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Madison Living is published monthly by Tennessee Valley Media, Inc. A one-year subscription to Madison Living is $30.79 for 12 issues per year. Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Madison area. To subscribe, call 256-772-6677.
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A springtime tradition in Madison, the Easter “Egg”stravaganza is scheduled for April 8 at Dublin Park, 8324 Old Madison Pike. Sponsors for the event are City of Madison Parks and Recreation Department and Rocket City Martial Arts.
The egg hunt for one- through five-year-olds will start at 9 a.m. The hunt for six- to 10-year-olds will begin at 10:30 a.m.
On Dublin soccer fields, youngsters can enjoy face painting and playing on inflatable amusements. Organizers said that the children might even catch a glimpse of the Easter Bunny hanging around the park. Children will have a chance to win prizes.
During the hunts, the Easter Bunny will be available for photographs with the youngsters.
To attend the Egg-stravaganza, free shuttle service will run from Bob Jones High School to Dublin Park. Only motorists with handicap parking permits can park at Dublin Park.
For more information, please call 256-772-9300.
Arts Huntsville will host the 41st Panoply Arts Festival on April 28-30. Over four decades, Panoply Arts Festival has evolved into a premiere arts weekend showcasing the greater Huntsville area’s innovative spark through a three-day celebration of art, music, and more.
Panoply’s 41st celebration kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 28, showcasing regionally celebrated bands and musicians, the fan-favorite juried Art Marketplace, art and STEAM interactives, a large-scale community art project, craft beer and wine, food trucks and more. This year the festival will again span across Church Street and into Big Spring Park East.
Panoply 2023 will feature over 30 bands and musicians that make Huntsville the place to be for music today. Performers from all genres — jazz, rock, R&B, indie rock, blues, pop and more – will entertain festivalgoers on Panoply’s two stages: the Indie Stage and the Showcase Stage, presented by Pepsi.
Panoply 2023 Hours by Day: Friday, April 28, from 5-9:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Art Marketplace closes at 7:30 p.m.); and Sunday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, volunteer sign-up, and to purchase tickets, visit the Arts Huntsville website at www.artshuntsville. org/panoply-arts-festival.
The Kids to Love Foundation has set the date for its annual Denim & Diamonds fundraiser, the premier fundraising event for its Davidson Farms home for girls and the Whitaker Cottage Community. This year’s Denim & Diamonds, presented by Twickenham Advisors, will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at The Jackson Center, located at 6001 Moquin Drive NW in Huntsville. Country music star Collin Raye will be this year’s headline artist. Raye has had 21 country songs chart in the Top 10 on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country chart during his career. Several were number one hits, including “Love, Me,” “I Can Still Feel You,” and “My Kind of Girl.” Raye’s most recent album, “Scars,” came out in 2020. The Kids to Love Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to meeting the immediate needs of foster children. Since its incorporation in 2004, Kids to Love has reached more than 300,000 foster children, rescuing them and meeting their needs. For more information, visit their website at www. kidstolove.org.
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Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Spring Plant Sale • April 13-22 • hsvbg.org
Ready…set…spring! into gardening at the Huntsville Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale, April 13-15 and April 20-22, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Don’t miss the most diverse plant sale in North Alabama, featuring a wide variety of botanicals and expert advice! The HBG Spring Plant Sale starts with a Members-Only Preview Sale on April 13, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., for HBG members. The HBG Spring Plant Sale will open to the public for the remaining days, April 14-15 and April 20-22. There is no admission or charge for parking for the HBG Spring Plant Sale (those who also want to tour the Garden will need to pay Garden admission). To attend the sale, park in the Blue parking lot and follow the signs and flags to the greenhouse area. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own wagons. Staff and volunteers will be available to help load your new plants into your vehicle.
For their spring musical, James Clemens Theatre will present a hilarious study in satire, “Urinetown - The Musical” next week. Showtimes for “Urinetown” are April 6 and 7 at 7 p.m.; April 8 at 2 and 7 p.m.; April 13 and 14 at 7 p.m.; and April 15 at 2 and 7 p.m. in James Clemens Auditorium. The premise of “Urinetown - The Musical” originated when the composer visited Paris and was surprised at the number of pay-for bathrooms. The composer imagines ‘Urinetown,’ a town where people are forced to use public pay toilets. Corrupt lawmakers and greedy corporations take advantage of regular people who simply want to use the bathroom. The satire makes fun of politicians, government, musical theater...even its own title. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, military and senior citizens. For more information, visit Facebook/James Clemens Theatre and Instagram.
4/1at7PMUltimateOldiesRockShow
4/6at7PMTheSteelWoodswithOlivaWolf
4/7at7PMSundanceHeadacousticshow
4/8at7:30PMJClaudeEntertainmentPresentsComedians: JPLaffsum,DenoPosey&PerceyCrews
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Plan an evening out with historic downtown Madison - food trucks, a Jeep show, live entertainment, Easter egg “hunting” for the kids, late night shopping, and goodies for kids. Oh and the Easter bunny will be hopping around for pictures.
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TThe Huntsville Ballet Company takes the stage of the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at the Von Braun Center on April 14-16 with an enchanting production of Cinderella. One of the most famous and beautiful ballets of all time, Cinderella tells the timeless story of Cinderella, a servant to her evil stepsisters until her fairy godmother helps her win the love of Prince Charming at a magnificent ball.
The cast of characters and the beloved story will delight audiences both young and old. Principal dancers Abby Callahan and Phillip Nathaniel Otto will dance the role of Cinderella and Prince Charming, roles that demand high levels of technical and artistic skill.
Huntsville Ballet’s production features over 80 dancers and is choreographed by company Artistic Director, Phillip Otto, who celebrates 14 years as artistic Director this year. Otto chose Cinderella as the ballet’s final program of the 2022-2023 because of its enchanting and romantic story. It is also a personal favorite, as he and his wife, Huntsville Ballet School Director Rachel Butler, have both danced in Cinderella throughout their professional ballet careers. Mr. Otto, who began dance at an early age, started his history with Cinderella as a child in performances with the Bolshoi Ballet and the Royal Ballet.
Celebrate with Cinderella
Children and parents are welcome on Saturday, April 15 at 12:30 p.m, in the lobby of the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall of the Von Braun Center to join the Huntsville Ballet for a celebration with Cinderella. The event begins with a Prince and Princess Parade to the stage, where children will join to meet Cinderella and members of the cast. A reception will follow with light refreshments. The event, which is $35 per ticket for one child accompanied by one parent, precedes this matinee performance of Cinderella. Tickets for this event are sold separately from performance tickets. Proceeds from this event support Huntsville Ballet’s educational outreach programs.
Ticket Information: 256-539-0961
huntsvilleballet.org/tickets
About Huntsville Ballet
The Huntsville Ballet inspires patrons from across the Tennessee Valley to travel to Huntsville to enjoy the artistry of its professional dancers, complemented by the work of pre-professional and junior company members and guest artists. The Huntsville Ballet’s performances, school, and outreach programs serve the community by reaching broad audiences to share the wonder of classical, professional ballet. The Huntsville Ballet and Huntsville Ballet School operate under the umbrella of the Community Ballet Association, Inc., a non-profit member of the state and local Arts Councils, incorporated in 1964.
The Mustang Mud Run gets down and dirty for a good cause
STORY BY MARIA RAKOCZY
PHOTOS BY WE RUN RACE PHOTOS
FFor six years, Madison Academy has hosted a good time for a good cause while getting down and dirty at the Mustang Mud Run. The event has become something of a tradition as a fundraising opportunity for the local school and as a fun and bonding activity for many participants.
According to race director Terri Speir, “It’s about challenging yourself. If you walk up to an obstacle and you say, ‘Oh, I just don’t think so’, there’s nobody there that’s going to make you do it, but your team is going to encourage you to do it, and they’re going to be there to help support you and make sure you can do it and do it safely.”
2023 is the race’s sixth year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to pause for a year. Despite the break, the mud run has come back stronger every year since. Around six hundred runners, the largest turnout yet and on Easter weekend, participated in 2022, and six hundred to seven hundred runners were expected for this year’s race.
The 5k and 1k courses attract a variety of participants from the dedicated athletes to those just looking for a fun Saturday activity. Corporate teams, exercise clubs, and
JROTC groups take the 5k course very seriously as a teambuilding event and exercise challenge. Others embark on the course purely for the comic relief of being covered in mud and the personal challenge of taking on the obstacles. Of course, no one is safe from the mud. Even the kiddos are given the chance to play in the dirt in the fun-size Little Muddy 1k course.
Participants come from far and wide, but the event has its fair share of loyal locals. Wendi England is a second year participant with a group from Burn Boot Camp Madison.
“After last year and seeing what a great event the Mustang Mud Run was, we were excited to get the email saying it was time to start registering!” England said.
When asked what her favorite part of the run was, England emphasized its team-building effect.
“The Mustang Mud Run gives us as a gym an opportunity to do things we never thought we could! Having our Burn sisters and brothers to push, pull, and in some cases drag us to small victories! Having a community like Burn Boot Camp behind you cheering for you as you do the hard
things and crying with you when you climb a wall you would never have done without them! THAT is my favorite part!!!”, England stated.
Jenni and Paul Sproul of Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates have been with the Mustang Mud Run from the very beginning as a sponsoring organization.
“Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics is going on our 6th year as a supporter of the Mustang Mud Run! Our role has been to support the Mud Run fundraiser financially, and with swag bag items,” Jenni Sproul stated. They have continued their partnership with the event for the community it brings together. The Sprouls have even been long-time participants themselves, running in the event for five years.
“The Mustang Mud Run is a wonderful community event. It has something for parents and their kids to join with the Little Muddy 1K or the full 5K. It is also beneficial for other groups from outside and inside our community to see all the things Madison and the surrounding areas has to offer,” Sproul added.
A number of other sponsors come together to make the event possible including Woody Anderson Ford, Murphy Homes, i3 Cares, and Brush and Dirt. An army of fifty indispensable student, faculty, and parent volunteers coordinate and support runners day of the event.
Speir bragged about the great group of volunteers who give their time to the run every year, “We have all of these people who are there, and many of them said, as far as fundraising goes, ‘This is the best volunteering I could do because the people are so much fun to deal with.’ They are ready, and they are excited, and when they come through that finish line to get their medal, they are dripping in mud, they are laughing, and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I did it!’”
The mud run utilizes the beautiful 158-acre campus of Madison Academy. Runners take a muddy tour of campus through lush woods and across Indian Creek while completing twenty-three different obstacles. The course is meant to be difficult but fun and lighthearted. Speir says there’s no pressure to complete all twenty-three obstacles, and the main run is not an officially timed event though they do offer a separate heat for more serious athletes.
“More than anything else, it’s just fun. It’s just fun to do, and it’s a great thing for our community to have,” Speir said.
The run really is a good time for everyone that also benefits a good cause.
The Mustang Mud Run began in 2016 as the idea of the Madison Academy Parent Teacher Association for a fundraising opportunity for the school. The faculty and parents
of Madison Academy, however, knew they didn’t want the event to just benefit the school but felt a strong desire to give back to the community at the same time. In this pursuit, the PTA decided to select a charitable organization to partner with on the event every year, and then donate a portion of the proceeds raised from the race to the chosen charity.
“It was initially started so that we could raise funds as a PTA for our school, but as a Christian school, especially as a mostly group of women, it tugs on our hearts and we feel like it is our job to give back to the community as well,” Speir explained. “So, we always pick a local charity to support. So, this year we are working with First Stop, which is a homeless program in Huntsville.”
Madison Academy has worked with a number of different charities in the past, including other homeless organizations like Rose of Sharon. Participants in the race are asked to contribute to the charity as well by bringing canned goods, cleaning supplies, and household items. The cause is certainly one worthy of getting muddy for, and Speir assures that participants will get muddy.
Runners are rewarded for their muddiness with medals and t-shirts, but perhaps the greatest reward is the fun had, the memories made, and the bonds built during the Mustang Mud Run.
The Rocket City Trash Pandas set to kickoff their third season before a home crowd on April 6-8
STORY BY BOB LABBE
TThe third installment of the Rocket City Trash Pandas is set to get underway under an official full moon. Opening Night for the 2023 season of Minor League Baseball in North Alabama is scheduled for Thursday, April 6 with the first pitch thrown at 6:35 p.m. inside Toyota Field.
“We have three consecutive nights of fireworks planned to open the season,” said Garrett Fahrmann, general manger of the Trash Pandas. “We had the best home record in all Minor League Baseball last season with the combination of great energy and lots of great fans at every game. We’re really excited about picking up where we left off with this team from a season ago.”
The 2022 version of the Trash Pandas had a spectacular year after winning the first and second half standings battle in the division and took the overall Southern League regular season title as well with an 81-57 record including 49-20 at Toyota Field. The Trash Pandas lost two games to one in the first round of the post-season playoffs to the Tennessee Smokies. Due to the season ending on a low note, it’s only natural the team has a sour taste heading
into the 2023 campaign.
Of those returning with memories of last year’s ending no one feels the pain more than second-year manager and 2022 Southern League Manager of the Year Andy Schatzley, who said, “We’re instilling in the players at spring training the commitment to what we’re trying to do is build a brand. A hard-nose brand of baseball with a group of people concerned with the greater good, meaning the fundamentals of the game. Their production and talents will take care of what we see after that.”
The Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels has already provided Minor League Baseball with enormous talents with several of the Trash Pandas players already making it to the Big Show with several more expected to make the jump to Major League Baseball. The 2023 roster for the Trash Pandas is expected to be filled with outstanding talent to be showcased at Toyota Field.
As a new sun has arisen and the green grass has grown the newest season of the Trash Pandas will include some new food and drink options at Toyota Field. Many south-
ern staples return, but new items include the Corked Bat, a wine bar on the third base concourse with a selection of seasonal wines.
One of the highlights of the new editions for 2023 will be the “All You Can Eat Wednesdays.” All tickets are specially priced with a $9 increase to include a selection of food and drinks at an “all you can eat” status.
“We have lots of fun planned this season here with the Trash Pandas with upcoming bobble heads, 27 fireworks nights, AYCE Wednesdays, the always popular kids run the bases and new Halo Blue jerseys, just to name a few,” added Fahrmann.
Something new this season is an alternate identity for the team. The Lunaticos moniker pays tribute to North Alabama’s growing and diverse community, allowing everyone to show off their wild side at Toyota Field.
The Lunaticos de Rocket City will be the Trash Pandas new alternate identity in the 2023 Minor League Baseball “Copa de la Diversión” or “Fun Cup.” The seasonlong event is designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most within Minor League Baseball teams’ local U.S. Hispanic communities. To learn more about the Copa de la Diversíon.
Rocket City will wear new Lunaticos uniforms, complete with jerseys and caps for three home games at Toyota Field during the 2023 season:
• Sunday, May 7 at 2:35 p.m. vs. Tennessee
• Sunday, June 25 at 4:05 p.m. vs. Montgomery
• Sunday, August 27 at 4:05 p.m. vs. Birmingham
With the unveiling of the new Lunaticos identity, the Trash Pandas are now the only professional sports team in the state of Alabama with an alternate identity playing homage to its local Hispanic community. The Trash Pandas have hosted Hispanic Heritage night at Toyota Field in each of
the first two seasons in team history.
Over the Trash Pandas’ first two seasons, 23 percent of players are of Latin descent. Players from 11 different countries have taken the field for Rocket City, including five Latin countries including Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.
For more information, schedule and special dates, go to www.trashpandasbaseball.com.
Beloved community volunteer and leader receives first Visionary of the Year Award from Madison Visionary Partners
STORY
BY STEPHANIE WALKER
PHOTOSBY JOSHUA BERRY
OOne can only dream about being recognized on a prestigious level for their work, but for Madison resident, Debbie Overcash, it has become a reality she never imagined.
Overcash received the Visionary of the Year Award from Madison Visionary Partners and was honored at their first annual award luncheon on March 30.
Melanie Thornton, Executive Director of Madison Visionary Partners, wanted to recognize MVPs that have had a meaningful impact on the city. “The Madison Visionary of the Year is a person who lives or works in the City of Madison who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and drive to fulfill the mission of Madison Visionary Partners - to enrich the quality of life for the people of Madison. This person has done this through advocacy, philanthropy and/or volunteerism.”
It’s no surprise to anyone that lives here that the secret about Madison is officially out - more people than ever are moving into Madison to enjoy our award-winning schools, more affordable cost of living, and vibrant, active community. But all these things that make Madison a wonderful place to live didn’t happen by accident. Volunteers have been the key to the city’s success for decades, and one, in
particular, stands out as MVP’s first-ever Madison Visionary of the Year. Overcash has been a community servant for over 30 years and has worked tirelessly to make sure her fellow residents have the opportunity to experience the joys of small-town culture, even during Madison’s explosive growth.
If you have ever volunteered in Madison, chances are pretty high that you’ve crossed paths with or worked alongside Debbie. Her extensive depth of volunteer experience makes her one of the most quietly influential people in the city. There are few Madison organizations she hasn’t touched or helped build and grow in some way.
Imagine Madison in the late 1980s. The population was only around 14,000 people and Hughes Road consisted of a handful of neighborhoods surrounded by cotton and corn fields. The Overcash family moved to Madison from Starkville, Mississippi, to raise their new family and put down roots. At the time of their move, Debbie was expecting twins.
“When Tommy, Cameron, and I first moved here there
were maybe two red lights, no turning lanes, and County Line Road was a two-lane road on the outskirts of the county. To watch this city grow and evolve has been such a joy!”
Both Debbie and her husband Tommy grew up in households that put a lot of emphasis on investing back into their hometowns, and that mindset has stuck with her to this day.
“My Daddy was a long-time Rotarian as was Tommy’s dad, and my Mom was a long-time Junior Axillary member - all of our parents were extremely involved in our churches. My sweet maternal grandmother was President of her Garden Club for about a zillion years and did the altar arrangements in her church every Sunday until she went into her retirement home at 90+ years old. This way of life is all we’ve ever known.”
In 1986, Madison citizens overwhelmingly voted to remain independent by not merging with Huntsville, and city leaders were focused on tackling the next phase of growth - forming their own school system. Debbie’s three young sons started school and she immediately got involved with her first volunteer opportunity in Madison as the first Vice President of the West Madison Elementary School PTA in 1990. Building a PTA unit from scratch was not without its challenges, but what she remembers are the joys.
“I worked alongside women who were hardworking, committed, creative, inspiring, fun, and now, happily, lifelong friends. We had the best time in those early years: great times, great memories, and hard work to make a difference with ZERO dollars to build programs, playgrounds, and opportunities for the students!”
The City Council appointed Debbie to the Madison Education Committee in 1991 to help with the effort of splitting from the Madison County School system. “In my mind, perhaps the most impactful committee that I served on was the MEC. I was so proud beyond measure to serve as the last Chair of this committee as our school system was born.”
Since then, Debbie has been an active volunteer at Madison City Schools for 23 consecutive years and has served in some capacity at West Madison and Madison Elementary, Discovery Middle, Bob Jones High, and James Clemens High, as well as helping to form the Madison City Council of PTAs. Her commitment to providing a quality education for local students helped pave the way for Madison City Schools to become the jewel in our city’s crown that we know today.
An MVP Legacy
Debbie’s focus on serving Madison over the years is hardly limited to educational causes. From helping to charter Boy Scout Troop 350 with her husband and sons to securing historic Roundhouse renovations with the
Madison Station Historic Preservation Society to chairing and working the Madison Street Festival, and being elected President of the Madison Rotary Club in 2006.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work of my Rotary Club, there are so many projects that have made such an impact on our sweet city - their support of the building of the Hogan YMCA, Madison Hospital, the Children’s Garden at the Madison Library, the Pavilion at Home Place Park and much more.”
Her years of leadership on the Madison Hospital’s Advisory Council, as well as the Madison Arts Council, helped to bolster both organizations’ fundraising and awareness campaigns. Debbie’s involvement with her church has included teaching Sunday school to joining the board of trustees and everything in between.
“I believe that doing what you love, with those whom you respect, leads to success in making a difference in people’s lives – and that’s what’s important - people. At the end of my day, what did I accomplish and who did I help is what I ask myself. I would advise those looking to volunteer to follow your heart – if it’s important to you, you will succeed and you will make a difference.”
Overcash’s reputation is one of a true visionary - her ability to see what Madison needs and craft an action plan
toward achieving that need has guided her throughout her life of service. Her vision and leadership style are examples a new generation of volunteers can aspire to emulate.
“Leaders stand beside people, not in front of themshoulder to shoulder working toward a common goal. I have been blessed to work with so many amazing people and friends over the last 40 years. When building a committee, my philosophy has always been the right people on the bus in the right seats. I don’t dictate how a committee member gets to the end zone – everyone has their own leadership style and mine has always been ‘Here’s our end goal, how you get us there is up to you – just get us there’. You must trust in the team that you have purposefully built; micromanaging is never an option in my mind.”
Overcash is thankfully in good company. Many of Madison’s 61,000+ residents work together to make a difference and try to make others’ lives a little bit better. Debbie’s remarkable gift to the people of Madison is decades of unprecedented service to our community. Recognizing local visionaries like her is a great reminder that we all have an opportunity to use our time and abilities to make our city grow and thrive. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously knew it is within us all to do the work - “You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
MMadison Visionary Partners (MVP) hosted its inaugural Madison Visionary Awards, a community-wide event to celebrate the people who make Madison a great place to live, work and play on March 30.
During the luncheon, awards were given to Community Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, Philanthropic Business of the Year, and Madison Visionary of the Year.
“One of the elements of Madison’s success is its people and MVP thought it fitting to honor the volunteers who work every day to build community in our city,” said Melanie Thornton, Executive Director of MVP. “We have many people doing good and most often, they are the ones working behind the scenes. What better way to bring them in the spotlight than through these awards?”
Finalists were featured in the March issue of Madison Living Magazine. Finalists for Community Volunteer of the Year included Elizabeth Servidio, volunteer at the Madison Senior Center; Sandy Weisner, founder and director of the Madison City Community Orchestra, and Crystal McBrayer, President of the Madison Street Festival.
The winners are featured on the following pages.
“We had such a wonderful response from the community during the nomination process. We have a great group of volunteers and businesses who will be highlighted for their work in Madison,” said Thornton.
These awards highlighted a key element in MVP’s mission as Madison’s community nonprofit. In addition to fundraising for large projects, MVP is also working on building a community of volunteers who want to bring small projects, events, and programs to Madison.
“Madison’s leaders have a vision for our community that MVP, along with other community organizations, can help bring to reality,” said Jeff Showalter, Chair of the MVP Board of Directors. “Support for our mission is integral as we continue to grow as a city and a region.”
Also part of the awards program was the presentation of recipients of the first Community Impact Grant. Also in its first year, MVP is granting $15,000 to local nonprofits for programs and events that will benefit the community.
“Any way we can enhance and support the nonprofit activity in Madison is going to be beneficial to the community. We have some great projects that are going to get funding,” said Thornton.
Elizabeth Servidio is a source of constant support at the Madison Senior Center off of Hughes Road in a role that requires daily and weekly attention. She is described as a loyal and faithful volunteer who gives much of her time to our community’s senior population.
The Madison Senior Center is where Madison’s older adults congregate to fulfill many of their social, physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. They provide an opportunity for seniors to get active, enjoy various social activities, and to improve their overall quality of life.
It is also a community service that is dependent on mostly volunteers to run successfully.
Her volunteer service provides a basic need that is integral to the seniors as well as their caregivers, especially at a time when seniors are vulnerable to social isolation.
As a volunteer with the Meals on Wheels program, she preps meals for over 125 homebound seniors weekly and for 125 incenter meal participants daily.
She also launders the towels, inventories and orders supplies, and enters data electronically. She makes herself available Monday through Friday to assist in the kitchen as needed and monitors the monthly volunteer calendars to assure the center has full coverage.
“We feel so fortunate to have her as a volunteer here,” said Levoneia Ayers, Director of the Madison Senior Center. “When she could have chosen so many worthy organizations to give her time, she chose the senior center.”
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In 2022, Olivia Downs performed 275 volunteer service hours for which she received the Gold Level Presidential Volunteer Service Award. This was the fifth year that Olivia has earned this recognition, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to volunteerism in our community.
Olivia volunteers with the American Legion Post 229, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 229, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2107, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, and Girl Scout Service Unit 212 of Madison.
Olivia spends several hours each month working behind the scenes. Some of her volunteer work includes making and picking up handmade cards for veterans from local schools, shopping for supplies and gifts, playing board games with veterans, sorting donated items, or preparing for upcoming events and activities.
She has supported over 140 veterans and veteran’s spouses in Madison’s assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facilities through her participation in the Junior Auxiliary.
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Olivia also supports the American Legion by participating in flag placement and retrieval on veterans’ graves for both Memorial Day and Veterans Day at our city’s cemeteries, as well as the placement and recovery of the wreaths for Christmas.
As an Ambassador Girl Scout, Olivia has volunteered to assist with younger girl programs for the Madison Girl Scout Service Unit. She has taught the Leave No Trace class to Madison Girl Scouts and a beginning archery badge class to a Brownie Troop.
Olivia loves her community and encourages her friends to get involved. For her, Madison’s small-town feel is one of the things she loves the most.
If there is a business synonymous with philanthropy, it is Redstone Federal Credit Union (RFCU). Their dedication to giving back supports more than 693 organizations in seven counties across the Tennessee Valley and Middle Tennessee.
In Madison City, just about every philanthropic endeavor has had the support of RFCU.
RFCU was founded in 1951 with $55 in assets and 11 members. With members all over the world and more than $7.5 billion in assets, Redstone is now one of the 25 largest federal credit unions in the country.
Redstone Federal Credit Union has supported such Madison-based projects and organizations such as the Kids Kingdom renovation project, the Home Place Park Pavilion, the Rotary Club of Madison, the Madison Chamber of Commerce, the Madison Baseball Association, the Madison Street Festival, the Madison Swim Association, Madison City Schools, Madison Community Orchestra, the Madison CEO program and the Madison Arts Council.
They also gifted $2.5 million to the Huntsville Library Foundation to support the building of three new libraries, including the Madison Public Library that opened in 2018.
In addition to its generous sponsorships, Redstone Federal Credit Union’s employees also volunteer with organizations inside the City of Madison. Two of Redstone’s branches have adopted Mill Creek and Midtown Elementary Schools. These employees volunteer and provide added resources to the schools by reading to the students, serving as lunch monitors, and assisting with field trips and major events, such as Back to School and Teacher Appreciation Week.
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TThere’s something about springtime that infuses our homes with activity, and just like your family our girls at Davidson Farms are keeping us on the go.
... Lee Marshall Founder / CEO Kids to Love Foundation Kidstolove.orgOne of our girls is involved in softball having just finished basketball season. Another is part of a girls’ leadership team. The girls are involved in church youth group, love to attend dances and, of course, enjoy shopping for clothes to wear to dances! Weekends are active with visits to the park, bike riding and board games. Thank goodness for the Crockpot to take care of family meals, right?
Our intention at Davidson Farms and Kids to Love as a whole is to normalize foster care. We want them to have the same experiences and opportunities as their friends and class-
mates. The trauma and disruptions our kids have endured complicate life sometimes, but we are committed to their mental wellness, so much so that we recently broke ground on a mental wellness center to help heal their trauma.
April shines a special spotlight on the Farm as we host our annual Denim and Diamonds event. The evening raises money so we can give them the best life possible, a life they deserve. Kids to Love does not accept state of federal funding, so your gifts matter.
If you want to join us on the journey, take a minute or two to visit our website, kidstolove.org There are a couple of ways to support our girls listed on the Davidson Farms page. Thank you for helping us meet the need!
Local mother turns her passion of restoring stuffed childhood treasures into the Stuffed Animal Clinic of Madison
STORY BY ERIN COGGINS
AA teddy bear was literally the last thing he had belonging to his father. It was last seen the day his father was killed in an automobile incident, only to resurface when cleaning out his mother’s attic after her death. Dingy and falling apart, the man from New Jersey needed to repair this connection to the past.
Like this man, Madison resident Nicole Adams knows the importance of a childhood security item. Her baby blanket, going threadbare, has been encapsulated with new fabric a couple of times. Both of her daughters have now fallen to sleep under this family treasure.
“I experienced some trauma as a child and my baby blanket got me through everything,” Adams said. “I refused to throw it away, so I had to do what I had to do to save it.”
As owner of the Stuffed Animal Clinic of Madison, LLC, restoring stuffed childhood treasures is now Adams’ fulltime job. The idea to open the business originated with her youngest daughter who was constantly asking for her fur friends to be mended.
“She loves stuffed animals and would come to me crying to fix this or that with them,” Adams said. “A friend of mine said that she wished she had the skills to repair her
children’s stuffed animals. I have the skills and thought it would be a good idea for the community.”
Adams piloted the idea first by starting a test group of mothers on Facebook. Within an hour, she had 200 posts stating that they loved the idea.
“Moms all understand the sleepless nights full of tears,” Adams said. “And you never know what stuffed animal or blanket your kids get attached to that may need fixed.”
Adams grew up with her grandmother teaching her to sew and love textiles. These skills have proved invaluable to her as a mother where she has often mended her daughters clothing until they outgrow them, or they simply have too much wear and tear. Restoring, instead of replacing, has become her business motto.
“In our sort of economy, if something breaks, people just go buy a new one. They don’t try to fix it first,” Adams said.
As a restoration technician, Adams has restored around 500 stuffed animals in the three years since she opened the clinic. She works on stuffed animals, baby blankets and dolls with fabric bodies. She cleans the “lovies” with hypoallergenic detergent, dish soap and baking soda until they look brand new, or pretty close. Her most common repairs include sewing up tears, replacing missing eyes
or noses on request, torn limbs and brushing out matted hair.
“I have also replaced voice boxes and baby criers with very simple layouts,” Adams said. “If the animal is ripped or torn, I patch it. I don’t want it to look brand new. I want it to keep its character. The item is restored so it can be kept for support.”
Emotional support providers are how Adams sees these cherished items. And knowing this, Adams understands she needs to build trust with her customers willing to leave or even mail their precious keepsakes to her. Adams saw how important the trust relationship between her and the customer is when she began working with the adult autistic population.
“These stuffed animals are their best friends growing up. Their attachment is so much more,” Adams said. “It was really eye-opening for me. They want me to realize just how important the stuffed animal is to them. It’s like losing a family member,” Adams said. “When I share my story of my own blanket, they realize that I am the same with my 38-year-old blanket. It helps to establish confidence and trust to leave me that important item for a month or two. I never want to cause emotional stress.”
When Adams started her business in December 2020, she was dealing with the loss of her grandmother. She put the word out there about her new upstart, but the busi-
ness did not take off for another six months when the local media covered the Stuffed Animal Clinic in a news story which was picked up by affiliate channels.
“Since that news story, I have done podcasts, and have been covered by other local media outlets, including Rocket City Moms,” Adams said. “I still mostly utilize word of mouth and do one Facebook ad a month. That ad generates around 200-400 new followers a month.”
Along with the man from New Jersey, Adams has received items to restore from New York, Oregon, Texas, really business trickles in from all over the country. The farthest came from Jerusalem.
“Her grandmother had passed away and she had an item that served as a connection to her loved one,” Adams said. “I usually do not do items out of the country because of the cost and custom issues, but this lady’s parents were coming to the U.S. to visit family for a month, and we worked out a plan before they flew out. They were very appreciative and called to thank me.”
As someone who provides joy in a restored teddy bear, Adams has also experienced the heartache that comes with her business. After a local lady lost her 8-week-old daughter to RSV, she learned about weighted stuffed animals in a support group. She contacted Adams for a custom-made
weighted teddy bear.
“I call them memory bears. She picked out the fabric and I made the bear the exact weight of her daughter when she died. She wanted to feel the same weight on her chest as she did when she held her sleeping child,” Adams said. “It was heartbreaking. She later contacted me to do two more in memory of her daughter for her other children.”
Adams says the job has been fulfilling, yet stressful. She checks her email daily and as a self-proclaimed people pleaser, she ensures that what people need and want, is what they get.
“I take my job so seriously,” Adams said. “I feel guilty when I can’t work on them because I am sick or some other reason. But my customers are sweet and understanding. I make a big deal about mental health. I want people to know that they do not have to go through this alone.”
Just as Adams cherishes the stuffed animals that resonate memories of past times, she also appreciates the time she spent with her grandmother and wants to encourage others to do the same.
“My advice is to cherish your elderly loved ones, listen to their stories and don’t blow off when they have something to tell you. There is always a lesson there,” Adams said. “I miss my grandmother. I miss her stories.”
HHigh altitude surveillance balloons and data mining through TIK TOK aren’t near the spy threat that cyber tech crimes pose. In fact, cyber hacks top a U.S. Defense department list of worldwide threats to U.S. security and the privacy of millions of businesses, individuals, and government agencies.
John Peck Madison City Schools Public Relations Manager
The growing field of cybertechnology and cybersecurity has fueled growth of the programs at James Clemens and Bob Jones high schools. Both offer cyber instruction through an Information Technology Career Tech Academy that includes both a Cybersecurity and Infrastruc-
ture pathway (to include IT Fundamentals, Network Fundamentals, Cyber I, Cyber II, and internships) and a Computer Science pathway (to include Programming Foundations, Object Oriented Programming, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, Computer Game and Simulation Programming, and internships).
Students can take classes individually or a mixture of classes from both pathways.
MCS launched its cybersecurity program in August 2015 with the help of industry partners, specifically Ben McGee of CyberProtex
who worked side-by-side with district leaders to develop the program and mentor teachers and students. Since then, the cyber program has grown from one course to four and internship opportunities.
MCS is honored to have two educators selected to represent Alabama on the CompTIA National CTE Advisory Council: Chief Academic Officer Dr. Heather Donaldson as the Alabama Career Tech Director representative; and BJ cybersecurity instructor Mr. Bill McIlwain as the Alabama cyber teacher representative. The CompTIA National CTE Advisory Council has members nationwide that meet regularly to design and promote strategies to shape the future of CTE, national awareness of CTE, and professional development for teachers among many other areas.
“These broad offerings in our IT Academy not only open doors for Madison City school students in the cybersecurity field and related computer and technology disciplines, but also ultimately help the community by increasing the workforce in an area with growing demand,” said MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols.
The cybersecurity pathway in Madison City Schools offers credential opportunities which can help students in their college and workforce pursuits. The beginning class, IT Fundamentals, prepares them for the entry level CompTIA - the IT Fundamentals Certification. This is free to students from a State Department of Education grant
and can give them a leg-up on landing jobs and internships. Courses provide students hands-on opportunities to take real computers apart and build them back up, learn all about troubleshooting and hardware and give them a deeper understanding of how computers work.
A Networking class dives more into how software and networking functions to gain a better understanding in how to make them secure. This ranges from securing workstations, smart phones, Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as Nest Thermostats and Ring Cameras, as well as securing network infrastructure with proper router and switch configuration.
The Foundations of Information and Security is a refresher of basic cybersecurity topics covered in IT Fundamentals and Networking 1. It goes deeper into the curriculum to give students a better understanding of end user security such as social engineering, phishing, whaling, malware and more advanced methods of securing entry into a network.
Our second year of the program, Principles of Information Technology, teaches a broader understanding of data security such as hashing, pen testing, encryption, encapsulation of data in relation to security, and a more handson experience in network security such as user accounts and permissions. Students in this class gain valuable experience setting up actual workstations, switches, and
routers in the classroom. Virtual labs are used to not compromise the MCS network and to enable students to learn at home if absent or on systemwide Virtual Days during inclement weather.
Digital Video Gaming Development teaches fundamental skills and techniques in game development which deepens their understanding of programming and design. Students will gain creative, technical and analytical skills which are building blocks to cyber understanding.
Bob Jones High School’s cybersecurity program was the first high school in the country to be accepted into the nationally recognized cybersecurity honors program - the Sword and Shield - providing yet another step in opening college and career pathways to students.
The need for cybersecurity and cybersecurity professionals isn’t going away.
As cybercriminals invent more sophisticated ways to hack into networks and systems, the next generation of cybersecurity experts must be prepared to take on these criminals head-on in positions such as security analyst, malware specialist, ethical/hacker penetration testers, digital and computer forensics investigators, cryptographers, chief information security officers, computer networking engineers and analysts, and many more.
Madison City Schools is poised to play a big part in training these next cyber warriors.
HHave you ever thought as your television aired advertisement after advertisement for different candidates and your phone rang off the hook with recorded campaign messages during yet another election cycle, “My vote doesn’t matter”? Maybe you’ve felt so overwhelmed by the options, the language of proposed legislation, or election day just snuck up on you so that you feel unprepared to cast a meaningful vote. Perhaps in the rut of work, family, school, and the general busyness of life, you find it difficult to work voting into your schedule.
Heather Morgan and Tara Bailey know how you feel.
“I was getting discouraged,” Morgan admitted. “[I was] feeling helpless about elections, [and] politics on a national scale. You feel like you’re really not making a difference.”
After working together on a campaign, Morgan and Bailey discovered they both felt similarly disheartened by the polarized political climate but wanted to turn this discouragement into empowerment. So, they turned to local government.
“Local government’s non-partisan so we thought [that] maybe we can leave behind some of that really strong, par-
tisan, polarizing language and thinking and focus locally,” Morgan recounted.
The COVID-19 pandemic was the last big catalyst that launched them into committing to starting a civic engagement organization. Morgan had already started a Facebook page in the summer of 2020 for parents participating in at-home learning during the pandemic when Bailey joined, and the two began speaking at school board meetings and engaging with local officials.
“It made us realize we’re really making a difference locally,” said Morgan. “If you act locally, you start to see results.”
They then founded and are now the president and vice president, respectively, of “I Vote Madison”, a non-profit and non-partisan organization, specifically to encourage and aid civic engagement in the city of Madison.
“Our motto is My City. My Voice. My Vote,” Morgan stated. “We’re about connecting people.”
“We believe good civic engagement is collaboration from council, from the mayor to the public and from the public to the council. Everybody has their own level of responsibility when it comes to increasing engagement,”
Bailey contributed.
For Morgan, civic engagement takes a variety of forms from voting to taking an active role in local government to staying informed about the community, but at the heart it is really about “being involved in your community in some way.”
Neither come from a political science background but are simply longtime Madison residents, who care deeply about the current state and future of the city where they live, work, and raise their children.
Through I Vote Madison, they are making it easier for Madison residents and families to be involved in the local community. As the name, itself, suggests, I Vote Madison urges Madison residents to get out and vote as the foremost means of contributing to the community. When the organization was still in the early stages, Bailey and Morgan were struck by the low voter participation rate in Madison and saw a chance to change that.
“One thing that really stood out to us was the low voter turnout in local elections, really in elections overall, but especially local elections. In Madison, the turnout for the last municipal election was around twenty-two percent,” Bailey stated. “That means 31,686 people did not vote for the people who are now running the city and so, we felt like that could change, and that really
needs to change. Getting citizens more involved in what’s going on in our local government will help create a better city for all of us.”
During the pandemic, I Vote Madison helped boost voter participation by hosting a drive-thru voter services clinic at the Madison Library to assist voters with acquiring the required materials and following the instructions properly to vote absentee. They have also hosted a Kids Civic Engagement Day as a fun and educational event to introduce civic engagement to the future generations of Madison residents.
The organization also facilitates ways to keep citizens informed about local civic issues in between election cycles. In addition to encouraging voting, Morgan and Bailey wanted to focus on making local government accessible.
“One of the first things that stood out to us was you need to be able to see what your government is doing,” Bailey explained. “I think that’s the beginning part of civic engagement, is just watch what’s going on.”
In fact, I Vote Madison was influential in the recording and eventual archiving for four years of Madison City Council meetings and the livestreaming of Board of Education meetings.
“Breaking down some of those barriers and allowing residents to see government in action and engaging with residents is also just a huge thing,” Bailey stated.
As a supplement to the city’s broadcasting of these events, I Vote Madison offers their own recordings on Facebook and YouTube. They offer community Zoom meetings to review the agendas prior to city council meetings and bring attention to the issues directly affecting residents in the Zoom meeting. Blending the old and the new, I Vote Madison utilizes social media and old-school door-to-door canvassing to bring awareness to items up for a vote and to special elections. Morgan says they are aiming to increase the voter turnout by ten percentage points to thirty-two percent by the 2025 municipal elections. They are encouraged in this endeavor by the positive and enthusiastic response from the public.
“We’ve had good response. We really have,” Bailey said. “People are benefitting from seeing these meetings and many of them have spoken out and said, ‘I’m so glad you do this because I was going to miss it otherwise.’”
Morgan is optimistic that the future will hold even more support from the community, “I feel like when we move in to [2025] a lot of people are going to join us, help us register voters, [and] go canvassing to remind people to vote, that type of thing.”
The future looks bright for I Vote Madison. I Vote
Madison is growing their outreach efforts in the future by partnering with other civic organizations, including organizations like The League of Women Voters of Alabama, and a disability organization that will implement voting accommodations in Madison for disabled individuals. Tara also serves as the director for the Alabama Channel to record state legislature meetings
They are even expanding their board of directors and accepting applications for two more seats. As the passion and work of mainly Morgan, Bailey, and founding member, Jocelyn Broer, they rely heavily on volunteers and are always looking for more enthusiastic individuals who can help with recording meetings and resident and city leader interactions. I Vote Madison is committed to continuing their advocacy for civic engagement through their social media platforms and interactions with city leaders and residents for years to come.
www.ivotemadison.com
www.facebook.com/ivotemadison
www.twitter.com/ivotemadison
YouTube: @ivotemadison
Local sports become the main “talk of the town” as Bob Jones High School grad Adam Dodson kicks off 256 Sports Radio Show
STORY BY CALEB ODOM
AAdam Dodson gives off an unassuming vibe. The 28-year-old man, bespectacled with a Rocket City Trash Pandas cap on sips tea in a quiet café.
Dodson is a local, in every sense of the word. A Bob Jones High School graduate, who played a little baseball for the Patriots has always had more a knack with a pen compared to a glove.
He has paid his dues in the newspaper world, bouncing around after graduating from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for the school paper.
Stints in Selma and Pell City eventually brought him back home to write for The News Courier in Athens.
But Dodson wants to break out of the world of publishers and editors. That is why he is starting his own radio show called 256 Sports Radio.
The new show is going to air twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays with the episodes being pre-recorded at an earlier time.
The fact that the show is not live makes it easier for the student-athletes and coaches to be a part of it.
Dodson got some radio experience when he joined the Applebees Tailgate Talk, a two-hour show on Saturdays at the Athens restaurant.
“If you want to get irons in the fire radio experience, go on that show and the host isn’t there that day so you’re having to host it and it’s two hours live,” Dodson said.
Putting those ‘irons in the fire’ galvanized Dodson’s confidence in his ability to talk sports with the community and he has found a passion for it.
256 Sports Radio is also Dodson’s way of giving back to the area and offering local coaches and athletes a platform to let their voices be heard.
“I think it’s really different what I’m doing,” Dodson said.
“I don’t think it’s a format many people or anyone have tried to establish before. Where coaches are interviewing coaches and high school athletes interviewing other athletes.”
The show launched at 10 a.m. on March 10 is on WKAC 1080 and will also be on Spotify and YouTube as well.
Each week, the Tuesday show will feature co-hosts Caroline Roberts from Athens High School, Lily Hosmer from East Limestone and Tray Johnson from East Limestone.
“Not many high schoolers have journalism options at their age, which is not how it should be,” Dodson said.
“This is my way of giving to a north Alabama community that has been very good to me - by helping the next generation however I can. Caroline Roberts has been interning with me since writing for the paper and seeing her, Lily Hosmer and Tray Johnson get an exciting opportunity.”
The Friday version of the 256 Sports Radio will feature a different rotation of guests each week.
For example, the first Friday coaches edition included Athens High School head coach Cody Gross, Bob Jones offensive coordinator Seth Parker and ‘The Voice of Ardmore’ Mr. Jeff Hodges.
I’m not big on having set questions before interviews,” Dodson said.
“I like going in there and it being a conversation and making it organic.”
It is a radio show that is more of a podcast, but Dodson has already been shocked by the advertising success he picked up before it even launched.
Dodson is committed to keeping all of the advertising for the show local businesses and days before the launch, he had already accrued 11 advertisement commitments.
Another strategy that he has used that may seem simplistic, but effective is talking to advertisers inperson.
The human aspect of shaking hands and making eye contact when talking business is an element that Dodson carries with him in most everything he does.
His world is changing fast and new radio host is working hard to keep up with things like video editing and social media for the show.
“I don’t know exactly what my routine is yet, because I have only done one show,” Dodson said.
“I’m still figuring out what exactly works for me.”
Dodson likened using social media for his show like tending to a garden, where he has to take the time to nurture it and it will grow over time.
A glance at the 256 Sports Radio Facebook page and a consumer is presented with an abundance of purple graphics and photos of guests of the show.
Dodson chose the color purple in an effort to avoid local team bias and to create something that could eventually signify the show with that signature color.
He plans to have the students wear purple shirts on the Tuesday episodes.
In an area that has people flooding in to live and work around here, it makes sense that the local sports
will draw more eyes and interest.
With more emphasis on sports in the area, one would think that a show geared in this fashion has the potential to be a perfect match.
“All you have to do is look around,” Dodson said.
“Madison is sprawling. Almost out of hand, but there is tremendous growth potential and one thing I’ve always been proud of Madison and Huntsville in general is how highly-educated the area is.”
Dodson is obsessed with chess. He even collects chessboards. The man reads books about chess strategy.
In a game that requires thinking several moves ahead and immense strategy, it fits a man who has spent his entire working career making moves that have placed him in better positions to learn and to succeed.
Dodson plans to write stories each week for The Madison Record to keep his skills sharp and to help stay on top of what is going on where his show is based.
256 Sports Radio is in its infancy, but the creator has big plans for this show, while staying true to what it is all about.
Coaches interviewing coaches.
Athletes interviewing athletes.
Maybe the world needs more guys like Adam Dodson, who dare to step out and do something that puts the focus where it needs to be.
Only time will tell where the show with the purple shirts goes and the man with the Trash Pandas cap decides to take it, but odds are 256 Sports Radio will always be right where it needs to be.
Right at home with being local and organic.
Catch the 256 Sports Radio Show at 10 a.m. on WKAC 1080, or check out on Spotify and YouTube anytime
OOn March 24th, the Madison Chamber of Commerce celebrated excellence in business during the 2023 Best in Business Awards ceremony held at James Clemens Auditorium. Starting in January, nominations opened, offering a variety of categories that allow the diverse group of Madison businesses an opportunity to be recognized amongst other members of the Madison community. These nominations were then sent to a local Chamber in Birmingham for an unbiased vote on the winners.
These categories include Start-up Business of the Year, Health & Wellness Business of the Year, Professional Service Business of the Year, Essential Service Business of the Year, Culinary Business of the Year, Arts, Entertainment & Hospitality Business of the Year, Best Small Business of the Year, Best Non-Profit Business of the Year, Best Business of the Year, Community Servant of the Year, and Excellence in Leadership & Service. Along with these categories, the Madison Chamber chose to recognize an Ambassador of the Year, meant to recog-
nize one ambassador of the Madison Chamber ambassador program and their effort to create community conversations and grow businesses. As well as, the Spirit of the Chamber Award, meant to recognize a deserving Madison Chamber volunteer that worked behind the scenes and made a substantial impact on moving the Madison Chamber forward in 2022.
All of our Best in Business nominees should feel proud of all they’ve accomplished, and we are proud to have so many businesses and business professionals who truly care about the Madison community and work hard to see it grow. That is why it is with great honor that we announce the winners of the 2023 Best in Business Awards
Start-Up Business of the Year
• Gold - Lemon & Lavender
• Silver - All Things Madison
• Bronze - Wafle-Bitte
Health & Wellness Business of the Year
• Gold - Pure Barre
• Silver - Burn Boot Camp
• Bronze - Fleet Feet Huntsville-Madison
Professional Service Business of the Year
• Gold - InSight Strategic Solutions
• Silver - Flourish
• Bronze - Rocket City HR Consulting
Essential Service Business of the Year
• Winner - TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
Culinary Business of the Year
• Gold - Wafle-Bitte
• Silver - MyKitchen HSV
Arts, Entertainment & Hospitality Business of the Year
• Winner: Wine and Design
Best Small Business of the Year
• Gold - Sweet Tea Communications, LLC
• Silver - Rachel Brown Homes
• Bronze - Rosenblum Realty, Inc
Best Non-Profit Business of the Year
• Gold - Kids to Love Foundation
• Silver - The Madison Street Festival
• Bronze - The Enrichment Center
Best Business of the Year
• Gold - Mozaic AV Integration
• Silver - Anglin Reichmann Armstrong
• Bronze - TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
Community Servant of the Year
• Winner: Stephanie Mills, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
Excellence in Leadership & Service
• Winner: Delores Baker, Baker’s Learning Kitchen, LLC
Ambassador of the Year
• Winner: Stephanie Johnson, Mozaic AV Integration
Spirit of the Chamber Award
• Winner: Jan Bias, Redstone Federal Credit Union
Stay updated on what is to come by visiting www.madisonalchamber.com and following our Instagram (@madisonalchamber) and Facebook (Madison Chamber of Commerce).
Madison studio offers students a connection to community, faith
STORY BY ERIN COGGINSSServing the community is just as important as the dance steps taught at The Adonai School of Ballet. And it is this commitment to the community that owner Nicole Onuszkanycz believes makes her studio stand out from the rest.
“We really want our students to have a heart to serve the community,” Onuszkanycz said. “We want them to understand the importance of sharing their gifts and what they may have learned, the importance of them not getting glory for their dancing, but directing that glory to God.”
Wanting her students to be generous artists, Onuskanycz has encouraged her dancers to volunteer teaching classes at the Downtown Rescue Mission, to dance in nursing homes and assisted living facilities and to perform for schools and churches.
“Teaching dance was just our way of really getting into the Downtown Rescue Mission and love on those children,” Onuszkanycz said. “We spent time with them do-
ing crafts, danced with them and just really got to share the love of Jesus with them.”
The desire to serve in the community is rooted in Onuszkanycz’s faith. When she opened the studio in 2014, she says only one or two faith-based studios were in the area.
“I really felt a heavy burden on my heart to open a God honoring dance studio where the purpose would be to raise up beautifully trained dancers, but also worshippers,” Onuszkanycz said. “An opportunity presented itself and God worked out all of the details, so I went for it.”
Onuszkanycz is not a stranger to dance. She grew up dancing in Huntsville at the Community Ballet Association, now the Huntsville Ballet School. Upon high school graduation, she gave up her ballet shoes to attend ministry school. Dancing was not finished with her, though, and she began teaching part-time which led to taking more dance classes which eventually led to performing.
“Since I am not performing as I did in my younger years, my passion is sharing my love for ballet with my students,” Onuszkanycz said. “Ballet is hard and it takes patience and perseverance and I love watching my students fall in love with it.”
Besides ballet, the Adonai School of Ballet offers upto-date training in modern, tap and jazz. Classes are offered for preschool level, special needs and separate adult classes, each suitable for recreational dancers as well as students wishing to make a career out of dance.
“All training is done in a professional, nurturing and Christ centered environment,” Onuszkanycz said. “We desire to honor God through our art form, therefore, we encourage modesty in dress and are very selective on the types of music used in class and in performances.”
The studio also offers classes in worship ballet. In this dance style, students use the technique they learn in their ballet classes to create worshipful movement and to express gratitude to God. Classes begin with stretch -
ing and warming up to hymns or contemporary worship music.
“We also have a prayer time where students can share prayer needs, and I share a Bible verse or devotion that goes along with the music chosen for them to dance to,” teacher Erin Johnson said. “Usually I give them the option of following me or creating their own improvisation. Sometimes, I have the students act out a particular Bible story with dance.”
Johnson also teaches a version of the worship ballet to adults where she gives them multiple verses to choose from and allows them to work in groups of dancers to create a short, collaborative dance.
“This not only helps the dancers learn to dance and worship together, it teaches them to appreciate that different dancers have different strengths and talents to offer,” Johnson said. “I’m often surprised by what they can come up with in a short amount of time.”
Johnson is just one of the staff members that Onusz-
kanycz raves about. She says each woman brings something so unique to the table and is able to offer students so much knowledge of ballet training. And a few of them even received most, if not all, of their training at Adonai.
“It has been a beautiful thing to watch them transition from student to teacher and to share with Adonai students their gifts and love for ballet,” Onuszkanycz said. “God brought us all together and each of our strengths beautifully supports the mission statement of Adonai dance which is to see all of our students reach their full potential as dancers and artists and to use their art to bless their community and glorify the Lord Jesus.”
The studio, located on Palmer Road, hosted its first Christmas production in 2022. Dancer performed “Twas, the Night before Christmas,” “The Nutcracker Suite” and the studio’s original story ballet, “The Nativity.”
“Our first Christmas show was a huge success and very well received by our audiences,” Onuszkanycz said. “Both the dancers and staff had a blast putting it all together and performing it. We plan to do it again next Christmas.”
Audiences do not have to wait until Christmas to see the studio dancers perform. They will present “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” at the Dream Theatre in Huntsville, May 5-6.
“The audience should expect fun and dynamic choreography, wonderful dancing, beautiful costumes and of course, fabulous music,” Onuszkanycz said. “The story, written by C.S. Lewis is so fun to tell and it has such amazing Gospel truths.”
Onuszkanycz, who resides in Harvest with her husband and two children, feels Madison is an ideal location for her studio because the location is close to Huntsville, Athens and Decatur, allowing her students to be from many different communities and schools. Parents, she says, understand the value of ballet and dance.
“Many parents enroll their children in dance for the exercise, peer interaction and to learn grace and poise,” Onuszkanycz said. “However, their dance experience can teach the much greater lessons that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives; self-discipline, commitment and patience. And at Adonai we lovingly guide them through their dance training in a positive and non-competitive atmosphere. We work hard to protect that environment.”
For more information go to adonaischoolofballet.com
WWe have had some up-and-down weather lately, but surely by now we are in for more stable spring-like temps. Of course, this means scratching an irresistible itch to break in the backyard grill for another season.
A thick cut of meat grilled over an open flame can make for a mouth-watering meal. While such an endeavor likely won’t lead to any complaints around the dinner table, many people still shy away from grilling especially thick cuts of meat.
A thick cut of uncooked meat can intimidate even the most devoted grilling enthusiast. Such cuts tend to take a long time to cook, and many a grilling devotee has put in that time only to end up with a dried-out piece of meat. So, what do? The following are some ways to master the art of
grilling thick cuts of meat.
· Reverse sear the steak. According to Omaha Steaks, reverse searing involves bringing the steak up to temperature via indirect heat first, then searing the outside second. Reverse searing ensures the outside of the steak does not become charred while the inside takes its time cooking. This requires using both direct and indirect heat. When using a gas grill with multiple burners, it’s easy to create direct and indirect heating zones by only turning one set of burners on. When using a charcoal grill, move the hot coals to one side of the grill and leave the other side empty. Omaha Steaks recommends maintaining a grill temperature between 250 and 300 F and placing the meat over indirect heat first, keeping the steak there until a digital thermometer reads
roughly 10 to 15 degrees below the desired temperature of the meat. The steak can then be moved over direct heat so all sides can be seared.
· Salt the meat overnight. People hesitant to salt their meat out of fear of overconsumption of sodium should know that it’s not necessary to use a lot of salt to create a flavorful piece of meat. A sprinkling of kosher salt over the surface of the meat is all that’s necessary. Once the meat has been salted, store it in the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight, which allows ample time for the cut to fully absorb the salt, ultimately contributing to a juicy cut of meat.
· Be patient. Once the meat has been taken off the grill,
let it sit for a while before slicing into it. The goal is to allow the juice inside the meat to redistribute so each bite is as mouth-watering as possible. This is the same principle that leads Thanksgiving cooks to let turkeys sit for a while when they first come out of the oven. While turkeys may require roughly 30 minutes of sitting, meat typically only needs between 10 and 20 minutes, with thick cuts requiring more time than thin cuts.
Grilling afficionados need not be intimidated by thick cuts of meat. A few tricks of the trade can make it easy to serve up a thick piece of meat where each bite is juicy and full of flavor.
World War II Veteran John Drake of Harvest celebrated his 105th birthday at Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Church in Huntsville last month. Senator Tuberville’s Senior Defense Liaison Brian Naugher presented Mr. Drake with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol and a birthday letter from the Senator. The North Alabama Veterans Coalition also presented Mr. Drake with a Quilt of Valor. “You have positively impacted so many lives through your years of service and you continue to do so today,”Senator Tuberville noted in his letter to Mr. Drake. Mr. Drake served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army and is a lifelong Madison County resident. After his service in World War II, he returned home to Harvest, where he and his wife raised their nine children. Mr. Drake is pictured above with his children and Brian Naugher. Mr. Drake is holding flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of his 105th birthday.
MULTICULTURAL NIGHTS - Rainbow Elementary and Mill Creek Elementay Schools celebrated their “Multicultural Nights” last month showcasing the countries of origin of some of their school families. They were wonderful nights of learning, fellowship and fun as attendees could walk among the various displays of artifacts and photographs of nations represented by their families.
