Progress 2018

Progress

2018

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St. Vincent’s Orthopedics, PC

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Citizen of the Year

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A perfect fit for all the right reasons

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A sweet connection with nature

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Turning the tide

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Changing a neighborhood

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Filling Raleigh’s Place

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Poland’s pictures

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Taking one for the team

56

Passions that cultivate a community

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Progress PUBLISHER Tim Prince GENERAL MANAGER Brandy Clackley EDITORIAL Katie McDowell, editor Neal Wagner, managing editor Joyanna Love, senior writer Anthony Richards, writer Caroline Carmichael, writer Keith McCoy, photographer MARKETING Zack Bates, marketing consultant Brittani Ellison, marketing consultant CUSTOMER SERVICE Jessica Patterson PRESSROOM & MAILROOM Jimmy Ruff, production manager Michael Turner, press operator Jimmy Huett, press maintenance Scott Mims, mailroom manager Malinda Nance, mailroom manager Progress is a special publication of The Clanton Advertiser P.O. Box 1379, Clanton, AL 35046 205.755.5747 clantonadvertiser.com

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CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Committee names Jim Wadsworth Citizen of the Year STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE

C

oncern for the community and the environment has long been at the forefront of James (Jim) Wadsworth’s mind.

Because of this support for Chilton County residents, he has been selected as The Clanton Advertiser’s 2018 Citizen of the Year. Although he did not grow up in Chilton County, he has fully adopted it as home, supporting various community projects and improvements.

“He was selected for his contributions to the new hospital and also for his commitment to environmental stewardship,” selection committee member Gay West said.

The committee, which is made up of past winners, also noted that Wadsworth does not boast about his contributions to the community, commenting that he is a quiet person.

“There is nothing that he does for recognition,” Lions Club President Tony Hughes said. “He does it because he has a passion for that and does it because he desires to help.”

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Wadsworth has been a member of the Clanton Lions Club for at least 20 years and is an integral part of the annual Peach Festival and Pageant.

He mostly works behind the scenes and in the planning phases.

Hughes described him as a “very willing worker” and a “very, very generous person.”

“He doesn’t seek the spotlight,” Hughes said.

“He is very content working behind the scenes.”

When St. Vincent’s Chilton was in the beginning phases, Wadsworth saw the importance of the project and being a part of its success. His efforts to help St. Vincent’s Chilton were honored by the organization with the dedication of the main lobby in his name.

“He was a big donor, and the hospital board was very appreciative,” Hospital Board Chair Allen Payton said. “We are very fortunate to have Jim in our community.”

Wadsworth continues to be an active part of the organization as a member of the St. Vincent’s

Al Headley, left, sits with Jim Wadsworth and Peggy Hall at the 2017 Chilton County Chamber of Commerce Open House.

Foundation Board of Directors.

Wadsworth worked to establish an endowment fund to ensure the future needs of St. Vincent’s Chilton will be met.

“Since hospitals need money all along to keep up with the latest advancements in medicine, I set up an endowment that specifies the Chilton hospital,” Wadsworth said in an article for St. Vincent’s The Vigil. “It has really been a meaningful and enjoyable experience. I would encourage others to support St. Vincent’s.”

Wadsworth has also shown support to the local school system in the past by participating in students’ fundraisers and the Chilton County United Way. The James Wadsworth Foundation has also given to various community organizations.

“I don’t know of a better person, who has a bet-

ter outlook on life, than Jim who is deserving of this award,” Emmett Huff, Wadsworth’s neighbor, said.

Wadsworth and Huff enjoy a common interest of nature and history. For a span of about 15 years, they explored a different part of Alabama every weekend. Finding historic covered bridges was the main topic of exploration.

Land conservation and environmental issues are also important to Wadsworth. He has served on the Nature Conservancy’s Alabama Board of Trustees, which oversees the Forever Wild Land Trust. The trust allows land to be set aside and preserved for wildlife, hunting or public access.

Wadsworth grew up in Tuskegee where his father was an Amoco Oil dealer. He later attended Auburn University and earned a Bachelor of

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Jim Wadsworth addresses the crowd at the dedication of the St. Vincent’s Chilton lobby, which was named in his honor.

Science in mechanical engineering.

He continues to support his alma mater through the Chilton Auburn Club.

It was business that eventually brought him to Chilton County. Wadsworth bought the Amoco Distribution in Clanton about 35 to 40 years ago. While his company has grown to include other areas, his company headquarters for Wadsworth Oil Company remain in Clanton. According to his LinkedIn account, the company has nine locations in Central Alabama, each is Shell or Marathon brand fuel with convenience stores named The Store.

In October 2013, Wadsworth’s The Store convenience store and gas station in McCalla became the first convenience store in the state to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

Wadsworth is a graduate of the Chilton Leadership Program, a joint venture of the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce and the Chilton County Extension Office. Richard Moore was a fellow participant in this program.

“He has consistently supported local organizations for as long as I have known him ... I think Jim is an excellent choice,” Moore said.

Wadsworth is also a past member of the Chilton County Arts Council Board of Directors.

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Sharon Henderson with the Chilton County Beekeepers Association holds comb from her hive.

A SWEET CONNECTION WITH NATURE

County association provides outlet for beekeepers STORY BY ANTHONY RICHARDS PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

H

oney can be a sweet treat, but it is not the ultimate reason why the majority of beekeepers wind up discovering the hobby.

Many people in Chilton County decide to get into beekeeping for different reasons.

According to Bill Evans, founder of the Chilton County Beekeepers Association, the primary reason people venture into beekeeping has hard-

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ly anything to do with producing honey.

It is actually to help pollinating their garden and also to help aid the honeybee population, which continues to decrease throughout the United States. “Bees are under attack by chemicals [pesticides],� Evans said.

Larry Wyatt is the current president of the association, which is in its fifth year.

The association welcomes all who show a passion, whether that is seasoned veterans, such as Jimmy and Mildred Knowles, who have been tending bees for eight years, or a relative newcomer like Sharon Henderson, who has been tending bees with her husband for two years.

In the case of Wyatt, his primary reason was his wife’s allergies; he had heard that raw honey was good to combat those allergies.

After years of dealing with allergies she is practically allergy-free, which Wyatt attributes in part to eating raw local honey as well as the allergy shots she receives.

“We eat a lot of honey,” Wyatt said.

The Knowles started beekeeping as part of retirement. They spent 40 years in the cattle business before getting into producing fruits and vegetables as Master Gardeners.

The bees are used to pollinate their produce and as a result, the hives were placed relatively close to the garden.

“From my personal experience, it’s a lot more work than you anticipate, but it’s also very rewarding,” Wyatt said. “It’s fascinating to look at one of those creatures and know that God designed it to be the only animal that produces food that humans can consume.”

There is a process that each bee takes to allow for a hive to successfully function.

A typical life cycle for worker bees is six weeks, due to the fact that they are constantly searching for nectar and they wear their wings out.

According to Jimmy Knowles, bees can multiply quickly especially during swarming season in the spring, when they often find a new home.

“You can go from four hives to 20 hives in one year,” Jimmy Knowles said.

The typical rule is to not expect honey until the second year, Wyatt said. Honey is also food for the bees and enough has to be left over for them to feed from in order to survive through the winter months.

It can be difficult to follow a schedule and plan too far ahead when working closely and relying heavily on nature. The weather plays a major factor.

“You can plan on going into the bee house to inspect them, but if it’s a cloudy or rainy looking day, you better change your plan,” Wyatt said.

The best conditions to inspect the hives is on a sunny day with little wind.

One of the most popular questions the beekeepers are asked is whether or not the bees sting.

“Contrary to what most people believe, bees are not naturally aggressive,” Wyatt said. “You’re not naturally aggressive, but if someone starts tearing your house apart you’re going to defend it.”

Wearing proper protective clothing is the first step in monitoring bees.

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A beekeeper pulls a shelf out of a hive.

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Bees are essential to pollinating plants, especially crops and flowers.

According to Mildred Knowles, once a honeybee stings it dies shortly after, while a yellow jacket has the ability to sting multiple times.

Wyatt instructed that if you get stung (by a honeybee), do not grab the stinger and pull it out because squeezing it will release the venom into the body. Instead, use a fingernail or credit card to scrape out the stinger.

“Stings are a part of it, but it all depends on where the sting occurs,” Wyatt said. “You don’t want to wear perfumes or scented deodorants. A lot of that stuff, you just learn as you go.”

The face is an example of an area of the body that is more sensitive and will react differently to being stung than other areas.

Because honey is made from the nectar of flowers, the production of honey coincides with when the flowers are known to bloom in a certain region.

According to Wyatt, it requires a lot of work and several trips by the bees to get enough nectar for even a teaspoon of honey.

When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, the bees are known to cluster together and vibrate their bodies to generate heat.

However, Alabama’s tendency for warmer winters compared to states farther north, means that if the temperature rises the bees may go out and look for nectar when many plants and flowers are not available.

“That’s why we’re trying to get trees and plants that will bloom during the winter months,” Mildred Knowles said. “We’ve got a type of cherry tree and honeysuckle bush that will bloom off and on all winter.”

Disease is another factor that can have a disastrous effect and can destroy a hive if sickness spreads throughout it.

Bees naturally propagate by swarming, which

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Beekeepers often add more hives as their bee population grows.

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The final result of beekeeping is often times honey, such as this batch from Larry Wyatt, president of the Chilton County Beekeepers Association.

occurs when a hive builds up and the old queen leaves, so the hive is left to look for a new home.

As a result of a swarm, bees have been known to develop hives in houses, hollow trees, barns and even the occasional water meter.

All it takes is a quarter inch hole for the bees to go into a structure.

As well as tending to bees, Wyatt has also been involved in removal projects of established beehives on various properties. The removal process usually takes a couple of hours.

According to Wyatt, there are more than 125 identified beekeepers in the county and the surrounding areas, and 73 are listed members with the Chilton County Beekeepers Association.

From the beginning, Evans could see the potential that existed for bee cultivation in Chilton County after 40 people that showed up to the first ever meeting.

“It has gained steadily over time,” Evans said.

A year membership is $10 and meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month beginning at 6 p.m. at the Clanton Recreation Center.

The association began its first ever beginner beekeeping class on Jan. 15.

One of the positives of the county having its own association is that help in solving a problem that arises with the beehives is never far away.

“When people need help with their bees, they don’t need to wait for a state meeting,” Evans said. “They need help now.”

Chilton County’s central location and local interest makes it an annual host venue for the ACES Beekeeping Symposium in February and the Alabama Beekeepers Association Fall Conference in September.

“One thing about beekeepers is that they may be shy or reclusive, but they love to talk about bees,” Wyatt said.

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CHANGING A NEIGHBORHOOD

Jessie Binion has served her neighborhood for almost 20 years through Neighborhood Watch STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOYANNA LOVE

T

he West End Neighborhood Watch has been a constant in the community for nearly 30 years.

Members are passionate about making the neighborhood a better place to live. This passion could not be more evident than when talking to founding member Jessie Binion.

Through the years, she has been an integral part of cleaning the streets of debris, providing opportunities for students and anything else that could help the community.

“It is just an organization that I have enjoyed being in,” Binion said Binion and fellow founders Lee Ada Jones, Hattie Rogers and Jamie Pelham established the organization in 1988. Binion has served as secretary for her entire time with the organization.

She has books of records dating back to the very founding of the group.

Meetings began at Fountain Chapel A.M.E Church, with membership growing through word of mouth.

“We just want our neighborhood to look good, and it is looking a whole lot better, and it is looking a whole lot cleaner,” Binion said.

Some members were specifically invited by Binion.

This was the case for current president Jackie Baker.

Binion said when she asked Baker to serve as president, he said yes immediately. Baker said it has been “wonderful” working with Binion, and he is thankful for the opportunity.

“One thing about her: whatever she says she is going to do, she does it,” Baker said. “She is a dedicated person. She loves her community.”

Binion said she is pleased at what the group has accomplished and the unity of those involved.

“We have good sponsors. We have good members and everyone seems to be on one accord,” Binion said. “...

I’ve come this far with it, and I hope to see it through

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Jessie Binion’s passion for her neighborhood is evident through her work with the West End Neighborhood Watch.

“We are trying to put money

back into the community and help the people.”

— Jessie Binion to the end, until God calls me home.”

Although she plans to continue to serve for a long time, the leaders are looking to give younger members more responsibility “so this will continue.”

Recent projects have included cleaning up properties, establishing a community garden and providing a computer area for students at the E. M. Henry Community Center.

“We have done a lot for the community,” Binion said.

Clearing trash from the streets is an ongoing focus for the Neighborhood Watch, but progress is being made.

“Since we have started doing that, it is so much better because the streets aren’t as dirty,” Binion said.

Membership has fluctuated over the years, but Binion and Jones have been a constant for the organization. They are now the only remaining founding members still living.

When the group was organizing, Clanton Police Officer Rick Bush, Jr. presented the founding members with information about Neighborhood Watch organizations.

Binion said this served as the blueprint for how the West End Neighborhood Watch was established.

“We appreciated it,” Binion said.

In March 2015, the Neighborhood Watch received its 501(c)3 tax status making grant opportunities possible.

“Since we’ve got started, we’ve gotten a lot done, as I say, but the greatest part about it now is we put in for grants,” Binion said.

The first grant set into motion a three-stage plan to create opportunities for youth and senior citizens.

“Cawaco gave us our first $3,000, and with that we bought computers, copy paper and file cabinets to go in our conference room,” Binion said.

Fred Crawford, former Chilton County Industrial Board member, donated furniture to the organization when he was clearing out an office.

“I want him to know that I am eternally grateful to him,” Binion said.

The computers have created an opportunity for students to come and do homework at the E.M Henry Community Center.

“We are trying to put money back into the community and help the people,” Binion said.

The second grant the organization received was for $4,000, made possible through partnerships with Crawford and the city of Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver.

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Equipment for a senior citizen activity area has been purchased, and the room will be renovated when the garage at the activity center is finished.

She said the hope is to have games and food and fellowship available for the seniors to enjoy.

As secretary, Binion is responsible for keeping all of the receipts for how the grant funding is used.

Binion is also excited about the plans to create trip opportunities for neighborhood children with adopted grandparents as chaperones.

The Neighborhood Watch raises money for ongoing projects through membership dues. Binion said when the watch was first established, dues were $12. Now, dues are $24.

Binion and Baker represent the Neighborhood Watch at the Clanton City Council meetings.

“I enjoy going to those because you learn a lot,” Binion said.

Binion also has a plan for those whose actions are detrimental to the community.

“We pray for them,” Binion said. “There isn’t any other way around it.”

The Neighborhood Watch has established many partnerships through the years, both formal and informal. Binion said Clanton Housing Authority Executive Director Ron Jones has done a lot to help the cause of keeping yards

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looking presentable.

“He has done wonders ... you can ride down through it now, and say there is pride,” Binion said.

Other partnerships include the city of Clanton and the Clanton Police Department. A police officer attends each of the Neighbor Watch meetings. Cpt. David Clackley has served this role for the last six or seven years.

Binion said Clackley “is my go-between.”

Clackley described Binion as a “down to earth person,” who is “willing to work through things.”

He said she is a “valuable asset when it comes to communicating” on behalf of the neighborhood.

The Neighborhood Watch meets the first Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. for one hour.

Binion said being retired allows her time to attend more meetings related to the Neighborhood Watch and its grant applications.

Binion worked at Walmart as a direct store delivery clerk for 21 years.

“I was very passionate about that job, and I liked what I did,” Binion said. “If you like what you do, then your days aren’t long.”

Even there, her passion for helping others was evident as she cooked for Walmart’s fundraisers for the American Cancer Society and Children’s Hospital.

Mary Nell Poland painted these acrylic magnolia blossoms before her stroke. This is the only right-handed painting of hers hanging in her room.

POLAND’S PICTURES When God’s not done with you

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE CARMICHAEL

C

hoices have the power of life or death.

Too often the choices are hope or despair. Both options are powerful.

When unannounced circumstances seem to set a personal life plan ablaze, these two choices remain.

Hope or despair?

Sit in the rubble, or prod the shambles for any remaining treasures capable of restoration?

Life goes on. You are alive.

Such were the choices Mary Nell Poland faced in 2005 after suffering a stroke.

Poland is an artist. She loves drawing nature subjects etched with vibrant colors. Her drawings

depict birds, flowers and — her favorite — people.

They touch her room with light and wonder, and splash a lovely smile on her face, especially when she presents her artwork to a visitor.

Poland is a patient at Hatley Health Center in Clanton, where she has lived since 2005. Her stroke delivered her into the care of the facility, muffling most of her speech and impeding function of her right hand and arm.

Today, Poland is left-handed, but not by choice.

She has chosen, however, to thrive. And she has implemented her left hand to do so.

As Randall Edwards, one of Poland’s favorite visitors to the nursing home, said, “If you want

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Poland enjoys drawing seasonal plants and flowers. She changes them out in her room and on her door as seasons pass. to do something bad enough, there’s really nothing to hold you back.”

“One thing that she does,” Nelda LeCroy, Poland’s daughter, said, “is she keeps up with events and experiences that she has, and she creates art based on those experiences.”

The facility’s walls mark the seasons Poland has passed in the home. Portraits and still art hang as cherished décor in hallways and in fellow patients’ rooms.

Poland grew up with two sisters and one brother in Isabella, where she graduated from Isabella High School in 1957.

Her creative spirit bubbled forth music and a love for communication as she made a life in

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Chilton County. Poland spent many years teaching English and art, playing the piano and singing.

Poland has four children: Douglas, James, Nelda and Clarice. Poland’s husband, Harold Poland, died in 1999.

Before her stroke, Poland was also a skilled typist.

“She could type on the manual typewriter — maybe 70 words per minute. I’m not even making it up, maybe more than that — 100, what? It was ridiculous,” LeCroy laughed. “There was like smoke coming off of that thing,” Losing her ability to communicate easily with words dealt a heavy blow to Poland.

Mary Nell Poland poses with artwork she created using her left hand, which is her least dominant hand. Poland lost function of her right hand in 2005 when she suffered a stroke.

“For her, with the communication, that was a big thing, [For] somebody who talked and [typed] as quick as that,” LeCroy said, snapping her fingers repetitively. “She’s so creative, and this (drawing) is an outlet for her creativity.”

Poland is known both inside and outside the health center for her drawings, which she gives out freely to bless the people she encounters.

“What gets everyone’s attention, is that she draws pictures of people,” LeCroy said. “They’ll come in and she’ll say, ‘Can I draw your picture?’ or she won’t tell them, she’ll just sketch it out while they’re singing or presenting or whatever.”

Background horizontal squiggles and marker-drawn profiles are her trademarks.

LeCroy said Poland keeps a basket full of drawing utensils on hand, especially when Hatley’s receives visitors.

Poland uses oil pastels, markers, paint markers and pencils. “[If] you see her carrying that basket going to one of the meetings, you know you might have your image,” LeCroy said. “She gives them to everybody.”

Poland said her favorite visitors are musicians and preachers. She beamed as she described them with enthusiastic gestures, and hummed the warmth she felt by their visits, hugging her arms to her chest as she expressed her joy.

She spoke some of her favorite names.

“Randall” was one such name delivered strong and clear.

Randall Edwards consistently brings a group of musicians to perform at the Hatley Health Center and other nursing homes in the surrounding area. Edwards owns Pokana Talahassi music store in downtown Clanton.

“They all love him, and it’s so sweet,” LeCroy said of Edwards’ popularity among Hatley patients. “He’s

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Bird have made some of Poland’s favorite subjects for her artwork, allowing her to use a variety of bright colors. Poland said she enjoys drawing people the most. This drawing features the faces of her fellow bingo players during an afternoon game. Poland’s artwork is featured along the halls and walls of Hatley’s Health Center—much of it hanging as cherished gifts in patients’ rooms. devoted and given so much to the residents here.

Because he cares.”

“I’ve probably been going out there about 15 years,” Edwards said. He remembered Poland arriving at the home about two years into his ministry.

He has since collected numerous drawings gifted to him by Poland. They hang in his shop and in his home, and others he was entrusted to deliver to people whose profiles had been drawn while visiting the home.

For time spent alone, Poland alternates draw-

ing and reading.

“She reads like lightning — super fast!” LeCroy, who maintains a healthy stock of books in Poland’s closet, said.

Poland relishes a funny combination of genres: murder mysteries and faith literature, with little variance in-between.

She said her faith is very important to her, and has brought her much comfort.

“I feel like God’s not done with you when you get to the nursing home,” Edwards said.

CLANTON

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Connie Bainbridge was part of the Chamber of Commerce team during the initial promotion of Peach Park.

PASSIONS THAT CULTIVATE A COMMUNITY

Connie Bainbridge and the Chamber that helped put Chilton on the map STORY BY CAROLINE CARMICHAEL PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED There’s a Chinese proverb that states “find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

That job came early and with surprising ease to Connie Bainbridge, manager of community and economic development for Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, who said the Chinese proverb proved its worth when her passions met their purpose with her work in economic and community development.

“That truly happened to me, beginning here in my hometown,” Bainbridge said.

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Bainbridge said she was “born and raised” in Clanton, where she graduated from Chilton County High School in 1979 and left only momentarily — returning to raise her children Marsha and John. Marsha and her husband Jamie Harris have since blessed Bainbridge with two grandchildren, Kallen and Kamber.

Bainbridge was PTO president at her children’s school when a teacher encouraged her to apply for an open position with the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce.

“I loved it from the day I walked in,” Bainbridge

Connie Bainbridge has collected nearly 25 years of Chamber of Commerce management experience since she was director of the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce in 1995.

said.

Bainbridge served as executive director of the Chilton Chamber before switching to the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce for about two and half years. From there, she returned to Clanton for three more years with the Chamber before her final chamber position in Prattville for 14 years.

All in all, Bainbridge collected over 25 years of chamber management experience. This excludes the board memberships she still maintains with several city chambers of commerce.

“All of my areas have been great,” Bainbridge said. “Here in Clanton, I was part of the peach water tower being erected — Peach Park and Durbin’s and Petals [from] the Past and all the tourist activity that was going on.”

Bainbridge said the Chamber also created Chilton Leadership.

“A lot of good things happened here in Chilton,” she said.

Bainbridge said teamwork made the difference.

“When you work for Chamber of Commerce, you work with the most community-minded, best and brightest leadership in an area,” Bainbridge said. “I chose Central Alabama Electric Coop because they are that kind of partner in the community.”

Bainbridge took her current community and economic development position with CAEC in January 2011.

“I knew if I went to work with them,” Bainbridge said, “it would be the same kind of engagement, that they want to be in the community doing good work in the community.”

Julie Young, CAEC vice president of business and administrative services and Bainbridge’s supervisor, said Bainbridge has been a “reliable and dependable” asset to both the cooperative and the relationships CAEC

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Petals from the Past was another local business established during Bainbridge’s time as Chamber director.

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depends on for impactful business.

“When she came to the cooperative, she brought a great deal of experience with her,” Young said. “She has a very rich background in economic development, and one of the fundamentals of economic development is relationship building.”

Young said she first met Bainbridge in Prattville over 20 years ago. At the time, Bainbridge was an economic

developer for the Prattville’s Chamber of Commerce and Young held a position in the mayor’s office for the city, working closely with the Chamber since it was the city’s “sales force.”

Young described Bainbridge as a strategic, creative thinker who specializes in problem solving and helping people achieve what would best benefit both them and their situations.

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As part of the Chamber of Commerce team, Bainbridge used to work from her “office� inside the caboose train car.

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Connie Bainbridge was part of the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce team that brought the “Big Peach” to tower over the city.

Durbin Farms was another establishment promoted by the Chamber during Bainbridge’s leadership.

“She can take in a situation or circumstances and make some really quick assessments about it, and she’s pretty much on target when she does that,” Young said.

Janice Hull, former executive director of Chilton County Chamber of Commerce, suggested Bainbridge’s extensive involvement and impact in the community stems from a love for learning.

“She just likes to learn,” Hull said, recounting years that Bainbridge worked for the Chamber of Commerce while putting herself through college.

Hull had served on the executive board that initially hired Bainbridge as director of Chilton County Chamber of Commerce in 1995.

“I think Connie and I have something in common because I am the first person in my family to get a college degree, and I think Connie is too,” Hull said.

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Petals from the Past is one of the businesses Connie Bainbridge worked with during her time at the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce.

Bainbridge said she completed business bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Faulkner University.

Hull said Bainbridge also attended Chamber Institute, often dropping by Hull’s accounting office in Clanton to share what she learned about economic development.

“And that’s the other thing — she wants everybody else to know it too,” Hull said. “And she builds her relationships that way. She goes back and visits with people and tries to share those type of ideas with them.”

Bainbridge’s love for learning double-teams with her passion for people, cultivating growth even beyond city economy as it impacts the individuals who comprise the community.

Bainbridge said she believes the healthiest and happiest individuals in a community are those who have good jobs.

“I think a good job means something to people,” Bainbridge said. “And you have to compete for good jobs.”

Her job helps make such jobs available in the

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community. And she loves it.

“It’s been a number of years,” Bainbridge said, “but there’s a lot of nights that I go to sleep and I think, ‘Wow! I changed somebody’s life today…’ So, it’s kind of cool to think you have that kind of effect — or that you work with a team that does, because no one person does anything… I’m a team-player, and I have had the privilege with a lot of teams.”

Bainbridge said she has a favorite quote by Margaret Mead, which “is close to my heart” and perhaps reveals much about the force that spurs her into action for cultivating community development from the various roles she fills.

“It says ‘Never doubt that a small group of committed individuals can change the world.

Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has,’” Bainbridge said. “So, you couple that with ‘a job that you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life’ to such breathtaking accomplishments being a part of teams. I’m telling you, I could just pinch myself sometimes.”

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Despite being retired since 2005, George Walker is still a fixture at Maplesville athletic events.

A PERFECT FIT FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS

George Walker continues to be a piece of the Maplesville puzzle STORY BY ANTHONY RICHARDS PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

F

or 41 years George Walker patrolled the halls of Maplesville High School as he served as principal over three generations of students.

It was part of his life for so long that he has continued to miss it ever since retiring in 2005.

According to Walker, it is the daily interaction with students and teachers alike that he has not tired of even to this day.

He may be retired, but Walker continues to be a visible presence in the community and around

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the school.

Which is made easy by the fact that he only lives about 300 yards from the school in the same house he has for years.

Being walking distance from the school allows him to attend several athletic events throughout the year.

Most mornings he can be found in the early hours of the day walking around the school for exercise, a routine that also includes 100 pushups every day.

Maplesville’s football stadium is named in honor of former principal George Walker.

Born in Ozark, he spent two years of active duty as a Marine. Walker credits that time in the military for making him the person and the principal that he turned out to be.

“Being a former officer, I expected discipline,” Walker said. “I’d like to think that I have command presence.”

It did not take long for that disciplined approach to get noticed and after getting into teaching following the military, a situation led

to him being asked to principal in his first year on the job.

“It happened so quickly,” Walker said.

Before he knew it, he was finishing his schooling at Troy and was part of one of the first graduate school classes at Troy University and earned his Masters.

After spending time as principal at a Barber County school, he accepted the position at Maplesville and immediately felt at home.

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“I fell in love with the community and everything just fell right into place,” Walker said.

He enjoyed his time in the military, so much so that he became a lieutenant with the National Guard in Montgomery in 1970.

Looking back on Walker’s lengthy tenure, the one thing that has changed the most has been the athletic facilities at the school.

According to Walker, when he first got there the football field was a bunch of dirt and a lane from the highway ran through the outfield of the baseball field.

Over the years, he teamed up and worked closely with the athletic club on several projects that have revamped each of the fields and gyms currently in use.

“It’s been quite a journey,” Walker said. “I feel like I’m the luckiest man alive.”

The football stadium is named after Walker and it is an honor that he holds in high regard.

Walker can be found at every home game in a seat right next to the press box that is not reserved, but everyone knows whose it is.

Nearly every person that walks by is compelled to stop and talk to Walker, even if only to say hello on the way to the concession stand.

The people’s lives that Walker has had an impact on over the years are too many to count, but you get a good idea any time he makes an appearance at an event.

The respect that he required decades ago still exists to this day, and the bond between him and his students remains strong.

“We [him and his students] just had so much fun,” Walker said. “I have to keep up with them and see what they’re doing in life.”

One of his students was current Maplesville

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“I fell in love with the com-

munity and everything just fell right into place.”

— George Walker councilman Hal Harrison and graduate of the Class of 1998.

According to Harrison, anytime he sees Walker he always makes sure he takes the time to go over and shake his hand.

“He remembers everybody and what they did,” Harrison said. “Even after all these years.”

As the years changed so did the students, but Walker’s approach never budged for a second.

His slogan throughout his time as a principal was the “three B’s,” which stood for be good, be here or be gone.

According to Walker, there was never a reason to change his philosophy.

“We only had one person expelled in all the years I was there,” Walker said.

In his early years as principal, he even drove a school bus, just another example of his dedication to the school and the community in which he called home.

Steven Hunter has been principal at Maplesville for five years and there have been moments during the time where he has leaned on Walker for some guidance.

“I like having him around,” Hunter said. “He’s a great resource.”

According to Hunter, there are days when Walker is at school even before he arrives for the day.

“He’s kind of a legend around here,” Hunter said. “He is Maplesville.”

Much of the improvement of the Maplesville athletic facilities and established tradition of success can be traced back to Walker.

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Greg Walls and Hal Harrison paddle downstream.

TURNING THE TIDE

Church uses creek as kayak ministry opportunity STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED The constant sound of flowing water welcomes the excited kayakers to the creek’s edge.

Many have been before and are back to serve as guides for those putting their paddles in for the first time.

Mulberry Creek has had a reputation as a party destination of a rowdy kind, but over the past three years, Ebenezer Baptist Church has made it a destination for times of enjoying the outdoors and ministering to others.

“We have always had this creek running right through our little town,” ministry leader Greg

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Walls said. “I’ve played in it all my life and never thought about it being some kind of ministry.”

However, when another church member became passionate about a kayak ministry, Walls joined in supporting the effort.

GETTING STARTED Ebenezer Baptist purchased enough beginner kayaks for a sizeable group to paddle down the creek together. The kayaks were the sit-on-top design, making them ideal those who had never been in a kayak before.

Greg Walls and Hal Harrison carry the guide canoe down to the water.

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Chrissy and Hal Harrison, Dennis Burnett, Sharon Earl prepare for a kayak trip on the creek.

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Emma, Jessica and Erin Anderson

Pastor Danny Rasberry said, at first, he was doubtful the ministry would be successful because of the shallowness of the water.

Rasberry has been happy that the creek has cooperated as much as it has.

“It is a pretty exciting thing for me because it was an effort by the members of the church to get outside the walls of the church,” Rasberry said.

All of the trips are free to participants thanks to donations from church members.

While several church members have participated in trips, at its core the ministry aims to draw people in the community to the events as an opportunity to show them a fun time and tell how Jesus Christ has changed their lives.

During a year of drought, some trips have had to be canceled.

Another year an abundance of rain made the water too dangerous, and trips had to be canceled.

Greg Walls said the creek is usually 1-2 feet deep, and most of the time the trip can go on as planned.

“It took a lot of faith to jump out into this, for the whole church,” Greg Walls said.

Simply buying the equipment was a sizeable

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Dennis Burnett paddles along the creek.

investment.

“Not only that, but it takes a lot of work from the church,” Walls said. “Moving 20 kayaks twice on Saturday and once on Sunday that can get strenuous. We say we run it, but we would be nothing without the church volunteers.”

LEADERSHIP When the person who started the ministry could no longer lead it, Greg and his wife Leanne stepped into the leadership role with a passion for continuing the ministry.

The couple had only been kayaking once prior to becoming involved with the ministry.

“We loved it,” Leanne said of that first experience.

She said this was one reason Greg was so excited about being a part of the ministry.

In the beginning, a team of about 15 church members led and organized the kayaking trips. Today, the team has grown to 40 volunteers, including several youth, involved in various aspects of the trips.

“It gives you an opportunity to witness to people you wouldn’t otherwise have gotten to witness to,” Greg Walls said.

His favorite part of leading a group of kayakers is

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meeting new people and “enjoying God’s creation.”

Serving in the kayaking ministry has become a family effort for the Walls, as their son Noah has joined as a guide.

The trip season usually runs from May to July.

Groups meet at the church and our transported to the spot where a land owner allows the kayakers to put the boats in to the creek.

“It takes about an hour and a half to go down the trip,” Greg Walls said. “At the end, we take an opportunity for someone to give their testimony. We have refreshments, and then we bring them back to the church.”

Every guide prepares a short testimony before each trip in anticipation of being asked to share about what God has done in his or her life.

“We have had quite a number of youth that have given their testimonies,” Leanne Walls said.

Greg said this not only serves as an opportunity to tell non-church attenders about Jesus, but also as a way for the church members to become more confident talking about their faith.

“Not only has it given us an opportunity to witness, but it is making us stronger Christians,” he said.

FUN IN THE RAPIDS Leanne handles the scheduling of each trip and coordinating all of the supplies and volunteer guides. A typical trip has two or three guides.

Penny Gregg has been a guide each year.

“I enjoy being outdoors and kayaking,” Gregg said.

At first, she wasn’t sure if she would be a good guide for the trips, but after the first time, she found she enjoyed it.

“I have loved it ever since,” Gregg said. “I love the kayaking part. I love being on the creek.”

She said the atmosphere is peaceful.

It has also been a good time to meet new people.

“I have been on several trips with my son Benton and each of those were special because we got to spend

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time together,” Gregg said.

The opportunity is open to anyone six years old or older.

“We do tell them ahead of time that it depends on the water level, how rough the water is,” Leanne said.

All participants are required to wear life jackets.

When the water is low in the creek, kayakers have to drag the boats a portion of the way “It is a strenuous activity, regardless. We try to let people know what they are getting into,” Greg Walls said.

MINISTRY Several of the trips, especially when the ministry was first being established, have been other churches or ministries coming to enjoy a day on the water. A trip with Teen Challenge, a residential recovery program for those battling addiction, stands out to Greg Walls.

“Hearing those guys’ stories and what they have been through and what they have made it out of was an eye opener to a lot of our people who were guides that day,” Greg Walls said.

One time Greg Walls said the group invited a man and his girlfriend who were hanging out by the creek to join the trip.

“He ended up rededicating his life and coming back to church,” Greg Walls said.

The man later served as a guide for some other trips.

“If I had to pick what the coolest thing out of all of this was, it would be seeing him turn his life around,” Greg Walls said.

The first kayak run of the season is always used to train guides to make sure they know the low spots.

“A lot of our guides have come from our church members coming to see what we were doing,” Greg Walls said.

After that first trip, many decide they enjoy it and want to be a part.

The first year approximately 400 people participated. Weather was more temperamental last year, so fewer trips were held. The average is about 200 participants a season.

For more information on booking a trip, visit Ebenezer Ministries or Ebenezer Baptist Church on Facebook.

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A double rainbow is spotted above a cabin on the property.

FILLING

RALEIGH’S PLACE

The blossoming of a foster care ministry impacting Chilton lives STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE CARMICHAEL

T

here is a parable remembered and recorded by renowned English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon, which compares the death of a child of God to a nobleman plucking then taking home a beautiful rose from his garden.

“Rejoice that your dear one is now so radiantly happy. The Master has but taken his own which in grace he lent to you for a few fleeting hours,” it reads.

Spurgeon’s words planted special meaning in the hearts of the King family in 1998 when their 12-year-old daughter Raleigh passed away from a

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seizure in her sleep.

“She was a joyous child who loved life — every minute that God gave her,” her mother Sharon King said.

The place on earth Raleigh left behind became a place for hundreds of other children.

It became Raleigh’s Place.

“When Raleigh died, we asked God what he wanted us to do in ‘place’ of taking care of Raleigh, and so he led us to James 1:27,” King, who is also co-founder of Raleigh’s Place, said. “It says ‘The religion that’s true and faultless is caring for orphans and widows,’ but our part would

Campers enjoy a bonfire blaze as they listen to a Bible message read by a camp leader.

be to care for orphans, so that’s what we began to do.”

By now, most Chilton residents know about Raleigh’s Place. The nonprofit organization is composed of 20 acres near Lake Mitchell and has been impacting foster families and foster children across the state since 2005.

Striving to share Christ’s love and cultivate a sense of permanence in children, Raleigh’s Place provides several foster and respite homes, a foster children’s summer camp called Camp 1:27 and a clothing pantry called Katie’s Kloset.

the couple years prior to Raleigh’s death, which Sharon King said served as an enormous comfort and aid during the family’s painful season.

Following Raleigh’s passing, the Kings began enacting James 1:27 from their Vestavia Hills home in the Birmingham area. Sharon and Tim King became foster parents, and along with their son and Raleigh’s older brother Charlie, the Kings became family to many foster children entering their home.

Today, Sharon and Tim King have 12 children.

“I had Charlie and Raleigh, and then we adopted 10,” Sharon King said. “We have been foster THE JOURNEY parents since then for at least 175 [children] that I can remember and name — maybe a few more The transition from losing Raleigh to filling that came for a short time… all age groups.”

Raleigh’s place of care is one King describes as King said it didn’t take long for her and Tim to a faith journey. understand that they were called to care for more The King family had become “really saved” children than just those who passed by under

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The King family: Sharon and Tim King with six of their 12 children.

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Raleigh King is remembered as a happy child who always wore a smile.

their Vestavia roof.

“We knew that God wanted us to be in a different place, and then we just felt a burden to have more and more children,” she said.

King said they discovered a great need for more space and a school system with viable studies for the coming-and-going nature of many foster children’s enrollment.

A rural location was ideal.

The Kings purchased 100 acres near Lake Mitchell in Chilton County in 2003, setting aside 20 acres for Raleigh’s Place.

Then, they got to work building.

The family stayed in a mobile home on the property until construction of their new home was completed.

Then, it was time to bring Raleigh’s Place to life.

Raleigh’s Place was instated as a 501c3 in 2004, and construction of Cabin One commenced for Camp 1:27.

And that was only the beginning.

THE MESSAGE James 1:27 might have its greatest fulfillment at Raleigh’s Place through the ministry’s Camp 1:27, which heeds the verse’s call to care for orphans.

“Not only has Raleigh’s Place had an impact primarily on foster children in our county, but now the summer camp has had an impact on foster children

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A bridge links the cabin area to the playing field near the dining facility.

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Raleigh’s Place currently has four cabins for its Camp 1:27 each summer.

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Campers share sticky smiles for a smores photo.

in other counties,” Kevin Corley, Raleigh’s Place board member and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, said. “And now the impact of Raleigh’s Place is being felt statewide.”

Camp Director Mike King, son of Sharon and Tim King, said that sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ with foster children is the impact Raleigh’s Place, and specifically Camp 1:27, strives to impart to foster children.

“That, at its core, is the biggest impact that we’ll ever have, and that’s the biggest impact that we want,” he said.

Its first summer of ministry, Camp 1:27 had 24 campers. Summer 2017 brought 173 campers.

“I’d love to have every single foster kid in Alabama come to our camp,” Mike King said. “We have camp eight weeks out of the summer, which sounds absolutely crazy, but it might very well happen one day.”

Currently, Camp 1:27 property consists of four cabins, one pavilion, one craft hut, one dining hall, five horses and two pools (one shallow and one deep).

As a nonprofit organization, Raleigh’s Place relies on the support of sponsors and donors to op-

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erate and grow. All staff members are volunteers, earning income from outside employment.

Mike King said that in coming years, Camp 1:27 hopes to raise enough money to fund a basketball gym, beach volleyball court, archery range and eventually a large ball field.

“I think the biggest goal is to see all our camp weeks filled up with campers. And I hope that we’ll be able to get to the point where every single year, we have a full staff of great, godly men and women who are excited about investing in kids and discipling them,” he said.

FILLING RALEIGH’S PLACE The extent of the Raleigh’s Place impact cannot be calculated.

Not yet. There is still much to do.

“We’ve never stopped [building],” Sharon King said. “God’s always provided.”

Corley said he has seen many Chilton County lives changed by the ministry — an influence he is certain will continue to flourish with each child touched by its message of hope.

“I think of the families in our church who have

Several campers share a boogie board bobsled for a Slip ‘N Slide ride of a lifetime.

gotten into foster care ministry because of the Kings and their work out at Raleigh’s Place … The lives that have been changed just as a result of their faithfulness to that calling,” Corley said.

“Obviously, the more families that can get involved in foster care, the greater impact that has on our community,” Corley said. “Because … without foster parents and without ministries like Raleigh’s Place, the stories of those children would be drastically different and probably very negative and very hopeless.”

Raleigh’s Place took a journey of faith to share a message of hope — a hope that keeps giving.

And it initiated from the loss of a very special, very happy little girl whose legacy thrives through the changed lives of hundreds of children across the state.

“He realized then that he had no cause for sorrow,” Spurgeon’s parable reads. “It was well that his Master had been pleased to take ‘his own.’”

The parable stands as a tribute in the Kings’ home, filling a place beside pictures of Raleigh.

Now, Raleigh’s Place is filled too.

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TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM Thorsby booster club creates a fantastic game day experience for every sport STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RICHARDS

T

horsby School began the school year in While most fans are settling into their seats as a state of flux, after the majority of the kickoff approaches, the booster club is hard at members who made up the booster club work making sure things run smoothly. were parents of seniors who graduated Coaches have a lot on their plate, as they are last year. preparing for the opponent and calling plays. If Due to this, the Thorsby booster club is starting the booster club handles the fan experience on from scratch.

Friday night, that means Thorsby head coach However, if you attended a football game on Daryl Davis and the rest of Rebels’ coaching staff Friday nights, it was difficult to notice much of can focus all their effort on winning the game. a difference thanks to the support of several par“It’s a blessing,” Daryl Davis said. “There’s a ents and volunteers who have helped fill the void good core group of people that are in place.” left behind.

Mike Davis parked cars, while Farris and BarLeading the way are Mike Davis, Jason Bar- nett sold drinks along the concourse at the top of nett and Phillip Farris, who took over organizing the stands. many of the pre-game efforts. They each have at There is a knack to parking cars and a plan in least one son playing at the varsity level. place with capacity in mind, Mike Davis said.

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The Thorsby band boosters run the concession stand.

Working an event can also be a balancing act for parents who are still in the midst of their pregame duties when the game gets under way.

Mike Davis typically misses the first quarter, and picks up the game around the start of the second quarter.

According to Mike Davis, the club is thankful for volunteers and is willing to accommodate, if possible, for parents wanting to help but also not miss any of the action.

On a typical football Friday, Davis started setting people up at their stations about an hour and a half before kickoff at 7 p.m. There are several stations that include parking, tickets and concession, all of which are manned by volunteers.

Although Mike Davis heads the parking duties, he could often be seen driving around in an all-terrain vehicle to check on each of the stations.

According to Barnett, the goal of the booster club is to represent not just football, but all of the sports in the THS athletic department. They all need help and the proper community support.

“We’re just trying to get it back to where it needs to be,” Barnett said.

Members of the booster club even try to show up at some of the junior varsity games, because they are the future of the program.

“It’s always nice to have a presence there [junior varsity games],” Barnett said.

The club is always looking for new and inventive ways to raise money. Some of the annual traditions that have been established over the years include a pancake breakfast during football season, a golf tournament and selling strawberries during baseball season.

It is important for the booster club, coaches and administration to have a strong relationship.

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Something new that the booster club started during football season was selling drinks under a tent up on the concourse.

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The ticket booth is a busy place prior to games.

With all three facets of the athletic program on the same page, it has made for a fairly seamless transition in the early stages of the booster club rebuild.

According to Mike Davis, the town of Thorsby

and the school have gone through a lot of change recently with a new mayor, principal and head football coach.

What makes him excited about the future is that throughout all the change, moving the town

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and school forward is something shared at all levels.

“Everything is happening in a timely fashion, and everybody’s all in with family involvement,” Mike Davis said. “People want to see success on and off the field, and it needs to be that way.”

The first meeting that the upstart booster club had was in August prior to the start of any sports.

Thirty-three parents attended the meeting including some that had younger children or were graduates of Thorsby wanting to get reconnected with the program.

“Community is very important, especially in a small town,” Mike Davis said. “We’re excited about where we’re at and where we’re going. We must never lose (sight of the fact) that it’s all about the kids.”

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