May/June 2010 issue

Connected
May/June 2010
Published for the
members of
“We Keep You Connected”
Tinker takes
the last
shot
Plus...
Fyffe native raises bulls
seen on televised events
FTC stresses member safety
with employee name badges
Local teacher Jeff Hawes
joins Karen Peck & New River
Safety should be a concern
is a member-owned corporation
dedicated to providing communications technology to the people of
northeast Alabama. The company
has over 16,000 access lines, making it the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative.
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
Robert B. Burkhalter
Pisgah Exchange
Greg Griffith
Henagar Exchange
Randy Tumlin
Rainsville Exchange
Connected
Vol. 14, No. 3
May/June 2010
is a bimonthly magazine
published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2010.
It is distributed without charge to
all member/owners of the Cooperative. Send address
corrections to:
Farmers Telecommunications
Cooperative, Inc.
P.O. Box 217
144 McCurdy Ave. N.
Rainsville, Alabama 35986
Telephone: (256) 638-2144
www.farmerstel.com
Produced for FTC by:
WordSouth Public Relations, Inc.
www.wordsouth.com
On the Cover:
Wallace Tinker of Pisgah takes the
last shot at Beard-Eaves Coliseum.
See article pages 6-7.
Connected - May/June 2010 2
A while back I was talking to a colleague of mine. He lives in another part of
the country with a crime rate much lower
than ours. His dad never locks his house,
not even when he is away on vacation.
My friend once asked his dad why and
he responded, “My neighbor might need
something.” Wow! What a statement.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we all lived in
such a world where that kind of trust was
never misplaced. The sad truth, however,
is much different. Crime is a reality, even
in this nice corner of Alabama. This certainly won’t qualify as my most uplifting
article but I must address an issue of safety
with you for your benefit and ours. Please
take me seriously even if it means I end up
making you just a little bit uneasy.
I spend a surprising amount of my
time worrying about information security.
This includes everything from simple business records to detailed information about
transactions between you and us.
Many of you would be amazed at the
amount of money we have to spend each
year just to keep this information safe and
to comply with various laws concerning
your privacy. The threat seldom comes
from dumb criminals —
­ you know, the
kind of guy who walks into a bank with
a gun and demands they deposit money
into his checking account.
We have to worry about smart crooks,
often organized crime – much of it based
in foreign countries. Frankly, the more you
know the more you realize how scary the
underworld of cyber-based crime really is.
Rest assured, we do our best to protect our
information and our network even though
we sometimes worry whether it will ever
be truly enough.
We also have to worry about something else. There are opportunistic criminals out there who will attempt to take
advantage of our relationship with you.
Let me give you an example.
It is well known that we are upgrading our network to optical fiber. We will
pass more than 11,500 of your homes and
businesses within the next 18-24 months.
We and our contractors will spend a lot of
time in your neighborhoods.
If you take advantage of our advanced
services like FTC-TV or our high speed
Internet access, we will need to convert
equipment in your home to compatible
equipment. It is not beyond smart crooks
to follow us into neighborhoods and seek
to gain entry to, or loiter about your home,
by telling you they are either with or connected to FTC.
We’ve taken certain precautions to
prevent this from happening. Some of
those steps we can tell you about, others
we will keep secret. But the most effective
deterrent is your own awareness of how to
protect yourself from being fooled.
In this Connected we talk about this
issue and I beg you, please read the article
carefully.
In the coming months I will share a
few other tips for protecting yourself from
some threats of which we have a pretty
good understanding. For right now, please
take a moment to familiarize yourself
with what we do to keep you safely
connected.n
Fred Johnson
is General Manager
of Farmers
Telecommunications
Cooperative, Inc.
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and general business use are strictly prohibited. While FTC does not apply arbitrary limits on typical long distance usage per month, should FTC determine, in its sole discretion, that usage is not consistent with typical
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at the per minute rate included in the FTC Price List, without further notice. FTC reserves the right to block permanent Call Forwarding in connection with the use of Unlimited Long Distance Service. Customers must subscribe to
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Bucking Bulls
Rickey West shares his zeal for raising
By Jennifer McCurdy
T
Most bull riders will tell you ‘behind
every great bull rider is a great bucking
bull.’ West shares this sentiment. He saw
a need for better bucking bulls when he
was a bull rider. West was dabbling in bull
breeding while he was still riding, so he
was already familiar with breeding requirements. Since he understood bull riding and
bull breeding, the transition to become a
full-time bucking bull breeder was seamless.
which helped establish him as a breeder.
The ABBI was founded in 1999 with a
goal to preserve the pedigree of the world’s
premier bucking bull livestock. An emphasis was placed on maintaining the integrity
and enhancing the value of the breed.
West says the ABBI encourages ‘best
practices’ in bucking bull breeding, ownership, training and welfare. “The ABBI
provides services for breeders making sure
we are breeding quality bulls,” he explains.
he strong smell of leather and
manure fills the air as thousands
of fans wait with anticipation in
the bleachers surrounding the
dirt-covered center ring. There is an element
of danger in what they are about to witness,
and adrenaline pulses through them with
every passing second.
Suddenly the gate swings open and the
crowd is on their feet roaring and
cheering, but the man on the bull
The Bucking Bull
does not hear them. He is too busy
West and his partner and
trying to make every second count,
father-in-law Charles Bailey take
and stay alive atop a 1,700-pound
great pride in breeding bucking
bucking machine.
bulls. “I primarily handle the bulls
Welcome to the world of
and my father-in-law takes care
professional bull riding. It has been
of the cows,” West says. “This is a
around for a long time, but what
family thing. My wife, me and my
was once a mere pastime has now
father-in-law do this together.”
become a professional sport.
Breeding bucking bulls is no
Bucking bull riders have
easy task. West travels every week,
turned the hobby that once paid
taking him away from his family.
very little into a sport that can now
When at home, he spends his days
earn them upward of $4 million
taking care of the 70 bulls he curover a few years.
rently stocks. West says, “Breeding
Rickey West of Fyffe was a
is a major part of producing quality
bull rider in the 1990’s and acbucking bulls, but you also have
knowledged bull riding as a sport
to prepare them for traveling to
long before it was popular to do so
events.”
Genex Stormy performs at the 2008 Tampa Florida Built Ford Tough
in the mainstream.
Some bulls just cannot handle
PBR Event.
“Bull riders are true athletes,”
riding in a gooseneck trailer for sevhe says, “they ride with broken ribs
eral hours and sleeping in a strange
and other injuries, because their paycheck
West loved the people associated with
place. They must be able to endure the stress
depends on it.”
the Professional Bull Riders (PBR)­— riders,
of traveling to be a great bucking bull. West
fans and everyone involved with bull riding does his best to ensure riding conditions for
The Decision
events and competitions. Breeding bulls
the bulls are as comfortable as possible. “I
West decided in late 1999 to retire his
gave West the opportunity to continue to
pressure wash and put a foot of shavings in
riding gear. “I enjoyed riding bulls. I just
work with the people who had become like
the trailer for the bulls when traveling,” he
decided it was time to do something else,”
family to him.
says. “I try to treat the bulls like kings.”
he says. With the love of bulls in his heart,
The PBR is the major leagues of bull ridBucking bull breeders, or stock conWest decided to breed bucking bulls.
ing, equivalent to the NFL or NBA. This altractors, are contacted by hosts of a PBR
He also had his wife, Selena Bailey, to
lows West to showcase his bulls on national
event and asked to bring their bulls to the
think of too. When she and West married,
television and across the United States.
competition. Some of these competitions are
they settled in Fyffe and eventually had two
West became a member of the Associatelevised and have major sponsors who pay
children, Riley and Hadley.
tion of Bucking Bull Incorporated (ABBI)
for leasing the bulls. The breeders then lease
Connected - May/June 2010 4
Rickey West
2009 bucking bull
honors
Southern Extreme Bull
Riding Association
•
•
•
•
•
Bucking Bull of the Year
Bucking Bull of the Finals
1st Round High Mark Bull of the Finals
3rd Round High Mark Bull of the Finals
High Mark Bull of the Short Round
Rickey West in the chute with one of his bulls, Patsy’s Pet.
the bulls to the host of a PBR event. When
asked to lease bulls, West takes his best bulls
and hits the road.
The riders draw from a pool of bulls
and ride the bull drawn. West says, “You
always hope a good rider draws your bull,
for a better showing of the bull.”
There are four judges who determine
how good the rider is and how good the
bull is. Two judges score the rider between
1-25 each and two judges score the bull
between 1-25 each, with 25 being the highest
score. A score of 90 is considered a great
ride. “Having a bull come out of the gate
bucking means a higher score for the bull,”
West says.
“Breeders want to have a PBR Bucking
Bull of the Year. I haven’t had one make it
yet, but that is always my goal,” says West.
When a bull is named Bucking Bull
of the Year, he becomes more valuable.
Offspring of bulls holding that title bring the
breeders more money, years after they have
won. Bulls can earn this title by consistently
scoring well at PBR events.
Making the Cut
Bulls that do not buck are not asked
back to compete. “If I have a bull that comes
out of the gate and doesn’t buck, the PBR
will not allow that bull to compete again,”
West says.
Deciding which bulls and cows to keep
for breeding is easy for West. “As a breeder,
my goal,” he explains, “is to keep bucking
bulls who are winners.” If a bull won’t buck
he is sold. If a cow has more than one bull
that won’t buck, she is sold. Breeders only
keep cows and bulls who can produce quality bucking bulls.”
The American Heritage, which is the
bucking bull version of the Kentucky Derby,
gives breeders an opportunity to showcase
their 3- and 4-year-old bulls. The American
Heritage is the most important and prestigeous of the many competitions held each
year.
West plans on taking four bulls this year
to compete in The American Heritage. He
knows his bulls and chooses them based on
past performances. “You are asked to bring
your top bucking bulls,” explains West,
“and the breeder decides which bulls are his
best to take.”
Easy Money
This is more than a profession for West.
Along the way he has found a friend who,
he says, he would have a difficult time parting with. “I still have the first bucking bull
I purchased. His name is Easy Money and I
bought him dirt cheap at 16 months old. He
never had a bad show. He always bucked
during competitions,” he says. The bull
lived up to his name. “He really was the
easiest money I ever made,” laughs West.
Easy Money is still around today. You
won’t find him competing, but you will find
him grazing in one of West’s five pastures.
Easy Money is 10 years old and has offspring who now compete. There have been many people interested in buying Easy Money. West cannot seem
to part with his dear friend, saying, “He is
like a child to me — I won’t ever sell him.”
There are dangers with breeding bucking bulls. West once again reminds us his
profession is a sport. “Asking a breeder if
they have ever been kicked or hooked,” he
explains, “is like asking a quarterback if he
has ever been sacked.”
West couldn’t be happier with what he
does for a living. He says, “Most jobs choose
you, I chose my job.”n
2009 Bucking Bull Buckles
See Bucking Bulls in Action!
Bull Bash 2010
When:
Where:
Admission:
Seating:
Gates Open:
The Colin McKaig Band &
Luke Kaufman:
Bull Riding:
Barrel Man:
Announcers:
Bull Fighters:
Professional Bucking
Bull Rider:
More info:
Sponsored by:
June 12, 2010
West Arena
8572 Co. Rd. 50
Fyffe, AL
$10 per person
5 and under FREE
Grandstand bleachers
6 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
Matt Merritt
Luke Kaufman
Jeff Wolf
Matt Baldwin
Kevin Ellis
Sean Willingham
(will sign autographs)
256-601-7652
DeKalb Farmers Cooperative
Connected - May/June 2010 5
At the final farewell,
Wallace Tinker sinks the
Last Basket At
Beard-Eaves
W
By Tina Thurmond
allace ‘Wally’ Tinker says
Pete so I said ‘Whoa, it’s gonna be a long
it felt better for the man
night.’ So I just got ready for it.”
who made the last shot
at Auburn’s Beard-Eaves
Coliseum than it did for the boy who
What happened after the first shot is
made the first.
Tinker’s favorite Auburn memory.
He should know; he made them
“It was right before half-time and we
both.
were lined up on the free throw line,”
Tinker, now a retired school teacher
Tinker recalls. I looked over at him and
from Pisgah, was a senior at Auburn
said ‘Pete, you’re gonna have to slow
when the first game was
played at Beard-Eaves on Jan.
11, 1969.
Tinker, number 33,
“The first three years I
makes history with
was at Auburn,” Tinker says,
this shot.
“we played in what they
called the ‘old barn.’ It only
held 2,500 to 3,000 people. We
moved over to the coliseum
which held almost 13,000 and
we might have practiced two
or three days in it before we
played the first game. That
was against LSU and ‘Pistol
Pete’ Maravich.
“I made the first two
points in the coliseum but I
wasn’t concentrating on that,”
he continues, “I didn’t even
think about it. All I could
think about was trying to
guard Pistol Pete Maravich because he
down; you’re running me to death!’ And
was the greatest ball player I had ever
I looked down at my Converse tennis
shoes and back then they had air-holes
seen.
in the sides and there was water running
“He was six-foot-five-inches tall,”
says Tinker, “which is two inches taller
out of my shoes I had sweated so much!
“He looked at me and said ‘Hey
than me — he could handle a ball any
way he wanted to handle it. Coach (Bill)
Wally, we’re just gettin’ started.’ That
Lynn said it was my job to guard Pistol
was the one moment in the coliseum that
Connected - May/June 2010 6
Sweating It Out
I can’t forget,” he says.
“I guarded him for 32 minutes,” he
says, “and he had 28 points on me and
we had eight minutes to go in the game.
Coach Lynn decided he would let everybody on the team guard him just so they
could say they had guarded Pistol Pete
Maravich.
“Pete wound up with 49 points because of that,” he continues. “They wrote
in the paper the next day that
I needed an extra hand since
Pete scored 49 points.
That upset me very, very
much,” Tinker laughs, “because he had ran me to death
and that wasn’t my fault!”
Auburn won that game
90-71. “It was a good game,”
Tinker says. “I’m proud I was
a part of it.”
Tinker speaks modestly
of his career at Auburn, even
jokingly calling that famous
first shot ‘lucky.’ In actuality,
he was one of the top players in the SEC throughout his
career there.
As a sophomore, he was
the sixth leading rebounder in
the SEC.
“At six-three,” he says, “while the
rest of the guys were six-nine, six-ten and
six-eleven, I guess that wasn’t too bad.”
Tinker made the All-SEC sophomore
team and went on to make the All-SEC
second team during his junior year. As a
senior, he made the All-SEC first team.
He is also the second player in Au-
burn’s history to start every game from
the time he was a freshman all the way
through graduation.
The Road Not Taken
“When my college career was over,”
Tinker says, “I got several letters and calls
from different pro teams like the New
York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks and Kentucky Colonels. I didn’t get to sign with
them, though.
“It was during the Vietnam War and
they drafted me in the Army,” he says.
“Back then the pro teams wouldn’t sign
you if you had to go in the Army. I tried
to get into the National Guard, but it was
a year and a half before I even had basictraining, so it was too late.
“I didn’t even try to go out for any
pro teams when I got out,” Tinker recalls,
“It had been so long since I’d even practiced ball.”
Tinker says he regrets that decision,
but at the time he felt it was the right
thing to do.
After the Army, Tinker, who had majored in physical education and minored
in history at Auburn, came back to his
hometown of Pisgah with a new job and a
new bride.
He was hired as the head basketball
coach and history teacher at Pisgah High
School.
Tinker is a former student of Pisgah
and was a basketball legend at the school.
His new wife, Marjorie Foster Tinker, a
cousin of one of Tinker’s Auburn teammates, also became a teacher at the
school.
While Tinker stayed busy coaching
basketball and teaching, Marjorie taught
physical education. The couple had two
children, Jennifer and Kip, who kept
them busy as well. After many wonderful years at Pisgah, Tinker and Margorie
eventually retired.
“I miss all the kids,” Tinker says. “I
had a good time being there. I also had
some really good players.”
Tinker is enjoying his retirement and
says his children and five grandchildren
keep him busy these days.
“I babysit a lot,” he says. “I love being with my grandkids.”
While Tinker was living the life of a
retiree, basketball had not forgotten him.
In 2006 he was notified that he had been
nominated as one of the top-100 basketball players in Auburn’s history.
“They called me and then they wrote
me a letter,” says Tinker, “saying that I
had been nominated. They let everybody
vote online, and they picked the top 100.
Luckily, I was one of them.”
Tinker fondly remembers this honor.
“My family and I got to go to Auburn and
I signed autographs down there for about
two-and-a-half hours,” says Tinker. “That
was a big, important thrill for me.”
Tinker joined the likes of Charles
Barkley, Chuck Person and Wesley Person
on the prestigious list.
Later, Tinker received a resolution
from Alabama Sen. Lowell Barron and
Rep. John Robinson commending him for
the achievement.
A Great, Great Honor
Tinker says that just when he thought
his basketball days were surely over, he
got an overwhelming surprise.
“My phone rang,” he says, “and a
voice said, ‘Is this the Wally Tinker that
scored the first two points in Beard-Eaves
Coliseum?’ I said, ‘Yes.’”
The caller explained that as the university was preparing to open the new
Auburn Arena this fall, a special closing
ceremony was to be held at Beard-Eaves
on the night of the Auburn vs. Mississippi
State game — the building’s final sporting
event.
“And they asked me if I would like to
come back down there and make the last
two points in Beard-Eaves Coliseum that
night,” Tinker says. “I told them it would
be a great, great honor.
“The coliseum was packed full that
night,” he says, “just like it was the first
time when we played LSU.
“Auburn beat Mississippi State 8980,” he continues, ”But when the game
was over, nobody left, they were all waiting for me to come out on the court and
make the last two points.
“I was so nervous I didn’t know
whether I was going or coming,” Tinker
says. “But I walked down the court and
they gave me the ball. I jumped up and
kind of banked it from the position I was
in before, and when it went in I thought
the top was going to come off the gym!
“People were standing on their feet
all over the place, cheering and clapping,” he says. “I don’t guess another chill
bump could have run over me right then,
because there wouldn’t have been a space
for it,” he says. “I’ll never forget it.”n
Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum
Decades
of Memories
On Jan. 11, 1969, the first
basketball game was held in Auburn
University’s Beard-Eaves Memorial
Coliseum.
On March 3, 2010, a capacity
crowd saw the final game ever to be
played in the multi-purpose arena.
Over the years, Beard-Eaves has
not only been home to both men’s
and women’s basketball and women’s
gymnastics at Auburn, it has also been
the site of some phenomenal entertainment.
On Nov. 14, 1969, the legendary
Rolling Stones played two sold-out
shows on the same night, making Auburn the envy of colleges across the
country.
Over the years, such performers
as Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick and
Brooks and Dunn have helped make
the building a legend in itself.
Auburn is planning to open its new
high-tech $92.5 million Auburn Arena
this fall in time for the 2010-2011 basketball season.
The facility will seat 9,600 and will
contain two practice courts, a weight
room and a large players’ lounge, as
well as 12 suites and luxury boxes with
an outside porch.
Auburn Arena, a work in progress.
Connected - May/June 2010 7
When workers come calling, ask to
Verify who
I am
See the badge
Ask to see
my Badge
At Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, we care about the safety and
peace of mind of our members and their families. That is why we go to great
lengths to make certain our employees and contract servicemen are easily
recognizable when they come to your home. We urge you to ask for name
badges and look for the FTC logo on employee vehicles and clothing. Below,
we spell out the simple ways you will be able to recognize FTC employees.
Unfortunately we live in a world where
people are not always honest; a world
with people who might pretend to be
someone they are not in order to take
advantage of you.
At FTC we are committed to making
sure you have no problem positively
identifying FTC employees when they
are in your community or home.
There are several ways to identify an
FTC employee:
◆Official FTC vehicles are white and
have FTC decals displayed promi-
nently on both sides.
◆FTC employees MUST wear autho rized FTC apparel. Usually a burgun dy or gray uniform or a polo-type
shirt with FTC’s name and/or logo on the apparel.
◆During inclement or cold weather, a
‘hoodie’ type sweatshirt, jacket, or
pullover may be worn. The FTC name and/or logo will be visible.
◆FTC employees are required to carry
a unique personalized identification
card. The cards include the name of
the employee and his or her picture.
CLOSED
CAPTIONING
PROBLEMS?
For your safety, always ask to see FTC
employee badges. If you are the least
bit uncertain about the legitimacy of the
badge, you should do the following:
◆Ask the person to see his or her ID
card.
◆Note the name and number on the
card and call FTC at 611 from an FTC
landline phone or call 256-638-2144.
◆Explain to the FTC operator that you
need to verify the identity of an FTC
employee, and provide the name and number on the person’s badge.
◆ FTC operators will use that informa tion to verify the legitimacy of the person in question.
If the person in question cannot provide
you with their ID, call 911 immediately.
Law enforcement will take care of informing FTC when they investigate the incident.
FTC routinely contracts with specialized
construction and engineering firms who
will frequently work in the FTC coverage
area. While these contractors will occasionally knock on your door to inform you
of their presence, they will NEVER seek
entry into your home unless accompanied
by authorized FTC personnel.
Usually these contractors mark their
vehicles with decals that state they are
under contract with FTC. If you are ever
suspicious that a person on or around your
property is not with one of these recognizable contractors, simply call FTC for
verification.
FTC rarely asks for information from customers. Here are a few tips to remember:
◆FTC will NEVER place an unsolicited call to your home or business and ask for confidential information. If you
call FTC with a question, FTC may
call you back to ask for further infor mation.
◆FTC will NEVER send you an email requesting confidential information.
◆FTC will NEVER write to you and
instruct you to send confidential information to any location other
than directly to FTC at a specified FTC address.
Remember, whenever in doubt, please
call FTC and ask. It is always better to
be safe than sorry.
ATTENTION FTC-TV CUSTOMERS...
To report an immediate technical issue regarding closed captioning, please
contact Manager of Customer Service and Support Chris Townson.
phone: 256-638-2144 ext. 2002 • fax: 256-638-4830
email: [email protected]
FTC Scholarship
Winners Announced
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative is proud to announce its 2010 FTC Scholarship Program recipients. “Dustin Dalton is our high school senior recipient,” Kim Williams, Public Relations Representative, explains, “and Stephanie Phillips, a student at
Snead, is our college recipient.”
The annual FTC Scholarship Program seeks to identify and reward students in the
FTC coverage area who display a combination of academic excellence, student activity
and community involvement.
Each scholarships winner is awarded $1,500. An independent committee determines
the scholarship recipients. ”FTC is proud to be able to assist local students achieve their
goals,” says Williams.
FTC also provides local students with opportunities to learn through their Career
Enrichment Day and the FRS Washington Youth Tour. ”We understand the importance of
supporting our future leaders,” Williams says.
Dustin Dalton, son of Wayne and
Deborah Dalton, is a 2010 graduate of
Sylvania High School.
During his senior year, Dalton
was elected Senior Class President,
SGA President, and President of
SADD and Senior Beta Club. Dalton was also voted “Most Likely to
Succeed” and “Most Friendly” in his
senior class.
He served as editor on the yearbook staff and was a member of
Sylvania’s varsity basketball and
tennis teams. Dalton joined numerous
clubs and organizations, including
Mentor DeKalb, which allowed him to
become a mentor to younger students.
As an active member of Mountain
View Baptist Church, he participates
in the drama team and church choir.
Dalton plans to attend Northeast
Alabama Community College before
transferring to a four-year college to
obtain a degree in secondary education. He plans to become a high school
or elementary school teacher and
basketball coach.
Stephanie Phillips is a 2008 Ider
High School graduate and a student at
Snead State Community College.
Phillips is the daughter of Troy
and Tracy Phillips of Ider. While
studying at Snead State, she has been
a member of the competition cheer
squad and appeared on the President’s
List for the spring and fall 2009 semesters.
Phillips has contributed to her
community by serving Thanksgiving
dinners to the needy, assisting at a
cheer camp for local high school and
middle school cheer squads and volunteering at Ider’s annual Labor Day
celebration.
Phillips plans to transfer to Jacksonville State University to earn an
undergraduate degree in social work.
After earning her B.S., Phillips plans to
continue her education at JSU where
she will pursue a master’s degree, also
in social work.
After earning her degrees, Phillips
hopes to assist uninsured patients and
patients with financial difficulties.
Allison Black wins
title of 2010 State
Spelling Bee Champ
D-I-S-P-A-R-A-G-E. With this word,
Allison Black, an 8th grader at Ider High
School, became the winner of the 2010
Alabama State Spelling Bee.
Allison came away from the 2009 state
spelling competition with a second place
finish. But, after hours of studying and
overcoming her opponents at the school
and county levels yet again, the 14-yearold performed flawlessly in Birmingham
and was awarded the state championship
trophy.
“I didn’t go to the competition expecting to win,” says Allison. “I knew I would
be happy if I just did the best I could.” With
this cheerful attitude, as well as her good
luck charms (a black and white hat and her
late father’s class ring), she took home the
title of state spelling champ.
In addition to being an impressive
speller, Allison is a trained pianist and
baritone saxophone player. She is also an
avid reader. Allison’s mother, Jenni Black,
credits much of her spelling success to
reading, as it increases vocabulary.
“I think all parents should encourage
their children to read,” Jenni states. “Allison’s dad always read to her and her sisters when they were younger. He instilled
a love of reading in them.”
Along with her first-place trophy,
Allison received an invitation to the
Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. There will be 290 participants
from across the United States, as well as
other countries, competing for the title of
national champion on June 4, 2010.
The top 50 competitors will participate
in the semifinals, televised on ESPN. Finals
will take place that evening and can be
seen on ABC.
Connected - May/June 2010 9
Mr. Hawes Goes On Tour
A small-town teacher turns big-time singer
By Tina Thurmond
when their paths crossed that evening, it
would not be for the last time. Within two
months, Hawes would be hired to replace
the group’s only male singer, and Jackson
would be telling the incredible story of
how God showed her the right man for
the job before she even knew there was an
opening.
Karen Peck and New River
F
or Jeff Hawes, the young English
teacher from Pisgah High School,
the yearly event called “Manna
On The Mountain” was a chance
to see a group he had loved as a child.
Because it would be at a relatively small
church, he hoped he might even get to
meet them that night when it was over.
Gospel music was in his blood and he did
not mind admitting he was a fan.
For Susan Peck Jackson, a singer from
the multi-Grammy nominated group
Karen Peck and New River, it was another
chance to sing her heart out and tell people
about Jesus. She had spent a lot of time on
the road doing just that, yet she still saw
each performance as a special gift from
God.
What neither of them knew was that
Connected - May/June 2010 10
Since the group started in 1991, Karen
Peck and New River has consistently been
a favorite among Southern gospel music
fans. In 2008 and 2009, the group was
nominated for a Grammy award for the
albums “Journey of Joy” and “Ephesians
One.”
They have had numerous number one
hits on the gospel music charts, including
“Four Days Late,” which was voted Song
of the Year in 2001 by both The Singing
News Magazine and the Southern Gospel
Music Awards (SGMA). They are also
familiar faces on the Trinity Broadcasting
Network (TBN), the Grand Ole Opry, and
the popular Gaither video series featuring
Bill and Gloria Gaither.
When Hawes first saw Karen Peck
and New River in October of 2009, the
group was made up of sisters Karen Peck
Gooch and Susan Peck Jackson along with
male singer Devin McGlamery.
No one knew at the time that two
months later in December of 2009, McGlamery would make a surprise announcement that he was leaving New River to sing
with gospel group Ernie Haase and
Signature Sound. It was then that Jackson
remembered something which had puzzled
her several months earlier. Once she
connected the two events, she knew for
certain that nothing surprises God.
God’s Mysterious Ways
Jackson remembers very well the night
she first met Hawes.
Before the group took the stage at
New Home Baptist Church in Pisgah, they
prayed on their bus. As the concert began,
however, something strange happened that
Jackson insists has never happened to her
before or since.
“I looked out at the audience, and I saw
Jeff on the third row, kind of in the middle
of the stage,” she says, “and there was
something about him that kept drawing my
attention. It was like he was lit up. He was
literally glowing, like a light was shining on
him.”
Jackson says she looked, but there were
no overhead lights or stage lights shining
on Hawes, and no one around him had any
trace of the mysterious ‘glow’ she plainly
saw all over him.
She says the strange glow lasted all
night and by the time the concert was
over, she knew God wanted to tell her
something about Hawes.
“When I saw him at our product table
afterwards,” Jackson says, “I went up to
him and said, ‘What is your name?’ He
told me and I said, ‘Jeff, do you sing?’
“I didn’t know why I asked him that,”
she continues, “but he said, ‘Yes,’ and I
asked him, ‘Do you play any instrument?’
and he said, ‘Yes, the piano.’ I just told
him I was going to hang on to his name in
case something ever came up or if I heard
of anything.
“That night, I looked him up on
Facebook and wrote down his name and
phone number on a piece of paper and
stuck it in my wallet,” she says.
Jackson says after telling her sister
what happened that night, she forgot
all about the paper, but she never forgot
about Jeff Hawes.
In 2009, Hawes competed in the Aaron Wilburn Talent Contest in LaGrange,
Ga. Wilburn is a gospel comedian who
appears on the “Gaither Homecoming”
videos and hosts the talent competition
each year.
“From the minute I walked in the
door,” he says, “it was all about God and
encouraging you no matter if you could
sing or not. They wanted you there and I
really felt a part of it.
“I ended up winning that day in the
contemporary division,” he says. “Aaron
was such a huge supporter, and he just
took me under his wing and even let me
open a concert for him in Rainsville.”
Hawes says the competition and
subsequent victory came at a crucial time
in his life. “It was a time when I felt like
Chasing the Dream
Hawes is the son of Royce and Kathy
Jeffery Hawes of Flat Rock. He and his
sister, Danielle, grew up in church at
Caperton’s Chapel Baptist. Danielle loved
sports, but her big brother loved music.
Hawes started taking music lessons
in the 5th grade and, as he grew older,
performed in musicals at Northeast Alabama Community College. Every summer he also attended the Alabama School
of Gospel Music in Boaz.
Hawes graduated from Troy University and began teaching English at Dutton Elementary School. Two years later,
he left to teach at Pisgah High School.
Although he loved teaching, Hawes
never stopped dreaming of becoming a
singer.
“On the weekends, I would travel
to various competitions to sing,” says
Hawes. “It wasn’t necessarily that I was
trying to compete to be the best, I just
loved being a part of it and learning and
growing from each experience. Part of it
was, I think, just showing the Lord that I
was ready. If He wanted it to happen in
my life, I was willing to work for it.”
In 2008, Hawes auditioned in Atlanta
for a reality television show called “Gospel Dream.” Out of hundreds of hopefuls,
Hawes was one of only three chosen.
He went on to tape the show in
Nashville in June of that year, making it
through to the final 12 contestents on the
show.
Hawes performs at Caperton’s Chapel Baptist in
Flat Rock.
‘okay, I’m ready just to put this dream
up and go home, teach school and just be
happy with that.’
“Winning that competition and getting to open for Aaron gave me a glimpse
of holding on and just waiting for God to
open doors when He was ready to open
them,” he says.
When God Got Ready
In December of 2009, God gave the
teacher who was so loved for his kind,
gentle ways and ready smile the surprise
of a lifetime.
“It was the day after Christmas,”
Hawes says, “and I got a call from Karen
Peck Gooch on my voicemail. I had to
cut the voicemail off and just take a deep
breath before I could even listen to the
rest, because Karen Peck Gooch had my
phone number and she had called me!”
Gooch told Hawes that Devin McGlamery was leaving the group and they
were looking for a replacement. “Karen
said she and her sister, Susan, ‘felt led to
call this boy from Alabama’ and didn’t
even know at the time if I could really
sing, so she asked me to send them a
demo,” he says.
Hawes sent the demo and waited to
hear if his dream was really coming true.
It was.
Gooch called Hawes and invited him
to the group’s hometown of Dahlonega,
Ga., for an audition in her home.
‘They were just super people, just
like Aaron Wilburn had been,” he says.
“They are encouragers. No matter what
happened, at the end of the situation
they wanted me to win. And I felt that no
matter what happened God had opened a
huge door for me.”
Hawes got the job and left his life as a
teacher for life on the road.
About a month after Hawes was
hired, Jackson found the forgotten slip of
paper in her wallet and showed it to him
as proof of her amazing story.
Since January, Hawes has settled into
the group like one of the family. He even
tutors Gooch’s two children who travel
with them.
“I love that,” he says. “I think God
knew I would miss teaching, so now I can
do both. The kids are great.”
For someone who had never left the
Southeast before, Hawes is seeing a lot of
the world now. He recently returned from
singing in Canada, and will be flying to
Hawaii with the group soon.
He says the group’s fans have been
fantastic to him, but it still feels strange to
be asked for his autograph. He did enjoy
it when Dutton Elementary invited him
back to read the kids a story. “I signed autographs with a Crayola,” he says. ”That
was fun.”
He has already been nominated for
the prestigious Horizon Award, given
only to promising newcomers in gospel
music by The Singing News Magazine. He is
set to do his first recording with the group
this summer. “I hope to be with Karen
Peck and New River forever,” he says.
“I love their spirit, their music and their
testimonies. As long as God lets me sing,
that is where I want to be.”n
Connected - May/June 2010 11
Food Allergies
Milk
Eggs
Fish
uts
Pean
What every parent should know
Did you know an estimated 3 million children have food allergies? That is one of every 17
children under the age of three. Food allergies are a growing public health concern, especially
among young children.
Carla and Lee Davis of Rainsville
know all too well how serious a food allergy can be. Connor Davis, their oldest
son, suffers from severe allergies to milk
and eggs.
From the age of 6 months, Connor
could not hold down formula. Concerned,
Carla and Lee took their son to the pediatrician. They were told he had acid reflux,
babies do not have food allergies.
“Finally, in desperation,” Carla says,
“we found an allergist who did not require a pediatrician’s referral.”
Children most often are tested for
allergies by a skin test and then, if needed,
a blood test called a RAST test. Both tests
indicated Connor had severe life-threatening allergies to milk and eggs.
The reaction is called anaphylaxis,
which is a severe allergic reaction marked
by swelling of the throat or tongue, hives,
and trouble breathing.
When it strikes, Connor’s life is at
risk. Time is critical. Connor is required
to have an Epi-Pen with him at all times,
which is an auto-injector of epinephrine
that helps stop the allergic reaction, giving them time to seek the medical help
needed.
Connor has a younger brother, Reagan, who is 4 ½ years old. Reagan does
not have any food allergies, nor does
Carla or Lee.
Changing Our Life
“Since Connor’s diagnosis, our lives
have changed drastically,” Carla explains.
“We have to monitor each and every bite
that goes into Connor’s mouth.”
The family rarely goes out to eat
because of the hassle associated with
making sure his food is safe. So many
foods and non-food products contain milk
and eggs. Even things like dish washing
detergent can contain milk protein.
Carla says, “We must be careful about
touching or kissing Connor if we have
Connected - May/June 2010 12
eaten something containing milk or eggs,”
she continues, “because he could have a
reaction just from contact. It is a constant
worry and it is not an easy task to manage.”
Become Educated
Organizations like The Food Allergy
& Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) provide resources for those affected by food
allergies. Their mission is to raise public
awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf
of all those affected by food allergies and
anaphylaxis. In honor of Food and Allergy Week in May, visit FAAN’s website
at www.foodallergy.org to learn more.
Connor is now 6 years old and attends kindergarten at a public school. “We
were terrified for him to start school,”
Carla explains, “but after several meetings
with school administrators, school staff
nurses and his teacher, we worked out a
system to keep him safe.”
Connor carries his lunch and snacks
every day. He sits at the end of the lunchroom table with empty chairs next to him
so no one can touch him or spill anything
on him. Thankfully, the school year is
almost over and everyone has done their
part in keeping him safe.
“Our main fear is someone not understanding what the effect will be, ”Carla
says, “if he does come in contact with
the allergens. ”Most people think of
allergies as a runny nose or itchy
eyes or maybe a rash on the skin.
That is not the case with Connor.
Public awareness and
knowledge is the only thing
that keeps Connor safe.
Looking at him, he looks
like any other healthy 6
year old. Food allergies are
not something you can see
when looking at a child.
He is only 6, but under-
stands his limitations and remembers all
too well what a reaction feels like. Carla
says, “It often breaks my heart when I
have to say no to something because it
will make him sick. But Connor never
complains. Never,” she says.
So, if you see Carla or Lee in the
grocery store reading labels, or attending
a party and serving Connor a squashed
cupcake brought from home, Carla says,
“Please think nothing of it. As weird as
we may look, it’s not about you or me; it’s
about the safety of our child.”n
Connor Davis is a kindergarten student in
DeKalb County who suffers from severe
food allergies.
Do you need help paying for
Telephone Service?
Do you, or someone in your household, participate in any of these programs?
Medicaid • Food Stamps • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
You may qualify for
these two special
programs:
To find out if you qualify for these
programs, call FTC at 256-638-2144.
You may also call the Alabama
Public Service Commission toll free
at 1-800-392-8050.
Link
Up
This program provides a
discount on the cost of
installing telephone service.
Life
line
This program provides a
discount on the cost of
monthly telephone service.
For a complete set of terms for the Link-Up and Lifeline programs, call or visit your local telephone company. You may also
contact any other eligible telecommunications company that is certified to provide service in Alabama by the Alabama Public
Service Commission or the Federal Communications Commission.
Link-Up and Lifeline are part of the Federal Universal Service Fund program. The Federal Communications Commission introduced this program, and the Universal Service Administrative Company oversees it. The goal of Universal Service is to make sure
consumers throughout the United States have essential telecommunications service.
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative is required by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
to furnish the following information to members prior to the annual meeting.
BYLAWS - ARTICLE IV
TRUSTEE SECTION 2. Election and Tenure of Office.
The trustees shall be elected by secret ballot for a term of three years on a rotating basis with the Trustees from the Pisgah, Bryant,
and Geraldine service areas being elected at the annual meeting of the members of the Co-op in August of 1991 and the Trustees
from Rainsville and Fyffe service areas being elected at the annual meeting of the members of the Co-op in August of 1992 and
the Trustees from the Flat Rock and Henagar service areas being elected at the annual meeting of the members in August of 1993,
and after their election the Trustees shall continue to serve until the election of Trustees at the annual meeting of the members of
the Co-op at which their term expires or if no election shall be then held, the Trustees shall continue to hold office until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified. If an election of Trustees shall not be held on the day designated herein
for the annual meeting or at any adjournment thereof, a special meeting of the members shall be held for the purpose of electing
Trustees within a reasonable time thereafter. Trustees may be elected by a plurality vote of the members. Trustees shall be nominated and elected as provided hereinafter.
The Co-op is divided into seven (7) geographic service areas and from each such service area there shall be elected one trustee to
the Board. Members shall be eligible to vote for every Trustee.
The geographic service areas are set forth as follows: Bryant, Flat Rock, Fyffe, Geraldine, Henagar, Pisgah, and Rainsville as the
same are shown on the map or plat of the service area on file in the office of the Co-op at Rainsville, Alabama to which such map
or plat thereof reference is here made for a more complete description of said service areas.
SECTION 4. Nominations.
It shall be the duty of the Board to appoint, not less than forty (40) nor more than seventy (70) days before the date of a meeting of
the members at which trustees are to be elected, a committee on nominations consisting of not less than five nor more than eleven
members who shall be selected from different sections so as to insure equitable representation. No member of the Board may serve
on such committee. The committee, keeping in mind the principle geographic representation, shall prepare and post at the principle office of the Cooperative at least thirty (30) days before the meeting a list of nominations for trustees which shall include at
least two candidates for each trustee to be elected. Any fifteen or more members acting together may make other nominations by
petition not less than twenty (20) days prior to the meeting and the Secretary shall post such nominations at the same place where
the list of nominations made by the committee is posted. The Secretary shall mail with the notice of the meeting or separately, but
a least five (5) days before the date of the meeting, a statement of the number of Trustees to be elected and the names and the addresses of the candidates, specifying separately the nominations made by the committee and the nominations made by petition,
if any. The ballot to be used at the election shall list the names of the candidates nominated by the committee and the names of
the candidates nominated by petition, if any. The chairman shall call for additional nominations from the floor and nominations
shall not be closed until at least one minute has passed during which no additional nomination has been made. No member may
nominate more than one candidate.
Connected - May/June 2010 13
ing
m
o
c
Up
ts
Even
27th Annual
NACC Theatre presents
Sand
eel Magnolias
Mountain St
Potato Festival July 16-18 & 23-25
Sunday, July 4th
Henagar Park
Celebrate Independence Day with all of your friends
and neighbors from across Sand Mountain. Enjoy all
the festivities, including live music, arts and crafts,
entertainment and games. Also, try all the delicious
foods and cool down with ice-cold drinks from local
vendors. It all starts at 10 a.m. at Henagar Park and
ends after the sun goes down with a fireworks display
for the entire family to enjoy. For more information,
call 256-657-6282.
“Well, you know what they say, ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me!’” Any fan of
the hit phenomenon “Steel Magnolias” knows Miss Clairee’s
hilarious hit line that nails that Southern gossip we all know!
The production chronicles a small group of friends and
the ties that bind them through life, love, and mortality.
Revolving around Truvy’s Beauty Parlor, where all the ladies
who are ‘anybody’ come to have their hair done.
Filled with humor and heartbreak, these ‘Steel Magnolias’ make us laugh and cry as the realities of their lives in
tiny Chiquapin Parish unfolds.
Friday - Saturday at 7 p.m. • Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.
Order tickets online at
www.nacc.edu/nacctheater or call 256-638-4418, ext. 218.
Tickets are $5.00 each. Handicapped seating available.
H
HH
Crossroads FreedomFest
Sunday, June 27th
3:00 p.m.
Rainsville City Park
Presentation by Rainsville First Baptist
H.O.P.E. Puppet Team
H Don’t miss the HUGE FIREWORKS SHOW H
Sponsored by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative & the City of Rainsville
*Please purchase meal tickets in advance. For more information, call Rainsville First Baptist Church at 638-3141.
Saturday
26th Events
Connected - May/June 2010 14
Sisters miss the real cook of the family
Jerry Holcomb
own, Cathy
tsy Sims, Virginia Br
Pa
th,
ea
lbr
Gi
dy
Ju
(L-R)
Holcomb.
lcomb. Inset is Jerry
Putnam and Joan Ho
When you ask Virginia Brown of
Rainsville which of her four daughters is
the best cook, laughter erupts — from her
daughters of course. Mrs. Brown is quick to
point out that teaching her girls to cook wasn’t a priority. “We
were always out in the chicken houses gathering eggs when
Mom was cooking,” remembers Cathy Putnam of Rainsville.
Though they did learn to cook, they all realize the real cook
of the family was not one of the four girls. Jerry Holcomb, the
late husband of Joan Holcomb of Dutton, is remembered fondly
as a talented cook.
The sisters all remember how Jerry enjoyed cooking and
making sure everyone was fed. “Jerry loved cooking breakfast
for the grandchildren,” Joan says with a smile. “He took orders
Pecan Pie
(Patsy Sims)
3 or 4 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 cup chopped pecans
Place pecans to the side. Mix all ingredients together, then add pecans. Pour
in pie shell. Place in cold oven and bake
for 1 hour at 350º.
Cornbread Dressing
(Virginia Brown)
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery (optional)
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
6 cups corn bread, crumbled
3 cups stale or toasted white bread,
crumbled (can use some biscuits)
1 to 1-1/2 tsp. sage, according to taste
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, well beaten
3 cups chicken broth (to moisten)
3 cups chopped chicken
Saute onions and celery in butter until
tender, but not brown. Boil broth.
Sand
Mou
ntain
Kitch
ens
for breakfast, and anything the grandchildren
wanted, they got.”
Judy Gilbreath of Rainsville can just see Jerry now,
laughing and cutting up with everyone. “He was such a
funny person,” she says. “Food and people go together,
maybe that is why he loved cooking so much.”
Everyone agrees if there is a sister who is the better
cook, it is Patsy Sims of Sylvania. “Cooking is part of my
everyday life,” Sims says. She is thankful her mother is just
a call away when she needs cooking tips.
Holcomb and Gilbreath don’t mind relying on other
family members to do the bulk of the cooking. “Who has
time for cooking?” Gilbreath laughs. You can easily see why
this group of sisters finds it hard to make time for cooking.
With a combined 9 children and 19 grandchildren, there is
plenty to keep these sisters busy.
This month, Brown and her daughters share some of their
favorite recipes, including Brown’s cornbread dressing and
Putnam’s sweet potato casserole. Joan contributes a special
recipe for a dish she and Jerry loved to make and their family
loves to eat, four-layer pudding.
Combine cornbread, onion, celery, white
bread, sage, salt, eggs and chicken. Add
broth and mix well. Place in greased
casserole dish and dot with butter. Bake
at 350º about 40 minutes or until brown.
Ranch Crackers
(Judy Gilbreath)
1-1/2 cups canola oil
2 Tbsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
1 dry pkg. ranch dressing
1 box whole wheat crackers
Place crackers in bowl with a lid. Mix
oil & dry ranch dressing (crushed red
pepper may be added at this time). Pour
mix over crackers in bowl. Place lid on
bowl and flip the bowl every 15 minutes
for two hours.
Sweet Potato Casserole
(Cathy Putnam)
3 cups sweet potatoes, boiled & mashed
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup milk
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped nuts
Mix well and pour evenly over casserole.
Bake at 350º for 25 minutes.
Four Layer Pudding
(Joan & Jerry Holcomb)
1 large pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 cups plus 3 tablespoons milk
1 container Cool Whip®, frozen
graham crackers
1 container chocolate frosting
Place a layer of graham crackers in
bottom of pan (9” x 13” or similar). In
a separate bowl, mix 3 cups of milk,
pudding mix and frozen Cool Whip. Pour
1/2 pudding mixture on top of graham
crackers and spread evenly. Add a layer
of graham crackers on top of pudding
mixture, then add another layer of
mixture on top of graham crackers. Mix
3 tablespoons of milk with frosting and
spread on top. Place in refrigerator for
at least 12 hours.
Combine all ingredients in large mixing
bowl. Mix thoroughly then put in baking
pan.
Connected - May/June 2010 15
“We
Keep217•
You Connected”
P.O.
Box
144 McCurdy Ave. N.
Rainsville, Alabama 35986
A Blackberry
Can Keep You
Connected
It’s more than just a phone.
With a Blackberry, you can stay connected to your online
social networks, the Internet, email and more.
Select from a wide range of devices with
the features you need: email, phone, browser,
organizer, instant messaging (IM), camera, media
player, GPS (Global Positioning System), Wi-Fi®,
social networking, BlackBerry® Maps and more.
Discover the Blackberry solution today!
Rainsville - 638-2100
Fort Payne - 516-2100
inside FTC Office
in same plaza as Wingstop