280 Living vol 6 iss 11 july 2013

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

The latest buzz

July 2013 | Volume 6 | Issue 11

Hwy 280 at the Narrows Dr. Kristy Curl, Board Certified Dermatologists

Specializing in Medical, Surgical, and Cosmetic Dermatology Call 877-9773 or visit www.villagedermatology.net

Safety in (the) numbers The debate on creating a greater law enforcement presence in Shelby County schools has settled on who will fund it The Safe Schools Initiative

The minds behind Cahaba Valley Honey are as in tune as the hives they care for.

Find out more about this home-grown business inside.

Community page 16

Delivering smiles

Hoover Police Officer Chris Harper with Greystone Elementary students.

Photo by Allie Saxon.

$1.14 million - Funds 19 School Resource Officers A joint effort by the Shelby County Board of Education and County Commission. Funds requested from multiple county stakeholders.

Communities for Safer Schools $80 per student - Funds 39 School Resource Officers A nonprofit organization that seeks community support to protect students.

Sheriff Chris Curry

$1.14 million - Funds 19 School Resource Officers Curry recommends funding the Safe Schools Initiative solely through the County Commission.

By JEFF THOMPSON

Shawn Palmer, his family and his employees are moving more than sofas.

In this issue, see how they’ve helped bring joy to thousands.

Community page 18

INSIDE Sponsors ...... 4 280 News ..... 6 Business ....... 8 Food .............. 11 Community .. 12

Sports ............... 24 School House ... 25 Faith .................. 26 Opinion ............. 27 Calendar ........... 30

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As multiple organizations assess the need for additional school security in Shelby County, the debate has finally centered on how to fund it. On the table right now are three ideas, but none is receiving unanimous support.

Communities for Safer Schools Mike Echols knows he’s fighting an uphill battle.

Following the January shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., Echols launched a campaign to put a School Resource Officer (SRO) in every school in Shelby County before the beginning of the 2013-2014 year. He formed a nonprofit organization called Communities for Safer Schools in order to reach the goal.

“After Sandy Hook, I sat back and watched for a little time,” Echols said. “I know a lot of people out there are smarter than me, and I said there’s no way anyone would let this take place here.”

But less than a month later, it did.

In February, a 21-year-old allegedly entered Chelsea Middle School and held five female students hostage with a firearm.

Thanks to the efforts of Chelsea Middle Principal William Harper and a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputy assigned to the school, the

incident was diffused without injury. But Echols has two children in Chelsea schools, and he wasn’t willing to wait.

Echols launched a nonprofit organization that would provide the public with a way to fund additional security forces.

Communities for Safer Schools received its 501(c)3 status in April, and soon after Echols partnered with Regions Bank to collect donations for the organization. He received a couple right away, as well as support from the Sheriff’s office, but he said the Shelby County Commission and Shelby County Board of Education didn’t immediately attach to the plan.

“I really expected them to be all over this,” Echols said. “I know as well as most,

See SAFETY| page 28

A quick look at the Safe Schools Initiative It’s a partnership among the Shelby County Board of Education, County Commission, Sheriff’s Office and all county municipalities.

It would fund 19 trained officers or up to 35 retired officers to be hired to serve in county schools.

Officers would serve across 10 school zones in the county and would report to municipal departments.

Shelby Board of Education approved its portion of the funding in June.

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About Us Photo of the month

Please Support our Community Partners

State Rep. Paul DeMarco with Cub Scout Pack 353 at Liberty Baptist Church in Chelsea. In May, DeMarco spoke to the pack about on the topic of citizenship.

Opinion By Chandler Jones

A new view of home A little butterfly flaps in my stomach as I hit my brakes at the first stop light before entering Chelsea.

I’m almost home.

The world feels just a little different here.

Things are louder, and everywhere my eyes go something is moving.

On the two-hour journey from Auburn, 280 has Chandler transformed from a quiet country road to a bustling city highway.

The still-new-to-me Krispy Kreme tantalizes me as I drive past. The fountain across from Brook Highland Plaza spewing in its infinite loop waves hello.

The light at Meadow Brook and U.S. 280 takes way too long, but today I don’t mind.

As I coast through Meadow Brook, my mind compares it to Tolkien’s Shire.

Back in Auburn, my daily routes are through city blocks lined with apartment

complexes and neverending pavement, but here trees grow high and mighty on winding roads to give shade to all that’s around.

As I reach my driveway with gut-retching nostalgia, my memories of Oak Mountain school days flood back. I stop in for greetings and kisses, and before I know it, it’s time to go meet Jones my childhood friends.

To us, the drive along Valleydale and 119 reveals something new on every corner.

Bruster’s lights are still on, and the corner Shell and Circle K’s Icee machine still serve their classic three flavors.

The board outside Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church advertising Vacation Bible School dates brings me back to sunny Sunday mornings.

I am proud to call these my stomping grounds, though I’ll leave memories of

certain teenage adventures in the past.

Today my eyes are open to another layer of this community. These days I see people through their stories and places for what they are becoming. Suddenly I care more about the successes of those around me like the faces behind Cahaba Valley Honey and a new magazine for regional musicians.

Inside this issue, you will get a glimpse into the stories I have discovered since coming home for the summer. I hope I can share the depth of their impact with you in the same way they were revealed to me.

Chandler Jones will enter her senior year as a journalism major at Auburn University this fall. She is interning for 280 Living this summer and works for the campus newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman, during the school year.

A Birmingham native, she enjoys reading, writing, relaxing and a good bout of karaoke. She can be reached at chandler@280living.com.

Correction The cover story of the June issue titled “The future is now” incorrectly stated that Trinity Medical Center is projected to spend $80 million to finish its new U.S. 280 location. That figure should have read $280 million.

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

Publisher : Creative Director : Executive Editor : Managing Editor : Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution :

Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Jeff Thompson Madoline Markham Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Keith Richardson Michelle Salem Haynes Contributing Writers : Rick Watson Kari Kampakis Interns : Chandler Jones Will Hightower Caroline Drew Intisar Seraaj-Sabree For advertising contact: dan@280living.com

Contact Information: 280 Living #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@280living.com Please submit all articles, information and photos to: jeff@280living.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 Published by : 280 Living LLC

Legals: 280 Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic

content without prior permission is prohibited. 280 Living is designed to inform the 280 community of area school, family and community events. Information in 280 Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of 280 Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted.

Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (14) Alabama Power (20) Azia Medical Spa (27) Beaumont Pharmacy (28) Bedzzz Express (32) Bellini’s (18) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (25) Bongiorno Italian Restaurant (27) Bromberg & Company, Inc. (9) Bruno Montessori Academy (19) Bryant Heating and Air (19) Cahaba Dermatology and Skin Care Center (30) California Closets (16) Charles Dunn (11) Children’s of Alabama (21) Chiropractic Today (20) Comfort Keepers (22) Cutting Edge Salon (28) Danberry at Inverness (5) DanceSouth (27) Diana Holladay (22) Encore Rehabilitation (5) Exclusively Ballet (31) Eye Do (17) FabsFirst (24) First Christian Church (27) GeGe’s Salon (31) GradePower Learning of Birmingham (23) Greenbrier Furniture (3) Greystone Antiques & Marketplace (7) Hanna’s Garden Shop (8) Home Care Assistance (26) Home Search Solutions (19) ImageSouth (19) Isbell Jewelers (26) Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (25) Lazenby’s Decorative Arts Studio (28) Learning by Design (25) M&F Bank (15) Mosquito Squad of Birmingham (16) MoveDaddy (21) Mister Carwash (11) NAPA Auto Parts (12) Pak Mail (24) Pastry Art (10) Plain Jane Children & Gift Shop (11) Re/MAX Advantage - Terry Crutchfield (14) RealtySouth Marketing (9) Red Mountain Theatre Company (19) Regus (13) Richard Joseph Salon and Spa (1) Royal Automotive (2) Salter Ferguson, LLC (22) Skin Wellness Center of Alabama (6) SouthFirst Bank (29) Southeastern Jewelers and Engravers (6) St. Vincent’s One Nineteen (8) St. Vincent’s (17) Studio Red (24) The Cuckoo’s Nest (10) The Goddard School (29) Tony’s Spaghetti House (29) Total Care 280 (7) Varsity Sports (24) Village Dermatology (1) World Cellular - Verizon Wireless (18) Your Good Neighbor (13)

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280 Living

280 News Chelsea tax increase to accommodate growing demand for recreation

By JEFF THOMPSON In May, the City of Chelsea approved to increase its sales tax by 1 percent in order to grow its annual capital improvement capability. And it intends to start right away by progressing area recreation.

According to Mayor Earl Niven, the City’s primary motivation for increasing the tax rate is to fund the construction of a new sports complex behind Chelsea High School. Niven said the highlight of the proposed facility would be new baseball and softball fields, which are currently needed to handle the increasing number of Chelsea youth who sign up to play each year.

“Right now, we’re just limited on fields,” Niven said. “This year we have 425 baseball players and four fields to play on. I think for softball we have 170 playing and only three fields.”

Niven said the rising number of youth participants in area sports is a sign the city is growing, and it’s up to the government to accommodate them. He said the average age in town is young – only 34.5 – and more than 500 children are currently enrolled in fifth grade in Chelsea schools.

At the end of May, the Chelsea City Council approved the purchase of up to 423 acres behind Chelsea High School to facilitate the new athletic complex, which Niven said would also include soccer fields, tennis courts, and possibly

walking and bike trails. The Council agreed to pay $200,000 immediately toward the purchase of the property.

Niven said the City is pursuing a $6 million bond to finance construction on the recreation facility as well as a new community center. He said the location of the center hadn’t been identified, but indicated it would be “closer to the heart of the city.”

Overall, Niven said the community has responded favorably to the decision.

“I’d say 99 percent approve of it,” Niven said. “We’ve had a couple who opposed, but they felt the City should not borrow. It should just pay as it goes.”

Niven said the Chelsea City Council hopes to see the facility completed before the 2015 baseball and softball seasons, and in order to do so, it can’t afford to wait while it saves the money. He said the bond could currently be taken out at an interest rate under 3 percent. The City would be able to pay it back over 15 years using money from the tax increase, which Niven said is expected to generate approximately $100,000 a month.

“If we waited it could be a year and a half to save the money,” Niven said. “I’d hate to be the one who has to look at a 9-year-old child and tell him we’ll have a place for him to play ball by the time he gets to high school.”

Niven said Chelsea residents could see construction on the fields and a new road into the complex beginning within the month.

ALDOT awarded $2 million to help with U.S. 280 project

By JEFF THOMPSON The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) will soon receive outside assistance with its project to increase travel time along U.S. 280.

According to a release by the U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT), the 280 project is one of 14 across the nation to be awarded a Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Highways for LIFE grant in 2013.

The release states ALDOT’s grant of $2 million is to be used for “traffic operations and management at intersections along U.S. 280” in Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

USDOT reports it chose the U.S. 280 improvement project for its combination of traditional strategies – physically reformatting intersections – with integration of a “newly installed adaptive signal control technology.”

The new traffic signal system on the corridor is the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS). Installed in 2012, SCATS uses an adaptive computer system and cameras to reduce delays on the highway by adapting to fluctuations in traffic.

“The principal purpose of the control system is to minimize overall stops and delay and, when traffic demand is at or near the capacity of the system, to maximize that capacity and minimize the possibility of traffic jams by controlling the formation of queues,” SACTS website scats. com.au reads.

Introduction of the new system was met with local criticism, as multiple reports surfaced of commute times increasing as waittime durations on side streets went up.

Earlier this year, ALDOT Division 3 Engineer Brian Davis said the SCATS system

was bid out before the proposal to alter intersections was introduced, and the two were not modeled together. However, Davis added he anticipates once the intersection project is complete, the two will work together to further reduce drive times on 280.

ALDOT’s intersection improvement project, which includes alterations to 27 intersections along the corridor from Hollywood Boulevard to Hugh Daniel Drive, began in May. Davis said Dunn Construction and Apac Mid-South, Inc. were awarded the project in April on a joint bid of $15.6 million.

These companies have been offered a $10,000 bonus of per day for each day before Aug. 5 the section between Cherokee Road and Green Valley Road is complete. ALDOT will charge the companies that amount for each day they are late.

For the entire project, contractors will receive a $50,000 bonus per day for each day the project is finished ahead of the Nov. 27 deadline. They will also be charged that amount for each day they extend beyond.

The project includes the removal of multiple traffic signals and median crossings along the 9-mile stretch and will require drivers entering from side streets to perform U-turns in many locations. ALDOT believes this reduction in the number of impediments to traffic flow will increase speeds and decrease travel times.

ALDOT did not return a request for comment before deadline, and it is unclear at this time if the organization will apply the grant toward the intersection project’s tentative $15.6 million cost. The initial estimate for the project, presented in November 2012, was $12-$15 million.

YOUR SKIN AWAITS

DERMATOLOGY Medical • Pediatric • Surgical • Cosmetic 2908 Central Avenue, Suite 150 • Homewood, AL 35209 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 3 • Chelsea, AL 35043 205.871.7332 • WWW.SKINWELLNESSAL.COM

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

July 2013 • 7

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Celebrations Wills

Ruth and Paul Wills celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, and 90th birthdays, at luau in June.

The event was held at the home of their daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Douglas Dickinson, in Inverness. The couple’s six children, 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren traveled from all over the U.S. to attend.

The couple met in the tenth grade at Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio, and married June 19, 1943.

Paul flew for General George Patton in World War II and served as on the Taylor University Board of Trustees for 11 years and Moody Bible Institute Board of Trustees for 21 years. He also received an honorary doctorate of law from Moody Bible Institute and served on church boards of trustees and as a Sunday school teacher for many years.

Professionally, he built and owned four trucking companies.

The Wills lived in Highland Lakes for 17 years and now reside at Danberry Cottage.

Have an engagement, wedding or anniversary announcement?

Email jeff@280living.com to have it included in an upcoming issue!

Hours: Monday - Saturday 10-6 & Sundays 1-5 Open late on the third Thursday of every month 10-8

5475 Highway 280 Birmingham, AL • 205-995-4773

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Business Happenings GradePower powers up

Stein Mart in temporary location

The GradePower learning center ceremoniously joined the Village at Lee Branch following its grand opening in May. The center, owned by Tony Mauro, follows a learning model of teaching cognitive abilities and academics concurrently, and is unlike others in North America.

Programs range include “Little Reader” for ages 3-6, “Beyond Tutoring” for grades first through eighth, “Advantage” for grades ninth through 12th, and test prep for the SAT and ACT. Call 980-5745 or visit gradepowerlearning. com for appointments and more. GradePower Learning Birmingham can be found in the Lee Branch Shopping Center, Suite 105 and online at gradepowerlearning.com.

GradePower is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday.

Stein-Mart has temporarily moved locations because the original location is “falling apart.”

“It’s a safety issue,” a representative from Stein-Mart said.

The temporary location will open in the old Circuit City site at 5291 U.S. 280 South.

In the meantime customers can visit the chain’s store in Vestavia at 664 Montgomery Highway from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. MondaySaturday and from noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Fitness training studio now open Fitness Functions is now open on Highway 119. The establishment is owned and operated

by Sebastian Hudd, who has been a personal trainer for more than nine years.

Fitness Functions operates as a personaltraining studio using functional-movementbased workouts and the TRX Suspension Trainers.

Hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:15 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. and Fridays from 6 a.m.-5 p.m.

Fitness Functions is located at 7350 Cahaba Valley Road, Suite 104. Call 492-0743, visit fitnessfunctions.com or email sebastian@ fitnessfunctions.com.

FABS First to be fabulous The grand opening of the arts and crafts studio FABS First on U.S. 280 is schedule for July 12.

FABS uses ceramics as canvases to teach customers figurine painting and new pieces are featured each month.

A class is $30, and all supplies are included.

“It’s actually proven that crafts and art are very relaxing to the mind,” owner Heather Baker said.

Classes are taught as one- or two-hour sessions in its facility at 16165 U.S. 280. Tiedye classes will begin in July.

FABS First class schedule is available at fabsfirst.com. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Call Baker at 2156908 for more.

Summit swarms for new Allen Edmonds The national brand Allen Edmonds has

come to the Summit. The new location opened in June and held a 15-percent-off sale its first three weeks, and 10 percent of sales went to Children’s of Alabama, The Alabama Symphony and United Way. “We have a good customer base,” Serena Stevens, store manager, said. “People are just finally glad there is a full-service store here.”

Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday from noon-6 p.m.

Call 969-4837 for more or visit 211 Summit Blvd or allenedmonds.com.

Auto Zone: Now in the 280 zone A new AutoZone on U.S. 280 opened in May. This location is built like all the others and ensures the customer feels “at home.”

“We’ve been a success,” Joseph Bath, store manager, said. “People have been coming in saying how nice it is we’re here and that it’s about time. The response has been outstanding.”

The new location is at 4991 U.S. 280.

Hours are 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays. Call 981-5325 or visit autozone.com for more.

Allstate: new building, same service Allstate Agent James Anthony has moved his office to 48 Chesser Crane Rd, Suite F. “We’d been there 10 years and needed a change of scenery,” Anthony said.

Contact Anthony at 678-2660 between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays or visit agents. allstate.com for more.

Zig Zag zigged and zagged to new location Zig Zag moved locations to accommodate its growing business. The Chelsea fabric retailer can now found at 48 Chesser Crane Road, Suite A. Call 678-9822 or visit zigzagchelsea.com for more.

Its hours remain 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays.

Jane Claire Designs Drapery Studios moves next door Jane Claire Designs Drapery Studios moved locations. Still making its home in The Colonnade, the new studio is 3419 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 750. Hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Call 969-5575 or visit janeclairedesigns. com for more.

New gym brings Crossfit to Chelsea Crossfit Chelsea opened in April and is now taking new members.

Crossfit’s fitness is a program based off an online site that develops daily and challenging workouts.

Each class consists of a warm up, a focus on that day’s skill and an overall workout.

The new location is 16145 U.S. 280. Visit crossfitchelsea.net for class schedules or call 618-9700 for more.

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280Living.com

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce July Events

July 9: Education Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Shelby County Instructional Services Center, 601 First St. S., Alabaster.

July 9: Existing Business & Industry Work Group. 9 a.m.

Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc., 3535 Grandview Pkwy., Suite 500.

July 10: Ambassadors Work Group. 11:30 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Drive.

July 10: Small Business Work Group. 4 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Drive.

July 12: Health Services Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Cardiovascular Associates, 3890 Colonnade Pkwy.

July 16: Go & Grow Workshop “Becoming a Strategic Thinker.”

7:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Drive. RSVP by July 12. $50 for member and $75 for nonmembers.

July 16: Business After Hours.

5:30-7 p.m. Inverness Country Club, #1 Country Club Drive. RSVP

by July 12. $10 for members and $20 for non-members.

July 23: Existing Business & Industry Tour. 8:30 a.m.

Registrants will meet at A.C. Legg, Inc., 6330 Hwy. 31 S., Calera.

Register by July 19. Free. Limited to first 15 participants.

July 25: Governmental Affairs Work Group. 9 p.m. Greater Shelby Chamber, 1301 County Services Drive.

July 30: SpeedNetworking Times Four Chambers! 8:30-11 a.m. The Wynfrey Hotel, 1000 Riverchase Galleria. Bring a stack of 200+ business cards. RSVP by July 26. Free.

July 31: Membership Luncheon Workforce Development. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Pelham Civic Complex, 500 Amphitheater Road. RSVP by noon on July 29. $17 for members and $25 for non-members.

To receive refunds for cancelled reservations, cancel at least two business days before the event.

For more and to register for events, visit shelbychamber.org, or call the RSVP Line at 663-8923 or the Chamber office at 663-4542.

For more visit ShelbyChamber. org or call 663-4542.

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Business Spotlight

Read past Business Spotlights at 280Living.com

4618 Highway 280, Suite #130 991-4446 Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday: Noon-6 p.m. stores.newbalance.com/birmingham/ facebook.com/NewBalanceBirmingham

New Balance Birmingham

By JEFF THOMPSON For Wesley McCluney, shoes are a family business.

His father opened a New Balance Store in Memphis in the late 1970s, and it not only provided for the family’s needs, it offered footwear to customers seeking made-in-the-U.S.A. shoes from a then up-and-coming company.

Now, New Balance is established, and so is McCluney.

After graduating from the University of Virginia in the late 1990s, McCluney took his father’s model, built it his way and spread it across the Southeast. He opened his first store in Nashville, followed it with five stores in Atlanta and most recently, in 2011, launched the New Balance Store on U.S. 280.

McCluney’s Birmingham store has been open for a year and a half and has already become his highestvolume store. He was living in Atlanta when it took off and initially thought he could run it from there.

But after seeing its success, he chose to headquarter his entire operation around it.

He believes the store will continue to grow to one of the top-10 in the country, but business wasn’t the only reason he moved to Alabama.

“I always wanted to move back to a place that had that community feel,” McCluney said.

“Atlanta was too big for my tastes. I wanted to raise my family in Birmingham, and it’s been wonderful so far.”

McCluney said his 280 store has grown so rapidly thanks to not only quality product and technique, but also its location and the shoppers it serves. One-third of New Balance’s shoes

New Balance Birmingham owner Wesley McCluney, center, with members of his staff.

From left are Samantha Sloan, Wilson Christenberry, Matt Berberich and Josh Michaud.

are made in America, and McCluney said the distinction is important to many of his customers.

But one thing three-fourths of his customers may not realize is that they’re wearing the wrong shoes. Not the wrong style, size or color – the wrong size. He said once customers receive a professional fitting, they often buy a bigger size than they’ve been accustomed to wearing their entire life.

“If I ask people to go home and find the most comfortable shoe they own, more than likely that shoe will also be the biggest shoe they own,” he said. “For almost every foot ailment from plantar fasciitis to bunions, properly fitted shoes are the recommended solution.”

At McCluney’s New Balance store, customers are fitted both using an digital machine and a Brannock Device – the archaic metal clamp that’s often seen peeking from beneath benches at shoe stores. Not only does this assist the customer in finding the right length, but also the proper width.

McCluney’s New Balance Store carries sizes from a women’s 4 to a men’s 18, and most shoes in multiple widths.

“It’s a critical part of what we do,” McCluney said. “Offering shoes in widths helps us get it right. It may require carrying more inventory, which drives our costs up, but we’ve also found carrying more inventory will lead to more sales.

“It’s a circle, and a good one.”

McCluney said that over the past year and a half his staff has helped people suffering from diabetes, to whom proper fitting can be of critical importance, as well as athletes who often remove their socks to reveal black toenails.

“At the end of the day, we find runners to tennis players with this problem are all wearing their shoes too tight,” he said.

McCluney said through exceptional service, he hopes to make connections with customers. It’s those connections, he believes, that will help him most in the place where he’s chosen to raise his family – and his family business.

Been Baby Bitten?

If you’ve never been “baby bitten”, then drop by Pastry Art Bake Shoppe today to experience the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of one of our original Baby Bites. Once “bitten”, we know you’ll be back to try all 20 flavors.

NEW LOCATION! 940 Inverness Corners

205.995.5855 1927 29th Ave S | Homewood

205.877.3852

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

July 2013 • 11

280Living.com Read all the past Restaurant Showcases at 280Living.com

Restaurant Showcase 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 101 981-1616 ginzasushibham.com Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-10 p.m.

Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-11 p.m.

Saturday, noon-11 p.m.• Sunday, 5-10 p.m.

Ginza

By CHANDLER JONES To owners John and Jane Namkoong, Ginza is a gift from God. Jane Namkoong prayed for 40 days about what to do next in life, and on the last day God told her she needed to open a restaurant, she said. She soon found its future home in a burgeoning corner of Inverness Village retail center.

This month, Ginza celebrates its seventh birthday.

The fusion Japanese sushi bar and Korean barbecue establishment capitalizes on providing diners with a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s culinary niche: no one nearby serves Korean barbecue.

“When the owner decided to open the restaurant he took a risk, but it paid off,” chef and manager Don Shin said.

Shin has been with Ginza since the opening. He leads a staff of 20 and kitchen staff of six.

“We work like family,” he said.

Also, one does not simply order Ginza’s Korean barbecue, bul-go-gi, and receive it ready to eat. Servers deliver uncooked meat to be cooked fresh by the customer on Ginza’s built-in grill tables.

“It’s a neat experience if you haven’t tried it,” Shin said.

Ginza’s Sashimi is made at the restaurant’s glass sushi bar.

House favorites are the galibi, short ribs and sushi dishes Yummy Yummy Roll and Volcano Roll. Ginza was even bitten by the football bug with its Bama and Tiger Rolls. Its

menu includes more than 40 different sushi rolls and array of other Asianinspired cuisine.

“There are a bit of tricks, but they are traditional,” Shin said.

Sushi is made at a glass bar lining the back of the restaurant. The rounded glass has a dual purpose to display things like octopus tentacles and fresh fish and to provide a place

to view preparation. Fish is brought in three to four times a week by a variety of distributors from Hawaii and Japan.

In fact, Ginza was named after a district in Tokyo, Japan. It means “server town and prosperous,” Shin said.

Through Ginza’s double-door entrance is a feng-shui paradise. The décor reflects the style of the Korean and Japanese food served. Each inch of Ginza is decorated from the ink squirt painting that lines the back of the restaurant to the Koreanstyle bathrooms.

Diners eat beef from lettuce, and side dishes are served in 2- to 3-inch bowls because you don’t just order one thing at Ginza. Most dishes come with Korean sides like rice, soups, salads and edamame.

Chopsticks, instead of silverware, come in rolled up napkins. Mesh shades dim the room, and overhead string lights lend to Ginza’s cozy atmosphere.

The Namkoongs celebrate a special relationship with their customers. Ginza has a loyal customer base, and in turn, the Namkoongs take care of them. Jane Namkoong even sends birthday cards to the restaurant frequenters.

As the restaurant is celebrating a card-worthy seventh birthday, the owners say it’s planning to keep bringing sushi and Korean barbecue to the area.

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280 Living

Community Fireworks, flags and fantasy

Schultz named Eagle Scout

Independence Day events 2013 Fourth of July festivities are just around the corner. If you don’t have any plans, below some great options fit for everyone in the family.

The Big Kaboom

July 3, 8 p.m.

Chelsea Park The seventh annual Chelsea Independence Day celebration, The Big Kaboom, will be held July 3 at the Chelsea Park Subdivision.

Beginning at 8 p.m., it will feature performances by local singers and free Pepsi, as well as food vendors serving barbecue, pizza, shaved ice and smoothies. And to put the “boom” in “Kaboom,” Pyro Shows of Tennessee will put on a fireworks show at 9 p.m.

Chelsea Park is located at 2966 County Highway 39. Call 669-9075 for more.

Mt Laurel July Fourth Parade

July 4, 10 a.m.

The Town of Mt Laurel This year’s attendees of the Mt Laurel July Fourth Parade will watch everything from decorated golf carts, tricycles and bicycles to wagons and dogs. Cahaba Valley Fire Department and Mt Laurel’s resident Uncle Sam will lead the parade.

Attendees are encouraged to dress in Fourth of July attire. The parade ends at Olmsted Park Tot Lot with watermelon for children. A prize will be awarded for the best decorated vehicle.

That evening, fireworks for residents begin at approximately 8:30 p.m. at Mt Laurel Spoonwood Lake. The fireworks display will launched from floating dock in the middle of the lake. An ice cream truck will be stationed

Uncle Sam leads the Mt Laurel’s July Fourth Parade last year.

at the lake to serve children.

Call 665-3535, ext. 1031 for more. The Town of Mt Laurel is located at 5 Mt Laurel Ave.

Independence Day at the American Village

July 4 American Village Independence Day at the American Village will take you back in time to the first Independence Day. Historical interpreters in full regalia, Revolutionary Army drills, 18th century games and an Independence Ball bring new life into this classic holiday.

Admission is $5, but the event is free for ages 4 and younger, veterans and active military.

Gates open at 11 a.m., and events continue through an evening fireworks show.

American Village is located at 3727 Highway 119, Montevallo. Call 665-3535 for more.

Flag Making & Fourth of July Crafts

July 4, 10 a.m.

Oak Mountain State Park Campground Pavilion Oak Mountain State Park wants to celebrate Independence Day by honoring those who made it possible. Emily Cook, the state park’s naturalist, will teach a flag making and crafts class under the campground pavilion. She will have materials for anyone that would like to come. Attendees can make a flag and other patriotic crafts, then join the parade to show off the flags.

The pavilion is located at 200 Terrace Drive.

Cost is park admission. Call 620-2520 for more.

Thomas Ray “Quint” Schultz V

Thomas Ray “Quint” Schultz V, 18, was recently awarded the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America. Schultz is a member of Troop 533 out of Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church. His Eagle Scout Project consisted of clearing the wetlands walking trail and outdoor classroom at Oak Mountain Elementary School so the faculty could use the area for science classes.

Schultz is a 2013 graduate of Oak Mountain High School. He was a member of the Spirit of Cahaba Marching Band and Symphonic Band, OMHS robotics team, track team and Peer Mentor program.

He has accepted a full Army ROTC scholarship and will be attending The University of Alabama this fall, where plans to study aeronautical engineering.

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Movies in the park Veterans Park on Valleydale Road wants you to grab a blanket, your family and friends for a free movie on Friday nights. Each Friday Veterans Park will preview a family friendly movie (rated G or PG) on the lawn of the park.

Food vendors will be present, and as always there will be fun activities for children.

Cancellations and event updates will be posted

on Facebook and twitter.com/bymovieparties.

The schedule is: July 5: The Lorax, PG July 12: Madagascar 3, PG July 19: Wreck it Ralph, PG July 26: Movie Rain Date Veteran’s Park is located at 4800 Valleydale Road.

Miss Shelby contestants wanted The Miss Shelby County Pageant is taking applications for the 2013 Miss Shelby County Pageant through July 5.

To be eligible a contestant must live and work in Shelby, Jefferson, Bibb, Coosa, St. Clair, Talladega or Chilton counties.

Applications and requisites can be found at missalabama.com.

Submissions can be mailed or brought to Pam Oliver at P.O. Box 1762, Columbiana, Ala., 35051.

Call 283-1893 for more.

Over the river, through the wood This year marks the 32 Annual Peavine Falls Run led by the Birmingham Track Club.

The run begins at 7 a.m. on July 4 at Oak Mountain State Park and is predicted to last two to three hours.

The race starts in the picnic area of OMSP, trails up Peavine Falls parking lot and then doubles back through the mountain bike trails before finishing at the starting point. The run totals 8.2 miles.

Last year the run attacked more than 500 people.

“It’s kind of a cult run,” founder Rick Melanson said. “It’s not the normal run because it is uphill, downhill, through the woods and everything. It’s kind of an unusual race.”

Alabama Outdoors will sponsor the run.

Barrels of water will be scattered throughout the race, and Gatorade will be provided.

The entry fee is $15. For more visit birminghamtrackclub.com.

Oak Mountain State Park staying hot this summer Bored? Want to harness the inner Bear Grylls in all of us?

Join Oak Mountain State Park for their Nature Scavenger Hunt at the Campground Pavilion on July 6 at 10 a.m. The park organized a list of things found in Oak Mountain Sate Park, such as lizards, pine trees and special bugs.

“They can go all over the park if they would like to,” Emily Cook, park naturalist, said.

All ages are welcome and the hunt is free

with park admission.

Miss the best time of the year? No more mistletoe got you down?

Oak Mountain State Park will celebrate a hot Christmas this July 20 at 10 a.m. The Campground Pavilion the park will feature will have ornament- making and Christmas crafts.

All ages are welcome, and the only cost is park admission.

Saving man’s best friend

By CHANDLER JONES Catherine Shelby’s day is only complete with one thing: the loving barks of three dogs as she walks through the front door.

“I was fortunate enough to be spared in the April 27 tornado,” Shelby said of the Tuscaloosa tornado. “I can’t imagine a tornado coming though my town again, blowing away my house and my dogs just being out there somewhere. I would just hope whoever found them or took them in would have the things needed to take care of them.”

It was that mindset that spurred her creation of Alabama for Oklahoma Animals. AOA is a grassroots effort to rally supplies for animals affected by the May tornadoes in Moore, Okla.

Shelby mobilized herself and her organizations to respond to the needs of shelters. They accepted supplies like animal food, treats, crates, fleamediation, cleaning supplies, collars and cat liter.

She utilized her friends and contacts around the state like Allison Grabes-Cheatwood of Vestavia Hills, networking sites like Facebook and youcaring.com, and stores like Pet Supplies Plus and Freek on a Leesh Pet Bazaar to raise supplies.

“The animals need just as much as the humans,” Grabes-Cheatwood, said. “It’s just really hard because something that we noticed about the tornadoes (in Tuscaloosa) the humans were taken care of; the animals were not.”

Altadena Valley Animal Clinic volunteered as the drop-off location for Birmingham. AOA organized 21 other drop-off locations around the state and trucks delivered supplies to animal

shelters in Moore last month.

“It’s unbelievable the generosity people have,” Grabes-Cheatwood said.

Shelby and Grabes-Cheatwood have both been astonished by the response people have given.

“I think it has a lot to do with people from Alabama have been through this tragedy before,” Shelby said.

As of now, Moore is supplied and most of the needs have been met.

Visit facebook.com/ AlabamaForOklahomaAnimals for more.

quality pet care & home sitting Insured. Bonded Based out of Highland Lakes

ph: 205.408.0349 cell:910.280.3067

14 • July 2013

280 Living

Competing for a good cause in Iron City Chef Competing chefs are:

Jeremy Downey, chef at Bistro V, returns to defend his 2012 Iron City Chef Title. A Bayou La Batre native and former University of Alabama football player, he is no stranger to competition.

Four of Birmingham’s most popular chefs will compete at the fifth annual “Iron Chef-Style” culinary cook-off Saturday, July 13. The event, which begins at 6 p.m., will be he held at 2013 at Jefferson State’s Culinary & Hospitality Institute at its Shelby Campus on Valleydale Road.

Sell-out crowds for the past four events enjoyed gourmet dishes prepared by the chefs and students at the Institute, a festive atmosphere, and a silent auction featuring fine art and other major items sure to attract active bidding. An ample wine tasting featured

by Western Supermarkets is a favorite feature of the evening.

Jerry Tracey with WVTM 13 will serve as the master of ceremonies, and “Sweet Licks” will provide entertainment throughout the evening.

Each of the four chefs will prepare an entree and a dessert of their choice for about 300 dinner guests, who will

James Pruitt, chef at the Todd English PUB, has joined the competition this year. Todd English Pub is located in the new Westin Hotel located in Birmingham’s Entertainment District.

vote on their two favorites to meet in the finals.

Proceeds from Iron City Chef benefit the Vestavia Hills Math and Debate programs, local Rotary Club District Disaster Relief Fund, Rotary International’s END POLIO NOW and Clean Water for the World projects.

Through the generosity of the community and corporate sponsors, the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club has donated more than $600,000 over the past 25 years.

The Rotary Noon Club meets for lunch every Friday at the Vestavia Hills Board of Education, and the Sunrise Club meets every Thursday morning 6:45 at the Shops of Oak Park on Rocky Ridge Road Tickets, which are $55 each, can be purchased at rotarytoast.org or through a member of the Vestavia Rotary Club, Vestavia Hills Debate or Math Teams.

-Submitted by Kent Howard

Haller Magee,

chef at Satterfield’s in Cahaba Heights, discovered his love of cooking while playing hookie from school.

Sean Butler, chef at

Studio B, started looking really hard at the food his family was eating and inspired his motto “where nature meets the kitchen.”

Last year’s competing Iron Chefs were Jeremy Downey of Bistro V, Angela Schmidt of Chef U, Sean Butler of Food Studio B and Brittany Garrigus of The Club.

Montessori academy to open in Greystone this fall Stonecreek Montessori Academy, billed as Birmingham’s only nonreligious-affiliated private school that offers high school education, is scheduled to welcome students this fall to its new campus in Greystone.

The school, according to a release

by Executive Director Dr. Melinda Bray, will be situated on a 13-acre campus. It is slated to offer a wide array of electives such as computer programming, civics and citizenship and entrepreneurship.

For physical education, students

will have group lessons in soccer and disc golf, as well as the option to register for seminars in various disciplines like tennis, fencing and martial arts. Extracurricular activities will include dance and robotics.

“The school will be a wonderful

choice for parents who desire their children to flourish in their ability to think critically and creatively, work cooperatively and independently, and respect themselves others, and the environment,” Bray said.

Stonecreek Montessori will be

located on Cahaba Valley Road (Highway 119), just east of U.S. 280 near the Brook Highland and Greystone neighborhoods. It is currently accepting applications for Fall 2013. For more, visit stonecreekmontessori.org.

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Area seniors compete for scholarships

Last year’s Distinguished Young Woman first alternate Hannah Moss, winner Madeline Cawley and second alternate Chandler Kitchens were all Vestavia High School students.

On July 19-20, 22 rising seniors from across Jefferson County will compete for college scholarships in the 2014 Distinguished Young Women of Jefferson County event at Samford University Wright Center.

In addition to college scholarships, participants will compete to represent Jefferson County at the state program in Montgomery.

The Distinguished Young Woman of Jefferson County program is open to the public, and tickets may be purchased in advance through any participant or at the Wright Center box office, which will open one hour prior to each performance.

Preliminaries are scheduled for July 19 at 7 p.m. and July 20 at 1 p.m. Finals will take

place at 7 p.m. on July 20. Tickets for each preliminary are $15 and tickets for the finals are $25.

Participants will be judged in the categories of scholastics, interview, fitness, self-expression and talent. This year’s participants are Nadia Armbrester, Allie David, Dani Dean, Stephanie Feng, Anabeth Friday, Amber Gibson, Kierra Goins, Elizabeth Hale, Judith Hornsby, Cailyn Levant, Sarah Grace McDuff, Taylor McLean, Olivia Mims, Grace Pike, Emily Polhill, Sera Powers, Morgan Quisenberry, Jaleah Rutledge, Abby Slupe, Rachael Snow, Jane Whitaker and Hayden Yendle.

For more, call 907-0210 or email jefferson@ distinguishedyw.org.

16 • July 2013

280 Living

Honey harvest

By CHANDLER JONES There’s something abuzz on 119.

A four-rung stand in the middle of Doris and Neil Snider’s front porch holds fresh honey, soaps, lotions, moisturizer creams, candles and beeswax. On top, a recycled yellow Wet-Wipe container bears Sharpie marks that read “Honey Money.”

In the yard large signs in the shape of an outstretched pointed finger direct visitors to where to the business. The humming of three onproperty hives alerts the ears that life is here. Most likely one of the Sniders is on their way out to greet you, as Southern hospitality opens in

full swing with the screen door.

Visitors come to buy Cahaba Valley Honey at all hours. Some come during the day, others after dark.

“We had one come on Christmas Day,” Doris said. “We were sitting in there with our family eating Christmas dinner, and they come driving up wanting honey. A young lady came running up on the porch like she had forgotten somebody.”

The “Honey Money” honor system has served the business well over its nearly a decade-and-a-half.

Back in Cahaba Valley Honey’s toddler years, the Sniders never missed a dime until they discovered $80 missing, and as that year

Cahaba Valley Honey attracts hundreds of people each year to purchase its celebrated homemade honey.

progressed $50 more went missing.

“The alarm went off one day,” Neil said. “Doris looked up, the people were coming and the stand was full. She was busy in the house, so she didn’t come out to meet and greet. They came up to the stand, and in a minute they left. She fooled around in there for a while and decided to go see what they got and collect the money. She came out, and nothing was missing. They had come and gone, and nothing was missing. She looked in the box, and there was $130.”

The business began in August 2000 when the Sniders purchased a single hive of bees to pollinate their garden.

As of last year, it has grown to approximately 60 hives of European honeybees on 16 different apiaries, or bee yards, to produce 240 gallons of homemade honey sold last year.

Those gallons are now scattered throughout the state on gardens of friends and master gardeners.

To harvest the honey, wooden boxes called Langstroth hives replicate a natural beehive. Inside the box, drawers with small cells for the bees to build upon, lay their eggs and hold honey. Stacking them promotes expansion, so more bees are born. The Sniders take care to watch as hives grow to add additional hives when necessary.

In their basement-turned-honeymaking facility, they use an array of

Cahaba Valley Honey owners Doris and Neil Snider operate the business on an on an honor system.

equipment. A heated electric knife peels wax and honey off the frames, a machine separates the honey out by melting the wax, and a tank bottles the honey. All their other products are made fresh in their kitchen.

After 51 years of marriage, the Sniders don’t just finish each other sentences; they speak in alternating phrases and clamorously talk over each other, completing and complementing the other’s thoughts.

They still refer to each other as “darling” and “yes, dear.”

Thirteen years after a honeymaking couple mentored them, they are proud to mentor nine couples and speak at bee seminars in Auburn where they first learned to make wax and creams.

They also teach programs for local schools, homeschoolers, nursing homes, churches and scout groups.

Even through the hard work, blood, sweat and bee-stings, to them, Cahaba Valley Honey is still just a hobby. Neil works as an electrician, and Doris is a retired

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The Sniders sell bee products from their Cahaba Valley home

registered nurse.

“We enjoy our bees, we really do,” Doris said.

They know European honeybee pollinates one-third of our food, and if honeybees were to

go extinct, fruit and vegetable vegetation throughout the world would suffer.

“It’s remarkable,” Doris said.

“It’s one of God’s smallest creatures, but it’s the only insect

that makes something that man can eat.”

Cahaba Valley Honey is located at 6112 Cahaba Valley Road.

To get there, the Sniders say to simply follow the honey signs.

Owners Doris and Neil Snider search for the queen bee in their Langstroth hives.

Photos by Chandler Jones.

18 • July 2013

280 Living

Delivering cheer

280 businesses seek to brighten hospital stays for children

By JEFF THOMPSON Sean Palmer paced the hospital halls.

He had been there for days and was constantly worried, but he still paused often to talk with doctors, nurses and other parents. Often, he’d stop at his son’s incubator.

In 2003, they all shared space in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Tucson Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz., the hospital where Palmer’s second and third children – twins – were born. At four and a half pounds, his daughter Sophia was completely healthy, Palmer said. But his son, Joseph was beginning a battle that would last 10 weeks.

“His lungs weren’t developed,” Palmer said.

“Through the course of staying there, he died several times. It was horrific.”

The family fought alongside Joseph, and in time, Joseph was cleared to come home. Palmer called it “one of the most wonderful days of his life,” but the feeling soon turned bittersweet.

He thought about the doctors and nurses in the NICU who don’t always get to send a child home, or the parents who don’t get to take them.

Ten years later, Palmer, now 44, uses that realization as a motivator for an unlikely partnership, one that’s brought smiles to the faces of more than 2,500 children across the Southeast. As the owner of MoveDaddy. com, a Hoover-based company, he’s provided free transportation service for five Children’s Cheeriodicals Days, special events organized by the company Cheeriodicals to bring gifts to every child receiving care in area hospitals.

Gary and Mary Martha Parisher, a couple from Mt Laurel, founded Cheeriodicals in 2011.

The company provides upscale, bright green gift boxes that hold current magazine issues and can be shipped anywhere – including individual hospital rooms. Mary Martha was a corporate attorney and Gary a sales representative for a biotechnology company when they stumbled onto the niche in the market.

Sean Palmer and his staff at MoveDaddy. com deliver magazines to children at hospitals.

One day when they were both working from home, Mary Martha tried to order a fishing magazine from the gift shop of a hospital in Houston and have it delivered to her uncle’s room. The shop told her not only did they not carry the magazine, but they also didn’t send items to patients.

“She looked at me and said, ‘Can you believe

I can’t get magazines delivered at one of the biggest cancer treatment hospitals in North America?,” Gary said.

Gary researched other large delivery companies and found that none offered magazines as a focus, so the couple launched Cheeriodicals, a business they believed could hand-deliver smiles. They were right.

The company started by delivering its gift boxes to hospital rooms. Soon, though, Gary said he saw the disparity that exists between patients.

“Parents would send boxes to their children, but in the room next door that child’s parents can’t even afford gas to go visit,” Gary said.

“I thought, why don’t we build a day where we recruit a corporate sponsor to give to every child. We’ll make an event out of it.”

Soon, Children’s Cheeriodicals Days were born. Sponsored by Northwestern Mutual of Alabama, the first was held at Children’s Hospital of Alabama in March 2012. That day, teams handed out 238 children’s Cheeriodicals – one for every child in the hospital. And they were all delivered for free by MoveDaddy.com.

“When I found Cheeriodicals, I knew it was the perfect fit for me and my company,” Palmer said. “Being involved changes my employees.

They have greater morale. They love they can be part of it. You will see grown men that hand-

deliver these gifts watch children open them and open and walk out in tears.”

Since then, Palmer, his wife Kim and MoveDaddy.com employees have donated their services to other Children’s Cheeriodical Days in New Orleans, St. Louis, Atlanta and Nashville, as well as to the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham.

“My goal is to one day look up at my wall and see every logo of every children’s hospital, and know that I’ve done an event, in partnership with these really cool companies, at all of them,” he said. “My belief is that no matter how successful you are or how much money make, if you aren’t giving back you have no value to your community.”

Gary said much of the success in starting Children’s Cheeriodical Days can be attributed to Palmer’s contributions, but it’s still Palmer’s son, Joseph, and the feeling Palmer had the day Joseph came home that roots him to the charity.

“At St. Jude’s in Memphis, I remember seeing a father pulling a wagon with child laying in it,” Palmer said. “As a father, I knew that father was never leaving the hospital with his child. I was watching some of their last days together.

“It was a life-changing event. It made me realize how powerful time together is, no matter where.”

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20 •July 2013

280 Living

Your Health Today

By Dr. Irma Palmer

If only the stock market would skyrocket like the continual rise of diabetes. If a stock with this rapid growth existed, we’d all be throwing a party. Instead, we are faced with an epidemic of sorts. According to the American Diabetes Association’s latest statistics, 25.8 million children and adults in the U.S have diabetes (that’s 8.3% of the population). And in 2012, the total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. was $245 billion. Yes, that’s billion…with a b. Wow! Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders in which the person has high blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is the medical term for sugar in the blood. The pancreas regulates blood sugar levels by producing a substance called insulin.

Insulin carries blood sugar to the body’s cells to be used as energy. When the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, blood sugar levels begin to rise and high blood sugar or possibly diabetes sets in.

This is one of the many issues that affect your body’s ability to have normal blood sugar levels.

What are some signs that you might be at risk for imbalanced blood sugar?

Common symptoms of imbalanced blood sugar can range from fatigue, fat

around the belly, irritability, craving for sweets or coffee in the afternoon, headaches, light headedness, to feeling shaky or cranky if you skip meals, frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger.

When you think of someone suffering from diabetes, do you picture pills or insulin shots? That’s the typical treatment for those diagnosed with diabetes. But it doesn’t always have to be that way.

To begin, we must acknowledge the obvious…diabetes is a reaction of the human body when it’s overloaded as a result of chronic and sustained poor lifestyle choices in the area of nutrition and exercise. Lifestyle habits, whether you are aware of what is right or not, do have an accumulating effect. It’s simply a reality. Positive or negative outcomes or consequences are always the net result of any decision we make. It is what it is!

Don’t shoot the messenger!

There IS, however, a non-invasive solution. To attain a balanced blood sugar value, one needs to adopt a change in eating habits more conducive to a healthier lifestyle. This means supplying the body with the proper required nutrients to thrive not die.

This means eating foods of the earth,

Chiropractic Today Total Natural Health

Diabetes A 10 day challenge!!! like fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, healthy oils, proteins with a face on it, etc. This has been discussed and established before. However, in this era of instant gratification, a change ‘NOW’ is what individuals want. And while changing your eating habits takes a long-term commitment, there is a way to kickstart the process…are YOU up for the 10-day challenge?

The 10-day challenge will supply your body with high quality whole food supplements that will help you develop a strong foundation to help control the underlying causes of unbalanced blood sugar and jumpstart a new phase of well being! In addition to whole food supplement shakes, we’ll provide a simple protocol of whole food and herbal supplements, a toxicity questionnaire that you’ll complete before and after the program to identify changes in your body systems, and amazing support from my staff and me to make sure you know exactly what to do and when, and what foods to enjoy and which ones to avoid. This is a proven program… many patients around the country have already benefited from it, and now you can too.

The cost of the program, including

all supplements (powder for shakes, capsules and tablets) as well as daily email support throughout the program (including weight loss tips, recipes, and videos that teach you the importance of managing your blood sugar levels) is normally $145. However, this month only, we are offering a 15% discount on this 10-day challenge. The offer is good for both new and existing patients. I implore you to call my office and get started. This offer expires July 31, 2013.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, just think of it like this: What if I told you that I would buy you one car - any car you’ve ever wanted - but it would be the only car you would ever have for the rest of your life. You’d sure take care of it, wouldn’t you? Well, this car is your human body. It’s the only one you will ever have for the rest of your life.

How well you choose to take care of it represents how long your journey here will be. It’s reality that we were born to die at some point. Let’s embrace the now and drive our car in the direction of long living. Call my office today at 205-9913511 to get started. Or visit us on the web at www.chiropractictoday.com to learn more about the 10-day challenge and all the wonderful programs we offer.

420 Inverness Corners Birmingham, AL 35242

(205) 991-3511

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July 2013 • 21

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Trail races return to Oak Mountain On July 27, things will heat up at Oak Mountain State Park.

“This race will be a real test of endurance,” David Tosch, Trail Series founder, said. “It will be hot and there is a lot of climbing on some rugged terrain. It is the perfect event for those that want to test themselves in difficult conditions.”

The Hotter N’ Hell Trail Race will begin at the Cedar Pavilion at 8 a.m.

July 27.

Runners will follow the Red Bike Trail to the top of Double Oak Mountain then down to Peavine Falls. From there, they will descend into the Peavine Creek Gorge, cross under the falls and climb back up to the ridge. Then runners will follow the Green Peavine Falls Trail back down the mountain and return to the starting point.

Runners have a choice between a nine- and an 18-mile race. Paths are the same, except 18-mile runners repeat the course. Registration fees for the 9-mile race are $35, and the 18-mile is $40.

Overall-first-place male and female runners will win a pair of Salomon Trail running shoes. All finishers receive

finisher medals.

The race is the fourth of a seven-race Southeastern Trail Series sponsored

by Mountain High Outfitters. A points system tracks all finishers in each race.

At the end of the year, point champions in each category (Overall, Masters and Grand Masters) will receive special awards.

The first race was the Tranquility Lake Run, a three- and six- mile race around Tranquility Lake. The second was the Run for Kids Challenge, a fundraiser for Camp Smile-A-Mile with a 10K, a 50K and a 12-hour race.

Tosch said he designed the program so that each race is harder and longer than the previous, intending that those that run the entire series are ready for the Tranquility Lake 50K in November.

This race will be 31-plus miles on difficult terrain with more than 1-mile of elevation gain.

The series is designed as a training program for those new to trail running and Ultrarunning.

Register at southeasternTrailRuns. com or ultrasignup.com by July 26 or at the race.

22 • July 2013

280 Living

For the love of clean water

By MADOLINE MARKHAM Life revolves around a search for water in many places in Africa. It’s what a mother thinks about when she wakes up and most moments throughout her day. She will walk an average of eight miles to carry a 20-gallon, 45-pound bucket back to her family. Often she grows dehydrated or sick before she returns home, only to begin the process again the next day.

But life changes with a well nearby.

A mother has time to rest and can stay healthy. A girl who used to carry water

Gary and Elizabeth Wilkins moved from the 280 area 10 years ago to start By Provision.

can return to school.

And that is why Gary and Elizabeth Wilkins moved to the continent from their 280 area home a decade ago to start their work through By Provision.

“It happens every day (that a child dies from bad drinking water) and will continue to happen until someone does something about it,” Elizabeth said.

For Gary, drilling wells is how he tangibly shows love to people in need and shares his Christian faith.

In 2012 alone, the By Provision dug 47 wells and rehabilitated 24 others, bringing their total number of wells drilled since beginning their work to 530. This year they are taking advantage of having a fourth drill that can dig into rock formations, allowing them to help communities they could not have helped before.

Seeing statistics brought to life has changed the way the Wilkins view water: according to Elizabeth, 8 billion people have no access to clean water in the world; every 7 seconds a child dies from drinking bad water; when you flush a toilet once, it uses more water than one member of an African community needs to stay alive for a whole day.

“There is a tremendous need in the world, not just in Africa, yet it is so overlooked. That is where we are trying to plug in and make whatever difference we can make,” Gary said.

Gary originally moved out to the 280 area in 1990 to help start the Church at Brook Hills. He had often gone on mission trips, several a year, taking advantage of the flexibility of being self-employed as a commercial subcontractor for 26 years.

On a trip to Mali, West Africa in 1990, he was able to see how a mission

By Provision, an organization founded by a couple from the U.S. 280 area, digs wells to enable access to clean drinking water in Southern Africa.

there was using provision of water as a tangible way to express love and provide for their physical needs.

That trip stayed with him, Elizabeth said.

“As I approached 50, I had a passion to do missions,” Gary said. “I had seen so many people put it off until their 60s or 70s.”

And so he decided it was time to join Elizabeth, who, having always done full-time religious work, said she was just waiting for him to get on board.

Gary sold his business, and in 2002 the couple landed in Lwanda, Angola, where they built eight refugee camps and churches and trained literacy workers.

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“We have seen great needs on every continent, but Angola far surpassed anything we had seen,” Elizabeth said.

During their first year, they asked local Christian leaders what their greatest need was. Their response: water.

“It was our greatest need while we were there, but we didn’t put it together (until they said it),” Elizabeth said.

It was then that they found their longterm calling. The Wilkins came back to the U.S. to start paper work to begin a faith-based nonprofit and underwent training for well drilling in Alabama, Texas and Florida and Guatemala.

In January 2004, they purchased a drill rig in Houston and shipped it to Angola. The couple drilled

and maintained wells there before moving their home base south in 2007 to Northern Namibia, where they currently live. From there, they can travel to well sites in central in Angola, Namibia and northwest Botswana—all within an eight-hour drive.

A full time health and hygiene worker accompanies the Wilkins when they drill and teaches the local residents skills like how to wash their hands.

The Wilkins also show them how to care for the pump and how to use clean containers to collect water.

“We train them in the things that we grow up learning,” Elizabeth said. “Immediately we see a change in the health in people, especially the children.”

Today, more than 100 communities who have formally sent a letter requesting a well are on the waiting list for By Provision. And there are many more places the Wilkins know about in the region that do not have an available supply of clean drinking water.

Other letters they receive voice how people are tired of seeing crocodiles eat their children on their way to get water, or that they see dust that needs to be clean.

“It doesn’t make sense to us, but we have to laugh because otherwise we would be suicidal,” Elizabeth said.

The Wilkins encourage those back home to get involved — donate to the cause, come help, or even just help educate others, including children, about the need for clean water.

“Nobody can fix everything, but we can all offer something,” Elizabeth said.

To learn more about By Provision, visit ByProvision.org.

DIANA HOLLADAY at Hair 280 Thank you to all of our men and women serving to protect our country!

175 Inverness Plaza

(Next to Planet Fitness)

For appointments please call or text 205.601.9414

July 2013 • 23

280Living.com

Regional reigns

Local musician starts new magazine

Tina and Greg McNair conceptualized Regional Musician Magazine to capture the essence of local music around the country.

By CHANDLER JONES

“likes.” This contest is used to determine which band is featured on that region’s front page.

As Greg McNair strummed his bass, he The magazine also contains several columns, chanced to glance the crowd. What began as a including Liner Notes, from other musicians. gathering of a few had turned into a dance floor, “I want to go out and talk to people,” McNair and they were singing to his music. said. “I want to connect because there are McNair knows sometimes the only band humans behind the music.” that can sing “Sweet Home Alabama” is the Moreover, instead of carrying an issue of one at the Courtyard 280 and that “Freebird” is Regional Musician under your arm, it’s digital. only done right by the “It reads like a packed five-person set magazine,” McNair at Superior Grill. said. “It’s just as He has played functional as a music in local bars magazine, but you and establishments for don’t get paper cuts the last eight years as and we’re saving some part of Best of 280’s trees.”

Sexy Tractor Band Digital has its and the M-80s. A man benefits. If the featured about town, he takes band interests the his part in the music reader, it’s simply a scene seriously, and click away. To hear a networking is his break band’s song right then, from reality. you tap and can hear it It was from his place immediately. at the microphone that “There are no lines, McNair developed a new there’s no waiting, idea for a publication to there’s no, ‘I have to highlighted himself and remember when I get The first edition of Regional those like him. back to the computer,’” Musician launches in July.

“I’ve got a lot of friends McNair said.

“We out here who are like make that easy for you. every other struggling, starving artist,” McNair It’s there. Just use it. It’s easy peasy lemony said. “They’re extremely talented, and perhaps squeezy.” they’re being underutilized or they’re not able to Ease is what McNair is all about. He’s a family use their talents at all. So it’s an opportunity for and friends man who loves what he does. me to help those people do what they’re best at Before his venture into music, McNair and be able to pay them to do it.” graduated from the University of Montevallo So, with the help of Tina, his wife of 23 in 1993 with a degree in television production years, he conceptualized Regional Musician and journalism and joined the Shelby County Magazine, an online magazine that works to Sheriff’s Office as a deputy for seven years. capture that essence of local music around the Since then, he has moved onto to an aerial country. photographer by day and hard-core musician After a painstaking process including a botched by night.

Kickstarter campaign, Regional Musician’s first “I love music and I want to be around it,” issue launched in July with highlights on bands and McNair said. music across the country.

He intends for Regional to be a family-andInside, featured musicians answer 35 friends-run business. And he’s got the ambition questions, which gives readers an in-depth look to make it work. at the artists.

For now, the publication only covers North “When I write these questions, I want the America, but he intends to eventually cover artist to be creative,” McNair said.

Canada and a year from now he wants to be in From there, a roundtable of selected musicians England. and McNair’s peers read the questions and score “We want to be able to pull up to Bonnaroo them. Using those scores, bands are selected in the Regional Musician tour bus and people be for publication. Further, the magazine will pit like, ‘Check it out, Regional Musician is here,’” regional bands against each other on Facebook McNair said. using a popularity contest based on Facebook

“(Local musicians are) extremely talented, and perhaps they’re being underutilized or they’re not able to use their talents at all.

So it’s an opportunity for me to help those people do what they’re best at and be able to pay them to do it.”

– Greg McNair

24 • July 2013

280 Living

157 Resource Center Parkway Suite 102

Sports

Behind Logan’s Roadhouse on 280 Your source for teams sports

Girls selected for national lacrosse academy

205-981-0291

Rebelettes come from behind to claim 8U title

Julia DeCarlo, Isabella DeGaris, Elizabeth Link and Rachel Robb.

Julia DeCarlo, Isabella DeGaris, Elizabeth Link and Rachel Robb have been named as 2013 Brine National AllStars and will represent the Southeast Region at the 2013 Brine National All-Star Lacrosse Academy and Brine National Lacrosse Classic to be held in Boyds, Md. this summer.

DeCarlo, the daughter of Arthur and Dawn DeCarlo, and Elizabeth Link, the daughter of David and Ingram Link, are both rising freshmen at Vestavia Hills High

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School. DeGaris, the daughter of Annesley and Ashley DeGaris is a rising freshman at Mountain Brook High School. Robb, the daughter of Jack and Jennifer Robb, will enter Oak Mountain High School in the fall.

The Brine National All-Star Lacrosse Academy brings the top middle school lacrosse players in the country to one venue, where regional teams will compete to become the 2013 National Champion and regional teams are coached by NCAA lacrosse coaches.

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Front row: Anna Lockhart-Marchese, Emma Mitchell, Jordan Collar, Cristina Jaimes, Sofia Willey, Christiana Belcher, Ella Gallaspy, Abby Gallaspy and Lilli Myers. Back row: Erik Marchese, Chris Willey, Michelle J. Belcher, Shawn Collar and James Gallaspy.

In May, the 8U Rebelettes won the 2013 Vestavia Hills Girls Softball Association Championship in a nail-biter against the Purple Panthers.

According to coach Michelle Belcher, the Rebelettes were

down 10-6 in the bottom of the fifth inning when their bats came alive. Singles by Sofia Willey and Abby Gallaspy set the stage for a two-run triple by Ella Gallaspy to tie the game.

With one out and one runner

on third base, Emma Mitchell went to the plate, and two strikes down, she knocked the winning RBI down the first-base line, leading the Rebelettes to a championship and an undefeated season (11-0-2).

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July 2013 • 25

280Living.com

School House Mt Laurel kindergartners welcome summer

Kindergarten classes at Mt Laurel Elementary concluded their school year with a fun-filled water day. Students played with chalk and bubbles, as well as participated in other water related activities.

The highlight of the day was a visit from the Mt Laurel division of the Cahaba Valley Fire Department. A fire truck came and cooled the kids off after a day full of fun in the sun.

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26 • July 2013

280 Living

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

Let’s get the kids to church

Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry is presented with a token of appreciation from Oak Mountain Elementary School.

OMES thankful for protection provided by sheriff Students, staff and faculty at Oak Mountain Elementary expressed their appreciation to Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry for his dedication and devotion to students and for continuing to provide a safe learning environment.

For much of 2013, the Shelby County Sherriff’s Department provided a deputy to be a visible part of the school and to ensure safety throughout the building. Deputies patrol the building looking for safety concerns and interact with parents, students and faculty.

The deputy’s presence has increased protection for children and, to show their gratitude, students and faculty presented Curry with a photo of all students at Oak Mountain Elementary holding letters that read “Thank you Sheriff Curry.”

I don’t know about you, but getting my family ready for church on Sunday mornings can send me over the edge sometimes.

It’s a paradox for sure, the cursing under my breath and snapping at everyone because they can’t move fast enough. Here we are preparing for holy ground, and all I can think is, “Enough, already. I’m done.”

Once I get to church, however, something strange happens. The tightness in my chest relaxes, and suddenly I can breathe again.

The peace washing over me can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit, and without a doubt I know this is where I belong.

Worshipping is what I was made to do. At no other point during the week do I feel so deeply moved and connected.

Once I get to church, I’m always glad I made the effort. Always.

I wonder sometimes why church affects me this way. Why is it my comfort zone, whereas other people feel uncomfortable the moment they enter the building? Why do I feel a little empty when I skip church on Sunday, whereas others don’t think twice?

To me there’s only one earthly explanation: my parents.

Because of my parents, I attended church almost every Sunday growing up. Even when I squirmed on the pew, clawed at their arms or whined about the service taking too long, they made me tough it out. Like most kids, I didn’t enjoy church. Besides finding it boring, it made no sense to me.

But somewhere along the way, religion started to click. I realized I could get something out of a service if I listened.

That priest I’d been watching for a million years wasn’t speaking gibberish. He had useful life lessons, actually, and if I paid attention, I could learn things to help me through the week.

It was definitely a revelation.

As parents, we plant seeds, and sometimes it takes years — decades even — for our seeds to bloom. The spiritual seeds my parents planted didn’t take root until college, and looking back I realize how perfect the timing was. Although I loved college, it tapped into my deepest insecurities. Having a church to tether me offered calm among the chaos.

As a freshman at the University Alabama, I finally had freedom to choose going to church. While my parents lived 15 minutes away, they never called or appeared on my doorstep to guilt me into going. It was my decision, but I knew if I did go I’d see them.

It started by accident, attending church on my own accord, and largely because of friends I made. I’d hit it off with someone and discover that they, too, were Catholic.

They’d ask if I wanted to ride together to Mass, and I’d go because I enjoyed their company and figured a service would do me good.

The campus priest at the time was prolific, and his sermons drew me in. Sometimes I’d go to hear him. Sometimes I’d go to pray for a good test score. Sometimes I’d go for answers, or to simply feel better about life.

While I didn’t visit every Sunday, I went a lot, often after a late Saturday night out.

My purpose in sharing this is to encourage parents to get the kids to church even when they resist. Even when they hang on you like dead weight, or force you into the cry room, stick with it. Children can’t love something they don’t know, and the more time they spend in God’s house, the more at home they’ll feel. The more at home they feel, the more likely they’ll sustain the habit and eventually attend church by choice, not force.

We live in a world of quick thrills and fleeting pleasure. We hunger for substance, yet only one thing — God — can meet that craving. Now’s our chance to plant spiritual seeds that can benefit our kids down the road.

Now’s our chance to teach them church is a place to love and respect, not fear and avoid.

So next time you’re at your wit’s end on a Sunday morning, and tempted to call it off, remember the habit you’re setting.

Remember you’re teaching your kids to keep holy the Sabbath and associate Sunday with God. Of course, there’s no guarantee your child or mine will keep the habit longterm, but there is peace of mind knowing we tried. As parents, that’s all we can ask of ourselves — to give our absolute best and pray for God to take it from there.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four with a background in PR, writing and photography. For more inspiration, join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer” or find her on Twitter. Visit her website at karikampakis.com, or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.

280Living.com

July 2013 • 27

Opinion My South By Rick Watson

Pony

There was a sepia-toned photograph of me that sat on the corner of my mother’s mantle for as long as I can remember. I wouldn’t take anything for that picture.

It was taken in the spring of 1956 when my family lived in Hammond, Ind. When the bottom fell out of the job market here in Alabama in the mid 1950s, we moved up north so my dad could find a job in one of the factories or foundries near Chicago.

There’s a lot of my childhood that’s as fuzzy as an angora sweater, but I remember the day the pony picture was taken.

The weather was unseasonably warm, and as always, I was playing in the side yard that was not much bigger than our dinner table.

I heard a strange sound off in the distance, and when I walked to the edge of the yard to peer down the sidewalk, I saw a man clomping down the street with a pony.

It was all I could do to keep from bolting down the street to greet them, but that would have been unwise, as my mama took a dim view of me leaving the yard without grownup supervision.

But I kept my eye on them as they inched toward our house.

When they finally arrived, I

saw that the pony was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.

It was brown as a Hershey bar, with a golden mane that flowed down its long Watson neck. It had sad eyes, but he seemed to cheer up noticeably when I walked over to pet his muzzle. The pony had an earthy smell that seemed as old as time.

The saddle was a work of art, with braided leather and silver fastenings that sparkled in the sunlight.

The man was carrying an old camera as big as a microwave that was attached to a tripod.

He placed the camera on the ground and reached into his hip pocket, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe sweat from his brow.

He asked if I’d like to have my picture taken on the pony.

I was about to try and climb on when he said, “Whoa cowboy, you’ll need to make sure it’s alright with your mama.”

I hustled in the house and dragged my mom outside to see that beautiful creature.

I was jabbering so fast that I’m sure she had no idea what to expect when she walked outside.

My mom was not an animal lover, but I could tell by the look on her face she thought the pony was pretty too.

The man stepped over and explained that he was taking pony pictures with local kids and for a few dollars I could have my photo taken too.

It seems that money was always tight when we were growing up, but Mama must have felt that a picture of me on that pony was worth it.

The man reached in his bag and pulled out a cowboy hat and some leather leggings for me to put on, and then he helped boost me up in the saddle.

I felt like the TV cowboy Roy Rogers sitting on that pony. The man leveled the tripod, and then he ducked under a black blanket attached to the camera where he loaded the film and clicked a photograph. He repeated the loading and shooting a few times before packing everything up.

A few weeks later he came back without the pony to deliver the photograph. It’s funny how memories are made. I’m not sure how much he charged for that picture, but I’m so thankful he didn’t charge what it was really worth.

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28 • July 2013

280 Living SAFETY

CONTINUED from page 1

Beaumont Pharmacy KIDNEY STONES 101

By Tammy Rogers, Pharmacist Nothing will reduce a person to tears faster than kidney stones. If you have ever experienced kidney stones or know someone that has, you know renal colic is one of the strongest pain sensations known. About 80% of cases occur in men. Kidney stones typically leave the body by passing in the urine without causing any symptoms. When the stones become large enough, they can cause obstruction of the ureter which leads to the spasms and pain. Kidney stones are often accompanied with nausea, vomiting, fever, blood in the urine, pus in the urine, sweating, restlessness and painful urination. A diagnosis of kidney stones is made on the basis of history, physical exam, urinalysis and x-rays.

Many dietary factors can increase the risk of kidney stone formation, including low fluid intake, excess sodium, excessive animal proteins, refined sugars, grapefruit juice, apply juice and cola drinks.

Low fluid intake can bring on dehydration and cause the urine to become concentrated. Concentrated urine will be dark in color, while urine in a well hydrated individual will be the color of straw. Concentrated urine can lead to stone formation. Normal urine output should be in the range of 2 liters a day. Summertime in Alabama can bring on excessive temperatures and that can lead to dehydration. If you suffer from kidney stones, it is very important to drink a lot of liquids, especially in the summer. Fluids like lemonade and orange juice which contain citrates are good choices. A high fluid intake has been associated with a 40% reduction in recurrence risk.

Animal protein intake should be limited to two meals a day and should not exceed 6-8 ounces daily. Protein consumption and recurrence of kidney stones have been shown in men.

Limiting the consumption of raw tomatoes, spinach, strawberries, nuts, rhubarb, wheat germ, dark chocolate, cocoa and brewed tea, can minimize the formation of stones.

When stones form but cause no symptoms, often the best option is to watchfully wait and practice good dietary habits.

Stones can be treated with laser therapy called lithotripsy.

Men most commonly experience their first episode between 30 and 40 years of age, where as for women the age at first presentation is somewhat later.

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the Shelby County Board of Education is not a revenue-generating operation. They don’t have profits coming in. So, if we come in and say, ‘We’re going to make you look really good,’ they’d take my information and send it out.”

But that wasn’t the case. For Echols plan to find absolute success, he would need approximately $80 for each child.

Enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year, according to the Shelby County Schools website, was approximately 29,000, which includes neither Hoover nor Alabaster schools. If Communities for Safer Schools collected that $2.32 million, it could fund approximately 39 SROs at an annual salary of $60,000.

“I think what Mr. Echols is seeking to do is very noble,” Assistant Superintendent Lewis Brooks said. “I think he’s making a valiant effort. He’s a person who truly cares about what goes on in our schools. But what we feel like is important is creating options that are sustainable.”

The Safe Schools Initiative Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook, Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry pulled multiple deputies off patrol and assigned them to county schools. Both the event and Curry’s decision helped spark a conversation among county leaders, and it led to the recent introduction of the Safe Schools Initiative.

“We began to research what truly creates a safe school atmosphere,” Brooks said.

“We actually went to a huge safety summit hosted by the State Department, and upon completion, we started putting together our information.”

School leaders including Brooks and Superintendent Randy Fuller assembled a five-point plan for increasing security in schools. They began by studying safety reviews of the school buildings, evaluating current security teams, updating school

safety plans and conducting safety drills.

Finally, they discussed a plan for law enforcement presence in schools.

The Initiative, in the version submitted to 280 Living, is a proposal that describes a partnership among multiple county stakeholders. Through email, Shelby County Manager Alex Dudchock said the Initiative was first introduced to the Shelby County Commission in February as a plan to put one school resource officer in each of nine school zones in the county. At maximum funding, the Initiative would collect $1.14 million and could fund 19 full-time officers or approximately 35 retired officers for nine months of service.

In the current draft, fund allocation in the plan is based on student population across 10 school zones, each of which is represented in the Initiative by a municipal law enforcement agency. Funding is divided among the Commission, the Shelby BOE, individual municipalities, the Alabaster and Hoover City School Systems and the Sheriff’s Office.

In June, Curry indicated his department’s portion is not available.

Commissioned expense After performing his own research, Curry released a statement in June that called for the County Commission to fund the Safe Schools Initiative using its general fund, proprietary account and lodging tax account.

The sheriff’s portion is identified in the Initiative at $123,500. It was suggested in the plan for that amount to come from the Sheriff’s Fund, also known as the Pistol Fund, named as such because it’s largely comprised of money from the purchase of pistol permits.

Curry said the Pistol Fund was established by a State of Alabama legislative act and is regulated by State auditors. After receiving a copy of the Initiative, he said he contacted the State to ask if he was permitted to participate specifically as it was written.

He said he was informed that he wasn’t.

According to Curry, the Initiative asks

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July 2013 • 29

280Living.com

Communities for Safer Schools Founder Mike Echols believes if $80 were donated for every child in Shelby County schools, the money could provide a school resource officer for every school in the county. For more: • Call 747-7001 • Email saferschools@att.net • Visit alsafeschools.com • Search Facebook for alasafeschools.com Mike Echols, founder of Communities for Safer Schools, with his wife, Jaime, son, Xander, and daughter, MacKenzi.

that he use these discretionary funds to pay individual municipalities for the hiring of officers he would not empower or manage.

Dudchock confirmed this was the case.

“Each respective municipal police chief will be responsible for any law enforcement officers used in school facilities in their respective jurisdictions in coordination with the school systems,” Dudchock said.

Curry also cited that the annual budget for the pistol fund over the past five years is an average of $298,000, and to remove $123,500 from it – approximately 41 percent – would diminish the department’s ability to fund other programs including drug canines, DARE, the Citizens Academy and firearms training. In addition, 25 percent of the fund is already earmarked.

“Not all monies in that account are available,” Curry said in the release. “It has to be for ‘law enforcement purposes,’ but approximately 25 percent has an additional restriction of use for jail/inmate purposes.”

However, Dudchock said the source of the

funding has not been specifically dictated.

“Any funds at the control and disposal of all entities identified as partners can and should be considered,” Dudchock said. “In a true partnership, each entity contributes what they are able to contribute from whatever resources that are available to them.”

“The plan provides additional funds to assist with school security,” he added. “The county manager is cutting two operating budgets to make available additional funds for school security throughout the county.”

Dudchock said in a prepared statement he believes it was both “appropriate and reasonable” for the Shelby County School System to ask Curry to consider partnering with funds on the school security initiative.

“Each entity has to independently decide if they want to partner and provide resources,” he said. “The additional funds, along with the existing funding related to public safety budgets, would be used for implementing school security plans and actions.”

Calls placed to Curry were not returned.

280 Living is interested in your thoughts on school security. Is Communities for Safer Schools a sustainable option? Will the Safe Schools Initiative positively affect the district? Email Jeff@280Living.com and let us know.

30 •July 2013

Music Listings

Community Calendar

Courtyard Oyster Bar & Grill 280 Tuesdays: Dj K.O.P. July 1: Dj Johnny D / Wii Bowling Tournament July 3: Matt Hill & Sean Bunn / Reagan & Rebecca July 4: Kinky Trivia / Kenneth Shirley / Dj Chuck J July 5: 2 Da Max / Outshine July 6: Erica’s Playhouse / Cody Howell July 7: Huck & Boss / Zach Austin / Whiskey Dix July 8: Dj Johnny D / Wii Bowling Tournament July 10: Aaron Blades / Matt Broach July 11: Kinky Trivia / Kenneth Shirley / Dj Chuck J July 12: S K 5 / Alpha Groove July 13: Robbie Word & Dee: Dee / Pharmband July 14: Matt Broach / Paul Sisson / Reagan & Rebecca July 15: Dj Johnny D / Wii Bowling Tournament July 17: Matt Hill & Sean Bunn / Johnathan Guthrie July 18: Kinky Trivia / Kenneth Shirley / Dj Chuck J July 19: 2 Da Max / Bottle Rocket July 20: Cody Howell / Hutch July 21: Huck & Boss / Zach Austin / Reagan & Rebecca July 22: Dj Johnny D / Wii Bowling Tournament July 24: Matt Broach / Whiskey Dix July 25: Kinky Trivia / Kenneth Shirley / Erica Chambers July 26: S K 5 / Brad Cornelius Band July 27: Reagan & Rebecca / Shake the Kitty July 28: Matt Broach / Paul Sisson / Whiskey Dix July 29: Dj Johnny D / Wii Bowling Tournament July 31: Matt Hill & Sean Bunn / Johnathan Guthrie

280 Living

280 Events July 3: The Big Kaboom. 2966 County Highway 39, Chelsea Park, 8 p.m. Fireworks show at 9 p.m. Call 669-9075.

July 4: The Flag Making & Fourth of July Crafts. 200 Terrace Drive, Oak Mountain State Park Campground Pavilion, 10 a.m. Call 620-2520.

July 4: 32 Annual Peavine Falls Run. Oak Mountain State Park, 7 a.m. The run totals 8.2 miles. $15. Email vp@birminghamtrackclub. com.

July 4: Mt Laurel July Fourth Parade.

The Town of Mount Laurel, 10 a.m. Prizes awarded. Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m. at Spoonwood Lake. Call 665-3535, ext. 1031 July 5: “The Lorax” at Veterans Park.

Follow @BYMovieParties on Twitter.

July 5: Deadline for Miss Shelby County Pageant Registration. Call 283-1893.

July 6: Nature Scavenger Hunt. Oak Mountain State Park, 10 a.m. All ages and cost is park admission.

July 9: Blood Pressure/Body Mass

Index Screening. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 8-11:30 a.m. Free.

July 11: Living Healthy – Manage Stress to Manage Your Eating. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, Studio 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Free. Call 408-6550 to register.

July 12: “Madagascar 3” at Veterans Park. Follow @BYMovieParties on Twitter.

Movie begins at dusk.

July 13: Iron City Chef. Jefferson State Community College, 4600 Valleydale Road, 6 p.m. Dinner held by Vestavia Hills Rotary. $55.

Visit rotarytoast.com.

July 20: Christmas in July. Oak Mountain State Park, 10 a.m. Ornament- making and Christmas crafts. All ages. Cost is park admission. Call 620-2520.

July 20: Breast-feeding Class. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 9-11 a.m. $10. Call 939-7878 to register.

July 26: RAIN DATE for Free Friday Flicks at Veterans Park. Follow @ BYMovieParties on Twitter. Movie begins at dusk.

July 13: Supersitters. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 9 a.m.-noon. Ages 11 and older. $20. Call 939-7878 to register.

July 14: Community Family Fun Night. First Christian Church, 4954 Valleydale Road, 5-7 p.m. Music by Better Than Dead.

Food, games, inflatables and face painting. Free.

Visit fcc-bhm.org.

July 15-19: Thyme To Cook for Kids.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 8 a.m.-noon. Ages 6-9. $17 a day or $175 per session. Call 4086550 or visit onenineteen.com.

July 19: “Wreck it Ralph” at Veterans Park. Follow @BYMovieParties on Twitter.

Movie begins at dusk.

July 22-26: Thyme To Cook for Kids.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 8 a.m.-noon. Ages 10-12. $17 a day or $175 per session. Call 4086550 or visit onenineteen.com.

July 27: Hotter N’ Hell Trail Race. Oak Mountain State Park, 8 a.m. Nine- and 18-mile options. Registration fee for the 9-mile race is $35 and the 18-mile is $40.

July 31: Breakfast with the Experts on Allergies: What Medicines Work Best? St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, 8-9 a.m.

Free. Light breakfast. Call 408-6550 to register.

Birmingham Bake & Cook Call 980-3661 to register. All classes 6:30-9 p.m. and $40 unless otherwise listed.

July 15: Dinner Club Comes to Birmingham Bake & Cook Company! No charge. Open to public.

July 16: A Taste of Chinatown, Susan Green.July 18: Cookie Decorating for Summer with Leslie Scott!

July 23: Summer Fruit Pies from Scratch, Susan Green.

July 25: Porch Parties!

Susan Green.

July 30: Buttermilk, The Unsung Hero of Southern Cooking! Susan Green.

Community Events

Grey Bar

5426 Highway 280 874-6361 Mondays: $2 Margs and Wine. All day.

Tuesdays: $2.25 Domestics. 6 p.m.

Wednesdays: Acoustic Café and $2.50 Wells. 9 p.m.

Thursdays, July 11- Aug. 1: Jared White and half priced bottles of wine. 9 p.m.

July 11 & 25: $2 Wells and $5 Glass of Featured Wine. 9 p.m.

July 12: Cicly Duo. 10 p.m.

July 19: 90 Proof Acoustic. 10 p.m.

July 20: Outshine. 10 p.m.

July 26: Jarett Smith and Friends. 10 p.m.

July 4: Independence Day 1776 Fireworks Show. American Village, noon. $5 admission. Free admission for veterans and military. Call 665-3535.

July 4-8: Birmingham Barons vs.

Mississippi Braves. Regions Field. Call 988-3200 or visit barons.com.

July 5-7: “Annie Get Your Gun.” Virginia Samford Theatre, $35 for center seats, $30 for right and left seats. Call 251-1206.

July 8-Sept. 30: The Stand Against MS. 813 Shades Creek Parkway, Suite 100B. Call 1-800-344-4867 or visit nationalMSsociety.org/alc to register.

July 9: America’s Most Wanted Festival 2013. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, 7 p.m. Visit concerst.livenation.com.

July 11: Luke Bryan Concert. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, 7 p.m. $70-$87 admission. Visit ticketmaster.com.

July 12: Corey Smith with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, 6 p.m. $54-$244. Visit ticketmaster.com July 19-20: Widespread Panic. Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, 8 p.m. $77-$232 for admission. Visit ticketmaster.com July 19-21: “Beauty and the Beast Junior.” Red Mountain Theatre Company

Cabaret Theatre. Call 324-2424.

Call 458-8181 or visit tickets.bct123.org.

July 20: 12th Annual Market Day. Mountain Brook Village, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

July 25: Bowling for Rhinos.

Brunswick Riverview Lanes, 6-10 p.m. Join the zoo to support rhino conservation. $15 registration fee includes four hours of bowling, shoes, access to door prizes, raffles and snacks. Visit aazkbfr.org.

July 20: International Festival at the Birmingham Zoo. Birmingham Zoo, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Call 879-0409.

July 23-27: Birmingham Barons vs. Mobile Baybears. Regions Field.

Call 988-3200. Visit groups@barons.com for group tickets.

July 23-27: Birmingham Children’s Theatre presents “Cinderella.”

Birmingham Children’s Theatre, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. $10 for adults and $8 for children.

Alabama Theatre Summer Movies in July. Alabama Theatre. July 12, 7 p.m.

Blazing Saddles. July 14, 2 p.m. The Help. July 19, 7 p.m. Cool Hand Luke. July 21, 2 p.m.

To Kill a Mockingbird. July 26, 7 p.m. Grease (Sing-Along Version). July 27, 2 p.m. E.T. July 28, 2 p.m. Sound of Music.

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July 2013 • 31

280Living.com

Classifieds Childcare Worker:

Sunday and Wednesday.

References and background check are required.

St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Hwy 39, Chelsea, AL. • 205-618-8367 or rector@StCatherinesAL.com

Comfort Keepers

is currently hiring quality caregivers.

205-981-1800

HELP WANTED

FULL OR PART TIME SALES ASSOCIATE. HOURS AVAIL: 12-6: SUN-SAT Apply Rogers Trading Company, Hwy. 280, resource center parkway: send resume or application to jenrtc@aol. com No phone inquiries accepted

Part-time Help Needed Sales and Merchandising Computer knowledge needed.

Some Saturdays Plain Jane’s Women & Children Shop Lee Branch Shopping Center 205-991-1995

Massive Yard Sale

50+ families. Proceeds benefit OMHS XC team.

Sat, July 20, 6-12, OMHS, 5476 Caldwell Mill Road.

Home Instead Senior Care Looking for part time CAREGivers for Non-medical in home care.

Apply at: www.homeinstead.com/bham 205.822.1915

HELP WANTED

Meadow Brook Animal Clinic is looking to fill an eventual full time position. Experience is helpful but not required. It would be preferable if you lived close to the 35242 zip code, but we will not exclude any qualified applicant. Please email us at mac7019@gmail. com and we will send you an application.

Library Events Chelsea Public Library

Call 678-8455 or email dpolk@ shelbycounty-al.org Wednesdays: The Tot Spot.

10:30 a.m.

Fridays: BYOC (Bring your own Crochet). 10 a.m.

July 11: Cupcake Decorating and Bugs, Worms and Dirt. City Hall Council Chambers, 2 p.m. Grades six and older.

July 13: Lego Club. 9:30 a.m.

July 17: Ed’s Pet World. City Hall Chamber, 2 p.m. K5-fifth grade.

July 24: Scavenger Hunt, Minute to Win It , Greatest Race. City Hall Chamber, 2 p.m. K5fifth grade.

July 25: Pizza Party and prize drawing. City Hall Council Chambers, 2 p.m. Grades six and older.

North Shelby Library

Children Programming Contact the Children’s Department at 439-5504 or northshelbyyouth@gmail.com or visit northshelbylibrary.org/ children.html.

Mondays: Movie Afternoon.

Preschool movies shown at 1 p.m., and movie matinees shown at 3 p.m. All ages.

No registration. Snacks served.

Tuesdays: Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m.

Ages babies to caregiver. Registration begins one week prior to program date.

Tuesdays: Crafts. 2-3:30 p.m. All ages. Registration begins one week prior to craft date.

Thursdays: PJ Storytime. 7-7:30 p.m. Bedtime stories for all ages. Wear PJs and bring your favorite snuggly.

July 11: McWane Starlab. 1111:30 a.m. and 1-1:30 p.m. Grades K-third.

July 18: Skip Cain, Magic Guy. 11-11:45 a.m. and 1-1:45 p.m.

Interactive show filled with magic and comedy.

July 25: Lee Bryan, Puppeteer: Dr. Dinosaur. 11-11:45 a.m. and 1-1:45 p.m.

July 26: Last Day to Log Books!

July 27: Summer Reading End Party with Ron Anglin, Juggler and Magician. 6-7:30 p.m. Fun, refreshments, grade level prizes, the Grand Prize Drawing and more!

July 31: Last Day to Receive Library Dollars!

July 31: Summer Reading End Party With Mr. Mac. 10 a.m.-noon.

Teen Programming Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@ shelbycounty-al.org for more. Register at al.evanced.info/northshelby/sr/ homepage.asp.

July 1: Super Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart Wii Tournament. Prizes awarded.

July 8: Reality Check. Take part in a simulation of financial decisions that must be made as an adult.

July 11: Anime Night. Audience pick. Treats provided.

July 12: Kingdom Comics. 5 p.m.

July 15: Undercover with the DEA. July 18: Young Adult Writing Group. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Snacks provided.

July 18 and 22: Book to Movie Night. 5:30-7:45 p.m. Prizes, popcorn & soda provided.

July 25: Teen Summer Reading End Party!

Adult Programming Call 439-5510 for all programming.

July 8: Uptown Art - Create a Masterpiece One Brush Stroke at a Time. 6:30-8:30 p.m. $5.

July 10: Container Gardening.

2-3 p.m.

July 10: iPhoto Basics – Enhancing And Repairing Digital Photos. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

July 12: Movie Night. 6:45 p.m.

Enjoy a night out with drinks and light refreshments.

July 17: iPhoto Basics – Enhancing And Repairing Digital Photos. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

July 18: North Shelby Library Book Club. Library Conference Room. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter July 18: “Every Picture Tells a Story-The Storytelling of Norman Rockwell”- Dolores Hydo. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

July 23: Porcelain Painting.

6:30-7:30 p.m.

Mt Laurel Public Library

Contact the Mt Laurel Library at 9911660 or mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more information.

July 16: Family Movie Night.

7:30-9:30 p.m.

July 3: Craft Days. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

July 10 and 24: Toddler Tales.

10 a.m. Ages 36 months and younger.

Registration begins two weeks prior to each story-time.

July 10 and 24: Story-Time with Ms. Kristy. 11 a.m. All ages. No registration.

July 11: Alabama 4H Center: Beneath The Surface. 2-3 p.m.

All ages. Explore the biosphere and learn about animals that live just below ground level. Registration required.

July 13: Craft Days. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

July 17: Craft Days. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

July 18: Bedtime Math’s Pajama Party. 5-6 p.m. Milk, cookies and fun math games.

July 25: Craft Days. 2-4 p.m.

July 30: Mt Laurel End Party With Skip Cain, The Magic Guy At The Townhouse Tea Shoppe. 2-3:30 p.m.

Adult Programming July 20: Wine Flight. 5-6:30 p.m.

Mt Laurel resident Jay Price will discuss how to select and appreciate red wines.

Celebrating

21 Years!

1992 - 2013

Please Join us!

Open House & Registration Saturday July 27, 2013 10:00am - 2:00pm

Fall Classes

Begin August 19, 2013 2013-2014 Season

7154 Cahaba Valley Road

995.9220

www.ExclusivelyBallet.com

Exclusiveballet@bellsouth.net

Summer Fun Photo Contest

e 1/2 pric ys d on a color M & e color 1/2 pric ys Saturda 6 from 2-

Gege’s family is growing,

please welcome Ashley, Amber, Shelley and Master stylist from Atlanta Philip.

Call today and Schedule an appointment!

5426 Hwy 280 East • 980-7444 www.gegessalon.com

Capture the fun of summer with your camera, and send us your favorite shots of the backyard, lake, beach, mountain, neighborhood, and wherever you and your family are.

Our staff will choose the images that most colorfully capture a summer experience.

Prizes will be awarded to contest winners.

Category One: Any summer fun photo

Category Two: A summer fun photo displaying a copy of 280 Living wherever you are

To enter, email your photos in a jpeg format to photos@280Living.com.

Please send high quality images and include a caption and photo credit. Only four entry photos are allowed per person.

Deadline for entries is August 1, 2013. We will publish the winners in the September issue as well as post them on our Facebook page and 280Living.com

32 • July 2013

280 Living