September 2016 Lake Martin Living

Alexander City Archer Wins State Senior Title A Blue Ribbon Bird Dog Takes to the Field Answers to Your Gardening Questions September 2016

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Lake Martin Living 3

From the Editor’s Desk

O

nce upon a time, I might have been a tomboy. I played baseball in the backyard, climbed trees and built a town for Hot Wheels cars in the dirt under an apple tree. I also spent evenings in the shooting and archery range my brother built in our basement.

We lived in one of those railroad style homes that stretched long with the big rooms built one behind the other – living room, dining room and kitchen all lined up like rail cars. It made for a long basement, and if I stood at the very edge of my mother’s laundry area, I could hit a target at 20 yards on the opposite wall. We shot only simple bows and BB guns, but I thought I was pretty tough.

Of course, my limited experience with archery was no match at all two weeks ago when Kenneth Boone and I met with Senior Division Alabama State Champion Archer Kevin Sasser at the Sportplex archery range. Sasser took the top title for the second year in a row at the statewide competition held last month near Huntsville. It was a treat to talk archery with him on page 20, as the sport has grown a lot since my days of shooting in the basement.

Another fun outing we took for this hunting themed issue was a visit with Lee Evans at the Dadeville farm where he trains his retrievers. A humble but dedicated trainer, Evans put his 4-year-old Jett through some field exercises for us, and it was beautiful to watch. Jett was vigilant in his concentration on his trainer, and Evans beautifully guided the dog to success on every run. Meet them on page 26.

We also stopped in at the local Auburn and Alabama club gatherings to start the college football season. See who was there on pages 35 and 36.

There’s just one more week left to turn in art and photography submissions in this year’s Lake Martin Living Art & Photography Contest. The winning work of art will be featured on the cover of next month’s magazine, so turn to page 46 for a review of the rules, and bring your entries to the TPI office in Alexander City to be part of the fun. Through the first week of October, you can vote for your favorite in the People’s Choice competition by visiting Gallery 128 at Emporium Wine in Alexander City to cast your vote.

Betsy Iler, Managing Editor

4 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living Chairman Kenneth Boone Publisher Steve Baker Managing Editor Betsy Iler Assistant Magazine Editor Lonna Upton Contributors Dave Jennings Luke Robinson Fletcher Scott Susan Foy Fred Muenzmay Cliff Williams Mitch Sneed David Granger Cathy Higgins Mark Spencer Linda Marley Summey Charlotte Denton Magazine Distribution Manager David Kendrick Creative Services Audra Spears Darlene Johnson Hallie Holloway Marketing/Advertising Sales Tippy Hunter Emily Gregg Donna Jones Jaylan Reynolds Lake Martin Living P.O. Box 999 Alexander City, AL 35011 256-234-4281 www.lakemartinmagazine.com

Lake Martin Living is published monthly by Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and submissions are welcome. Please address all correspondence, including story ideas, letters, pictures and requests, to: Editor, Lake Martin Living, P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011 or email editor@lakemartinmagazine.com. Advertising inquiries may be made by calling 256-234-4281. A limited number of free copies are available at local businesses and subscriptions are $25 annually.

Lake Martin Living 5

ON THE COVER

Four-year-old retriever Jett stretches out over the water in a tireless run through field test exercises during a training session with his master and trainer Lee Evans. Photo by Kenneth Boone.

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IN EVERY ISSUE 9. AROUND THE AREA 10. HAPPY GARDEN 14. FROM THE TEE 33. MEDICAL NEWS 35. OH SNAP! 40. LAKE REGION EVENTS 50. THE LAST WORD

FEATURES 16.SIGHTING BEARS F letcher Scott sorts out conflicting information from bear authorities 20.BOW HUNTER Kevin Sasser wins the state senior bow hunter title – again 25. GAME CHECK NOW REQUIRED Mandatory reporting of deer and turkey harvests begins this fall 26. HUNTER'S BEST FRIEND T he astounding skill and agility of a 4-year-old retriever 32. GIVING PAYS I ncluding employees in a corporate giving plan improves morale and participation

20

With his Bow Tech SPXL target bow, Kevin Sasser of Alexander City took the state's top BHA senior title for the second year in a row.

Lake Martin Living 7

8 Lake Martin Living

AROUND THE AREA

CACC’s new coach a MLB pitcher

Head Baseball Coach Larry Johnson

CACC's new baseball coach was already familiar with the area since he had played with the Birmingham Barons and traveled to youth tournament events at the Sportplex.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Larry Thomas has been selected as the new head baseball coach at Central Alabama Community College.

Arriving in Alexander City in midAugust, Thomas fills the position vacated by Doug Kovash on Aug. 9.

Thomas played with the White Sox from 1995-97 and the Texas Rangers in 1998 as a left-handed pitcher and righthanded batter. He owned a baseball academy in Mobile for 10 years before accepting the coaching job at CACC. In addition to working with youth athletes along the Gulf Coast area, Thomas has plenty of coaching experience, including at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and as both assistant and head coach at Bishop State. So taking on the head coach position at CACC is something he’s

very comfortable with.

“I’ve coached in a conference before,” he said.

The quality of the school’s baseball program is what attracted Thomas to the job.

“It’s always been a good program,” he said. “When the job became available, I jumped on it.”

He started preparing for the fall season, which starts this month, right away.

“I’ll evaluate my players,” he said.

“You’ve got to see what you have, obviously.”

Thomas said he and his family are excited about making Alexander City their home. ~ Cathy Higgins

Community ‘moves’ toward better health Local officials turned out last month to celebrate Tallapoosa County’s kick-off of the national Let’s Move initiative for better health in children.

Meeting at the Betty Carol Graham Center on the Central Alabama Community College campus in Alexander City, representatives of local cities and communities in the county committed to the first step in forming a chapter of U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama’s national program to resolve childhood obesity.

The good news is that Tallapoosa County and Alexander City have already begun programs that are in line with the Let’s Move initiatives.

The effort begins with elected officials and key community members stepping up to the plate to accomplish five goals. Each of these five goals has measureable benchmarks at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.

Prosperity Again Thru Health (PATH), a countywide organization that has organized walking events and founded a community garden, will sponsor the campaign. PATH President Ella MacFiggen arranged the kick off event and introduced Commissioner T.C. Coley who is spearheading the area’s commitment. PATH also sponsors a healthy recipe competition during Sun Festival.

Additional support for the Let’s Move designation comes from an after-school nutrition program that provides snacks and healthy takehome meals for school children.

Success of the program also depends on the support of parents, local chefs, health care providers and kids.

Alexander City is the 13th city in Alabama to introduce Let’s Move. ~ Linda Marley Summey Lake Martin Living 9

Blueberries, Black Smut and Big Business

I

Answers to growing questions Happy Garden

can’t remember a summer when I walked Laboratory study, The Role of Carbohydrateabout the flower garden or vegetable Electrolyte Fluid Replacement in the Industrial garden with a bottle of water in one hand Environment. and a white towel for sweat in the other.

When working under the recent weather August this year looks like April showers conditions, remember the symptoms of heat in the Sahara desert at 104 to 107 degrees stroke: The hallmark symptom of heat stroke Fahrenheit. I had a few close calls while is a core body temperature above 104 degrees working outdoors in this heated environment Fahrenheit. But fainting may be the first sign. and relearned a few facts.

Other symptoms may include throbbing The human body is 60 percent to 70 headache; dizziness and light headedness; percent water. This year, many gardeners lack of sweating despite the heat; red, hot have been tested by the hot and humid and dry skin; muscle weakness or cramps; weather conditions. According to health and nausea and vomiting; rapid heartbeat, which water research from the Mayo Clinic, the may be either weak or strong; rapid, shallow average working male requires 13 cups of breathing; behavioral changes, such as Fred Muenzmay water a day and 9 cups for women to keep the confusion, disorientation or staggering; and body functions working properly. even seizures may occur.

The other element in this water equation is This is important information for farmers and electrolytes. gardeners to keep them from keeling over while out in The most common electrolytes lost through physical this hot sunny weather. activity are sodium and potassium, both of which are readily available in common foods. Sodium is found in Everywhere I go, readers of this magazine ask me cheese, green olives, crackers, breads, meats and other questions about their gardening practices and want processed and salty foods. Good sources of potassium advice about their plants. Here are a few recent ones: include milk, bananas, raisins, green leafy vegetables and oranges.

Question: Can I prune or trim my blueberry bushes By consuming a small snack now that the berries are all gone? consisting of foods from Answer: It is best to wait until fall when the foliage is these two groups, the in color and the sap has gone down. Late winter or early body can easily spring is best. Remember that pruning increases the replace harvest and size of berries and removes dead wood. The electrolyte first step is to remove the dead canes (Dead canes will be stores gray in color, healthy stems will be brown). The second during step is to remove the many root suckers coming from the work or ground around the mature bush. just after In time, the suckers will have berries, but they will exercise, take nutrition from the mature bush. Visit the following according to website for more information on pruning blueberries: the University of www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8207.

Alabama’s Human Performance Question: My mint plants in the container garden are dying. My thyme looks and tastes bad, and my lavender in the garden is turning black and looks moldy.

Note: This gentleman brought one of his plants to me at the Farmers Market, which lends my answer some credibility.

10 Lake Martin Living

Healthy Herbs

Mint and thyme that have been subjected to too much water and not enough drainage are vulnerable to root rot, but plants with proper growing conditions can thrive.

Answer: The mint and

thyme have been subjected to water flooding the planter and not enough drainage. Under normal watering conditions, a planter that is outside gets plenty of aeration and water as it is needed.

The continual existence of steamy water vapor, with humidity at 80 percent to 100 percent, creates a perfect condition for root rot. It appears at the base of the plant as black smut with white dots of fungal disease. Thyme grows at soil level and is not a good swimmer. Both plants put down roots from every node that touches soil. Adding fertilizer with all that water just adds “wood to the fire.”

Give the planter additional drainage (more holes). If that cannot be done, place an open umbrella over the planter with a brick or stone to keep it in place during the hours when it is raining.

The lavender, however, does not like water or fertilizer.

The base of the plant should be higher than the soil level by 1 inch. That means lavender should be on a mound (like a baseball pitcher’s mound). New growth on the lavender plant comes from the base of the plant, and it needs to be open to the fresh air. All lavenders have lowwater requirements.

Spanish Lavender does very well in Alabama.

Question: Can I plant a second crop of tomatoes this

year? And if so where can I purchase plants or seeds.

Answer: As a home gardener, the answer is no.

Tomatoes can be grown all year long, but it would be a commercial effort, which needs a greenhouse or hydroponic system.

This is a great deal of work, planning and capital outlay, but to make an attempt, this website can explain how it is done: alfafarmers.org/stories/publications/ magazines/publications.

Quality tomato seeds usually cost 23 to 39 cents each.

Plants are not available at this time of year.

Question: Can I grow

spinach and lettuce this time of year?

Answer: Spinach grows most quickly in welldrained soil that is rich in organic matter, such as compost or composted manure and with a pH of 6.5 to 7. In order to grow spinach twice a year, plant it about four to six weeks before the last frost in the spring, and again six to eight weeks before the first frost in the fall.

Lettuce is a cool-season crop that grows well in the spring and in the fall in most regions. Lettuce seedlings will even tolerate a light frost. Temperatures between 45 degrees Fahrenheit and 65 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal.

Garden lettuce is far superior, in both taste and Vitamin A content, to supermarket brands.

Because lettuce grows quickly, the best approach is to plant a small amount at a time, staggering the plantings.

Eat smart, keep well and be well. ~ Fred Muenzmay of Eagle's Roost Herb Farms is a Master Gardener and has been in the business of growing organic herbs, vegetables and blueberries for regional and local farmers market for 25 years. contact him at fmuenzmay@earthlink.net.

When is the first frost?

The Old Farmers’ Almanac predicts the first fall light freeze for our area will occur between Oct. 30 and Nov. 8 this year. A light freeze measures temperatures between 29 degrees Fahrenheit and 32 degrees Fahrenheit and will kill tender plants.

For frost date information that is more location specific, check out the Frost Dates Calculator at www.almanac.com/gardening/ frostdates/.

Lake Martin Living 11

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Lake Martin Living 13

Write It Down!

Keep practice and play records to improve your game From the Tee

There are some tremendous minds in Timer, or you may call it a “daily planner,” the world; and then, there’s mine. There in my golf bag. This book became my golf are things that I can remember crystal bible. I wrote everything in this book. clear, but then there are things that have no I used it to plan my practice sessions chance of sticking in between my ears. for the next day and followed the plans Should I meet a person once or twice, as much as possible at practice. Whether the odds of my remembering his or her in full swing practice, chipping, bunker name are one in a million; however, that play or on-course play, if I found a person’s face, what he was drinking and particular move or feeling in the motion or what we talked about are all filed away. A mechanics of my swing, I wrote it down in thousand years ago, when I was married, that planner. each time my ex-wife and I would go to In golf (much like in life), we tend to Dave Jennings parties, but before we entered the home repeat mistakes. If I noticed that a flaw was or venue, she would have to give me the reoccurring in my game, I could look back names of everyone that we were expecting in my planner to find out what change I to see there. had made in the past to fix that particular problem.

She might say, “Bob and Mary Smith, Bob is the guy In this book, I also wrote down my stats for each in the car business.” round. It was a big confidence booster whenever I went Then it would come back to me, “Oh yea, he’s the through the book to see how my game improved in the guy that talks with his hands, and his wife has big feet.” various categories. It was also a great kick in the rear In the late 1980s, I was hired as the assistant golf pro when I saw stats decline or not improve. Whenever at Canongate Country Club in Palmetto, Georgia. It this happened, I increased the time I spent on this was a club rule that every golfer would have to come category during practice until it began improving. This into the pro shop to register and pay for the cart before is frequently referred to as “turning a weakness of your playing. They logged their names and club numbers. game into strength.”

Knowing my issue in remembering names being less Whether it is a wedding anniversary, company than stellar, I decided to stand at the counter in the pro meeting, sales presentation, picking up the kids after shop as members came in, I wrote their names and club school or golf game, if it is important, write it down. numbers down on the register after introducing myself If you have a daily planner, like I used to use, make to them. it a point to review that planner each morning. Your Canongate Country Club, at the time, had more chances of completing everything to which you had than 2,000 members, and we normally played 250-300 committed yourself will improve tremendously with rounds each weekend day. It was amazing that, even as this practice. inadequate as I was to remember names under normal Today, many people jot down plans and important circumstances, I was able to recall the members’ names dates in their smart phones. That works well, especially after saying the names and writing them down. I even for younger people who have been raised with could recall most of their club numbers. cellphones in hand since birth, but I prefer the book From that point on, it became my practice that and pen. Making the effort to physically write down if something was important to me and I wanted to events and names that mean something helps me remember it, I wrote it down. considerably in remembering them.

This practice has helped me in golf so much. When I use the “write it down” method for my golf team, I really was focused on my golf game, I carried a Day too. Each year, I ask the players to purchase daily 14 Lake Martin Living

planners and use them religiously, because it works.

In 2006, I had a new freshman, named Brett, join the team. When he came in, I knew it would take some work, but I believed he had talent and he was very anxious to learn. Brett was one of the first players who bought into my daily planner concept of practice. He used his book religiously and stuck to his plan. He only deviated from his daily plans if lightning was in the area, and if it was, he wrote in his book that his practice had been interrupted due to inclement weather conditions.

Brett began his college golf career at CACC playing somewhere between the sixth and eighth place player on my nine-man team. After six months, he advanced to my number three player, and in his sophomore year, Brett won two regular season golf tournaments and our district championship. He became NJCAA and PING All-American and received a full golf scholarship to Oral Roberts University, where he graduated with academic honors.

Another good practice that I share with my team players is in writing down their short-term goals on one piece of paper If It's Important, Write It Down! and their long-term CACC team golfers make goals on another piece notes during a practice session at Willow Point. of paper. I ask them

to hang these sheets of paper on a wall somewhere in their bedrooms, so they will see them daily and be reminded of the important goals that they have set for themselves. As they meet or complete short-term goals, it gives them a sense of accomplishment and confidence.

I’ve had players in the past tell me that they chose not to do something stupid because it may have ruined one of their stated goals. That’s priceless when I hear that sort of testimony.

If you aren’t the sort of person who might follow a daily planner, you may want to simplify the method for your golf game with a small tablet. You can jot down things that you found helped you putt better, hit the ball straighter, allowed you to hit the ball longer or helped your mental game or game management.

I will guarantee this: One day, you will be struggling with a problem in your game that you overcame a few months or years earlier, and with the help of the daily planner or the golf tablet to reflect on, you will have a much greater chance of correcting that problem quickly.

“If it’s important, write it down!” ~ Dave Jennings is the men's golf coach at Central Alabama Community College.

Lake Martin Living 15

Outdoor Life

Sighting Bears

Fletcher Scott

F

inally, a native wildlife species I can get excited about – the Black Bear (Ursus americanus), has shown up in Tallapoosa County.

While there have always been small populations of these animals in Mobile and Washington counties, they have rarely been seen farther north in the state; however, recently, Tallapoosa and surrounding counties have been the chosen walking paths for these gentle, secretive animals.

The question most people are asking is, “Why are we suddenly seeing so many bears in this area?”

The answer to this question depends The Bear Facts upon the expert who Black Bears have been sighted is speaking, as they in Tallapoosa County disagree on the total as recently as last month. population of bears in Alabama and from where they are coming.

Keith Gauldin, Assistant Chief of Wildlife for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, estimated Alabama’s Black Bear population to be around 16 Lake Martin Living

350-400 animals. Meanwhile, the Alabama Black Bear Alliance (members of which are made up of a broad coalition of individuals interested in bear conservation) estimated Alabama’s population close to 1,000 bears; however, Dr. Todd Steury, a wildlife biologist at Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences who heads up their bear study, estimated total bear populations to be as low as 50 bears.

These numbers can be tricky to pin down since some bears

can be transient while others may be permanent. It takes constant monitoring to get believable numbers from such an elusive creature.

Steury and his team of graduate students are investigating Black Bear populations in Alabama by locating and attaching transmitting collars to track their movements using satellite telemetry. They are also Bear Tracks putting out hair snares so The Alabama Natural they can get DNA samples to Heritage Program follows determine the genetic makeup sightings annually to identify travel corridors. of bear populations.

John Draper, a member of Steury’s team, has taken part in a number of research programs to learn more about the bears in Alabama.

“We have divided our study area into two main sections, one in south Alabama near Saraland (north of Mobile) and the other area in Little River Canyon Preserve in Northeast Alabama. This area runs from just north of Little River Canyon Preserve south to Interstate 20, which runs east and west. The major part of the study includes setting up baited barbed wire corrals. When bears climb in to get the bait, they leave hair samples snagged in the barbs. Using corrals, we can gather a larger sample of the population to get an idea of how genes are flowing. With this data, we can extract information on how isolated the study group is and where that population may have originated,” Draper explained.

“A minor part of our research involves trapping and collaring bears. This is very hard to do with low numbers of bears to study, but we did collar a couple of bears. Using this telemetry, we can monitor the bears’ movements at all times.

Additionally, we can look at where the bears are located to determine the habitat they prefer and also locate denning sites.”

Draper sends the hair samples to the University of Idaho for DNA analysis. The research team there specializes in low quality sample analysis using hair and scalp tissue, rather than high quality samples like blood or muscle tissue.

In Tallapoosa County, several bears have been sighted moving through lately, and Draper thinks they are from areas

to the north.

“Those bears are probably dispersing males that have either been run off by females, or they may be moving out due to a lack of suitable habitat. Most bears seen in the Tallapoosa County area are coming from the Talladega National Forest area farther north,” he explained. “They seem to be moving in an easterly direction, depending on barriers they encounter. Bears disperse along paths that offer good traveling corridors, regardless of the direction. Occasionally, we see bears coming from Georgia into Alabama through the Valley region on the state line.”

He said researchers think a bear that recently was tagged in Opelika came from a population near Macon, Georgia.

“This is based on previous observations. I have hair samples from that bear right now and will compare its DNA with known DNA from bears in the Macon area.

There is a good travel corridor to Alabama from that part of Georgia,” Draper said.

But a population estimated at 26 bears may be in the Little River Canyon area, he said, and the DNA samples he will deliver to Idaho could offer clues as to their previous locations.

“There are two areas, one population in East Tennessee and another in North Georgia. Our DNA samples might give us some clues as to which population they came from,” Draper said.

Steury said the bear population in South Alabama has been there for many years.

“We have collared about 10 bears in the Saraland community near Mobile,” Steury said. “There is no evidence of bears coming here from south Alabama. For bears to move that far, they would have to pass through a lot of open farming country, which is not good bear habitat. There just aren’t any travel corridors for them to follow up this far. For example, Jackson County in North Alabama offers some great bear habitat. The only problem is there aren’t any bears.

This is because just north of Jackson County, we find the suburban sprawl of the Chattanooga area. South of Jackson County is a lot of open farmlands. Bears don’t have any good travel corridors to follow that would give them access to that Lake Martin Living 17

area.

“As far as bears in the Little River Canyon area, they do have a corridor to travel down the Appalachian Mountains. A lot of those mountain ridges are in national forests or state parks.

Another reason we could be seeing so many bears dispersing from North Georgia is habitat fragmentation along with suburban sprawl. The Chattanooga and Atlanta suburban areas almost connect now along the interstate,” Steury explained.

The wide range of estimates in the bear population could be due to sampling methods, he explained.

“A lot of that depends on your sampling method; how large your samples are; where your hair snags are placed and which bears are counted. Sometimes, it’s difficult to know if individual bears are dispersing or staying with a family group.

Continuous DNA sampling can shed some light on this,” Steury said.

Many view the recent occurrence of black bears in the county as a success story. The history of wildlife conservation often follows the changing landscape.

Fields of cotton as a dominant crop disappeared long ago and have been replaced with silvaculture. Much of the latter half of the Bear Essentials past century While some areas of Alabama include has seen a excellent habitat for bears, they have no reforestation bears because the animals need travel of land. corridors that may not exist in those locations.

18 Lake Martin Living

Fields and croplands are now covered in trees, many of which bears use for food and cover. These forested areas, along with protection measures of Black Bears, appear to be a formula for success. The recent sightings of these animals are not just anomalies. In fact, the opposite may be true.

If I’m lucky, I may get a chance to see one myself. ~ Fletcher Scott is a retired biology teacher who enjoys nature, hunting and photography.

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Lake Martin Living 19

Bow Champ Alexander City’s Kevin Sasser takes senior state bow hunter title – again

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

20 Lake Martin Living

A

lexander City native Kevin Sasser has earned the state’s top senior bow hunter title for the past two years running.

Sasser, a member and former president of the Alexander City Archery Club, accumulated 239 points, dropping 11 points from an even score of 250, at the Hayes Preserve tournament in Owens Cross Roads on Aug. 27 to win the senior division’s first place trophy.

He won the state championship with a BowTech Insanity CPXL, the same bow he used when he won the title last year. The Insanity is a target bow, he explained, and is lighter than the bow with which he hunts.

“The Bow Hunters of Alabama (BHA) tournament is designed as a target competition to practice for hunting,” Sasser said.

The competition included shots on bag targets, as well as 3-D targets along a wooded trail.

“About 80 percent of the shots were from 40 yards, and the other 20 percent was less. It was the toughest course of the year,” he said.

An even score, Sasser said, is 10 points per target, with points determined by how close a shooter’s arrow hits to a silver dollar-sized bull’s eye. Hitting an even smaller circle earns 12 points while hitting outside the 10-point circle earns an 8 or even a 5.

“It’s like par in golf,” Sasser explained. “If you hit 12 points, it’s like getting a birdie. An 8 is like a bogey, and the score is kept in relation to an even score of 10 points per target.”

Targeting Trophies On the first 12 of the Left: Sasser sights in a 3-D target on the Sportplex trail; Below: His contest’s 25 targets, recent trophies include places, Sasser was not allowed belt buckles and a statue to use a range finder, he was awarded in a local Kowaliga competition. and he did not shoot

with a kisser button.

“It used to be that range finders weren’t allowed in the competitions. Shooters had to judge the distance with every shot, but lately, they’ve allowed technology on half of the targets,” he said.

Instead of using a kisser button – a button attached to the bowstring that touches the corner of the archer’s mouth to improve a consistent draw – Sasser put the string alongside his nose each time he drew his bow.

The sights on Sasser’s compound bow include three fiber optic pins across a circle, with each pin set for a specific distance. By matching the pin to the distance of his target, Sasser was able to plant an arrow in the 12-point spot at 40 yards.

He credited the support of the Alexander City Archery Club members and the accessibility to a yearround archery range with his win.

“We have a great facility here. Members can come out and practice any time. The targets are set up yearround, and there are 3-D targets on the trail,” he said.

But current training isn’t all that’s behind Sasser’s second consecutive championship win. He has lots of experience, having taken up archery when he was 7 years old.

“When I was a kid, I would make my own arrows from sticks in the yard,” he said. “I’d put bottle caps on the ends of them.”

Yet with all that experience, Sasser still practices every day.

“It’s a matter of muscle memory,” he said.

“Sometimes, I’ll see people come out and shoot, and they adjust their bows constantly, but I haven’t adjusted my bow in two years.”

Once the bow has been adjusted with the pins sighted appropriately for three different distances,

Lake Martin Living 21

Silencer

String Puller & Release Peep Sight

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Cam Upper Limb

Riser

Bow Sight

Arrow Rest

Grip & Wristband

Bow Stabilizer

Cables

Bow String Stabilizer Lower Limb

Lake Martin Living 23

adjustments should be made by the shooter, not the bow, he explained.

“Don’t keep adjusting the bow. Once you have it set, leave it. If you’re not hitting the bull’s eye most of the time when you’re shooting, you are doing something wrong, so adjust what you are doing,” he said.

It’s a strategy that has worked well for the Alabama Department of Corrections retiree who now works for Russell Lands Security.

Sasser also won the Archery Shooters Association state senior championship in early August, shooting 311 on 30 targets and finishing 11 points over even. He was shooter of the year twice, and in 2015, he won the Ironman award for accumulating the most points in all of the combined tournaments for the year.

Still, he said, the belt buckles, plaques and trophy statues are evidence of practice for bow hunting in the field. The real trophies are the turkey, deer, elk and bear he has taken in hunting excursions.

Sasser hunts turkey and deer locally. He hunts elk in Colorado and took a black bear during a hunting trip in Canada. In one of the shots he’s most proud of, Sasser killed an elk from a distance of 67-1/2 yards. He used a 65-pound bow for that shot, but for whitetail, he said he drops the weight to 58 pounds. His target bow is set with an even lighter draw, 48 pounds.

The hardest part about hitting any target, he said, is the follow through.

“A lot of people move after they release the arrow.

They lean out a little to watch the arrow, but they change the course of the shot when they do that,” he explained. “They have to learn to draw the bow, hold the pin on target and see the arrow through the aperture on the sight – not to look around the bow to watch its progress toward the target. Seeing the pins is most important.”

Sasser set his pins at 20, 30 and 40 yards, accounting for the arch of the arrow at each distance.

24 Lake Martin Living

Champion Archer

Previous pages: Sasser takes aim; Left: A proficient archer, Sasser enters competitions to keep his bow hunting skills sharp.

Another important consideration in the shot is an archer’s stance. A right-handed shooter, Sasser turned his left shoulder to the target, standing with weight evenly distributed to both feet and the bow raised in front of him at arm’s length and shoulder level.

“A common mistake beginners make is that they grip the bow after the release. That shortens the distance of the shot,” he said. “The thing to do is to wear a wrist strap and not wrap the fingers around the bow at the end of the shot.”

The idea, he explained, is to comfortably draw the bow.

“Draw smoothly, with as little movement as possible,” he said. “And shoot the same way.”

Archery, Sasser said, is an affordable pastime once the investment in equipment has been made. And Alexander City Archery Club members are more than happy to help beginners, he said.

“There are several equipment options for beginners.

There’s one manufacturer who makes a youth bow that can be adjusted down to 17 pounds or up to 60 pounds, so it has the capability to grow with the shooter.

“Archery is a family affair. We have lots of families that come out and shoot together.”

Club members often turn out on Sunday mornings to practice at the Sportplex range, he said.

The Alexander City club, established in 1974, is the oldest BHA archery club in the state. Memberships cost $35 per year for a single and $45 per year for a family.

Members are allowed to use the on-site meat cooler for $10, as well. Dues are payable in September, and the club is now accepting new members.

For information about bow hunting or the Alexander City Archery Club, visit the webpage at www.acpr.me/ archery.php or call 256-215-7212.

Game Check now required

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he 2016-2017 hunting season will introduce a new mandatory system for local hunters who will now be required to report all harvested deer and turkey prior to moving the deer or turkey in the hunters’ possession. Hunters must report the harvest within 48 hours through Game Check using the Outdoor Alabama app for iPhone and Droid smartphones, online at www. outdooralabama.com or telephone (800-888-7690).

Already on the books in Georgia and Tennessee, Game Check is a system designed to provide the state with harvest data, so wildlife officials will be able to make more informed decisions about deer and turkey populations across the state. Before the implementation of Game Check this fall, Alabama had no way to know exactly what was being harvested in the state since reporting was voluntary.

Chuck Sykes, Director of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division for the State of Alabama, explained that only a glimpse of harvest records could be established using data collected at State Wildlife Management areas.

These areas do collect data – including the weight, sex and age of harvested deer – but it is only a reflection of that particular area, not the state as a whole.

In recent years, voluntarily reported data has made up less than 10 percent of what is actually harvested.

Biologists don’t have a record of harvest data to tell them where deer harvest numbers are especially high or low.

Previously, without any data, biologists were forced to make guesses about deer herds and harvest size.

According to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the data from the Game Check system has huge implications for hunters in the state. It will allow wildlife biologists to monitor trends in deer populations throughout the state.

Physical condition, sex of harvested deer, hunter success rates and overall harvest numbers are just some of the items that could be gleaned from the data. The data would allow more accurate decisions to be made concerning wildlife management or in setting bag limits and season dates. It is possible that seasons and bag limits could be micro-tuned for a particular county or other small area.

Game Check will be the first attempt the state has ever made to collect wildlife data statewide in a fast, timely and accurate way. The Outdoor Alabama website has more information, including a downloadable harvest record form.

Lake Martin Living 25

Training a good dog from novice to national champion STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

26 Lake Martin Living

Hunter's Best Friend

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ee Evans blew a short blast on the field whistle he held don’t trust too many people, Love to Work Previous pages: Jett leaps between his teeth, and the black lab – already halfway and they’re afraid of children from the dock on Evans' across the pond – turned mid-stroke to fix his brown because kids yell and move fast. command; Right: Evans eyes on the man on the hillside. Evans put his hands together “The main thing in starting enjoys the training sessions as much as his dog does. in front of him, a signal for the dog to wait, and 4-year-old off is socialization. It’s very Jettt held his attention, eyes locked, treading water. When important to socialize the dog Evans threw his right arm out and gave a shout, the retriever around children and other places. Get them used to noises, took off, altering his original course through the lily pads in like the dishwasher. They have to be humanized – used to the direction his trainer indicated. being around people.”

He did it again and again, stopping and starting to the As a pup, Jett followed Evans everywhere, playing fetch and whistles, shouts and hand signals, and when he found the learning basic commands. bumper his trainer had “The first thing is dropped in the ditch on the obedience,” Evans explained. other side of the 10-acre pond “I teach sit but not stay. There’s before the demonstration no stay command, just the began, he plunged back into release from ‘sit.’” the water with the bumper Keiser agreed but said to deliver the “bird” to his obedience training can wait master’s hand. until the dog is eight to 10 A newcomer to Tallapoosa months old. At that point, County, Evans calls himself a a two-week or one-month novice. A serious hobbyist, he obedience course might be spends more than he makes in a good idea, after which a training his own retrievers, but kennel dog will start field his passion bears out. training. Those exercises His dog is first rate – keeninclude conditioning for being eyed and vigilant, alert to any around guns, learning to water sign from the trainer – and retrieve and dropping the bird Jett’s aptitude and enthusiasm in the shooter’s hand. have fed Evans’ passion for Keiser said there are a training him. number of competition Jett is a titled hunter, well categories, many of which are muscled and healthy with a breed or prey specific. The talent for the field, but it’s his competition is fierce and time relationship with his owner/ consuming, he said. trainer and the practice that “And it’s very expensive. reveals the animal’s capability There might be 100 dogs and disposition. entered in the field, and they Any bird hunter counts a run two at a time for half an good dog as not only an asset hour or an hour each. It can but also essential in the field. take a few days to get through Five Star Plantation, a private them all. They’ve all been well hunting club in Kellyton, keeps Bringing It Home trained and come from very fine lines.

Top Photo: Ever attentive to his master, Jett swims The judges have to get nit-picky because more than a hundred bird across the pond to deliver the "bird;" Lower dogs, most of them German Photo: Jet shakes off after completing his task. they have to eliminate most of them, and shorthaired pointers, with a they’re all good,” he explained. few national champions among them.

The competition circuit begins each fall in the northern The difference between training and maintenance of a states and comes south in November and December, Keiser kennel hunter and a privately owned dog is tremendous, said, who has worked with dogs since 1972. His first dog, a said Greg Keiser, kennel manager at Five Star and a six-time German shorthaired pointer, won a national championship, national champion. and Keiser has stuck with that breed throughout his career.

“The big difference between a kennel dog and a private one As a beginner, Evans looks forward to the next blue ribbon, is socialization,” Keiser said. “Sometimes it can be difficult and he has set his sights on the silver plate trophies. It takes for a dog to adjust. A lot of them are one-person dogs. They works to get there.

28 Lake Martin Living

Lake Martin Living 29

For nearly an hour, Evans put Jett through field exercises early this month, tossing a black and white bumper into the weedy hillside or in the spring-fed pond on the 89-acre farm in Dadeville. The dog never faltered or lost his focus but kept his eye on Evans, anxiously awaiting the next toss, the next instruction.

Evans discovered his passion for dog training in college.

At age 22, his girlfriend Jamie gave him a German shepherd puppy. The dog went wherever he did, and Evans fell in love with the art of training.

After college, he and the girlfriend he almost married parted ways. They each married someone else, had children and then divorced, and 25 years later, they met again.

“It was like we never walked away from each other all those years ago,” Evans said.

The couple settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but last spring, they moved to Dadeville with their son Joshua – their children Elliott and Emilee already lived in the area. Evans’ wife Jamie, a family medicine doctor, joined Medical Park Family Care there. Married four years in June, they purchased the farm northeast of town and immediately set upon renovating the 1,400 square foot farmhouse, a complete gut job with the addition of square footage.

Through all the years they had been apart, Evans dabbled in training his dogs – he always owned at least one. At first, he read books and watched videos.

“That was not realistic,” Evans said. “You aren’t going to learn much from a video of an experienced trainer with a dog that he’s worked with for years. Nothing ever goes wrong in the videos, and that’s just not what happens in the field.”

He trained with Jett for a year before he got involved with a retriever club in Tulsa.

“A guy there said my dog was like a Ferrari that somebody gave to a 16-year-old, and that’s about what it was,” Evans laughed.

30 Lake Martin Living

So he started spending time with other trainers, working with anyone who would let him come out and soak up knowledge like a sponge.

“Dog trainers are tough guys. Most of them don’t have a margin for error, so you better learn quick,” Evans said. “I’ve learned a lot from trainers, but I’m always looking for that guy that knows more than I do.”

Though a dedicated Champions in the Field trainer, the actual Greg Keiser takes the national duck hunt doesn’t champion German shorthaired hold the same appeal pointer for a practice run. as the field test regimen for Evans.

“I did some hunting, but it’s the dogs that I loved,” he said. “A field test actually is very little like hunting. You don’t need to know much about hunting to field test a dog.”

What it does take, Evans said, is dedication and practice, patience and practice and a heart for the work, along with more practice.

When preparing for a hunt test with Jett, Evans spends two to three hours a day in the field, setting up and breaking down, putting out wingers and marks and sending the dog on blind retrieves.

He trains with pressure on or off a leash and a low voltage training collar, and when the dog returns with the “bird,” he lets him play, throwing a fun bumper for retrieval.

Jett has worked his way through the initial levels of training and as a senior hunter has earned his passes for master class.

The pair’s success has brought home a collection of ribbons that have whetted Evans’ appetite for more.

This summer, he trained a chocolate lab for a friend in Arkansas, and he looks forward to training another dog in the future. He bred Jett to Suki, a junior hunter he also owns, and he kept one of the 10 pups – a female that shows a promising prey drive. He plans to breed Suki and Jett again in the spring.

For more on his adventures in training, contact Evans at 405-445-2009.

FABULOUS FINDS

567 South Holiday Drive, Dadeville • $299,000 Very gently-sloped,almost 2-acre,almost flat lake lot in masterbuilt community of Emerald Shores.131 feet of deeded lakefront.

Faces southeast w/BIG views.Great swimming area for little ones.

Neighborhood has communal preserve,paved walking trails,large common area, private boat ramp.Covered boat houses are allowed.Lovely,lovely neighborhood of gorgeous new lake homes.

Minimum SF to build is 2500.

Selling Lake Martin Amy Clark 256-749-3333 Todd Clark 256-749-2102 www.sellinglakemartin.com

690 Cove Drive, Eclectic • $319,900 Brand new HVAC!AFFORDABLE SOUTH LAKE MARTIN neat & clean-as-a-pin perfectly-kept BIG manuf home on one of the prettiest flattest lake lots you'll ever see!Deep bluegreen lake.Dock,floating dock,about 182 feet of lakefront.Big Big Lake Views for Miles&Miles!Fireplace,HUGE kitchen,private master suite,full-length enclosed heated/cooled sunporch at lakeside with lakeviews at every turn and angle.

Selling Lake Martin Amy Clark 256-749-3333 Todd Clark 256-749-2102 www.sellinglakemartin.com

209 Harrison Road, Dadeville • $549,900 Awesome 1-level on FLAT lot w/BIG sunset views.NEW PRIVACY FENCING! Family-friendly open floorplan has vault ceiling, 4BRs, 3.5Baths. Walnut floors, granite counters, FISH ceramic tiles in kitchen floors! Wood-burning STONE FP, stainless appl. Sleeping loft is grandkids delight! Long new dock, wetslip, covered deck. Lakeside covered patio dining IS FABULOUS,firepit, Outdoor shower, pet fencing.

Selling Lake Martin Amy Clark 256-749-3333 Todd Clark 256-749-2102 www.sellinglakemartin.com

South Ridge Harbor, Breakwater • $1,575,000 Just completed by Newcastle Construction and designed

by David Smelcer. This 3,825 sq. ft. five bedroom, four and one half bathroom plan has generous open living-diningkitchen with owner’s suite and guest suite on main level.

Lake level offers three bedrooms, two baths, rec room, bunk room, and lake prep room. Covered porch and lake level patio provide lots of outdoor living space.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin Rhonda or Emily 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com

Willow Glynn, Cove Cottage • $1,197,000 Ready To Move In! Henderson & Coker just completed this beauty in Willow Glynn. A Mitch Ginn design includes owner’s suite, guest bedroom, bunkroom, and bonus loft room on main level. Expansive open kitchen-dining-living area with access to large covered porch. Lake level offers 2 guest suites, large family room, covered patio and bar for plenty of lake fun.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin Rhonda or Emily 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com

South Ridge Harbor, Stone Manor • $1,465,000 Just completed in South Ridge Harbor by Newcastle Construction. Designer David Smelcer has artfully blended natural stone and wood to create an eye-catching design offering vaulted ceiling and open floor plan with 2 owner’s suites on main level. 3 additional guest rooms on terrace level, 2 family rooms, lake prep room, and more! Call today to tour the house And take in the open water views.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin Emily or Rhonda 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com

South Ridge Harbor, Fairwinds • $1,375,000 A must see David Smelcer design and Newcastle Construction is complete and ready to move in. With 4,043 sq. ft. on 3 levels, there are views from most every room. Open living-dining-kitchen, owner’s suite, guest suite and covered porch all on main level.

Upper level has guest suite and bonus room. Lake level offers two guest suites, rec room, kitchenette, lake prep room, and covered patio. 2-car detached garage. Call to see this spacious plan.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin Emily or Rhonda 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com

Willow Glynn, The Abby $1,250,000 RLH Construction is under construction on The Abby in Willow Glynn. Designed by Chuck Frusterio, this 3,219 sq. ft. plan includes owner’s suite and guest suite on main level with spacious living-dining-kitchen, and large covered porch.

Lake level offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, generous lake-prep room, family room, wet bar, second laundry and spacious covered patio for outdoor entertaining.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin Emily or Rhonda 256.215.7011 www.RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com

Call 256-234-4281 to subscribe or advertise.

Lake Martin Living 31

Giving Pays I

MONEY MATTERS

t’s no secret that when people donate revealed that 75 percent of employees want their time and money to organizations to be involved in their company’s giving and that help those in need, it has a positive volunteering programs. impact. When your company gets involved, It’s important to prospective employees. you’ll find that helping out can help you, too.

Job seekers often look for companies that From boosting a company’s employee morale to demonstrate a commitment to improving the strengthening connections in the community, community in which a company operates. companies in the local area can benefit in a Cone Research also found that 79 percent of number of ways when they give back. people prefer to work for a socially responsible Smart, forward-thinking companies make company. it a priority to support organizations that have Customers value community engagement. an impact in our communities and encourage Volunteerism and engagement help a company Mark Spencer their employees to give back by providing them build relationships with community members with paid time off to support organizations and and improve a company’s reputation among causes they care about the most. customers and prospects.

As some examples of ways to get involved, Those of us engaged in volunteer projects can see the USAmeriBank team members have collected food for a direct impact that we have on the community through local food bank and items for the Backpacks for Schools volunteerism. Through employee engagement, companies program, hosted lunch-and-learn events for the American become more than just workplaces – they become true Red Cross and held appreciation lunches to honor local law members of the community. enforcement officers.

Studies have shown that strong corporate giving ~ Mark Spencer is Senior Vice President, Central Alabama programs can lead to increased employee engagement, Area Executive for USAmeriBank. In addition to his recruitment and retention, but it can also improve job work with the United Way, Spencer serves on the Board of performance as employees feel more connected to their Directors for the Auburn University Museum of Fine Art, peers and workplaces. the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance, the But there are some guidelines to consider when Alexander City Chamber of Commerce and the American embarking on a workplace-giving program. For example, Red Cross. it’s important that the company’s engagement is authentic, that senior leaders lead by example and that employees help decide which causes to support.

Personally, I’ve been involved with the Lake Martin Area United Way for several years, serving this year as President of the Board of Directors. Partnering with agencies like the United Way, which in turn helps other agencies, is an opportunity to help a wide range of people through one organization.

There are many benefits to companies that make community engagement a priority. Here are just a few: It benefits the employees It All Comes Out in as much as the community. the Wash Encouraging employees to think AmTech employees beyond the four walls of the washed cars to raise funds for the local company’s office helps build a United Way and positive work culture that enhances actively participated employee morale and retention. in the corporate giving program.

A study by Cone Research 32 Lake Martin Living

The 2.2 in a Tutu for Breast Cancer

Runners sprint across the line at last year's 2.2-mile tutu event on the Russell Medical campus.

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Trips, Tests and Tutus Medical News

essica Sanford, Community Relations and Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of Seniority Director, has planned a fantastic cancer death in American men. The American day trip for Seniority members to the Cancer Society predicts that one in every six Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain, Georgia men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. on Oct. 21. Members will board a luxury motor Early detection and treatment is very important. coach bound for this unique arts and crafts fair Russell Medical and urologists, Dr. Glen Wells that brings the pages of Country Living Magazine and Dr. Jim Bankston, recommend that men to life. More than 200 vendors travel from all begin prostate cancer screening at age 50 with an over the U.S. to showcase their beautiful work. annual physical exam and PSA blood test. Men Day-trippers will depart from Russell Medical at high risk, such as African American men or bright and early and will return that evening. those with a close blood relative who has had The cost is $68 per person, which includes bus prostate cancer, should begin screening at age fare, breakfast, tickets to the fair and snacks 40. Once again, Russell Medical will sponsor the Susan Foy to enjoy during the ride home. This fun trip is annual prostate screening on Tuesday, Sept. 27. available for members only, but anyone can join A small fee of $10 includes a PSA blood test and the Seniority Program at Russell Medical today. physical exam. Call 256-329-7145 for an appointment.

Membership is available for people 55 and older with a Three’s a charm! It’s time again to don a tutu and lifetime membership fee of only $15. There are only a few participate in the Tutu Run for breast cancer awareness. seats left, so call Jessica at 256-329-7145 today to reserve a Participants can jog, walk or stroll through an easy 2.2-mile spot on the bus. course around the Russell Medical campus. A registration Reservations also are required for two upcoming fee of $15 goes to the Russell Medical Foundation. presentations.

Children 10 and younger and all four-legged friends are Currently, 27 million adults suffer from osteoarthritis. free. The most special part of this community event is that Alabama ranks No. 6 in obesity, with 35 percent of the adult participants can designate that a postcard be sent in honor population overweight and at risk for a variety of health of a cancer survivor. The fee includes postage; Russell conditions. Dr. Paul Goldhagen, orthopedic surgeon, and Medical will mail the cards, which will proclaim “I Ran 2.2 Dr. John Adams, primary care specialist, will present an in a Tutu for YOU!” Additional honorees may be added interactive luncheon, Advances in Treatment and Prevention for $5 each. Pre-register at The Women’s Center or Russell of Osteoarthritis & Obesity, on Thursday, Sept. 22, at noon Medical Marketing Department. Race day registration will in the Russell Medical Community Room. Have questions be held on-site from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ready for the Q&A session after the presentation. Please call Jessica at 256-329-7145 for reservations. ~ Susan Foy is marketing director for Russell Medical.

Lake Martin Living 33

OFFSHORE MARINE & OUTDOORS LAKE MARTIN’S EXCLUSIVE DEALER OF AVALON PONTOON BOATS

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334-857-2954 www.offshoremarinandoutdoors.com 34 Lake Martin Living

OH SNAP!

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Real Island Sock Hop

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August 19, 2016 Real Island Community Center 1. Debbie and Wayne Hooks 2. Ed Hicks, Jean Allred and Dixie Hicks 3. Chuck Hicks and Francis Allred 4. Judy Denham, Sylvia Borden and Will Denton 5. Martha Jane James and Dianne Perrett

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Lake Martin Auburn Club Kick-off August 20, 2016 The Ridge 1. Tom Lamberth, Lee Barnett, Aubie and Larkin Radney 2. Trey Phillips and Jim Phillips Jr. 3. Kristen and Drew Hull 4. Laura Dix 5. Chad Calhoun and Dick Chambliss 6. Harold Henry and Gary Boleware 7. Nancy Hodges and Chris Spraggins

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August 30, 2016 Elks Lodge, Alexander City 1. Annette Cox and Lynn Grimsley 2. Billy Oliver and Cecil Hurt 3. Jane and Buddy King 4. Kay Thomas, John Forrester and Leanne George 5. Nancy Hodges, Alex Smith and John Hodges 6. Alyce Carlisle 7. John Jones 8. Jim and Kathy Roy

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Equality Fire Station Dedication September 3, 2016 Downtown Equality 1. Rachel and Selena Charlton 2. Terry Mitchell and Art Faulkner 3. Joe and Sandra McInnes and Paul Perrett 4. Daniel and Joseph Weathers, Dawson Duncan, Chaz Nickolson, Journey Breckle, Savanna Milam and Landon Meadows 5. Shannon and Wilt Lashley, Sarah Griggs and Lisa Nixon 6. Jimmy and Paula Harris and Daley and Abigail Sims

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7. Sharon and Robby Gray and David Dial

THIS IS COMMUNITY. THIS IS YOUR MUSEUM. THIS IS AUBURN.

JCSM.AUBURN.EDU Lake Martin Living 39

Calendar

THE LAKE REGION

FEATURED EVENT

It’s time again to Chairish Alexander City MainStreet Alexander City invites artsy, craftsy folks who “chairish” the city to give their time and talent to this annual fundraiser by decorating and then donating a painted chair, stool, table or any other piece of furniture for the 2016 Chairish Alexander City event.

Chairish pieces must be brought to the United Way office, located at 17 Main St., Alexander City, no later than Oct. 7. These creative pieces will be on display at the United Way office and on the MainStreet Facebook page between Oct. 7 and Oct. 22.

MainStreet Rally in the Alley on Oct. 20 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. is a preview event in downtown Alexander City off Main Street with wine and beer. Chairish-ed art will be displayed, and raffle tickets for each piece of art will be sold that evening.

Chairish pieces will also be displayed along Main Street during the Oct. 22 Farmers’ Market and Fall Festival. Along with the Festival’s pumpkin roll, pumpkin bowling and 40 Lake Martin Living

other family friendly activities, raffle tickets for the Chairish pieces will be sold for $5 each, and the drawing for the winners will be held that day.

All monies raised from the fundraiser support downtown events sponsored by MainStreet Alexander City. For more information on how to donate a piece, contact Richard

Meet Me in the Alley

The Main Street Alley in Alexander City will be the perfect spot for a party next month when the downtown merchants' association launches the annual Chairish Alexander City fundraiser.

Wagoner at 256-329-9227 or contact MainStreet Alexander City on their Facebook page.

LAKE REGION EVENTS Now through Sept. 30 Library Card Sign-up

September is Library Card SignUp Month, so stop by the Adelia M. Russell Library in Alexander City or the Dadeville Public Library and sign up for a free card that will allow you to take advantage of a spectrum of free services, including public computer access, WiFi, books, ebooks, workshops, computer classes, book clubs, story times, teen gamers’ club, book signings and education and social events. To learn more, visit a local library.

Sept. 19

Horizons Unlimited

Join Dr. Mark Conversino for a discussion of the Hot Topic of the Day as part of Horizons Unlimited’s fall schedule. Dr. Conversino has served on the faculty of the Air War College since 2002, following his retirement from the Air Force. This event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Alexander City Board of Education building at 375 Lee St. Membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple and grants entrance to every event in the semester.

Sept. 20

Artist Association of Central Alabama

The Artist Association of Central Alabama will meet from 9:30 a.m. until 11: 30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Alexander City.

Sept. 22

Soldiers in Greasepaint

Dolores Hydock, actress and storyteller, will present Soldiers in Greasepaint: USO Camp Show Entertainers from World War II at Red Ridge Methodist Church (corner of Hwy 49 and 34) at 11:30 a.m. Friends of the Dadeville Public Library will host this fun presentation. USO camps were part of an inspiring story of volunteerism, patriotism and service.

Hydock shares with us her stories, pictures and video excerpts of some of

the 7000 camp performers who brought music and laughs to U.S. servicemen far from home during WWII. Call 256-8257820 for more information.

Sept. 23

wetumpkadepot.com for tickets and information.

Oct. 3

Horizons Unlimited

The Bibb Graves Alumni and Friends will host a spaghetti dinner at 5 p.m with bingo at 6 p.m. and the Full Circle Band playing at 7 p.m. Bingo cards are $.50 each, and the game starts at 8:45 p.m. All proceeds go to the restoration of the school. Plates are $8 and include spaghetti, salad, bread, tea, corn on the cob and cake. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, candy and soft drinks also available. Prizes will be awarded.

Dr. I. William Ferniany will be the guest speaker at this week’s Horizons Unlimited event. Dr. Ferniany is the CEO of the University of Alabama Birmingham Health System. He will speak on the history of the UAB Health System and its future. This event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Alexander City Board of Education building at 375 Lee St. Membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple and grants entrance to every event in the semester.

Sept. 24

Oct. 8

Spaghetti Dinner

Watercolor Workshop

The Artist Association of Central Alabama will host a watercolor workshop from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Wine Emporium, 128 Calhoun St., Alexander City. Cost is $40 for association members; $50 for nonmembers. Class is limited to 12 prepaid students. Workshop will cover birch trees in a snow scene. Register at Wine Emporium or call Dottie Holdren at 256-377-4918.

Sept. 26

Horizons Unlimited

Join Mollie Smith Waters, professor at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, for a presentation on Disobedient Women: Angelina Grimke, Virginia Foster Durr and the Pursuit of Equality.

This event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Alexander City Board of Education building at 375 Lee St. Membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple and grants entrance to every event in the semester.

Sept. 29-Oct. 15 Frankenstein

The Wetumpka Depot Players will present Frankenstein at the Depot Theatre on Main Street in Wetumpka. Call 334-868-1140 or visit

36th Annual Oktoberfest

This day-long celebration at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex features local arts and crafts, dining, entertainment, Kid-Fest children’s activities and more. Also enjoy the antique car show. Call 256-329-6736 or visit www.alexandercityonline.com for more information.

Oct. 8

Wind Creek Bass Trail Fishing Tournament

Call Wind Creek State Park at 256329-0832 for information.

Oct. 10

Horizons Unlimited Jazz Presentation

Singer Elnora Spencer will be the guest of honor at this week’s special Horizons Unlimited performance at Emporium Wine in downtown Alexander City.

Spencer has been in the entertainment field for 37 years, singing jazz, blues, country, gospel and more. She was voted Best Female Vocalist in Birmingham for 2002. This event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Emporium Wine.

Horizons Unlimited membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple and grants entrance to every event in the semester.

Lake Martin Living 41

Oct. 11

Alabama Gold Book Signing

Author Peggy Jackson Walls will present a talk on her new book, Alabama Gold: A History of the South’s Last Motherlode, followed by a book signing, at the Dadeville Public Library from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale. Walls’ book covers gold mining in Tallapoosa County from the 1830s to the late 1930s. The Friends of the Library will sponsor this event in the basement of the library at 205 North West St. Call 256-825-7820 for more information.

Oct. 15

Fall Boogie

The lineup for the 5th Annual Fall Boogie at Standard Deluxe in Waverly includes Corey Harris Band, Dylan LeBlanc, The Pollies, Vulture Whale, Kelsey Waldon, Soulco and Early James. Tickets are $20 online at standarddeluxe.com/shop/fall-boogieticket-101516-limited-advance and will be $25 at the gate on the day of the

show. Coolers are welcome but will be checked at the gate. No glass allowed.

Please leave pets at home and do not smoke on the lawn. For information about this year’s event, visit the website.

Oct. 15

New Water 100

Cyclists can choose a leisurely ride of 30, 60, or 100 miles in this inaugural ride to benefit New Water Farms. Entry fees are $35 for students and $65 for adults. Free lodging on-site at the farm by reservation. A pre-ride dinner with Brian Toone, 2015 RAMM finisher, is available for $25. Register online at newwater.com/product/cycling-event.

Oct. 17

Horizons Unlimited

Frye Gaillard will be the guest speaker at this week’s Horizons Unlimited event. Gaillard is the writerin-residence at the University of South Alabama and has written more than 20 books about Southern history, music, politics and culture. He will discuss his two most recent projects: a biography of former President Jimmy Carter and the story behind Go South to Freedom, a book for young readers about a family of runaway slaves.

This event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the

Alexander City Board of Education building at 375 Lee St. Membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple and grants entrance to every event in the semester.

Oct. 18

Three On A String

Alexander City Arts will present Three On A String at Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium, 225 Heard Blvd. Alexander City. Showtime is 7 p.m. For tickets call Karen Jennings at 256-496-2424.

Oct. 20

Rally in the Alley

Join the fun in the alley off Main Street and preview all of the furniture pieces entered in the Chairish Alexander City Raffle. Purchase tickets from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

Monies raised will be used to support MainStreet’s downtown events. For information, call 256-329-9227.

Oct. 22

Coosa County Sheriff Office Annual Fish for a Cure Fishing Tournament

Wind Creek State Park will host this event. Call 256-329-0845 or visit www. alapark.com/wind-creek-state-park for more information.

Oct. 22

Christmas Card Workshop

The Artist Association of Central Alabama will host a Christmas Card workshop from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Wine Emporium. Cost is $40 for association members and $50 for nonmembers. Class is limited to 12 prepaid students. Visit Wine Emporium for details.

Oct. 29

Fall Family Festival

The kids and grandkids will have a great time at the annual Fall Family Festival at Russell Crossroads. Dress the kids in their favorite costumes or let them come as they are and join the scavenger hunt, face painting, pumpkin decorating and wagon rides.

42 Lake Martin Living

See a real grist mill and blacksmith in action, archery and more.

For information, visit Calendar/ RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com or call 256-397-1019.

Season-Long Events Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne Hudson fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, snakes and fowl, just to mention a few. There is never a dull moment with this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature in the wild and the outdoor classroom. Your children will love every minute.

Check the calendar at Calendar.

RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com for the scheduled subject matter, dates and times.

Charity Bingo

Play charity bingo at Jake’s Restaurant at 16 Broad St., Alexander City, at 6 p.m. every Thursday night. Cards are $1 and proceeds benefit local charities.

Yoga On The Green

With The Stables as a backdrop, the Town Green is the perfect place to discover your inner being through yoga at 7 a.m. every Saturday through Oct. 1. Great for beginners and the experienced; just bring your mat and water bottle.

Friday On The Green

Wind your busy week down on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads with live music, lawn games and time with the family and friends through Sept. 23. Bring your coolers, blankets and chairs, kids and pets and enjoy the music free of charge from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. every Friday.

Healthy Hearts Make More Memories More moments mean more memories.

More time with grandkids and family.

More days on the lake. More sunsets.

Kevin Sublett, MD, and the staff at the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic of Central Alabama are committed to keeping your heart healthy, so you can keep on making memories.

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

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

Lake Martin Living 43

9

Goldville 280

Goodwater To Sylacauga

Legend

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

63

Public Boat Ramps

New Site

34 22

280

Churches

39

Camps & Parks

Timbergut Landing

9

32

Power lines

280

27

U.S. Highways County Roads

20

Alexander City

6

22

Flint Hill Church

18 38

Rockford

Camp ASCCA

Alex City Boat Ramp

3

36

49

128

22

Piney Woods Landing

Wind Creek 63 State Park

COOSA COUNTY

Horsesh Nation

Jaybird Landing

37

28

Jacksons Gap

Pleasant Grove Church

11

9

Mt. Zion Church Russell Farms Baptist Church Friendship Church New Hope Church

259

Bethel Church

D.A.R.E. Park Landing

57

5

Smith Landing Willow Point

Seman

4 Camp Kiwanis

9

17 1 Children’s Harbor

Trillium

The Amp

29 35 44

80

16

Church of the Living Waters

The Ridge

Church in The Pines

22

14

Camp Alamisco

Kowaliga Boat Landing 55

Pleasant Ridge Church

34

10 63 26 11

9

Equality

231

25 31 33 12

Liberty Church

20

24

Dadev

280

Ko w

ali

ga

13

2

Union Landing

Ba

y

Lake Martin 23 Baptist Church 24

15

Stillwaters

30 8

7

42

Red Ridge United 49 Methodist Church

40 41

Walnut Hill

Union

90

50

Central

Red Hill

21

63

Union Church

Refuge Church 229

49

Eclectic Santuck Kent

Reeltown

231

14

ELMORE COUNTY

120

14

43 14

Lake Martin Region Wetumpka

44 Lake Martin Living

Tallassee 229

MACO COUNT

Marinas

Daviston

1 Kowaliga Marina 334-857-2111

255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 2 The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300

450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

22

33. River North Marina 256-397-1500

250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 4 Real Island Marina 334-857-2741

2700 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026 5 Smith Marina

Home of Shipwreck Sam's Yogurt 256-444-8793

hoe Bend nal Park

6 Alex City Marine Sales and Service

256-215-3474 2190 Cherokee Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 7 Chuck's Marina 256-825-6871 237 Marina Rd., Dadeville, AL 36853 8 Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888 7280 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

CHAMBERS COUNTY

9 Parker Creek Marina 256-329-8550

486 Parker Creek Marina Rd., Equality, AL 36026

Restaurants

ville

10 SpringHouse 256-215-7080

12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

50

Camp Hill

11 Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070

17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 12 Homeplate Cafe 256-825-0583

191 East South St., Dadeville, AL 36853 13 Harbor Docks Restaurant at Anchor Bay Marina 334-639-4723

2001 Castaway Island Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

280

Waverly

14 Poplar Dawg's 256-825-9288 10277 County Rd. 34 Dadeville, AL 36853 15 Oskar's Cafe 6684 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

50

16 Truman's Seafood & Catfish 334-567-3156 8185 Central Plank, Santuck, AL

19

17 Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035

295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

LEE COUNTY

Business & Shopping

Loachapoka

85 81

27 Dark Insurance 256-234-5026 www.darkinsuranceagency.com

410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 28 McDaniels Storage Center 256-234-4583

1040 Highway 280, Alex City, AL 35010 29 Kowaliga Whole Health & Pet Care Resort 334-857-1816

8610 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 30 Aronov Realty Lake Martin 256-825-4133

6928 AL-49 S Stillwaters Hwy, Dadeville, AL 36853 31 Centry 21 Lake Area Realty 256-825-4800 440 N Broadnax St., Dadeville, AL 36853 32 A & E Metal Roofing 256-329-0034

239 McClellan Industrial Dr., Kellyton, AL 35089 33 Payne Brother's Furniture 256-825-7727 140 N Broadnax St., Dadeville, AL 36853 34 Ballard Truss INC 256-234-4511 915 Pankersley Rd., Kellyton, AL 35089 35 Nail's Convenient Store 334-857-3454 8394 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 36 TowBoatU.S. 256-307-1313 138 Eiland Dr., Alex City, AL 35010 37 Hilltop Landscaping

Brian Fuller 256-397-4457 • Eric Brown 256-397-2811

256-329-1901 • 1516 Tallapoosa St., Alex City, AL 35010 38 Foshee What's, LLC 256-234-3298 2802 Dadeville Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Hotels & Lodges 39 Cherokee Bend Bed & Breakfast 877-760-7854

5833 Hwy 22 E, Alex City, AL 35010

19 Hodges Vineyards and Winery 256-896-4036

230 Lee Rd. 71, Camp Hill, AL 36850

41 Creekside Event Center 256-307-1441

7051 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

22 Lake Martin Mini Mall 334-857-3900

7995 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

Notasulga

26 The Stables at Russell Crossroads 256-794-1333

111 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

40 Creekside Lodge 256-307-1440

6993 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

21 Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 334-541-2132

1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

ON TY

25 Russell Building Supply 256-825-4256

350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853

18 Karen Channell State Farm Financial Services 256-234-3481

5030 Hwy. 280, Alex City, Al 35010

20 Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567

1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010

14

24 EastLake Coffee @ Lakeside Mercantile 334-850-6357

8246 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853

23 Lakeside Mercantile 334-850-6357

8246 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853

Churches 42 Red Ridge United Methodist Church 256-825-9820

8091 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853 43 Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 334-252-8618

2602 Gilmer Avenue, Tallassee, AL 36078

Dock Builders 44 Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc Marine Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443

180 Birmingham Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

Lake Martin Living 45

CALLING ALL ARTISTS Enter the 2016 Annual Lake Martin Living Art and Photography Contest

Winners will be featured on the cover and inside pages of our October magazine edition, and this year entries again will be on exhibit at Alexander City’s Wine Emporium and Gallery 128.

Submissions accepted in acrylics, oil, watercolor, pastels, pencil and photography. All entries must reflect life and scenes in Tallapoosa County. Each artist may submit up to three works of art. All entries must be framed, matted or mounted on boards and ready to hang. There is no fee to enter, and no prizes or monetary awards will be made.

The contest is just for fun! A panel of local artists will judge the entries. Clearly mark each entry with the artist’s name, address and telephone number and deliver entries to the office of Lake Martin Living magazine on or before 5 pm September 23. The office is located at 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, across from Benjamin Russell High School.

Please call magazine editor Betsy Iler at 256-234-4281 with questions or email editor@lakemartinmagazine.com.

Now accepting submissions through September 23, 2016 46 Lake Martin Living

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

Serving all your favorite Seafood...

Come taste our Snow Crab!

THURS - SAT 5 - 9pm 334.567.3156 Richard Thorton, Owner 8185 Central Plank, Santuck, AL

“HWY. 9 SINCE ‘89”

SEE ME FOR INSURANCE

Harold Cochran 256.234.2700 haroldcochran.b2cn@statefarm.com

To Advertise in the Business Directory section of Lake Martin Living please contact one of our Sales Representatives @ 256-234-4281 Lake Martin Living 47

DON'T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE OF LAKE MARTIN LIVING! Subscribe today or visit one of our local establishments each month for a free copy.

385 East LaFayette Street Dadeville, AL 36853 (256) 825-9244

ALEXANDER CITY

Only Minutes from Lake Martin and Alex City!

All Private Suites with Private Bathroom & Shower

New Gym for Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy

In-House Nurse Practitioner & 40” Flat Screen TV’s

Alex City Marine American Inn Anytime Fitness Baymont Inn BB&T Big B Bar-B-Que Campus of CACC Carlisle's Carlos Mexican Grill Catherine’s Market Chamber Of Commerce Cherokee Quick stop Citgo Cloud Nine Collegiate Deli Comfort Inn Dark Insurance Darwin Dobbs Days Inn Discount Food Mart Emporium Wine Grace’s Flowers Hampton Inn Holley’s Home Furnishings Hometown Pharmacy Jackson Drugs Jake’s JR’s Sports Bar & Grill Koon’s Korner Koon’s Korner II Lake Martin Building Supply Lakewinds Golf Club Larry’s General Store Little Black Dress Longleaf Antiques Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Mistletoe Bough Bed & Breakfast Queen’s Attic Regions Bank Ridge - Clubhouse Ridge - Marina River North Marina Riverbend Store Russell Home Décor Russell Medical Center Russell Lands Russell Retail Store Satterfield, Inc Senior Nutrition~50+ Center Sho’ Nuff Restaurant Springhouse Restaurant T.C. Russell Airport Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc The Medicine Shoppe The Sure Shot USAmeribank Warren's Appliance Parts Willow Point Country Club Wind Creek - entrance Wind Creek - store Winn Dixie 280 BP 280 Exxon

DADEVILLE

We Touch the Lives of the People You Love 48 Lake Martin Living PM16_DadeRehabHalfPg_Mag3.indd 1

5/18/16 3:58 PM

American Watersports Bay Pine Marina City Hall Chamber of Commerce

Chuck's Marina Dadeville Wellness Center Foodland Foshee Boat Dock Homeplate Restaurant Harbor Pointe Marina Lakay’s Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Flowers & Gifts Lake Martin Community Hospital Lakeshore Discount Pharmacy Lakeside Marina Niffer's At The Lake Oskar's Cafe Payne Furniture Pearson’s Place Poplar Dawgs Public Library Pug's Place PNC Bank Russell Building Supply Shell Station Sigger’s Stillwaters Country Club Store 34 USAmeribank

ECLECTIC

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

EQUALITY

Equality Food Mart Real Island Marina Southern Star

KELLYTON

Five Star Plantation

RED HILL Citgo

TALLASSEE

Community Hospital Chamber of Commerce The Tallassee Tribune

WALNUT HILL

Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Grocery

WETUMPKA

The Wetumpka Herald A limited number of magazines are available at these locations. To be sure a copy is reserved for you, call David Kendrick at 256-2344281 to start your subscription.

AD INDEX A&M Plumbing.................................................................................... 6

Lake Martin Underdecking................................................................. 4 7

Bob Alexander Landscaping................................................................. 8

Millstone Nursery................................................................................. 6

Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation......................................................... 4 2

OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery.................................................. 1 2

C&C Wood Products.......................................................................... 4 2

Offshore Marine & Outdoors............................................................. 3 4

DAVCO Development........................................................................ 4 7

Prime Management........................................................................... 4 8

Designs by Trish................................................................................... 6

Red Flag Pest Control.......................................................................... 6

Four Seasons Irrigation....................................................................... 4 7

Russell Lands..................................................................................... 1 9

George Hardy, D.M.D.......................................................................... 6

Russell Medical.................................................................................. 6 0

Harold Cochran, State Farm Insurance...................................................... 4 7

Satterfield, Inc.................................................................................... 5

Jackson Thornton............................................................................... 5

Selling Lake Martin............................................................................ 1 2

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art....................................................... 3 9

Southern Sash..................................................................................... 8

Karen Channell, State Farm Insurance.................................................................4 7

Summer Village................................................................................. 1 3

Kelley’s Heating & Air........................................................................ 4 7

Tallassee Community Hospital............................................................ 4 9

Lagasse Construction Inc..................................................................... 5

Truman's Seafood & Catfish............................................................... 4 7

Lake Martin Community Hospital......................................................... 2

Troy Cable........................................................................................... 8

Lake Martin Dock........................................................................ 18, 47

UAB Medicine Heart & Vascular Clinic............................................... 4 3

Lake Martin Mini Mall.......................................................................... 3

Ware Jewelers.................................................................................... 5 1

Lake Martin Living 49

Uber Awesome

I

Escape to Alcatraz The Last Word

spent a little time in San Francisco this summer. thought people from all over the globe would pay I had never been to the home of Alcatraz, the $60 to ferry out to that floating prison on purpose. famous trolley cars and that Rice-A-Roni jingle Anyhoo, when we got back from the long from my childhood that I still can’t shake from my weekend, I brought each of my kids a gift. My mind, but I had always wanted to check it out.

6-year-old, Walker, has always loved bad guys. His Yes, I am sure the hilly City by the Bay is a little past favorites include the Joker, Darth Vader and liberal for most of your conservative Alabama, the Creepers from Minecraft. Right now, he loves country-fried tastes. After all, if San Fran were a burglars and robbers for some reason. Therefore, I presidential candidate, it would be so far left of thought a book on Alcatraz and a T-shirt would be Hillary Clinton it would be to her right. But try to a huge hit with him. I was right. put your political leanings aside for a moment, and The book inspired a Lego box full of questions let me tell you something: San Francisco is pretty from Walker, including: Luke Robinson incredible.

“Why were the people there?”

First of all, there’s the weather.

“Did they ever go home?”

My wife and I went in late June.

“Was there a sandbox?”

Unbelievably, the temperature I answered as best I could was a constant 70 degrees in the and proceeded to tell him the daytime and 55 or so at night. story of the three inmates who We actually wore light jackets! actually escaped the supposedly You only wear light jackets in the inescapable fortress. I told him how summer in the South if you would they used metal spoons and dug rather sweat profusely than get through concrete for a year before bitten by any more mosquitoes. squeezing through a tiny opening Our hotel had a working only to have to swim through fireplace in the lobby, and they turbulent, shark-infested waters in were using it to burn wood for hopes of freedom. warmth. In June. If my fireplace Walker stared at me for a gets used in Alexander City in moment and then said, “Pfft, I have Not Just a Tourist Trap June, it means the rest of the house Luke Robinson visited a better plan dan dat! You know what Ida dun? Ida got in da Alcatraz on a summer toilet and flushed myself.” is on fire around it. trip to San Francisco.

Secondly, the food was out of He stood and spun in a circle, descending towards the sight. Absolutely delicious. ground.

Now, they think a lot of it when it comes to the pricing, but “Until den I would be in da waters. Easy.” there wasn’t a meal I had when I thought, “That food wasn’t “That’s a great plan, Walker,” I replied, “but what about the worth it!” sharks?”

Then there was using the Uber app on my phone. I have “Um, didn’t you hear me? I have been in da toilet! Sharks used the app before in a lot of places, but San Fran is Uber’s don’t want dat!” hometown, and that made it extra special. In Alexander “Okay, but what about the strong currents?”

City, the closest thing we have to Uber is getting a cousin who Walker thought for a moment, then confidently brushed me owes you a favor to drive you to Piggly Wiggly. off by saying, “Well, I don’t know what dat is, so I won’t worry My favorite experience, though, was visiting Alcatraz. The ‘bout it.” world’s most infamous prison was more than just the rusty Eat your heart out, Clint Eastwood. tourist trap I thought it would be. If you’re ever in town, I highly recommend taking a day and soaking in that island. ~ Luke Robinson is an Alexander City native who also writes a I bet the inmates there in the 1950s would have never weekly column for The Alexander City Outlook.

50 Lake Martin Living

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Lake Martin Living 51

52 Lake Martin Living