280 Living
March 2014March | Volume2014 7 | Issue 7 • A1
280Living.com
neighborly news & entertainment
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Dahl In David Dahl’s rocky start in the minor leagues has helped him to refocus on what really matters
In Orem, Utah, it’s Giveaway Day at Brent Brown Ballpark. There is a lone heckler in the outfield who’s been giving him fits across nine innings. He’s 1 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts and a sac fly. It’s 9:37 p.m. and the stadium lights are blurred through his sweat-stung eyes. After a 3-2 win, he jogs in to the damp infield grass and shakes hands with the full roster of the Orem Owlz, an L.A. Angels affiliate. He retires into the bowels of the stadium, showers, eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and packs his stuff. The coaches assemble for a meeting, and everyone loads the bus. It is 12:19 a.m. when the bus coughs out of the parking lot. His sleep is fitful through the dark night of eastern Utah. He arrives in Grand Junction, Colo. at 4:04 a.m. He groggily tosses his equipment into his unadorned locker, drives to his host family’s house and crawls in bed. He wakes at 3 p.m. He has a home game tonight against the Idaho Falls Chukars, and tonight is not the time to have another two-strikeout night.
Not only is Shamfest returning in 2014, the new owners of The Red Shamrock Pub expect it to be a bigger event than last year. Find out what’s new — and who’s playing — at the Mt Laurel St. Patrick’s Day celebration on page B9.
Staying humble
After signing with the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball Organization, Oak Mountain’s David Dahl batted .379 in the Rockies’ Pioneer League affiliate at Grand Junction, Colo. Photo courtesy of the Grand Junction Rockies.
By AL BLANTON Spain Park’s Austin Wiley is only a freshman, but he’s getting serious attention from college recruiters. Thankfully, he has parents with experience navigating those waters. For more, see page B1.
INSIDE Sponsors ...... A4 280 News ..... A5 Business ....... A9 Opinion ......... A18
Sports ............... B1 Community ...... B8 School House ... B14 Calendar ........... B19
Such is the life of Oak Mountain’s David Dahl. He’s like many other hopefuls scattered throughout America, lacing up his cleats in small stadiums that have a penchant for
crushing dreams. Dahl’s life has led him to this bittersweet abyss — the world of the minor leagues — where paltry salaries, overlong bus rides and ballpark franks are the orders of the day. Dahl played high school ball at Oak Mountain High School and
was drafted in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies’ newest centerfield prospect was shipped to Grand Junction, Colo. in June of that year to the Pioneer League, an eight-team “Rookie League” in the sprawling, high-aired Northwest.
“Playing in Grand Junction was great,” Dahl said. “The state of Colorado is awesome, and Grand Junction was an amazing city.” In front of 12,000 fans and a mascot named Corky Coyote, Dahl was
See DAHL | page A23
Worth the drive Heardmont Meals on Wheels seeks to expand daily deliveries
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #656
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By JEFF THOMPSON Before Monty Simmons could knock, Richard Barth opened the door to reveal his quiet apartment. Barth’s wife, Norma, sat motionless in the chair behind him, facing away as he reached for his lunch, two vacuum-sealed plastic trays and two plastic bags of bread and milk. At more than 90 years old,
Barth’s thick glasses sank on his nose and his stature matched his voice, short and thin but crisp all the while. Barth was a U.S. Army man. In World War II he was a member of the LCM unit, a land-based operation that spent more time in the water than some members of the U.S. Navy, he said.
See MEALS | page A22
Meals on Wheels volunteer driver Monty Simmons, right, brings Peggy Shoemaker a meal. Shoemaker can no longer drive, and she said the $2 meal from the program is often the only thing she eats in a day. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
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280 Living
About Us Photo of the month
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Many called the scene “apocalyptic,” abandoned cars lining the sides — and often the lanes — of U.S. 280 following the crippling ice storm in late January. Photo by Keith McCoy.
Editor’s Note By Jeff Thompson As I was changing my clothes in the parking lot of Bold Springs Presbyterian Church, I realized something about 280. Now, I know that statement provides more questions than answers, so I’ll come back to it. But I’d rather you know first what a profound impact religion had on where you live. Before our lifeline became the commercial machine it is today, places like Bold Springs Presbyterian and Liberty Baptist in Chelsea were the centers of the community. These churches, first built in the 1800s, served as more than places of worship. They were the foundation of society. During the day they were schools, and at night they became meeting spaces. Handmade family homes were built within spitting distance because more than that became a disconnect. Then, there’s Mt. Calvary Baptist in Chelsea. The tiny, white fixture on an otherwise empty road is a reminder that before there was Chelsea, there was the
community of CalMt Laurel. You can’t leave vary, and its residents Brook Highland without passrest in the church ing a place of worship. Inside this issue, thanks to cemetery. From the street, shelbycountytourism.org, we the first name you take a brief look at some of see among the head280’s historic churches on stones is Mary Emma page B13. But we encourage Mooney, born in you to dig further on your 1869. When I was own, as these community there last month, two centers — perhaps even the beaten teacups lay church your family attends Jeff Thompson beneath her name — could have an exciting story like lazy porch dogs. to tell. I imagined her children left them as a And, since I promised further explareminder of her favorite activity — nation, attending live fire training can drinking tea with her church buddies really affect the way you smell. I thought during Bible study across the street. it best to disrobe at Bold Springs rather Now, as real estate developments are than in the parking lot of the Women’s being constructed in communal style, it’s Missionary Union. easy to see that each of 280’s neighborhoods are growing similarly to how they did 150 years ago. Homes swirl around Meadow Brook Baptist, and Double Oak Community Church is a gatekeeper for
280 Living neighborly news & entertainment
Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Jeff Thompson Madoline Markham Katie Turpen Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Contributing Writers: Rick Watson Kari Kampakis Paul Johnson Julie Walters Interns: Sydney Cromwell Rachael Headley
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Contact Information: 280 Living PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205)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 : Starnes Publishing LLC
Legals: 280 Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic
content without prior permission is prohibited. 280 Living is designed to inform the 280 community of area school, family and community events. Information in 280 Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of 280 Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.
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280 Medical Supply (A17) AL Telco Credit Union (A13) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (B14) Alabama Outdoors (A10) Alabama Power (A12) ARC Realty (B4) Asbury United Methodist Church (B12) AUX Mechanical (A22) Bedzzz Express (B24) Bellini’s (A20) Birmingham Botanical Gardens (B16) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (B18) C Food Express (A18) Cahaba Dermatology and Skin Care Center (A2) Capelli Salon (B10) Case Remodeling (B21) Children’s of Alabama (A11) Chiropractic Today (A12) Classic Gardens (B14) Clear Advantage Pantry (A14) Cottontails Village (A15) Danberry at Inverness (B7) Decorating Dens Interiors (A8) Diana Holladay (B22) Dreamscape Landscape Development (29) E & F Entertainment (B17) Encore Rehabilitation (A16) Fancy Fur- Paws and Claws (B17) Fi-Plan Partners (B3) Fitness Functions (B9) Fitness Together Greystone (B21) Foxy Nails & Spa (A15) GeGe’s Salon (B8) Geostone (A2) Greystone Antiques & Marketplaace (B17) Hearlab (B9) Hendrick Hoover Auto Mall (A20, B20) Highland Dentistry (A21) Issis & Sons (B8) John Samaniego for Sheriff (B6) Lady Fingers Salon (B23) Leaf & Petal (A9) Liberty Park (A3) McKay Building Company (B22) Med South Family Care (B11) Outdoor Living Areas (A5) Pak Mail (B23) Pastry Art (B6) Plain Jane Children & Gift Shop (A15) Pure Barre 280 (B20) RealtySouth Marketing (A7) Richard Joseph Salon and Spa (A1) Rick Needham (B10) Royal Automotive (A24) Sew Sheri Designs (B2) Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen (19) Southeastern Jewelers and Engravers (B16) St. Vincent’s One Nineteen (A9) Target Auction Company (A18) The Cuckoo’s Nest (A6) The Ditsy Daisy (A18) The Goddard School (B19) The Maids (A1) The Urban Barn (B23) Trinity Medical Center (B13) Tutoring Club Inverness (B18) UAB Health System (B15) Varsity Sports (B1) Village Dermatology (B1) Vision Gymnastics (A17) Wan’s Chinese (A10) YMCA of Greater Birmingham (A23) Your Good Neighbor (B21)
280Living.com
March 2014 • A5
280 News Hoover police captain qualifies for sheriff race Hoover Police Department Capt. Kip Cole announced his candidacy for Shelby County sheriff in January. Cole has been a Shelby County resident for more than 21 years and has served in law enforcement more than 31 years. “The citizens of Shelby County expect and deserve to be safe in our great community,” Cole said in a release. “It is the responsibility of law enforcement, and it would be my duty as the sheriff, to ensure the best public safety practices are implemented to achieve this goal. I will be a hands-on sheriff that is tough on crime.” Cole’s law enforcement career began in 1982 as a patrol officer for the Tuscumbia Police Department. In 1986, he joined the Hoover Police Department and served in a variety of roles. Cole was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Police in 2005 as the chief’s executive officer, with duties including managing the chief’s projects and overseeing the department’s Professional Standards Unit. He also served as commander of the Field Operations Bureau from 2008 to 2010. Cole is currently assigned to the Special Operations and Emergency Preparedness Bureau, coordinating police operations for city-sponsored special events such as the SEC Baseball Tournament and the Regions Tradition Golf Tournament. Additionally, the bureau oversees departmental compliance with federal regulations on issues of homeland security. Cole also manages the recruiting, background investigation and hiring of police personnel. Cole is a founding member of the Hoover
Four to run for Shelby sheriff, four incumbents unopposed By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Hoover Police Department Capt. Kip Cole announced that he plans to run for Shelby County sheriff in 2014.
Police Department’s Special Response Team (SRT), which was formed in 1992. He currently serves as the SRT commander, which includes SWAT, hostage negotiations and underwater dive operations. Cole earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Faulkner University in Montgomery. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 232. For information on Cole’s campaign, visit kipcoleforshelbycountysheriff.com.
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Following the qualifying deadline, eight Republican candidates are slated to run for various offices in Shelby County’s 2014 local elections. Current Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry is not seeking re-election, and four candidates have qualified to run for his seat. Those candidates are Larry McDow, Hoover Police Department Capt. Kip Cole, Shelby County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Samaniego and investigative firm owner Rick Needham. Four incumbent candidates will be running unopposed: Diana Steele New for coroner, Don Armstrong for property tax commissioner, Randy Fuller for superintendent of education and Peg Hill for school board member. Two Republican candidates, Daniel A. Crowson and Dave Roper, have also qualified to run for Shelby County District Judge for Place 2. The Shelby County Democratic Party did not have any qualifying candidates for these
elections. Most of the qualifying candidates for state elections were also from the Republican Party. The candidates for the District 43 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, currently held by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, are John Bahakel, Cheryl Ciamarra, Doug Clark, Gina McDonald, Arnold Mooney, Don Murphy and Amie Beth Shaver. The District 73 seat has two qualified candidates, Matt Fridy and Jody Trautwein. Incumbents who will be running unopposed include District 15’s Allen Farley, District 41’s Mike Hill, District 45’s Dickie Drake, District 48’s Jim Carns and District 49’s April Weaver. The state Senate seat for District 11 is also up for election with two candidates, Jim McClendon and Jerry Fielding. One Democrat, Cindy Bell, will be running for the District 16 seat against Republican incumbent J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner. District 14’s Cam Ward and District 15’s Slade Blackwell will be running unopposed. The Alabama primary election is June 3, and the general election is Nov. 4.
Greystone’s Womack to lead NAfME Southern Division Last month, Greystone Elementary music teacher Dr. Sara Womack was voted presidentelect of the Southern Division of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Womack, who has taught at Greystone since 2006, will assume the office on July 1 and become Southern Division President on July 1, 2016. As a representative of nearly 20,000
active, retired and pre-service music teachers and 10,000 honor students and supporters from 11 southern states, she will serve on the National Executive Board from 2014-2020. “Music education is in a unique position to help resolve big issues in education in an innovative, engaging and sustainable way,” Womack said. – Submitted by Jason Gaston
Dr. Sara Womack
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280 Living
Rates to increase for Shelby Water customers
A schedule of rate increases for Shelby County Water Services retail customers included in a February resolution.
By JEFF THOMPSON Beginning in April, customers of Shelby County Water Services will see a rate increase on their monthly bills. In February, the Shelby County Commission passed a resolution that sets in motion annual increases over the next five years. The increases begin in 2014 and continue through 2018. More than 10,500 accounts are currently connected to Shelby County Water Services, according to shelbycountyalabama.com. The retail rate increases will primarily affect residents of the 280 corridor, as most customers are located in Westover, Chelsea, Eagle Point, Greystone, Forrest Park, Forrest Lakes, Mt Laurel, Regent Park, Villas Belvedere and Highland Village. According to the resolution passed Feb. 10, these customers are currently paying a monthly $20.48 minimum charge for 3,000 gallons and $4.10 for every 1,000 gallons used beyond that minimum. In April, the minimum will be reduced to 2,000 gallons at a charge of $20.68, and
customers will pay $4.14 for every 1,000 additional gallons used. Additional annual increases are as follows • 2015: $20.89 for minimum 1,500 gallons, $4.18 for every 1,000 additional gallons • 2016: $21.10 for minimum 1,000 gallons, $4.22 for every 1,000 additional gallons • 2017: $21.31 for minimum 500 gallons, $4.27 for every 1,000 additional gallons • 2018: $21.52 base charge, $4.31 for every 1,000 gallons That means a current customer using 4,000 gallons per month pays approximately $24.58. In April, that price will be closer to $28.96. By 2018, it would be about $38.76. Ed Carter, financial services manager for Shelby Water, said the increase was structured with help from Jackson Thornton Utilities to be applied fairly to all customers of the service. Rate increases will also be applied to tap fees and wholesale customers of the system, which include Alabaster, Pelham and SterrettVandiver. Carter said the increase is a proactive measure as the system looks to extend a current
loan. Beginning in 2004, Shelby Water Services received three loans from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, none at a higher rate than 3.5 percent annually. “We used those funds to built a water plant, distribution lines, pumps, tanks and systems to serve our retail and wholesale customers,” Carter said. “These were huge projects.” Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loans are part of a program through the Environmental Protection Agency that provides resources for systems seeking to improve water quality infrastructure. These loans have a maximum 20-year lifespan. Shelby County, Carter said, wants to extend those loans by 40 years by using the private sector. The system’s five-year schedule of rate increases would provide a means to afford the new payments, which could increase, while continuing to support the reserve fund. “We want to take our existing balance and go out to the market on 40-year rates,” Carter said. “We’ll test the waters with 30, but we believe 40 years is going to fit our schedule and allow us to better meet the needs of our capital.”
Congressional candidate forum this month A public forum featuring the Republican candidates for the Sixth District Congressional seat will be held this month. Sponsored by Eagle Forum of Alabama and the Shelby County Republican Women’s Club, the event is being held at The Westminster School at Oak Mountain, 5080 Cahaba Valley Trace, at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 21. Seven hopefuls are vying for the GOP nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Spencer Bachus. Candidates seeking the nomination are Scott Beason, Will Brooke, Paul DeMarco, Chad Mathis, Gary Palmer, Robert Shattuck and Tom Vigneulle. There is no Democratic candidate contesting the race. The Republican Primary is set for Tuesday, June 3, 2014 with a runoff, if necessary, scheduled for Tuesday, July 15. The forum’s format will allow the candidates to talk about their qualifications and why they would best represent the Sixth Congressional district in Washington. This will be followed by questions from the audience. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend. The event will last approximately 90 minutes. “We think this will be a great opportunity for voters to see and hear the candidates on the same stage,” said Joan Reynolds, secretary of the Shelby County Republican Women’s Club and an organizer of the forum.” Reynolds said the Republican Women’s Club has invited all other Republican candidates including District 43 candidates, candidates for Shelby County Sheriff, state auditor and public service commissioner to its remaining meetings, held the third Saturday of each month. – Submitted by the Shelby County Republican Women’s Club
280Living.com
March 2014
Twists on the ‘wich By MADOLINE MARKHAM By the end of high school, I was done with PB&J. My extremely gracious mother had packed my lunch every day since she discovered that I wasn’t eating much on my cafeteria tray at Inverness Elementary School, but a decade of cold bread combos in a lunchbox, even created with the utmost love, had done me in. Over the past few years, I have been reclaiming the art of goodness placed between twice
slices of crusty grains. Start with quality ingredients like sourdough bread and a sharp cheese, throw some sweet potato fries in the oven, and you’ll have a five-star meal that is as comforting as it is gourmet. Below I have shared a few of my favorite combinations. Try one of mine, or get creative with your favorite ingredients. Toss on some spices and something you have never placed on bread before, and see what happens. Managing Editor Madoline Markham blogs about food at maplemacaroni.blogspot.com.
Blackberry-Goat Cheese Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches Easter lunch 2013 with the family called for a step up from normal Sunday fare, and this star was born.
Ciabatta bread, sliced Blackberry preserves Goat cheese Pork tenderloin, cooked and sliced Red onion, sliced and roasted Arugula
Lay out two slices of ciabatta. Spread one slice with blackberry preserves and one with goat cheese. Top blackberry slice with arugula, and goat cheese slice with pork and onions. Sandwich the two sides together, and slice in half.
Ham Party Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper You’ve probably had a variation on these wondrous ham sandwiches at a potluck or tailgate. I added roasted red pepper to switched things up a bit, but they are just as heavenly without it.
1-12 pack Hawaiian rolls ¾ lb. sliced ham 6 slices of Swiss cheese Roasted red peppers, sliced (optional) 1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard Slice rolls and remove tops; place bread bottoms in a 13x9-inch baking pan. Fold ham slices to set on top of each roll
bottom. Place cheese on top (I fold each slice in quarters and then place two quarters on top) and then red pepper, if desired. Place roll tops back on top of sandwiches. Stir together remaining ingredients. Drizzle or use a brush to cover the sandwich tops with butter mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until sandwiches are warm and toasty. You can prepare the sandwiches a day or two before serving.
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By RACHAEL HEADLEY After 12 years of working at someone else’s restaurant, Kadek Sudarsana and two business partners decided it was time to be their own bosses. Then it was only a dream, but as of December 2013, it became reality for Sudarsana, the restaurant’s vice president. Nori Thai and Sushi Restaurant opened its doors to customers the third week of December in the Altadena Square Shopping Center off Cahaba River Road. Sudarsana’s experience in working for restaurants that featured Asian cuisine led him and his two partners to select a Thai and Southeast Asianinspired menu. Nori appetizers, offered to begin the customer’s dining experience such as Egg Rolls, Edamame and Crab Angels. After that, there are a variety of soups, salads and entrees to choose from. Nori not only offers classic entrées like fried rice, Pad Thai and Teriyaki, but also Chicken Panang, Roasted Duck with Red Curry and Ka Proud Lamb — specialty options that can be hard to find. The sushi menu offers the simplest of sushi options to the most specialized rolls, splitting the menu into simple nori with California rolls, spicy tuna rolls and vegetable rolls and nori maki specialties with the Godzilla roll, Supercruch roll and Big Steak Nori Roll. The adventurous eater with an affinity for spice should check the menu’s spiciness level legend. Sudarsana said the most popular dishes are the
(Left) Nori Thai and Sushi Restaurant Vice President Kadek Sudarsana looks over his restaurant’s menu. Photo by Rachael Headley. (Above) Nori combines traditional sushi with a modern, fast-casual twist. Photo courtesy of Nori Thai and Sushi Restaurant.
Masaman Chicken, Nori Roll and Supercrunch. “We make [our food] with quality ingredients and try to get it out as fast as we can,” Sudarsana said. “We know how much time the customer has, especially people who work in the office. It takes them five to 10 minutes to drive and sit down, then they have less than 30 minutes to eat.” Sudarsana’s vision was to create a casual
environment, where coworkers can relax on their lunch breaks over hot tea and sushi, and families can come to dinner and find something for everyone. Nori also has online ordering options for quick on-the-go pickup as well as catering options for parties and events. Though customers may experience a shorter wait time and may find more affordable options, that does not mean that the quality or presentation
will be sacrificed, Sudarsana said. “We put some presentation on the plate to make it look great,” Sudarsana said. “We want them to come back.” Sudarsana and his partners are still expanding and improving the menu, and they plan to serve alcohol after receiving their liquor license. Sudarsana also said he envisions opening additional Nori locations in the future.
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108 Inverness Plaza 980-3303 alabamaoutdoors.com Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
By JEFF THOMPSON Alabama Outdoors in Inverness Corners recently celebrated its oneyear anniversary, but the store’s history goes back long before. The company began in Homewood in 1975 and soon became a staple in the Birmingham outdoor community. Scott McCrory, current president of Alabama Outdoors, remembered buying his first jacket there in 1994. The company continued expanding through the years into seven locations in the state. And in October 2012, it came to 280. “We are fortunate to have many loyal customers in the Highway 280 area,” McCrory said. “An opportunity arose for us to bring a great selection of products to a more convenient location for these customers when Blockbuster Video vacated its Inverness location.” McCrory described the store as a place where a mom and her children can feel at home while still catering to the needs of the modern explorer. It carries functional and stylish apparel for the entire family, as well as gear for enthusiasts. The staff is also willing and able to provide advice for whatever outdoor excursion a
Inverness store managers Mallie Beck Wilkerson and Noel Watters are able to provide advice on gear for both outdoor novices and enthusiasts. Alabama Outdoors manager Lindsay Nanzari tests out a tent on the store’s sales floor. Photos by Jeff Thompson.
customer has in mind. For example, if a customer is looking for a tent, there are about a dozen to choose from. But if the list includes a pair of Chaco sandals, a North Face ski jacket and a CamelBak, these can all be found as well. “People can come in just to look
around and learn, or we can outfit them for year-round activities throughout the world,” McCrory said. “You don’t have to be a backpacker or climber to come to our store. People here are active and want to be outside, and those are the people we connect with on a regular basis.”
McCrory said Alabama Outdoors is active in the community and sponsors local trail runs, kayak races, outdoor festivals and events held by advocacy groups. McCrory said in 2014 Alabama Outdoors would continue to be involved with Oak Mountain State Park and other outdoor destinations, as well as events like the Alabama Cup kayak series and the Moss Rock Festival in Hoover. “We have strong relationships with
Red Mountain Park, Ruffner Mountain, the Cahaba River Society and other recreation areas,” he said. “It is important to Alabama Outdoors to support access and usage of the outdoors.” As warmer weather approaches, the store is stocking up on new items. “We’ll have lots of new styles this spring,” McCrory said, “including a great selection of footwear from Chaco and fresh new looks from Patagonia, Gramicci and Royal Robbins.”
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March 2014 • A11
Now Open After a previous announcement of closing, owners of Monkey Toes, 2800 Greystone Commercial Blvd., Suite 3B, have kept the business open Saturdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays 1-4 p.m. The women’s and children’s boutique is being restocked and hopes to open one additional night a week this spring. 807-5727. facebook.com/ mymonkeytoes.
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The Farm: Functional Athletic Rehabilitation & Medicine, 13521 Old Highway 280, Suite 125, is now open. Drs. Beau Beard and Sloan Burdick are now seeing patients and offer sports injury rehabilitation, chiropractic adjusting, soft tissue therapy and more. 419-1595. chirofarm.com.
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Indian Springs Pediatric Dentistry, 6496 Quail Run Drive, is now open. Dr. Rosalyn Crawford-McKendall has opened her practice just off Highway 119 across from Indian Springs School and is accepting new patients. 739-7773. indianspringskidsdentistry.com.
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The Zone Sports, 10699 4 In Old Highway 280, Building 2, in Chelsea, is now open. It offers batting cage rentals as well as hitting and pitching lessons for baseball and softball. ntzsports.com. Logan Deen has opened new State Farm Insurance office at 5479 U.S. 280, Suite 120, across from Lee Branch. 582-2030. statefarm.com.
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Relocations and Renovations The Pita Hut, formerly located on U.S. 280 behind Krispy Kreme, is relocating to 100 Chelsea Corners Way, Suite 102, in Chelsea. 980-7482. pitahut280.com.
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New Ownership Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, 310 Summit Blvd., Suite 106, is under new ownership by brothers Stuart and Kent O’Rear. 972-9991. whichwich.com.
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News and Accomplishments The Urban Barn, 601 Doug Baker Blvd., has been chosen to carry a new fashion line from Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame. The new line was announced in January. 451-8888. facebook.com/ theurbanbarnbham.
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Hirings and Promotions ARC Realty, 5291 Valleydale Road, has hired Leslie Terrell and Blake Shultz as Realtors. 657-4570. arcrealtyco.com.
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Anniversaries Pure Barre, 5426 U.S. 280
10 East, Suite 6, will celebrate
its three-year anniversary this month. On March 8 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. the business will provide giveaways, food and drinks, door prizes, package and retail discounts, and vendors on hand to celebrate. 991-5224. purebarre.com.
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Email dan@280living.com
A12 • March 2014
280 Living
Your Health Today By Dr. Irma Palmer
There are many well-understood benefits of exercise and activity, including improved cardiovascular health, weight loss, strength, and appearance. Science has also confirmed exercise affects the prevention of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the latest research is now painting a broader picture of the benefits of exercise on neurology, brain development and optimal health. The book Spark is a “groundbreaking and fascinating investigation into the transformative effects of exercise on the brain, from the bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD”. He points out that to have an optimal functioning brain it requires plenty of blood, the right nutrients, a balance of body chemicals designed to help the brain operate, and an ability to grow new cells and connections in the brain. He emphasizes how each of these elements is helped by regular aerobic exercise. He states the results can often be measured within a few weeks of activity. So if you thought that aerobic exercise was simply about looking and feeling good, you’re wrong. It’s also about maximizing your thinking ability and being
able to improve your learning capacity. There is also longevity and quality-oflife benefits including reduced incidence of disease and less chance of dementia. Sadly, cases of Alzheimer and dementia are on the rise in recent years. Exercise is extremely important for our nervous system. Our nervous system is an incredibly complex network of communication fibers and junctions that allow us to relate and adapt to our internal and external environments. The nervous system, made up of the brain, the spinal cord and miles of nerves, depends on movement and exercise to restore the body to homeostasis (state of balance). Resting is also critical to our health and living. Yet, for many our lives have become frantic. We rush through our days, seemingly never having enough time to complete tasks, slow down to eat, relax and unwind. So often we are stressed out in traffic or sitting in front of a computer or on the phone. Most people spend far too much time on the ‘GO’. This constant stress state keeps the stress hormone factory churning pushing stress hormones through our veins, wreaking havoc on our health. I call it
Exercise for Brain Health the pressure cooker lifestyle. Whether you are always on the ‘GO’ or live a sedentary lifestyle an effective way to reduce your stress and increase your health is to regularly exercise. People who exercise regularly report less stress in their lives and experience fewer stress-related health problems. An additional benefit of exercise is how it affects our mood, promotes happiness, better sleep and increased sex drive. Along with the every day pressures we experience, many have chronic poor postural habits! This also creates stress in the body; promotes core muscle weakness, muscle strain, and structural dysfunction. When joints do not move properly irritation to our nervous system occurs acting like static noise in our bodies communication network. This noxious stimulation changes the brain’s function and influences the body’s chemistry. This joint dysfunction and associated nerve irritation is called “subluxation.” Subluxations can occur in any joint, but the most devastating are found in the joints of the spine. These spinal misalignments can be caused by a combination of physical, mental and emotional
stresses like trauma and bad lifestyle habits. Their ill effects on your health can be profound. A distinctive quality of subluxation is joint fixation. When a joint is fixed or stuck and not moving through its normal range of motion, a host of problems can arise. Joint decay and degeneration (arthritis) occurs when a joint is not moving properly. If a joint is fixated, proprioception (body sense) is reduced and nociception (noise) is increased. These both promote stress in the body. To reduce stress, people regularly implement exercise and spinal care such as chiropractic care into their daily routine to combat stationary work, postural stress and the pressures of living in the world that we do. Be proactive, have your spine and nervous system evaluated regularly by a wellness-oriented chiropractor. Additionally, healthier lifestyle choices will add years to your life ahead. Bottom line, your human body is your car for life. Fuel it well, move it often and seek out wellness experts to get you to the green pastures of outstanding health. To learn more, come to our Wellness 101 workshop on Tuesday night, March 18th at 6:15 pm. RSVP required.
280Living.com
March 2014 • A13
Miles from everything A look at life in Shelby County in the early 20th century
Clara Dunaway, a former cook at Indian Springs School, was interviewed in 1978 for an oral history project seeking to document life in Shelby County in the early 20th Century. Dunaway’s daughter said her mother was a hard worker throughout her life, especially when it came to cooking. Photo courtesy of Carrie Sue Hinds.
The following is an adaptation by Jeff Thompson of Submission, Strength and Purpose: Oral Histories Of Women In Shelby County, Alabama, written by Miriam Fowler in 1986. Fowler drew from oral histories recorded as part of an Alabama Historical Commission Project in 1978.
Before the Civil War, Shelby County was steadily advancing economically and was on its way to developing the rich mineral resources in its soil. Then, in 1865, Union Brig. Gen. James Wilson’s soldiers swept through the county and stymied development. After that, Shelby County maintained an isolated rural image until the 1960s. Change to the rural society came slowly as poor road conditions made the automobile impractical. Therefore, the Victorian influence lingered longer in the lives of early 20th century Shelby County women, as was the case with Clara Dunaway. Dunaway, the oldest girl of nine children, was raised in North Shelby County, and she began caring for her little siblings when she was 3. “I can look back now and know that it could have been bad for a 3-year-old to be responsible for babies, but I only had an accident once. Mama told me to rock the baby in his cradle on the front porch while she went to the field to help Papa. I figured that if I tied a string on the cradle I could get out in the yard and play and still rock the baby. But I got to playing and rocked the cradle so hard that brother dumped right out onto the porch.” She remembered her father as being a good man who was protective of her family. She said he was “one of the best-looking and
nicest men” she had ever known. He hauled coal when he wasn’t farming to make a living for his children. The amount of education Dunaway received depended upon how much she could get while staying reasonably close to her home and family. While she was growing up, the only high school was in the county seat of Columbiana. From her home in the Oak Mountain area, Dunaway walked three miles a day to a one-room school close to what is now Helena. “I didn’t get to go to high school,” Dunaway said. “I had to stay home and help mother, but I learned as much in the time I was there as children do now graduating from high school.” When she was about 15 years old — old enough to marry — Dunaway chose a man she had known all her life. He lived one mountain over from her, she said, and after they married they had three children together. Though she didn’t have extensive schooling, she did get help parenting from a medical book that she read from cover to cover. “It helped me raise my children,” she said. “When they were babies, there were no other people living on the mountain, and I would have to walk to miles to get help. When there was an emergency with the children, like the time my daughter ate arsenic, I just had to doctor them myself from what I learned, and they did all right.” When her children were young, Dunaway went to work in the Siluria Cotton Mills, located in what is now Alabaster. She stopped working soon after she started, she said, to stay home with the children. Clara Dunaway’s daughter, Pelham resident Carrie Sue Hinds, said Dunaway’s last job before retirement was as a cook at Indian Springs School. Hinds said her mother worked whenever it was necessary up to her death at 97 years old, but her real love was being in the kitchen. “She just loved life and people and loved to cook,” Hinds said. “Whenever she was going to a potluck, she didn’t bring one covered dish — she brought six or seven.”
A14 • March 2014
280 Living
WMU invites area women to lunch
WMU is welcoming women from the area to a monthly luncheon hosted by the organization’s Christian Women’s Leadership Center (CWLC). From left are Jean Roberson, Adult Resource Team leader at the National WMU, Clella Lee, CWLC leadership consultant, and Jessie Harkness, administrative assistant at the National WMU. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
By JULIE WALTERS and JEFF THOMPSON A recent program developed by the Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) involves reaching out to women in the Birmingham area. In partnership with Samford University, the Christian Women’s Leadership Center (CWLC) is inviting women who work and live along the U.S. 280 corridor to attend monthly luncheons
in order to connect with one another. According to the WMU website, each luncheon provides local women an opportunity to explore characteristics of Christian leadership in multiple generations. Learning from others’ experiences provides another positive reason to attend. “One of our main goals in hosting the luncheons is networking,” said Clella Lee, who joined the CWLC as a leadership consultant in
Changing the world from Shelby County It was in 1888 when WMU was founded in Baltimore. Now, 126 years later, the organization is affecting mission work throughout the world from its national headquarters off Brook Highland Parkway. Since its inception, WMU has worked to educate about mission work, and many might not be aware of the international impact Shelby County is making through this organization. Among some of the programs WMU generates and supplies to churches throughout the nation are Girls in Action, Royal Ambassadors, Acteens, Challengers and Adults on Mission. Local churches currently use many of these and other WMU programs. In addition, WMU is an active promoter for two Southern Baptist missions, which supply approximately half of the annual budget for the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board. In 2012, WMU helped raise $149.3 million — the third-highest total in the offering’s history — for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Since initiating the first offering in 1888, WMU has helped raise more than $3.7 billion through this effort.
January. “We want to lend our knowledge of development skills and build community among Christian women leaders.” Luncheons are just one piece of the CWLC’s mission, Lee said, adding that the ultimate goal is to provide an encompassing resource that would
Also in 2012, WMU helped raise $57 million for missions work in North America through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Since 1907, when official reporting began for the home missions offering begun by WMU, receipts total more than $1.4 billion through 2012. From its headquarters in Shelby County, WMU mobilizes individuals through Project HELP on issues including AIDS, hunger, illiteracy and child advocacy. The current focus is Project HELP: Human Exploitation, which includes human trafficking, bullying and pornography. WMU also operates WorldCrafts, which develops sustainable, fairtrade businesses among impoverished people around the world, and Pure Water, Pure Love (PWPL), which provides water filters for missionaries’ home and travel use, providing a consistent clean water source. WMU’s faith-based, welfare-towork ministries are the Christian Women’s Job Corps (CWJC) and Christian Men’s Job Corps (CMJC). Overall, there are 159 registered and certified sites, and in 2012, 11,080 staff and volunteers served approximately 4,250 participants through these programs. For more, call the national WMU at 991-8100 or visit wmu.com.
help women develop their leadership skills. CWLC luncheons are 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at National WMU, located at 100 Missionary Ridge. Advance registration is required for lunch. For more, visit wmu.com/cwlc.
280Living.com
March 2014 • A15
Dine in style to support Hannah Home
Francis McAleer stands with her creative display.
By JEFF THOMPSON Rita Wood has been a volunteer with Hannah Home since the organization took shape in 2005. She remembers walking the dirt on which the current facility, built in 2007, now rests. Since then, she and others from the U.S. 280 area have been on a mission to support the needs of homeless and abused women in the area by raising funds to keep the doors open. And one of the most effective means Wood employs involves transforming something ordinary into a spectacular scene. “Anybody can decorate a table,” Wood said. On April 2, Hannah Home Ladies Auxiliary will host its annual Spring Tablescapes Luncheon, an event that welcomes women from
The Hannah Home Ladies Auxiliary has hosted notable speakers including Sister Schubert, left, and Patsy Riley, right, at previous events. Center is Auxiliary volunteer Marsha Drennen. Photos courtesy of Hannah Home Ladies Auxiliary.
across the area to celebrate the art of tabletop decoration while raising funds for the home. For the event, more than 30 volunteer decorators will each turn a table into something more. Wood said the event started six years ago, first taking place at Southern Living. The magazine featured the art of tablescapes, and Wood said it felt like a good fit. Unfortunately, holding it there turned out to be too complicated an endeavor to continue. “We moved it to a church and just started doing it ourselves,” Wood said. “And that also meant local women would be able to decorate the tables.” So, over the past five years, Auxiliary volunteers have brought their favorite china and special decorations to the event and each set a table. Wood said each table has a theme, and she’s seen some fascinating ones through the years.
Spring is alm�t here!
270 Doug Baker Blvd, Lee Branch • 991-1995
www.plainjanegifts.com • Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm, Sat 10am - 5pm
Firehouse Subs put together “Fire and Ice” one year, which featured an ice sculpture. She’s also seen a stepladder, a bicycle, a nativity scene, an umbrella and an Eiffel Tower as centerpieces. “To this point, the only thing I haven’t seen is a kitchen sink or a bathtub,” Wood said. The year before last, Wood’s table featured a wedding theme. She bought a wedding dress from the Salvation Army and used it as a tablecloth. But it’s not simply about being creative, Wood said. The annual luncheon features a notable speaker, and past speakers include Patsy Riley, Phyllis Hoffman and Sister Schubert. “We try to always find local women who are outstanding and mean something the community,” Wood said. Another draw is the celebrity waiters for the
luncheon, who in the past have included notable men like former University of Alabama and NFL football player Jeremiah Castille. “The entire event is put together by volunteers, and all the money goes to Hannah Home,” Wood said. The luncheon has raised as much as $20,000, which is donated in full to the home to cover operating expenses like utilities. The 2014 Tablescapes Luncheon is scheduled for April 2 at the Metropolitan Church of God, located just off the I-459 Acton Road exit. Doors open at 10 a.m., and lunch is served at noon. The event includes both a live and silent auction. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by emailing elise@elisehearn.com or by calling 821-2270.
A16 • March 2014
280 Living
Getting started Community can provide an answer for those seeking help, hope or a way out By JEFF THOMPSON
Chelsea Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Matthew Roksam, left, with Recovery at the Creek ministry leaders Cindy B., Carie W. and Michael S. Recovery at the Creek is a repentance and reconciliation ministry within the church. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
When Michael S. returned from the Gulf War in 1993, he wasn’t the same as when he left. Like many Marines, he was bound by conditioning he learned in the field. Don’t stand near open windows. It gives the enemy a line of sight. When you hear an explosion, hit the dirt. If you see smoke, don’t breathe. It could be gas. “How do you deal with that stuff?” he said. “How do you deal with having anxiety, when your heart starts to race just because you’re in a room with the blinds open?” He didn’t know, so his answer was to escape. He turned to alcohol and other addictions. His control and anger issues got worse. Nothing seemed to help, and he found himself locked in a closet in the fetal position. True defeat crawls over everyone, and it’s always crushing in the end. Like Michael, Carie W. and Cindy B. have felt it, too. Years ago, it put them on their backs, locked in the smallest room they could find, weeping. They either reached for help and didn’t find it or refused it when it was there. In those moments, they were alone. But, thankfully, they aren’t anymore. Michael is now a leader of Recovery at the Creek, a ministry of Chelsea Creek Community Church founded on principles used in secular programs including 12-steps, anonymity and confidentiality. But unlike
280Living.com those programs, it and others on the U.S. 280 corridor take a faith-based approach to healing. “Secular recovery programs are designed each one specific to a style of recovery,” Chelsea Creek Senior Pastor Matthew Roskam said. “We’re saying there is a common denominator within all of us, and that’s what we’re seeking to reach out to. It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to recover from — from depression to addiction — all these things can be tapped into.” Learning how to heal Participants in Recovery at the Creek are known to each other by their first names and last initials. It’s a matter of confidentiality that not only provides comfort from the fear of judgment but is also a means to remove outside influence and turn focus inward. It’s a part of the program that assisted Michael in finding someone to listen, as he thought anyone who heard his story would immediately consider him a “monster.” “There’s a powerful thing that happens when you sit down with someone and tell them the core truths of your life and they don’t get up and walk away,” Roskam said. Eventually, Michael got up, and he turned to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for help. They showed him how to cope with the triggers of post-traumatic stress (PTS). He had success assimilating, but his anger issues lingered. “That’s the thing with PTS,” he said. “It isn’t just one thing. I was hurt from being in Corps, yes, but I didn’t enter the Marine Corps perfect. There were issues there before. When I got into a faithbased program, it allowed me to go back further.” In this way, the program helped Cindy B. as well. She learned quickly that finding support from others with similar life experiences was critical to her recovery. Cindy has an inherent need to please other people, she said. She was determined to be the best at her job and the best wife and mother at home. Love and affirmation from others spurred her on, but when she didn’t receive it, she collapsed internally. These feelings, she said, are called codependency. And they first drew her to a recovery program not for herself, but to provide
March 2014 • A17 support for a loved one. “When you have codependency issues, your job is to fix everybody,” she said. “I was [at a recovery program] because I had an addict in my family. I went there because I was thinking I was doing this for him, and I found out I was the one who needed help.” It took a year of sitting through weekly meetings, feeling anger rise and fall over lack of an answer for how to “fix” the other person. Then, thanks to a gentle leading from her sponsor, Cindy, like Michael S., finally looked deeper. She’s a survivor, and her past played into the present far more than she ever thought possible. “I wanted to act as if it wasn’t part of who I was,” she said. “God said, ‘You’ve got to look at it to heal from it.’ All the other stuff really has a root back there.”
‘There’s a group of people who have been where you are who want to share you experience in brokenness and loan you some of their hope until you can find your own.’ – Carie W. Finding help Recovery at the Creek ministry leaders said they believe the program isn’t built to only tackle “Big A” addictions, those that society deems the most debilitating and therefore expends the most resources on. Cindy B. said they look at every addiction as something people put in their lives to avoid pain, and it can be anger, people-pleasing, computer games or even perfectionism. “These others devastate lives, too, but society doesn’t always look at them that way,” she said. The latter is true with Carie W., another ministry leader. Her son turned to heroin, and she fell apart. She didn’t know why, though. “My story started when my husband and I had a son struggling with chemical addiction,” she said. “He went to a treatment center, and they encouraged us as parents to go to recovery meetings. When I
went, even the very first time, I realized something was going on with me as well.” She sat in a small group and cried for an hour as others shared their stories. She told her husband on the way home she needed more help. The couple launched into recovery programs, and Carie learned her past had instilled in her a desire to be perfect in all things, especially being a mother. “My dad was an alcoholic, and I decided somewhere along way getting his approval came about through performance,” she said. “I got my father’s attention when I brought home As, but never anytime else.” Suddenly, at the worst point of her son’s addiction, both Carie’s mother and sister were diagnosed with cancer. The convergence was crippling, and she ended up on the bathroom floor. But she got up, too. Finding hope Programs like Recovery at the Creek are meant to be places of shelter where people can find comfort in company. They’re connected to the church and founded on Biblical principles, but their roles are not to preach. They’re meant to give people a reason to get up and get started. “We isolate in our story because we think it’s unique,” Roskam said. “So, it’s important to gather with people who won’t judge you when you tell the truth.” By sharing with others who understood, Michael, Carie and Cindy found ways out of their isolation and learned to look for the roots of their destructive behaviors. They now sit tall and speak confidently because they believe the time they invested in themselves has a purpose. “There’s a group of people who have been where you are who want to share your experience in brokenness and loan you some of their hope until you can find your own,” Carie said. “Just come. Just try it,” Cindy added. “It works.” Open Night for Recovery at the Creek is held Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the church, located at 48 Chesser Crane Road. Open Nights are made up of large group at 6:30 p.m., share groups at 7:30 p.m. and cafe at 8:30 p.m. For more, visit chelseacreekcc.org.
Recovery at the Creek Thursday nights Chelsea Creek Community Church • Large Group, 6:30 p.m. • Share Groups, 7:30 p.m. • Cafe, 8:30 p.m. Chelsea Creek is located at 48 Chesser Crane Road. For more, visit chelseacreekcc.org.
In the area:
North Shelby Celebrate Recovery Tuesday nights Inverness Vineyard Church • Large Group, 6:30 p.m. • Share Groups, 7:30 p.m. (Includes Women’s Life Issues, Women’s Abuse and Addictive Issues, Men’s Life Issues and Men’s Addictive Issues) • Step Study Group, held on alternate nights and times. Inverness Vineyard Church is located at 4733 Valleydale Road. For more, visit northshelbycr.org or email info@northshelbycr.org.
A18 • March 2014
280 Living
Opinion What next? Helping kids cope with rejection Life is hard. Disappointments happen. Sometimes we lose when we deserve to win. Sometimes we win when we deserve to lose. As adults, we’ve had practice coping with a letdown. But for children, the pain is fresh and the wounds particularly deep. They’re not prepared for unexpected blows, nor do they understand how a loss might benefit them long-term. One rejection can feel like the new norm, and with every subsequent defeat, they might fear they’ll never break the cycle. Once a loser, always a loser. That isn’t true, of course — at least not for those who keep plugging away — but try explaining that to the boy cut from his baseball team or the girl who didn’t make cheerleader.
Try convincing anyone who just failed miserably that there’s hope. So what’s a parent to do? How can we pull our children from the pit when they fall in? I don’t have many answers, but I do know this: We don’t jump in the pit with them. We don’t act like it’s the end of the world or throw confetti on their pity party because that fuels their fears. Our attitude affects their attitude, and if we in our infinite wisdom send a message of doom and gloom, what does that say about their future? Let me clarify that I believe parents should share in a child’s disappointment. We should cry with them if that’s where our heart is and allow a mourning period. Since many tryouts fall on Friday, we often have a weekend to work with.
Life Actually By Kari Kampakis For two days we can grant our child permission to mope, scream, sob and vent. We can let their ugliest emotions be acknowledged to get it all out of their system. But come Monday morning, the world starts spinning again. Come Monday morning, our child will have to rise back up and ask a crucial question: “What next?” Will they try out again next year or branch into something new? Could now be the time for soul-searching? People have different ways of moving on, and even if they’re spinning their wheels a while, going through the motions to get a game plan, it’s a step in the right direction. As a parent, I worry about the heartache my kids will face. But my biggest fear is that they’ll quit trying. This happens a lot, and it happened to me in grade school when I stopped trying out for plays because I failed a few times. For years my sister, Krissie, and I auditioned for productions, and together we made our first three. But then The Wizard of Oz came along, and Krissie made it without me. I was OK with one rejection, but when the same thing happened two more times, I dropped out of acting. Having my little sister show me up was embarrassing, and by cutting my losses early, I thought I could avoid future grief. To this day I regret giving up something I loved. If only I’d admitted to my parents that my reason for quitting was fear, not a loss of interest, they could have encouraged me to stick with it. They could have explained that failure is a part of
life, and with every effort I made, I increased the likelihood of the tide turning in my favor. Babe Ruth once said, “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” (For the record, he struck out more than 3,000 times.) In baseball, a batting average of .300 is considered excellent. That’s basically hitting three balls out of 10 — a statistic we’d balk at in real life. But could that be our problem? If we adopted baseball’s philosophy in all parts of life, would it take the pressure off us having a perfect record? Could it put our disappointments in perspective, reminding us that one home run — or better yet, a grand slam — can compensate for nine missed hits? I think so. If I have any advice for people down on their luck, it’s this: Don’t give up. Hang in there. Work hard and believe in your ability to improve. If you really love something, stick with it, because your passions help lead you to your calling. Giving up may seem safe now, but as you get older you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did. When one door closes, another opens. Embrace new opportunities and be ready to act. As Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” There’s no shame in trying, only the remorse of passively watching the world go by. So jump back in the game by asking yourself, “What next?” These two words may be the motto you need to begin a fabulous new chapter of life. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Birmingham mom of four with a background in public relations, writing and photography. For more inspiration, like her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer” or find her on Twitter @karikampakis. Visit karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
280Living.com
That’s Life By Paul Johnson Can’t never could in a vacuum who Couldn’t, facing “Can’t OK, it’s March. How’s that never could”, and couldn’t/ New Year’s resolution holding can’t was winning! Maybe up? Did you quit for good by now, or did what I wrote in Little Engine could, but Little February help? Engine wasn’t climbing Mt. Following a stop behavior Everest. It was just a hill, for with a start behavior is like crying out loud! At least whatreleasing the pressure valve of ever I was facing felt like Mt. Everest. a vacuum. It can let positive “Can’t never could,” my … willpower rush in and bolster your resolve. Let me put it this scrawny little… bottom. way: When you said you were My anxiety made it look going to stop doing x-y-z, did and feel like an unclimbable, Johnson oxygen-deprived peak. And as you find an a-b-c to put in its place? I have written before, anxiety spikes when we My dad had some really pithy sayings, perceive that what is being asked of us has to be which is probably why I am so long-winded accomplished alone. and complex. I hate pithy sayings, but someWhat positive willpower needs in order times, I’ll admit, they work. to sustain its movement toward something One of them I found myself saying to my healthy and wholesome is community. We need middle son on a particularly powerfully cold someone not necessarily who will do it for us, morning in February (we have had a few of or even with us, but is at least there, encourthose this winter — yowza!). We had walked aging, extolling, exonerating, exhorting. My across the field to his school because traffic middle son never would have walked across was so horrible, and we got out of the house so the field in the cold by himself. He needed late that we had to take the short cut to school. me with him. The Little Engine that Could That meant we parked in the back of a sub- couldn’t have done it by herself. She needed division and walked some. We event left our the encouragement, challenges and celebrajackets at home because we did not think it was tions of her passengers. actually that cold. You might have quit, you might be slowing, In that moment, I told him, “The quickest or you might be continuing your resolutions way between two points is a straight line.” So with great vigor. But at this point, to sustain (or instead of walking around the track, we cut to revive or even refresh), get some commuacross the field in the middle and saved five nity around you, someone or ones to encourage minutes, which, in bitter cold with no jacket you, extol you, enliven you with their words nor gloves, spares a finger. and presence, whether doing it alongside of Another of my dad’s pithy sayings is “Can’t you or just in the vicinity while you do your never could.” I really hated that one, which resolution. Can’t never could, in a vacuum. is odd because one of my favorite books as a child was The Little Engine That Could. I Paul Johnson is a professionally licensed especially liked the page with all the candy and marriage and family therapist, a professionally fruit that had to get over the hill to the kids in licensed counselor and a nationally certified the town on the other side. I could be one of counselor. You may reach him at 807-6645 or paul@lifepractical.org. His office is in those kids. So in those moments, I was the Little Engine Greystone Centre on U.S. 280.
My South By Rick Watson Shade tree Daddy put on his coveralls My daddy, rest his soul, hated and started collecting the tools. working on cars. He loved drivHe didn’t ask, but my brother ing, but every time one of his old Neil and I bundled up in some cars broke down, he’d cuss. old clothes and went out to help When I was about 12, we had him work on the old Plymouth. a 1957 Plymouth with tail fins Getting the old part off was that made the old sedan look like easy, but putting the new one on some kind of futuristic boat. It was a bear. You had to jack the was black with a shiny chrome car up to exactly the right spot strip that ran from headlight to and twist the hardened steel tortail fin. The chrome grill made sion bar to make it fit back into the old Plymouth look like it the assembly. Dad said some was smiling when you looked at Watson unkind words about the folks it from the front. It had a motor as big as Texas, and when you who designed that piece of engineering. The first couple times we tired and failed, gave her the gas out on the highway, that baby he simply blew like an old bull. The third time would make the tires sing like a boy’s choir. One Friday in mid-January, it was warmer in with no success I learned a few words I’d never the refrigerator than it was outside. Dad was on heard before. The longer we were out there, his way home from work when a dog ran out in the colder it seemed to get. My fingers felt front of him. He swerved to dodge the critter, like Popsicles. About the fifth time we failed, got off the edge of the road and hit a rock as he was cussing so fast it sounded like he was speaking in tongues. big as a football. Both Neil and I thought it was funny, but He kept control, but he ruined a tire and broke the torsion bar on the right front of the we didn’t dare laugh so Daddy could hear us. Then, good fortune smiled on us. The sun car. A torsion bar is part of the suspension, and even after Dad changed the tire, the right peeked from behind the clouds, and the bar front of the car drooped down like a dog that snapped into the assembly. A few minutes later, the old Plymouth was as good a new. had been scolded. We hustled inside and gathered around the He managed to get the car home somehow that Friday, but it had to be fixed before Stokermatic heater to thaw our hands and feet. Soon after that, Daddy traded the old PlymMonday morning because it was the only car outh for a 1957 Buick Roadmaster. That baby we had and he depended it to get to work. We borrowed Uncle Pete’s truck early the guzzled gas, but it ran like a champ and never next morning and made the rounds at local broke down. That made daddy a happy man. Rick Watson is a columnist and author. junkyards. We found the part at Northcutt’s in West Jefferson, and we were home before His latest book Life Happens is available on Amazon.com. You can contact him rick@homelunch. The wind was out of the north, and tiny folkmedia.com. flecks of ice ticked on the windshield.
March 2014 • A19
A20 • March 2014
280 Living
Snow day 2014:
280 teachers, administrators share overnight experiences The most amazing epiphany I have had from this unique experience is that the children, and we teachers, really talked, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. My students’ favorite activities during that unpredictable day centered on things they could touch, see, hear and share with each other. The connecting cubes, the puzzles and especially those old standbys, crayons and paper, were the chosen prizes of the day. No one asked for an iPad or a video game. Human companionship was what we wanted the most. Maybe it takes a blanket of white to warm our hearts and share our daily dreams!
In January, teachers along the U.S. 280 corridor faced chaotic conditions as the greater Birmingham area morphed into complete gridlock. But throughout the Hoover and Shelby County school systems, educators, staff and administrators stepped up to the plate to care for both stranded drivers and students stuck in their schools for the night. By BILL HARPER, Principal, Chelsea Middle School As night fell on Tuesday and the snow ended, I realized that few — if any — cars were coming past the school on County Road (CR) 39 from Chelsea. That is the main route for many of our parents hoping to pick up students. When I realized that the backup was probably at the intersection of CR 39 and CR 47, a group of teachers volunteered to load up the one four-wheel drive truck we had with sand from the athletic storage area, and together we drove to the intersection, which has a steep incline as you turn up CR 39 from the light, and spread a truckload of sand across the iced road. This unclogged the bottleneck and enabled many parents to pick up their children that night and many more folks to get to their homes further down CR 39. Some worked without gloves or overcoats, but we all realized a sense of community and interdependence not normally felt. Those teachers were Carol Vandergeest (it was her truck), Gary Black, Justin Bright and Lee Hibbs.
Students at Mt Laurel Elementary prepare to spend the night at the school on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Photo courtesy of Angela Walker.
By KELLY FAILLA, Teacher, Inverness Elementary School I often remarked to my students that I wondered what it would be like to sleep at school (many already think I do!). I can honestly admit that now I know what a night at school is really like. When the first swirling snowflakes started to dance to the ground on Tuesday morning, I told my class to “bundle up” and we would go out to play in the snow. They were elated and ran to the playground to catch snowflakes on their tongues and revel in the white stuff that covered their hair and eyelashes. Little did any of us know that was only the beginning of an unplanned event.
As minutes turned into hours, some children went home when parents could brave the icy roads to get them. Dinner was lunchroom pizza, then some fitness activities, a movie and bedtime. Four of us first-grade teachers tucked our little ones into their makeshift sleeping places on a classroom floor. We gently covered them with their coats as they became quiet and perhaps a little apprehensive, though none of them seemed worried at all. Those sleeping snow angels were the heroes to me. They were separated from mommies, daddies, soft pillows, fluffy blankets and favorite stuffed animals. The trust they had in us was heartwarming. My colleagues and I didn’t sleep
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much because we were worried that one of our campers might wake up in the middle of a dark, strange room, and be afraid. We teachers did something we rarely get to do during our working day. We talked and listened to each other. I learned about three of the lovely ladies who teach first grade with me. I discovered that one teacher’s father died in Vietnam when she was just a toddler. I heard about a teacher’s mom who took a part-time job after she retired so she could afford weekly calls to her only daughter. My friends learned that, even though my mother has been gone for 10 years, I often pick up the phone to share a moment of joy with her before I remember.
By LAURA PARTAIN, Teacher, Chelsea High School Chelsea High School turned on the lights of the practice field on Tuesday night as a beacon for stranded motorists to find shelter, and in they came. A man with his dog, an elderly lady suffering from dementia, women with babies, a family with a handicapped son, paramedics responding to a severely diabetic man who was out of insulin — they were greeted by students working alongside a wonderful staff, resource officer and administration that stayed awake all night to welcome those who were in need. Other “lights” were the snow angels that came all the way down U.S. 280 to retrieve four of us. We passed abandoned cars, several wrecked or in ditches trying to get down Highway 11 to 280. When they could take us no further at Highland Lakes, we began
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walking and another angel picked us up on his ATV. That poor man had just spent 11 hours trying to get to his daughter’s school. There were many others: David Dubose, who gave my 14-year-old son (who had fever) food and shelter at his radio station; a man who picked up my husband and son while they crossed 280 on foot and walked down a closed Highway 41; a fireman handing out water. Jesus said we are to be the light of the world. This has been manifested during a crazy “dusting” of ice and snow throughout this city. By ASHLEY BEAVERS, Teacher, Inverness Elementary School As a veteran teacher in Shelby County for 21 years, I can say this was a first. I can still clearly hear the announcement that buses were not running and students that had already been sent were returning to us. That was major, and little did I know what would follow. Parents began storming the office to pick up their kids as the snow continued to fall even harder. Children were so excited as they realized the perfect snowman was not just a vision but a reality. As for me, I looked at my co-worker, Michelle Price, and said, “This is really happening, isn’t it?!” She knew what I meant, smiled, and said, “Yes it is! It’s a school sleepover like none other!” I knew I’d be staying since I live in Chelsea and knew Double Oak Mountain would be impossible. There was nothing to do but laugh and make the best of our situation — not for us, but for the children left there because parents could not make it. Supper included hot pizza, steamed veggies, and salad for the teachers. The remainder of the night included a movie in our newly renovated library,
By 3 p.m. Wednesday, all students were safely home and our remaining faculty/staff could finally leave. Heroes? Not so sure of that, but going the extra mile for all our students? Most definitely! I could not be more proud to be a part of the Inverness School family. Not just for what happened during this event, but day in and out, as we go the extra mile each and every day. That’s just how we roll! By ANGELA WALKER, Principal, Mt Laurel Elementary School Custodian Doris Bryant decided to stay at the school to help, even though it was the first night in 47 years she had been away from her husband, Fate Bryant, overnight. Bryant and her husband were reunited the next morning, and the last child was picked up from Forest Oaks on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 29. Photo courtesy of Resia Brooks.
books read and even exercise in the gym with our PE teacher Mike Daniel. Without our leaders and their organization, Christine Hoffman and Jeff Norris, things would have fallen apart in a hurry. Also, thanks to secretary Stephanie Philpott who stayed cool and calm with a smile on her face even at 2 a.m. I cannot thank you enough for all you did to keep things running as smoothly as possible throughout the whole experience. You are the best! Some of us had only one student staying the night, while others had as many as five and some had nine. We all felt they were ours to share and take care of. Keeping them all entertained, busy and fed was key. Yes, we were exhausted and thinking about our own families and their safety all the while, but one thing was certain — we were in this together, warm, safe and fed. As the night rolled on with EMTs having to come twice for a sick firstgrader and total strangers needing a
warm place to stay, we stuck together and just laughed. At about 2 a.m. I finally slept (I use that term loosely) on the floor in my classroom on top of three yoga mats with my own child snuggled by my side. There were five other boys in my room all safe and sound with us. We had gathered pillows, blankets, towels and any other thing that worked to stay warm and comfortable. In the morning, we talked over breakfast about when or if we could go home. It looked bleak since ice covered the roads and it was still so dangerous. We were even beginning to plan the day out for the kids, as we thought it would be another all-day shut-in with our students. Somehow, students began leaving being checked out by parents around 10 a.m., and by noon many had been picked up. My husband, Jeff, traveled two hours from Chelsea to arrive at school around 1 p.m. We were going home!
One miracle story involves our Cahaba Valley Fire and Rescue. They purchased two four-wheel drive Chevy Tahoes Monday and drove them back from Chicago. They arrived in the Town of Mt Laurel at 3 a.m. Tuesday. If not for those two Tahoes, 67 of our students and most of faculty would have had to stay Wednesday night because Highway 41, which is the only access road for our school, was closed until Thursday afternoon. Team members from Cahaba Valley shuttled more than 110 students and faculty to meeting points in the Narrows, Highland Lakes and the Dunnavant area. In addition to that, they came several times Tuesday night to check on us and bring us blankets, coffee and stuffed animals for our younger students. Our theme for Tuesday was “We had SNOW Much Fun at the MLES Sleepover!” These teachers and staff members really measured up. The teachers planned movie times, dance parties, story times, game times and even got in some reading and writing activities. Our custodians helped out and continued to keep our building clean. Our two front office workers never shut
their eyes through the whole event. Classroom and special education teachers and paraprofessionals sang songs, told bedtime stories and rubbed backs until every child in the building was asleep by 9:30 p.m. Our cafeteria staff stayed through the whole thing. Leaving this school never crossed members of the faculty’s minds until they knew their students could get home safely. Also, our parents who could get to us kept a steady stream of blankets, water, food, clothes and needed extras coming throughout the night. Our nurse also stayed to support office staff and care for our medically fragile students. She also had a few sick patients during the night, but nothing serious. RESIA BROOKS, Principal, Forest Oaks Once teachers and staff at Forest Oaks Elementary found out the snow would require them to spend the night, I decided to make an event out of the situation. We called it “Camp Forest Oaks.” The school’s leadership team came up with a plan and schedule, which included dinner, snacks, a disco party and a movie. After buses stopped running, 67 students and 50 faculty members launched into camp mode. My biggest concern was the parents. I wanted to make sure they weren’t worried about their babies being left at school. So, I sent everybody the plan and posted the info online. School Custodian Doris Bryant decided to stay at the school to help out, even though it was the first night in 47 years she had been away from her husband, Fate Bryant, overnight. Bryant and her husband were reunited the next morning, and the last child was picked up from Forest Oaks on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 29.
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280 Living
MEALS
CONTINUED from page 1 The unit dispatched small, barge-like boats from bigger ships to land troops and tanks on the beaches of North Africa. They brought the first wave of soldiers to set the beaches. If they were successful, the cavalry could make a safe landing. But he can’t drive anymore, and neither can Norma. Nor can Peggy Shoemaker, John and Nellie Cole, Georgia and John Krahn, Betty and Mary Davis and Martha Williams. So, Simmons brings their food to them. One of many Simmons is one of about 40 volunteers with the Heardmont Park Senior Center’s Meals on Wheels program. He currently drives the Meadow Brook route to deliver 10 meals over six stops. It’s one of three routes covered by the center. The others are the Heardmont route and the Riverchase route, each with a similar number of meals to deliver. “This is a 32-mile trip,” he said as he stepped into his gold Buick. “Last year, I was driving it six times a month.” Multiply by 12 months, and Simmons put about 2,300 miles on his car delivering 720 meals in 2013. The miles aren’t an issue, though. In his life, he’s driven millions. Simmons, an 83-year-old Greystone Village resident, was also a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. He joined the Navy Reserves after WWII and was called up to active duty in 1952. “I filled out an application that asked if I wanted shore duty or water duty,” he said. “I signed up for the shore, and well, they put me on a ship. I stayed on that boat until I got out.” He was a printer on the USS Shenandoah. When he left active duty, he went to school at Auburn University, but paper remained a part of his life. In 1959 he signed on as a sales representative with the Birmingham Paper Company, which would later become International Paper. For 33 years he sold a line of school supplies and stationary for them, covering a territory that stretched from Nashville to the Gulf Coast and east to Atlanta.
From left are Meals on Wheels volunteers Monty Simmons, Betty Robinette and Dioma Swain. Right is Nancy Ledbetter, director of the Heardmont Senior Center. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
He might not have been around the office much, but he did make friends with the woman across the hall. She was in corrugated boxes, Simmons said, and her name was Joan. “We’ve been married 52 years,” he said as he lifted the lid of the gray, insulated tote in his trunk, removed a plastic tray and started toward Peggy Shoemaker’s door. And many more Shoemaker, Simmons’ first stop on his route, suffers from debilitating osteoporosis that has sent her to the operating table multiple times. “Your bones just kind of disintegrate,” she said. She has survived four back surgeries and several more on her hips, which is where her problem first appeared. Several years ago, she lost the use of one suddenly and crumpled to the floor. When she went in to have an artificial hip installed, her doctor told her things were
worse than she thought. Her condition required immediate back surgery. Still, she answered the door standing, wearing a pink robe, and when she saw Simmons, her smile took over her face. “You know, if it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t have been eating,” she said of the volunteer drivers. “What I do is eat half of it now and save the rest for dinner.” Simmons handed off her short ribs, limas and sliced carrots and returned to his Buick with a smile. He can finish this route in a little more than an hour, he said, if he doesn’t chat too much. But, he never minds catching up. “She always pops up and walks right to that door. It’s real inspiring,” he said, adding that he and other volunteers are often the only people recipients see for the day. “But she’s not the only one who splits her meals.” From there, Simmons heads to the Narrows to drop off meals for John and Nellie Cole and
Georgia and John Krahn, both Auburn fans like he is. After that, he heads west to the Barth’s apartment, where he climbs 10 speed bumps on his way in and nine on the way out. “See those emergency contacts?” Simmons said, pointing at a sheet on his binder as his Buick lurched over the first of 10. “If you ring the doorbell and no one comes to the door, that’s who you call.” Simmons said he’s dialed the numbers often, and he usually receives a response like, “Oh, she had a doctor’s appointment and forgot to call.” Once though, he called out of emergency. On a delivery on Valleydale Road, Simmons and his wife rang the bell of a meal recipient named Maria. “She always came from the back bedroom somewhere,” Simmons said. “But this time, as soon as she got to the door, she bumped up against something and fell flat on the floor.” Avoiding panic, Simmons sent his wife
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March 2014 • A23
Volunteer with Meals on Wheels Contact the Heardmont Senior Center at 991-5742 or attend the volunteer luncheon on March 12
in through Maria’s window to help her up. Maria, thankfully, was OK. Help wanted Each meal delivered through the Meals on Wheels program is cooked early in the morning in Brent, Ala., about an hour southwest of Birmingham. The food is shipped in warming containers to Heardmont, where it’s divided into 37 servings. Each is vacuum-sealed at the site and loaded for delivery, which takes place five days a week. Recipients pay $2 for each meal if they can afford to, meaning couples like Richard and Norma Barth spend about $80 a month for the service. “I can’t complain about the food,” Richard said, noting that when he could drive he visited the center every night for dinner. “I always think about them C-rations. These are pretty good meals.” Heardmont Park Senior Center Director Nancy Ledbetter wants to expand the program to include a fourth route in the Inverness area, and she wants it to launch on April 1. She said the center’s goal is to rework the routes so each includes about eight stops, and to do so she needs about 15 more volunteers to agree to deliver. Simmons did the math: If approximately 30 meals go out now, it adds up to 7,800 meals delivered each year. Increasing the number of recipients to 45, the total grows to 11,700 a year. A bigger volunteer network would not only ensure all those meals are delivered but also give the center a chance to bring more food to area shut-ins. “This is just so rewarding to me and all of us who do this,” Simmons said. “We’re just filling a much-needed role because if we didn’t have Meals on Wheels, these people wouldn’t get anything to eat all day long.” “If I have any pains that day, they’re gone by the time I finish,” Ledbetter added. Heardmont is hosting a luncheon for its delivery volunteers on March 12 at the center. For more information, call Ledbetter at 991-5742.
(Left) Oak Mountain High School’s David Dahl accepted a scholarship to play baseball at Auburn University in 2012. (Above) He later signed with the Colorado Rockies and played for their affiliate in Grand Junction, Colo. Photo courtesy of the Grand Junction Rockies.
DAHL
CONTINUED from page 1 a terror at the plate, batting .379 with nine home runs and 57 RBIs. Plate production in Grand Junction meant next-season advancement for Dahl, this time to single-A Asheville, N.C. to play with the Tourists. But Dahl’s time in Asheville didn’t consist of clouting more home runs and touring the Biltmore. On May 7, 2013 Dahl tore his hamstring and spent the next five months rehabbing — lifting weights, running and doing extensive physical therapy — in order to wedge himself back into the lineup. Now Dahl, 19, is spending his off-season days at a sports performance clinic in San Jose, Calif., wondering when he’ll get another chance. He’s working out twice a day, getting stronger, and he’s back on the field. He says he’s not thinking about the bright lights of Coors Field, or — worse — not making it at all. “I don’t even think about it. If you do, you’ll drive yourself crazy,” Dahl said. “The thing that’s so difficult about minor league ball is that it’s just a grind. You’ve got to take it one day at a time.” Dahl has sent the boats home, so to
speak, because he has “no clue” what might happen if this baseball thing doesn’t pan out. He’s not even sure he’ll be invited back to Asheville. “This last year was a very humbling experience for me. I realize that I’ve got a lot of work to do both on and off the field,” he said. The embattled outfielder drew the ire of the Rockies’ front office when he missed a flight and got sent back to extended spring training. Some pundits began to question his maturity, and said so unmercifully in blogs and other Internet outlets. But Dahl believes that the experience helped him develop a much clearer focus and get back to his Christian roots. Dahl was raised by loving parents in a Christian home in Montgomery, he said. He credits his father for encouraging him to play baseball. “My dad pushed me hard but knew how to encourage,” he said. At age 9, Dahl’s All-Star team won the Little League World Series, and by 12 Dahl knew he was onto something with baseball. “I knew I was pretty good when I was 12,” he said. “I was playing travel ball, and I hit 33 home runs that summer.” The family lived in Montgomery until moving to Oak Mountain during his ninthgrade year, where the transfer made an
immediate impact for the Eagles. “I started as a freshman in high school. That year, I played short and batted third,” Dahl said. During that time, Dahl began to raise eyebrows at college and pro showcases. “I worked out in Denver, and I realized I wanted the Rockies to draft me,” Dahl said. So today, a year and a half later, Dahl is still with the Rockies, fine-tuning his inside as much as he is his outside. He says he received profound wisdom from his mother in the midst of this mile-high ordeal. “My mom told me to concentrate on getting closer to God and trying to be a better person,” he said. He now prays in the on-deck circle and gives thanks for the opportunity to play baseball, a game that he has played since he was two years old. He says he wants to be a great person and an example for kids. “I have a tattoo of a Bible verse on my arm, Joshua 1:9, which says ‘Be Strong and Courageous.’ Honestly, I think it was good for me to go through the things I’ve gone through at 19. I learned lessons from it, and I’m a better person, better player because of it,” he said. “And I’ve learned that if you have a good relationship with Christ, everything falls into place.”
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March 2014 • A25
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Staying humble Scholarship offers already mounting for SPHS freshman basketball star By JEFF THOMPSON Shaking hands with Austin Wiley is like reaching into the mouth of an alligator. Wiley, starting center for the Spain Park Jaguars, stands 6-foot-9 and weighs in at 190 pounds. During the 2013-2014 regular basketball season, he averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks per game — remarkable numbers for a player his age facing older competition. At 15 years old the freshman might be a newcomer to the varsity team, but he’s fluent in the game. Austin started playing basketball at the Hoover Recreation Center at 6 years old. Led to the court by a pedigree, he said the sport is and has been not only his love but also his life. “I was always the tallest kid,” he said. “It took me a while to get used to it. I’d say about sixth or seventh grade was when I started being known or recognized. I didn’t want to be the center of attention, but I got used to it.” The recognition kept coming
through middle school, and in his first year at Spain Park he not only became a staple of the game plan but also a target for college recruiters. He’s already received scholarship offers from The University of Alabama, Auburn University, UAB and Mississippi State University, he said. His parents, Vickie Orr Wiley and Aubrey Wiley, are both former players for the Auburn Tigers. But Vickie Orr is also known as one of the best basketball players to ever come from the state of Alabama. Playing center like her son, she led Auburn to two straight NCAA championship games. And before she graduated in 1993, she played on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team that won the bronze medal. In 2013, she was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. “The difference is, I wasn’t recruited this early,” Vickie said. “My recruiting, even though it was by every school in the country, didn’t start until the end of my 10th-grade year. For Austin it started in eighth grade from the exposure he gets from
playing AAU.” AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, is a nonprofit national sports organization that offers players additional court time and often more promotional opportunities. Following his eighth-grade year, Austin received an invitation through his AAU exposure to attend NBA player Chris Paul’s basketball camp in North Carolina. The event was important for Austin to attend, Vickie said, but it also led to a daily barrage from recruiters. “I just want to make sure his head’s in the right place,” Vickie said. “Especially at AAU, there are so many people standing around waiting to get a word in about what they can do with him — how their camp can make him better. It’s not easy keeping those sharks away from him.” Vickie, who currently serves as an administrator at the Harris Early Learning Center in Birmingham, said she and Aubrey make point to keep everything open with Austin, and she sees him embracing the pressure
See WILEY | page B7
Spain Park center Austin Wiley drives the lane during a game against the Pelham Panthers in January. The 15-year-old freshman has already received multiple scholarship offers. Photo courtesy of Ted Melton/actionsportspix.smugmug.com.
A26 B2 • March 2014
280 Living
Signing Day 2014 Local high school athletes accept collegiate scholarships on National Signing Day
Ten Chelsea High student athletes signed National Letters of Intent during the school’s National Signing Day Ceremony on Feb. 5.
Chelsea High
Casey Ballenger – Huntingdon College (Baseball) Will Bevill - Itawamba Community College (Soccer) Maygen Boaz-Jeffords – University of Mobile (Softball) Patrick Castillo – Lawson State Community College (Baseball) Britne Holderby – Penn State University (Soccer)
Hunter Howard – Christian Brothers University (Baseball) Joslyn Johnston – University of Mobile (Softball) Troy Marshall – Murray State University Chelsea Tyson – Faulkner State Community College (Volleyball) Landon Wylie – Marion Military Institute (Baseball)
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B3 March 2014 • A27
Spain Park
Eighteen Spain Park High student athletes accepted scholarships during the school’s National Signing Day Ceremony on Feb. 5.
Josh Rich – Meridian Community College (Baseball)
Will Freeman – University of Alabama (Swimming)
Dalton Brown – Newberry College (Football)
Phillip Brown – Tuskegee University (Football)
Christen Craig – Tusculum College (LAX)
Matt Berler – Meridian Community College (Baseball)
Alison Halperin – Anderson University (Track)
Vasili Kartos – Southern Mississippi (Golf)
Ireland Shea – University of Alabama (Track)
Marisa Osga – Central Alabama Community College (Softball)
Devin Pughsley – Kennesaw State (Football)
Tristan Widra – Samford University (Baseball)
Denise Newton – Gadsden State Community College (Basketball)
Haleigh Sisson – UAB (Softball)
Connor Smith – Middle Tennessee State University (Golf)
Jervontius Stallings – University of Kentucky (Football)
Brittany Anderson – Central Alabama Community College (Softball)
Maddie Wohlfarth – College of Charleston (Swimming)
A28 B4 • March 2014
280 Living
Six Oak Mountain High School athletes signed scholarships with universities on National Signing Day, Feb. 5, at the school.
Oak Mountain
Stephen Carroll – University of West Alabama (Soccer)
Mark Green – University of Mobile (Soccer)
Chris Johnson – University of Albany [New York] (Football)
Brad Louis – University of West Alabama (Soccer)
Keegan McQueen – University of West Alabama (Soccer)
Patrick Carroll – University of West Alabama (Soccer)
Briarwood Christian Seven Briarwood Christian student athletes accepted scholarships during the school’s National Signing Day Ceremony on Feb. 5.
Jake Bracewell – East Mississippi Junior College (Baseball)
Braydon Housel – Birmingham Southern (Baseball)
Salvatore Cuneo – Eastern Nazarene (Soccer)
Josh Laatsch – West Florida (Basketball)
Morgan Reid – Notre Dame (Softball)
Claudia Day – Wake Forest (Soccer)
Will Edwards – University of Alabama (Track)
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B5 March 2014 • A29
CMS basketball teams
take home championships
The Chelsea Middle School boys basketball team displays the 2014 Southern Conference Championship trophy. Back row: coach Donovan Knight, Connor Endfinger, Connor Griffin, Marcus Moody, Daniel Washington, Zach Shaw, Matthew Lanzi, KJ Hall and coach Lee Hibbs. Front row: Turner Griffin, Hayden Hutcheson, Bennett Horton, Nyles Macon and Robert Marquet.
Chelsea Middle School basketball teams returned from recent competitions with firstplace finishes. In January, the seventh-grade CMS boys basketball team won the 2014 Southern Conference Championship hosted by Briarwood.
The Chelsea Middle School girls basketball team won the Southern League Girls Conference Championship in January. Back row: coach Clarissa Clark, Madison Seay, Morgan Seay, Lindsey Bergert, Chloe Eidson, Alexandria Dennis, Allie Miller, Arielle Rooks, Cassidy Early, Hope Richard and coach Jennifer Brown. Front row: Michaella Edwards. Not present: Aurora Martinez and Carson Reeves.
They defeated Briarwood, John Carroll and top-ranked Riverchase Middle School in a fight to the finish to claim the title. Also in January, the CMS girls basketball team won the 2013-2014 Southern League Girls Conference Championship hosted by
Columbiana Middle School. The Hornets defeated Riverchase Middle School, No. 1-ranked Helena Middle School and Calera Middle School to win the Southern Le ague trophy. -Submitted by Traci Griffin
A30 • March 2014 B6
280 Living
New volleyball league seeks to provide less costly alternative to club play By JEFF THOMPSON Making the high school volleyball team can be an expensive adventure. The journey for many players in the U.S. 280 area starts in junior high by joining a local club team. In these programs, young players spend invaluable time working with skilled coaches who often play or instruct at the collegiate level. Players often exit these travel programs and easily walk onto school rosters. But the cost adds up quickly after paying for those experiences and even more so after travel begins. “Club volleyball can be a very expensive sport to be involved in,” Conley Lovette said. “It can be $1,700 just to play, but add in hotels and travel, and you’re looking at $3,500 every season.” Lovette is one of several area residents who have banded together as volunteers to help families afford the experience of club play. Recently, he became one of the founders of Y Club Challenge, a volleyball league based at the Greystone YMCA that has created a way to reduce the overhead per player to approximately $600 a season. The idea for Y Club Challenge was born out of League Director Aaron Joy’s desire to keep his championship team of recreational league players together as they inched closer to the age of high school competition. When 11 of his 12 pre-teen players made their respective school teams, they found themselves at the mercy of a rule that would break the recreational
(Left) The Y Club Challenge U13 team coached by Madelyn Lovette, far right, gets together following a practice at the Greystone YMCA. Photo courtesy of Aaron Joy.
team apart. “Athletic rules state you can’t have more than three girls from a school team playing on the same club team,” Joy said. “I told them I’d be able to coach them one more season, and I’d have to break them up.” But when the time came to disperse, Joy said several of his players wouldn’t be joining area club teams due to the expense. He started looking for a solution, and he found it at the YMCA. Y Club Challenge has a “much lower facility cost,” Joy said. As another costcutting measure, his program also uses
volunteer coaches. One of Joy’s first recruits to lead a team was former Oak Mountain High player Madelyn Lovette, Conley’s daughter. Madelyn, who was diagnosed at age 4 with a permanent visual impairment caused by damage to her optic nerve, had experience playing with the Eagles and with the Alabama Juniors, a club team based in Hoover. She accepted, and added Joy and her father to the roster as assistants. “She’s worked with me about a year and a half,” Joy said of Madelyn. “But she’s getting older and she aspires to be a coach. Even though she’s 17, she
wants to take more on.” The league currently has four teams, two of 12-year-old players and two of 13-year-olds. Volunteer coaches for the other 13-year-old team, labeled more familiarly as U13, are Our Lady of the Valley teacher and coach Alison Thompson and her friend and UAB employee Catherine Cussimano. Brent Voisin coaches one of the league’s two U12 teams, while Greystone YMCA employees Tavie Cobb and Viveka Rosenberger coach the other. For its initial season, Joy said players weren’t required to attend all
tournaments to keep costs down for families, but the teams did compete locally in the Heart of Dixie Tournament and the Sting Freeze Tournament. Joy said the current goal for Y Club Challenge is to recruit more volunteer coaches and players into the club. He said he anticipates the league will grow to add a U14 next year. “For really serious players, parents know who they are and $600 is a drop in bucket for a $100,000 scholarship,” Joy said. For more information on Y Club Challenge, email Joy at ajoy@ joepowell.com.
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March 2014 • A31 B7
Former 280 athletes to return for Gulf South Championship
Wiley
from pg B1
By JEFF THOMPSON
Former Oak Mountain High player Garrett Cosgrove plays forward for the UAH Chargers.
Former Briarwood Christian School player Jason Laatsch plays guard for the West Florida Argonauts.
Former Oak Mountain High player Ronnie Mack plays guard for the UAH Chargers. Photos courtesy of Gulf South Conference.
This month, the Raymond James Gulf South Conference (GSC) Basketball Championship is coming back to Birmingham, and with it return three former high school players from the U.S. 280 area. Two former Oak Mountain High School players, Garrett Cosgrove and Ronnie Mack, will represent the UAH Chargers in the tournament, and former Briarwood Christian player Jason Laatsch returns with the University of West Florida Argonauts. Mack, a redshirt junior guard with the Chargers, ended his career at OMHS as the program’s highest-scoring player. Last year with UAH, he started 30 of the team’s 31 games and led the GSC in three-point field goal percentage, according to uahchargers.com. During this year’s season, through Feb. 4, Mack was averaging 14.3 points per game. Mack’s teammate Cosgrove, a redshirt sophomore forward at UAH, also played high school ball at OMHS. At Oak Mountain, Cosgrove averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds per game. Last year, he appeared in 20 games with UAH and shot 45 percent from the three-point line. For the 2013-2014 season, as of Feb. 4, Cosgrove was averaging 5.7 points per game. West Florida’s Laatsch, a sophomore guard, was a three-year starter at Briarwood Christian School, according to goargos. com. During his career there, he set school records with 1,404 points. As a senior, Laatsch averaged 18.2 points, five assists and four rebounds per game. Last season, Laatsch was West Florida’s only freshman to see significant playing time and the Argonauts’ only true freshman to play. Over the season, he scored 138 points, earned 51 rebounds and handed out 45 assists. The tournament, which begins March 6 at Samford University, will stretch over four days and include 14 games — seven between collegiate men’s teams and seven between women’s. The conference championships are scheduled for Sunday, March 9. GSC Commissioner Nate Salant said last year’s move to Samford’s Hanna Center was a hit with the conference’s coaches and student-athletes. GSC’s headquarters is located in Shelby County. Salant said the Birmingham area is the geographic center of the conference, which includes schools from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida.
2014 GSC Tournament Schedule (tentative) March 6 Women’s Quarterfinals 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Men’s Quarterfinals 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
March 7 Women’s Quarterfinals 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Men’s Quarterfinals 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
March 8 Women’s Semifinals 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Men’s Semifinals 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
March 9 Women’s Championship, 1:30 p.m. Men’s Championship, 4:30 p.m. All tickets to the 2014 GSC Basketball Tournaments are general admission and are provided on a per-day basis. • Adults, $8 • GSC students, senior citizens (60 years or older) and active military, $5 (Proper identification is needed for $5 ticket access) • Children under 5 admitted free
Spain Park freshman Austin Wiley. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
with a sense of personal pride. Austin said having his family by his side couldn’t be more important to him at this point in his life. “The good thing about having parents who played in college is they went through the recruiting process,” he said. “They give me good advice like, ‘You’re just a freshman, don’t worry about it or stress about it. Stay humble and focus on school and basketball.’” Thankfully for the Wileys, Vickie said Austin doesn’t give them much to worry about. He’s enjoying history and English in school, and likes to spend time with friends and listen to music when he isn’t on the court. He’s even looking at a future in nutrition. “If my career in basketball does come to a sudden end, I still want to work with athletes,” Austin said. “I want to be around the game.” Facing three more years of recruiting, the pressure doesn’t appear to be mounting. Austin’s relaxed, cordial demeanor comes across as that of a respectful teenager working hard to reach his goal of playing in the NBA. “For me, I feel nothing but pride,” Vickie said. “I know how hard he’s worked. And because he asks — after every game or practice he finishes he asks for critiques — I know he’s serious.”
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Community SPHS’s Powell named Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama By JEFF THOMPSON
Spain Park student Madeline Powell after receiving the title of Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama in January. Photo courtesy of Susan DuBose.
In January, Spain Park High’s Madeline Powell was named 2014 Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama during the annual competition in Montgomery. Madeline was selected from a field of 48 contestants representing counties across the state. The win brings Madeline’s total cash scholarship earnings through Distinguished Young Women to $18,100 and qualifies her to compete in the national scholarship competition scheduled for June 26-28 in Mobile. In addition to her overall title, Madeline was also named the preliminary winner in four of the five categories judged: interview, scholarship, self-expression and fitness. “She did great and has a lot to look forward to in representing our state and community over the coming year,” said Susan DuBose, co-chairperson for Distinguished Young Women of Shelby County.
Madeline won the Shelby County competition in 2013, earning $6,100 of the $19,000 the organization presented in scholarships. As Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama, she also received in-kind scholarships from all universities in the state that will cover the cost of her tuition wherever she chooses to attend. DuBose said Madeline was leaning toward attending The University of Alabama, where she would likely study medicine. The Shelby County program is accepting applications for its 2015 event through April 15. The program is only open to high school juniors, who can apply at distinguishedyw. org. Madeline is the third state winner from Shelby County in the last five years. “We just have a very strong community and a very strong school system,” DuBose said. “And for this event, scholastics are very important. In fact, it’s the most important part of the program.”
Planning for retirement? Workshop at library seeks to help For residents approaching retirement, Social Security can seem like another confusing addition to their lives. This month, as a new generation of retirees prepares to collect benefits, the North Shelby Library is hosting a workshop to educate Baby Boomers on Social Security. The event, titled Savvy Social Security Planning: What Baby Boomers Need to Know to Maximize Retirement Income, has been scheduled for March 13 from 6-7 p.m. at the library. “Social Security is far more complicated
than most people realize,” said Tammy Hall of Kidder Financial in a release. “The decisions baby boomers make now can have a tremendous impact on the total amount of benefits they stand to receive over their lifetime.” Topics covered in the workshop will include: `` Five factors to consider when deciding when to apply for benefits `` When it makes sense to delay benefits and when it doesn’t
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Three St. Mark scouts earn Eagle
Three members of Boy Scout Troop 007 recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. From left are Christopher Brock, Alexander Toole and Joseph Price.
Recently, three members of Boy Scout Troop 007, based at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle project, Alexander Toole created a new hiking trail for Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. The former trail was in poor condition and use had been discontinued due to its steep incline. Alexander is a senior at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. He is the son of Ann and Kirk Toole of Pelham. Christopher Brock created a fire pit at St. Mark the Evangelist Church for his project. The pit provides a location for church members to fellowship and socialize with their church family. Christopher is a junior at Spain Park High School. He is the son of Lee Anne Adams and the grandson of JoAnn and David Brock of Hoover. For his project, Joseph Price marked a 5-kilometer trail at Heardmont Park. The park is used for area schools to run races during the crosscountry season. Joseph is a senior at Oak Mountain High School. He is the son of John and Michelle Price of Inverness.
280Living.com
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Shamfest returns to Mt Laurel By JEFF THOMPSON Billed as the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration on the U.S. 280 corridor, Shamfest is returning to Mt Laurel in 2014. The weekend-long event, which organizers anticipate will draw in 6,000 attendees this year, begins Saturday, March 15 and extends through Sunday evening, March 16. Returning fans and newcomers can expect live music on an outdoor stage, family-friendly activities, food and beverage vendors and a sea of green. Mt Laurel’s The Red Shamrock Pub is again hosting the event, but don’t expect things to be identical to years past. Since the last event, attorney Henry “Chuck” Dailey purchased the establishment. “He approached us about buying the place in early December, and he wanted to close in two weeks,” said former owner Traci Griffin. “It happened extremely fast, and it was just good
timing, I guess.” After purchasing the pub, Dailey set to work on preparing it for a re-launch he intends to coordinate with Shamfest 2014. He’s brought in new furniture and is adjusting interior decor. He is also adding a new kitchen and plans to have a restaurant-style menu available by March. Dailey is keeping The Shamrock’s extensive selection of beer — offering 13 draft selections and 35 types in bottles. Dailey said he purchased The Red Shamrock largely because he enjoyed its atmosphere, so drastic changes were out of the question. He also said, as a 280-area resident with a business on Cahaba Valley Road, he had grown very fond of the Mt Laurel community and was excited to be a part of it. “I probably wouldn’t own a bar if it wasn’t here,” Dailey said. Former Red Shamrock Manager Shannon Hannah said the event was first held in 2012
Naked Eskimos perform during the 2013 Shamfest. Photo courtesy of The Red Shamrock Pub.
More than 4,000 attended Shamfest 2013 and organizers said they expect up to 6,000 to attend this year’s event in Mt Laurel. Photo courtesy of The Red Shamrock Pub.
because the former owners wanted to fill the niche for a St Patrick’s celebration south of downtown Birmingham. Shamfest saw more than 2,000 attend in its first year, and attendance doubled to 4,000 in 2013. Because Scott and Traci Griffin no longer own The Red Shamrock, Shamfest is no longer directly tied to their nonprofit organization, the Hope for Gabe Foundation. The well-known charity, supported by 280 residents and businesses from The Summit to Chelsea, supports research on a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The Griffins’ son, Gabe, has been diagnosed with DMD, which is known to degenerate muscles until those afflicted by it can no longer move or breathe. Kay Dailey, Red Shamrock co-owner, said she intended to finalize an agreement to support the nonprofit Two by Two Rescue with the 2014 Shamfest. Two by Two is a no-kill, nonprofit organization that helps find homes for pets in the greater Birmingham area. For more on The Red Shamrock Pub, visit theredshamrockpub.com. For more on Two by Two Rescue, visit twobytworescue.com.
Shamfest 2014 Music Lineup: Saturday, March 15 11 a.m. – The Whiskey Dix 2 p.m. – F-5 4:30 p.m. – Raygun Administration 7 p.m. – Deputy 5 Inside 6 p.m. – Kevin Harrison Sunday, March 16 Noon – MissUsed 3 p.m. – The Turn 5 p.m. – Jasper Coal
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The Hoover Belles lead the 2013 Walk for Autism at Veterans Park. Pictured behind them is Jerry, the Walk for Autism mascot. Photo courtesy of Lauren Reid.
Finding hope in the fight against autism By KATIE TURPEN On April 5, the 11th annual Walk for Autism and 5K Race to Solve the Puzzle will take place at Veterans Park at 7:30 a.m. Presented by the Autism Society of Alabama, the race originally was held at the Riverchase Galleria, was moved to Regions Park and is now in its third year at Veterans Park. “Money raised for Walk for Autism allows us to continue making strides in Alabama,” said Lauren Reid, fundraising and events manager for the Autism Society of Alabama. “All funds raised are kept in the state and used throughout the many communities to educate or advocate for families.”
Reid said participants can expect a fun-filled family time throughout the morning. There will be a resource fair, snacks provided by Zoe’s Kitchen, Earthfare and Nola-Ice, as well as activities for children such as face painting and arts and crafts. Prior to the walk will be the 5K Race to Solve the Puzzle, an addition added in the last three years. “We know that 5Ks have become a big attraction in our area and since Birmingham has a large running community, we hope to reach out to those groups by providing an opportunity to run with us to support autism awareness,” Reid said. Reid said that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the United States.
The Autism Society of Alabama provides resources for those with autism and their families. In partnership with the Easter Seals they offer weekend family camps at Camp ASCCA with zip lining, canoeing, horseback riding and many other recreational activities. The organization also offers regional seminars and conferences on autism. “With 1 in 88 now affected by this disorder, most everyone knows a family or has a friend or loved one with ASD,” Reid said. “We believe it takes both advocacy and fundraising to succeed in awareness, social change and increased opportunities for ASD families.” For more information, visit walkforautismal.com.
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Walking for a cure By KATIE TURPEN The seventh annual Walk to End Lupus Now is set for Saturday, March 29, at Veterans Park at 10 a.m. The walk is sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of America, the largest nonprofit organization in the United States that is dedicated to finding the causes and cure for lupus as well as providing support and services to those affected. According to the foundation, lupus is an autoimmune disease that attacks the body, causing severe fatigue, rashes, light sensitivity, anemia, joint pain, fever, joint swelling, kidney complications and sometimes death. All money from the race will help support research for finding a cure for the disease. “This is a family fun event that invites those in the community to come out to participate in an event that celebrates life, a mission and the hope for a cure,” said Katelyn Slaughter, development coordinator for the foundation’s mid-South chapter. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and entertainment will be provided throughout the morning. Various prizes will be given to participants. Parking will be available at Spain Park High School as well as at Veterans Park. “The route itself is both a one mile and 3K round around Veterans Park,” Slaughter said. “We will have water and small snacks
2013 Walk for Lupus Now “Team Tolbert” led by Yamika Foy support loved ones affected by lupus during the annual event at Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of Katelyn Slaughter.
2013 Walk for Lupus Now volunteer Shelia shows excitement for the annual event. Photo courtesy of Katelyn Slaughter.
available for registered guests after the walk. We encourage guests to arrive early to avoid the registration line, and to also register online prior to the event.” According to the foundation, 27,000 people in Alabama have been diagnosed with lupus. It takes
2013 Walk for Lupus Now volunteers gather at Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of Katelyn Slaughter.
an average of four to seven years to diagnose the disease because it can often be confused with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and other common muscle diseases and complications. Additionally, while lupus is commonly found in women ages 19-55, it can also affect children and men.
Slaughter is hoping for a large turnout this year. “Last year we had over 800 participants,” Slaughter said. “We are hoping to continue growing in numbers each year.” For more information or to register for the walk, visit lupusmidsouth.org/events.
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280 Living
Audubon lecture shows hidden wildlife of vernal pools
Audubon lecture attendees look at a salamander egg sac found in a vernal pool. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
David Frings looks for salamander eggs in a vernal pool at Oak Mountain State Park. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Frings also emphasized the fragility of vernal pool ecosystems. Since they are dependent on rain levels, these pools can sometimes dry up before eggs hatch or young salamanders and tadpoles have time to develop. Construction and excessive foot and bike traffic can also disrupt the lives of animals in the pools, sometimes permanently. “This is a sensitive area. I would recommend protecting this and not ever building anything or putting trails in this area,” Frings said of the land around the pools. “I see it as a very delicate area,
A mud puddle on a hiking trail may seem like nothing more than an inconvenience, but it can actually be a tiny ecosystem for amphibious and aquatic species. These seasonal puddles and ponds, called vernal pools, were the subject of the Alabama Wildlife Center’s latest Audubon lecture. The Audubon Teaches Nature lecture series is held from October to May and features monthly seminars on Alabama’s native plants
and animals. David Frings, the director of the Oak Mountain Interpretive Center and a professor at Samford University, led the Feb. 9 lecture on vernal pools. Frings has studied the pools in Oak Mountain since 2010. His hour-long lecture included information on how the pools form and dry up between December and May, as well as the species of salamanders, shrimps, frogs and toads that live or lay eggs in them. People often don’t see these animals because they are reclusive or become dormant when the pools disappear, he said.
and we could love it to death.” Each Audubon lecture ends with a nature walk. Frings and his audience took a field trip to two main vernal pools in the park and had the chance to see a salamander egg sac. The monthly Audubon lecture is free, though entrance into Oak Mountain State Park is $3 per person. The next lecture is Sunday, March 9, at 2 p.m., and the guest speakers, Samford biologists Larry Davenport and Mike Howell, will teach attendees how to identify spring wildflowers. For more information, visit awrc.org.
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280’s historic churches If you’re moved to take an inspirational journey through a few of Shelby County’s historical churches, the U.S. 280 corridor is a great place to start. Photos by Jeff Thompson. For more on Shelby County’s historic churches or other exciting reasons to explore the area, visit shelbycountytourism.com.
Liberty Baptist Church 11050 Chelsea Road, Chelsea Established 1846 lbcchelsea.com
Bold Springs Presbyterian Church 7544 Cahaba Valley Road Established 1843 boldspringschurch.org
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Shelby County Road 74 near Chelsea Established 1856 mtcalvaryfriends.org
Liberty Baptist Church joined the Coosa River Association in 1846 and became one of 10 constitution churches of Shelby County Association in 1852. At one time, there were only two churches in the area, which was then known as Yellow Leaf. The church was the first in the Association to reach 100 members, and membership has since grown to more than 1,600. The present building was constructed in 1910 and renovated in 1962. – From Lynda Higginbotham
The congregation constructed the first church building in back of the cemetery. It was completed in 1894 and was used as a school and a church. It was known as the ‘Big White Church’ with the steeple pointing heavenward. In the early 1900s the old church was replaced with a one-room field stone church. Other renovations have occurred over the years. – From shelbycountytourism.com
In 1856, a log cabin structure was built on the site that served as a church, school and post office for the community, then known as Calvary. In 1901, the congregation razed the structure and constructed the present church over the foundation. The church was the center of activity for the area up until just after World War I. In 1985, it was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. – From mtcalvaryfriends.org
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280 Living
School House SPHS junior scores 36 on ACT Spain Park High School junior Josh Taggart scored a 30 on his ACT as a Berry Middle School eighthgrader. He then decided to give it several more shots. “I had a feeling I could go higher,” Taggart said. Taggart, the middle of three children, took the test again in ninth grade, scoring a 31. Still not complacent, he took the test again this past December and just found out he scored a composite 36. He said he wanted to give the ACT one more shot because he knew in 11th grade, he would have learned most of the concepts and objectives tested on the exam. That conjecture landed him those critical five additional points. “We are challenged at this school, and that’s a good thing,” Taggart said. “I don’t want a high school you can just breeze through.” Taggart takes numerous Advanced Placement (AP) courses and is a member of several honor societies and school academic teams. He’s also a striker for the SPHS soccer team. Taggart is the latest in a string of 36s across Hoover City Schools. Hoover High School senior Sunny Thodupunuri scored a 36 on his ACT this year. Also, a set of twins at Spain Park scored 36s on the ACT exam in 2013. Nationally, while the actual
Spain Park High School junior Josh Taggart recently scored a 36 on his ACT. Photo courtesy of Jason Gaston.
number of students earning a composite score of 36 varies from year to year, on average, less than one-tenth of one percent of students who take the ACT earns the top score. Among test takers in the high school graduating class of 2013, only 1,162 of 1.8 million students earned a composite score of 36. -Submitted by Jason Gaston, Hoover City Schools
‘Phoenix Files’ author visits LPMS Chris Morphew, author of The Phoenix Files, visited Liberty Park Middle School recently. The Phoenix Files is a dystopian-genre serial novel, similar to other apocalyptic thrillers for teen and adult audiences such as the Hunger Games and the Divergent series. A bible studies teacher from Sydney, Australia, Morphew has written 18 books. As part of his first visit to the United States, he also spoke to students at schools in Canton, Ohio, and Seattle. Morphew has been documenting his travels and posting them on Facebook and on his website ChrisMorphew.com. While at LPMS, Morphew shared his writing process with all the students as well as his top five writing tips. He also conducted a writing workshop with several students selected by their language arts teachers because they had shown an interest in reading and writing and/or had read some of his books. He told these students that he organizes the chapters in his books by using “old fashioned” index cards. – Submitted by Linda Rummell
Author Chris Morphew speaks to Liberty Park Middle students. Photo courtesy of Linda Rummell.
Festival in the Forest this month
Lancer Court of Honor at Liberty Park Middle
Forest Oaks Elementary School’s first Festival in the Forest will be held March 14 from 5:30-8:30 p.m at the school’s new address 1000 Hornet Parkway in Chelsea. The event will have rides, inflatables, food, silent auction, door prizes, food and much more. Tickets will be sold in sets of 20 and will be $10 prior to the event and $12 the night of the event. Forest Oaks Elementary PTO is hosting the event and inviting the entire community to celebrate the school’s opening by attending. For more, contact the school at 682-7220.
Liberty Park Middle School recently held its second nine weeks Lancer Court of Honor for the 2013-2014 school year. Two boys and two girls are selected each nine weeks from each grade level. Students are selected by their teachers based on qualities of leadership, citizenship and conduct. Eighth-grade students selected were: Lela Hartsfield, Ellie Wright, Jimmy Bentley and Matthew Browning. Seventh-grade nominees were: Syndey Downes, Hollis Graffeo, Matthew Saia and John Winford. Sixth-grade nominees were: Emma Knight, Mattie Miller, Adam Duckett and Rolando Paez. The speaker for the event was Dr. Jerry Patterson, a retired Birmingham-Southern College professor and former principal. – Submitted by Linda Rummell
280Living.com
Oak Mountain High School crowns new queen
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Quadruplets, triplets and twins share bus to OMES
By SYDNEY CROMWELL On Jan. 11, Oak Mountain High School senior Myrah Taylor was crowned Miss OMHS 2014. There were 48 participants in the pageant, which raised funds for the school’s journalism department. Taylor is an honor roll student and is earning college credit through the dual enrollment program. She is the vice president of the school’s ambassadors, the Oak Mountain Masters, and serves as a peer assistant for incoming freshmen. Her extracurricular activities include dancing with the Oak Mountain Starlette dance team and the Pointe Dance Arts studio competition team. As a member of Girl Scout Troop 2280, Taylor is also pursuing her Gold Award through a recycling program in her school and community. This is not Taylor’s first experience with pageants. She was a 2013 Starlight debutante and a top-10 finalist in the Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen pageant. In the 2014 Shelby County Distinguished Young Woman program, Taylor was the talent and self-expression winner and overall second alternate. After graduation, Taylor intends to study speech-language pathology at the University of South Alabama. Oak Mountain High School senior Myrah Taylor was crowned Miss OMHS 2014.
Top row: Harper, Katherine, John and Lilly Mellon. Second row: Kathleen, Maggie and Abby Matuszak. Third row: Cody and Brianna Shoemaker. Bottom row: Clint and Clay Owens.
This year, driving one Shelby County Schools bus route requires more math skills than usual. Quadruplets Harper, Katherine, John and Lilly Mellon ride the bus to Inverness
Elementary alongside triplets Kathleen, Maggie and Abby Matuszak. With those seven are two sets of twins, Cody and Brianna Shoemaker and Clint and Clay Owens.
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280 Living
Teachers get tech upgrades at Chelsea Middle
Forest Oaks posts colors for first time at new school Students at Forest Oaks Elementary School witnessed another historic milestone as they posted the colors at the new school for the first time in February. Led by Forest Oaks Cub Scout Pack 353, students took part in a special ceremony as the American flag and the Forest Oaks flag were posted on the flagpole. The ceremony concluded with the singing of the national anthem and cheers from the faculty and staff. -Submitted by Dr. Resia Brooks Members of Forest Oaks Cub Scout Pack 353 raise the American flag and the Forest Oaks flag for the first time at the new school.
Every Chelsea Middle School teacher recently received an LCD projector screen for the classroom.
The Chelsea Middle School Parent Teacher Organization recently partnered on a $30,000 technology initiative. Through the support of the PTO, along with support of local school funding, CMS updated 12 teacher computers, provided an LCD projector for every teacher unit and provided all science and math classes with SMART interactive whiteboards. The funding will also provide training for teachers. Future plans include an updated computer lab and the addition of a second lab as CMS expands into the old Forest Oaks Elementary School building. “As we strive to create model 21st-century classrooms for the students of Chelsea Middle School, we are fortunate to have the support of our dedicated and hardworking parents,” Principal William Harper said. -Submitted by Traci Griffin
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‘Tell me more, tell me more’
Oak Mountain High to perform GREASE this month at the school
(Far left) Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski, to be played this month by Elijah Long and Payton Cato, rehearse lines at Oak Mountain High School. (Left) Backing up Payton are her friends and other female characters in the performance. Photos courtesy of Sharon Morgan.
By JEFF THOMPSON This month, Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski are making an appearance at Oak Mountain High, where their summer romance will spill onto the school stage. The 2014 OMHS fine arts department is performing GREASE at the school March 14-16. The sharply dressed Danny Zuko will be played by junior and Meadowbrook resident Elijah Long, who took time away from tuning up Greased Lightning to tell 280 Living readers about the show. Q: How would you describe this year’s production? A: This year’s musical production is our school’s 15th annual
musical. The movie GREASE is one of my favorites. It is such an honor to be a part of such a great musical, and to have the lead role is challenging yet awesome. Q: Tell us about Danny Zuko? A: Danny is a typical bad boy with a secretly charming and sweet persona. He loves his friends and Sandy and is torn between the two. Q: What was it like stepping into the role? A: I have been developing a background for Danny in order to make him a believable person on stage and building relationships and chemistry with the other characters.
Q: Who are some of the other main characters? A: Sandy Dumbrowski is played by Payton Cato, Kenickie is played by Corbin Meredith, Eugene is Michael Ruffino and Rizzo is Bailey Calfee. Q: What’s your relationship on stage? A: Sandy and Danny have a summer romance that he thought wouldn’t follow him to high school. He has to choose between his status as the leader of the Greasers and his relationship with Sandy. Kenickie is Danny’s best friend. He and Danny go way back, and Danny feels even more pressure with his decision between Sandy and his reputation because
it would hurt Kenickie. Rizzo tries to bring out the real Danny to his friends. And, of course, to see what happens come to the show.
find themselves transported back to or forward to high school and snapping their fingers to catchy songs.
Q: Why else should the community come out to watch? A: Musicals are fun to go to, and this gives our community an opportunity to support our wonderful Oak Mountain High School fine arts department.
Q: Ready for show time? A: I’m very excited to see it all come together. Put it on your calendar, and be a part of the Oak Mountain High School annual fine arts tradition! GREASE is the word!
Q: What should the audience look for during the play? A: Audience members will be aware of just how talented high school students are from the technical aspects to the singers and actors and orchestra. They also will
The Oak Mountain High School fine arts department will perform GREASE at the school March 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. and March 16 at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.
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280 Living
OMTV earns state’s top ranking at scholastic press convention The OMTV staff at Oak Mountain High School received an All Alabama rating for the second year in a row at the 2014 Alabama Scholastic Press Associations State Convention in February. All Alabama is the highest rating that the association awards. During the convention, special recognition was given to: • Molly Vines: First place News Anchor, Third place News Anchor Broadcast On-site competition • Olen Humphries: First place Editing • Lucas Panzica: First place Sports Anchor, Second place Sports Anchor Broadcast On-site competition The OMTV staff celebrates its awards at Oak Mountain High School in February.
Award-filled season for Stonecreek robotics New trophies are on display at Stonecreek Montessori Academy thanks to recent performances by the school’s robotics teams. The Robostangs, composed of eighth- through 11thgrade students, participated in the FIRST Tech Challenge state qualifying tournament in Georgia in January. The team won the Paramateric Technology Corporation Design Award for building and operating a robot that combines unique aesthetics and high functionality. “It’s an impressive achievement to have won that award, and particularly so for a first-year team,” said co-coach Connie Edwards. The following week, E.G.G.O. My LEGO and the Super Montessori Builders traveled to Huntsville to Stonecreek Montessori Academy’s Robostangs earned the Design Award for their robot during the FIRST Tech Challenge state qualifying tournament in Georgia.
participate in the Alabama state tournament. E.G.G.O. My LEGO participated in the FIRST LEGO League, whose theme this year was “nature’s fury.” The younger Super Montessori Builders participated in the Junior FIRST LEGO League, whose similar theme was Disaster Blaster. E.G.G.O. My LEGO earned the first-place teamwork award at the event. The team’s challenge included controlling its robot to react to natural disaster scenarios in 150-second drills. This was not the team’s first award of the season, as they had also taken first place in research and robot competition in the regional qualifier held in Birmingham in November. The Super Montessori Builders came home with the Solid as a Rock Model Design Award. They presented their research on tsunamis to judges and demonstrated their LEGO model of a tsunami wave. -Submitted by Stonecreek Montessori School
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280Living.com
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Community Calendar 280 Area Events March 1: 10th annual Brenda Ladun Conquer Cancer Run. 8 a.m. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. Benefits the American Cancer Society. Free health screenings and activities for children. $99 mammograms offered from 8-11 a.m. Reserve a post-run massage at Spa One Nineteen by calling 408-6510. Register at conquercancer.org. March 4-6: New Options Program Seminar. Jefferson State Community College. Located in Health Sciences Building Room 402. The New Options Program is designed to support non-traditional adults who are beginning college. The program offers free seminars each semester at all locations of Jefferson State. March 4: National Pancake Day 2014. IHOP Restaurant. Enjoy a complimentary stack of pancakes and support Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. March 4: Rezoning Request Public Meeting. 6 p.m. Chelsea City Hall. Call 678-8455 or visit cityofchelsea.com. March 4: Chelsea City Council Meeting. 6 p.m. Chelsea City Hall. Call 678-8455 or visit cityofchelsea. com. March 5: Christian Women’s Leadership Center Monthly Luncheon. 11:30 a.m. National Women’s Missionary Union Headquarters. Advance registration required. Visit wmu.com/cwlc.
March 5: Ash Wednesday Meditative Candlelight Worship Service. 7 p.m. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Call 9959673 or visit sothl.org. March 9: Audubon Lecture Series – Identifying Wildflowers. 2 p.m. Oak Mountain State Park. Samford biologists Larry Davenport and Mike Howell will teach attendees how to identify spring wildflowers. Free with $3 park admission. Visit awrc.org.
Service. Call 995-9673 or visit sothl.org. March 13: Savvy Social Security Planning: What Baby Boomers Need to Know to Maximize Retirement Income. 6 p.m. North Shelby Library. Workshop to help residents plan for retirement. Call 980-9991. March 14: Heardmont Dance. 6:30-9 p.m. Heardmont Park Senior Center. Call 991-5742 or email heardmontparksc@gmail.com.
March 11: Golden Flake Tour and Out to Lunch. Depart at 10 a.m. Heardmont Park Senior Center. Call 991-5742 or email heardmontparksc@ gmail.com.
March 14-16: GREASE. Oak Mountain High School. March 14-15 at 7 p.m. March 16 at 2 p.m. Fine arts department will perform GREASE. $10 for adults, $5 for students.
March 12: Healthy Grocery Tour. Winn-Dixie Inverness. 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Join a registered dietitian to learn the difference between what is healthy and what appears healthy. Class includes shopping the perimeter, label reading and handouts. Cost is $5 and space is limited to 10. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen event. Call 408-6550 for reservations.
March 15-16: Shamfest. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Mt Laurel. Live music on an outdoor stage, family-friendly activities and food and beverage vendors. Hosted by The Red Shamrock Pub, visit theredshamrockpub.com.
March 12: Meals on Wheels Volunteer Luncheon. Heardmont Park Senior Center. Join fellow Meals on Wheels delivery drivers in the area to welcome new volunteers. Call 991-5742 or email heardmontparksc@gmail.com. March 12: Lenten Worship Services. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 6 p.m. Soup Supper, 7 p.m. Meditative Candlelight Worship
March 15: Inside Trash & Treasures Sale. Union the Church at Chelsea Park. Sponsored by the United Methodist Women (UMW) of Union the Church at Chelsea Park. Call 678-6677. March 16: A Christian Pilgrimage through The hymns of Fanny Crosby. Christ Church United Methodist. 4 p.m. Local church choirs and individuals are invited to participate. For participation requests and more information, contact Bill Tiemann,
Traditional Music Director, 834-4971 or email Billt0777@gmail.com. March 18: Chelsea City Council Meeting. 6 p.m. Chelsea City Hall. Call 678-8455 or visit cityofchelsea.com. March 18: Healthy Grocery Tour. Winn-Dixie Inverness. 6-7:30 p.m. Join a registered dietitian to learn the difference between what is healthy and what appears healthy. Class includes shopping the perimeter, label reading and handouts. Cost is $5 and space is limited to 10. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen event. Call 408-6550 for reservations. March 19: Computer with Kathy: Setting Up an Account on a Website. 10 a.m. Heardmont Park Senior Center. Call 991-5742 or email heardmontparksc@gmail.com. March 19: Lenten Worship Services. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 6 p.m. Soup Supper, 7 p.m. Meditative Candlelight Worship Service. Call 995-9673 or visit sothl.org. March 22: Inside Trash & Treasures Sale. Union the Church at Chelsea Park. Sponsored by the United Methodist Women (UMW) of Union the Church at Chelsea Park. Call 678-6677. March 26: Lenten Worship Services. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 6 p.m. Soup Supper, 7 p.m. Meditative Candlelight Worship Service. Call 995-9673 or visit sothl.org.
March 26: Trip to Pie Lab. 9 a.m. departure. Heardmont Park Senior Center. Call 991-5742 or email heardmontparksc@gmail.com. March 29: Walk to End Lupus Now. 8 a.m.-noon. Veterans Park. Sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of America. Supports researching causes of and developing a cure for lupus. Visit walktoendlupusnow.kintera.org. March 31: Healthy Grocery Tour. Winn-Dixie Inverness. 1-2:30 p.m. Join a registered dietitian to learn the difference between what is healthy and what appears healthy. Class includes shopping the perimeter, label reading and handouts. Cost is $5 and space is limited to 10. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen event. Call 408-6550 for reservations. April 2: Lenten Worship Services. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 6 p.m. Soup Supper, 7 p.m. Meditative Candlelight Worship Service. Call 995-9673 or visit sothl.org. April 2: Hannah Home Tablescapes Fundraiser. Open 10 a.m., lunch served at noon. Metropolitan Church of God. Monies raised go directly to Hannah Home to pay operating expenses. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by contacting elise@ elisehearn.com or 821-2270. April 5: 11th annual Walk for Autism and 5K Race to Solve the Puzzle. 7:30 a.m. Veterans Park. Supports the Autism Society of Alabama.
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Community Calendar Chamber of Commerce Visit shelbychamber.org or call 663-4542. March 4: Coffee Net. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Verizon Wireless 280. Free. RSVP required. March 5: Ambassadors Work Group. Greater Shelby Chamber. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 5: Small Business Work Group. Greater Shelby Chamber. 4 p.m. March 11: Existing Business & Industry Work Group. Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc. 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. March 12-13: Keeping It Real Program. Chelsea High School. Volunteers welcome. March 14: Health Services Work Group. Cardiovascular Associates. 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. March 18: Education Work Group. Shelby County Instructional Services Center. 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. March 18: Entrepreneur Roundtable Informational Meeting. Greater Shelby Chamber. 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. March 19: Board of Directors Meeting. Greater Shelby Chamber. 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
March 26: Membership Program – Corey Hartman, MD, FAAD, Skin Wellness Center. Pelham Civic Complex. Doors open at 11 a.m. Program 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Hosted by: Health Services Work Group. RSVP required by March 24 at noon. Members $20, Future-members $30. March 27: Governmental Affairs Work Group. Sain Associates. 8:30 a.m.9:30 a.m. March 27: Industry Tour – AGC Automotive Americas. 1-3 p.m. Free. RSVP by March 24.
Heardmont Park Senior Center Call 991-5742 or email heardmontparksc@gmail.com. Mondays: Tai Chi, 9:30 a.m. Mah Jongg, 9:30 a.m. Canasta, 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Aerobics, 10 a.m. Bingo & Board Games, 10 a.m. Bible Study. 11 a.m. Wednesdays: Bridge, 9 a.m.
March 19: Montgomery Drive-In. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sponsored by AT&T Alabama. $40 Chamber Members, $80 Future Members.
Thursdays: Aerobics, 10 a.m. Bingo & Board Games, 10 a.m.
March 20: Business After Hours. Ice & Coal Gallery. 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Members $10, Future Members $20. RSVP required by March 17 at noon.
Fridays: Zumba Gold, 9 a.m. Intermediate Line Dancing, 10 a.m. Beginning Line Dancing, 11 a.m.
Library Events North Shelby Library Register for programs online at northshelbylibrary.org/children.html. The libraries are also collecting bottle tops for a recycled bottle top mural to be located in the children’s department.
North Shelby Fire Department provides information on fire safety and brings a fire truck to explore. Registration required. Ages 7-13 welcome. March 24-28: Spring Break Crafts. Stop by the Children’s department any day and pick up a craft to make in the department or take home. No registration required.
Adult Programming
Story-Time Programming
March 7-9: Giant Book Sale. Friday, 6:308:00 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday 1-5 p.m. Friends Preview Event including snacks and the lowest book prices the Library has ever offered. As a Friend of the library, you will receive a tote bag and a $5 coupon.
For more or to register, call the Children’s Department at 439-5504, email northshelbyyouth@gmail.com or visit northshelbylibrary.org.
March 1-April 11. Now Accepting Yard Sale Donations. The Friends of the North Shelby Library are currently taking donations for the annual indoor yard sale (April 12). Donations can be dropped off during library hours and are tax deductible. All proceeds benefit the library. Call 439-5540 or email nsref@shelbycounty-al.org .
Special Children’s Programming March 1: LEGO Club. 10-11:30 a.m. The library provides the blocks, the kids provide the imagination and creativity. Creations will then go on display in the Children’s Department. All ages welcome. No registration is required. March 15: Family Movie Day: Free Birds. 10:30 a.m. Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history, and get turkey off the holiday menu for good. All ages welcome with a caregiver. No registration is required. Snacks served. March 19: Homeschool Hangout: North Shelby Fire Department. 1 p.m.
March 3: Toddler Tales. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week prior to each story time. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required. March 4: Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m. A story time designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Ages: Birth to 18 months. Registration required. Registration begins one week prior to program date. March 5: Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire!). 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages. No registration. March 6: PJ Story Time. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies and hear some wonderful bedtime tales. All ages. No registration required. March 10: Toddler Tales. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week prior to each story time. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required.
Anniversary Party! Come help us celebrate our 3 year anniversary! There will be giveaways, food and drinks, door prizes, package and retail discounts, vendors from the community and more! We are so thankful to our awesome clients, the community and our team for making these last three years successful and fun and we want to celebrate with all of you! This is an event you do not want to miss!
Saturday March 8, 2014 11:00-1:00
RSVP to our event on Facebook to keep up with all the latest details! Follow us on
5426 hwy 280 east • suite 6
(located in the terrace at greystone shopping center next to Greybar and Chuck’s Fish)
991.5224 • www.purebarre.com
280Living.com
B21 March 2014 • A45
Community Calendar Library Events March 12: Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire!). 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages. No registration.
Teen Happenings
March 13: PJ Story Time. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies and hear some wonderful bedtime tales. All ages. No registration required.
March 13: Anime Night. 6 p.m. The audience will pick what we watch. Treats will be served and costumes are welcome!
March 17: Toddler Tales. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week prior to each story time. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required.
March 7: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Open gaming on the Nintendo Wii and with board and card games.
March 18: Baby Tales. 9:30 a.m. A story time designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Ages: Birth to 18 months. Registration required. Registration begins one week prior to program date. March 19: Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire!). 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets, and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages. No registration. March 20: PJ Story Time. Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies and hear some wonderful bedtime tales. All ages. No registration required. March 24: Cuentos para Niños. 10:30 a.m. A special toddler tales presented in English and Spanish. Registration will begin one week prior to each story time. Ages 19-36 months. Registration required. March 26: Mr. Mac (Storyteller Extraordinaire!). 10:45 a.m. Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family. All ages. No registration. March 27: PJ Story Time. Milk and cookies and wonderful bedtime tales. All ages. No registration required.
Contact Kate at 439-5512 or nsyouth@ shelbycounty-al.org for more information.
prior to each story time. Ages 36 months and younger. Registration required. March 5: Story time with Ms Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more for every member of the family. All ages. No registration required. March 15: Crafty Saturday. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Drop in to make a craft at the library. All ages with parent help. Registration is not required but supplies are limited.
March 20: Young Adult Writing Group. 4:30 p.m. Open to teen authors who want to build their writing skills and respectfully discuss and provide feedback on each other’s work. Snacks served.
March 19: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week prior to each story time. Ages 36 months and younger. Registration Required.
March 14: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Open gaming on the Nintendo Wii and with board and card games.
March 19: Story time with Ms Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more for every member of the family. All ages. No registration required.
March 21: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Open gaming on the Nintendo Wii and with board and card games.
Chelsea Public Library
March 28: Gaming. 3:30-5:45 p.m. Open gaming on the Nintendo Wii and with board and card games.
Mt Laurel Public Library Call 991-1660 or email mtlaurellibrary@gmail.com for more or to register. Register online using the calendar on mtlaurellibrary.org. March 5: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration will begin one week
quality pet care & home sitting Insured. Bonded Based out of Highland Lakes
ph: 205.408.0349 cell:910.280.3067
Recognize this house?
Call 678-8455 or visit chelsealibraryonline.com Wednesdays: The Tot Spot. 10:30-11 a.m. Children’s Room. Storytime for preschoolers where participants read, sing, Fridays: BYOC - Bring your own Craft. 10-11 a.m. Audio/Reading Room. Primarily a crochet group, but knitters, smockers and others are welcome. March 8: Lego Club. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Show off your Lego skills at this club. Creations will be displayed in the library for a couple of weeks after the club meet for everyone to see. Free. Ages 5 and older.
Here’s a hint — come next month the interior of this Greystone estate will look much different that it does now. Check out our April issue for all the details.
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280 Living
Community Calendar St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Events Visit onenineteen.com March 1: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.-noon. This group supporting lupus patients and their families meets the first Saturday of every month. This month rheumatologist Dr. Henry Townsend will participate in a Q&A with the group. Free. Visit onenineteen. com. March 1: Sjogren’s Support Group. 12:30-3:30 p.m. Offers education and support and strives to increase awareness of this autoimmune disorder. Free. Visit onenineteen.com. March 3: Weight Watchers at One Nineteen. Weigh-in at 11:30 a.m. Program noon-12:30 p.m. Debbie Martin, Weight Watchers instructor for more than four years and member since 1989, leads a group meeting in the Conference Room. Fees will be prorated for those who decide to join at any time. Call 408-6551 for more information. March 4: Chapter One Nineteen. 7 p.m. Book club will discuss “Equal of the Sun” by Anita Amirrezvani. The book for April is “The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise” by Julia Stuart Free. Call 408-6550 to register. March 5: Ash Wednesday Service. 11:30 a.m. Pastoral Care will be available to administer ashes during the Ash Wednesday Service. Open to public. March 7: Ask the R.D. (Registered Dietitian). 6-8 a.m. March is National Nutrition Month. Speak with one of the registered dietitians
for information, prizes and ask your questions about nutrition. March 10: Weight Watchers at One Nineteen. Weigh-in at 11:30 a.m. Program noon-12:30 p.m. Debbie Martin, Weight Watchers instructor for more than four years and member since 1989, leads a group meeting in the Conference Room. Fees will be prorated for those who decide to join at any time. Call 408-6551 for more information. March 11: Blood Pressure/ Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative from St. Vincent’s Wellness Services will screen for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance. Free. Visit onenineteen.com. March 13: Cuisine at One Nineteen. 6:30-8 p.m. Chef Chris Vizzina introduces flavors of Sicily and Greece. Vizzina, former chef de cuisine at Highlands Bar and Grill, now owns his own business and is involved in many community projects involving food. Bring a bottle of wine and a friend and enjoy this evening in a relaxing atmosphere. $25 each, 12 person minimum. Call 4086550 for reservations.
6165 to register. March 15: Breastfeeding. 9-11 a.m. Class covers the basics of breastfeeding for expectant mothers. Call Dial-A-Nurse to register at 939-7878. Cost $10 per couple. March 15: Coping Skills. 12:302:30 p.m. Class covers pain management techniques for expectant mothers during delivery. Call Dial-A-Nurse to register at 939-7878. Cost $10 per couple. March 17: Simple Solutions for You and Your Child. 11:0511:45 a.m. Lauren Sineath RDN, LDN, will discuss nutrition for moms and their children. Register at 408-6550. Free. March 17: Weight Watchers at One Nineteen. Weigh-in at 11:30 a.m. Program noon-12:30 p.m. Debbie Martin, Weight Watchers instructor for more than four years and member since 1989, leads a group meeting in the Conference Room. Fees will be prorated for those who decide to join at any time. Call 408-6551 for more information.
March 13: Ask the R.D. (Registered Dietitian). 8-10 a.m. March is National Nutrition Month. Speak with one of the registered dietitians for information, prizes and ask your questions about nutrition.
March 18: Blood Cholesterol and Glucose Monitoring. 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. Cholesterol and blood glucose screenings held by appointment. First screening free for members; $20 for non-members and repeat visits. Results in five minutes with a simple finger stick. Call 408-6550 to register.
March 14: Medicare Educational Meetings. 10 a.mnoon. Informational meeting about Senior Products offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. Free. Call 1-888-222-
March 18: Herb Cooking Class. 10:30 a.m.-noon. Herbs will be front and center as we make main and side dishes. Learn which herbs you can grow easily. Receive cooking tips and all recipes
prepared during the class. $25 per class, includes lunch. Call 408-6550 to register. March 19: Ask the R.D. (Registered Dietitian). 10 a.m.-noon. March is National Nutrition Month. Speak with one of the registered dietitians for information, prizes and ask your questions about nutrition. March 20: Breakfast with the Doc – New Options for Cataract Surgery. 8-9 a.m. Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness; and cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed operations in the world. Recent advances in cataract surgery have increased the safety and effectiveness of this common procedure. Join Andrew Velazquez, MD, from Alabama Vision Center for a light breakfast as he discusses the latest developments and innovations in cataract surgery. Register at 408-6550. Free. March 20: Living Healthy – The Dietitian Weighs in on the Wheat Belly Diet. 11 a.m.-noon and 6-7 p.m. The latest books and trends have suggested wheat is wreaking havoc on our health. Join Lauren Sineath, RDN, LDN, to learn what is true and what is false. Call 408-6550 to register. Free. March 21: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Physician’s referral required, and preassessments will be given preceding the class date. Call 939-7248 to register. March 24: Weight Watchers at One Nineteen. Weigh-in at 11:30 a.m. Program noon-12:30 p.m. Debbie Martin, Weight Watchers instructor for
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more than four years and member since 1989, leads a group meeting in the Conference Room. Fees will be prorated for those who decide to join at any time. Call 408-6551 for more information. March 25: Ask the R.D. (Registered Dietitian). 5:307:30 p.m. March is National Nutrition Month. Speak with one of the registered dietitians for information, prizes and ask your questions about nutrition. March 26: Medicare Educational Meetings. 10 a.mnoon. Informational meeting about Senior Products offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. Free. Call 1-888-2226165 to register. March 31: Weight Watchers Open House. Noon-12:30 p.m. Hear members share their journeys of how they lost weight and kept it off, and how it has made a difference in their lives. Free. March 31: Weight Watchers at One Nineteen. Weigh-in at 11:30 a.m. Program noon-12:30 p.m. Debbie Martin, Weight Watchers instructor for more than four years and member since 1989, leads a group meeting in the Conference Room. Fees will be prorated for those who decide to join at any time. Call 408-6551 for more information. March 31: Ask the R.D. (Registered Dietitian). 3:305:30 p.m. March is National Nutrition Month. Speak with one of the registered dietitians for information, prizes and ask your questions about nutrition.
280Living.com
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Community Calendar Greater Birmingham Area Events Feb. 22-May 18: Delacroix and a Matter of Finish. Birmingham Museum of Art. The first Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) exhibition in the U.S. in more than a decade features the work of the leader of the French Romantic Movement, who was often heralded as the “father of impressionism.” Call 254-2565 or visit artsbma.org. March 2: Birmingham Boys Choir. 4 p.m. Wright Center, Samford University. A collaborative concert with Traces of Blue, an a cappella jazz group that appeared on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” Visit birminghamboyschoir.com. March 2: Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra. 3 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Visit alysstephens.org. March 3-7: “Finish the Fight” Love-Love Magic City Challenge Tennis Tournament. A city-wide doublesonly tournament for ladies, levels 2.5-5.3, at facilities throughout Birmingham. Entrance fee is $50 per player. Proceeds support Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation’s funding of GI cancer research. Visit reedgifoundation.com/our-events or love-lovemagiccitychallenge.com. March 7-9: Birmingham Ballet: Hansel and Gretel. March 7 at 7:30 p.m., March 8 at
DHL
2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., March 9 at 2 p.m. BJCC. Tickets available through BJCC central ticket office. Visit birminghamballet.com or bjcc.org. March 8: Spirit of Sochi. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Lakeshore Foundation, 4000 Ridgeway Drive. As a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site and Paralympic Sport Club, Lakeshore is hosting the first U.S. communitywide celebration and viewing of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony broadcast. Traveling interactive tour featuring 12 winter sports, an Alabama Olympians and Paralympians autograph booth, cultural treats from Sochi, an exhibition of wheelchair rugby, food truck games and more. The Paralympic Opening Ceremony will also be broadcast on a large screen. Visit lakeshore.org.
March 8: Chili Cook-Off. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Colonial Brookwood Village. This is the 10th annual Chili Cook-Off benefiting the Exceptional Foundation. $10 in advance, $15 at gate, 12 and under free. Visit exceptionalfoundation.org. March 13: Gabriel Iglesias: Unity Through Laughter. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. Visit alabamatheatre.com. March 14-15: Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival. March 14 at 6 p.m., March 15 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. BJCC. Mickey Mouse and friends perform live. Tickets available through Ticketmaster and BJCC central ticket office. Visit bjcc. org.
March 8: Professional Bull Riders. 7:30 p.m. BJCC Arena. Featuring up-and-coming bull riders and riders not competing on the elite Built Ford Tough Series, participants compete in PBR-sanctioned events while earning money to qualify them for the BFTS and the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals. Call 1-800-7453000 or visit bjcc.org.
March 15: Rumpshaker 5K Run/Walk. 8 a.m. Sloss Furnaces. Raising awareness about colorectal cancer. Register at rumpshaker5k. com.
March 8: ASO Wells Fargo Classical EDGE: Mohammad Fairouz. 7:30 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Mohammed Fairouz will premiere his newest violin concerto along with violinist Rachel Barton Pine. Tickets $15-$35. Call 975-2787 or visit alysstephens.org.
March 16: UAB Department of Music presents: “Around the World in 80 Minutes: A Musical Extravaganza.” 4 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Funds raised will support UAB Department of Music student scholarships and ensembles. Tickets
FedEx
UPS
March 15: Elton John & His Band. 8 p.m. BJCC. Tickets available through Ticketmaster and BJCC central ticket office. Visit bjcc.org.
USPS
at Lee Branch
980.8879
www.pakmailleebranch.com
Luck of the Irish?
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$4 OFF shipping of ONE package Good for the month of March 2014 - UPS, FedEx and DHL only
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are $48, $36 and $24. Student tickets are $10. Call 975-2787 or visit alysstephens.org.
Admission for section A is $62.50, section B is $53.50 and section C is $43.50. Visit alysstephens.org.
March 16: Harlem Globetrotters “Fans Rule” Tour. 4 p.m. Pete Hanna Center, Samford University. Admission $22$85. $20 additional for pre-show event beginning at 2:30 p.m. Call 1-800-641-HOOP.
March 27-29: Joyce Meyer Ministries. March 27 at 7 p.m., March 28 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., March 29 at 10 a.m. BJCC. Joyce Meyer Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing God’s love and the word of the Bible through media productions and live conferences. Admission is free and no registration required.
March 19: The NotWedding Birmingham. 7-9 p.m. BridgeStreet Gallery and Loft. A bridal show in the form of a big, fake wedding allows brides to truly experience the vendors in action. General admission $30, VIP admission $40. Visit thenotwedding.com. March 20: Brian Regan. 7:309:30 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Brian Regan presents his comedy show. Tickets are $39.75, available at livenation.com. March 21: Ron White. 7:3010:00 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Ron White presents his comedy show. For mature audiences only. Visit ticketmaster.com. March 22: SEC Women’s Gymnastics Championship. All-day event beginning at 8 a.m. BJCC. Visit gymnasticschamps.com. March 22: Taj Mahal. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Taj Mahal, blues and world musician, will perform at ASC for the second time in his over 40-year career.
March 28: Diamonds and Denim Gala. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Discovery Alabama Center at Watermark Place, 4500 Alabama Adventure Parkway, Bessemer. Fundraiser to benefit the Birmingham area Tuskegee Alumni Scholarship Fund. $50 Gala ticket, $75 VIP Gala ticket, $500 table sponsorship includes 8 VIP Gala tickets. Call 4254529. March 28: Birmingham Barons vs. Chicago White Sox (Exhibition Game). 6 p.m. Tickets $14-$28. Call 988-3200. March 29: Red Diamond SuperPops! Series. Rhapsody in Blue: The Best of Gershwin with Christopher Confessore. 8 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University. Maestro Chris Confessore leads the ASO in music by Gershwin. Admission $24-$62. Call 975-2787.
A48 • March 2014
280 Living
Through March 9th