March 2014 Madison Living

March 2014

Art 4 Paws Visual arts, adoptable pets take the spotlight in annual event

The plant doctor is in Catbird Seat founder battles backyard crises with time tested hometown know-how

A leg to stand on Vein Center taps into a vessel of need among patients in pain eager to get back on their feet

Lifesaver

cuisine

Firefighters cook down-home food while keeping citizens safe

Getting the band together St. John The Baptist’s band faces the music with enthusiasm

2 Madison Living

MANAGEMENT Alan Brown President & Publisher EDITORIAL Jan Griffey Editor

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12 features

Gregg Parker Staff Writer Charles Molineaux Staff Writer Sarah Brewer Photographer Jen Fouts-Detulleo Photographer MARKETING Cora Cloud Marketing Consultant

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IN THE BIZ THE PLANT DOCTOR IS IN

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HEALTH A LEG TO STAND ON

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GO! KIDS BEGINS MARCH 4

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EDUCATION GETTING THE BAND TOGETHER

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Amanda Lang Marketing Consultant Melanie McClure Marketing Consultant CUSTOMER SERVICE Tammy Overman Customer Service PRODUCTION Jamie Dawkins Design

MADISON SCHOOLS: EMPOWERING STUDENTS

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ARTS AND CULTURE ART 4 PAWS: VISUAL ARTS, ADOPTABLE PETS TAKE SPOTLIGHT

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OUT AND ABOUT

home 4

Amanda Porter Design Madison Living P.O. Box 859 Madison, AL 35758 Advertising Inquires 256.772.6677 Madison Living is published monthly by Madison Publications, LLC.

HOME DAWSONS AND HOBSON FIND THE PERFECT ANSWER WITH HIGHLAND LAKES

food 17

LET’S EAT FIREFIGHTERS COOK DOWN-HOME FOOD WHILE KEEPING CITIZENS SAFE Madison Living 3

HOME

4 Madison Living

Dawsons and Hobson find the perfect answer with Highland Lakes home WRITTEN BY GREGG L. PARKER PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEN FOUTS-DETULLEO

T

hree famil y members found a nearperfect solutio n by sel ling their t wo houses and buying a home in Highland Lakes.

Willie and Terrie Dawson, along with Terrie’s mother, Bobbie Hobso n, hav e liv ed in their ho me in Highland L akes for thr ee years. Until r elocating here, Bobbie had liv ed in P ell Cit y, Alabama since 1964.

Other ‘family members’ are BJ, the Dawsons’ West Highland white terrier, and, Bo, a Yorkshire terrier.

“Pat Glenn has been our r ealtor and perso nal friend for 25 y ears. S he sold us our first home in Madison, which we lived in for 20 years,” Terrie said.

“Economic downturns forced a relocation of my brother and his family. My mother had lived next to them,” Terrie said. “The decision was made to sell both current homes and consolidate households.”

Bobbie r eferred to the Highland L akes ho me as the “detail house ” for its flexibility to al low her own upstairs without any renovation. “After dinner, Mother al ways states she is ‘going ho me,’” Terrie

LEFT: The formal dining room has extensive crown molding and recessed lighting.

Madison Living 5

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sunlight pours into the home from a wall of windows. Earth tones make for a relaxing atmosphere in this bedroom. BJ and Bo take a rest in the living room. The family room has layers of color and texture for a comfortable feeling.

said.

Southern Co nstruction and Design built the home in 2005 with br ick and sto ne exter ior. “Our home’s exterior construction is Insulating Co ncrete Forms (ICFs), whic h ar e molds that hav e built-in insulation for accepting r einforced concrete,” Terrie said.

The first patent application for an ICF was registered in the late 1960’ s. “Since then, and particularly in the last four y ears, ICFs hav e been fast beco ming the mainstr eam pr eferred building product worldwide for al l of the r ight reasons,” she said.

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“Each of the 12 rooms has a special feature.”

— Terri Dawson “These large, hollow blocks are stacked right off of the tr uck and filled,” Terri said. “The end r esult leaves you with a high-performing wall that is structurally sound, insulated, str apped, has a vapor barrier and is r eady to accept final exterior and interior finishes.”

The Dawsons feel that their entire home perfectly fits all thr ee individuals’ needs. “Each of the 12 rooms has a special f eature,” Terri said. The fourbedroom house has four baths in its 5,321 squar e feet.

Madison Living 7

Terrie descr ibes the inter ior decor ation, whic h they completed themselves, as traditional and casual.

They used “neutrals in the main living ar eas and pops of muted red, blues and green in the bedrooms and baths,” she said.

Among their fur nishings, Terrie c herishes her collection of figurines, glass jars and vases. Bobbie also has collectible glass, perched in a window niche for the blue vessels to catch sunlight. Bobbie’s handsewn quilts add color and grace to bedrooms.

Even BJ and Bo hav e custo mized c anine accoutrements in the home. Above a bath’s oversized tub, an ar ched mural por trays the house ’s entr ance with BJ and Bo posed in the driveway. The dogs have a food and beverage alcove, recessed in one wall with tiles depicting dog bones, “Good Boy” phrases and paw prints.

Curio cabinets would be difficult to let go because of their functionality. “Also, as a house warming gift, Pat Glenn purchased a mission style bookcase from the or iginal homeowners. We really love it,” Terrie said.

Bobbie is the antique lover in the family and takes CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Gleaming copper lines the kitchen sink. The home’s entrance uses stacked stone for a striking, first impression. Their kitchen would be the envy of any chef. A wall of staggered shrubs gives privacy to the pool deck.

8 Madison Living

Accepting new patients

Huntsville Hospital Physician Care has many locations in Madison County to serve you.

Call (256) 265-3000 or visit huntsvillehospital.org/physiciancare for more information.

Madison Living 9

10 Madison Living

special pr ide in her table , c hairs and buff et, alo ng with two antique rose chairs. Willie and Terrie own two c hairs with or iginal fabr ic fr om S enator Jo hn Sparkman’s home.

The lawn takes advantage of all seasons. Oak leaf hydrangeas sho w their br ight blosso ms in spr ing, while roses boast their flowers for summer. Majestic Japanese maples dignify the vie w. Around the pool area, massive plantings of e vergreen shrubbery spill over stone retaining walls.

Terrie wor ks as a pr ogram dir ector for Yulista Aviation Inc. Both Willie and Bobbie are retired.

Willie’s c hildren ar e P atti Dawso n and Barr y Dawson of Huntsvil le and S teve Dawso n of N ew Orleans. Willie has six grandchildren and one greatgrandson.

Bobbie’s c hildren ar e Terrie, Joe y Hobso n of Panama City Beach, Florida and Suzanne Anderson of Leeds, Alabama. Bobbie has seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Willie was bor n in Kenbr idge, Virginia. Bobbie and Terrie are Birmingham natives.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Willie and Terrie Dawson and Bobbie Hobson relax at home in Highland Lakes.

The sewing/craft room has oversized safety pins for wall decor. The Dawsons and Hobson have a sauna in their home. The master bathroom affords room for storage, grooming and dressing.

Madison Living 11

IN THE BIZ

ABOVE: Catbird Seat owner Cory Brown keeps irises and agapanthus, aka lilies of the Nile, moist inside his greenhouse, where flora sales go on year round. Â

12 Madison Living

The

plant doctor is in

Catbird Seat founder Cory Brown battles backyard crises, and the big-box big guys, with time tested hometown know-how WRITTEN BY CHARLES MOLINEAUX PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARAH BREWER

C

ory Br own deliv ered a tough for ecast for Madison’s bac kyard gardeners for the coming months: “You’re going to see more winter damage this spring than you can shake a stic k at,” he warned, while at the same time offering rescue for freeze-tormented landscapes.

In 2014, his Cat bird S eat nurser y and garden center marks 20 years in operation and Brown said he has seen the highs, the lo ws and the extr eme lows that nor th Alabama c an ser ve up, and c an administer first aid, as well as preventive medicine.

“We’re here to help folks who want to get plants that do n’t hav e to be replaced the next time we have a cold spell. That could be 20 y ears fr om now or it could be t wo y ears fr om

now. But my questio n is ‘Do y ou really want to have to plant it again?’”

Billing itself as “founded by plant people for plant people ,” The Catbird S eat off ers its selectio n of tr ees, shr ubs, v egetables, vines, annuals, g oing up against the mega retailers with the promise of intimate expertise and service.

“The thing we’re best known for is help. It ’s the one thing you can’t buy Saturday mor ning at a bo x store… quote, end quote!” Brown exclaimed.

Brown said his exper ience — “I’m a lifer in the trade,” he said — as well as his training, a degree in ornamental horticulture from Auburn University, make him a pr iceless pr ofessor for generations of weekend warriors who may end up mor e all thumbs than green thumbs when they dig into the Madison Living 13

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Catbird Seat owner Cory Brown at the office. With his degree in ornamental horticulture from Auburn, Brown promised help and expertise struggling gardeners are unlikely to find elsewhere. Cici has become the cat in the catbird seat of the Catbird Seat. A formerly feral feline who simply moved in on her own, she became the shop’s resident mouser. With its intimidating armament, the purple thorny prickly pear gives extra meaning to “prickly,” but Brown gives it points for looks, calling it “a well dressed prickly pear.” Cory Brown makes no promises of cheap prices, instead offering plant and decorating ideas he says would be rare or unique, from wind chimes and bird feeders to garden accents and especially unusual plants less “massively” produced, but more appropriate for Madison homeowners. Yellow violas spill out of a plant at Catbird Seat. For a “cool house plant,” Brown recommends the foxtail asparagus fern. Actually, it’s not really a fern. The foxtail is in the lily family.

14 Madison Living

garden.

“Most people hav e mo ved awa y fr om an y agriculture or bac kground or exper ience in gardening,” he explained. Add in that many metro area “locals” ar e r eally transplants fr om other regions and the r esult can be an acute need for so me cultivatio n counseling.

“I not o nly c an explain to them what doesn’t wor k her e, compared to what the y may be used to, but also what can work here and what they have to beware of.”

In additio n to the odd ice age like the o ne we just liv ed thr ough, Br own c autioned against a more consistent bane for ar ea growers, Alabama’s

perennially frustrating red clay soil.

“For example, peonies,” he proposed. “Up north, they’re a favorite. A peony has a potato-like tuber that wil l r ot in r ed c lay. Do wn her e, the y need a little bit of TLC. So we explain to people wh y they need to add sand and organic matter and grit so that the y get air drainage.”

Brown said he and his staff also r outinely do cr isis co nsulting for ho meowners who — Cory Brown bring in my sterious or heartbreaking samples of disaster , but r equested that al l be pr operly quarantined.

“We ask folks to br ing their questio ns in a Ziploc bag,” he explained. “It could be a bug, a

“The thing we’re best known

for is help. It’s the one thing you can’t buy Saturday morning at a box store.”

Madison Living 15

disease or a weed we don’t want loose here.”

The diagnostic pr ocess has also led to c hances for some real fun.

“We’ll sit by the c ash r egister and tr y to guess what pr oblem the y’re co ming in with as the y’re’ walking up the side walk,” said Br own. “They could be walking up holding a bag at ar m’s length and we figure out ‘it’s slime mold’ because it looks like a dog dr opping. We all get a big laugh out of that.”

Beyond a perso nal touch the big guys couldn’t provide, Br own also descr ibed Cat bird’s merchandise itself as be yond what the mass

production garden centers carry.

“We’re pr etty wel l kno wn for unusual or r arer things,” he said. “We’ve g ot the tr ue cold-har dy camellias that can survive a winter like we just had, fast-growing oak trees, rare conifers. The big boxes will have the redbud and the dogwood but the y’re not going to have the snowbells or the silver bells.”

And yes, Brown co nfessed, he does take his work home with him.

“I like them al l,” he laughed. “I hav e o ver 100 varieties that I grow at the house.

“Our g oal is to help y ou make y our yar d beautiful.”

ABOVE LEFT: Hardy and a nice bright purple, winter cabbage, with some variegated sedge as a backdrop, stand ready to deliver a blast of color to otherwise drab flower beds dormant for the winter. ABOVE RIGHT: Popular with the patient and artistic, the topiary boxwood rises from its pot in the “double ball” configuration.

LANDSCAPE NURSERY AND GARDEN CENTER

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Lifesaver cuisine

LET’S EAT

Firefighters cook down-home food while keeping citizens safe WRITTEN BY GREGG L. PARKER PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARAH BREWER

ABOVE: Fire Station 1 sometimes has its own pizza buffet.

Madison Living 17

ABOVE: Pete Mehok III, at left, dusts the dough with flour. Dea Calce and Josh Bradley are helping out.

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W

ith 24-hour shif ts, firefighters eat many meals at their statio n.

Madison Fire and Rescue Depar tment employees share duties, both in cooking and saving lives and property.

Pete Mehok III works at Fire Station 1 as driver engineer with a 10-member staff. “I’m o n S hift B — 24 hours o n from 7 a.m. to 7 a.m., then 48 hours off.”

The firefighters take turns with washing dishes, pr eparing meals and chipping in to buy groceries. “You don’t see an y of us g oing hungr y,” Meho k said. “I just happened to coo k as a profession for 21 years.”

Mehok formerly worked as executive chef at the Huntsvil le Marr iott and Officers’ Club o n Redsto ne Arsenal.

This wor k star ted in Hershe y, Pennsylvania and mo ved alo ng the eastern seaboar d in Massac husetts, North Carolina and Miami, Florida.

“A hotel restaurant is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year,” Mehok

said. He appr eciates a firefighter’s schedule with time for family activities.

Mehok, 52, has been a volunteer firefighter for 34 years, a c areer firefighter for 11.

For most meals, the coo k asks the crew, “What does e verybody want?”

Mehok said. That da y, pinto beans, cornbread and meatloaf topped the list.

Smoked por k, gumbo , and gr illed chicken and por k c hops ar e favor ites.

Sometimes, he pr epares Ger man cuisine fr om his exper ience at the arsenal.

When the statio n r eceives an emergency c all, he “turns off al l the food and g oes out o n the fire tr uck.

We hav e citiz ens to pr otect.” Bac k at station, he picks up where he left off.

Mehok’s wif e A my teac hes seco nd graders at Endeavor Elementar y School. Their daughter Baile y attends the Univ ersity of Alabama at Birmingham. Their so ns P eter and Dave ar e in 11th and ninth gr ade, respectively, at Sparkman High School.

“Everyone that coo ks does a g ood

Madison Living 19

ABOVE: Fresh baked loaves of bread leave the oven at Fire Station 1. RIGHT: Before becoming a firefighter, Pete Mehok III worked as a chef.

job,” Meho k said. He co mplimented you out of y our duties,” Bass said. “We co-workers Dan Pickens, Station 1, and work as a team in al l areas. It makes us closer.”

Jeff Bass, Station 2.

The S tation 2 cr ews r eally enjo y First wor king in the Opelika F ire Department, Bass lef t an unhappy Mexican dishes, c hicken (inc luding career and applied with his br other’s Bass’ “Chicken S tuff ”) and bar becue. crew. “My br other and I wer e both The cr ew is “really big ” o n smo king firefighters at the same department. deer, Boston butts, ribs and pork loin.

The firefighters love That was pr etty cool,” wings and F rench fr ies Bass said. but eat health y most Bass r emained a firefighter for the days. “ Weekends, we rewarding, fulfilling make sure to get a ‘sweetie’ (dessert),” Bass experience. His relatives said. include a fire c aptain, On the C shif t, chief, assistant battalion chiefs, lieutenants and Pickens wor ks as a firefighter/paramedics. roving dr iver, filling “Our dr iver, Chr is in at an y statio n.

— Dan Pickens After la Holden, cooks breakfast yoffs in about e very mor ning, manufacturing, Pickens which is awesome. Most stations don’t became a firefighter at 31 years old.

“I decided to pursue so mething a do that,” Bass said. A t lunc h, the y little mor e stable ,” he said. P ickens’ usually go out or eat leftovers.

“Supper is where I try to cook a really oldest so n S hawn was hir ed r ecently good meal. We might be up al l night,” as a Madison firefighter. Pickens’ other Bass said. “We c harge five buc ks per son, uncle, uncle-in-law and brothersperson. Any money lef t over goes into in-law are firefighters.

“Different people c an coo k v ery our kitty.”

“Just bec ause y ou coo k doesn ’t get well. Eac h perso n has their o wn ar ea

“I cook like my

grandmother and mother did with a pinch of this and a handful of that.”

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CHICKEN PARMESAN A LA PETE MEHOF uINGREDIENTS: Skinless chicken breasts flour Italian breadcrumbs eggs salt

pepper olive oil Parmesan cheese sliced provolone cheese pasta sauce

uDIRECTIONS: Wash chicken breasts.

Set aside.

ing the breast. Take the breast out of the egg wash and let excess drip off.

1 2

7

3

8

Make egg wash. Crack eggs into bowl, whip and add some water.

Make seasoned flour (flour with salt and pepper).

Put the chicken breast in breadcrumbs and cover the breast with the crumbs.

Put breadcrumbs in a bowl, and add some Parmesan cheese.

Put breast in the skillet and cook until golden brown. If chicken breasts are thick, ether slice in half before breading or finish cooking in the oven.

5

9

6

10

4

Put olive oil in large skillet, covering the bottom of the skillet. Set temp to medium to medium high, depending on the stovetop.)

Take chicken breast and toss it in the flour.

Shake off excess flour. Put it in the egg wash, cover -

When done sauteing chicken breasts, place on sheet tray. Then, cover chicken with Provolone cheese and melt in the oven.

When cheese is done, cover with sauce and serve with any kind of pasta.

of expertise,” Pickens said. Most days, they cook two meals a da y — lunc h and supper o n weekdays and a large breakfast and supper on Sunday.

Pickens’ most r equested meals ar e c hicken and homemade dumplings, along with fried minute steak and gravy, creamed potatoes and corn. “I cook like my grandmother and mother did with a pinch of this and a handful of that,” he said.

“I’m not a very healthy cook. I cook a lot of fried food,” P ickens said. “I ho nor an y r equest — o nions or not, baked instead of fr ied. But for the most par t, firefighters just want to eat.”

DAN PICKENS’ CHICKEN ‘N DUMPLINGS “I have never measured anything that I cook. It is all feel and taste. With that being said, my chicken and dumplings are very simple.”

— Dan Pickens uBoil a whole fryer in water for about an hour.

Put the chicken back into the chicken broth.

uRemove the bird and make sure all chicken bones are out of the broth.

uAdd salt and pepper to taste.

uAllow the chicken to cool to the touch. Pull the chicken from the bones and shred the chicken with your hands.

u“For the dumplings, I use Martha White self-rising flour and hot water right out of the faucet. I mix the two together until I get the right consisten -

ABOVE: Firefighters Daryl McMeans, Pete Mehok III, Brandon Burgess, Josh Bradley, Dea Calce and Brandon Magill pitch in for kitchen duty.

cy,” Pickens said. uPlace foil onto a table and cover it with flour. Roll out dumplings as thin as you can get them. u“Once my water starts boiling, I lay the dumplings, one at a time, flat onto the water,” he said.

Madison Living 21

HEALTH

A leg to stand on Madison Hospital’s Vein Center taps into a vessel of need among patients in pain eager to get back on their feet WRITTEN BY CHARLES MOLINEAUX | PHOTOGRAPHS JEN FOUTS-DETULLEO

R

ose Z eissler wanted to blur t out a valves in the legs’ veins that makes blood pool in the simple r efrain: Ev en as y ou get older , legs c ausing weakness, bloating and pain as wel l as swollen, bloated, ac hing, var icose varicose and spider veins. vein-striped legs ar e not supposed to Operating since April, the Vein Center has offered happen. minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation to correct “People think that ther e’s just nothing the y c an venous reflux in a 20 to 30 minute procedure. do, that it ’s just par t of getting older that their legs It came as a welcome break for patients like Freida swell and hurt, and it’s not!” she exclaimed. “This is a Bridges, who suffered with pain from leg vein problems problem. And we can fix it.” for years. “I had the bulging. I started having pain,” A nurse at the Madiso n Vein Center in Madiso n she recalled. “I’ve had seven children and in our family Hospital, Zeissler said part of her mission is educating it’s just an inherited thing. It continually got worse. I the public that so mething r eally c an be do ne about said ‘I’ve just got to do something.’ ” “venous insufficiency,” or “venous reflux,” a backup in Venous disease v eterans like Br idges ar e familiar 22 Madison Living

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Technician Ashdon Davis (left), and vascular surgeon Dr. Andrew Knott (right), join patient Freida Bridges (center) in the Madison Hospital Vein Center. Treatment room where patients undergo outpatient procedures for vein issues.

Ultrasound technician Ashton Davis, views ultrasound images of leg veins. Ultrasound image of leg and veins.

Dr. Warren Strickland, Vein Center cardiologist, with ultrasound equipment used to detect venous reflux disorders and guide doctors in treating them without having to cut into patients legs.

Madison Living 23

24 Madison Living

guests for the Vein Center , people who ’ve endured years of discomfort, and sometimes already g one thr ough painful older treatments for vein problems.

The best known of those, “vein stripping,” lives up to its fr ightening name , said Vein Center doctor Warren Strickland. “If you’ve ever seen v ein str ipping, it’s pr etty painful and unco mfortable,” he gr anted. “We’re seeing patients who ’ve had v ein str ipping done o nce and said ‘I’m ne ver having that done again!’ Then the y found out ther e’s a less in vasive pr ocedure available , and the y come.”

The Vein Center’s RF ablation procedure involves inser ting a c atheter in a v ein, numbing it, then heating it with a high frequency current.

“It’s, for lack of better ter ms, a controlled burning of the vein from within,” explained vascular surgeo n D r. A ndrew Knott, who said the vein is then e ventually absorbed by the body.

“The gr eat thing about the pr ocedure is that it’s not a long waiting period for results,” said Strickland. “You can be walking around with y our legs hur ting for y ears and then,

within 24 hours…”

“I loved it. It was gr eat,” said Br idges. “I don’t have any of the pain and the swelling is gone.”

Such outcomes can be lif e changing, and gratifying, said Strickland.

“I had a gentleman who took his grandkids to Disney World and he literally had to sit in the hotel room. He couldn’t walk. And it just killed him. Because this was a big tr ip, he wanted to do this with al l his gr andkids.

It was just so painful.

I evaluated him and told him I thought I could help . I fixed both of his legs. Then his gr andkids couldn ’t keep up with him. It’s things like that.”

And, no, venous disorders are by no means a problem exclusive to the elderly, said Vein Center ultrasound technician Ashton Davis.

“It can be hereditary. Pregnancy can cause it,” she tic ked off . “Athletes c an suff er it.

Athletes put a lot of pr essure on their legs.

The youngest patient we’ve seen was 16! She was a basketball player and she had varicose

veins.”

The opening of the Vein Center appeared to hav e arr ived in the face of a gr owing awareness, and need, in Madiso n as the clinic saw a steadil y incr easing flow of patients looking for relief in its first year.

“Madison r ecruited us to co me out her e and it has really done really well,” exclaimed Zeissler. “There’s just a need for it. This area is growing.”

Freida Br idges planned to take advantage of her newly reinvigorated legs as soo n as weather — Rose Zeissler permits.

“I am loo king forward to summer ,” she said. “I’m loo king for ward to wear ing skirts by then. I’m very happy.”

“This is a problem.

And we can fix it.”

LEFT: Vascular surgeon Dr. Andrew Knott in a treatment room at the Madison Hospital Vein Center. The facility offers RF ablation for leg vein problems which can correct painful swelling, heaviness, weakness and varicose veins caused by venous reflux issues in patients’ leg veins.

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Madison Living 25

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HEALTH

GO!Kids begins March 4

SPECIAL TO MADISON LIVING

not r equired for c hildren to participate. he place to gr ow healthier, According to a 2013 report food-wise and fit kids is from the Trust for A merica’s just a hop, skip and a jump Health and the Robert Wood away.

Johnson F oundation, the The Hogan F amily YMCA wil l host adult obesity rate in Alabama GO!Kids in spring and fall in 2014 to help could c limb to 63 per cent children get more involved in active play by 2030 if per mitted to co ntinue o n its and in lear ning to make better c hoices current tr ajectory. But co mmunities c an about what the y eat. The first 8-week reverse the tr end by par ticipating in session begins Mar ch 4, meets t wice per programs such as GO!Kids to help ensure week and is free to the community. that c hildren get 60 minutes of activ e Certified personal tr ainers and play every day, a recommendation by the registered dietitians will help children set Centers for Disease Control. incremental, ac hievable g oals and wor k Nearly 36 percent of Alabama’s schoolwith par ents to suppor t their success. aged children are classified as overweight Goals can inc lude fixing a healthy snack and 18 percent are classified as obese. This for the famil y or g oing for a walk af ter means that our kids are at greater risk for dinner e very night for a week, and developing c ardiovascular disease , high incentive prizes are awarded for achieving blood pr essure and t ype-2 diabetes, the them. Best of al l, YMCA membership is kinds of chronic diseases more frequently

T

28 Madison Living

associated with o verweight adults.

“Alabama has a y outh obesity problem of epidemic proportions, and the YMCA wants to do so mething about it,” said Scott Mounts, Heart of the Valley YMC A President/CEO. “In 2009, the 18 YMCAs acr oss Alabama in cooper ation with the State Department of Education took on the task of addressing this issue at the local level with one focus in mind: To improve the overall health of children as it pertains to proper diet and activity.”

The Y is the nation’s leading nonprofit strengthening co mmunity thr ough healthy living . GO!Kids is an initiativ e

by Heart of the Valley YMC A, an association co mprised of mor e than 27,000 members in the Madiso n and Huntsville community.

EDUCATION

Getting the band together St. John The Baptist’s small upstart band faces the music with enthusiasm as it ventures into the world of the big guy WRITTEN BY CHARLES MOLINEAUX PHOTOGRAPHS JEN FOUTS-DETULLEO

Madison Living 29

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Band teacher Jonathan Willis conducts practice for the St. John the Baptist school band. The woodwinds pipe up to brighten up the sound of the St. John the Baptist school band.

In the reeds: As part of its Arts Council Teachers’ Grant, the Madison Arts Council awarded the band $500 towards infrastructure expenses, including costs related to its MPA assessment.

30 Madison Living

S

tudents filing to their classrooms at S t.

John The Baptist elementar y sc hool on a r ecent mor ning had so me r ousing musical accompaniment for their mar ch through the hallways.

By the time the y were dropped off to star t their day, the sc hool’s band was alr eady wel l into its morning pr actice o n a vig orous r egimen to build up skil ls and pr epare for a ser ies of tr ials and performances that take the y oung musicians to, for them, an unprecedented level of performance.

“These kids are waking up an extr a hour ear ly to make practice,” said band teacher Jonathan Willis.

A str ong wel l established band pr esence and identity ma y be co mmonplace for man y public

schools but at S t. Jo hn’s Catholic sc hool, it was a tradition waiting to be built, an oppor tunity and challenge Willis declared he and the students hav e now seized upon.

“It’s al l about establishing the cultur e and building it up to so mething people c an r eally get behind,” Willis explained. A t latest count, Willis put the band ’s r oster at ar ound 45 students, most from the sc hool’s fifth through eighth gr ades. “It’s a pride of the sc hool now,” he ex claimed. “They’ve really increased their qualit y and pla ying abilit y in the program and now the school is very excited and happy with the band.”

As are the students, according to Mary Compton, whose daughter Kathryn plays flute and piccolo. She

found the band’s new focus taking it to a new level.

“It does. They’ve loved it. She just enjoys playing.”

“It’s been amazing,” agreed Desiree Possel, whose son Nathaniel pla ys trumpet. “He encourages the kids to g o be yond what the y think the y might be able to do and stretch themselves.”

But the band ’s pr ogress has also r eceived the praise of impar tial outside judges as wel l. In ear ly February, band members managed a first-ever coup, scoring spots on the Huntsville area District Honor Band.

“For the first time ever, I sent se ven of them to audition,” Willis r eported. “Six made it for the Honor Band. St. John’s has never had anyone make it at all. This is something I’ve been working on with Madison Living 31

CLOCKWISE ABOVE LEFT: A history of violins: Six band members made into the district Honor Band for the Huntsville area. Band practice gets a blast of tuba in its new era of playing at a new level. Parents say students in the St. John the Baptist school band are learning very different lessons from playing together than when (some of them) learned their instruments playing separately. “Now it’s ‘a band.’ That’s different,” said Mary Compton, whose daughter plays flute.

32 Madison Living

the kids for two years.”

“For the number of students we sent, and the number that made it,” mar veled Possel, “it’s just a real testimonial to what a great band leader he is.”

Willis’ ac hievement, and that of his pr otégés, stands out all the more starkly because this program, rather than a requirement, is an extra activity.

“The har dest thing is that it ’s an af ter-school extracurricular band,” Possel pointed out. “For most schools, it ’s a dail y thing. When you’ve got a c hild who’s never played an instrument, that’s a lot of work to get up to that level of actually playing concerts.”

It’s a c hallenge Willis wor ked ar ound with creative sc heduling, for instance those pr actices in the morning as well as the afternoon. The band also found support in the community. In December, the Madison Arts Council came through with financial support to help the band appear befor e a for mal MPA (Music Performance Assessment) in Dec atur

in March, its first ever such appearance. MPA scores can mean bragging r ights for established school bands but c an also pr ovide valuable insights and analysis for up and coming groups.

“It’s like final exams for how y our band is progressing,” Willis said.

Meanwhile, parents noted growing enthusiasm in the band, and in the school, as the band expanded its calendar of events, and its repertoire.

“He (Willis) always brings out new and different music to play in the spring,” noted Mary Compton.

“And when he brings out new music, it’s a challenge.

They just enjoy it better.”

Desiree P ossel saw a de veloping cor ps, with steadily strengthening esprit.

“Every y ear we design a T-shirt,” she said. “It’s a fundr aiser but also a sour ce of identit y. Being a smaller school, the kids know each other really well and support each other. Mostly it’s like a family.”

Madison schools: Empowering students WRITTEN BY DR. DEE FOWLER

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t’s al ways a pleasur e for me to talk about Madiso n Cit y Sc hools. I had that privilege again at the annual State of the Sc hools e vent, hosted by the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce. S uperintendents of Madison City, Huntsvil le, and Madiso n Count y school sy stems spo ke, as did S tate Boar d of Educ ation member Mar y Scott Hunter , Madison Sc hools F oundation ex ecutive director Elizabeth Fleming, and Do n Nalley, education committee chair of the chamber.

Our count y is blessed with g ood sc hool districts. L et me just touc h on some of the highlights that I shared about ours: • A chieving a 97 per cent gr aduation r ate in 2013, second best in the state amo ng 134 school sy stems. The state av erage was 80 percent.

• Mor e National Merit Semi-Finalists (a total of 24 amo ng Bob Jo nes and James Clemens high schools) than any other school

district in Alabama r egardless of public schools in Alabama do at such an anear early believe size. ly lelevel. vel. We belie ve this wilwilll enhance enhance students’ • Approximately half of our 2013 students’ cultural awar awareness and graduating c lass ear ning col lege eness and also also stimulate their cognitive thinking scholarships. as studies have shown.

• Twenty per cent of the entir e 2014 senior class scored 30 or above I also shar ed to the c hamber group some ofof our challenges. on the ACT with an overall average We hav havee gr grown moree than than 800 800 score of 23. own mor students in inthe thelast lastthrthree As impr essive as these ee yyears, ears, Dr. Dee Fowler necessitating the thecoconstruction achievements are, we kno w that our nstruction ofof community has high expectations; and we our eighth elementar y sc hool. We ar e also must stretch ourselves to obtain e ven higher spending $20 mil lion r enovating Bob Jo nes levels. We ne ver want to r each a le vel of High Sc hool, r evising the midd le sc hool satisfaction, but co ntinue to push for gr eater schedule and str engthening their STE M gains. programs, gr owing our lear ning ac ademies, Our instructional coordinators continue to and pr eparing for an expansio n of our prelead pr ofessional de velopment oppor tunities kindergarten program. and our P TAs, our par ents, and business It’s ex citing to be par t of such a dy namic partners assist us in ways too numerous to school distr ict. We are indeed, as our motto count. says, “Empowering S tudents for Global The January Madison Living showcased the Success.” recent rollout of for eign language instr uction Dr. Dee Fowler is Superintendent of Education in our elementar y sc hools, whic h v ery f ew for Madison City Schools.

Madison Living 33

ARTS & CULTURE

Art 4 Paws Visual arts, adoptable pets take spotlight WRITTEN BY GREGG L. PARKER PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARAH BREWER

P

oodles and pugs. Cheshires and calicos.

Paint and pen. These elements merge for a free, fun-filled day at Arts 4 Paws.

“Madison Ar ts Council (MA C) is ex cited to br ing Ar t 4 P aws bac k to do wntown Madison for the thir d y ear. We’ve had several volunteers working hard to make this the best one so far,” event coordinator Beth Ridgeway said.

Art 4 Paws “is a pet adoptio n and ar t f estival.

Besides our passio n for the ar ts, MA C boar d members hav e a shar ed love for our pets. In 2012, we had an idea to help br ing together our favor ite loves — art and animals,” Ridgeway said.

Art 4 P aws is the per fect v enue for an yone interested in adding a canine or feline to the family.

Several local rescue groups will be on-site with their candidates for adoption.

Families and individuals c an br ing their fourlegged friends, stop by and visit at Ar t 4 Paws from 10 a.m. until 3 p .m. on April 5. “We love to sho w off our beautiful, histor ic do wntown Madiso n by holding several of our e vents on the Village Green 34 Madison Living

near the Madison Gazebo,” Ridgeway said.

“When we say ‘it is a family event,’ we mean right down to F ido!” MA C P resident S hrail Heinrich said. “This y ear, Ar t 4 P aws wil l inc lude se veral interactive elements for guests and their c anine(s) to participate in.”

An amateur dog show will even make the bulldogs smile. This fun addition to Ar t 4 Paws will include categories for “Best D ressed,” “Best Trick” and more. For a list of c ategories, visit ar tsmadison.org.

“You don’t have to own a pet to enjoy watching this show, slated for 2 p.m.,” Heinrich said.

Several loc al and r egional ar t v endors wil l off ers their goods, many specializing in pet-themed wares.

Soaps, custo mized food and water bo wls, coo kies, snack treats and art will be sold. “In 2013, Art 4 Paws artists and craftsmen provided guests a wide range of goods — metal sculptures, one-of-a-kind jewelry, pet portraits and creative pet beds,” Heinrich said.

In the Kids’ Cr aft Cor ner, youngsters c an create animal-themed art to take home. Food vendors will offer barbecue, pastries and carnival food. MAC will schedule a photographer to take pet portraits.

Helping pr omote the ar ts, Ar ts 4 P aws is o ne of MA C’S fundr aisers. “We’re so thankful to LEFT: Ccino, a chocolate poodle owned by Beth Ridgeway, poses for Beau. Art 4 Paws our sponsors and (appr eciate) the suppor t of the will have a photographer on-site. ABOVE: Beau the dog admires the fire hydrant artwork for Art 4 Paws. His owner is Beth Pierce. businesses in our area,” Ridgeway said.

Healthy legs help you enjoy life Venous reflux disease develops when your veins become damaged or diseased. Using minimally-invasive techniques, our vein specialists treat: • Varicose veins • Restless legs • Ankle swelling • Leg pain, aching, cramping or fatigue • Leg ulcers, open wounds or sores • Burning or itching on the legs Call to schedule an evaluation: (256) 265-VEIN.

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Madison Living 35

ABOVE: Charlie doesn’t mind a little paint splatter.

Owners are Gerald and Tina Clark.

Committee wor kers for Ar t 4 P aws ar e Bliss Bowman, Tina Clar k, Liz Cuneo , A my Goddar dMay, Shrail Heinrich, Cheryl Mellema and Brenda Parker. “Each br ings their own strengths to make this team fantastic,” Ridgeway said.

In June 2001, MA C was founded when representatives from fine arts gr oups c ame together to discuss needs for their respective groups. The group’s consensus focused o n the need for a co ncert/ exhibition hal l, a need that co ntinues for Madiso n 12 y ears later . MA C is a not-for-pr ofit 501 (c)3 organization.

Today, MAC str ives to pr omote the pr oduction, advocacy and education of the arts in greater Madison.

In 2012, MAC was instr umental in extending the SPACES Sculptur e Trail into Madiso n with eight sculptures that stand at D ublin Park, D ublin Park, Main Street and Madison Municipal Complex.

In addition, MAC sponsors the Madison Gazebo Concerts dur ing spr ing and summer . Gr ants from MAC hav e helped teachers in Madiso n schools buy m uchneeded ar t supplies and music. Thr oughout the — Sharil Heinrich year, MA C hosts c asual painting par ties at loc al studios for guests to take paint brush in hand while sipping a glass of wine.

For more information and booth r ental, email to art4paws@artsmadison.org or visit ar tsmadison.org or Facebook/MadisonArtsCouncil.

“When we say ‘it is a family

event,’ we mean right down to Fido!”

36 Madison Living

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Connect 2014 Madison Chamber of Commerce hosted Connect 2014 Feb. 7 under the Satur n 5 Rocket in the Davidson Center at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. At the event, Madison Mayor Troy Trulock delivered his State of the City address.

1. Mary Lynne and Merrill Wright, with Gary and Christy Wentz 2. Chris Vermilya and Destiny Roussell 3. Kristen Strickland and Tracy Gallimore

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4. Dr. Ravi and Ana Mailapur 5. Caroline Masterson, Tracy Gallimore, Sabra Neidert and Raegan Masterson 6. Krishna and Sudha Srikakolapu, with Christy and Ricky Jordan 7. Cory Galliart and Emily Frazer

PHOTOGRAPHS BY REBECCA CROOME

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6 Madison Living 37

Connect 2014

1

Madison Chamber of Commerce hosted Connect 2014 Feb. 7 under the Satur n 5 Rocket in the Davidson Center at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. At the event, Madison Mayor Troy Trulock delivered his State of the City address.

1. Sahron and David McEwen with Dana Trulock 2. Winslow Davis plays electric violin 3. Kim Lewis and Mary Caudle 4. David Barrett and Cynthia Thomas 5. Tiffany Noel, Carrie Suggs and Lisa Montgomery

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6. Byron, Headrick, Sherri Headrick and Dave Knowles 7. Bill and Janet Hanson

PHOTOGRAPHS BY REBECCA CROOME

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6 38 Madison Living

Classifieds To place an ad in Madison Living, call 256.772.6677 NEW SHOW! GUN & KNIFE EXPO March 1-2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

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FLATBED DRIVERS New Pay Scale-Start @.37cpm, Up to 0.04 cpm Mileage Bonus Home Weekends Insurance & 401K. Apply @Boydandsons.com 800-648-9915 CARRY TRANSIT Decatur, Alabama Now hiring DRIVERS * Good Pay * Excellent Benefits & Home Time * 18 Months OTR exp. * Class A CDL with Tanker Endorsement. Apply on Line@ CarryTransit.com CAREER OPPORTUNITY! I am looking for a particular type of person to work locally. One who will take personal interest in my business. If you are willing to work, follow instructions and can live on $3,000 a month until your skills improve. I will train you and train you well, pay you and pay you well, and provide advancement limited only by your ability. Call Monday only 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ask for Will Black.

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WE WANT TO HIRE YOU TO RETIRE YOU Work for a strong stable company. Southern Haulers LLC in Calera. Hiring CDL-A Drivers for new accounts. Must have clean CDL-A, Hazmat pref. Exc pay and benefits. Contact Mike 800.537.4621 EOE southernhaulersllc.com SALESMAN DRIVER INSTALLER Bear Creek Propane Gas in Phil Campbell, Al. has an opening for a local propane delivery truck driver and tank set installer, need to have CDL-HazMat and Tanker, excellent pay and benefits.

Call (205)993-4048 or 1-888-557-2377 or email:info@upgas.com At home senior care, have 11 years of references in Madison.

Licensed in Alabama 256-233-6234 Floors Weak or Sagging Sheetrock cracking? We can help with our Concrete Floor Supports. We can adjust existing supports. Free Estimates. Licn/Ins. Best Rates!256-297-0317 Looking for a great home?

Call Davidson Realty 811 Village Wood Drive Russellville, AL. 256-332-5236 Looking for a home? Need help with financing? Call your neighbors down the street at Davis Realty. We can help you get a great rate!

Call Willodean 256-762-5671 Davis Realty & Assoc. Inc. 115 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville, AL 256-332-9920 ANN’S ALTERATIONS 600 Limestone Street, Suite #6 Hartselle, AL. 256-773-4213 We Buy ATVs Motorcycles & Utility Vehicles Motorsports Superstore 888-880-2277 Hamilton, AL WINTER CLEAN-UP Need a Dumpster? Call 205-893-7223 MANUFACTURED HOMES MOBILE HOMES with land.

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Madison Living 39

Making the wisest investment of all.

BB&T proudly supports schools and educational programs across our community. The future belongs to those who are best prepared for it, and we want to give our children the knowledge they need to grow into leaders and role models. Sharing knowledge has always been at the heart of the BB&T philosophy. It’s as true today as it was 140 years ago: our goals are to help students and parents reach theirs. BBT.com

Kristen Strickland Madison Market Leader Small Business Consultant NMLS # 950539 (256) 690-5590 kstrickland@bbandt.com

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