Owl Creek Boutique: Where Everything Is `Hand Done By Heart` Riff

Transcription

October 16 - November 5, 2015
AthensNowal.com
E-MAIL: [email protected]
ADVERTISING:
Ali: 256-468-9425
Deborah: 256-309-9399
Riff Raff Home Decor:
Old Spot, New Look,
Wonderfully Made
Pieces, And Exceptional
Customer Service
See Our Listings Inside this edition...
Pages 25 - 32
Special Feature
Rocket City Barns: It’s
Barn Season, And There
Are Great Bargains
And Service To Be
Garnered...
Marcy Baker, owner of
Rocket City Motors, and
more recently, Rocket City
Barns, has such a strong
entrepreneurial spirit that...
Page 5
By Ali Elizabeth Turner
Earlier this year, the abandoned buildings next to the railroad tracks on
Market Street in Athens underwent a renovation process with a result
that could nearly be described as miraculous. Joel Hamm, who spent
Athens Rehab Spotlight
Spotlight On Dr.
Shawky Tadros...
Shawky Tadros was
born 85 years ago
in Egypt, and has
lived one heck of an
interesting life. He
got out of the Middle
East as it became...
Page 19
Medical Update
What’s Your Gut
Tell You?...
Hippocrates was
a classical Greek
scholar born
in 460 B.C. His
wisdom is over 2,000
years old, but...
Page 22
Continued on pages 15
Owl Creek Boutique:
Where Everything Is
‘Hand Done By Heart’
By Ali Elizabeth Turner
Alisa Koken says “Small business has always been near and
dear to my heart.” Her grandfather opened W.C. Cole Furniture
Company in Cullman, and she began to learn all about business
from an early age. As an Army brat, she describes herself as
Continued on page 17
www.athensnowal.com
Alisa Koken, of Owl Creek
Boutique, and her baby girl, Alice
Page 2
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Publisher’s Point
Why Woodlawn Wins
Publisher / Editor
Ali Turner
Sales
way, and nearly the entire
40 member team did so.
Deborah Huff
Graphic Design
Jonathan Hamilton
Web Design
Teddy Wolcott
Delivery
Hunter Williams
Contributing Writers
Janet Hunt
Rachel Clark, RN, BSN
Lynne Hart
Cindy Barnes
Leisl Stanford
Sandra Thompson
Wayne Kuykendall
Jackie Warner
Deb Kitchenmaster
Publisher’s Point . . . . . . . . 3
All Things Soldier . . . . . . . 4
Special Feature . . . . . . . . . 5
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . 6
View From The Bridge . . . . 8
From The Vets Museum . . . 10
Clean and Green . . . . . . . 12
Cooking With Cindy . . . . . 13
Health and Fitness . . . . . . 14
Cover Stories . . . . . . . 15 & 17
Learning As A Lifestyle . . . 18
Athens Rehab Spotlight . . . 19
Horse Whispering . . . . . . 20
In the summer of 1972, after I gave up a full scholarship to Oberlin College
to attend Pacific School
of Theology in Seattle,
students from our college
went to Dallas to attend a
Billy Graham evangelistic event that was geared
toward young people. It
was called Explo ’72, and
was held at the height of
the Jesus People Movement. Close to 40,000
kids gathered in the hot
sun to surrender to Christ,
and the team came back
with marvelous testimonies which will always be
precious to me. But somewhere in that stadium was
an unknown young man
that you will have the
chance to “meet” starting October 16th through
the vehicle of the movie,
Woodlawn.
The young man’s name
was Hank Erwin, and a
year after Explo, he ended up functioning as the
chaplain of the Woodlawn High School football team in Birmingham.
Integration had been
mandated, racial tensions
ran high, and it was not a
time when the concept of
“separation of church and
state” equaled no religion
on campus. Hank, who is
played by Sean Astin of
Lord of the Rings fame,
told the team that they
had the power to change
what was going on around
them, but it would only
happen through surrender
to Christ’s love. He challenged them to forgive
each other and go a new
What Makes Ronnie Roll . . . 21
Medical Update . . . . . . . . 22
Fitness, Fiscally Speaking . . . 23
Enter African American
Tony Nathan, who became
Woodlawn’s star running
back, and who was eventually recruited by Bear
Bryant to play for Alabama. (Coach Bryant is
played by Academy Award
winner John Voight.) Tony
was nicknamed “Touchdown Tony,” and the entire town, black and white,
got behind him and went
to see him play. He was
quiet, humble, and not
at all comfortable with
the spotlight. But he and
his team were the ones
that proved that the love
of God can heal offenses
going back hundreds of
years, and it was the testimony of the kids that
drove their coach, Tandy
Geralds, to accept Christ
and be baptized.
The
transformation
of
the team and the coach
changed things in Birmingham. Tony Nathan
went on to play for the
Miami Dolphins and was
in two Super Bowls. And
the story might have faded
permanently into quietness, if it weren’t for two
special filmmakers, Jon
and Andy Erwin. If the
name sounds familiar, it’s
because their dad is Hank
Erwin, the young man that
was at the same Billy Graham event as my friends.
Hank would tell the story
of all that happened at
Woodlawn to the boys
as a bedtime story. He
would act out all the parts,
go leaping and running
through the room while
impersonating Tony Nathan, and it was one of
their favorites. They knew
the time had come to bring
this remarkable story to
the big screen, and while
they were able to get such
veteran actors as Astin and
Voight to play the parts,
the fact that they found 23
year old newcomer Caleb
Castille, (who played for
Nick Sabin at ‘Bama), to
take on the role of Tony,
was a true Godsend. Caleb is a strong believer,
and get this: Caleb’s dad
played with Touchdown
Tony for Bear Bryant, too!
Caleb grew up knowing
all about what happened
at Woodlawn.
So, why do I think Woodlawn will win our hearts?
Because it’s well made,
it’s about God’s love, it’s
about football, and it’s
about Alabama the Beautiful. To my mind, that’s
all we need, and the time
is now for the truth to triumph.
Ali Elizabeth Turner
Athens Now
Information & Inspiration
256-468-9425
[email protected]
Website:
www.athensnowal.com
athensnowal.com
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Page 3
All Things Soldier
Why Bother Fighting
Boko Haram?
by Ali Elizabeth Turner
unarmed remotely piloted
aircraft is used to support
international counter-violent extremist organisation operations.”
On October 14th, the
White House announced
that 300 troops as well as
some specialized drones
were being deployed to
Cameroon to help in the
fight against Boko Haram. For those of you
who have not heard of
this dreadful group before, here is a brief breakdown of who they are and
what they do:
•They have identified
themselves as being part
of Isis, and are intent
upon enforcing Shariah
law in Africa. Additionally, when Osama Bin Laden’s headquarters were
breached, letters from the
leadership of Boko Haram were found in his office.
•They fund their attacks
in part by robbing banks,
and also receive a great
deal of money from Is-
White House spokesman
Josh Earnest continued
with the following set of
statements:
lamist sympathizers who
by their own admission
hate the West, and want to
create a global caliphate.
•They employ the use of
suicide bombers, including women. On October
11th, two Boko Haram
female suicide bombers killed 9 people in the
town of Mora.
•They kidnap girls, using
them as sex slaves. They
are also violently opposed to the education of
women.
•They target Christians
and kill them.
•They
target
students
Vietnam Veterans of America
(Chapter 511)
$7
October 20th
11am - 1pm and 5pm-7pm
17915 W Elm St • Athens, Alabama • 256-232-0029
Page 4
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of both genders and kill
them, so that they are not
corrupted by education,
and therefore resistant to
Shariah law.
•Their death squads target resistant men in towns
they try to control, and
have killed thousands of
men who have dared to
stand up to them. They
also kill whole families
who resist.
The official statements
regarding our official response include the following:
“These
forces
are
equipped with weapons
for the purpose of providing their own force protection and security, and
they will remain in Cameroon until their support
is no longer needed.”
“The results of these ISR
flights will better enable
African partners to secure their borders against
violent/illegal activities
disrupting our common
desire for stability in the
region.”
“Most importantly, all information collected by US
“This deployment will
be part of an effort to
conduct airborne intelligence,
surveillance
and reconnaissance operations in the region.”
And later, Earnest added, “This is obviously
a unique capacity that
the United States has to
bring to bear to this effort and it will be used
in support of the ongoing
regional counter-extremist efforts that are ongoing there.” The British
and the French are also
involved, and while I can
only guess as to their reasons for being so, I think
the fact that they are under attack from jihadists,
and have had people die
in the Isles as well as on
the Continent, they are
understandably wanting
to keep the fight out of
their own countries.
Three hundred guys and
some drones can do a
great deal of good or
damage, depending upon
one’s perspective, and I
for one am relieved that
our government sees the
threat as being severe
enough to do something.
However, either one sees
Shariah as completely
hostile to the Constitution, or not, and my hope
is that our government
will do everything it can
to keep the conflict in
Cameroon. I know our
guys will.
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Special Feature
Rocket City Barns: It’s Barn Season, And There
Are Great Bargains And Service To Be Garnered!
Marcy Baker, owner of
Rocket City Motors, and
more recently, Rocket City
Barns, has such a strong
entrepreneurial spirit that I
think she could just about
single-handedly revolutionize our economy. As her husband, Daniel, says, “Marcy’s
great, and I definitely married up.” I concur; the girl
blows me away, and you
need to hear her story before
you hear about the barns.
Marcy is Canadian born,
and the progeny of entrepreneurs. Her grandfather came
to Ellis Island from Malta,
and through a whole slough
of misadventures ended
up in Toronto. He grew a
thriving business custom
building round windows
for houses, and then started
a hardware store in which
Marcy worked from a child.
Her dad is now retired from
his custom wood window
business, and her mom builds
rustic pine furniture.
Marcy’s family lived on a
golf course, and as a little kid
she and her brother would observe where the golf balls of
frustrated golfers would land--in the woods, in the drink, in
the sand traps, and they would
go fetch them. The next step
was to sell them back to their
owners! “Regular balls went
for 50 cents, and if they were
personalized, we charged 75
cents for retrieving them,”
she told me with a grin. This
was definitely a “marketniche lemonade stand!”
Marcy wasn’t sure what she
wanted to do, so she got a
degree in computer science
from the University of Toronto. “That’s an interesting
fallback position,” I said, and
she grinned again. “I was not
designed to live in a cubicle,”
she shot back. She arrived in
the States when she was 19,
and through her own set of intriguing adventures became a
Mobile Certified Electrician,
me. “Small houses” have become so significant that they
have their own TV show, numerous websites, and because
they are free standing, are
technically considered mobile homes. “People are starting to put them up in mobile
home parks,” she said. She
took me to one that made me
drool, because, truth be told,
I eventually want to have my
Athens Now office in one. So,
while she was taking delivery of a new unit and helped
customers, I spent time in
one residential unit that had
3 lofts and, (in my mind, at
least,) I moved in.
“They are built here in Alabama by Mennonites,” she
said, and added, “So the qual-
working in Decatur at a major
auto dealership. That is where
she met Daniel, and the rest
makes for a fascinating tale.
Both were single parents, married and blended their families
a year later, and Marcy started
the “buy here pay here” auto
dealership, as well as the barn
dealership.
She does a good job of striking the balance between emphasizing the fact that she is
the successful owner of two
businesses (not traditionally owned by
women), without being “screedy,” (if I can
be allowed to make up
a word, here). It’s easy
to tell that the women
and men who work
for her get as much
of a kick out of her
as I have. Her favorite driver and delivery
person, Salisha Stephenson, has the same
spritely spirit as Marcy, and while she can
“hold her own with the
guys,” she is a tender heart.
Marcy wanted me to make
sure that Athens Now read-
ers were aware that the
parent company, Cotton
State Barns, is very supportive of women owners,
and has been quite helpful
in getting her up and running. They also make it
possible for their distributors to offer a “zero money down” option, which is
an added plus for buyers.
So, on to the brass tacks
of barns. What is happening in the industry,
and what is fueling the uptick
in barn sales? “The ‘small
house’ movement,” she told
www.athensnowal.com
OK, what if I don’t want to
live in the thing, I want it for
my tools or chickens in the
back yard? Same thing: the
prices can’t be beat, and just
like Rocket City Motors, the
set up is that you “buy-herepay-here,” with no credit
check. They do get re-pos,
and they will do everything
they can to get you the solidly
built unit you are looking for.
Marcy clearly cares about her
customers, and will match a
barn to your needs.
Therefore, if you are in the
market for a barn, Marcy
Baker and the crew of Rocket
City Barns are your folks, and
I’ll let you in on a secret: She
makes beautiful wooden flower boxes….
Marcy Baker, left, owner of Rocket City Barns, and Salisha
Stephenson, Cotton State Barns driver and delivery person
ity is solid.” She said without
hesitation, “We have the best
quality and the lowest prices.”
She went on to tell me that
once a month she makes a run
from Cullman to Nashville to
“shop” the competition, and
she stands by her statement:
“cheapest and best.” Marcy
also went on to tell me something I have never heard of in
the building industry, and that
is, that Cotton State Barns actually lowered their prices this
year, and that in a time when
the market demand could justify doing just the opposite.
She was quite proud of them
for doing so.
Rocket City
Barns East
26912 Hwy 72,
Athens, AL 35611
near East Limestone Road
Rocket City
Barns West
17486 Hwy 72,
Athens, AL 35613
next to Collins Supply
Phone: 256-221-7062
Web: rocketcitybarns.com
Facebook:
Rocket City Barns
Page 5
Calendar of Events
Science Fiction: Science Future
Now - Mar 6th
U.S. Space and Rocket Center. One Tranquility Base, Huntsville,
AL. The future is now! Move objects with your mind! Become
invisible! Play games with a robot! Experience augmented reality!
Science, Fiction, Science Future brings the science of the future into
the present, sending visitors on a unique journey filled with science
exploration, curiosity and discovery. For hours of operation,
admission, and contact information: rocketcenter.com/admission
Silent Auction and Chili Supper
Oct 17th
Mays Memorial Baptist Church. 23636 AL-251, Athens, AL. Join
the congregation for an evening benefiting the Youth Conference
from 5:00PM-7:00PM. Silent Auction winners will be announced at
7:00PM and you do not have to be present to win. For questions or to
make a donation to the silent auction, Amanda Shaw 256-431-4293 or
email [email protected]
Athens Storytelling Festival
Oct 20th - 24th
Downtown Athens, AL. Imagine a crisp fall weekend spent listening
to stories of adventure and excitement... a place where memories and
magic are captured and spun into tales that make you laugh and cry.
Stories will be told on the courthouse square in Athens, Alabama
within close proximity of an eclectic mix of shops offering a wide
variety of antiques, gifts, gourmet foods, clothing and hardware. The
courthouse square boasts several warm and inviting restaurants,
and food vendors will be present for good old-fashioned festival fare.
www.athensstorytellingfestival.com
Senior Lunch Matinée Show
with The Cadillacs
Oct 22nd
Yesterday’s Event Center. 15631 Brownsferry Road, Athens, AL.
Come enjoy the sounds of The Cadillacs performing your favorite
50’s, 60’s, Doo-Wop and Old Country. Cost is $10.00 and includes
lunch, drink and dessert. Groups welcome. Events begins 11:00AM
- Seating, Opening, Announcements, Blessing, Lunch with the show
kicking off at 12:00PM. Cancellation policy applies. RSVP required:
[email protected]
Rails to Trails Fall Color Ride or Walk
Oct 24th - 25th
Elkmont, AL. Come to Elkmont, AL and enjoy all the beautiful fall
colors by horseback, bicycle or foot. For more information about the
event, call 256-732-4211.
Storyteller Dolores Hydock
Oct 25th
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. 207 East Washington Street, Athens,
AL. Join the Daughters of the King of Saint Timothy’s Episcopal for
famed storyteller Dolores Hydock, who will be sharing her stories
Page 6
about the goodness we show, the goodness we hide, and looking at
others with loving eyes starting at 2:00PM. Free admission. A tea
will follow the storytelling in the parish hall.
Guest Speaker Russ Rodgers
Oct 25th
Friendship Church. 16479 Lucas Ferry Road, Athens, AL 35611. On
Sunday, Oct 25th at our 8:20, 9:30, and 11:00 services, we will have
Russ Rodgers as our Guest Speaker. His topic is: Understanding the
Islamic Worldview - What you won’t find on Google. Russ Rodgers
has served with armor, infantry, and military intelligence during
a varied U.S. Army career. He received his Masters degree with
honors in Land Warfare from the American Military University
and is currently an Army Command Historian, and former Adjunct
Professor of History. 256-232-4906.
Yesterday’s Halloween Party
Oct 31st
Yesterday’s Event Center. 15631 Brownsferry Road, Athens, AL.
Come enjoy your favorite music plus a little Halloween fun. Complete
country dinner available including drink and dessert for additional
$9.95. Show admission is $15.00 and E-mail reservation is required.
All seats reserved and not attended are subject to a fee of 50% of the
ticket price if not cancelled with notice 48-hours prior to show and
will be billed to reserving individual. Doors open at 6:00PM, dinner
available from 6:00PM-7:00PM, showtime 7:00PM. To reserve your
seats: [email protected]
Apple Annie Monster Dash 5k and
1 Mile Scary Scurry
Oct 31st
Athens Swan Creek Park. 100 U.S. Highway 31N, Athens, AL. The
Apple Annie 5K is a charity race benefiting Joy’s House and the
Children’s Advocacy Center of Athens/Limestone County. After the
5K we will have a 1 Mile Fun Run for kids of all ages! We will have
a Family Fun Zone with games, face painting, food, music, and a
hot air balloon! Awards will be given for the race and for the most
spirited Apple Annie runner. Early registration $25.00 until October
17th. Late registration is $35.00. Kids registration for 1 miles Scary
Scurry will be $10.00 includes prize. There will be a fun zone wiht hot
air balloon, bounce houses and more. Costumes encouraged. http://
www.active.com/athens-al/running/distance-running-races/appleannie-monster-dash-5k-and-1-mile-scary-scurry-2015?int=
Alabama Veterans Museum Golf Tournament
Nov 6th
Canebrake Golf Course. Founders Circle Athens, AL. Join
the Alabama Veterans Museum and Canebrake Club HOAS for
a 4-person Scramble Golf Tournament. Shotgun start: Flight 1
8:00AM; Flight 2 1:00PM. Foursome Team $500.00; Foursome
+ Mulligan Pack $600.00. Cost includes lunch, range balls, door
prizes, t-shirt and prizes for teams, longest drive, closest to the
pin. To register or more information: 256-771-7578.
www.athensnowal.com
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Page 7
The View From The Bridge
Be The Voice That Our Children
Do Not Have. Silence Stills!
Jackie Warner
Community Outreach
“Impact, Engage, Grow”
Community Matters
by Jackie Warner
Shall I remind you of the
time that you saw it happening, but you did not
say a word? You thought
to yourself how awful and
terrible the situation must
be, but you just walked
away. The next time you
saw me, you said to a
friend “Someone should
do something about this,”
and then continued with
your day.
I am here and not by my
personal choice but deserve to be treated with
love and kindness. I do
not ask for this pain that I
often endure. You see me,
the way I look and the actions taken around me. Although I have not words
to articulate what’s happening to me, your voice
I continually seek! Be the
voice that our children do
not have!
Every day in this country, 1,900 children become victims of abuse or
neglect, and four of them
will die.
The Excuses:
•It won’t make a difference what I have to say.
If you have a gut feeling
that something is wrong,
it is better to be safe than
sorry. Even if you don’t
see the whole picture, others may have noticed as
well, and a pattern can
help identify child abuse
and neglect that might
have otherwise slipped
through the cracks.
•I don’t want to interfere
in someone else’s family.
The effects on a child are
lifelong, affecting future
relationships, self-esteem,
Page 8
and sadly putting even
more children at risk of
abuse as the cycle continues. Break the Cycle.
•What if I break up
someone’s home? The
priority in child protective
services is keeping children in the home. A child
abuse/neglect report does
not mean a child is automatically removed from
the home—unless the
child is clearly in danger.
Support such as parenting
classes, anger management or other resources
may be offered first to
parents if it is safe for the
child.
•They will know it was
me who called. Reporting is anonymous. In most
places, you do not have to
give your name when you
report child abuse. The
child abuser cannot find
out who made the report
of child abuse. Contact
your local Department of
Human Resources.
Behold, children are a
gift of the LORD Psalms
127:3
Reporting child abuse can
bring up a lot of difficult
emotions and uncertain-
www.athensnowal.com
ty. You may ask yourself
if you’re doing the right
thing, or question if your
voice will even be heard.
Here is a suggestion for
communicating effectively in difficult situations:
Try to be as specific as
you can. For example,
instead of saying, “The
parents are not dressing
their children right,” say
something like, “I saw
the child running outside
three times last week in
subzero weather without a
jacket or hat. However, remember that it is not your
job to “prove” abuse or
neglect. If suspicions are
all you have, you should
report those as well.
Source: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/
child-abuse-and-neglect.
htm#helping
Until Next Time, Be
Sincere, Kind and
Intentional
Jackie Warner, Community
Outreach Specialist
Email:
[email protected]
Check out upcoming events:
Website: http://thebridge-us.
yolasite.com/
www.athensnowal.com
Page 9
From the Alabama Veterans’ Museum
The Museum And Matching Funds
by Sandra Thompson, Director, Alabama Veterans’ Museum
2015 through December
31, 2015. I consider Limestone County as my roots
and enjoy the chance to
give back. Any funds that
are collected as donations
from the community, we
will match up to $100,000
.Whatever the amount is,
we would like it made in the
names of Vicki Bedingfield
and Lerman Gey. We hope
this inspires and excites its
members and community…
Patriotically yours, Wayne
and Sharon Gey.”
The Alabama Veterans
Museum was formed to
create, maintain and operate an institution to honor
and perpetuate the memories of all men and women
who have served in the
Armed Forces of the United States of America. We
are the number one attraction in Limestone County,
and an active member of
the community.
Each year the museum
hosts school tours, veterans’ group meetings, commemorative events and
special programs. The role
of our museum is not only
to entertain, but to educate.
We want to convey the incredible sacrifices and intensity of a world at war.
Those who tour our facility learn a valuable history
lesson in that our freedom
is not free; it was bought
by the men and women of
this country and others,
many of whom paid the
supreme sacrifice.
We have been offered a
unique fundraising opportunity. Any donations made
to the museum between 1
September, 2015 and 31
December, 2015 will be
matched up to $100,000!
The following is an excerpt
from the letter we received
with this generous offer:
”Throughout the years we
have listened to your stories
and love of the museum and
the people you worked with.
Sharon and I appreciate
your support, participation
and hard work you did for
our veterans. So in the name
of patriotism, we would like
to challenge the museum
and its members to raise
funds between September
This money will be used
to ensure the museum continues to serve our community. This would be a
great time to make your tax
deductible
contribution.
Please contact the museum
at 256-771-7578 for any
questions you may have
concerning this program.
It is coming down to the
wire on our “Threads of
Honor” quilt fundraiser!
We still have a limited
number of rays that may be
purchased for $25.00. Marlene Isom and her quilters
are working diligently to
ensure that it is completed
for the great unveiling on
Veterans Day, November
11th. The unveiling will
be held at the museum at
11:30, the public is invited
to join us for this special
occasion.
Also in honor of Veterans
Day, we will be partnering
with Canebrake Club HOA
for our first Golf Tournament! The tournament will
be held at the Canebrake
Club on Friday, 6 November, 2015. Foursome Team:
$500.00, Foursome + Mulligan Pack: $600.00. Sponsorships available. Contact
the museum or Canebrake
HOA for more information.
Page 10
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Page 11
Clean and Green
It’s All About Education
by Lynne Hart
things that she and her tree
friends do for this planet.
The staff and volunteers of
KALB have just finished a
very busy time -- fundraising season. We appreciate all who participated
in our Duck and Run 5K
and the Wacky Quacky
Ducky Derby to help us
raise funds. The income
from these events allow
us to continue our education objectives throughout
the year.
Every project we lead,
every program we make
available, and every community effort we get involved in is for the purpose
of education. We have the
most fun engaging children
in critical thinking and getting them excited about
learning.
When we give away tree
seedlings, it is a perfect opportunity to share why trees
are so very important to every living thing on this planet. Our Talking Tree loves to
visit the youngest students,
sharing with them all the
When we gather volunteers
to clean up the Elk River
Canoe & Kayak Trail, we
share information on why
are sworn in and given ID
cards. Similar programs are
available to older students,
minus the mascot.
Our Recycling Center is prepared to accommodate student and adult groups
who would like to tour
the facility. With a brand
new gathering room, information sharing will
be greatly enhanced.
When we spend hours
on end planning for
our Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO, it is to give
students and adults opWheels brought a travelling
classroom and shared information about rain barrels
and water conservation.
we should care about the
cleanliness of our waterways. The majority of
trash in our river starts out
on land miles away from
the rivers and streams and
the action or inaction of
people is the cause.
Our mascot, Sparky,
shares his love of cleanliness and litter-free communities with young
students. Children are invited to become Student
Litter Patrol Officers and
portunities for hands-on activities that will bring them
a better understanding of human impact on our natural
world. Last spring, we developed a program for the classroom that was an introduction to Earth Day. Programs
included Land Formations,
Products from Recycling,
Geological Features, and
Food Chains and Webs. Students also had an opportunity
to create recycled invitations
to the Earth Day & Outdoor
EXPO to give to family and
friends.
Our community garden at the
Farmer’s Market became a
great learning experience this
Page 12
www.athensnowal.com
summer as we teamed up with
the Truancy Intervention Program and Athens State University. Students and parents
who were ordered to do community service helped water,
weed, and cultivate the gardens as well as build raised
beds and wash market stalls.
A representative from Water
In November, we will have
another opportunity to educate. Every year, KALB
staff members join the 4-H
Agent Assistant responsible
for Youth Development in
Limestone County. KALB
staff members and volunteers will attend all 5th and
6th grade 4-H club meetings as the guest presenter.
Recycling will be the topic,
bringing attention to the
fact that November 15th is
America Recycles Day.
KALB welcomes requests
for adult or student presentations. We have programs
appropriate for pre-school
students through adult. Just
give us a call and we’ll be
happy to discuss available
Become a Fan
(256) 233-8728
[email protected]
www.KALBCares.com
Cooking with Cindy
Happy Fall Y’all!
by Cindy Bridges, owner of Cindy Lou’s Deli
The weather is starting to cool down but the days are still warm, so
maybe this recipe isn’t too late for the season. Grilled Chicken Salad is
very popular at Cindy Lou’s Deli and I thought I would share it with
you stuffed in a ripe tomato.
The amounts are approximate (I apologize for that), since I don’t
necessarily measure for this recipe. In the end, you want the salad wet
rather than dry, since the chicken will absorb some of the mayonnaise.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my customers enjoy eating it.
Grilled Chicken Salad
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 – 2 ribs celery, trimmed, washed and chopped
¼ - ½ lbs., red seedless grapes, halved
1 c. Walnut halves, roughly broken up
1 ¾ - 2 c. mayonnaise
salt and pepper, to taste
Method of Procedure
1. Preheat grill to medium direct heat.
2. Salt and pepper chicken. Grill chicken until 165 degrees
internal temperature. Let cool. Dice chicken into bite size
pieces.
3. Chop celery into manageable pieces. It may be necessary
to cut celery ribs length way into 2 or 3 pieces. Add to
diced chicken.
4. Wash and drain grapes, cut in half. Add to diced
chicken mixture.
5. Roughly break walnut halves into pieces big enough to
taste in the salad.
6. Add mayonnaise a little at a time to the consistency
desired.
7. Cut top off tomatoes and hollow out. Remove a scant
slice from the bottom of the tomato to keep it level. Fill
tomato with chicken salad and place on a bed of lettuce.
Crackers are optional.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to
email me at [email protected].
www.athensnowal.com
Page 13
Health and Fitness
Fiber
by Janet Hunt
Janet Hunt is a Certified Personal Trainer and can be reached at 256-614-3530 to schedule an appointment.
Eating healthy may improve your health and
lower your need for prescription drugs. Dietary
fiber is a component in
plant based foods that is
linked to a wide range
of improved health outcomes, including lower
cholesterol, better blood
sugar
regulation,
improved intestinal health,
greater satiety (feeling of
fullness), and lower rates
of certain types of cancer.
Fiber is found naturally
in plant foods that should
comprise the greater part
of a healthy diet.
The typical American diet
includes only about half
of the daily recommended
amount of fiber, primarily due to the amount of
processed foods we eat. A
good rule of thumb is to
aim for 30 grams of fiber
per day in your diet; and
here are five great fiber
sources.
Legumes
Legumes are a class of
vegetables that include
beans, peas, and lentils.
They are some of the most
versatile and nutritious
foods available. Legumes
are typically low in fat,
contain no cholesterol,
and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They also contain
soluble and insoluble fiber. Because they are a
Page 14
large pear has 7 grams of
fiber, while a large Asian
pear contains 10 grams.
Stick with fresh pears because canned pears usually have added sugars and
less fiber (because fiber
degrades over time and is
generally lost during the
canning process).
Peas
good source of protein,
legumes can be a healthy
substitute for meat, which
has more fat and cholesterol.
Canned beans are affordable and a convenient way
to get your legumes. Try
subbing pinto beans for
meat in your next batch of
chili (or add less meat and
more beans), add black
beans to your burritos or
canned beans to your salads, or whip up a batch
of lentil soup. If you’re
concerned about sodium,
rinse the beans under running water first. This will
eliminate about 30 percent
of the sodium. The fiber in
legumes ranges from 5 to
8 grams per half-cup serving.
Berries
While fruits and vegetables both contain fiber,
fruit generally has more
fiber per serving than do
vegetables. One cup of
berries, for example, contains 4 to 10 grams of fiber (about twice that of an
apple). Blackberries and
raspberries have 8 grams
fiber per cup, while elderberries top the chart with
10 grams per 1-cup serving.
roles or baked goods. One
ounce of wheat bran and
oat bran yields 12 grams
of fiber, whereas raw corn
bran packs 22 grams of fiber per ounce.
Pears
Many fruits contain 2 to 3
grams of fiber per serving,
but pears contain two to
three times that much. A
Peas are one of the few
members of the legume
family that are commonly
sold and cooked as fresh
vegetables.
Black-eyed
peas pack 6 grams of fiber per half-cup, and even
green-pea powder is popping up with 4 grams fiber
and 4 grams protein per 1
½-tablespoon serving.
To check out the fiber
content of some of your
favorite foods, visit the
USDA Nutrient Database
website at http://ndb.nal.
usda.gov/ndb/search. For
more help with a healthy
nutritious diet, talk to a
registered dietician or a
certified Health Coach.
Bran
There are many different
types of grains that contain bran. Oat bran, for
example, contains soluble
fiber, which helps lower
bad cholesterol levels. The
bran found in corn, wheat
and rice is largely insoluble fiber, which can help
fight constipation. Highfiber cereals often include
bran in their ingredients.
Or if you don’t eat cereal,
sprinkle bran on fruit and
yogurt or add into casse-
www.athensnowal.com
Cover Story
Riff Raff Home Decor: Old Spot, New Look,
Wonderfully Made Pieces, And Exceptional
Customer Service
continued from page 1
25 years as part of the family
business that is Champion
Chevrolet, claimed one of those
shops as his own, decided to do
something that had never been
done, and that was to open a
furniture store with an entirely
unique product line. Its name
is unusual, too, and that is Riff
Raff Home Décor.
Now, this is not your garden
variety, assembly line produced
furniture store; these pieces
are made of solid mahogany,
teak and pine, (no press board),
and the only veneer is on
the underside of some of the
drawers. They are manufactured
by Bramble, which has been
around for about 20 years, and
are imported from Indonesia.
The selection is from traditional
to shabby chic, the pieces are
hand painted or stained, handdistressed to order, and could
be seen as a prominent feature
in any upscale decorating
magazine. The drawers glide
out smoothly, the doors meet
each other and don’t have to
be pried open, the quality
is unmistakable, (both in
appearance and function,) and
the price is moderate. To me,
the proof of whether or not a
shop’s product is loved by the
proprietor is whether it is used
in the home. Joel told me that
if he could, he would have his
whole house furnished “au
Bramble.” He has included a
couple of pictures from his own
Indonesia have insurance, safe
work environments, and could
never be called “sweatshops.”
If you find a piece that you like
in the catalogue that is not in
the store, Joel will go to Atlanta
to pick it up for you, and often
it will be in your home in just
a few days. I asked him about
how he came up with the name
“Riff Raff” for the store. He
grinned and said, “I’ve played
guitar all my life, and I named it
after the AC/DC song from the
‘70s. It makes people curious.”
If you are “curious” (and then
some) about a beautiful new
line of furniture for which Riff
home of how perfect “Bramble”
looks at his place.
When Joel decided he was going
to open another retail shop,
(having been the successful
co-owner of the kids’ shop
Grasshopper on the Square with
his wife, Sharma,) he wasn’t
sure what he was going to do.
He wanted the product to look
great in the old, exposed brick
wall and tin roof ceilinged shop
space, wanted something no
one else was doing, and went
hunting in Tupelo, MS, at the
huge market there. He went
through building after building,
and just before closing,
he found “it.” Joel and
Bramble were a match
made in heaven, and
his enthusiasm for
what he is doing is
contagious. You can
tell he loves what he
is learning, what he is
doing, and the customers can tell
he is a happy business owner
because of the level of customer
care that he offers.
I have watched him personally
offer to bring a couple of pieces
to the client’s home so that
they can see how they look
in their intended space. He is
www.athensnowal.com
quick to let customers
know that they have 50
paint colors to choose
from, and 10 different
stains. They can have
something that has a
pristine surface, slightly
distressed, or what is
known as “extremely
distressed.” They can
be painted only, stained
only, or a combination
of the two. The furniture
boasts dove tail joints, and is
definitely heirloom quality.
“This is something you can hand
down to your kids,” Joel said,
and I agree. He also told me
that the Bramble Corporation
plants a tree for every piece
of furniture they produce.
In addition, their workers in
Raff is the exclusive distributor
in our area, you need to come
see it. And, if you want to shop
at a family run business that
is committed to exceeding the
expectations of their clients,
then Joel and his niece Kennedy
are waiting for you!
Riff Raff
Home Decor
107 E. Market St
Athens, AL 35611
Phone: 256-278-1977
Hours: Mon-Sat 10-4
www.riffraffhome
decor.com
Facebook: Riff Raff
Home Décor
Page 15
Page 16
www.athensnowal.com
Cover Story
Owl Creek Boutique: Where
Everything Is ‘Hand Done By Heart’
continued from page 1
“being from everywhere,”
but she graduated from
Bob Jones High School
in Madison, and her husband, Rip, graduated from
Ardmore High. Limestone
County is home, and Alisa has goals for Elkmont,
which I’ll talk about in a
bit. Her shop, Owl Creek
Boutique, is right across
from Belle Chevre, and she
represented the shop at last
weekend’s Southern Reinvention/ Running with the
Goats at the Creamery.
Alisa has three passions:
interior decorating and repurposing furniture, photography, and real estate.
She took the photos for
my new head shot for the
Publisher’s Point column,
and as a result I am a raving fan. She is also going
to paint one of my favorite
bookcases, and I was impressed by the questions
she asked me in order to
make sure I got exactly
what I want. Her ideas are
endless, and in the short
time she has been at 18820
Upper Fort Hampton Road
in Elkmont, she has assembled a team of 13 vendors
and artisans who have their
displays throughout the
store.
There is a baby room,
that has furniture, accessories, nursery décor, and
the room will also serve
as the photography studio.
I can say from experience
that the rocking chairs are
comfy, and the room is
dear and inviting. One vendor crochets baby blankets
and booties. Alisa crochets
scarves, baby hats, headbands and pacifier clips.
There will be baby cloth-
have a display of essential oils. Alisa’s sister-inlaw, Lisa Rives is going to
feature women’s clothing.
Most of it is going to be
ethnic, with the option to
have it customized with
embroidery.
ing arriving soon, and like
everything else in the store,
will have its own personal
flair.
While it’s true that these
days re-purposing furniture
is all the rage, and no one
would have ever dreamed
that pallet furniture would
become the hot item for
several years in a row, one
of the most unique items
in the store is a wine rack
made from a pallet. Alisa
was interested in having
Alisa told me that she has
a vision for the continued
revival of downtown Elkmont. Her personal goal
is to have official Department of Transportation
signs placed on the side of
the road on I-65 that mention the unusual shops
that can be found in a
truly charming town.
We talked about the
potential that Elkmont has to become
the next Sausalito or
Monterrey, and Alisa,
Rip and their family
are planning to be a
part of that for many
years to come.
copies of Athens Now on
display in the shop, and we
brainstormed for awhile as
to what would be a clever
way to make them eyecatching and readily available to patrons. “I’ll take
care of it,” she said, and
my hunch is that she will
have one of the vendors
design something that will
be a perfect rack for the
paper. If recent history is
any indicator, I am sure her
idea will be just right.
Regarding furniture, Alisa
says, “We will refinish everyone’s stuff.” She has a
real knack for finding well
made pieces, as well as
re-purposing them. For example, a pet bed was made
out of a square drawer, with
4 feet on the bottom, and a
A bureau was painted a
warm chocolate brown,
with beige for the accent
tones, and then a flock
of birds in both colors painted on the front
of the drawers. It was
charming, and I think in
a way Alisa will be sad
to see it go.
square pillow for the pooch
or pussycat to rest in comfort. A large cable table
was stained and used for
2 layers of display space.
www.athensnowal.com
There is custom made
jewelry, featuring oneof-a-kind pieces, and
there is also string art
in painted frames. One
vendor makes handmade
cards, one does water
colors, and a third paints
in acrylics. Another makes
body care products, and like
the others, the items are all
handmade. Alisa will also
Come and explore
Owl Creek Boutique,
and let Alisa and her
vendors help you find
just the right gift item,
jewelry or furniture
for your home. You’ll find
that she will make sure you
find exactly what you are
looking for, and at prices
that are more than fair.
Owl Creek
Boutique
18820 Upper Fort
Hampton Road,
Elkmont, AL 35620
(Across from Belle Chevre)
256-682-4742
Hours: Wed-Fri 10-5,
Sat 9-6
Facebook:
Owl Creek Boutique
www.owlcreek
boutique.com
Page 17
Learning As A Lifestyle
The Center Of Everything
by Leisl Stanford
Center for Lifelong Learning - 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 - 256-233-8262
Sometimes in life, you
jump feet first into a new
adventure. The whole
“door closes, window
opens thing.” Ok, maybe
it is more a leap of faith.
That is what has recently
happened to me. As of
February of this year, I
have had the good fortune
of working for the Center
for Lifelong Learning.
I just knew this was the
place for me. Can you
say “dream job?” I can!
Not everyone gets to go
to work and enrich their
minds, celebrate life’s
milestones and travel.
Plus, I got to go back to
my roots of graphic design and marketing with a
little photography thrown
in for fun. Every day is
different, every day is an
Page 18
adventure.
Speaking of being adventurous, Wanda Campbell,
Assistant Director at the
Center (and your regular columnist) asked if I
would like to give writing
a try. “Sure,” I said. “I got
this. Well, I hope I got this.
I am going to give it a try.
I might go down in flames
but this could be fun.”
For those of you who know
me I am really good at
talking. I talk a lot. I usually talk about the things I
am most passionate about
- my family, my dogs,
my job, anything ‘80s and
right now planning for the
holidays.
Which brings me to the
parties and events we have
planned here at the Center.
Yes, you read that cor-
rectly, I get to attend parties and concerts as part of
my job description! Just
recently we hosted a baby
shower, a bridal shower,
a sweet sixteen party and
a wedding reception. We
just wrapped up Fridays
after 5, and soon, we will
be having a wedding here.
Holiday parties are next on
the agenda. We have several already booked, but
we have some great dates
left on the calendar. Interested in having your party
here? Our original hardwood floors and tin ceilings make for a wonderful
backdrop for your holiday
event. Call me at 256-2338264; I would love for you
to tour the Center.
Speaking
of
holiday
events, mark your calen-
www.athensnowal.com
dar now for Christmas
Open House – Saturday,
November 21st and Sunday, November 22nd. The
Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce and
Spirit of Athens has made
special arrangements for
Santa to be at the Center
again this year. But wait
that is not all! This year
you can also shop while
visiting Santa. Retail therapy and the Jolly Ole Elf
can both be found all in
one place.
How is that possible? This
year the Chamber and
Spirit of Athens introduces
the MERRY MARKET!
For those businesses without a brick and mortar, we
have a place for you. Merry Market is the perfect
option for home-based
businesses! We will have
table space available at
the Center for Lifelong
Learning right next to
Santa. The deadline for
Merry Market is October 23, 2015. Contact the
Chamber at 233-2600 for
more information and to
reserve your space today.
I have one last thing you
will need to mark on your
calendar for the holiday
season. The Committed
Holiday Concert – December 6, 2015 at McCandless Hall at 7:00
p.m. This a cappella singing group from Huntsville was NBC’s “The
Sing Off” season 2 champions. Reserve seating
only for $15. Tickets go
on sale Monday, October
12th at the Center.
Athens Rehabilitation And Senior Care
Center Spotlight On
Dr. Shawky Tadros
Shawky Tadros was born 85
years ago in Egypt, and has
lived one heck of an interesting life. He got out of the
Middle East as it became unstable in the 1970s, and went
to Germany to get his Ph.D.
in Chemistry. He taught
there for awhile, and came
to the United States, where
he was a chemistry prof at
Alabama A & M until 1992.
He said with enthusiasm, “I
wanted to come to Ameri-
ca because it is the best!” I
think that sometimes people
who choose our country as
their own, and go through
the sometimes daunting process of becoming naturalized
citizens actually love America more. At least, that seems
to be the case with Shawky,
who became a U.S. citizen in
1985.
“wife had a one night stand.
I didn’t like it,” he told me.
They divorced, and then for
many years he had a girlfriend. They had one child,
Alexander, who is 47. Alexander has a wife and two
children, all of whom live in
Munich, Germany. I didn’t
ask what happened with the
girlfriend.
Life has had its share of
bumps, though. He was married for 16 years, and his
Shawky loves all kinds of
chemistry: applied, organic,
and especially food chemis-
try. Since coming to Athens
Rehab and Senior Care, he
did comparative research on
the number of grams of protein contained in pinto beans
versus kidney beans, and
turned in his findings to the
staff. It turns out that kidney
beans have more protein, and
they are also his favorite. The
kitchen has listened to his
request, and he said, “Some
people here have been poor,
and they need that extra protein!”
He is most comfortable with
a computer, uses “Google” as
a verb, and while he may be
in a wheelchair, he’s as sharp
as can be, and cracks jokes
constantly with the staff. He
has two favorite staff members, Amanda and Holly. He
also loves it at Athens Rehab.
He has been other places, and
says, “It’s very nice here.”
We moved on to the subject
of favorites.
Favorite color? “Amethyst.”
Not purple, mind you, amethyst.
Favorite food? As mentioned
above, kidney beans.
Favorite book, next to the
Bible? The college textbook
www.athensnowal.com
entitled “Food Chemistry.”
Favorite movie? “The Sound
of Music,” he said with delight.
Favorite scripture? Ephesians 5:29, No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even
as the Lord the church. “Take
care of people,” he said.
Shawky is a Coptic Christian, and proudly showed me
a flow chart he had made of
the Old and New Testament.
Favorite President? “Jimmy
Carter.”
Advice to young people? He
had quite a bit to say. “Have
a hobby. Have your friends
be from the same religion.
Don’t worry about mistakes
that have been made, but
look to the future. Attend
church and do Bible study
every day. Do different activities every day. Don’t smoke,
and don’t make friends with
smokers.”
And there you have it! Words
of wisdom from Dr. Shawky
Tadros, proud EgyptianAmerican, retired Chemistry
professor, and happy resident
of Athens Rehab and Senior
Care.
Page 19
Horse Whispering
Future Generations
by Deb Kitchenmaster
“What lies behind us and
what lies before us are tiny
matters compared to what
lies within us.” Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Another grandchild! A granddaughter! Miss Emma is here!
We are grateful and rejoicing.
This October writing, in celebration of Emma, is about
our young/little people in our
lives. If Emma expresses an
interest in horses, I will be
there for her. These are some
of things I would instruct her
in as she hangs out with horses.
The Latin name for horse is
Equus. This name comes from
the word “equine,” which
mean something to do with a
horse. The Greek names for
horse is Hippos: “hippocampus,” the sea horse; “hippopotamus,” the river horse, and
also “hippophile,” the lover
of horses. Signs of a “hippophile” would be someone who
dreams about horses, wishes
for a horse, has fun simply
watching horses, wants to
make friends with horses,
enjoys petting horses, and
is seen hugging horses from
time to time, and identifies
with an ache to ride a horse!
The horse’s body can be divided into three parts: the
forehand, the barrel, and the
hindquarters. The left side
is called the near side and
the right side the off side. A
horse’s height is measured
from the ground to the highest point of its backbone,
“withers.” All horses are
measured in hands; one
hand equals four inches. Any
horse measuring fourteen
hands, two inches, or less is
known as a pony.
loudly, is not a good idea. If
you need to approach your
horse from the rear, use your
voice to let your horse know
that you are coming. Otherwise, the horse, in its own
defense, might kick first and
then turn its head to look.
The eyes of a horse are large,
bright and set far apart. The
horse has to turn its head
in order to see behind him.
The ears of the horse can
move separately, forward
and backward. The ears of a
horse can reveal the horse’s
state of mind. When both
ears are forward-the horse is
cheerful, interested and alert.
When the ears move backward and forwardthe horse is alert and
listening for your
voice. When both
ears go back, watch
out! The horse is displeased. This is like
your frown. When
the ears go back, try
to find the reason for
the horse’s anger or
irritation. Be careful
around the horse’s
teeth and heels when
the ears are pinned
back!
Little people (bigger people
also) like to give treats like
peppermints, carrots, or apples, but don’t give treats to
a horse that has a bit in its
mouth. It’s difficult for the
horse to chew. Wait until
the work is done to reward
your horse. When you give a
horse a treat, place the “goodie” on the flat of your palm
with fingers extended. If your
fingers are curled, the horse
might accidently nip your fingertips.
Horses have sensitive or ticklish spots just like people.
Horses cannot say “stop it,”
so they nip or kick to show
their annoyance. Be careful
around those “ticklish” spots
when grooming or saddling.
The horse’s foot is
called a hoof. All
they carry their tail high
(flagged).
domestic horses need
the attention of a good
farrier between every
five to eight weeks. The
farrier trims the new
growth off of each hoof.
It is not painful, since
the outside of the hoof
has no more feeling
than your fingernail.
A horse uses its tail in
the summertime to keep
its body brushed free of
flies. When a horse is
feeling lively and frisky
Page 20
www.athensnowal.com
Horses like to be patted and
talked to. The best place is on
the horse’s neck or shoulder.
Pat is different than “slap.”
Put your heart in your hand
and touch the horse. If you
are touching your horse on its
head, keep your hand below
the eyes.
When you approach your
horse, come to the front where
the horse can easily see you.
Speak to your horse in a gentle, reassuring voice. Running
towards a horse, shouting
That’s where I would start
with someone who hasn’t
been around horses but wants
to.
“Leadership is automatically transferred to those who
remain optimistic.” - Mark
Virkler.
I would model that, not just
quote it.
“Future generation,” we are
here for you!
Your NEIGHbor,
Deb Kitchenmaster
Corral Connections
www.corralconnections.com
‘A church of great heart’
256-426-7947
Animal B.E.S.T. practitioner
[email protected]
What Makes Ronnie Roll
What It Means To Be A Cop In
Athens-Limestone County
Anyone who has watched
the news in the last year
knows that our nation has
been unfortunately embroiled in multiple controversies regarding the
relationship between law
enforcement and their respective communities.
When I arrived for our bimonthly interview, Mayor
Ronnie asked me if I had
seen the recent Time magazine cover story entitled,
What It’s Like To Be A Cop
In America. I had seen it,
I had not read it, and he
made me a copy. We have
talked often about the
fact that in any city, large
or small, the number one
priority, always, is public
safety. Without that, nothing else matters. The Time
article was extensive in
scope, long term in observation, and eminently fair.
In Athens, most citizens,
and certainly those involved in law enforcement, believe that “all
lives matter,” and not just
one people group. Nonetheless, there has been a
concerted effort on the part
of law enforcement and
city government to make
sure that this is not just a
slogan. It is also important
for all residents of AthensLimestone County to know
what is being done to make
sure that all citizens are
protected, everyone receives equal treatment, and
all people feel safe. Mayor
Ronnie talked about the
candlelight vigil that was
held in Big Spring Park to
raise awareness of domestic violence, and that Limestone County Sheriff’s
Dept new Public Affairs
Officer Steve Young told
the group about a woman
getting killed on his watch
in Louisiana, and how it
affected him.
“Basically, we are in good
shape,” Mayor Ronnie told
me, “but all it takes is one
thing to go wrong, and that
can change in a minute,”
he said. He was proud of
Athens City Police Chief
Floyd Johnson’s efforts to
get out in the community,
get with the people, hear
their concerns, and tell
them what is being done
to improve service. Mayor Ronnie tied those
efforts to the newest
season of the Mayor’s
Youth
Commission,
which is just getting
started. “The priority of
public safety grows as
you are around young
people,” he said. He
then added, “They have
got to know that we are
here to help,” he said.
me to Chief Johnson’s office to get more information on what the police department is doing, and my
time with him was indeed
blessed. He is making a
point of having community meetings throughout
our area. Sometimes it has
been at churches such as
Sweet Home, and sometimes in places other than
churches. People are free
to ask him any and all
questions, and he is free
to educate people from the
perspective of what police
officers face in the line of
duty. All the way around,
this has been a good move,
and it is going to continue.
One of the technological
advances that has made
law enforcement improve
has been the implementation of “body cams,” or
body cameras. They record
a police officer’s complete
Mayor Marks then sent
interaction with a citizen,
and, as the saying goes,
“You can run, but you can’t
hide.” What warmed my
heart is that Chief Johnson
makes a point of watching
the “tape” of at least two
body cams per day, and
gets back to the officer,
regarding where they did
well, and where they could
improve.
Of course, the down side
of body cams is the potential for the invasion of
privacy, however, the upside is that it protects both
the citizen as well as the
officer, and that’s a good
thing. I reported back to
Mayor Ronnie, told him
what I learned, and then
it was time for him to roll,
but not before we prayed.
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Page 21
Medical Update
What’s Your Gut Tell You?
by Rachel Clark, RN, BSN
“All disease begins in the
gut.”-Hippocrates
Hippocrates was a classical Greek scholar born in
460 B.C. His wisdom is
over 2,000 years old, but
has stood the test of time.
He has become one of the
most outstanding contributors to medicine, and is
even counted the “Father
of Western Medicine.”
In fact, every doctor who
graduates from medical
school takes the Hippocratic Oath, one of the
oldest binding codes of
ethics that exists.
This quote on the relationship between disease and gut health isn’t
just a nice saying. It is
backed up by science.
It is thought that three
quarters of our immune
system resides in the gut,
with over 500 different
species of bacteria that
live there. The number
of microorganisms present in the gut alone is 10
times the number of cells
in the entire human body.
Research now suggests
that this is not merely a
peaceful co-existence, but
more of a mutual relationship. Without a healthy
immune system, you are
susceptible to all kinds of
disease, thus the reason
Hippocrates said, “Disease begins in the gut.”
In modern times, we
have severely harmed the
health of our guts. Between overuse of antibiotics, sanitizing EVERYTHING, a lack of proper
nutrition, eating highly
processed foods and sugars, we have effectively
destroyed gut bacteria.
Old World, or traditional
diets around the globe include the use of raw and
fermented foods that are
Page 22
full of bacteria. These cultures aren’t afraid of it;
they understand its beneficial relationship with their
gut.
We are born with completely sterile digestive
tracts because while in
utero, we have no need to
break down nutrients since
our mother is doing that
boost immunity.
Unfortunately, we don’t do
a very good job at this anymore. We clean with bleach
and make our worlds sterile. We eat too much sugar, starch, and processed
foods, which alter the balance in the gut, leading to
all kinds of problems with
the integrity of its lining.
•Avoid overuse of harsh
cleaning chemicals
•Adequate self care to reduce the amount of stress
on the body that is the
result of a lack of sleep,
overexertion, etc.
How to Boost Probiotic
Balance:
•Cut down on sugars,
grains, starches, and veg-
for us. We become colonized with various strains
of bacteria (good and bad!)
from our mothers during
the rather messy but necessary process of vaginal
birth. Breastfeeding also
supports this process in
infancy, due to strains of
immune-boosting bacteria
found only in breast milk,
and provides a balance.
This is not to say babies
who are born via c-section
and/or are formula fed
have no hope from the beginning. These babies just
need a little extra help with
supplementing what they
didn’t get through vaginal
birth and/or breastfeeding.
Also, toddlers put everything in their mouths (dirt
included), which helps
build up the relationship of
good bacteria in the gut if
given proper resources for
it to flourish, and thereby
This in turn allows the
harmful bacteria to get into
our bloodstream and deposit toxins throughout our
cells and tissues. Problems
with poor gut health have
been linked to Irritable
Bowel Syndrome (IBS),
Chron’s disease, Celiac
disease, colitis, allergies,
and even some mental illnesses.
Preventing a problem is
always easier than treating
it once we have it. Below
you will find some tips to
prevent the depletion of the
good bacteria in your gut,
and ways to increase the
balance if you haven’t been
so proactive in the past.
Ways to Prevent Good
Bacteria Depletion:
•Careful use of antibiotics and other prescription
drugs
•Limiting use of antibacterial soaps
etable oils. These things
quickly destroy good bacteria, suppress the immune
system, and can lead to a
plethora of health problems.
•Eat real food. Fruits, vegetables, protein and fats
help support the beneficial
bacteria. Certain bacteria
are needed to help break
down fiber from fruits and
vegetables, and support the
body to culture more of the
same.
•Consume fermented foods
and drinks. Sauerkraut,
kombucha (a fermented
tea), kimchi (a spicy Korean form of sauerkraut), fermented salsa, kefir (a fermented milk drink), yogurt
and naturally aged cheeses
are all good sources of
foods with naturally occurring probiotics that help
build beneficial bacteria in
the gut.
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•Natural soaps and water
instead of antibacterial.
Antibacterial soaps are
now thought to be a part
of the problem with drug
resistant bacterial infections like MRSA and C.
diff. Instead, use good
quality natural soaps like
Bronner’s or goat milk
soap.
•Begin gardening. A little
dirt won’t hurt you! In
fact, it’s good for you.
You will get your Vitamin
D from the sun, probiotics
from the dirt (bacteria can
enter through your skin),
and you are growing your
own food and/or flowers.
What’s to lose?
•Take antibiotics only
when absolutely necessary. While there certainly are times when antibiotics are needed, many
illnesses can be left to
run their course, like the
stomach bug, colds, or
ear infections. Antibiotics don’t just target harmful bacteria, they also kill
all the good stuff. In addition, antibiotics don’t
work on viruses, only on
bacterial infections.
•Take a probiotic supplement. This should be
done in conjunction with
a change in your diet,
otherwise you are just
throwing your money
away. Make a few simple
changes, one at a time,
and consider supplementing your new habits with
a probiotic source other
than foods or drinks. It is
also a good idea to help
replenish your gut after
a round of antibiotics by
adding the supplementation of oral probiotics in
addition to the fermented
sources already in your
diet.
Fitness, Fiscally Speaking
Does A Stay-At-Home Spouse
Need Life Insurance?
by Wayne Kuykendall, content courtesy of AXA Advisors
Absolutely. While a nonemployed spouse might
not bring home a literal
paycheck, he or she is
most likely still working hard, especially if
you have children. Most
stay-at-home parents are
on the go from dawn till
dusk: cooking, cleaning,
paying bills, running errands, taking the kids to
and from activities, making home repairs, helping
with homework and other
minor crises.
Consider how much a
stay-at-home parent does
in the course of a day –
and how much it might
cost to pay someone else
to do those jobs.
According to www.salary.
com, a stay-at-home parent works an average of
96.5 hours a week do the
the jobs of:
•Nanny
•Tutor
•Handyperson
•Chauffeur
•Gardener
•Psychologist
•Cook
•Nurse
•Housekeeper
•Bookkeeper
If you paid for all of those
services, you’d have to
shell out $118,905 a year
– that’s $38,126 in base
salary and $80,779 in overtime.
While nothing can replace
a parent and spouse emotionally, it’s wise to protect against the financial
hardship that the loss of a
stay-at-home spouse could
bring. One of the best ways
to do that is by purchasing
life insurance.
Term life insurance is one of
the most affordable kinds of
life insurance available, and
can be purchased for a period of time (like while your
kids are still in school or until the mortgage is paid off).
Not sure how much life insurance to purchase?
Contact your financial professional to review your
specific situation and see
what you can do to protect
your family’s future.
provided in this document is
not intended or written to be
used, and cannot be used,
by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties
that may be imposed on the
taxpayer. The tax information was written to support
the promotion or the marketing of the transaction(s)
or matter(s) addressed and
you should seek advice
based on your particular
circumstances from an
independent tax advisor.
AXA Advisors, LLC, and
AXA Network, LLC do not
provide tax advice or legal advice. This article is
provided by Wayne Kuykendall. Wayne Kuykendall
offers securities through
AXA Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) 105
South Marion Street Suite
202 Athens, AL 35611 and
offers annuity and insurance products through an
insurance brokerage affiliate, AXA Network of
Alabama and its affiliates.
This article is provided
courtesy of:
Wayne D. Kuykendall
105 South Marion Street,
Suite 102, Athens, AL 35611
Tel: (256) 777-2524
AXA Advisors, LLC
105 S. Marion St., Suite 202 | Athens, AL 35611
Office: (256) 262-1980 Cell: (256) 777-4524
[email protected]
You can also use AXA’s
Life Insurance Calculator
on https://us.axa.com/goals/
life-insurance-protection.
html to see how much coverage you might need, based
on your age and income (or
the value of the services you
provide, if you stay home).
Please be advised that this
document is not intended as
legal or tax advice. Accordingly, any tax information
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