By Staff
Senior Living
(This week The Atmore Advance spotlights 61-year-old Lenna Rackard. Rackard enjoys visiting the Poarch SAIL center and traveling with the seniors all over the United States.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: Here in Escambia County on Nov. 20, 1945.
Q: Who were your parents?
A: George and Mary Rolin from Escambia County.
Q: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
A: Yes, I have one brother who is deceased. I have one brother who lives in the Poarch community, Billy Joe Rolin. I have one sister who lives in the Poarch Community, Delores Schultz.
Q: Where did you attend high school and college?
A: Here in Atmore then I started working with the state of Alabama.
Q: Do you do a lot of traveling?
A: I love traveling. We travel as much as we possibly can with seniors. We have a trip going up to New York Sept. 16. We'll be gone about 10 days. We're looking forward to it.
We've been to the Grand Rapids, Albuquerque and Branson, Mo., Vegas, Chicago, Oklahoma and Milwaukee. I plan to see all of the United States.
Q: Out of all the places you've traveled, where was your favorite?
A: Going to the bombing site in Oklahoma and actually feeling the experience that those people must have felt during that awful event.
While in Oklahoma we got to visit a five-tribe museum for our Creek Indian people. That was most impressive and really stands out in my mind.
Q: What jobs have you held?
A: I have worked at Diane's, a dress shop in Atmore at one time.
I have worked at a ribbon mill in Atmore a long time ago.
I have worked with Head Start as a handicap aid. I went from there to the state of Alabama, where I worked for 21 years as a receptionist. That was most impressive. My job entailed giving directions, helping people plan trips to the state of Alabama and helping them see attractions. I got to go around the Talladega 500 in one of the race cars. I got to visit the home of the famous group, Alabama, in Fort Payne. It was beautiful. I attended a conference in Montgomery and met Miss Alabama. They had a reception and we got to visit and have pictures taken with her. I did fan tours all over the state of Alabama.
The most impressive was the DeSoto State Park, it's the highest point in Alabama. The scenic overlook, Little River Canyon, was beautiful.
Q: Did you ever marry?
A: I married Hubert, we've been married 45 years.
Q: Do you have any children or grandchildren?
A: One son, Hubert Lee Rackard Jr., is deceased. We have Kevin Rackard, Rodney O'Neil and Anita Rackard Glass, all three of them live in the Atmore community.
We have five grandkids. They are the apple of my eye.
Q: Where do you attend church?
A: Cross Point.
Q: What keeps you busy these days?
A: We're doing activities with the seniors, traveling and going to church. I love reading and I love to do Indian moccasins, I'm trying to get the hand of the beadwork. We've been trying to learn the Creek language.
And, we got to be the king and queen of the senior Valentine's program.
Q: What's your favorite TV show?
A: I like to watch gospel singings, "Survivor," "Big Brother" and the country music awards.
Q: What advice would you like to give people on staying healthy?
A: First, thank God for each day that you have. Try to stay active, try to keep an active life and maintain good health by having regular checkups with the doctors. Always remember that if you think you're having a bad day to look around and somebody's always having a worse one.
(If you would like to recommend a senior to be spotlighted please contact Adrienne McKenzie at 368-2123 or e-mail her at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com)