Elmore County Living November 2017

Elmore County Living

Team Herring Eclectic's Little Bit of Texas Wetumpka's Museum

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SAVANNAH WEAVER November 2017 ELMORE COUNTY LIVING

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

Do you want to market your business?

We offer the most competitive rates, along with our award-winning design team, who is committed to producing effective advertising that works for you.

Elmore County Living

To advertise contact our marketing consultants Marilyn Hawkins 334-202-5108 or Kat Raiford 334-444-8981 2

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Thank you for voting us #1 as Best Hospital & Hospice Care!

Community Hospital 805 Friendship Road, Tallassee • 334-283-6541 • www.chal.org

Community Hospice Care 1526 Gilmer Avenue, Tallassee • 334-283-4250

We sincerely hope you will allow us to meet your healthcare needs.

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From the Editor's Desk

STAFF

The holidays are my absolute favorite time of the year – decorations, family, food and lots of love.

Thanksgiving has always been my mother’s personal favorite. There are no bells and whistles with that holiday and no expectation to be something, wear something or give something, except gratitude. Gratitude for the positive things in life and the ability to share those with the ones we care about – and eat until you just can’t possibly eat anymore. At least that’s how it works in the Passaretti household.

I am not typically a glass-half-full kind of person, but this season I am choosing to reflect on things that have a positive influence in my life. The stories in these pages hopefully remind us all to be thankful for the impact a person, a business or an idea can have on our path in life.

Family has always been the foundation of my gratitude, so I had a personal soft spot for the father-daughter chiropractic team in Tallassee.

Read about Drs. Herring and Herring on page 12 and the influence in their community with their holistic approach to health care.

Millbrook native Savannah Weaver had a dream and desire to fly, and she took that and ran with it ten fold. What started at age 14 when she first sat at the controls of an aircraft turned into a love for all things aviation. Now a mechanical engineer, Weaver has her commercial pilot's license and teaches others to fly. Read about her journey on page 24.

It’s no mystery that our past influences the future, and we spent time with Sharon Kilpatrick at the Elmore County Museum who has a passion for our local history. Turn to page 16 to learn about Kilpatrick’s impressive displays and the impact those events from years ago have on today’s society.

Even though I may be relatively new to the area, I am thankful to see all of our little towns flourishing. Downtown Eclectic is no exception, and I visited Alabama’s Little Bit of Texas to learn about the latest business venture to expand entertainment. Turn to page 8 to read about a true Western-influenced bar, complete with a Texas-style house band, line dancing and yes, cattle skulls and horse saddles as décor.

The holidays aren’t always about food and family though, as situations may not always permit it. Be sure to read about MK Moore’s unconventional Thanksgiving history on page 46, which reminds us to be grateful for the positive things and make the best out of what we have.

So this Thanksgiving, take a moment and remember to appreciate the good things happening in your life, no matter what your situation may entail – no pressure, no expectations.

Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Chairman

Kenneth Boone

kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com

President & Publisher Steve Baker

steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com

Managing Editor Betsy Iler

betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com

Editor

Amy Passaretti

amy.passaretti@alexcityoutlook.com

Distribution Manager David Kendrick

david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing Consultant Marilyn Hawkins

marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com

Marketing Consultant Kat Raiford

kat.raiford@alexcityoutlook.com

Creative Services Audra Spears

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Contributors

Jeff Langham Carmen Rodgers Jacob Saylor Corey Arwood David Granger

Suellen Young Kathy Monroe Barry Chrietzberg MK Moore

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

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

Amy Passaretti, Editor

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CONTENTS ON THE COVER Savannah Weaver, 24, flies over the city of Wetumpka.

She has earned her commercial pilot's license, is a certifed instructor and is a mechanical engineer.

Photo by Kenneth Boone

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30 Columns 22

Movie Man

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The Gamer

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Community Care

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Southern Delights

Holiday Movie Wishlist Games That Changed It All Home Health

Thanksgiving Adventures

Features

In Every Issue

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Father-Daughter Practice

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Extra! Extra!

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History Comes to Life

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Business Spotlight

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Christmas Events

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Out & About

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Born to Fly

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Coming Up

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Christmas at the Theater

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Where to Find Us

Teams Up For Health

Elmore County Museum Exhibits Join the Festivities Around Town Young Female Pilot's Journey Holiday Shows to Start the Season

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News Briefs

Little Bit of Texas

In Elmore County Fun for Everyone Distribution List

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Wetumpka Named in Top 5 Alabama Destinations Wetumpka was named among the top five off-the-beaten-path destinations in Alabama by RewardExpert – a free service that helps users take full advantage of rewards programs – in its State Spotlight series, data reports designed to delve deep into America’s states and uncover the very best each state has to offer to its visitors.

“Wetumpka sits along the Coosa River, which is one of the reasons why it’s renowned for its whitewater sports,” the report said. “The town hosts the annual Coosa River Whitewater Festival.

Along the river, there are many wonderful nature parks to walk and hike through. Also, 80 million years ago, a meteorite hit what is now nearby downtown Wetumpka and left the Wetumpka meteor crater. The impact crater is 5 miles wide."

For more information and to view the full report, visit the RewardExpert website.

Students help students in time of need

As Texas continues to recuperate after Hurricane Harvey, Junior Beta Club members at Southside Middle School in Tallassee have decided to step up and help out a fellow classroom.

Club members adopted a fifth grade classroom at Dunbar Middle School in Dickinson, Texas, after Heather Henderson, Beta Club Sponsor at SMS, ran across a post on the internet asking for assistance in the wake of the devastating hurricane.

It took a little time, but the club was paired with Hannah Nelsons' fifth grade class.

From that point on, Junior Beta Club's 94 members collected paper, pencils, markers, crayons, scissors and many more items necessary to operate a classroom.

Pink Walk honors breast cancer patients Joy Blondheim was inspired from her personal experience battling cancer to found the Joy to Life Foundation, which helps pay for breast screenings for those unable to afford it on their own or those without insurance.

Approximately 40 attendees, many wearing pink, walked the River Walk through Gold Star Park where they released a flock of pink

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balloons in honor of breast cancer survivors, those currently battling the disease and in memory to those who lost their breast cancer battles.

Blondheim then presented the first pink trashcan in Wetumpka to Mayor Willis for his support, as part of the foundation's fundraiser.

She said she hopes hundreds of the trash cans turn up on the streets of Wetumpka.

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Record turnout at this year's cotton festival Owner Lynn Popwell and her winning chicken, Mary Kate

Extra!

Extra!

News from Elmore County and surrounding areas

This year's annual Cotton Festival in downtown Eclectic had record turnout across the board.

The streets of the small town filled with visitors of all ages milling about among vendors – both arts and crafts and food (eight vendors completely sold out of food) – taking in antique cars, listening to live music from Mike Squires and watching the Cotton Queen festivities, where Hannah Royal was crowned Miss Alabama Cotton Queen.

According to Eclectic Mayor Gary Davenport, there were 35-

40 more vendors than last year and 43 entrants in the Cotton Queen pageant.

The biggest hit of the day was the Kids Zone, which featured new events, such as the inaugural chicken race, new inflatables, sports stations and a petting zoo.

Davenport said Star Wars characters were a surprise addition to the day, with Darth Vader, a storm trooper and a sand trooper all there in costume. The characters were representatives of the Alabama Garrison of the 501st Legion.

Superfoods Customer Appreciation Week for Golden Anniversary Originally called Big Bear, Tallassee's Super Foods celebrated its 50th year of being in business last month and offered giveaways and drawings for customer appreciation.

The store was originally corporate-owned by wholesaler Hudson Thompson, and Norris Watson was the store manager with Gene Lawrence as the produce manager.

Watson and Lawrence bought the business from Thompson soon after the store opened.

The store operated as Big Bear until 1972 when it was given a makeover and renamed Super Foods, a name that has lasted 45 years and counting, despite a few expansions and relocations.

David Lawrence has been involved in the business his entire life, and today he manages the store's daily operations.

“We saw Food Fair come,” Lawrence said. “We saw Food Fair go. We saw Southern Family Foods come and go, the Piggly Wiggly. They were all in the building we are in now.”

Photo taken in 1967 at Big Bear's Grand Opening

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Business Spotlight

Tonya Moore teaches free line dancing classes every Wednesday

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Alabama's Little Bit of Texas Story by Amy Passaretti Photos by Suellen Young

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thriving long-running musician, a professional Nashville choreographer and two men with years of experience in the music world came together to create an iconic Western-style honkytonk in downtown Eclectic.

Alabama’s Little Bit of Texas features a Texas-style dance floor, pool tables, jukebox, a stage and suitable décor to imitate walking into a bar straight out of Forth Worth.

“Every single thing we built and put in here was a spittin’ image of a Texas bar – which is why we call it that,” said Freddy Lovvorn, co-owner of the bar and leader of Freddy Lovvorn and the HeadnSouth Band.

The concept was born when Lovvorn’s band needed a home base after touring for nearly two decades. The band has been together since 1993, traveled all over the world, did a 60-city-in-30-days radio tour and had two Grammy-nominated albums.

“Freddy is the star of the show, even though he’ll never admit it. But the band really comes alive when he gets on stage. They are probably the best band in Alabama, if not the country,” said George McCain, co-owner of the venue.

McCain and Lovvorn teamed up in 2015 to create an entertainment venue where HeadnSouth could be the local house band and have their equipment already set up, so the members could just plug in and play. The six-piece Texas-style band consists of a bass, two guitars, drums, piano and fiddle and

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Freddy Lovvorn

George McCain

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plays mostly traditional country, with some rock and pop highlights. HeadnSouth plays most Fridays and Saturdays, with a cover charge of $5.

“Freddy researched me, saw what I had done in Nashville and thought I would probably be able to help him out,” said McCain, who has been in artist management on music row in Nashville and traveled with John Conlee.

McCain spent a lot of time at the Grand Ole Opry and met numerous Nashville stars, whose autographed photos are now hanging on the walls in Little Bit of Texas. A photo of Lovvorn and his cousin, Emmylou Harris, also sits framed on the edge of the bar.

“With my experience, coupled with Freddy’s experience, which is far more than mine, we felt like that formula would work the way we want it to be, and we’d be able to entertain people,” said McCain.

The 24-foot by 24-foot, two-inch floating Texas-style dance floor is made for boot stompin’ fun and ties in the second factor of the entertainment to complete the business model the team anticipated.

Tonya Moore, professional choreographer, teaches free line dancing classes every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and as many as 45 people have shown up to learn the Tonya and Patrick Moore

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Western moves. She used to be a choreographer and dancer on Nashville’s TV show Wild Horse Saloon in the mid-90s, has traveled with Chubby Checker, been in Country Weekly Magazine and done instructional dance videos.

“It doesn’t matter if someone has danced their whole life or never a step in their life, but I want them to come in and have the best time they’ve ever had.

Relax. Have a good time with fun, friends, family and enjoyment. That’s what I try to bring to the table,” said Moore.

The venue's décor Line dancing is a is reminiscent crucial aspect of a of a Texas-style Texas-style dance hall honky-tonk and adds to the formula of success, said Lovvorn.

Moore and her husband, Patrick, recently moved to Wetumpka after passing through the area for years to hear Lovvorn play. Patrick first met Lovvorn more than 30 years ago, and he has helped promote Lovvorn and his band throughout the country and Europe.

Moore and he also own P&T Entertainment, as well as Six Pak Records.

The 5,000-squarefoot venue is currently open Wednesday through Saturday, with karaoke with Tom Weldon, pool tournaments and Chicken Bingo, with a chicken named Elvis, on Thursday nights.

McCain and Lovvorn discovered the space where the bar currently stands with hopes to expand the entertainment in downtown Eclectic and draw in local business, as well as surrounding areas, such as Tallassee, Wetumpka, Alexander City, Montgomery and others.

“There’s a lot of diversity coming in to Eclectic. So if we put all these places together, and they’re all so dif-

ferent, you get more people coming to town. Eclectic is right in the center of a lot of areas, and it’s growing,” said Moore.

McCain and Lovvorn said it was the perfect location for what they wanted to do, so they renovated the place, bought Texas-style tables and chairs, built the bar and dance floor and ensured the ambiance and design matched the bar’s style.

“A lot of the decorations you see in here are ideas I’ve gotten from some places I’ve played before. That saddle hanging over the dance floor, I saw in Silver Saddle Saloon in Arkansas. The cowboy hat light fixtures over the bar were something I had seen in Las Vegas.

Those little things are the things I’ve experienced that work, and I wanted to incorporate them here,” said Lovvorn.

Right now, Little Bit of Texas serves some basic bar food, including nachos and pizza, but is hoping to add grills to its back deck to expand its menu in the near future.

What makes the bar so unique is not only the entertainment concept, but that the closest bar similar to it is nearly 150 miles away in Dothan, said Patrick.

“Pretty much everyone that’s come, has come back, and we’ve been getting new people in every week from surrounding areas. The key is getting the word out because there’s no other place like it,” said Patrick.

Little Bit of Texas is located in downtown Eclectic at 38 Kowaliga Rd. Visit the Facebook page, Alabama’s Little Bit of Texas, for more information and a listing of upcoming events.

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Drs. Caroline and Randal Herring

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Father-Daughter Practice Teams up for Health

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Story by Amy Passaretti Photos Courtesy of Caroline Herring

hen Dr. Randal Herring of Herring Chiropractic moved to Tallassee more than 30 years ago, he made it his personal mission to care for the high school football team and ensure they were adjusted before each game to prevent injury and give them an edge.

Now, his daughter, Dr. Caroline Herring, has joined the efforts – and his practice – and adjusts the high school cheerleaders before each home game.

Herring’s father was a high school football coach, so he grew up passionate about sports, and Caroline witnessed first-hand how chiropractic treatment aids athletes; she aas a patient during her high school cheerleading days. Both strongly believe in a holistic model of naturally doing things to treat health concerns.

“To combine something my father was passionate about with something he’s very good at, it was so

synergistic for him,” said Caroline, who joined her father’s practice four years ago.

Aside from the chiropractic aspect, since Herring only has daughters, he tends to take the football players under his wing and tries to be a positive mentor for them. Caroline said he looks forward to football season all year long.

Herring immediately integrated into the community when he first opened his practice to build relationships and network, and with the help of his daughter, the two continue to do so.

“My father and I have a big similarity. We put money back into our practice and our community.

We use that to make our business better for our patients,” Caroline said.

This coincides with the mission of their office, which is to help people achieve optimal life, not just health, by providing people with tools to change their habits and give them a better quality of living.

“If we can find the cause of someone’s pain, we could give that person their life back. We want to get them to a place where they’re not only surviv-

Football has been dear to the Herrings' hearts since they came to Tallassee

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ing, but thriving,” said Caroline.

Caroline didn’t always intend to follow in her father’s footsteps. During her last year at Troy University, she struggled with which professional school to attend. After her dad implied he could use some help in his business, had no intention of bringing in anyone else, Caroline took a tour at Life University, the largest chiropractic school in the country and enrolled that same year.

“Growing up with a chiropractor for a father, I saw firsthand how chiropractic had helped thousands of my dad’s patients over the years, but after studying biology for four years, and then being exposed to chiropractic education, it all made sense. I began to fully understand from an anatomical standpoint how and why chiropractic works and why it is a great option for people,” said Caroline.

When it was time to make a decision about where to practice, Caroline said it was a no-brainer to come home and work with her father to be close to family.

“We make a very good team and complement each other well. It’s a cool dynamic with a father and daughter team. We’ve figured out how to have a good flow, and there’s very little stress in the office,” said Caroline.

When she first arrived, Caroline re-decorated the office with a more feminine touch and developed marketing materials and branding for their new joint venture. While Herring is extremely antitechnology, Caroline on the other hand, focuses on ensuring their office is state-of-the-art and up to date in all aspects.

“Our focus with each patient is their experience, from the time they come in until the time they leave.

Every process we use in our practice is the best possible way you can do it. We seek that out, and that’s what sets our office apart,” Caroline said.

The Herrings see hundreds of patients each week from newborns to elderly, and their patient pool has doubled since Caroline came on board. Patients are given the option to choose whichever of the two doctors they prefer, and most are referred to the practice by word of mouth, said Caroline.

“We try to be a place where patients can come and be treated kindly, with respect – a place where we take their problems seriously,” said Caroline.

Each patient receives a consultation, along with a scan of the nervous system and an X-ray of the health of the spine at each bone. The approach is then to examine a person’s structure and do what is needed to fix the issue.

“We take a healthy person and keep them healthy

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The football players presented Herring with a football for 33 years of service to the team

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Caroline joined her father's practice four years ago and adjusts the cheerleaders before each home game

by making adjustronment where Caroline with her parents during her high ments to correct not only Herring school cheerleading days, when she was current problems and his daughter first exposed to chiropractic and prevent new enjoy being, but problems. Chiropatient retention practic is a huge is high. answer to pain “My father has problems that a been doing this lot of people are a while but has facing,” Caroline no plans to retire said. any time soon.

With her faHe’s been seeing ther’s decades of some of the same experience, Caropatients for 20 or line said she has 30 years, so it’s found his advice like chatting with invaluable and behis buddies when ing able to discuss they come in. We experience with are both hard one another, along workers but allow with asking questions, helps make them better doctors each other the flexibility in our hours to maintain a and a more well rounded team. good balance of work and home life,” said Caroline.

Along with the two doctors, there are two full-time “It sounds cheesy considering we’re chiropractors, assistants, and both Caroline’s husband and mother but the cool thing is, we really do have each other’s play a huge role in the practice as well. backs.”

Being a family practice creates a welcoming envi-

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Tickets available online for all shows www.wetumpkadepot.com • 334-868-1440

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History comes to life

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The Elmore County museum is the first stop on the Tulatoma Snail Trail

Story by Betsy Iler Photos by Barry Chrietzberg

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The museum benefits from the passion its curator - Sharon Kilpatrick - has for history

Rebekah Hadden's crime? She is 'still too cute'

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haron Kilpatrick goes for the shock value, which makes the exhibits she fashions for visitors at the Elmore County Museum in Wetumpka that much more intriguing. A genealogist for 27 years, Kilpatrick is passionate about the stories and artifacts that attest to Elmore County’s past, and she often designs her elaborate exhibits around the seasons and upcoming holidays.

At Halloween last month, for example, she incorporated a prison cell scene into a display on the first Alabama State Penitentiary, which was built in Wetumpka in 1841.

“They built the penitentiary here because there were so many gamblers in the area that needed to serve hard time,” Kilpatrick explained.

“It wasn’t like a prison of today. Back then, prisoners stayed at people’s houses for work release, and families came and stayed at the prison for weeks. The penitentiary was a very lovely building, and young people would come and visit on their dates,” she said.

In contrast, Kilpatrick found chilling stories of prison life and the crimes that landed people in the penitentiary’s cells.

She collected artifacts – including wooden straightjackets, actual cell door keys and bricks from the original prison walls – and incorporated these into the display cases in the museum’s main display space.

In the front lobby, she enlisted the help of a volunteer to construct a jail cell of PVC pipe. Kilpatrick added a mannequin in prison garb to add interest to the display of prison letters and records, eerie photographs and interactive exhibits.

Particularly popular is a mug-shot selfie booth at which museum visitors can confess to made-up crimes.

As they roam the various stations in the main lobby through the end of this month, visitors could learn the stories of infamous local prisoners, including the compelling story of murderer Eldridge Williams, who escaped from the Wetumpka prison and slipped away to Montana before he was found out 10 years later.

In pursuing the research to authenticate her display, Kilpatrick met with one of the wardens at the Julia Tutweiler Prison for Women and delved into 170-year-old newspapers for stories of the prison’s residents.

She compiled much of her research into a 105-page booklet entitled The Walls, as the Wetumpka State Penitentiary was nicknamed, and the booklets can be purchased for $2 at the Elmore County Museum. Proceeds help to fund museum operation.

The prison compound at The Walls included a 2,000-acre farm, a grist house, syrup mill, potato house, tool house and chicken house – more than 80 buildings in total. The local community hospital began as a hospital for the prison, she said.

When it was built, the plan was that the prison would be self-sufficient, but its industry plan failed. The business of

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hand manufacturing horse tack, wagons and rope did not produce the necessary capital to support the prison, so in 1846, a law was passed that allowed private individuals to lease the prison’s facilities and convicts.

During the Civil War, convicts at the prison contributed wagon wheels and caissons for the Confederacy.

“Except for a few hardened criminals, most convicts were pardoned for the war,” Kilpatrick said, who has woven the intrigue of times past into the displays she creates at the museum today.

She likes to create interest to keep the displays fresh, especially during the holiday-focused exhibits.

Last year, Kilpatrick’s Christmas display included more than 200 Nativity scenes, many of which were loaned to the museum from private collectors. Kilpatrick incorporated the history of the pieces into her displays and provided interactive opportunities for visitors.

“I like to let people experience the history whenever possible,” Kilpatrick said.

This Christmas, her display will showcase Santa figurines, along with histories of Santa Claus in countries around the world. She plans to decorate Christmas trees with a variety of vintage and old-fashioned Santa ornaments and will place Santa statues, paintings and pictures among the exhibits in the main museum hall.

“Maybe Santa will come and greet children in the lobby,” she said with a gleam in her eye.

Kilpatrick applies the same enthusiasm to all of her displays. She recently hosted textile curator Rian Blocker with an exhibit of wedding gowns from as early as 1838.

“We had more than 10 decades of weddings. Some of the dresses were so spectacular,” she said. “And others were very plain.”

History has always been a hobby for Kilpatrick. She minored in the subject in college and has been active in the local historical society, which funds the museum, for many years.

She encourages people to bring antique items to the museum for investigation.

“I like to look things up and help people figure out what they were used for,” she said. “It’s just fun.”

The museum’s permanent collection includes paintings of former Wetumpka residents, authentic Civil War and World War uniforms, period clothing, musical instruments and kitchen utensils that were used in the area nearly 200 years ago. One corner of the room holds a progression of textile tools, from spinning wheels to looms and some of the first sewing machines, as well as linen towels, quilts and other finished products that might have been made on similar equipment.

The Elmore County Museum is located at 112 S. Main St., Wetumpka, and is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Contact Kilpatrick at 334567-5097 or email her at elmorecountymuseum@gmail.com.

Santa watches as Kaydee plays the 19th century piano

A volunteer constructed the makeshift cell in the museum's lobby

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The Walls exhibit includes keys that once unlocked its cell doors

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Christmas Events

C An Eclectic Christmas the reenacts scences from ry sto as Christm

hristmas in Elmore County is a festival of awe-inspiring lights, parades, concerts, productions and treats designed to spread the holiday spirit of joy, peace and goodwill; to make sure you don’t miss any of it, mark these yuletide occasions on your calendar, and make plans to make merry with co-workers, friends and family.

The magic begins at 6 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Village Green in Millbrook with the Christmas Lights and Music Show. There will be a live Nativity and the annual tree lighting, and refreshments will be available.

In Tallassee, the fun starts on Dec. 1 and 2 with Holiday Market and the annual lighting of the Christmas tree at 7 p.m. in Veterans Park. The event will include caroling, arts and crafts and street vendors. Refreshments will be available. Then, hang around for an extra day to watch the

Millbrook Christmas orts Parade starts at the sp ty Hall Ci at ds complex and en

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Christmas parade wind through town with marching bands, floats and special guests. The parade starts at 10 a.m. on the east side of the river and ends at the high school.

Special guests at this year’s parade will include the Coca Cola Cowboys, a group of riders who tour the country to promote ranching and the rodeo way of life.

Millbrook will host a community-wide celebration Dec. 2 on the Village Green from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with arts and crafts vendors and entertainment. The theme for this year’s Christmas parade is A Peaceful Christmas Different age groups and the magical array of floats and marchcompete in the annu al ing bands will begin at 2 p.m. at the sports Miss Christmas on the complex and end at City Hall. Grand marCoosa pageant shal honors will go to retired public safety officers.

Also starting on Dec. 1, An Eclectic Christmas celebrates its 10th year of presenting the walking tour of the Christmas story at Falk Farm.

The scenes and re-enactments include more than 200 volunteers from the community and local churches. The event is free, but donations are accepted. Reservations are recommended. Email reservations@aneclecticministry.org or visit aneclecticministry.org for information. Tours will continue through Dec. 9 on the farm located at 1733 Claude Rd. in Eclectic.

Wetumpka’s annual Christmas on the Coosa event begins at 6 p.m. in Gold Star Park on Dec. 5 with the lighting of the tree and pictures with Santa. This five-day celebration includes Nativity and Luminary Night in downtown Wetumpka on Dec. 8. Merchants will be open late Wakeboarding Santa will to showcase holiday decorations and provide make an appearance on music and festivities. The character breakfast – the Coosa River Dec. 9 very popular with the children – will host seatings at 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Dec. 9, followed by festivities in the park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Christmas parade will start at 2 p.m., and the wakeboarding Santa will make his appearance at 4 p.m. with fireworks at 6 p.m.

Then on Dec. 14, mingle and jingle at the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce holiday open house from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the 1220 Café Annex. There will be refreshments and raffles for prizes from local merchants as the chamber board hosts a networking opportunity in festive style to thank members for their support, welcome new members, socialize and host the community.

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Kids dress up to join the Tallassee parade

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Holiday Movie Wish List As the holiday season is now upon us, here are a few suggestions to add to your gift list for the movie lover in your life. These recommendations range from the wildly popular to the unfortunately overlooked. Most of these films have already arrived or will arrive in the home video market in the coming weeks:

Miranda, the guy responsible for the wildly successful musical Hamilton that has taken Broadway by storm.

Beauty and the Beast – This Disney live action magic is based on the beloved 1991 animated film and features an impeccable ensemble cast, including Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Kevin Kline and Emma Thompson.

Box Office Blockbusters

Box Office Misses You Need to Catch

Spider-Man: Homecoming – Critically praised and solid gold at the box office, this Spidey reinvention served as one of the most successful of the versions. Audiences loved Spider-Man (Tom Holland) grappling with high school life, while also battling the villainous Vulture (Michael Keaton).

War for the Planet of the Apes – Considered by many as one of the best conclusions ever to a film trilogy, this movie also garnered high praise for its acting, visual effects, story, musical score and direction.

Wonder Woman – This hit blasted into the summer box office market to such acclaim and overwhelming response that some have proclaimed it as one of the greatest superhero films of all time. A lion’s share of credit goes to director Patti Jenkins and the winning cast, including Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and Robin Wright.

Hidden Figures – Audiences and critics adored this award-winning film about black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Space Race.

Family Fun

Logan Lucky – Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh helmed this heist comedy featuring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Daniel Craig. This wacky treat, overlooked at the box office, deserves to be discovered on home video.

The Lost City of Z – Based on David Grann’s 2009 book, this gripping film focuses on British explorer Percy Fawcett’s (Charlie Hunnam) search in the 1920s for an ancient lost city in the Amazon. While this film lost its way to box office gold, it is the perfect entertainment for home viewing.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – The always fascinating writer/director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) is responsible for this visually stunning box office disappointment. Once again, do not be put off by lack of box office receipts; this is a movie with a definite ‘wow factor,’ and you don’t want to miss it.

Score: A Film Music Documentary – Prepare to be dazzled as some of Hollywood’s best composers provide a peek behind the curtain into the world of crafting film scores.

Viewers will get the inside scoop on some of the iconic scores in history including Star Wars, Titanic and Psycho.

Despicable Me 3 – Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig once again provide their vocal talents to this animated treat that continues to be a popular draw with audiences.

Moana – This Disney blockbuster features songs co-written by Lin-Manuel

On another note, maybe you want to reward your loved one with the gift of a television series. If so, Westworld is just being released to home video. Based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film, this wildly

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popular and award-winning HBO series is not to be missed.

Perhaps for that perfect gift for the movie lover you may want to surprise them with tickets to the local multiplex to enjoy some of the movies arriving between now and the end of the year. Here are a few of your choices: Wonder – Based on R. J. Palacio’s beloved 2012 novel, this film stars Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson as the parents of a son (Jacob Tremblay) navigating life with a facial deformity.

Justice League – The gang’s all here – Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg – all facing off against Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. The ensemble cast includes Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Gal Gadot.

Gotti – Brace yourself for this peek into the life of New York City mobster John Gotti (John Travolta). Could this be Oscar gold for Travolta?

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle – A sequel to 1995’s Jumanji, the film stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart and also serves as a tribute to Robin Williams, the star of the original Jumanji.

Pitch Perfect 3 – The final tuneful installment in the Pitch Perfect trilogy, the film stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Williams, Hailee Steinfeld, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins.

The Post – Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, this film is destined to be a darling with audiences and the awards season. This true story features the events surrounding the Pentagon Papers about the Vietnam War and the impact of those documents on The New York Times and The Washington Post.

NOTE: There is always the danger that this film may suffer the same fate as Lions for Lambs, which bombed at the box office, even though it starred Meryl Streep, Robert Redford and Tom Cruise.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Excitement is at fever pitch for this latest installment in the Star Wars saga featuring the return of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Other cast members include Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega. Sadly, this is Carrie Fisher’s final film role due to her untimely death in December 2016.

Hopefully I have provided enough items for your Holiday Movie Gift Guide. Better yet, I hope I have challenged you to think of other titles for your list. Whether you seek out recently released DVDs or Blu-rays or provide tickets for upcoming releases at the local multiplex, it is important to note that movies provide hours of enjoyment and fond memories far beyond the gift-giving experience. In the weeks ahead, have a wonderful and memorable holiday season!

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Jeff Langham

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

Governmental Affairs and a lifelong lover of film.

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A young female pilot's journey to aviation success Story by Amy Passaretti Photos by Kenneth Boone

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Born to Fly

Savannah Weaver spends her weekends at the Wetumpka Municipal Airport for recreational flying and instructing others

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avannah Weaver has admired airplanes from afar since she grew up near Maxwell Air force base. When the opportunity arose to not only sit in the co-pilot seat of John Hicks’ V-35 Bonanza at the age of 14, but also handle the controls in the air, she quickly realized this was exactly what she wanted to do.

She now does maintenance on that same aircraft, and the progress she’s made to get there was never expected that day she set foot on a plane for the first time. Now, Weaver will fly anything she can get her hands on.

“As far back as I can remember I used to watch the C-130s go by and count them as they went over us. I never thought I could actually be flying,” said Weaver.

The Wetumpka Weaver flies her aircraft chapter of over the Coosa River the Experinear Wind Creek Casino mental Aircraft Association (EAA Chapter 822) hosts an annual Young Eagle’s Flight to inspire youth ages 8-17 to get involved with aviation, and after Weaver’s initial flight, she returned for that same event two years later, and finally convinced her mom to let her start taking flying lessons.

On her 17th birthday, Weaver celebrated with her family and other pilots at the Wetumpka Municipal Airport by passing her private pilot's license check ride. She already had all of her FAA requirements completed and hours flown before that date and was able to come full circle with her experience by being the pilot on that year’s EAA Young Eagle’s Flight.

This jumpstarted her passion for the aviation field, and her experience has continually snowballed.

“When I first started doing this, I had no grand plans on what I wanted to do. I just knew I wanted to fly. I enjoyed what I was doing so much, I just kept pursuing whatever was the next step,” said Weaver,

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who grew up in Millbrook.

Now a true aviation expert at the mere age of 24, Weaver holds a commercial pilot's license, an instrument-rating, multi-engine rating and licenses to instruct on flight and instrument training.

With the exception of a few certificates she received in Memphis, Tennessee, Weaver has done all her training – and growing up – at the Wetumpka Municipal Airport, where the other pilots and aviation enthusiasts have become family.

“The guys and their families have really taken care of me and always been protective. Here and there, you run across people that will doubt you, but I say, ‘you just wait. I know the future will show what I can do.’ I let them say whatever they want to say,” said Weaver, who as a female, is in the minority for her field.

Immediately after receiving her private pilot license, Weaver embarked on, what she considers, the toughest part of her journey – instrument rating. Essentially, a pilot flies blind, using only a six-pack of instruments displayed on the aircraft to fly through the clouds, navigate and keep the plane upright. This a skill needs to repeatedly practiced, so a pilot does not lose his or her edge.

“You no longer have a visual reference when you fly into the clouds, so this takes a lot more instruction to be able to operate this way. There’s a lot of ground studying to do and hands-on flying. But I love flying instruments,” Weaver said.

Each certification involves a combination of written, oral and practical tests, along with a requirement of in-air hours. The knowledge associated with these accreditations also includes meteorology, aerodynamics, aeromedical, navigation and more.

“You never quit learning when you’re flying.

There’s always something different to learn and improve your flying skills or knowledge one way or

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Weaver co-owns the Falco, which took Larry Weldon eight years to build from scratch

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another. I fly as many different types of airplanes as I can. If you hand me the keys to it, I’m going to fly it,” said Weaver.

The next level to achieve was a commercial pilot's license, which proved difficult since no aircraft at the Wetumpka airport, at the time, was qualified for this specific rating. For an aircraft to be considered for a commercial certificate check ride, it must have retractable gears, flaps and a controllablepitch propeller, which allows a pilot to control the angle of the propeller blades.

This led to Weaver’s involvement with her current co-owned plane, The Falco, which was hand built by Larry Weldon over the course of eight years.

This two-seater aerobatic model is one of nearly 150 in the entire world and was originally designed in Italy.

The plane is made entirely of wood, with a thin layer of fiberglass over top. Weldon used thin plywood that he had to soak for long periods of time to improve its pliability.

“Larry allowed me to fly The Falco, and I fell in love with it. It was different than anything I had flown before – faster, more going on,” Weaver said.

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It only seemed natural that as her experience progressed, so did her curiosity. Weaver said she has always been interested in how things work and for her own benefit and safety, figured learning the mechanics behind an aircraft would be a smart move.

“I knew absolutely nothing mechanical when I started flying. My thought was, ‘if I don’t know how this engine functions or how it operOn her 17th ates, I would birthday, Weaver be useless in celebrated by an emergency receiving her situation.’ private pilot license It would be nice to know why I’m going through these various troubleshooting methods,” said Weaver, who immediately started shadowing Brett Curenton who had his Airframe and Powerplant certificate (A&P), along with Inspection Authorization (IA).

These are the two mechanic ratings available to achieve, and the further along Weaver got into her training, the decision a to pursue the opportunity for these certifications was a no-brainer.

With three years of on-the-job aviation maintenance training, which replaced technical college, Weaver’s work was logged and presented to the FAA, who issued approval to take the A&P certificate tests. After becoming an

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As a certified mechanic and mechanical engineer, Weaver works on airplane engines A&P, she was required to complete three more years in the field before applying for the IA certificate.

Her passion for the mechanical side of the job carried into her current career choice. The entire time she was attaining higher levels of certificates and working as a mechanic both freelance and at the airport, Weaver attended Auburn University Montgomery for three years, until she transferred to AU's main campus for another three years.

“I chose to pursue the mechanical engineering field because it has more broad uses, and it’s just as useful in the aviation sense. It was extremely tough, but well worth it,” said Weaver, who added that there was an unusually large number of females in her classes.

After graduating with her mechanical engineering degree in May, Weaver was offered a job at Pratt and Whitney in Columbus, Georgia, as a project engineer working on jet engines.

“I could not have asked for a better job starting out than this. Jet engines are different, so there is certainly

a bit of a learning curve, but I truly enjoy my job and can’t say enough about it and the people I work with,” said Weaver.

Weaver said she is in charge of a particular piece of an engine that comes in on the overhaul side of the facility and is responsible for it until it leaves.

Even though she is living in Columbus five days a week, Weaver spends her weekends at the Wetumpka airport instructing students of all ages and making time for recreational flying.

While there are plenty of other ratings and certificates to achieve, Weaver said she is content where she is at the moment and is taking a breather to focus on improving her skills to pass on her passion to others through lessons.

“I like being hands on and out in the field with the smaller aircrafts. I like being in the smaller grassroots aviation because there is a truer appreciation for aviation. I know I’m in aviation for life, and I love it,” she added.

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10 Games That Changed Everything Hundreds of video games are released every year, but many of them fly under the radar – some are lucky to get just a few minutes in the spotlight. But past these two groups is where the exclusive club of monumental video games resides. These titles changed the course of gaming’s history and laid the path for future innovation. Today, we’re going to take a look at a few of these games.

Pac-Man (1980) Pac-Man is a universally recognized and time-tested ambassador for all video games. Debuting on the arcade cabinets of the 1980s, Pac-Man would go on to outpace even franchises like Star Wars in profits and popularity; video games now make more than film and music combined annually.

While the yellow protagonist hasn’t found solid footing with today’s gamers, he’s no less a pivotal part of gaming history. Pac-Man alone is responsible for rallying millions to the banner of video games, kickstarting the first true generation of gamers.

Super Mario Bros. (1985) Because Pac-Man is so well known, there are few characters that are more popular; however, in 1985, Nintendo gave us Super Mario Bros. The game introduced Mario and Luigi, plumber brothers who work together to save Princess Toadstool – she would later come to be known as Princess Peach. The game’s platforming elements – jumping, running and climbing – would come to be used as the basis for numerous next-generation games. Super Mario Bros. was the bestselling game for nearly three decades, selling more than 40 million copies worldwide.

The Legend of Zelda (1986) In yet another protagonist-saves-fair-maiden tale, The Legend of Zelda was the first game to really provide users with a sense of adventure. In 1986, there weren’t many games with large, sprawling worlds. And while The Legend of Zelda failed to offer a

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truly open-world experience, it laid the foundation for hundreds of great games. In addition to its action-adventure innovation, the title helped to improve combat and graphics in video games. Super Mario Bros. had been the most recent game to push the envelope in such a big way.

Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (1991) While fighting games were a known quantity by 1991, none were perhaps more influential or well made than Capcom’s Street Fighter II. The game spurred a renaissance for arcade gaming, bringing players back together one last time before the dawn of internet gaming. While fighting games have taken many forms since their inception, many still look to this 1991 release as the best in the genre’s history. Its mantle was only ever challenged by 1992’s Mortal Kombat, a game that saw both massive popularity and criticism for its excessive violence.

Doom (1993) For better or worse, Call of Duty is a household name for today’s gamers. But 1993’s demonslaying Doom was what pushed the first-person shooter genre into the stratosphere. The game was played by more than 15 million people during the two years after its release and it was one of the first to utilize networked multiplayer gaming. It spawned hundreds of copycat titles, all trying to capture the essence of what made Doom great. And while first-person shooters have transformed into all shapes and sizes since 1993, Doom was the seed from which they all grew.

Pokemon: Red/Green (1996) As if Nintendo didn’t already have enough real estate on this list, Pokemon: Red and Green were two games that ignited a fanbase like no other.

The monster-catching game raced to the tops of sales charts, creating a franchise that would be worth billions of dollars. In 1997, to capitalize on the games’ successes, an anime was created to further the Poke-

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mon hysteria. Red and Green helped create an entirely new genre, much like Doom, and it remains a top contender in the video game arena.

Age of Empires (1997) Age of Empires was the vanguard for real-time strategy games. Everything that followed was made better by this innovative game, and while good RTS titles had come before it – Warcraft: Orcs & Humans among them – none were as well produced.

The massive influx of RTS titles to follow in Age of Empires’ wake is testament to its effect on the games industry. And while the genre’s popularity has stagnated in recent years, Age of Empires is one of the few long-time RTS franchises still running strong.

The Sims (2000) The Sims arrived just as a new millennium began. And as that new era kicked off, so too did the eve of simulation games. The Sims allowed players to control in-game Sims, that would do whatever a player ordered. This included washing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom or picking up the virtual kid from school. The title left many non-gamers scratching their heads as to why people would want to do menial tasks in a video game after completing similar tasks throughout the day – some still do. But The Sims brought an entirely new demographic of gamers into the fold, and for that reason alone, it

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fits snugly on the list.

Grand Theft Auto III (2001) Guns, violence and women: the Grand Theft Auto series has never pulled any punches regarding its topics of choice; however, there’s always an exceptionally well-told story beneath these games’ rugged surfaces. But why was the third iteration of this franchise so pivotal? Both open-world and 3D games had been introduced to the gaming world by 2001, but very few had put these two ideas together. What players got was one of the most engrossing and immersive video game experiences of all-time. Every GTA title since has received numerous accolades. The most recent, Grand Theft Auto V, received numerous Game of the Year awards.

World of Warcraft (2004) While there are tons of innovative titles that have hit store shelves since 2004, few have truly turned the tide of gaming on an industry level. World of Warcraft is one of the best examples of a truly mystifying experience that turned online gaming on its head. The MMORPG (massively-multiplayer online role-playing game) improved upon the genre in nearly every way and offered players one of the biggest in-game worlds to explore. At its peak, WoW had nearly 12 million registered players. And nearly 14 years later, the game is still one of the most popular on the market.

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Jacob Saylor

THE GAMER Video games journalist

Jacob Saylor has covered the massive

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles.

Follow Jacob on Twitter @skulldrey.

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OUT & ABOUT

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Cotton Festival

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October 14, 2017 Downtown Eclectic 1. Julia Marks and Lana Hebert

2. Randy Lett

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3. Leeanne and Ed Razick

4. Nick and Jennifer Mattox and Cindy Lyle

5. Alijah Reed, Nicho and Gabby Wilson and Nastia and Leslie

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6. Kitty and Will Graham

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Originally from Alabama Exhibit Reception October 3, 2017 The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery 1. Bud Harris and Susannah Soloman Wilson 2. David and Debra Summerlin 3. Rene Thompson 4. Mike Young and Bobby Carr

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5. Tim Jewel, Brittni Smith and Robin Jewel 6. Matt Rogers, Michael Morgan and Jenna Lewis 7. Theresa Wayne, Mindy Bucly, Adriane Duval and Marlene Goodman 8. Sidney Cook, Robin Rogers, Carol Hickman, Martha Cook and Steve Rogers 9. Harriet Landrum, Jessie Neighbors and Betty Crowe

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OUT & ABOUT

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Candy Walk October 20, 2017 Wetumpka

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1. Jacob and Madison Knighten and Waylon and Weldon Nix 2. Katie Hart, Janna Roberts and Mike Morgan 3. Michelle Brown 4. Holden Senn

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5. Nova Bennett 6. Miracle Mitchell and Brianna Smoke 7. Belyn Richardson, Cathy Thornton, Beverly Wright and Westly Woods 8. Samantha and Kayla Stanfield 9. Grace and Trinity Stroud

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Eclectic Trunk or Treat October 31, 2017 Main Street, Downtown Eclectic 1. Sawy Wilcox, Maddy Norrell, Jennifer and John Wilcox 2. Nevaeh and Brannya Floyd

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3. Stephanie, Chloe, Chasen and Pam Graham

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4. Aj and Greenlee Gantt 5. Melanie and Skylar Shultz 6. Caden, Kylie, Jacie, Jallie, Kinsley, Erik and Jaslynn De’Riso 7. Riley and Dalton Peffer and Daniel and Lisa Brown

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Tallassee Homecoming Parade October 21, 2017 Barnett Boulevard

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1. Daisy and Judy Weed 2. Frank and Sherry Greco 3. Cheyenne Armstrong and Christy Goolsby

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4. Elijah and Courtney Watson 5. Tameria, Kimberly, Tianna and Tishay Benson and Michelle

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Gibbs 6. Brayden Jarvis, Janie Rich, Lanie Baker and Jordan Rich 7. Jim and Betty Jackson 8. Brianna Fulmer, Trinity Talton, Maddison Raney, Marijane Jones, Sydney Henderson, Kason Kelly, Lisa Worthington and Marsha Talton

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Tallassee Trunk or Treat October 31, 2017 First Methodist Church 1. Robert, Jovon and Eva Nicole Jones 2. Dora Bankester 3. Dylan Turner, Corey Eckstein and Morgan Steele

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4. Samuel and Amanda Scaggs

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5. La’Kiyia, La’Miyia, Andriona and Ja’Marion Smith 6. Frankie Scott 7. John and Ann Stuedeman 8. Kristie, Addison and Maddie Johnson and Kelsey Taylor

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Veterans Day Program

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November 9, 2017 Wetumpka High School 1. Danny Brown 2. Grace Brennan and Rebecca Rankin

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3. Tim White 4. Kendall Buelman and Tracy Blue 5. Leo Castellanos 6. Raegan Pickens and Lily Gray 7. Elizabeth Hurley, Alec Gottlieb and Brittany Miller

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November 6, 2017 Tallassee High School 1. Ivri Russell and Velen Espinoza

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5. Michael Bird and Amanda Anderson

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Coming Up CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Nov. 25 Boston Butt BBQ Sale Shop Small Saturday Local Wetumpka merchants will participate in a shop local day, with various coupons and sales. Boston Butts

by Dan Bradshaw of Bradshaw’s BBQ will be sold for $35 and will be available for pick up from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce. The proceeds will benefit the Innovation Center.

Nov. 27-Dec. 2 A Christmas Story The Wetumpka Depot Players will open the Christmas season with this warm-hearted favorite about 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his quest for a genuine Red Ryder BB gun. As he lobbies for the Christmas gift, Ralphie must dodge bullies, face the cold lamppost test, decode the Little Orphan Annie secret message and comprehend his father’s national leg lamp prize as he hopes to dispel the prediction of all – that he’ll shoot his eye out! Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 27, 28, 30 and Dec. 2 with one matinee at 2 p.m. on Dec. 2. The theatre is located at 300 S. Main St., Wetumpka. For tickets, call 334868-1440 or visit wetumpkadepot.com.

enactments at the Falk Farm located at 1733 Claude Rd. in Eclectic. Reservations are suggested, and time slots are scheduled in 15-minute increments. Please call 334-5784846, email reservations@aneclecticministry.org or visit aneclecticministry.org to make a reservation. Admission is free, but donations are accepted and appreciated. The 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. time slots are handicap accessible, so be sure to specify if you require assistance.

Dec. 2 Millbrook Christmas Parade The theme for this year’s parade in Millbrook is “A Peaceful Christmas,” and grand marshals will be retired public safety officers. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. at the sports complex behind Smokehouse Bar-B-Que and will end at City Hall. There will be floats, horses, clubs, caroling and more. Booths with refreshments and concessions will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Village Green with arts and crafts and other items. Parade and vendor registrations are due by Nov. 24. For booth rentals, parade entries or information, call Kathy Kelley at 334-322-9871 or call 334-285-7231 and ask for Barb or Linda.

Nov. 28 Wetumpka Business Expo

Cheerleaders from New Life Middle School join the fun at the Millbrook Parade

This local networking event will be held at the Wetumpka Civic Center from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and admission is free. There will be more than 60 door prizes and giveaways. Contact Jamie Young at 334-567-4811 or email her at jyoung@wetumpkachamber.org, for information.

Nov.30 Millbrook Tree Lighting Ceremony Gather at the Village Green at 6 p.m. for caroling, a live Nativity, the tree lighting, the Christmas Lights and Music Show, and refreshments will be available for sale to launch this year’s holiday celebration in Millbrook.

Dec. 5-9 Christmas on the Coosa

Dec. 1-9 An Eclectic Christmas An Eclectic Ministry hosts its 10th annual walking tour of the Christmas story told through scenes and re-

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This event kicks off with a tree lighting in Gold Star Park at 6 p.m. Dec. 5, and children can have their pictures

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taken with Santa starting Spectators at 5 p.m. Dec. 8 is Nativity and their and Luminary Night where pets spend downtown businesses will the day in light the town and porGold Star tray the Christmas story Park for through a series of scenes.

Christmas Dec. 9 is a day full of activion the ties, starting with a charCoosa acter pancake breakfast for kids at 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.

An arts and crafts show will run in Gold Star Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and a car show will be held in the Wetumpka Depot Players parking lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Christmas street parade will begin at 2 p.m.; wakeboarding Santa hits the Coosa River for his show at 4 p.m.; and fireworks begin at 6 p.m.

Dec. 8 Wetumpka Holiday Open House From 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. downtown Wetumpka businesses will offer samples of holiday food, showcase their beautiful holiday decorations and provide music and festivities. Admission is free, and stores will have holiday sales during this time.

Season-Long Events Haunted Wetumpka Investigations In-depth paranormal investigations will take place in the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce building from 7 p.m. to midnight on the third Saturday of the month. Cost is $50 per person, and reservations are required. For registration, call 334-567-4811 or email jyoung@wetumpkachamber.org.

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

Wetumpka City Pops Wetumpka City Pops Community Band rehearses on Thursdays from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Wetumpka City Administration building.

Any woodwind, brass and percussion players are encouraged to participate.

Country Music Jam Fridays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Red Hill Community Center hosts an open-stage country music jam. All players, singers and listeners are welcome.

Coffee and snacks are provided at this family-friendly event. Free admission, but donations are welcome. The community center is located at the Old Red Hill School on Alabama Route 229 south of Kowaliga. Email Paula Castleberry at mcasby53@windstream.net for information.

Electronics Recycling On the first Saturday of each month, electronic items for recycling are accepted at the Wetumpka Recycling Center on East Charles Avenue. There is a $10 fee to recycle tube televisions; other electronics incur no charge.

Come from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other accepted electronics include computers, monitors, cell phones, chargers, modems, remotes, printers, batteries and more.

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

Event is free and open to the public. Drinks provided. For information, call 334-567-6301 or visit www.aces.edu/ counties/Elmore/.

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

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

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Christmas at the Theater

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oin the Christmas make-believe at local theaters for productions that warm the heart and nurture the holiday spirit.

Wetumpka Depot Players has announced two season extras now in production: A Christmas Story and Winter Wonderettes.

A Christmas Story by Philip Grecian follows the holiday hopes and dreams of the Parker family, particularly 9-yearold Ralphie who, more than anything else in the world, wants a Red Ryder BB gun. Based on the book by Jean Shepherd, the film version of this story won the hearts of Americans and found a place next to such holiday greats as It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street. The Depot’s Kristy Meanor directs this production, which will be performed at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2, as well as 2 p.m. on Dec. 2. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at The Depot's website www.wetumpkadepot.com.

The seasonal celebration of the Winter Wonderettes looks in as the girls host the annual Harper’s Hardware Holiday Party, but when Santa goes missing, the girls have to save the event. The show features 1960s versions of some the season’s favorite music, including Jingle Bell Rock and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Tickets are $15, and performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7, 12, 14-17 and 19 and 2 p.m. Dec. 10. Purchase tickets online through the Depot website. Wetumpka Depot Theatre is located at 300 S. Main St. in Wetumpka.

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Millbrook Community Players will open the holiday season on Nov. 27 with a modern take on the traditional Dickens classic. Christmas Day with Scrooge finds a young family having to spend the day with mean old Uncle Ebs, but when Nancy explains her plight to Santa in a letter, the jolly old elf leaves three fairies, along with the presents, to take the bah-humbug out of the old man. Show times are 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 27 and 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 28-30. Tickets are $5 for each student; refreshments are available for an additional $2. Purchase tickets online at www.millbrooktheater.com.

Then, join the Millbrook Players in Marley County, USA, for a countrified version of Scrooge. This new twist on the old favorite includes Country-Western music in a fresh, engaging script. A Country Christmas Carol will take the stage Dec. 7-9 and 14-16 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 and 17 at 2 p.m. Early bird tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for ages 6 through 12. Purchase tickets through the Millbrook Community Players website. The Millbrook Theatre is located in the Old Robinson Springs Elementary School at 5720 Main St., Millbrook.

Cloverdale Playhouse will usher in the season with the classic story of the March girls, based on Louisa May Alcott’s early life. Little Women follows the adventures of four sisters growing up in Civil War America. The production will be staged Nov. 30 through Dec. 10. Visit www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org for performance times and tickets.

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Keep them home Health care services provided within a patient’s home has become one of the fastest growing health care options in the United States. In-home patient care saves money and other resources by allowing patients to avoid inpatient health care settings. More importantly, patients are usually more comfortable at home surrounded by family and friends who give them the love and support they need to cope.

Every November, we honor thousands of home health and hospice professionals across the nation for the key role they play in our health care system. We celebrate those who have chosen to use their skills and talents to serve the homebound and dying. Their work is noble and deserves our respect and admiration.

Home-health and hospice services are provided by a team of caring professionals that may include skilled nurses, aides, therapists, social service providers, trained volunteers and others. Individualized care is provided with the guidance and oversight of a directing physician.

Home Health Care consists of a wide range of services, which can be provided in the home for homebound patients who are recovering from a debilitating illness or injury. The goal of home health care is to provide the treatment necessary to help the patient get better, regain independence and become as selfsufficient as possible.

Hospice Care is designed to provide supportive care to patients who are facing life-limiting illnesses. Hospice care is focused on comfort, dignity and quality of life, so the patient can live every day as fully as possible. Family members also receive

social and spiritual support from the hospice professionals, helping everyone involved make the transition with as much peace and closure as possible.

Did you know?

More than 12 million people in the United States require some form of home health care, and more than 1.6 million people receive hospice services.

There are more than 12,000 home health providers and more than 6,000 hospice providers nationwide.

These numbers represent a large segment of our population. As the generation of baby boomers reaches its golden years, in-home medical care is expected to grow even more rapidly. The boomers that have already reached age 65 are shifting away from hospitals and nursing facilities and are trending toward home and community-based care. We are almost certain to see this wave continue over the next two decades. This makes the role of home health and hospice care professionals even more critical.

We would like to salute the teams at Community Home Care and Community Hospice Care for the compassionate care they provide.

Call 334-283-4250, for information about home health and hospice care.

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Kathy Monroe

COMMUNITY CARE Kathy Monroe is the assistant to the adminstrator and the

CFO

Community Hospital. at

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Business & Service Directory

Pick up Elmore County Living at these locations: Eclectic

Bezlo's Cafe Bless Your Heart Eclectic Town Hall Eclectic Library Johnson’s Furniture Original Grace First Community Bank

Lake Martin

Russell Lands Russell Marine Nail’s Cotton’s BBQ

Millbrook

Verizon Wireless First Community Bank Lucretia Cauthen Realty Bliss Salon Millbrook Chamber of Commerce Realty Central Stone & Britt Law Gene Jones Insurance

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Slapout

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

Tallassee

Kent Eagle Y Petro Parker Tire RoadRunner Herron Hill Pharmacy Friendship Grocery The Apothecary Community Hospital Tallassee Health & Rehab 5 Points Store Tallassee Automotive

Wetumpka

Aldridge Borden Company Bennett’s Archery First Community Bank Russell Do It Center Bumper’s

Karen’s Mane Tamers River Ridge Steakhouse Emerald Mountain Store Redland Market Seivers Accounting Wetumpka Depot Players A Touch of Class Angel Locksmith Verizon Wireless Unplugged Must Stop Café Alfa Realty Wetumpka Century 21 Brandt Wright Realty Wells Fargo BB&T Jackson Thornton Lee’s Auto Repair McQuick Printing Company Hankins Insurance Hog Rock BBQ Wetumpka YMCA Adams Drugs Bell Chiropractic Wetumpka Urgent Care USAmeriBank A Beautiful Creation

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Austin’s Flowers Camo Country Alabama State Employees Credit Union Smokin S BBQ Elmore Community Hospital Wetumpka Preschool Wetumpka City Library Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce City of Wetumpka Administration Bldg.

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

Our Advertisers • To Join, Call 334-567-7811 Brandino Brass............................................................................... 4 7 City of Millbrook............................................................................... 3 Cloverdale Jewelers......................................................................... 4 7 Community Hospital.......................................................................... 3 Haircuts by Jo Jo............................................................................. 4 4 Jackson Thornton............................................................................ 4 5 Karen's Mane Tamers...................................................................... 4 4 Kowaliga Whole Health.................................................................. 4 4 Mark's Service Center...........................................................................4 7 River Region Dermatology.....................................................................4 4 Tallassee Health & Rehab, LLC.......................................................... 4 7 Wetumpka Depot Players................................................................. 1 5 Wetumpka Flea Market.................................................................... 1 5 Wind Creek Casino........................................................................ 4 8

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Don't see your ad in this issue of Elmore County Living? Neither did the thousands of potential customers who read our magazine monthly.

To advertise please contact - Marilyn Hawkins 334-202-5108 - Kat Raiford 334-444-8981 or stop by our office located at 300 Green Street, Wetumpka AL 36092

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g n i v i g s Thank s e r u t n Adve When I graduated college and left home for far away places, I had to make a decision: go home for Thanksgiving or go home for Christmas. Being employed meant I had to parcel out vacation days carefully, so I couldn’t travel home for both.

MK Moore Thanksgiving became the holiday on which I deSOUTHERN cided to stay put and make do. But also, ThanksDELIGHTS giving became an adventure, which I learned Mary Kather- doesn’t always require a turkey.

Moore is an Alabama State Fair ine

California Thanksgiving

California is a weird place and ultimately, didn’t suit me. But, there are farmers markets operating year round. Living in a tiny apartment, with pepper jelly champion, has the barest of kitchen equipment and a wee oven, made Thanksgiving cooking a challenge. Since butchered a there were only two of us, I roasted a chicken with wild hog in stuffing. This was long before I knew the dangers her kitchen of cooking dressing inside a bird. But I was young and grows and brave, and the chicken was glorious, along heirloom towith the tiny artichokes and sautéed spinach. matoes in her Unconventional at best and light years ahead of backyard. the farm-to-table movement, it was what we had.

The meal was followed by a walk on the beach in balmy air – another strange, exotic experience.

New York Thanksgiving Number 1

I was homesick. I didn’t know anyone who would invite me over for Thanksgiving. I tried to boost my spirits with the anticipation of the parade. You know, The Parade. I love a parade, and this was the big one. I had a spot picked out. I had baked potatoes to put in our pockets to keep our hands warm (I read that in a book somewhere), which actually worked. But I also knew we would come home and have a meal for two, which kind of made me sad.

I had hinted to my mother that I was a little – OK, a lot – homesick. Despite the parade, it was all very glum until the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

I came home from work, and the doorman said I had a package – a stinky package. The minute I hit the mailroom, I knew what it was. The mail guys handed over the box perfumed with a smell I would know anywhere: barbeque. And sure

enough, Mom had sent me a smoked turkey, its overnight FedEx amount costing, I’m sure, as much as a plane ticket. This was not just any smoked turkey, but, as per family tradition, a turkey conveyed to Miss Piggy’s BBQ, smoked and retrieved, to be put under lock-andkey until the big day. We are all notorious pickers, and a fully cooked smoked turkey was prime picking. My New York turkey didn’t even last until Thursday. We ate so much of that turkey, smelling of home, that there was barely enough for a sandwich on Thanksgiving Day. So, after the parade, we did what many city folk do. Cold, overjoyed at the arrival of Santa Claus, we went to the diner and had a turkey dinner.

New York Thanksgiving Parade March

After years of watching the parade, the most amazing thing happened. I was going to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! A friend had worked some magic and gotten me on a balloon team. It was so exciting that I didn’t have time to ponder the fact that I would be home alone on Thanksgiving, as Sweetheart was traveling to Alabama. Yup. Home alone. But marching in the Big Show.

I got to thinking about what I wanted to eat after the parade. Thanksgiving turkey for one seemed depressing; plus, I had to be at the parade at 5 a.m. and knew I wouldn’t feel like cooking after. Going out by myself was unthinkable. So I decided to cook something I love, just for me: beef bourguignon.

The night before the parade, I prepped everything and made ready an invention Julia Child only wishes she had – the crock-pot. I flicked on the pot before I left for the parade. When I returned, elated, but wet and cold – go figure it would rain – my perfect meal was perfectly ready.

After a hot shower, I snuggled up with a bowl, a chunk of bread, a glass of wine and the TV remote to search the parade recording for a tiny face amongst the 50 others identically dressed, hanging on to the Macy’s Star balloon for dear life. And there I was.

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DISCOVER THE CELEBRATED FLAVORS OF ITTA BENA.

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xperience the charm of fine dining at Itta Bena, tucked away upstairs at Wind Creek Montgomery. Slip on in and enjoy a cool libation with a delta twist.

Then savor some gourmet southern cuisine with a taste of Beale Street on the side. From the 8 oz. center cut filet to the shrimp and grits, every dish at Itta Bena is designed to tempt. So come discover this modern day speakeasy and get a taste of something good, plus a little treat on us…it’s our little secret.

Present this coupon to your server for a FREE APPETIZER with an entrée purchase.

One per person per table. Offer expires 12/28/17. May not be used in conjunction with any other offers.

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