Nov/Dec 2012 issue

Connected
November/December 2012
Published for
customers of
Happy
Holidays!
Coach
Haushalter
The man behind the legend
Telepsychiatry
Technology bringing doctors
and patients together
Drummer Boy
Eric McClendon marches
with Spirit of Atlanta
Drum & Bugle Corps
General Manager Comments
A word about being grateful
T
hroughout the year, there is one
edition of this magazine where I
never have a problem selecting
a topic for my column. You guessed it:
This is it. A friend who runs a local business put the following on their store’s
sign just the other day: “Gratitude is the
best attitude.” What a great principle to
see this time of year.
For many people, the holiday season,
incorporating Thanksgiving and Christmas, tops their list of favorite seasons.
For me, Thanksgiving has a slight edge
and, believe me, I like Christmas a lot.
It’s just that I’m overwhelmed by how
many blessings I have and how grateful
I need to be for each of them.
Now, I need to be really clear about
something. I’m truly glad to know
where my next meal is coming from
and to possess a few nice things. If I
said that wasn’t important, you would
probably write me off in a hurry. We
all need food, clothing and shelter, and
those who say otherwise “just aren’t
right.” However, the older I get, the
more I seem to value things I’m afraid
that, at best, I didn’t appreciate enough
and, at worst, I once took for granted.
If I tried to give you a list, my editors
would have to stop me way too soon.
But I’ll give you one example.
This past weekend we decorated
our house for Christmas. It was a zoo.
The conventional wisdom around the
house is that this process drives me
nuts. In fact, the “perception” is that
I’m “never” home on the weekend we
decorate. However, remember that by
trade I’m a CPA, certified public accountant. I keep good records, including of where I am. The fact is, despite
the stress of having the house upside
down and full of people, it is something
I love to be home for and see firsthand.
Watching your wife, children and their
friends, and family come home to keep
up a decades-long tradition because
they want to is a true blessing in life.
I recognize that many of you face
adversity. I’m way too familiar with the
economic condition of our region and I
fully appreciate that real people constantly face real challenges. The simple
fact is that we absolutely cannot control
our circumstances. The only thing we
can control is our reactions to what we
face, and I submit to you that a proper
and productive response always begins
with a good attitude. So thanks again
to my friend for reminding me recently
that “Gratitude is the best attitude.”n
Board of Trustees
Randy Wright, President
Flat Rock Exchange
Gary Smith, Vice President
Fyffe Exchange
Danny R. Richey, Secretary
Geraldine Exchange
Lynn Welden, Treasurer
Bryant Exchange
Kenneth Gilbert
Pisgah Exchange
Gregg Griffith
Henagar Exchange
Randy Tumlin
Rainsville Exchange
Connected
Vol. 16, No. 6 Fred Johnson
is Executive Vice
President and GM
of Farmers
Telecommunications
Cooperative, Inc.
It’s All Online!
Connected magazine is available anytime,
from anywhere. Search feature stories and
recipes, then print or even email them to
family and friends. Log in today and stay
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click on the Connected icon.
2 Connected - November/December 2012
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to the people of Northeast Alabama. The
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November/December 2012
is a bimonthly magazine
published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2012. It is
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On the Cover:
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May you and your family have a joyfilled holiday season and a healthy,
prosperous new year.
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holiday casserole... so much
better than a recipe!”
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Connected - November/December 2012 3
Vision
Support Group
S
ight is something we all take for
granted — that is, until we or
someone we know starts having trouble seeing clearly. Health
problems including diabetes, high
blood pressure and stroke, along with
diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts
and macular degeneration can all affect sight and sometimes even lead to
blindness.
When disease changes the life of you
or your loved ones, there is comfort
in community. One such community
exists at the Geraldine Libary. Members of the vision support group that
gather there on the first Wednesday of
each month are all dealing with varying degrees of vision loss. “The support group is a wonderful resource,”
says Renee Hathcox, a rehabilitation
teacher with the Alabama Department
of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS). “I
line up guest speakers who talk to the
group about a variety of subjects. But
most of all, people get to meet and
become friends with others in their
community who are going through
similar circumstances. They learn from
others how to deal with different situations and about the resources that are
available to them.”
One of those resources is Hathcox
herself. Not only does she head up the
support group, she also works with visually-impaired people across DeKalb,
Cherokee, Marshall and Etowah
counties in their homes, teaching them
independent living skills. It is a free
service offered through ADRS. “Until
someone has difficulty seeing, they
don’t realize how much is affected
by vision loss,” explains Hathcox. “If
you can’t see, how do you tell time?
How do you know if you’re holding
a one-dollar bill or a twenty? How do
you know when to stop pouring liquid
into a glass? These are just a few of the
4 Connected - November/December 2012
finding new ways
to do old things
Renee Hathcox began leading the vision
support group at Geraldine Library in May
2011. This picture was taken at that meeting.
issues that a person with vision loss
has to deal with.”
These daily frustrations can lead
to depression. A visually-impaired
person can begin to feel like they are a
burden to their friends and family. “If
someone can learn to be more independent and be more self-reliant,” she
says, “it builds them up and they feel
better. The family feels better about
the situation, too. They feel like they
can leave them alone for a while and
know they will be all right.”
The first step toward getting help
is having an assessment. Once that
has been performed, Hathcox begins
teaching independence with simple
things like using special raised paint
dots, called bump dots, on stoves and
microwaves so the client can “feel”
settings. There are special oven mitts
that extend past the elbow to help
them when using the oven and magnifiers that make it possible for some
visually-impaired people to read. “All
of the supplies I provide my clients
are free and at no cost to them,” says
Hathcox.
Vision loss affects the young as well
as the elderly. Some younger people
with vision problems want to work.
Hathcox can refer them to a vocational
counselor who can help prepare them
for certain jobs in the workforce. “I’m
also a licensed social worker and try to
help find any resources that are available to them,” she says.
Diane Maddox, director of the Geraldine Library, wants to get the word
out about this support group. “We
want to reach out and let people know
about it,” she says. “We want to help
our community. The support group is
for anyone dealing with a vision problem. That includes their family members, caregivers and friends. Anyone
can come.”
Hathcox adds that it is never too
early to start coming. “You don’t
need to wait until vision is gone to
get services,” she says. “It’s a way to
connect with me. I’m the actual vision
rehabilitation teacher who can open
your case and start helping you live
independently.”
The group meets the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. For more
information about the support group,
call the Geraldine Library at 256-6596663. To contact Renee Hathcox about
vision rehabilitation services call 800671-6839. n
Phone
Book p
u
d
n
u
Ro
Let’s round up old phone
books and earn money
for local schools!
Each year, FTC sponsors a Directory Recycling Program that helps keep thousands of old phone books from
making their way into landfills. Instead, they are recycled into products such as roofing material, packing
material, insulation and even new phone books. What’s more, FTC pays participating schools 25 cents for
each 2012 or older Northeast Alabama Regional Directory. (Other phone books are accepted, but only FTC
directories earn cash for your school.) The schools can use this money toward anything they need.
Everyone can pitch in to help. Gather old FTC directories from your home and business and give them to a
student or take them to the school of your choice. Let’s make this the largest phone book roundup ever!
Hurry, the last day to turn in phone books to your school is March 1!
FTC proudly sponsors this
recycling project that
keeps tons of waste out
of our landfills and helps
schools earn money.
Cooperative Couples Conference
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative recently sponsored Scott
and Susan Hall of Bryant to attend the 37th Annual Alabama Cooperative Couples Conference in Orange Beach, Ala. They were among
several couples attending the three-day conference which gave participants the opportunity to learn how their local cooperatives can
assist them in their everyday life. In addition to Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, other sponsors included AgFirst Farm Credit,
Southern States Cooperative, Federal Land Bank Association, Rural
Electric Cooperatives, Dairy Farmers of America, CoBank, Alabama
Farmers Cooperatives, Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative and Tennessee Valley Authority.
Connected - November/December 2012 5
Technology
helps provide
critical mental
health services to
local children
By Mariann Martin
A
broadband Internet connection
and teleconferencing equipment allow children in DeKalb
County to get medical care they could
not have received otherwise.
“There is a desperate need for these
services,” says Dr. Lloyda Williamson,
an assistant professor at the University
of Alabama and one of the psychiatrists who is involved with the telepsychiatry program. “I wish we could do
more.”
The program first began in rural
parts of Alabama in 2007 after the College of Community Health Sciences at
the University of Alabama received a
grant to help increase access to mental
health services. Additional grants
have allowed the university to buy
more equipment for telepsychiatry
services and to train mental health
professionals.
Dr. Lloyda Williamson (on TV screen)
provides psychiatric evaluation for children and adolescents in DeKalb County
via a broadband connection. Here she is
meeting with Thomas Whitten of DeKalb
Youth Service Center.
6 Connected - November/December 2012
The service was recently expanded
to DeKalb County, where the university works with DeKalb Youth Service Center and local school systems
to reach children across the county.
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative provides the broadband connection for the service.
As more telecommunication companies provide broadband Internet
service to rural counties, telemedicine
has become an increasingly important
aspect of delivering health care. “The
field of medicine in general is learning
how to use a broadband platform in a
way that increases access to advanced
health care for rural citizens," says
Fred Johnson, general manager of
FTC. "For example, a local physician
can now share a detailed radiological
image with a specialist at any health
care institution in any city — almost
instantaneously. That was not generally possible in a pre-broadband world.”
The need for telepsychiatry is especially critical, Williamson says, since
there is a shortage of mental health
professionals across the country. In
Alabama, 42 percent of the people live
where there is a shortage of mental
health professionals, according to
federal estimates. In rural areas such
as DeKalb County, numbers are even
higher.
Child and adolescent psychiatrists,
who are specially trained to recognize
and treat potential issues in children,
are even more widely scattered across
the state.
BROADBAND-BASED CARE
The telepsychiatry care now being
provided in DeKalb County is not that
different from an office visit in many
ways, Williamson says.
The connection is similar to a voice/
video call over a service such as Skype
or FaceTime. Williamson can see
everyone in the room, and they can
see her. The young patient is usually
accompanied by at least one parent or
guardian. Thomas Whitten, with the
DeKalb Youth Service Center, is in the
room as well.
Most children relax quickly and are
able to communicate as well as they
would if they were in the room with
Williamson, she says. The conversation usually flows back and forth
easily even though they are hundreds
of miles apart.
The children she sees may have
difficulty in school or be acting out at
home for a variety of reasons. Since
she began treating patients in DeKalb
County, Williamson says she has seen
a wide range of problems, including
children who are recovering from the
tornadoes that devastated the county
in 2011.
Some of them may be depressed, a
diagnosis that would be difficult for
someone to make without the proper
training. “The children may not know
what they are feeling or why they are
reacting,” Williamson says. “We are
trained to tease out those feelings.”
At some point during the long-distance visit, Williamson speaks to the
child alone. During that time, many of
them will tell her things they do not
feel comfortable expressing with their
parents in the room.
The largest difference in telepsychiatry is that Williamson serves as
a consultant, not the actual physician, for the child. After a session, she
writes up a recommendation and lists
any medication she thinks may be
needed. She can also recommend that
the child receive additional counseling
or therapy.
That information is then passed
along to the child’s doctor, often a
primary care physician. Many primary
care physicians who do not have psychiatric training may be reluctant to
prescribe medication, she says. Having
a recommendation from her helps
them become more comfortable with
prescribing medication for mental
health issues.
“It helps raise their comfort level,”
she says.
MEETING A CRITICAL NEED
If it were not for the telepsychiatry
program in DeKalb County, many of
the children would not receive adequate or immediate treatment. “There
are a lot of consequences if issues are
undiagnosed and untreated,” Williamson says. “The children may not
progress in school.”
Thomas Whitten of the DeKalb
Youth Service Center has been an
invaluable part of the program in
DeKalb County, Williamson says. He
is often able to provide background
and additional insight into the student
and the family.
While some of the children they
see may be required to get treatment
because they are involved with the
criminal justice system, most of them
are simply children who need help.
“The vast majority are just regular
kids who are seeing a regular doctor,”
Whitten says.
While they may be regular kids,
many of them come from homes
where there are barriers to getting
the care they need. They may be in
the custody of grandparents, who are
older and not able to travel well. Many
come from low-income homes, which
means they likely do not have the
money to travel to see a psychiatrist.
The service also helps to raise
awareness of mental health issues and
treatment, both for families and for
primary care physicians.
“In many communities there is still a
stigma attached to mental health treatment,” Williamson says.
Not only does telepsychiatry
provide services to children who
might not have access to treatment
otherwise, it is also efficient and
economical, Williamson says. With the
shortage of psychiatrists, there is not
enough time to travel to rural areas
and provide the care that is needed. It
would also be much more expensive
than the broadband service that now
provides the connection to patients.
This fits in perfectly with FTC’s mission. “We don’t want to just be a provider of a broadband connection," says
FTC’s Fred Johnson. “We want to help
people understand how to use that
connection to their benefit, to improve
their lives and bring enhanced services
to our communities.”
There is a desperate need for the
telepsychiatry program to be expanded, Williamson says. Psychiatrists
involved with the program spend
four to eight hours a week providing
telepsychiatry consultations, but there
is enough need for one person to do it
full time.
“I enjoy it and wish I could do
more,” she says. “My hope is that over
time there will be other specialties
involved in telemedicine to provide
more services.”n
Connected - November/December 2012 7
Coach
Haushalter
H
e’s older now, far removed
from the days of leading a
football team under the Friday
night lights. The man, who could strike
fear into the hearts of his players one
minute then show them love when
needed the next, has been retired from
the game of coaching for more than 18
years now.
He was a college quarterback, born
and raised during the coal mining days
up north. He played semi-pro ball, all
the while coaching a high school team.
And he could fight, when called upon.
Like the time he knocked out a guy for
not respecting his wife, Sarah, shortly
after the couple had arrived in Fyffe —
where his legend would grow in time. Today, Ronnie Haushalter is relegated to a recliner. He's had trouble
with his back for a while, he says.
His arthritis can, at times, be nearly
unbearable.
“It's getting worse,” he'll say, but not
expecting any pity whatsoever. He's
still a man's man, even if it takes him a
while to rise from the recliner. Born in McKees Rocks, Pa., Haushalter was the only boy among four
children. He grew up tough around the
coal mines, as youngsters did in those
days. But he knew that was a life he
didn't want after seeing his father give
his life working in the mines.
Haushalter received a football scholarship to the University of Denver, but
8 Connected - November/December 2012
the school dropped its program shortly
after he arrived. He ended up at the University of
Chattanooga (now known as UTC),
where he played running back until a
knee injury forced him to be a quarterback.
“Back then, I thought quarterback
was for sissies,” says Haushalter. “But
it was that, or not play.”
After he graduated, Haushalter was
asked to stay as a student assistant and
work toward a masters degree.
“I told the coach I had taken orders
all of my life,” says Haushalter. “I was
ready to give orders.”
A LEGACY BEGINS
In 1960, Haushalter made his way to
Valley Head, where he thought he was
interviewing for an assistant coach job.
“I spent a few days there, talking to a
few people,” says Haushalter. “Finally
someone asked me if I was going to
take the job. I said I hadn't even talked
to the head coach yet. They said, ‘You
dummy, that's what we're hiring you
for.’”
At age 23, it started in a place he
didn't know existed. Early on, there
were times people thought he was
one of the players. In that first year,
though, he recorded one of his proudest wins when his Tigers played
powerful Crossville, which was loaded
with future college talent and a year
Scenes from Ronnie
Haushalter’s coaching days.
away from a state championship.
“They ran 40 kids out,” remembers
Haushalter. “We had 12.”
Valley Head won.
“Paul Gilette was one of the best
backs I ever had,” says Haushalter.
“He broke a trap play for about 60
yards. I'll never forget that. I wish I
could've had that group two more
years.”
Haushalter had good teams at Valley
Head, including the 1967 team that
advanced to the state championship
game. That team was led by quarterback Charles Carden, who later signed
with the University of Tennessee.
“Carden was the best athlete I ever
coached,” says Haushalter.
COLLEGE LEVEL COACH
Haushalter left Valley Head after
the 1968 season because he thought he
wanted to be a college coach. He went
to Jacksonville State University, where
he served as offensive coordinator
under head coach Charley Pell.
“It was a terrible year,” says Haushalter. He realized, after that one season,
he belonged in the high school ranks.
“I had two kids, no job and a house
payment,” says Haushalter. Then he got word that people in
Fyffe wanted to talk to him. “The last
place in the world I wanted to go was
Fyffe,” says Haushalter. “I really didn't
have a choice. I had to have a job.”
BECOMING A RED DEVIL
Haushalter also wanted a quarterback. “And there was
a quarterback at Fyffe,” he says. “And nobody knew pass
defense.”
In 1970, behind quarterback Danny Ridgeway, Haushalter led Fyffe to a 10-0 regular season.
“That was a good football team,” he says. “Roger Benefield was a good halfback.”
The team finished 10-1, falling in the semifinals. “It
had rained and the field was soaked,” says Haushalter.
“It was hard to throw and that hurt us.”
Ridgeway became his second quarterback to sign
with a SEC school when he went to the University of
Alabama.
Haushalter's 1973 team also went 10-0 in the regular
season, then lost in the playoffs, finishing 10-1 overall.
In 1982, with a sophomore-laden team, the Red Devils
finished 0-10.
“It was a nightmare,” remembers Haushalter. “They
would hang until the fourth quarter.”
Those sophomores grew up and got better, winning an
area championship the next season, then going 12-1 as
seniors.
“They whipped everybody pretty good until Courtland
in the third round [of the state playoffs],” says Haushalter. Two years later, Haushalter experienced another one of
his proudest wins, in the second round of the playoffs.
In Town Creek, against powerful Hazelwood, Haushalter
still remembers his team being heckled before the game.
“You poor little white boys,” he remembers.
In the rain, the Red Devils made a memorable goal-line
stand midway through the fourth quarter to preserve a
12-12 tie. The Fyffe offense took over at its own 2-yard-line
and rolled down the field.
“They couldn’t tackle [running back] Tim Cochran,” says
Haushalter. “He just wouldn’t be denied.”
To supplement Cochran’s heroics, quarterback Donny
Traylor connected a couple of times with Wesley Pope before John Simmons kicked the game-winning field goal.
“The same people before the game were shaking our
hands after the game,” says Haushalter.
Haushalter's last memorable team was in 1992, when
they finished 10-2.
“As good of a team as we had,” says Haushalter. “Zak
Bailey was a lot better quarterback than people gave him
credit.”
That season Haushalter recorded his 200th coaching win,
upsetting Plainview. The win was the first over the Bears
in six years and broke Plainview's 29-game regular season
winning streak.
“That was a big night,” says Haushalter.
TIME TO RETIRE
On April 1, 1994, Haushalter suffered a major heart attack. He spent 18 days in the intensive care unit. He wasn't
expected to live and, if so, expected to be brain-dead.
Instead five months later, he coached his final team.
“I planned on coaching five or six more years,” says
Haushalter. “But I just couldn't do like before. I felt like I
Above: Golden Anniversary
Rodney & Kelly (daughter) Broyles; Ronnie & Sarah Haushalter;
son Phillip Haushalter; and
grandsons Parker and Peyton
Broyles. Right: Haushalter with
his grandsons Parker (left) and
Peyton Broyles.
was cheating the kids.”
It was tough early on, but slowly Haushalter moved on.
He was named to the Alabama High School Hall of Fame
in 1997, and was in the first class inducted into the DeKalb
County Sports Hall of Fame a couple of years later.
The street leading to the football stadium at Fyffe is appropriately named “Haushalter Way.” The school's fieldhouse also bares his name.
Many of Haushalter's former players went on to coaching
careers. His first quarterback, Jim Kirby, led Valley Head to
the 1984 Class 1A state championship. Coincidentally, the
Tigers' only loss that season was to Fyffe.
Two of his former players, Paul Benefield at Fyffe and
Paul Ellis at Fort Payne, have seen much success in recent
years.
“I've been watching football here since 1960,” says Haushalter. “And I think Paul Benefield is the best coach around.
It would be all right with me if they take my name off the
fieldhouse and name it Benefield.”
SOMETIMES A BEAR
He and Sarah recently celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary. A Fyffe man to the core, Haushalter now lives
only a few miles from Plainview High School, where his
two grandsons, Parker and Peyton Broyles, attend school. In the mornings, during football season, Haushalter
could be found watching Parker's 7th-grade team practice.
“They asked me to help them, but I told them I've forgotten all of that stuff,” he laughs.
Haushalter insists he's Fyffe all the way. But....
“I'm a 7th-grade Plainview fan,” he admits. “When
Parker plays, I'll be for Plainview. Blood is thicker than
water.” n
Connected - November/December 2012 9
Spirit
of
Atlanta
by Diana LaChance
We tend to think of young artists and
musicians as dreamers, not ambitious,
career-minded achievers. But that’s
not the case with Eric McClendon,
who turned his passion for music into a
college scholarship and the opportunity
Eric McClendon, a junior at JSU, was
selected as a member of the 2012
Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps.
A
junior majoring in art at Jacksonville State University (JSU), Eric began playing the piano when he was
in kindergarten, later picking up percussion at Fyffe
High School. “Piano and percussion are two very different
things, and I just felt inclined to diversify,” he says. “I had
more of a passion for percussion because I wanted to be
able to march in the band.” His dedication paid off, and he
soon succeeded in marching snare drum for Fyffe.
Percussion also opened his eyes to the world of drum
and bugle corps, like the Spirit of Atlanta (SoA), a nonprofit
education organization for youth performing arts and
member of the Drum Corps International (DCI) that was
founded in 1976. “If you’re good enough, you can do it in
high school,” says McClendon, who summoned the courage to audition for SoA in his senior year but ended up not
making it.
Nevertheless, the experience only strengthened his resolve, and one year later, failure turned to success when he
auditioned for — and won — a music scholarship to JSU.
And even though he didn’t make the snare drum line for
the school’s marching band, the Marching Southerners, he
says he was able to combine his knowledge of piano with
the percussion aspect to play the marimba with the front
ensemble.
Two years later, with the skills he gained with the Marching Southerners, McClendon decided to audition again for
10 Connected - November/December 2012
to march with the highly competitive
Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps.
the SoA. “Auditioning is stressful, but I felt calmer about it
this time since I was growing in my musical capability,” he
says. “So when I got the opportunity again, I seized it.” Not
only did he seize it, he succeeded in securing a position
playing the timpani for the SoA.
Now the challenge was raising enough money to be able
to travel. Every summer, the SoA, which is made up of 150
brass, percussion and color guard members between ages
16 and 21, performs an 11-minute show at more than 30
competitions and exhibitions across the country. The culmination is the coveted Drum Corps International Finals,
which was held this past year in Indianapolis. McClendon
would have to raise his membership fee of almost $3,000 by
soliciting sponsors.
“It costs a lot of money and it’s hard to get that funding,”
he says. “And I hate to feel like I’m burdening my parents.”
That said, he knows they are proud of him.
His father, Keith, is a long-time employee of FTC. “He is
such a hard worker and is dedicated to being a good father
and role model to me and my brother,” says McClendon.
“I’m grateful to both of my parents and appreciate the fact
that they have helped me fulfill my dreams.”
Through contributions, McClendon was able to raise the
required funds in time to begin practicing. “So much work
went into it,” he says. “Starting in January and going until
the summer, we had weekend camps, then we had ‘all-
Above: Members of SoA come together for an intense day-long practice
of their routine before touring this past summer. The team begins practicing as early as January each year.
Right: Eric played the timpani, or kettledrums, with the SoA. His team
ranked 11th in the DCI World Championship Finals this August in
Indianapolis.
days’ at Riverside Military Academy in Georgia. We moved
in and stayed for a couple of weeks to learn the show and
to spend every day practicing.” After that, it was off to the
first competition.
“Each show is actually competition between corps from
all across the nation, though not every corps is at every
show,” explains McClendon. “At any one competition,
there are maybe eight to ten world-class corps.” Also present are thousands of attendees. “Drum corps season is during the summer so everyone knows bands are touring. It’s
a pretty big deal.”
The hope is that, by the time of the first competition,
all their training and practice will be second nature to the
members. “The whole point of us beating our bodies down
and practicing so much is so when the show comes you
don’t think about it — you just do it.” This summer’s show
theme was “Sin City,” which incorporated popular songs
by everyone from Lady Gaga to Frank Sinatra. It proved
popular enough for the SoA to make it all the way through
to the DCI World Championship finals.
“We placed 11th out of 12 corps,” says McClendon, adding that it was an impressive finish given the changes the
SoA has gone through over the last few years. “It used to be
based at Jacksonville and there were a lot of people around
here that had marched, but when they moved to Atlanta, it
was like a fresh start,” he explains. “But they’ve been play-
ing really well since they made the move, and the corps is
becoming more mature.”
Now that the summer of touring has ended and McClendon is back with the Marching Southerners, he’s not sure if
he’ll audition again. “I can only do it until I’m 21, so it’s a
once-in-a-lifetime type of thing,” he says.
No matter what happens, McClendon can still take away
some valuable lessons from his experience with SoA. “I not
only have a sense of personal fulfillment, but as my career
gets more serious, I really hope my years of band help
show that I will work hard, which will enable me to get a
better job,” he says. n
Connected - November/December 2012 11
Need help
paying for
Telephone
Service?

Is your annual household income at
or below 135% of the Federal Poverty
Guidelines for a household of its size or
do you or someone in your household
participate in any of the following lowincome government assistance programs?
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch
Program
If so, you may qualify for a special
program:
Rainsville Civitans and Rainsville Police Department invite you to help make a child’s Christmas
wish come true! Just stop by the FTC office, Fred’s
Dollar Store or Dollar General in Rainsville and
take an angel from The Angel Tree. Angels are pink
or blue according to gender and have the first name
and age of a local child who is counting on you this
Christmas. Simply purchase a gift and return it unwrapped with the angel tag attached. Or, visit any
of these locations to give a monetary gift, and the
Rainsville Christmas Charities will shop for you!
Jo Jo’s Quick Mart
Delta Express (two locations: next to Plainview School and at the
crossing of Hwy. 35 & 75)
Hilltop Pure
Verizon In 2 Wireless
Rainsville Express Fuel-Z (across from FTC)
Rainsville
Christmas
Charities
•
•
•
•
•
Jackson
County
Christmas
Charities
If you are considering adopting a family for Christmas, Jackson County Christmas Charities will work
with individuals and groups to facilitate adoptions.
For more information please call 256-574-0412.
LifeLine Service
This program assists qualified
residential customers with their
monthly local telephone service.
For more details about Lifeline Service, to apply
for assistance, or for additional information
about FTC’s local and optional calling, please
call us at 256-638-2144, or stop by any of our
business offices.
To find out whether you qualify for Lifeline Assistance, customers
must fill out standard forms, available at FTC’s office, as mandated by
the Federal and/or State government. FTC is not responsible for determining who qualifies for these programs or who receives assistance.
Customers must meet specific criteria in order to obtain assistance
with their local telephone service, and qualifying is dependent upon
government-established guidelines. To qualify for Lifeline credit, each
customer must apply and provide proof that he/she, or a household
member for whom he/she is financially responsible, participates in at
least one of the programs listed above in Alabama or that the customer
meets the income-based requirements. Additional eligibility requirements also apply.
12 Connected - November/December 2012
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc. is the recipient of federal
financial assistance from the Rural Utility Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and
the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. In accordance with Federal law and the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s policy, this institution is prohibited from
discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,
or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room
326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s non-discrimination compliance efforts is J. Frederick Johnson, general manager. Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has
subjected them to discrimination, may obtain further information about
the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization.
Lights, camera, action
FRS grant provides video production
equipment to area high schools
S
tudents throughout the area
will soon be producing videos
of events taking place at their
schools, thanks to a $5,000 Rural Community Outreach Grant.
The Foundation for Rural Services
(FRS) awarded the grant earlier this
year to Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC). FTC, a member
and supporter of FRS, was instrumental in securing the grant, which will
create new learning opportunities for
students.
Area schools had expressed an interest in broadcasting, but they lacked
much of the video and editing equipment necessary to implement a video
production program.
In an effort to help, FTC began encouraging area schools to apply for an
FRS grant to help purchase additional
video equipment. With more equipment, the schools could create a meaningful media program which would
give more students an opportunity
to learn about video production and
provide additional content for FTCtv’s
local community channel.
Several schools participated in
the grant request. FRS awarded the
maximum grant amount available to
NACC, which purchased the equipment and will make it available to all
area schools on a check-out basis.
FTC is partnering with NACC to
provide broadcast training. Area high
by Kerry Scott
schools will form video production
teams, with an average of four students per team. The teams will attend
a day of training on NACC’s campus
where they will learn how to use the
equipment, as well as basic shooting
and editing tips.
“We believe this broadcasting equipment will provide an invaluable learning tool for area schools,” says Fred
Johnson, FTC general manager.
The equipment, which includes video capture and editing tools, will be
maintained at NACC for the express
purpose of allowing local high schools
to train in video production and
editing. Each school can reserve and
checkout the equipment as needed
to video a variety of events, including ball games, class projects, plays,
beauty pageants and more.
“We want to train these teams
to produce, direct, record and edit
various school activities,” says Brandi
Lyles, FTC’s manager of marketing
and public relations. “It presents a
great opportunity for students to learn
new skills, while creating local content
we can share with the community on
our FTCtv local channel.”
FRS offers grants to rural communities for programs or efforts that impact
community development, business development, education or telecommunications. Priority is given to proposals
that accomplish the following:
Levi Combs of Fyffe
High School (behind
camera) practices
videoing with
classmate Bailey
Jackson. FTC’s
Ashley Stanford
shows him the
capabilities of the
Panasonic HD 3D
Ready camcorder.
•foster collaboration among different community agencies and local
government;
•reflect a comprehensive approach to
community development;
•promote community participation
and engagement; and
•make rural communities a better
place to live and work. n
Equipped to
produce
Thanks to the FRS
grant, students
will have access to professional
video production equipment:
• Canon Rebel T3i DSLR Camera,
with 2 lenses and accessories
• 15-inch Macbook Pro, including a
case, Microsoft Office, Apple Care,
Remote
• Adobe Creative Suite 6 – production premium video editing
software
• Panasonic HC-X900M Camcorder3D Ready, Full HD, 32 GB
• Manfrotto Photo/Movie Tripod w/
quick release plate
• Pearstone Fluid Head Tripod and
shoulder bag
Connected - November/December 2012 13
FTC takes a proactive role in
ConnectingALABAMA initiative
Our lives have become increasingly dependent upon technology and the Internet. Almost
daily, another part of our routine activities goes
online, whether it is how we communicate with
friends and family, how we shop or how we pay
bills and conduct business. And this trend shows
no signs of slowing anytime soon.
F
TC understands this, which is why the company
is building a world-class broadband network in
Northeast Alabama. But FTC is going a step further
by participating in ConnectingALABAMA — an initiative headed by the Alabama Department of Economic and
Community Affairs (ADECA) designed to promote the
availability and adoption of broadband Internet access
throughout the state.
Many urban areas are well-positioned to take advantage
of broadband technology, but due to a lack of business
and educational resources, rural communities often need
trustworthy and credible awareness campaigns to ensure
they are taking full advantage of the opportunities broadband offers.
“We are living in a broadband society,” says Fred Johnson, FTC’s executive vice president and general manager.
“FTC is working to ensure our members are equipped
with the tools they need to keep up and stay connected in
this ever-changing world. Our members deserve access
to a broadband network that will provide them with the
services they demand today, as well as the opportunities
that will develop in the future.”
The Economic and Community Development Institute
at Auburn University is partnering with ADECA to offer
classes to educate residents, businesses and government
about broadband. FTC is taking an active role by providing a location for the classes as well as computers and an
Internet network connection.
Classes will focus on online connectivity, career building, entrepreneurship and business development, community resources and education. Local classes will cover at
least six of the following training modules:
• Broadband 101: Internet and broadband basics, online safety and security
{CLICK}
• eHome: manage your home, family finances and
social connections
• eCommunity: how broadband can strengthen face-toface interaction
• eCommerce: expand your customer base, access new
markets and sell products online
• eGovernment: improve a community Website and
make government more accessible
• eGlobal: guidance for taking eCommerce on a global
scale
• eHealth: improve patient care and access resources to
improve health
• eLearning: online educational and training opportunities
• eWorkforce: workforce development opportunities
and resources (for workers and trainers)
• ePublicSafety: online best practices to enhance public
safety
• Hispanic Business Basics: self-paced training for
small businesses serving Hispanic population
• Community Forums: opportunities for communities
to come together and get more connected
ConnectingALABAMA is funded by a grant of almost
$1.2 million from ADECA. The grant is designed to
promote engagement in the digital economy across all
67 Alabama counties. The program will provide training
to an estimated 11,500 residents and offer about 115,000
training hours.
“At FTC, we frequently use the pages of our magazine,
Connected, to educate our members on the opportunities that broadband access creates,” Johnson says. “ConnectingALABAMA will allow us to partner with our
state government to increase our emphasis on broadband
education.”n
To learn more about ConnectingALABAMA, visit www.connectingalabama.gov, or for more
information about the training sessions visit www.aces.edu/economic-development/
community-engagement-assistance/boostingbroadband. Visit www.farmerstel.com or like
FTC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/farmerstel) throughout the year for the latest in
training opportunities.
14 Connected - November/December 2012
Homemade
for the holidays
The kitchen is the heart of your
home. It stands to reason then
that some of the best gifts you
can give this holiday season are
those that you can make yourself. Not only will the neighbors,
teachers and friends in your life
enjoy eating these delicious holiday classics, they will appreciate the thoughtfulness that went
into preparing them, too. As an
added bonus, we have included suggestions for unique packaging ideas for your homemade
holiday treats!
Cake Mix Cookies
1 box cake mix, any flavor
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1egg
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl,
combine all ingredients at low speed
until dry ingredients are moistened and
dough is thoroughly mixed. Drop dough
by rounded tablespoonfuls 2” apart onto
ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-12
minutes. Cool two minutes on cookie
sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool.
You can stir in chocolate chips, coated
candy pieces, chopped nuts or oatmeal. You can frost the cookies or make
sandwich cookies by spreading frosting
between two cookies.
Gift wrapping idea: Try decorating a
recycled Pringles can with craft paper,
ribbon or other trinkets you may have.
Just remember to make the cookies small
enough in diameter to stack inside the
canister!
Peppermint Bark
1/2 pounds almond bark
1
24 round peppermints, crushed
Line bottom of a baking pan with waxed
paper. Put crushed peppermints in bottom, covering with melted white bark.
Cool and break into pieces.
Gift wrapping idea: Let your kids help
make “reindeer” gifts. A piece of material
or a dish towel and a few craft items are
all you need.
Banana Nut Bread
1/2 cups flour
2
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325º. Grease 4 mini
loaf pans. Beat sugar, oil and eggs
until blended. Add bananas. Beat in dry
ingredients just until blended. Stir in
nuts. Pour batter evenly in mini pans.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pans
for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and
cool on wire racks. Wrap in plastic wrap.
This recipe easily doubles and triples for
larger batches.
Gift wrapping idea: You don’t have to
go all-out to create a lovely presentation. Coffee filters, a strand of ribbon
and a label add a beautiful touch to your
individually-wrapped loaves of bread.
Old-Fashioned Potato Candy
1 small potato, peeled and boiled
6 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
Drain boiled potato, place in large
mixing bowl and beat with mixer until
mashed. Add 4 cups sugar and mix
well. Mix in remaining sugar gradually,
scraping down sides as needed until a
stiff dough is formed. Line counter with
waxed paper dusted with confectioner’s
sugar. Scrape out dough onto waxed
paper and dust top with more confectioner’s sugar. Roll in a rectangular
shape to a thickness of about a quarterinch. Spread dough with peanut butter
and roll up lengthwise into a log. Roll
log up in your waxed paper and cut in
half. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, remove waxed
paper and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Store
leftovers in the refrigerator.
Gift wrapping idea: Chinese take-out
boxes can look elegant with simple
grosgrain ribbon and painted pine
cones.
Connected - November/December 2012 15
P.O. Box 217• 144 McCurdy Ave. N.
Rainsville, Alabama 35986
Make plans to attend these area Christmas Parades
Crossville
Dec. 8 • 4 p.m.
Dutton
Dec. 8 • 11 a.m.
Ider
Dec. 8 • 10 a.m.
Fort Payne
Dec. 14 • 6 p.m.
Rainsville
Dec. 8 • 4 p.m.
21 – 24
Christmas FreeDec.Admission
in the Caverns
Sequoyah Caverns provides a
gorgeous backdrop for a live
nativity complete with animals
and a choir. Call 800-843-5098
for more information.
Fyffe
Dec. 8 • 12 p.m.
Section
Dec. 8 • 2 p.m.
Geraldine
Dec. 8 • 2 p.m.
Merry
Christmas!
Children’s Advocacy Center
Dinner Theater
Real Husbands of HoneyDo County
When a husband and wife remember a special event in
two totally different ways, communication and expectations erupt into a hilarious tale of antics. Throw in a couple of escaped convicts and the laughs will make everyone want to take a trip to HoneyDo!
Dates: February 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16
Time: Dinner served at 6:30 p.m. Play begins at 7 p.m.
Info: Call 256-997-9700 for ticket prices and availability.