Category: St. Clair Living

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.

Caden’s Light Shines

Pell City teen embraces life despite challenges

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free
Submitted Photos

To know him is to love him, say family and friends. They’re describing 15-year-old Caden Nelson, a young man with profound physical challenges but equally profound gifts. At first meeting, it will likely take a bit of effort to understand his speech, but his words pack such enthusiasm and joy, the effort is well spent.

Describing an encounter with Caden is like trying to describe light. He is both complex and simple. His thoughts are deep, but his activities are childlike. He is a beautiful combination of youthful exuberance and parental encouragement. He is both challenged and accomplished. He entered the world with a mountain of challenges before him, yet he describes the mountains with wonder and determination.

Caden patiently plays with little sister, Alyssa

Those who meet him are blessed by his ability to fill the room with joy. That joy comes from his appreciation for life and an intense gratitude for those who have encouraged him and who continue to support his journey. This is Caden’s story.

Caden was born prematurely at 30 weeks, weighing just over three pounds. His mother, Anna, was under the care of a maternal fetal specialist in Miami, Florida. Her prenatal testing had revealed that the baby was suffering from a bladder outlet obstruction, which required doctors to insert a shunt through the amniotic fluid to help his body flush fluids. A host of additional medical issues were discovered at birth.

“Caden was not expected to survive,” says Anna. “We were told when he was five days old and had gone for his first surgery that he would bankrupt us physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually. We knew about the bladder obstruction, but after he was born, we learned he had paper-thin abdominal muscles, neuronal intestinal dysplasia, prune-belly syndrome, scoliosis and kyphosis. The doctors said we should just let him pass away.” When Anna and Chad rejected that option, and Caden outlived the doctor’s expectations, doctors stopped issuing life expectancies.

Unlike most teenagers, Caden has never eaten a hamburger or grabbed a handful of cookies, never hung out with friends to share a pizza. In fact, he’s never taken a bite of anything. Neuronal intestinal dysplasia type B essentially means his intestinal system does not work. Because of that condition, he cannot digest food, so it is fed through a central line which goes through one of the veins near his heart.

All this, he takes in stride and doesn’t let it dampen his appetite for life. “Making people happy is a good day for me,” Caden says. He talks openly about his faith and his gratitude for life’s journey. “Jesus is like my first Dad before I met my Dad,” he adds. “He’s helped me all my life through all my surgeries on my back and with the halo surgery.”

It is difficult to imagine all the surgeries in Caden’s young life. They began with exploratory surgery at five days old, spinal fusion surgery at seven months old, more surgery at 10 years old to put rods in his back, which required a halo for six weeks to keep his back aligned so he could heal properly. After those rods broke, he required additional surgery to replace them.

“He can walk but has a walker and a wheelchair to help sometimes,” says dad Chad. “If we are going somewhere like the zoo or the mall, we take the wheelchair. If he just needs to walk from the house to the car, he can use the walker.” Anna adds that it is crucial that he not fall, so they must be very careful.

“He has some breathing issues because the scoliosis and kyphosis caused restrictive lung disease,” explains Anna. “If he gets sick with a cold or something, it’s harder for him to get over it.” You wouldn’t know it on a typical day, though, she says, other than he gets winded walking any distance.

Most days, he doesn’t walk far. School comes to him in the form of Anna’s cousin, Kyla Dunn. Everyday Lala, as he calls her, comes to the house to take care of him and his younger sister, three-year-old Alyssa, while Chad goes to work as a firefighter. Anna does contract work as a speech therapist.

When Alyssa goes down for her nap, Lala and Caden, who is in 9^th grade, get to work. “Initially, I was just going to help a couple of days a week,” says Kyla. “But I was needed, and I believe with all my heart that this is the ministry God put me in. I’m grateful for every day we have.” Sitting on the arm of her chair and beaming at her, Caden says, “I love school, and I love Lala. We’ve been together almost 13 years.” He says he wants to be a caregiver like Lala when he grows up.

“We’re just happy to be celebrating another birthday with him,” Anna adds, talking about his summer birthday. “He still picks out what kind of cake or cupcakes he wants. He just can’t eat them.”

Usually given the choice to have a birthday party or to go on a trip to celebrate, most often he chooses to travel. He’s been on many trips that coincided with out-of-town specialist visits to New York City but has also taken the Christmas train out of Blue Ridge, Georgia, gone to both Disney World and Disneyland, and last year went to Branson, Missouri and rode the train to the Ozarks.

“We try really hard to give him all the experiences we can,” Chad explains. “His pediatrician asked him recently if there was anything else he wants to do that he hasn’t done already, and he couldn’t think of anything.”

One thing Caden checked off his list recently was being baptized. He’d never done it because, even though he had professed his faith, there was a problem, and its name was water. Because he receives his nutrition through the central line in his chest, known as a TPN (total parenteral nutrition), that line must stay dry to keep from getting an infection from bacteria. For that reason, he’s never been in a pool, a lake or a bathtub.

Paulina and Dan Gilliland and Caden’s dad, Chad, assist with baptism

Never shy of a challenge, Caden insisted on baptism by immersion. “I wanted to do it right, the way God wants it to be,” says Caden, adding, “Mama was terrified because me and water don’t mix well. But I took it like a pro.”

“It was definitely a challenge,” says Chad. “I used Tegaderm (a waterproof wound dressing) under his line, put gauze over it, then covered it again with the Tegaderm so it was double layered.” This milestone made for a perfect gift for Dad, as it occurred on Father’s Day. A photo of the special event shows a very proud Caden in a victory pose after coming out of the water.

Anna and Chad are intentional in doing their best to give him experiences like those available to their younger children, 11-year-old Luke, 7-year-old Jacob and 3-year-old Alyssa. They also hold him to the same rules. “He just got ungrounded yesterday and got his PlayStation back,” says Anna. “In the beginning, I was worried about getting on to him, but now he’s held to the same standards as the other children.”

Anna says he knows he is different and that there are things he cannot do. “Regardless of his situation,” she says, “he stays so positive.” Chad echoes the admiration for Caden’s positivity. “Caden has changed my life. With him sharing his positive attitude and love for Jesus, he’s definitely made me a better person.”

Another trip to New York for doctors’ visits

“He is just very sweet and rarely has anything negative to say,” says Anna. “He normally doesn’t complain of pain or anything like that.” Chad agrees. “When he comes in the room, everyone is excited to see him. He loves to laugh and has a great sense of humor.”

His favorite things are trains, video games, his dog, Cooper, and his family and friends. Caden also loves singing and dancing and has recently sung a solo in church. The chance for the family to be in church together is a recent joy for Chad and Anna. First Baptist Church Pell City added a special needs class to their offerings this past year, allowing the family time to worship together while making sure Caden had opportunities that fit his needs.

Going to his class makes Caden smile. Dan Gilliland is one of his teachers at church, and he can’t say enough about being with Caden.

“He always gives the other students the best markers and serves others first,” says Gilliland. “From the minute he joined the class, he changed the lives of everyone in this class and all who meet him. Aside from my mother, no one has impacted my life by showing the way Jesus wants us to live more than Caden Nelson.”

Gilliland has a message for others. “If you get a chance to meet him, do it. He’s a joy, and he will pass some joy to you!”

And you’ll likely get a hug.

Tina Stallings and Winford Hill work with Caden in class

Special Needs Class
First Baptist Church Pell City

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free

When Dan and Paulina Gilliland started attending First Baptist Church Pell City over four years ago, they knew they wanted to be a part of a ministry that benefitted families with special needs. Dan had 40 years of experience working with special needs youth and adults in Shelby County and in Mountain Brook schools and as program director at Easterseals Camp ASCCA. Paulina, a registered nurse, worked with him at Camp ASCCA for several years.

The church leadership had been working on putting together a team to offer a special needs class, and the fit was right for the Gillilands to help support that vision. For nearly a year now, special needs students have had a place where they fit in, a place focused on meeting the needs of individuals with varied abilities. The class is regularly attended by three to four students.

“My wife, Paulina, is the core, the lifeblood of the class,” says Gilliland. “She holds everything together, gives us all assignments for the week.” Four other dedicated teachers – Jennifer Jensen, Joe McGaha, Winford Hill and Tina Stallings – round out the volunteer staff.

Chad Nelson is parent to one of those students and he describes the challenge of attending church prior to this class offering. “When they started the class, it allowed Caden to have a place, a group of teachers and friends that he loves and is excited to see,” explains Chad. “It allows Anna and me to attend worship, just the two of us without kids.”

Anna Nelson adds that other churches never seemed to “fit” their family. “It just never felt like there was a place that fit all of us,” she adds. “But I don’t think that population is being overlooked intentionally. Unless people are in a situation where they have kids with physical or mental limitations, that group gets overlooked inadvertently. This program at First Baptist could be a great outreach program for the community.”

For more information or to enroll your student in the class, email Rev. Chris Dewaal, minister to children and families at cdewaal@fbcpellcity.org or call the church at 205-338-9444. The class is held each Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Features

Camino de Santiago

Pell City resident makes the journey of a lifetime

Story by Paul South
Submitted Photos

For the pilgrims who annually flock to Spain from around the world to walk all or part of the Camino de Santiago, the reasons for their journey are as varied as they are.

For the hikers, it can be a trek of faith, fellowship, revelry, reflection, exploration or a communion with God and nature. Known as the Way of St. James, it might well be a tour mixing all of the above, ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, where it is believed the remains of St. James the Great rest.

They made it! Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

For Jean Barnett of Pell City, her 70-mile, weeklong journey on a portion of the Camino Frances or French Way, was a moveable feast of all of the above. The spark for her journey was first ignited by her yoga instructor, Terri Sellers, a five-time veteran of the journey, who was organizing a Camino trip for a small group of friends.

“I heard her talking about walking across Spain, going on this pilgrimage, and I was intrigued. I’d heard of it many years ago, and I decided if I didn’t do it now, I might never do it,” Barnett said.

Multiple reasons fueled her desire to tackle the journey.

“The challenge drew me in,” she said. “But the opportunity to do it with friends who were like minded attracted me to it.”

It came at a time, too, when she had wrestled with family health challenges.

“(The Camino) was just something I felt like I wanted to experience – to get back out and spend some time exploring and doing something that sounded challenging but was doable,” she said.

And there was the spiritual side.

“People have a lot of reasons for doing it, and mine was somewhat religious,” she said. “But being out on the trail gives you a chance to really meditate and have an opportunity to just kind of be with yourself paired with many opportunities for fellowship along the way. But I took time to pray and listen to the sounds of nature, which was one of the things I really loved – the early morning walks, listening to the bird calls, just the sounds of the world waking up.”

She added, “To be out there in a place where you could just be by yourself and think.”

And there were times of fellowship with her group and with other travelers along the road.

Rainy walk with crowd of Poncho-clad pilgrims nearing Santiago

“There’s a balance there,” she said.

Barnett, a former runner who competed in half-marathons, moved at a more deliberate pace in her pilgrimage. Deep reflection, introspection and fellowship don’t move at a racer’s pace. Camino de Santiago is an opportunity to escape from the daily grind.

“It’s something of a distraction that takes you out of your role in day-to-day life and the chance to just kind of contemplate the world and your purpose,” Barnett said.

Amid the deeper moments, there are the earthlier concerns, from fatigue to blisters on the trail. “You just take every day as it comes and deal with it,” she said.

What is the Camino de Santiago?

In 820, a tomb was discovered in Galicia believed to be the final resting place of St. James the Great. According to “The Camino de Santiago Survival Guide,” while the details are a bit fuzzy, the “Camino” was the beginning of Christian pilgrimages. It is believed that in 920, a Frenchman, Bretanaldo, was the first foreigner to walk the Camino. Some 438,683 people completed the Camino via a network of different routes and via different means. While nearly 95 percent of travelers walk the Camino, others travel via bicycle, horseback, sailboat, on crutches or in a wheelchair.

One interesting note: Some famous people have made the pilgrimage, including the King and Queen of Belgium, television host Jenna Bush Hagar and the acclaimed actor Martin Sheen.

There are several different routes for the Camino, all ending at the Cathedral de Santiago. As they get closer to Santiago and the Cathedral, they merge into one trail, crowded with pilgrims. Here is a glimpse of the trails, taken from The Camino De Santiago Survival Guide:

The French (Frances) Way: This is the most commonly taken route of 780 kilometers from Roncesvalles to Galicia. This route passes through Pamplona, famous for the Running of the Bulls, written about in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.

Barnett and her group began their 70-mile journey in the town of Sarria.

The Northern (Norte) Way begins in Irun and passes through Bilbao, San Sebastian and other towns before entering Galicia.

The Primitive Way: Beginning in Oviedo, this 321-kilometer journey merges with the French and Northern routes near the end.

The English Way (Ingles): The route, which begins in either Coruna or Ferrol and ends in Santiago is named for the pilgrims who originally traveled from the United Kingdom. The distance from Ferrol is 110 km. From Coruna, the distance is 75 km.

The Portuguese Way begins in either Lisbon, or more commonly in Porto. The inland route from the Portuguese capital Lisbon is 600 km, 620 km by the coastal route. From Porto, the inland trek is 230 km, 260 km the coastal way.

The Via de la Plata: The 1,000 km route begins in Seville, Spain and runs inland before arriving in Galicia.

Preparation and an early challenge on the trail

While others will travel all of one of the routes and “rough it” along the way, Barnett’s group traveled with a support van. Hotel reservations along the route were made in advance.

There were checkpoints along the way offering water and snacks and stops for lunch and dinner. Their luggage was also transported. It was somewhat akin to sherpas who aid hikers on an Everest journey.

One of the path markers outside historic church

“I’ve heard it referred to as “Pilgrim Lite,” she said. “We really did have a lot of support along the way, which made it really doable.”

The Camino requires preparation physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.

“You know, I don’t think I adequately prepared for it, actually. I was so busy with everyday life and the things I had to do to make sure while I was gone my family was taken care of,” she said. “There was a lot I had to take care of before I could get away.”

At home, she’s also involved at her church, Pell City First United Methodist in trying to help it grow, and she was in rehab for a back injury for six weeks before the trip.”

“I wasn’t as adequately prepared as I needed to be – spiritually, mentally, any of that,” Barnett said. “The therapists helped me get to a point where I could do it without suffering too much.”

The biggest physical challenge came shortly after the long flight from the States to Europe. “On the first day, I got scared,” she said. There was swelling in my lower legs, and the trail was hilly with long inclines and declines. I had a hard time keeping my heart rate down because the swelling was putting pressure on my heart … I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do it. I just had to take it very slow.”

A pair of compression socks saved her journey. Asked if that first day was the hardest on her portion of the Camino Frances, Barnett said, “Absolutely, it was. After that first day, it wasn’t a problem. But it was still very challenging. That’s a lot of miles, and it was hilly.”

That first day caused her to consider giving up, but the support and advice of her group kept her going. “I was ready to try again,” she said. “I didn’t want to give up.”

A favorite memory – moss-covered stone walls on a tree-lined path

For Barnett, the journey was part solitude, part introspection, part fellowship and more, a hybrid of all the reasons travelers make the pilgrimage. She and her group entered Santiago on the Thursday before Easter. After completing her Camino, she attended Easter Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Porto, Portugal.

“It was amazingly beautiful and spiritual to celebrate in Porto’s majestic ancient cathedral,” she said.

While that may have been the spiritual climax of her trip, Barnett also encountered inspiration in human form. A pilgrim in front of her was walking slowly, with difficulty.

“As I got closer, I realized he was walking on crutches and carrying a backpack,” she said. “It occurred to me, that whatever issues I had or have in my life, I don’t have crutches. For him to take the journey and make it happen, it just touched me. He was my hero.”

As she came alongside the man, she spoke to him.

“He had the most joyful, radiant smile,” Barnett recalled. “He had some age on him, but here he was doing something that most people on crutches would just consider impossible. And he was happy.”

There were other surprises on the walk. Musicians, alongside the trail, buskers who would happily take a Euro or two tossed into an open cello or guitar case, serenaded pilgrims. Groups of young people sang joyfully or laughed as they walked. Barnett encountered fellow pilgrims from around the world, on the trail and in bars and cafés in the villages along the route.

Nature offered signs of spring and of renewal, a pasture full of lambs or calves.

“It gave me another thought, to take this this time and think about the future and the importance of having this life and how you spend your time,” Barnett said.

As she passed centuries-old buildings, Barnett considered the early pilgrims in ancient days who made this journey.

“They did not have the modern conveniences we have – the high-tech shoes and gear – all the things that we access so easily. What did they do when they had issues? … We have so much.”

A favorite memory for Barnett is when she walked a tree-lined path along a stone wall covered in moss. “The moss was glistening, and it looked like carpeting in the shape of the rocks of the wall,” she said. “It was leading you from where you’ve been to where you’re going. It was a gorgeous, magical fairyland.”

She also warmly recalled the fragrance of a eucalyptus forest, ancient buildings, lovely murals. The Camino experience left her forever changed.

“It gave me a chance to focus on what’s important in life. We get so tied up in the daily routine, grocery shopping and cooking meals, and (the trip) gave me a chance for an inward focus, to think about the things that are important in life and relationships and this big world. There are so many places to go and people to meet. It’s eye opening.”

It helped her realize that “being on the Camino is a lot like life. You have to do what you need to do to get from Point A to Point B each day. But in this scenario, you are in nature all the time.”

And at each day’s end, as she laid down to sleep, she remembered the people, places and things she saw – welcoming people in breathtaking, yet peaceful places.

“It was a good time to take a pause in life, even though I was in motion most of the time. It was a pause for your mind to open up more to the spiritual aspect. Being outside. Communing with nature. Thinking about this wonderful world and God and what He has created for us and the responsibility that comes with preserving it.”

The Camino also impacted her perspective on the world.

“I wasn’t bombarded with news, but staying out of the daily news was good for my soul and good for my mind. (In the news), there’s always the bad and negative things going on. The Camino forces you to focus on the good and the beautiful.”

And when she arrived with her fellow pilgrims at the Cathedral of St. James the Great, she was greeted with cheers and applause. She wept with joy at the memory. They were there with pilgrims who had trekked the entire Camino de Santiago, but that did not dampen her triumphal entry.

“Oh my gosh, that was exhilarating,” Barnett said. “It was pouring rain off and on all day, and it was raining when we got to Santiago. But we were so excited to see the cathedral, to end the journey. About 10 kilometers out you could see the spires of the cathedral. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. It put more energy into our final few steps. … The energy level was amazing.”

It impacted her relationship with God.

“When I feel close to nature, I feel close to God. It’s an opportunity for a conversation with God. It was an opportunity to pray and to meditate while listening to nature.”

She thought of nature and art and history along the way – and the pilgrim on crutches.

“I felt blessed to speak to that man who was making his way at his pace with this huge smile on his face, and it made me think how blessed I was to be able to do this with a great group of people.”

Barnett offered a quote from Sellers, the yoga instructor who in part inspired her to tackle part of the Camino, a journey of beauty, discovery and the Divine. “It’s not about what you take with you, it’s what you leave behind.”

What did Barnett leave behind?

“I tried to leave stress and worry and take (home) the joy that I experienced.”

She offered counsel to those who may be considering the Camino de Santiago or any other challenge in life. “Follow your dreams,” she said. “If there’s something you want to experience, then make it happen. It’s a great big, beautiful world. Don’t shy away from something that, though it may be challenging, is an opportunity for growth.”

The trip, simply put, was “very nourishing for my soul.”

Quoting Sellers again, she described the magical, mystical journey: “As we venture away from our everyday lives and from the script of a typical trip or vacation, we are invited to open our eyes, hearts and minds to being a stranger in a strange land and see each day as unfolding minute by minute, step by step into a journey of challenge, renewal and hope. In other words, we are off on an adventure, and while it will offer times of comfort and awe, there may be times of challenge and obstacles. It comes with the Way.”

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The house of glass

Ashville architectural wonder made entirely from antique windows

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mandy Baughn

Deep in the countryside, hidden in a hillside forest, there is a glass house. Entirely made of antique windows, the space is bright and airy, looking a bit like a tiny conservatory. Ashville’s The Valley Glasshouse is a simple space, just 32 feet by 12 feet, but has an interesting ability to change its look throughout the day as the sun creates shadows and plays with the colors inside the building.

For artists and photographers, this place is a dream come true. More specifically, for chiaroscurists, those who appreciate the interplay of light and shadow, the building is must-see.

As a professional photography venue, though, the room’s appeal is more than just about the light and shadows. Reflection and nature itself play into the appeal. The ability to capture clients in nature, while being protected from the unpredictability of weather, makes it a unique place to work, according to professional photographer Brittany Hackleman.

A swing adds to the whimsical nature of the surroundings

“I really like to do outdoor shoots, in grass, fields and creeks,” explains Hackleman. “But if it rains, you can’t do it. With The Valley Glasshouse, it’s still doable because you’re protected by a roof and walls, but you still get the outdoors in the shots.”

Shortly after the venue opened, she brought another photographer friend out, used her as the model and shot some photos, posted them, and within 20 minutes had filled two session days and has a waitlist.

Owners Dana and Sammy Pike began building the glass house in May of 2024, finishing it in December. It took them nine months to transform the property that once housed an old woodshed. They demolished the shed, taking it down to just the six steel beams that once supported it. From there, they began the rebuilding process.

A treasure hunting trip to neighboring Georgia yielded 72 antique windows, 71 of which were used in the final building. They are from several different older homes, so they’re not all the same size. “It was my husband’s job to put the puzzle together,” says Dana. “He made it all work.”

“Yes, it was a challenge,” admits Sammy. “We separated the windows into their sizes. Then I measured the gaps between each of the pillars. I took each window size and each gap size and sketched it out on paper.”

With those measurements sketched on paper, Sammy knew how much wood trim he would have to add to make the wall sections fit in the gaps between the pillars. The roof was a challenge as well, since it required erecting a 16-foot beam, which he put up by himself. “Yes, that required a lot of propping and pulling,” he admits. Then he covered that with opaque polycarbonate panels, the material used for greenhouses.

The couple grew up in St. Clair County just three miles from each other. Sammy’s family lived on the property next door to Dana and Sammy’s current home when he was growing up. The two met at church and have now been married 34 years. “Dana has wanted to do this glass house pretty much our whole marriage,” said Sammy.

It took a visit to another glass house on her parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary to get things rolling. “I wanted to gift them a photo shoot for their anniversary. There is a glass house in Boaz that is also a photography studio, so we thought that might be fun to use,” said Dana. “After that, we decided we could build one on our own property.” A few months later, the plan was in place and, when the weather warmed up, they got started.

The play of light and shadow make it a photographer’s dream

“My grandmother was the keeper of all the family photos from way back,” recalls Dana. “Those photos were (and are) treasures. She was so excited about the project but never got to see it finished.” Her grandmother passed away in October at the age of 92, and to honor her, they are planning to add a memorial garden on the property. “I just want people to come here to capture their own memories,” adds Dana.

The Pikes love antiques and have some unique décor that can be used by photographers. They have a storage shed nearby to house props and furniture that will be changed out seasonally. Photographers are also encouraged to bring additional props as needed. The venue also has lighting options inside and out for evening sessions.

But you know what they say about people who build glass houses? You might think that they should not throw stones. While that is true, the answer according to the late humorist Art Buchwald, is simply “they have to wash their windows all the time.”

For the Pikes, with 71 windows to wash, it’s a family affair. “Our grandkids have participated in the window washing fun,” admits Dana, laughing. “And we are very careful mowing grass these days.”

While The Valley Glasshouse is only offered as a photography venue currently, the Pikes have had several inquiries about hosting parties and events on the property. They are considering offering special event space in the future. It is, indeed, a special place and only a stone’s throw away in north St. Clair County.or their contributions to racing. If these museums close up, the cars end up in private collections and no one will see them anymore.”

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Little Art Tree

A place to ‘grow’ artists thriving in Ashville

Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Richard Rybka

Jess Lauren Alexander sees art in everything. When she looks at coffee filters, she sees flower petals. Colorful yarn looks like the bristles of freshly dipped paintbrushes, and in her mind, plastic bottles have the potential to become sculpted human figures.

“I don’t think I’ve ever not done art,” she said. “My mother’s side of the family is very artsy, and I just took up with it.”

Alexander, who grew up in Ashville, wants children to have the same opportunities she did to explore different artistic mediums, unleash their imagination and develop their creativity. That’s why she opened Little Art Tree on the Courthouse Square just over a year ago.

“It’s a need I don’t think is being met,” she said, adding that art is no longer a regular part of Alabama’s school curriculum. A former substitute teacher, Alexander always had students asking her how to draw different things. When she realized how many children had the desire to learn, she started an afterschool art program at the elementary school. More than 60 children signed up, but the class was short-lived because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She began teaching again in 2021 and opened the studio that September. “To me, art is not just something to do or a possible career. It’s therapy; it’s an outlet,” she said. “My middle school students deal with so much. Sometimes they just come in here and start drawing and talking, and it’s a release. It gives them a chance to just chill, draw and decompress.”

Alexander, who is married to Andrew and is mom to 12-year-old Dawson, teaches six classes a week to nearly 50 students ranging in age from 4 to 18. She also offers the occasional adult class – a group recently made door hangers – and she’s looking for another teacher to join her so adult classes can be a more regular occurrence. “It’s hard to switch my mindset from children to adults,” she said.

Besides, helping children and teens fall in love with art has become Alexander’s passion. “I teach techniques, but it’s mostly about giving kids space and a place to come and explore art,” she said. “Anyone can be an artist. It’s just finding the style and medium that fits your personality.”

She uses her own family as an example. Her mother, Beverly Burnett, paints landscapes with oils, makes quilts and crochets. Her great-aunt is an abstract painter in Birmingham and works mostly with acrylics. Alexander, whose style is “semi-abstract,” prefers to mix things up a bit, often combining watercolors, acrylics, and ink with non-traditional materials, such as coffee grounds, in her artwork.

To help her students discover their own talents, Alexander’s classes focus on a variety of mediums. “We do a little bit of everything – painting, drawing, mixed media, clay,” she said, adding that she hopes to add a kiln to her ever-growing list of offerings soon. “Some of the kids have just extraordinary talent for such a young age,” she said.

Alexander knows that art lessons can be out of reach for many families, but she wants to make them accessible to as many children as possible. She’s reaching out to individuals and businesses who may be interested in sponsoring a child for $100 a month, $500 for half a year or $1,000 a year. All the materials are provided, and classes are held August through May, she said.

Sparking imaginations

Alexander’s studio, in a historic building that has taken many forms, including a feed store and a beauty parlor, is the perfect backdrop to showcase the students’ work as well as some of her own. Paintings hang on an exposed brick wall, and Alexander loves knowing that the building has a history of inspiring budding artists. Christine McCain, whose family owns the building, was an artist and once taught art classes there, as well. Alexander’s mother was one of her students.

“I fell in love with the building,” Alexander said. A colorful mural of flowers, mushrooms and a tree that Alexander painted on the back wall is a nod to the studio’s name, as well as its mission. “We grow artists here,” it reads.

The classes have proven to be a big hit with the young artists. “I like art,” 10-year-old Jayden said in one recent class. “You can paint and use your imagination.”

Her sister, Kadence, 12, said drawing is her first love, but she loves painting and learning other skills, as well. “I love doing stuff like this,” she said, using a palette knife to paint the black markings on the trunks of birch trees. “I’ve never done this before, and I love creating stuff. When I was little, I loved to draw. I have notebooks full of drawings.”

The same can be said of Alexander, who found her inner artist with a how-to-draw horses book as a child. “I would take paper and that book and sit and trace and copy for hours,” she said. “I did it so much I got to the point where I didn’t have to trace anymore.”

Alexander said she’s studied pretty much all forms of art over the years, including painting, drawing, sculpture and pottery. “I’m always taking classes and workshops to learn new things,” she said.

Although she loves introducing new techniques to her students, Alexander also allows them free time to work on whatever they want. Some paint, some draw, some sculpt with clay and they have access to all of the art and craft supplies she keeps on hand.

Alexander has three cans marked “Theme,” “Description” and “Color” the students can use if they get stuck. They can draw an idea from each of the cans to give them a direction or starting point. Alexander recently drew “fish” for the theme, “stressed out” for the description and “warm colors” for the palette.

“It’s usually something silly, but it will spark an idea for them to work on,” she said, adding that watching them explore is one of her favorite things to do. “Everyone has a medium they’re better at and they enjoy more, and I want each of them to find their thing. When they do, I get teary-eyed. It just gives me the most joy.”

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