​ I finished this story the day before Byrd Stewart passed away.I’m leaving the story just as it was written. I am so honored to have had the privilege to do this and get to know Byrds wonderful daughters. My heart goes out to this great family.

              A Man of Character
       I wonder how many people can say that they were born in World War I, lived through the Great Depression, fought in World War 2 and can speak of it today? Not many, if any, I’d say but we have such a person right here in Randolph County. His name is Mr. Byrd Stewart. At 103, he still lives at home, enjoys a good book, conversation and watching the birds outside his picture window.

Byrd Stewart enlisted in the Army in June of 1941, at the age of 25. He went in as a mechanic and as soon as his training was complete, he was loaded on the Queen Elizabeth, seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time, and shipped off to Scotland to eventually join the 6th Cavalry Mechanized Division.

In his service, he witnessed the tragedy of war. The effects of bombs, bullets, fire and inhumanity were obvious everywhere. As his exit paperwork shows, he was there in the Battle of the Bulge in Normandy, Central Europe and Ardennes Rhineland. In all, he was in three different campaigns that were called the Bronze Service Star Campaigns.

For his service, Sgt Stewart earned the Bronze Star as well as the European-African- Middle Eastern service medal with one silver star.

To read more about Mr. Stewart, pick up your copy of Southern Holiday Life.

A practice that has been opened since 1979, Dr. Michael Edwards, D.M.D.. P.C. has provided excellent dental care and orthodontic work for residents of Randolph County, as well as East Alabama. His story, like so many that call Randolph County home, begins in another location. 

Once earning his degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, Dr. Edwards found himself in a residency program that took him to a small town in Western Montana called St. Ignatius. Dr. Edwards fell in love with the reservation that served the Salish and Kootenai tribes, so much so, that he wanted to settle in a small town that reminded him of St. Ignatius, that was much closer to his hometown of Birmingham. 

"Being a native of Birmingham, (Dr. Edwards and his wife, Terri) were tired of the traffic and the city. We just decided to come (to Wedowee) and look around," says Dr. Edwards. 

Dr. Edwards, who claimed to have never been south of Mt. Cheaha upon arriving in Wedowee, says that there settlement took it's next step during a stop at a convenience store on Main Street. 

"A guy asked me what I did, and I told him. He said that “Hey, we need a dentist down here really bad!” We stayed around and a nice committee of citizens here cooked lunch and had us up to their house. The next thing that we knew, we had made a lot of friends. We decided to give it a try, and we fell in love with it." 

While the area has grown since 1979, and continues to grow, many residents still have to drive to cities such as Oxford, Carrollton, Auburn, or even Atlanta and Birmingham for doctors visits, shopping, dining, among a variety of other reasons. Dr. Edwards cuts down on travel time for dentist-related appointments, as many procedures can be handled here in Wedowee. 

In addition to standard cleaning, fillings, and implants, Dr. Edwards also offers orthodontic work. 

"I went back and trained in orthodontics, where I could do braces and have been doing braces for over 30 years for kids in the area. That was something that families had to drive long distances to get that service, so we felt that we would start to implement things and training that would allow us to give those services to our patients." 

New to the practice, is 3D digital imaging. With this new technology, Dr. Edwards can now create the "perfect smile" for patients and allow them to see the generation prior to the procedure. 

"Everything in dentistry is moving digitally in every aspect," says Dr. Edwards. Patients love it because they don’t have to have all the impressions stuff in their mouths, that’s all gone now. We just let the camera look at their bite, the way that their teeth fit and are arranged, and we can create any smile we want to from that, and they get to preview it ahead of time.”

It's easy to say providing the area with great dental care for nearly 40 years has been rewarding for Dr. Edwards.

#InTheSpotlight

I had the privilege of spending a little time with Principal Steve Giddens during the first week of classes at Randolph County High School to learn more about him and the upcoming year at RCHS. This is a man who loves his job, the students of RCHS, and he is excited to take on his first year as principal of RCHS. But take it from me, do not call him Mr. Giddens, this man is a coach through and through.

​Q- What has you most excited about for the upcoming school year?
A- I am excited about getting to know the kids and watching them grow.

​Q- What is your favorite part of starting a new school year?
A- See the excitement on the kids’ and faculty/staffs’ faces. To see them be excited about football, volleyball, cheerleading, seeing their new friends. Most people say they dread school, but I don’t think that is really true.

Q- How would you describe your school to someone from another town?
A- We are a small school that represents Wedowee and who we are. We are proud to be from RCHS, we love this place, we love each other, we take care of each other, and we defend each other.

Q- Who is the unsung hero of your school?
A- Coach Allen Whaley. He gives a lot of his time, and his love of the students of RCHS, the athletic teams. He is here 12 months a year – He doesn’t have to be here all day, but he stays all day. The kids know he loves them. He is an inspiration because he gives of himself so willingly.

Q- What is Friday Night Life like for your school?
A- It is the only place to be! Football games are the heartbeat of the town. It represents the best of what we have to offer. They love it, they are excited. Most people that live in Wedowee, went to RCHS, and played. Their dad played, their grandfather may have played, and now their son is playing. Everyone is connected – the band plays, cheerleaders cheering. It is the only place to be.

Q- What is your big goal for the 2018-2019 school year?
A- Every child feels important and feels loved. We teach them and at the end of the year, they are glad they belong to RCHS. That is our goals for students and our faculty/staff.

Q- How can the community support you/the school in achieving this goal? 
A- I am proud of the relationship that RCHS has with the town of Wedowee. Anything we ask for – financial, man power, support – they give it to us. They help take care of RCHS and we help take care of the town of Wedowee. We love their help, and we want their help to make this the greatest high school in the state. They have been so good to us, so just for them to keep doing what they are doing.

Q- If you could pick a theme song for your school, what would it be?
A- Eye of the Tiger

Q- Tell me something good. Something fun, unexpected, or interesting that readers might not know about your school.
A- The neatest thing to me is taking the principal job at RCHS. It was never a part of the through-process. But Clifton “Stick” Drummonds is the assistant principal, and it is neat to be back with him. I coached him in 7th grade, and now it is a neat feeling to be back with him. He is a great guy, and he is good for this place. I am glad to be back working with him.

Wadley High School is led by Principal Lori Carlisle, and she is excited about the opportunities and plans for the upcoming school year. She has a clear vision for what it means to be a part of the Wadley Bulldog community. The mission of Wadley High School is to provide a learning environment which prepares students to be productive members of society. Ms. Carlisle and her team work towards this goal every day, and they have track record of success. Discover more about Wadley High School from the woman herself:

Question: What has you most excited about for the upcoming school year?

Answer: I am not sure I could pick out one thing. We are so excited as about everything from academics, athletics, extracurricular. We are just having a real sense of excitement in the air.

Question: What is your favorite part of starting a new school year?

​Answer: It is a new start. It is a fresh beginning. Each student, teacher, administrator gets a chance for a fresh start. Opportunities to do something new or different, and an opportunity to try something again, and maybe get it better.

Question: What about your school are you most proud of?

Answer: The most recent thing is a report that came out in al.com in March. We have 87% of our graduates attending college. There are only 19 schools with more than 80%, and we were ninth in the state. We outdid schools with a ton more resources, and we were ninth in the state! That is a credit to our parents, our teachers, our students, everyone working hard to have a rate that high.

​Question: Who is the unsung hero of your school?

Answer: All of our support staff, but if I had to pick one it would be my custodian, Tim Bennett. He is so loved by our students, our staff, everyone. He would do anything for anyone. The kids know how much he loves them, and they respect him.

Question: What is your big goal for the 2018-2019 school year?

Answer: For every kid to buy into something that we do here. I want every student to be actively involved in something, whether it be the yearbook, or pep band, athletics, FFA, etc.  Whatever it is, I want them to be invested in what we do here. For athletics, I want to win a state championship.

​Question: How can the community support you/the school in achieving this goal?

Answer: I could not ask my community to do anything more than they are already doing. They pour into this school with everything they have, and I could not imagine asking them for anything else. They are the heartbeat of this school.

Question: How would you describe your school to someone from another town?

Answer: To describe the school is to describe the community. The school is a family, the community is a family, and we are really intertwined. We work together, and I would include Southern Union in that too. We work together to make sure that our kids are taken care and loved. Wadley High School could not operate without the support of the community.

Question: What is Friday Night Life like for your school?

Answer: I don’t know if the population triples or quadruples, but it is the place to be! There is not a seat left in the stands, the community is there. There is nothing like it.

​Question: If you could pick a theme song for your school, what would it be?

Answer: When we do well academically with math tournaments or FFA – I play We are the Champions. We don’t do that for athletics, because it doesn’t necessarily show our humility. But We are the Champions fits us even when we don’t win, because we are still winners because we are trying; we are competing; and we are learning.

Question: Tell me something good. Something fun, unexpected, or interesting that readers might know about your school. 

​Answer: Cam Newton’s wide receiver on Auburn’s 2010 national championship team, Terrell Zachary, is one of our assistant coaches. Oh, and this is fun, our football stadium is named for Coach Curtis Lynch, and our new head football coach, Jonathan Farr is his great nephew.

Principal Greg Foster is a veteran administrator at Handley High School, and it is evident that he is passionate about his students’ success and safety. After getting to spend some time with Mr. Foster, you can hear his dedication to the school, the students, even the alums who make up the larger Handley family. Read on to learn more about Mr. Foster and the 2018-2019 school year.

Question: What has you most excited about for the upcoming school year?
Answer: The preparation and the professional development to prepare the students for the ACT. We have put a lot of time in the summer getting ready for this. All of the juniors have to take the ACT, but it doesn’t start with the juniors.  Our professional development centers on this. We are excited about our plans and preparations.

Question: What is your favorite part of starting a new school year?
Answer: Having an opportunity to see the students. They grow tremendously over the summer, and to see all of the gains they have made. That is my most favorite part getting to see them and share with them. It is all about building relationships so that you can hopefully have an impact on their lives.

Question: How would you describe your school to someone from another town?
Answer: Family. We always talk about the Handley family. We support each other. We do what we need to do be successful. Even when they leave, we continue to be a support system. They continue to be a part of what we do, and we love to see what they are becoming.

Question: What about your school are you most proud of?
Answer: Our 96% graduate rate and college readiness rate. When students come into the 9th grade. They come in as a co-hort, and our goal is to get them from 9th-12th grade and graduating. This is the highest rate you can get, and we are 3 points above the state average. Coming from a small town with 57% poverty rate, and we are one of only 9 schools in the state to get this rate, and most of those are in the larger areas such as Birmingham, Huntsville, and Montgomery – and Coffee County. That is pretty remarkable.

Question: Who is the unsung hero of your school?
Answer: Kelli Hendon, our school counselor and testing coordinator. She seems very attune to our students. She is there for them. She know their transcripts, she knows the courses that they need to be in. She is constantly in conversations about their life goals. She is a role model for them and she goes far and beyond for our students.

Question: What is Friday Night Life like for your school?
Answer: Exciting. This is a time when the entire community – parents, community leaders, churches, student body, administrators, younger kids. Everyone comes together to cheer on the Handley Tigers. No matter what you are dealing with, you can put that aside for three hours and just enjoy win, lose, or draw. We want to win, but we always come together as a family, and it just bring happiness.

Question: What is your big goal for the 2018-2019 school year?
Answer: You hear a lot about things that are going on in schools – shootings, bullying, and our big goal is to continually create a safe environment for all of our students so they are able to learn. We have a new intercom system being installed, more safety features, changing door systems, check-in system, so that our students feel safe

Question: How can the community support you/the school in achieving this goal?
Answer: The community does. We receive the county sales tax. Our city council does a great job of supporting us financially, and we are able to fund these things to continue to create a safe environment. That is support is why we are able to do the things we do.

Question: If you could pick a theme song for your school, what would it be?
Answer: Roar – Katy Perry.

​Question: Tell me something good. Something fun unexpected, or interesting that readers might know about your school.
Answer: We teach our kids to be proud. We tell them you don’t lose. Even at the end of the game no matter what the scores say, you don’t lose. You continue to fight, and we teach them to compete. That is the thing that our kids enjoy the most, and they don’t want to lose. They don’t care what it is. We believe in what we do. We are definitely creating an environment where students can be successful when they leave.
 

​On a sunny, fall-like Wednesday afternoon in October, the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association and all of their volunteers stopped for a meal at Rice Pavilion at Lake Wedowee. The 37 volunteers had just wrapped up another solid day of cleaning trash and other debris around the lake, as part of the “Renew Our Rivers” campaign, that has just wrapped up their 27th year. 

Following the wonderful lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, Brunswick stew, and cookies provided by WM Grocery; Sheila Smith, Bob May, as well as Marlon and Betty Glover,  sat down for a discussion on how far the campaign has come over the last two decades, and how much the local community has helped the cause. 

Today’s journey has improved since beginning in 1992, says Bob May, one of the organizers of “Renew our Rivers.” May says that the effort began with less than 10 people on one boat, and would last upwards of six days, from 8 AM to dark. 

“We would spend two days just on one cove, it was a lot of work,” says May of the first lake cleanup. “I’d lose ten pounds in the week that we were doing it.”

Not only has the number of volunteers increased, but the amount of trash collected has dropped since the project began. 

Marlon Glover told us that the number of refrigerators, washing machines, tires, and even stranger items such as bowling balls were alarming. 

More volunteers began to come out, and the event became more organized and was then given the title of “the Tallapoosa Trashout,” says Sheila Smith of the Alabama Power Shorelines, who has also been a part of the efforts since the inception. Alabama Power then began to consolidate all 37 cleanup efforts into one campaign and became what it is known today as “Renew our Rivers” 19 years ago. 

The Lake Wedowee version of “Renew our Rivers” has been called the most organized lake cleanup efforts in the state, and it all goes back to the volunteers. 

In 2018, “Renew our Rivers” on Lake Wedowee averaged 36 volunteers per day, ranging from members of the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association to community members who took a few vacation days to help out. Even the Randolph County High School fishing club sent members out to help with cleanup efforts. 

The volunteering does not stop at just cleanup. Local restaurants and grocery stores have donated food and water to volunteers, and others have donated boats to provide transportation around the lake. 

“This community is wonderful at donating,” says Betty Glover. Mrs. Glover took the time to thank Lakeside Marina, WM Grocery’s deli, and Crystal Barnes with Hunter Bend Realty for feeding the volunteers, in addition to Small Town Bank and Perryland Foods, who donated water and snacks respectively.  

“Renew our Rivers” has also seen an abundance of boats donated to aid in cleanup efforts. Randy Morris at Wedowee Marine donated three boats, as well as gas; Alabama Power and other local donations had the number up to nine donated boats. 

From humble beginnings filled with bologna sandwiches and six-day efforts to a growth in community involvement, “Renew our Rivers” is stronger than ever. Marlon, Betty, Bill, and Sheila all say that the event is more than just collecting trash and providing a better lake for residents and wildlife, it has become a fun experience full of memories and meeting others who share a love for our lake. 

For more information on “Renew Our Rivers”, as well as everything going on with the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association, visit www.lakewedoweepoa.com

​There is zero doubt that residents of East Central Alabama and West Georgia love their lake. Lake Wedowee has been called one of the cleanest lakes in the state, and that speaks directly to the people who call this area home. 

Each year, a group of volunteers meet at the Highway 48 bridge in front of Wedowee Marine South for a three-day cleanup of Lake Wedowee, led by the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association and Alabama Power. This year, those dates will stretch from Wednesday, October 24 through Friday, October 26, from 8 A.M. until 1 P.M. central time.  

"Renew our Rivers" has expanded over the years, as the number of volunteers has grown. Some residents even donate food and boats to aid in the efforts. Each year, local restaurants and grocery stores have provided lunch to volunteers, and locals have loaned their boats to the LWPOA to transport volunteers around the lake and to haul the collected trash. 

Over the years, volunteers have collected everything from soda bottles and fast food sacks, to tires and bowling balls (yes, they actually float). Most of the trash collected has come from highway drivers and passengers who litter, however, the amount of trash has decreased each year. 

If you are interested in volunteering in this year's "Renew our Rivers" cleanup, LWPOA will meet each day at the Highway 48 ramp, in front of Wedowee Marine South, at 8 A.M. central time. The LWPOA recommends wearing an old t-shirt, long pants, and boots, but also advises to check the weather each day and to dress accordingly. If you would like to provide lunch for volunteers, or to donate your boat for the cleanup, contact Sheila Smith, or Marlon and Betty Glover, their contact information is available on LakeWedoweePOA.com/our-mission. If you loan your boat to "Renew Our Rivers" for lake cleanup, the LWPOA will clean your boat prior to return. 

​For many, many years and trips back and forth from the North Pole visiting places where I could have stayed I kept coming back to Lake Wedowee. I always have the best time here with my crew from the far north region and decided to make this our annual stay over, during our off season. Fishing, sunshine, friendly people, hospitality on & on I could go but Lake Wedowee is the place to be.

A typical day for Santa K at Lake Wedowee...First I am awakened by my Elf Alarm. I jump up with glee for a new day on the lake. I normally will have my hot cocoa, (not too hot, shaken not stirred and strong with chocolate.) Today I have some of my elves helping me at the secret reindeer barn. We must replace some of the oatmeal and carrot feeders, which I need wood and nails for. I always stop at Wedowee Building Supply for everything to build with. Of course, I know everyone there from delivering toys when they were children. Most of them were on the nice list but, of course not all of them. HO HO HO Joe and all the boys are so helpful with advise and great prices. They even have a special parking place for my sleigh.

We are so anxious to get to work but, I haven’t had my special coffee and morning delights yet so, we are off to Miss Amber’s Main Street Coffee Shop for that. They are always open early and I know we can have goodies and lots of coffee and be on our way. I always love smiling faces and I know Miss Amber will give me that. Since this is a work day, we are packing our lunches so, we won’t have to stop. I’ve been there many times in the past and I love WM grocery. Santa’s favorite is always the homemade chicken pot pies...mmmm good! We load up with all we need, most importantly the cookies, (of course) and they have plenty to choose from!

When I was out on my boat the last time I almost ran out of gas so, I stopped at Wedowee Marina at 48 bridge to gas up. It was so easy to to get in and out. They have so many beautiful new boats to look at, I almost didn’t leave. Randy and his staff at all locations are easy to work with, they remain on my nice list, (at least for now.) HO HO HO

I want to especially thank Wedowee Life Magazine for all their help in telling me about this wonderful community and all the great people. They have been family for Santa K and the elves since all of them were kids and I delivered toys to them. I am so excited about living and playing at Lake Wedowee during my off season. Remember, if you see me on  the water I will always have my Santa K hat on. Wave to me and if i can, I will stop and give you a special card, (just for you!) Well, it’s work time and it’s hot so, let us get hammering.

​See you soon Santa K

Discussions at a recent Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees work session has local residents rallying in support of Southern Union State Community College’s Wadley campus. On June 13, an item on the agenda of the monthly work session was presented by Susan Price, the Vice Chancellor for System Development and Strategic Advancement for the Alabama Community College System, on behalf of Southern Union Interim President Mark Ellard, who was not in attendance. The item was a request to move Southern Union’s main campus from Wadley to Opelika and would be voted on in mid-July, as first reported by Kara Coleman of the Opelika-Auburn News. 
The proposal came as a surprise to many, including District 37 Representative, Bob Fincher. “I found out about it when people started messaging me, and I started getting phone calls from those who were present at the meeting (on June 13),” said Fincher in a phone call. “I did get a message that afternoon from the Chancellor’s office as to what had happened.” In the proposal, Price stated that the potential move would recognize Opelika as the main campus for purpose of correspondence, as well as financial aid by the U.S. Department of Education. Price also described the differences in population between Wadley and Opelika, as well as enrollment numbers 
with Opelika’s campus serving more than 4,000 students, while Wadley has approximately 600 students. However, one quote from Price has caused confusion among the Southern Union service area. Once the proposal was voiced, an unknown member of the Board of Trustees asked Price if there was any pushback from the Wadley community in regards to this possible shift. Price said that Ellard had not expressed comments from the community, but felt that the numbers were enough to advance the item to the voting process. “I know that the Wadley staff, members of the community, are very supportive of this action item,” said Price. “They think that the data itself  ​illustrates that it’s time for this change.” Carol Knight, a member of the Southern Union Foundation and adjunct professor at the college, says that the responses that she has received from the community, as well as members of the Southern Union staff, on this matter are contradictory of Price’s statement. “I have not spoken to a single person who has said, “I think that this is a good idea,” or “I helped get these numbers together.” Not one person is supportive of such a move. Southern Union is a family. Loyalty here to this campus and what it has meant to this community... No one here will say “we should just relocate the main campus” because it would be devastating to our little community and our service 
area.” “Devastating” seems to be a fitting adjective for the potential move from Wadley to Opelika. Wadley Mayor Donna McKay used the term when discussing the idea with local postal workers, due to the College using Wadley’s post office and bank, as well as the possible departure of Bison athletics and the top-notch fine arts program. McKay also mentioned that the move would go against why the two-year system was initially created. Bob Fincher feels that the overwhelming support is a step in the right direction, and assures supporters that he, and so many others, are fighting hard to shut this item down, to preserve the tradition and economic impact that Southern Union has established in Randolph 
County. “We need to remember that Southern Union was originated from the Wadley campus, that community has continuously fed and supported the college over the years, and has kept it afloat,” says Fincher. “We are going to fight this as hard as we can to try to prevent this. The fear is, that if the administration has moved, that other entities will follow and that it will be very detrimental to the Wadley campus.” Key dates to remember: the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees will vote on this item during their next meeting, which is set for July 11. If the item is passed, Opelika will become the main campus of Southern Union State Community College on January 1, 2019.

For more on the story read... Southern Union Builds Students To SUCCEED 

#WeLoveSouthernUnion #LakeWedoweeLife #LWLJuly2018