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Giving God glorySaddle up in
the SpiritFaith in action
304 Jackson Ave. NRussellville, AL
Contact Russellville City Hall at 256-332-6060
A Great Place to Live, Work & Raise a family.
Russellville City Councilmen Jamie Harris, Lanny Hubbard,
Gary Cummings, William Nale, David Palmer & Mayor David Grissom
304 Jackson Ave. NRussellville, AL
Contact Russellville City Hall at 256-332-6060
A Great Place to Live, Work & Raise a family.
Russellville City Councilmen Jamie Harris, Lanny Hubbard,
Gary Cummings, William Nale, David Palmer & Mayor David Grissom
4 Franklin living
Prep for a potluck with these great recipes
Cooking with Sam
Giving God gloryKerry Gilbert looks to the Lord as he battles cancer
This issue of “Franklin Living” is themed
Church and Faith. When I think of church, I always think of it, of course, as God’s house and a place to worship, but also as another home and another family. I have been blessed to still be attending the church I grew up in. It is a small church, and most of the members have gone there for many years.
There is a special bond among people who worship together. We pray together, and we share things that are going on in our lives that we need prayer for that we might not tell anyone else. We break bread together, we laugh together, we praise God together. We do all of these things together that not only bring us closer to God but also to each other.
I have faith that my church family will be there for me when and if I need them. I have faith God will be there to answer my prayers and to not give me more than I can handle. I have faith that he may not always answer my prayers with a “yes,” but it will be in my best interest, whether I know the intricate details of his plan.
To me, faith is what gets us through. We have faith that God will answer our prayers. We must have faith that he will answer them in our best interest, even if the answer is no. We must have faith that he has a plan for us, and we may not understand how great his plan is.
In this edition, we talk to Kerry Gilbert about his faith in God’s plan for him. We also cover a little bit different take on what we generally think of as a typical church with the Cowboy Church of Franklin County.
Many church families work together on fundraising projects, and St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church takes it to an entirely different level, working toward raising money for Relay for Life.
I hope you enjoy this issue of “Franklin Living.” If you are not part of a church, I hope it inspires you to join one.
FCNI General Manager Nicole Pell with her husband, Hans.
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24
10
20
6 Faces of Franklin County 8 Wellness22 What’s Hot23 Classifieds28 Looking Back30 Parting Shot
FROM THE MANAGER
Faith in actionSt. Paul Missionary
Baptist takes on Relay for Life as ministry
Saddle up in the SpiritCowboy church
welcomes everyone to worship
ON THE COVER: Kerry Gilbert still attends the church in Frog Pond where he grew up – Quinn Church of Christ – where his father was a minister for years. Gilbert, who became a Christian as a young teenager, is well-known for his musical talent and his performances throughout Franklin County, the Shoals and beyond. He has relied on his faith to carry him through during his battle with cancer. Read more about Gilbert on page 10.
5Franklin living
P.O. Box 1088 • Russellville, AL 35653
256-332-1881 • fax: 256-332-1883
www.franklincountytimes.com
General Manager NICOLE PELL
Managing Editor ALISON JAMES
Sales PEGGY HYDE
Circulation TOMMY MORRIS
Photography ALISON JAMES
Franklin Living is published monthly
by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.
Copyright 2011 by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc.
Headstones • Grave Markers • Monuments • Cremation Urns
• Memorial Benches • Memorial Portraits • Granite
Marble • Bronze Markers • Cemetery Vases • Lettering
• We engrave death dates
In business since 1926
Atkins Marble & Granite Works, Inc.
(256) 332-2332403 E. Lawrence Street
Russellville, ALOwners: Grant & Beverly Atkins
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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
JObrea Burgess, Apriell Burgess and Pat Smith
The 2015 Annual Farm-City Award Banquet brought the community together for a celebratory night, recognizing citizens of all ages for their contributions to the community. The dinner and ceremony were held at the A.W. Todd Centre during Farm-City Week, November 2015.
Photos by Alison James
Jessica Hamilton and Carolyna White
Jack and Christine Skidmore
Edison and Beatrice PotterCarol Murphree and Angela Malone
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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
Stephanie, Anna Belle and Paul Humphres
Tony Shackelford and Don Barnwell
Jackie Ergle, Brenda Russell, Macy Thomas and Christine Steele
Willodean and Ellis Davis
Jim and Annette Casteel
Jan Grissom, Andrea Wade, Ryan Wade, Justin Wade and Freida Fowler
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WELLNESS
The right combination of diet and exercise is one of the keys to a long and healthy life. While many people find adapting to a healthier diet challenging, that challenge
often pales in comparison to the intimidation felt when working out for the first time in years.
Exercising after an extended period of inactivity may intimidate people who choose to workout at gyms, where fellow gym members may appear to be in tip-top shape. Overcoming that intimidation factor can be as simple as working out with a friend or working with a personal trainer, each of whom can offer the support and guidance beginners need when reacclimating themselves to more active lifestyles. In addition to the buddy system, beginners can employ the following strategies to make their return to exercise go as smoothly as possible.
• Gradually build up your exercise tolerance. When you exercise, your body releases neurotransmitters known as endorphins, which trigger positive feelings in the body. Those positive feelings can be addictive, but it›s important that beginners do not go too hard too quickly when beginning a new exercise regimen. Gradually build up your exercise tolerance, exercising two or three days per week and taking a day off between workouts when you start. As your body becomes more acclimated to exercise, you can start to workout more and with more intensity.
• Stretch after working out. Stretching can improve flexibility, and that may decrease your risk of future injury. In addition, improved flexibility may improve your exercise performance by improving your range of motion and helping your muscles work more effectively. Muscles contract during a workout, and stretching after workouts can help reset those muscles to their natural position. Include both static stretching and foam rolling in your post-workout stretching routine.
• Find a routine that works for you. Many men and women feel they must sign up for a gym membership upon resolving to adopt a more active lifestyle. While gyms afford you the opportunity to strength train and get in your cardiovascular exercise, they›re not for everyone. The best approach and the one that›s likely to be most successful over the long haul is to find an exercise routine that engages you and that you find enjoyable. If the gym is not for you, try to find a routine that still includes both strength training and cardiovascular exercise. Strength training can make your body more durable, and cardiovascular exercise can reduce your risk for various health problems, including heart disease.
• Track your progress. One way to stay motivated is to keep track of your progress. If you’re working
out but not monitoring your results, you may not feel like you›re getting anywhere. Keep a workout diary, tracking both your successes and failures, so you can see what›s working and what›s not. The longer you stay committed to your workout routine, the greater the likelihood that you will be tracking more successes than failures, and those successes can provide the motivation to keep you going on those inevitable days when you want to skip workouts.
Returning to exercise after an extended period of inactivity can be quite the challenge, but it’s nothing motivated men and women cannot overcome.
Exercise tips for beginners
ABOVE: Stretching after a workout can improve flexibility and help muscles work more effectively.
9Franklin living
10 Franklin living
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For Kerry Gilbert, being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer was the proverbial blessing in disguise.
“It’s very sobering. It woke me up,” said Gilbert. “For many years, I was not a worker for the Lord. I’m ashamed of the fact. When I got sick two years ago, it opened my eyes. I got right with God.”
Gilbert is well-known for his musical career, with his regular monthly shows at the Roxy Theatre locally and other performances at a wide variety of events and venues. Music has always been a part of his life – just like his faith. He grew up a Christian, raised by Christian parents – his father, Carl Gilbert, was a preacher for more than 40 years. “I was raised up listening to my daddy preach. I thank God every night in my prayers that I had a Christian raising – a lot of people don’t have that blessing. They weren’t raised up in a Christian home,” Gilbert said. He became a Christian himself at age 13, but, he admitted, “as most folks do, I wandered away from God and enjoyed the pleasures of the world, as they say,” Gilbert said. “I was always a church-going Christian, but I didn’t put my heart into it, making God my first priority. I never used my talents to glorify his name. I only did it to please myself and please others. But I want to
glorify God through my music. He gave me the talent, the gift, and for that I’m grateful … I love people, and my music is a way I can relate with people.”
Gilbert’s fight against cancer is no secret. When he was first diagnosed, two years ago, he remembers feeling shocked. The doctor off-handedly mentioned the word tumor. “I said, ‘Tumor? As in cancer?’ I never knew it would hit me. I had been dodging these bullets for all these years. And one got me. It sobered me up real quick,” Gilbert said. But, he added, “I never was angry. I’ve never doubted or asked him why he gave me cancer. I knew this was serious business. I said, ‘God, I’ll turn it over to you. You can help me through it.’”
With Gilbert’s cancer relapsing this year, he said he has continued to thank God for each day he is given and count on God to carry him through the struggles that come with fighting cancer.
“It is not a pleasant thing going through cancer for my second time in two years now,” Gilbert admitted. “It’s not fun by any stretch of the imagination.” And yet, “I try to be a positive person. I try to smile, and I love hugging people when I see them. I want people, through my music, to
Story by ALISON JAMES
Photos by ALISON JAMES AND CONTRIBUTED
LEFT: Kerry Gilbert still attends the church in Frog Pond where he grew up, where his father was a minister for years.
God-given
talentKerry Gilbert uses music career to glorify God and
relies on faith in cancer battle
12 Franklin living
enjoy their lives and see the life I’m enjoying, even though I’m sick. It’s not an act or put-on.”
Because for Gilbert, as terrible as the cancer and treatments are, there’s a positive side. And that’s the side he chooses to focus on.
“For I don’t know how many years, I talked the talk but didn’t walk the walk,” Gilbert said. “By God’s grace, he has granted me enough time. He gave me many chances. There is a reason I’m still here, I believe.”
“I’m not going to give up,” he said. “A lot of people say, ‘How can you be positive? How can you smile?’ The reason I can is because if something happens to me, I know where I’m going.”
Gilbert lays it out in plain terms.“I’m not afraid of dying. If I die, I know where I’m
going. I’m going to heaven. That’s the greatest blessing of all,” he said. “Either way, it’s a win-win for me. If I beat the cancer, it’s a win. If I lose the battle, it’s a win because I’m going to be with the Lord. That’s exactly what I thought when I found out my cancer had returned.”
Gilbert tries to live his faith by always putting on clean, wholesome shows, and he will often incorporate a hymn or two into his performances. He goes to the Quinn Church of Christ, near Frog Pond.
“If we have faith, and we don’t come out here and live a Christian life and do the things we’re supposed to do for each other … our faith is dead. You’ve got to show others what a Christian life is,” Gilbert said. “That’s why we get up every day. It would be terrible just to lie around all day and not get out and let your light shine. You can be a Christian inside your house every day, but if you don’t get out and let your light shine, what good are you?”
Gilbert’s friends and family are the support system that keeps him going, but there are two people he can never hear say they are proud of him: his parents, who have both passed away.
“I can see them up there, holding hands,” Gilbert said. “I know they’re watching everything I do. I hope I can please them. I don’t do it to please my parents, I do it to please God – but I hope my parents can look down and see me.”
As for the future, Gilbert said he’s going to keep pushing through until God says it’s time for him to stop.
‘If God has more work for me on this earth, so be it. I’ll do it,” Gilbert said.
But if not, Gilbert’s prayer is the title to his favorite hymn: Take my hand, precious Lord – lead me home.
“Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”
~Isaiah 26:4
Benefit Concert
Gilbert will reunite with Mountain Breeze, a local quartet that was regionally-popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, for a special reunion concert Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. at Russellville High School. Other band members include Joe Holmes, Kelly Cole and Trent Stephenson. The Secret Sisters and Jarred Pierce will also perform. The concert is a benefit to help with Gilbert’s medical expenses. Tickets are available at Russellville City Hall, Stephenson Electric and online at www.thebreezeisback.com.
ABOVE LEFT: Gilbert’s performances are family-friendly. He is a regular performer at the Historic Roxy Theatre, putting on monthly shows that also feature up-and-coming young talent. ABOVE RIGHT: Gilbert is a regionally-famous musician with the band that bears his name and is a regular performer at the Watermelon Festival, where he opened the music line-up this year.
13Franklin living
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14 Franklin living
Cowboy-themed accessories and decor dominate the church’s interior.
Story and photos by ALISON JAMES
A place for cowboys
Franklin County church mixes gospel truth with
cowboy culture
15Franklin living
Brian Welch has served as minister of the Cowboy Church of Franklin County since its inception and was also the minister prior to that, when it was Victory Hill Baptist.
When most people think of church, they might think of sky-reaching steeples, sparkling stained glass windows, angelic choirs and plush
sanctuaries. But at one local church, there’s more of a rough-hewn wood, barbed wire, cowboy hats and rodeo motif.
The Cowboy Church of Franklin County was established in 2013, after Victory Hill Baptist Church – which used to be Concord Baptist Church – decided to let the Lord lead them in a new direction. The church’s minister, Brian Welch, had first considered starting a cowboy church in 2002 in Oklahoma.
“It was just getting started, then,” said Welch, a Spruce Pine native. “In 2002 was when I first heard of it. I had been to the Dixie Stampede, and it was just awesome. I thought, ‘That would be a just awesome set up for a church.’” But finding no opportunity to begin such a church, he eventually moved back home. His great uncle was pastoring Victory Hill at that time, on an interim basis. Welch and his wife joined the church and were worshiping there for about a year, as which time Welch was voted in as pastor.
“After I had been pastoring for a year, I brought the model – I had already given up on starting a cowboy church – to the deacons of the church,” Welch said. “They all, on their own, got on the Internet and researched what cowboy church was about. They came back to me and said, ‘Why don’t we do cowboy church?’”
The church had moved to its 70-acre location on Highway 24 a few years earlier. The congregation of 25 was using a white double-wide as its worship center on the property, which was formerly a farm and featured a barn and a four-bay shop, where the previous owner worked on trucks. With a transition to cowboy church on the horizon, church members spruced up the four-bay shop to turn it into their official meeting place.
The “cowboy church model” includes a come-as-you-are approach to worship, with a non-judgmental atmosphere, and features an elder-based leadership, rather than a deacon-based leadership, and lay pastors. An offering box sits in the back of the church, rather than the traditional plate that gets passed. The whole idea, Welch said, is to make people feel comfortable coming to church.
“Some people have a mentality about church ‘All the church wants is my money,’ so we don’t even pass an offering plate,” he said. “The whole thing about cowboy church is removing barriers people have about coming to church so they can have a place to come.”
The facility is unfinished by design – although they do have some work to do yet on the interior. Welch said they will cover the OSB walls with rough-cut lumber, hopefully in the next couple years, unless they go a different direction, like building a completely different building – which, nevertheless, would be finished with rough-cut wood. There’s no carpet on the floors, and there’s
no chandelier dangling from the ceiling. “It opens a door for people who are not comfortable in a ‘fancy church,’” Welch said.
When the church rebranded as a cowboy church Easter 2013, the congregation quickly came on board – but not without a few reservations. “There were questions and concerns,” Welch said. “I’d love to say it was all smooth sailing, but it wasn’t. People don’t like change, especially when it’s something they’re not familiar with.”
But he said only a couple of people left the congregation because of the change. The church still identifies as Southern Baptist and teaches Southern Baptist doctrine. The cowboy aspect is largely about cowboy culture – in the type of dress that is encouraged and in the trail rides and other cowboy-based events the church hosts.
“We’re a whole lot of church, and a little bit of rodeo,” Welch said. “We really focus on the church part of it.” Although some cowboy churches are more focused on rodeo, Welch said he keeps the focus on the gospel. “What I preach here, I’d preach at any church. They might look at me kind of funny when I’m using horse illustrations in traditional church, but –“ he trailed off, laughing.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: This iron accouterment adorns the church’s sound booth. The church has plans to expanded, including building an onsite arena. Cowboy décor gives the church’s atmosphere a casual feel.
17Franklin living
Of course, rodeo is still an integral part of what makes cowboy church, cowboy church. To that end, the church is in the planning and design stages of building its own arena. Once it is built, the church will officially launch as a cowboy church.
“When we launch the church – to launch it is to do a big event to get our name out there. We haven’t done any big event. Our arena is not up … once we get it up, we will launch the church with a horse whisperer event,” Welch said.
A horse whisperer, a very specialized trainer who can break a colt within an hour or so, to the point of saddling and riding him, provides a metaphor for God, he said – a powerful illustration for people who attend the event.
“The colt has never met this guy – doesn’t know anything about him really, but in order to have the opportunity to ride and use the colt, he has to build a relationship pretty quick … The horse starts trying to figure out what you want from him. Horses give you all kind of signs of submission. What you have to do first of all is establish pecking order, because that’s how they operate in their herd… by who’s the strongest. So you have to establish that you can make him do what you want done. And so in a short time, a horse whisperer is able to do that. As we work with (a colt) and he submits to us, he realizes that all we want is a relationship. It helps people understand what God wants to do in our life. What God wants is a relationship … where we can enjoy spending time together.”
The congregation encompasses about 100 people, many of whom have joined since the cowboy church transition. A core group, however, has been there all along, like charter member Nell Hall.
“At first I had mixed feelings about it,” Hall said. “I was worried about the church being different. But there’s a lot of people who are more comfortable coming to church now.”
Sarah and John Thorn are also longtime members of the congregation.
“Oh, I love it,” he said. “We’re still Southern Baptist – we just do the cowboy style worship.”
“Our basic beliefs have not changed. We are Southern Baptist and will continue to be,” she agreed.
“We’ve got a good preacher, and we’ve got a lot of good people out here,” he added.
Sarah said the idea of cowboy church was “a relatively new concept to me, but I trusted the leaders who had looked into it and checked it out,” she said. “I felt like if it was something they felt was a good thing, if the Lord was leading us in that direction, then that was the way we
18 Franklin living
needed to go.” The church tries to stay active with a major focus
on fellowship. Members enjoy Sunday dinner together twice a month, and men’s and women’s groups meet monthly. The church is part of sponsoring a trail ride to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital annually. Teams get people plugged in at the church and help it to run smoothly – like the finance team, fellowship team and advertising team.
The functional model of the cowboy church features up to three elders and up to seven lay pastors. Right now, the Cowboy Church of Franklin County operates with just one elder.
“I take care of problems that arise in the church, try to keep the spiritual welfare in mind,” said Greg Stidham, the church’s elder, who was formerly a deacon under the previous model. “If you have a problem with someone, instead of sweeping it under the rug, we’re going to bring it out, and we’re going to take care of it … I think it makes a tighter family. It keeps the unity … I feel like a lot of time that goes unchecked in traditional church. No one fixes the problems.”
“I just like the laidback atmosphere of the cowboy church,” he said. “I guess that’s it in a nutshell.”
The church meets Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights at 25100 Highway 24 West.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: “Cowboy coolers” line the church’s small snack bar, where refreshments are offered on Sunday mornings. This cross smoothly meshes Christianity with cowboy culture. Welch addresses the congregation with a Bible message.
19Franklin living
20 Franklin living
Cookingwith Sam
Recipes by SAM WARF
FOOD
Too Much Chocolate Cake
1 box devil’s food cake1 5.9 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water2 cups chocolate chipsconfectioner’s sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together,
chocolate chips last. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake 55 minutes. Cool cake in pan at least 1 1/2 hours before inverting. Dust with powdered sugar, fill with raspberries or strawberries or make chocolate sauce to pour over top.
21Franklin living
Wedding Cookie Balls
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter4 1/2 tsp. vanilla 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour3/4 cup & 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
(separated)3/4 tsp. salt1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, gradually add confectioner’s sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add almonds and vanilla. Blend in flour gradually and mix well. Shape into balls using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 min. Do not brown. Cool slightly, then roll in the extra confectioner’s sugar.
Lemon Gelatin Cake
4 eggs1 box lemon cake mix with
pudding3/4 cups vegetable oil1 cup milk2 cups lemon gelatin (13
oz. box)
Glaze:1/2 cup lemon juice2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend cake mix, gelatin, oil, and eggs until moistened. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into a bundt or sheet cake pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. While hot, punch holes in the cake with a skewer and pour lemon glaze over the cake. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.
Striped Peanut Butter Fudge
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar1/2 cup butter1 cup evaporated milk1 (16 oz.) jar creamy
peanut butter1 (7 oz.) jar marsh-
mallow creme1 tsp. vanilla extract1 cup milk chocolate
chips
1. Spray a 9x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. cocoa powder evenly over bottom. Set aside.
2. Combine brown sugar, sugar, butter and evaporated milk in large, heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees F on a candy thermometer) about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter, marshmallow creme and vanilla until completely mixed.
4. Pour half of fudge mixture into prepared pan; sprinkle with milk chocolate chips. Pour remaining fudge mixture over chocolate chips; swirl gently to mix chocolate, creating a striped effect.
5. Sprinkle with remaining cocoa powder. Cool completely.
Orange Cupcakes
5 large eggs1 cup sugar2 tbsp. orange juice
Cream Cheese Icing:1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature1/2 cup pure maple syrup1 tsp. orange zest, chopped1 tsp. vanilla extract
For Icing: Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks; reserve. Combing cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, orange zest and vanilla extract in mixing bowl; beat with mixer until combined. Fold in whipped cream; refrigerate until chilled. When ready to use, mix gently by hand until soft. For cupcakes: Combine eggs and sugar in
metal mixing bowl. Rest bowl over pot of lightly simmering hot water. Whisk with wire whisk until eggs become warm, frothy and light in color. Place egg mixture in mixing bowl; beat with whisk attachment of mixer on medium speed. Add orange juice and water; whisk for 15 minutes, until mixture is cooled. Add orange zest and nutmeg. Gently fold in flour with a rubber spatula until just combined; batter will be slightly lumpy, do not overmix. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans; fill three-fourths full with batter. Bake for 10
to 15 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned on top.
Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool on wire rack completely. Just before serving, place Cream Cheese Icing in a
pastry bag; pipe icing on top of cupcakes and garnish
with orange zest. Serve immediately.
22 Franklin living
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24 Franklin living
Story by ALISON JAMES
Photos by ALISON JAMES
AND CONTRIBUTED The first year St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church set out to field a Relay for Life team, the team set a goal of raising $5,000.
The church wound up raising almost two and a half times that amount.
It was the beginning of an effort that has become a year-round, year after year passion for St. Paul. More than half of the 55-member congregation actively participates as part of the Relay team, which was the brainchild of Sherry Oden. She thought up the idea and shared it with her husband Joey, who said his initial reaction was “just do it.”
“It seemed to be a perfect fit, really,” he said. “There’s a core group within the church that comes together no matter what you’re doing or why you’re doing it, other than we always know it’s helping other people. It just seemed to be a perfect fit with the church to help in this effort.”
Sherry agreed. “We’re a pretty united bunch of people. We support each other. We’re a very close church,” she said.
Although Relay for Life is held annually in May in Franklin County, St. Paul fundraises year-round – selling everything from T-shirts and Boston butts to cleaning products and knives. They collect money at Walmart. They take donations on a handmade quilt. This year they created a special cookbook they are selling for $15, filled with recipes from church members, friends and family.
“Everybody pretty much has their own thing to do,” Sherry said. “Whether they work at the yard sale or pick up aluminum cans on the side of the road, everybody has a job. Everybody just works together.”
The yard sales, two-day events held every fall and spring, are the biggest fundraisers the church holds, taking place indoors at the Born Again Body Shop on Highway 79. “They clean up and shut down for two days and give us the shop,” Sherry said. “We’ve had the yard sale for so long, people look forward to it.”
The Odens said one reason their church is so active in Relay is because the fight against cancer is a personal one for them. Several of their members – and their members’ friends and family – have had their own battles with cancer.
“A lot of people in our family have had cancer,” said Larry Landers, who participates in Relay with his wife. He had never been on a team or attended the night of Relay before his involvement with the St. Paul team. “It was really wonderful. I liked it.”
And Landers’ passion for Relay only grew when he and his wife were both diagnosed with cancer themselves.
“I wanted it to be even more of a success,” he said. He now finds special meaning in walking the survivor lap – and also in participating in the luminaria ceremony.
“There’s so many people there. It’s a solemn service … We have prayer and all, and you could hear a pin drop. It’s real touching. I feel the Spirit of the Lord, and I know he is with me.”
Bonnie Radachi knew a little about Relay for Life from helping with her sister’s Relay efforts, but she had never been on a team before. As part of St. Paul’s team, she always makes peanut brittle, jellies and jams to sell at the yard sale.
“It’s just a way to give back,” Radachi said. “You like to help everywhere you can.”
“We just try to support the church in whatever we’re doing, and when Sherry asked us about it – well, that’s just what you do,” said Truby Jack, who heads up the Stanley Home Products fundraiser. “Everybody works hard.”
“We’re all in it together,” agreed Linda Landers. “Everyone has come together because they love people and have compassion on people … I lost my oldest sister to lung cancer in 2006, and I’ve lost nieces and nephews. I’m glad that we have the Relay for Life team.”
Working with Relay for Life in honor of family and friends is truly the common thread that runs through the group.
“I’ve got a lot of friends and loved ones I’ve already lost, and I have a lot of friends and loved ones who have cancer at this point,” said Leo Pinkard. “Anything I can do to help find a cure for cancer. And I always like to back our church on whatever we do.”
And Sherry said he’s “a go-getter.”“He does whatever he needs to do. He helps
deliver, he totes, he prices,” she said.And although the primary focus might be raising
money to help find a cure for cancer, church members said Relay for Life is also a way for them to witness to others about the gospel and about their faith – one way being their “prayer bench.”
“It’s just a row of chairs at the yard sale,” Joey said. “We have four or five – or eight or nine or ten – people all the time, sitting there, and that’s their job, to be that witness. This is a pretty tight community, so everybody knows everybody, whether they go to church here or not. You pretty much know those that are saved and those that are not, and most of the time, you know how to approach them. It’s a great opportunity.”
Faith and worksSt. Paul Missionary Baptist Church reaches out with Relay for Life team
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church has organized more than half of its members into a hard-working Franklin County Relay for Life team. Belinda Wimberley and Sherry Oden examine examine St. Paul’s cookbook, a fundraiser the church hasn’t done in several years. The book is full of recipes from church members and their friends and family and sells for $15. Sherry and Joey Oden (seated center) are members of the Relay for Life Committee. Here, they help create inspirational signs at a committee meeting to begin to coordinate the 2016 Franklin County Relay for Life.
25Franklin living
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL RELAY CAMPAIGN
1. Believe in the mission.2. Work together to come up with good fundraising ideas.3. Keep it fun, and enjoy each other’s company.4. Be willing to work hard and stay dedicated.5. Focus on good teamwork.
26 Franklin living
FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
Gant Dill and teacher Derek Ergle
Gracie Montgomery Justin Wade Leslie Staggs Macy Thomas
Annabelle Humphres, Jessica Hamilton and Katernia Cole-Coffey
Emma Henderson and teacher Derek Ergle
Anna Kate Burks Patience Lucas and Katernia Cole-Coffey
Lizbeth Macedo and Katernia Cole-Coffey
Emilia Bahena and Katernia Cole-Coffey
The 2015 Annual Farm-City Award Banquet brought the community together for a celebratory night, recognizing citizens of all ages for their contributions to the community. The dinner and ceremony were held at the A.W. Todd Centre during Farm-City Week, November 2015. Several honorees were local students, who won recognition for their entries in the poster, essay and multimedia contests.
Photos by Alison James
27Franklin living
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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
Landon Cox Abby Shelton with teacher Leigh BurksKaleigh Massey
28 Franklin living
Looking back photos courtesy of the Franklin County Archives.
LOOKING BACK
29Franklin living
Looking back photos courtesy of the Franklin County Archives.
LOOKING BACK
30 Franklin living
PARTING SHOT
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I
hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” ~ II Chronicles 7:14
www.tif nmotorhomes.com
Pete Blanton
Suzy Carter
Tif n Motor Homes105 Second Street NW • Red Bay, AL
256-356-8661In March of 2016, Pete Blanton will mark
an anniversary that he never imagined.Blanton will celebrate his 40th year with
Tif n Motorhomes at that time. During the past 39 plus years, Blanton has seen and been a part of many changes at TMH.
The Tremont, Miss., resident’s rst job as-signment was to place appliances inside the motorhomes. That role evolved and changed over the years and led him to building oors, setting sidewalls and laying carpet.
Now, Blanton serves as a supervisor at Tif n’s acclaimed service center.
“It’s been an amazing ride,” Blanton said. “Things have changed a lot over the years and it’s been neat to be part of it.”
Blanton said the always-changing world of technology and added amenities to the motorhomes has led to most of the changes.
“Everything was a lot slower years ago and we didn’t roll many motorhomes,” he said. “Now, they are a lot more complicated and people have more job-speci c respon-
sibilities. We used to all do several things.”Since moving to the service department
in 1999, Blanton’s responsibilities have changed even more. Now, he helps ensure that customers receive the service and re-pairs needed to their coaches, rather than be-ing part of building new units.
“It’s challenging because one day we might get a 2000 model in and then the very next unit that we are working on is a 2014,” he said. “So, we have to keep up with all the changes and the new things that are done in the motorhomes, but that’s what makes it fun, I guess.”
In his spare time, Blanton works a soy-bean farm and plays with his 1929 Ford Model-A.
“I really enjoy that and restoring antique tractors,” he said.
Blanton and his wife, Cindy, have a son, Casey, and a daughter, Jana Allison, as well as four grandchildren: Clay, Paden, Nylah and Chloe.
Some of Suzy Carter’s best memories as a child were spent traveling with her family across the country in her grandparents’ Allegro motor home.
“We visited all of the amusement parks and camping areas between here and California,” said Carter, a California native who moved to Vina, Ala., when she was 11 years old.
While traveling across the country as a child, she never imagined that she would one day be working in the plant where her grandparents’ mo-tor home was built.
“When I started working here and seeing how it is all put together, I was like ‘wow,” Carter said.
She has been working in the wiring-harness de-partment since October 2004 preparing the wiring for all the Tif n Motor Homes product lines.
“I have to make sure that everyone is getting their job done and everything is running on sched-ule,” she said. “I also have to ll in anywhere on the line if someone is out and handle all the paper work in the department.”
Carter, a proud mother of a ve year-old daugh-ter, McKenzie, said she enjoys what she does and is always looking for ways to improve.
“I love what I do,” she said.
“It has been interesting and I have learned a lot. I love to try to simplify the jobs and make it easier and better for our employees and the customers.”
But, after 10 years at Tif n Motor Homes, Cart-er continues to learn new things about her job and the overall impact it has on the customer.
“I have been working with engineering some lately and I see more and more about how every-thing works as far as where the wiring goes inside the motor homes,” she said. “It has been interest-ing to see what other people do and how their jobs work.”
She also sees a few friendly and familiar faces each day as well. Both of Carter’s parents, Ed and Priscilla Martinez, work at Tif n Motor Homes as well.
“It is nice to see them here and it works out great because they are such a big help with my daugh-ter,” said Carter, who juggles the rest of her time working her three chicken houses and being a proud cheerleader mom.
“Working here has been wonderful and I have really enjoyed it. I hope one day we can travel in a motor home the way we did when I was young so McKenzie can see just how much fun it is.”
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