“What
Decatur and Morgan County means to me”
Decatur,
Alabama is not my hometown, but having
lived and raised two children here in the past 30 years, it is now my home. As the celebration of the Alabama
Bicentennial begins in March 2017, the Decatur Morgan County Convention and
Visitors Bureau will be inviting guests from throughout our city and county to
share their thoughts on what Decatur and Morgan County, Alabama means to them.
At
the Decatur Morgan CVB, we are the privileged host of visitors who come seeking
a taste of the authentic, a chance to explore and play and a welcome that is
genuine. Our visitors embrace our rich history and culture at
places like the Old Bank, the Archives, the Carnegie and the Princess; they compete fiercely at Jack Allen, Wilson Morgan, Ingalls Harbor and the Celebration Arena; they
marvel at God’s creation and nature’s wonders at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge,
Delano Park and the Cook Museum of Natural Science; they savor the flavor and
charm of our unique restaurants , retail establishments and historic districts;
they enjoy family-friendly fun at events
throughout the county such as the Alabama
Jubilee, 3rd Fridays
Downtown, Hartselle Depot Days, the
Falkville Fall Festival, Music on the Square in Somerville and Eva Frontier Day
and our guests splash, golf, hit the ice, camp and play ball at Point Mallard
Park, one of Alabama’s Top 10 Tourist
Attractions!
The
weekend of February 25th symbolized the spirit that makes our city
and county wonderful. There was
ground-breaking for a new Farmer’s Market in Hartselle, the Alabama Bass Trail
kicked off its Northern Division Tournament Series on Wheeler Lake, the city’s
first-ever half marathon tested the endurance of runners participating in the
Carnival Frolic, the Point Mallard Duck’s hosted a “Try Hockey for Free” event,
a 9 ball pool tournament took place, the streets of downtown Decatur were
filled with people enjoying the color and festivity of a magical Carnegie
Carnival celebration of Mardi Grass and to top it all off, it was PANCAKE
DAY! To my now grown children, Pancake
Day is one of the best and most memorable days of the year! For today’s children, I can only imagine how
awesome it must have been to have pancakes, beads, moon pies and parades
combined into one joyous day! These
events brought people of all ages and backgrounds together in celebration of
life’s simple joys that are all part of the fiber of who we are and the special place
we call home. In today’s world, it is easy
to focus on what we don’t have and take for granted the bounty with which we
have been blessed. This weekend was a
reminder to take delight in our story, the beauty of our surroundings and the
creativity of our citizens! Throughout
the year, there are a multitude of events that celebrate the history and unique
flavor of our city and county. These events, held at special places throughout
Decatur and Morgan County, are part of that treasure-trove of memories come to
mind when I think about Decatur and Morgan County, Alabama. As we head into spring, I invite you to take
part in these activities as they truly define and put the “home” in “hometown.” Like the mountains of pancakes that were
cooked last Saturday, our plate is full and we are blessed beyond
abundance!
Melinda
M. Dunn-President, Decatur CVB
