August 2011 Archives

Belle Chevre will begin giving scheduled tours for small groups to their Elkmont, Alabama creamery. By popular demand, Belle Chevre will offer scheduled tours every Wednesday for small groups starting in August. Tours can be booked by calling the creamery at 256.423.2238.

Tours can be taken at:
• 9:00 a.m.
• 10:00 a.m.
• 1:00 p.m.
• 2:00 p.m.

Groups are limited to 10 people. The tours will include a guided explanation of how to make chevre, as well as sampling of the different cheeses made by Belle Chevre. Visitors can see how marinated chevre, sweet breakfast chevres, and classic chevres are made. "We are a part of our community," said Tasia Malakasis, owner of Belle Chevre. "It just makes sense to open our doors so people can see how their local goat cheese is made." For almost 20 years Belle Chevre has been hand-crafting fine French style goat's milk cheeses in rural Alabama. The winning recipe has, to date, garnered almost 100 national awards from American Cheese Society and other famed institutions. It has been recognized as some of the finest fromage by the likes of Food Network Magazine, O!, Southern Living, Cooking Light and more. Tasia Malakasis is owner and head cheesemaker at Belle Chevre. She has also recently authored a cookbook, Tasia's Table: Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker, which comes out in fall 2011 and can be pre-ordered on amazon.com.

For more information on Belle Chevre please see www.bellechevre.com.

(Note from Brian Jones:  The National Council of State Tourism Directors gave the Mercury Award for Best State Tourism Campaign in the Nation to the Alabama Tourism Department for the original Year of Alabama Food in 2005.)

From the article "Alabama tourism chief: Food will key 2012 campaign to bring in visitors" by Michael Tomberlin in The Birmingham News:

This year, it was music. Next year, it will be food. Again. Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department, says the state's 2012 tourism campaign will be "The Year of Alabama Food."  If that sounds familiar, it's because 2005 carried the same theme and each year since the campaigns have had a component of that in them.  Sentell told the members of the Economic Development Association of Alabama at that organization's summer conference at the Perdido Beach Resort that food defines the state so much and its lists of "things you must eat before you die" resonate with tourists. Food won't be the only point of the state's 2012 tourism push, he said. Continuing efforts to bring tourists to the state's beaches will be a key component, as will be pushing events like the races at the Talladega Superspeedway and the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at the Barber Motorsports Park near Leeds. Of special significance this year will be the 20th anniversary of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Sentell said. Tourism was a $9 billion industry in Alabama in 2010, a year where the Gulf of Mexico oil spill kept many tourists away from the beaches. Nearly 6.8 million visitors stopped at Alabama's "Welcome Centers" on its interstate connections in neighboring states. Tourism put $550 million in state and local tax coffers last year.

For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2011/08/alabama_tourism_chief_food_wil.html.

Guests visiting Alabama's 32 miles of white-sand beaches have a new mobile vacation tool at their fingertips. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (CVB), which serves as the area's official destination marketing organization, announced the launch of its new vacation guide app that is available through both the iTunes and Android stores. In addition to providing detailed listings for all accommodations, restaurants and attractions in the area, this app showcases specials for local restaurants, lists nearby businesses, previews the weather forecast, provides links to all of the CVB's social channels, and enables users to check into Facebook Places. "The use of this app allows us to reach our guests directly and provide the necessary content in a fun, engaging and simple to use manner," said Herb Malone, president/CEO for the CVB. "We are confident that this tool will enrich the beach vacation experience even more while allowing guests to get back to the real reason why they came on vacation - reconnecting with those you love."

Guests who download this new app may receive a small token by visiting either the Gulf Shores or Orange Beach Welcome Center through Labor Day and showing the app on your phone to one of the welcome center staff members. The CVB will be rolling out an app awareness program in the coming months. Users wishing to download this free app may go to www.itunes.com or https://market.android.com/apps, and search for the app titled Gulf Beaches.

Friday, August 26, 2011, 11:00 a.m.
Rooster Hall, Demopolis
The Alabama Black Belt Heritage Area, Alabama Main Street Program, and First United Security Bank invite you to a workshop that will help community leaders and entrepreneurs in Alabama's small towns understand the foundational components of building sustainable businesses and locate local resources that are available to assist with small business development.

This workshop features key note speaker, Trudy Phillips, a proven professional and community leader who has worked with Main Street programs to help small and start-up businesses grow into sustainable ventures. The program will conclude with a panel of local small business owners and representatives from small business development programs in the Black Belt.
Agenda
11:00 - 11:30 a.m.: Registration
11:30 - 12:00 p.m.: Welcome! Main Street and Heritage Area Updates
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.: Keynote Speaker: Trudy Phillips "Building Sustainable Small Businesses in Alabama's Small Towns"
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.: Small Business Development Panel
For more information, contact the Alabama Black Belt Heritage Area/Center for the Study of the Black Belt at 205.652.3828 or centerforblackbelt@uwa.edu.

Opelika, Alabama September 9, 2011
The Event Center Downtown (former Coca-Cola bottling plant) at 614 N. Railroad Avenue, Opelika AL
Co-hosted by Opelika Historic Preservation Commission and Auburn Historic Preservation Commission

download the agenda and registration form

Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Alabama Festival and Event Development Conference being held Sept. 22 at the Wetumpka Civic Center.  This affordable, one-day conference focuses on helping event planners in communities large and small with resources for planning, budgeting, funding, branding, and publicity.  Registration is $35 per person.  Speakers scheduled for the conference include:

Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department
Herb Malone, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism
Vicki Morese, Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival
Marianne McLeod, Jubilee City Fest
Pete Preston, River Region Runners
Selina Maddox, Navistar LPGA Classic/Bruno Event Team
Alabama Mountain Games
W. C. Handy Music Festival
For more information and online registration please see http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=5ettrvcab&oeidk=a07e3ilccvye8f0e521.

First Lady Dianne Bentley will cut the ribbon on Friday, August 26, to open the first two exhibits of the Museum of Alabama at the Department of Archives and History in Montgomery. The 11:30 ceremony will be followed by tours of the exhibits and opportunities to the meet the advisors, artists, and designers involved in the project. Grand Opening festivities continue on Saturday, August 27, with a full schedule of public programs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Events include gallery tours, guest speakers, hands-on activities for families, and demonstrations by muralists and model makers. The two new exhibits, The Land of Alabama and The First Alabamians, tell the story of the earliest days of Alabama history.

The Land of Alabama includes a multimedia introduction to the state's varied geography and the natural resources that have helped shape Alabama history.  The gallery also features photographs by Beth Maynor Young highlighting Alabama's diverse and beautiful environment.  Artifacts help illustrate the state's natural resources and products from the land of Alabama.  On Saturday, guest curator Dr. John Hall of the University of West Alabama will present a talk at 10:00 about Alabama's earliest history and will meet with visitors to the gallery throughout the day. The First Alabamians tells the story of Native Americans from prehistory to 1700 using artifacts, interactive maps, a large diorama model of a Mississippian village, and ten specially commissioned murals created by Karen Carr Studio.  Guest curator Dr. Craig Sheldon will present a program on Alabama's earliest people at 1:00 and will be available to meet with visitors in the gallery throughout the day.  Diorama artist Ken Osen and muralist Karen Carr will also be available to discuss their research and artistry.

The two exhibits constitute Phase I of the Museum of Alabama, which eventually will include five renovated galleries and an entirely new centerpiece exhibit, Alabama Voices.  Funding for Phase I was provided by a 2007 state bond issue and private contributions.  Fundraising for subsequent phases of the project is ongoing. The exhibits at the Alabama Department of Archives and History will be open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 - 4:30, starting August 27, 2011.  Funding to allow the Museum of Alabama to open every Saturday is made possible by a grant from the Alabama Tourism Department to the Friends of the Alabama Archives.  The Research Room is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 - 4:30, and the 2nd Saturday of each month.

For more information please see www.archives.alabama.gov.

Would You Like to Learn:
• fundamental facilitation skills?
• a simple format for conducting regular updates of your Community's Strategic Plan?

Join us for a 1½ day hands-on demonstration training
focusing on skills needed for
effectively facilitating a Strategic Plan Update

Featured Trainer: Carol Johnson, Continuous Dialog (www.cdialog.com)

Fill out the form below.

Checks, made payable to ACE, may be mailed to:
Alabama Communities of Excellence
PO Box 11749
Montgomery, AL 36111

Cost: $150 per person (covers seminar, first night's lodging and meals)

Space is limited, so register now!!!

If you haven't received a confirmation email within 72 hours, please call 866-557-0007.

8/29-8/30 Marriott Shoals, Florence, AL  or 9/12-9/13 Wynfrey, Birmingham, AL

Register by clicking here.

Appalachian communities are finding creative ways to support and expand their health-care workforce, not only to build healthy populations but also to boost their local economies. Health-care jobs are among the most stable in today's economy and contribute substantially to economic growth, and demand for health-care workers in Appalachia is expected to rise dramatically in the next decade.

Supporting health-care workforce growth is one of many Appalachian health issues that will be explored at the Appalachian Regional Commission's September 2011 Healthy Families, Healthy Future conference.
Other topics will include:
Childhood Obesity and the "Diabetes Belt"
Combating Substance Abuse among Adolescents
Community-Based Approaches to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Issues and Opportunities in Health Information Technology
Access to Health Care for Children
Improving Access to Dental Care for Children
Appalachian Perspectives on Infant Mortality Reduction
Register now

Join your colleagues for this opportunity to learn how your community can build a strong foundation for a healthier future!

The conference will be held September 7-9 at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, an area known for its rich recreational opportunities and heritage attractions.

Visit the conference Web site for more information on session topics and to register!

ALEXANDER CITY
Thursday, August 4 - Field Trip & Tour, Robinson Iron Works
(For details, see Mobile, Field Trip, Robinson Iron Works below.)
 
BIRMINGHAM
 
Monday, August 1 - Wednesday, August 31 - A Stitch In Time: Southern Quilts in the African-American Tradition
Exhibition of quilts by African-American fiber artists of the Deep South.  Quilts on exhibit are drawn from the permanent American quilt collection held by the Birmingham Museum of Art.  Quilt artists featured include, among others, Alabama's Nora Ezell, Yvonne Wells, Chris Clark and the Freedom Quilting Bee artists.  Admission Free.  Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd (formerly 8th Avenue North).  Exhibition runs through December 31. For more information and museum hours, call 205-254-2565 or visit www.artsbma.org.
 
Monday, August 1 - Friday, August 26 - The Music Lives On: Folk Song Traditions Told by Alabama Artists
Exhibition of visual works by Alabama artists Lonnie Holley, Joe Minter, Charlie Lucas and Thornton Dial depicting Alabama's musical traditions and performers of blues, bluegrass, jazz and country.  Admission: Adults $6, Seniors $5, Children 5 - 12 Yrs. $4, Children 4 Yrs and younger Free.  Vulcan Park and Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive, Birmingham.  Sponsored by Vulcan Park and Museum and the Alabama Humanities Foundation.  For more information and museum hours, call 205-933-1409.
 

Know someone who is passionate about preservation and who would make a good board member for the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation (ATHP)?  The ATHP's Nomination Committee is accepting recommendations.  A slate for officers and board members-at-large will be submitted by the committee for a vote of approval during the ATHP fall board meeting.  Deadline for nomination submissions: Thursday, Sept. 1st.  For more information or to send a nomination for consideration, visit www.alabamatrust.info.
 

The Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) will administer an $800,000 state-funded Historic Preservation Grant Program in FY 2012 (October 1, 2011 - September 30, 2012), to promote historic preservation and economic development. Five categories of work are identified for grant consideration and funding: Operations, Work on Historic Buildings, Work on Historic Cemeteries, Archaeology, and Historic Building Survey. The AHC will award grants in amounts not exceeding $25,000.
 
For more information, visit the AHC website, www.preserveala.org/grantsprogram.aspx.
 
Grant Proposal Deadline: September 1, 2011.