When Anna Stanley saw a photo of her one-year-old daughter Avery with the Statue of the Good Shepherda roadside attraction in the Samantha community in northern Tuscaloosa County, she wanted to submit the photo to the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association’s first Road Trip Photo Contest.
Stanley had another motive: she wanted to raise awareness of the Little Closet Community Food Pantry, which was founded in honor of Johnny Williamson, Avery’s great-grandfather and creator of the Good Shepherd statue in 1999.
The Good Shepherd statue was erected to represent Psalm 23, Johnny Williamson’s mother’s favorite Bible passage. The 6-foot-tall statue was created by artist Willie Logan.
“People call it the Jesus statue, but it’s actually the Good Shepherd statue,” said Stanley, a Hartselle resident. “I don’t think people really know about the food bank. They do a lot of good work and I wanted to get the word out. A lot of people drive by and see the statue, but they don’t know its history or know about Mr. Williamson. He was a good man.”
The photo obviously resonated with online voters, and Stanley’s photo of Avery with the Good Shepherd statue won first place in the ALBBAA’s 2024 Road Trip Photo Contest.
ALBBAA awarded prizes to the first, second and third place winners:
· First place: Anna Stanley
· Second place: Tricia Griffin
· Third place: Chelsea Gibbs
Stanley won a two-day stay for up to four people in one of the beautiful Lake Point State Park Cottages in Eufaula donated by Alabama State Parks. Includes $150 travel expenses donated by ALBBAA. This first prize met all of the criteria in the contest rules, which stated that people must be in the photo.
Griffin was runner-up because her photo received the most votes but no person was featured. Griffin will also receive a two-night stay for up to four people in a lakefront cabin at Lakepoint State Park, courtesy of the ALBBAA.
“After careful consideration, we did not want to exclude the beautiful landscape photos that were submitted, like Tricia Griffin’s,” said ALBBAA Director Pam Swanner. “These images showcase the incredible natural landscape of the Black Belt, which is a key reason why visitors love driving our scenic byways. For the same reason, we also wanted to reward Anna for following our rules, so we believe it is the right thing to do to award our top two voices similar awards.”
Gibbs, third place, will receive various ALBBAA-themed merchandise.
Griffin’s photo shows a beautiful sunset at Miller’s Ferry in Wilcox County.
“I take photos practically every day,” said Griffin, who regularly travels through the Black Belt while working for Alabama Power. “When I see something beautiful, I stop and take a photo.”
She said the sunset image seemed peaceful. “That’s what I feel every time I’m on the water,” she said, “whether I’m in a boat or just sitting there looking at it.”
Swanner thanked everyone who submitted photos and participated in the competition.
“We created the Road Trip Photo Contest to showcase the incredible attractions and activities that draw people to Alabama’s Black Belt,” Swanner said. “People travel to the region to take advantage of our amazing hunting and fishing opportunities, but also for the cultural and historical sites, our artisans and manufacturers, and incredible restaurants. It was wonderful to see the photos that showcase the diverse ways people enjoyed the Black Belt this summer.”
The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.
The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association is committed to promoting and enhancing opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism in the Black Belt in a way that provides economic and environmental benefits to the region and its citizens. For more information, visit www.alabamablackbeltadventures.org.
