Progress 2013

Progress 2013 1

THETHE

ABCOF MADISON COUNTY

s

Progress 2013

A special publication by

MattCurtisRealEstate.com(256)270-9393

MattCurtisRealEstate, Inc.

MattCurtis

Broker/Owner - Matt Curtis Nominated as Top 50 Realtor Under Age 30 in US - 2009

C�� C�i�� Tod��!

MattCurtis

Custom TailoredCustom TailoredReal Estate SolutionsReal Estate Solutionsto Fit YOUR Needsto Fit YOUR Needs

Custom Tailored Real Estate Solutionsto Fit YOUR Needs

Personalized Solutions to Sell Your Home FAST!

Complimentary Professional Home Photography and Staging

Customized Buyer Services

FREE, No Obligation Home Value Report

Personalized Solutions to Sell Your Home FAST!Personalized Solutions to Sell Your Home FAST!Personalized Solutions to Sell Your Home FAST!Personalized Solutions to Sell Your Home FAST!

Buyers, Sellers, New Construction

Y�� Ma�is�� Re�� Esta�� Res��r��!

Progress 2013 3

MattCurtisRealEstate.com(256)270-9393

MattCurtisRealEstate, Inc.

Broker/Owner - Matt Curtis Nominated as Top 50 Realtor Under Age 30 in US - 2009

C�� C�i�� Tod��!

Custom Tailored Real Estate Solutionsto Fit YOUR Needs

Personalized Solutions to Sell Your Home FAST!

Complimentary Professional Home Photography and Staging

Customized Buyer Services

FREE, No Obligation Home Value Report

Buyers, Sellers, New Construction

Y�� Ma�is�� Re�� Esta�� Res��r��!

4 Progress 2013

ProgressMadison County 2013

Ars Nova

Boy Scouts

Catisfaction

Diagnostics

ENT Association

Fire Station No. 2

Girl Scouts

Home Sweet Home

Intergraph

Journalism Program

Kindergarden

Life Begins

Madison Service Center

Noble Passage

Odontology & Autopsy

Plastic Surgery

Questing for Knowledge

Revitalize your taste buds

Shuttleman Phillips

Tattooing

Uptown Boutique

Vegan Voices

Whistle Stop

Xylophone Chimes in

Young at Heart

Zestful Relaxation

6

8

9

11

12

14

16

18

21

24

26

28

29

31

33

34

36

38

40

42

43

44

45

46

48

50

inside

ManageMent

erica Slone

editorial

aldo aMato

gregg l. Parker

anna durrett

Marketing

Myra Sawyer

office Manager

laura SaMPleS

Production

daniel HolMeS

JaMie SParacino

aMy BaldiS

8

tHe MadiSon record

P.o. Box 859

MadiSon, al 35758

erica.Slone@

tHeMadiSonrecord.coM

advertiSing inquireS

256.772.6677

ProgreSS iS an annual

PuBlication By MadiSon

PuBlicationS, llc.

tHeMadiSonrecord.coM

4531

Progress 2013 5

Tim Holcombe,District 1

Steve Smith,District 2

D.J. Klein,District 3

Mike Potter,District 4

Tommy Overcash,District 5

Gerald Clark,District 6

Ronica Ondocsin,District 7

Council President

Mayor Troy Trulock

6 Progress 2013

A

Like notes of an arpeggio, Ars Nova builds a sound foundation for stu-dent musicians and performers.

In founding Ars Nova School of the Arts in 1998, Dr. Ginger Beazley

launched her vision to provide professional qual-ity training in a nurturing environment where the student is always the focus.

“Dr. Beazley oversees all artistic leadership in all productions,” administrator Linda Vanrell said. “Ars Nova hires professional musicians for the orchestra, along with professional conductors, choreographers and directors.”

Ars Nova enhances the community’s cultural awareness with outstanding presentations in primarily opera, operetta and musical theatre. It produces the only community opera productions in North Alabama.

The conservatory environment of Ars Nova fosters the creativity of new works and includes music theory, ear training and performing classes, modeled after conservatory curriculum. At 17, Alexandra Austin composed music for Dr. Seuss’ Gertrude McFuzz. At 16, Cooper Schrim-sher wrote an award-winning composition.

“Recently, area schools have had their field trips funding cut. Ars Nova has filled that gap by

bring touring shows into the schools,” Vanrell said.

Ars Nova’s 2013 season will open with Little Women: The Musical. Ars Nova will tour area schools with The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, which teachers worldwide use to promote literacy, Vanrell said.

In May, Ars Nova will present five free music recitals.

“In June, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale will delight adult audiences and preserve opera in North Ala-bama,” Vanrell said.

During the summer, Ars Nova will offer three workshops for performing artists. Workshops conclude with free performances.

“The long-term impact of Ars Nova’s 15 years of quality music training can be measured by the success of our students and increase in student participation,” Vanrell said, citing former stu-dents Angela M. Brown, Patricia Andress, Janice Chandler and Susanna Phillips

Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory has awarded many Ars Nova students with Center of Excel-lence Awards.

Ars Nova students have won state, regional and national titles with organizations such as the National Foundation for the Advancement in the

Arts, Musical Teachers National Association, Fed-eration of Music Clubs and National Association of Teachers of Singing. At NATS competition for Alabama in 2011, winners were almost exclusively Ars Nova students.

Ars Nova students continue to perform lo-cally but also with Opera Birmingham, Nashville Opera, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and Opera Mobile. The quality of Ars Nova students is proven with scholarship awards from top music schools, like Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University at Bloomington, The Juilliard School, Mannes College for Music, Moores School of Music at University of Houston and Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University.

“The real winner of all of these awards is the audience of Huntsville,” Vanrell said. “The audi-ence is fortunate to see emerging artists on the cusp of their careers.”

All Ars Nova teachers have college degrees. Au-ditions are not required for voice or piano lessons. For shows with large casts, auditions are open to the public.

Office hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 256-883-1105, email [email protected], visit arsnovahsv.com or visit Facebook/Ars

Written by gregg l. parker | Photographs Contributed

rs Nova:

The ABCs of Madison County

ABOVE: Dr. Ginger Beazley plays the piano as Crystal Vanrell sings. RIGHT: Left to right: Conner Williams, Sarah Harbaugh, Carley Beth GoodeCenter: Michelle Story.

A builder in fine arts


rs Nova: A builder in fine arts

8 Progress 2013

B

For a Boy Scout, an Eagle Scout service project is a crowning achievement following years of fun, adventure and advancement. To a church, school or community

on the receiving end of one their projects, it means an improvement with a positive impact.

Eagle candidates design, organize, document and complete a project with the approval of the scouting organization and the receiving organi-zation.

Madison was fortunate to be on the receiving end of several such projects during 2012.

Mill Creek Elementary, the newest addition to Madison City Schools, benefitted from two Eagle Scout service projects. One of several Eagle candidates in Madison, Solomon Ortega, earned his Eagle rank by building the Giving Garden at Mill Creek by constructing two large, raised garden beds and walkways to access the gardens.

Mill Creek students grow pumpkins and oth-er produce as fundraisers for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

“I wanted to become an Eagle Scout because I felt that I would learn to become a better leader over the course of the project,” Ortega said.

Noah Hudson improved on the Giving Gar-den by building six scarecrow posts and several birdhouses. He also added edging to the stone pathway.

Asbury Community Thrift Store benefitted from Eagle Scout Tyler Renn’s project. He built new shelves and cabinets for the store’s admin-istrative area. “Employees and volunteers of the thrift store were very thankful of the new shelves and cabinets,” Renn said.

Jacob Walker earned his Scout honor by building an outdoor amphitheater at the Craig and Steven Hogan Family YMCA. Reaching the rank of Eagle Scout always had been a goal for Walker. “My dad is an Eagle Scout, and I love scouting,” he said.

For his Eagle project, Chris Bero built per-gola seating for teachers at the track at Horizon Elementary School. Horizon Principal Rodney Richardson requested this campus enhance-ment. Bero spent many hours at Home Depot

stores to research supply costs, along with researching building plans online.

Madison Christian Church was on the receiv-ing end of Andrew Larson’s project. He de-signed an outdoor worship center for his home church. “My parents always taught me that I must finish what I start. The more involved I became in Scouting I realized that making Eagle was the ultimate goal,” Lawson said.

Reaching the Eagle rank carries great pride. “Only a handful of people have achieved the rank,” Tyler Renn said.

Boy Scout troops meet at Madison churches including Asbury United Methodist, Madison United Methodist, Messiah Lutheran and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Chartered by the National Council, the Greater Alabama Council of Boy Scouts of America is responsible for 22 counties in North Alabama. For more information on scouting in North Alabama, visit 1bsa.org.

For details on project requirements for Eagle projects, visit scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927_fillable.pdf.

Written by gregg l. parker | Photographs JoneCe dunigan

oy Scouts

(Jonece Dunigan) Second-graders Jack Willis, Anna Laramie, Luke Boseck, Abby Pearson, Harrison Pickering, Elizabeth Saine and Genesis Henry at Mill Creek Elementary’s Giving Garden.

build community one service project


Progress 2013 9

oy Scouts build community one service project


Those who own pets know that keeping one’s pet healthy and well maintained is a top priority.

But some veterinary care busi-nesses only offer their services in

bulk and do not specialize in particular ani-

mals. However there is one place in Madison to where cat owners can have their feline friend’s needs taken care of.

Catisfaction Cat Clinic, located at 9290 Madi-son Blvd., has specialized in cat only care for the past two years.

According to owner Dr. Stephanie Gandy, Catisfaction Cat Care is the lone feline-only vet-erinary care facility in the Tennessee Valley.

“We do everything that is just cat specific,” Gandy said. “Anything that you could possibly need or want for a cat, we are able to provide a

Catisfaction Written by aldo amato | Photographs Sarah brewer

Cat Clinic is truly one of a kind

One of the many kittens that can be found inside Catisfaction Cat Clinic.

10 Progress 2013

service whether it be routine healthcare, house calls and hospice care among other services.”

Gandy said that Catisfaction Cat Care also offers radioactive iodine therapy and is the only veterinary hospital in the state that offers such a service that is a cure for feline hyperthyroid-ism.

“We have actually treated several kitties from the Birmingham area with radioactive iodine,” Gandy said. “We’ve also had people from Mont-gomery, Mississippi and even a client who now lives in Poland.”

When cat owners walk into Catisfaction Cat Care, they do not enter a standard veterinary care business. Rather, they enter a trendy feline utopia and a well maintained boarding facil-ity for cats looking for a good home and those

recovering from various illnesses. “We have a great boarding facility and we

are hoping to expand it,” Gandy said. “We also offer pet-sitting and anything else you can thing of cat related we can help you with and if we cannot, we are going to an area where they can.”

Gandy said that between her and her partner Dr. Meghan Maasen, they see about a hundred cats per month and make sure they are well taken care. Especially those riddled with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

“We house about 50 to 60 kitties,” she said. “Some of the cats that are here have been here for months and have FIV which is similar to human AIDS. But we are trying to raise aware-ness that even though it sounds scary, it is

nothing like it once was and cats with FIV can live happy, indoor only lives.”

Catisfaction Cat Care’s services are not strictly for cat’s physical health only. Sometimes cat owners can face behavioral issues with their cats and Gandy said that Catisfaction Cat Care offers consultation on how owners and their feline can co-exist peacefully.

“We want you to come in and feel comfort-able,” Gandy said. “We want you to think that we actually care about your cat because we do. We want to know about your cat’s personality and figure out what’s going on with your cat. It is important to know how they act and how they respond. That way they come in when they are sick, we can become better advocates for the cat.”

Dr. Stephanie Gandy with some of her feline patients.

Progress 2013 11

DiagnosticsWritten by gregg l. parker| Photographs Contributed

and more at Crestwood Medial Center

Crestwood Medical Center is provid-ing new services to meet the health care needs of the Madison commu-nity.

The new Crestwood – Madison features an outpatient diagnostic center, a six-bed sleep center and physician office space, all part of a $7.5 million, 28,000 square foot development in the heart of Madison.

Crestwood is a major tenant of the facility, which is scheduled to open in early 2013.

“The new facility benefits the citizens of Madison by fostering economic growth and bringing more diagnostic healthcare options closer to home,” Crestwood Director of Marketing Lori Light said.

Crestwood Diagnostic Center at the Madison lo-cation will offer a 64-slice CT scanner, ultrasound, x-ray and digital mammography. The sleep center will offer diagnostic and treatment services for people with sleep disorders.

Crestwood is also committed to recruiting pri-mary care physicians to the Madison area to assist in bridging the gap in healthcare providers that population growth in Madison has created.

In 2012, Crestwood opened three new primary care practices in Madison with newly recruited family medicine physicians. Practices include

Madison Boulevard Family Practice with Dr. Tiffany Hendricks, County Line Family Practice with Dr. Shivani Malhotra and Madison Family Health Cen-ter on Essex Court with Dr. Bhavna Sharma.

Speaking of sound health, Crestwood was named a “Top Performer in Key Quality Measures” for 2011 by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Crestwood is the only hospital in Madison County and one of only 620 hospitals across the nation to earn this elite honor. Crestwood earned exemplary status in performance measures for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care.

“We see it as a significant validation of the con-sistency of our patient care,” Light said. “Our goal is to focus on quality care for patients and doing what’s right -- every patient, every interaction, by every employee, on every shift. Always.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama recog-nized Crestwood as a “Tier 1 Hospital” for reaching high level of compliance in quality, patient safety and patient satisfaction. Additionally, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has recognized Crest-wood as a Center of Blue Distinction for Bariatric Surgery, Total Hip and Knee Replacement and Spine Surgery.

Several other entities have also presented na-

tional awards of recognition to Crestwood for its Endoscopy Center, Chest Pain Center and Bariatric Surgery.

Crestwood is further committed to Madison by providing new services to the community. Many services are unique to Crestwood, such as robotic surgery with the da Vinci Si surgical robot, the most advanced robotic surgery system in North Alabama, and LDRP Suites at Crestwood Mater-nity Center, the only LDRPs available in Madison County.

In addition to these services, health resources de-signed to increase quality of life are available to the Madison area through Crestwood’s two commu-nity outreach programs Senior Circle and Healthy Woman.

“Madison County is unique in that its residents, with the influence of defense, research, and aero-nautical industries, encourage and expect a high level of growth and innovation in health care,” says Light. “Part of our mission is a commitment to pro-vide and continuously improve our facilities and the expertise of our care in order to improve the health and well-being of our community.”

For more information about Crestwood -- Madi-son, Crestwood Family Practices or Crestwood’s services, visit CrestwoodMedCenter.com.

A view of Crestwood Hospital in Huntsville.


Thanks to Clearview’s state-of-the-art PET scanner, my doctor could see exactly where my cancer was...and treat it.

Huntsville • Decatur • Athens • Scottsboro • Fayetteville 1-888-374-1015

www.clearviewcancer.com

Did you know that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women? The good news is that there are more than 400,000 lung cancer survivors in the US today, because advanced PET technology now allows doctors to see more detailed images of the lungs and other organs. That means earlier diagnosis and better treatment options for patients.

When it comes to cancer care, the physicians at Clearview know their patients deserve the best. That’s why Clearview’s Diagnostic Imaging department secured their very own advanced PET scanner. Together they are changing the face of cancer care for you.

Sammy F. Becdach, M.D.Diego J. Bedoya, M.D. Manh C. Dang, M.D. Paul Dang, M.D.David B. Engle, M.D.Jeremy K. Hon, M.D. F. Joseph Kelly, M.D.

C. Daniel Kingsley, M.D.Brian N. Mathews, M.D.Philip J. McGee, M.D. Marshall T. Schreeder, M.D.Heather R. Shah, M.D.Purvi K. Shah, M.D. John M. Waples, M.D.

EWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs Contributed

NT Associates build health lives

Since 1997, physicians with North Alabama ENT Associates P.C. have led their patients to healthier, more productive lives in the Tennessee Valley.

The practice is the largest association of ear, nose and throat physicians in North Alabama with about 60 medical professional and support personnel. “Our team of dedicated physicians, nurses and office staff provide the best, most compassionate care,” CEO Rick Jarrell said.

North Alabama ENT provides comprehensive

ear, nose and throat care and specialized exper-tise in pediatric otolaryngology and neurotology to all ages. All are board certified in general otolaryngology for adults and children.

“All of our physicians are state-of-the-art, top-notch professionals who could have prac-ticed anywhere in the country but chose to be in Huntsville,” Jarrell said.

Dr. William McFeely, a specialist in otol-ogy and neurotology, completed undergradu-ate study and medical school at the University of Michigan. He completed otolaryngology

residency in 1997 at the University of Florida, followed by a two-year fellowship in ear and skull base surgery at Michigan Ear Institute. Dr. McFeely treats various ear problems, including hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing) and infections.

Dr. Gerard D. Brocato completed under-graduate study, medical school and residency at Tulane University.

He concentrates on sinus disease and surgery, speech and swallowing disorders, laryngology (including the singing voice), thyroid disease

physicans with north alabama


Progress 2013 13


NT Associates build health lives

physicans with north alabama

and surgery, adult snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea, along with hearing loss, hearing aids and tinnitus.

Dr. Jasper V. Castillo graduated from Bay-lor College of Medicine and was in residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He concentrates in pediatric sinus disease, ear infections and surgery; speech, swallowing and laryngeal disorders; snoring and apnea; hearing loss and aids; and facial nerve disorders.

Dr. John P. Kostrzewa graduated from Quil-len College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. In surgery, Dr. Kostrzewa performs tracheostomy, adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, thyroidectomy, rhinoplasty and nasal airway procedures. He treats sleep disorders like sleep apnea, thyroid disorders and dizziness.

Dr. Richard G. Martin completed all study and residency at the University of Florida. Al-lergies and hayfever are among Dr. Martin’s special interests, along with surgery for sinus, voice disorders, thyroid and ear and nasal con-ditions. He treats patients with head and neck cancer, speech and swallowing disorders, sleep

apnea and hearing loss.Dr. W. Scott McCary graduated from medical

school at the University Alabama at Birming-ham and completed residency at the University of Virginia.

Dr. McCary performs surgery for disorders related to sinus disease, voice disorders and nasal obstruction. He treats speech, swallowing and apnea disorders.

Dr. Michael D. McFadden completed medi-cal school at Texas A&M University and resi-dency at the University of Florida. He performs surgery for sinus disease, voice disorders, nasal obstruction and thyroid and parathyroid. He helps patients with head and neck cancer; facial nerve, speech and swallowing disorders; ear infections; hearing loss; allergies and hayfever; dizziness and vertigo; and apnea.

Patients benefit from ossicular chain recon-struction prostheses, bone-anchored hearing aids and the new Esteem Prosthetic Inner Ear Stimulator. Dr. McFeely is one of only 15 U.S. surgeons performing Esteem surgery and the only surgeon in Alabama.

Esteem captures sound from the second hearing bone, amplifies internally and sends augmented signals to the third hearing bone and inner ear. This device enables patients who may never have heard a clear sound before with substandard hearing aids. “The sound qual-ity of the ESTEEM often dramatically changes people’s hearing for the better. This truly can be life changing for people,” Jarrell said.

Since opening the Madison office, Jerrell said the reception from the community has been en-couraging and welcoming. “Patient families are pleased to have North Alabama ENT in their backyard, especially the auditory and pediatric side,” Jarrell said.

North Alabama ENT Associates have two of-fices: Madison Hospital campus, Progress Bank, 8337 U.S. Highway 72 West, Suite 301 and 927 Franklin Street, Suite 100 in Huntsville.

For more information, call 256-772-1884 in Madison or 256-536-9300 in Huntsville. In-formation can be found online at NALENT.com, PHCHuntsville.com and Facebook/North Alabama ENT.

The lives of Teddy and Susan Davis have been changed by Esteem Implants. Susan has the implants in both of her ears.

14 Progress 2013

FWritten by anna durrett | Photographs Contributed

ire Station No. 2blazes an eco-friendly trail

Madison firefighters are com-mitted to fighting fires and fighting for a healthy planet.

The new Fire Station No. 2 opened May 2012, complete

with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

It is the first LEED certified fire station in Alabama and was built on Hughes Road just south of the former Fire Station No. 2, which was closed and demolished due to a severe mold infestation.

“They took us out of it, and you remember the trailer we stayed in for probably over three years before they got this one finished,” Fire Capt. Stacy Haraway said.

Twelve firefighters work out of the new Fire

Station No. 2, which has an energy-efficient washer and dryer, rooftop solar panels and nu-merous other environmentally-minded features. “The paper products are all green. All the clean-ing supplies we use are green,” Haraway said.

The building uses 40 percent less water and 30 percent less energy than the average, comparable building. Outdoor native plants and a concrete parking lot add to the overall environmentally-friendliness of the station. The light color of concrete absorbs much less energy from the sun than asphalt.

The new fire station inspired Madison’s other two fire stations to make positive changes. “Be-cause of this station, we’ve started recycling at all [stations],” Haraway said. “In the past we’ve recycled aluminum cans, but now we recycle

glass, plastics [and] paper.”On top of being considerate of nature, the fire

station is also focused on people’s health. “It’s completely non smoking anywhere inside or out,” Haraway said.

A grant from the Federal Emergency Man-agement Agency gave $1.4 million to the proj-ect, which was slightly over half of the money needed. Madison City contributed the remaining funds.

In late 2012, the work on the station by Lee Builders was awarded the Associated Build-ers and Contractors Excellence in Construction award for institutional buildings costing less than $5 million.

Although the station lacks a fire pole, none of the firefighters seem to be complaining.

Madison Fire/Rescue trucks sit outside Fire Station No. 2 in Madison.


Written by anna durrett | Photographs Contributed

blazes an eco-friendly trail

16 Progress 2013

GWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs Contributed

irl Scoutsbuilds character, integrity and life skills

Juliette Gordon Low never visited Madison, but the impact of her work continues to build girls’ character today.

Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, surely would be im-

pressed by the 2012 membership year.“We had 2,173 girls and 979 adults in Madi-

son County,” Hilary Perry said. Perry works as Director of Communications for Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.

“The troop pathway is only one of six ways

girls can be Girl Scouts,” Perry said about other available options. The other five Girl Scout pathways are camp, events, series, travel and virtual. Pathways help girls find activities that specifically interest them or their troop.

“Girl Scouts is the premier leadership orga-

Cassie demonstrates her nutrition match game.


Progress 2013 17

A Couture Bridal Boutique

500 Providence Main Street | Huntsville, Alabama 35806

whitedressesboutique.com | [email protected]

4.68x7.48.indd 1 12/28/12 12:41 PM

builds character, integrity and life skills

nization for girls in the world. Girls discover themselves and the world around them, connect with others and take action to make their com-munities a better place,” Perry said.

Through Girl Scouting, girls can engage in experiences that prepare them for the workforce and for life. They learn about healthy living, science, technology, engineering and math.

“Girls working in the MEdia Journey curriculum learn about women in the media, how to identify stereotypes and about how reality televi-sion isn’t reality,” Perry said.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches financial literacy. To under-stand leadership, they take on roles within their troop and earn leader-ship awards, such as the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.

To earn the Gold Award, Terita of Sparkman High School organized “A Diabetic Affair” seminar to educate people about diabetes with guest speakers sharing their experiences with the disease. Terita provided participants with information on diabetes prevention and management, warning signs and symptoms, and long-term effects.

Kristen of Bob Jones High School, another Gold Award achiever, negotiated with Madison officials to host Dog Day Fair to open the new dog park at Mill Creek Greenway. The fair included vendors, educa-tional material, homemade dog treats and contests. “Knowing the City of Madison loved the idea and will take it over is the most successful aspect of my project,” Kristen said.

In Madison, Girl Scout Troop 631 decided, rather than a Christmas gift exchange, to pool their money to buy a donkey and a goat for a family in Darfur. This region in Africa’s western Sudan and has been besieged by civil war in recent years.

“We really liked the idea of putting other people’s needs ahead of our own,” Girl Scout Sarah Elegante said. “Other kids need things just to help them live. That’s more important than our getting more when we already have enough.”

These Girls Scouts’ philanthropy was coordinated with the Kids for Kids program.

“Each girl donated $10. The troop leaders are kicking in, too,” Donna Elegante said. Elegante and Staci Krupp lead Troop 631, Service Unit 38.

Members of Troop 631 are Amy Arzonico, Alexi Bolton, Megan Carter, Sarah Elegante, Jennifer Fisher, Kaitlynn Krupp and Melissa Ostrowski. All are sophomores at Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools, ex-cept Ostrowski, a freshman.

“In 2013 and forward, Girl Scouts in Troop 631 will continue to work to achieve the Gold Award, the pinnacle of service within the group,” Elegante said.

Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is a United Way community partner and serves more than 15,000 girl members ages 5-17 and 5,000 volunteers in programs across 36 counties. “Girl Scouting gives every girl access to life-changing experiences that inspire her to do something big,” Perry said.

Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is located at 1515 Spark-man Drive in Huntsville. For information, call 800-734-4541 or visit girlscoutsnca.org, girlscoutsnca.blogspot.com, Facebook/GSNCA and Twitter/GirlScoutsNCA.

18 Progress 2013

One of the newest and bright-est lodging options in Madison is La Quinta Inn and Suites, building fresh, bright starts for its guests every day.

“Our reception in the Madison County community has been very warm, inviting and rewarding,” Director of Sales Phoebe Steele said. “The merchants and residents have both been very supportive of our beautiful, new and award-winning hotel.”

“Upon arrival to present, the support of the community and corporate partners has positioned us to be number one on TripAdvisors of hotels in Madison, Alabama,” Steele said. “We say to them all …”Thank you for allowing us to be your ‘home away from home!’ “

The La Quinta brand is one of the largest opera-tors of limited-service hotels in the United States. With more than 80,000 rooms, La Quinta oper-ates and provides franchise services in the United States, Canada and Mexico. “We are currently

operating multiple locations across 13 cities in the state of Alabama and more franchise new proper-ties are in the near future,” Steele said.

The La Quinta Returns program is one of numerous factors setting La Quinta apart from other lodging choices. The program offers “the most rapid, night accumulation of all hotel point systems,” Steele said.

In addition, La Quinta gives complimentary acceptance of pets. “Other personal traits make impacts as well, such as awesome customer service

H Written by gregg l. parker | Photographs Contributed

ome sweet hotel:La Quinta shines brightly for its guests


Progress 2013 19

and upscale amenities,” Steele said“Ooh, La, La … La Quinta Madison” is their

slogan. Currently, La Quinta in Madison operates with

eight housekeeping personnel, two maintenance personnel and eight front desk personnel. Pritee Patel is General Manager. Tony Houston works as Lead Housekeeper.

Guests at La Quinta come from an array of backgrounds. “On weekdays, we serve as ‘home away from home’ to many corporate and govern-

ment travelers,” Steele said. “Our weekends are oc-cupied with sports tournaments, family reunions, wedding groups, senior groups and others.”

A heated, indoor pool and hot tub, available from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., are among the amenities at La Quinta in Madison. The onsite fitness center also operates for those hours. A hot breakfast is offered from 6 to 9 a.m. “We also reward our guest with a Managers Reception every Tuesday and Wednesday from the hours of 5:30 until 7 p.m.,” Steele said.

“Our continued success is attributable to creat-ing that ‘wow’ experience with each guest at each encounter to result in the continued support that we maintain from our partners,” Steel said. “The ‘here-for-you service’ that the La Quinta brand has adopted has been key in each situation.”

La Quinta’s address in Madison is 105 Westches-ter Drive. For more information, call 256-258-2777, email Steel at [email protected] or General Manager Pritee Patel Madison at [email protected], or visit 6197.lq.com.

ome sweet hotel:A spacious and modern lobby area at the La Quinta Inn and Suites in Madison.

At Madison Hospital, our goal is to deliver high-quality health care

services so you don’t have to travel outside of your community. Our

Surgical Services program features comfortable pre-op and recovery

areas and spacious operating rooms equipped with state-of-the-art

equipment. The Madison Hospital care team, led by General Surgeon

Dr. Matthew Hunt, provides the personalized care you deserve.

Surgical Services close to home

A member of the Huntsville Hospital Health System

Dr. Matthew Hunt (left) and members of Madison Hospital’s Surgical Services care team

I

Progress 2013 21

IWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs Contributed

ntergraphbuilds software, careers and new headquarters

Intergraph Corporation, a leading global provider of engineering and geospatial software to visualize com-plex data, has been building careers and software platforms for decades.

The company’s building schedule now is taking a more tangible avenue with construc-

tion underway for new Madison headquarters, valued at $58 million.

The five-story facility will total 250,000 square feet and feature office space for 1,100 employees, along with a state-of-the-art data center, conference space and food service. Ter-races for work and leisure will overlook the

property’s large lake.“For the first time in Intergraph’s history,

we are bringing employees at this location together under one roof, which I’m confident will foster innovation and camaraderie,” Inter-graph CEO Ola Rollén said.General contractor Robins Morton and civil engineering firm 4Site

TOP: A parking lot view of the new Intergraph building. ABOVE: A proposed lake view of the new Intergraph facility.


MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT

FirstCommunity benefits:• Choose your own doctor• Competitive rates• No copays• Local customer service• Enroll anytime• Choose from our leading hospital network

256-532-2783 or 1-800-734-7826

www.firstcomm.org699-A Gallatin Street Huntsville, AL 35801

“I know a good thing when I see it – FirstCommunity is my real security blanket.” Betty Craighead,

FirstCommunity Member since 2008

Making a quilt takes patience and a lot of TLC. But when all the pieces come together, it’s a beautiful thing. FirstCommunity has all the right pieces too – good coverage, very affordable rates and local service from folks who really care about me.

Look, I spent my life working in health insurance, so I know a good thing when I see it. FirstCommunity Medicare Supplement – they’re my real security blanket.

are managing construction. Both are Madison businesses.

Aligned Intergraph’s Process, Power & Marine division, companies use enterprise engineering software to design, construct, operate and manage data for plants, ships and offshore facilities. The Security, Government & Infrastructure division produces geospatially-powered solutions for public safety and secu-rity, defense and intelligence, transportation, photogrammetry, utilities and communications industries.

Intergraph is part of Hexagon, a leading global provider of design, measurement and visualization technologies.

Process, Power & Marine serves a wide spectrum of industries from chemical plants to shipbuilding sites that manage complex engi-neering information to speed project comple-tion and maximize operational efficiency.

For the oil and gas industry, Intergraph has led in supplying 3D plant design solutions for more than 25 years. The latest 3D model-ing and visualization applications assist in construction and into operations and mainte-nance, Process, Power & Marine communica-tions manager Jerry Felts said.

With SmartPlant Engineering & Schematics, companies can create the plant configuration from scratch or existing designs. SmartPlant 3D modeling is suited for construction of con-ventional power generation plants and nuclear reactors designers, like AECL, Westinghouse, Siemens, General Electric and Hitachi.

For the metals and mining industry, Smart-Plant 3D closely integrates structural, civil, heavy plant equipment, conveying systems and piping disciplines. “Companies (in these) sec-tors look to Intergraph for solutions for each phase of the design and engineering lifecycle process,” Felts said.

SmartMarine 3D ship design software “pro-vides next-generation, fully integrated design and manufacturing environment to ... both conventional offshore platforms and marine vessels,” Felts said.

SmartPlant P&ID enables engineers to cre-ate several design scenarios using data sources, like pipe specifications, for cost-effective work. SmartPlant Electrical and SmartPlant Instru-mentation confirm readiness of the vessel’s safety and backup systems. For two decades, world leaders like Fluor, Bechtel and Foster Wheeler have used Intergraph software for major oil and gas plant installations.

Within the SG&I division, Intergraph public safety and security software assists dispatch centers in detecting and responding quickly to threats. “Intergraph software protects one in 12 people around the world,” Public Relations Executive Manager Stephanie Deemer said.

Police departments and security staffs use Enforcement Records Management to cen-tralize data about people and property into a single database. “For 40 years, Intergraph has been a trusted partner of defense and intelli-gence agencies,” Deemer said.

The latest GeoMedia 3D software provides tools for anti-terrorism/force protection, cyber security, large-scale map production and IT system support.

“Governments at all levels can rely on geo-spatial solutions from Intergraph,” Deemer said. She cited border security, emergency and infrastructure management.

“Road, rail and transit agencies, airports and seaports use Intergraph solutions to man-age their transportation networks,” Deemer said.

For utilities, Intergraph is the only company providing complete operations software for electric, gas, water, pipeline, utility and com-munications companies. “Our solutions ad-dress all aspects of network and infrastructure management,” Deemer said.

“More than ever before, we can sense the real world around us – from space, air and ground. With advances in technology, we can also make sense of captured data,” Deemer said.

For more information, visit Intergraph.com and Hexagon.com.

“More than ever before,

we can sense the real world

around us – from space, air

and ground. With advances in technology,

we can also make sense of captured

data.”— Stephanie Deemer

Progress 2013 23

24 Progress 2013

James Clemens High School teacher and media specialist Daniel Whitt is an advocate for innovation and transformation.

Whitt, who previously taught ninth-grade English and broadcast-

ing at Liberty Middle School, now teaches one class a semester at James Clemens in conjunction with his duties as a media specialist.

During the first semester of the of the 2012-2013 school year in the just-opened James Clem-ens, Whitt taught an experimental, career-tech broadcast journalism class. Video production and global communication were the two main agen-das.

“It’s relatively experimental in that Madison City has never done it before, and I am in the process of acquiring my certification for it,” Whitt said. “It’s also experimental because the students have never had an opportunity to learn in such a

career oriented way before especially with regards to technology.”

Whitt and his first class at James Clemens created videos and shared them online, including “Because I’m a Kid,” a response to Invisible Chil-dren’s “MOVE” and “KONY” videos. “Because I’m a Kid” has garnered over 3,500 views.

The most popular viral video Whitt has created with students is the “I Am Human” video pro-duced at Liberty last school year, which has nearly 130,000 views.

“We want to start a dialogue with the rest of the world, so we want to reach outside the school walls, which is another reason it’s experimen-tal,” Whitt said. “Traditionally public school has not been designed in a way to reach outside the walls past community. We’re reaching to state to national and to international levels using interna-tionally internet-based tools.”

Whitt calls his class JETS Press, but and he re-

fers to it as an organization. “I want them to stop thinking about school, class, learning,” Whitt said. “I don’t want them to think those things. Those happen naturally if they’re invested, so I try to never call it a class. I call it an organization.”

He considers the first semester to have been a success. “They’ve managed to shape themselves into motivated people who recognized the real value of what they’re doing, not just that they need to learn stuff so they can pass a test,” Whitt said.

While the students are graded and take tests, Whitt does not make rigid, standardized evalu-ations a focal point. “If I don’t treat it that way, then they’re more open to learning, they’re more free in their learning, and they’re more likely to share what they’ve learned with someone else,” he said.

Whitt sees himself as a facilitator and strives to teach his students how to be self-directing, self-

Journalism program at James Clemens enlightens and inspires

Written by anna durrett | Photographs Contributed


Progress 2013 25

assessing leaders. “I’m creating problem solvers,” he said. “I’m creating empathetic citizens. I’m creating people who are able to think critically about a situation and come up with new ways to explore whatever needs exploring. I want them to survive and thrive in the future.”

For the spring semester of JETS Press, Whitt divided his new students into four groups: Jets Press Productions, Jet Stream, Jets Press Features and Jets Press Extra. While each group has a different focus, everyone learns and creates together at the same time and in the same class-room.

Jets Press Productions focuses on producing short films, documentaries and public service announcements. “They are focusing heavily on video ideas that break down walls from student to student,” Whitt said.

Jet Stream creates online news for students not just at James Clemens, but students outside

the community as well. Through the Internet, Jet Stream shares the creations of JETS Press and includes contributions from James Clemens students outside Whitt’s class.

Jets Press Features develops narrative films. The main project is a full-length, feature film incorporating two writers from a creative writ-ing class and actors from outside JETS Press. “Each character is based fairly loosely off a Shakespearian protagonist,” Whitt said of the so far unnamed film. Before the feature film gets underway, Jets Press Features will create a series of shorts.

Jets Press Extra is a weekly news program the entire student body at James Clemens watches online together. “We’ll get to celebrate things happening in the school, we’ll be more aware of some of the important, unique opportunities that are happening, and each one of these episodes they’ll be required to do something inside our

class, something inside the school, something sports-related, something arts related, something scholastic related, and then they’ll be required also to get a community piece and a global piece,” Whitt said. “So all in that five to eight minutes, they have to create a newscast that captures all of these different pieces of society, and of learning, and of school culture.”

Whitt promotes self-discovery in his students with the aim of inducing lifelong prosperity. “If the students aren’t uncomfortable to some degree, then they’re not learning the way that they should be,” he said. “I make them uncomfortable. I ask them to do things they’re incapable of doing. They need to learn if they don’t know how to export a video from Final Cut Pro, there is a YouTube de-sign two-minute instructional video to teach them how to do that.”

To view the work of JETS Press, visit jchsjet-stream.com.

ournalism program at James Clemens enlightens and inspires

Written by anna durrett | Photographs Contributed Daniel Whitt (top left) and JETS Press’ first semester of students made a mark built a creative force in James Clemens High School.

26 Progress 2013

Kindergarten students in Madi-son City Schools build a firm foundation for their educa-tional careers and learn inter-personal skills during campus activities.

“Kindergartners are a wonderful bunch to teach, said kindergarten teacher Tracee Matice, who was named Teacher of the Year at Heritage Elementary School for 2010-2011. “They are so loving and eager to learn,” Matice said. “They have no boundaries on stories that they share.”

Matice feels fulfillment seeing a kindergartner “work so hard to master a skill and then the ‘light

bulb’ clicks on in their heads. That’s when you know the student was motivated and most likely will never forget their experience,” Matice said.

During summer vacation in June, English Language Learners students meet at Mill Creek Elementary School to prepare for kindergarten. Madison City Schools has students who speak 53 home languages.

Kindergarten students at Madison Elementary School were some of the district’s first iPads us-ers. Media specialist Debbie Cox recorded a video on her iPad of two kindergarten girls who had never used an iPad but intuitively responded to a painting app.

“They knew to use the paint to finish their drawings,” Cox said. The video ended with the girls proudly showing their artwork to each other.

Also at Madison elementary, kindergartners will long remember their literary scarecrow, constructed to promote reading. Kindergarten classes depicted The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle’s story of a voracious caterpillar who constantly eats before transforming into a butter-fly. The students built a 6-foot, stuffed caterpillar situated on a hay bale.

At Horizon Elementary School’s Around the World in One Epic Night, kindergartners used

K indergarden: An early building block in education

Written by gregg l. parker| Photographs Contributed

Heritage Elementary School first-grade teacher Tracee Matice sits with some her students.


Progress 2013 27

indergarden: An early building block in education

Written by gregg l. parker| Photographs Contributed

iPads to communicate with their peers in Peru. The Horizon event showcased population diversi-ty at school and in Madison. While older students researched facts about countries, kindergarten students learned to dance a jig with Irish dancers.

Kindergartners at West Madison Elementary School participated in the annual 100th Day Read-In Celebration, when more than 100 stu-dents read 100 books in 100 minutes on the 100th day of school. “Counting to 100 was a goal for all

the kindergarten students. They reflected on how they are doing and the goals they want to reach by the end of the year,” media specialist Emily Wolfe said.

Also at West Madison, Kym Mittman’s kin-dergarten class held The Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive for its Christmas charity.

Kindergartners invited the student body to par-ticipate. As a foster mother, Mittman said, “The cause spoke to my heart.”

Messiah Lutheran Church helps kindergarten students in Nacaome, Honduras with its an-nual Handmade Market that raises funds for the Lunches for Learning organization that feeds 61 children at Benito Montoya School.

Messiah members Jackie Myers and Sue Doubleday traveled to Honduras for graduation of nine kindergartners. “Before we started helping the school in 2008, there was no kindergarten,” Myers said.

28 Progress 2013

LBringing new life into

the world is a com-mon occurrence during the workday of Dr. Karen Leigh

Samples.Born in Huntsville herself,

Samples is one of the obstetricians working at the one-year-old Madi-son Hospital, and she also works at Huntsville Hospital and Crestwood Hospital.

“I really love my job,” Samples said. “It’s very fun for me because I love doing women’s health. I like meeting women in all different stages of their lives.”

Madison Hospital opened in February 2012, and maternity ser-vices began several months later in June.

A tremendous amount of plan-ning went into the building of Madison Hospital. “There are some really unique features in the post-partum rooms that I think are neat — little details — like you can take the trash out of the room without going into the room,” Samples said.

Conner, son of Claire and Shane Johnson, was one of the first ba-bies Samples delivered after begin-ning work at Madison Hospital in August.

“Claire did not want Conner to be born on Halloween,” Samples said. “That was just one of her things. She was very lucky. He had good timing. She went into labor late Halloween night, but he was born Nov. 1.”

Conner is the first child of Claire and Shane, and they are upbeat about the experience of his birth. “I couldn’t have asked for a bet-ter doctor,” Claire said. “She just came in at the perfect time, and she was the perfect coach. We even said we’d have another one now as

long as she is my doctor. She just kept her cool in the delivery room, which was so nice. With your first you’re kind of freaking out.”

Both the facilities and staff helped keep Conner’s delivery on track. “The facilities were nice and clean and new,” Shane said. “The nurses were there to answer ques-tions, and we had a lot of them.”

Claire and Shane were often

asking if the delivery of Conner was progressing normally. “They put your mind at ease, which was nice,” Claire said.

Shane works at a missile de-fense agency Redstone Arsenal, and Claire put her job as a horse trainer on hold to be a full-time mother.

The two of them love having Conner around, even though they

little sleep.Samples looks forward to a

fruitful future of caring for Claire. “What’s really great and fun for me is that Claire and I are very similar ages, so it’s very fun for me to meet her and bond with her over these types of things and then know that I’m going to have her as my patient for a really long time,” Samples said.

Written & Photographs by anna durrett

ife begins

Claire Johnson gives her baby Connor breast milk in Dr. Karen Samples’ office.

at Madison Hospital


Progress 2013 29

Written & Photographs by anna durrett

ife begins

Claire Johnson gives her baby Connor breast milk in Dr. Karen Samples’ office.

MWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs JoneCe dunigan

adisonCounty Service Center offers much more than tags

Most people just call it the “tag office.”

However, the Madison County Service Center al-lows residents to not only

renew license tags for automobiles but also helps with numerous other requirements of Madison County and the State of Alabama.

The center’s address is 100 Plaza Blvd, con-veniently located in ‘midtown’ near Madison Public Library.

In 2010, the Madison County Commis-sion purchased the former Oh! Bryan’s Fam-ily Steakhouse for $1.5 million, renovated the building and opened the satellite office in 2012, License Director Mark Craig said.

Residents can purchase licenses (tags) for vehicles, transfer tags for automobiles, obtain disability tags and placards and register boats. State residents can replace or renew driver’s licenses.

Madison County Commissioner Steve Haraway (left) and Madison County License Director Mark Craig help assist residents at the Madison satel-lite office.

Madison County residents can purchase their license tags for their vehicle at the Madison County Service Center.


30 Progress 2013

Now Open in Madison

Crestwood Medical Center is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.

Having a choice in convenient and quality healthcare is important to the residents of Madison, which is why we have opened our new Madison facility.

Ask your physician to send you to Crestwood Diagnostic Center–Madison for your diagnostic services!

The new spacious and modern facility is home to:• Imaging Services (CT, Ultrasound, X-ray)• Digital Mammography• Laboratory Services• Adult and Pediatric Sleep Disorder Clinic

20 Hughes RoadMadison, AL 35758

For Scheduling:256-429-4888

HU

GH

ES

RD

LAN

IER

RD

SLA

UG

HT

ER

RD

WA

LL T

RIA

NA

/SU

LLIV

AN

ST

MADISON BLVD

20 Hughes Rd

MADISON BLVD

67499_CRES_Disgnostic_9_5x7_48c.indd 1 1/24/13 9:20 AM

The office also sells hunting and fishing licenses and registers boats. County Commis-sioner Steve Harraway has an office in the ser-vice center. The Madison County Tax Assessor and Collector will open offices in early spring 2013.

In the 1980s, a Madison satellite office oper-ated in Hughes Hardware on Main Street. When the hardware store closed, the office moved to a supermarket in north Madison where it functioned several years until that business also closed. For several years, resi-dents had to complete license needs at the courthouse or the satellite office in Parkway

Place Mall until the service center opened in Madison.

The center has six employees currently. “We still need a sign and an exterior facelift,” Craig said.

In an average week, the center processes between 1,000 to 1,200 registrations per week, which translates to about 600 people using the facility, Craig said.

Craig hopes the Madison office eventually can offer driving tests. However, an Alabama State Trooper must manage a state examiner’s office, and the state’s budget deficit has result-ed in a shortage of available troopers.

“We want the City of Madison and Madison County to have this testing office. My offer still stands that we have the space and equipment and will help in any way to help the testing,” Craig said.

The license department also has a new office at 3740 Hwy. 53 NW, Suite W. Residents can purchase business licenses only at the license department at the Madison County Courthouse in Huntsville.

For more information, call 256-532-3310, email to [email protected] or visit madisoncountyal.gov/about/org/CoDepts/Li-censeDept.

N

Left: The Alabama DOT seal. Right: The Alabama Department of Public Safety seal.

Progress 2013 31

NWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs anna durrett

oble PassageInteriors and Gifts: Timeless quality

Noble Passage Interiors and Gifts, an upscale lifestyle store on Main Street in Madison, offers exquisite and imaginative home furnishings that complement

any decor. Owner Deborah McDaniel likes downtown’s charm and the historic setting of her store. In the early 1900s, J.H. Cain Merchandise occupied

the storefront. In downtown, “it’s more like being in a neighborhood -- more like being at home. I really feel like I’m working at home,” McDaniel said. At Noble Passage Interiors and Gifts, shoppers find fine furniture and accessories from con-temporary to Old World, upholstered furniture, European antiques, oil paintings, lamps, jewelry and floor-to-ceiling decorating finesse.

Most of the home furnishings are located at 202 Main St., while novel gift items, decor and acces-sories can be found next door at 204 Main St.

“Noble Passage is family-oriented and reverts back to the time when service stood behind sales,” McDaniel said. “We believe in getting back to basics.”

Noble Passage sells Waxing Poetic and Lenny & Eva. “These jewelry items make great gifts --

Noble Passage offers home decor that ranges from antique to modern day designs.


32 Progress 2013

from birthdays to anniversaries to Christmas,” she said.

Waxing Poetic offers unique, personalized and handmade jewelry in a wide range of sterling silver and mixed metals. Beautiful leather acces-sories, mainly bracelets, by Lenny & Eva have interchangeable charms with personal senti-ments.

Spring is just around the corner and Noble Passage is prepared with suggestions and new ideas to freshen up your home. New shapes in lighting, fun patterns in pillows and fabrics and unexpected details in all home accessories and décor are waiting for shoppers.

“Our designer Rachel Willis is always on hand to assist,” McDaniel said. “We offer complete design services.”

McDaniel’s motto led to the store’s name:

“Together we travel from this world to our next destination … life’s noble passage.” “My store is about the people we meet,” McDaniel said. Also, her first store circa 1996 was on Noble Street in Anniston, Ala. McDaniel has owned other businesses in Ala-bama and Mississippi. “I looked around the Tennessee Valley and wanted to a part of the Madison community,” she said.

Noble Passage offers custom-designed window treatments and fabrics, along with modern and antique Persian rugs. Furniture lines include Vanguard, Hekman, Emerson et cie’, Theodore Alexander and numerous other choices. Lamps by Wildwood, Reliance, Theodore Alexander and Fredrick Cooper are in stock.

Noble Passage usually has a few antiques that McDaniel buys during trips to England. “Howev-

er, most of what I carry are timeless pieces made to look old,” McDaniel said. “I like to ‘re-discov-er’ old chairs” with hand-painted furniture and custom remakes. Bullet mirrors are popular items, along with mirrors in other motifs like gold metal frames. Sure to please as gifts for any occasion, all-nat-ural soy candles by Northern Lights, Soy Veda and Ergo are available, along with flameless candles by Luminara.

Noble Passage Interiors and Gifts can prompt the imagination for any gift need. Complimen-tary gift wrapping is available, and custom gift baskets can be shipped or delivered locally. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, call 256-325-1919 or visit Facebook/Noble Passage Interiors.

Owner and interior designer Deborah McDaniel offers thousands of options for your home or business.

O

Progress 2013 33

OWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs anna durrett

dontology & autopsy:Forensic science students re-construct ‘crime’ scenes

At Bob Jones High School, fo-rensic science teachers Belinda Sewell and Shari Baker design classes to explore crime scene analysis with real-life applica-

tion of biology, chemistry and physics. “We focus on solving high-level problems,

odontology and forensic anthropology, crime scene management, fingerprint collection and analysis, forensic pathology and blood spatter analysis,” Sewell said.

Forensic odontology applies the science of dentistry to the legal system. “Odontology uses dentition -- usually by identifying individuals from dental records, bite-mark analysis and dental malpractice cases,” Sewell said.

To conduct an odontology lab, Bob Jones students bite down on a Styrofoam plate to record a copy of their dentition for compari-son. “Students make an dentition overlay using clear transparency and a Sharpie. They make an outline of the dentition on the transparency (or overlay) and compare it to ‘crime-scene’ evi-dence to identify a match,” Sewell said.

For the 2012-2013 school year, Bob Jones has 10 forensics classes with about 280 students in all.

For two weeks in late summer, forensics classes set up a body farm on the Bob Jones campus. Raw chicken legs from the supermar-ket take the place of dead human bodies.

Students grow maggots because insects can indicate time of death and the post-mortem interval.

“We dip the legs in chicken liver blood. The flies really like the blood,” Baker said. “We know the insects’ life cycle. Depending upon which stage of the insect is present, we can determine an approximate time of death of the individual.”

The Bob Jones students follow the decom-position process daily to track the changes that occur to a dead body. “They collect insect/mag-got specimens and examine them,” Sewell said.

Students then use all information to complete a detailed lab report.

To understand forensic anthropology, the classes use bones to determine an individual’s sex, age and sometimes ethnicity. They mea-sure and evaluate characteristics on three sets of bones in a mini-crime scene. This study also can determine method and time of death.

“Forensic pathology involves investigation of sudden, unnatural, unexplained or violent

deaths,” Sewell said. Forensic pathologists usu-ally perform an autopsy to determine cause of death. Bob Jones students complete an autopsy on a fetal pig, much like human autopsy.

“They begin with the same ‘Y’ incision,” often seen on television series like CSI or Law & Order, Baker said. Working in pairs, students remove organs and then weigh, photograph and describe the tissue.

After observations, students return “the organs to the body, stitch it and prepare for burial.” Baker said.

Forensic science classes also reconstruct crime scenes by blood spatter analysis, in which patterns left behind by blood are studied.

With the “Super Glue fumigation method,” they use the common, household glue to pro-cess and enhance latent fingerprints. Evidence in question is placed in a closed container with glue. Students heat the glue until it fumes.

“Fumes attach to the body oil residue found in the fingerprint, leaving a whitish/gray im-pression,” Sewell said. In class, plastic knives and aluminum cans substitute for knife handles and guns.

“We bring as much real-world application into the class as possible,” Baker said.

Forensics classes at Bob Jones High School draw crowds of interested students.


34 Progress 2013

P

Wilson Plastic Surgery takes a compassion-ate approach in treating pa-

tients, who then have a more posi-tive self-image and better health.

Wilson Plastic Surgery is a solo physician practice of Dr. Patrick Wilson. Wilson was born and raised in Huntsville.

He attended Jones Valley El-ementary School and Randolph School before entering Birming-ham-Southern College.

Dr. Wilson graduated from the

University of Alabama at Birming-ham Medical School and then com-pleted his residency at the Univer-sity of Kentucky in Lexington.

Patients of all ages can receive both cosmetic and reconstructive care at Wilson Plastic Surgery. “We see a lot of patients with com-plaints about their bodies that have occurred since pregnancy or after weight loss, such as excess abdom-inal tissue and saggy breasts,” Dr. Wilson said.

“We also treat a lot of patients with back, neck and shoulder pain from having large breasts,” he

said, for which insurance plans often cover treatment.

Wilson Plastic Surgery treats the full breadth of plastic surgery. However, Dr. Wilson performs many breast surgery needs, such as breast enhancement and reduction and reconstruction after mastec-tomies. In addition, he offers body contouring and facial rejuvenation.

“We are one of the few plastic surgeons in Huntsville that treat children with cleft lip and palate deformities,” Dr. Wilson said. “We take the time to go to the children rehabilitation service clinic to treat

those that are less fortunate.” Building quality of life for Madi-

son County residents, Wilson Plas-tic Surgery’s primary goal “is to give patients more self-confidence about their appearance and make them feel better about themselves in a compassionate way,” he said.

Wilson Plastic Surgery is lo-cated by Huntsville Hospital at 805 Madison Street SE, Suite 1D. For more information, call 256-551-2002, email to [email protected], or visit wilsonplastic-surgery.com and Facebook/Wilson Plastic Surgery.


lastic surgery:

Dr. Patrick Wilson offers patients cosmetic and reconstructive care.

Wilson builds self-confidence for patients


Progress 2013 35

lastic surgery:

Edie BelueAdmissions

After surgery or illness, patients often require a period of rehabilitation to help them get back to good health and, most importantly, back home again, where they belong.

Senior Rehab & Recovery Center at Limestone Health Facility makes that journey a little easier and a little faster.

256-232- 3461 www.limestonehf.com700 West Hobbs Street Athens, AL

- Long and short term care- 24-hour skilled nursing- Physical, Occupational & Speech therapy- Respiratory / Pulmonary care- Cardiac rehabilitation- Diabetic care / education- Post-stroke rehabilitation- Pain management- State-of-the-art wound care- Alzheimer’s care

Mom’s back home where she belongs.

Thanks to Rehab & Recovery Center at Limestone Health Facility.

36 Progress 2013

Interaction is a key element in the for-mula of Sci-Quest Hands-on Science Center.

“Everything at Sci-Quest is hands-on,” Executive Director Cyndy Morgan said. Children’s hands manipulate

objects to understand how they work. “Sci-Quest truly is ‘An Experiment in Fun!’ “

Sci-Quest inspires a lifelong quest for discov-ery through educational and interactive science. “Sci-Quest strives to inspire children to discover and explore the wonders of science, technology and mathematics,” Morgan said.

With these goals, Sci-Quest can connect chil-dren’s interest to exciting career fields through-out North Alabama and thus develop our future workforce, she said.

“The Sci-Quest Board of Directors and staff are very excited to move to our new location in Spring 2013,” Morgan said. “The new site in Madison and the heart of the Metro Hunts-ville area will give Sci-Quest the opportunity to expand our services throughout North Alabama and South-Central Tennessee.”

Sci-Quest will soon relocate to 9076 Madison Blvd., Suite F. The new location will offer vis-

ibility and accessibility for tourists who frequent Madison County.

In 1989, Huntsville citizens concerned about youth’s declining interest in science worked to found North Alabama Science Center. Today, Sci-Quest has a 19-member volunteer board of directors, led by Randy Lycans.

Two-year-olds through high school seniors, along with families, have program options. For Phase I in Madison, the existing 100-plus exhibits will expand for all ages in several areas, includ-ing general science, early childhood, biotechnol-ogy, weather and Earth sciences, space science

QWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs Contributed

uesting for knowledge:Sci-Quest builds experiments, career foundations


Progress 2013 37

Children play at Sci-Quest in Huntsville.

and remote sensing, astronomy and astrophysics, and engineering design.

Phases II and III will includes exhibit areas for energy, rocket science, missile defense, aviation, cyber security and communications. When off the road to area schools, the Roaming Dome mo-bile planetarium will be based at the center.

“Sci-Quest will be the premier provider of engaging science, technology, engineering and mathematics experiences in the region and be-yond,” Morgan said.

Sci-Quest’s three full-time educators have master’s degrees in STEM-related fields with more than 50 years of combined experience.

Eight part-time instructors have or are studying for a science degree or have more than five years of experience in science education. Sci-Quest em-ploys 15 full-time and 14 part-time professionals.

Since 2008, Sci-Quest has doubled the students it reaches, now exceeding 100,000 visitors yearly. “The move to Madison will greatly increase our visibility,” Morgan said. “In spite of the dire economy in the last few years, our community understands the importance of STEM education.”

In Madison, Sci-Quest will have five class-rooms to host camps and weekend programming. Weekly activities for families will be scheduled year-round. The center will be open longer

hours. The popular Parent’s Night Out and birthday

options will expand. “Our new auditorium will seat 100 individuals. We’ll have more special events for our members and the community at large,” Morgan said.

Sci-Quest is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission is taken one hour before closing.

For more details about Sci-Quest, call 256-837-0606, send email to [email protected] or visit sci-quest.org, Facebook/SciQuestAlabama and twitter.com/Sci_Quest.

38 Progress 2013

Revitalize your taste buds at Four Leaves

Written by JoneCe dunigan | Photographs Contributed

Four Leaves offers Asian cuisine in an elegant fashion.

It all started with a change of scenery. Gongfan Lin and his family left

their home in China eight years ago to pursue better opportunities in the U.S. After working as a chef, Lin discovered his true love: food. He began to build

his own culinary empire. On Oct. 26, Lin opened Four Leaves, neighbor-

ing the new Kroger on University Drive. After his first two restaurants bloomed in Florence and Muscle Shoals, he decided to expand the restau-rant to a more diverse, metropolitan location.

“I have a love for making good food for custom-ers and making them happy while eating a dish,” Gongfan Lin said.

Lin named the restaurant after a Japanese legend with leaves representing hope, luck, love and faith. The chef would like to bring these four characteristics to the lives of their customers.

Assistant manager Sophie Lin describes the people of Madison County as warm and inviting. She hopes to return their kindness by giving them

a chance to taste different Asian cuisines such as Thai, Japanese and Korean.

“They like to stick to country-style food or Americanized food. I think I have to give them some time to try. Once they try, they will love it. We’ve had customers who come in here for the first time and come back and say that our food is the best in town,” Lin said.

The menu is diverse in both style and flavor. Red symbols warn customers of spicy dishes, which can be contoured to suit their taste.

“I think people think sushi as raw fish, but that’s not true. We have a variety of cooked sushi also,” Lin said.

The Katsu roll is served with a radish carved into a rose and is made out of salmon and crab, which is deep fried and drizzled with eel sauce.

Seafood lovers can enjoy the crispy red snapper or the curry seafood Thai-style casserole, which has lobster, crabmeat, shrimp and scallop. It is sautéed with a creamy Thai curry that gives the meal a little kick, while the vegetables subdue the

spicy taste. Keeping customers in mind, the restaurant has

a variety of Chinese tea. Tea leaves are boiled in front of the customer and served with a side of sugar.

“We only present high-quality Chinese tea and we don’t present with tea bags,” Gondfan Lin said.

The venue tries to renovate customers’ ideas of the traditional Asian food experience the mo-ment they walk in. It has luxurious, modern décor suited for a business lunch with colleagues or a special night out. They also have a small water fall, a full service sushi and liquor bar, and two private rooms for business meetings and private parties.

“We try to give people a comfortable, quite and beautiful environment,” Sophie Lin said.

Other services include Wi-Fi, catering and dis-counts for special occasions. Top it off with high quality customer service and clients are guaran-teed to have an all-around, exotic yet elegant ex-perience Gongfan Lin hopes they will not forget.


Progress 2013 39

evitalize your taste buds at Four Leaves

Written by JoneCe dunigan | Photographs Contributed

VVISITOR CENTER

· Soar to new heights with our IMAX® and 3D movies!

· Spark your imagination with hands-on exhibits and simulators like SpaceShot, G-Force and Mars climbing wall!

· Meet rocket scientists and have lunch with an astronaut!

· Become a Saturday Scientist during our hands-on workshops!

· Explore where history happened with our Marshall Space Flight Center Bus Tours!

Scan the QR code with a mobile device and see what our friends have to say about us.

Experience Spacein 3 Dimensions!

RocketCenter.com • 800-637-7223 • Open Daily at 9 a.m. •

40 Progress 2013

Scott bases aeronautical artwork on history


Scott Phillips worked to earn his nickname. Using his career experi-ence with NASA, the “Shuttleman” has built models of the space shuttle that are both art pieces and historical artifacts.

Phillips has made more than 250 of the spectacu-lar shuttles for astronauts, NASA personnel, and space and woodworking enthusiasts.

Since childhood, Phillips has enjoyed tinker-ing, repairing and building things. “I always felt energized when I could figure out a solution to a

problem,” he said. “Give me an idea, and somehow I always made it happen”

He worked as logistics engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center for Lockheed Martin and assisted in assembling the iconic shuttle display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

During those 33 years, Phillips worked on the space shuttle program from STS-1 through the final flight, STS-135. “As a young technician working on the external tank, I was the last man out of the shuttle’s external tank (ET-1), which was the first flight,” Phillips said.

From that tank, he saved the “Remove Before Flight” ribbon, which led to his book, Remove Be-fore Flight, with planned release in 2013.

Phillips feels blessed with a rich inner life, self-discipline and tenacity to create art from little to nothing. His passion for woodworking combines with his shuttle experience for inspiration to craft his one-of-a-kind shuttle models.

Surprisingly, nature motivates his modeling of one of man’s greatest technological achievements. “Most people look at trees and see bark, leaves and branches. I see beyond to the wood’s characteris-

‘Shuttleman’ Phillips


Progress 2013 41

bases aeronautical artwork on history

LEFT: A space shuttle carved out of wood by Scott Phillips. RIGHT: An autographed wooden shuttle clock carved by Scott Phillips.

tics,” Phillips said. He builds with exotic woods, like walnut, cherry,

mahogany, zebrawood, cocobolo, pink ivory, purple heart, holly, ebony, oak and two woods indigenous to Alabama -- osage orange and shittim, document-ed in Biblical times. Phillips prefers hardwoods with unique colors to highlight shuttle details.

“All woods go beautifully together. Nature made them that way. I get a real kick out of seeing all colors come to life,” Phillips said.

Phillips’ models usually are built with ‘in-flight’ configuration, but he also creates an occasional

vertical configuration. He works about 50 hours on each model. “The most difficult part is finding qual-ity woods. I search the country for finding the finest materials,” he said.

“Each model is a labor of love,” Phillips said. “I thoroughly document and serial number each model.”

Along with shuttles, he builds plaques, mantle clocks, jewelry boxes, Adirondack chairs and novel-ties like pecan crackers and “just about anything else my wife asks me to make.” He also restores antiques.

Phillips holds an aerospace patent and is a guitar-ist, songwriter, space historian and memorabilia collector. He holds membership with CollectSpace website community.

His wife Dianne is a writer, virtual assistant and works with Women on Fire, a national organization working to inspire, support and develop strategy for women entrepreneurs. Their sons Christian and Tyler, in seventh and sixth grade, respectively, participate in Boy Scouts and taekwondo.

For more information, email [email protected] or visit Facebook/Scott G. Phillips.

42 Progress 2013

TWritten by brittney JoneS | Photographs anna durrett

attooingat No Regrets is a famliy business

Stephen Pickel works on Jane Robinson at No Regrets Tattoo Studio in Madison.

No Regrets Tattoo Studio recently moved from Huntsville to Madi-son, and the new space has a tremendously inviting, arts atmo-sphere.

Owner Amber Garner has been a tattoo artist and piercer for 16 years.

Her father, Stanley “Eazy” Garner opened Magic Needles Tattoo Studio, the first and longest run-ning tattoo shop in the state of Alabama on Jan. 3, 1983.

Eazy was the recipient of multiple awards at international tattoo conventions.

Garner got her start at Magic Needles, where she worked for five years with her father. “I have four older sister who didn’t want to tattoo, but because I was very artistic I enjoyed everything about it.”

Eazy passed away in a motorcycle accident in November 2012 and Amber she said plans to carry

on his legacy and make him proud.Magic Needles is now closed, but No Regrets is

picking up its customer base.“Business is somewhat seasonal and it slows

down doing during this part of the year because people aren’t showing off as much skin during the winter, but we always encourage clients to come in during the colder seasons so their tattoos have more time to heal,” Garner said.

Garner said she is working hard to continue the success started at Magic Needles. “You have to have an artistic mind to create an image,” she said. “We don’t want our clients to have the same tattoos that every other tattoo shop is putting out there so everything we do.”

No Regrets tattoo artists pride themselves on color realism and portraits.

“We have so many clients that come in on a daily basis and we like to accommodate time for our artists as well as our customers so we do work

by appointments only for larger pieces,” Garner said.

She said her husband Stephen Pickel tattoos amazing scripts and the most precise line work she’s ever seen.

“I wouldn’t be as good as I am right now if it weren’t for Eazy,” Stephen said. “He was just a re-ally good dude.”

Pickel said Amber and him both have a huge passion for tattooing. “I do it because I know how good makes people feel,” Stephen said. “That’s why I do it.”

Amber taught Stephen how to tattoo. Before he learned tattooing, he said he would never be able to make money as an artist. Eazy’s grandson Jacob Staggs also tattoos at the studio.

No Regrets Tattoo Studio DBA Magic Needles is located on 107 Arlington Drive in Madison. For more information, call 256-461-4643 or visit at noregretstattoostudio.com.

U


attooing

UWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs Sarah brewer

ptown Boutiqueputs smiles on shoppers’ faces

Models relax by a cotton field at Tate Farm in clothes from Uptown Boutique. BELOW: Makayla Alexander wears designs from Uptown Boutique.

Uptown Boutique makes shoppers happy with stylish finds in clothing, gifts and accessories that aren’t the run-of-the-mill selections that line the racks at the mall.

“We offer unique items at affordable prices. We’re a local boutique with trendy clothing, jew-elry, shoes, handbags and more,” LeAnn Dean said about her locally owned and operated shop.

Uptown Boutique carries young and contemporary women’s clothing, uniquely mixed for ready-to-wear fashion, everyday wear, a ‘night out on the town,’ business casual or special events.

Most pieces of clothing cost less than $79 yet give today’s up-to-date look in fashion.

Uptown Boutique carries Silver jeans, Judith March, Ivy Jane and many other brands. The shop features Towne and Reese jewelry and watches, Mud Pie and several other vendors.

Fossil Handbags, Kavu and Hobo International wal-lets and handbags always are popular choices. Collegiate items, Tyler Candles and Natural Life are available.

Dean already has made plans for market to identify the best that spring fashion has to offer. “I do know that the popular colors for spring will be mint green, coral and tur-quoise,” she said.

Currently, Dean is negotiating to bring Rustic Attitude designs to her store. “Rustic Attitude has handmade, hand-stamped creations crafted from silver flatware and trinkets that they have found at flea markets,” she said.

Store hours as 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Uptown Boutique is located in Monrovia Plaza at 1047 Jeff Road NW. For more information, call Dean at 256-489-1002, email to [email protected] and visit Facebook/shopuptownboutique.


44 Progress 2013

VWritten by anna durrett | Photographs by Jenny moody

egan voices:Huntsville Vegans establish staying power

Mike Cross, Kathryn Dalenberg, Lucy Roberts, Carole Edmonds, Natalia and Alex Ura, Vegan Outreach Southeast Regional Coordinator Jeff Boghosian, Melissa Baker and Peter Young at a gathering in 2012 when Boghosian stopped by Huntsville during an educational tour.

A steadily growing local group known as the Huntsville Vegans, with a sampling of people ranging from

middle-aged conservatives to UA-Huntsville students to a convicted “eco-terrorist,” is seemingly as di-verse as Madison County itself.

The health-conscious members among them consider not eating animals or animal products the vital key to living a long, robust life. The animal rights advocates see the vegan lifestyle as a compassionate, ethical necessity. The environmentalists in their ranks regard the end of animal farming as possibly the most im-portant step needed to save Earth’s resources. A large portion of the Huntsville Vegans approach veganism from all three elements.

Huntsville Vegans was born in ear-ly Summer 2011 when founder Mike Cross, a California native who had been vegan for more than three years, created a Facebook page and invited locals to meet him at Olde Towne Coffee in Five Points in an effort to someday build a vegan and animal rights community in Huntsville.

“That first Friday, only a single other person showed up. We spent a couple of hours talking about our hopes for the future of animal rights, and I got to hear the story of this lone attendee having spent time in federal prison for animal liberation,” Cross said. “That was important to hear, especially starting out. It’s encourag-

ing and inspiring to speak with those who’ve acted for what they believe in.”

Peter Young, who served two years in prison beginning in 2005 for releasing more than 8,000 mink from fur farms in the Midwest in 1997, stumbled across Huntsville Vegans through a serendipitously timed Internet search. He was in the area visiting family who had moved to the area and casually Googled the words “Huntsville vegan.”

“The only thing that came up was the Huntsville Vegans Facebook page, which had like eight members, and it had no activity to speak of,” Young said. “And then, right as I was about to leave, and I didn’t know if I was coming back, Mike posted something that just said, ‘Hey is anyone inter-ested in meeting up?’ “

After Cross and Young met, Young left the area for what he thought might be a permanent departure. Cross wound up alone at the café the following Friday.When Young returned to Huntsville three months later for another visit, there were nearly 20 people at the Huntsville Vegans Friday night gathering. “It’s definitely special for a town the size of Huntsville, and how seemingly void it is of any other activism,” Young said. “I think it’s significant the group has been as active as it has been for as long as it has been.”

Cross was thrilled to watch the prosperous vegan group come to-gether. “Wonderful and well-spoken

advocates for humans and animals alike were consistently coming to our Friday meetups. We began to branch out to public demonstrations, tabling and leafleting, and other outreach efforts like plant-based cooking dem-onstrations and a public presentation on animal rights and animal activism at UAH.”

Huntsville Vegans now has over 230 friends on Facebook and meets every Friday at 6 p.m. at Café 153 at Bridge Street Town Centre in Hunts-ville. The group holds other regularly scheduled activities as well, from book discussions to potluck meals.

Members of the group work to further people’s knowledge of animal issues. “Most people, especially down here, think animal rights means dogs and cats, and maybe at most circuses, but they never think about the food issue,” Young said.

Young considers video footage inside slaughterhouses to be the most powerful outreach tool, and he rec-ommends watching the documentary Meet your Meat. “On the inside, in terms of our wiring and everything, we have all the same ability to suffer,” he said.

Cross said people who switch to a plant-based diet generally experi-ence a profound, positive change. “It’s not difficult at all to consistently eat vegan foods, and the health benefits of eliminating animal products are astounding and very noticeable. A mindful vegan diet is not only free of cholesterol, trans fat, hormones and

antibiotics, but is also high in vita-mins, fiber, phytonutrients, minerals and beneficial fatty acids, all of which are plentiful in vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains.”

Carole Edmonds, who has a dental practice in Boaz, is one of the group’s members who experienced the most dramatic health impact of a vegan diet. “I was struggling with blood sugar issues even though I had given up sugar and refined flour,” Edmonds said, who was a the time a vegetarian.

After going vegan more than three years ago out of compassion for chickens and dairy cows, she saw astounding improvements in her health. “Like a lot of people I thought I had to have certain animal products in my diet to be healthy,” Edmonds said. “Nothing was farther from the truth.”

Edmonds spreads her knowledge of vegan living to her patients and staff. She hands out information in both English and Spanish, and she plays the documentary Forks Over Knives in her reception room.

“One of my hygienists is my big-gest success story,” Edmonds said. Since going vegan, Edmonds said the hygienist has lost over 70 pounds and stopped taking most of the medica-tions she was on for high cholesterol, blood pressure and other health issues.

For more information about the Huntsville Vegans, visit huntsvilleveg-ans.com or Facebook.com/huntsville.vegans.

WThe ABCs of Madison County

Progress 2013 45

Irresistible. Mouth-watering. Inde-scribable.

Whistle Stop Sweet Shop has brought blends of fudge, gelato, candy and toys to 104 Main Street in down-

town Madison. Lynn Crumbly named her shop for Madison’s

trains, which she said are a huge part of Madi-son’s history and still an interesting feature in the historic area today. “Living right across the tracks, I see how much people love the train,” Crumbly said.

Around the shop’s ceiling, a train track pays tribute to the Norfolk-Southern Railroad. “Every child asks me to turn the train on. It’s magic,” Crumbly said.

Whistle Stop has an ever-changing assort-ment of sweets, always with 9 to 12 flavors of fudge. Crumbly makes traditional rich, dark chocolate fudges filled with pecans and wal-nuts, along with blends of amaretto, mint and orange.

Crumbly offers peanut butter fudge and “Tiger Butter” with peanut butter “swirled though vanilla fudge and drizzled with choco-late.” Chewy praline has pecans and caramel in vanilla fudge.

“Crimson Velvet Fudge tastes better than red velvet cake,” Crumbly said.

Whistle Stop is introducing Madison to gelato, or Italian ice cream, in seven flavors, in-cluding red raspberry sorbetto, carrot cake with cream-cheese frosting, and mint chocolate chip.

Sweet, savory Grits Bits and hot, spicy Buf-falo Nuts offer a different twist.

Beverages include several coffees, teas and hot chocolate with flavored syrups.

Whistle Stop also has no-battery toys, like skip ropes, train whistles, jacks and yo-yos. Children like the hard candies, jawbreakers, sour belts and block candy resembling LEGOs. Christmas ornaments are personalized for free.

In the mid-1990s, Crumbly owned a small retail business and eventually added homemade fudge to the inventory. “It was a great success,” she said. By 1999, she had sold the shop, and the family moved to Washington D.C. for two years.

Crumbly kept her fudge-making equipment and made holiday confections for family and friends. By 2001, the Crumblys returned to Ala-bama and moved to Madison, where she started having her annual Christmas Fudge Party. “Sometimes, we would make up to 140 pounds of fudge that was divided and sent home for everyone to share,” she said.

In 2011, the Crumblys bought and renovated a home on Front Street in Madison’s historical district.

“After seeing good changes coming to the Main Street area, I began to think about anoth-er small business,” Lynn said. Her marketing degree from Auburn University came in handy.

The storefront owned by Billy Drake became

available. Coincidentally, Drake’s grandfather, James Williams, built the Crumbly’s home circa 1904. “After much prayer and consideration, I jumped at the chance,” Lynn said. Following a preview at the Madison Street Festival, Whistle Stop Sweet Shop opened on November 24, 2012.

Her husband Chris has worked at NASA for 23 years. “Chris helped me so much in prepar-ing the physical space. He is one of my best samplers,” Lynn said.

Their sons are Preston, a Bob Jones High School senior, and Clayton, a Madison Elemen-tary School fifth-grader.

Lynn acknowledged hard work by Chris, Clayton, shop employee Crystal McBrayer, Imo-gene Odom, Clark Odom and Melodie Unger. Next-door neighbors Tony and Cindy Sensen-berger, who own Main Street Cafe, were instru-

mental in coordinating discussions with Drake. “Tony oversaw all the renovations,” Crumbly said.

For the future, she will work with Madison businesses to handle corporate gift giving and with Band Boosters at Bob Jones High School for a fundraiser. She hopes to ship Whistle Stop Sweet Shop fudge around the world -- and recently did send fudge to American troops in Afghanistan.

“No matter how much fudge I have, I always need more.”

Whistle Stop’s hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Crumbly will extend hours during summer.

For more information, call 256-325-8838, email [email protected] or visit whistle-stopsweets.com.

Written by anna durrett | Photographs by Jenny moody

egan voices:

WWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs JoneCe dunigan

histle StopSweet Shop adds delectable treats to Main Street

Lynn Crumbly stands behind treats that she offers at Whistle Stop Sweet Shop.


46 Progress 2013

Xylophonechimes in for James Clemens percussion ensemble

Written by gregg l. parker | Photographs anna durrett


Progress 2013 47

ylophonechimes in for James Clemens percussion ensemble

Percussion musicians at James Clemens High School prepare for a performance.

In a high school band, which per-cussion instrument has keys laid out like a piano with accidental notes in

one row and natural notes in the other?

“The xylophone is similar to the marimba but with a higher range but can sustain sound for less time,” Keith Anderson said. He is director of bands at James Clemens High School.

For the band’s inaugural year at James Clemens, An-derson has organized a concert percussion ensemble. “We rotate instruments and have several students playing the xylophone at different times,” he said.

Ensemble members are Ronnie Burrell, Jared Duna-vant, Abe Gates, Julia Gorti, Preston Lamb, Jon Melton, Aaron Miles, Heidi Morgan, Johnny Nickel, Emily Ong and Noah Russell.

“In concert percussion ensemble, if there is a conduc-tor, it’s typically the director,” Anderson said, “but a lot of ensembles perform without a conductor.”

During the 2012 marching season, the percussion sec-tion in the James Clemens Jets Band received superior ratings at the Southern Hospitality Marching Contest in Hartselle and the Tennessee Valley Invi-tational in Muscle Shoals.

Also in Hartselle, the Jets Drumline won “Best in Class,” an award that marks the most outstanding performance within the division in which the band is competing.

In his first year of teaching in 2001, Anderson organized Madison’s first competitive indoor drumline at Bob Jones High School, where he was as-sistant band director.

“Having the opportunity to begin a band program from the ground up was something not many get,” Anderson said. “To be able to do that in the great city of Madison was defi-nitely worth pursuing.”

Also under his direction, the Bob Jones Indoor Drumline earned the gold medallist title for two years in circuit com-petition for the southeastern United States. In addition, the drumline was selected to perform in concert with pro-fessional artists, such as Keith Urban and Foreigner.

Anderson earned a master’s degree in education from the University of North Alabama, and he is a National Board Certified Teacher. Keith and wife Emily have three sons.

48 Progress 2013

Young at heart: Giving back grows community

Written by gregg l. parker | Photographs JoneCe dunigan

Matt Curtis knows youth are our future and believes youth organizations are an integral part of community.

Curtis has coached five youth basketball teams through the YMCA, Madi-son Parks and Recreation, and Madison Academy. While at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, he also coached youth teams.

“I like supporting youth athletics because it teaches character traits such as leadership, team-work and work ethics,” Curtis said.

He serves as basketball coordinator for Madi-son Academy’s 14 teams for kindergarten through sixth grade. He coordinates the league by setting up games, uniforms, obtaining officials and gym set-up and takedown. “I set the direction for the program,” he said.

With signs and program ads, Curtis has also helped sponsor basketball at Bob Jones High School and baseball and softball at Liberty Middle School. He is working on a special project with Vigilance Sports to open a training center for Madison area athletes in the near future.

In addition to sports, Curtis has helped spon-sor several local concerts including Veggie Tales, Jeremy Camp and Mercy Me.


Progress 2013 49

Giving back grows community

Matt Curtis helps instructs the fundamentals of basketball.

Another example of Curtis’ passions is the Ready Yourself for the Future organization. This program is centered on empowering boys in fifth and sixth grade to be good leaders. He was key-note speaker at last year’s pinning ceremony when participants received a pin acknowledging their completion of the RUFF program. The young men are exposed to tangible role models and are trained to help others when they are down, moti-

vate others and to lead by example.“God has blessed my real estate team with

unbelievable growth, and I feel led to give back to the community that has helped us succeed,” Curtis said. “We believe that in being blessed you need to bless others. I think supporting and being a part of youth organizations and activities are important because they are our future. I’m proud to support all of these youth organizations and am

happy to be a part of these kids’ lives.”Curtis and his wife Courtney have lived in Mad-

ison since 2005. Their children are Calli, 8, Bryce, 6, and Macy, 2. Matt Curtis received a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the Univer-sity of Tennessee but has found his niche in real estate. He obtained his real estate license seven years ago and started building Matt Curtis Real Estate three years ago.

50 Progress 2013

ZWritten by gregg l. parker | Photographs by Contributed

estfully seeking relaxation:Alabama Sleep Clinic promotes easy sleep

Patients will rest easier at night once they get a full checkup at the Alabama Sleep Clinic.

Physicians at Alabama Sleep Clinic know the importance of a sound night’s rest and how to assist patients to achieve this essential to good health.

“The most common complaints from our patients are fatigue, daytime sleepiness, inability to get restful sleep and snoring,” Market-ing Director Rebecca Stacy said.

Alabama Sleep Clinic can also help people deal with sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and night terrors.

Primary physicians at Alabama Sleep Clinic are Edward M. Turpin, M.D.; James W. Roy, M.D., Ph.D; and Hunter Hearn, M.D.

Dr. Roy is board certified in sleep medicine, pe-diatrics and internal medicine. He graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Dr. Turpin and Dr. Hearn are both board certi-fied in psychiatry and sleep medicine specializing in sleep medicine. Dr. Turpin is a graduate of University of Florida Medical School. Dr. Hearn is

a graduate of University of Florida Medical School. “We are able see children ages 2 and up,” Stacy

said. “Snoring and daytime sleepiness in children are never normal. Parents should always consult a pediatric sleep specialist.”

Anyone with a sleep disorder of any type can benefit from a consultation with one of the sleep specialists at Alabama Sleep Clinic. “Our patients range in age from 2 and up since sleep disorders affect people of all ages,” Stacy said.

Not knowing they have sleep apnea or other disorder is the major risk for individuals. “They think snoring is normal. Because their day-to-day lives are so hectic, they think they are supposed to feel tired,” Stacy said.

Most frequently, people who feel tired or slug-gish during the day find they have sleep apnea. “A huge benefit to our patients is that, once diagnosed with sleep apnea, the patient immediately feels better the day after treatment begins.”

Alabama Sleep Clinic helps in building qualify of life in Madison by the nature of the discipline’s

metropolitan aspect and the focus that it is receiv-ing. “You can read about sleep disorders in almost any magazine you pick up, and sleep medicine af-fects a broad scope of the population,” Stacy said.

The clinic not only sees patients referred by their physicians but also individuals who schedule an appointment independently.

The Madison location opened in January 2012, joining its ‘sister’ clinics in Huntsville and Deca-tur. “The Madison office has provided our current patients who live in that area the convenience of being able to see the physician closer to where they work and live,” Stacy said. “The Madison office continues to build on new patients, as well.”

Alabama Sleep Clinic has three locations: 12205 County Line Road, Suite C in Madison; 4810 Whitesport Circle, Suite 110 in Huntsville; and 1215 7th Street SE, Suite 130 in Decatur.

For more information, visit alabamasleepclinic.com and Facebook/Alabama Sleep Clinic, or call the Madison office at 256-325-9919, Huntsville at 256-539-2531 or Decatur at 256-584-0056.


Progress 2013 51

Written by gregg l. parker | Photographs by Contributed

estfully seeking relaxation:

52 Progress 2013

Gerard D. Brocato, MD, FACSGeneral Otolaryngology

Jasper V. Castillo, III, MDPediatric Otolaryngology

John P. Kostrzewa, MDGeneral Otolaryngology

W. McKinley Teachey, MDGeneral Otolaryngology

Michael D. McFadden, MDGeneral Otolaryngolgy

Richard G. Martin, MDGeneral Otolaryngology

W. Scott McCary, MD, FACSGeneral Otolaryngolgy

William J. McFeely, MDNeuro-otology

927 Franklin Street Suite 100Huntsville, AL 35801

(256) 536-9300

8337 Highway 72W Suite 301Madison, AL 35758

(256) 772-1884

As the largest ENT practice in the Tennessee Valley, we know that bigger

doesn’t make us better. All of our physicians are board certi�ed in General

Otolaryngology. We also o�er specialized expertise in the areas of Pediatric

Otolaryngology and Neuro-Otology, Allergy Testing and Treatment,

Audiology and Hearing Aid services.

More OPTIONS for treating HEARING LOSSthan anyone else in the Valley, Period!

Hear the Difference.

Huntsville - 927 Franklin Street Suite 100

(256) 535-9038

The Valley’s largest physician supported hearing center!

CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT.Don’t miss another day!

Madison Hospital Campus - Progress Bank Building8337 Highway 72W Suite 102

(256) 704-HEAR (4327)

Progress 2013

Documents

Transcript of Progress 2013