Coach Stallings: ‘SNAP’s a big deal’

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle’s Special Needs Accessible Playground (SNAP) was dedicated and named in honor of John Mark Stallings, the late son of Coach and Mrs. Gene Stallings of Powderly, Tex. on Sunday afternoon.
The event attracted more than 200 special needs children and their families, civic and community leaders and elected officials to the playground site adjacent to Sparkman Civic Center. Former University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings was the guest speaker.
A permanent memorial marker bearing the inscription “John Mark Stallings Special Needs Assessible Playground” along with a photo of Coach Stallings and his son, who had Down Syndrome, was unveiled on the site of the third phase construction site. The swings area, the first phase, was completed earlier this year and a water splash pad, the second phase, is ready to go out for bids.
To commemorate the honor, Coach Stallings was presented a framed replica of the memorial.
Stallings spoke lovingly of the time and experiences he and his family shared with John Mark, who passed away three months ago.