It’s amazing how many things there are to do in Leeds and Moody. I find that I meet many people on the street that don’t even know about the many wonderful events that are taking place on a weekly basis around here. I truly enjoy writing this weekly news column just to help with publicity to get the word out. As I am writing this week, I would like to enlist your help to get involved. If you are not attending any of these wonderful events, please make it a point to schedule some time off and take advantage of a few. Also, please help us get the word out to others. If you are on social media, help us by liking, commenting and sharing upcoming events. Tell your friends and family. Let’s partner together, because together, we can reach more people. Let’s build community together!

Leeds National Night Out proved to be an awesome event with our police and fire departments. Kids enjoyed carnival rides and families had a great time building relationships with our first responders. It was another time to celebrate our community and our hardworking police and fire departments.

The Leeds Jane Culbreth Library held a magical night recently with Cinderella, Belle and Snow White.

Miss Leeds Area Charity Bowden and Miss Leeds Area Outstanding Teen Emma Terry were among the Princesses who read stories, helped make crowns and took pictures of the children with their favorite friends. Over 70 children were in attendance for this special event. For more information about library events, please visit their Facebook page or call 205-699-5962.

Parkway Drive was lined with people on Friday afternoon to watch the Leeds annual Homecoming Parade. Everyone cheered as the high school band, cheerleaders, football players, students on floats, in cars, trucks and on foot made their way down the street in celebration of this year’s homecoming.

Last Saturday was definitely a day filled with plenty of fun and activities for everyone with the 16th Annual Moody Oktoberfest. Weather was beautiful and it was plenty warm so a good crowd came out to enjoy the day with awesome live entertainment, inflatables, games, great food, arts and craft vendors and much more. The mechanical bull was a favorite as well as the petty zoo with the camels.

With over 300 cars, bikes and trucks participating, over $30k was raised for Moody Miracle League from the 9th Annual Cruisin’ for a Miracle Car Show & Swap Meet in conjunction with Moody Oktoberfest. This event was sponsored by C & C Motor Company and Carpenetti’s Pizza and these folks work hard all year long putting together such an incredible car show to benefit such a worthy cause. This money helps Moody Miracle League each year with operational expenses such as insurance, player registration fees, uniforms and equipment. This also helps with activities such as their Christmas party and Award Celebration at the end of the season. Thank you, Chris and Christy McCombs and everyone else that participated in making this year’s show so successful. For more information about Moody Miracle League, please visit www.MoodyMiracleLeague.org.

Moody Area Chamber of Commerce will host their monthly chamber luncheon at 11:30 a.m. today, Oct. 10 at Moody Fire Department Bay Area. Please note this location change for this month’s meeting. Speaker will be Fire Chief Larry Horton. Lunch is $12 for members with reservation and $15 for non-members and no reservation. RSVP with Andrea Machen at 205-640-6262.

The Leeds Jane Culbreth Library will host the Read ‘Em & Eat Cookbook Club at 12 p.m. today, Oct. 10. This is a new item on the library’s menu. Adults are encouraged to bring their favorite potluck item to the first meeting and find out the various cuisines that will be highlighted at each meeting. For more information, contact Melanie at mcarden@leedsalabama.gov.

The Alzheimer’s Dementia Support Group is scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Oct. 10 at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany. For more information, please contact Bit Thomaston at 205-884-1111.

The next meeting of the Mid-South Railway & Locomotive Historical Society will be at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 12 at Leeds Historic Depot. Program will be the Seaboard Air Line Passenger Service presented by Larry Goolsby.

The next Alabama Bicentennial event at the Leeds Jane Culbreth Library will be at Noon on Monday, Oct. 14. This event entitled, “AL 200: Writing a Local, Personal or Family History” will cover the reasons and need to record or recover the past, means of obtaining information and methods of saving or presenting information such as manuscripts, recordings, privately published books, articles and more. There will also be a discussion on the differences between family history and genealogy and more. This is a free event.

Moody Kiwanis Club is scheduled to meet at Noon on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Moody City Hall.

The Springview HOA meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Moody City Hall.

The Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce Corporate Ambassadors will meet at Noon on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Leeds First United Methodist Church Family Life Center. Lunch is $10 and RSVP to Sandra McGuire at 205-699-5001.

Breakfast for the Brave will be served at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17 at Eden Westside Baptist Church River Campus. This is a free breakfast for all first responders including police, fire, city workers in the greater Leeds area. No reservation is required. For more information, please call 205-338-7711.

The Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce monthly chamber luncheon is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17 at Leeds First United Methodist Church Family Life Center. Guest speaker will be Mayor David Miller who will share important information about the state of the City of Leeds. Lunch is $12 with RSVP and $15 without RSVP. Make your reservation by calling Sandra McGuire at 205-699-5001.

The Doris Stanley Memorial Library cordially invites all local adults to the Halloween Hoots ‘n’ Howls presented by the Seasoned Performers of the Red Mountain Theatre at 1 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 17 at the Moody Civic Center. This event is free to the public.

The Grand River Car Show is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Shops of Grand River. This event is sponsored by Miss Leeds Area Outstanding Teen, Emma Terry, to benefit ALS. Emma’s grandfather suffered from ALS so she has dedicated much of her time for this cause. ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Entry fee is $10. Bring out your favorite car, bike or truck and enjoy the show for a great cause.

Thought for the week: “It’s never too early or too late to work towards being the best You!”

I thoroughly enjoy sharing information, news and calendar items with you each week and I thank you for reading my column. Please remember to send any news to me at leedsmoodynews@gmail.com and I will be happy to include it!