The grind of engines, the spray of water, the record-breaking speeds – experience legendary boat racing on Lake Guntersville.
L E G E N D A R Y L E G E N D A R Y U N E 6 - 8 , 2 0 2 5
he grind of engines, the spray of ter, the record-breaking speeds – experience legendary boat racing on Lake Guntersville.
he grind of engines, the spray of ter, the record-breaking speeds – experience legendary boat racing on Lake Guntersville.
nce 1939 those brave enough to challenge the natural elements have come to Alabama’s largest ke. To a place where racing is in the blood and winning means everything. Come watch. Be part of the legend. Learn more:
Since 1939 those brave enough to challenge the natural elements have come to Alabama’s largest lake. To a place where racing is in the blood and winning means everything. Come watch.
The grind of engines, the spray of water, the record-breaking speeds – experience legendary boat racing on Lake Guntersville. Since 1939 those brave enough to challenge the natural elements have come to Alabama’s largest lake. To a place where racing is in the blood and winning means everything. Come watch. Be part of the legend. Learn more:
The grind of engines, the spray of water, the record-breaking speeds – experience legendary boat racing on Lake Guntersville.
nce 1939 those brave enough to challenge the natural elements have come to Alabama’s largest ke. To a place where racing is in the blood and winning means everything. Come watch. Be part of the legend. Learn more:
Be part of the legend. Learn more:
Tickets start at just $15 N N J U N E 6 - 8 , 2 0 2 5
The grind of engines, the spray of water, the record-breaking speeds – experience legendary boat racing on Lake Guntersville. Since 1939 those brave enough to challenge the natural elements have come to Alabama’s largest lake. To a place where racing is in the blood and winning means everything. Come watch. Be part of the legend. Learn more:
Since 1939 those brave enough to challenge the natural elements have come to Alabama’s largest lake. To a place where racing is in the blood and winning means everything. Come watch. Be part of the legend. Learn more:
Tickets start at just $15
Tickets start at just $15
Tickets start at just $15
Tickets start at just $15
Tickets start at just $15
J U N E 6 - 8 , 2 0 2 5
J U N E 6 - 8 , 2 0 2 5
J U N E 6 - 8 , 2 0 2 5
J U N E 6 - 8 , 2 0 2 5
CEO Jeff Hodges
Co-op Editor
Laura Thornton
ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to
some 450,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $15 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.
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Sauces, dips & dressings
A light strawberry balsamic vinaigrette dressing is a sweet-tangy complement for any summer fruit salad. We’ve got recipes for several delicious sauces, dips and dressings on our recipe pages this month.
Front porches
A front porch is the perfect place to read a book, visit with neighbors or just enjoy a sunset or afternoon breeze.
Fading lighthouse
The Sand Island Lighthouse off the coast of Dauphin Island is a victim of time, weather and erosion.
Pollinator planning
With proper planning and planting, you can increase the number of pollinators in your garden.
ON THE COVER
Daleville High School Band students pose near the Colosseum during their six-day tour of Italy. The group performed in Venice, Florence, and Rome, sharing Southern music and forming friendships through a powerful cultural and musical exchange.
P.O. Box 969
Ozark, AL 36361
phone: 334-774-2545 fax:
Board of Trustees
Lee Peters
President• District 2 334-685-2018
Braxton Green
Vice-President •District 8 334-619-1067
Bill Strickland
Secretary • District 3 334-381-2779
Lee Grantham District 1 334-798-9456
Billy Wayne Danzey District 4
334-726-9836
Caleb Bristow District 5 334-696-4392
Michael Starling District 6 334-726-2320
Ed Jones District 7 334-762-2258
James Miller District 9 334-703-9113
As summer approaches, talk to your kids about electrical safety
By Jeff Hodges, CEO
As we count down the last days of the school year, and anticipate summer activities with our families, it’s a good time to talk to your kids about electrical safety, in and around the home. Children often do not understand the danger of electricity and electrical equipment. In their innocent and imaginative minds, what can be potentially dangerous may go unnoticed or even appear enticing and fun. Take an opportunity to point out overhead power lines and any other electrical equipment to children and explain what they are.
Here are a few rules to they need to follow to stay safe:
• Never climb trees near power lines. Even if the power lines are not touching the tree, they could touch when more weight is added to the branch.
• Kites, drones and model airplanes should be flown only during good weather conditions in large open areas, like an open park or a wide field. Keep these items away from overhead power lines or other electrical equipment, such as substations. If a kite gets stuck in a tree near power lines, do not climb up to get it. Electricity can travel down kite strings or wires. Do not attempt to free something stuck in a power line. Contact your electric utility for assistance.
• Never climb a utility pole or tower. The electricity carried through this equipment is high voltage and could kill you.
• Don’t play on or around pad-mounted electrical equipment. These are often green metal “boxes” on cement pads and contain transformers.
• Never go into an electric substation. Electric substations contain high-voltage equipment; even raising your hand inside one can cause an arc that may cause an electric shock. Never attempt to retrieve a pet, ball, or any toy from these areas. Call your electric utility instead.
• Immediately seek shelter if lightning or thunder is present while playing outdoors.
Outdoor play areas
When designing a tree house or outdoor play area for children, take preventive precautions before starting your project.
• Do not install playground equipment or swimming pools underneath or near power lines.
Downed power lines
• Make sure your family members know to stay away from downed power lines and wires and tell children to report any fallen or dangling wires to an adult.
• Downed power lines are dangerous; always assume any power line is energized and stay far away. Call your local utility immediately if you or your child encounters a downed power line and include this number with other posted emergency phone numbers.
We hope everyone has a happy and safe summer season.
The Daleville Blues... Bringing the Music of the South to Italian Peninsula
By Stephanie Robertson, Asst. Band Director, Daleville High School
Members of the Daleville High School Band just returned to Alabama after a six-day tour of the Italian peninsula in March. The group, composed of students ages 11 to 18, toured and performed concerts in Venice, Florence, and Rome as part of a cultural exchange with residents in each city.
The tour began with a near miss. The group landed and reboarded at Heathrow Airport, London en route to Venice mere hours before the shutdown of the airport due to an electric substation fire. Upon arrival in Venice, the group learned of a local strike between gondoliers and motorboat captains over safety rights. Despite the strike, they were able to catch a ride into Venice to perform a concert of music from the American south at St. George’s Church. The church, a former Murano glass factory, served as the perfect setting for a packed concert. The narrow streets and alleyways allowed the sounds of Alabama blues, rock, and jazz to invite Venetians into the church. People continued to join the audience until the last song was played. The group had no problems touring all of the historical landmarks because the strike prevented most tourists from having transportation into Venice. The group visited the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge’s Palace, the Grand Canal, and St. Mark’s Cathedral.
From Venice, the group traveled to Florence to perform a concert at St. James Church. The church, run by British expatriates, was the first non-Catholic church opened after the exile of the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1849. J. Pierpont Morgan and Edward Searls paid for its construction. The church had the marks of withstanding floods of the Arno River and the bombings of WWI and WWII. Students were happy to perform their concert a second time, especially for an American
living in Florence who had been a member of the Ohio State Band in the 1970s. In Florence, the group was able to tour the Academia, Giotto’s Tower, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo, among others. Students were able to see a craftsman inside of a leather shop and tour a gold workshop next door.
From Florence, the group traveled to Rome to perform at a high school for architecture and design. The school, just minutes from the Colosseum, didn’t have a dedicated instrumental program, but did have a musician’s guild where students regularly performed contemporary pop. The Daleville students were treated to an hour-long performance by students of the Liceo Artistico Statale Guido Carlo Argan. The students then rotated seats with the Italian students being able to listen to the Daleville Blues Band. Following the performance, the two schools had a short social meet and greet where teens were able to exchange social profiles on Instagram, Snapchat, and What’s App to stay in touch. The culture of the Italian school was very different from American schools and was made apparent by their dress code, clubs, activities, and artistic creations on display. Following the school performance, the group traveled to see the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Novona, among others. Traveling between cities served as a special treat because of the large windows of the motorcoach. Students were able to see part of the Alps, Bologna, and the fields of Tuscany.
The trip serves as a reminder for all of us to go out and see the world. World cultures are different from our own...but we will always be united by music.
Daleville band students and chaperones who went to Italy include:
Musica in Italia
| Pea River Electric Co-op |
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Pea River Electric Cooperative is the recipient of federal financial assistance and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
Pea River Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Our office will be closed on Mon., May 26 for Memorial Day.
Nomination for Trustee
(from article IV, Section 3, Bylaws)
All nominations for trustees shall be made by petition signed by at least 10 members of the cooperative who reside in and receive service in the district for which such trustee is nominated. Such petition should be filed with the manager of the cooperative in Ozark, on or before 5 p.m., the second day of June in the year of the election for such trustee is to be held in order for such person nominated therein to be eligible for election as such trustee, if otherwise qualified. The qualifications for such candidates shall be considered and voted upon by the board of trustees of the cooperative at a regular or special meeting held during the month of June prior to the election, and if such candidate or candidates so nominated shall not meet all the qualifications for a trustee as prescribed by the bylaws of the cooperative, such person shall be ineligible to hold office as such and it shall be the duty of the secretary to give immediate written notice to the persons nominating such candidate of such disqualification, or to as many such persons as their current addresses are known. The following trustees will be up for consideration this year: District 3, Dale County; District 4 & 5, Henry County; and District 8, Barbour County.
Copies of the cooperative bylaws are available from the cooperative office in Ozark.
Psychologists often recommend patients facing troubling circumstances or difficult decisions to focus on pleasant experiences or good memories to reduce the stress of the situation. I have many great memories that I have visited over the years to calm my nerves or make me feel a sense of peace and comfort.
My mom was raised on a farm. Her family was land-poor. She was raised without running water or electricity. By the time I came along we had a little more, but not much. Until I was six years old, we lived in a small two-bedroom house that my Dad was born in. The only heat was an oil-fired floor furnace in the dining room. It kept the dining room hot, but the rest of the house was cold, especially the bathroom that had been added onto by closing in the back porch. The floor furnace would burn your feet if you walked on it barefoot. We had no air conditioning, and the house was cooled in the summer by a large window fan which blew air out the back bedroom window and sucked air in the rest of the windows.
I slept in the front bedroom, which had a window and a door that opened to the front porch. One of my first memories is of lying in the big poster bed and watching the window sheers dance into the bedroom. I was cooled by the night air and comforted by the peaceful movement of the sheers and the lack of any other burdens of life. I was perfectly contented.
and thinking how great it would be to have that cool feeling all the time at home. I’m not sure I have ever been that cool again.
We shopped for bread at the Wonder Bread Day Old Bread Store on North Polk Street in Corinth. The store carried day-old bread and pastries. Mom would generally tell my brother and me that we didn’t have money for the sweets. However, one day she gave us both a nickel and told us we could get whatever we wanted, so long as it only cost a nickel. I passed on the Twinkies and picked a cake with light green icing in a cellophane wrapper. It was wonderful. It melted in my mouth. I still compare anything good to eat with the wonderful flavor of that green cake. I don’t think, after all these years, I have ever tasted anything that good.
Another memory was formed in the same bedroom. I was scared by something I thought I heard and called for mom to stay in bed with me. The noise that bothered me was the beat of my pulse in my ears. Mom told me, in a comforting voice, that the noise was from angels walking on the roof. She also told me that angels walked on her roof when she was a little girl, and those same angels were still on our roof to protect me from anything that might hurt me. At times, I still hear my pulse in my ears and am comforted by memories of my mom and the angels walking on the roof to protect us.
Without air-conditioning, summer days were stifling. To get some relief, many people would go to town just to walk around stores that had good ventilation or, better yet, were air-conditioned. I first noticed air-conditioning at about the age of five in the front lobby of the JCPenney store in Corinth, Mississippi. I still remember how cold the store was
We moved to a new house when I was six. We were really uptown, with central heat and air-conditioning (although the heating unit didn’t work very well). However, it was cool on those summer days. We had a television but only received two and a half channels, since we could only get Channel 13 out of Memphis about half the time. With little television, we listened to the box radio on the night stand in mom and dad’s room. Nothing was better on a hot afternoon or early summer evening than lying on the floor in front of that old radio, listening to the St. Louis Cardinals on WCMA, our local radio station. The distinctive voices of Harry Caray and Jack Buck are still in my head. By the way, the Cardinals beat the mighty Yankees to win the 1964 World Series.
Finally, it seemed like mom was always in the kitchen cooking something. Our kitchen was very small, with a table and four chairs tucked into a corner. The chairs wouldn’t fit behind the table so if we were all together, which was not often, mom would eat standing up beside the stove. Mom always made sure we had something to eat. It was what people would call farm food today, but it was good and filling. All the kids in the neighborhood were always welcome at her table. Having someone taking care of the basics in life was a wonderful life lesson for me, and I enjoy remembering how good the little things of life are.
I hope you have similar memories that take you back to the good places and the good people in your life.
Have a good month.
Gary Smith is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.
How To Place an Ad in Marketplace
Closing Deadlines (in our office): July 2025 Issue by May 25
August 2025 Issue by June 25
September 2025 Issue by July 25
Ads are $1.75 per word with a 10 word minimum and are on a prepaid basis; Telephone numbers, email addresses and websites are considered 1 word each. Ads will not be taken over the phone. You may email your ad to hdutton@areapower.com; or call (800)410-2737 ask for Heather for pricing.; We accept checks, money orders and all major credit cards. Mail ad submission along with a check or money order made payable to ALABAMA LIVING, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124 – Attn: Classifieds.
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Drive-In Movies: Get in the Trunk!
Iwould guess most kids growing up today wouldn’t want anything that their parents had. We had three channels. They have about 300. We barely had black and white TV. They have color and high def. We had one home phone that was tethered to the wall with a cord. They have one on their wrist that goes anywhere.
But, we had one thing that I’m sure much of this generation is missing out on: the drive-in movie.
What a wonderful thing it was, watching a motion picture under a starry sky while in the comfort of your own car. Rows of cars and speakers facing a giant silver screen. Being indoors and outdoors at the same time.
As a child, going to the drive-in was a major event. My sister and I would put on our pajamas (the kind with sewn-in feet), get blankets and pillows, and head for the back seat of our 1963 Chevy Impala. Mom popped a copious amount of popcorn and placed it in a brown paper grocery bag. No need to buy those high-priced snacks from the concession stand.
My father would carefully find the parking spot that would give us the best possible viewing angle of the screen. Finally, he attached the car speaker in our window so that the sound, which was tinny and somewhat irritating, properly flooded the interior.
Most of the movies were first-run and carefully vetted by my mom for proper content. For example, “Son of Flubber,” or “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” would certainly get the mother stamp of approval. An Elvis film like “Fun in Acapulco” was iffy, and a James Bond movie like “Dr. No” was a certain no-no for obvious reasons. That really didn’t matter much to us because sister and I rarely made it through the entire film without falling asleep. That meant my parents had a semblance of a date night, even if it was only 90 minutes or so.
by Dennis
A few years later, the drive-in became a cheap source of entertainment for me and my high school buddies. Every weekend, cars full of teenagers would flock to the place, including several who were hiding in the trunk to get out of paying the outrageous $1.25 admission. Sometimes as many as four people were crammed inside. One friend who worked at the drive-in years ago said, “I can’t tell you the number of times a car with one person pulled up to the gate, told me they were alone, and handed me $1.25. When they drove in, I noticed that the rear bumper was almost touching the ground.” We were lucky no one was asphyxiated.
The drive-in was also a prized location to take a date. Once I took a date to the drive-in to see “The Ten Commandments.” The opening credits had barely finished running when she turned and planted one on me. We didn’t come up for air until Moses parted the Red Sea.
Think that’s over the top? I have a buddy who frequented the drive-in throughout high school. He said once they showed the same movie for over three months, and he still went to see it every weekend. Apparently his girlfriend felt safer there rather than being parked on some deserted road in the middle of nowhere. He can’t recall what the movie was. That’s because he wasn’t watching the film.
In fact, he even had a special parking spot. To be sure they weren’t disturbed, he pulled beside a row of tall hedges on the driver’s side of his car. And for complete privacy, he cut the wires of the car speakers beside the passenger side, ensuring that no cars would park near him.
Fortunately, there are still a few hundred drive-ins scattered over the country. In fact, several still operate in Alabama. So, if you’re feeling nostalgic, take a short drive, pay the admission, and don’t hide anyone in the trunk. Then relax, and watch a movie in an old-fashioned way. Don’t forget to bring along a giant bag of popcorn. And be sure not to park beside that car that’s near the hedges. Those speakers may not work.
Illustration
Auth
— Gene H.
Tactical Meets Practical
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July recipe theme: Apples!
See Page 36
CaNesha’s
ReTreet Journey
FINDING SELF-CARE IN THE HILLS OF NORTH ALABAMA
Escape to 40 Acres of Natural Luxury: Choose from 21 Stunning Resort-Style bungalows—Treehouses, Glamping Tents, Cozy Cottages, & Two-Bedroom Cabins with Breathtaking Lake Guntersville Views.
expect was how deeply it would change her life.
“My stays at ReTreet transform me from head to toe,” she says. “By the time I arrive, I’m usually not in a great headspace. But as soon as I pull in, everything shifts.”
After losing her father, CaNesha found herself overwhelmed—grieving, anxious, and creatively drained. Searching for peace, she booked a stay at ReTreet Resort & Spa, a nature-inspired escape tucked away near Lake Guntersville. What she didn’t expect was how deeply it would change her life. “My stays at ReTreet transform me from head to toe,” she says. “By the time I arrive, I’m usually not in a great headspace. But as soon as I pull in, everything shifts.”
Her first visit included a cozy Tiny House, soulclearing hikes, the resort’s Nordic cold plunge, breakfast delivered to her door, and evenings spent watching Reba, her “emotional support TV show.” Every detail allowed her to slow down, breathe, and reconnect—with herself and her creativity.
Her first visit included a cozy Tiny House, soulclearing hikes, the resort’s Nordic cold plunge, breakfast delivered to her door, and evenings spent watching Reba, her “emotional support TV show.” Every detail allowed her to slow down, breathe, and reconnect—with herself and her creativity. “For me, self-care means letting go of everything— responsibilities, pressure, expectations. ReTreet gives me that space.”
“For me, self-care means letting go of everything— responsibilities, pressure, expectations. ReTreet gives me that space.”
Whether it’s morning coffee on the porch, sunset views, or even joyrides in a golf cart, CaNesha now makes ReTreet part of her healing journey.
Whether it’s morning coffee on the porch, sunset views, or even joyrides in a golf cart, CaNesha now
Curious how a stay at ReTreet helped CaNesha heal, recharge, and reconnect with herself? Scan below to read her full story—and see how ReTreet creates space for peace, creativity, and self-care.