Madison Living, March 2021

MADISON LIVING THE GUIDE • AROUND TOWN • RICKY SHACK • CHAMBER CONNECTIONS • OUT & ABOUT

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INSIDE: Historic Downtown Home Renovation Life lessons from wrestling Wild Game at the Ricky Shack Chamber Color Run Madison City Schools Madison Hospital Upcoming events

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Meet the Palenapa brothers Twins who have followed each other through an array of projects, sports and school

Spring Fashion The latest trends in spring fashion and accessories

Main Street Cafe Recipes that satisfy with comfort of down home flair Madison Living 1

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Alison James John Few

MADISON CONTRIBUTORS MADISON Gregg Parker LIVING LIVING Bob Labbe

EDITORIAL Richard George EDITOR Rebekah Martin Joshua Berry JohnJames Few Alison Erin Coggins John Few Lee Marshall CONTRIBUTORS Mayor Paul Finley Bob Labbe CONTRIBUTORS MaryGregg LynneParker Wright Parker MaryGregg Anne Swanstrom Erin Coggins Bob Labbe Joshua Berry Richard George Erica DeSpain MARKETING Joshua Berry MaryCounts Anne Donna Erin Coggins Swanstrom Lee Marshall Lee Marshall ADMINISTRATIVE Mayor Paul Finley Mary Lynne Wright Sierra Jackson Richard George Mary Lynne Wright French Salter Mayor Finley Mary AnnePaul Swanstrom

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CONTACT US Donna Counts Madison Publications, LLC 7734 Madison Blvd.EDITOR Suite 115 MANAGING ADMINISTRATIVE Huntsville, AL 35806 French Salter Sierra256-772-6677 Jackson Phone: Fax: 256-772-6655 French Salter madisonlivingmagazine.com

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by Madison Madison Publications, 4 Madison Living

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and Dadeville, followed by a stop in Opelika before landing in north Alabama. She loves sharing the stories – and correcting the grammar of those stories – of the people and places that make north Alabama such a special place.

...

CONTRIBUTORS John Few, Editor Alison James, copy editor

John Few hasearned been in thebachelor’s field of newspaper journalism at and production for over 25 Alison James her degree in journalism Auburn University, years. Johninhas served staffher writer, editor and publisher for a variety of publications graduating 2012.

She as began career in community journalism in Alexander City in Alabama and Mississippi.

He was transferred 2009 toinbegin coverage of loves and Dadeville, followed by a stop in Opelika beforeinlanding northhis Alabama.

She Madison. covering thecorrecting City of Madison the past 10 years, John onplaces sharing theIn stories – and the grammar of those stories – ofhas the reported people and several key events, such as construction of the Hogan Family YMCA and James that make north Alabama such a special place.

Clemens High School. Over the years, as Madison has grown, John has been there to cover the news that has made Madison home. Together John and his wife, Lori, have seven children, ranging from 15-23 years old.

John Few, contributing writer Bob Labbe, contributing writer

Bob Labbe is abeen lifelong resident the Huntsville community.

He has beenfor innearly the local John Few has in the field ofofnewspaper journalism and production 25 news media for served 48 years, journalistTimes, in television, radio and print years.

John has as a multi-award-winning staff writer for The Demopolis the daily newspaper media. is a member of thefor Huntsville-Madison County HallGazette. of FameHe and has in West He Alabama, and editor the weekly newspaper theAthletic Black Belt was been nominated for to both the his Alabama Press Association Alabama of transferred in 2009 begin coverage of Madison.

Inand covering the Music City ofhalls Madison fame.

Bob hosted radio program, The Years,such for 29 on WLRH-FM the past 10 has years, Johna has reported onReelin’ severalinkey events, asyears construction of the Public Family Radio. He has also a local highHigh school basketball for 28 years andhas was Hogan YMCA and been James Clemens School.

Overreferee the years, as Madison a high school football 15 years.

Bob is anhas avidmade sportsMadison fan and home. collector of 45 grown, John has been referee there tofor cover the news that Together rpm records.

He once boxed Ali and was from the reporter who asked John and his wife, Lori, haveMuhammad seven children, ranging 15-23 years old. the famed Paul Bear Bryant his last question as coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Gregg Parker, contributing writer Bob Labbe, contributing writer

A graduate Mississippi State Gregg Parker relocated to Madison with Bob Labbe isof a lifelong resident ofUniversity, the Huntsville community.

He has been in the local Intergraph Corporation 1990 with wife Brenda and son For radio 15 years news media for 48 years, ainmulti-award-winning journalist in Andy. television, andGregg print wrote for Spirit” “Limestone Spirit” sections in “The Times.” media.

He “Madison is a member of theand Huntsville-Madison County Athletic HallHuntsville of Fame and has His articles havefor been in numerous chamber of Alabama commerce publications, been nominated bothpublished the Alabama Press Association and Music halls of “Southern Family Magazine” and “Life on the Gregg considers a privilege to fame.

Bob has hosted a radio program, Reelin’ inWater.”

The Years, for 29 years onitWLRH-FM document Madison’s coming age high in hisschool hundreds of articles forfor “The Madison Public Radio.

He has also been aoflocal basketball referee 28 years and was andfootball “Madison Living” magazine.

Gregg spoiling his collector rescue dachshund, aRecord” high school referee for 15 years. Bob is an enjoys avid sports fan and of 45 rpm Francis He Underwood Parker; binge-watching Netfl series;and andwife records. once boxed Muhammad Ali and was theix reporter whovisiting asked Andy the famed Paul Saadia, bothhis physicians, in Nashville, Bear Bryant last question as coach ofTenn. the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Erin Coggins, Gregg Parker, contributing contributing writer

AErin graduate of is Mississippi University, Gregg Madison High with Coggins a scholasticState journalism adviser andParker historyrelocated teacher attoSparkman Intergraph in 1990 withand wifepublic Brenda and son Andy. ForHer 15 years Gregg School. SheCorporation is also a freelance writer relations consultant. writing muse is wrote “Madison Spirit” and “Limestone “The Huntsville Times.”

Worldfor War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle,Spirit” whom sections she fell ininlove with while a student His articles have been published in numerous chamberErin of commerce publications, studying communications at the University of Alabama. and her husband Jamie “Southern Family Magazine” and “Life on the Water.” Gregg considers it a privilege reside in Madison. to document Madison’s coming of age in his hundreds of articles for “The Madison Record” and “Madison Living” magazine. Gregg enjoys spoiling his rescue dachshund, Francis Underwood Parker; binge-watching Netflix series; and visiting Andy and wife Saadia, both physicians, in Nashville, Tenn.

Erin Coggins, writer Joshua Berry, contributing photographer

Erin Coggins a scholastic journalism adviser and teacher at Sparkman High Joshua Berryishas a degree in biology and works fullhistory time as an aquatic instructor for the School.

She is also aHe freelance writer public relations consultant.

Herdistances. writing muse is City of Huntsville. is also an avidand runner, ranging from short to long When World War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle, whom he sheenjoys fell in trying love with while a the student he’s not spending time with his wife and daughter, to capture perfect studying theowner University of Alabama.

Erin andhis heradvice husband Jamie momentcommunications on his camera. Asatthe of Everlong Photography, for beautiful reside in Madison. pictures is that nothing looks better than being confi dent in oneself.

Joshua Berry, photographer Joshua Berry has a degree in biology and works full time as an aquatic instructor for the City of Huntsville. He is also an avid runner, ranging from short to long distances. When he’s not spending time with his wife and daughter, he enjoys trying to capture the perfect moment on his camera. As the owner of Everlong Photography, his advice for beautiful pictures is that nothing looks better than being confident in oneself.

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15 HISTORIC HOME RENOVATION: Wellborns fine tune their historic home with immaculate results

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IN EVERY ISSUE

7 The Guide 14 Mayor Paul Finley 22 Around Town 28 Madison City Schools 30 Madison Hospital 48 Out & About 29 The Ricky Shack 54 MCC Connections 57 Out & About

SPORTS

43 WRESTLING: The gutwrenching school sport teaches lessons in life that will last a lifetime

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THE GUIDE

CHAMBER COLOR RUN MADISON CITY STADIUM • MARCH 27

The first ever Madison Chamber of Commerce Color Run and Health Fair will be held March 27 at Madison City Stadium. The certified 5k will start at the stadium, routing through Madison’s quaint downtown area and back to the stadium. The 5k will start at 8:00 am and the 1-mile Fun Run, perfect for Madison’s youngest runners will begin at 9 am. Registration for individual and/ or group runners are available, just go to www.eventbrite.com/e/chamber-color-run-tickets-92779719639. You must register

by March 15 to be guaranteed a t-shirt, however, registration ends March 23. The Health Fair will include healthcare and fitness vendors lining the stadium parking lot with a wealth of information about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Go to www.madisonalchamber.com for more information.

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8 Madison Living

THE GUIDE DARE TO EXPLORE: MILESTONES TO MARS

EXHIBIT US SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER Dare to Explore: Milestones to Mars takes visitors on a six-decade journey of space exploration and the innovations and discoveries that have prepared humans to land on the moon and go beyond. Developed by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s exhibits team, Dare to Explore highlights historic artifacts and new technologies, including Lockheed Martin’s proposed lunar ascent stage for the Artemis mission to return to the moon.

Designed especially for young visitors with school groups and families, Dare to Explore includes displays and activities to examine the past and demonstrate how we will live and work in space as we continue our exploration beyond earth’s orbit. This exhibit is included with museum admission.

For more information, go to www. rocketcenter.com

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THE GUIDE

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN Burritt on the Mountain • March 6 The historic park at Buritt on the Mountain will be full of engaging demonstrations and activities with open hearth cooking and blacksmith demonstrations throughout the day starting at 10 a.m. on March 6. Don’t miss this fun and informative way to connect with historic, folklife traditions. Burritt is located at 3101 Burritt Drive in Huntsville. For more information, go to www.burrittonthemountain.com.

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The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is offering two new experiences in our Underwater Astronaut Trainer!

With SeaTREK, museum visitors don a specialized diving helmet for a fully guided underwater walking experience for all skill levels, ages 10 and older. DIVR+ is a virtual reality snorkeling system with sensory feedback, providing an unbelievably realistic VR experience suitable for ages 7 and up.

THE GUIDE

SYMPHONY CLASSICAL SERIES: SCOTTISH FANTASIES Von Braun Center Mark C. Smith Concert Hall • March 13 The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra will present Symphony Classical Series: Scottish Fantasies on March 13 at the Von Braun Center Mark C. Smith Concert Hall. Guest artist will be Tai Murray, an American violinist who made her Chicago Symphony debut at age nine and has been praised by the San Francisco Classical Voice for her “velvety vibrato and lyrical touch.” She will play Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra as the centerpiece of a selection of music inspired by Highland mountains and mists. Also on the program are Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony No. 3, and the poignant, evocative An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise by the English composer Peter Maxwell Davies. For more information, go to www.hso.org.

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Arts and crafts from nearly every category will fill the Von Braun Center South Hall the weekend of March 26-28 at the Northeast Alabama Craftsmen’s Association spring show.

Over 100 vendors will be set up in 12 ft aisles to assist with social distancing. Masks are required. The VBC is located at 700 Monroe Street in Huntsville. The show will be open Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Sunday 12 - 5 p.m.

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THE GUIDE

SPROCKET’S RUN TOYOTA FIELD • APRIL 3 “Sprocket’s Sprint” takes place Saturday, April 3rd at Toyota Field and will feature a 5K race, 10K race, and kids’ fun run. In addition to the fun run, registered racers ages 12 & under can participate in an egg hunt around the ballpark.

All runners who sign up by March 13th will receive a commemorative t-shirt. Finisher’s medals will be given to each participant, with additional medals awarded to top three finishers in each age and gender group.

The 5K and 10K race will begin at 8 a.m., the fun run will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the egg hunt will start approximately at 10 a.m.

The awards ceremony will take place at 10:45 a.m. Toyota Field concession stands will be open during the event.

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Madison Living 13

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Spring Safety Tips

M

Madison is known for being a safe community with low crime rates well below the national

averages. Our Police and Fire departments selflessly serve our community daily through outreach, education and community connection. As we move into springtime, here are four safety tips our public servants recommend for you and your family to help improve your personal

...

Paul Finley Mayor City of Madison

safety.

Lock your car when parking at greenways and parks

As weather warms, many of us will be venturing out to our local greenways and finding rec-

reation opportunities. The best way to stop potential theft is to lock your car doors. Our Police Department also suggests leaving any valuables at home, or locking them in your trunk. While patrol officers will always be on the lookout for criminals, do your part by stopping thieves in their tracks by securing your valuables in your vehicle.

Form a Neighborhood Watch Our Police Department works closely with Home Owners Associations and Neighborhood Watch groups to form a coalition of community members looking out for the safety of Madison.

Research shows when public safety strategies partner with citizens, results in safety improvements are longer lasting. To schedule a meeting for your HOA or community group to meet with local law enforcement, contact MPD at (256) 772-5685.

Change Smoke Detector Batteries The change of time calls for a change of batteries for those smoke detectors. Keep your family safe by ensuring your detectors work properly. If needed, a Community Risk Reduction Officer from our Fire Department will install and check smoke alarms to our citizens free of charge. For more information on fire safety call (256) 772-3326.

Download the PulsePoint App In emergency CPR situations the PulsePoint application can help save lives. Our Fire Department worked in conjunction with area HEMSI and EMA teams to provide the free PulsePoint app to our citizens. PulsePoint alerts users to nearby emergencies and steps them through proper CPR, as well as shows the location of AEDs nearby, strengthening the chain of survival for cardiac arrest victims. PulsePoint is available for both Apple and Android devices.

We hope you stay safe and engaged with your local public safety servants this spring!

-Mayor Paul Finley

14 Madison Living

HOME&STYLE

COMFORT OF HOME Wellborns fine tune their historic home with immaculate results STORY BY GREGG PARKER PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

Madison Living 15

16 Madison Living

C

Chris and Suzanne Wellborns’ home decor already resonated like an orchestral showpiece, but their restoration/renovation/addition has enhanced their residence to symphonic greatness.

Since Dec. 7, 2010, the Wellborns have lived in the Madison Station Historical District. The house was built in 1889, and the lot housed the first U.S. Post Office in Madison. “A Civil War skirmish took place in the area. Metal-detecting enthusiasts frequently find mini-balls in our yard,” Suzanne said.

The family decided on adding more living space, along with updating the ‘bones’ of the structure. “We added 850 square feet and a garage. We (now) have a new master bedroom, expanded kitchen and family room and three more bathrooms, which were desperately needed,” Suzanne said.

“My husband Chris wanted to make me happy with our kitchen and help me sleep better by insulating the bedroom so the train whistle wouldn’t wake me up,” she said. “He fulfilled my dreams by giving me free rein to make the house functional and beautiful.”

In restoration work, they replaced some support beams and floor joists.

Where possible, rooms were sprayfoam insulated to weatherize. They saved as many antique windows and as much wall paneling as possible.

Existing floors retain their heartof-pine material, more than a century old. The addition was floored with salvage heart pine in wide planks. “I love the way you can see nail holes and knots,” she said. “It definitely looks imperfect.”

The updates benefitted the entire family. “We were cold in the winter, had to share our bathroom with ev-

eryone and had a tiny kitchen,” Suzanne said. Entertaining was difficult.

Everyone had to line up down the hallway to go through the buffet on the kitchen counter. “On the coldest winter days, the butter never softened up on the kitchen table. The cat used his tail to cover his nose during naps.”

With the new garage, Chris no longer hits his head on beams in the small carport. “He is as happy as a clam with his new garage -- although he watches me with a wary eye every time I use it to store something I’ve bought,” Suzanne said.

Suzanne, who is a decorator, used a soft palette in blue for a restful feeling for the family room. She echoed that color in the kitchen and laundry ceilings, which are clad in beadboard. “I wanted the kitchen to feel like a grand but welcoming Southern porch. It needed to function well to accommodate multiple cooks since I’m teach-

Madison Living 17

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ing the children some culinary skills,” she said.

When the Wellborns were stationed in England with the U.S. Air Force, Suzanne collected an array of antique furniture. However, the Wellborns received an additional treasure with the restoration – an eightfoot-long pine table from Suzanne’s grandmother’s home. Originally, the table was in a grocery store in Suzanne’s hometown and became her kitchen island in the 1960s.

“My grandmother taught me how to cook all our family holiday recipes, including her boiled custard that my stepfather says is so good ‘it could save a bad marriage,’” Suzanne said.

All rooms in the addition are in good use. “The children love going into the ‘old’ living room to watch TV. Everyone has learned how to cook and help clean the new kitchen. It’s much easier now that everything can be stored properly,” she said.

The Wellborn children also like the extra space to slide in their socks on polished wood floors. Marshall has taken up woodworking in the new garage and has made planters from floorboards salvaged from the old porch.

An expert on historic homes, David Hasting was their builder. Herrod Interiors of Norfolk, Virginia

Madison Living 19

Doing more than expected.

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The “Movers Who Care®” Difference.

“We love being a part of a small, close-knit community here in Madison. My main favorite thing is the music from Madison United Methodist Church’s steeple.” helped Suzanne with drawings and perpetual advice.

Suzanne with her business, Wellborn House Interiors, chose finishes like lighting, paint schemes and flooring. “I have to credit my mother -- also a decorator -for teaching me everything I know. She also consulted,” Suzanne said.

Lt. Col. Chris Wellborn has retired from military service. Chris and Suzanne are parents of Marshall, 16; Elizabeth, 13; and six-year-old Benton.

“We love being a part of a small, close-knit community here in Madison. My main favorite thing is the music from Madison United Methodist Church’s steeple,” Suzanne said.

“Often, I’ll run outside for a minute and hear one of the wonderful old hymns, and I remember to trust the Lord or be grateful for His mercy. It just reorients my thinking,” she said.

Madison Living 21

....................... AROUND TOWN .......................

Denim and Diamonds is back!

...

Lee Marshall

Founder / CEO Kids to Love Foundation

22 Madison Living

E

Exciting things are happening at Davidson Farms,including the return of our signature fundraiser. Denim and Diamonds is back!

We cannot wait to welcome guests to the Farm next month for an outdoor dinner and show, all for the benefit of our girls.

The night will include a VIP concert featuring Grammy-award winning Shenandoah! My friend Marty Raybon has supported Kids to Love for many years, and we are thrilled the entire band will be with him for this special night.

Appropriate protocols will be in place for

COVID including limited, socially distanced seating and even the opportunity to purchase a personal table for two! You can also buy tickets to watch virtually from the comfort of your home because we don’t want you to miss the music or message.

So, brush up on the lyrics to “The Church on Cumberland Road”, choose the denim or diamonds you want to wear, and mark your calendar for April 17 to join us whether in person or online.

You can find all the information you need on our website kidstolove.org.

SPRING FASHION Local experts discuss the latest trends in spring fashion and accessories STORY BY ERIN COGGINS

Madison Living 23

Indigos Boutique

A

Be your best you.

As the community prepares to transition from dreary and cold to sunny and warm, local businesses are also gearing up for a brighter change in their store displays,offering their customers the latest trends in fashion and accessories.

According to Denise McNeill, owner of Indigos Boutique, the fashion world has definitely faced its share of obstacles in 2020 and thanks to the ongoing pandemic, spring is projected to be a season like no other.

“The new working from home routine certainly had an effect on what designers turned out for the upcoming spring season,” McNeill said. “Expect to see lots of florals this season as they signify new beginnings. I feel like nothing freshens a wardrobe more and puts one in a spring mood better than floral.”

Along the florals, designers are continuing the play on being joyful by incorporating more vibrant and bright colors as well as the usual pastels into their spring collections. Shoppers should expect to see neons as well as soft colors on the racks.

“Neons are huge this spring whether going bold with a bright top or playing it safe with simple neon accessories,” McNeill said. “We are loving the pops of color to introduce the upcoming season. Look for shades of

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marigold, neon pink followed closely by French blue, ash green and raspberry sorbet.”

Carriage House owner, Nicole Shelton, is excited about the designers her boutique is offering this spring, including Hunter Bell, Yigal Azrouel, Loeffler Randal and Ganni. Her staff is ready to help clients curate the perfect wardrobe for spring.

“It’s all about classic pieces that you can wear over and over again and each season adding a punch of color, a beautiful overcoat or a great fitting pair of jeans to war with that fabulous top they already own,” Shelton said.

Both ladies agree that this year’s spring construction trends include oversized boyfriend blazers, blouses with distinctive collars and strong shoulders.

“Yes, you guess it, shoulder pads are back,” Shelton said.

Color trends extend to jewelry and accessories as well. Karen Boehme of Meyer and Lee Fine Jewelry says the colors for the year for jewelry are yellow, grey and lavender and yellow gold settings are the trend.

“What better way to embrace the color trend then

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Madison Living 25

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with a yellow gold amethyst piece of jewelry?” Boehme said.

Boehme says when looking for jewelry traditional pieces are the go to. This includes this year’s trend of gold hoop earrings, gold bangle bracelets and diamond earrings.

“I suggest adding a ‘wild card’ piece of jewelry that you love and feel good when you wear it. It can be an heirloom piece or a wild fashion piece,” Boehme said.

“Things like the ‘paperclip’ necklaces that are popping up this spring are excellent examples.”

Whether customers are looking for the latest trends or classic pieces for the spring, all three ladies recommend keeping key wardrobe pieces classic and looking for add in pieces to bring in trendier items.

“Adding in trendier pieces is one way you can feel stylish, but not over the top,” McNeill said. “Plus, when the trend is gone you still have your classic pieces to carry over the following year. Classic pieces truly never go out.”

For more spring fashion ideas, check out the following websites: Meyer and Lee Fine Jewelry - www.meyerlee.com Indigos Boutique - www.myindigos.com Carriage House - www.shopcarriagehouse.com Carriage House

26 Madison Living

Madison Living 27

....................... Madison City Schools .......................

School maintenance employees have worked tirelessly through pandemic

T

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, front line workers like hospital employees and first responders rightfully deserve our praise. Schools also have front-line workers: school nurses, teachers risking exposure from teaching, bus drivers and cafeteria workers.

There’s another group of essential school workers deserving of recognition – school maintenance employJohn Peck ees. They work tirelessly to clean and Madison City Schools disinfect schools in addition to all of Public Relations their other duties maintaining buildManager ings and grounds.

These custodians, plant managers and Central Office operations and maintenance employees work largely behind the scenes making sure buildings stay warm, plumbing and lights all work, supplies are stocked, and cafeteria equipment functions. “It’s a thankless job but you know that coming in,” said Michael Gunner, coordinator over Operations and Maintenance at Madison City Schools.

“You are usually not noticed, really, unless something is broken. But there is a lot of self-gratification leaving after fixing something.”

Mr. Gunner manages a staff of 15 under his direct supervision. Also on his team are approximately 60 school cus-

...

28 Madison Living

todians and 11 plant managers. Collectively, they cover 12 schools, the transportation department, stadium and Central Office building and annex.

COVID-19 sent them scrambling last year to install thousands of desk shields and to assist schools in other ways to minimize the spread of COVID. They reconfigured classrooms and common spaces and helped keep schools stocked with masks and germ fighting sanitizers and wipes.

A new tool in their arsenal is electrostatic sprayers. The District now has about 50 of them whose fog of application spreads hospital-grade disinfectant more broadly. During all-virtual days and after-school hours on other days, Gunner’s crews work aggressively spraying down schools. It’s a huge job with approximately 1.6 million square feet of building space.

With all of the facilities under their purview now, two new schools will soon be added: Midtown Elementary (fall 2020 opening) and Journey Middle School (fall 2022 opening). The Operations department collaborates with school administrators, construction professionals, architects, and engineers in the design phase and help monitors construction. Smaller projects on campuses are overseen by operations (examples: small storage buildings, additional fencing, and the giant flagpole being erected at the stadium.)

Mr. Gunner’s team also works with school principals to relocate furniture and transport instructional materials.

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....................... MADISON HOSPITAL .......................

Thankful for Gerald Dupree

...

Mary Lynne Wright President Madison Hospital

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It’s hard to believe, but Madison Hospital turned nine years old on Feb. 28, 2021. During that time, we have built a reputation for safe and compassionate care in a family-friendly setting.

Most of the credit rightly goes to our doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. But I also want to acknowledge the contributions of some unsung heroes: the community volunteer members of our Madison Hospital Board.

Gerald Dupree is a great example.

I rely on Mr. Dupree and the other board members to help keep me focused on the big picture – to make sure that our plans for the future match up with the community’s changing needs.

Mr. Dupree’s insights come from his diverse life experiences. Like many people in our area, he served in the Army – attaining the rank of captain – and later worked as a defense con-

tractor. He’s a church deacon, lifelong Madison County resident and Huntsville/Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. He and his wife, Sarah Yeager Dupree, will celebrate their 63rd anniversary this year. They have two children, six grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren.

I asked Mr. Dupree why he enjoys serving on the Madison Hospital Board. His answer says a lot about his community spirit: “Madison Hospital is a wonderful asset to the Huntsville/Madison area and indeed to all of North Alabama. We have only to observe all of the business, medical and industrial growth that has occurred since the hospital was built.

The hospital is easily accessible, provides fantastic medical service and is minutes away from its parent, Huntsville Hospital, which is recognized as a worldwide trauma center. Could we ask for more?”

PEOPLE

THE PALENAPA TWINS Jake and Joe have followed each other through an array of projects, sports and school STORY BY BOB LABBE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

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Jake and Joe Palenapa have always been infatuated with flying and since small boys growing up in North Alabama had their visions set for going off into the wild blue yonder. Born on May Day, 2003, the fraternal twins, sons to Jay and Yulie Palenapa, have, like most twins, followed each other through an array of projects, sports and school. Their start at adulthood looks to be just as close knit as both have been accepted to attend the Air Force Academy this fall.

“Being at the Air Force Academy is the best place to be as I want to be in the air as a pilot and I plan on having a career in the military,” said Joe, younger twin by one minute. “Actually growing up I never planned to go into the military, but I wanted to fly with the best pilots on earth.”

“I’ve always been fascinated by planes as our family used to fly to

Hawaii several times to visit family,” said Jake, small by just five pounds to Joe as both stand 5-foot-6. “When our parents found out we both wanted to be pilots they said we could fly them out to Hawaii.”

As seniors at Bob Jones High, both Jake and Joe have been members of the Patriots’ swim team helping the squad to a seventh place team finish at the AHSAA State Swim Meet. Joe swims the 200-meter fly and 100m butterfly while Jake concentrates on the 200m IM and 100 breaststroke.

Both participate on the boys 200m and 400m freestyle relays. They were also selected as team captains received the same amount of votes from team members.

“They are two of the best overall student-athletes I have ever coached,” said Wade Thaxton, head coach of the Bob Jones swim program. “At the be-

ginning of our last season together I asked Jake about his personal goals and he replied he wanted to be among the top 10-percent of his senior class in academics. Joe was also a great member of our team and I’ll never forget he sent me a text that he and Jake got the word of acceptance to the Air Force Academy. That text made me more proud of them than any race or swim they have ever done.”

Joe currently has a grade point average of 4.8 ranking him No. 20 in the Patriots’ senior class while Jake has a 3.96 GPA and No. 23 among the seniors. Joe was also accepted to West Point, but knew Air Force is what his future should be contrived of. Both have been part of the ROTC program at Bob Jones and serve on the ROTC Honor Guard.

The twins learned of their being accepted to the Academy via a phone

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call from Mo Brooks, United States Representative for Alabama’s Fifth District. Joe remembered the event this way, “Our dad called Jake and I into the kitchen and asked us to listen to Mo Brooks and then we found out we were headed to the Air Force. We had begun the application for the school last March and the official submission process did not take place until July. We received the great news Dec. 10.”

As young boys, the Palenapa twins were typical male youths playing sports mostly in soccer and basketball before they chose swimming. They got into the sport in a roundabout way through their older sister, Grace, who also partook in swimming at Bob Jones. She would be at practice sessions and the two young lads were there watching and told by their mother to complete their homework. Upon pulling out the assigned schoolwork the twins began see what was happening in the water and soon decided frolicking in the water was much more fun that opening their school books.

“Swimming is what I do and many coaches at Bob Jones and with the Madison Swim Association have led me physically to be better and I was pretty decent at the strokes in the pool,” said Joe. Jake added, “I wasn’t the best starting out, but I stuck with it and I was with friends

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and through everything we go through as swimmers we became a swim family.”

Jake suffered a broken arm which required surgery and he had to relearn the necessary swim strokes to be able to compete. His arm remains in an awkward position, but doesn’t necessarily interrupt his swimming success.

Joe had his own scramble with an injury as he suffered a broken left ankle while at the beach and missed most of the 2020 season arriving back into the competition mode in time for late-season events and the State Meet.

“The combination of academic and swimming success, as well as, their work ethic and leadership skills has been amazing and the efforts they put towards creating comradery within the team makes me smile,” added Thaxton.

The Palenapa twins are well-rounded young men as Joe can play the piano after taking lessons for several years and Jake is proficient in playing the violin and selftaught with the ukulele. Each are members of the Asbury Methodist Church and group leaders in the youth program within the church. Add the fact they have both built model airplanes to help learn the engineering aspects of flying and you have brothers who are close in many ways.

“We’ve always been close and did boyhood stuff together and even got into trouble together,” said Joe. “Throughout our lives we’ve always wanted to be our own person.” Jake added, “We would always look up crazy science experiments and blow things up. Matter of fact, when we 13 years old an experiment went array and we burned the back yard including a trampoline we had.”

Jake and Joe will each receive a full-ride scholarship and following graduation will have five years of active duty with their dreams ahead as pilots and the chance to be off with one helluva of a roar as nothing will stop the U.S. Air Force.

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FOOD&DRINK

MAIN STREET CAFE

Dishes that satisfy with comfort of down home flair STORY BY GREGG PARKER PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

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Tammy and John Hall have persevered through all of 2020’s challenges at Main Street Cafe to satisfy the tastes of their guests.

“We have truly been blessed throughout the pandemic. We’ve seen support from longtime customers and even gained new customers, mostly due to the ‘Support Local’ movement,” Tammy said. “Considering that so many establishments have had to shut down, we’re truly thankful for the community’s support.”

With the vaccine’s release, customers who had stayed home now are returning. “We’re surprised daily with faces we haven’t seen in months! Some dined on the patio in 60-degree weather and loved it,” Tammy said.

To survive the pandemic, the Halls originally offered meal packages from their lunch menu. As demand grew, they extended pick-up for the entire lunch menu. They modified hours, offered overwhelmingly successful specials for Easter and Mother’s Day, prepared large orders for delivery to neighborhoods and added Door Dash delivery.

During slower times, the entire crew pitched in to ‘spruce up’ the building. Helping with the facelift were servers Tim, Millicent and Joseph; Tammy, John and their children; day manager Christy and her son and daughter; volunteer Tom; and Millicent’s son Colton.

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During pandemic downtime, their chores upgraded the building: • Scraping walls and then start painting.

• Lowering wood circling the restaurant’s ceiling to separate paint colors. * Painting accent walls and repainting chairs to black. “Now when you enter, you focus on classic woodwork that Tony Sensenberger built when the restaurant opened in 2000,” Tammy said.

• Installing new wall lights and in ‘jail cells.’

• Adding canvas prints of photographs by local photographer Peter Beilstin of Madison’s historic district.

• Installing a new roof.

“I can’t compliment most Main Street Cafe customers enough! They made my transition into ownership (from Cindy and Tony Sensenberger) amazingly easy. Cindy Sensenberger built a highly successful business, and I’ve tried to run it as efficiently as she did,” Tammy said.

Tammy reassures guests that “NONE of the recipes have changed.

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Our lunch menu is tried and true. No need to reinvent the wheel. We did add Poppyseed Chicken Casserole and Lemon Poppyseed Bread.”

The most popular lunch order is Poulet de Normandie, a hearty dressing casserole of stuffing, chicken, celery, mayo, mushroom sauce and cheese.

“It’s that dish people see walking by and ask, ‘What is that?’ It’s comfort food 101,” Tammy said.

The dinner menu has gone through a few changes and “likely will continue to be molded as time goes on … to enhance the experience we want to offer,” Tammy said. “We’re keeping items that have sold well and adding others like Flounder Divine, Coffee Rub Ribeye and bringing back Bourbon BBQ Pork Medallions,” she said. They realize the need for gluten-free and vegetarian options.

Best sellers at dinner are New Orleans Seafood, with blackened sea bass topped with grilled shrimp and creamy andouille sauce, and 12-ounce Main Street Ribeye, grilled or blackened with various sauces or rubs. “For dessert, Strawberry Pretzel Salad wins every time,” Tammy said.

Monday and Tuesday evenings are open to private parties of more than 35 people. The Halls accept reservations of 35 people or less at lunch on MondaySaturday or dinner Wednesday-Saturday. People often choose Main Street for bridal luncheons, baby showers, small rehearsal dinners and birthdays.

Guests can make reservations of five or more. For-

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mer jail cells (when the building was Madison’s City Hall) accommodate between six to eight diners comfortably.

The Halls encourage customers to ‘like’ their Facebook page (Main Street Cafe Madison), follow on Instagram at mainstreetcafemadisonal and visit mainstreetcafemadison. com.

The cafe’s address is 101 Main Street For more information, call 256-461-8096 or email Cafemainstreet101@gmail. com.

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SPORTS

WRESTLING

The gut-wrenching school sport teaches lessons in life that will last a lifetime STORY BY BOB LABBE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

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To be a high school wrestler takes ness and stamina needed to be sucan enormous amount of fortitude. cessful in the sport. Matthew SweatMental strength is just as important man, longtime head coach of the as physical brawn. The gut-wrenching highly regarded wrestling program sport teaches lessons in life that will at Bob Jones High, said the sport last a lifetime and installs self-esteem teaches self-confidence and pushes and the idea of always work hard and a young athlete to have respect in you can achieve goals in life, not just yourself. He added, “The sport shows on the wrestling mat. Matter of fact, you to hold your head high, as long as on the mat is where the tough are sep- you compete hard, show your best efforts, you will win, just as in life. The arated from the weak.

“This sport translates to life as sport teaches discipline. A high school wrestling preps you for wins and loss- wrestler has to be willing to be a part es in life,” said Kevin Pecor in his fifth of something bigger than yourself.”

Physically, most who know and season as head coach of the James Clemens Jets wrestling program. “I’ve understand high school athletics reseen kids when they came out for the alize wrestlers can’t afford to be onesport who were so timid, they were dimensional as each has to have endurance to go along with explosive scared of their own shadow.”

Inside the mindset of a high school speed and power. Not only does a wrestler is what’s generally regarded wrestler have to be strong and quick, as important as the strength, quick- they must be thinkers, mentally sharp

to be prepared for any move your opponent may make. An elite wrestler knows to look for countermoves and yet another countermove after your opponent counters your move. The sport features constant motion, both physically and mentally.

Drew Lawson wrestlers in the 285-pound division which is best known as the “heavyweights.” He began wrestling in the eighth grade when Sweatman approached Lawson’s older brother, Kaleb, about coming out for the school’s team. Lawson tagged along and gave the sport a try. Lawson struggled his first season, but quickly learned what wrestling teaches mostdon’t give up.

Lawson is now ranked among the top heavyweight wrestlers in Alabama, but not after an on-going internal struggle to keep his weight

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through a ferocious daily schedule that includes physical training and following a strict diet that includes a total daily calorie intake of 4,000-9,000.

“My diet includes a morning protein bar or smoothie, a pre-dinnertime protein shake and salad before sitting down with my family for dinner,” said Lawson.

“He’s exhausting,” said Lawson’s mother, Kimberly.

“His meals consist of six eggs, spinach, cheese, mushrooms, a half-dozen chicken sausages and more. He doesn’t eat fried foods, very little bread and no sweets. He enjoys eating chicken and salmon. I think it’s all worth the effort as he will never look back and say what if. It’s my responsibility to give him everything he has needed.”

Many wrestlers, especially those in the lighter weight divisions, are forced to cutting weight to make certain weight limits to wrestle. Sebastian Davis, the top rated wrestler for James Clemens High as a junior at 160-pounds, has lost as many as 13 pounds to make a weigh-in prior to a match. “Going through those experiences and the tough physical nature of the sport taught me I can get through it as hard times in the sport can be overwhelming, but the sport has helped me figure things

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out,” said Davis. “Wrestling is more than a sport. It taught me to depend on myself and fine-tuned my problem solving skills to figure things out.”

“Wrestling doesn’t sugarcoat. You get what you put into it, especially when it comes to cutting weight,” added Sweatman.

Many athletes are scared of the sport due to the hard work that comes along with the athletic endeavor. For coaches, some of the most difficult aspects of recruiting an athlete to participate is getting an athlete past the fear of failing in front of a crowd and teammates. The individuality is what makes the sport unlike any other an athlete can indulge in.

“The beauty of the sport is so much of society tries to tamp down aggression, but wrestling teaches you to be aggressive in a good way,” said Pecor. “The sport teaches each athlete there’s always a bigger fish in the sea, so wrestlers don’t have a chance to be complacent.”

Pecor added the sport is an emotional one as the struggles each participant has with their opponent, as well as, with their inner-self. “You can’t blame anyone else. Some of these athletes are Fortune 100 type students who learn

“The beauty of the sport is so much of society tries to tamp down aggression, but wrestling teaches you to be aggressive in a good way.” how to accept a loss and learn to get better,” said Pecor.

The sport is not for the faint of heart. Injuries do occur as more than 50-percent of high school wrestlers will experience injuries.

Lawson suffered a season-ending knee injury during the second period of a match in 2019. He suffered a torn ACL and meniscus and sprained MCL. He underwent surgery and was released in time for his efforts as starting center for the Bob Jones football team where has earned All-State adulations.

“I didn’t worry about him until he was injured as that crushed us as parents because we know how much he puts into the sport,” added Kimberly Lawson. “I still get nervous when he wrestles.”

Lawson saw his severe injury as a challenge. He knew he had to push through his surgery and rehabilitation. “The sport taught me I can push farther than I thought I could,” Lawson said. “With my teammates, we push one another as a unit.”

“What we teach is discipline, do what you’re told and you normally have instant obedience,” said Sweatman. “It’s a Marine Corps definition of discipline. Just like in life, at some point your name will be called and you have to be ready.”

As any high school wrestler will tell you, the hours of hard work, dieting, balance of school and the sport is all worth it as their hand is raised in victory.

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OUT&ABOUT

MADISON SENIOR CENTER MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION - The Rotary Club of Madison helped make this year’s Mardi Gras a wonderful celebration at the Madison Senior Center on Hughes Drive last month. The celebration looked a little different this year due to the pandemic, but the one thing that didn’t change were the great, big smiles on everyone’s faces. Rotary members handed out Mardi Gras goodies to seniors who participated in the drive-up parking lot Mardi Gras celebration on Friday. There was even a king and queen for the celebration. The 2021 Mardi Gras royalty includes King Jerry Cottone (below left) and Queen Shirley Jemison (below right).

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ON THE GRILL

WILD GAME SUPPER AT THE RICKY SHACK with dove, quail, pheasant, duck and deer

BY RICHARD GEORGE

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Many years ago, several of my Mississippi the open sky, enjoy tall tales and maybe sip State University Bulldog Alumni friends got a cool beverage. In cooler weather there is a together and planned a “Wild Game Supper.” nice big fire to sit around at Deercamp.

We each agreed to set aside some Dove, Quail, From late October through mid-February is Pheasant, Duck and Deer attained from our deer season. Although the weather turns cold, seasonal hunts. When the freezer was full, we it is still fun to go to Deercamp and be with our set a date, planned the menu with our wives, hunting friends. When deer are killed, they brought in extra grills, smokers, tables and are brought back to our skinning area to be even ordered a beer keg! We promised our weighed, cleaned and processed. We compile wives that we would do all the cleaning, cookthe necessary and helpful records for game ing/grilling and the final clean up. We enjoyed conservation, and bragging rights. Many antthis wild game supper so much that it became lers or racks are preserved and taken to a taxiRichard George a yearly joint supper club event. It was fun and dermist for mounting. @ricky_shack the food was great.

DEER We were living in a community surrounded One of the most tender pieces of deer meat by farms, lakes and timberland that was ideal for hunting (venison) is the inner loin. This is the small tenderloin and fishing. We either owned property, were granted per- from inside the body cavity and runs along the spine. The mission to hunt on property, or were members of a hunt- outer loin or backstrap runs on the upper side of the ribs ing club. Now that I have retired, I spend lots of time at and along the backbone and is also a delicacy. After rethe Redfield Hunting Club in Delta, AL. Although it is 140 moving the loins, wash well and soak in water to help remiles away, we enjoy our deer hunting and riding 4-wheel- move any “gamey” flavor. I like to change the water severs or side-by-side utility vehicles, e.g. Polaris Ranger. We eral times. Some folks like to soak venison in buttermilk. spend a lot of time preparing the fields for planting, trimAfter the water appears to be clear, remove and mariming/cleaning the roadways, repairing, or building shoot- nate for at least four hours with your favorite Italian dressing houses, setting up ladder stands and cutting firewood. ing. Zoe’s or Olive Garden Italian dressing is easy to find Sometimes we even slip off to the river or a creek to cool in Huntsville or Madison. Remove the loins from the mardown. There is often an enjoyable evening ride to the tall- inade, dispose of the marinade and sprinkle loins liberally est spot to view the sunset, watch the moon and stars in with Hardin’s Original Seasoning. Set them aside while

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you prepare your smoker for 225-235 degrees.

When the fire is stabilized, add a couple of chunks of cherry and pecan wood. When the blue smoke turns clear, place the venison loin on your smoker and close the lid to capture the smoky flavor. Every 5- 10 minutes roll the loin over to cook all sides.

When the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees, brush on some Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce for sweet heat. Remove from the smoker at 135-145 degrees, cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes, slice and serve. I prefer 1-inch slices, especially when standing around the campfire, sharing these smoked treats with friends.

Another larger (and more time consuming) venison treat is to smoke a hind quarter. If a friend offers you this approximately 3–4-pound, 10-14-inch-long bone in hind quarter, don’t shy away from it. Take the challenge. My recent hind quarter cook was an almost 48-hour process. The brining began at 8pm on Thursday evening, changing to marinating at 6pm on Friday, building the fire at 11am on Saturday, removing from the marinade and beginning the cooking at 12 noon on Saturday. We finally ate about 6pm on Saturday evening.

Plan accordingly. It is well worth the time commitment.

If you plan on smoking a hind quarter, leaving the bone in this hind quarter only enhances the flavor. Remove any silver skin and rinse several times. Rinsing helps remove the blood and the gamey taste. Brine your hind quarter for 18-24 hours.

Ingredients for the brine consist of 1-gallon warm water, ¾ cup Kosher Salt, 2/3 cup sugar, ¾ cup Soy Sauce, ¼ cup Olive Oil. (Thanks, Jake Jacobs, for sharing your wonderful brine recipe.) Additionally, I added 1 cup of Old River Road Sugar Cane Syrup for more sweetness. Make sure the entire hind-quarter is covered and flip it a couple of times to ensure coverage.

After the brining time period is up, remove and rinse the hind quarter, and discard the brine. Injecting with 6oz. of pineapple juice, will enhance the flavor and juiciness down deep. Use your marinade injector syringe to inject in all areas of muscle. Sprinkle liberally with Hardin’s Original Seasoning. Place venison in a 2-gallon Zip-lock bag, add ½ cup Allegro Marinade, squeeze out the air and seal tight. Refrigerate 12-18-hours.

Prepare your fire and stabilize the indirect heat at 225-250 degrees, add several pecan chunks for smokey flavor. Wait for the thick blue smoke to turn wispy white before adding the meat to your smoker.

Remove the venison from the marinating bag and discard marinade. Drape a couple of slices of bacon over the venison.

Smoke for 3-4 hours, to approximately 135 degrees internal temperature, then wrap tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil and continue smoking until it reaches 150 degrees. Remove from smoker and wrap the covered venison in a couple of heavy towels. Place in a spare cooler to allow the meat to finish cooking and rest, at least 1 hour. This hind quarter was tender and delicious.... not gamey tasting.

DUCK One of the many benefits of having a great son-in-law like Patrick Salvail is that he loves to duck hunt and he shares his

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Green Teal Duck Poppers with me. His instructions are: Skin the entire duck, cut out the breast and soak the breast for 2-3 hours in cold water. This draws the blood out and therefore reduces the gamey taste that so many people are afraid of. Other items needed are; thick cut bacon, cut into thirds, Jalapeno peppers, sliced in half longwise, and cream cheese.

Be sure to core the jalapeno of pods and veins to reduce the overall heat. Slice the breast meat into sizes that will fit into one side of the pepper, add cream cheese to fill the other side of the pepper, then wrap with bacon. You can secure this with a toothpick. Set your smoker to 275 degrees, place the Duck Poppers onto the smoker and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon is almost crisp. Brush a generous amount of Blues Hog Original Barbecue sauce over the poppers. Cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the bacon to further crisp and the barbecue sauce to caramelize. Remove and enjoy this great appetizer along with your favorite bourbon cocktail. Caution: cream cheese is hot when it comes off the grill-patiently let it cool a little bit.

DOVE Unlike many other hunting activities, dove hunting is usually a highly social event with many hunters surrounding the same field. I have enjoyed many an afternoon hunt, over a harvested corn field or a hay field where we were able to hide(camouflage) ourselves and pick off a bird circling a field looking for food or water. When we had either run out of shotgun shells or reached our limit of birds, we would go to a cool spot to clean the doves. I preferred to simply remove the breast, wash the breast well and place into an ice cooler to preserve the meat. After a hot, fall afternoon of hunting dove, cool refreshments were available and much needed. Thereafter, many excuses were shared for the reasons birds were missed.

My favorite recipe is quite simple. Marinate the doves in Italian or Russian dressing for 4-6 hours. Prepare your fire for medium heat, 250-300 degrees, and toss a couple of pecan wood chunks on the fire. While waiting for the blue smoke to thin out, place a small onion and a small mushroom in the breast cavity between two doves and wrap with bacon. Use a wet toothpick to secure. This works well if the larger end of one breast is fitted to the smaller end of the other dove to form a pocket. Otherwise, just wrap the bacon around a single dove. Cook until the bacon approaches your desired degree of doneness, 150-160 degrees internal temperature.

QUAIL If you unexpectedly flush a covey of quail from the undergrowth, it will make your heart rush! If, however, you have a dog sniffing the ground and the breeze for quail scent, then locking into a rigid point when they find the quail, you will freeze with excitement.

Start by spatchcocking your quail (use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone, then flatten them with your hand so that the quail will cook evenly.) Our wives prefer that we cut away the wing and leg bones to basically leave only the breast. For some reason they take no pleasure walking around in the yard sipping on a cold beer and gnawing on the tiny legs. Stabilize your grill at 300 degrees and add a

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couple of chunks of apple wood.

Coat the quail with olive oil, salt well and place them breast side up on your grill utilizing indirect or convection heat. Cook with your grill lid down for approximately 10 minutes, to capture the light smoke.

Brush liberally with World Famous Rendezvous BBQ Sauce (from Memphis.) Flip the quail and repeat until your internal temperature reaches 150 degrees in the thickest part of the quail breast.

PHEASANT Pheasant hunting is a popular sport throughout Alabama.

Walking along fencerows and near grain fields, watching a lab or a pointer flush a pheasant from cover, then getting off a shot at a bird is so much fun! It is more fun if the bird goes down and the dog retrieves it. Great friends and avid hunters, Melissa and Dag Rowe share a wonderful recipe for Pheasant Piccata for four.

Season: 3 boneless, skinless whole pheasant breasts, salt and pepper.

Brown in: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, ¼ cup of flour.

Deglaze with: ¼ cup dry white wine, 1 ½ tsp. Minced garlic.

Add: 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 4 tablespoons capers, drained.

Finish with: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, fresh thin lemon slices.

Garnish with: Chopped fresh parsley.

Fillet out each of the two sides of the 3 pheasant breasts. Each side should be

filleted as to produce two slices (4 total per breast.) Season pieces with salt and pepper and then dust with flour. Shake off excess flour. Spray a sauté pan with non-stick spray, add vegetable oil, and heat on medium-high until oil is hot and shimmering. Brown pieces 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip the pieces over when golden brown, and then brown the other side 2-3 minutes.

To effectively brown, don’t overcrowd pan. Transfer pieces to a warm plate; pour off fat from the pan. Add minced garlic and wine to deglaze, scraping up the flavorful brown bits, then cook sauce a minute or so on medium-high heat until liquid is gone. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Return pheasant pieces to pan and cook 2 minutes. Transfer pieces to a warm plate. Finish sauce with butter and thin lemon slices. As soon as the butter melts and the sauce bubbles, then pour sauce over fillets. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

BAKED BEANS Another great recipe furnished by my son in law, Patrick Salvail, was this one for baked beans. I did however, substitute ground venison for his ground beef.

I cooked these baked beans on my Ugly Drum Smoker for a cookout at Deercamp recently. They went well with the venison hind quarter.

Ingredients: 2 large (28 oz.) cans of Bush’s Maple & Cured Bacon Baked Beans, 1 package Hickory Smoked Cone-

cuh Sausage, 1- 1 ½ pounds ground venison, 1 tsp. duck fat, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 cup Blue’s Hog BBQ Sauce.

Stabilize your fire at 225-250 degrees.

Add a cherry chunk and a pecan chunk to the fire. Smoke your sausage on one side of the smoker to an internal temperature of 160 degrees and brown the venison in the duck fat (or vegetable oil) in a black skillet on the other side. Sprinkle ground venison liberally with Hardin’s Original Seasoning. Remove and cut the sausage into small bitesize pieces. Combine baked beans, sausage, venison, Blue’s Hog BBQ Sauce, and brown sugar into a large aluminum pan. Mix all together and put back on smoker. Close lid and cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

As you can see, cooking and eating are a very important part of the Deercamp or hunting experience. We continue to experiment with new ways of cooking our beloved (natural, free range, organic) wild game. There are a multitude of ways yet to enjoy these foods and the hunting experience. Many of our city friends enjoy wild game foods. Some members of my family, however, are getting to the point that if they don’t see me remove the meat from the grocery store package, they will not eat it!

Please note that there has been no monetary compensation provided by any suppliers or products for this article.

Follow me on Twitter @ricky_shack.

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MADISON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONNECTIONS

Chamber Color Run & Health Fair

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Saturday, March 27th, the Madison Chamber of Commerce a vendor, please contact felecia@madisonalchamber.com or with Presenting Sponsor Nesin Therapy Services will kick call 256-325-8317 for more info.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Spring off with an array of color at the first ever Chamber Color Run. This certified 5k will start at the Madison City Schools Stadium, routing through Madison’s quaint downtown area and back to the Stadium. The 5k will start at 8:00 am and the 1-mile Fun Run, perfect for Madison’s youngest runners will begin at 9:00 am.

Registration for individual and/or group runners are available, just click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chamber-color-run-tickets-92779719639. You must register by March 15th to be guaranteed a t-shirt, however, registration ends March 23rd.

Madison Hospital is the presenting sponsor for our Health Fair. This portion of the event will be healthcare and fitness vendors lining the Stadium parking lot with a wealth of information about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. So, if you are in this field of expertise and are interested in participating as

The MCC reserves the right, in its sole reasonable discretion, to remove a nominee from the selection process.

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MADISON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONNECTIONS

Congratulations to Living Life Counseling Center on the ribbon cutting last month (www.livinglifecounselingctr.com).

Chamber Ambassadors putting the new member packets together. For information on how to be come a member, go to www.madisonalchamber.com

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OUT&ABOUT SWEET TREATS FOR SWEET HEARTS - Families and staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Huntsville Hospital (NICU) got some love last month from Mill Creek Elementary. The school completed its 9th annual “Sweet Treats for Sweet Hearts” outreach to NICU NOW coinciding with Valentines Day. Students, led by reading coach Tosha Swearingen, 4th grade teacher Haley Davidson and others,, stuffed 50 bags for families with babies in the NICU along with goody bags and baskets for doctors and nurses. Swearingen has a personal connection to NICU. Her son was one of its patients years ago. Several other MCES teachers had babies there including 3rd Grade teacher Michael Kelley, who assisted in loading up the gifts. Heather Green from the NICU unit at the hospital thanked teachers and students for the gift bags when she came by the school to pick them up. Some of the sweet cards are from students who were NICU babies themselves.

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OUT&ABOUT HEART WARMING- Here’s something to warm hearts on a cold day: photos of some Rainbow Elementary students making Valentines Day greetings for elderly residents. The school had its “House” groups create Valentines cards and create Google slides of students, NOW Soccer Academy which will roll on monitors in Madison Manor and Valley View nursing homes where they were delivered.

58 Madison Living

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