Issuu

Sean

of the South '22 Summer Calendar Issue Glamping MAY 2022

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When it comes to cancer, we’re in your corner. If you have to fight cancer, you don’t want to have to travel up and down the road for quality care. UAB Medicine – Russell Medical Cancer Center, located in Alexander City, is right here at home where we’ve assembled a team of world-class cancer specialists and revolutionary technologies to fight these deadly diseases with precision and expertise. We’re your neighbors. We’re the UAB Medical- Russell Medical Cancer Center, and we’re proud to be in your corner! Exceptional care just around the corner 256.329.7888 • russellcares.com/cancercenter 3446 Hwy 280 Alexander City, AL 35010

ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR ALL YOUR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Top-of-the-line brands – Sea Ray, Nautique, Godfrey Pontoon Boats, Supreme, Scarab and Bryant Boats. Fishing boats from Bass Cat, SeaArk, Key West and Crevalle Boats. Off-road vehicles from BRP Can-Am and personal watercraft from Sea-Doo.

View all of our inventory from the comfort of your home at RussellMarine.net or visit any one of our 6 locations. Financing is available. RUSSELL MARINE BOATING & OUTDOORS 256-397-1700 l SMITH LAKE 256-841-6365 l KOWALIGA MARINA 256-397-1210 RIVER NORTH MARINA 256-397-1500 l THE RIDGE MARINA 256-397-1300 l REAL ISLAND MARINA 256-397-1200

MAY 2022

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Letter from the Editor

Staff

broke the rules in this issue, and if you know me well, you know that’s not something I do lightly, but it needed to be done. AP Style dictates that the speaking subject be referenced by last name only after the first time the full name appears in an article. And my late Northern Illinois University journalism professor, Dr. Hallie Hamilton, drove home the point that interviewers should not interject themselves into articles about their interviewees. But Hallie, as his students fondly knew him, also taught there is a time and a place for breaking the rules. And my conversation with the South’s beloved Sean Dietrich certainly qualifies as such an occasion. After all, Sean’s readers know him intimately, for he lays bare his raw emotions and deepest thoughts in the daily blog and syndicated newspaper column, Sean of the South. When Sean and his wife, Jamie, moved to Alabama earlier this year, I figured that a visit to Lake Martin was imminent and requested a conversation when he came. Turns out, Lake Martin has long been on his vacation list. Please pull up a seat at the Wind Creek State Park picnic table where we visited in March and join our conversation on page 56. You might remember that last June, Alabama State Parks Director Greg Lein spent a day here with engineers and architects to plan improvements and campsite renovations at this core Alabama park in our backyard. On May 24, we have the opportunity to push those improvements forward by approving the State Parks Amendment at the primary polls. Improvements at Lake Martin’s state park are a priority, Lein told me last summer. Visitors to the park spend money in our grocery stores and gas stations, and they attend events in our communities and shop in our stores. Taxes that they pay support our schools and our infrastructure and support local jobs in our communities, as well as jobs at the park. A vote approving the State Parks Amendment is a vote of support for our local economy. Please vote May 24. This month, we’ve extended our calendar section on page 18 to bring you a list of fun and exciting things to do at the lake all summer long. We’ve included new and revamped events, as well as many of your old favorites. Keep this issue on your coffee table until the water level drops this fall and circle, star or highlight the events you want to take in. Fill the rest of your time with picnics on Lake Martin’s charming islands, rafting up at Chimney Rock and taking pictures of our spectacular sunsets. Send your lake time pictures to editor@lakemagazine. life, and we'll publish them on ourScenes pages in an upcoming issue online at lakemagazine.life. Betsy Iler, Editor-in-Chief

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Chairman KENNETH BOONE

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Publisher STEVE BAKER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Editor in Chief BETSY ILER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Art Director AUDRA SPEARS

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Audience Development Director ERIN BURTON erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing/Advertising Director TIPPY HUNTER

tippy.hunter@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing RACHEL MCCOLLOUGH

rachel.mccollough@alexcityoutlook.com

MARILYN HAWKINS

marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com

DAVID LEE

david.lee@thewetumpkaherald.com

Digital Success Manager ELLE FULLER

elle.fuller@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors KENNETH BOONE JULIE HUDSON GREG VINSON CLIFF WILLIAMS PETE MCKENNY

RANDY KIRKLAND LONNA UPTON STEPHANIE COLEY WILL MARLOW KAITLIN FLEMING

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

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

On the Cover

W E R EQUI

MAYVILLE & WEST BEND, WI

AFT O F MA

ISO 9001 Registered

USA

SCA

Writer Sean Dietrich, the face behind the popular Sean of the South newspaper column, has camped all over Lake Martin since childhood. Now that he has moved to Birmingham, he hopes to spend time here more often – perhaps in a restored vintage AirStream. He met us at Wind Creek State Park this spring for a heart-to-heart on why he makes us cry. Photo by Kenneth Boone

Serving Lake Martin Since 1997 docksunlimitedllc.com | 256-203-8400

Stationary and Floating Docks | Pile Driving Seawalls | Boat Lifts | Boat Houses

MAY 2022

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Apply by Responding to Our Job Postings on Indeed.com

Recruiting Top Quality Healthcare Professionals

RNs and LPNs

3701 Dadeville Road Alexander City, AL 35010

V 260 W. Walnut St. Sylacauga, AL 35150

385 East LaFayette Street Dadeville, AL 36853

RN and LPN Management and Charge Nurse positions available, 100% pre-paid scholarships for aspiring nurses, tuition reimbursement, sign-on bonuses, short-term contracts, and we consider buying out existing employment contracts

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) and Medication Assistant Certified (MAC)

Tuition FREE, paid training classes, prepaid exam fees, signon bonuses, and we consider buying out existing employment contracts.

Dietary and Housekeeping Positions Excellent Pay and Benefits

16 Jones Hill Road Goodwater, AL 35072

805 Hospital Street LaFayette, AL 36862

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Low co-pay & deductible BCBS Health/Dental/Vision/Prescription Drug Insurance, paid vacation, 401K, company paid life insurance, Longevity Bonus up to $1000 a year, employees and their children receive priority for scholarship opportunities, shift differential, and additional weekend differential that starts on Friday

MAY 2022 11/4/21 11:15 AM

Contents 18. SUMMER CALENDAR 2022 Fill your summer at the lake with good times, great music and lots of fun. 35. RAINY DAY AT THE LAKE? Play in town at a vintage video arcade that features well loved games on original consoles. 36. PLENTY OF PADDLING New rental and outfitting options open around the lake this summer.

44. LOVE IT AT THE LAKE Lake views and friends are good reason to hold on to a lake hosue. 52. CATALINA 22 HONORS FEMALE SAILOR Dixie Sailing Club opened the season with the Punchbowl Regatta and award winner Dora McGee 56. SEAN OF THE SOUTH Sit a spell with syndicated newspaper columnist and daily blogger, Sean Dietrich.

LAKE MAGAZINE’S MONTHLY FEATURES:

- edition

9. LAKE’S QUICK GUIDE TO THE LAKE 10. LAKE SCENES 14. LAKE MARTIN NEWS 60. NATURE OF THE LAKE 64. LAKE PROPERTY

67. LMRA 68. HEALTHY LIVING 71. FAB FINDS 72. CHEF'S TABLE 74. BIG CATCHES 82. PARTING SHOT

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.lakemagazine.life.

MAY 2022

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Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Services • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech Therapy Cecily Lee, Administrator Angela Pitts, Director of Nursing Candi Tate, Clinical Liaison

2334 Washington Street, Alexander City | 256-329-9061 | www.crownehealthcare.com

A Place To Worship Lake Martin Area Churches

WATERFRONT Church of the Living Waters Inside StillWaters, Dadeville 256-825-2990 New Hope Baptist Church 529 Peppers Road, Alexander City 256-329-2510 Church in the Pines Kowaliga Road, Kowaliga 334-857-2133

OFF WATER Equality United Methodist Church 281 AL Hwy 259, Equality 334-541-4063

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OFF WATER

First Baptist Church Court Square, Alexander City 256-234-6351

Alex City Church of Christ 945 Tallapoosa Street, Alexander City 256-234-6494

Hillabee Baptist Church Hillabee Road, Alexander City 256-234-6798

Red Ridge United Methodist Church 8091 County Road 34, Dadeville 256-825-9820

Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Avenue Tallassee, AL 36078 334-252-8618 (12 Miles South of Lake Martin)

First Baptist Church 178 South Tallassee Street, Dadeville 256-825-6232

St. James Episcopal Church South Central Avenue, Alexander City 256-234-4752

First United Methodist Church 310 Green Street, Alexander City 256-234-6322 First United Methodist Church West Lafayette Street, Dadeville 256-825-4404 First Presbyterian Church 371 Jeﬀerson Street, Alexander City 256-329-0524

Lake Martin Baptist Church 9823 County Road 34, Dadeville, AL 36853 256-825-7434 Lake Pointe Baptist Church La 8352 Highway 50, Dadeville, AL 36853 256-373-3293 Faith Temple Church 425 Franklin Street, Alexander City 256-234-6421

MAY 2022

St John The Apostle Catholic Church 454 North Central Avenue Alexander City, Al 35010 256-234-3631 Flint Hill United Methodist Church 2858 Flint Hill Road Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-5047 Good News Baptist Church 10493 Hwy 280 Jacksons Gap, AL 36861 256-825-2555

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

24 31 27

$927,217 $586,638 $519,386

$717,000 $502,000 $430,000

69 140 122

59 260 326

2.01 10.58 11.34

March 2022 March 2019 March 2016

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).

Vote for Alabama State Parks Amendment Whether it was camping, hiking or biking at an Alabama State Park, a shared connection to the landscape has kept Alabamians resilient over the past few years. Approval of the State Parks Amendment during the primary election on May 24 will make possible continued renovations and improvements at Alabama’s State Parks. This new bond measure addresses necessary park renovations that are prioritized to best serve the needs of park guests, including new services and amenities that modernize Alabama’s State Parks but preserve their historic charm. The bond issue reportedly will be repaid using previously designated park funds but will provide cash flow now for large projects,. Investing in Alabama’s outdoor recreation infrastructure has the potential to make the state a premier tourism destination. The State Parks Amendment will help build a better future for Alabama State Parks and all Alabamians.

Last Month's May 2022 Forecast Lake Levels Historically, the Lake Martin area experiences average high temperatures in the low 80s

Weather Outlook for May

with average lows in the upper 50s and close to about 4 and a half inches of precipitation in the month of May.The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will be above average and rainfall will be normal this month.

Year-to-Date

Precipitation: 10.87 inches Avg. high temp.: 61.9 Avg. low temp.: 35.6 Avg. temp.: 45.448.8

Our Normal May Precipitation: 4.46 inches Avg. high temp.: 82.3 Avg. low temp.: 57.8 Avg. temp.: 70.1

Information from the National Weather Service.

MAY 2022

Summer: 491 MSL Winter: 481 MSL Highest: 491.25 Lowest: 489.10Lake

depth is measure d in reference to mean sea level. For up-to-date water levels at the lake, visit lakes.alabamapower.com.

Lake elevations are subject to change. Individuals who recreate below Martin Dam and those with boats and waterrelated 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 2

1 4

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READER SUBMISSIONS (1) Cousins, Aiden Foster and Johnny Spears, having fun with Thor on the pier. (2) The Gainers' azaleas at the base of Smith Mountain are showing off again this year. (3) Shannyn Meadows sent this photo of Cooper Meadows' great bass catch at the lake. (4) Jackson McDade checks out the shoreline on a bright, sunny day at winter pool. (5) Turkey vultures held a wake on a sunny afternoon at the lake, doing their part to help keep Lake Martin clean. (6) Lightning in the clouds during a recent thunderstorm. (7) Josh, Amy, Marlee and Cole Williams fly a big American flag behind the boat.

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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

Shop LLcal. Live LLcal. Support the local businesses who support the area where you live, work, and play.

MAINSTREETALEXANDERCITY.ORG MAY 2022

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Lake Martin News Wharf Casual Seafood starts construction in Alexander City

Construction of the new Wharf Casual Seafood Restaurant in Alexander began last month, said president and CEO of Wharf Casual Seafood, Noah Griggs Jr. In February, Griggs told The Outlook the company was waiting on its ALDOT permit, the last hurdle to clear before they could begin construction. “It’s been a minute and a half,” he said. “When I get my permit, I’m going to start construction – I feel like any day, but I have been saying this for two to three months now.” In a press release on April 12, Wharf Casual Seafood said they are fully permitted and ready for construction after many months of due diligence and working with the city. “We are grateful for the communities’ patience and overwhelming support of this endeavor,” said Griggs in the press release. They are hoping to open in early 2023. Griggs, former executive at the company behind Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., partnered with chef and Wharf co-owner Stephen Duggar seven years ago. Duggar’s parents, Early and Eva, opened the first Wharf restaurant in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1986 after two hurricanes nearly sank their seafood business. “They were literally on the side of the road with a food truck; they had to build their business back from nothing,” Griggs said. In the years since, Early and his son, Stephen, evolved that original concept into what it is today, an order-at-the-counter restaurant chain serving shrimp and grits, po’ boys, tacos, salads and gumbo. Early continued to run the restaurant until he passed away in 2020. Griggs, a Tallassee native, is back in his hometown where he owns another restaurant with his wife Pam, 1220 Café. The decision to bring Wharf Casual Seafood to Alexander City was helped by the connections he made catering in the area. “Through the years, we’ve built a great relationship with people in that area,” Griggs said of Alexander City. “That convinced us that we need to be in that market.” Staff report

One arrested, one injured in Lake Martin boating accident

A late night boat accident under the Kowaliga bridge April 2 injured a Deatsville woman and saw the arrest of an Equality man. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued a statement that a two-vessel crash occurred about 11:20 p.m. A 22-foot Nautique driven by Steven J. Shipp, 44, of Equality, struck the rear of a 21-foot Chapparal driven by Enrique J. Gimenez, 45, of Mountain Brook, while traveling beneath the bridge on state Route 63 at Lake Martin in Elmore County. “The 22-foot Nautique had four individuals on board, and the 21-foot Chapparal had a total of five individuals on the vessel at the time of the crash,” ALEA stated. “Shipp was 14 LAKE

arrested and charged with Boating Under the Influence and taken to the Elmore County Jail and placed under a $1,000 bond. Rebecca J. Darnell, 54, of Deatsville, a passenger on board the Nautique was injured and transported to a local area hospital for medical treatment.” Shipp bonded out of the Elmore County Jail early the next morning. Deputies with the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, as well as emergency personnel with the Alexander City Fire Department, along with troopers from the ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division responded to the scene. Nothing further is available as ALEA Troopers with the Marine Patrol Division continue to investigate. Cliff Williams

Russell Lands announces changes at SpringHouse

When Pete McKenny took the position of executive chef at Lake Martin’s SpringHouse last summer, he focused on elevating the restaurant in terms of food, service and experience. His dishes have wowed the community, and he has proven himself both in and out of the kitchen, according to a statement released by Russell Lands, owner of SpringHouse. McKenny was promoted to the dual role of SpringHouse General Manager and Executive Chef last month. In addition, Stephanie Ioffredo has accepted the position of service and wine Stephanie Ioffredo director. Ioffredo has been part of the SpringHouse family since 2018, taking on new roles and responsibilities over the years. Previously a server, wine steward and wine director, she take on the frontof-house position. Ioffredo is from a small town outside of Boston, Massachusetts. While searching for a university with an extensive hospitality program, she found herself in the South at Auburn University. “As a student, Auburn provided me with a solid foundation in the hospitality industry,” Ioffredo said. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, a minor in Business, an introductory sommelier certification and invaluable work experience across hotels and restaurants. Staff report

MAY 2022

SAINTJAMES CROSSLOGO TAGLINE GOES HERE Episcopal Church Summer Services at Lake Martin 12 noon at Church in the Pines JUNE 12th and 26th

JULY 10th and 24th

AUGUST 14th and 28th

stjamesalexcity.com

MAY 2022

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WINDOW CLEANING PRESSURE WASHING GUTTER CLEANING SOFT WASHING

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Serving Auburn, Opelika & Lake Martin Areas! (334) 759-7080 • sparklealabama.com

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The fireworks show at The Amp on July 4 is one of the best in the Southeast

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Sweet

SUMMER Time

CALENDAR OF EVENTS WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LAKE MARTIN

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istry on Lake Martin’s eastern shoreline. For details, visit Ellei’s Nonprofit Ministry on Facebook.

May 6 Free Movie Night

First Baptist Church of Dadeville will host a free movie night for the whole community. Bring blankets and chairs for a showing of Disney’s Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs under the stars on a 33-foot screen. There will be popcorn, treats, giveaways and more. The fun begins at 7 p.m., and the movie will start at dark.

May 7 Derby Day at The Stables

Friends, residents and guests will gather from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Stables for the Kentucky Derby with fabulous hats, mint juleps, seer sucker and more. The event will be held inside The Stables with music from The Southern Gentlemen to raise money for Children’s Harbor through a 50/50 drawing and more. For more information, call 256-3971019.

Now thru July 4 Crank 4 Bank

Registration is now open for this year’s tagged fishing tournament on Lake Martin, which includes the chance to win a $1 million cash prize, one of two new bass boats, a new truck or $1,500 per tagged bass caught. This year’s tag color is orange, and every tagged fish caught by a registered angler is a winner. Registration is $100, which also includes entry into a virtual fishing event running concurrent with Crank 4 Bank. Visit crank4bank.com for details, rules and registration or purchase your ticket from a member of your local high school fishing team to help them raise money for their clubs.

Now thru May 15 Phins Fishing Classic

May 7 Horsing Around

Visit the Naturalist’s Cabin at Russell Crossroads between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. for an upclose and personal experience with horses. A very gentle live horse will be available for kids to pet, examine, brush and groom on this Derby Day. Bring an apple or carrots or a sugary treat for the horse. All interaction will be closely guided by Marianne Hudson, Russell Lands’ naturalist, but please assist in supervising your child during this activity. Call Marianne at 256-496-2710 with any questions. This event is free.

This inaugural virtual fishing tournament spanning eight Southern states benefit the United Way organizations represented by the zip codes of entrants has been extended to May 15. The event will feature six fish categories for bi-weekly and tournament door prizes, including both saltwater and freshwater categories. A special high school division will be a qualifier for scholarship applications. Entry fees start at $35. Visit fishingchaos.com for details and online registration.

May 7 Wild Game Cookoff

April 29-May 1 Boat Show and Customer Appreciation

Elmore County Extension will host this plant sale from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 340 Queen Ann Rd., Wetumpka. The fare will include annuals, shrubs, perennials, vegetables, house plants, herbs, indoor plants, trees, butterfly garden plants, fruit, succulents, yard art and more. Come on out for great prices and plant selection. Master Gardeners will be on site, and there will be a variety of other local vendors.

Visit Lakeside Marina in Dadeville from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to tour the new Bennington, Yamaha and Robalo models. Lake Martin Pizza will provide treats on Friday afternoon. There will be pastries and coffee on Saturday and Sunday, with Southern Smoked pork barbecue sandwiches on Saturday and ice cream sandwiches on Sunday.

May 6 Hope Rising

May 7 Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale

May 7 Russell Marine Spring Bass Clash

Join the Ellei’s board of directors at New Water Farms for casual lakeside heavy hor d’oeuvres, wine, beer and an exciting keynote speaker to support this pay-it-forward min20 LAKE

Lake Martin Amphitheater will host the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s annual wild game event from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with food, wine and good times. Purchase tickets at alabamawildlife.org/wild-game-cook-off for $40.

This unique bass fishing event offers multiple chances to win. Challenge flights of 20 boats, based on a random drawing, will compete for first ($1,500), second ($800), third ($400), Big Fish ($200) and Average Weight ($200)

MAY 2022

within each flight with an overall guaranteed first place ($2,000), second ($1,000), third ($500), Big Fish ($200) and overall Average Weight winner. Learn more and preregister at ogstournaments.org.

May 9 thru 18 Throw Away Days

Dumpsters will be available at no charge to residents at the following locations on the specified dates, courtesy of the Tallapoosa County Commission. No liquid chemicals (paint, paint thinner, pesticides, etc.), appliances with compressors (i.e. air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, etc.), tires, batteries, light bulbs, televisions, computers, propane tanks or hazardous or medical waste. May 9-10: Union Community Center and Reeltown Fire Department May 11-12: Young’s Ferry and Mullican roads intersection May 13-15: Alexander City Annex at 395 Lee St. May 16-18: Eagle Creek and Main St. intersection and Old New Site School.

May 9 & 10 Children’s Play Auditions

Alexander City Theatre II will hold auditions for a summer children’s play at 5:45 p.m. at 216 Tallapoosa St. in Alexander City. The play, A Midsummer Camp’s Dream by Terence Patrick Hughes, offers parts for 19 children, aged second grade and up. Written by a teacher, the play is a spoof that introduces children to Shakespeare without intimidation. Jim Pearson Elementary School teacher Christale Tuck will direct the production, which will be staged free to the community at Strand Park on July 29 and 30. For more information, contact Tuck at 256-749-6260.

May 10 thru 13 Painting Lake Martin en Plein Air

The Tallapoosa School of Art welcomes students who are new to plein air painting, as well as those with prior experience in this unique approach to painting at the lake. Instruction will range from advice on supplies to choosing subjects for painting, the painting process and final touches in the studio. Artist Greg Barnes will give daily demonstrations an instruction at your easel to accelerate the learning process by seeing and doing. For booking information, visit tallapoosaworkshops.com.

May 13 & 14 The Sweet Delilah Swim Club

Alexander City Theatre II will present this hilarious comedy at Lake Martin Amphitheater free of charge at 7:30 p.m. The script focuses on the friendship between five former members of a college swim team as they meet every summer at an outerbanks cottage to reconnect. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and coolers for a great show under the stars at the lake. A food truck will be on site. Russell Lands is the premier sponsor for this production, which is brought to the community for free, thanks to the generosity of local businesses and individuals.

May 14 Farm Day

Meadows Farm will host a farm day event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with games and activities, food, local artisans, pony rides and nature walks in the woods. Play with the farm animals and make crafts in the barn. The event is free to enter, and proceeds will benefit the Meadows Scholarship Funds. All donations are appreciated. Vendor booths are available. Visit meadowsfarmal.com for details and join the “What’s Up at Meadows Farm” Facebook group to stay up to date.

May 14 Everything’s Art in the Park

Everything’s Art and Pennington Park will host Dadeville’s third annual Everything’s Art in the Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature juried original oil, watercolor and acrylic art, as well as crafts created by local and regional artists. The event also will host local food vendors and a free family-friendly live concert from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Bring lawn chairs and coolers. Friendly, leashed pets are welcome. Obtain vendor applications from Everything’s Art by emailing everythingsartguild14@gmail.com or calling 770-328-2094. Additional information may also be found on Everything’s Art and Pennington Park’s Facebook pages.

May 14 Vulcan Orienteering Club

Wind Creek State Park will host the Vulcan Orienteering Club’s spring event. Start any time between 9 a.m. and noon and finish by 2 p.m. Use a map and compass to locate control stations and complete the course as quickly as you can, or take your time and enjoy springtime in the woods as you stroll between the stations. For details and pre-registration, visit vulcanorienteering.org.

May 14 Boating Safety Inspections

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association will conduct safety inspections at the Smith Mountain public boat ramp on Old Susanna Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come by water or land, as inspections will be done on the trailer or in the water. No charge for inspections, and no penalties will be issued. Passing boats will be issued a sticker. For more information, visit lakemartinhobos.com. MAY 2022

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May 16 Popsicle Drive Thru

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library at 318 Church St. Alexander City will hold a popsicle registration event for the summer reading program. This year’s theme is Oceans of Possibilities. All participants who register on May 16 will be entered into a drawing for a gift card.

May 21 7th Annual Dadeville Cornhole Tournament

The Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce will hold two tournaments at Copper’s Grill inside the gates at StillWaters with the largest purse yet. Set at $2,000 in cash for the winners, the early tournament will be open to all ages and levels of experience. Entry is $40 per player, and each player will receive a commemorative T-shirt. This tournament generally draws more than 50 competitors. A professional tournament will be played concurrently with the first and will be a Bring Your Own Team event with entry fees to be determined by the players at the start of the event. All monies collected for entry in the professional tournament will be paid out to the winners. Day-of registration for both events will begin at 10 a.m., and play will start at noon. Pre-register online at chamber@dadeville. com or call LMDACC at 256-825-4019.

May 24-31 Memorial Day Display

Pennington Park in Dadeville will honor military veterans who have passed away with the display of 2,000 American Flags and 300 memorial markers. To honor a loved one, private message Pennington Park on Facebook or call/text 334-233-9852 with the individual’s name, rank and branch of service.

May 24-26 Studio Workshop

Amanda Lovett will lead this Tallapoosa School of Art workshop in the studio to help you improve your ability to add depth, atmosphere and life to your landscapes. This workshop will cover basic to advanced techniques of painting en plein air. Book early at tallapoosaworkshops.com as class size is limited.

May 28-29 Art on the Lake

One of Lake Martin’s favorite juried art shows has moved to Russell Crossroads. Art on the Lake features the original works of artisans from across the Southeast from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. over the season-opening weekend at the lake. The art show will be held in conjunction with the annual RXR Fest music festival, and food trucks will be on site. Contact Hannah Henley at hhenley@russelllands.com for more information and booth rental.

May 28 thru Sept. 24 Yoga on the Green

Bring your mat and a water bottle to this free yoga class at 7 a.m. every Saturday morning all summer long. Certified instructors will lead routines that are appropriate for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Meet at 7 a.m. at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads.

June 3 Free Movie Night

First Baptist Church of Dadeville will host a free movie night for the whole community. Bring blankets and chairs for a showing of Disney’s How to Train Your Dragon under the stars on a 33-foot screen. There will be popcorn, treats, giveaways and more. The fun begins at 7 p.m., and the movie will start at dark.

June 4 Main Street Farmers Market Opens

Main Street Alexander City will open the Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through September. Pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, jellies, jams, breads, baked goods, handmade items and more at the market’s new location in the old City Hall parking lot on Main Street.

May 27-28 RXR Fest

Celebrate the official season opening at Russell Crossroads from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with music from Dixie Red, Russell Craig Band, Happy Landing and Lauren Jenkins at this two-day concert series on the Town Green. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, coolers and pups on leashes.

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MAY 2022

RXR Fest

Russell Lands is lining up another great Memorial Day weekend concert series on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads, so pack a picnic, grab the lawn chairs and put the pup on a leash for RXR Fest. Headlining Saturday night will be Nashville’s Lauren Jenkins, an Americana singer-songwriter who recently sold out her first headline show in London. Named an Artist to Watch by the New York Times, Billboard and Rolling Stone, Jenkins also is an accomplished actress, filmmaker and producer. She wrote, produced and starred in an original short film, Running Out of Road, that accompanied the release of her debut album, No Saint, on Big Machine Records. The film was an official selection at Roswell Film Festival and was screened at the Nashville Film Festival and Sundance. Touring since the age of 15, Jenkins has a passion for storytelling, and she’ll share that with the lake crowd when she takes the Town Green stage at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. Her voice quality has been compared to Stevie Nicks, and her music speaks of holding on through disappointment, disillusionment and bitter tidings. Listen to her raspy, raw stories in music on the website at laurenjenkins.com. “She is a good fit for finishing the weekend with us,” Gunn said. Saturday night will start with Russell Craig and his full band. “Russell has done some Friday on the Green appearances for us, but we’ve never had his full band. We’re just glad we can pull his full band out here. We haven’t been able to do that before,” Gunn said. Craig has performed acoustic shows for more than 12 years and draws a crowd any time he appears at Lake Martin. He’s opened for Charlie Daniels Band and Glen Templeton and seamlessly transitions from his acoustic act to the band of three, four or five. He has written and recorded a number of original tunes, including recently released Rain and Russell I’m Over You. Craig Music provides a platform for Craig to inspire and encourage people with disabilities to realize their worth and reach their true potential. Diagnosed

with a progressive eye disease as a child, he completed a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at Auburn University in 2020 and works with students at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. “I am able to perform at places like Camp ASCCA and Camp Abilities and really connect with whole crowds of people with disabilities. Music also gives me a platform to educate the public about blindness and to raise awareness about different issues that people with disabilities face. I am so thankful that no matter where I am and no matter what I’m doing, I am in a position to help others and make a difference in my community,” he said. Learn more about his music and his work at musicgardenbands.com. The middle show on Friday night is a new-onthe-scene skate folk band dubbed Happy Landing. “It’s a style of music that we don’t typically get around here,” Gunn explained. “Violins thrown in. Energetic. A very high energy band.” The group met at University of Mississippi and have been together for more than a year now. They will take the stage at 8 p.m. Dixie Red will launch this year’s concert series. New to the Town Green setting, the group’s Ashley Jackson won the Kowaliga Idol title in 2018, and she has played other lake area venues. Visit the band’s Facebook page to hear Ashley’s full, Happy Landing solid voice and video of the band. Visit www.russelllands.com/blog/rxr-festartist-lineup-is-set for details about this year’s season-opening event.

MAY 2022

Dixie Red

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Sun Festival Schedule

Thursday, June 2, 2022 Castelluccio Cocktail Exhibition

5:15 p.m. Main Street Alley (next to Castelluccio) 107 Main St., Alexander City

Strand Sessions

6 – 8:30 p.m. Strand Park 120 Tallapoosa St., Alexander City

Friday, June 3, 2022 Friday On The Green

6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Russell Crossroads 19 Russell Farms Rd., Alexander City

Saturday, June 4, 2022 Motorcycle Ride

8 a.m. Lake Martin Innovation Center 175 Aliant Parkway, Alexander City

Alexander City Farmer’s Market

8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Main St., Alexander City

Tykes in Trucks

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Main St., Alexander City

Tuesday, June 7, 2022 Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Medallion Hunt

Celebrate America’s Heroes

KidsFest College Bound

KidsFest Luck of the Draw

KidsFest Splashplex

KidsFest Build Your Own Sundae

6 a.m. Alexander City

9 – 11 a.m. Central Alabama Community College 1675 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City

2:30 – 4 p.m. Carlisle’s 12 Main St., Alexander City

Hittin’ the Links Glow-in-theDark Golf Tournament

The Local at 41 Main 41 Main St., Alexander City

5:30 p.m. Lake Winds Golf Course 95 County Road 40, Jackson’s Gap

Summer Charcuterie Make and Take A Board

6 p.m. The Square Downtown 110 Calhoun St., Alexander City

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Medallion Hunt 6 a.m. Alexander City

KidsFest The Magic Show

KidsFest Russell Forest Sampler

Bingo

9 – 11 a.m. Lake Martin Innovation Center 175 Aliant Parkway

Show Me the Movie

3 p.m. Playhouse Cinemas 1236 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City

Bark in the Park

6 p.m. Strand Park 120 Tallapoosa St., Alexander City

10 a.m. Mamie’s Place Children’s Library 284 Church St., Alexander City 1 – 3 p.m. Central Alabama Community College Betty Carol Graham Technology Center 1675 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City

Faith Night

6 p.m. Central Alabama Community College Betty Carol Graham Technology Center 1675 Cherokee Rd., Alexander City

Thursday, June 9, 2022 Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Medallion Hunt 6 a.m. Alexander City

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1 – 4 p.m. The Wright Angle 6 Broad St., Alexander City

2 - 4 p.m. Charles E. Bailey Sportplex Splashplex 1685 Arena Rd., Alexander City

Monday, June 6, 2022 Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Medallion Hunt 6 a.m. Alexander City

10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Bill Nichols Veterans Home 1784 Elkahatchee Rd., Alexander City

MAY 2022

YP Trivia Night

Friday, June 10, 2022 Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Medallion Hunt 6 a.m. Alexander City

KidsFest Wet ‘n Wild

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Alexander City Pool 5th Way, Alexander City

Alexander City Jazz Festival 6 p.m. Strand Park 120 Tallapoosa St., Alexander City

Saturday, June 11, 2022 Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Medallion Hunt 6 a.m. Alexander City

Alexander City Farmer’s Market

8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Main St. Alexander City

Alexander City Jazz Festival 6 p.m. The AMP on Lake Martin 8878 Kowaliga Road, Eclectic

June 6 Oceans of Possibilities

Kick off the summer reading program/challenge from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex gymnasium with a Bright Star Touring Theatre production of Treasure Island. This event is open to the public at no charge.

June 7-10 Youth Sailing Camp

Dixie Sailing Club at 767 New Hope Church Rd. in Alexander Ctiy will host sailing classes for youth ages 7 to 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Students should bring their own lunch and snacks. Bottled water is provided, and long-sleeved sailing camp T-shirts are included in the $125 fee. There is a $15 discount for additional siblings or friends. Students should bring their own personal flotation device and should be comfortable swimming in deep water. Class size is limited to 15, so register early at dixiesailingclub.com.

June 9 Didgeridoo Down Under

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library at 318 Church St. in Alexader City will present the DDU Show, a unique fusion of Australian music, culture, puppetry, comedy, storytelling and audience participation in conjunction with the summer reading program.

June 10 & 11 Jazz Fest

Don’t miss Alexander City’s signature concert event the second week of June. Featuring four great bands at two locations over two days, Jazz Fest is a great time to be at Lake Martin. The music starts at 6 p.m. at Strand Park in downtown Alexander City on Friday with twoe great bands playing. Pick up a picnic dinner at a downtown restaurant and buy a brew at any downtown entertainment district establishment or bring your own dinner and a cooler. Then, be at Lake Martin Amphitheater at 6 p.m. for Saturday night, featuring another two great bands under the stars. Dogs on leash are welcome at the Friday night concert, but leave the pup at home for the night at the Amp. Now in its 32nd year, Jazz Fest is hosted by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce and is the longest running free concert series in Alabama. Visit the Alex City Jazz Fest Facebook page for the lineup and other details.

June 11 LMRA Annual Meeting

Lake Martin Resource Association will hold the annual meeting at 8 a.m. at Kowaliga Restaurant. Hear updates on cleanup, buoy rewards programs and learn more about what is happening at Lake Martin. This is an open meeting, members and prospective members are welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the Facebook page or the website at lmra.info.

June 12 Pennington Park Farmers Marketplace

Visit the producers-only market at Pennington Park in Dadeville from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to find quality homegrown produce and homemade goods. Live music is scheduled at the pavilion. Booth spaces are free. Email klpfitzner@gmail.com or call 334-233-9851 to request an application or for additional information.

June 14 Mr. Larry’s Magic

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library will present a magical dive into oceanography with Mr. Larry’s An Ocean of Commotion magic show at 10 a.m. The library is located at 318 Church St. in Alexander City.

June 21 Gene Cordova

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library will host ventriloquist Gene Cordova at 10 a.m. at the library at 318 Church St. in Alexander City, continuing the summer reading program theme, Oceans of Possibilities. It’s not too late to register and read.

June 21-24 Youth Sailing Camp

June 23 Starshine Faces

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library at 318 Church St. in Alexander City will host a storytelling and face painting presentation at 10 a.m. in conjunction with the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program.

June 25 Boating Safety Class

Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association will host a boating safety class with Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Police from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Zazu’s Verandah on the Courthouse Square in Dadeville. The class is free, and lunch will be provided. A test will be given at the end of the class for those who want to gain boat operation certification/ license. For more information, visit lakemartinhobos.com.

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LAKE 25

June 26 Pennington Park Farmers Marketplace

July 1 Free Movie Night

First Baptist Church of Dadeville will host a free movie night for the whole community. Bring blankets and chairs for a showing of Disney’s Over the Hedge under the stars on a 33-foot screen. There will be popcorn, treats, giveaways and more. The fun begins at 7 p.m., and the movie will start at dark.

July 2 & 3 Arti Gras

The 11th annual Arti Gras will open from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads with artisans and patrons from across the Southeast displaying their handmade works. Jewelry, soaps, paintings, pottery, woodwork, lotions, furniture and more will be on display and available for sale. For more information and booth rental, contact Hannah Henley at hhenley@russelllands.com.

July 4 Fourth of July Boat Parade

Russell Marine will once again host their annual Fourth of July Boat Parade, leaving from Kowaliga Marina at 10 a.m. Register online up to 9:30 a.m. on the day of the event at russellmarine.net/event/4th-of-july-boat-parade. Prizes will be awarded for the tallest flag (must go under the bridge), largest flag, most patriotic crew, most creative theme and best overall boat and crew. Best overall boat and crew will win $500. First place winners in each category will win a $150 gift certificate from Russell Marine. Second place winners will win a $75 Russell Marine gift certificate. Registration is free, so gather your best friends and family, pick a theme and go all out with costumes and boat decorations for one of Lake Martin’s most fun summer events. 26 LAKE

July 4 July 4th Concert and Fireworks at The Amp

Set up your chairs and spread a blanket on the grassy lawn at Lake Martin Amphitheater for the annual Fourth of July concert and the Southeast’s largest fireworks show. Music starts at 6 p.m., and the bands play before and after the spectacular fireworks show. Bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, coolers, family and friends, but please leave pets at home. Tickets are $10. Bands will be announced soon.

July 4 Parade at Blue Creek

This annual parade starts at 11 a.m. on Olana Drive at the north end of Ponder Camp Road, Dadeville, and ends at Niffer’s. Park anywhere along Ponder Camp Road to collect candy and trinkets thrown by parade entries. To join the parade, arrive at Olana Drive at 10 a.m. For information, contact Mickey Forbus at 334-329-0905.

July 10 Pennington Park Farmers Marketplace

Visit the producers-only market at Pennington Park in Dadeville from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to find quality homegrown produce and homemade goods. Live music is scheduled at the pavilion. Booth spaces are free. Email klpfitzner@ gmail.com or call 334-233-9851 to request an application or for additional information.

July 14 Yarbrough’s Educational Reptiles

Kids love snakes and lizards, and they wil have the opportunity to learn a lot about both at 10 a.m. at Mamie’s Place Children’s Library at 318 Church St. in Alexander City. This program is free to attend.

July 16 18th Annual Lions Lake Martin Charity Poker Run

The most fun you will have at Lake Martin all summer long. The day is filled with boating, fun, family and friends while raising money for local charities. Participants will start at Kowaliga Marina and will travel to Real Island, Harbor Pointe and River North marinas to collect cards and swag, ending at The Ridge Marina for food and awards. Prizes total $5,800 for highest hand, worst hand and best dressed crew. Register your boat and crew for $160 online at russellmarine.net/event/lionslake-martin-charitypoker-run. Purchase an extra card at The Ridge Marina to better your hand. Call 256-749-4388 for more information.

MAY 2022

Friday on the Green 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. May 6 – Kickoff with Mark and Neil of OTI May 20 – shadowood May 27-28 – RXR Fest 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. both nights June 3 – Daniel and McDaniel June 17 – Rachael Wilson June 24 – Cameron DuBois & Bama Sound July 1 – Jonathan Bloom July 8 – Russell Craig July 15 – Jilla Webb July 22 – Shades of Gray July 29 – Lake Martin Songwriters Festival Aug. 5 – Suzanne Scholz Aug. 12 – Richard Murray Aug. 19 – John Bull and Tom Sellers Aug. 26 – Webb Dalton Sept. 9 – Smoke and Mirrors Sept. 16 – 3 Hand Jam Sept. 23 – Wyatt Edmondson Sept. 30 – Sid Phelps Play lawn games Oct. 7 – The Delvin Blues Band

Kick back for an evening of great music, friends and fun

on the Town Green

July 24 Pennington Park Farmers Marketplace

blankets and picnic baskets, or pick up dinner at a downtown restaurant to enjoy in the park during the performance.

July 27-31 Lake Martin Songwriters Festival

Over five days, Tallapoosa County Tourism will partner with venues around the lake to showcase more than 20 songwriters, many of whom have written for artists including George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Rascal Flatts, Cody Johnson and more. Look for details and a schedule of performers and venues in the July issue of Lake magazine.

July 29 & 30 A Midsummer Camp’s Dream

Alexander City Theatre II will perform this Shakespearean spoof for children at Strand Park at 6 p.m. The hour-long play, written by an elementary school teacher to introduce children to Shakespeare, pits two children’s camps against each other in a competition to see which one will remain open and which will close to make room for a new development. Admission is free, so bring lawn chairs,

July 30 5th Annual Duck Norris Race This annual fundraiser for Tallapoosa County Sheriffs’ Girls Ranch and Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center has raised more than $23,000 since the duck race began in 2018. Purchase individual ducks or increase your chance of winning by buying in bulk. Look for details in upcoming issues of Lake magazine or visit the Chuck’s Marina Facebook page.

Aug. 5 Free Movie Night

First Baptist Church of Dadeville will host a free movie night for the whole community. Bring blankets and chairs for a showing of Disney’s The Wizard of Oz under the stars on a 33-foot screen. There will be popcorn, treats, giveaways and more. The fun begins at 7 p.m., and the movie will start at dark.

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Chuckwalla's Summer Music Schedule Thursdays Music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays Music from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. May 7 – Old Rowe Place Band May 14 – Sean Heninger May 21 – Webb Dalton & Friends Band May 28 – Shades of Gray May 29 – Blane Rudd – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 2 – Patrick Barnett June 4 – Eight Track Rewind June 9 – Danny & Randy June 11 – Cam & Ruskin June 16 – Russell Craig Duo June 18 – The Kept June 19 – Richard Murray June 23 – Tony Brook June 25 – Odd Alice June 30 – JOBU July 2 – Eight Track Rewind July 3 – Old Rowe Place Band – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

July 7 – Trest Richerson July 9 – Webb Dalton & Friends Band July 14 – Blane Rudd July 16 – The Kept July 21- Russell Craig Duo July 23 – Danny & Randy July 28 – Trey Foshee Duo July 30 – Lake Martin Songwriters Festival – Charlie Argo and Adam Hood – 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 30 – Shades of Grey Aug. 4 – Patrick Barnett Aug. 6 – Old Rowe Place Band Aug. 11 – Todd Gantt/ Smoke and Mirrors Aug. 13 – Odd Alice Aug. 18 – David Jones Aug. 20 – Cam & Ruskin Aug. 25 – Trest Richerson Aug. 27 – Blane Rudd Sept. 1- Brett Stafford Smith Sept. 4 - Sean Heninger – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Music on the Dadeville Square 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Bring lawn chairs Drive-by Tacos food truck will be available Event will move inside Zazu’s Verandah in inclement weather Free admission Beverages available for sale Please tip musicians generously May 5 – Greg LaFollette May 12 – David Jones May 19 – Chasing Shadows May 26 – Tina Marie & Patrick Barnett June 2 – Chris Nathan June 9 – The Campbell Brothers June 16 – George Maddox June 23 – Tina Marie with the Band June 30 – Susanne Scholz July 7 – Mitch Emmons July 14 – Special Guest TBA July 21 – Smoke & Mirrors July 28 – Lake Martin Songwriters Festival 28 LAKE

MAY 2022

Aug. 6 LMRA Annual Meeting

Driving and Docking Clinics

Lake Martin Resource Association will hold the annual meeting at 8 a.m. at Copper’s Grill. Hear updates on cleanup, buoy and rewards programs and learn more about what is happening at Lake Martin. This is an open meeting. Members and prospective members are welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the Facebook page or the website at lmra.info.

Aug. 7 2nd Annual Wishes on the Water

Bluff's Daiquiri, the floating bar at Harbor Pointe, will again host this super-fun fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Alabama from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be giveaways, raffles, live music, food and more. Visit the Bluff's Daiquiri Facebook page for details.

Music in the Air

Spend your Thursday evenings at Zazu’s Verandah on the beautiful Dadeville Square enjoying a variety of live music. The music begins at 6:30 p.m. indoors or outdoors under the verandah, depending on weather conditions and performers’ preferences. Come early to settle in and be sure to get a seat. Driveby Tacos will be present at most events on a Food Truck with a Purpose mission; every taco purchase makes a meal available for a food challenged person in Alabama. Free admission but please tip the musicians. Visit Zazu’s Verandah on Facebook for the weekly scheduled programs.

Third Thursday Trivia

Sept. 2 & 3 Labor Day at Crossroads

Russell Lands will move the final concert of the season to Russell Crossroads for a two-day event featuring four awesome bands. The music starts at 6:30 p.m. with Supper Club, followed by The Stews. The Bank Walkers will open at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the harmonies of Hotel Fiction will close out summer at the lake. And for the first time, this concert is free. Bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets and coolers or pick up dinner and your favorite beverage at Catherine's across the street from the Town Green. Pups on a leash are welcome. Visit theamponlakemartin/events/ labor-day for details.

Sept. 14-16 The Figure in Pastel or Oil

This intense studio workshop will feature artist Margaret Dyer teaching traditional pastel or oil painting technique using a simple step-by-step method. Students will explore drawing, composition, anatomy, proportion, value, color and application. Visit tallapoosaworkshops.com for biographical information for Dyer and booking details.

Season-long Events Strand Sessions

Lake Martin Young Professionals invite you to bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, coolers and family and friends to Strand Park in downtown Alexander City from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month through August for free music in the park. Watch the kids play, meet friends old and new and enjoy a pleasant evening. Visit the Strand Sessions Facebook page for details.

Pop Up Community Yoga

Every Monday from now through August, Singleton Blue Creek Marina will hold free driving and docking clinics for pontoons, sterndrives and towboats. Call Liz Nowling at 256825-8888 to make a reservation.

Lake Martin Yoga will host 60-minute outdoor yoga classes at 9 a.m. on Saturdays at StillWaters. Park in the lot across from the tennis courts and walk along the pond to the tree by the pond. Bring mat and water. Cost is $15. Register at lakemartinyoga.com.

Every third Thursday of the month, The Local at 41 Main on Main Street in Alexander City will host a trivia contest with Lake Martin Young Professionals. Drinks specials start at 5:30 p.m., and the competition begins at 6:30 p..m.

Artists Association of Central Alabama

AACA artists meet on the third Wednesday of the month at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex grounds. Meetings are followed by an open studio program, which also is open to the public. Club dues are $20 for the year.

Bingo Wednesdays

Come out to the alley next door to Castelluccio on Wednesday nights for bingo. Order dinner and wine from Castelluccio or your favorite downtown restaurant and have it delivered to your table. The event is limited to six people per table, and the number of tables is limited to 20, due to social distancing. Reservations for this weekly event go quickly, so email Main Street Executive Director Stacey Jeffcoat at sjeffcoatmainstreetac@gmail.com to reserve your table.

Wellborn Musclecar Museum

Housed in a restored vintage auto dealership in downtown Alexander City, the Wellborn Musclecar Museum collection of great American automobiles of the 1960s and 1970s is open for public viewing Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This exemplary collection includes the famed K&K Dodge, the 1970 Grand National Champion, as well as Aero cars designed for NASCAR. You will see an example of each manufacturer’s highest horsepower cars of 1970, from Dodge, Plymouth, Chevrolet, Buick, Porsche and Oldsmobile. The inventory on

MAY 2022

LAKE 29

display changes frequently, so every visit includes something new and exciting. Admission for adults is $11; children ages 7 to 17 admitted for $7, and children ages 6 and under are admitted for free. To arrange discounted group tour or private tours, email wellbornmusclecarmuseum@gmail.com or call 256-3298474.

First Saturday Markets

Standard Deluxe in Waverly hosts the First Saturday Market on the first Saturday of each month through August. Pick up lunch, local artwork, T-shirts, posters and more from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit standarddeluxe.com for details.

Millerville Trade Day

Bibb Graves School on state Route 9 hosts this trade day on the third Saturday of every month from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m with free outside setup for vendors, yard sale, flea market and swap meet items (no food vendors). Donations from sales to BGHS Alumni and Friends Association would be appreciated. There will be a designated area to bring vehicles for sale with $20 donation to BGHSAFA upon sale. For information, contact Bruce Lowery at 205-522-5794.

Santuck Flea Market

The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month at 7300 Central Plank Rd., state Route 9 in Wetumpka.

Soup to Go

Drive through the parking lot at St. James Episcopal Church at 347 S. Central Ave. in Alexander City between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. every Tuesday and pick up a free brown bag dinner with soup, sandwich and more. Open to the whole community.

Clean Community Partnership Cleanups

Volunteers in Alexander City and Dadeville are encouraged to participate in community partnership cleanups every month. In Alexander City, the cleanups are held on the third Saturday of the month. Meet at Our Town Volunteer Fire Department at 8:30 a.m. to pick up supplies and area assignments and help clean up the roads within Alexander City. For more information, contact John Thompson at 334-399-3289. In Dadeville, the monthly cleanup is held on the second Saturday of the month, and volunteers can pick up sanitized pickers and bags at 8 a.m. at Dadeville City Hall. There also will be a trash bag drop-off on site. Contact Mickey Forbus at 334-329-0905.

The Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony on Lake Martin exhibit is on display all year long at the Alexander City Board of Education building, located at 375 Lee St.

$20 on the 20th

Lake Martin Creativity

This group meets every Monday at 1 p.m. in the downstairs community room at the StillWaters Residential Building. Anyone interested in arts and crafts is encouraged to join. Bring something to work on or come see what others are doing. A monthly fee of $5 is charged to help pay for the use of the space. For mroe information, call Christine Glowacki at 205535-5974 or call Kay Fincher at 256-825-2506.

Library Storytime in Dadeville

Storytime for children aged 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

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 Melissa Finley at 256-234-4644.

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Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony Exhibit

The Lake Martin Dadeville Area asks our community to spend $20 on the 20th of each month to help our local economy.

Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store

Located on state Route 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Thursday through Saturday 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 more information, call 334857-2008.

Memory Makers Quilt Guild

This group meets the second and fourth Mondays at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex campus. Participants come and go between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. with a business meeting at 5 p.m., followed by show-and-tell. Bring sewing projects, machines and questions.

MAY 2022

Labor Day

Russell Lands will put a new spin on the annual Labor Day concert this year, moving the event from Lake Martin Amphitheater to Russell Crossroads; expanding the event to two days; featuring four bands; and all at no admission fee. “Yes, two nights of music on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads, and there is no charge,” said Robert Gunn, director of events and marketing operations for Russell Lands. Friday night, Sept. 2, will open at 6:30 p.m. with Supper Club, a relatively new band from Auburn, followed by The Stews, another Auburn original. The Stews have a full play schedule this summer, traveling from New York to Colorado and Montana to Texas, but they will save the best for last and hit the Town Green stage at 8 p.m. to kick off Labor Day weekend at Lake Martin. One of Lake Martin’s favorite bands, The Bank Walkers, will start the music on Saturday. Local musicians with professional day-jobs, the band members play Lake Martin venues year round and always draw a crowd. Come early and get settled in before the music starts, so you don’t miss a beat. Hotel Fiction will close out the season at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Best friends Jade Long and Jessica Thompson have been playing, writing

MAY 2022

and performing music for more than 10 years, but in early 2019, they started playing together as Hotel Fiction. The Athens, Georgia, based duo is genre fluid with indie, pop and rock influences. The two women create a unique experience for listeners as they hit the stage with dynamic vocals and harmonies like you’ve never heard before. Pack a picnic both nights for this new Labor Day concert experience at Lake Martin, or pick up dinner and a bottle of wine at Catherine’s Market just across the road. Dogs on leash are welcome at the Town Green. Hotel Fiction

The Stews

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Worship on the Water Church of the Living Waters

Church in the Pines Summer Guest Speakers

Non-Denominational Summer Services Inside the Gates at StillWaters in Dadeville 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. May 29 – Billy Coleman, Alexander City June 5 – Rev. KG Jones, Tuskegee June 12 - Rev. Faron Golden, Auburn June 19 - Matt Mobley June 26 - Rev. Lee Cadden, Auburn July 3 - TBD July 10 - Dr. George Mathison, Auburn July 17 - Rev. Larry Patton, Carrolton, GA July 24 - Rev. Vicki Cater, Dadeville July 31 - Rev. James Cullins, Alexander City Aug. 7 - Rev. Pat Bethea, Auburn Aug. 14 - Rev. Skip Long, Opelika Aug. 21 - Rev. Marcus Poppenfoose, Auburn Aug. 28 - Kevin Flannagan, Auburn Sept. 4 - Dr. Tim Thompson, Jackson Gap Dress is casual. Come by car, bike, golf cart, or boat.

Episcopal Services at Church in the Pines 12 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays of June, July and August June 12 & 26 – July 10 & 24 – August 14 & 28 Come as you are by boat or car.

Real Island Supper

The Real Island community hosts a covered dish supper every third Friday of the month at the Real Island Volunteer Fire Department and Community Room, 1495 Real Island Rd., Equality. Everyone is welcome. Admission is $3 per adult; bring a covered dish to share. Some nights are themed, so call ahead to find out if costumes or certain types of food are in order. For more information, contact Dianne Perrett at 256-3298724.

Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne Hudson fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, snakes and fowl, just to mention a few. There is never a dull moment with 32 LAKE

9 a.m. every Sunday May 1 – Tim Alexander, UAB May 8 – Sherry Harris, Vestavia Hills May 15 – Gates Shaw, Retired – Christ Episcopal May 22 – Larry Little, Eagle Consulting May 29 – George Mathison, Retired – Auburn June 5 – Chuck Roberts, Peachtree Presbyterian June 12 – Chip Vann, Alex City FUMC June 19 – Karl Stegall, Montgomery First UMC June 26 – Keith Thompson, Canterbury UMC July 3 – John Ed Mathison, Retired – Leadership Ministries July 10 – Lawson Bryan, Bishop Emeritus – Montgomery July 17 – Hamp Green, Church of The Highlands July 24 – Andy Wolfe, Pastor Emeritus- Trinity Homewood July 31 – Chuck Hasty, Grace Presbyterian – Columbus Aug. 7 – Jeremiah Castille, Jeremiah Castille Foundation Aug. 14 – Brian Erickson, Trinity Homewood Aug. 21 – Jay Wolf, Retired – Montgomery First Baptist Aug. 28 – Mike Densmore, Children’s Harbor Chaplain Sept. 4 – Mickey Morgan, Retired – UMC Birmingham Sept. 11 – Mark Jackson, Retired – Mulder UMC Sept. 18 – John Hill, Flint Hill Sept. 25 – Mike Holly, Bluff Park UMC Casual attire.

this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature in the wild and the outdoor classroom. Check the calendar at RussellLands.com/blog/events for the scheduled subject matter, dates and times.

Amateur Radio Club

The Lake Martin Area Amateur Radio Club meets the second Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Senior Activity Center at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex in Alexander City, with dinner and fellowship following at a local restaurant. For more information, contact Michael Courtney at 256-825-7766 or Mike Smith at 256-750-5710.

Fourth Fridays at EPAC

The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts music and other events on the fourth Friday nights of each month at 6:30 p.m. on state Route 9 in Equality. Visit the Equality Performing Arts Center Facebook page for a schedule of upcoming artists.

Trivia Night at Niffer’s on the Lake

Every Thursday, Niffer’s hosts trivia night at 7 p.m. Winners receive Niffer’s gift cards. First place gets $40; second place gets $25; and third place gets $15. Grab a group of friends and

MAY 2022

come out for a night of games. A bonus question is posted on the Niffer’s Facebook page at 2 p.m. Thursdays.

Charity Bingo at Niffer’s Place Lake Martin

Niffer’s, 7500 state Route 49 in Dadeville, hosts charity bingo every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Cards are $1 each, and funds go to participating charities.

Second Friday Open Mic Night

The Equality Performing Arts Center invites all musicians to its monthly jam sessions on the second Friday of each month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is no cover, but donations are greatly appreciated. There will be an intermission for snacks, and people are encouraged to bring a dish to share. The EPAC is located at 560 state Route 9 in Equality. For more information, visit the EPAC Facebook page.

Tallassee Lions Club

The Tallassee Lions Club meets every Tuesday at Cozumel Restaurant, across from the football stadium in Tallassee, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to join for an hour of humor, information, civic pride and patriotism. For more information, call Ron McDaniel at ronmcd416@gmail.com.

Equality VFD Cookout and Bake Sale

On the first Saturday of each month, the Equality Volunteer Fire Department hosts a bake sale, starting at 8 a.m. and lunch is served starting at 10:30 a.m. at the old Masonic Lodge in downtown Equality. For more information, email Richard Penton at drichardpenton@gmail.com.

Equality Neighborhood Watch

The Equality Neighborhood Watch Association meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the old Masonic Lodge at 6:30 p.m. During the colder months, it meets at Equality Methodist Church on state Route 259. Email Richard Penton at drichardpenton@gmail.com for more information.

Dadeville Flea Market

This new outdoor flea market will be open on the first Saturday of each month through October with offerings of food, antiques, furniture, clothes, live animals, produce and more. The flea market is located at 850 Horseshoe Bend Rd., on state Route 49, less than a mile from the intersection with U.S. 280. Free parking and free entrance. Vendor spaces rent for $10. For more information, call Andrew Salinas at 256675-6499 or visit the Facebook page.

MAY 2022

LAKE 33

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MAY 2022

Rainy day at the lake? Play in town!

No one likes to think about it, but occasionally, it does rain at Lake Martin in the summertime. When that happens, don’t surrender the grandchildren to their cellphones and screens. Instead, visit a new arcade in Alexander City, one that is dedicated to the classic video game experience of the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s. Respawn Arcade, Pinball and E-Sports will debut this summer and will feature traditional arcades, skee ball, air hockey, shuffleboard and modern video consoles, said Jessica and James Duncan, who launched the business last year. Jessica Duncan is a paramedic and EMS instructor at Southern Union State Community College in Opelika, and her husband, James, has served as a paramedic firefighter with the Alexander City Fire Department for the last 17 years. They moved to Alexander City about nine years ago, and both are lifelong video game enthusiasts, having had a passion for the hobby since they were children. “We both grew up playing video games, and one of my favorite memories growing up was going into Aladdin’s Castle in the Montgomery mall. Back when I was a kid, I would get five bucks from my mom and go play video games in the arcade,” Duncan said. As a part of their hobby, the couple vintage and retro video games, which Duncan said fueled the initial idea for the arcade. “We collect all genres of games, old and new, just everything, and James found on Facebook several years ago a Mortal Kombat arcade machine, and he was like ‘I have to play this thing’,” she said. Since that time, the two have collected dozens of video game arcade machines, repairing and housing them in their basement. “I’ve always kept all my video games since I was a kid. I have a hand-me-down Atari, and all throughout the years I’ve kept them. Ever since then, we’ve just been collecting, and if we find them broken or cheap, we get them, sometimes driving three hours away,” James said. Among the more recognizable arcade machines in the Duncans’ collection are Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Killer Instinct and Pac Man; however, James plans to house video

games from all eras in the new arcade; not just the decades of the late 1900s, but also some of the first gaming consoles created, including the Atari, Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. In addition, the Duncans specifically expressed excitement about bringing their favorite hobby to Alexander City, hoping to revitalize an entertainment venue that has been absent in the city since James was a child. “Other than the bowling alley when I was a kid. There’s been nothing else here. I used to play them in Walmart,” James recalled. “That was where I’d see all the new stuff. Our parents would go shopping, and we would beg for quarters because we couldn’t play that kind of caliber game at the house.” According to the Duncans, that sentiment seems to be felt by many in Alexander City, adding that community support has been overwhelming, and the prospect is attracting older and younger generations alike. “Anybody that we talked to about it wants to know more, and it seems like an equal split between people in their 30s and 40s who grew up with these games and ones who have kids and want to do birthday parties or bring them on Saturdays to play,” Duncan noted. “But every single person that we’ve talked to has been excited about it.” The Duncans are renovating a building along Calhoun Street in downtown Alexander City, where they plan to house the arcade. Among other amenities, they plan to incorporate a snack bar, karaoke machine and birthday area in the building’s layout. There also are plans to host e-sports tournaments at the arcade, during which professional players, individually or as teams, will compete in multiplayer video games. James said he is particularly interested in organizing tournaments around such gaming franchises as Call of Duty, Madden NFL and Capcom fighting games. “We’re making a lot of progress, and we’ve been working towards this specific goal for about a year now and are ready to put the wheels in motion,” Duncan said.

MAY 2022

LAKE 35

Plenty of Paddling

Paddling the Tallapoosa River, Lake Martin’s feeder creeks or the lake itself is now easier than ever, as new canoe/kayak rental options are available around the lake. Off the Beaten Path Alabama is now Tallapoosa Wilds and is owned by Craig Godwin and Elliott Jackson of Opelika, who have been fly fishing guides on the Tallapoosa River north of the lake for many seasons. “We’ve both had a history with the river since elementary school. Craig has been with East Alabama Fly Fishing for about nine years now. We’re on the river constantly. We have floated the whole 41 miles of the river route – probably 80 to a hundred times last year alone,” Jackson said. The pair used to take the Off the Beaten Path Alabama shuttle from their take-out point to a put-in point and when former owner Chuck Browne said he was thinking of selling his kayak rental and shuttle business, they leaped at the opportunity. “We are always looking for another side hustle,” Jackson said. “Chuck was happy it went to guys who knew the river and loved the area as much as he did. “It’s just easier if you get a shuttle. That way, you meet us at the take-out point and leave your car there,

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and we take you to the put-in. When you are finished with your day on the river, all you have to do is load up and go home. Your car is already at the take-out point.” There are some operational changes with the new ownership, which will officially launch on May 7. For now, rentals are available only on Saturdays and Sundays. The owners hope to extend their hours to include Fridays and possibly Thursdays. The entire administrative process can be handled online, from booking to paying. Group rates are available for bachelor’s parties and other events, so check out the website at tallapoosawilds.com. Email Jackson and Godwin at tallapoosawilds@gmail.com or call them at 256-609-7073. Float Alabama on U.S. Route 280 in Dadeville is focused on high quality inflatable float products, from kayaks and canoes to big rafts and standup paddleboards. The company was started this year by Alex Carter, who has spent most of his adult life in Alaska but moved to the area with his wife, Lauren, who is originally from Phoenix City. In addition to rentals, Carter sells what he rents and makes warranty repairs on the equipment. “You can buy anything you want on the internet these

MAY 2022

Off the Beaten Path Alabama has a new name and new owners, and there are additional water sports rental options at the lake this summer

New rental and outfitting options open at the lake this summer STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY KENNETH BOONE

days, but you’ll be hard pressed to find someone to service your products. We do all that in the shop here,” he said. “Our building is 3,750 square feet. Half of that is our showroom, and the other half is the service department.” The beauty of good quality inflatables is that there is no need for a shuttle, and you can put in anywhere, Carter said. “These are high-end inflatables. They’re not made out of shower curtains. They are expedition grade. You can roll them up and put them in the trunk of your car and go where you want – the lake, the river, the beach.” A tandem kayak rents for $50 the first day and $40 for each additional day. A standup paddleboard rents for $40 the first day and $30 for each additional day. A 14-foot raft is $125 per day and is great fun for kids, he said. “My kids call it the bouncy boat,” Carter said. His hope is that renters will love his products so much they will come back to purchase them. “I rent boats primarily because I want to sell them, so if someone rents and then wants to buy, the price of rental goes toward the price of the boat,” he said. In addition to boats, paddles and flotation vests, Carter

also sells sun gear, apparel, waterproof speakers, repair kits and dry bags. Float Alabama is located at 16872 U.S. Route 280 in Dadeville. Visit the website at floatal.com or call 256-373-3004. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Kayak rentals also are available at the Adventure Center at Russell Crossroads, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. Call 256-496-3677 for rental information. Paddle boats, kayaks and canoes are available for rent at Creem at the Creek inside the gates at Wind Creek State Park, too. Call 256-786-2872 for hours and details. On the south end of the lake, Lake Martin Kayak Rentals will deliver kayaks for renters for a $20 delivery fee plus $40 for the daily rental per boat. To make arrangements, call 334-415-5244 or visit the Facebook page. So if you are looking for a great paddling experience at Lake Martin this summer, there are lots of options available all around the lake.

MAY 2022

LAKE 37

Lake Martin Watersports

STORY BY BETSY ILER

Lifelong Lake Martin part-timer Austin Bailey didn’t want to leave when summer ended last year, so he established Lake Martin Watersports LLC and obtained licenses and insurance to operate a flyboard and wake surfing business at the lake. “My grandfather started coming to Lake Martin in the early ’70s, so my family has been here a long time. I’ve been coming to the lake my whole life. I’ve spent every Christmas here, ever summer here,” Bailey explained. “I grew up wakeboarding on the lake, and in the last few years got into wake surfing. Last year, I bought a 2021 Malibu wake boat. I love this. I didn’t want to leave.” Bailey said he’s often thought about opening a flyboard business here, but this year, he put his investment where his heart is. He launched Lake Martin Watersports LLC a few weeks ago and now takes adventurers for flyboard rides and offers wake surfing lessons. “Anyone 12 years or older who has reasonable physical strength and good balance can flyboard with me. For the first lesson, you might not go super high out of the water, but with a little practice, you’ll get better. It takes about five or 10 minutes to get down once you’re up there, so typically, a 40-minute lesson includes 30 minutes of fly time,” he said.

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“You start out on your stomach, and as the instructor begins to give you more power, you bend your knees and slowly push the flyboard underneath you. Slowly, it will lift way out of the water.” Wake surfing is easier than flyboarding for most people, said Bailey, whose passion is surfing behind the boat. Wake surfing lessons are an hour and a half, including 30 minutes of travel time out and back. Bailey teaches beginners how to get up and ride with the rope, progressing into dropping the handle and surfing without the rope; then, how to carve the waves and perform simple maneuvers. “I think wake surfing is more fun, and while only one person can go out to flyboard at a time, you can bring a group of people on the boat for wake surfing. I’ll take up to four people to an hour, so they can divide up the cost however they want,” Bailey explained. A 40-minute flyboard lesson through Lake Martin Watersports LLC is $175, and that can be extended to a full hour for an additional $75. A wake surfing lesson is $250. Add $200 for each additional hour. Book a watersports adventure by calling Bailey at 205-541-8053 or book through the website at lakemartinwatersports.co or on the Facebook page. Email Bailey at info@lakemartinwatersports.co.

MAY 2022

LAKE 39

Interior walls are fashioned from wood harvested on the property

Glamping Glamping tents are surrounded by picturesque woods and beautiful views

p I

STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER & JAKE ARTHUR

In 38 years of dreaming and planning, Rhonda and Skip Courtney never thought their hospitality venture would include tents or Alabama, but after politely going along to view 100-plus acres of woods on Sandy Creek, they recognized heaven’s door and jumped in. The Courtneys have built a unique, upscale getaway on the banks above beautiful Sandy Creek outside of Dadeville, turning tent camping into “glamping” (glamorous camping) among picturesque hardwoods. Such well-appointed accommodations are one-of-akind in the Lake Martin area, and visitors would be hard pressed to find more comfortable surroundings for an escape. Each of The Destination’s glamorous getaways includes a kitchenette, bathrooms with tiled showers, heat and air conditioning, private bedrooms, dining options indoors and out and a six-person hot tub. There’s a grill on every deck, and each extravagant tent site includes a private stocked fire pit with Adirondack seating. The couple are no amateurs at providing top-notch hospitality. Before discovering this beautiful property in the shadow of Lake Martin, they owned The Music Loft, a renovated building that catered to music enthusiasts in downtown Nashville. They offered exclusive amenities and service to guests of their 2,760-square-

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foot loft but were looking for something more. “We were always thinking we would open a B&B or an inn. We talked about a hospitality venue in the country for years,” Rhonda Courtney said. “We were visiting Rhonda’s family here, and Rush Denson with Denson Group wanted to show us this property. We just went along to be polite. We didn’t have any intention of buying in the area. But when we saw this – it was paradise,” said Skip. They purchased 78 acres on the east side of Sandy Creek, as well as a 24-acre plot on the opposite bank, so they would have aesthetic control of the full 4,600foot waterfront. As research, they stayed at a glamping resort out West and deemed it a viable endeavor. “One night, I got out of bed and found Skip on the computer, looking at safari tents online. We found a distributor in Atlanta and realized this is an up-andcoming industry,” Courtney said. The first structure on the grounds was The Lodge, an entertainment venue, as well as the Courtneys’ home. Designed by architect Mark Stewart and built by Tim Moore, the lodge is tailor-made for entertainment. From the cascading floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a deck overlooking the bubbling creek to the downstairs wine cellar and guestrooms with wooded

MAY 2022

Bedrooms are spacious and well appointed

views, the Courtneys staged their home with style. Next, they dotted the loop road at the end of a long, red clay gated driveway with tent platforms and erected ruggedly durable Bushtec Safari tents. Designed for permanent installation, the tents are well-anchored with built-out interiors, residential plumbing and electricity. The walls between beds, bath and living space inside the tents are fashioned from woods harvested on the property. Each glamorous camping safari tent is decorated with a theme representing one of the couple’s former residences. “It’s a unique escape without sacrificing the amenities,” said Skip. “We can commune with nature, but it’s convenient to activities and events going on around the lake.” The Music Loft tent, with its Nashville art, signed guitars and other music industry memorabilia, represents the Courtneys years in the 1899 building in the center of the Nashville music scene. With two queen bedrooms and a queen sleeper sofa, this 650-squarefoot glamp includes 1,450 square feet of deck with covered and open living space. Rhondapoosa, a one-bedroom cabin-style tent, also features a queen sleeper sofa and will accommodate four in the 370-square-foot Western themed décor. The Rhondapoosa’s outdoor space is defined with 240 square feet of flagstone patio. The Clearwater pays homage to the couple’s native Florida, and the eclectic beach décor follows suit. With two bedrooms and a queen sofa bed, the 650-squarefoot safari tent will sleep six guests, who can while away the days in style on the 1,450-square-foot deck. Moondance was the name of the Courtneys’ 46-foot motor yacht, where they stayed when guests occupied the Music Loft in Nashville. They honed in on the nautical theme to accommodate four guests. Windows in the tents are screened and can be opened to let the cool breeze drift through the rooms during the summer months or closed for privacy. Coffeemakers, microwaves, granite countertops and

large showers are all part of the comfortable furnishings of the venue. The one amenity missing at this premiere glamping resort is television. There are none, but guests are welcome to bring in their own large screens and stream football games and movies from personal cellular phones. But the Courtneys hope their guests will take advantage of the serenity the setting offers by walking the mile-long Creekside Trail and admiring the wildflowers and the frothy fern undergrowth. Watching the wildlife or throwing out a line to catch stripers, bass or catfish for dinner; keeping cool on a hot summer day in the creek or sprinting over the bubbling creek in kayaks or canoes. Stop in at the lodge with a cocktail to enjoy a charcuterie board with their hosts; and then, lounge around the fire pits as night falls and retell the highlights of their magical escape to the luxurious glamping resort in the woods so close to Dadeville and Lake Martin. Visit tdbsc.com for booking information, photos and more on The Destination.

Each tent site includes a spacious deck or patio

MAY 2022

LAKE 41

A makers market showcasing works from artisans from the Lake Martin area and throughout the SouthEast. Find homemade pottery, jewelry, photography, reclaimed wood décor, painting, metalwork, furniture, and much more!

R u s s e l l L a n d s . c o m

To 42 a pLAKE p l y, c o n t a c t H a n n a h H e n l e y a t 2 5 6 .2022 212 .14 31 o r h he n l e y @ r u s s e l l l a n d s . c o m MAY

MAY 2022

LAKE 43

Love It at the Lake

STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

44 LAKE

MAY 2022

The sunroom was incorporated into the home by removing interior doors

MAY 2022

LAKE 45

A spacious deck allows views of the lake point lot

Eddie and Helen Dickinson made Lake Martin their home 20 years ago. After owning two previous homes for part-time use, they knew what they wanted and where they wanted to be on the lake, so when retirement came along, they were ready to make lake life a permanent lifestyle. “We loved the neighborhood and the neighbors, and when this point lot came open, we knew we wanted it. Even before we did any renovation on the house, my son Greg and his wife, Holley, were married at Church in the Pines and the reception was on our point,” Dickinson said. A long driveway winds through a heavily wooded lot to the house, where a courtyard welcomes visitors. Pots of fresh herbs and flowers and the calming sound of a bubbling urn add to the ambience of the porch, which the Dickinsons added to the original home. The foyer was updated with the help of Dickinson’s friend, decorator Nan Jackson. A Schumacher wallpaper with a creative scalloped pattern in shades of blue and cream graces the main wall, while a long console table from Mark King Furniture displays a large stone bowl Dickinson found while shopping on a beach trip. Her sister, Pat, painted the horse on the easel. The brass sconces are from Current and Company.

46 LAKE

The living room, redecorated with the help of her daughter, Leah, showcases a neutral gray and blue combination for a serene setting. The furniture is a mix of new purchases from At Home in Homewood and antiques handed down from both the Dickinsons’ families. Two small wooden stools from Scott’s Antiques are near the coffee table. Egrets painted on canvas hang above the sofa. The couple added a fireplace, with matching poufs in front, and a powder room, hidden behind a barn door. The kitchen was remodeled two years ago with design advice from Lake Martin decorator Phil Spraggins, who commented that he loved the flow of the house and how the view is captured with all the glass. A bar-height pass-through window with a polished black walnut live edge counter and stools was added between the living room and kitchen. Four illustrations by Lila Graves frame the window. Adding quartz countertops, white subway tile and new cabinet doors brightened and opened the kitchen, creating a lovely working space for Dickinson to enjoy. Catie Radney paintings with blue accents complement both the kitchen and the living room. Jackson stepped in to convert the pantry into a more functional and attractive work and storage space. The

MAY 2022

Clockwise from Top Left: One of the three guest rooms includes a king-sized bed and private bath; Windows across the back of the home provide unobstructed lake views; The pantry was reconfigured to create both storage and serving areas; Guests enter the front of the house through a courtyard; A nautical themed bunkroom was designed with the grandchildren in mind; The covered deck area is perfect for gathering in the shade.

MAY 2022

LAKE 47

The traditional dining area was updated with a modern chandelier and side console table

A special wallpaper defines the foyer

The works of local artists are displayed throughout the home

The powder room was tucked behind a barn door

48 LAKE

MAY 2022

The bird was painted by the owner's sister

pantry doors and an accent wall inside the pantry are painted Benjamin Moore’s Wolf Blue. Baskets of assorted sizes, decorative and functional, store kitchen items and supplies. Dickinson’s collection of every year of Southern Living cookbooks have a special place. “I cook for company and family. I enjoy making pecan pies and keeping macaroni and cheese handy for grandkids and as a comfort food for friends. I like to pick blueberries and strawberries, and I make blueberry jam and pear preserves each year. There’s a pear tree at the farm in Goodwater. I love entertaining, and this house is perfect for that. The owners before us had already added a tiled sunporch with windows all the way across the back of the house. We just took the doors from inside the house to the porch down, so the porch would be part of the house,” she said. The porch area nearest the living room has an oak pub table the couple found during their years in Chicago. A love of games keeps that table in continual use by family and friends. Designed by Spraggins, a comfortable gathering area in front of the kitchen includes four matching armchairs on a soft rug. A beaded chandelier hangs overhead. Jackson added Jim Denney wildlife photos, and Dickinson hung boomerangs brought to her from Australia by her son, completing the space. “Any time people are here, that area fills up first. The chairs are taken; then, people pull out the barstools to join in. It’s really a great space,” she said. Spraggins updated the traditional dining room table with a rug and newly reupholstered chairs. Dickinson and her daughter found the contemporary glass chandelier on Houzz. Dickinson calls her den The Auburn Room. A sectional sofa there is perfect for watching games. A gallery wall displays a collection of framed photos, and built-in bookcases are filled with memorabilia. Spraggins changed the rug and reorganized the books and items on the shelves. An antique icebox and a small school desk from the Kellyton School are part of the furnishings. “We were both from Goodwater, and I just really enjoy having the old pieces that belonged to family in my house. The changes Phil made in the Auburn Room might seem small but made such a huge difference. My son-in-law, Marty, our only Alabama fan, actually sits in the room and cheers with us,” she said. Private guest space can be found in the cabin’s original three bedrooms and two baths. One room is dubbed the Cousin’s Room and has all things ready for grandchildren. Dickinson’s daughter painted oars in bright colors for over the bunk bed. A trundle under the bunk provides another bed. Navy and white curtains join the nautical theme. The master bedroom was an addition onto the home at the opposite end of the sun porch. Windows

MAY 2022

LAKE 49

Recently acquired furniture pieces are mixed with antiques in the living room

existing from the sun porch offer the bedroom a panoramic view of the lake, and side windows allow a perfect view of deep purple hydrangea bushes in the summer months. “I’m ready to redo my bedroom next. Nan helped me with a new bed and Annie Selke bedding, bringing in the blue I love. I’ll look at furniture and maybe a renovated master bathroom down the road. I have a very large closet that could be reconfigured and add space to the bathroom. Until I do that project, Nan found a great rug for the bathroom and new drawer pulls. She added a new light fixture, and I found colorful artwork, a big change for me. Small things make such a difference,” Dickinson said. The expansive deck offers multiple levels, perfect to continue entertaining outside. Different areas are committed to tables and chairs or chaise lounges. A covered

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porch has lots of cozy, comfortable seating. The Adirondack chairs were built by Gary Hardman, her sister Susan’s husband. Dickinson strives to have flowers blooming continually throughout the spring, summer and fall in the yard and in containers on the porch: limelights, gardenias, camellias, snowballs, crape myrtle, azaleas, geraniums and succulents, among others. “I did not think I would still be living at the lake at this point in my life, but I am so blessed with the best neighbors and friends. I love all of our groups in the neighborhood for games, tennis, dinner or mahjong. Lake people are the best, and I think our neighborhood is a great melting pot from all over. I can’t imagine a better place to live,” Dickinson said.

MAY 2022

The kitchen renovation added new cabinet doors, subway tile and quartz countertops

L A K E M A R T I N R E A LT Y. C O M

Unlock the value in your lake home and trust the market leaders.

Jerry Purcell 205.382.3417

Allison Ladson 256.750.0711

Damon Story 205.789.9526

Mike Davis 256.226.1238

Lindsay Kane 256.675.6792

Amy Duncan 256.212.2222

Hugh Neighbors 256.750.5071

India Davis 256.749.7592

Judy Voss 256.794.0779

Rhonda Jaye 256.749.8681

John McInnish 334.415.2149

Michelle Brooks-Slayman 256.749.1031

Jan Hall 256.329.6313

Sawyer Davis 205.965.7940

Jim Cleveland 256.596.2220

Ashley Chancellor 334.202.9017

Becky Haynie 334.312.0928

Adam Yager 205.914.0830

Mimi Rush 334.399.7874

Jeff Cochran 256.786.0099

Judith Jager 205.789.0698

Cindy Scroggins 256.794.3372

David Mitchell 256.212.3511

Howard Haynie 334.312.0693

Haley Fuller 256.750.2411

Randall Rogers 334.707.5804

Denise Cochran 256.786.2484

John Shelton 404.858.9198

WE’RE THE MARKET LEADER Lake Martin Waterfront Market Share

DADEVILLE

256.825.9092

OURTOWN

256.212.1498

WILLOW POINT

256.212.1498

OTHER COMPETITORS (49 companies)

46.2%

OUR CLOSEST COMPETITOR

LAKE MARTIN REALTY/ RUSSELL LANDS *LMAAR/MLS Member Firms Sales Volume Data April 2021 – March 2022

MAY 2022

LAKE 51

Catalina 22 honors female sailor

STORY BY BETSY ILER

Dora McGee has served as the backbone of the Catalina 22 National Association in a variety of roles for nearly half of the organization’s 50-year existence. Currently, she serves as the dedicated secretary and treasurer. According to the U.S. Sailing Association, McGee is fondly known as the “mother hen” to the organization and its 525 members. Outside of this role, she participates in a wide variety of sailing events across the Southeast. Last month, McGee was awarded the John D. Gardiner One Design Service Award for her commitment to the Catalina 22 class. Over the past 20 years, she has participated in 45 Catalina 22 regattas and 65 other one-design regattas. Lifelong friendships and the opportunity to meet new people have kept her strongly involved with the Catalina 22 class. “The award was a surprise. Most, if not all, of the previous winners have been men with big accomplishments,” the honoree said. Sailing is typically a male-dominated sport, but McGee has not let this stop her. “Just get out there and do it. There is nothing to be afraid of,” she said. “Learn to sail properly, have a support system and get training. Women today can have all the opportunities they want to

52 LAKE

take. Take the initiative and do it on your own. Know your boat and how to handle it, learn CPR and first aid.” Her advice aligns with the U.S. Sailing mantra: fun, safe, fair. In 1974, McGee learned how to sail while her husband was stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They lived there for four years, and sailing was one of the limited activities available on the naval base. This introduction to sailing led to a lifetime of dedication and support of the Catalina 22 class. In recent years, McGee and her husband have focused on participating in race committees rather than competing in regattas. McGee is known as the gold standard that all race committees should strive for, even being described as the epitome of racing. Her calm demeanor and determined nature allow her to excel on the race committee. She described the necessary qualifications for race committee success as dedication, listening skills, ability to make decisions under pressure and strong concentration. McGee utilized her race management skills at the 2022 Region 3 Championship Regatta and 62nd Annual Punchbowl Regatta at The Dixie Sailing Club on Lake Martin last month.

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The DSC welcomed Catalina 22s, 420s and MC Scows from across the Southeast for the competition. The Punchbowl Annual Regatta was introduced in the first DSC board meeting to provide a spring regatta for sailors in the region. Since 1975, the first place trophy has been kept by the winner until the following year’s event. The 2022 Punchbowl Regatta Gold Fleet first place winners are DSC members, Keith and Jennifer Bennett. Unpredictable weather prevented the chance to sail leading up to the regatta event, but fortunately, the first weekend of April – designated as the Region 3 Championship Regatta – dawned with no rain and enough wind to launch three races on Saturday and two more on Sunday. And despite the dual economic woes of inflation and high gas prices, five racers entered in both Gold Fleet and Silver Fleet – from more than just the hosting club. Very close races and finishes required that the scorer know the details on resolving ties for the top three in Gold Fleet and all five places in Silver Fleet. Saturday started cool and cloudy but delivered a decent light wind, until the

second race that had to have a shortened course event. Heading back to the committee boat, the winds picked up to the degree that a third and final race for the day was going to the longer five-leg finish at the windward mark race. More new winds picked up before that start got going, and it was back to a four-leg downwind finish in hopes the winds helped out, which they did. Sunday proffered sunshine and more consistent winds for the closely competitive races. It was close competition for the top three places in both fleets. The regatta concluded with a Region 3 annual meeting to determine the new Region 3 commodore. The holder of the role determines the location and date of the 2023 Region 3 Championship regatta. Rich Gailey from LMSA, Florida, took the position, and DSC’s outgoing Commodore Cline ended his term by teaming with son, Mark, on crew to win the R3 Silver Fleet title. The Dixie Sailing Club is a private club located on Lake Martin. The groups offers a variety of sailing activities, including an annual free introductory sailing lesson and the opportunity to crew on a boat. The DSC has two certified sailing instructors and several national champions. The club hosts races almost every weekend from March to November. All experience levels and age groups are welcome. For more information about the DSC and the Punchbowl Regatta, visit the Dixie Sailing Club website or the Facebook page.

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New Homes With Luxurious Amenities: Resort, Golf, Tennis, Fishing, Spa, and Wooded Trails

Everyday Grandeur D I S C O V E R A LU X U R I O U S G O L F L I F E ST Y L E L I V I N G A LO N G G R A N D N AT I O N A L G O L F C O U R S E Tucked away on the outskirts of Auburn University at the world-class Grand National Golf Course, the award winning National Village offers everything you’ll ever need for the way you want to live. The thoughtfully crafted master planned community features georgeous homes designed by national award winner Larry Garnett and built by Ab and Don Conner at Conner Bros. Construction Co., Inc., a local company with more than 100 years of experience. With the Marriott at Grand National on site, residents enjoy championship golf, miles of picturesque nature trails and lakes for fishing, spa and pool. National Village is truly an unbelievable place to live – inside or out. Plus, thanks to the high speed fiber optic network of Opelika (Alabama’s first Gig City), our homeowners enjoy some of the Nation’s fastest internet for any work- or learn-from-home requirements.

T O L E A R N M O R E , C A L L U S AT 3 3 4 . 7 4 9 . 8 1 6 5 O R V I S I T W W W. N AT I O2022 N A LV I L L A G E . C O M . MAY

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SEAN of the

SOUTH

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

At a weathered lakeside picnic table opposite Sean Dietrich at Lake Martin, I wondered what I could possibly learn about him that he hasn’t already told you. His Sean of the South blog is followed daily by many thousands of online readers, and he is published in newspapers across the Southeast. On any given week, he crisscrosses the country, weaving Southern Rockwellian stories of a modern day Mark Twain childhood gone terribly awry, and his books belie a wisdom far beyond the years of those who read him. And yet, we cannot stop reading because Sean Dietrich makes us chuckle. He makes us wipe tears from our eyes and press hands to our hearts. He makes us nod in agreement, shake our heads in shared shame and laugh with abandon. And he does it on purpose. He told me so that second day of spring as we sat in the sunshine below Wind Creek State Park’s iconic silo. Sean has been visiting Lake Martin with his wife, Jamie, since they married 19 years ago, or shortly after the Spanish-American War, if you read the blog he posted about the true nature of marriage the day after I interviewed him. Jamie grew up in Brewton, Alabama, and they came here often from their former home in Florida. “We used to come to avoid spring break,” Sean said, and since Jamie and he moved to Birmingham in March, he expects they’ll come more often now. “I’ll have to learn freshwater fishing. It’s a different world than what I’m used to.”

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The lake has changed a lot since his younger days, he said. “There’s been an explosion of campers here,” said Sean, who has renovated three AirStreams, including a 1961 Shasta and a 1953 Yellowstone. “When I played in a band, I just spent time camping after playing. That has been a big part of my life. My writing career started out of that margin of camping days.” It’s a writing career that includes fiction and non-fiction books, as well as newspaper syndication – his childhood writing dream come true. He’s written some 4,000 blog posts about the extraordinariness of life, like his March 1 post about finding his book on display at a store where he once applied for a job and was soundly rejected. He cried then, and readers cried with him. He writes passionately about veterans and young soldiers, like the recruit he saw at a busy airport March 2, stoically bidding his mother goodbye on the sidewalk. Later at the gate, he saw that mother’s baby boy, the stoicism replaced by tears. Sean thanked the soldier for his service. And we cried when we read it. “Are you trying to make us cry on purpose?” I asked this writer whose childhood hero was the legendary humorist Lewis Grizzard. “I’m trying to make people feel good, whether that’s crying or laughter. The misnomer is that crying is painful. It’s really good. It’s a release.”

Storyteller and popular syndicated newspaper columnist Sean Dietrich has been escaping to Lake Martin since childhood

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Sean started writing in the fourth grade

Sean’s works make no secret of his tears. He tells his own heart wrenching story through his column, beginning with discovering his passion for writing stories. “When I was in fourth grade, my teacher read Wilson Rawls’ Where the Red Fern Grows to the class. It’s a story about hounds, and I realized I wanted to write like that. I had a Lettera 32 typewriter that my mother gave me. I still have it. You can’t backspace and erase with it. You can’t copy and paste. You have to think linearly,” he explained. “I started writing fiction stories on that typewriter.” Despite his love affair with the written word, Sean failed the fifth grade. “My teacher did not think I was very sharp. They put me in remedial classes with only three other kids, and we were regarded as stupid. I thought I was stupid in fifth grade. My mom fought to get me in the sixth grade at another school, and they accepted me, based on the stories I’d written. I passed with all ‘A’s and ‘B’s.” And then, his world imploded. When Sean was in the seventh grade, his father killed himself. Sean dropped out of school, and as if it were a person, suicide walked with him through the subsequent years. “That most defining character of my life has to be addressed. My father was a suicide label, which made me a suicide label, and I lived under that shadow for many years like a sore that festers,” he confessed, as he often does in his daily blogs. “I think it’s important to probe the wounds, not in a malicious way or a self-harming way, but with a medicinal method. Talking helps me. It changes how it affects me. “In my writing career, I’ve met hundreds – probably thousands – of suicide survivors. Whether it’s self-engineered or thrust upon me from on High, maybe that’s what I was put here to do.” Sean, his mother and sister moved to the Florida panhandle after his father’s death. There, he visited the library three or four times a week. The librarians knew him by name, and he read 58 LAKE

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whatever they brought him in an effort to supplement the education he was missing. “I read books to force myself to stretch. I read newspapers. I love newspapers,” he chuckled. “A newspaperman is like a jazz musician. He plays on the fly. The newspaperman doesn’t have time to painstakingly edit. I like that news writers don’t have the luxury of writers’ block. I’m a blue collar guy; I appreciate the work ethic.” One of the librarians he wrote about in his March 23 blog post slipped E.B. White’s Practical Elements of Style into Sean’s weekly library stack of books. After reading it, he started writing stories again, putting into practice White’s principles. “In my late 20s, my wife – who has three degrees and probably could have worked for the CIA – convinced me to go to community college – which I loved. I got to read whatever I wanted, and I got to write all the time. When I graduated from Northwest Florida State, I started writing. For the first time, it was well received,” he said. “I don’t want to waste my time writing something that doesn’t have heart. “What I admired about newspapermen of old was their Spartan use of words. It’s an art form. After doing this column now for 10 years, mostly every day, I’ve learned what isn’t necessary for the story. The flipside of that is I also write long-form books, but my brain is trained to stop at 800 words. I have to force myself to keep writing. That’s not natural for me, but I know my role. It’s to try to make people feel good, lighter, better. If I’ve done that, I could die in peace.” If he could have dinner with any three people dead or alive, Sean Dietrich would pass up the famous and acclaimed to invite the man on the street corner forecasting the end of the world. “I’ll bet he’s got stories to tell, and the musician in a beer joint that has the talent but the magic just didn’t strike. The old lady who opens up the bedroom in back for the down-on-his-luck passerby, and she’s housed hundreds of them.” Growing up fearful of everything from spiders and snakes to drinking water, he would tell his younger self to lighten up, relax. “Just be who you always are.” His best writing is for and about people who are riddled with self-doubt, struggling to find life’s answers. “We’re finding out together, and I love it,” he said. “I’ve been all over the nation, speaking and writing about it. I see the world better in narrative form. I’m learning to choose happiness.” That just might be the most important thing there is to know about Sean Dietrich, or anyone else. Read Sean of the South at seandietrich.com, and find his books at your local neighborhood bookstore.

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lakemar tinsignatureconstruc tion.com LAKE 59 MAY 2022

White Clover

If you have a lawn, chances are good you have White Clover growing among your grass blades … even though that plant is not supposed to be on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most common lawn weeds in North America, White Clover is native to Central Asia and Europe, including Great Britain. But because it is such a good forage crop for livestock, this clover has been introduced across most of the world and is now common in temperate climates in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan, as well as North America. European colonists brought it to North America, where it became known by Native Americans as “white man’s foot-grass” because it seemed to appear wherever colonists settled. White Clover is known by the scientific name Trifolium repens, and it is well named. In Latin, Trifolium means “three leaf” and repens means “creeping.” If you’ve ever tried to pull this threeleaf clover from your lawn, you already know that where you find one batch of clover, you’ll find another – and another – attached by stems or stolons running along the soil’s surface. Every so often, the stolons have joints or nodes where this plant can produce roots to draw nutrients from the soil or stems with leaflets, which produce energy through photosynthesis. Often, White Clover will form dense mats, crowding out most other plants. White Clover is a short, green plant with three smooth, oval leaflets on the end of a central stem. Each three-leaf stem is also called a shamrock. Very rarely, White Clover will produce four leaflets rather than three. Irish tradition says a four-leaf clover is a symbol of good luck, with the four leaflets representing faith, hope, love and luck. Tradition holds that there are more four-leaf clovers found in Ireland than anywhere else, which may be where the phrase “the luck of the Irish” originated. Most White Clover leaflets have a white, rounded band crossing near the leaflet’s mid point. White Clover flower heads are made up of 40-80 individual white or sometimes light pink flowers or florets. The flower heads measure 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 inches

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Clover blossoms are made up of 40 to 80 individual flowers

NATURE OF THE LAKE BY KENNETH BOONE

A four-leaf clover is said to represent faith, hope, love and luck

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across. taste. Clover is more This is a plant digestible for humans that grows best in a after it is cooked, temperature range though you can eat of 50-85 degrees this plant raw. Fahrenheit. White Clover n There are roughly 5,000 three-leaf clovers for There are a number contains a number every four-leaf clover. of subspecies and culof healthy vitamins n If you do spot a four-leaf clover, look nearby. tivars of White Clover. including A, B2, B3, A ny clover plant that produces four leaves is Generally, the name C and E, as well as more likely to do so again on other stems. Dutch Clover is used magnesium, calcium, n S ometimes, a fourth leaflet will be a different for smaller and medichromium and potasshade of green or smaller than the other three um sized clovers while sium. leaflets. Ladino Clover is used There are many n I t is said that if you find a four-leaf clover and for larger varieties. ways to consume give it away, you will double your good luck. White Clover is a White Clover. Its n I rish Druids believed that they could see evil member of the legume leaves and flowers are spirits if they carried a shamrock (three-leafed family, like most brewed into a tisane clover). beans and peas, and or the leaves can be nC hildren in Britain in the Middle Ages believed like other members added to a salad or that if they carried a four-leaf clover, they would of this plant family, it used as a garnish. This be able to see fairies. fixes nitrogen in the clover can be cooked nT he record for collecting four-leaf clovers is soil. This allows the with other vegetables. held by American Katie Bora, who found 166 in clover to make its own Flowers and seeds can an hour on June 23, 2018. fertilizer and survive be dried and ground n S paceX includes an embroidered patch of a in places where many to make a gluten-free four-leaf clover on each space mission for luck. other plants cannot. flour. Dried White n S t. Patrick used the three leaflets of a shamrock It also serves to make Clover flowers have to explain the concept of the three-in-one Holy soils more fertile, even been smoked as Trinity to the Irish. which makes it a good an alternate to tobaccover crop for gardenco. ers and farmers who Through the years, want to add “green White Clover has also manure” to their soils. Bees are also very attracted been used as an herbal remedy for fever, coughs, to White Clover flowers and use the nectar to make nausea and dizziness. Although modern herbalists highly prized clover honey. say White Clover can have a blood-thinning effect, The stems, leaves, flowers and seeds of White it is considered safe to consume in moderation. It Clover are edible and have a mild, slightly sweet can also be used to treat wounds, sores and burns

Interesting Facts About White Clover

White clover flowers contain a variety of healthful vitamins and minerals

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when applied to the skin. Some of the cultures that used White Clover as a medicine include the Turks, Indians and Native Americans. Cattle farmers consider White Clover mixed with grass one of the best feeds available for their herds. Where cattle consume White Clover, ranchers see improved milk production, improved conception rates and generally healthier animals. To add White Clover to a pasture, it’s best to mow the existing grass, then lightly disk the field and sow clover seed at a rate of 3 to 4 pounds per acre. White Clover is also extensively planted in food plots to attract whitetail deer. Some information for this article came from Clemson University, The University of Florida, Better Homes and Gardens and eattheplanet.org.

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Advanced ultrasound testing Nuclear medicine imaging in fully accredited labs Management of cardiac rhythm disorders Interventional cardiology care

HEART & VASCULAR CLINIC AT RUSSELL MEDICAL Make an appointment today by calling (256) 234-2644. 3368 Highway 280, Suite 130 • Alexander City, AL 35010 uabmedicine.org/HeartRussell

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New design trends coming S Lots of lights

Bold and brassy

ummer is not the only warming up activity to prepare for this spring. A new wave of color is blossoming. From red red to azure blue, color is back and is intensifying. That is the newest information about lifestyle changes related to design that I experienced in person at some of the biggest professional trade shows in the U.S and Europe over the last sixplus months, shows like the ADAC in Atlanta, Georgia; the High Point Market in North Carolina; the International Builder’s Show in conjunction with the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Orlando; and the international experience of Maison & Objet in Paris, France. After all the disruptions to livelihoods and lifestyles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the shifts in design could add refreshing hues and much needed warmth from cars to cups. Realizations of how blah and overwhelming a house full of grey, white and other neutrals can feel after not leaving home daily during waking hours already has design savvy consumers running for color. Although, many of these changes will not be seen in the United States for a few years yet, one can live vicariously through magazines for now. It will be exciting to see how the circular effects of design trends will pair with new and emerging design styles, as these items are implemented by forward thinking interior designers. In the meantime, past forecasts that are now trending in professional trade shows and designcentric communities include the usual revamping of colors and materials with new methods of manufacturing technology. But there are a few fresh takes that give pause and consider the longevity of appeal. Drapes and window coverings are back in a big way with new textures and patterns. Apparently, those bare windows were not as appealing when everyone was home. The fabulous new fabrics and trims are just as important as the protective advantages and spatial complements: n Single layers of well-made sheers and shades (simple or with added shimmer, embroidery and detail). n Lightweight drapes and sheers combinations allow for the same lofty feeling of bare windows while providing privacy. n Blackout drapes and shades are not as popular yet, but there is always a need for one or both as a part of any sleeping area window

Wild wallpapers

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covering installation. Customization is huge right now, and manufacturers are as ready for change as are consumers. From appliances to wallcoverings, this shift shows great promise for a near future where preferences for custom over generic installations of everyday equipment and materials will overtake safe copycat behavior. n Every moderate to high-end appliance manufacturer is offering custom combinations. Color/finish options, highly unique panel kits and pro-cooking brands are taking it up a notch by promoting modules to combine gas and induction cooktop options. n Bathrooms with custom tile work or new concepts in panel systems will make those cheap fiberglass options obsolete. Those terribly ugly dams for shower pans are losing ground, as people opt for seamless and easy to maintain zeroclearance entries in so many design/color options it makes the head spin. n Wallcoverings and wallpapers are not going away. LAKE PROPERTY They are getting BY STEPHANIE COLEY more unique, customized and easy to maintain – indoors, on ceilings, and outdoors. n Furniture is following the same path with options galore, yet still mimicking eras gone by. Watch for ’70s vibes being added to the mix of design rebirths. Integrated technology will continue to grow in popularity, which makes all the sense in the world as society moves nearer to the center point of a high-tech century. Tech is becoming increasingly hidden in plain sight – materials and tech are overlapping. Larger numbers of kitchens and automated appliances are linked to electronic devices; TV screens are set in picture frames; speakers can hide behind drywall and fit into accessories; HVAC vents can be hidden in bookshelves, etc. Indoor/outdoor blurred lines will continue in large homes, entertainment/food venues and will show a marked increase and include smaller homes, schools, workplaces and frequented places as doors and windows change shape and expand in function. Even garages are performing quadruple duty.

Laundry and specialty rooms – the same goes for these spaces. The laundry is larger with wildly advanced technology and more than one job – add built-in steamers, specialty equipment and delivery access. As for the wine room, humidors, olive oils, cheeses, cured meats, and beer have moved in. Finish materials are taking on more than one purpose as tile continues its shift into more of a feature on larger vertical surfaces, as cladding and decoration and wallcoverings are moving into wet areas. Even typical baseboards, crown and other moldings are taking on new jobs as lighting, clean air and security elements. Finally, the emerging trends. It will be interesting to see how far they go and how long they last. n Lighting installations – Every single market and show home had a version of lighting installation as a point of interest in the ceilings. Instead of having one chandelier with recessed or trough lighting, the ceilings were set aglow by multiple pendants or chandelier groupings. Some were very cool; some overwhelming and others, distracting. n Secondary kitchens and pantries on steroids – The homes and manufacturer vignettes were full of doubled kitchens, appliances with new names and suggested purposes. And outdoor kitchens were massive. n Exterior cladding, entry doors and outdoor areas are changing in style, texture and technology. n External rooms and buildings are increasing in number and purposes – not just for guests or in-laws but also for work, exercise, delivery and more. There is so much on the horizon that a single article cannot do it justice. We are not emerging from a pandemic; we are on the verge of massive changes in lifestyle. The sea of life is moving away from the sameness of the copycat world and creating unique yet staid waves at every income level. Think about it. Will you float or ride the wave? Stephanie Coley is a certified design and construction professional with more than 22 years of multi-discipline experience. Follow her on Instagram @scenariodesigninc or email her at ssimon@sceanarchdesign.com. MAY 2022

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lamberthandlamberth.com

256-234-6401 6 Franklin Street • Alexander City

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

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Buoy volunteers essential T

hrough Lake Martin Resource Association, Lake Martin is blessed with one of the Southeast’s premier hazard buoy programs, and other lake communities consider the LMRA program one to emulate. The placement and management of hazard buoys is a primary initiative program of the LMRA Boating Safety Program. The authority to place and manage hazard buoys was granted by the Alabama Marine Patrol. ‘Slow No Wake’ and ‘Keep Out’ buoys, which are classified as private buoys, must be authorized by the Marine Patrol and are installed and maintained by LMRA. The hazard buoy program had its humble beginnings in the mid 1990s. Originally, the program utilized Russell Lands employees LMRA and was facilitated by Mr. Ben BY RANDY KIRKLAND Russell. As more homeowners and visitors were attracted to Lake Martin, boating safety became an essential focus. Underwater hazards were dangerous and needed to be marked. As the number of hazards identified increased, it was clear a program needed to be created to address the issue. LMRA was the organization that could handle the responsibility of identifying and marking the hazards. The LMRA Board of Directors accepted the challenge, and a board member volunteered to gather some friends to assist in the effort. This group used their personal boats to locate hazards and install buoys. Around 2007, LMRA received the donation of its first workboat. It was an old pontoon boat that probably burned as much oil as gas, but it was better than using private boats. LMRA purchased a used pontoon boat in 2012. This workboat was larger and provided greater weight capacity for buoys, anchors and supplies. We needed this capacity because each buoy weighs approximately 70 pounds, and each anchor is 110 pounds. We normally carry six to 10 anchors and 10 buoys on each trip. The boat was modified to include a bow work deck, electric winch, buoy storage and a GPS/navigation system. From these humble beginnings, LMRA now manages more than 320 hazard buoys and more than 125 Slow No Wake/Boaters Keep Out buoys. We have a warehouse for buoys and supplies, an inventory replenishment and reorder process, buoy activity/target forms, trip logging system and hazard buoy GPS location exports from the navigation system to a map app located at LMRA.info. But the need existed for more, so in 2016, LMRA initiated a new project called Light up Lake Martin to increase the number of lighted hazard buoys in high traffic areas on

Lake Martin. We’re now up to 90 lighted hazard buoys and add more each year. The LMRA buoy maintenance team is a hard-working group of volunteers. They contributed more than 420 hours in 2021. Teams make buoy trips multiple times per month, except during winter pool. Additional volunteer activities include sourcing anchor buckets, pouring concrete anchors, warehousing, purchasing, inventory control and moving supplies from the warehouse to the workboat. The GPS coordinates for all hazard buoys are recorded on the GPS/NAV device, which makes it easier to locate and replace missing or damaged buoys to within a few feet of the original location. If you notice a missing or adrift buoy, please contact us at LMRA.info or call 256-212-1422. The website also includes a Buoy Guidelines document, which provides great detail on the types of buoys, placement and proximity considerations. Finally, LMRA is an active, member-supported nonprofit organization. All funding is derived from membership dues and donations. Our buoy program consumes 65 percent of the LMRA annual budget, so we’re always looking for new members and/or donations. We’re very proud of our buoy program and believe it is essential in promoting boating safety on beautiful Lake Martin. Randy Kirkland chairs the LMRA Boating Safety program and serves on the organization's board of directors. Learn more at LMRA.info.

Mroe than 25 buoy team volunteers help to keep the lake safe for boaters

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Good for You Grapes G

Strawberry Salad 1 head romaine lettuce, cut or torn into bite size pieces 10-ounce package shredded cabbage 1-1/2 cups golden raisins 1 cup red grapes, halved 1 pint strawberries, sliced 1/2 red onion, sliced 1 12-ounce bottle creamy poppy seed dressing 1 2.25-ounce bag pine nuts 1 2.25-ounce bag sliced almonds Mix the lettuce, cabbage, raisins, grapes, strawberries and onion together in a large bowl. Add dressing slowly, tossing to coat. Top with pine nuts and almonds to serve.

Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad 1 16-ounce package spiral or rotini pasta 4 cups cubed chicken 1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained 1-1/2 cups sliced celery 3/4 cup thinly sliced green onion 1 cup seedless red grapes 1 cup seedless green grapes 1 5-ounce package dried cranberries 1 cup ranch dressing 3/4 cup mayonnaise 2 cups salted cashews Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pineapple, celery, onions, grapes and cranberries. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into chicken mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the ranch salad dressing with the mayonnaise. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Just before serving, stir in cashews.

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rapes are the third most popular fruit in America behind strawberries and bananas. Grapes are easy. Grapes taste sweet, travel well, are convenient for portable snacks, are fun to eat, pair well with other fruits and cheeses and add color and taste to salads. They require no utensils, look great and hold up nicely on charcuterie boards. Grapes come in several colors, from green to red, black, yellow and pink. Nutritionally, grapes rank high due to their nutrient and antioxidant content. Like any fruit, grapes are healthy when eaten in moderation. Their high natural sugar content adds up when eaten by the handful, which is why I recommend sticking to one serving of grapes, about 16 or roughly 1/2 cup. It is helpful to portion out a serving into a plastic snacksize bag to better keep track of intake. Grapes are packed with nutrients and are low in calories, averaging around 50 calories per serving. They are high in copper, potassium and Vitamin K and provide a good source of B vitamins, like thiamine and riboflavin, which are needed for growth and development, as well as Vitamin B6, which is important for metabolism. Good for the brain, grapes improve memory and cognitive function. The antioxidants in grapes help to decrease oxidative stress in the brain and protect the brain from memory loss due to ageing. Grapes increase blood flow to the brain, which improves daily focus. Studies have shown that resveratrol, an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes, decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s by reducing inflammation in the brain, as well as improving learning, memory and mood. Grapes reduce inflammation in the body, too. Inflammation is a precursor to many conditions, particularly cancer, heart disease, asthma, Type 2 Diabetes and Rheumatoid arthritis. Antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, polyphenols, catechins and anthocyanins all help reduce inflammation, and they are found abundantly in grapes. Red grapes are known to be rich in the antioxidant resveratrol, which protects against oxidative stress and inflammation. Grapes also help to improve blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk of the two leading causes of death in America: heart disease and stroke. The good news is that high blood pressure can be treated.

MAY 2022

Incorporating grapes as a snack can help tion or one serving (16 grapes or 1/2 cup). improve blood pressure because this fruit is Keeping in mind all these amazing health high in potassium and low in sodium. Grapes benefits that grapes offer, anyone could benefit can be a safe snack for people with diabetes from incorporating grapes into a heathy diet. when eaten in moderation. As the summer season kicks off, look for ways Managing blood sugar levels over time is to incorporate them into snacks while hiking, important for decreasing the risk for diabetes biking, picnicking, spending days at the lake and preventing diabetic complications. While and pool and going to outdoor concerts. grapes are high in sugar, they have a low Grapes can be eaten alone anytime of the to moderate glycemic index (a measure of HEALTHY LIVING day or blend them with spinach, cucumber, how fast a food will raise your blood sugar), banana, kale and mint for a nutrient rich BY JULIE HUDSON which makes them safe to eat in moderation smoothie. Grapes are delicious on top of for diabetics. Resveratrol in grapes may protect against yogurt, along with crushed nuts and a drizzle of honey. high blood sugar. Frozen grapes are a refreshing and delicious summer treat. Grapes could even help you get better sleep. They conToss grapes into green salads or chicken salads. tain a natural source of melatonin, which is a hormone Pair grapes with other fruits for dessert or a that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Melatonin is found side dish. A simple hors d’oeuvre could mainly in grape skin, explaining why it is also present in be made by skewering a grape with a products like grape juice and wine. Try snacking on one chunk of cheese and sprig of serving of grapes a few hours before bedtime. mint. Grapes are a nice addiThe immune system also gets a boost from grapes. A tion to all-time favorite brocstrong immune system will help fight off illness. coli salad recipes, too. A drawback to overeating grapes is that is can sometimes cause stomach ache. Fructose is a natural sugar found Julie Hudson is a in fruit, and when eaten in large amounts, it can cause gas. certified dietician at Tannins, which are naturally occurring polyphenols found Lake Martin Wellness in the skins and seeds of grapes, can also contribute to diar- Center in Dadeville. rhea and nausea when eaten in large amounts. To reap the health benefits of grapes, use the rule of eating in modera-

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FABULOUS FINDS FROM OUR REAL ESTATE ADVERTISERS

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459 Silver Hill Road, Dadeville • $750,000 Beds: 3 • Baths: 2 • Waterfront Lake Martin Realty Adam Yager 205.914.0830 LakeMartinRealty.com

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Russell Cabins at The Willows, Portico • $995,000 Builder: Classic Homes • Beds: 4 Baths: 4.5 • Sq Ft: 2,396 Russell Lands Rhonda Watson, Anna Speaks 256.215.7011 RussellLands.com

96 MacKenzie Way, Dadeville • $679,000 Beds: 5 • Baths: 3.5 • Waterfront Lake Martin Realty Jeff & Denise Cochran 256.786.0099 LakeMartinRealty.com

1147 Willow Way N, Alexander City • $8,995,000 Beds: 11 • Baths: 12 • Waterfront Lake Martin Realty India Davis 256.212.1457 LakeMartinRealty.com

48 Outboard Circle, Jackson’s Gap • $1,200,000 Beds: 4 • Baths: 4 • Waterfront Lake Martin Realty Damon Story 205.789.9526 LakeMartinRealty.com

189 Williams Road Unit M1, Alexander City • $420,000 Beds: 3 • Baths: 2 • Waterfront Lake Martin Realty Lindsay Kane 256.675.6792 LakeMartinRealty.com

MAY 2022

26 Beech Circle, Alexander City • $2,800,000 Beds: 4 • Baths: 3.5 • Waterfront Lake Martin Realty Jan Hall 256.329.6313 LakeMartinRealty.com

DID YOU KNOW? When Realtors advertise in Lake magazine they recieve FREE fab finds. Call 256-234-4281 to find out how. LAKEMAGAZINE.LIFE

LAKE 71

72 LAKE

MAY 2022

Orange-Plum Torte

Pie Dough Ingredients 3-3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2-1/8 cups butter 1 cup ice water

Pie Dough Directions

Mix and sift flour, sugar and salt together. Cut in butter until pea-sized. Then, add the ice water close to the inside edges and blend together by hand. Form dough into a rectangle and cut into four relatively equal pieces. Form each dough section into a disk and refrigerate overnight.

Orange-Plum Filling Ingredients

4 plums cut into slices 3 oranges, peeled and cut into segments 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon orange juice 2 teaspoons orange zest 2 teaspoons flour for thickening

Orange-Plum Filling Directions

Add filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to coat fruit slices and sections.

Plum Coulis Ingredients 5 plums, peeled and pit removed 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water

Coulis Directions

Boil ingredients together for five minutes or until sauce is thick.

To Assemble

Pete McKenny, General Manager and Executive Chef at SpringHouse Restaurant, trained at four-star restaurants and Forbes four-star resorts in Ohio,Washington, Arizona and Vermont before returning to Russell Lands on Lake Martin, where he began his career as chef de cuisine at Willow Point Golf & Country Club 12 years ago.

Roll each dough section into a 6- to 8-inch circle. Place the plum and orange filling in a circular pattern inside each circle with a 1/2-inch border. Roll up the border, crossing each folded edge over the previous fold. Pinch each fold to seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Top each torte with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle ice cream and shell edges with coulis.

MAY 2022

LAKE 73

CHEF'S TABLE

BY PETE MCKENNY

Go Soft

74 LAKE

MAY 2022

efore choosing a bait or location, it’s I prefer a 6- to 10-foot Seaguar Tatsu leader important to understand just exactly attached to a 20-pound Seaguar Smackdown what the fish are up to this time of (braid) mainline. I still like to fish it on a year. The month of May is a period of transpinning rod for casting distance and to be sition for the bass, so it’s not uncommon to able to skip under bushes, docks, etc. One encounter different groups of fish that are final tip: To get the bait to run a little deeper in all phases related to the spawn. In this or to be able to fish it faster, rig a barrel region of the country, the bulk of the fish swivel about 8 inches in front of the hook. have already finished laying eggs. There are This also helps with line twist from casting always a few that will be late, but finding a and working the bait. BIG CATCHES pair of bass in the act of spawning will be an Soft plastic jerkbaits are another great BY GREG VINSON exception this far into the spring. It’s espechoice. The principal is very much the same cially rare as we move later into the month. as with the floating worm, but flukes and other soft jerkAlthough most of the fish have completed the spawnbaits have deeper bodies and more aggressive action. ing ritual, many don’t immediately take off to deeper This can be good as the water warms and the activity water. The surface temperatures will be in the upper 60s levels of the bass heat up. Flukes or the Netbait Twitch to 70s. That’s still plenty comfortable for a bass, espebait are great shad and/or bream imitators. cially a largemouth bass. Male bass will stay close to the Try natural shad-like colors or just plain white when nests and guard their fry from minnows, bream etc. The mimicking shad that get around bushes, docks, laydowns females generally hang around in the area for a while as and seawalls in the morning. As the sun gets higher, look they recoup from the rigors of the spawn. for areas of shade to keep the bite going. The soft jerkThere are a couple of factors at play to provide food baits resemble bream as well. Just change up the color for the bass in these shallow areas. First, the shad often choices to something green pumpkin, watermelon red or spawn at night and in early morning hours. This presents similar. an easy opportunity for the bass to feed up and rebuild Rig these baits on a wide gap hook to compensate for some body mass lost during the spawn. Second, the the extra bulk of the bait body. Since the bait has a little bream begin spawning just as the bass finish up. The more weight due to the thicker body, it can be fished bream have pestered bass nests for a few weeks, and now more easily on a baitcasting setup and heavier line. I preis the time that the bass get to turn the tide. fer 15-pound Seaguar Tatsu line. To take advantage of the shallow, early post-spawn A third weightless rig that can be very effective is the bite, weightless plastics are a great option to consider. wacky rig. The most common bait used for this tech‘Weightless’ simply means not using a lead or tungnique is a Senko, named after the first one designed by sten weight to sink the soft plastic bait to the bottom. Yamamoto baits. It’s a heavier plastic formula, and the Weightless soft plastics can be fished super shallow and bait has a wiggle on the initial fall. I use a Netbait Salt capitalize on the fish’s preference to look up this time of Lick that’s similar. year. Shad have spawned on or near the surface, and the With the wacky rig, the hook is run through the bass fry typically suspend in a tight group throughout the middle of the bait and is exposed. Using a rubber O-ring day. Even the bream come to the top often because small could help the bait last longer and keep an angler from insects hatch and land on the water surface. slinging it off midcast, especially when skipping it. The For the purpose of this article, assume that most of the weight of the plastic is enough to keep it just below the action takes place in the upper part of the water column. surface, and each end of the worm will pulse with the That’s where you want your bait – on or near the top. slightest amount of rod tip action. It’s hard to say just A Lake Martin staple is the floating worm. It was one exactly what the fish think it is. But one thing’s for sure, of my favorite baits growing up and still tricks plenty of a wacky rig is an incredible way to catch bass when nice bass this time of year. The worm most commonly they are shallow. Possibly, that’s because you get a lot used is a trick worm, but I use a Netbait T-Mac that’s of action from the bait without having to move it very essentially the same style. They don’t actually float, far forward. This allows it to stay in the strike zone or but simply suspend just below the surface and can be the face of the fish for a maximum amount of time while twitched to get side-to-side action that triggers the bite. remaining suspended in the water column. Natural colors, like watermelon red, green pumpkin and Like floating worms, I prefer spinning gear for the black are great, but the extra bright colors work well, wacky worms. Similar line setup too, but a 1/0 round too. White, yellow and bright orange can all be very bend worm hook since the hook is exposed. good, and they are fun to fish because you can watch the Try using these weightless techniques the next time bait visibly as it’s worked. Sometimes, you’ll even see out on the lake. They are very easy, very effective and the bass come up behind the bait as they engulf it. very fun to fish, even for kids. Rig the floating worm weedless with a 4/0 to 5/0 hook, as with rigging a Texas rigged worm but withGreg Vinson is a full-time professional angler on out the bullet weight. A 10- to 12-pound line is a good the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. He lives in choice to get a good cast, good action and still have Wetumpka and grew up fishing on Lake Martin. enough strength to deal with a fish around sparse cover. MAY 2022

LAKE 75

Legend

280

To Sylacauga

Alexander City

Public Boat Ramps 19

Churches

Camp ASCCA

11 Flint Hill Church

Camps & Parks 280

Power lines U.S. Highways

County Roads Piney Woods Landing

Wind Creek State Park

Pleasant Grove Church

COOSA COUNTY

Alex City Boat Ramp

Mt. Zion Church

259 9

128

Russell Farms Baptist Church 63

D.A.R.E. Park Landing

Friendship Church

18 20

New Hope Church

Liberty Church

12 Willow Point

Equality

Paces Point Boat Ramp

Camp Alamisco

Kowaliga Boat Landing

22 The Ridge

Seman

Camp Kiwanis

1 15

Church in The Pines

The Amp Ko w

ali

19 80

Central

29 90

Union

ELMORE COUNTY Union Church

Red Hill 63

229

Eclectic

Tallassee

20 Kent

76 LAKE

Union Landing

Children’s Harbor

Trillium

MAY 2022

Timbergut Landing

Horseshoe Bend National Park

Jaybird Landing

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

Jacksons Gap 280

Bethel Church

Dadeville

280

25 Camp Hill

Smith Landing Pleasant Ridge Church Red Ridge United Methodist Church

16 Lake Martin Baptist Church 49 Church of the Living Waters

18 Lake Martin Storm Shelters 256-794-8075 970 Hwy. 63 South, Alex City, AL 35010

22. The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300 450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

19 4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567 1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010

33. River North Marina 256-397-1500 250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 20 334-541-2132 1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

42. Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors 256-397-1700 19 Russell Marine Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

4. Russell Building Supply 21 256-825-4256 350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853

52. Real Island Marina 256-397-1200 2700 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026

4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 22 256-794-1333 288 Stables Loop, Alex City, AL 35010

63. Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888 7280 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

234. Dark Insurance 256-234-5026 410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 www.darkinsuranceagency.com

2. Parker Creek Marina 7 256-329-8550 486 Parker Creek Marina Rd., Equality, AL 36026 83. Harbor Pointe Marina 256-825-0600 397 Marina Point Rd., Dadeville, AL 36853 www.harborpointe.net

Walnut Hill 50

25 . Off the Beaton Path 205-994-0847 21322 Hwy. 280, Dadeville, AL 36853 26 . Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage 334-391-0717 8421 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

10 2. Lakeside Marina at Bay Pines 256-825-0999 3455 Bay Pine Rd., Jackson's Gap, AL 36861

Churches

6. SpringHouse 13 256-215-7080 12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 146. Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070 17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 15 Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035 295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

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

2. Lakeside Marina 9 256-825-9286 7361 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

Restaurants & Venues

27 26 Lake Pointe Baptist Church

Business & Shopping

12 Smith Marina - Shipwreck Sam's Froyo 256-444-8793 smithmarinaonlakemartin@yahoo.com

17 50

Marinas 11. Kowaliga Marina 256-397-1210 255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

2. Alex City Marine 11 256-215-FISH(3474) 2190 Cherokee Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Stillwaters

Lake Martin Alabama

27 Lake Pointe Baptist Church 256-373-3293 8352 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853 28 Red Ridge United Methodist Church 256-825-9820 8091 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853

Dock Builders 29 Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc Marine Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443 180 Birmingham Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

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

16 Lake Martin Pizza 256-373-3337 5042 Hwy 49, Dadeville, AL 36853 17 The Burritos Corner Mexican Grill 256-307-1887 8605 AL HWY 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

Reeltown

MAY 2022

LAKE 77

Lake Magazine Distribution ALEXANDER CITY Robinson Iron A & M Plumbing Carlos The Body Shop Walgreens Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. Jake's Moore Wealth Management Carlisle's Emporium Wine Cloud Nine Downtown Girl Shay Aesthetics JR'S Hillabee Towers Senior Nutrition Center Noel Boone George Hardy First Realty Dark Insurance Warren Appliance MainStreet Family Care Grace's Flowers Koon's Korner Larry's General Merchandise Daylight Donuts Alfa

78 LAKE

Valley Bank - 280 Pricare Temple Medical AllState BB&T Bank Hometown Pharmacy Lake Martin Home Health Allen's Food Mart (Exxon) Karen Channell - State Farm Insurance North Lake Condo River Bend Store River North Marina Lake Martin Building Supply Petro Sho'Nuff BBQ Hair Design Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Longleaf Antique Mall Playhouse Cinemas Chamber of Commerce Winn Dixie Re/Max Around the Lake City Hall A&E Metal Regions Bank Marathon - 280 Renfroe's Market

Russell Medical Center Russell Marine Boating and Outdoors Koon's II Tallapoosa Ford Dylan Johnson - Country Financial Holley's Home Furniture Jackson's Drugs Selling Lake Martin - Amy Clark The Sure Shot Shell - 280 Big B Bar-B-Que Russell Do It Center Russell Home Decor Holman Floor Satterfield Inc. Grain & Leaf, Bottles & Cigars Tippy Canoe Love Lake Martin Real Estate Office Wind Creek Gate Wind Creek Store Willow Point Office Willow Point Country Club Smith Marina on Lake Martin Nails Kowaliga Marina Kowaliga Restaurant Children's Harbor Catherine's Market Russell Lands Corporate Office Russell Lands Real Estate Sales Center Springhouse Restaurant Ridge Club Ridge Marina HACKNEYVILLE Hackneyville Water Authority NEW SITE Piggly Wiggly - New Site Foodland DADEVILLE Chamber of Commerce Raining Dogs Studio & Gallery Root 49 Salon Ellaby Boutique, LLC Alabama Power Siggers Siggers Barbershop Fusion Cafe Dadeville Library At the Beauty Shop Dadeville Courthouse Payne's Furniture PNC Bank Valley Bank McKelvey Chevrolet Renfroe's Market Foshee's Boat Doc Lakeshore Pharmacy

MAY 2022

Russell Building Supply Lakay's Tallapoosa Nutrition Sweet Pickins Century 21 - Rhonda Gaskins Farmers & Merchants Bank Jim's Pharmacy Poplar Dawgs Still Waters Country Club Still Waters Home Association Russell Lands Realty Fuller Realty Harbor Pointe Oskar's Aronov Realty Lake Martin Creekside Lodge Blue Creek Marina Lakeside Marina Niffers Hwy 50 Eagle Millstone Japanese Maple Nursery Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Chuck's Marina Deep Water Docks Lake Martin Pizza CAMP HILL Link Gas Station EQUALITY Five Star Plantation Equality Food Mart Southern Star Parker Creek Marina Charles Borden ECLECTIC Lake Breeze Realty Offshore Marina Lake Martin Mini Mall Corner Stone Coffee Co. Lake Martin Dock Company Cotton's Alabama Barbecue Russell Do It Center Johnson Furniture WOW Catering LLC Eclectic Library Real Island Marina Anchor Bay Marina Wetumpka Wetumpka Herald Office Tallassee Marathon Tallassee Eagle Tallassee Chamber Parris Mullins Jr. O.D. Get Lake magazine delivered to your mailbox for just $50 per year. To start your subscription, call Linda Ewing at 256-234-4281.

Lake Martin Business and Service Directory

COACH KRAFT

UPHOLSTERY Complete Marine Upholstery! ■

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

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

KOWALIGA WHOLE HEALTH PET CARE

Mary S. Battistella, DVM

e May Special e Microchips $32 Each

$20 OFF - Regularly $52 (334) 857-1816

LAKE

8610 KOWALIGA ROAD ECLECTIC, ALABAMA

Relax. Enjoy. Lake Martin. Call to order your subscription 256-234-4281

MAGAZINE

MAY 2022

LAKE 79

Our Advertisers n To Join, Call 256.234.4281 A&M Plumbing............................................................. 63

Hank Staley................................................................... 79

Precise Pressure Washing......................................... 79

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

Henderson Glass......................................................... 79

Prime Management....................................................... 6

Alex City Marine........................................................... 6

Heritage South Credit Union.................................. 81

Reinhardt Lexus.......................................................... 13

Angela VanHouten....................................................... 33

Hinson Galleries.......................................................... 39

Renaissance Electronics............................................... 5

Artic Air........................................................................ 12

Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage............... 79

Russell Lands................................................... 42, 43, 84

As Close As Family..................................................... 70

Hughes Pools............................................................... 12

Russell Marine................................................................ 3

AVSP............................................................................... 34

Karen Channell State Farm...................................... 79

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

Blue Creek Iron Works............................................. 79

Kowaliga Whole Health............................................. 79

Saint James Episcopal Church.................................. 15

Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation..........................................8

Lake Martin Dock....................................................... 15

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

Buy the Yard................................................................. 70

Lake Martin Mortgage................................................ 71

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

Childersburg Primary Care...................................... 65

Lake Martin Pressure Washing................................. 65

Singleton Marine......................................................... 80

Chuck's Marina............................................................ 66

Lake Martin Realty...................................................... 51

Sparkle Cleaning Services......................................... 16

Coach Kraft Upholstery............................................ 79

Lake Martin Signature Construction...................... 59

Sunrise Dock................................................................ 11

Custom Docks............................................................. 16

Lake Martin Storm Shelters..................................... 39

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

Davco............................................................................. 79

Lamberth & Lamberth............................................... 66

Tim James for Governor........................................... 81

Diamond Golf Cars.................................................... 54

Main Street Alexander City...................................... 11

Tippy Canoe................................................................... 6

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

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

TowBoat US................................................................. 54

Electronic Technology Group................................... 79

Moore Wealth Management..................................... 83

UAB Heart & Vascular............................................... 63

George Hardy D.M.D................................................... 8

National Village............................................................ 55

Vacation Rental Management................................... 79

Go Pro Wildlife........................................................... 69

Odd Jobs....................................................................... 78

Wind Creek Zipline................................................... 70

Harbor Pointe Marina................................................ 66

Off the Beaton Path..................................................... 8

80 LAKE

MAY 2022

LAKE 81

82 LAKE

MAY 2022

Parting Shot

~ John Hay

"Friends are the sunshine of life."

Photo by Kenneth Boone

Lake traditions begin at The Heritage. Build yours. Russell Lands extraordinary lakefront community and Coore & Crenshaw golf

ne of the South’s most distinguished companies, Russell Lands, has unveiled plans for Lake Martin’s newest luxury residential development, The Heritage. With stunning lakeside living,

families will build memories, season after season. The centerpiece of the neighborhood will be Wicker Point Golf Club, a signature Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw private golf course, with 18-holes in an extraordinary natural setting of pine plantations, meandering creeks and lakefront holes. A flagship lake club for residents will offer fun, family recreation. Don’t miss the life that will rewrite your heritage for generations. Opportunities coming summer 2022.

RussellLands.com/The-Heritage | 256.215.7011 | RealEstate@RussellLands.com

This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy real estate in The Heritage development to residents of Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania or South Carolina, or to residents of any other jurisdiction where prohibited by law. No offering can be made to residents of New York until an offering plan is filed with the Department of Law of the State of New York. The Heritage is a proposed planned master development on the shores of Lake Martin, Alabama that does not yet exist.

84 LAKE

MAY 2022