It’s The Last Chance To View The Hometown Teams Exhibit At The Anniston Library

Posted on 08/31/2016 by Nathan Young

If you have not gone down to the Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County to see the Hometown Teams exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute, you only have a few days left to see it before it packs up and goes to the next city. The final day for the exhibit is Sunday, September 4th, before Labor Day. The hours for the final four days are:

Thursday: 8:30 am to 6 pm
Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday: 1-5 pm

The Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County is featuring a Smithsonian Institute traveling exhibit celebrating the role of sports and athletics in every town and city large and small across America. Sports has played a social and cultural role among everybody for decades, and this traveling exhibit showcases the role of sports in small town America. From playing sports among friends to playing on a team, sports is everywhere in America. Everything from the players all the way down to the concession worker is highlighted in this exhibit. And the exhibit also features all kinds of sports played by people in Calhoun County.

When you first get to the second floor, you can go inside the Ayers room and see pictures featuring sports in Calhoun County. There are photos from the late 1800’s to today featuring every type of sport being played in high school and college and every high school and Jacksonville State is featured.

Also in the Ayers room is memorabilia from the old Cobb High School. All of the pictures and jerseys come from the Cobb High Sports Museum.

Down the hall you can also see horseshoes and classic racing memorabilia on display. I liked the gold car trophy and the old speed limit sign!

After viewing plenty of great pictures and memorabilia, you will want to see the main exhibit! You travel through the Alabama Room and the red feet and you arrive! The first thing you notice is the large chalkboard filled with messages left by people. Just about every local school and the large universities have been talked about by others written by chalk on the board.

If you choose, you can also leave something written behind on paper as well.

Yes, I left my own message on the board. I’m from Benjamin Russell High School, the team is the Wildcats.

On the walls in the exhibit you see even more local pictures from the past and present of sports represented in Calhoun County. The pictures features every sport from football to swimming and everything in between. The pictures also features those who are not playing the sport, from the referees, mascots, cheerleaders, and band members.

You also see several old sports uniforms on display. You can see a referee uniform from over 50 years ago.

There is also an old cheerleading and dance team uniform.

There is a classic Jacksonville State Marching Southerners uniform on display.

And you can also see an old young kid football equipment from the 1950’s which you could order from the Sears catalog.

Among the pictures and memorabilia, you also read about and learn why small town sports is important across every town in America. From the role of why sports is important in the growth in kids to the role of parents in supporting their kids in playing any sport, you will see why sports is an important fabric in the culture of America.

The exhibit also talks about the role of sports in adults in small town America. Many adults continue to push themselves in certain sports. For example, some participate in the IronMan. An medal is on exhibit.

Adults also participate in pep rallies, going to a game, and of course selling concessions!

And the exhibit also talks about the role of rivalries in sports. Yes, the Alabama / Auburn rivalry is featured, along with its ugly side.

Overall, the Hometown Teams exhibit shows you every aspect of why sports is important in America. If you don’t think sports is an important part of America society, go see this exhibit and you will leave with a different view of sports big and small all across America. Sports teaches values and the rules of life in kids. And sports teaches adults that it’s just a game, and win or lose, you celebrate those giving their all. Yes, sports are a big part of what we do.

The Hometown Teams exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute is brought to you by the Museum on Main Street. Learn more by going to: http://www.museumonmainstreet.org/hometownTeams/

Remembering Georgina The Dog In Video And Pictures

Posted on 08/25/2016 by Nathan Young

On the evening of August 24th, 2016, the decision was made to put Georgina the Dog to sleep. The reasons were simple; old age, not eating and drinking, throwing up, being limp, and most likely having cancer. Simply Georgina was just old. We think she was around 13-15 years old.

Yeah, this was simply another bad mark on my Summer of misery. I need an vacation! More on my bad Summer so far on another post. But for now, here is an over 20 minute video of the clips I took of Georgina. And I also include almost 300 photos I took of the dog, enjoy!

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Bid On Items In The 2016 UCP Telethon Silent Auction

Posted on 08/07/2016 by Nathan Young

The 58th annual UCP Telethon is happening this weekend in Anniston Alabama! And to help the UCP of East Alabama raise a lot of money, I am featuring some really big silent auction items that you can bid on until 6 pm Central on Sunday August 7th. As always, there are some really big sports related auction items.

Let’s start with signed pictures from Alabama coach Nick Saban (#282) and Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. (#283)

There’s a signed Alabama football (#76)

There’s a signed Alabama cap (#255)

There’s also mini helmets signed by Nick Saban (#256) and Jake Coker (#75)

But there is more than sports stuff! There is a guitar signed by Charlie Daniels, Little Texas, Confederate Railroad, and others. (#139)

And there is a Johnson guitar (#78)

There is a giant boat book shelf with oar. (#187)

There is a smaller boat book shelf with oar. (#186)

There is a curio cabinet. (#281)

And there is a three wheel bike with umbrella. (#130)

There are plenty of great giant pictures and artwork!

The biggest ones are a Alabama Crimson Dynasty print by Daniel Moore (#126)

There is an Auburn Spirit Eagle picture. (#132)

There is also another Alabama Daniel Moore print. (#194)

And for the gift certificates, there are some good ones! There is a Talladega fall race Tri-Oval tower tickets (#526) or (#528)

There is Southwest two one way plane tickets. (#529) or (#527)

There is a Jacksonville State University suite tickets during the homecoming game October 29th. (#546)

There is a Zoom teeth whitening package. (#505)

There are three custom whitening kits available. (#530, #531, or #532)

There is a one night stay plus spa credit at the Wind Creek casino in south Alabama. (#501)

There are two tickets to a Sara Evans concert in Montgomery this December. (#538)

There is one Botox treatment available. (#522)

There is also a 2 day guided turkey hunt in Spring 2017. (#539)

And there is another one man guided turkey hunt in Spring 2017. (#543)

And there are many more certificates! To see all the items available in the silent auction, visit the Anniston City Meeting Center on the corner of Noble Street and 16th Street. To call in your bid to any of the items above call 256-770-7688 or 256-403-1740. The silent auction closes at 6 pm Central and you don’t have to be present to win!

And if you don’t mind, please donate to the UCP of East Central Alabama by calling 256-770-7685 or 888-437-9696!

The Evening Post: Ben Aaron Goes After Internet Trolls

Posted on 07/25/2016 by Nathan Young

Times have changed! Back then, to contact any famous person you had to write a letter to them and hope you got something back in the mail. Today, all you need to contact a famous person is the internet. Trolls on the internet use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and other accounts to send hate comments and messages to just about anyone, including me. So in this video, watch as Ben Aaron explains the internet trolls. Sadly this is something that will not go away anytime soon.

Learn More And Support Ineffable: LGBTQ in Alabama

Posted on 07/25/2016 by Nathan Young

As you know in Alabama, the state has had a rough history when it comes to people who are different. Back in the 1960’s, it was people who were black. A few years ago, it was people who were Hispanic. And more recently, its people who are transgender. Now, a local filmmaker wants to explore life in Alabama for people who are transgender or LGBTQ. Eric Wayne Key is working on a film called Ineffable: LGBTO in Alabama.

American Folk announced that it is presently filming and seeking funding for a documentary by local filmmaker, Eric Wayne Key. Ineffable: LGBTQ in Alabama is a look into what it is like to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in the heart of Dixie. The film is a frank, honest and open dais for the people who are living that life or love someone who has. However, it also offers the opportunity for those with opposing views to share their side.

Alabama has a dark past of taking a dim view of those in the minority and the different, like trying to hold on to segregation. Ineffable hopes to be a that shows some of the unfortunate similarities that Alabama’s LGBTQ community faces. American Folk is raising funds via a crowdfunding campaign to complete the project. The company has set out to raise $38,500.

The film will explore life from 1858 when Benton County was unanimously renamed after staunch racist John C. Calhoun because Benton went soft on slavery, to 1961’s Greyhound Bus burning and the beating of the Freedom Riders in Anniston, up to the present day when Oxford, Alabama City Council approved a horrific and unprecedented anti-transgender law. This is a story of the times and of a movement to prevent a repeat of this area’s past.

Producing a documentary takes a huge amount of time, energy and money. There are close to 130 hours in the six-minute trailer, not to mention the equipment and location rentals, etc. They will produce this video even if there is no funding, however, it would be a lot easier if some of their volunteers could be paid something for the time and energy they spend on the project. Funding will go towards production and post-production, outreach, travel costs, and more.

You can visit their site at gofundme.com/ineffable. You can also find out more about the documentary by going to American Folk’s Facebook page or americanfolk.org.
To be a part of this project visit gofundme.com/ineffable.