280 Living February 2016 by Starnes Media

280 Living

February 2016 | Volume 9 | Issue 6

neighborly news & entertainment

$70M Hoover Sportsplex construction to start in June By JON ANDERSON

THE FIGHT OF A

LIFETIME Steve Burrough watches an OMHS wrestling practice. Photo by Frank Couch.

Oak Mountain wrestling coach confronts challenging battles both on, off the mat By STEVE IRVINE

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Steve Burrough quietly carried on a conversation with a visitor while intently watching his Oak Mountain High wrestling team work its way through a recent practice. He playfully chided one wrestler for appearing to wear his shorts backward and kidded with

a few wrestlers sitting out because of illness or injury. Instructions were either given quietly or with a quick point of a ﬁnger. His wrestlers knew what he wanted — whether it came with verbal instructions or not. A few minutes later, he walked into an adjacent room to tell his story. It’s a story of frustration. A story of persistence. A story of overcoming

INSIDE

Sponsors .............. A4 280 News ............. A6

obstacles while not always knowing the entire cause of those obstacles. A story that is inspiring and sad at the same time. In many ways, also a story of how wrestling — and the kids he’s coaching — serves as one of the vehicles that keeps him going. Burrough’s story begins with a persistent cough that started more than eight years ago and eventually became much more. Doctors can’t tell Burrough everything that he’s ﬁghting right now, but

Construction on the $70 million sports complex approved by the Hoover City Council in December is expected to begin in June, Hoover Executive Director Allen Pate said. The 141,000-square-foot indoor event center, to be built next to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, should be completed by May 2017, and the rest of the 120-acre Hoover Sportsplex likely will be finished by February 2018, Pate said. The indoor facility will be able to accommodate a wide variety of sports, including a full-size football or soccer field, nine regulation-size basketball courts, and 12 regulation-size volleyball courts or six indoor tennis courts. It also could be the site of trade shows up to 300 booths and could seat 2,400 for banquets and 5,000 for events with general seating, such as a graduation ceremony or concert, Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said. The indoor facility is slated to include a recreational walking track suspended 14 feet in the air, an athletic training and rehab center, a food court and a covered walkway connecting it to the Hoover Met. It will not be tall enough to accommodate a football game with punting but could handle a 7-on-7 game, said Jeffrey Brewer, the regional president for Goodwyn Mills & Cawood, which created the architectural design. The outdoor portion of the complex is supposed to include six NCAA regulation-size soccer/lacrosse/football fields, eight baseball/softball fields, 15 tennis

See BURROUGH | page A12

School House ..... A13 Business ............. A22

Chamber.............A29 Sports .....................B1

See SPORTSPLEX | page A30

Community ........ B22 Opinion ............... B25

Faith .................... B26 Calendar ............. B28 facebook.com/280Living

Up in the Air

Chasing the Puck

A Caldwell Trace business owner is introducing the community to aerial workouts.

Hockey is a growing sport for children and adults along U.S. 280.

See page B14

See page B1

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280 Living

A4 • February 2016

About Us Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell Right now, I’m definitely riding a post-New Year’s Day wave of energy. I’m all about fitness and trying to convince myself that this is the year that I’ll stick with it instead of fading by mid-March. So, for Valentine’s Day this year I’m encouraging you to love yourself by getting active, and there are plenty of ways to do that. If running is your thing, the Frostbite and Chocolate 5Ks are happening this month, and the Chocolate 5K even rewards you with candy along the way. There are also a number of fitness facilities along 280, including the new The Barre facility. If you’ve wanted to play a sport but haven’t found the right fit, hockey might be what you’re looking for. It’s fast, intense and both the children and adult hockey teams are filled with players living along the corridor. Or, if you prefer fun that’s a little less strenuous, Ultra Blast Laser Combat Center is now open and ready for a “battle” between you and your friends.

However, one of the most unique new ways to get fit is aerial silks, offered at Head Over Heels Gymnastics. Aerial silks are a circus art blending creativity, flexibility and a deceptive amount of strength. I interviewed the aerial silk instructors because I had always been curious about the art and they let me try out a few moves. To be honest, once I finished the article I was hooked and went back to sign up for classes. These activities may not be the right fit for you, but I hope the stories in this issue point you in the right direction to find the sport, class or other activity that sparks your excitement.

Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Sports Reporter: Associate Editor: Copy Editor:

Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Kyle Parmley Lucy Ridolphi Louisa Jeffries

Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Contributing Writers: Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Steve Irvine Rachel Burchfiel Chris Megginson Jesse Chambers Grace Thornton

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BEHIND THE LENS Graylon Robertson rolls up a section of 5-inch supply hose in front of the Cahaba Valley Fire Department on U.S. 280 on Jan. 15. Firefig ters at the department had recently conducted tests on the sections of fi e hose for a new truck. Despite the rainy and overcast day, the testing was completed and all of the hoses check out and are ready for service. Technical Data: NIKON D810, Lens (mm): 35, ISO: 1000, Aperture: 18, Shutter: 1/80

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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: sydney@ 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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280Living.com

February 2016 • A5

BUICK GMC

CONGRATULATIONS, BEN & CAROLE! Ben & Carole Smith drove away from Royal Automotive with their new 2016 Buick Enclave Premium.

Thank you for being Loyal To Royal!

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Where you’re always treated like royalty!

280 Living

A6 • February 2016

280 News

Hoover council passes ordinance to allow Uber, similar companies By JON ANDERSON The Hoover City Council on Jan. 19 passed an ordinance to allow and regulate transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft. The move brings Hoover in line with most other cities in the Birmingham metro area, which already have passed similar ordinances. Hoover Councilman John Lyda, who for 1 ½ years has been advocating for measures to allow the app-based transportation companies to do business in the Birmingham-Hoover metro area, said he’s thrilled his city is finally on board with the idea. “Hoover was probably the last major piece of the puzzle to make this widely available in metro Birmingham,” Lyda said. Uber spokesman Bill Gibbons said in an email that the company appreciates the leadership of Lyda and the support of the City Council with its vote to bring “safe, reliable transportation options and expanded economic opportunities to Hoover.” Hoover and other cities needed to pass new ordinances to allow the app-based companies because most cities’ ordinances regarding forhire transportation were designed for the taxicab industry, which uses a significantly different business model than app-based companies such as Uber and Lyft, Lyda said. People who want to use Uber to get a ride somewhere can download the Uber app on their

phone. It allows them to request a particular ride, and the app gives them an estimated fare and lets them know available drivers and vehicles in the area and an estimated arrival time. Customers can choose the vehicle they want to use, and there is no cash involved in the transaction. All payment is done via credit card over the app, not with the driver. Hoover Councilman Jack Natter said he has used Uber in various states over the past two years. “I’ve been extremely pleased with the service they offer and fares,” Natter said. “I welcome them to the city of Hoover.” He particularly likes that customers know the fare before they ever get in the vehicle, he said. Hoover city attorney Charlie Waldrep said Hoover’s ordinance is similar to ordinances passed by other cities in the metro area and was designed to complement them, not conflict with them. However, Hoover leaders wanted some additional provisions and safeguards written into their ordinance that are designed to provide another layer of protection for people who may choose to use an app-based transportation company in the city, Waldrep said. For example, Hoover’s ordinance requires that, once a year, transportation network companies must provide a list of all the identification numbers for drivers who picked customers up in Hoover in the preceding month. The Police

Uber and similar companies allow people to find and pay for a ride using an app on their phones. Photo courtesy of Uber.

Department can select up to five driver identification numbers to make sure those drivers

passed criminal background checks and driving record checks and their vehicles passed vehicle inspections. The revised ordinance also states that transportation network companies that use a third party to conduct background checks on drivers must use a company accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners and must keep records about driver qualifications for at least two years from the time a driver is activated. No driver could, within the previous seven years, have been convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fraud, sexual offenses, use of a motor vehicle to commit a felony, a crime involving property damage and/ or theft, acts of violence or a felony under the Alabama Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 or a similar felony offense in another jurisdiction. People also would not be allowed to operate a transportation network company (TNC) vehicle if they have more than three moving violations or a major driving violation during the previous three years. Drivers also would have to be at least 19 years old and would have to have a valid driver’s license, proof of vehicle registration and automobile liability insurance. TNC vehicles that operate in Hoover would be required to have at least $1 million in automobile liability insurance, and the companies would have to carry general liability insurance for at least $1 million.

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February 2016 • A7

New subdivision approved near Eagle Point The planning commission approved a subdivision request from Eagle’s Nest Development, dividing 10.06 acres into 15 residential lots. Photo courtesy of Shelby County Planning Commission.

By ERICA TECHO The Shelby County Planning Commission on Jan. 19 unanimously approved preliminary plans for a new subdivision near Eagle Point. The request to subdivide 10.06 acres into 15 residential lots was submitted by developer Bob Sproul with Eagle’s Nest Development LLC. The subdivision will be known as Eagle Nest. This development is not part of Eagle Point, but Shelby County Chief Development Officer Chad Scroggins said Sproul indicated he may request to be included in the Eagle Point homeowners association at a later date. Neighboring residents attended the Planning Commission meeting and voiced concerns about storm water drainage, road access and the types of houses that are to be built in Eagle Nest. The houses are expected to be in the $350,000 to $450,000 price range, Scroggins said.

The 15 lots are around a cul-de-sac and are between .4 and 1 acre in size, similarly sized to others lots in that area. Scroggins said neighbors at the meeting seemed to disagree with the Planning Commission’s decision to approve the subdivision, but approval was given because the preliminary plat met subdivision regulations. Scroggins said Sproul asked to waive the requirement to build a sidewalk because the surrounding neighborhood, Eagle Point, does not have sidewalks. “The sidewalks wouldn’t connect to anything else,” Scroggins said. Construction cannot begin at this time because the developer still has some corrections to make, Scroggins said. Once those corrections are made and the subdivision infrastructure is in place, the next step will be for the developer to seek approval of final plans so home construction can begin.

Chelsea council eyes names for sports complex roads

A portion of what could be Grand Slam Drive goes past the baseball fields under construction in the new Chelsea Sports Complex. Photo by Frank Couch.

By ERICA TECHO This spring, Chelsea baseball players may get the chance to play off of Grand Slam Drive. That’s one of the names proposed for a road leading to the baseball fields at the new Chelsea Sports Complex. Another road in the complex has two potential names — Sports Highland Parkway or Sports Mountain Parkway. The second road’s name depends on if the city establishes a deal with Brogdon Properties, which is building The Highlands community behind the high school. The road names are important to establish for 911 and emergency purposes, said Keith Hager with Insite Engineering. The road from Shelby County 11 (which would be Sports Highland Parkway or Sports Mountain Parkway) has been constructed, and a guardrail has been installed, Hager said. The only thing missing is some striping on the road, he said. “I’m satisfied we’re in pretty good shape

there,” he said. The city already had the land de-annexed from Pelham and annexed into Chelsea. Utility work is next, Hager said. Utilities along the road include a water line, power lines and a gas line that will be used in The Highlands Community. There are no plans to use gas at the sports complex at this time. Hager said city officials also need to decide whether to maintain ownership of a steep segment of road between the sports complex and The Highlands. While the city will maintain roads within the sports complex, there is no intention to maintain Sports Highland/Mountain Parkway beyond its intersection with Grand Slam Drive, he said. He suggested deeding Brogdon Properties the land with a steep grade, pending what legal counsel says. “Clearly it’s in our best interest to not have that liability,” Hager said. Niven said there might be a land swap in the works, and he would confer with the city attorney about deeding the land.

280 Living

A8 • February 2016

Funding for Oak Mountain State Park bike lanes approved By ERICA TECHO The Shelby County Commission in January approved a funding agreement between the county and the Alabama Department of Transportation to cover engineering and construction of more bicycle lanes in Oak Mountain State Park. The project is on John Findlay Drive from State Park Road to the North Trail Head and includes Terrace Drive. It is estimated to cost $2.55 million, with about 80 percent — or $2.04 million — coming from federal funds, $400,000 from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and $110,090 coming from Shelby County. If the ﬁnal cost exceeds the $2.55 million estimate, the county will be responsible for its proportional share. County Manager Alex Dudchock said the goal is for the bike lanes to connect with a project from the city of Pelham. Pelham plans to add around two miles of bike lanes on State Park Road from Alabama 119 to John Findlay Drive in order to build connectivity in the community. The goal is for bicyclists to not come into contact with other vehicles except for one location where they must cross trafﬁc, Dudchock said. The commission also in January passed a resolution recognizing Hugh Richardson, who has been chaplain for the Shelby County Commission since 2006. The resolution thanks Richardson for his dedication to the county and will be presented to him in February. Dudchock said he appreciated Richardson’s steady attendance and hard work

despite there being no compensation for him. “When, as you know, Dr. Richardson is not able to be here, and it’s very few times, he always secures someone else without having to ask,” Dudchock said. “And over 10 years, the only thing we’ve given him is maybe a garment or two with Shelby County on it, and on occasion, the events where we’ve had food here. Other than that, no compensation.” Dudchock also told commissioners that the county is still working to secure its ﬁrst stand-alone rehabilitation center with HealthSouth and that 96 more parking spaces should be completed at the Shelby County Courthouse complex by April. Also during the spring, County Commission meetings will be moved to the Harrison Regional Library in Columbiana while the heating and air conditioning system is replaced in the Shelby County Administration Building. In other business, the Shelby County Commission: ► Approved a contract to improve Shelby County 264 from Alabama 119 to Warrior Drive and replace a bridge there. ► Agreed to apply for a federal Justice For Families grant from a program that provides assistance to families and children in situations involving domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking and child abuse. ► Approved a resolution regarding rightof-way acquisition for a bridge replacement project on Shelby County 311. The resolution covered right-of-way donations and purchases.

This is where the current bicycle lane ends at the North Trail Head in Oak Mountain State Park. Photo by Frank Couch.

280Living.com

February 2016 • A9

Budget, Medicaid and lottery discussed at Shelby legislative preview luncheon

A panel of 11 legislators who represent parts of Shelby County spoke at the 2016 Alabama Legislative Session Preview luncheon at Jefferson State Community College’s ShelbyHoover campus Jan. 20. Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO Balanced budgets, Medicaid and a state lottery are likely big issues in the upcoming legislative session, lawmakers representing Shelby County say. A panel of 11 legislators representing Shelby County gathered at Jefferson State Community College’s Shelby-Hoover campus on Jan. 20 to discuss what they believe will come up in the session that starts Feb. 2. The luncheon was sponsored by the Greater Shelby, Montevallo, South Shelby and Calera chambers of commerce. Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, said the state’s $5.8 million education budget is “not what we want, not what we need” but in reasonably good shape. The general fund budget is more difficult, Waggoner said, because it includes funding Medicaid and the Department of Corrections. “With those two agencies alone, it takes over $1 billion of our $1.7 billion budget,” Waggoner said. The longtime state senator said he expects more challenges in regard to balancing the general fund, noting little growth revenue or growth taxes. Rep. Jim Carns, R-Mountain Brook, said he expects the House to spend a lot of time on Medicaid during the upcoming legislative session. Alabama and other states are not prepared for the number of people on Medicaid, Carns said. “We cannot, as a legislative body, sit back and do nothing,” he said. While some legislators on the panel supported cutting back Medicaid, Rep. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, said that was not the correct path to take. As a former nurse and chair of the House Health Committee, Weaver said she spent most of her life in health care and saw how Medicaid affects health care in general. “I understand that Medicaid is health care infrastructure in the state,” Weaver said. Getting rid of Medicaid would negatively affect the quality of care, she said. There are

steps that have been taken to contain Medicaid costs and fund Regional Care Organizations (RCOs) in order to shift the risk of Medicaid patients from the state to the private sector, Weaver said. “I think we need to look at this as a whole before saying, ‘Oh we’re not going to do that. It costs too much,’” she said. Meanwhile, state Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, is sponsoring a bill to amend the state constitution in order to allow a lottery. Three-fifths of the House and Senate would have to approve the bill, and then it would go on the ballot for a statewide vote. McClendon said many of his constituents said they would approve of a lottery, noting they do not want to have to drive to Georgia or Tennessee to purchase a lottery ticket. “If there’s $350 million going into this thing, I would rather see that go into Alabama than go into Georgia,” he said. Rep. Dickie Drake, R-Leeds, said while he does not agree with a state lottery, he will vote according to what his constituents support. “I’m a deacon at a Southern Baptist Church, and I have a little heartburn over the lottery bill, but I’m not here to vote what I want,” Drake said. “I’m here to represent 45,000 people in my district, and if that’s what they want, that’s what I’ve got to vote for.” An informal poll of luncheon attendees was completed by Sen. Slade Blackwell, R-Mountain Brook, and he said 63 of the 84 attendees said they were in favor of a lottery. Blackwell also asked attendees for their opinion on a gas tax, and 43 of 83 people who voted supported the gas tax to fund roads and infrastructure. Other legislators who spoke at the luncheon were: Rep. Allen Farley, R-McCalla; Rep. Matt Fridy, R-Montevallo; Rep. Mike Hill, R-Columbiana; and Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-north Shelby County; and Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster.

State Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, speaks at the 2016 Alabama Legislative Session Preview luncheon at Jefferson State Community College’s Shelby-Hoover campus Jan. 20. Photo by Erica Techo.

280 Living

A10 • February 2016

Increased city education spending still behind old funding formula City funding cuts have cost Hoover schools $78.6 million over 14 years By JON ANDERSON Hoover school officials say they’re grateful for the increased financial support approved by the Hoover City Council in December. However, even though the city’s contribution to the Hoover Board of Education will increase by an estimated $1.3-1.5 million a year, the city’s funding for schools is still way below what it would have been under a previous funding formula. For many years, the city of Hoover gave its school system 16 percent of sales tax revenues, plus a $1,500 building permit fee charged for every new home built in the city. The last year that formula was used was 2001, and the city gave more than $7 million to the schools. In 2002, during former Mayor Barbara McCollum’s administration, a former City Council quit passing along the building permit fees, which would have amounted to $807,000 that year. Then in fiscal 2005, under Mayor Tony Petelos, a new City Council restored the building permit fees but quit giving 16 percent of sales tax revenues to the schools. Instead, the council put a cap on contributions to schools. Between fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2014, that cap remained at $2 million a year. Last year, the council gave a one-time bonus to the school system by passing along $346,000 in BP oil spill settlement money, increasing the council’s total contribution to schools to $2.3 million. Still, collectively, over the past 14 years, city funding cuts have cost the Hoover school system more than $78 million, city financial records show. Even with increased funding approved in December for fiscal 2016, the city’s contribution to schools will be nearly $8.1 million less than it would have been under the

The Hoover City Council meets at the Hoover Municipal Center in December. Photo by Jon Anderson.

original funding formula. The 2015 contribution to Hoover schools would have been $11.5 million under the old formula. Some City Council members for years have said the funding cuts were justified because the school system in fiscal 2007 received $85.6 million from a Jefferson County bond issue funded by a 1-cent sales tax. With that unexpected influx of money, the school system didn’t need

the same contribution from the city anymore, Petelos and council members said. But now, that pot of money received in 2007 is dwindling as the school board has been using it to prop up operating deficits, and school officials say they may have to make unpopular spending cuts if more revenue isn’t found. The City Council responded by passing several measures on Dec. 21. One resolution reaffirmed

the city’s annual $2 million contribution to the school system, and a second one called for the city to pay the full cost of school resource officers instead of half, saving the schools an estimated $863,000 this fiscal year, records show. A third resolution approved in December allows the school system to continue receiving the $1,500 building permit fee for every new house, but it makes that money an addition to the $2 million allocation instead of an included portion of it. In fiscal 2015, those building permit fees totaled $546,000, records show. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said city officials wanted to make these changes to help the school system with its deficit budgets. “We want to help the schools all we can without cutting services,” Ivey said. Council President Jack Wright said the extra money will go a long way to help school officials narrow the gap between expenditures and revenues. “The kids of Hoover are our No. 1 asset, and our education system is our most important asset,” Wright said. Hoover Schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy said she was “delighted for anything and everything the City Council is willing to do for us.” When asked if the new money was enough, Murphy replied that she is an advocate for children. “We’re delighted that they’re helping out and identifying ways they can support our school system further,” she said. “I hope we’ll continue to collaborate with the city to identify other additional ways we can work together to support our schools. “As public education goes in Hoover, so goes Hoover city,” Murphy said. “I’m grateful for what they’re doing … I hope this is the beginning.”

280Living.com

February 2016 • A11

New programs’ goal: Cut line time Shelby County tag, license offices aim to eliminate waits By SYDNEY CROMWELL The Shelby County license and tag offices handle 400,000 transactions each year, and County Chief Operating Officer Phil Burns said 80 percent of those happen in person. It creates a lot of headaches and a lot of time spent standing in line. Two new county programs are intended to reduce the time Shelby residents spend at the DMV. The first is Senior Fast Tags, which launched in January. Senior residents can schedule an appointment for vehicle or boat registration up to a month in advance. Though the program doesn’t include drivers’ licenses and will be limited to certain days of the month, Burns said it will help Shelby County seniors who are not able to wait in long lines. Residents with appointments will have a separate line, and Burns said license office officials will visit nursing homes in the area to help residents set up appointments. “I want to make sure I’m in tune with that [need],” Burns said. “Most seniors, they can’t stand in line for 78 minutes.” Later this year, the county offices will also add new televisions in the waiting areas. Burns said these TVs will scroll through information about license and tag services at each office, but they will also include the list of needed documents for certain services. Many residents, he said, have waited in line for 30 minutes or more, only to find out that they don’t have proper documentation and will have to come back and do it again. He’s hoping the TVs will reduce those instances. These two 2016 programs will complement

A live feed on the Know B4U Go website shows line conditions at the Columbiana license and tag office. Photos courtesy of Shelby County.

Online license renewal removed about 7,000 people from in-office lines in 2015, Burns said. Shelby Chat, an online service for residents to talk to license office employees, has also reduced call volumes. Burns said the Shelby County license offices get about 20,000 calls per month, most with simple questions. Instead of a single employee answering one call at a time, Burns said an employee can manage 10-12 chats at a time and provide answers or documents quickly. This chart shows average wait times at Shelby County’s The county has added inforlicense and tag offices throughout the month. mation to its license office sites, the work that Shelby County is already doing including a series of interactive to expand online offerings. Burns said he would forms so residents know what they need for cerlike to see far more than 20 percent of transac- tain services. If they’re still stumped, however, tions taking place online. Burns described Shelby Chat as “probably the “The last year, I’ve tried to make a big push fastest way to get an answer” to quick questions. to automate and make awareness to the public of “We cannot answer 20,000 calls per month,” the online option,” Burns said. he said. We don’t have the manpower. Most of

our staff are doing those 400,000 transactions.” When something just has to be done in person, Burns advised residents to check the county’s Know B4U Go, a website with a live feed of current lines at each county office. The site updates every 10 minutes during business hours and provides estimates of current wait times. Know B4U Go also has a chart of average wait times during the month. It peaks at the beginning and end of the month, with wait times averaging between 35 and 42 minutes. The middle of the month, shown in green on the chart, is typically far less busy and wait times average around 13 minutes. “If you come in those green times, you’re going to have a significantly better experience,” Burns said. “The goal is to try to make it efficient. I know with 400,000 transactions a year that’s a challenge. There are many days that we have no line at all. I know people may find that hard to believe.” For more information, visit tags.shelbyal.com. The online license renewal site is license.shelbyal.com, and Know B4U Go can be found at knowb4ugo.shelbyal.com.

280 Living

A12 • February 2016 BURROUGH

CONTINUED from page A1 it’s partly a lung disease called mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). He becomes winded easily, and the coughing fits grow worse. The weight loss is so severe that, at one point, he tugs at a Minnesota wrestling shirt hanging off his shoulders, smiles a small smile and says, “This shirt would be tight on me. I wouldn’t say I was a muscle head, but I was a pretty big guy.” What he doesn’t do is ask for sympathy. “I don’t really feel sorry for myself,” Burrough said. “It’s my new normal.” Understanding that “new normal” is difficult without visiting his past, which is inseparable from wrestling. Basketball was Burrough’s first sporting love. His father was a big man — 6-foot-4 — and Burrough figured he’d be the same. When he entered Pinson High, however, he was 5-foot-2 and in need of finding a new sport. “My dad suggested that I go into wrestling,” Burrough said. “When he said wrestling, I’m picturing ropes. It wasn’t that. It fit my personality more. I’d always been small and aggressive. I guess you have to be when you’re small.” Burrough was a state champion wrestler by the time he graduated. He was also in love with the sport. After a couple years in college, he returned to his alma mater to help out as an assistant wrestling coach. Eventually, he moved on to help out another school before deciding, at the age of 32, not only to return to college but walk on the wrestling team at Carson-Newman University. “I don’t guess I went back with expectations of being an All-American,” Burrough said. “I really went back and learned more of a college style wrestling.” It seems attending clinics and watching videos would have been an easier route. But easy isn’t the way wrestlers operate. “You always hear that Alabama wrestling is not very good,” Burrough said. “I heard so much of that when I was younger, you start to kind of believe that. I wanted to at least find out if I would be able to do it. It did two things for me: It kind of settled it in my mind that had I had the

Coach Steve Burrough demonstrates a move to the OMHS wrestling team. Burrough joined Oak Mountain in 2005 and turned the Eagles into a winning program. Photo by Frank Couch.

opportunity I could have done an all right job and then going back and learning.” He eventually finished his college degree work at Montevallo and settled into his life as a history teacher and wrestling coach. He had short stints at Erwin High and Moody High before coming to Oak Mountain in the 200506 school year. He turned the Eagles into a winning program, finishing third in state three successive years early in his tenure and in the top five several more times. The persistent cough was a steady visitor during that time. It would get worse in wrestling season but was generally thought to be acid reflux or post nasal drip. In the summer of 2014, though, the coughing fits worsened. Burrough returned to his doctor and went to a series of specialists. During one of those visits, he was given a checklist of symptoms that included

loss of breath and sudden weight loss. All the questions were checked with a no. He was given instructions to come back in three weeks. “By the time I got back there, my voice was a whisper and I had lost 20 pounds,” Burrough said. “Every checklist question was yes. The 20-pound weight loss in that three weeks, I guess, got everybody’s attention, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it ﬁnally got them pushing to ﬁnd out what was going on.” The MAC diagnosis came, but, Burrough said, doctors weren’t sure if “that was the chicken or the egg.” He’s visited the Mayo Clinic twice, once to take out a lymph node that had nodules growing on it and clip his vocal cord. Now, he uses a microphone during class and often while coaching. Presently, he’s lost 45 pounds and he tires easily. Burrough takes an antibiotic regimen

three times daily and nausea medicine nightly before going to bed. The biggest frustration is the continued unknown about all that he is fighting. He struggles to get off the couch on Sundays during wrestling season. Getting out of bed on Monday isn’t easy, but he wouldn’t dare miss the early morning practice. Burrough demands his wrestlers show up and demands the same from himself. “[The wrestlers] don’t say much about it,” said Burrough, who missed 10 to 12 days during wrestling season last year because of surgeries and procedures. “I don’t know that they know a whole lot about what’s going on. They can definitely look at me and tell something is different. I kind of think they aren’t willing to complain too much when I’m over in the corner coughing up my lungs and looking like I don’t feel very good.” Others certainly notice and are inspired. Oak Mountain Athletic Director Tina Mills said in an email that Burrough “has continued to show a dedication to the boys on that team that inspires us all” and that dedication is what “is right about public education and sports.” Senior Jaried Buxton leaves no doubt about what Burrough means to the wrestlers. “I really appreciate him staying,” Buxton said. “He was really sick last year and had a lot of surgeries. I thought that he really cares about us. He’s still here without taking off sick days and all of that. When I see him do that, it makes me want to win for Coach.” Burrough is in no hurry to leave coaching. He has a son in seventh grade who he wants to coach. He also is excited about his current team, which has the pieces to be special. Alex Thomas (106 pounds) and Michael John Harris (132) were state finalists last year, and Coleman Reeves (160) and Buxton (170) finished third. Hall Morton, a state placer in 2014, was one of five additional state qualifiers returning from last year. They will follow Burrough’s lead. “We talk about adversity all the time anyway, just being a wrestler to begin with,” Burrough said. “It’s a great tool to teach adversity and overcoming odds, stepping up when you need to step up. This has just given me another avenue to teach that.”

280Living.com

February 2016 • A13

School House 5 words sum up teacher’s inspiration Amanda Bittinger stands with Shelby County Superintendent Randy Fuller at the annual Teacher of the Year reception ceremony in December. Photo courtesy of Shelby County Board of Education.

Shelby County High School Teacher of the Year discusses award, teaching By ERICA TECHO Winning Shelby County High School Teacher of the Year was an honor for Amanda Bittinger, but the real honor came from her students’ support. A few weeks after she was recognized, a student from one of her first classes at Oak Mountain High School came to visit. He brought her homemade fudge — as he has done since 2002 — and a few words of encouragement about the next step, Alabama Teacher of the Year. “He looked at me and said ‘We’ve got this,’ and I thought, you know, I’m not in this by myself,” Bittinger said. “I care what adults think of me, but I care way more about what my students think of me. And I felt like, well if he thinks I can do this, maybe I can do this.” Bittinger has taught for 19 years, with 13 years at Oak Mountain High School teaching honors pre-calculus and AP calculus. She said she credits her high school math teacher Ned Lowery with her love of math and teaching. “Mr. Lowery, he truly cared about everybody, and he showed interest in me,” Bittinger said. “I saw that he cared about me as a student, but he also cared about me as a person.” Lowery was a hard worker, Bittinger said, and he emphasized the importance of hard work in the classroom. But at the same time, he recognized that every student has the ability to learn even if they learn at different rates or start at different levels. “He was nice to everybody, and he met everybody where they were,” Bittinger said. “So that’s

what I try to do — I try to meet every kid where they are. I don’t try to make one kid into another kid. I try to look at that kid, who they are, and work with their skill set.” Bittinger makes a point to learn all of her students’ names by the second day of school and lets them know she is there for them. Her door is always open to students, she said, whether they need a person to talk to or a place to study. “They may be working on math, they may be working on chemistry, they may be working on physics,” she said. “I think when they come in here, they think this is a place to learn, and it doesn’t matter what you’re learning.” To inspire her students, she has five words above her whiteboard — think, learn, aspire, grow and enjoy. She said those words convey Lowery’s emphasis on hard work while motivating students to improve. “I want them to work hard, I want them to enjoy too, and I want them to know that at times enjoyment comes out from your hard work,” Bittinger said. While things such as decreased funding and other negative aspects of teaching dominate the news, Bittinger said that is not what deserves attention. She took on an extra class in 2016, but she does not mind. Teaching is her passion, and now she will be able to see and connect with more students. “I want people to know that the majority of people that are in education, they’re there because that is their heart,” Bittinger said. Being selected for Oak Mountain Teacher of the Year was a huge honor, Bittinger said, and getting Shelby County High School Teacher of

the year was a sort of shock. “I could name hundreds of other people that I would consider way more deserving of this than me, so I couldn’t believe it,” Bittinger said. “I never expected to get Shelby County High School Teacher of the Year.” But at the end of the day, Bittinger said she is not a teacher for awards or special recognition. She is there for her students. “The joy I get out of this job is not about me,” she said. “It’s about when I hear a kid say, ‘I got

into Duke. I’m going to be a doctor. I’m going to be a lawyer. I’m going to be an engineer,’ and they come back, and I’m amazed because I know I couldn’t have been that. I see people being things I could never be.” Other overall Teacher of the Year winners recognized by the Shelby County School District: Martha Bentley, the Gifted Education teacher for third through fifth grade at Elvin Hill Elementary; and Elizabeth Burttram, the eighth-grade science teacher at Helena Middle School.

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280 Living

A14 • February 2016

Community mourns passing of innovative, caring educator Marilyn Left, 1st principal of Greystone Elementary School, died Dec. 22 By JON ANDERSON Marilyn Left liked to play classical music over the intercoms in the hallways at Greystone Elementary School, but she wasn’t afraid to let some rock ’n’ roll in every now and then, too. Left, the first principal at Greystone, once rode a motorcycle onto the school stage during a talent show with “Born To Be Wild” blaring. She knew how to have a good time, but her focus was always on providing the best possible education for the children at Greystone, said Lana Murphy, a third-grade teacher who has been at the school since it opened in 1994. Left died Dec. 22, 10½ years after retiring from her job at Greystone in 2005. She was 75.

Former colleagues described her as an innovative and caring leader who was well respected. “She was a visionary,” said Sonia Carrington, a retired principal from Rocky Ridge Elementary School who was one of the original teachers at Greystone under Left. “She thought outside of the box. She wanted Greystone to be on the cutting edge.” Left was always encouraging teachers to try new strategies, Carrington said. “It was all about the kids and what helped them learn.” For example, Left knew there were wetlands near Greystone Elementary and prompted teachers to make use of the wetlands in their lesson plans and curriculum, from science to art and music, Carrington said.

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Marilyn Left poses while on vacation. The Lefts liked to travel with family and took all five of their grandchildren on extended trips. Photo courtesy of Tony Left.

Left also was very encouraging to teachers and supportive of fellow principals, winning their admiration, Carrington said. “We were all very, very close,” she said. “We respected her — appreciated her knowledge and ideas … She became not only our principal, but she was a friend to all of us. “She was a very unique lady,” Carrington said. “I’m just very sad she’s gone.”

‘A DIFFERENT AIR ABOUT IT’

Playing classical music over the intercoms in the hallways was Left’s way of giving Greystone “a different air about it,” Murphy said. Left also planned multi-age classrooms and special “enrichment Fridays” when children

could choose special classes to attend, from chess to gardening, Murphy said. “She was just really creative with planning and scheduling and allowing us to do a lot of things that typical Alabama classrooms in the elementary world didn’t do,” Murphy said. Left spent hours and hours at the school late at night writing grant applications to help the school get extra money for special initiatives and had most of the faculty seeking grant money, too, Murphy said. Left also was very personable, she said. One time, when one of the teachers’ daughters was sick, Left held the girl in her arms for three hours while the girl slept because the school could not get a substitute for her mother. Another time,

280Living.com

February 2016 • A15

Burning, Tingling, Painful or Numb Feet?

Left took over Murphy’s class because one of Murphy’s children hit his head and had to go get stitches. “She understood about you being a mother and trying to have a full-time position,” Murphy said.

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Left began her career teaching in Point Pleasant and Lakewood, New Jersey, before her husband, Tony, was transferred to Birmingham by his employer in 1969. She then established the kindergarten at Saint Francis Xavier School, where she taught for 10 years, her husband said. She worked one year in a school for children in an abuse shelter and then taught fourth-graders for four years at Pinson Elementary School. Along the way, Left obtained three master’s degrees from the University of Alabama at Birmingham — in early childhood education, early development and education administration, he said. She worked two years as an assistant principal at Cahaba Heights Elementary School and one year as an assistant principal at Leeds Elementary. Once she obtained her doctorate in educational leadership, she received her ﬁrst principal job at Greystone. Outside of work, Left enjoyed knitting, cross-stitching, and training and showing Samoyed dogs (white Siberian sled dogs). She also was an avid reader and loved to travel. She and her husband traveled to Canada several times, went on four trips to Europe and expeditions to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. They also traveled across the United States twice, staying at various state parks. The Lefts liked to travel with family and have taken all ﬁve of their grandchildren on extended trips — two to Eastern Europe, one to the Canadian Rockies and two on an Alaskan cruise, Tony Left said. Marilyn Left was diagnosed with a blood disorder called myelodysplasia three to four years ago and had to have a blood transfusion every two weeks, her husband said. She eventually died of pneumonia and kidney failure — on her fourth daughter’s 46th birthday, he said. She and her husband were married for 53 years and 124 days, he said.

Don’t Suffer Any Longer!

Left worked two years as an assistant principal at Cahaba Heights Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Tony Left.

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Can you imagine that for yourself? If you suffer from: • Pins and needles in your feet • Burning leg pain • Burning foot pain Left loved to travel the world with her husband, Tony. Here she is getting up close and personal with some iguanas at the Auckland Museum in Auckland, New Zealand, in March 2006, not long after she retired from Greystone Elementary. Photo courtesy of Tony Left.

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By JON ANDERSON The Hoover school system and Finley Committee are now taking nominations for the 2016 Finley Awards for outstanding character. The awards are given each year to honor a school district employee, one senior from Hoover High and one senior from Spain Park High. Nominees should: ► Set high standards for himself/herself ►Assume responsibility where appropriate ► Exhibit quiet leadership ► Encourage others ► Demonstrate an outstanding work ethic ► Have genuine concern for others ► Show respect for others ► Have a humble manner ► Be honest ► Set a positive example for peers Nominations are being accepted through Feb. 5, and the winners are scheduled to be honored at a banquet on March 24 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center off U.S. 280, along with grade-level character award winners from all schools in the Hoover system. The Finley Awards began in 1996 and are named in honor of longtime educator and coach Robert Finley, who served at Hoover’s Berry High School from 1963-94 and was known for his

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• Are tired of not getting any answers • Are tired of taking medications that aren’t working • Are afraid their neuropathy is getting worse • Who want results, but aren’t getting any • Are looking for an effective solution Contact Neurogenx at: 1849 Data Drive, Suite 1 (Northwestern Mutual Building), Hoover, AL 35244, 205-483-3888, www.neurogenx.com/hoover Robert Finley was a longtime educator and coach at Hoover’s Berry High School from 1963-94. Rendering by Daniel Moore.

outstanding character. Nominations are to be made online through a link on the news portion of the Hoover City Schools website at hoovercityschools.net and must include three to ﬁve recommendation letters of no more than 500 words.

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280 Living

A16 • February 2016

Spain Park High School Theater troupe wins best in show 4th year in row By JON ANDERSON The theater department at Spain Park High School won best in show for the fourth year in a row for their one-act play at the statewide Walter Trumbauer Secondary Theatre Festival. The school also had three students win ﬁrst place in the state for their individual events, while one captured second place and four others took third. “I’ve got some great kids, some hard-working kids,” said Spain Park theater teacher Eric St. John, who was named the Alabama Conference of Theatre’s Secondary Teacher of the Year at the same event. “I was very pleased with their performance.” Spain Park sent a cast and crew made up of 25 students to perform an original one-act play at the state competition at Troy University. The play was called “Pals” and was based on the true story of British men who served in special hastily-formed Army battalions made up of volunteers during World War I. The idea was that men would be more willing to serve in the military if they could serve alongside people they already knew, so many of the battalions were made up of people from the same communities. The downside was that many of the Pals battalions lacked proper training and suffered higher numbers of casualties than regular Army battalions. As a result, some towns were decimated, losing large percentages of the men in their communities, St. John said. “It’s a pretty tragic story,” he said. The Spain Park students used letters written by World War I soldiers as research and came up with their own script for their play, wrote original music to go with it and sewed their own costumes together, St. John said.

Jacob Salathe, at left, and Max Johnson perform in Spain Park High School’s original one-act play “Pals.” Photo courtesy of Eric St. John.

To make the play more authentic, they even learned a Yorkshire dialect. One of St. John’s friends from Samford University who is from Lancashire County, England, worked with the students on the dialect, he said. The students

had to listen to Yorkshire recordings at night as homework, he said. The dialect sounds similar to that used by the servants on the popular “Downton Abbey” TV show, St. John said. Spain Park students competed against 30 other

one-act plays in the district competition and 16 shows at the state level, he said. By winning best in show, they qualiﬁed to perform the play at the 2016 Southeastern Theatre Conference but instead chose to seek entry into

280Living.com

February 2016 • A17 Spain Park High School students perform a scene in their original one-act play “Pals,” which took best in show at the statewide 2015 Walter Trumbauer Theatre Festival in Troy. Photo courtesy of Eric St. John.

the Atlanta Fringe Festival. The students ﬁrst performed “Pals” at their school in November and plan to do it again in late May. They also are performing two other plays this year: Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” on Feb. 25-28 and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” on May 5-8. St. John has been teaching theater for 17 years, including 12 in Alabama. This is his ﬁfth year at Spain Park. Here are the Spain Park students who placed

in individual events at the state competition: ► Macey Rowland, ﬁrst place, varsity solo comedic female musical ► Leah DeBerry, first place, novice playwriting ► Ashley Johnson, ﬁrst place, novice stage management ► Cassidy Johnson, second place, varsity sound design ► Adam Gilliland and Max Johnson, third place, varsity duet pantomime

► Morgan Gerelds and Lauren Bryan, third place, varsity duet comedic reader’s theatre ► Adam Gilliland and Ethan Parish, third place, varsity duet comedic contemporary acting ► Ben Peinhardt, third place, varsity scene design Hoover High School also had several individual winners at the state competition: ► Hana Park, ﬁrst place, novice solo acting female contemporary comedic

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► Josh Anthony and Christian Hatcher, second place, novice duet pantomime ► Sara Hardy and Noell Gooch, second place, varsity duet pantomime ► Skylar Thornton and Ashley Kate Otwell, second place, novice duet comedic reader’s theatre ► Gigi McLendon, third place, novice playwriting

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280 Living

A18 • February 2016

REACHING OUT Peer groups help students connect with conversations on addiction HEROIN ON THE RISE

Reaching Out is the ﬁnal installment of a three-part series about heroin use and addiction in Shelby County.

By ERICA TECHO The way students learn about drugs and addiction is changing. Doomsday stories and scare tactics do not work anymore, so addiction experts now are focusing on stimulating more open conversation. “Unfortunately the way we’ve done prevention in our industry up to this point has been really focused on telling kids, ‘Just don’t ever try it,’” said Sandor Cheka, executive director of the Addiction Prevention Coalition. “And what they see is a valedictorian smoke pot on the weekends and they’re still a valedictorian the next day.” Cheka is among experts who are teaching students about drugs and addiction while at the same time trying to foster beneﬁcial discussion. “By encouraging our students to really engage their fellow classmates, it’s more relational,” Cheka said. “The evidence-based practices really point to the fact that if you get these kids in relational dialogues, you have much more of a chance of creating change.” The Addiction Prevention Coalition has 17 student groups in the Birmingham area, including chapters at Hoover and Spain Park high schools, where students are encouraged to lead the conversation. Rather than use a set curriculum, Cheka said students are able to talk about the issues facing their peers. J’La Jenkins has been a member of the Spain Park High School chapter for three years. She joined to try to help other students and is now chapter president. “I feel like our group is for any and everybody,” she said. “We’re not just saying ‘Don’t do drugs.’ We want to help you through your transition or whatever issues you may be facing.”

Both of Jenkins’ grandfathers died as the result of addiction. Her paternal grandfather died from alcohol poisoning at 14, and her maternal grandfather died at 54 after struggling with drinking and smoking, she said. “He had about four strokes, so I didn’t really get to have that relationship because she [my mother] didn’t really want us around that,” Jenkins said. “I really wanted to have that relationship with my grandfathers, and I never really got to have that. Those addictions took that away from me.” During chapter meetings, students are able to guide the conversations. They can discuss anything from peer pressure to addiction to coping with difﬁcult schoolwork, Cheka said. “It becomes a place where they ﬁnd a safety net that they didn’t have before,” he said. Lt. Clay Hammac, executive director of the Shelby County Drug Task Force, works with schools and student groups to share information about drug use and abuse. His goal isn’t to scare people straight, he said, but provide information so they can make the right decisions. “We don’t talk to the kids as if they’re potential addicts,” he said. “We talk to the kids to give them the tools and the resources to identify other friends within their circle of friends that may fall victim to this.” A school also provides a safe environment for discussion, Hammac said. By giving students an area where they can ask questions of reliable sources, he said they are less likely to get inaccurate information. But having peer-to-peer communication allows for more understanding, Jenkins said. “It’s not an adult saying, ‘Don’t do this,’” Jenkins said. “That’s

Addiction Prevention Coalition Executive Director Sandor Cheka talks with parents and community members about how to approach conversations on addiction with students. Photo by Erica Techo.

what we go through and get tired of hearing. So if you have a peer, that’s somebody who can relate to you; that’s somebody who understands things, adolescent issues.” As president of their chapter, Jenkins said she emphasizes for students to know themselves. If they are strong in their beliefs and stance against using drugs or alcohol, they’re less likely to ﬁnd themselves in situations where someone is offering them a chance to use, she said. Peers have approached her, but she said that by staying strong in her response, they don’t ask as much. “I feel like it’s gotten to the point where people realize me saying ‘no’ so much that they kind of have backed off,” she said. “I’ve been unwavering, and I’m managed to be strong in my beliefs.” Cheka said it’s important to realize that federal anti-drug curriculum might not ﬁt every school. That curriculum takes years of research to create, and by the time it hits schools, any students surveyed for research have graduated, and the issues facing students likely have changed as well, he said. “What one group of high schoolers faces is going to be completely different in the next four years,” Cheka said.

280Living.com

February 2016 • A19

Spain Park senior to participate in All-State Orchestra By SYDNEY CROMWELL In her seven years of playing clarinet, Spain Park High senior Katherine Hunter has racked up several honors: two-year section leader in the Jaguar band, two years in the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra and an invitation to perform in the All-State Band. This year, Hunter is adding to that list with her selection to participate in the All-State Orchestra. “Katherine is an outstanding young musician,” Spain Park band director Chris Neugent said. Hunter auditioned through an online recording and was chosen for a spot in the orchestra, which will perform this month at University of Alabama. Hunter said she received her sheet music in December to practice for the All-State Orchestra Festival. Neugent said Spain Park typically has two or three participants in the orchestra each year. He’s excited for Hunter to represent the Jags, especially since she’s a standout both in the band and in her classwork. Hunter was recently chosen as a National Merit Scholar semiﬁnalist. “She’s a rock star everywhere she goes here at Spain Park, both in the music room and in the academic classroom,” Neugent said. Hunter and the All-State Orchestra will perform Sunday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. in the Moody Music Hall at the University of Alabama.

Katherine Hunter and the All-State Orchestra will perform Sunday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. in the Moody Music Hall at the University of Alabama. Photo courtesy of Belmont Studio.

Five Hoover City Schools employees were honored among 100 outstanding graduates of Samford University’s Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education. Shown here, from left, are Marissa Benjamin, math coach at Rocky Ridge Elementary; Ann Elizabeth McInvale, ﬁrst-grade teacher at Trace Crossings Elementary; Wayne Richardson, principal at Deer Valley Elementary; and Chris Robbins, principal at Berry Middle. Not pictured is Kara Chism, assistant principal at Rocky Ridge Elementary. Photos by Jon Anderson.

5 Hoover educators named outstanding Samford grads By JON ANDERSON Five principals and teachers from Hoover City Schools were among 100 people recognized as outstanding graduates from Samford University’s Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education during the school’s centennial celebration. They were: ► Marissa Benjamin, math coach at Rocky Ridge Elementary School ► Kara Chism, assistant principal at Rocky Ridge Elementary School ► Ann Elizabeth McInvale, ﬁrst-grade teacher at Trace Crossings Elementary School ► Wayne Richardson, principal at Deer Valley Elementary School ► Chris Robbins, principal at Berry Middle School The Learning For Life award recipients were chosen for their success in their ﬁelds and their ability to give back to their communities, according to School of Education Dean Jeanie Box. “The work of educators takes courage, passion and determination,” Box said in opening remarks during the centennial celebration, according to a university press release. “For 100 years, graduates from the school of education have been changing lives every day, making a difference for children,

Kara Chism

adolescents, adults and families.” Samford President Andrew Westmoreland congratulated the honorees as “the very best in education, not just in Alabama, but around the world.” Not all the honorees were teachers or principals. Others came from ﬁelds such as health care, sports administration, ministry, athletics training, family studies and human development.

280 Living

A20 • February 2016

From left, Traci Ingleright, Marva Raby and Todd Parker were selected from among nominees at each of Hoover’s 17 schools and now will be considered alongside teachers from other school systems throughout the state to be included in the Jacksonville State University Teacher Hall of Fame. Photos courtesy of Hoover City Schools.

Hoover system teachers in running Gwin, Bumpus, Spain Park educators nominated for JSU Hall of Fame By JON ANDERSON The Hoover school system has nominated teachers from Gwin Elementary, Bumpus Middle and Spain Park High for the Jacksonville State University Teacher Hall of Fame. This year’s nominees from Hoover are: Traci Ingleright, an enrichment teacher from Gwin Elementary; Marva Raby, a Spanish teacher from Bumpus Middle; and Todd Parker, an American government and Scholars Bowl teacher from Spain Park High. Ingleright has been teaching for 21 years, including 10 in her current position at Gwin. She has served on the Alabama Environmental Literacy Plan Task Force, as a board member of the Environmental Education Association of Alabama and on the Governor’s Task Force for Environmental Literacy in Alabama. Under her leadership, Gwin has received the Project Learning Tree Green School Award, the

National Wildlife Federation Green Flag Award and the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Award. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Auburn University and a master’s degree and education specialist degree in special education from the University of Alabama. Raby has taught for more than 20 years, including 14 in her current job at Bumpus. She is a native of Costa Rica and is fluent in Spanish, French and Portuguese. She began her teaching career in Connecticut, where she taught a variety of high school subjects, including Spanish, French, English as a second language and bilingual education (world history, math and health). In Alabama, she has taught in an adult education program, taught conversational Spanish at the Hoover Public Library and taught Spanish, French and English as a second language to middle school students. Raby has a degree in foreign relations from

the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Bridgeport and a certificate of advanced studies from Fairfield University in Connecticut. She also has certificates for culture and language studies abroad from the University of Rouen in France and a certificate for international studies in bilingual education from the University of Braga in Portugal. Parker has been a teacher for 25 years, including the past 10 at Spain Park. He started his teaching career as a social studies teacher and basketball coach at Central Park Christian School for three years, then taught two years as a history teacher at Pelham High School and 12 years as the dean of students and basketball coach at John Carroll Catholic High School. Parker holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Samford University and a master’s degree in secondary education and educational specialist degree in educational leadership from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Ingleright, Raby and Parker were selected from among nominees at each of Hoover’s 17 schools and now will be considered alongside teachers from other school systems throughout the state. Jacksonville State each year chooses one teacher from each of the elementary, middle and high school levels. Nominees are judged on their standards of behavior and ethics, leadership, enthusiasm about teaching, demonstration of competence in their subject matter, cooperation with colleagues and administrators, and how well they seek to encourage, inspire and motivate students toward greater accomplishment. Nominees must be currently teaching subject matter to students at least 50 percent of each school day. Degrees held, length of teaching experience and current teaching assignments also are taken into consideration. No preference is given to nominees who attended Jacksonville State University.

280Living.com

February 2016 • A21

Hoover school board approves 2016-17 calendar with Aug. 4 start By JON ANDERSON The Hoover school board has approved a 2016-17 calendar that brings students back from summer break on Aug. 4 and allows for a full week out of school at Thanksgiving. Faculty overwhelmingly favored that calendar of two options presented to them for a vote, and Assistant Superintendent Melody Greene told the school board in January that a majority of parents did, too. School board member Jill Ganus Veitch was the only board member to vote against the calendar, saying she was concerned about having such a short summer. Students in sports and band essentially will have to be back at school in mid-July, giving them only a six-week summer, Veitch said. Greene said there were parents who complained about how early school would be starting but said it’s difficult to get the required 180 instructional days into the school year and keep the two semesters balanced without returning that early in August. Some were willing to give up a few off days during Thanksgiving week, but 82 percent of teachers and parents wanted to keep that full week out of school, Greene said. Veitch asked if school officials could implement some “e-days,” or electronic learning days, to allow students to complete some work online over a period of time without physically being at school and return to school a little later in August. Greene said the “e-days” that had been implemented in the past were very unpopular. The other 2016-17 calendar that was presented to parents for a vote would have started school on Tuesday, Aug. 9, and provided three weekdays out of school for Thanksgiving (Wednesday-Friday). But Greene said that calendar was

20, while Option B would end the semester on Dec. 22. The rest of the proposed 2017-18 calendars were mostly similar, including the same week of spring break for 2018 (March 26-30) and students out of school for Labor Day (Sept. 4), a teacher workday on Oct. 9, Veterans Day (Nov. 10), two professional development days for teachers on Feb 19-20, a teacher workday on April 23 and Memorial Day (May 28). Both of the 2017-18 calendars also would end school on May 23, 2018, with Spain Park High’s graduation on May 22 and Hoover High’s graduation on May 23. The school board is expected to consider the 2017-18 calendar at its Feb. 8 meeting at Berry Middle School at 5:30 p.m.

HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS 2016-17 CALENDAR

The Hoover Board of Education meets at Trace Crossings Elementary School on Jan. 12. Photo by Jon Anderson.

less popular. The calendar that was approved is essentially the Option A presented to faculty and parents for a vote, with one change, Greene said. The only change was moving a teacher workday from Oct. 11 to Jan. 3, to give teachers time to get ready for students after the winter break, she said.

SEPARATE VOTE FOR 2017-18

School employees and parents also were asked to vote on two calendar options for the 2017-18

school year. Employees again overwhelmingly favored an option that would start school on Aug. 8, 2017, and include a full week out for Thanksgiving, versus an Option B that would start school on Aug. 14, 2017, and have three weekdays out of school at Thanksgiving, Greene said. Results from the parent vote for the 2017-18 calendar were not available before the Hoover Sun went to press. Option A would end the first semester on Dec.

► Aug. 4: First day for students ► Sept. 5: School closed for Labor Day ► Oct. 5: End of first nine weeks ► Oct. 10: Teacher workday (no students) ► Nov. 11: School closed for Veterans Day ► Nov. 21-25: School closed for Thanksgiving ► Dec. 16: End of first semester ► Dec. 19-Jan. 3: Winter break ► Jan. 4: Students return ► Jan. 16: School closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day ► Feb. 20-21: Professional development days (no students) ► March 10: End of third nine weeks ► March 27-31: Spring break ► April 14 and 17: School closed for Easter weekend or weather makeup days ► May 23: Spain Park High School graduation ► May 24: Hoover High School graduation; last day for students

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February 2016 • A23

Now Open Sushi Village 280 is now open at 601 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 101, in Lee Branch. The restaurant offers sushi, hibachi and create-your-own stir fry, and it is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. 968-1588, sushivillageal.com

Nolan Stewart, PC, an elder law and estate planning firm, has opened an office at 1401 Providence Park, Suite 250. The firm specializes in last wills and testaments, trusts, asset protection, Medicaid and many other areas. 970-2050, nolanstewart.com

Little Bit of R&R BBQ has located a food trailer near the Greystone Wal-Mart, 5357 Highway 280. 353-2218, littlebitofrandrbbq.com

Painting With a Twist is now open at 701 Doug Baker Boulevard, Suite 106. 637-7777, paintingwithatwist/birmingham-hoover

Sugarboo & Co., dealer in whimsy, makers of ﬁne art and fanciful goods, is now open at 200 Summit Blvd., Suite No. 100. 970-4945, sugarbooandco.com

Coming Soon 9 Round 30 Minute Kickbox Fitness will be opening soon at 2659 Valleydale Road. 995-0708, 9round.com

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille will open this month in the former TGI Friday’s location, 4 Perimeter Park S. This will be the restaurant’s 13th location. perryssteakhouse.com

Mugshots will open its third Birmingham-area location at 110 Inverness Plaza this spring. mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Relocations and Renovations Barre 280 has relocated to 610 9 Pure Inverness Corners, near Winn-Dixie off Valleydale Road. The facility utilizes the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to music for a whole-body workout. 991-5224, purebarre.com

News and Accomplishments 10

Chelsea, has expanded and is opening a second location in Pelham at 2156 Pelham Parkway. 678-9822, zigzagsewingstudio.com Grandview Medical Center, 3690 Grandview Parkway, is the ﬁrst hospital in the Birmingham area to upgrade its technology for robotic-assisted surgery to the newest da Vinci system. This system is designed with the goal of further advancing the technology used in minimally invasive surgery. It can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures in the areas of urology, gynecology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery. 971-1000, grandviewhealth.com

Hirings and Promotions RealtySouth’s Inverness ofﬁce, 109 Inverness Plaza, has hired Melissa Garrett and Kelli Bell as Realtors. 991-6565, realtysouth.com

Keller Williams Realty Birmingham-Vestavia, 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 350, welcomes Mary Jo West to its executive team as a qualifying broker. Additionally, they welcome Jason Secor, owner of Jason Secor Real Estate Advisors, and his buying agents Charlene Carter, Aaron Sims and Jon McWhorter to their team. 397-6500, kwbham.yourkwofﬁce.com

Beth Flowers has been promoted to director of leisure sales at Brownell Travel, 216 Summit Blvd., Suite 220. She will take on a more active role with the ﬁrm’s leadership team while continuing to work directly with clients. 802-6222, brownelltravel.com

The Allstate Barker Agency, 3000 Eagle Point Corporate Drive, Suite 500, has hired Emily Thompson as a new agent. She, along with the other new licensed professionals, Lori Gardner and Thomas Northcutt, is looking forward to helping clients with their insurance needs. 995-4014, jaybarkeragency.com

Donette’ Hulsey has been hired as director of public relations and development for The MindSide, 7350 Cahaba Valley Road, Suite 103. The MindSide incorporates the principles of behavioral science with the pearls of sports and performance psychology to help teams, corporations, and emerging businesses perform with excellence. 492-0234, themindside.com

Zig Zag, a sewing studio located at 48 Chesser Crane Road, Suites A/B,

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280 Living

A24 • February 2016

Freddy’s in works for Lee Branch Currently in 25 states, Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers is looking forward to expanding its brand to Shelby County. Here is what the typical Freddy’s looks like. Photo courtesy of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Village at Lee Branch soon will be home to another fast-casual restaurant franchise. Construction has begun on Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, which is scheduled to open in February. The freestanding, 3,500-square-foot building will be at 301 Doug Baker Blvd., behind the Walgreens next to BBVA Compass Bank. The restaurant will seat 100 guests inside, with additional seating on the patio. It also will have drive-through service. This will be the first location for Freddy’s in Alabama. Others are planned for Vestavia Hills, western Hoover, Tuscaloosa and Huntsville. The next one in the Birmingham area likely will be in Vestavia Hills, said Bryan Pyle, the franchise operator for the Lee Branch site. Currently in 25 states, Freddy’s is looking forward to expanding its brand to the Birmingham area, Pyle said. “We are excited about our whole territory, especially the greater Birmingham area,” Pyle said. “There has been a lot of positive opportunities for us as we look for great sites to invest in the community and sink our teeth in there. As we did our research, Birmingham was very attractive to us. We could tell the communities are thriving around the Birmingham area into Hoover.” Freddy’s was co-founded in 2002 by two brothers for their father, WWII veteran Freddy Simon of Wichita, Kansas. They worked with restaurateur Scott Rendler to recreate recipes and an atmosphere similar to that of his generation and the 1940s and ’50s post-war era. Menu items include fresh-made dishes, such as lean beef steakburgers, Vienna beef hot dogs, shoestring fries and freshly churned chocolate or vanilla frozen custard with a variety of toppings. Pyle said that once someone tries frozen custard, it’s all they will want. “It’s similar to ice cream, but custard is denser,

richer and creamier, and that’s due to the churning process,” he said. “It eliminates ice crystals and excess air. We make it fresh on-site throughout the day, and it’s served with an assortment of toppings, either in a cup or a cone. Eat it with a spoon with a cup, as a sundae or concrete (blending the custard and toppings together).” Freddy’s locations try to plug into the community, partnering with schools on fundraisers. The restaurants offer a very family-friendly atmosphere that focuses on unity and quality of family time, Pyle said. “We relate to any age, gender, time of life,”

Pyle said. “My grandfather loves it because it takes him back to when his parents took him to a hamburger and shake place. Kids just really resonate with it also. Inside, we have bright red colors, and it’s lively.” The restaurant also features pictures of the menu items to let guests know what they offer. Pictures of Freddy himself, from all ages, fill the restaurant. “Freddy is now 90 years old. You get to know who Freddy is, and it puts a face to a name,” Pyle said.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers • The Village at Lee Branch shopping center • 301 Doug Baker Blvd. • freddysusa.com

280Living.com

The Gingerbread Lady moves to Greystone

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Known to many simply as The Gingerbread Lady, Ellen Morris has been making gingerbread houses for 52 years. The Meadowbrook resident learned the art from her mother when she was 15 and continues the tradition today at her new store soon to open in the Greystone Center. Morris started her actual business in the early 1990s, when the popularity of her houses increased after donating them to raise money for charity. For the past several years, she has operated The Gingerbread Lady Gift Shop, a whimsical store featuring gifts of all kinds, at Grants Mill Station in Irondale. But the foot traffic was not there to sustain the business, she said. “I’ve watched 13 stores go out of business (in Grants Mill Station) in 2 1/2 years,” Morris said. “I probably stayed a year and a half longer than I should have, hoping there would be a turnaround, and I just don’t see it. I’ve made really nice friends here. They’ve been very supportive people.” Since she lives off U.S. 280, Morris decided to relocate her store to the Greystone Center near Hunan Cuisine. “I’m going to bring in new lines and change things up a bit, but I’m not going to change everything,” she said. “The store will be as wacky as it ever was.” Her regular-sized houses take 12-14 hours to craft, with a three-day turnaround. No two are the same, as

Ellen Morris, center, at a Junior League of Birmingham event where she had a booth displaying her goods from the Gingerbread Lady Gift Shop. Photo courtesy of Ellen Morris.

she creates a special pattern for each design. Using a recipe she developed more than 50 years ago, Morris makes everything by hand. Due to demand, she begins receiving orders for Christmas houses as early as May. In addition to the gingerbread houses, she also makes more elaborate designs, including churches, barns, castles, merry-go-rounds, trains and more. In 2014, Morris was

commissioned to make the gingerbread replica of the White House for the American Village in Montevallo, which was done in previous years by a White House chef. Morris lost her husband, John, in August 2015 on the 44th anniversary of the day they met. He was her inspiration for turning this into a career because he told her she would never make any money doing gingerbread

houses. She set out to prove him wrong and got a business license the next day. She was glad John was able to see the new location before he passed away and gave her his blessing to close the deal. “He told me he wanted to know for sure that I was moving the store back to 280, so I made it happen,” Morris said. “I closed the deal on a handshake and signed the lease two weeks after

February 2016 • A25

The Gingerbread Lady Gift Shop • WHERE: 5510 U.S. 280, Suite 110 • HOURS: Wed-Sun, 10 a.m.6 p.m. • CALL: 960-7040 • WEB: thegingerbreadlady.com; Facebook: The Gingerbread Lady, LLC

he died. Things have a way of working out, just not the way you expect them to.” At the new location, Morris will continue selling Christmas items yearround. Her inventory will also include high-end baking supplies, including melting chocolates, food coloring, icing, spatulas and edible glitter. Other items for sale include wedding shower gifts, baby gifts, greeting cards and jewelry. She hopes to also have a room to teach cake decorating classes. To magnify the shopping experience, Morris also has a table and chairs with free coffee for her customers. “The store is evolving, but you’re dealing with a child of the ’60s, and the hippie is going to come out,” she said. “I have to have fun. It’s got to be colorful. I’m here for hours every day, so I try to make it a fun place.” Morris said she always wanted to be a famous artist and remembers her mother telling her to be careful for what she wished. “I never expected it to be making gingerbread houses,” she said. “They’re very artistically done, and I’m not complaining about it, but it’s not what I expected. If I can bring joy to people and see that inner child light up, it gives me satisfaction.”

280 Living

A26 • February 2016

There’s a new steak in town Texas-based family-owned Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille opening 13th site By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Another addition to the Birmingham area restaurant scene is set to debut this month. Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille will open at the Colonnade, in the former T.G.I.Friday’s location. Construction began last spring on the 13th location for the Texas-based family-owned eatery. It will be the first one in the Southeast, joining the other locations in Chicago, Denver and Texas. Originally opened as a butcher shop by Bob Perry in Houston in 1979, it was his son, Chris, who approached him about expanding the butcher shop into a grill. Since then, it has become one of the premier steakhouses in the country. Lesa Sorrentino, Chief Marketing Officer of Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, said the company is looking forward to opening along the 280 corridor. “We are very excited,” Sorrentino said. “We have had our eye on Birmingham for a while, and we found a location we thought would work for us. We are excited to be a part of the community.” Over the years, Chris Perry has created a steakhouse concept that is very welcoming and inviting to women and men. Sorrentino describes the restaurant as being very airy, modern and vibrant with an engaging atmosphere. Each location has a different look and feel to it. Sorrentino said that Perry’s marries their concept of each restaurant to the community, and does so from the design up. The Birmingham location will be 10,000 square feet and feature four private dining rooms, a bar, live music and outdoor patio. “When we’re designing the restaurant location, we tailor it to the needs of the community, the look and feel of it,” she said. “Each location is actually unique. All the locations look very

different. You’ll see elements that make it similar and unique, all in one. Each time someone goes to a Perry’s, we want it to be an experience, rare and well done.” Perry’s prides itself on serving fresh cut steaks and outstanding service. Even though it’s billed as a steakhouse, the menu features a very unexpected most popular item: Perry’s Famous Pork Chop. It is seven fingers high and carved tableside for dinner. The menu also includes soups, salads, seafood, steaks and desserts, including three served flaming. “We are more than just a steakhouse,” Sorrentino said. “Our menu is fairly varied and vast, and we have all the traditional items. We have unexpected items you wouldn’t see in most steakhouses.” Named in honor of the year Perry’s first opened as a meat market, 1979, Bar 79 features an extensive wine list, including private label wines. The social hour offers specials on bar items, and live entertainment is also part of the experience. Perry’s is only open for lunch on Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sorrentino said the lunch special is very popular. “It’s really a fun, energetic environment. It’s a different feel than our dinner service.” Perry’s will have four private rooms for private parties, celebrations, receptions and corporate meetings. If rooms are combined, they can seat up to 80-90. Sorrentino encourages people to join the email list to be informed of opening events and specials. “We are very proud of our service. We spend a considerable amount of training for our teams. We want local folks to learn our culture and understand our consistency. We want to get to know everyone and hope they’ll enjoy their experiences with us.”

Perry’s Steakhouse is opening its first Southeast location on the 280 corridor. The restaurant will have a modern feel, but each location is designed differently. Photo courtesy of Perry’s Steakhouse.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille • WHERE: 4 Perimeter Park South, Birmingham • HOURS (restaurant): Monday–Thursday, 4-10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 4-10 p.m.; Sunday, 4-9 p.m. • HOURS (Bar 79): Monday – Thursday, 10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 p.m.; Sunday, 9 p.m. • WEB: perryssteakhouse.com (Reservations available)

280Living.com

February 2016 • A27

RAISING THE

BARRE Mother of 5 inspired to start business after overhauling own fitness, diet routine

By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE Kathy Huffstetler is a professional body builder, a certified personal trainer, a mother of five — ages 2 to 28 — and a new grandmother. She’s also the owner of The Barre, a new studio offering a combination of ballet, Pilates and personal training in 55-minute group classes. The Barre recently opened in Inverness Village at 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 107. But the Helena resident is quick to admit she wasn’t always such a fitness enthusiast. According to Huffstetler, about the time she turned 45 in spring 2015, she realized her methods of diet and exercise weren’t working anymore. “I had done dance in school and was a runner over the years but found I was in the worst shape of my life,” she said.“I knew I had to lose weight and start taking care of myself.” Huffstetler’s solution began with research that led to a better diet, engaging a personal trainer, regular exercise and learning the proper way to use weights. These new health habits evolved into her success in the bikini division of bodybuilding and placing first in her debut competition. The overall result was a loss of 25 pounds and a much healthier lifestyle. “I was feeling better and eating healthier, so consequently my family was healthier, too,” she said. “I had friends and neighbors tell me they wish they could do the same, and I realized I could help them to accomplish the same thing with my own business.” Huffstetler said she wanted the new studio to be her own rather a franchise, so she can have the freedom to choose what she liked from the traditional Barre technique and personal training. She combines the two elements into a more

Kathy Huffstetler, second from left, instructs her class during barre exercises. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Lyons.

intense fitness regimen. “Our classes have both strength training and cardio in one class, giving women the results they seek in a consistent program,” she said. “We also encourage healthy eating habits because I firmly believe nutrition goes hand in hand with the program. You can’t out-train a bad diet.” Barre exercise routines are built around the ballet barre to increase strength, balance and flexibility. New clients of The Barre are asked to provide the trainers with a history of their fitness activities, eating habits and what goals they want to achieve. While many want to lose weight or build muscle, some have short-term targets like an upcoming wedding, Huffstetler said. “We can also make exercise adjustments for those with injuries, are pregnant or have range of motion issues,” she said. “And while most participants are women, we certainly welcome men.” For more information about The Barre, go to seeyouatthebarre.com, walk in, or call 739-2222.

Top photo: Kathleen Huffstetler, right, leads a fitness class at The Barre. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Huffstetler.

280 Living

A28 • February 2016

Vietnamese restaurant opens in Greystone By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Greystone Terrace is now home to a Vietnamese restaurant. Pho 280 opened last month at 5426 U.S. 280 next to Tiger Rock Martial Arts. Owner and head chef Hoa Tran came to the United States from Vietnam when he was 15. After living in Florida and attending high school in West Palm Beach, he moved back to Vietnam, then returned to the States in 2013. He lived and worked in Mississippi for a while before he was convinced to come to the Birmingham area by other family members who lived here and open a Vietnamese restaurant. “I told my brother-in-law that I would come up and try to live here and work here,” Tran said. “The people here are very nice and like to go eat, so I told my parents and brother I wanted to open a restaurant here. There isn’t a lot of good Asian food options here. That’s why I’m opening this restaurant, to have something good in Birmingham.” Restaurant owners run in the family. His brother, Huy Nguyen, is the owner and head chef at Blowfish Sushi, just across U.S. 280. Tran said they purposely chose locations near each other. However, they will not be in competition, since they serve different varieties of Asian food. “He will serve mostly sushi and Thai, and my restaurant is full Vietnamese,” Tran said. While this is Tran’s first time owning a restaurant, he has worked in them since he was 16. His wife and some other family members will work with him, but he also plans to hire several additional employees. The casual Vietnamese eatery will offer pho (a soup-type dish with noodles meat, broth and

Pho 280 • WHERE: 5426 U.S. 280 in Greystone Terrace • HOURS: Monday, 4-9 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. • CALL: 739-2177 • WEB: Pho280 on Facebook

basil), along with appetizers, rice noodle bowls, fried rice and a kids’ menu. He describes Vietnamese food as not greasy and “a little bit healthy.” “The pho noodle soup bowls are served really hot, and you’ll feel good after you have it,” he said. “Since its winter time, it will warm you up and feel better for whole day.” Pho 280 will also feature Vietnamese coffee and tea, and there are plans to add bubble tea and smoothies to the menu. The restaurant’s interior features 3D art Tran bought in Vietnam, and will seat around 50 people. It will be open seven days a week for dine-in or pick-up service. Tran said he is excited about sharing his love for Vietnamese food with the community. “So many friends and people I know have been waiting for this restaurant to open because Vietnamese food is getting more popular and it’s really good,” he said.

Hoa Tran opened a Vietnamese restaurant called Pho 280 in the Greystone Terrace at 5426 U.S. 280 last month. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.

280Living.com

February 2016 • A29

Chamber

Chris Nanni, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, speaks at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s January luncheon. Photo by Erica Techo.

Foundation leader: County needs to address aging issues, workforce development, crime reduction By ERICA TECHO The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has recognized multiple potential partnerships in Shelby County and issues in the county that need funding, the group’s president and CEO told the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce in January. Aging issues, workforce development, post-secondary attainment and crime reduction are issues in Shelby County that need attention, foundation president Chris Nanni told chamber members at their January luncheon. “These are areas where we’re not just sitting back waiting on people to write grants to us, but where we’re taking more of a proactive approach to it,” Nanni said. A recent study of the five counties served by the Community Foundation showed that while 90 percent of Shelby County seniors own their home and 93 percent hope to remain in their home for as long as possible, about 20 percent will need repairs or changes to their home within five years. These repairs can range from minor fixes to installing modified fixtures in the homes. Shelby County seniors also need better access to information and healthy food, the survey showed. Gus Heard-Hughes, senior program officer

for the Community Foundation, mentioned grants already implemented in Shelby County, including a partnership with Alabaster City Schools to bring food to children in need over the summer break and work with SafeHouse of Shelby County through empowerment and job readiness programs. Nanni said any nonprofits or government organizations seeking a grant can apply for the first cycle now through Feb. 12. The first grant cycle gives priority to grant requests related to health and education. The second grant cycle starts in August and focuses on economic security and communities. “If you have any questions or if anything comes up, we’re very accessible, and we’d love to partner with you,” Nanni said. “What I have found is it isn’t that difficult to give out money, but what’s difficult to do is give out money that is making a difference,” Nanni said. “A lot of times, $1 coming in, you can give $1 going out. But how do you make $1 coming in equal $2 or $3 going out?” The next chamber South Shelby Chamber of Commerce luncheon is scheduled for Feb. 4 at Columbiana First Baptist Church. The luncheon will focus on health care and is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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SEC leader to speak at Greater Shelby chamber annual meeting At RealtySouth, real estate doesn’t simply equate to hard negotiation and paper work. For us, it’s more than a transaction. It’s the relationship that matters most. For nearly 60 years, we’ve been supporting the same charities you support. From the gardens to Big Oak Ranch, the animal shelter and everything in between, what has mattered to you, matters to us. For us, it’s not just

By ERICA TECHO The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its 2015 accomplishments at the chamber’s 35th annual meeting on Feb. 4. The luncheon also will kick off a new year of programs and activities under new chamber Chairman Paul Rogers. Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, will be the keynote speaker. Sankey became commissioner of the SEC in June 2015 and previously served on the SEC staff for 13 years. He is a native of Auburn, New York, but now lives in Birmingham with his wife, Cathy Sankey. They have two daughters. The chamber’s regular monthly community luncheon will be Feb. 24 and will feature a presentation on protecting assets, focusing on how Shelby County businesses can reduce criminal activity. Both luncheons will be at the Pelham Civic Complex, with doors opening at 11 a.m. and the programs beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for each luncheon are $20 per person for chamber members or $30 for future members or guests. The chamber also will host a Network280 event this month, designed to help chamber members expand their contacts in the U.S. 280 corridor. The event will be Feb. 16 at the Taziki’s Mediterranean Café in The Village at Lee Branch shopping center from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The Network280 events will be held each month throughout 2016, presented by 280 Living. The cost is $10 for chamber members

about the walls, but the people inside. Your community is our community. We are proud to be your neighbor.

Greg Sankey, commissioner of the SEC, is the keynote speaker for the Chamber’s 35th annual meeting. Photo courtesy of Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

and $20 for future members and includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and two complimentary beverages. Reservations are requested. For more information or to make reservations for this month’s chamber events, contact the chamber at info@shelbychamber.org or at 663-4542.

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280 Living

A30 • February 2016 SPORTSPLEX

CONTINUED from page A1 courts, a 2-mile walking track, playground, splash pad and open area for tent tailgating. City officials are waiting until after the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament in May to get started on the indoor center because it will take up part of the current Hoover RV Park, all of which is needed for the SEC tournament, Pate said. In the meantime, an archaeological study already has been completed, and the city is doing environmental studies and drilling test holes for the foundation of the indoor event center, Pate said. It also will take several weeks to months to get a construction permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, he said. The entire complex is to be built on 120 acres to the south and east of the Hoover Met. The city already owns 103 of the acres and would like to buy 17 more from the Hoover Board of Education to make the project work, Pate said. All the outdoor fields would have artificial turf, Pate said. The project would add about 1,700 parking spaces, bringing the total number of parking spaces at the Met to about 5,000, he said. The indoor facility is expected to take up about 32 of the current RV parking spaces at the Met, but more RV spaces are slated to be added elsewhere, potentially expanding the total number of RV spaces from 145 to 176, Pate said.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

City officials say they expect the Hoover Sportsplex to be well used, particularly for sports tournaments that draw people from across Alabama and out of state. “When we build this, it will be full,” Pate said. “There’s just that kind of demand out there.” The Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the Hoover Sportsplex would have an economic impact of $27-33 million a year. That includes an estimated $13.216.8 million from the outdoor facilities and $14-17 million from the indoor facility. Some of that estimation was based on numbers from the Birmingham Crossplex, Pate said. The 750,000-square-foot Birmingham Crossplex includes an indoor hydraulic track, indoor

Olympic swimming pool and an arena with 20,000 square feet of floor space and seating for 5,000 spectators. The Crossplex brought an economic impact of $12.6 million its first year of operation, and that expanded to $20 million the second year, according to a memo from Tim Westhoven, Hoover’s assistant executive director. The city of Hoover plans to borrow roughly $70 million to build its complex, which initially would increase the city’s annual debt service payments from $9.2 million to $11.6 million, Pate said. However, all of the city’s current debt is slated to expire in five years, so in 2023, the city’s annual debt payments would drop to $4.6 million, Pate said. From an operational standpoint, the Hoover Sportsplex likely will require six new employees and have a total annual operating cost of $1,020,000, Pate said. The city expects to gain about $920,000 a year in direct revenue from facility rentals, so the net direct operational loss would be about $100,000 a year, Pate said. However, 3 percent of the expected economic impact (sales taxes) would generate $900,000 a year, much more than offsetting the cost, he said. Plus, Ivey said the facility is a great benefit to the quality of life in Hoover.

‘BEGGING FOR THESE FIELDS’

City officials have been working behind the scenes to find space for such an athletic complex for about two years, Pate said. The city has not added any athletic fields in 15 years, and new facilities are needed to handle the city’s growing population and attract bigger sports tournaments, he said. Just in the past 10 years, the youth football program has grown from 200 children to 1,000 children, while lacrosse has sprung up from nothing to more than 500 children now, Pate said. Hoover also has 1,800 children involved in its fall and spring soccer programs and 1,300 playing baseball, Pate said. There are 100 adult softball teams playing on three fields at Spain Park, with four games per night on each field and no time available for practices, he said. “Parks and Recreation has lagged behind, and it’s time to catch up,” Pate said. Several representatives from Hoover youth sports leagues said this facility is much needed and long overdue in Hoover. “We’ve been beating this drum for the past

10 years, begging for these fields,” said Rickey Phillips, president of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Board. “This right here is a godsend.” John Parker, president of the Hoover Softball Association, said the recreational softball program has grown from 150 girls to 325 in the past five years, and the number of travel softball teams has risen from three to 10, now including 110 players, he said. “The facilities we have are old, and there’s not enough space,” Parker said. Plus, a facility like this, when combined with existing softball fields in Hoover, will allow the city to be host for more softball tournaments and teams coming from other areas, Parker said. Right now, Hoover has only four softball fields big enough for tournament play, and they can handle only about 35 to 40 teams, Parker said. So when tournaments come to town, they have to spread outside of Hoover to fields in places such as Vestavia Hills, Trussville and Hueytown, he said. With this complex, Hoover will be able to handle tournaments with 180 to 200 teams and likely could even get the World Series, which has 400 to 500 teams, he said. “We can fill the hotels. We can fill the restaurants. They can buy gas – all in one city,” he said. Hoover’s softball fields are booked 9½ months out of the year with tournaments, and even more want to come, he said. Richard Bisso, president of the Hoover Soccer Club, said the families that travel with Hoover soccer teams spend $500 to $800 per family per weekend when they go out of town. “I think it would be outstanding to have that here in our community,” he said. “There is something to sports tourism.”

REQUESTS TO DELAY VOTE

Several Hoover residents asked the City Council to delay a vote on the project back in December to give residents more time to study and comment on such an expensive project. Hoover resident Dustin Chandler said unless council members could honestly say they are providing the Hoover school system enough money to fund a top-notch school system, they should postpone the vote. Councilman John Greene was the only council

Aerial view of the planned sports complex. Sketch courtesy of Goodwyn Mills & Cawood.

member to vote against the project. Greene said the sports complex would be an outstanding addition to the city, but the timing for a vote back in December was not right. He recommended the council postpone its vote until January, but no one would second his motion to table the vote. Instead, the project passed on a 6-1 vote. Greene said questions still remained about whether the city is providing enough money for its school system, and until those questions are resolved, he is not in favor of such a large expenditure. Pate said it’s still undetermined exactly which Hoover sports leagues will have access to the new fields and indoor facility at the Sportsplex. “It’s going to be a balancing act between the local teams and kids versus bringing in outside tournaments,” Pate said. “We certainly want the locals to have an opportunity to use it, but on the other hand, we do want to bring in some revenue.” Pate said he soon will be traveling to look at similar complexes in Lake Point, Georgia, Orlando and the Gatlinburg, Tennessee, area and talking to officials there about facility utilization and other aspects of their complexes.

280Living.com

February 2016 • A31

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280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

SECTION

Sports B5 Events B11 Real Estate B27 Calendar B28

CHASING THE PUCK By SYDNEY CROMWELL

Mike McCarthy grew up playing hockey on the frozen ponds of Boston. When he moved to The Narrows in 2007, he knew it might be a challenge to continue his favorite sport. “When I first moved down here, first thing I did was look in the phone book to see if there was a hockey rink here,” he said. What McCarthy wasn’t expecting was the number of neighbors confused by the sight of his hockey gear. “I’ve been here since ’07, and I still hear it from people: ‘What is that, a hockey stick?’” he said. “This is a football territory.” A member of the BASH (Birmingham Adult Select Hockey) team, McCarthy is at the ice rink in Pelham three or four nights a week. For him, it’s not a challenge to fit hockey into his life; after playing for several decades, it’s more about fitting his life around hockey. McCarthy said most of his teammates aren’t from Birmingham originally. They’re from Canada and the Northern states, looking to bring a slice of their old life to the South. “It’s a lot of fun,” said McCarthy, who will travel to Tampa in April to compete in the USA Hockey Nationals over-50 tournament. “Hockey’s like a fraternity around the United States. You run into people you used to play against at college or prep school or somewhere.” Erik Hudson, himself a transplant from Spokane, Washington, is the director of hockey at

See HOCKEY | page B4

Riley Ellsberry, a Forest Oaks Elementary student, has been playing hockey for four years. Photo courtesy of Jason Ellsberry.

280 Living

B2 • February 2016

Your Health Today By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

What many consider to be “natural signs of aging” can often be traced back to toxicity, hormone imbalances and deficiencies in both men and women. Low libido, lethargy, thinning hair, impotence, memory loss, dry skin, poor sleep, and moodiness are all taken as the “normal” tribulations of the aging and decline of life. However, is it so? A closer look at hormone levels, diet, exercise and supplementation could really be the solution. In today’s society, many including young adults, still in the prime of life, have imbalanced hormones indicated by depression, fatigue, anxiety, cravings, weight gain, hair loss, poor memory, impaired sleep, and low sex drive. A natural solution and first step in improving your hormones levels, is to improve your food! Regular consumption of sugar, refined carbohydrates, dairy, caffeine and alcohol, coupled with low intake of dark leafy greens and colorful plant foods can cause instability in the proper hormone balance. The dark colored greens contain a higher amount of magnesium, which improves your hormone levels including testosterone and Human Growth Hormone. Processed foods cause a rise in estrogen levels to as much as twice the norm. This exacerbates menopausal symptoms. Additionally, it also can decrease several hormone levels that control many vital bodily functions. According to Dr Thierry Hertoghe, a Paleo diet, restricting dairy, sugar and grains and high in plant foods, fermented foods, and lean protein, promotes healthy hormone levels at every age group. Drinking even one alcoholic drink per day can decrease one of your most active anti-aging hormones, the HGH, while unsprouted grains and sugar can decrease

You’re So Hormonal

seven of the twelve most important hormones operating in your body. Eating organic vegetables and low-sugar fruits provides fiber to prevent peaking of blood sugar, preventing blocking of proper hormone secretion. The second way to address your hormones is through your adrenal glands. These two tiny glands supply our bodies with many of the hormones necessary for life and proper function. Worn down adrenals can greatly affect our hormonal balance. The adrenals help cope with stress, however, they can become fatigued by excessive emotional, physical or psychological stress. These glands produce cortisol and aldosterone which help us manage stress and regulate blood pressure. Low levels cause slumped energy, depression, and low blood pressure, especially when under stress and physical activity. Protein rich foods helps to counter breakdown of cortisol while healthy, fat-rich foods like eggs, butter, avocado, and nuts can help keep these hormones balanced. After diet is analyzed, supplements through Standard Process are available at Chiropractic Today to complement proper nutrition and exercise regimens to increase vitality, stamina, hormone balance, and organ support. For women, Chaste Tree is a powerful herb that can indirectly increase progesterone production, libido and lactation, assist in endometriosis and uterine fibroids, and promotes rest through melatonin production. This supplement helps reestablish normal hormonal balance, function of the female reproductive system, and normal menstrual cycles. A second female endocrine supporter is FemCo, used to address hormonal issues and complaints

associated with pre-menopause and estrogen dominance, and to support general health and well-being. We also provide a General Female Endocrine Support that contains daily packets containing five supplements that support adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands, tissues repair, and hypothalamus function. For both ladies and gentlemen, Tribulus, Rhodiola and Ginseng Complex are two very helpful herbal supplements. Tribulus specifically boosts fertility and libido, enhances athletic performance, stamina and endurance. This is the best herb for reducing menopausal symptoms and male impotence. Support for the hypothalamus, pituitary and thyroid are also extremely important, as they all work in conjunction with the adrenals for the proper production, release and balance of hormonal functions. Thyroid Complex, Eleuthero, Adrenal Complex and Tonics are just a few of the supplements available to support these vital organs. Remember, in any area of health, never accept what appears to be the “norm” when it comes to waning function and ability. Your health does not have to be a downward spiral of disappointment and dwindling freedom to participate in all the activities that make life the vibrant experience it should be! I strongly encourage you to look at your current diet, exercise habits, and consider targeted supplementation to see how far your body can really take you when you just give it the tools it needs to thrive. Join us on February 15th at 6:15pm for our FREE health workshops detailing the five components necessary to live a naturally balanced lifestyle! Please RSVP to 205.991.3511.

280Living.com

February 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B3

280 Living

B4 • February 2016

Left: The Narrows resident Mike McCarthy plays pond hockey in New Brunswick, Canada. Photos courtesy of Mike McCarthy. Above: McCarthy (back row, second from right) with his 2014 pond hockey team in New Brunswick, Canada.

HOCKEY

CONTINUED from page B1 the Pelham Civic Complex. He said many people don’t realize there’s a rink so close to Birmingham, but it’s a growing sport. In the 15 years since Pelham started an adult league, this year has the largest participation numbers. There are about 150 adults playing hockey among 10 teams at the ice rink, in addition to 140 on children’s teams and 40 to 50 more in the beginning Learn to Skate program. “Hockey’s a great sport to get in shape in. It works muscles that people usually don’t know they have,” Hudson said. “But it’s a team sport — builds camaraderie, friendships.” Since ice rinks in Alabama are few and far between, Hudson said many people travel from around the area to strap on their skates. However, he estimated that about 75 percent of their hockey players come from Chelsea, Greystone,

The Narrows and other places along U.S. 280. This is due in part to the regular visits that Hudson and other coaches make to area elementary schools. They show off hockey gear, talk about the sport and encourage kids to be athletic and make healthy choices. Chelsea resident Jason Ellsberry is one of the kids’ team coaches, despite never playing hockey before. He and his wife are longtime hockey fans, and their sons — 13-year-old Hayden and 9-year-old Riley — started playing four years ago. Ellsberry said he’s now fairly good at the sport, but most of his six days a week at the rink are spent encouraging and improving the kids on his team. “I try to make sure they have a smile on their face every time they leave the ice,” Ellsberry said. His sons, who go to school at Forest Oaks Elementary and Chelsea Middle, have improved and now play in travel leagues. Ellsberry said they “always want to be on the ice.” But Ellsberry said he’s as proud to see children who could

barely stand on their skates at the beginning of a season grow into competitive players. McCarthy, in addition to his adult league, also coaches children’s teams at the ice rink. Before moving to Birmingham, he had coached a high school team to a state championship and led a team of children ages 13-14 to a national competition. After nearly nine years in Birmingham, McCarthy said he enjoys watching kids grow up on the ice. “It’s a nice feeling when you come back and the kids come back and say ‘I remember when I was 7 years old, you taught me,’” he said. “I get a lot of enjoyment of trying to develop young kids, to teach them the game … To me, once you get the passion of the sport, you’ll never lose it.” Coaching is a chance for him to share life lessons, and McCarthy said he tries to teach kids to “be adults on and off the ice.” However, he’s also trying to share his passion for hockey with the kids, so they love it and stick

with it as he did. It’s an intense sport — players are racing across the ice, occasionally getting a little bit rough with the opposite team, while chasing the little puck darting between hockey sticks. For lifelong players, it’s addictive. “If you’re playing top-notch hockey… you’re on the ice for no more than a minute, maybe 90 seconds. If you’re on the ice more than 90 seconds, you’re not really skating, you’re coasting,” McCarthy said. “Hockey gets so many different variables and changes so quickly that you’ve got to be able to react quickly.” McCarthy and Hudson both want more kids and adults to feel that excitement of picking up a hockey stick, and to realize that there’s a place to play nearby. Hudson particularly wants to add a junior hockey team for players looking to improve enough to play in college, and a girls’ league. Hockey may have a small following in the South, but the players want to see it grow. “It’s exciting, it’s a challenge, it’s a one-on-one battle to put the puck in the net,” McCarthy said.

280Living.com

February 2016 • B5

Sports Local trio part of groundbreaking UAH team Colton Nall, a freshman at the University of Alabama at Huntsville, is a product of Spain Park and is excited to play close to home with the Chargers. Photo courtesy of UAH Men’s Lacrosse.

By STEVE IRVINE For the next few months, winning lacrosse games is the priority for a trio of local products playing for the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Along the way, they also get a chance to be part of a special team. UAH is the first university in Alabama to play college lacrosse at the Division I or Division II level. The Chargers are competing in Division II, and the program’s first roster includes Spain Park High products Conner Tinney and Colton Nall and Oak Mountain High graduate Jack Bishop. They are part of a young roster that includes 21 freshmen, two sophomores and a junior. Nall and Bishop are freshmen, and Tinney is a sophomore transfer from Mount Union University, a Division III participant in Ohio. The first game for the program is Feb. 13 at Sewanee. Connor McGowan, who was part of a startup program at Transylvania University as assistant coach and also served two terms as an assistant coach at Birmingham-Southern College, was hired to serve as the Chargers’ first lacrosse head coach. He chose to build a foundation with the young roster. “They knew coming in that there would be a lot of ups and downs going through it, a bit of a roller coaster,” McGowan said. “At the same time, coming in and starting in a program is not something you can ever do again. You could score 100 goals or win 100 games or whatever it may be, but you can never be part of a first year program again. For these guys to commit to us and come here and be here to build something is something they’ll never be able to change. When we look back 50 years from now, these guys are going to be on that first picture of that first roster ever. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys and

excited going into the season with them.” McGowan largely built his roster with players from the Southeast, with seven players from either the Birmingham metro area or Huntsville as home. While lacrosse is not yet a varsity sport in Alabama, the youth and high school programs in those areas are the strongest in the state. Spain Park and Hoover have traditionally fielded the strongest Division I high school teams in the state. “The biggest thing was getting the word out in Birmingham and Huntsville, where lacrosse is kind of the hotbeds in the state, and moving out from there,” McGowan said. “That was very helpful, having been at BSC before, and

kind of knowing the lay of the land, especially in Birmingham, knowing about Spain Park, Oak Mountain, Hoover, those types of schools that have been successful as of late here in the state.” Nall, a 5-foot-11 long stick midfielder, who helped Spain Park win the Division I state title last spring, said the addition of lacrosse at UAH was “perfect timing.” “I started getting recruited really late,” said Nall, who began playing lacrosse in the seventh grade. “The timing was a blessing, especially at this school, because they have engineering, which I intend to major in. It was a really good thing for me.”

Bishop, a 5-foot-11 attackman, almost came to UAH directly out of high school. Tinney, a 6-foot-1 defenseman, chose to begin his college career at Mount Union but jumped at the opportunity to come back closer to home. “The distance definitely affected me, just being so far away from home,” Tinney said. “Like the old saying, there is no place like home and it’s just amazing to be back. I liked Mount Union but I missed my family and the people around me.” The only other varsity college lacrosse options in the state are Birmingham-Southern and Huntington College, which both are non-scholarship Division III programs. Many schools in the state, including Alabama and Auburn, field club programs. As a Division II program, UAH can give up to 10.8 scholarships in men’s lacrosse and 9.9 scholarships in a women’s lacrosse program that also begins this season. McGowan hasn’t set any recruiting boundaries — his first roster includes players from Nebraska, New York, Maryland, Nevada and California — but players from this area will certainly get a look. “The biggest thing that stands out is the athleticism of the guys in Alabama,” McGowan said. “They match up with anybody in the country athletically. As the sport grows, there are starting to be more coaches. That’s the biggest piece is guys playing at the next level and then coming back and giving back to the community. As that happens, you just see guys getting better and better.” Nall and Tinney each said they’ve seen improvement in skill level and numbers in the Birmingham metro area since they first picked up a lacrosse stick. “It’s definitely increased,” Nall said. “I know from playing travel ball, we got a little bit better each year. This state got better and there was always a lot more competition each year.”

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280 Living

B6 • February 2016

SEASON PREVIEW: SPAIN PARK BASEBALL

SEASON PREVIEW: CHELSEA BASEBALL

Jags baseball team relying on experience for improvement

Chelsea counts on top 2 pitchers again in 2016

The Jags hit the practice field. Photo by Frank Couch.

By KYLE PARMLEY Life is tough in Class 7A, Area 6. The Spain Park baseball team knows this as well as anyone, as the area consistently boasts four of the best teams in the state each year. Class 6A state champions in 2014, the Jaguars did not qualify for the postseason last year. Hewitt-Trussville, the top-ranked team in 7A for multiple weeks, also stayed home during the playoffs, while Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook moved on. Spain Park will try to get back in the playoff mix with a top-heavy roster, with 12 seniors and 16 juniors, many of whom got experience last year. “We’ve got a big group of juniors and seniors that are coming back that have led the offseason,” said head coach Will Smith, who enters his 12th season manning the dugout for the Jags. The Jags will have to replace their top pitcher and hitter, along with their starting catcher.

“Those three holes will be tough to replace, but we’ve got a lot of junior and seniors that have been around high-level baseball before, and we need them to step up and have good years for us this year,” Smith said. On the mound, Spain Park will look to Jake Whitehead and Will Battersby to anchor the rotation, with Quinton Hoffman and Hayden Freeman expected to provide support innings. “We’re not going to strike a lot of people out,” Smith said. “We’re going to have to learn to play defense behind them.” Bryan Sanderson, Wade Streeter and Drew Hawker return as the starting outfield. A key battle will be behind the plate, where Reed Thomas and Will Evans will attempt to provide a solid option at catcher. Overall, the Jags will look similar to last season’s squad. In order for the results to be different, players will have to learn from experience. “We’re going to have to have more consistent years by guys that had a lot of at-bats and pitched some innings last year,” Smith said.

Jake Posey will anchor an experienced pitching rotation for the Chelsea Hornets in 2016. Photo courtesy of Cari Dean.

By KYLE PARMLEY Jake Posey and Joel Cheatwood pushed Chelsea into the postseason last year with strong pitching, and they aim to do the same in 2016. The Hornets finished second in Class 6A, Area 10, and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by a Briarwood Christian team that advanced to the quarterfinals. Chelsea returns many key cogs to that unit, including Posey and Cheatwood at the top of the pitching rotation. “I’d like to think we’re going to be very good this year, since we’re returning both of our area starters from last year,” said Michael Stallings, who is entering his seventh year on the top step of the dugout. Stallings buys into the philosophy that you have to be strong up the middle of the baseball diamond, meaning that the catcher, pitcher, middle infielders and center fielders are important players. “If you can command the middle, I think you’ve

got a pretty good chance of defending,” he said. Jacob Burback caught nearly every game last season as a sophomore, giving the pitchers a familiar face once again. In the middle infield, Cheatwood is a two-year starter at shortstop when he’s not on the mound, and Brendon Case is a sophomore expected to play second base. “Brendon Case has really good speed, great hands, handles the bat really well, and is a good defender. He’s going to be a bright spot for us,” Stallings said. Two players who could produce some thunder in the middle of the lineup are Jake Harkins and Riley Watkins. For the Hornets to have the season they want, camaraderie is the key. “Our team unity is very important,” Stallings said. “We’ve got a really good group of kids. They work hard. They spend a lot of time together off the field, which speaks volumes.” The Hornets get started on Feb. 15 as they host the Hope 4 Gabe Classic.

280Living.com

February 2016 • B7

SEASON PREVIEW: BRIARWOOD BASEBALL

Eddy, Morris remain constants for Briarwood

The Lions need Jake Morris to get on base often at the top of the order. Photo courtesy of Todd Kwarcinski.

By KYLE PARMLEY “This is a baseball.” That is how Briarwood Christian coach Steve Renfroe starts every season, no matter how young or experienced his new team is. “We approach it the same way every year. We love teaching the game,” he said. As is the case most years at the high school level, a number of roles vacated by outgoing seniors have to be filled with inexperienced players, many of whom have been chomping at the bit for their chance. “It’s fun watching guys that might not have had a significant role a year ago grow into one,” Renfroe said. “Normally for us, we’re a team that usually gets better towards the end.” Carson Eddy will return as the top player for the Lions following a standout freshman season. He was named to the second-team Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State team in Class 6A in 2015, the only freshman to be honored.

“He had a super year as a freshman. He’s a good baseball player,” Renfroe said. “He’s a lefthanded hitter, and he’ll hit. He can run a little bit, too.” Trey Mitchell, Luis Fuentes and Sam Strickland will get the first crack at solidifying spots at the top end of the Lions pitching staff. With seven starters lost from last year’s unit, pitching will be a premium as Briarwood figures out its offensive strengths and weaknesses. Jake Morris will be a familiar face in center field, heading into his third season as a starter. He will likely hit in the leadoff or No. 2 spot in the batting order. Renfroe calls him an “on-base guy and a great defender.” Briarwood is a lock for the Class 6A playoffs once again, with Homewood being the only opponent in Area 9. “We play a really good schedule, though,” Renfroe said. “We always try to play the teams ahead of us in our divisions.” The Lions begin their season on Feb. 15, as they host the Briarwood Christian Tournament.

SEASON PREVIEW: OAK MOUNTAIN BASEBALL

New Oak Mountain coach wants team to ‘dominate the average play’ By KYLE PARMLEY Derek Irons brings a new message to the Oak Mountain baseball program. “We want to dominate the average play,” said Irons, who is entering his first year leading the Eagles. Irons comes from Charles Henderson High in Troy, where he led that program to back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 2013 and 2014. The 40-3 overall record the Trojans registered in 2013 stands as the highest winning percentage in a single season in Alabama High School Athletic Association history. Oak Mountain has not made the postseason since 2011, and that task is made no easier by being in Class 7A, Area 5, a perennially tough area featuring Hoover, Thompson and Tuscaloosa County. Despite the gap in success experienced recently by the coach and the program, Irons has been pleasantly surprised by the attitude surrounding the players. “Their expectations line up a lot with mine. They’re not content with where they are, and that was encouraging for me to see,” he said. The Eagles will look to their senior class for guidance. Coleman Autrey, Michael Flack, Jake Elkins, Trevor Shaw and Will Driskill make up a small portion of the team, but “set the pace” for the rest of the guys, Irons said. “You always start off with your seniors,” he said. “We only have five, but those guys have done a

Photo by Frank Couch. great job in terms of their leadership so far.” The average plays on defense consist of ground balls, pop-ups, rundowns and bunts. Offensively, the Eagles want to put pressure on opposing defenses with aggressive base running and situational hitting. “The reality is, most of the games we are going to play in will be won by catching the ball, throwing the ball and hitting the ball. That’s what we’re going to focus on,” Irons said. The Eagles begin their 2016 campaign in a tournament at Briarwood Christian School on Feb. 15.

280 Living

B8 â&#x20AC;˘ February 2016

Oak Mountain Eagles win 6th-grade title The Oak Mountain Eagles sixthgrade football team won the 2015 sixth-grade Jefferson Shelby Youth Football League 7A championship. They are, front row from left, Brendin Simich, Mattox Vines, Jack Driskill, Quest Agee, Grant Rakers, McCollum Mansfield and Caleb Thompson. On the second row from left are Ethan Wright, Brock Brancato, Jai Burrow, Mason Burnett, Evan Smith, Corbitt Grundhoefer,

Andrew Hunt, Cameron Whitaker and Conner Moore. Third row from left: Taylor Bush, Davis Gillespie, Charlie Serra, Cam Atkinson, K.J. Jackson, Nicolaus Rigdon, Kaleb Loury and Lucas Corlett. Coaches on the back row are, from left, Steven Hunt, Sly Atkinson, Reggie Whitaker, Aaron Burnett and Scott Mansfield. Not shown is C.J. Branson. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Submitted by Cameron Hunt.

Eagles win school-record three tournaments By KYLE PARMLEY The Oak Mountain boys basketball team found unprecedented success in the non-area portion of its schedule this season. The Eagles won three regular season tournaments for the first time in school history, taking titles in Trussville, at home and in Jemison. The Bryant Bank Thanksgiving Classic, hosted by Hewitt-Trussville, was the first rung on the belt, as the Eagles knocked off Minor and Clay-Chalkville to reach the finals against a familiar opponent, Briarwood Christian. Oak

Mountain took an 11-point win to raise the trophy. Up next was the Shelby County Tournament, a home event for Oak Mountain. The Eagles claimed double-digit victories in all three games against Shelby County, Vincent and Thompson. In the Jemison Holiday Tournament, Payton Youngblood hit a shot with five seconds to play, giving Oak Mountain the tournament victory over Oxford. The Eagles picked up wins against Friendship Christian School in Tennessee and previously unbeaten Thomasville in the semifinals to reach the final.

The Oak Mountain basketball team celebrates after the Shelby County Tournament. Photo courtesy of Chris Love.

280Living.com

BLAST from the PAST

February 2016 • B9 A group of kids prepares to enter the Ultra Blast Laser Combat Center arena. Photo courtesy of Ultra Blast Laser Combat Center.

Entrepreneur out to make old game of laser tag more exciting

By JESSE CHAMBERS If you think you know all about playing laser tag, which has been around since the 1980s, maybe you should think again because Rob Douglass, owner of Ultra Blast Laser Combat Center in Inverness, believes his facility offers a new, more enjoyable version of the game. “We call it laser combat,” Douglass said. “What I did was try to think of everything that could be improved about the way laser tag is played.” Ultra Blast, which opened in November, combines aspects of team play derived from paintball with a large arena and state-of-the-art technology to offer a more exciting experience than the old versions of laser tag, Douglass said. Laser tag has been based primarily on individual scoring, whereas in paintball, “you work as a team to achieve goals, like capture the flag,” Douglass said. As a consequence, he believes paintball is often “more fun and exciting” than laser tag. “What I tried to do is take the fun game-play aspects of paintball and translate that into laser tag, which is indoors, air-conditioned, and less painful

and less expensive than paintball,” he said. For example, laser combat allows teams to adopt a variety of strategies to win a game, such as working together to attack and capture a neutral tower base. Douglass said he made this “fusion” work by building a two-level, 9,000-square-foot arena, which he said is twice the size of any other laser tag facility in the Birmingham area, in order to create a good experience for adults as well as kids and teens. The design of the arena has also been improved, according to Douglass. “The layout is a bit more open and less maze-like, so you are able to shoot longer ranges,” he said. In another attempt to make the game more fun, Ultra Blast features “real-time scoring inside and outside the arena” with a score screen, Douglass said. “We have an observation deck inside the arena, and people who are not playing can cheer on their team,” he said. Ultra Blast also features new, up-to-date gear, including laser tag equipment with “really accurate shooting and hit registration,” phasers with “multiple fire modes,” more visible lasers and better sound effects, Douglass said.

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Ultra Blast offers players a full fantasy ride, allowing them to take part in human or alien teams and to join one of a half-dozen “factions,” such as Ultra Blast Laser the “animalistic glowing mutants” of the Regicide Combat Center faction and the “all-around warriors” of the Zulkaz faction, according to the facility’s website. • WHERE: 157 Resource Center Douglass said he wants to continue improving Parkway, Suite 109, near U.S. 280 the user experience. For example, he plans to hold • HOURS: Tuesday-Friday, 5-9 p.m.; competitions. “Our team-game concept is set up Saturday, noon-10 p.m.; Sunday, noonfor tournaments, which is why we have the obser8 p.m. vation deck,” he said. “A tournament would not be • COST: $9 for one game; $16 for two fun if you can’t watch it.” games; $21 for three games; $26 for Douglass, who lives in Inverness, served with four games (each game includes 10 the U.S. Navy in the first Gulf War and earned a minutes of combat). Group and birthdegree in management from Auburn University. day party rates available. He has worked as for a large company in Birming• CALL: 968-1740 ham for many years. He is a first-time business • WEB: lasercombatcenter.com owner, even though he long had the ambition. “I have always wanted to try it — the classic be-yourown-boss thing,” he said. There are also different game formats availRunning a gaming facility seemed like a good fit able when using the newest laser-tag equipment, for Douglass, given his interests. “I did a haunted according to Douglass. “One of the capabilities house in my basement for years,” he said. “I just of this new system is that we can do games like like to see people have fun. If I can make a living zombie attack and capture the flag,” he said. doing that, it is very rewarding.”

280 Living

B10 • February 2016

WHAT’S COOKING

Tee’s Cakes and Pastries owner shares sweet Valentine’s recipe By SYDNEY CROMWELL With love in the air, we are looking for ways to express appreciation for our loved ones. As the saying goes, the best way to someone’s heart in through their stomach. For Valentine’s Day put a sweet spin on dishes for those you love. In this series, we ask local culinary professionals to dish out the details on some of their favorite creations. Today, we talk with Theresa Herrod of Tee’s Cakes and Pastries, 100 Chelsea Corners Way. Name: Theresa Herrod Restaurant: Tee’s Cakes and Pastries Q: How long have you worked at Tee’s Cakes and Pastries? A: The store opened Dec. 18, 2015 Q: What do you like about working there? A: I like to create a lot of different pastries … Every day you come in here you might see something different because that’s what we do at Tee’s. Q: What is a recipe you recommend for a delicious Valentine’s Day dessert? A: Key lime pie. Q: Why do you like this dish? A: I love it because it’s just so simple and it tastes so good.

Theresa Herrod holds a Key lime pie she made at Tee’s Cakes and Pastries. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

RECIPE:

► 6 egg yolks ► 2 (14-ounce) cans of condensed milk ► 1 cup Key lime juice ► Graham cracker crust ► Green food dye (optional)

STEPS:

1. Place egg yolks in mixer and blend with condensed milk, then lime juice. 2. Add one drop green food coloring, if desired. 3. Pour combination into pie crust. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Herrod

recommends taking the pie out at 15 minutes to preserve the glossy texture of the pie. 5. Refrigerate for at least four hours. 6. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Watch a video of this recipe being made:

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280Living.com

February 2016 • B11

Events Runners eat chocolate along the way during the Chocolate 5K, supporting the Autism Society of Alabama. Photo courtesy of Autism Society of Alabama.

Frostbite 5K gears up for fundraiser at Veterans Park By JESSE CHAMBERS

A race for the sweet tooth By JESSE CHAMBERS The Autism Society of Alabama (ASA) will host its unique Chocolate 5K fundraiser for the third year at Veterans Park in Hoover on Saturday, Jan. 30 from 9-11 a.m. Participants in the run are given chocolate treats at stations along the course and are given more chocolate after they cross the finish line. “There isn't anything like it in Birmingham,” said Lauren Reid, fundraising and events manager for the ASA. “It brings out a different group of supporters, ones who might not like

running but love chocolate – Ghirardelli chocolate, as a matter of fact.” And it’s all for a good cause. The event supports the ASA’s mission to improve services for the roughly 50,000 people with autism in the state of Alabama through education and advocacy. The Chocolate 5K helps support such ASA programs as the Alabama Autism Respite Program, according to Reid. “Through fundraisers we can grow this to include more cities in Alabama,” she said. About 250 walkers and runners took part in the Chocolate 5K in 2015, and the number

could grow to 400 this year, according to Reid. Veterans Park, located at 4800 Valleydale Road, will also serve as the site of the ASA’s Walk for Autism & 5K Race to Solve the Puzzle on April 16, according to Reid. “The venue has such a great running trail and great access to playground,” she said. Registration is $35 through Jan. 29. There will be a $40 charge for or walk-up registration. To purchase race tickets, go to nrroadracing. com/races/thechocolate5k-birmingham-al-16. For more information about the ASA, call 877-429-8476 or go to autism-alabama.org.

Young Life, a nonprofit, nondenominational group that offers Christian outreach in some Birmingham-area schools, will host its annual Frostbite 5K fundraiser at Veterans Park in Hoover on Saturday, Jan. 30. The Frostbite 5K will begin at 9 a.m., and the Fun Run will begin at 9:30 a.m. There will be male and female age group winners with customized medals, and T-shirts, drinks, snacks and swag bags will be provided to all participants. The volunteer leaders at Young Life help counsel and encourage kids in the turbulent times of middle school and high school. These leaders attend plays, lunches, breakfasts, football games and other sporting events, with the goal of building friendships that point adolescents to Jesus Christ. Young Life area ministries include Spain Park and Oak Mountain high schools. The entry fees are $35 for the Frostbite 5K and $25 for the Fun Run. Donations are tax-deductible, and all proceeds benefit Birmingham SouthYoung Life. Veterans Park is located at 4800 Valleydale Road. To register for the event, go to birminghamsouth.younglife.org. To learn more about Young Life, call 4402843 or go to the website.

280 Living

B12 • February 2016

Asbury UMC planning spring consignment sale

Hearts of Hope supports the women’s addiction recovery program at the Foundry Ministries. Photos courtesy of Doug White.

By JESSE CHAMBERS The Asbury United Methodist Church has announced the dates for its spring “Giggles and Grace” children’s consignment sale. The event — held to raise funds to benefit the church’s children’s programs — will take place Feb. 26, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Feb. 27, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteer and consignors will have the opportunity to shop early on the evening of Feb. 25. Children’s and youth clothes, toys, books, shoes and baby furniture are consigned and available for purchase. This sale is run by volunteers with proceeds from the sale used to pay the consignors, with the remaining funds supporting the children’s programs and other local mission groups, such as Lovelady Center and Hannah Home. Asbury has held the sales since 2007, and the events attract thousands of buyers, according to Molly Ray, who is co-chair of public relations for the Giggles and Grace committee. There’s a reason the events are so popular, according to Ray. “The sales are very busy and high energy,” she said. “You'll see lots of helpful, smiling faces and hear Christian music playing over the sound system while you shop. We always try to make the event as fun and positive as possible.” Taking part in the sales is rewarding for the Asbury volunteers, according to

Hearts of Hope benefi s recovery program By JESSE CHAMBERS

Giggles and Grace volunteers line up for early shopping at the consignment sale. Photo courtesy of Asbury United Methodist Church.

Ray. “Missions and service play a large role in our lives as a church family,” she said. “We find great joy in this and we certainly see the impact that it makes.” The children at the church have benefited because sale profits have been used to purchase such things as playground equipment and a security check-in system, according to Ray. Registration for the February sale opened on Jan. 25 at 6 a.m. For more information, go to asburygigglesandgrace.com.

February 29, 2016.

The Foundry Ministries, a Christian nonprofit based in Bessemer, will raise funds to help women in its residential recovery program who are fighting drug or alcohol addiction when it hosts its 10th annual Hearts of Hope luncheon at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 10:30 a.m. Local TV news anchor Sherri Jackson will serve as emcee, and the keynote speaker will be Barbara Dooley — author, speaker, media personality, cancer survivor and the wife of legendary college football coach Vince Dooley. Dooley is “funny and charismatic,” said Doug White, The Foundry’s director of development. “She shares interesting stories that she ties back into her faith.” The event also features testimony from women in the recovery program or women who have graduated, according to White. “You get a first-hand glimpse of the process at The Foundry that gets (the women) to where they are today,” he said. “The whole purpose is to raise awareness and support for the program.” Before the luncheon, Hearts of Hope attendees can shop at the Marketplace, which features clothing, accessories and décor donated by merchants or created by local artists. The Foundry seeks to raise $125,000 at its 2016 event,

through sponsorships of tables and other donations solicited from event attendees. “You can sponsor a table, or you can host a table and invite eight other people, or — if you just want to attend — you can buy a ticket for $250,” White said. At The Foundry, women work to eliminate drug and alcohol dependency, regain self-esteem, develop essential life and employment skills, restore family relationships and build stable futures. The doors open for the Marketplace at 10:30 a.m., with lunch served at noon. For more information, including sponsorship opportunities or tickets, contact Doug White, director of development, at 432-0485 or dwhite@thefoundryonline.org. For more information about The Foundry Ministries, call 424-4673 or go to foundryministries.com.

280Living.com

February 2016 • B13

AWC plans sweet treats for Alabama’s birds By JESSE CHAMBERS

The Wild About Chocolate fundraiser supports the birds in the Alabama Wildlife Center’s care, including this baby owl. Photo courtesy of the Alabama Wildlife Center.

Attendees can enjoy chocolate treats and savory snacks prepared by some of Birmingham’s best caterers and restaurants at the Alabama Wildlife Center’s “Wild About Chocolate” fundraiser at The Harbert Center, downtown on Feb. 6 from 7-10 p.m. Wild About Chocolate, in its 12th year, will also feature complimentary beer, wine and other beverages; live music; and silent and live auctions. The event benefits AWC, Alabama’s largest wildlife rehabilitation and educational center, according to Doug Adair, the Center’s executive director. “Our mission depends on the success of

fundraisers like this,” Adair said. “Last year, we took care of almost 2,000 patients from over 100 species, and we reached tens of thousands of Alabamians, both young and old, with our educational programming throughout the state.” The auctions at Wild About Chocolate will include such items as South African safaris, entertainment packages, original artwork, jewelry and an opportunity to release a rehabilitated wild bird, according to Adair. In fact, a rehabilitated red-tailed hawk will make a special appearance at the fundraiser as the latest in a series of ambassadors for the AWC’s growing educational programs, according to Adair. The hawk was brought to the AWC a year ago

after being hit by a car and losing the vision in her right eye. “She is unable to survive or hunt effectively in the wild, so she took on a new role as a glove-trained raptor… so we can take her out to schools and civic groups and business organizations.” This allows these audiences “to get up close and personal with a red-tailed hawk in a way that normally you would not be able to experience,” Adair said. Dress is cocktail attire. Complimentary parking will be available in the deck across the street. Admission is $75 in advance and $100 at the door. For information or to order tickets, call 6637930 ext. 8 or go to awrc.org.

Hearts & Harmony Gala set for Feb. 19 By JON ANDERSON The Hoover Service Club is holding the fourth annual Hearts and Harmony Gala on Feb. 19 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. The event includes a steak dinner, dancing with music provided by the First Edition jazz ensemble from Hoover High School, and live and silent auctions. The silent auction is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. during a cocktail hour with a cash bar, and the live auction is planned after dinner, Hoover Service Club President Betty Daigle said. Auction items this year include: a getaway for two night at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa (including breakfast and a visit to the spa); a package that includes a Cahaba lily canoe trip for six with a picnic lunch, A Cahaba lily painting by Joyce Byrd and a lily sculpture; a wicker patio sofa with custom-made cushions and pillows; and a Daniel Moore print called “Game Changers.” Hoover Councilman John Lyda is scheduled to be the auctioneer. The gala is the club’s primary fundraiser, with

proceeds going toward charities and college scholarships. Last year’s gala raised $35,000, with $16,000 going toward scholarships for 13 students from Hoover and Spain Park high schools and the rest going to charities and nonprofits, Daigle said. Groups receiving money from last year’s event include Aldridge Gardens, the United Way food bank at Green Valley Baptist Church, Oak Mountain Missions Ministries, the Hoover Helps charity that sends food home in students’ backpacks, Autumn’s Fund (for families of children with cancer), Focus on Recovery (a residence for women recovering from alcohol and drug addiction) and Triumph Services (which serves adults with developmental disabilities). About 220 people attended last year’s gala, and organizers hope to see at least 250 people this year and raise at least $40,000 as they celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary, Daigle said. Tickets are $100, with $40 of that being tax-deductible. Tickets should be ordered by Feb. 10 and can be obtained at hooverserviceclub.com or by calling Martha Veazey at 903-4987 or Betty Daigle at 821-8021.

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Vicki and Jack Nutter dance at the 2015 Hearts and Harmony Gala fundraiser for the Hoover Service Club at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. This year’s event is set for Feb. 19. Photo courtesy of Randall Veazey Studio.

280 Living

B14 • February 2016

STEEL CITY MEETS

SILK

Caldwell Trace business owner introduces area to aerial workouts By SYDNEY CROMWELL

Jennifer Colvin said the fun of aerial silks is that it is both a workout and a performance art allowing for creative expression. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.

Ann Williams’ arms were trembling. She had just been through the most intense workout she’d had in years, and she wanted to do it again. “I was having fun, and I wanted to push myself to try that skill one more time even though my abs are killing me,” Williams said, recalling her frustration. “I was like jelly, and I didn’t want to be.” That was Williams’ first experience with aerial silks, a gymnastic discipline performed on two fabric ribbons hanging from the ceiling. She tried it in California and wanted to do it again, but there were no aerial silk programs closer than Atlanta. As the owner of Head Over Heels Gymnastics, located at 500 Caldwell Trace, Williams knew she had a unique opportunity to start something new in Birmingham. “I thought if I’m this hooked, surely there are going to be other people in the community that are hooked too,” Williams said. It was risky. Williams had no idea if the aerial

program would take off. She found a local instructor, Jennifer Colvin, who had experience in other gymnastics but not aerials. They took an instructor training class in Atlanta, installed the special rigging in July and began classes in August. “It was kind of a whirlwind — ‘OK, we’re going to do it!’” Williams recalled. The risk paid off. Already there are five regular students in the kids class, and between seven and 10 regulars in the adult class. Colvin said people always respond with “big smiles and laughter” when they first try the silks. Williams remembers one woman’s response at the end of the first workshop: “You just made Birmingham so much cooler!” Colvin said that people keep coming back because of the creativity and performance that comes with the silks. “With the silks there’s so many ways to do different things or get into different positions or the same position, and it brings a lot of creativity,” Colvin said. “I think it helps a lot with confidence.

280Living.com

February 2016 • B15

“

Jennifer Colvin (red aerial silk) and Ann Williams started Birmingham’s first aerial silks classes in August. Aerial silk routines are a workout for the arms and core, especially, but Colvin said it is low-impact on most joints.

I think it really helps bring a lot of confidence out in the students because it gives them an outlet.” Her favorite part of teaching the classes is watching her students finally get the pose they’ve been working on. “Whenever they’ve had a difficult pose or position or move that they’ve been trying to get and they actually nail it, I get so excited for them and you can just see that smile and the light up on their face. You just can’t ask for more than that,” Colvin said. The silks are fun, but it’s still a workout. Despite their regular practice, Colvin and Williams agree they both would have difficulty staying on the silks and moving through poses for more than five minutes. “When you get up there and you’re trying to stay on the silks for more than two minutes, you’re going to be huffing and puffing,” Colvin said. “It’s just amazing to see how much stronger people have gotten who have been coming regularly,” Williams said.

Aerial Silk Classes • WHERE: Head Over Heels Gymnastics, 500 Caldwell Trace • HOURS: Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (kids age 9-15) and 7:30-9 p.m. (adults) • COST: $25 for single class, lower rates if purchasing multiple classes • CALL: 981-2720 • WEB: headoverheelsgyms.com

Aerial silk routines are a workout for the arms and core, especially, but Colvin said it is low-impact on most joints. There are also ways to modify routines to suit individual capacities. Colvin has a student with one numb hand and another with a knee injury who can’t fully straighten her leg. In both cases, the students continue to perform on the silks, just with

slightly different techniques. “That’s part of what’s interesting to me, because even though I’m in my 50s so I don’t have the flexibility I had even in my 30s, there’s certain skills that either I can’t do or they don’t look good when I do them,” Williams said. “But then there are just so many other things that it’s like ‘OK, forget that one, I’ll do this one.’” Both Colvin and Williams want to see the

It’s just amazing to see how much stronger people have gotten who have been coming regularly.

”

ANN WILLIAMS

aerial silks community grow in Birmingham, and perhaps get to the point of doing performances. Most frequently, Colvin said people hesitate to join the class because they think they aren’t strong enough. “Don’t let that bother you. Strength — that’ll come later. The excitement and the joy and just the passion and creativity — bring that along with you and we’ll do the rest,” Colvin said.

280 Living

B16 • February 2016

East Lake Initiative focuses on community development

By RACHEL BURCHFIELD Nearly five years ago, members of Christ Church United Methodist of Birmingham asked the question, “How can we best serve the city?” After an 18-month search, the answer came for the church on Caldwell Mill Road – by laying roots in East Lake. “We would take people on tours in vans, praying, asking ‘Lord, where would You have us to serve?’” East Lake Initiative Executive Director Pam Bates said. “This was the segment we were being led to.” In 2011, the nonprofit East Lake Initiative, or ELI, was formed. It is affiliated with Christ Church United Methodist, Bates said, but financially, it is totally separate. When the nonprofit was formed, a 25-year commitment was made to serve the area. “The mentality is we want to serve a whole generation,” ELI director of development Paige Jordan said. “Kids in 2011 will be grownups then, and we want to walk with them, educate them – we want them to stay in East Lake. That’s our hope.” Anything less, Bates said, could prove detrimental. “Sustainable change does not happen overnight,” she said. ELI started as a housing ministry, Bates said. “We saw a need for safe and sustainable housing,” she said. The nonprofit has now grown to include four key areas, Jordan said – housing, education, health and nutrition and economic development. “They need to all come together to make the

community a success,” Jordan said. Jordan said there was a time when East Lake was a thriving community. “Many want that again and want that back,” she said. Bates, who lives in East Lake, said ELI asked the community what their greatest need was – and the response they got was that residents wanted a deeper sense of community. “We want to know our neighbors and feel safe, secure, and connected,” she said. ELI is a holistic community development initiative from every angle, Bates said. In addition to refurbishing homes – ELI has eight either completed or in the works – ELI offers tutoring and mentoring at Barrett Elementary School and Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School, and they serve meals to the schools’ PTAs and the middle school football team, among a slew of other projects. “Everything we do is intentional,” Bates said. “We want to see lives and families improve. The whole intent is to build relationships and to show the gospel. Health and wellness comes from a relationship with Christ.” Bates and Jordan are the only two on ELI’s staff, but the board has 10 members and weekly there are about 40 people in the schools, tutoring and mentoring, Bates said. Work teams of about 25 come out to refurbish homes on Fridays and Saturdays, where there is always plenty to do, Bates said. “We have a great volunteer base,” Jordan said. ELI targeted homes to refurbish that were close to Barrett Elementary School. One couldn’t be refurbished, Bates said, but the

Jonathan Benoit shovels bits of glass, wood and other debris into a dumpster as part of his work with the East Lake Initiative. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

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280Living.com

February 2016 • B17

Left: Steve Jordan clears out debris from demolishing portions of the interior of this home, which was donated to the East Lake Initiative. Photo by Sydney Cromwell. Above: Jonathan Benoit (left) and Carl Bates inside a home donated to the East Lake Initiative, which they are in the process of renovating. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

others are all occupied now. “It’s now very safe for children to walk to school, where it was not in 2011,” Jordan said. “The economic development is obvious.” Eight homes have been or are being brought back to life by ELI currently. Five homes are complete, and three are in process. “To maintain the integrity of the homes, we always refurbish, even though it would be easier and cheaper to build,” Bates said. Work teams do yardwork, painting, reconstruction, cleanup – ELI takes these homes “down to the studs,” Bates said. “We start over.” For ELI’s education piece, tutors and mentors

are in the schools every week, and they began an art class at the middle school that went over so well that the school hired an art teacher. Last summer ELI hosted a creative arts camp for 48 girls called Created for a Purpose. It stands out as a defining moment in Jordan’s time with the nonprofit. The girls cooked, sewed, and made a craft at the camp, she said. “Just to see their little faces as they cooked and served – they were very proud of what they had accomplished and were proud to be a part of it,” Jordan said. “This is what it is about to me.” For the health and nutrition piece, a health fair was held in October where blood pressure

screenings were offered and nurses were there to talk to residents about prenatal care. The health fair was held right in front of East 59 Vintage and Café, one of East Lake’s newest businesses and an example of the area’s economic development. In the years she has lived in and served East Lake, Bates has realized the nonprofit is more than just a ministry, she said. “It’s a relationship,” Bates said. “We are a family. We experience joy and heartache. It’s easy to share in the joy, and tougher in the hard times.” Up next for Christ Church and ELI is a multifamily apartment complex where residents will move in and learn the process of home

ownership. They hope to see their mentoring program grow, and hope to add more volunteers to their roster. Those interested in volunteering can email Jordan at paigemjordan@yahoo.com. “Our heart is always to connect people,” Bates said. Jordan said ELI is here to walk alongside residents of East Lake as they strive, together, for East Lake to reach its full potential and to have their voice be heard. “There are amazing assets here,” Bates said. “And if those assets and opportunities are utilized, I am certain that this is a community poised for greatness.”

280 Living

B18 • February 2016

A LIFETIME OF

LOVE I By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE

Bill and Warren Fravert on their wedding day in 1950. This photo ran in the Louisville Courier-Journal’s Sunday paper. Photo courtesy of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

NOTHING SAYS LOVE LIKE A CLEAN HOME. Everyone can appreciate a thorough clean from The Maids.

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205-871-9338 www.MAIDS.com

Referred for a reason.

t was April Fool’s Day 1949 when Bill Fravert proposed to his girlfriend, Warren, but after being married now 65 years, it’s clear it was no joke when the couple promised to love one another forever. The Fraverts, now residents in the Danberry at Inverness senior living community, met while they were both students at the University of Louisville in December 1947. When asked how they got together, their responses were different. “I chased him until he paid attention!” Warren said. “We dated three years before we got married, and we didn’t go steady. When he gave me his fraternity pin, he told me ‘Here’s something you’ve been wanting for a long time,’ although he swears he didn’t say that.” Bill’s recollection was a little different. “We were both attracted to one another,” Bill said. “She keeps saying she chased me until she caught me, and I guess she did.” While Bill proposed April 1, neither of them realized it was April Fool’s Day, so

it wasn’t mistaken for a joke. They had just graduated from the University of Louisville in January, and they married in October 1950. She was 24, and he was 29. Had they gotten married as young as many people did in 1950, they could have been married more than 70 years by now. Bill’s college education was delayed by his service in the military. He was attending the University of Louisville in November 1942 when he signed up for the Air Force. He was called up in February 1943. He started out as an aviation student, but he lost a kidney due to an accident and had to leave the flying program. Bill would later serve for 11 months as a radio operator in the China Burma India (CBI) Theater, on the beach at the Bay of Bengal, which is modern-day Bangladesh. He tracked flights for the U.S. Army Air Corps going from India to China in early 1944 after D-Day. Bill came back to the University of Louisville, where he met Warren. After graduation, they married on Oct. 14, 1950, in their hometown of Louisville. “When we got married, we didn’t have any money,” Warren said. “I borrowed

280Living.com my dress from a friend of mine, and my shoes were white satin bedroom slippers. We were married at the First Unitarian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and had our reception at the American Legion Post. All we had was punch, beer and little sandwiches.”

LIFE THROUGH THE YEARS

The couple lived in Louisville for 12 years, then in Columbus, Ohio, for another 12 before moving to Alabama in 1974. Bill worked for Detroit Diesel-Allison in the service and sales department until his retirement in 1991. Warren worked for 30 years — from 1978-2008 — as a real estate agent for what is known today as RealtySouth. They also raised three children, living at different times in Vestavia Hills, Riverchase and Caldwell Crossings before moving to Danberry at Inverness in June 2013. Now 94 and 89, the Fraverts are both in good health. Bill does suffer from macular degeneration and managed diabetes, and Warren has arthritis, but Warren often tells him they could be in a lot worse condition. They have outlived many of their friends and family and aren’t sure why. “The only bad part about getting old is outliving friends and family you’d still like to have around,” Bill said. The couple credits their health to staying active. They rode bicycles when they lived in Columbus, walked almost daily at Wald Park in Vestavia Hills and walked laps inside the Riverchase Galleria. When the Hoover Recreation Center opened, they were members there until moving to Danberry. “Being active all the time has probably helped,” Warren said. “Bill uses the walker, and if I have to go far, I use a walker, too. We can’t really complain much about being this old.” “Nothing strenuous but just continuous activity,” added Bill.

‘LOOK WHERE WE ENDED UP’

The couple has also gotten involved in life at Danberry. They go to a chair exercise class every Friday. Bill goes to a discussion group on Wednesdays while Warren plays

“

February 2016 • B19

We haven’t had what I would call an exciting life, but we’ve had a good life. There have been no tragedies. We are so fortunate. Our three children have all done well. They’re all happily married. What more can you ask?

”

WARREN FRAVERT

mahjongg. Warren served on the residential advisory council for two years and continues to volunteer at Danberry’s library. They enjoy happy hour and meeting their friends for dinner. Their three children, now in their mid-to-late 50s, live nearby, and they spend time with them often. Bill said they’ve gotten a great deal of pleasure watching their kids grow in the business community. Their oldest child recently retired, and the couple couldn’t believe they were around long enough for that. “We are blessed they’re happily married and they live close to us,” Warren said. “We are so lucky. It sounds cliché, but when we all get together, it’s one big happy family. We have such a good time together.” When asked for words of wisdom on a long marriage, Warren said Bill “puts up with her” and Bill said he just “walks away.” Warren said she and Bill have been fortunate throughout their life and enjoyed the years. “We haven’t had what I would call an exciting life, but we’ve had a good life,” Warren said. “There have been no tragedies. We are so fortunate. Our three children have all done well. They’re all happily married. What more can you ask? We didn’t know where we were going, and look where we ended up.”

Warren and Bill Fravert now live in the Danberry at Inverness senior living community in Hoover. Photo courtesy of Warren Fravert.

B20 • February 2016

valentine’s day

280 Living

gift guide

For the

Tula White Oversized Fur Throw $80-$275 Luxurious fur throws for you and your Valentine to snuggle under this winter.

Majorica Necklace and Bracelet $395 for the necklace, $245 for the bracelet, $550 for the set 10 mm white pearl, Yurman inspired sterling silver chain with toggle closure.

JEWELRY LOVER

SNUGGLE BUNNY

Urban Home Market 1001 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 101 980-4663

Renaissance Consignment and Marketplace 6801 Cahaba Valley Raod, Suite 120 980-4471

For the

TRENDSETTER OTBT Bushnell Platform Wedge $125 This popular Bushnell wedge comes in several fabulous colors and has just enough stretch to keep you comfortable no matter where your day may take you. Alabama Outdoors 108 Inverness Plaza 980-3303

For the

SWEETHEART Antique Bronze Heart Necklace $23.99 38” antique bronze double chain open heart necklace. East 59 Vintage & Cafe 7619 1st Ave. North Birmingham 838-0559

For the

FASHION SAVVY

STYLISH TIMEKEEPER

HOBO Wristlet $98 A fun and funky wristlet with a cool fringe tassel.

Swiss Army Ladies Small Alliance Watch $595 The Swiss Army Ladies Watch with two-tone stainless steel bracelet features a subtle and elegant design. This watch fits any woman’s style.

Highland Shoe Company 250 Doug Baker Blvd. 783-5325

Bromberg’s The Summit 979-1776

For the

Sandals and Purse by Bed Stu SOTO leather sandals, $125 Sandy Lane Crossbody purse, $129 Bed Stu makes the perfect Valentine’s gift for that special someone.

Skin Authority Resurfacing Exfoliator $50 Need a glow? This gentle action leave-on peel will transform appearance of skin by expediting cellular turnover to smooth and brighten skin. For skin that looks firmer and has a naturally radiant glow, this product should not be missed.

STYLISH VALENTINE

Ditsy Daisy 16383 Highway 280 Chelsea 678-6166

BEAUTY LOVER

Melanye Morris Esthetics 5363 Highway 280, Suite 13 757-7540

280Living.com

February 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B21

280 Living

B22 • February 2016

Community Distinguished Young Women of Jefferson County Program accepting applications

OMMS students cover veterans with love Oak Mountain Middle School students present quilts they made for veterans. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Participants in the 2016 Distinguished Young Women of Jefferson County Program, including second alternate Andrea Burris, Distinguished Young Woman 2016 Abigail Albritton, Distinguished Young Woman 2015 Hannah Walter and first alternate Lian Remley. Photo courtesy of Miranda Wesley.

High school juniors interested in participating in this year’s Distinguished Young Women of Jefferson County Program can begin submitting their applications. The program, formerly Jefferson County’s Junior Miss, is accepting applications from high school girls graduating in 2017 who live in Jefferson County. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2016. There is no entry fee to participate, and girls will compete in the categories of fitness, self expression, interview, scholastics and talent. Participants are eligible for various scholarships, ranging from $12,000 to $60,000. During

last year’s program, participants were awarded more than $14,000 in cash-tuition scholarships in addition to college granted scholarships from Troy University, Auburn University, the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama-Birmingham. The Distinguished Young Women of Jefferson County Program will be held on July 29 and July 30 at Mountain Brook High School. For more information, visit distinguishedYW. org and click the “apply now” icon to receive an application. Potential participants can also contact Chairman Eddie Macksoud at Jefferson@ distinguishedYW.org or 907-0210.

ur ay o in od Jo ist t it l a w

In every phase of life, Danberry gives you more. Even more than larger floor plans, gorgeous architecture, and outstanding amenities— Danberry frees you to create a lifestyle all your own, with Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care all right here. More peace of mind. And a lot more fun!

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In Melinda Gargiulo’s family and consumer science classes, the students of Oak Mountain Middle have been working hard. The results are five patriotic quilts for the veterans’ charity Three Hots and a Cot. The project is called Covered With Love. With the help of a grant from the Shelby County Schools Foundation, Gargiulo has taught her students each step of making a quilt. Eighth-graders in Gargiulo’s Family, Community and Career Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter helped piece the final quilts together. Each quilt included the embroidered initials of the students who made it. Covered With Love also received help from the Birmingham Quilters Guild. After 280 Living ran a story on the project in November, Gargiulo said community members donated

more supplies, a quilting frame and some volunteer hours to help the students create their quilts. Three Hots and a Cot provides basic necessities and services for veterans who have had difficulty in adjusting to civilian life, such as homelessness or addiction. The FCCLA members presented their quilts to four military veterans at a school assembly on Dec. 18. Gargiulo said the quilts may not be professional quality, but each was made with respect, love and hope. “These are beautiful and we appreciate it so much,” one of the veterans told the students after the assembly. “The quilts turned out great. They worked so hard,” Gargiulo agreed. The students will make five more quilts this semester, Gargiulo said. They are going to attempt a different style, called rag quilting, that is easier to assemble.

280Living.com

February 2016 • B23

Fifth annual Jazz Cat Ball set for Feb. 5 By ERICA TECHO The Greater Birmingham Humane Society’s largest annual fundraiser is returning in February. The fifth annual Jazz Cat Ball is set for Feb. 5 from 6 to 11:30 p.m. at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center. The night includes a seated dinner, live music from The Party Crashers, casino games and live and silent auctions. The live and silent auctions include getaway trips, sports memorabilia, jewelry, art and home goods from local and nationally recognized designers. “We love the Jazz Cat Ball because we are able to raise amazing amounts of money for the GBHS

while enjoying a totally fun Mardi Gras celebration,” said Allison Black Cornelius, CEO and president for the humane society. Proceeds from the Jazz Cat Ball help provide health care, shelter, food and socialization for homeless, abused and neglected animals, in addition to the humane society’s externship program for fourth-year veterinary students from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In previous years, the Jazz Cat Ball has had more than 900 attendees and sold out. Tickets for the event are $125, and there are options for tables and multiple sponsorship levels available online at gbhs.org/ events/2016-jazz-cat-ball/.

Oak Mountain alumna preparing for Miss Alabama pageant By EMILY FEATHERSTON

Brooklyn Holt was crowned Miss Smiths Station in September. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Holt.

For Brooklyn Holt, her first year at Auburn University has been anything but boring. A part of the honors college, she was hired last semester by the university to be a supplemental instructor in mathematics, is on the Auburn majorette team, is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and works part time at Outback Steakhouse. “The busier I am, the better I am, the more productive I am,” Holt said. Now, on top of a load that would likely overwhelm most first-year college students, Holt is preparing to participate in the 2016 Miss Alabama Pageant in June. Holt was crowned Miss Smiths Station in September, and has spent the last few months preparing for the next step. “It was very, very exciting to know that as a freshman I’d be attending Miss Alabama,” she said. Holt, who is double majoring in journalism

with a focus in broadcasting and communications with a minor in political science, should be a second-semester freshman, but because of her dual-enrollment work in high school is considered a sophomore. Holt’s competition talents are comprised of dance, vocal performance and baton. For Miss Alabama, she will be showcasing her vocal talent — something that also ties into her platform. Holt will represent Raise Your Voice for Children, a cause Holt founded and said she hopes can empower children to overcome obstacles. Fundraising through the project provides food and toys for children in need in the state of Alabama. As she looks toward the events in June and the preparation she has left, Holt said she is excited. “I’m just looking forward to the week experience,” she said, adding that she is excited to spend the week at Samford University and get to know the other girls.

Jeff State to offer new sports marketing program Jefferson State will offer a new sports marketing program at the Shelby-Hoover Campus starting this February. The program is part of the postgraduate Pete McAskile Sports Marketing Program and will last for one year. Students will have specialized education and training regarding sports, entertainment and event marketing. “We are excited about the opportunities the new sports marketing program will offer our community,” said Jefferson State Interim President Keith Brown. “Pete McAskile is a veteran in the sports marketing field, and Jefferson State is proud to partner with someone with his expertise and experience.” During the year, students will have two semesters in the classroom in addition to a work placement semester with a sports and event marketing employer. “This new program will be hands-on and hard hitting,” said founder and program chair Pete McAskile. “We’ll be covering a lot of ground in a short time with industry instructors and guest lecturers engaging students on a daily basis in real life, integrated marketing challenges.” McAskile helped bring the first professional hockey team in Birmingham in 1976. He was president and partner with the World Hockey Association’s Birmingham Bulls for a time and later founded Second Dimension Sports International, a sports and event marketing company. He also founded the first postgraduate sports and event marketing program in North America. The Pete McAskile Sports Marketing Program is guided by an International Advisory Committee and features teachers such as Stephanie Holland, a long-time advertising agency principal and author of the Sheconomy blog. For more information about the program, visit pmsportsmarketingpro.com or call 983-5240. – Submitted by David Bobo.

280 Living

B24 • February 2016

Hoover Fire Department hosts 1st recruit school By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Last fall, the Hoover Fire Department received approval by the Alabama Fire College to host its first training recruit school. Initially intended for Hoover firefighters, they soon attracted recruits from all over the state of Alabama. The idea came about when the Hoover Fire Department hired a new employee who was already a paramedic but needed to be firefighter certified. Instead of sending him to a recruit school, they decided to hold their own. Rick Patterson, battalion chief over training, safety and health for the Hoover Fire Department, said the event worked out for all parties involved. “Our line of thinking was when we had the recruit school, we knew all of the Hoover officers would help and therefore keep up with their skills,” Patterson said. “It was a win-win. A win for new employees, for the cities that send their employees and for our officers, who would be able to keep up their training.” The premise of the recruit school was basic firefighter skills. Topics included classroom work — including 25 tests, which each must be passed in order to continue with the course — basic firefighting, fire exiting, ladder work, handling fire hoses and hazardous materials and search and rescue techniques. The end of each day included physical fitness training, consisting of a round of exercises such

as running up and down the drill tower, pushups, pull-ups, pulling hoses and dragging people out of buildings. “This part of the process helps in getting them ready to handle all of the physical tasks required of a firefighter,” Patterson said. “You really have to be in shape to do it. The physical portion of the drills were so intensive, we had to make sure the students were up to par with their physical fitness. We notified them before the class began that they’d need to get their physical abilities up to par.” The training began with 16 recruits, and 11 of those completed the course. Five were unable to finish either due to medical conditions or not being able to handle the physical portion. The participants were from Hoover, Orange Beach, Indian Ford (South Shades Crest Road), Warrior, Forestdale, Vestavia, Demopolis and North Shelby. All of the recruits had already been hired in their respective fire districts, but state law required the training. After their 360 hours of training, a graduation ceremony was held Nov. 18, 2015, and they were officially certified by the Alabama Fire College as Firefighters 1 and 2 and went back to work at their departments. Patterson said the training was very successful, and Hoover plans to host one again in the fall of 2016. He said they will get the message out to different departments, but he can be contacted and put interested parties on a waiting list for future training.

Firefighters practice their rappelling skills as part of a certification course. Photos courtesy of Rick Patterson.

280Living.com

February 2016 • B25 Children tour The Compassion Experience and listen to the story of a child who once lived in extreme poverty. Photo courtesy of Compassion International.

Compassion Experience gives visitors taste of poverty By ANA GOOD More than 3,000 people went on a selfguided tour of The Compassion Experience at the Church at Brook Hills in January. The 1,700-square-foot hands-on poverty exhibit, which is housed in portable tractor trailers, was stationed in the church parking lot Jan. 8-11. Visitors young and old walked through life-size replicas of the homes and environments of two children who once lived in extreme poverty. The exhibit is organized by Compassion International, a child sponsorship organization whose goal is to release children from poverty globally via a multi-tiered approach. Attendees walk through several rooms in the exhibit, designed to look like a child’s house, place of employment and hometown. Visitors are given headphones and an iPod that they carry through the exhibit, guiding them from room to room. The voice of a child narrates their story, beginning in poverty and ending in hope thanks to the help they received from

Compassion International. “We built ‘The Compassion Experience’ in order to really bring the developing world to America,” said Mark Hanlon, Compassion International’s senior vice president of global marketing and engagement, in a news release. “When people think of poverty, they often think of the lack of things, the lack of stuff, the lack of money. Those are all symptoms of poverty. The real issue of poverty is the lack of hope. Through our holistic child development program, Compassion stirs hope in children. And you’ll see that hope come to life at this event.” Tour goers have the opportunity to “change the story” of children living in poverty by learning more about the issue, as well as Compassion’s child sponsorship program. Compassion currently serves more than 1.7 million children in 26 of the world’s most impoverished countries, according to the release. For more information about The Compassion Experience, visit CompassionExperience.com.

Opinion My South By Rick Watson

Losing someone As I sit here writing, the aroma as they were, it would be strange for him NOT to be with her on some of simmering vegetable soup and cornbread baking in the oven level. makes it hard to focus. I keep I thought about both Yvonne and thinking about slipping into the our neighbor as Jilda and I finished kitchen, taking a long-handled our walk yesterday. Trying to imagspoon and sampling the soup. But ine how I would feel if faced with a similar situation was not an easy the soup isn’t for us, it’s lunch for our neighbors down the road who thing to consider. are going through a difficult time There were times over the last right now. few years that I feared the worst. Jilda was struggling with severe Nurses visit frequently and her outlook does not sound good. side effects from her monthly infuWatson He seems to be struggling with sion treatments. The treatments making sure she has what she needs and prob- were for a defective immune system. ably has little time for thinking of life without This procedure causes side effects in only a her. I can’t imagine what they’re going through. small number of patients, but she hit the side As Jilda and I walked yesterday, he pulled his effect lottery and struggled with aseptic meninSUV to the curb and rolled down his window gitis. Some months it only put her on the couch to give us a brief update. We both listened. The for a few days, but other months she rarely left sadness in his voice broke my heart. Jilda did the couch. I can tell you it was scary to think I manage to ask him if he thought he and his wife might lose someone who’s been with me for most might be able to eat a bite of vegetable soup. He of my life. said he thought she might like that. Jilda and I started dating in high school. That Before he rolled his window up and headed to was in 1968 and aside from the two years I was in the store, I told him if there was anything I could the Army, we’ve been together ever since. do to help, let me know. In reality, there’s little Today, after the soup simmered and the cornanyone here on Earth can do. bread browned, she boxed up enough for our I know the coming weeks and months will be neighbors to eat for a day or two. He told me brutal. Our friend Yvonne went through a simi- to thank Jilda for doing that for them. It wasn’t lar situation with her husband Charlie last year. much, but under the circumstances, it’s the least They’d been married over 50 years. we could do. She told me this week that there are times when walking through their house, she feels Charlie’s Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His presence. She realizes that some people write latest book “Life Changes” is available on this off as wishful thinking on her part, but when Amazon.com. You can contact him via email at two people are as close as they were for as long rick@homefolkmedia.com.

280 Living

B26 • February 2016

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

Setting the fi st tracks: How to have hard conversations with your kids Imagine your child at the top of a ski slope. They’re about to ski down for their first time, but for now, they’re relishing the view. A blanket of snow just fell, so the view is fresh and pure. The fluffy white snow is completely blemish-free. It’s a wondrous sight, but it’s temporary. Because pretty soon, skiers will start sailing down this hill. Each one will set tracks in the snow that impact your child’s perspective. Whoever skis down first, setting the first tracks in the snow, will leave a particularly deep impression because chances are, your child will remember it. This ski slope is a lot like your child’s mind. And as parents, we instinctively protect their mind. We keep our kids in safe environments and guard their innocence to the best of our ability. And though this is a great instinct, we must remember that our kids will be exposed to things sooner than we like to believe. In mere seconds, their pristine view of the world can be interrupted by a peer, a Google search, or some random event that leaves a negative mark. “Setting the first tracks” is a term that Gil Kracke, a counselor at Covenant Counseling and the Church of the Advent in Birmingham, uses to encourage parents to have those uncomfortable yet necessary conversations. As parents, we want to set the first tracks. We want to ski down first and impress the truth in our kids’ minds so that when other skiers come behind us, our kids know which tracks to trust. Establishing ourselves upfront as the authority helps us become our child’s go-to person. It lets them know they can come to us with questions to help them discern which tracks in the snow are healthy and right – and which ones aren’t.

But how do we begin these awkward conversations? How do we talk about those hard realities we’d rather not talk about? According to David Thomas, a counselor with DayStar Counseling in Nashville, and author of the book “Wild Things”, parents should get in front of the issues. We should have these discussions before an event ever happens. Gone are the days of a single “birds and the bees” talk. Instead of a one-time conversation, there should be ongoing dialogue. We should create a safe space where our kids feel comfortable opening up and asking the questions they’ll inevitably take somewhere – if not to us, then to a friend or Google. Here are eight guidelines Thomas offers to help parents create a safe environment that encourages openness and honesty: ►► Start early. Between ages 3-5, we can begin conversations with our kids about their bodies. The goal is to familiarize kids with the language and get them comfortable talking about it on an age-appropriate level. ►► Be the first and best source of information. To be our child’s go-to person, we should communicate a sense of safety so they instinctively come to us when they want information. Our kids can read us, and if we look or act awkward, they’ll quit talking. For this reason, we need to be familiar with the realities of their world (current and what’s to come) and comfortable talking about them. ►► Always use anatomically correct words when talking about the body. ►► Invite questions. One way to encourage conversation is to tell our kids, “I’m so glad you asked me that. Anything else you want

to ask?” Or, we can ask them questions like, “What were you thinking when you heard that?” Oftentimes, helping our kids think through a situation helps them form their own conclusions. ►► Revisit the conversation often. Upfront our kids should hear, “We’re going to come in and out of this conversation your whole life. It’s not a one-time thing, but rather an ongoing healthy discussion.” To keep the talks informal and nonthreatening, Thomas suggests an occasional “Dude’s Weekend” or “Girl’s Night.” We can spend the night at a hotel, for instance, and weave the dialogue into fun experiences like letting our child swim, eat pizza and watch a movie. ►► Stay a step ahead of his/her development. We shouldn’t wait until our child hits puberty to discuss puberty. Kids need to hear “You are normal,” and when we prepare them for what’s to come, they don’t panic over the changes they experience because they know what to expect. ►► Put it in a physical and spiritual context. It’s important for kids to know their bodies are holy and good, and their journey to manhood/ womanhood is part of God’s plan. It’s when we use our bodies and minds in ways that God never intended that problems occur. ►► Find books to read together. Books can be helpful in opening the door to hard conversations. Remember, however, that books should be used to facilitate conversation, not replace it. And what if you aren’t your child’s first memory? What if that kid from school who likes to educate all the other kids on nitty-gritty topics

beats you in setting the first tracks? If that’s the case, don’t worry, because it’s never too late to start talking. Even if you aren’t your child’s first memory, you can be most of their memories. Hard conversations take courage, and I know how uncomfortable they can be. What helps me stay brave is remembering what a school counselor once told me about parents who have open dialogue versus parents who think they’re “protecting” their kids by not addressing hard realities. “Parents who have the hard conversations are much more likely to have their kids open up and tell them what’s really going on,” she said. “Parents who don’t have those conversations are less likely to have their kids open up because the kids know their parents will freak out.” In short, our kids need us speaking truth into their lives. They need guidance to help them discern which tracks in the snow are worth paying attention to. By making hard conversations a normal part of family life, we can get past the awkwardness. We can develop stronger relationships that allow us access into their world and open up our eyes, minds and hearts to the realities they’ll face in the winding road ahead. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mtn. Brook mom of four girls, columnist, and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, 10 ULTIMATE TRUTHS GIRLS SHOULD KNOW, is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@ karikampakis.com.

280Living.com

February 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B27

280

Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

737587

35242

1205 Haven Road

New

$409,900

738102

35242

2598 Willowbrook Circle

New

$464,500

738020

35242

706 Highland Lakes Cove

New

$599,900

738007

35242

3025 Valley Ridge Road

New

$285,000

738000

35242

2008 Knollwood Place

New

$309,900

737887

35242

2033 King Stables Road

New

$709,900

737955

35242

2820 Berkeley Drive

New

$419,500

737872

35242

1316 Inverness Dr Cove

New

$249,900

737864

35242

1162 Bristol Way

New

$318,900

737842

35242

2757 Drennen Circle

New

$387,500

737782

35242

216 Reach Way

New

$144,900

737175

35242

1004 Mountain Trace

New

$600,000

737495

35242

2551 Willowbrook Circle

New

$375,000

737467

35242

137 Huntingdon Place

New

$369,000

737445

35242

1220 Hunters Gate Drive

New

$318,975

737320

35242

1709 Wingfield Ci cle

New

$340,000

737201

35242

1024 Drayton Way

New

$479,900

737196

35242

8209 Castlehill Road

New

$950,000

738028

35043

418A Tuscany Circle

New

$529,900

738015

35043

110 Shore Line Way

New

$327,900

1205 Haven Road

1004 Mountain Trace

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on January 18. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

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280 Living

B28 • February 2016

Calendar 280 Events Feb. 2: Greater Shelby Chamber Small Business Mentorship Group. 8 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office, 1301 Co. Services Drive, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Feb. 3: Greater Shelby Chamber Ambassadors Work Group. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office, 1301 Co. Services Drive, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Feb. 4: GSCC 35th Annual Meeting featuring Greg Sankey, Commissioner of the SEC. 11 a.m. Pelham Civic Complex, 500 Amphitheater Road. $20 chamber investors, $30 future investors. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Feb. 4–May 5: GriefShare. Faith Presbyterian

Church (Room A103), 4601 Valleydale Road. Trained facilitators who have experienced grief just like you will guide you through one of life’s most difficult experiences and provide you with the tools to move forward. Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Registration $20. Visit griefshare.org/groups/63460. Feb. 6: Sweet Life! Dessert Comedy Theatre featuring Scott Davis. 6:30 p.m. Liberty Baptist Church, 11050 Chelsea Road. Tickets $10 advance, $15 at door and include dessert and comedy concert. Childcare provided. Visit lbcchelsea. com. Feb. 7: Introductory Meditation Class. 1 p.m. Lemon Tree Yoga, Lee Branch Shopping Center. Led by Darlene Waters. $15. Visit darlenewaters.com.

Chelsea Athletic Events

Feb. 9: Greater Shelby Chamber Education Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location TBD by Work Group. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Feb. 10: Greater Shelby County Existing Business & Industry Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location TBD by Work Group. Visit business. shelbychamber.org. Feb. 12: Greater Shelby Chamber Health Services Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location TBD by Work Group. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Feb. 16: NETWORK280. 4:30 p.m. Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, at the Village at Lee Branch (601 Doug Baker Blvd. Suite 108, Birmingham. Expand your contacts along the 280 Corridor.

Presented by 280 Living. Bring plenty of cards and plan on meeting lots of new contacts at this event. $10 per person for Chamber investors and $20 per person for “Future” investors and includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and two beverage tickets. Reservations requested by February 12, so please contact the Chamber via email at info@shelbychamber.org, by phone at 663-4542 or register online at shelbychamber.org. Feb. 17: Greater Shelby Chamber Board of Directors’ Meeting. 8:15 a.m. Various locations. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Feb. 25: Greater Shelby Chamber Governmental Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location TBD by Work Group. Visit business.shelbychamber. org.

Mt Laurel Library

Boys Varsity Basketball

Girls Varsity Basketball

Children’s Programming

mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information.

Feb. 2: v. Briarwood. 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2: v. Briarwood. 6 p.m.

Feb. 4: v. Oak Mountain. 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4: v. Oak Mountain. 6 p.m.

Feb. 1-11: Valentines for Children’s Hospital. North Shelby and Mt Laurel Libraries will be collecting Valentine Cards for kids in Children’s Hospital. You can stop by either library to make a card or bring by a store-bought card. No candy please. Cards must be dropped off by Thursday, February 11th.

Feb. 5 & 19: 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. Ages 36 months and younger. Registration begins January 2 and is required. Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail. com for more information or to register. Register online using the Calendar on mtlaurellibrary.org.

Briarwood Athletic Events Boys Varsity Basketball

Girls Varsity Basketball

Feb. 2: @ Chelsea. 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 @ Chelsea. 6 p.m.

Feb. 5: @ Leeds. 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 5: @ Leeds. 6 p.m.

Feb. 1-20: Guess the Hearts. Stop by the library to guess how many conversation hearts are in the jar. The closest guess without going over gets the jar of candy. One guess per person. Winner will be notified on February 22. Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or

Feb. 5 & 19: Storytime with Ms. Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music, and more for every member of the family. All ages. No registration required. Contact the Mt Laurel Library

Dr. Sultan will tell you about the latest scientific breakthroughs and methods that help you permanently and safely remove unwanted belly fat while quickly reclaiming your health, your youth, and your life!

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Mt Laurel Library Cont. at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information. Feb. 6: Take Your Child to the Library Day. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Head to the library for snacks and fun activities. All ages with parent help. Registration is not required but supplies are limited. Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information. Feb. 13: 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 mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information. Feb. 16: Picture Book Club-Llama Llama. 4 p.m. Celebrate a beloved book series with stories, games, and a craft. Registration required. Register using the library’s online calendar at mtlaurellibrary.org or call 991-1660. Feb. 27: 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 mtlaurellibrary@gmail. com for more information. Adult Programming Feb. 4: Mt Laurel Book Club. 7 p.m. The Book Club will be discussing Audubon’s Elephant by Duff Hart-Davis. Contact Sara at 991-1660 or mtlau-

rellibrary@gmail.com for more information. Feb. 25: A Night at the Oscars. 12:30 p.m. With the 88th Academy Awards coming up February 28, it’s time for a little pre-Oscar warm up. Join Dick Segreto as he reveals tantalizing facts about the Oscars, along with little known stories from behind the scenes, mixed with liberal doses of humor and trivia for an entertaining lunch hour. Bring your lunch, the library will supply drinks and dessert! Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 991-1660 or mtlaurellibrary@ gmail.com for more information.

North Shelby Library Events Children Feb. 1-11: Valentines for Children’s Hospital. North Shelby and Mt Laurel Libraries will be collecting Valentine Cards for kids in Children’s Hospital. You can stop by either library to make a card or bring by a store-bought card. No candy please. Cards must be dropped off by Thursday, February 11th. Feb. 6: Take Your Child to the Library Day. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Head to the library for snacks and fun activities. All ages with parent help. Registration is not required but supplies are limited.

Join us for a yummy book club where we will be talking about Newbery books and eating some delicious pie. All ages are welcome (including adults). Registration required. Check our website for more information. Feb. 17: Homeschool Hangout-What’s Opera? 1 p.m. February bring song to the North Shelby Library. Mr. Tommy Thompson will be lending his skills to teach a program he affectionately calls “Opera Without All The Boring Bits”. Mr. Thompson is a multi-talented singer, musician, community educator, and Company Manager of Opera Birmingham. Please join us for this fun and exciting program. Ages 8-12.

Feb. 6: 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.

Feb. 29: Leap Day Activities. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Stop by the Children’s Department in February to pick up a craft to take home or make in the department to celebrate special day of the year – Leap Day. All ages are welcome. Supplies are limited.

Feb. 9: Picture Book Club-Llama Llama. 4 p.m. Join us for stories, games, crafts, and snacks featuring a different favorite book character each month. All ages welcome. Registration required.

Mondays: Toddler Tales. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30 minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week prior to each storytime. Ages 19-36 months. Registration Required.

Feb. 10: Newbery Pie Book Club. 1 p.m.

North Shelby Story-Time Programming

Tuesdays (Feb. 2 & 16): Baby Tales. 10 a.m. A story time designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Stories and music provide interaction for the babies and time for caregivers to talk and share with each other. Ages: Birth to 18 months. Registration Required. Registration will begin one week prior to program date.

formatting text and performing mathematical calculations. We will also formatting and working with multiple sheets and charts.

Wednesdays: Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire!). 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets, and lots of music for every member of the family. All Ages. No Registration.

North Shelby Teen Happenings

Thursdays: P. J. 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. Adults Feb. 11: Microsoft Word 2013. 2-4:00 p.m. An introduction to the word processing program, Microsoft Word. Learn how to create a simple document, edit and format text, correct spelling errors, and adjust the margins. We will also cover how to save, print and open files and formatting such as columns, borders, page breaks and more. Feb. 16: Microsoft Excel 2013. 2-4 p.m. This class will cover entering text and numbers,

Feb. 24: Computer/Device Help. 2-4 p.m. This is an open time where patrons can ask questions about computers and related technology issues.

Feb. 5, 12 & 19: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Come to the teen department each Friday afternoon for open gaming: board games, card games, Wii, XBOX ONE, and Minecraft. Teens need a parent permission slip on file to attend. Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org for more information. Feb. 8: 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. Feb. 18: Teen Tech-Phone Hacks. 6:307:30 p.m. Try out some non-invasive hacks to make your smartphone do things you never imagined. Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@shelbycounty-al.org for more information.

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St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Events Mondays: Next Chapter Book Club/ Greystone Chapter. 4:30-5:30 p.m. The current book the group is reading is Divergent by Veronica Roth. For more information, visit facebook.com/nextchapterbookclubgreystonechapter. Wednesdays: Baby Café. 10 a.m.-noon. We invite breastfeeding moms to join us for our lactation support group meeting. This event is free, and registration is not required. Feb. 6: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.noon. This group supporting lupus patients and their families meets the first Saturday of every month. This month’s topic is Managing Holiday Stress by Tonya MacNicol. This event is free and sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South Chapter. 1-877-865-8787. Feb. 9: Blood Pressure/Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative from St. Vincent’s Wellness Services will be screening for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance. This screening is free. Feb. 10: Breakfast with the Doc-Heart Failure. 8-9 a.m. Join E. Merritt Cullum, MD, a cardiologist with Southview Medical Group, as he shares insights on the prevalence of heart failure in the U.S. Bring your questions and join us for a light breakfast. Free, but please call 408-6550 for reservations. Feb. 16: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If you have diabetes or are at risk, this seminar is a must. A physician’s referral is required, and pre-assessments given preceding the class date. To register, please call 939-7248.

February as the Valentine’s Day month, it is also an important time to focus on your heart health. Join this demonstration style cooking class to learn more about heart healthy cooking. Following the demonstration, you will have the opportunity to enjoy Mustard-Crusted Salmon (chicken alternative by request), Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad, Lemon-Barley Pilaf and a fruit and nut dessert. All recipes are diabetic friendly as well. The cost is $25/person. Please call 408-6550 by February 16 to register. Feb. 23: Wellness Screenings. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. We’ll be offering cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference screenings by appointment. Results and interpretation are available in 15 minutes with a simple finger stick. The cost for St. Vincent’s One Nineteen members and for non-members is $20. Call 408-6550 to register. Feb. 23: Mexican Fiesta-Teen Cooking Class. 4-6 p.m. Come and experience a laid-back south-of-the border cooking class with all of your Mexican food favorites. Cooking is a great way to enjoy healthy flavors while meeting new friends and learning new skills. This class is offered for teens ages 13 to 18 years. The cost is $25 per person. Please call 408-6550 by February 11 to register. Feb. 26: Healthy Cooking in a Bag. 9 a.m.-noon. Join us for Healthy Cooking in a Bag, where you’ll have the opportunity to prepare seven healthy meals for your freezer. Bring your groceries to our kitchen, and we’ll prepare the meals together. The cost is $25/person, plus your groceries. Call 408-6550 for reservations and the shopping list, which is available with payment. The class minimum is six people.

Feb. 18: “I Love My Heart” Cooking Class. 6-7:30 p.m. While many people think of

Chelsea Library Events Visit chelsealibraryonline.com Wednesdays: The Tot Spot. 10:30 a.m. A 30-minute story time for Preschoolers. We read, sing, dance and sometimes craft.

Fridays: BYOC- Bring your own crochet (craft). 10 a.m. Audio/Reading room. Lego Club. 9:30 a.m. For ages 5 and up.

Area Events Feb. 4–May 5: GriefShare. Thursdays at 7 p.m. Faith Presbyterian Church (Room A103), 4601 Valleydale Road. Trained facilitators who have experienced grief just like you will guide you through one of life’s most difficult experiences and provide you with the tools to move forward. Registration $20. Visit griefshare.org/groups/63460. Feb. 5: Diana Ross. 8 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. $63$128. Visit ticketmaster.com. Feb. 10: Hearts of Hope. Cahaba Grand Conference Center, 3660 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham. Event provides resources necessary to continue the work of The Foundry Women’s Recovery Program. Free. Visit foundryminstries.com. Feb. 12-14: Mercedes Marathon Weekend. Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 8th Avenue North, Birmingham. Friday, 12 p.m. -7 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.- 6p.m. Sunday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Visit mercedesmarathon.com. Feb. 13: Spring Cleansing. 10 a.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham. Learn to jump start your body with a spring cleansing. $15 members, $20 non-members. Visit bbgardens.org. Feb. 14: I Do with a View. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Vulcan Park and Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive, Birmingham. Valentine’s Day wedding packages. Visit visitvulcan.com. Feb. 18-21 Birmingham Home and Garden Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. -6 p.m. $3 children 6-12, $11 adults. Visit birminghamhomeandgardenshow.com. Feb. 19-21: Chicago: The Musical. BJCC Concert Hall, 200 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $35-$85. Visit theaterleague.com. Feb. 20: Kick Out Cancer Kickball Tournament. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Vestavia Central Elementary School Field. $200 per team. 1st-12th grade. Help aTeam Ministries help support children and families in Alabama through the journey of pediatric cancer. Visit ateamministries.org/kickballtournament/. Feb. 27: 9th Annual Ovarian Cycle Birmingham. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Levite Jewish Community Center, 3960 Montclair Road. Threehour indoor cycling event to support ovarian cancer research. Registration fee for riders 26 & older: $50; Riders 12-25: $25; Survivors: Free. Visit nlovca.org/ovarian-cycle.