Summer is well on its way with the Leeds and Moody splash pads opening and the weather is getting rather warm! It’s time to take advantage of those fresh veggies with our local produce markets. Check out Crossroads Produce in Moody, across from Heritage South Credit Union and Between the Tracks Produce Market in Leeds on Jackson Street, not far from Food Giant.

The Leeds High School Football stadium is almost complete. Also, the City of Leeds has made application for membership to Main Street America. This would put one of the nation’s most successful community revitalization strategies to work for Leeds’ historic downtown and commercial district. As part of Mayor David Miller’s presentation to this organization, he made mention of the city’s recent efforts to upgrade its infrastructure and develop its assets, which includes new and improved zoning regulations as well as upgrades to streets and sidewalks, downtown lighting and façade upgrades, new primary school, splash pad, four-screen movie theater and medical clinics. Leeds was named the fifth best community in the Birmingham area for young professionals in 2015 and an Alabama Community of Excellence in 2013.

We would like to congratulate Jane Ann Baggett, who is a recent graduate of the Advent School in Birmingham and has been accepted at The Alabama School of Fine Arts, where she will study creative writing in hopes of becoming a playwright. Jane Ann is also an accomplished Irish Folk Dancer. She has danced in numerous venues in the Southeast United States where she has been awarded many first place awards and other awards. Jane Ann is the daughter of Jim and Marcia Baggett of Birmingham. She is the Granddaughter of James and Martha Baggett of Moody, Max and Lollie Payne and the late Jane Payne of Heflin. She is the Great Granddaughter of the late T.E. and Jane Carmack of Moody. Again, congratulations Jane Ann on all of your accomplishments!

Mt. Hebron School is having a fish dinner at 6 p.m. this Friday, June 3 at Mt. Hebron Baptist Church. Food will be Whiskers Catfish Catering. Donations for tickets will help with renovations for the old school.

This is the last Women’s Bible Study for RESTLESS at 6:30 p.m. this Friday, June 3 at Eden Westside Baptist Church River Campus in Leeds. Restoration. Relationships. Relevance. Because you were made for more! Please contact Brenda Weimer at (205) 306-6058 for more information.

Leeds Lions Club is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. today, June 2 at Leeds Masonic Lodge Building.

The Leeds Masonic Lodge Community Breakfast is scheduled for 8 a.m. this Saturday, June 4. Breakfast is free, but donations would be appreciated. All donations stay in the City of Leeds community involvement programs. Contact T. V. Weaver for more information at (205) 699-6742.

Homeschool 101 will be hosted by Community Presbyterian Church at 10 a.m. this Saturday, June 4 for those families who are thinking about beginning to homeschool this next school year. There is no cost for this seminar and attending does not obligate you to homeschool or enroll in Crossroads Christian School. For more information or to reserve your space, please contact the school office at (205) 640-2174 or crcsoffice@gmail.com.

Distinguished Young Women of St. Clair County Scholarship Program has 10 high school senior women who will compete in the areas of interview, scholastics, talent, fitness and self-expression for college scholarships this Saturday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Springville Middle School auditorium. $10 general admission. Online tax-deductible donations to scholarships can be made at stclair.al.distinguishedyw.org. Email stclair@distinguishedyw.org or call (205) 640-3078 for more information.

Michael S. Ballew is the Leeds Arts Council’s featured artist in June. The public is invited to the opening reception on Sunday, June 5 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. to view his beautiful paintings at the Leeds Theatre and Arts Center. Admission is free. Michael is a self-taught, contemporary folk artist raised on a farm in North Alabama whose main medium of expression is mixed media. His work incorporates the use of various discarded materials including wood, glass, vintage books, rusted tin, etc. and paint. Influences of his religious upbringing, spiritual nature and his Native American heritage are evident in much of his work. The result is a unique piece of art that reaches out to the viewer with the “spirits and colors” of the subject. Mr. Ballew’s work will be on exhibit through June 30. The gallery is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and during events. For more information, please call the center at (205) 699-1892.

Vacation Bible School will be held at First Baptist Church Leeds June 5-9 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. To register your child, please visit their website at FBCLeeds.org.

Leeds City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 6 at Leeds Civic Center Meeting Room.

The Leeds Alumni Baseball Game is planned for Monday, June 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Leeds High School Baseball Field, located at Leeds Middle School. $10 Entry Fee. Come out and have fun with your Alma Mater. All Leeds Baseball Alumni Welcome. See if you can still hit one over the fence. Money raised will help support the Leeds Baseball Programs. Hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. will be available. For additional information, please contact Martie Sertell at (205) 238-4541.

Moody Lions Club is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 6 at White’s Chapel.

Moody Area Chamber of Commerce Corporate Liaison Program will meet at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7 at Moody City Hall. There is no cost to attend and bring business cards.

Moody Kiwanis Club is scheduled to meet at noon on Tuesday, June 7 at Moody City Hall. Guests always welcome. Their club sponsors 3 Key Clubs, 3 Builders Clubs and Moody Aktion Club.

Leeds Redevelopment Authority will meet at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7 at Leeds Civic Center Meeting Room.

Summer Fun with Moody Library is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 8 at Moody City Hall.

The Central Parliamentary Unit is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 8 in the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Please contact Grady Sue Saxon at (205) 699-2440 for more information.

The Moody Area Chamber of Commerce will host their monthly Chamber luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 9 at Moody City Hall. Candice Hill with St. Clair Leadership and Economic Development Council will be the guest speaker. Please plan to attend for a great lunch together and learn more about what’s going on in St. Clair County. Lunch is $10 with RSVP, $15 for Non-Member or No RSVP to Andrea Machen, Executive Director, at (205) 640-6262 or chamber@moodyalabama.gov.

The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, located at 1338 Montevallo Road in Leeds, will host Red Velvet Cake War, The Southern-Fried Family Reunion Comedy on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, June 9, 10, 11, 17 & 18, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. $15.00 admission price includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverage at intermission. For tickets, call (205) 699-2404 or visit their website at epiphany-leeds.org and follow link.

The 2017 Miss Leeds Area and Outstanding Teen Pageant will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 25 at Leeds High School Auditorium. Miss Leeds Area was founded in 1980 and is an official preliminary to the Miss Alabama Scholarship pageant. All paperwork must be received no later than June 17. For more information and to download rules and application, please visit missleedsarea.net or contact Sandra McGuire, Director, at (205) 699-5001 or Sandra@LeedsAreaChamber.com.

Job Opening: Zaxby’s Moody is hiring.

Quote for the Week: “Kindness is not an act. It is a lifestyle.” ~Unknown

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