Charity Bowen is scheduled to perform at Leeds Downtown First Thursday Street Fest at 4 p.m. on May 2.  Charity is a fresh, young face on the country music scene with an old soul.  Her voice has that traditional southern twang that began country music.  She is from Hope Hull, just outside of Montgomery.  Charity has performed in many talent shows around the Southeast, but her largest accomplishment was being a 17-year-old contestant on Season 11 of the NBC television show, “The Voice”.  She was the 2017 Nash Next winner for the State of Alabama. 

This will be the first of three First Thursday Street Fests for downtown Leeds and this event is scheduled from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. just off Parkway Drive on 9^th Street.  The Street entertainers will perform around the gazebo area.  Street vendors will be on that side of the Parkway and down toward the depot and LA Salon.  Kids activities and games will be in that area as well.  Cars and bikes will line up for the car cruise-in across the street in front of city hall and Alabama Power.  The Mid-Alabama Corvette Club will be featured.  Both sides of 9^th street will be blocked off for the fun.  Food trucks will be strategically located and downtown shops and restaurants will be open later to get in on some deals.  These events are sponsored by the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Leeds and Leeds Redevelopment Authority.  This is a great opportunity to bring your family for a great evening as we enjoy a wonderful community together.  For more information, please visit www. LeedsAreaChamber.com or call Sandra McGuire at 205-699-5001.

I had the opportunity to meet Lisa Herren with Green Up Garden Shop located on Farley Avenue.  Lisa has a delightful garden shop with plenty of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees.  It’s a lovely place to stop in, “sit a spell” on the front porch, enjoy some conversation and pick out some plants and flowers to enrich your landscaping projects.  Sydney, the dog and kitty cat are ready to assist.  There’s no shortage of beautiful plants and it’s the perfect time of year to get your flower gardens in shape.  Lisa has been in business since 2010 and is in the process of creating the flower pots and hanging baskets up and down the Parkway that we will enjoy all summer long.  Her shop offers services on everything from container design to designing annual and perennial beds.  Lisa and her friend, Jeannie Adams, are in the process of planting a cutting garden just outside the garden center against the wooden fence.  Plans are to grow flowers where people can stop by any time of the day or night for fresh flowers and just leave a donation, which will go toward a worthy cause.  You will not be disappointed when you stop in Green Up Garden Shop whether you are just getting started or you’re an avid gardener.

There’s still time to get in on the five-week Bible Conference, Finding Joy in Your Darkest Hour, hosted by the Leeds River Campus of Eden Westside Baptist Church.  We all have those times in life when it seems a dark cloud is hanging over us, but there are ways to brighten our lives and actually find joy instead of dread.  Dr. Steve Cleckler, former Director of the ACHIEVE Adult Education Program at Southeastern Bible College, will share ways to do just that each Wednesday night at 6:30 pm between now and May 15.  Activities and free pizza will be provided for youth and children.  For more information, please visit www. EdenWestside.org.

Join Moody Beautification Board for Highway 411 Spring Clean-up this Saturday, April 27 for debris removal from roadways, pressure washing and painting and landscape added to corner of Park Avenue and Hwy. 411.  For information, please contact Paula Chewning at 404-423-8203 or paulachewning@gmail.com.

Steve Sink and Edward Jones will sponsor their 2019 Ladies Luncheon event at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 2 at Moody Civic Center.  This is a free event, but RSVP is required so contact Shannon McCrary at 205-352-3778 by April 29 to make your reservation. 

Leeds Lions Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 in the Leeds Masonic Lodge Building.  Contact T.V. Weaver at 205-699-6752 for information. 

Leeds Spring Fling scheduled for next Friday, May 3 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Leeds Elementary School.  Enjoy games, inflatables, vendors, food trucks, silent auction, raffles, and much more!  This event is a fundraiser for Leeds Elementary School.

Leeds Masonic Lodge Community Breakfast will be at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 4.  Contact T.V. Weaver at 205- 699-6742 for information.

Chick-fil-A Leeds is hosting a Mother-Son Date Night from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.  This will be a fun, boy-centric night for moms and sons to have some one on one fun.  The event itself is free and tickets will be sold to cover the cost of two meals. 

There’s still time to register for the next IMPACT Leadership Summit, which is scheduled for May 10-11 at Barbers Vintage Motorsports Museum.  This conference is open to anyone desiring to develop or improve leadership skills and abilities. Designed for emerging leaders, this event will consist of sessions with a concentration on Integrity, Promptness, Attitude and more as you learn from experienced successful leaders. This may very well be one of the most important events you can attend!  Registration is $125 per person and limited spaces are available.  For more information and to register for this exciting conference, please visit www. JCImpact.org.

The Little Cahaba Running Club Rails and Ales Scholarship Run is scheduled for Saturday, May 11.  This event is a fundraiser for Leeds Middle School students to attend their annual field trip.  This year, this group will be going to Philadelphia and New York City.  Registration is $29 until May 4. For more information, email to coachjeffthomas@yahoo.com.

Leeds Creek Bank Festival organizers are in full gear planning the 25^th year of Creek Bank scheduled for Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.  Two stages full of entertainers will perform all day long along including Kayla J who was nominated for New Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year, Michael Jacobs who is a Nashville recording artist, our very own, Terry Padgett – Elvis Tribute Artist, Erica Ryleigh and more!  There’s plenty of action with our famous Mascot Challenge, Moon Pie Eating Contest, Hula Hoop Contest, dog pageant, balloon artist, face painting, petting zoo, arts & crafts, retail vendors, Cruisin’ the Creek Bank Car Show and the list goes on.  Time is running out to get your vendor applications and sponsorships submitted.  Be sure to bring your entire family out for a full day of fun!  Don’t forget to bring out your antique car for the car show.

The Mid-South Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society will meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at Leeds Historic Depot.  This organization is making plans to feature the 150th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike completing the first transcontinental railroad at Promontory Point, Utah.  The official ceremony in Utah will have taken place the week before our meeting, and plans are to show a recent video of traveling the entire route of the transcontinental railroad across the United States.  You are invited to attend and invite others.  It’s membership renewal time so please plan to renew or join, if you are not already a member. 

“Thought for the week:  Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” ~Unknown

I truly appreciate each of you who read my column and I really love sharing news so please send your Leeds and Moody news to me at leedsmoodynews@gmail.com.