By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
It was the day after a glorious Resurrection celebration weekend, and all of creation was tellin’ it: Spring is bustin’ out all over! There had been inspiring sermons, family gatherings, and the reminder once again that no matter how hard winter tries to hang on, new life will insist on being as triumphant as it is beautiful, perfectly manifested in strength and tender creativity.
There were so many things to celebrate, so Mayor Ronnie got right to it. First off, he called Ben Wiley, Director of the City of Athens Parks and Recreation Department, to finalize plans and get the numbers for Opening Day. “We have around 1300 kids who are going to be on the teams this year,” said Ben. He continued, “There are 387 kids playing softball, 485 playing baseball, and here’s a surprise—555 kids are playing soccer.” After they got off the phone, I asked, “More kids playing soccer than ball? Wow!” The kids will get started with playing on Saturday, April 7, but on Friday night, the 6th at 6 p.m., the Opening Day ceremonies will take place. The mayor will be throwing out the first pitch on the new fields, and there will be face painting as well as other activities for the kids.
That night was also going to be the kickoff for Autism Awareness in our area, and was also World Autism Awareness Day. The Limestone County Courthouse was going to be lit up in blue, and both the City and the County were issuing proclamations. In addition, there are several walks/runs for Autism Awareness in North Alabama during the month of April.
The Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast and fundraiser for the Boy Scouts of America was on Wednesday, April 4, and please see Holly Hollman’s article for more information on the successful event. Limestone County Archivist Rebecca Davis took the breakfast attendees through a brief history of our area in connection with the 200th anniversary celebration of both our city as well as our county.
Mayor Ronnie and I moved on to the fact that growth in our area is just “bustin’ out.” There is going to be an Italian restaurant in the location where LuVici’s is now. There is a possibility that another restaurant will be opening in the former location of Carole Foret’s art studio and gallery. There is also movement toward putting in a major truck stop at I-65 and the Tanner Road. “It’s happening,” said the mayor. “The growth we have talked about is really starting to take off,” he added.
We shook our heads over the fact that it is only six weeks until graduation, and how fast the year has gone. The Mayor’s Youth Commission is finishing up its 5th year, which was just as hard to believe.
Then it was time to pray, which we did, and it was time for Ronnie to roll, which he did, but not before he topped off his coffee in preparation for hitting the road for a day full of meetings.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
