ALMetro360

8 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com PUBLISHER’S NOTE ........................................................................................................... Access ALMetro360, Any Time… Any Place… AL METRO 360 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 VOLUME 25, NUMBER 4 CHARLIE SHAMBURGER Publisher JON SHAMBURGER Associate Publisher HELEN SHAMBURGER HERNDON Associate Publisher Marketing & Sales, helen@almetro360.com HELEN SHAMBURGER HERNDON Editor, editor@almetro360.com ANITA CAPOUANO Director of Marketing & Sales, anita@almetro360.com HELEN SHAMBURGER HERNDON Director of Social Media, helen@almetro360.com GEORGE PUDZIS Art Director DARREN FREEMAN, DYLAN FYFFE, KIM NELSON, DIANNA PAULK, STEPHEN POFF, PAUL ROBERTSON, JR., LISA SMITH Contributing Photographers HENRIETTA MACGUIRE Staff Writer BECKY BEALL, BRENDA ROBERTSON DENNIS, KRISTI GATES, SANDRA LONG ELEANOR HENDRICKS MCDANIEL, LORI QUILLER, PATSY ROBERTSON, MELISSA JOHNSONWARNKE Contributing Writers TRACY SHAMBURGER Business Manager WILLIAM C. HONEY , HENRIETTA MACGUIRE Founders THE MAGAZINE OF MONTGOMERY LIVING, LLC 1430 I-85 Parkway, Suite 224 , Montgomery, AL 36106, Telephone: (334) 265-0066 , Facsimile: (334) 386-3813 here was a period of time I didn’t know if it would happen, but, I managed to ship two of my three daughters off to college just recently. Like many in the Heart of Alabama, these two daughters ended up following in their dad’s footsteps and going to college in the place where they spent so many Saturdays of their young life. My youngest daughter on the other hand — now a Junior in high school — has always been deter- mined to chart a different path. Although she has not ruled out the possibility of following the family tradition, she is interested in weighing all of her options. This has inevitably raised many questions: “Do you want to go to a large university or a small college? Do you want to stay close to home or venture further away? What type of majors are you interested in?” And then there’s the question her dad and I ask each other, “How much will this cost?” In this issue we feature our annual College Review Guide to help people like myself who are about to wrestle through some of these same questions. We’re taking a look at many wonderful options avail- able to students in the Heart of Alabama. Also, no matter what the age of your children, one of the major concerns as schools open up is keeping them healthy. Jackson Hospital was kind enough to lend us an expert to give us some tips for just that. Plus, blueberries are a great source of natural antioxidants. Check out The Dish to see how to get more of them into your diet! And just because the summer (not necessarily the heat) is winding down doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Whether in your own living room (p. 20), your own back yard (figuratively speaking, p.26), or on the road (p. 12) — you’ll find great opportunities for entertainment! Plus, we want you to meet a fascinating and inspiring woman from the Heart of Alabama. Jeanie Thompson is a poet with a passion for helping others discover benefits and power of literature — whether creating or consuming. Once again we want to give a special thanks to our advertisers for helping us bring you this issue. These continue to be difficult times for many businesses and people. We do not take their partnerships for granted. These advertisers are the backbone of our community and are helping all of us to stand tall during challenging times. Please make a special note of who they are and thank them on our be- half. And it’s because of our faithful advertisers that I’ll be looking forward to next time! Helen Helen Herndon, Publisher T