July/August 2009 issue

July/August 2009
Published for the
members of
“We Keep You Connected”
FTC
Offering
World-Class
Service in
Small-Town
America
Also Inside...
NACC instructor has a
Passion for Music
Quilters recreate a
Piece of History
Young life marked by
Courage and Faith
Don't miss FTC's
Annual Meeting
Saturday, Aug. 1st
Your FTC is commited to
providing World-Class service
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
Robert B. Burkhalter, Vice President
Pisgah Exchange
Danny R. Richey, Secretary
Geraldine Exchange
Lynn Welden, Treasurer
Bryant Exchange
Greg Griffith
Henagar Exchange
Gary Smith
Fyffe Exchange
Randy Tumlin
Rainsville Exchange
Connected
Vol. 13, No. 4
July/August 2009
is a bimonthly magazine
published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2009.
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:
Make plans to attend the
Annual Meeting of your Farmers
Telecommunications Cooperative
on Saturday, August 1st.
Photo by Stephen V. Smith
2 Connected - July/August 2009
At the 2008 Annual Meeting, I had the
opportunity to share with you that your
Board of Trustees had made a $36 Million, three-year commitment to bring you
a World-Class Broadband Network. Our
founders envisioned that the people of
Sand Mountain would not have to settle
for less than the best when it came to
reaching the world by phone. Our current
leadership made the same commitment to
you with respect to the communications
platform of the future.
On Saturday, August 1, at our 2009 Annual Meeting, you will hear me say that at
the end of this 36-month period, approximately 72% of our membership will have
optical fiber-based connectivity available
to their home or business. This will enable
us to provide you voice calling, advanced
data services, access to the public Internet,
and digital television service – all of which
are absolutely World-Class and affordable.
We’ve had our challenges along the
way. Our television service was delayed
almost an entire year when the national
business platform upon which it was based
collapsed. We had to rebuild it. But by
partnering with other companies just like
us we avoided losing our investment and
have put together a service that we believe
is actually better than what we started
with.
That type of challenge was typical of
2008. We also closed the sale of certain
wireless assets to AT&T Mobility and were
able to give our Farmers Wireless customers access to the world’s largest wireless
network, AT&T Mobility. We saw the vast
majority of our wireless customers make
this change seamlessly and on very favorable terms. Those customers now enjoy
such benefits as nationwide calling plans
with no roaming charges and unlimited
mobile-to-mobile calling within the AT&T
Network.
Perhaps one of the most significant
accomplishments of 2008 was preparing
the way for expanding our service into
areas outside our traditional territory.
This expansion is through our subsidiary
Farmers Telecommunications Corporation.
Your support of this project played a huge
role in helping us provide the exciting enhancements in your service that we’ve just
announced – unlimited calling plans and
the most requested feature we’ve ever had,
local calling within the FTC network.
I appreciate the leadership of our
Trustees and the loyalty and service of our
employees whose commitment to hard
work has helped us contain our costs.
That’s what made all of these improvements possible. At the end of the day, it’s
still all about you. You are both our customer and our owner, and I like to think
we haven’t forgotten who we work for.
After all, it’s our job to KEEP YOU CONNECTED.
Please make plans to attend the Annual Meeting of your cooperative on Saturday, August 1. I look forward to seeing you
there.n
Fred Johnson
is General Manager
of Farmers
Telecommunications
Cooperative, Inc.
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Dial 611, choose a FTC Bundle today and start talking!
Restrictions on Use of FTC’s Unlimited Long Distance Service - FTC’s Unlimited Long Distance Service is available to Residential customers only and is provided subject to FTC’s Standard Terms and Conditions and FTC’s Price List (subject to any
advertised discount).* These can be found at www.farmerstel.com . Unlimited Long Distance Service, whether purchased alone or as part of an FTC Bundle, is for typical domestic voice use only. It does not include 900 calls, 800 services, Calling
card calls, International calls, Directory Assistance, Operator Assistance, multi-line conference calls, chat services, or data services – standard rates apply for these services. All long distance calling areas are limited to the 48 continental United States
plus Alaska, Hawaii, and select U.S. Territories. Long distance is not intended for use to connect to Internet service providers, data providers, or information services. Commercial facsimile, auto-redialing, resale, telemarketing, 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 Residential voice usage patterns and is abusive of
the Service, FTC reserves the right, after giving notice of its intent, to immediately suspend, restrict or terminate the long distance service, or to bill future excessive usage charges 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 FTC Long Distance. All rates are subject to change. FTC reserves the right to eliminate
its Unlimited Long Distance Service offering or any FTC Bundle that includes Unlimited Long Distance Service at any time upon appropriate notice to all customers subscribing to the Service or Bundle, consistent with then existing Alabama law and
the rules and regulations of the Alabama Public Service Commission. Additional requirements and restrictions may apply.
*The rate does not include applicable taxes and fees.
“We Keep You Connected”
2009 Annual Meeting
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative
Saturday, August 1, 2009
DeKalb County
Schools Coliseum
(Highway 35 East in Rainsville)
“We Keep You Connected”
Registration begins at 9 a.m. / Business Meeting begins at 11 a.m.
Election for the Board of Trustees (Pisgah, Bryant and Geraldine Exchanges)
Free FTC Tote Bag for the first 1,000 members registered!
Grand Prize: Two members will receive one year of FREE advance services from FTC!
Other prizes include two high-definition LCD TV's and three $500 cash prizes!
4 Connected - July/August 2009
Those attending the Annual Meeting
of Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative are sure to enjoy the music and
ministry of the Rick Webb Family.
The Webbs are celebrating their 25th
year of music ministry with a strong heritage and wonderful memories!
Rick and Phyllis Webb began their
professional music journey in 1978 with
the internationally acclaimed vocal
group ReGeneration directed by vocal
orchestrater Derric Johnson. The ten
singers traveled 100,000 miles, reaching
more than a million lives in over 500 live
performances each year. Disney World
appreciated the group so much that they
annually showcased ReGeneration. In
1983, Derric Johnson's singers became the
The Voices of Liberty, the host group for
EPCOT Center's American Pavilion. It
was during this time Rick and long time
friend Kevin Miles began the male duo
ministry of Miles and Webb. Rick and
Kevin traveled extensively
throughout the United States
and Canada accompa-
nying some of the
leading pastors and
ministries of today.
In addition to the
itinerate ministry
of Miles and Webb,
Rick and Phyllis
begin singing more
than 100 dates each
year.
The Webbs
have been afforded
opportunities to
share the platform
with outstanding speakers and pastors
throughout the United States each year.
In addition to their concert schedule Rick
and Phyllis participated in the Radio
Bible Class sponsored TV music ministry
Day of Discovery for 10 years; The Wesleyan Hour international radio ministry
sponsored by the Wesleyan Church for 20
years; international crusades with Evangelist Dr. Clyde Dupin for more than
20 years; and numerous guest appearances with such respected pastors as Dr.
Charles Stanley, Dr. Charles Colson, Dr.
David Jeremiah, Dr. Mac Brunson, Dr. D.
James Kennedy just to name a few.
In 1997 the inception of The Rick
Webb Trio opened a new concept of
ministry for the Webbs. Over the past 10
years Rick and Phyllis have enjoyed and
appreciated the vocal talents of many
wonderful singers joining them in ministry. Starr Cromer, Vernon Chandler, Leslie Hipps and Lyn Westafer have given
generously their talents and lives to
enhance the vocal sound of The Webbs.
Today, The Webbs Music Ministry
consists of Rick and Phyllis Webb with
daughter Hannah and oldest son Parker.
Source: www.thewebbsmusicministry.com
“We Keep You Connected”
Annual
Meeting
Entertainment
Connected - July/August 2009 5
Rainsville's Graham earns
national FRS scholarship
Gabe Graham of Plainview High
School has been awarded a $2,500
scholarship by the Foundation for Rural
Services (FRS) and Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative. Graham is one of
only 30 students across rural America to
recieve this award.
The FRS scholarships are presented
to rural high school seniors who are
highly involved in his or her school and
community and who have above-average academic credentials. Graham received $2,000 from FRS plus a matching
scholarship award of $500 from Farmers
Telecommunications Coopereative.
Graham plans to attend The University of South Alabama where he will major in computer engineering. He is the
son of Rev. Roger and Ginger Graham of
Rainsville.
Lewis, Rider earn FTC scholarships
At Farmers Telecommunications
Cooperative we believe in investing in
the future — not only for the sake of our
cooperative, but for the sake of our members and communities and families.
That is why each year we sponsor
events that will impact our youth in a
positive way. We believe that by offering
annual programs such as Career Enrich-
ment Day and the FRS Washington Youth
Tour, we are opening doors to our young
people that will set them on a path of
academic, professional and personal success.
We understand that attending college is becoming more expensive every
year. That is why FTC offers two $1,500
scholarships each year to help assist area
2009 High School Senior Recipient
Amanda Lewis
Sardis High School
Amanda Lewis of
Rainsville is a 2009
graduate of Sardis
High
School.
At
Sardis, she was on
the A & B honor roll,
a member of the Beta
Club and a member of Fellowship of
Christian Athletes.
She also worked as a
tutor. Amanda plans
to attend Northeast
Alabama Community
College in the fall.
6 Connected - July/August 2009
students as they pay for the rising costs
of tuition.
Each year, one scholarship is given
to a deserving high school senior and
the other to a student enrolled in college. Recipients must be members (or the
dependant of a member) of FTC.
Congratulations to the 2009 recipients of the FTC Scholarship program!
2009 College Recipient
Christen Rider
Snead State Community College
Christen Rider of
Geraldine is a student at Snead State
Community College
(SSCC). While at
SSCC, Christen has
earned a 3.75 GPA
and has been named
to the Dean's List.
She is also a member of Phi Theta
Kappa Honor Society and works as a
private tutor in her
spare time.
Partnership between FTC and NACC
provides high school seniors with
up-close look at career opportunities
FRS Youth Tour
exposes our future
leaders to U.S. history,
telco industry issues
The Class of 2009 was in the seventh
grade when Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative held its first Career
Enrichment Day in partnership with
Northeast Alabama Community College.
On May 12, those seniors were the latest
students to benefit from the first-hand
exposure to career options made possible
by the annual event.
"I can think of no better way for a
student to learn about a field that interests them than to speak with someone
Students from rural regions across
America gathered in the nation's capital
this summer to learn about the legislative process and the telecommunications industry.
Eric McClendon and Aaron Cain,
both of Fyffe High School, represented
the Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative service area at the Foundation
for Rural Services (FRS) annual Youth
Tour in Washington, D.C.
FTC sponsored the local students
on the five-day educational trip. Melissa
Pruitt, an FTC employee, and her husband Dale served as chaperones.
The FRS Youth Tour provides students from rural areas a first-hand look
at the telecommunications industry,
while educating them on the functions
of government.
In addition to visiting with elected
officials and industry leaders, students
toured several famous historical sites.
These included the U.S. Capitol, the
Smithsonian Institution, Mount Vernon,
the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington
National Cemetery.
The Youth Tour is also a cultural
experience for students, allowing them
time to spend with their peers from
other parts of the country.
"Youth Tour is an excellent program
that gives our young leaders a broader
sense of the imporant role of companies
like FTC in rural America," says Brandi
Lyles, FTC Marketing Director.n
who actually works in that field on a
daily basis," says FTC General Manager
Fred Johnson. "Career Enrichment Day
affords students that opportunity."
Students have three sessions to choose
from a wide variety of speakers, covering
such fields as medicine, law, real estate,
education, banking and more. "We appreciate our presenters for generously giving
of their time," says Johnson. "And we are
especially thankful to NACC for partnering with us to host this event."n
Fred Johnson, General
Manager of Farmers
Telecommunications
Cooperative, led the
Business Management
session at the 2009
Career Enrichment
Day. The event is a
joint effort between FTC
and Northeast Alabama
Community College.
A special 'thank you' to our 2009 presenters
Gordon Gossett, Gant, Croft and Associates
Kristine Harding, JH Partners Architecture & Interiors
Matt Guice, Edward Jones
Brent Satterfield, NACC
Crystal Scott, Crystal Scott Design
Jonathan Whitcomb, Information Engineering
J.D. Davidson, The Times-Journal
Lee Buffington, Turf Tamer, Inc.
Jeremy Taylor, DeKalb & Cherokee Asst. DA
Russ Balvin and Kenny Brown, Vulcraft-Nucor
Paul Long, Antioch Baptist Church
Wade Phillips, Rainsville Drugs
Tim Pratt, Siemens Energy
Kevin Burt, Ole Heritage Realty
Donna Curry, TVA
Scott Kirk, First Southern State Bank
Sam Phillips, Phillips Engineering
Dale Pruitt, Plainview Bear Football
Sam Wilson, Sam Construction
Thomas Whitten, Children’s Advocacy Center
Sharon Totten, NACC
Ronnie Neely, DeKalb Farmers Cooperative
Grace Smith, Alabama Farmers Cooperative
Pat Allen, Pilgrim’s Pride (Human Resource Director)
Peter Selman, DeKalb Regional Hospital
Curtis Parker, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Nathaniel Ledbetter, Sand Mountain Electric Co-op
Mindi Meadows, TheraSport
Pam Gann, DeKalb County Board of Education
Billy Jones, Sgt. 1st Class, United States Army
Judith Lea, NACC
Dr. John Anderson
Amber Benefield, Williams Avenue Elementary School
Dr. Anthony Sims, Henagar Family Medicine
Dr. Cindy Jones, NACC
Dr. Martin Habel, Vision Plus
Brad Archer, NACC
Amber Harrington, Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals
Adrian Casey, DeKalb County Health Department
Eric McClendon and Aaron Cain, both of Fyffe
High School, represented the FTC service area
during the recent FRS Youth Tour.
Connected - July/August 2009 7
From the spotlight to the classroom, Dr. Kathy Adkins has a
Heart for Sharing Music
By Joseph M. Morgan
Throughout the years Northeast
Alabama Community College (NACC)
has employed some of the most qualified
instructors in this state and region.
Dr. Kathy Adkins, who serves as music instructor and director of Chorus and
Encore! at NACC, is a good example of a
qualified professional. In fact, she is possibly the most well-known and critically
acclaimed professor in NACC history.
Many in the area may not know that
before Adkins was a music professor and
director at NACC, she was Kathy Forester, member of the Grammy-nominated
hit country music group, The Forester
Sisters.
In addition to her abilities as a gifted
musician, Adkins has the academic
credentials to back up her God-given
talents.
She has a bachelor’s degree in piano
from Wesleyan College, a master’s
degree in Theory and Composition from
Western Kentucky University and a
doctorate in Leadership for Teaching and
Learning from the University of Tennessee.
Students at NACC have the benefit of drawing, not only upon Adkins’
impressive academic knowledge base,
8 Connected - July/August 2009
but upon her firsthand experiences and
knowledge obtained by spending more
than 20 years as an artist in the music
industry.
“I have always loved music,” Adkins
says. “I have been around it since I was a
very small child. Music is everything to
me. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
I have been blessed to work in the field I
love for my entire life.”
Adkins was born and raised the oldest of four girls atop Lookout Mountain.
She grew up in a family and community
that embraces music in the small town
of New Salem, Ga., between Trenton and
LaFayette, Ga.
“Music was very common in our
community,” Adkins says. “Most everybody sang where I grew up. It was just
a part of life. We grew up singing harmony to Gospel music in the Methodist
Church.”
In the late 1970’s, fresh out of college, Adkins and her sister, June, were
working as teachers in the Georgia public
school system. Over the years, the two
sang together as a duo and had become
a local favorite, often singing at churches
and other community events.
They were joined by their sister Kim
in 1978. As their popularity grew, the trio
began to perform at parties and shows in
the Chattanooga, Tenn., area in addition
to playing for local churches.
The Forester Sisters became a quartet when younger sister Christy joined a
short time later and completed the group.
After long consideration and prayer,
Kathy and June quit their day jobs and
the group decided to attempt to become
professional artists.
“We decided we would give it two
years,” Adkins says. “That’s funny now,
all these years later, but that's what we
committed to then.”
The Forester Sisters went to Muscle
Shoals to record a demo. Their drummer at the time had some contacts in the
music industry in Nashville, Tenn., and
passed the group's tape along.
An executive at Warner Bros. Records heard the tape and wanted to sign
the sisters. When he could not reach
them, he left a message on their answering machine.
“We immediately thought it was a
joke,” Adkins says. “It’s really funny
now, but, at the time, we just thought
someone was trying to be hysterical with
us.”
The Forester Sisters signed with Warner Bros. Records on July 31, 1984.
A year later in 1985, their first single,
“That’s What You Do When You’re in
Love,” made it to the Top Ten. Their next
single, “I Fell In Love Again Last Night,”
went all the way to number one.
Their chart-topping success continued for six years as The Forester Sisters
became the first act to place each of their
first fourteen singles in Billboard’s Top
Ten since the introduction of the 100-position country chart.
In the process, they reeled off five
number one singles including “Just In
Case,” “(I'd Choose) You Again,” “Mama’s Never Seen Those Eyes,” and a duet
with The Bellamy Brothers, “Too Much Is
Not Enough.”
On their journey they have been
nominated for three Grammy Awards
and named Top Vocal Group of the Year
at the 1986 Academy of Country Music
Awards.
After taking a four-year break from
recording, The Forester Sisters released
“More Than I Am,” in 1996. It was their
eleventh album with Warner Bros. and
their first as co-producers.
After another hiatus, in 2002 they recorded a new Christmas album released
independently via their Web site. The
album was co-produced by Kim Forester.
Adkins says her career as a professional musician has been a wonderful
experience.
“My career has given me some incredible opportunities and experiences,”
Adkins says. “One of the most awesome
experiences in my career was when our
first song hit the charts.
“We have been so blessed,” she adds,
“to have hit records and songs, and to
be nominated for Grammys. But I am
proudest of my sisters, the fact that we
made it despite everyone telling us it
would tear us apart, that we would break
up or one of us would go solo, that we
wouldn't last as a group. The fact is we
are closer now as sisters than we have
ever been. This opportunity allowed us
to grow closer as a family and mature as
individuals and musicians.”
However, Adkins says that despite
being closer with her sisters today, it was
not always easy on the road.
“We love each other dearly,” she
says. “But that’s not to say there weren’t
some all-out knock-down drag-outs
while we were on the road. Because
we had our fair share of those. But still,
you have to realize you wake up the
next morning and that person is not an
acquaintance. That person is your sister.
You have to eat a lot of crow. All of us
did. But in the end it brought us closer.”
Adkins says her most memorable
moments are not from winning awards
and recording hit songs, but from performing.
“When we were on the road we had
the opportunity to work with some of
the best artists in the industry and to
travel all over the world,” she says. “But
the most meaningful experiences for me
were our USO performances. It has truly
been the highlight of my career – performing for the young men and women
of our military. Knowing that we were
performing for these brave soldiers and
Marines who love America, 18, 20 years
old, these soldiers who protect us and
sacrifice for us every day. Just being able
to bring them joy when they were away
from home, away from their families, I
just can’t express how much that meant
to me.”
After releasing their album in 1996,
The Forester Sisters slowed things down
considerably and made the decision to
end their days on the road and spend
more time with their families.
“We performed and recorded fulltime for 12 years,” Adkins says. “Many
of those years we were away from home
touring for more than 300 days per year.
It was just time. Our children were getting big enough that they didn’t want to
travel anymore so we decided it was time
to leave the road.”
Adkins says she has enjoyed her
career and that there is not a lot about it
that she would change.
“I try not to look backwards,” she
says. “Sure, there are things I could have
done differently, but I don’t think we
would change anything. I am so thankful that my sisters and I have been given
opportunities and been able to experience so many wonderful things. A lot of
people said, ‘Oh, don’t do this. You can’t
just leave the music business.’ But I don’t
think we have any regrets about moving
forward with our lives. I would not give
up one second of the time I’ve chosen to
spend with my kids because that’s the
most fun thing I’ve ever done.”
Today the Forester Sisters are focusing on careers outside of music and raising their families. But they still perform
occasionally.
“Every now and then we'll do a benefit to raise money for a cause or organization,” Adkins says, “and we talk about
doing some recording. It’s nice now to
perform and do whatever we want and
to do it because we enjoy it, not because
it is our job.
“We are closer now as sisters and
better as musicians,” she says. “I think
we are better now than when we were
touring. We are more mature now and
can enjoy things a lot more without all of
the pressures.”
All of the Forester sisters are in
professional jobs. June followed up her
bachelor's degree in elementary education with a master's in Education for the
Visually Impaired. She teaches at Georgia
School for the Blind where her daughter,
Canaan is a student. Her son Carter is
a student and her husband Joe runs the
golf course that the couple own together.
Kim and Christy went back to
college and finished their degrees as
well. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in
interior design and currently works for a
company specializing in kitchen design.
Christy has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and works for an interior design
firm. She and her husband Terry have
two children, Maddie and Christian.
Kathy and husband Terry Adkins
still live where they grew up, in the small
town of New Salem, Ga., only minutes
down the road from Kathy’s parents.
Kathy and Terry enjoy being outdoors
and spending time and working on their
farm. They have three children– Amonie,
Kerry, and Cole.
Adkins says she enjoys her job at
NACC and feels blessed to continue to
work in the music field.
“Taking the job at Northeast was an
easy decision for me,” she says. “I have
always wanted to teach at the college level. I could not be happier. Our program
is growing and I have some wonderful
students who are extremely talented.”
Adkins says that her goal is to continue to improve the music program at
NACC and to prepare her students for a
four-year college.
“My vision for any program I’ve
been involved with is the same,” she
says. “That is to constantly improve, to
get better this year and apply that the
next year and every year, building on
what we did the last time so that we are
always improving as a program and as
individuals. The students inspire me to
do my best to be excellent. That is what I
ask of them and hopefully we can bring
that out of each other.”n
Connected - July/August 2009 9
the
Jane Gang
L o c a l q u i lt e r s c o m e t o g e t h e r
t o r e c r e at e a c i v i l w a r e r a
f a b r i c a rt s m a s t e r p i e c e
By Stephen V. Smith
In the days before modern heating
systems, a quilt was an important tool in
keeping a person warm in bed on a cold
winter’s night. Beyond its practical function, the quilt also served as a decorative
bed covering to add character and charm
to a home.
A great deal of skill and creativity
is involved in creating quilts. As such,
quilting has long been recognized as a
folk art that reflects the unique talents
and tastes of the quilt’s creator, as well as
the community traditions that influence
the work.
It is this artistic expression, this immersion in tradition, that has brought 16
quilters together from across Northeast
Alabama and beyond to jointly recreate
a masterpiece. Every four to six weeks, a
group of friends gathers at a local home
to swap quilt squares, tell stories, and
10 Connected - July/August 2009
enjoy food and fellowship.
They are creating their own Dear
Jane Quilts.
Jane’s legacy
Jane A. Stickle was a 19th-century
Vermont farmer who created such a
remarkable quilt that it captivates fabric
artists to this day. It is comprised of 225
unique patterns, each an intriguing geometric design that challenges any quilter.
According to the Web site www.dearjane.com, Stickle completed her work of
art in 1863. The census taken during this
time frame lists Stickle as a farmer. In her
mid-forties, she was living by herself, her
husband residing with Stickle’s brother
on his farm. Later in life Jane and her
husband were forced into bankruptcy.
She was living as a boarder in 1896 when
she passed away.
Little else is known about the life
of this mysterious quilter, except that
her creation continues to reach across
the decades to inspire those who would
accept the challenge of recreating her
masterpiece.
Several local quilters have tackled
this challenge, forming a ‘Jane Gang’ to
jointly create a number of these unique
quilts. From Fort Payne to Henagar, from
Valley Head to Pisgah, from Geraldine to
Ider, the group is comprised of quilters
from various backgrounds and experience levels — all brought together by the
Dear Jane Quilt.
Those participating in the project
include: Sue Ann Jones of Fort Payne;
Chris Murdoch of Henagar; Billie Crumly
of Geraldine; Sylvia Ivey of Henagar;
Linda O’Shields of Ider; Kay Thomas
of Bridgeport; Judy Haas of Fort Payne;
Bobbie Houston of Fort Payne; Anne
Barrett of Grove Oak; Marion O’Brien
of Valley Head; Jackie Carter of Pisgah;
Genella Tolbert of Henagar; Susan Elliot
of Henagar; Leslie Thorne of Fort Payne;
Lisa Saylor of Grant; and Harold Norris
of Acworth, Georgia.
The process
The Dear Jane project is a cooperative
effort. Participants draw numbers to see
which one of the intricate squares they
will create next. While there are 16 individuals involved, three are making two
quilts each (Murdoch, Barrett and Norris). Therefore everyone makes 19 copies
of their assigned square and brings them
to the next swap. Each quilter then goes
home with their designs plus 15 others.
“This is advanced work, rather than
beginner or intermediate,” explains Barrett. “The squares are four-and-a-half
inches, and some of them have as many
as 40 or 50 pieces in them. It’s very intricate, very time-consuming.”
To stay true to the original Jane A.
Stickle design, the quilters attempt to
match the color and pattern of each specific block. “Every block is different, and
each block is supposed to be a different
fabric,” Barrett says. “We have duplicated some, because you’re limited by how
much fabric you can find, in this part of
the country anyway.”
Once all squares and points are complete, the group members must put their
quilts together. “That process will take
three to four months,” says Barrett.
This is not the first Jane Gang project
for Barrett. She was involved in a project
that concluded in 2006; the resulting quilt
has won numerous best of show and
viewers choice honors in quilt shows in
Alabama and Tennessee.
The legend lives on
The Dear Jane quilt features over 200 intricate
and geometrically diverse pieces.
The object of so many quilters’ fascination is still in pristine condition. It is on
display seasonally at the Bennington Museum in Vermont, which, according to its
Web site, is the “trusted caretaker of the
Ann Barrett of Grove Oak sorts through the
quilt squares brought to the meeting by the
participants in the Dear Jane Quilt project.
largest collection of Grandma Moses art
and memorabilia available to the public.”
Many questions remain surrounding
the original Jane A. Stickle quilt. No one
knows what inspired her to tackle such a
complicated design, nor is it known how
long the intricate work of art took her to
complete. With sewing machines a rarity
in that era, it is assumed she created the
legendary quilt by hand.
To learn more about Jane A. Stickle
and her quilt, visit www.dearjane. com.
The Web site is maintained by Brenda
Manges Papadakis, international quilting
instructor and author of books about the
quilt.n
Connected - July/August 2009 11
Samuel Hairston inspired many through his
Life of Faith
By Joseph M. Morgan
There are things in life that are very
difficult to understand, possibly nothing
more so than when a child leaves us in
the prime of his youth.
And while the passing of 18-year-old
Samuel Burke Hairston might have some
people looking up and asking 'why?', it
is a question he never felt the need to ask.
Described as funny, compassionate,
kind and outgoing, Hairston possessed,
in the midst of tragedy and despair, an
unshakable faith and love of life that
allowed him to transform tragedy into
triumph — and touch the lives of all who
knew him along the way.
Symptoms begin
In January 2008 Samuel began feeling
a slight tingle — a numbness — in the
fingertips of his left hand. It probably
didn't seem like a very big deal at the
time, certainly nothing to worry over.
Samuel, then 17, was
focused on the typical issues
facing many teenagers today
— juggling the pressures of
high school, family, church,
spending time with girlfriend Brooke, his part-time
job at Lucky's Supermarket
and feeding an insatiable
desire to play music.
Dealing with a little
numbness in the fingertips
probably seemed like a minor inconvenience at the
time. That is, until Feb. 4,
2008, when the numbness
spread all the way down
the left side of his body.
After visits to the family doctor and local neurologist Dr. Dave Koury, Samuel
was referred to specialists at
UAB Hospital.
Following the examination and an MRI at UAB were words that
would change the lives of the Hairston
family forever: "Your son has cancer."
Doctors at UAB explained to the family that Samuel had a tumor on the right
side of his brain stem that was affecting
his central nervous system. They further
explained that the cancer was inoperable
and that Samuel had very little chance of
surviving.
Attitude of faith
THE HAIRSTON FAMILY­—Pictured in Jan. 2007
are (clockwise from bottom left) Randy, Samuel,
Sheila and Jesse.
12 Connected - July/August 2009
No graduation. No more proms. No
college. No more hanging out with buddies or dates with the girlfriend. No more
musical jam sessions in the garage with
the guys. How, at 17 years old, would
most respond to this news? Angry? Upset? Emotional? Irrational?
Not Samuel. As his mother stood
before him in that doctor's office, Samuel
looked her straight in her tear-filled eyes
and calmly said, "Mama. It's going to be
okay. I will be fine, Mama, just fine. If
the Lord wants to heal me, he will heal
Samuel as a
baby (left) and at 13 years
old on Orange Beach
me. And if he
wants to take me home with Him, He
will take me home with Him. Either way,
I'm gonna be okay Mama."
A few days after he was diagnosed,
Samuel visited Children's Hospital in
Birmingham. Although the cancer was
inoperable, Samuel's doctors hoped
radiation and chemotherapy treatments
could shrink the size of the tumor.
Every day for six weeks he received
treatment, inspiring staff members and
fellow patients alike with his smile, humor and attitude of faith. The treatments
all but stopped the tumor's growth for a
while, and Samuel returned home at the
end of March 2008.
He jumped right back into his busy
life as a junior at Pisgah High School.
In fact, he made it back just in time to
attend the Pisgah High School prom,
where he and girlfriend Brooke Moore
were voted prom prince and princess.
At the end of the school year in May,
another MRI showed Samuel's tumor
to be stable. That summer he was still
able to drive, play music and spend time
hanging out with friends.
In fact, for a while at least, life was
almost normal. In August, Samuel even
went back to school, where he was active
in clubs and organizations such as FFA,
Beta Club and Mu Alpha Theta.
Cancer's vengence
The following month, Samuel's
health took a turn for the worse. He
began to have trouble with his balance,
and in October he began to experience
double vision. Due to his worsening condition, Samuel's last day of high school
was October 6, 2008.
As the Hairstons feared, the next
MRI showed that the tumor had grown.
Samuel began another round of chemotherapy and radiation in October (a
December MRI would later show that the
treatments shrunk the tumor considerably, but his symptoms never improved).
In October, Sheila, a 32-year employee of Northeast Alabama Community College, decided to take a leave from
work to spend time with her oldest son
during his last months.
"That time with Samuel is very special to me," Sheila says. "We shared every
day together. We talked and laughed and
prayed. He was still so full of happiness and life! We did not spend our time
in mourning. It was a time spent in joy
and love between mother and son that I
would not trade for the world."
The remaining months of Samuel's
life would bring the Hairston family
closer than they had ever been. They
relied on their faith and each other to see
them through their difficult journey.
Every day before leaving for school,
Samuel's brother Jesse, who is only 14
months and five days younger than
Samuel, made sure to tell his big brother
two things—'I love you' and 'I hope you
have a good day today.'
Samuel's father Randy, employed by
Chattanooga Group in Tenn. and also a
licensed minister of 38 years, led the family in a nightly Bible study and prayer—a
tradition Samuel insisted on.
"Regardless of how he felt or what
was going on, Samuel made sure we
had Bible study every night at home,"
Sheila says. "It really gave us strength
and brought us together. It made us grow
stronger in the Lord and in each other."
Sheila also points to others in the
community as a source of strength. When
Samuel was no longer strong enough to
go to church, his Sunday School class, led
by C.J. Buttram, held class in the Hairston home so that he could take part.
"This entire community has embraced us and helped lift us up," Sheila
says. "We have strong Christian friends
and church and family that have been
wonderful to pray for us and bring us
countless cards and meals. We have
experienced so many blessings through
all of this."
Going home
On May 15, 2009, Samuel Burke
Hairston left this earth for a better place.
Three days later, on May 18, more than
870 attended his visitation. It is reported
that the line for the funeral procession
was more than three miles ling.
On May 26, Samuel's classmates
held their high school graduation. At
the ceremony, each of the 72 members of
Pisgah High School Class of 2009 placed
a long-stemmed red rose in front of
Samuel's senior portrait. It was a gesture
that moved many to tears.
"Samuel
was an amazing person,"
Sheila says.
"Through
his entire illness, all that
we have are
good memories. He
never allowed the
disease to
take away
One of Sheila Hairston's favorite
his happiphotos of Samuel, at age 10
ness. We
never had to
see him in misery and despair, and that
is a blessing to us and a testament of who
he was and how strong he was.
Besides these memories, Samuel
leaves behind a legacy of faith. "He
showed people that no matter what
comes along, there is joy in life and you
can find the strength through God to
face another day," Sheila says. "I hope his
story inspires people, and that they can
find joy and peace in their own lives."
Samuel Hairston lived every day,
even his last, with joy and peace. And although cancer finally defeated his body,
it never conquered his spirit or his faith.
Nor did it defeat his family. Although she mourns the loss of her son,
Sheila never stops smiling while talking
about her son. Somehow she is okay.
Somehow she is at peace.
"It is our faith," she explains simply.
"It's impossible to make it through something like this without faith. You must
have a personal relationship with the
Lord and draw strength from His word.
We have comfort and peace in knowing
that we will see Samuel again."n
Samuel Hairston will continue to impact lives
through memorial scholarship fund at NACC
Samuel's family recently established the
Samuel Hairston Memorial Scholarship in his
honor.
"Attending college was very important to
Samuel," Sheila says. "I know it would make
him very happy to be able to help someone
go to college."
If you would like to donate to the Samuel
Hairston Memorial Scholarship Fund, make
checks payable to NACC. Include a brief note
with your check or write Samuel Hairston
Memorial Scholarship Fund in the memo section of the check. Mail checks to:
Northeast Alabama Community College
ATTN: Business Office
PO Box 159
Rainsville, AL 35986
You will be mailed a receipt for your gift.
Connected - July/August 2009 13
DeKalb County Fiddlers’ Convention
ng
i
m
o
Upc
ts
n
e
v
E
August 1
Come enjoy this day-long event with tons of pickin’ and even
more grinnin’! Founded in 1908, the convention features over 10 categories in
which contestants can register to participate, including old-time fiddling, banjos,
blue grass, and much more. For more information about admission or entry fees,
contact the Big Wills Arts Council at 256-845-2224.
5th Annual
Fyffe
UFO
Days
August 28 – 29
Don’t miss this truly
Unforgettable Family Outing! This unique festival
includes arts and crafts, children’s games, antique
tractors and Civil War re-enactors. UFO enthusiasts and
skeptics alike will enjoy live entertainment and food
that is out of this world! Look up in the sky and you
might not see a flying saucer, but you WILL see fun
and colorful hot air balloons. Join family and friends
for the traditional street dance to top off this weekend
of summertime fun. Call 256-623-2222 for more
information.
DeKalb County Lake
Bass Tournament
August 29
Get ready to bait your hooks and
cast your lines! DeKalb Public Fishing Lake is hosting a
Tournament for all you bass fishermen! The tournament
will begin at 6:00 a.m. and end at noon. There is a $20
entry fee that does not cover your permit. First, second
and third place winners will receive a percentage of entry
fees, and the fisherman who catches the biggest bass
of the day will win $50. (Fishing stories not accepted!)
Please call to verify date. 256-657-1300
Boom Days
Heritage Celebration
Ider Mule Days
September 7
Celebrate Sand Mountain’s rich
agricultural heritage with a day of family fun! Starting with
a parade of mules, horses, carriages, antique tractors and
more at 9:30 a.m., this festival is sure to be fun for all ages.
A horse pull, mule pull, antique tractors and cars, arts and
crafts, food from local vendors, children’s games, and so
much more make this day one you won’t want to miss! Call
256-657-4184 for additional information.
14 Connected - July/August 2009
September 12 - 19
This annual art and musical event
displays citizens of Fort Payne
taking a second look at their past
and the heritage passed down to
them through the arts and crafts of
our area. The Boom Days Heritage
Celebration will feature many of
these facets in the presentation
of musical performances as well
as art displays in Fort Payne City
Park. 256-845-2741
Naomi Hilley
Naomi Hilley of Fyffe has seen many
things change since she was born 79 years
ago. But, one thing that has not changed at all
is her love of cooking.
“I started cooking at a very young age,”
Hilley recalls. “I had to stand on a chair to
reach the table while cooking corn bread.”
Today, Hilley cooks for her husband of
almost 62 years, Melvin, her daughter, Anita
Johnson of Geraldine, and two grown grandchildren, Justin and Allison. She also enjoys
cooking for her church family at Flat Rock,
where Melvin serves as minister.
Hilley was recognized by Times Journal
in 2000 for her outstanding sweet potato pie
and given the title of Best Overall Cook.
Outside of the kitchen, Hilley leads a
very active life. She enjoys sewing and quilting with quilting guilds in both Fort Payne
and Scottsboro. Hilley is very involved in
Sweet Potato Casserole
Cheese Wafers
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1 stick margarine
1/4 cup sweet milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 stick butter
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1-1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Mix well and pour in a lightly greased
9x13 inch dish.
Let cheese and butter come to room temperature. Mix together with high speed
mixer. Stir in flour and pepper. Add cheese.
Fold in nuts. Roll dough in a medium long
roll and chill for 24 hours. Slice into thin
wafers and bake on a greased cookie sheet
for 25 minutes in a 325º oven.
Topping
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Mix well and put on top of sweet potato
mixture. Bake in oven at 350º for about
30 minutes.
24 Hour Salad
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 large Cool Whip
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
1 large can fruit cocktail, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix Eagle Brand milk and lemon juice.
Add Cool Whip and mix well. Add all
other ingredients and fold together. Pour
into serving dish and decorate with cherries, pecans and marshmallows. Let set
in refrigerator for 24 hours and serve.
Angel Crisp Cookies
Cream together:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup shortening
Add:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Stir in:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Mix well and make into balls of desired
size. Flatten out thinly with fork. Place
on greased cookie sheet. Back 10-12 minutes in a 350º oven.
Chicken and Dressing
Sand
Mou
ntain
Kitch
ens
her church,
and
she
also loves to
garden. “I like
cooking
with
my
homegrown
fruits and vegetables,”
she says. “I think cooking with fresh ingredients keeps your body healthy. Melvin and
I have never been sick enough to go to the
hospital.”
This month, Hilley shares some of her favorite recipes. “I like everyday Country cooking,” she comments. “I enjoy simple food
with good flavor.”
“These are all recipes I use very frequently.” Hilley says. “My family asks for the
sweet potato casserole at every get-together.”
And, if you're looking for a tasty snack, try
the cheese wafers or angel crisp cookies.
1 stick margarine
2 to 2-1/2 cups broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup sweet milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
Pepper and sage to taste
Mix last 10 ingredients and pour over
chicken and bread crumbs. Mix well.
Must be soupy. Let set overnight if possible. Bake in a 325º oven for 40 minutes
or until done.
Ice Box Rolls
1 cup sweet milk
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp oil or melted shortening
5 cups bread flour
Soft margarine
Pour milk in a large mixing bowl. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to
milk. Add salt, sugar, and oil. Add flour
to make a stiff dough. Set in refrigerator
overnight. When ready to bake, roll out
about one inch thick and cut with biscuit
cutter. Spread soft margarine on top of
rolls and let rise until doubled in size.
Bake in a 350º oven for 20-25 minutes.
1 chicken, stewed and de-boned
4 cups corn bread crumbs
Connected - July/August 2009 15
Pre-sort
Standard
US Postage Paid
Metro Mail
36201
“We
Keep217•
You Connected”
P.O.
Box
144 McCurdy Ave. N.
Rainsville, Alabama 35986
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Rainsville
Fort Payne
Inside FTC Office
In same plaza as wingstop
638-2100
516-2100
Centre
484-9291
In same plaza as Piggly Wiggly