We completed the last 2023 Sower project in Dothan Alabama. We spent November and December at a great project there – the Dothan Community Church. If you live there or if you’re ever in the area be sure to check out this church. https://www.dothancommunitychurch.org/ Pastor, Charles Lewis and Administrator, Chester McFarland made us feel so welcome and the church members are awesome.

Let me tell you a little about Dothan. The whole area around Dothan is referred to as the “Wiregrass area” since it is encompassed by it’s namesake grass.  The 2020 census showed the population of Dothan to be 107,204 with the closest city of any size, Montgomery, 112 miles away. Approximately one-fourth of the peanut crop of the United States is produced around Dothan and much of it is processed in Dothan.  Because of this, they have named Dothan the Peanut Capital of the World and the National Peanut Festivalis held there with hundreds of thousands visitors each year. I just saw recently where the Peanut Mobile was headed to Dothan. Too bad we missed it.

George Washington Carver began experimenting with peanuts discovering the many uses and making them a staple crop for the area, and we all love peanut butter. I’m sure this is the reason the George Washington Carver museum is in Dothan. It’s a great testament to the city’s historical roots.

The city is surprisingly wonderful. They have so much going on there. Each season has a festival of some sort. They have many performances in the theatre and opera house. The Nutcracker was scheduled while we were there. There’s multiple parades and the Juneteenth festival throughtout the year as well as many other recreational opportunities. There are parks,water parks, biking and nature trails and well-maintained golf courses.

The city offers a multitude of restaurants and shopping. We tried out a few of them while we were there. One of the downtown restaurants is owned by Top Chef Kelsey Barnard Clark. Besides that, the city boasts numerous apartment complexes and new housing subdivisions.

Before we went to Dothan for the SOWER project https://sowerministry.org/,we knew nothing about the area but our visit proved to be an enriching experience. We found the city to be very friendly, very diverse and very interesting. If you’re considering a move South, you may want to take a look at Dothan. Reach out to me, I have a Realtor contact there who would be more than happy to show you around Dothan and help you find YOUR place in Dothan.

I didn’t tell you much about the volunteer work at the Dothan project but I do have a few pictures to show. The men accomplished much in taking care of the wish list the church had requested of them. The work was satisfying and the staff was very grateful and gracious.

Below you’ll find several pictures from around the Dothan area as well as pictures from the work done on the Dothan project.

Since we’ve been full-time in the motorhome, we’ve been able to travel, serve and experience many different areas. If you’ve considered full-time RVing, please reach out to us, we’d be happy to share our experiences and what we’ve learned along the way. We also have a YouTube channel – @EscapingNormalRV you may want to subscribe to.