Tim Smith and Cavender: Riding Irish luck to victory

Tim Smith and Cavender: Riding Irish luck to victory

EVERY EYE was on the center ring. The floodlights overhead, which had previously illuminated the arena for dozens of Tennessee walking horses (TWH) and their riders, switched off. A subtle hush fell over the crowd as a single spotlight zeroed in on Cavender and his...
Muriel Coble: Courage & commitment

Muriel Coble: Courage & commitment

FIVE DAYS after her 17th birthday, on June 14, 1942, Muriel Moyers nervously squeezed Leonard Coble’s hand. “How old do I have to be to get married?” Leonard asked the justice of the peace in Huntsville. When he responded “21,” 17-year-old Leonard, who most knew as...
The Stackpole Family: Born to serve

The Stackpole Family: Born to serve

Medina Stackpole fluffed her pillow, then jammed it between her aching back and the headboard. She patted the empty spot on the mattress and whispered, “We miss you, Rick.” The words of her eldest son, Ricky, echoed in her mind: “When I grow up, I’m going to serve my...
Dave Rogers: Turning hunger into hope

Dave Rogers: Turning hunger into hope

“Cooking With a Veteran” began with hunger — an ache that Dave Rogers knew too well. Before he enlisted in the U.S. Army and for a short time after his honorable discharge, Rogers faced homelessness. This permanent mark, left by Rogers’ temporary situation, stirred...