that the photo-

Artist Bobby Carr shared his love of painting with Wetumpka High students for 11 years. The experience, Ca

graphs are paired with work he does at the scene and his own memory of the image. “The hardest thing is not getting what you aim for.” His inspiration, Carr said, comes from impressionist painters like Renoir. “When I was in school I did a lot of abstract painting, but I’ve tended more toward the impressionist painting.” Despite the increased pressure when painting portraits, Carr said they truly bring him joy. “It’s just interesting to paint people, and it’s more fun to do it causally than commissioned work,” he said. The trick, he said, is to get the person to relax and forget that they’re having a portrait done.

Carr has won numerous awards in Elmore County and Prattville art shows; His work can be viewed in public and private collections throughout the state including locally, like at the Wetumpka Library, Elmore County Art Guild, Adams Drug Store, the Wetumpka Depot Theatre and Beautiful Day Arts in downtown Wetumpka. When asked why he got into art, Carr hesitated. “I wonder that myself,” he said. “It’s something that you just have to do.” He enjoyed drawing as a child, and had cousins who produced artwork that inspired him, but Carr’s true commitment to art came only after years practicing another vocation.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

e, Carr said, made him a better artist. PHOTO BY ASHLEY VICE

In 1966 he graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in art education. Carr took the position of art instructor at Wetumpka High School shortly after. For 11 years, Carr taught art at WHS. “I didn’t realize the effect I had on students until later years,” he said. “I would have kept teaching longer if I’d known about the positive effect I had.” His decade of contribution to the arts in education was enough to spur numerous artists onto awards and professional careers. Throughout his teaching career Carr remained a student himself, earning a bachelor’s degree from

New York’s Malden Bridge School of Art under portrait artist Betty Warren. He also studied watercolor and pottery at Laguna Beach School of Art in California. Carr even learned from teaching. “You learn a lot from teaching— from your own students,” he said. “It was amazing the things that students could get done by doing just a little every day.” So, his first piece of advice to aspiring artists is to paint frequently. “I try to paint a little, spend an hour or two in the studio every day,” he said. Carr said he’s never encouraged anyone to go into art to make a living. “It’s so hard,” he said. “I would encourage anyone to do what they love, but with art you really have to love it and make sacrifices for it.” Without his own teachers, from high school through college and beyond, Carr said he would never have been this successful. “Find a good teacher,” he advised. “Study work that’s like what you want to paint.” In addition to a lifetime of study, Carr said the support of others, especially his wife, Jerri, has brought him this far. “She’s encouraged me, but she’s also a critic,” he said. They have been

married for more than 50 years. Even with experience, education and support, Carr says the work can still be frustrating. “You get more enjoyment from a finished piece than from one you’re working on,” he said. “A lot of times you struggle with what you’re trying to do or say.” Despite the struggles and frustration; Carr’s body of work speaks clearly from piece to piece of the joy he finds in his subjects, whether portrait or landscape and the process of recording them on canvas.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Tallassee’s Benjamin Fitzpatrick Bridge in June 1940, during its construction. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

LOOKING

BACK TO

A landmark in the making F

or more than 70 years, Tallassee’s signature Benjamin Fitzpatrick Bridge, has spanned the Tallapoosa River and connected the eastern and western sections of the city. The bridge opened Dec. 10, 1940, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and parade. “I grew up on Redden Avenue (in east Tallassee), so I had a great view and watched the construction every day,” said local historian Bill Goss, who was 10 years old at the time. On the day of the dedication, Goss said there was a huge parade with numerous floats depicting Tallassee’s history, marching bands from around the area and visiting dignitaries. He said many of the floats depicted the history of the Creek Indians. “There were beautiful floats that people my age would still remember,” he said. “All of the businesses in Tallassee, like the mill and Alabama Power, had made them, and they must have spent many hours decorating them. “Everyone was to meet on the east side, and there was no traffic,” said Goss. “During the ceremony, some 6,000 people walked across it, from east to west.” According to a 1940 issue of The Tallassee Tribune,

By Willie G. Moseley construction of the bridge included about 4 million pounds of steel forged in Birmingham, 27,000 sacks of Alabama cement, 10,000 tons of Alabama sand and gravel and an estimated 500,000 feet of Alabama timber used in building temporary fixtures and scaffolding. Prior to the construction of the Fitzpatrick Bridge, the route between the two sections of Tallassee took motorists and pedestrians across the privately-owned Tallassee Mills railroad bridge, also located just below Thurlow Dam. The Fitzpatrick Bridge’s construction is a steel arch truss style, and is one of three of that type in Alabama. It is a rare curved version (at 2 1/2 degrees), and is 1,738 feet long. The floor of its road span is 140 feet above water level. It also has a declining grade from west to east. The east end is 30 feet lower than the west end. The bridge is named for former Alabama Gov. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, and was dedicated by his great-granddaughter, Mrs. C.H. Chichester, at the 1940 ceremony.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

The Brim house was designed by noted architect Bill Ingram, who designed the house specifically for residents to enjoy the stunning vistas of Lake Martin. RUSSELL LANDS ON LAKE MARTIN

The perfect Top architect creates tailor-made lake aforhome Lake Martin living house

hen officials with Russell Lands on Lake Martin were looking to have the ultimate lake home designed for The Ridge on Lake Martin, they didn’t have to look long. Steve Arnberg, vice president of sales for Russell Lands on Lake Martin, By said there was Kevin no question Taylor Bill Ingram was the man for the job. “He’s one of the best architects in the country,” Arnberg said. “Bill is known in Birmingham for designing some of the finer homes there. His designs can be found in The Ridge, Willow Point and Trillium.” Ingram took on the task, and The Brim house in Elmore County is his creation. The four-bedroom and four-

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Each room of the Brim house was engineered to take full advantage of the 170 feet of shoreline the $1.25 million home overlooks. RUSSELL LANDS ON LAKE MARTIN

30 bath lake home sits on just over a half acre of land and is just less than 3,000 square feet in size. The home also has more than 170 feet of water frontage complete with sea wall and pier. “This is the quintessential lake house,” Arnberg said. “You wouldn’t see this kind of home in the country or the mountains. It is perfectly designed just for Lake Martin.” What makes this home, which is offered by Russell Lands on Lake Martin at the asking price of $1.25 million, so unique to other homes within The Ridge is the way it is designed strictly for the pure enjoyment of the lake. The entrance to the home is found on the side of the home facing the water, according to Arnberg. “You go in through a large screened-in porch before you enter the Dutch doors of the home,” he said. The inside of the house feels like a cabin with the wood walls, wood floors and exposed wooden joists in the ceiling, but has a refined elegance throughout with its cabinetry, countertops and state of the art appliances. And unlike most lake homes, guests

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

An open floor plan lets guests flow from kitchen to living room. RUSSELL LANDS ON LAKE MARTIN

are ensured of their privacy when needed. All four bedrooms have their own private bath. The kitchen, dining room and living room are all open to allow guests to walk freely from one room to another. The large living room is also accentuated by a large stone fireplace. But the attraction of the home remains

the ultimate in lake living. The home has plenty of outdoor living for everyone to enjoy a fabulous sunrise over Lake Martin. For more information on this home and Russell Lands on Lake Martin properties, log on to www.russelllandsonlakemartin.com.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

The home’s interior was designed to feel like a traditional lakeside cabin, but with refined elegance.

RUSSELL LANDS ON LAKE MARTIN

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

The living room features a stone fireplace and a wall of windows featuring stunning views of Lake Martin.

RUSSELL LANDS ON LAKE MARTIN

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Tallassee to revitalize a hub of history

Developer Tom Bolton discusses plans to revitalize Tallassee’s riverfront with city leaders and community members. PHOTO BY LAUREN NEWMAN

allassee was once known as a bustling mill town. In fact, much of the town’s early success is credited to business at the mill. But since it closed in 2005, the mill has slowly decayed. Roofs caved in, wooden stairs rotted, By windows were broken Lauren and the pedestrian bridge Newman was closed and became overgrown. Enter Tom Bolton. Bolton, a developer and president of Cooper Brothers Construction, came to Tallassee with a vision that could revitalize and revolutionize life in Tallassee. His proposed riverfront development project, Bolton said, is the kind of undertaking he has trained for his entire life. And it’s the project Tallassee has been wanting to come its way for years. To understand Tallassee’s pride in the mill, go back to its heyday.

34 Local historian Bill Goss worked at the mill during the summers of 1949 and 1950, while he was on break from classes at Troy University. “The supervisors were good and competent and cared about their workers,” Goss said. “Everybody worked hard in those days.” Goss worked third shift, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., sweeping in the card room and baling yarn in the shipping department. “Back during that time, there was no air conditioning, no fans,” Goss said. “Workers had to keep the windows open. It was very hard work and uncomfortable compared to today.” But the mill was responsible for much of the town’s early development. “The mill built schools, a library, a shopping center, a theatre and a hospital,” Goss said. The mill also sponsored a huge Fourth of July celebration. Employees were given bonuses and the mill would be closed for a week. “Tallassee has always given its citizens a foundation for life,” Goss said. “The mill gave citizens a quality of life. I am proud of my mill heritage because of the responsibility it taught us.” After Goss graduated from Troy, he left Tallassee and returned in 1995. Even then, 10 years before the mill closed, Goss said Tallassee did not feel like a mill town anymore, with new industries moving into town. When the mill closed for good in late 2005, Goss said, it was already down to around 300 employees and many people had moved on. Fast forward to present day. The mill is still standing, but it’s in need of a big dose of TLC. Goss said Bolton’s riverfront project is exactly what Tallassee needs. “It’s the only proposal I think will materialize, and I’m excited about that,” Goss said. “Tom Bolton has put a lot of time and money in this project which convinces me he is serious. I would love to see the renovation of the mill complex.” Bolton’s proposal for the west side of the river includes: •A hotel and conference center •A riverwalk •Botanical gardens •A restaurant and pub

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

The historic “duck mill” on the Tallapoosa River in Tallassee has slowly deteriorated over the decades. ABOVE PHOTO BY LAUREN NEWMAN

•Walking and hiking trails •An amphitheater •An aviary and bald eagle overlook •A museum annex of textile operations •Plenty of parking and a history walk “This could be the kind of place to encourage investment on the (east) side of the river,” Bolton said. “This will

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

work.” pay homage to the city’s Funding for the west role in the Civil War. He side will need to be proalso is searching for rare vided by the city, and prints from a local artist, Bolton estimates beDovard Taunton, who is tween $25-45 million for now deceased. the west side. Bolton said this is the “Funding will be chaltime for Tallassee to lenging,” Bolton acshow everyone the potenknowledged, adding there tial it has to be something will be grants and possigreat, a place that not bly sponsorship-type only attracts tourists and naming opportunities to passersby, but also familook into. “You’ve got to lies who want to settle think outside the box.” down and build a life. The east side, Bolton “This is restoration,” said, will be completely Bolton said. “This is not The pedestrian bridge that spans the Tallapoosa was closed years ago and has been funded by private indemolition. There’s no PHOTO BY LAUREN NEWMAN overtaken by vegetation. vestors. However, nothing magic here. It’s hard boardwalk people to donate items for the will happen on the east side work. We’re going to save Goss said Bolton plans to museum,” Goss said. until the west side develops. this town. We’re going to preserve the mill’s history He has also found many Bolton’s estimated costs for build this town’s future. with the textile museum. Goss treasures by searching Google the east side are around $65 “The time for Tallassee is said he has been searching and e-Bay, he said. million. The plans for the east now or never. Not only can high and low for Tallassee arGoss said hopefully the mu- you talk and think and dream, side include: tifacts to display in the museum will showcase Tal• Loft apartment housing but you can act. If we do half seum. lassee’s Creek Indian heritage, of what we’re planning, this • restaurants and a pub “I’m constantly trying to get textiles from the mill site and • Additional shopping and a city won’t look the same.”

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Out and about at ...

Pearl Harbor remembrance

New Year’s Eve

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Grace Bishop memorial celebration

Murder on the Menu

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Martin Luther King Jr. march HOSA chapterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s womanless beauty pageant

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Wetumpka Impact Crater

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Christmas on the Coosa

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce banquet

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Wetumpka Depot Players

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

Tallassee Chamber of Commerce

Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license office ribbon cutting

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011

Mark Your Calendar Jasmine Hill open Fridays-Sundays, March 11June 26; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m. Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum, Wetumpka The 20-acre gardens are filled with colorful flowers, stone paths, statuary, fountains and Greek temple reproductions. Admission charged. For information, call 334-5676463.

Holly Beverley at 334-2854550.

Town Hall Meeting with Gov. Robert Bentley March 21, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wetumpka Civic Center Everyone is invited to meet Gov. Bentley and hear him talk about the state of affairs in Alabama. After his talk there will be an opportunity to ask questions. This event is hosted by the Wetumpka TEA Crappie MasParty and all ters Alabama citizens are enState Champi- Gov. Robert Benley will speak at a couraged to atonship tend. For more town hall meeting in Wetumpka March 18-19 information, March 21. Millbrook PHOTO BY DAVID GOODWIN visit www. Participants WetumpkaTeawill fish the Alabama River for Party.com. the tournament, Alabama Championship and two-day Wetumpka Chamber qualifier for the National Quarterly Luncheon Championship. Activities will March 23, 11:30 a.m. also include a VIP fish-off, Wetumpka Civic Center banquet, seminar and youth For information and reservafishing tournament. Weigh-ins tions, call the Wetumpka Area daily at the Alabama Wildlife Chamber of Commerce at 334Federation, Lanark Pavilion. 567-4811. Fee for participants only. For information, call 334-285Steak Dinner, $10,000 0085. giveaway and Auction March 27 ANC Fishing Day Eclectic Middle School Sponsored by the Eclectic March 20 Middle School PTSO. Tickets Alabama Nature Center, Millare $100 for two steak dinners brook Enjoy catch and release fishing and a chance to win the grand for catfish and bream in the prize. For information, call the upper pond, or bass and bream school at 334-541-2131. in the bullfrog pond. A limited number of fishing poles American Legion Post 133 will be available for $2 a day Golf Tournament Fundraiser as well as a limited amount of March 26, 8 a.m. shotgun bait for a small fee. Admission start charged. For information, call The Pines, Millbrook

Brown Bag Concerts at Gold Star Park resume April 1. $60 per player includes cart, hot dogs on the turn and post tournament meal. Mulligans and string will be available for purchase. For information, call Norm Ginther 334-285-9621. MWB Business Trade Show and Shopping Extravaganza March 27, 1 to 4 p.m. Wetumpka Civic Center Hosted by the Minority and Women Owned and Managed Task Force of the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce. For information, call the chamber at 334-567-4811. Millbrook Community Players: “Anne of Green Gables” March 31, April 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9, 7:30 p.m.; April 3 and 9, 2

FILE PHOTO

p.m. Millbrook Community Theatre This new dramatization captures the charm and excitement of the enduring classic about an orphan girl, Anne Shirley, from her first encounter with her austere guardian to her thrilling graduation from Queen's Academy. For tickets or more information call 334782-7317 or visit www.millbrooktheatre.com. Brown Bag Concerts April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13, 20,and 27, 12 p.m. Gold Star Park, Wetumpka Annual concert series sponsored by the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce. Different musicians will perform

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011 each Friday. Bring lunch and a lawn chair. No admission fee. Bluegrass Jam April 2 and May 7, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Alabama River Region Arts Center, Wetumpka All acoustic instruments are welcome - beginner, intermediate, advanced and listeners. Santuck Flea Market April 2 and May 7; dawn until 2 p.m. Area surrounding Santuck Baptist Church An outdoor flea market with more than 450 booths featuring arts, crafts, antiques, novelties, imports, food and more. Free admission to the public with free parking available. For information on booth rental, call 334-567-7400. Open House April 9 Alabama River Region Arts Center Open House with art demon-

A number of organizations will hold fundraising fishing tournaments as the weather warms. PHOTO BY GRIFFIN PRITCHARD

strations by regional artists. Try a new art or craft. Water color, clay, quilting, crochet, sewing, blacksmithing, wood carving and more. Free. For information, call 334-578-9485.

Festival includes arts, crafts, music, food and special activities for all ages. Free. For information, call the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce at 334-567-4811.

Riverfest April 16, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Downtown Wetumpka

French and Indian War Encampment April 16-17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fort Toulouse/Jackson Park, Wetumpka Historically correct reenactors will depict actions during the French and Indian War between France and Britain. The lifeways of French Colonial Marines, British soldiers and Creek Indians are centered around the reconstructed

46 French Fort Toulouse. For information, visit www.fttoulousejackson.org Alabama Nature Center General Public Weekends April 16-17, May 14-15; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Alabama Nature Center, Millbrook Enjoy five miles of scenic ANC trails while learning about the natural history of central Alabama. Admission charged. For information, call 334-285-4550 or visit www.alabamawildlife.org. Wetumpka Earth Day April 23, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wetumpka Recycling Center Activities will include and old fashioned plant swap, plant care advice, children’s art show, free T-shirts to the first 50 attendees and a chance to drop off recyclable items. Sponsored by Wetumpka Pride. For information, call 334-567-5147.

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 Annual Russell Marine In-Water Boat Show April 23-24 and Apr 30-May 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ridge Marina on Lake Martin See the year’s hottest models in boats and personal watercraft at the Southeast’s largest inland, in-water boat show. Free. For information, call 256-212-1479 or visit www.russellmarine.net. AWF Tri-County Wild Game Cook-Off April 28, 5:30 p.m. until Capitol Hill Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Prattville The cook-off provides an opportunity for AWF members to interact and for nonmembers to learn more. It also shows that responsible sportsmen properly utilize the game they harvest and raises funds for AWF programs and projects. Admission charged. For information, call 800-822-9453 or visit www.alabamawildlife.org.

Elmore County Historical Society Tour of Historic Wetumpka April 30, 10 a.m. Wetumpka homes and historic sites Admission charged. For information, call 334-567-4811. Wetumpka Relay for Life April 30, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Hohenberg Field Teams will set up camp sites and walk during the 12-hour event. Also included will be a survivor walk, luminaries, entertainment and more. Wetumpka Depot Players: “The Sugar Bean Sisters” May 5-7, 12-15, 19-21, 7:30 p.m.; May 15, 2 p.m. Wetumpka Depot Theatre Audiences will experience the wonderfully strange world of The Sugar Bean Sisters. This comedy of mistaken identity, murder, alien landings, buried fortunes and spontaneous human combustion takes place in a shack in a sugarcane field

just outside of Disney World For information and tickets, call 334-868-1440. Annual Slapout parade and Barbecue May 7 Downtown Slapout The yearly parade begins at Holtville High and travels through downtown. The Holtville/Slapout Volunteer Fire Department will sell barbecue plates and camp stew. Charity 3D Shoot for Multiple Sclerosis May 7, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bennett’s Archery, Wetumpka A family event full of activities with celebrity outdoor personalities on hand. There will be a 25-target 3D range. Fee is $15. For information, call 334-7302846 Derby Day at the Stables May 7 Russell Crossroads on Lake Martin Wear Derby Day attire and

Elmore County Living • Spring 2011 watch the Run for the Roses have fun and participate in a benefit for Children’s Harbor. For information, call 256-2121479 or visit www.russelllandsonlakemartin.com. Millbrook Community Players: “Child’s Play” May 12-14, 19-21, 7:30 p.m.; May 15 and 21, 2 p.m. Millbrook Community Theatre The comedy features Margaret Miller, a self-styled “barracuda” literary agent whose new client, Shane Velasco, star of action films, is expected for dinner and contract negotiations. Her routine business meeting becomes a comedy playground. For tickets or information, visit www.millbrooktheatre.com or call 334-782-7317.

Youth baseball starts in communities across Elmore County in April. PHOTO BY DAVID GOODWIN

Attack on Swayback Mountain Bike Race May 23, race day registration opens at 7 a.m. Swayback Bridge Trail, Wetumpka

For all ages and abilities. Fee for participants only. Race 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For complete details and registration, visit www.attackonswayback.com Memorial Day weekend Concert May 29, gates open 5 p.m.; show 7 to 11 p.m. Lake Martin Amphitheater Join Russell Lands and friends for a lakefront, holiday concert. Admission charged. Tickets available through Ticketmaster, The Adventure Center at Russell Crossroads and at the gate. For information, call 256-3290835 or visit www.lmat.org. Compiled by Peggy Blackburn To submit a calendar item (June through August 2011) for the Summer 2011 edition of Elmore County Living, e-mail information to news@thewetumpkaherald.co m no later than April 30. The edition will be published in late May.

Elmore County Living â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2011

A LAST LOOK

A yellowjacket gathers pollen from one of the first flowers of spring.

PHOTO BY DAVID GOODWIN