Memorial Day
Mayor Betterton's Weekly Update
May 20, 2021
In honor of Memorial Day, Florence Municipal Offices will be closed on Monday, May 31, 2021. Garbage and recycling collection will remain on schedule.
2021 Florence-Lauderdale County Memorial Day Ceremony
Join us as we honor American Fallen Heroes and show gratitude for the price they paid in defending our freedom. The Memorial Day Ceremony will last approximately one hour. It will include several speakers who will honor our Fallen Heroes, our Veterans, and our nation, offering special tributes to the Fallen Heroes of Florence-Lauderdale County.
After the ceremony, the Fallen Heroes Memorial will be open. The memorial recognizes 225 local heroes by name and war on five memorial markers in the Veterans Memorial.
A special booklet with pictures of the memorial markers will be available to attendees, along with a colorful and informative program brochure.
Monday, May 31, 2021, 11:00 AM
Veterans Memorial, 100 Veterans Park Drive, Florence, AL, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
It's Time for Summer!
River Heritage Park Splash Pad
River Heritage Park Splash Pad
Opens: Saturday, May 29 at 11:30 am
River Heritage Park is located at the base of the Renaissance Tower and adjacent to the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Conference Center. The park contains scenic overlooks of the Tennessee River and Wilson Dam. Also included are picnic shelters, a playground, and an interactive fountain. The fountain operates from May to Mid-September, weather permitting.
Splash Pad Fountain Hours of Operation: 11:30 am - 9:00 pm daily.
Florence Recreations Pools
OPENING DAY – Saturday, June 5, 2021, 1:00 - 5:00 pm
June & July - Tuesday – Sunday, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Royal Avenue Recreation Center
420 N Royal Ave
Florence, AL 35630
$4.00 per person
Handy Recreation Center
1105 Beale St.
Florence, AL 35630
$1.00 per person
Rotary STAR Park Announcement
The Florence Rotary Club, the Greater Shoals/Sheffield Rotary Club, and the Rotaract Club of the University of North Alabama today announced the founding of Rotary STAR Park, a Sensory, Tactile, and Adaptive Recreation park for all children. The park commemorates 100 years of Rotary service in the Shoals. View the park concept and read the full press release below.
Public Transportation Available
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library
Tuesday, June 8 at 5:30 pm
The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library is excited to host author Mary Alice Monroe on our front lawn Tuesday, June 8 at 5:30 pm. Attendees will enjoy a catered dessert while listening to Monroe discuss her new books. This ticketed author event will be the perfect kick-off to FLPL's 2021 Summer Reading Program for ALL AGES!
Summer days are about to begin, and the Florence Lauderdale Public Library wants you to include reading in your summer! Finding time to get lost in a good book can get you some super prizes during the library's Tails and Tales Summer Reading Program. Registration is open now, and the prize store opens on June 7. Go by the library and register today!
Cypress Creek Kayak Cleanup: Saturday, June 5
The world may have slowed down, but one thing we know for sure - litter never ends! Help us eradicate it by grabbing your kayak and cleaning up Cypress Creek. On June 5, meet us at the Cox Creek launch any time between 8 am-12 pm for contactless pickup of cleaning supplies. Put in your kayak or canoe and float for litter. Meet us on the other end at Wildwood Park for litter and supply collection, and let us know how much you collected.
The 2021 Virtual Shoals Storytelling Festival
May 21-31, 2021
Virtual Tickets $20
For 2021, the Festival will move online as a completely virtual event, with all of its stories, music, documentaries, and interviews available on-demand to ticket holders from May 21st through May 31st.
We need your help!
Lightweight litter easily escapes our trucks during collection. Residents can help by bagging all trash, especially lightweight waste--things like grocery bags, loose paper, and anything that can easily get caught by the wind. Thank you for helping us keep our city beautiful and litter-free.
--Florence Solid Waste, Street, & Recycle Department
CHAUTAUQUA IN FLORENCE
The multi-disciplinary program known as Chautauqua was founded in Chautauqua, New York, in 1874 by Louis Miller and Methodist Bishop John H. Vincent and is still in operation there today. The ideals of the Chautauqua spread throughout the United States, including Florence, Alabama. Here are some highlights from such a program held in Florence in 1913 (108 years ago):
Sunday, June 1:
2:00 p.m. - Redpath Grand Opera
2:30 p.m. - Lecture, Bishop Vincent
7:30 p.m. - A.E. Bartlett
Monday, June 2:
10:00 a.m. - Social Problem, E.W. Huelster
2:00 p.m. -- Concert, Weatherwax Quartet
2:30 p.m. -- Interpretive Reading, Mrs. Beecher
7:30 p.m. -- Concert, Weatherwax Quartet
8:00 p.m. -- Debate on Socialism , J. Adam Bede and Emil Sidel
The program continued through Saturday, June 7 -- a full seven days in Florence, the city known since its founding in 1818 as a cultural center that values and promotes education in all its variety!
--Billy Warren, City Historian
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor and Council members will hold the next council meeting on
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
4:00 p.m. Work Session
5:00 p.m. Council Meeting
City Auditorium
103 South Pine Street
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.
Connect with Us!
Email: abetterton@florenceal.org
Website: florenceal.org
Location: 110 West College Street, Florence, AL, USA
Phone: (256)760-6400