FCCLA to host talent show

Betty Hayes

Originally published 10:49 p.m., November 12, 2008
Updated 10:49 p.m., November 12, 2008

Happy birthday today to the best son-in-law in the world, William Ira (“Pete”) Peters IV, who lives next door to us. He’s been a part of our family for 20 years and we are grateful for every year! Most of you know our Pete, who has settled his roots into Dadeville for the past 10 years as though he was born here. We’re blessed that our daughter and son-in-law moved from Miami to live next door to us a decade ago. Their daughter Lauren Peters lives there also, when she’s not in high school in Mobile. Do your children or grandchildren live hear you? You are blessed if the answer is yes.

Very important news: A troop of National Guard soldiers from Tallassee, Alabama will be coming home to their families for Thanksgiving (a four-day break) on charter buses all the way from Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and they need our help! Please help bring these troops home by making a donation to: FRG (Family Readiness Group) Unit #158, 995 Lakeshore Drive, Jackson’s Gap, AL 36861. For questions, please call either Katelyn Stroud at 825-6891, or Katie Pritchard Hawkins at 825-0038. I’ve mailed my check in and hope you will do likewise. I talked to Katelyn two days ago and discovered that they’re still $4,000 short of the total amount needed! Please send a check today or tomorrow for this MOST worthy cause. Thanks.

Although I was at the Presbyterian Church last Sunday, I was pleased to get a phone call from a Methodist friend who told me that Adeline Treadwell (age 8) played “When the Saints Come Marching In” on the piano and received lots of applause at the Methodist service. I’m sure her parents and grandparents were beaming at her performance. The children’s choir also performed during the service. Those are the times I hate to miss, since music is an important part of my life.

Being at the Presbyterian Church, however, was quite enjoyable. It makes me feel better all week after attending church on Sunday morning. Are you like that? Rev. Kitty’s sermon, “Responding to God” was excellent. At the end of the service, I asked her how in the world do preachers keep the program moving right along, with music, prayers, scripture, and then a sermon which ends (usually) on time? Start the service at 11 sharp, end at noon. Wow. How do they do that? I guess it takes years and years of practice and hard work. The choir only had a quartet of singers in attendance, but Dale and Dawn kept them in tune and singing beautifully. Missing from the choir were Tony and Nina Johnson, who were on vacation with Charles and Cindy Gillenwaters in England and Scotland. So we missed having Cindy in the choir also.

Tony Johnson sent his friends emails saying “we’re in Scotland and having a wonderful time.” He included details of their tours and it made me homesick for Scotland, having been there in 1986. A beautiful country. I agree with Tony, however, that driving on the left (wrong) side of the street was VERY difficult, to say the least. We almost had a major collision once and the Scotsman jumped from his car shaking his fist at my hubby. When he heard our accents, however, he said “oh, you’re YANKS. No wonder.” Then he drove away, shaking his head.

Councill Middle School News: I was honored to be one of the Judges at the recent speech contest at CMS. The students were great, some excited, some scared, some happy, some jittery, but all were GREAT and did their very best. Four classes competed and speeches were put into two categories: Persuasive and Informative. In the Persuasive Category, First Place Winners were Cole Patterson (Ms. Willis class); Kylie Carleton (Ms. Davis Class); and Precious Reese (Ms. Baker’s class).Second Place Winners were Cora Blue (Ms. Davis class) and Faith Baker (Ms. Baker’s class); Third Place winners were Shalyn Burkhalter (Ms. Davis class); and Dorothy Canady (Ms. Baker’s class); In the Informative Category, First Place Winners were D. J. Pearson (Ms. Willis class); Mia Jones (Ms. Davis class); Danielle Epps (Ms. Baker’s class); and Montevious Pogue (Ms. Smith’s class). Second Place Winners were Shawdarius Pearson (Ms. Willis class); Shelby Rice (Ms. Davis class); Third Place Winners were Ty Stone (Ms. Willis class); Hope McBride (Ms. Davis class). Congratulations to you all! You’re building a strong self-image.

DHS News: Winners for the Month of November: Teacher of the Month is Mrs. Shelton. Students of the Month are as follows: Terry Toler/8th grade; Derrin Foster/9th grade; Jacob Hall/10th grade; Lazaro Diaz/11th grade; and Jessy Harrelson/12th grade. You’re all winners and we’re proud of you!

Interesting new program at DHS is “MIX IT UP,” a program designed by the Southern Poverty Law Center to encourage students to move out of their comfort zones and meet other students. DHS students will be urged to sit with different people at lunch and talk with different people during breaks. An excellent plan, which should get them out of their “rut” and teach them self-confidence. Being a teen is tough anyway, but staying within the same routine with the same friends and the same activities does not promote growth in communication skills. Thanks for telling me about this, Cheryl Bynum, DHS Counselor.

On Monday, Nov. 17, the FCCLA at DHS will hold an annual Talent Show in the DHS auditorium. For more details, call DHS at 825-7848.

If you still need to Christmas shop, go see Peggy Bullard (Lil Lambs & Ivy, 825-9415)! She still has many great items for sale. All proceeds will go toward our school, or local organizations needing help. She has a good supply of large Christmas Bows in all colors, available for just $5. You can dress up your porch, your front door or your mailbox for the holidays. She also is continuing to sell fruit, hams and turkeys, etc. for DHS projects. Stop by and see Miss Peggy with your checkbooks or cash. Thanks. Proceeds from the bows will be given to Wilder’s Nursing Homes for their projects.

RBC Bank is supporting Dadeville Schools, DHR and Tallapoosa Christian Crisis Center to assist families during the holiday season. Everyone is encouraged to drop off non-perishable foods at the bank, as well as new children’s clothing and new toys. For more information, call RBC at 824-4284.

The Dadeville Kiwanis Club’s speaker last week (invited by host Chuck Ogburn) was Linda Davis, our Tallapoosa County Director of Curriculum. She taught us a lot about a most important organization named Junior Leadership Lake Martin, whose members are high school juniors. Several of them were in our audience and showed a lot of enthusiasm for this JrLLM program. As you probably know, Linda spent 25 years teaching, then served as Vice-Principal and Principal at DHS for five years. She is a knowledgeable and hardworking professional and we’re lucky to have her as part of our Board of Education. She shared the goals, schedules, programs and class projects with us which are pretty amazing. The full year consists of one class per month, such as Team Building, Law Enforcement, Education, Economic Development, Health Care, County Government, City Government, State Government, and finally, graduation. The JrLLM group is in partnership with CACC, BRHS, DHS, Edward Bell HS, Horseshoe Bend HS and Reeltown HS and has 27 student members now. They not only receive accelerated college credits for being a part of this, but also are being prepared as our future’s leaders. Thanks for an excellent presentation, Linda! These are lucky kids with an opportunity like this.

Our speaker at Kiwanis today is Dr. Keivan Deravi, Professor of Economics at AUM. This should be another interesting program, thanks to an invitation from host Dobby Pitman. If you’re interested in knowing more about Kiwanis and being treated to an interesting presentation and good lunch, please join us today at noon at the Methodist Church. (Call me at 825-5555 or 750-0883 first.) Thanks.

Have you heard about a business named “Alabama Backroads Photography”? It is owned by Jeff and Jennifer Barrick, telephone 825-2938. If you want gorgeous Christmas Cards with pictures of your family and your home on them, call the Barricks as soon as your Christmas decorations are in place! I am told that their finished products are outstanding and we have many beautiful homes in our area.

If your news about family, club groups, church services, community involvement, etc. etc. does not appear in this column, guess why? RIGHT. You didn’t contact me. Send an email to bettyhayes@hughes.net. Love to hear from you, especially if it’s noteworthy.

Continue to pray for our military and for our new President and his administration. They need our prayers.

Thought for Today: Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world, because you can’t stop and rest.

See y’all next week!