By definition a visionary is an innovative thinker with a clear, often pioneering, vision for the future, driving change through creativity and risk-taking. Common in business, art and technology, they transform ideas into reality.
❝ Visionaries
look into the future and see things not through the lens of current reality, but through the lens of future possibility.”
› Kara Claypool
ON THE COVER:
Through innovative ideas, building strong communities and investing in younger generations, meet the Tallapoosa County leaders who are shaping the future of hometowns across the region.
by Kenneth Boone
OUR TEAM
Chairman - KENNETH BOONE
General Manager - TIPPY HUNTER
Editor-in-Chief - SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
Creative Services - AUDRA SPEARS
Audience Development Manager - BAILY TERRY
Newspaper Managing Editor - LIZI ARBOGAST
Business & Digital Development - ANGELA MULLINS
Advertising Manager - RENEE TRICE
TALLAPOOSA COUNTY
Feature Writer - SAM VISE
Multimedia Reporter - GWEN BISHOP
Multimedia Reporter - SARAH CHASE
Sports Editor - SAMUEL HIGGS
Advertising Sales - ERIN VICKERS
Advertising Sales - ABBIE CLAYTON
Production Manager - LEE CHAMPION
Production Assistant - MAC DAVIS
Office Clerk - PEPPER POUNCEY
ELMORE COUNTY
News Editor - CLIFF WILLIAMS
Sports Editor - ANA SOFIA MEYER
Advertising Sales - SAMANTHA HIMES
CONTRIBUTORS
KENNETH BOONE
SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
AUDRA SPEARS
SAM VISE
BETSY ILER
SARAH CHASE
GWEN BISHOP
CLIFF WILLIAMS
SAMUEL HIGGS
LIZI ARBOGAST
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. tpimediagroup.org 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-4281
127 Company Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 334-567-7811
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. manages The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, The Wetumpka Herald, The Tallassee Tribune, The Eclectic Observer, LAKE magazine, Lake Martin Living, TPI Digital, Kenneth Boone Photography and a commercial web printing press.
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One hundred years, ago a vision was born. The gates of Martin Dam closed and the waters of the Tallapoosa River began to rise, forming what we now know as Lake Martin. What was once an uncharted landscape slowly transformed into something more special than anyone could have imagined – a destination for family traditions, holiday celebrations, unique experiences and unforgettable sunsets. A place that has created lasting memories for generations.
Yet, the strength of this region extends far beyond the shorelines. Rather, it lives in the people who have an inspiring vision for our communities.
Across Tallapoosa County, small towns with deep roots and distinct personalities continue to grow and evolve, writing the next chapter of their history. This momentum is not accidental. It is driven by visionaries – leaders, educators, innovators and neighbors – whose ideas and determination are helping shape the future of our hometowns.
In this 2026 issue of Parade, we celebrate many of the people who are leading Alexander City, Dadeville and the surrounding communities into a new era of opportunity.
New leadership has stepped forward in both Alexander City and Dadeville, bringing fresh ideas to the small towns. Meet Alexander City Mayor Mike Densmore on page 122 and Dadeville Mayor Chuck Ledbetter on page 114 as they share their vision for the future of their communities. On page 20, read about The Dadeville-Lake Martin Area Chamber’s first CEO, Bridgett Thornell, marking another step forward in connecting members throughout the town.
A new era of education has also risen in our communities, offering endless opportunities for our youngest leaders. On page 40, learn how Dr. Jose Reyes helped guide the opening of the new Benjamin Russell High School, or how CACC is shaping futures on page 64.
Creativity also thrives where vision exists. On page 106, meet Robert Gunn, the creative force behind Russell Lands’ signature events. Also discover the rising popularity of the Lake Martin Songwriters Festival on page 48, and learn how organizations such as ACT II, Alex City Arts and Dadeville Performing Arts continue to cultivate creativity starting on page 52.
The stories on these pages remind us that great communities are not built by chance but by people willing to imagine more.
As you read this year’s edition, we hope you see what we see – a region shaped by visionaries, past and present. The progress unfolding across our communities serves as a reminder that the future of our hometowns is bright – guided by leaders, innovators and dreamers who continue to believe in the endless possibilities of a small town.
Tippy Hunter
Tippy Hunter, General Manager
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF INDUSTRY
LMAEDA paves the way for regional growth
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS & COURTESY OF LMAEDA
The landscape of economic development is changing in the Lake Martin area, as the region’s primary liaison between manufacturing interests and local resources develops new strategies to attract diversified industries.
Tariffs, railroads, statewide incentives and the region’s manufacturing history shape today’s economic culture in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties, and Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance sees recent changes as opportunities for growth.
As the federal administration encourages U.S. based industrial investment, more prospects are looking for viable locations in which to plant roots, said LMAEDA Executive Director Denise Walls.
“It starts with viable industrial sites, places for companies to land,” Walls said. “Twenty years ago, industrial parks were just land. Now, that land has to be cleared, with at least a plan for utilities in place, before a company will even consider the site.”
Securing a commitment from one company often makes the landscape more attractive to another, she said.
“For example, Two Rivers Lumber Co. LLC is building a state-of-the-art sawmill in the back of the Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park,” Walls said. “We’re using grant money for a road, and we have city utilities going in, which will give us access to the remaining 55 acres in the park to attract other industries to move here.”
While not limiting efforts to forestry-related industries, Two Rivers’ presence in the park will make it easier to attract companion companies to the area – companies that might provide resources to the lumber company or use Two Rivers’ byproducts. In the same
Two Rivers Lumber of Demopolis is building a $115 million sawmill creating 130 jobs for the area
way a grocery store might anchor a shopping center, Two Rivers serves as an anchor for the industrial park.
“Once we find companies for the remaining land in the Coosa County industrial park, we will need to start all over again and establish another location for industry,” Walls said.
❝ Progress is uncomfortable, and people don’t like to be uncomfortable. It requires increments of progress to be where we want to be.”
› Denise Walls, LMAEDA Executive Director
“Right now is a good time to do that with the availability of SEEDS money.”
ics, the program will cover 75 percent of the costs associated with land acquisition for industrial use.
In Tallapoosa County, the program will cover 50 percent of the costs, including geotechnical, wetlands and other required environmental surveys and testing.
Taking advantage of this and
of paying a portion of tax, a company can put funds in a project. There are limited funds available, and it’s competitive among communities. Having a prospect helps in securing those funds,” she said.
Partnerships with corporations, like Alabama Power and – more recently – Norfolk Southern railroad, also help to pave the way for industrial investment.
“We’ve worked with Norfolk Southern more in the past year than in the last 20 years,” Walls said. “They brought in a new industrial development manager to solicit railroad business. He’s helped us look at properties that have rail access.”
Alabama’s Site Evaluation Economic Development Strategy program provides funding for such an endeavor. Based on demograph-
similar incentivized programs makes it possible for the area to attract companies that will invest in local communities, Walls said.
“We used Growing Alabama program funds in Thweatt Industrial Park in Tallapoosa County. Instead
Two Rivers is a case in point. The lumber company will need access to rail transportation for the distribution of its finished products. Growing Alabama funds helped with the procurement of property adjacent to the railway on Washington Street, near U.S. Route 280. These successes lend themselves to building strong communities, just as the area’s manufacturing hitory demonstrates, Walls said.
“We are what we are here because Mr. Russell made things here, but we need to not put all our eggs in one basket. We hope we are always a place that makes things,
Denise Walls
Thomas C. Russell Field Airport
a place for manufacturing,” Walls said. “We hear a lot about tourism, and tourism plays a big part in our economic development, but companies that need high-tech manufacturing skills pay good wages. Our economic development needs to be diversified. There was a time when we didn’t have that, when we relied almost solely on one industry, and it was devastating when they left.
“Our labor pool can support a diversified economy.”
The area’s textile history could play a role in attracting new industry as well, Walls said.
“Textile interests are resurfacing because of the federal tariffs,” Walls said. “The need to find suppliers and buyers in the U.S. is leading to rethinking strategies. We have some buildings for textile in this area.”
As a liaison organization, LMAEDA facilitates the building of relationships between the entities involved in industrial projects, from educators that train the workforce to government officials who authorize projects and provide services. Central Alabama Community College President Jeff Lynn, for example, works to develop curriculums that supply skilled labor for incoming companies.
“One big thing Alexander City’s former mayor, Baird, did was in expanding the project agreements to include community involvement. Companies make a commitment to work with the community – the United Way, the chamber of commerce, CACC,” Walls said. “The Russell Co. set an example of community involvement, and we want to get back to that. We’re in a position now to be selective, and we’re looking for community partners.”
For Walls, who often is the initial contact for an interested company, the job at LMAEDA is one of personal growth. With every inquiry, she learns as much about the new industry as she can so she can speak intelligently to the needs and interests of each party involved.
“I rely very much on our industrial partners. I love having smart friends. In this business, you have to realize that you don’t know what
you don’t know, and you have to be willing to learn it,” she said.
Progress, Walls said, is incremental. To those not involved or educated about industrial economic development, it may appear to move at a frustratingly slow pace, but there are many moving parts to be coordinated with multiple parties.
“Progress is uncomfortable, and people don’t like to be uncomfortable,” sahe said. “It requires increments of progress to be where we want to be.”
But local residents can play an important role in the industry recruitment process, Walls said.
“Any company knows more
about this community than I could ever tell them before they contact me,” she said. “They monitor social media. They may even make a site visit before they ever call me. We need to be positive about our community. Negative social media affects our ability to attract goodpaying jobs. I just want to remind people to be patient through our progress.”
With local leaders who work together to attract diversified interests, incentive programs that work for local progress and a climate for industrial growth, the local landscape is positioned to support a stable local economy.
Central Coosa students tour the facility at Two Rivers Lumber Mill in Kellyton
Kraem building Emma Jean Thweatt industrial park in Dadeville
A Harbor for Hope
Children’s Harbor and Auburn University Join Forces
For a family navigating the journey of a child’s serious illness, the needs are immense.
It is not just about medical treatments, it’s about finding a sanctuary – a place for refuge, respite and resources.
For nearly four decades, Children’s Harbor has been that sanctuary. In a move to elevate the care it provides, the nonprofit is now reaching outward, forming a partnership with Auburn University that promises to redefine what support looks like for families in crisis.
Entering its 37th year, Children’s Harbor has evolved significantly from
its humble beginnings.
“What started as kind of a homegrown, mom-and-pop operation has grown into a large professional organization that serves every county in Alabama and several other states as well,” said Cat Outzen, CEO of Children’s Harbor.
The mission remains the same: to strengthen families in need. But Outzen recognized that to continue growing and providing a quality experience for families, the organization needed to utilize outside expertise. It needed a partner who could bring fresh energy, research-backed methods and innovation to the shores of its Lake Martin campus.
This new agreement, formalized in December 2024, designates Children’s Harbor as a learning lab for Auburn students. While this offers educational value to the university, the primary victory for Outzen is the immediate impact on the children and families that Children’s Harbor serves.
By opening its doors to Auburn faculty and students, Children’s Harbor is ensuring its programs are
not just well-meaning, but scientifically grounded.
“Our patients and families benefit greatly from the enthusiasm, latest trends and best practices brought to us by Auburn students,” Outzen said. “Now, we’re able to do clinical research on our programs to make sure what we’re doing is making a difference and that we’re meeting our goals to decrease caregiver stress and anxiety. Partnering with Auburn elevates our awareness and our brand, as well as provides us with a potential source of employees and volunteers.”
Whether it is dietetic interns improving camp nutrition or counseling students bringing new mental health strategies, the partnership ensures that Children’s Harbor remains on the cutting edge of care.
This approach – using academic resources to solve real-world challenges for families – is already flourishing in creative ways.
The collaboration has expanded to include 26 different schools within the university. Landscape architecture students have created master facility plans for Children’s Harbor, forestry students have built birdhouses for the grounds and hospitality students
Cat Outzen
are helping the nonprofit maintain a “five-star experience” for families.
Outzen pointed to a collaboration with the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences as a prime example of how this partnership directly touches lives. Design students were tasked with creating adaptive Halloween costumes for children using wheelchairs or medical devices.
“The kids loved it,” Outzen recalled. “For one child, they built a tank for him to go over his wheelchair. I saw him at multiple events, and he was having a ball in that costume. That was a really powerful project.”
Additionally, the partnership helps solve logistical challenges. When the Harbor Lodge isn’t hosting families, it now hosts Rural Teacher Fellows from Auburn – a program that places students completing their studentteacher residency to live and teach in rural Alabama. This strategy keeps the facilities utilized while supporting the local school system, and Eclecticarea schools have already hired two Auburn education interns.
Hollie Cost, Auburn’s assistant vice president for University Outreach and Public Service, said the
partnership works because it is built on a shared desire to serve the community.
“This partnership is mutually beneficial and helps us both to fully realize our respective missions,” Cost said. “Our students benefit from realworld experience, and families facing medical hardship receive increased support.”
For Auburn University, this partnership offers invaluable opportunities for research, student engagement and community outreach, fostering a culture of service and learning that aligns with the university’s land-grant mission.
“Our students are in this professional setting, and they will be treated as a colleague rather than just a student,” Cost said. “They’re meeting with board members at Children’s Harbor and they are able to understand more about inclusivity and accessibility. It’s a breadth of experience that goes far beyond the walls of the classroom.”
For Children’s Harbor, the vision extends beyond just this one agreement. Outzen
A new partnership designated Children’s Harbor as a hands-on learning site for students
sees this collaboration as a pilot program – proof of a concept that could change how nonprofits operate nationwide.
“We’re using this as a model,” Outzen said. “Our next step in this partnership is to gather that evidence of how powerful this type of partnership can be, and then see how we can teach others to replicate our success.”
By bridging the gap between a major research institution and a mission-driven nonprofit, Children’s Harbor isn’t just serving families today; they are building a framework to ensure no family has to navigate their journey alone in the future.
STORY BY SAM VISE PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & COURTESY OF CHILDREN’S HARBOR
Children’s Harbor summer camp
The Future is Local
Bridget Thornell’s vision for Lake Martin – Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce
STORY BY SARAH CHASE
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE, SARAH CHASE & COURTESY OF LAKE MARTIN – DADEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Leading small businesses in a growing city requires someone with clear and focused intentions. It calls for a visionary ready to think outside the box and someone who can be a reliable player when put in the game.
When the Lake Martin-Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce hired its first ever CEO in December 2025, the chamber knew it needed someone that could elevate its resources and members. So, enter Bridget Thornell.
Thornell began her position already equipped with the skills needed to lead. She previously served on the chamber board, assisting with event planning and attending monthly meetings dedicated to forming ideas that would bring excitement to the community and Dadeville’s businesses.
She also participated in an ambassador program while serving the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce as an ambassador. Her hard work did not go unnoticed, as she was the recipient of the Alexander City Chamber Ambassador award in 2023.
In her new role, Thornell is seeking out ways to bring in more businesses to the city – a goal she went in with. To achieve that vision, she is committed to connecting with chamber members and welcoming creative proposals from outside the chamber.
“I want to serve our community,” Thornell said. “I want fresh, new ideas. The chamber members that we already have, I want to connect with them and hear their visions and us all to try to work together to make
this community thrive even more than it already is.”
She hopes the chamber’s new, more accessible location will allow it to revive offerings such as pop-up workshops, social media training and potentially even AI-focused sessions. Now situated in the square in downtown Dadeville, the chamber is better positioned to expand networking opportunities and provide educational resources for business owners. This location offers increased visibility and the potential for greater community impact.
“Being here, I am a little bit more accessible, and people can just walk next door if they have chamber questions or if they need to come talk to me about a new business or idea they would like to bring to the chamber,” Thornell said about the chamber location change. “We are just walking distance now to a lot of our members, and I am so excited.”
Thornell is also making efforts to connect with young people in the city. The path to that connection lies in the education system. She hopes to speak with leaders in the schools about the junior ambassador program to highlight its benefits to those who are thinking of participating.
“It always looks great on a resume or a college application,” Thornell said. “There are a lot of different things you can do as an ambassador, but your main thing is to advocate for the chamber and share what the chamber is about. The junior ambassador program is definitely a work in progress, but we are going to start doing some meetings and inviting people from the community that would like to hear about the
Bridget Thornell
ambassador program to decide from there where they want to go.”
Thornell and the chamber board had their first meeting in January. They discussed events, new and old, that they plan to host and what everyone envisions for the chamber in 2026.
Although she is still in the learning process as the chamber had been solely volunteer-based until hiring Thornell and her administrative assistant, Margaret Ladson, Thornell is looking to utilize fellow chambers and resources around her to advance Dadeville’s own chamber.
During her first month as CEO, Thornell met with Alabama Chambers president and CEO Paige Hutto, Sylacauga Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Laura Strickland and Alexander City Chamber of Commerce vice president of special events and sponsorship Kim Dunn. The meeting helped her further understand how she can make her own vision for the chamber into a reality.
“I want to visit other chambers,” Thornell said. “I plan on attending a couple of big events the Alabama Chamber hosts. There is an executive leadership conference in April and there is a professional development conference in September. There are a ton of other events, luncheons, meetings and roundtables that take place around the year, so I plan to attend some of those and try to learn as much from those meetings and bring ideas back here to Dadeville.”
Thornell’s vision does not only hold in-person impact. She hopes to also build the chamber’s online presence so when anyone in the city wants to be in the know about local businesses and happenings, they think of the chamber first.
“When somebody is looking for some kind of resource, they automatically go to the Dadeville Chamber website or our Facebook page to see what is new and what is happening in Dadeville or our surrounding areas,” Thornell said. “I want people to think about the Dadeville Chamber whenever they are thinking about where to eat or any of the things going on in Dadeville.”
Thornell described herself as an approachable, hands-on leader who is there for those who need her. She said she is going to support and advocate for her community and wants to be a leader her community is proud of.
“I want to thank God first and I would like to thank my family for always supporting me and everything that I throw at them,” Thornell said. “I would like to thank the Dadeville Chamber for choosing me to be in this leadership role for them. I want to thank Mike and Tanya Bruce for all they’ve done for me in the last nine years.”
The new chamber building is located on the Square next to Porch and Pine
Chuck’walla’s Pizzeria
Downtown Dadeville
Chamber board members are sworn in by Tallapoosa County Probate Judge Talmadge East
Marching Toward the Future
BRHS passes the baton to a former drum major for new band director
STORY BY BETSY ILER
Avision from the past feeds one for the future as 2015 Benjamin Russell High School alumna Christian Reyes became the first woman to serve as director of the school’s band in June 2025.
“I take great pride in that,” Reyes said. “I am one of very few female band directors in a Class 5A school.”
Reyes proved herself capable of the job when she served as interim band director for six months while still directing the Alexander City Middle School band, a posi- tion she’d held for three years. Former BRHS band director Dale Bloodworth, who led the Pride for 27 years, retired in January, and Reyes added his role to her already full plate.
“We didn’t skip a beat,” she said. “I knew what I was getting into coming here. I felt prepared after being interim.”
Reyes has been preparing for this – her dream job –since she sat in the clarinet section of the BRHS Pride Band as a high school freshman. In her sophomore year, she earned the section leadership chair, and in her
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & LIZI ARBOGAST
Reyes in 2015 when she served as drum major
junior year, she was drum major.
“I was all-in. I played in all of the ensembles –marching band, jazz band, the choir program. I did everything,” she said. “The same in college. I was in concert band, symphonic band and marching.”
She played in the Auburn University band until graduating in 2019, and that experience helped to shape her vision as a high school band director.
“With the Auburn band, I traveled the U.S. going to SEC games,” she said. “We played a lot of bowl games in New Orleans and visited towns across the country for games. I also toured Italy with the band. It was eyeopening as an 18-year-old to see places other than where I lived. When I was in high school here, the band went to Chicago to play in the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
She further honed her directing skills in Fayetteville, Alabama, where she landed for three years after leaving Auburn.
“That was a great opportunity. I worked with students at all levels, from kindergarten to 12th grade. It qualified me for any job – any age, any grade level of students,” Reyes said. “I started with 19 students and ended three years later with 40. That told me I was successful at recruiting.”
Attracting new band members will be an important focus of her role at BRHS, as the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the school’s band program, shrinking the number of students involved. She hopes to grow the
band by offering students an exemplary experience.
“Someplace along my way, I realized that being in the high school band was the best time of my life. I want students to have as good as or better experience as I had,” she said. “In that way, my vision is not far from what Mr. Bloodworth’s vision was. I want to blend with the traditions of my predecessors here.”
But there are differences between previous directors’ tenures and her own, Reyes noted.
“There is more progress with technology. You see extravagant props, and technology can dilute the sound. The Pride has always had a great classic marching band sound, and I want to keep that sound,” she said. “That starts at sixth grade.”
As such, partnering with band directors in Alexander City’s elementary and middle school programs is an investment in the high school band, as well as the overall student development, Reyes said.
“All four band directors in the city have been thoughtfully chosen. We all bring something different, from the woodwinds to percussion and brass,” Reyes said. “Branton Wheeler is at Radney Elementary. Johnathan Clutts is at ACMS, and Jim Shaw is the assistant band director at Benjamin Russell. We are heavily collaborating from the bottom to the top. They do a wonderful job of preparing students for the next level.”
Traveling is another experience Reyes envisions bringing back to the program.
“Because I was a member of the band in college, I got
Christian Reyes became the first woman to serve as band director at BRHS
to perform in the same hall as Mozart,” she said. “That was during the Italy tour, and it was kind of a fun fact.”
In April, high school and middle school students will perform at Oscar Drum Park in New Orleans’ Jackson Square.
“The main goal with that trip is the performance opportunity” Reyes said. “We want to get a foot in the door for travel, and I hope to expand those opportunities, so every class gets to take at least one trip before they graduate.”
One of the underlying goals of the band experience is to help shape students as people. While a few students will follow music programs in college or join military bands after high school, the camaraderie, teamwork and travel experiences they have will influence who they are for the rest of their lives.
The greatest challenge to growing the band and those all-important experiences, Reyes said, is recruitment.
“Kids are involved in two or three activities these days, and scheduling rehearsals and practices is not easy,” she said. “I don’t want kids to drop out of band because I didn’t work with them on their schedules.”
She’s addressed part of that issue by scheduling rehearsals during the fifth-block class period, which reduces the number of after-school practices needed. Communication between coaches, staff and band directors also takes some pressure off students’ commitment schedules.
She’s also using technology to make the band more visible to the community.
“We live in an era of social media,” Reyes said. “We’re using social media so the community sees what we’re doing, and we can invite the community to be part of it.”
In addition, Reyes hopes to visit and speak at meetings for local civic organizations, sometimes bringing students to perform.
“Civic clubs, nursing homes, performing at elemen-
❝ Someplace along the way, I realized that being in the high school band was the best time of my life. I want students to have as good as or better experience as I had.”
› Christian Reyes, BRHS Band Director
tary schools. Giving the community the opportunity to see what we’re doing. I want to be a bigger part of that,” she said.
An unexpected bonus for her is the fact that 11 years ago, she sat in her students’ chairs.
“A part of me still feels like a teenager, sitting in the same place my students are sitting. I still remember what that’s like,” she said.
Another throwback to her childhood is the fact that her father, Dr. Jose Reyes, was named superintendent of Alexander City Schools last year.
“I lived my whole life with my dad as the principal at my school. He was working his way up in his career as I progressed from one grade to another. I used to say he was following me, and now, he’s done it again. I was the band director at ACMS before he became superintendent here,” she laughed.
“But he always has very good advice. Whether my ideas are right or wrong, he always tells me the truth. He visits my classroom the same as he visits all the classrooms in all the schools. I don’t feel singled out. He’s supporting everyone.”
Support from Reyes’ family helps her manage a busy career schedule. She is married to Drew Odum and the couple has a 3-year-old daughter.
“We are in the process of selling our home in Chelsea and moving here,” she said.
Being part of the community contributes to Reyes’ vision for her students.
“Being here, seeing students and their parents, that’s part of the program being successful. It’s part of students having a good experience, part of the support to make sure this program is where it needs to be,” she said. “I would love to see my students active in collegiate band, to represent the community statewide, audition for college roles and military band options. Parent support and community support are all part of the vision.”
Reyes with BRHS band members and assistant band director, Branton Wheeler
LEADING CACC INTO THE FUTURE
Jeff Lynn took on the Central Alabama Community College presidency with a vision to return the area’s community college campuses to relevancy through workforce development curriculums, facility upgrades and community involvement.
Six years later, CACC’s machining program has been named second-best in the nation; Lynn is up to his earlobes in campus construction; and the public is trickling onto the campuses for entertainment as well as education, with more to come.
Workforce development was a top priority in Tallapoosa and Coosa
counties when Lynn took on the role of rebranding the two-year college system in East Central Alabama. Still reeling from the late 20th-century overseas exit of textile manufacturers, the region was economically depressed. Unemployment was at a record high, with few job opportunities and a shifting industrial climate.
As Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance officials worked to attract new industry to the region, developing the workforce to supply those industries was the No. 1 concern. Lynn recruited Michael Barnette as CACC’s dean of workforce development to create programs that meet incoming companies’ needs for trained workers in jobs that pay
STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS COURTESY OF CACC
Jeff Lynn
livable wages.
“Now, industries are looking at us globally,” Lynn said after two CACC machining students placed second in the Project MFG Clash of Trades competition last year.
Designed to highlight the importance of skilled trades in building America’s workforce, the Clash of Trades tests students’ skills under real-world conditions. Teams were judged on precision, problem-solving and their ability to work together under pressure.
“This award is more than a trophy or a title. It is an investment in our students and in the future of Alabama’s workforce,” Barnette said. But even as the local two-year col-
lege made strides in workforce development, Lynn was busy planning the renovation of the school’s footprint.
Among the first buildings to be renovated was the former health, education and arts facility near the reconditioned tennis and pickleball courts. At 60 years old, the building had lost its technical edge. Because it was not ADA compliant, the auditorium was no longer in use, and the building had fallen into disrepair.
At the time of this writing, the renovation is nearing completion with a new auditorium, a stateof-the-art library facility, updated instructional rooms and a snack bar and lounge area for students. Lynn hopes to resurrect the jazz ensemble program that once won accolades at CACC. In addition, the facility will be available for use by the community, including Alex City Arts, which hosts an annual presentation schedule of musical entertainment.
The former media resource building with its two-story view of the pond will serve as the science building, hosting the school’s nursing programs. Classrooms and offices will be constructed downstairs, and the second floor will be reconfigured to better accommodate students, all while retaining the two-story view.
CACC’s nursing program has doubled in the last four years, and Lynn expects that growth to continue.
“I would love to develop a biotech program,” Lynn added.
Such an endeavor could give local students a head start in the indemand major before transferring to four-year colleges to complete their degrees.
The renovation program is designed to serve students in the electronics age, Lynn said.
“We have to make sure the buildings meet the needs of our students,” he said.
In addition, he hopes to create a first-class hospitality/culinary arts
program that could meet the needs of the growing local tourism industry. That program would partner with local restaurants to provide internships for students.
“That is a critically needed program in our area,” Lynn said. “The growth of the lake is significant for the restaurant and hospitality industry here.”
Lynn said the concept would create an incubator program, and he expects students would eventually start their own local businesses.
In the meantime, Lynn has accommodated community use of college facilities. The chamber of commerce uses an audio-visual equipped classroom for communitywide presentations. The college provides office space for the LMAEDA director as well. The technical center ballroom and stage have provided a venue for theatrical productions, concerts, seminars and more.
“Even the walkers,” Lynn said, referring to the dozens of community members who walk the perimeter drive for daily exercise. “It’s a customer service attitude.”
The CACC team has been able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time because they are just that – a team.
“It’s all about having the right people on the team, and they’re great,” he said. “Everyone has the attitude that we have to get better every day. We’re aspirational in our goals.”
Lynn’s vision of what could be seems to know no bounds. He’d love to start community education programs for crafting, photography, technology education and more. He’d love to see a series of bike trails connecting the college to the downtown entertainment district, and he wants to create more student housing.
“We could grow this campus by 1,000 students in four years, but we need housing. I’m looking for acreage,” he said.
“A lot of students don’t think they can do better, rise above their backgrounds,” said Lynn, but CACC’s president is here to tell them they can and to find ways to help them do just that.
The CACC machine program was named second-best in the nation
Investing in Tomorrow’s Classrooms
STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY SAMUEL HIGGS & COURTESY OF CASEY DAVIS
Casey Davis looks inside Tallapoosa County Schools to cap a vision that has spanned the better part of a decade and has played out over the terms of three board of education superintendents.
In 2018, former superintendent Joe Windle conceived the original plan to upgrade the county’s education facilities through a one-cent sales tax that authorized $25 million for school construction and renovation. Ray Porter, who held the superintendent’s office from 2021 to the end of 2024, completed the expansive construction project begun by Windle.
It now falls on Davis, who took office one year ago, to outfit the upgraded school facilities with desks, lighting, technology and transportation to carry students into the mid-21st century.
Davis is a product of the Tallapoosa County Board of Education. His mother drove a school bus for the county school system when Davis was a student, following his grandmother who drove school buses for 38 years.
Davis graduated from Dadeville High School in 1993 and started his college education at Central Alabama Community College. After transferring to Auburn University Montgomery, he graduated in 1997 and returned to DHS as a teacher.
Steadily advancing through assistant principal and principal roles, Davis joined Windle’s central office
staff in 2015. He served as deputy superintendent and was then elected superintendent unopposed in 2024.
“It’s a calling for me,” Davis said. “I knew in the third grade I wanted to be a teacher, and I never wavered.”
His history and experience in the school system uniquely qualify Davis to wrap up the ambitious county schools upgrade that was only a dream 10 years ago, as he has played a key role in making that dream come true since its inception.
The lofty construction phase of the upgrade plan began in Reeltown, where a new elementary school was built to replace the 1929 facility that was still in use.
“We started in that area because that’s where the most growth was happening,” Davis said.
Horseshoe Bend School’s gymnasium was renovated and rebuilt. Reeltown High School received a new gymnasium and four classrooms. Dadeville Elementary School was gutted and completely renovated, and Dadeville High School, built in the 1960s, was upgraded as well.
Porter’s administration completed the construction projects that were started in Windle’s tenure.
“Our facilities are now the best they’ve ever been,” Davis said.
With construction complete, Davis has turned his attention to the furnishings and technology students use.
“It is our mission to build a school system worthy
of our children. We’re building tomorrow,” Davis said. “Now, those are great words, but if we’re not living those words, we’re in trouble.”
He operates under the assumption that if one school in the system has a need, all of the schools in the system have that same need.
“If one school needs something, they all need it,” he said. “Kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Reeltown had new desks when the new school was built. So, we’re putting new desks in all the schools in phases.”
Horseshoe Bend elementary students recently received new desks, and Dadeville Elementary School students through the fifth grade will enjoy new desks early this year. Middle school students at all schools will receive the next desk installment, with high schools to follow.
“The desks are designed to be comfortable and functional. They offer teachers more flexibility for classroom arrangements,” Davis said. “The old desks were a chair-and-table combination, but these new desks are separate tables and chairs. They can be arranged to put students in a circle or at a larger table. They can be changed around however works best for the teacher to present material.”
Another coming improvement addresses security needs through upgraded interior doors, a onekey system and intercom upgrades.
“The one-key system helps first responders get to students faster. There isn’t a handful of keys to go through to get the right one,” he said. “The exterior doors will be solid but still warm and inviting. We’re also upgrading the intercoms. These are a key component of security. They include panic buttons in the classroom, and for the first time, we will have the ability to make a systemwide announcement to all the schools from this central office.”
The school system received a very competitive $500,000 grant to upgrade the intercom system over three years. A grant from the lieutenant governor’s office will pay for the door upgrades. Additional grant funds are being sought to cover the desk costs.
“We don’t have a grant writer on staff,” Davis said. “For big grants, we may contract with a grant writer, but all of us in this office and our teachers all work on grants. About 15 to 20 percent of our grants are small ones, like Alabama Power grants for teachers or sports. Grant funds free up local dollars for other uses.”
Davis said air-conditioning systems were upgraded using ESSER funds during the COVID19 shutdown.
“It makes teachers’ jobs easier if the kids are comfortable,” he said.
State funds were used to help with the replacement of three buses this year. The state pays 70
Tallapoosa County schools played in three state championships in the past year
Dadeville High School received a gym remodel
Dual enrollment offers certifications across multiple industries
percent of the cost of each $150,000 bus. Davis said the school system works on a 10-year fleet renewal plan, and half of the buses now have air conditioning.
“Kids are now going to school during some of the hottest parts of the year, and about 90 percent of our student body rides the bus to school regularly,” Davis said. “We’re a rural county. In many cases, it’s not practical for parents to drop kids off at school and pick them up. They have jobs to get to.”
Academically, the Tallapoosa County Board of Education has stepped up to meet college and career readiness trends. The Edward Bell Technology Center now employs two full-time and two parttime career coaches, who help students identify preferred career paths and help them develop the skills that will be needed for career fields that interest them.
School day structure is now more flexible than it was in previous generations, Davis said. Dual
enrollment now includes certification options for nursing assistants, welders and Microsoft Office proficiency. Students enrolled in work-school programs often can structure their school days according to their work hours, working during the morning and attending school in the afternoon if needed.
“We have a mobile STEM lab trailer that spends nine weeks at each school during the year,” Davis said. “We’re one of the first systems in the state to have a trailer that was built for that purpose. That also was paid for through a grant. We start that in eighth grade. The students can explore their interests and careers virtually and see what appeals to them. And they can plan to take classes that will prepare them for those careers or interests.
“The jobs we’re preparing students for may not even exist yet. Our challenge is to prepare them for that. Our career coaches are learning about future jobs.
“Work-from-home is a new concept. Older generations didn’t have that. The mill mentality – working for 30 years for one company and then retiring – isn’t how it is now. Kids today will change careers many times during their life. We’re building good citizens.”
Tallapoosa County schools played for three state athletic championships in the last year, and academic and career tech students have traveled to
national conventions.
“Our communities are proud of that, and they should be,” Davis said. “They helped us get there. They love their communities, and they love the schools. We are a tool for them. It takes all of us.”
The number and variety of people in today’s classrooms have grown as well. From administrators to teachers and parents, each person who influences students in the Tallapoosa County school system shares the vision, and they all bring different ideas for how to achieve it.
“A good school system can help create a thriving economy,” Davis said. “Today, finances are challenging, and we have to tighten our belts. It’s key now more than ever to be good stewards of our dollars and to tie funds to our mission to be worthy of our children.
“I want us to be known as innovative, forward-thinking. The status quo is never enough.”
Dadeville Elementary School renovations
Casey Davis
The Path to Veritas
STORY BY SAM VISE PHOTOS COURTESY OF VERITAS
To the leadership at Veritas Lake Martin Christian School, located at First Baptist Church in Alexander City, education is more than a curriculum – it’s a journey of “training up a child.”
For John and Jill Hill, the head of school and the school’s director, the goal is a three-fold promise: to enrich students through relationships, equip them with academic tools and empower them to lead lives reflective of Christ. This local institution is proving that Veritas – Latin for “the truth” – is the most solid foundation a student can have in an everchanging world.
“Our vision is to cultivate young men and women to lead productive lives, to overcome challenges and to exemplify Christ-like qualities,” John said. “Our mission is to collaborate
❝ But with God, all things that are impossible become possible, and it has been a wonderful journey.”
› John Hill, Head of School, Veritas Lake Martin
with God in guiding our students according to the principles outlined in Proverbs 22:6, fostering their spiritual, academic and interpersonal development and encouraging Christ-like character. We focus on character just as much as scholastics.”
The story of Veritas didn’t begin in a boardroom or with a strategic five-year plan. It began on a quiet stretch of pavement in April 2018, fueled by tears and a sudden life-altering uncertainty.
At the time, Jill was a teacher at Faith Christian Academy, where the couple’s three children were also enrolled. When they received the abrupt news that the school would not be reopening its doors that fall, the foundation of their daily life vanished overnight as a growing concern for their children’s future loomed over the couple.
Seeking clarity, the Hills began walking up and down their street in Alexander City as they tried to process the news. With children in the second and third grades, the weight of “what now?” felt heavy.
“Jill kept asking me, ‘What are we going to do?’” John recalled. “I kept telling her, ‘I don’t know, but God will provide a way. I’m trusting in God.’”
They paced that same stretch of road countless times. Finally, in a moment of exasperated faith, John turned to his wife and said the words that would change their lives forever.
“I told her, ‘Sweetheart, if we have to open up a school, then let’s open up a school,’”
John Hill
Jill Hill
he said. “It’s been a God thing the entire way. There’s no consultant anywhere that would tell you in April, ‘Yes, you can open up a school in August and have it ready to go with teachers hired and a curriculum in place.’ You can’t do that, that’s impossible. But with God, all things that are impossible become possible, and it has been a wonderful journey.”
By fall of 2018, that “what if” had become a reality. After months of planning and steady faith, Veritas opened its doors, and the school has been growing – and trusting – ever since.
As director, Jill has seen the school evolve from a leap of faith into a structured sanctuary for learning.
“Our original vision was just to provide a school,” she said. “We didn’t know exactly what we were doing at first, but we knew there was a need in our community for parents who wanted a Christian education and smaller studentteacher ratios.”
That intentionality has led to a 1-10 teacher-student ratio. While the school now operates with structured efficiency, it has never lost its “mission-minded” heart.
This is perhaps most evident in the school’s community presence, where students serve as grand marshals in the local Christmas parade and recently donated more than 450 canned goods to a local food pantry.
“Serving people should be ingrained in your spirit,” Jill said. “It’s about becoming more like Christ every day. We want our students to see that they can be productive, involved and supportive of their community before they
even graduate.”
The fruit of this vision is found in students like Jacob Howell. One of six seniors at Veritas – the largest graduating class the school has seen thus far – Howell moved to the Lake Martin area during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking for an environment that mirrored his family’s values, he found a home at Veritas.
“We are left unfiltered in our academics, and we are made better for it,” Howell said. “We see how God works through history, from the Fertile Crescent to the Founding Fathers.”
For Howell, who plans to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy after graduation, the Veritas education has provided a lens to view the world with both intelligence
and faith.
As the school enters its eighth year, the Hills are looking toward a future of steady, purposeful growth. Their goal isn’t to become a sprawling campus, but to remain a place where every child is known, every lesson is rooted in truth and every student is equipped for whatever calling lies ahead.
Veritas focuses on traditional scholastics and character development
The school has a 1-10 teacher-student ratio
Alexander City Opens its Doors to a New Generation
STORY BY GWEN BISHOP
PHOTOS
AUDRA SPEARS, GWEN BISHOP & LIZI ARBOGAST
BY
The new high school opened its doors in early February
Ten years ago, current Alexander City Schools Superintendent Dr. Jose Reyes knew there would be a need for a new high school.
“It was a topic that was brought up a decade ago when I was principal at Benjamin Russell,” Reyes said. “I knew that in the future we would need a new building.”
The former Benjamin Russell High School is 75 years old, and the needs of the 21st century high school student has changed.
Although Reyes was still serving as superintendent of Calhoun County Schools when the groundbreaking for the new high school took place, he said he is not disappointed that he missed that first phase.
“I came back and just stepped into that dream,” Reyes said. “It’s all very exciting for me.”
From 2003 to 2014, Reyes served the Alexander City Schools for eleven years as an administrator before serving as Superintendent in Scottsboro City and Calhoun County Schools, thus making him very familiar with the local facilities.
While he is excited about the potential the new high school brings to the system, there was also a weight of responsibility that came with seeing the project through to completion.
“It’s hard to describe the pressure of managing your normal responsibilities of running a school system while also ensuring a $102 million high school is completed,” Reyes said. “I do think my experience as a superintendent prior to coming back to Alex City has eased my anxiety and worry.”
Reyes said the new school was designed with students’ complete education in mind.
With a focus on academics, athletics and the arts, he said the new school will encourage growth and learning in each of these areas.
“We have some kids for whom academics is their number one focus – it’s what they want to do,” Reyes said. “You have some who are more creative, and oth-
Alexander City Schools Board of Education president Adam Wade, superintendent Dr. Jose Reyes and Benjamin Hendrix officially cut the ribbon on the new high school
ers who are more athletically focused. Each one feeds off the other. Every kid connects with at least one of those three things, and they all work together to make Benjamin Russell great. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”
The new school has space and resources for about 850900 students to explore extracurricular activities such as chorus, band, art, various sports and several career technical education programs.
“Some students may go to college for athletics or the arts, but they may not become professional athletes, singers, musicians, or actors,” Reyes said. “What is a secondary result of that? They go to college and earn an education and become a productive member of society.”
BRHS students will have the opportunity to take courses in health sciences, mechanics, culinary arts and more, all while learning through hands-on experience in simulated labs. The new building includes a professional, state-ofthe-art kitchen for the culinary arts program – a space any chef would be proud to work in.
BRHS Principal Shannon Benefield agreed that the technical classrooms and labs are a significant upgrade for students.
“In our old building, there was no center for culinary arts,” Benefield said. “Now, students will be able to work in a fully equipped culinary lab.”
He said the kitchen will provide students with the experience they need after graduation. Benefield was also pleased with the health sciences lab.
The new gym features state-of-the-art facilities
“You can walk right in and start training,” he said. “It looks just like Russell Medical Center. It’s pretty exciting.”
For students more interested in the arts, the new building features an updated performing arts auditorium and band hall.
As an added bonus, the marching band’s practice field is easily accessible from the main band room.
Students had an orientation during the first week of school
During the construction process, it appeared the new high school might be completed by the end of 2025. Although that timeline shifted, the doors of the new BRHS officially opened to students on February 9, ushering in an exciting new era of academic growth and opportunity.
The week prior to opening, students participated in virtual learning while teachers became acclimated to the new building and prepared their classrooms, much as they would at the start of a new school year. During the first week the school was open, students also received an orientation.
Before the new BRHS opened, it was a priority for both Reyes and members of the ACS Board of Education to conduct an in-depth inspection of the building to ensure that any minor repairs or blemishes were addressed before signing the certificate of completion.
Representatives from Scout Program Management provided updates during the school board’s regular monthly meetings.
Board member Brett Pritchard expressed appreciation for the project management team’s attention to detail but noted during the October meeting that minor repairs would need to be completed before the board signed off on the project.
“Would you accept this in your house?” he asked during the meeting.
Both the board and Reyes have remained mindful of the significant investment in the new construction and were deliberate in approving the school as complete.
Now that the move is finished, Reyes will turn his attention to the consolidation and relocation of the other city schools.
Southern Prep Enters A New Era
STORY BY SARAH CHASE PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOUTHERN PREPARATORY ACADEMY
Tradition is often seen as a fixed point, but for Southern Preparatory Academy, it is a moving target. What began in the 19th century as a rugged industrial school has survived world wars, economic shifts and social revolutions by doing one thing exceptionally well: adapting.
Now, under the leadership of President Corey Ramsby, Southern Prep is undergoing its most significant evolution yet. By embracing the CHOOSE Act, welcoming female day students and launching high-tech STEM initiatives, the academy is
bridging the gap between its historic industrial roots, military discipline and the diverse needs of today’s families.
The academy first opened its doors in 1898. It was established to combat the lack of educational resources and opportunities available in rural areas following the Civil War.
Lyman Ward and his wife, Mary, originally from New York, were influenced not only by the ministry with their church, but also by the efforts of Booker T. Washington, who was providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged Black children. The Wards made their way to Camp Hill, wanting to do the same for disadvantaged rural White children,
establishing The Southern Industrial Institute.
“He built the school in the middle of the Industrial Revolution, so the school was teaching all those skills that would make young people ready for what Dr. Ward called ‘the work of life,’” Ramsby said. “He harvested the trees on this land to build the structures that they lived in and went to school in. They grew their food on this land.”
Ward continued his mission of preparing the youth for an evolving and developing nation until his death in the 1940s, when the United States was coming out of World War II. Societal changes in the U.S. called for a transition within the school. It then
became the Lyman Ward Military Academy in 1954 and adopted a military structure, signaling the second phase of the school.
“Just like the Industrial Revolution played its part, the new world order coming out of World War II played its part,” Ramsby said. “Now we are in the 21st century and our school is having to adjust to modern societal needs.”
To stay true to its original mission, the school blends the agricultural foundations on which it was built with the military structure it later adopted, reshaping both to serve the needs of 21st-century students.
Ramsby said the boarding branch of the school is all male, but the school now has female day students. As the school opens its doors for its third phase, Ramsby said Southern Prep is a school meant to support the community.
“We are not abandoning the good things we have done in the past, we are just refocusing them and adjusting our capabilities to support the most students possible,” Ramsby said. “This also gives Tallapoosa County and its families the opportunity to take advantage of the CHOOSE Act. There is something to be said
about a private school education. The CHOOSE Act gives us the ability to offer our services to a much broader population base and we really want to focus on our local population.”
To accomplish becoming the school for every student, Southern Prep has made changes within its academics and extracurriculars. The school now has a STEM and humanities curriculum coordinators. Those coordinators focus on ensuring the classes offered align with the age and level the school offers them. Ramsby said the establishment of the coordinators has also allowed for the school to rekindle its arts program.
“We have music and photography, but as our enrollment grows, we will soon be able to grow that into drama as well as other things in the fine arts,” Ramsby said. “That is also in addition to our English, literature, humanities – all of those required courses that a child needs to graduate in the state of Alabama.”
In the STEM area, the school has added cybersecurity classes and an Introduction to Engineering class, alongside Honors Algebra and Algebra II to the school’s math offerings, with physics on the way.
“We will be enhancing our chemis-
Southern Prep began welcoming female students for the first time in the school’s history
try classes and getting into those core sciences,” Ramsby said. “In addition, we have the clubs that are now starting to grow that directly support those. For example, we have a robotics club that is extremely popular. We have our student government where kids can now come together and be able to voice their concerns in a productive way that then gives them a voice in helping effect change that is meaningful to them.”
❝ The CHOOSE Act gives us the ability to offer our services to a much broader population base and we really want to focus on our local population.”
› Col. Corey Ramsby, Southern Preparatory Academy President
Ramsby said the school has spent a lot of time and energy revamping its athletics facilities and programs. With monetary donations and individuals donating their time and talent, the football field, stadium and the baseball field are works in progress but will soon see significant improvements.
“Our gymnasium is the most advanced,” Ramsby said. “From this time last year there is just no comparison. It has a brand-new floor, and we have a coach who is really teaching the game of basketball. We hold our athletes to academic standards and a code of conduct. We use athletics the way athletics were designed to be in an academic environment – where it is used to reinforce the behavior and the professionalism that we expect. They must be performing in the classroom before we ever allow them to perform on the court.”
Once the right donor is identified, the school’s tennis court will be revamped, and a cheerleading squad has developed at the school as well.
Most recently, the school’s Corps of Cadets program has transitioned to an all-volunteer model. As stated in a press release, the change represents the next steps in the academy’s evolution from an all-male military academy to a comprehensive college preparator school that offers military education and training options through JROTC.
“We have Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, and it is not exclusive to just here,” Ramsby said. “We have opened it up to Horseshoe Bend, Reeltown and Dadeville high schools, so our Tallapoosa County Schools are able to participate. It is becoming extremely successful. Last year we started with 11 students from those schools, and this year we are well over 20, and that number is growing.”
Ramsby said Southern Prep is dedicated to honoring the efforts that started with the Wards in the 1800s. He said Lyman Ward is the inspiration for every step the school takes to better the experience of each student, faculty and staff within it.
“The best way I can describe it is we are stewards of the school for only a short period of time, and we are not here to be served, we are here to serve,” Ramsby said. “At some point in time we have to turn it over to somebody else, and we want to make sure that what we turn over carries on the legacy and the values of Dr. Ward and his wife, Mary.”
Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival is gearing up for its sixth year
The Making of a Music Mecca T
he hums of guitars, the cheers of an excited crowd, the tapping of feet dancing about. These are the sounds of the Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival.
Now strumming into its sixth year, the festival has only grown since its inception in 2021. What began at the Mitchell House as a small showcase of artists has transformed into a Grammy-sponsored, four-day festival of fun and musical entertainment.
In its first year, the festival’s board of directors worked tirelessly to book 20 songwriters. By year four, they received more than 200 applications from songwriters nationwide.
“This is an opportunity for us to bring in songwriters to showcase their talents and share that with locals,” said Steven Pace, the festival’s chairman. “We also aim to bring in tourism and have people come visit the region. We want to create a music mecca here. We want Lake Martin to be known for our Songwriter’s Festival.”
Pace is joined by six other community members to make up the board of directors: Vivian Autry, Trey Foshee, Sandra Fuller, Robert Gunn, Keith Hiett and Kimberly Hyde.
“The festival allows people to hear the story behind a song,” Pace said. “Some of our songwriters may have No. 1 hits, some may have songs that have never been cut or will be cut later on. Sometimes people fall in love with an artist that’s not had any hits yet, because they still connect and resonate with their songs. You don’t have to be a star to resonate with people.”
The idea for the festival was a collective vision, ignited at a private songwriters’ retreat held at Pace’s lake home, The Pace Place at Lake Martin. After the retreat, the artists held a showcase at the Mitchell House, owned by Autry. In addition to Autry and Pace, in that audience that day was Fuller, who was working then with the county commission and had been tasked with creating a new festival to drive tourism.
As they listened to the music, a vision began to form. Autry recalled turning to Fuller and asking why Lake Martin couldn’t have a major music event like 30A or Key West, Florida. The idea resonated instantly, and the festival became a collective goal.
Autry recalled it being a “challenge accepted” moment for the group, who decided to pursue the idea even after being warned that Lake Martin was too geographically spread out to host a successful venue-hopping festival.
“In my heart, this festival is just a great way to share our wonderful community and bring people together,” Autry said. “We want to bring people
STORY BY SAM VISE
PHOTOS BY TPI STAFF
from out of town and locals together to enjoy amazing music.”
From there, the Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival was born. The board’s first step was to transform the daunting challenge of the lake’s geography into the festival’s defining feature.
Instead of trying to replicate the walkable music strips of 30A, they designed a multi-venue event that intentionally guides attendees on a tour of the entire region. This strategy of partnering with local businesses, restaurants and marinas across the area would stitch the widespread community together with song.
“Our main goal was to create an event that encompassed the entire Lake Martin area,” Fuller said. “It wasn’t just about one area of the lake – we wanted an event that collectively brought Lake Martin together.”
That strategy has paid off, transforming the Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival into a major regional draw and a powerful economic engine. The annual summer soirée has grown to attract more than 4,000 attendees, becoming a popular getaway for thousands across the Southeast.
This influx of visitors, who average two-plus people per travel party and often stay for multiple nights, creates a significant ripple effect. According to previous festival data, Tallapoosa County sees an economic impact of tens of thousands of dollars annually as attendees make multiple stops and purchases at establishments around Lake Martin.
“We’ve created an event that lasts four to five days. If you just did a one-day event, people will drive in, do that activity and then leave,” Fuller said. “With this festival, it’s a longer time frame, so attendees are going to stay in the area and buy meals, stop for gas and shop at local businesses.”
By partnering with more than 15 local entertainment venues – from restaurants to marinas – the festival creates intimate listening rooms across the community.
This achieves two goals: first, local venues report seeing significant foot traffic and increased revenue. Second, it maintains an intimate, artist-centric feel.
“My favorite thing about the festival is the story behind the songs and what the writers are thinking,” Autry said. “Getting to hear them tell their stories is wonderful. The festival has brought so much to our community, not just to locals, but people that get to come and enjoy Lake Martin and the festival as well. It’s about sharing music with our locals, as well as bringing in tourists.”
Thanks to the support of 50 sponsors and venue partners, songwriter rounds remain free for attendees, allowing them to hear the stories behind the songs from “Nashville’s hottest hit-makers,” such as past performers Jeffrey Steele, Pam Tillis and Thompson Square.
The festival’s growth is fueled by a robust marketing strategy that reaches a highly desirable audience. The average attendee age is 40 years or older, affluent with an average income of $95,000 and well-traveled. While 88 percent are in-state, a crucial 65 percent come from outside the county, with visitors traveling from as far as Hawaii, Illinois and California.
As the vision expands, so does the festival’s footprint. In 2025, the board launched its first-ever ticketed event, a headliner concert at The AMP on Lake Martin. The concert, which drew more than 1,000 spectators, represents a new, ambitious chapter for the festival – one that builds on the foundation of its free songwriter rounds to create an even larger destination event for the Lake Martin region.
“Our goal is to ultimately be one of the top songwriter festivals in the country,” Autry said. “Our mini goal is to be one of the Southeast’s premier songwriter festivals, and I think we’re close.”
And they certainly are. In 2025, the board’s vision earned a stamp of approval from the music industry itself when the Grammys sponsored the festival. A representative reached out to Pace, explaining that the Lake Martin event had been hand-picked as one of two festivals nationwide to receive the organization’s support.
This year’s festival is scheduled for July 23 through July 26. Alabama Power Company will fuel the 2026 festival, joining the growing list of major sponsors committed to the event’s success and its vision of creating a music mecca in the Southeast.
The festival draws in talent from across the region
Songwriters play at a variety of venues across the Lake Martin region
The Next Act for ACT II
STORY BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE PHOTOS BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE & CLIFF WILLIAMS
For more than a decade, Alexander City Theatre II has been bringing the magic of live theater to the Lake Martin community, transforming simple stages into places where stories unfold and neighbors step into the spotlight together as performers.
Founded in 2015, ACT II has brought a variety of productions to life on stage, from classic plays such as “Arsenic and Old Lace” and “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play” to family favorites and children’s musicals, including “101 Dalmatians.”
The vision for a community theater began with founders Rob and Betsy Iler, who had previously been involved with a similar organization in Guntersville, Alabama. After moving to Alexander City, the couple recognized there was a need for a live performance outlet.
“Our vision was that the theater is a place where people of different walks of life can come together to do something
❝ We have been laying the groundwork to build a future for the next generation.”
› Karen Kison, President ACT II
good for the community,” Betsy said. “There is a unity that happens and relationships form. I think that’s very important to get the whole community involved.”
The Ilers teamed up with other Alexander City residents who also shared a passion for the performing arts, including current president Karen Kison.
ACT II’s first production, “A Very Rich Woman,” was originally planned as a one-time performance; however, the community response to the show was overwhelmingly positive, and audiences soon began asking for additional productions.
Inspired by the support, the theater group began laying the groundwork for permanent roots, eventually leading to the purchase of a building in downtown Alexander City. Through an agreement with the city, ACT II began leasing a building on
Tallapoosa Street for $1 a year in exchange for overseeing the maintenance of the property.
The building has since served as the organization’s headquarters for board meetings, set construction and rehearsals; and while it has served its purpose over the years, the building has recently reached a point where significant repairs are needed.
While repairs will come at a high cost, ACT II leaders see the musthave renovations as an opportunity to expand and transform the space into the first true live theater venue in the Lake Martin region.
The first step is repairing the building’s roof.
“We were very blessed to get the theater when we did,” Kison said. “I think it was a win win. Repairing the roof is just a small portion of what the return is going to be on something like this for the community.”
ACT II estimates the roof repairs alone will cost about $75,000. The organization is currently seeking grant funding to help meet the cost of the renovations.
The board plans a major fundraising effort in the near future.
For now, ACT II continues bringing its productions to stages across the community for free.
Performances are currently held at venues such as the former Benjamin Russell High School auditorium and Central Alabama Community College – partners that play a vital role for ACT II.
“We have a variety of partners,” Kison said. “But CACC, Benjamin Russell High School and the school system are especially important, and we are so grateful for their support. They allow us to use their stages and make them accessible to us for all of our plays.”
Karen Kison
ACT II plans to undergo major renovations to bring a new era of entertainment to the
While the organization hopes to eventually perform in its own space, those partnerships will remain important even after renovations are complete as ACT II still plans to host larger productions at those venues.
Even so, the dream of having a stage at the ACT II building would significantly reduce production costs. Currently, volunteers must transport sets, equipment and props to outside venues, often requiring the theater to rent U Haul trucks to move materials for each show. Those expenses are funds ACT II leaders believe could instead be reinvested into their mission of offering high quality performances for the community, free of charge.
Even with those challenges, ACT II’s work is continuing to gain attention beyond the local stage.
Recently, ACT II partnered with independent screenwriter and filmmaker Leslie Hardy to host auditions and cast roles for her film,“County of Coosa.”
“The 10 years that we have been here have given us clarity about what we want and validity in the community,” Kison said. “We’re now seeing people come to us and say, ‘Will you read our scripts and perform them? Will you help us find people to be in our movies?’ Good things are coming out of what we are putting back
into the community.”
For Kison, the impact of community theater is something she has seen firsthand.
Growing up in Laurel, Mississippi, a town similar in size to Alexander City, she saw how a small-town theater program could open life-changing doors. As a student, she watched actresses Parker Posey and Mary Elizabeth Ellis perform on stage long before their careers in film and television ever began.
“Theater builds confidence in children,” Kison said. “You just have no clue who the next person is going to be who tries theater, and what we do could change their trajectory. They may fall in love with theater and go on to be the next person on Broadway or the next person in movies. I think we are seeing some of
that right now. We have some really talented kids.”
The hope begins with the next era of ACT II, and the nonprofits dream to be the first true performing arts theater in Tallapoosa County – one that Kison envisions as an iconic landmark for generations to come.
“We have been laying the groundwork to build a future for the next generation,” Kison said. “If we get the theater finished, then it will be here for a very long time. The ACT II theater is just the beginning stages of something that’s going to be brilliant and alive – a centerpiece of Alexander City for years to come.”
Children’s performance of “101 Dalmatians”
theater
The Harmony of Growth
Kim Walls & the Dadeville Performing Arts Center build a legacy beyond the stage
STORY BY SAM VISE
PHOTOS BY TPI STAFF & COURTESY OF KIM WALLS
In the heart of downtown Dadeville, inside a brick building that recently celebrated its centennial, there is a distinct sound of harmony.
On any given afternoon, the air is thick with the sounds of a community chorus, the bright strumming of a mountain dulcimer or the rhythmic footsteps of children rehearsing for a musical.
To the casual passerby on the street, it sounds like entertainment. But to Kim Walls, president of the Dadeville Performing Arts Center, this noise is the sound of a community finding its voice.
Walls didn’t just stumble into the world of performing arts, she was shaped by them. A lifelong music educator who has taught at every level from elementary school to college, Walls moved to Dadeville in 1985. While her career took her to Texas and eventually to a professorship at Auburn University, the Dadeville area remained her home.
When she retired from Auburn, Walls didn’t look for a quiet hobby. Instead, she looked at the landscape of her community and saw a silence that needed to be filled.
“I really believe that music and the arts are so important for everyone’s lives,” Walls said. “It’s a way to grow intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and socially. In Dadeville, those opportunities have traditionally been limited to what churches or schools could offer. We wanted to bring people together in a place where all parts of the community could sit in the same room.”
The timing for such a venture was difficult. Walls and her fellow board of directors formed the organization in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when the world was forced into isolation, Walls was dreaming of a place for gathering.
“We felt so bad for the children who weren’t getting any arts during that time, and for the seniors in facilities who were locked up with no entertainment,” she said.
Walls and the board began raising funds to purchase a physical location for the center. While many suggested placing a new facility near the luxury developments on Lake Martin, Walls and her board of directors chose downtown Dadeville. Their vision was one of unity – they wanted a location where “lake people, town people and county people could mingle.”
Young performers rehearse for the DPAC children’s musical
DPAC hosts art classes for local children
By October 2021, they had found their home in a historic downtown building, purchasing it with little more than a collective vision and a commitment to serve their community.
The center’s impact through the years is perhaps most evident in the very problem Walls is currently trying to solve – DPAC has outgrown its own walls.
The current facility is a single-room operation, which creates a logistical problem for a growing arts scene.
“Music is noisy, and dancing takes up space,” Walls said. “Currently, if the kids are rehearsing a 30-minute musical, it interferes with every other activity. We have to do rehearsals every day for a week, and when you only have one room, that’s a lot of setting up and taking down.”
includes an outdoor stage and, eventually, a professionallevel auditorium.
This “good problem” has led to some of DPAC’s most memorable, if crowded, moments. Walls pointed to highlights like the centennial celebration of their building, where they presented music from the 1920s to a standing-room-only crowd, or the recent youth musicals “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Annie Kids.”
This spring, Walls and the DPAC board are officially launching their most ambitious visionary project to date: a multiyear building fund campaign.
The goal is no longer just about maintaining a building, it is about constructing an arts community center that can sustain the region for the next 50 years. The vision includes a multi-room facility that allows for simultaneous art making – where a high schooler can practice a solo in one room while an elementary art class meets in another.
Long term, Walls envisions a cultural arts park set on at least 3 acres. This would incorporate all four pillars of the arts – music, dance, drama and visual art –within a park-like setting that
“An auditorium is the secondary goal, but the community center is the immediate need,” Walls said. “We need a facility where touring groups can come, but also where organizations or institutions can expand for a special event. We are building a foundation so that this can happen whether I am here to see it or not.”
Through her leadership, DPAC has become an economic engine for Dadeville. By bringing a significant buzz to the downtown area and fostering partnerships with local institutions like Zazu’s Verandah and the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Walls has proven that a thriving arts scene is necessary for a prosperous town.
“It’s rewarding to have a vision and then have other people add their thoughts to it,” she said. “It’s amazing how a seed or two, once you bring in more people, grows into something greater than you could have imagined.”
As the fundraising efforts begin, the message from DPAC is clear: The arts are not just a luxury to be enjoyed after the work is done, they are the work. And under the guidance of Walls, that work is just getting started.
Kim Walls
Renderings of the new
Dadeville Performing Arts Center
Behind the Curtain of Alex City Arts
Empowering the community through art & entertainment
On a warm evening in downtown Alexander City, the Broad Street Plaza transforms. The typical calm and quiet is replaced by the clinking of wine glasses and the steady hum of conversation. People move with purpose, wandering from shop to shop – not just to browse the shelves, but to discover the vibrant canvases and intricate sculptures tucked inside local storefronts.
This is the Downtown Art Walk and Wine Tasting, presented by Alex City Arts. More than a social
gathering, the inaugural 2025 event served to integrate culture into commerce. By placing local art inside downtown businesses, Alex City Arts created a ripple that turned a cultural outing into a boost for the local economy.
Since its incorporation in 1968, Alex City Arts has operated with a single purpose: to promote the general welfare of the community through encouraging, fostering and cultivating the arts.
“Alex City Arts is a presenter organization, which means that we contract with artists who come in and perform,” said former president Henry Foy, an Auburn University theater graduate who has been involved with the local arts scene since high school. “We encourage the arts through developing talents, working with artists, fostering education and raising awareness.”
Over the decades, Alex City Arts has brought a wide range of performers and cultural experiences to the community.
From the musical “War Bonds,” a historical tribute to the songs and letters of World War II, to the recent high-energy performance by the Emerald Empire Band and an appearance by comedian Sean Dietrich, known as Sean of the South, the organization continues to act as a cultural bridge. It brings the world to Alexander City, but more importantly, it keeps the city moving.
Foy sees the arts as the ultimate training ground for the mind, a necessity in an era
STORY BY SAM VISE PHOTOS BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE & COURTESY OF ALEX CITY ARTS
Linda Gunn
Art Walk & Wine Tasting
increasingly dominated by digital shortcuts.
“We learn through music and exploring on the stage,” he said. “We learn about success and failure, trial and error – that’s what the arts are truly about. The arts are the vehicle that guides us toward independent thought and critical thinking.”
This philosophical vision has a direct, tangible impact on the city. As Alexander City continues to attract new residents – particularly those relocating to the Lake Martin area from larger metropolitan hubs – the demand for a high quality of life becomes a primary driver for growth. A thriving arts scene is no longer a bonus for a small town; it is required for a growing economy.
Newly-elected president Linda Gunn is taking that foundational vision and moving it even further into the public eye. Her focus is on engagement and variety, ensuring that the arts are accessible to everyone, from seasoned collectors to local schoolchildren.
“I really want us to have a variety of things that people can do,” Gunn said. “I want to see more participation. We have so many great artists in this small area, and we need to honor them.”
One of Gunn’s primary goals is to ensure her vision includes the next generation. This past year, the organization utilized a grant from the Resource Conservation and Development Council on the Arts to take local third graders to a production of “Narnia.” By exposing children to the performing arts early, the organization is investing in the creative thinkers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
The true visionary power of Alex City Arts lies in its collaborative spirit. Through deep-rooted partnerships with Explore Lake Martin, Main Street Alexander City and the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, the board is proving that creativity is a powerful engine for downtown revitalization.
Events like the Art Walk do more than just showcase talent; they generate exposure that helps the chamber recruit new businesses and residents. When people come for a show or a gallery opening, they stay for dinner, shop at local boutiques and begin to see Alexander City not just as a place to live, but as a destination.
“You have to entertain everybody, you have to have something for everyone,” Gunn said. “Otherwise, people won’t come.”
But beneath that entertainment lies a serious commitment to the city’s future. By fostering independent thought and supporting local talent, Alex City Arts is ensuring that the community remains vibrant and forward-thinking.
As the 2026 season continues, the vision remains clear: The arts are the heart of Alexander City’s growth, orchestrating a future that is as prosperous as it is beautiful.
Sean Dietrich and Three on a String
“War Bonds”
Gunn looks to make the Art Walk & Wine Tasting an annual event
Russell Lands Culinary Apprenticeship Program
STORY BY
BETSY ILER PHOTO COURTESY OF RUSSELL LANDS
The secret ingredient in Russell Lands’ kitchens is not on the menu – it’s in education. Through a new culinary program, the company is cultivating the next generation of chefs from within, investing in training opportunities that help employees grow into skilled hospitality professionals.
With the labor market at its worst during the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell Lands’ Director of Food and Beverage Services Chris Doggett needed a way to attract – and keep – employees with more than
❝ The program is doing what we hoped it would do... For me personally, it’s community outreach – a way for me to give back to the community that supports our restaurants and to give back to the industry that has supported me. ”
› Chirs Doggett, Russell Lands’ Director of Food and Beverage Services
just paychecks. The answer was the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation’s apprenticeship program.
This earn-while-you-learn program offers three certification opportunities to advance training and pay for enrollees, and Russell Lands pays all the fees for employees who sign up.
“This is a selfpacing program with some online classroom work and some on-the-job work,” Doggett said. “It typically takes three years in the program to achieve the highest-level certification – sous chef.”
The sous chef track requires 420 hours of classroom instruction and 4,000 hours of onthe-job training.
2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 240 hours of related instruction.
When candidates complete the course requirements, they must pass written and practical exams that include testing on terminology, knife cuts, sanitation, basic accounting and more.
Recruitment in the program is by
Apprentices are paid a progressively increasing schedule of wages and are eligible for titled positions in the hospitality industry.
“The certification gives employees a leg up careerwise,” Doggett said. “Ideally, we like to bring them into our in-house management program if we have positions open. We prefer to promote in-house. They’re already trained for the way we work.”
The Fundamentals Cook program requires a minimum of 1,000 hours on the job and 90 hours of instruction, which can be completed in about six months, Doggett said. The Culinarian certification requires
word of mouth, Doggett said.
“When we interview someone for employment, we often mention that we have this program available,” Doggett said. “Usually, it’s someone who already works for us who comes to us and says they are interested. There are fees involved, but Russell Lands pays those for our apprentices.”
The Fundamentals Cook program fee is $90 and requires a high school diploma but no restaurant experience. The course requirements include 15 hours of nutrition and 15 hours of food safety and sanitation. The Culinarian program costs
The culinary program trains chefs for growing career opportunities
$490 and requires two years of entry-level experience. Coursework includes 30 hours of study in nutrition, 30 hours in food safety and sanitation and 30 hours in supervisory management.
The Sous Chef program, also $490, requires five years of entry-level experience in supervising a shift or food station, and coursework is similar to the Culinarian program.
Additional coursework options include management and leadership basics, cost accounting, technology in the workplace, human resources management, dietary restrictions and cooking with specified ingredients.
Pastry certifications are also available and mirror all three levels of apprenticeship.
On-the-job training locations also must meet stringent requirements, including the placement of a supervising chef. Michael Celmar, executive chef at Willow Point Golf & Country Club, fills the role for Russell Lands’ restaurants.
In addition, the supervising chef to apprentice ratio cannot exceed 1 to 5, and two ACFEF evaluators must perform a site visit to validate that all equipment and in-house food service operations meet program requirements.
Launching a culinary program is an expensive endeavor, Doggett said. It requires a vast amount of equipment and a broad spectrum of culinary knowledge.
“A lot goes into a program like this,” he said. “It’s not cheap. Auburn University aspires to be one of the best in the nation, and that’s been a huge investment for them.”
Russell Lands is in its fourth year of the apprenticeship program and graduated its first apprentice this year. Sarah Brown signed up for the program three years ago.
Currently, 13 Russell Lands apprentices are enrolled and work in all Russell Lands food and beverage facilities, Doggett said.
“The program is doing what we hoped it would do,” he said. “It has helped us with retention and education and needed training. For me, it’s community outreach – a way for me to give back to the community that supports our restaurants and to give back to the industry that has supported me.”
The program is achieving what Doggett hoped when he initiated its adoption at Russell Lands.
“We hope to continue to grow and contribute to the welfare of our employees. This apprenticeship program helps us do that,” he said.
The ACFEF apprenticeship program is helping Russell Lands create growth opportunities for the company and the individuals who work in local restaurants. It is a tool that has helped to make the vision of employee retention and education a reality of offering advancement and opportunity to local residents.
Dinner on theTown
STORY BY SAM VISE
PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS, SHAYLEE BECK MOORE, SAM VISE & COURTESY OF RUSSELL LANDS
Across the region, local restaurateurs are doing much more than just crafting delicious menus; they are fueling a vision for what their towns can become.
From the nostalgic charm of a historic soda fountain to the highend sizzle of a premier steakhouse, these dining destinations serve as the anchors of go-to spots for a night out,
proving that a thriving local economy and a great meal go hand in hand.
For JB Hampton, the general manager of Fanny’s, the vision for the restaurant is tucked right inside its slogan: “Where neighbors become friends.”
While the establishment was formally known as Fanny Goldmine Diner – a quick-service, counter-style eatery – the vision for the space has evolved into a much more personal dining experience.
In April 2025, the restaurant underwent a significant transformation to move away from the quick service model. The team shut down for 11 days to install a full-service bar, high-top seating and updated décor to give the space a distinct heart and personality. The goal was to create an environment where guests didn’t just grab a meal and leave, but felt encouraged to stay, hang out and enjoy the atmosphere.
“It was missing personality before the change,” Hampton said of the previous setup. “Now, it feels like your home away from home. I wanted a place where we can serve great food to great people in a great atmosphere.”
The menu features a variety of hand-crafted Southern fare – with a flare. In addition to hush puppies, crab cakes and Conecuh sau-
sage, the double smash burgers topped with signature Fanny’s sauce and classic chicken fingers remain staples; however, the restaurant has found success in other offerings as well.
Monday nights offer a popular discount wing night, and Friday mornings see the restaurant hosting a regular community Bible study for breakfast. The restaurant also offers all-day breakfast on Sundays, becoming a primary brunch destination for the post-church crowd.
Looking toward the future, Hampton envisions Fanny’s as more than just a place to eat; he sees it as a community gathering hub. Located at Russell Crossroads, Fanny’s draws inspiration from family-oriented developments like Seaside, Florida, with the goal to incorporate more live music and outdoor events.
“I’d love for it to be a community gathering place where you can bring your family,” Hampton said.
Visit fannysatcrossroads.com to view the menu.
While the reimagined Fanny’s provides a social hub for the community, the spirit of downtown Alexander City can be found in the preservation of its oldest landmarks.
Established in 1914, Carlisle’s has served as a cornerstone of the community for 112 years – an iconic location that has held memories generations. As of January 2026, the landmark has
Fanny’s at Russell Crossroads
Carlisle’s in Alexander City
entered a new era under the leadership of Brianna Pike and Tyler Fenn.
For Pike, the journey to Carlisle’s was a full-circle moment. After working at the fountain shop in 2022, she moved to Birmingham for a few years before returning home. She and Fenn, an Alexander City native, had spent a year dreaming about opening a soda and coffee establishment of their own. When the opportunity to purchase Carlisle’s arose, the decision felt like more than just a business move – it felt like destiny.
“Our dream changed about three months before we got Carlisle’s,” Pike said. “The layout and things we wanted sounded more like the soda fountain. Next thing we knew, we had it.”
After a few weeks of behind-thescenes preparation, the couple officially reopened the doors in late January.
While the couple is focused on preserving the nostalgia that makes
Carlisle’s iconic, they are also modernizing the soda fountain. Regulars will see the legendary chicken salad still on the menu, now expanded to include five different varieties – from the Main Street with grapes and pecans to a bacon, cheese and ranch version.
New additions to the menu also include a Philly cheesesteak, French dips and build-your-own salads. To cater to a faster-paced generation, they have introduced Red Bull infusions and partnered with DoorDash.
“We’re excited to see what the future holds,” Pike said.
Visit Carlisle’s Facebook page for more information.
Just as the soda fountain acts as a bridge to the past, Lake Martin Pizza Co. is serving as a launchpad for the future, proving that a local restaurant can be a masterclass in both culinary excellence and career development.
For Brett and Stacey Gelband, owners of LMPC, the vision for their business was never just about being a mom-and-pop pizza shop. Operating both the Alexander City and Dadeville locations, the couple’s goal was to transform the pizzeria into a destination – a place where the environment, music and menu worked in harmony to create a lake vibe that couldn’t be found anywhere else.
As the 2026 season kicks into high gear, the Gelbands’ most ambitious
Prime Steakhouse head chef Brian Cosby
Fanny’s wings
vision isn’t found on the menu, but in their staff. In a region where many high school graduates head off to college without returning, the Gelbands are intentionally cultivating a younger workforce, proving that the hospitality industry can be a viable career path.
“Alex City is a place where people graduate and go away to college, but they don’t come back,” Stacey said. “It was identified as this 20-something group that doesn’t exist here in large numbers. If we’re not bringing people back, how are we growing?”
To combat this, the Gelbands have empowered a nine-person leadership team, some as young as 17 and 18, to run the daily operations of their two locations. These young leaders aren’t just taking orders; they are being coached in a restaurant management career to include tasks such as accounts payable, inventory management and labor-to-sales ratios.
“We have several on staff who aren’t college-bound, and we’ve told them, ‘This is actually a career,’” Stacey said. “We sort of took offense to the idea that this isn’t a ‘real job.’ You are important in someone’s day. You are changing the world.”
This commitment to professional excellence extends directly into the kitchen. One of the best-kept secrets of LMPC is their no-freezer policy. Aside from their cauliflower crusts, everything in the kitchen is fresh and hand-made daily. From the chicken and sausage to hand-slicing every vegetable, the staff takes a hands-on
approach to quality.
Fans of the menu have a major release to look forward to this spring. The restaurant will be rolling out its first new pizza in 5 years since the Sissy Que and the Big Dill were released.
The spirit of the business is also being fueled by a new generation of the Gelband family. Their youngest son, Maddox, a recent entrepreneurship graduate, has returned from Atlanta to add even more strength to a skilled and promising young leadership team. Meanwhile, Hannah Jackson, who holds a degree in music management, has stepped in to run the live music venue side of the business.
“We’re bringing in Hannah to figure out how we bring more value to what we’re offering,” Brett said. “We want to be the place where people get comfortable playing and finding their stage presence.”
By providing a platform for local artists and a career ladder for local youth, LMPC is doing more than just serving great food; they are building a sustainable community –one slice at a time.
Visit lakemartinpizza.com for the full menu and upcoming events.
For executive chef Brian Cosby, stepping into the kitchen at Prime Steakhouse wasn’t just a career move – it was a homecoming. A Camp
Hill native, Cosby has spent the last three decades honing his craft at the highest levels – from training executive chefs at the Culinary Institute of America in New York to overseeing food operations for the World Games in Birmingham.
Now, his vision is centered on bringing that big-city caliber back to his own backyard.
“This is home,” Cosby said. “My vision is to be the best steakhouse and oyster place in Alabama. I don’t want people to have to leave the lake to go to Montgomery or Birmingham to get a Wagyu steak. They can come here and get that same quality.”
Located in StillWaters, Prime has recently undergone a significant transformation under the ownership of Eric McKinley. The building has been fully renovated, featuring new flooring, fresh paint and two state-ofthe-art bars.
The addition of golf simulators and an expanded stage has transitioned the space from a traditional restaurant into a multifaceted destination; however, the culinary focus is consistency.
“Consistency is my biggest thing,” Cosby said. “If you get a dish this week, it should be the same next week. We look at 30-minute or less ticket times, which is unheard of for a steakhouse, but that’s how quick and dedicated my crew is.”
Prime serves Braveheart steaks and sources its oysters from Bond Secour Fisheries on the coast – a standard of freshness that Cosby said has locals comparing other seafood dishes to his.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say they were at the beach getting oysters, and they’re not any good because they’re comparing
The leadership team at Lake Martin Pizza Co.
Lake Martin Pizza Co.
them to Prime’s oysters,” Cosby said. “Right now, we’re doing summer numbers, which tells us that summer is going to be crazy.”
As StillWaters grows, Prime is poised to become a foundational part of the community’s future. Beyond food, Cosby teased a major project for 2026 that will turn Prime into a stepping stone for big things coming this year.
“Our team here at Prime is the best and they are highly dedicated to serving the best food to our guests,” Cosby said.
For updates or to view the full menu, visit the Prime Steakhouse & Catering Facebook page.
Operation WIPEOUT The Cancer
We Can Erase
Agrassroots effort offers hope of eliminating the world’s fourth most common cause of cancer deaths in women, and Alabama is leading the charge for prevention of the disease, said UAB Medicine –Russell Medical Cancer Center Director George Miranda.
“It’s not breast cancer,” Miranda explained. “It’s cervical cancer, and we think we can actually eliminate it – virtually wipe out the disease – because it’s caused by a virus.”
Accoring to the mst recent data, Alabama has the thirdhighest death cervical rate in the nation. Rural areas, including Tallapoosa County, have the highest cervical cancer burden, according to officials at the Alabama Department of Public Health.
In these rural areas, people do not trust the health care industry, but they do trust people they know, Miranda said. Local trust is key to
saving lives and wiping out one of the only cancers that could be eliminated.
Cervical cancer is caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which affects women earlier than most other cancers, often in a woman’s 30s, 40s or 50s. It is a very common virus that disappears; however, if the HPV infection persists over time, it can turn into pre-cancer, and, if not treated, cancer.
OPERATION WIPEOUT, a partnership focused on wiping out cervical cancer, approaches the goal from a local perspective that includes trusted, influential members of the community. Miranda champions the effort, along with local pediatricians, an epidemiologist and other partners with a local reach.
Dr. Isabel Scarinci was one of the founders of OPERATION
STORY BY BETSY ILER
Dr. Isabel Scarinci
George Miranda on “The Front Porch” with host Kenny Dean
We can eliminate it with a vaccine. We did it for polio. We did it for smallpox. And we can do it for cervical cancer. ”
› George Miranda, UAB Medicine – Russell Medical Center Cancer Director
WIPEOUT through a collaborative effort between the Rotary Club of Birmingham, UAB, the Alabama Department of Public Health and other parties. Scarinci has dedicated her career at UAB focusing on cervical cancer prevention and control.
“I am a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, and we collaborated with Sri Lanka several years ago toward the elimination of cervical cancer, and are taking the lessons learned to do the same in Alabama. So, we started in Chambers County, which has one of the highest cervi-
cal rates in the state,” Scarinci said. “We partnered with the Rotary Club of LaFayette and the Chambers County School System and developed a leadership program as part of health sciences for high school students. Students devloped and implementated an HPV vaccination campaign, and they got 81 percent vaccination in one high school and 65 percent in another county where HPV vaccination rate was 35 percent.”
High school students created coloring books and talked to middle
Cervical Cancer Progression
school kids about importance of prevention.
For Scarinci, the vaccination effort is personal.
“I have a disease nobody believed we could eradicate,” she said. “I had polio in 1963, and it affected both arms and both legs. I recovered from all but one leg. I grew up in a small town in Brazil, and my mom would take me door to door, literally, to tell people, ‘You don’t want your child to live this way.’ We had the tools, the vaccine. But it was not until Rotary made the commitment in 1985 that polio was eliminated.
“Now, cervical cancer is exactly where we were in 1985. Rotary gets it because of the polio analogy. We have the tools; we just need to get the vaccine out there.”
Miranda is excited about OPERATION WIPEOUT’s success in Chambers County and how such success could be achieved here.
“We can eliminate it with a vaccine,” Miranda said. “We did it for polio. We did it for smallpox. And we can do it for cervical cancer.”
The vaccine that prevents HPV is very effective and safe. Two doses of the vaccine, administered between the ages of 9 and 14, offer lifetime protection against the virus, said local pediatrician Dr. Eric Tyler. After age 14, three doses may be required.
“The virus is sexually transmitted,
but this is not a vaccine to prevent a sexually transmitted disease. This is a vaccine to prevent cancer,” Tyler said. “Statistics show that 80 percent of humans are going to encounter HPV. They’re going to be exposed to it. There’s no data out there that says giving the vaccine causes girls or boys to be promiscuous. It has nothing to do with morality.”
do not have medical homes, or regular access to wellness checkups. Children with medical homes have the advantages of appropriate screenings, opportunities for questions and discussion and the creation of medical records that help in early diagnosis of emerging conditions.
due to access – finances and insurance,” he said. “But there should be no financial issue. Women 30 and older who are low-income and uninsured can get screened through a program at the local health department.”
Since the vaccine became available 20 years ago, the number of positive screenings for HPV has decreased by 2.5 million a year, Tyler said.
“We’re at a 72 percent poverty rate in this county. When you think about that in terms of access to medical care for children, if they don’t have Medicaid, they’re eligible for Medicaid, and they should
“They do not have cervical cancer because they don’t have HPV,” he said. “If they don’t have HPV, they’re not going to have cervical cancer.”
Miranda and Tyler support the OPERATION WIPEOUT initiative, which raises awareness about HPV and cervical cancer prevention, as well as facilitates access to HPV vaccination, screening, follow-up and treatment. Due partly to their efforts, more than 80 percent of Pediatric Associates patients have been vaccinated, compared to 40 percent statewide, as of February 2025.
One obstacle to vaccination, Tyler said, is that many children
The HPV vaccine has statistically reduced positive screenings
be on Medicaid,” Tyler said. “But one of the requirements is that they have to have an annual medical visit.
“Medicaid wants them to have the annual medical visit because prevention is well known to save the government money. If you can identify a problem early and prevent a catastrophic trajectory, you almost always have a better outcome.”
The next steps in the elimination of cervical cancer include screening for the presence of the virus, following up on positive test results and treatment, Miranda said.
The virus is detected through routine HPV testing.
“Only about 40 percent of women are getting screened, often
A common misconception is that a woman without financial resources must be on disability to receive treatment, but Miranda said the only requirement for treatment is a positive Pap report.
“With a positive report, in seven to nine days, you’re on Medicaid,” he said.
Time is another obstacle to follow-up and treatment, he added. Women in the most common age range for cervical cancer often argue that they do not have time to be treated. They often are single mothers – working full time, caring for children and running households on shoestring budgets.
“They’re too busy, so they put it off or ignore it completely,” Miranda said. “But this disease will kill you. You have to get treated, and the sooner after the diagnosis, the better.”
Miranda’s vision is to launch a grassroots effort to eradicate the disease on a local level.
“We need to advocate and educate, to get out in the community,” he said. “We need eight or 10 local champions who can be educated on the program and can do presentations. To find groups in the community where we can talk about the three-legged stool of prevention, screening and treatment.”
In the meantime, he’s talking about OPERATION WIPEOUT whenever and wherever he finds opportunities – through his monthly column in Lake Martin Living magazine; as a guest on the popular Kenny Dean television show, “The Front Porch;” and in conversations with influential local personalities.
The reason for his motivation is simple.
“I’m excited about this, because I see cancer every day, and this is a kind of cancer that we can get rid of.”
Reimaging Rural Healthcare
As a cornerstone of the Ivy Creek Healthcare system, Lake Martin Community Hospital isn’t just maintaining the status quo of traditional community healthcare; it is actively expanding its reach beyond the hospital’s walls to ensure that highquality care is accessible to every corner of the region.
For Mike Bruce, CEO of Ivy Creek Healthcare, and Nancy Bolton, director of marketing and business development at LMCH, the future of rural healthcare isn’t defined by the height of the hospital walls or the number of beds in a ward. Instead, their vision is of a “hospital without walls,” where the highest quality of care is delivered directly to the patient’s front door, often before the emergency call is ever made.
Small-town hospitals across the country are closing down, leaving healthcare deserts in their wake.
“Health care in general is struggling, especially rural health care,” Bolton said. “It just needs a little help, especially now in the times that we’re facing.”
A nurse of 31 years who has “worn every pair of shoes,” from certified nursing assistant and registered nurse to management, Bolton has seen the struggle firsthand.
“I’ve worked in rural healthcare my entire career,” she said. “People do not realize how important it is to have these small rural facilities. If these hospitals close, you’ll have to drive hours just to deliver a baby.”
Bruce, who came to Alabama in 1997 from a corporate healthcare background in Miami, realized early on that the big-city corporate mentality did not work in rural counties.
He saw that the only way to survive the low reimbursement rates in Alabama was to be more innovative and family-oriented than corporate healthcare facilities.
At the center of this forward-thinking strategy is the Tallapoosa Patient First program.
While many hospitals are cutting services to save costs, LMCH is expanding outward. Launched as a pilot program in partnership with the Alabama Emergency Management Program and led by Brandon Montgomery,
STORY BY SAM VISE
PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS
a doctor in real time. This approach saves the patient a costly ambulance ride and keeps the emergency room clear for true emergencies.
Bolton understands that some view small hospitals as mere “band-aid stations.” She wears that critique as a badge of honor.
“Sometimes those band-aids stop the bleeding,” she said.
She sees the hospital’s role as being locally rooted. Because the staff at LMCH are neighbors to their patients, there is a level of accountability and heart that is often lost in large corporate systems.
“We are in your community,” Bolton said. “Your providers are your neighbors, they’re out at your local restaurants and local businesses. I think that’s what sets us apart.”
This local connection is especially vital during the summer months when Lake Martin’s population explodes. To handle those seasonal shifts, the hospital maintains a heavy presence in the lake community through its urgent care facilities and home health offices, ensuring that lake life remains safe for residents and tourists alike.
Tallapoosa Patient First is designed to bridge the gap between home and hospital.
“We reach out to patients preemptively to try to minimize the emergency calls needed,” Bruce said.
The program targets the unique challenges of a rural, often aging population. For those who are homebound or lack reliable transportation, a simple medical concern can quickly spiral into a life-threatening crisis if left untreated. This program allows these residents to call for an assessment before the situation warrants a 911 call.
When a patient calls the Tallapoosa Patient First line, they are evaluated over the phone. If a visit is needed, a medic or nurse travels directly to the home in a dedicated vehicle.
“Our services will go out to them, assess them and then determine whether they need emergency transport or if we can treat them at their house,” Bruce said.
The program brings back old-school house calls but with modern technology. Hospital personnel deliver medications directly to the patient and use telemedicine tablets so a nurse on site can connect the patient with
While Tallapoosa Patient First is a step forward, Bruce is already looking toward the next horizon. His vision for Lake Martin involves bringing cuttingedge monitoring technology into every home in the county.
“The technology is there,” he said. “You can put monitoring systems on a patient in the home and automatically get the reads downloaded to the doctors immediately. Preemptive care can be done in rural areas.”
Bruce also advocates for a “network of neighbors” amongst healthcare facilities. His vision is for LMCH to be a close partner with Russell Medical Center in Alexander City, as well as East Alabama Health and UAB.
“It’s not a competition,” he said. “It’s sharing the patients and making sure that we all work together to keep our communities healthy.”
From the arrival of new surgeons to the launch of Wellness Months at their pool-equipped Wellness Center, the hospital is transitioning from a place that treats sickness to a place that fosters long-term health.
For Bolton, the goal is simple.
“People first,” she said. “Always, always people first.”
For Bruce, it’s about the legacy of care.
“Treat everybody like you want your grandmother treated,” he said.
In a world where rural healthcare is often defined by what is missing, Lake Martin Community Hospital is proving that with enough vision, technology and heart, a small hospital can cast a very long shadow. The hospital isn’t just waiting for the future of healthcare to arrive –it’s driving it out to the people, one home visit at a time.
Mike Bruce
Explore Lake Martin
STORY BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
KENNETH BOONE, TPI STAFF & COURTESY OF EXPLORE LAKE MARTIN
Tourism does more than attract visitors – it connects communities, supports local businesses and strengthens economic growth.
At Lake Martin, that mission is led by Explore Lake Martin, an organization dedicated to promoting the area’s natural beauty, rich history and vibrant communities while creating meaningful experiences for both residents and visitors alike.
From hiking trails and local restaurants to festivals and outdoor adventures, Explore Lake Martin serves as a hub of information and inspiration for those looking to experience everything the region has to offer.
At the center of that effort is Sandra Fuller, president and CEO of Explore Lake Martin.
A former human resources employee at Russell Corporation, Fuller made a career shift in 2005 to join the Lake Martin Economic Development
PHOTOS BY
Alliance, where she worked closely with Tallapoosa County on workforce development, marketing and research for more than a decade.
When conversations began in 2018 about creating tourism branches for Lake Martin and Tallapoosa County, Fuller recognized an opportunity to put her experience to work.
“When the position for Tallapoosa County tourism came about, I reached out and said I’d love to give it a shot,” Fuller said. “It was kind of my back-
Acapulco Rock, often referred to as Chimney Rock, is a popular landmark on Lake Martin
ground, and I had a lot of ideas.”
In 2023, Tallapoosa County Tourism merged with Lake Martin Tourism to form one unified organization: Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism, more widely known today as Explore Lake Martin.
“Lake Martin Tourism already had a website and social media page called ‘Explore Lake Martin,’” Fuller said. “We felt like ‘explore’ had a local feel, and we didn’t want it to seem like we were asking people to visit. We want people who live here to go
out and explore the area too.”
One of Fuller’s early goals was to build a full-time team focused on promoting the region and bringing new ideas to life. She added two key members to the staff: Katlyn Cotten, marketing and communications manager, and Payton Natali, sports tourism and events manager.
Together, the team revamped the organization’s website and launched a free interactive mobile app that allows users to access information about hiking trails, attractions and upcoming events.
Expanding tourism opportunities also meant creating experiences that would bring communities together.
At the request of Tallapoosa County Commissioner Steve Robinson, Fuller helped develop new events designed to highlight the region and encourage participation from both residents and visitors. River Fest emerged as a guided paddle down the Tallapoosa River, while the Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival was launched alongside local partners Steven Pace and Vivian Autry.
The four-day music event features emerging artists performing at a variety of popular venues across the Lake Martin community.
“I would say the Songwriter’s Festival is one project I am particularly proud of,” Fuller said. “I don’t think we ever imagined it becoming as big as it has so quickly.”
Now in its sixth year, the festival has gained national attention, including guest judges connected to the Grammy Awards, while also generating economic stimulation for local communities.
“This event welcomed more than 3,500 attendees last year, with more than half traveling in from outside the Lake Martin area,” Fuller said. “The festival brings tremendous benefits to our local economy, not only boosting our restaurants, retail
shops and accommodations, but also generating vital revenue that supports essential services. This increased economic activity allows both the cities and the county to reinvest in our communities, ultimately enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents.”
Explore Lake Martin is also playing an important role in the celebration of Lake Martin’s 100-year anniversary. The region kicked off its centennial events in February by hosting the 2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite Series tournament, drawing in anglers and spectators from across the country to the area.
In April, the organization will also partner with the Alexander City and Dadeville chambers of commerce to host the inaugural Dragon Boat Festival at Wind Creek State Park.
“That’s just a huge accomplishment,” Fuller said. “It’s been fun watching the different people come together and work together.”
While Fuller helps guide tourism initiatives across the region, she credits the area’s success to the people who live and work in the community.
“There are just some really incredible people around the area that are so passionate about it,” Fuller said. “There’s just so many people that are making things so special here.”
Explore Lake Martin’s efforts extend beyond the lake itself, helping promote the small towns and destinations throughout the surrounding region.
Recently, the organization introduced interactive challenges designed to encourage people to explore new places, including the Lake Martin Hiking Challenge and The Lost Goats of Lake Martin.
The hiking challenge invites participants to visit trails throughout the region, while The Lost Goats of Lake Martin pays tribute to the beloved Goat Island tradition by encouraging visitors to search for goat-themed statues placed at destinations across communities, ranging from parks and scenic overlooks to downtown shopping areas.
Upon completing each challenge, participants receive prizes and Lake Martin swag.
2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite Series kicked off the Lake Martin 100-year anniversary celebrations
Sandra Fuller
“People love experiences,” Fuller said. “Our goal is to get people to go downtown in Alexander City or Dadeville, or explore a new trail or park. It’s a way to challenge people to try something new.”
Beyond promoting attractions, Explore Lake Martin also works with state and national agencies to secure grants that support tourism initiatives and workforce development. Fuller regularly attends national tourism conferences in Washington, D.C., where industry leaders come together to share marketing strategies, accessibility standards and best practices for tourism.
The meetings are also an opportunity to connect with elected officials and federal agencies that support tourism across the country.
“We go and talk with every congressman and representative that’s there,” Fuller said. “We also talk to the United States Department of Transportation and meet with the National Park Service. I feel like we really have a strong relationship with our representatives, senators, commissioners and council. They are just great partners to work with.”
As Explore Lake Martin continues to grow, Fuller is focused on expanding opportunities for community involvement through a volunteer program designed for residents who want to support local events and tourism efforts.
“The goal is to help civic and community minded people have a way to be involved, and start getting out
to volunteer for different things,” Fuller said.
For Fuller, each initiative is about more than tourism. It is helping the Lake Martin region continue to grow as an iconic destination while supporting the people and communities that call it home.
“I think that anything we can do to improve our community is better for our local people,” Fuller said. “By hosting these events and bringing people in, it’s going to bring in revenue that in turn goes back into our towns. It’s funds for our infrastructure, fire departments, police departments and our education systems. It gives us a better quality of life.”
Learn more at explorelakemartin.com.
The Lost Goats of Lake Martin is a new community challenge
From Vision to Venue
Tallapoosa County’s new Agribusiness Center takes shape
STORY BY GWEN BISHOP
PHOTOS BY SAM VISE
Who says patience isn’t a virtue?
For the Tallapoosa County Commission, that patience is about to pay off in a big way.
The Tallapoosa County Agribusiness Center, located on U.S. Route 280 in Jackson’s Gap, has been five years in the making.
“The commission met with a group five years ago and kind of set this plan in motion,” District 3 Commissioner John McKelvey said. “It’ll be five years to the day that we met that the first event will be out here.”
In May 2021, several Tallapoosa County citizens met with commissioners to discuss a place they could host local livestock events, he said.
Following that meeting, the commission voted to purchase 99 acres of land located at U.S. Route 280 and Main Street in Jackson’s Gap for that purpose. A local committee was formed and began to visit other sites to determine the type and size of the building and other amenities needed for Tallapoosa County. The local arena is based on a Franklin, Georgia arena with more up-to-date codes and other requirements, McKelvey said.
So far, 14 events have been scheduled at the arena beginning in early May and continuing throughout 2026.
“We could have started booking a year ago,” McKelvey said. “We just didn’t have a completion date.”
The commission made sure the project would not be a burden on the taxpayers.
“This center is basically from the ground up,” McKelvey said. “That’s the reason it’s taken so long, everything’s paid for. The first phase, which is this phase, is when we walk away from it, lock, stock and barrel. The job is paid for. I’d say that is a great use of extra tax money.”
Now it was time to fund the large project.
The new arena will serve as a venue for agricultural events and potential concerts
❝
Once we get it open, it is only going to get bigger. People have already showed interest from all over.”
› Robert Reams, Tallapoosa County Agribusiness Center Director
Five events have been already been scheduled for May
“We started looking at ways to fund the project without depending on the county’s general fund and without placing a burden on the local community,” he said. “We started to look at lodging fees around the state and how they were used to fund local projects in their communities.”
The commission partnered with the Lake Martin Tallapoosa County Tourism board to conduct a study and see how a fee could be applied, McKelvey said.
A proposal was drafted and a local bill was passed in the Alabama Legislature for lodging fees to be collected outside the local municipalities. Those funds were then earmarked for the purposes of tourism, the Agribusiness Center and other tourism-related amenities, he said.
In December 2023, the lodging tax was enacted, bringing in 10 cents per rental dollar spent.
McKelvey said the commission was saving the lodging tax collected for this project.
“We’ve earmarked those funds to help pay for this,” he said. “It’s done that way so people from out of town coming in here and staying in short term rentals are paying that fee to support our local economy. It’s a way the local people can have something without having an extra burden to pay for it. The commission made sure that it would not be a burden on the local taxpayers.”
Now that the first phase is completed and the center is usable, the next phase can begin, including a parking area, stables and an event center, with additional ideas in the works as well.
By the time the first scheduled event occurs in May, the first phase of the parking lot will be complete and bleachers will be installed as well. The backside of the
arena also has a concession stand, bathrooms, showers and a storage area.
Agribusiness Center director Robert Reams, who was hired in the last quarter of 2025, is excited about the possibilities the center brings with it.
“Once we get it open, it’s only going to get bigger,” Reams said. “People have already shown interest from all over.”
While the center is geared towards agribusiness, the potential events that could be housed in the arena go well beyond the initial concept.
“It’s a full event center,” Reams said. “The only real place we have around here for concerts is The AMP. We had phone calls about holding concerts here, so we’re looking at doing a two part series to see how goes.”
McKelvey said one of the reasons the commission decided to build in the Jackson’s Gap area is the location, as it can be accessed from state Route 280 or highway I-85. Another draw is the accessibility to hotels and restaurants nearby.
In addition, thevisitors the center will bring in will help support driving revenue to the community through shortterm rentals, helping the rental economy outside the busy season that coinsides with the lake.
“We feel that the center will complement those businesses and promote local growth,” McKelvey said. “We felt that the lack of rooms available for hotel rentals would put the local short-term rentals at the forefront of the Google searches around the arena.”
McKelvey also noted there are two new hotels scheduled to open in 2026 in Alexander City.
Whatever the future growth potential of the agribusiness center is, one thing seems to be certain at this point.
“This was something that was really needed for this area,” McKelvey said.
Exactly five years later on May 3, the center will have its first major event in the fully paid for arena and the property it sits on.
“The Tallapoosa County Commission is very proud to have this type of center located in the center of Tallapoosa County with access to a major highway corridor,” McKelvey said. “We look forward to hosting local events and seeing the youth of this county grow from the experiences they have with the opportunity to learn at this new center.”
Robert Reams & John McKelvey
CRATA: Blazing a Trail of Lasting Legacy
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & COURTESY OF JOHN COLEY
Twenty-one years ago, no one expected CRATA to become the household name it is today at Lake Martin – least of all its best-known founder, Jimmy K. Lanier of Eclectic.
Lanier was one of four retired friends who, in 2004, set their sights on developing a short local footpath to train for an Appalachian Trail hike. Little did Lanier realize then that his vision of a 4-mile experiment would render a network of more than 28 miles of public trails open in four locations, two restored fire towers and an outdoor education center – all built by volunteers and donated funds.
The scope of the hiking project promised more adventure than Lanier could have ever dreamed.
In his mind’s eye, he could never have imagined that thousands of people would hike the trails he carved by hand alongside friends, or that notebooks would one day fill with thousands of names from visitors climbing a oncedeteriorating fire tower he helped restore.
He might even have laughed at the idea that he would gain a statewide reputation as a leading consultant on the building and restoring of towers on public lands.
Even while these projects were under way, Lanier couldn’t imagine the impact of the small, chartered Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association.
“I knew we had really done something when, after building 4 miles of footpath-only trails off Overlook Drive, just north of Martin Dam, I came up to check on the trails and the parking lot was full,” Lanier said last October. “There were people in hiking clothes eating at the picnic tables. I had gotten so absorbed with building local trails that, even though I’ve hiked on the Appalachian Trail, I became disinterested in it. I was focused on what we were doing here.
“I love to see people out here enjoying the trails, especially the kids.”
CRATA recently opened its second restored fire tower near Overlook Park
A frugal manager of the organization’s donated funds, Lanier is now treasurer for CRATA, an all-volunteer board of directors that works to create and maintain the lake area’s popular and pristine trail network.
But make no mistake, Lanier has been the driving force since the day he stood with three friends, asking Alabama Power to let them build a small hiking loop north of Martin Dam.
After relentlessly petitioning Alabama Power officials for more trail space – and proving themselves capable – CRATA went on to build an additional 3.2 miles of trails for training at the Overlook location, making the trail system a total of 7.2 miles.
While the original trail system includes three interlooping paths, another addition of The James M. Scott Deadening Trail, at 4.2 miles, provided a challenging loop north of the Overlook Park trail system.
Shortly after the completion of the trail systems at Overlook Park and the Deadening area, Lanier was appointed to the State Trail Advisory Board. Before attending his first meeting, he met Dadeville’s Jerry Bynum, who also had been appointed to the trail advisory board.
“Jerry wanted me to look at some project he wanted to do at Smith Mountain. We went up there, and I was blown away when he said he wanted to restore the fire tower up there,” Lanier said. “Alabama Power eventually sold CRATA that mountaintop for $1, and the tower has been named for Jerry Bynum. Without his vision, that never would have happened.”
The historic Smith Mountain location now offers a panoramic view of Lake Martin from a 90-foot-tall restored fire tower in its original 1939 location. CRATA later added an extensive outdoor education center for visitors. Four separate trail systems span across more than 7 miles, winding up and down the mountainsides amid long leaf
pines, fern-covered forest floors and spectacular mountain laurel blooms.
From Smith Mountain, Lanier caught a glimpse of his next project – the John B. Scott Forever Wild Trail, the Cherokee Bluffs Dam Railroad Trail and the Double Bridge Ferry Trail, which now weave through the 6,000-acre Forever Wild Gothard-Yates Management Area. The railroad trail follows the railroad bed used to build Martin Dam in the 1920s.
Combined, the John B. Scott trail, Double Bridge Ferry Trail and the Highline and Lowline Railroad trails add 9.4 miles of hiking to the CRATA network.
Then, Lanier got a hankering to erect a second fire tower at the lake.
Five years ago, CRATA volunteers dismantled an aging fire tower in Virginia and began the arduous fouryear task of refurbishing and constructing the 110-foot tower near the original Overlook trails. The southern tower opened last fall with stunning views of Lake Martin and beyond.
Visible with the naked eye from the tower’s highest level are Kowaliga Bridge, about 5.1 miles west; Smith Mountain’s fire tower, 8.7 miles north; the blue roof at The Ridge Marina North; the Tallapoosa River at Yates Lake; and a breathtaking view of Wind Creek Valley stretching below the heights of the highly engineered tower, overbuilt for the safety of visitors.
Following the completion of the second fire tower, CRATA hopes to raise the funds for an outdoor education center like the one at Smith Mountain. Featuring the flora, fauna and history of the area, the educational displays will include a guide in the cab that points out
Jimmy Lanier (far right) with CRATA volunteers at the trailhead near Overlook Park
CRATA volunteers building the Overlook Park fire tower
the landmarks on the horizon.
In addition, the CRATA board hopes to construct a building that will house the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization’s equipment, which is currently stored at volunteers’ homes. The building also will house meeting space for the group, but it will not be open to the public.
Lanier said board members also envision a visitors center below the tower to the south.
The all-volunteer trail crew would then return to the organization’s southernmost trail network to add more mileage to the Forever Wild network.
“We put that on hold while we were doing the second fire tower. That will be a major project. We will need to build a bridge over the creek,” Lanier said.
“I think, then, we will have a plan where we stop building trails,” said the still-very-active 87-year-old Lanier. “We wanted to build scenic trails that have interest. If we get too many trails, we can’t properly maintain them. We want to keep the trails in the best shape possible, and 40 miles of trails is enough to keep us busy.
“We need volunteers to take it on – young retired people are best. They have time and expertise from their previous professions and the ability to hike and do the work. They want to be involved in something in their retirement.”
CRATA President Steve Thomas of Dadeville joined
the organization as just such a person.
“I moved to Dadeville, and I was retired, and I was looking for things to do,” Thomas said. “I read an article in LAKE magazine about CRATA and called Jimmy, and he’s kept me busy ever since.”
CRATA also hopes to support other organizations that promote tourism and lake area activities. Thomas said the Overlook area will soon be part of the Lost Goats of Lake Martin Trail. Hiking clubs throughout the state often choose the CRATA network trails for outings, enjoying a stop at a local restaurant or other events while in the area, and CRATA board members are quick to promote other initiatives aimed to improve the recreational and economic status of the entire lake area.
In future generations, volunteers will carry on at CRATA what volunteers have built here. They will clear trails of fallen trees and debris after storms; hike each trail every week to pick up litter left by careless visitors; maintain the website at crata.org; post announcements on social media outlets; and raise the funds to keep the treasured Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trails Association network of trails open and accessible to all for education and recreation.
It will be a vision never before conceived – especially by those responsible for making it happen, including Jimmy K. Lanier.
Campfire Talks & Trail Walks
Whiskey Ridge brings a new camping destination to Lake Martin
Acampfire conversation and a need to expand occupational horizons gave birth to Whiskey Ridge
RV Park – a partnership among friends, a vision with promise and a much-needed campground near Lake Martin’s incomparable hiking trails.
Last October, Alexander City natives John and Lacey Howell, in collaboration with Bobby and Tera Cagle, opened Whiskey Ridge, a stone’s throw from the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association’s Deadening and Overlook trail network. The park offers 61 sites for RV campers and eight wooded primitive campsites in the middle of one of the lake’s most popular recreation areas.
Situated on 12 acres of woods near the Union boat ramp, this new boutique campground includes a 2-acre fishing pond, 30/50-amp electrical service, sewer hookups, a community fire pit, pavilion, laundry facility, three private bathhouses and more.
Lacey Howell, a Realtor with RE/MAX Around the Lake, connected with the Cagles after assisting them with the purchase of a cabin on Lake Martin. Through that relationship, the idea for Whiskey Ridge began to take shape.
“The Cagles said opening a campground here was a dream of theirs, and Bobby had already done some preliminary research,” John said. “They were looking
for someone local to partner with them, and we said, ‘We’re in!’”
Bobby Cagle grew up in his dad’s bait shop in Tallassee and now operates a fishing guide service in Orange Beach. RVing was a vacation staple as he grew up, and incorporating the activity into life with his wife and children was a must. Over the years, he’s visited many different campgrounds and grew to love the idea of opening one himself.
“I’m familiar with that area, and I knew we could connect the campground to the hiking trails there,” Bobby said. “I hope we can enhance the area and make it more accessible for people to enjoy it.”
The team began to scout suitable properties, and in early 2023, they purchased land on Whiskey Ridge Road. The area was named for the clandestine moonshine stills that operated in the woods during Prohibition.
The site is ideally located off the lake near the popular recreational area at Kowaliga Bay. The campground lies between the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association’s Overlook and Deadening trail systems, with a connector trail to the Deadening. The park borders Alabama Power project lands, and Lake Martin’s Chimney Rock is just across the water. The Union boat ramp is only minutes away, and Chuck’s Marina is a mere 10 minutes.
“The CRATA guys have made a huge playground with their trails in that area and the new tower, along with the wildlife management area south of the dam. It’s still a well-kept secret, but I don’t think it will be a
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER & AUDRA SPEARS
secret much longer,” Bobby said. “We want to support the trail system. I think Whiskey Ridge and CRATA can be big assets to each other.”
Positioned in one of the lakeshore’s most unpopulated and natural areas, the park teems with wildlife. Recent campers have seen a herd of 12 deer wander through the park every evening, and a wide variety of birds catch the early morning sun in the canopy of trees that surround the park.
At night, the stars dance across the sky, putting on a show for campers. While the glimmer of nearby lights from Tallassee, Eclectic and Dadeville can be seen just over the treetops, campground lights are minimal. Campers can easily see the Milky Way arch overhead.
ers offer souvenirs to campers, and firewood is available as well.
In addition to 35 campsites to accommodate rigs up to 50 feet in length, the park offers 26 sites for shorter rigs and Class B vehicles. All sites are back-in, and all sites offer full hookups with 30/50-amp service. In addition, eight primitive sites have been developed above the RV campground on the wooded hillsides around the park. Primitive sites include level tent sites and picnic tables and offer wooded privacy while being located within easy access to the private bathhouses, camp office and camp store.
The store offers toiletries, snacks and emergency RV equipment such as hoses and leveling blocks. Whiskey Ridge T-shirts by Comfort Colors and campground stick-
Glamping sites might be added in the future, Lacey said.
Throughout the park, Wi-Fi is enhanced with T-Mobile hotspots and routers.
The park’s bathhouses are state-of-the-campgroundart. Three new, super-clean, heated and air-conditioned large rooms – each with a commode, sink and roomy shower – are located on the porch of the park office.
“It’s just more private and pleasant than a big bathhouse with a row of stalls and several showers,” Lacey said. “And one is ADA compliant.”
A laundry facility in the same building is fully enclosed, heated and air conditioned and features three Whirlpool washers and three dryers. A folding table and
John and Lacey Howell
The park has 61 RV sites
coin changer offer more convenience for campers on the go, and laundry soap is available for sale in the camp store.
In addition, the park is close to some of the lake’s most popular restaurants and attractions. Groceries and gas can be obtained nearby, as Tallassee and Kowaliga are only 15 minutes away. Emergency shelters in these communities are close as well, in case of inclement weather.
But park patrons don’t need to leave the grounds for fun. The on-site pavilion is outfitted with picnic tables and a grill area and is strung with lighting. A playground area next to the pavilion allows parents to easily keep an eye on their children while socializing in the shade, taking in the cool breeze that flows in off the lake.
One of the park’s greatest features is its proximity to CRATA’s acclaimed trail systems.
At the campground trailhead, a QR code links hikers to the CRATA website, which includes maps and trail descriptions. Signage on the trail helps hikers find their way. The Deadening trail includes spectacular views of the Tallapoosa River, mountain laurel thickets and unique rock formations.
Just 2.5 miles down the road, visitors will also find Overlook Park, with 7.2 miles of interlooping trails. CRATA’s second restored fire tower, which opened last November in the Overlook area, offers a panoramic view of Lake Martin from an astounding height of 110 feet. A wide assortment of lake landmarks can be seen from the tower’s cab, including Kowaliga Bridge and the fire tower located at Smith Mountain.
Though still in its infancy, the campground ownership team hopes to develop a neighborhood culture at the park, Lacey said.
“We want to do special entertainment around the holidays but keep the quiet retreat feel most weekends,” she said. “We might have a band in the pavilion a few times over the summer, maybe a Halloween event in the fall. That kind of thing.”
RV rates range from $50 to $65 per night, and primitive sites are $25. Weekly and monthly rates are available, and the park offers military and first responder discounts.
Pets are allowed at Whiskey Ridge Park, but owners are cautioned to keep them leashed or confined. Owners must clean up after their pets and keep them quiet to avoid disturbing other campers.
Turning their camping vision into a unique destination, the Howells and Cagles are excited about what lies ahead for their new campground.
“We are really looking forward to hosting campers this spring and summer season here at the lake and are already looking ahead to holidays and football season,” Lacey said.
Visit whiskeyridgepark.com for more amenity details and to make reservations, or call 256-827-4442 to learn more about this vision turned reality in one of the lake’s most attractive areas.
Elevating the Outdoors
STORY BY SAMUEL HIGGS PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
❝ This is a culmination of work around the state by the park system. This first-class work will last for decades and is one of the nicest projects we have going on.”
› Chris Blankenship, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner
For years, Wind Creek State Park has been the go-to destination for experiencing the best that Lake Martin has to offer. Over the years, the park has significantly elevated its offerings by introducing high-end cottages and cabins that blend luxury with the great outdoors.
“The one thing I can say is I think they listen to what people want,” said Explore Lake Martin President and CEO Sandra Fuller. “Wind Creek sees what actually works, and they really go after it. So, we’re very, very fortunate to have them in our backyard.”
Already the largest-owned
campground in the state of Alabama with 1,444 acres across Lake Martin’s shoreline and over 532 campsites, Wind Creek took on a new project, upgrading its campsites while also bringing more premium options.
In August 2025, Wind Creek finally got to unveil these luxury destinations with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“This is a culmination of work around the state by the park system,” said Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources commissioner Chris Blankenship at the ceremony.
“This first-class work will last for decades and is one of the nicest projects we have going on.”
Labeled as “Lakeside
The new cabins bring modern luxury to rustic camping
available, the entire family – wagging tails included – can experience the magic of Lake Martin.
“We were getting a lot of suggestions that it would be nice if we had something that was fully furnished with a stove in it,” said assistant supervisor at Wind Creek State Park Jacquetta Perry. “These have more of a lake home vibe to them. We wanted to make them homey.”
the St. Croix Bassmaster Open, held in October 2024, Bassmaster made its triumphant return to Lake Martin for the Elite Series in February. The Elite Series consists of the best anglers across the country, all competing for a grand prize of $100,000.
Cottages,” each is equipped with three bedrooms, one king and two queen mattresses, three bathrooms and a scenic panoramic view of the lake. The cottages give the resident an upgraded stay at Lake Martin while still granting the opportunity to bask in the natural beauties the lake has to offer.
Each cottage includes a full kitchen complete with a stove, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker and kitchen utensils. And to keep the family entertained, all are equipped with Wi-Fi, TVs and a fireplace.
In total, Wind Creek offers five cottages, each named after a native tree – White Oak, Dogwood, Redbud, Poplar and Longleaf. The Redbud cottage is ADA accessible. With two pet-friendly cottages
Among the amenities lies opportunities for easy access to swimming, fishing, boating, hiking and picnicking excursions.
The cottages not only shine light on what Lake Martin and Wind Creek have to offer, they also serve as a home-away-from-home amongst the many events that take place in the area.
Wind Creek is home to many events happening year-round: Spring Fest, Fourth of July and fall festivals are all scattered throughout the calendar year.
“Think about how beautiful it would be to have Christmas here, or catch all the fall leaves turning colors,” Perry said. “This is a great place for guests to come and have a little family gathering.”
For many, the true heart of Wind Creek lies in its world-class fishing. After the massive success of
“The Elite Series is a top-level fishing competition,” said Mandy Pascal with Bassmaster. “If we go to the same lakes every single year, it kind of gets repetitive, and it’s not much of a challenge for the anglers anymore. With us picking some diverse fisheries, this gives the anglers a new challenge. A lot of them have probably never been to Lake Martin before, so this will be brand new for them. It really shows why they are the best anglers in the world.”
To reserve a cabin, guests can call Wind Creek State Park at 1-800-ALAPARK. Online reservations will be available at alapark. com/parks/wind-creek-state-park. Reservations may be made up to a year and one day in advance and require a two-night minimum stay. Alabama residents may make reservations up to 13 months in advance.
Each Lakeside Cottage has three bedrooms and a full kitchen
A Vision of Academics, Arts & Athletics for Alexander City
STORY BY LIZI ARBOGAST PHOTOS BY LIZI ARBOGAST & AUDRA SPEARS
For many years, Jose Reyes has dreamed of becoming the superintendent of Alexander City Schools. That dream came to fruition in March 2024 when Reyes returned to the school system after a stint in retirement, and now, his vision is coming to fruition too.
And for Reyes, that’s the true work of a superintendent.
While many of the current changes for ACS were already underway when Reyes returned, it’s his vision that’s gotten them to the finish line.
“When I got here, we were 20 percent complete with the building of the
❝ I want to be a system that produces students who are respectful, who are hard workers and who are resilient.”
› Jose Reyes, Alexander City Schools Superintendent
new Benjamin Russell High School,” Reyes said. “While I was the one who made the ultimate recommendation, that consolidation was also kind of in the works. We had done work at Jim Pearson Elementary School, and we had done work at the middle school building with adding that third wing, so all these things were already in motion.”
The school system underwent its biggest change in recent memory as the new high school opened in February. Starting in the 2026-27 year, Jim Pearson Elementary School will remain the same, but third through fifth grade will be in the current Alexander City Middle School, while middle school aged-children will take
Dr. Jose Reyes
up residence at the old BRHS. Reyes said his biggest contribution to the consolidation and the opening of the new BRHS has been his ability to make it well-received by the public.
“This is my home and people know me, so I think it made it more palatable for the community,” Reyes said. “I think by myself being superintendent at the time, I think the people here know that I would not do anything to intentionally harm our school system, our students, our faculty or our staff.”
And as far as his vision for the new facilities goes, Reyes said the sky is the limit.
Starting at the top with the new BRHS, the superintendent has put a special emphasis on three key areas: academics, arts and athletics.
“The vision is to take people academically and allow them to continue to attend some of the most prestigious colleges in the United States,” Reyes said. “We have had people at Benjamin Russell since its inception that, in my opinion, have gone on and have done great things in academia.”
But now, there are pieces to the academics portion that Reyes believes separates BRHS from other Alabama high schools. For instance, the new high school is equipped with a stateof-the-art, professional-grade kitchen.
“My vision is that in this central area, our high school could be a hub for creating the next great chef that has a long career in that field,” Reyes said.
But it doesn’t stop there. For example, ACS has worked closely with Russell Medical Center and helped cultivate the nursing program at BRHS.
As for the arts, the new BRHS has focused in areas such as the band and drama program. The new school is equipped with a 627-seat auditorium, a new band room and new band practice field. Reyes’ hope is upwards of 175 students will be in the band, and the drama program will be producing at least one or two top-notch plays per year.
“These programs teach leadership and fellowship,” Reyes said. “They teach hard work. They teach working with a group and not only being a leader, but being a good follower.”
Down the road, the school would also like to add a choral program.
Just like signing up to orchestrate at the next level, Reyes’ vision includes an emphasis on athletics and continuing to create opportunities for studentathletes to have in college.
For the first time ever, BRHS will have a competition track on its campus, and the arena is a 1,200-seat gymnasium that will accommodate basketball, volleyball and wrestling.
“Our vision is to complete an outdoor facility that will be turfed that would be used by all of our athletic programs, depending on what season it is,” Reyes said. “In the next year, a couple projects that we are also looking at completing are turfing the entire baseball field and then also turfing
the entire softball field, as well as the addition of a new home dugout for our girls.”
The best part about consolidation, in Reyes’ eyes, is the trickle down effect the new high school will have for the youngsters. Because the middle school students will be housed at the old BRHS, they’ll have access to all its facilities, including the gymnasium, career tech center, wrestling rooms, weight rooms and more. The same goes for the third- through fifthgraders who will be housed at the current ACMS.
“I think shifting focus to the younger grades will create more continuity for the students, the faculty and the staff,” Reyes said. “One thing people fail to remember in this whole transition is the benefits that grades six, seven and eight will have in what I’ve already mentioned – arts, academics and athletics, because they’re moving from a middle school to a high school, which is going to increase the amount of space they have for band and drama with the auditorium, which they’ve never had.”
Currently finishing up his second year at ACS, Reyes said he envisions himself being superintendent for at least five years, but his vision goes beyond that. And for him, it’s all about changing with the times.
“Where do I see us in 10 years?” Reyes asked. “I don’t know that anyone can say completely what will be the areas that are most important for students to be successful, but things change, and what I do want to see is us being a school system that has the leadership capacity to change as the world changes.”
But there are some basics that’ll never change for Reyes.
“The basics of reading, writing and arithmetic – I think those will hold true forever,” Reyes said. “But I also want to be a system that produces students who are respectful, who are hard workers and who are resilient. I want us to still have a system where we care about each other and we’re concerned about our fellow man. Those are still things where it doesn’t matter what decade it is or 100 years from now, you still want those types of people.”
Reyes was a visionary behind the new BRHS Reyes focuses on success for younger generations
Vivian Autry
Raising the bar for reimagining local business and community
STORY BY BETSY ILER
PHOTOS BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
Vivian Autry thought the next investment idea her husband, Mike, came up with might be flipping a lake house, not building a future for a landlocked sports bar with a colorful past. But when Mike and his friend, David Hudmon, broached the idea of purchasing Martin’s at Lake Martin, she did what she usually does when faced with a new opportunity: She researched the idea. What she discovered was just what she likes to see in a new business venture – potential.
The sports bar location on County Road 34 began its life as Colonel Tom’s Tavern. After a fire and renovations, the hangout reopened as CT’s Bar, and finally, in 2021, it became Martin’s at Lake Martin. The Autrys partnered with Hudmon and his wife, Tammy, last summer to purchase the bar, adding it to a growing portfolio of businesses the Autrys now own.
A corporate investment banker with Wells Fargo for 31 years, Autry does an extensive analysis on any businesses in which the couple considers investing.
“First, I look to see if there’s a need, and in this area of the lake, there definitely is a need for this place,” said Autry, leaning across a barrel-based table at Martin’s on a quiet autumn afternoon to talk about her business vision. “Then, I look at the location. Martin’s is located on a main thoroughfare. There are 34 different neighborhoods in this area, and there’s nothing else around it. It’s a great location. So, I looked at the numbers.”
She learned that, as the new owners, the partnership would have to trust their imaginations with this new endeavor; but then, that’s nothing new for this power couple who landed full time at Lake Martin in 2012.
“The best months for business at Martin’s were March and April – when other locations on the water were not yet open for the season. I saw that we couldn’t compete with Chuck’s and The Landing. We had to be creative about this place,” she said.
Creative is right up Autry’s alley. She is the daughter of a former dean of the School of Business at Columbus State University. In addition to his role in education, her father was a consultant for a wide spectrum of business owners.
“He called the money from his consulting business his ‘fun’ money. That’s what he used to buy the second home and take vacations. I grew up with the idea that whatever I did, I was going to have to have a second job, so I would have ‘fun’ money,” Autry said. “One of his personal clients was Walt Disney himself. When I was 7 years old, I toured the underground workings of Disneyland. I saw how they made everything work. I was exposed to so much creativity in business from a young age.”
The Mitchell House
Mike and Vivian Autry at Martin’s at Lake Martin
For Autry, new ideas are simply business as usual.
When her daughters were growing up in Peachtree City, Georgia, Autry bought Ace, a gymnastics studio where she coached cheerleaders. In 2018, she saved Dadeville’s The Mitchell House from the wrecking ball and opened an event center – but she didn’t stop there. With the recent addition of a 3,500-square-foot enclosed pavilion, the historic manor now hosts conferences and competitions, as well as picture-perfect weddings.
When the original owner of OGS Tournaments died suddenly, her husband saw an opportunity to purchase the business, but he didn’t want to run it. The couple hired Mike Freeman to manage the business. Since that purchase, they have made numerous improvements, purchased a professional show trailer and launched a variety of tournaments that draw anglers to Lake Martin year-round.
And when technology was available to upgrade operations at their Lake Martin Cabinet Shop, the Autrys invested in a computer numerical control machine. The equipment creates a CAD image of a kitchen based on entered dimensions and calculates material needs and efficient cuts to minimize waste.
“I am not afraid to spend money to make money,” Autry said. “You can’t be complacent in business. Trends change. You have to keep up, doing things, staying relevant in your business. You have to figure out how to be creative, how to separate yourself from others. As an entrepreneur, there is always something you can do better.”
The business partners immediately saw the potential in an open deck that stretched along the back of the sports bar. They put a roof on the deck, built partial walls, hung tarps and added some funky barstools to enable year-round use of the outdoor music venue. Martin’s now is the only venue within 50 miles to offer year-round outdoor entertainment.
Autry then hired a professional social media consultant to teach her how to maximize Martin’s online presence.
“You can’t be afraid to elevate yourself to be relevant to the needs of others. You can’t be afraid to invest, afraid to fail,” she said. “If you’re afraid you’ll fail, you will fail. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You will make mistakes, and they will make you better. You have to make mistakes to learn what’s relevant. They’re learning opportunities.”
It’s a successful portfolio for someone who struggled with dyslexia as a child, but ever positive, Autry even counts that childhood learning disability as an asset.
“I look at things differently,” she said. “People with dyslexia tend to think in big pictures, not in the details. I let somebody else handle the details. It helps me not get uptight about what’s next.”
In addition to her full-time job and three businesses, Autry is active on a number of civic and business boards, including the Lake Martin – Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce, Lake Martin Area United Way, Lake Martin Resource Association and a tourism committee planning the 100th-anniversary celebration of Martin Dam.
Autry is also a founding board member of the Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival, serving as a visionary behind launching the event, now in its sixth year.
“Networking is key to community,” she said. “Tell people what you’re doing. Don’t blindside businesses that can benefit from what you’re doing. When we have a big fishing tournament coming in, we tell Chick-fil-A, so they will be prepared for the uptick in business.
“And don’t burn bridges. You never know who can help you in a completely different environment than the one you know them from.”
Despite the fast-paced, active role she holds in business and in the lake community, Autry reserves time in her schedule for family. She and Mike have five grandchildren. A tech-age scrapbooker, Autry uses Shutterfly to create annual books of photos with captions and memories for her children and grandchildren.
“We juggle time so we can be with our grandchildren. If I can see them from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the evening, I will do that and stay up until midnight to catch up on work,” she said. “What also helps me is that I don’t require a lot of sleep, and I thrive under pressure.”
For Autry, business isn’t pressure. It’s fun, and she looks forward to the next adventure, whatever it is.
Autry and Courtney Layfield at the event center at The Mitchell House
Robert Gunn
STORY BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
From live music drifting across the grassy field of Russell Crossroads to fireworks lighting up the night sky, summer at Lake Martin is filled with highly anticipated traditions that bring the community together year after year.
Hosted by Russell Lands, these beloved events are designed with a simple goal in mind: to bring family-friendly entertainment to the Lake Martin community.
But the man behind the scenes bringing this vision to life is as humble as he is talented and dedicated to his craft.
Robert Gunn, director of event and marketing operations for Russell Lands, began working with the company 18 years ago when Ben Russell hired him to take pictures and help compile the history of Lake Martin and surrounding area. His career soon took an unexpected turn when he was asked to photograph one of the most famous events ever held on the lake – AquaPalooza.
In 2009, AquaPalooza drew in an estimated 25,000 people and 5,000 boats, packing the waters of Lake Martin as attendees tied up and floated together to watch country music star Alan Jackson headline the show.
“The Sea Ray folks decided to have their signature event here at Lake Martin,” Gunn said. “So, then Russell Marine President Dave Commander pulled together a group of people, including me, and it worked. After AquaPalooza, I kind of eased into doing events for Russell Lands, including all of the events that come to the Lake Martin amphitheater.”
While that historic concert helped launch his role with Russell Lands, music had been part of Gunn’s life since childhood.
Growing up in Alexander City, Gunn was surrounded by music at home. His father was a choir member at the local Baptist church and known to keep a large collection of records, ranging from Mahalia Jackson and Mario Lanza to Mitch Miller – many of which influenced Gunn at a young age.
“As a child, I remember just dropping the records in
the old console record player and singing along or pretending to be the music director,” Gunn said. “I’ve just always been around music. It’s been a big part of my life.”
In the 1980s, Gunn turned that passion into a career when he entered the radio industry, where he began operating sound systems and working on the air. Over the next three decades, he worked in several roles, including DJing both country and Top 40 hits. While his musical taste spans many genres, Gunn admits his favorites remain classic rock hits from the 1970s and 1980s.
Today, that lifelong passion for music carries into Gunn’s leadership role at Russell Lands, where he oversees the company’s full calendar of events – from laid-back summer evenings at Friday On The Green to major holiday concerts and celebrations at The AMP. Known for hosting nationally recognized acts, The AMP has become a favorite stage for returning bands such as Sister Hazel, Taylor Hicks, The Black Jacket Symphony, Kansas and Blackberry Smoke.
Behind the scenes, Gunn works with event sponsors, books artists and coordinates marketing and production crews to bring each event together.
In addition, Gunn has overseen Alexander City Jazz Fest and RXR Fest for many years, while also launching Friday On The Green at Russell Crossroads – a free summer music series that has become a favorite gathering spot for the Lake Martin community.
Since beginning in 2012, the Crossroads stage has featured a mix of regional and emerging artists, several of whom have gone on to successful careers.
Country artist Ella Langley, who recently made CMA Award history, and American Idol finalist Jessica Meuse
Robert Gunn
are among the performers who have performed at Russell Crossroads. Country star Zac Brown also appeared at Alexander City Jazz Fest shortly after releasing his breakout hit, “Chicken Fried.”
“It’s just really neat to see bands and people, like Ella Langley and Zac Brown, launch their career and really take off,” Gunn said.
But Gunn’s leadership extends beyond the music scene. He also helps coordinate many of the popular community events hosted at Russell Crossroads, including Yoga On The Green, Art on the Lake, the Fall Family Festival and Christmas At Crossroads.
Gunn also oversees the annual Russell Forest Run, a 5K and 10K race held each February that has raised more than $150,000 for the Alexander City Schools Education Foundation. Working behind the scenes, he secures sponsors and helps organize the event each year, with many participants and supporters returning annually.
“If I were to say I’m particularly proud of any one event, it might be the Russell Forest Run,” Gunn said. “I get pretty excited that we’ve been able to raise the kind of money for the schools that it has raised.”
Gunn also brings his knowledge to the local music scene through his role as a board member for the Lake
The
❝ My job is to make people smile...I want the people that come to our concerts and events to leave smiling and wanting to come back to do it again.”
› Robert Gunn, Russell Lands Director of Events and Marketing Operations
Martin Songwriter’s Festival, a popular event hosted each July at venues across the lake region.
With the 100-year anniversary of Lake Martin being celebrated this year, Gunn and Russell Lands are planning one of their biggest celebrations yet – the largest fireworks show in the lake’s history this Fourth of July. Known as the largest fireworks displays in the Southeast, the celebration draws thousands each year to The AMP for live music followed by a spectacular show that lights up the water and sky.
But for Gunn, putting on these events isn’t about receiving recognition – the heart behind the hard work is giving back to the community he loves.
“The majority of what we do at Russell Lands is to have a way and try our best to give back to the community,” Gunn said.
When asked what he does for work, Gunn describes it simply.
“My job is to make people smile,” Gunn said. “I want the bands to leave wanting to come back because they had such a good time. And I want the people that come to our concerts and events to leave smiling and wanting to come back to do it again.”
Visit russelllands.com/events for upcoming events.
Jodie & David McGirt
STORY BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE
PHOTOS BY SHAYLEE BECK MOORE & KENNETH BOONE
Jodie and David McGirt pose at Lake Martin with their boxer, Razzoo
What began as an escape to Lake Martin has grown into a vision that is transforming how homeowners experience life at the lake. Through Lake Martin Dock Company and LakeScape, David and Jodie McGirt are building businesses centered on one idea: making lake living easier for the families who call this shoreline home.
With careers in international organizations, David and Jodie McGirt often returned to Lake Martin with their beloved boxer, Razzoo, using the lake as a place to recharge from their demanding careers and travel.
“Both of us ran global teams and Lake Martin was always our respite,” David said. “So that’s what got us started as being more full-time Lake Martin residents.”
In 2016, the McGirts launched their first business in Eclectic, Lake Martin Machine Gun. Later that same year, they purchased Lake Martin Dock Company, with David taking the lead in operations while Jodie continued traveling for her career.
“I’m a little bit of a serial entrepreneur,” David said.
As business partners, the McGirts’ strengths naturally complement one another. Jodie focuses on operations and building systems that support their growing companies, while David often serves as the visionary behind where the businesses are headed and how they will get there.
Their business philosophy is rooted in one central idea: lake homes are meant to bring families together.
“One of the things we learned when we bought the dock company was, why does someone spend what they spend to have a lake house on Lake Martin,” David said. “They don’t do it to impress their neighbors, they do it to bring their family back together.”
While working with dock customers, the McGirts were frequently asked by customers if they knew anyone who could provide reliable, high quality work around their lake homes, such as landscaping and electrical services. Those conversations would soon spark the couple’s most ambitious passion project yet.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the McGirts began exploring how they could expand their services beyond docks and seawalls to support homeowners in a larger way.
“We determined we wanted to grow this business and take it nationwide,” David said. “We also wanted to
expand the services, and that’s when we designed and built LakeScape.”
In 2022, Jodie left her travel career and joined David full time to launch LakeScape, a company designed to simplify lake home ownership through a single, coordinated service.
From landscaping and marine construction to electrical work and designing outdoor living spaces, the company manages projects through one point of contact, allowing homeowners to enjoy their lake property without the stress of coordinating multiple contractors.
“We take care of everything from the customer’s mailbox all the way down to the end of the dock, and all things in between,” David said. “We basically make it easy for someone to remember why they own a lake house. It’s not meant to be a stress ball. It’s something to be enjoyed.”
“It’s a concierge service that comes to your house,” Jodie said. “It allows customers to spend quality time at their lake house without all the maintenance. We take out some of that hustle.”
While the concept may sound simple, the execution requires a deep understanding of each property and family’s vision.
But the McGirts’ ambitions extend far beyond Lake Martin.
The couple looks to expand their model to 10 lakes across the country, a vision that could require building teams of more than 300 employees.
To accomplish that goal, the McGirts have embraced a mentorship approach within their company, investing time in developing employees and encouraging entrepreneurial thinking among their teams.
Beyond their businesses, the McGirts are also deeply dedicated to giving back to the Lake Martin community.
Both serve as officers with the Kowaliga Volunteer Fire Department, Harbor Helpers for Children’s Harbor and are members of the Alexander City Kiwanis. Jodie also serves as president of the Lake Martin Resource Association and is a board member of the Lake Martin Auburn Club.
“Our philosophy is, what can we do in this community?” Jodie said. “We wanted to figure out what the needs of the area are and help out. If we are not active and engaged in the community, then we’re not supporting Lake Martin.”
Their leadership, entrepreneurship and dedication to the community earned the McGirts the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Business Persons of the Year award, one of the chamber’s highest honors.
“It was incredibly humbling,” Jodie said. “It was a very big surprise because, personally, what we do is just what we do. It’s nothing special. It’s really just us giving back a portion of what we get from the community. It was a great honor.”
As their businesses continue to grow, the McGirts say their focus remains on a simple principle: creating opportunity for others while strengthening the community they now call home.
“I’m hopeful that what we are remembered for is kindness and opportunity,” Jodie said.
Lake Martin Machine Gun
The Superintendent on the Square
STORY BY SAM VISE
For Chuck Ledbetter, the view from the water of Lake Martin hasn’t changed much since he was a year old. Since 1964, his family has watched the sun set over Young’s Island, cultivating a lifelong appreciation for the natural beauty and quiet “Mayberry” charm of Dadeville. But today, Ledbetter isn’t just watching the shoreline – he’s charting its future.
After a 37-year career in education, including 16 years as a school superintendent across four cities, Ledbetter has traded the classroom for City Hall as the new mayor of Dadeville.
“I’ve been teaching people that in America, we have a responsibility to make a difference and to serve,” Ledbetter said. “I figured I ought to practice what I preach.”
Ledbetter is now applying the same strategic, longterm thinking he used to lead school systems to the city he calls home. His vision for Dadeville is one of purposeful growth – a commitment to modernizing the workforce and housing market while protecting the historic beauty of the downtown Square.
“I grew up in Auburn, but my family has had a place on Pace’s Point since I was a year old,” Ledbetter said.
“I’ve seen the lake change over 60 years. I grew up walking the shoreline when the water was down, hunting in the woods and water skiing out on the big water. I still love Lake Martin just like I did as a child.”
The transition from superintendent to mayor wasn’t something Ledbetter sought out initially, but after a friend suggested he campaign, the idea stuck with him. As a former history and government teacher, Ledbetter realized he had a unique opportunity to apply his decades of organizational leadership to the town that shaped his family.
“During my time as superintendent, I saw how different cities do things,” Ledbetter said. “I learned
PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS, LIZI ARBOGAST & COURTESY OF CHUCK LEDBETTER
Mayor Chuck Ledbetter
The new Dadeville mayor is focused on growing the workforce and housing
organizational leadership and how to work with other governmental bodies like the county commission and the state legislature. I started thinking, ‘I guess my experience could help Dadeville.’”
Running a city, he said, is not too different from running a large school system; it requires a delicate balance of managing multi-milliondollar budgets while remaining accessible to the people those dollars serve. But for Ledbetter, the heart of leadership is about people, not just paperwork.
He describes Dadeville as a town where people look out for one another and work together to get through challenges; however, the mayor knows that for the community spirit to survive, the city must evolve to meet the needs of a modern economy.
“If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” he said. “But we want to grow the right way. We don’t want to be Auburn or Opelika. We want to be Dadeville. We want something different.”
One of the primary pillars of this growth is the preservation of Dadeville’s unique identity. In an age of rapid modernization, Dadeville’s Square remains a rare gem – a place that feels like a step back in time. Ledbetter is committed to protecting that historic charm while also addressing the modern needs of the community.
For Ledbetter, an ideal city is one where young families can afford to put down roots. While the greater Dadeville area has grown tremendously, the mayor is focused on the housing needs of those who work and raise children within the city limits.
“It’s a nationwide issue, but we specifically need more housing for young families,” Ledbetter said. “Dadeville is a great place to raise children – all three of my daughters graduated from Dadeville High and loved it – but you have to be able to afford a house.”
Ledbetter’s approach also includes a unique strategy for community engagement: connecting “both ends of the life spectrum.” He sees a massive, untapped resource in Dadeville’s retirees, many of whom were highly successful professionals who moved to the lake from all over the world.
“We have our young ones coming up and our more seasoned people who are retired,” Ledbetter said. “Both have time on their hands. My focus is on how we engage those retired residents to share their resources and knowledge with our young people.”
By creating avenues for retirees to mentor students or volunteer in city projects, Ledbetter hopes to create a cycle of shared knowledge that strengthens the entire community.
As he looks forward, Ledbetter’s vision remains focused on purposeful planning. He wants to ensure that children growing up on Lake Martin have the same opportunities and love for the area that he did as a child – upheld by a modern economy and a city government that values its history just as much as its future.
Dinner on the Square
From the Classroom to the Community Stage
Christale Tuck Leads the Future
STORY BY SAM VISE
BY LIZI ARBOGAST
True vision is often found where the future is actively being shaped: the classroom.
Christale Tuck, named Alexander City’s Chamber of Commerce 2025 Woman of the Year, doesn’t just hold a vision for her community – she is teaching it, demonstrating it and
building it from the ground up.
A dedicated 20-year educator at Jim Pearson Elementary School, Tuck defines a visionary not simply as a leader, but as “someone that can teach people how to be a leader themselves.”
This philosophy is the foundation for her multifaceted life, bridging her second grade classroom with the local stage and the community award spotlight.
Tuck, a Kellyton native and Central Coosa High School graduate, has been shaping young minds for the past two decades. In her classroom, Tuck’s vision for her students is simple – success on their own terms.
“I want my students to be successful individuals throughout their lives, no matter what paths they choose,” she said. “I hope they know that I love them and want the best for them.”
Although many look up to Tuck as a natural leader, she is deeply committed to a philosophy of shared leadership. Tuck doesn’t simply seek followers; instead, she actively empowers others to recognize and cultivate their own leadership potential.
“I try to get other people to step up and just show them, ‘Hey, you could do this. You could be that leader,’” she said.
Tuck’s work in the community is evident in Alexander City’s cultural and recreational scene. For more than a decade, she has been involved with Alexander City Theater II. Her main focus is the summer play, which involves local students.
“It’s so rewarding,” Tuck said. “It’s just so refreshing to know that kids love the arts and love theater. With the kids being a part of ACT II, they have gone on to be a part of the drama team at the high school. So, I think we have actually given them a love for the arts.”
She also helps guide young athletes as a recreational basketball coach, teaching lessons in teamwork and perseverance that go beyond the game.
The Woman of the Year award, a prestigious chamber of commerce recognition, was a genuine surprise for Tuck.
“I am very grateful and honored that people saw I was doing certain things in the community and nominated me for Woman of the Year,”
she said. “I count it all joy that I was able to be in the presence of all the wonderful women that have come before me in this role. I wish I could do more.”
True to her visionary nature, Tuck sees the potential for wider impact.
While thankful for the community congratulations she receives, she hopes to use the platform to build new traditions. As Woman of the Year, Tuck aims to increase her involvement in speaking engagements and volunteering. She also hopes to connect with past award recipients to learn from their experiences and further her personal growth.
When asked for her greatest hope for Alexander City, Tuck’s vision is not focused on her own name, but on collective action.
“My vision for Alex City is that we can all work together to make it a great place where people can live and be involved,” she said. “I think it is a great community; the people are friendly, hardworking and loving. If we all work together, we can all make Alex City better.”
For Tuck, the greatest reward is knowing she provided the necessary spark. Her message to her students and the people of Alexander City is simple and enduring.
“I hope people remember me as being a hard worker and willing to work with anyone,” she said. “I hope that my students know I pushed them because I saw something in them.”
The Woman of the Year is not just being celebrated for what she has done – she is being celebrated for the army of future leaders she is empowering to continue the work.
PHOTOS
Tuck’s leadership begins in the classroom
❝ My vision for Alex City is that we can all work together to make it a great place where people can live and be involved.”
› Christale Tuck, Alexander City’s Chamber of Commerce 2025 Woman of the Year
Christale Tuck is an active theater board member and youth basketball coach
Mike Densmore Alexander City’s new mayor leads with a vision of unity
STORY & PHOTOS BY GWEN BISHOP
T❝here’s no reason we can’t reclaim what is ours,” said Alexander City’s new mayor, Mike Densmore.
But what exactly is Alexander City reclaiming?
In the decades since large, locally owned manufacturing companies have closed, the city has changed, Densmore said.
But he believes all is not lost.
“We lost Avondale and Russell,” Densmore said. “But not the heart of the city.”
Densmore took office as the new mayor of Alexander City in November 2025, with a fresh vision of unifying the community to tackle longstanding challenges across the area.
While the infrastructure needs repairing and the sewage system is not where it needs to be, Densmore’s focus extends beyond the mechanics of a town. He is digging deeper.
“We have reached a point where unity and the spirit of Alex City are missing,” Densmore said. “How do we get from here to who we are, a people with a rich history? Everybody has to own their part of the problem.”
With this in mind, Densmore’s vision of what Alexander City can become again starts in the municipal complex.
During his first week as mayor, Densmore met with all department heads and several individual departments. His message to them was clear.
“We are here for service, not profit,” he said. “We want people to leave here with more positive experiences than negative experiences.”
Densmore compared city services to those of retail.
“If I have a bad experience at a store, I won’t stop there again,” he said. “The city needs to be user friendly.”
Densmore wants to take this message across all corners of the community, rebuilding the unity its townspeople once had.
❝ We are here for service, not profit. We want people to leave here with more positive experiences than negative experiences.”
› Mike Densmore, Alexander City Mayor
“I was walking through my house one day,” he said. “And there was a piece of paper on the floor. I paused and almost left it there. I thought to myself, ‘Who else is here to pick it up?’ Only my wife and I live there, so that leaves her to pick it up if I don’t. I love my wife, but what does it say if I leave that piece of paper for her to pick up?”
Densmore’s idea of unity starts with a town where each person cares enough about his or her neighbors to understand that what they do can have an effect on others.
“The city will start unifying by unifying the neighborhoods,” Densmore said. “When an individual or couple owns their home, they have a responsibility to keep that home up. They help make the neighborhood better because they care about their neighbors. We have to be accountable – and not just to ourselves, because
we don’t want our problem to be our neighbor’s problem.”
With a limited amount of affordable living options, Densmore knows Alexander City has housing issues. What he envisions for Alexander City is not just more apartments and houses, but communities where people want to raise their families.
“Our neighborhoods have begun to age,” he said. “Take Springhill, built in the 1950s. It’s solid housing. The houses could be freshened up cheaper than starting from scratch.”
Densmore said he has seen several homes in the older neighborhoods purchased and remodeled recently.
“The older homes are of good quality and affordable,” he said. “If they are refurbished, we avoid demolition costs, give someone a better quality of life and brighten up the community.”
Densmore understands it will take more than just unifying neighborhoods. He sees churches and agencies
working towards the same goals, but not always in alignment with each other.
“We have about 90 churches,” he said. “We shouldn’t have any homeless or hungry people.”
Densmore believes if the churches communicated better, people who needed resources would be able to get the help they need.
“A system needs to be in place that would have maximum effectiveness for what we’re already doing,” he said.
The system would also involve agencies around the area that offer help to those in need. Like many who are involved in civic organizations, Densmore has seen a decrease across the board in memberships among these groups.
One reason for the decline, he believes, is that companies no longer require employees to become members.
“All of these organizations have good purposes,” he said.
Mayor Mike Densmore
On a larger scale, organizations such as the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Alexander City, Lake Martin Economic Development Alliance and the local school system have similar goals, but aren’t always communicating their goals to other groups.
“These organizations aren’t in sync like they should be,” Densmore said. “The city has quit funding as much because we had things we needed to do, but can we afford not to fund them?”
While he did compliment the groups working together on certain projects, he believes the cooperation needs to be on a larger scale.
“We have to work together to deliver what we need to get the best results,” Densmore said. “We have to stay in our own lane, but support and help each other’s projects. Then we will all benefit.”
All of the rebuilding effort behind the scenes, he said, is just a starting point for where Alexander City can go.
“I’ve asked myself ‘What should Alexander City be?’” Densmore said. “A long time ago, there were billboards in Kellyton and Jackson’s Gap. They showed a blond lady on
slalom skis, throwing a rooster tail up. The sign read, ‘Welcome to Alexander City, the recreational hub of Alabama.’”
With so much to do in the area, with the bonus of being an hour away from Auburn, Montgomery and Birmingham, there is no reason the area cannot grow into a thriving community, he said.
“I want people to say, ‘This is the spot where I want to raise my family,” Densmore said.
Alex City Mayor Mike Densmore reads a proclamation to Freddie Brooks and his family during a council meeting
A Vision Bigger than the Game
The Sportplex is home to multiple athletic programs
STORY BY SAM VISE
PHOTOS BY SAMUEL HIGGS & GWEN BISHOP
U.S. Route 280 offers a small glimpse into Alexander City’s subtle, constant energy. But turn through the gates of the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, and the noise of the highway fades, replaced by the sounds of a community in motion – the crack of a bat, laughter from the Splashplex and the thud of joggers on the nature trails.
For former Director of Parks and Recreation Kasey Kaschak, that transition is by design. Kaschak oversaw the Sportplex from 2022 to January 2026.
“It’s almost like an oasis,” Kaschak said. “You drive in those front gates and think, ‘Ah, I’m back.’ It’s a respite. We have people who will drive in here just to sit on park benches and have lunch. It’s great for the community to have something like this that is away from the hustle and bustle.”
But the Sportplex is far more than a quiet place to eat lunch. It stands as a testament to a vision that prioritizes quality of life over profit – a 212-acre engine that drives the city’s economy while remaining the heartbeat of its community.
The vision for the Sportplex has always been about growth, but the recent construction of the new Benjamin Russell High School nearby has accelerated that evolution.
“We’re basically going to have a mecca of athletics over in the Sportplex now,” said Athletic Supervisor Nick Hand.
With the high school’s varsity fields and gym moving closer, the area is transforming into a centralized campus for competitors of all ages.
Kaschak sees the facility as an “all-encompassing sports area.” It serves as home field for the high school’s baseball and softball teams, the headquarters for Parks and Recreation administration and the stage for an array of youth sports.
Unlike many towns that let parent groups run their sports leagues, Hand said Alexander City manages its leagues directly. The city runs its own baseball, softball, basketball, football and cheer programs.
“We’re kind of special because not a lot of cities run their own sports nowadays,” Hand said. “But sports are pretty important here. We try to do what’s best for the kids. We try to be a registration-based board, so all the money we collect goes straight back into
Kasey Kaschak oversaw the Sportplex from 2022 to 2026
our programs.”
That vision of inclusivity ensures that finances never keep a child off the field.
“We don’t want to price people out,” Hand said. “We’ve always tried to do a good job ensuring everything is organized enough that the kids are able to compete and have fun and learn life lessons with their friends.”
While the primary goal is service, the Sportplex is also an economic powerhouse for Alexander City.
Kaschak pointed to the Softball Youth All-American Games hosted in June, a four-day tournament that brought 3,000 to 4,000 people into the city.
“Visitors are staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and putting money into our parks,” Kaschak said. “Our Chick-fil-A probably has their best month of the year that month; however, Parks and Recreation should not exist to profit. We’re a service. Our goal is not to price gouge the public, it’s to have a place where people can come, relax and enjoy a space their tax money supports.”
The facility’s scope has expanded well beyond chalk lines and
goalposts. Under the guidance of Programs and Special Events Supervisor Megan Blake, the Sportplex has become a hub for local events and celebrations.
Events like the annual Oktoberfest, Christmas in the Park and the Easter egg hunt keep families coming back to the Sportplex year after year.
“It depends on the season as to what I’ll be doing,” Blake said. “When spring rolls around, you would be surprised as to how long I sit on the floor counting Easter eggs. There are a bunch of little things like that I take pride in.”
The department was particularly proud of bringing Christmas in the Park back to the Sportplex grounds in 2025. For years, the city had partnered with Main Street Alexander City to host holiday festivities downtown; however, the vision for the event eventually outgrew the confines of the city streets.
“We kind of outgrew downtown,” Kaschak said. “In the
Sportplex, we have a little bit more autonomy.”
Bringing the event back to the Sportplex allowed Parks and Recreation to utilize the massive acreage for features such as a synthetic ice skating rink, trolley rides and vendor trucks.
For Blake, the vision was simple: accessibility. The department strives to keep the magic free for families.
“My main goal is to make sure we have something where it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are, you have a place to call home, and it’s at the Sportplex,” Blake said. “My job isn’t so much about worrying about revenue, but to
The Splashpad is a summertime favorite
Sportplex rental cabin
ensure a fun experience for the community. We want to have a facility that people can go to and just be themselves.”
Over the last few years, the department has focused on revitalizing the grounds. This includes rebuilding the Imagination Station playground, ADA-accessible restroom upgrades and a complete in-house renovation of the rental cabin.
“We’ve spent a lot of the past three years updating our facilities,” Kaschak said. “My direction when I got here was to get these facilities that we have, that are good, and make them better.”
What sets the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex apart from neighboring communities isn’t just the acreage or the new equipment; it’s the atmosphere. It’s a place where staff members take personal pride in the mulch and the
mounds, and where residents feel a sense of ownership.
“I’ve worked in a lot of cities in my life and I’ve never been to a place quite like this,” Kaschak said. “When you have a staff of people that are really invested in this park, it makes a big difference.”
As Alexander City looks toward the future, the Sportplex remains a cornerstone of the city’s identity – a place where a shy child hits their first T-ball, where families gather and where the vision of a better community is played out, season after season.
“This place is special,” Kaschak said. “It’s hard to summarize, but this place is special.”
Christmas in the Park
The New King of the Green
STORY BY SAMUEL HIGGS PHOTOS BY AUDRA SPEARS
Wicker Point Golf Club has wasted no time getting its name on the golf scene. In January 2025, the club dethroned Shoal Creek Golf Club and The Country Club of Birmingham’s West Course – which had held the top spot in Alabama for nearly five decades – to be named the best course in the state by GOLF Magazine. Achieving that distinction in just its first year of operations was a feat few at Wicker Point expected.
“We were humbly honored, but by no means did we expect to see this type of national attention in such a short time period,” said director of club
Point
operations at Russell Lands, Matthew Sheppard. “Especially in Year 1, it’s extremely exciting. While all involved knew it was special during the construction process, climbing the mountain in Alabama so rapidly was a pleasant surprise. Courses typically need more time to mature.”
Alongside Willow Point, Wicker Point stands as one of Russell Lands’ crown jewels. The course was thoughtfully constructed to harmonize with the landscape, highlighting the area’s inherent beauty at every turn.
The golf course is one of many designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, two renowned golfarchitects with an extensive background on course building. Wicker Point is one of the few the two have had their hands in, with other courses such as
Wicker
Golf Club was recently named the best course in Alabama
Kapalua Plantation, Sand Hills Golf Club, Friar’s Head, Cabot Cliffs and Bally Bandon Sheep Ranch located across the United States.
But one advantage Wicker Point has in comparison to some of the other top courses in the state is that Lake Martin serves as its perimeter.
The course was meticulously designed to keep Lake Martin center stage, ensuring that the water remains a constant companion for golfers as they navigate the greens.
“It was imperative for us at Russell Lands to have the golf course on the lake,” Sheppard said. “The lake is our most valuable asset; it’s a massive key to growth in our area. It’s a pretty good magnet for the state as a whole – there aren’t many lakes as beautiful as ours. The lake is very important to us, and we had to involve it somehow.”
The Wicker Point course does its best to showcase the layout of its construction. While the sheer beauty of the course is a draw, the course provides a level of difficulty that can be enjoyed by golfers of all levels.
The first nine holes carry golfers under an elevated terrain while the back nine give a picturesque view of Lake Martin, highlighting the local plant life like the Alabama longleaf pine.
“It’s the creativity and imagination of the architects that set this course apart,” Sheppard said. “The golf course has three distinct, different vibes guests experience while playing a full round.”
Golfers play through young pines for a third of the holes, then play through a creek bottom where multiple creeks run through and finish on the shores of Lake Martin.
“You really have three settings that you play through during the course of a round at Wicker Point, which is unique,” Sheppard said. “It doesn’t all look the same, so that’s part of the draw.”
While the national recognition is being celebrated at Wicker Point, it does not change the overall goal of providing for its members.
“The future is really staying true to our core customs and traditions set forth prior to opening while continuing to improve every day,” Sheppard said. “We built the golf course with the goal of always having the ability to provide accessibility for members. So, attracting big tournaments is not really our goal. Our goal is to make it the best experience for everybody who steps foot on our property – especially our members, their guests and our future members.”
The course was designed to capture stunning views of Lake Martin
Wicker Point Golf Club hosted a charity tournament with the Lake Martin Bama Club
Matt Sheppard
Jeffrey Daniels’ Vision for CACC Athletics
STORY BY SAMUEL HIGGS PHOTOS COURTESY OF CACC
There is a simple phrase, “To be the best, you have to learn from the best.”
That might be the best way to describe newly appointed Central Alabama Community College athletic director Jeffrey Daniels.
In March 2025, Daniels was named the new athletic director for CACC. With more than 35 years of experience and an impressive record, it is no surprise as to why the decision was made.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jeffrey Daniels to the CACC family,” said CACC President Jeff Lynn in a press release. “His impressive background in collegiate athletics, combined with his commitment to academic integrity and community engagement, aligns
perfectly with our vision for the future of our athletic programs. We are confident Jeffrey will elevate our athletic department to new heights.”
Prior to arriving at CACC, Daniels served as the director of athletics and head coach for women’s basketball and golf at Providence Academy. Under Daniels’ leadership, Providence Academy earned three boys golf state titles, two girls golf state titles and three East Regional girls’ basketball championships. But the list does not stop there.
He has served as the director of basketball operations and assistant coach at Division I programs across the Southeast, including at the University of Arkansas, the University of Missouri and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Daniels was also the associate head coach at
Valdosta State University in Georgia and the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Montevallo. But one thing remained true through each position – Alabama is home for Daniels.
“Although I’ve coached for many years at different institutions across the Southeast, I’ve always considered Alabama our home,” he said. “I started my career at the University of Montevallo, then Valdosta State in Georgia, then back at UAB, the University of Missouri and the University of Arkansas, but my home is Birmingham.”
Prior to his interview with CACC, Daniels was familiar with the school and even more familiar with the college’s success in athletics based on his experience as a coach and athlete. When the opportunity arose and he
while ranking third in the Alabama Community College Conference. The softball team posted a 43-20 record, going 34-1 against conference opponents, all the while coach Greg Shivers was named the ACCC Softball Coach of the Year.
The vision is not just limited to perseverance on the field or on the court, though – it also goes into expanding resources to other CACC campuses.
❝ We just want to keep upgrading our athletic programs and keep moving forward, providing the best resources for our studentathletes and coaches to continue to enjoy success.”
› Jeffrey Daniels, CACC Athletic Director
was able to meet with the CACC president and some of the coaching staff, he knew he’d fit right in.
“I had the opportunity to meet with President Jeff Lynn and Dean Michael Barnette and was immediately impressed by their professionalism and the vision they shared for CACC, ” Daniels said. “Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside our coaches, administrators, staff, faculty and student-athletes, and it’s been inspiring to witness their commitment to a shared goal of fostering an environment that promotes both academic and athletic excellence. I’m truly honored and energized to be part of this team.”
Now, Daniels and the rest of the CACC administration are putting that vision into action. The baseball team is coming off a 32-25 season,
In July 2025, CACC, in partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and the National Fitness Campaign, broke ground for an outdoor fitness court. It will be available for guests ages 14 and older and adaptable to all fitness levels. Users can download the Fitness Court App that acts as a ‘coach-in-your-pocket,’ according to a press release from CACC.
CACC is one of 20-plus campaign partners building a network of fitness courts across the state.
Along with what is happening in Alexander City, Daniels is looking to revitalize athletics in the Prattville area, where the men’s and women’s tennis teams compete, in addition to upgrading the facilities throughout all four of CACC’s campuses.
“Our athletic programs in
Alexander City have enjoyed tremendous success,” Daniels said. “Our focus here is to provide resources and upgrades for our coaches and student-athletes that continue to allow those programs to thrive and move forward. At our Prattville campus location, we currently have our men’s and women’s tennis teams competing there. The goal there will be to add additional competitive sports that provide scholarship opportunities for the students in those surrounding counties to advance their academic and athletic abilities.”
Jeffrey Daniels
CALENDAR
Celebrate 100 years of Lake Martin with a year’s worth of music, festivals and fun. From historic milestones to local favorites, the Lake Martin region offers something for everyone to enjoy, no matter the season.
JANUARY
❱ First Day Hike
Join Wind Creek State park naturalist on New Year’s Day for a hike along the shores of Lake Martin. Don’t forget your camera to capture those stunning lakeside views and your binoculars to spot some of the park’s native fauna. Visit alapark.com/parks/wind-creek-state-park for details.
❱ LMYP Polar Plunge
Set along the shores of Kowaliga Beach, this community event brings together excitement, friendly rivalry and a shared purpose: supporting the Lake Martin Resource Association and its mission to keep Lake Martin clean, safe and thriving. Whether taking the plunge into the brisk waters or cheering from the sidelines, the Lake Martin Young Professionals’ Polar Plunge delivers fun for all.
FEBRUARY
❱ The Fur Ball
Get ready for a night of elegance and puppy love at the annual Fur Ball benefiting Lake Martin Animal Rescue. Held at The Mitchell House, this ticketed event is the purr-fect way to celebrate Valentine’s season while supporting local furry friends in need. Visit the Lake Martin Animal Rescue Facebook page for details.
❱ Russell Forest Run
Join Russell Lands for the annual Russell Forest Run at Russell Crossroads. Through the support of local sponsors and hundreds of yearly runners, this race has raised nearly $152,000 for the Alexander City Schools Education
Foundation. Visit russelllands.com/events for more details.
MARCH
❱ Plug Day
Get ready to watch the water rise! Plug Day marks the official start of the countdown to a full pool at Lake Martin, making it one of the most anticipated moments of our centennial spring. Follow the climb to summer fun with a social media countdown by LAKE magazine and celebrate the start of the season at your favorite local watering hole.
❱ Chili & Gumbo Cook-Off
Things are heating up in downtown Alexander City with Main Street’s annual Chili and Gumbo Cook-Off. Prizes are awarded for best chili, best gumbo and people’s choice. Visit mainstreetalexandercity.org for more details.
APRIL
❱ Old 280 Boogie
Dust off your dancing shoes and head to Waverly for the 25th annual Old 280 Boogie April 18 and 19. This iconic two-day festival at Standard Deluxe is the perfect way to experience incredible music, local art and community spirit.
❱ Lake Martin Dragon Boat Festival
Celebrate the lake’s centennial with Lake Martin’s firstever Dragon Boat Race. Watch as teams paddle to the beat of the drum in colorful dragon boats, competing for glory while raising funds for a local charity. Enjoy live music, great food and family-friendly fun. Teams are made up of 10 people. For more information or to register your team, visit explorelakemartin.com.
❱ In-Water Boat Show
Make a splash at the Southeast’s largest in-water boat show April 24-26, featuring more than 200 top-tier models from Nautique, Chris-Craft, Godfrey and more. Whether
Russell Forest Run
Punchbowl Regatta
Polar Plunge
you want to demo a 2026 Sea-Doo or find the perfect cruiser for our 100th year on the water, there’s no better place to find your centennial dreamboat.
❱ Punch Bowl Regatta
Join the Dixie Sailing Club on the scenic waters of Lake Martin for the annual Punch Bowl Regatta. Taking place April 25-26, this two-day sailing event features competitive racing, camaraderie among sailors and opportunities for spectators to enjoy exciting on-thewater action. Visit dixiesailingclub.com for more details.
MAY
❱ Friday On The Green
Kick back and relax at Russell Crossroads for Friday On The Green, where the lawn becomes the town’s favorite listening room. Grab your blankets and lawn chairs on Fridays starting May 1 for a night of local music, fresh air and great company as we toast to 100 years of Lake Martin sunsets. For more details, visit russelllands.com/events.
❱ Derby Day at The Stables
Grab your most colorful hat or dapper seersucker and head to The Stables at Russell Crossroads for “The most exciting two minutes in sports.” Join your friends on May 2 at 4 p.m. for a festive afternoon of finger foods, drinks and a cash-only drawing to benefit Children’s Harbor. Whether you’re there for the high-stakes cheers or to win a prize for your Derby style, Derby Days is sure to “stirrup” some fun.
❱ RXR Fest
Rock out at Russell Crossroads for RXR Fest, where two nights of fantastic free music will kick off your Memorial Day weekend. Grab your comfy chairs and the whole family for a celebration under the stars from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. May 22-23. It’s the perfect way to tune in to our centennial summer. Visit russelllands. com/events to be sure you don’t miss a beat!
❱ Art on the Lake
Celebrate Memorial Day weekend at Russell Crossroads with Art on the Lake, a beloved tradition showcasing the finest Southeast artists and makers. Stroll the Town Green from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 23
and 24 to find the perfect handmade treasure for your home.
JUNE
❱ Alexander City Sun Festival
Get ready for a week of pure summer bliss as Alexander City kicks off Sun Fest from June 5-12. From softball tournaments at the Sportplex to local celebrations across town, there is something for everyone to enjoy. It’s a shining centerpiece of our 100th year on the lake, so grab your sunscreen and come celebrate with the whole community! Visit alexcitychamber.com for more details.
❱ Dadeville’s 100-Year Birthday Summer BBQ Social
The Lake Martin-Dadeville Area Chamber hosts this annual event to celebrate summer with food, music and great company. This year’s BBQ on June 11 is set to be bigger than ever and feature a larger-than-life sized cake with 100 candles to celebrate the centennial milestone.
JULY
❱ Russell Lands’ Fourth of July Concert & Fireworks Show
One of Lake Martin’s signature events, this year’s Fourth of July Fireworks and Concert at The AMP will be a showstopper you don’t want to miss. Organizers say this year will be the largest fireworks display in Lake Martin history.
❱ Fourth of July Boat Parade
Gather your crew and dress up your boat for the annual Boat Parade on Lake Martin, where fleets slowly parade from Kowaliga Marina to Children’s Harbor in a festive and patriotic holiday display. Prizes are awarded for Tallest Flag, Largest Flag, Most Creative Theme and Most Patriotic Crew. Call Kowaliga Marina at 256-3971210 for more information.
❱ Lions Lake Martin Charity Poker Run
Grab your crew and head to the water for the annual Lions Lake Martin Charity Poker Run on July 18. It’s a day of sun, speed and high stakes on the lake, all to support local charities. Visit russelllands.com/events for more information.
Dadeville Summer BBQ
RXR Fest
Fourth of July Boat Parade
❱ Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival
Strum up some fun at the sixth annual Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival July 23-26. For Lake Martin’s 100year anniversary, the festival will be bigger than ever before, with big name acts coming to local stages such as Martin’s at Lake Martin, Chuck’s Marina, BoonDocks at Bay Pine and more. Visit lakemartinsongwritersfestival.com for more details.
AUGUST
❱ Dinner on the Square
Join the Lake Martin-Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce as it takes you on a unique journey around the Dadeville Square. This is a progressive dining experience that lets you sample food and beverages at several Dadeville restaurants all in one evening. Fore more details, contact 256-825-4019 or chamber@dadeville.com.
SEPTEMBER
❱ Labor Day Music Festival
The summer season ends with a two-day concert at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. For event details, visit russelllands.com/events.
❱ Downtown Art Walk & Wine Tasting
Sip and stroll through historic downtown Alexander City for a vibrant evening of local art, wine tastings and live music, presented by Alex City Arts. It’s the perfect way to experience our creative community and enjoy a lively night out in the heart of the city.
OCTOBER
❱ Dadeville Fall Festival
Fall into fun in downtown Dadeville with this annual festival on October 3. Just off the square, streets are lined with vendors, inflatables, food trucks and more, presented by the Lake Martin-Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce. Call 256-825-4019 or visit the Chamber’s website to learn more.
❱ Oktoberfest
Join the fun at Alexander City’s Charles E. Bailey Sportplex on October 10. The event features a car show, arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, children’s activities, entertainment and more. Visit the Alexander City Parks and Recreation Facebook page for more details.
❱ Russell Lands Fall Family Festival
Enjoy a crisp autumn day at the Fall Family Festival at Russell Crossroads, where pumpkin patches and wagon
rides bring the best of the season to life. For more information, visit russelllands.com/events or call 256-397-1019.
NOVEMBER
❱ Renew Our Rivers
The Lake Martin Resource Association will hold its annual Renew Our Rivers cleanup on November 6 and 7. Participants will also receive Lake Martin and nationally themed commemorative gifts to celebrate the lake’s centennial. Visit lmra.info for more information.
❱ Christmas At Crossroads
On November 27, Russell Crossroads invites the community to ditch the frantics of Black Friday for the nostalgic delight of the holidays. This signature event will feature holiday vendors, children’s activities and, of course, visits with Santa Claus. Visit russelllands.com/events for more information.
DECEMBER
❱ Christmas Parades
Make sure to bundle up for the local Christmas parades, where our streets transform into a winter wonderland of twinkling lights and holiday cheer! It’s the perfect way to wrap up our centennial year with the community we love. Visit your Chamber of Commerce website for details.
❱ Christmas in the Park
Join Alexander City Parks and Recreation on the second Saturday of December as the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex transforms into a winter wonderland. Attendees can enjoy cookie decorating, hot cocoa and visits with Santa Claus. It’s also the perfect opportunity to get holiday shopping done, as vendors will be onsite selling unique holiday gifts and goodies. Contact 256-392-5762 for more details.
❱ New Year’s Eve at Zazu’s Verandah
Zazu’s Verandah in downtown Dadeville throws a New Year’s Eve bash each year, complete with a Zazu Drop prior to midnight and charcuterie boards available to order. Call 256-307-2188 for more details.
For more events happening around the area throughout the year, check out the calendar pages in LAKE and Lake Martin Living magazines, free at local businesses and marinas around Lake Martin.
