Tag: Featured Stories

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Mary Donna Ott found her passion for working in elderly care by chance after she’d moved to Florence from Fairhope in 1984. Now a Life Enrichment director for The Renaissance senior living community, Ott stepped into the role at the facility in 1999 when it was known as Morning Star — and later Brookdale

Rain or shine — or even a little snow — chances are a group of Shoals residents are meeting down by the river at McFarland Park in Florence to practice tai chi, a low-impact, ancient Chinese martial art that combines meditation and exercise. “First of all, it’s really wonderful to be outside,” said Jan Post, a regular attendant to the

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus When Radell Key saw an ad in 2018 seeking dancers for the Singing River Squares at The Club senior center in Florence, he had no partner and no past dancing experience. Having just moved to the Shoals from Savannah, Tennessee, a year prior, he wasn’t even sure he’d know anyone among the regular

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Before Skip Cleland retired from the Boeing Company, he said his work took him all over the U.S. As he moved residences throughout his career, he said he never had trouble re-establishing himself as a square dance caller in his new community. “It’s everywhere. In fact, it’s international,” Cleland said. “Just about anywhere

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Bill Strong achieved his ninth-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do about four years ago, but even in reaching the pinnacle of his career, he said he still has much to learn and teach in the martial art, especially when it comes to developing mind-body coordination. Strong, who has more than 50 years’

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Joe and Michelle Dailey met on a ship porting at Guam, a U.S. Island territory in the western Pacific. At the time, they were each enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Joe retired from the military after nine years of service in the Navy and 14 in the Air Force. His wife, Michelle, was

By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Pam Kirkland, who turned 72 in April, checked another item off her bucket list when she led 12 members of her family, including grandchildren and great grandchildren, on a strenuous hike down to Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Kirkland isn’t just thrilled that she gets to take trips like this every