280 Living January 2017

280 Living

January 2017 | Volume 10 | Issue 5

neighborly news & entertainment

Humans of Greystone

Art teacher features the people who make an impact on school.

See page A26

Ride of a Lifetime

Transport program helps save hundreds of dogs from euthanasia.

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INSIDE Sponsors .......... A4 280 News ......... A6 Business ..........A12 Community .....A19

School House..A21 Sports ................ C1 Opinion ............C10 Calendar .......... C13

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2017

A LOOK AHEAD G

OVERHAULING ROADWAYS, A9

By ERICA TECHO

rowth and change are two things the 280 corridor has become familiar with over the last several years.

From preliminary steps toward a bicycle and pedestrian plan for Shelby County to new athletic facilities, that growth and change are expected to continue in 2017.

280 Living has checked in on plans for several projects set to kick off or wrap up in the new year. Read on to find out plans for a much-discussed intersection in Chelsea, the opening of a new sports complex and more.

ADDITIONAL BALL FIELDS Chelsea is about to have access to three new baseball and softball fields.

The Chelsea Sports Complex off Shelby County 11 near the high school includes three fields, six batting cages, a concession stand, a walking trail and other amenities.

When the fields were planned, distance to the fence and the configuration of bases were set up to allow a large age range on the fields, said Chelsea City Councilman David Ingram.

See AHEAD | page A9

SHERIFF’S OFFICE MANPOWER, A11

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280 Living

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January 2017 • A3

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280 Living

About Us Editor’s Note By Erica Techo Each year, I start the new year with goals to eat healthier, exercise more or learn a new skill, and by the end of January, I’ve already fallen behind on those goals. But each year, I keep setting them.

Rather than chastise myself for not meeting those goals, I’m encouraged to keep trying and to seek inspiration for meeting those goals in the new year.

This year, I’m inspired by Paulina Watts’ decision to launch a new business — ­ all while being a full-time student — and by Bob Kukendall and Greg Hasberry’s decision to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro after recovering from kidney surgery.

Or you can draw inspiration from the changes around North Shelby County.

The start of a new year will be a chance to kick off several new projects, including a feasibility study regarding changes to the intersection of County roads 39 and 47 and public workshops on bike and pedestrian amenities.

Whatever your goals are for the new year, I wish you luck. Here’s to making 2017 the best yet.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Kids had the chance to meet a variety of wild animals during Animal Tales at the North Shelby Library.

Photo by Lexi Coon.

Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Digital Media: Director of Photography: Sports Editor: Page Designers: Community Editor: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Copy Editor:

Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Heather VacLav Sarah Finnegan Kyle Parmley Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Erica Techo Jon Anderson Jesse Chambers Lexi Coon Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Louisa Jeffries

Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison Gail King Eric Clements Contributing Writers: Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Grace Thornton Leah Ingram Eagle Sarah Cook

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

Contact Information: 280 Living PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnespublishing.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: erica@starnespublishing. com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

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use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. 280 Living is designed to inform the 280 community of area school, family and community events. Information in 280 Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/ photos submitted become the property of 280 Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/ photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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January 2017 • A5

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280 Living

280 News

Chelsea council recognizes All County athletes from Chelsea High School

By ERICA TECHO The Chelsea City Council took time at its Dec. 6 meeting to recognize the All County football players from Chelsea High School. The Hornets were second in their region in the 2016 season and lost in the first round of state playoffs.

The following players were recognized: First Team: Matt Marguet, Zalon Reynolds, Tyler Thomas.

Second Team: Houston Needham, Bryson Hardy.

Honorable Mention: Jay Vickers, Jalyn Miller, Regan Wortham.

Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer congratulated the athletes and head football coach Chris Elmore for a great season.

During the meeting, the council also approved a resolution accepting a bid for a new Toro Reelmaster Mower, which will be used on the city’s new fields in the Chelsea Sports Complex on Highway 11.

“It’s the best to take care of these fields, and that’s what we want to do,” Councilman David Ingram said of the new mower. During discussion of the fields and mower in precouncil, Picklesimer said that he is looking at turf maintenance companies to help the city take care of its now 13 fields.

Also during the meeting, the council: ► Approved two annexation ordinances — one submitted by David and Bethany Perry for a 3.4-acre property on Salser Lane, and the other from John and Norma Lovorn for a 2.3acre property on Highway 32. ► Discussed public safety numbers. The call

Chelsea High School football players were recognized during the Dec. 6, 2016, Chelsea City Council meeting. From left: Bryson Hardy, Jalyn Miller, Regan Wortham, Tyler Thomas, Matt Marguet, Houston Needham, Jay Vickers, Zalon Reynolds and head coach Chris Elmore.

Photo by Erica Techo.

volume for police was “down considerably” in the month of November, Picklesimer said. ► Approved to pay the city’s bills. ► Discussed city revenue, which is up. Picklesimer reminded members of the council that while revenue is up, expenses for the city are also up. ► Discussed the installation of a gazebo at the

Chelsea Public Library. Chelsea Kiwanis donated the gazebo, and the city will construct the cement pad on which the gazebo will be placed.

During its Dec. 20 meeting, the council: ► Approved to pay the city’s bills. ► Approved the annexation of two properties on Highway 51. Annexation requests were submitted by Michael Morgon, whose property

is 18 acres, and from Kimberly and Stanley Sartin, whose property is 2.8 acres. ► Heard an update from Library Director Dana Polk. Polk said in the first two months of the fiscal year, the library has had more than 4,000 people come through, and around 10,780 items have been circulated.

The next meeting will be Jan. 3.

280Living.com

January 2017 • A7

Wayne Standifer speaks at the Dec. 5 Shelby County Planning Commission meeting. Photo

by Erica Techo.

Planning Commission agenda left bare after 1 withdrawn, 1 continued case

By ERICA TECHO The Shelby County Planning Commission’s last meeting of the year was shorter than expected after both agenda items were removed.

“We have a situation tonight that I have not had since I’ve been here,” said planning commission chairman Ken Wilder. “Both cases have asked to come off [the agenda].”

Sheila Vaughn, the applicant for a rezoning request for a 7.1-acre property on Valleydale Road, withdrew her request, according to Wilder.

The applicant for the other agenda item, a request regarding The Village at Highland Lakes, requested for the case to be continued to the planning commission’s next meeting, which will be Jan. 17, 2017. The agenda item was a request for an amendment to The Village at Highland Lakes’ master plan, which would “reconfigure portions of the proposed subdivision to accommodate necessary grading.”

Wayne Standifer, a representative of Eddleman Development, said the request to continue the case came from a desire to hold meetings

with residents of the surrounding properties.

“We found out there’s so many questions that people had about what’s going on, to keep any kind of confusion and people upset about this and the wrong thing going out ... We were going to try to get some meetings with different sectors,” Standifer said.

Each sector, Standifer said, would have a representative who would hear the plans Eddleman has for The Village at Highland Lakes, and then be able to relay that information.

“That way, we don’t come here and just [argue] at each other. We know, when we walk in that day, what we’re requesting and what we’re not,” Standifer said. “We felt like y’all had too many questions and didn’t know what was going on, and I felt like it was our job and our responsibility to tell you before we got in here.”

Wilder thanked Standifer for the decision to meet with residents of surrounding properties. While the planning commission does not and cannot request those meetings are held, Wilder said they are helpful to keep everyone informed.

The next Shelby County Planning Commission meeting will be Jan. 17, 2017.

Chelsea City Council now livestreams their meetings on Facebook.

Photo

by Erica Techo.

Chelsea increases internet presence

By ERICA TECHO The 2016-2020 Chelsea City Council is making sure residents have options for staying up-to-date on city news.

Starting with the Nov. 9 council meeting, all Chelsea City Council meetings are streamed on Facebook live. If residents cannot attend the council meetings, they can watch on their computers.

“That’s just one finger on the hand of communication,” Mayor Tony Picklesimer said.

The city also has a new Facebook page, “City of Chelsea, Alabama,” which posts regular reminders about city events and council meetings, as well as agenda items and meeting recaps. About 920 people follow the Chelsea Facebook page, as of press time.

Picklesimer also has a Twitter account —

@tonypicklesimer — that he plans to use to post quick updates about the city.

“I won’t tweet a whole lot, but (about) things I think are significant,” Picklesimer said. “I want that to grow. I really see that as a quick way to submit information.”

The council has a communication committee, which is headed up by Councilwoman Tiffany Bittner, who has a background in communications and broadcast. Picklesimer added all members of the 2016-2020 council are working to increase community interaction and communication.

The city’s new Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/ChelseaCityHall. All regular meetings, on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m., will be live-streamed on that page as well.

A8 • January 2017

280 Living

Commission approves grant funds redistribution 2 YMCA locations also granted tax-exempt revenue obligations to secure best rates on financing The Shelby County Commission approved a resolution that will allow the Greystone and Alabaster YMCAs to secure the best rates for financing for different projects.

Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO The Shelby County Commission approved the redistribution of grant funds to better meet the needs of local agencies.

During its Dec. 12 meeting, the commission approved a resolution that would redistribute funds from the Emergency Solutions Grant, which was awarded to the county from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

The budget for this grant is made about 18 months in advance, said County Manager of Community Services Reggie Holloway, and the funding comes later on.

“What happens is things have changed in our community, and our needs have changed,” Holloway said. “So what we have to do now is basically redistribute that funding so that we can use that up.”

The redistribution increased SafeHouse’s Rapid Re-Housing funding from $11,970 to $16,191, with an overall budget increase from $83,790 to $88,011. The redistribution also allowed Shelby Emergency Assistance to redistribute about $13,355 from its rapid re-housing budget line item to a different part of its budget, which includes efforts aiming to prevent homelessness.

“With our agency, we have had a lot of clients who are more in need of prevention of homelessness, and whereas SafeHouse has had more folks who are homeless and needing to get placement, so we’d like to share some of our funds with SafeHouse so this can be accomplished,” said Karen Pendleton, executive director of Shelby Emergency Assistance.

The commission unanimously approved the resolution.

The commission also approved two resolutions regarding a tax-exempt revenue obligation

for the Greystone and Alabaster YMCA locations. This will not affect the county’s general obligation debt, said County Manager Alex Dudchock, but allows the YMCA to secure the best rates it can on financing for different projects.

A public hearing was held before the commission made a decision, and no one spoke for or against the resolution. Ann Watford offered to answer any questions on the resolution, and

there were none from the commission.

During his report to the commission, County Engineer Randy Cole presented a letter from the Alabama Department of Transportation regarding the county’s roads.

The letter provided a grade for the county’s road maintenance, which was determined following review of the 2016 Shelby County Maintenance Reports. The county received a 90.83, with no reports falling into the

“unsatisfactory” category.

Cole also noted that the county’s lowest grade on a report was around an 83.

Also during the meeting, the commission: ► Awarded bids for asphalt as well as seed and fertilizer for the highway department. ► Heard a report from Water Services Manager Michael Cain, who said there is still an “exceptional drought” in the area, but recent rainfall has been helpful.

“

280Living.com

January 2017 • A9

There should not be an empty field in Chelsea on a weekend in the spring. That’s going to be my goal, is to fill every field up from March to next July.

AHEAD

”

DAVID INGRAM

kids participating,” Ingram said. “In addition to CONTINUED from page A1 that, we have a Chelsea-based Baseball and softball travel ball players ranging from organization, 3 to 12 years old will the Chelsea be able to play on Baseball the fields. Planning Club, and for the fields started we’re several years ago, going to and Ingram said he have more is proud they will teams in finally open. the Chelsea “First and foremost, Baseball Club it brings a facility to the than we’ve community that we can ever had before.” be proud of,” Ingram said.

The high number The city’s current ball of baseball fields on County 39 players, in are a bit older, Ingram The Chelsea Sports Complex off Shelby County addition to 11 near the high school includes three fields, six added, and have some the softball batting cages, a concession stand, a walking drawbacks. teams that trail and other amenities. Photo by Erica Techo.

The new sports will also be complex opening in able to play time for the spring season means they will on the new fields, means Ingram expects the be open in mid-February, just in time to park to stay busy. accommodate a larger-than-ever travel ball “There should not be an empty field in organization.

Chelsea on a weekend in the spring,” he said.

“We typically have 40-50 teams just in our “That’s going to be my goal, is to fill every field up from March to next July.” park league alone, and up to around 450-470

OVERHAULING ROADWAYS

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helby County to show the results of the residents will public workshops. This have the meeting will likely opporbe several months tunity after the January this month to workshops, Holvoice what they laday said. The would like to workshop will see in regard also be used to to bicycle and help prepare pedestrian a bicycle and facilities. pedestrian plan The county for the county. is hosting two Questions public workshops and comments where residents can regarding the see what facilities project can be sent to exist and can give Holladay at sholladay@ suggestions as to shelbyal.com or what they would at 669-3880.

An Advance Planning Programming & Local like to see in the In addition Engineering (APPLE) study on the intersection future. to preliminary of County Roads 39 and 47 will take place during “It’s not so steps on this bike the new year. Photo by Erica Techo. much designed and pedestrian to say, ‘This is a plan project, an project; this is what we’re going Advance Planning Programming to do,’” said Chief Civil Engineer & Logical Engineering (APPLE) Scott Holladay. “It’s more of a study on the intersection of project to define what the needs Shelby County 39 and Shelby and wants are.”

County 47 will begin sometime in Rankings A through F on existthe new year. ing bike and pedestrian facilities, The study will help identify such as bike lanes and sidewalks, potential obstacles of the project will be available at the meetas well as help establish a cost ings to give an idea of potential estimate for the project and deterareas of improvement. Residents mine what sort of funding would Picklesimer can also give input on the areas be most suitable, either local or they believe need the most help, state funding, or a combination of Holladay said. For example, if community funding sources. members would like to see more pedestrian A kickoff meeting regarding the study was facilities around schools or recreation areas, held in December, Holladay said, and work they can give those suggestions to the county. researching the intersection was set to be Workshops are planned for Jan. 10 at ordered soon. Once it starts, the study will Chelsea City Hall from 4 to 7 p.m. and Jan. last about two months.

12 at the Shelby County Services Building in Through the study, potential plans for Pelham from 4 to 7 p.m. Both meetings will reworking the intersection will be developed. have the same content and will be an “open This intersection, in front of Chelsea City house” format.

Hall, was a big topic of discussion during the Members of the project team also will recent mayoral election. The study will last be available to discuss ideas and answer two months, Holladay said. questions.

“I’m glad this project is back on the front After the meetings are held and informaburner,” Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesition gathered, there will be another meeting mer said.

A10 • January 2017

280 Living NEW DEVELOPMENTS

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he city of Chelsea has seen a growing number of residential areas in the last few years, and that trend is not stopping in the foreseeable future.

While Chelsea had 133 building permit requests from 2012 through 2015, the city had already had about 188 requests by October 2016, said Mayor Tony Picklesimer.

“We’re poised to have another somewhat of a housing boom,” Picklesimer said.

During its Nov. 7 meeting, the Chelsea City Council approved a rezoning request for a new subdivision on Chelsea Reserve is off County Road 336 near County Road 11. The development, Pelham and will offer a variety of lot sizes. Map to be named “The Highlands of courtesy of Scott Weygand.

Chelsea,” will contain a total of 196.9 acres and 82 homes. The developer, David Brogdon, also plans for the seems to be right for this kind of subdivisubdivision to include an area with businesses. sion,” Weygand said.

The council approved another rezoning Clearing on the land for the subdivision request for Chelsea Reserve, which was substarted in December, and Weygand said he mitted by Scott Weygand with W. Develophopes to be ready to start selling lots in late ment, at its Nov. 15 meeting.

January or early February.

Chelsea Reserve is a 114-acre property on Weygand said after developers have seen County 336 and Dogwood Drive. The request lots in subdivisions remain empty for months to rezone 61 acres of the property from or years, the market is turning around, and agricultural residential to residential, while demand for those lots is growing. keeping a 52.68-acre parcel zoned agricul“The lots that have been sitting for years tural residential, was unanimously approved are getting gobbled up, so it’s a good time to by the council, with Weygand abstaining. build,” he said.

There is one other subdivision which offers The trend toward more houses is positive longer lots like the 1- to 5-acre lots in Chelsea for the city, Weygand said, speaking not just Reserve, Weygand said, and this subdivision as a developer but also as a Chelsea City is the only one he knows of to offer a variety Council member. in lot sizes.

“The more rooftops, the better it’ll be to “A lot of people want acreage in and recruit businesses into the city,” Weygand around Chelsea,” Weygand said, adding that said. “Of course, that helps generate more people want to live in the Chelsea city limits, revenue for the city, so the city can provide and he said this new subdivision will help more amenities in the city. … Any kind of meet that demand. Keeping one lot agriculgrowth is good, especially with rooftops, tural residential also allows the homeowner to because businesses follow rooftops.” keep horses or other animals on the property, The planning commission also approved Weygand said.

Emerald Estates, a six-lot subdivision, during “I think it’s a good opportunity. The market its December meeting.

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280Living.com

January 2017 • A11

SHERIFF’S OFFICE MANPOWER

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uring his campaign, ChelWith Chelsea’s growing population, Picksea Mayor Tony Picklesimer lesimer said he ultimately hopes to increase discussed renegotiating the the number of sheriff’s office cars that city’s contract with remain in city limits. Rather the Shelby than completely modify County Sheriff’s Office. the city’s contract with A few weeks the sheriff’s office, after taking office, Picklesimer said Picklesimer met the main goal is with Sheriff John a “manpower Samaniego. renegotiation” “It’s importin order to keep ant, and keepthe city’s crime ing the people rate low and to safe is the maintain a high primary goal,” quality of life.

Picklesimer said.

While discusChelsea has sions are still in a sheriff’s office preliminary stages, substation at City Picklesimer said he Hall as well as three is glad to have Councilcontract deputies man Cody Sumnwho patrol the ers, a lieutenant city throughout with the sheriff’s Mayor Tony Picklesimer said he hopes to the day, but those office, available increase the number of sheriff’s office cars that aren’t the only as a resource. remain in the city limits. Photo by Erica Techo. eyes on Chelsea.

Sumners is “Chelsea heading up the doesn’t only have city’s police and the contract cars here,” Picklesimer said, fire and rescue committee, lending some of adding that the sheriff’s office has deputies his expertise to the discussion. who drive through the city as they monitor “Having Cody, he truly sees both sides,” the county as a whole.

Picklesimer said. “It’s really a perfect fit.”

Chelsea Coffee House is moving into a new location by Chelsea Apothecary. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.

Chelsea Coffee House moving to new location on US 280

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Chelsea Coffee House is relocating to a more prominent spot on U.S. 280. The new location will share space with Chelsea Apothecary just behind Chelsea Lane, and it will be visible from the heavily traveled road.

Owners Jeff and Rhonda Gross opened the original location off Foothills Parkway in Chelsea Sept. 1, 2012. As they built their clientele base and their business grew, so did their need for a larger place. They have been looking to move for a few years, but the right space just wasn’t available.

Gross said he got a call from Chelsea Apothecary owner Jeff Honea, and after some discussion, they decided sharing the space would be a mutual benefit.

“We’ve outgrown our kitchen, and we need more kitchen space to give us the ability to do our catering and offer more menu items,” Gross said.

The new location will feature a full kitchen and allow them to do just that. Chelsea Coffee House caters box lunches for clients including schools, businesses and churches.

A wall will separate the two businesses,

Chelsea Coffee House • WHERE: 16688 U.S. 280 • HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 6 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday 6 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

• CALL: 678-4444 • WEB: facebook.com/Chelsea CoffeeHouse

allowing for easy access between them. While the coffee house’s indoor seating space won’t be much larger, there will be outdoor seating at the new location.

The interior will have a different look but will still be family-oriented.

“Giving teenagers a safe place to go has always been a priority,” Gross said.

Gross said he hoped that he and his four part-time employees would make the move before the end of the year. He also added the current hours may change, depending on customer traffic.

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Liberty Pkwy

280Living.com

January 2017 • A13

Now Open

Coming Soon

Debbie Beadles has opened Home Care Assistance, 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 123. They provide older adults with quality care that enables them to live happier, healthier lives at home. Their services are distinguished by the caliber of their caregivers, the responsiveness of their staff and their expertise in home care.

438-6925, homecareassistance.com

Great Clips will open a new location in the Patchwork Farms development, 3036 Healthy Way. An opening date has not been announced. greatclips.com

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Urban Barn Clothing Co. is now open at 5361 Highway 280, Suite 108, in the Bazaar 280 shopping center behind Krispy Kreme.

451-8888, urbanbarnclothingco.com

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Publix is now open in the Patchwork Farms development, 3040 Healthy Way. 970-7501, publix.com

Mason Music is now open at the Crossings at Greystone, 5406 Highway 280, Suite B103. This is the music studio’s fourth Birmingham-area location. They offer music lessons, camps, instruments and more.

874-9800, masonmusicstudios.com

4

Heatherwood Hills Country Club, 400 St. Anne’s Drive, has reopened after being closed for several years. The 18-hole course is accepting tee times, with memberships available.

502-4441, heatherwoodhills.com

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Vestavia Reserve Luxury Apartments, 2300 Reserve Trail, is now open. The property offers upscale luxury apartment homes in the Patchwork Farms area, zoned for Vestavia Hills City Schools and convenient to U.S. 280 and I-459.

977-7767, vestaviareserve.com

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Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza will be opening soon at 2800 Greystone Commercial Blvd. papamurphys.com

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Relocations and Renovations Plantation Prestige, a manufacturer of outdoor furniture, has moved its offices from Eagle Point Corporate Drive to 5510 Highway 280, Suite 207. The company plans to add a retail store to its space to add to its commercial and hospitality sales markets.

593-4978, plantationprestige.com

9

Hirings and Promotions Azia Medical Spa, 153 Narrows Parkway, has hired Dr. Heather Lawson as medical director of the practice. They have also hired Dr. Steven Mackey, a dermatologist who is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology, and Dr. Art Cox, a board certified facial plastic surgeon.

980-7772, aziamedicalspa.com

10

Closings 11

A Winning Streak Soccer Shop, 5502 Caldwell Mill Road, has closed after 23 years in business.

Roger’s Trading Company, 140 Resource Center Parkway, has announced it will close after 70 years in business.

Owner Lee Rogoff will be retiring.

12

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A14 • January 2017

280 Living

A FIT NEW YEAR: Healthy eating

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions every January is to get healthy. For those looking to start off with a fit new year, here are some tips from several local business owners who spend their days meal planning, giving healthy advice and running a catering business.

Allie Black, founder of Wholesome by Allie | wholesomebyallie.com Allie Black is a former television anchor and health reporter who embraced a clean, organic lifestyle 15 years ago. She began her business, Wholesome by Allie, nine years ago for families who want to eat healthier but don’t know where to start. Her goal is to make healthy living simple and affordable.

Black said people say they can’t afford to eat healthy, but that isn’t necessarily true. She teaches her clients how to live a healthy life on a budget. Her company offers nine services that are custom tailored to each individual or family.

“I get to know my customers and shop based on their custom needs,” Black said, who is known to many as the food lady.

Her company is national and in addition to her clients in Birmingham, she does her services with out-of-town clients via Skype, Face Time and by phone.

Although Black starts with food fi rst, cleaning out pantries and refrigerators and helping clients shop on a healthy budget, she also focuses on holistic living, from what people use in their garden, feed their pets, clean their homes with and put on their bodies.

Her advice is not to get overwhelmed and

just use common sense. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

“Take a look at everything in your kitchen and pantry, flip it over and read ingredients and see if it’s real food. If you can’t pronounce what’s in it, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Katie Strickland, Katie’s Plates | katiesplates.com Katie Strickland is a culinary nutrition professional with a passion for catering and nutrition education. After graduating from Mississippi State four years ago, she had planned to work as a dietician, but then realized she wanted to work with food.

After starting out in her mother’s kitchen, she moved several times as the company continued to grow. In August 2015, she rented a commercial kitchen space on Montevallo Road.

She has grown from six families to more than 100 families.

An alternative to dining out several times per week, Katie’s Plates clients can go online and select meals and have them delivered directly to their homes.

“We try to do classic meals and make them healthy,” Strickland said. “Some people order every night, some once a week for a date night.

These days people don’t have time to cook, and that’s why we’re here.”

Strickland has a registered dietician on staff who manages the Birmingham location. The two of them plan the menu together each week.

The meals contain a protein with healthy sides and sauce.

Strickland said although it seems expensive at first, there are ways to make it affordable.

“People soon realize they love it and time they get without having to do cleanup or grocery shopping,” she said.

Above: Grilled lemon herb chicken with marinated veggies and pico de gallo, prepared by Allie Black. Photo courtesy of Allie Black.

Left: One of the healthy meals Katie Strickland makes through her business, Katie’s Plates. Photo courtesy of Katie Strickland.

Doug Hovanec, owner of Catering by Bellini’s | cateringbybellinis.com With his restaurants, Bellini’s and Revolve, Doug Hovanec also owns Catering by Bellini’s.

In addition to catering, they also offer healthy prepared meals. Their two product lines are Paleo and gluten free.

Each week, Chef Sean Butler comes up with a new breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. They

have both 1,200 and 1,600 daily calorie lines. The second line is the fresh-andfit line that allows customers to choose a protein and two different sides. It’s consistent every day.

“One thing that makes us different from other food delivery services is that we allow the customer to choose what they want each day,” Hovanec said. “The menus rotate each week, and our customers like that everything is fresh made and they get a variety of options.”

Hovanec said they are customer-service oriented and are happy to take suggestions for different meal options. Catering by Bellini’s makes everything from scratch, and can accommodate any type of food allergies. Customers order their meals online and can pick them up at their storefront or have them delivered to their home or gym.

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January 2017 • A15

Steady hands, faithful heart

Paulina Watts’ decision to work full-time on her art took a leap of faith, but she has seen support from her friends and family.

Photo

by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO

P

aulina Watts has always stayed busy. A Chelsea High School graduate and education major at UAB, Watts has worked to support herself since she was 15.

As the start of her education program grew closer, however, Watts had to re-evaluate her work load. “[The program] it’s a full-time job and then some,” Watts said. “I was told that having a job while doing it was practically impossible.”

As an individual grounded in her faith, Watts said prayer helped lead her to the path she’ll start in January — focusing on school and supporting herself through her artwork business, Steady Hand Company.

“I was really struggling and praying about it, trying to figure out how I can really figure out a means to paying the bills,” Watts said. “It was really weird; it was very sudden, and I felt this pull to do a bunch of art pieces.”

At first she resisted the pull to turn to her art. She had two part-time jobs, which had more guaranteed income, at the time. One day she was praying in her car and had a moment of clarity. “Trust in You,” a song by Christian singer Lauren Daigle, came on the radio, and Watts said she knew the path God wanted her to take.

“I just could feel a pulling, I guess, toward doing artwork,” she said. “I knew I’ve got a good support system, good family and good friends, so I just took the leap.”

Watts sold her first piece of artwork when she was in eighth grade, working as Paulina Watts Artwork, and is known by friends, family and members of her sorority as a go-to person for handmade art pieces. A lot of her work is calligraphy based, focusing on scripture or inspiring quotes, but Watts said she believes the future holds several options.

Since deciding to pursue Steady Hand Company full time, she has connected with future Chelsea winery Cat-N-Bird, where she will display and sell her work. She has met an individual who does vinyl work, allowing Watts the option to print stickers or other alternative pieces, and she recently got engaged to her high school sweetheart, opening the world to wedding-based artwork.

“All these connections are just kind of falling in my lap right now,” Watts said.

A focus on her artwork also allows Watts to expand the variety of pieces she does. Scripture has always been something that inspires her and influences her work, but Watts said she also allows life to guide her pieces.

“Whatever is happening in my life affects my artwork, not in a negative way,” she said. “If I’m going through something rough, it’ll be more inspirational. If I’m going through something lovey-dovey because I just got engaged, my work will be more geared toward wedding things.”

Stepping into her own company and relying on that for income was a leap of faith, Watts said, but support from

friends, family and her fiancé has helped make the transition easier.

“My fiancé is my rock,” Watts said. “He’s the one that kind of pushed me. He knows I’m a worry wart, so taking that step toward, ‘I’m not going to have a job, technically,’ is really big for me. Knowing he’s my support system [helps].”

While her roots will always be in Chelsea, Watts said she sees Birmingham as a chance to expand. The future might be uncertain, but she is looking forward to this new adventure.

“It’s really just a trust thing, and obviously continuing praying and hoping it works out,” she said.

To see Watts’ work, go to Steady Hand Company on Facebook or @steadyhandcompany on Instagram.

A16 • January 2017

280 Living

Chamber recognizes businesses, citizens, public servants, nonprofits of the year Public Servant of the Year nominees former Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven, Columbiana Mayor Stancil Handley and Sheriff John Samaniego.

Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce took time before the end of the year to thank the businesses, citizens, nonprofits and public servants of South Shelby County during its 2016 Diamond Awards.

The chamber recognized the 2016 Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Public Servant of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Nonprofit of the Year during its Dec. 1 luncheon at American Village in Montevallo. Chamber members were encouraged to nominate individuals and businesses from each award category, and winners were selected from those nominations.

Chamber Director April Stone said this year they received the highest number of nominations they have ever received, and she was excited to recognize the accomplishments and stories of the members of the South Shelby County community.

“This is an exciting time in the southern region of this county. We are seeing new interest and innovative programs like Main Street Alabama come to two of the communities here,” said emcee Heath Barnett, the host of The Breakfast Club on APH Radio.

“We just wanted to take a moment to honor the people and organizations that are doing good business in this county and thank them.”

Nominees and winners for the 2016 Diamond Awards included:

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

► Winner: Candlewood Suites of Alabaster ► Trade Partners Exchange ► Chelsea Orthodontics ► Snider’s Discount Pharmacy/ Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies ► Seventh Heaven Full Service Salon ► Birmingham Association of Realtors ► St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

► Winner: Tin Top Bar-B-Que ► Chelsea Family Fitness

NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR

► Winner: Backpack Buddies ► Leadership Shelby County ► Columbiana Main Street ► King’s Home and Hannah Home

PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR

► Winner: Former Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven ► Columbiana Mayor Stancil Handley ► Sheriff John Samaniego

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

► Winner: Jane Scott ► Former Harpersville Mayor Theangelo Perkins ► Tammi Doss Crowe ► Alicia Johnson The luncheon also featured advocate, attorney and author Liz Huntley as the speaker.

Huntley shared her life story as well as how teachers helped her excel despite a dysfunctional family life.

Huntley grew up in housing projects, first with her parents who were drug dealers and then with her grandmother and sexually abusive uncle. Her father was in and out of jail from the time Huntley was 5, and her mother committed suicide after splitting Huntley and her siblings amongst family members.

After moving in with her grandmother in Clanton, Huntley said she felt the need to take on a maternal role with her 3-year-old sister, even though she was only 5. The stress of their living situation, coupled with the sexual abuse she was facing, left Huntley “broken, alone, scared, confused and abused,” she said. “My entire disposition started to change,” she added.

What helped turn things around, Huntley said, was when a preschool program opened in her area. Her grandmother sent her to preschool, and there Huntley met kind, caring adults who treated her well and showed her love.

“God used that as a life changing, game changing mechanism,” Huntley said.

For the first time, Huntley said she felt the nurturing touch of an adult. As a child, she saw that the teachers treated her well when she did “smart stuff,” which Huntley said encouraged her to be a good student. She excelled, and when she went to her first day of first grade — all by herself, with no adult to guide her — she was able to read the signs around her school and find her teacher.

“Education is powerful,” Huntley said. “It gave me the resiliency that I needed to navigate those waters when I walked into that school at 6 years old by myself.”

In first grade, Huntley once again received the support of a caring, nurturing teacher — Pam Jones. Jones heard Huntley’s story about coming to school on her own and finding her way to the classroom alone, and rather than report Huntley’s grandmother for neglect or see Huntley as a hopeless case, Jones chose to encourage her.

“She didn’t see my glass as half empty,” Huntley said. “She saw my glass as half full.”

Teachers continued to influence her life, Huntley said, pointing her toward biographies to read and encouraging her to continue her studies. That encouragement helped lead Huntley to attend Auburn University with a full scholarship, and later attend the University of Alabama School of Law. “People are the ones that shaped me into the person I am today,” Huntley said.

Huntley encouraged all members of the chamber to use the leadership positions they have and the opportunities they have received to encourage and support children, to change lives.

“To much is given, to much is required,” she said. “And you have an obligation. Your leadership and the privilege that you have, it’s not given to you just for you and your families.

You can do that blindfolded. It’s given to you for you to make an impact on somebody’s life, and I am a living example of how that impact is powerful.”

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January 2017 • A17

Beth Chapman speaks at the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce Prayer Breakfast.

Photo by Erica Techo.

Beth Chapman discusses giving thanks, prayer at chamber breakfast

By ERICA TECHO It is always important to remain thankful, and former Alabama Secretary of State and Shelby County resident Beth Chapman said a recent trip to Cuba reminded her of that.

“You ask yourself, ‘What are we thankful for?’ I’m thankful for my family, I’m thankful for a God that serves me a lot more than I serve him. I am very thankful for my job and my family, and I’m very thankful for Shelby County,” Chapman said at the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s 19th annual Prayer Breakfast.

Chapman added that she is thankful for the government, something that she said surprises most people. When people ask her why, she said there are two reasons — we have a government, and anyone who chooses to participate can participate.

“People there cannot express what they believe,” Chapman said. “Whether you were for Trump, whether you were for Hillary, you could at least say what you thought. But in Cuba, there was no talking about their politics.

They were very oppressed people.”

The breakfast took place on Nov. 22, a few days before Thanksgiving, and Chapman said that timing was ideal for the message she wanted to share.

“This is a time we should be humbly grateful, not grumbly hateful,” Chapman said. “So if you can say that three times fast, you’re good.”

She also thanked several community leaders at the breakfast, noting how individuals working on the Shelby County Commission or city government or in schools help make Shelby County great. In addition to expressing her thanks, Chapman said she also felt inclined to discuss the topic the breakfast was centered on — prayer.

“I don’t always talk about my faith, per se,

but when I’m given the opportunity, I’d be remiss not to,” Chapman said. “And I’ve got to tell you, when people say, ‘What is the secret to the success of your life?’ I’ve got to tell you prayer is my secret weapon.”

Throughout her life, Chapman said she has had many people leave her, but God has never left her side. The power of prayer is important in life, Chapman said, and she believes it has the power to change and improve lives and communities.

“I believe that if we all committed today to submit more of our lives to prayer, that our community would be a better place,” Chapman said.

For individuals who believe they are too old or too busy or too tired to be useful in God’s plan, Chapman noted several biblical individuals that God used for great things.

“Noah was a drunk. Rahab was a prostitute.

Joseph was a slave. David was a liar and an adulterer. Thomas was a doubter. Judas and Peter were betrayers, and Mary was a worrier,” Chapman said. “And Lazarus? Well, he was dead. So if God could use Lazarus, I know God can use us.”

She shared the story of the 91st Brigade from World War II. The 91st Brigade recited the 91st Psalm every day before entering battle, and although they were involved in three of the war’s bloodiest battles, no one in the 91st Brigade died from combat. They were protected, Chapman said, because of their prayer and their belief in that prayer.

“I am asking you today to pray for our nation, to pray for our county, to pray for our leaders, to pray for those in authority over us, and I cannot tell you how happy I am that it is Thanksgiving,” Chapman said. “I think I went to Cuba at the perfect time in my life because I can come home and see the little things that I’m grateful for. …I hope this season will give you much to be thankful for.”

A18 • January 2017

280 Living

Members of the Leadership Shelby Class of 2017 will work in four groups on projects to help the Shelby County community. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Leadership Shelby County projects underway for 2017

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Leadership Shelby County class of 2017 has had its projects for the upcoming year approved and is ready to start working.

The class of 40 is divided into four groups, and each group will take on a separate project.

The nominees are selected based on leadership ability in their chosen field and a shown interest and commitment to the future of Shelby County. Class size is limited to 40, and the

selection process is competitive. This year’s class includes a diverse group of representatives from fields that include legal, banking, human resources, education, religion, real estate, media and more.

The purpose of Leadership Shelby County is to develop leadership potential throughout the community by providing a collaboration of knowledge and understanding. It equips leaders with the skills and abilities to improve the economic growth and development of Shelby

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January 2017 • A19

County. Participants are encouraged to take their leadership experience into opportunities of service. The mission of the independent nonprofit and nonpartisan organization is to enhance the quality of life in Shelby County.

Each September, the new class goes on an overnight retreat for team building. Once each month from October through May, the class attends full-day sessions on various topics that are designed to increase awareness of issues, provide a powerful knowledge base and promote the development of interactive problem-solving skills. It culminates with a graduation in May, where each class presents its project.

Even after their nine months is over, the alumni will continue leadership development among alumni and across a wide spectrum of the entire community leadership network.

Here is a breakdown of what each of the four groups will be doing.

Group 1- Karen Fillingim, chairperson Fillingim is the executive assistant to the mayor of the city of Alabaster. She said their project is to provide a resource room for court-ordered supervised parental visitation.

“We will be creating a friendly and interactive environment to encourage parents to engage with their children,” she said.

Through interactive play, the participants can find relief from an already stressful situation. The room will also serve as a decompression room for children after the visit with their parent.

Group 2- Clay Hammac, chairperson Hammac is the commander of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force. He said his group’s goals were to invest and serve the community and to maintain sustainability.

They are starting an organization called Polly’s Hope.

Hammac, who has been a foster parent for years and has had almost 20 children in his home, has seen firsthand kids arriving with a black garbage bag holding their few belongings. The first foster child in his home was named Polly, so this project is named after her.

“It’s time sensitive moving a child from a dangerous situation or leaving an impoverished environment, and kids have nothing to carry with them,” Hammac said.

Polly’s Hope will create survival kits with items needed during a transition in care for children being placed in emergency care. The kits will contain material items including hygiene products, bed linens and

clothes to get them through the first few days and equip first responders, DHR and faith-based leaders, to have them when they need them.

“Our vision is to serve as a recognizable entity, to connect community and corporate resources to children and families in need in Shelby County,” Hammac said. “We plan to set up a 501(c)(3) so we can receive community contributions.”

Potential partnerships for this project may include Shelby County DHR, Owen’s House, Shelby Baptist Association and designated safe places such as law enforcement and fire stations.

Group 3- Ashley Cole-Tyson, chairperson Cole-Tyson is the director of risk management and patient safety at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. She and her group will work to bring awareness for volunteer opportunities in Shelby County. A Facebook page will be set up where leaders of organizations in Shelby County will post their available volunteer opportunities. They would be contributors to the page and manage their own content.

“We’d like to come up with a logo and public relations plan to push out notifications about the Facebook page and about opportunities to encourage volunteerism,” Cole-Tyson said.

Using a strategy similar to Hands On Birmingham, they will follow their lead and focus only on Shelby County and connecting places in need with people to help.

Group 4- Lanette Thomas, chairperson Thomas is a Realtor at Realty South. She and her group will be working with Backpack Buddies, an established nonprofit in Shelby County that provides children on free or reduced lunch with a bag on Fridays with food for them over the weekend.

“I’m part of Shelby Women’s League, and one of our meetings was a Backpack Buddies packing party,” Thomas said. “It was then it really hit me in my heart. These poor kids don’t have anything to eat all weekend. A lot of people don’t know about it, or what they can do to help.”

Thomas said they want to raise awareness for this project that is already up and running. She said people may have a misconception that Shelby County doesn’t have a need for this. They hope to coordinate with different corporations for sponsorship of the program, as well as high schools so students can work toward community service hours.

For more information, go to leadershipshelby county.wordpress.com.

Community

Jackson Sauers. Photo courtesy of Robby and Leanne Sauers.

Oak Mountain senior earns Eagle Scout Jackson Sauers, a member of Troop 533 chartered by Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, recently received the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America under the leadership of Mark Clark.

Sauers joined Cub Scouts in 2005 as a Tiger Cub, earned his Arrow of Light and Religious knots and crossed over to Boy Scouts. During his rank advancement he held the following leadership positions: Troop guide, Quartermaster, Chaplain and Librarian. He also was a Crew Leader of his troop on a backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. Sauers completed 25 merit badges, attended a multitude of campouts, hiked several hundred miles and participated in over 100

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hours of community service hours.

For his Eagle Scout project, he constructed six outdoor wooden benches for his church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, to use in an outdoor worship area.

He is a senior at Oak Mountain High School where he is a member of the football and lacrosse teams and runs indoor track. He serves as an Oak Mountain Master, an Ambassador to his school; he is a Peer Helper and a Big Brother of the Big Brother/ Big Sister Program. He is active in Key Club and several other organizations. Sauers plans on attending college to study civil engineering. He is the son of Leanne and Robby Sauers.

– Submitted by Robby and Leanne Sauers.

A20 • January 2017

280 Living

The New Neighbors League Club of Birmingham recently donated to Grace House Ministries. Photo courtesy of Peggy Rawls.

Alabama SAR President Fred Olive, Sheriff John Samaniego, former Alabama SAR President Bobby Joe Seales and CahabaCoosa SAR Chapter President Charles Nuckolls. Photo courtesy of Bobby Joe Seales.

Sons of the American Revolution present medals of commendation Members of the Sons of the American Revolution presented medals of commendation to three Shelby County citizens during their Nov. 21 meeting. The presentation, hosted by the Cahaba-Coosa SAR Chapter meeting at the North Shelby Library, included the fire safety commendation medal and certificate, law enforcement commendation medal and certificate and the bronze good citizenship medal and certificate.

Medals are typically presented to members of SAR, said Bobby

Joe Seales, but these three medals are used to recognize outstanding members of the community.

Pelham City Fire Department Capt. Christopher Carpenter received the fire safety commendation; Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego received the law enforcement commendation; and former Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry received the bronze good citizenship medal.

– Submitted by Bobby Joe Seales.

New Neighbors donates to Grace House Ministries Robin Chandler, a member of The New Neighbors League Club of Birmingham, presented a donation on behalf of New Neighbors to Pamela R. Phipps, executive director of Grace House Ministries.

Grace House exists to provide stable Christian homes for abused, neglected or abandoned girls. Grace House seeks to end the social dependency, poverty and cycle of abuse so prevalent in the girls they serve by educating, equipping and empowering them to become mature, godly women.

If you are interested in joining the New Neighbors League Club, which works to serve Birmingham through donations, call Sylvia Ricker at 586-7269.

– Submitted by Peggy Rawls.

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January 2017 • A21

School House

Left (left to right): Willa Rose Akins, Logan Ertel, Laura Tatum and Dr. Iyer. Right (left to right): Laura Tatum, Liam Falconer, Logan Ertel and Dr. Iyer. Photos courtesy of Michele Wilensky.

Hilltop Montessori science fair winners recognized Hilltop Montessori School hosted its annual science fair Friday, Dec. 9.

Students in first through eighth grade participated, and each child had to present their findings orally as part of their project. In keeping with the Montessori philosophy, students were encouraged to offer positive comments for each other’s projects; however, students in fifth through eighth grades were offered the chance to have their projects judged as part of the evaluation process.

The judges were Anand Iyer, M.D., a third-year fellow in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at UAB; Laura Tatum, a retired teacher with Shelby County Schools, and Logan Ertel, an expert in herpetology, with a background

in nursing.

Winners of the science fair were judged based on creativity, scientific thought, thoroughness, skill and clarity.

This year was particularly impressive as two first place winners were given. Willa Rose Akins, a fifth-grade student, won first place for her project, “The Bunny Effect-Confirmations and Bias” and Liam Falconer won first place for his project which centered around fishing, called “Knot What I Expected.” Emma Burke placed second for her project entitled, “The Stroop Effect.”

All winners will represent Hilltop Montessori School at the UAB-CORD science fair in March.

– Submitted by Michele Wilensky.

Shelby County Schools technology program receives funding boost The Shelby County Schools technology program recently got a $362,500 boost from the state legislature. The funds are Shelby’s portion of the Alabama Ahead Act, which passed the legislature last year. Under the bill, each public Alabama school district receives a share of a $15.5 million fund to install wireless networks.

Lawmakers included provisions in the bill that ensure local districts also apply for federal E-Rate dollars to help pay for their networks. So far, Fuller Alabama has gained $3 in federal funds for every $1 issued by the Alabama Ahead Act. In addition, the bill took into consideration that some systems, such as Shelby, had already invested in wireless.

“For several years our priority has been to increase the use of technology in the classroom. But, you can’t get much use out of laptops and tablets without a good wireless network so we went ahead and made that investment,” said Susan Poling, technology coordinator. “Back then, the E-Rate program was funding few, if any, infrastructure projects and the state hadn’t yet considered funding this type of capital project.”

Because Shelby County met the wireless standards required by the bill, it can put its funds toward other technology projects. The district plans to upgrade outdated network components apart from the wireless and purchase Chromebooks for students with its allotment of funds.

“We were just awarded $278,646 from the E-Rate program, which will offset the

cost of the local area network upgrades. The Alabama Ahead Act money will provide the required match,” explained Poling. “Without the state funds, we would have been faced with a decision — perform the much-needed upgrades to the wired portion of the networks or buy devices for students. Now we can do both. Between both funding sources, we now have over $640,000 to invest in our technology program.”

Representatives Bill Poole of Tuscaloosa and Donnie Chesteen of Geneva sponsored the bill in the House. The Senate sponsors and originators of the Alabama Ahead Act were Sen. Gerald Dial of Lineville and Sen. Jim McClendon of St. Clair Springs.

The bill passed with overwhelming support, including support from all the lawmakers who represent parts of Shelby County, including Representatives April Weaver, Jim Carns, Jim Martin, Arnold Mooney, Dickie Drake and former Representative Mike Hill. Senators Cam Ward, Jabo Waggoner and Slade Blackwell also voted for the bill.

“We are very appreciative that legislators from across the state took the time to really study this project and talk to us about our needs,” said Superintendent Randy Fuller. “In doing so, systems like ours, that had used local funds to install wireless, were not left out of the bill. Our schools are happy with their wireless and even happier now that we can put more mobile technology into the hands of our students.”

– Submitted by Shelby County Schools.

A22 • January 2017

280 Living

Jags snag multiple 1st place awards at BEST Robotics competition

By ERICA TECHO If movies about high school are to be believed, robotics is for nerdy, quiet kids. At Spain Park High School, however, the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) Robotics team is defying those stereotypes.

“It’s definitely brought a variety of different types of people together,” said Alyssa Gaston, overall CEO for the SPHS BEST Robotics team. The group includes basketball players, football players, band members, English lovers and engineering enthusiasts — students Gaston said probably would not interact as much otherwise. “[I appreciate] just the wide spread or the big spectrum of things that we’re doing in this competition allows kids from different backgrounds and interests to get involved,” said team sponsor and SPHS teacher Scottie Wilson, adding that just as the team brings together students from different passions and activities, it brings together multiple subjects.

“It’s fantastic because they get to see the big picture,” Wilson said. “It’s cross-curricular. So many times people think it’s just math, or it’s just building.”

On the contrary, the robotics projects BEST teams take on include math, science, history, business and writing skills. The team is even divided between three CEOs — one managing

the overall plan, one focusing on robot construction and one focusing on overall presentation of the business.

“The whole goal of BEST is not just building a robot. It’s presenting a product to a company,” said Brooke Gilliam, CEO for the business side of the team. “William [Zhao] focuses more on everything robot, and I’m table display and information.”

Each year’s competition also focuses on a topic that influences the world. This year’s theme was “Bet the Farm,” where students had to research hydroponics, the history of farming in America and build a robot to complete “farming” activities such as shucking corn — removing yellow paint rollers from spikes — and gathering tomatoes — collecting red wiffleballs.

At the first level of competition in October, Spain Park’s team received first place in several categories, including BEST award, engineering notebook, team exhibit and interview, engineering and marketing presentation, Simulink design and programming and for pep band.

The team also received the Team of Distinction award and second place for robot performance.

Students take on a variety of tasks during the day of competition, ranging from controlling the robot to guiding the team controlling the robot to presenting. There is also a large spirit section, where attendees cheer for their team’s robot.

The Spain Park BEST Robotics team took home several first place awards in the first round of competition. Photo courtesy of Scottie Wilson.

“I would have never thought that there would be a student section at a robotics competition, but I went last year, and we had so much fun just cheering on a robot, of all things,” Gilliam said.

Gilliam, Gaston and Zhao got involved with the robotics team at different times and for different reasons, but all three agreed that they have learned lessons that will help after they graduate. They are seniors at SPHS, and Gilliam said the team has helped her prepare for majoring in engineering in college.

“I’ve learned that I have to be a lot more careful and have to plan, and I think when I start doing engineering projects in college, I’ll be a lot more prepared because I know how to tackle them,” she said.

For Zhao, who first joined a BEST Robotics team in sixth grade, there is also practical knowledge involved in these projects.

“It’s a lot of practical engineering, tactics you can learn and use on a daily basis to build the robot,” he said. “It’s also teamwork, somewhat of an actual construction team.”

Because all three CEOs of the team will graduate this spring, they said a goal has been to continue encouraging underclassmen to get involved. That way, the team remains strong.

“This year, I would say there is a lot of underclassman involvement,” Gilliam said. “We’ve always had some underclassman involvement, but this year we have a lot of freshmen and sophomores and juniors coming out to practices and helping.”

280Living.com

January 2017 • A23

After students build their robot, they program it to navigate a field — or obstacle course — to achieve certain tasks, like knocking down blocks or scooping up objects. Photo by Sarah Cook.

OMES teacher using robots in the classroom

By SARAH COOK For almost two years, Rebekah Austin, who teaches third grade at Oak Mountain Elementary School, has been using robots to teach students critical thinking skills.

Students are grouped together as a team and given a small robot to build. They then program that robot to navigate through a small field that looks similar to an obstacle course, Austin said.

Watching her students build the robots and program them for specific functions has been something special, she said.

“It’s so cool to see them set their robots out, program it to do something, and then see them say ‘we need to go forward this much more, turn it this many rotations this way’ — that’s a really cool thing to see,” Austin said. “They’re learning so many problem-solving skills and logical-thinking skills.”

Since the program launched at the school last year, Austin has had more than 60 students work with the robots — some even going on to compete in statewide competitions. Because the program is outside of the school’s standard curriculum, Austin has opened her classroom doors after school for kids who want to learn how to use the robots.

In the new year, however, she said the program will be open to 49 of her regular classroom students.

“My classroom students are dying to get their hands on them,” Austin said, who houses all five robots in her classroom along with the field the robots navigate.

The only barrier preventing her from expanding the elementary school’s budding robotics program is having enough robots for her students. Robotics programs are growing in popularity not only at OMES but across the state, Austin said.

“My dream is to eventually have 15 to 20 robots,” she said.

With each robot costing about $350, however, Austin said it might take a while before that dream becomes a reality.

“So far this year, I’ve had some parent donations, which has been great,” she said.

Raj Vedula, whose daughter is in the robotics program, said he would like to see the program continue. Specifically, Vedula said continuing the school’s robotics program is paramount to piquing student interest in engineering and other programming careers.

“There are so many programming jobs available and no one to fill the positions,” Vedula said, who works as a software engineer in the area. “We’re trying to get the word out in the community that if you teach children at a young age to use critical thinking skills, it’s going to go a long way in our society and community.”

Austin said she’s been surprised to see students who typically wouldn’t show interest in robotics benefit from the program.

“Even if I have kids who robots aren’t their thing, the problem solving and the teamwork that they have to do and trial and error — it makes it worth their time,” she said.

By charging a small fee for her after-school program and getting donations from parents and other local entities, Austin said she has been able to steadily raise funds for the program.

Looking ahead to the next school year, Austin said she is hopeful that the school will be able to continue its robotics program.

OMES is one of few schools in the area that is teaching programming skills to students at such a young age, she said.

“There are a lot of life lessons at work there, too,” Austin said, “working as a team, working together to build something.”

A24 • January 2017

280 Living

BREAKING

out of the

BOX Students use an “invisible ink” pen to find clues around Chelsea High School.

Robert Kirk, an environmental science teacher, has brought the concepts of popular escape rooms into his lesson plans.

Rather than pour through textbooks and take quizzes, students study clues and compile research that takes them through the halls of their school.

Photos by Erica Techo.

Teacher implements ‘Breakout’ tactics in Chelsea classroom

By ERICA TECHO Lock combinations written in invisible ink.

Messages in foreign languages. Clues hidden in lock boxes. These aren’t a part of a spy movie; they are all part of Robert Kirk’s classroom.

Kirk, an environmental science teacher at Chelsea High School, has brought the concepts of popular escape rooms into his lesson plans. Rather than pour through textbooks and take quizzes, students study clues and compile research that takes them through the halls of their school.

“I have been gradually getting rid of everything that resembles school — PowerPoint, lecture, things like that,” Kirk said, who is in his 12th year of teaching. “I want more of a real-world interaction.”

Inspired by Breakout Birmingham, a downtown attraction that puts teams into rooms

280Living.com

January 2017 • A25

The class recently worked on an environmental impact lesson where posters around the school led them to facts on man-made disasters such as Chernobyl, carbon footprint calculators and lessons on monarch butterfly migration.

where they must use clues to escape, Kirk started planning and researching creating lesson plans for teachers and “making millions,” he said with a laugh.

“Lo and behold, I start doing research over the summer and there’s Breakout EDU, which is a nonprofit, open-source site,” Kirk said.

Kirk presented the idea to Chelsea High School Principal Wayne Trucks, who fully supported the idea.

“Mr. Kirk is always eager for a new challenge and eager to find new ways to meet the needs of students, so I was not surprised, and once he explained it to me and the process and what,” Trucks said.

Breakout EDU sells pre-built breakout kits that include tools ranging from USB drives and four types of padlocks to UV lights and pens that allow you to read and write in invisible ink.

The website also includes pre-built lesson plans

that are free to use and involve plans for hiding clues and lock combinations while incorporating educational topics.

During one of their first breakout lessons, students had to use clues to learn their way around the lab. Many lessons start with a video introduction, oftentimes with a hint embedded, and students search for clue after clue to gather information. After students receive a clue, Kirk said he always offers one piece of advice: “Always look around the room, but look with a purpose. Don’t just go tearing everything up,” he said.

When a clue is something students do not know — a statistic they have not learned or a word they are unfamiliar with — Kirk does not shy away from encouraging them to use the modern day power tool — the internet.

“My mantra is ‘You have the world in your hands’ because they always have their phone in

their hands,” Kirk said.

Some teachers shy away from including things such as Google in the classroom, Kirk said, out of fear students will just become zombies obsessively checking their phones. He recognizes them as a resource, he said, rather than a hindrance.

“Education is one of the only professions in existence today that can operate exactly the way it did 50 years ago, and people get away with it,” Kirk said, reiterating that using phones or an internet search is not a bad thing. The way lessons are taught through these Breakout EDU plans are also a way to step away from the old-fashioned ways of teaching, Kirk said, and thereby reach out to more students.

While it might not seem like running around a school searching for secret messages would lend itself to a productive classroom, Kirk said students have realized all the information they

have internalized throughout the class. The first breakout was on lab safety, taking students to places such as the eye-wash station. There, they would scan a QR code and read about when and how to use the station. Next, they’d get a code that led to information on how to handle a fire.

“They’re so into getting the locks, and they get so competitive with each other that they don’t realize they’re getting content,” Kirk said.

“They don’t realize they’re learning things.”

For visual or hands-on learners, this type of lesson is a better way to pick up on information.

Caleb Gore, one of Kirk’s students, said while there are people who do better with textbooks and tests, he benefits from the more visual aspect of this class’s lessons.

“It’s a fun way of doing work without doing work,” said student Arielle Rooks. Rooks also noted that while it is nice to not worry about tests or quizzes or lectures, it is daunting to know her grade rests on opening one of the breakout boxes.

In November, the class was working on an environmental impact lesson where posters around the school led them to facts on manmade disasters such as Chernobyl, food web simulators, carbon footprint calculators, lessons on monarch butterfly migration and other environmental topics.

The next step, Kirk said, is applying those lessons around the school. He plans to instill a recycling program with a community recycling dumpster and promote school wildlife by planting a garden that attracts butterflies and bees.

With the next breakout session — alternative energy — he envisions installing a solar-powered cellphone charging station.

“Whatever way we can apply what goes on in the classroom to the entire school, the greater impact it’s going to have because it’s that real world application that really sells it for the students,” Trucks said.

Introducing new teaching methods in the classroom is a good way to introduce lessons to students who do not enjoy learning through memorization or textbooks, Kirk said, but it is also a way to teach them a different way of learning.

“Hopefully they’ll walk away with a little knowledge of environmental science, but more so a new way of thinking,” he said.

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A26 • January 2017

280 Living

MEETING THE

people of Greystone

By SYDNEY CROMWELL There’s a story behind each face that walks through the halls of Greystone Elementary.

By the end of the school year, art teacher Blue Horn hopes to know all of them.

Horn has taught in Hoover City Schools for 23 years — first at Trace Crossings and Shades Mountain elementary schools, then at Greystone for the past nine years. About two years ago, she fell in love with the photography project Humans of New York and decided to propose a similar project at her school.

“I was fascinated and taken by it all at once,” Horn said.

With a name change to People of Greystone — to avoid the unflattering acronym HOG — Horn brought the project to life this school year.

Her goal is to feature the entire student body, as well as teachers, parents and all the other people who make an impact on the school.

“I want to get everybody … because they’re all a part of our community and what makes our school function,” Horn said.

The process is straightforward. Horn, along with two parent volunteers and peer helpers from Spain Park High School, choose a few People of Greystone subjects each week to take their picture and ask a few questions. Another parent transcribes the interviews to be posted on the website, peopleofgreystone.com, and music teacher Sara Womack posts them on the People of Greystone Facebook page.

One of the big challenges, Horn said, is asking the right questions to draw out interesting answers, especially from elementary school students who clam up as soon as she turns on the tape recorder. She said the project has been a “big fat learning experience.”

But along the way, Horn has discovered just how wide a web Greystone Elementary has in the community. It’s not just students, teachers and parents, but also grandparents, visitors, Hoover police officers and even regular delivery drivers. These interviews often lead to

Greystone Elementary art teacher Blue Horn with her tools for People of Greystone: a camera and a recorder. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

much longer conversations after the recorder has been turned off.

“The community, our little bubble here, is actually so much bigger, and it joins so many other parts of Hoover or Birmingham based on just who comes into the school,” Horn said.

It also helps the students get to know people at their school who they otherwise would rarely meet.

“It’s wonderful to spotlight people and their individuality and their diversity, and the kids

love it,” Horn said.

Some of the interviews are more serious, Horn said, such as a student who talked about his Tourette’s diagnosis or a boy with color blindness. However, most are fairly lighthearted, such as the young girl who just wanted to talk about how much she was enjoying the taste of her gum.

“The happy stuff is nice,” Horn said.

People of Greystone has become popular with the school faculty and students. In

October, the school turned Horn’s web project into an art installation at the entrance to the school. The pictures and interviews can be changed regularly, so there will always be a new person to learn about.

Though she started the project and is still its driving force, Horn emphasized that the focus shouldn’t be on her.

“I really have a problem with attention on me, but I love shared attention for, really, all people,” Horn said.

280Living.com

January 2017 • A27

Rosie Butero Instructional support teacher

Photos courtesy of People of Greystone.

I started working with kids with special needs, actually with adults with special needs, when I was a junior in high school … a long time ago. Let’s see, that would have been 1980. It was a service project. I went to Catholic high school and had to do a service project. So, I did that for a summer. Then, in my senior year, I decided I wanted to be in education and special ed was where I wanted to be. I have been doing for … this is my 32nd year in the classroom, all in special education. I don’t know about the specialness of the person teaching, but it takes a lot of endurance to be in this setting. I just heard someone say they have been doing this for 25 years, and I have passed that mark. I just don’t know how much longer my body is going to take it, and my mind.

Skye Greystone Elementary student I am thinking about, well, it’s really fun… like doing my work and stuff.

My favorite thing to do in the classroom is my homework. I really do; it’s fun!

Ms. Louis-Jeune Parent We were at Inverness before, but we moved into the Greystone area.

This, so far, has been the best thing that has happened in our lives. I really feel like family when I come to Greystone Elementary. My kids, you can tell how much better they feel about this school. That brought a lot of happiness and joy to the home. As a mother, when your child is happy, you don’t have a choice but to be extremely happy. So, I thank God for this school and for all the teachers.

Mr. Richard Custodian

Max Greystone Elementary student

What do I like about working at Greystone? I like just working, period.

You know. It’s really great. I have been here since Day 1, you know.

I am thinking about that I can jump off the swing and touch the sky. I am thinking about that I am fire resistant. That means I can walk on fire without even dying.

A28 • January 2017

280 Living

Inverness Elementary students build skills, nurture relationships through new program

By JESSE CHAMBERS

Students visit Anna Frances Walker’s classroom during Inverness CREW. They colored placemats to give to Jimmie Hale Mission as a Thanksgiving activity. Photo by Erica Techo.

Teachers and administrators at Inverness Elementary School are excited about a new initiative they believe is helping build community, nurture positive relationships with and between students and, perhaps most importantly, boost students’ life and career skills.

The program is called Everyday GREAT, which stands for grit, respect, empathy, adventure and teamwork.

The school’s 600 students, from kindergarten through third grade, all take part in this fun, daily training. Not every student can be elected president or become a millionaire, but every student can learn “those everyday things that people can do great,” said Assistant Principal Jeff Norris.

Students are learning about “looking adults in the eye and calling them by name,” Norris said.

“Greeting people when they see them. We’ve seen a big impact. It is character building, but it’s also a way of life.”

“Everyday GREAT is an exciting way for students to build character traits that will help them throughout life,” said second-grade teacher Kristen Sanders.

The program helps prepare students for careers, according to Norris, who said business people have given Shelby County schools “information about the skills they want graduating seniors to have, and so we’re trying to instill those innate soft skills in our students at a young age.”

Teachers are trained in the GREAT characteristics and share them with students through lessons and other activities.

“With adventure last month, we talked about a growth mindset with our teachers,” Norris said, who added that in the past, educators had tended to view intelligence or ability as “static,” which could limit a student’s sense of possibility.

The adventure concept is more expansive.

“Everyone’s growing all the time, so there’s no ceiling,” Norris said. “Everyone is taking risks, challenging themselves and trying new things.”

Students also learned about grit, the ability to stick with tough tasks.

“I overheard a student encouraging their partner that was having a hard time on their math work by saying, ‘You can do it, just have grit and keep trying,’” Sanders said.

Everyday GREAT helps build a positive classroom atmosphere, according to third-grade teacher Niki Burke. “We cheer for each other, show respect to one another, and we’re ready to try new adventures — even if that adventure seems intimidating,” she said.

One of the centerpieces of the effort is Inverness Crew, monthly meetings where each teacher gathers with a multi-age group of students to foster positive relationships. In the interest of sustaining long-term bonds, incoming students will stay with the same Crew and teacher for four years, Norris said.

Music teacher Kimberly Youngblood said Crew is helping to build relationships that might not otherwise happen.

“It gives me, as a teacher, an opportunity to make a deeper connection with some of my students, and for the students in my Crew in different grade levels to make connections with students that they normally do not get to interact with,” she said.

One of the greatest benefits of Everyday GREAT has been the way it nurtures the school community, according to Norris.

“It’s been the neatest thing to hear people say good morning and call each other by name just like a family member,” he said. “I think Inverness has always been known for a sense of community, but to see it in action this year has been great.”

280Living.com

January 2017 • A29

The RIDE of a LIFETIME Shelby Humane Society transport program helps save hundreds of dogs from euthanasia

By ERICA TECHO Most dogs enjoy long car rides, but for some animals, it’s their best chance at survival.

That’s the case with many dogs and cats at Shelby Humane Society, where overcrowding was a problem in the past. Rather than wait for months at the Humane Society, the shelter’s transport program helps takes the animals up north, where they have a much higher chance of being adopted.

“Sometimes they find homes within days of arrival, when those dogs waited months and months here [in Shelby County],” said Cassidy Sklar, transport and grants coordinator for Shelby Humane Society. “The transport program is our lifeblood.”

Volunteer drivers take a transport van with about 30 dogs to partner shelters, oftentimes driving between 12 and 24 hours nonstop. The driving part is hard, said North Shelby County resident Laura Steen, but the end result is rewarding.

“It’s hard to drive all night, but it’s rewarding at the end because you know you have taken dogs from probably not getting a home to definitely getting a home,” she said.

Steen started driving transport trips seven years ago, a year after the transport program started, after she heard about the transport program through a Birmingham News article.

“I’ve been doing rescue for a long time and thought this would be something where I could do more,” Steen said. “I could take more dogs, rescue more dogs.”

Steen and her driving partner, Greenwood resident Traci Davis, have gone on two or three trips a year, taking between 20 and 30 dogs on each drive. Davis and Steen met through the Basset Hound Rescue of Alabama, and when Davis heard about the opportunity for transport trips, she jumped at the idea. “[I thought that] sounds like a quick way to save about 30 to 40 dogs,” Davis said.

Even though the trips are “exhausting and stinky and hard,” Davis said the overall experience is wonderful.

“Just knowing that you’re saving that many lives is amazing,” Davis said, unable to hold back tears.

MAJOR CHANGES

Steen and Davis took the shelter’s new transport van on its maiden voyage in November, driving 12 hours through the night to a shelter in Wisconsin. They took 28 dogs and puppies on the trip. The new van was funded through a PetSmart Charities grant, and Sklar said the shelter and volunteers were excited about its amenities.

As they stood outside of Shelby Humane Society in late November about 7 p.m., Steen, Davis and Sklar talked through the differences with former transport vans — a dividing wall between the kennels and front of the van, adjustable air conditioning in the back and front

Transport trips are one way Shelby Humane Society keeps its overcrowding down. It has not had to euthanize animals due to space issues since the transport program began. Photo by Erica Techo.

of the van, a backup camera and new crates.

“Those crates are my pride and joy,” Sklar said, pointing to the plastic crates with solid bottoms. The crates replaced the all-wire crates they used to use, which Sklar said were not ideal.

Since the transport program started in 2008, it has seen several changes, Sklar said. The shelter partnered with the ASPCA in 2008, which helped Shelby Humane Society improve its adoption process and medical care for pets.

It also introduced them to the transport program — and helped save hundreds of dogs.

“Through the ASPCA, we were able to get in touch with a few shelters in New England,” Sklar said. “When we started doing transport trips, our euthanasia rates decreased significantly.”

Before starting the transport program, Shelby Humane Society would sometimes have to euthanize animals due to space issues. They have not had to do that in almost eight years, Sklar said.

“While there (are) many, many important aspects of what we do, that to us is probably one of the most important — to keep our euthanasia rates down,” Sklar said.

It is unfair to euthanize a dog when “they’re perfectly sociable and healthy,” Sklar said, so

she is glad to see animals get transported to shelters up north.

Most northern states have animal welfare laws that clamp down on backyard breeders and require pet owners to spay and neuter their animals, Sklar said, which ends up being a chain reaction that limits the number of animals that end up in shelters. “[Animals are] less likely to develop behavior problems and go roaming, which causes those shelters [up north] to be a lot less full than our shelters,” Sklar said. “In Alabama, it’s a free-for-all. Your cat and your dog are your property, and you can do what you want with your property.”

Through the ASPCA and later through a PetSmart Charities transport program, Shelby Humane Society has been connected with more than 10 transport partners. They communicate directly with the shelters and organize transports where there is a need.

“Their shelters are literally, a lot of times they’re just empty,” Sklar said. “And a lot of people up there are on [adoption] waiting lists.”

IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS

While the new transport van was funded by a charity grant, Sklar said it is impossible to

emphasize the importance of volunteers for the transport program.

“It’s tough getting volunteers for this because you’re asking people to drive for 12 hours or 24 hours straight through [the night] with a bunch of dogs, so some people don’t know if they can do that,” Sklar said. “But the whole reason we even have a transport program, is because of our volunteer drivers.”

Once people take those trips, however, Sklar said it is a major accomplishment to save all of those dogs at once. And although some people cannot believe she dedicates entire weekends to driving a van full of dogs, Steen said it is always worth the feeling she gets seeing dogs unloaded at a shelter where they have guaranteed homes. She’d encourage anyone wanting to give back to try it out.

“If they wanted to be able to help a lot of dogs at one time, and they’re OK with driving a van and OK with driving all night, this is the best way to do it,” she said. “Of course there are other things they can do, but you can help the most dogs for the least amount of time.”

To volunteer as a transport driver or to donate to Shelby Humane Society’s transport program, go to shelbyhumane.org or call the shelter at 669-3916.

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A30 • January 2017

280 Living

A NEW

JOURNEY

By ERICA TECHO

I Above: Greg Hasberry, Cade Kuykendall and Bob Kuykendall plan to hike Mount Kilimanjaro this summer.

Right: Hasberry and Greg Kuykendall have worked to physically recover from the kidney transplant surgeries they underwent in 2015. Photos

by Erica Techo.

n May 2015, Greg Hasberry and Bob Kuykendall were undergoing surgery. For Hasberry, it was a lifesaving surgery.

For Kuykendall, it was life-giving — he was giving Hasberry one of his kidneys.

The two men have undergone a year and a half of recovery since their kidney surgeries, and in June, they plan on taking on a new challenge — Mount Kilimanjaro. Hasberry, Kuykendall and his son, Cade Kuykendall, plan to go on the trip, and they hope it will carry several messages. One hope is that they can raise money and awareness for the Kidney Foundation; another is to encourage everyone to give back. They also hope by sharing personal stories of physical, emotional and spiritual struggle, they can help others through the difficult times they are facing.

“When I heard about this potential Kilimanjaro thing, I thought, ‘That’s what we need, a new struggle to do together,’” Kuykendall said. “Something to overcome because that seems to be the only way to get people.”

They hope to connect with people overcoming their own struggles, whether money or stress or depression, Kuykendall said.

Both he and Hasberry had to confront their own obstacles around the time of the transplant surgery.

Hasberry, a nationally known bodybuilder and trainer, had to confront the toll his kidney failure and the subsequent years of dialysis took on his body.

“Truthfully, I’ve always been such a person who relies on their physicality for things, that to have it taken away from me was a huge mind game,” he said. “It’s a very real process from a mental standpoint, that I totally underestimated.”

At the same time, Kuykendall was going through a rough time in his personal faith.

“I was really in a stressful place, and the more I prayed, the less response I got,” Kuykendall said.

Obstacles and milestones made him cynical about religion,

280Living.com he said, when he got a call from Hasberry.

The questions Hasberry had could easily be answered over the phone, but Kuykendall said he felt the need to see him in person. He heard about Hasberry’s need for a donor and suddenly was faced by multiple donor-related messages.

On a family trip to Auburn, Kuykendall sat down with a man who had donated a kidney eight years prior. At the time, Kuykendall did not know that, but it just happened to come up in conversation. Once they got home from the trip, Kuykendall saw ads about becoming an organ donor on TV. “I think the truth of it is, he [God] was doing a ‘two birds with one stone’ kind of thing,” Kuykendall said. “I think it was as much about me and the process I was in as it was about him and finding a new kidney.”

God was working to strengthen Kuykendall’s faith at the same time as he was answering Hasberry’s prayers for a kidney, Kuykendall said. The way they helped each other through a difficult time is something Kuykendall hopes to pass along to others through their Kilimanjaro trip.

“My big kick in this whole thing is people interacting with each other,” Kuykendall said. “How many people do we come in to contact with every day that may need something that we’ve got? Whether it’s just a word of advice or a thought or a hug or freaking eye contact.”

For Hasberry, the trip also means projecting a message of hope. Before he found out Kuykendall was approved as a donor, Hasberry had started to tell close friends he was not sure he would make it.

“I was getting tired; I was beat up,” he said.

“I was having to cut my days down at work, and I could feel myself failing. I had to come to peace with it.”

The journey also caused Hasberry to face and eventually lose his greatest coping mechanism — anger. Family says, “I’m more prepared for war than I am anything else,” Hasberry said, and that anger and physical strength was something he took into his fight against kidney disease.

“I probably lived a little angry because it

January 2017 • A31

Bob Kuykendall chose to bring his teenage son, Cade, on the trip so he could be inspired by Greg Hasberry’s journey.

kept me motivated. Even that ran out,” he said.

Once it ran out, Hasberry had to find strength elsewhere. For him, it was in his faith.

“One of the largest things that I’ve realized through this whole process is nobody, not a single one of us, can do this on our own,” he said. “You think you can, but you’re going to get to a point where you’re going to need a hand spiritually, emotionally. When I say that you need something, all you really need is God.” Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is both a physical and spiritual goal for Hasberry, who

said it is a way to prove the progress he has made in a year and a half.

“Getting to the top of the world, to me, symbolizes getting as close to God as I can while I’m here,” Hasberry said.

In the months leading up to the trip, all three travelers are working to prepare emotionally and physically. Even though physicians see Hasberry at 100 percent, he said he feels closer to 80 percent. Kuykendall and his son are going on regular walks to prepare for the mountain. And all three are working to generate community support.

Local businesses, including Alabama Outdoors, Planet Fitness on Valleydale

Road and ARC Realty, have reached out to sponsor their trip, which Kuykendall said is encouraging.

“It gives me a little bit of hope, that these guys came to us and say, ‘Hey we want to give a little help,’” he said.

If businesses, which have the ultimate goal to make money, are willing to donate, Kuykendall said he believes individuals will give back as well. And once they hit their goal for the trip, Kuykendall said they can send any other donations directly to the Kidney Foundation.

To follow updates on their trip or to donate, go to team.kidney.org and search “Mountain.”

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

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JANUARY 2017

Wildlife Center plans bald eagle building

By SYDNEY CROMWELL The Alabama Wildlife Center soon may be permanent home to two symbols of America.

AWC Executive Director Doug Adair said the center is raising funds to build a 90-foot-wide enclosure behind the existing main building, which houses educational exhibits and rehabilitation facilities. The new enclosure would be home to a Eurasian eagle-owl, which came to the center about two months ago, and two bald eagles to be used as education program birds.

“We think this will be an extraordinary addition … and really take us to the next level,” Adair said.

The AWC treats nearly 2,000 wild birds per year for release, but it also keeps several birds of prey trained to be handled and participate in education programs at schools, clubs and events across the state. Adair said the center’s education programs have seen exponential growth in the past three years, increasing from about 35 educational visits to more than 330 in 2016.

Adair said the bald eagle enclosure would be a destination for visitors from across the state, as the only other bald eagle on educational exhibit in Alabama is on the Gulf Coast. However, they also would be able to travel with the other ambassador birds to teach about wildlife conservation.

“One eagle could be out participating in educational programming, and one could always be in the mew,” Adair said.

Building the enclosure, which will be elevated due to the steep hillside, will include creating a new pathway and getting rid of a couple of outdoor enclosures to make the path ADA-compliant. There will be new exhibits built along with the path, as well as information stations at the eagle and eagle-owl enclosure.

Above: A rendering of the planned owl enclosure for the Eurasion eagle-owl.

Courtesy of Alabama Wildlife Center.

Left: AWC Director of Education and Outreach Scottie Jackson holds a Eurasian eagle-owl, one of their education ambassador birds. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

The cost to build the enclosure is about $240,000, and Adair said they plan to raise funds for that through grants and donations. The AWC does not receive state or federal funds and uses donations to run its day-to-day work.

The Shelby County government has offered its help through engineering and design work.

“It’s been very gratifying to see how excited [county manager] Alex Dudchock and the folks with Shelby County have been about this project,” Adair said.

In the long term, the AWC wants to expand and build an enclosure specifically for rehabilitating large raptor species such as bald eagles, osprey and vultures. The center can do preliminary treatment when these injured species

arrive, but they do not have the space to get the birds back to a releasable condition. Instead, the AWC transports these birds to another bird center in Auburn.

“While we have this immediate opportunity with the education programs, our ultimate goal is to construct this rehabilitation mew,” Adair said.

Once the enclosure is constructed, the AWC will find its occupants through its network of bird rehabilitators across the country. Though the AWC does sometimes treat bald eagles, Adair said their goal is always to release when possible, and the education bald eagles will be birds that could not be released for some reason. This is the case with the Eurasian eagleowl that will share the enclosure. Though not a

U.S. native species, he came to the center from another facility in Wyoming after being seized from an unfit owner.

“He is quite an attention-getter,” Adair said.

Keeping a bald eagle requires stringent permitting processes and a caretaker with 500 certified hours handling bald eagles. AWC Director of Education and Outreach Scottie Jackson already has many of these hours and will be able to complete them and train others once they receive the permit.

“What is ordinarily the most challenging hurdle in the permitting process is not a challenge for us,” Adair said.

Go to awrc.org to learn more about the Alabama Wildlife Center’s work.

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280 Living

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January 2017 • B3

B4 • January 2017

280 Living

FINDING HIS

VOICE Motivational speaker Chris Taylor starts local nonprofit aimed at building sense of redemption

By GRACE THORNTON

Motivational speaker Chris Taylor at a men’s group at Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church. Photo by Erica Techo.

Over the course of his life — more times than he can count — Chris Taylor has looked for his voice, and it just hasn’t been there.

“I’ve always had a speech impediment,” he said. “I used to go out behind my house and try to call girls, and I had so much trouble.

They’d hang up on me before I could ever get any words out.”

So as a young guy, he struggled with his identity, he said. He tried to find his self-worth in the fact that he could run fast or that he drove a nice Jeep.

“I covered up a lot of things on the inside with what I had or what I was able to do. Ultimately, it didn’t work,” Taylor said. “That’s why today I really have a big heart for our millennial generation. I want to help them see that they need their own purpose, their own platform, and help them find their own voice.”

And he does that by putting his own voice in front of a microphone, surprising as that may be, he said. These days, he’s a motivational speaker, challenging people from teens to corporate professionals to add a voice to their story.

“One moment, I can’t order a Big Mac, and the next I’m speaking in front of a crowd,” Taylor said.

It’s a testimony to how God can bring hope in the middle of our hardest struggles, he said.

“I want to help teenagers feel a sense of redemption when they step in as a hero, or when they help someone out who’s being bullied,” Taylor said.

“

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January 2017 • B5

He doesn’t mind ripping off the veil and letting people see his shortcomings. It gives people courage to share their own struggles ... Chris empowers you and allows you to connect with others in vulnerability.

”

DAVID BOBO

Chris Taylor is a motivational speaker who addresses groups ranging from teenagers to corporate professionals. He now has a Ph.D. in educational psychology and serves as a counselor, chaplain and educator, helping others learn how to work through their struggles and succeed. Photo courtesy of Chris Taylor.

His nonprofit organization, Bridgework, is aimed at building that sense of redemption — making connections in the community so people reach out and give their neighbors a hand up.

It’s a powerful message, said David Bobo, who first heard Taylor speak at a father-son breakfast for the football team at Oak Mountain High School.

“He’s got such a good story,” Bobo said.

At that breakfast, Taylor talked about a group of boys who made fun of him relentlessly in school until one day a football player stepped in and told them he’d had enough.

“It meant the world to Chris that someone chose to help him, that someone was willing to stand up for what was right and say, ‘We aren’t

going to tolerate this,’” Bobo said. “That story stuck with me.”

It was vivid and raw, and because of that, it was impactful, he said.

“Chris is excellent about showing vulnerability,” Bobo said. “It’s a gift he has. He doesn’t mind ripping off the veil and letting people see his shortcomings. It gives people courage to share their own struggles — maybe it’s that dad who is struggling with raising his kids, or that teenager who doesn’t know how to succeed. Chris empowers you and allows you to connect with others in vulnerability.”

And those connections, Taylor said, link us all to life’s big story.

“If we stay in our little bitty stories, we can

get caught up in depression,” he said. “We have to see the bigger story. We need to be a part of something larger than we are.”

For instance, one of his little bitty stories was the fact that he got an 11 on the ACT. But he didn’t let that stop him from pursuing the bigger story.

He now has a Ph.D. in educational psychology and serves as a counselor, chaplain and educator, helping others learn how to work through their struggles and succeed.

“You have to find your story based on how you’re wired and how you’re made,” he said, noting that he’s helped organizations start movements among their employees and helped high school students learn how to be themselves and make a difference.

“He’s a great guy, encouraging people, helping them and connecting them and showing them how to base their life around biblical principals,” Bobo said. “And he uses examples from his own life to show how guys can be a lifesaver for other people.”

Besides that football player, another lifesaver for Taylor was a man who stopped to talk to him one day on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

“It was Chris’ first day of classes, and he was nervous, so he had trouble speaking and he got really overwhelmed,” Bobo said.

His class schedule was a mess — some weren’t where they were scheduled to be or weren’t meeting at all, and Taylor didn’t know what to do. He was starting to think maybe he wasn’t cut out for the university life.

“So he was sitting on a bench on campus and starting to cry,” Bobo said, “and a gentleman walked by and said, ‘What’s wrong?’”

That gentleman happened to be the university’s admissions director, and he took Taylor back to his office, rearranged his schedule and got him back on track.

“That guy kept him in it, and he was able to keep going,” Bobo said. “And these days, he’s a lifesaver like that for a whole lot of people.”

For more information, go to bridgework.biz or email Taylor at chris@bridgework.biz.

B6 • January 2017

280 Living

N O I T C NG SE

n e m o W

L A I C E P

S

ISI T R E ADV

Running a business takes ambition, smarts and a lot of drive.

IN

S S E N I S BU

2017

The women who run businesses along the 280 corridor have all three, plus a passion for what they do.

From retail and food to health care and fitness, our annual Women In Business feature is a chance to get to know some of the faces behind the success of many of the businesses in our area.

280 CORRIDOR MIMI CLARK-NEWTON AMERICAN EAGLE MOVING & TRANSPORT A moving business may be considered a man’s world, but that doesn’t faze Mimi Clark-Newton a bit.

Mimi started American Eagle Moving & Transport (AEM) in 2008, transitioning from the corporate world to a “sheer leap of faith.”

The Mt Laurel resident and her husband, Stephen Newton, a pharmacist, said they love seeing the white American Eagle Moving trucks driving on U.S. 280.

AEM is a family-owned and operated business.

Her son, Ian Pope, is the operations manager, and Myra Avalos is her office manager. Several other relatives, including her other son, Kenneth II, have also worked for the ► WHERE: 5511 U.S. 280, company over the years.

Suite 306, Greystone Mimi hopes to see the ► CALL: 623-2150 business in the hands ► WEBSITE: american of her grandchildren. eaglemovingusa.com Although Mimi has never moved furniture herself, she is hands-on with the day-to-day operations of her company.

Mimi attributes her success to her philosophy of service and her attention to the hiring of her workers.

“I place myself in the shoes of my customers. I wouldn’t hire movers to do a job that I didn’t trust to move my house.” Her movers, mostly college students and young adults, are expected to demonstrate professionalism and good hygiene and undergo background checks.

Since Mimi opened her doors, she has committed to making sure her staff had good equipment and that they stay healthy and hydrated on the job. In fact, the trucks are stocked with water coolers of bottled water.

Mimi also prides herself by not “following the herd” and moving her business into the 21st century, utilizing technology to enhance her business acumen. “It’s just all about doing your own footwork,” Mimi said.

It’s been that way from the start. She recalled the hard early years of the business when she built the first website for the company, researched and shopped the moving trucks and necessary equipment herself,

impressing the dealerships with her understanding of trucks. There are now several trucks in her fleet ranging from 24 to 29 feet in length.

Mimi’s success is also attributed to her own original thinking by following her own ideas and not focusing on how her competitors are doing business.

“If I did [pay attention to other moving companies], then I’m doing something wrong with my own company.”

It’s this philosophy that sustained her 2,580 customers in 2015.

American Eagle Moving & Transport provides moving

services not only for individual residents, businesses and decorators, but also for government agencies.

They also provide services for out-of-state moves. The company also gives back to the community by helping local charities.

Mimi has a passion for every part of her company. It’s her passion and drive that tells her she’s in her chosen career.

“It’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination, especially being a woman in a man’s world,” Mimi said.

“I just love my company.”

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

January 2017 • B7

DRS. JOYCE KOPPANG, SAEMA MIRZA, ANURADHA RAO, ELIZABETH BRANSCOMB CARDIOVASCULAR ASSOCIATES

A

healthy heart is key to a long, healthy life. A healthy brain and healthy blood vessels supplying all of the organs of your body are important too.

Cardiovascular Associates (CVA) is a world-class group of cardiologists who are trained at some of the country’s finest programs, are on the cutting edge of modern cardiac care and have deep roots in metropolitan Birmingham and the surrounding locales.

At CVA, you can access some of the most upto-date prevention approaches for your blood pressure and cholesterol to high quality expertise for the most complex of cardiovascular cases involving coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, vein disorders, irregular heart rhythms, congestive heart failure, valve disease and women’s cardiac issues to name a few.

The practice also participates in important international research. Their cardiologists go to many area hospitals where just requesting CVA for your cardiac care can help you access this first-class expertise.

CVA has been serving patients across central Alabama for 70 years, with its main office at the Colonnade off of 280 and 13 other outreach locations. Along with the easily accessible and affable group of physicians, nurse practitioners and employees, it houses an array of highly sophisticated and high quality cardiac testing and monitoring.

Among the fine physicians of CVA are four woman cardiologists: Dr. Elizabeth Branscomb, Dr. Joyce Koppang, Dr. Saema Mirza and Dr. Anu Rao. Although equal numbers of men and woman graduate from medical school, less than 15 percent of cardiologists are women.

“Women are underrepresented as cardiologists, and to find a prominent cardiology group, interested in your abilities regardless of gender, is important to us and the women we serve,” Rao said.

Mirza said she enjoys that her job makes her a “jack of all trades.” She travels between

► WHERE: 3980 Colonnade Parkway (main campus) ► CALL: 510-5000 ► WEBSITE: cvapc.com Brookwood, Grandview and Citizens Baptist medical centers to treat cases of heart disease, mitral valve prolapse, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease and more.

“Men and women who want a smart, caring cardiologist should come to CVA. We can take care of all your heart needs and offer all noninvasive testing right here on campus,” Mirza said.

Heart health is about more than treating these serious diseases. Rao said early efforts to understand individual risk and avoid certain lifestyle choices can prevent some heart problems from occurring later in life. Rao and Koppang said that CVA has the collective knowledge of 33 cardiologists to draw on for each patient’s benefit.

“I enjoy helping people figure out if they’re at risk for or have heart disease, then helping them get on a path to long-term cardiovascular wellness. I take great pleasure in the long-term relationships I’ve formed with many patients and their extended families,” Rao said. “A prevention checkup can save you a lot of ‘heartache’ later.”

CVA doctors have unique skills, research backgrounds and interests that they bring to the table. Rao was among the first cardiologists to develop a women’s heart health program in the U.S. about 20 years ago, and it’s an issue she believes still needs more awareness. She is especially passionate about a thoughtful approach to diagnosing heart disease in women and avoiding unnecessary ionizing radiation, when appropriate, as it is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in women especially under the age of 50.

CVA offers high quality stress echocardiography that their cardiologists employ frequently to cut down on such radiation exposure. Branscomb brings important expertise in nuclear cardiology

and helped develop advanced noninvasive evaluation tools such as cardiac PET stress testing, which is another incredibly useful tool in both men and women. In women who need nuclear testing, this type of testing can cut down on the false positive tests that can result from the breasts and stomach getting in the way of the scans. A false positive test can result in unnecessary invasive testing and unneeded risk.

“The techniques we developed had never been done on this scale before,” Branscomb said.

“Besides widespread recognition for diagnostic quality, our measures to increase patient safety are now the standard. More importantly, for the past 10 years, we have been able to better diagnose heart problems in thousands of patients, particularly women and larger patients, where imaging is challenging using the normal SPECT stress testing commonly in use. Beyond those skills, however, is my heartfelt desire to really grasp what my patients and their families may be going through in their lives.

“Each person is unique, and I strive to understand not just their symptoms, but also how cardiovascular care can help the patient as a whole,” Branscomb added.

Koppang said a good doctor should focus on the whole patient, not just the heart.

“When I am taking care of my patients, I become very invested in their care. I pay particular attention to the details that I believe in the long run lead to better outcomes. I treat my patients as if they were my own family members,” Koppang said.

The main Cardiovascular Associates campus is located at 3980 Colonnade Parkway. Call 5105000 or visit cvapc.com for more information about services and locations. Ask your doctor or hospital for a referral to CVA!

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

280 Living

LAURA PURVIS DECORATING DEN INTERIORS In 1999, Decorating Den Interiors owner Laura Purvis began sewing custom window treatments in her basement after a friend needed draperies for a new home. It was the beginning of a career.

“My hobby grew into a full custom window treatment workroom,” Purvis said.

In 2013, she decided it was time to offer her clients more than just curtains. She purchased Decorating Den Interiors, the world’s largest interior decorating franchise company.

“It was one of the best decisions I ever made,” she said. “My passion for fabrics and furnishings and my eye for all things design has turned into my dream job.”

Decorating Den Interiors offers full-service interior design services including furniture, accessories, window treatments and remodeling.

“I can handle anything inside the house and out,” Purvis said.

Purvis has access to over 100 vendors, giving her a greater choice of products and saving her time and her clients money.

“I bring everything to the client’s home so they do not have to run around town looking at a thousand sofas to find the right piece,” Purvis said. “Not only can I do furniture and accessories, but I also have 14 years of experience with window treatments of all types. I owned a custom window treatment workroom where I designed and sewed all the window treatments myself.”

When Purvis first launched her business, her top priority was reaching her sales goal. Now, it is about the relationships she builds with her clientele.

“Once I got started I realized that it is about so much more than sales,” she said. “I have a passion for design and I really have a vested interest in bringing my clients the best design ideas possible and to bring some beauty into their homes. I have relationships with my clients.

They end up being friends instead of just clients. I know about their kids and families and usually get to know the entire family, and relationships are built that last much longer than the job.”

Purvis wants to bring a new concept to Birmingham – an all-inclusive design center, similar to something clients might see in Atlanta.

“Birmingham doesn’t have anything like that, and I

want to have a one-stop shop where you can come in and buy furniture, accessories, art, window treatments and remodeling services all under one roof,” she said.

“No more running around town to look for individuals to do each part of the project. You will be able to come

in and see everything at once and get the one-on-one personal service of an interior designer for all your project needs.”

Success to Purvis is happy clients. “I won’t quit until they are overjoyed with their spaces and want to shout to the world what a great experience working with me is,” she said.

Meeting new people, being surrounded daily by beautiful fabrics and furniture, and living up to her business’ mission is what keeps Purvis so professionally fulfilled.

“My business’ mission is to bring beautiful design ideas to my clients in the comfort of their homes and make their dream rooms become reality,” she said.

the rise of Birmingham as one of the country’s hottest food cities.

Because of their business savvy and rapid success, Holley and George were approached last year about selling their franchise to a large corporation, an offer they quickly declined. Instead of being taken over, the Sides decided to form their own independently run company, which will be known as Iron City Delivery. The newly formed company offers all the same great food choices and services as before, but features a brandnew website and mobile app that was developed from the ground up to give Iron City Delivery customers the best online ordering experience possible.

Customers can order food from multiple restaurants

simultaneously and can even schedule orders well in advance of the desired delivery date and time.

Iron City Delivery will enter 2017 as a very successful and mature operation that now includes over 100 partner restaurants and has delivered over 40,000 orders. Iron City Delivery customers can order from a slate of restaurants as diverse as Chick-fil-A, Surin 280, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Jim-n-Nick’s, Chuy’s Tex-Mex and Mugshots Grill and Bar, all without ever leaving the comfort of home.

Compared to the limited choices available when relying on traditional delivery options, Iron City Delivery opens up the exciting world of Birmingham dining to anyone with an appetite and a laptop or smartphone.

► EMAIL: laurap@decoratingden.com ► CALL: 447-4589

HOLLEY SIDES IRON CITY DELIVERY Locally owned Iron City Delivery has been years in the making. Like many couples, Holley Sides and her husband George had dreamed of going into business together, but it wasn’t until the company where they had both worked for a combined 23 years relocated them from Birmingham to Florida that the right opportunity presented itself.

While living in Florida, Holley and George discovered a service called Doorstep Delivery, which they used often to have food ► CALL: 903-FOOD from local and chain ► WEBSITE: ironcity restaurants delivered to delivery.com their home. One night while placing an order, Holley noticed a link on the company’s website for franchise opportunities and was excited by the idea.

“We ordered from the service over 60 times in one year. One night after we ordered, we saw a link on the site for franchise opportunities. The next day my husband called, and here we are today offering great food delivered directly to the people of Birmingham,” Holley Sides said.

In January 2014, Holley and her husband both quit their corporate jobs, moved back to their adopted hometown of Birmingham and purchased their franchise.

“We fell in love with Birmingham and each other at the same time. My love for my husband and the love for our great city are both the inspiration behind my desire to be an entrepreneur,” said Sides.

Holley and George opened their doors in August 2014. They had no partner restaurants, no drivers and no customers. All they had was a love for good food and the idea of making all the great restaurants of Birmingham available by delivery. On Oct. 21, 2014, having partnered with their first 15 local Birmingham restaurants, the Sides launched their website and began making deliveries. It is probably no coincidence that the success of Holley and George’s business has mirrored

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

January 2017 • B9

LISA MARIE EVERYDAY PET STYLES Lisa Marie has always loved animals. From growing up visiting her grandfather’s farm, where he raised bulls and had plenty of dogs, to working in her parents’ pet grooming salon, she knew she was destined to work with animals.

She said working in her parents’ shop was not the ideal summer and holiday plan for a 12-year-old, but she ended up enjoying and loving it.

With 29 years of experience, she opened her own pet salon, Everyday Pet Styles, in Chelsea about nine years ago, and each day she comes in with a dedication to her clients — those with two legs as well as those with four.

Everyday Pet Styles offers a calm, relaxing atmosphere for the dogs, which Marie said is better for their health.

“That’s what I like to provide for my clients — a relaxed environment where they can know that their dog is going to be treated with individual care and not be rushed,” she said. “It takes more time when you do that, but the dogs need it. They know when you’re rushing; they understand that.”

Some grooming facilities try to rush through several dogs, hurrying through the grooming process and overwhelming the animals. More care and more time on individual animals is beneficial, Marie said. It also helps dogs that have been traumatized or that have anxiety in adapting to the grooming process.

“More times than not, it’s been a complete turnaround for the dog, and the owner sees it right away,” she said. “The dog comes running out, wagging, instead of cowering and shaking. … Then, the next time they come, it’s better, and the next time they come it’s even better.”

The individual care also means the groomers can notice changes in the dogs they work with, sometimes catching medical issues. One example, Marie said, was a Yorkie that has come to Everyday Pet Styles for several years. As the groomer was expressing the dog’s anal glands, they noticed a growth and notified the owner. A trip to the vet showed the growth was cancer, and it was treatable.

“A lot of owners don’t, of course, look at that particular area of their dog, so if it had not been discovered, it would have shortened the life of this beloved pet,” Marie said. “This dog is now cancer free, and they are just ecstatic.”

Because they see dogs more frequently than the vet, Marie said it is always important that if they notice

something, they alert the owner.

“Whatever we see that changes, we can send them to the veterinarian and hopefully help the dog,” she said.

Everyday Pet Styles also uses high-quality grooming products that are paraben free, include no harsh chemicals, are non-drying and no-tear products. They also take care to hand dry each dog, making sure no dog has to wait around still damp from a grooming.

Looking toward the future of Everyday Pet Styles, Marie said she hopes there are plenty of dogs coming to her business. “I’m 46, so I’d like to groom for another 40 years,” she said. “I don’t want to stop. It’s good stuff.”

► WHERE: 8687 County Road 11, Chelsea ► CALL: 678-9385 ► WEBSITE: everydaypetstyles.com

AMY PEWITT, SUSAN HAYNES FLAT FEE REAL ESTATE BIRMINGHAM Though they previously knew each other outside of the professional realm, Amy Pewitt and Susan Haynes shared their first office together in 2002.

Even now, as co-owners of Flat Fee Real Estate Birmingham, the two collaborate to provide their clients with the most streamlined and efficient real estate services.

“I consider it like a puzzle, you try to find that perfect house for someone,” Haynes said. “You find out the client’s wants and needs. Then we search and find the best possible matches for their desires.”

Haynes and Pewitt have more than 30 years of combined real estate experience. Pewitt and Haynes began their real estate careers by becoming Certified Real Residential Property Appraisers in approximately 2000.

Both women have appraised thousands of homes and lived in the Birmingham area for more than 30 years, and that experience greatly helps them as knowledgeable real estate agents.

Pewitt said she’s always been intrigued by the real estate business, market prices and various home styles while being able to work with the great people in the Birmingham area.

She said that Flat Fee agents are facilitators in the home owning business, working to provide expert knowledge and guidance to our buyers and sellers.

“As agents, we take the time to really understand the markets. It’s very important for us to understand those prices. We have a good, strong foundation as far as pricing a house correctly and getting sellers and buyers on board,” Pewitt said.

Haynes said they work hard to be upfront about everything in the process and do it the right way, providing the best for their clients. Trust is important, she said.

Haynes said that because there’s so many different areas and school systems in Birmingham, people need guidance with the staggering amount of information available.

“Birmingham and the area is a fantastic place to live

and work. There is an incredible amount of real estate options for buyers and sellers,” Pewitt said.

Haynes agreed that it’s a good market right now, and it should continue throughout 2017.

For now, Pewitt said, their business is growing and they are determined to keep up with it.

“We just look forward to helping as many clients as we can. We are doing a great job with them, and we are just going to continue to grow in Birmingham,” Pewitt said.

► WHERE: 1 Perimeter Park S., Suite 100N ► CALL: 970-6000 ► WEBSITE: flatfeerealestatebirmingham.com

B10 • January 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

280 Living

DR. PAIGE LESTER HEALTHY SMILES OF BIRMINGHAM Helping people was always Dr. Paige Lester’s dream.

She thought of becoming a medical doctor, a veterinarian and a physical therapist, but she found her ideal career in her current field: dentistry.

“What attracted me to dentistry was being able to help people in a health care field while still having the ability to devote time to family,” said Dr. Lester, owner of Healthy Smiles of Birmingham. “I also like that I get to use my artistic talents to create beauty for my patients’ smiles.”

Dr. Lester started practicing in the U.S. 280 area in a partnership with Dr. ► WHERE: 100 Heatherbrooke Jim Clark in 2007.

Four years later, Park Drive she became a solo ► CALL: 991-9535 practice after Clark ► WEBSITE: healthysmilesof moved away. birmingham.com “My goal when I took over was to keep the same friendly atmosphere, high clinical standards and outstanding customer service, and I believe that my team and I have done that,” Dr. Lester said. “My new goal is to continually improve in every way so that we can best serve our patients and give back to our community.”

Dr. Joe Garner recently joined the Healthy Smiles family, bringing many years of experience and expertise, and Dr. Lester said he has been an asset to her practice.

As a dentist, Dr. Lester catches up with patients every three to six months. The ability to develop relationships over the course of several years, Dr. Lester said, is one of her favorite parts of the job.

“This is also what I like about my team,” she said. “As we work together, we become close and grow to care about one another in a way that not all jobs would allow us to. I enjoy seeing my team members every day, and we have an easy time having fun around each other and our patients.”

Healthy Smiles of Birmingham offers a range of services, including regular cleanings, same-day restorations and other procedures, and to Dr. Lester, the

most gratifying services are sleep apnea therapy and cosmetic smile makeovers.

“I love to hear my sleep apnea patients come back to tell me how well they have adapted to their oral appliances, and that their spouse can actually sleep in the same room with them again,” she said. “I also find it so rewarding to see the newfound confidence of a smile makeover patient when we reveal their new, beautiful teeth for the first time.”

Over the last nine years at Healthy Smiles of Birmingham, Dr. Lester said she has enjoyed enthusiastic support from her patients and colleagues, and she always aims to provide the highest quality of care.

While it can sometimes be difficult to balance life as a dentist and mother, Dr. Lester said her support system

always helps her through challenges.

“I am fortunate to have business mentors, both dental and non-dental, who advise me on any challenges I come across as a small business owner, as well as a very supportive husband who is my biggest blessing,” she said.

As her business progresses, Dr. Lester said she looks forward to continuing to provide outstanding customer service and a welcoming atmosphere, using the most up-to-date technology and participating in regular continuing education.

“I believe that more people should be able to have good dental health and a great smile that they will keep for the rest of their lives,” she said. “Dentistry has come such a long way, and it’s exciting to be a part of this journey.”

TRACEY HOGAN HIGH COTTON CANDLE COMPANY Tracey Hogan is the type of person who walks into a shelter to discuss a partnership and ends up leaving with a dog to foster. Giving back is one of her passions, as is creating the perfect scents, and she brings together those two passions in her business, High Cotton Candle Company.

“That’s just been my whole goal: How big can I get my company, and how much can I give? How big is the scope of my giving?” Hogan said.

Hogan started High Cotton Candle Company about two years ago, and her initial plan was to find one candle she could sell as a way to raise money for charities and nonprofits. But God had a different plan, she said.

“He had a bigger plan, and now I have over 30 fragrances, room ► WEBSITE: highcotton sprays, reed diffusers, candleco.com wax melts,” Hogan said, “because his plan is much bigger than what I can see.”

There are seven fragrance lines in High Cotton Candle Company — Signature, Clean, Floral, Cravings, Celebrations, Autumn and Holiday — in addition to Black Label, a line with more masculine scents. The scents are hand mixed by Hogan, who works to recreate scents she loves and that her friends love.

“If I love it, someone else is bound to love it,” Hogan said. “That’s why I have over 30 fragrances. Not everybody is going to like the Southern Sangria or the Flannel, but they might like that Magnolia and they’ll like that Southern Hospitality.”

Even if it takes months to work out the perfect combination of scents to get a certain candle, Hogan said it is worth the work. “I like to make sure I produce high-quality products,” she said.

As her company continues to grow, Hogan aims to also expand upon her message of giving back. She partners with several animal rescues and nonprofits, some of which are listed on her website, and a portion

of each candle sale goes toward supporting those organizations.

“It’s hard for people to look for an avenue to give back, but once they know that every candle that’s purchased goes towards helping an animal or a nonprofit, they’re excited by that,” Hogan said. Her candles provide that avenue to donate, even for people who might not choose to go to a shelter to walk dogs or to drop off donations.

By building her company, however, Hogan is able to do just that. She will stop by shelters to pay adoption

fees for families, and Hogan said she hopes to continue giving back more and more.

She also wants to show people how easy it is to give back. Whether it’s someone seeing her purchase food for a shelter, donate to stop euthanasia for a day or just dropping off a check, Hogan hopes others will follow suit.

“It’s just a chain reaction, so that’s what I’m here for,” Hogan said. “That is exactly, exactly what I’m here for — to make a difference in the lives of children and rescue groups and nonprofits.”

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January 2017 • B11

MECHELLE WILDER ARC REALTY Mechelle Sippial Wilder lives by her mother’s favorite belief: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living will not be in vain.”

“My mother died when I was 16,” Wilder said. “She was a giver, a hard worker and a person who cared about others. I have committed myself to be like my mother.”

Wilder implements that slogan in her life through several venues: loving and caring for her family and friends, giving back through her church, involvement in community and business organizations, volunteering at charities, plus working as a real estate agent. She started this profession in 2001 and has since sold more than $100 million, with $12 million in 2016 alone.

“I am grateful to God for blessing the work of my hands as I seek to serve Him,” Wilder said.

She is a founding partner for ARC Realty, a company started in 2013 that is currently No. 3 in closed sales for the Birmingham area with over 190 agents.

ARC Realty has also been ranked in the Top 20 of the fastest growing companies in central Alabama by the Birmingham Business Journal.

“Real estate is a relationship business built on proven results,” Wilder said. “You must first market yourself and your brand and next perform your work at an excellent level so as to produce a marketable track record of satisfied clients.”

That success in her field, as well as her community involvement, led the Birmingham Association of Realtors® to name Wilder 2016’s Residential Sales Associate of the Year.

“I am honored to continue the positive legacy of the real estate industry in helping buyers and sellers with one of their largest financial transactions — real estate.”

This process gives her a feeling of

accomplishment, but it also involves faith and spiritual support.

“I am fortunate to perform a ministry while doing something I love. I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve prayed with through tough situations.”

One out of state family had just found their perfect home when the husband’s job offer was withdrawn, Wilder said. Wilder prayed with the man’s wife and stayed in contact with the family. Two months later, the man was offered the job again and that family now attends Wilder’s church, where

her husband is the senior pastor.

“This profession is not just about selling a house,” Wilder said, “it’s having an impact on people’s lives, for good.”

Many of her past clients pass along her name to their children, extended family members, coworkers and friends, she said, with 90 percent of her business comes through those types of referrals.

“It’s very humbling that people think that well of you that they not only buy or sell a house with your help, but they refer you to others.”

► WHERE: 4274 Cahaba Heights Court, Suite 200 ► CALL: 969-8910 ► WEBSITE: mwilder.arcrealtyco.com

DRS. JESSICA PALMER, RENA LEWIS NARROWS FAMILY EYE CARE As a resident of Chelsea, Dr. Jessica Palmer saw an opportunity to be part of the wonderful medical community in the Narrows. It was there she decided to open her optometry practice, Narrows Family Eye Care, in June 2007.

“I love helping people see better,” said Dr. Palmer.

“Whether it’s prescribing prism in glasses to help with double vision, being able to help relieve someone’s eye strain related headache, or simply helping a young student see the board better at school, it’s all rewarding to me.”

This year will be Dr. Palmer and Narrows Family Eye Care’s 10th anniversary. In retrospect, Palmer says, “It’s been 10 of the most challenging, yet rewarding years I’ve ► WHERE: 13521 Old been in practice. Chelsea Hwy. 280, Suite 249 has greeted us with open ► CALL: 980-4530 arms, and for that we are ► WEBSITE: narrows extremely humbled.” fec.com Services available at Narrows Eye Care include comprehensive eye health exams, glaucoma treatment, dry eye treatment, glasses and contact lenses. They also have vision therapy exercises to help with crossed or lazy eyes and diagnose and monitor various eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. For convenience, appointments can also be scheduled online.

Last year, Dr. Palmer was the proud recipient of the Greater Shelby Health Care Professional of the year, and credits her staff for creating a friendly, knowledgeable atmosphere with their combined 30 years of experience in the optical field.

“We all strive to stay up to date on the latest treatments and technology, as our office is equipped with specialized, non-invasive equipment for diagnosing and treating retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration,” Dr. Palmer said.

Dr. Rena Lewis joined Narrows Family Eye Care last year. Lewis has over 20 years of optometry experience, mostly in the pediatric clinic at the Eye Foundation Hospital. Lewis has also worked on faculty at the UAB School of Optometry and UAB Department of Ophthalmology.

Assisting Dr. Palmer at her practice are her five employees. Kendall Lawson is her office manager, an optician and also makes the lenses in their on-site lab.

Dr. Palmer’s assistant, Tessa Rodman, handles billing,

helps customers pick out frames and assists with contact lens training. Kent Borders is another optician, and Latisha Brasher is in charge of the front office and handles insurance, scheduling and billing.

This year, Doctors Palmer and Lewis will also be seeing patients at our second location in Sylacauga at the historical Sylacauga Eye Clinic.

Narrows Family Eye Care’s hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon.

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

280 Living

MEREDITH LATIMER, DEANNA PIZITZ, AMY McCOOL PURE BARRE 280 To owners Deanna Pizitz, Amy McCool and Meredith Latimer, Pure Barre 280 is “much more than a workout.”

It’s a community, and it has been since Pizitz opened Pure Barre 280 in February 2011.

“I fell in love with the Pure Barre technique and wanted to share it with others,” Pizitz said. “It was exciting. I learned a lot. The community in the 280 area was very welcoming and excited to be getting a new innovative type of exercise built on community.”

Pure Barre 280 aims to provide a welcoming environment where clients’ exercise and even relational needs can be met in what McCool described as a “support network.”

Women of all ages come for 55 minute, full body workout sessions that focus on muscles most desired to tone. Latimer explained that Pure Barre implements upbeat music and “small, isometric movements” to tone the core, arms, thighs and buttocks. In-between class sections, muscles are stretched to lengthen. “So we build long, lean muscles,” Latimer said.

Toning results are noticeable after 10 classes.

McCool said, “It’s only your own body weight that you’re using, and so it’s safe for people who have injuries or are recovering from a surgery, and it caters to women of all age ranges. So there’s always modifications.”

According to Latimer, Pure Barre workouts are low to no impact and safe for joints. “We say that if you can hold onto the barre, you can do Pure Barre,” she said.

Latimer, McCool and Pizitz made their Pure Barre beginnings as clients at the studio in Homewood. After becoming friends, McCool and Latimer became

► WHERE: 610 Inverness Corners, Hoover ► CALL: 991-5224 ► WEBSITE: purebarre.com/al-280 sisters-in-law. Ultimately, the three women became co-owners of Pure Barre 280 in December 2014 after Latimer and McCool purchased ownership from previous Homewood studio co-owners.

Pure Barre 280 offers first-time clients a four-week trial of unlimited classes for $99. A special New Year’s resolution deal for the month of January 2017 provides five-week, unlimited classes trial for the same price.

To complement the Pure Barre workout, Pure Barre 280 recently added a cardio class called Pure Barre Platform.

Now clients can achieve all the exercise they need.

“It’s almost like interval training,” Latimer said. “You get your heart rate up, you take it down, you still tone each section of your body, still stretch everything out, but you get that cardio aspect.”

A retail shop is open in the Pure Barre lobby, providing a selection of various “street to studio” apparel and accessories.

Pizitz, Latimer and McCool said they enjoy getting to know their customers, even those just who stop by the shop to check out the merchandise.

The owners’ greatest appeal to the business, McCool said, is less the “business side of the things” and more “the clients that are coming through the door.”

“So it’s a lot more about the community that we create within the doors,” Latimer added.

DR. RAYNA DYCK, DR. DEBORAH YOUHN, BRITTANY RIGSBY, CRNP SKIN WELLNESS CENTER OF ALABAMA At Skin Wellness Center of Alabama, the dermatologists try to be a “one-stop shop” for all their patients’ skincare needs.

This includes medical dermatology including acne, psoriasis, keloid scars, alopecia, skin cancer, hair loss and pediatric treatments. The center also provides surgical treatments for more severe conditions and cosmetic treatments including Botox, laser hair or tattoo removal, scar reduction, microdermabrasion, skin tightening and anti-aging services, vein treatment, mole removal and more.

“Our office provides light and photodynamic therapy, as well, in order to provide better centralized care to our patients. We also offer a number of skin and hair care products in-office ► WHERE: 398 Chesser for purchase to again Drive, Suite 6, Chelsea; help provide one-stop, and 1920 Huntington centralized care to our Road, Homewood patients,” board-certified ► CALL: 650-1419 dermatologist Dr. Rayna ► WEBSITE: skinwellDyck said. ness.com For patients from infants all the way up to senior citizens, Dyck said the Skin Wellness staff knows that skin and hair issues are more than just physical.

“Our focus is on the whole patient, not just the skin but the overall physical health, emotional health and social well-being. We do not take lightly the emotional toll skin disorders can take on a patient,” Dyck said.

Dr. Deborah Youhn just joined the Skin Wellness team after 15 years in dermatology. She primarily focuses on skin cancer detection and treatment, but she does treat other skin conditions as well. Youhn said she always feels satisfied when she can help a patient feel better or treat a serious condition before it becomes harmful.

“I love getting to know [patients] and often I take care of whole families. It’s really one of the most satisfying aspects of medicine. It’s also great to be in a field where you can really help someone feel better. Many of the conditions we treat may not be life threatening, but if

you help someone have clearer skin, it can certainly be life changing for them,” Youhn said.

Nurse practitioner Brittany Rigsby entered the dermatology field about 10 years ago, and agreed that patient relationships are integral to treatment.

“I spend time with my patients and try to treat them like a person, not a number,” Rigsby said. “My goal is to make each person love the skin they are in and be as healthy as possible.”

To keep wait times down for patient appointments, SWCA provides a variety of forms online so they can be filled out in advance, along with a portal to access individual medical history.

The SWCA site also features care documents for

several common procedures, such as biopsies or chemical peels, to make sure that patients can heal properly after leaving the office.

Dyck said that SWCA staff “are truly advocates for our patients” by working with pharmacies and insurance companies to keep treatment affordable.

Whether their individual case is minor or major, each patient deserves healthy, beautiful skin.

“My favorite part of this business is the interaction with all of our patients, getting to know many of them on a personal level and feeling that you’ve been able to help them in some way. Also the feeling that you get when you saved someone’s life finding a skin cancer early is great,” Rigsby said.

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January 2017 • B13

APRIL STONE SOUTH SHELBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE In Shelby County, April Stone is known for what she does best: facilitating connections.

“It’s about creating those opportunities for people to meet the people they need to meet,” she said. “It’s about making people aware of what all is out there.”

Stone, who has been the executive director of South Shelby Chamber of Commerce for the last three and a half years, considers Shelby County her one and only home. She has been living there since she was 11 years old, where she used to dream of one day being a TV broadcaster. She got her bachelor’s in mass communications at the University of Montevallo.

Now, even though people in the community recognize her face, it’s not as a local newscaster. Instead, it’s as someone who facilitates relationships through the chamber.

“I’ve been amazed at the connections I’ve been able to help make,” Stone said. “My favorite thing to hear is, ‘Oh, yes, I was at one of your events, and I met someone, and they ended up being a client.’”

Her interests first began to shift in college. As she progressed through her degree, she said she fell in love with writing and eventually, during her senior year, was editor for the college paper, The Alabamian.

She then graduated and worked briefly for a local newspaper and got the opportunity to work in broadcasting. After a two-and-a-half-year stint of working on air and a long 10 years dreaming of being in television, she changed her mind and realized that wasn’t what she wanted.

Eventually, she started researching local job opportunities and found the Shelby Chambers of Commerce. She liked the idea of being around people and making a difference in a not-for-profit setting.

In 2002, she began working for the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce, where she worked for 11 years.

The next step was becoming executive director of the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce.

Today, her day to day job usually varies. But some essential aspects of her role are constant, like making sure that the Chamber is fluid enough to be an ongoing benefit and priority to all of the various members as they change and grow.

Stone works with six different cities. She’s made

► WHERE: 208 E. College St., Columbiana ► CALL: 669-9075 ► WEBSITE: southshelbychamber.com a point to make time to ask each of the leaders of each city to pinpoint exactly what she can do to help facilitate connections.

In addition, she continuously recruits new members that could benefit from the chamber luncheons. Stone is also one of the leaders that is in the process of trying

to bring residential development to the community.

Like she said, rooftops follow retail.

“That brings business. That brings jobs. That brings new tax revenue for the city. So, it’s a win-win-win across the board,” Stone said.

In the recent years, she said, social media has been a wonderful outlet for small businesses and for quickly communicating with members about networking events like the luncheons.

As for the future, Stone said she is excited for Shelby County as a whole. She plans to continue her career with the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce and, as always, connect the many growing businesses and people in her Shelby County home.

HEIDI STRAUSS STRAUSS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. Heidi Strauss, president and co-founder of Strauss Financial Group, Inc., provides wealth management and investment consulting for clients.

She entered the profession in 1984 after realizing how little emphasis was being devoted to women and their financial security.

“Finance and business were skills that came naturally to me, and I wanted to share my knowledge in a simple and understandable way with other women. After obtaining a business degree, I joined a brokerage firm consisting of 22 men and myself,” she said.

Strauss preferred to focus on solutions for clients rather than the sales centered focus that the brokerage firm expected. As a result, she opened her own firm in 1988 and developed an independent fee-based financial advisory business that put the client first.

Since then she has helped many clients reach their financial goals.

“Creating and preserving wealth for generations is our mission and we strive to do this by offering objective, personalized financial advice,” she said. “With 32 years of experience, I have dealt with almost every financial situation, and strive to be the trusted advisor and resource person for my clients when financial questions arise.”

Strauss is inspired by the personal relationships and trust that she has developed over the years and the

financial benefits created by proper planning.

“I get great personal satisfaction when I help a client retire early with financial security, guide a widow through the transition of losing her life partner, or help create enough assets to pay for college. These are the tangible results of my efforts and to be able to create peace of mind and eliminate stress is extremely rewarding.”

► WHERE: 2201 Cahaba Valley Drive, Suite 200 ► CALL: 967-9595 ► WEBSITE: straussfinancial.com

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280 Living

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GEORGIA LAY 280 MEDICAL SUPPLY Georgia Lay is truly an expert when it comes to medical supply and navigating the insurance world. With a background in home infusion and nursing care, she has over 25 years’ experience in the health care industry.

Her company, 280 Medical Supply, was founded in 2002 and primarily began as a wholesale pharmaceutical company, sourcing and selling hard-tofind items for physician and wholesale clients across the country.

Lay was encouraged by a colleague, Joe Carnaggio, to expand her business focus to include back braces and TENS machines. Now, more than 15 years later, her business has exponentially grown to accommodate the needs of patients and physician clients all over Alabama and beyond.

280 Medical Supply is your local medical equipment and supply

TAMMY ROGERS BEAUMONT PHARMACY AND GIFT BOUTIQUE

► WHERE: 11600 County Road 280 ► CALL: 678-8755 ► WEB: 280medicalsupply.com store providing expertise in the areas of bracing to include the back, knees, cervical, wrists and all other areas. CPAP/BiPAP, nebulizers, diabetic infusion pump supplies, catheters, ostomy, wound care, pain management, bath room safety, mobility care products, physician supplies, nursing supplies and so much more is also available.

“We provide individual care for your individual needs because we realize you do have a choice,” Lay said.

Beaumont Pharmacy and Gift Boutique, owned by Tammy Rogers, isn’t your ordinary pharmacy.

Complete with its own soda shop, patrons can order everything from a prescription to a gift basket.

“Customer service is our main priority,” said Rogers, who is also the lead pharmacist. “We know all of our customers by name and are willing to go above and beyond to satisfy every customer.”

The pharmacy is fully equipped to assist customers with any medical need. Beaumont also specializes in pet medicine flavoring, child medicine flavoring, nutrition counseling and immunizations. While waiting on

► WHERE: 264 Inverness Center Drive ► CALL: 991-7171 ► WEB: beaumontpharmacy.com orders, customers enjoy a treat from Beaumont’s old fashioned, in-store ice cream shop. The ice cream parlor offers everything from ice cream cones to build your own sundaes.

Rogers and her staff are happy to assemble the perfect gift basket for any occasion. “Anything we do is fast, friendly and convenient,” Rogers said.

DR. CHERIE JOHNSON

VICKI TAYLOR

CHIROPRACTIC ACUPUNCTURE HEALTH CENTER

ELITE BOUTIQUE

supplements, along with Our clinic wants to work on the patient’s whole individual nutritional health. To do this, we counseling, detox programs and a yeast incorporate chiropractic cleanse for those (for musculoskeletal seeking to change their issues), acupuncture (for systematic and diet and lifestyle. inflammatory issues), We work with diabetics ► WHERE: 2800 Greystone and nutrition (for whole Commercial Blvd., Suite 2B and hypoglycemics on lowering blood sugar body repair). ► CALL: 408-5600 naturally, teaching them We want to treat the ► WEB: cahc.biz patient as a whole and the process of correct not just their symptoms. We work with carbohydrate and sugar intake. patients who are experiencing issues We like doing hair analysis testing as a way to determine if a patient such as neck, mid-back and low-back has heavy metal toxicity or mineral pain, arthritis, disc degeneration and joint discomfort. imbalances that could affect hormones, With acupuncture, we treat patients adrenal glands, thyroid problems and encountering infertility, insomnia, other system issues. neuralgia, depression, migraines, With over 15 years of experience, we arthritis and an array of other find chiropractic care, acupuncture and good nutrition complement each other symptoms. to reach desired results.

We offer a wide range of natural

don’t get even at a Even after five years in business, Elite department store,” Boutique continues to Taylor said. “I think that’s one of our change and improve. biggest things.”

“We’re growing and If people enter the changing so much,” said owner Vicki Taylor. store in a bad mood, “We have just brought ► WHERE: 2663 Valleydale Taylor said they always Road, Suite 6 in a line for tween leave with a smile on ► CALL: 408-0220 their face. In addition clothing, and there is to their great customer such a need for that in the area.” service, Taylor is proud Her store, which is located “right in to provide high-quality, fashionable the middle of it all” on Valleydale Road, clothing at a good price.

While some boutiques can be provides a convenient spot to shop for a intimidating or feel unapproachable, gift or new outfit.

As a small business owner, Taylor Elite Boutique is a welcoming store and said she faces obstacles — including the she encourages people to stop by. “Just growing popularity of online shopping to step outside their box and come in — but the welcoming atmosphere of her and give us a try,” she said. “We are so store helps combat that. friendly. I don’t know anyone who has walked in and left upset or they couldn’t “[It’s] that personal connection find something they could wear or use.” that you get at a small store that you

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

MONICA SMITH EXCLUSIVELY BALLET & DANCE Monica Smith grew up with a passion for dance. She started dancing when she was 5 years old and remembers falling in love with dance after seeing the Nutcracker at a young age.

As the owner of Exclusively Ballet & Dance, Smith now is able to share her passion with other dancers.

“My passion when I opened my school and my passion still is to share my expertise of dance,” Smith said. “As a former Alabama Ballet principal dancer and graduate of UAB, I wanted to teach as many young people as I could.”

Having students return to say “thank you for helping me achieve my dreams” is the most satisfying part of the job, she said. Smith said she has enjoyed seeing Kate Wesler, who performed on the first national tour of “Pippen,” and Miami City Ballet Principal Dancer Jennifer Lauren return to the studio.

► WHERE: 7154 Cahaba Valley Road ► CALL: 995-9220 ► WEB: exclusively ballet.com

Both are former students.

“Former students coming home and giving back in such roles as teaching and sharing their experiences was the sole purpose of opening the school 25 years ago,” Smith said.

All employees at Exclusively Ballet & Dance have formal training and have received dance degrees, which Smith said is important to keep ballet alive, build a foundation for dance and to instill passion in others.

“We love watching our ‘littles’ grow up and come home and teach one day,” Smith said.

WOMEN OF GREAT CLIPS GREAT CLIPS OF GREYSTONE When you walk into the Great Clips of Greystone, you will be greeted by the smiling faces of five hardworking women: Debra Lawrence, the location’s manager, and stylists Brandy Eller, Kristen Hamilton, Jeralyn Turner and Selina Baggett. For them, it’s all about customer service, and it shows in the return customers that they have seen over the past 15 years.

Great Clips of Greystone provides its customers with haircuts, shampoos and styling sessions as well as a wide variety of salon-quality products to purchase. All stylists have had at least 10 years of experience in the salon business and are prepared to work as a team to create the style you desire in a reasonable price frame.

Compared to local competitors, Great Clips of Greystone has the lowest prices in the area and discounts are

► WHERE: 5361 U.S. 280, Suite 112 ► CALL: 437-9996 offered to active and retired military, firemen and policemen. By not requiring appointments, they offer the opportunity of convenience. Great Clips customers can also use their mobile app, which allows customers to check in to their selected location ahead of time and to estimate the wait time at different salons.

Customers looking for an enjoyable and superior experience are encouraged to visit the Great Clips of Greystone and become one of the salon’s many return guests.

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January 2017 • B15

GENNY WILLIAMS GET A REAL ESTATE LIFE which include the “6 Genny Williams and her team at Get a Real Figure Community” and “6 Figure Personalized Estate Life create “6 Coaching,” along with Figure Superstars.” customized marketing The author of “Build a plans designed and 6 Figure Real Estate ► WHERE: 5101 Cyrus Circle Business” has been executed for each ► CALL: 378-8830 featured on ABC, CBS, ► WEB: getarealestatelife.com client, a number of Williams’s clients double NBC and Fox affiliates their incomes, with showcasing an intense passion that has transformed the lives of some even tripling or quadrupling their earnings within the first 12 months. struggling agents.

Her secret? A personalized, one-onWilliams recently announced the location of her company’s first-annual one program that puts the agent in the Quarter Mill Club meeting, a cooperative driver’s seat. seminar for all business owners, “We help our clients come up with entrepreneurs and salespeople. lead-generation strategies that fit their style,” Williams said. “If agents prefer to “We at Get a Real Estate Life are get referrals, we help them love on their thrilled to announce our first Quarter sphere of influence to produce referrals. Mill Club meeting for 2017, which takes place at The Pearl, a luxury hotel at If they prefer building listing inventory, Rosemary Beach in northern Florida,” then we help them with a farming plan. she said. “We are going to feed the souls Everything we do for our agents is personalized to their style.” of the highest achievers, so that they can continue to change the world.”

Through the use of her platforms,

MELANIE GOODWIN, KEYLA HANDLEY, LISA SHAPIRO GREATER SHELBY COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Greater Shelby County Chamber staffers work with hundreds of volunteers every day to help make Shelby County an even better place to live and do business. There are more than 1,000 businesses in the Shelby County area who are part of the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

The staff at the chamber includes Comptroller and Director of Operations Melanie Goodwin, Director of Community and Investor Development Keyla Handley and Director of Communications and Marketing Lisa Shapiro. They help connect Shelby County’s business community and provide support in business development, government affairs and community and workforce development.

In addition, the chamber is involved in all Shelby County schools through

► WHERE: 1301 County Services Drive ► CALL: 663-4542 ► WEB: shelbychamber.org its annual “State of Shelby County Schools” community luncheon, “Keeping It Real” program for 9thgrade students, “Career Awareness Fair” for 10th-grade students and “Communication Matters” for 11th-grade students.

If your business could benefit from greater exposure across Shelby County, contact Keyla Handley to learn more about their programs and how to join.

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

280 Living

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CHRIS COLLINS HOMEWOOD ANTIQUES

ANGIE NAVARRE HIGHLAND SHOE COMPANY Highland Shoe Company is not owner Angie Navarre’s first experience in the business world. The opportunity to work as CEO of a multimillion dollar company in the Midwest prior to her move to Birmingham developed Navarre’s skills to become an entrepreneur.

“It has always been a dream to open my own franchise company,” she said.

The first store opened in the Village at Lee Branch in March 2015 to positive reactions from the community, Navarre said. “It has been a blessing to me. In developing a business plan, you look at trends and statistics. You’re constantly reviewing and double checking your numbers. But what I didn’t account for was the pure joy that I’ve received from my customers.”

Navarre said the relationships she’s developed from working with returning customers is the best part of her job.

“It’s like watching a beautiful flower bloom,” she said.

► WHERE: 250 Doug Baker Blvd. ► CALL: 783-5325 Highland Shoe Company is where quality and comfort meet fashion. While they do carry some familiar brands, Navarre said the store has several brands made by cobblers around the world that are sold only at Highland Shoe Company.

“My customers tell me about the numerous compliments they receive from my shoes,” she said. “I love that.”

The store supports local artisans in its jewelry, candle and home decor items.

When shoppers give a gift made by a Southern maker, it’s like giving a piece of Birmingham. “I like to support the local economy,” Navarre said. “The items are generally better quality and unique.”

DR. ROSALYNN CRAWFORD-MCKENDALL INDIAN SPRINGS PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY For Dr. Rosalynn CrawfordMcKendall, her favorite part of running Indian Springs Pediatric Dentistry is interacting with the children and families she serves both in her practice and outside of the office as well.

“I enjoy being afforded opportunities to attend birthday parties, school activities, patients’ recitals and just interacting with them outside the office,” she said. “Oftentimes, these interactions include presenting and providing dental materials to children and parents at fairs and schools.”

Originally from Boligee, Alabama, Crawford-McKendall earned her DDS degree from NYU’s College of Dentistry.

In practice since 1998, CrawfordMcKendall worked in New Jersey and Maryland before returning to Alabama.

“I am thrilled to return to my roots and the proximity of family in Alabama,” she said. “I am excited about having established my private practice in Hoover/Pelham where I have been able

► WHERE: 6496 Quail Run Drive ► CALL: 739-7773 ► WEB: indianspringskidsdentistry.com to bring my diversified experience as a pediatric dentist for children and families in and around the greater Birmingham area.”

Her practice, Indian Springs Pediatric Dentistry, is dedicated to providing excellent pediatric dental care, and they go the extra mile, seeking to be a family-oriented practice.

“Our practice offers Friday as well as Saturday hours to help parents who are unable to take off work for appointments,” Crawford-McKendall said.

“Our office also has the ability to service children unable to be treated in an office setting at Children’s Hospital for care.”

Chris Collins, a Chelsea resident, opened Homewood Antiques and Marketplace six years ago and, as they say, the rest is history.

Collins likes to describe her store as a one-stop shop with something for everybody. While Homewood Antiques and Marketplace continues to provide an eclectic selection of new and re-purposed home furnishings and accessories, they have grown and evolved into much more.

Many local, small business owners who create products from their homes and workshops are able to display them at “mini-stores” inside Homewood Antiques.

The list of businesses who have these “spaces” includes many area residents who live close to her store and offer great gift items including: beautiful pottery, two different lines of candles, local honey and honey products, books from area authors, artwork, jewelry and T-shirts.

There are many more services to be found within the 10,000-squarefoot store, including custom framing, upholstery, furniture painting and a new, full-service floral department that carries flowers and can provide arrangements in your own vase and special events including weddings.

► WHERE: 930 Oxmoor Road ► CALL: 414-9945 ► WEB: homewoodantiques.com It’s worth the drive to Homewood Antiques and Marketplace to see their collection of “old, new and everything in between.”

Homewood Antiques and Marketplace is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

LAURA ROBINSON M&M JEWELERS Laura Robinson is out to help customers at M&M Jewelers find the perfect piece. If they have a photo of the perfect ring, she can duplicate it. If they have budget constrictions, she can work within them. If they need help in picking out the perfect style, she can guide them.

Her favorite parts of the job include meeting people, designing jewelry and seeing customers’ faces when they see a piece she has made. They also do repairs.

“It just makes you feel good about what you do because you’re seeing them happy with what you have designed for them, and they’re happy with the outcome,” she said. “And that’s the best type of advertising — when you make a customer happy.”

Robinson, the sole owner of M&M Jewelers, is a Resident Graduate Gemologist and opened her store in 1991. M&M moved to Inverness Corners in 2013, and Robinson prides herself on

► WHERE: 440 Inverness Corners ► CALL: 991-0593 ► WEB: mmjewelersbirmingham.com having customers who are satisfied with her work and continue to come back.

“Some of [the customers] that I sold engagement rings to years ago have their children coming in and getting engagement rings,” Robinson said. “So that’s a good, rewarding feeling.”

Because M&M is a locally owned store, rather than a chain, Robinson said customers can be confident they are getting competitive pricing and good advice.

The store does jewelry and watch repairs, sells jewelry ranging from engagement rings to bracelets and necklaces and also carries Auburn and Alabama game day jewelry and gift wear.

280Living.com

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

CAROL GREGG PASTRY ART BAKE SHOPPE Carol Gregg is an artist.

Enhanced by a history of painting throughout high school and college, Gregg’s palette has taken to the kitchen to create delectable masterpieces.

Gregg and her husband Dennis are the owners and founders of Pastry Art Bake Shoppe and the inventors of Baby Bites.

“We do cookies and cheese coins and brownie pops and cheesecakes and, you know, just a variety of things like that,” Gregg said.

Pastry Art first opened its doors in Homewood in 2006. After winning the hearts of Birmingham residents with its rich pastry treats, Pastry Art opened its second shop in 2010, located off of U.S. 280 in the Inverness Corners shopping center. Plans to franchise are in the making.

Corporate and personal events alike call on the creative arts of the bakery.

Cakes are often customized, with requests ranging from business logos to item replicas. A repertoire of cakes

► WHERE: 940 Inverness Corners ► CALL: 995-5855 ► WEB: pastryartcakes.com resembling animals, a wine bottle, a TARDIS from the TV show “Doctor Who” and more is viewable on the bakery’s Facebook page.

“We never have a dull moment, really, around here,” Gregg laughed.

And she never says never to a challenge.

“We’re not afraid of any amount that we have to do,” Gregg said.

Gregg’s greatest challenge is refusing to allow enormous orders to compromise the quality of her baked goods. Consistent quality, she said, is of the utmost importance; the care of her customers is her ultimate priority.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

January 2017 • B17

KAREN SALTER, CARMEN FERGUSON SALTER FERGUSON Mother-daughter duo Karen Salter and Carmen Ferguson have worked together in personal injury law for seven years.

Ferguson said that connection makes their firm, Salter Ferguson, stronger.

“It’s great especially in this industry that there’s a trust factor there,” Ferguson said. “I know that my mom has my back.”

Salter Ferguson handles many catastrophic injury cases, such as vehicular accidents, as well as mass torts, such as drug recalls and defective products. Unlike some law firms, Ferguson said she and her mother work with every client themselves, instead of relying on case managers. “You definitely get the personal touch when you deal with us,” Ferguson said. “We actually get invested in our clients and their cases.”

There are a lot of advertisements for personal injury firms, but Salter said people tend to get better results when they take time to ask friends for recommendations and do research to

SALTER FERGUSON ► WHERE: 4000 Eagle Point Corporate Drive ► CALL: 433-6131 ► WEB: salterferguson.com find an attorney who is a good fit.

“Don’t just have a knee-jerk reaction to a television commercial. A lot of that is theatrics and [people] need to ask around. Most of our clients come to us by personal recommendation,” Salter said. “Spend a little time looking for a right attorney for you.”

Salter Ferguson handles cases on a contingency basis, which means there are no fees until the client gets compensation, and the firm offers on and off-site appointments. The first consultation is free.

CHERYL HARPER SIMPLY INFUSED OILS & BALSAMICS “I wanted to not Cheryl Harper, owner only share a tasting of Simply Infused Oils and Balsamics, has a room experience with passion for both people people,” Harper said, “but I opened because I and infusing life with am trying to get people health and happiness. ► WHERE: 5361 Highway to slow down and enjoy Her customers are met 280, Suite 107 with a burst of flavor friends and food and ► CALL: 205-408-4231 when they step into flavor — something our ► WEB: simply-infused.com society is missing out on.” her store and sample Simply Infused is Harper’s hospitality and highly regarded for its unique products — and her memory ensures a fond welcome products’ health qualities and variety of upon their return. over 25 extra-virgin olive oils and more Harper and her daughter were inspired than 30 aged balsamic vinegars. Olive oils are fresh, imported from small family to open Simply Infused after visiting an farms all over the world. The balsamics olive oil shop during a mother-daughter vacation. The duo brought their dream are sourced from Modena, Italy. to life with the tasting room’s opening on To cater to customers’ health needs, April 1, 2015, in Mt Laurel. partnerships with local restaurants and doctors supply alternatives to low Through tasting room experiences and weekly cooking classes, the Harpers quality oils containing toxins and food allergens. Harper said “doctors are facilitate an olive oil and balsamic surprised, customers are surprised, pairing that customers can bring home in bottles. chefs are amazed.”

TERRY CRUTCHFIELD CRUTCHFIELD & CO. - RE/MAX Touted by her peers as “the hardest working Realtor in Birmingham,” Terry Crutchfield, owner of Crutchfield & Co. that operates under the REMAX umbrella, believes the success of her business is predicated on her familiarity with the area and willingness to go above and beyond for her clients.

Crutchfield has been a Birmingham resident for over 30 years and has leveraged her vast knowledge of the community to build a thriving referral business, becoming the No. 2 resale agent in Shelby County, within the 35242 ZIP code.

She attributes her success in amassing referrals to her readiness to intentionally connect with clients on a personal level and exceed expectations with a passion for helping people through stressful and exciting times.

Potential buyers and sellers in Hoover,

► WHERE: 2635 Valleydale Road, Suite 200 ► CALL: 873-3205 ► WEB: terrycrutchfield.com Homewood, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Vestavia and the 280 corridor, among other areas, find the experience made simple with Crutchfield at the helm.

Crutchfield chose team members who care about people first. Erin Metzger, Ashley Bryan and Carla Diliberto are the perfect support to get the job done.

They work on behalf of buyers and sellers for the best results possible.

Call today to see why Crutchfield and her team are “Recommended for a Reason.”

B18 • January 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

CINDY PARNELL, MICHELLE BUTTS, LINDSEY PARNELL THE DITSY DAISY Butts have put in the Sometimes the hardest thing about long hours to help their business grow to cater shopping is finding something you truly love to customers of all ages.

The duo is ready to help and that suits your style. any teens, moms or Co-owners and motherdaughter team Cindy grandmothers who walk ► WHERE: 16383 U.S. 280 through the door find an Parnell and Michelle ► CALL: 678-6166 Butts understand that, outfit that fits their style ► WEB: theditsydaisy.com and they have been and their personality.

“Sometimes people helping the Chelsea community fill their closets since the have no clue what would look good on them, and we can always help them with opening of The Ditsy Daisy in 2011. that,” Butts said. “We really are a one-stop Parnell always has been in the retail business, and after growing up watching shop having denim, shoes and clothing.”

The Ditsy Daisy also has opened a her mother own a store in Sylacauga, store in Auburn run by Butts’ sister, Butts developed a love for retail as well.

Lindsey. Both stores continue to see new “It was always something that was in faces and return customers, and with the back of my mind,” she said. “Finally I got the nerve to put everything on the plans to continue growing in Chelsea, line and open [The Ditsy Daisy].”

Parnell and Butts assure the community, “It’s always fun in The Ditsy Daisy!”

Being a small business, Parnell and

280 Living

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

MARIAN WASHBURN THE INSURANCE PLACE Insurance Place has been a presence in the 280 area for 28 years and continues to serve local residents and customers here and across the Southeast.

Marian Washburn is the agency owner and principal and employs a staff of dedicated professionals. The agency represents a broad array of premier insurance companies, offering coverage for families and business needs.

Their goal is to be responsive and knowledgeable in order deliver insurance coverage to their customers in the most efficient way possible.

Washburn is a graduate of the University of Alabama and holds a degree in finance along with the CPCU designation for insurance professionals.

► WHERE: 2225 Cahaba Valley Drive ► CALL: 995-1956 ► WEB: insuranceplacebirmingham.com The agency represents carriers such as Auto Owners, Travelers, State Auto, Safeco, The Hartford and many more.

They are a Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agency and a member of the Secure Risk exclusive independent insurance agency group.

As insurance generalists, they can find coverage to suit the everyday risk as well as the most unusual situations.

TIFFANY BITTNER ARC REALTY Chelsea resident Her first several Tiffany Bittner enjoys months have been off to a great start, she staying busy. A mother said, and she looks of four and a member forward to helping of the Chelsea City Council, real estate more families and ► WHERE: 4274 Cahaba Heights individuals through the has always been on Court, Suite 200 Bittner’s radar. sometimes tedious, ► CALL: 969-8910 sometimes complex After 10 years of considering becoming ► WEB: tbittner.arcrealtyco.com processes of buying a real estate agent, and selling their homes. she joined the ARC Realty team in As someone who has grown up, worked September. The decision was an easy and lived in the Birmingham area, Bittner said she looks forward to helping one to make, Bittner said, because steer individuals toward a home that fits the company is a “natural fit” for her desires as a new agent. “Obviously this their needs, wants and interests. “I hope company is about relationships. It was that the community will trust me enough just a natural fit of where to go, and it’s to be their go-to agent, and I hope that a wonderful place especially for a startmy name will represent not only loyalty, up agent to get a lot of education, a lot but someone they can trust, someone of counsel, a lot of input, of how to grow that will be looking out for their best your business,” said Bittner, who also interests, and someone they’re familiar hosts LawCall on Fox 6. with,” Bittner said.

KIM NGUYEN UPTOWN NAIL SPA Kim Nguyen Nails also offers brings 25 years of acrylic nails, basic experience to her manicures and waxing. business, Uptown ► WHERE: 4851 Cahaba River Road Nguyen prides Nail Spa, which opened four years ► CALL: 703-8290 herself on offering ago. customers a beautiful and pristine The popular nail salon provides atmosphere, which includes maintaining clean pedicure spa tubs with disposable clients with excellent service in a liners. Nguyen’s attention to detail and comfortable environment.

Not only do they provide excellent customer service is the reason for her service, but they also create a luxurious success and excellent reputation. experience for the customer. Services Nguyen takes time with each client include pedicures and gel manicures, needs and desires. Her kindness and attentiveness to clients has earned her with a variety of colors to choose from.

There are also a variety of special artist life-long customers, making Uptown designs available.

Nails the perfect place for a day of In addition, the team at Uptown pampering.

280Living.com

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

COLLEEN BURBACK URBAN BARN CLOTHING COMPANY To boutique owner Colleen Burback, running her own business is next door to living the dream.

The mom of four first opened Urban Barn Clothing Company in 2012, delighting U.S. 280 shoppers with her selection of affordable, quality merchandise.

Burback selects apparel from Los Angeles and Las Vegas markets, ensuring the newest styles for her customers and often equipping the shop with fashion that is “ahead of the game” alternately offered by Atlanta markets.

Quantities are limited in order to supply each week with a new assortment.

Burback said she implements this limited-time-offer system “because people don’t like to be seen wearing the same thing as someone else.”

The boutique also features an assortment of local, handmade items such as bath bombs, pillows, candles,

► WHERE: 5361 U.S. 280, No. 108 ► WEB: urbanbarnclothingco.com soaps, jewelry and more.

Besides selling local artists’ merchandise, Burback supports local sports teams and donates new Urban Barn clothing to Hannah Homes once a year.

Affordability has been a key ingredient for Urban Barn Clothing Company. “I just want to keep it affordable because I think that’s a big draw,” Burback said, “especially in today’s economy.”

After several relocations, Urban Barn Clothing Company reopened in November to a pleased U.S. 280 public.

“I like where I am now,” Burback said.

“I’m at home, finally.”

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

January 2017 • B19

PAM MITCHELL WINDOW DECOR HOME STORE Selecting new window treatments — whether they’re blinds or shutters, cordless or operated by remote — involves more education than most people think.

Pam Mitchell, owner of Window Decor Home Store, prides herself on providing customers with the information they need to select what is best.

“I just feel, because I’m so passionate about what I do, that when I do talk to my customers, it kind of bubbles over to them,” Mitchell said. “It needs to be a fun thing, not a stressful thing.”

When a customer hopes to purchase or change out a window treatment, Mitchell asks about how they want the room or space to function before determining the best option. She’ll walk them through how window treatments can protect rooms and items from sun damage as well as explain what options are available.

While Window Decor Home Store mainly functions as a Hunter Douglas gallery at this time, Mitchell has plans

► WHERE: 1401 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 109 ► CALL: 437-9575 ► WEB: windowdecorhomestore.com to expand the store’s interior design services. They already offer some custom furniture pieces as well as custom, locally built sliding barn doors.

Her experience in interior design, and passion for it helps her select window treatments fitting a customer’s needs as well as offer design suggestions for different spaces if the customer wants that. “Walking into a customer’s home is completely different than them coming into the showroom,” she said. “I’m able to see their space and how it functions.”

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

SECTION

C JANUARY 2017

Opinion C10 Faith C11

Sports

Real Estate C12 Calendar C13

where there’s a WILL, there’s a WAY Cut in middle school, Eagles now rely on Stephenson to lead team

E

By KYLE PARMLEY

Will Stephenson made the varsity team at Oak Mountain as a sophomore. Photo by Jimmy Mitchell.

verybody has that thing that clicks. For Will Stephenson, that thing is basketball.

“I loved it. I loved watching.

I lived basketball,” Stephenson said, now a senior guard at Oak Mountain High School.

Unfortunately for Stephenson, his thing was taken away from him in middle school.

He was cut from his seventh-grade team and was forced to make a choice: to continue to pursue basketball or find something else.

“To get cut, especially at a young age, it kind of took something out of me,” Stephenson said. “But I viewed it as a challenge, and not as, ‘Well, you didn’t make the team, you might as well go find something else to do, like play baseball or something.’ I got in the (YMCA) every single day.”

It paid off, and he was a starter on the eighth-grade team.

“When I made the team, I didn’t just stop there. I want to be the best. I want to go out there, and I want to be one of the best players,” Stephenson said.

He ascended into high school, made the varsity team as a sophomore, and he has played a key role ever since.

ONE STEP AWAY

Last season, Oak Mountain put together one of its best seasons in school history, advancing to the Class 7A Northwest Regional Final. In that game, the Eagles took on area foe Hoover for a chance to reach the Final Four at the BJCC. The Bucs inbounded the ball in a tie game with six seconds remaining. The ball made its way to Wes Banks in the corner, who fired and sunk a three-point shot at the buzzer for the win.

Stephenson was the one standing right under the goal as the ball came through, the season coming to a close in an instant.

“It was all the excitement and all that flushed out of you right as it went in,” he said. “It was tough. I hope to get back there.”

Stephenson served as the Eagles’ starting point guard last year, and acted primarily as

See WILL | page C9

C2 • January 2017

280 Living

Your Health Today

By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

Another year has already come and gone. It seems like we can never quite acclimate to the rapid pace at which life seems to fly by us. It can seem that our time is out of our control, or somewhat out of our grasp. However, do we use our time for our wishes and desires or does our time just pass on by?

Time, first and foremost, is a precious gift. Many look back on years spent with loved ones who have passed and often wish they had used their time more wisely and said all that was in our hearts. Adults often fondly look back at childhood with a sigh, wishing they had appreciated their youth and perceived freedom. Time is a gift to be cherished, but it is also a tool to be wielded like a sharpened sword in trained and skilled hands. The American culture is absolutely flooded with time-wasters! Social media is a wonderful thing, but between Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Amazon and blogs our time can disappear right before our eyes.

At the start of this beautiful new year of 2017, I want to challenge you to reevaluate your use of time. Create time with your children, time with your spouse, time to take care of your health, time to rest, time to be adventurous, time to face fears and time to work hard and be consistent.

Reflect and ask yourself, how have I used my time up to this point in my life? Has it worked in your favor? Has it helped you to check off milestones and goals that you can look back on and be proud of? Time alone cannot dream dreams, or accomplish them, but you can use the tool of time to see dreams become reality.

Thieves of Time

As a health professional and a person passionate about vitality and quality of life, I challenge you to use your time wisely in 2017. Rather than spending an average of 2-6 hours a day on media and entertainment, use some of those hours to invest in your health. Surfing on Pinterest can be a mindless addiction, or you can create boards of inspirational quotes, photos, workout ideas and healthy recipes.

Then, set goals to try some of the Pins in those boards.

This doesn’t have to be a burden. Have fun with your health! Be adventurous with your time utilization and taste buds. Team up with your spouse or a friend to try a new Pinterest workout regimen each day of the week, and then reserve your weekends for attempting new healthy recipes.

If you are more of a Facebook person, create a private group and invite friends and coworkers to a health challenge where you can motivate each other and set incentives for accomplishing goals! A girl’s trip to Nashville if everyone loses 15lbs or buy that killer pair of heels when you’ve run your first half-marathon. Rather than rewarding yourself with junk food, reward yourself with meaningful experiences that will create positive memories. That is time well spent that you will look back on, feel accomplished and blessed.

So many things in the American culture can be thieves of time and thieves of health. However, the wonderful thing about life is that you can choose the direction it takes and what the path looks like. How do you picture yourself at 40, 50 or 60 years of age? What does your

vitality look like as your grow in years look like? Close your eyes and visualize the ideal situation on your 70th or 80th birthday. Most people would say they’d be with those they love, experiencing good health, and enjoying life. YOU are laying that foundation NOW! Your spine and nervous system health is vital and essential to the overall wellness of the body. The brain has so many messages to send to your body, but with impaired flow through a subluxated or misaligned spinal column, those messages cannot reach the organs, muscles, limbs, etc. Realize, your body communicates in the language of symptoms to get your attention. Consider utilizing the chiropractic approach to interpret and restore the proper flow of the nervous system. You’ll be amazed of the positive feedback you’ll gain from simply restoring the two-way communication once again.

Our greatest reward at Chiropractic Today is to see a smile of hope on a patient’s face or hear a story about something gained. We share in the joy of their hopeful future, free of pain and full of anticipation of what could be.

What could be in your future? I believe it could be energy that bursts you out of bed in the morning and a body free of aches, pains, ailments and pharmaceuticals.

I believe with the right approach, understanding and intention, health can be restored! Consider calling our office for a complimentary consultation to learn the interpretation of the ‘symptom’ language from a chiropractic point of view. You’ll be happy you did.

280Living.com

January 2017 • C3

C4 • January 2017

280 Living The Briarwood Christian School football team enjoyed a very successful 2016 season.

After losing its first game, the Lions ripped off 12 consecutive wins, en route to a Class 5A semifinal berth.

Briarwood’s 12 wins were its most since 2011, and the Lions have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past 24 years. Photos

by Sarah Finnegan.

BRIARWOOD FOOTBALL

280Living.com

January 2017 • C5

Lady Jags’ program trending up

By KYLE PARMLEY Mike Chase does not hesitate when asked about the current state of the Spain Park High School girls basketball program.

From top to bottom, it’s in great shape, according to the coach in his eighth year at the helm. His varsity team is talented, and has but one senior.

The middle school groups have great potential.

“I think we’ve got great buy-in from the players and the parents,” Chase said. “If you get it right with a young group, it can get the tide flowing in your direction. You’ve got a solid group that is bought in, that is all coming back, that’s got a lot of experience. They teach the young kids. Once you get the ball rolling in the right direction, then it’s certainly a lot easier.”

The Lady Jaguars last advanced to the Elite Eight in 2014, but a Final Four berth has eluded them in Chase’s tenure at Spain Park, something he achieved twice at Clay-Chalkville High School, where he reached the Class 6A state championship game in 2004 and 2008.

“I’m starting to see a lot of the same combinations of kids that I had when we were really good out at Clay,” Chase said.

While the future looks bright for the Lady Jags, the present team also is looking to make some noise this season. Spain Park notched quality early-season wins over the likes of Gadsden City, Hewitt-Trussville and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. Their first three losses were to Sparkman (twice) and Homewood, two of the top teams in the entire state.

Chase is encouraged by the start for

multiple reasons. Obviously, the team strives to win each game. But the team is also winning games without playing a perfect game, which is encouraging. No team wants to peak too early.

Improving is part of the process.

“I don’t want to be winning games and go back and look at tape and look at stats and say, ‘we’re shooting the ball as good as we can shoot it,’ or ‘we’re really running our offense as good as we can run it,’” Chase said.

“Because then, 10 games into the season, where are you going to go your next 20 games? You’re not going to go anywhere.”

Claire Holt is the most experienced player on the team, as the junior has played varsity games since she was in eighth grade. Ahrielle Parks, Bailey Bowers and Sarah Ashlee Barker are three young guards who provide great backcourt depth.

Barrett Herring has improved greatly and is the Lady Jags’ most consistent post player. Monique Speigner is the team’s only senior.

Mallory and Morgan Duke, Hannah Reister, Christen Rushing and Maddison McDonald make up a rather deep junior class.

“I’m trying to get these guys to buy into — and I think they’ve done a good job — is if you want individual glory, do that in the spring and summer when you’re on your AAU team,” Chase said.

Chase acclaimed his team for its chemistry, willingness to take coaching and attitude as its strengths, allowing the Lady Jags to focus solely on improving the on-court product.

“That’s actually kind of the fun part about it,” he said.

Bailey Bowers is part of Spain Park’s young, talented backcourt. Photo by Todd Lester.

C6 • January 2017

280 Living

Briarwood coach Bobby Kerley said time management is key to balancing coaching football and basketball. Photos by Todd Lester.

JUGGLING ACT

By KYLE PARMLEY

I

f there is a story that encompasses the unique qualities of the Briarwood Christian School boys basketball team this season, it comes from the Bryant Bank Thanksgiving Classic at Hewitt-Trussville High School.

The tournament was held in the days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, about two weeks after the season began for most teams. Briarwood showed up with a mark of 0-0, having yet to play in a regular season contest.

Head coach Bobby Kerley already had been forced to postpone multiple games leading up to the event, due to the fact the Lions’ football team was in the midst of a deep playoff run. Six key contributors to the varsity basketball team were also key football players, so there was no way Kerley could field a team on the hardwood yet.

But he was not going to cancel on Hewitt-Trussville at the last minute. The Lions showed up to the tournament with a roster comprised of players from the varsity, junior varsity and freshmen. Along with six varsity players, a handful of junior varsity players also played football, so Kerley brought five freshmen to suit up with the team.

“Our first game, we played Cornerstone, and coach (Ronald) Steele does a great job with them and their (defensive) pressure,” Kerley said.

Because of that, Kerley was none too eager to throw any of his freshmen into the fire in that situation. But his hand was forced.

Kerley was forced to substitute one of them into the contest.

“He got big-eyed, and said, ‘You really want me to go in?’”

Kerley recalled. “I told him he had to. He went out there and played as hard as he could, probably scared to death.”

The Lions went on to win the game against Cornerstone but dropped the next two to Hewitt-Trussville and Oak Mountain, teams that were simply further along than Briarwood at that point of the season.

“They did great,” Kerley said. “I was walking away from there thinking our future’s bright. The people that know what’s going on think we’re going to be a pretty good ball club this year.”

Kerley said the younger players would greatly benefit from the experience of seeing the intensity of varsity basketball, along with being coached as if they were on the varsity team.

Briarwood coach Bobby Kerley balances coaching basketball and football

Despite not being able to dress his full roster, most of the Briarwood basketball team was represented at the season-opening tournament, in the form of support.

“It was neat having the football players come see the guys that usually don’t get the majority of the minutes play as hard as they possibly could,” Kerley said. “These football guys are watching them and being inspired.”

Even during the football team’s run through the playoffs, the multisport athletes still came to basketball practice.

“I’ll ask them to come for at least 30 minutes of practice.

They don’t play, but just to be there. It’s important for the guys that are in basketball to see those football guys and to realize this is a part of us, too,” Kerley said.

Kerley said he was really pleased with the reintegration of the football players into the basketball team once Briarwood’s season ended in the Class 5A quarterfinals.

“The football guys come in, and it can be a tough thing,” Kerley said, “when you’ve been getting major minutes and other guys come back. It’s been a testament to the character of the kids that are basketball-only guys to just embrace these guys coming in and getting major minutes.”

There is one major catch to this whole process: Kerley is also an assistant coach on the football team.

That’s a heavy workload.

“I realized that the opportunities that the Lord gives you are never going to be greater than you’re capable of handling,” Kerley said, now in his 17th year at Briarwood and third as the head basketball coach.

Kerley also emphasized the importance of time management in juggling both sports, and his assistant basketball coaches, Jeremy Mears and Jeff Robertson, for making things run as efficiently as possible.

As far as on the on-court product, Kerley said he is excited, especially about his defense.

“We have a unit this year that we can change defenses constantly,” he said. “That’s rare that you have a group that can change on the fly like that. Right now, it’s an offensive issue because we’re so rusty. We execute really well, and we get the shots that we want; we just can’t make them right now.

I’m OK with that.”

His key for ensuring that his team is a factor heading into the final month of the season boils down to two words:

The Lions began the season in a Thanksgiving tournament without a large portion of their varsity team.

patience and trust.

“We’re doing the right things; we’ve got to trust that,” Kerley said. “Now let’s just be patient with each other and get a little better every day. If we do that, we should be tough come end of January and beginning of February.”

280Living.com

January 2017 • C7

C8 • January 2017

280 Living

Chelsea guard Joseph Lanzi is hoping to lead the Hornets to big things this season

By KYLE PARMLEY

Joseph Lanzi tries to be a complete player from the guard position. Photo courtesy of Cari Dean.

Chelsea head boys basketball coach Nick Baumbaugh said he believes Joseph Lanzi deserves plenty of credit, but Lanzi is focused on more than himself.

Prior to the season, Baumbaugh lauded Lanzi’s leadership. While the football team was still in the midst of its season and a handful of players were missing from Chelsea practices, Lanzi took the opportunity to integrate the new ninth-graders into the high school program, lead the 10th-graders in their growth, and refresh the rest of the team on some habits and principles in preparation for the start of the season.

“Our guys look for him to lead us in that regard,” Baumbaugh said.

Coming off a season in which the Hornets advanced to the Class 6A Northeast Regional, Lanzi said he is determined to make his senior year even better than the last. He knows a big part of that is his ability to guide the team.

“I’m just trying to be myself and be the leader that I always try to be and make sure that my teammates trust me,” Lanzi said.

“They have been great teammates, and it takes a lot of pressure off.”

There is no doubt about Lanzi’s on-court abilities. At least, not for the people who have seen him. He is the leading scorer for the Hornets and attempts to be a do-it-all combo guard.

“I’d say I’m a guard who can shoot, slash and pass really efficiently. I’m really good about getting to the bucket, getting to the line when I need to, finding the open guy and knocking down open shots,” he said.

Last year was the first time Lanzi remembers becoming the focal point of a defense, something that has forced him to become

the all-around guard he desires to be, to keep opposing teams honest.

“It’s different, but it’s good to hear it and adjust to it and everything,” Lanzi said. “I like to let the game come to me. Whatever comes, I work with it and try to find what’s best to help the team win.”

A few examples instantly came to mind for Lanzi when discussing his team. He and fellow senior Matthew Marquet have played together for many years and have a solid chemistry on the court. He mentioned Tyler Coleman and Cole Glandon as players who are improving each day.

The offensive side of the ball is a strength for Lanzi, and that carries over to the Hornets as a whole. But the other side of the ball is where Chelsea is focusing, because it has cost them a few times in the opening weeks of the season.

“Slacking on defense,” Lanzi said on the team’s Achilles heel. “You can let up one second, and it can be just like that, and the whole game can change.”

But those problems are correctable, and Lanzi is hopeful that his senior class — one that has played together since seventh grade and includes Jay Vickers, Bailey Hix, Austin Bearden, Marquet, Sid Ridgway, Josh Gregg and Will Rowser — can get the job done when the lights come on in the home stretch of the season, when Area 8 foes Pelham and Helena become the focal point.

Lanzi has said he wants to pass along the importance of a strong work ethic to the younger players and wants to display the mentality of a winner on a daily basis.

“One that wants to win. One that wants to come on early mornings and shoot before school. Come to the school late at night.

One that wants to come in and work every day,” he said.

280Living.com

January 2017 • C9 Now a senior, Will Stephenson is a team leader.

Photo by Jimmy Mitchell.

WILL

CONTINUED from page C1 a facilitator, running the offense and distributing the ball to a bevy of playmakers.

“We handled (defensive) pressure much better last year because of him,” head coach Chris Love said. “It’s nice to have a point guard who can put it on the floor and handle pressure. That was huge for us.”

That role served the team well, as the Eagles had an experienced squad, featuring seven seniors, including leading scorer Payton Youngblood.

But in order for Oak Mountain to find that success on the hardwood this season, a step up in Stephenson’s role was necessary.

GREEN LIGHT

Oak Mountain’s basketball team has seven seniors once again this fall, but under a much different tenor than the 2015-2016 squad.

Stephenson is now one of those seniors, but overall the eldest class — that includes Kris Hutchins, Jason Steeber, Logan Sheaffer, Noah Egan, Patrick Dryer and Wyatt Legas — does not boast near the same level of experience as the Elite Eight group from a year ago.

“Before we even had our first practice, coach Love called me into his office and was talking to me,” Stephenson recalled.

Stephenson was told his role would be changing, in a good way. “(Love) specifically told me, ‘You have the green light. Now don’t let that go to your head, but if you have a shot and you feel like you can make it, go ahead and take it,’” he said.

Like any student Stephenson’s age, he fought to hide his excitement. But Love has been extremely impressed with how Stephenson has handled a responsibility that is often abused.

“A lot of kids would take that and throw up a bunch of crap,” Love said. “They may score 30 points, but it took them 30 shots. Will has not done that at all. That’s a great credit to him.”

His ability to effectively lead the team in

“

”

I want to reach my full potential at whatever I do, whether it’s school, sports, anything. I’ve always had that.

that manner without causing any animosity amongst teammates also has stood out as a productive component of the Eagles’ team chemistry.

“There’s no jealousy at all because of the type of kid Will is,” Love said. “A lot of times, kids that get a lot of the shots, there’s

WILL STEPHENSON

some jealousy. But to Will’s credit, there’s none of that. He’s a great kid, and he’s all about the team. If we said tomorrow, ‘Will, we don’t need you to shoot, we need you to facilitate,’ he’d do it and wouldn’t bat an eye.”

Because Stephenson is relied on to score

more than in years past, he is adjusting to some of the nuances of his offensive game.

“He’s growing, in terms of moving without the ball and learning how to create his shot without the ball being in his hand,” Love said.

Love calls Stephenson one of the most skilled players to come through the Oak Mountain basketball program, and Stephenson still has hopes of playing college basketball at some level.

“I love competition,” Stephenson said. “I love the fact that there are people out there that are better than you, but you can work to do better than them … I want to reach my full potential at whatever I do, whether it’s school, sports, anything. I’ve always had that.”

C10 • January 2017

280 Living

Opinion My South By Rick Watson

Walk back in time My birthday is later this week, and I decided to buy myself an early present, but I didn’t realize it would require a walk back in time to find it. Let me explain.

Jilda told me this morning on my way to work that she was making fagioli soup. We discovered this soup a few years ago while eating at Olive Garden and fell in love with it.

My lovely spouse is like the Pink Panther except she cracks recipes instead of safes. My stomach rejoiced when she cracked the fagioli soup code. She’s made it several times, and if there’s a better meal on frosty winter evenings, I’ve never eaten it. Of course, soup requires cornbread. Spending time up north, I learned a lot of folks there ate crackers instead of cornbread, which I consider almost sinful.

I don’t cook a lot of things, but in my opinion, my cornbread is exceptional. Through the years, I developed a secret recipe with a thin top crust that is crunchy and golden brown.

The only good way I’ve back in time came in. I’ve found to bake cornbread is in never seen an iron skillet at an old-fashioned skillet that’s the big-box stores. You can as heavy as a blacksmith’s get the thin ones made in anvil.

Asia, but I wouldn’t use one The perfect crust is almost for cornbread. an art form. The skillet preYesterday, I walked into Andrew Posey & Son Hardheats with the oven.

When the timer dings ware store in Jasper humming saying the oven is at 400 happy birthday to me. A small degrees, I remove the empty bell on the door jingled. It skillet and toss in a scoop of wasn’t an electronic chime, coconut oil, which instantly but a real bell. Hearing that Watson sound triggered a déjà vu melts, greasing the skillet, so the bread doesn’t stick. experience. The wooden floors looked as if When the cornbread comes out of the oven they were made from heart pine and creaked after about 30 minutes, it’s an excellent com- in places as I walked up and down the aisles. plement to most any kind of soup.

On the old shelves were tools, toys and The one problem is that all our skillets are aqua-colored mason jars used for canning. about as big as manhole covers, and in the The store is jam-packed with all kinds of past we wound up tossing half the uneaten useful things for the house and garden. When cornbread out to the chickens. is the last time you saw a place that sold Solving this problem is where the walk butter churns, cookie cutters and replacement

ax handles?

Out front was a line of Red Rider wagons.

There’s an old photograph of me as a barefoot kid in a diaper riding in one of these wagons. I must have pushed that baby a million miles.

It’s a miracle I didn’t max out my credit cards before I walked out. But when I left, all I had was a new iron skillet that’s about half the size of our old ones.

Progress and change are inevitable. Many of the old hardware and dry goods stores were lost in the rush toward things that are cheaper, faster and shinier. I’m thankful some of the stores have survived in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia to give us an opportunity to walk back in time and buy things that will last.

Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His latest book, “Life Changes,” is available on Amazon.com. You can contact him at rick@ homefolkmedia.com.

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280Living.com

January 2017 • C11

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

Be real and know who’s good for you I’ve never been a fan of pretense. Even as a little girl, if I sensed that a person was acting fake or a little hoity-toity for my taste, it made me want to run the other way.

I suppose that’s why I’m glad for the cultural shift in recent years where being “real” is a popular idea. Words like transparency, vulnerability, authenticity and truth telling have gained buzz, and while pretension is still alive and kicking (thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to put on a show), there is also a mass of people who are tired of pretending and so exhausted by the quest to impress that they’re officially over it.

The irony of being real, however, is this: While we love for other people to pull back the curtain on their lives, we hesitate to do it ourselves. We’re afraid that if people knew the real scoop on us — our insecurities, flaws and struggles — they wouldn’t like us anymore. They’d be unimpressed or disappointed.

This fear keeps us on the hamster wheel of pretending and putting on masks. It creates internal strife as we waffle between wanting people to think we’re a big deal and wishing to kick superficial stuff to the curb and live real, honest and simple lives.

Recently, a high school principal told me that being “real” is a hot topic of conversation among the girls. I believe teens are caught in the middle of desiring what

is real and feeling the pressures of a world that idolizes perfection, materialism and carefully crafted images.

Unlike many adults, they haven’t faked it long enough to be totally good at it or comfortable with it. Unlike most kids, they’re not blissfully unaware of how to be anyone but themselves. At this crossroads, they face a choice: Do they let the world change them, or do they change the world? Do they curate an image that gets them liked and admired — or let their guard down with the people they trust so they can be loved and known?

The truth is, people can’t love someone they don’t really know. And when we act pretentious, we wind up with shallow relationships and feelings of disconnect as our heart and soul get neglected.

So how do we keep it real? The first step is to choose the right company. Being real takes courage, and we’ll never find the courage to be ourselves if we’re constantly surrounded by people who can’t appreciate authenticity or raw honesty.

Author Bob Goff once said, “People grow where they’re accepted.” To grow into our real identity — that person who God created to be unique for a special purpose — we have to recognize which situations and people feed our soul instead of crush it.

In other words, we need to know who’s good for us. We should choose our best

friends wisely, learn to recognize when a relationship is/isn’t working, and be brave enough to walk away when the warning signs appear.

To know who is good for you, consider these questions: ► Do my friends like me, or do they always try to change me? ► Do I like who I am around them? ► Do they bring out the best in me? ► Do they see the best in me? ► Do they help me grow in the right direction? ► Do I feel secure in our relationship, or do I sense very little loyalty? ► Do they appreciate me, or do they act like they do me a favor by being my friend?

It’s not hard to be real in one-on-one conversations. The bigger test, however, comes in group settings. Group dynamics can change people, and trying to impress the wrong people — or fit in with a certain crowd — can turn anyone into someone they’re not. It can make any of us act against our better instincts.

Is it possible to set boundaries with people who aren’t good for you in ways that are still kind? Yes, it is. I believe the ultimate goal is to love everyone, knowing that some people you’ll love up close and personal, and others you’ll love at an arm’s length. You don’t tell them your deepest, darkest secrets, but

you also don’t ignore them and pretend they don’t exist.

And when you reach that point when you can be the same person one-on-one as you are in a group, when you’re consistently real and honest — congratulations! That’s a sign of maturity and positive growth. Whoever you talk to, you’re still you. You’re changing the world rather than letting the world change you.

Being real breaks down walls. It gives others permission to be real and attracts friends who will encourage your growth rather than stunt it. As we embark on a new year, I pray you stay true to the real you and intentionally invest in relationships that take your life in a meaningful direction and make your heart sing.

Have a great 2017, my brave and beautiful friend.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist, and blogger for The Huffington Post. She has written two books for teen and tween girls, LIKED: WHOSE APPROVAL ARE YOU LIVING FOR? and 10 ULTIMATE TRUTHS GIRLS SHOULD KNOW, that are available online and everywhere books are sold. You can join Kari’s Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@ karikampakis.com.

C12 • January 2017

280 Living

280

Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

769325

35242

2772 Berkeley Drive

New

$569,900

769706

35242

2064 Regent Park Lane

New

$367,500

769691

35242

2043 Stone Brook Drive

New

$195,000

769678

35242

616 Cherokee Circle

New

$249,900

769674

35242

2045 Eagle Ridge Drive

New

$255,000

769614

35242

1071 Highland Park Place

New

$424,000

769613

35242

4134 Alston Lane

New

$399,000

769455

35242

24104 Portobello Road

New

$239,900

769447

35242

1045 Linkside Drive

New

$337,900

769391

35242

1032 Beaumont Avenue

New

$389,900

769371

35242

105 Courtside Drive

New

$329,900

769536

35242

5428 Woodford Drive

New

$414,750

769362

35242

2965 Kelham Grove Way

New

$421,270

769349

35242

800 Reynolds Crest

New

$520,000

769295

35242

7490 Kings Mountain Road

New

$1,399,000

769705

35043

3048 Chelsea Park Ridge

New

$254,900

769538

35043

693 Forest Lakes Drive

New

$182,000

769153

35043

11504 Hwy. 11

New

$324,900

768917

35043

340 Crossbridge Road

New

$282,665

768915

35043

315 Crossbridge Road

New

$289,900

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on Dec. 19.

Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

2772 Berkeley Drive

5428 Woodford Drive

280Living.com

January 2017 • C13

Calendar 280 Area Events Jan. 4: Greater Shelby Ambassador Work Group.

11:30 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Drive, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Jan. 5: South Shelby Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon. 11:30 a.m. Columbiana First Baptist Church. $15. Visit southshelbychamber. com.

Jan. 25: 2017 Business Outlook Conference. 9 a.m. Pelham Civic Complex. Visit southshelbychamber.com.

Feb. 4: Grief Share. 7-8:45 p.m. Faith Presbyterian Church, 4601 Valleydale Road. Grief Share sessions are held on Thursdays from Feb. 4 to May 5, and it is open to anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one. $20. Call or email Pete Jackson at 9086529 or txjackson5@gmail.com, or Mary “Martee” Jackson at 540-2090 or martee1912@gmail.com.

Chelsea Library Wednesdays: The Tot Spot. 10:30 a.m. A 30-minute story time for preschoolers. We read, sing, dance and sometimes craft. Visit chelsealibraryonline.com/calendar.html.

Fridays: BYOC- Bring your own crochet (craft). 10 a.m. Audio/Reading room. Visit chelsealibraryonline. com/calendar.html.

Jan. 14: Lego Club. 9:30 a.m. For ages 5 and up.

Visit chelsealibraryonline.com/calendar.

North Shelby Library Adult Programs Jan. 12 & 26: Color Therapy. 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Registration Required. Light refreshments served.

Disconnect from your busy day and just color it out.

Adult Computer Classes Jan: 10: Email for Beginners. 10-11:30 a.m.

Learn how to use Gmail to send and reply to messages. We will also cover folders, drafts, and attachments. Time permitting we will cover contacts. If you have a Gmail account already, please make sure you know your user name and password. Registration Required. $5 deposit required upon registration. Deposit returned upon attendance.

Jan. 17: Internet for Beginners. 10-11:30 a.m. The basics of navigating and searching the Internet for those with little to no experience.

Registration Required. $5 deposit required upon registration. Deposit returned upon attendance.

Kids All month: January Craft. Stop by the Children’s Department to pick up a craft to take home or make in the department. All ages are welcome.

Supplies are limited.

Mondays: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required.

10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages. No registration.

Thursdays: PJ Story Time. 6:30 p.m. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies, and hear some wonderful bedtime tales. All ages. No registration required.

Fridays: Open Gaming. 3:30 p.m. Teen Department. Participants must have a parent permission slip on file to attend.

Jan. 7: Lego Club. 10-11:30 a.m. The library provides the Legos, the kids provide the imagination and creativity. Families are welcome to drop in anytime between 10:00 and 11:00 to build spectacular creations. Creations will then go on display in the Children’s Department. All Ages Welcome. No registration is required.

Jan. 10: Picture Book Club: Mouse’s First Storytime. 10 a.m. Join us for stories, games, crafts, and snacks featuring a different favorite book character each month. All ages welcome.

Registration required.

Jan. 18: Homeschool Hangout: What’s the Flush? Join us as “Mr. Cleanwater,” water environmental specialist, Gary Reid, shares with us what happens to the water you flush away every day. Ages 7-12. Registration required.

Tuesdays: Baby Tales. 10 a.m. Story time for babies and their caregivers. Birth to 18 months.

Registration required.

Jan. 26: Maker Madness. 4 p.m. Join us for an hour of STEM learning and creativity! We’ll explore a new tech each month - from robotics and electronics to engineering and design, come express yourself with us! For ages 8 - 12. Registration is required.

Wednesdays: Family Storytime with Mr. Mac.

Jan. 27: Preschool Kitchen Science. 10:30 a.m.

Stop by for stories, songs, and STEAM-y (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math) science experiments for preschoolers. Supplies limited, registration required.

Teens Jan. 6 & 13: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Come to the teen department Friday afternoons for open gaming: board games, card games, Wii, XBOX ONE, and Minecraft. Teens need a parent permission slip on file to attend. Note: there will not be Open Gaming on Friday, January 20. Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Jan. 9: Anime Night. 6 p.m. Join us in the teen department for an evening of anime. The audience will pick what we watch. Treats will be served and costumes are welcome! Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Jan. 12: Teen Leadership Council Meeting.

6:30 p.m. Teen Leadership Council members will meet to plan the programs for Spring and Summer. New members are welcome! Pizza will be served and each person who attends is expected to bring at least two program ideas. Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Jan. 14: Volunteer Day. Help the library and earn community service hours! On each day, volunteers can work 1-2 hours on a variety of tasks. Limit 5 volunteers per Saturday; must be in grades 6-12. See additional volunteer dates on our online calendar at northshelbylibrary.org. To sign up for a time, please contact Kate at 4395512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org.

C14 • January 2017

280 Living

Mt Laurel Library Kids Jan. 6 & 20: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays, and more make up a lively 30 minute program designed especially for short attention spans and their caregiver. Registration begins two weeks prior to each storytime.

Ages 36 months and younger.

Registration required. Register using the library’s online calendar at mtlaurellibrary.org or call 9911660.

Jan. 6 & 20: All Ages Storytime.

11 a.m. Stories, music, and more for every member of the family.

All ages. No registration required.

Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurel@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Jan. 14: Crafty Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Drop in to make a craft at the library. All ages with parent help. Registration is not required but supplies are limited.

Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurel@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Jan. 17: Picture Book Club – Mouse’s First Storytime. 4 p.m.

Celebrate Mouse’s First series with stories and crafts. All ages welcome. Registration required.

Register using the library’s online calendar at mtlaurellibrary.org or call 991-1660.

Jan. 27: Stuffed Animal Sleepover. 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

Break out your favorite jammies and stuffed animal, and head to the library for a fun craft. Your favorite stuffed animal will enjoy

a very special sleepover at the library. Come back the next day to pick up your animal friend and see what they did all night at the library. Registration required. All ages welcome. Register using the library’s online calendar at mtlaurellibrary.org or call 991-1660.

Jan. 28: Lego Club. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The library provides the Legos, the kids provide the imagination and creativity. Families are welcome to drop in anytime between 11 and 1 to build spectacular creations which will be displayed in the library. Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurel@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Adults Jan. 5: Mt Laurel Book Club. 7 p.m. The Book Club will meet at the library to discuss The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Contact Sara at 991-1660 or mtlaurel@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

Jan. 13: Acrylics 101. 6-8 p.m.

Find the artist in you! Cassidy Cash will be here to teach you how to paint with acrylics. $5 for materials. Registration required.

Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@ gmail.com for more information Jan. 16: Mt Laurel Knitting Club.

6-8 p.m. Come to the Mt Laurel Knitting Club for snacks, socializing, and new ideas! Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Wednesdays: Baby Café. 10 a.m.noon. We invite breastfeeding moms to join us for our lactation support group meeting. Moms will have the opportunity to meet with a lactation consultant, as well as network with other breastfeeding moms. The group is designed to give breastfeeding moms encouragement and support, as well as helpful information and tips from our expert. This event is free, but please call Rosie at 930-2807 to reserve your space.

Mondays: Next Chapter Book Club/ Greystone Chapter. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Book club meeting follows the Hoover School System calendar. The Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen offers weekly opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to read and learn together, talk about books, and make friends in a relaxed, community setting. This group meets at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen in the Wellness Area.

Jan. 2, 3 and 4: Healthy Holiday Challenge Weigh-out. Normal operating hours.

We hope you have enjoyed the nutrition and fitness tips and that the challenge has allowed you to be more thoughtful in your health habits during the holidays. If you haven’t gained any weight during the challenge time frame, you’ll qualify for one of four fabulous prizes. Announcement through email will be made by January 6.

Jan. 7: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.noon. This group supporting lupus patients and their families will meet the first Saturday of every month at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. This month a discussion will revolve around a Q & A session. This event is free and is sponsored by the LUPUS Foundation of America-MID-SOUTH Chapter. Call 1-877-865-8787 for more information.

Jan. 10: Wake Up to Wellness: Healthy Breakfast Ideas. 9-11 a.m. Front Desk.

Jan. 17: Blood Pressure/Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative from Wellness Services will be screening for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. These screenings are free.

Jan. 17: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If you have diabetes or are at risk, this seminar at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen is a must. A physician’s referral is required. Pre-assessments are given preceeding the class time. To register, please call 939-7248.

Jan. 18: Wake Up to Wellness: Reasonable Resolutions. 9-11 a.m. Front Desk.

Jan. 19: Wellness Screenings. 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. To stay abreast of your numbers, cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference, screenings will be held by appointment at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. Results and interpretation in fifteen minutes with a simple finger stick. The cost is $20 for members and non-members. Call 408-6550 to register.

Jan. 25: Wake Up to a Healthy Breakfast. 11 a.m.- noon. Start 2017 off right by waking up to a healthy breakfast. Join Registered Dietitian Jessica Ivey at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen as she shares quick, balanced make-ahead meals to fuel your busy weekdays, as well a special weekend brunch dish or two. Cost is $12 for recipes and tasting. Please call 408-6600 to register by Monday, January 23.

Jan. 26: Wake Up to Wellness: Protecting your Skin in Winter. 9-11 a.m. Front Desk.

Jan. 26: Breakfast with the Doc – All That Sniffles Isn’t Sinus. 8-9 a.m. Join Michael Sillers, MD, an otolaryngologist with Alabama Nasal and Sinus Center, as he discusses the signs and symptoms of the common cold and how to differentiate them from allergies, sinus infections or underlying issues in the nasal cavity. He will cover over-the-counter treatment options and suggest guidelines for when an appointment with a physician is needed.

Bring your questions and enjoy a light breakfast. This event at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen is free, but please call to register 408-6600.

Jan. 26: Cuisine at One Nineteen.

6-7:30 p.m. Seasons 52 chef Robert Taylor-Whitman will be our guest chef at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. Seasons 52 is a fresh grill offering seasonally inspired dining choices designed to excite and surprise the palate. Come and enjoy southern-style shrimp and grits made with sautéed shrimp, chorizo, bacon and stone-ground cheddar grits. Bring a bottle of wine and a friend and enjoy this evening in a relaxing atmosphere. The cost is $25 per person. Please call 408-6600 for reservations. Childcare available with advanced specified reservations.

Jan. 27: Tiny Tot Chef Club. 9-10 a.m.

This fun tot class for three and four year olds at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen will feature the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. Your little chef will make mouse cheese and crackers and oatmeal cookie bites. Help your child get started eating well for a lifetime. The cost is $10 per child. Class requires an eight child attendance minimum. Please call 408-6600 for reservations.

Jan. 30: Wake Up to Wellness: Physician or Urgent Care. 9-11 a.m. Front Desk.

280Living.com

January 2017 • C15

Heardmont Park Senior Center Mondays (closed Jan. 16): Tai Chi, 9:3010:30 a.m.

Tuesdays: Aerobics. 10-10:45 a.m. and 10:4511:30 a.m.

Mondays: Mah Jongg, 9:30 a.m.-Noon

Tuedays: Bible Study. 11 a.m.

Mondays: Canasta, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Tuesdays: Bingo & Board Games. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wednesdays: Bridge. 9 a.m.-Noon

Fridays: Zumba Gold. 9-10 a.m.

Thursdays: Aerobics. 10-11 a.m. and 1111:55 a.m.

Fridays: Intermediate Line Dancing. 10-11 a.m.

Thursdays: Bingo & Board Games. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Fridays: Beginning Line Dancing. 11 a.m.-Noon.

Area Events Through Jan. 15: Birmingham’s Winter Wonderland. Railroad Park. Outdoor ice skating rink.

Open seven days per week. $10 for two-hour session. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Visit railroadpark.org.

Visit lyricbham.com.

and up. Visit redmountaintheatre.org.

Jan. 12: Turtle Island Quartet with Cyrus Chestnut.

7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $42-$78. Visit alysstephens.org.

Jan. 15: Southern Bridal Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. $12 advance, $15 at the door. Visit eliteevents.com.

Jan. 1-8: Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Light Show at the Race Course. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Birmingham Race Course. $25 per car. Visit shadrackchristmas.com.

Jan. 12: Greater Birmingham Teenage Republicans Meeting. 6:30 p.m. Nino’s Italian Restaurant, Pelham. Visit jeffco-gop.com.

Jan. 15: Reflect and Rejoice: MLK Concert. Alys Stephens Center. 3 p.m. $9-$24. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

Jan. 13: Dirty Dancing. BJCC Concert Hall. $30$60. 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit theaterleague. com/Birmingham.

Jan. 18: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $49$82. Visit alysstephenscenter.org.

Jan. 5: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Downtown Birmingham, 113 22nd St. N. Local artists and performers. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com.

Jan. 21 & 28: Wake Up Brother Bear! 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. BJCC Theatre. $10 children, $15 adults.

Visit bct123.org.

Jan. 7: Boyz II Men. 8 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. $50-$85. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

Jan. 14: MLK Day 5K Drum Run. 7 a.m. Kelly Ingram Park. $30 registration. Visit mlkday5kbham. com.

Jan. 7-8: Alonzo King LINES Ballet. 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Alys Stephens Center. $28-$45.

Visit alysstephens.org.

Jan. 14: Southeastern Outings Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park. 9:45 a.m. Park admission, $5 adults, $2 children. Visit seoutings.org.

Jan. 21: Southeastern Outings Waterfowl Viewing Trip. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur.

Depart 9 a.m. from Hayden/Corner Park and Ride or meet group there at 10 a.m.

Jan. 7-8: Monster Jam Triple Threat Series. Legacy Arena at BJCC. 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m.

Sunday. Visit monsterjam.com.

Jan. 14-15: BrickFair Lego Expo. 11:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. BJCC Exhibition Halls. $15, ages 3 and under free. Visit brickfair.com.

Jan. 26-Feb. 11: The Miss Firecracker Contest.

Theatre Downtown. $12-$18. Visit theatredowntown.org.

Jan. 8: Southeastern Outings Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park. 1 p.m. Park admission, $5 adults, $2 children. Visit seoutings.org.

Jan. 14: WWE Live. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Arena at the BJCC. $17-$102. Visit wwe.com.

Jan. 26-Feb. 12: Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. Virginia Samford Theatre. $15-$35.

Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

Jan. 8: Kathleen Madigan “The Mermaid Lady” Standup Comedy Tour. 8 p.m. Lyric Theatre. $35.

Jan. 14-15: A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart. Red Mountain Theatre Company, Cabaret Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $15

Jan. 26: UAB Men’s Basketball vs. Louisiana Tech.

7 p.m. Bartow Arena. $17-$22. Visit uabsports.com.

Jan. 27: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $25-$74. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

Jan. 27-29: Kami-Con Season 9. BJCC Exhibition Halls. Celebrating Japanese culture, anime and manga and more. $25-$45. Visit kamicon.net.

Jan. 28: 11th Annual Chinese New Year Festival.

11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Boutwell Auditorium. $5 tickets, 12 and under are free. Visit bhmchinesefestival.org.

Jan. 28: Miranda Sings Live… You’re Welcome.

8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $33.55-$66.50. Visit alabamatheatre.com.

Jan. 28-29: Birmingham Feline Fanciers CFA Cat Show. Zamora Temple. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. $4-$8. Visit birminghamfelinefanciers.com.

Jan. 29: Elevate the Stage: UA vs. AU Gymnastics.

4 p.m. Legacy Arena at the BJCC. $12-$27. Visit elevatethestage.com.

Jan. 29: An Evening with Pat Metheny. 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $48-$68. Visit alysstephens.org.

Jan. 30: Miles vs. Lane College Basketball. 5:30 p.m. women, 7:30 p.m. men. Miles College. $10.

Visit milesgoldenbears.com.