We have lots of congratulations to express this week!

Reagan Handley, Miss Leeds Area Outstanding Teen competed this past weekend in the state pageant, Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. She placed in the Top 15, was voted Miss Congeniality and received an $8,000 scholarship from Auburn University and a full four-year tuition to Troy University. Also, placing in the Top 15 was Zoe’ Champion, a Leeds resident & Miss Bulldog’s Outstanding Teen. Zoe’ also received a $1,000 dance scholarship. Congratulations to the newly crowned Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen, Tiara Pennington.

Congratulations to McKenna Padgett, eighth grade student at Moody High School, who recently won first place in the Farm City Essay Contest. The theme was “Agriculture: Sustaining Future Generations”. With her first place win, McKenna received a certificate and $100. Her science teacher, Sue Perkins, also received $100 for her dedication to science and student welfare. McKenna is the daughter of Terry and Vickie Padgett.

We would all like to welcome the new Leeds High School Football Coach, Lee Gibson and his family. Lee is relocating from Tuscaloosa County High School.

The City of Leeds and the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon cutting this week at Leeds High School Library to celebrate the new Writing Center. This center will be open during fifth and sixth periods in the LHS Library and will be staffed with student tutors. The tutors will be prepared to help their peers with writing assignments, resumes, research assignments, creative writing, speeches, college applications, etc. Peer editing and brainstorming has proved to be powerful and provides a certain level of accountability and positive pressure to perform well. This project is being funded by Leeds Education Foundation grant money donated by people like you. If you live in Leeds and are not yet donating $1 on your monthly water bill, please contact the Leeds Education Foundation through their Facebook page to get you signed up.

Daylight Donuts is coming soon to the Leeds shopping center on the Parkway with Right Stuff Bargain Center, Farmers Home Furniture and Workout Anytime. Their donuts are awesome!

Leeds Curves will be hosting their Food Drive during the month of March. All members and non-members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food or a monetary donation of at least $30, which will benefit the Leeds Outreach and Shepherd Supply.

The Leeds Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at 5 p.m. today, March 10, in the Leeds Civic Center Meeting Room.

The G.R.A.C.E. Foundation will be at Bass Pro Shop in Leeds this Saturday, March 12, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. for “Dog Days”. They will have some of their rescues there that will be available for adoption. This is a free event and free gifts from Bass Pro. Come on out and enjoy fun for the entire family.

The Leeds Greenwave Baseball and Softball Boosters $10,000 Greenwave Giveaway is scheduled for this Saturday, March 12, at Celebrations in Pell City. Tickets are $100 and include dinner for two along with door prizes and games plus opportunity to win $10,000. You do not have to be present to win the $10k grand prize. Please contact a Greenwave Baseball and Softball Booster Member for tickets.

The days are already beginning to get longer and Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday, March 13. We’ll lose that hour’s sleep, but we will gain a lot of daylight in the afternoons so remember to spring forward your clock this weekend.

Pancakes for a Purpose. Moody Kiwanis Club will host its semi-annual pancake supper at Carpenetti’s Pizzeria on Monday, March 14, from 5 – 7:30 p.m. Proceeds will fund college scholarships for area Key Club students, youth projects, and Dolly Parton Imagination Library free book program for preschoolers. $5 per plate. Dine in with your family or carry out. Tickets available from Kiwanis, Key Club, Builders Club, and Aktion Club members and at the door. Please call (205) 640-3078 for more information.

Moody City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 14, at Moody City Hall.

Moody Kiwanis Club will meet at noon on Tuesday, March 15, at Moody City Hall.

The City of Leeds Board of Zoning Adjustments will meet on Tuesday, March 15, at 5 p.m. in the Leeds Civic Center Meeting Room.

The Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce Corporate Ambassador Luncheon Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, at 11:30 a.m. If you are a business professional and would like to be part of an exciting team, please plan to join us. Lunch is $10 and RSVP to Sandra McGuire, Executive Director, at (205) 699-5001 or Sandra@LeedsAreaChamber.com.

Alfa Insurance in Moody will host a Coffee & Cards sponsored by Moody Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, March 17, from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m. Alfa is located at 2301 Moody Parkway, Suite 7. Please plan to attend and bring business cards. For more information, please contact Andrea Machen, Executive Director, at (205) 640-6262 or Paul Perry at (205) 699-5117.

Eden Westside Baptist Church River Campus on Highway 78 will host their monthly BREAKFAST FOR THE BRAVE on Thursday, March 17, at 9 a.m. Biscuits, coffee, and juice will be served for the members of the police and fire departments that serve the Leeds community. For more information about this event or the River Campus, please visit their website at edenwestside.org.

The Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce will host their monthly Chamber Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, at Leeds First United Methodist Church Family Life Center. Come early and network with other business professionals. Guest Speaker will be Jamie Langley, Channel 42 News Anchor. Food will be catered by Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q. The Chamber Business Spotlight this month will be Elizabeth Gregory, Ph.D. who is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice, Gregory Counseling & Consulting, LLC located here in Leeds. Lunch is $12 with RSVP and $15 without RSVP. Please RSVP to Sandra McGuire, Executive Director, at (205) 699-5001 or Sandra@LeedsAreaChamber.com.

Please remember that the deadline for applications for the Moody Area Chamber of Commerce High School Ambassador Program is Thursday, March 17. This program is for High School upcoming juniors and seniors for 2016-2017 school year at Moody High School or live in the City of Moody. Applications and criteria for being considered are available at MHS and on the Chamber Facebook page. This is an elite Chamber program for 12-14 students who will be selected after the interviewing process conducted in April.

Last Day to register a Spring League team for the Moody Coed Softball League is Friday, March 18. Games begin Monday, March 28. Please visit their Facebook page if you are interested in playing or putting a team in the league.

Leeds Arts Council will host a performance by Leeds Green Wave Jazz, the Leeds High School jazz band, on Friday, March 18, at 7 p.m. Music will include a wide range of jazz standards and pop songs from the 50’s through today. Green Wave Jazz, led by Marion “Chip” Wise, regularly participates in various music competitions and festivals and has received nothing but Superior ratings since 2010. Most recently they were awarded Outstanding Performance and Superior Ratings at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Festival, a Superior rating at Festival Disney, and a Gold rating at the Southern Star Festival of Champions in Panama City Beach, Florida. Tickets will be $10 for adults, $5 for students. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the door will go to Leeds Green Wave Jazz to further the efforts of this award-winning jazz ensemble. For more information, call (205) 699-1892 or visit leedsartscouncil.org.

Tickets are now on sale for the LadyBUGS Annual Charity Luncheon & Fashion Show, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 19, at Cedar Grove Baptist Church hosted by the Leeds/Moody Professional Women. Approximately 200 ladies attend each year. Tickets are $25 each and proceeds will go to fund scholarships for four Leeds/Moody high school girls. Please let me know if you need tickets!

Our quote for the Week: “Kindness begins with me.” ~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!