EVENTS – LakeLife 24/7 Magazine

Smoke on the Falls

Iconic cooking competition returns to Noccalula Falls

Story by Scottie Vickery
Submitted Photos

The first time Tony Skiroock heard his name announced as Grand Champion of a national barbecue competition, the moment was as sweet as some of the sauces the judges undoubtedly licked from their fingers.

The fact that it happened in Gadsden at the annual Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition, which will host its 16^th contest April 11-12, made it an experience to savor even more. That’s because Skiroock’s mother, Frances Owens, grew up in Gadsden, and the grill master, who lives in Illinois, visited her hometown every summer as a child.

It’s where an aunt first introduced him to pit barbecue at the tender age of 6, and he was hooked after his first bite. Skiroock said he looked at his aunt and immediately asked her if he could move.

Lake life and barbecue is a perfect combination, and if you’re looking to see how some award-winning pitmasters do it, you won’t want to miss Smoke on the Falls, held at the Noccalula Falls Park Campground, this year.

Up to 72 teams from all over the country will compete in the backyard and professional divisions, and the event will also feature a Kidz-Q competition. On Saturday, there will be a variety of vendors offering unique goods and treats, and the Tim Roberts Band will provide live music starting at 2:30 p.m. before the 4:30 p.m. awards ceremony.

“It’s a lot of fun. We’re pretty proud of Smoke on the Falls,” said Janet Tarrance, special events director for the City of Gadsden. Known as the Barbecue Queen, Tarrance brought the competition to Gadsden and has spearheaded the event ever since.

Featured on the Food Network, the competition is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the world’s largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts. KCBS, which has some 16,000 members worldwide, sanctions more than 400 barbecue competitions.

Three years ago, Smoke on the Falls added the Kidz-Q contest, allowing young chefs in two age groups (5-9 and 10-15) to show off their skills, with a little help from their parents. This year, the younger crew will cook hamburgers while the older kids will strive to grill the perfect pork tenderloin.

In the adult competition, participants in the professional division must cook four meats: ribs, chicken, brisket and butts. The backyard competitors will focus on chicken and ribs. There’s also a sides competition for interested professional and backyard teams, who can offer up their best grilled pizza and desserts.

While there’s plenty of fun to be had and lots of vendors offering mouth-watering wares, don’t go to the event expecting to eat your fill of everything on the grills and in the smokers.

“Some do give out samples, but their ultimate goal is to chase the points and win the prize,” Tarrance said.

Skiroock, whose team We Will Rock ‘Que, was named the Grand Champion at the event the past two years. He has been competing since 2016, he said, noting, “I’ve only started figuring it out.”

He started out watching BBQ Pitmasters and “tried to mimic what I saw,” before taking some classes. After tweaking ingredients, trying out different grills and smokers, and experimenting with cooking times and temperatures, “I finally started hearing my name called,” he said. “It’s a serious hobby.”

Tony Skiroock and son Daniel with the winnings

It’s so serious, in fact, that KSBS hosts full-day classes before judges, who are from all over the country, can be certified, said Tarrance. Although they’re not paid, there are other benefits to the job.

“A judge can gain 5 to 10 pounds in a single barbecue competition,” she said.

The Noccalula event has earned high marks from the KSBS, which selected Gadsden to be the host city for the KCBS World Invitational Championship, its largest competition, in 2022.

The Gadsden competition was chosen after being one of five competitions that Michael Symon, chef and restauranteur, selected to be featured on his Food Network show, BBQ USA.

The judges and competitors may take things seriously, but there’s lots of fun to be had. That’s evident in some of the team names that have competed in Smoke on the Falls. There’s Smoke Me Silly, Cool Hand Cue, Rooters-n-Tooters and Kick ‘Em in the Butt BBQ, to name a few.

In addition to Wine Me, Dine Me, Swine Me, other competitors have included the Dixie Pigs & Chicks, Bar-B-Queterie, Big Fluffy, and Swinging Pig Meat.

Skiroock said he’s enjoyed being a part of the competition world and meeting the other barbecue enthusiasts. “They call it the barbecue family,” he said. “We’re watching each other on Facebook, and we’re all happy for each other when they win.”

To a point, anyway, “It’s just like an Alabama/Auburn game,” Tarrance said. “These people come to win.”nity,” Housh said, pointing to the early vision of Woods. True to that mission, LakeFest has generated more than $500,000 for over 30 different nonprofit organizations over the past 15 years.

Recipes from Tony Skiroock

Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

Pork ribs (St. Louis trimmed or Baby Backs)
Salt, pepper, and garlic barbecue rub
All-purpose barbecue rub for pork
Light brown sugar or turbinado sugar
Honey
Unsalted butter or squeeze “butter”
Pepper sauce
Apple juice
Kansas City style barbecue sauce

Directions:

To prepare the ribs, trim off any excessive fat on the meat side of the ribs. If the membrane is still on the bone side of the ribs, remove it by slipping a butter knife under the membrane, lift it away high enough to slip your fingers under and pull the membrane off. It can also be scored with a sharp knife and left in place.

Sprinkle a basic salt, pepper and garlic rub on both sides of the ribs, then sprinkle both sides with your favorite all-purpose barbecue rub. Press the rubs into the meat, then place in the refrigerator for an hour or until the rubs look damp having absorbed some of the moisture from the meat.

Prepare your grill or smoker to run at 275-300° using indirect heat. Place the ribs, meat side up, on the grill and cook for one hour. Spritz with apple juice every 20 minutes.

After an hour, roll the ribs meat side down and cook for another hour, at which time the rub should have set into a nice “bark” that doesn’t smear with your finger.

Prepare a wrap with two layers of aluminum foil, long enough to cover the rib length plus a few inches on each end. Spread onto the foil ¼ cup of sugar, a drizzle of honey, a stick of butter cut into five planks (or a hearty drizzle of squeeze butter), a line of pepper sauce, a shake of barbecue rub and ¼ cup of apple juice. Place the ribs on the foil, meat side down, and fold the foil tightly around the slab.

Return the rib packet to the smoker.

After about an hour, the rib packet should start to feel floppy when lifted. You can open it up and check for doneness. The bone tips should be exposed by about a half inch, and a toothpick should slide easily into the meat. The slab should be floppy but not fall apart, unless you want them fall-off-the-bone tender, which might need about 90 minutes wrapped.

Gently heat the sauce in a saucepan, stirring regularly. Add a few squeezes of honey and a splash of apple juice to thin the sauce. Carefully open the rib packet and place the ribs on a cutting board. Brush the top and bottom with sauce, add a final shake of barbecue rub and return the ribs to the smoker for ten minutes to set the sauce.

BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
Chicken wings
All-purpose barbecue rub
Unsalted butter
Kansas City style barbecue sauce
Apple juice
Honey

Directions:

To prepare the thighs, trim off any dangling skin or meat. With the wings, cut off the wing tip and, if desired, separate the flat from the drumette. Sprinkle all sides of the chicken with your favorite BBQ rub.

Prepare your grill or smoker to run at 300° using indirect heat. Place the chicken on the grate. After about an hour, the skin should be slightly browned and the meat firm.

Typically, at this point, the internal temperature of the chicken will be around 145°. Prepare enough half-size foil pans large enough to contain chicken pieces in a single layer. Place a stick of butter, cut into planks, in the bottom of each pan. Place the chicken, in a single layer, in the pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. The butter and heat creates a steam bath that renders the fat in the skin, yielding bite-through skin.

Return to the cooker for an hour, rotating the pan after 30 minutes.

Gently heat the sauce in a saucepan, stirring regularly. Add a few squeezes of honey and a splash of apple juice to thin the sauce. After an hour, the chicken’s internal temperature should be around 200-208°, super tender and juicy. Dunk each piece in the sauce and return to the smoker for about 10 minutes to set the sauce.

Logan Martin LakeFest

A success story 15 years and counting

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos

Eric Housh stepped away from his work desk for a few minutes, taking a short break from his regular consulting job in marketing and sales technology solutions to talk about his ‘other job.’

That alternate work has become a passion of his that has evolved over the years, much like the event itself. He’s been heading up organizing and promoting Logan Martin LakeFest, billed as the South’s largest in-water boat show, since it launched 15 years ago. But as Housh will quickly tell you, it has grown into so much more.

While the focus is on a show for boats, personal watercrafts and even cars and trucks, this outdoor festival at Pell City Lakeside Park boasts something for everybody. It features dozens of lake lifestyle vendors, nonstop entertainment, food trucks, kids’ attractions, a spectacular fireworks show and a host of other events, drawing upwards of 40,000 people each year.

It began as a vision of the late Jerry Woods of Woods Surfside Marina; Fred Casey, former owner of Tradesman Docks; Joe Paul Abbott, developer of Horizons, and Lee Holmes, owner of Sylacauga Marine. They wanted to create an event that would draw people to Logan Martin, not only to browse their boats but to discover how special the lake and lake life really are.

Lakeside Park is the perfect location for the boat show

Come May 9-11, LakeFest will celebrate its 15^th birthday in a grand way. “We say every year that we are beyond blessed with a community that supports us so well,” Housh said. “All the support makes it easier to do this year in and year out.”

Each year seems to outdo the year that came before it, and the burgeoning crowds attending simply underscore that Housh and company continue to fine tune a winning formula.

This year’s fireworks show will be bigger this year, highlighting special events on Friday night. Veterans from Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home are guests of honor for dinner and the fireworks show, escorted into the festival in a special ceremony saluting them. A record number of veterans attended in 2024.

Veterans, Housh said, always had a special place in Woods’ heart. His brother was killed in Vietnam, and veterans have been a focal point since the beginning of LakeFest.

This year’s version will bring a ‘first’ for LakeFest – an actual wedding will take place on Saturday. A couple had called and asked if it was possible to exchange their vows at LakeFest, and “we thought it was a crazy cool idea. All in attendance at LakeFest will be guests at the wedding,” Housh said. “We’ll have other fun stuff Saturday night. It will be a party atmosphere, something fun I think everybody will enjoy.”

Entertainment for the weekend will be centerstage and represent just about every genre possible. They are even looking to add bluegrass this year to its lineup of country, rock, folk and more. Prizes and giveaways will be awarded throughout the weekend.

Many hands are responsible for this unfolding success story. Justin Hogeland partners with Housh to oversee and plan this huge outdoor festival. Judy Carr and Kasey Flurry keep logistics running smoothly. And an army of volunteers – from golf cart shuttle drivers to traffic directors to helping hands wherever needed – report for duty early and stay late, ensuring the safety and enjoyment of the crowds that attend.

The sponsors make the whole event possible, and the vendors and entertainment help give it its wide-ranging appeal. The Splash Pad is sponsored free for kids Friday and Saturday, and for mothers, it’s Mimosas for Moms – free Mimosas and a rose on Sunday, honoring them on Mother’s Day.

LakeFest returns the favor, giving back to the community each year through its profits earmarked for charities as well as upgrades for Lakeside Park. The large Jerry Woods Memorial Pavilion, new docks and other improvements are courtesy of funding from LakeFest’s nonprofit, The Logan Martin Charity Foundation.

“We’re really proud of that. It’s been in our DNA to give back to the community,” Housh said, pointing to the early vision of Woods. True to that mission, LakeFest has generated more than $500,000 for over 30 different nonprofit organizations over the past 15 years.

Wild Game Cook-off

Returns to Talladega Superspeedway

Story by Paul South
Submitted Photos

Talladega is known the world over as a place where racecar drivers put the pedal to the metal.

But on March 15, hunters and anglers will put the metal – pots and pans to be exact – and meat to the flame, all part of the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s regional cook-off at the Talladega Superspeedway.

The winner advances to the state finals.

Proceeds from entry fees and ticket sales, where hungry patrons can feast on some wild game delights crafted by teams of backyard chefs, go to benefit AWF’s many wildlife education and conservation efforts.

Think grilled quail, flounder stuffed with shrimp and crab and covered with cream sauce, or a grilled venison roll. If your mouth isn’t watering now, check your pulse.

The cookoff attracts more than just chefs, there are vendors galore

The event marks the 19^th AWF cook-off for Talladega. But the genesis for the competition began in 1996, according to Tim Gothard, now in his 26^th year as the federation’s executive director.

“AWF was talking about the fact that sometimes hunters and hunting can be put in the wrong light,” Gothard said. “What we know is that hunters and anglers properly utilize the fish and game that they harvest. It’s not a wasteful thing … We thought the cook-off would be a great way to show that. And it makes great and healthy table fare.”

Like the first day of hunting or fishing season, the cook-off would also be a social event, bringing AWF members together and spotlighting its conservation and education efforts. And it will generate funds to support those efforts, Gothard said.

Mobile hosted the first cook-off in 1996. Now, the Talladega event is one of 14 regional cook-offs culminating in the state championship later this year.

Regional winners will compete for a $1,000 grand prize and bragging rights as AWF Wild Game Cook-off State Champion for 2025.

Like the popularity of TV cooking shows, these AWF events have exploded in popularity. For example, at that first event in Mobile, five or six teams competed and 100 to 125 folks attended. Now the competitions have become a major event on the calendar. Folks want to be there. And, in every competition town, corporate sponsors are hooked.

“Coming up, at the Talladega cook-off, we will have over 1,000 people at that cookoff and probably 30 to 35 cook teams,” Gothard said. “It has grown absolutely dramatically over the years. Probably in the last 10 years, we have doubled the amount of people that come to those events, the revenue that’s generated to support our conservation projects … It’s just been amazing.”

As for the corporate backing, they provide the largest revenue stream.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Gothard said. “If you’re a sponsor, you’re going to get a bunch of tickets that you can use to reward employees, clients, potential clients and friends to come and enjoy the same great food and the same great atmosphere and camaraderie that we see.”

AWF employees will be on hand to talk about the organization’s work and mission. But make no mistake, food – dishes featuring venison, feral hog, quail, and other varieties of game and fish – is the focus.

And this isn’t just a bunch of guys cooking on the truck tailgate, Gothard said.

“They take great pride in what they prepare,” he said. “And I will guarantee you this: There are restaurant quality dishes that you’ll find at every cookoff that we do. And when you come to that state cook-off, and the teams come to compete for the state championship, every one of those dishes are restaurant quality.”

The secret sauce in the cook-offs’ success? “The format that we do allows people to sample the food,” Gothard said. “We’re not providing them with a meal. But they have a wide selection of dishes that they can actually taste.”

While the boom in cooking shows and in turn, the growth in folks wanting to cook great food at home, have played a part in the cook-off success, there’s a dash of something else beyond great tasting food created from Alabama fish and game.

“More than anything else, we have a large membership across the state and it’s an opportunity for them to get together with likeminded people and really enjoy a night that’s really celebrating the hunting and angling outdoor pursuits that we are all involved with and we appreciate and enjoy,” Gothard said.

“ The social atmosphere, that camaraderie and that uniqueness are the things that in my mind have made the wild game cook-offs so popular and really fueled their growth over the last 10 years, in particular,” he said.

Statewide, more than 100,000 Alabama schoolchildren benefit from AWF’s efforts. And that’s a small part of the story.

Talladega Superspeedway has plenty of room for an event this size

AWF has done five oyster restoration projects in Mobile Bay. It’s been able to add scientists to the AWF staff to work on issues like restoring fish and game habitats. The wild game cook-offs provide a portion of private sector funding for what AWF calls its “on the ground and on the water projects. All told, AWF is making a $1 million investment in these projects and more.”

The Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program gives kids the opportunity to learn math, science, social studies and language arts outdoors in a wildlife habitat and against a wildlife backdrop. AWF has four outdoor education specialists crisscrossing the state to serve in schools.

Close to home, the program worked with Munford Elementary.

“They’ve accomplished a tremendous amount,” Gothard said. “And our wildlife biologists have collaborated with private landowners in that entire (Coosa) region for 20 years helping them develop plans for managing their property so they can have quality wildlife habitat and populatons.

“When you have that, the impact spills out beyond the landowners’ property. It helps ensure that we have good wildlife habitat and populations all across the state.”

It’s part of a scientific, systematic approach to game management, Gothard said. And funds from the cook-offs fuel the effort.

“(The cook-off) is a significant source of revenue to help us do conservation work in this state,” Gothard said. “It makes a big difference.”

The cookoffs reveal something about hunters and anglers, who may guard their favorite hunting and fishing spots like state secrets.

But they’ll brag about a recipe as they might a trophy buck or bass.

“They definitely enjoy sharing with other people how they prepare dishes and how good it tastes,” Gothard said. “That is something hunters and anglers love to do.”

Over the years, Gothard has sampled a slew of savory fish and game dishes. But one some 12 years ago at the Talladega cook-off hooked him.

“There was a team that won the Talladega cook-off with a bluegill fish taco,” Gothard recalled. “This was before fish tacos were a thing. I grew up, you caught bluegill, you fried them whole and picked them with a fork. It tasted great, but it was work.”

The taco chefs took a fresh approach.

“They had de-boned all the meat, cooked it up and then flaked it. That was the meat in the taco,” Gothard said. “It absolutely blew me away.”

For Gothard, every team makes an impression.

“The thing that really impresses me and captures my attention is how (teams) take (fish and game) and turn it into a dish that I hadn’t really thought about.”

The cook-off isn’t only a celebration of conservation, Alabama’s hunting and fishing heritage or culinary creativity. The competition is about pride, with teams coming from as far away as Texas.

“Those cook teams are going to take a lot of pride in telling you what their dish is, how they made that dish,” Gothard. “And you’re going to see them light up when on the spot, someone tastes it and says, ‘Man, this is awesome.’

According to its website, the Alabama Wildlife Federation is “a dynamic, citizen-based conservation organization with over 25,000 members and supporters dedicated to creating and promoting a balance between use, management and protection of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources through education, community involvement, and boots-on-the-ground assistance.”

The organization’s focus is in three major areas: conservation education, resource stewardship and celebrating the state’s hunting and fishing heritage. Founded in 1935, AWF is celebrating its 90^th anniversary. l

Editor’s Note: For more information on the AWF and the cookoff, visit AlabamaWildlife.org.

Lights in the Park winners

No sooner than Thanksgiving’s leftovers are history, a transformation of Lakeside Park begins to take place – lighting up the nighttime sky to add sparkle to the Christmas season.

While Lights in the Park has grown each year, 2024’s version stepped up to an unrivaled level of spirit.

Presented by the Pell City Parks & Recreation Department with decorative help from businesses, organizations and individuals, the spirit of competition added to the excitement. The holiday-themed displays lining both sides of the roads winding through the park drew over 80 entries.

Hundreds of attendees voted for their favorites, and the final tally crowned these winners:

Overall Winner: Woody’s Tree Service

Anna Otterson / Edward Jones: Silent Night Award – Simple and clean display
Jessica Blackerby / EXP Realty: White Christmas Award – Best use of white lights
Woody’s Tree Service: Deck the Halls Award – Most over-the-top use of lighting
Clean Haul Roll-Off: Christmas is in the Air Award – Best use of inflatables
House of Prayer: The Reason for the Season Award – Best Nativity display
Faith Community Fellowship: Holly Jolly Christmas Award – Best display that makes you laugh
Alabama Clearing & Excavating: Rock Around the Christmas Tree Award – Best use of animation
Metro Bank: The Rudolph Award – Best use of holiday characters
Girl Scouts Troop 24216: Christmas Story Award – Best youth inspired display

“The Pell City Parks & Recreation Department would like to express its sincere gratitude to all participants, visitors and voters of the inaugural ‘Lights in the Park’ Holiday Competition,” said Civic Center Manager and Contest Organizer Valerie Painter. “We commend the community for their enthusiastic participation and thoughtful voting.”

The winners can already plan their next decorating adventure. They have the opportunity to select their locations in the park for next year’s competition.

“The warmth of our community and the wonder of the Christmas season combine every year for ‘Lights in the Park,” Painter said. “It’s heartwarming to see Pell City come together to create such a magical experience. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone involved.”

Jingle Bell 5K Fun Run 2024 in Photos

Another big success in year two

From start to finish, the 2024 edition of Pell City Rotary Jingle Bell Run 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk had it all.

By the numbers, over 120runners and walkers participated in this second edition of the run, clearing the way for more than $50,000 raised for St. Clair Sheriff’s Boys Ranch and other charities in the community.

Santa was there, cheering on the runners, having his picture made with kids of all ages and managing to delight the crowd by giving a hefty lift to the spirit of the season.

Miss Leeds Area 2025 Samantha Hennings performed the National Anthem to rousing cheers, and more than a few spirited runners donned holiday attire for the festivities.

The Dec. 14 run at Lakeside Park was as Pell City Rotarians intended – a fun communitywide event for the entire family. It drew runners from all over the region and state on a 5K route that took them on scenic trails through the park and along the shoreline of Logan Martin Lake.

“We had a tremendous amount of support from the community this year. For our Club, this
event is an opportunity for us to make an impact with some very worthy causes like the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Boys Ranch. Our Jingle Bell Run is about more than running, it’s about making a difference. Thank you to all who ran, donated and served.”

Citing the $50,000 raised, Furgerson added, “We could have never done that without the generosity and involvement of our community. We can’t wait to do it again next year!”

Run Chairman Bill Ellison echoed the notion that it all comes back to service. “Rotary saw a need in the community for an event of this magnitude that the whole family could enjoy. But more important, it saw the need for funds to build a home and help with other renovations to reopen the Boys Ranch this past year.”

He lauded the efforts of sponsors who made the fundraiser possible, the volunteers and Rotarians who helped with every aspect of the event along the way and to the community and runners who supported it.

“It really does take all of us working together to make our community a better place. All involved in the Jingle Bell Run are testament to that.”

Boo Bash steps it up this year

Logan Martin does Halloween right!

After party at Tiki Hut, this year’s sponsor

If you had to describe Boo Bash 2024 is a single word, it would have to be creativity. From giant rubber ducks to a pontoon disguised as a 50s baby blue Chevy on its way to the Boo Hop to a floating carnival, creative was the dress of the day. And that was just the boats.

Add docks and boathouses dressed to the hilt in spiders, ghosts, a scene from the Wizard of Oz, witches, mechanical pirates and skeletons and even a groovy 70s backdrop, and the day just seemed to ooze creativity.

But wait, there’s more! How about Minnie Mouse, witches of all shapes and sizes, a dog in a tutu, pirates galore and a kid cop keeping guard over a boat cell of prisoners, complete with prison bars, orange jumpsuits, mugshots and tatoos?

It all adds up to a huge success for the 2024 edition of Boo Bash, brought to you by Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, Tiki Hut and a host of volunteers and Boo Bashers extraordinaire.

By the numbers, Boo Bashers numbered more than 1,506 children and adults and 42 pets with 85 docks participating.Three major land stops – Lakeside Park, Riverside Beautification Organization and Tiki Hut drawing crowds and sparking even more fun. Trick or treaters of the kid kind were treated to thousands of bags of candy and surprises, and the adults? Well, let’s just say host stops provided grownups with special liquid treats of their own.

Funds raised from Boo Bash will go to LMLPA’s lighted buoy project.

It was a fun and innovative way to bring our lake community together for a day of fun for a good cause. Our hats are off to Sonya Hubbard and Kelli Lasseter, who had an idea a couple of years ago that trick or treating dock to dock might just grow into something big.

Pretty creative, huh?

Lakeside Live Music Fest on Logan Martin

Savoring another success

What began as a spark of an idea to bring an outdoor music event to the community caught fire and has grown year over year into one of the hottest attractions around.

Casey Cambron and the Five16 Foundation created Lakeside Live Musicfest and Car Show in 2021 as a family event to be held each fall at Lakeside Park.

This popular fall festival has a little something for everybody. The car show draws enthusiasts from all over the region. The music gets better every year with old favorites, like the WingNuts, and new headliners, like The Spin Doctors.

Vendors display their wares. Food trucks serve up a variety of palate pleasers. Kids flock to the inflatables and other activities designed just for them. And the Battle of the Badges – a three-event challenge pitting the police department against the fire department – is a crowd favorite.

It has evolved into a free, community event for the whole family whose success story is seen in the crowds that grow bigger every year and the good works throughout the region that the Foundation has been able to support.

Its success is measured in the growing number of sponsors who add their names to a movement that brings the community together in fun and fellowship while bolstering missions of charities and nonprofits throughout the area.

Funds raised from Lakeside Live this year will go to St. Clair Children’s Advocacy Center and other local nonprofits.

When Cambron and his foundation created Lakeside Live, it was part of its own mission to be a beacon – “Shining our light through fundraising, service, and good works in our community.”

Judging by its positive momentum and impact over the past four years, that light is growing ever brighter.

Jingle Bell 5K Fun Run 2024

New St. Clair tradition returns December 14 to Pell City Logan Martin Lakeside Park

In its inaugural race in 2023, Pell City Rotary Jingle Bell 5K Run & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk became what organizers had hoped for – a resounding success.

The goal was to create a family-friendly event to raise much-needed funds for the Alabama Sheriff’s Boys Ranch and months of planning led to the establishment of one of the premier runs in the region.

In 2024, Jingle Bell Run returns for a much-heralded encore at Pell City Lakeside Park Dec. 14, this time raising funds for the Boys Ranch and expanding to other charitable organizations in St. Clair County.

The 2023 edition raised over $50,000, making it possible to open a new home at the Boys Ranch, a program that helps turn lives of young men around.

From the starting point to the finish line, this event brings the community together for a common cause, and the end result is a December morning of holiday fun for the whole family. Special guest is that favorite visitor from the North, Santa himself. He’ll be part of the festivities from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., much to the delight of young and old alike.

Rotarian Bill Ellison heads effort for second year

Meanwhile, runners will lace up for worthy causes and an unforgettable run through the scenic park. The course winds through wetlands, a wooded nature trail, native plant garden and along the shores of Logan Martin Lake.

“This has been an incredible experience for everyone involved,” said Chairman Bill Ellison. “From our generous sponsors to our volunteers to our runners, this community event is truly a team effort. What an amazing testimony to what can happen when we all work together.”

To register, you may go to: runsignup.com. Race day registration and packet pick-up is at the Jerry Woods Pavilion at Lakeside Park from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.

Entry fees are $35 for adults and $20 for students, K-12, if you register by Nov. 22. After Nov. 22, adults are $40, and students are $25. Fees include a race T-shirt and swag bag.

After the race, light refreshments and drinks will be available. Awards will be presented following the race.

Medals will go to the top three male and female contestants in nine different age categories. The team with the most registered participants will receive a donation to their own organization or a charity of their choice.

Dovetail Landing

Special weekend dedicated to helping veterans

Story by Paul South
Submitted Photos

Like a crack military unit, this patriotic Talladega County community and Dovetail Landing, the growing initiative to help veterans, unified on an October weekend with a single mission: to build community and awareness of veterans’ issues and Dovetail Landing’s resources as a place of resilience and recovery for veterans across Alabama.

Dovetail Landing celebrated its first Rockin for Recovery Fall Festival with barbecue, music, food, fun vendors and even a military touch – a “ruck march” that in this case was actually a walk, with the “ruckers” wearing rucksacks.

Dovetail Landing’s Combat Dining Out Dinner: Pipe Major Joseph R. Morrison (The Birmingham Bagpiper) plays rendition of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

The night before, some 200 camo-clad diners celebrated “Combat Dining Out.,” a donations-only feast far from K-rations or MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). The menu included smoked chicken, pulled pork, red and white sauce, baked beans, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, ice cold drinks and dessert. It was patterned after formal regimental mess nights, in keeping with military tradition, but no black ties. It was striking to see and hear the toasts to the nation’s military, especially the toast to fallen and missing warriors accompanied by the bagpiper’s rendering of Amazing Grace.

The keynote speaker for the evening was retired Col. Chris Stricklin, former USAF fighter pilot, Thunderbird Solo Pilot, and combat veteran. The colonel riveted the audience with his reflection on being a combat veteran.

If the old military adage is true – that an army travels on its stomach – the Fall Festival crowd was fueled for a long march.

“The purpose is to bring civilians, both from their community organizations, family organizations and business organizations to meet =veterans and have fun that night in a traditional military environment,” Dovetail Landing Executive Director retired Brig. Gen. Robert Holmes said.

The ruck march was an untimed five-mile walk aimed at building community and awareness of Dovetail Landing, vets and their issues. The walk was a lead-up to the events of the day, featuring food, showcases for Veteran Support Opportunities, music and fun.

“It was exciting to see so many veterans and their families come together and meet each other,” Holmes said. “There were over 20 veteran support organizations there to showcase significant opportunities, ready to contribute to (veterans’) well-being … and their future.”

But beyond the weekend’s flavorful fun, the larger mission was to help Dovetail Landing, the facility founded by Alana and Pat Centilli in 2021 to honor their son, Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Centilli, who died in 2019 from traumatic brain injuries suffered in an explosion Helmand province, Afghanistan in 2012. Daniel Centilli was remembered by his brothers in arms as a Marine’s Marine.

“All of this is to create awareness and to showcase the opportunities available to the veterans and their families,” Holmes said.

Dovetail Landing hopes to provide a variety of services to veterans, their families and caregivers – medical help, job training, counseling, food, housing and other services with a holistic focus.

The hope is to establish a Veteran Resilience and Recovery Center this fall to direct the ongoing veteran support opportunities and begin the multi-year buildout of the 57-acre farm campus in Lincoln to include a mental health therapy facility and a training center along with temporary lodging clusters.

Dovetail can be viewed as a “reverse boot camp,” according to Holmes. Just as military boot camp prepares new recruits for military life, this reverse boot camp helps now-veteran soldiers make a smooth return to civilian life.

Alabama Punishers LEMC Mt. Cheaha Chapter: supporters of Dovetail Landing, who led a patriotic motorcycle flag parade in honor of veterans

But more than that, Dovetail Landing is like a Recovery Zone, Holmes added. Just like in combat “we don’t leave a warrior behind, We bring them home.”

Dovetail has expanded since its founding, Alana Centilli said.

“We came out of the gate as hard as we could go, trying to do so many things,” she said.

Since bringing Holmes, a veteran of combat operations in Afghanistan and the Global War on Terror, in as executive director in late April 2024, there has been a shift in focus.

“It’s been such a good thing,” Centilli said of Holmes’ addition. “We started veteran support services. Previously, we had just been so focused on the construction. We’re still doing that. But we are actively helping veterans.”

There are estimates that between 44 and 72 percent of veterans are struggling with physical, mental and emotional issues during their transition back to civilian life.

The Dovetail expansion was driven by an increase in public, private and corporate support. Major contributors have been the City of Lincoln, Honda, Alabama Power, Norfolk-Southern Railroad, the Noble Foundation and the State of Alabama, including a line item in the state budget and a grant from the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.

“We’re getting a lot of support, Holmes said. “The more people hear about us the more they want to know about what we’re doing.”

But Holmes says, support is a two-way street. Dovetail’s message to corporations and public and private donors? “We’re not just coming with our hand out,” he says. “We want to know what we can do to make your corporation better because if you’ve got veterans employed there, then we want to be available to your company, to your veterans if you have any kind of need.”

“Ruckin’ For Recovery” ruck march led by Dovetail Landing’s own Sgt. Ben Tomlinson, a Marine veteran who survived a sniper shot while in Afghanistan

Immediate help for vets is today’s priority.

“In my mind what was missing was we really had not gotten strategically where we wanted to be in terms of supporting veterans today,” Holmes said.

He added, “We’re going to need the buildings. We’re going to need the infrastructure. But quite frankly, more important are the people we want to serve and their families.”

Dovetail Landing has begun what Holmes calls “veteran support opportunities.”

One of those opportunities is with Central Alabama Community College and its Skills for Success program. There are currently three certificate programs open to vets, including hands on heavy equipment training and land surveying.

Dovetail has opened therapy to help veterans, which involves outdoor recreation (fishing) and music and art therapies to help veterans and family members who may find themselves in a dark place. All of Dovetail’s resources were on display on Fall Festival weekend, including the Veterans Administration-certified arts therapy program led by the Aspen, Colorado-based Challenge America.

The festival also highlighted Dovetail Landing’s programs for the community, corporations and businesses and for potential donors.

Holmes shared the story of one veteran who found himself hounded and haunted by the black dog of suicidal depression. Fishing saved him, giving the vet the clarity and sanity to be able to return to his family and drive thoughts of suicide out of his mind.

“When we hear stories like that,” Holmes said, “we know we’re on the right track.”

To be clear, these initiatives are for family members as well.

“This is not about the veteran alone,” Holmes said. “Most veterans, myself included, when we put on the uniform and we serve, our families are part of that.

“As veterans want to enter into recovery or into a growth experience, we also want to make that available to families. It’s important not to leave families behind,” Holmes said.

For Centilli, what began as a dream is becoming a reality.

“When all of this started, I envisioned a place where Daniel could have healed and just lived his life,” she said. “We knew he was never going to be on his own. He was never going to get married, would never have children … Seeing where we’ve come and how this has evolved and seeing the passion and the fire of the veterans when we talk about this, or they see what’s happening, it’s what we needed. It’s such a wonderful thing. This is going to help so many people.

“I just want to make sure people understand how important a resource like Dovetail Landing is for veterans and their families and why it is so needed,” she said.

The veteran support opportunities have exceeded expectations.

“We kept thinking we have to get this stuff built before we can help anybody,” she said. “We’ve changed that around and Gen. Holmes has helped us with that.”

She added, “The brick and mortar is going to come. But we are helping veterans today. I think it’s a win.”

That immediate help for veterans is important, Holmes said. The facilities follow.

“We’ve got to help veterans today if we’re going to have any credibility in continuing to ask for money to build buildings,” he said.

“When we go back to our mission: Veterans. Their families. It’s people, not buildings.”

Editor’s Note: For more information or to donate, visit dovetaillanding.com, or call (205) 907-7602.

Great Alabama 650

America’s longest paddle race navigates Neely Henry, Logan Martin en route to finish

In the quiet of a Saturday evening and Sunday morning in September on Neely Henry and Logan Martin lakes, you just might have heard the sound of a boat paddle slapping the water in staccato precision, propelling the paddler toward the finish line.

It would be a week before the first of the group reached that goal as they made their way across lakes, rivers and creeks on a 650-mile trek that takes stamina, will and determination. Lots of determination.

First to arrive at Logan Martin portage near the dam

It’s America’s longest paddle race, and it’s right here in Alabama – along the state’s Scenic River Trail. It began at Weiss Lake near the border with Georgia and ended in the Alabama Gulf at Fort Morgan as the final racer crossed the finish line Oct. 1.

The first leg of the race took paddlers through Gadsden and Neely Henry, arriving there during the night of the first day. The next morning residents up and down the shores of Logan Martin caught glimpses of paddlers all day long as they headed to the portage at Logan Martin Dam.

Watch party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Gadsden

One of the first to pass through the local area was Trey Reaves, who went on to win the race in seven days, three hours and 20 minutes. The first-place finish was familiar territory to Reaves. He was Alabama 650’s first back-to-back solo winner.

Also coming in quickly at Logan Martin’s portage was Lindsey Tilton, the first female to complete the course exclusively on a paddleboard. She finished in 9 days, 19 hours and 35 minutes.

To underscore the grueling challenge of the race, only 47 percent actually finish. At the end this year, there were only 10 claiming that achievement. l

Editor’s Note: The Great Alabama 650 is part of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, a network of more than 6,500 miles of river trails throughout Alabama, spanning from mountain streams and whitewater rapids in North Alabama to the river deltas in the South. It is one of the most diverse in the country. For more, go to: ASRT.me.