By By Adrienne McKenzie
We all could learn a little lesson from David Brown.
When I was trying to come up with something for today’s Lifestyles section of the Advance, I was struggling. When St. Anna’s Episcopal Church pastoral leader Milledge Baker sent one of my coworkers some photos and some information regarding Brown, my first thought was ‘Yes! I now have something for Lifestyles.’
But, then I started reading Baker’s information about Brown. I then had the same thoughts of ‘Yay!’ But I also knew that everyone in Atmore would love to read about Brown’s passion for making birdhouses. But that’s not even the greatest part about Brown. He makes these wonderful birdhouses during his spare time and then donates them to different organizations, including SAIL centers, nursing homes and children’s homes.
During the last donation trip Brown went on, he gave out a total of 157 birdhouses, 77 of them going to Wilmer Hall in Mobile.
I had never heard of Wilmer Hall, so when I read about the 77 birdhouses Brown gave to that facility I was intrigued. I looked Wilmer Hall up on the Internet at www.wilmerhall.org and realized that the facility is a great place for children who need someone to love them. Wilmer Hall houses and serves as a school for abused children. So Brown’s 77 birdhouses I’m sure lit up the faces of those children, who will be able to paint them during art classes. After the birdhouses are painted they will be sold to raise money for the children at Wilmer Hall.
Brown’s gift to those children probably made their day, if not week or year!
Brown has a job working in construction for Stuart Construction in Bay Minette. He also has his own concrete business called “The Concrete Men.” And on Sundays, Baker said Brown and wife, Carolyn, will be found at church.
It sounds to me Brown stays busy all the time. Adding building birdhouses to that long list of to-dos, I’m sure he never sits down!
I think we could all learn a lesson from Brown. Even though we all have a million things to do during a day’s time, that does not mean we can stop thinking about others. He works all day on a construction site, manages his concrete business and then builds these birdhouses that he gives away.
I think that’s a pretty amazing thing to do!
On a different note, I’m sure all the people in Atmore who read my column know this already, but if not, I am newly engaged to be married.
Former Advance sports editor Matthew Nascone asked me to marry him on March 15 after a year of dating and I said ‘Yes.’
Matt’s last day at the Advance was last Friday. He got a job at The Messenger in Troy, which is a sister paper of the Advance.
But, I will not be leaving Atmore for at least a few months!
I promised several Atmore residents that I’d let them know through my column when Matt popped the big question, so now you know!
And one more thing Atmore, I hope you all had an amazing Easter Sunday!
Adrienne McKenzie is managing editor for The Atmore Advance. She can be reached at 368-2123.