Alright Athens

Frank ‘Max’ Grose was 21 years old in 1967 when he was sent to Vietnam to serve in the 147th assault support helicopter company known as the Hillclimbers. He piloted his Chinook helicopter in and out of dangerous missions to supply troops fighting on the ground. In 1973, as the last U.S. troops pulled out and the country fell under Communist regime, many Vietnamese families made the difficult decision to leave their country in search of a better future. Enter 12-year-old Thanh Boyer: a Vietnam boat refugee who braved the treacherous waters of the South China Sea, both physically and mentally, to finally land in her newly adopted home in America. In Athens, Alabama. Together, for the first time, Frank Grose and Thanh Boyer share their Vietnam experiences and the work they have done since to help veterans who returned home bearing the scars of war. Links:https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information.Music from Pixabay

July 18, 1980, Thanh Boyer arrived in Athens, Alabama as a Vietnamese Boat refugee. She was 12 years old. This is her story - a journey of courage, pathos, humor, and single-minded determination to bring the rest of her family to America. Links:https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information.Music from Pixabay

Joel Mize is the son and nephew of five World War II veterans representing the U.S. Army, Army Air Corps, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marines Corps. Growing up they were his personal heroes, along with his grandmother, the matriarch of the Putnam family. Deeply patriotic, she worked in the support staff of the Muscle Shoals nitrate plant in World War I and in Mobile's Brookley Air Base during World War II. She set the tone for her sons to follow, and they served both in the European and Pacific fronts as well as in Occupied Japan. In this podcast Joel Mize talks about their war stories and the legacies they left to a young boy coming of age in the postwar era. Links:https://www.alcpl.org/ http://www.alabamaveteransmuseum.com/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information.Music from Pixabay

Frank ‘Max’ Grose served in the 147th assault support helicopter company in Vietnam, known as the Hillclimbers. He was 21 years old when he got to Vietnam in 1967 and tasked with flying a Chinook helicopter in and out of dangerous sorties to aid troops fighting on the ground. In this podcast he recounts, in riveting detail, missions where mere seconds and inches meant the difference between life and death.Links:https://www.alcpl.org/ http://www.alabamaveteransmuseum.com/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information.Music from Pixabay

Gene Keith, retired Athens art teacher, taught his students much more than art: for thirty four years, he also gave them lessons in life. He reflects on his career and we get a a glimpse of why his creative and thoughtful approach to teaching made him a student favorite. Since retiring, Gene's avocation has been genealogy research and learning about his family history here in Alabama.Library Linkshttps://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information. Music from Pixabay

Fred Smith has lived in Limestone County all of his life. He remembers a slower, gentler time and describes his life growing up in 1950's Athens. He looks back at a time when everyone knew their neighbors and no one locked their doors because "you just couldn't think of a reason why not." He also talks about his first job at the old Ross Hotel just off the Athens Square.Library Links https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information. Music from Pixabay

At age 5, Louis Rossignolo looked up at the skies from a farm outside Sicily to see American and German planes dropping bombs during World War II. At the time, Limestone County was not on his radar. Lou relates his story of how he came to America and why he thinks Athens, Alabama is the best place to live. Library Links https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information. Music from Pixabay

Helga Stover came to America from Germany in 1956, settling in North Alabama in 1964. Though initially in "culture shock" Helga's is a story of adaptation and embracing life both in Madison and Limestone County. She also talks about Limestone County's original Germantown - a thriving community started by German immigrants back in the 1890's. Library Links https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information. Music from Pixabay

They call him P.I. Paul Irons. A veteran firefighter who responded to fire alarms in Athens for over 40 years. In that time he developed a rapport with both his men and his community. In this episode he recounts a fiery rescue with a divine intervention. P.I. unfolds stories about the dangers, risks, and rewards that came from serving people in his favorite town. Library Links https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information.Music from Pixabay

Leah Oakley, resident of Athens, Alabama, is recovering from back surgery when an unexpected visitor pays a call. The Day the Squirrel Went Berserk song by Ray Stevens comes to life when a "big one" gets trapped inside her home. Desperation sets in when her calls for back-up fall on deaf ears. Her only hope comes from one Mr. Critter Catcher but he lives far away and makes no promises. Leah tells this true and funny story!Library Links https://www.alcpl.org/ If you would like to share a story, please call the library at 256-232-1233 or email [email protected] for more information. Music from Pixabay