Rotary Club of Pell City

Where leaders meet

Giving, serving guide Pell City Rotary Club

Two years of a pandemic certainly changed the way Pell City Rotarians have operated, but their actions have never wavered from their guiding principle, “Service Above Self.”

As daily routines return more and more to normalcy, Rotarians have emerged with renewed vigor – a new determination – to do even more for their community. A synergy is taking hold as a new generation of leaders are stepping up to build on the legacy of making its community a better place.

“I joined Rotary when I attended Smiths Station High School after learning about what Rotary did for our community,” said Casey Cambron, one of Pell City Rotary’s newer members. “We stayed active in our town, visiting veterans’ homes for Christmas, area cleanups and other various community volunteer activities. As an adult, I still believe in volunteering in our community and found that Rotary was active in my area, and I wanted to give back to my community.”

And give back, he has. In addition to volunteering for a number of causes around the city, he has been involved in Rotary’s Father Daughter Dance. “I have helped with the Father Daughter Dance and seen many young girls spending time with their fathers. Seeing them dance together, spending quality time is an amazing experience.”

Rotary at Work: J.P. Dailey and Don Smith help out on on a playground project.

One of the local club’s most anticipated events of the year in the community, it wasn’t held in 2021 because of the pandemic, but resourceful Rotarians found a way around it. They created colorfully decorated boxes filled with treats and ideas for special activities for fathers and daughters to share quality time together. Within a week more than 100 boxes had been given away.

In 2022, the dance was back – bigger and better than ever.

“I have had the chance to be involved in multiple fundraising and service projects, but one of the most rewarding has been the Father Daughter Dance,” said Rotarian Matthew Pope. “To see those fathers all dressed up and the sheer joy on the girls’ faces is so awesome.

“As fathers, we have a duty and obligation to show our daughters how they deserve to be treated,” he said. “Hopefully, we are doing that daily, but this gives a specific event where we can be intentional about loving them and ‘modeling’ what their future relationships should look like.”

Rotarians Meg Clements, a lawyer and mother of two, and Blair Goodgame, tourism coordinator for St. Clair County, make the evening a perfect picture by creating an almost magical atmosphere for fathers and daughters with a themed event that follows through with elaborate decorations and attention to every detail. The memories last a lifetime.

The two also team up on a tennis tournament Rotary holds each year around Halloween, and it’s nothing short of being ‘spooktacular.’ One of the club’s major fundraisers, the community comes together around this tournament – participating, sponsoring, cheering – and it offers an opportunity for competition in a variety of categories.

The club’s oldest fundraiser, chaired by longtime Rotarian Joe Paul Abbott, is the Pell City Rotary Charity Golf Tournament Ray Cox Memorial, another communitywide event that draws golfers from near and far to compete in this impressive display of community spirit.

“The golf tournament brings so many people together for a good cause,” said Abbott. “From the sponsors to the volunteers to the golfers, themselves, it’s a fun-filled day, and the bonus is that the money raised goes right back into the community.”

“When I was in high school, the phrase ‘Service Above Self’ was a quote from Rotary,” Cambron said. “That phrase has stuck with me my entire life. I truly believe that helping your community builds a better community.”

Why Rotary?

“Ihave met many great people with our Rotary Club,” Cambron added. “I have been given opportunities outside of Rotary to volunteer with other organizations that are directly connected to Rotarians.”

When Pope joined, he recalled, “I wanted to be part of an organization that focuses on the community and gives me opportunities to serve the community I live in.    I also love the networking and social aspects of Rotary. I have made some lifelong friends and have developed relationships that have helped me learn and grow in my personal and professional life.” 

Rotary, he added, is “100 percent focused on the community. As a service organization, our conversations constantly center around ways we can improve, support and strengthen our community and community partners. We help support other nonprofits with monetary donations and service projects. We also fund two scholarships each year for a local high school senior” that can be renewed throughout their college experience.

Lunch, learn, network

Weekly meetings of the Rotary Club are more than just a meal. “Our lunch meetings allow me to network weekly with leaders in our community,” Pope said.  “We also have fantastic speakers and programs where we have the opportunity to hear inspiring stories, learn about local businesses and organizations and receive updates about things and events going on in our area.”

The benefits are many, members say. Rotary is an investment, but the return is so much greater. “To be able to point to dozens of Rotary-supported worthwhile causes – people and organizations doing great things for our city – to see our city grow, makes me proud,” said Serge Brazzolotto, the club’s president-elect.

“I joined Rotary several years ago only because of its service to community pledge. I spend as much time as I can serving the club needs and fundraising. I came from another country and have been here for many years, and Pell City and its citizens have been good to me. I have been retired for 10 years and since then, I have tried to give my time to help those in need and serve the community and to give back.  Rotary was a perfect fit.”

He noted the pride in seeing Rotary’s hand in the Christian Love Pantry, Education Foundation, Community Clinic and a host of others benefitting and flourishing “because of our support,” he said. “In turn, we must thank the community. Because they give us a service that we all need, so it is our duty to give back to them and support them.”

Friendship Place

Enriching and encouraging friends and family

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Kelsey Bain

“Look at that baby! What a beautiful baby!” the lady says as she watches the petite blonde across the table from her. “She’s so pretty! What a sweet baby!” Smiling, the small woman responds by lovingly wrapping her baby doll in the pink flowered blanket and gently laying her down on the table.

Whenever she comes to Friendship Place, Brenda’s “baby” will be waiting for her. Brenda’s family brings her to St. Simon Peter’s Friendship Place twice a week for stimulation, affirmation, encouragement and love. Brenda and her family are dealing with the effects of her dementia.

Friendship Place is a respite care facility in Pell City that offers services Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., allowing full-time caregivers of dementia patients a chance to leave their loved one in a safe and loving environment for a few hours.

Volunteers lead friends in cognitive development activities.

The break is important to give caregivers a chance to do things alone that would be hard to accomplish with their family member along. “We’ve found this mission to be three-fold,” says Program Director Melinda Knepper. “It is an important respite time for family or caregivers to do errands or have personal time. It’s also a ministry to the dementia patient. It adds purpose and meaning to their lives. The third element is for the volunteer. They start helping so they can be a blessing to others, but more often than not, they end up leaving each day feeling blessed and fulfilled.”

Today’s theme is “Observe the Weather,” so the group is adjusting each activity to include cognitive enrichment associated with weather. The art activity includes painting an umbrella; the word bank for the word search is all weather-related, as is the bingo game board.

Each day is carefully structured to include both physical and cognitive stimulation. Today’s physical activity is balloon volleyball, played in chairs using pool noodles to hit the balloons over the net. Smiles and excited chatter fill the room as more balloons are added to the game.

Two years ago, the mission was conceived through a discovery process at St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church. The rector at the time began a process to figure out the most pressing community needs. As they neared the end of that process, the need to help families dealing with dementia topped their list.

Christian Love Pantry and Lakeside Hospice, two other thriving community missions also born at St. Simon Peter, quickly outgrew the church and began operating as nonprofits outside of the church walls. It was, in fact, a volunteer with Lakeside Hospice that helped to validate the need for the services Friendship Place offers.

“Elizabeth Thomaston – she goes by Bit – was involved in support groups for families dealing with Alzheimer’s in both Pell City and Leeds,” Knepper explains. “She helped us see the need and get on the right track.” With a grant in hand, they opened just two months before the pandemic hit.

“We had a ton of interest as soon as we opened,” says Knepper, “but then we had to shut down for COVID just a couple of months later. We kept up via Zoom meetings, but we were glad to be able to open back up for in-person care.” Currently, they serve four families a month, but hope the numbers will grow as people get more comfortable being together and COVID anxiety eases.

“We had one family that contacted the patient’s doctor to see if they were OK to come,” adds Knepper, “and she told me the doctor said the benefits of her being here outweigh any of the risks associated with COVID.”

Doctors define dementia as a syndrome that leads to the deterioration of cognitive function to the extent that it interferes with daily living tasks and abilities. It is the result of a variety of diseases and injuries, including stroke and Alzheimer’s.

Statistics from the World Health Organization show that 55 million people worldwide suffer from some form of dementia, with 10 million new cases each year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, contributing to over 60% of cases. And since 66% of dementia patient care comes from live-in caregivers, the stress on those caregivers is often overwhelming.

Build it, and they will come

Joanna Pickett brings her mother, Dot, to Friendship Place every day it is open. “We were actually here learning about it before they opened. We’d been going to a place quite far from here but came to talk to Melinda when we heard they were thinking of opening a place here,” she says. “It’s hard to imagine how important it is. It gives me a chance to breathe. I enjoy being her full-time caregiver, but with a dementia patient 24/7, there are some things that are very difficult to do when I have her with me.”

With that, she tells of a trip to Hobby Lobby that ended in frustration after her mom, a former artist, insisted on filling the buggy with new brushes and art supplies. “She doesn’t need them anymore, but she believes she does, so it’s a struggle in the store.”

Pickett says that being able to bring her mom to Friendship Place gives her a sense of peace, knowing that the volunteers there genuinely love Dot. On days that she goes, Pickett says, she comes back “a different person. You wouldn’t think a person with dementia would need to be encouraged, but they do. When I pick her up, she’s happy. It stirs up her abilities, and she seems more attentive and calm.”

Even though she doesn’t understand what Friendship Place is when she’s told she’s going that day, Pickett says when she describes it as the place “where you sit at the round tables and play games with your friends,” Dot gets ready with purpose and excitement.

That’s exactly the reaction Knepper wants from the program. “We offer theme-based activities, lunch, games and laughs … lots of laughs. We help them express their independence and give them lots of love from our volunteers.”

Volunteers are key

Volunteers are trained in what memory loss means, the different types of dementia, and how to appropriately interact with those with memory loss. Knepper pairs each patient, whom they refer to as “friends,” with a volunteer for the day. Volunteers guide and encourage the friend and participate along with them throughout the day.

Those volunteers are not just from the church. They are looking for more, so anyone who is interested in serving is encouraged to contact Knepper at St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church.

A volunteer in the program from the first day, Mike Dikeman smiles as he describes his love for the mission. He’d recently retired from Time, Inc., and was looking for a place to volunteer his time.

His dad had suffered from Alzheimer’s dementia for more than a decade, so he knew the frustration associated with his care.

“He lived in Kansas and each time I went to visit, I could tell a difference in him. He would ask me if I’d gained weight. Then a few minutes later, he’d ask again. A few minutes later, the same.”

He enjoys the opportunity to help other families through the process. Is it tough? “No,” he says, “we just have so much fun! Melinda is amazing and it’s a very positive environment.”

They even tease him because one day he rescued a turtle from the road on the way to the church. When he came in, he jokingly asked if it was turtle day, since he had one in his truck.

Against all odds, it actually was World Turtle Day, and turtles were the theme of their activities. The friends got a chance to see a live turtle that day. “Now they ask me on Elephant Day if I have one in my truck,” he jokes. “It’s just a fun place to be.”

Pell City Rotary

Defining community service

To Pell City Rotary Club, “Serve to Change Lives” is more than Rotary International’s theme for 2021. It’s the standard for this club this year and every year.

Jon Clements and daughter Amelia enjoy quality time together – as intended.

Not even a pandemic could stop Pell City Rotary from its mission. In big ways and small ways, the club leaves a lasting impact that does indeed change lives.

For years, it has been bringing daddies and daughters together for a special evening of dancing, fun and making memories that will last a lifetime. The annual Father-Daughter Dance is one of the most anticipated events in the community each year, serving as a catalyst for strengthening the bonds only a father and daughter can share.

But when the pandemic hit yet another surge, the dance was cancelled. Enterprising Rotary members had a better idea. They prepared hundreds of boxes full of surprises and goodies and an idea list of ways fathers and daughters could spend time together.

One idea was to watch a movie together and nestled in the midst of all the coupons for ice cream cones and meals they also could share, was the starring attraction – popcorn. Father + daughter + popcorn + movie. Now, that’s a winning formula for making relationships stronger.

Always the epitome of a communitywide event where everyone pitches in, under ordinary circumstances, Southland Golf Carts that shuttled fathers and daughters to and from the dance would have been a leading participant.

This year, the community still came together despite no dance.

For the boxes:

Dairy Queen gave coupons for free ice cream cones.
Chick-fil-A provided coupons for free kids’ meals.
DJ Carson Bruce put together a playlist with a QR code for families to scan to listen to at home together.
Main Street Memories added the popcorn as the box’s centerpiece.
City of Pell City stored items at the municipal complex and loaned the space to assemble boxes and distribute.
The Pell City Fire Department set up tents for distribution.
Rotary volunteers assembled and distributed boxes.

And the end result were hundreds of fathers and daughters making new memories courtesy of Pell City Rotary Club.

Giving so Rotary can give

Rotary has two major fundraisers per year besides the Father-Daughter Dance – Ray Cox Memorial Golf Tournament and the annual Rotary Tennis Tournament.

Enjoying the “Monster Smash” tennis tournament

Through these fundraisers, Rotary is able to do what it does best giving in service to others. Again, it is more than just raising money. It is about community in its truest sense, bringing people together for a good cause.

From those who sponsor the tournaments to those who play in them and the countless volunteers that make these successful events happen, the community rallies in support, knowing that their investment of time and funding brings sizable returns for good works throughout the city and beyond year after year.

Benefitting from grants given this year alone are: Lakeside Park, Pell City Center for Education and the Performing Arts, Easterseals Community Clinic, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Children’s Place Child Advocacy Center, Christian Love Pantry, Boy Scouts, St. Clair Literacy Council, Toys for Kids, Library Guild, YWCA, Mustard Seed Society, Ann’s New Life Center, Logan Martin Tennis Association, PCHS Show Choir, Kennedy Elementary School and the Pell City Education Foundation.

With a boost from Pell City Rotary and a district grant, the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home now has an impressively designed, professional putting green, a small tribute to their service and sacrifice.

Weekly Mission

Each Tuesday, Rotarians gather together for lunch. Beyond a time of networking and fellowship, it is a time to learn more about their community and ways Rotary can help.

The club hosts expert speakers in their fields and leaders with a cause – all aimed at enlightening and inspiring Rotarians as they seek to make their community a better place for all.

Forty-seven years ago, 25 businessmen founded the club that has grown more than three-fold and continues to thrive. Their focus was service above self.

Today, that vision never wavers, it has only strengthened in time by serving to change lives. l

What’s for breakfast?

New London firefighters
serve community

Story by Scottie Vickery

Photos by Graham Hadley

Jim Landrum, chief of the New London Fire Department, glanced at the pancake order handed to him on a small piece of paper. He smiled, poured some batter onto the hot griddle, and plopped some plump blueberries on top of the mix. “Coming right up,” he said. “Have a seat, and we’ll get it right to you.”

Made-to-order pancakes and omelets are just a few of the offerings at the community-wide breakfasts hosted twice a month by Landrum and his crew of volunteer firefighters. There’s also applewood bacon, sausage links and patties, eggs cooked to order, grits, hash browns, biscuits and gravy. For a donation of $8 a head for all you can eat, it’s a deal that makes you look forward to getting out of bed.

At least twice a month, the firefighters put down their gear and pick up their spatulas. The tools may change on Saturday mornings, but the dedicated volunteers are still doing what they’ve always done best: serving their community. The 22-member department, however, serves up much more than a great meal at a good price. They also provide their neighbors with security, protection and peace of mind.

“They’re good people,” Candi Childers said after enjoying a recent breakfast. “They do a lot of nice things for the community, and we try to support them whenever we can. They take good care of us.”

Percy and Sharon Jennings can attest to that. A few weeks before Christmas, a shed at their lake house went up in flames, and the responders managed to put it out just before it consumed their nearby home. “We had hired someone to burn leaves, and they’d put them out that afternoon, but about five hours later, the fire started up again,” Percy Jennings said. “Next thing we knew, the world was on fire.”

The Jennings’ daughter and son-in-law were at the house at the time and tried to battle the flames with fire extinguishers, but that proved impossible once the gas in the lawnmower ignited. “They were there within three minutes,” Sharon Jennings said. “That’s what saved our house. How do you thank them for something like?”

Pancakes with a purpose

Enjoying a plate (or two) of breakfast is a good way to start. The department receives $3 a month per household from the New London Water Authority, but the money raised at the breakfasts goes right back into the community. The firefighters have paid funeral expenses for struggling neighbors, helped provide Christmas gifts and given gift cards to help fire victims meet their immediate needs.

Mostly, though, the income allows them to purchase equipment to help them do their job more effectively. “It’s expensive to run a fire department,” Landrum said. “A nozzle to fight a fire is $600, and radios run about $700. We’re looking at buying our own air fill machine for air packs, and that’s $40,000. Turnout gear is $2,000 a firefighter, and we have to replace hoses and other equipment. We try to be as modern as we can on voluntary donations.”

They’ve come a long way in recent years, Landrum said. The department, which has three stations, boasts four full-size pumpers. The Water Authority is providing a fifth pumper truck in February, at which time one of the older pumpers will only be used to carry extra water and air packs. The department also has a brush truck for wood fires, as well as a fire and rescue boat. “We’ve got a first-class fire department now,” Landrum said, adding that each house in the district is within five miles of a station.

Like the residents of the New London community in Cropwell, most folks in Alabama rely on their neighbors in emergency situations. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, an entity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alabama has 806 registered fire departments. Of those, 89 percent are completely or mostly volunteer, while the rest are totally or primarily staffed by career firefighters.

The New London crew, which provides fire protection, safety education and rescue services, participates in training twice a week. On Tuesday evenings, they focus on firefighting techniques and safety. Weekends are devoted to rescue skills, such as cutting people out of cars and lifting patients properly. “I’m so proud of this fire department,” Landrum said. “These guys put a lot of time and effort into this, and they don’t get a nickel.”

Neighbors helping neighbors

Landrum, who grew up in Birmingham and had a demanding career in Atlanta, came to Logan Martin Lake most weekends before he and his wife, Ilene, moved to the lake full-time about 11 years ago. He joined the fire department the same way most of the volunteers do – after being recruited by a friend – and has served as chief for three years.

Brad Hicks came on board about two years ago after calling the fire department himself. “About a month after I moved into my house, I smelled what I thought was an electrical fire. They showed up on a snowy day less than five minutes after I called,” he said. It turns out his electrical box shorted out, which they discovered with a thermal imaging camera. Before leaving, the firefighters asked him if he wanted to be part of the team.

“I had a hard time saying no,” Hicks said. “How could you not want to be a part of a group of good people who do so much for the community? These folks are a family.”

Much like other families, they enjoy eating together so the breakfasts are a perfect fit. Landrum, who fondly remembers enjoying the community-wide breakfasts held in the 1980s and 1990s, proposed the idea of bringing them back several years ago. They have been a tremendous hit, often drawing diners from Birmingham, Anniston and other communities. The breakfasts are typically held the first and third Saturdays of each month from 7-10 a.m., although the firefighters took some time off for the holidays and often host more breakfasts during the spring and summer months.

“One year, we did it every Saturday during the summer – that was brutal,” Landrum said with a laugh. “It’s turned into quite an event, though. It has grown and grown and grown. The community loves it, and we love doing it.”

Short order cooks

The breakfasts draw crowds of about 120-150 people. The crew arrives about 5 a.m. to begin preparing since diners arrive with big appetites. Each event requires 45-60 pounds of bacon, 6-8 pounds of sausage patties that are donated by Royal Foods, 4-5 pounds of link sausage and 12-14 dozen eggs. Landrum, who typically mans the griddle, estimates he makes about 150 plate-sized pancakes, which can be ordered plain or with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, bananas or any combination of the toppings. About 60-80 omelets are made each time with any combination of bacon, sausage, ham, cheese, tomatoes, onions, peppers, jalapeño, salsa and sour cream.

“We look forward to breakfast here,” said Glenn Barton, of Lincoln. He and his wife, Debra, meet Barton’s sister and brother-in-law, Sarah and Doug Robinson, at the events most weeks. The Robinsons, who live in Moody, have a weekend place at the lake and love to catch up with family and friends while enjoying a good meal.

That’s a draw for many of the diners. One recent Saturday, the seats were full, and a line of about 20 people had formed about 8:30. Conversation was in full swing and hugs were in abundance as folks greeted neighbors and family members they hadn’t seen in a while. “We meet somebody new every time we come,” Childers said. “The people are what makes this nice. You get to socialize, and the money goes to what is needed.”

If that’s not reason enough to get out bed, there’s always Barton’s philosophy. “It’s a special occasion,” he said with a grin. “It’s Saturday, and there’s bacon.”

Riverside, Alabama

A diamond in the rough

Story by Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley

 “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.”
—Norman Maclean (cq), Author

A story about this small, but growing St. Clair County town has an obvious beginning: The Coosa River.

Across the millennia, civilizations have been drawn to water to quench thirsts and quell appetites, to clean bodies and purify souls, for transportation and for commerce and for joy and inspiration.

And many have settled on the river to begin new lives, or to spend their last days near the peace and beauty of the water.

Just like civilization, the river is always changing. Heraclitis, a Greek philosopher, had it right. “No man ever steps into the same river twice; for it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.”

As the Coosa has changed across the centuries, Riverside has changed. Like the rest of its incorporated neighbors, Riverside’s population has grown, drawing new residents from larger urban areas like Birmingham.

While the real estate boom has not hit Riverside like Margaret, Odenville and other municipalities, the Coosa and Logan Martin Lake draw visitors like a powerful magnet. As it has throughout history, the water brings the promise of more people – and greater prosperity.

Mayor Rusty Jessup believes the future is bright. Jessup is in his fourth term as mayor and serves as the chairman of the county mayors’ association and as a member of the Alabama League of Municipalities’ Executive Committee.

“What a diamond in the rough (Riverside) is right here at this river,” Jessup said.

 

Riverside’s roots

Modern-day Riverside had its beginnings as Readmon when it was founded in 1882, but was later incorporated as Riverside in 1886. For years, it was the county’s industrial hub, a hotbed for logging, sawmills, milling and egg production. Barge traffic was common on the Coosa, moving commerce up and down the river.

A ferry – known as the Coleman Ferry – also provided a key transportation link, helping people cross the river in the horse-and-buggy era. It remained in operation until the John Bankhead Bridge opened in 1937.

Bankhead, a U.S. senator, was the patriarch of one of Alabama’s great political dynasties. His son, William Bankhead, served as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and his son, Walter Will Bankhead, also served in Congress. John Bankhead’s granddaughter, Tallulah, made her mark on stage and screen.

“At that time, (Riverside) was a pretty unique crossroads because it had one of the very few ways to cross the Coosa River right here, so there was a lot of activity,” Jessup said.

But Riverside’s history, inextricably tied to the Coosa, runs deeper than the 135 years of incorporation, or so goes archaeological speculation, Jessup said.

From 500 to 1100 A.D., the northern part of what is now Riverside was home to one of the largest native settlements, perhaps among the largest in the Southeast, Jessup said. Now the town and its environs are a popular hunting ground for Indian artifacts,

“There are citizens here in Riverside who have museum-quality Indian artifacts in their homes,” Jessup said. “Spearheads, arrowheads, tomahawk heads and pottery, it’s very interesting.”

Like most towns in St. Clair County, white settlers arrival in the area predates Alabama statehood in 1819. There is much historical speculation about the period before incorporation. And those wives’ tales, passed down through the generations, make for compelling stories.

Jessup recounted one Civil-War-era story about Riverside and a Union contingent of 40,000 cavalry known as Streight’s Raiders under the command of Brigadier Gen. Abel Streight. According to Jessup, the story goes that Streight was ordered to destroy every county courthouse as his troopers slashed through Alabama. He burned the St. Clair County Courthouse in Ashville.

“But a group of citizens – mostly elderly men, women and children – got all the records out of the courthouse and took them by wagon down through Riverside and hid them in the basement of the Blue Eye Baptist Church on Blue Eye Creek near Lincoln, Alabama,” Jessup said.

The records were important for county families, including Riverside residents.

“That’s one reason that a lot of people here in Riverside and here in St. Clair County got to keep their property (after the war) because they could still prove it was theirs.”

One of Riverside’s businesses that has had international impact for years was Riverside Sand Co. on the banks of the Coosa. The company mined a clay that made bricks that were of a special quality that could stand up to the intense heat of furnaces used to melt steel, a valuable commodity for the steel mills of Birmingham and Pittsburgh. The Hamilton and Mercer families ran the mining operation from the late 1890s until the late 1930s.

The town’s history was deeply influenced deep into the 20th century by river commerce, until Logan Martin Dam was completed in 1965 by Alabama Power Co., creating today’s Logan Martin Lake. According to the Almanac of Alabama, part of the original town of Riverside rests at the lake’s bottom.

“The dam changed everything,” Jessup said. “Once hydroelectric power came in, the barge traffic stopped and changed the economic outlook. The river still drives the economy for this area, but not like it did. Now it drives it in a different way.”

 The river, the dam and Logan Martin Lake have transformed the river and the Riverside area from a commercial hub to a vacation destination. Jessup believes great days are on the horizon for Riverside, as a retirement and second-home community and a center for ecotourism.

“The lake is a great draw,” said Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Authority. “Folks that want to live on the lake, that possibility is there, and it is affordable.”

Smith added, “It’s a beautiful community that’s great on partnering with other entities in the county, such as Pell City, with police and fire protection and with Pell City schools.”

 The interstate interchange where US 78 crosses Interstate 20 is one of the last undeveloped interchanges in the county.

“It’s very attractive for that reason,” Jessup said.

There is a challenge. Available land for commercial and residential development has been hindered by the floodplains that had to be set aside when the dam was built. The arrival of the dam meant that Riverside’s infrastructure – highways, railroads, post offices, etc., — had to be elevated because of higher water levels that came with the dam. The dirt to build up that infrastructure came from the Riverside area, leaving some parts too low for development.

However, the flood plain is important, because when rivers and lakes rise, it keeps flooding out of homes and businesses. The lake is used for hyrdorelectric generation and is a holding lake for others, so the water rises 5 feet in summer at its full pool and lowers 5 feet in winter. Heavy rains can cause it to top summer pool.

“We have a lot of that here,” Jessup said. “It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just the way it is. When it rises, the water has to go somewhere. It’s better that it goes into the flood plain than into our homes and businesses.”

The flood plain and a rail line also pose challenges to development in Riverside’s piece of the I-20 corridor. But town officials are optimistic about the future. New development will come. After all, with miles along the Coosa riverfront and the lakefront property, people will be drawn to the water as they have been for centuries.

“It’s not going to be long until the right people take interest and develop that,” Jessup said.

Infrastructure expansion is also critical, especially sewerage capacity.

“As that community continues to grow, investment in infrastructure is going to be needed,” Smith said. “And property owners interested in development in Riverside need to be empowered to bring in outside investment. But infrastructure growth is key.”

Even with those hurdles, Riverside is growing. In the 2010 Census, Riverside’s population stood at 2,208, up from 1,564 a decade earlier. It has now topped the 2,300-mark.

Planning will be critical long-term, Smith said.

“Because of their location, Riverside is somewhat compact. So, planning for the future and having a vision of what they want the community to look like is very important. I’m not sure heavy industry is a good fit. Something more ecotourism and building more river-based activities would be a component of their future success going forward,” Smith said.

Even with the challenges, the town is a good investment, in part because of the interstate interchange.

But also as the state population ages, Riverside is a popular destination. Unlike other county communities, young families aren’t making Riverside part of the northeastern migration, but Baby Boomers, nearing retirement and drawn to the small-town atmosphere and the peace of the waterways, are coming.

“We don’t see the suburban push,” Jessup said. “What we’re seeing is people retiring or near retirement moving out this way, because the commute to Birmingham or to the Honda plant (in Lincoln) is a snap,” Jessup said. “I made the commute to Birmingham for 25 years, and it was easy then. It’s even easier now.”

There are also the common denominators that are part of the equation of St. Clair County – good schools, low crime and friendly atmosphere. Riverside’s household median income is above the national average. A story in the Birmingham Business Journal lists Riverside as the 18th most affluent municipality among Birmingham’s suburbs.

But Riverside needs retail to boost its tax base and improve infrastructure. Development at the interchange could change the tax base overnight,

“A nice truck plaza like a Pilot or Love’s could put $15,000 to $20,000 a month in the city in terms of our revenue,” he said.

Riverside, like other St. Clair communities, does get an economic boost from the Talladega Superspeedway and Barber Motorsports Park, Jessup said.

“I don’t know if the people of the county realize how international we have become known because of these tracks. We’re right in the middle of these venues, so they stay here,” he said.

And with the Coosa as part of the Alabama Scenic River Trail system, Riverside could be prime to cash in on a piece of the booming ecotourism market.

“We’re primed for everything, Jessup said. “We just haven’t had the right entity come along,” Jessup said. He borrowed from a country hit from a few years back to describe the Riverside he calls home.

“Our vision is for Riverside to become a resort tourist destination, or have that feel about it,” he said. “The resources of this river are unlimited. It’s attractive, and it’s beautiful, and it’s clean, thank goodness. And it will stay clean, thank goodness. People are attracted to it. … This town is the river. And the river is us.”

And because of the river and its people, Riverside will grow into a special community.

“It’s just an old chunk of coal right now, but it’s going to be a diamond someday,” he said, “because everything is here; everything is in place.”

And while location is important. Remember, Riverside is 30 minutes from anywhere in Birmingham and less than two hours from the Atlanta’s Jackson-Hartsfield International Airport. But at its heart, Riverside is special because of its people – and the river.

“The people here are just beautiful,” Jessup said. “There is something about the river, something about drinking good groundwater, there’s something about the way the sun and the moon hit the river and creeks around here that make people easier to get along with and laid back. There’s not a lot of drama here. It’s really, really a good place to live.”

Moody, Alabama

From cattle crossing to boomtown

Story by Paul South
Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr.

Moody Realtor Paula Krafft grew up in nearby Leeds and has a vivid, fond childhood memory of the city when it was literally a no-stoplight town.

“We used to come through Moody on the way to the lake,” Krafft said, recalling family vacations on Logan Martin. “There was no stoplight, no stop sign. The only thing that stopped the traffic was a couple of times during the day, cattle would cross the road.”

The cows wouldn’t recognize their old stomping ground today.

Moody is one of the fastest growing cities in Alabama. According to 2016 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau, Moody is the 14th fastest growing city in Alabama. Estimated growth – compared to 2010 census data – is 1,097, nearly 10 percent. Average household income exceeds the national average.

At its heart, Moody’s growth can be attributed to the old real estate mantra: Location. Location. Location. With Interstate 20 and US 411 bisecting the city, as well as proximity to Birmingham (15 minutes from downtown) and the Honda plant in Lincoln (20 minutes in the opposite direction), Moody’s geography is key.

Add to the equation, good schools, low crime, a mixed economy of industry, retail and agriculture, and available land and infrastructure for family-friendly residential development, and you have a formula for success.

Moody’s history also tells a story of a city with an independent streak. North Carolinians, led by Epps Moody, began settling in the area in 1820. During the Civil War, according to Mattie Lou Teague Crowe’s History of St. Clair County, the majority of citizens, non-slaveowners, were pro-Union. Some locals were forcibly conscripted into the Confederate army, but deserted and fought on the Union side.

In the post-war period, Moody rapidly grew and was home to a gristmill and other retail establishments, a harbinger of its present-day economy. Today, because of its proximity to Birmingham and Interstate 20, Moody has experienced population and rapid economic growth, St. Clair County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Don Smith said.

 Retail has helped spark the boom. Well-known chains like Love’s Travel Stop and the regional grocer Publix, along with locally-owned concerns like Carpenetti’s Pizza, have made a difference in Moody’s bottom line.

“It absolutely makes a difference,” said Mayor Joe Lee. “The presence of one travel center here (Love’s) changed the way we do business.”

He added: “With the Love’s Travel Center coming here, we were able to tear down and revitalize a shopping center and bring Publix in; without the travel center, we wouldn’t have been able to lose that shopping center for a year while we rebuilt it.”

Growth came rapidly to Moody, Lee said, in part because of rezoning. Younger families have gravitated to the town, and the median household income is $59,000, Lee said.

Another economic driver is the proximity to the Talladega Superspeedway and Barber Motorsports Park. Moody’s hotel rooms – some 200 – fill up quickly for race weekends at the two tracks, said Andrea Machen, executive director of the Moody Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re kind of unique because we’re sandwiched in between Barber Motorsports on one side and the Honda plant and Talladega Superspeedway on the other.. Barber generates a lot of tax revenue for the city.”

A comparison of the city budget from 1992, when Lee became mayor until today is jaw-dropping.

“When I became mayor, the budget was about $900,000,” Lee said. “Today, it’s close to $11 million. It goes back to location you know; everybody wants to locate close to I-20.”

The mayor sees the growth firsthand with every new day.

“When I first moved here in 1978, there were four acres and no one around me,” Lee said. “Now I have 600 neighbors.”

Safe City

That bottom-line population and revenue growth has meant improved infrastructure for the city, meaning better fire, police and EMS protection and better parks and recreation. But with seven new subdivisions online in Moody, keeping pace with that growth is hard work.”

“That’s the biggest challenge,” Lee said. “The biggest difficulty is providing the services and staying up with the growth.”

Moody leaders are paying attention not only to the numbers, but how the city grows, with ordinances governing signage, construction standards and the like.

Growth has also impacted emergency services. The Moody Fire Department is in the process of buying a new fire truck and down the road, building a new fire station.

Chief Joe Nobles said that these improvements in the fire service may lead to a higher fire protection rating, which means lower insurance premiums for home and business owners. The size of the fire department was only two people on a shift only a decade ago. That number has doubled and there are 11 part-time firefighters available to serve. Medical response service has also grown.

“We’re trying to keep up with the growth,” Nobles said. “Hopefully, in the next couple of years we can add another station and increase personnel.”

The department offers CPR and first aid classes. The department has also placed three AEDs (Automatic Electronic Defibrillators, two at the park and one at the civic center) to respond to cardiac episodes at those popular venues.

From a law enforcement perspective, Police Chief Thomas Hunt pointed to Moody’s ranking as one of Alabama’s 10 safest cities in each of the last three years. Though the growth has meant more calls, the actual crime remains unchanged. It all goes back to Moody, its values and its people, Hunt said.

“One thing I always tell our guys is to treat people the way you would want to be treated,” Hunt said.

Over the past three years, the police department has conducted a Citizens Police Academy, aimed at maintaining positive relationships between law enforcement and the community it serves. The department is also active in developing relationships with Moody’s schools and their students

Recreation reigns

In recreation, Moody was one of the first communities in Alabama to build a Miracle League field, opening the door to playing baseball to special needs children and adults of all ages. Parks and Recreation Director Mike Staggs said that while finding space is a concern, increased population means increased participation in recreation programs. That translates to opportunities to grow revenue. A new civic center opened last fall.

“We’re able to provide our citizens with more space and more opportunities,” Staggs said. Directly, some 1,200 residents participate in programs ranging from flag football to adult softball. During peak soccer and football seasons, some 3,200 people are in the park.

The new civic center has also boosted youth basketball from about 125 participants to more than 200. Fitness classes – yoga, jazzercise, etc. – anticipated 800 participants in the first year. But more than 1,200 have registered for classes. There’s also state of the art cardio facilities.

For the future, walking trails, bike trails, Frisbee golf and other sports may be part of recreation offerings, Staggs said.

“With the growth we’ve experienced in the last couple of years, we’re getting citizens that are expecting particular services we haven’t offered in the past,” Staggs said. “They look for those hiking trails and Frisbee golf, things we hadn’t considered several years ago. We always need more athletic fields, but we want to be sensitive to what everybody else wants.”

He added, “It’s not just little boys and little girls playing baseball and softball anymore. People want a variety of options. That’s something we’re sensitive to.”

A new library is also part of the landscape.

Moody’s allure: A town for all

Along with the draw from nearby auto racing, Moody also attracts big crowds for annual events, like Oktoberfest in the fall, fireworks in July, a spring car show and the Christmas parade each December.

When visitors come to Moody, Chamber Executive Director Andrea Machen said, she wants there to be a “wow factor,” as they arrive.

Another city leader who wants to see more people fall in love with the town is Mayor Pro Tempore Linda Crowe. She was elected to the council in 1996 and mayor pro tem in 2003.

“We try to accommodate the citizens of Moody,” she said. “We strive to do that.”

A lifelong resident of Moody, Crowe has seen it move from an agricultural area to a multi-use municipality.

“My thing is planning and zoning,” she said. “We want to do that as best we can and then keep up with the growth.”

 Widening US 411 is pivotal to managing the growth, Crowe said. The towns of Moody, Odenville and Margaret are like pearls on the asphalt strand on the roadway that can see traffic tie-ups, especially during the school year.

“I just don’t want to see it become another (US) 280,” she said. “But it’s going to be another five years before we can get that done. “She added, “You’ve got to get your traffic flowing. If people are stopped, they’re not going to be happy.”

Like Machen, she wants to see more retail and restaurants.

Family is the touchstone that kept Crowe in her hometown. She taught government and economics at Moody High. Except for a few years in Washington, D.C., while her husband was in the military, Moody has always been home.

“We’re growing, but it’s still that small-town feel,” she said. “That’s what makes Moody click.”

When tragedy strikes, like when Moody Police Officer Keith Turner was killed in the line of duty, or when tornadoes struck in 2011, people come together.

“That’s what makes our town great. People just came and said, ‘What can I do?’”

 In the last century in neighboring Birmingham, four large buildings occupied the four corners at the intersection of First Avenue and 20th Street, earning it the nickname of “The Heaviest Corner in the World.”

Today, at the four corners that bound Moody Crossroads, there is a stoplight. And while it may not be a ‘heavy” corner with impressive brick and mortar buildings, Moody’s main intersection speaks volumes about its heart and spirit.

Don Smith illustrated the point, using the old Moody Crossroads.

“At the heart of their community, they have city hall, fire and police protection, he said. “In another quadrant, they have an incredible sports park with baseball, football and soccer fields … and one of the first and only “Miracle League” fields in the state. You also have small business, Carpenetti’s and a hair salon (on another quadrant). Then on another quadrant you have a church, The Gathering Place.”

He added, “If you look at (Moody) just at those four corners, it really speaks about the strength and the heart of the community: Families and children, small business, city government, police and fire protection and the church.”