Non-profit housing developer Baron Sandlin wants to restore quality living to an Anniston neighborhood by renovating the abandoned structures there.

Sandlin’s Northeast Alabama Community Development Corp., Inc. has finished a rehab project on the first home and is already making plans for the next house. The renovated home will be revealed Saturday, March 13 at 10 a.m. at 2001 Moore Ave. in Anniston.  Anniston Mayor Gene Robinson, Sandlin, financial supporters and others are expected to speak during the press conference and ribbon cutting.

Sandlin said it took three months to turn what was once a boarded-up duplex with a rotten roof, bad floors and a fallen-in utility room, into a clean, three-bedroom home ready for a family to rent. “The place was an eyesore at first. The property owner had left it there,’’ he said. “Now, it’s a nice house.”

Sandlin’s group saw that several homes along Anniston’s Moore Avenue had been abandoned. Worried about what effect the scenery was making on the families in the community, Sandlin investigated to see what could be done to change things.

He identified 20 abandoned properties and started asking the absent owners to donate the properties or work with him in negotiating a reasonable sale price. He prefers to make over homes that are in clusters in a neighborhood because of the larger impact that can be made on improving the community. Currently, the plan is fix up the homes and rent them to deserving families. If the real estate market changes, they may sell the houses in the future, he said.

He bought the first home for $6,000; and invested $70,000 to rehab it. Funding was made possible through the Housing Fund of Central Alabama, a statewide non-profit affordable housing support agency based in Birmingham. Another financial supporter was the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama, which focuses on seven northeast Alabama counties, including Calhoun, Clay, Randolph and Etowah counties.

Sandlin said his organization does not just serve Calhoun County, but also Clay County. “We are very excited about doing what we are doing; having the compassion to do rehab, countywide,’’ he said.

For more info:
Contact: Baron Sandlin
256-235-8018; or 205-541-9839 after 5 p.m.

The state is kicking off a tourism campaign called the “Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns” on Tuesday with a ceremony in Montgomery. Gov. Bob Riley will attend.

The campaign is meant to focus attention on the state’s smaller cities. During the year, more than 200 towns will put on “Great Alabama Homecoming” events and unveil historic markers as part of the tourism effort.

See more on the Lineville, Alabama celebration – click here.

See more on the Ashland, Alabama celebration – click here.

Clay County Courthouse in Ashland, AL

The Clay County Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome you to Clay County, Alabama – The Heart of East Central Alabama. Thank you for your interest in the “peaceful place” that we call home. Our website is being updated almost daily as our goal is to provide you with as much information about our county as possible. We know it is impossible to cover every aspect of our county through this website so if you have any questions or need to contact us, please do. Contact info is below.

We hope you’ll take some time and navigate around our website. We want you to consider visiting Clay County and we’re always seeking new businesses to move here and help us grow. Clay County is a wonderful place to live. Enjoy the benefits of country living and if you still need a hit of the big city life, we’re only a two-hour or less car drive to the metro areas of Atlanta, Birmingham or Montgomery.

We’re only minutes from beautiful and clean Lake Wedowee and a short ride to Mt. Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama (click here to watch a short video on Mt. Cheaha State Park). We sit right in the Talladega National Forest with hiking trails, waterfalls, horseback trails, camping and just plain pretty scenery. And when was the last time you looked up into the sky and saw a gazillion stars? No light pollution here. Clay County is a stargazers paradise so bring your telescope.

Check out Clay County soon. Mark your calendar and attend the 2009 Clay County Music & Arts Festival on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 – all day. Guaranteed fun for the whole family. Look at photos from the 2008 Festival – click here. We know if you visit us, you’ll probably stick around for awhile – maybe a lifetime.

Contact us anytime – we’d love to hear from you. We have an Executive Director, Mary Patchunka-Smith, who mans our office Monday through Friday. She is a busy lady so if she doesn’t answer the phone right away, leave a message and she’ll get back to you very quickly. And, we even have high speed Internet service out here in the country, too. So, you can contact our Chamber through email as well. Our contact information follows:

Clay County Chamber of Commerce
86838 Highway 9 – P O Box 85
Lineville, AL 36266
256-396-2828 office
256-396-5532 fax
email: claychamber@centurytel.net
Executive Director: Mary Patchunka-Smith

STRENGTHENING the development of business and industry.

ENCOURAGING cooperation among local officials.

PRESERVING and conserving the environment and significant historical sites.

ENHANCING quality education to prepare our young people for the future work place and to instill in them an appreciation of their citizenship.

FOSTERING a sense of community spirit.

Ashland Tax & Business Services, Inc. is a charter member of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce. Patricia volunteered her services in organizing the Chamber, and used the resources of her office to apply for and receive recognition of the Chamber for tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service.

They have been helping individuals and businesses in and around Clay County since 1986. They offer all types of Federal and State tax preparation, accounting, payroll and sales tax services. And if you are having computer problems, they can help with that too.

The staff includes two Enrolled Agents available year round, Patricia Mitchell and Tim Rude. An ‘enrolled agent’ is a person who has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. Enrolled agents, like attorneys and certified public accountants (CPAs), are generally unrestricted as to which taxpayers they can represent, what types of tax matters they can handle, and which IRS offices they can practice before. In contrast, practice before the IRS is much more limited for other individuals.

Patricia and Tim have each demonstrated special competence in tax matters and have passed a background check with the Internal Revenue Service. Additionally, as EA’s they are required to maintain their skills by continuing education each year.

The firm’s mission is to help their clients achieve success by providing personalized attention and a commitment to service that addresses not only today’s needs but tomorrow’s plans. They provide excellent service, placing a premium on timeliness, thoroughness and accuracy.

This year there are many changes to be aware of before filing your tax returns.

• Making Work Pay Credit: Most people who have earned income from work are eligible for a tax credit this year of up to $400 ($800 for a married couple).
• American Opportunity Education Credit: Tax credits for college education have been expanded and increased. And now some of these credits can even generate a tax refund when in prior years they could not.
• Unemployment Compensation: The first $2,400 of unemployment compensation received for 2009 is tax free. Amounts over $2,400 are still taxable.
• New Vehicle Sales Tax Deduction: If you bought a brand new motor vehicle in 2009 after February 16, you may be able to deduct the sales tax even if you file the short form.
• New Rules for Parents who Divorce in 2009 or Later: In order for the non-custodial parent to claim a dependent exemption for a child, IRS form 8832 (a release signed by the custodial parent) must now be attached to the return. This is true even if the divorce decree states that the non-custodial parent is allowed to claim to the child as a dependent. A copy of the divorce decree is no longer sufficient.
• Home-Buyer Credits: First-time home-buyers (who did not own a home within the last three years) can receive a tax credit of up to $8,000 for a home purchase between 1/1/2009 and 4/30/2010. Long-time home-buyers (who have owned and lived in the same home for at least five consecutive years out of the last eight) who purchase a new home between 11/7/2009 and 4/30/2010 can receive a tax credit of up to $6,500. The credit for a home purchased in 2010 can even be claimed on the 2009 tax return, to speed up getting the refund.
• Tax Credits for Energy Saving Improvements: A number of energy saving items that homeowners purchase in 2009 are eligible for tax credits. There are specific requirements that have to be met in order to qualify.

This is just an brief overview of the tax changes for this year. For more information please stop by or call Ashland Tax & Business Services, Inc. From the square in Ashland go south on Hwy 9 about 2 blocks. The office is located on the corner of Hwy 9 and 3rd Ave S.

82948 Highway 9
Ashland, AL 36251
Phone: (256) 354-3166 / Fax: (256) 354-0066
Email: taxpros@ashlandtax.com
Website: www.ashlandtax.com

by Don C. East © 2010 (contact Don at creekstreefarms2@yahoo.com)

Man’s quest for gold has probably had as much influence on world history as any other single factor.  There is something about the allure of gold that causes people to do things that rational beings might not otherwise do.  Yes, the discovery of gold has brought wealth to many, but it has also caused the death, dislocation and destruction of even larger numbers.  Although it is not widely known, events in our own Clay County area were strongly influenced by man’s quest for the yellow metal.  Our Alabama gold belt is in a triangular shaped section here in the east central part of the state, in the Piedmont Uplands, with Lake Wedowee at its center.  In this short article, I will try to provide you a sketch of  the history of gold mining in Alabama, and its influence in our immediate area.

The first known impact on this area caused by gold was in 1540, when the Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto ravaged the region in search of the golden treasures of “El Dorado.”  Not only did he kill and capture many of the local Indians just to the north and west of us in his greedy quest, but his expedition also left the white man’s diseases that would reduce the native population to a small fraction of its original numbers within a few years.  Finding only a few gold artifacts made by the Indians, DeSoto continued his expedition to the west where he met his fate in 1541 in what is now Mississippi.

Gold was first discovered by the white man in the American Southeast in the Carolinas near the turn of the century.  Shortly afterwards, prospectors made a major strike in Georgia in 1829.  By following the crystalline rock laden mountain chain southward, prospectors soon discovered the yellow metal in Alabama in 1830.  The Alabama gold discovery  was in an area that includes the nine present counties of Randolph, Cleburne, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Elmore and Chilton.  Ironically, this was the same portion of east Alabama that the Creek Indians were allocated and forced into following their defeat at Horseshoe Bend in the Creek War of 1813-14.  After the 1830 strike, white prospectors began to illegally pour into the Indian lands in search of gold. By 1832, the intruding settlers, primarily from Georgia, were streaming into east Alabama in such numbers that inevitable conflict with the Indians occurred, leading to the Second Creek War.  Unable to stem the flood of illegal settlers into east Alabama, President Andrew Jackson invoked the provisions of the Indian Removal Act and the Treaty of Cussetta earlier than planned, and forced the Creeks and other Indians to lands west of the Mississippi River.  So, once again, the yellow metal had caused wealth for some and a great  loss for others!

The height of the gold excitement in east Alabama came in the mid 1840’s, as more and more prospectors moved in.  These prospectors were followed shortly by other settlers who would farm and free range their cattle.  In 1842, a German immigrant was digging a wine cellar near Hillabee Creek, north of what is now Alexander City, when he discovered a vein of gold ore.  This discovery became known as the “Dutch Bend Mine.”   Other nearby discoveries were in the Goldville and Hog Mountain areas.  By 1843, Goldville had a population of 3,500 people. The Alabama gold mining went on at a steady pace until 1849, when word of  the famous California gold rush came.  Most of the Alabama miners were influenced by the exaggerated tales of the California strike and took Horace Greely’s advice to “head west young man!”  Many of the booming gold mining towns such as Goldville became ghost towns overnight.  Gold mining nevertheless continued at a smaller scale in our area, and by 1855, Arabacoochee became the largest town in Alabama, with over 4,000 people working the gold mines.  Arabacoochee is now a ghost town just south of Heflin.  The low level of mining continued until 1874.  In that year, Copper was discovered just north of the Randolph/Cleburne County line, and the Wood’s Copper Mine began operation.  A spin off of the copper mining caused a revival of gold fever in the area by 1880.  By the early 1900s, mercury and cyanide became available to amalgamate the ever smaller gold particles from the residue.  Gold production then showed a dramatic increase for a few years before it began another decline.  America’s entry into World War I caused a total suspension of gold mining in Alabama by cutting off  the supplies of mercury and cyanide, as well as increasing the jobs and wages in other sectors of the economy.  Interest in Alabama gold was briefly revived during the Great Depression by many of the unemployed locals who had no other means of income. It is said that many of them earned $2 a day by panning gold -  not bad during the depression! Afterward, gold seemed to be a totally forgotten subject in east Alabama until “recreational” or “hobby” prospecting became popular in recent years.  And then, just last year, It was reported that commercial gold mining has been reactivated at a site in Cherokee County, Just north of the Cleburne County line.  Will this be the start of a second Alabama gold strike?

From its discovery in 1830 until present time, a total of 49,383 Troy ounces of gold has been reported as mined in east Alabama.  Probably an equal amount, or even more, was mined and not reported.  Legend has it that the land that formed the great nine-county King Cattle Ranch in south Texas was mostly bought with gold from the King Mine north of here at Arabacoochee.  Very little signs of the gold mining industry remains in our area today, other than some of the abandoned shafts that were not dynamited closed.  One example is the Goldberg Mine on Wesobulga Creek, just upstream with its confluence with Crooked Creek near Cragford.  In addition to gold, our east Alabama area is blessed with over sixty other minerals, such as  arsenic, copper, graphite, mica, and pyrite. Many of these minerals were mined commercially at various times in our history, thereby contributing to the economy of the area.  For example, near the turn of the century, there were over sixty graphite mines in the area, most of which were in nearby Clay County.

The gold bearing territory in our area was divided into two major categories for purposes of classification and administration.  First there were the “formations.”  Formations were areas where geological inspections and surveys had located an abundance of crystalline materials that contained gold.  The major formations in our area were the Ashland, Talladega, Wedowee, Pinckneyville, Talladega and Hillabee.  The Wedowee formation was the largest and probably the richest of the formations.  The Wedowee formation began in west Georgia and thence ran in a southwesterly direction through SE Cleburne County, diagonally NE to SW through the center of Randolph County, thence through SE Clay County, then through NW Chambers County, NW Tallapoosa County and finally into Northern Elmore County.  The entire basin of Lake Wedowee lies over the Wedowee formation.  No wonder our bass like gold colored spinners!  The second category used in describing the gold territory was “districts.”  The east Alabama gold mining area was divided into twelve districts for administrative purposes.  These districts were named Arabacoochee (12), Pinetucky (9), Chulafinnee (5), Riddle’s Mill (3), Idaho (11), Cragford (9), The Devil’s Backbone (16), Eagle Creek (5), Goldville (14), Hog Mountain (1), Chilton County (5) and Coosa County (8).  Shown in parenthesis are the number of larger mining operations in each district.  However, counting the smaller mining operations, there were probably around three hundred operations in the twelve districts at the height of the period.  It is significant to note that  nine of the twelve gold mining districts were on the Wedowee formation.

There are specific terminology and processes that apply to gold mining.  Some of this information is provided here for your convenience.  Gold is found in lode, vein and placer deposits.  Veins deposits are streaks of gold disseminated through a host rock such as granite.  Lode deposits are two or more veins coming together in a host rock.  Veins and lodes can be surface or shaft mined.  Shafts can be vertical, horizontal or inclined.  Placer deposits are formed by the weathering and disintegration of veins and/or lodes, followed by erosion and concentration of the gold through the action of flowing water or wind. Placer gold can be found in the form of nuggets, flakes or dust (sometimes called flour).  Placer deposits were usually mined by surface pits or extracted directly from streams.  Most of the placer mines in our area were found along the creeks and smaller streams.  Typical occurrences of gold in this area are within quartz veins in schist, quartz veins in granite, or quartz veins in slate.

The discovery of gold in east Alabama produced a major impact.  However, it can be easily argued that the impact was more on the overall historical progress and demographics of Alabama than it was on its economics. Some of the major issues or events that were at least partially caused by the discovery and subsequent mining of gold in east Alabama were: the removal of the Creeks and other Native Americans to the west in the early 1830’s and 40’s; the catalyst for the founding of many local towns such as Wedowee, Lineville, Cragford, and Arabacooche; the migration of  large numbers of early settlers into the region; the bringing of the railroad into the area; place names left in the area such as Goldville, Gold Mine Creek, and Gold Ridge; sparked a major timber industry in the area to produce lumber for the mines and the following railroads; and resulted in many local land parcels having their mineral rights separated.  For example, I am told that of the nearby vast Talladega National Forest, only around two hundred acres has its mineral rights intact.

Recreational or hobby gold prospecting is growing dramatically in America today.  Membership in organizations such as the Gold Prospectors of America (GPA) has many thousand members, and a Television channel is on the airwaves today that is dedicated to recreational gold prospecting.  At the state level, there is “The Gold Prospectors Society of Alabama” based in Birmingham.  There are at least three local area recreational gold prospecting businesses.  One is Leon and Connie Jones’ “Golden Adventures” located just east of Heflin, Alabama, a second one is Tom West’s “Grubsteak” in Tallapoosa, Georgia, and the third is The Gold Camp one mile south of Cragford on the Malone Road.  These two businesses, as well as others in the area, either own or lease several of the old gold prospects and take customers there on recreational “digs.”  These businesses also sell the necessary hardware such as pans, snuffer bottles, sluices, dredges, metal detectors, etc.  It is important to note that the old abandoned gold prospects in our area today are for the most part on private property.  If you want to do some recreational prospecting on your own, be sure to first obtain the landowner’s permission, otherwise you can be charged with trespassing.  Yes, you too can experience the electric, age-old thrill of seeing yellow glittering in the bottom of your gold pan!  Just remember, “all that glitters is not gold!”  There is also fool’s gold such as mica, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite that can elevate your heartbeat temporarily.

LEARN stands for Launching Entrepreneurs Across Rural Networks.  LEARN is a grant program that provides training and business coaching to help dislocated workers interested in starting a business. It is being offered to rural Alabama residents from 2009 through 2012.

Self-Employment Options for Alabama residents

WIA eligible dislocated workers from North, Central and South Alabama who have lost their job have the LEARN program as another option for self-employment.  LEARN is a program that offers entrepreneurship training and one-on-one business counseling for those who want to start their own business.

Where is LEARN being offered?

LEARN is offered to dislocated workers through rural Alabama. Twenty counties are going to be covered with this program:

North Alabama: Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Marshall and Cullman

Central Alabama: Walker, Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Greene, Hale, Sumter and Perry

South Alabama: Montgomery, Bullock, Pike, Barbour, Coffee and Dale

What is exactly LEARN offering?

LEARN will provide a limited number of grants for training and one-on-one business counseling.

This grant offers free training through business classes that will help them gain the knowledge they need to start their own business.

Those who are selected for the grant will receive the following:

• Individual skills assessment
• Training in business classes
• Business counseling during and after completion of the training

Unemployment benefits will still be offered during the training through a work search waiver.

Who is eligible for LEARN (GATE) services?

• Interested candidates must be dislocated workers (lost a job through no fault of their own due to a business closing or layoff)
• Candidates have to be eligible for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program.
• Candidates must be 19 or older and eligible to work in the United States and have a legal business idea.
• Interested candidates for LEARN must complete an orientation session and apply for the LEARN grant.

How can a person apply for a grant?

It is very simple.

First, the potential participant needs to register at their local One Stop Career Center.

Also the candidate can sign-up via,

• Rapid Response on-site visit
• Mailing a manually filled out form to the LEARN office
• Make  a phone call to LEARN office at 1-866-968-5525

Second, after registration the potential candidate has to attend a scheduled Orientation Session or view the orientation video online.

Third, immediately after the Orientation Session, the potential participant is able to apply to the LEARN program by filling out a grant application.

How will the potential participant know if he/she got the grant?

Once the application is submitted, the potential participant will be notified by the LEARN office. A letter will be sent to them with the results.

What will happen to the interested candidate’s unemployment insurance or other benefits?

Being a participant in the LEARN program will not interfere with unemployment insurance or any other benefits they may be receiving. They may be eligible for a waiver from the Employment Security Commission (ESC) allowing them to suspend your job search activities and visits to the ESC office while they work on developing their business.

What’s next?

Please take a registration brochure. After you register you will receive a phone call from the LEARN office about your orientation date. You have to attend the orientation session in order to be able to apply for the grant.  After the orientation session, you may talk to the business counselor at the service provider location you chose and fill out an application form manually or electronically. After the LEARN Office receives your application  you will be notified of the results within one week.

LEARN Program
Box 870208
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

www.learnala.org
Toll Free: 1-866-968-5525
Fax: 205-348-6327

The Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama needs your help to send Girl Scout Cookies to soldiers stationed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan!  Anyone can purchase Cookies for Troops from a Girl Scout during booth sales at your local retailers.  GSNCA will coordinate the effort send to different units overseas. “Our goal is to send 10,000 boxes to troops overseas,” Hilary Perry, Director of Communications and Advocacy, states.  “Soldiers write back often and tell us how Girl Scout Cookies are a ‘little taste of home.’” People can still purchase Girl Scout Cookies from a booth sale (February 12-March 6) or go to their local service center. To find booth sales, people may visit www.girlscoutsnca.org starting February 1st and click on a link to find cookies. Or, they can email cookies@girlscoutsnca.org, and we will put someone in contact with you.

About Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama

Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is a United Way community partner and serves more than 14,000 girls, ages 5-17, and an additional 5,000 in special programs across 36 counties, who are developing crucial life skills that help them grow courageous and strong so they can make wise choices in today’s world and beyond. For more information, call 800-734-4541 or log on to www.girlscoutsnca.org.

This brief history of programs of the Clay County Alabama Arts League has been provided by Linda Rochester, our Membership Vice President, in hopes that you will consider becoming a member this year.

VISUAL ARTS
Do you know some of these names:  Nina Faye Bonner, Alma Browning, Barbara Bryan, Carrie Lou Campbell, Mrs. L. D. Clark, Alice Cowan, Phil Cornelison, Robert Duke, Judith Hornsby Jordan, Mrs. Homer Hyche, Eleanor Mattox, Barbara Pace, Mrs. Avery Phillips, Mrs. Walton Phillips, and Bill Wilson.  These are some of the ground-breakers who brought the arts into Clay County in 1971 with an art gallery on the square of Ashland and plays in the county schools.  The foundation was laid to encourage and support our county’s artists.  Judith Jordan was the director of many of these early events.

“Through the Artist’s Eyes” has been showcasing local artists, for the past five years, as they exhibit their work at the Clay County Health and Wellness Center. Clay County has talent – painting, pottery, photography, wood working, glass sculpting!!  Exhibitors are: Dannielle Aldredge, Jennifer Alam, Frank Andrus, Dyla Carson Corinne Cox, Shirley Dawkins, Geneva Finley, Frank Foster, Jim Gasser, Toni Grossman, Jack Hadder, Danny Heard, Patsy Ingram, Pat Jenkins, Judith Jordan, Gordon Kendrick, Lori McCain, Tommy Moorehead, Jean Morgan, Ron Newsome, Dee Perkins, Nanette Perry, Kay Robertson, Sydney Saxon, Sarah Sparks, Carol Spivey, Launa Stan, the Robert Steele family, Bonnie Wheeles, and the 4-H school children from Ashland and Lineville. Dee Perkins is chairperson for this program.

DRAMA
Do you remember all of those plays and events put on over the past twenty years?  Here are a few:  A Christmas Carol, Purlie, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, Peter Pan, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, South Pacific, Grease, The Music Man, Wolf  Tales, Smoke on the Mountain, Covering Dish, Friends Forever, A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, That’s Entertainment, Aladdin and His Wonderful Magic Lamp,  Off-Broadway, a Gala Celebration for the Arts, The Rosa Parks Story, Through the Years Follies, The Great Southern Satire, Caroling on the Square, Made in the U. S. A., and Rumpelstiltskin.  Ken Yates, Diane Giddens, Linda Rochester, Vicki Birdsall, Sheryl Bonner, Chris Carr, Kathy Murphy, and Lori Steele are some of the directors of these stage productions.

The Seasoned Performers, a senior adult theater group from Birmingham that has performed for the past two years at The Historic Ashland Theatre, will return in the spring. Elizabeth Moore has been the chairperson of this event.

MUSIC
Summer Sizzle has been entertaining Clay County with free outdoor concerts on Thursdays in July since 2004. The music ranges from gospel and big band swing to local mariachi and country! Even fireworks are provided after the program closest to the 4th of July. April Ice and Barbara Pollard have been chairpersons of this event.

The Arts League joined with the Clay County Chorus in 2008 in order to bring mixed choral music to the forefront of Clay County life.  Ken Yates directed the Clay County Chorus in a winter performance of Christmas music and a spring performance of Broadway tunes. In December of 2009, the Clay County Women’s Chorus, under the direction of Linda Rochester, presented a program of Christmas music. Plans are underway to combine the men and women again in the near future.

ARTS PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN / TEENS
We have been educating our children in the arts through Arts Camp since 1995.  We specialize in training young minds to love, cherish, and participate in the arts.  Some of the classes that have been offered are in singing, drama, music, pottery, drawing, painting, and even cooking! Murals completed by local artists and the children have been created and left behind as gifts to local schools. Many children attend Arts Camp every year on scholarship. The number of scholarships available depends on grants and donations received from the community. Kim Crist is the current chairperson for the camp. Tommy Moorehead, April Ice, Jennifer Alam, and Linda Rochester have also been chairpersons of our Arts Camps.

The Arts League has partnered with the school system on several occasions to bring theatre and visual artists into the county’s schools.

Scholarships have given by the Arts League to high school graduates who exhibit artistic ability and are entering further education in visual or performing arts.

If you have been a participant in one or more of our events or if you have been a part of our audience, you already know that we are in a continuous attempt to reinvent ourselves.

We have four meetings a year; the first is in October. All meetings are open, and we welcome your involvement.  The location of all Board meetings is in the Arts League Office in the Ashland Water Department Building. As a member, you may bring suggestions and business before the Board by contacting President Barbara Pollard.  Please consider attending our events and supporting the Clay County Arts League with your membership.  Dues for this year are $15 for individuals and $25 for families and businesses.  Your membership is important, because every dollar we raise locally is a dollar that can be matched for grant funding purposes.

Please don‘t let this opportunity pass. Join today! Mail your donation to P.O. Box 696, Ashland, AL 36251. This is one organization that has worked hard to earn your support.