January 2019 Lake magazine

JANUARY 2019

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Live with us along the lake.

Spot Tail

Shell Cracker

www.damonstory.com

May Fly

Mallard

Lake life on Lake Martin!

Surrounded by water, Cedar Point is considered one of the most successful developments on Lake Martin. With only THREE lots and ONE newly constructed cottage left, don’t miss this rare opportunity to live the lake life on Lake Martin.

CONTACT DAMON STORY

205–789–9526 CEDARPOINTLAKEMARTIN.COM

Damon Story

JANUARY 2019

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Staff Chairman KENNETH BOONE

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Publisher STEVE BAKER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Managing Editor BETSY ILER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Assistant Magazine Editor AMY PASSARETTI

amy.passaretti@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing/Advertising Director TIPPY HUNTER

(334) 745-7966

tippy.hunter@alexcityoutlook.com

primehomehealth.net

KATIE WESSON

katie.wesson@alexcityoutlook.com

MARILYN HAWKINS

marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com

SHANNON FILYAW

shannon.filyaw@tallasseetribune.com

JULIE HARBIN

julie.harbin@alexcityoutlook.com

JOLIE WATERS

jolie.waters@alexcityoutlook.com

JESSICA WARE

jessica.ware@alexcityoutlook.com

Circulation ERIN BURTON

erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com

Creative Services AUDRA SPEARS

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

DARLENE JOHNSON

darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com

SHELLEY MCNEAL

shelley.mcneal@alexcityoutlook.com

Digital Services KAT RAIFORD

kat.raiford@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors

Healthcare Provided in the Comfort of Your Own Home Skilled Nursing Care • IV Medication Medication Education • Disease Management Post Operative Care • Wound Management Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy 4 LAKE PHH17_HalfPg_Magazine_8.2017_2.indd 1

JANUARY 2019 8/24/17 3:14 PM

KENNETH BOONE JOHN COLEY JULIE HUDSON CLIFF WILLIAMS GREG VINSON ROB MCDANIEL

DONALD CAMPBELL BEN WATTS ERIC REUTEBUCH HENRY FOY JIMMY WIGFIELD SHAYE BAKER

All content, including all stories and photos are copyright of: Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.

P.O. Box 999 Alexander City, AL 35011 256-234-4281

On the Cover When the cold winds blow each January, Lake magazine publishes a reminder of summer sun and summer fun with our Annual Swimsuit & Lifestyle edition, featuring the new boats for the coming season, as well as local models. This year, Central Alabama Community College ambassador Ali Richardson is among them. Richardson said attending CACC allows her to continue to be involved in the community while going to school.

Photo by Kenneth Boone

6400 Highway 63 South, Alexander City, AL 35010 docksunlimitedllc.com (256) 203-8400 Check out our Facebook Page: Docks Unlimited

JANUARY 2019

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Contents

20. FISHING FOR THE TITLE Dadeville's Jason Christy vies for the FLW Rookie of the Year Award

26. 13TH ANNUAL SWIMSUIT & LIFESTYLE EDITION Briana Fulford Hallie Gordon Ali Richardson Scottlyn Carr Alexandra Hudson Julie Hudson Benjamin Hendrix Allie Ramsey Brooks Parker 68. FOR THE BUOYS Lake Martin Young Professionals host the 2019 polar plunge for LMRA's "Light Up Lake Martin" project

LAKE MAGAZINE’S MONTHLY FEATURES: 9. LAKE’S QUICK GUIDE TO THE LAKE 10. LAKE SCENES 13. WHERE IS LAKE? 14. LAKE MARTIN EVENTS 18. LAKE MARTIN NEWS 72. BEHIND THE BOAT 74. LAKE WATCH

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77. LAKE PROPERTY 78. HEALTHY LIVING 81. CHEF'S TABLE 82. BIG CATCHES 84. FROM THE CELLAR 86. FAB FINDS 87. THE SCRAMBLE

Lake magazine also features an online, digital edition, available 24 hours a day, free of charge. This edition is perfect to share with friends and family and provides you complete access to stories, photos and advertisements from anywhere in the world with Internet access. View our digital edition today at www.issuu.com.

JANUARY 2019

Daughter and mom, Alexandra and Julie Hudson, love spending time together as they paddleboard on the lake

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PRECIOUS MEMORIES GIFTS & MORE

Monogramming Boutique Clothing Jewelry Bathing Suits & More

10147 County Road 34, Dadeville, AL

256-496-4017

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JANUARY 2019

Lake’s Quick Guide to the Lake Lake Martin Area Real Estate Indicators Sales Month

Number of sales

Average selling price

Median selling price

Days on the market

Total houses for sale

Inventory/ sales ratio

16 19 9

$579,017 $573,105 $404,489

$522,500 $417,000 $330,000

124 195 191

182 258 330

7.23 8.97 17.92

November 2018 November 2015 November 2012

The above numbers are derived from raw sales data from the Lake Martin Area Association of Realtors MLS.The sales noted above are for Lake Martin waterfront residential (single family and condominium) sales only. This information is provided courtesy of Lake Martin Realty, LLC (a Russell Lands, Inc., affiliated company).

Resolve to stay safe on the water this year

Update boating safety equipment in the off season

Start the year right and don't wait until it's time to put the boat in the water before making sure it's stocked with the proper safety equipment.

This is a good time to check the onboard fire extinguisher and have it recharged or replaced before spring.

It's also a good time to make sure your registration is up to date and set a reminder on your calendar to renew the registration prior to its expiration.

Make sure you have extra navigation bulbs on board, as well as a signal horn, waterproof flashlight with extra batteries and a distress flag. Keep a boat safety kit on the boat, too. In case of emergency, it's smart to have a heavy towing line and float, bailing bucket and whistle on hand.

And don't forget to check the personal flotation devices to make sure the belts and buckles are in good working order.

It's also important to inspect your first-aid kit and replace any supplies you might have used during the last boating season. When there's an injury on the water, it could take some time to get medical help, so keep a waterproof medical supply kit handy and stocked with adhesive bandages, cotton swabs, scissors, antiseptics and a clean towel.

Visit your favorite Lake Martin marina for these safety items and more and get ready for spring!

Weather outlook for January January 2019 Forecast

Historically, the Lake Martin area experiences average high temperatures in the low 50s with average lows in the low 30s and more than 5 inches of precipitation in the month of January. The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will be in the normal range this month, and rainfall can be expected to be slightly above normal in January.

2018 Annual Totals

Precipitation: 55.82 inches Avg. high temp.: 75.3 Avg. low temp.: 52.4 Avg. temp.: 63.9

Our Normal January Precipitation: 5.21 inches Avg. high temp.: 55.2 Avg. low temp.: 31.6 Avg. temp.: 43.4

Information from the National Weather Service.

JANUARY 2019

Last Month's Lake Levels Summer: 491MSL Winter: 481 MSL Highest: 485.31 Lowest: 483.75 Lake depth is measured in reference to mean sea level.

For up-to-date water levels at the lake, visit the website lakes. alabamapower.com.

Lake elevations are subject to change.

Individuals who recreate below Martin Dam and those with boats and water-related equipment on the lake should always stay alert to changing conditions.

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Lake Scene n People & Places

Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

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READER SUBMISSIONS (1) Kyle Thornton shared this pastoral view of SpringHouse Restaurant from a pasture at The Stables. (2) Ed Tallent, who lived in the Cooper Creek area of Lake Martin, reminisced with his sister, Eloise Tallent Dowdy on their last visit together before Ed passed in May. (3) This lovely azalea was discovered in Betsy Canterbury's yard in Blue Gill Cove. (4) The namesake of Lake Martin Pizza Company's "Full Monty" menu item, Kira and Justin Woodall's English Bulldog loves a Lake Martin adventure. (5) Lake Martin's sunsets, like this one at Harbor Point Marina caught on camera by Evan Cotton, are nothing short of fine art.

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JANUARY 2019

Lake Scene n People & Places

Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

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READER SUBMISSIONS (1) Susan and Lyles Griffin enjoyed feeding the goats at Goat Island. (2) Seven 9-year-old boys enjoyed one last lake blowout before school started last fall when they gathered to celebrate Lane Broome's birthday. (3) Tony Johnson woke to a glassy Lake Martin at Smith Mountain on a crisp November day. (4) Sellers and Liz Gauntt's 7-year-old great-grandson Gates Garner likes to feed the geese at their lake home near Castaway.

(5) Buster relaxes on the deck before another spectacular Lake Martin sunset. (6) Katherine Sain poses for photographer Kenneth Boone at her grandparents' Windover home.

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Lake Martin’s Marine Construction Company 6732 Highway 63 South, Alexander Cit y, AL 35010 | (256) 392-5200 | www. sunrisedock sllc.com

• Outdoor Fireplaces, Kitchens & Showers • Flagstone • Arbors • Gazebos • Boulder & Stack Stone Walls • Landscape Design

Brian Fuller 256.397.4457 | Eric Brown 256.397.2811 | www.hilltoplandscapingllc.com

* PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT - ASK ABOUT ONE OF OUR LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PLANS! 12 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

Where is Lake? n People & Places

Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

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READER SUBMISSIONS (1) Karlene Spearman, Sally Chapman and Vicki Weldon took Lake to the Elvis performance at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Opelika. (2) Steve and Sue Baacke, Rick and Sue Turner and Jim and Donna Kellogg – the costume winners in last summer's Lake Martin Lions Club Poker Run – took Lake magazine to Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast. (3) Dr. Wendy Holder, Rachel Jackson and Shae Cromer took Lake on Iceland's Glymur Waterfall Trail. (4) Hattie and Jim Harris took Lake magazine to Westminster Abbey in London, England, while visiting their daughter Mary Haden Harris who teaches in London. (5) Kaelin Moore took Lake magazine to the Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. (6) Lake magazine went cruising to Progresso and Cozumel, Mexico, with Joe and Brenda Chappell and granddaughters Jacey and Cara Johnson.

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Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve Casino Night

at 10 a.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday at the ACT II Fine Arts Center, 216 Tallapoosa St. Two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, discuss their hopes, dreams, disappointments and victories through the letters they exchange over a 50-year relationship. The play requires no memorization. Performances will be staged at the ACT II Fine Arts Center Feb. 14-17 and will include a dinner theater option on Valentine’s Day. For more information about the auditions, email actheatreii@gmail.com.

The Lake Martin Young Professionals will host a New Year’s Eve event from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at The Mill Two Eighty. Tickets are $50 per person and include $1,000 in chips to play the games, which include blackjack, poker, roulette, craps and slot machines. It also includes prizes, live entertainment, food and a NYE champagne toast. The event is presented by MXK Events and Weddings CALENDAR OF EVENTS and is open to anyone 21 years of age and older.

For information, contact WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LAKE MARTIN Jacob Meacham at jacob. meacham@alexanderLenny citychamber.com.

LeBlanc

Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve at The Rodeo Club

Teddy Gentry

Dixie Red will be live on stage at the Lake Martin World Famous Rodeo Club from 9 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and will include a champagne toast at midnight and party favors. Visit the Facebook page for more information.

Jan. 7 Open Studio

The Artists Association of Central Alabama will start the New Year with an openstudio event at the Senior Center in Dadeville from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Beginners are Alexander City Arts will host a welcome. If your New Year’s songwriters' showcase at BRHS resolution includes painting this month. more, being in a group could help you fulfill it. For information, email vkfincher@aol. com.

Jan. 12 Live at The Little House

Country performer Ray Scott will entertain live at the Little House at Standard Deluxe. Gates for the show will open at 6 p.m. when Chef Brian Cosby will be serving supper. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are limited to 50 people. For tickets or more information, visit StandardDeluxe.com.

Jan. 12-13 Auditions

Alexander City Theatre II will hold auditions for a Valentine’s production of Love Letters by A.R. Gurney 14 LAKE

Jan. 12 Kowaliga Country Listener Appreciation Concert

Country music icon Doug Stone John will take the stage Ford at The Rodeo Coley Club. There will be a special guest appearance by Kevin Moon, along with an acoustic performance

by Jonboy Story. The event will run from 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.

VIP tickets are available for $97.50 with a two-ticket minimum.

General admission tickets are $20. For more information, visit Kowaliga Country 97.5’s Facebook page.

Jan. 12 Teen Summit

The Boys & Girls Club of the Lake Martin Area will hold its second annual Teen Leadership Challenge Summit Saturday, Jan. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cooper Recreation Center in Alexander City. Guest speakers for the event include local high school science teacher Courtney Davis and former Miss America Mallory Hagan. The event will also include a college fair and an essay contest with a $500 scholarship prize. Essays must be submitted by Jan. 8, 2019.

Jan. 13 Annual Community Fashion Show Extravaganza

The Gloria Boleware Network will present the 40th anniversary of the fashion show held at Passion Church, 3340 Hwy. 63 in Alexander City. The evening will feature Pamela Crawford and Kenyatta Jackson Strait. Dionne Whetstone will emcee, and there will be a stylist on site.

Tickets are $10 in advance; $15 at the door; and $20 for VIP. The show starts at 3 p.m. For more information, call 256-307-0617.

JANUARY 2019

Jan. 17 Artists Association of Central Alabama

This general meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Senior Center in the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex. Activities will include a demonstration and a raffle for art supplies.

Jan. 19 4th Annual Polar Plunge

Doors open at Kowaliga Restaurant at 10 a.m., and the foolish and the brave take the plunge into Lake Martin’s winter waters at noon. Tickets are $20 and include live music, food, non-alcoholic beverages and photo ops. A cash bar also will be available. Funds raised benefit Lake Martin Resource Association’s “Light Up Lake Martin” buoy project. Purchase tickets online at lakemartinyp.com.

Jan. 24 The Heart Behind the Music

Alexander City Arts will host this songwriters showcase with Teddy Gentry, John Ford Coley and Lenny LeBlanc.

This show provides an up-close-and-personal insight into some of the greatest music ever written. The show will be held at the Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium and begins at 7 p.m. For additional information, contact Mary Wood Perry at 256-749-8073.

Jan. 27 Live at The Little House

Michelle Malone will perform at Standard Deluxe on the indoor stage at 7:30 p.m. Malone is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer whose music is influenced by blues, rock-and-roll and Georgia Soul. Tickets are $15, and seating is limited. For tickets and more information, visit StandardDeluxe.com.

Feb. 13 Hiss Golden Messenger at Standard Deluxe

Hiss Golden Messenger will perform as part of its winter solo tour in the Little House at Standard Deluxe.

Gates open at 6 p.m., and supper will be provided in the FeedShak. Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30, and seats are limited. To purhcase tickets or for more information, visit StandardDeluxe.com.

Feb. 14-17 Love Letters

Alexander City Theatre II celebrates Valentine’s Day with dinner theater in the ACT II Fine Arts Center at 216 Tallapoosa St. Bring your sweetheart or your best friend to A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters on Feb. 14, a production that follows one couple’s relationship for more than 50 years.

Dinner theater tickets are $70 per person and include a three-course seated and served dinner with a bottle of wine per couple in an upscale setting with linen tablecloths and romantic background music. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 7:45 p.m. ACT II will stage two additional performances – without dinner and the trimmings – at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 and Feb. 17 at 2

p.m. Tickets are $15 for the regular performances. Adults only. For tickets, reservations and information, call Mary Wood Perry at 256-496-1228 or visit www.actheatre2.com.

Feb. 19 Russell Forest Run

The 10th Annual Russell Forest Run will benefit the Alexander City Schools Education Foundation. Runners have the opportunity to traverse roads mixed with sand, clay and gravel and experience the beauty of nature. Participants will enjoy the famous after-race party at The Stables. A 5K gives runners a similar experience, without traveling through Heaven Hill. The 10K starts at 7:45 a.m. from the Town Green at Russell Crossroads, and the 5K kicks off five minutes later. Tickets are $40 per runner. Online registration is now open at runsignup.com. For more information about the race, visit russellforestrun.com.

Season-Long Events Alabama Wildlife Federation Naturalist Hikes

Every Tuesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. until noon, hike some of Lanark’s 5 miles of trails with an experienced Alabama Nature Center naturalist by your side. Learn how to bird or identify plants and animals; splash through the creek; or catch insects in the meadow. General admission applies and is $5 per person with a $20 maximum per family. ANC is located at 3050 Lanark Rd. in Millbrook. Visit alabamawildlife.org to check holiday closings.

Children’s Library in Alexander City

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library holds themed storytime every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for preschool-aged and younger children. In addition, the children’s library hosts board games and puzzles every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, call 256-234-4644.

Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store

The Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats.

Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. For information, call 334-857-2008.

Clean Community Partnership Cleanups

The third Saturday of each month, volunteers meet at Broad Street Plaza at 9 a.m. to pick up supplies and assignments and clean up roads in Alexander City. Email jacob. meacham@alexandercitychamber.com for information.

Coffee & Connections

Every third Tuesday of the month, the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce hosts an 8 a.m. networking event that is open to any chamber member. Meet at the TPI bullpen at the Lake Martin Innovation Center for coffee, a light breakfast and a chance to network.

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Mon - Thur 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Fri 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

lakemartindock.com For more information visit us online or call

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JANUARY 2019

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Lake Martin News Willow Point golfers win Invitational Pro-Am

Lake Martin's Opportunity Zone could impact local economy

Willow Point golf pro Matt Sheppard led the club's Invitational Pro-Am win

Willow Point of Alexander City was the big winner in the 17th annual Invitational Pro-Am golf tournament played in Florida on three courses in Palm Beach and Martin counties over as many days. Led by professional Matt Sheppard, Willow Point was the 54-hole winner with a net best ball score of 38 under par 178. That was one stroke better than the 37 under 179 by Eagle Point of Birmingham.

Sheppard received $1,500 as the pro on the winning team. His amateurs were Thad Estes, Robert Jolly and Brad Every. Each got a pro shop merchandise certificate worth $750, the maximum allowed by the USGA. All were members of the second place team in 2017.

Willow Point was also the low scorer Friday at the Turtle Creek Club in Tequesta with 58; shared team honors with Eagle Point on Saturday with 59 at The Dye Preserve in Jupiter; and with host Sailfish Point of Stuart on 61. Each player collected an additional $800 in cash or merchandise.

There were 25 teams in the tournament. ~ Staff Report

Parts of Lake Martin shoreline and Alexander City have been designated as Opportunity Zones under a statute designed to attract new business that would have a positive economic impact on the area.

Opportunity Zones were enacted as part of the tax reform bill signed into law in December 2017. Investors are provided an incentive to redeploy capital gains to certain communities. Each county in Alabama was given at least one opportunity zone. The local area that would affect Tallapoosa County residents includes downtown Alexander City, the bulk of the west side of Lake Martin down to the county line and West to the neighboring Coosa County line.

Alex Flachsbart founded Opportunity Alabama, the first statewide 501(c)(3) organization focused exclusively on Opportunity Zones, to educate the public of the prospective economic impact that could be gained throughout the 158 zones in the state, along with promotion and project sourcing. He explained the incentives of this program and how to receive them to a room of Tallapoosa County community leaders, developers and investors last month at the Lake Martin Innovation Center.

Individuals, partnerships and corporations have the unique ability to form opportunity funds from capital gains incurred from the sale or exchange of property. This capital is then rolled into new businesses or projects within the zones.

“The goal is to tap into new sources for capital gain. We want to drive investments in places that are not normally funded,” said Flachsbart.

A qualified opportunity fund receives added benefits, including a deferred tax on gain used in this fund until 2026

Boating Industry names Lake Martin marinas to Top 100 list

Three Lake Martin marine companies last month were named to Boating Industry’s Top 100 list with home-based Russell Marine ranked third and winning the Best in Class for Marketing award.

OneWater, which is based in Georgia but owns of Lake Martin’s SMG marinas, was named Dealer of the Year, and Skier’s Marine of Westover, Alabama, which also operates a location at Lake Martin, was not ranked but made the Top 100 list.

Boating Industry, a top trade magazine for boat dealers, has recognized excellence among the nation’s boating businesses since 2005, based on business operations, professionalism, marketing tactics, workforce development, industry advocacy and customer service. Lake Martin’s dealers consistently make the list. ~ Staff Report

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Alex Flachsbart explained the Opportunity Zones structure to community leaders

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and a total reduction of taxes by up to 15 percent on the front end, explained Flachsbart.

“The back-end benefit is if you keep the money invested for 10 years or longer, when you ‘cash out,’ the appreciation of that investment is tax free,” he added.

Opportunity Alabama provides the resources to work with communities, projects, investors and institutional partners to develop a working ecosystem.

“We need all these groups in the community willing to work together for this to sustain itself,” Flachsbart added.

While the most common uses for this opportunity fund are within real estate, developers, high networth individuals and even communities all could create one and take advantage of its benefits.

For a project to qualify for an opportunity fund investment is relatively simple. First, an investor must have tangible property and at least 70 percent of that has to have been acquired after 2017. Half of the income resulting from the investment must be from active management of the business in the Opportunity Zone. And, finally, the investment must “substantially improve” the project – meaning that the ultimate building is worth double what the project paid to acquire it.

“It’s more about community investment,” said Flachsbart, who encouraged the audience to start looking into possible projects and identifying key players to handle them.

The ultimate goal is to find local capital for local projects and create local funding ecosystems to meet community needs.

“It’s not about competition for national money, it’s about

long-term needs that are sustainable. People could move capital into Alexander City – that’s money that normally wouldn’t be here,” he said. “Opportunity Alabama wants to facilitate growth in these non-urban areas.”

For more information about Opportunity Zones, visit eig.org/opportunityzones. For information about Opportunity Alabama, visit opportunityalabama.com. ~ Amy Passaretti

Sandra Fuller to head up county tourism program

Sandra Fuller last month was named Tallapoosa County Tourism Director.

Fuller had been with the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance prior to taking the helm at the new tourism program for the area.

Fuller will work to promote the county as a tourism destination and to develop economic strateSandra Fuller gies through tourism.

Alexander City also has funded a similar position, but a director for that program has not yet been named. ~ Cliff Williams

Help tell our county's story CRATA is raising $50,000 to make Smith Mountain Park an educational center on the nature and history of Tallapoosa County

Contribution Form Name_____________________________________ Date_______ Address_______________________________________________ City_______________________ State_______ ZIP____________ Phone________________________________________________ Email_________________________________________________

Giving Levels

Tax deductible gifts to “CRATA-Smith Mountain Tower Restoration” are greatly appreciated! Please return this form and your gift to: Jimmy K. Lanier, CRATA, P.O. Box 240503, Eclectic, AL 36024 All donors will be recognized in print. All donors of $100 or more will be recognized on a permanent cast plaque. Anonymous gifts at all levels will be respected for confidentiality. Honorariums, memorials and appreciations will be acknowledged per donor direction.

Teachers' Helper Trail Blazers Vista Viewers Summit Toppers Visionaries Legacy Sponsors

Up to $99 $100-$249 $250-499 $500-$999 $1,000 or more $5,000 or more

Amount enclosed $_____________________

JANUARY 2019

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Fishing for the title Dadeville's Jason Christy vies for FLW Rookie of the Year

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY SHAYE BAKER

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Jason Christy moved from the Costa Series to FLW for the 2019 pro fishing season

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Jason Christy was 3 years old when his grandfather took him fishing for the first time on Wisconsin’s cranberry marshes. After that, he went out every chance he got. He fell in a few times and had to be fished out at 4 years old, but even then, he was hooked. Christy loves to fish.

“I would fish from dusk to dawn on those reservoirs, primarily for pike and muskie then but whatever was in the water wherever I was the older I got,” said the professional angler.

This season, Christy will compete with 33 peers for the Rookie of the Year Award in a field of 170 anglers on the Fishing League Worldwide Tour.

And he’ll fish as a Lake Martin resident.

Christy, who began his competitive career 15 years ago, crisscrossed the country from a home base in Arizona with his truck, bass boat and a rescued Papillon named Floyd until last spring when a friend introduced him to Lake Martin. He fished one day on the lake, and that was fine, but it was the trouble he had getting out of town that convinced him to pack up and move here.

“I got lost getting out of town and ended up at Holiday Shores,” Christy said. “I stopped in at the Lake Martin Trading Company, and Michael Richardson just treated me right, not like I was an outsider. He was just really welcoming and helpful. What makes Lake Martin so unique is that, as an outsider, no one treats you as an outsider.”

Christy returned to the lake last June and moved into a house at Sandy Creek before Christmas.

Logistically, Lake Martin is a more convenient launch to FLW’s seven regular-season tournaments, Christy said.

“From Arizona, my longest drive to a competition was four days, but from Lake Martin, it will be just 10 and a half hours,” he said.

As a bonus, Lake Martin is a beautiful place and the people are great, he added.

“Since that day I just popped into Holiday Shores for five minutes, I’ve always felt welcomed and appreciated. I drive a large wrapped vehicle, and everybody wants to stop and tell a fish story – young kids, old retired guys, young couples. It’s exciting that the community really does support fishing so much,” he said. “Quite a few local Lake Martin folks are active on my social media and send me pictures.

It’s fun when your neighbors are keeping up with you.”

Those new neighbors let Christy know right off what

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would be expected of him, too, he said with a chuckle.

“Soon as I moved into the new house, the neighbors came out and told me my most important duty would be to supply the catch for the bi-annual neighborhood fish fry. No pressure, but I better learn the lake,” he said.

Navigating Lake Martin can be tricky for a new person, Christy said. It’s so large that it sometimes feels like an ocean, and the clear water could be a problem for an angler who likes to fish in the mud.

“Getting used to this gin-clear water and looking for shade lines has been the challenge After getting lost at Lake Martin, for me. I like to FLW Tour rookie Jason Christy go up the creeks,” decided to move here to practice he said. his winning catches Despite the move and the looming fish fry, Christy said, he’s set up for a big year – his first on the FLW Pro Tour.

“The Tour will be exciting this year. There’s been such a change in professional bass fishing, with a new circuit launching next year. Everyone scrambled to figure out where they were going to be. I’ve fished with FLW for four years. It’s a great organization that treats their anglers well. They go out of their way to make sure anglers are happy, and safety is always the paramount concern,” he said. “I think I made a solid decision as a rookie on the pro tour with FLW this year.”

FLW will launch its 24th season this month at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas. The tour will hit lakes in Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and New York before awarding the cup in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in August. Top honors at each stop include a $125,000 purse, with $300,000 going to the winner of the FLW Cup. The tournaments will be carried on NBC Sports and live streamed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with weigh-ins broadcast on FLWFishing.com.

“I am excited to be a tour rookie this year with FLW. After my antics and adventures on the Costa series for the last three years and fishing Bassmaster Opens, I have more opportunities. I am looking forward to getting out there and competing on the biggest stage of fishing. I’m hoping to do some international fishing with FLW, too,” he said. “Going forward this year, keep an eye on my website and social media and watch what I’m catching.”

Visit Christy’s website at jasonchristyfishing.com, check out his Facebook page and find him on Instagram and Twitter.

JANUARY 2019

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Clay Edwards*, LUTCF® Associate clay@wealthmarkfinancial.com

Contact us to make a plan that lets you focus on being good at life.

WealthMark Financial Solutions, LLC** 6756 Taylor Circle Montgomery, AL 36117 334-279-1987 wealthmarkfinancial.com

*Tony Edwards and Clay Edwards, Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency and wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Insurance and an agent licensed to sell insurance through New York Life Insurance Company and may be licensed to sell insurance through various other independent unaffiliated companies. **WealthMark Financial Solutions, LLC is not owned or operated by New York Life Insurance Company or its affiliates. SMRU1710429 (Exp.07/30/2020) ©2018 New York Life Insurance Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010

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JANUARY 2019

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Swimsuit & Lifestyle 13th ANNUAL EDITION

Briana Fulford

Allie Ramsey

Ali Richardson, Brooks Parker and Hallie Gordon

PHOTOS

BY KENNETH BOONE

Alexandra Hudson

Scottlyn Carr

Benjamin Hendrix

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Hallie Gordon test drives the Sea-Doo RXT-X 200 in Red from Russell Marine russellmarine.net

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Bria is the daughter of Lake's managing editor, Betsy Iler, and loves to be at the lake when she visits her parents in Alexander City

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Briana

Fulford

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Where are you from, and how did you become acquainted with Lake Martin? What is your impression of the lake?

I am from Huntsville. My parents, Rob and Betsy Iler (Lake's editor), moved to Alexander City in 2012 after I graduated high school. I remained in Huntsville and went to school while the rest of my family moved down and made their home here.

I absolutely love the lake! From going on hikes to the Smith Mountain Fire Tower to hopping on a boat and cruising along the islands, there is always something to do on Lake Martin. The community is wonderful; everyone is so friendly and happy to be on Lake Martin. It is an easy place to fall in love with.

What are your favorite/most important/most fun memories at the lake?

My favorite memory of Lake Martin was when my mom, aunts, cousins and I had a mother-daughter vacation on the lake. My mom wrote an article about our vacation, and we were all so excited to be featured in the magazine. We had a great time cooking and catching up with each other. After the evening started to wind down, many of us took a swim in the lake before relaxing on the pier. We all spent the next morning on the pier as well, enjoying the quiet tranquility that only Lake Martin evokes.

Another time, the ladies from St. James Episcopal Church held a lovely shower for me a few weeks before my wedding.

We sat on this gorgeous lakeside porch. It was a beautiful day, and they were so wonderful to do that for me.

Briana's favorite place at Lake Martin is the Smith Mountain Fire Tower

What is your favorite place on Lake Martin?

My favorite place on Lake Martin would have to be the Smith Mountain Fire Tower. Though I’m not very comfortable with heights, the view is always breathtaking! I have gone to the tower at different times of the year, and though the season may change, the view is always beautiful.

What would be the perfect day at the lake?

A perfect day on the lake would be to hop onto a boat early in the morning and spend the day cruising around the lake. I have heard and read so many things about the lake from reading Lake magazine. I would love a quiet day to find all the places that people have told me about, from the floating restaurants to the hidden trails on small islands.

Do you have any pets?

I have a pet dog, a golden retriever-black lab mix named Lilly, who is the sweetest dog ever. Even though she lives with my parents in Alexander City, where she has a much more comfortable life than she could if she were to live in an apartment with us in Huntsville, she’s still my dog. My dad would tell you she’s his dog, and my mom would tell you she’s her dog, but she’s really my dog.

What is your favorite sport or training activity, and what have you learned from playing it?

I have participated in different kinds of martial arts since I was about 13 years old and have always enjoyed that. I have learned to push myself and have gathered confidence from participating in training. It’s encouraging to see the results from working out.

What’s your favorite video game?

My favorite video game would have to be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This was the first game my parents bought for my brothers and me back when we were very little, and I absolutely fell in love with it. It is a classic story of a villain kidnapping a princess and a hero who must go through trials to save her and the realm. I find myself playing it from time to time when I feel nostalgic.

What kind of music do you like?

My favorite kind of music would be rock and roll. I remember as a little girl listening to my father’s Beatles albums and growing up on songs from Journey and Queen.

My favorite singer at the moment is ZZ Ward, a beautiful singer who has a unique blend of blues and hip-hop, a truly, one-of-a-kind sound.

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

My favorite movie, without a doubt, would have to be The Princess Bride, no contest! This movie follows that classic story that I mentioned earlier with my favorite game: A villain kidnaps the princess, and a hero must rescue her. My family quotes the movie all the time. My husband, is very good natured about my love for this movie, and when I ask him to do something, he often answers like the hero in the movie with “As you wish,” which makes me fall in love with him even more.

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Bria works out with martial arts and likes to visit Huntsville's microbreweries and cigar bars with her hsuband

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Steve, Wilson and Susanne Hays get ready for a day of fun in the sun on a Nautique G23 in Reef Blue Metal Flake from Russell Marine russellmarine.net

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Hallie Gordon

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Hallie Gordon is an ambassador at Central Alabama Community College and is pursuing an education in healthcare management

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Where are you from, and how did you first become acquainted with Lake Martin? How long have you been coming to the lake?

I was born and raised in Alexander City, and the lake has always been a part of my life.

pared. I was confident that I could receive a quality education, and it allows me to work an after-school program locally.

What do you hope to do when you finish college?

I am pursing a degree in healthcare management and What are your favorite things to do at the lake? would love to come home and work at the local hospiI enjoy hanging out with tal, Russell Medical. This friends on the lake, riding on career path seemed the Sea-Doo and boats, eatinteresting, and I knew Hallie is from Alexander ing at Chuck’s, playing with the that I could apply my City and grew up goats at Goat Island and staying organizational and coming to the lake with friends at the cabin. management skills with this career and still be What is your favorite memory involved in health care. of time spent on Lake Martin?

Our tradition is to rent a What advice do you lake cabin for my birthday and have for high school invite all the friends and family graduates now that you over. We relax, hang out by the have been out there for lake and enjoy water sports. a while?

Advice to high school What would be the perfect day graduates: Always have a at the lake? backup plan. If your first Any day at the lake is the plan does not work out, perfect day at the lake! have a second plan to fall back on.

Why did you choose to attend Central Alabama Community What challenges and College? goals does 2019 hold I chose CACC because I for you? wanted to begin my college In 2019, I will contincareer locally to make sure I ue to pursue excellence was prein academics in order to hopefully receive scholarships to Auburn In her spare time, University.

Hallie enjoys CrossFit, studying and spending time with friends

Tell us about your family.

I am the daughter of Scotty and Twila Gordon.

I have an older sister named Chelsea Howard. My dad owns Cornerstone Insurance and Financial Agency, and my mom is a teacher at Radney Elementary School. My sister is a nurse at Russell Medical. My family has strong ties to the community, and I plan to continue that tradition. We are also members of Alexander City Methodist Church.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include CrossFit, hanging out with friends and studying.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given and who was it from?

Always put God first, and everything else will fall into place. My pastor Brother Wayne gave me this advice.

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Any time spent at Lake Martin is a perfect day, Hallie said

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Ali loves being close to home while attending school at Central Alabama Community College

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Ali Richardson

Where are you from, and how did you first become acquainted with Lake Martin?

I am from Dadeville, and I have been going to the lake since I was very young. My family lives on the lake, and we have always had get-togethers for fourth of July.

What are the advantages of going to school at CACC? CACC is close to home, has a great student-to-teacher ratio and gives me the opportunity to be a CACC ambassador.

How long have you been coming to the lake?

I started coming to the lake when I was around 5 years old with Camp Fire and also through family gatherings.

What is your favorite class and why?

Physics because it challenges me to think more outside of the box. It makes me pay close attention to detail and teaches me how everyday life connects with physics.

What are your favorite things to do at the lake?

Some of my favorite things to do on the lake would be to visit Goat Island and feed the goats. I love to get peanuts at Peanut Point. I love to eat and listen to music at Chucks. I love to get ice cream at Creem at the Creek and ride SeaDoos.

What is your favorite memory of time spent on Lake Martin?

Hanging out with family and friends on the lake are always my favorite memories.

What would be the perfect day at the lake?

A perfect lake day would be going to see the goats on Goat Island; then, stop by a rope swing; pick up some peanuts; go hang out on an island, and finish the day eating Chimney Rock pizza while listening to music.

Why did you choose to attend Central Alabama Community College, and what does it mean to you to be an ambassador?

I chose Central Alabama Community College because I intend to give back to my community. I love being close to home and being able to help the community as much as I can. I was involved in several extracurricular activities in high school and wanted to continue this throughout my college career.

What do you hope to do when you finish college?

I hope to have a successful job as a civil engineer.

Why did you choose this career path?

I first became interested with this career path during high school. We went to Auburn’s E-Day, where I was informed on several engineering fields. I found that civil engineering would allow me to help with any volunteer events, i.e.

Engineers Without Borders, and still have no issue finding stable employment.

How does CACC help you to get there?

CACC is helping me get there by preparing me and teaching me so that I am best equipped to take the next step in my academic career.

What advice do you have for high school graduates now that you have been out there for a while?

Stay involved with as many clubs/organizations/volunteer activities as you can. Shadow as many employers as you can to determine what you might want your future job to be.

Stay in touch with your advisor to ensure you are on the right path.

What challenges and goals does 2019 hold for you?

My goal is to maintain all As in my classes. Some challenges this upcoming semester would be taking Calculus 2, Calculus 3 and Physics 2. I also want to continue to be strong in my faith in Jesus Christ and continue to get stronger.

Tell us about your family.

My parents are Scott and Angie Richardson.

Do you have any pets?

I have four dogs. Princess, Snoopy, Chestnut and Rascal.

Hobbies?

I love taking our dogs to walk the trail at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. I like to go to Smith Mountain. I enjoy tumbling, swimming and exercising during my free time.

Favorite food?

My favorite type of food is Mexican. Anything Mexican!

Especially queso dip!!

Favorite color?

My favorite color is teal.

Favorite music?

My favorite music is country. Some of my favorite artists are Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs. I love listening to the Bobby Bones Show.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given and who was it from?

Proverbs 3:5-6 Kristi Carter “Que Que”

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From Goat Island to Peanut Point and Creem at the Creek, Ali loves all there is to do at Lake Martin

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Steve, Wilson and Susanne Hays pause among the diamonds on Lake Martin in a Key West 239FS in Seaform Green from Russell Marine russellmarine.net

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For Scottlyn, a perfect day at the lake includes grilling on an island

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Scottlyn Carr

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Where are you from, and how did you become acquainted with Lake Martin?

I was born in Alexander City and lived here my entire life, so becoming acquainted with the lake was just part of growing up to me.

What is your favorite memory of the lake?

The best memory I have of the lake is being young and inner tubing until I literally had blisters on my hand. My friends and I would beg people to try to throw us off.

What is your favorite thing to do at the lake?

I love eating at Kowaliga Restaurant and watching the sun go down over the lake while sitting on the porch. It is one of the things I miss most in the winter.

What would be the perfect day at the lake?

The perfect day would be with my friends, grilling out on an island somewhere and just hanging out the entire day until it was too dark to be on the water.

Have you ever jumped from Chimney Rock?

Only Chicken Rock; I believe my mother would kill me if I jumped off Chimney Rock.

Why did you choose to go to school at the University of Alabama?

What are you studying, and what do you hope to do after graduation?

I chose to go to school at Alabama because I grew up coming to Alabama football games with my grandfather, and I always said it was going to be my home one day. I walk around campus and truly feel at home. I am studying marketing currently, and after college, I plan to go wherever the Lord leads me. Though I do not have an exact plan yet, I would love to work with a medical sales company.

What have been the biggest challenges of college life, and how have you dealt with them?

Finding the right balance has been a big adjustment. Being away from home is an entirely different world.You just have to find your personal right balance.

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What charities/community service activities are meaningful to you and why?

My sorority participates in ‘Reading is FUNdamental,’ and we donate books throughout the year and go into the schools in the Tuscaloosa area and read to the children. I enjoy this because reading is the key to knowledge, and it is something that is the foundation of everything you do in your education.

What is the toughest decision you have ever had to make, and how did you approach it? What advice would you offer someone in a similar situation today?

After my grandfather passed away, I had to make the choice if I was going to let this defeat me or lead me to better things. While I miss him more every day, I chose to let it lead me to bigger things. If you’re going through a tough loss, you have to remember that the sun is going to rise the next day, and you are going to conquer the day. It takes time.

What’s your best hunting/fishing story?

When I was around 7 or 8 years old, I fished a tournament with my dad. We caught some pretty good fish, and we ended up winning $800 for our catches. My dad One of Scottlyn's favorite then told me that since things to do at the lake I had done so well, I is sit on the porch could get a new bicycle. at Kowaliga Restaurant So we went to pick out and watch the sunset the most pink bike you could ever imagine, and we bought it. My dad made me believe for the longest time that I had an $800 bicycle. I thought I was the queen of the bicycles.

What is your favorite sport or training activity, and what have you learned from playing it?

I really enjoy exercising and running. I have learned that it takes effort, but all the work is worth it to feel healthy about yourself.

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When she was a child, Scottlyn entered a fishing tournament with her father, and they won enough to buy her a bicycle

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James Boone, Jordan Chapman, Mary Lyman Boone, Sarah Clegg and Sue Ann McMahan take advantage of balmy temperatures and sunshine on a late fall day to enjoy a cruise on the Godfrey Pontoon 2500SBW San Pan in Black Cherry from Russell Marine russellmarine.net

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Alexandra Hudson Alexandra Hudson was born in Washington state, but her family moved to Lake Martin twice

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Where are you from and how did you become acquainted with Lake Martin?

I was born at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington. When I was in kindergarten, my parents decided to move to Alexander City. Two years later, we moved to south Florida, only to figure out we missed the lake life. We returned to Alexander City in the summer of A BRHS and UA 2007.

What is your earliest/favorite/ most important memory of the lake?

My favorite, most important memory of the lake would be my mother teaching me how to slalom ski behind our boat.

graduate, Alexandra is now pursuing a second degree in nursing

this way.

My favorite thing to do at the lake is spend time with my family and dear friends, whether we are wakeboarding, slaloming, taking a sunset cruise or going to a concert at The AMP.

Have you ever jumped from Chimney Rock?

Oh goodness, no. I have never jumped from Chimney Rock, nor do I plan to!

Where did you go to school and what is your current job?

I graduated BRHS in 2012. Upon graduation, I attended the University of Alabama and graduated in December of 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in restaurant, hotel and meetings management with a concentration in food and nutrition.

I am currently working on a second degree in nursing from Southern Union in Opelika. I have the best job at Russell Medical. I work in the sleep lab, and I absolutely love my job.

What is your favorite place on Lake Martin? favorite thing to do at the lake?

My favorite place on Lake Martin would have to be this cozy, quiet slough near Willow Point where my family always anchors our boat to sit and spend quality time together and allow our dogs to run around and fetch rocks. We jokingly call this special place “Hudson’s Slough.” Even our close friends refer to it

Do you see yourself living on the lake in the future?

I could most definitely see myself living on Lake Martin in the future. It is such a beautiful, peaceful, family-oriented place.

What is your favorite restaurant? Why is it your favorite, and what’s the best item on its menu?

My favorite restaurant would have to be SpringHouse.

I am partial to this fabulous restaurant because I worked there for a summer as a garde manger and pastry assistant in the kitchen. There honestly is not a “best item” on the menu. SpringHouse uses seasonal ingredients to produce the most exquisite, fresh dishes.You honestly cannot go wrong ordering any item on the ever-changing menu.

Cruising at sunset is one of Alexandra's favorite ways to spend time on Lake Martin

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What do you look most forward to in 2019?

I am embracing a season of being thankful, and I plan to carry this over to 2019. The Lord has blessed me beyond my wildest thoughts and dreams, and I cannot wait to see where He leads me this year. I am so extremely thankful for my family, the Holt family, all of my dear friends and the endless blessings that have been brought into my life. I wish everyone a 2019 full of endless joy and happiness.

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Alexandra's favorite place at Lake Martin is a quiet cove that her family calls "Hudson's Slough"

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Julie Hudson Where are you from, and how did you become acquainted with Lake Martin? What is your impression of the lake?

I am originally from the Chicago area and lived several years in northern Wisconsin. I went to the University of Alabama and graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition. That’s where I met my husband, Wes. He was commissioned into the Army, and after 10 years, he decided to begin a career outside the armed forces. Our families lived in the Southeast, so that was our focus. While we were stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, Wes did some work at Russell Medical Center on his days off.

We settled in Alexander City.

We actually left for five years to move to Florida to be close to my parents and then returned here in 2007. I have always thought the lake was incredibly beautiful. The blue-green water is so unique and surrounded by tall pine trees that remind me of my childhood on a lake in Wisconsin.

What would be the perfect day at the lake?

To spend time with my family and dog and go sit in this quiet, peaceful slough that we love. If we get antsy, we love to wakeboard and ski and go visit our friends that have lake houses or cabins.

What is your job and what is your favorite part about it?

I work at Lake Martin Community Hospital in Dadeville. I am the foodservice director and clinical dietitian. I also teach yoga at the Wellness Center at Lake Martin Community Hospital. I love the people. I enjoy working with patients and the community on leading healthy lives.

What hobbies do you have outside of work?

I love to cook and bake, exercise, walk, go to the lake, spend time with friends and travel.

Do you volunteer anywhere or have any charities that are important to you?

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served on the Junior Leadership of Lake Martin Board. I volunteered for eight years with the school soccer program.

I have also volunteered my time with various clubs, such as the Kiwanis club, garden club and Ethan Club.

What is the biggest decision you have ever had to make, and how did you approach it? What advice would you offer someone in a similar situation today?

I think the biggest decision was, when my husband Wes (and Alexandra's favorite back then boyfriend) made the memory at the decision to accept an ROTC lake is when scholarship. This directly involved her mother, me. This meant that we would Julie, taught begin our married life traveling her to wherever the Army sent us for slalom 10 years.

We approached our decision with 100 percent positivity.

For me, that was the only way.

To embrace every moment and opportunity it gave us. As a young married couple, it impacted us so much because we had only each other to rely on, no other family. We learned to build friendships and work together as a young couple and had to rely on ourselves. This helped me to grow as an individual, and it greatly impacted us and gave us a strong foundation as newly married young adults.

My advice to anyone young or old is to be aware that taking the opportunity to step outside your box is so important. It will shape you as a person and allow you to experience life in places other than where you grew up. Your perspective on life will change when you broaden your vision.

What is your favorite sport or training activity, and what have you learned from playing it?

I have exercised all my life, and I have found that with each phase of life, my activities have changed. Presently, my favorite routine is lots of fast walking with interval training classes using light weights and finishing off with lots of stretching, sit ups and push ups and yoga two times a week.

I have learned that through the years that, as we suffer from injuries or from aches/pains or experience different energy levels, it is most important to keep moving.

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Julie Hudson has taught her daughter, Alexandra, the importance of exercise and healthy living

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The quiet weekdays are Benjamin's favorite times to be on Lake Martin

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Benjamin is a business major at University of Alabama

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How did growing up at Lake Martin help to shape who you are?

Growing up on the lake shaped who I am based on all the great experiences I have had on the lake. From being outside all the time, experiencing nature and getting into trouble with my friends, the lake has provided me with tons of good times and great memories.

What is your earliest memory of the lake?

Earliest memory on the lake would probably be watching fireworks on the fourth of July.

What is your favorite place on Lake Martin?

My cabin.

What would be the perfect day at the lake?

Best day on the lake is usually going to be a weekday right before summer starts because most people are at work and you don’t have the crowds of people from out of town.

history mean to you, and how do you hope to carry it forward?

It means a lot to me to be able to see how my family has impacted the community in a positive way. I hope to be able to continue to impact the community and help it grow in a positive way.

As a teenager, you were diagnosed with cancer. How has your fight with cancer changed your perspective on life and the future?

Being diagnosed with cancer at such a young age taught me to just live life one day at a time because you are never guaranteed tomorrow. It also strengthened my relationship with Christ, family and friends, and for that, I am extremely grateful.

What’s your best hunting/fishing story?

I got into hunting a little later than most, but my best hunting story is when my friend, Tyler Watts, took me hunting, and I shot a nice 9-point for my first deer.

Then a couple years later, I take him hunting with me, and he shoots a 10-point, so I guess we are even now.

Have you ever jumped from Chimney Rock?

No, my mom would kill me.

Why did you choose to go to school at the University of Alabama? What are you studying, and what do you hope to do after graduHanging out with his friends, ation? including Allie Ramsey, is one I chose Alabama of Benjamin's favorite things to do on Lake Martin because ever since I can remember I have always been going up to Tuscaloosa for football games and, more importantly, they have a great business school, and that is what I am majoring in. Once I graduate, I plan to come back to the lake and work for my family’s business, Russell Lands.

Your family has had a strong presence in Alexander City and the lake area for generations and continues to be very active in local charities and business. What does that

What is your favorite sport, and what have you learned from playing it?

Favorite sport is football. My biggest take away from it would be discipline.

What is your favorite restaurant? Why is it your favorite, and what’s the best item on its menu?

SpringHouse is my favorite restaurant because the food is always to die for. Best thing on the menu is their ribeye steak and their s'mores dessert.

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

Dazed and Confused.

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Montgomery native Allie Ramsey grew up coming to the lake with friends

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Allie Ramsey

Where are you from and how did you become acquainted with Lake Martin?

I am from Montgomery, and I have grown up going to the lake with friends and family friends who have homes at the lake.

What is your most important memory of the lake?

I always remember the lake as a place where I would spend time with groups of friends, and that has made it such a special place.

has also given me a community unlike any other and has challenged me to grow spiritually and mentally. I have gotten involved with a ministry called “Press” that has been a rock for me during my time at Alabama. I am currently a finance major, in hopes to one day own my own business.

What have been the biggest challenges of college life, and how have you dealt with them?

College has definitely been one of the best experiences thus far, but it has come with challenges. I have had to surround myself with good, uplifting people that will pour into me spiritually and choose to spend my time doing things that are going to put me on the right track.

What is your favorite thing to do at the lake?

My favorite thing to do is ride on the SeaDoo or take a boat ride at sunset. There is nothing quite like the beauty of the lake at sunset. I also love going to concerts at the amphitheater and watching the fireworks show on the fourth of July.

Have you ever jumped from Chimney Rock?

That is not something that I aspire to do, considering heights are one of my fears. As embarrassing as it is, I once climbed up to Chicken Rock but had to climb back down because I was too scared to jump.

Allie is a finance major at UA and hopes to own her own business one day

Why did you choose to go to school at the University of Alabama? What are you studying and what do you hope to do after graduation?

I chose to go to Alabama because of all the opportunities that it would offer me. As a sophomore, I am involved with my sorority as one of the recruitment chairs and serve on campus as a Greek ambassador. It

What charities/community service activities are meaningful to you and why?

Within my sorority, I have been granted the opportunity to serve at the West Alabama Food Bank, and it has been so rewarding. I am able to help in a hands-on way, and it has allowed me to help the community I have been placed in.

What is your favorite restaurant? Why is it your favorite, and what’s the best item on its menu?

As much as I love physically being on the lake, nothing quite compares to the restaurants on it. I eat like a 5-year-old, so I constantly crave Kowaliga’s chicken fingers and mac-n-cheese. The pimento cheese appetizer is also a favorite. SpringHouse also has some of the best food around.

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Allie volunteers in a West Alabama Food Bank community

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Andrew, Zarah and Iris McGreer take family pup Lily for a spin in a Sea Ray SDX290 Blue and Silver Metal Flake from Russell Marine russellmarine.net

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Brooks has been coming to Lake Martin since he was big enough to go fishing

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Brooks Parker

JANUARY 2019

LAKE 63

Brooks enjoys playing golf, surfing and wakeboarding – and eating at Kowaliga Restaurant

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Where are you from, and how did you first become acquainted with Lake Martin?

I am from Alexander City. The first time I was introduced to the lake was to go fishing with my granddad.

How long have you been coming to the lake?

Ever since I was big enough to go fishing.

What are your favorite things to do at the lake?

Wakeboarding and wake surfing.

What is your favorite memory of time spent on Lake Martin?

The first time I jumped off Chimney Rock.

What would be the perfect day at the lake?

Being able to go surfing and wakeboarding all day; and then, eating lunch at Kowaliga Restaurant.

Why did you choose to attend Central Alabama Community College, and what does it mean to you to be an ambassador?

I chose CACC in order to save money and be able to stay at home for a little longer. Being an ambassador for CACC makes feel that I am not only a representative of CACC but also a representative of Alexander City.

What do you hope to do when you finish college?

Why did you choose this career path?

I hope to become an electrical engineer, and I chose Ali Richardson, this career because electricBrooks Parker ity is a constantly evolving and Hallie Gordon are industry. I want to be a ambassadors for CACC part of the evolution.

Tell us about your family.

Both of my parents, Tina and Jamie Parker, graduated Benjamin Russell High School. My mom works for Lake Martin Area Realtors Association, and my dad works for Beckman Coulter as a field service engineer.

My sister, Lillian, is currently attending BRHS, and she is on the dance team and is in the drama club.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include playing golf with my friends and attending the high school wrestling matches when I can.

Favorite food?

My favorite food is gumbo because my dad always makes a pot for Christmas, and this is the only time we typically get to eat it.

Favorite music?

My favorite music is new country because this has a good mix of a beat to the songs while still telling good stories.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given and who was it from?

The best advice I’ve been given was from my dad but has been repeated by other family members, and that is to go to class. This will make things easier for you in college.

What are the advantages of going to school at CACC? The advantages of going to CACC are that you can live at home, save money on tuition cost and be able to find a flexible job that works around your schedule.

What challenges and goals does 2019 hold for you?

In 2019, I will be faced with my first set of summer classes. So my goal would be for this next year is to make an A in my first summer class while still working during the summer.

JANUARY 2019

LAKE 65

Chase Maynard and Jordan Chapman catch a breeze on the lake in a Scarab 255 Sport Boat in Black and Grey from Russell Marine russellmarine.net

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JANUARY 2019

LAKE 67

For the Buoys Lake Martin Young Professionals host 2019 polar plunge for LMRA Last year's brave and foolish rush into Lake Martin for the plunge

STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY JUSTIN CLAYTON & DEVIN FORBUS

Bloody Marys from the bar and s'mores toasted over open fires on the lawn are among the fare available

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Tickets are on sale now for the 4th Annual Lake Martin Young Professionals Polar Plunge, set for noon on Saturday, Jan. 19, at Kowaliga Restaurant.

Presented by Valley Bank as a benefit for Lake Martin Resource Association, this annual event posts a plus for Lake Martin, whatever the temperature outside.

Kowaliga will open the cash bars inside at 10 a.m. before the annual dip into Lake Martin’s frigid waters. Following the plunge at 12 p.m., the fastest swimmer to the marker and back will win $100 in the Dash for the Cash; and then, the party really gets started with live music, food and fun from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be warming fires on the JANUARY 2019

Bundled up against the cold, a young spectator bites into a toasty s'more

SpringHouse executive chef Rob McDaniel turns a steak on the open-air grill

lawn, as well as a costume contest, and tickets for the entire day’s entertainment – for plungers as well as spectators – are only $20.

And it’s all for a good cause. The annual plunge helps to fund the Lake Martin Resource Association’s lighted buoy program. Launched just over two years ago, the LMRA buoy goal is to convert about half of the 440 hazard markers on Lake Martin to lighted buoys at a cost of about $450 for each one. As nighttime boating on Lake Martin increases with each season, LMRA President John Thompson said, safety concerns also have grown.

The lighted buoys are easier to see from a longer distance, and their presence could save lives, motors and expensive hull repairs.

The annual plunge into the cold lake has raised $11,418 for LMRA since the program began. In addition to Valley Bank, sponsors include Russell Lands On Lake Martin, Dark Insurance Agency, Lake Martin Dock Company, Central Alabama Community College, Russell Medical, Steve Robinson (Tallapoosa County commissioner), David Willis – Raymond James Financial Services, Ballard Construction, Zajac’s Auto Collision, Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., and Lake Martin Realty.

While it’s too early to tell what the weather will be like for this year’s event, temperatures have been all over the map in previous years. The first plunge in 2016 was a cold one with 40-degree temperatures and 20-mileper-hour winds capping out the day at an 18-degree

The plunge supports boating safety on Lake Martin with donations that will purchase lighted buoys

wind chill. In 2017, the situation couldn’t have been more in contrast, as plungers cooled off in the lake under sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s. Last year, the combination of 38 degrees and 15-mile-an-hour winds sent plungers into the water at a 20-degree wind chill.

The money tends to follow the temperatures for this event, as LMRA cashed a $3,325 check in 2016; a $5,042 check for 2017’s balmy plunge; and back down to $3,050 last year. If previous years indicate a pattern, this year could finance a record number of lighted buoys on Lake Martin.

To learn more about LMRA, visit www.lmra.info. Visit www.lakemartinyp.com/polarplunge for Polar Plunge details.

JANUARY 2019

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LAKE 71

Mix up styles to broaden skill sets Wakeboards are not one-size-fits-all

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akesurfing is a fun lake activity that carry a lot of speed when pumping down the the whole family can enjoy without wake, making it easier to do “airs” off the top having to worry about hard falls. of the wake. The downside is that the boards Wake surfing has been around since long are a lot harder to turn up and down the wave, before I was born but has recently gained popumaking it more difficult to do tricks like the larity. With the convenience of surf gates on surface 360. Surf style boards also have three most new wakeboard boats, it is much easier to to four large fins, making the boards lock into do and is a fun activity with the whole family. the wave, and they have more drive or push But how do you choose the board that best fits through the wake. you?

Skim style boards are flat and often only A big part of surfing, whether in the ocean have one small center fin. This makes the or on the lake, is board selection. Size and style BEHIND THE BOAT boards much more maneuverable and could

BY BEN WATTS are the two main things I try to focus on when even feel a bit slippery at times, which is why setting someone up with a new board. When so many people love this style of board. It is selecting the best size, it is always good to have someone much easier to do tricks like shove-its and 360s. The downwith some know-how tell you exactly what size you’ll need, side is that the boards won’t carry as much drive, making it based on height, weight and other factors, such as the boat harder to surf the smaller boards. you ride behind or how many different sized people are If you are really planning on wakesurfing a lot, I recgoing to be using it. ommend getting as many different sizes and styles as you If the boat is newer and bigger, the wave will be big can, but at the least, ride other boards. With something like enough to allow you to surf a smaller board than you would wakesurfing, it can be really fun to ride different boards behind an older, smaller boat that doesn’t put out as big of and sizes because this allows you to try new tricks and ride a wake. As for shape and style, that’s where it starts to get a a new way, which can really make things more interesting little more complicated. and more fun.

There are two main styles of boards – surf style and skim style. Surf style boards resemble boards you might see in Ben Watts learned to love wakeboarding on Lake Martin ocean surfing; whereas, a skim style is going to look more as a child. He is a student at Auburn University and takes like a skim board. every opportunity to get behind the boat.

Surf style boards are a lot thicker and more buoyant, making it easier to surf without the rope. Surf style boards

Trick Tip: The Floater This month’s trick tip is the first wakesurfing trick tip we have reviewed in this column, and it is one that is really simple and easy to try.

The floater, just like most wakesurfing tricks, is one that comes from ocean surfing, and all you are doing is stalling out on top of the wake for as long as you can.

This trick can be done with or without the rope, but if you aren’t very good at surfing without the rope, there is no shame holding on while you figure it out.

To start, let yourself drift toward the back of the wave; then, start pumping your way down the face of the wake. Once you get just past the center of the 72 LAKE

wake, carve a bit more than usual and get all the way on top of the wake. Keep in mind that you’ll need a good bit of speed to get up there, so make sure you pump hard down the wake. Once you’ve made it on top of the wake, it is pretty much just a balancing act.

You’ll have to shift your weight back and forth, not letting yourself fall off or back into the wake. Once you begin to start drifting back, you’ll need to get back into the wake and start pumping to catch it again. And there you go – your first wakesurfing trick to show-out in front of your friends!

JANUARY 2019

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JANUARY 2019

LAKE 73

Resolve to protect our Treasured Lake in 2019 I

hope that you, as an avid reader of Lake for 98 percent of the monitoring, the DO magazine, are well acquainted with Lake was at healthy levels. The three low readings Watch of Lake Martin. Lake Watch is in ranged from 4.1-4.4 ppm, not low enough its 28th year of protecting our one-and-only to kill fish but low enough to negatively Treasured Alabama Lake. Over these 28 impact fish health. These measurements were years, Lake Watch volunteers have monitored obtained at Lake Watch site 07001007, which 54 sites on the lake, the Tallapoosa River and is located at Smith Landing in the Sandy many of the streams that feed into the lake, Creek embayment, where Sandy Creek enters and they have submitted 2,702 data records the lake. to the statewide Alabama Water Watch dataE. coli bacteria are considered a threat to base at www.alabamawaterwatch.org. human health when levels rise above 235 E. LAKE WATCH Wow! That’s a lot of data and a lot of coli per 100 milliliters of water, according to

BY ERIC REUTEBUCH people-hours. Lake Watch monitors test the the Alabama Department of Environmental water for nine parameters: Management, the state’s temperature; dissolved environmental protecoxygen; pH; hardness; tion agency. There were alkalinity; turbidity; five instances when Lake Secchi visibility; general Watch monitors got readcoliform bacteria; and E. ings above 235 E. coli coli bacteria. per 100 milliliters of So how’s the lake doing water, which represents based on our volunteer 11 percent of all bacteria water monitoring results? readings taken over the During the past year, past year. None of these Lake Watch water monihigh E. coli readings were tors have tested 20 sites found in the lake; all and submitted 200 records occurred at stream sites. to the AWW database Four of the five read(155 water chemistry ings were at Lake Watch records and 45 bacteria site 07001041 in a records). As you might small tributary stream expect and hope, the vast of Chattasofka Creek majority of data show that near the Dadeville High Lake Martin is clean and School. Readings ranged in excellent shape, though from 333 to 600 E. coli Dianna Porter tests a few of the readings do per 100 milliliters, which the water at her indicate a couple of probprompted a follow-up Sandy Creek home lem areas. Two parameters investigation by local offiin particular – low discials. They discovered and solved oxygen and the presence of E. coli bacteria in the removed a dead animal from the stream, and the bacterial water – have indicated problems in a few areas. contamination of the stream has cleared up.

Low DO is a problem for fish, as they take in oxygen The one other site where one high reading occurred dissolved in the water through their gills. If DO readings – a reading of 1,900 E. coli per 100 milliliter (yikes!) fall below the state-mandated minimum of five parts per – was at Lake Watch site 07001053 in Sandy Creek, million, fish and other aquatic critters suffer and could upstream of the state Route 49 bridge. This very high even die. reading was obtained in February 2018, shortly after a Of the 155 water chemistry records taken over the past high rainfall/runoff event, emphasizing the recommendayear by Lake Watch, only three were below five ppm. tion from the Alabama Department of Public Health to This represents 1.9 percent of all readings, meaning that avoid swimming in streams, rivers and embayments after 74 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

high rain events, which often are evident by the presence of muddy water.

In conclusion, the lake continues to have occasional water quality problems in the Sandy Creek embayment, relative to DO levels, but no problems with bacteria (E. coli) contamination. Significant E. coli contamination has occurred in the Chattasofka Creek watershed and occasionally in Sandy Creek (Note: Chattasofka Creek flows into Sandy Creek). These problems underscore the need for continued water monitoring of the lake and its tributary streams to ensure that humans, fish and other aquatic critters are not harmed, and to ensure that we maintain our Treasured Lake status.

Make one of your New Year’s resolutions to help protect our Treasured Lake. Join us at www.lakewatch.org.

You can support Lake Watch in several ways, including becoming a member; becoming a water monitor; participating in youth and/or adult environmental education activities; and/or becoming a water quality/water policy advocate. I believe that you would find your involvement to be a worthwhile and rewarding experience.

I would like to close by extending my gratitude and thanks to all of our Lake Watch volunteers for watchin’ the water over the past two-plus decades. Your efforts have benefitted – and continue to benefit – all of us.

Eric Reutebuch is president of Lake Watch Lake Martin. Learn more or volunteer at www.lakewatch.org.

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Nuances of Negotiation Keep these tips in mind as you buy that beautiful Lake Martin home

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s a full-time real estate agent at Lake Martin, I get a lot of questions about successfully negotiating the purchase of a waterfront home here, so I have jotted down a few things that I have learned after 14 summers of helping buyers at the lake. I have learned these from trial and error and from many of the excellent agents in the lake area.

The below tips are all from the buyer’s perspective. There are plenty of tips for sellers, too, but this is a pretty broad topic. Also, these tips should be viewed as generalities. In your specific situation, always follow the advice of your lawyer or your own agent.

dences. But if the agent could provide any helpful insight, it is worth it to listen. For instance, the seller’s agent might be able to say something like, “The seller would rather get a higher price but give you the furniture as part of the deal,” or “The seller has a family reunion scheduled at the lake house in two weeks. Can we agree to a closing date after that?” Knowledge of tidbits like that might be the difference between a deal and no deal.

Don’t beat them up with an inspection

OK, let’s say you’ve found your Lake Martin home, negotiated with the seller and Do your own homework have a written sales contract in place. Now is LAKE PROPERTY Waterfront homes at Lake Martin are just the time that you have a home inspection. My

BY JOHN COLEY like any other real estate in that the comparable tip here is not to use the home inspection as sales method is the most universally accepted a second negotiation; meaning, some buyers way to arrive at a value. The comparable sales method is want to find every little thing that is wrong with a home and simple to describe, yet sometimes hard to execute: Look at get the seller to reduce the sales price. I think that most of different sales that are similar and adjust for the differences. the time – and I stress most of the time – this is not a good But sometimes the differences are tough to quantify at strategy here at the lake because most of the value of a Lake Martin. For example, how do you compare one view property is in the land anyway. to another? And how do you define privacy? One person’s When you negotiate the price, you might as well take the “congested” could be another person’s “just right.” cost of any repairs that you can see into account. A home A good real estate agent should help a buyer ascerinspection, in my opinion, is not an opportunity to beat up tain these differences as they apply to the local market. the seller for every nickel and dime. It’s an opportunity for The place to get started is the Lake Martin Area Association a professional to tell you what you can’t see that will cost of Realtors’ Multiple Listing Service, aka the MLS. The you a lot of money, such as a bad foundation, HVAC sysMLS is the best way to access the most accurate, up-to-date tem, roof or septic system. Obviously, if in this process you information on Lake Martin’s market. Your agent could help find a big problem that needs addressing, go for it. you do this, but it pays to take your own time to do your own homework on the MLS by familiarizing yourself with It’s not a science what is on the market.

Also remember that valuing waterfront property is not a

Try to understand the seller’s priorities

Once you understand the market side of the equation, it is important to try to understand the seller’s priorities or motivations. This is important at Lake Martin because approximately 80 percent of the waterfront homes here are second homes. Many of these homes have been owned by the same family for generations, so they might have little or no basis in the homes. This means that there might not be very much urgency to sell; it’s not like the family is moving for work or anything like that.

This is why it is important to understand the seller’s priorities. If there is a listing agent involved, he or she might not be able to shed any light here, due to fiduciary confi-

science. No person can put a number – with certainty and to the penny – on a home’s worth. Granted, a real estate professional should be able to get within a few percentage points. But beyond that margin of error, there is no right or wrong, so let’s not pretend that, say, $400,000 for home X is correct and anything other than that is incorrect.

Look, I know how it goes. Sometimes negotiations get intense, but at the end of the day, we should all be able to step back and say, “Hey, we gave it our best shot,” and move on if it doesn’t work out. In that case, it just wasn’t meant to be.

John Coley is a broker and owner of Lake Martin Voice Realty. Visit his blog at LakeMartinVoice.com.

JANUARY 2019

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Live like you mean it Be intentional about choices, experiences and why

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New Year filled with hope, promise, goals and out. Look at your core values and make sure the life dreams brings with it moments of reflection on you are living is reflective of what your heart is saying the past. Taking a look at where we have been; on the inside. evaluating where we are going; how we have spent our Next, accept responsibility and realize that you have moments; and what we envision for the year ahead is the power to make choices. Make small, repeated decicommonplace for the month of January. Living intensions. Make the decision to live the life you want most. tionally is not a new concept; however, at times it needs Ask yourself each day, ‘What can I do today to point some fresh clarity and perspective on how we may me in the direction of my dreams?’ and know that there incorporate the practice to live a healthier life. Getting is no right or wrong answer. It is about being honest back to the basics allows us to focus our attention on and doing what feels good to you. Intentional living is the areas of life that are worth giving all a process with no finish line, a process in we have to give. which you continually ask yourself what is Our focus is always healthy living and working and what is not; and then, making working toward goals to improve our small adjustments each day. everyday lives. This takes patience and So how do we put into practice the art persistence, like the laying of one brick of living intentionally? Some say it is at a time to build the castle of dreams. giving all we can to make sure we don’t Remembering that we are the architects miss a thing. Living intentionally is askand builders of our lifestyles, this month ing ourselves why we do things and being as we start with a fresh year, I wanted to happy about our answers. It may encourdelve into what it means to be intentional. age us to put down our phone, turn off the The definition of intentional is to be TV, or most importantly, make the most of done on purpose or deliberately. Is it moments. The ‘why’ is the sieve through enough to mean well? Is it possible to HEALTHY LIVING which we run our choices and the sounding be intentional about our situation at the board on which we fall back.

BY JULIE HUDSON moment? Truly being intentional requires Being intentional could define your life us to realize that our attitudes, feelings, thoughts and before circumstances destroy it. Living intentionally actions directly impact every one of our experiences. brings meaning to moments before you lose any more Living intentionally requires taking responsibility for moments to meaninglessness. Creating boundaries our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well being around your life with your ‘whys’ is intentional living. and releasing ourselves from self-limiting conditions When we don’t live intentionally, we allow the world (a condition or illness that would resolve on its own to define our ‘why’ before we realize there is a choice. or have no long-term harmful effect on one’s health).

The result is that we live up to someone else’s stanIntentional living requires us to establish clarity about dards and not our own. If this happens, we may find what we want and who we are and take ownership ourselves working obsessively to live up to an expectaof what we say and how we choose to come into and tion that is impossible to meet because it was never contribute to all situations. Living intentionally pushes meant to be the context of life. This could steal our us to take responsibility to refine our skills, learn to identity, as we compare our way through life, resulting respond or react and expand our thoughts and our com- in discontent. fort zones while increasing focus on the experiences we All that said, there is no right or wrong way to live like to create – not defining how it has to look. intentionally. Living intentionally centers on how you It begins with examining the questions of why. as an individual will define your ‘why.’ Work on that Consider the circumstances of your life. Why are definition; and then, live like you mean it. your friends your friends? Why did you buy your latest As we enter into this New Year reflecting on the purchase or why are you working late? past, my wish for you is that the year ahead may bring It is not about having everything figured out; howyou hope for living a more intentional future. Ask yourever, it does mean having purpose behind your actions. self, what is my ‘why?’

Everything begins with core values and establishing priorities, as well as knowing what matters to you; and Julie Hudson is a dietician at Lake Martin Wellness then, realizing you don’t have to have your life figured Center in Dadeville.

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JANUARY 2019

Give Your Heart a Fresh Start The new year is here, so why not make a resolution that gives you and your loved ones peace of mind? We all know that healthy hearts live longer, more active lives.

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LAKE 79

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Carrot Soup

CHEF’S TABLE

BY ROB MCDANIEL Rob McDaniel, executive chef and general manager at SpringHouse Restaurant, earned a bachelor's degree in restaurant and hotel management from Auburn University and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute.

Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter 1 small sweet onion, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into rounds 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 tablespoon black pepper 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped 4 cups chicken stock

JANUARY 2019

Directions In a medium Dutch oven, melt butter; then, slowly cook onion, garlic and ginger until onion is translucent. Add carrots and stock; increase heat to high and bring to a boil; then, reduce to simmer until carrots are cooked through. Working in two batches, purée soup in a blender; then serve. We like to garnish the soup with toasted rye bread, chopped carrot tops and a little sour cream.

Enjoy!

LAKE 81

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hen we get a chance to hit Lake Martin, it’s hard Then refer back to the bait or baits that worked best. not to drop the boat in and take off to that same Were they fast-moving baits or slow-crawling? What colors old spot where we’ve caught fish before. It’s hard worked? Surface, suspending or bottom-bouncing baits? not to just throw the same old bait that’s worked before as The more variables you can identify that could be at play, well. the better the chances of finding another spot just as good as I’m the first to admit that I struggle with that, too. It’s the old standby. difficult not to just go back to the well over and over. Lake When an angler is able to duplicate success at other simiMartin is slammed full of fish, but since the lake is so big, it lar locations and with similar baits, he has a pattern. The can seem like there’s a lot of dead water from time to time. beauty of a solid pattern is that a giant lake seems to shrink And those same areas that were loaded with fish one day or down for a moment, keying on certain types of locations with maybe this time last year seem to be fishless the next time. certain baits.

One thing that I enjoy most about Lake Martin and other The next challenge is whether we can take it to the next similar lakes is that they are very good pattern fisheries. step and refine a general pattern to something even more speOf course, you can fish the same brush piles, cific. Here’s an example: A general pattern could banks, points, docks, etc., over and over and be something like fishing windblown points on catch a few fish, but the real reward in fishing is cloudy days in the fall with a white spinnerbait. putting the puzzle together.

This is a solid pattern on Lake Martin, but it When we are able to take the conditions precould be refined to the very best points with the sented to us at a given time of year and make very best spinnerbait. sense of what seems to be senselessness, that is To refine your locations, stay with the bait when we are at our best as anglers. One of the in which you have the most confidence but try biggest forms of advice I give to younger and locations that are similar to your favorite spots. novice anglers is to always try to answer the Try some points with different types of cover – question, ‘why?’ such as stumps, rocks, brush or docks. You may I’m convinced that the answer is there more notice that the better fish come off of a certain often than we realize because of the many varitype of point or around a certain kind of cover.

BIG CATCHES ables at play at a given moment. Experience has Maybe try some points that are long and flat and taught me that there are variables at play that I then try some that are shorter and more narrow.

BY GREG VINSON once overlooked. Even today, there are plenty of A spinnerbait, like crankbaits, can be many times when the finer points of a pattern haven’t different skirt colors and blade combinations. been revealed until after I put the boat on the trailer. These Try new baits in locations that you are most confident are are valuable learning experiences that can help me process a holding fish. That eliminates some of the guesswork in situation more quickly and make the right adjustments in the whether your success is due to the location or the bait. Don’t future. Taking mental or even physical notes (using a fishtake the one that’s worked for you off. You’ll need it as your ing log) could be valuable the next time I encounter similar comparison. Tie on a different spinnerbait that might have a conditions. little chartreuse in the skirt or one that has a different combiThe locations, or spots that we love so much and have a nation or size of blade. Mix in your trial bait setup some and hard time getting away from are good for a reason. Some see if it out-fishes the one with which you already had sucspots are better in the spring; some in the summer; some in cess. If it does work better, you’ve added another weapon to the fall; and some in the winter. Some spots are good for big your arsenal. Maybe the added chartreuse helped when it was fish some of the time and lots of little fish other times. Some a little cloudy or the water was a little more stained. Be sure spots are good when the water rises; some are better when to take notes. the water is falling. Some are best when the water is dirty Perhaps the spinnerbait may not even be the best choice and some when the water is clear. Some spots are good when after all. Try mixing in a crankbait, topwater or swimbait it’s cloudy, and some when the sun is shining. to see if it out-fishes your spinnerbait. When fishing with a Now, read the previous paragraph again, but this time, buddy, this process will be even easier. You and your buddy substitute the word ‘baits’ wherever it says ‘spots.’ The point could take turns with who throws the confidence bait while is that both location and presentation can and do change with the other is the tester. Remember that if you can find somedifferent conditions. thing the fish haven’t seen as much, it can be magical.

I like to try to think like a fish and determine why they This approach has helped me put together some really go where they go and bite what they bite. That can make strong patterns over the years on Lake Martin. More impora grown man want to pout like a 6-year-old and throw his tantly, I’ve been able to add more locations and baits to my tackle in the dumpster sometimes, but it’s part of what makes arsenal. fishing fun, too.

Take lots of mental or physical notes when you have sucWhen it’s overwhelming to try to think like the fish, as it cess with your trial baits and locations. It’s very possible that often is, take the information the fish give you. That means a highly refined pattern will reveal itself and lead to many this: Refer back to experience and your notes. more catches in the future.

History can be the starting point. Knowing the time of year and conditions when you had the best success on that Greg Vinson is a full-time professional angler on the spot could help tremendously in starting to develop a pattern. Bassmaster Elite Series and PPA tours. He lives in Wetumpka A few general items to note would include weather, water and grew up fishing on Lake Martin. temperature, water level, water color and depth.

82 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

Ask why?

The answer could be valuable the next time you encounter similar conditions

JANUARY 2019

LAKE 83

Wines of 2018

84 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

B

eing that 2018 is now history and another lups, marinated beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin and year has started anew, my first inclination mini cream cheese cakes. The featured wines were was to reflect on what we experienced and fabulous, but the OZV drew the most amazement. what we may have learned about wine over the last Rosé, Moscato and Prosecco had big followings 12 months. Then, I suddenly felt a pop and heard in ’18, and the Sauvignon Blancs got their share a swoosh as a chilling image from way back shook of interest with Sancerre, the French Sauvignon my brain. It was 1972, and the best wines availBlanc, making a good showing. So the wines conable were Mateus and Lancer’s. The wine industry, sumed last year seem to suggest that our tastes are particularly domestically, has come a long way, but beginning to mature as we seek out new and differthere are many discoveries yet to find. ent styles and varieties. That is further supported The big story of 2018 may have been Meiomi by our experience with a certain Chardonnay that Pinot Noir. Originally created by winemaker was once the top requested wine. To say the least, Charles Wagner, Meiomi has enjoyed great conCakebread Chardonnay at $51 has been a slow sumer appeal. The packaging is sophisticated, and mover of late. Go figure; we can’t keep enough the flavors are deep and rich; the finCakebread Pinot Noir ($58) on the ish is smooth and lasting. A few years shelf. back, Wagner Family Wines sold the What did we learn about wine in “property,” and the new producers 2018? Wow, there sure is a lot of good exploited the already popular wine, and interesting wine out there. You and making it one of the most sought-after I both knew that, but I would hope in brands on the shelf through a combinathe coming year that we could introtion of marketing, availability and price. duce more people to a few more of Retail pricing should be under $20. those fantastic finds. We will continue The Wagner name has great promito explore and increase our selection. nence in American viticulture. Other As always, our goal is to find those Wagner Family wines include Caymus, fantastic wines and present them in the Mer Soleil and Conundrum. The Belle most appealing manner. Sometimes, Glos line of Pinot Noir does very well includes our food choices, whether FROM THE CELLAR that in this market. These single vinea scrumptious meal, delectable hors

BY HENRY FOY yard wines include Las Alturas, The d’oeuvres or just wine in a glass. To Dairyman and Clark and Telephone, get the most enjoyment from wine we elegant California pinots with a great legacy priced really need to slow down and take the time to savor just under $50. Therein lies a clue to making new the multitudes of flavor found in various wines. discoveries: Get to know the winemaker. His or her Admittedly, I often have difficulty identifytalent and philosophy will be consistent in all the ing those flavors, but I also taste enough differwines made at whatever price point. ent styles and varieties of wine to know that the Pinot Noir was a standout for red wines in ’18, differences are both broad and, most importantly, led by California and, of course, Oregon, primardiscernable. If all you drink is Cab, you don’t know ily the Willamette (Wil-AM-et) Valley. Pinots are what you might be missing. typically light with prominent fruit flavors. Some We also need to give our wines, especially those people call that fruity, but it should not suggest we paid a little more for, adequate time for those sweet. Soft might be a better word for what it is. flavors to develop. Time in the bottle is one thing, What it is not is the very dry tannic and tightness but once the cork is pulled, we need to be a little often found in Cabernet Sauvignon; however, our more like the three bears and go for a walk. I guargreat discovery of the year was a Cabernet – Austin antee that 99 percent of the time the wine will be Hope from Paso Robles, California. The current better and you will enjoy it more. Share the expevintage, 2015, is luscious with enough tannin for rience with another oenophile, and you will be structure and body without too much astringency. amazed at how good the wine is.

At just $52, I would put this wine against any of Here’s to a healthy and prosperous New Year. the more expensive Cabernets.

And remember, a wine glass always starts out half Illusion is a red blend from Peirano Estate full. in California’s Lodi Appellation. This Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon blend Henry Foy is the owner of Emporium Wine and was a crowd pleaser at $16. In that same price Spirits with the area’s only walk-in humidor and range, we were not surprised at the reactions to a cigar lounge, Café 128 and Gallery 128 in downLodi Zinfandel called OZV (Old Zin Vines). We town Alexander City at 128 Calhoun St. He can be poured this recently as a warm-up for a private reached at 256-212-WINE, on Instagram, Facebook tasting, which featured a selection of French and and at emporiumwine128@gmail.com. domestic wines averaging more than $40 paired with shrimp tartlets, blue cheese and asparagus rolJANUARY 2019

LAKE 85

FABULOUS FINDS

FROM OUR REAL ESTATE ADVERTISERS

1787 Windermere West Parkway, Alexander City • $960,000 BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION in the prestigious subdivision of WINDERMERE WEST! This stylish lake home has never been lived in and is designed with FAMILY in mind. Equipped with the latest in modern finishes, each BD has its OWN ATTACHED BATH. 4BD/5.5BA total + BUNKROOM with MASTER on MAIN plus a 2nd BD/1 BA. 2 covered porches + a screen porch off of the kitchen. ROCK FP in shiplap great room that is topped with gorgeous beams.

Terrace level has incredible tile throughout + a second living room/kitchenette, 2 full BD/BA + 1/2 Bath, Study area, Safe Room/Storm Shelter.

RE/MAX Around the Lake Call Lacey Howell 256-307-2443 www.laceyhowell.com

Lot 17 River Ridge Road, Alexander City • $149,500 Dreamy WEST FACING lot with DEEP YEAR ROUND WATER! 84.92 ft of waterfront. Killer sunsets! Beautiful natural boulders at the waters edge eliminate the need for a sea wall.

Close proximity to Hwy 280, Lakewinds Golf Course, Alex City, Auburn, and River North Marina! Bring your builder today! Documents available regarding the lot perc, septic design and AL Power pier approval.

RE/MAX Around the Lake Call Lacey Howell 256-307-2443 www.laceyhowell.com

#46.307 Timber Cove Drive, Jackson's Gap • $199,000 Gorgeous lot in Manoy Creek with 300 feet of waterfront!

RE/MAX Around the Lake Call Lacey Howell 256-307-2443 www.laceyhowell.com

248 Ledges Trail, Alexander City • $695,000 Largest plan available in The Ledges with over 4000 sq feet. 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. Two masters, one on main and the other up with a spectacular private deck with view for enjoying your sunrise coffee. Open great room with stone fireplace. Enjoy the lake and let someone else take care of the maintenance.

Lake Martin Realty Call Damon Story 256-789-9526 www.damonstory.com

122 Canoe Point, Equality • $999,000 PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR LOT 3 COTTAGES OF CEDAR POINT. A great lake home by architect Mitch Ginn designed for easy living and entertaining with its spacious great room and open kitchen and dining area. This pre-sale package includes the lot, cottage, seawall, and dock system.

Lake Martin Realty Call Damon Story 256-789-9526 www.damonstory.com

Lot 22 River Oaks Drive, Jackson's Gap • $379,900 Great lot with view and sandy beach area in the Russell Lands neighborhood of River Oaks. Located conveniently from Atlanta, Birmingham and Auburn. Bring your builder or we can recommend a few for you to chose from to build your dream lake home.

Lake Martin Realty Call Damon Story 256-789-9526 www.damonstory.com

656 Silver Hill Road, Dadeville • $899,000 Beautifully updated home offers 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths with stunning views of Lake Martin. Perfect for the entertainer.

With its massive walkout lakeside deck, it offers multiple seating areas, bar, outdoor cooking and a hot tub/ endless pool. Flat lot and easy walk to your pier and boat lift.

Lake Martin Realty Call Rhonda Jaye (256) 749-8681 www.LakeMartinRealty.com

153 Still Creek Pond Road, Dadeville • $470,000 Located in the prestigious Preserve at Stoney Ridge subdivision on Lake Martin, this home features 5 full bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, garage with workshop, carport, flagstone patios, fire pits, 2 separate living areas, and much more.

Lake Martin Realty Call Adam Yager (205) 914-0830 www.LakeMartinRealty.com

47 Oaks Knoll, Jackson's Gap • $1,563,000 Incredible lake home with 7 bedrooms, 6 full baths, and 4, 1/2 baths. TWO piers, TWO boat lifts, THREE jet ski docks, and a 12 x 20 floating pier. Salt water spa on terrace. Main level boast big fireside views, new TREX deck with a screened in area just off dining and guest bed. Too many features to list!

Lake Martin Realty Call Cindy Scroggins (256) 794-3372 www.LakeMartinRealty.com

86 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

Set golf goals for the New Year H

appy New Year!

Making a resolution to improve your golf game means My name is Rob “Gabby” Witherington, and I you need to set some “golf goals” and create a personal am the PGA Director of Golf at Stillwaters Golf action plan to meet those goals. I have taught so many in Dadeville. I am so excited and honored to have the golfers over the past 30 years and recommend the initial opportunity to submit a monthly article for the wonderful step of setting a golf goal before beginning the instrucLake magazine. Each month, I will offer up a little golf tion. I want the student to focus on the end result while advice, report on happenings around the lake and hopeallowing me to confirm that I was able to help them fully put a smile on your face as you read. As you know, achieve the goal. we are blessed with this lake community, and I am lookThese golf goals have been varied in nature and are ing forward to playing my small part in this positive Lake different from student to student. Some have wanted to Martin lifestyle. make the school golf team; some wanted to lower handiSince this is my inaugural article, allow me to introcaps; some wanted to be able to compete at greater levels. duce myself to those who I have yet to One lady I helped had a simple goal. Her meet in person. I grew up in the panhandle bank had an annual scramble tournament, of Florida (Fort Walton Beach) and graduand they never used one of her shots durated from the University of West Florida ing the event. She said she would feel more (Pensacola) with a Bachelor of Science like part of the team if they could use even degree, majoring in management and minorjust one of her tee shots. So we conducted a ing in marketing. I moved to Birmingham, lesson focused on improving her driver play Alabama, after college to begin my career under tournament pressure. in the golf business as a Professional Golf She returned to deliver the excited mesAssociation member at Green Valley Country sage that the team had used not just one but Club, now known as Hoover Country Club two of her tee shots that day. It was a simple (When a guy like me leaves town, they – but great – golf moment for both of us. change the name to protect the innocent!).

Your action plan will depend on the golf I managed to work my way to the Lake goal that is set. I recommend all golfers keep THE SCRAMBLE Martin area for my first trip to Stillwaters a club in their hands as often as possible.

BY ROB WITHERINGTON Golf Resort in August of 1996. Over the next Hit balls into a net in your basement durtwo decades, I helped raise a family, gained ing the winter; putt a ball into a putting a great amount of experience in golf and returned to machine on the carpet in your den; join friends for some Stillwaters Golf in October of 2015. hitting at a Top Golf facility. Perhaps you have a workI am a man of faith, and I am the No. 1 Denver day each week that is slower or less demanding of your Broncos football fan in the state – and I truly enjoy the time. Choose that day to have lunch at your local club, hit game of golf. some range balls or chip and putt to develop a better short The nickname “Gabby” came honestly from my first game before returning to work. These are all examples of job in the business and has been with me ever since. Feel ways to keep golf in your life. free to call me Rob, “Gabby” or Pro in conversation, as I We have a great offering of PGA trained teaching prowill answer to all three. If you want to learn more about fessionals in our area. Taking golf lessons from your local me, come by the golf shop at Stillwaters Golf some day, professional will improve your golf skills and enhance or you can pull up the Q&A article from Lake magazine’s your understanding of the golf swing at the same time.

July 2016 issue (visit issuu.com) for a greater understand- Your professional can answer your questions about the ing of me. game of golf and its rules and can recommend events that The New Year has come and brings with it a renewed you might be able to participate in. The PGA professional sense of hope in the different aspects of our lives. Many is here for you and wants to help you succeed in golf. will announce New Year’s resolutions to promote positive Set your golf goals, seek some professional assistance changes in who we are and want to become. and enjoy yourself in 2019.

I commend this activity, being a goal-setting person myself, and wish each of you the greatest success in your Rob Witherington is the PGA Director of Golf at Lake efforts toward personal growth. For those of you who Martin's Stillwaters Golf in Dadeville. enjoy participating in the game of golf, allow me to offer some advice for the golfing year ahead.

JANUARY 2019

LAKE 87

Legend

63

20

22

280

To Sylacauga

19

Alexander City

Public Boat Ramps 15

9 Churches

7

Camp ASCCA

Flint Hill Church

Camps & Parks

13

Power lines U.S. Highways

3

280

22

County Roads Piney Woods Landing

Wind Creek State Park

Pleasant Grove Church

11

COOSA COUNTY

Alex City Boat Ramp

Mt. Zion Church

259 9

128

Russell Farms Baptist Church 63

12 20

D.A.R.E. Park Landing

Friendship Church New Hope Church

Liberty Church

8 22

Willow Point

24

6

9

Equality

4

Seman

Camp Kiwanis

18 The Ridge

1 11

Church in The Pines Trillium

2

The Amp Ko w

ali

14

ga

Ba

y

80

9

Central

90

Union

ELMORE COUNTY Union Church

Red Hill 63

229

Eclectic

Tallassee

16 Kent

88 LAKE

Union Landing

Children’s Harbor

21

34

Camp Alamisco

10

Kowaliga Boat Landing

55

Paces Point Boat Ramp

63

JANUARY 2019

Timbergut Landing

Lake Martin Alabama

Horseshoe Bend National Park

Jaybird Landing

Marinas

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

11. Kowaliga Marina 334-857-2111

255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 22. The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300

450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 33. River North Marina 256-397-1500

250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

49

Jacksons Gap

42. Real Island Marina 334-857-2741

2700 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026

280

Bethel Church

17

Dadeville

57

280

23

Camp Hill

Smith Landing

15 4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567

1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010 4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 16 334-541-2132

1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 17 4. Russell Building Supply 256-825-4256

350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853 18 4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 256-794-1333

288 Stables Loop, Alex City, AL 35010

53. Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888

7280 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

19 4. Dark Insurance 256-234-5026

410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 www.darkinsuranceagency.com

62. Parker Creek Marina 256-329-8550

486 Parker Creek Marina Rd., Equality, AL 36026

. McDaniels Storage Center 20 256-234-4583

1040 Highway 280, Alex City, AL 35010

72. Alex City Marine Sales and Service 256-215-3474

2190 Cherokee Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

21 . Kowaliga Whole Health Pet Care & Resort 334-857-1816 8610 Kowaliga Road, Eclectic, AL 36024

8 3. Smith Marina 256-444-8793

22 Shipwreck Sam's Yogurt @ Smith's Marina 256-444-8793

Restaurants

. Off the Beaton Path 23 21322 Hwy 280, Dadeville, AL 36853

96. SpringHouse 256-215-7080

12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Pleasant Ridge Church

6. Catherine’s Market 10 256-215-7070

17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 Lake Martin Baptist Church 49 Church of the Living Waters

11 Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035

295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Stillwaters

Business & Shopping

5

12 Lake Martin Storm Shelters 256-794-8075 970 Hwy. 63 South, Alex City, AL 35010 Walnut Hill 50 50

13 Karen Channell State Farm Financial Services 256-234-3481 5030 Hwy. 280, Alex City, AL 35010 14 5. Lake Martin Mini Mall 334.857.3900

7995 Kowaliga Rd, Eclectic, AL 36024

49

Advertise your business on our Lake Martin Region Map for as little as $25. Contact Jessica at 256-234-4281 or marketing@alexcityoutlook.com for more information.

Reeltown

JANUARY 2019

LAKE 89

Lake Magazine Distribution ALEXANDER CITY Alex City Marine American Inn Anytime Fitness Baymont Inn BB&T Big B Bar-B-Q Campus of CACC Carlos Mexican Grill Catherine’s Market Chamber Of Commerce Cherokee Quick stop Citgo Cloud Nine Collegiate Deli Comfort Inn Dark Insurance Darwin Dobbs Days Inn Discount Food Mart Emporium Wine Grace’s Flowers Hampton Inn Holley’s Home Furnishings Hometown Pharmacy Jackson Drugs Jake’s JR’s Sports Bar & Grill Koon’s Korner Koon’s Korner II Lake Martin Building Supply Lakewinds Golf Club Larry’s General Store Longleaf Antiques Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Mistletoe Bough Bed & Breakfast Queen’s Attic Regions Bank Ridge - Clubhouse Ridge - Marina River North Marina Riverbend Store

Russell Home Décor Russell Medical Center Russell Lands Russell Retail Store Satterfield, Inc Senior Nutrition~50+ Center Sho’ Nuff Restaurant Springhouse Restaurant T.C. Russell Airport Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc Touchless Boat Covers The Medicine Shoppe The Sure Shot USAmeribank Warren's Appliance Parts Willow Point Country Club Wind Creek - entrance Wind Creek - store Winn Dixie 280 BP 280 Exxon

CHELSEA Winn-Dixie The Ditsy Daisy Boutique CHILDERSBURG Piggly Wiggly DADEVILLE Bay Pine Marina Blue Creek Marina City Hall Chamber of Commerce Chuck's Marina Dadeville Wellness Center Foshee's Boat Doc Homeplate Restaurant Harbor Pointe Marina Lakay’s Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Flowers & Gifts

Lake Martin Community Hospital Lakeshore Discount Pharmacy Lakeside Marina Niffer's At The Lake Oskar's Cafe Payne Furniture Pearson’s Place Poplar Dawgs Public Library Pug's Place PNC Bank Renfroes Russell Building Supply Shell Station Sigger’s Stillwaters Country Club Store 34 USAmeribank

ECLECTIC Bezlo's Bar & Grill Children’s Harbor Cotton’s BBQ Eclectic Do-It Center Johnson’s Furniture Kowaliga Marina Lake Martin Dock Lake Martin Mini Mall Nail’s Convenience Store Peoples Bank

KELLYTON Five Star Plantation MOUNTAIN BROOK Whole Foods Market

RED HILL Citgo SYLACAUGA Good Ole Boys BBQ Piggly Wiggly

TALLASSEE Community Hospital Chamber of Commerce Tallassee Automotive Tallassee Community Library The Tallassee Tribune

WALNUT HILL Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Grocery

WETUMPKA The Wetumpka Herald A limited number of magazines are placed at these locations.

To start your subscription, call Linda Ewing at 256-234-4281.

EQUALITY Equality Food Mart Real Island Marina Southern Star INVERNESS Winn-Dixie Airwalk Ultimate Trampoline Arena Tree Top Family Adventure

Lake Martin Business and Service Directory

SEE ME FOR INSURANCE

Residential | Commercial | Interior | Exterior

256-307-4061 columbus-auburn.certapro.com

Harold Cochran 256.234.2700

Mike&Kris DobbsOwners1550OpelikaRoadSuite6Box294�| Auburn,AL36830 EachCertaProPainters ® businessis independently ownedandoperated.

Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated.

90 LAKE

haroldcochran.b2cn@statefarm.com

JANUARY 2019

Lake Martin Business and Service Directory

WOODCRAFTS

QUALITY, CUSTOM-BUILT

IN-HOME CARE SERVICES

Our goal is to keep our clients as active as possible in their own homes to promote overall health and well being.

With our personally tailored care plans, you will receive the individual care you need with the dignity and respect you deserve.

Homemaking... Personal Care... Companionship

Lake Martin innovation Center 175 aLiant Parkway • aLexander City, aL

(256) 414-6090

1096 Airport Drive | Alexander City AL | 256.392.4866

Handrails • Guardrails Welded Fence • Custom Art Stairs • Gates Stainless Steel Cable Railing I-Beams • Steel Posts • Stairs On-Site Welding/Cutting Powder Coat • Sand Blasting

COACH KRAFT

UPHOLSTERY Complete Marine Upholstery!

Floors ■ Carpets Bimini Tops ■ Custom Seats ■ Mooring Covers ■

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10% Off

Patrick Mason 334-283-6759 676 Dean Circle • Tallassee, AL www.coachkraft.com

334-332-3435 334-391-0759

H

OLMAN

“WE’RE

F

LOOR

C

Performance!

OMPANY

THE PROFESSIONALS”

Hardwood Floors Ceramic Tile Carpet & Vinyl Visit our showroom for samples and a free estimate!

Locally Owned for Over 45 Years

256-234-6071

LAKE

1945 Hwy 280 • Alexander City

Visit LoveLakeMartin.com

Paige Patterson

O’Neal Electric Michael O’Neal

256-510-2146 Electrical • Controls DataCom • Security

205-616-8046

Serving Central Alabama for over a decade!

www.paigepatterson.com

Relax. Enjoy. Lake Martin.

Call to order your subscription 256-234-4281

MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2019

LAKE 91

Our Advertisers n To Join, Call 256.234.4281 A&M Plumbing................................................................70

Gilbert Woodcrafts........................................................91

Prime Management.......................................................... 4

Alex City Guide Service................................................ 8

Heritage South Credit Union.....................................71

Renaissance Electronics.................................................. 8

Alex City Marine............................................................17

Hilltop Landscaping.......................................................12

Russell Marine.............. 27, 32-33, 41, 46-47, 61, 66-67

Beyond Home Care......................................................91

Holley’s Home Furnishings..........................................96

Russell Medical................................................................. 2

Blue Creek Iron Works................................................91

Holman Floor..................................................................91

Satterfield........................................................................... 5

Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation................................73

HomeTown Lenders......................................................79

Security Pest Control..................................................... 8

Cahaba Glass...................................................................24

Jackson Thornton...........................................................92

Southern Star Farm.......................................................80

Central Alabama Community College..... 34-35, 38, 62-63

Kowaliga Whole Health................................................91

State Farm Insurance/ Harold Cochran...................90

CertaPro Painters..........................................................90

Lake Martin Dock..........................................................17

State Farm Insurance/ Karen Channell.....................91

Coach Kraft Upholstery...............................................91

Lake Martin Mini Mall...................................................70

Sunrise Dock...................................................................12

Custom Docks................................................................24

Lake Martin Realty.........................................................25

Temple Medical Center.................................................. 8

Damon Story, Cedar Point............................................ 3

Lamberth & Lamberth..................................................16

TowBoat US....................................................................76

Davco................................................................................91

Mark King's Furniture...................................................17

UAB Heart & Vascular..................................................79

Deep Water Dock Services.........................................80

Moore Wealth Management........................................95

Wagg'n Tails.....................................................................24

Designs by Trish................................................................ 5

O'Neal Electric...............................................................91

Walmart...........................................................................90

Docks Unlimited.............................................................. 5

Off the Beaten Path......................................................70

Wedowee Marine..........................................................93

First Baptist Church Alexander City........................... 8

Paige Patterson, Lake Martin Voice Realty...............91

Williams Plumbing Heating & Air................................. 8

First Community Bank..................................................80

Poor House Boat Outlet.............................................75

WSC Distinctive Builders............................................73

George Hardy D.M.D....................................................73

Precious Memories.......................................................... 8

92 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

93 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

Parting Shot Photo by Kenneth Boone

"Instead of trying to make your life perfect, give yourself the freedom to make it an adventure, and go ever upward." ~ Drew Houston

94 LAKE

JANUARY 2019

Advertisement

Enjoy the Holidays Then Get Organized in January

By Susan Clayton Moore, J.D., principal of Moore Wealth Management, Inc.

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Are your records organized? If something were to happen to you would it be easy for loved ones to take over your affairs or settle your estate?

Would they know where to find all your necessary healthcare information, legal documents, passwords and PINs? Would they know how bills are paid and how sources of income are credited to your bank account?

ot to worry. Every January, we conduct a workshop at the Alexander City Moore Wealth Management office called Life in a Box. We give you a step-by-step approach to gather all relevant records so they are all contained or referenced in one fire-resistant box.

We will conduct the 2019 workshop at noon on Tuesday, January 22nd. For further information and reservations, please call 256.234.2761.

The ten categories we cover in detail include healthcare, estate planning, tax records, investments and bank accounts, liabilities, insurance, military records, personal identification documentation, deeds and similar documents, and a miscellaneous one that covers pet information, house maintenance, etc.

In addition, we go over what to keep where, for example, in a safe deposit box, fire-resistant box at home, in a file cabinet or with your attorney or financial advisor. For example, it is advisable NOT to keep the only original of your will in your safe deposit box and we will tell you why.

Another example is your passport. A copy of the passport should be kept in the safe deposit box, but not the original, and we will tell you why.

We also go over ways to manage technology.

If something were to happen to you, loved ones need to be able to access electronic as well as paper records. To do so, they have to know passwords and PINs. We go over electronic means 95 LAKE

to store passwords and PINs so loved ones can access them in an emergency and help protect you from identity theft.

Make one of your new year’s resolutions to get your records organized. Our workshop and method is designed to help you get your Life in a Box. We make it easy so once organized, it’s easy to keep it that way!

Susan Clayton Moore, J.D., is a financial consultant and principal of Moore Wealth Management, Inc., with offices in Alexander City, Auburn, and Montgomery, AL. Managing over $150 million in assets, she has been a financial planner for nearly 35 years. She is affiliated with LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer* and ranks in the top two percent of their financial advisors based on total production. Contact Susan at 256.234.2761.

Email contact is susan@moorewealthmanagement. com. * Based on total revenues, as reported in Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2018.

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor.

JANUARY 2019

Member FINRA/SIPC

JANUARY SNOW ALERT SALE Stay cozy inside when it’s cold outside!

Now - January 31ST Buy any sofa or sectional and receive a recliner or swivel chair FREE!!**

**Free recliner or swivel chair of equal or lesser value than sectional or sofa

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256.234.4141 334.279.3101 Alexander CityJANUARY 2019 Montgomery