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PAGE 4 September 2023
Albertville Senior Named National Merit Semifinalist
CULLMAN OCTOBERFEST - The 2023 Cullman Oktoberfest will be held on September 28-30. The event is a celebration of German heritage. There will be authentic German food, costumes and music, a Biergarten, game-day TV, arts and crafts, a car show featuring classic German cars, a bratwurst-eating contest, stein-hosting contest, historical tours, a Kid Zone and much more. NASCAR RETURNS TO TALLADEGA- The YellaWood 500 NASCAR Playoffs Weekend is set for September 30, 2023 through October 1. The winner of the YellaWood 500 race on Sunday, October 1 will advance to the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. On Saturday, September 30, the Love’s RV Stop 250 truck race will take place. The track offers various camping options, special opportunities for kids, group options, and corporate possibilities. For more information, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com, or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA. 60 COUNTIES AND GROWING - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey recently announced the statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and the state has reported that the response from parents and community partners across the state has been overwhelming. Sixty counties are now providing access to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. With the most recent addition of Cherokee, Chambers and Morgan counties, nearly 10,000 additional children will have access to receive free, high-quality books. COLLEGE REGISTRATION - Registration for Gadsden State Community College’s fall semester terms is ongoing through Oct. 16. Classes begin Oct. 13 for the fall mini 2 term. Visit www.gadsdenstate.edu and click on the link to “ONEACCS” at the top of the page to begin the registration process. To be admitted, go to gadsdenstate.edu/apply. For more info regarding admission or registration, email admissions@gadsdenstate.edu. TACTICAL MEDICINE COURSE - The Emergency Medical Services Program at Gadsden State Community College has been approved by the International Board of Specialty Certifications (IBSC) to offer a Tactical Medicine course for medical professionals to learn skills and concepts for application in tactical response. This course confers eligibility for the Tactical Paramedic (TP-C) or Tactical Responder (TR-C) exam and certification. The five-day course will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23-27 at the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office Multi-Purpose Room located at 827 Forrest Avenue in Gadsden. For more information, contact John Hollingsworth, Gadsden State EMS director at jhollingsworth@gadsdenstate.edu. BOAZ HARVEST FESTIVAL CAR SHOW - The 59th annual Boaz Harvest Festival Car, Truck, Jeep, Tractor, and Motorcycle show will be held on October 7, 2023. The event is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. and the awards will be at noon. There is a $10 entry fee. For more information call 256-593-8154. The Festival will be a three day event from October 5-7. The event will start on Thursday, October 5 with Snead State Baseball games at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. There will be music by Emily Joseph on Friday and on Saturday the music lineup includes Karen Peck and New River with special guest Bloodline & Exodus. SCOTTSBORO BBQ FESTIVAL - The annual Scottsboro BBQ Festival is set for October 14, 2023. The BBQ festival is a Kansas City Barbeque Society and Alabama Barbeque Association sanctioned event and will feature three competitions. Other activities include a Barq-Off dog parade; an official Alabama cornhole tournament; a car, truck and motorcycle show; a beer garden; and art and craft vendors. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free. All activities take place on the Downtown Square located at 316 S Broad Street in Scottsboro. For more info visit http://scottsborobbqcookoff.com. FIDDLERS CONVENTION - The 56th annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention will be held on October 4-7, 2023 at Athens State University. The event, which has been dubbed as the "Granddaddy of Midsouth Fiddler's Conventions," is projected to attract approximately 15,000 fans and more than 200 musicians. The cost of admission is $20 per adult for Friday and $20 for Saturday. A weekend pass can be purchased for $25. Additional ticket information is available online at www.tvotfc.org. Be sure to read more about the event online at www.alabamaledger.com. PATSY CLINE TRIBUTE - Laney Travis will present a Patsy Cline Tribute Concert on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at the Fort Payne City Hall Auditorium. Laney is a two-time winner of Teddy Gentry's Singing with the Stars Talent Contest. Tickets for the event are $10 each and the proceeds are going to the DeKalb County Children's Advocacy Center. MENTONE FALL FEST - The 2023 Mentone Fall Fest is set for October 20-21, at Moon Lake Village, formerly known as Moon Lake Elementary School. The event will kick off with a concert featuring Dooley and Company at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 20. The Fall Fest will resume on Saturday at 10 a.m. with vendors, various activities, and more live music. The festivals ends at 4 p.m. Admission is free. There is a $5 per vehicle parking fee. GERALDINE PRINCIPAL - Robert Richey was recently named the new Principal at Geraldine High School. News and Announcements
Albertville senior Ava Owens has been named a National Merit Semifinalist. More than 260 of Alabama’s high school seniors from public and private schools and homeschool were named as National Merit Semifinalists on Wednesday. More than 16,000 students were named semifinalists statewide. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. Over 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of The Parson Pantry at Snead State Community College is now offering various items at “Grab & Go Stations” across campus and free, hot meals to students in need. The Parson Pantry was established in Fall 2022 with the intention to aid students who may be food insecure and lacking school supplies or other necessities. Located on the first floor of the McCain Student Center, the pantry’s primary space was opened and included lockers stocked with food, toiletry and hygiene products, and school supplies. With the successful launch, as well as positive feedback from students and the community, the pantry has now evolved to offer “Grab & Go Stations” at the Aderholt Health Sciences Building, Cafeteria, Commons Area
Ava Owens
detailed application that includes information about their academic record, leadership abilities, community and school activities, employment and any honors and awards the semifinalist received. The student must also write an essay, be recommended by a high school official and earn a qualifying score on the ACT or SAT.
semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Semifinalists can choose to compete for more than 7,100 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be awarded in Spring 2024. That competition includes completing a
"Grab & Go Stations" now available at Snead State
in the Story Administration Building, McCain Student Center (second floor), and Weathers Business Building. “The Parson Pantry isn’t geared toward a single type of student,” said Caitlin Dickerson, a math instructor who also helps run the Parson Pantry. “All students could be in need, regardless of if they’re going through a difficult season of their life, or they’re simply running short on time one day and won’t get a chance to make it to the store. So, these stations were created to provide students with an opportunity to grab a quick breakfast or lunch between classes or even after class.” With a similar thought in mind, the Parson Pantry has partnered with the Boaz Rotary Club to offer students the “Rotary Plate.”
Thanks to the civic club, Snead State students can visit the Cafeteria Sunday-Friday from 1:30-2 p.m. and request the “Rotary Plate.” This allows students to get a free, hot meal to go/ All the student has to do is show their student ID. To learn more about the Parson Pantry, including donation information, email pantry@snead.edu. The pantry is always accepting hygiene/toiletry items, non-perishable foods and school supplies, as well as monetary donations and gift cards. Donations may be dropped off at the Office of Campus Engagement, located on the first floor of the McCain Student Center. If shopping online and would like to ship items directly to the Parson Pantry, please send items to Parson Pantry, 100 Elizabeth St., Suite 423, Boaz, AL 35957.
Cherokee Ridge named SSCC home course
The Snead State Community College’s Men’s Golf Team has announced that the Cherokee Ridge Golf Club will be the college's home course for the 2023-24 season and beyond. Parsons Head Coach Sam Holcomb described the partnership between Snead State and the club located in Union Grove as a game changer. “It’s a spectacular golf course; I’d say one of the best in the entire state if not the entire Southeast,” he said. “We’re just so thankful for the generosity of General Manager Pete Sands and the Cherokee Ridge Golf Club to partner with us and really roll out the red carpet for our student-athletes and program as a whole.” Sands, who has been with the club since 2022, said the Parsons would have access to an abundance of resources, including coaching from the club’s head professional. “We’re honored to partner with a rising junior college golf program like Snead State’s Men’s Golf,” Sands said. “Before I took over as general manager here, I worked at a course in Florida, and we had a similar relationship with a junior college there. Welcoming these student-athletes to our facilities and treating them just as student-athletes at the University of Alabama and Auburn University are treated at their respective courses, it really boosts the club atmosphere and overall growth through hosting tournaments, which in turn makes a nice economic impact as well. “As Coach Holcomb and I started having conversations, I knew this was a perfect fit for me. And if it’s a perfect fit for me, it’s a perfect fit for Cherokee Ridge.” Cherokee Ridge and Snead State Men’s Golf Team are set to host the NJCAA Southeast District Preview in late September, followed by the NJCAA Southeast District Championship in the spring. “This can’t do anything but help our program, especially in recruiting,” Holcomb said. “Nothing against our past home courses, but these are some of the best facilities this program has probably ever been able to use. “You add this on top of what our administration is doing over at the old recreation center in Boaz; I’m tickled to death with the direction this program is headed.”
SSCC Golf Team Members are (L-R) Sam Holcomb, Sean Brewer, Austin Burnham, Brett Barwick, Braylin Hathorn, Kane Standridge, Carson Jones, Brodie Garner, Caden Argo and Nate Simpson.
Snead State Community College will be leasing the B.B. Sanford / C.K. Gant Recreation Center from the City of Boaz with plans to transform the property into a multi- use, indoor facility for Parsons Athletics. For the men’s and women’s golf teams, the College will soon install golf simulators to be used for practice when the weather is not ideal. Cherokee Ridge Golf Club was formed in 1992. The 6,728-yard course was designed by golf course architect, Sammy Dean. The greens are bentgrass and professionally kept, and lush Bermuda fairways make short work of shots from the short grass. Cherokee Ridge served as host to the Nike (now Korn Ferry) Tour’s Alabama Classic from 1994 to 1997. Among the course’s amenities are two putting greens, a practice bunker, a 30-tee driving range and a fully stocked golf pro shop. Learn more cherokeeridgecc.com. Despite learning a new home course and sporting a young roster, the Parsons are hoping to find success on the links in 2023-24 after a pedestrian season one year ago. Holcomb, who is entering his third season as head coach, says he’s optimistic that his team will be competitive in the race for a district title and NJCAA Championship Tournament berth.
“We’ve got some talent coming back, as well as a few freshmen that I think could play really well for us,” Holcomb said. Among the team’s top returning sophomores are a pair of Pell City natives Austin Burnham and Braylin Hathorn. Holcomb described Burnham as the Parsons’ likely No. 1, when healthy. Currently, he’s been sidelined with a broken wrist. In last year’s ACCC Championship Tournament, Burnham placed 18th overall. Hathorn followed closely behind, finishing 20th. The team’s third and final sophomore to watch is Brett Barwick, of Guntersville. Of six freshmen new to the squad this season, Holcomb said he felt Carson Jones and Nate Simpson, both from Boaz, had shown potential to be really good this season. Other newcomers that could make an immediate impact are Caden Argo, of Etowah; Sean Brewer, of Chelsea; Brodie Garner, of Hayden; and Kane Standridge, of Lawrence. The Parsons kicked off their season at the Dan York Invitational at Cross Creek Golf Course in Cullman on Sept. 11-12. The program is now set for the NJCAA Southeast District Preview on Sept. 25-26. To learn more about Snead State Men’s Golf at sneadathletics.com.
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