Monday, February 27, 2017

What Decatur Morgan County Means to Me Monday


“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