Newsletter
Mayor Andy Betterton
May 13, 2021
Have You Heard? The Florence City Schools Parent Resource Center is Open!
The new FCS Parent Resource Center opened at the beginning of May. Falcon families will find that this one-stop-shop can provide emergency resources like clothing, school supplies, and even hygiene products for FCS students in need. Services are referral-based through school principals. Donations of new or gently used clothing can be made by contacting the Florence City Schools Board of Education at (256)768-3000. Go Falcons!


Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) North Regional Softball Tournament
The Florence-Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the City of Florence will host the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) North Regional Softball Tournament at the Florence Sportsplex. The tournament begins on Wednesday, May 12 with play continuing through Saturday, May 15.
Purchase Tickets at Gofan.com (tickets will not be sold at the gate)
"In 2019, the regional tournament generated 1150 room nights in Lauderdale County with an estimated $600,000 in economic impact for our community."

Touch-A-Truck Scavenger Hunt
Please join Junior League of the Shoals for the first-ever Touch A Truck Scavenger Hunt Saturday, May 15, from 9 am-3 pm!
This FREE, family-friendly event uses the Goosechase app to find various vehicles across Lauderdale, Colbert & Franklin counties. As families progress through the scavenger hunt, they will discover service stops, vehicles, machinery, equipment, and even restaurants where participants can get a free item or coupons! The hunters with the most points will win great prizes! For more information...
Download the Goosechase App
Enter game code: JWVZ3V

Travel with "The Club"
The ”Diamonds in the Rough” traveling friends want to invite you to join them. Two upcoming trips are listed below. Trips are open to the public! We look forward to experiencing an adventure with you! Questions? Call Florence Senior Center Director Fran Davis at 256.760.6642 or fdavis@florenceal.org.

Calling All Businesses & Organizations!
256.764.4661 | snewland@shoalschamber.com | www.shoalschamber.com

ARTS ALIVE: May 15 & 16 at Wilson Park





Come On In to Enjoy Some Pampering!


United Way Of North Alabama
The organization is approximately $148,000 shy of its aggressive fundraising goal of $1,000,000 and will conclude its annual campaign on Monday, May 31, 2021. With that date looming just 3 weeks away, United Way of Northwest Alabama makes a final plea to help reach their goal.
Money raised during United Way’s campaign will help fund vital programs and services that improve the health, education, and financial stability of Northwest Alabamians in Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, and Marion Counties. United Way of Northwest currently supports 19 different nonprofit agency programs in our area and two internal programs, Success by 6 and 2-1-1 Information & Referral.
If your company or organization has not had an opportunity to run a workplace campaign and you would like to, please contact Eva Harris at 256-764-5892 or email campaign@uwshoals.org.

Congratulations, Rachel Graves!
Weeden Elementary School teacher Rachel Graves has been named the District VII Elementary Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Graves is one of 16 outstanding teachers in Alabama named a finalist for the Alabama 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year award. Mrs. Graves is a Resource Teacher at Weeden Elementary School. She has been a teacher with Florence City Schools for 7 years. She coaches the high school swim team, is a member of the AHSAA swimming committee and coaches Special Olympics swimming.
Originally from Franklin, TN, Mrs. Graves moved to Florence in 2009. She received her undergraduate degree in K-6 Collaborative Education and her Master’s degree in K-12 Special Education from the University of North Alabama. Mrs. Graves has been married to her husband, Andrew, for 7 years, and they have one son, Fletcher. They are so glad to be a part of the amazing Falcon Family!



THE FAITH COMMUNITY IN FLORENCE
On July 22, 1818, lot number 84 on the town plan created by John Coffee, Ferdinand Sannoner and Hunter Peel was purchased by a group of local Presbyterians. Their first church structure (probably of logs) was destroyed by fire, but by 1824 the congregation was moving forward with the building of a substantial meeting house. The walls, facade and roofline of that building survive today, and the interior of the sanctuary, though altered over the years, reflects it as well. And that is why First Presbyterian Church on East Mobile Street in downtown Florence well deserves the reference as the "Mother Church of Florence." Other denominations of Christendom followed apace, as did Temple B'Nai Israel and the Baha'i Fellowship, among others. So, what is the point? Well, the point is that, clearly, along with governmental, economic, educational and social emphases, Florence has also been guided and developed by an emphasis on the spiritual as well. The faith community has truly been -- and is -- integral to the City's balanced development.
--Billy Warren, City Historian


A little laugh...

How to Submit Your Event, News, or Announcement:
- Public and community events or announcements can be submitted by attaching an email, Word document, PDF, or JPG file suitable for viewing on the web. Include graphics in JPG or PNG if possible.
- Along with your information, include your name, phone number, event name, location, date and time, and a brief description.
- IMPORTANT: Please submit your information no later than Tuesday of each week (preferably sooner). Submissions after the deadline will be added to the next week's publication. The newsletter is posted on Thursday afternoon.
- Send your information to rmansell@florenceal.org or call Rachel Koonce with questions at 256-760-6494.