BARRY'S CORNER - LIVING IN ELKMONT

Went to watch West Limestone play in the regional tournament at Wallace State few weeks ago. They won! Great game! Looking at the kids and the seniors and started thinking about high school and friends. Yeah...it’s been a minute. Will be 33 years this year. That doesn’t seem possible. 

I was thinking about senior year and an infamous “skip” day. My friend Brian Holt and I had decided we were going to skip and go to Dexter’s apartment at UNA. I’m pretty sure I told mama while she was running bath water or using the mixer. Brian told his mom, Charlene. Well we skipped and went and laid out by the pool with our farmer’s tans and towels. Pretty uneventful but better than school. Back then the procedure was when you missed a day you carried your excuse to Mrs. Nanette McBay ( who was better than Matlock at sniffing out a fake) and she gave you a small white square that you had every teacher, every period sign. It was marked excused or unexcused. Well..there were days mama or daddy were in such a hurry that they “forgot” to write me an excuse. It was for that reason(and that reason only) that I had practiced and practiced their signatures....yeah...that’s it 😉. 

Well what do you know...they forgot that day. I had to write my own excuse about being sick(you know...sore throat) and sign it for Mrs McBay. The next day it just so happens Brian and I end up in line, me in front of him, to give our notes to Mrs. McBay. I hand her mine , cough a little and clear my throat , while she eyes my sunburned arms and raccoon eyed burned face and get a note marked excused. Brian then hands her his. I’m walking out the door and she says “Barry,”. “Come back”. She asks for the note and marks it unexcused. I’m in shock. I look at Brian puzzled and he just shrugs and said mine is unexcused too. I turn to Mrs. McBay and she shows me Brian’s excuse. Seems his mom had not forgotten. And he had NEVER practiced her signature just in case. He gave her an excuse his mom had written!!! It said “Brian and Barry skipped school yesterday!” Busted!! He never looked at the note!! Still can’t believe it! Have a good one!

BARRY'S CORNER - LIVING IN ELKMONT

It’s March 6th. I’ll never forget March 6th 1979. It was a Tuesday and I was practicing for the school spelling bee in Gail Wunderlich’s 5th grade classroom. I needed her for something and as many kids do I said “mom” by mistake. She looked up and said “what son?” From that day on she always called me son. The rest of my school career she would give me birthday cards and I would always give her a Mother’s Day card. When she signed my senior year book she called me one of the “lights” of her life. Every and I mean every first day of school I always went to her room to tell her “hey!” She developed a relationship with me that influenced me through out my school career. She made me actually feel “worth” something and gave value to my good behavior and desire to learn through her actions. 

I never had a trip to the treasure box...never got a sticker ... never received any extrinsic kind of token for behavior. She gave me thumbs up, pats on the shoulder and “great jobs”. When I wasn’t in her room and older she always called me by name or “son” in the hallway. She always made sure I was well and gave me a place to go if I needed some “I’m OK” reassurance. She cared. I knew it. I wasn’t the only one. She did it for all her students. Through her love for us we developed a love for ourselves. And that is what educating a child to become an adult who can live and thrive in this world is all about. Loving them enough that they learn to love themselves. Doesn’t mean never disciplining. Doesn’t mean being “easy”. It means caring for and molding children to function in this world. She left this world way to early! I miss her. I think about her almost daily. You know....she got it! She absolutely got it! Education and teaching is so much more than books and tests. It’s relationships! One I’ll cherish and never forget! We need each other!! Have a good one!

BARRY'S CORNER - LIVING IN ELKMONT

Ok...my early 80’s skating friends....do you remember these?? I will never forget saving my money to get one of these. Got $5 a week from my grandmother for mowing her grass. It was $1.25 to get in the skating rink and you could get a drink and a slice of pizza for .50 at the concession stand. After that I had $3.25 left. Never will forget the Panama Jack shirts at Bennett’s were $16. Took me over a month to save up but I did and I got one. I was 15 years old and irresistible (right) after bathing in CHAPS cologne from Big B drugs and sporting my Sedgefield jeans from Rogers Dept store. Had my Jordache belt on that came in a pack of 3 colors and you just changed the buckle. I’d get out of the car and the line to get in would be wrapped around the skating rink’s corner. I bet you could smell me before you saw me. I can still smell the inside of that skating rink. Jack Collins owned the place and made sure all of our shirts were tucked in. Caught me holding hands one time with my girl and I remember it like it was yesterday, he said “you got pockets if your hands are cold!” He ran a tight ship and parents didn’t worry about us while we were there. From Robyn Terry’s birthday parties to the all night skates, we had a great time. I remember we would be shoulder to shoulder at times skating. This was extremely dangerous if you were by my friend, Jeanie Butler. She kicked when she skated. She could take down half the floor with one kick on nights like that. Those were some great times! Wish there were places like that for young people now. Made a lot of memories there in my Panama Jack shirt! Have a good one !!

CAN YOU HELP??

Many of you have asked about a service project, a chance to help someone's life be a bit brighter, this is one opportunity that is local.  The Elkmont Senior needs volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels in the Elkmont area. The routes take about an hour. If you would like to get involved in helping others, call Regina at the Elkmont Senior Center, 256/233-6412.

HEARTS FOR THE HOMELESS

The Elkmont based Hearts for the Homeless is a continuous service project geared primarily toward our homeless veterans in the tri-county area. Their mission to help as many homeless and homeless vets as they can.

If you are out and about, and are able, please pick up one or two items. It will be a blessing to those in need. Thank you all for your gifts of love and for your prayers. Not a single one goes unnoticed.

When we began this mission we knew we would be out of pocket a lot, and that we are. There is a LOT that we do behind the scenes out of our own pockets that most of you don't know about, medicines, birth certificates, drivers license, gas, I filled up Wednesday when we went out to feed our friends, I have less than 1/4 tank left, and that was all used for Hearts business.

I am posting our winter needs list, and I am asking that if you can help please do, if not please pray us through this time of need. We are not sponsored by big churches,we depend on God to see us through to the next day, but I sure wouldn't mind him having some help just this one time.
Thank you for taking time to read this, and thank you for being here...

Here's our list of things we'd love to have for our friends, that we are not stocked on:

*everyone is invited to help out with this project

 

The name Hearts For Homeless or the leaders names of this group cannot be used for accepting or delivering donations without the explicit permission of Larry Pierce, Richard Waltman or Angie McElyea. 


 

BARRY'S CORNER - LIVING IN ELKMONT

I saw a young man today at Publix that I had taught many years ago. He was putting his own child into the shopping cart. His eyes lit up and he said “Coach Pugh”. “Do you remember when you told my whole class that you used to be tall?” “You told us it was a lawn mower accident and it cut the bottom part of your legs off and they just moved your feet up and put them back on”. He said he spent two years looking at my legs for the scars....


I’m sorry...just sorry....

ARE YOU READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER? - THURSDAY TIPS

Today's severe weather reminder is about lightening. We are all looking forward to Spring weather but there is a downside ..... Get ready by making plans before those storm sirens howl through the Elkmont area. Don't forget the tax free severe weather weekend starts tomorrow.

ARE YOU READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER? - WEDNESDAY TIPS

Today's severe weather reminder is about tornadoes. We are all looking forward to Spring weather but there is a downside ..... Get ready by making plans before those storm sirens howl through the Elkmont area.

Do you know where you will shelter when tornadoes are in the area?
 

We have two public places in our community.  One is the storm shelter behind the fire department on Sandlin Road.  The other is the basement of the United Methodist Church in downtown Elkmont on Children Street.

Link to more information about our community storm shelter.

ARE YOU READY FOR SEVERE WEATHER - TUESDAY TIPS

We are all looking forward to Spring weather but there is a downside ..... Get ready by making plans before those storm sirens howl through the Elkmont area. 


Even though Elkmont is one of the highest points in the county, we do get floods in our community.  Important things to remember in our areas below the Hilltop.

TAX FREE STUFF THIS WEEKEND

Some of the spring models are indicating a more active severe storm season for our area.  Think ahead and stock up on those things you need, just in case. Alabama's tax holiday for severe weather preparedness items is coming Feb. 22-24. During this weekend, Alabama will waive the state sales tax on items needed to prepare for severe weather. 

The Alabama Department of Revenue says the tax-free purchases include common disaster supplies that cost less than $60 and generators costing $1,000 or less. Items covered include flashlights and batteries, self-powered or battery-operated radios, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, ground anchor systems, plywood, first aid kits, artificial ice, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

LINK:  ITEMS YOU CAN BUY