In Our Community

At its meeting on Sept. 4, the Kiwanis Club of Anniston presented awards totaling $10,000 to 20 agencies that support children in Calhoun County. This is the club's second project of the year that involves helping youth. Their Back to School Shopping event, which benefited more than 100 children, took place in early August. The funds for these projects come from proceeds of the club's annual Pancake Day.

President Steve Taylor said, "Children are the focus of all we do in the Kiwanis Club of Anniston. We were able to increase the total amount given this year by $4,000 due to the tremendous efforts of our members with our annual fundraiser. We also took 25 to 30 more children to Martin's for back-to-school shopping.

"Our chairman of the Young Child Priority One Committee, Dan Cleckler, and his committee do a fantastic job in deciding who the beneficiaries will be each year." Taylor continued. "We were pleased to award these funds to a group of deserving agencies."

Agency representatives were present to accept the awards.

Dr. Brenda Roberts of Calhoun County is this year's recipient of the American Cancer Society's St. George National Award. The award is given to volunteers who have made significant contributions to the organization's strategic goals. Only three are given out each year in each division of the American Cancer Society. This year only 26 volunteers across the United States were awarded the honor.

Roberts is a cancer survivor and serves on the American Cancer Society's Calhoun County Leadership Council. Dr. Roberts has also served the American Cancer Society as a smoke-free Alabama ambassador, and is on its gala committee. She is credited with organizing a health initiatives action team that completed a five-year comprehensive cancer control plan for her community. She also played a major role in securing meetings with government leaders to discuss the importance of clean indoor air laws. As a result, there are now two smoke-free cities in Calhoun County, and two cities have improved their ordinances.

"Brenda is equally at ease working in the trenches or leading strategic planning sessions, all in an effort to help eliminate cancer as a major health concern," said Kristie Alderman, health initiatives representative for the American Cancer Society.

Roberts is a retired graduate professor of nursing and has volunteered for the American Cancer Society for more than 20 years.

The Saks High School Wildcat Marching Sound competed in the Dixie Jubilee Jam hosted by Weaver High School along with nine other local marching bands on Sept. 20. Saks Wildcat Sound received all Superior ratings, the color guard received Superior ratings, the percussion received Superior ratings, and the drum major, Courtney Duncan, received a Superior rating. The band also won overall 'Best in Class,' and won first in their division and posted the highest point score in the event.

Five generations recently celebrated 50 years of attendance to Weaver Congregational Holiness Church. Family members include left to right, Tommy Crumley, great-grandmother, with 50 years; Sheila Field, grandmother, with 47 years; Alesha Orman, mother, with 25 years and Greenlee Mae Orman, 2 months old.

Cindy Beauman, a resident of Piedmont, wins big in her first pet grooming competition on Aug 2 at Atlanta's Luxury Pet Pavilions' Take Me Home Grooming contest. She won first place best groomed dog donated by PAWS Atlanta animal shelter, a no kill shelter for abandoned pets.

Cindy's dog, a pit bull and chow mix named Calvin, looked spectacular enough to win her $500 and a commemorative plaque. The contest was held with the Atlanta Humane Society. "Every abandoned animal deserves a second chance at life, so please adopt a pet", she states. "Calvin has been adopted from PAWS Atlanta animal shelter. "Not only was it a great experience winning First place, but he was also a wonderful dog to groom."

Contact PAWS Atlanta at (770) 593-1155 or visit their Web site at pawsatlanta.org.

The judging was done by Sam Kohl, president of the New York school of dog grooming and author; his wife, Cynthia Kohl, owner of Aaronco Pet Products; Megan Blake, host of Animal Attractions; and breeder, handler and owner of pure bred dogs, David Frei. Cindy is employed at Head To Tail Pet Care in Oxford. "We offer a cage free environment so your pet feels at home", she explains.

Her objective is to give each animal respect and a positive grooming experience. One day she either plans to own her own pet grooming salon or start mobile grooming. "Kathy Beecham, owner of Head To Tail Pet Care, is a great supporter and friend, so she will have to run me off before I leave," she laughs.

Call Cindy or Kathy at 835-6679 for more information.

Oxford Elementary School recently celebrated with the Oxford High School football team, band and cheerleaders at a pep rally. Oxford High School head coach John Grass and band director Chris Pennington spoke to the students.

Mrs. Conswella Smith was named the Teacher of the Month at Tenth Street Elementary School for September. She teaches kindergarten and has 15 years of experience. She has taught at Tenth Street for her entire educational career. Mrs. Smith attended Jacksonville State University and received her masters degree. Mrs. Smith stated she enjoys teaching because a child's future begins with her in kindergarten. She holds an important key that unlocks the learning process. She feels that children are a product of their environment and the love they receive has a direct impact on their lives. Her goal is to touch the lives of others and make a difference in all of her students. The motto that she uses daily in her classroom is "Believe in yourself and you can do unbelievable things."

Sheri Snow of Anniston and Mysti Nichols of Oxford recently graduated with masters of education degrees from the University of West Alabama at Livingston. They will be honored with other graduates at the fall commencement exercises Dec. 13 at UWA's Pruitt Hall.

Lincoln native Suzanne Morrow was recently inducted into the Zeta (Auburn University) Chapter of the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society in recognition of her outstanding achievements.

The induction ceremony was held as part of the Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy's fall scholarship banquet, where Morrow was also recognized as a scholarship recipient for the 2008-09 academic year. Morrow is a student pharmacist in the third professional year of the school's Doctor of Pharmacy Program. She is the daughter of James and Reba Morrow of Lincoln.

Rho Chi is the only national honor society for the profession of pharmacy and membership in the Society is based on academic and professional excellence.

Sherry Kughn is to speak at the membership drive for the IAAP (International Association of Administrative Professionals) Anniston Chapter at noon Wednesday at the Calhoun County Highway Department Complex, 160 Seaton Drive at McClellan. Call the County Highway Department at 237-4657 for directions and information.

Kughn is an Anniston native and lifelong resident. She graduated from Anniston Schools and from Jacksonville State University in 1973 and, again, in 2005. She taught in Calhoun County Schools for five years, and she taught at a private pre-school for three years. She worked for The Anniston Star for 22 years. She is a former president of the Anniston Chapter of IAAP and holds the Distinguished President's Award for the Alabama district.

She is the author of Heart Tree for Empty Nesters, which was published in 2007; Faith Flight for Empty Nesters published in 2008, and has a third book, God's Bouquet for Empty Nesters, due out in the spring of 2009.

She is married to Barry Kughn, a longtime area funeral director who now is a health care consultant for New Beacon Hospice.

They have three children and five grandchildren. Sherry is an active member of the Greenbrier Church of Christ.