Cahaba Sun June 2023

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A New, Full-Service ER Now Open in Trussville

When someone in your family needs emergency care, you want it fast. And now, you’ll get the same quality emergency care that is available at Grandview Medical Center in our new Freestanding Emergency Department in Trussville. From treatment for broken bones to care for life-threatening conditions, count on the dedicated team at our new location.

(Located off Highway 11 at The Park at Hamilton Place behind the Trussville Board of Education Building)

FSEDGrandviewHealth.com

• 9 exam rooms

• Fast Track rooms

• Imaging services include CT, X-ray and ultrasound

• Heliport on site

If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

5542 Vanlerberghe Lane, Trussville

EDITOR’S NOTE | KYLE PARMLEY PHOTO OF THE MONTH

I’m an ardent planner. I can tell you what I’m doing on many weekends for the rest of the year.

Softball games and tournaments, football games, other commitments — I like knowing exactly where I’m going to be on a given day.

However, things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes events get delayed or postponed. At other times, there are multiple things happening at once, and I wish I could be at both.

There is nothing wrong with planning, but there is a lesson to be learned within that. I love being in control of my schedule and knowing what’s coming around the corner. At the same time, you have to be willing to roll with the punches at times.

Now that the hustle of spring sports has concluded and I enter into one of my calmer seasons (the summer), I am hoping to make time for those people that I don’t see as much during other times of the year.

I’ll be sure to put it in my calendar.

Please Support Our Community Partners

America’s First Federal Credit Union (6)

Bedzzz Express (20)

Birmingham Orthodontics (1)

Birmingham Zoo (14)

Bromberg’s (11)

Children’s of Alabama (15)

Clearview Strategy Partners (7)

Deerfoot Memorial Funeral Home (15)

First Baptist Church Trussville (13)

Gaynell Hendricks - Tax Assessor (15)

Find Us

Grandview Medical (3)

GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico (14)

Legacy Ridge Assisted Living (19)

RealtySouth - Lee Marlow (13)

Southern Home Structural Repair Specialists (6)

Trussville Gas and Water (9)

Vapor Ministries/Thrift Store (2)

Window World of Central Alabama (2)

Pick up the latest issue of Cahaba Sun at the following locations:

► Edgar’s Bakery

► Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce

► Trussville Civic Center

► Trussville Gas and Water

► Trussville Police Department

► Trussville Public Library

Want to join this list or get Cahaba Sun mailed to your home?

Contact Dan Starnes at dan@starnesmedia.com.

Publisher:

Community Editors: Sports Editor: Photo Editor: Design Editor: Page Designer:

Production Assistant:

Contributing Writers: Graphic Designer:

Client Success Specialist: Business Development Exec: Business Development Rep:

Operations Specialist:

Dan Starnes

Kyle Parmley

Jon Anderson

Leah Ingram

Eagle

Neal Embry

Kyle Parmley

Erin Nelson

Melanie Viering

Ted Perry

Simeon Delante

Sean Dietrich

Gary Lloyd

Satina Richardson

Emily VanderMey

Warren Caldwell

Don Harris

Madison Gaines

Sarah Villar

For advertising contact: dan@starnesmedia.com

Contact Information: Cahaba Sun P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnesmedia.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: kparmley@starnesmedia.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

Published by: Cahaba Sun LLC

Legals: Cahaba Sun is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Cahaba Sun is designed to inform the Trussville community of area school, family and community events. Information in Cahaba Sun is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Cahaba Sun. 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.

Please recycle this paper.

Hewitt-Trussville head coach Taylor Burt smiles after Hannah Dorsett hit a triple in a game against Spain Park during the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament at Goldie Paine Field on May 3.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

THE COVER: Lily Burford, a senior at Hewitt-Trussville High School and member of the girls varsity soccer team, at the soccer stadium April 3. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Can AI grow your business?

NOW OPEN

Grandview Medical Center’s freestanding emergency department in Trussville is now open. The 12,500-square-foot facility is the first of its kind in the Trussville community and will provide patients with another option for 24/7 emergency services in the region. The new facility is located just off U.S. 11, next to the Trussville Board of Education. It includes nine exam rooms, five Fast Track rooms, on-site lab services and diagnostic imaging for X-ray, CT and ultrasound. There is also a helipad on site. Many emergency services can be effectively managed at the freestanding emergency department without the need for transfer to a traditional hospital setting. However, if a higher level of care is needed, patients can be transported to Grandview Medical Center or the facility of their choice.

205-971-1400, grandviewhealth.com/ grandview-freestanding-emergency-department

Steele Hall Brewing Co. is now open in Trussville. Steele Hall strives to create “aggressively approach-

able beer.” Located in the Trussville Entertainment District, Steele Hall aims to provide a space to enjoy beer in the company of friends. The brewery is open Wednesday and Thursday 1-9 p.m., Friday 1-10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-508-3425, steelehallbrewingco.com

COMING SOON

Peach Cobbler Factory, a dessert restaurant chain, has announced a planned location in Trussville. According to the company’s website, Peach Cobbler Factory offers “cobblers to banana puddings, cinnamon rolls to shakes and cookies.” peachcobblerfactory.com

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Dr. Bruce Irwin, who founded American Family Care as a single urgent care clinic at 1680 Montgomery Highway in Hoover in 1982, died April 14 at the age of 73 after a sudden illness. Irwin expanded his single Hoover clinic to dozens of other locations statewide

and in 2013 launched its franchise model when the company acquired and rebranded a national urgent care franchise called Doctor’s Express. Today, the American Family Care health care network encompasses more than 300 locations across 30 states, including a location at 5892 Trussville Crossings Parkway. 205-655-4002, afcurgentcare.com

ANNIVERSARIES

ARK WinGS Gymnastics, 4623 Camp Coleman Road #109, is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The gym won the state championship in 2020, with all teams finishing top five for compulsory. The gym also won the 2020 Simone Biles Invitational. 205-655-4333, arkgym.com

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

If you have news to share with the community about a brick-and-mortar business in Trussville, let us know at starnesmedia.com/business-happenings

Historical markers unveiled at Heritage Hall

By GARY LLOYD

One of the most historic buildings in Trussville is now decorated as such.

The Trussville Historical Society in April unveiled a new historical marker, as well as a bench and plaque honoring longtime Trussville historian Earl Massey’s contributions to historical preservation, at Heritage Hall.

Heritage Hall, originally the general retail store and service station for the Cahaba Project, was completed in 1938 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program. The store and station were operated by the Cahaba Cooperative Association to serve the Cahaba Project with fuel, food, dairy products, clothing, drugs, furniture and merchandise. In later years, the building served as a community center, gymnasium, band room and more.

In 1951, four years after Trussville incorporated as a town, the town bought the general store to establish a community center and library. In 1988, on the building’s 50th anniversary, the building underwent a restoration and was renamed Heritage Hall, where it became home to the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce, Trussville

Historical Museum and Arts Council of Trussville Area.

In recent months, the city of Trussville has made various repairs to Heritage Hall, including to the roof, the heating and air system and the exterior. The Trussville City Council last year authorized $19,000 toward the repainting and repairing of Heritage Hall and ACTA Theatre.

“This building has served so many purposes in Trussville over the years, but today it’s just a historic site for Trussville,” said Mayor Buddy Choat. “We have schoolchildren who come through here and learn about the history of Trussville. The neighborhood that surrounds it is very historic. We’re just proud to have a building like this in Trussville and what it means to so many people. If you get a chance, come by and read about the history, tour the museum. I think you’ll be amazed.”

Nina Orr, a member of the Trussville Historical Society, remembered the building as a band room when she attended nearby Hewitt High School, now Cahaba Elementary School. She dressed out as a marching band member before learning to play her saxophone.

“Being a member of the band didn’t last long,” Orr joked.

Dennis Lesley’s fondest memory of the building came during its time serving as the band room. During concert band season, it was decided to add cannon fire accents to “Battle Hymn of the Republic” using a makeshift cannon of 55-gallon drums welded together. While practicing in the band room, a shotgun — using blanks — fired into a hole in the side of the drums and — boom. The concussion from the blast tore up the drop tile ceiling and took out a light fixture.

“Well, needless to say, we didn’t practice it anymore in that room,” Lesley said. “We took it into the gym, where we were going to be playing it.”

Jane Alexander, also a Trussville Historical Society member, said she participated in ballroom dancing lessons inside the building. She was a cheerleader at Hewitt High School and, when she was 15 years old, spent a weekend of initiation inside the building with other cheerleaders.

“I can’t talk about anything else,” Alexander said, joking. “I wouldn’t want anyone else to know about exactly what happened.

But it was a fun time in my life and something that I’ve always remembered. Those young ladies are still very good friends of mine, even though I don’t see them often.”

After the historical marker was unveiled, the Massey Bench and accompanying plaque were also revealed in honor of Earl Massey, who, according to the plaque, “spent much of his adult life collecting artifacts, helping to establish the museum and writing about the people of Trussville and their history.” The memorial bench includes a note that states that it is in memory of Earl Massey for “his lifelong passion for history and his journey collecting the history of Trussville.” He served on the Trussville Historical Board from 1983 until 2007 and co-authored “Trussville Through the Years” with his wife, Carol, in the 1980s. His passion became hers.

Carol Massey unveiled the bench and plaque in front of dozens of relatives and supporters. While Massey did not speak publicly in front of the 50 or so gathered guests, she wore a personalized shirt that included a photo of her and Earl. Printed above the photo were two words: “Endless Love.”

Top left: The new historical marker at Heritage Hall. Bottom left: The memorial bench honoring Earl Massey. Right: The Massey family poses for a photo with the Massey Bench after its unveiling. Photos by Gary Lloyd.

FBCT set to host annual cruise-in

The Seasoned Adult Ministry of First Baptist Church Trussville will showcase over 200 vintage, classic, hot rod, show and specialty vehicles at the fourth annual Leland Dockery Tribute Cruise-In on Saturday, June 3, at 9 a.m. in the church’s front parking lot.

Pre-registration for the cruise-in is available online at fbctrussville.org/cruise-in-registration. On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m. the day of the show.

The event is named in honor of a longtime member of FBCT. Leland Dockery passed away in 2019 at age 68, leaving behind a life filled with family, friends, community and country. Husband to wife Denise, father and grandfather, he was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and retired as owner of Dockery Electric. He also served as chairman of the Trussville Utilities Board. Before and after retirement, Dockery enjoyed spending time at the family’s lake house and making the local breakfast rounds with “the guys” in his restored 1958 GMC Apache. Nearly all his life, he had a thing for cars.

“Leland loved his cars and had been tinkering with hot rods since he was in high school. He personally restored over 30 cars,”

said Bob Smith, FBCT’s minister to seasoned adults. “Not long after I came to First Baptist in 2018, he and I talked about having

an auto show, and we both thought it would be a great community event. I never imagined we’d be doing this event without him,

but four years later, we are going strong.”

Every registered vehicle will be eligible to be selected by fans as the “Fan Favorite.” A specially-designed trophy will be presented to the vehicles receiving the most fan votes.

Vehicle owners have the option to be considered by a panel of judges in one of four designated categories: pre-war (pre-1945), 1945 to 1959, 1960 to 1979, and 1980 and newer.

Awards will be presented just after noon. Additional awards for Most Creative Design, Best Work in Progress, Best Military Vehicle and the Mayor’s Choice Award, presented by Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat, will be given.

Food trucks, DJ Ronnie Foster plus live music, free water and a host of door prizes for drivers and fans will round out the day.

There is no charge to enter your vehicle, and this event is free to the public.

For more information about the Leland Dockery Tribute Cruise-In, visit fbctrussville.org or call the Seasoned Adult Ministry office at 205-228-1006.

– Submitted by First Baptist Church

The fourth annual Leland Dockery Tribute Cruise-In will showcase more than 200 vintage, classic, hotrod, show and specialty vehicles June 3 at First Baptist Church in Trussville. Photo courtesy of Ron Burkett.

FROM VICTIM TO VICTOR

By JON ANDERSON

For the third year in a row, Temple Wells will represent Trussville in the Ms. Senior Alabama pageant.

She’ll compete as Ms. Senior Trussville on June 10 at Oak Mountain High School against 12 other women ages 60-69.

Kim Crawford-Meeks, the pageant director, said Wells is an amazing woman and an incredible asset to the Ms. Senior Alabama organization and to the Trussville community.

“She has been an integral part of implementing our mission of volunteerism, encouraging other seniors that they have a purpose, and always has a light in her heart and smile,” Crawford-Meeks said.

Wells, 66, has lived in Trussville about 18 years but has family ties to the city that date back to the 1940s, she said.

Her grandparents and her mother lived in Trussville’s Cahaba Project briefly, and when she and her husband moved to Trussville, they chose a house that — unbeknownst to her at the time — was very close to her mother’s former home.

Wells said she loves living in a city with a history as rich as Trussville and with such a patriotic spirit. Both her father and her son served in the National Guard, and her son was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, so the military has a soft place in her heart.

She also spent 22 years with the U.S. Selective Service, which keeps a list of men ages 18 to 25 in case an emergency requires a rapid deployment of the armed forces, and served as chairwoman of the North Alabama Board.

Wells grew up in Homewood through junior high school and then moved to Bluff Park and graduated rom Berry High School in 1975.

She got a job as a secretary in the personnel department at Central Bank of Birmingham, got married and moved with her husband to Marietta, Georgia, for about four years. She then moved to Alabaster for a couple of years while going through a divorce and took a job as the resident manager and leasing agent for Arboretum Apartments in Vestavia Hills. She met her second husband, Glenn Wells, in 1983, and they married in 1985 and settled in Clay for about 20 years before moving to Trussville.

Wells worked brief stints as a secretary for her father’s accounting firm, a financial services company and a law firm, and as a substitute teacher for both the Jefferson County and Trussville school systems.

She was very involved with the activities of her five children, including band, sports, cheerleading and Boy Scouts, and she served on a community advisory board for the Jefferson County Board of Education and the PTA board at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School.

Wells to represent Trussville at Ms. Senior Alabama

Wells also has been very active in civic life. She helped push to get a severe weather siren in Clay and a traffic light at Clay Elementary School and was involved in getting a log cabin moved to the school to help with history lessons. She also helped push for extra paramedics to be hired for the Center Point Fire District, which provides fire protection for the Clay community, and helped organize the first Clay Hay Day to raise money to pay for a defibrillator for the fire district, she said.

Wells was active in the push for the incorporation of Clay in 2000 and served as chairwoman of the city’s Board of Zoning Adjustments for a while. She also served on the vestry at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Trussville for several years and was on The Women’s Committee of 50 in Trussville.

Her husband retired as the police chief in Argo in January, and she’s hoping she won’t have to go back to work, she said. However, while she considers herself to be in the “fourth quarter” of her life, she isn’t done serving, she said.

She has raised money to fight Alzheimer’s disease and still advocates for Compassion Ranch, a ranch in Calera that provides care for abandoned animals such as horses,

ponies, donkeys, dogs, cats and goats and runs character education programs.

She also has joined in service projects with other women who have participated in Ms. Senior Alabama, going to bring cheer to people in assisted living centers and nursing homes, she said.

She has loved being involved with Ms. Senior Alabama, she said. “All of us are in our 60s or 70s, and we all have similar things in common,” she said. “It’s just fun. We are having a good time.”

At their age, there are certain things they can’t do like they formerly did, she said. Wells has had back surgery and couldn’t

walk for four months due to a hip problem, but with years of therapy, she’s able to keep going, she said.

“You just have to keep moving,” Wells said. “Sometimes you have to ask for help, and that’s OK. Don’t let that pride sneak in there.”

Wells said she’s had to overcome some difficult things in her life. Raising children as a single mom for a while was tough, but with the help of her parents, friends and God, she made it through that time, she said.

More personally, she was raped by an intruder at her parents’ home when she was 20, and it took two to three years to get over that, she said.

“I was a victim, but I didn’t have to stay there,” Wells said. “There are a lot of people with a victim mentality. They don’t need to be a victim. They need to be a victor.”

Her mother started a rape crisis center after that incident, and Wells herself still actively promotes ways for women to be vigilant to help keep that from happening to them, handing out whistles and safety tips.

“That took a lot of time to overcome that, but I did, and I really think God’s got my life in His hands,” she said.

For more about the Ms. Senior Alabama pageant, go to mssenioralabama.com.

Temple Wells will represent Trussville as Ms. Senior Trussville in the 2023 Ms. Senior Alabama Pageant on June 10. Here, she stands in front of a Trussville home where her mother and grandparents lived in the 1940s. Photo by Jon Anderson.

“

You just have to keep moving. Sometimes you have to ask for help, and that’s OK. Don’t let that pride sneak in there.

TEMPLE WELLS

Trussville optometry student selected for prestigious neuro-ophthalmic residency

By SATINA RICHARDSON, UAB MEDIA RELATIONS

Heidi Hernandez, a Trussville resident and fourth-year student at the UAB School of Optometry, has earned a highly competitive residency at The Eye Institute of Salus University (TEI).

The two-year neuro-ophthalmic disease residency accepts only one resident annually and is the only one of its kind in the nation. It is the first time a UAB optometry student has been chosen for this program.

“When I received the news that I had been selected, I was in complete shock,” Hernandez said. “Something just felt right; it felt almost too good to be true. I feel really privileged and grateful to have matched there.”

Neuro-ophthalmic disease encompasses vision-related problems and issues associated with the brain, nerves and muscles. Accordingly, the residency focuses on diagnosing and treating neuro-ophthalmic diseases and conditions.

“The residency in neuro-ophthalmic disease at The Eye Institute at Salus/PCO is the embodiment of everything I hope to be as a clinician,” Hernandez said.

“As a Pennsylvania College of Optometry

Fill your roster.

graduate myself, I know how prestigious and competitive this particular residency is, and I am so proud of Heidi,” said Dr. Caroline Pate, director of residency programs at

the UAB School of Optometry.

Hernandez has had a strong interest in neuroscience since her teen years. This led her to apply for an early graduation from high school to join the undergraduate neuroscience program at UAB. The selective program is designed for graduating high school seniors and college freshmen or sophomores with strong academic records and the motivation to pursue careers in biomedical science.

“Within the program, I took a course on sensory neuroscience, which is where my focus on the visual pathway and its

processing began,” she said. “I started to shadow at UAB Eye Care and observed a sixth cranial nerve palsy very early on with the primary care resident. That was the moment that I knew I wanted to enter the specialty of neuro-ophthalmic disease.”

She applied to the School of Optometry that same year and began coursework in August 2019.

Hernandez and her husband Hugo, also a class of 2023 optometry student, met at UAB as undergraduates and married during their third year of optometry school. The two will move to Philadelphia together for her residency, where Hugo plans to work at an optometry practice in the city. They hope to eventually return to Birmingham, Heidi said.

“I admire Heidi’s desire and drive to gain the advanced clinical training in a specialty area that will make her the best clinician she can be,” Pate said. “I am always so proud of all of our School of Optometry graduates who choose to seek out programs that will challenge them and set them up to become the next leaders of our profession in the future. I am so excited to see what the future holds for her, and I know she will go on to do amazing things.”

Heidi Hernandez. Photo courtesy of UAB School of Optometry.

I am so excited to see what the future holds for her, and I know she will go on to do amazing things.

DR. CAROLINE PATE

COVER STORY: Lily Burford overcomes setbacks to achieve ultimate goal

DRIVENTO SUCCEED

By KYLE PARMLEY

With Lily Burford becoming a varsity player on the Hewitt-Trussville High School girls soccer team as an eighth grader, it’s no surprise that a few years later, she is on her way to playing college soccer at Oglethorpe University. However, her journey from point A to point B has been anything but straightforward. Burford has experienced everything from elation to heartbreak along the way. What could have been the decisive blow to her soccer career turned into a defining moment in life and in sport.

“I’ve never been more glad that I was wrong,” Hewitt-Trussville girls soccer coach Lauren Wooten said.

Burford was “super stoked” to make the varsity soccer team at Hewitt-Trussville as an eighth grader. But things were shuffled a little once Wooten took over the program ahead of the 2020 season. Her vision was for Burford to play on the junior varsity team, an assignment Burford accepted and understood at the time.

She was left on the JV team as a sophomore, which was a little more difficult to stomach. She chalked it up to coming back to the team a little late, considering the basketball team’s success (Burford played flag football and basketball during her time at Hewitt). She worked hard to get pulled up to the varsity team at the end of her sophomore season.

Burford never envisioned what came next, though. Following school tryouts her junior year, Burford was in disbelief to not see her name listed as one of the players to make the team.

“I didn’t think it was real at first,” she said. “It took me a minute to truly process that I’m not on this team. It was devastating because soccer had always been my dream.”

What followed was a pivotal moment in Burford’s trajectory. Wooten explained the decision to Burford and her family — Wooten felt as if Burford wasn’t making the necessary progress as a player — but that didn’t make it any easier to take. Burford had also recently not made a Hoover-Vestavia Soccer Club team for which she tried out, so she was faced with a tough decision.

She asked herself, “Was this a bump in the road, or are you not good enough at soccer and should quit now?”

But Burford was determined to not let that be the end of her story in soccer.

“It probably just took me a few hours that I was really upset. Then, I was like, I play soccer; there’s no other option,” she said.

That spring, Burford played with Alabama Elite, a program designed for players not playing high school ball. She thrived in that environment, possessing a renewed determination to exhibit progression as a player.

In September of her senior year, Burford again tried out for the Hewitt varsity soccer team and was told she would merely be a practice player, meaning she would play little, if at all, and not travel to tournaments. By the end of the season, she was a starter and playing full games.

What Wooten saw at the fall tryouts was stunning. “I have never in my life seen a one-year transformation like I did with Lily,” Wooten said.

Pretty quickly, Wooten realized Burford would be an asset to the varsity team as a senior. After a short time, she realized Burford would be a pivotal player on the team. It was safe to say she was making the team this time around, much less becoming one of its best players.

“You could tell wherever she went and whatever she was doing, she had improved,” Wooten said. “It was not the same player from 10 months ago, from a skill or mentality perspective. She was totally transformed.”

Burford believed in her training and overcame the difficult emotions that came with going out for a team from which she was cut a season before.

“It was scary coming back, but the girls were extremely welcoming and would still build me up,” she said.

That acceptance from her team was evident in the voting for team captain ahead of this season. Each player gets to vote for two captains, and Burford was a unanimous selection.

“It was special,” she said.

Ella Allen, a fellow senior who has played with Burford at various points over the last 10 years, was impressed with her friend and teammate’s determination to make the best of her situation.

“With her attitude and the drive she has, I was excited to see her come back. It’s been

awesome to see,” Allen said.

Burford still had not realized her ultimate goal, though, which was to play college soccer. While many of her classmates had already been accepted to schools and were even finding roommates, she still had no clue what her next step was. But a coach from Oglethorpe University took notice in the fall and invited her to campus for a visit. Once she was there, she knew it was home. She announced her commitment in March and will play at the Division III school near Atlanta.

“It’s amazing; it really is,” she said. “It’s cool to see how everything’s come about. If you would’ve told me six months ago, I would say you’re kidding. I could never picture it for myself.”

Along with playing three sports in high school, Burford was involved in several clubs and led a Bible study, while maintaining a stellar academic resume. Her graduation gown was adorned with more than a dozen cords for various distinctions.

“I wanted to use my time to make an impact,” she said.

Hewitt-Trussville’s Lily Burford (17) takes a shot at the goal as the Huskies face Shades Valley at Hewitt-Trussville High School on March 22. Photo by Erin Nelson.

SCHOOLHOUSE

Have a schoolhouse announcement? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@ starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

Bates recognized by Congressional Institute for painting

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.

Casey Bates, a student at Hewitt-Trussville High School, who also earned first place in her district and second place in her category at the statewide Visual Art Achievement Program competition earlier

this year, now has the honor of representing the district again under Congressman Gary Palmer with a new painting. As the Sixth Congressional District winner, she was invited to the Congressional Art Competition reception, which will be held in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Capitol on June 20.

– Submitted by Trussville City Schools.

4th Annual

Saturday, June 3

First Baptist Trussville Parking Lot

• Registration Begins - 7:30am

Trussville Rotary names scholarship recipients

The Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club has announced its Hewitt-Trussville High School scholarship recipients for this year.

HTHS senior Samuel Simmons is a member of the All-State Jazz Band and is head trumpet. He is also a member of the University of Alabama Honor Band Top Band. Simmons received the Crimson Achievement Award and a $500 scholarship from the UA Honor Band. Other activities include helping to coach Trussville United Soccer Club soccer, serving as a Peer Partner, being a part of Leadership HT, and was named to the Band Leadership. He plans to pursue the CREATE path to the MBA program and minor in music performance at the University of Alabama.

Samuel will receive the $5,000 Van Horne Honorarium Scholarship, named for one of the founding members of the club.

Will Cochran is the first-ever recipient of a $1,000 vocational scholarship from this club. Cochran placed third in the Skills USA contest for electrical construction wiring. He is a member of the leadership team, is a student body leader, and has been in an electrical class for three years. He is also a high school leader at First Baptist Church Trussville. He ran his own business cutting grass, pressure washing and more. He plans to attend Southern Union State Community College for welding.

– Submitted by Diane Poole.

• Open to the Public - 9:00am

• Awards Presentation - 12:30pm

Pre-registration: fbctrussville.org/events

Samuel Simmons, left, and Will Cochran were recipients of scholarships from the Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club. Photos courtesy of Diane Poole.

Casey Bates will be recognized for her painting at the Congressional Art Competition reception on June 20. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.

Ready to invest in your very own fixer upper? This house sits back off the road offering privacy with beautiful scenery all around it! Five bedrooms and three bathrooms with several flex or bonus rooms. This is a unique opportunity on this handyman special just minutes away from downtown Trussville and the entertainment district. The possibiliities here are endless!

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get awayFOR A DAY

Birmingham

Zoo

Summer is an awesome time to enjoy the zoo

The Birmingham Zoo is home to about 550 animals of 180 species from six continents, including zebras, giraffes, orangutans, a jaguar and elephants.

The state’s most popular not-for-profit attraction, the zoo draws nearly 500,000 visitors annually. And summer is a perfect time to visit this magnificent facility.

There’s lots of special animal experiences, including Kiwanis giraffe encounters.

In addition to its animals, the zoo features the Red Diamond Express Train, the Protective Carousel and the Junior League of Birmingham Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo.

The zoo will also host special events, including Zoo Brews, a craft beer event, June 10, and two events for kids, Pancakes and Princesses and Fairytales and Frogs, both on Aug. 2

Fall events will include Oktoberfest Sept. 23 and Zoo Gala Oct. 5

Ticket links are created about two months before an event. Check the zoo’s website for updated links and information.

Located at 2630 Cahaba Road, the Birmingham Zoo is open Wednesday-Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Huskies place 3rd at state outdoor track and field

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Hewitt-Trussville High School boys and girls outdoor track and field teams concluded their seasons at the Class 7A state meet, held May 4-6 in Gulf Shores.

Hoover dominated the meet and swept the boys and girls team titles. The Bucs scored 146.5 points in the boys competition. Vestavia Hills finished in a clear second, scoring 89.5 points. The Huskies tied for third with Huntsville, each team accruing 54 points. Auburn was fifth with 51 points.

Chelsea edged the Huskies for the runner-up spot in the girls competition. Hoover’s 125 points led the way, with Chelsea scoring 79 points and Hewitt racking up 71 points. Auburn was fourth with 69 points.

Three Hewitt competitors on the girls side locked up individual state championships. Tori Mack won the 100-meter hurdles, as the junior ran the race in 14.44 seconds. Brianna Beckham took the top prize in the 200-meter dash, with a time of 24.3 seconds. Madisyn

Hawkins was the top discus thrower in 7A, with a throw of 128 feet.

Avery Cahoon also reached the podium by finishing third in the 800-meter run, as she posted a time of 2 minutes, 11 seconds. The girls performed well in the relays, too. The 4x400-meter relay team finished second overall, running it in 4:02. The 4x100 team finished third in 48.42 seconds.

Other notable performances included Beckham placing fourth in the 100. Haven White improved upon her time in the preliminaries to finish fifth in the 100 hurdles. Arianna Fisher was seventh in the 300 hurdles. Cahoon finished eighth in the 400 and ninth in the 1,600. Haleigh Chambers was sixth in the javelin throw, Hawkins was ninth in shot put and White finished 10th in pole vault. The 4x800 relay team also placed sixth.

On the boys side, Michael Igbinoghene placed second in the long jump, reaching 23 feet, 2 inches. Tyrone Reese captured a thirdplace finish in the 300 hurdles, running it in 39.42 seconds. The 4x100 relay team finished

second, running the race in 42.4 seconds.

Nathan Thomas had a solid showing in the 100, finishing fifth. Reese finished eighth in the 110 hurdles and ninth in the 400. Colin Wadsworth was 10th in the 200. Manny Cazeau came across seventh in the 300 hurdles. Wes Ellison finished seventh in the 800 and Tristan Teer was eighth in the 3,200.

DJ Carter was fourth in the discus throw, reaching 150-3 in his best. Blake Barlow took sixth in the javelin throw, Daniel James secured sixth in the pole vault and Igbinoghene was seventh in triple jump. The 4x400 relay team was fourth and the 4x800 team was seventh.

Hailey Tolbert, Emmie Goodell, Kinley Harris, Jayda Hammonds, Sarah Johnson, Berkeley Hawkins, Audre Benson, Kennedy Gill, Jadon Loving, Dylan Cope, Malachi Johnson, Rush Lachina, Skyler Carrillo, Will Owens, Brent Russell, Aaron Tan, Shaw Helfrich, Alex Jones and Braxton Armstrong were among the other competitors for the Huskies.

Hewitt-Trussville's Brianna Beckham and Hoover’s Gabrielle Washington cross the finish line in the girls 100-meter dash final during the AHSAA Class 7A, Section 3 meet at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium on April 29. Photo by Richard Force.

OPINION Sean of the South

Colorado Springs — I’m standing on Pikes Peak, 14,000 feet above sea level. I’m looking at the world from a mountaintop.

In 1994, we scattered Daddy’s ashes here. He came packed in a cardboard box. I was a child.

The day we turned him loose, I prayed for something grand to happen. Maybe a gust of wind, a big cloud, or even snow. I’d heard it can snow on Pikes Peak during the summer.

That’s what I wanted. I wanted nature to deliver something. But there were no gusts. No clouds. No snow. Only hot sun.

Anyway, my father’s death happened suddenly. I was 12. And this view takes me to that age again. The scenery up here is breathtaking. I can see clear to Kansas, and the sun is shining so hard it burns me.

The altitude is getting to me. There are tiny sparks in my vision. The EMT at the visitor’s center told me this means I am in oxygen debt.

Twenty-four years. It’s been so long since he’s been gone that I often forget his face. I have to open a photo album to remember. I have a favorite photograph. A faded Polaroid. He’s wearing his denim, his boots, and his work jacket. He’s all iron worker. I loved him.

By Sean Dietrich

My Father’s Grave

He used to play make-believe with me when I was little. Daddy would wear a cowboy hat and play Old West Saloon. I was Wyatt Earp; he was Billy the Kid.

We’d have gunfights at high noon. Our living room became the showdown at O.K. Corral. I would take him down with a cap gun. I was the best shot in the West. He would grab his gut, then fall on the floor.

Then, I would jump on his chest. He would kiss me on the forehead. He’d say, “That’s my little cowboy.”

How could a man disappear like dust?

I remember where we emptied his ashes. I am standing on the exact spot. I’ve been waiting years to stand here.

I expect to cry, or feel like someone is jumping on my chest, but I don’t. Instead, I smile. I remove my hat and hold it to my chest.

And I thank my father. I’m not sure what I’m thanking him for, but I am thanking him.

I don’t know. Maybe I’m thanking him

for 12 years of love — which is more than some kids get. Maybe, for all the make-believe games in the living room, for forehead kisses.

Maybe I’m thanking him for who I am today. I wouldn’t be who I am if not for his early departure. And all of a sudden, I miss him. I wish he could swoop down from heaven momentarily and talk to me. I wish I could be a boy, and we could play make-believe. But he can’t. That’s not the way it works. People are here, then they aren’t. It’s that simple. I’m used to this by now.

I stand on a rock near the edge. “I miss you,” I tell him.

My voice disappears. But at least I’ve said it. And my time here is done. I’m getting tired. I’m ready to crawl down the mountain and get away from this altitude.

I turn to walk away. A cloud begins to form.

I stop to watch.

It spins into shape out of pure

Southern Musings By Gary Lloyd

nothingness. A large, swelling fog.

Nearby, tourists start hollering things like, “Hey! Come look at this cloud!” Folks with cameras aim them at the phenomenon. Everyone gathers.

A pillar of white grows in front of us. In only seconds, mist swallows the whole world. Nobody can see anything but the cloud.

Then.

Snow.

It starts falling hard. Then, gusts of wind. I watch until the show is over and the world turns sunny again.

Experts say sudden weather changes are common this time of year on top of the mountain. And I’m sure they are. Maybe that’s all it was — warm and cold fronts colliding. But then, maybe it was something else. Maybe it was a wink. Or a smile. Or a wave.

Or a kiss on the forehead.

Maybe.

Sean Dietrich is a columnist and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. He has authored nine books and is the creator of the “Sean of the South” blog and podcast.

One final descent to Birmingham

I always thought it was the steepest hill in the city because the rumble of overhead airplanes seemed to shake the leaves from the trees.

They were always on their descent into Birmingham, landing gear already deploying. I wrote about Austin Way in a book I published in 2017 and, six years later, it’s time to update that story.

Before my grandmother moved there, she had lived on 85th Street South, walking distance to the former Banks High School and Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. At some point during my childhood, she moved to Austin Way, to a smaller home with a distant view of the downtown lights. This home’s backyard did not have space for even a croquet match, but an open field across the street served as our baseball and football field at Thanksgiving.

My family kept the home after my

grandmother moved to an assisted living community, but no one lived there until 2012, when I moved in. It became the first home for my wife, Jessica, and me. It’s where we drove after we got married, where I typed enough articles to earn carpal tunnel syndrome, where Jessica completed her master’s degree. It’s where I never quite fine-tuned my short game with a sand wedge and golf balls across the street, where I always stopped to stare at the airplanes.

After a year in that house, we found a bigger one we could grow into, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. We bought it, and teared up the day we moved. My grandmother’s house was two bedrooms and

two bathrooms, with barely a yard to speak of, no neighbors younger than fifty, and the washer and dryer were crammed in our stifling onecar garage. But a house holds so much more than possessions and conveniences. It holds fudge and piano songs at Christmas, childhood sleepovers, fun birthdays and countless memories. There were many of those in that house.

A family friend lived there for a while, and he even had the bathrooms updated and new flooring put down in the kitchen. He moved out when my mother-in-law made the permanent move from Florida to Birmingham in 2016. She purchased the home and lived there until 2022.

The evening before the closing on the sale of the home, I brought my lawnmower over to cut the backyard one final time. It took five minutes, but I cut it on the 3.0 deck setting, then 2.0, and then 1.0. I had more on my to-do list that night, so I didn’t stay long after running over the grass three times, but I did walk in each room to just sort of remember the past.

I backed out of the driveway and stopped at the Austin Way street sign to take a couple photos. The white letters were cracking and the silver pole was half-brown with rust. I climbed back into my truck and turned left to head down the hill and out of the neighborhood. I heard a roar overhead and looked through my windshield to see an airplane making its way home to Birmingham.

One final descent.

Gary Lloyd is the author of six books and a contributing writer to the Cahaba Sun.

Dietrich

Lloyd

TRUSSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Thursdays: Children’s storytime. 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join Ms. Alicia for summer-themed stories, songs, bubble time and lots of fun. Birth through pre-K.

June 2: Summer Reading Kick-Off Party. 5-7 p.m.

Join us in the Masonic Park located behind the Trussville Public Library for activities and treats for all ages. Pick up information about this year's summer reading challenge and upcoming events. Petting zoo, laser tag, lawn games and live music. Food trucks will be available during the event.

June 5: Puzzle Competition. 6-8 p.m. Do you think you could complete a puzzle in an hour and a half? Get a team together (up to five people per team) and compete against other teams for your chance to prove you are the ultimate puzzlers. Winning team gets a prize. Ages 18 and older.

June 6: McWane Science Programs. K-6th grades, 10:30-11:30; 6th-12th grade, 2-3 p.m. Learn how international teams of scientists have joined forces to meet the world’s most daunting challenges.

June 6, 20: Ceramics with Norma. 6-7:45 p.m.

Create your own decorative ceramic piece! This is a two-part class. You will create your piece during session 1 and then paint/ decorate during session 2. Ages 18 and older.

June 8, 22: Teen D&D. Group 1, 2-4 p.m. Group 2, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Dungeons and Dragons is a classic tabletop roleplaying game that encourages creativity and cooperation. Both groups will run the same campaign, so please only sign up for one of them. Registration required. 6th-12th grades.

June 8: Interactive Bee Class for Kids. 4-5 p.m. Interested in learning about bees? Foxhound Bee Company loves sharing about bees in a safe way, and they will be here to provide a class just for kids. Space is limited. Registration is required. K-6th grades.

June 8: Community Art Craft Night. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Everyone will get a puzzle piece to paint that will be put together and displayed in the Adult Department of the library. Ages 18 and older.

June 10: Pop Art with Michael Albert. 1-3:30 p.m. Mr. Albert is a pop artist and author from New York who utilizes junk mail, magazines and primarily cereal boxes to create his works. He will bring supplies and his knowledge of collages to help us all to make our own works of art. 6th-12th grades.

June 12: Books & Brews. 7:15-8:15 p.m. An evening Adult Book Club meeting in the event room at Ferus Artisan Ales. Connect with your community and share your thoughts about this month's book while enjoying delicious food and drinks. June’s title is “Devolution” by Max Brooks. Ages 18 and older.

June 13: Yasu Ishida. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Combining traditional Japanese theater, music, origami, magic and storytelling, Yasu Ishida will guide us to the enchanting land of Japan. K-6th grades.

June 13: Origami with Yasu Ishida. 2-3 p.m. If you are interested in learning some basic origami or are more experienced and looking to refine your skills, this is a great class for you. 6th-12th grades.

June 13: “Golden Girls” Trivia. 6-7 p.m. Thank you for being a friend. Grab some friends and form a team to test your knowledge against other fans. Prizes will be given for best team name, best costume and for overall “Golden Girls” trivia grandmaster. Ages 18 and older.

June 15: Friendship Adventure with Barry Mitchell Show. 5-6 p.m. Sam the Turtle, Mr. Barry and Hyena the Chicken are three friends working together for laughs. K-6th grades.

June 19: Adult Henna Program. 6-7 p.m. Learn the ancient art of Henna tattoos. You will learn how to create henna designs and receive a temporary henna stain. All supplies provided. Ages 18 and older.

June 20: Zoo2Go. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Learn about animal

adaptations during this show with live animals from the Montgomery Zoo. K-6th grades.

June 20: Improv with Red Mountain Theatre. 2-3 p.m. Local acting experts will be hosting an improv workshop which can help to grow your creativity and is a fun and humorous exercise. 6th-12th grades.

June 21: Adult Book Club 2023. 2-3 p.m. Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month. We will read a variety of selections, both fiction and nonfiction. This month’s title is “Two Nights in Lisbon” by Chris Pavone. Ages 18 and older.

June 21: Smash Bros. Ultimate Duos Tournament. 4-5:30 p.m. This tournament requires you to sign up with a partner as your guest. Please coordinate with your partner to avoid duplication. 6th-12th grades.

June 22: Leadership Workshop with 4-H. 4-5 p.m. This program will focus on cooperation with others and includes discussions and activities related to the importance of appreciating the diversity of those around us. K-5th grades.

June 26: Cooking Class with K Marie. 5-8 p.m. Join Katrina Adams and learn how to make sweet potato dumplings. Ages 18 and older.

June 27: Beatin’ Path Rhythm Event. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Come along on an intercontinental journey with Mr. Dave in search of musical treasures. Birth-5th grades.

June 27: Beatin’ Path Drum Circle. 2-3 p.m. Beatin’ Path is a rhythm, team building and, most importantly, fun program centered around percussion. Come together with friends and make some music. 6th-12th grades.

June 29: Spies Like Us with the Anniston Museum of Natural History. 2-3 p.m. Join us to learn about the history of spies and espionage in Alabama! Are there spies among us? 6th-12th grades.

For a complete listing of summer events visit www.trussvillelibrary.com.

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