Madison Living April

Kelly Adkison • Keith Anderson • Tom and Laura Vaughn

MADISON Living April 2019 | $4.95 madisonlivingmagazine.com

The beauty

of nature BILL McCUTCHEON PAINTS EARTH’S MASTERPIECES

Serving up

sunshine

Sunny Street Cafe finds its niche in breakfast and lunch

LIVE LIFE

BETTER

NESIN THERAPY BRINGS WELLNESS TO MADISON

Colorectal Cancer is...

PREVENTable.

TREATable.

BEATable.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women in the United States.* Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. If everyone who is 45 years of age and up were screened regularly, as many as 60% of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.

Schedule your screening today! It could save your life. To schedule a screening at Crestwood, , call 256-429-4986.

*American Cancer Society

CrestwoodMedCenter.com

...

From the editor

W

What’s your idea of a perfect date? If you’re like me – and Cheryl Frasier from Miss Congeniality – it’s April 25. “It’s not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.”

Well, this is Alabama, folks, and we don’t know yet if you’ll need a light jacket or a parka. You might even need a swimsuit. One thing is certain: you’ll definitely need Claritin.

I do love April though. I’m an April baby. I’ll turn 30 this month, and I just returned from celebrating the big 3-0 with my family in the mountains of north Georgia. What better birthday present than seeing another beautiful Madison Living in print?

I’m so excited about this one, too. This was a fun issue to create.

Kelly AdKison • Keith Anderson • tom And lAurA VAughn

MADISON LIvINg April 2019 | $4.95 madisonlivingmagazine.com

In the pages of this issue, we take a look at the historic home of Tom and Laura Vaughn on Church Street.

The Vaughns were a part of this year’s Tour of Homes last December.

Sunny Street Cafe also whips up some grub for us in this issue. Turn to page 30 for a feature on the restaurant that specializes in serving all-day breakfast and lunch.

We also visit with Kelly Adkinson and Bill McCutcheon in this issue, and Keith Anderson shares with us why he loves Madison.

The beauTy

of naTure BILL MccUTcHEON PAINTS EARTH’S MASTERPIEcES

SerVIng up

SunShIne

LIVe LIfe

beTTer

NESIN THERAPY BRINGS WELLNESS TO MADISON

SUNNY STREET cAfE fINDS ITS NIcHE IN BREAkfAST AND LUNcH

ON THE COVER Janine Nesin-Parrash finds her passion in bringing health and wellness to the Madison area.

For the story of her business she owns with her sister Michelle, Nesin Therapy, turn to page 34.

4 Madison Living

I always love hearing feedback from our readers, and I welcome your suggestions for future feature articles.

As always, thanks for reading,

MADISON Living Editorial Rebekah Martin Alison James Kendyl Hollingsworth Contributors Gregg Parker Bob Labbe Robby Parker Erin Coggins Joshua Berry Lee Marshall Mary Anne Swanstrom Mayor Paul Finley Marketing Tori Waits Administrative Sierra Jackson

••• CONTACT US Madison Publications, LLC 14 Main St., Suite C P.O. Box 859 Madison, AL 35758 Phone: 256-772-6677 Fax: 256-772-6655 madisonlivingmagazine.com Madison Living is published monthly

by Madison Publications, LLC. A one-year subscription to Madison Living is $24.99 for 12 issues per year.

Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Madison area.

To advertise or to get more copies, call 256-772-6677.

Copyright 2019

by Madison Publications, LLC

30

Madison Living 5

26 34 HOME & STYLE

22

12 Feels like home

ARTS & CULTURE 22 The beauty of nature

SCHOOL & SPORTS 26 Fitness focused

FOOD & DRINK 30 Serving up sunshine

FEATURE

34 Live Life Better

6 Madison Living

IN EVERY ISSUE: 7 The Guide 10 #MadisonLife 38 Chamber Connections 40 Out & About

the guide

Now through May 19 The Wild – A Chinese Lantern Festival It’s the Huntsville Botanical Garden’s biggest exhibit to date. Boasting more than 1,000 illuminated lantern displays of wildlife from around the world – and dinosaurs – this festival offers a stunning visual exhibition of Chinese art and culture.

Madison Living 7

the guide

Now through May 19

The Wild – A Chinese Lantern Festival It’s the Huntsville Botanical Garden’s biggest exhibit to date.

Boasting more than 1,000 illuminated lantern displays of wildlife from around the world – and dinosaurs – this festival offers a stunning visual exhibition of Chinese art and culture.

April 6

Spring Farm Days Enjoy a taste of springtime at Burritt on the Mountain while visiting barnyard animals, experiencing historic skills and learning about life on the farm during the 1800s. This year a few new animals will visit the park for this special event. Visitors are sure to be fascinated by the sheep-shearing and blacksmith demonstrations. Come observe wool being spun into yarn, milk the faux cow Boxy and help wash and card wool. Learn what attending school was like in 1918 by participating as a “student” in the Rosenwald Schoolhouse. Visitors will leave with new appreciation for modern conveniences after trying historic tasks such as rug beating, butter churning and mattress stuffing.

April 6

Taste the Spirit of Madison The community is invited to come shop Madison Market, part of the Taste of Madison at Insanity Complex, and check out the wide array of goods and services offered right here in Madison. With everything from martial arts to custom teas, there is sure to be something for everyone. There will be live music, karate and dance demonstrations and 60-plus vendor booths to shop. Food trucks will be available during this event. Madison Market is free to attend, so come on out and see what makes Madison special.

8 Madison Living

April 9

Sesquicentennial Blackberry Dessert Competition The Sesquicentennial Blackberry Dessert Competition will be held April 9 at the Insanity Complex. The winner of the competition will be announced during the Taste of the Spirit of Madison Bites & Brews event.

the guide

April 12

Crescen-Dough Flamingle Auction Everyone is invited to the Von Braun Center North Hall for an evening filled with fun and tempting treasures at the 46th annual CrescenDough Auction, benefitting the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.

For more information visit www.hso.org/support/crescen-doughauction/.

April 9

Taste the Spirit of Madison: Bites & Brews One of Madison’s largest food events, Bites & Brews is a food and beer tasting event featuring delicious samples from more than 25 local restaurants and craft breweries. At Insanity Complex April 9, attendees will enjoy samples from trendy new spots or perennial hometown favorites. Local band Groove will keep things lively with toe-tapping music while people enjoy the festivities. There is something for everyone to enjoy at this event. Tickets are $20 for teens and adults; $10 for children 6-12; and free for children 5 and younger.

April 13

Claws for a Cause The third-annual Claws for a Cause will be April 13 at S.R. Butler Green at Campus No. 805. This fun, casual event features crawfish, beer and music and benefits a great cause, as proceeds will help launch a new diaper assistance program at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. Claws for a Cause is hosted by Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Development Council.

April 12-14

April 26-28

Spring Plant Sale

Panoply Arts Festival

The Huntsville Botanical Gardens will host the 32nd annual Huntsville Botanical Garden and Garden Guild Spring Plant Sale April 12-14. The event is titled “Gardening for Generations” because anyone can be a gardener.

Panoply is the Southeast’s premier arts weekend full of art, food, music and more in downtown Huntsville’s Big Spring Park. Day passes are $10, and weekend passes are $18, while children 12 and younger get in free.

Madison Living 9

#MadisonLife Use #madisonliving or tag @madison_living_mag in your Instagram posts, and our staff will choose four favorites to regram and publish in each issue.

@hsvgarden

@bamaoz13

Happy Chinese New Year!

Our prediction for this year... you won’t believe your eyes!

Lunch with Mommy and Daddy #smashburger #huntsville #madisonal.

@brittanylynnevans

dobby_thegoldendoodle

Rain, rain go away.....

I need a good hair day!!

Momma gave me a haircut last night and today she bought me two new toys!!!

I’d say this weekend was a great one!! #doodle

10 Madison Living

HEALTHY STARTS HERE

ymcahuntsville.org/HOGAN Cardio & Weights 96 group exercise classes every week included Indoor and Outdoor Pools Basketball Gym Hogan Family YMCA 130 Park Square Lane Madison, AL 35758 256.705.9622

Free Child Watch while you work out Day Camp & Youth Sports Nationwide Membership Madison Living 11

home& style

FEELS LIKE HOME Vaughns adapt historic home to young family Written BY GREGG L. PARKER photographS BY JOSHUA BERRY 12 Madison Living

A

After dating at Bob Jones High School, Tom and Laura Vaughn completed undergraduate study together at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. At UAB, Tom completed dental school while Laura worked at an accounting firm in Birmingham. In 2017 Tom’s work led them to return to hometown Madison and buy a historic home on Church Street.

“We’re surrounded by beautiful old architecture and nostalgic sounds of church bells and train whistles,” Laura said. “Our kids enjoy walking down the street to watch the trains go by and have picnics near the Roundhouse.”

The Vaughns also like to watch parades from their front porch, walk to Madison Street Festival and attend Madison Art Council’s Gazebo Concerts.

BEFORE

Madison Living 13

BEFORE

Frozen in time

BEFORE 14 Madison Living

In 1910, Dea T. Thomas, proprietor of the mercantile store on Main Street, built the house.

Downstairs the home has 10-foot ceilings and three original fireplaces. Other original features are wide baseboards, bullseye window and door trim, heart-of-pine floors and tongue-and-groove ceilings upstairs. A second-floor sleeping porch on the back once offered a place of repose; today, it’s a child’s playroom.

In the 1950s the owner divided the house into three apartments, but the configuration was later returned to single-family layout. The home’s footprint is original, except for a small addition of a powder room and laundry.

The Vaughns removed upstairs carpets to reveal heart-of-pine floors and refinished the hardwood floors throughout. They painted most rooms, added a large wallpaper accent wall in the foyer and remodeled the kitchen.

The home has 3,000-plus square feet with three bedrooms – one down, two up. The downstairs has two living areas, and the foyer opens into a library with distinctive floor-toceiling bookshelves.

BEFORE

New perspective for old spaces

To enhance the streaming sunlight, the Vaughns painted front rooms a light ivory and filled the walls with colorful floral paintings.

“The girls love the playroom upstairs.

Windows line three walls for a perfect backyard view. When it’s too cold or rainy to go outside, the girls love to come up here to play,” Laura said.

The Vaughns also revived several furniture pieces family and friends gave them. Using a milk paint and glaze, they painted her parents’ old bedroom suite.

Breakfast nook chairs painted a deep navy blue added a pop of color.

Young family, old house

“We’re young people living in a very old house, so it’s only fitting that our decorating style blends old and new,” Laura said. “I love hunting for thrifted and antique pieces and mixing them with modern elements.”

Laura said she likes to play with color.

“Deep colors really speak to me.” The foyer and library feature jewel tones through vintage Persian rugs and deep-blue paint to accent the bookshelves. In living and dining rooms, they opted for a bright, airy feel with light paint and dramatic linen curtains.

For kitchen color, they chose a unique greenish-gray paint for the cabinets from Sherwin Williams, called Oyster Bay. Paint color, brass hardware and classic subway tile blend well as design elements.

Madison Living 15

BEFORE

Pastimes from the past

In free time, Tom is an amateur chef, dabbling in curing/smoking bacon as well as baking homemade breads and pastries. Tom and Laura tend a vegetable garden, and their daughters have their hearts set on a showstopping flower garden.

The Vaughn’s daughters, 5-year-old Grace and 3-year-old Molly, recently welcomed a brother, 6-month-old John. The girls enjoy hunting pecans under four large trees in the backyard. “It’s become a fun game to crack them and snack each fall,” Laura said.

The Vaughns were pleasantly surprised to discover numerous daffodils and tulips scattered around the gardens. To keep the tradition, they’ll plant more as time goes by.

High school sweethearts

“Tom’s dad was in the Army. They lived in several cities before settling in Madison in 1997,” Laura said. “I was born and raised in Madison. My parents relocated here for my dad’s job with NASA shortly before I was born.”

Dr. Tom works with Vaughn Family Dentistry on Whitesburg Drive near Huntsville Hospital. Laura, a CPA and CFP, is staying home with their three children.

“We moved back to Madison when Tom found the perfect dental practice in Huntsville,” Laura said. “After house hunting for about six months, we found our forever home here in the heart of historic Madison.”

Laura has documented her interior design and DIY home projects on Instagram, @thenestishistory.

16 Madison Living

You love this town, this neighborhood, this house!

Then you’ll love this bank.

MEMBER FDIC

For a great foundation to your new start, come to Progress Bank for your mortgage. You’ll find competitive rates with quick-turn, in-house decisions & closing. But our true value is in welcoming you to our com-munity, our banking family. New beginnings to last a lifetime.

Experience Progress.

Sharon Andrews Mortgage Officer NMLS# 243731 256.319.4915 o 256.509.5626 c 8337 Highway 72 Madison

Birmingham • Decatur • Destin • Florence Huntsville • Inlet Beach • Jones Valley • Madison • Vestavia

myprogressbank.com Madison Living 17

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

18 Madison Living

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Going! Going! Gone!

W

Whether you are planning to move up, move down or need to move on, there might not be a better time than now.

Madison and Huntsville are experiencing unprecedented business growth. Both residential and commercial construction continues at a rapid pace, and local governments are challenged to fulfill infrastructure needs required by that growth. The net effect of this growth will continue to impact our real estate market for years into the future.

Supply and demand are already impacting local buyers and sellers. Average “days on the market” for residential properties dropped to 49 days in January, and fourth-quarter statistics for 2018 showed an absorption rate – the time to reduce existing inventory to zero if no more properties were listed for sale – of 2.6 months.

Rising costs of materials, strong demand for labor from outside our area and tighter restrictions from lenders have caused local builders to limit the number of homes held in their inventory, preferring the security of pre-sale contracts.

Altogether, these factors create a new environment for buyers and sellers to work within. For the best chance of success, both Buyers and Sellers must take an active role in in the process of buying or selling.

Buyers must: • BE CREDIT WORTHY. Credit scores do impact mortgage interest rates and terms. The wise buyer will pull a personal credit report and review it for inaccuracies before meeting with a lender. If issues are discovered, your lender can be helpful in resolving them and can also offer suggestions for simple ways to improve a credit score.

• PRE-QUALIFY, preferably with a local lender. A lender with experience in the local market will know about customary practices, taxes, insurance and appraisal issues. Most sellers will require that a prequalification or pre-approval letter from a local lender accompany the purchase offer. These letters are not the same. Understanding the difference and being prepared can save time and assure the seller of the seriousness of the offer.

• BE DECISIVE. Low inventory has generated an atmosphere of multiple offers. The days of low-ball, let’ssee-what-they-say offers are behind us. Good houses well-priced sell quickly in this environment, so be prepared to act when the right one comes along.

Sellers must: • PREPARE FOR SALE. Gather all documentation related to home improvements, significant repairs made, warranties and utility bills. If there is a mortgage, know the loan balance and any conditions attached to early payoff. Interview movers. Have a relocation plan if your home sells more quickly than anticipated.

• DISCLOSE CONDITION of the property. Known major defects must be disclosed up front. Any minor repairs should be made prior to opening the home to prospective buyers. Plumbing and electrical repairs should be done by licensed professionals. Servicing the heating and air system and inspecting the septic tank prior to the home inspection can reassure the buyers and eliminate costly surprises before closing.

• PLAN AHEAD for dealing with pets during showings.

Arrange for off-site storage of extra furniture, clothing and unused items. Replace burned-out light bulbs and low wattage bulbs with LEDs. Make sure all exterior door locks operate smoothly. Provide floor mats for wiping wet feet.

• BE DECISIVE. Sellers who consider early on the concessions they are willing to make regarding repairs, closing date and possession optimize their chances of a successful transaction. In multiple-offer situations, a quick response is needed.

Helping buyer and seller clients meet their real estate goals in our changing market is one of my greatest pleasures.

Real estate is a relationship business. Let me put my thirty years of relationships to work for you. There’s no charge for answering questions and offering advice. It’s all part of the service. Let’s talk!

Madison Living 19

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION CUSTOM DESIGN IMPECCABLE QUALITY SUPERIOR CRAFTSMANSHIP

Together We

Ask the experts Do you need help making Madison your home?

These leaders in the community, business, finance and real estate have answers to all your questions.

Latreuo Homes Heather Vader Phone: 256-348-1030 email: Heather@LatreuoHomes.com

Live Beautifully 256.975.5800

www.LatreuoHomes.com

Meet your builder: with decades of experience, Latreuo Homes is dedicated to providing excellent service to our homeowners.

Our specialty is making the build process as easy as possible.

Our comprehensive services include everything from selecting your land, to utilizing our in-house drafting services to design your dream home. We even help you select all your home finishes alongside a professional interior design team. Building your new home is one of the greatest investments you will make in a lifetime. You can now build confidently knowing you are select­ing the team of experts chosen by professionals all over North Alabama to be trusted with the exclusive construction of their homes.

Jan Wells Realtor 12181 County Line Road, Suite 180, Madison, AL 35758 Phone: 256-337-2400; email: jan.wells@knology.net A Madison resident since 1986, Jan has been active in the business and real estate communities as well as city government. Whether chairing committees for the Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS, serving as the first President of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, or leading the city as Madison’s Mayor from 2000-2004, Janhas enjoyed meeting the many diverse residents who call Madison home. The experience gained through that service has given her a unique insight into life in Madison. A licensed REALTOR since 1989, Jan now enjoys representing former clients as well as their sons and daughters. That continuity of service is especially gratifying.

Jan says that the trust implied by these referrals is her greatest compliment and the many new friends she continues to meet are the greatest reward.

Home & Business Moves | Local & Long-Distance Packing Services & Supplies Call or go online today for your free estimate!

Huntsville

256.399.9948

twomenandatruckhuntsville.com Each franchise is independently owned and operated. | U.S. DOT No. 930909

20 Madison Living

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® 8215 Stephanie Dr SW, Huntsv ille, AL 35802 twomenandatruckhuntsville.com 256-885-2515 Injooo55@twomen.com Moving people forward - and businesses, too! Long-distance, local, home or business, we are your “Movers Who Care!”

More than 20 years in the Tennessee Valley, serving you.

Whether you’re moving down the street, across the country, or to a new home or business building, we’re here to help ease your relocation stress through a variety of moving services.

Assisting you during your move is our top priority. We have all the information you need to assure your move exceeds your expectations.

Madison Living 21

arts&culture

The beauty of nature Bill McCutcheon paints Earth’s masterpiecesa Written BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH photographS BY JOSHUA BERRY 22 Madison Living

A

Almost everyone has a “happy place” they turn to during those times when life feels heavy and unforgiving. For some, this might be a childhood home filled with family and friends, but for many others, peace is found in nature. There’s something special about the gentle crash of waves upon a sandy shore, wildflowers swaying in a gentle summer breeze or the sun reflecting off snowy mountaintops in the morning.

There are few things in this world more beautiful or moving than the natural landscape.

Local painter William “Bill” McCutcheon has had the opportunity to discover this truth for himself on his many travels, and he seeks to capture that beauty in his oil paintings.

“Mostly, I paint landscapes from photographs that I and others have taken that capture the beauty and awe and emotions of this natural world,” McCutcheon said. “I want people to know and feel that there is serenity and drama in the natural world.”

He has been to Yellowstone, Glacier, Teton and Arches national parks, as well as France, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland and Costa Rica, all of which “have deepened my regard for what nature has given us.” McCutcheon has lived everywhere – from New York to Los Angeles to New Orleans to Huntsville – but he has called Madison home for the past 32 years.

After retiring from Lockheed-Martin 20 years ago, McCutcheon said he started getting into art, and while he has tried his hand at other art forms, such as pen-and-ink drawings and mosaics, he now sticks to painting oil landscapes. “I spent a few years just piddling around until the piddling landed me in a Bob Ross painting class led by Jim Williams,” he said. After that, he was briefly mentored by Cynthia Parsons, a Huntsville artist, but the Bob Ross class was really what awakened a “long-suppressed desire” in McCutcheon to become a painter.

Something McCutcheon said he still remembers today from the painting guru is that there is no such thing as an error or flaw. “No mistakes,” McCutcheon said, chuckling. “It’s always a ‘happy accident.’”

One of the best pieces of advice McCutcheon would give to an aspiring artist is to persevere.

Though he still sometimes paints a certain scene two or three times before he’s satisfied, he said those are learning experiences that help him improve skills like technique and color coordination.

Madison Living 23

In February McCutcheon finished a small painting of the Big Bend in Texas. He has also painted landscapes as large as 18 by 24 inches. McCutcheon said he’s “game for anything” as far as landscapes go, and he continues to paint a wide variety of places that speak to a wide variety of people.

“Every time I finish one good, my blood pressure drops,” McCutcheon said with a laugh. Occasionally he’ll go back to a previous painting and touch it up with more paint. Aside from the personal satisfaction he gets from recreating a beautiful place on earth, he said he recognizes not everyone is fortunate enough to travel around the world to witness so many moving scenes. With this in mind, he enjoys using art as a way to help others understand the raw power of this world. “That’s what drives me to do it,” McCutcheon said. “Perhaps my paintings will be able to accomplish that, and more importantly, preserve it.”

When he’s not painting, McCutcheon spends time reading, working in the yard and gardening. This includes caring for bonsai trees. His wife, Liz, gave him a Chinese Snow Rose bonsai tree 40 years ago, and it lived until last year. “It was a pretty sad thing,” he said.

In the past, McCutcheon has displayed and sold his artwork at several venues, including the Madison Street Festival.

His wife also used to make jewelry and has participated in the festival, as well.

Though McCutcheon said age has taken some of the “youthful exuberance” he once felt setting up for these showings, his artwork can still be seen in one popular Madison location: the Madison Public Library.

Several of McCutcheon’s paintings hang proudly on the wall there, and if someone should be so moved by any of his paintings in particular, they have the opportunity to buy.

Anyone wishing to take home a piece of the world’s power and beauty can rest assured their money will also support a good cause: 20 percent of the proceeds are donated to the library for its benefit. “I’m particularly grateful to the Madison Arts Council for introducing me to the Madison library,” McCutcheon added, “and to the library and staff for allowing me to use their facility to show my work.”

24 Madison Living

Around Town

What if it’s you?

T

They say when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.

Twenty years ago we debuted our Kids to Love segment in Huntsville, and over the years we’ve introduced hundreds of children in foster care to potential families, and hundreds have been adopted.

The weekly segment led to launching the Kids to Love Lee Marshall Foundation 15 years ago. Telling Founder/CEO the stories of kids in care never Kids to Love Foundation seemed like work but more of a determination. Journalists have the obligation to bring to light injustice. My passion as a journalist, combined with my personal drive to make a difference in the lives of children in foster care, not only allowed me to tell the stories but drove me to become an advocate for the children in foster care I would meet.

I recently spent a day at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham with a group of children in foster care, shooting their interviews to tell their stories, to hopefully give them an opportunity to be adopted out of foster care. The need is critical in Alabama: There are more than 6,400 children in foster care in Alabama, 1,500 of them 14 years old or older. More than 300 are waiting to be adopted. Add to that, there are only 1,500 licensed foster homes in the state to serve the 6,400 plus kids in care.

It’s a problem so many ignore, but when a 13-yearold tells you life is horrible because he’s living in a lockdown facility, it breaks your heart. What if this child had a chance to live with a family – a mom and a dad who could teach him right from wrong, who would understand the pain of being removed from his parents and help him reach his potential.

What if … What if … it’s you? What are you waiting for?

We can answer your questions and help you start your journey to become adoptive or foster parents.

Every child deserves a forever family – and you might be the one they’re waiting on. Visit kidstolove.org to find out more.

Madison Living 25

school& sports

Fitness focused Kelly Adkison steps it up at the YMCA Written BY ERIN COGGINS PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSHUA BERRY 26 Madison Living

“G

“Give me 110 more,” she says into the microphone, continuing to step up on her exercise bench. In return she gets some sighs but mostly laughs, as her students know that she is not quite telling the truth.

They have heard it before and know 110 is really just 25-30 more. So they grunt but comply with the extra repetitions of “repeat threes” because that is what YMCA fitness instructor Kelly Adkison expects. It is exactly why they pack her group classes on a daily basis.

Adkison began her working relationship with the Hogan Family YMCA when it opened its doors eight years ago. The six classes she teaches are standing room only most days, with students yearning for a hard workout from the one person they know will give it to them.

“I think my attitude and energy level are something they like about me. I change my workouts every time I teach, and I think they really like that,” Adkison said. “I use humor and laugh at myself – and them – a lot.”

Fitness has always been a part of Adkison’s life.

She grew up watching her mother work out with Jack LeLanne, the “Godfather of Fitness.” A free membership to a club called the Living Well Lady propelled Adkison into becoming an instructor.

“The instructor came up to me during the first class I attended and asked me where I taught classes. I told her I had not ever taught a class. She then asked me if I would be interested in teaching classes for her at that facility,” Adkison said.

“I had a class once a week after that initial class.”

The rest is history.

Madison Living 27

Adkison built a 30-year career in group fitness. The first classes she taught were high-impact aerobics and toning. She added kickboxing, senior classes, Mom and Tot classes, water classes, mixed cardio and weight classes until step aerobics came on the scene.

“I was there when the first step classes came out. I loved it and still do. Single, double, quad, partner, wheel, kick box and step-and-sculpt – you can do step in all kinds of ways,” Adkison said. “I still teach step classes two days a week.”

Adkison said she remembers the days of incorporating donkey kicks and walking

28 Madison Living

across the floor on her rear end in toning classes – something she looks back on and laughs. Now she feels her style has evolved into something she loves. This style includes ditching the rehearsals and notes to freelance her classes.

“I used to write down choreography and study so I could teach it without having notes in class. Nowadays I prepare my music but honestly do not need to prepare for what I am going to teach,” Adkison said.

“I am fortunate enough to be able to turn on the music and make up everything as I go along. I guess I have a huge catalog in my head to pull from.”

That is what students love about Adkison’s classes. She never teaches the same one twice. The custom created routines are accompanied by the second key ingredient to Adkison’s classes: music.

“I still have the record I used to teach my first class,” Adkison said. “I think music can make or break a class. I use pop, rock and R&B – really, whatever else I love. My students enjoy singing aloud to the songs in my classes.”

In 2000 Adkison was asked if she would be interested in teaching yoga. She said her immediate response was no. She did not feel like a “slow” class like yoga was her style.

Being the fitness advocate she is, however, she changed her mind and tried it – and a new love affair began. “I love the strength and balance a yoga workout provides. My body has changed since I started teaching

that kind of class,” Adkison said. “I get so much more out of it than any other type of class.”

Loving fitness, Adkison and her husband of 36 years, Tom, kept their children active, practicing sports and playing ball with them. Of course, the children grew up going to the gym with Adkison as she taught her daily classes.

She said she is happy they have stayed active into adulthood.

“My son, David, runs and works at the gym whenever possible. My daughter Denise works out with me every day. She comes to all my classes,” Adkison said. “My oldest Rachel has been involved in Special Olympics since she was in middle school.

She attends a dayhab program, and they go every year to compete.”

Adkison promotes the importance of a regular fitness regimen, focusing on wellroundedness, balance and safety to be able to do it for the rest of her life. She encourages her students to focus on the same things in their own fitness plans. At 58 years old and without signs of slowing down, Adkison said she plans to continue to report to the YMCA Monday through Saturday at 8:30 a.m. to spread the love of fitness.

“My hope and desire is for everyone attending my classes to have a fun experience physically, emotionally and mentally,” Adkison said. “I want to engage everyone right off the bat. I want everyone to feel like they belong.”

EDUCATION

Banking begins at Bob Jones

Robby Parker Superintendent Madison City Schools

I

I would like to share an exciting initiative that will begin next year in one of our high schools.

The Board has approved a plan to authorize Redstone Federal Credit Union to open a studentrun branch that will handle transactions for real accounts.

It will launch at Bob Jones beginning in the 2019-2020 school year and hopefully expand to James Clemens. The credit union will provide all the equipment and training and be responsible for the assets of the branch.

I can’t wait for it to get started – not only for the students who will get real-life work experience but for the rest of the school in how it will help raise awareness in financial literacy.

This hands-on learning laboratory will expose students to careers in the business and financial services sector. These include positions that are available to students immediately upon graduation, who may then work their way up in the field.

Not all banking services will be offered; for example, no loan or credit card applications will be permitted. Additionally, the branch will only be accessible to students and school employees.

The development agreement states: “The Branch may offer savings, checking, certificates of deposit and preloaded and reloadable debit cards

and related services. It may accept loan payments but shall not solicit, accept or process loan or credit card applications at the branch.”

Financial literacy is an important life tool for students as they transition to life after high school.

We already provide a financial literacy foundation in career prep classes and business application classes. This will be an extension of that.

Students will be trained during the summer for basic transactions that will be made with trained teacher oversight. Services could include deposits, cash withdrawals, check cashing, loan payments and account transfers. During this rigorous training, the students will also learn soft skills that can be applied in any field they choose.

The agreement also includes affinity debit cards for any RFCU account holder – new and existing. Each transaction will pay 10 cents to the hosting entity on the card, regardless of amount.

Officials said about 500 affinity debit cards averages to about $1,000 per month for the host organization. That’s money that can be put to good use at the school.

RFCU already operates student branches in Hartselle, Decatur and Austin high schools.

We are excited about adding RFCU to our growing career prep partnerships with local employers.

Madison Living 29

food& drink

Serving up sunshine Sunny Street Cafe finds its niche in breakfast and lunch

A

Written BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH photographS BY JOSHUA BERRY

At the corner of Highway 72 and Slaughter Road, what might be an undiscovered secret to some is a treasured gathering spot for others, where the welcome is as warm as a steaming cup of coffee.

“We serve breakfast and lunch all day,” said Dan Stallings, owner and general manager at Madison’s Sunny Street Cafe. “You can come in and get a hamburger at 8 o’clock in the morning, or you can get breakfast pancakes at 2 o’clock. You can come in, and we’ll serve you whatever you want. We’re a cooked-to-order restaurant.”

Though Sunny Street Cafe’s roots lie in Ohio, the breakfast and lunch cafe has fit right into Madison and surrounding areas, buying straight into the Southern hospitality that thrives in the region.

Stallings and co-owner Terry Douthit, who previously had no experience in the restaurant industry, searched high and low for the right franchise to bring to the area. After realizing they needed a change from their previous careers – Douthit ran off-campus bookstores, while Stallings worked for BellSouth and AT&T and ran a lawn care business – they knew there was something special in the restaurant business.

30 Madison Living

“We looked at everything,” Stallings recalled. “We looked at everything from a dry cleaners to a lawn care business … It was right around 2008 when the recession started to hit, and what we noticed was people weren’t getting their clothes dry cleaned.

People were cutting their own grass. People weren’t doing this, that and the other – but they were still eating.”

Stallings said he and Douthit were inspired by Huntsville’s Blue Plate Cafe, which became a celebrated gathering spot for all types of people. “We thought, ‘That’s the key. People want to have a quick place to meet and a quick place to grab lunch, breakfast, whatever,’” Stallings said. They realized there was no comparable breakfast and lunch location in the Madison area, so that’s where they set their sights. It was almost too perfect when the spot that once housed Pauli’s Bar and Grill became available.

Since opening in the location in August 2013, Sunny Street Cafe is well on its way to becoming Madison’s premier dining spot for a quick breakfast or lunch. For some, it already is. Stallings said he has enjoyed getting to know the regulars who come in to the restaurant; some even come in daily. “I like meeting people. I just enjoy being around people and getting to see the same people all the time,” he said. One of these is a man named Ben, and Stallings has gotten to know four others who meet every morning at Sunny Street Cafe. “They come in every morning, and they sit there, and they talk and drink their coffee and eat their breakfast.

Ben always takes two pieces of bacon back out to his dogs that are out in the truck.”

Stalling said Sunny Street Cafe honors and celebrates veterans “anytime we can.” The first Friday of every month, the cafe hosts about 25-30 veterans, many of whom have their pictures on a wall of the restaurant. Several members of the Forever Young Senior Veterans also come in for a meal on Tuesdays.

“I love it because I get to sit down with these guys and just talk about what they can remember,” Stallings raved. “I’ve talked to people about being behind enemy lines, and one of them speaking fluent German, and he was able to get him and his buddies out because of that … You just get to know these people. They’re great folks.”

A friendly and established staff contributes greatly to the restaurant’s success, Stallings said. Many of the employees have been there for four or five years already.

Madison Living 31

“They have been consistent, and having a consistent staff and a consistent wait staff brings you consistency in your food and your service,” Stallings explained. “People know what to do and how to do it, so that makes a difference … For the most part, we’ve kept a lot of the same people, and that helps a lot. It keeps the food and it keeps the service consistent. People want to come back for that.

They feel at home.”

This is certainly true for Suzanne Skiles, who has been eating at Sunny Street Cafe almost monthly for about two years. “It’s one of my very favorite restaurants,” she said. “I have a good friend who – we kind of have a tradition of going to breakfast on Saturday mornings.” Skiles said she took a chance on the huevos rancheros once and “loved it so much” that she now orders it every time she goes. “We love Sunny Street Cafe. It’s one of our favorite places – one, because of the great food but also friendly servers and just a relaxed atmosphere. It just feels good.”

As a veteran with PTSD, Skiles said the staff has always been “so nice and accommodating to my need to sit in a certain place.”

“They never once made me feel like I was too much trouble,” she added. “They let me move as many times as I needed to until I found a table I could feel OK with. And then they would even check back with me to see if I was doing OK” Server Glenda Webb, who has been with the restaurant for about four years, said she has enjoyed working at Sunny Street Cafe for the kind staff and customers.

“The bosses are awesome, the clientele is great and the people I work with are awesome, so everything about this place is pretty good, and the food – I love our food,” she said with a laugh. Webb didn’t have to think twice about her favorite item on the menu: the breakfast quesadilla.

Stallings said Sunny Street Cafe’s specialty items tend to be popular with guests. One in particular is the stuffed biscuit. “That is the signature item – I guess you’d call that. It includes sausage, green peppers, onions and cheese, all folded into a biscuit and baked, and it’s covered with a sausage gravy. We sauté the peppers 32 Madison Living

and onions in there with that sausage, and it just bakes it in there …

It’s really a meal in itself.” During the fall and winter, the pumpkin spice pancakes also emerge as a customer favorite.

The menu is updated each year, Stallings noted, and while consistency has typically been a key part of Sunny Street Cafe’s success, a few positive changes are in store. “In the next two to three years, we’re changing a lot of our decor,” he said. “We’re doing away with the carpet, and we’re going with a wood-look tile. We’re going with different-type chairs and tabletops. We’re changing the color schemes a little bit, and the countertops will be more white. It’ll be a little different. It’s something throughout the company.”

Sunny Street Cafe also recently started using ChowNow, an online food ordering system and app. While delivery is not an option – for now, anyway – ChowNow allows customers on the go to order from their phones, pay for the meal and pick it up quickly with minimal hassle. “We’ll confirm it, they walk in and it’s already bagged up, and they walk out,” Stallings explained.

“They don’t have to do anything. They don’t have to wait in line; they just pick up their order and go, which is really kind of cool.

That’s a brand-new thing.”

Stallings said he’s also in the process of building a Sunny Street Cafe app that will work in the same way but specifically for their restaurant. He said he hopes this kind of order-and-pickup service will benefit on-the-go workers from Redstone Arsenal and other places around town. For those who come in to eat for lunch, he said the goal is to get their food out in 12 minutes or less.

As of now, this restaurant is the only Sunny Street Cafe in Alabama – but that could change.

“There’s a lot of headaches and a lot of things to learn,” Stallings said. “We made a lot of rookie mistakes … Our goal is to open another one, but we know so much more now than we knew then that opening another one’s going to be a whole lot easier for us.”

For more information on Sunny Street Cafe or to view a menu, visit sunnystreetcafe.com. The restaurant is located at 7143 B Highway 72 West in Madison.

ymca

Get ready for the best summer ever at YMCA Camp Cha-La-Kee

Mary Anne Swanstrom Heart of the Valley YMCA

D

Do you ever reminisce about an experience with the superlative “that was the best _____ ever?”

Memories we make as children can endure as the best ever, and those experiences are just what Heart of the Valley YMCA seeks to give children during summer camp at YMCA Camp Cha-LaKee on Lake Guntersville.

YMCA day and overnight camp programs offer children ages 6-17 fun and unique experiences with opportunities to explore the outdoors, meet new friends, discover new interests and create memories that will last a lifetime. From ziplining to horseback riding, kayaking to crafts, YMCA Camp Cha-La-Kee provides a wide variety of age-appropriate, traditional camp activities designed to engage the imagination, develop character values and creatively challenge every camper.

For the first time, off-site adventures including rock climbing, paddling and cave exploring will be included with Overnight Camps, and the BOLD & GOLD program will be offered to teens ages 15-17.

“In every activity, our staff helps campers learn new skills in a safe and enjoyable environment,”

said Laura Weeks, YMCA Camp Cha-La-Kee director. “At Cha-La-Kee, kids are in a welcoming environment where they can belong; they’re building relationships; developing core values of responsibility, respect, honesty and caring; and discovering their potential.”

Want to see what camp is all about? You’re invited to Open House, happening from 2-4 p.m.

April 7, April 14 and May 5. YMCA Camp Cha-La-Kee is located at 4380 Chalakee Road, Guntersville, 35796.

To ensure all youth have the chance to experience camp, the Heart of the Valley YMCA offers financial assistance to those in need. Contact camp at 256-571-2494 for more information. If you’re interested in helping send under-resourced children to camp this summer, you can donate at ymcahuntsville.org/GIVE and designate YMCA Camp Cha-La-Kee as recipient.

Day Camp with shuttle service from Madison and Huntsville is offered June 3 through July 26.

Overnight Camp sessions are Sunday to Friday from June 2 through July 26. Members save up to $175 per week on camp. To download a camp catalog or register online, visit chalakee.org.

Madison Living 33

Live Life Better Nesin Therapy brings health and wellness to Madison Written BY BOB LABBE photographS BY JOSHUA BERRY 34 Madison Living

F

For most people, the term physical therapy can carry different connotations depending on how a person views the treating of disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Since its inception in 1987, Nesin Therapy has taken the approach of “hands-on personalized” treatment plans, which go further than the standard exercise-based approach.

“Our passion for health and wellness, especially with those therapists we hire, carries over to our patients,” said Michelle Nesin-Hunt, one of the co-owners of Nesin Therapy, along with her younger sister Janine Nesin-Parrash. “All of the standard therapy equipment is available to us, but we stress manual therapy, as we are able to assess how bones and tissue mesh with one another.”

“We offer new patients a bio-mechanical assessment and follow through with handson therapy, which is the cornerstone of our practice,” added Janine.

Nesin Therapy was started by the sisters’ mother, Janet Nesin, after she became a physical therapy contractor for a Huntsville assisted living facility and then added

similar coverage for local schools and the Cerebral Palsy Center. Two years later, after completing her education at the University of South Alabama, Michelle joined her mother in the business, with her father as business manager. Eight years later, Janine joined in from Creighton University, which had the first physical therapy doctorate program in the United States.

Since the original location on Old Madison Pike in Madison, Nesin Therapy has moved to its current location on County Line Road, in addition to opening locations on Whitesport Circle in 2004 and Enterprise Way in Research Park in 2010 in Huntsville. With close to 50 employees, Nesin Therapy has become a stronghold in physical therapy. The clinic specializes in any orthopedic condition, sports injury rehabilitation and both women’s and men’s health issues.

“Our company has progressed well because we choose quality over quantity,” said Michelle. “We’ve seen a rise in opioid patients, too, as physical therapy can certainly assist in getting those patients back to regular activities quickly.”

Madison Living 35

Janine said she is excited about the future of their business: Five years ago, legislation in Alabama was approved that limited access for patients, but a new bill is currently in the Alabama House and Senate to allow patients total access to physical therapy without a prescription from a physician.

“Early intervention by physical therapists make a big difference, as delayed care is what’s difficult to treat,” said Janine.

One aspect of their expertise in physical therapy is both Michelle and Janine have made their way to China to assist that country in learning more about how to correctly assess a physical condition and properly treat the condition through continuing education. In 2017 during a three-week tour of China, they met with the Chinese Olympic Committee, and they spent a week with the Chinese Olympic athletes and their medical staff. Michelle and Janine returned for a second trip to China in 2018 and are scheduled to venture back to the country again this year, visiting hospitals and teaching physical therapists in out-patient facilities.

“We had insiders wanting to bring us over to China, so we obtained our visas 36 Madison Living

and visited the country, which for the most part was utilizing technician level therapy, so our work was to bring in a better-quality level of services,” explained Janine. Michelle added, “We will bring them the manual therapy aspects they have been lacking. This time we’re bringing two additional therapists on our staff with us.”

Nesin Therapy promotes a business motto of Live Life Better. Michelle said most people think they are in pain because they are old, but they soon find out they hurt because something is wrong. Nesin Therapy goes the extra mile to locate the source of the pain and professionally treat the condition, many times under the direction of physicians.

With excellence, integrity and the well-being of every patient the foremost concern, Nesin Therapy has the vision of setting the standard as a model physical therapy business. The business has a great deal of potential for growth and is looking at possible expansion outside the immediate Madison area.

Additional information about Nesin Therapy is available at www.nesintherapy.com.

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Take advantage of community activities in April

W

Paul Finley Mayor City of Madison

Why did you fall in love with Madison? Many move here for job opportunities and our school system, then they quickly realize how much Madison has to offer – fitness, theater, food and more. The month of April is jam-packed with events that showcase the best of Madison. I wanted to take a moment and highlight some of the activities you and your family can enjoy this month.

The Insanity Complex is always bustling with activity. This month it’s offering the Madison Market April 6. Shop local merchants while enjoying live music and performances. Bonus: this event is free!

Also at Insanity, Taste the Spirit of Madison features premier food and beer tasting from area restaurants and breweries. Local band Groove will entertain the crowd. This event is set for the evening of April 9. Visit insanitycomplex.com for more information or stop by 100 Skate Park Drive with the family to skate, play laser tag and climb the rock wall at your leisure.

A more serious and acutely important event April 16 is the Opioid Summit, to be held at Bob Jones. As a city, we are actively fighting this national crisis in our own back yard. The Summit

will serve to inform our community of the risks of opioid addiction, with an expert panel to answer your questions. Bring your teens and loved ones, and let’s overcome this epidemic together.

Turning to the arts, Bob Jones and James Clemens have stellar high school theater departments. This year’s musical is “Catch Me If You Can,” performed

by BJHS students April 4-6. James Clemens is putting on a classic, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” April 11-14th. Shows such as these prove why our schools excel and receive their welldeserved reputations and accolades. You won’t want to miss this talent!

Get your blood pumping with the Madison 5K/10K race April 27. All fitness levels are welcome to participate. Register through www.madisonal. gov and conquer the Eastview hill!

If you simply need a night out on a whim, Madison’s CinePlanet 15 has all the latest movies.

Our community is focused on health, wellness, entertainment and family. Stay plugged in – Madison is much more than a sleepy bedroom town. Check out our community calendar at www. madisonal.gov for future events and activities in our area.

rocketcenter.com/INTUITIVEplanetarium

RocketCenterUSA Madison Living 37

Madison Chamber of Commerce connections

So What Does a Chamber of Commerce Do? The purpose of the Madison Chamber of Commerce is to serve our member businesses. By providing them with numerous marketing, professional development and networking opportunities, we help local businesses thrive and grow.

Madison has many small businesses, and we work hard to give them visibility and support. Several of our events – like Taste the Spirit of Madison and Business Expo & Kids Day – enable these businesses to share their goods and services with our community in a well-attended, exciting setting.

The more our local businesses prosper, the more diverse and healthier our local economy will be!

Since we keep our rates affordable to enable participation from our smaller members, we rely on our sponsors to help make these events possible.

Take note of our event sponsors and thank them with your patronage whenever possible. They are key players in the success of our outreach.

The more local businesses that join and participate in the Chamber, the more we can do to support and grow our community. So next time you patronize a local business, be sure and ask if they are members of the Madison Chamber of Commerce. Remember – membership grows businesses, and healthy businesses grow our community!

Life insurance is for those you leave behind September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. Let’s get together to

 sure you have a plan for today, and for tomorrow. make

Madison Chamber February Luncheon features speaker Col. Kelsey A. Smith, Garrison Commander at Redstone Arsenal.

Mark Berryman LUTCF Mark Berryman LUTCF Financial Representative Financial Representative 1874 Slaughter Road Suite R 1874 Slaughter Madison, AL 35758 Road Suite R Madison, AL. 35758 www.countryfinancial.com/mark.berryman (256) 325-1242 mark.berryman@countryfinancial.com www.countryfinancial.com/mark.berryman (256)325-1242

surance is for those ave behind

Life insurance is for those you leave behind Let’s get together to make sure you have a plan for today, and for tomorrow.

Auto, home home and insurance policies issued

by COUNTRY Mutual Mutual Insurance Company Company, , COUNTRY COUNTRY Preferred Insurance Company andCompany COUNTRYand Casualty Insurance Company . Life insurance Auto, andbusiness business insurance policies issued

by COUNTRY Insurance Preferred Insurance COUNTRY Casualty Insurance Company. Life Insurance policies policies issued by COUNTRY Life Insurance Company® and COUNTRY Investors Life Assurance Company®, Bloomington, IL. issued by COUNTRY Life Insurance Company and COUNTRY Investors Life Assurance Company, Bloomington, IL 0415-556HC-19170®

®

®

0415-556HC-19170-

nsurance Awareness Month. Let’s get together to PARK SQUARE LANE e a plan for today, and for130 tomorrow.

38 Madison Living

k Berryman LUTCF

MADISON, ALABAMA 35758

Madison Chamber of Commerce connections

February Ambassador Luncheon is hosted at Holiday Inn Express and Suites Madison.

Sounds Like A Plan Seminar featuring speaker Melody Tholstrup, owner of My Size Marketing.

Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for MCC Member Regions Bank Bradford Creek Branch.

Ribbon Cutting for MCC Member Allstate agent John Michael Wood.

Consigned & New

Huntsville & Madison

Interiorsbyconsign.net

8506 Whitesburg Dr, Huntsville 181 Hughes Rd, Madison

256-325-8317

www.madisonalchamber.com

Madison Living 39

out & about Party In The Park

1

The community converged at Insanity Skate Park Feb. 28 for Party in the Park, a fundraiser for Madison Hospital.

Photos by Kendyl Hollingsworth 1. Cora Suggs and Maureen Matthews

9. Powell and Margaret Gryder

2. Jessica James, Gina Turner, John Buckelew and Amanda Holladay

10. Dave and Mary Beth Jernigan

3. Katie Gaertner, Jeremy Gaertner and Mary Lynne Wright 4. Sharon and James Pruitt 5. Cheryl Geiger and Megan Zingarelli 6. Michael and Susie Jordan 7. Pat and Sheryl Thomason 8. Pam Blackwell, Janice Schuckman, Bailey Erickson and Kathy Gardner

11. Ashley and Todd Schrimsher 12. Chris and Jessica Hissam and Maddie and Russell Cook 13. Kareem Marquez, Kate Marquez and Amy Duncan 14. Quintrell Rogers and Chelsea Love 15. Jeff and Leanne Ogden, Rusty and Tom Hutt, Susie and Michael Jordan and Jimmy and Mary Jenkins

2

4

40 Madison Living

3

5

6

7

9

8

10

12

14

11

13

15

Madison Living 41

out & about Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting The annual membership meeting of the Huntsville/ Madison County Chamber of Commerce in early February drew many community members for networking and celebrating all the Chamber has accomplished.

1

Photos By Kendyl Hollingsworth 1. Chris Chance, Meredith Hardwick, Katie Byers, Dean Nichols, Julie Vaughn and Julia Fellows 2. Ray Garner, Bob Altenkirch and LaFreeda Jordan 3. Meredith Ennis and Andrea Simpson 4. David Gregory and Corey Averitt 5. Trey Riley, Gary Bolton, Emily Riley, Karen Bolton and Kristen Bolton 6. Brian Smith, Cara Sexton, Cassio Caw, Yvette Banks and Bill Andrews

2

7. Laura Southworth and Rebekah Collier 8. Steve Janny, Ellen Connor, Adrian Lechuga and Tim Inman 9. Madison Duran, Lindsey Davenport, Angela Hodges, Thomas Vinton, Taylor Davis, Tiffany Brightwell and Wesley Bush 10. Brian Wile and Michael Jones 11. Dr. Sherrie Squyres, Melissa Musgrove, John Howell, Don Webster, Amanda Snowden and Heather Harris 12. Chip Cherry and Paul Finley

3 5

4

42 Madison Living

6

7

8

9

11

10

12

Madison Living 43

out & about Madison City State Of The Schools

1

Superintendent Robby Parker shared what’s in store for Madison City Schools at the State of the Schools event Feb. 26. Many attended to hear the latest MCS news.

Photos By Kendyl Hollingsworth 1. Ola and Teola F. 2. Woody Sanderson and Ranae Bartlett

5. Shannon Brown, Brandon Hanks and Wanetta Hanks 6. Gerald Franks

3. Melanie Flynn and Laura Tucker

7. Antoyne Green and Darrell Quarles

4. Stephanie Armbrust

8. Jason and Christy Ruble

2

5

7

44 Madison Living

3

4

6

8

Marketplace Madison Living • 256.772.6677

Need appliance or air conditioner parts? How about a water filter for your refrigerator?We have it all at A-1 Appliance Parts! Call 1-800841-0312 www.A1Appliance.com Caregivers & Nurses ALWAYS THERE INHOME CARE Immediate need, Flexible hours, Benefits available. Call for more information 256-539-1400 www.alwaysthereinc. com” Carroll Fulmer Now Hiring Class-A CDL Drivers. Over-the-road positions Available. Dry vans. No hazmat. Must have one year over-theroad experience and a clean MVR. Competitive pay and bonus package.

Good home time. Call 800-633-9710 ext. 2

Lenders’ New 1st Time Homebuyer’s Plan at Clayton Homes, Cullman. You can be APPROVED! 256-734-1930 Now Hiring Heavy Equipment Operators and CDL Drivers Competitive pay and benefits.

Pre-employment drug test required Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Call: 205-298-6799 or email us at: jtate@ forestryenv.com G&G STEEL, Inc. is currently seeking qualified Welders & Machinists Apply in person or at www.ggsteel.com Competitive pay and benefits.

EOE-Minorities/Females/ Vets/Disabled

DRIVERS Hanna Truck Lines is seeking Professional Flatbed Drivers. 53 cpm No surprises: Starting pay (all miles): 51 cpm, 52 cpm at 6 months, 53 cpm at 1 year. 100% Outbounds loads Pre-loaded & Tarped.

75% Inbound No Tarp.

Late Model Peterbilt Trucks. Air Ride Trailers.

Home weekends. Low cost BCBS Health & Dental Ins. Matching 401K. Qualifications: 18 months Class A CDL driving experience with 6 months flatbed; Applicants must meet all D.O.T. requirements.

Contact recruiting at 1-800-634-7315 or come

by HTL office at 1700 Boone Blvd, Northport.

EOE

Call today to connect with a

SENIOR LIVING ADVISOR INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE

Come work with us as a Caregiver or CNA! Competitive wages, Shift premium for weekends, Flexible Schedules, Friendly Staff, Endless Opportunities, Apply today at www. homeinstead.com/250 or call 256-883-3080 Now Booking! Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Estate, Antique, Farm Equipment and Real Estate Auctions. Call Auctioneer Chris McNatt • ASL#1474 • TSL#5074 • Firm 2652 • 256-8743786 Smith Motors Two locations on Hwy 31, Decatur Lot #1 256-350-9938 Lot #2 256-350-9937 smithmotorsautosales. com

Town Hill Mini Storage 160 Units Vacancies All Sizes 256332-9928 Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedentalassisting. com or call (205) 5618118 & get your career started!

White Oak Transportation is hiring CDL-A drivers in your area. Great Pay! Excellent Benefits!

Visit our website www. whiteoaktrans.com for more information EOEM/F/D/V

UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS — Learn the different types of senior care available LOCAL KNOWLEDGE — Our Advisors have the local knowledge to help you hand pick communities in your area SIMPLIFY — Your dedicated Advisor will simplify your search and help schedule tours

A Place for Mom has helped over a million families find senior living solutions that meet their unique needs.

Joan Lunden, journalist, best-selling author, former host of Good Morning America and senior living advocate.

There’s no cost to you!

(888) 870-9042 ! We’re paid by our partner communities

Madison Living 45

Why I love Madison

K

Keith Anderson

Keith Anderson has been a resident of Madison since 2001, when he moved to the community from Florence to serve as assistant band director at Bob Jones High School. He has since risen to director of bands at James Clemens High School, a position he took when the school opened in 2012. He and wife Emily, a stay-at-home mother, have three boys: Noah (12), Benjamin (12) and Isaac (6).

Share a little about your education background.

I graduated from Muscle Shoals High School in 1996 and earned a Bachelor of Music in music education in 2001 from the University of North Alabama. I completed my master’s degree at UNA in 2006 and became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2011.

What does your role as JC band director entail?

I direct the marching band, wind ensemble and percussion ensemble and teach AP Music Theory.

Why do you love Madison?

Personally, it has the small-town feel that “feels like home” while being vibrant and growing and striving to be the example of a wellbalanced community. Professionally, Madison’s prioritization of and investment in the Madison City Schools system makes this a great place to work as well as live.

Fast Five

What do you enjoy about your job?

Band has been my thing since sixth grade and music even before that. It’s hard for me to imagine doing anything else. The most rewarding part of my job, and what it makes the most meaningful, is that music, especially performing in an ensemble, encourages young people to work hard as individuals for their own personal improvement while at the same time knowing personal success means group success. I’m convinced young people are capable of so much more than they give themselves credit for, and my job gives me great opportunity to show them that and help them achieve as much as possible.

What is your favorite Madison restaurant, and what do you like about it?

It’s hard to say whether or not we have a favorite, but we have really enjoyed having so much variety to choose from as Madison has welcomed new businesses over the years.

What is your favorite place to visit in Madison?

Our boys play soccer in both spring and fall, so we spend a good amount of time at both Dublin and Palmer parks and have enjoyed the community atmosphere of well-kept park areas. My wife also enjoys running the greenways in town.

46 Madison Living

1. Favorite hobby: Running.

2. Favorite food: Pizza. All kinds.

3. Goal or ambition: Elder in the Church.

4. Church: West Huntsville Church of Christ.

5. Something people might not know about me is: A few years ago I remodeled our kitchen and made my own wood countertops. It was out of my comfort zone to take on something like that, but I fell in love with woodworking. I just wish I had more time to do it.

Madison Living 47

The moment everything changes.

Catch your breath. You’re going to do great, and we’re here to help. From pregnancy to birth and all the moments in between, we have everything you need.

See why more Moms deliver at our hospitals than any other hospital in Alabama. Visit oHHbaby.org to schedule a tour or to learn more about our dedicated maternity services.