TOURISM – LakeLife 24/7 Magazine

Restock Alabama

Working to preserve our lakes and their legacy for generations

Story by Paul South
Submitted Photos

For anyone who’s ever wet a line on the Coosa, landing a big bass is the dream. The odds for hooking a trophy fish will improve in a few years, thanks to the work of local boat dealers, private businesses and Auburn University in an initiative called Restock Alabama. Some 50,000 Northern Strain largemouth bass have been added to the fish population.

Lee Holmes, whose family has owned Sylacauga Marine for 64 years, spearheaded the initiative.

Restock Alabama began its work three years ago at Sylacauga Marine, where the Holmes family, several avid anglers and Auburn researchers began to talk about how to improve fishing on the river and its companion lakes.

“We really thought we should be working toward making our lakes better,” Holmes said. “We’re not saying that the lakes aren’t good right now, because they are some of the best in the world. We just want to make them better than they are.”

For Holmes and that core group, it was about more than boosting the fish population. It’s about sustainability for future generations.

The Holmes family may have the oldest marine dealership in the South, he said. “We’re all getting older,” said the 63-year-old Holmes. “We’ve all got kids, and we’ve all got . grandkids. “We just want (businesses and the high quality of life on the river) to continue. We just want to run businesses and continue to make money off the Coosa River; tournaments and people just going fishing and having fun catching fish. Just to sustain the Coosa to do what it has done for us over my lifetime.”

Tournament anglers helped lead the Restock Alabama charge.

“As tournament fishermen, we knew we could do better at taking care of our fish, that we could do better sustaining the lake by doing some restocking,” Holmes said.

The anglers and boat dealers teamed up with the Alabama Department of Natural Resources and Phil Boozer at America’s First Credit Union to start. America’s First contributed $5,000 in seed money for the five-year Logan Martin Lake restocking project.

“If you do it five (years), our biologist said you make a big difference,” Holmes said. “If you do it one, you don’t know if you’re making much of a difference or not.”

According to its website (restockalabama.com), the organization is a “community-driven nonprofit focusing on restocking bass in Alabama waters. The Coosa is first on the organization’s agenda. But long term, Restock wants to build bass populations in all of the state’s waterways with a long-term goal of creating a statewide network of restoration efforts.

“This isn’t about one business or one person,” according to the website. “This is about the entire community coming together to protect what we love – our waters, our fish and our future.”

Restock Alabama has no paid employees. Every dollar raised goes to the restocking effort. The organization works with certified fisheries and marine biologists to ensure safe and effective fish population building practices.

In year one, the project released 20,000 fish at a cost of about $17,000, all donated by the original core group.

“Nobody has taken one dollar of Restock money and spent it for anything other than a fish,” Holmes said. “That’s all we spend it on. Every dollar buys a fish”

Other boat dealers – the Lumpkin family at Buck’s Island Marine, Ken Hollis at Airport Marine and Steve Navarre at Wetumpka Marine Electronics – joined the Holmes family effort, along with White River Marine Group and every tournament trail in Alabama to support Restock. Now at tournaments on the trails, each team contributes $10 for Restock at every tournament.

For Holmes, it was an easy sell.

“That worked. All those guys wanted to do it. I did not have to argue with a single one. Now, every tournament trail you can think of in Alabama is collecting that $10 per team for Restock at every tournament.”

High school tournament trails soon followed suit, collecting $5 per team. Now, tournament trails from above Birmingham to south of Montgomery contribute to Restock Alabama.

Major boat brands, Ranger, Triton and Nitro have also joined the effort, contributing $10,000. America’s First has continued to make annual contributions. This year, the organization has raised $45,000.

“We doubled our fish that we were able to put into the lake this year, and we’ll do it again next year,” Holmes said. “That got us up from 20,000 fish to 50,000 in year two. Next year, we’ll do 100,000 fish. American Sport Fish and Auburn contributed fish and expertise.

American Sport Fish, a hatchery that provided the minnows, also made a donation, contributing $11,000 worth of free fish, Holmes said. The company’s hatcheries are located in Alabama and Texas and is one of the largest producers of freshwater fish in the Southeast.

“They’re guiding us down the path of what we should be doing,” Holmes said of American Sport Fish and Auburn University. “That’s why we put in Northern Strain Largemouth.”

Unlike Florida Strain Largemouth, the Northern Strain bass grow faster and thrive in colder waters. Reaching a maximum weight of six to 10 pounds, the fish are aggressive and can thrive in a wide range of habitat, making them a good fit for the Coosa and its lakes. Alabama’s rivers and lakes have long been home to the Northern Strain. There are advantages to hatchery-raised fish.

“It has a lot better genetics in it than one you can get out of the lake that was raised at the lake,” Holmes said. “These are raised to be five-star athletes … and to change Logan Martin into a five-star athlete fish lake.”

Restock Alabama has plans for the entire Coosa River.

“We’re going to do a fish release in conjunction with the City of Gadsden and the Coosa River Team Trail in the fall,” Holmes said. “We’re going to stock Neely Henry again in the fall. We don’t know the number of fish, or the amount of money yet, but we’re going to do a significant stocking there in the fall,” Holmes said.

Lay Lake is benefitting, too. “We’re going to do another one in conjunction with Airport Marine on Lay Lake in the fall. We’re just getting this thing started.”

Restock Alabama is drawing attention statewide. The nonprofit has been contacted by interested parties near the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and Huntsville-area lakes.

“This thing is exploding,” Holmes said.

Homes described the anticipated impact of the Restock Alabama effort. “I think it’s going to change the size that fish are weighing in. It may be three to four years before they start showing.”

Holmes hopes that one day, Logan Martin and other Alabama lakes will mirror Lay Lake, long regarded as the best bass fishing lake on the Coosa.

“To this day, Lay Lake is still the premier big fish lake on the Coosa River. It truly is,” Holmes said. “You’ve got to have at least 25 pounds to win a tournament down there. I think you will see Logan Martin go into that category when what we’re doing starts taking effect. It’s also going to give people a better opportunity to just catch fish.”

He added, “At worst, we fed all the fish that were in there – 50,000 minnows the other day – at best 30 to 40 percent of those minnows survive, and we’ve got way bigger numbers of our fish in the future. Either way, you won’t do anything but make it better.”

Beyond trophy fish and bass tournament titles, Restock Alabama is about preserving Alabama lakes and rivers for future generations – a legacy of love of the water and fishing.

Holmes remembers the first fish he ever caught while crappie fishing with his Dad on the Coosa. “I never let go of the pole. I’ve tournament fished all my life. I’ve play-fished all my life. Most of my life, I was on the Coosa River. We just all love the Coosa. My family has made a living on it.

“I just don’t want it to end after I’m gone. I want it here for my son to enjoy and my grandson to enjoy. I want everyone to continue to do what we’ve always done.” l

Editor’s Note: For more information, or to donate to Restock Alabama, visit restockalabama.com.

Ohatchee in the spotlight

Visit Calhoun County video series highlights water, history and regional tourism

Ohatchee’s story begins with the water.

That’s the message behind a new Calhoun County Tourism video highlighting the town, its history and its connection to Neely Henry Lake as part of a broader effort to promote communities across the region and state.

Cher Dulaney, Calhoun County tourism director, said the video is part of a series that began in January with aim of exploring the county and sharing those experiences with anyone interested in this part of Alabama..

“We started a series to explore Calhoun County as a whole,” she said.

The Ohatchee video was released just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, timed to the start of summer and built in large part around Neely Henry.

“Neely Henry is a huge asset to the city of Ohatchee,” Dulaney said.

The video, produced by Simply Data Marketing, includes footage shot by boat and drone, with scenes of the lake, dam and areas around Ohatchee. Dulaney was on the shoot with the marketing team. Thomas Shelton, who has an Alfa Insurance Agency in historic downtown Oxford, provided the boat and helped make the lake footage possible.

Shelton also has been active in efforts to bring fishing tournament activity into Calhoun County and the surrounding region and is an avid angler himself.

Dulaney said you have to take a big-picture approach to promoting the lake and the area because lake business does not stop at city or county lines.

The same is true, she said, for other regional draws, including Cheaha State Park and Talladega Superspeedway. Visitors may come for one destination, but their trip often includes hotels, restaurants, gas, groceries and shopping in nearby communities.

For Ohatchee and surrounding communities, the lake has that same kind of spillover impact. People headed to the water may stop in Alexandria, Anniston, Oxford or along the Highway 431 corridor before spending time on Neely Henry.

“It has an economic impact when people are coming in and preparing for their day or weekend on the water,” she said.

Dulaney said the videos are being produced for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, where travelers increasingly find ideas for day trips and weekend plans. The county also is working through a website redesign, with plans to make the videos available there for people who are not on every social media platform.

The goal, she said, is not only to reach visitors but also to remind residents what is available close to home.

“Sometimes you’re going through your daily life and you don’t really see what we have,” Dulaney said.

That awareness effort extends beyond Ohatchee. Dulaney pointed to Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Choccolocco Creek, Lake Yahou at Ft. McClellan and other outdoor attractions as part of the local story.

“Our region as a whole is so outstanding, and every little pocket of our region has a little something different to offer,” she said.

For Calhoun County Tourism, the Ohatchee video is one more piece of that larger effort — showing the water, history and small-town character that make the community part of the region’s tourism draw. “Awareness is the main vision that we have,” Dulaney said, “to make sure we’re increasing the awareness of what makes these places so special throughout Calhoun County and the region.”

Follow Visit Calhoun County on facebook, Instagram & Tictok and check out their website at visitcalhouncounty.com

Meet Etowah County’s new tourism director

Anna Lindsey-Brown grew up on the family farm in Cherokee County near Centre. Cotton and soybeans were the staples of her formative learning in her early years, so when it was time to go to college, she naturally majored in what was familiar – Agribusiness.

After graduating from Auburn University, her career path began at the Little River Canyon Center in Ft. Payne. The director was looking for someone to run the newly created gift shop for the partnership between the National Park Service and Jacksonville State University.

The director chose her, and she helped build it into a $200,000 a year business that welcomes half a million visitors, wielding an economic impact of $16 million annually.

Recognizing the value of such experience, the Etowah County Tourism Board chose Lindsey-Brown to lead its tourism effort into the future. “A Northeast Alabama native with a strong background in tourism, events, and community engagement, Anna brings fresh energy and a passion for showcasing everything that makes Etowah County a premier destination,” the Board said in naming her executive director.

“I come from a tourist attraction,” Lindsey-Brown said, and she looks forward to putting her experience to work for Etowah County. While in school, she also served another tourist attraction – Jules Collins Smith Museum of Art in Auburn.

Because Greater Gadsden Tourism is a countywide role, she said, “you can make a bigger impact. There are a lot of things going on in Etowah County. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Her first weeks have been invested in getting to know the community by attending meetings, ribbon cuttings and local events while connecting with leaders, businesses and tourism partners across the county.

Highlights have included the grand openings of the Challenger Learning Center and The Bluff Amphitheater, as well as attending Arts Trail on Broad and many other community events.

As tourism continues its upward momentum across the region, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism is focused on “promoting our unique venues, excellent lodging partners, upcoming events, local shopping and dining and the incredible outdoor adventures that make Etowah County special.”

Lindsey-Brown agreed. “There is so much positive momentum happening across Etowah County,” she said. “I’m truly grateful for the warm welcome and excited to help continue telling the story of our communities.”

Coosa River Swim Guide

Jump into Swim Guide 2026! From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Coosa Riverkeeper and our team of Seasonal Employees take to the water to test popular swimming holes, so you can get the skinny before you dip!

What are we testing for? E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and more! We use a simple stoplight system so you know when is the best time to jump in! Green = low E. coli, yellow = moderate E. coli, red = high E. coli.

Swim Guide helps families and communities make informed decisions on where it is safe to swim, emphasizes the importance of clean water, and where we like to jump in for a swim! All of the data collected from this program is made free to the public all through the summer.

Check out our social media every Friday at noon to see the current status of over 40 swimming sites across the Coosa! We can’t wait to see you on the water!

Follow Coosa Riverkeeper on Facebook & Instagram @CoosaRiverkeeper
For more information, swim over to www.CoosaRiver.org.

Lakeside Live

Music festival and more returning to Logan Martin Lake

Story by Paul South
Photos by Strides Media

Tricked-out cars, tasty eats, talented artists, crafts artisans and red-hot local bands return to Lakeside Park this fall for the sixth annual Lakeside Live Musicfest, set for Sept. 19,

The free event that’s a can’t-miss fall festival in the Logan Martin area, also benefits local charities and celebrates veterans and local first responders.

Musicfest Executive Director Casey Cambron is pumped up for another great family-friendly event, which last year drew some 6,000 people, generating about $25,000 for local charities.

“Our goal every year is to donate at least $20,000 to at least one major charity,” Cambron said. “That’s always a goal.”

He added, “We’re going to help as many people as we can. Our goal is to give back to our community where we can have the most impact. We’re going to donate to multiple charities, of course. Last year we donated to nine organizations. Some were charities, some were organizations like (Pell City) Parks and Recreation to help with park upkeep.”

Battle of the Badges a fierce competition

The festival, put on by the nonprofit Five16 Foundation Cambron founded, helps veterans’ groups and child-focused charities as well.

Food and drink, apparel, arts and crafts will be available for sale. Admittance is free, thanks to the generous support of business sponsors, large and small, ranging from Keith Clements and Lakeside Boathouse, Rodney’s Marine and LakeLife 24/7, to committed small businesses like Reba’s Weiner Wagon.

As an aside, Reba’s enters a muscle car in the Lakeside Musicfest car show each year.

“Every time I walked in the door, whether it was a small sponsor or a big sponsor, they were in. The community supports it, and we could not have this show without it,” Cambron said. “All of them tied together makes it great.”

Music for every taste – from country to R&B to rock – will provide the backbeat for the festival. The gates open at 10 a.m.

Popular Birmingham-based band Deputy Five will be the headliner, covering tunes by country legends like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash to Southern rock, like Lynyrd Shynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama.

“We try to have music that hits all the genres that hits home for anybody who comes out,” Cambron said.

As for the festival’s annual car show, some 250 vehicles are expected. Not only does the competition reflect competitors’ pride in their cars and trucks, it also puts community pride on display. The Pell City High School wrestling team helps with logistics of the popular event within an event.

“I’m a car guy. I’ve hosted many, many car shows.” Cambron said. “The car scene really turns out for this event and really, really supports it big. That’s one of the coolest factors of it, seeing a lot of cool cars come out, whether it’s a lifted car or lifted truck, low cars or low trucks to classic cars. It’s all over the place. We raise a lot of money on just the car show side.”

Entry for the car show is $20 per vehicle. It’s a judged show, with 75 or more awards given to winners.

For Denise Olivastri, a member of the Foundation’s board of directors, it’s more than a fun event, it’s a celebration of giving back to the community, supporting local causes in Pell City and across St. Clair County.

“This is more than just a music festival,” she said. “Giving back feels great, because it connects us to something larger than ourselves, and we couldn’t achieve our mission and vision without our generous sponsors, donors, vendors and all (the people) that attend and support us every year.”

And in America’s 250^th year of independence, the festival represents the spirit of Pell City and St. Clair County, Cambron said. A big part of the festival, the annual “Battle of the Badges,” a good-natured competition between police and firefighters, helps build bonds with the community, Cambron said. “Usually in town, most people don’t get to know our police and fire department. It’s usually in a stressful situation. It’s fun to get to know our police and firefighters,” he said. “The people get to know first responders in a positive light.”

To celebrate the nation’s birthday at the same time makes it even more spcial. “As a group, we love our community so much. Two-fifty is a cool number for what we do. We love to support our police and fire departments. We love to support our veterans in the area, whether it’s a big year like this one or not. We really cherish what we have here.”

For Cambron, who’s hosted successful car shows across America, the festival says something about the magic of St. Clair County.

“I myself have been a lot more involved in our community with Chamber (of Commerce) events, with Rotary events, and I’ve started to see that Pell City and St. Clair County are unlike anywhere I’ve ever been,” he said. “Nothing has been as successful as the way I’ve done things in Pell City. I think that’s because in Pell City, there’s a different atmosphere. There’s a larger love for community here than I’ve ever seen anywhere else.”

Cambron defines the tremendous response. “Every year, we hope to have a good turnout, and every year we do. It doesn’t surprise us. It humbles us.”

The mission of Lakeside Musicfest and the Five16 Foundation is simply, “to shine a light in the world,” Cambron said.

The event brings “energy, excitement and hometown pride to Pell City and St. Clair County.” Referencing the mission, Olivastri added, “Events like ours shine a positive light in our city, in addition to generating tourism and encouraging economic activity. It’s a wonderful feeling to see the impact it has.”

Pedaling & paddling

Gadsden gives you more ways to enjoy Neely Henry Lake

Story by Paul South
Submitted Photos

Most days from his house on Neely Henry Lake, while sipping his morning coffee and reading his devotion, Dave Tumlin takes even more comfort in a familiar sight, his neighbors kayaking the glassy calm waters.

Later in the day when four pedal boats at Gadsden’s Coosa Landing – built in the likenesses of a duck, a dragon and two swans – are ready for passengers, Julie Tucker gets ready to smile.

On Neely Henry, there’s a new kayak launch at Coosa Landing, where pedal boats are already wildly popular, giving residents and visitors two more ways to chart a course for fun on the water.

Here’s a gander at each:

A New Kayak and Canoe Launch

For Tumlin, president of the Neely Henry Lake Association, it’s always wonderful at the lake.”

It’s even better when more people are provided with access like the new kayak/canoe launch that includes a new dock. The launch, built in partnership with the City of Gadsden and funded by a grant from the Alabama Scenic River Trail (ASRT) 2025 Waterway Enhancement Program, opened May 4. The ASRT sponsors the Great Alabama 650, America’s longest paddle boat race.

The new Neely Henry launch is the second kayak launch spearheaded by the NHLA. The first was built in 2024 in Rainbow City, a project also funded by a grant from the ASRT.

The launch is located at Coosa Landing, on the east Gadsden side of the Broad Street Bridge.

“There’s a big launching area there,” Tumlin said. “There are a lot of fishing tournaments that work out of that area, as well as people who just want to get out on the lake.”

The site also includes signage that includes QR codes that provide directions, as well as information about ASRT, localities and the NHLA. QR code users also have the opportunity to respond to a short survey and provide feedback.

“It’s really neat to be able to have that convenience now,” Tumlin said.

The NHLA got an unexpected blessing. When the supplier for construction materials learned the association was a non-profit, he gave a discount. The NHLA turned the unexpected windfall over to the City of Gadsden to help offset costs of the new dock at the launch, Tumlin said.

The new launch – and the pedal boats – give residents and visitors an opportunity to take to the water, something they otherwise might not be able to do, Tumlin said. The launch has a lift, making it easier to access the lake for people with disabilities or other mobility challenges.

“Kayaking is a growing sport,” Tumlin said. “The more people you can get out on this water, the better it is. It’s neat to see the paddling sports. It’s eco-friendly. It’s quiet … You’re so close to the water, the shoreline, if you want to be. You’re totally connected.”

Tumlin, a pontoon boat owner whose family has been part of the Neely Henry community since the 1960s, believes the new launch strikes a balance between protecting the environment while at the same time allowing greater access to the lake.

“It’s important to have people out there,” he said. “If you can’t afford a pontoon or any of that other (motorized watercraft), you can do this in a different way that’s less impactful. I love my pontoon … But it’s nice to shut that thing down and just float and get one with (nature). By paddling, that’s a much, much better way to do that.”

A pedal-powered menagerie at Coosa Landing

These ladies are from Ireland and chose to top in Coosa Landing to ride the pedal boats

For the second summer, Coosa Landing is featuring a mini-menagerie of animal-themed pedal boats. For Julie Tucker, administrative supervisor at Gadsden’s growing entertainment district, the small fleet is another source of fun for locals and visitors alike.

“The (boats) are on the same side slough as the kayak lift,” Tucker said. “It’s $20 an hour for the first hour and $15 for each additional hour,” Tucker said. Each boat seats five, but two pedal. Life jackets are required and are provided on site. The boats are available from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. At least one passenger must be 18 or older.

Weather plays a role in pedal boat availability. Winds have to be less than 10 miles per hour. There can be no lightning, thunder or storms in the area.

The boats may be moved to a side slough – on some fishing tournament Saturdays, if the event of an especially large competition. “So far, that hasn’t happened, Tucker said.

The boats were extremely popular in their first year. But powering the boats is “a lot of work,” Tucker said.

“I can’t tell you how many calls we get every day about the pedal boats,” she said. “They are a safe thing to do. We’ve never had one to turn over. For the most part, we have a lot of respect. When a (motorized craft) sees a pedal boat, they try to move away from them and leave them alone. They know it’s just a family having fun.”

The boats have rightly earned rave reviews.

“People see them; they love them. People will see them when they’re driving down the road and come in and say, ‘Hey, what have I gotta do?’ They’ll have fun.”

The pedal boats fit neatly into Gadsden’s plan to turn the city into a fun destination.

“The thing I’ve noticed about Mayor Ford is that he loves to see families have fun,” Tucker said. “He loves to bring in opportunities for families to have fun. He’s all about giving Gadsden something to do. You know, it’s exercise.”

She added, “People love to see these boats going up and down the lake and for Gadsden to have fun things going on.”

Children love the pedal boats. In fact, Tucker’s grandkids are big fans.

“There’s not a kid that comes through here that doesn’t want to ride the pedal boats,” Tucker said.

Tucker’s reward comes in the form of big, toothy grins, the same ones sparked by the ice rink, bumper cars and Christmas tree during Gadsden’s season, or the Lantern Festival at Noccalula Falls, for example.

“It’s almost like a Six Flags ride,” Tucker said. “(Pedal boat passengers) are tired. They’re hot. But they’re smiling. It’s something about being out on the water. It makes everything in your life seem a little bit less severe. That’s something I’ve noticed. There’s something about the water.”

Editor’s Note: For more information about Gadsden’s pedal boats, call 256-549-4677.

For more information about the Neely Henry Lake Association, visit neelyhenrylake.org, or call 256-368-5200.

In the Kitchen at The Shack

Barbecue with a side of family and heaping of love

Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Mackenzie Free

The Shack BBQ restaurant in Talladega has won lots of awards for its smoky, tender meat and fall-off-the-bone ribs. It’s earned rave reviews in magazines, newspapers, blogs and from the many celebrities who have dined there.

But the only thing that really matters to owners Sharon and Rickey Frieze is keeping their customers – some who have been coming to the restaurant for decades – well fed and happy. “I’m feeding the fourth generation of some families,” said Sharon, whose parents opened the barbecue joint on July 1, 1983.

“We just feel so good when we see people our age bringing their kids and grandkids and saying, ‘We won’t eat barbecue anywhere else,’” Rickey added. “That makes you feel good, and it’s why we’re staying.”

Located on Stemley Bridge Road, just minutes away from Logan Martin Lake, The Shack has become a staple for lake lovers as well as locals. “The water has really helped us,” Sharon said. Her husband agreed. “It’s a world of difference between winter and summer here. People quit coming to the lake in the winter,” he said.

Folks heading to the lake aren’t the only fans, though. They’ve served celebrities like Billy Ray Cyrus, members of The Temptations, David Arquette, Bobby Bowden, NASCAR drivers, a Seattle Seahawks player, and Donna Douglas, who was Elly May Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

They’ve got admirers in New York, Wisconsin, Texas and even France. One day Rickey heard a helicopter flying real low and went outside to investigate. “The thing landed on the grass across the street and two guys got out of it and came over here to eat,” Rickey said, shaking his head.

Sauce in their veins

It all started with a single Boston butt. Sharon’s parents, Haskell and Dot Hann, were looking for something to keep them busy after their four kids – Wayne, Sharon, Jeff and Shane – were grown. “My daddy sold cars, and my mama was going to sell minnows and fishing supplies, but they got bored. At least my mama did,” Sharon said.

A family friend, Cyril Fulmer, suggested they smoke a butt and sell it. That sounded like a good idea, they tried it, and people came back for more. They kept making barbecue, the crowds kept coming, and Haskell eventually built a restaurant out of railroad crossties that was known as “Hack’s Shack.” Not long after, he added a red antique caboose, which now serves as the restaurant’s kitchen.

“At first, all you could get was chips and a barbecue sandwich and that was it,” Sharon said. Haskell and Dot ran the restaurant, where all of the kids worked, until he passed away just over a year later at 53. Dot kept it going for six more years until Sharon and Rickey bought it in 1990. They’ve been running it ever since as The Shack BBQ. “Mom was still the head boss until she died in 1996,” Sharon said. “I just paid the bills. She was in charge.”

It’s still very much a family business. All of Sharon’s siblings continued to work at the restaurant for years, and each generation since then has come on board at some point.

“Every family member has been taught to cook – kids, nieces, nephews,” Sharon said, adding that even her niece’s 12-year-old twins help her pack up food and utensils for catering orders. “Somebody asked me where I get employees, and I say I grow ‘em,” she said.

She’s not lying. Their son, Michael, works full-time at the restaurant, and their daughter, Heather, works in a doctor’s office during the week but helps out at the restaurant on the weekends and holidays. “I made both of my children go to college and get an education,” she said. “This is a lot of hard work and dedication. That’s the secret.”

Employees who aren’t related by blood become family, as well, and some of their family members end up joining the crew. One employee, who works the front counter, was out back one day with her husband, who cuts wood for the restaurant. “I said, ‘We’re really busy, do you want to work,’” Sharon remembered. “We don’t have interviews. Either you fit in or you don’t.”

Barbecue, slaw, baked beans and ribs among Shack favorites

The ones that do stay a while. One of the cooks has been at The Shack for 35 years. One of the managers has been there for 40 of the restaurant’s 43 years, Sharon said. “We treat our employees well,” she said. “If they’re not family, they’re like family.”

Change is overrated

One thing that will never change is the way they cook their barbecue. “It’s all cooked out of hickory wood,” Rickey said. “We’ve been cooking here with hickory wood as long as I can remember. We stay with what we know works.”

Butts are smoked overnight for about 15 hours while the ribs are smoked for three or four. “A lot of things can change that,” Rickey said. “The temperature and how much wind there is changes how fast it cooks. You have to know what to look for and how to adjust.”

Customers can order their barbecue any way they like it. Some prefer the tender inside meat while others love the smoky flavor of the outside meat. Some want it chopped, which is always done by hand and not with a machine, while others prefer sliced. They also offer mild, hot, and sweet sauce

“Any way you want your meat, that’s how we’ll do it,” Rickey said. Sharon prefers hers straight out of the pit. “I eat my barbecue when we’re taking it off,” she said. “The scraps that stick to it are my favorite.”

What she doesn’t eat makes a good meal for the birds. “We’ve got a family of crows that love us,” Rickey said. “Everything that sticks to the pit we throw outside.”

While they’ll never change the way they make their barbecue, they have added some things to the menu over the past four decades. Burgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, chicken fingers and a barbecue stuffed baked potato have made their way into the lineup over the years.

Sides like coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, fries and onion rings are big hits, and those with a sweet tooth can choose between banana pudding and pecan pie. Customers can also order whole Boston butts, barbecue by the pound, and slabs of ribs.

While they’ve always had plenty of business to keep them going, there have been two times they worried about the future of The Shack. The first was about 27 years ago when a fire started in the wiring of a kitchen light fixture.

At the time, the kitchen had been a room off the back of the dining room – complete with red-checked tablecloths – and the old caboose was used for storage. While they were surveying the damage, “customers started coming in the same day,” Sharon said. “One of them said, ‘Does this mean I can’t get a barbecue?’ We still had the pits, we still had meat, so I made him a sandwich,” Sharon said.

The restaurant never closed. They turned the caboose into a functioning kitchen, sold take-out food through one of its windows and allowed guests to dine on picnic tables under the trees. It worked so well they’ve kept the caboose as a kitchen ever since and the original kitchen is now a storeroom.

COVID brought another challenge. “We were scared to death, but we got the word out that if you called in, we’d bring your food out to the car,” Rickey said. “People started calling in and calling in. It just blew our minds that people were so good to us.”

A side of laughter

You can’t run a family business, Sharon said, without a lot of laughter, and they have that in abundance. “We cut up all the time,” she said. “This is our life, so we always say, ‘If we die on a holiday, just put me to the side. We’ve got customers to take care of.”

It’s not just a family joke. Haskell passed away right around Labor Day, and the family held his funeral after the holiday. Her brother, Jeff, a volunteer firefighter was killed in a car wreck in 2016 when he left The Shack on the way to a call. He died at the end of June 2016, and his memorial service was July 5.

“That’s what they would have wanted because they loved this place,” Sharon said. “The day my brother died, he had just sat and figured out what we were going to cook for the Fourth. He said we were going to sell 90 slabs of ribs that day. He was right. We sold 90 slabs.”

Over the years, they’ve had offers to buy the place, and they’ve thought about selling but just couldn’t do it. “I’m afraid they’d change things, and it just wouldn’t be The Shack anymore,” Sharon said.

“I love this place,” she said. “It’s not just the food, it’s the history. I don’t care if I lose a million or make a million, I just love the people. We hope our children and other kin people are still running it and making great memories for the next 40 years.”.

Baked Beans

117-oz can Bush’s Baked Beans
1/2 cup ketchup
¼ cup mustard
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup barbecue sauce
¼ pound chopped Boston butt, inside and outside meat

Mix all ingredients and cook in slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours.

Coleslaw

Large head of cabbage, chopped
1 pack grated baby carrots
2-3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup dill pickle juice
1-2 cups mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well, chill, and store in a plastic bowl, not metal. Use it up by the next day

Coosa River Ramble

A fun day and a better future for our beloved river

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Bob Crisp

As each stroke of the paddle in the first ever Coosa River Ramble brought racers closer to the finish line, it pushed the Coosa River closer to a better future.

It was more than a race. It was a celebration of the Coosa River and the people working to keep it clean, healthy and thriving.

“It benefits our mission to protect the Coosa River and the communities that rely on it,” said Director of Community Engagement Abby Brown.

Logan Martin Lake and Lakeside Park became the destination point for about 60 racers from around the state and out-of-state for this new event to raise funds for Coosa Riverkeeper and its environmental efforts.

Kayakers and paddleboarders took to the waters just beyond the park’s beach, and it drew a cheering crowd of onlookers, fans and family. There were vendors and food trucks and prizes to give away. “It was a great time,” Brown said. “Tons of families came with the racers.”

Of course, it was June in Alabama, so “it was very, very hot, but a beautiful day,” she noted. In addition to cheering sections from the shoreline, residents cheered from docks up and down the race route.

The 24K course took paddlers to Coosa Island Marina and Towboat US and back, quite a trek racers were able to complete in about two hours. Winners captured titles in the 24K, 10K and 5K categories. The 5K and 10K versions were off the main channel near Lakeside Park. A 3K and 5K “fun float” used the same course without the pressure of competition.

The response to this inaugural event was “fantastic,” Brown said, noting that first responder volunteers and volunteers from Honda strengthened the community’s impressive show of support.

Butts to Go donated and served barbecue and trimmings for the racers and volunteers. Gift card prizes came from Dock’s and Daily Bagel. Sponsors and donors not only made the event possible, they helped make it a success story – financially and environmentally.

“We are so thankful for the community engagement,” Brown said. “We hope to continue to engage the paddler community again very soon.”

As part of its priorities, Coosa Riverkeeper patrols five lakes and dozens of creeks to identify and document pollution – and beauty – and keep abreast of what is going on in the river system.

It educates the public about the value of the Coosa River to its community, economy and environment.

Coosa Riverkeeper is a strong advocate for the river and the “thousands of families who rely on it for fun, food, and property value,” it maintains. “A river has a head and a mouth, but it does not have a voice to speak for itself in our classrooms, courtrooms, and town halls.”

That’s Coosa Riverkeeper’s job.

Editor’s Note: To learn more about Coosa Riverkeeper, go to: CoosaRiverkeeper.org.

Arts Trail on Broad

Gadsden museum finding new ways to promote art for generations to come

When Ray Wetzel was in high school in Hokes Bluff, there was no art program. But through encouragement and mentoring, he followed his passion into college and emerged with a Fine Arts degree in painting.

Now, as director of Gadsden Museum of Art, Wetzel wants to provide to young people opportunities he lacked early on by promoting the arts in new and innovative ways.

May 8-9, art will take center stage – or in this case, center street – as Arts Trail on Broad arrives for its inaugural event sponsored by Alabama Arts Trail, City of Gadsden and Gadsden Museum of Art.

The Arts Trail is a project of the Alabama Visual Arts Network which has been linking artists’ studios around the state for more than 60 years.

Arts Trail on Broad was “birthed” from the successes of Gadsden Arts Council’s Artoberfest in October in Alabama City, which seeks to bring arts to life around different arts organizations, such as music, dance and theatre.

Wetzel is a board member with Alabama Visual Arts Network and wanted to merge the idea with art as the centerpiece of a Broad Street event. It brings art groups to Gadsden in various mediums. There will be sculptures, murals, metal and iron works, painting and more with artist demonstrations up and down Broad Street.

Demonstrating artists will actively share their creative process with the public (for example: live painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, fiber, mixed media), while also having the opportunity to present and sell their work.

Friday’s events begin at 11 with demonstrations for high school students. The first leg of the two-day event is talking to young people – professional artists sharing their experiences, said Wetzel. “Art is a billion-dollar industry. It’s not a dead- end career. We want to encourage children to go into this field.”

Alabama Contemporary Art Center will bring “big name artists” to Gadsden, Wetzel said, heightening the draw of this new event.

True Colors, an Etowah County Schools art program for underserved students, will have an exhibition reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gadsden Museum of Art, and free music of all types will be performed throughout the weekend.

Entertainment is nonstop on Friday night.

Maypole performance by the Downtown Dance Conservatory (6 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Piano concert by Eden Brent (7 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Me & My Knife (8 p.m.) and
Quintron and Miss Pussycat (9 p.m.) on the street by the Gadsden Museum of Art

Live music will be performed by:

Sam and The Big Boys (6:30 p.m.)
Phantom Eye (7:30 p.m.)
The Laborers (8:30 p.m.)
Brotha Josh (9:30 p.m.)
The Golden Flakes (10:30 p.m.)

Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with a Mother’s Day Market with over 30 art vendors, Chompshop Cardboard Sculpture Contest and directed drawing workshops.

From 11-1, Jacksonville State University will offer portfolio reviews and critiques. And all day long will feature a bounce house and food trucks. l

Editor’s Note: Performance times are subject to change. Please visit this page for the latest show times: gadsdenmuseum.com/all-events

Spectacular summer for Logan Martin

Lineup of events keeps things hopping on the water

Story by Molly Gilbert
Submitted Photos

On Lake Logan Martin, summer isn’t just a season — it’s a feeling. It’s the hum of boat engines in the distance, the glow of late sunsets stretching across the water and the familiar sight of neighbors gathering in ways that feel both meaningful and effortless.

Some traditions are rooted in giving back, others in pure fun, but what they all share is a simple truth: life on the lake is best experienced together.

This summer, three standout events — the Riverside Poker Run, Dam Palooza and Christmas in July at Pier 59 — offer three very different ways to celebrate everything that makes this community special.

Riverside Poker Run: A Tradition Built on Community and Purpose

Now in its 17th year, the Riverside Poker Run has become a Father’s Day weekend tradition that feels as much like a family reunion as it does a fundraiser. Organized by the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO), the event began in 2008 as a creative way to raise funds—and has since grown into the organization’s largest annual effort to support projects that shape the heart of Riverside.

The poker run is a community event with plenty of neighbors getting in on the festivities

On the morning of the run, there’s a quiet buzz near Riverside Landing as boats begin to gather — pontoons loaded with families and friends, fishing boats easing into the current, jet skis darting between them. Participants pick up their $20 registration packets, complete with a map, poker chips and cards, then set off along a seven-stop route winding through the river.

Each dock along the way offers a chance to draw a card, but the experience is about far more than building a winning hand. This year, every stop is dressed in patriotic flair in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, turning the route into a floating celebration.

“My motivation to be involved with the Annual Poker Run is the camaraderie between the community and other RBO members,” said Michele Molstad, president of the organization. “It’s a fun and great example of teamwork.”

That camaraderie shows up in the smallest moments — volunteers greeting familiar faces, laughter echoing across the docks and the steady rhythm of boats pulling up one after another.

“When you’re working a dock sometimes it feels like the run is off to a slow start, but it is not long before a constant flow of boaters on everything from pontoons to fishing boats to jet skis are lined up to participate and draw their cards,” Molstad said. “Even if they don’t have the makings for a winning hand, they are out enjoying the day on the water!”

Back at Riverside Landing, the celebration continues with Bucks BBQ and Bait Shop, food trucks, live music, raffles and prizes — including everything from best poker hands to a good-natured worst-hand award.

But the real impact runs deeper. Funds raised have helped build playgrounds, improve trails and enhance native habitats. This year’s event also marks the final push in a multi-year riverbank restoration project, with just 40 feet left to complete and a final $6,000 goal in sight.

“Every year I’m surprised with the turn out,” Molstad said. “We have had boaters from Lincoln, Talladega, Pell City and visitors from even further out-of-town spending the day with family and friends on the lake. Our mayor, Rusty Jessup, gets involved and announces the winners from the Riverside Landing each year. The poker run fundraising goes a long way in our Riverside community.”

Set for Saturday, June 20 (rain date June 27), the Riverside Poker Run is more than a day on the water—it’s a chance to be part of something that lasts long after the boats head home.

For more information, visit the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO) Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/riversidebeautificationorganization.

For more information about sponsoring or volunteering, contact RBO Vice President Stephanie Irwin at 205-821-8168. Riverside Poker Run registration will be from 4 – 7 p.m. Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All poker hands must be turned into the RBO staff by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Awards will be announced shortly after.

Dam Palooza: A Floating Celebration of Summer

If the Riverside Poker Run is about the journey, Dam Palooza is all about the gathering.

On June 27, boats from across Lake Logan Martin will make their way toward the dam, tying up side by side to form what has become one of the lake’s most anticipated summer traditions.

Boats line up and create safe area for swimmers

“You meet new people each year,” said organizer Kelly Collar. “It’s a fun annual event that’s become a tradition for decades. Something a little different from everyday lake life. Everyone looks forward to it.”

From the water, the scene feels almost like a neighborhood block party — just one that happens to float. Friends move easily between boats, kids splash in designated swim areas, and groups settle in for a full day under the sun. It’s the kind of event where familiar faces return year after year, but new friendships are just as much a part of the experience.

“It’s gotten bigger and bigger,” Collar said. “Last year was our biggest one — the most boats of any year and the most people. Last year was absolutely perfect, and therefore this year is going to be even better!”

Part of that growth comes from a few thoughtful additions that build on what people already love. Sponsors, including The Tiki Hut, ABC Towing and A+ Tire & Repair, are helping elevate the experience, while still keeping it free and community-driven.

“In past years, it’s been like 100 boats playing different music,” Collar said. “So the idea of one band and one source of music has been really exciting.”

After introducing a live band for the first time last year — hosted atop a houseboat provided by The Tiki Hut — organizers are building on that momentum. This year, the goal is to place the band on a floating stage right in the center of the tied-up boats, where everyone can gather a little closer and feel like part of the same crowd.

Even as the event grows, organizers are intentional about keeping the atmosphere welcoming for everyone. Designated swim areas, along with posted tips and guidelines on the event’s Facebook page, help ensure that the day stays both fun and safe.

“We definitely want people to know that it’s always kid-friendly. Dam Palooza is for everybody,” Collar said. “We’ve seen little children to grandparents. It just seems like everybody is having a good time. It’s always safety first.”

By the time the sun begins to dip, and boats slowly start to untie, what lingers most isn’t just the music or the size of the crowd — it’s the connections made along the way.

For more information, visit the Lake Logan Martin Dam Palooza Boat Tie Up Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LakeLoganMartinDamPalooza. Stop by The Tiki Hut to purchase a limited edition commemorative t-shirts for the 13th Annual Dam Palooza.

Christmas in July at Pier 59: Giving Back, Lake-Style

Later in the summer, the tone shifts — but the sense of community only grows stronger.

On July 11, Pier 59 will host its 17th annual Christmas in July celebration, an event that blends festive fun with a deeply meaningful tradition of supporting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB).

The Christmas in July Committee has a passion for supporting AIDB’s work. Each year, the event raises funds to provide Christmas gifts for approximately 350-400 students, many of whom might otherwise go without. With an estimated goal of $300 per child, the impact is both tangible and deeply felt.

Christmas in July is a team effort that brings the community together for a good cause

On the morning of the fundraiser, hit the water for a boat poker run that begins and ends at Pier 59. The live auction will follow and feature everything from handmade items created by AIDB students to vacation getaways, jewelry and sports memorabilia. Raffle tickets for a $10,000 cash prize and Boston butts are pre-sold to also help support the cause. There’s a sense of celebration in the air — equal parts festive and heartfelt.

For Magan Cline, being part of Christmas in July is all about the team behind it. After attending for several years and volunteering last year, she now helps as part of the committee, working alongside others to create a night that gives back in a big way.

“Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I love AIDB’s mission. It’s really like an eat, drink and be merry situation,” Cline said. “It’s super special to be a part of. I’ve toured AIDB and seen how much they do for these kids. It’s a great way for people to give back to the kids and help them as well.”

It’s that blend of joy and generosity that makes Christmas in July stand out. In a place where community already runs strong, it offers a chance to turn that connection into something meaningful for others.

For more information, contact: Magan Cline mmkcline@gmail.com or Becky Watson at 256-761-3318.

Celebrating Community

Taken together, these three events paint a picture of what summer on Lake Logan Martin is all about.

It’s early mornings launching boats and long afternoons drifting between friends. It’s laughter at a dock stop, music echoing across the water and neighbors showing up — again and again — for something bigger than themselves.

Whether you’re playing a hand in Riverside, tying up at the dam or bidding on items at Pier 59, each event offers its own way to step into the rhythm of the lake. And in doing so, you become part of the story that keeps this community coming back, year after year.

Because here, the best days aren’t just spent on the water — they’re shared.