280 Living
July 2015 | Volume 8 | Issue 11
neighborly news & entertainment
A life’s legacy
A park in progress
Read about the life of Steve Hanna, the owner of Hanna’s Garden Shop.
See page A18
Calling all fans
Master plan and state budget affect Oak Mountain’s future By SYDNEY CROMWELL A new sci-fi convention is coming to U.S. 280 this month. Learn more about how to attend inside.
See page B14
Results of a new master plan for Oak Mountain State Park could soon turn into action. However, it’s too early for park officials to say what amenity upgrades the master plan might bring about, especially while specifics for the park’s funding are still uncertain.
Kelly Ezell, the Oak Mountain State Park superintendent, stands at the entrance to Oak Mountain State Park. She has been involved in the assessment process identifying the park’s needs and “wish list.” Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
Planning for the future The master planning process has included a public survey with more than 3,000 responses and nine specialized teams assessing the park on foot, mountain bike and horseback. Shelby County Chief Development Officer Chad Scroggins said these teams have mapped out around 104 miles of trails and studied
the park’s infrastructure, buildings, parking, restrooms and amenities, as well as use by visitors. Their goal is to see what needs improvement and what could be added to better the park. All these assessments will be finished and prioritized by the end of July, and Scroggins
See PROGRESS | page A29
INSIDE Sponsors ............. A6 280 News ............ A7 Business...........A10 Food...................A16 Faith...............A30
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A nurse in Vietnam Veteran reflects on her war experiences
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE All Pat Fiol ever wanted was to be a nurse. She didn’t expect to live out that calling in the jungles of Vietnam. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, as Pat Luers in 1944, she was the first child to a WWII veteran and pharmacist father and high school graduate mother. A younger brother would join the family 10 years later. In 1965, Fiol earned her degree from the Bethesda Hospital School of Nursing. After graduation, she got on-the-job training to
become an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse. The next year, there was an all-out call for medical personnel to back up U.S. troops in Vietnam. A 20-year-old Fiol answered. “I was single and there was no reason I couldn’t go, so I signed on the dotted line,” she said. After completing training at Fort Sam Houston Hospital in Texas, Fiol deployed to work with the 36th Evacuation Unit in Vung Tau, South Vietnam, 35 miles
See VIETNAM | page A31
Pat Fiol currently lives at Danberry at Inverness and remains active in her community after a lifetime of nursing and service. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
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About Us Meet our new staff members Sydney Cromwell Sydney Cromwell is a 2015 graduate of Samford University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication. She worked for the campus newspaper, the Samford Crimson, for four years, including as editor-in-chief during her senior year. Sydney started as an intern at Starnes Publishing in August 2013 and continued part-time work until her graduation. She enjoys reporting on city news and the unique people and places that make up a community.
Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell
Community Reporter: Copy Editor: Graphic Designer: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:
Contributing Writers:
Interns: Published by:
Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Sydney Cromwell Madoline Markham David Knox Katie Turpen Erica Techo Madison Miller Roy L. Williams Louisa Jeffries Emily VanderMey Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Jordan Hays Chris Griesedieck Olivia Burton 280 Living LLC
Kirkwood by the River (B5)
Alabama Allergy & Asthma (A5)
Lemon Tree Yoga and Fitness (A30)
Alabama Partners for Clean Air (B10)
Lisa Miller Oral Facial Surgery (B8)
Alabama Power (B19)
MD Wellness & Aesthetics (A9)
ARC Realty (A15)
Melanye Morris Esthetics (B11)
Arcpoint Labs (A29)
Morningside at Riverchase (B2)
Bedzzz Express (B32)
Erica Techo graduated from the University of Georgia with bachelor’s degrees in English and political science as well as a greater appreciation for caffeine. During her time in Athens, Erica worked at the independent student newspaper, The Red & Black, in the roles of crime reporter, news editor, managing editor, copy editor and social media editor. She also worked as a news intern for Flagpole Magazine, a weekly publication in Athens, and Morris News Service’s Atlanta bureau. Her passions for reporting include crime coverage and other community news.
Publisher: Creative Director: Editor: Managing Editor: Sports Editor: Staff Writers:
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Erica Techo
Being a student in a new city is not the same as really living in one. Technically, I’ve been a part-time resident of Birmingham for four years, but I haven’t really been a part of it. I didn’t know the good places to eat or why rush hour on U.S. 280 made people want to rip their hair out. Interning with 280 Living was the first step of my real introduction to this city. I’ve gotten to meet some great people, explore beautiful places and experience all the joy of 5 p.m. on 280 for myself. I’ve also been able to share this knowledge with visiting friends and family, to proudly say, “This is my city.” Now, as I continue to decorate my new apartment and explain to people why I don’t have a 205 area code, I’m looking forward to continuing this growth working for the paper fulltime. Putting together the July edition was an opportunity for me to learn about events, like the brand-new Magic City Con, which I never would have known about.
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It introduced me to the concept of sweet potato pie, which I now want to taste. Creating our summer checklist was one of my favorite parts; through it, I found out that we have bowling lanes and the AirWalk Trampoline Arena, which makes me wish I were a kid again. As you read this issue, I hope it provides a connection to your community, just as it has for me. I hope that it reminds you of an old hangout you loved or introduces you to something completely new. This community is what I fell in love with as an intern, what made me want to stay here after I graduated. I hope these pages add something to that. Also, if you have restaurant recommendations for me, I’m all ears.
Bellini’s (B26) Bin There Dump That (B1) Birmingham Academy of Dance (A13) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (B24)
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: sydney@ starnespublishing.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253
Published by : Starnes Publishing LLC
For advertising contact: dan@280living.com
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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NAPA Auto Parts (B3) Odyssey Early Schools (B9) Outdoor Living Areas (A19) Over the Mountain Glass (B15) Pak Mail (B10)
Briarwood Christian School (A8)
Pastry Art (B15)
Briarwood Mother’s Day Out (A17)
Plain Jane Children & Gift Shop (B9)
Briarwood Presbyterian (A14)
Preserve Paints (B18)
Bromberg & Company, Inc. (B28)
Pure Barre 280 (B14)
Cabinet Cures of Birmingham (A31) Cabinetry Refinishing (A1)
Re/MAX Advantage - Terry Crutchfield (B30)
Cahaba Glass (B22)
RealtySouth Marketing (A25)
Cahaba Valley Animal Clinic (B12)
Red Mountain Theatre Company (A4)
California Closets (B11)
Revitalize at Greystone (A14)
Central State Bank (B7)
Road Runner Moving (B20)
Charles Thompson Attorney (B17)
Royal Automotive (A2)
Chelsea Party Center (A24)
Sewing Machine Mart (A23)
Children’s of Alabama (B17) Chiropractic Today (A20) Chiropractor Acupuncture Health Services (B31) Church Unlimited (B25)
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Sherry Best, Realtor (A22) Skelton’s Air (A10) Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen (A11) Southeastern Jewelers and Engravers (B30)
Commute Smart (B22)
St. Vincent’s Health (A32)
Cowboys (B24)
St. Vincent’s One Nineteen (B21)
Diamond Golf Cars (B27)
Sugar Sands Realty (B28)
Drew Taylor Remax (A28)
Tae Kwon Do (B2)
Elite Boutique (B16)
The Cuckoo’s Nest (B20)
Encore Rehabilitation (A20)
The Ditsy Daisy (B28)
ENT for Kids Alabama (B6)
The Goddard School (A10)
ERA King Real Estate (B12)
The Maids (B26)
Exclusively Ballet (B7)
The Melting Pot (A31)
Expedia CruisShipCenters (A7)
The Monogram Spot (A17)
Fi-Plan Partners (A5) Fireworks Blast (B4) Gardner Landscaping (A8) Granite Transformations (B8) Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce (B21)
The Neighborhood Plumber (B10) The UPS Store - Cahaba Heights (B5) Therapy South Greystone (A12) Urban Home Market (A3) Vape Escape (B6)
Healthy Smiles of Birmingham (A26)
Vestavia Hills Soccer Club (A16)
Henderson & Walton (B16)
Vitalogy Wellness Center (A27, B3)
Hendrick Hoover Auto Mall (B4, B18)
Weigh To Wellness (A18)
Hollywood Feed (A1)
Western Sales and Service (A21)
Issis & Sons (B29)
Your Good Neighbor (B31)
280Living.com
July 2015 • A7
280 News ALDOT considering locations for more four-arrow lights By ERICA TECHO The Alabama Department of Transportation is working to replace left turn signals with a four-arrow turn signal. A four-arrow turn signal was installed at U.S. 280 at Overton Road in December, but there is no set timeline for more along 280. There are plans for 17 four-arrow lights to be installed in southern Alabama, along Highway 98. “At this time, we only have that one, and we’re still monitoring its operation,” said Dejarvis Leonard, regional engineer for the East Central Region. “We are reviewing other locations.” Leonard said ALDOT is looking at other locations to see if a new traffic light would be beneficial as well as to see if the light at Overton Road works well enough to consider changes elsewhere. This is standard for changes in traffic signals, he said. The traffic lights include a green arrow, flashing yellow arrow, solid yellow arrow and a red arrow. Drivers can turn as usual on a green arrow, and the flashing yellow arrow indicates turning with caution. When there is a break in oncoming traffic, the driver can make a left turn. Once the arrow stops flashing, however, drivers should be prepared to stop. This means the light is about to turn red. These signals are the result of the recently adopted Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices guidelines, according to DriveSafeAlabama.com. A study by the National
ALDOT is monitoring a four-arrow turn signal on U.S. 280 as it considers putting more around Alabama. Photo courtesy of Drive Safe Alabama.
Cooperative Highway Research Program and Federal Highway Administration found a flashing yellow light was better for drivers. “The study found the flashing yellow arrow was safer, more effective and easier for drivers to understand than the standard green light which most Alabamians currently see when making unprotected left turns,” according to Drive Safe Alabama.
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A charging station is in place at the Colonnade, at the intersection of 280 and I-459, through a joint project by Alabama Power and CBRE. Photo courtesy of CBRE.
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Drivers of electric vehicles now have a new place to charge up on U.S. 280. A charging station is in place at the Colonnade, at the intersection of 280 and I-459, through a joint project by Alabama Power and CBRE. The station, which has two chargers, is located close to the Taziki’s and is free to the public. It’s the first public charger to be installed in a major Birmingham area retail or office development. CBRE Real Estate Manager Rhoda Kattus said the idea to install a charging station came from a trip to CBRE offices in Atlanta, where stations and electric cars were more common. “We thought it would be nice, and important going forward, for Birmingham to have the same amenities available for our office tenants and visitors,” Kattus said. Alabama Power originally installed stations at the Colonnade in 2000, but the relatively
new technology didn’t take off at the time. The infrastructure was still in place, however, making the new installation project easier. Kattus believes the stations will be popular among hotel guests, retail customers and office workers who frequent the Colonnade. “Rather than having to charge at a dealership, anyone with an electric vehicle can now charge with us for free, and be entertained while they wait, whether that is with a workout at Gold’s Gym, grabbing a meal, visiting retail or working,” Kattus said. She noted that tenants of other CBRE buildings had expressed interest in having the same amenity. Based on the Colonnade station’s use, she said CBRE will consider adding these stations in other locations. “We are proud to contribute to the sustainability efforts here in Birmingham,” Kattus said. “This is a turning point for the city in forward-thinking sustainable efforts.”
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Council and commission meeting recap By ERICA TECHO AND SYDNEY CROMWELL Several local government bodies met in June. Here’s a recap of their decisions. Chelsea City Council At its June 2 meeting, the council unanimously approved a rezoning request submitted by the Chelsea Planning Commission. Del Clayton of Clayton 47 Investments originally submitted the request regarding two properties on Highway 47. The parcels will be rezoned from Agricultural-Residential to Residential. Clayton plans to subdivide the parcels, which total 140.3 acres, into 16 lots. A public hearing and vote on the matter will be held at a later date. The council also accepted an $8,605 bid from Shelby Fence Company for fencing improvements for the parking lot on Liberty Road and County Road 47. At the June 16 meeting, the council accepted a $14,450 bid from Bama Utility Contractors for steel casing on a waterline on County Road 47. A $17,720 bid from Shirley Brothers Excavating and Con-Site Services was accepted for silt removal and installation of a silt fence to stop erosion. Mayor Earl Niven also informed a concerned community member that city maintenance will fill a pothole at the Foothills Point neighborhood. Chelsea City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 11611 Chelsea Road.
Chelsea City Council members accepted project bids and heard concerns about a pothole at their June 16 meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.
Shelby County Commission At its June 8 meeting, the Shelby County Commission awarded a bid for copper tubing and PVC pipes for the water services department. Vector Control Supplies was also awarded a bid to provide mosquito and insect repellent items for the environmental and natural resources department. The Commission meets the second and fourth Monday of the month at the County Administration Building, located at 200 W. College St. in Columbiana. Shelby County Planning Commission At its June 1 meeting, the Planning
Commission gave its approval to a request by developer Bill Thornton to amend the master plan for the Narrows. The purpose of the revision was to resurvey 14 townhome lots at the southwest corner of Old Highway 280 and Narrows Parkway into one commercial lot. “These lots were originally changed to residential in 2005 by the planning commission through the master plan amendment,” said Shelby County Department of Development Services principal planner Kristine Goddard. “Then they were resurveyed into 14 lots, and it’s been 10 years. They never developed the townhome lots and the developers came back to ask if they
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can be resurveyed to a commercial lot.” The resurvey process was set to finish by June 30, enabling Thornton to apply for building permits. At its June 15 meeting, the commission approved a request to amend the Highland Lakes Master Plan. Doug Eddleman of Eddleman Development Corporation submitted the request in order to reconfigure roads and lots to accommodate septic tanks for the proposed 33rd and 34th sectors. This property is located in the Highland Lakes Community. Highland Lakes resident Galen Tillery expressed concern about pollution runoff into the stream if the
houses experienced septic issues. Eddleman said runoff would not go into the lakes or the Cahaba River. They were pursuing septic tanks in because of past success with septic systems and not for financial reasons. “Financially, we’re not going to discontinue the sewer, but because the [topography] is difficult [we’re pursuing septic systems], it’s not the demands from the sewer plant,” Eddleman said. The Planning Commission meets the first and third Monday of the month in the community room of the County Services Building, 1123 County Services Drive.
280Living.com
July 2015 • A9
Inverness Plaza to receive a facelift
WEIGHT LOSS HORMONE REPLACEMENT HAIR RESTORATION AESTHETICS
The Inverness Plaza shopping center includes the PGA Tour Superstore, Planet Fitness and Crazy Cajun’s, among other stores. It is undergoing a renovation project. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
By SYDNEY CROMWELL While the new PGA Tour Superstore is up and running, the rest of the Inverness Plaza shopping center is getting an improvement of its own. Bayer Properties and Doster Construction are beginning a renovation project on the retail center, which is home to several shops including Planet Fitness, Thairapy Salon, Crazy Cajun’s and Roly Poly. CMH Architects are the architects of record for the project. The nearby Inverness Corners shopping center had a similar renovation performed in 2013, also by Bayer Properties.
Allen Chandler of Doster Construction called the project a “general facelift and modernization,” which will include updates to the building facade, carpentry work on the ceilings and a new coat of paint for the brick and roof. There will be improvements to the sidewalk and landscaping, as well as new lighting and two new monument signs to advertise the Plaza’s retailers. The parking lot will also be repaved. The work on Inverness Plaza is scheduled to be complete by the fall. Joy Wood, regional manager at Bayer Properties, said a new Mugshots location will open in the shopping center in late 2015.
Liberty Park growth signals future retail development
Liberty Park is currently home to growing residential neighborhoods. In the future, Liberty Park could be the site of retail and office buildings. Photo courtesy of Liberty Park.
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Liberty Park is growing at a rate of 60 to 75 new homes per year, and Drummond Company Vice President of Development Shawn Arterburn said the demand is so high that they’re pre-selling houses. The combination of new designs, low interest rates, a strong developer and nearby schools are why he thinks Liberty Park is booming again. As more people call Liberty Park home, Arterburn said it opens the door for new retail options in the area. There is a 700-acre undeveloped parcel in Liberty Park parallel to I-459, and he said it’s being considered as a site for
1,100 new homes and a 40-acre mixed-use development. This would include 100,000 to 150,000 square feet of office and retail space for grocery, dining and entertainment with condominiums or lofts above the storefronts. There is no set timeline, but Arterburn said he’d like to see this development begin in the next two to three years. “You’re going to live, work, play in your home neighborhood. That’s the big difference,” Arterburn said about Liberty Park’s quality of life. “You’re not going to have to leave your neighborhood to get everything you could possibly imagine.”
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280Living.com
July 2015 • A11
Now Open Elements Float Spa is now open at 4851 Cahaba River Road. The float spa is the first of its kind in the state and uses a hyper-buoyant environment to alleviate chronic pain, relieve stress and provide an overall relaxing environment. elementsfloatspa.com
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The Monogram Spot is now open at the Village at Lee Branch at 611 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 114. Reata Nix has been monogramming for eight years and offers embroidery, heat press, adhesive vinyl, glass etching and sublimation. 637-6933
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Shopping Center. Its address is 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 111. The business will hold a ribbon-cutting July 7 at 11 a.m. 874-9880, jawandasweetpotatopie.com
Relocations and Renovations Chiropractic Acupuncture Health Center has relocated to 2800 Greystone Commercial Blvd., Suite 2B, which is located between Jim ’N Nick’s and Panera Bread. Dr. Cherie Johnson specializes in chiropractic and acupuncture health services and nutritional counseling. 408-5600, cahc.biz
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ARCpoint Labs held a ribboncutting in June at its location at 5510 U.S. 280, Suite 215. It specializes in laboratory testing services for paternity tests, drug testing, job applicant pre-screening, cholesterol level testing, ancestry and more. 582-4055, birmingham-al-greystone. arcpointlabs.com
New Ownership
Homewood Suites, 215 Inverness Center Drive, held a ribbon-cutting and open house on June 23. 995-9823, homewoodsuites3.hilton.com
Hirings and Promotions
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EZ Roofing & Restoration has opened a showroom at 2677-B Valleydale Road. The company provides services including roofing repair, roofing replacement, gutter installation and attic insulation. 547-0691, ez-restoration.com
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Lemon Tree Yoga and Fitness is now open in the Village at Lee Branch at 611 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 116. The studio offers a variety of disciplines including vinyasa flow, hot yoga, ashtanga, Acro Yoga, restorative, Tween Yoga, core strength vinyasa and beginner. 913-3491, lemontree.yoga
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The PGA Tour Superstore is now open at 165-A Inverness Plaza. This is the store’s first location in Alabama. 440-4200, pgatoursuperstore.com/ birmingham
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JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies is now open in Inverness Village
First Watch Restaurants has acquired 10 The Egg & I restaurant chain from its founders, Patty and Rayno Seaser. First Watch now has 267 restaurants, including one at 5479 U.S. 280, Suite 128. 874-9607, theeggandirestaurants.com
RealtySouth’s Inverness Office, 109 Inverness Plaza, welcomed Margaret Jones, Marilyn Purdy, Nicole Valentine, Patrick Vick and Anthony Warren as Realtors. 991-6565, inverness.realtysouth.com
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Roxy Cooper, DVM, has joined Cahaba Valley Animal Clinic, 2209 Cahaba Valley Drive. She is a 2015 graduate of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. 980-0078, cvacvet.com
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Sometimes even heroes need a helping hand. At 17, he served with honor. And he has been a hero to his family every day of his life ever since. Now in his advancing age, this hero needs a helping hand to get through each day. At Somerby, we honor our residents’ service to family and country with a lifestyle of dignity and care. With a focus on wellness, we help each Somerby resident enjoy optimal independence with extra help whenever it’s needed. It’s the kind of lifestyle that provides comfort and care while returning a spark to a hero’s eye. Got a hero in your life who needs a helping hand? Call 1-888-214-6487 today for more information or to schedule your personal visit.
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Anniversaries Cahaba Valley Animal Clinic, 2209 Cahaba Valley Drive, is celebrating its 25-year anniversary. It opened July 2, 1990. 980-0078, cvacvet.com
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White Dog Photography is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month. (251) 680-5300, white-dogphotography. com Locations with this marker do not appear on the map.
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A12 • July 2015
280 Living
Asbury UMC sees ’overwhelming’ support for expansion By ERICA TECHO A 20-year-old master plan is about to be put in the works at Asbury United Methodist Church. When Asbury UMC bought the property almost 25 years ago, an expansion was already part of the plan, said Asbury UMC church Administrator Mike Gibbs. The expansion project will cost $14 million and includes almost 30,000 square feet of additional space, 35,000 square feet of worship space, additional parking, new athletic fields, renovations and an organ. “It’s sort of a three-phase project,” Gibbs said. “We don’t want to give up anything … The first phase is to move the soccer field, and we already have that land, and add parking.” The first phase should start in the first half of 2016. Building the expansion comes from a desire to reach more people in the community. “Right now, several early morning services are overcrowded,” Gibbs said. “We’re having people watch closed video in a different room. That’s not optimal.” Services around 11 a.m. bring in the biggest crowd, but the 9 a.m. service also reaches about 80 percent capacity. “That flows to every one of our programs,” Gibbs said. “Our children’s program needs more space. We also have a day school … We have capped our other groups. Almost all of them have waiting lists.”
Asbury UMC’s expansion will include extra worship space, additional parking and new athletic fields. Image courtesy of Mike Gibbs.
Changes will repurpose some of the current sanctuary’s space, leaving room for a 400-seat gathering place. This area will be used for a contemporary worship option as well as special events such as weddings or musical performances. To raise money for the expansion, Asbury UMC kicked off the Reach
Campaign in April. Support so far has been “overwhelming,” reaching about 50 percent of their goal, Gibbs said. “We’ve raised just shy of $3.5 million at this point, and we can start to break ground at $6 million,” Gibbs said. “We’d like to raise $8 million, and we’ve told people that.” Reaching $8 million would allow
for the addition of a balcony in a new sanctuary. Gibbs said the support is part of a typical surge in support, and an eventual plateau is to be expected. wwAnother surge, however, will likely come near the time the church breaks ground. The Reach campaign is set to continue into early summer, when finances will be reevaluated and
the building plan will be finely tuned. “We are asking people to really pray and consider what all they can do,” Gibbs said. More information about the campaign can be found at reach.asburyonline.org.
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280Living.com
July 2015 • A13
Residents bring float therapy concept to U.S. 280 By MADISON MILLER After Victoria Robbins, Kristine LeMay and Kele Sparrowhawk visited their first float spa in Atlanta, they each had the same thought. “Everybody needs to feel this good,” Sparrowhawk said. The three friends decided to make the concept local by opening Elements Float Spa on Cahaba River Road, the first float spa in the state. The three friends’ location will focus on the use of Flotation REST (reduced environmental stimuli therapy.) The spa is outfitted with several rooms containing float pods. Each pod is filled with about 10 inches of filtered water and 800 pounds of Epsom salt. The solution’s high density makes it impossible for customers not to float, giving the experience a similar feeling to those who visit the Dead Sea, LeMay said. Pods are designed in a round shape to prevent the space from feeling claustrophobic. Customers can choose to close the pod and float in total darkness or leave the pod open. Ambient lighting is also available and each pod has a plug in for customers to listen to music while they float. Flotation as a relaxation tool was first developed in the 1950s by neuroscientist Dr. John Lilly. The tanks were first called sensory deprivation tanks and Lilly discovered that patients were able to achieve a higher level of relaxation by floating without any muscle strain. “All day you don’t know how much
Kristine LeMay, Kele Sparrowhawk and Victoria Robbins stand outside their new space for Elements Float Spa. Photo by Madison Miller.
you’re getting bombarded,” Sparrowhawk said. “[It’s good to] pull away from life and examine things about yourself.” Some mental benefits include eliminating stress and fatigue, combating insomnia, improving focus and concentration and increasing dopamine production. LeMay said that she has seen the treatment used in many people, from general enthusiasts to veterans with post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) or lawyers studying for the bar exam. Along with mental benefits, many people float for physical benefits. After experiencing a broken neck several years ago, LeMay often struggles with pain. She found comfort while floating and experiences less pain for several days after a float. Floating is also said to improve circulation, help with weight loss and anti-aging and reduce high blood
pressure. “There are a lot of individual experiences, but whatever you get will be positive,” Sparrowhawk said. Elements Float Spa will also offer an infrared sauna treatment, which will be customizable for customers to pick which benefits they would prefer. Customers will be able to choose between sauna treatments that promote detoxification, relaxation, anti-aging, cardio, weight loss, pain
relief and more. For more information, visit elementsfloatspa.com.
Elements Float Spa 4851 Cahaba River Road 518-0800 elementsfloatspa.com
A14 • July 2015
280 Living
Sweet potato pie shop opens in Inverness By MADISON MILLER Growing up in Alabama, JaWanda Jackson quickly developed a passion for cooking. She can remember helping her mother in the kitchen and even surprising her with meals throughout her childhood. “By the age of nine, I was cooking for her and the children in our community,” Jackson said. As her passion continued throughout her life, Jackson enjoyed sharing her food with family and friends. When Jackson married her husband, Eddie, she knew his fondness for sweet potato pies and knew that she had to find a good recipe. “I said, ‘I’ve got to have a sweet potato pie recipe because this man loves sweet potato pie,’” she said. Soon, the recipe caught on after Jackson shared it with her family and friends. “We had requests from family and friends to make them,” Jackson said. “[I thought] I’m going to have to do something.” Jackson and her family launched JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies in 2010 and began selling a variety of treats at local stores and markets such
as Cowboys 280, Murphee’s Market & Garden and Pepper Place Market. After several years in business, Jackson has recently opened the brand’s first location, JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies, in the Inverness Corners shopping center. “I turned a hobby into a business,” Jackson said. The store will include Jackson’s classic sweet potato pie as well as other desserts made with a southern flair, Jackson said. Some of her flavors include Pecan Sweet Potato, Orange Crème Cheese Sweet Potato, Marble Chocolate Sweet Potato, Hooey Gooey Sweet Potato and the Mallow Sweet Potato. “There are a number of ways that you could spice up a sweet potato pie,” she said. A variety of peach cobblers, pound cakes and heavenly delights will also be featured on the menu. Fresh ingredients are used in every item. “Finest ingredients is what makes our pies so different,” Jackson said. Jackson’s top seller is the Original Sweet Potato Pie, which she credits as her favorite along with the Hooey Gooey. The shop features several ready-made pies
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JaWanda Jackson holds her Original Sweet Potato Pie in her recently opened Inverness Corners shop. Photo by Madison Miller.
available for pick up at any time, but Jackson encourages customers to stay and feel welcome to enjoy the desserts in the shop’s cafe area. “You don’t have to just pick up and go,” Jackson said. “You can sit and have a cup of coffee.” Jackson believes that her faith has allowed her to continue to grow her business. “We keep God our center,” she said. “Actually, our theme for our pies is ‘A Taste of Heaven.’” JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies is located at 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 111. Call 874-9880 or visit jawandasweetpotatopie.com.
JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 847-9880 jawandasweetpotatopie.com Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
280Living.com
July 2015 • A15
The Market brings fresh produce, custom woodwork to Chelsea By ERICA TECHO A new place for fresh, local produce and flowers has opened in Chelsea. The Market, located at the intersection of Highway 39 and Highway 36, is owned by Gina Long and Billy Simmons. The two used to have a similar shop in Calera but decided to move locations after spending time in the Chelsea area. “I work this area a lot, [I have] a lot of friends in this area, and I thought this might be a good location for it,” Long said. “The community here has been very receptive.” The small store at The Market has baskets of local fruit and vegetables as well as local honey, boiled peanuts and Amish Jams. The local honey has been especially popular, Long said, possibly because of its potential to provide allergy relief. Outside of the store, the lawn is filled with flowers, shrubs and trees as well as stone lawn decorations and wooden swings. “We build our own wooden swings, so we can custom build anything out of the wood that someone wants,” Long said. “They can design it.” Swings are offered with and without frames and can be painted or left plain. The Market also offers a way to show team spirit with swings that say “Roll Tide,” “War Eagle,” and “Auburn.” Swings with other phrases can also be made, and Long said she has had requests for a “Go Dawgs” option.
The Market 11 Highway 36 (Intersection of Hwy 39 and Hwy 36) Chelsea 516-9358 Wed.-Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun. 12 p.m.-7 p.m.
The Market sells produce, flowers and home decorations in Chelsea. Photo by Erica Techo.
The Market is open from Wednesday to Sunday, and the owners keep Monday and Tuesday reserved for restocking produce and flowers. But that doesn’t mean there’s no possibility of shopping at The Market on those days.
“I always tell people, if they catch us here, come on in. You’re welcome to come in,” Long said. “In fact that happened yesterday. And that’s always fine; I always tell them that. I just don’t want people to count on us being here Monday and Tuesday.”
Long and Simmons are open to suggestions from shoppers and community members, including new products people would like to see in the store. How long The Market remains open will also depend on continued community support and feedback.
“If we have enough support, we’re going to be year round. Otherwise, we’ll just be seasonal,” Long said. “That’s something we’re playing by ear.”
A16 • July 2015
280 Living
ThirsTea offers bubbly beverages By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE When Tam and Ashley Duong moved to Alabama from California almost two years ago, they soon realized the bubble tea concept hadn’t arrived in Birmingham yet, so they decided to change that. “After months of driving around asking pedestrians where a busy cross street was, a lot of people said 280 and Valleydale Road,” Tam Duong said. “We wanted a store front, so we chose this location.” ThirsTea Cafe opened last November in the Inverness Plaza shopping center next to Steak ‘n Shake. They are the first and only full bubble tea shop in Birmingham. Just five months after opening, they were named the number one coffee and tea shop in town by the Birmingham Business Journal. The menu is extensive, but the concept is simple. Duong is very good at helping newbies select a beverage they’ll enjoy. “The concept is adding stuff into your drink. The small drop-in flavored balls are called
bubbles or boba. It creates the illusion they are floating in your drink. It’s basically a reverse order of getting ice cream. When you get ice cream and put on toppings, but when you get our drinks, you put on ‘bottom-ings,’” Duong said. They’ve already developed a following of regular customers, whom they know by name and their usual order. “Our customers make Alabama feel like home,” said Duong, 26. “Most of our close friends were originally our customers.” The couple run the business themselves, with only one additional employee who works in the evenings when they are the busiest. “Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we have lines out the door between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.,” Duong said. “It’s a hangout place. People meet up before going out or come by after dinner or a movie. We are open until 11 p.m., so it gives people a place to go later at night.” The drink offerings include smoothies, fruit tea, milk tea, fresh tea, slushes, yogurt drinks, juices and coffee. The regular size is $3.75 and large is $4.25. ThirsTea also offers an online
Ashley and Tam Duong opened ThirsTea in November. It’s the only bubble tea shop in the area. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
ordering option with pick up in 15 minutes. The cafe has seating to accommodate up to 25 people. They play pop music over the speakers and have board games for their customers to play while enjoying their beverages. The space next door has recently become vacant, and Duong said he would like to expand and make the current location bigger, add more seating and also offer snack foods on his menu in the future.
ThirsTea Cafe 170 Inverness Plaza 995-7788 Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. – 9 p.m. squareup.com/market/ThirsTeaCafe
280Living.com
July 2015 • A17
Have a blast on the Fourth with Fireworks Blast
Briarwood Mother’s Day Out 2200 Briarwood Way | Birmingham 35243
A Place Bob Blackerby, owner of Fireworks Blast in Chelsea, holds popular fireworks for sale in his store. Photo by Roy L. Williams
Hottest fireworks items at Fireworks Blast for 2015: Sky Lanterns These products, up to 3 to 4 cubic feet when inflated, blow up like a hot air balloon. “It has a small coated wax paper at the bottom you can light and it builds up with heat and floats up just like a balloon,” Blackerby said. 500-gram multi-shot fireworks These come in a box already prewired from the factory. On average, Blackerby said they have 8 to 30 shots in each one. For those who want to really gain attention, Fireworks Blast has some with up to 300 shots. “You light this one fuse, step back and watch the show,” Blackerby said. Big Fireworks artillery shells “We research our fireworks and only want the best,” Blackerby said. “Big [Fireworks] has one of the best 60-gram artillery shells on the market right now. If you really want to make your neighbors jealous, we’re the ones to come to.”
By ROY L.WILLIAMS For seven years, Bob Blackerby has been able to live out every young boy’s dream: running a fireworks shop. Blackerby and his wife, Cynthia, have operated Fireworks Blast at 11766 Chelsea Road in Chelsea since 2008. An avid lover of fireworks since he was a pre-teen, Blackerby said it has been a joy. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said. Fireworks Blast sells literally thousands of items for both the young and old, and has what Blackerby said is the largest fireworks retail selection available to the public in this area. Independence Day and New Year’s Day are by far their busiest time of the year, Blackerby said. “The Fourth of July is a good time for people to get out and celebrate our independence. What goes better than fireworks?” he said. “I am excited because this year the Fourth of July falls on a Saturday. That should be a wonderful time of celebration. It’s great bonding time, family memories.” Fireworks Blast does business year-round for other occasions as well, Blackerby said. Weddings, anniversaries and birthdays are becoming especially popular for fireworks sales, he said. “We do a lot of wedding fireworks,” Blackerby said, adding that many couples buy sparklers to celebrate weddings.
Another trend is celebrating baby reveals, in which people announce the sex of their baby with fireworks. “We are now carrying pink and blue fireworks especially designed for that occasion,” Blackerby said. Blackerby said fireworks have gotten more sophisticated and bigger since he first got in business in 2008. He gets new items yearly and researches to stay on top of trends on the hottest products. “I have a lot of new products out this year for the Fourth,” he said. “I’m always excited to see those new products. I like to try them out myself and like to hear the results of customers who buy them.” Blackerby said Fireworks Blast has attracted fireworks customers from across the Southeast. “I have fireworks that appeal to all ages – great novelties and assortments of fireworks for the children to play with as well as more sophisticated fireworks for the adults,” he said. “I try to be real reasonable and give the best prices I can.” Though fireworks can be a joy, Blackerby said he always emphasizes safety. “Fireworks can be dangerous if not used properly, but they can also be fun,” Blackerby said. “Be aware of your surroundings as you fire the fireworks, watch the children and always keep a bucket of water around.”
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A18 • July 2015
280 Living
Remembering
the man in the hat By ERICA TECHO
Steve Hanna at work at Hanna’s Garden Shop.
Steve Hanna was the man in the hat. “If he ever didn’t want to work or didn’t want to be recognized, all he’d have to do is just take his hat off, and nobody’d recognize him,” said Andy Hanna, Steve’s son. But Steve didn’t try to go unrecognized. From the time he joined Hanna’s Garden Shop in 1989 to his death, Steve worked to help customers with their gardening questions as well as anything else they asked. Steve died from cancer on May 18, after a year-long battle with lung cancer. Even when he was sick, Andy said his father enjoyed coming around the shop. It was hard that he couldn’t help, Andy said, but he was never bitter. “He certainly wasn’t happy that he was dying, but he was not bitter and he was not terrified,” Andy said. “He was still smiling and laughing.” To Andy, his dad’s willingness to help
customers with any issue is what helped him connect with the community. “That was his huge thing, was putting the people first, and never saying, ‘We don’t do that’ or ‘That’s not what we do,’ just always trying to solve the problem whatever it is,” Andy said. Sometimes that meant driving out to a customer’s house on a Sunday to tend a sick tree. Other times it meant giving directions to a restaurant. He always “put the people first,” even if it meant coming in early or staying late. Steve never wanted to tell someone ‘No.’ That passion to help people led Steve to instill the same values in his children. Andy and his siblings, Chris and Lauren, grew up working at the garden shop, and their father always made sure they were polite, shaking hands and looking customers in the eye. “We really associate this [store] with him and working with him,” Andy said. Not only that, but we knew that it was something he
280Living.com
July 2015 • A19 down and allowed people to bring their kids in if daycare was closed. “He was a very dear friend, a father figure,” Webber said. “He really meant a lot to me.” At work, he pushed employees to do their best. His expectations were high but fair, Mitchell said. Essentially, if someone brought Steve an idea, they were expected to make it happen. “But we’d do it because it’s Steve,” Mitchell said. “He invested a lot of time in us, in people in general.”
The Hanna family. Back row: Steve’s son Chris, daughter-in-law Cara and son Andy. Front row: Daughter-in-law Sara, Steve, wife Cindy and daughter Lauren. Photos courtesy of Andy Hanna.
spent an amazing amount of time building and engaging with people as they came in.” More than a boss Following his death, customers and former employees came by the shop with stories or sent notes about Steve. They attributed their gardening skills
or work ethic to his help and guidance. Katelyn Mitchell, an employee at Hanna’s for more than five years, said she always thought she was a unique employee who had a special bond with Steve. She has found, however, that he made a lot of people feel that way. “Everybody I’m talking to that had a close relationship with him feels
like he had a special bond with him,” she said. “They feel like they are the one person who was so special to him because he made them feel that way.” But it was never disingenuous, Mitchell said. He would make customers feel at ease, and he always encouraged employees to do the same. They were never allowed to let
a customer wander by themselves. The same care for customers was seen with his employees. Wendy Webber started working at Hanna’s in 2001, and she said Steve went above and beyond what a normal boss would do. She said he helped people find houses if they needed help, lent his car to her when hers broke
A lasting legacy Even though death is always hard on a family, Andy said the timing worked out in relation to Hanna’s. When his dad brought him into the shop three years ago, neither knew he was dying. In that time, Andy learned the ins and outs of the shop, allowing for a smooth transition between him and his father running the store. “Even toward the end of his life when I’d ask him for advice, he’d say, ‘You don’t need my advice. You can do it,’” Andy said. Hanna’s Garden Shop will always have Steve’s mark on it. For employees, the care Steve showed at Hanna’s inspired them to take care of the shop after his death. “He’s the type that makes you want to do your job well, makes you care about it,” Webber said. “He did so much for me that it would make me want to take care of this place.” It’s also obvious in the way Andy runs the place, Mitchell said. He has the same fearless quality and willingness to take on any task. Just like his dad, Andy won’t let a customer go unattended and he keeps an eye on everything. “They see everything,” Mitchell said. “You’re not going to get away with not talking to someone under either of their watches.”
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A20 • July 2015
280 Living
Your Freedom of Choice
Your Health Today By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer
“I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost At the age of maturation we stand at crossroads of all sorts. Where will go to college? What will we be? Who will we marry? What kind of person will we become? Among the many decisions that become habits and history, our health is a daily choice we make. It is often overlooked and disqualified in comparison to larger life choices; however, from each morsel of food that enters our body, to what one’s daily lifestyle routine is, we are laying the foundation of our future. We choose the path we will travel, but only a few choose the one less traveled by, and for them it makes all the difference. The kale-eaters and early-risers of the lonely path can temporarily be viewed as eccentric and paranoid, but what cost are they saving themselves down the road? I feel those individuals are working towards removing themselves from becoming a statistic.
Health is so much more than simply the food choices we make. This body and temple we have been given to house our spirit, mind and emotions is our responsibility to maintain and protect. Chiropractic care supports the health of our nervous system, our brain, and the full functioning of every working part. Ignoring the way our body is wired can have dire consequences in the present and future. In the same way, belittling our diet to a matter of entertainment and enjoyment rather than nourishment and proper fuel can leave us depleted and running on fumes. Personal trainers, health coaches, doctors and inspirational bloggers are wonderful, but at the end of the day they are guides and cheerleaders on your own personal path. You have the freedom to eat and live as you’d like, just as you are free to be independent of the statistics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc. Bottom line, it is your choice and personal responsibility. In the spirit of Independence Day, let’s reflect that this nation shook off the oppression of misrepresentation and a tyrant thousands of miles away making decisions for a people he did not know or care about. Today,
going forward, choose freedom from the intentional marketing ploys aimed at making food choices for us. School lunches, food courts, commercials, billboards, celebrity plugs, brightly colored and purposefully placed grocery aisles all woo us towards an easy choice on a treacherous path. Choose not to be tempted! A common argument against our current state of health says in comparison with our history, we are actually living much longer than ever before. I often ask, how is the quality of life during those extended years? Over 8 billion prescriptions were filled in 2014, with the top ranking being for heart, endocrine, and nervous system issues. Why aren’t our bodies working well on their own? Also, for the senior demographic living into their 80’s, what does their health foundation look like? They are of the generation that grew up eating real food purchased from butchers and milk men. Families ate home cooked meals. Ice creams, burgers, fries and soft drinks were a rare luxury at the local diner. This foundation is living proof in people like Harriette Thompson, the 92-year old record-breaking marathon runner. Every day, we are laying
a foundation for our children, their health habits, their lifestyle, and their future. While it may look like we are living longer, we are really just surviving the ravages of what we are doing to our bodies. True health is the ability to wake up in the morning with energy and vitality, ready to take on life and the wide open road of possibilities in front of you. Constant back pain, prescription dependence, exhaustion, and migraines are not productive ways to start accomplishing new goals. In fact, they are de-motivators. At Chiropractic Today, we view health as a full circle. Faith, neurological health, nutritional eating, intentional thinking and functional movement are all part of striving to be a well-rounded person. These five things contribute positively to your health path and will guide your daily decisions. We would love to help guide you towards a lifestyle that truly brings LIFE! Join us for our ‘Big 5’ Workshop on July 20th at 6:15pm. Contact us through our website or at 205.991.3511 to RSVP.
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Kristine is a 1993 graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She has been a Certified Hand Therapist since 2000 and is the Founder and President of the Non Profit Organization AkidZ. She has been published in the “Sports Medicine Update” and was a member of the 1996 Olympic Games Medical Staff. She served as a Clinical Excellence Advisor to the City of Wuxi China in 2000. Kristine has been active in teaching Hand Therapy for Advanced Education Seminars and previously for HealthSouth. She works closely with the UAB Occupational Therapy Program mentoring students learning Occupational Therapy and Hand Therapy. She has collected data for cartilage arthroplasties research as well as participating in the read and respond question development for American Society of Hand Therapy. Her greatest accomplishments are raising her two boys who both attend the Hoover school systems.
280Living.com
July 2015 • A21
Always on duty By SYDNEY CROMWELL Christine Shore is never truly offduty from her job as a firefighter with Cahaba Valley Fire and Rescue. She wakes up to the sound of fellow firefighters beginning their shift and falls asleep hearing emergency calls on the radio. Shore is part of the department’s resident firefighter program and has lived at CVFR’s Mt Laurel station since 2006. Cahaba Valley began the resident program in 1997 as a way to keep stations staffed and provide an education to aspiring firefighters. Residents in the program exchange one 24-hour shift per week for an apartment in a fire station with rent and utilities paid for two years. They can choose to work extra shifts for a salary or help in paying for “rookie school” and other education programs. “It’s definitely a good opportunity if they jump in and do what it’s designed to do,” Shore said. Shore chose to stay a resident after her two years were up because it’s convenient for her and helps keep the station staffed, plus she gets to be a familiar face for Mt Laurel children. In addition to her job as day camps director at the YMCA Hargis Retreat in Chelsea, Shore likes to be involved in the station’s education and community events. “It’s really neat to be part of that community because they see you and they thank you and know that what you do is important,” Shore said. In addition to six apartments at
Donald “DJ” Knight joined the resident firefighter program in 2013 to pay for his initial training, and he now plans to be a career firefighter. Photo by Ron Burkett.
Shore’s station in Mt Laurel, CVFR has four apartments at Station 184 on Rex Lake Road and six at Station 185 on Narrows Drive. Donald “DJ” Knight finished his two years in the resident program in June, living at the Rex Lake station and working at the Mt Laurel and Doug Baker Boulevard stations. His job has grown busier over that time – the morning
of this interview, his station had six calls before 9 a.m. In the physical activity and constant variety of being a firefighter, he feels that he’s found the perfect job. “I don’t see myself ever working a different job because I love doing this,” Knight said. “I don’t think I could ever get burned out. I want to be on the busiest truck, I want to take
the busiest calls.” Both Shore and Knight had firefighting friends who initially got them interested in the job. They also admitted to being a little nosy when they heard emergency vehicle sirens. They now run calls ranging from fires and car wrecks to medical emergencies and rescues. Knight noted that he loves the adrenaline and excitement
of the major calls, but he knows that he’s arriving on the scene of someone else’s worst day. “As much as firemen want to do their job, it’s kind of a catch-22 because if you have to do your job, then that potentially means something horrible has happened in someone’s life,” Shore said. Just as their radios are never turned off, Shore and Knight can also get called onto the fire engine any time there aren’t enough people for a call. The constant disruption isn’t for everyone, but the resident firefighters love being a part of what’s going on at their station. “My radio stays on. I don’t know what it’d feel like to live and not listen to the radio at this point,” Knight said. Living at the station also means there’s always someone around to hang out, and firefighters grow close while working long shifts and hard calls. Knight said there is a prank or something fun going on almost every time he leaves his apartment, and his off days are spent working a landscaping job run by his fellow firefighters. “It’s a family. It’s like having your brothers or whomever over, hanging out,” Shore said. The camaraderie and constant activity of life at a fire station are among the reasons why Shore and Knight both plan to continue in the resident firefighter program. They both have the passion to literally sleep, eat and breathe firefighting. “I love my job. I have too much fun at my job,” Knight said.
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A22 • July 2015
280 Living
Brookwood emergency room facility to open this fall By ROY L. WILLIAMS More lives on the U.S. 280 corridor could be saved beginning this fall, when Brookwood Medical Center opens a freestanding emergency department in the Greystone area near Alabama 119. Hoover City Council President Jack Wright said the $19.5 million, 25,000-square-foot facility will fill a need for residents desiring emergency medical services but wanting to avoid traffic congestion on the busy highway. The council supported the project in January by approving incentives valued at $900,000. “How do you like to be stuck in traffic on 280?” Wright said. “When you’re having a heart attack or a stroke, every minute counts.” In May, UAB Medical West opened a $13.5 million freestanding emergency department at Alabama 150 and I-459, making Hoover the first city in Alabama with such a facility. Brookwood’s freestanding ER will be led by Dr. Conrad Brown, who relocated in late March from Dayton, Ohio, to become administrative director of emergency services for the Homewood-based medical center. Brown said the facility will have plenty of amenities to meet emergency needs, including 12 private rooms, two mental health rooms, a trauma room and rooms to handle X-rays, mammograms, gynecology and other services.
Dr. Conrad Brown, left, standing beside Chief Development Officer Mike Rickman, is Brookwood Medical Center’s new director of the freestanding emergency room under construction on U.S. 280. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
Brown said the freestanding emergency department will be able to handle full-fledged medical emergencies similar to what patients receive at Brookwood Medical Center. Having worked at trauma centers across the country, Brown said he is excited by how the facility could give the gift of life by saving crucial travel time to get care.
“The patients who will be coming from the neighborhoods on 280 will be able to get immediate access to the emergency department,” he said. “For those patients who need to be admitted, we will transfer them over to our main hospital. We will have the capability to initiate and start treatment there and then do seamless transfer of patients here for continuity of care.”
Mike Rickman, the chief development officer at Brookwood Medical Center, said the center will help the hospital better serve patients who currently live in the 280 area and beyond. In addition to treating emergency patients, it will also offer outpatient care, Rickman said. “A lot of folks think that the strategy for the freestanding ED was related to
[Trinity’s] Grandview relocation, but we filed for this before that,” Rickman said. “This has to do with us meeting the community’s needs and seeing what showed up in our current emergency department.” Brown said the freestanding ER facility on 280 will essentially be an off-site department of Brookwood Medical Center. Brookwood hasn’t decided on the number of employees that will staff the facility. The roster will include emergency-trained physicians, a medical director, registered nurses and support services. An onsite lab will be available 24 hours a day, as well as a pharmacy to provide medications on-site. Asked about how many patients the ER facility on 280 will treat, Brown said the initial goal is 10,000 annually, or about 28 patients per day. He expects that number to rise over time. Brown said Brookwood Medical Center will begin a “very vigorous marketing campaign” to spread the word to both residents and medical emergency personnel as the fall opening approaches. Like the UAB Medical West ER facility on Alabama 150, Brookwood’s 280 facility will have a helipad capable of flying out patients needing treatment at its main hospital. “We will also have 24-hour on-site ambulance service as well, which others don’t,” Brown said. “The ambulance 24 hours is specific to us.”
280Living.com
July 2015 • A23
A chat with
Heidi and Arthur Strauss of Strauss Financial Group
Arthur Strauss and his mother, Heidi Strauss, run Strauss Financial Group and GenNow, a division targeted toward helping young professionals with financial decisions. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
By ROY L. WILLIAMS Heidi Strauss and her husband, John, have been managing investments for clients of Strauss Financial Group for nearly 30 years. Two years ago, they added a second generation to the family business: their son Arthur Strauss. He is president of GenNow LLC, a new division of the company that focuses on providing investment consulting for young professionals. In a Q & A interview, Heidi and Arthur talked about their passion for guiding people in investment decisions and their special dedication for helping women, young professionals and seniors define and manage their financial goals. Strauss Financial is located at 2201 Cahaba Valley Drive.
Q
For those unfamiliar with Strauss Group, what sets it apart from other investment firms? Heidi: When I started this company, with my husband, John, 27 years ago, our objective was to be totally independent and work for one boss – our client. As a Registered Investment Advisor, our firm also has a fiduciary obligation to do just that – to act solely for the benefit of our clients. Being a fee-only firm, our client association is relationship-driven, not transaction-oriented, and each portfolio is custom designed and based on each client’s unique situation and financial goals. Our ultimate objective is to act as an advisor and “quarterback” to help achieve and maintain financial security.
Q
What are the biggest trends that you see in the industry today? Heidi: Family dynamics are redefining women’s financial roles and gaining attention since the majority of women live longer, work less due to their caregiving role and are more risk adverse when investing. Women also control the majority of the wealth in the US, make most of the household investment decisions and 90 percent of women will have sole responsibility for their finances at some point in their lives. Arthur: Communication and transparency with our clients is key and technology advances have forced advisors to switch and adapt to different platforms over the years. Social media has taken over not only our personal lives but our professional lives, too. Being able to keep clients updated and informed is a win-win for the client and the advisor.
Q
What would you say are the most important qualities to have as a financial advisor? Heidi: As a financial advisor, we wear many hats – including teacher, coach, confidante, economist and advocate – but I think that three of the most crucial services that we offer are the ability to communicate, to listen and to provide objectivity during emotional turmoil. The ability to simplify complex financial decisions and explain technical concepts in plain English helps everyone stay focused and gain understanding of the investment process. Good listening skills allow us to encourage client openness, better understand our client’s needs and create rapport.
Q
How has your personal life contributed to your business success? Heidi: As a child, I lived in India, Belgium and Switzerland and traveled extensively throughout the world. This gave me a unique understanding of different people and cultures, and provided a better perspective of global conditions and economies. As an active mother of three, while balancing both my career and family, I learned the value of time management, organization and delegation in running my business. As a caregiver for my 92-year-old mother, I have been able to incorporate many of the skills that I have learned to benefit our senior clientele. I have much more empathy, experience and awareness of their unique needs and the challenges that they face. Arthur: Growing up with both parents in finance, I remember often sitting around the dinner table and listening to them discuss the markets and the economy, and I was introduced at a very early age to the importance of investing, financial planning, and most importantly, helping people achieve financial freedom.
Q
What are some recommended midyear actions that you take as summer progresses? Heidi: In addition to our ongoing portfolio management activities, we conduct semi-annual portfolio reviews with our clients, evaluate progress towards reaching their specific goals and revisit their risk and return parameters. Summer also allows us to analyze our own projections and performance, and determine if changes need to be made.
280 Living
A24 • July 2015
Anytown Alabama Students explore issues of race and economics at camp By ROY L. WILLIAMS About 70 high school students gathered in June at Camp Hargis in Chelsea, to have in-depth discussions on the issues of race and socioeconomics that many folks choose to ignore. They participated in role-playing sessions and talks about the plight of the poor vs. the benefits of being rich, as well as the effect it has on relationships. This was all part of Anytown Alabama, a weeklong social justice leadership camp that concluded Saturday, June 6. The most powerful session took place on Tuesday, June 2, during a simulation known as “The Neighborhood,” which allowed student participants to see first-hand what people with and without wealth experience. Groups of students were given varied levels of resources and tasked with building a community using the funds they had. The wealthy group built a healthy community with amenities, schools and other benefits that come with money. The middle class group was able to build a partial community, with some amenities but not as much luxury as those in affluent neighborhoods. The poor group was tasked with building a community with limited resources, struggling to survive. Some student attendees said the session was eye-opening, allowing them to discuss a side of life in communities across Alabama they had never seen before. The students, a diverse group from 38 inner-city, suburban and rural high schools, talked candidly about how
Students at Anytown Alabama at Camp Hargis in Chelsea: From left, Adam Jusino of Helena High, Elijah Garrett of Chelsea High and Jere Spillers of Pelham High. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
economic status and race can cause people to be stereotyped. They shared how the session provided an opportunity to empathize with what people of other economic statuses deal with, and reflected on their own lifestyles. Upcoming seniors Elijah Garrett of Chelsea High and Ashlyn Carter of Hoover High, both 17, said it was an eye-opening experience. Carter said she has learned that teens of different backgrounds share similarities. “What I’ve enjoyed most so far is meeting new people who have drastic
differences than me and just being able to connect with new people,” she said. “What I hope to get out of this is make a whole bunch of new friends and to be with people who see the world as I do, and learn from others,” Garrett said during the camp. Anytown Alabama is a weeklong residential camp started by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) in 1989. Since 2011, it has been held each summer in partnership with the YWCA
Central Alabama in Birmingham. At Anytown, students are challenged to consider how they can make their schools and communities more fair and inclusive for all. Participants learn to respond to difficult real-life situations with kindness, courage and respect, said Rebecca Harkless, co-director of Anytown Alabama and coordinator of social justice at the YWCA Central Alabama. She said interaction with a diverse group at camp prepares students for life after high school, where
cultural sensitivity and the ability to communicate with all types of people are crucial. Other topics at the camp included racism, religious oppression, sexism and heterosexism. “They come to Camp Hargis for a weeklong of learning about social justice issues like race and privilege,” Harkless said. “We want the delegates to get out of their comfort zone and be empowered to be leaders in their communities. We want them to go back to their communities and make positive changes.”
280Living.com
July 2015 • A25
Miss Shelby County winners reflect on community service
Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen 2015 Tiara Pennington, left, and Miss Shelby County 2015 Amanda Ford. Photo courtesy of Pam Oliver.
By ERICA TECHO The upcoming 2016 Miss Shelby County Pageant is a bittersweet time for former winners. “I’m going to be really, really sad, but I know that the next Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen is going to be wonderful and is going to have an amazing journey, and I couldn’t have had a better year,” said current Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen Tiara Pennington, 16. Miss Shelby County Amanda Ford, 23, said she is excited to watch friends participate in this year’s pageant and avoid the usual nerves, but there are a few downsides as well. “I’m not necessarily looking forward to [this year] because I’m going to have to give it up,” Ford said of her title. Ford and Pennington are both from Helena and spent the last year serving their community and promoting their platforms. Each pageant participant must choose a platform, and upon winning they help out the organization they choose. “Each girl, they just pick one that’s dear to them,” pageant coordinator Pam Oliver said. “They do fundraisers or they just do appearances to help those who are doing fundraisers.” This year’s platforms were important to both Ford and Pennington. Ford supported Relay for Life, an organization which she has volunteered with since high school. In 2012, her father was diagnosed with lung cancer. While he is cancer-free now, Ford said her dad’s cancer was one thing that fueled her increased involvement with Relay. “Over the years, it has progressed. It’s just a great organization,” she said. Pennington selected Psoriasis Take Action Alabama as her platform in support of her mother and uncle, who have psoriatic arthritis. “When I was younger, of course I didn’t really know the severity of my mother’s and my uncle’s disease,” Pennington said. “But as I got older and was thinking about participating in an Outstanding Teen program, I was able to learn more about psoriatic arthritis, and it has just been the best platform that I could have chosen.” Because they are both from the same area,
Ford said they have been able to work together in the community. “One of my favorite things this year is we’ve gotten to know the Helena mayor Mark Hall really well,” Ford said. “We got to visit his office a few times and share what we really wanted to help do in the community.” The ability to work with their platform and in the community is one of the best opportunities for the Miss Shelby County winners, Oliver said. This experience can help them in school, college or with future jobs. “It’s just so rewarding to me to watch the girls grow over the year while they hold their title,” Oliver said. “It’s fun to watch them grow in everything. It’s such a good experience for them in experience of jobs, as well.” Winners in the Miss Shelby County Pageant go on to participate in the Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen Pageants. Ford said her experience with Miss Shelby County helped improve her confidence during the Miss Alabama interview. Because Miss Shelby County follows Miss America and Miss Alabama requirements, participants are able to prepare for the larger pageants. “[Participating] really helped prepare me because you have to go through the same steps and practice,” Ford said. Ford participated in the Miss Alabama Pageant June 3-6. Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen Pageant was held in March, where Pennington received first runner-up and was a talent and evening gown winner. Even though she did not win, Pennington said she loved the opportunities she had this year. “I’ve had a really great experience getting to represent my area,” Pennington said. “Even if I never become Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen, just being Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen is enough for me because it was one of the big journeys that I’ve always dreamed of, getting to represent my area.” The 2016 Miss Shelby County Pageant is July 17 at Shelby County High School. Contestants between 17 and 23 years old from Shelby, Chilton, Jefferson, Talladega, Bibb, Coosa and St. Clair counties are eligible to participate. The same counties apply for the Outstanding Teen portion, for girls between 12 and 17 years old. Applications must be submitted by July 6.
A26 • July 2015
Preview ofJuly South Shelby Chamber
Luncheon
280 Living
Chamber South Shelby Chamber awards scholarships By MADISON MILLER
Mary Helmer
As part of their tourism-focused luncheon, the South Shelby Chamber will be welcoming Mary Helmer as its speaker. Helmer is the director of Main Street Alabama, a non-profit organization devoted to business growth, public-private partnerships, shopping local and the importance of maintaining traditional downtown shopping areas. The luncheon will also spotlight tourist attractions around Shelby County. Owners of local attractions can contact April Stone at 6699075 to set up a marketing table at the luncheon to share information with other attendees. The luncheon will be July 9 at 11:30 a.m. at Columbiana First United Methodist Church, 200 North Main Street. Lunch is $12, no RSVP required. Visit southshelbychamber.com for more information.
The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce awarded student scholarships at its luncheon on June 4. Students from three Shelby County high schools were chosen to receive $1,000 scholarships after completing an application process with the chamber. Fundraising for the scholarships are a yearlong endeavor, said chamber Executive Director April Stone. The chamber’s silent auction, the Shelby County Shindig and other events help to provide funds for the scholarships throughout the year. The chamber previously awarded scholarships of $500, but recently decided to increase the amount to $1,000. “$500 just doesn’t go a long way anymore,” Stone said. Interested students submit an application to be considered for the scholarship including a 100word essay as well as history of what they have accomplished throughout high school. The chamber also looks at community involvement and employment history. “All three young ladies who received scholarships today held down part time jobs during high school and put in time to volunteer in the community,” Stone said. “We’re looking for wellrounded individuals.” This year’s scholarship
Chelsea High School graduate Ashton Baker receives a scholarship from the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Madison Miller.
recipients included: } Ashton Baker from Chelsea High School: At Chelsea High School, Baker was a varsity cheerleader and golfer. She also participated in Future Teachers of Alabama, Future Business Leaders of America, Mu Alpha Theta, Beta Club and National Honor Society. Baker plans to attend Auburn University in the fall to pursue a degree in elementary education and graduate studies to become a teacher for the visually impaired. } Madison Harbin from Vincent High School: Harbin is a graduate of Youth Leadership Shelby County and Shelby County Leadership Development. She participated in Future Business Leaders of
America, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Student Government Association, leadership member in ROTC and Campfire USA Addiction Coalition. Harbin will attend The University of South Alabama in the fall and study international marketing. } Jordan McKoy from Shelby County High School: McKoy was the Family Career Community Leaders of America Vice President. She was also involved in Beta Club, Future Teachers of America, Student of the Week and participated in varsity softball and volleyball. McKoy will attend Troy University and major in elementary education. Chamber members also head from University of Montevallo
President Dr. John Stewart. Stewart returned to speak for the chamber after first speaking several years ago after he first began his term at Montevallo. Though the school was experiencing difficulty, Stewart began in 2010 and was able to develop a plan to help the university grow revenue. Rather than focus on cutting costs, Stewart and other officials at the university focused on ways to grow. “It’s a whole lot more fun to grow more revenue than it is to cut costs,” Stewart said. With fewer students going to college in the state and state funding being cut, Stewart knew the importance of investing in curb appeal. Over the past five years, the university has formed new graduate and minor programs, built new classrooms, a book store, an entrance to campus, a track and field facility, a lake and fitness trail and a softball stadium. These new additions not only help to draw students in, but also help to show the state what the university has to offer, Stewart said. Through new additions, programs and community outreach, the university has increased its overall enrollment by six percent and has increased the size of its freshman class by 25 percent. “Don’t be afraid to ask. Ask for business. Just go get it,” Stewart said.
280Living.com
July 2015 • A27
Chamber honors small businesses at luncheon
Luncheon
By MADISON MILLER The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce presented its 2015 Small Business Awards at its luncheon on May 20. Each year, the chamber recognizes small businesses throughout the area in four categories based on number of employees and length of time in business. This year’s winners were chosen from 33 nominations and included the following: } Category I: 1-10 Employees, Open One Year or More: Encore Resources } Category II: 11-20 Employees, Open One Year or More: Mickey’s Grill } Category III: 21+ Employees: Vulcan Termite & Pest Control } Category IV: Less than 25 Employees, Open Less Than One Year: Frios Gourmet Pops The luncheon also featured entrepreneur and author Dick Cross as its speaker. Cross is the founder of The Cross Partnership III, a Boston-based business consulting firm. He is also the author of “60-Minute CEO” and “Just Run It! Running Your Business Is Easier Than You Think.” In his presentation, Cross outlined several tips to help small business owners manage employees in an evolving job market. In order to run a successful business, he said owners should focus on thinking and character. Cross recommended that business owners devote at least 60 minutes three times per week to sit down and think about goals and ideas for their businesses, focusing on what the business should be, why it should be that way and how to make the goal a reality. “Half the job is simply to just sit and think,” Cross said.
Preview of July Greater Shelby Chamber
Frios Gourmet Pops accepts the Category IV award. Photo by Madison Miller.
The other half, Cross said, is having the right character to run a business. Cross said that since younger generations have started entering the workforce, different managerial styles have become more effective. “The work force today, the millennials and so forth, are not like the [previous] work force and our current model of being in charge, which was ‘I’m in charge. I’m going to tell you to do something or you’re going to lose your job.’ People don’t operate like that anymore,” Cross said.
Instead, Cross said, employees now respond to character of an employer and do their job well based on respect. Cross listed nine attributes for each employer to strive to embody when managing employees: patience, kindness, generosity, courtesy, humility, unselfishness, good humor, guilelessness and sincerity. Each attribute will elicit positive attitudes and work ethic from employees, Cross said. For more information, visit shelbychamber.org.
On July 29, The Greater Shelby Chamber will be hosting a panel on the state of the county school system. The panel will include the Shelby County, Alabaster and Pelham school systems’ superintendents. Members of the education work group are creating questions for the panel to answer, and they invite luncheon attendees to do the same. The panel will address about 10 of these questions during the discussion, followed by a Q&A session. The luncheon is sponsored by 280 Living and will be held in the banquet hall of the Pelham Civic Center. Organizations engaged in educational programs are invited to participate in the luncheon’s showcase feature. The luncheon is $20 for members and $30 for non-members. Doors open at 11 a.m. for networking and the panel will begin at 11:30. RSVP by phone at 6634542 or online at shelbychamber.org by July 27. Contact Keyla Handley for more information at keyla@ shelbychamber.org.
A28 • July 2015
280 Living
Economic forum discusses bringing businesses to Shelby County By ERICA TECHO The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce economic development committee welcomed speaker James Dedes at its June 4 meeting. Dedes, executive director of the Shelby County Economic and Industrial Development Authority, spoke about creating jobs and bringing businesses to Shelby County during the committee’s forum. “Part of our mission is to encourage the public sector and the private sector to create sites that we can show companies,” Dedes said. “We can talk about our quality of life in Shelby County all day long, but unless we’ve got a site or a building to show a company, we’re not going to have any success getting that business to come to Shelby County.” One of the biggest challenges Alabama faces is competition with states that can provide greater incentives, including Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and South Carolina. “We are constantly sort of outgunned in terms of the funding that the state gives to the Department of Commerce compared to other states,” Dedes said. “So we’ve got to be creative in Alabama to figure out how we do more with less.” These changes include the incentives that are offered to businesses. While big projects were won during Gov. Bob Riley’s administration, the state no longer has the money
Hoover Chamber of Commerce executive director Bill Powell, James Dedes and Chamber board member Gregg Maercker. Photo by Erica Techo.
to write big checks. New incentives are a reflection of that fact, Dedes said. One potential change would require local communities and governments to “step up” with incentives and benefits. Another includes analyzing the jobs created and revenue generated by a company and then offering a rebate for a portion of the taxes the company paid. “Now it’s pay-as-you-go instead of writing a big check up front,” Dedes said. “It remains to be seen if it is going to be a successful strategy.” Even though there are still
states that can write big checks to bring in companies, Dedes said they will eventually face a similar situation to Alabama – the money just won’t be there. For now, he hopes this shift in incentives will make Alabama more competitive. Focusing only on bringing in big projects is not ideal, though. Dedes also discussed the importance of reaching out to the businesses already in the county. “We know the vast majority of jobs created in Alabama are from companies that are already here,” Dedes said, “so we need to do a better job of meeting with
existing companies and finding out what we can do on the county level and the city level to help them be more successful.” In the future, SCEIDA plans to work more with existing businesses and help those grow, a process that could include evaluation of the incentives that are offered. “A lot of incentives are geared toward going after big projects, and there are so many more jobs that are created out of companies that are growing,” Dedes said. “And there are probably not enough incentives that reflect that reality.”
Preview of July
Hoover Area Chamber Luncheon At their July 16 luncheon, the Hoover Area Chamber will present the 13th annual Freedom Award to an as-yet unnamed recipient. Freedom Award winners must display good character, support of the military, long-term service of the ideals of freedom and support of local, state and federal government. The City of Hoover Veteran’s Committee will choose this year’s winner and Mayor Gary Ivey will present the award. The luncheon will be at the Hoover Country Club. The cost is $20 in advance or $22 at the door. Networking begins at 11:15 a.m. and the meeting begins at noon. Regions Bank is sponsoring the luncheon. Call 988-5672 or email admin@hooverchamber.org to RSVP by July 14 or for more information.
280Living.com
July 2015 • A29
PROGRESS
state funding from the entire park system, and that adds a new layer of uncertainty.
expects cost assessments for some of the recommended projects will be finished as well. Sometime before September 30, the draft of the master plan will be ready. “Then we’ll get some action on getting some stuff done, which will be nice,” Scroggins said. The possibility of a hotel and convention center has brought the park’s master plan under a lot of public criticism. County Manager Alex Dudchock said they are currently studying the legal structure, management and financial feasibility of such a project. The next step is a site assessment, but Dudchock emphasized that careful consideration would be given before funding this evaluation. “The last thing we want to do is do a project such as that, that could adversely impact any of these other elements that [are] operating off the same source,” Dudchock said. With the project priority list that the assessment teams are producing, the park and its partners can then begin planning what projects will become a reality. There is no official list yet, but both Dudchock and Ezell mentioned possible improvements that have been suggested by visitors and park staff. Upgrading the RV campgrounds’ electricity capabilities to 50 amps, from their current 30 amps, is one such project in high demand. Ezell would also like to build more rental cabins at Lake Tranquility, as they are currently filled above 80 percent capacity year-round. Other possibilities include restrooms and showers, rowing boats, equipment for the Oak Mountain Grill and rental yurts, which are wood and canvas camping structures. “We want something for everybody. When you’ve got 9,940 acres, there should be something available, passive and/or active use, within the park,” Dudchock said. Funding will determine how much of the park’s wish list will be fulfilled. The Shelby County Commission has pledged between $1.5 million and $2 million over the next five years, and the city of Pelham may also choose to contribute. However, Oak Mountain also relies on
Funding worries The finances of the state park system are currently in flux as the Alabama legislature considers its budget for the 2016 fiscal year. The budget originally approved would have transferred $9.2 million from the state parks budget to the state’s general fund for use on other projects. This budget was vetoed by Gov. Robert Bentley, but a new budget had not been approved as of this issue’s print date. Greg Lein, the state parks division director for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said the transfer of this funding would cause repercussions in every park. His department had originally identified 15 parks that could close if the original budget passed. Now, however, he said there’s too much uncertainty to know how parks would be affected. Much of the impact would be determined by the revenue from the busy summer season. “We never have a significant cash balance in our two [capital and revolving] funds,” Lein said. “It’s still a concern for us.” Oak Mountain is consistently profitable, but many of its fellow parks are not. If the budget transfer is approved, Oak Mountain would not stay untouched by the funding issue. “A healthy park system as a whole is good for every park,” said Philip Darden, the steering committee chairman for the Alabama State Parks Partners Coalition, an awareness and support organization for the park system. “They all operate with the same funding. It’s not like the money Oak Mountain makes stays at Oak Mountain.” Ezell said these funding cuts would impact not only master plan projects, but also current amenities. Depending on the severity, Oak Mountain could consider closing some of its less profitable features, such as the petting farm. “It’s really a dilemma that will confront the entire state park system,” Lein said. “They are all in jeopardy in some form or fashion.” When the original state budget was passed and park closures were being considered, the Parks Partners Coalition formed to encourage more residents to go out and use their local parks. Darden hopes eventually the coalition
CONTINUED from page A1
New bikes lanes coming to OMSP Oak Mountain State Park has secured grants and ALDOT engineering contracts to repave and add six-foot bike lanes to its main roads. The lanes will run on Oak Mountain State Park Road and John Findley Drive from the main entrance near Oak Mountain Amphitheatre to the “back gate” at the Highway 119 entrance. Part of this roadway has a wide shoulder that some bikers use, while other parts have no shoulder at all. The project is currently in the design phase. “You see most bikers still in the road because it’s really not adequate,” Shelby County Chief Development Officer Chad Scroggins said. “When you can leave Oak Mountain Amphitheatre on State Park Road and then come all the way around and ride the whole park all the way back out to 119, it would give a really nice ride for the road bikers who are already using it.” The bike lane project is part of the $400,000 Shelby County budgeted for the park this fiscal year. That funding has also built new restrooms and a picnic pavilion at the archery range.
can become a fundraising organization if it is ever needed. According to the Coalition website, Alabama state parks receive around 4.6 million visitors per year and generate around $375 million in annual economic impact. Coalition members include businesses and other organizations that use or appreciate the state parks. This includes the Vulcan Orienteering Club, which meets at Oak Mountain State Park about once a month from September to May. The club’s public relations officer, Alina Tuganova, said Oak Mountain has great terrain and elevation for orienteering, which involves using specialized maps to find the way from one point in the park to another. The orienteering club supports the Coalition because they share a goal of encouraging people
to use the parks. Though she understands that the state is facing budget difficulties, Tuganova hopes the solution will not be park funding cuts. “One of the things that makes Alabama unique [is] Alabama’s parks and green spaces,” Tuganova said. “I really think that the state should do everything possible to keep state parks open.” Both Lein and Ezell emphasized that much of the daily operation budget for parks comes from entrance fees and other visitor revenue. Lein said park attendance has been increasing, with 2014 having the highest revenue in at least 20 years. “User fees are what run our parks and keep our parks viable, so to support our park just come out and use our parks,” Ezell said. “That’s the best way to show your support.”
A30 • July 2015
280 Living
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child By KARI KAMPAKIS Several years ago, my friend’s daughter really wanted to be chosen as “Swimmer of the Week” at their country club. It’s an honor bestowed weekly to one child per age group in the summer. Parents will sometimes call the club to request that their child be picked, but my friend didn’t want to do that. She wanted her daughter to win the award through hard work and perseverance. And so she told her child, “When you get this award, you’ll know you earned it. You’ll know I didn’t have anything to do with it.” It took her daughter two summers to be named “Swimmer of the Week.” As you might imagine, she was so proud of herself when her efforts finally paid off. But the biggest surprise came at the summer’s end when she received the Coach’s Award at the banquet. This award was based on hard work, attitude and performance. To this day, this child still gets recognized for her work ethic by teachers and coaches. She receives honors like “hardest worker award” and team captain. And while I’m sure her work ethic is part of her nature, I’m also certain that her nurturing at home has played a big role as well. My favorite parenting motto has always been, “Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child.” The most popular article I’ve ever written, “10 Common Mistakes Parents Today Make,” was based on this philosophy, and based on the response it received online, I believe many
parents embrace the same philosophy. Even so, it’s hard not to be a Snowplough Parent. It’s hard not to clear every obstacle in our children’s path so they can be happy now — getting what they want exactly when they want it. But when we constantly clear the road for a child, we make their life too easy. We don’t allow them to build life-coping skills they’ll need down the road to handle life’s hard realities. Because at this point in time, our kids face Little League stress. They face rejection, disappointment, and adversity on a small and age-appropriate level (generally speaking). One day, however, our kids will experience Big League stress. Their rejection, disappointment and adversity will be adult-sized. And unless they learn healthy ways to cope with Little League stress, and experience the pride and confidence that comes from pushing through an obstacle and emerging stronger on the other side, they’ll never be prepared for the Big League. Our job as parents is to help our kids not need us. We have 18 years to pack their suitcase, 18 years to slowly equip them to handle life as self-sufficient adults. And while love is irrefutably the most important gift we give our kids, true love wants what’s best for a person long-term. It thinks beyond instant gratification and short-lived happiness. It values character and commitment over trophies and quick fixes. There is a reason why college administrators often call today’s students “teacups” — too
fragile to cope with normal life challenges. There’s a reason why psychologists are seeing a record number of 20-somethings who are depressed and don’t know why, as they claim they had magical childhoods, their parents are their best friends, and they never experienced tragedy or anything more than normal disappointments. It’s because we live in an age of parenting where we do too much for our children. We concentrate so hard on creating magical memories and removing obstacles to keep our kids happy that we oftentimes fail to cultivate qualities like character, patience, perseverance, determination and resolve that they’ll need to be happy, successful adults. The kids I most enjoy watching grow up aren’t the ones always in the limelight. No, I have a soft spot for the underdogs, those kids who work harder than their peers because they have to and stay motivated when nobody is watching or cheering them on. Because these kids are building resiliency. They’re discovering early that the best way to deal with a brick wall is to learn how to scale it instead of looking around for someone to make it disappear. I admire my friend for letting her daughter wait two summers to earn “Swimmer of the Week” when a phone call offered an easy shortcut. And I guarantee the pride her daughter feels when she sees that trophy — a symbol of her sweat and tears — is vastly different than the ambivalence she’d have toward a trophy her
mom once helped her secure. It isn’t trophies that build a child’s self-esteem, but rather the stories behind the trophies. After all, when children leave home at age 18, trophies stay on the shelf in their childhood bedrooms. But the stories of how the trophies were earned? Well, those get packed in their suitcase. Preparing a child for the road means thinking about what their suitcase needs. So as I pack my kids’ suitcases with love, faith and affection, I also try to save room for resiliency and character — both acquired by facing obstacles, failures and disappointments. I try to remember that every suitcase needs a healthy mix of warm memories and hard lessons. Whatever my kids’ suitcases contain, I hope they learn to carry them with pride. I hope they represent the security of home and the security of knowing they can handle the real world. Most of all, I hope I can love my kids enough to not make their life too easy. It’s a tall order for any parent who wants their child is happy, but one we must all consider in order for our kids to reach their fullest potential as adults. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Birmingham mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
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July 2015 • A31
VIETNAM
CONTINUED from page A1 southeast of Saigon. Her duties were to receive injured men off the helicopters and triage them. She also worked in the intensive care unit, recovery unit and medical/surgical unit. Some weeks she would work 12-hour shifts seven days in a row. “It took me a while to build up to be able to handle certain situations, because you never knew what would come in. There were things you couldn’t even imagine,” Fiol said. Her hospital in Vung Tau was located next to an army airstrip but had to keep being moved back to avoid mortar attacks. Fiol was trained to use an M16 automatic rifle and a Colt .45 pistol. She would carry the pistol, but never inside the hospital. “I never had to use it, but knew how,” Fiol said. “The closest I ever came personally to using it was in Vung Tau. One evening a friend and I were walking down the road and a sniper shot two of our soldiers down in front of us.” In her free time, Fiol taught conversational English to elementary school children and their parents, and also hygiene classes. She saw incredible poverty, with up to six families sharing a single hut and using the same water supply for every purpose. Being a nurse in South Vietnam was an exhausting task, but it could also be fulfilling. “The sand fried my feet and I got a case of dysentery while in Vietnam, but other than that I was sort of thriving,” Fiol said. Fiol was also one of the last nurses to assist in the medical civil action program (MEDCAP), which provided medical services to civilians. She flew in a Huey helicopter that made trips
While serving in Vietnam, Fiol also taught basic English to local Vietnamese children. Photos courtesy of Pat Fiol.
into the Mekong Delta to bring medical clinics before they were discontinued. Since she was in the service by direct commission, Fiol was finished with her service in 1967 after completing her year in Vietnam. Transitioning to her life back home wasn’t easy for Fiol. She struggled with how materialistic the U.S. was, after being with people who had nothing. No one really understood what she had experienced, which caused her to pull back from her friends. She was also disappointed to see Americans fighting and killing each other during racial riots. In many people’s eyes, Vietnam had become a war that was not worthy to be fought. “So many of our people began to look at it as an unworthy war to be involved in and be dying in for those
people. Since I had a relationship with those people I felt very differently about that,” Fiol said. “Once you have been so committed to a life and death situation and return, no cause is great enough any longer. I prayed a lot and asked the Lord to lead me to something I could do that would be worthy without going back to war.” Fiol began speaking and educating others on the reality of the situation in Vietnam. In 1969 she married Stephen Loescher, also a Vietnam veteran. They had a son, Peter, in 1970 and daughter, Rachel, in 1972. Fiol found a new passion in working with inner city ministries and college international students while her family lived in Baltimore and Mobile. “It was good for them, but also good for me, to be able to reach out to folks from an area where I had
A 20-year-old Pat Fiol, then Pat Luers, served in South Vietnam for a year as a nurse during the Vietnam War.
served, and I felt like we had truly let them down in the end,” she said. “We walked out and there was not much I could do over there, but I could help here.” After becoming a widow at age 50, Fiol moved to Atlanta to be closer to her children and grandchildren. She again became involved in inner city ministry as a nurse and later board member at Good Samaritan Health Center. “As I look at being involved in that ministry closer to the end of my life, all of those things I’ve done go back to working with those young people and doing those clinics in Vietnam,” she said. “The skills I learned there have helped me be useful here and now.” After spending 16 years in Atlanta, Fiol, now 70, resides at Danberry
at Inverness. Her second husband, Bob Fiol, a 30-year Navy chaplain, passed away last November and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in March. While she is no longer a nurse, Fiol is active in visiting her grandchildren, being involved in her church group, visiting shut-ins, reading to fifth-graders at Oak Mountain Intermediate School and working with the Discovery Club teaching the Bible in schools. She enjoys her time at Danberry and the shared experiences of other veterans who live there. “There is a large contingent of military here at Danberry,” Fiol said. “Once you’re with these folks and they know you are military, there is a common bond in that.”
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280 Living neighborly news & entertainment
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Firefighters to face off in
Iron City Chef By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE The four competitors entering the kitchen for the 2015 Iron City Chef won’t be professional Birmingham chefs – they’ll be local first responders who can whip up a mean firehouse meal. The Firehouse Edition is the theme of the seventh annual fundraiser, which will feature representatives of the fire departments of Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills, said Kent Howard, Vestavia Hills Rotarian and event chairman. The event, which attracts a sellout crowd of about 300 every year, will be July 18 at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute. “For the last six years, this signature event has had the Iron City format, bringing in four Birmingham area chefs to cook a meal that is judged by those in attendance,” Howard said. “But club members started talking last
year about mixing it up and we decided to reach out to surrounding fire departments because, after all, they’re known for their great meals.” Competitors include Homewood’s Alexander Glover, Mountain Brook’s Lee Currie, Hoover’s Edward Pegues and Vestavia’s Trey VanHooser, each with more than a decade of firefighting experience. Battling blazes or answering a medical emergency call may be no problem, but each of the competitors admit they’re “intimidated” by the upcoming challenge. The 2015 beneficiaries of the Iron City Chef Firehouse Edition are Jefferson State Community College, Vestavia Hills math and debate program and the Rotary’s local and international programs including End Polio Now. The Vestavia Hills Rotary has held a signature event for the past 25 years, raising more than $675,000. Iron City Chef cook off guests will begin the evening with a reception of fruit, cheese and a wine tasting provided by Western Supermarkets. Then
guests will sample the firehouse competitors’ creations and vote to decide the top two competitors who will enter a glass-enclosed kitchen for a 30 minute final cook off using mystery ingredients. Judges deciding the overall winner from that contest will be area culinary professionals. Joseph Mitchell, program director of the Culinary and Hospitality Institute at Jefferson State, has worked with the Iron City Chef cook off for seven years, serving as a liaison with the Rotary Club to help organize the chefs, prepare the facility and pair some of his students with the participants to assist as sous chefs. “We provide a team of students for each competitor and the sous chef working with the overall winner receives a $1,000 scholarship for his student account,” Mitchell said. “It is a win-win opportunity for everyone involved.” Mitchell said he’s gone to a lot of food events and receives numerous calls about putting on special events,
Edward Pegues prepares food at the Hoover fire station. Photo by Ron Burkett..
but the Iron City Chef is one of his favorites. “There’s just so much energy,” he said. “It’s fun, exciting, there’s food, the news crews ¬ it’s just a very special occasion put on by a very special group.” Iron City Chef Firehouse Edition tickets are $55 per person with corporate tables available for $400 and $800. For more information, go to rotarytoast.org.
Hoover Competitor Edward Pegues Time with HFD: 10 years Dish for Iron City Chef: Shrimp and grits, banana pudding for dessert.
B2 • July 2015
280 Living
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July 2015 • B3
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B4 • July 2015
280 Living
‘Right To Try’ bill bittersweet for parents of Gabe Griffin By ROY L. WILLIAMS As 10-year-old Gabe Griffin bounced a basketball with his friends in mid-June, few people would ever figure this energetic young boy was battling a crippling disease that could put him in wheelchair within two years. “That’s my Dad,” a smiling Gabe said as his father, Scott Griffin, was being interviewed by 280 Living. Scott Griffin, whose family lives in Highland Lakes, almost chokes up as he talks of a new Alabama law that he hopes could save his son and others fighting deadly ailments. In the fall of 2014, Scott Griffin of Highland Lakes began lobbying members of the Alabama legislature in pursuit of a bill allowing the use of experimental drugs. It could save Gabe’s life. The hard work paid off in early June, when Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed the Gabe Griffin Right To Try Act into law. The legislation gives terminally ill patients like Gabe access to medicines that have passed Phase 1 of the Food and Drug Administration approval process, but are not yet on pharmacy shelves. Gabe, who turned 10 in May, has been the face of the Right to Try effort in Alabama. He was diagnosed at age three with a rare form of muscular dystrophy called Duchenne. Patients who have Duchenne are typically wheelchair-bound by age 12 and
Scott Griffin, standing behind his son Gabe, center, and two of his friends, Anthony Lanzi, left, and Braden Macon, right. Photo by Roy Williams.
have a life expectancy of just 17 to 20 years. “When he was diagnosed, it was devastating,” Griffin said. “Duchenne is 100 percent fatal, most people who have it die by age 17. There is no cure.” In an interview after the bill was signed into law by Bentley, Griffin expressed appreciation to the governor, State Sen. Cam Ward and State Rep. April Weaver, who sponsored the senate and house versions of the bill. “I don’t know if this Right To Try
law will save Gabe’s life or not, but at least he has a better chance now,” Griffin said. “If not, what a great legacy for our son to leave behind if this law saves the life of just one person down the road.” Alabama becomes the 19th state to enact Right to Try laws, which allow use of drugs in development that could save or lengthen lives of patients who will no longer have to wait years for the FDA to finish its final approval process. The legislation has been introduced
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in 17 other states this year. The national bipartisan effort to give terminally ill Americans access to investigational medications is being led by the Goldwater Institute. “Americans shouldn’t have to ask the government for permission to try to save their own lives,” said Darcy Olsen, president of the Goldwater Institute. “They should be able to work with their doctors directly to decide what potentially life-saving treatments they are willing to try. This is exactly what Right To Try does – it
removes barriers that limit medical practitioners from providing care they are trained to give.” The FDA has a process that allows people to gain access investigational medicines, but fewer than 1,000 people a year receive help. Others die while waiting on their approval. The FDA recently announced plans to shorten the application form. Griffin began advocating for passage of the Gabe Griffin Right to Try bill a year ago, after returning from the Ride for Gabe bike ride from Oregon to the state capitol in Montgomery. The ride was a chance to raise awareness of how experimental drugs could save the lives of terminally ill patients like his son. “The Right to Try movement has been in place across the country for years,” Griffin said. “We decided 2015 would be the year we would go for getting the law enacted in Alabama.” Experimental drugs give Gabe a chance, Griffin said. Without them, Gabe could be in a wheelchair in two years and dead by age 17. Griffin said he and his wife have their good days and their bad days, but are relying on their faith and the strength of their son Gabe. “It’s not for us to ask why or feel sorry for ourselves,” Griffin said. “This has caused us to put life in perspective. I’ve learned to slow down and enjoy life. We have a Hope for Gabe website. This new law brings hope to others as well.”
280Living.com
July 2015 • B5
Construction for Carly’s Clubhouse set to begin this fall By KATIE TURPEN For local children with special needs, playtime will soon become an adventure. Construction of a special playground at Pelham City Park where children of all abilities can play is set to begin this fall. Dustin Chandler, an Inverness resident and Pelham police officer, is the mind behind the inclusive playground that will be called Carly’s Clubhouse, named after his daughter, Carly. She was born with a rare disorder called CDKL5. There is no cure for CDKL5, and it has caused developmental delays for Carly. Following Carly’s diagnosis, Chandler met countless parents of children who have special needs. “A common thread with all of us is we want our children to be able to play with their able-bodied siblings or peers,” said Chandler. “After many days trying to find a solution, the idea of Carly’s Clubhouse was born.” The city of Pelham donated the land for the 30,000-square-foot playground, and Chandler said it will have a variety of fun components such as accessible zip lines, a rocket ship with flashing lights, a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round, swings and more. Chandler has met regularly with several committees in charge of planning the playground and traveling around the community spreading the word. He said help is still needed in reaching the $800,000 fundraising goal. He hopes a majority of the money
(above) This rendering shows the future Carly’s Clubhouse with features such as accessible zip lines, a rocket ship with flashing lights and wheelchair-accessible merry go round swings. is set to be under construction by this fall. (left) Dustin Chandler with his wife, Amy, and their three children. Photo courtesy of Dustin Chandler.
will come from grants. In March, a motorcycle ride was held at the Pelham Civic Complex, and plans are also currently in place for another fundraising event. “The only way we are going to get this done is through the help of the community,” said Chandler. Chandler’s playground efforts have also had a ripple effect in other areas
across the country. He said a family in Tuscaloosa was inspired to build an all-inclusive playground, and he’s even gotten a phone call from parents in Utah. Chandler recently got the chance to meet with a group of engineering students from Detroit who are designing a swing made to accommodate children with special needs as they grow.
“It really shows you the impact these playgrounds can have,” Chandler said. “This is going to be a regional activity that all children can enjoy.” Kyle Cundy is the project manager of Leathers and Associates and has been with working Chandler on the playground. “These playgrounds turn into
destination playgrounds and service more than just their immediate community,” she said. “Families from surrounding areas will travel in to utilize these play structures.” People are invited to purchase a personalized fence picket for $35 each or three for $90 to be placed around the perimeter of Carly’s Clubhouse. For more, visit carlysclubhouse.org.
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B6 • July 2015
280 Living
Hero the dog goes to jail for charity
Diecel, 5, and Isahia, 4, (left to right) stand with Hero at the Chelsea Walmart on June 6.
Chelsea City firehouse dog Hero was placed in “jail” in order to raise money for Children’s of Alabama. Photos by Erica Techo.
By ERICA TECHO Chelsea City Fire and Rescue firehouse dog Hero was “arrested” and put in jail for charity on Saturday, June 6. Members of the community were encouraged to donate money for Hero’s bail, and all proceeds went to Children’s of Alabama. A total of $558 was raised at the event.
Hero didn’t like to stay in his cell, Lt. Don Williamson said, because he wanted to get out and greet all of his visitors. Visitors got the chance to take photos with Hero, and members of Chelsea City Fire and Rescue gave tours of the fire truck and answered questions. Children also received fire hats and stickers.
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Siblings Guadalupe, 8, Anahi, 7, Kimberly, 2, and Fernando, 6, stand with Hero.
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July 2015 • B7
Darrius and Darrian Stringer from Hoover.
Catherine, Miller and Olivia Creed from Hoover and Ashley, Zac and Juliette Edwards from Chelsea. Photos by Ron Burkett.
On June 5, the city of Hoover showed “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” during its weekly Friday Night Flick.
Friday Night Flicks Families from across the Birmingham area flock to Veterans Park with lawn chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy Friday Night Flicks. The city of Hoover puts on the weekly summer movies each year to provide a free family activity. Ryan, Ann Marie and Cian Daugherty from Hoover.
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B8 • July 2015
A screech owl sits on its perch at the AWC.
280 Living
A volunteer at the AWC gives medication to a woodpecker.
A baby mockingbird opens its mouth to be fed in the AWC bird nursery.
Alabama Wildlife Center’s baby bird season Woodpeckers, like this young pileated woodpecker, are among the hundreds of baby songbirds that the AWC will take care of during the spring and summer.
Spring and summer are the busiest times for the Alabama Wildlife Center, which cares for hundreds of songbirds, waterfowl and birds of prey every year. It’s baby bird season, which means the staff and volunteers at AWC will be providing constant care for the injured and orphaned birds that are brought through their doors. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.
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St. Vincent’s One Nineteen celebrates 10 years
July 2015 • B9
Kids could have balloon animals and swords made at the St. Vincent’s One Nineteen block party.
Charlie, 5, plays bubble soccer at the St. Vincent’s One Nineteen block party. Photos by Erica Techo.
By ERICA TECHO St. Vincent’s One Nineteen had a few reasons to celebrate at its June 13 block party. “Today is especially special because it’s the 10th year anniversary [of St. Vincent’s One Nineteen] and a celebration of our new addition,” said
Neeysa Biddle, senior vice president, Ascension Health and Birmingham Market Executive. St. Vincent’s expansion will allow more room for surgery, urgent care and additional doctors. Block party attendees had the chance to sign expansion beams which will be on display when the expansion is completed.
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Free health screenings were provided at the St. Vincent’s block party.
Biddle said the project shows St. Vincent’s dedication to health as well as healthcare. “This facility shows our move toward healthier communities in Shelby County,” Biddle said. The block party included hot air balloon rides, an inflatable obstacle course, face painting and live music by Act of Congress. There were also
food trucks and stands from Jim N Nicks BBQ, Cantina and Kona Ice. In order to promote health and wellness, St. Vincent’s also offered free blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose, and hearing and vision screenings.
B10 • July 2015
280 Living
4th of July events guide
By JORDAN HAYS
American Village July 4, noon The American Village, 3727 Highway 119
Photo courtesy of American Village.
Step back in time with American Village for a day of fun, food and fireworks as they celebrate the birthday of the United States. Witness Patrick Henry’s famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” or sit down and watch some colonial comedy. These events will repeat throughout the day, so attendees have the chance to see everything. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see the reenactment of the first battle for independence as the colonials fight the redcoats at Concord Bridge at 2:30 p.m.
The Colonial Independence Ball will be at 4:30 and again at 6:00 p.m. at Liberty Hall. Children’s activities will include designing an American flag, signing a copy of the Constitution, colonial games and dress-up. The event will conclude with fireworks in the evening. Admission is $5 and is free to veterans, active military members and children under the age of 4. For more information, visit americanvillage. org.
Fire on the Water July 3, all day Oak Mountain State Park Join Oak Mountain State Park for food and fireworks in the forest. The park will operate during its normal hours. However, food vendors such as Dreamland BBQ, Frios Gourmet Pops and McAlister’s Deli will begin setting up between 9-10 a.m. and will be selling food until 9 p.m. Flip Side Watersports will perform knee and wake boarding demos during the day. There will also be a helicopter exhibition held by the Alabama National Guard 20th Special Force Group.
The park gate will close at 8 p.m. Attendees can watch the fireworks show, which will be fired from the dam, at 9 p.m. from the Day Use area. Normal gate prices will be in effect until 5 p.m. when the price will switch to $5 per car. This year, Oak Mountain is providing a shuttle service from the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre to the Day Area. The shuttle will run from 5 p.m. to approximately 7:45 p.m. and will return those who rode the bus back to the amphitheatre after the show.
Photo courtesy of Emily Cook.
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July 2015 • B11
Greystone July 4th Spectacular July 4, 9 a.m.-dusk for members, 5 p.m.-dusk for residents Greystone Golf & Country Club Greystone Golf & Country Club will hold its annual July 4th Spectacular for members and residents only. Members are invited to participate in a tennis mixer from 9-11 a.m. Refreshments and watermelon will be provided. RSVP at the Tennis Shop at 986-5154. Greystone’s Splashtacular & Pool Cookout will open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission will cost $6 for children ages 5-12 and $12 for adults. The event will feature a DJ, food, games and contests from 12 p.m.-3 p.m. A Flag Day golf tournament will be held from 11:30 a.m. at the Founders and Legacy range. Residents can reserve their tee time online at greystonecc.com or call 980-5200. The Founders range will close at 2 p.m. in preparation for the fireworks show. The golf, tennis and pool events are only
The Big Kaboom July 3, 8 p.m. Chelsea Park The Big Kaboom is the City of Chelsea’s way of celebrating Independence Day. The celebration will be held at Chelsea Park Subdivision, just off of Highway 280 in Chelsea. The entertainment portion will begin July 3 at 8:00 pm in the park area off of Chelsea Park Drive, on Parkmont Way. There will be live music and local food and business vendors will be set up around the perimeter of the park. Be sure to bring a blanket
or folding chair for the evening. The fireworks are set off on top of the ridge near the Chelsea water tower. There are plenty of places to park and watch. There is an open field on Highway 440 and U.S. 280 that is a perfect place to park for those who don’t want to participate in the entertainment. The Chelsea Crossroads Shopping Center parking lot, in front of Publix, is another good spot to view the fireworks.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Neu.
available for members. Residents of Greystone and members may participate in the barbeque buffet from 5-8:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for children ages 5-12 and $22 for adults. Residents can also attend the Radio Flyers Children’s Parade at Founders Clubhouse Circle at 5 p.m. Children can decorate their wagons, bicycles or scooters and participate in the parade. Greystone will also host a carnival, featuring bouncy houses, games and balloon artists. The night will end with a firework show at Founders Clubhouse at dusk. 280 FEAT July4_2.jpg – Greystone Golf and Country Club will host a full day of activities for members and residents. Courtesy of Greystone Golf and Country Club.
B12 • July 2015
280 Living
July Fourth festival to feature music by Native Run and Jessie Pitts By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE It won’t be long until it’s time to get your red, white and blue gear and join Hoover’s Freedom Fest, the city’s bang-up celebration of Independence Day. City events coordinator Erin Colbaugh said more than 13,000 folks of all ages are expected to join in the free, July 4 festival at the Hoover Met. “But don’t be concerned with the crowd,” Colbaugh said. “There will be plenty of excellent seating with vendors featuring food with a barbecue flare, plus restrooms convenient for all.” Gates open at 5 p.m. and, as festival goers make their way to the entrance, they’ll have the opportunity to peruse a display of privately owned vehicles of various makes, models and years. Auto owners don’t have to pay a fee or pre-register to take part in the car show but must arrive by 4:30 p.m., Colbaugh said. For this, the third year for Freedom Fest, children’s activities will be doubled, stretching along both the stadium’s first and third baselines. Fun for the kids will include inflatable, face painting and
Jessie Pitts
balloon twisting, plus Home Depot representatives will be on hand to lead participants in special hands-on projects,” Colbaugh said. “The ZOOperstars will make a return appearance. They’re inflatable characters that perform all kinds of crazy dance routines and skits,” she said. “We had such an overwhelming response to their antics last year, we couldn’t wait to bring them back.” The country music duo Native Run will perform a 75-minute set beginning at 7:30 p.m. Native Run can be seen at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and Paste Magazine has called them “The Best of What’s Next.” Spain Park High School graduate Jessie Pitts, who competed on The Voice, will open for
Native Run at 6:30 p.m., Colbaugh said. At precisely 9 p.m. the big booms will begin with a fireworks display “that will surpass that of last year’s,” Colbaugh said. The accompanying music will be available on WDJC radio, 93.7 FM. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said this year’s in-stadium attendance is expected to be a record, but “there will probably be at least 5,000 more observing from various surrounding areas and parking lots.” “It’s the perfect time to get the entire family out to join in the fun,” Ivey said. “In addition to all the activities and entertainment, ours will be the biggest fireworks show in the state as far as we know, and you don’t want to miss it.”
Freedom Fest July 4 5 p.m. Gates Open 6:30 p.m. Music by Jessie Pitts 7:30 p.m. Music by Native Run 9 p.m. Fireworks Hoover Met Hooveral.com
Get in the holiday spirit with Christmas in July
Christmas in July attendees can make ornaments for all skill levels at Oak Mountain State Park. Photo courtesy of Oak Mountain State Park Emily Cook.
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE If you need a little holiday cheer during the hot Alabama summer, Oak Mountain State Park will host Christmas in July. For the past several years, park naturalist Emily Cook has led the event, which takes place in the campground area of the park. The workshop is open to anyone, and Cook will help the attendees get into the Christmas spirit early. “This is a fun thing to do, making something to have on your tree while Santa’s on vacation in July,” Cook said. In the outdoor setting, attendees
can collect items like leaves, sticks and pinecones from their surroundings to make ornaments and other Christmas crafts. “I have some little kids that are self-adhesive that can make cute and fun stuff, like wreaths and ornaments. I’ve got some winter bird ornaments that are really cute too,” Cook said. The event will be held on Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. and will be held in the B-Side Pavilion. It’s free to participate after paid park admission. Donations will be accepted to offset the materials cost. For more information, call 620-2520.
280Living.com
July 2015 • B13
Summer Fun Checklist R
Flip Side Watersports is one of the many aquatic activities at Oak Mountain State Park. Photo by Jordan Hays.
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Has your family hit the summer slump? With so much happening on U.S. 280, there’s no reason to let bored become the norm. We’ve compiled a checklist to help you kickstart your summer adventures.
the water RThe Hit neighborhood pool is the classic
place to cool off on a scorching day, but Oak Mountain State Park has even more aquatic activities. At the park marina, you can rent out canoes, pedal boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. The nearby beach is perfect for swimming or laying out to catch some sun. At the lake near the Highway 119 entrance to Oak Mountain, you can choose to fish, rent boats or try out your wakeboarding skills at Flip Side Watersports, the park’s electric cable wakeboarding park. Oak Mountain State Park is located at 200 Terrace Drive in Pelham. Entry fees are $4 per adult and $1 per child age six-11 and seniors over 62. Children under age five are admitted free.
R
Pack a picnic
Summer is the time to spread a picnic blanket under a shady tree and enjoy a good meal. Your local park is the perfect spot for a picnic because you can enjoy a great view and amenities such as walking trails, playgrounds and sports facilities. There are multiple parks in the area, so you can try them all and find your new favorite lunch spot. }} Heardmont Park, 5458 Cahaba Valley Road }} Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road }} Inverness Nature Park, 100 Inverness Center Parkway }} Chelsea Recreational Park, 2966 Highway 39
R
Enjoy the air conditioning
If the kids are full of energy but you can’t stand the humidity, there are indoor options that will let you stay cool while they play. Let’s Play Birmingham is the newest addition to the scene, having just opened its doors at 5025 U.S. 280 in June. The play center
offers a three-story jungle gym, climbing rope course for climbing and activities for small children and toddlers, with admission ranging from $6 to $11. Similarly, Treetop Family Adventures at 1012 Dunnavant Valley Road offers a variety of children’s activities from an indoor playground and arcade to go-karts and laser tag. They also feature miniature golf and bowling, among other activities, with prices varying depending on activities. Airwalk Trampoline Arena offers wall-to-wall trampoline bouncing starting at $8 or $12 for an hour, depending on age. The facility, located at 7010 Champion Boulevard, also has family bounce times, laser bounces at night and a special needs night.
R
Have a night out
Get active on your next evening out with friends. After a good dinner at your favorite restaurant, hit up Brunswick Zone Bowling for some healthy competition on the lanes. Open until 11 p.m. or later every night, Brunswick offers bowling, billiards and arcades. Two hours of open bowling, including shoes, is $10.95 per person on weekdays and $14.95 from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at 5 p.m. Brunswick is located at 2908 Riverview Road. If bowling isn’t your thing, go a little retro at the skating rink. Skates 280, located at 7043 Meadowlark Drive, offers skating for adults and children, and it stays open until 10 p.m. or later from Thursday to Sunday. Admission ranges from $5 to $8 depending on the day, plus the cost of skate rental.
Eat fresh RPeaches, strawberries and watermelons are
all ripening at area farms – make sure you get a taste. Saturday farmer’s markets draw craftsmen, farmers and small businesses to sell their produce and handmade products. Get up early to get the best deals to fill your fridge and decorate your home. Local markets include the Urban Cookhouse market at the Summit, the Mt Laurel market and the Valleydale market at Faith Presbyterian Church, 4601 Valleydale Road. If you’re willing to drive a little farther, Bluff Park, Montevallo, Homewood and downtown Birmingham have even more market options.
B14 • July 2015
A convention for passion
280 Living
New sci-fi, gaming convention comes to Birmingham
Magic City Con July 24-26 Cahaba Grand Conference Center 3660 Grandview Parkway Tickets: $45 weekend pass $30 Friday or Sunday pass $35 Saturday pass magiccitycon.com
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Fans of science fiction, video games and ghost hunts, take note – a new convention is coming to Birmingham. The Magic City Con has been in the works for two years, according to senior event coordinator Rita Houston. It’ll become a reality the weekend of July 24-26 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center. As a lover of video games and other Southeastern comic conventions, Houston decided to use her background of Gatlinburg convention planning to bring something new to the geeks of Birmingham. “We just want to offer a little something different, and we feel that we’ve worked hard with our programming not to have the exact same tracks and discussions that you’re going to find in Atlanta and Tennessee and Florida,” Houston said. The three-day event will feature a series of special guests, panels and activities across a variety of interests.
Members of the Alabama Garrison 501st Legion, a group of Star Wars cosplayers, dress up as Darth Vader and a Jawa from Star Wars to promote the Magic City Con during another convention in February. Photo courtesy of Rita Houston.
There will also be around 30 vendors and eight to 10 local artists selling their products in the “Artists’ Alley.” The special guests include three well-known television and video game voice actors. Steve Blum of the Cowboy Bebop and Star Wars Rebels animated TV series, as well as the 2014 movie The Boxtrolls, will be there along with Jennifer Hale, best known as the voice of Commander Shepard in Mass Effect and Samus Aran in Metroid Prime. Booboo Stewart of
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X-Men: Days of Future Past and Greg Ellis, the voice of Commander Cullen in Dragon Age will also be on hand. “It’s really nice for them being friends and all in the industry to be able to come together and connect, and they’ve got wonderful chemistry,” Houston said. Other guests will include the cast and crew of Thr33 Days Dead, a zombie movie filmed in Jasper, Alabama, and the Alabama Garrison 501st Legion, a group of Star Wars
fans who cosplay, or dress up as, their favorite movie characters. Cosplay will be a big part of Magic City Con, Houston said, because it brings a lot of fun to conventions. “I love just the passion everybody has about it. There’s just such an energy when you go to the conventions,” Houston said. “People are dressed up, they’ve just really put their hearts into it. So many hours and decisions have gone into that costume, and it’s just fun to see them bring characters that are on
a flat screen to life.” A series of panelists will also attend and discuss topics ranging from acting on the big screen and independent filmmaking to ghost hunts and becoming a published author. There will be a panel on cosplay and a costume contest for attendees to show off their work. “We’re trying to get a good, eclectic mix of interests,” Houston said. Houston said she wanted to create extra opportunities for children to have fun at the convention, so Magic City Con will include a special “KidCon” on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. There will be a Harry Potter mini-camp, a Pokemon card trading post, a reading nook with Tinkerbell, and visits from Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog and Birmingham Barons mascot Babe Ruff. “We’re just trying to get the kids involved as well and hopefully grow that part of the convention,” Houston said. As part of the planning process, Houston has devoted a lot of effort to partnering with local businesses. She is creating informational packets for outof-town guests to find nearby restaurants and retail. Ghost Hunt Weekends is offering a special Sloss Furnaces ghost tour during the convention. By the end of the weekend, Houston hopes guests will be excited enough to make Magic City Con a repeat event. “We’re trying to make something interesting for people to come out of Magic City Con and go, ‘Wow, that was fantastic,’” Houston said.
280Living.com
July 2015 • B15
Embrace the heat at Hotter N Hell run By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Running an 18-mile race in the middle of the Alabama summer may not sound like fun, but it may not be as bad as you’d think. “There aren’t many races in July,” said David Tosch, who coordinates the run. “While it is going to be really hot, one thing road runners don’t realize is when you’re running on roads, the sun heats the surface of the road and the heat on top is reflected up. Out in the woods it’s still hot, but it’s shady.” The Hotter N Hell race will take place Saturday, July 25 and is the fourth race in the Southeastern Trail Series, which Tosch founded. It will feature a nine-mile and 18-mile race and take place at Oak Mountain State Park. Brooke Smith Weaver, who anchors the morning news for WVTM-13, participated in this race last year, and is signed up again this year. She said that Tosch is a legend both for his love of running hills and for having great races. “They are so challenging and so much fun, you just want more. That’s why people keep coming to his races,” Weaver said. “We love a challenge, and running in July in Alabama presents a different kind of challenge. You’ve got to maintain your fitness all year round.”
goal is to introduce road runners to trail running, and each race is progressively harder than the previous one. “People who don’t even run can start with our first race and by the end of the year can run the 50K,” Tosch said. “These races are fun from beginning to end. You get to meet people from all over the world. We have food and beer at the end of the race. It’s a fun atmosphere and that makes a huge difference, too.” Registration costs $40 for the 18-mile race and $30 for the nine-mile race. Runners can register online until Thursday, July 23. After that, registration is available at the Mountain High Outfitters located at 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza on July 24 or on race day starting at 7 a.m. For more information, or to register for this and other races, visit southeasterntrailruns.com.
Hotter N Hell Trail Race Meredith Ferrell, Bill Taylor, Brooke Smith Weaver and Jared Combs at last year’s Hotter N Hell Race. Photo courtesy of Brooke Smith Weaver.
Weaver, who is in her 10th year of running, said trail running requires use of every single muscle and it helps make runners stronger. As a busy, working mom of two, this is her “me
time.” “You just listen to music of God’s creation, the winds and waterfalls. You get to be one with nature. It’s not all about pace. Trail running lets you
focus on getting lost in the run and the distance,” Weaver said. This year, the series features seven races in seven months. Their races start at a 5K and go up to a 50K. Their
July 25 at 8 a.m. Race-day registration begins at 7 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park Cedar Pavilion Fees: 18-mile - $40, 9-mile - $30 southeasterntrailruns.com
B16 • July 2015
280 Living
Shake and bake for soccer By SYDNEY CROMWELL
12th Annual Shake and Bake 5K Benefiting NorthStar Soccer Club Aug. 1, 8 a.m. Town of Mt Laurel 5 Mt Laurel Ave. $25 pre-registration, $30 on race day Shakeandbake5k.com
NorthStar Soccer players pose for a picture at the 2014 fall preseason camp at McLendon Park. Photo courtesy of Val Peterson.
NorthStar a chance to meet new donors and volunteers. NorthStar typically receives about $8,000 from the proceeds of each year’s race, but the 2014 Shake and Bake set a higher mark with $12,000 in total donations. “Last year was an exceptional year,” Peterson said. “That just completely blew us away.” The 12th annual race starts at 8 a.m., and there are typically between 150 and 200 runners. The course
stays within the streets of Mt Laurel, so it can accommodate runners of any level. “The race is a good race. It’s not the hardest, but it’s a good course,” Kreis said. “There’s a good bit of shade on the race, and a lot of the families will come out and support the racers along the way.” Shake and Bake is typically tied in with Mt Laurel’s Saturday farmers markets, which Kreis said provides a
Photos by Amanda Dyer
Take a break from the summer heat with a shady morning run in Mt Laurel. The 2015 Shake and Bake 5K returns Aug. 1, and race proceeds will once again benefit the NorthStar Soccer Club. Race director Bill Kreis said Shake and Bake is a repeat supporter of the soccer club because he loves what they do. NorthStar provides affordable soccer programs and youth ministry to children ages four to 12 in West Birmingham. “I got introduced to them about five or six years ago and saw a real need. They’re doing things that not a lot of other soccer teams are doing,” Kreis said. NorthStar director Val Peterson said the soccer club has become a focal point for the surrounding community, and the club is planning to expand to Woodlawn through a fall soccer program at Cornerstone Elementary School. “NorthStar is definitely like a light to that community,” Peterson said. “Our presence just as a club in that area is making a huge difference in that community.” The club’s outreach wouldn’t be possible, Peterson said, without heavy involvement from parents as coaches and volunteers. “The families are the backbone to why we do what we do and why we are able to do it,” Peterson said. “We have some fabulous parents.” Shake and Bake not only provides an exciting kickoff to the fall soccer season, Peterson said it also gives
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good atmosphere. Sponsors and vendors will be on hand, and there are typically demonstrations of warm-ups and running techniques. Many runners choose to hang out for a while after finishing the race. “People usually come and stay for a couple hours,” Kreis said. Prizes will be given to the winners of each age group. Kreis said he’s also considering a special recognition for runners who completed the race
with a knee or hip replacement. As a friend of several older runners and a possible future candidate for a hip replacement, Kreis knows the challenges and rewards of running with joint problems. “You’ll get that runner’s high and it can be a way of life for some people,” Kreis said. Entry fees are $25 until July 31 and $30 on race day. For more information, visit shakeandbake5k.com.
280Living.com
July 2015 • B17
Peavine Falls Run honors Birmingham Track Club race designer By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE It’s not quite running the Rockies, but participants will experience a course of “straight up and straight down” in the July 4 Rick Melanson Peavine Falls Run. Set in Oak Mountain State Park, about 600 entries are expected to tackle the 8.2-mile run that reaches a mid-way elevation of 500 ft., race director Alex Morrow said. “This is an out-and-back course on paved road with a return that includes a 1.2 mile single-track trail detour,” Morrow said. “It’s challenging and it’s a badge of honor to take part, but it’s fun, lots of fun.” The run-only race begins at 7 a.m. with a walk on the same course at 6:30 a.m., Morrow said. The entry fee for each is $15 and includes a race T-shirt. Registration closes on July 2. An Independence Day tradition, this is the 34th running of the event, which was founded in 1981 by wellknown local runner Rick Melanson, race events coordinator Trish Portuese said. Portuese is a former president of the Birmingham Track Club and its current club historian. “Rick loved designing courses and, for Peavine Falls, his big innovation was to move the finish line to a new location after the race started, just to keep things interesting,” Portuese said. Melanson was one of the original members of the BTC when it
A Fourth of July tradition, the Rick Melanson Peavine Falls Run maintains an Independence Day flair throughout the event. Last year, Chulwon Park, left, and Shawn Roberts carried American flags for the entire 8.2 mile route. Photo courtesy of Birmingham Track Club.
formed in 1975. An avid runner who excelled in distances from 10K to 50 miles, he turned to biking after requiring several knee surgeries, Portuese said. “Rick would ride his bike to and from work every day but was as good at competition on the bike as he was as a runner,” she said.
Melanson served on the BTC executive committee and was its road race chairman and equipment manager until his retirement in 2012, she said. “The Peavine Falls race was dedicated to Rick in 2012 for his long and outstanding work for the BTC, Road Runners Club of America
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and many races around our state,” Portuese said. “He is one of the well-respected and stable figures within the BTC, forever known for his loving to put hills in his race courses.” For more information about the Rick Melanson Peavine Falls Run, go to birminghamtrackclub.com.
Rick Melanson Peavine Falls Run 8.2 miles July 4, 6:30 a.m. walk, 7 a.m. run Oak Mountain State Park Registration Fee: $15 birminghamtrackclub.com
280 Living
B18 • July 2015
Summer
FUN Photo Contest
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to photos@280livi on. allowed per pers e ar s to o h p r u fo Only
#280SummerFun ality must be high qu Winning photos edit tion and photo cr p ca a e d u cl in d an
Winners will be announced in the September issue.
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280Living.com
July 2015 • B19
Miss Hoover scholarship pageant returns
Flip Side Watersports adds new cable
By ERICA TECHO After a two-year hiatus, the Miss Hoover Scholarship Pageant is returning to the stage. Executive directors Bragg Scroggins and Keith Brashier used to run the Miss Patriot Scholarship Pageant, which also included sections of Homewood. But after talking with the Hoover Area Chamber Commerce and other community members, the directors decided to bring the pageant back and rename it. In addition to the Miss Hoover pageant, this year there will also be the debut of the Miss Hoover’s Outstanding Teen pageant. Both will take place July 11 at Hoover High School, with the Outstanding Teen Pageant at 1 p.m. and the Miss Hoover Pageant at 6 p.m. Miss Hoover’s Outstanding Teen serves as a feeder pageant for the Miss Hoover Pageant and helps younger participants, between the ages of 13 and 17, to prepare for the Miss pageant. Miss Hoover contestants must be between 17 and 24 years old. Both pageants, however, help prepare participants for their futures, Scroggins said. The interview portion of the pageant provides practice for future jobs, and participants also have the opportunity to gain scholarships and sponsorships. Scroggins said former contestants have told him they felt more prepared for interviews and job applications as a result of their pageant participation. “This organization prepares them not just for a crown, but for their future as well,” Scroggins said. Two former Miss Hoovers have won the Miss Alabama title, and the most recent Miss Hoover was a Top-12 semi-finalist at Miss Alabama and Quality of Life winner. All applications must be submitted by July 6, and the required paperwork is available on
Flip Side Watersports will be adding a second cable to its wakeboarding park this month. Photo by Jordan Hays.
Former Miss America Nicole Johnson will be one of the judges at this year’s Miss Hoover Scholarship Pageant. Photo courtesy of Nicole Johnson.
the Miss Hoover website, misshoover.com. The pageant includes an interview, opening dance number, onstage question, swimsuit, talent and evening gown portions. The Outstanding Teen pageant includes an interview, opening number, fitness competition, talent and evening gown/onstage question portions. Former Miss America Nicole Johnson, who won the pageant in 1999, is one of the judges of this year’s pageant, which Scroggins hopes will get community members excited for the competition. “We’re expecting a great turnout,” he said. Tickets for the Miss Hoover’s Outstanding Teen and Miss Hoover pageants are $15 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 12.
Flip Side Watersports 8195 B John Findlay Dr., inside Oak Mountain State Park 620-2528 flipsideal.com Hours: Sun.-Sat., 10 a.m.-sundown By CHRIS GRIESEDIECK A year after opening, Flip Side Watersports at Oak Mountain State Park is doubling its capacity for riders. The cable wakeboarding park, the first of its kind in the state, is adding a second electric cable across its section of Oak Mountain Lake. “One advantage of the second cable is that it allows us to accommodate more riders,” Jeremy Talbot, owner of Flip Side Watersports, said. Talbot said that the estimated time for the second cable to be set up is by the second week of July.
Instead of using a boat, Flip Side uses a motor and cables to pull riders from one end of a lake to the other. Riders are free to perform flips, twists and turns while gliding along the water. The wakeboarding park has the longest cable in North America, and it offers camps and coaching for all skill levels. Flip Side riders will be showing off their skills as part of the state park’s annual Fire on the Water show on July 3. The cable wakeboarding park opened in June 2014. The goal of Flip Side has been to make wakeboarding grow, since many kids in Alabama have not tried the sport. Talbot said that Flip Side has definitely seen an increase in popularity since they first started. The park offers not just wakeboards, but also kneeboards, tubes and skis as rental options. Flip Side participants can purchase a one-hour pass for $15. A one-hour pass with gear rental included is $35 and season passes for 2015 are $700. For those who would rather relax instead of wakeboard, stand up paddleboards are also available for rent at Flip Side.
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B20 • July 2015
280 Living
Community Accomplished healthcare professionals to be recognized in Shelby County
CHS senior receives citizenship award
By ERICA TECHO The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce’s Health Services Work Group will recognize a top healthcare professional with a new award. The Healthcare Professional of the Year award was created to recognize those who keep the workforce healthy, Keyla Handley, director of community and workforce development for the Chamber of Commerce, said. The Health Services Work Group aims to promote the importance of good health, wellness and education in Shelby County businesses. Acknowledging healthcare providers is important, Handley said, because of how the general health of employees and owners affects commerce. “We always think that if, for business-wise, if you have a healthy workforce then your business will be better because of that,” she said. “These are the people keeping our bosses and workers healthy.” As long as a healthcare professional is employed in Shelby County, they are eligible to be nominated for this award. Handley said the chamber hopes to recognize those who are have shown commitment and success in the healthcare, and nomination questions
CHS senior Kyla Kugler recently received the DAR Good Citizens Award. Photo courtesy of DAR, Lily of the Cahaba Chapter.
Jinnie Lacey, left, and Vicki Everett are both members of the Shelby County Health Services Work Group. Photo courtesy of Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.
include how the nominee has made a difference in the community and its health. “We’re hoping that [candidates] will be dedicated to healthcare and have accomplished outstanding goals or tasks in a healthcare service role and achieved outstanding status in their field,” Handley said. Nominations for the award will be
accepted through Aug. 3, and forms are available on the chamber’s website. All nominees, as well as the award recipient, will be recognized at the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Aug. 26. This is the first time the Healthcare Professional of the Year award will be presented, but Handley said this will hopefully become a yearly award.
Kyla Kugler, a senior at Chelsea High School, was recently awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizens Award by the Hoover-based Lily of the Cahaba Chapter of the national Daughters of the American Revolution. Kyla, who is the daughter of Tim and Dawn Cox of Chelsea, plans to attend Samford University. The Good Citizens Award was established in 1930 by the DAR and recognizes a senior high school student who demonstrates
outstanding patriotism, leadership, service and dependability. Each school may honor only one senior class student per year as their DAR Good Citizen. Any woman is eligible for membership who is 18 years of age and can prove lineal, blood descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence. For information about membership in Lily of the Cahaba, email lilyofthecahaba@ gmail.com. -Submitted by DAR, Lily of the Cahaba Chapter.
280Living.com
July 2015 • B21
Former Spain Park student competes for Miss USA By MADISON MILLER Hoover resident Madison Guthrie is currently preparing to compete at the Miss USA pageant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 12. Guthrie entered the Miss Alabama competition with no previous pageant experience and won the title of Miss Alabama USA in November. In July, she will join fellow contestants from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Contestants will be judged in three categories including swimsuit, evening gown and interview. Guthrie will be in Baton Rouge for two weeks, the first of which will consist of appearances. The second will include rehearsals, the preliminary competition and the live final
competition. “Not many realize the hard work and dedication it takes to prepare for an event of this magnitude,” Guthrie said. “Long hours have been put in daily towards interview coaching, speaking lessons, personal training, healthy eating, mastering how to walk in six-inch heels and keeping up with current events.” Guthrie credits her faith in God as what helped her decide to give pageants a try. She always had interests in modeling, travel, fashion, makeup, photography and spreading the word of Christ, she said. Pageantry gave her an opportunity to combine her interests. “After winning my first pageant, God quickly began opening doors and shaping me into the
powerful young woman that I strive to be,” Guthrie said. “I now get to participate and represent my beautiful state in the most well-respected pageant in the world because I took a leap of faith.” Guthrie has focuses on many platforms with her title, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and suicide prevention. Miss USA will air live on NBC at 7 p.m. For more information, visit missuniverse.com.
Hoover resident Madison Guthrie will compete for the Miss USA crown on July 12. Photo courtesy of Rubenstein Public Relations.
Local women part of Alabama Color Guard and Crimsonettes By SYDNEY CROMWELL When the Crimson Tide plays its kickoff game in September, several local women will be on the field as part of the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band. Spain Park High School graduate Emily Jackson and Chelsea High School graduate Katie Rose are both freshmen at Alabama and made the university’s color guard roster at its April 25 tryouts. They will be joining third-year color guard Catherine Darby, from Oak Mountain High School, and fourth-year color guard Noel Posey, from Hoover High School. Darby and Posey are both seniors at Alabama. Junior Courtney Carter, another Chelsea High School graduate, will also be returning for her third year on the Crimsonette team. The color guard and Crimsonettes will perform at the first Alabama game on Sept. 5 at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. Emily Jackson, Savannah Cambron of Pelham, Catherine Darby, Noel Posey, Courtney Carter and Katie Rose will be participating in the University of Alabama’s 2015-2016 Million Dollar Band. Photo courtesy of Jeanette Darby.
B22 • July 2015
Sports
280 Living
Royal treatment
Former Jaguar star drafted by Kansas City for second time By DAVID KNOX Alex Close was almost a member of the Kansas City Royals organization after his junior season at Liberty University. He decided to go back to school, get his degree and take his chances. But the Royals liked him – really, really liked him. So much so that a year later the Royals drafted him again, selecting him in the 26th round of Wednesday’s Major League Baseball first-year player draft. The former Spain Park High star was releasing some draft-day jitters, taking hitting practice at his old high school when he got the news. Moments later, his fiancée, sister and parents pulled up in their car. Fiancée and sis had donned Royals shirts he’d had in his closet from last year. Hugs and tears all around, a few pictures, then back to hitting before a celebratory dinner. “I knew after last year when I didn’t sign, it wasn’t like we were on bad terms,” Close said. “It was the best thing for both sides. They had told me last year they were going to follow me again and hopefully have another chance. Honestly, they were the team I’d heard from the most so I thought it was going to be them.” Close had just put the finishing touches on an outstanding career at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., a Division I school in the Big South Conference.
Former Spain Park baseball player Alex Close has been drafted by the Kansas City Royals after graduating from Liberty University. Photo courtesy of Liberty University.
A four-year starter, Close was named all-Big South first team after both his junior and senior years. He also was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star team. As a senior, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound first baseman/catcher/pitcher batted .342 with seven home runs, 46 RBIs and was 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA and a team-best six saves as a pitcher. He led the Flames in batting average, hits, doubles, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. In addition, he led the Flames with 25 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI
contests, while reaching base in a teamhigh 39 consecutive games. Close, who graduated in May with a degree in financial planning, was a two-time Capital One Academic All-American – the first such player in Liberty history. He was also picked as the top graduating senior student-athlete. He rang up a 3.81 GPA. When you lead the team in batting, yet your GPA is still higher than your BA – and your ERA is lower than your GPA – you’ve earned the scholar-athlete tag.
With brains like that – and that big bat – it’s no wonder the Royals project him to be a catcher. Catching is the position at which he’s had the least experience, but he’s just thrilled to get his shot. “It don’t matter, man,” he said. “I just want to get on the field, whether it be pitching or getting in the box and hitting, I don’t care where I play. “Definitely, I have to work on the catching. I’m just so raw back there. I’ve never really been able to focus on it because I’ve pitched as well. I think
defense is a huge area I need to spend some time on.” Hitting is his strength, and he gives credit to several coaches for helping him develop, but especially Liberty coach Matt Hagen, who schooled him his freshman year before taking another job. There’s a big difference in being a great high school hitter and a great college hitter. Adjustments must be made, and some of that is done upstairs. “Even to this day there’s stuff I think about he taught me,” Close said. “But really you just almost have to grow up,” he added. “The fastballs are coming in harder, the sliders are tighter. It’s not like high school where you can go up there in any given game and get three hits – there’s definitely approaches and changing with situations that comes with playing in college. I could talk to you all night about specifics, but it’s really about having to mature and deal with pitching.” He played just one season at Spain Park for coach Will Smith after moving from Atlanta, but he made his presence felt, being named the Hoover area player of the year. He picked Liberty after attending a camp and falling in love with the school. “It’s always going to be home now. I’m kind of sad I’m done playing there, but I’m excited for the next chapter. Coach (Jim) Toman gave me a chance and I couldn’t be more grateful to him and the coaches,” Close said.
280Living.com
July 2015 • B23
Mikey White drafted by Oakland Athletics in MLB Draft By DAVID KNOX
UA shortstop Mikey White. Courtesy of UA Athletics.
Former Spain Park star and University of Alabama shortstop Mikey White was drafted on June 8 by the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball’s firstyear player draft. White was the 62nd pick of the draft, a second-round choice by the A’s. White, a junior, was draft-eligible. Going as high as the second round, he is likely to sign with the A’s. Analysts believe he may move from shortstop to third base or another position. The A’s drafted Florida shortstop Richie Martin in the first round with the 20th pick. Coming out of Spain Park, White had been drafted by the New York Mets in the 34th round. White started all 60 games of his junior season at UA and closed out the year as the team’s overall leader
in average (.339), triples (six), runs scored (48), walks (31), hit-by-pitch (13), slugging (.537) and on-base percentage (.444), and multi-hit games (24). In the field, White topped the squad with 177 assists from the shortstop position. White started all 184 games at shortstop during his three-year career with the Tide. He finished his career at Alabama with a .308 (211-685) average, while adding 132 runs and 98 RBIs. He was named a 2013 All-SEC Second Team member while also being honored as a 2013 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. The only other Alabama-connected player drafted on June 8 was West Alabama’s Tanner Rainey, a Louisiana native who dominated the Gulf South Conference both as a hitter and a pitcher and is projected as a closer.
Oak Mountain names Derek Irons as new baseball coach
Spain Park’s Martin wins Class 7A golf championship
By DAVID KNOX
By DAVID KNOX
Oak Mountain High School has hired Derek Irons, formerly the coach at Charles Henderson of Troy, as its new baseball coach. The Shelby County Board of Education approved the hire at its meeting on June 16. In seven seasons at Charles Henderson, Irons won two state Class 5A championships, racking up a 221-62 record along the way. Irons replaces Brian Breeze, who spent five
seasons at Oak Mountain and was 90-82-1 as the Eagles head coach. Irons has sent some two dozen players to play college ball while at Charles Henderson. His 2013 team set an AHSAA record for winning percentage (.930) with a 40-3 record. He has a bachelors degree in social sciences from the University of Alabama and a master’s in sports management from UA. He is married with two children.
Spain Park High School senior Patrick Martin sank six birdies and 12 pars May 12 to close the 67th Alabama High School Athletic Association state golf tournament with a 6-under 65 to claim low medalist in the Class 7A boys’ division at Mobile’s Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove golf course. Martin’s two-day 36-hole total of 133 beat co-runner-up Alex Green of Fairhope
and Mountain Brook’s Jonathan Eyster by seven strokes. Green had a 68 May 12 to close at 140. Eyster opened with a 68 May 11 but closed at 72 Tuesday for 140 total. Eyster and his Spartans teammates won the 7A state championship with a 10-over 587 total. Mountain Brook shot 293 Monday and 294 May 12. Fairhope finished second at 606, followed by McGillToolen at 614 and Vestavia Hills (622).
280 Living
B24 • July 2015
Westminster celebrates state soccer title Westminster School at Oak Mountain dominated its soccer opponents all year long, and the Knights finished off the season with a state championship. The Knights, who finished the regular season ranked No. 1, captured the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 1A-3A boys title by blanking Faith Christian 4-0 in Huntsville. The Knights (16-1-2) gave up just one goal in the playoffs. Jack Stein was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
In the championship game, Stein scored one goal and assisted on another. Daniel Richardson, Jarod Keeler and Nathan Richards added goals. Goalkeeper Jonathan Stanford made one save to record the shutout. Westminster’s lone loss this season came against 7A Hoover, and the two ties were against 7A Spain Park and 6A Homewood. Submitted by Karen Eddins.
The Westminster boys soccer team celebrates its state championship title after defeating Huntsville’s Faith Christian. Photo courtesy of Michele Mann.
OMMS wins baseball conference tournament The 2015 Central Alabama Conference Tournament was held in April. Middle school teams vying for the trophy included Bragg, Hewitt-Trussville, Homewood, Oak Mountain and Thompson. Oak Mountain defeated Hewitt-Trussville 13-1 to win the conference tournament under the direction of head coach, Jason Neeley. Mark Kniphfer and Ricky Korn served as assistant coaches of the championship team. Submitted by Rebecca Sandidge. The Oak Mountain Middle School baseball team recently won the 2015 Central Alabama Conference Tournament. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Sandidge.
280Living.com
July 2015 • B25
Berry Middle girls win Metro South golf championship
Berry Middle School’s Girls Golf team won the Metro South championship.
Berry Middle School’s girls golf team won its third straight title by winning the Metro South Girls Golf Championship at Highland Park Golf Course. Eight area middle schools sent their top players to compete in a nine-hole end-of-the-year tournament. Berry, Bumpus, Hewitt-Trussville, Homewood, Liberty Park, Mountain Brook, Pizitz and Simmons competed in the annual event.
The individual champion was Sarah Kate DeCarlo from Pizitz Middle School with a score of 42. Berry was first with a team score of 142, followed by Hewitt-Trussville (154) and Pizitz (155). Berry team members are Caroline McCabe, Lauren Choi and Jaxi Arterburn. Pizitz team members are Sarah Kate DeCarlo, Rachel Kaiser and Emily Kirby.
Fifth-grade Oak Mountain team completes perfect season
NEW CHURCH LAUNCH ON 280 Encouraging Messages
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Front row: Ryan Giegel, Will Shaver, Taylor Bush and Cameron Atkinson. Back row: Wilder Evers, Brady Dunn, Evan Smith and Tyler Fanning. Assistant coaches Mike Evers and Chris Shaver (not pictured), Head Coach Kris Dunn. Photo courtesy of Angela Dunn.
The 2015 Oak Mountain Raptors fifth-grade basketball team recently completed a perfect season, going 35-0 and winning 5 competitive city titles, including the NSBA regular and post-season titles, the OTM regular and post-season titles and the Jingle Bell Jam.
Chelsea baseball team receives city recognition
Located in Brook Highland Plaza Right Next to Outback Steakhouse
Mayor Earl Niven poses with the Chelsea Pain Train baseball team after the June 16 council meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.
By ERICA TECHO The 8U Chelsea Pain Train baseball team stopped by the Chelsea City Council meeting on June 16 to receive recognition from Mayor Earl Niven. The team had just achieved its third tournament win of the season and was getting ready for the district tournament in Columbiana. “I had the pleasure Sunday afternoon of
going down and watching a group of young men hit the ball better than I could when I was a senior in high school … We’ve got a future on our baseball team as they grow up and move forward,” Niven said. The mayor shook the players’ hands and handed each a City of Chelsea pin. “Y’all bring the state championship back here, we’ll have a pizza supper,” Niven said.
5235 Hwy 280
Birmingham, AL 35242
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B26 • July 2015
280 Living
School House Spain Park, Berry Middle to receive transportation improvements By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Signature Homes will be constructing a road connecting Jaguar Drive and Kirkman Preserve, as well as a sidewalk along Jaguar Drive from Berry Middle School to Caldwell Mill Road. Courtesy of Derrick Murphy.
e Jaguar Driv
Crosswalk New Road
Caldwell Mill Road
Students at two Hoover schools will soon have more options to relieve traffic congestion. In a May 19 meeting, the Board of Education approved a request from Signature Homes to construct a private road at Spain Park High School and a new sidewalk at Berry Middle School. A private road will connect Kirkman Preserve and Jaguar Drive near Caldwell Mill Road. The road will have a steel pipe gate that Hoover City Schools can choose to close at any time. A four feet wide concrete sidewalk will also be constructed along Jaguar Drive to connect Caldwell
Mill Road and Berry Middle School. “The new sidewalk will be a great attribute for providing a safe pathway to our students walking and riding bikes to school,” Board of Education President Derrick Murphy said. Murphy said the roadwork is scheduled to be complete before Hoover students return to classes on Aug. 13.
Kirkman Preservy Sidewalk Exhibit
Forest Oaks gets new principal By MADISON MILLER
Sasha Baker has been named the new principal at Forest Oaks Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Sasha Baker.
Forest Oaks Elementary will have a new principal starting this month. The Shelby County Board of Education appointed Sasha Baker to the position in June. Baker was previously assistant principal at Oak Mountain Intermediate School. She has 12 years of experience in education, having previously taught at Helena Intermediate School and Decatur City Schools System. Baker accepted the new position as another opportunity to serve students, she said.
“I have a passion for people and learning, and education is a field that has enabled me to combine what I have a heart for most,” she said. “In leading others, I have a chance to help others discover and develop what they are passionate about.” Baker’s three years as OMIS assistant principal has helped her feel confident to take on the new position. “In this position, I have had the opportunity to learn more about what being a leader truly means,” she said. Moving forward, Baker’s goals for Forest Oaks
include keeping the school on track to providing for its students. “I hope to continue on the path of excellence that has been established in preparing these kids for their future,” she said. She is also excited to get involved with students, faculty, staff, parents and community members in her new role. “I look forward to developing relationships with the Forest Oaks community and helping kids grow to reach their full potential,” Baker said.
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280Living.com
July 2015 • B27
New assistant principal for Oak Mountain Middle
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By SYDNEY CROMWELL A new face will be greeting Oak Mountain’s middle school students in the fall. Caroline Gluck-Obert was recently approved as the school’s new assistant principal. Gluck-Obert is moving from a position as Hueytown High School’s instructional assistant principal. She has an educational specialist degree from the University of Alabama Birmingham and is completing her doctorate in educational leadership there. Gluck-Obert previously taught at Thompson High School and said she made the move to OMMS because she wanted to return to Shelby County Schools. “I had really enjoyed it when I worked in that system, and I was ready to come back,” Gluck-Obert said. Her experience in curriculum, student discipline and teacher professional development make Gluck-Obert feel prepared for her new role. At Hueytown, she was also part of a leadership team for the school’s continuous improvement plan. Gluck-Obert’s first teaching job was at a middle school in Madison, Alabama, so she expects an easy transition from high school to middle school. While leaving the faculty and students at
GET UP TO * $750 OFF. Oak Mountain Middle’s new assistant principal, Caroline Gluck-Obert. Photo courtesy of Caroline Gluck-Obert.
Hueytown will be “bittersweet,” Gluck-Obert said she looks forward to meeting OMMS students in August and watching them meet the high standards their teachers set for them. “I’m excited to see what types of critical thinkers the students are,” Gluck-Obert said.
LPMS hosts Middle School Summit
Teachers share classroom ideas at the Middle School Summit held at Liberty Park Middle School. Photo courtesy of Whit McGhee.
In June, Liberty Park Middle School hosted a Middle School Summit. Teachers from more than 10 middle schools from Huntsville to Opelika attended the event. Teachers had the opportunity to share classroom ideas and discuss instructional problem-solving.
Jennifer Brown, Alabama Teacher of the Year, delivered a keynote speech during the lunch. Brown has been at Vestavia Hills High School for 13 years and is in her 16th year of teaching.
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Mt Laurel Elementary recently held its annual graduation day for kindergarteners. The Mt Laurel fire trucks came and aimed their hoses up for students to run through the water. Steel City Pops was also in attendance to give each student a popsicle. -Submitted by Elizabeth Tanner
MLES students Olivia Tanner and Lucy Dorn enjoy festivities at the school’s end of year celebration. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Tanner.
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B28 • July 2015
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280 Living
280
1209 Braemer Court
Real Estate Listings MLS #
Zip
Address
Status Price
635696
35242
1209 Braemer Court
New
$384,900
635695
35242
5140 Clubridge Drive
New
$589,900
635654
35242
5163 Greystone Way
New
$549,000
635646
35242
1204 Perthshire Court
New
$615,000
635577
35242
6105 Rosemont Court
New
$535,000
635544
35242
623 Highland Court #36A
New
$415,000
635514
35242
1945 Cahaba Crest Drive
New
$359,000
635428
35242
326 Highland Park Drive #712
New
$439,000
635404 35242
521 Meadow Ridge Circle
New
$275,000
635393
35242
1076 Dunnavant Place
New
$299,500
635366
35242
4153 Alston Lane
New
$365,000
635373
35242
6004 Eagle Valley Court
New
$569,000
635349
35242
431 North Lake Road
New
$243,900
635750
35043 333 Normandy Lane
New
$499,000
635689
35043 1068 Springfield Drive
New
$185,000
635348
35043 205 Lake Chelsea Drive #943 New
$339,900
635335
35043 339 Grande Vista Circle
New
$470,000
635278
35043 4995 Hawthorne Place
New
$210,000
635229
35043 2052 Fairbank Circle
New
$156,000
635165
35043 8221 Old Hwy 280
New
$169,900
Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on June 15. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.
6004 Eagle Valley Court
280Living.com
July 2015 • B29
Calendar Community Events July 3: Fire on the Water. All day. Oak Mountain State Park. Food from local restaurants, activities and fireworks. Visit alapark.com/oakmountain-state-park. July 3: The Big Kaboom. 8 p.m. Chelsea Park. Live music, local food, business vendors and fireworks. Visit cityofchelsea.com. July 4: Peavine Falls Run. 6:30 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. Visit birminghamtrackclub.com. July 4: Greystone July 4th Spectacular. 9 a.m.-dusk for members. 5 p.m.-dusk for residents. Greystone Golf and Country Club. Visit greystonecc. com. July 4: American Village Fourth of July Celebration. Noon. American Village, 3727 Highway 119. $5. Free for veterans, active military and children under 4. Visit americanvillage.org. July 11: Restart 2015. 6 p.m. Chelsea Church of God. An outdoor worship experience with live music. Free. Call 678-7775.
July 17: Friday Night Flicks: Maleficent. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org. July 18: Iron City Chef. 6 p.m. Jefferson College Culinary & Hospitality Institute. Organized by Vestavia Hills Rotary Club. Visit rotarytoast.org. July 24: Friday Night Flicks: Dolphin Tale 2. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org. July 24-26: Magic City Con. Cahaba Grand Conference Center. 3660 Grandview Parkway. $45 weekend pass, $30 Friday, $35 Saturday Visit magiccitycon.com. July 25: Hotter N Hell Trail Race. 8 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. Visit southeasterntrailruns. com. July 31: Friday Night Flicks: Rain Date. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org. Aug. 1: Shake and Bake Run. 8 a.m. Town of Mt Laurel. 5 Mt Laurel Ave. Proceeds will benefit NorthStar Soccer Club. $25 pre-registration. $30 on race day. Visit shakeandbake5k.com.
July 10: Friday Night Flicks: Home. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org.
North Shelby Library 5521 Cahaba Valley Road 439-5500, northshelbylibrary.org July 10: Brit Flick Movie Night. 7-9 p.m. Enjoy a recent British movie release. Call 439-5511.
with Starshine Faces. 10:30 a.m. Watch as your favorite stories come to life through face painting. All ages welcome.
July 13: Spa Day Make-N-Take Class. 2-3:30 p.m. Make relaxing bath salts and sugar lip scrub. $5.
Story Times
July 14: Paint and Pour. 6-8 p.m. Enjoy a night out getting creative on canvas with some adult beverages. $3.
July 1, 8, 15: Mr. Mac. 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. All ages. No Stories, puppets and music for every member of the family.
July 23: Jane & Judy Throw a Party on a Budget. 2:30-3:30 p.m. Learn creative and inexpensive ways to throw a party. Registration required.
July 2, 9, 16: PJ Story Time. 6:30 p.m. Wear PJs, have milk and cookies and hear bedtime tales. All ages.
July 31-Aug. 1: Summer Lovin’ Romance Reader Conference. Mingle with fellow romance readers and get a chance to meet some of your favorite romance authors. Tickets $10 each day. $15 for both. Call 439-5510.
July 6, 13, 20: Toddler Tales. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs and fingerplays for short attention spans. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required. July 7, 21: Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m. A story time designed for babies and their caregivers. Birth to 18 months. Registration required.
Children’s Programming
Tween
July 2, 9, 16, 20: Family Movie Days. 3 p.m. Join us to watch a family-friendly, new release movie. All ages.
July 1: Minecraft Party. 2 p.m. A minetastic party with Mine-themed games, snacks, crafts and fun. Ages 8-12. Registration required.
July 6: Lee Bryan That Puppet Guy. 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Innovative, one-man, mini-musical combines original songs with awesome puppets. All ages. No registration required.
July 8: Superhero Perler Bead Mosaic Art. 2 p.m. Creating heat-activated perler bead art is addictive and fun. Ages 8-12.
July 7, 14, 21: Craft Days. 2-3:30 p.m. All ages.
July 15: Superhero Movie Day. 2 p.m. View a high-flying adventure movie for the whole family. Ages 8-12.
July 11: All Ages Lego Competition. Use brick to make an original creation. Registration required.
July 20: Retro Family Movie Night. 6 p.m. Share favorite movies from your childhood with your kids. Ages 8-12.
July 13: McWane Center Stardome. 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Crawl into an inflatable planetarium and learn about the solar system and constellations. Grades K-3.
July 22: Tween Summer Reading Finale: Giant Game Olympics. 2 p.m. Classic family table top themed games with a giant twist. Ages 8-12. Registration required.
July 14: Composting for Kids. 10:30 a.m. Learn about composting and how to begin it at your home. Ages 6-12.
Teens
July 22: Summer Reading End Party with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m. Fun and refreshments. All ages. July 25: Summer Reading End Party
July 2: Wii Tournament. 6 p.m. Compete against other teens and see who can make it through Mushroom Mall the fastest in Mario Kart. Prizes will be awarded. July 3, 10, 18: Gaming. 3-5:45 p.m. Board games, card games, Wii, Xbox One, Minecraft.
B30 • July 2015
280 Living
Calendar Mt Laurel Library
Library Events (continued)
July 6: Anime Night. 6 p.m. An evening of anime. Call 439-5512. July 7: 3D Printing, Part 2. 11 a.m. Caldwell Mill UPS Store. Learn about 3D printing, see the printer in action and receive the project you programmed during part I. Call 439-5512. July 9: Super Fan Smack Down. 6 p.m. Prove your super fan status. Call 439-5512. July 16: Chopped Iron Throat. 6 p.m. Compete against other teens to see who can make the best food in the microwave. Call 439-5512. July 24: Teen Summer Reading End Party. 4-6 p.m. Computer animation workshop film festival and minute to win it competition. Call 4395512.
111 Olmsted Street 991-1660, mtlaurellibrary.org July 1, 8, 15: Crafts. Noon-2 p.m. Drop in each week to create a different fun item at the library. All ages. July 2: Super Hero Science Show. 2 p.m. Stir up some science with Dynamic Educational Adventures. July 3, 10, 17: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and more for short attention spans. Ages 36 months or younger. Registration required. July 3, 10, 17: Storytime with Ms. Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more for every
member of the family. July 7, 14, 21: Family Movies. 2 p.m. Stop by the library for a showing of a family movie. July 9: Miss Kit’s Bubble School. 2 p.m. Science, comedy and bubbles. Registration required. July 16: Cookies and Cream Social. 2 p.m. Bring the whole family and enjoy a cool treat on a hot day. All ages. July 17: Youth Book Club. 4 p.m. Join us for a discussion of great books. Ages 7-12.
July 18: Lego Club. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The library provides Legos, the kids provide imagination and creativity. July 22: End Party with Skip Cain, the Magic Guy. 2 p.m. Enjoy an interactive show filled with magic, jokes, balloon sculptures and prizes.
Teens July 14: Teen Just Dance Tournament. 4:30 p.m. Compete with other teens sixth12th grade to see who is the best dancer.
Adults July 7: Paint and Pour. 6 p.m. Create a piece of art with help from a professional. $3. July 9: Dolores Hydock: In Her Own Fashion. 7 p.m. Double Oak Community Church. Stories of fashion disasters, celebrity quirks, reckless romance and a life that followed no one else’s pattern. July 13: Native Plants. 2 p.m. Extension Agent John Nabors will discuss gardening with native plants.
Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce 1301 County Services Drive 663-4542, shelbychamber.org July 1: Ambassadors Meeting. 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office. Email aubri@ shelbychamber.org. July 1: Small Business Work Group. 4-5 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office. Email brooke@ shelbychamber.org. July 8: Existing Business and Industry Work Group. 8:30-9:30 p.m. Barge, Waggoner,
Sumner and Cannon, Inc. 3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 500. Email brooke@shelbychamber.org. July 10: Health Services Work Group. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office. Email keyla@shelbychamber.org. July 14: Entrepreneur and Small Business Mentorship Program. 8-11 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office. Email brooke@
5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 • Birmingham, AL 35242 (two blocks from 280) www.southeasternjewelers.net • 980-9030
shelbychamber.org. July 14: Education Work Group. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Shelby County Instructional Services Center, 601 First Street South. Email keyla@shelbychamber.org. July 17: Entrepreneur Roundtable II. 8:30-10:30 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office. Email brooke@shelbychamber.org.
July 21: Entrepreneur Roundtable I. 8-10 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber Office. Email brooke@ shelbychamber.org. July 23: Governmental Affairs Work Group. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sain Associates, Inc. Two Perimeter Park South, Suite 500 East. Email kirk@ shelbychamber.org.
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July 2015 • B31
Calendar St. Vincent’s One Nineteen 7191 Cahaba Valley Road 408-6600, onenineteen.com Wednesdays: Breastfeeding Support Group. 10 a.m.-noon. Moms will meet with a lactation consultant and network with other breastfeeding moms. Free. July 1: Baby Sign Language. 10-11 a.m. Class teaches caregivers to communicate with their babies or toddlers before they are able to talk with common baby signs. Six months to 2 years. July 6-10: Thyme for Teens Cooking Academy. 8 a.m.-noon. Teens age 13-16 years learn the proper techniques to cook like a true chef by preparing delicious meals. $195 per week. July 6-11: Science Camp. 1-4 p.m. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen will host Science Camp for children 6 to 12 years. Call 4086544. July 11: Sjogrens Support Group. 1-3 p.m. Education, support and awareness for Sjogrens. Free, July 14: Blood Pressure/Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative from St. Vincent’s Wellness Services will be screening for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance. Free. July 16: Wellness Screening. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist
circumference screenings by appointment. $20. July 17: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Physicians referral required, and pre-assessments given preceding class date. July 18: Charcot Marie Tooth Support Group. 2-3:30 p.m. A new support group for patients and families who have Charcot-Marie-Tooth. Free. July 20-24: Dance Camp. 1-4 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn various areas of dance from Dale Serrano’s Dance Studio instructors. Call 408-6544. July 20-24, 27-31: Thyme To Cook for Kids. 8 a.m.-noon. Age 6-9 in first session, Age 10-12 in second session. Discover new ways to cook old favorites, investigate new foods and explore healthy cooking for a lifetime of good eating. July 21: Medicare Educational Meeting. 10 a.m.-noon. Blue Cross/ Blue Shield will hold a meeting to inform customers about senior products. Call 1-888-346-1946 to register. July 21: Individual Insurance Products. Noon-2 p.m. Blue Cross/ Blue Shield will hold a meeting to discuss individual products. Free. Call 1-855-7641333 to register.
Area Events July 1: Esperanza Spalding. 7 p.m. Iron City. $30 in advance, $33 at the door. Visit ironcitybham.com. July 1: Betty Who. 7 p.m. Saturn Birmingham, 200 41st St. S. $12 in advance, $14 at the door. Visit saturnbirmingham.com. July 2: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5-9 p.m. 113 22nd St. N. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl. com. July 4: Thunder on the Mountain Fireworks Show. 9 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. Visit visitvulcan.com. July 4: Peavine Falls Run. 7 a.m. Oak Mountain State Park. $15. Visit birminghamtrackclub.com. July 7: Movies at Avondale Park. 8:15 p.m. Crestwood Park. Back to the Future. Visit forestparksouthavondale.com. July 10: Steel Magnolias. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. July 10: Art on the Rocks. 7-11 p.m. Birmingham Museum of Art. $15 for members, $25 for non-members. Visit artsbms.org. July 11-12: Alabama Gun Collectors Association Summer Show. Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Visit algca.org. July 12: Driving Miss Daisy. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com.
July 17: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. July 18: Shelby County Shindig. 1-7 p.m. Shelby County Arts Council. Barbecue cook off and music festival. Visit shelbycountyartscouncil.com. July 18: Roller Derby! Birmingham’s Tragic City Rollers vs. Lafayette, LA. 6 p.m. Zamora Shrine Temple. Visit tragiccityrollers. com. July 18-19: 32nd Annual World Deer Expo. Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.6 p.m. Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Visit worlddeerexpo.com. July 18-19: Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Adults $4, seniors $3, Children $2. Visit tannehill.org. July 18-19: Sloss Music and Arts Festival. Sloss Furnaces. Visit slossfest.com. July 19: The Wizard of Oz. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. July 24: Pulp Fiction. 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. July 26: Singin’ in the Rain. 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $8. Visit alabamatheatre.com. July 27-31: Girls Rock Bham. 9 a.m.4 p.m. Music camp for girls age 9-16. Visit girlsrockbham.org..
Heardmont Senior Center 5452 Cahaba Valley Road 991-5742
Mondays: Tai Chi. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Mondays: Mah Jongg. 9:30 a.m.-noon. Mondays: Canasta. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
July 7: Blood Pressure Screening by Shelby Ridge. 9:30-10:30 a.m.
July 21: Sundae Thursday.
July 9: Biscuit Bash.
July 23: Trip to Harrison Regional Library and Out to Lunch.
July 14: Laura with Walgreen Bingo.
July 24: Heardmont Dance. 6:30-9 p.m.
Tuesdays: Bible Study. 11 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: Lunch. Noon. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Aerobics. 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. on Thursdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Bingo and Board Games. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays: Bridge. 9 a.m.noon. Fridays: Zumba Gold. 9-10 a.m. Fridays: Intermediate Line Dancing. 10-11 a.m.
quality pet care & home sitting Insured. Bonded Based out of Highland Lakes
Fridays: Beginning Line Dancing. 11 a.m.-noon. July 2: We Love America Celebration. July 4: Center close for Fourth of July.
ph: 205.408.0349 cell:910.280.3067
9 9 5 $1 $ 19
IN TW TS AT S SE TING ET T S A AR ST EN NG I E T QUTAR S