www.ExchangeFlorence.org
April 22, 2014 (Note: April is National Child Abuse
Prevention Month)
Guest Assignment
Today—Howard Tinsley
President Teresa Robertson
*Please note changes in the programs schedule below!
Upcoming Programs/Events
April 26
April 29
May 6
May 13
May 20
May 27
June 2
James Hall
*Frank Hatchett
*Andrea Holt
*John Jackson
Ralph Jones
Stan Kimbrell
Scheduled to bring guests
Timothy Wakefield
David Warren
Charlie Watkins
Jim Wells
Larry White
Laura Williams
This Week’s Program
DeWayne Griffin will bring back Daniel Giles, former TD photographer & now
BSA Executive Director, to bring us up to date on what’s going on with the
Scouts.
Last Week’s Program
Dr. Joe Flippen introduced Allen Teague,
Preconstruction Administrator with ALDOT,
Division 2 in Tuscumbia, left, to bring us up to
date on the state of roads in the Shoals area. Jud
Young, Design Engineer & great prospect for our
Club at right, came along to help with the slide
presentation. Allen started his talk off
with stating that there are more projects to be let
now than in
the 20 years he’s been at ALDOT. And, oh yes, ALDOT is about
to undergo a reorganization, which will take them from
9 divisions to 7 (done already) & then down to 5 regions. NW Alabama will
be combined with all other North Alabama divisions to become the North Region, sort of
like the Department was divided in the 70’s. He says the Governor has assured our side
of the State will not be slighted. Uh-huh.
He reported on ATRIP & RAMP local projects. All 3 rounds have been completed
to the tune of $1 billion in projects around the State. Colbert County had 6 projects for
$14 million & Lauderdale 14 projects for $16 million under ATRIP, which requires a 20%
match from local sources (city/county) (
Next big project for Lauderdale will be Wood Avenue’s rehab, where new curbing
& resurfacing will be done & apparently some renegade trees “addressed”; a roundabout
at the Huntsville Road/Royal Avenue intersection is included,
as is 5-laning Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals /Sheffield/
Tuscumbia--both toward the airport & from the RR crossing
close to NWSCC to Keller Hospital.
RAMP--stands for Rural Assistance Match Program-which requires no matching local funds, has allocated $5
million for Winston, Lawrence & Marion counties combined.
Wilson Dam Road to Highway 157 slated for September
2016; bridge removal at Mitchell Blvd. for 2017 & 6-laning to
Shoals Creek (Florence Blvd./Highway 72) 2024; & the infamous Highway 43 to the TN
State Line, which qualifies as a “capacity project” (read: “not in your lifetime, dude”),
has been moved out to 2048, which drew a laugh from the crowd.
More immediately, there will be lots of deaths (by 2048) & a bridge painting &
maintenance on O’Neal Bridge (not that the deaths will be attributable to O’Neal Bridge)
starting in May, so that will be a one-lane thoroughfare in each direction while that
project is in progress. [Make a mental note to use Singing River Bridge during May &
afterwards for a while.] Seems that project used to be almost an annual exercise. They’d
hardly finish painting the bridge silver before they started scraping & undercoating with
that organgy undercoat stuff & starting up again—once upon a time. In responding to a
question from the audience, Allen said that there would be a signal at Church
Road/Highway 43 in St. Florian to ease both the local traffic & that from the Industrial
Park feeder roads.
The philosophy at ALDOT, as with all State
Departments now, is “doing more with less,” which has an
Eqyptian ring to it. Such techniques used in that vein could
be signal timings, roundabouts, displaced left turns, indirect
left turns, U-turn intersections, jug handle ramps at grade
(seen at left) & diverging diamonds. Thankfully, Judd & Allen
had pictures of each method listed, which were helpful since
most of the audience had no clue, personally confessing here.
Mr. Teague also shared with the Club via email that the
Decatur toll bridge has its own website if you are interested:
http://www.decaturbridge.com/. Wow! That’s a lot of projects & lots of interesting
information & timelines. Some of that is the ultimate long-range planning! Thanks to
Allen & Jud. Y’all come visit with us anytime!
Club Programs Yellow means action needed Red is an upcoming event Green is $
Our esteemed & hard-working Cajun chef, John Dupuis,
stands in the kitchen where beans were cookin’ & people were
hustling to prepare the delicious red beans & rice & John’s famous
bread pudding. Our menu was rounded off by slaw & French bread.
MMMMMMMMMMMMM-good! Thanks to John for being willing to sacrifice his time to
spearhead this wonderful fundraiser. It was truly a team effort! Check out more pics
from the event on the Club website: www.ExchangeFlorence.org.
Madame Secretary Fran Nunnelly (left) proudly reported that
the Club recently received 2 more patches & 1 star to go on our
Club’s banner. These were for drink sales at the NW AL State Fair,
Community Service, work with displaying American flags during
Veterans’ Day & rededication of the Freedom Shrine at Allen
Thornton Tech. The banner is lookin’ good!
Treasurer Stewart O’Bannon III, Esq., reported that
Operations has $1650 & Project Fund $14,700. Red Beans & Rice lunch grossed around
$2500, before expenses deducted. Net results TBA.
Quarterly statements were sent via Uncle Sam’s mail. Please let his office know if
you failed to receive yours. Please remit asap to stay current.
New member, Parrish Riedel, joined us in his new role & had the burden of having
to sit with Vance Persall.
Dr. Wells had no news to report, which we will consider good news that none of
us made the Hard Times this week.
Birthdays admitted to were Norm Ross, Stan Kimbrough, and Adin
Batson. There was something said about all being “39 & holding.” HB,
guys!
Wear blue on Mondays during April, Child Abuse Prevention Month,
reminded Andrea Holt, who also announced that CASA volunteers will be visiting local
restaurants to talk about their work with abused children, She shared a flyer with those dates
& times. Unfortunately 32 children died from child abuse in Alabama in 2012, the lastest year
for which those sad statistics are available.
Prez Teresa attended the Florence City Council Meeting on April 1 & received a
Proclamation from Mayor Haddock, citing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in
Florence. She brung it with her & did a show & tell. Mayor Haddock’s office also sent us
a nice letter about Youth-in-Government Day & set the date next year for March 3, 2015.
See y’all next Saturday (26th) around 8:00 at Foodland in Killen
for our 23rd annual Food Run!
Next Saturday will see the Annual Food Run (April 26) at
Foodland in Killen. We need to sell those tickets & be there to support
the fun activities. Grabbing hundreds of dollars of food in three minutes
is a lot of fun, as is watching someone do that! Please put Saturday 26th
down for showing up at Foodland. Drawing is held at 10, but there are
other door prizes as well. We double dog dare you to come!
The next Alabama District Exchange meeting will be held at Lake Eufaula June 6-8.
2014 National Convention of Exchange Club will be in New Orleans July 9-12.
Howard Tinsley has applications for the Book of Golden Deeds Award if
anyone wants to nominate a deserving citizen. He also encouraged Carolyn
Chandler to send in an application for the PR Award, which is due May 15.
Treasurer, secretary, ONUG chair & bulletin editor positions will be open for the coming
FY (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015). Please let Andrea Holt, Immediate Past President, know if you
would consider serving. Steve Chenault will gladly mentor his successor, as will the other
incumbants.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, in case you forgot! And our annual Food Run!
If you or one of our members or former members has a health need, please call to make
the need known, pleaded Vance Persall. That’s the only way we’ll know & can help. Phone
number is (256) 366-8342. You should think to check on your absent Exchange friends & let us
know if there is a need we can address!
May is Freedom Shrine month. Dr. Joe Flippen announced that we
have received permission to place a display at Brooks High School. Great
team effort in advancing this wonderful Americanism project. Kudos to
President Teresa Robertson & Dr. Flippen & the Florence Club. If you’ve
never attended one of these dedications, you are missing an uplifting & rewarding
experience. Date TBA.