Helms Healthcare

Returning to bygone era of medicine

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos

In today’s corporate-driven medical care climate, Pell City’ s Dr. Rock Helms is forging a new path in healthcare for the region by returning to the days of old – ways from which he never wavered.

He opened Helms Healthcare in Vincent in March and in less than 90 days, 1,000 patients had come on board. And they’re still coming.

It has been an ideal match for the tiny town of Vincent, population 2,500, and Helms Healthcare. The town had been without a doctor for 20 years. The closest medical facility was in Harpersville but for the most part, residents traveled to Sylacauga, Birmingham, Pell City and Chelsea for major medical needs, according to Mayor Jim Lattimer.

Dr. Rock Helms takes care of tiny patient

Helms Healthcare locating a block from the city’s main street has been “a big benefit for everybody,” the mayor said. “He’s part of the community. That’s what we want for every business.”

Helms lauded the efforts of the mayor and council. “I am super appreciative. The city has been amazing. They made it very, very easy to come here, and we owe them a debt of gratitude.”

To make the partnership come to fruition required some investment by the city to prepare. The long vacant building on Florey Street that the city owned needed repair. “We looked at it and saw the potential, but it needed quite a bit of work, and it needed it quickly” if Helms was to open in March.

That was January. The council voted unanimously to move ahead with the opportunity, and they replaced air conditioning, fixed water damage and made other improvements to get the 3,000 square foot building ready to open. “$60,000 was worth it to get a doctor in here.”

Helms invested as well and continues to add and upgrade to what is now a state-of-the-art medical clinic with a doctor, three nurse practitioners, two registered nurses, technicians and a full staff.

He takes pride in the personal approach the entire staff takes to serving its patients. “When you call, you get a real person,” he said, not a number to press.

Helms said he could not have envisioned a better welcome from the community and the region. “It’s amazing the flow of people coming in.” He anticipated existing patients from his years in Pell City would amount to about a third and “hopefully we would grow the clinic over a year’s time to be sustainable. It has exceeded expectations in multiples. It’s obvious we are going to be successful.”

A full, onsite lab makes testing convenient

The numbers bear that out. In the month of May, 30% came from around the area – Vincent, Harpersville and Chelsea. Now it’s “north of 40 percent and growing like crazy.”

Helms has brought cutting edge health care to the area, providing general and cardiac ultrasound, lab services, digital X-ray and IV infusion of fluids, including iron, Lasix, hydration. Soon to be added is wellness infusion therapy. Iron infusions done there can save patients a trip to the hematologist. They offer weight loss management as well.

“We have helped a lot of people,” Helms said. “The sole reason they haven’t seen a doctor is because they have to drive. We’ve seen several like that. Transportation is a huge barrier.”

Since opening, he has seen better medical outcomes because they can get the help they need close to home. “That’s our hometown doctor,” said Lattimer, a hint of pride in his voice.

“The people have been very appreciative,” Helms said. “They’ve helped me personally and professionally to re-establish a hometown practice like I started in 2001.”

History appears to be repeating itself. Fresh from medical school in 1999, Helms came back to his hometown of Pell City to begin practicing medicine. His vision then – as now – was that of a small-town doctor building relationships with his patients, listening to their needs and guiding their care toward positive outcomes.

It is family medicine at its core, treating patients like family because, in essence, they are.

In 2001, he founded Northside Medical Associates in Pell City, beginning with only a handful of providers and staff. He grew it into a thriving campus of medical facilities, a pharmacy, urgent care and multiple specialties and locations in other communities with over 200 employees.

He sold it, fulfilled his contract commitments and is now starting over with Helms Healthcare in Vincent and plans to locate another in Pell City.

There have been patients wondering if he will stay in Vincent. While he does have plans to open in Pell City later, he stressed, “we will keep this open. I know it’s the Lord’s will. It’s nothing short of a miracle we are growing like this.”

St. Clair Eye

Latest addition to Pell City medical community puts focus on treating whole patient

Story and photos
by Graham Hadley

When Dr. Shilpa Patel was offered the opportunity to open St. Clair Eye in the same building with Pell City Internal and Family Medicine in Pell City, making the decision was an easy one.

“We had recently moved to Odenville and saw there was a growing need for eye care in the county,” she said. “Dr. Rick Jotani at PCIFM said they had space there, and within a month we were rolling. There are lots of specialties in the building, and they needed eye care, so it really worked out great.”

Jordan Greer demonstrates a VR headset used for visual field testing

St. Clair Eye is a full-service vision medical center, with a focus on eye injuries and eye disease, often working in conjunction with other physicians. Patel is quick to point out that there are often many other health issues affecting the eye, so they make sure they are looking at the wellness of the whole patient.

“You have to tailor each exam to each patient and their needs,” she said.

To that end, St. Clair Eye makes sure they are able to treat patients with special needs, making sure the office is sensory inclusive, and their equipment is accessible to people with mobility issues as well.

“We are Kulture City certified,” she said, noting that doctor’s offices can be overwhelming for people on the autism spectrum, people with dementia and other cognitive conditions. Every patient who needs one is provided with a bag containing sunglasses, noise-reducing earphones, fidget toys and more – anything they need to be more comfortable during their visit.

According to the Kulture City website, certification makes sure businesses “cater to everyone with sensory needs, not just autism. This includes military vets with PTSD, adults with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke patients, just to name a few.”

In addition to Patel and her staff being Kulture City certified, she is also fluent in American Sign Language.

“When treating patients, you have to have the right tools and skills to get the desired end result. And that varies on who you have in the chair. All of that comes with experience,” she said.

Though St. Clair Eye has only been open a few months in Pell City, Patel brings with her decades of experience as not only a medical professional in optometry, but also as “a distinguished scholar and fellow of the National Academies of Practice and a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.” A Birmingham native, she is a graduate of UAB, Ohio State and Harvard.

She was in private practice in Birmingham for years and worked at the Callahan Eye Clinic.

The KultureCity sensory bags with ear and eye protection, fidget toys, and more

“Everyone in our office is local,” which makes them feel more connected to the community and patients. “We work as a team.”

Those connections to the community have always been important to Patel. She is particularly proud of her time volunteering for Red Mountain Museum, which eventually became part of what is the McWane Center today.

St. Clair is one of the fastest growing communities in Alabama, and as more people move to the area, so does the demand for medical services, particularly specialties like optometry.

“We do comprehensive eye exams, set people up with contacts and glasses, treat glaucoma, dry eyes and other vision issues. We see a lot of people with diabetic-related vision problems, and some people who just need regular checkups” and maintenance-level care.

“Most eye diseases progress gradually,” and many people don’t realize they have a problem until it has been going on for a long time, sometimes years, Patel said. As much as hands-on medical treatment is necessary, she says they also focus on educating their patients about not only specific problems with their eyes, but how their overall health can affect their vision. … We treat the whole patient, look at their overall wellness.”

Patel said St. Clair Eye has been growing quickly from day one. “We are getting busier every day. Marketing and word of mouth have been a huge help,” but so has support from the community.

“The Pell City Chamber of Commerce has been great. They were here for our open house” and have continued to support the new business, she said.

Town & Country

Multi-million-dollar investment
latest for Pell City Ford dealership

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Mackenzie Free

When Town & Country Dealer Principal and CEO Steve Watts and Partner Bill Sain bought Pell City Ford back in 2009, they saw potential. Today, as they look out over the 13-acre campus, they see they were right.

What began with 19 employees, a 9,000-square-foot new car showroom, service center and a lot for used cars and trucks is now a sprawling series of state-of-the-art complexes providing a comprehensive range of services.

Service area for commercial fleets, heavy equipment vehicles and TC Customs work

From new and pre-owned vehicles to a massive QuickLane service area, to a vehicle customization center to service bays for commercial vehicles, you might say Town & Country has come a long way since those early days. And you would be right.

In June, executives cut the ribbon on their newest addition, the 36,000 square foot headquarters for TC Customs and a service center for commercial fleets with the ability to lift heavy equipment vehicles up to 25 tons.

The $16 million investment means additional electric vehicle charging stations, more than doubling the service bays available to 48 and pushing employment numbers to the 100-mark.

“We’ve come a long way,” said General Manager Doug Bailey, noting the support of Pell City and St. Clair County, St. Clair Economic Development Council. “Everybody pitched in to help us become successful.”

“This is a great event,” added Mayor Bill Pruitt. “Town & Country has been a longtime partner of the Pell City family. They continue to pour investment into our community. We appreciate everything they have done and the continued investment.”

TC Customs is a vehicle customization center specializing in Ford vehicles, like Broncos, but works on all makes and models.  It features 29,000 different wheels for custom wheels and leveling, lift and lowering kits for vehicle suspensions, exhaust systems from the top names in the business, bed covers and more. As they say, “If you can dream it, we can build it.”

Partners Bill Sain (left) and Steve Watts (right) share a moment with Pell City Mayor Bill Pruitt at celebration

It’s not the first expansion in Town & Country’s history under Watts and Sain. In 2017, they replaced the existing dealership and repurposed it to preowned vehicles, some servicing, new and used inspections, heavy engine work, cleanup and detailing.

That made way for a 27,200 square foot expansive glass showroom, LED features and halo digital graphic accent lighting.

Waiting areas with tables are equipped with iPads for games and movies and large screen monitors are strategically located for viewing.

QuickLane headlines its massive service center offering parts and service for all makes and models of cars, trucks and SUVs.

Before cutting the ribbon, officials noted that the successful road to this point resulted from teamwork. They announced national awards won by the management and staff, and they thanked City of Pell City, St. Clair County and St. Clair County Economic Development Council for their support over the years.

Goodgame Company of Pell City built the expansion facility.

Douglas Manufacturing

New Pell City plant, investment celebrated with open house

When Rulmeca Holdings, a global supplier of idlers and pulleys for belt conveyor systems acquired Douglas Manufacturing in 2023, officials pledged new investment in the Pell City plant. Ten months later, they broke ground on a state-of-the-art 50,000 square foot idler plant at the site on Industrial Park Drive.

Inside new $11.7 million plant

In June, officials cut the ribbon on the new facility, celebrating the $11.7 million investment in the expansion, creating 50 jobs in what is known as The Vulcan Project.

Founded in Alabama and headquartered in Pell City since 1991, Douglas Manufacturing has been a trusted name in the bulk material handling industry for decades. In 2023, the acquisition brought together two respected brands with shared values, complementary expertise and a united vision for the future.

Project Vulcan represents the most ambitious expansion in the company’s history. This new facility significantly increases Douglas Rulmeca’s production capabilities, particularly in the manufacturing of conveyor idlers and related components. The investment in advanced automation and production systems not only enhances quality and efficiency but also creates new jobs and growth opportunities in St. Clair County and throughout the region.

“The ribbon cutting is more than the opening of a new building, it’s a celebration of where we’ve been, what we’ve built and where we’re going,” said Paul Ross, president and CEO of Douglas Rulmeca. “Project Vulcan strengthens our position in the global market while deepening our roots right here in Pell City. We’re proud to invest in American manufacturing and to do so in a way that brings lasting benefits to our employees, our customers and our community.”

Sporting Project Vulcan tattoos

The presence of Marco Ghisalberti, president of the Rulmeca Group, and Fabio Ghisalberti, vice president of Rulmeca Group, underscored the strength of the collaboration between Douglas and Rulmeca and the shared belief in the future of this facility and its people. Their leadership and vision made Project Vulcan a reality.

The new facility symbolizes the power of teamwork with contributions from their global partners in Italy, Canada and Wilmington, N.C.

Officials say they are continuing to invest in technology, talent and customer service as the company supports industries ranging from mining and aggregates to recycling and logistics. With the launch of Project Vulcan, the company is better equipped than ever to deliver high-performance solutions to customers across the United States and around the world.

Special guests for the ceremony were City Manager Brian Muenger, Nick Hadley of Alabama Department of Commerce, St. Clair Commission Chairman Stan Batemon and Jason Roberts of St. Clair Economic Development Council, whose support, executives said, was instrumental in bringing Project Vulcan to life.

The Lives We Almost Lived

Do you ever wonder about who you would have been if you had not become who you are?

If you’d chosen differently at pivotal moments … If you look back at all the decisions you made that shaped you into who you are now … and made the other choice? The degree you didn’t pursue. The person you loved and let go. The job you turned down. The dream you packed away because suddenly life demanded more. The version of yourself you quietly buried so that this version could rise.

We all carry with us a collection of unlived lives. Entire versions of ourselves tucked away in the folds of time — not forgotten, just … unexplored. At some point in life, I think we all look back and wonder, What if?  And briefly mourn those paths not taken. 

But I don’t think it’s fair look at them as regrets – I think we should see them as reminders… that we were always capable of more than we believed. That the desire to become still shines within us, even if it flickers instead of burns.

Because the truth is: life is not a straight line. It’s a winding, holy mess of hard choices and decisions … and a lot of divine providence – even if we didn’t see it at the time. And maybe the version of you reading this isn’t the one you once dreamed of becoming. But I bet you’re wiser. Softer. Rooted in things that matter more deeply than ambition ever could. Maybe you didn’t chase that big time-consuming career or pursue that degree – but now you have dirt under your nails, worn out boots, steady love, a lap full of kids and a life full of so much more than you originally dreamed. Maybe you traded glamor for grit. Applause for purpose. Fast for faithful.

So go ahead – Glance back for a moment and honor the lives you didn’t live. But don’t grieve them or let them make you bitter. Let them remind you just how many versions of you were always possible – and how beautiful it is that this is the life you chose to grow. 

    … And it’s never too late to keep growing. To keep becoming.

– Mackenzie Free –

Wife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama

Springville, AL

Historic preservation and revitalization done right

Story by Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley

When Brad Waid, a Bloomfield Hills, Mich.,-based motivational speaker returns home to this St. Clair County town of Springville and pops into Nichol’s Nook Coffee Shop or Laster’s Sundries or any of the other downtown shops, the warm, comforting, kind feeling never changes.

“When my son visits,  he says (Springville) is a perfect little town, right out of a Hallmark  movie. You walk into Nichol’s and you could do a Hallmark  movie in there.”

Frank and Carol Waid, lifelong town residents lead a small army of volunteers who want to keep things that way, preserving the landmarks that give a deep richness to Springville.

People come from all over for cool treats at Laster Sundries

The Springville Preservation Society began its work restoring the 1902 Old Rock School, the  Presbyterian Church, the Springville Museum and historic homes that  adorn the city’s streets.

The Society celebrates historic buildings to be sure. But it’s also about people. Springville has its share of famous folks, like Detroit Tiger pitcher Casey Mize and Pat Buttram and  Hank Patterson, stars of the  wacky 1960s classic comedy sitcom, Green Acres.

But the human story runs deeper.  Families have called Springville home for generations. At the turn of the past century,  ancestors hauled boulders to help build the school, now part of the National Register of Historic Places.

 Work on the beloved school continues.

“The whole upstairs is completed,” Frank Waid said. “The floor’s completed. The kitchen is in. The bathrooms are in. Heating and cooling in the kitchen are in, and two of the main rooms are completed.

Close to completion is an event space made from two rooms where a wall has been  knocked out.

Restored original single traffic light in the Springville History Museum

“That’s where we’ve had to stop right now because we need to put heating and cooling in those two rooms, and we just don’t have quite enough funds to do that. We’re real close to having the funds.”

The Society needs another $2,000-$3,000 dollars to add the HVAC system.

The organization is also working to repair and restore the floors and the front of  Springville’s History Museum, housed in the old Masonic Lodge,  which was built in 1903. The organization is seeking grants to make needed repairs.

“The  whole front of the building is kind of like laying on the ground,” Waid said. “The beams have started to settle and the walls are starting to settle. That’s our big project right now.”

He added, “It’s a bigger project than we can do fundraisers for. It desperately needs to be done or otherwise, we will eventually have to close if we don’t have the funds to get it done.”

Work has also continued on the Presbyterian Church and the accompanying manse, where  damaged roofs were replaced on the two buildings. The church building is being used as an event venue, and the manse is a treasure trove of information for amateur and professional researchers.

“It’s a full heritage center,” Waid said.” It’s a  research center and a  genealogy center. We have lots of books and records that folks can use for family research and genealogy. We have a computer and Wi-Fi for research.”

The restored Presbyterian Church and Heritage Center

Are there other projects on the Society’s plate? “That is enough,” said Waid.

“It’s about all we can handle right now.”

The Society has a schedule of events to raise funds for its many efforts and to build community and awareness. A recent yard sale raised enough money to replace the heating and cooling system at the old Presbyterian church.

Springville has rallied to support preservation efforts and with good reason. The Rock School could well be called the cornerstone of historic Springville. “It has ties to all the families, all the way back to the original settlers of the area,” Waid said.

The Society has an active membership. More than half of the 65 members are involved, not just names on a membership roll. “The people who are our members are some of the greatest in the world,” Waid said.

 Along with its building and restoration efforts, Springville celebrates its storied heritage in other ways. It’s one of some 30 Alabama cities that hosts walking tours to highlight local history each April. “We get a lot of visitors,” Waid said. “And a lot of visitors tell us that they’re glad to see what we’ve done.”

If time allows, Society members are sure to take visitors, many born and reared in Springville, back to The Rock School. “It brings back so many memories. They love it,” Waid said.

Springville’s preservation push also brings repeat visitors from outside St. Clair County who are smitten with the town. Many make donations, and others even join the Society.

A section of the rock school before renovations get started

“A lot of people come to the area, and they just love the area, and they see what they are doing to protect the history and buildings so they can be maintained and used for the betterment of the community,” Waid said. “They just love what we’re doing.”

Earlier in June, the Preservation Society hosted a Tablescapes fundraiser, and representatives of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service were expected in Springville to tour the Society’s work.

In the fall, Green Acres Day returns to celebrate Green Acres and the Hollywood careers of Buttram and Patterson.

Beyond brick and mortar, at its heart, Springville is special because of its people, who make it a place where friendship or a helping hand isn’t hard to find, Waid said.

A ramp has been added to the rock school to make it ADA compliant

“It’s just a loving, caring city. Anytime there is an event in the city, people come out to support it … Everybody just  jumps in to help. It’s that small town you grew up in and even though it’s gotten bigger, it’s more family oriented.”

As for the Hallmark movie analogy, walk into Nichol’s or Laster’s for a taste of something sweet or most anywhere in the heart of Springville and Frank Waid says simply, “It fits.”

And the Springville Preservation Society fits, too.

“We’re here to preserve our heritage and our history,” Waid said. “That’s what we do through all these buildings – telling the story of our little hometown and the people in it and try to save all those memories.”

Those remembrances of days gone by, like when downtown stores used to give away $10 gold pieces, or even Frank Waid’s own father, Fred, who didn’t miss a Springville High football game for 20 years, are sweet and rich like a Laster’s sundae.

What would previous generations who built the city think of society’s work? “I think they would be pleased,” Waid said. “We support our town. If it weren’t for those little Mom and Pop stores, which was all they (our ancestors) had, we wouldn’t have been able to make ends meet.”