Envision Opelika

The ladies walked into the Tavern.  They were wearing the finest of Victorian wear for the time. They were joined a few moments later by a gentleman friend. They talked, commented on the fashions of others there. I don’t think they were fond of what was worn by some of the ladies present that night. They laughed. After a short time, the gentleman glanced at his watch, as remembering he had another engagement near. Then, in a few minutes, he left saying “He must catch the train.”  Just a minute after he departed, the horn sounded as a train sped thru downtown Opelika on its way north. It was December a few years ago. But not one hundred twenty years ago, it was just two years ago.  You might encounter these Victorian friends again in the next few weeks. Well, maybe, if you see ghost!

Opelika isn’t the only city with stories of ghost in old buildings.  Several owners of shops on Railroad Avenue can tell you of lights cut off at night, only to be found “on” in the morning. I’ve seen the shadow of a shop owners wife pass in the dimly lit store, only to discover she’s not working that day and isn’t in the shop. I would have bet a hundred dollars that she was hiding behind the wall. Then the story of the bartender that hears glasses being pushed off shelves, only to walk to the bar and find no one there to do the deed.  Or me hearing the footsteps from above the ceiling, then learning that the second floor was empty of life.  

So now, how do I explain that someone saw the ghost? There are people that see ghost you know.  I know we normally bring out stories of ghost or spirits each Halloween, but this appearance at the time of the Victorian Front Porch tour, seemed worthy of mention again. And who is the person who saw this Victorian Trio.  Not some crazed lunatic, but a responsible working member of the community.  I was at Eighth and Rail the night that friend Beth Witten and her husband Steve, when she asked the question, “Did you see that?” For it was Beth that saw (and felt) the ladies brush past her. And in just another moment, another figure of the gentleman, who joined the ladies.   

I thought it was interesting that this sighting was during the time of the Victorian Front Porch Tour in Opelika that year. Does this mean that other spirits come out for this holiday celebration? Well, I would offer this up for thought.  If you walk the Victorian Front Porch Tour and see a couple down the street, but as you turn back, they are no longer there, you may have seen a ghost of Christmas Past.  Now if you come upon the gentleman with the British accent and younger Victorian wife, it’s probably just George Purves and wife Debbie. They’re not ghost! Happy Holidays Folks, see you next year!

Jerry Downtown Opelika, OA News Articles

Although I didn’t grow up in Opelika, I did seem to find myself near the railroad and that whistle of the train throughout my early life. Just two blocks off the main drag in Madison, Ga, the train would cross a tressel just beyond the Ice House during my elementary school days. It was about that time, our class rode the famed Nancy Hanks all the way from Atlanta to Hapeville (well at that age it seemed a pretty long trip).   In Thomson, Georgia when I was in Junior High, we’d get a cherry Coke at the Rexell Drug Store (made from scratch those days) and sit by the REA Express Office and watch the freight trains pass thru town and count the cars in the mid 1960’s. In the 70’s, Savannah painted a special engine to shuffle freight loads up and down River Street just feet from the door of The Exchange, a favorite watering hole. And now in Opelika I hear the night call of the trains heading all directions from my south side home.

Some nights, the whistle, which is really a horn, sounds like a song as it nearly, wakes me from deep sleep. After a few years living downtown, I can generally tell where the train is in relation to the horn blow.  It approaches Pepperell with the first warning, then at Thomason by the self storage place, on to west of the old Opelika Mill, then the clatter as it crosses the frog (officially called an interlock) before it’s assault on downtowns 9t, 8th & 7th Street. 

In cities, large and small, since 1990’s, residents have been working to silence the train horn in residential and business areas.  As Opelika’s downtown continues to add second floor condos, city leaders might consider actions to silence the horn and eliminate some of the noise pollution. It’s an easy, if not costly project to create Qafuiet Zones. By definition, a quiet zone is a railroad grade crossing at which trains are prohibited from sounding their horns in order to decrease the noise level for nearby residential communities. The train horns can be silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns. By adding crossing gates that block all lanes on both sides of the track, you make it impossible for a car to drive around and find it on the tracks. With these economic times, this project probably isn’t going to get much traction right now, but it should be considered in plans for the next five to eight years. 

Some train horn facts: A blast from a 110-decibel train horn is similar to the roar of a jet flyover at 1,000 feet or the amplified music of a rock band.

Currently trains are required to sound the horn for 15 second before a crossing with two long, one short and one long blast.  As anyone downtown can probably confirm, each conductor has his own way of sounding that horn.

Jerry Downtown Opelika, OA News Articles

Just around the corner lies a special fundraiser! Special because it benefits the renovation and transformation of the Miriam S. Brown School into a Community Cultural and Small Conference Center.

Special because it brings together a host of community arts organizations as sponsors: the Arts Association of East Alabama, the Auburn Chamber Music Society, Auburn University Community Orchestra, the Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, Envision Opelika Foundation, the Jule Collins Museum of Fine Arts, and special because the featured guest for the evening will be the well-known syndicated columnist and author Rheta Grimsley Johnson.

You know her. You read her every week in the Opelika-Auburn News. She is a 1977 graduate of Auburn University, winner of the 1974-1975 National Pacemaker Award, while on the Plainsman staff, with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for seven years and other regional newspapers prior to that.

Johnson has garnered numerous awards the National Headliner Award for commentary in 1985, the Scripps Howard’s Ernie Pyle Memorial Award for outstanding human interest reporting in 1984 and was designated the Scripps Howard Writer of the Year from 1983-1985.

In 1996, when she delivered the Neil and Henrietta Davis Distinguished Lecture, Dr. Dale Harrison, AU faculty member and immediate-past chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism said, “(her) insightful columns have warmed hearts and households across the country by raising up the ideals we all hold dear and telling timeless stories with an engaging and irresistible voice that is uniquely her own.”

She has authored several books, including “America’s Faces,” “Good Grief,” the authorized biography of Charles Schulz, and the one featured at this fund-raiser.

This “Book and Buffet” event has two editions. If you purchase the first edition, you will be entitled to a lecture by the famed Johnson, “The South Did This To Me;” a copy of the author’s new book, “Poor Man’s Provence,” from NewSouth Books; a book signing; and a buffet of Southern specialties.

The second edition includes all of the above without the lecture.

Why two editions?

Space is limited to only 150 for the lecture and the sponsors wanted more people to be able to meet the author and have the book signed by her. Plus this is a fundraiser and more people equals more funds.

Each edition is priced differently. First editions are, of course, always more expensive.

Johnson credits her love for Cajun country, particularly Henderson, Louisiana, as the inspiration for her new book, saying “I’m uneasy about pretending to understand a culture that is not my own. I’ll qualify it by saying that I’m not an authority… This is just a love story, my love affair with this place, a work-a-day town where they still make their living in the swamp.”

Other special things about this event: catered by the trio of Ursula Higgins, Martha Hicks, and Billy Lee; the place, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art; the time, First Edition 6:30, Second Edition 7:00; and the date, Aug. 28. Contact: AAEA at 749-8105.

Barbara Patton is executive director of Envision Opelika.

Barbara OA News Articles

Dr. J. W. Darden’s legacy is living on through the restoration of the home where he and his wife lived and where he practiced medicine. The restoration of this house on Auburn Street in Opelika was relentlessly pursued by Dr. Yvonne Brown-Phillips, as she led the efforts and formed many partnerships to make this house come back to life. It was not an easy task but through her, their legacy was preserved.

Now, the house is being used partly as a Wellness Center for the community and the Darden Wellness Committee sponsors monthly educational programs at the facility. This Committee collaborates with other individuals and organizations to host these monthly events and invites citizens to participate and take advantage of what is offered.

The first program for this year was held in March. Thirteen clients visited and heard a brief educational presentation entitled “Stroke Brain Attack.” They also had their blood pressure checked, received educational literature, enjoyed nutritional snacks donated by Wright’s Market and registered for a door prize (a digital blood pressure cuff) which was donated by Bubba’s Medicine Shop.

In April, Lee Russell Council of Governments’ Daphne Farley was on hand to discuss “Medicare Matters” and Roenia Janigan assisted with “Free Prescription Help.”

Then in May, along with the blood screenings, Ms. Janigan returned to discuss the same topic as above and a power point on “Healthy Choices” was also presented.

June was skin cancer awareness with Dr. John Stewart volunteering his services. Dr. Stewart discovered three skin cancers and sent these three people to be treated. Other future programs will feature ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, dental health, diabetes, and “Maintain Your Brain.” All of these events are collaborative efforts of the Wellness Committee, the AU School of Nursing and the EAMC Parish Nurse Program. Peggy Hanson is the leader of the committee and as you can see, she is doing an outstanding job.

Another activity is an upcoming fund-raiser, the J.W. Darden Heritage Festival, under the direction of Nancy Haynes. The festival will be this Saturday (Aug 2nd) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will be entertainment, children’s activities, prizes and free ice cream for the children. Sausage, hot dog and fish plates are being sold.

Also, the Life South Blood Mobile will be on site. Part of the proceeds raised from this event will go towards the Wellness Center Programs and part will go towards the upkeep of the J.W. Darden House.

At other times, the J.W. Darden House is open for tours by appointment and the facility may be rented for functions under the guidelines established by the Board of Directors. If you are interested in having a function, please contact Harrison Dixon, 937-623-4802, email HPDDIX@AOL.COM or write Box 1581, Opelika 36801.

Barbara Patton is executive director of Envision Opelika.

Barbara OA News Articles

PATRIOTISM! What a soul stirring, resounding word. This is the character word of the month and should not be difficult to write about. After all, this is the month that we celebrate our country’s independence. How easy to be patriotic on the 4th of July with red, white and blue everywhere, flags flying, and hearing“The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful” being played and sung.

Webster says “Patriotism” is love for or devotion to one’s country and it comes to us from a Greek word meaning fatherland. That’s simple enough. Most of us are grateful for the country we live in and not many of us would want to live anywhere else in the world. For a long time, patriotism referred just to a love of the physical features of one’s homeland and its people. But, meanings of words can become complex, can’t they?

Enter the ideals of democracy, socialism, and communism. Now, the love of one’s country encompasses not only the land and the people but also its political leanings, pride in its history, the preservation of customs and traditions, and its welfare.

America was formed on certain values, rights, and freedoms. Patriotism involves supporting these for our nation. The Declaration of Independence states: “We hold certain Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” When these values, rights and freedoms are not being upheld, we should have the freedom to speak up, as protected in the Bill of Rights, and it not be unpatriotic to do so.

This is an election year for our country and locally, in Opelika. Being apathetic is not being patriotic. We need to be informed on the issues that face us and vote to make sure all our different voices and opinions are heard. It is our patriotic duty to vote for the people we think will best represent us in this country.

According to a survey, conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, and reported by the University’s News Office in June, 1998, Americans are prouder of their country than 23 other nations studied.

Americans, with a score of 38.5 out of a possible 50 in the National Pride in Specific Achievements rankings, rated their country tops in political influence, economic performance, scientific and technical accomplishments, and the ability of the armed forces. In the General National Pride scale, Americans (89.9 %) were more likely to say they would rather be a citizen of their country than any other. That states to me that basic patriotism is alive and well in the United States.

In the aftermath of the terrorists’ acts on 9/11 in which so many lives were lost, Americans showed their patriotism to the world, as people rallied, demonstrating what it meant to love one’s country, take pride in it, and care for one another.

Following this horrific day, as Americans were urged to fly the American Flag for 30 days, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said: “You will be sending a strong signal to millions of people here at home and abroad that the red, white and blue represents freedom and democracy, and those ideals will live on.” - Barbara Patton

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Confidence is the Character Word of the month at the Opelika High School and the Opelika Middle School and throughout the City of Opelika via the Envision Opelika Character Council.  You will see it on the Charter Bank marquee and on the First United Methodist Church marquee. It is in the Lee County Youth Development newsletter and on e-mails from the Boys and Girls Club as well as the Opelika Chamber of Commerce.  The Character Council strives to emphasize the character trait each month everywhere that it can.  Don’t hesitate to let us know if you would like to include it on your e-mails or in your newsletter. 

 I saw a lot of confidence exhibited in the Opelika High School production of Guys and Dolls.  I also saw a lot of confidence and passion in Brian Blackmon as he spoke about the Character Education program in the Opelika Schools at Ladies Night at the First United Methodist Church.  Confidence is an important trait as you make your way in the world.  Most all of us have to have some confidence or we would isolate ourselves and never step outside but we can also build on that small amount of confidence as we develop skills, make those decisions, take advantage of opportunities, and set those goals that are achievable.  Norman Vincent Peale said: “Believe in yourself!  Have faith in your abilities!  Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

There are a multitude of self-help materials available to build confidence. Not only written materials but motivational and inspirational talks, tapes, and seminars as well. The computer certainly makes a world of information available to all who use this device or, if you’re fortunate enough, to get others to do the research for you.  I have looked at some of the information posted on the internet that deals with improving your self-confidence and found a very good site from Texas Woman’s University Self-Help Library.

TWU says, and I have heard it said before, that we should emphasize our strengths and not focus so much on our weaknesses.  That’s good advice for building confidence.  Focusing on what you can do, strengthening those qualities, accepting current limitations comfortably, and considering what strengths you might want to develop next are good building blocks for a better confidence foundation.
 
I have also learned a new word – perfectionistic. Perhaps it’s not really a word but it was used to say that if we don’t establish realistic goals instead of perfectionistic goals for ourselves, we are inviting stress and failure.  That’s not to say we shouldn’t work to reach our full potential but it may be a step by step process.
 
Sometimes we do have to take a chance and try something new and different that we have not done before.  There will possibly be mistakes in the process but self-confidence should improve just by knowing that you tried something new and you learned a little more about yourself and about life. 

We can all lend a helping hand to others in instilling confidence. Helping others feel confident and worthwhile will not only help them but it will help us also. I like Richard Evans quote: “Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.”

Administrator Character, OA News Articles

If you missed it last month, the Opelika Character Council is beginning a campaign to promote character traits in our citizens that will improve life in the community.  The character traits are the same ones that the Opelika Middle School and the Opelika High School are emphasizing.  Last month the character trait was Patience and this month the character trait is Persistence. John Quincy Adams said of both these traits: “Patience and perseverance (persistence) have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”

There are many definitions of Persistence out there.  Some of those are “persevering application, tenacious, industrious, and perseveringly attentive.”  Character First which is a program that the Opelika Character Council has reviewed and finds its materials well thought out and well presented defines persistence as “investing my time and energy to complete each task assigned to me.”  We certainly know that to be successful in school students must complete their assignments and employees must complete tasks assigned to them for a business to be successful.

Perhaps you have seen the marquee at Charter Bank with the character trait of the month displayed.  The trait is also in every Friday Facts that the Opelika Chamber of Commerce sends out. If you have a newsletter, a billing that allows space for such as this, or any means of communication that would help publicize and bring attention to these traits, we would appreciate your help in this effort.

Customer service is a hallmark of a good business and it is important for customers to be satisfied with a company’s service or they will stop doing business with them.  Not only will they stop but they will spread the word to others about their unhappiness with the company. A company should follow through and deliver on the service it proclaims or the product that it is manufacturing.   That’s where persistence comes in. Persistence means following through on those guarantees for the customer.

Calvin Coolidge said:  “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.  The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”  Persistence is a trait that means pursuing and completing but does it mean to never give up.  I don’t think that is the case.  It’s not necessary to continue to pursue a plan that is out of date.  It is not necessary to pursue a goal that is no longer relevant to the big picture. Sometimes it is necessary to change direction and leave some things unfinished in order to pursue others. But as Thomas Alva Edison put it: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up” and Jane Addams said: “Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.”

In our journey in life, persistence is important in growing and developing into the person we would like to be.  Be persistent, to quote Opelika schools, in being the best that we can be.  - Barbara

Administrator Character, OA News Articles

PATIENCE is the Opelika Character Trait of the month being emphasized in the Opelika City Schools for January.  That word brings so much to mind in my life and I’ll bet it does in yours.  It is probably a trait that everyone knows needs strengthening, even if that person considers himself to be a patient person.  I don’t think anyone would argue that we don’t all need to learn the art of patience.

What comes to mind when you think about the word “patience”?  Wikipedia defines patience as the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties with the opposite of patience being impatience.  See if you agree with this statement from Brian Adams:  Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure.  Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success. 

There are many notable people that have given us quotes on patience which give direction and “food for thought.”  Isaac Newton said, “If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any other talent.”  Helen Keller said, “We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.”  Saint Francis de Sales said, “Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself.  Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.”  Elizabeth Taylor said, “It is strange that the years teach us patience – that the shorter our time, the greater out capacity for waiting.”  There are many others but I selected these because they point out to me that to be successful patience is an important character trait, that one must be patient with oneself and not get discouraged, that one gets to begin again every day to improve oneself, that life is not all joy, and that there is progress in developing and growing but the journey is forever.

For a tool to help with developing patience, I found a website that seemed to be good resource. Coping.org is the Public Service of James J. Messina, Ph.D. & Constance Messina, Ph.D.that gives Tools for Coping with Life’s Stressors and will take one through steps on developing patience.  In the steps, it outlines some negative consequences of impatience, outlines how people respond to impatience in others, asks you how you feel when you are impatient, tells you some new behavioral traits that could be needed to help you increase the level of patience in your life, and, lastly, gives you some steps towards developing the skills you need to grow your patience. 

The Opelika Character Council is working to promote character in all sectors of the city. As a part of the efforts, it wants to emphasize throughout the community of Opelika the character traits that the schools are using.  The Chamber of Commerce has already begun this process but to expand the reach to remind each of us to think about this trait and how we can improve upon it in our own lives, the Character Council is in the process of seeking every available means to publicize the Character Trait of the Month.   You may be contacted to help with this effort and, if you are, I hope that you will be receptive to the idea.   Also, you don’t have to wait to be contacted, you can call us (705-5138) at the Envision Opelika office and let us know that you would like to help “spread the word.”  - Barbara

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Tom Tippett, the Chairman of Envision Opelika’s Character Council, and I had the privilege of speaking briefly at the Kickoff Ceremony for the Annual Character Counts Week Celebration (October 21-27) at the Potter-Daniel Unit of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County and were both so impressed with the attentiveness and the manners of these boys and girls.  Clay Crowe, as the Program Director, has a mammoth responsibility and does a wonderful job. This Unit serves youth between six and eighteen years of age and, currently, there are about 115 active members.  I don’t know how many were there for the Kick-Off but I do know there were rows and rows of young faces.   Wanda Lewis, the Executive Director, was also in attendance and I’m sure she was in and out all week long during these activities.

There are six core ethical values that form the foundation of Character Counts and they were focusing on those this past week.  These six pillars are Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness; Caring, and Citizenship. Using the first letter of each of these values forms an acronym that they learn and helps them remember that people with good character are terrific(TRRFCC). These young folks will be terrific as they carry what they have learned throughout the year and throughout their lives.

There is also a color scheme that connects to each of the pillars and reminds them of each one.  Trustworthiness is the color blue which goes along with “true blue”, being loyal, doing what you say you’ll do, being reliable, not being deceitful, cheating, or stealing.  Respect is the color gold that shows the relationship to the Golden Rule, being considerate of the feelings of others, being tolerant of differences, using good manners and working out disagreements peacefully.  Responsibility is given the color green, illustrating being solid and reliable as a tree, being self-disciplined, being accountable for choices, and doing what you are supposed to do.  Fairness is orange and is illustrated by dividing an orange into equal sections to share with friends, taking turns, playing by the rules, not taking advantage of others, and being open minded.  Caring is red like a heart, being kind, compassionate, showing you care, expressing gratitude, helping those in need, and being forgiving. Lastly, Citizenship is purple, representing the state and teaching being involved in community affairs, staying informed, voting, respecting authority, obeying the laws, and protecting the environment.

During this week the children had a Make a Difference Day in partnership with Keep Opelika Beautiful.  They had a Cultural Diversity Project, a Member Recognition Ceremony, a Music Extravaganza, and Presentations and Skits throughout the week. A very busy time!

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County has always endorsed high academic and athletic achievement among the youth they serve and strengthening character is an integral part of its program.  Since 2005, they have been using the Character Counts curriculum.

Envision Opelika through the Opelika Character Council is working towards having Character Programs in all segments of the community and towards reminding all of us that character is the most valuable part of who we are and building character is a life-long journey.  Character, like a diamond, has many facets and the more it’s polished, the brighter it shines. Kudos to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County for their instilling and polishing!  - Barbara

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Downtown Opelika continues to evolve and change and it is again becoming more and more an attraction for the community. Downtown is becoming an experience – a place to go for music or an event, to enjoy a unique shop and/or an evening out, a place to see and be seen.

A recent poll conducted by the Monmouth University Polling Institute asked adult residents of the state of New Jersey about downtowns and the results of the poll might mirror what we would find in Alabama and in Opelika but then again it might not. See what you think.

The downtowns were broken down by region and each region’s list included a mix of traditional urban centers, active destinations, and quiet residential communities. The survey found that each successful downtown in the state of New Jersey appealed to a specific segment of the population and a lot of the downtown areas there were not rising to the top of the favorites list because they really didn’t have an identity and they also lacked cohesiveness in terms of a niche market. The poll found that there is a downtown for everybody, but they are not all in the same place.

They also found that downtowns cater to niche markets much more than they did in the past. We knew that, didn’t we? People are not going downtown for their everyday needs but they are looking for an “interesting experience” so the shops should be unique and be appealing to them. It also found that people are not going to go downtown to go to just one shop so there should be a variety of them in that similar marketplace. That’s sounds familiar also.

The question was asked: “What aspects of downtown do people value?” About 71% said good restaurants are a very important factor in getting them to visit a downtown area. 59% named nice landscaping and 54% said that locally owned unique shops were important qualities. Frequent and infrequent visitors both chose the same qualities to make downtowns attractive. These percentages were an average of age groups beginning 18 and above and three blocks of income groups that would include everyone.

The poll also showed that downtowns have their core base of people that love walking and being in the downtowns, the “sometimers” who appreciate what it offers once a week or once a month, and those that will never be attracted to what is offered. Four in 10 said they visit a downtown at least weekly and that included 16% who shop or dine downtown every few days. Another 30% were monthly visitors and 21%, occasional visitors. 8% said they never shop or dine at a downtown area in the state. Which one are you? What would make you change?

The survey said downtowns need to address a lot of different audiences – residents of the town, current business owners and stakeholders in the town, and also the market that you want to appeal to. Envision Opelika’s One Voice did one survey with the downtown merchants. Perhaps it’s time to do another one with a broader scope and to include telephone interviews and street intercepts along with a written survey. Our downtown should be a draw with appeal to those who want to frequent it. After all, it is our heart.

Barbara OA News Articles