280 living december 2014 by Starnes Media

280 Living

December 2014 | Volume 8 | Issue 4

neighborly news & entertainment

Santa’s coming to town 12 Days of 280 Christmas the party host with 1 Be the most a cup of Mt 2 Enjoy Laurel Christmas tea home alone with 3 Stay a classic

4 at The Summit

Shop until you drop

Follow Santa’s fire engine along the 280 corridor Get decked out for a

6 run at Oak Mountain 7

Pick your favorite floats at the Chelsea Parade Spread cheer by

loud for all 8 singing to hear a holiday run 9 Enjoy at Meadow Brook

Santa Claus will take two routes to visit children in the U.S. 280 corridor via the Cahaba Valley Fire Department’s engines. Photo by Keith McCoy.

By JESSA PEASE One month full of 33 local events can only mean one thing — it’s December. This month, the U.S. 280 corridor is ﬁlled with annual holiday runs, Christmas parades, visits with Santa and opportunities to celebrate with local church congregations. It’s the month when people crowd the streets from Chelsea Middle School to the parking lot at WinnDixie to witness Santa waving from his sleigh, tap

dancers performing in green and red velvet and the Chelsea High School cheerleaders tossing candy to children. Communities in the Turtle Lake Apartments, Brook Highland, Mt Laurel and everywhere in between can expect a visit from Santa as he travels through the corridor atop one of the Cahaba Valley Fire Department’s engines. While Santa makes his way through homes trimmed with icicle lights, inﬂatable snowmen and manger scenes, the Arc of Jefferson County invites residents to decorate themselves for its

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INSIDE

Sponsors .......... A6 280 News ......... A8

annual run at Oak Mountain State Park. Many area churches are also holding public events to celebrate together. Some will hold candlelight Christmas Eve services and others will throw The Polar Express pajama parties or themed choral concerts, but many of the pastors have said that the real point is to celebrate the true reason for the season. For a complete list of holiday events and 280 Living’s 12 Days of Christmas, see holiday section on page A20.

Business.......... A16 Food .................A19

Community ...... B2 School House ... B12

Add a fresh new look to your seasonal decor

Spend a day in the kitchen with some holiday cookie cutters Find the right

Eve service 12 Christmas for you

Sports ............... B14 Opinion...............B21

Faith ...................B22 Calendar ........... B24 facebook.com/280Living

Steps of hope

Successful season

A national walk makes an effort to prevent suicide and bring comfort to those who have lost someone. Find the details inside.

Inside this issue, ﬁnd out what Eagles coach Cris Bell had to say about one of Oak Mountain High School’s best football seasons ever.

Community page B4

Make her Holidays Merry & Bright! Extended Holiday Hours

Sports page B16

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280 Living

A6 • December 2014

About Us Please Support our Community Partners

Photo of the month

Every year the Chelsea Cheerleaders make a float for the Chelsea Parade and Christmas Village. Photo by Cari Dean.

Send your submissions for Photo of the Month to

jessa@starnespublishing.com

Editor’s Note By JESSA PEASE As a kid, the month in between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems like it takes forever. Anticipation grows as you await the two-week break from school and the day filled with presents. I remember feeling like those few weeks were the worst of the entire year instead of seeing them as a time to enjoy the holiday cheer. As an adult, sometimes we let the month go by too quickly. It’s almost as if Christmas just suddenly pops up after Thanksgiving with all we have going on, and we don’t really have a chance to appreciate the time. That’s

Publisher: Creative Director: Managing Editor: Sports Editor: Staff Writers:

Editorial Assistant: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:

Graphic Designer: Contributing Writers: Contributing Photographer:

why I’m so thankful work where I do. Writing the December edition of 280 Living in October and November might mean that I’m getting into the Christmas mood before kids go trick or treating, but, for me, it’s a blessing in disguise. As a result, I might have put my Christmas tree up in the first week of November, and I also might have bought and wrapped most of the presents on my list before Thanksgiving. It gives me more time to enjoy the season without the stresses of cramming a million things into one month.

Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Madoline Markham David Knox Katie Turpen Jessa Pease Sydney Cromwell Madison Miller Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Nathan Pearman Morgan Robinson Emily VanderMey Rick Watson Kari Kampakis Karim Shamsi-Basha

For advertising contact: dan@280living.com

Instead of braving lines at The Summit, I can participate in all the activities featured in our 12 Days of Christmas article, and also do some good like the boy we featured in our paper, Nick, who contributed to Wreaths Across America. There are so many events to enjoy in the U.S. 280 corridor in December, and thanks to my (over) eagerness I can enjoy as many of them as possible. Happy holidays!

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

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

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: editor@280living.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 Published by : Starnes Publishing LLC

Legals: 280 Living is published monthly. Reproduction or 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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A8 • December 2014

280 News

Hoover FD practices Ebola response drill By SYDNEY CROMWELL

with the help of the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control. “It was training we felt like we had to do,” Lowe said. “We don’t expect to use it, and we hope we don’t have to.”

On Nov. 4, the Hoover Fire Department practiced its newly developed response to Ebola. The drill began with a fake phone call to 911. When the “patient” described Ebola-like symptoms, HFD medical director Dr. Sarah Nafziger and EMS director David Hambright were conferenced into the call. After receiving information from dispatch, firefighters at Station 3 responded with hazmat suits and other equipment to take care of the patient and safely transport him to a local hospital without exposing themselves to the disease. HFD Executive Director Rusty Lowe explained more about the drill and Hoover’s preparations for the possibility of Ebola.

Q A

Is our area at risk for Ebola? Lowe said there is only a “remote chance” that Ebola could make its way into Hoover or surrounding areas. Airports are creating better screening measures and the disease is not airborne, so it can only spread through contact with an infected person’s body fluids. “There’s been a lot of hysteria about Ebola,” Lowe said. “It’s a very minimal threat here in Hoover.”

Q A

How do you feel about the fire department’s ability to respond to Ebola? “We’re more comfortable with our protocol now because we’ve tested it and our men have been through the drill,” Lowe said. He said the drill exposed some areas where they need to improve, but overall it went well and the fire department feels ready to handle Ebola or a similar infectious disease.

Q A The Hoover Fire Department practices a response to an Ebola call. Photo courtesy of the Hoover Fire Department.

Q A

So why is the fire department running an Ebola preparedness drill? It’s just a precaution. Lowe said the HFD tracks global health concerns and creates response plans

even if the risk to Hoover residents is slim. He noted the department also has protocols for previous health scares such as avian and swine flus and seasonal problems like heat stroke. “Since there is a minimal threat out

there, we have to be prepared for any situation out there that might arise,” Lowe said. “We just have to be prepared for all hazards.” The drill was a chance to test out the protocols that the HFD had created

What should people be worried about? Ebola may have flu-like symptoms, but the real influenza is more likely to hospitalize Hoover residents. It’s currently flu season, and a viral disease called enterovirus D-68 is also causing serious illnesses in children in several other states. Lowe said he’s far more concerned with these infections than Ebola. So get your flu shot, wash your hands regularly and don’t worry too much about Ebola.

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December 2014 • A9

New apartment complexes in the works

Phase One of construction at the Retreat at Greystone was completed in November, but the complex still has two more phases awaiting completion. Photo by Jessa Pease.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Three new apartment complexes are under construction off U.S. 280, bringing more than 600 apartments to the area. Residents began moving into the Retreat at Greystone, located on Retreat Drive, in January, but the complex is far from finished. Community manager Angie Wynn said it is currently about 58 percent occupied and Phase One of construction, which included 20 buildings and 240 units, was completed in November. Phase Two will add another 52 units in June and Phase Three is still waiting for zoning approval, but could potentially add 20 more units by August. Half of the apartments include an attached garage, and Wynn said the design is unique in Birmingham because the buildings don’t include exterior breezeways or stairs. When finished, Wynn said the Retreat will feature 12 floor plans for one, two and three-bedroom apartments with open and modern designs

and plenty of windows. The apartments are zoned for Inverness Elementary and Oak Mountain Middle, Intermediate and High Schools. To learn more, visit retreatatgreystone.com. Another complex in the works is Crowne at Cahaba River, which will bring 255 apartments to the area. Located at 5050 Cahaba River Road near the new Grandview Medical Center, the Crowne complex consists of five buildings, each four stories high, with one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Crowne at Cahaba River is expected to open its clubhouse and begin pre-leasing at the end of January, with the first building opening to residents in the spring. Learn more at crownepartners.com. The final new complex is 4700 Colonnade, located at the intersection of Cahaba River Road and Colonnade Parkway. It will include 215 units, but an opening date has not yet been announced.

Andy Craig steps down as superintendent By JESSA PEASE After seven years of serving as Hoover City Schools’ chief executive officer, Superintendent Andy Craig has resigned and will be moving to a high-level administrative post at the Alabama Department of Education. His departure became public knowledge Nov. 11 when Board of Education president Donna Frazier released an email statement about Craig’s service to the schools. She said his announcement came as a surprise. “His leadership during those seven years has been exemplary,” Frazier said. “At no time has our school system had better facilities, better programs or better people servicing the students of Hoover. For all Mr. Craig has accomplished, we are sincerely grateful.” Craig served as the system’s assistant superintendent for finance up until Connie Williams, the previous superintendent, left in 2006. Craig became interim superintendent then and was officially named superintendent of Hoover City Schools in April 2007. During his time as superintendent, Craig was involved in day-to-day decisions about educational programs, planning the budget, and maintaining staff and facilities. In the past two years, Craig led the system through controversial issues. In July of 2013, the school system announced

its plan to halt the school bus service starting in August 2014. The attempt to eliminate the bus system from Hoover City Schools’ was later rescinded, but Craig said in a June 2014 interview that there was a goal to begin the fee system in the 2015-2016 school year. “We are on a positive course there,” Craig said in the interview. “We are on a course where we are going to maintain the bus service. We are seeking a cost-sharing plan that will certainly help us along down the road. The improvement in the budget hopefully can carry over. We are on a good pace.” The rezoning of elementary schools was another issue that created a negative response from parents, especially the initial draft that included Bluff Park Elementary School. A second draft, meant to affect fewer families and neighborhoods, was presented to the public at the September Board of Education meeting. The proposal was then sent to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval, but no further updates have been released. An interim superintendent has not yet been determined, and Frazier said there will be no plans for finding Craig’s replacement until school board receives his resignation letter. Jason Gaston, district coordinator for public relations for Hoover City Schools, said the board will guide the search for a new candidate as a group.

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St. Vincent’s expansion project breaks ground By JESSA PEASE Three racks were filled with dozens of shovels on groundbreaking day, and they weren’t just for business officials. When St. Vincent’s One Nineteen broke ground on its new expansion Oct. 30, the community-based healthcare facility asked everyone in the crowd to grab a shovel. “We are actually going to break ground together because this is not St. Vincent’s Health System’s or One Nineteen’s facility, it is yours,” explained Nan Priest, the executive vice president and chief strategy officer for St. Vincent’s Health System. Following the event, the shovels were donated to community gardens as a part of St. Vincent’s efforts to provide greater access to healthy foods. Priest said it was a part of One Nineteen’s commitment to the community, one that started about 10 years ago when the campus was first open. The expansion was only an extension of that original plan. “One out of five of our patients at our Birmingham facility live in this corridor, and that was the reason that we made the initial commitment for this health and wellness center,” Priest said. “This is just a continuation of that commitment to try to provide services close to home.” The 40,000-square-foot expansion will allow One Nineteen to provide the space for surgery, urgent care and additional doctors to join the system.

Everyone attending the One Nineteen ground breaking ceremony was asked to join in with shovels. Photo by Jessa Pease.

The project is scheduled to be completed in fall of 2015, and work will begin immediately. The addition includes a Certificate of Need-approved ambulatory surgery center, four state-of-the-art operating rooms, two procedure

rooms, professional office space and an urgent care center. Surgeries such as general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, podiatry, plastic surgery, pain management and gynecology will become available to patients. Kirk Allen, a Meadow Brook

resident and president and chief operating officer for St. Vincent’s Ambulatory Health Network, touched on the amount of hard work and planning that went into this project. “This facility is a great example of novel ways that healthcare can be

delivered in a quality, compassionate and effective way in the communities where our patients live,” Allen said. “Anybody who has been to One Nineteen and seen a physician or had a procedure wants to come back. It’s close to home, it’s easy to park and it’s a great place to receive services. We are proud to be able to expand those services through this project.” The campus was originally built to be convenient for people living further out down U.S. 280, but the medical director at One Nineteen, John Farley, MD, said One Nineteen draws people from all over the place. Although people initially didn’t want to make the drive to One Nineteen from places like Mountain Brook, now Farley said the professionalism and the beauty of the facility makes people want to receive treatment at One Nineteen. “We’ve been very excited to be a part of this,” Farley said. “We are excited to see the ongoing growth. We are going to continue to grow our practice.” Farley said he hopes to have any kind of specialist at the campus in the future, so One Nineteen can provide any service a patient could need. The organization plans to continue to move forward, and asked the community to trust the vision St. Vincent’s has. “Where else in this area can you find a facility that focuses on that healthier prevention aspect?” Priest asked. “But we are not finished. We have only just begun.”

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December 2014 • A11

Brook Highland Sprouts to open in February

Sprouts Farmers Market offers a large selection of fresh produce of all varieties. Photo courtesy of Sprouts.com.

A grocery store of a different kind is sprouting up in Brook Highland in February. Sprouts Farmers Market, a healthy living grocery store, has conﬁrmed a location in Brook Highland Plaza at 5291 U.S. 280. According to Lisa Robinson, marketing and communications for Sprouts, the location will open Feb. 18. Based out of Arizona, Sprouts has 175 locations in 10 states that provide multiple healthy-living resources. The store offers

fresh, natural and organic foods and offers options for customers to “live a healthy lifestyle at an affordable price.” Sprouts sells fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts and sweets, and also offers a full-service deli with meat and seafood counters that feature homemade burgers and sausages. For more information about Sprouts Farmers Market, visit sprouts.com.

Resurfacing scheduled for Hugh Daniel Drive By SYDNEY CROMWELL Around 8,000 cars travel Hugh Daniel Drive every day – and it shows. The road is looking a little worn down, but the City of Hoover and ALDOT have recently begun a resurfacing project to ﬁx that. The project includes new pavement for 4,000 feet of Hugh Daniel, beginning at County Road 41, also called Dunnavant Valley Road, and heading west. The contract was awarded to Dunn Construction for $1.1

million, of which the city will pay 20 percent and ALDOT will pay 80 percent. ALDOT Division 3 Engineer Brian Davis said that the project was sent to the governor for a signature of approval on Nov. 14, and they expect to receive that signature by Dec. 2. He also said it’s most likely that the contractor will ask to wait until the spring to complete the project, as the company will be given only 60 days to ﬁnish the resurfacing and winter weather can cause delays.

Inverness sewers to be repaired By SYDNEY CROMWELL For most Inverness residents, the sewers are out of sight, out of mind. Not for the city of Hoover, though; the city is beginning a repair project for Inverness’s sanitary sewer system. The sewer rehabilitation project will include repairing sewer lines at 20 locations, sealing cracks in the pipes, adjusting the height of 53 manhole covers and lining the interior of almost 17,000 feet of sewers and manhole entrances. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said the project will prevent sewer collapses and reduce the groundwater entering the city’s sewers, pumping stations and

treatment facility. The project cost is estimated at just under $1.4 million, and the work will be performed by Layne Inliner pipe lining company from Tucker, Georgia. Construction will begin in mid-November, and Ivey said it should take about six months to complete. “Inverness residents should not expect any problems with their sewer lines while the project is underway,” Ivey said. “The city will have a full-time observer/inspector onsite to inspect the contractor’s work and to ensure that residents are being kept informed of any construction activities that may affect them.”

280 Living

A12 • December 2014

Chamber

Defying the odds Captain Chris George addresses the South Shelby Chamber

By JESSA PEASE When Captain Chris George started his speech, the South Shelby Chamber members didn’t know what story he had to tell. “I probably shouldn’t be here, but I am,” he began. He first turned to the American Flag, which he had moved from its usual spot in the church to the stage beside him. George wanted to talk about what the flag meant. Soon after, he gestured his Bible, and said that he would not be speaking about the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office although he works for it. Instead, he would share how the flag and the Bible are objects that have shaped him. A lesson on the field The stars and stripes took on new significance when George was 19. The Marines course he was required to take, called Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, or SERE, would prove true to its name. He signed a waiver agreeing to “get beat” and started the course, knowing only that he was to do as he was told. The men taking the course were all taken out on a truck like cattle and dropped off in the middle of nowhere. Their goal was to get from point A to point B without getting caught by the enemy who were dressed as communists. “I said, ‘I got this. You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m just going to hide for three days,’” George laughed as he explained that an air horn would signal when the men were safe to be

Captain George holds the American Flag with tears in his eyes, saying it means more than the cloth it is on. Photo by Jessa Pease.

picked up off the closest dirt road. “I hear the loud air horn. I go ‘Whoo hoo, I made it. Roll Tide!’” But the Jeep making its way over the hill was

not carrying United States uniforms. Before he knew what happened, he was wrapped in a burlap sack, hog-tied, beaten and thrown in the back of the Jeep. His only piece of luck was the

cushioned landing supplied by the other guys who had also been captured. They were taken to a camp, stripped down to their underwear and their hands were bound

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December 2014 • A13

The two embrace after George tells his friend he will never die because he lives in his heart. Photo by Jessa Pease.

behind their backs. When they were transferred from the small concrete boxes they were kept in to the back of the camp, they were forced to walk on their bare knees through sharp gravel. The communist flag waved the entire time George was in the camp, until the last day. All the men were brought together — all of them only about 18 or 19 years old — and the leaders of

the “communists” started cutting stars out of the American Flag with his knife. “When everyone was on their feet, they took that communist flag down and put that one up,” George said with tears in his eyes as he held up the American Flag standing next to him on stage. “This flag right here means more than the cloth that it’s on. That red is all the blood that

was shed from the beginning... That union in the top left color represents united as one nation, and that white is the purity that we are founded upon under God.” Letting go of anger Early in his career, George was angry. He said he held a lot of hatred towards his mother for her choices and his father, for not being there for

him. It wasn’t until later that he realized that drug addicts, while victims of their own decisions no longer have control over those decisions. George was in second grade when his mother walked into his classroom, interrupting his spelling test. Then it was just him, his mother and his Superman backpack hitchhiking from Birmingham to Pensacola, Fla. “You have a whole different world out there from truckers to dopers to hippies to everybody else picking you up, and there’s a whole lot of people who have to pick you up,” George said. They were making their way, sleeping in cars, when his mother ran out of money and had to call George’s grandmother. Immediately, his nanny drove to pick George up, but left his mother. Those experiences are the same ones that George said he wants to block from other people. He said now it’s his job to worry about those things so other people don’t have to, and his experience taught him the best way to help. “If you have someone within your family that is struggling, and you think ‘Oh gosh, what are we going to do?’ you pray,” George said. “That’s all you can do. You’ve got to give it to God. You can’t do it yourself.” He called the members of the chamber to action asking them to do something. He said people shouldn’t just want to help the widowers, the widows and the orphans, they should know it’s a command from God. Immediately, George turned to a guest he invited to the luncheon, and called him onto the stage. He introduced the 90-year-old Marine, who did four landings in the Pacific and was shot on Hiroshima Island, and explained that there was no “too old” excuse for helping people. After the two embraced, George finished his speech with a statement about anger. He held up a clenched fist and said it represented the anger you can harbor, perhaps toward someone else or even toward yourself. “As long as you are angry and you have your fist up like this, you are never going to receive anything,” he said. “You open that hand, and you help somebody. I can guarantee that hand is going to overflow with more than you can help. So unclench that fist, open that hand up and be ready to receive.”

280 Living

A14 • December 2014

Awarding excellence, heroism Greater Shelby Chamber presents 2014 Safety Awards BY JESSA PEASE

Rodriguez accepts his 2014 Ofﬁcer of the Year award from Bill Keller.

Jason Bryant, center, with Fire Chief Wayne Shirley, right.

Robert Rodriguez

Turner Herron

Ofﬁcer of the Year Shelby County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce

Fireﬁghter of the Year North Shelby Fire District

Rodriguez came to the sheriff’s office in 2009 and applied to be a part of the tactical response unit three years after joining. Chief Deputy John Samaniego presented him with the award. “His role here as a negotiator, over the last 13 months, has been significant,” Samaniego said. “His number came up as part of the group on five different incidents, all of them were very dangerous situations where somebody’s life was in jeopardy.”

Herron has been a volunteer firefighter with the North Shelby Fire District about two and a half years. He is currently enrolled in EMT Paramedic classes in Birmingham and aspires to become a career firefighter upon his graduation in 2015. Chief Eugene “Buddy” Tyler presented him with the award. “He’s a very exceptional young man that is very energetic, and he is eager to learn everything he can about fire service,” Tyler said.

Jason Bryant

Stephen Gaither

Fireﬁghter of the Year City of Chelsea

Fireﬁghter of the Year Cahaba Valley Fire District

Bryant has been with the department for about ﬁve years, and he is also working part time with the Tuscaloosa Fire Department. Chief Wayne Shirley presented him with the award. “When we looked through the nominees that came in, the one that really stood out — that all the shift commanders put the name in the hat for — was Jason Bryant,” Shirley said. “Those who know Jason know his work ethic and know his attitude. You just don’t ﬁnd them any better than Jason.”

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Turner Herron accepts his Fireﬁghter of the Year award at the Greater Shelby Chamber.

C R E AT I V E B A K E D G O O D S

Order your holiday cakes and desserts early

Stephen Gaither, center, was introduced to the chamber by Grant Wilkinson, right.

Gaither began his career in Alex City in 2000. He joined the Hoover Fire Department before moving to Cahaba Valley in 2009. His scores put him on the top of the list when the lieutenant position became available. Volunteer commander Grant Wilkinson presented him with the award. “As a ﬁreﬁghter/medic, his presence was felt immediately,” Wilkinson said. “His willingness to take on tasks outside those assigned showed his desire to do whatever was needed.”

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Now Open HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab, 1401 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 101, opened Nov. 12. 980-0407. healthsourcechiro.com.

Relocations and Renovations Urban Cookhouse, 250 Summit Blvd., Suite 102, has announced plans to expand. It has leased an additional 765 square feet of space. 969-6700. urbancookhouse.com.

New Ownership YB’s Daylight Donuts, 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 141, was purchased by Kerry and Lou Youngblood. The Youngbloods were residents of Louisiana but moved back home to buy the local eatery and live closer to family. 981-3337. daylightdonuts.com.

December 2014 • A17 280, has been presented with the company’s highest honor, the Best of the West award. He is just one of four among more than 460 managing partners nationwide to receive this award this year. 980-8361. longhornsteakhouse.com.

InShape MD Wellness Clinic, 650 Inverness Corners, is holding a Holiday Open House on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The event will feature raffles, giveaways, food, drinks and expert advice. 582-9216. inverness.inshapemd.com.

Hirings and Promotions RealtySouth’s Inverness office, 109 Inverness Plaza, has hired Jasmine Caldwell as a Realtor. 991-6565. realtysouth.com.

Anniversaries Skin Wellness Center of Alabama is celebrating the second anniversary of their Chelsea location, 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 3, this month. 678-7518. skinwellnessal.com.

Tony Ray’s Pizza, 5479 U.S. 280, Suite 126, is under new ownership. Kellie Green is now heading up the management. 995-8669. tonyrayspizza.com.

News and Accomplishments 5

Jeff Fulton, managing partner of LongHorn Steakhouse, 4775 U.S.

Closings 9 closed.

Medifast, 2807 Greystone Commercial Blvd., Suite 42, has

280 Living

A18 • December 2014

Your Health Today By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

As 2014 comes to a close, many people begin to reflect on what they would like to change in the New Year. Shifts in career, relationships, eating habits and fitness are some of the most common things that come to mind. Many people put off lifestyle changes waiting for an ideal time in the future and ignoring the time they have right now! Taking a moment to imagine your ideal lifestyle can be helpful in many ways. As Steven Covey states in his award winning book The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, you must begin with the end in mind. But how do you motivate yourself now to break the everyday routine of your hectic life and take that first step toward the healthy, fulfilling lifestyle you have created in your mind? Each year many people focus only on New Year’s resolutions, when they could be making New Life resolutions today! Isaac Newton’s first law of motion states that “an object at rest will stay at rest...” Without motivation to get us moving, we are doomed to live out his theory, and there is no more powerful motivator than a clear purpose. The most successful men and women in history all had one thing in common: a powerful sense of their purpose in life. Many people have lived their entire lives without answering this fundamental question, “Why am I here?” Maybe for you, the answer comes easily, while for others it may be a struggle. But when you

Are You Living Fully Alive?

find the answer, you will discover with it the vitality and motivation to live your life to its fullest potential. Then comes the second most fundamental question, “How?” Now that you have a definite purpose the fun part begins, living it! Different challenges arise that will persist as you continue to develop and change. The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus is attributed with the ageold saying “there is nothing permanent but change.” Habits that at one time seemed inconsequential may become obstacles to overcome or puzzle pieces to fit together within the framework you have chosen for your life. Once you make the decision to explore all of your possibilities, your physical, mental and spiritual health will dictate how well you are able to grow and adapt to these positive changes. Will you rise to the challenge or be overwhelmed by stress or doubt? With all of the misinformation about health we receive through media, friends and “old wisdom” passed down for generations, it is easy to become overwhelmed. At Chiropractic Today one of our primary goals is to make it easy for you to find the appropriate information you need to navigate your way to “Living Alive”. We focus on helping each patient embrace positive changes one simple step at a time. We work together to find the best practices to ensure that your body and

mind function at 100 percent of their innate potential, allowing you to experience life and your God-given purpose to their fullest. Perhaps one of Mahatma Ghandi’s most famous quotes encourages us to “be the change you want to see in the world.” At Chiropractic Today, we eagerly strive to change the traditional sense of what it means to be healthy. Our philosophy is to help you to go beyond temporary health and pursue a state of complete wellness. To achieve this goal means to totally integrate your body, mind and spirit, not merely “to make it through the day,” but to remove the things that get in the way of you realizing your God given potential. At Chiropractic Today, Dr. Palmer works individually with each patient to restore the neurological connections essential for optimum physical, mental and emotional function. She assists patients in developing individual plans that provide recommendations on key topics such as nutrition and exercise in a positive life-giving environment. Call us today to schedule your complementary consultation at or visit our website and let us help you make your New Life Resolutions today! Sign up today for our FREE Wellness Workshop, January 20, 2015 at 5:45! Space is Limited. At Chiropractic Today we take your health personal!

280Living.com

December 2014 • A19

Read all the past Restaurant Showcases at 280Living.com

459

Act o

Restaurant Showcase Pablo’s Restaurante & Cantina

Colonade Pkwy

Ca h

ive

3439 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 1300 969-1411 280 Monday-Thursday, 11-2:30 p.m. & 4-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11-2:30 p.m. & 4-10:30 p.m. Sunday, 11-2:30 p.m. & 4-9 p.m. pablosbham.com

By JESSA PEASE It was everything they thought they didn’t want to do. Jack, Sue and Susan Lin’s father owned a Chinese restaurant in Georgia while they were growing up, and they never wanted to follow the family tradition. But for the past 15 years, the siblings have owned Pablo’s Restaurante & Cantina at the Colonnade off U.S. 280. One wasn’t enough though, so they added two other locations in Lee Branch and off Highway 150 in Hoover. Even with the other spots, Jack Lin still said the Colonnade is by the busiest. “It’s like a neighborhood place,” he said. “You walk in and you know everyone.” On any given day, Lin said he knows which regulars will be coming in, and people feel comfortable bringing their kids because they know Pablo’s has a good atmosphere. They can simply sit and enjoy a margarita without worrying. Jack said most of the staff members are family or have been working there for such a long time they might as well be. In fact, one family member manages each location in order to maintain the sense of community and friendship. Jack manages the Colonnade location, Susan the Hoover location and Susan’s husband Lee Branch. “You can’t jump from restaurant to restaurant,” Jack said. “You have to stay stationary to make it proﬁtable because all it is, is just a building. It’s what people you have that bring people here, because everybody sells tacos and margaritas.”

(above) Pablo’s Southwestern Rolls include grilled chicken, black beans, onion and corn rolled into a ﬂour tortilla and served with beans and cheese dip. (left) Pablo’s owner Jack Lin, left, said eight out of 10 people who come in to the Colonnade location ask for longtime employee Putu. Photos by Jessa Pease.

The tacos and margaritas do draw people in, though, he said. Pablo’s signature dishes — the Fajita Nachos and the Fajita Quesadillas — are a product of 15 years of ingredients and recipes proven to work. “Our cheese dip — You’ve got to have your margarita, good salsa, good salsa and good service,” Jack said. “I think that is what keeps it consistent.” Pablo’s signature drink is the Texas Margarita,

but it also features house margaritas for happy hour from 4-6 p.m. and Mexican beer for specials all week. “Being Asian descent, everybody asks us ‘Why do you have Mexican restaurants instead of Chinese restaurants?’” Jack said. “Duh, you sell more alcohol. That’s my motto.” Friday nights after closing, Pablo’s Restaurante at the Colonnade transforms into a salsa nightclub. Jack said they tried the idea in Hoover

but they always had to close at 2 a.m. At the Colonnade they can stay open until 5 a.m. Jack said some dancers really know what they are doing, but many people from the surrounding businesses just come to have some fun once they are off the clock. “It took about a year or two, but it has really become an attraction here on U.S. 280,” Jack said. “It’s really cool. We have the lights, the smoke and the whole nine yards.”

280 Living

A20 • December 2014

280 Living’s 12 days of

Christmas By JESSA PEASE Although the U.S. 280 corridor is in no short supply of geese a-laying, you might need some festive ideas to stay in the holiday spirit this season. 280 Living is here to help. We’ve compiled a list of 12 activities for you and your family to make the most of the days leading up to Christmas.

Plan a holiday party

Make this season your most memorable yet, and host a party that will have your friends talking for years to come. With Christmas Pandora, a round of Dirty Santa and a group of close friends, you can’t lose. We know giving a party can be stressful, so take a look at our guide to throwing a successful holiday gathering for helpful tips and advice. See page A22.

Sip some Christmas tea

The holidays are a special time to spend with loved ones, so why not make the time unique? Treat yourself to lunch and tea at The TownHouse Tea Shoppe in Mt Laurel. This season they are hosting Christmas teas to set the mood for December, so be sure to stop by.

Deck out and dash

Go caroling

Join the Arc of Jefferson County for its fifth annual Decked Out Dash. Ornament yourself in elf ears, garland, bows, bulbs, Christmas T-shirts and tacky sweaters to support the Arc and get some exercise. The sky is the limit for how goofy you can look for this 5K and 1-mile fun run. See page A27 for full details.

A great way to bring a neighborhood together is to go caroling. Pack a thermos of hot chocolate, get a group of friends and parade through your area singing songs such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Jingle Bells.” You’ll get a chance to see all the beautiful decorations around the neighborhood, and you might be surprised who joins in.

Shop until you drop

Make a list and check it twice before you brave the holiday lines at The Summit. With so many stores and an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, you might need a few pointers. For those loved ones who are hard to buy for, take a look at our holiday gift guide to get ideas for even the pickiest receivers. See page A28.

Floats are decorated in Chelsea’s traditional blue and white. Photo courtesy of Wayne Morris.

Add some new décor

Christmases can blend together from year to year, especially if you pull the same décor from boxes each season. Make this year stand out and get some fresh looks from Rosegate Design. If you are looking for something very light on the wallet, check out the thrift shops on 280 for some budget-friendly additions.

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December 2014 • A21

Runners get to enjoy wearing festive red and green while also getting out and exercising. Photo courtesy of Amanda Marcrum.

Go see a classic

In a city with a thriving arts community, it’s not hard to find a holiday show. Whether it’s Red Mountain Theatre Company’s Holiday Spectacular or Alabama Ballet’s The Nutcracker, there are many opportunities to see a seasonal favorite. If the theater isn’t your thing, you can always rent a copy of a classic like White Christmas, A Christmas Story or It’s a Wonderful Life.

Feel free to gawk as glitter, cotton-ball snow and holiday characters glide by on floats at this annual holiday event. Any spot from Chelsea Middle School to the Winn-Dixie provides a great view. Check out the full story on page A24 for more details.

Get your picture taken with Santa

Even better than writing a letter to Santa is getting to see him in person. The Cahaba Valley Fire Department aims to please as they take Santa around the 280 corridor on one of their fire trucks. See page B24 for Santa’s schedule and to see what churches he will make an appearance at.

Santa rides on a Cahaba Valley fire truck visiting the children in the district. Photo courtesy of Grant Wilkinson.

Watch the Chelsea Christmas Parade

Run the Meadow Brook 5K

For the past 20 years, Meadow Brook Runs have been a Christmas tradition. Join in the race the Saturday before Christmas to keep your mind off the never-ending to-do list that comes with the holiday season. Find more information on page A30.

Spend a day in the kitchen

Attend a Christmas Eve service

Baked goods can make the best holiday presents, especially when you double the recipe and make extras. Try spice cakes, sugar or gingerbread cookies or warm pies to give out to friends and neighbors. If baking isn’t your thing, purchase goodies from Pastry Art or The Funky Muffin on U.S. 280 to show sweetness to loved ones.

Every church does it differently, but almost every church has a service on Christmas Eve. Some have candlelight services, some hold Christmas pageants and some celebrate midnight Mass. For those looking for a service to attend, 280 Living has a complete list of holiday church events. Find the event that’s right for you on page A25.

280 Living

A22 • December 2014

Be the host with the most How to throw a successful holiday party By JESSA PEASE

Decorations

Moore suggests using what you have and getting creative. She said she frequently finds décor outside her back door. “Pull a branch out of the yard, put it in something and hang a bunch of vintage ornaments on it,” Moore said. “Make that the centerpiece instead of a traditional poinsettia.” She also uses bark and moss from her backyard to create her own manger scene, and she finds ideas for homemade potpourri on Pinterest. If homemade is not your thing, Moore recommends checking out thrift stores. They have a lot of decorations that are light on your wallet. She says you can add those items in with your current décor to freshen up the scene.

The holiday season is full of opportunities to gather friends to celebrate. Whether it’s a large corporate Christmas party or a smaller cocktail party, planning the perfect seasonal event isn’t always straight-forward. Decorations, refreshments and atmosphere are all important, but how do you start? More importantly, how can you guarantee your event will be successful? To answer those questions, 280 Living met with party experts Lauren Clowers, a catering sales manager with Birmingham Marriott on U.S. 280, and Ashlee Moore, a Cahaba Valley resident who finds any excuse she can to host a party.

Small gatherings at home “I think it’s important to have the atmosphere set,” Moore said. “You want to have fun music playing, and you want to have a candle lit. I consider a party an experience, so when I go to one I want to have an experience.” Before you can create that “experience” Moore references, she said it’s important to take out a notebook and plan the party. There are things you need to take into consideration when hosting

Refreshments A successful party should always have fun decorations and refreshments to match the theme of the celebration. Photo courtesy of Ashlee Moore.

a party, like the size of the group and your desired timeline of the event. Is it a nighttime party for couples, or a daytime brunch for the ladies? Moore also said the host should start planning a menu about a week before the event. Even earlier than that, though, you should decide how

to invite guests (online or printed invitations, phone calls or texts), what you are going to have at the party and how you will decorate.

Invitations

“I like to put it on paper; I want it to be pretty,” Moore said. “I would start

thinking about the invitation I wanted to make now. I love to make an invitation, so when they receive it, it’s like they got a little gift in the mail.” That’s why she prefers smaller group settings. She thinks it’s easier to think outside the box, get creative and make those individuals feel special.

“Pull out your fun Christmas china but then decorate with greenery,” Moore said. “Have a fun cocktail. Have a fun frittata and yummy food. It should feel special.” Moore said she’s known for serving a particular cocktail at her own holiday parties. It’s a mixture of champagne, white wine, cranberries and orange concentrate. She suggests getting out fun, funky glasses for people to choose from, and if you don’t already have some, Moore said to start a collection from the thrift shop.

280Living.com

December 2014 • A23

Lauren Clowers suggests having fun treats like hot chocolate and these holiday sugar cookies for guests to enjoy. Photo courtesy of Lauren Clowers/The Birmingham Marriott.

Large events at a venue From large corporate events to family gatherings of 30-50 people, Clowers has planned it all, but her favorite events are holiday parties. “What we take into consideration is what’s popular, what they would like to see in terms of budget and how do they want to spend their money,” Clowers said. “We put a lot of emphasis here on our food and beverage

portion.” She said there are many fun ideas that can take the traditional holiday party and give it a little more life. Although the Marriott hosts many corporate holiday events, Clowers said there are many ways to separate work from the party.

The mood

“I love it when they get musicians or DJs,” Clowers said. “Putting in that band or DJ, even if they are just

playing holiday music all night, it makes it awesome.” Tunes like “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Sleigh Ride” can put people in a festive mood, and Clowers said traditional decorations transform the atmosphere into one worth celebrating. The Marriott uses traditional holiday colors such as red, green and gold to decorate their trees, and they hang lights in the atrium. “The other thing I have seen a lot of is glitter this year,” Clowers

Moore, right, thinks its a great idea to make a fun cocktail and let guest choose their own funky, Christmas glass to drink it from. Photo courtesy of Ashlee Moore.

said. “Glitter is everywhere, which is fine, it’s just very glittery. That’s always fun.”

The drinks

While a traditional dinner party might offer coffee with dessert, Clowers said she always encourages people to go for something a little more festive and fun — hot chocolate and apple cider. “It’s really neat, it’s really fun and it’s different,” Clowers said.

“You hope that it’s cold enough here that it is OK. You never know with Alabama.” And, of course, holiday-inspired cocktails are a popular trend Clowers has seen lately. That’s why some venues will offer to try out new recipes and customize drinks for guests. She’s seen holiday-themed drinks with gin or bourbon, and some are served warm or with a cinnamon stir stick.

280 Living

A24 • December 2014

280

A Christmas The Cahaba Valley Fire Department took Santa around the district to visit all the children. Photo courtesy of Grant Wilkinson.

Chelsea Christmas Parade The City of Chelsea’s 15th annual Chelsea Christmas Parade will traverse from Chelsea Middle School to Chelsea Corners Way and then Chelsea Winn Dixie parking lot. The parade will begin Saturday, Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. leaving time for shopping at the Chelsea Christmas Village afterward. Tiffany Bittner from Fox 6 will emcee this year’s festivities. There will be professionally made floats provided by local businesses and churches, as well as the Chelsea High School Marching Band and dance troops. The Mayor’s Choice Award will go to the most creative amateur float. For more information, visit cityofchelsea.com/christmas-parade.html.

5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 • Birmingham, AL 35242 (two blocks from 280) www.southeasternjewelers.net • 980-9030

Your guide to everything Christmas on U.S. 280

By JESSA PEASE

Santa’s trip to your street via firetruck Santa Claus is coming to town, and he’s catching a ride with Cahaba Valley Fire Department on Saturday, Dec. 20. On top of the fire truck, Santa will take two different routes to be sure he visits as many children as he can. Young and old alike can enjoy watching Santa as he makes his way all over the U.S. 280 corridor. For Santa’s scheduled stops, visit facebook.com/cvfemrd. For more information, call 991-5267 or visit cahabavalleyfire.org.

280Living.com

December 2014 • A25

Church” at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a wine and cheese party as everyone decorates the church for Christmas. 4163 County Road 39, Chelsea. Call 618-8367, or visit stcatherinesal.com.

Saturday, Dec. 13 Children of all ages can enjoy breakfast with Santa at 8 a.m. at Liberty Park Baptist Church. Kids are asked to wear Christmas pajamas, bring a book to donate to missions and join in for breakfast. 12001 Liberty Parkway. Call 969-1236, or visit libertypark.org.

Sunday, Dec. 14 You can watch both amateur and professional ﬂoats at the Chelsea Parade and then enjoy shopping at the Chelsea Christmas Parade. Photo courtesy of Wayne Morris.

If you still feel the need for more holiday themed fun, check out the various events hosted by area churches. With pageants, choral concerts and Christmas Eve service, you are sure to ﬁnd what you are looking for.

Saturday, Dec. 6 Enjoy a visit from Santa at Cross Bridge Church of Christ at 10 a.m. 3039 Brook Highland Parkway. Call 991-1978.

Sunday, Dec. 7 Attend a Christmas and kids special Sunday service at Double Oak Community Church at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. The ladies of the Praise

Team and a string ensemble will join the Double Oak kids to deliver the sounds of Christmas. 115 Olmsted St. Call 995-9752, or visit doubleoakcc. org/christmasworship.

choral festival at 5 p.m. The group will sing many holiday themed songs. 6690 Cahaba Valley Road. Call 9951700, or visit asburyonline.org.

Liberty Park Baptist Church will host its Young at Heart Christmas Gathering and Lunch for senior adults at 12:15 p.m. 12001 Liberty Parkway. Call 969-1236, or visit libertypark.org.

Liberty Baptist Church will be presenting its children’s Christmas musical David’s Dynasty at 6 p.m. The show’s name is meant to be a play on the popular show Duck Dynasty. 11050 Chelsea Road, Chelsea. Call 678-9928, or visit lbcchelsea.com.

Asbury United Methodist Church will hold its children’s Christmas

Join St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church for its “Greening of the

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Enjoy the sounds of Christmas at Asbury United Methodist Church’s Carols of Christmas choir presentation. The program will feature a mixture of holiday themed music. 6690 Cahaba Valley Road. Call 995-1700, or visit asburyonline.org. Kids Connection will be leading services at The Connection Chelsea Campus as a part of Children’s Take Over Day. Services start at 8:30 wa.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. 4176 County Road 39, Chelsea. Call 6789565, or visit theconnection.cc. Double Oak Community Church will hold its Voices of the Season service at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. The men of the church will perform Christmas music arranged for speciﬁcally for men. 115 Olmsted St. Call 995-9752, or visit doubleoakcc. org/christmasworship.

Chelsea Village Baptist Church will host its Christmas Celebration at 10:30 a.m. with a focus on the true meaning of Christmas. The congregation will rejoice together and join in Christmas hymns. 10699 Old Highway 280, Chelsea. Call 522-3683, or visit MissionChelsea.org. Attend a service of lessons and carols with Faith Presbyterian Church’s Light of Hope celebration at 10:30 a.m. Listen to the story of Jesus Christ through readings of Scripture and music from Faith Presbyterian’s choir, orchestra and music team. 4601 Valleydale Road. Call 991-5430, or visit faith-pca.org. Join in Christmas in the Park with Liberty Park Baptist Church at 5 p.m. It’s a celebration of Christmas through music for the entire family presented by the Liberty Park Worship Choir. 12001 Liberty Parkway. Call 969-1236, or visit libertypark.org. The worship ministry at Liberty Baptist Church will be presenting its “Christmas Makes Everything New” worship experience at 6 p.m. 11050 Chelsea Road, Chelsea. Call 6789928, or visit lbcchelsea.com. Meadow Brook Baptist Church will host Come and Worship, a Christmas worship experience with the choirs and orchestra of MBBC at 6 p.m. Special musical guest is Dove Award winning and Grammy nominated recording artist Kim Hill. 4984 Meadow Brook Road. Call 9918384, or visit meadowbrookbaptist. org. continued on next page

280 Living

A26 • December 2014

Kids can play in the snow at the Hoover Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Sunday, Dec. 21

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Inverness Vineyard Church invites guests to join in “A Very Merry Vineyard Christmas.” 4733 Valleydale Road. Call 980-1690, or visit invernessvineyard.org.

The Kids of the Kingdom Weekday Preschool/ Mother’s Day Out Program at Meadow Brook Baptist Church is holding its annual Christmas Pageant at 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary. 4984 Meadow Brook Road. Call 991-8384, or visit kidsofthekingdom.org.

Enjoy the singer/actress Belinda George Peoples at Double Oaks Community Church at the 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services. She will sing gospel, jazz, love ballads and songs about life and living. Belinda will join the Double Oak Praise Team and band for Christmas. 115 Olmsted St. Call 995-9752, or visit doubleoakcc.org/christmasworship. Join in traditional and modern hymns at Brook Highland Community Church at 10:45 a.m.

Area churches are providing multiple opportunities for family fun. Photos courtesy of the City of Hoover.

for a service of lessons and carols. There will be various readers telling the Christmas story to create a community celebration of Christmas. 7160 Cahaba Valley Road. Call 541 7795, or visit brookhighlandchurch.org.

Christmas Eve Services

Wednesday, Dec. 24 Thursday, Dec. 18 Magic City’s Choral Society will host its holiday concert at Asbury United Methodist Church at 7:30 p.m. The theme focuses on the magic of the holiday season, and is titled “Believe.” 6690 Cahaba Valley Road. Call 995-1700, or visit asburyonline.org.

Double Oak Community Church will hold Christmas Eve candlelight services at 2, 4 and 6 p.m. Join the congregation for candlelight, Communion and a focus on the true meaning of Christmas. There will be guitar, violin, percussion and simple songs of the season. 115 Olmsted St. Call 995-9752, or visit doubleoakcc. org/christmasworship.

Liberty Park Baptist Church’s Christmas Eve candlelight services will be held at 3 and 5 p.m. 11050 Chelsea Road, Chelsea. Call 6789928, or visit lbcchelsea.com.

kids’ Christmas pageant at 4:30 p.m., and midnight mass at 10:30 p.m. until midnight. 4163 County Road 39, Chelsea. Call 618-8367, or visit stcatherinesal.com.

Asbury United Methodist Church’s traditional Christmas Eve services will be at 4, 8 and 11 p.m., and the church will hold a more contemporary service at 6 p.m. 6690 Cahaba Valley Road. Call 995-1700, or visit asburyonline.org.

Liberty Baptist Church at 5 p.m. 11050 Chelsea Road, Chelsea. Call 678-9928, or visit lbcchelsea.com.

Chelsea Creek Community Church at 4 p.m. 48 Chesser Crane Rd, Chelsea. Call 678-2406, or visit The Church at Brookhills’ services at 4 and 6 p.m. 3145 Brook Highland Parkway. Call 313-7777, or visit brookhills.org. St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church will have a family service with the

Meadow Brook Baptist Church is holding its Christmas Eve Candlelight Services at 5 and 7 p.m. This is a casual evening of Christmas carols and candlelight communion. 4984 Meadow Brook Road. Call 9918384, or visit meadowbrookbaptist. org

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December 2014 • A27

Decked out

Holiday run inspires more than just costumes

By JESSA PEASE Santa had already crossed the finish line of the Decked Out Dash, but he wasn’t done yet. Somewhere on the course someone was having a hard time finishing the race, but Santa wasn’t going to leave him alone. “For the most part everyone is just having a good time [at the race], but this guy, I think, he was giving up on the race,” said race director Amanda Marcrum. When Santa crossed the finish line for the second time, he was hand-inhand with the participant in The Arc of Jefferson County’s programs who had almost given up. Both men wore big grins. “I was working the finish line that year and I just remember being like, ‘That was such a cool moment,’” Marcrum said. “It was just one of those moments were you are like, that was so awesome!” For the past five years, The Arc of Jefferson County, a nonprofit organization that provides services for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in Jefferson and Blount County, has put on the Decked Out Dash 5K and One-Mile Run. It’s the kickoff to the organization’s fundraising year, and it’s the one event that everyone involved in The Arc can participate in. Day program coordinator at the Arc, Josh Patterson, explained its residents and clients can walking with members of the Arc’s

The Decked Out Dash provides an opportunity for the individuals who participate in the Arc of Jefferson County’s programs to have a good time and get dressed up while also promoting a healthy lifestyle. Photo by Jessa Pease.

Junior Board. Everyone will be paired up by like interests so they can talk while they walk. “It’s something that gets them participating and involved,” Patterson said. “People with intellectual disabilities are twice as likely to have obesity prevalence in their population, so it’s a good thing to encourage them to exercise and to promote a healthy lifestyle.”

Getting to dress up and enjoy being out at Oak Mountain State Park also provides an opportunity to develop social skills. Rhoda* and Michael*, residents at the Arc, both dressed up for last year’s Decked Out Dash and they said they are excited to do so again. Rhoda, who cheerfully exuded that she planned on being this year’s champion of the race, wore a Santa hat and a jingle bell, which she enjoyed dinging

while she walked. Her favorite part, she said, was the singing along to songs like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “Silent Night” at the reception. Michael dressed as another Santa Claus complete with a white beard, and said he loved dancing like “Keith Sweat” to the DJ’s music. Both he and Rhoda said they enjoyed being able to have fun and run with their friends.

Everyone who decks out is invited to participate in the costume contest, and Marcrum said the competition can be tough. Last year, even though the race was rained out, a father and son sent in a photo of Dad dressed as Santa pushing his son in stroller made to look like Santa’s sleigh. The year before, a lady showed up in holiday attire from head to toe. She wore a Santa hat and striped socks up to her knees, and her Christmas shirt was bedazzled in jewels of red and green, snowflakes and bells. Every step produced a jingle from the bells attached to her shoes, shirt and dangling earrings. “She won the costume contest that year because her personality was just as loud as the costume was,” Marcrum said. “She was amazing, she definitely had the crowd favorite.” Marcrum always wears a tacky Christmas sweater decorated with garland, and she said other racers come wearing Christmas lights, elf ears and shoes, antlers and any other kind of holiday attire imaginable. A Santa always makes an appearance for photos. There will also be a DJ playing Christmas music as well as many vendors present. This year’s race is Dec. 13 at 8 a.m. at Oak Mountain State Park. For more information or to register for the race, visit runsignup.com/Race/AL/Pelham/ TheDeckedOutDash. Editor’s Note: *Last names were excluded for privacy.

A28 • December 2014

280 Living

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Beer growler

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Pink, yellow and white gold $1500 each with mention of this ad

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Take your pick of white, pink or yellow gold 14-carot, 1/3-carot weight bracelet.

The VIP Card allows cardholders to receive special treatments and discounts throughout the year.

Cowboys 5492 U.S. 280 981-0994

Skin Wellness Center of Alabama 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 3 678-7518

M&M Jewelers: Diamonds in Birmingham 440 Inverness Corners 991-0593

Preppy Puppy Treats

Etta B Pottery $64.99

$1.99 These gourmet treats are made from wholesome ingredients and are baked with tender loving care. Fancy Fur Pet Grooming & Boutique 5291 Valleydale Road 408-1693

Blister Pearl Necklace $65 This piece with 36-inch double leather cord and fringe detail was made by a local artist and can be worn multiple ways.

Hand painted in Etta, Mississippi, no two pieces are alike, but all are microwave, dishwasher and oven safe. Plain Jane’s 270 Doug Baker Blvd. 991-1995

Decorative Boxes $19-249 Hide your remote or change or store your Christmas cards in one of these boxes. Greystone Antiques & Marketplace 5475 U.S. 280 995-4773

Renaissance Consignment & Marketplace 6801 Cahaba Valley Road 980-4471

The Maids Gift Certiﬁcate Any amount Give friends or family the gift of a clean home, worryfree. The Maids 871-9338

Park Hill Collection Candles $30 These hand-poured, clean-burning, soybased wax candles come in a willowwrapped glass ready with a lead-free that will burn more than 150 hours. Urban Home Market 1001 Doug Baker Blvd. 980-4663

280Living.com

December 2014 • A29

Special advertising section

Custom designs by Patrick Conway $12,250

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Believe Santa Painting

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$140 Add this festive holiday print to complete your seasonal décor.

Kids Pro-Health for me Hygiene Pack

The Cuckoo’s Nest 4222 Old Highway 280 678-7220

$35 Pack includes Crest mouthwash, Oral B electric toothbrush, 45 ﬂoss picks, Crest toothpaste and a drawstring bag to carry it all in. Healthy Smiles of Birmingham 100 Heatherbrooke Park Drive 991-9535

Weigh to Wellness gift card Available in any amount Prepare for the ﬁrst of the year and New Year’s resolutions with a gift certiﬁcate from Weigh to Wellness. Weigh to Wellness 4704 Cahaba River Road 994-2393

Boot cuffs $18 Knit boot cuffs with locally made crochet trim. The Urban Barn 601 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 105 451-8888

280 Living

A30 • December 2014

Twenty years running Meadow Brook’s annual Christmas run celebrates milestone year By JESSA PEASE Shopping, parties and holiday travel plans are enough to make anyone’s mind race close to Christmas. Luckily, the annual Meadow Brook 5K and Fun Run provides the opportunity to let your body do the running. It was about 20 years ago when Dr. Bob Cosby came up with the idea for a race while running in his neighborhood the Saturday before Christmas. Now, the race is celebrating its 20th year with participants who have grown accustomed to the lakeside course, the releasing of doves at the start of the race and finishing with the “Taste of 280” table. “As years progressed, people complimented me on adding something new every year,” Cosby said. “I just look around, and if I see something I like, I try to recruit.” Doves are released to remember past racers who had passed. When the weather permits, 50 to 100 doves circle the air above the lakes behind Aliant Bank before flying back home to Irondale. Although the race now has about 150 sponsors each year, the Meadow Brook Run started smaller. The first two years, Cosby’s home served as the headquarters for the run, and the course followed more high-level terrain through five miles of hilly roads. Aliant Bank changed the nature of the race. When the bank opened off

Runners are given celebratory high-fives to encourage them to finish the race strong. Photo courtesy of Suman Silwal.

U.S. 280, Cosby spoke to the owner about sponsoring the race, and they have been partnered ever since. So with the addition Aliant Bank’s facilities, Cosby just needed to change the course to something more popular. He and a friend from Birmingham Track Club shortened the course to a 5K, and they added an additional 1-mile fun run aimed at kids.

The race tripled in size. “It was a major leap for us to move from a home-based community race to one that was sponsored by a major bank,” Cosby said. “We had that big leap of a new course and a shortened version of the course that was more popular, and we were able to make use of those beautiful lakes behind the Aliant Bank.”

Through the years, Cosby said he has been able to rely on products from sponsors who have continued to help out. Golden Flake potato chips, Bud’s Best Cookies and Smoothie King smoothies are usually available. This year the new Steak ‘n Shake in Inverness will provide breakfast sandwiches as well as orange juice and milkshakes for all the racers.

Meadow Brook 5K & Fun Run Saturday, Dec. 20 9 a.m. 5K, 10 a.m. Fun Run Aliant Bank 1100 Corporate Parkway meadowbrookruns.org “That’s pretty much unprecedented at a race, and certainly our race,” Cosby said. “We are faith-based. This is a blatantly Christian race, and I believe that God has provided so many things for us.” Because it is a faith-based run, all of the proceeds benefit the JESUS Video Project of Alabama, which is an organization that distributed a Jesus movie to every home in Alabama in 1998. Last year, they were able to help fund a showing of the Jesus movie in Africa. “I do it because I like to have a reason to connect to the community, and, of course, our JESUS Video Project distributes the Jesus movie,” Cosby said. “We think that the Jesus movie is the best way to present the gospel of Jesus Christ in its context, because it comes straight out of the gospel of Luke in the Bible.” The annual Meadow Brook 5K and Fun Run continues to grow and bring members of the community together during the holidays. Cosby said each year he finds new things to try for the race and keeps pushing it to be better. “Every year just kind of rolled into the next year, and as it goes along you don’t think about how many you’ve really accomplished,” Cosby said. “I mean, there are people running the race that weren’t even born when it started.” For more information, visit meadowbrookruns.org.

280Living.com

December 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ A31

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

SECTION

Community B2 School House B12 Sports B14 Calendar B24

Prep bowling coming down the alley Spain Park bowler already holds scholarship offer By DAVID KNOX High school bowling has come to Alabama. The Alabama High School Athletic Association declared this season that boys and girls bowling be designated an “emerging sport” – that is, one to be tried as a non-championship sport for a period of time to see if enough interest exists to make it a full-fledged state championship sport. Denise Ainsworth, director of programs for the AHSAA and who oversees the sport, said bowling was declared an emerging sport after a survey of schools indicated enough interest. “Over the past few years, it’s been the fastest growing sport nationally at the high school level,” Ainsworth said. “We are always looking for ways to include more kids in athletics. Bowling is a way to reach a different group of kids who might not be interested in football, basketball or baseball.”

A major boost to the effort has been the cooperation from the bowling centers, which have agreed to provide lane space free of charge for two years, at least, plus free house bowling balls and shoes. “The bowling centers have been just wonderful to work with,” Ainsworth said. If at least 10 percent of AHSAA member schools field teams next year, it can become a championship sport once the association’s Central Board of Control approves it. “We have 40 schools declared to participate right now, and we have right about 400 schools (in the AHSAA),” Ainsworth said. “So we’re right there. We think next year it should be a championship sport. We’re excited.” So too is Spain Park High bowler Ryan Kendall. He has a scholarship offer from Wichita State. Many people don’t realize bowling is a collegiate sport. The NCAA

sponsors women’s bowling as a championship sport, and the NAIA sponsors both men’s and women’s bowling as an emerging sport. Wichita State bowls as an NAIA school, though they are NCAA in other sports. Spain Park bowling coach C.J. Hawkins said Kendall, a senior, is one of the top bowlers in the state, if not the best. Kendall, who averages 221, has bowled seven 300 games. He bowls in a Saturday morning league at Brunswick Riverview Lanes. “I went out to a bowling camp at Wichita State over the summer and they said they were interested in me and then they offered me a scholarship,” Kendall said. “Right now, it’s partially academic, but we’re waiting to see if they make it athletic as well.” He’s been bowling since he was 9 or 10, he said, his interest piqued

See BOWLING | page B15

Spain Park’s Ryan Kendall is likely headed to Wichita State on a scholarship. Photo by Keith McCoy.

280 Living

B2 • December 2014

Community Residents perform in local Nutcracker production

Yard of the Month Students perform in last year’s production of The Nutcracker. Photo courtesy of Deborah Grebel.

By MADISON MILLER Several area residents will perform in an upcoming production of The Nutcracker this month. This will be the tenth year of the Stevan Grebel Center for Dance performance, which Grebel has directed since the beginning. Grebel’s interpretation is taken after Marius Petipa’s choreography and follows the musical score of Tchaikovsky. This year’s performance will include an onstage reunion of all of Stevan Grebel’s alumni and students of the Alabama Youth Ballet. Alumni will be offered complimentary tickets and will be invited onstage to

bow this year. “Our favorite part of the performance is seeing how it has become a tradition in the City of Pelham and the surrounding Shelby County area,” Executive Director Deborah Grebel said. “It is a wonderful event for parents, grandparents and families to share with children.” Residents of the 280 area in the production include Gabriella Winn, Kristian Winn and Sarah Rose. Performances will be held Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Pelham High School. Tickets are $10-$15 for adults and $5-$10 for children. For more information, visit grebeldance.com.

The Highland Lakes November Yard of the Month is the home of Bill and Katherine Miller. This family is ready for Thanksgiving with a theme of “Give Thanks for our Many Blessings.” They set up a tableau of figures dressed in old-fashioned clothes with mums

and pumpkins around their feet. Counting our blessings is an important part of the season. ~Submitted by Liz Jones, chair of Yard of the Month for Highland Lakes Garden Club

Funky Muffin provides specialty foods The Funky Muffin, a gluten free bakery, has been selected as one of the food makers for a new website that will be launching Dec. 1. DirectEats.com selected The Funky Muffin as a provider of specialty foods to the

marketplace, and they will offer reduced pricing and will pay shipping. About $6 million of funding went into this initial launch, and DirectEats.com will be advertising in media markets all over the country.

*Get details at estimate. May not combine with other to prior purchases. Expires 1/09/15. Promo code: NP-239

280Living.com

December 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ B3

280 Living

B4 â&#x20AC;˘ December 2014

Many participants find comfort through walking in memory of someone they lost to suicide.

Teams of supporters join in a moment of silence before the walk to remember those who were lost to depression and suicide.. Photos by Jessa Pease

Walk through the darkness Heardmont Park walk benefits American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Suicide claimed 39,518 lives in 2011 in the United States. A suicide attempt is made every minute of every day, resulting in nearly one million attempts made annually. In an effort to prevent suicide,

hundreds of people gathered at Heardmont Park Nov. 2 to join in the Out of the Darkness Walk hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This nationwide walk raises money

for AFSPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives. The walks raise awareness about depression and suicide, and provide comfort and assistance to those who have lost someone to suicide.

Participants will often walk to support a person in their life who was lost to or struggled with suicide.

Children were able to show their support by coloring butterflies to encourage those struggling with depression.

The decorated shoes are placed on the main stage at the walk to represent Steps of Hope.

A tent called Steps of Hope allowed people who had personally dealt with suicide to decorate a shoe with encouraging words.

280Living.com

December 2014 • B5

Wreaths of

gratitude Greystone Elementary student raises funds with wreaths honoring fallen veterans By MADISON MILLER Nicholas Carlisle will stand on the beaches of Normandy. Next summer, the 11-year-old will see the underground bases and visit the United States cemetery there. He hopes to place a wreath on a grave, with gratitude for the thousands who sacrificed their lives so that he can freely walk the beach. “I think it would be cool to honor [the fact that] I’m not speaking German right now,” Nicholas said. In June, the Greystone Elementary student launched a campaign to raise funds for himself and for veterans through Wreaths Across America, a program that honors veterans by crafting holiday wreaths to place on gravesites in memorial cemeteries. Their mission is to “remember, honor and teach” individuals about sacrifices made by those who keep them safe.

As a People to People Ambassador, Nicholas chose to raise money with the organization for his trip to England and France in 2015. This past summer, he embarked on his first People to People trip to Australia. By taking part in the trips, Nicholas is following in the footsteps of his mother, Crissy Carlisle, who traveled with the People to People program in 1990. Growing up in Oxford, Alabama, she knew that travel would give her knowledge that she could not find at home. Crissy wanted her son to experience the cultural differences offered by the People to People program. On her own trip, she chose to visit the Soviet Union. With Mikhail Gorbachev as president, the Soviet Union and the United States were fighting to break down cultural barriers. Although feelings of conflict were still alive, Crissy’s eyes were opened to the differences in culture and

Nicholas Carlisle raised $2,800 for his People to People trip by selling wreaths to honor fallen veterans.

citizens of the now-former country. “Educating people on those differences is very important,” Crissy said. “Sometimes war is just a lack of education and respect for peoples’ differences.” As the grandson of a former Marine, Nicholas feels a special attachment to the cause of honoring veterans. Although he never had the chance to meet his grandfather, he shows gratitude and understanding of the sacrifice of service members that is far beyond his 11 years. “They’re doing what most people just wouldn’t do,” Nicholas said. “They’re sacrificing their lives for

our freedom.” By writing letters and sending them to friends, family and businesses as well as handing them out in his neighborhood, Nicholas has sold a total of 563 wreaths, three more than his original goal. He began raising funds for his trip after he returned from Australia in the summer. Wreaths are sold for $15 each, and $5 of each goes toward his trips. The other $10 benefits Wreaths Across America and helps to create more wreaths to place in cemeteries. Nicholas chose to sponsor wreaths for the Jefferson Memorial Gardens South cemetery. With 560 graves, he

will have enough to place a wreath on each site and will have three wreaths left over. In total, he has raised $2,800, nearly half of the needed amount for his trip. The cemetery’s close location will allow him to be present for the ceremony in December. Each wreath is fresh and made with pine from Maine. Volunteers will drive trucks of wreaths to areas across the country in time for the national wreath-laying ceremony on Dec. 13. “I’ll get to help lay the wreaths that I fundraised for,” Nicholas said. For more information on Wreaths Across America, visit wreathsacrossamerica.com.

280 Living

B6 • December 2014

Big green boxes of cheer By SYDNEY CROMWELL Gary and Mary Martha Parisher’s Mt Laurel office is packed with children’s toys, snack foods, magazines and piles of bright green boxes. It’s all part of the Cheeriodicals mission: to deliver smiles and entertainment to hospital rooms around the country. Cheeriodicals – a portmanteau of “cheer” and “periodicals” – started in 2011 as a way for customers to send magazines and other gifts to hospitalized family members and friends. Since then, their signature green boxes have become a popular way for major corporations to organize team-building and community service projects for their employees. Gary Parisher said he and his wife have worked with Regions Bank, Wells Fargo, GM and others to build and deliver Cheeriodicals to patients in children’s hospitals from Birmingham to Manhattan to Omaha. When hundreds of boxes are being delivered, no child has to be left out of the fun. Parisher still remembers the first time a child opened a Cheeriodicals box; the look on the young boy’s face paved the way for these corporate partnerships. “His reaction was so incredible we decided to consider this a real significant part of our business,” Parisher said. The boxes’ content was designed by staff at Children’s of Alabama to help patients heal. In addition to stuffed animals and age-appropriate books or magazines, the boxes contain light-up

(above) Mary Martha and Gary Parisher started Cheeriodicals as a way for hospital patients to receive magazines, food and other entertainment. This box will be sent to a children’s hospital patient as part of the donation events that Cheeriodicals hosts with several major corporations. Photo by Sydney Cromwell. (left) Alex Tronco of Northwestern Mutual gives a Cheeriodicals box to a young girl at a children’s hospital event in New York. Photo courtesy of Cheeriodicals.

toys so children can see at night and bouncy balls that don’t bounce straight, encouraging kids to get out of their beds. Parisher said seeing each delivery event is “magical.” He said that Cheeriodicals is the only company of its kind in the nation, and they’ve built up a trustworthy reputation with hospitals and businesses. Alabama Launchpad, an entrepreneurship support program, also sees

the potential in the Cheeriodicals business model. At the 2014 start-up competition, the Parishers were awarded a $43,250 grant from the Launchpad to pursue an email marketing campaign for their business. Parisher said he hopes to get Cheeriodicals on the radar of meeting and event planners across the country. “When they’re planning events for

their corporate customers, instead of having them shoot paintballs at each other or climb ropes, they will actually come to us and do a corporate team building event that really changes lives,” Parisher said. Parisher believes that every business, even the smallest start-up, should make it a point to be socially conscious and have an impact “beyond making money.” He noted that some

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children’s hospitals are surprised when Cheeriodicals makes a donation at the end of their big events. “Something that sounds too good to be true always is – except for us,” Parisher said. To learn more, visit cheeriodicals. com.

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280Living.com

December 2014 • B7

Myrah’s mission Spreading the word about child abuse, neglect By JESSA PEASE For one in 60 children, fear is a daily ritual; for one in 40, neglect is the norm. Abuse and neglect are more than the physicality of broken bones, it’s the voice in child’s head screaming, “You are worthless.” The statistics for abuse and neglect, paired with her time volunteering with Grace House Ministries, inspired Myrah Taylor to create a weapon to combat those numbers — a brochure titled “Neglected and Abused Children.” It started as part of Taylor’s platform as Miss Oak Mountain High School and Miss Outstanding Teen, where she partnered with local child abuse centers Grace House Ministries and the Owens House. “As a person, I don’t like seeing people get hurt or torn down,” Taylor said. “I want to help them and lift them up, and show them that they can be successful in the future because this incident that happened to them does not determine what they will be.” She served as a peer assistant at Oak Mountain, the perfect place, she said, to introduce the brochure. The 50 other peer helpers were

“perfectly positioned to determine, detect and respond to someone that was being neglected or abused,” and so they shared their knowledge with the school’s rising freshman that year. When Taylor graduated from Oak Mountain last year, her fight to protect children took a step abroad to include children’s ministries in Nicaragua. Her double major in speech and hearing sciences and Spanish allowed Taylor to translate her brochure into Spanish, so she could share it with the teachers there. “I wanted to introduce it there because neglect and abuse not only happen in the United States, it happens all over the world,” Taylor said. She spent Sept. 25-27 working with children, teaching them the gospel and practicing her own Spanish with them. Through all the fun, though, Taylor watched the children for signs of abuse or neglect. She also had the opportunity to sit down with the teachers one day after class and share her brochure with them. The thing she most remembers about the children is their gratitude. Taylor said she loved seeing the smiles on all of the kids’ faces as they frequently thanked her for any small act of kindness.

Myrah’s Taylor was able to introduce her brochure about child abuse and neglect to a children’s ministry in Nicaragua when she visited last September. Photo courtesy of Myrah Taylor.

“It could be as simple as giving them a hug or saying ‘hey’ to them,” Taylor said. “They just got very excited. For the little time that we were down there for them, they were extremely grateful for that.” Although she was only in Nicaragua for a short time, she still plans to help in any way that she can. In April, Taylor will send them blue wristbands — the color for National Child Abuse Prevention month — so those teachers and students can promote awareness. “Neglected and Abused Children” has traveled

far distances and helped a great number of people, and Taylor has even more plans for the brochure. Last year, Shelby and Jefferson Counties adopted it as an educational tool, and Taylor is currently working with the Mobile Child Advocacy Center to introduce it there. “I was lucky enough to be brought up in a family with a mother and a father that cared for me,” Taylor said. “Just being able to see that I am able to help someone else that is struggling makes me happy inside. It’s feeling like I am able to give back to my community.”

280 Living

B8 • December 2014

Author releases first novel Trespassers By JESSA PEASE The Bible verse “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” inspired the title of Andrea Miles’s first novel. It’s a book about forgiveness, revenge and abuse based on Miles’ experiences living in Chicago, where she earned her undergraduate degree in writing from Columbiana College. Coming from a small town, she had never known anyone who grew up in an abusive environment, but the city taught her differently. “I was taken aback by all the abuse that was on the news,” she said. “There were stories all over about kids being abused.” The book became her thesis project at the University of Southern California, where she earned her masters degree in professional writing. She transformed the novel from a story of girl being abused to one that explored how the girl survived as an adult, and how those experiences changed her. “It’s kind of dark,” Miles said. In fact, the professors on her thesis committee noted how dark the book was, which they found surprising since Miles was always smiling. Although Miles graduated in 1998, it wasn’t until Oct. 27 of this year that Trespassers was published by She Writes Press, and Miles held her first book signing at The Summit. The Book Highland resident said it only took her about three years to write the

Andrea Miles’ novel Trespassers explores the adult life of an abused child, and how those experiences changed her. Photo courtesy of Andrea Miles.

book, but after her ﬁrst couple tries to get it published, she shelved it. Ever since she was young, she knew she was going to be a writer. Miles remembers wishing she was 30 because she just knew that she was

going to have many books published by that age. Then life happened. As the mother of three home-schooled young boys and an active member of Church of the Highlands, Trespassers simply got away from her.

“My husband had been encouraging me a lot,” Miles said. “He’d be like ‘Work on something else,’ and I would be like ‘But what about this one?’ He’s like ‘Well what about that one? If you are going to keep saying that, you’ve

got to do something with it.’” Every time she would start to write something else, she would go back to Trespassers until she realized it was the book that had to be published. She wanted it both for herself, and so she could give her children something to be proud of. Miles said it is hard enough for her to be in front of people, so fame isn’t what she wants from her book. What she does want is something more meaningful. “I think if my book can speak to someone and help them on their path to bettering relationships and finding God, than that would be great,” Miles said. “I don’t write Christian fiction, I write books that I hope people will read and sort of get something from God in it.” She is also passionate about helping abused children who sparked the idea for her novel. A portion of all the proceeds of her book will go to Big Oak Ranch in Birmingham, a home for children needing a chance. Now that she has published her first novel, Miles said she already has two more in the works. One is about marriage and pursing dreams, which she said is more like her own personality. The other deals with human trafficking and tackles the social justice theme that Miles enjoys. Trespassers is available for purchase on amazon.com. To learn more about Andrea Miles, visit andreamiles. com.

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280Living.com

December 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ B9

280 Living

B10 • December 2014

Local author takes young adults to new worlds By MADOLINE MARKHAM Anne Riley isn’t just a high school Spanish teacher. She is a keen observer of teenagers — which becomes inspiration for her young adult novels. “I watch every day and see where they are coming from and how they perceive the results of things,” Riley said of her work at Westminster School. “I can nail a teenage voice now.” All of her works to date have a fantastical element, but she said she also has ideas for a contemporary novel with a local setting, like John Green’s Looking for Alaska. Regardless, though, she doesn’t see herself writing outside the young adult genre, which by definition has a main character age 12-18. “It’s such an emotional time in life that a big part of it is connecting with the emotions that feel so big,” she said. “I think those emotions are valid. They are the same as everyone, only felt more intensely. They see the world as it relates to themselves today, whereas older adults might see the world in the way it affects the future.” Riley, a Sunny Meadows resident, said her love of writing started with a love of reading. She can’t remember learning to read, but she knows it happened before she started school. Soon, she read anything she could get her hands on. She finished Lord of the Flies at age 8 and The Count of Monte Cristo not much later. At age 9, she wrote her first book about her favorite animal, ferrets. The Chronicles of Narnia stood out as she devoured book after book. She loved the idea of going in a closet and walking out somewhere else.

So when she decided to commit to writing a full book in 2008, she also created one that transported its readers to a different world. Her first book, Shadows of the Hidden, follows a character who sees alternate endings to the same event. She calls it a time travel murder mystery set in the American colonies. It was published in 2011 and is available from online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Soon thereafter, Briarwood Christian School stocked the book in its library and put it on the summer reading list. “It was funny teaching and saying [to students], ‘Please put my book down,’” she recalled of her time at Briarwood, where she taught for nine years before coming to Westminster. Currently Riley is revising a second novel, Pull, to be published in December 2015. While her first book was an alternate history of America, this one is set in an alternate present reality and addresses forces of evil and what might happen if you were able to stop them. Both books draw their settings from Riley’s love of traveling. The first provided her an excuse to visit Maine streets via Google Maps. For the second, she got to travel in her mind back to a little-known neighborhood in London where she spent time in college. Between her travels and everyday life, Riley doesn’t know how to make ideas for her writing stop. “Stories just pop into my head from writing, students, experiences or random things,” she said. Now the mother of a 1-year-old and a 3-yearold, she writes whenever she gets a chance, on

Anne Riley’s first book is called Shadows of the Hidden. Photo courtesy of Anne Riley.

Sunday afternoons while her husband watches her kids or on Fridays when she gets out of school midday. Often she finds herself in a quiet spot in the North Shelby Library. She still, of course, also finds time to read,

mostly young adult novels. Her favorite reads are the Divergent, Raven Boys and Harry Potter series. For more, visit annerileybooks.com.

280Living.com

December 2014 • B11

Celebrating a life of

service Longtime Jefferson State president remembered Judy Miles Merritt was the first woman to be named president of a college in Alabama, a lover of education and a believer in equal achievement. Throughout her life, she made it her mission to create a pathway of success for all. On Oct. 19, Merritt passed away at her home in Chelsea, leaving behind a lifetime of achievement. She was born the daughter of longtime educators in Jacksonville, Alabama, so it was only natural for her to become one herself. Her father, Dr. Lawrence Miles, was dean of admissions at Jacksonville State University, and her mother, Beatrice, was a teacher. At the early age of 16, Merritt entered the University of Alabama

and began a lifelong love of the opportunities provided by advanced education. While on campus she joined the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, became an active leader in campus activities, and met her best friend and future husband, Thomas E. Merritt Jr. After earning her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Alabama, she started her career as a counselor of admissions at what was then Jefferson State Junior College in 1965, which also marked the opening year of the college. Friends and family remember that Merritt often said it was her favorite job because it allowed her to directly interact with the students. Although she left her position at

Jefferson State to become the vice president of student affairs at Florida International University, she returned to Jefferson State Junior College as president in 1979. Her appointment by Governor Fob James marked the first time a woman had been named president of a college in Alabama. She would continue to serve in the position for the next 35 years. She was then appointed to the Bruno’s, Inc. board of directors, and she became the first female corporate board member for Energen Corporation in 1993. She served in that position until the time of her death. When Merritt began her tenure at Jefferson State Community College, the college consisted of one campus located in the eastern area

Judy Miles Merritt made it her mission to create a pathway of success for all. Photo courtesy of David Bobo.

of Jefferson County. Today, it spans campuses in four counties. When she retired in June 2014, Merritt said “that while the dream for many has been achieved, the fight for pathways to education, equality and inclusion continues.” During her career, Merritt also served on numerous boards and committees. Among her favorites were the Hand in Paw advisory board; the United Way of Central Alabama, which she co-chaired; the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Board of Directors; and the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges Board of Directors. “The entire Jefferson State Community College family is mourning

the loss of our longtime leader and friend, Judy M. Merritt,” said Keith Brown, Jefferson State interim president. “As the former president of the college and community leader, she devoted her entire life to the service of others. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she was a constant force as one who truly made a difference.” Merritt’s passing was preceded by the death of her parents and husband. A celebration of her life was held Oct. 24 at the Jefferson State Community College Shelby-Hoover Campus. In lieu of flowers, Merritt’s family asked that donations be made to Jefferson State Community College in her honor. -Submitted by David Bobo

280 Living

B12 • December 2014

School House OMHS marching band brings home awards The Oak Mountain High School “Spirit of Cahaba” marching band brought home awards with the iconic sounds of “Star Wars” and “ET.” The band performed their new half-time show, “One Small Step: A Journey Through Space,” at two October marching competitions. At the Spain Park “Sparks in the Park” competition on Oct. 4, the OMHS band was named the Grand Champion, receiving the highest total score of any competitors. They also achieved Best in Class for drum major, dance team and

percussion, and they were named the best overall band for Classes 3A and 4A. On Oct. 11, the band traveled to Dothan to compete in the Southern Showcase Marching Band Invitational against bands from Alabama, Georgia and Florida. They received the Challenge Cup in Class 4A and were named Best in Class for band, percussion, drum major, color guard and dance team. The Spirit of Cahaba band received superior ratings from judges at both competitions.

The Oak Mountain High School marching band.

OMHS robotics team assists member in earning Eagle rank

Forest Oaks introduces computer coding club

Lane Scott of Troop 533 has recently completed his Eagle Scout project with the help of his troop mates and several members of Oak Mountain High School’s robotics team. The group collected and rolled newspapers and landscaped an area at the Shelby Humane Society for the project. This area was created for prospective adopters to socialize with pets to ensure that they are the right fit for their families and for the volunteers to spend their breaks. Lane and his group trimmed back several overgrown trees, planted shrubs and plants around the trees, and mulched the areas. They created a gravel and stepping stone pathway in an area of heavy foot traffic where the grass had been trampled. Finally, they added a paw print patio surrounded by benches. -Submitted by Lacey Bacchus

Forest Oaks Elementary School recently started a new computer coding club called Hello, World. The program teaches students in grades 3-5 about coding and creating animations, stories and games. Using curriculum developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, students explore concepts such as sequence, loops, events and parallelism. The school aims for students to develop important digital literacy and problem solving skills. -Submitted by Resia Brooks

Lane Scott helped to landscape an area at the Shelby Humane Society. Photo courtesy of Lacey Bacchus.

Students receive instruction on computer coding in Forest Oaks’ new club. Photo courtesy of Resia Brooks.

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280 Living

B14 • December 2014

Sports Spain Park swim team prepares for sections, state By JESSA PEASE They might be a young team, but Spain Park’s swimmers are still heading for the state meet. Leading the way are senior Jessica Bilek and juniors Caitlin Bullard and Jack Zalewski. All three swimmers practice year-round with USA Swim Teams — Bilek and Zalewski at Lifetime Fitness in Vestavia and Bullard with Birmingham Swim League. Bilek has been on the Spain Park swim team since she was in seventh grade, and she has been swimming for coach Daniel Rozick for three years. More than anything, Rozick said, Bilek is a distance swimmer. The mile is her race, but the 500-yard freestyle is the longest race in the high school program. Although Bilek has already made state cuts in both the 500- and the 200yard freestyle, she will have to perform those times again at the sectional meet in order to qualify for state. Her 500 free time is at 5:24.58 against the state qualifying time of 5:43.99, and her 200 free sits at a 2:05.69 versus the qualifying time of 2:09.29. Rozick believes she will do well in the state meet. “She is a real competitive person,” he said. “When you put her in a competitive situation, she’ll get out there and get after it, so I think she’ll do

2014 Spain Park Swim Team Roster Jessica Bilek Caitlin Bullard Bailey Barnes Deas Zachary El-Fallah Georgie Fickling Rachel Lebo Ward Lockhart Jon Pickett Caroline Marie Rice Jack Zalewski Justin Zhang Jessica Bilek practices sets of breaststroke while preparing for the sectional meet. Photo by Jessa Pease.

well. She’s a killer, which I say that with all the love in the world. She’s great to have around. She sets a good example for the other swimmers.” In addition to swimming, Bilek also runs track, which Rozick says gives her an advantage. “Her legs are a lot stronger than any of these other guys,” he said. “I think she has a lot more endurance and the capability to really reproduce that oxygen in her legs, recycle it and use it for recovery that a lot of them

don’t have.” Like Bilek, Bullard has already made the state cuts in the 500- and the 200-yard freestyle. As the strongest female swimmer on the team, she holds the record for the 500 at 5:18.07. Her coach, Mike Davidson with the Birmingham Swim League, said she will not have any problem qualifying for state. “She’ll be well equipped for the 500 in the Alabama state high school meet,” Davidson said. “I’d be very

surprised if she didn’t make top eight and the top five for that meet in December.” The top male swimmer on the team, and the only male on the team in high school, is Jack Zalewiski. “He’s built very much like a sprinter,” Rozick said. “His muscles are a little bit bigger, so he’s a little heavier in the water. He doesn’t roll for the distances quite the same way as the skinnier, kind of ganglier, kids do.” Zalewiski hasn’t yet hit the state

cuts for his races, the 50- and the 100yard freestyle, but Rozick thinks he’ll pull it off at the sectionals meet. His 50-yard freestyle sits at 25.45 versus the 24.79 qualifying time, and his 100yard is 57.86 against the 54.19 state time. “He’s got a lot of power,” Rozick said. “He spends a lot of time in the weight room, and that helps him. He really works through the water quite well on the 50 and the 100.”

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December 2014 • B15

BOWLING

CONTINUED from page B1 when he visited an uncle in Chicago who took him bowling. He fell in love with it, and it was suggested he join a league in Birmingham. There are no NAIA men’s teams in Alabama, but there are several in Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky. Kendall has drawn some interest from some of those schools, but he’s really intent on going to Wichita State right now. Most of the NCAA’s emerging sports are for women, prompted by the need to meet Title IX laws to provide scholarships to women. In Alabama, UAB, Alabama A&M and Alabama State all have NCAA Division I bowling teams. According to latest figures provided by the NCAA, there are 33 NCAA Division I women’s programs, 18 more at Division II and 10 at non-athletic-scholarship Division III. That was not the primary focus for instituting bowling at the prep level, but if students can find yet another means to help pay for a college education, “that’s always a bonus,” Ainsworth said. Gail Dent, a spokeswoman for the NCAA, said that its research group shows that in Division I in 2013-14, there were a total of 127 total equivalencies (scholarships) for bowling with 226 student-athletes receiving aid (at more than $3.2 million). In Division II, there were a total of 34 equivalencies with 131 student-athletes receiving aid (at more than $719,000). The Spain Park teams, the girls coached by Hawkins and the boys by Stephen Hobbs, are made up of an eclectic bunch of youngsters, Hawkins said. “We tried to get a wide range of kids from eighth grade through 12th

The Spain Park bowling team Boys Ryan Kendall Ben Lapinski Patrick Richey Sam Lorino James Waller John Gatham Bain Hamilton Jason Deutsch Andrew Harris Alex Culwell Ryan Caraway Jalen Johnson Devin Dowdell Girls Mary Kathryn Bonamy Mallory McCarty Meg Moser Destini England Juliana Cross Caroline Parker MacKenzie Walker Lindsay Parker Mary Katherine Tedder

Ryan Kendall follows through during practice before a match with Indian Springs. Photo by Keith McCoy.

grade,” Hawkins said. “We held trials for a week and kept the ones who were serious.” There was so much interest, Spain Park actually had to cut about a dozen after the trials. Hawkins said the girls team “has

some athletes” such as softball, tennis, volleyball players and golfers. Some have bowling experience, but many are really beginners. Some, like Kendall, don’t participate in other sports. That’s the group Ainsworth said the AHSAA really wants to reach

out to. “I believe in athletics and in what it teaches,” she said. “I think bowling will reach kids on the fringes, and I think also the interest is going to be really high because we’re already hearing about youngsters who are

excellent bowlers in leagues already. There’s also the chance to involve kids with some disabilities. “And absolutely it’s a sport you can play for a lifetime.”

280 Living

B16 • December 2014

Eagles point to next season after magical season screeches to a halt By DAVID KNOX The Oak Mountain Eagles, an afterthought and an expected also-ran in Class 7A’s brutal Region 3, surpassed everyone’s expectations with a stellar 10-2 season, a region runner-up position to Hoover, and a run to the second round of the Class 7A playoffs. The biggest question left was not if the Eagles belonged, but what if? What if the Eagles hadn’t dug themselves a 28-0 hole after 13 minutes against James Clemens before exploding back for a 60-43 win, one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history? Was too much energy expended to be ready for another quality opponent in Gadsden City? And what if the Eagles hadn’t dug themselves another hole against the Titans, trailing 17-0 at halftime before dropping a 45-28 decision in Gadsden? “We can’t dig ourselves a second hole like that,” coach Cris Bell said. What if the Eagles had survived that, and squared off a second time with Hoover? Would that result be different from the 35-0 loss the Eagles too back in the fourth week of the season? And what if Josh Gaines, the Eagles’ leading rusher the past two seasons, hadn’t been lost for the season early in the year? That’s enough of that what if’s. The what were’s are more impressive. The Eagles bounced back from a 4-6 season and surpassed 2012’s 7-4

Oak Mountain’s Daniel Salchert (26) proved to be a major contributor as a sophomore. Photo by Ted Melton at ActionSportsPix.SmugMug.com.

mark, which had been the Eagles’ first winning season in five long years, all the way back to the 2005 state semifinal run under Jerry Hood. It is clear Bell has turned things back around and changed the culture. That was evident on the sideline in every game. And although Bell loses several key seniors in Harold Shader, Gaines, Blake Snow, Riley Fowler and others,

a nucleus returns, led by quarterback Warren Shader, running backs Daniel Salchert and Coleman Reeves along with receiver Reid Golson and Belll said he is expected big things from Garrett DeAraujo at slot receiver. On the offensive line, two-year starters Justice Hammond and Benton Stroud return. Armond Lloyd will be back on the defensive line and the linebackers

and secondary returnees include Mitchell Jones, Kylen Brown, Avery Holsomback and Payton Youngblood. The key will be improving and not standing still, because the Eagles can’t count on both Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills to be as down as they were this season. In the preseason, Bell said he thought the Eagles had to shot to finish

in the top four and make the playoffs, “but realistically they’re going to pick us in the bottom half. And that’s fine until we prove we can compete with these guys … that’s something we need to be able to address and change if we want to be the type of program we say we want to be.” Bell has the program well on its way to that status.

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December 2014 • B17

Oak Mountain Football Recap James Clemens 60 - 43 The Eagles trailed James Clemens by 28 points just 13 minutes and 13 seconds into their Class 7A state playoff opener. That’s a couple of unlucky numbers if you’re the Eagles. Oak Mountain staged one of the most improbable comebacks seen in Alabama high school playoff history as the Eagles rocketed past the Jets for a 60-43 win to advance to the next round. A couple of lucky numbers made it possible -- the Nos. 3 and 34. That’s the numbers of Warren and Harold Shader, the Eagles’ dynamic brother duo. Senior running back Harold rushed for ﬁve touchdowns and junior quarterback Warren rushed for three and passed for a fourth. “I wish the Shaders had more children,” said Eagles coach Cris Bell.

Bell said he’d never been involved in a game like this one. James Clemens looked to be unstoppable on the ground or through the air in the first half, An 84-yard touchdown pass from Heath Burchfield to 6-4 wide receiver Joshua Garth capped a 21-0 run for the Jets, who added two more easy scores before half with their quick-tempo, quick-strike offense. And the Jets’ defense bottled up the Eagles’ powerful ground game. Harold Shader finally broke through with a 3-yard run with 7:52 left in the first half to cut the score to 28-6, but the Jets answered with a quick 80-yard drive to make it 35-6. The Eagles took a short kickoff and Warren Shader cashed it in on a 39-yard run to make the score 35-13 at the half. “I just told them we needed to make it

respectable,” said Bell about his halftime speech. “That we had 24 minutes to choose our path. Harold Shader said some inspirational words came form injured running back Josh Gaines. Whatever was said and whatever adjustments were made worked. The Eagles piled up 28 third-quarter points -20 in 2:30 -- and closed the quarter on a 71-yard run by Harold Shader to take their ﬁrst lead at 39-35. Shader added two more long TD runs, of 62 and 68 yards, and Warren Shader added a 1-yard sneak for a score as the Eagles added 21 fourth-quarter points. The Jets managed just one TD and a two-point conversion in the second half. Two key plays turned the momentum early in

the second half, Bell said. After the Eagles took the second-half kickoff for a quick score on Shader’s 51-yard pass to Daniel Salchert, the Jets fumbled the ensuing kickoff at their 31 and Coleman Reeves recovered. Warren Shader sped around right end for a TD on the next play. On the Jets’ next series, Burchﬁeld threw the ball directly to the Eagles’ Allen Perkins at the 24 and he returned it to the 12. Two plays later, Harold Shader blasted through for a TD to cut the score to 35-33. That momentum had the Eagles back in the game just two and a half minutes into the second half. When Harold Shader hauled the ball 71 yards on the last play of the third quarter, the Eagles led 39-35 and they never trailed again. Written by David Knox

three touchdowns to lead Gadsden City (10-2), which advanced to face Hoover in the semifinals. Denzel Mooney added two first-half touchdown catches for Gadsden from quarterback Ahmad DeRamus, one on a fake field goal and the second to close out the second quarter. Oak Mountain head coach Chris Bell said he was “extremely pleased” with his team’s 10-2 season, noting that the Eagles achieved far more than was expected of them at the start of the year and especially after being “left for dead” by critics after a loss to Hoover. Bell said Gadsden “made plays and we didn’t.

We ran 13 offensive plays in the first half and you can’t do that.” The Eagles were unable to get their offense on track in the first half, gaining just one first down and turning the ball over twice on fumbles. Gadsden might have turned the game into an early rout if not for an Oak Mountain interception deep in Eagles territory and a fourth-down stand on another Titans drive near the goal line. Oak Mountain got on track in the second half, scoring on a 2-yard run by Harold Shader that was set up by a 38-yard strike from quarterback Warren Shader to Evan Benison.

Oak Mountain closed to within 10 points at 24-14 at the start of the fourth quarter on a second 2-yard touchdown run from Harold Shader. But Gadsden answered with a 34-yard scoring pass from Damon Williams to Darnell Mooney. The Eagles drove the ﬁeld and made it 31-21 on a 6-yard Daniel Salchert run but the Titans put the game away with two Ford touchdown runs of 57 yards and 12 yards. A 3-yard touchdown run by Salchert with 1:36 left made the ﬁnal score 45-28. Written by Doug Demmons

Gadsden City 28 - 45 Oak Mountain’s Cinderella season turned into a pumpkin Friday night. The Eagles’ red-hot rushing attack ground to a halt on a bitterly cold night at Titans Stadium with a 45-28 loss at the hands of Gadsden City in the quarterﬁnals of the Class 7A playoffs. Oak Mountain had pulled off a stunning 60-43 comeback win over James Clemens in round one. But the Eagles were unable to repeat the magic after digging themselves a 17-0 hole at halftime. Gabriel Ford rolled up more than 210 combined yards rushing and receiving and scored

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B18 • December 2014

280 Living

Briarwood season ends with playoff loss at Florence By DAVID KNOX Briarwood Christian School’s football season ended with a 38-16 loss to Florence in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs. Briarwood trailed 14-0 at halftime, and closed the gap to 14-8 in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Walker Lott and Lott’s two-point conversion pass to Jake Morris. But the powerful Florence offense pulled away to a 31-8 lead, largely on the strength of its running game. Briarwood scored again when Sam Sherrod scooped up a fumble after a pass completion and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. The PAT failed, leaving Briarwood down 31-14. The Falcons added another TD run and took a safety for the final score. Lott was 8-of-15 passing for 110 yards. Lott was credited with 20 yards rushing on 20 carries. William Barfield carried the ball eight times for 31 yards and added two catches for 24 yards. Morris was the leading receiver with two catches for 52 yards. Florence (9-2) advanced to meet Shades Valley in round two. Briarwood ended its season at 4-7. Briarwood had earned its playoff berth by beating John Carroll 35-0 in the final Class 6A, Region 5 match-up. Lott ran for a pair of touchdowns and passed 47 yards to Luke Dyson for another score, all in the second quarter. Morris added a 70-yard TD on a punt return, also in the second quarter. Jordan Depaolantonio added 55 yards rushing on 10 carries and scored a touchdown. Lott was 11-of-18 passing for 142 yards and rushed for 69 yards on nine carries. Briarwood closed the regular season with a 49-21 loss to Madison Academy in a non-region game. The Lions trailed just 28-21 at halftime, but Madison Academy, the top-ranked team in Class 3A, blew the game open in the second half. Lott rushed for all three TDs on runs of 6, 3 and 12 yards.

Briarwood Christian’s William Barfield carries the ball in the Lions’ game against Florence in the state playoffs. Photo by Randy Glover.

Briarwood Football Results Chelsea

Hueytown

Pelham

Madison Academy

22 - 23

14 - 7

31 - 19

21 - 49

Jackson-Olin

Oak Mountain

Minor

Florence

36 - 14

12 - 42

12 - 30

16 - 38

Homewood

Walker

John Carroll

6 - 28

18 - 19

35 - 0

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December 2014 • B19

Chelsea falls short of playoff bid Chelsea Football Results Briarwood

Opelika

23 - 22

14 - 60

Southside-Gadsden

Benjamin Russell

16 - 13

13 - 42

Valley

Pell City

43 - 20

33 - 35

Chilton County

Oxford

42 - 7

21 - 31

Helena

Thompson

64 - 36

33 - 20

By DAVID KNOX The Chelsea Hornets sailed through the first half of their schedule 5-0 but hit a murderer’s row down the stretch and needed a win over Oxford in their last region game to make the Class 6A playoffs. It was win or go home for both the Hornets and Yellow Jackets, but it was the Hornets that felt the sting of defeat and missing the playoffs, losing 31-21 at home. Matthew Marquet ran 71 yards for a touchdown, and A.J. Jones added an 11-yard TD run and caught a 7-yard pass from Marquet with 25 seconds left in the first half to tie the score at 21.

But it was all Oxford in the second half, and it was mostly all Tre Gamble for the Yellow Jackets all night. Gamble, who was an All-State wide receiver last year, moved to running back in the middle of the season, and he showed why, rushing for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Marquet finished with 143 yards rushing on 12 carries, and Jones added 74 yards on 21 tries. Zalon Reynolds, who has been a key to the Hornets’ season at running back, picked up 29 yards on four carries before breaking his foot. With about eight minutes left, Jones was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with Chelsea trailing 28-21. Chelsea closed the regular season

Chelsea defenders wrap up a Briarwood ball carrier. Photo by Cari Dean.

on an up note, beating Class 7A Thompson 33-20. Chelsea finished the season at 6-4 while Thompson completed a winless season at 0-10. The Hornets led just 13-6 at

halftime, but Thompson tied it up a minute into the third quarter. Chelsea’s Matthew Marquet and A.J. Jones added short touchdown runs in the third quarter, and Marquet

passed to Adam Holliday to pull away for the win. Marquet and Jones had two touchdowns apiece.

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280 Living

B20 • December 2014

Jaguars close season with wins but miss out on playoffs Spain Park Football Results Austin

Hoover

5-3

14 - 42

Hueytown

Vestavia

28 - 21

14 - 13

Thompson

Oak Mountain

52 - 28

27 - 34

Tuscaloosa Co.

Mountain Brook

7 - 26

19 - 0

Hewitt-Trussville

Bessemer City

63 - 64 (4OT)

30 - 7

By DAVID KNOX A promising season that saw Spain Park ranked as high as No. 3 in the state turned sour, and the Jaguars were left needing help from other teams to get into the Class 7A playoffs. The Jaguars managed to tie for the fourth and final playoff spot in Class 7A, Region 3 by beating Mountain Brook 19-0 on Oct. 24 in the final region game of this season. But a 64-63 four-overtime loss to Hewitt-Trussville in the fifth game proved to be the tiebreaker that broke the Jags’ hearts. In fact, after starting out 3-0, the Jags hit a threegame losing skid before winning three of the last four to finish 6-4. It was certainly respectable, but not what Spain Park hoped for after winning its region last year ad such a good start to this season. Against Mountain Brook, quarterback Mason Duke passed for 208 yards and touchdowns to Owen Carr,

and Bridge Suber and Wade Streeter rushed for 91 yards on 23 carries. “We played a complete game, and that’s probably the first time we’ve done that this season,” Jaguars coach Shawn Raney said. “Our defense was outstanding all night.” The Jaguars closed with a 30-7 win at Class 6A Bessemer City in the final regular-season game. The Jaguars defense played well for the second week in a row after shutting out Mountain Brook, intercepting two passes and stopping the Tigers on downs three times. A.J. Smiley had a sack and an interception. Streeter rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Duke threw touchdown passes to Larry Wooden and Trent Harper. “I feel like we are just starting to play our best football,” Raney said. “I told them it’s important to send these seniors out with a win and they did.”

Owen Carr (8) breaks into the open after catching a pass from Mason Duke in Spain Park’s win over Mountain Brook. Photo by Ted Melton.

280Living.com

My South By Rick Watson

Christmas time powder. It’s Christmas time at the When we went inside the gift Watson house. My wife, Jilda, and I have funny ideas about shop to pay, the aroma of hot holidays. We like to celebrate apple cider drew us to the corner. Christmas at Christmas. In addition to waiting to put We have friends and family up a tree, we refuse to listen to with grandchildren who are so Christmas music until Decemexcited that they put the tree up ber. We dodge radio stations that at Halloween. Usually by Christplay holiday music until it’s the mas afternoon, they are sick of holidays. the tree. When we do start playing, We wait until the second week the first record we put on is of December to get our tree. Windham Hill’s December. It’s Watson That’s always a fun day. an album of Christmas music We have a tradition of selecting live trees played on a piano without any additional instruwith root balls that we plant on New Years Day. mentation. When I was growing up, my mom Years ago we bought our trees from Frye’s always put her Christmas decorations up the Christmas Tree Farm, which is deep in the weekend after Thanksgiving. All the kids, grandkids, in-laws and outlaws country even where we live. The first time we went out there, I became gathered to put up mountains of lights, plyquick friends with Mr. Frye and found that he wood cutouts of snowmen, elves, sleighs, and was in the Army too. Like me, he’d spent a of course Santa. Christmas in the Panama Canal Zone. My mom would spend weeks prior to The trees we bought from him are now well Thanksgiving making fruit cakes, banana-nut bread, divinity candy, and blocks of fudge as over 30 feet tall. He got out of the tree business some time big as a deck of cards. She also made a vat of back, so we had to find a new source for our her world famous Christmas punch, and after Christmas trees. the decorations were up, the family would pile We located a place a few years ago and into her living room and sugar up. headed out early to Pine Hill Farms, which is I feel bad for Thanksgiving. It has always a fitting name because it has rolling hills with been one of my favorite holidays, but I fear that row after row of trees of all sizes. one day soon it will be known only as Black This place was abuzz with tree shoppers who Thursday where employees are forced to work walked among the trees and select the one they so that shoppers can fight over cheap flat screen TVs for Christmas. wanted. Call me old fashion, but I’m happy with the They had a full-sized Christmas sleigh. I quickly coaxed Jilda up on the seat and snapped notion that holidays are gifts, and for us, it’s not a photo for our Christmas album. They also Christmas until December. have live reindeer, which are somewhat shy Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His but still sight to see. latest book, Life Happens, is available on While we walked, Mother Nature dusted Amazon.com. You can contact at rick@homethe ground with a layer of snow as fine as face folkmedia.com.

December 2014 • B21

280 Living

B22 • December 2014

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

Making peace with the holidays One January years ago, I was having coffee with some moms when the conversation turned to Christmas — and how differently women and men handle the holiday. A story that one mom shared summed up the gender gap that tends to appear this time of year. It was a busy Saturday, and as she ran circles around the house, her mind racing with things to do (buy a tree! decorate it! decorate the house! bake! buy gifts! wrap gifts! prepare Christmas cards!), her husband was kicked back watching football. Every time she passed him in the den, her irritation rose. With a drink in hand and a crackling fire, he looked completely and annoyingly at peace. Her husband was too relaxed to notice how busy she was, much less offer to help. With her hard work going unappreciated, a fire of another kind started inside her. Around her fourth or fifth trip, this mom stopped moving. She looked at her husband and, with three simple words, shared her frustration. “Quit enjoying yourself!” she told him. Every mom having coffee that day burst into laughter at the story’s punch line and nodded emphatically. It was one of those, “Right on, sister. I know exactly what you’re talking about!” moments we all related to. Because honestly, that scenario could have played out in any of our homes. What

this mom did was enable us to laugh at ourselves for getting too busy, too stressed out and too worked up over Christmas. Even when we know better. Even when we vow to do things differently than we have in the past. Even when we understand Christmas as a time to worship and welcome Jesus — not get sidetracked by shopping, parties, decorating, entertaining and creating magical memories. Women always carry a heavy load, but in December, the demands multiply. And while I agree with the often shared advice to scale back, simplify and lower expectations of what Christmas should look like, there are some things we have no control over simplifying (like the costume our child needs for the holiday program, or the gift required for the ornament swap). Add several kids to the mix, and the demands add up. On top of this, somebody has to pull Christmas together for the family. Somebody has to be the magic fairy who helps prepare the home and hearts inside it for a meaningful celebration. Nine times out of 10, that somebody is Mom. If Mom doesn’t do it, it probably won’t happen. And that’s why women have a hard time relaxing this time of year. That’s why we feel the weight of Christmas on our shoulders and get irritated when our husbands can

enjoy themselves and we can’t. Somehow the fear of Christmas not coming together doesn’t bother them. “What needs to get done will get done,” they’ll say, to which we’ll reply, “Of course it will, because I’m working my tail off!” It’s comical in hindsight, but in moments of stress, the humor gets lost. It’s hard to laugh at ourselves when we’re overwhelmed. It’s hard to admit we’re overreacting when we’re frustrated yet also envious of how our husbands can take a break and rest. So how do women make peace with the holidays? How do we delight in welcoming Jesus when December gets demanding? I think one explanation can be found in the Biblical story of Mary and Martha, two sisters whose differences became more readily apparent when Jesus came to visit. While Martha, the practical and efficient sister, was busy preparing for the Lord, Martha wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet. Martha resented her sister for not working. She asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her. That’s when Jesus said: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) Being productive is a good trait. Our world needs productive people to build God’s kingdom. But when productiveness

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interferes with what’s more important — like resting at the feet of Jesus — it stops being good. It hinders our ability to love Him. The message to take away, for me as much as anyone, is to make time at Jesus’ feet. To let Him calm down our anxious souls. To know when to work — and when to stop. To understand that even when we’re strung-out, God loves us. He doesn’t want us carrying the weight of Christmas on our shoulders because the joy of Jesus’ birth is as much for us as it is for the children anxiously counting down the days. This holiday season, let’s ease up a little. Let’s give ourselves permission to take breaks and relax on the couch with our husband. Most of all, let’s remember where Christmas began: humbly in a stable, in a manger padded with hay, among animals. It was all about the baby then, and it’s all about the baby now. And in this Prince of Peace we find the peace we need, the calm within the chaos that keeps us centered, sane, and deeply satisfied. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, is now 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

December 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ B23

280 Living

B24 • December 2014

Calendar 280 Events Dec. 4: The Ditsy Daisy Open House. 5-8 p.m. 16618 U.S. 280, Suite 100, Chelsea. Call 678-6166. Dec. 6: Santa Visit. 10 a.m. Cross Bridge Church of Christ. 3039 Brook Highland Parkway. Dec. 7: Christmas Service. 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Double Oak Community Church. The ladies of the Praise Team and a string ensemble will join the Double Oak kids to deliver the sounds of Christmas. Call 995-9752 or visit doubleoakcc.org/christmasworship. Dec. 7: Young at Heart Christmas Gathering and Lunch. 12:15 p.m. Liberty Park Baptist Church. Call 969-1236 or visit libertypark.org. Dec. 7: The Urban Barn Open House. 4-8 p.m. 601 Doug Baker Blvd. Call 451-8888 Dec. 7: Christmas Choral Festival. 5 p.m. Asbury United Methodist Church. Call 995-1700 or visit asburyonline.org. Dec. 7: Children’s Christmas Musical: David’s Dynasty. 6 p.m. Liberty Baptist Church. Visit lbcchelsea.com or call 678-9928. Dec. 7: Greening of the Church. 6:30 p.m. St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church. Enjoy a wine and cheese party as everyone decorates the church for Christmas. Call 618-8367 or visit stcatherinesal.com.

pelhamciviccomplex.com. Dec. 13: Breakfast with Santa. 8 a.m. Liberty Park Baptist Church. Wear pajamas and bring a book to donate to missions. Call 9691236 or visit libertypark.org. Dec. 13: Decked Out Dash. 8 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. 5K and one-mile fun run. Visit runsignup.com/Race/AL/Pelham/ TheDeckedOutDash. Dec. 14: Carols of Christmas Choir Presentation. Asbury United Methodist Church. Call 995-1700 or visit asburyonline. org. Dec. 14: Children’s Take Over Day. 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The Connection Chelsea Campus. Call 678-9565 or visit theconnection.cc. Dec. 14: Voices of the Season Service. 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. The men of the church will perform Christmas music. 995-9752 or visit doubleoakcc.org/christmasworship. Dec. 14: Christmas Celebration. 10:30 a.m. Chelsea Village Baptist Church. The congregation will rejoice together and join in Christmas hymns. Call 522-3683 or visit MissionChelsea.org. Dec. 14: Light of Hope Celebration. 10:30 a.m. Faith Presbyterian Church. 10:30 a.m. Call 991-5430 or visit faith-pca.org.

Dec. 8-12: Pay it Forward Hiring Drive. 470 Cahaba Park Circle. Express Employment Professionals Birmingham-South will host the drive to help put unemployed individuals to work this holiday season, and to benefit Glenwood Autism Center. Visit sbirminghamal.expresspros. com.

Dec. 14: Christmas in the Park. Liberty Park Baptist Church. 5 p.m. Call 969-1236 or visit libertypark.org.

Dec. 12-14: Holiday Wishes and Dreams Brought to Life on Ice. Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. Pelham Civic Center and Ice Arena. Call 620-6448 or visit

Dec. 14: Come and Worship. 6 p.m. Meadow Brook Baptist Church. Call 991-8384 or visit meadowbrookbaptist.org.

Dec. 14: Christmas Makes Everything New. 6 p.m. Liberty Park Baptist Church. Call 678-9928 or visit lbcchelsea.com.

Dec. 16: Mt Laurel Elementary Holiday Program “Swingin’ Jazzy Sounds of the Holidays.” 6:30 p.m. Metro Church. Free admission. Santa will be available for photos. Call 6827230. Dec. 17: Christmas Pageant. 11 a.m. Meadow Brook Baptist Church. 11 a.m. Call 991-8384 or visit kidsofthekingdom.org. Dec. 18: Magic City Choral Society Holiday Concert. 7:30 p.m. Asbury United Methodist Church. Call 995-1700 or visit asburyonline.org. Dec. 20: Meadow Brook 5K and Fun Run. 5K, 9 a.m. Fun Run, 10 a.m. Aliant Bank, 1100 Corporate Parkway. Visit meadowbrookruns.org. Dec. 20: Chelsea Christmas Parade. 10 a.m. Chelsea Middle School. The parade will end at Chelsea Corners Way. Visit cityofchelsea. com/christmas-parade.html. Dec. 20: Christmas with Cahaba Valley Fire. Santa will make rounds while riding on a fire truck. Visit facebook.com/cvfemrd, cahabavalleyfire.org or call 991-5267. Dec. 21: A Very Merry Christmas. Inverness Vineyard Church. Call 980-1690 or visit invernessvineyard.org. Dec. 21: Belinda George Peoples. 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Double Oak Community Church. The singer/actress will sing gospel, jazz, love ballads and songs about life. Call 995-9752 or visit doubleoakcc. org/christmasworship. Dec. 21: Service of Lessons and Carols. 10:45 a.m. Brook Highland Community Church. Call 541-7795 or visit brookhighlandchurch.org. Jan. 1: Signups for YMCA Spring Sports. Ages 3-15. Sports include soccer, flag football and girls volleyball. Call 566-6025.

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Calendar North Shelby Library 5521 Cahaba Valley Road 439-5500

Dec. 24, 25: Library closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Dec. 31-Jan. 1: Library closed for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Dec. 3: Newbery Pie Book Club. 1 p.m. Join us for a new book club where we will be talking about Newbery winner and honor books and eating some delicious pie. All ages. Registration required. Dec. 6: Breakfast with Santa. 9-10:30 a.m. Join us for a great time of food, fun and pictures with Santa. $5 per person due at registration.

Children All month: Reindeer Craft. Stop by the Children’s Department in December to pick up a craft to take home or make in the department. Dec. 1-23: Elves in the Shelves. During library hours. To win an elf, stop by the library or check the library’s Facebook page each Monday to see clues to help you ﬁgure out which book the elves have been reading over the weekend.

Dec. 9: Pete the Cat Book Club. 4 p.m. Pete the Cat is saving Christmas. Registration required. Dec. 10: Homeschool Hangout: Birmingham Fencing Club. 1 p.m. The Birmingham Fencing Club will be teaching us about the sport of fencing. Ages 7-13. Registration required.

Story Times Dec. 1, 8, 15: Toddler Tales. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, ﬁngerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required.

Teens Call 439-5512 Dec. 5, 12, 19: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Come to the teen department each Friday afternoon for open gaming on the Wii and with board and card games.

Dec. 2, 16: Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m. A story time designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Birth-18 months. Registration required.

Dec. 8: Anime Night. 6 p.m. Join us in the teen department for an evening of anime.

Dec. 3, 10, 17: Mr. Mac Storyteller Extraordinaire. 9:30 a.m. Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages.

Dec. 15: Minecraft @ the Library. 6 p.m. Show off your Minecraft skills. If you are able, bring your laptop.

Dec. 4, 11, 18: PJ Story Time. 7 p.m. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies, and hear some wonderful bedtime tales. All ages.

Dec. 18: Ho, Ho, Who? 6 p.m. All the Holiday Whovian activities we can ﬁt into the teen department.

Heardmont Senior Center Events 5452 Cahaba Valley Road 991-5742

Mondays: Tai Chi. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Closed Dec. 29.

a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. on Thursdays.

Fridays: Intermediate Line Dancing. 1011 a.m.

Dec. 17: Computer Class with Kathy Davis. 10 a.m.

Tuesdays: Bible Study. 11 a.m. Closed Dec. 30.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Bingo and Board Games. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Fridays: Beginning Line Dancing. 11 a.m.noon.

Dec. 18: Becky with Harrison Regional Library. 11 a.m.

Wednesdays: Bridge. 9 a.m.-noon.

Dec. 9: Senior Luncheon. 11:30 a.m.

Fridays: Zumba Gold. 9-10 a.m.

Dec. 16: Lunch at Arlington.

Dec. 24-Jan. 4: Center Closed for the holidays.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: Lunch. Noon. Closed Dec. 24-31. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Aerobics. 10

280 Living

B26 • December 2014

Calendar Mt Laurel Public Library 33 Olmstead St. 991-1660

Story Times

a.m. Stories, music and more for every member of the family. All ages.

see clues to help you figure out which book the elves have been reading over the weekend.

in to make a craft at the library. All ages with parent help.

Dec. 5, 19: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and more make up a lively 30-minute program especially for short attention spans. Registration required.

Special Programming

Dec. 7: Holiday Tree Lighting. 5:30-7 p.m. Come to the library after the tree lighting in the town center for treats, crafts and face painting.

Dec. 25-26: Library Closed for Christmas.

Dec. 5, 19: Storytime with Ms. Kristy. 11

Dec. 1-23: Elves in the Shelves. During library hours. To win an elf, stop by the library or check the library’s Facebook page each Monday to

Dec. 13: Craft Saturday. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Drop

Dec. 31-Jan. 1: Library Closed for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Events 7191 Cahaba Valley Road 408-6600

Wednesdays: Breastfeeding Support Group. 10 a.m.-noon. We invite breastfeeding moms to join us for our support group meeting.

Dec. 2: VIVA Healthcare. 10 a.m.-noon. Join us for an educational meeting to learn more about the plan, which will use a network of engaged and collaborative providers through the St. Vincent’s Physician Alliance.

Dec. 4, 11: Countdown to the Holidays Living Healthy Challenge. 11:15-11:45 a.m. in the open studio. Join us for a once a week class as we move into the fall season when comfort eating and holiday gatherings make it difficult to stay on track. Non-members $10, members free. Call 4086550.

Dec. 4: Medicare Educational Meeting. 10 a.m.-noon. Blue Cross/Blue Shield will hold a meeting to inform customers about senior products.

Dec. 4: Spa Open House. 5-8 p.m. Browse gifts and consider purchasing a gift certificate for someone special on your list at Spa One Nineteen.

Dec. 5: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Physician’s referral required, and pre-assessments given before class date. Call 939-7248. Dec. 6: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.noon. Free. Call 1-877-865-8787. Dec. 9: Blood Pressue/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.

Dec. 10: CPR Family and Friends. 6-8:30 p.m. Join us for a classroom-based, practice-whileyou-watch DVD and instructor-facilitated program on how to perform the basic skills of CPR in adults, children and infants. Designed for students 11 and older. $20. Call 939-7878. Dec. 11: Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop. 6-8 p.m. $30 per regular-sized house. Registration required. Call 408-6550.

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Calendar Area Events Dec. 2: Birmingham Boy’s Choir Christmas Concert. 7:30 p.m. Canterbury United Methodist Church. Free. Visit birminghamboyschoir.com.

Dec. 7: Jam4Sam. 5-9 p.m. Workplay, 500 23rd St. S. Enjoy live music and raise money to combat childhood cancer. $20 presale and $25 at the door. Dinner included. Visitbhamjcc.org.

Dec. 3: Red Mountain Garden and Greenery Sale. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit redmountaingardenclub.com.

Dec. 9-17: A Colonial Christmas. 10:30 a.m. and noon. American Village. $25. Visit americanvillage.org.

Dec. 4-21: Red Mountain Theatre Company Holiday Spectacular. Wednesdays-Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. Celebrate the holidays with a spectacular display of all your favorite music of the season. Visit redmountaintheatre.org.

Dec. 11: Holiday Hyjinx. Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. Virginia Samford Theatre. Lee Ann Brown, Kristi Tingle Higginbotham, Jan D. Hunter and Kristin Staskowski are back and ready to celebrate the holidays with a fun-filled show of comedy sketches and songs. $22. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

Dec. 5: So You Think You Can Dance Tour. 10 a.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets start at $45. Visit ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000. Dec. 5-6: Tannehill Christmas Candlelight Tour. 5 p.m. A holiday presentation of historical events based during the Civil War Era. Call 477-5711. Dec. 5-31: Zoolight Safari. 5 p.m. Birmingham Zoo. $8 for non-members, free for members. Visit birminghamzoo.com. Dec. 6-7: Christmas at Arlington. Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. Visitors are invited to step back in time as local decorators adorn rooms of the museum in period holiday décor. Call 780-5656. Dec. 6,13,14: Babes in Toyland. Saturdays 2 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. Birmingham Children’s Theatre. Child $11, adults $13. Call 458-8181.

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Dec. 12: The Mutt-cracker. 7:30 p.m. BJCC. Presented by Birmingham Ballet. Visit birminghamballet.com. Dec. 12, 13, 14: Holiday Wishes and Dreams Brought to Life on Ice. Friday and Saturday 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena. Call 620-6448 or visit pelhamciviccomplex.com. Dec. 12-21: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 2:30 p.m. Wright Center, Samford University. Presented by Alabama Ballet. $25-$55. Visit alabamaballet.org. Dec. 13: Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. 8 a.m. Railroad Park. Be a part of the largest holiday 5K race series aimed to fight arthritis. Visit jbrbham.kintera.org.

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280 Living

B28 • December 2014

Calendar Area Events (continued) Dec. 13-14: The Nutcracker. Saturday 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. BJCC. Presented by Birmingham Ballet. Visit birminghamballet.com. Dec. 13, 20: Breakfast in Santa’s Workshop. 8:30-10 a.m. McWane Science Center. Bring your little elves to have breakfast in Santa’s Workshop. $20 for adults, $15 for kids. Visit mcwane.org.

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Dec. 14: Kitschy Christmas. 2 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Create small but interesting vignettes throughout the house using ordinary household objects. $15 members, $20 nonmembers. Visit bbgardens.org. Dec. 18: Blue October. 7 p.m. Iron City. $25. Visit ironcitybham.com.

ph: 205.408.0349 cell:910.280.3067

Dec. 19: Trampled by Turtles. 7 p.m. Iron City. $20. Visit ironcitybham.com.

The Birmingham Boy’s Choir will perform their Christmas Concert Dec. 2 at Canterbury United Methodist Church.

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce 1301 County Services Drive 663-4542

Dec. 3: Ambassador Program. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 104. Dec. 3: Small Business Work Group. 4-5 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 105. Dec. 9: Entrepreneur Mentorship Program. 8-11 a.m. Greater Shelby County

Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 105. Dec. 9: Entrepreneur Roundtable I. 8-10 a.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4542, ext. 101. Dec. 9: Existing Business & Industry Work Group. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc, 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 500. Call 663-4542, ext. 105.

Dec. 10: Go & Grow Workshop: “The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus.” 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Members $10, non-members $20. Call 663-4542, ext. 105. Dec. 12: Health Services Work Group. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Call 663-4543, ext. 106.

DERMATOLOGY

Medical

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Dec. 16: Education Work Group. 8:309:30 a.m. Shelby County Instructional Services Center, 601 First St. S, Alabaster. Call 663-4542, ext. 106. Dec. 16: Business After Hours. 5:30-7 p.m. Timberline Golf Club, 300 Timberline Trail, Calera. Reservations required before Dec. 12. Members $10, non-members, $20.

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For appointments, call 205.871.7332 or visit us at skinwellnessAL.com HOMEWOOD 1920 Huntington Road, Homewood, AL 35209 I CHELSEA 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 3, Chelsea, AL 35043

280Living.com

December 2014 • B29