By By Adrienne McKenzie
When visiting different places around Atmore I cannot help but to remember the past and think about some of my past experiences.
Although I do not have anything to do with the sports section of The Atmore Advance, I have been to a few youth league games at Tom Byrne Park.
Normally I am not the type of girl that enjoys watching baseball or softball because I do not know any of the rules and half of the time I have to ask someone 'what just happened?' It is not fun for me to be clueless and I'm sure it's not fun for those sitting around me either.
However, the few times I'm been to Tom Byrne Park and watched the children having so much fun playing baseball and softball, I actually thought 'watching this could be fun.'
While I was at the park, I could not help but remember when I was in high school and worked at the concession stand at the YMCA park in Brewton during the summer.
I had originally taken the job as a favor for a friend, whose mother was the manager at that time and needed someone to work for her. But, after I worked there a few times I really enjoyed going to the ballpark and seeing all the kids running around, playing and just having a great time. The fun shown at the Brewton YMCA ballpark are similar to those at Tom Byrne Park.
Not only is the atmosphere similar, but there is one other thing at Tom Byrne Park that took me back to the days of my past – the slushies. One slushie at Tom Byrne Park was so delicious that I was forced to go back and buy another. The slushies at Tom Byrne Park are not exactly the same as the ones I drank while working at the Brewton YMCA ballpark, but similar nonetheless, and just as delicious, if not more.
Another experience I've had in Atmore was a trip to both Houston Avery Park Pool and Tom Byrne Park Pool. I did not actually jump in the cool water, I went to both pools strictly for business purposes, but seeing the children splashing around and attempting to dive in, reminded me of a time when going to Jefferson Davis Community College's pool in Brewton was definitely the coolest thing to do during the summer. That pool party eventually moved to the Dogwood Hills pool, which was equally as fun as JDCC's.
My favorite part of the pool was the sugary substance packaged in fruit-shaped containers. Eating, or should I say drinking?, the powdered sugar could make me stay awake for days after a fun-filled day of swimming and soaking up the rays.
I guess the thing around Atmore that makes me feel like home the most though are the people.
Brewton and Atmore have the same type of individuals with country sweetness and of course, the southern drawl.
People in Atmore always make me feel like they want to see me and are, for the most part, always smiling and ready to have a great day. I enjoy going to fun places around town and seeing Atmore residents and I hope Atmore residents are happy when they see me walking their way, too.
Adrienne McKenzie is a staff reporter for The Atmore Advance. She can be reached at 368-2123 or via email at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com