The months of November and December can be some of the best fishing Logan Martin has to offer with a lot going on during this timeframe. What happens during these months is that the lake is pulled down to its final winter pool, and fish are finally starting to feed up for the winter months ahead.
“The points and docks are typically better when there is deep water nearby.”
I usually find fishing better early on the main river, especially if there is current in the system. I target river docks and points with either a spinnerbait or shallow diving crankbait. The points and docks are typically better when there is deep water nearby.
Once the sun starts to rise, I’ll start fishing more in the pockets and creeks. Much like in the morning time, I tend to fish shallow docks and laydowns if present. I ordinarily target the sunny sides first. I am hoping there might be fish trying to warm up from the night before.
If there is defined channel swing in the pocket, I’ll target it as well. I will focus there, especially if the channel swings up or near one of the banks.
Once we ease into December and the water temps get below or around 55 degrees, that’s when I slow down with the jig – especially later in the day, once I feel like some bigger fish might have pulled up from the night before.
I traditionally target docks and laydowns. I will fish an occasional boat ramp as well. This is a great way to catch a big one during the latter part of December on Logan Martin.
One last thing, Alabama Power is supposed to be leaving more water in the lake during the winter for 2023. Officials say the depth will be two feet higher than winter level of previous years.
I am eager to see how this may change the fishing patterns I have used in the past. We shall see.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry offers a lot of good structure for early wintertime fishing. I mainly set my sights on the mid- to bottom-end of the lake.
My lure choices are fairly simple when it comes to fishing Neely Henry this time of year. I will start looking for fish on either shallow river points or bluff walls, which are plentiful on the bottom end of this lake.
I try to find the ones catching the most current. On the walls with the current, you can normally catch more than one bass. There is an abundance of fish present in these spots because the current has the shad pushed up against them. This allows the bass to gorge and feed up for the wintertime.
A couple of my favorite baits for fishing these bluff walls are a spinnerbait and/or jig. When you fish these type bluffs, boat position is critical! You want to position your boat close to the wall and make parallel cast with the spinnerbait and jig. This allows you to keep your bait longer in the strike zone and cover more water efficiently.
Lastly, one the sun does get up good, you can target shallow docks and laydowns with the jig. Targeting short river pockets are often where you’ll find the most success. These areas can offer isolated cover – one single dock or one single laydown in a pocket is generally the best.
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Richard Rybka Submitted Photos
Quinten Edward Lumpkin had a vision. He believed in family, community, the Golden Rule and the American dream. It was his vision that eventually led to a beautiful development of seaside-inspired homes on the shores of the Coosa River. Though he would never see the first home built, the lighthouse on the peninsula was built with him in mind.
He only had $21 to his name when “Buck,” as he’d been called since childhood, came home from the Navy in 1948. When he didn’t find a job in his hometown of Gadsden, he figured he’d just open his own business.
He found a storefront in downtown Gadsden that he could rent for $12.75 a month. Not wanting to use more than half the cash he had to live on, he got his brother-in-law to co-sign on a $150 loan. With that, he opened an engine repair and sales shop that evolved into Buck’s Boats.
The old storefront location didn’t work for long, though, as there was no rollup door to bring in merchandise. They had to turn boats on their sides to fit them through the standard doorway. It was so small that only three aluminum boats would fit inside, with enough extra room for five or six outboard motors.
They moved to a former Buick dealership, which gave them more space, but still only 10 boats fit in the showroom. In 1969, Buck borrowed enough money to purchase 13 acres on the shores of the Coosa River. He had sold his home to help raise the deposit on the property, so he and his wife, Pauline, had a partially sunken houseboat dredged up and pulled to the property.
They cleaned it up and lived there while they figured out how to fund the building of the store. The boats were sold and serviced under a revival tent they got when an evangelist, who was one of their customers, fell behind on his boat payments and offered the tent as a partial payment.
Always the creative thinker, Buck saw his chance to fund his building when he read an ad in the newspaper of a Gadsden foundry seeking bids to demolish their building. He bid $10.
The next lowest bid was $56,000 from a construction company. The foundry owner refused Buck’s bid, thinking he would likely not have the means to complete the work on time.
Undaunted, Buck took out a bond for $56,000 to protect the owner and completed the demolition with two weeks to spare. Then he took the parts and reassembled it on his own 13-acre plot of land.
After a 17-year career with Mercury Motors, Buck’s son, Tony, bought the business in 1989 and renamed it Buck’s Island. Now located just minutes from the shores of Neely Henry Lake, it boasts a staff of 33.
Three generations of the family are now involved in the business. Mary, his wife of 32 years, runs the day-to-day operations. Their daughter Katie is in the sales department, while another daughter, Angela, runs the service department with her master technician husband, Israel.
Fishing boats fill a large space in Buck’s showroom.
“As a kid, I loved being here as much as I do now,” says Angela. “I remember wandering around in the old attic space and seeing things brought back from other countries by my grandfather.” She also remembers the fun of jumping from boat to boat in the showroom, a love that her own daughter now shares.
Tony, too, grew up spending his days with his dad at the business. “We didn’t have money for daycare,” explains Tony. “Mom worked in the sales tax office for the State of Alabama, so I’d come to work every day with Dad until I started school. He took a broom one day, cut the handle in half and handed it to me and said to get to work. I helped in the business all the way through high school.”
One day after he had earned a degree in industrial design from Auburn University, Tony asked his dad how he had learned his business skills. “I knew my dad had quit school in the 8th grade to support his mother and sisters after his dad died. So I said, ‘Dad, how’d you learn to run a business?’ He said, ‘Son, I learned in Sunday school. I learned that if you treat customers the way you want to be treated, you’ll never want for business.’ ”
That Golden Rule philosophy still drives the business today. “We do a lot of business – about 10 times the business the average boat dealer does. What that means is that we have more stock than most,” explains Tony. “We also don’t sell boats. We help facilitate people in buying a boat and guide them through the process. We try to step into the customer’s shoes and have empathy with the customer. We just treat them like we’d want to be treated.”
Yet another vision
So what does Buck’s Island, the boat sales and service business, have to do with Buck’s Island, the housing development? In short, it was Buck’s dream from the time he purchased the land that one day he would move the boat business to build homes on the water’s edge.
“My dad had told me about his vision of building homes on the 13 acres whenever city water was available. We had to get new zoning regulations passed to allow the houses to be built the way we wanted,” said Tony.
The lighthouse that identifies the development is a tribute to Buck.
He partnered with a builder and in 2000, built the first 10 houses in what they called Harbor Point, a peninsula on the grounds of the property. Three years later, they moved the boat business to a temporary rental building in Rainbow City so they could tear down the building to make room for the rest of the subdivision on the 13-acre plot.
As they were building the new housing on the property, they began building their new boat showroom and service center in a new location on Highway 77. The highway location has provided greater visibility and boosted their business.
The builder has almost completed the last home on the Buck’s Island development, capping the number at 47 homes. The lighthouse Tony built to draw attention to the property on the banks of the Coosa is also a tribute to the man who inspired the development of the brightly colored waterfront homes.
He loved visiting the Caribbean islands and guided Tony in planning the development. “He said to make everyone feel like they’re on vacation when they come home every day,” explains Tony. Sadly, Buck passed away in 1993 before seeing his vision become reality.
What Buck started with his $150 investment has fueled a deeply rooted passion for giving back to community. Buck’s Island sponsors Fish Fest, a day of fishing and seminars, and sponsors more than 40 high school fishing teams. “They’re our future,” Mary underscores.
Editor’s Note: You can find Buck’s Island at 4500 Hwy 77. Their inventory includes Bentley and Crest pontoon boats, as well as Skeeter, G3, Avid, Falcon and RescueONE Connector Boats. They’ve also added fishing kayaks and a tackle shop.
One of Tony’s RescueONE connector boats is ready to join a first responders team.
See a need and fill it
Buck’s earns worldwide reputation for first-responder boat
Story by Roxann Edsall
Coming up with a product that is sold worldwide and helps first responders to be safer and more efficient is something to be proud of. Southside native and business owner, Tony Lumpkin, is profoundly thankful for such an opportunity.
He developed a boat that will connect together with others to build a large floating platform of any shape or size. The design is particularly useful for water rescues, recoveries, dive operations and flood evacuations.
Called RescueONE Connector Boats, they are virtually impossible to tip over when connected, according to Lumpkin. Sold by his Marine One Corporation and assembled at Buck’s Island, the boats are used by emergency rescue teams worldwide. “They’re all over the world and in every state except Alaska,” says Lumpkin. “The Thailand navy has 105 of them, Philippines has 35. We sell about 100 of them a year.”
The idea got started in 1992 when two guys from the Calhoun County Rescue Squad came in to Buck’s Island looking at jon boats for their rescue operation. “They couldn’t find anything that fit their needs,” explains Lumpkin.
“So I listened to what they did and even went out with them on a rescue operation so I could understand what they needed. Then I worked on designing one for them.”
The boats are specially designed to hook together through an interlocking frame design. Figure eight lashings give the connection added stability. Add-ons include a retractable dive platform, a portable fire pump and a stacked boat trailer that can haul two connector boats at the same time.
“In many cases, volunteer rescue squads give their own time to give families closure,” tells Lumpkin. “If I can make something to make their jobs a little easier, I’m happy to do it.”
Traffic rolls by the faded sign on I-759 East in Gadsden, the drivers completely unaware of the oasis that lies below. Just off Exit 4B, on the banks of the muddy Coosa, 20 acres of peace and tranquility lie accessible by boat or vehicle.
River Rocks Landing Resort is a little bit of heaven tucked away near a busy city, so close to downtown Gadsden that you can see city hall from the front porch of its office building.
“Look at this view,” says Stacey Windom of Rainbow City, waving toward the river, where a great egret has just taken off with a fish in its mouth. Windom is seated at the bar of the campground’s latest addition, Current Market & Deli, enjoying a pizza. “This campground has all the amenities: pool, water, walkways. This summer, I watched the bass tournament as boats went up and down the river. I camp here a lot with my family, and I bring folks here for dinner, because it’s so convenient.”
As if to illustrate the campground’s amenities, a woman pedals by Current on a bicycle, while a couple strolls hand in hand on one of the gravel paths. Even though it’s September, another woman drops her towel onto a lounge chair by the pool, enjoying the remaining warm days of summer. Overhead, interstate traffic whizzes by, but the woman at the pool can barely hear it. If she were at the back of the campground, she wouldn’t hear the traffic at all.
In weather like this, you might find campground manager Carson Dabbs in a rocking chair on that office porch, his laptop on his knees and a notepad open on the porch railing in front of him, next to a Bluetooth speaker connected to Spotify.
A tiny house, one of seven available for rent
“People don’t understand how nice it is here,” says Dabbs, who lives on the property with his wife and two preschool daughters. “It’s secluded, but it’s so close to some of the best food in the state and shopping, too. We’re family-friendly and a home away from home. I greet folks when they come in because I know them.”
One reason he knows them is that so many return year after year for a weekend or a week, and a few even stay there permanently. Formerly known as River Country Landing, the campground has existed almost 30 years. The old sign is still visible from U.S. 759, and it still says River Country, although the letters are faded. River Rocks plans to redo it this fall.
“We changed hands three years ago,” says Dabbs. “The widow of the original owner ran it after her husband died but was ready to retire. The owner now is Wes Long of Guntersville. He also has a new Fairfield Inn in Albertville and a Hampton Inn in Guntersville and Jacksonville.”
River Rocks has 169 campsites, including the tiny houses and rental camper, along with a boat dock. Then there is the Banana House, a three-story building on the point that earned its nickname because it’s yellow and is surrounded by banana trees. The five-bedroom house, with its wide porches, looks like something from a travel brochure of a Caribbean resort. It sleeps 10 and has its own boat dock. The point itself can be rented for weddings and other special events.
The campground’s main dock has 28 slips, some rented by the year, others by the day, almost all of them rented by campers. The latter come in all ages. A lot of them are locals, but many come from surrounding states such as Georgia and Tennessee. “A group comes down from Canada every year,” Dabbs says. “Our name is beginning to spread among campers. Word of mouth is most of the advertising.”
Long has added to and improved the campground’s amenities. There are now three swimming pools, including an infinity pool (its edge appears to blend with the river); a 4-foot-deep heated pool and a kiddie pool that’s connected to a splash pad. He also added the restaurant, seven tiny houses and a camper for rent.
“We’ve also just opened up our tree house, which sleeps six, and includes a mother-in-law bedroom downstairs,” Dabbs points out.
The tiny houses, built by Clayton Homes of Addison are brought in on wheels and stay on wheels. Some have lofts just tall enough for kids to sleep in. Each tiny house has a name, such as the Sunset House. A small chapel on the riverbank seats 20. A local church started a Sunday service there but had to move it to a room in the office building to accommodate the number of worshippers.
A new basketball court is behind the children’s playground. Several community firepits are scattered about the grounds, along with picnic tables and wooden swings under tall shade trees. The swing facing the water near the restaurant is Dabbs’ favorite spot.
CurrentMarket & Deli opened in March and features pizzas, a catfish po’ boy and Dabbs’ personal favorite, loaded fries. It’s open seven days a week serves breakfast on weekends, and is accessible to non-campers who park outside the gate via a gravel path. In addition, boats can tie up at the small dock next to the market and enter from the river.
“Jessica and Jason Wilson, Chris and Christi Robinson are partners in the restaurant,” Dabbs says. “Chris owns Blackstone Pub & Eatery, and Jason started Back Forty Beer Company, both in downtown Gadsden. Jason also owns Coldwater Mountain Pub in Anniston.” Jessica is Current’s manager.
Dining space for about 50 people is available inside or on the deck, where a fan keeps the breezes blowing on warm days. Each morning, a family of ducks, including both parents and five ducklings, preens under a weeping willow tree next to the river, across the path from Current. They’re waiting on the lunch crowd to toss them their scraps and are known to follow diners down the path toward their cars.
“We have to make use of all our space, so we built a patio over the storm shelters next to Current,” says Dabbs, explaining more of the campground’s amenities. “In spring and fall, we have live music on the patio, weather permitting, usually Friday or Saturday night, sometimes both during holidays. We feature local groups.” The music most requested by campers and diners is traditional country and Southern rock from the 70s and 80s.
Willow tree shades restaurant
Those who attended Riverfest the first day of October were treated to some of those styles of music. Drake White, a traditional country singer who grew up in Hokes Bluff, entertained the crowd. So did Anderson East from Athens, a blues and Americana musician who was nominated for a Grammy Award in the American Roots category in 2019. Sponsored for many years by the city of Gadsden, the festival had a small version as a test run last year at River Rocks.
“It rained all weekend last year, but we took it on the chin and decided to really go after it this year. It went really well. We had about 1,500 people to turn out for the music, food trucks, arts & crafts and entertainment. Buffalo Rock and River Rocks were the primary sponsors, but we had 10-12 smaller ones, too.”
Another entertainment venue for River Rocks is its annual Drive-Through Christmas Lights display. Beginning Thanksgiving night, the grounds will be open after dark for cars to drive through and view the colorful lights, Nativity scene, blow-ups and animated characters. The cost is $3 for children and $5 for adults.
Dabbs’ daughters, two-year-old Raelynn, and Baeleigh, who will be five at the end of October, consider River Rocks Landing their personal playground and all the guests they meet their friends. “We’ll be driving through, and Baeleigh will say, ‘Daddy, there’s people in my pool,’” he says, grinning like a proud daddy. “Here, everyone is her friend. Both my daughters love it when we turn on the Christmas lights.”
It’s hard to say what Casey Cambron loved best about Lakeside Live 2022. When he talks about the latest version of the music festival and car show he debuted a year ago, his list of favorite memories is as wide and varied as the features of the event itself.
It had everything one could imagine in a fall festival – bands, Combat Park kids’ area, vendors galore, 170 show cars, food trucks, Battle of the Badges, an army of dedicated volunteers and a VIP pavilion catering to sponsors who helped make it happen.
Firefighters give it their all
As he recounts the day, Cambron finally settles on a common thread throughout as his true favorite – “the smiles.” Whether it was a child atop a military tank, a vendor meeting and greeting hundreds of passersby, a couple dancing to their favorite band’s tune or the prideful look of a car show entrant, smiles were as abundant as that day’s sunshine – not a cloud in the sky.
“It was overwhelming,” Cambron said. “The music was outstanding. All around, it was fantastic.”
Growing up, Cambron always loved outdoor music festivals. Over the years, he developed a passion for car shows, too. So, it was only natural that he would combine the two, add more features and present it in his new hometown, Pell City.
He founded the nonprofit, Five 16 Foundation, whose mission is “shining our light through fundraising, service and good works in our community,” derived from Matthew 5:16. The money raised from the event goes back into the community for worthy causes.
Police officers holding the line
This year’s Lakeside Live raised over $8,000 for the police and fire departments, who played a starring role in “Battle of the Badges” – a three-event challenge. They each won a challenge, and a tug-of-war determined the champion. A hard-fought contest to the end, firefighters finally emerged as winners and keepers of the championship belt for another year. They won the inaugural challenge in 2021.
“I’ve never seen a tug-of-war challenge better than that one,” Cambron said. Pulling and tugging nearly to a draw at one point, the competition was fierce, but the enjoyment was outstanding. “It was pure fun and laughter. That’s what it is all about.”
Normally, you think of police officers and firefighters in intense situations. This was a chance to see them from a new perspective – “in a different light and having fun,” said Cambron. “It was the most amazing feeling.”
A crowd favorite was the centerpiece, the music featival. Tunes boomed from a nearby stage throughout the day and into the evening with seven bands playing their brands to suit just about any musical taste. Headliners were: Leverton Brothers, Still Broke, Bolee 3, Kudzu, The WingNuts, Deputy 5 and Sweet Tea Trio.
Favorites for the kids were Combat Park’s military vehicles, inflatable obstacle course, shooting jelly ball and inflatable axe throwing. Hundreds of kids had their picture taken atop a military tank. Looking ahead to next year already, Cambron noted that plans call for an expansion of children’s activities.
170 cars on display during show
Car enthusiasts had their pick of favorites with 170 cars and trucks on display. Vendors – food trucks and other businesses – had a steady stream of customers throughout the event.
The cornhole tournament was a hit as well.
But behind the scenes, another success story unfolded, Cambron noted. Staff, volunteers and sponsors all made the event one to remember. The staff and volunteers “worked extra hard” to make sure all needs were filled and the event ran smoothly – from directing parking to assisting vendors and attendees. Sponsors, he said, were the real heroes with financial and in-kind support to ensure the event was bigger and better than ever and that it was kept free of charge. “All the sponsors and vendors were the sweetest, genuine, nicest people to meet. That’s what makes these events fun to do.”
Ancient tradition helps Gadsden families build a brighter future
Story by Paul South Photos by Mackenzie Free
On a short, sun-soaked stretch of the Coosa, folks celebrated an ancient Chinese tradition to help solve a present-day problem and give some Etowah County families a brighter future.
The Gadsden-Etowah affiliate of Habitat for Humanity’s annual Dragon Boat Festival resumed after a two-year, pandemic-related hiatus, raising money to help low-income families realize the dream of home ownership.
Gadsden City Parks & Rec ‘Noccalu-oars’
Colorful watercraft, powered by dedicated rowers, driven by a drumbeat – including one pacesetter bearing a striking resemblance to Elvis – raced to boost the local Habitat effort.
In its 26-year history, Gadsden-Etowah Habitat has built 57 homes, with more to come. A 58th home is fittingly expected to be completed by Thanksgiving.
The idea for a dragon boat race came from a brainstorming session among the organization’s local board searching for fundraising ideas. The races are popular in Florida.
And while participation this year was down – only nine boats competed in 2022 – the dragon boat race has made a splash in Gadsden. Business, civic and school groups are involved. And it’s not just the race, but music, food and fun.
“The city loves it,” Habitat Executive Director Sarah Meehan said. “Even though participation was down, enthusiasm was up. I think when there’s not as many teams competing, people get very excited, because they think they have a better chance.”
The race is on a short course, but rowers paddle at a furious pace.
“A minute, 15 (seconds), and you’re done,” she said.
The races featured multiple heats, and boats compete in two classes – recreational and competitive.
And while the races may seemingly sprint by in a blink, they pay big dividends for Habitat and for the families it will help. This year’s race raised more than $38,000 to go toward building future Habitat homes. Sponsorships generate the funding.
Founded in 1976 by the late Millard Fuller and his wife, Linda, the national Habitat organization has local chapters. In Gadsden, it was founded by Steve and Suzanne Scharfenberg.
How does Habitat work?
There are misconceptions about Habitat homeowners, chosen after a rigorous application process. They must make a down payment to cover the first year of insurance and a $600 deposit. They also must repay a 20-year, no-interest mortgage and accompanying insurance and property taxes. Plus, they have to invest 300 hours of “sweat equity” – physical labor put toward their own or other Habitat homes.
“A lot of people think Habitat homes are free,” Meehan said. “They’re not.” She added, “We enter into that partnership with that family. We are partners for the next 20-plus years and beyond.”
She added, “Families are invested. They’re paying a mortgage. They have to buy in.”
Habitat “budget coaches” help Habitat families craft and maintain a budget.
And as for the sweat equity, Meehan said, “Three-hundred hours seems like a lot. But we’ve never had anybody not get their sweat equity hours.”
Sometimes, before the roof is raised on a Habitat home, the organization has to knock down an invisible wall. “There is an aspect of cynicism,” Meehan said. “When you’re buying into a mission, when you’re buying into a goal, it’s hard. These are people that are very low income. They have not had help. They have not had chances. So, you have to break down that wall to get them to fully buy in. And when they do, it’s amazing.”
There wasn’t a drop of cynicism on the Coosa at this year’s Dragon Boat Festival. Powering the all-volunteer effort were two groups of high school students. The Titan Ambassadors from Gadsden City High School and a team of local homeschoolers.
Teams set up colorfully themed tents and provided music and food. The drummer that sets the rowing pace like something you’d see in an old Kirk Douglas movie, dresses in costume compatible with the theme.
The Alley’s ‘Gutter Gang’
The winning team with their Elvis drummer – The Alley, a local bowling alley – featured a tent with girls dressed as 1950s waitresses, who served root beer floats to competitors, volunteers and spectators. “They were so awesome,” Meehan said.
The City of Gadsden sponsored two teams, the Parks and Recreation Department and the Special Programming for Achievement Network (SPAN) program that works to improve the lives of at-risk youths and families in Etowah County.
Kim Back, a longtime Gadsden City school teacher, is the sponsor of the Titan Ambassadors. She tries to impress upon her students the importance of making a difference in their hometown. When getting her kids involved, she looks for organizations that help Gadsden, and that are instantly recognizable on a college application or resumé.
“The concept when they started the dragon boat race, I knew high school kids were really going to be psyched about that. It’s something that excites them.”
In ancient China, dragon boat races sought to appease the gods, beseeching them to soak parched farmlands with rain. On the Coosa, teams want to “make it rain” for Habitat and bring a flood of hope to take a step toward ending substandard housing in Gadsden.
For Meehan, a former banker, events like the Dragon Boat Festival and work for Habitat are, “what I was called by God to do.” And this mix of hope and happiness is what Gadsden is about.
“(Habitat and the Dragon Boat Festival) say everything about Gadsden …. Ultimately, this community wants to build houses to help families.”
She recalled a recent groundbreaking for a Habitat home that is etched in her memory and signifies what the whole program is about. She mingled with people as a concrete truck prepared to lay the foundation. The home’s footings in the red clay muck and the truck were the only signs that a house would soon be there.
“The truck was so much more than a symbol,” she said. “It was the story of this amazing woman. Seeing her and seeing her family there, and they’re just looking. This is going to be her house. Her mom was crying. It was witnessing them and her moment. Her land. It’s her house. They weren’t talking. It was a moment.”
GET INVOLVED
The Gadsden-Etowah Habitat for Humanity affiliate is always looking for volunteers. The learn more about Habitat or to volunteer, call 256-543-1898 or visit gadsdenhabitat.com.
When I got ready to write this column, I couldn’t resist the allure of an ideal October day on the lake – or at least in view of it. So, I gathered up my notes, tucked my laptop under my arm, headed out to my porch and pulled up an Adirondack chair.
“Ahh, the lake is my muse,” I told myself. And you know what? I was right. I cannot begin to count the number of stories and columns inspired over the years from this very spot.
Carol A. Pappas, Editor and Publisher
The distinctive sound of the leaves rustling, set in motion by a gentle breeze signals the arrival of autumn’s falling temperatures on the heels of a hot – really hot – Alabama summer. A clear, blue sky overhead is interrupted only by a sphere of sunlight casting a shimmering reflection in the water below as if the sun were gazing into its own mirror. It’s a work of art suitable for framing.
The scenery and the surroundings never tire me, but of course, I’m not alone. Ask any lake dweller, and they’ll likely tell you the same story. It’s their “happy place,” as the popular saying goes. I just get to write about it.
I have lived on the lake for decades now, and the one constant I found is that it really doesn’t matter what lake, river, stream, creek, ocean or sea that happens to be within that frame, it’s the water that draws you in like a good novel.
Put simply, it’s my happy place, too. Just like for thousands of others on Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes, it never gets old. It’s a place where memories are born, no doubt spurred by special events, occasions, people and community – the perfect ingredients.
When we created LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®, it was with the notion that we wanted to capture those memories in the making. That’s our aim in every issue.
Helping us reach that target are those who share their stories, allowing us to discover or rediscover the people, places and events that make our lakes so special.
One such event is Gadsden Habitat for Humanity’s Dragon Boat Races. The Coosa becomes the habitat for an ancient Chinese sport tracing its roots back 2,000 years. The community comes together, supplying intrepid teams of more than a dozen rowers who power each dragon boat in the spirit of competition and raise needed funds for the mission.
The dragon boat teams working in sync are a reminder of Habitat’s own teams who swing a hammer, spackle a wall or handle a paintbrush en route to providing affordable housing in the community.
Other events worthy of note are of the musical kind – Live at Logan Martin, Lakeside Live and Riverfest at River Rocks – guaranteed to draw the crowds for days and evenings of great music and boatloads of fun.
In our Remember When regular feature, step back in time for these memories – when Buck’s Island was merely a dream, a vision young Buck had to create a special place for people to enjoy the water.
What sets our lakes apart from others, I think, is community, how people come together to rally around good causes, large and small – how they connect with one another around these places we call home.
And while social media has brought about so many changes in our society, not always for good, it’s reassuring to see platforms like Love Logan Martin Lake on Facebook bringing people together in a positive way around this bond that connects us all.
Those are some of the people, places and events you’ll find in this issue of LakeLife 24/7. There’s more! Turn the page and discover them all with us.
Music festival returns to Logan Martin Lakeside Park
Story by Eryn Ellard Submitted photos
The Second Annual Lakeside Live music festival will be headed to Lakeside Park on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 10 a.m., bringing something for all ages – everything from cornhole to arts and crafts, and of course, enough live music for all the family to enjoy.
And admission is free courtesy of Lakeside Live’s sponsors.
Visit the car show at the festival.
Lakeside Live will be hosting seven bands, all playing something for everyone’s taste – country to rock to oldies and everything in between. There will also be a classic car show for much of the day. Food trucks, serving everything from loaded nachos to sweet treats will also be taking care of those in attendance.
Event organizer Casey Cambron, said the proceeds from the event will go to local fire and police departments, as well as other local charities. He had high praise for the sponsors of Lakeside Live without whom this free, family event would not be possible. They, in turn, make it possible for proceeds to be reinvested in the community.
Cambron’s passion for the festival dates back to childhood. His first music festival he attended as a child in Georgia, he fell in love with. “I loved the event, loved the atmosphere, and loved that these events give back to their communities. I could not wait to bring that here.”
Other events happening at the show will include children’s axe throwing (with plastic equipment, of course), a maze for children and a cornhole tournament which is set to have $2,000 in winnings.
Plenty of games, competition and fun for all ages
Another event Cambron said will be fun to see is a race called, “Battle of the Badges.” This is a competition between local policemen and firefighters to include a Tug-of-War contest, a Ski Walk challenge and a relay race, including sprints and wall climbing.
“Lakeside Live is all about bringing people together. There will be something for everyone, young to old, and everything in between,” Cambron said.
The main headliner of the show is Sweet Tea Trio, who will be performing at 6:30 that evening. This band plays mostly country music. Other bands that will be showcased are St. Clair County’s own – the WingNuts, Kudzu, Deputy 5, Stillbroke and the Leverton Brothers.
“Everyone loves Sweet Tea Trio,” Cambron said. “They have an amazing sound and are always a great crowd pleaser, but all of our bands are extraordinarily talented and will bring a great atmosphere to the show.”
Alicia Bowers, a local resident who attended the festival last year said that she and her children really enjoyed it and cannot wait to see it again. “It is hard to find things sometimes that the entire family enjoys. Most of the time it is only my big kids, or my smaller children that enjoy something I plan for us to do as a family,” Bowers said. “But the event is safe, and fun for all. We just really enjoyed ourselves.”
Rebuilt playground opens at Pell City’s Logan Martin Lakeside Park
Story by Eryn Ellard Photos by Graham Hadley
As an early August sun set on Lakeside Park, a new beginning officially rose for a 20-year-old landmark – the grand reopening of Kids Kastle.
The project was first put into motion at the beginning of the year, and through months of collaboration and design work, along with long days in the triple digits by city employees, the new playground was ready – and so were hundreds of local children.
One of the new slides just the right size for young children
Pell City Mayor Bill Pruitt gave the inaugural speech, saying that there were many in attendance who were kids back when the original Kids Kastle was built in the early 2000s. Now, those same children are all grown up and were there with their children.
Seven-year-old Cam Williams cut the ribbon along with the mayor, and it was officially time to play. Several new features have been added to the park, including many new swings and rubber mulch walkways throughout, swings and features for disabled visitors, plus new slides.
The layout and the “face” of the park remain the same. Pell City Parks and Recreation Director Bubba Edge said the city’s vision was to keep the original face of the park the same. “We wanted to keep the face of Kids Kastle the same as it has always been all these years,” Edge said. “It is something that all people recognize when they come to our city.” Edge noted that it was also important to keep elements of the old park the same because when people are looking to come to our city, one of the first things they look at is the city parks and things that are available for kids.
Impressive welcome to new Kids Kastle, with kiosk listing donors and supporters out front
After an hour or more of running, climbing, bouncing and spinning, the kids and parents were ready for some refreshments. Southern Snow Shaved Ice passed out over 300 snow cones, and the city prepared hundreds of hotdogs, pounds of popcorn and cold drinks for those in attendance with the police chief and fire chief manning the grill.
Pell City resident Rachel White said it was such a special occasion for her and her 4-year-old twins. “I can remember coming here when I would summer with my grandparents,” White said. “Now we live here, and my girls will get to have great childhood memories here, too.”
Pell City Councilman Jay Jenkins thanked all the employees who spent hours of their time, during inclement weather and in the blistering heat to get the project done on time. “Many of our employees were out here, often times when they probably shouldn’t have been, to make sure this thing came together,” Jenkins said.
With ceremonial duties out of the way, speeches made and the ribbon cut, children rushed into their new playground, already making new memories at the new Kids Kastle.
Much like an armed force swiftly swooping in to save the day, this army of volunteers – 2,000 of them – descended on a 3-acre patch of ground at Pell City Lakeside Park 21 years ago, building an entire playground in less than a week.
Lawyers, judges, bankers, clerks, factory workers, construction crewmen, hourly wage earners, parents, single people – they were all there, even the kids themselves. They were part of the force, armed with tools of the trade under the command of experienced contractors. Shift after shift all week long, they rolled up their sleeves and toiled until it was all done by Sunday afternoon.
What rose from that patch of dirt was nothing short of a wonderland, a kid’s dream come true. There was a pirate ship, a swinging bridge, slides, swings, just about everything imaginable. And for 21 years, imaginations of generations of children ran unfettered in this magical place called Kids Kastle.
It all started months before when Elizabeth Bit Thomaston asked the pivotal question, ‘What if?’ She had visited Madison in north Alabama and saw a playground built by the community. She was so enamored with it, she wondered if it could happen in Pell City.
It could. And it did.
She was executive assistant to then Metro Bank vice president, the late Don Perry, at the time. She went to then President Ray Cox, who also passed away several years ago, seeking his support. He told her if she would do the research and determine if the community would support, he would back her 100 percent.
“I did about a year’s worth of research,” she recalled. She discussed prospects and plans with Leathers and Associates, a company out of New York that specialized in these projects. “I felt like we could do it in Pell City. It’s the kind of community that would support it, that cared about kids.”
She described that year of planning, strategizing, organizing and unleashing an army of volunteers marching toward a single goal as nearly a full-time – all with the backing of Cox and Perry.
The kids really designed it, she said. She and others went into every school asking students what they wanted. As the kids talked about their dream playground – pirate ships and castles – Leathers’ representatives were present to translate their imagination into a design.
Thomaston, with key help from now retired Circuit Judge Bill Hereford, Michele Seay and Kay Adams, organized ‘the troops’ into committees – Public Relations, Tools, Food – about a dozen in all. There were captains commanding each. “To my mind, it was easily the best civic project I’ve ever been involved in,” said Hereford, a former mayor himself.
“There were 2,000 volunteers. It was phenomenal,” Thomaston said.
Businesses, individuals and organizations stepped forward with funding for various pieces of play equipment. Sponsored wooden pickets, bearing the names of families and children – even those who weren’t quite here yet, bordered the playground, significantly helping shoulder the cost. One picket bore the name “Baby Minor.” That would now be Abby Minor, the daughter of District Judge Robert and Christy Minor, a student at Auburn University. Christy was pregnant with her when the playground was being planned.
Thomaston can relate. She was pregnant with Andrew, now 22, when she visited that Madison playground that sparked it all.
Time for work!
All walks of life working side-by-side, reported for work on Tuesday, Oct. 16, with only one common purpose in mind – the kids. By Sunday, Oct. 21, they were holding an historic opening ceremony for the about to be christened, Kids Kastle.
It had been barely a month since terrorists crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, a time of great tragedy for the country as a whole. Hope was a precious commodity in the days that followed the attack.
But Pell City’s band of volunteers were determined hope would not be lost here at home. “The country was in turmoil,” Thomaston said. “Everybody was scared. We said let’s do this for the kids and show them all is not lost, that we see a future for our kids, hope for the future, and they don’t have to be afraid.”
It was a legacy of love that lived on for more than two decades and now has new life thanks to the city and good corporate citizens making sure Kids Kastle remains central to countless childhood memories.
Many of those who played integral roles in its creation have since passed away, but Thomaston wanted to make sure they, too, are remembered. The money left in original Kids Kastle account was donated in their memory to the city to help rebuild the park: Ray Cox, Don Perry, Ann Day and Bob Day, Curtis and Deanna Capps, Leo Lynch, Gene Morris, Judy Potter, Tim Sweezey, Faye Bivens, Doug Walker and Lance Stella.
They, like so many others, gave of themselves because it was all about the kids. “It took us all – all of our families supporting us,” she said.
Former Mayor Guin Robinson couldn’t agree more. “I have worked on a lot of community projects in my adult life, and I was proud to be a part of them. But this one had a special place all by itself,” he said, emotion evident in his voice as he recounted it. “It was a seminal moment in the history of our community. It was a coming together and becoming a part of something bigger than all of us. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere.”
He talked of Thomaston’s vision and a community’s will to make it happen. “It’s part of Pell City’s DNA,” Robinson said. “Pell City really is a ‘can do’ place. Everybody had their job, and no job was more important than any other job. I really can’t describe how special it was.”
To Robinson, the memory of it brings to mind an adage that suits the occasion like well-tailored clothing. It just fits. “Volunteers don’t get paid because they’re worthless but because they’re priceless.” At the heart of the entire project was the people, the volunteers.
The late Faye Bivens, in her Kids Kastle t-shirt, worked the food tent
When officials and organizers worried whether enough workers would show up, “It grew each day,” he said. “Nothing ever wavered.” Inmates worked alongside bankers and lawyers – “there was pride on everyone’s face.”
Calling it a “generational project,” Robinson spoke of its evolution over the years. First was letting the kids design it. “Who better to tell you what they want than kids? Artist Ann Day painted murals. Families with their own kids now would come back to the place they played as a kid. The community built Kids Kastle. When hands touch that, it becomes very personal.”
And a community coming together around a playground became the perfect pairing. “A playground is one of your first and lasting memories,” Robinson said. “The pickets the families purchased were so meaningful. The concept was brilliant. Everyone had a place at Kids Kastle. It was everyone’s equally.”
Robinson likened it to the early days of barn raising, where the whole community comes out to build their neighbor a barn. “The neighbor gets the barn, but what do you get?” It’s that community spirit of neighbor helping neighbor, expecting nothing in return. “It’s a reminder of why we lived there.”
“It was pretty amazing” – 2,000 volunteers, a $150,000+ playground, generations of kids just being kids, letting their imaginations guide them in play, Thomaston said. “There’s never been a project like that in our community. I don’t think there ever will be again.”
The first visitor arrives and pulls his vehicle straight up to the lake. For the next 25 minutes, they parade in, each vehicle slowly pulling up and easing in next to the one before.
They’re here for church, but no one gets out of their vehicles. At this church, there are no pews. Members participate in church from the golf carts that brought them here. There are no walls, no building to this church. There is something more – a solidarity of spirit and community that serves as their cornerstone.
Their mission is simple: Love God and love people. Members at Lake Church at Logan Landing Cabin and RV Resort in Alpine are living out this mission in their community by staying connected and looking for ways to love their neighbors.
Faith in action
Just before Labor Day one year ago, they had the opportunity to do that in a big way. It was in the early morning, way before dawn on Sept. 3 when resident Brenda Sanders was awakened. She thought she was dreaming, but it turns out the nightmare was real. The home she shared with her husband, Newt, was on fire.
Pastors Tommy Hebert and David Eason gather at the river.
He had fallen asleep in his recliner, so she ran to wake him. Her eyes confessing the terror of that moment, she tells the story. “He told me to get my purse with the car keys so we could move the car. He said it was too late for the house. About that time, the fire came into the living room from the outside wall. We got outside, and I ran to my neighbor’s house and yelled for her to call 911.”
Meanwhile, Lake Church pastor Tommy Hebert, who lives just across the lake, also awoke unexpectedly that morning. He heard something and walked outside and along his deck. When he reached the outside corner, he saw the fire across the lake.
He called 911, then grabbed his boots and shirt and jumped in his golf cart, racing toward the burning home. Seeing the Sanders family safely outside, he and another resident, a retired firefighter from Illinois, battled the flames with hoses until the fire department arrived.
Love thy neighbor
Neighbor Bob Thornton lives next door to the Sanders. He woke up that morning to the sound of an explosion. He got outside in time to see another neighbor going into the burning structure to get the Sanders’ dog.
The 12-year-old dachshund, officially named Oreo, was an owner surrender they rescued a decade earlier. “Boss,” as they most often call him, was rescued that night for the second time.
By daybreak, the Sanders’ had lost their home and everything in it. Immediately, Newt started calling for estimates to remove the mess. “I had checked to get prices on the clean-up, and it was over $10,000. Insurance wasn’t even going to cover half of that,” Newt explained. “Before I knew it, there were people everywhere picking things up and putting them in the dumpster. They were like ants everywhere.”
Hebert, who works in construction, had called some contacts and gotten dumpsters and debris-removal equipment brought in. He and co-pastor, David Eason, rallied the neighbors. “We had probably 20-25 people out here who came to help with demo,” says Tommy. “But it wasn’t just demo labor. Lake Church members brought food and cards. They listened and prayed.”
“As soon as we got outside, we saw neighbors coming to help,” says Brenda. “They were all there for us, holding us, crying with us and praying with us.” This wasn’t the first time the church had been there to help them through tragedy. They’d just buried their grown son one week earlier.
Pastor David and his wife, Deborah, know that pain all too well. They lost their son in a car accident just over a year ago. The Lake Church covered them with meals and support. “Tommy had asked me if he could pray for us that Sunday in church. He was going up to pray, but got really quiet, then asked me to come up and lead us in prayer,” said pastor David.
“Tommy apologized for putting me on the spot, but from that point on, we got even closer. Then one day a few weeks later, Tommy told me I’d be giving the message in a few weeks. I still get pretty nervous every time. I have this cross in my pocket that I’ve almost rubbed the words off.” The two now share preaching duties.
On this Sunday, the prayer concerns take 10 minutes, as David lists out each family who has had hard times this week or continues to need prayers. “It’s not about us or anything that we’re doing,” he says. “It’s about what God can do through us.”
“The church is not about the building; it’s about the people,” echoes pastor Tommy. “Most of the people in this community are over 50 and on a fixed income. So, we just try to help people and lessen their financial burdens.” We want to be the hands and feet of God.”
The church has no staff and no bills to pay. “No one takes a dime. Every dime goes back to help people,” says Tommy. “We pay medical bills, groceries, funeral expenses, utility bills. We’ve even replaced water heaters.”
Fostering fellowship
They like to have fun together, too. The board plans activities outside of Sunday morning church to help build relationships within the community. They do barbeques, potlucks, holiday gatherings and dinners at local restaurants.
Church services are held every other Sunday at Lake Church. Many residents are members of other churches, many a fair distance away. Newt and Brenda Sanders drive 37 miles to Newsite Baptist Church in Stewartville on the Sundays that Lake Church is not open.
Sandra and Mike Dupree moved here four months ago. They are members of a church in Sycamore, but love going to Lake Church in their golf cart.
Mike and Brenda Gardner are seasonal residents and live in Trussville when not on the lake. “We’re out on the lake pretty much the whole summer, and we didn’t have a church out here,” says Brenda. “I was excited when they started having services out here. It’s so nice to be able to come as you are. You don’t have to be fancy or look a certain way. We’re all on the same level. It’s more of a family.”
“We just love people where they’re at,” emphasizes pastor Tommy. “Life is just messy.” He admits his own path to the pulpit took a rocky route.
Having given his life to Christ at seven years old, he says life’s challenges led him to run from God when he was 26. He moved to Florida and fully embraced the surfer life, referring to himself as a “real beach dude, complete with earrings and ankle bracelet.”
When he came back to Alabama, he met pastor Danny Duvall at Christian Life Church and rededicated his life. Danny mentored him then and continues to encourage him today.
“They’ve just shared the teaching and the leadership in such a humble way,” says pastor Danny. “It’s not about personality or brand building. It’s about the Lord and the community. It’s a model that I wish most churches could see.”
Having church within a residential community is a different model, explains Tommy. “We live with our congregation. We don’t go home from our church. We live it. But we get blessed more than we bless others.”
Tommy and David hope to inspire other lakeside communities to start their own lake churches. “There are groups of people out at the lake enjoying it and partying pretty hard. Maybe they don’t have a church,” said Tommy. “Many times, people are at the lake on the weekends in the summer and miss church,” adds David. “They could get together and worship in their own community.”
The Lake Church family has continued to lift up and help the Sanders family in their rebuilding efforts. They don’t have an answer to what started the fire, but Newt was able to purchase a new cabin and have it moved to the old home’s location.
Final work on the deck and interior painting has just been completed. Newt still has the invoice he received after the demolition was completed. Eyes welling up with tears, he proudly recites it from memory. “Paid in full by God.”
