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Meet Laura Anderson, second-generation and nearly lifelong resident of Helena. 

Laura Anderson considers herself to be a second-generation and nearly lifelong resident of Helena. While her mother’s family grew up in Helena, Anderson herself first came to Helena when her parents moved to the city in 1984. From there, she would attend school and spend time around all of the familiar sites and locations, including the Hillary Sweat House, also known as Dr. Ryan’s House, which her grandparents lived in from the early 1960’s until 2020.

Although she moved away in 2003, Anderson was not gone long. After having two children, she moved back to her hometown in 2012 to raise her two sons, now 15 and 12 respectively, near family and in a school system she knew to be great.

Currently, she serves as a corporate appeals specialist for a healthcare company based out of Mobile where she works to defend the skilled services her company provides to nursing home residents across central and southern Alabama.

“I’d love to one day be on one of the boards like the Helena Old Town Board or maybe even run for city council,” she says. “My love for Helena is profound and although life is busy as a single mom, I’d love to do more to help my community be the best it can be.”

Whether it be getting a burger from The Depot, ice cream from Freezy’s, or simply walking down to see the Cahaba lilies, Anderson values each spare moment spent in Helena with her children and is glad that she can impart memories to them that mirror her own childhood. A Childhood where playing at Joe Tucker park, playing softball, going to the Duck races, attending parades and enjoying many concerts and events are all traditions that will continue for years to come.

“I’m glad that my children can now have memories of their own from the fourth of July fireworks, market days, the Christmas tree lighting, the summer concert series and many more,” She says. “We plan to call Helena home for many years to come because it’s one of the best places on Earth. My roots run deep and this is definitely where I consider home.”