A simple idea to create an event that gives back to the community while giving families something fun to do has blossomed into the Lakeside Live Musicfest, which returns to Lakeside Park in September.
The Five16 Foundation hosts this annual music festival and car show at Pell City Lakeside Park. Event Director Casey Cambron says the foundation expects this year’s event to impact The Saint Clair Children’s Advocacy Center (The Children’s Place) in meaningful ways.
Now in its fourth year, Lakeside Live embodies the Five16 Foundation’s mission of “shining our light through fundraising, service, and good works.” Cambron expects thousands of people to flock to the park for a day of music and family fun. In turn, they will be helping others.
Since its inception, the festival has evolved significantly. Originally held in November, the event was moved to mid-September to avoid the cold weather, finding its sweet spot on the third Saturday of the month.
From muscle cars to VWs, the car show brings it all
Generously supported by sponsors like Buffalo Rock Pepsi, this year’s festival is slated for Sept. 21 with gates opening at 10 a.m. The event will go on until approximately 8 p.m. with a variety of activities planned throughout the day.
Lakeside Live exudes a friendly, family-oriented atmosphere. It attracts a diverse crowd, with smiling faces, kids playing games and families enjoying food from local vendors. As the name implies, music is the main ingredient.
Cambron announced that this year’s music headliner is The Spin Doctors, a popular American alternative rock band. “We’re excited to host The Spin Doctors this year, but we are also very excited about our opening band,” says Cambron. The festival opener will be Sand Rock, a band made up of Pell City High School students. Other notable acts are The Greg White Band, Deputy 5, The Leverton Brothers, The Wingnuts, and more.
Inspired by other local events, Lakeside Live stands out for its unique blend of activities. In addition to an entertaining musical lineup, the event also offers an impressive car show with hundreds of cars on display, most of which are from the St. Clair County area.
The car show itself is quite a draw, showcasing a wide range of vehicles from high-end cars to bicycles. Custom handmade awards are presented to winners, adding a personal touch to the event.
Over 100 vendors and food trucks and a variety of children’s activities will be available for attendees to enjoy. About 90% of the vendors are local. While there is no charge to browse the car show, items at vendor booths and food trucks are available for purchase.
Rides and more
One highlight of the event is the Battle of the Badges, a spirited competition between the fire and police departments. This competition features an obstacle course, tug-of-war and other challenges. Cambron described Battle of the Badges as an “entertaining interaction between local first responders that allows the community to engage with them in a fun way.”
Having won two of the three years of the Battle of the Badges, the Pell City Fire Department is eager to challenge the reigning champions, the Pell City Police Department.
In addition to benefitting the Children’s Advocacy Center, proceeds from Lakeside Live Musicfest also contribute to various local causes, such as the police and fire departments, the local school system, children’s organizations, and more.
“We are so thankful for our generous sponsors like Buffalo Rock Pepsi and Lakeside Boathouse, who have believed in our dream from day one,” said Cambron. He also credited fellow board members, Pell City High School Wrestling and other volunteers who give of their time throughout the year and on event day to make Lakeside Live Musicfest a success.
Looking ahead, the goal is to continue growing the festival, maintaining its community-focused spirit while expanding its reach and impact. By continuously improving and adapting to feedback, Cambron hopes to make each year’s event better than the last, ultimately creating a lasting legacy of community support and enjoyment.
Editor’s Note: For more information and to apply as a vendor, visit the festival’s website at lakesideliveshow.com. Vendor applications are accepted until Sept. 1, 2024.
New store brings kayaks, accessories and more to Pell City
Story and photos by Carol Pappas
Turn off U.S. 231 South at the colorful, largemouth bass mailbox, and it’s your first hint that something special awaits up ahead.
Just beyond is newly opened The Yak Shak, a stone’s throw from Logan Martin Lake. Inside, you’ll find something special indeed – and it’s not just the kayaks and accessories.
Meet Allen and Jessica Norris, owners of The Yak Shak, a business they started five years ago when they were dating. Kayak fishing was Allen’s hobby, and he soon introduced Jessica to it. When it became their passion together, they decided to build a business around it. The Yak Shak already has a franchise opening in Indiana soon.
Allen, Jessica and Madelyn Norris, not pictured, 2-year-old Coleman
They located their initial store in a strip mall in Pelham and experienced early successes when the COVID pandemic hit, and people began heading outdoors. “It’s been a wild ride,” Allen said. “We’ve only known pandemic retail,” added Jessica. “Interest exploded. We thought that was the way it was going to be.”
While other businesses closed their doors during the pandemic, The Yak Shak thrived. It wasn’t until the year after, when supply chain problems surfaced that their business plan headed in an adaptive direction. “We worked off pre-orders,” where customers could choose their exact color, style, and customization.
Much of their business is still centered on pre-orders today, but they have adapted and expanded when opportunities arose. They found a market in used kayaks generated by the new kayak market. They have trade-ins, they offer full customization of the kayaks, and they ship smaller items all over the country.
They define their business as a “destination” type – customers looking for a place to buy a kayak. They sell kayaks, paddleboards and inflatables not found in big box stores. They also offer well-known brands like AFTCO, Heybo, Big Bite Baits, YakAttack and Rapala. They sell Bending Branches paddles and NRS inflatable kayaks.
Average price range of kayaks and accessories is $500-$2,500. Now that kayak fishing tournaments allow motors, The Yak Shak has seen an influx of customers wanting to add trolling motors, outboards, live scope, and many more electronics to their kayaks. “We cater to tournament-focused brands,” Allen adds.
A tournament weigh-in held there a couple of weeks ago accommodated 17 vehicles with kayaks and trailers in the parking lot. “We had plenty of room,” said Allen, noting another plus of their move from Pelham to Pell City.
Of course, it’s not a weigh-in in the bass tournament sense of the phrase. Kayak fishing tournaments are ‘weighed’ with photos and a “bump board,” a ruler-like board with a hard end to measure the fish from nose to tail. A photo then captures the size for this catch-and-release method.
Every boat and accessory they offer, they tested themselves. “It’s our passion,” Allen said. He gives the nod to Jessica in the fishing, though. “Her personal best is a 7-pound largemouth.”
How they got here from there
The couple arrived at this moment in their lives from different directions, but there is no disguising the joy they have already found running a business in Pell City together.
Kayaks on display in showroom
He graduated from Kennesaw State College in Georgia in Management, Entrepreneurship and International Business. “I speak Chinese,” he said, referring to his International Business interest. He went to work at Hewlett Packard right out of college, and a promotion brought him to Birmingham.
She graduated in Communications at the University of Alabama, and her background is in marketing and franchising. In her spare time between their business, working remotely with a software company, tending to their 4-month-old and 2-year-old, she wrote a children’s book – Francine’s First Fish. She was already in Birmingham.
They met, fell in love, married and started a business. They found a home on Logan Martin Lake and moved a coupled of years ago. It just made sense to trade the long commute for a business near their home and the lake.
“We’re excited to be a part of the community,” Allen said, noting that The Yak Shak has already been involved in LakeFest and events at Lincoln’s Landing. “This is where we live and want to do business. It’s where we want to raise our kids.”
He points to the growth all around and said, “It is very encouraging to see that as a new business.” When the location on U.S. 231 opened up, they decided to close Pelham and move The Yak Shak to Pell City, Allen said. “It was the best move for our family and our business.”
Through today’s lens, it seems improbable that a parson could start a war over whiskey, but legend – and history – has it that Parson and Reverend Gideon Blackburn came close to sparking a war between the United States and the Creek Indians in 1809.
In sharp contrast to most religious circles today, it was perfectly acceptable for a man of the cloth to dabble in distilling.
Blackburn, a Presbyterian minister of Maryville, Tennessee, started the first Presbyterian mission among the Cherokee in 1803 and was successful in his work among the Indians.
However, the good parson had another side to him besides preaching. He was a proprietor of a whiskey distillery.
In those days, distilling and selling was a respectable home industry, conducted by laymen and sometimes by clergymen. Common as it was among the white people, it was against federal law to sell it to the Native Americans.
Spring Frog
Let’s set the stage and the location. Fifty-nine years earlier, around 1750, Chief Chinnaby brought his people from Mississippi to the Coosa River. They settled at the south bank of Big Wills Creek. Originally, they were Natchez Indians trying to escape from the decimating French. They became allied and integrated into the Chickasaws of this area, and this new town became known as Natchez Village.
The Chickasaws had already established a trade route with the British from Charleston, S. C. through now Gadsden to near Memphis, Tennessee, called the High Town Path. The Chickasaws and English established posts along this route, including one that eventually became Turkeytown.
On the north side of Big Wills Creek was Cherokee land and a small village called Frogtown. It ran from the Coosa River to Black Creek and beyond. Frogtown was named for Cherokee Spring Frog who lived there, according to the Cherokee Phoenix, a Cherokee newspaper printed in both Cherokee and English.
This is the same Spring Frog, born in 1754 at Chickamaugua Creek near Chattanooga, Tennesse, who died July 31, 1859, in Oklahoma. Spring Frog was the grandson of the Raven of Chota, making him the last line of the Great Chiefs of Chota.
Spring Frog lived on the most southernmost border of the Cherokee Nation known as Turkey Town (sometimes known as Little Turkey’s Town, Sennecca, or Esenaca) near today’s Turkey Town in Etowah County. It was ruled by Principal Chief Pathkiller.
The 1809 incident all started when Blackburn was descending the Coosa River with two flatboats of 2,226 gallons (or 65 casks) of whiskey and other supplies when he arrived at Chief Pathkiller’s home.
Pathkiller informed Blackburn that there was a large camp of Creek Indians downstream at the Ten Islands and thought that if he went there, the Creeks would take his whiskey from him.
Upon hearing this news, Blackburn determined he would not go down the river any further. He had Pathkiller temporarily store his whiskey in one of the chief’s houses, where it could be locked up. Pathkiller and Blackburn then went home.
After Blackburn was gone, the Creeks, led by Chief Big Warrior, heard of the whiskey. They demanded Pathkiller hand it over and threatened to break down the door if he would not open it. Pathkiller was compelled to hand over his key, and upwards of 100 Creek Indians took Blackburn’s whiskey.
Parson Gideon Blackburn
Two young men had been left to guard the house, but the Creeks broke open the door, rolled out three or four barrels, broke in the heads and commenced drinking. They filled two bottles and gave them to the young men and told them to leave as soon as possible or the Creeks would kill them when they got drunk.
The young men watched for some time at a great distance. The Creeks killed and butchered each other with knives and clubs and crowded around the house. They were all drunk. Somehow, the building caught fire and the whiskey exploded like a powder magazine.
Everyone in and near were killed, with many burned up. How much whiskey was destroyed was never ascertained, as Pathkiller’s land was located some 120 miles from a white settlement.
According to Blackburn’s brother Samuel, they had unloaded the cargo simply to await permission from the Creeks to sail on down the river to Mobile. There, they planned to dispose of the whiskey, powder and lead.
The Creeks, who seized what was left of Blackburn’s cargo were already disputing with the U.S. government about the right of trading parties crossing Creek territory.
The Cherokees were against the Creeks for sending 100 warriors into the Cherokee Nation to seize the cargo and the boats.
The Creeks claimed the cargo was left with the PathKiller “to sell the goods for the benefit of the owner,” so the Creeks had confiscated Blackburn’s whiskey on the grounds it was being illegally sold en route.
When the Cherokees were called upon for compensation, they excused themselves and said the Creeks owned the land beyond Wills Creek and could do as they pleased in their own country.
Because it was illegal for any white person to sell alcoholic beverages to the Indians within their territory, Chief Big Warrior felt justified in seizing this illegal cargo.
Many heated correspondences were made among the Creeks, the Indian agents and the United States, but nothing resulted from these communications.
Soon, but for other reasons, the U.S. did come to war with the Creek Indians during the Creek War of 1813.
But just four years earlier, Parson Blackburn came close to starting an actual war between the United States and the Creek Indians – over whiskey.
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Mackenzie Free, Graham Hadley and submitted
Move over pontoons, bass boats and other lake and river-faring vessels. There’s a couple of new watercrafts navigating their way around these parts this summer.
On Neely Henry, that distant tune reminiscent of ice cream trucks and days gone by is actually coming from an ice cream boat, which launches and regularly ‘patrols’ Neely Henry Lake.
On the Coosa River in Gadsden, you’ll find a parade of dragons, ducks and swans floating by at Coosa Landing – a fleet of pedal boats the city has launched for renting this summer.
Greg and Peggie Watson offering tasty memories on the lake
The ice cream boat is the creation of Greg and Peggie Watson, Ashville residents who saw a need and filled it. Greg is a retired sheriff’s investigator, and Peggie works for the district attorney’s office.
“There really isn’t much on Henry Neely as far as food, etc., unless you go to Southside or Gadsden,” explained Greg. “We know it gets hot on the lake, and people need some relief. So, we decided to provide a unique and fun way to help them with ice cream. That’s where the ice cream boat idea came from.”
The boat’s 11-foot ice cream flag is hard to miss. So is the ice cream truck song that plays continuously. Boaters and those on dockside have been lining up for a tasty respite from the summer heat.
“People on the docks can hear us coming,” Greg said. “We have met some really great people. We had some people that actually messaged and asked for our location this last weekend. We were near Southside. They came from all the way from Ragland Dam and tracked us down.
“They said they wanted the ice cream and were looking for us all day. They also had a furry friend with them that devoured the pup cup ice cream from us.”
Hershey ice cream is the main provider for their ice cream. They use real cream. “So, the taste is by far the best out of all the ice cream in my opinion,” Greg noted. “We do have another vendor where we get some of the specialty ice cream like Batman, Tweety Bird, and Kung Fu panda. So, it’s the people’s choice on what they want. The funny part is that more adults than kids want the ice cream.”
Meanwhile, Coosa Landing’s new pedal boats are getting quite a workout as are the people who power them. Each boat fits up to five people, and they pedal their way to fun in the sun on the water.
“We are excited to offer families and friends something fun and safe to do together this summer while enjoying the great outdoors in Gadsden,” said Mayor Craig Ford.
You can rent the boats at Coosa Landing bait shop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You must be at least 18 years old and provide identification. Life jackets are required, and the city has some available. The rental fee is $20 up to one hour. For more hours, it costs $15 after the initial $20.
St. Clair County Farmers Market in Pell City is a growers’ market, meaning it is grown locally. The market itself has grown locally, too, necessitating a move to Lakeside Park this year.
The market moved from the Avondale Walking Track to Lakeside Park in the parking lot by the boat launch. The market got underway June 5 and will be open each Wednesday, weather permitting, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the summer.
Veggie Bucks for the kids are back thanks to community sponsors. Children ages 5-12 can come by the St. Clair County Extension tent to receive a $3 voucher to spend on the fruits or vegetables of their choice.
St. Clair County Farmers Market is an effort by the St. Clair County Extension Service.
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin can be a tricky lake during the months of July and August. However, these two months are still great times to fish if you know where to look.
Specifically talking about July, there are still plenty of offshore fish to be found. Fish may be in offshore brush piles or actual schools.
If you find schools of fish, they tend to move around a lot this time of year, so you may have to play chase with them! You must keep an open mind and use your electronics to stay on them.
The schools may move from where you previously found them, but they will usually stay within eyesight of where they were. Once I’ve found a school, I will typically try to catch the active ones first. Usually, the biggest in the school will eat first.
My first bait of choice always is a deep diving crankbait. The reason the crankbait is always a good first choice is it allows you to get back into a school more quickly if the fish choose to bite.
If the school doesn’t seem to want to bite, or maybe there’s a lack of current in the system, I will reach for either a flutter spoon or a hair jig. These two baits are a little more subtle than the crankbait and will trigger bites if the fish are not as active.
Transitioning into the month of August, for me, brush piles and docks start to play a major role in catching bass. Once the schools start to break up after being pressured all summer long from being fished on hard, these fish will usually branch off and start getting in brush more heavily.
My favorite depth to target these fish is in anywhere from 10 to 15 feet of water. A couple of baits you might want to try are a crankbait or a finesse jig. Traditionally, I let the fish tell me what they want.
If you have a low pressure day (during the week), usually they’ll be more in the mood to chase the crankbait down and eat. On the other hand, the jig is a lot better option if it is slick calm, sunny and a lot of boat traffic.
Give these tips a try during the hottest part of the year, and you might find the dog days of summer are not so bad after all.
Neely Henry Lake
Neely Henry has always been a good summertime lake in years past for me. Anglers can catch fish from a foot of water all the way out to 20 feet of water.
My better than average size fish will come shallow, especially early in the morning. I will usually target the area from the Highway 77 bridge section down.
Early in the morning, I will always start with either a hollow body frog or swim jig, trying to cover as much water as possible. This allows me to pick off those active fish in the lower light.
I will either look for willow grass or seawalls on the main river to start with. If there is plentiful cloud cover, I will stay shallow either a lot longer or all day if the fish are still showing activity.
If the sun does decide to show up, that’s when I’ll move a little deeper. Typically, in July, there will still be schools of fish to be found. These schools can be found on roadbeds, long points and ledges.
Generally, my first cast in these schools – just like Logan Martin – will be a crankbait. Once the school shuts down, I will play cleanup with either a jig or a drop shot.
Once August rolls around, I will still have the same morning routine as July. The only difference is that I will start mixing in a lot more dock fishing. The reason being, much like Logan Martin, the schools break up from either pressure or maybe even lack of oxygen out deep if there hasn’t been any rain.
I will keep my bait selection pretty simple. I start out with either a finesse jig or Texas rigged senko. These two baits will get a bite no matter what the conditions might be.
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.
If you have plans scheduled for June 1, you might want to reconsider them. That date is reserved for Pell City’s largest event of the year – Hometown Block Party.
Taking place from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. in historic downtown Pell City, this annual event is expected to draw around 18,000 people from Pell City and surrounding areas.
Organized by the Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce, the Hometown Block Party serves as a platform to showcase local businesses and highlight the talents of local artisans, musicians, craftsmen and more.
Crowds gather for live entertainment and fun for the whole family
According to Chamber Director Urainah Gladwell, the 2024 edition of the event will feature over 100 vendors offering an array of items, including T-shirts, candy, tumblers, local art, furniture, home decor, jewelry and more.
Local restaurants and chefs will have delicious food and drink items for sale, too.
Several nonprofit organizations will man booths at the event to share information, raise funds, and give away fun prizes. It is seen as an opportunity for the community to learn about the different nonprofits in the area and gain insight into the services they provide.
“The Pell City Hometown Block Party was actually started in 1999” as a class project of Leadership Pell City, the forerunner to Leadership St. Clair. “So, this is our 25th year hosting this event, and it has continued to grow over the years,” said Glidewell. “People of all ages can find something they enjoy at the block party.”
The block party’s mission is a basic one. “We simply want to bring people together for a great time,” she said. This free outdoor festival is an ideal setting for people to enjoy live music, connect with neighbors, and take pride in the community.
Downtown streets are closed to vehicle traffic, opening the entire area up for this year’s festivities, which boast four music stages featuring a variety of music: rock, country, R&B and a “Homegrown” stage featuring local schools and church groups. Bands play on stages strategically set at downtown intersections around the courthouse square, city hall and Cogswell Avenue.
There will also be a separate kids’ area complete with carnival rides and games. “Foam Zone Parties of Odenville was a big hit at last year’s event. All the kids, and the parents, had a blast,” Glidewell said. Reflecting on last year’s success, she added, “We are hoping they will come back again this year.”
Confirmed food vendors include The Main Squeeze, Q&A Concessions, Down South Catering and several others.
And don’t worry, the fun isn’t just reserved for the kids. There are plenty of entertaining activities lined up for adults, too. “This event is for everyone,” Glidewell noted.
Back by popular demand, the Hometown Block Party’s car show will make its grand return for this year’s festivities. It will feature an impressive lineup of over 80 vehicles.
“I love seeing how much joy this event brings to our community,” Glidewell said. “Everywhere you look, people are having fun, smiling, interacting, and in line to get some delicious treats. Everyone looks happy.”
Vendor applications are still being accepted until May 20. Those interested can visit www.pellcitychamber.com for a vendor application. The deadline for vendor applications for early bird pricing ($50) is May 12. May 13-20, the price will be $75 for a booth.
With the opening in April of Alabama Cancer Care’s new 10,000-square-foot facility overlooking the Coosa River, Gadsden is expanding its healthcare footprint in northeast Alabama.
One of the things that makes Gadsden unique for a city its size, is that it’s home to two full-service hospitals – Gadsden Regional Medical Center and Riverview Regional Medical Center – as well as Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. The city appears to be following the lead of neighboring Birmingham, transitioning in part from a “smokestack economy” to one propelled by the service sector.
It will still recruit manufacturing firms, but leaders are diversifying. “We’ve not abandoned continuing to recruit for manufacturing, we’ve just broadened our scope,” said David Hooks, director of the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority.”
Hooks, former executive director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs under then-Gov. Jim Folsom, Jr., said Gadsden is becoming a major health care hub serving northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia.
“I thought it was imperative that we capitalize, not only on keeping those hospitals open, but growing them and adding health care services with them. The cancer centers is one of the first indications of our doing that,” Hooks said.
The push to expand Gadsden’s health care offerings are part of an effort to build a diverse economy, driven by tourism, recreation, health care and industrial growth. The city is also fast becoming a sports and cultural center. City officials hope to transform one-day visits to three-day stays.
“The City of Gadsden has traditionally been viewed as an industrial city,” Hooks said. “As we now move into the 21st century, we are looking to broaden our economic base and become a destination city.”
The $6.5 million center means that residents in a 10-county region won’t have to travel to Birmingham for treatment.
Mayor Craig Ford at the grand opening
In fact, when he became the IDA director in 2019, he targeted the health care sector as a major component of the area’s economic development drive.
“One of the first things we did was look at the target markets that we had in place and looked at where we should be expanding, and we added two (sectors). We added food and farming, and we added health care.
“Health care has been the fastest growing industrial sector of the last 20 years, and it will continue to be the fastest growing industrial sector for the next 20 years,” Hooks said.
“We have a major health care community in the area; we’re a regional health hub, and there’s no reason for us not to continue to develop that growth,” Hooks said.
Mayor Craig Ford agreed.
“We are constantly looking for ways to grow (health care) in Gadsden and recruit companies that offer different types of services and treatments,” Ford said. “Look at Birmingham and what a great job they have done with UAB and how that complex has really grown that area of the city.”
Gadsden City Council President Kent Back said that while Gadsden Regional offers cancer care, Alabama Cancer Center’s market research shows a need for another cancer care facility.
Back believes the natural beauty of the Coosa riverfront will lift the spirits of patients during their treatments.
“I think that’s going to be a game changer,” Back said. “Most cancer treatment facilities don’t have that kind of amenity. This company has a history. They’ve been successful.”
Studies in Europe and in the United States show that cancer patients who are treated closer to home can have more positive outcomes. Area residents won’t face the travel and parking hassles of a trek to Birmingham.
“If you live in Ider, for example, Birmingham can be pretty intimidating to travel and navigate and park,” Back said. “They’d rather come to Gadsden and get treatment.”
The new center is located on the old National Guard Armory site in an agreement forged during the administration of then-Mayor Sherman Guyton.
Kim Clebine, Bobbie Martin and Justin Steinman show off a stereotatic radiation therapy linear particle accelerator
Current Mayor Craig Ford said Gadsden was selected as the home for the new, full-service oncology center because of its location. Some 16 new jobs will be created.
The new facility will help the city and county maintain its health care presence to serve Gadsden and the surrounding counties, Hooks said.
“The particular services that this facility will render will allow people that are currently driving out of the county for these services to Birmingham and other areas, to be able to stay close to home and receive the appropriate care that they need here in Etowah County.”
With its proximity to a hospital and to the burgeoning riverfront entertainment district, the growing healthcare facility can fuel Gadsden’s economic growth, both on the Coosa and downtown.
“If you look at what happened in Birmingham with UAB and the resurrection of the southside of Birmingham, Birmingham’s growth has been driven by health care services. I think you can see Gadsden’s economy driven by the health care sector around that facility as well,” Hooks said.
“Gadsden has a similar economic base to what Birmingham used to be, just smaller,” he added. “I think there’s a lot to be learned from that. I think there’s an opportunity for us to redevelop downtown. I think Gadsden has an opportunity to be the gateway to all of northeast Alabama.”
The impact will not be just be felt in Alabama, but reach into Georgia as well. Gadsden has the impetus to improve its services and grow its opportunities, Hooks said.
“We, as a city, need to continue to improve our services, broaden our services and give people a reason to drive in this direction.”
There’s nothing quite like a warm summer day by the water, and as far as Terry and Cheri Grabany are concerned, the warmer the better. In fact, 900 degrees is just about perfect – for making dinner in their lakeside pizza oven, that is.
Terry built the wood-fired oven by the water’s edge of their Logan Martin Lake home about seven years ago, and since then, feeding family and friends has been as easy as (pizza) pie.
“Pizzas are just so quick and easy to do,” Terry said. “I buy all the stuff, and everyone makes their own,” Cheri added. They’ve tried just about every topping combination over the years, and whether it’s brisket and veggies, Canadian bacon and pineapple, or just lots of cheese (their grandchildren’s favorite), every version has offered a slice or two of heaven.
“There’s nothing better,” Cheri said. So, what exactly makes it so good? In addition to enjoying the mouthwatering meal, “you get to be out here and see all of this,” Terry said, gesturing at the sunlight bouncing off the water and the trees and flowers dotting the shoreline. “It’s just beautiful.”
Fresh from the oven
Everything about their move to the lake in 2015 has been beautiful, in fact. Although they bought the lot and the single-wide mobile home that was on it at the time as a weekend retreat, it wasn’t long before the lure of full-time lake life became too strong to ignore. They made the move in 2021 before building their 3-bedroom, 2 bath cottage in 2022.
Since then, the lazy days of summer – and fall, winter and spring – have meant lots of time with family and friends. The focus is on food and fun, which is where Terry’s construction expertise has come in handy.
He’s worked in equipment maintenance for the City of Hoover for the past 24 years, and his building skills have served him well when it comes to the mechanics of making food for a crowd. He’s built everything from a 20-foot barbecue trailer used for Hoover’s Pig Iron BBQ Challenge and SEC baseball tournaments to a 12-foot oven used to make giant apple pies for the city’s annual Celebrate Hoover Day.
That’s why, when the Grabanys’ daughters asked Terry if he could make a pizza oven, his reply was a simple, “I guess.” He did his homework first, researching fireproof bricks and mortar and the best way to build the outdoor oven. “Most of the time when the girls ask, I make it happen,” he said.
The pizza oven gives Cheri and Terry one more option when entertaining. In addition to the kitchen, where Cheri handles the meal prep and sides, Terry built a barbecue trailer of his own. They’ve got two smokers, a grill big enough to cook 50 hamburgers at a time, and a boiler they use to make Cajun dishes.
“We feed people here,” Cheri said with a laugh. “It’s an all-day thing,” Terry added. “Whatever anyone wants, we’ll cook it. We’ll have barbecue for lunch and then fire up the pizza oven and put barbecue on pizzas that night.” S’mores, which they have discovered are even more ooey and gooey when cooked in the pizza oven, are the perfect end to lots of perfect lake days.
Meant to be
Owning a home on the water was always part of their future plans, but about 10 years ago, Terry decided he didn’t want to wait. Although the couple lived in Hayden, he started looking at properties on Logan Martin, where Cheri’s brother’s family and other friends and relatives live and where their daughter and son-in-law, Lindsey and William Weller, have since bought a home.
“It was always a retirement dream,” Terry said of buying a lake home. “I was raised on the Warrior River, and I always wanted to come back to the water.”
In 2015, Terry spotted a house near Stemley Bridge on Craigslist, but when he called about it, the owners said they already had an offer. The Grabanys asked to see it anyway, and they fell in love with the view. “I sat down in the swing (that is still on their pier) and looked out over the water and said, ‘I can do this,’” Cheri remembers.
The folks who had made an offer on the home missed the deadline, so the owners asked Terry and Cheri if they wanted it. “We wrote it up on a legal pad and a handshake,” he said.
“We just knew it was going to work out,” Cheri said. The house number was the same as their home in Hayden, where they’d raised Lindsey and her sister, Cory. And the cost of the house was just 97 cents more than the amount they had available from financing and the savings they planned to use.
In addition, when Cory told a friend from work about the house her parents bought, the friend realized that it used to be her family’s home. “We just knew God had his hand all over this,” Cheri said.
The Lord also provided a peaceful place for her to heal. Less than six months after buying their lakeside retreat, Cheri was diagnosed with colon cancer. A month later, she had a melanoma removed, and the next year doctors discovered she had a brain tumor.
Despite the three diagnoses, Cheri is cancer-free today and is grateful for all she survived. “Terry always says, ‘I wish it had been me,’ but I tell him I’m glad it wasn’t,’” she said. “He’s not a talker, and he wouldn’t go up and tell people everything that God did like I do.”
Details matter
The lake provided the perfect balm during the healing process and became a refuge during the COVID pandemic. In 2021, after Cheri retired from her bookkeeping job at Hayden Elementary School, they began thinking about moving to the lake full-time.
The decision got a lot easier to make in March of that year when “someone came and knocked on the door of our house in Hayden and asked if we were interested in selling,” Cheri said. “God had his hand in that, too.”
Terry’s prowess as sketch artist seen in Saban portrait
Not long after moving into the mobile home, “we had some pretty bad weather,” she said. “We had trees cracking all around us and I told him if I was going to stay here, I was going to need a house.”
Once they decided on a floorplan and some of the finishing touches, Terry, a pencil portrait artist, drew up the very detailed house plans. “I’ve drawn all my life,” he said, estimating that the portraits, which almost look like black and white photographs, take about 30 to 40 hours to complete. “I’ve just never had a designated space to draw.”
He does now, after recently finishing the attic space that includes a drawing nook by the window. The room, which has a ping pong table, television set and plenty of toys, gets lots of use when Cory and her husband, Caleb Townsend, and their children, Cora Jane and Case, head to the lake from their Gardendale home. “We’re trying to get them to move to the lake, too,” Cheri said.
Although Terry has created portraits of celebrities including Nick Saban, Lucille Ball and Adele, his favorite is the one he drew of Case. While Cheri loves that one, as well, she’ll always have a soft spot in her heart for the drawing of two puppies in a basket. “He gave that to me when we were dating. Actually, we had broken up, and he used that to woo me back,” she said with a laugh.
Special touches
While Cheri and Terry’s house is newly built, it’s filled with family memories and personal touches. Terry made the metal and wooden entry table that holds family photos and a 200-year-old vase that was Cheri great-great-grandmother’s.
A clock her great-grandmother received as a wedding present in 1906 has a prominent place in the guest room, and the images of two little girls that Cheri’s mother cross-stitched for Lindsey and Cory hang over twin beds in another.
Terry made the mantles for the fireplaces in the great room and on the screened porch, which both have an amazing view of the water. And the pizza oven and fireplace were made from stone that was at their Hayden home.
Although they both commute to work – Cheri now works at B&A Warehouse in Birmingham – they agree that making their retirement dream come true a little earlier than planned has been well worth it.
“I love being at the lake,” Terry said. “When you get home from work, it’s just so relaxing. It’s an instant calm when you walk out and see the water.”
Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza crust or dough
Pizza sauce
Cheese
Favorite toppings, including pepperoni, barbecue, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, ham, pineapple, brisket, etc.
Directions: After a lot of trial and error, and in keeping with their laid-back lake lifestyle, the Grabanys have learned to keep things simple and use pre-made pizza crust and sauce. They provide a variety of toppings and let guests go crazy while creating their own pies. The pizzas bake about 10 minutes, and Terry uses a paddle to lift the pizza to the top of the oven at the end to ensure the cheese is melted well.
Barbecue Ribs
Barbecue Rub Ingredients:
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cocoa
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup apple juice
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Ribs:
French’s yellow mustard
Parkay Squeeze
Apple juice
Brown sugar
Directions: Rub ribs on both sides with mustard and barbecue rub. Smoke for 3 hours on open smoke. (Terry uses peach wood, apple wood or pecan wood.) Put ribs in foil, add Parkay squeeze, sprinkle with brown sugar, and add a little honey and apple juice. Wrap ribs and smoke two more hours. Remove foil and smoke ribs an additional hour. Brush on barbecue sauce and enjoy!
