September 2026 Tombigbee EC

STORIES | RECIPES | EVENTS | PEOPLE | PLACES | THINGS | LOCAL NEWS September 2026

Tombigbee

Electric Cooperative

6 2 0 2 R U O T H T U O Y on, D.C., trip inspires local delegates Washingt

CRUISE CLOSE TO HOME®

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9 UNIQUE ITINERARIES

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8 T O 1 6 - D AY A D V E N T U R E S

SOUTHEAST U.S. CRUISES Baltimore GEORGE WASHINGTON’S ESTATE SHORE EXCURSION  MOUNT VERNON, VA One of the nation’s most iconic homes, Mount Vernon offers a glimpse into 18th-century life through its beautiful gardens and grounds as well as intriguing museum exhibits honoring George Washington’s life and legacy.

MARYLAND

Annapolis

Washington, D.C. Mount Vernon Williamsburg

Yorktown Norfolk VIRGINIA Kitty Hawk THE WRIGHT BROTHERS In 1903, the Wright brothers achieved the first powered, sustained, and controlled airplane flight in Kitty Hawk, NC. Two years later, they surpassed their own milestone when they built and flew the first fully practical airplane.

NORTH CAROLINA

NAVAL ACADEMY SHORE EXCURSION ANNAPOLIS, MD Explore the academy’s historic grounds with our expert guide and experience “life on the yard.” Witness the noon meal formation and take in breathtaking views of the campus.

Beaufort Wilmington

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORIC SAVANNAH TROLLEY EXPLORATION SHORE EXCURSION  SAVANNAH, GA Experience a fully narrated journey aboard the Old Town Trolley, featuring open-air seating ideal for capturing memorable photos. Along the way, expert conductors share engaging stories, landmarks, and over 270 years of history from Georgia’s First City. As your exploration brings the past to life across more than 100 points of interest, you will discover Savannah’s rich legacy and timeless charm.

ALABAMA

Ocean Springs Mobile

GEORGIA

Hilton Head Island Savannah Jekyll Island

Jacksonville Pensacola

Charleston

Amelia Island

Green Cove Springs

St. Augustine

Gulfport/Ship Island New Orleans

FORT MASSACHUSETTS  SHIP ISLAND, MS Fort Massachusetts is a historic brick fort located on West Ship Island, Mississippi. It was built by the U.S. government in the mid-1800s as part of a coastal defense system following the War of 1812.

Blue Spring State Park Cape Canaveral

FLORIDA

St. Petersburg Punta Gorda

SEAPLANE ADVENTURE TO DRY TORTUGAS SHORE EXCURSION  KEY WEST, FL Seventy miles west of Key West, Florida lies one of North America’s most inaccessible National Parks–Dry Tortugas. The park is renowned for its marine life, pirate legends, and sheer unspoiled beauty.

Marco Island

West Palm Beach

Key Biscayne

Key West

REQUEST A FREE BROCHURE  800-459-2596

CONTENTS

Vol. 79 No. 9 | September 2026

Manager Britton Lightsey Co-op Editor Jessica Garrison 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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ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA President Karl Rayborn Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Allison Law Senior Graphic Designer Sean Burnley Art Director Danny Weston Advertising Director Jacob Johnson Graphic Designer/ Production Coordinator Brooke Echols

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 For advertising, email: advertising@areapower.com For editorial inquiries, email: contact@alabamaliving.coop

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

American MainStreet Publications 1-800-626-1181 www.AMP.coop www.alabamaliving.coop

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

For co-op members, contact your local electric cooperative. Non-members, send your address change to contact@alabamaliving.coop.

USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

Printed in America from American materials

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F E AT U R E S

9 House Divided

Watching football games can be tricky, especially if you’re rooting for different teams inside the same house!

24 Tourism Champion Retires

For 23 years, Lee Sentell championed the extraordinary history, communities, people and attractions that make our state “Sweet Home Alabama.”

30 Noccalula Falls

10 Spotlight 29 Around Alabama 46 Cook of the Month 52 Outdoors

The Gadsden area boasts some of the state’s loveliest scenery, highlighted by the 500-acre Noccalula Falls Park.

36 Worth the Drive

DEPARTMENTS

53 Fish & Game Forecast 58 Cup o’ Joe

A quirky decor and a menu with half-pound hand-pattied burgers are just two of the many reasons to visit this Clayton diner.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ONLINE: EMAIL: MAIL:

www.alabamaliving.coop letters@alabamaliving.coop Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 Get our FREE monthly email newsletter!

Sign up at alabamaliving.coop

ON THE COVER

TEC’s Youth Tour Delegates visited Washington DC. Pictured are Linkin Stapp (South Lamar) and Marlee Barnett (Brilliant). See Pages 6-7.

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September Update Tombigbee Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees Sheila Gunter

Chair

David Collins

Vice-Chair

Chad Williams

Secretary Treasurer

William T. Hulsey Curt Morris Joe Moseley Andy Skinner Mitzi West Warren Williford

Visit our website www.tombigbee.org

Headquarters: 3196 Co. Hwy 55 Hamilton, AL 35570 205.921.6712

4 SEPTEMBER 2026

As a cooperative, we believe our responsibility extends beyond providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity.

We are also committed to investing in the communities we serve and helping build a strong future for the next generation.

We are proud to live out those principles through programs like Youth Tour, our support of local schools and organizations, community partnerships and the many ways our employees give their time and talents throughout our service area.

In this issue, we feature stories from our two Youth Tour delegates who represented Tombigbee Electric Cooperative during their trip to Washington, D.C. We hope you will take a few minutes to read about their experiences and see some of the things they learned along the way.

Another important part of serving our membership is simply staying connected. As our communities and technology continue to change, communication is more important than ever. We encourage every member to make sure we have a current phone number and email address associated with their account.

Youth Tour is a wonderful example of one of the ways cooperatives invest in young people. It gives students an opportunity to learn more about our government, our nation’s history and the cooperative difference while meeting other young people from across Alabama and the country. More importantly, it gives them an opportunity to see firsthand that they have a place in shaping the future of their communities.

Having accurate contact information allows us to communicate important information more quickly, including outage updates, planned maintenance, account notifications and other cooperative news. It also helps us reach you when we need to provide information that may affect your service.

If you have recently changed your phone number, email address or othInvesting in our youth is an import- er contact information, please take ant part of our cooperative mission. a moment to update your account.

One of the Seven Cooperative Prin- Keeping your information current is a ciples is Education, Training and In- small step that can make a big differformation, which recognizes the im- ence when we need to communicate portance of educating our members, with you. employees and young people about At Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, the Tombigbee Electric Cooperative being a cooperative means more than and the communities we serve. Another is Concern for Community, re- keeping the power on. minding us that cooperatives have a responsibility to work for the sustainBritton Lightsey is the president and CEO of able development of the communities Tombigbee Electric Cooperative. Contact him they call home. directly at blightsey@tombigbee.org

www.alabamaliving.coop

Our office will be closed Monday, September 7th to observe Labor Day. We hope you all have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

If you need to report an electric outage while our office is closed, please call 205-4988070. If you need to reach technical support for your Freedom Fiber, please call 205-498-8147.

Alabama Living

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TEC’s Washington Yo My trip to Washington, D.C. was an unforgettable experience. Getting to see all of the famous monuments and memorials in person was so cool because they were even more impressive than I imagined. My favorite places were probably Mount Vernon and Arlington Cemetery because they were both so beautiful and full of history.

One of the highlights of the trip was definitely the dinner cruise. It was so much fun spending time with everyone, enjoying the music, and seeing the city lights from the water. Overall, I made so many great memories, and I would recommend this trip to anyone who has the chance to go because it is an experience you’ll never forget.

Marlee Barnett Brilliant High School Senior

6 SEPTEMBER 2026

www.alabamaliving.coop

Youth Tour Delegates

Having the opportunityto go on the Washington Youth Tour was so much fun. You meet so many new people, and make so many new friends. My favorite part of the trip was definitely getting to experience all of the historical sites about what makes America the greatest country in the world!! From the first terminal I ever walked, to the Capitol steps, until walking back through the gate heading home it was a moment of my life I’ll never forget! This is a story I’ll share with my family for decades! If you ever get the chance to sign up and the opportunity to go, thank God for it because I truly believe He puts people in your life you’ll always be close to! It was a wonderful week! I truly thank Tombigbee Electric for allowing me to experience all of the amazing trips!

Linkin Stapp South Lamar High School Senior

Alabama Living

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DON’T DON’T GET GET OUT OUT Icontactf your machiwithnaery,powervehilcinlee,orguyotherwireequior elpmentectricmakesal box,

If your machinery, vehicle or other equipment makes contact with a power line, guy wire or electrical box, DO NOT get out of your cab. Stray power could energize your equipment and the ground.

If your machinery, vehicle or other equipment makes To avoid becoming electrocuted: contact with a power line, guy wire or electrical box, • Call 9-1-1 and wait for us to arrive to cut the power.

DO NOT get out of your cab. Stray power could •energize Wait to exitequipment your cab until your and the the power ground.is de-energized.

DON’T GET 8 MONTH SEPTEMBER 20162026

In rare cases you may need to exit your cab due to To avoid becoming electrocuted: smoke or fire. If you must get out: • Call 9-1-1 and wait for us to arrive to cut the power.

• Make a solid jump out without touching any part • Wait to exit your cab until the power is de-energized. of the tractor or vehicle.

• Hop away as far as you can, keeping both feet In rare cases you may need to exit your cab due to together as you hop away. smoke or fire. If you must get out: • Make solid jump visit out without touching any part For more ainformation SafeElectricity.org. of the tractor or vehicle.

• Hop away as far as you can, keeping both feet together as you hop away.

DO NOT get out of your cab. Stray power could energize your equipment and the ground.

For more information visit SafeElectricity.org.

To avoid becoming electrocuted: • Call 9-1-1 and wait for us to arrive to cut the power.

• Wait to exit your cab until the power is de-energized.

In rare cases you may need to exit your cab due to smoke or fire. If you must get out:

www.alabamaliving.coop www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Snapshots

House divided

Alabama vs. Auburn teachers at First Steps Preschool. SUBMITTED by Kelly Roberts, Wetumpka.

Our grandson, Zac Yarbrough, officiates the Iron Bowl between parents, Brooke and Brian. SUBMITTED by Robert and Billie Chaney, Section.

Chuck is an Alabama fan and Stephanie is a Georgia fan!

SUBMITTED by Stephanie Tilley, Union Grove.

Our house is divided only through football - go Falcons, go Dolphins! SUBMITTED by Jacqueline Gaillard, Jackson.

November theme: “Barn Finds” | Deadline: September 30 Submit photos at alabamaliving.coop/submit-photo or by scanning the QR code. Photos submitted for publication may also be used on our website and on our social media pages.

Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 9

Spotlight

Former AREA CEO passes away

Graphic designer wins awards Alabama Living’s Senior Graphic Designer Sean Burnley won two awards recently in the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Statewide Editors Association Willies Awards.

He took home an Award of Excellence for Best Cover, for his photo and design of our May 2026 cover featuring "The Vineman," Andrew McCall; and an Award of Excellence for Best Wild Card for a humorous social media post on April Fool's day.

The Statewide Editors Association is made up of editors of 39 statewide consumer publications produced by rural electric cooperatives across the United States. The Willies Awards were presented as part of the 2026 SEA Institute in Pittsburgh, Pa. 10 SEPTEMBER 2026

THIS MONTH IN

ALABAMA HISTORY Ike Comes to Rocket City PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL ARCHIVES CATALOG

Dail Gibbs, who led the Alabama Rural Electric Association for more than 25 years, passed away in July at the age of 97. Gibbs served as AREA’s executive vice president from 1966 to 1991 after serving more than six years in the same role at the South Dakota statewide office.

In a 2017 article in Alabama Living, Gibbs talked about the growth of the association during his tenure, which included Dail Gibbs building its former office headquarters a block behind the State Capitol. In those early days, AREA didn’t have the political muscle that it needed to develop, Gibbs said, but as it grew, and local co-op managers were eager for change and to grow, that clout increased, even as the association itself remained politically neutral. “You’ve got to be involved, but you’ve got to be bipartisan in your approach to be effective,” he said. “We had a lot of strength if we just worked together.”

Gibbs, a native of Arkansas, was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving from 1946 to 1948. After graduating from Murray State University, he began his career as a successful high school basketball coach before moving into leadership roles with rural electric associations in South Dakota and Alabama.

He is survived by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. A graveside service was held on July 1 at Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector, Ark. Donations in his honor may be made to Dakota Milestones, Box 248, Chamberlain, SD 57325.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was accompanied by Dr. Werner von Braun when he participated in the dedication of the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville in 1960.

On September 8, 1960, north Alabama was treated to a presidential visit. In the final months of his tenure, Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in Huntsville to dedicate the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. An important part of the emerging civilian-led National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the facility also helped transform Huntsville into “Rocket City.”

Several months before his arrival, Eisenhower signed an executive order naming the new space flight center in honor of his late colleague. George Marshall served as Army Chief of Staff during World War II, followed by consequential stints as secretary of state and defense under President Harry Truman.

Katherine Marshall joined the president in unveiling a bust of her late husband at the dedication. Eisenhower called the work being done in Huntsville a “significant step in our conquest of space.” Still, Ike was quick to assert that these efforts were not “the outgrowth of a soulless… grasping state imperialism,” but rather “the product of unrestrained human talent and energy, restlessly probing for the betterment of humanity.” The president praised George Marshall’s many qualities as “a man of war, yet a builder of peace,” and expressed hopes that the Huntsville facility be ever worthy of bearing his name.

Future presidents would make their own treks to Huntsville. But Eisenhower set the tone: admiration for scientific achievement and an abiding belief in the American spirit of innovation.

Few could doubt the Marshall Center’s importance, particularly in its first decade. During the crucial early years of the space program, propulsion labs in Huntsville were at the heart of the endeavor. And when mankind first touched the surface of the moon in 1969, rockets designed at the Marshall Space Flight Center put them there. ­ — Scotty Kirkland www.alabamaliving.coop

Spotlight

Take Us Along!

 Debbie Nail and friends journeyed to Astana, Kazakhstan, last year. In the background is the Baiterek Tower, where from the observation floor 70 meters high, one can look over the beautifully decorated Promenade. They are members of Cullman EC.

We enjoy seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Send us a high-resolution photo of you with a copy of the magazine (please, no phone screenshots) on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving. coop. Include your name, hometown, name of your electric cooperative and the location of your photo. We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.  Jeffery Woodruff of Owens Crossroads in Cullman EC territory braved the cold to take his copy to Green Bay Packers game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

 Janey Ledbetter of Wetumpka, holding Alabama Living, traveled to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park in British Columbia, Canada, with her family. Along for the trip were husband Matt Ledbetter, mother Fran Addison, daughters Peyton Whaley and her husband Jackson, Trinity Rogers and her husband Spencer Rogers, and Caroline Ledbetter and Jackson Webster.

The Ledbetters are member of Central Alabama EC.

Find the Hidden Dingbat!

Sometimes when we’re hiding the dingbat each month, our graphic artist turns things on their heads. Take, for example, the hidden charcoal grill in the August issue, which can be found tipped over on its side outside the caboose in the photo on Page 20. A little tricky, but more than 200 of our readers discovered it, including Cullman EC member Cindy Rice’s granddaughter, Kreedom, who loves the hunt. “After she showed me where she found it, I still wasn’t convinced,” she wrote. “I snapped a picture with my phone and zoomed in. Indeed, she found it!” Richard Burns of Baldwin EMC noted that it was appropriate that a charcoal grill would be “shunned and left lying uncaringly on its side by a restaurant with a philosophy of ‘only hickory wood fuels the pits.’”

Congratulations to Johnny and Dianne Glasgow of Sulligent and members of Tombigbee EC, our randomly drawn winners of $25 from our sponsor, Alabama One Credit Union.

It's that time of year again under the Friday night lights.

We’ve hidden this football for you to find. Remember, it won’t be in an advertisement or on Pages 1-9. Entries without a hometown and electric cooperative listed will not be considered for the prize. Good luck!

By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.coop By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living 340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 Alabama Living

Sponsored by

 Darrell and Angelia Barger of Vance, members of Black Warrior EMC, took a road trip to their bucket list of Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado in September last year. “We chose to take Alabama Living with us and take a photo in every state and many landmarks,” Angelia wrote.

“We truly enjoy our magazine and plan to take another trip soon and certainly will take it along to read while we travel.”

Whereville, AL

Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries.

Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative, if applicable. The winner and answer will be announced in the October issue.

Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, 340 Technacenter Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117.

Do you like finding interesting or unusual landmarks?

Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Remember, all readers whose photos are chosen also win $25!

August’s answer: This big fellow, named Brisket the Bull, welcomes patrons to Brad’s BBQ in Geneva, Ala. The owner, Brad Tindol, bought the bull on Facebook Marketplace from a seller in Opp, looking for something that would bring attention to the restaurant – which Brisket definitely has.

(Photo by Christy Anderson) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Haley Morris of Wiregrass EC. SEPTEMBER 2026 11

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www.alabamaliving.coop www.alabamaliving.coop

2026 ALABAMA LIVING PHOTO CONTEST

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hat captures your artistic eye? For the entrants in this year’s annual photo contest, the subjects were as varied and appealing as the state of Alabama itself: the striking colors and topography of the mountains in the north, the shimmering waters of the beaches on the coast, the seemingly endless countryside sunsets, all varieties of flora, birds of every feather and smiling, happy children are just some of the more than 400 entries we received this year.

Again this year, the categories were “at play,” “nature – scenery,” “nature – animals and insects” and “Alabama travels.” The first-place winner in each category will receive $100; those winning photos, plus a number of honorable mentions, are highlighted in the following pages.

The editors judged the photos on composition, use of color, clarity, lighting and visual appeal; the photos also had to adhere to the rules on file size and location (they had to be taken in the state of Alabama).

Don’t forget to start taking photos now to enter in next year’s contest! – Allison Law

At Play | 1st place

Katelynn Goodwin, Fayette, Ala.

Nature – animals | Honorable mention

“My daughter loves all animals, so when we bought her new ducks, we knew we needed to take their picture together. Our basset (hound) is just nosy, too.”

“This photo was taken after a slow morning at Little Lagoon in Gulf Shores. As I was packing up, I caught this seagull battling the others over a quick breakfast. A small moment that ended up being the highlight of the morning.”

Alabama Living

Chase Steptoe, Gulf Shores, Ala.

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www.alabamaliving.coop www.alabamaliving.coop

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Nature – scenery | 1st place Brent Eanes, Theodore, Ala.

“After setting up the tent and cameras (on the west end of Dauphin Island), I began what ended up being several series of star trail sets and a couple other Milky Way compositions.

This photo of my setup, and a short set of star trails, really makes me long for fall again.”

At Play | Honorable mention 1. Brent Eanes, Theodore, Ala.

“As I arrived over the kayaks, all that was there was evidence that the adventurers had left in search of fun. Footprints left in the salty sand led away from their prized floats alludes to adventures that all visitors to the Alabama Gulf Coast love so much.”

(Photo taken with drone)

At Play | Honorable mention 2. Sharon Tucker, Cullman EC

Cullman High School’s baseball team celebrates Jonah Inman’s grand slam vs. Mortimer Jordan.

“High school sports at its best, making forever memories!”

Nature – scenery | Honorable mention

3. Scott Golab, Daphne, Ala.

“Not the typical Avenue of the Oaks photo generally seen on Instagram. I decided to go off to the side and found this angle where the beautiful live oaks stretched to the ground. This scene epitomizes southern Alabama and specifically Mobile.”

Alabama Living

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Alabama Travels | 1st place William Webb, Mobile, Ala.

“Long exposure photo of around 30 seconds to capture the movement of the fast-moving clouds (over the USS Alabama Battleship) shortly before sunset.”

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www.alabamaliving.coop www.alabamaliving.coop

ALABAMA’S BEACHES RULE #119

FALL IS FOR REDISCOVERING

your Gulf Coast happy place.

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With warm Gulf waters, fresh coastal flavors, and a calendar full of fall festivals, Alabama’s Beaches offers a season worth returning to year after year.

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Alabama Travels

Honorable mention 1. Brent Eanes , Theodore, Ala. “I composed this shot to capture the Earth's rotation in the sky using the imposter Stonehenge (located at the Barber Marina) as foreground interest on a most appropriate night (the winter solstice, the longest night of the year).”

Alabama Travels

Honorable mention 2. Brandon Wilcher, Baldwin EMC “History rolls forward on the antique fire truck from Orange Beach Fire and Rescue, where weathered wooden ladders, patriotic American flags, and colorful Mardi Gras beads come together in a celebration of heritage.”

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www.alabamaliving.coop www.alabamaliving.coop

Fall in the Blue Ridge Never Tasted THIS Good America’s Longest Oktoberfest — 56 Years and Counting!

Visit Helen, Georgia — a Bavarian alpine village just 90 minutes north of Atlanta, nestled in the Blue

Ridge Mountains — where authentic German beer, Oompah bands, bratwurst, and lederhosen-clad staff make every weekend feel like Munich. Join us September 10 through November 1 for the 56th Annual Helen Oktoberfest, the longest-running celebration of its kind in the country and one of the longest in the world.

Longest-running Oktoberfest in the country.

We celebrate every day of the week in October!

Alpine Helen

Sautee Nacoochee, Cleveland & Unicoi State Park

Alpine Helen - White County Regional Visitor Center • 726 Bruckenstrasse, Helen, GA 30545

AlpineHelenWhiteCountyCVB Alabama Living

800-858-8027 | HelenGa.org SEPTEMBER 2026 19

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Nature – animals 1st place

1. Kathy Hicks, Baldwin EMC “This photo was taken while on an Orange Beach dolphin cruise. The bottlenose dolphins play in the wake of the boat, offering some great photo-ops. Alabama is an outstanding place to live and my favorite thing about Alabama is the natural biodiversity that can be found statewide.”

Nature – scenery Honorable mention 2. Chala Gray, Opelika, Ala.

“The beaver full moon was aligned with the light house (at West Point Park on the Alabama side). Was astounding to watch and capture!”

Nature – animals

Honorable mention 3. Molly Dutton, Joe Wheeler EMC “One beautiful egret, a canopy of green, and a kind of peace you can’t zoom in on.” (Taken at Wheeler Reservoir in Rogersville, Ala.)

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Cosmic Twins by Starr Hardridge of the Muscogee Creek

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PHOTO BY JOHN DERSHAM

Retired State Tourism Director Praised for Vision, Dedication

BY LENORE VICKREY

The Year of Alabama Barbecue.

The Year of Alabama Birding.

The Years of Alabama Small Towns, Natural Wonders, the Arts.

All years celebrating the best of what makes Alabama great, and all the vision of one man.

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That man, Lee Sentell, retired in July after 23 years as director of Alabama’s tourism department, leaving a legacy of growth unmatched by anyone else. Under his tenure, the state’s visitor economy grew from $4 billion annually to more than $25 billion.

“Lee Sentell is the man whose vision, creativity, determination and unwavering dedication transformed tourism in Alabama and forever changed the way the world sees our state,” says Patti Culp, president and CEO of the Alabama Travel Council and a close friend of Sentell for more than 45 years. “His vision helped define what it means to say ‘Sweet Home Alabama.’”

Culp was one of many in the tourism industry who praised Sentell, sometimes tearfully, at the recent Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

Fittingly, he was presented with his own “Year of Lee Sentell” poster of him playing guitar, surrounded by a number of Alabama iconic objects such as Hank Williams’ 1952 baby blue Cadillac, a plate of barbecue with Alabama white sauce, the Vulcan statue, a rocket at Huntsville’s Space & Rocket Center, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.

Sentell, 82, served longer in the tourism position than any of his predecessors. Appointed in 2003 by his childhood friend, former Gov. Bob Riley, he then served under three different governors and six cabinet terms. Previously, he’d held leadership positions at the Decatur Daily, the Decatur Chamber of Commerce and the Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville.

“It’s been a joy and a blessing to do this job,” he says. Looking back over his nearly 24 years, Sentell says

Sentell was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Florence. Congratulating him was longtime friend Patti Culp, president and CEO of the Alabama Travel Council.

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Lee’s contribution goes far beyond marketing campaigns and slogans. He believed in Alabama.

He believed in our people. He believed in the power of tourism to change communities and create opportunities. Through his creative leadership and genuine love for this state, he inspired pride in every corner of Alabama and helped build an industry that continues to thrive today.

—Patti Culp, Alabama Travel Council

it’s hard to pick a fondest memory, but, “I think what people are going to remember me for most is the creation of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.” The Trail (civilrightstrail.com), launched in 2018, brought together historic sites in 15 states into a single tourism destination. Sentell documented the trail in his 2021 book, The U.S. Civil Rights Trail: What Happened Here Changed the World.

Sentell recalls talking to Riley about the need to promote places in Alabama associated with the civil rights movement, including organizing the Alabama Civil Rights Trail in 2004. www.alabamaliving.coop

RO RL OLLILNI G N GT O TO M OM ER E’RS’ SC O CR ON RE NR ER

TRADITIONS TRADITIONS

isit V V isit

Tradition Tradition Lives Lives Here.

Here.

When Auburn wins, the celebration spills When Auburn wins, the celebration spills into the heart of downtown.

Fans gather into the heart of downtown.

Fans gather at Toomer’s Corner to roll the trees in a sea at Toomer’s Cornerone to roll the trees in a sea of white, creating of college football’s of white, creating one of college football’s most beloved traditions. Return to the most Return to the Plainsbeloved this fall traditions. and experience everything Plains this fall and experience everything that just feels like Auburn. that just feels like Auburn.

Meet the coolest college town in the South. And his hip older sister.

Meet the coolest college town in the South. And his hip older sister.

Alabama aoto u r i s Living m.com aotourism.com 08.13 AL Living - Tradition Lives Here.indd 1

A u b u r n - OSEPTEMBER p e l i k a 2026 , A l a23 bama Auburn-Opelika, Alabama 8/13/2026 10:59:24 AM

The trail spotlights key historic locations like the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the Edmond Pettus Bridge in Selma, the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery and the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site.

At first, Riley wasn’t convinced. Lee recalls, “He called one day and he said ‘Lee, I’ve got some people calling me wanting to know why you’re promoting civil rights, because that’s kind of unusual.’ I said, ‘Well, governor – I didn’t say Bobby – If we don’t tell our story, other people will. And we will not like their version.’ I can’t believe I still remember exactly what I said, but that was it. So we talked about it, and then years later he called back and said, ‘If you had not started doing that, like you said, other people would have and what they said would not have been in Alabama’s favor.’ So I had no idea when I started doing that, that it was going to have such an impact.”

“

Lee has been a valued mentor, and his unwavering support for Alabama’s Black Belt—its people, its rich cultural heritage, and particularly its worldchanging civil rights history—has helped ensure that the stories of this region are shared with audiences across the nation and around the world.

So with the popularity of catfish, and more fast food restaurants offering catfish on their menus, it seemed like a natural fit to highlight the catfish industry, especially the farmers in west Alabama. “It seems like everybody’s wanting to get on the catfish train,” he adds.

Sentell is also very proud of his effort to have five Alabama civil rights landmarks recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The nominations have been advanced through Congress to the United Nations but the formal process of designation could take another 10 years, he says.

“When that happens, Alabama will have more UNSECO sites than another other state,” he adds. “And that will automatically bring more international tourists to rural areas of our state.”

“100 Alabama Dishes to Eat Before You Die” was another idea of Sentell that became popular during his term. “This was something I made up out of the air one day because for a politician like me, it’s dangerous to say, ‘Oh, my two favorite dishes are blank and blank, and then that means people in 65 other counties are mad at you.

So that’s how I started coming up with a list of 100 dishes to eat in Alabama. That way we made 100 communities very happy.”

Now that he’s retired, there should be lots of time to visit those restaurants and make sure their dishes are still worth a visit. In his first month of retirement, Sentell has been enjoying some much-deserved time relaxing by his neighborhood swimming pool, exercising and gardening. “The days are filled up with a lot of fun and sunshine,” says Taff.

And as far as visiting those 100 restaurants? “I haven’t made a dent in that yet.” 

“

PHOTO BY JOHN DERSHAM

—Pam Swanner, Alabama Black Belt Adventures

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail would go on to win the World Travel Market’s Best Regional Destination Campaign award in London.

Riley, who will turn 82 in October, has fond memories of growing up with Sentell in their hometown of Ashland in Clay County, and is proud to have been the governor who appointed him tourism director.

“He’s aways been a good friend and he’s smart as a whip. I don’t know of anyone that’s ever done what Lee has done to change the image of the state of Alabama,” Riley says. “I think he was the best person in this job in my lifetime. No question about it.”

In addition to drawing attention to the state’s civil rights attractions, Sentell’s idea to have an annual campaign focusing on some aspect of Alabama’s diversity from Alabama makers to birds has been another hallmark of his tenure. These ideas took the form of “Year Of ” campaigns and some naturally evolved into Trails, like the Alabama Barbecue Trail and the latest, the Alabama Catfish Trail, which was launched in July (see related story, Page 52).

“As you know, my background is in newspapers, and as journalists we look around and see what people are talking about or what they’re interested in,” he explains. “Because of my journalism background I learned that you’ve got to keep changing the subject all the time to keep people interested.”

Sentell says he stole the catfish idea from his next door neighbor and friend, Joe Taff, a fisherman, but Taff says, “I helped give him the idea, because we already have the Alabama Bass Trail, which is wonderful.”

His vision, leadership, and genuine love for Alabama helped transform tourism into one of our state’s greatest economic success stories. Lee didn’t just promote Alabama—he helped us believe in Alabama and inspired us to share its story with the world.

—Tami Reist, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism

Left, Sentell shares a fun moment with Auburn mascot, Aubie; above, with Tami Reist, president/CEO of Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, and his assistant Mickie Justice at the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

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Hit North Alabama.

Sipsey Winery Cullman, AL

Historic Clarkson Covered Bridge Cullman, AL

ReTreet Resort & Spa Scottsboro, AL

Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 25

This stunning view of the Natural Bridge was an honorable mention in the 2025 Alabama Living photo contest.

Natural Bridge is a Natural Wonder

BY ALLISON LAW

26 SEPTEMBER 2026

T

ucked away in rural northwest Alabama, near the western edge of the Bankhead National Forest, in Winston County, is the Natural Bridge Park, which offers a unique outdoor experience year-round.

The bridge itself is, according to the park, the longest rock arch east of the Rockies; it extends 148 feet across and 60 feet above the forest floor. It dates to 200 million years ago when the sea washed the sandstone away, leaving iron ore veins holding the bridge.

The property is home to numerous varieties of ferns as well as a stand of eastern hemlock typically found much www.alabamaliving.coop

PHOTO BY DREW SENTER

farther north, as well as dogwoods, wild magnolia and cedars. Colorful foliage is on display in the fall, and wildflowers bloom in the spring. It totals 149 acres, with 20 acres open for trails.

Native Americans likely used the site as a shelter during their history, giving rise to a local legend that they carved an “Indian head” in one of the formations, but it is highly unlikely to be a human-made structure, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

While the expansive bridge is the focal point of the park, there are ample opportunities for bird and wildlife watching and for exploring the caverns.

Plentiful rains will reveal a small waterfall and stream.

Alabama Living

Donnie and Naomi Lowman have owned the park for a couple of years, and though they are not from the area, they own property across the road and when the park came up for sale, they bought it.

Taking care of the grounds is a year-round, family affair.

The park opened in 1954. “People love the park,” Naomi Lowman says. “Some have good memories coming here with family and come back to bring their children and grandchildren.”

Visitors from across the country and the world have visited, Lowman says. “Italy, Switzerland – you name it.”

The Lowmans are planning to build some tiny cabins on the property; most

visitors are passing through or staying at nearby campgrounds.

The park is worth a stretch-your-legs stop to break up a long drive in north Alabama; enjoy a picnic lunch at one of the tables near the entrance, which features a gift shop and bathrooms. A pavilion is available for rentals. Admission is $10, and no pets are allowed.

An easy one-mile loop trail leads to the arch and is suitable for beginners, but wear sturdy shoes. Visitors are prohibited from walking on the bridge for safety reasons, but the view from underneath the trail is remarkable. 

SEPTEMBER 2026 27

From our local restaurants to UPick farms and signature festivals to a walkable Downtown, Tifton offers memorable experiences for every visitor. Step off the beaten path and discover the heart and soul of South Georgia. –THINK TIFTON

we grow memories here

THINKTIFTON.COM

CROSSWORD

BY MYLES MELLOR

Down Across 1 Tiny town at the top of Lookout 1 State Park with magnificent fall foliage, 2 words Mountain with gorgeous scenic fall 6 Beam of light views 8 Four stringed guitar, abbr.

2 North-east, for short 9 Tuscaloosa County city on the Black Warrior River 3 Cave sound 11 UPS rival 4 Natural balm 12 Raw metal 5 Umpire’s cry 13 Skating rink shape 6 Fall color- somewhat crimson 14 Durable fabric 7 Color of some leaves during the fall 17 Additional 10 Golf-club V.I.P. 18 Alabama mountain with panoramic views of fall 14 _____ Rock Village, a rocky colors outcropping on Lookout Mountain 19 Sign before Virgo 15 Colorful fall trail in Cheaha State 21 Bordered Park, 2 words 23 Southeastern Alabama city known as “The 16 ____ friendly (good for the Peanut Capital of the World” environment) 26 State Park with autumn color views at Little River 20 Sea coves Canyon, 2 words 22 ____ Mountain Nature Trail with 28 Lake Guntersville State Park which hosts the fiery fall colors popular ____ Awareness weekends (large bird of 24 Top temperatures, e.g. prey) 25 Point Mallard Park Wave ___ in 30 Together Decatur 31 Firm’s top dog, abbr.

26 Genetic blueprint molecule, abbr.

32 Big success 27 Hot or cold beverage 33 Light brown 29 Stretch out 34 Curly cabbage 30 Additional work hours, abbr.

35 Employs Answers on Page 57.

28 SEPTEMBER 2026

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Around Alabama

SEPTEMBER 6-7 Cullman, Sweet Tater Festival, Smith Lake Park, 403 County Road 386. Live entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors and of course, sweet potatoes. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

SEPTEMBER 11-12 Jasper, Foothills Festival, historic downtown area.

Free live music, entertainment, food and fun. Music acts include (on Friday) Mark Chesnutt, Deana Carter and Channing Wilson, and on Saturday, Collective Soul, Everclear and John Waite. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

SEPTEMBER 12 Montevallo, Tinglewood Festival, Orr Park, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. See artists at work, with a chainsaw carving exhibition, artist booths, demonstrations and more. Bring your own knife for a whittling contest and enjoy a classic car and tractor show. Food trucks, live music and children’s activities. TinglewoodFestival.com SEPTEMBER 12 Leesburg, Leesburg Day, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the town park; program begins at 9 a.m. Kids’ activities, live music, food trucks and craft market. Search for the Town of Leesburg, Alabama on Facebook.

SEPTEMBER 12-13 Tanner, North Alabama Airfest, Pryor Field Regional Airport. This two-day event features a military demonstration, high-speed fly-bys, helicopter and airplane rides, exotic car rides, static displays, food vendors, unique exhibitors, kids’ zone, STEM activities, aerobatic performances, a fireworks show and more.

Gates open at 11 a.m. each day; purchase tickets online prior to the event. NorthAlAirfest.com SEPTEMBER 18-19 Fort Payne, Boom Days Heritage Celebration, Fort Payne City Park, 401 Gault Ave. N. Event honors the city’s unique beginnings nearly 130 years ago. Historical exhibits, museum tours, kids’ activities, good food and a live concert at the end of each day. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. Email office@tourdekalb.com Correction: The following event was inadvertently added to the August calendar. The correct dates are Sept. 19-20.

SEPTEMBER 19-20 Orange Beach, 6th annual Orange Beach Freedom Fest and Bama Coast Cruisin’ Fall Car Show, The Wharf.

The nonprofit Gulf Coast Gun Collectors Association’s Collectible Firearms Show will be held concurrently at the Orange Beach Event Center. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Features a kids’ zone by the ferris wheel, patriotic military booths, arts, crafts and outdoor vendors as well as food vendors and live music.

Festival and car show are free; admission required for firearms show. OrangeBeachAL.gov Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 19 Montgomery, Bell Road YMCA’s Grill, Whisk and Groove Festival.

Steak-off grilling competition and sweet treat bake-off from 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Zumba Miami Concert from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Admission for all events is $30. Live band, inflatables and food trucks. Email mpeake@ ymcamontgomery.org SEPTEMBER 22-26 Robertsdale, 2026 Baldwin County Fair, 19477 Fairground Road.

Celebrating the event’s 75th year.

Exhibits and competitions, midway rides and more. Free parking on fairgrounds. Baldwincofair.com/ index

TAMILISA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

EVENTS

The Titus Bluegrass Festival is Sept. 26.

SEPTEMBER 25 Wetumpka, Alabama Wildlife Fine Arts Competition, 301 Hill St. This juried fine art competition is part of the Wetumpka Wildlife Festival; submission is free to artists.

Prizes range from $750 to a $12,000 “best of show” award.

TheKelly.org/wewa/art-gone-wild for complete rules and guidelines.

SEPTEMBER 26 Titus, 26th annual Titus Bluegrass Festival, Titus Community Center, 5945 Titus Road, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Featuring bluegrass music by The Allen Tolbert Unit, Southern Gentlemen and Cottonmouth Creek. Admission $10, children 12 and under free. Bring lawn chairs and enjoy music, concessions and crafts. Owenvw1@ gmail.com OCTOBER 2-3 Eutaw, Greene County Historical Society’s annual gala dinner and tour of homes. Dinner on Oct. 2 features musical entertainment and a silent auction. The tour of homes on Oct. 3 features a barbecue lunch and vendors.

GreeneCountyHistory.net OCTOBER 3 Gee’s Bend, Airing of the Quilts Festival, Gee’s Bend Welcome Center, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival continues a long tradition of outdoor quilt displays in Gee’s Bend, connecting visitors directly with the vibrant artistic community that has given rise to generations of African-American quiltmakers whose bold, improvisational designs have earned international acclaim and are featured in major museums and collections worldwide. Open to the public; tickets available at AiringoftheQuilts.org OCTOBER 3 Carrollton, 12th annual Fall Festival, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Family entertainment, vendors, food trucks and more.

205-399-0567.

OCTOBER 3-4 Dothan, Wiregrass master gardeners will host their annual fall plant sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens. Cash, checks and cards accepted. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, bulbs, trees, vines and more. Sara.adams295@gmail.com OCTOBER 8-18 Montgomery, Alabama National Fair, Garrett Coliseum. Traditional fair food, craft exhibits, entertainment, midway rides, interactive agricultural and animal exhibits and fun for all ages. Alabama Living Cooking Contest, “Celebrating Your Ancestral Roots: Your Favorite Dessert from Grandma’s Kitchen,” 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 13. Entry information and details at alnationalfair.org.

OCTOBER 10 Thorsby, 38th annual Thorsby Swedish Festival and parade. Festival and car show is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with parade beginning at 9 a.m. Booths, food, entertainment, art and more. ThorsbySwedishFestival.com OCTOBER 9-10 Troy, Pioneer Days at the Pioneer Museum of Alabama, 248 U.S. Highway 231 North. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Annual event features two days of living history with skilled artisans and craftsmen in period clothing demonstrating woodworking, rope making, blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, candle dipping, quill making, Dutch oven cooking at the chuck wagon and inside the Demonstration Cabin, and more. Admission $12 with children 5 and under and museum members free.

Pioneer-museum.org To place an event, e-mail events@alabamaliving.coop. or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. You can also mail to Events Calendar, 340 TechnaCenter Dr., Montgomery, AL 36117; Each submission must include a contact name and phone number.

Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.

Alabama Living on FB instagram.com/alabama_living

SEPTEMBER 2026 29

No ccalula Falls

BY JENNIFER KORNEGAY

Scenic waterfall is popular draw for Gadsden area visitors

N

estled in Alabama’s northeast corner among the southernmost Appalachian mountains’ rounded peaks and on the banks of the Coosa River, Gadsden boasts some of Alabama’s loveliest scenery. And Noccalula Falls Park gleams as the glittering centerpiece of its natural beauty.

The 500-acre oasis — sitting less than three miles from the city’s revitalized and bustling downtown — beckons residents and visitors with a range of activities, special events and its namesake waterfall, a 90-foot cascade roaring over a massive rock ledge and cloaked in a tragic legend.

According to local lore, Noccalula was a heartbroken Native American princess who chose to throw herself over the falls into Black Creek Ravine when her father, the tribe’s chief, tried to force her to forsake her true love and marry someone else. A statue of the princess preparing for her dramatic plunge stands at the top of the falls.

Noccalula Falls Park is one of Alabama’s prettiest spots.

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SEPTEMBER 2026to plan 31 scan

Further in the park, a botanical garden, pioneer village, mini golf course, petting zoo (with kangaroos, goats, mini horses and more), playground and picnic pavilions await, while a train traversing part of the property offers rides.

A web of well-maintained trails winds through the forest lining Black Creek, with a 1.7-mile path leading down to the bottom of the waterfall and continuing behind its foamy sheets.

The park has always been a jewel in Gadsden’s crown— it’s one of the most visited attractions in the state—but recent improvements and additions add to its appeal, including a new $12-million campground facility, expansions to the trail system, a suspension bridge spanning the creek, and a staircase leading down into the gorge and some of the trails making them more accessible.

“People love that you can go behind the falls,” says John Moore, Gadsden’s director of commercial development.

“I’ve seen so many folks posting on social media, from all over the Southeast, coming here to Gadsden to see the falls and hike that trail.”

One of the park’s now-popular offerings proved itself when city leaders were unsure of its value. “We have a lot of people coming to fish the rainbow trout we stocked in Black Creek,” says Moore. “But initially, we weren’t sure the investment was worth it. It wasn’t a ton of money, but we really didn’t know people would care.” They do. With only a couple of other waterways in the state supporting trout, avid anglers showed up and keep coming. “It’s been a huge success, and we have fishermen come from about a 100-mile radius.”

32 SEPTEMBER 2026

Holiday display draws big crowds

The waterfall, trails, trout and train draw folks to the park year-round, but every November through early January, the park hosts its largest crowds at night, when more than 200,000 people flock to bask in the glow of 10 million twinkling colorful lights arranged in multiple fanciful scenes — from pouncing tigers and marching nutcrackers to fields of giant flowers and snowmen whose “singing” is synchronized to popular holiday tunes. They take it all in on foot, strolling the park’s paved walkways, or aboard the train.

Rides on the miniature train are a highlight of Gadsden’s popular Christmas at the Falls event. Even the Grinch enjoys the holiday magic.

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In Downtown Villa Rica!

35 MILES WEST OF ATLANTA I-20 EXITS 26 & 24 For the List of Events

Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 33

Look Past the Park While you’re in Gadsden, don’t forgo its other attractions.

The River: Explore the Coosa River via a paddleboat rented at Coosa Landing, or on Riverwalk Park’s elevated waterside boardwalks and fishing piers.

Downtown: Dig through yesterday’s treasures at Dusty Things. Stock up on state pride at The Alabama Gift Company, which is packed with Alabama-made goods like Jennifer’s Kitchen pepper jellies, Betsy’s Cheese Straws and creams and cuticle balms from 1818 Farms.

Dine on pimento cheese pups and hearty burgers at The Rail Public House. Or snack on a square of black walnut fudge from Sinful Sweetz and sip a honeysuckle latte from Hubcap Coffee, a cute café housed in a former gas station.

“It’s become a holiday tradition for many,” Moore says. “People from all over come here for Thanksgiving or around Christmas, and after the meal or whatever gathering, they load up all the extended family and come see the lights.” He credits that with the event’s ongoing success. “There are so many return visitors,” Moore says, “but we also get lots of people coming with no ties to Gadsden; they come from Texas, Florida, Louisiana, as well as every corner of Alabama.”

While the light displays wow visitors, so do food trucks offering seasonal treats including hot cocoa, kettle corn and mini cinnamon-sugar donuts; a winter wonderland area complete with softly falling “snow;” and pictures with Santa. And a green not-so-jolly guy gets his due, too; the Grinch is also on hand and happy (at least as happy as the Grinch can be) to pose for photos.

With other special events in spring and early fall, plus the park’s daily options for fresh-air fun, there’s plenty to see and do, and for those wanting to make a weekend out of the experience, the park recently completed an enticing option. Its new campground features 73 hook-up sites for RVs, as well as a pool and renovated bathroom facilities.

But Noccalula Falls remains the key piece of the park’s allure. Simply standing at its edge and watching sheets of water plummet into the creek below, the sun’s rays turning every drop into a sparkling diamond, is alone worth the visit. 

In December: Check out the city’s Christmas Parade downtown, and enjoy outdoor ice skating at Christmas on the Coosa.

Event-Full The Amp: The Mort Glosser Amphitheater, nicknamed The Amp, was built in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration and features WPA’s signature stone in its design. The city recently upgraded the historic, open-air venue, outfitting its 1,600 rock seats by adding wood benches extending out from the stone. “It preserves the character but makes the seats more comfortable,” Moore says. The seat improvements, plus renovated, updated bathrooms and a new canopy covering the stage, have allowed the city to bring more events to The Amp, with multiple concerts, plays and other entertainment gracing its stage all year long.

34 SEPTEMBER 2026

Noccalula Falls Park’s calendar stays packed. Here are a few can’t-miss events.

Alabama Wine Festival, Sept. 18-19 Christmas at the Falls, Nov. 13-15, November 20-Dec. 23 & Dec. 26-Jan. 2 Spring Lantern Festival, Feb. 13-April 15 (Friday-Sunday only) Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition, held annually in April Visit noccalulafallspark.com for times, ticket prices and more details.

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Plan Your Next Adventure In Alabama’s Black Belt

alabamablackbeltadventures.org Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 35

Worth the Drive

Visitors Come From

Far & Wide to Eat at This Small Town Diner STORY AND PHOTOS BY JENNIFER KORNEGAY

36 36 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER2026 2026

F

or decades, Kenny Stearns lived and worked in Tampa, Fla., mining peat moss and running a zoo. As he neared retirement in 2020, he began searching for a slower pace. He found it in a century-old country store for sale in a small rural town. He bought it, and moved with his wife, Kathy, and his son, Ray, to Clayton, Ala. “I felt like running the store and being in that community would give us the quality of life I was after,” he says. “It’s never been about making a bunch of money; it’s just about good living.”

But Kenny hadn’t been in town long before he noticed a need. “There is really nothing for a 20 to 30-mile radius in terms of places to eat,” he says. So in 2021, he opened Kenny’s Hwy. 198 Diner.

Kenny’s might be one of the few restaurants in the area, but even if there were 100 other dining options, it would still stand out. “There’s nothing else like it,” Kenny says.

Out front, the corn-cob-pipe-smoking, hat-clad alligator, winking Mr. Peanut and giant giraffe head — a piece of his zoo’s sign — ensure that drivers motoring down Highway 198 will take a good long look even if they’re not hungry.

The quirky and eclectic mix of decor continues inside.

The diner is housed in an old corn silo Kenny found and placed to the left of the cabin containing the store.

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MEET THE MAKERS. MAKE THE JOURNEY. The Maker’s Trail invites you to experience Alabama’s Black Belt through the unparalleled creativity of its artists and craftspeople. From quilting in Gee’s Bend to creating at the Museum of Wonder, each thoughtfully curated encounter connects you with local makers, timehonored traditions, and the chance to create a handmade keepsake.

EXPLORE THE TRAIL

The Tide Sets The Pace VisitStMarys.com

Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 37

Clockwise from top left: Diners at Kenny’s relish meals in the round inside the eatery's renovated old silo. The menu at Kenny’s is vast and diverse, but burgers remain favorites as do giant cheese-and-chivestuffed tater tots. Kenny’s eclectic outdoor decor grabs the attention of drivers.

Kenny’s owner, Kenny Stearns, enjoys keeping his rural community well fed.

Under a domed ceiling, autographed Bellamy Brothers records, Hank Williams memorabilia and old newspaper articles adorn its curved walls. Photos of lions and various birds look on as guests study the large menu, mostly the work of his wife.

“Where we were in Central Florida, you can basically get any food you want, so she wanted to bring that variety to the area,” he says.

Omelets, pancakes and fresh-baked cinnamon rolls are available in the mornings, but biscuits smothered in gravy and deep-fried French toast are breakfast best-sellers. For lunch, popular selections include wings, pizzas and sandwiches, like the Kenny’s Big Texas (crispy fried chicken with bacon and cheddar on Texas toast with a choice of honey mustard, ranch or barbecue sauce), but Kenny touts the steak sandwich, steak salad, half-pound hand-pattied burgers and the fried green tomato BLT. On the sides list, the giant tater tots stuffed with cheese, bacon and chives are a hit, too. On Friday nights, and all day on Saturday, coconut shrimp, fried oysters and other seafood delights dominate.

Kenny and Ray do all the cooking, using skills gained at the zoo’s small eatery while also learning on the job. “We knew how to cook, but with this big menu, we had to learn some things along the way,” Kenny says.

One lesson learned early remains true. “Everything is fresh, never frozen, and made to order,” he says. “Serving quality food at a good price with friendly service works anywhere.”

Proof lies in the far-flung locations Kenny’s diners hail from. “A lady from Australia profiled us on TikTok, and it got 700,000 views,” he says. “That has brought us a lot of traffic from all over.” While locals fill the silo at lunchtime on weekdays, when the weekend rolls around, folks journey from Montgomery, Pensacola, other parts of Florida and Georgia.

“They come here just to eat; that humbles me but fills me with pride, too,” Kenny says.

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Next, A Steakhouse and Then, An Oyster Bar

Last fall, Kenny built on the success and opened his steakhouse next door. It’s only open on Friday and Saturday nights, but premium beef, flame-grilled on the searing 1,200-degree char broiler, and sometimes, live music, usually keep the spot full both nights.

And this autumn, Kenny hopes his next expansion will be ready. “I’m building an oyster bar with a bandstand and think we’ll have it open by football season,” he says. “I think people will love being outside; it’s so nice in the fall here.”

Providing a place for people to gather and eat drives Kenny, but so does the opportunity to serve his neighbors through the country store, which in addition to local honey, plus jams, jellies and relishes made inhouse, stocks basic supplies. “I love being able to help people by maybe saving them a trip when we can,” he says. “And, we’re real mechanically inclined, and people here know we can help fix things, and I like doing that.”

Those who’ve already made the trek to Kenny’s have likely met him. He makes a point to get out of the kitchen when he can, making the rounds to the tables to chat with his guests and check on their meals. “Getting to meet all the different people who come through here and feeding them well, that brings me joy,” he says.

Do you have a favorite restaurant we need to visit for a future Worth the Drive? Let us know at contact@alabamaliving.coop! 

Kenny’s Hwy. 198 Diner

334 Eufaula Avenue, Clayton, AL 334-332-6993 eatatkennys.com Hours: 7 a.m - 7 p.m. Monday - Thursday 7 a.m - 9 p.m. Friday & Saturday

Clayton

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Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 39

Alabama People

Teacher of the Year: Educator Hopes to Inspire, Encourage Others Read a fuller version of the Q&A at alabamaliving.coop

V

PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA

on Hofe was named Alabama's Teacher of the Year in May 2026. The finalists for Alabama's Teacher of the Year are selected from a group of more than 150 highly skilled public school educators. Selection committees at the school, system, district and state levels evaluate the nominees; four finalists are interviewed in person.

The state-level committee chooses the Alabama Teacher of the Year and the Alternate Alabama Teacher of the Year.

The Alabama Teacher of the Year serves as a full-time ambassador for the teaching profession for one year by speaking to civic and professional organizations, P-12 schools, colleges and universities; conducting workshops for teachers; and writing newspaper and magazine articles.

Elizabeth Von Hofe Position: Special education teacher, Spanish Fort Elementary School; National Board Certified Exceptional Needs Specialist; Alabama Teacher of the Year, 2027 About Elizabeth: She grew up in Ardmore, Ala., on the Tennessee/Alabama state line, and attended Ardmore School in Limestone County from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Both of her parents were teachers. When she was born, they taught at Marion County High School in Guin, Ala., and then her father took a job at Madison County High School. She ended up being the oldest of six children.

Her dad passed away from a stroke at 53 after retiring from Alabama public education and beginning a career teaching in Tennessee; her mom teaches dual-enrollment and college courses still today at age 72.

Two of her sisters, a sister-in-law, and brother-in-law are public school teachers in Limestone County and Madison City schools. Another sister is also a teacher, but of dogs, as a dog trainer. “So, each of my living siblings are connected to education.”

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I know you started your career in another profession. What led you into education?

I was a licensed nursing home administrator of a 60-bed inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and long-term healthcare center for almost a decade before transitioning to a hospice administrator of a seven-county region in Tennessee when I married my husband. In those roles, education found me…

When our older son turned 3, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and our youngest was diagnosed with development delay.

After being a healthcare administrator, I quickly became a consumer of healthcare as a parent, and I gained a new perspective. I heard of other young children with Type 1 diabetes not being allowed in preschools because of their medical needs, but our preschool director included my child and encouraged him to return after his diagnosis. That was my first insight into inclusive education from a parent perspective. …

I decided that I had found my passion as a substitute teacher in special education classrooms – which not all substitutes were willing to serve in.

I was at school every day as a substitute teacher or PTA volunteer, so I started looking at options of getting my teaching certification or working for the school full-time.

I discovered the University of South Alabama offered an online program, and I was eligible with my existing master’s degree to earn my teaching certification while working in school. I was initially hired as a paraprofessional but then a teaching opportunity came open in fall 2021 at Spanish Fort Elementary School. I applied for the position www.alabamaliving.coop

and was hired in November of that year while completing my degree. I have been there ever since as a special education teacher.

Tell me about your current role at your school.

My first year at Spanish Fort Elementary I was a resource teacher supporting students in kindergarten through 2nd grade. The following year, I was asked to transfer to the multiple disabilities classroom that served students with severe or multiple disabilities that receive specially designed instruction in the special education classroom instead of the general education classroom for the majority of their day. My students range in age from kindergarten to 6th grade with developmental levels that are 2-3 grade levels or more below that due to their disabilities.

I teach all subjects to them using instructional strategies that help them learn in their own ways. Many people look at my students and see their disabilities, but I choose to see their abilities.

One of my favorite opportunities in addition to teaching and being on the school leadership team is being a chapter sponsor of Project Outreach on our campus. Project Outreach Gulf Coast (projectoutreachgulfcoast.com) was founded by a special education teacher, Scott Parks, at Spanish Fort High School in 2007. It is a group where nondisabled peers interact and forge relationships with students with disabilities on campus.

Under the leadership of Mr. Parks, Project Outreach Gulf Coast has grown to now having over 50 chapters across Alabama and I was blessed to inherit a group at SFES and have been the sponsor of this group for the past three years.

Seeing how this group of students year after year make a difference in my students’ lives, but more importantly become more educated about disabilities to promote awareness, acceptance, and belonging is something I would love to see in every school and community in this nation.

What do you hope to accomplish as Teacher of the Year?

I hope to encourage and inspire educators while also helping others better understand the incredible work happening in Alabama’s public schools. I want to promote belonging while helping to strengthen collaboration between schools and communities, increase awareness of the needs of diverse learners, and encourage innovative practices that improve outcomes for all students. I also hope to share the success of initiatives like Project Outreach so more schools will see the value of creating authentic opportunities for students of all abilities to learn, lead, and grow together.

If I can help even one teacher feel encouraged, one student feel seen, or one school discover a new way to support children, I’ll consider this year a success.

—Allison Law 

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Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 41

Gardens

COVER CROPS: Cover crops, such as crimson clover, can help improve the soil in preparation for the next year’s garden.

A

s summer vegetables begin to wind down, many Alabama gardeners are ready for a break. The tomatoes are slowing, the squash has seen better days, and empty garden beds can look tempting to leave alone until spring. However, fall is actually the perfect time to plant a cover crop – one of the easiest ways to improve soil health and set your garden up for success next year.

Cover crops are plants grown primarily to benefit the soil rather than for harvest. Sometimes called “green manure,” these crops help protect and improve garden beds during periods when vegetables are not actively growing. Instead of leaving bare soil exposed to rain, wind, and weeds, cover crops keep the ground covered and working for you.

One of the biggest benefits of cover crops is their ability to reduce soil erosion. Alabama’s fall and winter rains can wash away valuable topsoil, especially in sloped gardens.

A cover crop’s root system helps hold soil in place while the leafy growth shields the surface from heavy rainfall.

Cover crops also help suppress weeds. When planted thickly, they compete with winter weeds for sunlight, water, and nutrients. This means fewer weeds to manage when planting season arrives in spring.

Another major advantage is improved soil health. As cover crops grow, their roots create channels that improve soil structure and water infiltration. When the plants are

Bethany O’Rear, a horticulturist for more than 20 years, is a regional agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, specializing in commercial and home horticulture.

42 SEPTEMBER 2026

cut down and incorporated into the soil or left as mulch, they add organic matter. Organic matter improves the soil’s ability to hold moisture, increases beneficial microbial activity, and can help reduce compaction over time.

Some cover crops can even add nutrients back to the soil. Legumes such as crimson clover, hairy vetch, and Austrian winter peas work with naturally occurring soil bacteria to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into a form plants can use. This process, known as nitrogen fixation, can help reduce fertilizer needs for future crops.

For most Alabama home gardens, several cover crop options perform well. Cereal rye is a popular choice because it establishes quickly, produces abundant biomass, and helps suppress weeds. Crimson clover offers attractive spring blooms while adding nitrogen to the soil.

Many gardeners choose a mixture of rye and crimson clover to combine the benefits of both crops.

September through November is generally an ideal planting window across much of Alabama. Seeds can be broadcast over cleaned garden beds and lightly raked into the soil. Adequate moisture is important for establishment, especially during the often-dry months of September and October.

Before planting spring vegetables, cover crops should be terminated several weeks in advance. Gardeners can mow, cut, or pull the plants and leave the residue on the soil surface as mulch or work it into the soil.

Cover crops may not produce a harvest for the kitchen, but they deliver something just as valuable: healthier soil.

By planting a cover crop this fall, Alabama gardeners can protect their garden beds through winter and enjoy stronger, more productive plants next spring.  www.alabamaliving.coop

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More Alabamians Now Qualify for Prescription Drug Savings There’s good news for Alabamians living with limited income and resources. The Medicare Extra Help program—also known as LIS—expanded in 2025. If your income is below 150% of the federal poverty level, you may now qualify for full Extra Help benefits.

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To see if you qualify for Extra Help, call: The Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.

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1 Doctors refers to Medicare participating providers. Source: BCBSALMedicare.com/WhyBCBSAL 2 Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5 star rating system. Source: BCBSALMedicare.com/WhyBCBSAL 3 We are available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. CST. From October 1 to March 31, the hours of operation are Monday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. CST. You may be required to leave a message for calls2026 made after hours, weekends and holidays. Calls will be returned the next business day.

44 SEPTEMBER www.alabamaliving.coop

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SEPTEMBER 2026 45 Y0106_NTMAdvert226_M

Alabama Recipes

Fresh Catch

Read about the new Alabama Catfish Trail, page 52.

Food prepared, styled and photographed by Brooke Echols

Cooks of the Month

Elmer and Jean Vick, Baldwin EMC Elmer Vick is fond of Cajun and Creole food, and likes to come up with his own recipes. He tinkered with his recipe for Catfish Etoufee about three times before he settled on the winning combination of flavors. “It’s like making a gumbo, you put in a little of this and a little of that,” he says. “The key is not to over-season it.” His wife Jean helps out by verifying they have the needed ingredients and for this recipe, chopping the vegetables. “The main ingredients are the trinity (bell pepper, onion and celery), the seasonings and the roux,” he says. The recipe calls for seafood stock, which can be found in grocery stores next to the chicken, beef or vegetable stock. But if it’s not

available you can make your own, Elmer says, using “shrimp shells Elmer and Jean Vick and heads, fish bodies and stuff like that and just let it cook down and then strain it real good.” Jean is retired from a software company and Elmer taught school and ran a heating and air conditioning business before retiring to work on his farm and enjoying more time for cooking. The Fairhope couple is looking forward to serving his winning etouffee to friends who also enjoy reading Alabama Living magazine. —Lenore Vickrey

Reminder for recipe submissions: Please do not submit recipes from other sources, including cookbooks or online publications. A recipe may be adapted and considered original only if at least one ingredient is changed from a previously published recipe. We will make every effort to review all recipes submitted for Cook of the Month consideration to ensure that only original recipes are published in Alabama Living.

46 SEPTEMBER 2026

www.alabamaliving.coop

The Buttered Home

Catfish Etouffee 1 cup rice, prepared Parkay margarine, squeeze bottle 1½ pounds catfish filets 1-2 tablespoons Creole seasoning of choice 1 stick butter 1 tablespoon paprika ½ cup onion, diced ½ cup bell pepper, diced ½ cup celery, diced 1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons flour 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes Seafood stock 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon green onion or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Prepare rice according to package directions. Using a small brush, coat each side of catfish filets with margarine and Creole seasoning, return to the refrigerator. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and add paprika and diced onion, bell pepper and celery, cooking until soft. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and combine, cooking for 4-5 minutes for a roux. Add tomatoes and seafood stock to form a thick gravy. Add Worcestershire sauce and bring to a medium simmer; add parsley, cook about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for seasoning and add more to taste.

Heat a griddle or large frying pan to about 350 degrees.

Cook filets until flaky (about 5-6 minutes per side). Check etouffee for consistency. If too thin, mix cornstarch and water and slowly mix until desired consistency. If too thick, add more seafood stock. Serve over rice and filet of fish. Garnish with green onions or parsley.

ALABAMA RECIPES

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Campfire Cooking

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Christmas Cookie Contest

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Soup's On: One-Pot Suppers

I

am a huge fan of simple recipes. I believe that the best dishes we often make are the Brooke Burks ones that don’t require fancy ingredients or a lot of complicated cooking methods. Fresh fish is a great option to showcase this. Most fish don’t need a ton of seasonings and don’t require long cooking times. Let’s not forget how healthy fish is for us, too. We are sharing one of our favorite fish recipes with you this month and it is also one of our most popular. It cooks up quickly in one pan and uses spices that can be found in just about any cook’s kitchen. It is simple and delicious and the spices can be used on just about any type of fish! We hope you love it as much as we do. To find it and more recipes like it, give us a visit at thebutteredhome.com.

Pan-Fried Cod 1/8 teaspoon celery seed 11/2 pounds fresh cod ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons smoked 1 tablespoon lemon juice paprika ½ teaspoon onion powder Dried parsley for garnish 1 teaspoon salt Prepare fish by patting dry. Combine garlic, paprika, onion powder, salt and celery seed in a small bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle over both sides of fish and allow to rest.

In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil over low to medium heat. When hot, add fish and cook for 2 minutes.

Carefully flip the fish and add lemon juice. Cook 2 minutes more until browned and flaky.

Serve warm garnished with parsley and drizzled with pan drippings.

Due Sept. 4

Due Oct. 2

PHOTO BY THE BUTTERED HOME

Due Nov. 6

Cook of the Month

$50

Mail: Recipes, 340 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117 Email: recipes@alabamaliving.coop Online: alabamaliving.coop/recipe-form Pan-Fried Cod

Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 47

Pepper Jack Crappie (or Catfish) Patties (Ed. Note: we were unable to obtain crappie when preparing this recipe, but we substituted catfish, which worked well.)

1 pound crappie or catfish fillets, cooked, cooled, and flaked 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, finely diced 1/2 cup orange bell pepper, finely diced 1/2 cup onion, finely diced 1 cup crushed crackers (saltines or buttery crackers) 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 large egg, beaten 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese 1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (optional) 2 tablespoons butter or oil for frying

Beer-Battered Bass

Seafood Casserole

6-12 fillets of fresh-caught bass 1 bottled beer, your choice 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon seasoned salt 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon paprika 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup oil (vegetable, olive, peanut)

2 cups boiled shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut into bite-size pieces 2 cups crab meat, cooked ½ cup celery, chopped 4 tablespoons onion, chopped 3 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon lemon pepper 1½ cups saltine crackers, crushed and divided 1½ cups mayonnaise 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Homemade tartar sauce: 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 teaspoon dill 1 tablespoon dill relish 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon cream of tartar In a bowl, mix the flour, onion powder, seasoned salt, salt and pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Stir in just enough beer to make a wet batter. Heat skillet on medium heat with the cup of oil. Dip fillets in wet batter and put in skillet, flip when browned and crispy. Do the same on the other side. While waiting to flip the bass get another bowl and add the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill, dill relish, salt and pepper, paprika and cream of tartar and stir well. Serve bass with homemade tartar sauce and wedges of lemon.

Cook’s note: Can use something like a Fry Daddy, but I don’t recommend using an air fryer because the wet batter sticks.

Cook the fish by baking, grilling, or pan-frying or smoking (my favorite) until it flakes easily. Let cool and break into small flakes. Sauté the peppers and onion in a skillet for 3–5 minutes until softened. Let cool. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, egg, Old Bay seasoning and black pepper.

Stir in the sautéed vegetables, pepper jack cheese and crushed crackers.

Gently fold in the flaked fish until evenly combined. Form into 6 to 8 patties. If the mixture feels too wet, add a few more crushed crackers. If too dry, add a Shay Johnson tablespoon of mayonnaise. Refrigerate Sand Mountain EC for 30 minutes. Heat butter or oil over medium heat and cook the fish Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad cakes for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Garnish with parsley (optional).

Lemon-Dijon Sauce: (optional)

Mix shrimp and crab in large bowl. Add celery, onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper and lemon pepper. Stir into shrimp and crab. Stir in one half of cracker crumbs.

Add mayonnaise and cheese and mix into shrimp and crab mixture. Divide this mixture into 6 au gratin individual serving dishes that have been sprayed with butter cooking spray. Add melted butter to remaining ½ cup of cracker crumbs and sprinkle these over mixture in au gratin dishes. Place dishes onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.

Louis Rowles Baldwin EMC

Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad 1 pound medium fresh Gulf shrimp, peeled 1 large onion, sliced 1 each: green, yellow, red bell pepper, cut in pieces Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette Dressing 4 cups penne pasta

Mix well.

Grill sliced onion and peppers in a little olive oil; add shrimp for last 3 minutes.

Boil pasta until “al dente" - about 11 minutes, drain.

Combine all ingredients, toss with vinaigrette dressing to taste. Add fresh ground pepper and salt, if desired. Can be served warm or cold.

Christy McClendon Wiregrass EC

Nancy Sites Sizemore Baldwin EMC

1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

48 SEPTEMBER 2026

www.alabamaliving.coop

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49

Consumer Wise

Teaching Children

Good Energy Habits

D

o you have energy-saving helpers at home? Teaching your children to build good energy habits saves money on your electric bill today and sets them up for a lifetime of smart energy use. Here's how to get your family started on a household energy-saving adventure.

PHOTO BY MARK GILLILAND, PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES

Safety First

Building positive energy habits with your children can start with small steps, including turning off lights when leaving a room.

When it comes to electricity, start with safety basics. Secure cords so appliances, lamps or other plugged-in items can’t be pulled down. Use outlet covers and safety plugs to keep little hands from getting injured.

As they get older, teach children not to stick things in outlets. When they are old enough to use outlets, let them know they should never unplug by pulling the cord. When playing outside, educate them to stay away from downed power lines, keep a safe distance from all electrical equipment and avoid the dangers of electricity near water.

Teaching Energy Habits

Keeping safety in mind, you can teach age-appropriate energy habits.

Turning off fans and lights when you leave rooms is always a good habit to instill. Fully powering down TVs, computers and gaming systems reduces energy waste.

Keeping the refrigerator door open is a common energy waster for kiddos—and some adults. Show them they can take a quick look inside and scan their options.

If they need time to decide what Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency they want, they company. She has more than 20 years of experience helping can close the fridge people save energy at home, and she writes on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the while making up national trade association representing nearly 900 electric co-ops. their minds.

50 SEPTEMBER 2026

Closing your home’s doors is another tip to keep heated or airconditioned air inside the home. I wonder how many kids these days are asked if they were born in a barn or if they would even know what you mean?

Hot water is another saver to consider. In addition to reducing wasted water, using less hot water helps you save on your energy bill.

Heating water is typically the secondhighest energy use in a home, behind heating and air conditioning. Reduce energy use by turning off the water while hand-washing dishes, taking short showers and not overfilling the bathtub.

Gamify Your Bill

Review the electric bill with older children. Be sure to focus on energy use, which is shown in kilowatt-hours on your bill.

It’s also a good opportunity to teach budgeting and household finances. If you save money on the electric bill, you may be able to do something fun with that money instead. Consider a trip to mini golf, getting ice cream or choosing a longer-term goal to fund a weekend family trip.

Make it a game. Consider a family reward for using less energy than the previous month or the same month of the previous year, or an individual reward for the one who guesses how many kilowatt-hours you used that month. The winner gets to pick the movie for family night.

Exploring energy efficiency and conservation with your children doesn’t have to be a chore. Find fun ways to build lifelong energy habits and save energy around your home. 

Ready to get started?

Scan this QR code to download an “Energy Detective” activity to help kids get excited about identifying ways to save energy at home. www.alabamaliving.coop

Throw Yourself a Bone Full tang stainless steel blade with natural bone handle —now ONLY $79!

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he very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature.

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This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 51

PHOTO BY TOWNSEND KYSER

Outdoors

. gs or P f e s !

Se -48 iou ipes c 6 c 4 eli re d sh tfi a c

Catfish farmers must keep their ponds oxygenated to keep fish alive.

Alabama Catfish Trail

Initiative promotes raising, catching and eating catfish

T

he state of Alabama has started a new initiative, the Alabama Catfish Trail, to put more emphasis on raising, catching and eating catfish. This promotional effort, not a catfishing tournament trail, will highlight all aspects of an often overlooked type of fish.

“The Alabama Catfish Trail is the statewide tourism initiative featuring more than 50 destinations that highlight the state’s rich fishing, farming and culinary heritage,” says Brooklyn Lundy, the Alabama Tourism Department public relations manager. “We want to celebrate the local waterways from north Alabama to the Gulf Coast. We have many iconic fish camps and family-owned restaurants throughout Alabama.”

Farm-raised catfish for restaurants and other consumption contributes about $92 million annually to the state economy.

About 33 percent of all farm-raised catfish in the nation comes from Alabama, Lundy says.

The Kyser Family of Greensboro began raising catfish six decades ago. In 1967, Bill Kyser started a catfish farm and built some of the first catfish ponds in Alabama. Bill and his two sons, Townsend and Ashley, still run Kyser Family Farms.

“I’m excited about the Alabama Catfish Trail bringing more awareness to the catfish industry and how much it means to the state,” says Townsend Kyser, a board member at Black Warrior EMC and the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives, which publishes Alabama Living. “We had the longest running hatchery in Alabama, but we finally realized it was more efficient to buy catfish fingerlings from Mississippi.”

John N. Felsher lives in Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile.

Contact him at j.felsher@hotmail.com or through Facebook.

52 SEPTEMBER 2026

The Kysers buy 5- to 6-inch-long channel catfish “fingerlings” to stock in their ponds in the winter. They feed them floating grain-based pellets made of soybeans and corn. The Kysers let the catfish grow for about 12 to 18 months until big enough to sell.

When catfish reach about three-quarters to two pounds, the Kysers put live fish in trucks with oxygenated tanks and ship them to processing plants. After processing, frozen catfish fillets go to restaurants, food service companies and grocery stores all over the South. Two catfish processing plants still operate in Alabama, one in Eutaw in Greene County and another in Uniontown in Perry County.

“Catfish is one of the state’s most iconic foods,” Lundy says.

“We’re highlighting the famous culinary stops and many other places where people can eat locally grown or caught catfish.”

Electricity vital to catfish farming

The Kysers and other catfish farmers face challenges from rising fuel, labor and other costs. They need electricity to power paddlewheels that keep their ponds oxygenated so fish stay alive. Stiff competition from foreign sources, notably Vietnam and China, cuts into their profits.

“The catfishing industry has always fluctuated, but it’s been really tough for the past few years,” Townsend Kyser says. “We rely heavily on electricity. The people at Black Warrior EMC do an excellent job for us. I hope the Alabama Catfish Trail brings some excitement for people to go to restaurants and eat catfish as well as catch fish themselves. Catfish is a great southern delicacy. People can eat it prepared many ways.”

For people who want to catch their own, Alabama offers some of the best catfish action for numbers and size anywhere in the nation. Practically every freshwater stream or lake holds catfish. Alabama anglers might catch four species of freshwater whiskerfish.

Channel catfish occur statewide and can exceed 40 pounds.

Alabama periodically stocks channels into many public fishing lakes. Both blue and flathead catfish can weigh more than 100 pounds, giving anglers opportunities to catch giant, powerful fish without spending a fortune to go offshore. Blue and channel catfish eat almost anything including fish, shrimp, crawfish and insects. Voracious predators, flatheads almost exclusively eat live fish.

Not as well known, white catfish look similar to channels and average about 12 to 18 inches long. The state record weighed 10.50 pounds. Alabama anglers might find white catfish in the Mobile River Basin, Chattahoochee and Tennessee River systems.

The Tennessee River and associated reservoirs rank among the best places for catching monster catfish. The Mobile Basin, Alabama, Chattahoochee, Coosa, Tallapoosa and Tombigbee River systems and associated reservoirs also hold good catfish populations with some huge fish.

“We want more people come to Alabama, fish our waterways and enjoy eating catfish,” Lundy says. “When people come from out of state to fish in Alabama, it’s a big economic driver. The Alabama Catfish Trail is not just a great economic impact booster, but it’s also a way to get people to come here and explore all the beautiful waterways that Alabama has to offer.”

For more information on the Alabama Catfish Trail, call 334-242-4169 or visit alabama.travel/alabama-catfish-trail.  www.alabamaliving.coop

2026 SEPTEMBER

We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

OCTOBER

Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

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EXCELLENT TIMES A.M.

4:30 - 6:30 5:18 - 7:18 6:06 - 8:06 6:54 - 8:54 7:42 - 9:42 8:30 - 10:30 9:18 - 11:18 10:06 - 12:06 9:18 - 11:18 10:06 - 12:06 NA 12:30 - 2:30 1:18 - 3:18 2:06 - 4:06 2:54 - 4:54 A.M.

3:42 - 5:42 4:30 - 6:30 5:18 - 7:18 6:06 - 8:06 6:54 - 8:54 7:42 - 9:42 8:30 - 10:30 9:18 - 11:18 10:06 - 12:06 NA 12:30 - 2:30 1:18 - 3:18 2:06 - 4:06 2:54 - 4:54 3:42 - 5:42 4:30 - 6:30 5:18 - 7:18 6:06 - 8:06 6:54 - 8:54 7:42 - 9:42 8:30 - 10:30 9:18 - 11:18 10:06 - 12:06 10:54 - 12:54 11:18 - 1:18 NA 12:30 - 2:30 1:18 - 3:18 2:06 - 4:06 2:54 - 4:54 3:42 - 5:42

MOON STAGE

GOOD TIMES

PM AM

4:54 - 6:54 5:42 - 7:42 6:30 - 8:30 7:18 - 9:18 8:06 - 10:06 8:54 - 10:54 9:42 - 11:42 10:30 - 12:30 9:42 - 11:42 10:30 - 12:30 12:06 - 2:06 FULL MOON 12:54 - 2:54 1:42 - 3:42 2:30 - 4:30 3:18 - 5:18

10:57 - 12:27 NA 12:33 - 2:03 1:21 - 2:51 2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51

PM AM

4:06 - 6:06 4:54 - 6:54 5:42 - 7:42 6:30 - 8:30 7:18 - 9:18 8:06 - 10:06 8:54 - 10:54 9:42 - 11:42 10:30 - 12:30 12:06 - 2:06 NEW MOON 12:54 - 2:54 1:42 - 3:42 2:30 - 4:30 3:18 - 5:18 4:06 - 6:06 4:54 - 6:54 5:42 - 7:42 6:30 - 8:30 7:18 - 9:18 8:06 - 10:06 8:54 - 10:54 9:42 - 11:42 10:30 - 12:30 11:18 - 1:18 11:42 - 1:42 12:06 - 2:06 FULL MOON 12:54 - 2:54 1:42 - 3:42 2:30 - 4:30 3:18 - 5:18 4:06 - 6:06

10:09 - 11:39 10:57 - 12:27 NA 12:33 - 2:03 1:21 - 2:51 2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51 10:09 - 11:39 10:57 - 12:27 NA 12:33 - 2:03 1:21 - 2:51 2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 5:21 - 6:51 5:48 - 7:18 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51 10:09 - 11:39

PM

11:21 - 12:51 12:09 - 1:39 12:57 - 2:27 1:45 - 3:15 2:33 - 4:03 3:21 - 4:51 4:09 - 5:39 4:57 - 6:27 4:09 - 5:39 4:57 - 6:27 6:33 - 8:03 7:21 - 8:51 8:09 - 9:39 8:57 - 10:27 9:45 - 11:15 PM

10:33 - 12:03 11:21 - 12:51 12:09 - 1:39 12:57 - 2:27 1:45 - 3:15 2:33 - 4:03 3:21 - 4:51 4:09 - 5:39 4:57 - 6:27 6:33 - 8:03 7:21 - 8:51 8:09 - 9:39 8:57 - 10:27 9:45 - 11:15 10:33 - 12:03 11:21 - 12:51 12:09 - 1:39 12:57 - 2:27 1:45 - 3:15 2:33 - 4:03 3:21 - 4:51 4:09 - 5:39 4:57 - 6:27 5:45 - 7:15 6:11 - 7:41 6:33 - 8:03 7:21 - 8:51 8:09 - 9:39 8:57 - 10:27 9:45 - 11:15 10:33 - 12:03

The essential steps to finding a market for your business: Step 1.

Look no further.

*Alabama Living is delivered to homes and businesses in all 67 counties in Alabama.

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Alabama Living

SEPTEMBER 2026 53

7

CAMPUS SAFETY TIPS

Every College Student Should Know Relay these safety tips to your young adults who are about to hit campus for the first time or return for another year.

1.

Do not overload electrical outlets, power strips or extension cords. Use power strips with an overcurrent protector.

aware of your surroundings, especially when listening 2. Be to music or texting. small appliances when not in use and all 3. Unplug appliances when away for extended periods.

4. This tip still holds true: never walk alone at night.

5.

Avoid using generic cubes or cords. They could overheat, shock or burn you.

Locate the emergency call buttons or phones across

6. campus in case of an emergency.

7.

54 SEPTEMBER 2026

Do not put your cell phone on or under your pillow or bedding. It could overheat or catch fire.

www.alabamaliving.coop

Aw ) ts n i o p (3 n o s i m te s y s g heating/coolin

Energy Detective MISSIONS Challenge

COMPLETED

) ts n i o p (3 m o ro a e v a e l Turn off the lights when you

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ENERGY DETECT IVE

Alabama Living

refrigerator Remind family members to close the door quickly (3 points)

" check before Help your family create a "lights out bedtime (4 points) SEPTEMBER 2026 43

Our Sources Say

‘This Little Light of Mine’ I

t is interesting to look back at how electricity was first developed and used.

Early on, electric systems had their highest loads in the middle of the night. Electric light replaced kerosene lamps. People today still say they must pay their light bill when, in fact, lighting represents less than 5% of electric demand in the home.

For our area, which covers more than 1.2 million people across Alabama and northwest Florida, home power use is now heavily driven by heating, air conditioning, and water heating. And that’s not the only thing that has changed. Interestingly, a new category of power use called “Miscellaneous Plug” has also been growing since 2012. This covers phones, tablets, computers and a host of other appliances.

On the front end of electricity’s history were the early technical pioneers, like Thomas Edison, who started by developing a simple light bulb. They debated whether alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) should become the standard and eventually settled on 60 hertz (Hz) AC. Standard voltages for home use settled at 120/240 volts. Electric systems and home wiring became standardized. Appliance specifications were also standardized, allowing mass production.

The result was moving from a primitive form of life — wood-burning stoves, fire boxes, and oil-based lamps — to the cleaner, safer, and healthier alternative of electricity. Next came the business aspects of distributing electric power. The more densely populated cities got the first shot at this new technology because profitability was easier to achieve, while rural communities were bypassed because of costs. In the 1900s, as electricity began to be generated and sold as a service, powering rural areas was not a profitable endeavor.

Our former general manager, Charles Lowman, reflected on rural life in those days. “By 1935, only 4% of farms in Alabama had electricity,” he said. “The other 96% had no electric lights, no refrigerators, and no running water. Outdoor privies were fixtures behind every house. Housewives cooked on wood-burning stoves and labored through long hard washdays using rubboards and washtubs.”

Damon Morgan is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.

56 SEPTEMBER 2026

Enter the electric cooperative business pioneers that brought a better life, powered by electricity, to rural people.

The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was the catalyst that allowed rural cooperatives to form and electrify the countryside, providing financing and engineering support, among other resources.

The proliferation of rural Electric Cooperatives began in earnest in the early 1940s. These were grassroots organizations, enabled by the REA, formed by people in the communities they would serve, to bring light to rural America.

At times, I wonder about the purpose-driven character and determination of those early rural pioneers. They united to create a business to bring this new energy source to the masses. Their goal was to balance the scale of electric availability and to improve the rural way of life.

But, it’s not like these folks didn’t already have plenty to do. Many were farmers, bankers, sawmill operators, even drug store owners. They came from all walks of life and banded together cooperatively to accomplish what could not be done alone. They took the cost of the system needed to serve all of them and split the cost equally whether a member was one mile or 15 miles away. They shared the cost of assembling a workforce.

They borrowed money through the REA to finance the building of their systems, and they agreed not to make a profit for themselves, but to serve electricity at cost.

Throughout my life I have seen many extraordinary technical advancements come to pass — from the party line phone we had when I was a kid to the cell phones that allow us to FaceTime with our children on the other end of the state in real time; or from a rack of World Book encyclopedias to Artificial Intelligence, like ChatGPT, that makes me an instant Einstein. Even so, in all this time, no substitute for electricity has arisen. It has always been a 120-volt, 60Hz commodity that has marked time and enabled great advancements.

It all started with a little light. We even say today, when someone has an idea, that a light bulb went off in their head. It took a great deal of technical innovation, business savvy, and old-fashioned effort to bring about this little light, and that little light has kindled a much larger and lasting flame.

Inside each of us dwells a little light as well. Let your light shine so others can find their way. Shine brightly.

Someone needs your light today.

Until next month—May the Lord bless you real good.  www.alabamaliving.coop

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How To Place an Ad in Marketplace Closing Deadlines (in our office): November 2026 Issue by September 25 December 2026 Issue by October 25 January 2027 issue by November 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) 4102737 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, 340 TechnaCenter Dr., Montgomery, AL 36117 Attn: Classifieds.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 57

Cup o’ Joe

ILLUSTRATION BY DENNIS AUTH

The Grandparent Contract

I

still remember when my son gingerly placed my first newborn granddaughter in my arms.

Well…he tried to.

Just as I reached out to hold her, a woman in a business suit with a clipboard stepped between me and the newest member of my family.

“Before you take possession of your grandchild, you’ll need to review and sign this.”

“Sign? What am I signing?” I asked. “This is a baby, not an extended warranty on a Buick.”

“The Grandparent Contract. Standard procedure. Makes things easier for everyone.”

She handed me a document containing more legal language than a rental car agreement. I began skimming the highlights.

Section 1: Rule Enforcement The grandparent agrees to respect all rules established by the parents.

However, emergency grandparent powers shall be implemented as deemed necessary, including authorizing cookies before supper, extending bedtime, and determining that one more episode of “Bluey” will not permanently alter the grandchild’s development.

Section 2: Transportation The grandparent agrees, with little notice, to transport the grandchild to ballet, soccer, karate, piano lessons, birthday parties, church camp, and any other activity the parents accidentally scheduled at the exact same time.

Joe Hobby is a standup comedian, a syndicated columnist, and a long-time writer for Jay Leno. He’s a member of Cullman Electric Cooperative and is very happy now that he can use Sprout from his little place on Smith Lake. Contact him at jhobby2000@aol.com.

58 SEPTEMBER 2026

Section 3: Financial Obligations The grandparent shall purchase at least one toy under $20 during every trip to a grocery store, discount store, or the like.

Purchases over $20 are permitted provided the grandchild agrees not to mention them to the parents.

Section 4: Nutritional Requirements The grandparent shall maintain an adequate supply of chicken nuggets, fries, ranch dressing, cookies, crackers and ice cream. While at grandma and grandpa’s house, these items shall be recognized as a balanced diet.

Section 5: Housekeeping The grandparent agrees to require the grandchild to clean up before leaving. The grandparent also acknowledges that the cleanup will create an entirely new mess requiring additional cleanup after the grandchild departs.

Furthermore, the grandparent accepts all risks associated with stepping barefoot on Lego bricks or Barbie dolls in the dark.

Section 6: Television Obligations The grandparent agrees to watch an unreasonable number of episodes of “Bluey,” “Paw Patrol,” or whatever cartoon currently has the grandchild’s attention.

Should the grandchild say, “Again,” the episode shall immediately restart regardless of the grandparent’s mental condition.

Section 7: Overnight Visits During sleepovers, the grandparent shall honor all requests for one more story, one more drink, and one more trip to the bathroom. Sleeping grandchildren may occupy the grandparent’s bed regardless of objections from the spouse, the dog, or their chiropractor.

Section 8: Return-to-Parent Procedures No less than one hour before returning the grandchild, the grandparent shall administer sufficient quantities of sugar to ensure maximum energy levels upon their arrival home. This tradition has been faithfully practiced by grandparents since the invention of candy.

At the bottom of the document was one final paragraph that said: “By signing below, you acknowledge that your house is about to become noisier, messier, busier, and considerably more expensive. You also acknowledge that your phone will contain no fewer than 357 pictures of the grandchild, that every refrigerator drawing will become museum quality, and your heart will grow several sizes.”

“In return, you will receive hugs that erase bad days, laughter that echoes long after everyone goes home, and the indescribable privilege of watching your own child become a wonderful parent.”

I looked up.

“Where do I sign?”

She smiled, handed me a pen, and pointed to the line.

A moment later they finally placed that little girl in my arms.

Turns out the contract was spot on.

As the woman walked away, she turned and smiled.

“I’ll see you again in about 13 years.”

“Why?” “That’s when you sign the Teenage Addendum.”

I watched her disappear down the hallway while my granddaughter slept peacefully in my arms.

You know, on second thought… I probably should’ve read the fine print.  www.alabamaliving.coop

r ef of u on u dn adtai t aa llaabbaammaa oonne e a a ss pp i ri e o ino n

2026ARECU ARECUSCHOLARSHIP SCHOLARSHIP 2026

— i n ne r s — — wwinners —

The and Alabama Rural Electric Credit Union, The Alabama Alabama ONE ONEAspire AspireFoundation Foundation and Alabama Rural Electric Credit Union, aadivision of Alabama ONE, celebrate our 2026 ARECU Scholarship winners as they continue division of Alabama ONE, celebrate our 2026 ARECU Scholarship winners as they continue their theireducational educationalpath. path.

Dakota Dubose Southern Pine Dakota Dubose Electric Cooperative Southern Pine Electric Cooperative

Kyleigh Saunders Wiregrass Kyleigh Saunders Electric Cooperative Wiregrass Electric Cooperative

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Want to apply? For a reminder when the submission period opens and for more information, fill out the form at alabamaonefoundation.org/scholarships or scan the QR code.

Want to apply? For a reminder when the submission period opens and for more information, fill out the form at alabamaonefoundation.org/scholarships or scan the QR code.

Investing in Students. Strengthening Communities.

Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue their goals. Our scholarship programs Investing in Students.

Strengthening Communities. support a wide range of educational paths, including four-year universities, HBCUs, Every student deserves opportunity to pursue their goals.

Our scholarship community colleges, and the skilled trades. These life-changing scholarships are madeprograms possible support a wide range of educational paths, including four-year universities, HBCUs, through your generous donations. community colleges, and skilled trades. These life-changing scholarships are made possible Alabama Living SEPTEMBER 2026 59 through your generous donations.

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