Teddy Grogan Jr., feels that God called him to teach special education, because that’s not what he had in mind in college. Back then he wanted to complete graduate school and teach history on the college level.  Some 40 years later though, he’s couldn’t be happier with the career he chose. “My wife and I got married in1972,” said Grogan. “I was supposed to start graduate school, then we found out she was pregnant. I knew then I’d have to get a job.” Grogan was lucky. His brother-in-law, Tony Lusk, taught at Calhoun County’s vocational school in Jacksonville. Lusk phoned Grogan and told him the school needed a special education teacher. “I said what’s that?” said Grogan. He quickly learned what that was and was pleasantly surprised to find himself enjoying doing something he’d never heard of. “After 40 years of teaching special education, I’ve never dreaded getting up and going to work,” said Grogan. “I think that’s what God had in mind all along. It’s been a great experience. I’ve got kids that I taught that still call and talk to me. I’m sure God had a plan for me and that was it.” Grogan spent 30 years teaching in Piedmont. He’s spent the past 10 years teaching in the Floyd County School System in Rome where he’s a homebound teacher. “I go by the school, pick up their assignments, go to their home and try to get them caught up,” he said. “There are only two of us in Floyd County that do that. Floyd County is about the same size as Calhoun County as far as the number of students, so it keeps us busy.” Grogan said he’s planning on teaching at least one more year. Then, there’s a possibility that he will change careers. He’s been a member of the Lozahatchee Masonic Lodge 97 for the past 38 years and has even served as grand master of Alabama. The grand lodge office, which is located in Millbrook, has one paid employee and that’s the grand secretary. The person currently holding that position is getting ready to retire, and Grogan hopes to replace him. If that happens, he and his wife, Lynn, will probably live in Millbrook during the week and come home on weekends. Millbrook is near Prattville and about 10 miles north of Montgomery. If he doesn’t get the position, that’ll be okay with Grogan. He doesn’t have any gripes at all about his current job. “If that doesn’t happen, I’ll keep on teaching, because I’m only 61,” he said. “I’m not planning on ever leaving Piedmont. It’s been our home all our lives. We’d keep our home here and just be there during the week.” Grogan feels a special kinship toward the lodge. The Piedmont lodge was founded in 1849 and many of its members have been Grogan’s male relatives, including his father. “It’s a fraternity and it’s an opportunity to fellowship with a lot of different men,” said Grogan. “I guess it’s one of these things you’re not supposed to brag about, but we do a lot of charitable things. We have a lot of different organizations under us, like the Shriners, and when everything is combined, we probably spend $2 million a day on charity.” Grogan said the local lodge gives scholarships to Piedmont High and Spring Garden High seniors. Members also loan medical equipment to those who can’t afford it. “The lodge is a good thing and, that’s funny, because you can read a lot of things about the Masonic Lodge and most of it’s not true,” said Grogan. “We’re not a secret organization, because if it were a secret, we wouldn’t let anyone know who we are or where we meet.” Members meet the first and third Thursday of the month in the lodge building on Highway 278. Grogan was supposed to be named Theodore Roosevelt Grogan Jr. His birth certificate says he is Teddy R. Grogan Jr. He’s not sure how that happened. “That’s always been a funny thing about my name,” he said. “I don’t know exactly how I ended up being Teddy R. Grogan Jr. My grandparents must have been fans of Teddy Roosevelt. My dad was born in 1912, 101 years ago. That was the year Roosevelt ran but lost. Woodrow Wilson won.” Grogan’s mother is the late Agnes Coogler Grogan. His sisters are Fayrene Mobley, Judy Arnett and Betty Lusk. His brother, Tom, is deceased. Grogan said the first time he saw Lynn at Piedmont High, the world stopped. “Back then we had a fall festival at the National Guard Armory,” he said. “That’s where I saw her. It’s like a movie, when you see someone across the room for the first time and time stops. I thought, gosh, she’s really a cute girl.” The Grogans have two children. Melanie Brown and her husband David live in Piedmont. They have three daughters. Maddie is 15, Allie is 11, and Katie is 5. Their son Todd lives in Hoover. His children are Bryant, 8, and Ava, 4. Grogan’s degrees are from the University of Alabama. He has a bachelor’s, master’s and an AA. Grogan’s heart is full of love for the Masonic Lodge, but it’s big enough to hold another love  – the First United Methodist Church. He serves on the administrative board and teaches the Granger Latta Sunday class. He’s been a member there over 35 years. He and Lynn walk most days when they get home from work. Lynn is a dental hygienist for Dr. Eric Lafayette in Jacksonville. They are Piedmont Bulldog and Alabama Crimson Tide fans. They also like to travel. Although they’ve traveled fairly extensively, their favorite trips are to Gulf Shores when they take their entire family each summer. Contact Margaret at pollya922@gmail.com.

• Dailey Street Baptist Church, 106 S Church Street, (across from Lively’s foodland) will have Vacation Bible School June 24th - 26th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. nightly. Kick-off is June 22nd at 10:00 a.m. Our theme this year is “The Mighty God”. Classes for ages 4 to adult. Van rides will be available. For more information and/or to schedule pick-up, please call the church office at 256-447-6301. • Arrington Chapel Church will host a community fifth Sunday night singing on June 30. A meal will be served at 5 p.mn. and the singing starts at 6 with the Interstate Quartet. Everyone is welcome. • On June 29th beginning at 8 am and ending at 3 pm, there will be a Spring Into Summer Festival in downtown Piedmont. There will be arts and crafts, food, games, live music and drawings for prizes. If you are interested in renting a booth or would like more information, please contact Lover’s By Glover at (256) 792-9063 or at glovesd0509@gmail.com • Anytime Fireworks Blood Drive will be held July 3rd from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. It is located at 8806 Hwy 431 in Alexandria 256-847-3969. Free fireworks for every donor. • Chapter 1511, National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), invites all federal civilian employees, retirees, and annuitant survivors to its monthly meeting,10:45 AM, Thursday, June 27, at the DeSoto Pastime Center, Anniston Army Depot. Guest speaker: Calhoun County Commissioner Don Hudson. Lunch available onsite. No special requirements to enter the Depot for this event. For information on NARFE, call Joyce Smith, (256) 358-4257 or go to www.narfe.org . For speaker information, call Beverly Williams, 256-268-5286; email narfenotes@gmail.com . • Trade Day and Farmers Market at Nances Creek Community Center on the first Saturday of each month through October. It starts at 7 a.m. There is no set up fee. • A reminder that while the spring season is here and many landowners will be cleaning their property, any outdoor burning within the Piedmont City Limits requires a burn permit which can be obtained free of charge, provided that you meet the outside burning criteria, you can apply for a permit at the Fire Department at 312 N. Center Ave., If you have any questions concerning outdoor burning you can call the fire department at 256-447-3364. • YOU’RE INVITED TO LUNCH & LEARN….A series of free gardening programs sponsored by Calhoun County Master Gardeners & Calhoun County Commission held the 4th Wednesday of each month at the Cane Creek Community Garden at McClellan from noon-1pm ; bring your own lunch! June 26 “A Simple Water Feature for the Garden”: Hayes Jackson, ACES July 24 “Herb Gardening”: Dani Carroll, ACES August 28 “Getting to Know the Talladega National Forest: Part 2”: Jonathan Stober, District Biologist September 25 “Gardening for Dry Places”: Hayes Jackson, ACES Speakers & topics subject to change. Contact the Extension Office to confirm. 256 237 1621 • Dogs for the Deaf, located in Central Point, Oregon, is a non-profit organization that rescues dogs from animal shelters and trains them to help adults and children with different disabilities, challenges, and needs. For example, a Hearing Dog is trained to alert it’s owner to household sounds that could affect his or her safety and an Autism Assistance Dog would keep an autistic child out of traffic, bodies of water, and other dangerous situations. Chris Hill, a resident of Anniston and a volunteer “ambassador” for Dogs for the Deaf, has a DVD presentation he will give to civic and community organizations or individuals. Contact Chris at (256) 835-6918 • New classes for the Jacksonville State University Adult Wellness classes are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Senior water aerobics and senior floor aerobic classes, 8 a.m., Jacksonville State University, Pete Mathews Coliseum. Contact Aubrey Crossen at 256-689-2580 or jsu9517k@jsu.edu for more information and: Tuesday and Thursday: Senior water aerobics and senior therapeutic yoga classes, 8 a.m., Jacksonville State University, Pete Mathews Coliseum. Contact Aubrey Crossen at 256-689-2580 or jsu9517k@jsu.edu for more information. • Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 21 meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6 P.M. at 114 N. Center Ave. downtown Piedmont, to discuss the latest Veteran’s issues and benefits. If you are a service-connected disabled vet or you think you may have a military service related condition, the DAV may be able to help you. Help Workshops are also available on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday’s of each month from 8 a.m. to noon. Veterans are urged to attend for possible compensation and benefits unknown. • Anyone with knowledge about German and Italian POW’s and their artifacts at Fort McClellan during the time period 1943-1946 please contact Klaus Duncan at 256-782-2991. • Crossplains Church of Piedmont, in partnership with the Piedmont Benevolence Center, invites kids ages 5 and up to the church every Wednesday to get F.I.T. (food, interaction, teaching) Every Wednesday night from 6-7:30 p.m. Supper, Devotion and Games. Anyone needing transportation contact 256-447-2721. Someone will return calls regarding pickup times. • Applications for Head Start are now being taken. Come visit a Head Start/Early Head Start Center in your community and talk with center coordinators or family advocates. For additional information in Calhoun and Cleburne counties call Gayle McClellan at 256-237-8628. Head Start Centers located in Calhoun County are Norwood, Piedmont, Ayers, Constantine and Hobson City. Children must be three years old by Sept. 1. • Piedmont Health Care has started an Alzheimer’s support group. The Alzheimer’s Support Group at PHCC is designed to increase public awareness and enhance individual and family education regarding Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. For more additional information, please call Yolanda Pierce, social services director (256) 447-8258 Ext. 232. Refreshments to be provided.