How long have you been at TARCOG and what do you do? I have been at TARCOG for two years and I manage the economic development side of the Economic Development and Planning Department which includes keeping track of all our open grants as well as working with our member governments and local nonprofits on project development and funding applications. I also oversee our Revolving Loan Fund.
What did you want to be when you grew up? What haven’t I wanted to be when I grow up? I’ve been lucky enough to be able to try out a few different life paths, but I have been considering being a Pilates wife more and more.
What do you hope to accomplish within the next year? To be honest … the Universe usually decides what I accomplish from year to year, not me. So, I am eager to find out what’s in store for me as well!
Who is your hero and why? Do obsessions count? I’m a stan of a fair amount of people … we don’t have time for a list.
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? I love experiences. So, if money wasn’t a factor, and if there’s anything cool or fun happening within a reasonable driving distance, I’m there.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? “Nothing lasts forever.” It’s a good motivator to take chances in life. For instance, nothing lasts forever so you might as well take the chance while you have it … but also, if you take the chance and you don’t like it … nothing lasts forever so you can always just go try something else until you find the best fit.
What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done? I actually jumped off a bridge before … and it hurt … a lot. So, I learned my lesson.
Who knows you the best? I’m pretty mysterious … but there’s also never been a time where I haven’t told a stranger my whole life’s story.
What would you do if you won the lottery? I’m fiscally liberal … so likely I would book a whole bunch of trips with my friends. Catch me cruising in Mallorca with the non-drowsy Dramamine.
Congratulations, Leslie! Thank you for all that you do!
CONGRATULATIONS TO TARCOG Principal Planner Phoenix Robinson who has been elected president of the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association for the 2025-2026 term.
Before she takes office in 2025, Phoenix will be honored in October at the 2024 Mississippi/Alabama Fall Chapter Conference in Tuscaloosa after being nominated and selected to receive the 2024 Alabama APA Chapter Leadership award for her work on the chapter’s website for the past several years.
“We are so proud of Phoenix,” said TARCOG’s Executive Director Michelle Jordan, FAICP. “To be elected by her peers from around the state to lead this group, of which I’ve been a part of for 30 years, is quite an honor and well-deserved.”
Phoenix will be the second person in TARCOG’s history to serve in the statewide role.
TARCOG Economic Development and Planning Director Lee Terry said he’s also proud of the recognition that Phoenix is receiving.
“We see day in and day out the hard work that Phoenix puts in and her commitment to the furthering of the planning profession. To see her rewarded in such a way for the things we see in her on a daily basis brings me great happiness for her,” Lee said. “Phoenix is a tremendous asset to TARCOG, and its member governments and partners and we are excited to see the bright future, that these accomplishments indicate, she has ahead of her.”
The American Planning Association is a national organization of diverse planning and planning-adjacent professionals that helps communities, their leaders and residents anticipate and meet the needs of a changing world.
“This simply means that my colleagues and I are dedicated to service in any applicable capacity that helps communities thrive in a sustainable manner in response to change,” Phoenix said.
She said she will be working with the Chapter’s Executive Committee to advance opportunities for planning professionals across the state. This ranges from budding professionals currently in school to those that have worked in the profession for decades.
She will take office in 2025 and serve a two-year term.
As chapter president, Phoenix will also represent the Alabama on the national APA stage, specifically on the Chapter Presidents Council, which advises APA on various matters of concern.
Phoenix said she joined the state chapter in 2016, while in the community planning graduate program at Auburn.
“As I transitioned into the professional side of membership, I discovered opportunities that the Chapter had not yet taken advantage. Some still exist, while new ones have since been revealed. I am stepping into this role to simply do what I do on a daily basis – help a community, in this case, a statewide community of planners – grow and thrive in response to a changing profession and a changing world.”
If variety is the spice of life, then the Boaz Senior Center has a popular recipe.
Veterans, a retired truck driver, and retail workers along with homemakers, a pastor, and even a local celebrity are among the 70 people who regularly attend the center.
Then, there’s the activities. Exercise classes are held every day. Movies are shown on Mondays. Bible study is in the morning and square dancing is in the evenings on Tuesdays. Bingo and grocery shopping trips happen on Wednesdays. There’s more retail shopping on Thursdays. And there’s also a day to celebrate birthdays for the month. That’s the regularly scheduled events.
On this month’s calendar there’s an NFL Kickoff party, popcorn day, game day with people from the community, Salsa and Chips Day, Tootsie Roll Day, a day for hearing aid checks, a City Singers sing along, Hershey Kiss Day, Silly Hat Day, Taste of Honey Day, a day to get flu shots, and Pop Tart Day.
“This is the best senior center in the state,” declared Linda Nichols, 73. “Pastoring churches, we’ve moved all around the state and all the centers don’t have all of the activities like we have here.
Linda Nichols shows her Bingo Money
“A lot of them just serve hot meals which is good. But the activities are important because it keeps your mind active and then there’s the exercise, dancing, pool and dominoes — anything you can ask for you’ll find it here.”
Providing a wide variety of activities that meets the senior’s needs is the master plan of Susan Duvall, the center manager for 17 years. The gym, library, arts and crafts and billiards rooms are all heavily utilized. Before lunch, a blessing is said over the food and the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag is recited.
According to 2023 U.S. Census Data, the city named for Boaz in the Bible, has a population of 10,369. Of those, nearly 15 percent are aged 65 or older.
Susan has a knack for integrating community members of all ages with the seniors. That’s how the Bingo Store came to be.
The Bingo Store
It’s no secret that Bingo is popular. At the Boaz Senior Center, when Bingo starts, all other activities at the center are abandoned. Everyone who plays has a Ziploc bag with their name on it that holds their card and their “Bingo Money” that can only be spent at the Bingo Store.
Every Bingo win earns $1. Danny Hulsey, 73, goes to the center to use the gym and stay in shape, but during Bingo, he volunteers by handing out the Bingo Money.
“They keep it all in the bag and every three weeks, they can go shop in the store,” Susan said.
The store contains clothing, small furniture items, incontinence supplies, walkers, small appliances, purses, socks, jewelry, canned foods and more. Clothes are changed out seasonally and when things aren’t picked up after several months, the center then donates those items to a thrift store.
The Bingo Store
“We have a lot of good stuff,” Susan said. People in the community donate items to the Senior Center for the store as well as books and puzzles for the library.
Junior Civitan Club
For years, the Junior Civitan Club at Boaz Middle School has held a holiday canned food drive for the center’s homebound participants. Over the years, it has evolved into a competition between each grade with the winning class getting a pizza party.
“For the last five or six years, they started donating the money for that pizza party to us,” she said getting teary-eyed thinking about it. “Last year they brought us 500 cans of food. We packed it up for our homebound. Participants with extra healthcare products, shampoo and soap … a lot of the kids said they picked out things their MaMaw would like.”
Susan said she plans a special day with the kids who play Bingo with the seniors and have snacks.
“They just love it,” she said.
Anything left over goes into the Bingo store. All clothing items and canned goods sell for $1 and everything else is priced in increments of $5. Participants can earn up to $100 in Bingo Bingo Store shopping days are every three weeks.
An Active Center
Gail Williams prepares to deliver meals to homebound center participants.
The center has 70 active participants, 40 of those receive hot meals daily. Another 39 people receive home delivered meals from the center. TARCOG’s Director of Aging Programs Director Sheila Dessau-Ivey said the Boaz Center is one of the region’s most active centers.
“In Boaz, the nutritious meal orders are strong and overall, they have excellent participation,” Sheila said.
The Trouble Table
Liz Wrenn, 91, has been going to the center probably longer than anyone else. She’s one of the oldest attendees and she heads up what is known as the “Trouble Table” — but in a fun way.
“We enjoy ourselves,” she said with an infectious laugh. “Because we may not be here tomorrow!”
Lisa Grant, 75, moved to Boaz eight years ago to be closer to her daughter and joined the Senior Center to meet people.
The “Trouble Table” at the Boaz Senior Center includes from left, Liz Wrenn, Lisa Grant, Danny Hulsey providing Bingo Money, Jean Bouldin, Melba Cash and Gail Malone.
“I found the table where the most gossip goes on to keep me informed,” she said.
Liz said she provides all the headlines she knows.
“Look if you can’t laugh then stay at home,” Lisa added.
Gail Malone, 87, and Jean Bouldin, 82, have both been attending the center for the past year and a half. Jean said she loves the Tuesday night dancing. Gail said being around others after the death of her husband helped her out of her depression.
Liz said Gail is the prim and proper one at their table.
“Not really,” Gail said. “I just let them carry one. I sit and listen.”
Reasons to attend
Sam Hudgins wouldn’t reveal his age but said he lives alone and has about worn out his TV watching Westerns. That’s why he enjoys the center because he can socialize, play pool and Bingo.
Beecher Hyde, 92, just retired two years ago after 58 years on the air at WBSA 1300 AM Gospel. Throughout his career, a couple of highlights include interviewing Coach Bear Bryant and riding a horse in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena in 2003.
Beecher Hyde
“When I turned 90, I decided I didn’t want to get up at 4:30 in the morning any longer so I retired,” he said. For years, he talked to Susan on the radio about the happenings at the center, helping promote it to the community. “I didn’t really realize what it meant until I started coming here.”
Charlie Hawkins, 88, and his wife Gladys, 85, have been attending the center since Charlie retired.
“When he retired, he said he couldn’t just sit down and do nothing, so he came and had to talk me into it and I came and it’s a really good place to be,” Gladys said. The couple volunteers to help Susan count up the donations given for lunch each day. “It’s the least we can do to help Susan who does so much for all of us.”
Charlie and Gladys Hawkins count donations for lunch.
Susan said her hard-working and dedicated staff are critical to the center’s success. That includes Gail Williams, Linda Muse, and Melissa Stephens.
“It’s not just a job,” Linda said. “It’s a calling to be here and love on people.”
Anyone in Boaz interested in joining can stop by the center at 112 Church Street or call 256-593-1107 for more information.
TARCOG’s longtime elder law attorney LaTanya Rhines has announced her retirement that will be effective at the end of September.
“It’s time,” LaTanya said. “I love what I do, and I am going to miss my clients and co-workers. I just feel like it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life, and I am excited to see what new adventures lie ahead.”
LaTanya will retire after 25 years with TARCOG, serving thousands of clients throughout northeast Alabama. Her accomplishments and contributions to her community and state are many. Highlights include in 2020, Governor Ivey appointed LaTanya to the Alabama Family Trust’s (AFT) Board of Trustees, she currently serves as the board’s secretary. She is a member of the Elder Law Section of the State Bar, and she serves as the chairman of the Guntersville Library Board, vice president of the Lakeview Community Civic Organization, and as clerk for her church.
Executive Director Michelle Jordan said the dedication and care that LaTanya has shown over the past 25years has been invaluable to the agency, but more importantly to the clients that TARCOG serves.
LaTanya will be missed, but to continue serving clients a search for a new elder law attorney is underway.
“We are in a hiring season, and this is just one of our openings,” Michelle said. “If you are a dedicated professional who enjoys helping others, TARCOG may have a job opportunity for your consideration.”
She said TARCOG eagerly welcomes problem solvers, creative thinkers, and service-minded team members to be a part of our mission and impact.
In addition to the elder law attorney, current job openings include:
Medicaid Waiver Case Manager
Grants Administrator
“At TARCOG, we do life-changing work every day,” Michelle said. “Our services improve the lives of over 700,000 residents throughout northeast Alabama.”
TARCOG strives for a supportive work environment dedicated to its core values:
Service
Initiative
Accountability
Transparent Communication
“We are striving to create a work environment at TARCOG that employees never want to leave,” Michelle says. Some of the benefits for all full-time employees include:
Health insurance that is 100 percent paid for employee. Family coverage options are available for an out-of-pocket cost.
Dental and Vision insurance options
Life insurance is 100 percent paid for employee
Retirement Plan options
Annual and Sick Leave
Flexibility for remote and hybrid work, eligibility varies
Ready to join a team where you truly make a difference? Explore our open positions and apply today on Indeed.com
If variety is the spice of life, then the Boaz Senior Center has a popular recipe.
