New Nature Center

Historic Springville Rock School will once again focus on education

Story and Photos
by Graham Hadley
Architectural renderings
Courtesy of Stewart Knox
Centercut Creative

Springville’s old Rock School has always been a cornerstone for education and community activities in the region. So it should be no surprise future plans for the historic structure continue that tradition.

The Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners will be developing parts of the building as an educational Nature Center – an immersive and interactive walk-through experience highlighting the natural wonders of the preserve and surrounding areas to help better educate people of all ages about the importance of the regional biome.

“The Nature Center will teach people about all the diverse animals and plants in the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, all the biodiversity, the Big Canoe Creek watershed and what a watershed actually is,” said Preserve Manager Doug Morrison.

Concept designs from Centercut Creative on what the Nature Center will look like

The project will use between 1,200 to 1,900 square feet of space in the historic Springville building. Some of that space is already being put to use as office space for the Preserve staff, which was previously primarily operating out of a small building at the preserve.

The idea for the educational Nature Center came to Morrison a little over a year ago during a planning and zoning meeting.

“The Springville Preservation Society owns the building and has done a great job restoring it. They needed to rezone the property to properly make use of it. During one of the zoning meetings where that was being discussed, the idea for the center just came to me. The old school would be ideal for that,” Morrison said.

“It gives us room for the Nature Center, office space, handicapped parking and has a ramp for ADA compliance. It checks all the boxes. The Preservation Society remodeled it and were looking to lease it.” The Rock School has been a centerpiece of the community for decades. “My son used to do Scouts here years ago,” Morrison said.

Frank Waid, president of the Preservation Society, told Morrison they had the big room and some other space available for lease, and things started coming together.

Community support has been instrumental to the success of Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, and this latest project is no different.

Doug Morrison in front of the blackboard in the Rock School where organizers brainstormed ideas for the center

Morrison is quick to point out how much help he, Education Coordinator Lucy Cleaver, Maintenance Tech Jake Tucker and the others who work to make the preserve such an amazing place, receive from the non-profit Preserve Partners. It was organized to handle fundraising and similar activities for the preserve. From the Board of Directors to the individuals and businesses that donate, along with the City of Springville, none of what they are doing would be possible without that collective support.

Shortly after discussing the idea with Frank Waid, Morrison was sitting in Nichols Nook drinking coffee with Justen Burns when he shared the vision for the Nature Center. Burns immediately responded, “I might be interested in helping out with that.” His company, Peritus Wealth Management, quickly stepped up to cover a portion of the lease expenses.

Granger Waid and his company, Norris Paving, also jumped on board to cover the remaining portion of the lease, saying, “I believe in what they are doing here.”

“We have the first year of the lease taken care of thanks to these good folks in our community,” Morrison said. “And thanks to other donors in the community and the Alabama Power Foundation, we are already accumulating funds for next year’s lease. If anyone would like to contribute to the Nature Center and the Preserve, donations can be made through our website at bigcanoecreekpreserve.org. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful support in this community, and we are extremely grateful.”

Once they had the fundamental pieces in place, things started moving quickly. Morrison and Cleaver have already moved into their new offices, making use of much-needed space for managing the preserve and planning for its future.

Morrison, Cleaver, Granger and Jessica Waid sat down after discussing the project and, using one of the old blackboards in the school’s big room, Granger mapped out exactly what their vision was.

What they have come up with is something very special for the city and the region.

“We have a guy, Stewart Knox with Centercut Creative, doing the master plan for the Nature Center,” Morrison said.

“He was involved in parts of the Natureplex at the Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook. I really like their 3D and interactive displays, especially this giant beehive you can go into. I want to have displays like that here.”

The walk-in behive display at the Natureplex in Millbrook designed by Stewart Knox

Knox, an Auburn graduate with a degree in industrial design, said it is “all concept-based design.” His work has focused on special projects – like the beehive at the Natureplex. “I am very hands-on; you have to be with this. I am good at coming up with complex plans.”

According to the design proposal Knox has put together, “The design will highlight the mission of Big Canoe Creek through storytelling, visual engagement and hands-on learning, while maintaining flexibility for future growth and programming.”

It incorporates free-standing and wall-mounted displays, interactive 3D installations and more. Knox refers to it as “nature’s classroom.”

Morrison said that they would also like to possibly have live animals at the center – “fish and turtles, maybe snakes. People have already started donating fish tanks that I need to go pick up.”

They also want to include displays about how the local native people lived in the area and others about community involvement in the Preserve and the conservation process.

This display case was originally in Laster Sundries

“It goes to our core ideals: Preserve, Explore, Discover,” Morrison said. “When you educate people about everything that makes up the biome here, those are going to be the people who want to help preserve it.”

Morrison sees other parts of Springville and the county working with the center. “Lucy is already putting together plans with the Springville Library to collaborate on educational programs. And we have two other businesses leasing space in the school – a photographer and an artist. I can see both of those being very much resources we can collaborate with.”

The Nature Center and the Preserve are the sort of big-picture projects that benefit the area by attracting people to Springville from all across the region and the state, he said.

The Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is already doing just that. This past Christmas, more than 1,200 people came through the preserve to see the holiday light display called “Christmas in the Pines,” an event that Morrison expects to grow next year. 

“This was a great idea from Lucy and working with Jake, myself and our many volunteers, it turned out to be a huge success. People loved it!” And the Nature Center is only one of several projects attached to the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve that is in the works, including an education and multi-use pavilion. All of which, Morrison reiterated, are made possible through the support they receive from the city, Preserve Partners, grantors and many others who are working to make the preserve and center successful regional destination points.

Making a difference

Education Foundation picks up where budgets leave off

Story by Elaine Hobson Miller
Submitted Photos

Little girls dancing in butterfly costumes, their wings fluttering and their faces grinning. Children playing card games with their parents. High school students (boys and girls) using their new miter saw to cut lumber for a playhouse.

These are just some of the ways that grant money from the St. Clair County Education Foundation is helping school children, and in turn, their families. Established in 2003, it lay dormant for several years but has been revitalized by new management and new fundraising efforts. The Foundation tries to fill in the gaps when schools need more classroom money than their budgets provide.

“Our purpose is to make a difference for teachers so they can make a difference for their students,” says Foundation President Dr. Greg Cobb.

The Foundation was started by Marie Manning when she was superintendent of the St. Clair County School System. Manning now represents District Six on the Alabama Board of Education.

Ragland High School received one of 22 grants handed out

“We had a community education coordinator, Emily Davis, when I was superintendent,” recalls Manning, who also serves as president pro-tem of the state board. “When I hired her on, I asked her to get us an education foundation started, and she agreed, but it took a while.”

Manning retired in 2003 and believes the Foundation came to fruition in the fall of that year. “Emily called together a group of folks, including Joe Morton, past (state) superintendent, and Tom Sanders, who was (county) superintendent at the time. We chose a few officers and got incorporated.”

She says at that time funding for education was very low, the economy was not booming, and the group wanted to do something so classroom teachers could get much-needed materials in their classrooms.

After raising thousands of dollars and granting dozens of scholarships, the organization fizzled and lay dormant until 2024.

“It was stagnant for six or seven years, partially due to COVID and partially to people retiring or moving out of the county,” says Stephanie Deneke, vice president of the Foundation. “About two years ago, Superintendent (Justin) Burns wanted to get it going again.”

“I had a detailed list of things I wanted to accomplish as superintendent, and one was finding ways to help teachers in their classrooms and in being successful,” Dr. Burns says. “I noticed that the Foundation wasn’t active. When I started as a teacher in St. Clair County in 2005, it was flourishing. It provided an outlet for people who wanted to donate and know that their monies were going straight to the classrooms. So, I called Marie Manning and asked what’s going on with the Foundation. She said it had been dormant since 2017 or 2018.”

Manning gave Burns half a dozen names of people involved in the Foundation. She said Linda Crowe, a Moody City Council member and teacher at Moody HighSchool at that time, was a Foundation officer. So, Burns called her, too, and she told him she was still treasurer and was listed on the bank accounts. “We had a couple of meetings to change the names on accounts to access money,” Burns says. “There was $100,000 or so sitting there, so it took off from there. We’re still taking in money, and the Foundation is flourishing. It’s really an awesome thing to see it pick back up.”

When Dr. Burns and Assistant Superintendent Rusty St. John called community leaders together for that first meeting, they had about 30 people attending. That group elected four members to the board of directors, and Cobb as head of the organization. “Greg taught school in St. Clair County and was a principal here for years,” says Stephanie Deneke.

“We decided we needed to reboot the Foundation because its original mission of supporting teachers was still important,” says Cobb, who now works for HMH, a textbook company. “We started onrebranding the Foundation, recruiting more people and making it active again.”

With the seed money in the CDs and checking account, the new Foundation board was able to begin giving out grants immediately.

That was in the spring of 2024. “We did whole school or department grants,” says Cobb. “We were able to give $15,000 out that first go-around.”

Jaime Ragsdale, math coach at Margaret Elementary School, was one of the recipients of the first cycle. She used the money to buy math games for the 700-plus students in grades K-5 at her school. She bought zippered mesh bags and put math games in each one for the children to take home and play with their parents, then return to the school.

The bags contained decks of cards, six-sided and 10-sided dice, and foam “counters” or math manipulators. The latter are like bingo chips, flat, but made of foam. One side is yellow, the other red, and they can be tossed and counted according to how they fall.

“The whole purpose was for them to put away their electronic devices and have family times, and to encourage parents to get involved,” Ragsdale says. “We see lots of device time and less family time these days. Children are playing less and less games such as Candyland or card games, but playing games helps them with math skills, as well as teaches them how to win, how to lose and how to share.”

Dr. Cobb spoke to a group of teachers in August of 2024, explaining the Foundation’s purpose and goals, how it was being revived, and how all the money raised would be going back to them. “There are no overhead costs,” he says. “We’re all volunteers.”

Mrs. Brasher’s class at SES showing off all the classroom materials from their grant

A few teachers started setting aside money to go to the Foundation each month, usually having it taken out of their paychecks. “That’s a little bit of a revenue stream, but not enough to count on,” Cobb says. “But we had enough from the original money raised to do a Fall 2024 grant cycle, too. We gave out $12,000 to 24 individual teachers that second round. Most of the teacher grants were for $500 each.”

A team of foundation members and educators from outside the foundation read all the 70 applications and scored them on a rubric, meaning they gave points from one to five according to need. “We call this team the readers,” Cobb says. “One teacher might ask for crayons, and that need might not be as great as a microscope for someone else, for example.”

In the Spring of 2024, officers of the Foundation presented members with the idea of an annual fundraiser. That’s how the Mardi Gras Gala, held at Mathews Manors in March of 2025, came about. Officers developed teams that put together the various parts of the Gala, such as a public relations team, a decorating team and a food team.

“We raised $30,000 at the Gala through ticket sales, sponsored tables and an auction,and we’re so proud of that,” Cobb says. “We still have some money from the original investments, too.

“We feel like our job is to make the Foundation solid enough that we can fund all the grants and not have to select certain ones,” Cobb continues. “We want to be able to grant what the teachers need.”

The Gala was such a success that the Foundation plans on holding one annually. Feedback from attendees indicated they were already excited about the next one. “We want them to put the date on their calendars,” Cobb says. “As I was selling tables for the Gala, I had several corporations say to get with them during the summer, when they are doing next year’s budget. So we learned a lot from the first Gala.”

According to Stephanie Deneke, the board hasn’t decided on the exact date for the 2026 Gala, but it will be in February. And yes, there will be another auction. “There were 45 items donated for the Gala auction this year, including Pandora jewelry, gift certificates, household items, a cooler, a tool set, Taste of St. Clair gift cards good at restaurants throughout the county, handmade knives and other jewelry,” she says.

Some 250 people attended that first Gala, and the Foundation is hoping for 325 next year. “They paid roughly $90 a ticket, a little less if it was for a couple,” says Cobb. “If someone bought a table, the bottom level was $1500. We had tables with enough seats to bring whomever they wanted. For example, I bought a President’s Table, filled it up with family and my folks. A few corporations bought tables, like Doster Construction, the company that’s working on Moody High School, and invited any employee from the school to sit there. There were eight-10 seats per table.”

Deneke says the Foundation used to “sell” chairs to raise money, wherein someone could sponsor a chair and get a plaque with his/her name on it for their business. But businesses seem to like the Gala idea better. “We may revive the chair donations anyway,” she says. “Teachers can contribute through payroll deductions, too.”

Cayla Brasher, a first-grade teacher at Springville Elementary School, received a $500 grant last Fall and used it to buy decodable readers for her class of 21 students. “A decodable reader is a phonics-based book that has words students are able to decode or sound out or figure out,” Brasher says. “It keeps them in what teachers call that ‘zone of proximal development,’ where they are having to work at reading, but don’t get so frustrated with it.”

She wanted a good variety of books that they could successfully read. “We want some times during the day when they’ll want to pick up a book and feel successful at reading it,” she says. “Decodable books follow that phonics progression. The student is able to figure out or decode words yet enjoy the reading.”

Marcus Graves, construction class instructor at Eden Career Technical Center, received a $599 grant, which he used to buy a new rigid slide miter saw with a stand. The tool is used to cut steep angles and wide boards for construction projects.

“Some of our unique projects are the oversized Adirondack chairs with multiple letters that we put on our hillside at our school,” Graves says. “The letters form words, like ‘love’ for February. We’ve turned a school bus into a camper, we’ve done a goat camper for a petting zoo at Greensport campground, tiny houses, small playhouses we’ll be selling in the Spring, and the floating duck island for Springville Park.”

Meg Lowry, of Odenville Elementary, used her Fall 2024 grant to purchase an insect unitfor her pre-K class. “The unit included live caterpillars, dress-up clothes like butterfly and bug catchers’ outfits with nets, lots of little plastic bug sets, and games like Memory, all based around the insect theme,” she says. “We actually started the unit in March, when we turned the classroom into an insect theme. We could not have done it to this extent without the grant, which was close to $700. This gave the kids hands-on activities to learn, which was very, very developmentally appropriate in pre-K.”

Deneke says the Foundation is always looking for new members from each community, especially Ashville, Springville and Ragland. “It would be great to get some members from those areas,” she says.

Editor’s Note: Anyone interested in joining the Foundation can contact them on its Facebook page. The Foundation generally meets once a month on Fridays at Odenville City Hall at 11:30 a.m. but is considering going to every other month.

Friends Bound for New Horizons

Travel adventures support good causes

It’s not often you get to take a trip of a lifetime – those ‘bucket list’ trips you’ve dreamed about – and help a worthy cause all at the same time.

But that’s precisely what Friends Bound for New Horizons does every time they take off for another destination. On their itineraries over the years has been Greece, Italy, a cruise down the Rhine River, the Calgary Stampede and Canadian Rockies, Christmas Markets, Alaska, London, Ireland, Normandy, Finland and the Northern Lights, Costa Rica, and national parks.

Deanna Lawley presents check to Jason Goodgame, president of Pell City Schools Education Foundation

 Their latest adventure was Scotland in August and in addition to the precious memories they made, they raised nearly $40,000 for four nonprofits, strengthening their good works in the community.

On the receiving end were Pell City Schools Educational Foundation, Pell City Library, Museum of Pell City and St. Clair Sheriff’s Boys Ranch.

The effort started years ago when retired English teacher Deanna Lawley created a fundraiser for the education foundation. She joined forces with a travel company, Collette, who suggested she might be the ideal fit for leading group trips with the commissions earned going straight to the education foundation.

With her background in education for researching the sights they will see, coupled with her ability to tell a good story, she shares tidbits of history and anecdotes that enhance their memories of each place they visit.

She later expanded the trips’ beneficiaries to include the library and museum, both groups with which she is involved, and managed to add funds for the rebuilding effort at the Boys Ranch this year, too.  

A celebration dinner held to present the checks drew quite a crowd with travelers reminiscing with old friends as well as the new friends they made on their trip to Scotland. A trio of travelers even wore kilts for the special occasion.

Travelers tend to agree that beyond the stunning sights, rich experiences and a host of good memories made, they cultivated new friendships – an added treasure they did not expect. While each group has familiar faces who routinely travel together, they welcome newcomers in what is becoming an expanding circle of good friends.

Ask the ‘regulars,’ and they’ll quickly tell you about the value in the investment. The excursions, the accommodations, the travel, the price – it’s an unrivaled buy, they say.

Inside St. Magnus Cathedral on Orkney Island begun by Vikings

The end result has been welcome news for the nonprofits they help. Jason Goodgame, president of the education foundation, said his goal when he took the helm of the foundation 10 years ago was to build the endowment to $1 million. With help from Lawley and Friends, teachers received grants, and investments built from $10,000 chair donations reached that milestone this past year..

Library Guild President Pat DeMotte echoed Goodgame’s sentiments, saying that the library is able to expand its programs to better serve the community year after year.

“We could not have done what we have been able to do at the museum for the past three years without the help from this group,” said Museum President Carol Pappas. “We like to think big, offering special programs and expanded exhibits, but our funding could not match the lofty goals we have without Friends Bound for New Horizons’ help. We owe them a debt of thanks.”

 Sheriff Billy Murray, whose wife had been one of the travelers, was surprised by the donation to the Boys Ranch. He expressed his heartfelt thanks, noting that being able to reach and teach these boys at risk will go a long way in changing lives and keeping them away from the judicial system later on.

Next up for this band of travelers are two excellent adventures – Portugal in May and Spain in late September. They offer recreational days along with history, art and architecture tours. Each has a tour manager whose knowledge enriches the sightseeing.

Traveler Dana Merrymon at the check presentation dinner, wearing his kilt for the occasion

In Sunny Portugal, they will visit Lisbon, the historical capital of Sintra and the beaches of the Algarve. Several will do an extension to the Madeira Islands.

In September, travelers will experience Spain’s Costa del Sol in a beachfront hotel. There is an opportunity to take a ferry to North Africa for dinner and sightseeing.

One night, the Spanish Fado music and dance will be entertainment at a three-course dinner. Learning about Spain’s Number 1 wine, Port, will be included along with the opportunity to see Picasso’s works. The group will only change hotels one time as it moves to the capital city of Madrid. Luggage will be collected and transported while travelers get to experience the 200 miles per hour fast train, the Ave (bird).

Madrid is full of history and the incredible Prado Museum.

As Friends Bound for New Horizons will tell you: “The only trips you’ll ever regret are the ones you don’t go on.”

Want to Go?

Friends Bound for New Horizons welcomes one and all to join them on another adventure. Next stop? Spain. Want to know more? Jack Brinson of Collette has negotiated a $600 reduction in price for this group and will be at the Pell City Municipal Complex on Jan. 13, at 5 p.m. to present the trip and accept bookings.

Big things for Big Canoe Creek

Changes, innovation, expanded education on the horizon for nature preserve

Story by Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submitted photos

“Come to the woods, for here is rest.”
— John Muir, American naturalist

Even in late August on the banks of Big Canoe Creek, change was in the air. Doug Morrison can see it from his side porch as he sips his morning coffee.

 Leaves turned red, yellow and gold. Some even surrendered without a fight to the coming autumn. Soon, a crisp chill will be at home in the air, exciting stuff after months of heat and humidity.

But for Morrison, manager of Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, nature isn’t the only architect of transformation. There are exciting human changes coming this fall to the 422-acre preserve in Springville, part of Alabama’s Forever Wild lands.

The preserve, one of the most biodiverse parcels of land in the nation’s fourth-most biodiverse state, has a new education coordinator, Auburn University graduate Lucy Cleaver.

“We’ve got endangered species and threatened species in the Big Canoe Creek watershed,” Morrison said. “She will be working with different educational programs. We’re about to light it up and make it happen.”

Local students learning about the animals found in the Preserve

Cleaver, a native of Salem, Ala., holds a master’s degree in natural resource management from Auburn. She assumed her current role in August but has worked for the City of Springville for about three years.

Her work extends beyond the preserve and area schoolchildren, she said, even though she’s already conducted field trips for classes.

“When people think about outdoor education, they think it’s mostly about K-12 groups,” she said.

“But it’s also my goal to reach out to our landowners in St. Clair County. It’s equally important to me to educate them as to what they can do on their own property to help our entire watershed. It’s not just about what’s going on at the preserve. I want to make sure everybody has access to the knowledge that we have.”

Cleaver also plans to partner with entities like The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Geological Survey of Alabama, St. Clair County Soil Conservation District and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.

The preserve, which opened in 2024, boasts some eight miles of trails, including one hiking only trail (Creek Loop),  two combination hiking and biking trails  (the Fallen Oak and Slab Creek trails) and one combination hiking and horseback riding trail, called the Easy Rider trail.

Biodiversity on display

The magic of the preserve’s flora and fauna – even Creation’s s smallest treasures –  captures the imagination of visitors.

Some examples? Consider the Canoe Creek Clubshell, a freshwater mussel found only in the Big Canoe Creek Watershed and listed as endangered on the Endangered Species List. It’s an important barometer of the health of the creek, Morrison said.

“Mussels are important to the water system because they’re livers for the river because they filter the water,” Morrison said. “They are also good bio-indicators. If they are there, it means the water hasn’t been polluted enough to kill them. Their food source comes from the water and as they ingest the water, they filter the water, thereby cleaning turbid water of sediment.”

Lucy and Doug at the cabin and preserve office

The tri-spot darter, featured on the preserve’s logo, is a threatened species. It also calls the preserve home. The small fish features three dark saddle-like markings on its back. But during the mating season, males become brightly colored reddish orange and green.

Other aquatic species in the watershed found in a tributary of the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve are the Western Blacknose Dace, a creature not documented in the area since the 1980s. A new find, the Gold Striped Darter was recently discovered, which is a rare find above the Fall Line.

For plant lovers, there are an array of blossoms – Mountain Laurel in the spring and wild azaleas are plentiful. The oak leaf hydrangea has bloomed out for the season. There are stands of Woodland Spider lilies, similar to the Cahaba Lily and a variety of  irises and other wildflowers.

In the fall, Morrison said, the resplendent purple Beauty Berries are plentiful. The forest becomes more open as the leaves tumble to the ground.

“There are beautiful, big patches of old hardwoods,” Morrison said. “We have  persimmons, paw paw trees, Muscadine.”

The unique finds fit the preserve’s motto, “Explore and Discover.”

An exciting journey ahead

As far as future goals for the preserve, Morrison is excited.

“We’re wide open,” he said.

 An August grant of more than $335,000 from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will help fund the construction of a new open-air educational pavilion. The project will also get a boost of nearly $84,000 in local matching funds.

The new facility will house restrooms, an area to host educational classes and general gathering space.

Initial design renderings of new pavilion

“One of our locals, Mike McCown worked diligently with me and (St. Clair Economic Development Council Grants and Leadership Director) Candice Hill on the grant application. Mike really put a lot of time and effort into this. As a matter of fact, he inserted many links to past articles in Discover (magazine)that I believe helped craft the story. Our journey speaks for itself, a journey of perseverance, faith and huge community involvement. We are beyond thrilled this will be underway soon,” Morrison said.

Also in its earliest phase, a Nature Playscape for kids crafted not from plastic, but from rock and other natural features is planned. It is hoped that the playscape will open in 18 to 24 months.

“We just got the concept plan for that created by Learning Landscapes Design,” Morrison said. “We’re waiting on the projected costs of that, and then we’ll go after grants to help build that. Hats off to donor, G.T. LaBorde, for funding the Concept Plan and coming up with the idea. This design is incredible and will be a big attraction once built. Again, more community involvement.”

Already, Cleaver has scheduled  fall  field trips with homeschool and other school groups from as far away as Birmingham.

When Cleaver talks about the preserve, she thinks of a spot in Slab Creek where stones like flat dominoes seem to provide a natural footbridge over the water.

“What makes (the preserve) special is there’s nothing else like it in this community,” she said. “We don’t have another nature preserve where people can go for free and go hiking or horseback riding or mountain biking. To me, it’s very special that we offer this to the community.”

With all the happenings at the preserve, Morrison and Cleaver are like kids at Christmas. Cleaver’s addition only adds to the excitement as the preserve charts a course into the future.

“It’s a great journey, and it’s a great job,” said Morrison. “We are beyond grateful for our community support.”

More at the Museum of Pell City

Art of Nettie Bean and students kicks off new program at Museum of Pell City

From the work of budding student artists to seasoned professionals, a burgeoning art community is finding a home at Museum of Pell City.

The museum has already hosted the Helen Keller Foundation of Alabama Art Show twice with plans to bring it back in September. Featuring the creations of students across the state with visual impairments, blindness, and/or deaf-blindness, this show is growing in popularity in Pell City because of these inspirational works.

The museum has presented the annual Duran Junior High School Art Show as well, giving students a home to display their works for the public to see.

Now comes the next level – providing a home for the entire art community.

“Our community is so blessed with talented artists of all mediums, but artists have long lacked a place they could call their own in terms of shows,” said Museum President Carol Pappas. “Before we even opened our doors in 2022, we talked of an eventual evolution to cultural arts center. Yes, we are a history museum, but we recognized the need to expand our reach and become a center for the art community, too.”

The museum’s board invested in infrastructure to create gallery space leading into the museum with a hanging wall system, ideal for shows and art displays. Because of the mezzanine-type venue, it is prominently visible to museum goers, but it is also piquing interest from the heavily traveled lobby of the municipal complex.

“It gives us an opportunity to reach more people – more opportunities to expose these creative works to the public,” Pappas said. “We’re excited about the potential.”

To kick of what the board hopes will be a regular event, noted artist Nettie Bean of Gallery of Eden and her students were the inaugural show, which opened in July and continued through early August.

Bean is an Alabama-based artist who creates stunning oil paintings of landscapes, wildlife and birds. After college, she became known for her “house portraits,” painting door-to-door for clients.

Her life-size eagle paintings are displayed at The Lodge at Guntersville State Park.

She is passionate about teaching and conducts weekly painting classes at the gallery she owns with husband Wally Bromberg.

Bean said she believes that art is a gift meant to be shared, and she strives to make original art accessible to all. “That’s precisely what we’re trying to do through this new program to showcase our art community at the museum, one we hope will grow and thrive for years to come.”

The Helen Keller Foundation of Alabama Art Show is slated for Sept. 11-27.

More exhibits on the way

In addition to its latest venture into art, the museum is planning even more events in the months to come.

It will unveil an outreach program this month that puts mini-exhibits in public places like schools, city hall and county courthouse. “The idea is to give the public a glimpse at what they might find at our 4,000 square foot museum,” Pappas said. “People just don’t realize the depth and scope of our museum, so we want to take it to them – at least a little part of it.”

The outreach exhibits’ theme is Find it at Museum of Pell City, and it shares nuggets of the historic stories, photos and artifacts we have to offer through compelling, custom-designed displays.

Starry Night at Waffle House in the style of Van Gogh by Penny Arnold a crowd favorite

They encourage people to find out more at the museum, which is open Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is always free.

Coming soon is a model train exhibit that has been built by a team of volunteers over the past several months. The 17-foot display with a running train depicts the 1920s version of Pell City.

“It all began with a train,” Pappas noted, referring to the ‘first’ founding of the town in 1890 when Sumter Cogswell missed his train to Talladega, spent the night in Pell City and envisioned a town.

Nationally known artist Dirk Walker has donated his original painting of one of the train depots, and the board will be using it as a fundraiser for the museum along with selling numbered, matted prints of the original.

“We owe Dirk a debt of thanks for his generosity,” Pappas said. “He and his wife, Debbie, have been so supportive of our efforts. You can see all about him and his work in our museum, which features Pell Citians who have made a national name through their talents in art, music, sports and film.”

In November, the museum presents its annual Salute to Service, which will see its military section redesigned and expanded to better cover modern days wars in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan.

It also will feature oral history videos from local veterans and St. Clair County District Attorney Lyle Harmon as keynote speaker at the Nov. 7 special program. He is a veteran of the second invasion of Iraq in the101st Airborne Division, 217th Calvary. He was a helicopter pilot flying reconnaissance missions.

“As you can see, we have lots in store for museum goers,” Pappas said. “Like history, it evolves. We aim to keep our programming fresh, giving people a reason to come and come back again to discover our rich history.”

McClendon’s legacy

Jefferson State names nursing wing after former senator

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted photos

When Jim McClendon was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2002, state Sen. Jack Biddle asked him what he wanted for his future in politics.

“I want your seat,” he told Biddle, one of the most powerful senators at the time. Biddle retorted, “You’re not ready yet. You don’t know where the money is.”

In the years that followed, Senator McClendon not only found the money, he invested it in what is becoming a lasting legacy for St. Clair County and the region.

Jefferson State Community College recognized the longstanding support of McClendon by naming the Nursing Wing at the St. Clair-Pell City Campus in his honor with a ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Dr. McClendon has been an ardent supporter of Jefferson State initiatives for many years. He was instrumental in the opening of the St. Clair-Pell City Campus in 2009 and the establishment of the Nursing Wing in October 2017, an expansion that included two simulation labs, a fundamental instruction lab, two classrooms, six offices and a conference room.

Nursing students at the opening of the new wing in 2017

 “Dr. McClendon was instrumental in Jefferson State starting in St. Clair County,” said Jefferson State President Keith Brown. “Because of his efforts, we’ve been able to educate hundreds of RNs, and they’re working and caring for people right here in this community.”

Just before unveiling the plaque commemorating the new name, Brown talked of McClendon’s dedication to education and health care in the form of support for the college. “It’s just my job,” Brown said McClendon told him.

“I’ve always had an affinity for nurses,” he joked to the crowd gathered for the ceremony. “I married one.”

Jefferson State’s first presence in the county was in Moody, but it was only temporary – representing a “foot in St. Clair County” – as McClendon described it. The college was built in 2009 with an LPN program. In 2012, the RN program became a reality, and the opening of St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital in 2011 and the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in 2012 catalyzed the program’s growth.

“All of this was critical to educating these folks here and creating good jobs,” McClendon said. He noted that graduates have a 100 percent rate of job placement before graduation. “It’s a model for other state programs. They are educated here. They come back here. Health care in our area is getting better and better because of what’s going on at Jefferson State in Pell City.”

The college, he said, represents so many opportunities for St. Clair Countians. Many times, it is the first time higher education doors are open to families. “It’s changing Alabama. It’s changing our community. And they’re doing it the right way.”

A vision for the college

Looking back to the earliest conversations about locating a community college in St. Clair County, “there was always a recognition that there was a need for what a community college could bring to our region,” said Guin Robinson, dean of Economic Development at Jefferson State.

“Workforce development was at the top of that list,” Robinson said. “It was very obvious that health care was a driver for St. Clair County and the entire region, so it made sense there would be a need for nursing in Pell City and St. Clair County. It has certainly been a priority,” bolstered by the location of hospital and the state veterans home near the campus and doctors’ offices throughout the area.

The nursing program is expensive to operate and is not fully funded by tuition. The community’s and McClendon’s support have been “vitally important,” Robinson stressed. “Sen. McClendon has been our partner since the beginning. He could not have been a greater partner.”

McClendon’s influence and determination ensured that this legacy will continue, Robinson said. “And he did it without fanfare because we needed it for our community. He played a major role in the generational impact it is having in our community, and we wanted to honor him now so that we can show our appreciation.”

The McClendon story

Born in Mobile, McClendon earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Birmingham-Southern College in 1965 and his Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Houston in 1967.

 McClendon then joined the United States Navy Medical Service Corps in 1968 where he was commissioned as an officer. Lt. McClendon served with distinction in Vietnam, for which he was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device.

Over the course of his optometry career, McClendon distinguished himself as a leader in Alabama›s optometry community, serving as president of the Alabama Optometric Association.

Retired senator chats with new senator, Lance Bell

 In November 2002, McClendon retired from his private practice to pursue public service. That year, he was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the state’s 50th District, where he was subsequently reelected for two additional terms.

Among other notable postings and accomplishments (including Chair of the House Ethics Committee and Chair of the House Redistricting Committee), Rep. McClendon served as Chair of the Health Committee, where he played a pivotal role in the passage of the Medicaid reform legislation.

In 2014, McClendon was elected to the Alabama Senate where he represented Alabama›s 11th District for two consecutive terms. He served on and provided leadership for various critical Senate committees, including the Rules Committee, Education and Youth Affairs, Fiscal Responsibility and Economics Development, Transportation and Energy, Health and Human Services, for which he served as Vice Chair, and the Senate Healthcare Committee for which he served as Chair.

 McClendon personally introduced 210 bills in the House and Senate on a range of critical issues, including education, public safety, economic development, and, of particular personal importance to him, healthcare and the advancement of Alabama’s healthcare professions.

“During my time as a legislator, I always heard the importance of job creation, employment and improving Alabama by creating good jobs,” said McClendon. “That’s exactly what Jeff State is doing, and it is a model for all other programs in the state.”