Cullman, AL July 2023

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

A HEART FOR SERVING OTHERS: REBEKAH LLOYD

SPORTS + RECREATION LOCAL SUMMERTIME FAVORITES

Summer Fun

FOOD + BEVERAGE

FAVORITE SUMMER COCKTAIL AND BEACH BAG ESSENTIALS

LOCAL SERVICES

LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: BROTHERS CONCRETE SUPPLY

Summer is here…

July is my favorite month… being born in July could be part of it, but honestly, I think it has to do with summer. I have to admit July in Alabama is very hot, but who doesn’t love 4th of July, seeing fruit stands full of delicious produce, poolside snacks and lake time? Sitting on the porch at dusk and hearing the sounds of the night brings back memories of my childhood.

Summer memories are my most favorite memories. My grandfather had a huge garden that was bursting with fruits and vegetables. My grandmother would prep, can and freeze foods for the upcoming year. My mom would shuck, cut and freeze cream corn for the future. I loved eating fresh watermelon! Do you sprinkle salt on yours? (For the record, I have never liked salt on mine.)

We have a fun summer issue this month for you, our readers. Come explore some of our my most treasured spots in Cullman to celebrate the season. We are heading to the pool and want to share what's in our beach bags - a fun bag for moms and kids and one trendy bag for moms on the go.

We are bringing you a story about  local veteran Rebekah Lloyd, one featuring Declan Yearwood, owner of Brothers Concrete Supply  and Yearwood Construction, and we're also serving up our favorite cocktail, the Key Lime Pie.

Be sure to check out City Scene, which is filled with photos of our favorite recent events.

And as always, Live Local, Love Local and Shop Local.

July 2023

PUBLISHER

Missy Gurley | missy.gurley@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Wendy Sack | wendy.sack@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Zoe Pugh, Jennifer Murphree - JenJen Photography

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

AD DESIGNER Josh Govero

MISSY GURLEY, PUBLISHER @CULLMAN_CITYLIFESTYLE_

LAYOUT DESIGNER Antanette Ray

city scene

1: Madison Daniel, Tony and Tina Burgett, Braden Walton, Melissa Curtis, Kevin Rice, Anita Kilpatrick, Melanie Hines 2: Guests from Werner’s Trading Company enjoyed Dinner on First, a great event and wonderful cause. 3: Emily Bussman did an amazing job on the Dinner on First live painting. 4: Emily Bussman, owner of Sips N Strokes, painted a live rendition of Dinner on First. 5: Dinner on First was the place to be in Cullman on May 18. 6: Susan Eller, Sophie Harrison and Amy Wood 7: Carrie and Lance Taylor

LAKE LEAGUE REAL ESTATE

LAURA WOOD

KATELYN DOOLEY

EMILY BUSSMAN

SUSAN ELLER

CARRIE TAYLOR

EMILY BUSSMAN

Where neighbors can see and be seen.

8: Willie Crider, Susan Nesmith and Carrie Taylor 9: Katelyn Dooley and Susan Eller 10: Emily Bussman, Amy Wood, Heather Gudger, Stephanie Wood, Janelle Britt, Kim Canaday and Julie Apel 11: The Venue at Cotton Creek was the perfect spot for an elegant Dinner of First. 12: Hamp Hickman and Rachel McPhillps 13: Rachel McPhillips, Rachel Eidson and Melanie Hines 14: Salli Hamm, Carri Cabri, Jacquie Willoughby, Taylor Waldrop and Jennifer Willoughby

CARRIE TAYLOR

KATELYN DOOLEY RACHEL MCPHILLIPS

LAKE LEAGUE REAL ESTATE

STEPHANIE WOOD

RACHEL MCPHILLIPS

TAYLOR PONDER

Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @cullman_citylifestyle_

1: We ran into sweet friends Beckett and Beau Murphy at the Strawberry Festival. 2: Gorgeous and delicious strawberries at the Cullman Strawberry Festival 3: 2023 Miss Strawberry Queen Ashton Henderson 4: Ty Gurley in front of a Strawberry Festival art mural 5: Charlie Norris of Chapter V playing at a local car show Photography by Cullman City Lifestyle

business monthly

A round-up of exciting news from local businesses.

Vintage West Interiors

We are excited to announce that Vintage West Interiors is under new ownership! Marty and Brenda Roberson and their daughter, Suzi Tillitski, took over ownership of VW in 2022. They are a local family who looks forward to serving and growing with the community they love! The new owners are dedicated to providing the same high-quality products and exceptional customer service you’ve come to expect! Located at 216 Second Ave. SW in downtown Cullman.

H&H Landscape, LLC

H&H Landscape, LLC is owned and operated by the Holmes family. With over 20 years of experience, their mission is to serve our community by delivering high-quality residential and commercial landscaping needs.

Landscaping services include:

• Residential and commercial lawn maintenance

• Tree and shrub planting specialist

• Renovations, designs and installations

• Cleanups and curb appeal

Call for a free quote today at 256-338-2144.

The Link of Cullman County food giveaway

The Link of Cullman County is partnering with Greater Good Music for the third year during Rock the South weekend. Festival artists such as Cody Johnson give back to the areas where they perform. Over $20,000 in produce and non-perishable food will be distributed to 500-plus families through a drive-thru pickup on Friday, July 20.

To volunteer, or for more info, call 256-775-0028. linkingcullman.org greatergoodmusic.org

Want to be featured?

Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Cullman

Photography Vintage West Interiors

Photography Emily Durden Barnes

Photography The Link of Cullman County

Fun time, summertime

4 local favorites

ARTICLE BY WENDY SACK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZOE PUGH, EMILY BUSSMAN, CULLMAN CITY LIFESTYLE

Summertime is the best time to be out and about in and around Cullman. Here are four of our favorite places!

SEVEN DAUGHTERS SCOOPS

1600 Second Ave. NW, Cullman

From Old-Fashioned Vanilla to Blueberry Cheesecake to Electric Watermelon Italian Ice, Seven Daughters Scoops has a flavor for everyone. The shop, which declares, "Ice cream makes you happy," releases new "scoops" on Tuesdays. Yum!

GUTHRIE’S CHICKEN

704 Second Ave. NW, Cullman

Who doesn't love chicken fingers? Especially after a long day of of summer fun! And don't forget the fries, Texas toast, ice-cold sweet tea and special sauce!

FRIOS GOURMET POPS

112 Clark St. NE, Cullman Warehouse District

Yes, we have two sweet stops on this list. But it's summertime, and cold treats are a must! Frios serves up more than 30 flavors of handmade, all-natural pops. Pineapple Mango, Key Lime Pie and Margarita are three of our favorites.

WILDWATER

1707 Main Ave. SW, Cullman

With a 22,000-square-foot wave pool, 10 thrill rides, a kids' splash area with eight slides and a drift river, Cullman's new water park is a must-do!

Allie, 9, and Lexi, 7, daughters of Randall and Whitney Holmes, enjoy cones at Seven Daughters Scoops.

Guthrie’s Chicken is a favorite for all ages.

The Bussman brothers enjoy a day at WildWater.

Teddy Wootten, 7, and his brother Jack Wootten, 6, get silly at Frios Gourmet Pops.

My favorite summer cocktail

It goes without saying that cocktails should be enjoyed responsibly, and most of them can even be prepared without alcohol if that’s more your speed. If you do choose to partake, make sure to support your local package store. My go-to is Cabin Fever Beverages. Did you know that when Cabin Fever opened in 2011, it was the first package store in Cullman in over 75 years? Lock that detail away for trivia night!

When entertaining this summer, pretty cocktail glassware is a must. For the cocktail featured in this recipe, I chose a set from another locally owned business, Ashley Mercantile, in downtown Cullman’s Warehouse District. Check it out this summer when you’re out and about!

ARTICLE BY MISSY GURLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY TY GURLEY

KEY LIME PIE

A perfect poolside drink, thanks to Cullman's Cabin Fever Beverages

key lime pie

Refreshing and fizzy, you can’t go wrong a Key Lime Pie cocktail, a crowd favorite that is perfect for poolside and parties.

My friend Elizabeth Lee, owner of Hazel House Collective in Homewood, created this drink for me many years ago. I had to have the recipe, and thankfully, she shared it will me. It has been my go-to favorite ever since.

ingredients:

• Ice

• 1 oz. whipped vodka

• Lime, sliced and juiced

• Ginger ale

directions:

1. Add ice to glass

2. Roll and slice lime.

3. Squeeze half lime over ice.

4. Add vodka and ginger ale.

5. Add lime slice to rim; add another to the drink.

6. Enjoy!

Key Lime Pie cocktail in a glass from Ashley Mercantile in Cullman’s Warehouse District

A HEART FOR SERVING OTHERS

Rebekah Lloyd has a special place in her heart for veterans. Because she is one. Lloyd, the owner of Lloyd Consulting Firm in Cullman, served in the United States Army for nine years.

Rebekah Lloyd

“I did one combat tour in Afghanistan and three tours in South Korea during that time. After transitioning from the Army, I started working and volunteering to advocate for the military and veteran communities on the local, state and national levels in Alabama, Virginia and Washington, D.C.,” Lloyd said. “During this time, I became intimately aware of PTSD among my fellow brothers and sisters-in-arms. I saw how our past experiences continue to impact our personal and professional lives. While pursuing my undergraduate degree in psychology, I researched moral wounds and the long-term impacts of trauma on one's life. Then while earning my Master of Public Administration, I launched a nonprofit organization to help women veterans – HER Story. Our mission is to encourage women veterans to honor and remember their sacrifices by empowering them to share and heal through the art of narrative therapy and storytelling.”

“I want to raise awareness in the workplace about possible traumas, triggers, behaviors and coping mechanisms others might bring to the table and how we can interact together to help everyone succeed.”

Rebekah Lloyd

Rebekah Lloyd is particularly well equipped to help others deal with trauma

ARTICLE BY WENDY SACK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBEKAH LLOYD

Rebekah Lloyd

Lloyd also has great empathy for anyone who has experienced trauma. She moved back to Alabama in 2019 and began the process of adoption through the foster care system.

“While doing so, I took some time off from pursuing my doctorate to focus on helping my children transition from the foster care system into a permanent home and stable family life,” she said.

“My children and those I have worked with since joining the foster community have taught me much about how trauma impacts their daily lives. I recently went back to school, all while continuing my trauma research. While my doctorate is in strategic leadership, I am focusing on servant leadership specifically and applying my research in trauma and its impact within this field.”

Lloyd’s consulting business specializes in leadership coaching and organizational consulting.

“All these distinctive and seemingly disconnected experiences and education converged a couple of years ago when I noticed a need. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted many, and helping organizations survive and thrive during this time was something I was uniquely equipped to help with,” she said. “I launched my consulting firm while working with churches and nonprofit organizations during and after the pandemic. I can help with everyday organizational and leadership development challenges such as strategic planning, succession planning, change management and team building. But I also began to see how I could use my research and experience with trauma from the veteran community and in the foster care system to help organizations and individuals on another level.”

Rebekah Lloyd

Lloyd is uniquely positioned to do the work she does, not only because of her service, education and foster experience, but also because of things she’s experienced personally.

“I have personally been through many traumas. As a teenager, my family's house burned down. Not only did that significantly impact me during that time frame, but I also saw how it impacted my parents as they juggled rebuilding our family's life and preserving what memories we had,” she recalled. “Like many other veterans, I witnessed and experienced things while in service that no one should ever have to. These traumas leave a lasting imprint in our minds and try to change our perception of life and all it brings. As such, we struggle to enter the workforce post-military.”

Lloyd said she wants to bridge the gap between what a leader knows and understands and what an employee who has experienced trauma wishes his or her leader and coworkers did know and understand.

“Many individuals have silent screams for help. Considering the amount of time we spend at work in our adult life, it's crucial leaders are equipped to hear that scream and respond to it,” she said. “That does not mean we must go into specifics about past experiences or traumas. But that does mean I want to raise awareness in the workplace about possible traumas, triggers, behaviors and coping mechanisms others might bring to the table and how we can interact together to help everyone succeed.”

facebook.com/lloydconsultingfirm

Rebekah Lloyd and her dad when she returned from Afghanistan to Fort Drum in New York, in 2009. Her mom and dad (a Vietnam veteran) drove from Bremen, Alabama.

Rebekah Lloyd is seen at a fundraiser for HER Story at Painting with a Twist in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 2017.

Local business spotlight: Brothers Concrete Supply

ARTICLE BY WENDY SACK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BROTHERS CONCRETE SUPPLY

There is just something special about a locally owned business, especially when it’s also a family business that pours back into (no pun intended) the community.

Such is the case with Brothers Concrete Supply, known as BCS, located south of Cullman on Golf Course Road. BCS was founded in 2022 by Carlton Yearwood and his sons Declan and Tyler Yearwood, with assistance from Toby Welton, Joseph Cone and Forrest Jackson, to meet the increased demand for concrete due to the growth in the community and the limited supply available.

BCS is not just locally owned – it’s the only American-owned ready-mix concrete company in Cullman County and celebrated its one-year anniversary June 1.

BCS serves Cullman County, Smith Lake and the surrounding communities. It makes and delivers ready-mix concrete, along with aggregate and sand. As building contractors themselves, the founders understand the

needs of their customers and strive to provide the best service and quality concrete to customers large and small.

According to Declan Yearwood, some of the most interesting projects the company has been involved with include the construction of its own plant and yard by their company Yearwood Construction, the tear-out and repouring of the pavement at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Cullman and providing concrete for the first approved concrete county road in Cullman County, located at Stone Bridge Farms.

“Starting a ready-mix business is one of the most challenging endeavors I’ve taken on in life, and I’d like to thank our employees and my sons for their hard work and dedication for making us such a success in one year’s time,” said Mr. Carlton Yearwood. “We look forward to serving our hometown for years to come.”

brothersconcretesupply.com

facebook.com\BROTHERSCONCRETESUPPLY

‘We look forward to serving our hometown for years to come’

Tyler Yearwood, Carlton Yearwood and Declan Yearwood

FILL YOUR SUMMER TOTE WITH THESE LOCAL MUST-HAVES!

Beach bag essentials

ARTICLE BY WENDY SACK PHOTOGRAPHY BY CULLMAN CITY LIFESTYLE

Bag one, a large BOGG BAG from Werner's, is packed with your more traditional items.

Where will your bag take you this summer?

Whether you're hitting the pool, cruising Smith Lake or lounging on the beach, a cute bag packed with essentials is, well, essential.

Here's a look at some local must-haves we picked up at Werner's Trading Company, Three Pears, Camelot Books and Comics, Ashley Mercantile and Dick's Sporting Goods in Cullman.

Bag one, a large BOGG BAG from Werner's, is packed with your more traditional items:

• Teva flip flops - Werner’s

• Sand Cloud beach towel - Werner’s

• Sun Bum sunscreen - Werner's

• goodr sunglasses - Three Pears (also available at Werner’s)

• Discraft disc - Werner's

• Bashminto set - Werner’s

• Duncan boomerang - Werner’s

• Waboba football - Werner’s

• Waboba moon ball - Werner’s

• Green toys and sand bucketAshley Mercantile

Bag two, a trendy Carmen Sol bag from Three Pears, contains some of this summer's hottest finds (and a great book!):

• Carmen Sol bracelets - Three Pears

• BIRKENSTOCK EVA sandals - Werner’s

• Rodayo coverup - Werner’s

• Peepers Readers sunglasses - Werner’s

• Book - Camelot Books and Comics

• BrüMate Toddy XL cup - Werner’s

• Sun Bum chapstick - Werner's

• Beach hat - Three Pears

Bag two, a Carmen Sol bag from Three Pears, contains some of this summer's hottest finds (and a great book!).

CITY LIFESTYLE

Summer Bucket List

Welcome, summer! As a hyper-local publication, we thrive on helping our readers make connections with the cities they live in, the businesses that make up their communities and the inspiring individuals making a positive mark. Are you ready for your most adventurous, fun summer? Here are summer bucket list ideas for you to accomplish this year. We hope you’ll explore a new neighborhood, spend a lazy Saturday afternoon at a new winery or taste the flavors at a local ice cream shop. Let us know what you discover and enjoy! We’d love to hear.

KIDS ADULTS

Make the most of this Summer! Check off these activities on our Kids Summer Bucket List as you complete them throughout the summer. P.S. You might need an adult’s help with some of these!

Make Popsicles

Go Swimming

Play Sand Volleyball

Have a Family Movie Night

Stargaze

Go on a Picnic

Watch Fireworks

Build a Fort

Make Tie-Dye Shirts

Build a Sandcastle

Bake Cookies

Splash at a Waterpark

Have a Water Balloon Fight

Make Homemade Pizza

Pick Your Own Fruit

Explore a New Local Park

Go Fishing Camp in the Backyard

Sleep In

Play Board Games

Do a Random Act of Kindness

Write a Kind Note to a Friend

Ride a Rollercoaster

Visit a Carnival Go

Summer is finally here. Take advantage of the season with our Adult Summer Bucket List. Check off these activities as you complete them with your family and friends and congratulate yourself on a Summer well-spent!

Learn Something New

Take a Cooking Class

Visit a Local Winery

Go on a Bike Ride

Explore a New Area of your City

Try a New Restaurant

Try a Local Ice Cream Shop

Hike a New Trail

Explore a National Park

Read a New Book

Book a Self-Care Service at a MedSpa

Take a Roadtrip

Go Whitewater Rafting

Barbeque New Recipes

Visit the Local Farmers’ Market

Go Snorkeling

Go on a Bar Walk

Go Rock Climbing

Have a Bonfire

Go Zip Lining

Plan a Family Camping Trip

Go to a Film Festival

See an Outdoor Concert

Host an Adult Scavenger Hunt Volunteer at

JULY

events

A curated selection of the most intriguing upcoming events in our area.

JULY 4TH

Smith Lake Park Fireworks and Music Festival 2023

SMITH LAKE PARK | 9:00 AM

All-day entertainment, live music, arts and crafts, food vendors and a fireworks show over the water at the end of the night. Go to facebook.com/SmithLakePark for more information.

JULY 14TH

2nd Fridays

DOWNTOWN CULLMAN

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT | 5:00 PM

This Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event features an evening of downtown fun that centers on extended retail hours, restaurant specials and entertainment for locals and visitors. Every second Friday through September. Get more information at Facebook. com/2ndFridaysCullman.

JULY 20TH-22ND

Rock the South

YORK FARMS, 1872 COUNTY

ROAD 469, CULLMAN | 2:00 PM

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