Dothan Progress

With cooler temperatures upon us and the winter months not too far away, the elderly could face many critical health issues.

The administration, staff and residents of Wesley Manor are bringing back a community favorite just in time to get Wiregrass citizens in the holiday spirit. Mark your calendar for Friday, November 6, and make plans to attend Wesley Manor’s Fall Bazaar. Proceeds from this event will assist the Wesley Manor Auxiliary, a volunteer organization, furnish the facility’s gift shop. Those proceeds will also enable the auxiliary to purchase large-ticket items, such as televisions and Wii games, that will benefit the facility’s residents.

The need for help and information continues to grow. As the Wiregrass population ages, Kay Jones realizes more and more people need the services provided by the Alzheimer’s Resource Center. As the center’s executive director, Ms. Jones has daily contact with individuals seeking answers to heart-breaking questions.

What was life like on the farm in the 1850s? During the annual Wiregrass Heritage Festival, which will be held October 24, Landmark Park will come alive with demonstrations that will showcase that life and the activities that would take place on a typical family farm.

Organizers believe it is a natural fit. Landmark Park is devoted to preserving the heritage of the Wiregrass. Quilters keep a time-honored tradition alive. The two have joined forces. Hence, the inaugural Landmark Park Quilt Show was born.

PANSEY - A tribute to days gone by sits about five miles south of U.S. Hwy. 84 East on Houston County Road 75. On that spot you will find Brunson’s Grocery - or what a lot of people who grew up in the South would call “a country store.” It’s been in operation since 1974 and has many of the characteristics of stores that operated for many years prior to that time.

George Jeffcoat, president of the 66th National Peanut Festival, has a challenge for this year’s festival visitors. Find a peanut tree. Amused? So is Jeffcoat, who has raised crops of peanuts for many years. There is no such thing as a peanut tree, despite some of the continuing comments Jeffcoat and other festival officials have heard down through the years.

Angie Casey understands the heartache families, who have loved ones suffering from dementia, feel. She has walked in their shoes.

Much progress has been made in the fight against diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death in America. But much work remains to be done. One of the main goals behind the Seventh Annual Diabetes Prevention and Wellness Workshop is to remove the shroud surrounding diabetes.

Warm tropical breezes. Cool, refreshing punch. Fresh fruit. A decorative backdrop. The relaxing sound of a steel drum filling the air. A conga line. A limbo stick. Those were the ingredients that made for a fun-filled August afternoon at The Terrace at Grove Park. The staff and residents of the The Terrace closed out a summer filled with activities by enjoying the sights and sounds of a tropical luau.

The 17th annual “A Walk to Remember,” presented by the Alzheimer’s Resource Center, will be held Saturday, October 3, at Westgate Park. A special kickoff luncheon was held Thursday, August 20, at Southeast Alabama Medical Center to announce the walk chair and the schedule of activities for the event.

Jesse James makes routine patrols throughout Houston County. No, not that Jesse James. This one has big brown eyes, four paws and a super-sensitive nose. He’s a 19-month-old bloodhound that is a member of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office. And he patrols the streets and roadways of Houston County with his human partner, Deputy David Asbill, a three-and-one-half-year veteran of the department.

Good food served from wheelbarrows. Family fun. Fellowship. Entertaining Bluegrass-style music. Those are the ingredients that will make the 10th Annual Low Country Boil the place to be for Wiregrass families.

Most people have seen the ads on television that promote home safety for the elderly by buying a pendant that will allow the wearer to press a button to get emergency help. What many may not know is that service is available for Wiregrass residents through a local company.

The city of Headland is applying for several grants to not only improve the appearance of the city, but to also make the city safer for children living in the area. The city of Headland will apply for the Safe Route to School Grant. The grant is for $150,000 and is available through the Department of Transportation.

The second annual American Indian History Month Festival returns to the Dothan Civic Center Saturday, November 21. Organizers of the event believe this will be an educational opportunity for the entire community.

The vendors have packed up their produce and headed back to their farms. The artisans have tucked away their arts and crafts. The inaugural Poplar Head Farmers Market has drawn to a close.

“The Gardens may be the best kept secret (in Dothan),” said Martha Yearta, president of the board of directors of the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens during a tour of the grounds Monday morning. “It’s a great place to come and walk or jog and to enjoy the flowers. And there is no admission charge to come.”

“Yes We Can! Dothan” is more than just a catch phrase or battle cry. It is the message those involved in this new education movement want to give to the community at large.

Fighting fires and rescuing individuals in distress just got a little easier for the men and women of the Dothan Fire Department. Through a series of grants, including a major donation from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, every fire engine and the two ladder trucks in the department have been equipped with thermal imaging cameras.

From the outset, one of the goals of the Poplar Head Farmers Market was to provide a place for the community to buy fresh produce from local vendors.  In addition to bringing consumers and producers together, the market has also provided educational and entertainment opportunities for the community to enjoy.

The effort to keep pesky weeds at bay haunts many backyard gardeners. They are not a problem, however, for one Dothan gardener. Curtis Dominey, 88, took the advice of a friend and now has a garden that requires little, if any, maintenance. The secret? Let Mr. Dominey share it.

Fresh produce, music, art projects and product demonstrations were the order of the day last Saturday morning during the Poplar Head Farmers Market. Vendors from throughout the Wiregrass were on hand to meet the public’s demand for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Will America lose the fabric of its existence? It will, says Dr. David Bridges, president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, if America doesn’t preserve its rural heritage.

Their career paths began at different points. But, an inquisitive telephone call led to a decision that ultimately brought two future audiologists together to form a partnership, Hearing Associates of Dothan LLC, which opened its doors in February of this year.

What do you get when you mix pieces of cotton, shredded denim, recyled newsprint and red construction paper with water? If you attended Saturday’s Poplar Head Farmers Market, you witnessed children making works of art from those ingredients.

“We did well. Everybody seemed to enjoy it.” That is how Julie Bishop, market director, described the second week of the Poplar Head Farmers Market.

The Kiwanis Club of Dothan has an invitation for the Wiregrass community - come and celebrate the Fourth of July with them at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds.

Larry Roberts has an important message for the men of the Wiregrass area. Take part in the Community Health Fair for Men, presented by the Southeast Alabama Medical Center, Saturday, August 22, at Northview High School.

Organizers could not have asked for a better day or a better turn out Saturday morning for the inaugural Poplar Head Farmers Market. The vendors, selling the best in fresh fruit and vegetables, saw a steady stream of traffic all morning. In fact, many of the vendors had to bring in extra baskets of their produce to meet the demand.