A Celebration of Cranes Planned for Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

Inaugural event kicks off Wheeler’s 75^th anniversary.

The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge will hold its first Festival of the Cranes, a one-day event filled with refuge tours, upclose viewings, workshops, live raptors, and nature walks, January 12, 2013, kicking off a year-long celebration of Wheeler’s 75^th anniversary. The celebration of Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Cranes will bring together experienced birders and those who would like to learn more about birding while providing opportunities to learn about the cranes and other wildlife that calls the Refuge home.  

Over 11,000 Sandhill Cranes along with several pairs of Whooping Cranes spend the winter each year at Wheeler National Wildflife Refuge. Hosted by the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association, the Festival of the Cranes kicks off at 6 a.m. with a Sunrise Breakfast in the Visitor Center classroom. Following breakfast, Refuge Manager Dwight Cooley will lead an early morning birding walk to see cranes and other waterfowl arrive in the fields to begin their day of feeding and loafing. A $5 donation is suggested and participants are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and to bring binoculars and a camera.

Throughout the day, the enclosed Wildlife Observation Building, complete with bleachers and spotting scopes, will offer views of thousands of Sandhill Cranes, along with Whooping Cranes, ducks, geese, raptors, and maybe a bald eagle. Volunteers and staff members will be on hand to answer questions.

Acclaimed author, storyteller, and naturalist Brian “Fox” Ellis will be the special guest and featured speaker and will be presenting his Adventures with Audubon. His portrayal of Audubon will enchant participants with stories from some of the wildest places on Earth. At 9 a.m., he will host Bird is the Word writing workshop. In this participatory workshop, participants will learn tips for effective journaling, how to use poetry to help write clearer and more exciting essays, and how to turn field notes into publishable articles. At 11:30 a.m., he presents Bird Tales: Stories and Songs from Many Cultures, a blend of his lifelong love for birds and traditional folktales from different cultures. Through poetry and song, legends and facts, a celebration of all things crane is planned for 2:15 p.m. when Ellis presents Crane Tales Around the World. At 4 p.m., Ellis (as John James Audubon) concludes the day-long event with a recap of his tales from his travels and travails.

Additional activities include a showing of Hope Takes Wing, a film by and about Operation Migration chronicling the history of the Whooping crane; Raptor Trek! Alabama’s Premier Live Bird of Prey Experience featuring owls, hawks, falcons, and a Bald Eagle presented by Becky Collier of the Alabama 4-H Center; and children’s activities centering around the importance of cranes in Japanese culture. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association will sponsor a pizza lunch. A $5 donation to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association is suggested. The day-long event concludes at 5 p.m.

The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located at 3121 Visitor Center Road in Decatur. For more information on the Festival of the Cranes, visit www.friendsofwheelerrefuge.org or call Teresa Adams, supervisory ranger for Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, at 256.350.6639.

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge was established on July 7, 1938 by Executive Order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the first National Wildlife Refuge placed on a multi-purpose reservoir to provide habitat for wintering and migrating birds. Covering 35,000 acres, it attracts thousands of wintering waterfowl each year and is home to Alabama’s largest wintering duck population. The Refuge also supports the state’s largest concentration of Sandhill Cranes. The 75^th Anniversary Celebration featuring live raptors and wildlife, children’s activities, and special guest and master of ceremonies “T.R. Roosevelt” as portrayed by Joe Wiegand, is set for October 5, 2013. For more information on Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, visit www.fws.gov/wheeler. 

Dickens Christmas Carol on the Pickwick Belle

The Heart Behind the Music: A Songwriter's Showcase

Decatur’s historic Princess Theatre presents The Heart Behind the Music: A Songwriter’s Showcase on Monday, December 10 at 7:30pm.  A night of hit songs from the Billboard Pop, Gospel and Country charts performed by the artists themselves -- Lenny LeBlanc, John Ford Coley and Marty Raybon.  An upclose and personal look behind the songs like “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” and “Falling.”  Tickets available at 256.340.1778 or princesstheatre.org

Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music

Direct from a world tour and the Hollywood Bowl, Decatur’s Princess Theatre brings you the smash hit musical show Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music on Saturday, December 8 at 1PM.  It‘s a screening of the classic Julie Andrews film musical on the big screen complete with subtitles to sing a long!  A host leads the audience in vocal warm ups and takes them through their “magic moments packs” and the famous costume competition.  Tickets at 256.340.1778 or princesstheatre.org

Annual Parade of Lights Set for Saturday, December 8th

Sponsored by the Riverwalk Yacht Club and Extreme Marine, the annual Parade of Lights will take to the waterway, illuminating Decatur’s Wheeler Lake, on Saturday, December 8, 2012. The free holiday maritime event features approximately 25 boats of all types and sizes decorated with lights, holiday themes, and other festive trimmings for the holiday season. The public is also invited for a leisurely stroll around the docks for an up close look at the brightly lit boats prior to the parade.

Beginning at 4 p.m., the docks at Riverwalk Marina open allowing the public to admire the boats and their holiday decorations before they set sail. In addition, the Morgan County Humane Society will be on-hand with various animals available for adoption. With Christmas just around the corner, a new pet would be a wonderful present for someone. The Morgan County Humane Society will also be accepting donations of pet food, supplies, and cash.

At 6 p.m. the boat parade will take its usual circular route, making three trips from the entrance of Riverwalk Marina located on Highway 31, west to the Railroad Bridge, east in front of Rhodes Ferry Park to the Highway 31 bridge, and then back into the Marina. The best viewing will be at Rhodes Ferry Park, the Hard Dock Café or at the Marina. 

Anyone interested in participating in the parade or for more information, contact Bob Namie at 256.306.0909.

5K Obstacle Race to Raise Money for Relay for Life

Diamond Pro Sports is pleased to present the Gladiator Obstacle 5k Race, a 3.1 mile heart pounding race with proceeds to benefit Relay for Life. Set for December 8, 2012, the Gladiator Obstacle 5K Race features mental and physical challenges on an extreme mountain course in Eva, Alabama.

Designed for a fierce competitor or a thrill seeking leisure runner, the race is a test of endurance, strength and resilience all in a short distance. The elevation changing 5k course is filled with rugged terrain, barbed wire, steep climbs through leaves, trees, and limbs, rope climbs, and plenty of other obstacles to satisfy the most intense athletes. A video of the course may be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDVSl97zupU&feature=youtu.be.

Individual registration and teams of 4-8 participants are available. Cost is $45 per person. Proceeds from the race will help support Relay for Life.

The 5k Race will take place at 643 Lawrence Cove Road, Eva, Alabama, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to the race, there will be food concessions, an after party and entertainment.

Registration is available online at http://gladiator5k.eventbrite.com. For more information, call 256.353.7771 or visit www.diamondprosports.net/gladiator. 

Historic Decatur's Annual Christmas Tradition Set for December 8th

 The Albany and Old Decatur Historic Districts will present their annual Historic Decatur Christmas Tour on Saturday, December 8, 2012. Nine homes - each traditionally decorated with luminaries, fruit and greenery, and thousands of lights - will be open for viewing as part of the self-guided tour from 2 to 8 p.m.  Along with the tour of homes, the annual event offers holiday decorating tips, carriage rides, refreshments, and live holiday music.  

Residences in the Albany and Old Decatur Historic Districts are not normally open for public viewing except when a select number of homes open their doors during the annual holiday tour. This year’s tour features nine stunning homes. Participating homes include the Dancy-Polk House Inn, the McEntire-Bennett House, the Jervis-Ellis House, the Campbell-Grisham House, the Thomas Cottage, the Foust-Rogers House, the Gibson-Henson House, the Papenburg-Hall House, and the Mangrum-Speegle House.

Along with the self-guided tour of homes, neighborhood churches will open their doors for inspirational concerts and refreshments. At 4 p.m., the Huntsville Spiritual Choral will perform at First Presbyterian Church. First United Methodist Church will offer historic sanctuary tours and First Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian Churches will feature Carillion Christmas Music. At 4 p.m., St. John Episcopal Church will hold a special presentation on historic Decatur architecture by Scott Schoel, AIA, of Schoel Architecture.

Carriage rides will be offered beginning at 2 p.m. at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center or at Delano Park near the tennis courts. Cost for the carriage ride is $10 per person. Free shuttle bus service will also be available from St. John’s Episcopal Church to the tour sites. Many merchants and restaurants throughout the downtown area will also be open during the tour.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased in advance at the Decatur/Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bank Street Antiques, Trish Land Designs, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center, and Jimmy Smith Jewelers. On the day of the tour, tickets can also be purchased at Trish Land Designs, Bank Street Antiques, Jimmy Smith Jewelers, and the Decatur/Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and at the Old State Bank, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center, and St. John’s Episcopal Church from 2 to 7 p.m. For group sales, contact the Decatur/Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 256.350.2028. Proceeds from the tour are used to preserve, protect and enhance the character and legacy of the historic neighborhoods.

Combined, the Old Decatur and Albany Historic Districts represent one of the finest and largest collections of Victorian and earlier 20^th century craftsman and bungalow homes in Alabama. The homes date back, in some instances, to the early 1800s, while most were constructed around the turn of the 20th century.

For a schedule of events and more information on the historic homes, visit www.decaturchristmastour.com.