Elmore County Living March 2018

Elmore

March 2018

County Living

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ECL is the River Region’s preium coffee table magazine with more in-depth features and more faces from around the area.

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From the Editor's Desk

STAFF

I am honored to say I got to spend time this month celebrating my grandfather – one of the greatest men I know – on his 98th birthday. Yes, that’s right I said 98! With time spent with out-of-town relatives and a lot of love, I was reminded how fortunate I am.

From a young age, I always had both parents and three grandparents around to witness all life’s accomplishments – no matter how small – and be there to overcome the obstacles.

Not all people are that lucky, and I truly commend both parents and children affected by military involvement. The sacrifice made on both ends is substantial and not to be taken for granted.

Stanhope Elmore teacher Mindy Buckley knows this feeling firsthand and witnessed many children in the Elmore County area having family members in the military. To give back to those serving our country, Buckley created a project for students to work with active or retired military to produce art. Read more about it on page 24.

While the completed piece may seem to be the basis for the project, a mutual learning experience is the ultimate goal. Students receive the opportunity to connect with community leaders, while simultaneously using their talents to create something meaningful.

Bonding with family members or other valuable influences in your life is always time well spent. The Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce presents an opportunity to participate in a fishing tournament on Lake Jordan the Saturday before Easter in the hopes that people will use the event to spend time with family. The Big Fish Bass Tournament is a uniquely set up format and has created interest for anglers of all ages around the area over the last four years. Read about it on page 8.

Continuing holiday celebration, the Titus New Home Baptist Church is once again offering its free journey through the Road to Resurrection March 25. As a family-friendly event, it’s the perfect time to gather loved ones and experience the Christian meaning of Easter in interactive form. Page 17 walks you through the six destinations travelers will encounter during the event.

Whether you’re baking a cake for your mom’s birthday, an experience MK Moore relates to on page 46, or simply taking a leisurely drive with a grandparent, whom Larry Johnson fondly recalls memories of on page 20, those special moments should not be taken for granted.

I hope all our readers find the time to slow down and spend quality time with loved ones when they can. There is no better time than family time – in my opinion at least.

kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com

President & Publisher Steve Baker

steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com

Managing Editor Betsy Iler

betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com

Editor

Amy Passaretti

amy.passaretti@alexcityoutlook.com

Distribution Manager David Kendrick

david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing Consultant Marilyn Hawkins

marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com

Marketing Consultant Kat Raiford

kat.raiford@alexcityoutlook.com

Creative Services Audra Spears

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors

Jeff Langham Carmen Rodgers Jacob Saylor David Granger

Suellen Young Larry Johnson MK Moore Brandi Criswell

Belinda Bazinet

To subscribe to Elmore County Living, $25 a year for 12 issues, please call David Kendrick at 256-234-4281 For Advertising Inquiries 334-567-7811 For Editorial Inquiries 256-234-4281 All content, including all stories and photos, are copyright of

Amy Passaretti, Editor

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Chairman

Kenneth Boone

Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 99 300 Green Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 334-567-7811

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CONTENTS ON THE COVER John Kelly Fitzpatrick created this painting, Dollar Days, in the 1930s, and it was recently donated to The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery in Wetumpka by Elmore Smoake.

Photo by Suellen Young

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24

42

Columns

Features 8

Big Fish Bass Tournament

20

Back in the Day

12

Donations Grow the Gallery

22

Community Care

17

Titus' Road to Resurrection

30

Movie Man

24

Patriotic Painting

32

The Gamer

46

Southern Delights

Anglers Compete on Lake Jordan The Kelly Acquires New Pieces

Journey Through Biblical Scenes

Students Create Art with Military

Goodship Endures 142 Years Rally for Rural Healthcare Music Makes the Movie Industry Misses the Target

In Every Issue 6

Extra! Extra!

34

Out & About

40

Coming Up

44

Where to Find Us

News Briefs

In Elmore County Fun for Everyone Distribution List

Happy Birthday to Me

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Treats for Troops Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama is sending Girl Scout cookies to military troops through its service project Operation Cookie Care Package. Last year, GSSA sent more than 7,000 cookies and plan on exceeding that goal this year.

After receiving donations from customers, scouts used the money raised to place a special order with ABC Cookies. In the coming months, GSSA will deliver cookies to designated military organizations as a reminder to give back to those who give to the country.

Mystery of DAC Mural Solved

Roughly four years ago a vintage photograph of this mural-sized painting was found in the Dixie Art Colony scrapbooks. The note credited the painting to Mildred Nungester (Wolfe). After speculation that the painting was part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal Federal Art Projects, this January the DAC discovered the painting was in

storage at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. The document attached indicated the painting was part of a thesis project completed by Nungester in 1944 for the MMFA, and it depicts the end of the day in cotton-picking time, with the wagons loaded with the day's pickings and a cotton field in the background.

Language Lessons Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Linda Matoozi, from Eclectic, Alabama, juggles bean bags with a fifth-grade student from Terao Elementary School during a language exchange program at Naval Air Facility Atsugi. The students visited NAF Atsugi to practice English with sailors as part of a reucurring community service project.

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Extra!

Extra!

News from Elmore County and surrounding areas

History Beautifies Downtown Wetumpka Wetumpka has a new visual piece of history in its downtown thanks to a grant from Mid South Resource Conservation & Development Council presented to Main Street Wetumpka.

Shellie Whitfield of Big Fish Art Studio completed the mural of Lock 31 on a historic downtown building.

Lock 31 is an uncompleted lock on the Coosa River that was built when steam boats were the main source of imports.

Elmore County represents on Farmers Federation

Melissa Palmer

Joe Lambrecht

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Two Elmore County residents were elected to positions on the Alabama Farmers Federation.

Melissa Palmer was reelected to the State Meat, Goat and Sheep committee, while Joe Lambrecht was elected Chairman of the State Horticulture Committee.

New committee members are responsible for reporting on agricultural issues and concerns helping establish the Federation’s governing politics.

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Big Fish Bass Tournament

Anglers strategize to compete for the top catch each hour on Lake Jordan Story by Amy Passaretti Photos Courtesy of Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce

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Anglers launch from any landing on Lake Jordan at 6 a.m.

he Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce four years ago initiated a unique approach to bass fishing tournaments, and since enthusiasm and involvement remain high, it will continue the tradition.

The Big Fish Bass Tournament, which takes place at Bonner’s Landing on Lake Jordan March 31, combines strategy, a chance to spend time with family and the opportunity to win some money.

“It’s a fun and exciting way to do a bass tournament. To a certain extent it’s almost like a poker match. You need to have a strategy,” said Tim Gothard, event organizer.

Anglers will launch from any landing on Lake Jordan. The tournament kicks off at 6 a.m. and anglers have the opportunity to weigh in their biggest catch every hour, starting at 7 a.m. with the final weigh-in at 2 p.m. Weigh-ins take place at Bonner’s Landing, and only one fish can be weighed in each hour. The top three big fish every hour will receive $300, $200 and $100, respectively. The biggest fish of the day will receive an additional $1,000.

“It’s a neat concept because fishermen have to decide, ‘do I weigh this fish this hour or another hour?’ It’s based on what the other anglers may be doing. You can be waiting at the weigh-in site and see what other people are bringing in. Talking to anglers, they agree it tests both your fishing skills and poker skills in a sense,” said Gothard.

While the format is not a new one, it’s used less frequently than the traditional tournament style, explained Gothard. Some chamber members were aware of this tournament set up a few years back and decided to test it out as a fundraiser. Turnout has been between 100-130 anglers each year, and Gothard said a similar count is expected this year.

“It’s a great way to benefit the chamber while having some fun at the same time and giving some great exposure to our sponsors,” said Gothard.

With 19 sponsors already on board, things are shaping up to be a big hit, and Gothard said they are now focusing on angler recruitment.

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Spectators watch as the biggest fish get weighed in each hour

A fisherman from last year's tournament shows off his catch

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Since the tournament is always held the Saturday before Easter, the chamber promotes youth involvement as well. There is a specific prize for the biggest fish caught by an angler 16 years old and younger, who is capable of making the catch entirely on his own. “This is usually a time when families get together during the holiday, so it might present a great opportunity to spend quality time with a child or other family member in town for the weekend,� Gothard said.

The rules are the same as previous Big Fish Bass Tournaments, with a $60 entry fee per angler and no more than three allowed per boat. While registration is open at 3:30 a.m. the morning of the tournament, the chamber encourages anglers to pre-register. If registered by March 23, participants are entered into a special drawing to win a Yeti cooler.

There is a 12 inch minimum for any spotted or largemouth bass, which are the only accepted species.

All fish must arrive alive as well, since this is strictly a catch-and-release tournament, said Gothard.

To register, mail or drop off a form and check to the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce. Anglers may also register online at the MACC Facebook page or at millbrookareachamber.com. For more information, contact Gothard at 334-285-4550.

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Donations grow gallery at The Kelly

D

Story by Amy Passaretti & Photos by Suellen Young

uring the annual Christmas party last December at The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery, a number of new acquisitions and donations were unveiled that enrich the history and collection of the hybrid museum-gallery with both rotating exhibits and permanent displays.

“This gives us the opportunity to give currently working artists a chance to exhibit in a museum setting. We want to continue to build our collection for future generations for the enhancement of artists’ work,” said Hope Brannon, The Kelly’s curator.

Recent donations include works by Montgomery folk artist Mose T; pieces done by Kelly Fitzpatrick and his Dixie Art Colony colleagues from the 30s; and reuntilted abstract landscape cent artwork created

by Jim Sabel by regional artists.

Board member Ron Drinkard recently donated 50 Mose T paintings, some of which are now on display in the Bobby Carr Gallery at The Kelly. The others will be rotated out throughout the year.

Mose T originally began painting on scrap wood or cardboard, having his kids collect lumber from neighborhood houses that were falling apart, said Brannon. When he began making money, he was able to purchase nicer pieces of lumber, but still hangs all of his works by a soda can pop tab.

Another 12 original works by Mose T were given to The Kelly on extended loan for its Museum in a Suitcase project.

“These pieces of art are accompanied by PowerPoint presentations and lesson plans for classroom teachers of any subject to borrow for a week at a time to show students

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examples of this regional, influential art,” said Brannon.

These particular donations have become part of a new permanent Insider Outsider: American Folk Art collection, to be inclusive to other folk art as well, explained Brannon.

Another regular display at The Kelly is the Legends and Legacies collection in the Carmichael Gallery. This collection includes pieces done by John Kelly Fitzpatrick, but also encompasses work done by his colleagues at the Dixie Art Colony. Three new pieces were donated that will supplement this particular exhibit.

Kelly Fitzpatrick Jones and his mother Patricia Jones donated Little Dutch Girl, which was a painting done by Kelly Fitzpatrick in the 1930s.

Arthur and Frances Arnold donated Elizabeth Arnold’s scrapbook, which contains clippings and memorabilia from her life and work, along with photographs of her associates at DAC, according to Brannon.

The Arnold family also donated a handpulled wood block card created by Kelly Fitzpatrick in 1938, which was mailed to Elizabeth Arnold, who was one of his students.

“The year 1938 must have been a very prolific one for Fitzpatrick, as we are discovering more works from that time period,” Brannon said.

The third piece, newly donated by Elmore Smoake for this collection, is Dollar Day. This also was created by Kelly Fitzpatrick, which was later exhibited in the National Academy of Design.

“This colorful painting depicts a man with two children on a sidewalk shopping,” explained Brannon.

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Ron Drinkard donated more than 50 Mose T paintings to The Kelly

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Other works in this collection are from the American Scene Style of the 30s and 40s, which included artists such as Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood, who painted in a regionalist manner.

“These are local scenes depicted by artists. Interestingly enough, some of these artists didn’t even live here, but had come to see Fitzpatrick at the Dixie Art Colony to study and play,” said Brannon.

There is another Museum in a Suitcase project from this collection with original framed works in conjunction with lesson plans and PowerPoints.

“We really hope teachers will take advantage of these available teaching tools,” said Brannon.

Another new permanent collection is The Kelly’s Southern Spectrum, which includes currently working, living artists depicting scenes of Southeast life.

Joe Coggins, a Georgia artist from The Kelly’s 2016 Abandoned Rural American exhibit, painted and donated Off the Jetties. Wayne and Adelia Turner donated an untitled abstract landscape created by Montgomery native Jim Sabel. Both Sabel’s and Coggin’s works will be displayed in the Southern Spectrum collection.

“Our donors have been so wonderful and generous. This would not be possible without sponsors,” said Brannon.

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A total of 51 sponsors have endorsed and supported The Kelly’s exhibits, according to Hickman, and the organization currently has 219 members and 30 patrons who have donated art. To join The Kelly, visit its website theykelly.org.

In 2018, The Kelly will feature a number of new exhibits showcasing varying forms of art.

The Collectors and Collections exhibit is broken into two segements due to the high number of entries and showcases pieces collectors have loaned to the gallery. The first Collecting Genres and Generations exhibit is on display now through the end of May and the second will run from June 8 to the end of August. There are 121 different pieces of art from 112 various artists loaned by 30 different collectors.

“This is a unique show because the collectors get to shine in the spotlight this time,” said Brannon.

Another show in the planning process will be the Alabama Artists exhibit, which will be released toward the end of the summer. This will be a collection of all art guilds and organizations throughout the state of Alabama who submit their premiere pieces. The Kelly members will then judge the best of Alabama, said Carol Hickman, president of The Kelly.

“To find all these people and bring together the arts throughout Alabama is really very inspiring,” said Brannon.

A one-day Tulotoma Art Trail, free and open to the public,

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The Museum in a Suitcase project accompanies a lesson plan and is loaned to teachers

Little Dutch Girl by John Kelly Fitzpatrick will be held in April throughout downtown businesses in Wetumpka to help increase foot traffic to this area, said Hickman. On April 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this inaugural juried art trail will include exhibits and museum tours, Earth Day activities and children’s art shows, contest and activities.

Another show in the works is the Southeastern Contemporary exhibit, which will feature abstract and contemporary pieces, although it’s unveiling date is still unknown.

“A lot of people are drawn to realistic, but a lot of people are drawn to abstract, and this will help round out our collection. Plus, our children need to see the different forms of art. We have three new abstract pieces that were recently donated that are coming soon,” Brannon said.

The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery was established in 2011 with a mission to engage, inspire and educate artists and the public by promoting local and regional arts, said Hickman.

Since its inception, The Kelly has presented 409 artists from all over the United States, and even some international, and hosted 58 different exhibits.

For more information about The Kelly and its exhibits, located at 408 S. Main St. in Wetumpka, visit thekelly.org.

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Kelly Fitzpatrick mailed this hand-pulled wood block card to student Elizabeth Arnold in 1938

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Titus' Road to Resurrection

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Story by Amy Passaretti Photos Courtesy of Belinda Bazinet

n celebration of Easter, Titus New Home Baptist Church is hosting an interactive demonstration of Jesus’ Road to Resurrection March 25 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For the third year, families and individuals can experience firsthand the story of ancient Israel through a mini-tour of live reenactments.

“Our intent is to bring the true meaning of Easter to life through hands-on experience and faith-based conversations,” said Al Hannon, event organizer.

The original concept was a program published through Group – an organization that produces worship materials geared toward churches. It created the format, content and materials associated with setting up this multi-generational event, said Hannon. Since Group has stopped supporting the program, the Titus-based church decided to pick it up and also made some alterations along the way.

“The program is designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, but it’s geared toward the youth. We’ve added to it from the original format to make it more interactive,” said

Hannon.

In groups of 15-20 people beginning the journey at 20-minute intervals, travel guides lead visitors around the property, located at the corner of Sewell and Spigener roads, to meet key players depicting the Bible scenes. The guide also will fill in the gaps of the story and raise important questions as the groups make their way through the acts.

“We take our travelers through six destinations, beginning with the triumphal entry where Jesus entered into Jerusalem with much celebration,” said Hannon.

After the first destination, travelers continue to a scene depicting the Passover meal and Last Supper. From there, the group is led to the Garden of Gethsemane where A depiction of Barabbas visitors can interact in his jail cell with Jesus’ inner circle and find Jesus praying in the garden hours prior to his crucifixion, explained Hannon.

“This third stop is the only additional destination we added this year that wasn’t a part of the original program,” said Hannon.

Continuing the narrative, groups arrive at a jail cell and meet the thief Barabbas who, according to Gospels, was released in exchange for Jesus. In the next scene, a Roman

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Travelers enjoy refreshments at the roadside diner after their journey

guard, said to be part of Jesus’ crucifixion detail, has a conversation expressing his doubts about his role in this punishment.

The last destination was part of the original format, but slightly modified, said Hannon.

“In the original scene, the role didn’t resonate and felt odd in the series of events presented. Now, as travelers approach, there will be a replica of the tomb and of course, it’s empty. Travelers will experience the power of resurrection and what that means to Christians,” Hannon said.

Once the road is traveled, participants may proceed to the roadside diner and enjoy some refreshments.

Children receive a passport at the beginning of their journeys to be stamped at each stop along the way. This includes additional information and Bible references, and the youth collect additional keepsakes along the way.

Nearly 30 volunteers are needed to execute the event between actors, guides and refreshment help, and most are members of the Titus New Home Baptist Church congregation. Using plywood and framing lumber, the church built the scenery, which volunteers set up about two weeks prior to the event.

Free and open to the public, the entire course takes about an hour to complete and reservations may be made in advance or on site the day of the event. For information or to make a reservation, call 334-452-6111.

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Richard Saunders guides participants down the Road to Resurrection

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Marilyn Hawkins 334-202-5108 | marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com Kat Raiford 334-444-8981 | kat.raiford@tallasseetribune.com

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Goodship Church endures 142 years Larry Johnson

BACK IN THE DAY Larry Johnson now lives in

Robinson Springs, just a few miles south of where he grew up

Elmore, Alabama. in

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Some of my best memories growing up at Elmore Station in west Elmore County during the late 1940s and early 1950s involved going to Montgomery with my granddaddy.

My granddaddy, Papa Gantt, my mother’s father, lived with us. He called himself a jackleg carpenter. I am not sure what a jackleg carpenter is, but it could be a person who sometimes builds things but also excels in porch-swing sitting. He did a lot of both.

Periodically, we would load up in his 1934 Chevrolet one seater and head south on state Route 45 – commonly called the Montgomery Highway – currently state Route 143. Never exceeding the speed of 30 mph, we would cross the Mortar Creek Bridge south of Elmore and putter on through Robinson Springs and Millbrook, crossing the Tyler-Goodwyn Bridge over the Alabama River just beyond the Elmore/ Montgomery county line.

We would hold our noses as we passed the north Montgomery stockyards and then headed on into the city. The routine was always the same. We would park the car in a parking lot near Union Station and walk uptown to the Sears Roebuck Store where my Papa would purchase carpenter supplies or maybe some kind of tool.

On our trips down Highway 45 into Montgomery, there were many interesting sites along the way. There was the Elmore Airfield (now the Wetumpka Municipal Airport), Paige Hill that we always coasted down to save gasoline on our way home and the huge oak trees that lined the heart of Millbrook and provided a cool and refreshing respite on a hot summer day.

The one site that was the most mysterious was a cemetery just beyond the Cobbs Ford Road with a sign declaring it The Goodship Cemetery – an interesting name for a cemetery.

The graveyard was and still is a little spooky with its trees displaying weeping streams of Spanish moss, so familiar along the Alabama River basin. It was also a picturesque sacred landmark and the final resting place for members of the Goodship Missionary Baptist Church, located just across the highway.

Goodship is also an interesting name for a church, but its history is even more intriguing. The Goodship Missionary Baptist Church is the first (depending on who is asked) organized African American Church in historical Coosada, Robinson Springs and Millbrook in west Elmore County. The church’s own historical sketch reveals that it was established in 1875 with a gift of an acre of land from Tyler Goodwyn.

The Goodwyn family of Robinson Springs (sometimes spelled Goodwin) was connected by marriage to the Peyton Dandridge Bibb family that had huge land holdings in the area. Bibb’s daughter Harriett Bibb Goodwyn (1814-1873), for whom Bibb’s first riverboat was named – as well as The Harriett II, which is currently docked at the River Front Park in Montgomery – married Albert Gallatin Goodwyn (1807-1874) who relocated to Robinson Springs during the great migration, referred to as Alabama Fever.

According to family records, The Goodwyns had a son named Albert Taylor Goodwyn (1842-1931) who was born at Robinson Springs. He was a prominent statesman who served in the United States Congress and in both houses of the Alabama Legislature.

Albert Taylor married Priscilla Tyler Goodwyn (1849-1936), a descendant of John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States. They named their first child Robert Tyler (1870-1963) for whom the TylerGoodwyn Bridge over the Alabama River is named, just a short distance down the road from the Goodship Church.

Since Robert Tyler Goodwyn was not born until 1870, it’s reasonable to surmise that his father Albert Taylor Goodwyn gave the land and also suggested the name of Goodship for the church.

According to church members Mr. Willie Davis, senior deacon and Mrs. Willie Mae Duncan, former trustee, no one today seems to know the significance of the name. Upon investigation it appears the word goodship is obsolete. The word is no longer listed in Webster’s Dictionary but can be traced to the 16th century Middle English spelling of goodschipe meaning, favor, grace or kindness and from Old English

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The Goodship Cemetery is the final resting place for members of the Goodship Missionary Baptist Church

Willie Mae Duncan, former trustee

Willie Davis,

godscipe meaning kindness. These words would certainly be appropriate for a church, so perhaps the mystery is solved.

The founders of the Goodship Church were no doubt proud of their good fortune of donated land but also determined in their mission to establish a worshiping community to do God’s work.

Their beginnings were meager as they used to meet under a brush arbor (four poles with brush on top to keep out the sun and sometimes rain). Under the leadership of their first pastor, Rev. Horace Khorn, the first church building was erected in 1891, and an additional two acres of land was purchased to establish the cemetery.

The congregation prospered, and the church building was

replaced with a new building in 1901 and another in 1916. Unfortunately, this building burned down but was rebuilt in 1932 during the financial great depression of that period. It is reported that the deacons even mortgaged their mules to buy materials for the building.

As the Goodship Church continued to prosper, this building experienced many improvements over the years, until 2004 when it tragically burned again. Not to be discouraged, the Goodship Church rose from its ashes and stands today in magnificent glory at its original location on senior deacon state Route 143 across the street from its enchanting cemetery.

The church and its people have endured 142 years of prosperity and tragedy, but with each tragedy it has become bigger and better. Starting from a small worshiping group under a brush arbor in 1875 to its current membership of 400-plus is no small feat.

Bravo to this congregation for its tenacity and commitment to its mission. The Goodship Missionary Baptist Church, including the cemetery, is indeed a significant historical landmark in west Elmore County. Under the leadership of the church’s current Senior Pastor, Rev. Derwin V. Perry, its associate ministers, deacons and trustees, they are planning for the next 142 years.

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Rural healthcare beneficial for prevention 22

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Alabama residents rally on the capitol steps in Montgomery this month to support rural healthcare Access to healthcare is vital to rural communities and their ability to not only survive, but also to flourish.

Rural areas across the state and nation are currently enduring persistent poverty, decreased wages, deteriorating education systems, increased unemployment rates and a severely diminished healthcare system. Therefore, the challenge for rural communities must be implementing new tactics to improve these statistics, specifically the diminished education system and lack of available healthcare.

Rural healthcare providers are needed to not only treat patients, but also to step in and stabilize individuals from the community who find themselves in emergency situations, to transport them to larger facilities for life-saving interventions.

Eight of Alabama’s rural hospitals have closed their doors in the last seven years. With this comes the loss of jobs for the community, loss of access to primary care providers, loss of emergency intervention services and the loss of incentive for other markets to bring businesses to the area.

Lack of funding and decreased reimbursement rates, as well as strict government regulations, have led to rural hospitals having to operate with extremely thin margins. In addition to this, the number of people living in rural areas seeking healthcare increases, as more people become candidates for Medicare and other insurance related to the Affordable Care Act. Primary care providers are vitally important to the rural healthcare field. Personally, I love serving the rural community. As a primary care nurse practitioner, I believe working to provide healthcare for rural Alabama is where my skill set is best utilized. Without primary care providers in rural Alabama, a lot fewer residents receive preventative care measures, which result in early detection and treatment of many diseases.

Lack of access to primary care providers also leads to poor health outcomes and more comorbidities for chronic conditions – such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Statistics show that lack of access to healthcare, as well as lack of a good education system, are directly related to an increase in premature death.

Rural and urban areas need to work together to provide better healthcare for all individuals.

This increasing problem in the medical field should not be looked at as a rural versus urban problem, but a rural and urban problem. Primary care providers in rural areas can treat many illnesses from heart disease to depression, diabetes and obesity; however, they still need the specialists in the urban areas to see the more complex medical conditions or those patients who aren’t responding to treatment.

Access to primary medicine in rural areas also decreases the number of hospitalizations for conditions such as asthma or pneumonia because patients can receive effective care in a timely manner.

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Brandi Criswell

COMMUNITY CARE Brandi Criswell is a published scientist and nurse practitioner at ivy creek internal medicine.

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Patriotic Painting Stanhope Elmore students work with military to create art

Story & Photos by Amy Passaretti 24

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McKenzie and Nathan Stone enjoy time painting a landscape together

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Blaine Cooper paints the Naval anchor suggested by Recruiter Navy Johnathan Brown

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tanhope Elmore High School art teacher Mindy Buckley, having several family members that served in the U.S. military, was aware of many children in the area who also have family members in the military, and she wanted to create a fun project for students to give back to those who spend time protecting the country.

Buckley invited both active military personnel and veterans to join her students in painting a militarythemed painting.

“I kept hearing stories about kids’ families and how they were affected by a family member being in the military. They’ve given so much for the country and work so hard to protect us, this is our chance to use our talents to give back to them,” explained Buckley.

Each of the 15 students was paired with a soldier who chose the subject

matter for their artwork. Students are responsible for completing the piece, but working together and discovering more about the subject plays a vital role in the project. It is a mutual learning experience.

“I’m so excited about the connections students were able to make with military and veterans. As they planned out their paintings together, I heard my students teaching and building relationships with leaders in their community,” Buckley said.

Some students knew their partner previously, as a father, church member or other family friend, while others were paired up with a total stranger.

Tommy Lee was paired with Jordan Reeves to complete a painting of the USS Arizona Memorial.

They had never previously met, but enjoyed getting to know one another while Reeves had the opportunity to learn more about a significant memorial in Lee’s life.

Military and students “I’m really enjoying my work together time and learning about to create art painting. It’s pretty cool to

Mindy Buckley's Art Club bonded with active military and veterans after school

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have these students take time to work with the military. Since my kids have graduated, I’m not around kids much anymore, so it’s also a nice change of pace for me,” said Lee. One pair was the father-daughter team of Nathan and McKenzie Stone, who share an interest in art and don’t get the time to work together at home, since Stone is active military. ColLomonica lectively, they Wilcox are working on a (left) landscape paintworks with ing. students “My daughter Daltyn is interested in art, Davis and and I did some Dominique in high school, so Robinson this is our chance to share something we have in common and spend quality time together. We don’t usually have the time or materials to do this at

home,” explained Stone.

Students had similar reactions and said it was an enjoyable experience for them and a chance to spend time with people they don’t normally get to spend time.

“Since my dad is in the military, and I don’t get to see him often, it’s comforting to be around others that do similar things he does,” said student Makayla Groulx, who was tasked with a painting of five chaplains when paired with Chaplain Matthew Boart.

Other subject matters include a Naval anchor, an American flag flying from a ship, an entire American flag and other military themes.

The groups

Buckley (right) helps Tommy Lee and Jordan Reeves mix colors for their memorial painting

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have three more weeks to complete their painting, as they meet each Tuesday in March. Buckley said she would like to display the finished paintings somewhere before allowing the veterans and military to take the paintings home with them as keepsakes.

“We are thankful to bless others using our gift,” said Buckley, who has been teaching at Stanhope Elmore for three years.

The majority of students participating in the project are part of Buckley’s after-school Art Club, which has about 20 active members. The club participates in nearly 16 competitions throughout the year, and members are from a mix of grade levels.

Sponsors paid $150 to help cover the costs of supplies, the canvas and a plaque to accompany the finished piece.

Students will present their artwork at Stanhope Elmore’s art show April 24 at the Stanhope Library. Open to the community, this is an opportunity to highlight the talent of the school, said Buckley. The band, dance team and choir will all participate as well, and the show will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and include light refreshments.

“I’m thrilled with how our first day of this project went, and I really look forward to continuing to look for ways to use art to benefit the community,” said Buckley.

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.

That starts with a comprehensive cardiac checkup.

February is American Heart Month, serving as an annual reminder of the fight against cardiovascular disease. Kevin Sublett, MD, and his staff at the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic of Central Alabama are proud supporters of this fight. We are committed to keeping your heart healthy, so you can live a healthier life all year long.

Our clinic is backed by the world-class expertise you expect from UAB Medicine, offering: • The full spectrum of cardiovascular care • Care from a physician board-certified in interventional cardiology • The latest in cardiac and vascular ultrasound technology, as well as nuclear medicine imaging in accredited laboratories • Diagnosis and treatment of cardiac rhythm disorders • Convenient location within Russell Medical Call us today to schedule an appointment!

3368 Highway 280, Suite 130 Alexander City, AL 35010 (256) 234-2644 uabmedicine.org/heartcentralAL

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Music Makes the Movie Jeff Langham

MOVIE MAN Dr. Jeff Langham is State Assistant Superintendent for External and

Governmental Affairs and a lifelong lover of film.

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Music in the movies is a critical component, of the overall enjoyment and appreciation of films.

I love movie music. I love movie musicals. I hope I am speaking for many readers as well.

Let’s celebrate some of the best in movie music and musicals currently appearing in a theater (or home video) near you.

When it comes to movie musicals, The Greatest Showman has taken everyone by surprise.

When it opened to virtually deserted movie theaters back in December, critics hastily assumed that their nearly unanimous opinions had finished off this risky venture; however, the power of word-of-mouth recommendations redeemed this engaging songfest.

By its second weekend, audiences started pouring in and coming back multiple times.

With a terrific cast headed by the dazzlingly talented Hugh Jackman and the luminous Michelle Williams, along with a bevy of showstopping tunes written by the Oscar-winning duo who gave us La La Land – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – The Greatest Showman and its soundtrack have both quickly turned into blockbusters.

Though this delightful film will soon make its debut on home video, I urge you, if possible, to run to your local theater to see it on the big screen. Is it corny? Yes, but completely captivating and highly recommended.

Also, don’t miss Coco, an animated musi-

cal treat from Disney Pixar featuring the melodies of the talented musical team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

This dynamic duo also composed the music for another megahit you may be familiar with called Frozen (which is headed to Broadway this month).

When it comes to movie music, one needs to look no further than this year’s Oscar-nominated scores that feature some of today’s most influential film composers – namely John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Jonny Greenwood, Carter Burwell and Alexandre Desplat.

First and foremost, John Williams, nominated for Star Wars: The Last Jedi (and should have been nominated for The Post as well) reigns supreme in the world of film music.

His career spans over six decades, and he has composed some of the most famous film scores in cinematic history, including the Star Wars series and the Indiana Jones series, Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, three of the Harry Potter films, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman: The Movie and E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial. Additionally, Williams has been the go-to guy for many of director Steven Spielberg’s films.

Williams has won 24 Grammys, five Oscars and four Golden Globes. With 51 Academy Award nominations, Williams is the second most-nominated individual, after Walt Disney.

Hans Zimmer earned an Oscar nomination

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for his unforgettable score for director Christopher Nolan’s box office smash Dunkirk. He won an Oscar in 1995 for Best Original Score for The Lion King, and he is also responsible for the scores to the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Gladiator, The Last Samurai and The Dark Knight trilogy. Zimmer can also navigate more tender and delicate film music as represented by his gentle score for the beloved classic Driving Miss Daisy.

Jonny Greenwood earned recognition from the Academy this year with his compelling score to The Phantom Thread. Not only has he received acclaim for his film compositions, but also he is the featured player in the alternative rock band Radiohead. He has been named one of the greatest guitarists of all time by several publications. In 2007, he scored director Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, and since that time has composed the soundtrack for every Anderson film.

Quirky composer Carter Burwell received yet another nomination for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

He is a frequent collaborator with the Coen brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowski and Hail, Caesar!). Like Hans Zimmer, Burwell is a chameleon, and he traverses multiple styles in his movie music.

My guess is that this year’s Academy Award for best original score will go to Alexandre Desplat for his mesmerizing music for The Shape of Water. An eight-time Oscar nominee, he has won the Academy Award for his soundtrack to the film The Grand Budapest Hotel. Among his other film compositions are The Queen, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Danish Girl, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty. From action thrillers to nonfiction dramas to captivating fantasy films, Desplat continues to demonstrate that he can do it all.

If I have piqued your curiosity with these five musicians, then here are some other film composers to add to your music library: Ennio Morricone: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1967); The Mission (1986); The Hateful Eight (2015) Danny Elfman: Tim Burton’s Batman (1989); Big Fish (2003); Sommersby (1993); Edward Scissorhands (1990) Howard Shore: Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) and Hobbit

(2012-2014) trilogies; Spotlight (2015); Denial (2016) Alan Silvestri: The Back to the Future trilogy (1985-1990); Forrest Gump (1994); Captain America: The First Avenger (2011); The Avengers (2012); Avengers: Infinity War (2018) James Newton Howard: The Prince of Tides (1991); The Fugitive (1993); The Sixth Sense (1999); Batman Begins (2005); The Hunger Games series (2012–2015) Michael Giacchino: The Incredibles (2004); Mission: Impossible III (2006); The Star Trek reboot (2009-2016); Mission: Impossible – Protocol (2011); Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014); War for the Planet of the Apes (2017); Jurassic World (2015); Rogue One (2016); Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017); Coco (2017) Thomas Newman: Men Don’t Leave (1990); Fried Green Tomatoes (1991); The Shawshank Redemption (1994); The Help (2011); Finding Nemo (2003); Finding Dory (2016) And if you want to dig even deeper, three legendary film composers who are no longer with us – Jerry Goldsmith (Patton, The Omen), James Horner (Titanic) and John Barry (Born Free, Out of Africa) – are always worth a listen.

The lists I have provided are by no means exhaustive when it comes to these masters of movie scores. Why not settle back and savor the pleasures of film music today.

Until next month …

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Game Industry Misses the Target I recently started playing Call of Duty: WWII, the latest entry in a long and storied franchise published by Activision. The game tells the story of a small group of American soldiers in the U.S. Army’s historic First Infantry Division during World War II. It’s pretty standard for a military shooter – too standard. It’s this tired formula that we’re talking about today.

No Imagination

The first Call of Duty games were unique because they were the first. They showed war at its most gruesome – even if a bit pixelated. Like sports games, they brought a new generation of gamers into what had been a market focused mostly on platformers and puzzle titles. The themes and motifs throughout each new entry was enough to keep gamers interested and Call of Duty popular; however, the series never outgrew this formula.

With a host of other companies trying to replicate Call of Duty’s monumental success, this

failure to adapt has made the series feel almost like an inside joke among gaming circles; it shares a space with Mountain Dew and Doritos as a part of the ‘stereotypical gamer’ archetype.

What Could Have Been

While other military shooters like Battlefield and Ghost Recon have been leading the charge for new, innovative material, it seems Call of Duty is happy to sit back and watch; however even these forwardthinking games are missing the bullseye – further testament to how far behind Call of Duty really is.

In the age of modern storytelling, graphics and art direction, I am constantly perplexed by the game industry’s inability to move the player in an emotional way. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with the occasional explosion-filled funfest, but when this becomes the norm, I begin to think about all the good stories these developers and publishers could be telling.

I feel like we’ve raided Normandy’s beaches in a host of different games, but have never experienced the gritty, raw and powerful feelings that I’m sure a talented developer could evoke.

Taking up valuable space

Apart from the fact new entries into the Call of Duty franchise are generally lackluster, it’s

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important to remember that these games take a toll on the market. How many World War II-focused shooters are players going to want to play in a given year? At what point does the military-shooter genre see diminishing returns?

I genuinely want to see a modern game that takes on the trials and tribulations of war in a thought-provoking way, but the likelihood we get that in between all of the commercialized glitz and glam of Activision’s marketing efforts is slim-to-none.

I think we owe it to the veterans and heroes of these wars to produce something of value.

Much of the ‘history’ that our youth gets through video games is tangential at best, so developers and publishers should feel at least a small responsibility to create works of value.

So what can be done?

Video games have come a long way since their inception just a few decades ago. They’ve given us new ways to enjoy free time and interact with friends or family. We’ve gone from the basic Pong to huge, enveloping titles like World of Warcraft. The unfortunate trend for history-based military shooters like Call of Duty is one of poor quality. Reversing this trend will take one of two things:

Players will have to move away from the genre entirely.

The first option – and the very unlikely one – is that gamers will simply lose interest in the shooter genre. While shooters might have been a niche genre very early on, they are nothing if not powerhouses now. It would take a monumental shift in sentiment across the games industry for this to take place, and with gaming’s parabolic rise in popularity over the past decade, I don’t see that happening. I think the sports and shooter genres currently receive far too much real estate on store shelves, but that’s

just where the audience has tended to persist most fervently.

Publishers and developers will move in the direction of quality.

Call me an idealist, but I truly believe that the long run favors quality over quantity.

Ubisoft – who had been developing an Assassin’s Creed game every year – recently began instituting a policy of a two-year minimum development cycle for its games. This means that the resources for each of its offerings are effectively doubled, and they provide much deeper, more intrinsic value to the player.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins was seen by many as an all-time high for the series – an impressive feat, considering the franchise has existed since November 2007. This proves that new life can be pushed into older series, and I believe Call of Duty (among other shooters) is a great candidate for resuscitation.

Regardless of what happens to first-person shooters, they’re here to stay. But as customers, we have to hold the companies to a higher standard. The best way to do this is with our wallets – if you’re a longtime Call of Dutylover, try stepping outside the box. There are multitudes of other games that are building unique, smart worlds with which you can interact.

You don’t need Josh Duhamel, Kit Harington or – this one still gets me – Conor McGregor to make your video games good. You need solid writers, artists and programmers – with these groups is where the magic happens.

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Jacob Saylor

THE GAMER Video games journalist

Jacob Saylor has covered the massive

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles.

Follow Jacob on Twitter @skulldrey.

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OUT & ABOUT

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Black History Month Program

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February 18, 2018 Wetumpka Civic Center 1. Gregory and Rosa Robinson 2. Debra Smith and Aurelia Golden 3. Hertisine Crenshaw and Stanley Green 4. Wallace Larkins, Frances Davis, Beverly Carroll and Shirley Storrs 5. Cynthia Hunt, Pattie Glasper, Carolyn Bowman and Eugenia Howard

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6. Lois and Michael Waters

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Tallassee Rotary Club Meeting

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March 8, 2018 Cozumel Restaurant 1. Noah Griggs and Whitney Watson 2. Jan Dzuirlik 3. Jacob Lawrence and Anna Baker 4. Emily Stillwell and John David Lambert

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5. Alan Taunton 6. Laura Fields, Theron Shipman and Morgan Steele 7. Laurie Rygiel, Tina Harris and Pam Chute 8. Tammy Knapp

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OUT & ABOUT

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Tallassee Arbor Day February 24, 2018

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Corner of Barnett Boulvard and S. Ann Avenue 1. Kimberly Baird and Johnny Hammock 2. Cheryl Henderson and Kat Raiford 3. Stephanie Lucas and Jerry Cunningham 4. Morgan Steele and Anna Baker 5. Robbie and Troy Glasscock 6. Emily Stillwell, Theron Shipman and Jacob Lawrence

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OUT & ABOUT

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Art Reception for Larry Stewart

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February 23, 2018 Red Hill Gallery, Tallassee 1. Spence and Madison Singleton and Madison Cunningham 2. Larry Stewart and Jim Beverett 3. Amy Brakenhoff and Katie Cooper 4. Don and Claire Sullivan 5. Christana and Jamie Bishop

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6. Allen and Karen Mote

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OUT & ABOUT

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Ladies Night Out February 22, 2018 Market Shoppes, Wetumpka 7

1. Sadie Davis, Theresa Spivey and Linda Rhodes 2. Jen Bravata and Vicki Seeger 3. Emily Gordon, Linda Jones and Finn Gordon 4. Rachele Fenimore and Jessica Neighbors 5. Inez Cooper and Linda Segrest 6. Brenda McDonald and Donna Johnson 7. Sherri Markos and Vicki Stewart

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OUT & ABOUT

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Gettin' Down with the Dawgs

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February 17, 2018 Wind Creek Entertainment Center 1. Ginny Hughes, Bobbie Grier and Sandra Croley

2. Jessica and John Summerlin

3. Alex Osburn and Jessica Meuse

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4. Tammie, Mike, Bennie and Carol Woodall

5. Roger and Shirley Gravley

6. Casey Hamilton and Gina Hanks

7. Gloria and Butch Calloway and Rabbit Culver

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Coming Up CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 21 DAC Walk Where They Walked: at Perkins Gin Join the Dixie Art Colony at the historic Perkins Cotton Gin located on Wetumpka’s west side for a plein air painting session. This location is known to be one of the locations frequented by Kelly Fitzpatrick and the other Dixie Art Colonists during the 1930s and 1940s. The program begins at 1:30 p.m., and reservations are required.

March 24 Spring Fling Open House Market Shoppes located at 211 Hill St., Wetumpka, will host an open house displaying the latest spring fashions from its various vendors. There will be store-wide sales and light refreshments. Stop by between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to see what’s new this season. For information, visit the Market Shoppes Facebook page.

March 24 Anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is hosting the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend with

demonstrations of Indian and frontier life in the year 1814.

The program is free to the public. HBMP is located at 11288 Horseshoe Bend Rd. in Daviston.

March 24 Bees are Buzzing Join the Alabama Nature Center for a program all about the world of bees and bee keping. Participants will learn about pollination, bee keeping and the equipment used.

Guests will taste some local honey as well. Daily admission is $5 per person, with a $20 minimum per family. Visit alabamawildlife.org for information.

March 27-28 ServSafe Certification The Elmore County Extension office will offer this class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on either day for those looking to obtain a Food Safety Certification for food permit holders meeting the ADPH requirement. The cost is $125 and class size is limited to 20 people. Pre-registration is required.

For information, contact Janet Johnson at 334-703-2237 or register online at foodsafety.aces.edu. The ECEO is located at 340 Queen Ann Rd., Wetumpka.

Market Shoppes will host Open House March 24

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March 30 Mt. Vernon Idol Tallassee Mt. Vernon Theatre will host its inaugural Mt. Vernon Idol concert at its newly opened theater located at 321 Barnett Blvd. Ten Golden Tickets finalists will be selected to perform based on submitted videos. Tickets for the concert are $30, and the grand prize winner receives $500.

March 30 Fam Jam The Eclectic Youth Football and Cheerleading League will host a family dance at the Eclectic Warehouse at 45 Main St. as its first fundraiser of the year. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., bring the whole family to enjoy a night of fun with a live DJ and a photo booth. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

March 31 Big Fish Bass Tournament This annual event presented by the City of Millbrook and the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce will kick off at 6 a.m. from Bonner’s Landing on Lake Jordan. Top three big fish win $300, $200 and $100 with hourly weighins. Plus the overall big fish will win $1,000. If registered

by March 23, there is a chance to win a Yeti cooler and other great prizes. Register by mailing/dropping off a registration form and check to the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce or register online at millbrookareachamber.com or the events section of the MACC Facebook page.

April 7-8 DAC Walk Where They Walked: at Jasmine Hill Gardens Join the Dixie Art Colony, along with the Alabama Plein Air Artists, at Jasmine Hill Gardens. In conjunction with the APAA painting session, the DAC Foundation will present The Jasmine Hill Connection, an exhibition about the history of Jasmine Hill Gardens and the connection to Kelly Fitzpatrick and the Dixie Art Colony. The exhibit will also include a Fitzpatrick family tree. There will be a $10 admission fee payable to the Jasmine Hill Foundation.

April 8 Remembering Alabama’s Doughboys of World War I Debbie Pendleton will explain the significance of Alabama's Doughboys at the Elmore County Museum, located at 112 S. Main St. in Wetumpka, at 2:30 p.m. This free event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served.

April 19-May 5 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest This performance by the Wetumpka Depot Players will be directed by Cory Lawson. Performances begin at 7:30

Plants and Pollinators Festival

This festival will expand opportunities for people to learn about and enjoy the wonderful mix of native and ornamental flora, as well as the importance of pollinators. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NaturePlex at the Alabama Nature Center.

There will be local vendors available, along with a number of demonstrations and presenters about various topics regarding plants and pollinators. Activities for all ages, including hands-on crafts for children, will be on site throughout the day.

Hot dogs and soft drinks will be for sale between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $1 per item.

By drawing attention to the growing importance of Pollinator Conservation, the ANC will celebrate the new Apiary to be completed at the NaturePlex this spring.

Admission is $5 per person, with a $20 maximum per family.

For a full list of activities and presentation times, visit alabamawildlife.org.

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p.m. April 19-21, April 26-28 and May 3-5. There will be a one-time matinee performance April 29 at 2 p.m. For ticket information, visit WetumpkaDepot.com.

Avenue. This volunteer organization serves individual and community needs by funding and hosting special events for people with developmental disabilities. A social time at 5:30 p.m. precedes meetings.

Countywide Cleanup Day The Elmore County Commission sponsors free cleanup days for residents on the second Saturday of odd numbered months. Drop off household and yard trash free of charge at the following locations: old highway department in Kent; old highway department shop in Holtville; Crenshaw Park; Sweeten School; Emerald Mountain Equestrian Center; county jail; Shaylee Place at Hwy. 231 and Titus Road; Old Central Transfer Station; Anne Building in Elmore; CEW&SA parking lot at Redland Road facility.

There is no longer a drop-off at the intersection of Redland, Firetower and Dozier roads.

Blue Grass Jam, Sit and Scrap and Sit and Sew All three activities are held on the first Saturday of each month from 9 am. to noon at the Alabama River Region Arts Center in Wetumpka. All acoustic instruments and skill levels are welcome at the Bluegrass Jam. Scrappers and paper crafters are encouraged to attend Sit and Scrap.

All sewers and knitters are welcome at Sit and Sew. For details, call 334-578-9485 or visit www.arrac.org.

April 21 Tulotoma Art Trail Presented by Main Street Wetumpka, The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery and the City of Wetumpka, this inaugural juried art trail event will take you from art exhibits to museum tours, with Earth day activities and children’s acitivities along the route. This free event is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in historic downtown Wetumpka and will be held in conjunction with the Wetumpka Alabama 200 celebration.

Season-Long Events Country Music Jam Every Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Red Hill Community Center, located at the Old Red Hill School on Alabama Hwy. 229 south of Kowaliga, hosts an open-stage country music jam. All players, singers and listeners are welcome. Coffee and snacks are provided at this familyfriendly event. No admission is charged, but donations are welcome. For information, email Paula Castleberry at mcasby53@windstream.net.

Tallassee Civitan Club The Civitans meet at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Budde Building on Gilmer

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Santuck Flea Market The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month at 7300 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka.

Children's Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store Located on Highway 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, 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. Call 334-857-2008 for more information.

Alabama Wildlife Federation Naturalist Hikes Every Tuesday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., hike some of Lanark’s 5 miles of trails with an experienced ANC naturalist by your side. Learn how to bird or ID 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. AWF is located at 3050 Lanark Rd. in Millbrook. Visit alabamawildlife.org to check holiday closings.

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Dixie Art Colony Foundation Exhibit Regular DAC gallery hours are from 10 a.m. until noon on Mondays and Wednesdays at 219 Hill St., Wetumpka.

Appointments and small group tours are available upon request. Special tours include a 16-minute video, Dixie Art Colony: A Look at Its Lasting Legacy. Exhibits rotate every four months, and a selection of periodicals and books from the DAC Foundation Resource Library also are on display.

For information, contact Mark Harris at 334-328-0730 or email him at M.Harris@DixieArtColony.org.

​Alabama Wildlife Federation Creature Feature Every Monday and Wednesday, from 3:30 p.m. until 4 p.m., come learn about Alabama’s woods, water and wildlife. Get up close and personal with some of the creatures you may find in your own backyard and even some you may have never heard of. General admission applies and is $5 per person, with a $20 maximum per family. AWF is located at 3050 Lanark Rd. in Millbrook. Visit alabamawildlife.org to check holiday closings.

Master Gardeners Lunch and Learn Bring a sack lunch to the Elmore County Extension Office in Wetumpka from noon to 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month for a gardening presentation hosted by the Central Alabama Master Gardeners Association. The event is free and open to the public. Drinks are provided.

Call 334-567-6301 or visit aces.edu/counties/Elmore/ for information.

Cruise-In Car Show Pull into the Super Foods parking lot on Gilmer Avenue from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. the third Saturday of each month for a look at the spectacular wheels.

Dixie Art Colony gallery is open Mondays and Wednesdays

Busy Bee Quilters The quilters meet the second Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Santuck Community Center, 7300 Central Plank Rd. For information, call Sheila Puckett at 334-399-3249.

Third Thursdays All downtown Wetumpka businesses will stay open until 8 p.m. every third Thursday. Come shop and dine to support local businesses.

Wacky Wednesday

Tuesdays with Kelly On the third Tuesday of the month, The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery, located at 408 S. Main St. in Wetumpka, hosts free events with speakers, topics and demonstrations.

This is a brown bag lunch event beginning at noon. For information or list of programs, visit thekelly.org.

Auto • Home • Life • Retirement

To have your upcoming event featured in the Elmore County Living’s ‘Coming Up!’ pages, email information to editor@ lakemartinmagazine.com by the first of the month.

Call me today to discuss your options.

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Mark Shaw 334-567-2246 4029 Hwy. 231 Wetumpka One place to help with all your insurance needs.

Insurance subject to terms, qualifications and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co., Allstate Insurance Co. Life insurance offered through Allstate Life Ins. Co. & Allstate Assurance Co. Northbrook, IL; and American Heritage Life Insurance Co., Jacksonville, FL. Securities offered by Personal Financial Representatives through Allstate Financial Services, LLC (LSA Securities in LA and PA). Registered Broker-Dealer. Member FINRA, SIPC. Main Office: 2920 South 84th Street, Lincoln, NE 68506. (877) 525-5727. © 2010 Allstate Insurance Co.

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Protect your world

The first Wednesday of every month, all the vendors featured in Wetumpka’s Market Shoppes promote great sales. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and located at 211 Hill St.

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Business & Service Directory

Haircuts by JoJo

Pick up Elmore County Living at these locations: Eclectic

Bezlo's Bar & Grill Cornerstone Cafe Red Hill Gallery Eclectic Town Hall Eclectic Library Johnson Furniture 1st Community Bank Eclectic Do-It Center Trustmark Bank

Lake Martin

Russell Lands Kowaliga Marina Lake Martin Dock Lake Martin Mini Mall Nail’s Convenience Store Children's Harbor Cotton’s BBQ

Millbrook

Verizon Wireless First Community Bank Lucretia Cauthen Realty Bliss Salon

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Millbrook Chamber of Commerce Realty Central Stone & Britt Law Gene Jones Insurance Liveoak Agency

Slapout

Lake Pharmacy The Golden Frog The Boy’s Store First Community Bank

Tallassee

Kent Eagle Y Petro RoadRunner Convenience Store Herren Hill Pharmacy The Apothecary Community Hospital Tallassee Health & Rehabilitation 5 Points Store Tallassee Automotive Tallassee Rehab 1st Community Bank PrimeSouth Bank Tallassee Chamber of Commerce

Wetumpka

Aldridge Borden Company Bennett’s Archery 1st Community Bank Russell Do It Center Bumper’s Karen’s Mane Tamers River Ridge Steakhouse Emerald Mountain Store Redland Market Seivers Accounting Wetumpka Depot Players A Touch of Class Angel Locksmith Verizon Wireless Unplugged Must Stop Café Alfa Realty Wetumpka Century 21 Brandt Wright Realty Wells Fargo BB&T Jackson Thornton Lee’s Auto Repair McQuick Printing Company Hankins Insurance Hog Rock BBQ Wetumpka YMCA

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Adams Drugs Bell Chiropractic Wetumpka Urgent Care USAmeriBank A Beautiful Creation Austin’s Flowers Camo Country Alabama State Employees Credit Union Smokin S BBQ Elmore Community Hospital Wetumpka Preschool Wetumpka City Library Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce City of Wetumpka Administration Bldg.

Coosa River Adventures Stoddard’s Bait Shop Collier Ford Wee Ones Daycare Wetumpka Health & Rehab Canal Grocery Kim’s Corner Wetumpka Flea Market River Perk

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ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

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45

Happy Birthday to Me It is my birthday month, and I have cake on the brain. I’ve been thinking back to all the birthday cakes I’ve eaten. And all the birthday cakes I have made. I’ve made lots of cake – lots and lots of cakes.

I remember making box cakes with my sister for parental birthdays. We would drag out the old Mirro MK Moore plunger decorator, mix up loads of Crisco and powSOUTHERN dered sugar frosting colored in garish colors and go DELIGHTS to town in the decorating department. Our parents, of course, loved these cakes. At least I think they did. Probably didn’t love the mess left behind.

Mary KatherOnce I started venturing out of the world of box ine Moore is cakes, I realized that baking isn’t easy. Baking an Alabama is chemistry. You must measure things precisely.

State Fair You must follow technique. All that ran counter pepper jelly to my cooking inclinations of stirring up a pot of champion, has something and seasoning and cooking until it tasted butchered a good. wild hog in That doesn’t work with baking, as many a dry, her kitchen dense, flat or tasteless cake can attest. So I hunkered and grows down to discipline myself into being a better baker. heirloom toAnd it worked! I was turning out delicious layer matoes in her cakes, pound cakes and cupcakes galore. backyard.

But I was always baking for other people. My friend Kim loves vanilla, so every time we are in a show together, I make her vanilla cupcakes with vanilla butter cream. I have graduated from Crisco to butter, by the way. One niece loves mini chocolate cupcakes with a ghost-shaped dollop of white buttercream. Sweetheart loves wedding cake, so I make a white layer cake with buttercream. My friend Howard requests the key lime pie cupcakes.

And everyone wants the sweet potato cupcakes with maple butter cream and bacon. They are legendary.

This year, I’ve decided to bake a cake for myself.

I’ve never done this before – made a cake just for me. The possibilities are endless. But one cake stands out in my mind. My sister and I discussed this cake at Christmas, and I’ve been craving it ever since: German Chocolate Cake. But not just any GCC, I want my Mammaw’s GCC. Now I haven’t had one in many years, but sister and I agree that specific cake, made for holidays

and family reunions, is divine. We reached out to relatives and cousins to see if anyone had the recipe, but alas, no one did.

Mom said it was probably from the Baker’s Chocolate wrapper. Remember before the dawn of single source artisanal chocolate there was baking chocolate? It came in a flat package like a chocolate bar. I don’t know a person alive who, as a kid, didn’t nibble a chunk only to find that it was completely bitter. It smelled temptingly like chocolate but tasted terrible. How many of you fed it to a younger sibling just to watch her face crumple? I did.

A quick Google search, and there it is – the Original Baker’s German Chocolate Cake recipe. Just to make sure of its authenticity, I doubled checked with a couple of church lady cookbooks. I treasure these books and find they are an endless source of great family reunion recipes. Dishes that everyone remembers, but no one makes anymore.

I have the original recipe, but since it is a cake for myself, I’m going to tweak it. First of all, I’m going to make it into a cupcake. I prefer single serving cake. Next, I’m going to frost with chocolate ganache for two reasons. One, I like frosting.

I’m the person who will time a cake line so that I’m at the head of the line just as the corner piece is served. Would you like an extra frosting rose? Why, yes!

Reason two, I think the GCC filling should be a filling, not a frosting. I’m going to fill the cupcakes with that yummy coconut and pecan goodness. And, because I can’t help myself, I’m going to tweak that recipe too.

I know. I was looking for Mammaw’s recipe, but, I’m going to add dulce de leche. I love it; I’ve never made it; and I think it will be great in the filling.

Sounds pretty easy. You just boil a can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water for hours. Nothing can go wrong there, right? But, if you hear an explosion and find me stuck to the kitchen cabinets with sugary goo, just say, “Happy Birthday” and peel me off.

MARCH IS...

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MEATS (Choose 1) Golden Fried Catfish Filet • Country Fried Steak with Gravy • Fried Pork Chop Slow Cooked Pot Roast • Char-grilled Chicken Breast Tommy P’s Homemade Meatloaf with Brown or Tomato Gravy

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