Homewood Star April 2016 by Starnes Media

The Homewood Star Volume 6 | Issue 1 | April 2016

neighborly news & entertainment for Homewood

bringing the blue

CLASS 6A STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS

HOME

By KYLE PARMLEY March 5, 2016 will be remembered as the day the boys basketball program at Homewood High School brought home its first blue trophy, as Class 6A state champions. But as all coaches do, the next basketball season is already rising to the forefront of coach Tim Shepler’s mind. He said, “Like any coach, you get a little paranoia. You kind of go, ‘Look, can we stay hungry after this?’” Shepler is already dissecting his roster for next season, which will include leading scorer Luke Touliatos and post player Trey Jemison as

See CHAMPS | page A30

Photo by Frank Couch.

INSIDE

Sponsors.........................A4 City...................................A6

Business........................ A12 Community................... A18 Events............................ A19 School House.............. A24

Sports........................... A26 Opinion............................B4 Real Estate....................B21 Calendar........................B22

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830

facebook.com/ thehomewood star

Live/dine project pitched for park By SYDNEY CROMWELL

Spring Home Guide

Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses in our Spring Home Guide to jump-start any project.

See page B6

Pizza may be a future dining option for residents enjoying a sunny day at Patriot Park, but that pizza could come with a side of townhomes. On March 7, the Homewood City Council decided to enter negotiations with the West Homewood Development Group for potential sale and development of the property at 165 Oxmoor Road. The Development Group was the only one to submit a proposal in the most recent city request for proposals for the lot next to Patriot Park, though representatives of The Grove development were also present at the March 7 meeting. The Development Group’s live/dine proposal

YOU’RE THINKING SPRING CLEAN.

The exterior of the proposed Post Office Pies and residential development. Courtesy of West Homewood Development Group.

included a three-story building, anchored by Post Office Pies on the ground floor with four condominiums above, and a possible second building with four to five townhomes. Each building would have a

See PARK | page A9

Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987

871-9338 www.MAIDS.com

We think that AT EVERY CLEAN. Referred for a reason.

The Homewood Star

A2 • April 2016

HOMEWOOD PARKS & RECREATION Homewood Community Center Young Rembrandts

360 Personal Trainer Fitness Bootcamp

Young Rembrandts drawing classes, uses step-by-step curriculum to teach fundamental art skills in a nurturing environment that gives children an academic advantage. Classes for boys and girls 5 to 12 years of age. Contact Chris Roberson at (205) 943-1923 for more information and to register or visit www.youngrembrandts.com to enroll anytime.

North Star Martial Arts

North Star Martial Arts primary focus is to make a life lasting impact on our students, and their families. Classes range from beginners to adults. For detailed class listings and times please visit the park’s website or www.northstarkarate.com. 205-966-4244 masterjoe@northstarkarate.com

Belly Dancing with Aziza

Class Fee: $60 cash only Contact Aziza: 205-879-0701 azizaofbirmingham@att.net www.azizaofbirmingham.com Learn the ancient art of Middle Eastern belly dance with Aziza, over 40 years of experience in performance and instruction. Each session is 5-weeks long on: Monday: Beginners, Tuesday: Intermediates & Thursday: Advanced.

Bootcamp style fitness classes at Homewood Community Center. Classes Meet: Mon/Wed/ Fri 5:30am-6:30am Michael Brooks – michaelbrooks360@gmail.com

Homewood FIT – Women’s Bootcamp

Join this all women’s bootcamp happening right here in Homewood. Monday & Wednesday – 5:45am-6:45am www.homewoodfit.com

Acting Out Academy

Acting Out Academy is a kid’s performing arts classes at the Homewood Community Center Thursday 4:00pm-5:00pm (Encore: After School Program) Thursday 5:00pm-6:00pm (Advanced on-camera) www.actingoutacademy.com 205-440-2699 meg@actingoutacademy.com

Blue Line Combatives

Wednesdays 7:00pm – 8:30pm Blue Line Combatives teaches self-defense and urban survival instruction. Classes and private training are available for all ages. Call or email for additional information: Instructor Jon P. Newland jon.newland442@gmail.com 205-296-1250

YoLIMBER

Vinyasa yoga classes in an energetic environment using upbeat music. All levels welcome. Friday 9:30am-10:30am Contact Marla: 205-223-8564 mac@yolimber.com Royce Head Personal Training Affordable small group training sessions are available to members in the community center weight room. Each 30 min workout is fast, fun, safe, and effective and each person is started with a program to fit their fitness level. $25 Per Session (or) 12 Sessions for $250 Call Royce for more information: (205) 945-1665

Children’s Ballet with Claire Goodhew

Beginning ballet moves taught as a foundation for many types of dance. Students will work on coordination, balance, rhythm and flexibility while developing listening skills and strengthening muscles. Mondays 4:00pm-4:45pm For additional information call Claire: (205) 879-8780

Tango Argentino

Introductory lessons and guided practice. New students are taught basic Tango technique and experienced “milongueros” are encouraged to practice and exchange tips to improve their dancing. Couples and individuals of all ages are welcome. HWCC Fitness Studio 2. 1st & 3rd Wednesday each Month – 7:00pm-8:30pm

Cheerleading & Tumbling Classes

Steel City Cheer classes cover all cheerleading & tumbling necessities: motions, jumps, cheers, stretching, conditioning, and tumbling. All ages & skill levels welcome. Monday & Tuesday 5:30pm-6:30pm Contact DeeDee: PDEveritt@gmail.com • 901-734-0277

Mommy and Me Stroller Bootcamp

Tuesday & Thursday @ 9:00am Location: Homewood Central Park A class for moms of all fitness levels! This 45 minute class focuses on interval training with the use of bands, body weight, and your child’s stroller! www.mommyandmetime.com

HomeFit Fitness Consulting

“With personal training starting at $60 per 45-minute session, HomeFit is one of the area’s fastest growing fitness companies, proudly serving Homewood Community Center with Alabama’s elite mobile personal training team. HomeFit will provide you with the personal attention of an insured, nationally certified Fitness Consultant. Contact HomeFit today to experience why they are the ideal option for your busy schedule. Visit www.homefitconsulting.com to learn more.”

Zumba with Camille

ZUMBA is Latin inspired aerobic dance and every class feels like a party. ZUMBA is for all ages, and both sexes! Tuesday & Thursday: 5:30pm-6:30pm Camille 256-452-2500 camillescruggs@gmail.com

@homewoodparks

Homewood Senior Center Seated Exercise Class – Mon,Wed & Fri (10:30am) 45-60 min. Gentle joint movement as warm-up; stretching & strength portions are led with an emphasis on proper breathing; includes 10 min of standing exercises designed to practice balance/weight shifting. Line Dancing “Smart Moves” – Tue & Fri (9:30am) Beginner to Intermediate movement sequences are taught for each song, a sequence is repeated multiple times but facing a different direction with each repetition. Styles of music vary. Not only exercises the body but also the mind, as participants must recall the sequence and repeat it. DanceFit with Galina – Tues 2:15; Fun and easy movements to music from various genres. Low to moderate intensity exercise focusing on muscle conditioning, balance, range of motion and flexibility. Review and practice of the Tai Chi the last 15mins of class. Adaptive Yoga & Gentle Yoga – Wed (1:15 - Adaptive & 1:45pm - Gentle) Half hour of gentle guided stretching and breathing, using a chair. Appropriate for persons who wish to avoid exercise on the floor. Participants have the option to continue for the 2nd half hour with 15 minutes of standing and 15 minutes on floor mats for guided stretching/breathing. Swing Era Jazz Band: “The Usual Suspects” – April 7th & May 5th; 5:00pm7:20pm: you are invited to come listen – or even get up and dance – during their rehearsals at the Senior Center. The usual suspects is a 10 piece band that includes

7 musicians and 3 vocalists. Tai Chi – Thurs (2:00pm) Very slow movement sequences repeated multiple times. Weight shifting and directional changes are executed through slow transition. Gentle on the joints and safer than dance for persons with equilibrium challenges. Not only exercises the body but also the mind, as participants must recall the sequence and repeat it. Meditation Sampler & Laughter Yoga – One Monday a month April and May. Yoga instructor Kathy Hagood will lead participants in a variety of meditation modalities as an introduction to these different approaches. After 45 minutes of meditation, the session will conclude with 15 minutes of Laughter Yoga. Join us to balance and ease your mind. The perpetuation of this trial activity beyond these dates will depend on the attendance and response.” Kathy Hagood Personal Training – members only. Kathy focuses on orthopedic issues and restorative training to improve fitness for mature adults, including those with equilibrium, flexibility, strength or other chronic health challenges. Sessions are $35/ hour, Contact Kathy at 422-4025 (or) krhagood@yahoo.com Therapeutic Massage – members only. Licensed Massage Therapist Jim Johnson is available by appointment. $45 for 1 hr table massage, $20 for 20 min chair massage. Contact Jim directly to schedule an appointment: 915-1769 or massage. jim@gmail.com

Athletics Homewood Youth Cheerleading

HYC are a dynamic group of girls who are excited to cheer for the Homewood Youth Football League. HYC is a community cheerleading program for girls in grades 1st through 6th who live in Homewood and/or attend Homewood Schools. For more information visit: www.homewoodyouthcheer.com

Homewood Swim Team

Homewood Swim Team is not a learn to swim program but no experience is necessary. Swimmers compete against other swimmers with the same age and times during meets. Children who are ready to compete, ages 5 – 18, will be divided into groups- older (more experienced) and younger (less experienced). We compete through the Jefferson County Swim Council (JCSC) against other teams from our area. Registration will be from mid-April to mid-May. Please check www. homewoodparks.com for the most up to date information.

2016 Summer Adult Softball League

For league information please visit: www.homewoodparks.com

Misc. Information We Love Homewood Day 2016 Saturday, May 7, 2016 Save the date & come celebrate Homewood! For more information about all We Love Homewood Day activities please visit: www. homewoodparks.com

Summer 2016 Pool Information For all your summer pool information: membership, hours of operation, party rentals, swim lessons, etc. Please visit: www. homewoodparks.com

www.Homewoodparks.com

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A3

Breathing should be the last thing on your mind. Celebrating 50 Years

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The Homewood Star

A4 • April 2016

About Us Please Support Our Community Partners

Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell I think I might be one of the few people in Alabama who likes winter. Big coats and scarves are my favorite things to wear, and the rare times we get real snow are the highlight of my year. But even I can’t deny that those first true spring days we have fill me with delight. The feeling of the warm sun on my face is an absolute productivity killer. Why be inside writing when I could be out enjoying these beautiful days? I’ve tried working outside, but it very rarely works. I can tell other people are feeling the same urge because more and more of my interviews are scheduled for park

benches and coffee shop patios. It’s hard to have a bad day in those first weeks of spring. When you’re like me and can’t sit inside any longer, Homewood has plenty to offer you in April. Jazz in the Park, charity walks, the spring plant sale and pickup games of Ultimate disc are all featured inside this issue, ready to scratch your outdoor itch.

BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch The connection between high school players and fans is one of the great joys of covering high school sports. Fans cheer on their classmates on the fields or courts all season long. When teams make it to championship rounds, the fervor intensifies and makes lasting memories for not only players but also the fans they will sit next to in class the next day. That excitement is noticeable here as Tobbie Taylor carries the Class 6A boys basketball championship trophy as the team greets fans after winning the championship Saturday, March 5, at the BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Data: Nikon D810, Lens (mm) 24, ISO: 3200,

Aperture f/3.5, Shutter: 1/250. Got a question or have an idea for another Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@starnespublishing.com.

The Homewood Star

Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Video Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Sports Reporter: Associate Editor: Copy Editor:

Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Kyle Parmley Lucy Ridolphi Louisa Jeffries

Contributing Writers: Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Steve Irvine Rachel Burchfield Jesse Chambers Grace Thornton

Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes

Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett

For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Contact Information: Homewood Star PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnespublishing.com

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

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

30 A Realty (A25) Adventure Travel (A20) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (A3) Alabama Outdoors (A28) Alabama Power (B21) Alabama Vein Center (A29) Alys Stephens Center, Art Play (A22) Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center (A21) ARC Realty (B3) Batts’ Chimney Services (A8) Birmingham Botanical Gardens (B24) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (B4) Black Pearl (A22) Blank Canvas Academy of Fine Arts (A27) Brandino Brass (B16) California Closets (B4) Central Alabama Cadillac Dealers (A15) Christopher Glenn (B16) Clark Holmes (A10) Classic Gardens (B17) Commute Smart (A20) Construx (B19) Dish’n It Out (A14) Doorstep Delivery (A12) DSLD Land Management (B9) ERA King Real Estate Homewood (A12) EW Fit (A23) EZ Roof & EZ Restoration (B12) FBC Mortgage/Nicole Brannon ARC Realty (A26, B11) Highlands United Methodist Church (B22) Home Instead Senior Care (A9) Homewood Antiques and Marketplace (B14) Homewood Arts Council (A10) Homewood Carpet & Flooring (B20) Homewood Family and Cosmetic Dentistry (B23) Homewood Parks and Rec (A2) Homewood Toy & Hobby (B22) Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (A3) Hutchinson Automotive (A23) Issis & Sons (A5) Iz Cafe (A11) JJ Eyes (A13) Johnny Montgomery Realtor (A18) Junior League of Birmingham (A18) Kasey Davis Dentistry (B3) Kete Cannon, RE MAX Southern Homes (A8) Keystone Consulting & Design LLc (B17) LAH Real Estate (A7) LIST Birmingham (A16, A17) McWane Science Center (A24) Moran’s Rocky Ridge Hardware (B10) Mountain Brook Art Association (A31) Mr. Chen’s (A6) Nix Design Build (B13) One Man and a Toolbox (B6) Over the Mountain Glass (A27) Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (B5) Phoenix Builders (B8) Planet Fitness (B2) PlumCore (B20) RealtySouth Marketing (A32) Relax the Back (A7) Red Pearl Restaurant (A28) Safe & Healthy Homewood Coalition (A14) Salem’s Diner (A27) Savage’s Bakery (A24) Shiki Thia and Sushi (A19) St. Vincent’s Health Systems (A5) Sweet Peas Garden Shop (B17) Taco Mama (A31) The Maids (A1, B5) The Wade Team (B7) The Whole Dog Market (B23) Tom Williams BMW (B2) UAB Honors College (B1) Valley Cleaners (A11) Water Drainage Solutions (A13) Willow Homes (B15) Wilson Building Company (B18) Zippy Shell Birmingham (B18)

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April 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ A5

The Homewood Star

A6 • April 2016

City

Green Springs shopping center to build monument sign By SYDNEY CROMWELL The city council discussed a sign variance for the businesses at 800, 804 and 808 Green Springs Highway on Feb. 22, but ultimately dropped the issue after they determined a variance was not needed. Chris Hoyt of Dunn Real Estate and David Brandt of Fravert Signs brought the issue before the council. The sign, a monument sign bearing the names of up to eight tenants and surrounded by landscaping, would advertise Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Mr. Chen’s Hometown Market, Urban Air trampoline park and other tenants. Hoyt said that Urban Air is expected to open this summer, Firehouse Subs will be relocating soon from its current location in the Publix shopping center across the street, and Dunn is in negotiations with tenants for the remaining 16,000 square feet of retail space. Ward 5 Representative Peter Wright asked Hoyt about original discussions of the shopping center including “high end” tenants. Hoyt did not give details about potential tenants at the meeting, saying that the topic would need a longer conversation. The variance request was originally brought before the council because the monument sign would be in addition to the current monument sign for the Jimmie Hale Mission’s thrift store, Mission Possible. However, Hoyt said that the terms of the company’s lease means that Dunn can choose to tear down the existing sign and build its planned one instead, negating the need

A proposed monument sign for the tenants at 800, 804 and 808 Green Springs Highway. Courtesy of Dunn Real Estate.

for a variance. With that in mind, the council dropped the variance request. Prior to the council meeting, Mayor Scott McBrayer read a proclamation recognizing Feb. 26-28 as Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, with three Girl Scouts on hand to receive the proclamation. On Feb. 22, the council also:

► Approved two single-sided, directional signs for the Southern Progress campus at 4100 Old Montgomery Highway. ► Approved ServisFirst Bank to work in the city right-of-way as part of their headquarters construction. ► Approved a three-way stop at Oak Grove Road and Raleigh Avenue.

► Approved a street light on St. Charles Street between Stuart Street and Highland Road. ► Approved Windstream to provide fiber optic services to Samford University. ► Authorized the mayor to sign a personnel contract for mapping and E-911 Computer Aided Dispatch services. ► Authorized the mayor to enter an agreement with Adamsville Solid Waste Authority. ► Carried over a public hearing for a front yard fence variance at 1732 Wellington Road because the owner was not ready yet. One neighbor spoke against the variance request, citing safety concerns due to on-street parking on narrow roads, as well as aesthetics. In committee meetings prior to the council meeting, the council members also: ► Dropped discussion of changes to the noise ordinance after study from members of the police department, who agreed that the current ordinance should meet the city’s needs when properly enforced. ► Asked the traffic department to restripe lanes and add sharp curve advisory signs to a blind curve on Saulter Road near Broadway Street. The public safety committee carried over the issue to look at the possibility of adding streetlights and a guardrail. ► Decided to fund new landscaping and irrigation to replace what was removed when new sidewalks were added at Patriot Park. Ward 3 Representative Walter Jones said the project is expected to cost around $5,000.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A7

Mayor’s Minute By Scott McBrayer Dear friends and neighbors, With spring well on its way, I wanted to take a moment to remind us of a few things I believe will help with the overall appearance of our great city. Each year it seems our code enforcement has to visit more and more residences to get residents to cut their yards and clean up. We will also be monitoring the back of businesses for trash, debris and garbage. If you own or operate a business in Homewood, please take a few minutes to walk behind your property and check to see what needs to be cleaned and maintained. If you have any containers that hold or have the potential to hold water, please remove them or turn them over to discourage mosquitoes from being attracted to the area. Homewood is such a beautiful city and so much more enjoyable when we all do simple things to better our community and neighborhoods. We have also had some complaints of garbage cans and recycling containers remaining in front of homes after they have been emptied. Please respect your neighbors and our neighborhoods and place them out of sight once they have been emptied. Our Police Department has recently hired five new officers for our city. We were blessed to receive the names of individuals from the personnel board that we believed would greatly benefit our city after interviewing them. I am encouraged by those who have been brought

on board and know they will receive excellent training from our staff and officers. A special thanks, also, for the Homewood Fire Department. The quick response times from our men and women serving are making a difference and saving lives and property. Both our Fire Department and our Police Department are so professional and courteous, and we are blessed to have them working in Homewood to protect our homes and businesses. And finally, I wanted to thank all of you who supported the Annual Chili Cook-Off again this year supporting the Exceptional Foundation. It was the largest crowd ever with the size estimated at 15,000 people. A special note of thanks goes to Brookwood Village for allowing us to use their space. We received incredible support from generous neighbors and businesses supporting one of our most treasured resources in Homewood. When you combine that with all of you also supporting our girls and boys high school basketball teams the same weekend as they represented Homewood in the state championship … well, it was just a classy weekend for Homewood. For these reasons and so many more, Homewood is home. And I appreciate all the things each of you do on a daily basis that tremendously adds to the blessings of our city. With kindest regards I remain,

Council to consider 8-year pavement plan By SYDNEY CROMWELL Volkert Engineering presented a pavement management plan to the Homewood City Council in a March 7 work session. The plan is an attempt to balance the need to fix bad roads in the city with maintaining the good roads before they become bad, too. “It’s easy to see a road that anybody can tell needs work, but you need somebody who can go out and do analysis of all your roads,” Mayor Scott McBrayer said. Kirk Mills and two other Volkert representatives presented their overall eight-year plan, which was created after assessing pavement throughout the city and Homewood’s budget for paving projects. The plan includes a variety of solutions, from repaving to crack seals and seal coats, to improve and preserve roads depending on their condition. Mills said Volkert has prioritized the city roads based on current condition, daily traffic and any planned ALDOT or utility projects that would disrupt the road. It seems counterintuitive at first, but Mills said that preserving high-traffic roads already in good condition should be the first priority, since it is about six times cheaper to preserve a good road than to repair it once it is damaged. “Our simple recommendation would be to preserve the priority roads in the plan,” Mills said. Volkert came up with a $4 million plan that, over eight years, would keep Homewood’s current pavement condition rating of 76 out of 100. The plan, Mills said, includes about 60 percent good road preservation and 40 percent repairs to high-complaint roads each year. “I think it’s important that this pavement management plan obviously address repairs but also address preventative [measures],” McBrayer said. Some roads mentioned as first priority include College Avenue, State Farm Parkway and roads near the city schools. Valley Avenue has one of the worst ratings in the city but is already slated for an ALDOT improvement project, which McBrayer said will be let for bids in July and begin construction in August or September. Based on Volkert’s study, the $4 million plan would fix about 10 miles of road in the city, with most money being spent in Wards 1 and 2 and the least being spent in Ward 3. If the city wants to improve its score over eight

AROUND THE CLOCK SOLUTIONS FOR BACK PAIN

A proposed eight-year plan would improve the green, yellow and orange highlighted roads in the city. The colors indicate their condition at the end of the eight years, with green being the best quality and orange being “marginal” quality. Courtesy of Volkert Engineering.

years, Volkert has more comprehensive pavement plan options up to $20 million. They also provided each council member and the mayor with a booklet outlining elements of the plan and the full listing or city roads by priority. “The $4 million is, in our opinion, a minimum that we recommend,” Mills said. The council is taking time to study the pavement management plan and will decide at a future work session how they want to proceed. There is about $200,000 left in the 2015-16 fiscal year budget for pavement projects, and the incorporation of this plan will factor into upcoming budget discussions in the summer and fall. A potential new ordinance concerning the quality of road patches after utility work will also factor into the pavement plan. The council is looking at Birmingham and Mountain Brook’s decisions about patching to improve their own, as utility patches have caused problems on roads recently. McBrayer has supported this pavement management plan because of the difficulty of anticipating road needs without experts. He said that spending money to protect good roads in the beginning will make the city’s dollars go a lot further, though it’s too early to say how much the council will ultimately decide to spend on the project. “I think it’s exciting for us, really, and it looks like there’s a lot of different options in repairing roadways,” McBrayer said. “We just need to fund it.”

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The Homewood Star

A8 • April 2016

Special issues committee discusses Barber odor, Airbnb rentals By SYDNEY CROMWELL Frustrations seemed to be mounting at the March 7 special issues committee meeting, where residents said the latest odor control efforts by Barber Dairy don’t seem to have had the desired effect. A representative from Vanguard Environmental said that Barber had “scurried” to install new equipment by Feb. 29 to combat the odor that sometimes comes from its property. Testing and optimization continued over the next two weeks, with work on the plant’s roof is on hold until the optimization is complete. “We think it’s working well. We’re pretty satisfied. There’s still some adjustments to be made but I think we’ve certainly minimized the problem and confined the odor to our property,” the representative said. However, some West Homewood residents said that the odor on Saturday, March 5 was probably the worst they have smelled so far. The smell has become intermittent rather than constant, but residents are attempting to track the days and locations that they notice the odor. Resident Erik Henninger presented his results so far to the committee members and Barber representatives, noting that they are not comprehensive. “Saturday was the worst of the worst,” Henninger said. One resident said the smell has been noticed for about two years but has gotten much worse recently. “That’s why I would really like to know what changed that this became an issue?” she said. Another Barber representative present said that they were not sure what had caused the change, and were surprised that it had gotten worse recently. Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames said that

A representative of Vanguard Environmental speaks to the special issues committee about odor control equipment at the Barber Dairy. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

residents have been “beyond patient” in waiting for solutions. He and other representatives were concerned about the next steps the plant could take, since the new equipment was expected to have a significant impact on the odor. “The problem is not eliminated. It persists and we don’t even know the nature of the problem,” Ward 5 Representative Peter Wright said. The Barber and Vanguard representatives said they are taking the odor problem very seriously and would have more testing information available soon. Ward 2 Representative Fred Hawkins

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asked that they bring that information to the next special issues committee meeting on March 21, which is after The Homewood Star’s press date. He also asked Henninger to continue tracking when the odor is present in the neighborhood. At the same meeting, the committee also discussed short-term rentals of Homewood residences through services like Airbnb.com and VRBO.com. Ward 4 Representative Barry Smith said several Homewood residences are listed on those sites and can be rented overnight or for a matter of days by short-term travelers. Smith and

Ward 3 Representative Patrick McClusky said many neighbors of those properties were worried about the number of strangers living and parking on their streets. The committee decided to prohibit short-term rentals, while leaving long-term house rentals alone. They are going to decide how to define a “short-term renter” — likely three months or less — to add to prohibited uses. The committee also asked city attorney Mike Kendrick to draft a notice to residents whose homes are listed on those sites, asking them to discontinue shortterm rentals. The same evening, the public works committee: ►Discussed road improvements and potential sidewalks to improve pedestrian access on Mayfair Drive with resident Ashley Kappel, who said current road conditions are poor. The city had previously considered installing a sidewalk along the road, but met with resident opposition to allowing city easements. The committee asked Kappel to talk to neighbors and bring their signatures or other proof that they would be willing to work with the city to create sidewalks, which would not narrow the existing road. The public safety committee: ►Carried over discussion of traffic on Saulter Road. The finance committee: ►Carried over discussion of signage in downtown Homewood, as Thames has asked the designer to create more options for the committee to consider. ►Carried over discussion of an audit of the 2014-2015 fiscal year because Committee Chairman Walter Jones was not present. Visit thehomewoodstar.com for the most recent council and committee meeting updates.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A9 The ServisFirst Bank headquarters will open on Woodcrest Place in late 2017 or early 2018. Rendering courtesy of ServisFirst Bank.

ServisFirst begins work on Homewood headquarters By SYDNEY CROMWELL Initial ground clearing work has begun at the future headquarters of ServisFirst Bank, located on Woodcrest Place near the intersection of U.S. 280 and Highway 31. Executive Vice President Paul Schabacker said the 100,000-square-foot building is expected to open in late 2017 or early 2018. Jim Wyatt, the head of Homewood’s engineering, planning and zoning department, said ServisFirst has not yet submitted a full set of plans in order to receive a building permit. Schabacker said the design phase is about 50 percent complete. Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio is developing the plans for the building, which a recent press release said will be four stories tall. ServisFirst initially proposed relocating its headquarters to Homewood in April 2015.

A formal construction timeline has not been completed, but Schabacker said he expects to see vertical construction begin in late spring or early summer. B.L. Harbert International is the general contractor. The site will include a parking deck with about 300 parking spaces, with opportunities to add more levels to the deck in the future. About 190 employees will move into the new ServisFirst headquarters when it is complete, and over 10 to 15 years that number could increase to over 400 employees. Woodcrest Place will be restriped to add a turn lane for people entering and exiting the ServisFirst property, but Schabacker said there should not be other impacts to the road during or after construction. Founded in 2005, ServisFirst Bank has offices throughout the Southeast.

PARK

CONTINUED from page A1 3,500-square-foot ground floor footprint. Estimated construction costs are projected at $2.3 million over the two phases of the development, and the Development Group is estimating $40,000 per year in sales tax revenue, according to the submitted proposal. Hunter Lake, the managing partner of the Development Group, said that negotiations are already underway and he hopes that a decision can be reached within the six-month time frame outlined in his proposal or sooner. However, he and city council members have said that entering negotiations does not mean the live/dine concept is a certain deal. There are many aspects to work through with the West Homewood Development Group proposal, including zoning ordinances, value both for Homewood and the developers and whether the concept can succeed in the location. “We would love to be there,” Lake said. “It’s just all about making both ends work here.” One of the principal issues at stake is the cost of the lot, which the city purchased at $135,000. The West Homewood Development Group offered $35,000 for the lot, the previous Grove proposal offered $50,000 and the food truck park offered $100,000. While potential sales tax and other revenue could recoup the city’s loss over time, Mayor Scott McBrayer pointed out that selling below value could lead to lower future offers by developers for other West Homewood commercial properties. At the March 7 meeting, some residents noted their concern over the three-story height of the phase 1 building, which would house Post Office Pies and four two-story condos, and whether there is enough space on the property to support a second building for townhomes. Proposed parking includes on-street, angled spaces on Oxmoor and Oak Grove Road, as well as spots inside the property for condo residents and garages for the townhomes. Lake said that these were all factors in the negotiation. The overall design could change, including the height or the amount of housing, based on what fits in West Homewood’s zoning ordinances and agreements between the city and the developers. “There’s just a lot to be determined,” Lake said. However, he felt that the end result, if the city decides to sell the lot to him and the Development Group, would serve its purpose as a catalyst of growth in West Homewood commercial

Phase one of the project as currently proposed would be a three-story building with Post Office Pies on the first floor and four two-story condos above. Photo courtesy of West Homewood Development Group.

and residential values. Post Office Pies being a family-friendly, already successful brand plays a big role in that, Lake said. “I think for the area and what the city’s plan is over the next five years, I think it fits perfectly with what West Homewood wants to be and what the city wants it to be,” Lake said. Residents Erik Henninger and Andy Conaway said at the meeting that they had taken Facebook polls and found the majority of polled residents supported the live/dine concept. Since that meeting, other Facebook polls on the West Homewood Neighborhood Association and All About Oak Grove pages have been more mixed, with strong support of stopping the negotiations altogether or changing to a standalone restaurant on the property instead. On the other hand, Ward 2 Representative Fred Hawkins noted that new residential spaces next to a public park would likely be in demand and sell at high prices, which could have a positive effect on property values. A steady stream of tenants in the housing could also make the development as a whole more financially stable. “It’s going to sell. Everything over there sells,” Hawkins said. Ward 5 Representative Peter Wright said that the Post Office Pies and housing proposal had a “clear, successful brand” and residential elements that could offset the commercial risk and potentially draw new developers. “Just as there is risk for that proposal, on the other side there’s a truckload of opportunity,” Wright said. City attorney Kendrick said that more information will be released as negotiations move forward in the coming weeks. The Homewood Star will continue to report on this story. Visit thehomewoodstar.com for updates.

The Homewood Star

A10 • April 2016

Bike-share feasibility study almost complete By SYDNEY CROMWELL The last public involvement meeting for a proposed bike-share program in Homewood was held in March, which means the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham will soon complete its feasibility study and present it to the Homewood City Council. The feasibility study looks at economics, geography, operating costs, likely usage, city transportation issues and overall “bike culture” to make a recommendation to the council as to whether a bike-share would be successful in Homewood. The study also incorporates public feedback from the two public involvement meetings and the bike-share website, homewoodbikeshare.com, which allowed residents to mark their preferred spots for a bike docking station. If implemented, Homewood would have the same bike-share system that Birmingham recently introduced. Lindsey West, who is the director of Zyp BikeShare as part of REV Birmingham, said that the city’s program is already outperforming its projected use. West said there have been 15,000 rides so far downtown and there are over 400 people who have purchased annual memberships. West said the Zyp program is a “scalable system” that could be made smaller to fit Homewood’s needs. The feasibility study being performed by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham will give a more definite picture of bike-sharing in Homewood, but West said 10 docking stations and 100 bikes would be a realistic possible starting point. From there, the city could add or relocate stations based on use. The cost of the program implementation will vary based on the number of stations and bikes and the size of docking stations, but West estimated that the initial capital investment and

Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames points out the future site of the extended Greenway during a public involvement meeting at Cahaba Cycles. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

installation would cost about $50,000 per docking station. A presentation at the first meeting estimated annual operating costs at $12,00028,000 per station, again depending on size. West said the city should develop a plan with five years of operation to allow time for the program to pick up traction. One problem residents have brought up at the meetings is the lack of bike lanes and other infrastructure. Faris Malki, who owns Cahaba Cycles and attended the involvement meeting there, said he supports a plan for alternative transportation, but that Homewood needs to “get serious about building bike lanes for normal people … not just enthusiasts.”

Shawn Fitzwater, who leads the Sunday “Slow Your Roll” cycling group, agreed and added that he would be concerned about riders being on major roadways. Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames said the Greenway extension project that is in progress will provide one biking option, and the city is looking at adding bike lanes on Valley Avenue as part of a resurfacing project. Council members are also currently reviewing a pavement management proposal from Volkert Engineering, and Thames said that bike lanes could be part of the city’s future road improvement projects. “As we do that, we are going to look at bike lanes,” Thames said.

West also noted that making cycling more visible through the bike-share installation could create more public and governmental interest in bike lanes and paths. “If you wait for bike lanes, you never get bikeshare,” West said. “It is not uncommon for bike lanes and infrastructure to come after you create the demand.” Fitzwater said he thinks bike-share would be mostly recreational in Homewood, and would be beneficial as a link between parks, as well as Samford University. In a survey on The Homewood Star’s website, residents said their main concern for the possible bike-share program is whether the costs will be worth the payoff in use throughout the city. Some commented that the money would be better spent on other projects, such as improvements to downtown Homewood or sidewalk creation. West and Thames said they expect the feasibility study to be completed by April or May. From there, the next step will be creating an implementation plan, which West said only takes one or two months. However, Thames said that this would not happen until the 2016-17 budget year begins in October, as the bike-share is a major project and requires significant funding. “This is not the type of project that you pull out of the budget mid-year,” Thames said. He added that waiting for the new budget also gives the city extra time to observe Birmingham’s program and refine its approach. “It definitely needs time to be rolled out properly,” Fitzwater said. “It’s a great city to ride in.” Malki said if the bike-share is implemented, he believes the majority of Homewood will need to support bike-share in order for it to work. “Everybody has got to share this vision … [and] get behind it if we want to do it,” Malki said.

JOIN US FOR A FREE JAZZ CONCERT IN CENTRAL PARK ON APRIL 10TH AT 3PM

FEATURING

THE HOMEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL 8TH GRADE JAZZ BAND

Visit and “like” the Homewood Arts Council on facebook for more event details.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A11

Chamber Bacteria front and center at Homewood chamber luncheon By JON ANDERSON It’s not every day you get shown pictures of E. coli bacteria while you’re eating lunch. But that’s exactly what happened at the March Homewood Chamber of Commerce luncheon as members munched on their orange rolls at The Club. Dr. Weily Soong, managing partner for the Alabama Allergy and Asthma Center, was the speaker and was making the point that humans are covered up with bacteria, fungi and viruses — in our mouths, tonsils, lungs, nose, skin, saliva, gut and feces. About 90 percent of the genes in the human body are not even human, Soong said. And, of course, we don’t keep all those bacteria to ourselves. There is truly a microbial cloud that follows us around, just like the Pigpen character from the Peanuts cartoon, he said. “We’re all Pigpens, spewing and sharing microbes,” Soong said. Despite the concentration of foreign matter in our bodies, humans made great strides in fighting viruses, bacteria and infectious diseases from the 1950s to the 2000s, he said. With the help of vaccines, we have decimated measles, mumps, hepatitis A and tuberculosis, he said. But the increased use of antibiotics and more health-conscious habits such as using hand sanitizer in Western countries and affluent and urban areas also has led to an increase in allergies, asthma and autoimmune diseases, Soong said. The number of people diagnosed with food allergies has doubled in just the past 10 to 15

Dr Weily Soong, managing partner of the Alabama Allergy and Asthma Center, speaks at the Homewood Chamber of Commerce March luncheon at The Club on March 15. Photo by Jon Anderson.

years, he said. So now, instead of trying to use antibiotics to kill all bacteria, doctors more often are trying to pinpoint exactly what bacteria is causing problems in a given person’s body, Soong said. The goal is to look at people’s lifestyle and environment and pick antibiotics that work for them, based on their diet, exercise, medications and where they live and the amount of air pollution there, he said. It’s more “personalized medicine” and focusing on wellness instead of just

medication, he said. One woman in the audience asked Soong what people can do to avoid becoming one of his patients. Soong said exercise and maintaining a healthy diet are good strategies. “Sitting is worse than smoking,” he said. Plus, he recommends being more selective about the use of antibiotics instead of running to get an antibiotic every time you get a sinus infection. Most sinus infections will go away within a week if people will be a little patient, he said.

Preview of

APRIL

Luncheon The Homewood Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Excellence in Education luncheon April 19. The luncheon will feature a panel of student athletes and coaches to talk about Homewood City Schools’ athletics programs and ways the schools support their student athletes. One student from each Homewood school will also receive the annual Excellence in Education award, which honors outstanding academic performance. The high school winner also receives a $1,000 college scholarship. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m. with the lunch program starting at noon. Homewood chamber luncheons are held at The Club. To learn more and register for the luncheon, visit homewoodchamber.chambermaster.com or call 8715631.

The Homewood Star

A12 â&#x20AC;˘ April 2016

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Now Open and Rosemary, a new restau1 Real rant, is now open at 1922 29th Avenue South. The eatery serves soups, salads and sandwiches with fresh vegetables and lean proteins. It also features wine, local beer and cocktails that pair with the food. 820-7100, realandrosemary.com Holler & Dash, a new restaurant concept from the parent company of Cracker Barrel, has opened its first-ever location at 2801 18th Street South. holleranddash.com

Coming Soon Cry One Therapy will open soon at 1651 Independence Court, Suite 121. 907-6000, trionecryo.com

News and Accomplishments

April 2016 • A13 Urban Cookhouse, 2846 18th Street South, is now open on Sundays. In addition to the new hours, they will be donating proceeds to a different local church each Sunday. Check their Facebook page, facebook. com/urbancookhousehomewood, for more information on which church they are supporting each week. 879-0883, urbancookhouse.com

Hirings and Promotions The Happy Catering Company, 225 Oxmoor Circle, Suite 802, has hired Megan Champion as happiness consultant and marketing specialist. She has more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality and catering business, and she will work with nonprofit, educational, and corporate clients. 251-8925, happycatering.net

Anniversaries

Oakworth Capital Bank, 2100A Southbridge Parkway, Suite 445, earned the top ranking among all Alabama banks with the recently released Texas Ratio scores for banks. The Texas ratio measures a bank's overall health and is determined by dividing the bank's nonperforming assets by its tangible common equity and loan loss reserves. 263-4700, oakworthcapital.com

Gauntlet Fitness, 2610 19th Street South, celebrated its 3rd anniversary in March. 414-6689, gauntletfit.com

Automation Personnel Services, 362 Palisades Boulevard, received a 2016 Best of Staffing Client Satisfaction Award – an award nearly 17,000 staffing companies across the United States and Canada compete for, but fewer than two percent achieve. The award was given by Inavero – a global client and talent satisfaction survey company. 868-9448, apstemps.com

Regency Retirement Village, 285 West Oxmoor Road, celebrated its 10th anniversary in March. 942-3355, regencybirmingham.com

Valley Cleaners, 1625 Oxmoor Road, is celebrating its 53rd anniversary this

month. 879-1369 10

Closings 11

Neighborhood Hops & Vine, 1712 28th Avenue South, has closed.

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The Homewood Star

A14 • April 2016

Bringing back biscuits By SYDNEY CROMWELL The biscuit isn’t just for jelly, sausage or gravy anymore. The newly opened Holler & Dash Biscuit House is all about new twists on a classic Southern breakfast. Holler & Dash opened March 14 at 2801 18th St. S., next to SoHo Retro. The bright yellow doors open on a breakfast and lunch restaurant designed around a modern vision of Southern comfort, including wood accents and a large mural of a goat with a wedge of cheese on its horns. The building, which Chief Operating Officer Mike Chissler said was built in 1905, retains its original brick and the concrete floors that were already in place. Chissler said words like “fun” and “whimsical” were part of the inspiration for the restaurant, which is a new chain operated by Cracker Barrel. The bars, booths and communal seating offer different ways to dine, and there is also a to-go kiosk near the entrance. Hanging over the bar is a wooden sign: “It’s Good to See You.” But behind the front counter, Chissler said the open kitchen is the star of the show. “The kitchen is the heart of it all,” Chissler said. “We make good food and we want to show it off.” Highlights of the kitchen include biscuit sandwiches, hot and cold-brewed coffees, unique craft sodas and the absence of a walk-in freezer. Chissler said all ingredients are delivered and prepared fresh. Holler & Dash is what Chissler described as a “biscuit-inspired,” “chef-driven” fast casual restaurant, open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The director of culinary at Holler & Dash is Brandon Frohne, who has spent most of his cooking career in Nashville. He said he designed the menu to be familiar to a Southern audience, but with unexpected flavor combinations.

“There’s a lot you can do with a biscuit,” Frohne said. In the kitchen, Frohne said he is all about authenticity and quality foods. Holler & Dash is working with regional providers for their ingredients, including Hampton Mills for grains, Nashville Jam Company and Springer Mountain Farms, which provides chickens fed on a vegetarian diet and free of antibiotics, hormones or steroids. “We want to be able to put the best ingredients on the plate,” Frohne said. This is the first location for Holler & Dash’s concept, though Chissler said a Tuscaloosa location is in the works and they hope to grow more in the future. Chissler said Homewood was chosen as the inaugural site because of its community feel and growing food culture. The location in the heart of downtown, Chissler said, is part of the company’s goal to be a good

corporate neighbor. “We really wanted to be part of the small community,” Chissler said. “I want to define us as a great community partner.” “There’s already a lot of great things in the neighborhood, but we’ll be filling a niche with breakfast,” Frohne said. As part of being a good neighbor, Chissler said Holler & Dash has put their plans for a chicken mural on an external wall on hold. The mural received strong community reaction when it was initially brought up in city council meetings. Chissler said the idea fits into the overall theme of Holler & Dash, but they want to wait for the community to get to know its new restaurant before reintroducing the idea. “We’re trying to be a little whimsical,” Chissler said. Since the restaurant closes after lunch, Chissler said it’s possible to use the space for

Above: Holler & Dash is located at 2801 18th St. S. in downtown Homewood. Left: Mike Chissler and Brandon Frohne inside the new restaurant Holler & Dash prior to its opening. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.

some community events in the afternoons. Employees are also encouraged to have “passion projects” that Holler & Dash can support. One of Frohne’s projects is working with the Jones Valley Teaching Farm downtown, as he wants to encourage a younger generation of chefs and healthy eaters. When asked how they want to define themselves as a new restaurant, Chissler and Frohne both agreed that community involvement is the “biggest thing.” However, Frohne added that he wants the biscuit house to be known as a “really delicious, fun spot” for Homewood to eat. For more information, find Holler & Dash on Facebook.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A15

Scarves of support ‘Sweet Hope Alabama’ aims to bring nonprofit to Birmingham By SYDNEY CROMWELL A box arrived at Lara MacGregor’s Edgewood home in 2007, shortly after her diagnosis with breast cancer. Inside was a set of scarves and a note from a friend of a friend who had battled a similar diagnosis: “You can do this.” “I wore Kelly’s scarves throughout my treatment and was really inspired,” MacGregor said. For 30-year-old MacGregor, who was pregnant with her second child when diagnosed, the gift wasn’t just about the words of encouragement from a breast cancer survivor. As her hair fell out through a yearlong treatment — including radiation, a double mastectomy and reconstruction — a box of head scarves was a very practical gift, too. “It was just so perfectly timed,” MacGregor said. “Your whole appearance changes and you feel self-conscious, you also just feel really rotten… for me, putting on this bright, colorful scarf was one way I could feel hopeful and feel beautiful.” After MacGregor’s treatment, she offered to return the scarves, but Kelly asked her to pass them on instead. First she met a woman in Pittsburgh and shared the story and a scarf. When the MacGregors left Homewood to move to Kentucky in 2009, she connected with another breast cancer patient and shared the gift of a scarf

Former Homewood resident Lara MacGregor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 while pregnant with her second child. She started Hope Scarves in 2012 to share head covering scarves with other cancer patients. Photo courtesy of Lara MacGregor.

again. Both women felt the same encouragement MacGregor had when she started treatment. This prompted MacGregor to start Hope Scarves in 2012, a nonprofit that provides head covers at no cost to women who are in any type of cancer treatment. So far, Hope Scarves has sent 3,000 scarves to recipients in all 50 states and 12 countries, including over 90 sent to people in Alabama. Each scarf carries with it tying instructions and the story of a fellow cancer survivor, many of whom received a scarf of their own at one time. “It carries almost like this extra power… from the women who wore them before,” MacGregor said. Patients can request a scarf for themselves, or family and friends can donate one. MacGregor said corporate organizations sometimes sponsor a number of Hope Scarves to send to patients. When they’ve completed treatment, cancer survivors can choose to send their story and scarf

Hope Scarves founder Lara McGregor sets up a fundraising table March 14 at fab’rik. Photo by Erica Techo.

back to be given to someone else. In the initial days after a diagnosis, MacGregor said cancer patients’ heads are spinning with so many new details to remember. She wants to make sure that getting a scarf isn’t something new patients have to worry about. Hope Scarves has started programs in Kentucky, Michigan and Texas working with hospitals to offer scarves in oncology offices. “So patients can receive a scarf right when they start treatment,” MacGregor said. For the fifth hospital program, MacGregor is returning to her former home city. Through Alabama Oncology, which has offices throughout the area, and other local clinics, MacGregor wants to bring Hope Scarves to Birmingham’s cancer patients. Since MacGregor’s own cancer struggle started in Homewood, she said it feels like she has “come full circle” by starting the program there. Without family in the area, MacGregor had to rely on the friends she made in her neighborhood, her track club, All Saints Episcopal Church and her job at McWane Science Center as she navigated the double ordeal of cancer

and a pregnancy. “We had a lot of fun in Homewood,” MacGregor said. “We never felt alone.” Remodeling their Edgewood home also gave MacGregor a goal to focus on besides her treatments. “It was really a great outlet for me while I was going through treatment,” MacGregor said. “I really feel like that house got me through a lot of my treatment.” After several years in remission, MacGregor was diagnosed in 2014 with metastatic, stage 4 breast cancer, which is ultimately terminal. Through Hope Scarves, she hopes to keep sharing the impact of that initial box of scarves to other cancer patients around the world. The campaign to bring Hope Scarves to Alabama, called Sweet Hope Alabama, kicked off March 14 with a sales event at fab’rik on 29th Avenue South. MacGregor returned to Homewood for the event, where a portion of proceeds benefits the placement of scarves in local oncology offices. To learn more, donate to Sweet Hope Alabama or share your story, visit hopescarves.org.

R O A D R E A DY, T R A C K C A PA B L E T H E ATS -V

V I S I T Y O U R L O C A L C A D I L L A C D E A L E R TO D AY

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The Homewood Star

A16 • April 2016

Tie-dyed

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A17

West Homewood resident Jamie Burchfield holds one of her tie-dyed shirts that she sells through Not Dead Yet Dyes. Photos by Sydney Cromwell.

HEALING J By SYDNEY CROMWELL

amie Burchfield starts with a folded-up white T-shirt, dress or scarf. A few bottles of dye and 24 hours later, she unfolds a colorful artwork of swirls, hearts, stripes or flowers. As she tie-dyes in her West Homewood home, Burchfield stops thinking about the other things going on in her life. “It’s very relaxing,” Burchfield said. “It’s just a focus on the piece that I’m working on.” It was her September 2014 diagnosis with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that made a 35-year-old Burchfield decide to pick back up the hobby she had enjoyed in her youth. At that late stage, the cancer had spread beyond her breasts. Medical care can treat the cancer, sometimes for years, but Burchfield will never be cancer-free. “It’s not curable. It’s terminal, and it’s kind of been a whirlwind,” Burchfield said. First she started meeting with an old friend to learn from him and use his dyes. Being on long-term disability, however, gave her lots of free time, and Burchfield decided to buy her own tools so she could tie-dye whenever she felt up to it. When Burchfield began posting pictures of

her tie-dye creations on Facebook, she got an immediate response. “Everybody’s been really supportive of it,” Burchfield said. “I have a great community of women on Facebook for breast cancer groups, and I’m also in a couple Grateful Dead Facebook groups, which everyone loves tie-dye.” That support included friends of her daughter Kaya, a senior at Homewood High School. Burchfield said she enjoys that tie-dye is “coming back” with younger generations. So, a few months ago Burchfield decided to make her tie-dye creations into an online business. She doesn’t want to turn it into a new job, just a way to share her hobby with people who will enjoy it. Her business has an eye-catching name: Not Dead Yet Dyes. Burchfield admits she has a morbid sense of humor, but the name also came from her love of the Grateful Dead. It gives her a daily reminder as she battles breast cancer, as well. “Having a terminal diagnosis, you either sit around and feel sorry for yourself, or you can remind yourself that you’re not dead yet,” Burchfield said. “I knew that [the name] would grab people’s attention, and the more we talk about breast cancer, and the more that people are aware, the more that people like me don’t have to feel like

Tie-dye patterns Jamie Burchfield has created.

stage 4 is completely — not overlooked, but I feel like the stage 4 community of women kind of feels that way.” She mainly sells shirts, tank tops and baby clothes tie-dyed in different patterns. Burchfield also dyes scarves and wants to create dyed dresses and yoga pants. A surprisingly large part of the job, she said, is finding places that sell wholesale white clothing. Sometimes she finds materials online, and sometimes she makes a trip to the nearby Salvation Army thrift store.

“The next day when you rinse it and open it, it’s really exciting because you have no idea. It could be great or it could be really bad,” Burchfield said. Tie-dye is a lot of trial and error, and Burchfield said she does mess up the patterns sometimes. Recently, she tried to create a heart and the final pattern was shaped more like an apple. So, Burchfield keeps the mess-ups and starts again with a new shirt. The whole process of Not Dead Yet Dyes, from fresh white shirt to a sold tie-dyed creation, has helped Burchfield keep enjoying life after the

“I’d hit it up when they had a sale and just wipe out their white T-shirts,” Burchfield said. Burchfield has learned a variety of patterns through her friend and online tutorials. One of the more recent ones — and one she’s really enjoyed — has been the mandala, which looks like a lotus flower. The best part of every tie-dying process is unwrapping her new creation. The anticipation builds up as she lets the dyes set overnight, and she never knows what she’s going to unfold.

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“new norm” of a cancer diagnosis. “When you’re creating art, it’s a very peaceful thing, and it’s kind of meditative for me,” Burchfield said. “It’s a way for me to clear my mind and not think about treatment or stress or what’s going on.”

Jamie Burchfield tie-dyes a T-shirt to sell through Not Dead Yet Dyes, which she created after she was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.

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The Homewood Star

A18 • April 2016

Community

Homewood Grown to celebrate local education By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Terrace at SoHo Square will see an evening of celebration and support for Homewood schools this month, as the Homewood City Schools Foundation hosts its third annual fundraising dinner. Homewood Grown, presented by Trust Building Services, will welcome guests on Monday, April 18 for an evening of community building and sharing stories about area schools and those who support them. Guests will be able to enjoy a family-style dinner catered by Café DuPont, as well as a live music performance. Homewood High School graduate Ronald Nored, who is currently he assistant men’s basketball coach at Northern Kentucky University, will be the featured speaker. Nored is set to speak on his experience growing up in Homewood, as well as his education in Homewood schools has impacted his life and career. “We’re excited about having Ronald come back,” Foundation board president Trent Ponder said, adding that the board thinks Nored’s story reflects this year’s theme of establishing “roots” in Homewood, but having “wings” that allow students impact the rest of the world. The Foundation will also be announcing the recipients of the 2016 Teacher Impact Award, which recognizes a teacher at a Homewood school who has made a strong and significant

Nored The recipients of the Teacher Impact Award will be announced at Homewood Grown, as with the 2015 winners shown on stage. Photo courtesy of Marie Sutton.

impact in the classroom. “We don’t do it enough, to tell our teachers we’re thankful for them,” Ponder said. Recipients of the award, one from each Homewood School, will receive $500 to use in their classroom, or for his or her professional

development. The event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m., and will benefit the Foundation’s grant and scholarship programs. Tickets for the event are $100 per person, or $1,000 for a reserved table of ten, and can be

purchased either by mail or online. Online tickets, however, are subject to a service charge. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit homewoodcityschoolsfoundation.com or contact board president Trent Ponder at Trent.Ponder@ martinretail.com.

PRESENTED BY THE JUNIOR

LEAGUE OF BIRMINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM’S LARGEST

garage sale April 23—General Sale Tickets: $5-$10 April 24—General Sale: Free Admission

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preview party FOOD & DRINK • AUCTION • EARLY SHOPPING April 21, 6 to 10 p.m. • Tickets $30-$40 PARTY/SALE LOCATION: 2467 John Hawkins Parkway (Hwy. 150/Exit 10 off I-459) Hoover, AL 35244

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TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A19

Get prepared for sorority life High school students and parents learn about sorority life during the annual Sorority 101 event. Photo courtesy of Birmingham Alumnae Panhellenic Group.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL For high school girls interested in rushing a sorority, the Birmingham Alumnae Panhellenic Group is hosting an event at Samford University this month to educate them on sorority recruitment. The fourth annual Sorority 101 will be April 10, 2-4 p.m. at Samford’s Cooney Hall. Alumnae Group Publicity Chairman Kira Gilbert said the event is open to female high school students and their parents and will include information on general sorority life, the recruitment process and what to expect from the experience. It is primarily geared toward high school juniors and seniors who are preparing to make college decisions. Gilbert said local clothing boutiques will also be there to provide an interactive fashion

show and information on what to wear during recruitment. “If I could go back in time, I would have loved to have attended an event similar to an event like this. Sorority 101 provides an avenue for young women to learn more about the process and the benefits of sorority recruitment and Greek life overall,” said Gilbert, who is a Tri Delta alumna. Local alumnae and current members of sorority chapters will be at the event to interact with their potential future sorority sisters. The Alumnae Group is working with Samford, University of Montevallo, Birmingham-Southern College, Auburn University and the College Panhellenic Council to host this event. The event is free and participants can register on site. For more information, visit birminghampanhellenic.yolasite.com.

Homewood’s eighth-grade jazz band will perform as the opening act at this year’s Jazz in the Park. Photo courtesy of Homewood Arts Council.

8th-grade jazz band to open Jazz in the Park By ERICA TECHO This year’s Jazz in the Park event is bringing Homewood Middle School’s jazz band in on the action. The eighth-grade jazz band will serve as the opening act for the free event, which is presented by the Homewood Arts Council and Magic City Smooth Jazz. David Jones, a soul jazz performer from the Gulf Coast, is the main act. Jones began singing and playing trumpet at 12 years old in his hometown of Fairfield. He went on to student education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and started teaching and coaching, in addition to performing, in 1986. The eighth-grade jazz band has practiced under the direction of John Bradley, a part-time

band coach and retired band director. Band director Chris Cooper said the students are excited to show off what they have learned from Bradley. “The eighth-grade jazz band has really excelled under his leadership,” Cooper said. “I’m thrilled our students have been asked to play for this wonderful event in Homewood.” Jazz in the Park will be held at Homewood Central Park on Sunday, April 10. The event starts at 3 p.m., and community members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic to the event. For more information on the event, visit the Homewood Arts Council’s Facebook Page or contact Homewood Arts Council Chair Diane Litsey at 213-7866 or diane@thedancefoundation.org.

The Homewood Star

A20 • Homewood 2016

Kidney walk to raise funds for local patients By SYDNEY CROMWELL The Alabama Kidney Foundation is holding its annual fundraising event later this month. The Birmingham Kidney Walk will be held on April 30 at the Samford University track and soccer complex, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the walk at 9:30. Lacey Updegraff, the Foundation’s Central Alabama regional director, said this year’s chairperson for the walk is Jim Cooper, the president of Cooper Construction. There are also two patient chairs: Roderick Wilkins, UAB’s police captain, and Walker Greenhalgh. Walker is just over a year old and was diagnosed with failing kidneys while still in utero. Initially, he was not expected to live past his first few days, but he has defied the expectations of his doctors and parents Adam and Kitty Greenhalgh. At some point in his future, Walker will need a kidney transplant. One of the participants in the Kidney Walk will be 41-year-old Stephen Dabney, who has experienced a decline in kidney function over the last seven years. Dabney has been a regular sight at the Exceptional Foundation since it initially opened, where he plays basketball and enjoys time with his friends. Dabney used to compete at the Special Olympics and play on traveling teams in sports including basketball, bowling, volleyball, softball, golf, tennis and weightlifting. However, he is no longer able to travel or play as frequently now that he has dialysis three times per week.

Birmingham Kidney Walk • WHERE: Samford University Track and Soccer Stadium • WHEN: April 30, 9:30 a.m. • WHAT: Fundraising goal of $185,000 • WEB: birminghamkidneywalk.org

The annual Birmingham Kidney Walk raises money for the Alabama Kidney Foundation to provide education and services to kidney patients. Photo courtesy of Lacey Updegraff.

Dabney has been on the kidney transplant lists at UAB, Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Piedmont University in Atlanta for four years. So far, they have not found a healthy and compatible donor for him among friends and family. “We just want life to get back to normal for him,” said his mother, Lorraine Dabney. “With Stephen, social is everything. Interacting with people is his game and it’s curtailed that,” agreed his father, Al Dabney. “It’s limited

his life.” All three Dabneys will be at the Kidney Walk to support the Foundation’s mission. They continue to hope that with all the friends Stephen has made over his years in the community, the right donor will be found. According to Martha Tankersley, UAB’s transplant administrator, about 3,000 people in Alabama are waiting for a kidney transplant. UAB performs between 80 and 120 living donor

transplants per year, and the average wait time is between three and five years. Patients on the list are prioritized by age, health situation and the length of time they’ve been on dialysis, Tankersley said. Transplant recipients must also have compatible blood and tissue tests with their donor. The minimum donation to participate in the Kidney Walk is $30, but the Foundation is asking walkers to raise more to help them reach their goal of $185,000. The proceeds will go toward the Foundation’s education, financial support and other services for Alabama kidney patients. Participants in the Kidney Walk will be given breakfast, lunch, snacks and access to the day’s activities. They can choose to walk one lap of the track or the full five miles. Kidney patients and their families can attend for free. For more information, visit birminghamkidneywalk.org.

- cOMMUTESMART RIDESHARE COMMUTER STORY

The Smarter Way to Work! Do you ever sit in traffic and think, “There has to be a better way to get to work?” CommuteSmart is here to help everyone enjoy an easier commute and reduce air pollution in Jefferson and Shelby counties. CommuteSmart offers free online ridematching, carpool and vanpool services, the Emergency Ride Home program and more. We can help you find a commute alternative from home to work and back.

Visit commutesmart.org for more information

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A21

Homewood Relays for Life EPHENS PERFORM S A LY S S T UAB’ ARTS CENTER PRESENTS ING

UAB’S ALYS STEPHENS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER INVITES YOU TO JOIN US AND OTHER BIRMINGHAM ARTS ORGANIZATIONS FOR A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF INDIAN CULTURE.

Cancer survivors participate in the Survivors Lap at Relay for Life in Homewood. Photo courtesy of Christina Zabala.

By JESSE CHAMBERS Homewood will be the site of two Relay for Life fundraisers for the American Cancer Society (ACS) in April — one at Central Park and one at John Carroll High School. The Relay for Life of Homewood will be held at Central Park on Friday, April 22, from 4-11 p.m. The Relay for Life of John Carroll will be Friday, April 15, from 4 p.m.-12 a.m., at John Carroll Catholic High School. At ACS Relays, the members of teams take turns running or walking laps to raise money for cancer research and support programs. There are also other activities, including a free dinner for survivors, the Survivors Lap and the Luminaria Ceremony, in which candles are lit to remember past cancer patients and support current patients. The events in Homewood will feature additional entertainment, according to Christina Zabala of the ACS. Among those appearing at Central Park will be the Homewood MIddle

School Patriot Singers show choir and the Homewood High School (HHS) cheerleading squad, as well as the school’s Spangles dance team and Trendsetters jazz band. About 10 teams from HHS will participate in the Relay, as well as all of the Samford University fraternities and sororities, according to Zabala. Organizers seek to raise $55,000 this year, after raising $50,000 in 2015, Zabala said. The Relay at John Carroll — with a fundraising goal of $20,000 — has a music festival theme this year and will be called “Relay Fest,” according to Zabala, who said the student organizers will book local bands, including some featuring students. The event will also feature a crawfish boil. Central Park is located at 1632 Oxmoor Road. To sign up, go to relayforlife.org/homewoodal. John Carroll Catholic High School is located at 300 Lakeshore Parkway. To sign up for the relay, go to relayforlife.org/johncarroll.

HOLI~A FESTIVAL OF COLORS

Performing Creativity Every Day:

3-4

Thurs » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

Sat » FREE

CREATIVITY, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LECTURE

SPECIAL HOLI DINNER

Sun & Mon » Taj India

CLASSIC BOLLYWOOD FILM Mughal-e-Azam Tues » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

14-17

THE SECRET GARDEN featuring NOTINEE INDIAN DANCE

Thurs-Sat 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 2pm Red Mountain Theatre Company

BLAZER BOLLYWOOD BASH

Bollywood-style entertainment, food trucks and dancing Thurs » 6pm » FREE UAB Campus Green Presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

ALABAMA ASIAN CULTURES AND FOOD FESTIVAL Sat » 9am-3pm Zamora Temple

DIRECTORS AND DOCUMENTARIES NIGHT

with filmmakers Harjant Gill and Shantanu Suman Fri » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

THE EPHEMERAL VISUAL ARTS OF INDIA

with Dr. Cathleen Cummings Tues » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

TASTE OF ASIA

Sat » 6pm UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

RED BARAAT PERFORMANCE Thurs » 7pm » FREE UAB’s Alys Stephens Center Presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

21-24

WELCOME SHIVA NATARAJA TO BMA

Tues-Sat10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm FREE » Birmingham Museum of Art

CLASSIC BOLLYWOOD FILM Children in the Homewood Soccer Club will benefit from the Suds and Soccer fundraiser this month. Photo courtesy of Josephine Lowery.

Suds and Soccer hosting 3rd annual fundraiser By KYLE PARMLEY The Homewood Soccer Club will hold its third annual fundraiser in April. On April 24, from 4-7 p.m., Suds and Soccer will take place at Good People Brewing Company. “The first two fundraisers were a blast,” said Lee Lavette of the Homewood Soccer lub. “We have been lucky enough to have it at Good People each year.” The event raises money for the club’s scholarship programs, which are designed for families in need of financial assistance, to ensure that money is

not an obstacle from any child playing the game of soccer. “We have been fortunate to have some great corporate sponsors each year who continue to support this fundraiser and believe in keeping young children playing and healthy,” Lavette said. Suds and Soccer allows coaches, managers and parents a setting outside of the game of soccer. It gives all involved with the Soccer Club the opportunity to relax and enjoy company without the pressures of a game. There will also be a live auction among other events. Tickets are $20 and cover drinks and food.

Deewaar Tues » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

THE SECRET GARDEN featuring NOTINEE INDIAN DANCE

Thurs-Sat 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 2pm Red Mountain Theatre Company

INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

Fri » 7-10pm » FREE Birmingham Museum of Art

YOGA LECTURE

Thurs » Noon » FREE

YOGA COMMUNITY CLASS Thurs » 5:30pm » FREE UAB’s Alys Stephens Center Presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

NOTINEE DANCE

Thurs » Noon -1pm UAB Hospital North Pavilion Presented by UAB’s Institute for Arts In Medicine

For more information about IndiaFest visit

AlysStephens.org #ASCIndiaFest

The Homewood Star

A22 • April 2016

Members of the Legacy League Scholarship Gala Celebration Committee. (Front row) Kathryn Woodruff, Sharon Smith, Suzanne Hopkins, Karen Berquist; (Second row) Jan Cobb, Tricia Naro, Melinda Mitchell, Lynn Parrish, Jeanna Westmoreland, Monique Gannon; (Not pictured) Lisbeth Cease, Caitlin Hammond, Allison Strickland. Photo courtesy of Samford Legacy League.

Samford Legacy League plans Scholarship Gala Celebration By ERICA TECHO The Samford Legacy’s annual Scholarship Gala Celebration includes an exclusive performance of On The Town this year. The eighth annual celebration, in collaboration with the School of the Arts, will be April 29 on Samford University’s campus. The night includes a gala dinner and a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s musical On the Town. The event is open to the public, but reservations are required and seating is limited. Standard reservations are $100 ($50 tax-deductible). Deluxe reservations, which include

preferred seating for the show, a private reception, reserved parking and an event photo, are $125 ($70 tax-deductible). A table for eight or 10 may also be purchased, and there are sponsorship opportunities available. Proceeds from the event will help endow the Legacy League School of the Arts Centennial Scholarship. The scholarship is for students pursuing a degree from the School of the Arts and will provide assistance for students with significant financial need and challenging circumstances. For more information, contact Sharon Smith at 726-2247 or ssmith12@smith.edu.

Last year’s Cornhole Classic was the largest tournament to date for the Central Alabama Cornhole Club, and raised nearly $15,000 for The Bell Center. Photo courtesy of Kelly Peoples, The Bell Center.

Cornhole Classic back to benefit Bell Center By EMILY FEATHERSTON The Bell Center’s Cornhole Classic is returning to its fourth year of fundraising for the center’s early intervention programs. Good People Brewing Company will once again host the cornhole tournament, and the event will take place Saturday, April 16. Last year’s tournament saw 93 teams participate and raised nearly $15,000. Kelly Peoples, Bell Center fund development director, said the group hopes to see even more of the community participate in the event. Registration is $40 per team of two in advance of the event, and $50 the day of, if space is available. Each registration guarantees four games, weather permitting, or two games if there is rain or other inclement weather. Peoples said the center encourages interested

teams to sign up as early as possible, as the spots will likely fill up. The Central Alabama Cornhole Club will again provide the boards for the game and put together the tournament brackets. First-prize winners in the tournament will be awarded $300. Admission is free for tournament spectators, and food will be available for purchase from Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ, Old Town Pizza, Doodles and more. Doors open at noon, and the tournament begins at 1 p.m. Peoples said the center hopes the community will spend the afternoon at the Classic, then walk over to support the Birmingham Barons as they face the Tennessee Smokies. For more information about the Classic or to register a team, visit thebellcenter.org or email Peoples at kpeoples@thebellcenter.org.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A23

Spring plant sale returning to Brookwood Village By SYDNEY CROMWELL From beautiful blooms to herbs and native plants, Brookwood Village will be host to a garden of over 100,000 plants this month as part of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale. The sale is an annual fundraiser for the Gardens, which hosts about 350,000 visitors each year. It will be held on April 15-17, with a preview event on April 14. More than 7,000 people attended the sale last year, according to a release provided by Blake Ells, the Gardens’ public relations coordinator. The plant sale includes trees, shrubs, herbs, native plants, roses, tropical plants, bonsai, bedding plants, orchids and other annual, perennial and climbing plants. There are plant varieties for everything from a potted plant on the back porch to a full garden. Ells said volunteers in the Botanical Gardens’ greenhouses and lath houses grow many of the plants on display at the Spring Plant Sale, while others are purchased from outside vendors to resell. The 2015 sale required a total of 5,800 hours of volunteer work from around 300 volunteers, according to Volunteer Coordinator Taylor Steele. The Spring Plant Sale is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Gardens, as well as a chance to promote public knowledge about plants and gardening. Experts will be present at the sale to provide planting advice. Sponsors for this year’s plant sale include Brookwood Village, Winn-Dixie, Leaf & Petal at The Gardens, Birmingham Home & Garden

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale Brookwood Village 414-3950 bbgardens.org/springplantsale Thursday, April 14 Preview Party: 5-6:30 p.m. $45 in advance, $50 at the door Members-Only Sale: 6:308:30 p.m.

Guests browse through thousands of plants at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ annual Spring Plant Sale. Staff photo.

magazine, Buffalo Rock, Brio, Fox6, ValPak of Central Alabama, Royal Cup and birmingham365.org. Admission to the sale is free and open to the public. On Friday, April 15, the sale is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Two events will kick off the official sale. The first is a preview party on Thursday, April 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 in advance

and $50 at the door, and allow guests the chance to shop early and taste wine and food from Brio. Members of the Gardens are invited to their own sale that same evening, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The members-only sale offers refreshments and early shopping. For more information about the Spring Plant Sale, to purchase tickets to the Preview Party or to purchase a membership, call 414-3950 or visit bbgardens.org/springplantsale.

Friday, April 15 Public Sale: 9-7 p.m. Free Saturday, April 16 Public Sale: 9-5 p.m. Free Sunday, April 17 Public Sale: 11-3 p.m. Free

The Homewood Star

A24 • April 2016

School House HCS teachers attend NASA Institute Four Homewood City Schools teachers were selected to participate in three-day NASA Institutes recently. Shades Cahaba teacher Jenny Phillips (second grade) and Edgewood teachers Katie Thomas (kindergarten), Emily Blackstock (fourth grade) and Lora Haghighi (fifth grade) were selected based on their teacher leadership and interest. During the Institutes, the teachers were trained by education staff in the use of NASA education products specific to their grade bands and aligned to the new Alabama Course of Study: Science. They also toured the Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum and developed model lessons and units. “This was hands down the best professional development I’ve ever received,” Jenny Phillips said. I learned so much in such a short amount of time, and I was fascinated by how knowledgeable our instructor, John Weiss, was. He was a former high school physics teacher who now works for NASA and teaches teachers.” The teachers also heard about real-world applications of the standards through discussion-style presentations by NASA subject-matter experts in science and engineering. Each day included time for processing the given information and for collaboration with grade-band colleagues from around the state to prepare model lessons and units incorporating the NASA resources. The teachers will now serve as Learning Community experts as they co-present workshops within their region that are focused on the model lessons and units developed during the Institutes. They will act as first-level supports for the implementation of those lessons over the next two academic years. “Our instructor shared all of the K-2 NASA

Edgewood teacher Emily Blackstock at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum.

resources for Earth science, physical science, life science, and space science,” Phillips said. It was then our job to take those NASA resources, align them with our new science standards, and create lesson plans on ALEX to be published. Katie Thomas and I wrote a kindergarten lesson plan about observing the effects of sunlight by cooking s’mores in a homemade solar oven.” The primary goals of this program are to strengthen understanding of the new science course of study, to provide resources for teaching the science standards, and to develop a Learning Community network of educators throughout the state with the potential to maximize student success in science learning. – Submitted by Homewood City Schools.

Homewood students named National Merit Scholarship finalists Homewood High School National Merit Scholarship finalists (L to R) Will Beaumont, Wyatt Harrison, Tucker Wilson, Molly Richardson, Laughlin Ashe, Duncan McDuff and Emi Ferderber. Photo courtesy of Merrick Wilson.

Seven seniors from Homewood High School were named National Merit Scholarship finalists. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognizes and honors the academically talented students of the United States and conducts nationwide academic

scholarship programs. This year’s recipients from Homewood include Will Beaumont, Wyatt Harrison, Tucker Wilson, Molly Richardson, Laughlin Ashe, Duncan McDuff and Emi Ferderber. – Submitted by Merrick Wilson.

Homewood District Spelling Bee results Congratulations to Homewood Middle School student Reed Jeffries, seventh grade, for winning the Homewood District Spelling Bee, and Bee runner-up Nathan Jones, fifthgrader at Edgewood Elementary School.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A25

OLS celebrates National Catholic Schools Week

OLS students dressed in comfortable clothes for “Warm, Wooly Wednesday” during Catholic Schools Week. Photo courtesy of Mary Stephens Pugh.

Students at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School celebrated National Catholic Schools Week with several events and activities from Jan. 29-Feb. 5. This year’s theme was “Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service,” looking at Catholic education, communities within schools and faith-based institutions. On Jan. 29, eighth-graders kicked off the week with a pep rally and sixth-graders traveled to The Cathedral of St. Paul in downtown Birmingham for Mass. On Sunday, Jan. 31, students attended Mass

at OLS and wrote letters of appreciation to their parishes. During the week, students participated in activities that focused on education and honored anyone who contributes to the school’s success, including families, faculty and staff, volunteers, community supporters and local leaders. Each day, students had a prayer for the individuals they were celebrating. Activities included a carnival, letter writing for community officials and parents, service projects, a talent show and other activities. – Submitted by Mary Stephens Pugh.

OLS students combine life skills and algebra in project

OLS eighth-graders (L to R) Mary Caroline Atkins, Jackson Hanle and Drew Burke show the model homes they constructed for algebra class. Photo courtesy of Mary Stephens Pugh.

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School eighth-graders took part in a project that combined math, career goals and creativity. The algebra assignment was completed over the course of two months. During the project, students managed living expenses and financing a home. They also learned about choosing a career, determining personal experiences and purchasing a home. Students also created a prototype home or

flipbook representing their chosen residence. “It is always exciting to see how these young students analyze, evaluate and creatively apply what they learn in math to a real life situation,” said OLS eighth-grade math teacher Renee Williams. “They seem to take a special interest in math with more confidence when they apply it to themselves and their future, and that makes it more fun for everyone involved.” – Submitted by Mary Stephens Pugh.

The Homewood Star

A26 • April 2016

Sports

Lady Patriots know both triumph and disappointment By KYLE PARMLEY The postgame press conference was somber. Seated to each side of head coach JoVanka Ward were two of the most crucial players to Homewood’s seasons; a pair of sophomores, at that. To her right was point guard Hannah Barber, who sat in front of the microphone with her head held down in an attempt to avoid any sight or sound that would trigger an emotional reaction. To her left was forward Tori Webb, who stared towards the back of the room and bounced her left leg up and down to distract herself from the loss. Ward was the calm force in the middle in the press conference, answering questions about the game and the season with her usual class and dignity. During the Lady Patriots 80-65 loss to LeFlore in the Class 6A State Final, she behaved in the same manner on the sidelines, constantly encouraging her team despite a game trending in the wrong direction. She explained how LeFlore grabbed the momentum and ran away with the game. She described how tough it was for the team emotionally when Ajah Wayne – one of Homewood’s top players – went down with an injury in the second quarter. The season was not supposed to end in that fashion. Not after the 2015 season, in which the Lady Patriots brought home the first basketball state championship in school history. Not after

Shelby Hardy and Hannah Barber help an injured Ajah Wayne to center court to receive the state runner-up trophy. Photo by Frank Couch.

being ranked No. 1 in Class 6A all season long, and winning 11 straight games leading up to the finale.

Asked to immediately reflect on comparing the emotions brought alng by winning the state title game versus losing it, Barber – who is

normally at no loss for words – gave a succinct response. She said, “Since we know how it feels this year, we’re going to work every single day as hard as we can each and every day to make sure we don’t feel this again.” Webb was asked about tournament Most Valuable Player Japonica James, and said she had not faced any other player quite like her. Barber succumbed to the natural emotions while trying to answer another question, as the loss began to sink in. But Ward refuses to see the season as a disappointment, because of the many moments of success leading up to the final result. “I told them we have absolutely nothing to hang our heads about. We had a great season,” Ward said. While the season wasn’t supposed to end like that, the 2015-16 version of the Lady Patriots basketball team has something going for it that is extremely rare. There are no seniors to say farewell to. There is no hole in the lineup that a new player will have to fill, or adjusting to a different unit. The No. 1 team in Class 6A can only get better if it stays healthy, something that Homewood has been fortunate with the past two years. The boys program ensured Homewood brought home a state championship in hoops for the second straight year. Not one person will be surprised if the Lady Patriots extend that streak to three next season. Most will be surprised if they don’t.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A27

Davidson returning to role in athletics By KYLE PARMLEY Joe Davidson is moving back into collegiate athletics, an area where he has a wealth of experience. Effective April 1, he takes over as the Assistant Athletics Director for Facilities, Operation, and Equipment at Samford University. He will add a notch to an already extensive resume, as he has worked with some of the top names in college sports over the years. Current Samford athletics director Martin Newton presented the idea to Davidson about the position as an opportunity to move back into sports, as Davidson worked as the university’s Facility and Safety Coordinator since 2012. The goal is to work with the athletic facilities at Samford and maintain and improve what Davidson believes to be “some of the best in the country.” As one chapter begins, another one ends for Davidson, as this spring’s semester will be his last teaching at UAB, where he will wrap up a 35-year run of teaching a golf class at the school. The concept of the course is and always has been simple: to introduce average students to the game of golf. He fills each of the 25 slots in the class each semester with ease, and has had all types of students, from doctors, to Rhodes Scholars, to football players in the course. “I love the game,” he said. He played on the first golf teams at UAB, in a

newly formed athletic department, and transitioned into the head golf coach in 1981 upon graduation, a position he held through 1988. Legendary coach Gene Bartow created the men’s basketball program in 1978, and Davidson worked closely with the program for many years. One of his fondest memories of a man he considers a mentor came in 1982, when UAB upset Virginia to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. “From opening up the first box of basketballs to almost seeing them go to the Final Four, that was incredible,” he said. Kevin Tubbs, the current athletic director at Homewood High School, worked with Davidson as a student at UAB in the late 1980s. “Joe has been a valued mentor and advisor during my coaching and administrative career,” Tubbs said. He added, “Joe will definitely add to an already talented and first class athletic department.” He rose up the athletic department at UAB before taking the role as director of athletics at Jacksonville State University in 1998. During a two-year span there, he hired football coach Jack Crowe and men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon – now the head coach at the University of Maryland. Davidson can always be spotted at Mountain Brook High School athletic events, keeping close tabs on the school his children attended in his spare time. Now his day job is back in the sports world as well.

Davidson is switching roles at Samford University, this time moving back into the athletic department. Photo courtesy of Joe Davidson.

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The Homewood Star

A28 • April 2016

Patriots place 6th in state tourney By KYLE PARMLEY Homewood placed sixth overall with 107.5 points at the AHSAA state wrestling championships Feb. 18-20, competing in Class 6A at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. The Patriots sent 10 wrestlers to compete in the tournament. Bailey Roan finished second in the 132-pound weight class, falling to Arab’s Andrew Schmitt. Roan finished the season with a 32-8 record. To reach the championship match, Roan defeated Scott Smith (Gardendale), Stephan Lathem (Southside-Gadsden) and Christian Hopkins (Pinson Valley). Miguel Figueroa also dropped the championship match at 182 pounds, losing by decision to Clay-Chalkville’s Austin Weldon. Figueroa beat Aquiil Melton (Minor), Weston Partain (Arab) and Ryan Grider (Scottsboro) to finish the season with a 38-2 mark. Daniel Figueroa brought home third place in the 170-pound division, beating Scottsboro’s Tanner Woodall by decision. He wraps up his campaign with a 38-4 record, and defeated Ray Williams (Paul Bryant), lost by decision to Steve Marshall (Park Crossing), and advanced against Kevin Turner (Austin), Giovanni Adan (Pelham) and Matt King (Oxford). Marshall Stone (37-10) placed third at 106 pounds. He won by major decision over Brandon

The Homewood wrestling team sent 10 athletes to participate in the AHSAA championships in February. The Patriots finished sixth overall. Photo courtesy of Scott Butler.

Dent (Minor), lost by injury default to Cristian Lagunas (Athens), won by fall over Dylan Lesueur (Clay-Chalkville), won by major decision over Joseph Martin (Arab), won by decision over Andrew Smith (Southside-Gadsden) and won by tech fall over R.J. Lawhorn (McAdory) in the third-place match. In the 126-pound division, Jake Vella lost by decision to Peyton Weber (Arab), won by fall over Taylor Roe (Fort Payne) and lost by fall to Mac Boackle (Gardendale) to finish with a 27-12 record on the season. Javonic Turner competed in the 138-pound weight class and finished his season with a 29-10 mark. He won by decision over Eric Rogers

(Pinson Valley), lost by fall to Joseph Green (Muscle Shoals), won by fall over Collin Lybrand (Spanish Fort) and lost by fall to Quintez Pearson (Oxford) in the third consolation round. In the 152-pound weight class, Kris Wilkins won by major decision over Luis Palacios (ClayChalkville), lost by fall to Dillon Turner (Pelham), won by fall over Terrance Scott (Daphne) and lost by fall to Tate Brannon (Pinson Valley). Wilkins concluded the season at 27-17. Jabari Blackmon competed at 160 pounds for Homewood and wrapped up his campaign at 22-10. He won by decision over Braden Barnes (Muscle Shoals), lost in sudden victory to Damyan Melton (Minor), won by fall over

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David Franks (Clay-Chalkville) and lost by decision to Devin Hackworth (McAdory). At 220 pounds, Wesley Butler — who has signed to play football at Birmingham-Southern College — wrapped up with a 35-11 overall record on the season. He won by fall over Brock Barrontine (Fort Payne), lost by fall to Reynard Ellis (Shades Valley) and lost by decision to Zeke Lawerance (Pinson Valley). Finally, Ethan Sherman competed at the 285-pound level. He lost by decision to Taylor Rhodes (Pinson Valley), won by fall over Deandre Ramsey (Muscle Shoals) and lost by fall to Dakota Birdyshaw (Waller), and finished at 24-17.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A29

Andy Smith won the 3,200 meters and placed fifth in the 1,600 meters at the Class 6A indoor state meet Feb. 5-6 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Photo by Sam Chandler

A complete comeback

Homewood’s Andy Smith overcomes health issues, clinches 8th title By SAM CHANDLER When he crossed the finish line of the Class 6A 3,200-meter indoor state final on Feb. 5, Homewood distance standout Andy Smith sent a message to his competition. After enduring a turbulent senior cross-country season marked by a series of nagging ailments, he had completed his comeback. Posting an indoor personal-record time of 9 minutes, 46.93 seconds, Smith bested Scottsboro’s Colton Smith to clinch the eighth individual state title of his decorated prep career. “That was pretty big for me,” Smith said. “When I finished the race, a lot of coaches from other teams and guys from other teams came up to me and were like, ‘He’s back!’” For Smith, a relentless worker and driven competitor, his return to the top could not have come sooner. Aiming to eclipse the lofty goals he set for himself prior to the start of his senior campaign, Smith will attempt to make up for lost time this outdoor track season. “I expect him to be, if not state champion, he’s going to be in the hunt in all three of the distance races — the 800, the mile and the 3,200,” Homewood assistant track and field coach Lars Porter said. “And if I were his competitor, I think I’d be a little bit nervous. He’s not the kind of guy that I would like to race week in and week out because he’s talented, he’s focused and he’ll beat you if he can.” His competition knows that all too well. Before his most recent triumph, Smith had already racked up seven individual state titles in the course of only two years. During his outlandish 10th-grade and 11th-grade seasons, he notched three gold-medal finishes indoor, three outdoor and one in cross-country. But to only mention Smith’s individual accomplishments does him a disservice. A key contributor on three state champion relay teams, he has played a key role in helping the Patriot boys secure eight team state championships in cross-country and track. “Andy is truly one of the greatest competitors I have ever been around in my life, and he is definitely the most accomplished distance runner we have ever had come through our program,” Homewood head track and field coach Tom Esslinger said. “We are so thankful we have had him in our program, and we could not have won our recent championships without him.” In the fall, that statement was nearly put to

the test. Having won three straight cross-country state championships, the Patriot boys’ bid for a fourpeat came into serious question upon Smith’s wavering health. Hampered from late July to mid-December with a lingering case of plantar fasciitis-turned-shin splints, Smith was frustratingly limited in training. After being sidelined from running for almost the entire month of August, he alternated between running and cross-training on a biweekly basis throughout the season. “While I know it’s been frustrating for him, he’s done it very well,” Porter said. “We’ve been in a conversation nonstop as opposed to him trying to hide things or downplay what’s going on with his legs.” Frequently confined to the lap pool or spin bike, Smith relied heavily on swimming and cycling to preserve his well-developed aerobic base. His persistence paid off when it mattered most. Calling upon his rigorous cross-training and sparse 10-minute runs, Smith delivered a clutch fifth-place finish at November’s 6A state meet to help vault the Patriots to a team title. “I think we all knew in order to win state I had to run, because, I mean, our sixth guy was good, but we weren’t sure if it was going to be enough to beat Opelika,” Smith said. Spurred on by top-10 performances from Smith, Hunter Poole, Will Stone and Sean Conboy, the Patriot boys cruised past their rival by a healthy 28-point margin. For Smith and the Class of 2016, it solidified their place in Homewood history. “They’ve set a culture,” Porter said. They expect hard work from themselves. There are no questions about shortcuts. They just do what they are supposed to do.” But there’s still more to accomplish. An Auburn commitment, Smith is ready to stamp the final chapter of his prep career before heading to the Plains this fall. Back at full health and aspiring to throw down “some pretty nasty times” on the oval, Smith has returned to what Porter labels his bread and butter: consistency. “I go home every day and I roll and I ice and I do abs and I try to go bed early. You know, little stuff that might not even matter, but I think it matters,” Smith said. “But that, I would say, is what’s helped me, because a lot of little things equal a big thing.”

The Homewood Star

A30 • April 2016 CHAMPS

CONTINUED from page A1

“

Once you’ve gotten there and you’ve achieved that, now you realize a little bit more, you’re the one getting shot at up there. To stay up there, it’s going to take something a little extra for kids to understand and have some maturity about them.

”

TIM SHEPLER

Members of the Class 6A state championshipwinning team celebrate their win over Muscle Shoals on March 5 at the BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham. The title is the first for the Homewood High School boys basketball program. Photos by Frank Couch.

the cornerstones. “Not a bad place to start,” he said. Nine seniors are graduating and moving on, taking with them a wealth of talent and knowledge. To see the fruits of their labor pay off in their final game is why guys like Shepler get into coaching. “It’s the culmination for those guys of four years of having a bunch of guys that loved each other and played hard for each other. That was a great group. To see those guys walking out on top after all they’ve been through, was very gratifying,” he said. The Patriots knocked off Muscle Shoals, 54-51, in the State Final behind 13 straight points to begin the game and the resilience to hang on in the end. Concluding the season with a win is a new feeling for the Patriots, whether it is the coaching staff or the players. “It feels good,” Touliatos said. “A little different, because you get more praise once you’ve won state and everything.” The postgame celebration told the story in many different ways. The Red Caboose, which gained notoriety at the Steel City Invitational in December as one of the most entertaining bench crews in the state, had a blast. While the team sat and waited on the trophy presentation, the Caboose was posing for pictures with a shoe, a play on Cinderella’s slipper not fitting for the opponent. One of the members of the Caboose is trainer Myles Butler. He couldn’t contain his emotions either, spending upwards of 30 seconds simply yelling as loud as his lungs would allow. Touliatos jumped into the arms of a teammate at the end of the game. Assistant coach Rick Baguley needed a few minutes to himself to soak in the moment. To top it off, just like at the Central Regional, the Patriots sent injured senior Tobbie Taylor to midcourt to receive the trophy. The Patriots reached the Final Four a season ago, but came up short in the State Semifinals. This year, the objective was to get further. “Near misses like getting to the Final Four the year before, that really motivated our kids to say we want to take it a step further,” Shepler said. Now that Shepler has won his first state title in 21 years at Homewood, it has taken a little time to fully hit him. “It kind of sinks in in waves,” he said. “I guess it’s probably going to keep doing that for the next five or six months.”

TIME WILL TELL

Will the Patriots be able to get back to the Big Dance next season? Only time will tell, but Touliatos is confident. “Going back-to-back would be awesome,” he said. The Patriots’ roster will likely not be as deep next season, but Touliatos believes they have the potential to be as talented, singling out Logan Padgett as a young player who could step up and surprise some people. “I have confidence in the guys that will step up, but I honestly couldn’t tell you who at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see,” Touliatos said. Shepler will look for one key ingredient once the time rolls around. “Leadership. Luke did a lot of great things scoring this year,” he said. “Next year, I want to see his leadership, and how hard he works in practice.” Touliatos heard his coach say that and also showed no reservations about his ability to do so. “It’s definitely going to be different because we had a lot of good seniors this year,” he said. “I like trying to lead a team. I was kind of one of the leaders (this year), but we had so many seniors, it was kind of a combined effort,” he said. Touliatos will make an effort to put on 10-15 pounds in the offseason, along with continuing to improve his defense. Shepler agreed with his analysis that his defense has improved steadily throughout the last few months. Next season will present a new dynamic from the coach’s seat, as Homewood transitions from the hunter to the hunted. “Once you’ve gotten there and you’ve achieved that, now you realize a little bit more, you’re the one getting shot at up there,” Shepler said. “To stay up there, it’s going to take something a little extra for kids to understand and have some maturity about them.” The Patriots may not be the favorites to repeat as Class 6A champs next season, but it would be foolish to write them off.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • A31

Diagnosis doesn’t slow show choir director By SYDNEY CROMWELL A typical day for Scott Thorne is made up of long hours, plenty of sequins and pop songs. It’s a lot of work leading Homewood High’s 165 show choir students, but Thorne has loved it for the past 13 years. “People keep telling me I need to slow down, but I know how I’m wired. I know that I want it to be great,” Thorne said. Thorne will readily admit that he works too much — on competition weekends, he’ll work as much as 40 hours in a single weekend. That’s a daunting task for anyone, but Thorne carries the extra burden of multiple sclerosis, a diagnosis he received in December 2014. “It’s a shocker because you want to believe, ‘I’m invincible,’” Thorne said. Multiple sclerosis causes the immune system to attack the nervous system and is known as a “silent disease,” Thorne said, because many of the symptoms aren’t immediately visible. He said he will have different symptoms each day, depending on how he feels or even the weather. The disease can cause severe leg and foot cramps, vision loss, speech and walking difficulties and muscle spasms. The big one, he said, is extreme fatigue. “I know what it’s like to be tired, but there are days where it’s like, if I had to move my arms right now, I don’t know if I could do it,” Thorne said. After his diagnosis, Thorne said he came to two conclusions almost immediately. One, he was going to tell his students about his illness. “You have 165 kids looking up to you every day,” Thorne said. “They’re a big part of my life, and they need to understand that you’re going to face some sort of struggle like this in your life.” Two, he was going to help others with MS for as long as he was physically capable. Thorne had always been inspired by his mother’s attitude of selfless service, and he wanted to emulate it. “If there’s a day that I can’t do for myself, I want to know that I did everything I could while I could,” Thorne said.

Homewood High teacher Scott Thorne directs show choir students as they rehearse a routine. Photos by Ron Burkett.

The members of Homewood’s show choirs don’t know all the details of Thorne’s daily struggle with MS, but he said they can usually tell when he’s having a bad day. “The kids are so supportive of me. They know I care about them, and I know they care about me,” Thorne said. Senior HHS student Olivia Pierce has been in the Associate show choir, one of the three at HHS, since she began high school. She said that sometimes she can tell when Thorne’s symptoms are worse, but she rarely hears him complain. “He lets us see a lot into his life, which is great… He wants us to feel involved and wants us to feel like we’re a part of what he’s doing,” Pierce said. “I think he tries to keep it from interfering with his day-to-day interactions with us.” Parent Jodi McDuff has had all three of her children participate in the Network show choir. She remembers when Thorne was diagnosed and said that he has been a positive role model to her

children as long as she’s known him. McDuff said she knows exactly how challenging show choir season can be, but Thorne has risen to the challenge. “I think he’s done a great job. He’s not missing class, he’s not missing rehearsal. I don’t know how he’s done it this year,” McDuff said. “He’s been a strong figure in our kids’ lives.” Thorne has even gotten Pierce and some of his other students involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, including the Birmingham area MS Walk each April. This year, Thorne’s team is trying to raise $4,300 before the walk on April 9. Some of the students will sing the National Anthem at the event at Regions Field. In return for their support, Thorne works hard to make sure that MS and all the symptoms that come with it will not prevent him from being their show choir director anytime they need him. “I value what I do, and I value what the kids see me do, enough that I’m going to push

through most anything,” Thorne said. To help others dealing with MS, Thorne has also been involved in the Alabama and Mississippi chapter of the National MS Society since early 2015. The chapter president, Homewood resident Andrew Bell, said Thorne is one of the volunteers they wish they had more of. “Scott’s one of our favorite people in the world,” Bell said. “I can’t say enough good things about him and his impact in just a year’s time on the work that we do at this organization.” Bell remembers meeting Thorne at the Brookwood Village O’Henry’s. Thorne didn’t just want to volunteer — he came with an idea for a whole new fundraising event: a bourbon and BBQ tasting event. Bell said it was the name – Bourbonham – that sold him. The inaugural BourbonHam, held at Old Car Heaven in January, surpassed Bell’s expectations. It brought in around 450 guests, many of whom had never been involved with the MS Society before, and raised $27,000. “It was a big hit in the first year. We were very pleased with the outcome, and it wouldn’t have happened if Scott hadn’t had the vision and the wherewithal,” Bell said. Thorne said creating BourbonHam was “quite possibly one of the most rewarding things I have ever experienced,” and he’s excited to plan it again for 2017. It’s a whole different experience from creating the 17-minute shows that his choirs perform onstage. With the right treatment options, Thorne said he wants to keep directing show choirs until he retires. Along the way, he hopes Homewood students will see him as a lifelong lesson in perseverance and service. “It’s an emotional thing for me. I hope that they’re going to get something out of this that’s long term,” Thorne said. So far, Thorne seems to be succeeding. “He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had. I can definitely say that. He puts his whole entire life into teaching show choir for us,” Pierce said. “He really has changed a lot of lives and I hope he can know that.”

The Homewood Star

SECTION

Opinion B4 Spring Home & Garden Guide B6 Real Estate B21 Calendar B22

APRIL 2016

THE ULTIMATE

GAME By SYDNEY CROMWELL

t doesn’t take much to get a game of Ultimate disc going. All you need is a disc, a handful of people and a relatively flat area, and the game is on. Steve Millburg, an Edgewood resident and president of the Birmingham Ultimate Disc Alliance (BUDA), said the game is all about the “basic joy of playing,” from backyard games all the way up to international competition. “You hear Ultimate players talk about the spirit of the game, a good spirit. That’s written into the rules,” Millburg said. “Spirit of the game really is part of the DNA of the game and I love that.” BUDA started in the 1980s and has grown to host 10 winter league teams and 20 summer league teams that play each other. There are also men’s and women’s tournament teams that play regional teams and try to make it to the Nationals, as well as the youth association (BUYA) teams organized by Homewood resident Lee Lavette. One BUDA member also recently made the cut for the Atlanta Hustle, a professional Ultimate team. “On those teams you have everybody from total beginners to people who’ve played in Nationals before,” Millburg said of the local winter and summer leagues. The teams draw players from across the metro area and surrounding

Homewood resident Pete Holby has played Ultimate disc for 12 years and helps to organize pickup games twice per week. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

See ULTIMATE | page B5

THERE’S A FIRE

BURNING IN THE

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The Homewood Star

B4 • April 2016

Opinion Ordinary Days By Lauren Denton

When you pass through the waters When I was young, I never All of the sudden, the cord really thought about losing that holds us all in life and genpeople to death, whether tragic eral well-being felt very thin or not. Part of it was the innoand fragile. cence of childhood, but the Quickly, I felt the walls of fact that all four of my grandself-protection closing down — I quickly scrolled past parents were alive and well for my entire childhood and young family Christmas photos on adulthood helped keep death Facebook and I was careful fairly removed from me. In fact, about avoiding movies and my first grandparent didn’t pass books that had anything to do Denton away until I was 29, and while with cancer or death or mothhis death was very sad, it wasn’t shocking ers. I even had to slip out of church a few — he had lived a long and full life, and we times when the hymns we sang hit a little were at peace knowing he was again whole too close to home. and at perfect rest. Self-protection can be a handy tool at Since then, I’ve lost a second grandpar- times, but it can also drift toward fear. I ent, and my husband has lost a few mem- protected myself from potentially sad things bers of his family — all sad, and tragic as because I was way too afraid to open my all death is, but nothing that shook me to eyes wide to the real fear — the fear of my core. It wasn’t until my mom got sick losing my mom. last fall that the magnitude of death really Thankfully, I didn’t. We found out four hit me. months into her treatment that she was

cancer-free — the super aggressive treatment had effectively put her into remission before she even finished her last two treatments, which left us so thankful and joyful. But as a result of having to stare at such a big, scary beast for close to six months, now I find myself often struggling to push away a cloak of fear. What if something happens at the school while my girls are there? What if my husband has a wreck while he’s traveling? What if someone else gets sick? What if I get sick? Seeing how my family’s life was changed in one instant — Mom went for an X-ray for a persistent cough and came away with a cancer diagnosis — has made me see for the first time exactly how little control I have over the events of my life. Of course, there is much to be said about not living in this kind of fear. Most of us have heard words like, “Do not fear, for I am with you,” and “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” These are

strong words, but I need more. Then I found this: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” These have always been comforting words, but now that “when” is so much more heavy and important, because the “when” happened to us. And because we live in this imperfect, broken world, the “when” will come again. I’m hoping that focusing on the second half of those lines will keep me from being overly anxious about the first half. The floods and rivers and fires will come, but the promise is that they will not sweep over us; they will not set us ablaze. I’d love to connect! Email me at LaurenKDenton@gmail.com, find me on Twitter @LaurenKDenton, or visit my blog at laurenkdentonbooks.wordpress.com.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • B5 ULTIMATE

CONTINUED from page B1

Ultimate disc team members play a pickup game at Patriot Park. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

counties, but Homewood is at the heart of BUDA activities. Summer league teams play on Thursday nights from May to August on the soccer fields at West Homewood Park and Samford University. Homewood resident Pete Holby helps to organize twice weekly pickup games where anyone can join: Sunday afternoons at Patriot Park and Tuesday evenings at George Ward Park. Those pickup games are relaxed and a good chance for new players to make mistakes and learn without the stress of league competition, Holby said. Often, the more experienced Ultimate players will stop and help when they can. “You can come out here and make a hundred mistakes and everybody just shakes it off,” Holby said. Ultimate is a game that skews toward a younger crowd, especially on college campuses. However, that doesn’t stop Millburg, 62, and Holby, 63, from getting out on the field and playing hard. While Millburg said he may not be as fast as the younger players, the game is still fun and keeps him in shape. “I just love the people I play with and the fact that at 63 I can still do this,” said Holby, who has played for 12 years. It’s also all about cardio. “You have the person who has the disc and the person guarding [them]. Pretty much everyone else is running,” Millburg said. Millburg started playing in 1999 and said he wishes he had started younger. At the time, BUDA had only eight summer league teams. In 2002, he played on a Masters team, restricted to men 33 and older, that made it all the way to the Worlds competition in Hawaii. His team placed 11th, and Millburg is proud that he was able to score once on the field. Millburg said as the disc was coming toward him for that score, all he could think was that he didn’t want to drop the disc in front of the world’s best teams. At that level, Millburg said Ultimate is slightly more organized and has formal rules,

but the spirit of the game is still there. When one of their Worlds opponents made a great play, Millburg’s teammates were there to help him up and high-five him. “People really do adhere to that, even at Nationals and Worlds,” Millburg said. At a pickup game one Sunday in Patriot Park, Millburg pointed out the strategies that go into a game of Ultimate. There are different throws and defenses, and successful teams know which of their members are best at catching over short or long distances. Unlike a league team, players bring both a light and a dark T-shirt to the pickup games so they can play for either team when there’s an open spot. On days with good weather, Millburg said about 30 people will play at different times in the 14 available spots on the field. Along the sideline, waiting players are still tossing a disc back and forth to practice. “Ultimate is a game where anybody can contribute,” Millburg said. Each part of the game — throwing, catching and guarding — involves hand-eye coordination, quick thinking and other skills. “It’s great exercise, it requires some serious skills if you want to be good at it,” Holby said. The speed of the game also keeps it interesting. “I love it because it’s fast-paced. When I play Ultimate, I’m in the moment. I don’t have time to think about things, I don’t worry about things. I just get in the flow of things. It’s a little world out there,” Millburg said. “I can come out here on a beautiful, sunny afternoon and hang out with my friends and run around and play.” Holby said that for new players, BUDA pickup games are the best place to start. Pickup games are from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays at Patriot Park and 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays at George Ward Park, and all are welcome. To see the league teams in action, the annual BUDA Charity Mudbowl tournament is April 30 at the Gardendale Soccer Club. For more information, visit buda.leagueapps.com or email buda.league.commissioner@gmail.com.

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B6 • April 2016

The Homewood Star

Home Guide special advertising section

INDEX

Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump-start any project in our guide.

The Wade Team.................................... B7 Phoenix Builders Group......................B8 DSLD Land Management....................B9 Moran’s Rocky Ridge Hardware...... B10 Nicole Brannon - ARC Realty............B11 EZ Roof.................................................B12 Nix Design Build..................................B13

Homewood Antiques......................... B14 Willow Homes......................................B15 Brandino Brass....................................B16 Christopher Glenn...............................B16 Sweetpeas Garden Shop....................B17 Keystone Consulting..........................B17 Zippy Shell.......................................... B18

ONE MAN & A TOOLBOX

Committed to quality home improvement for your home One Man & a Tool Box has been helping people with a variety of home improvement projects and repairs since 1997. “The company was started to fill a void in the market to provide professional contracting services for jobs too small for a general contractor to do,” said owner Jay Moss. “In many cases, small handyman type projects are done by unskilled, unlicensed, uninsured people working out of their trucks going from job to job — many times not completing jobs as they go, or not standing behind jobs after they are complete.” One Man & a Tool Box is insured and bonded to further protect customers. “We offer carpentry, painting, minor plumbing, electrical, pressure washing, roof and gutter repair, appliance installation, drywall repair, door and window repair and more,” he said. Spring is the perfect time to take care of home maintenance issues. One Man & a Tool Box’s affordable hourly rates can fit any budget. “We are a 19-year-old company,” Moss said. “We have invested in technology and skill enhancement of our technicians to ensure jobs are done timely and professionally.” Their technicians are skilled and professional.

They pride themselves on getting the job done well and on time. “We have multiple technicians, so if you think a job is too large for one man and a toolbox, you can have two men and more if the job requires it,” he said. They service not only Birmingham, but Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Gadsden as well. For information, please call 823-2111 or visit onemanandatoolbox.com.

Wilson Building Company................. B18 Construx...............................................B19 Classic Gardens...................................B19 Homewood Carpet and Flooring.... B20 PLUMCORE........................................ B20

TheHomewoodStar.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B7

THE WADE TEAM

From their family to yours The Wade Team is committed to meeting your needs and exceeding your expectations. The LAH team centered in Homewood consists of Cindy Wade, son, Billy Wade, and his wife, Danielle Wade. Each member of the Wade team brings a different element to the mix to make your home buying or selling experience as smooth as possible. Cindy is a Certified Residential Specialist, a member of the local, State and National Association of REALTORS®, who had her own real estate business from 2003-09. Her warm personality puts clients at ease. She considers herself a “numbers” person and is very familiar with Homewood property values. Son Billy Wade began his real estate career long before he ever earned his license at his father, Buddy Wade’s side, as he grew up learning the value of buying property in a strong, unique community, Homewood. Buddy Wade, who died in 2014, was an entrepreneur who enjoyed buying commercial properties in Homewood. Buddy instilled in his son the values of honesty and integrity. Billy earned his real estate license at the age of 21 and added a builder’s license and completion of real estate appraisal course to his background. His wife, Danielle, is a designated and accredited buyer representative and CRS. She is trained in interior design and has an excellent talent in real estate photography. The Wade Team specializes in the Homewood area, as well as all of the Over the Mountain Areas, South of Town and the Greater Birmingham area. The team is invested in the Homewood area that they call home. “Once you have worked with the Wade team, you become family,” Cindy said. Clients have an advocate in The Wade Team who works passionately to fulfill their needs. Cindy is very direct and honest. She believes it is essential to not say just hat a client wants to hear in order to secure their business.

“I listen to what you need and what you want and try to help you get it. We want to see you in the grocery and know that you love your house or having sold your home,” she said. A New Orleans girl, she fell in love with Homewood and Birmingham after one month of teaching in 1969. “The beautiful hills and trees of the warm and friendly Alabamians became home,” she said. “Buddy and I raised two children, Billy and Katie, have three grandchildren — Hogan and Wade Bexley, and Abbey Wade — and spent 45

years together until May of 2014. The schools, the city government, our first responders, our churches, neighbors and clients give us the utopian life in Homewood,” she said. “We hope to serve as well as be a part of the LAH family. Now in our LAH Homewood office on 18th and Oxmoor, we can assist buyers and sellers from the beach to the lake and everything in between.” For more information, call for Cindy, Danielle and Billy Wade at LAH, 205-879-8580 or visit lahrealestate.com/agents/cindy-wade/.

B8 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

The Homewood Star

PHOENIX BUILDERS GROUP

Benefit from duo’s experience After working for 18 years in the construction business, Stephen Boehme and Ryan Harry combined their talents to found Phoenix Builders Group in the spring of 2015. “We do everything from the smallest job to the largest job — from replacing a door to building a million dollar mansion and everything in between,” they said Their hard-won experience is the reason why customers turn to Phoenix Builders Group for jobs both small and large. Their expertise can save the customer both time and money. “We do things right the first time. We want our customers to be satisfied with the job that we do for them and the budget.” Circumstances conspired to create the opportunity for them to combine their talents to create Phoenix Builders. Boehme and Harry have known each other for 12 years working in the construction business in Birmingham. Together they have worked with the most respected companies in the city. Their on the job training is invaluable and their list of contacts is vast, so they can reach out to the best subcontractors, as well as architects, in the business when needed. “We know the area well,” the guys said. Phoenix Builders Group serves all areas of Birmingham, including Trussville, and they have even done some projects on Lake Martin. One of the most popular requests for spring is for outdoor living areas. Spring is also prime time for renovations. They have experience renovating older homes and preserving historic homes. They also do new home construction and remodeling, as well. It’s this experience that allows them to accurately assess the requirements of a job. “We give the customers one price that is realistic,” they said. Their wide base of quality trade partners that complement their experience, as well, allows them to specialize in everything from new

construction, remodels, additions, kitchens, baths, decks and porches to door and window swaps and have now created a roofing division, Phoenix Roofing. They attribute their success to their many years of experience that allows them to approach any job with a sense of confidence.

“We’ve done it all,” Harry said. “We know what we are doing, so we can give people good estimates with no surprises. We know what they need and we know what to look for when we approach a job and can assess it realistically. When we visit a property there are two experienced set of eyes looking at it,” he said.

They are committed to providing customers with quality work and honest communication. “We treat everyone the way we want to be treated.” For more information, please visit phoenixgroups.net or call Stephen Boehme 205-9660543 or Ryan Harry at 205-234-4553.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • B9

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

DSLD LAND MANAGEMENT

Design your dream landscape DSLD Land Management is a full-service design/build landscape contractor firm. We are a family owned and operated company that strives to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients. During our initial consultation, all on-site factors are considered from function to form, with special emphasis given to economy and value added work. DSLD Land Management, Inc. opened its doors in 1983. Today, DSLD has built an excellent reputation in landscape construction as a prominent design/build company that services central Alabama. Over the past 30 years DSLD has been recognized and featured multiple times in publications such as Southern Living Magazine and Builder’s Architect Magazine. DSLD welcomes projects of any scope and size, and stands ready to serve our clients with a full staff of licensed and degreed designers, a full-time administrative assistant and one of the most experienced field service teams in the business.

DAVID H. SHARP

Pursing his life-long interest in horticulture and business, coupled with a background in drainage and soil erosion, David Sharp was inspired to create the ideal landscape construction company specializing in residential design and installation. This inspiration is now DSLD Land Management, a full service design/ build landscape contractor firm founded in 1983. David studied geotechnical engineering at the Ohio State University. While a student at OSU David was offered and accepted a scholarship to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where he graduated with a degree in business administration.

integrated into everyday office work,” she said. “When you are working toward a common goal, it gives purpose and life to the task at hand. Also, having been in business for over 30 years and having established themselves as leaders in the Design, Build Landscape community, it’s inspiring to see what has already been accomplished and leaves me motivated to find ways to leave my footprint and invest in such an inspiring company.”

Soon after graduating David became interested in applying his background in geotechnical engineering and business administration to a new course of study in ornamental horticulture. In addition to learning from the environment around him, David has developed a more thorough understanding of various cultural landscape design applications from his travels throughout Europe and Asia visiting gardens and landscapes in over 20 countries.David firmly believes in the value of family. Not only does he enjoy his family, but also works to improve the lives of families with at risk children. David sits on several national board of directors where he volunteers on behalf of foster and adopted children across the country.

J. COLE SHARP

Growing up alongside his father, Cole Sharp learned the family business from the ground up. Cole attended Jefferson State Community

College where he studied computer information systems technology and mathematics. In addition to his major courses, he took horticulture courses to enhance his knowledge of the family business. Today Cole is fully engaged in the day-to-day operations of DSLD; from sales to installation as well as providing technical support.

AMY SHARP

Amy Sharp joined the team in January as office manager. She loves being a part of the family-owned business and lending her organizational skills to keeping the business running smoothly. “I love the team mentality that David has

MEGAN A. MCNAIR

Megan McNair is a landscape designer. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in landscape horticulture with an emphasis in landscape design. While obtaining her degree from Auburn University, Megan was able to develop a strong foundation in landscape design. She has advanced training and specializes in software such as Dynascape and ProLandscape. Megan looks forward to continuing her career with DSLD Land Management and creating spaces that reflect the lifestyle, purpose and attitude of our projects as well as injecting it with her personal flair. For more information, visit DSLD Land Management at 1178 Dunnavant Valley Road, call 437-1012 or visit dsldlandmgmt.com.

B10 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

The Homewood Star

MORAN’S ROCKY RIDGE HARDWARE

Shape up for spring Rocky Ridge Hardware has served their customers for almost 30 years. It’s one of those rare places that still believes in the “old-fashioned” customer service more typical of days gone by. Yet they still stock everything needed for today’s home care and maintenance. “We focus on serving the homeowner, the do-it-yourselfer and resolving any household issues they may be facing,” said owner Dan Moran. “We really do treat our customers like a member of the family. Our service is what sets us apart. Regardless of what you need, chances are we have it without the hassle of navigating a big box store.” Their plumbing and electrical sections have most anything a homeowner will need without having to wade through aisles of contractor and commercial materials. They also repair most household appliances or engines. In fact, Moran said if electricity runs through it they can fix it, which includes gas and electric engine repair. On their Facebook page, Rocky Ridge Hardware features regular tips, ideas and resources specifically for the homeowner, from creative uses for chalk paint to tips for weatherproofing. We asked Moran to share with us ways that homeowners can prepare their home for the colder months.

SPRING CHECKLIST

Rake leaves and other debris out from around shrubs and plants. It’s a good time to put down a weed preventer around shrubs and in garden beds. Build up the grade around the foundation if anything has been washed away during the winter thaw. Sloping the grade away from the foundation can help prevent basement leaks.

Clean out gutters of leaves and debris to ensure good water flow during spring and summer rains. A gutter wand that attaches to your hose allows you to clean gutters safely from the ground without climbing up a ladder. Also add downspout extensions to direct water from the gutter away from the foundation. Remove and wash screens. It’s also the best time of year to repair screens. Fix them before you need them in the summer. The last thing you want on a hot summer night is a screen that won’t keep the mosquitoes out. For washing the exterior windows, homeowners can use Windex products designed to clean outdoor windows, or they can use a solution of water and dish soap. Use one tablespoon of soap per gallon of water. (Dawn tends to streak less than other brands.) Apply the solution with a long-handled sponge and then squeeze it off. It’s also easy to clean exterior siding. Use a siding cleaner that attaches to your garden hose. Spray the side of the house and let it soak for

a little while, gently scrub and then rinse with the hose. Inside, spring is a great time of year to paint. It’s cool with low humidity and you can open the windows to get fresh air in the house.

LAWN CARE

Rake out and re-seed dead spots. (Do not use

fertilizer on new seed unless it is a labeled as a Starter Fertilizer.) Apply a fertilizer with crabgrass preventer to non-seeded areas. For more tips or information, call 979-5444 or visit 3354 Morgan Drive, next to Western Supermarket. You can also find them on Facebook at facebook.com/RRHardware.

TheHomewoodStar.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B11

NICOLE BRANNON - ARC REALTY

Clients are Brannon’s 1st priority Nicole Brannon chose to enter the real estate business at one of its most difficult times. It was 2008, and the country had plummeted into a financial crisis taking the real estate market with it. Her reasoning was simple. “I saw the decelerated pace of the market as a great opportunity to learn how to market, network and buy and sell homes. If I could sustain these skills when the economy turned around, I knew I would be in good shape,” Brannon said. The risk paid off in dividends for Brannon and her clients. As a realtor with ARC Realty, one of the top companies in Birmingham, Brannon has been able to help people find and afford homes they otherwise would have been unable to purchase. By learning the real estate business at one of its most trying times, when everyone else was wondering if the market would ever come back, she was able to bring a fresh perspective and creative outlook while overcoming challenges to meet client needs. Brannon serves the Birmingham area, primarily Homewood, Vestavia and Mountain Brook. She estimates 98 percent of her business comes from referrals. This success can be attributed to her passion for her clients. She is committed to finding each client the right property for their goals and their stage of life, whether it’s a first time homebuyer, an expanding family, or a couple downsizing into a home for their retirement years. Brannon works with clients to help them know the markets. She uses her expertise to guide and protect clients as they move through the entire process of home buying and selling. She assists them with their decision-making and contract negotiations; all culminating with a smooth closing that they are happy with. She helps sellers to understand the market and the true cost of ownership when selling.

“Communication is key,” she said. Purchasing a home can be overwhelming, but she keeps clients focused on what’s truly important and what they will want their home to be in the long run. Your home is the place to exhale and she understands this. She advises clients who are purchasing a home to “think about what everyday life looks like, what could happen in your

future. When you come home you should be comfortable and be able to breathe. What do you want that to look like?” she said. Her clients are her first priority. “I come to this with a servant’s heart. I am here to service the client and meet their needs. My relationships with my clients are ongoing even after the home is sold or they have made their purchase,” she said.

“This is the largest purchase they will ever make,” she said. “I also listen to my clients and try to understand their vision and goals. Real estate is both a personal and emotional investment. I understand that, and I can help make your investment, one that will result in personal and financial dividends for years to come.” For more information, call 205-969-8910 or visit http://nicolebrannon.arcrealtyco.com.

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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

The Homewood Star

EZ ROOF

What to know about roofing We asked roofing specialist Gerry Rotter of EZ Roofing what homeowners should be aware of regarding roofs. Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about replacing his/her roof? A: Talk to a professional. Find someone who is fully licensed and insured, with experience and a good reputation. Always use a company that is rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Remember, if you have any warranty issues that arise, you want a company that will be around, that you can find years down the road. Look up the address of the business using Google Earth. Choose a company with a brick-and-mortar business, not one operating out of a basement. Find reviews and ask for references. The biggest thing — ask questions. Your roofing contractor should be knowledgeable about products and solutions for your individual project. Also, ask about warranties. What extended warranties can you provide? What is your labor warranty? Q: What are some signs that you need a new roof? A: One sign is if you notice your shingles are curled, cracked or missing, or you find shingles on the ground. Age is also a big factor. If your roof is at least 20 years old, you may need a new roof. Are your neighbors getting new roofs? Homes built around the same time period and in the same location will experience the same types of weather conditions and natural wear. Did your neighborhood experience a hailstorm or high winds? You may have damage that is covered under your homeowner’s insurance. When in doubt, call a professional roofer to give you a free consultation. A roofing professional can

tell you how much life is left in your roof, if there is storm damage worthy of a filing a claim, and what action is recommended. Be careful, though. There are groups that I refer to as “storm chasers” that just go after insurance claims and encourage you to file a claim, whether there is one or not! This can increase your rates. Make sure you are talking to someone who has your best interest in mind. Q: Why should a homeowner choose EZ Roof as his/her roofing contractor? A: EZ Roof is locally owned and operated and has been in business for over 10 years. We are fully licensed and insured and have worker’s compensation and general liability. EZ Roof has an office and showroom located at the corner of Valleydale Road and Caldwell Mill Road. You can visit us in person and view real samples of the products we use. You can always put a face to the name. EZ Roof has a full-time staff, which means we do not subcontract out our roofing jobs. You will always be getting someone reliable, professional and experienced on your job. We also make payment easy. We do not collect anything up front, but rather upon completion and satisfaction of the job. Financing is also offered to help with the upfront expense of a new roof. We pride ourselves on our reputation and treating our customers like we would our own family members. I encourage you to look us up and read our reviews. EZ Roof is top rated on professional roofing sites, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has an A rating with Angie’s List. For more information on EZ Roof, call 968-1034 or visit ez-roofer.com.

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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B13

NIX DESIGN BUILD

Changing industry in Birmingham Nix Design Build is full-service remodeling company specializing in design-build project delivery that is changing the construction industry in Birmingham through strict adherence to the core principles of craftsmanship, integrity and value. Jeremy Nix has been part of the construction and remodeling industry for many years, having managed multiple, diverse residential home and multimillion dollar commercial and government projects. The quality of his work has brought him recognition as an industry leader by Professional Remodeler magazine and an inclusion on their “40 under 40 Class of 2014” list. Jeremy also received first place in the 2008 ABC Excellence in Construction Awards for the $5 to $10 million category. As an employee of RSU Contractors of Nashville, he opened that company’s Birmingham office at 920 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, in early 2014. Under his guidance, the local branch flourished and, in June of this year, Nix purchased the Birmingham division, renaming it Nix Design Build (NDB). “The name may be new, but our location is the same and our highly dedicated and professional team remains intact,” he said. “Making this a ‘hometown’ company allows us to not only better serve our area but to be more community focused and more active locally.” For those unfamiliar with design-build, it is a method of building in which the design and construction of a new space are contracted and controlled from one source. Traditional construction methods often require the client to serve as the designer or, worse yet, as a referee/mediator between the general contractor and the designer or architect. But NDB serves as a single point of accountability, creating a more organized and controlled project. This process helps prevent unnecessary

delays in schedule and added construction costs due to unforeseen design discrepancies typical of traditional construction. “The NDB team can take you from zero to your design and then finished project with everything tailored to your budget,” Nix said. “NDB’s ability to provide our clients with excellent customer service and superior craftsmanship reflects the construction experts on our staff, the top design professionals we partner with, and our overall implementation of the design-build process.”

The advantages of the design-build process include: ► Maintaining realistic project completion dates and reduction in the amount of time from the inception of your project to its completion. Teamwork reduces rework and redesign. ► Phased construction: Allowing construction to begin before the full design is complete saves time. ► The creation of a non-adversarial relationship between owner, design members and

the construction team. Team members are encouraged to work together to solve issues between design and construction to save time and money. ► Contractor-directed change orders are minimized, if not completely eliminated. Ongoing estimating during the design phase results in more accurate and guaranteed construction costs. For more information, call 352-4100 or visit nixdesignbuild.com.

Nix Design Build

B14 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

HOMEWOOD ANTIQUES

The Homewood Star

HOMEWOOD ANTIQUES - UPHOLSTERY

Myriad of items for home, garden Homewood Antiques & Marketplace is filled with eclectic pieces for every taste and budget. Offerings change and evolve regularly and now include everything from jewelry to textiles, furnishings, a newly added clothing boutique for women and children, the recent expansion of Abbie Turner Wiesma’s Presentation Etc. Studio - Fine Art Printing and plenty of gift items, gift wrapping and gift certificates. With the arrival of spring, graduations and weddings, people are looking for affordable furnishings for dorm rooms and first homes, and owner Chris Collins is glad to be adding an economical selection of lamps, dressers, nightstands and more. “We are selective,” Collins said. “We have

a fast turnover. I am always looking for new items, so that the store is always changing and merchandise is unique and different. “We want this to be a one stop shop,” Collins said. And it truly is. There are a variety of gliders, garden statuaries, pots and wrought iron furniture for the outdoors. For the indoors, there are a variety of furnishings, chests of drawers for the bedroom, tables, chairs, mirrors, artwork, textiles, home décor items, dinnerware and more. The store frequently runs sales, so customers sign up for email blasts and watch the store’s Facebook page to stay on top of the latest finds and upcoming sales. For more information, call 414-9945 or visit homewoodantiques.com.

Hernandez a ‘hidden treasure’ inside Homewood Antiques Tucked in the back of Homewood Antiques is a tradesman who specializes in the re-upholstery of furniture. In this “hidden” area of the store, you will find a skilled craftsman who loves his work and loves working with people. Ricardo Hernandez begin working with furniture construction and upholstery in 2001 in Mississippi. He worked there for six years, while he learned about the trade through firsthand experience. In 2007, Ricardo decided it was time to

go on his own and opened his own re-upholstery business. He specializes in providing customers a new, transformed look to their existing home furnishings. Ricardo enjoys making his customers happy. “I thank Our Father every day for opening the doors for me to have my own business, and for this opportunity my customers have given me,” Hernandez said. For more information, call 915-1681 or come to the back and see Ricardo inside of Homewood Antiques at 903 Oxmoor Road.

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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

WILLOW HOMES

Craftsmanship their specialty Our mission at Willow Homes is to build beautifully crafted homes within established neighborhoods in Birmingham such as Homewood, Vestavia, Mountain Brook and the Crestline area. Willow Homes strives to restore the historic elegance of older homes while bringing them up to current trends, building codes and customer preferences. Willow Homes was created when we restored our first home a few blocks from where we live. We enjoyed taking an old outdated house and turning it into a gorgeous residence that will go on to hopefully provide another 80 years of security and happiness for other families. What’s the secret to our success? Hard work. I wish we had a more sophisticated answer, but the truth behind building homes is that it takes hard work every day. It’s work we enjoy, in a place we love, with people we like doing business with. We also work hard to create true oneof-a-kind craftsmanship in every single home we build at a good value to our clients. We believe this is the key to setting us apart. Willow Homes has become an expert in complete home renewal. We understand past building practices and materials, designs and the challenges associated with restoring an older home. We love it when we get the opportunity to bring a home back to life with updated features our clients desire, blended with the historic and timeless looks that our clients appreciate. Building a home on your lot is also another service we offer. Willow Homes partners with award-winning plan designers and architects to create some of the most visually interesting and

efficient homes you will see. We have carefully built our team from the ground up, in order to better serve you. Our team is comprised of people come from generations of homebuilders and designers. Not only are we experienced, but we love and care for the process of bringing each project to life. If you are planning to build or remodel, our advice would be to do your homework and pick a reputable builder and then ... relax. Building and renovating can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Be smart about the places in the home you choose to spend your money, and trust in the expertise of your builder to make it all come together at the end. We strive to keep the home building and renovating process as easy and enjoyable as possible. Upon contacting Willow Homes, our estimating team visits you in your home to see the project and discuss project goals with you. We can refer great lenders and architects if needed. We typically take 1-2 weeks to generate a custom budget. With customer budget approval, you will begin working with our in-house team of experienced designers, hand selecting all the elements you want to see in your new home. Project timelines can take from 4 weeks to 6 months depending on the scope of the project, and we will discuss those timelines with you in advance of starting the project. We pride ourselves on managing our budgets and subcontractors well so that you can enjoy yourself during the process! For more information, visit their new location at 111 Broadway St., Homewood, or visit gowillowhomes.com

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BRANDINO BRASS

The Homewood Star

CHRISTOPHER GLENN

Just the right touch for your home Brandino Brass specializes in door and cabinetry hardware, kitchen and bath accessories, lighting, fireballs, and more to meet the needs of any construction or remodeling project. The family owned business was founded in 1948 by Tony Brandino, and “to date we still run Brandino Brass as a family business for our employees and customers,” said Tony’s son and current owner, Buster Brandino. “I wake up every morning a very lucky man to come to a wonderful place to watch everyone grow and prosper. My employees and customers are the best on the planet,” said Eric Brandino, Buster’s son and co-owner. Together they continue the Brandino Brass tradition of service for customers. The team at Brandino Brass makes sure every element is taken care of for customers. Renee Genereux and Megan Brasher both have a degree in Interior Design with years of experience in the building process. “We’re here to help take out all the doubt and complications for the client to find the right items for their home within their style and budget” said Renee Genereux. Megan Brasher adds that “Design is in the details and hardware is a detail that can be overlooked. Each client presents a new idea and we’re just one of the details to ensure the end result is what

How to select antiques for the home and garden

they envisioned.” Jessie Isom adds over 17 years of experience in the hardware industry and over the years has forged long lasting relations with contractors, architects, and decorators. “It’s always satisfying to help our customers pull together all the aspects of their project to give them a finished product that they can enjoy for years to come,” said Jessie. Donny Stults, warehouse manager, enjoys the company’s fun and casual atmosphere, especially massage Fridays. For more information, call 978-8900. Visit the showroom in Homewood at 2824 Central Ave, Suite 100, or brandinobrass.com.

When you visit Christopher Glenn, you’ll find collectible items from another era. With beautifully aged antiques and a large selection of decorative items, Christopher Glenn has everything you need to create the perfect atmosphere. To help you navigate the many options available, Chris Carter of Christopher Glenn has answered some questions. Q: How can you tell the quality of an antique? A: Look at the overall proportions of the piece. Do the lines flow well? Are the legs and drawers as they should be? Check for the integrity and the construction methods, used such as the thickness of the wood or veneer. Has it been repaired or refinished? Are the pulls original? Is there discoloration/ oxidation where it should be? Many older pieces will have some cracks where there has been shrinkage through the years.

Q: What are your most popular garden items? A: We sell a lot of cast stone, terra-cotta, glazed pottery and cast iron. Large containers have always been a big seller. Q: How can you use antiques to create the perfect atmosphere in a room? A: I try to keep a large selection of chests because this is a good start for designing a room from scratch. One of the most important aspects is the accessories. We offer a large selection of one-of-a-kind paintings, mirrors and vintage Murano glass and lamps. My mantra has always been “stick with the classics.” You can tweak any look with fabric, paint and wallpaper, but you should purchase the best quality pieces. Things of quality have no fear of time. To learn more about Christopher Glenn, visit christopherglenninc.com or call 870-1236.

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Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

SWEETPEAS GARDEN SHOP

Making both your home and garden beautiful Sweetpeas Garden Shop has everything you need to make your home beautiful for spring and summer. “We have a great selection of annuals, perennials, edibles, native plants, specialty shrubs, trees and houseplants. We try and buy local whenever possible. Along with plants we also carry a large selection of pottery, and gardening accessories such as birdbaths, feeders and houses, chimes and home décor,” said Jon Culver, owner. Just visiting their shop will give you lots of ideas for the home and garden. “I love creating fun displays around the shop, using the plants and fixtures that we sell. You will never find our plants in neat little rows all organized and tidy. Instead we try and display things the way you might use them in you own yard or garden. Therefore the store

is constantly changing from day to day. We have a lot of customers who enjoy walking through the store on their lunch breaks just to see what’s changed,” he said. Sweetpeas will help you find the perfect plants for your décor. “We offer a service where we will come to your home and plant your planters, window boxes and flower gardens. I found out quickly there was a large need for this, as many landscapers do not like to ‘fool around’ with small jobs. This is our specialty. We love small jobs!” he said. Sweetpeas Garden can meet all of your gardening needs and are available for advice when you need it. “I want people to know that we are here to help. We offer not only knowledgeable, but friendly advice for their planting projects.” For information, call 879-3839.

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KEYSTONE CONSULTING

Solving your design issues without the high price tag Residential design firm Keystone Consulting & Design, LLC, brings more than 16 years of experience to clients who may be planning to build or redesign their home. Keystone’s knowledge and expertise offer clients design solutions without the high cost. They are available to lend their expertise and support from inception through the construction phase of the project, at the client’s discretion. Their goal is to create the client’s vision through a smooth, stress-free process. “It’s not just another house that we design,” said owner Robby Pruitt. “It’s our client’s dream home. We strive to incorporate all of the client’s wants and need into their home.” At Keystone, they use their knowledge, understanding and background in both design and construction to create a home that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing to the client, while keeping in mind the structural

requirements for a smooth building process. They offer new home and remodel design, interior design, structural design, as-builts and renderings. At Keystone Consulting & Design, LLC, they pride themselves on fulfilling the client’s needs and desires. “We listen to our clients, and their project doesn’t end until they have moved into their home. We make every project personable,” Pruitt said. It’s all designed to make the process a smooth one for the client and to result in the home of their dreams. Keystone Consulting and Design, LLC, has done 15 houses in the Homewood area in the past four years. From the simplest job to the most complex building experience, their goal is to make your dream a reality. For more information, call 436-6367 or visit kscdm.com.

B18 • April 2016 ZIPPY SHELL

WILSON BUILDING COMPANY

Simple moving, storage solutions Zippy Shell can put your mind at ease and make all of your moving and storage needs easier. “Our goal is to provide storage and moving that makes life simple,” said Jarrod Hart, owner of the locally owned and operated Zippy Shell. “In short, we work extra hard every day to be great listeners and great stewards of our customers needs and resources. We strive to address their concerns with efficiency and cost-effective solutions. Overall, we want to remove the stress that inherently comes with moving, and make the process as simple as possible.” Zippy Shell, originally an Australian based company, opened its doors in the United States about six years ago. The Birmingham location has been serving the Metro area since the spring of 2012. “We are glad to be here offering this great product and system which is unique to the

The Homewood Star

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

moving industry,” he said. “The concept was derived from a need to provide convenient, affordable storage that could be delivered to the customer’s door,” he said. The customer can pack their own belongings or Zippy Shell will pack for them. Then they will drop off the container when the customer is ready at their new location to be unpacked or they can store the belongings if needed. They can service a one-bedroom apartment or a hotel with 100 rooms of storage and everything in between, as well as deliver to 130 locations throughout the country. They offer short and long term storage and national containerized moves anywhere in the United States at a reasonable rate. Call 542-3990 to learn more about their spring discount of $40 off monthly storage or visit zippyshell.com.

Building family homes to last Wilson Building Company is committed to designing, building, renovating and completing their client’s family home in a style that is comfortable, livable and functional to their specifications in a high quality that will endure many years. Jack Wilson, who founded the company, began as a carpenter in the early ’70s and quickly realized his ability to lead the building projects as the general contractor, thus beginning his career and Wilson Building Company in 1975. “Communication with the homeowner and attention to detail is the key to the success of any building project, and working closely with our clients to insure their satisfaction,” Wilson said. “At Wilson Building Company, we consider ourselves a full service company and general contractor, and we take on just about every category that has to do with home construction, remodeling and room additions.”

They do everything else as well, including carpentry, electrical, heating and cooling, roofing, painting, ceramic and Mexican tiles, cabinets and stone countertops, windows and doors, garages, sidewalks and driveways. “We prefer to use the best building materials on the market and use the most modern, safe and functional tools,” Wilson said. “We pay close attention to the quality of the ‘old school’ ways of building, while using our modern tools and materials, which helps us in every way to produce a project that is highly appreciated and valued in the long run by our client’s family. “Today is probably the best age and time ever for building construction, and the enduring quality of homes and remodeling projects.” For more information, contact Jack at 965-8479 or visit their website, wilsonbuildingco.com.

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CONSTRUX

CLASSIC GARDENS

Construx is your 1-stop shop for remodeling, new construction Are you thinking about building or remodeling your home? Take the next step and call the experts at Construx to assist you. Whether you have a specific vision for your home or just a couple of vague ideas, Construx can make it happen. “Many people are choosing to remodel their current home at this time when the economic situation is working in their favor,” said owner and partner Kent Irwin. “And by doing it now, you can immediately enjoy those upgrades while adding value to your home.” Bathroom trends include: ► Getting rid of the tub/shower combo and replacing it with a separate walk-in shower. ► Adding rimless glass shower walls.

April 2016 • B19

► Adding features to allow you to age in place, such as handheld showers, seats and grab bars. ► Installing big plank tiles for floors and walls. Kitchen trends: ► Creating an open floor plan — opening your kitchen to an adjoining room creates a dramatic effect and a great update. ► Installing hardwood flooring gives flow with the rest of the house and feels warm and inviting. ► Creating a kitchen island makes a good break between the kitchen and living space. Consider making it look like furniture. ► Installing quartz countertops. For more information, call 533-2668 or visit construxhome.com.

Making your garden grow Mike Pender was born with a passion for gardening. In 1973, at the age of 20, Mike actually started getting paid for his passion when he went to work for the Southeast’s largest landscape company. Then in 1980, he and his wife, Ann, stared their own company, Classic Gardens. Classic Gardens offers a large array of landscape services from irrigation and night lighting to sod installation, fixing drainage issues, shrub and tree installation and building hardscapes such as sidewalks, patios, retaining walls and outdoor kitchens. Mike and Ann, along with a talented staff, assist customers across four counties with their gardening problems. Classic Gardens is widely known for their expert lawn care service, being able to diagnose problems that no one else can. Classic Gardens applies products to your lawn on a

timely basis to keep weeds out and grass green. They also make sure fungus and insects stay under control. What highlights Classic Gardens is not only do they offer you the above services, but also they have a beautiful garden center that you can visit and see a huge variety of shrubs, trees and gorgeous flowers. Classic Gardens has been the top selling garden center in the entire nation 20 years in a row of Fertilome Lawn Care Products. The reason is that Classic doesn’t just try to sell you a product, they know the product line inside and out and tell you what to use, when to use it and how to properly use the product. When you come into Classic Gardens, don’t forget to ask about their secret Tomato Program and they will show you how to grow 300 pounds of tomatoes in a pot you can sit on your back deck! For information, visit classicgardens.com.

B20 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

HOMEWOOD CARPET AND FLOORING

One-on-one service top notch at Homewood Carpet and Flooring Homewood Carpet and Flooring has been serving the Birmingham area for 10 years. Its new showroom in Homewood is conveniently located for customers to find the perfect flooring for their home. Owner and operator Fuad Shunnarah, better known as Foo, brings a wealth of knowledge to any project he undertakes. Homewood Carpet and Flooring is known for its one-on-one service. As its owner likes to say, “It’s Foo and you! Together we make the difference, owner and client are one.” That’s the philosophy behind the success of Homewood Carpet and Flooring. Foo prides himself on his commitment to customers. “Customers can call for all problems, samples and all questions. They will be dealing with the owner and not being sent to someone else to handle their needs,” he said.

Services include carpet installation, commercial flooring installation, garage flooring, general flooring, hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, rubber flooring, stone flooring, tile flooring and vinyl flooring. Homewood Carpet and Flooring carries such brands as Mohawk, Shaw, Bruce Hardwood, Armstrong and Mannington, among others. Shunnarah’s approach is to be hands-on with customers, which is what he attributes as the secret of his success. “We are here to serve,” he said. “I try to keep everyone smiling. Customers can contact me anytime. We’ll bring our color samples to you to match your decor, as well as give you professional advice on what types of floors will work for your particular environment.” For more information, call 518-6423 or visit homewoodflooringcontractor.com.

The Homewood Star

PLUMCORE

Unique solution prevents hassle of plumbing repairs PLUMCORE is a leader in all things plumbing related in the Birmingham area. The PLUMCORE team is composed of highly trained individuals which utilize their expertise to partner with owners and businesses in addressing any of their plumbing needs. Although they are known for servicing businesses in the healthcare, government, retail, hospitality, and industrial divisions, most are not aware of their pipe lining capabilities. PLUMCORE offers a unique solution to all residential, commercial, and industrial pipe issues through an application called trenchless pipe lining. It is basically creating a pipe inside of an existing host pipe to restore failing drains

and sewer lines without being invasive to an existing property. Most applications can be restored and completed within an eight-hour timeline, which speaks volumes to the hassles of traditional repair techniques. This is a great alternative that is noninvasive, cost effective and environmentally friendly. For more information, call 631-4343 or visit PLUMCORE.COM.

TheHomewoodStar.com

April 2016 • B21

Homewood Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

743060

35209

133 Glenwood Drive West

New

$339,000

743330

35209

1821 Windsor Boulevard

New

$389,780

743239

35209

3128 Lancaster Court #B

New

$127,000

743166

35209

1208 Ivy Brook Circle

New

$220,000

743096

35209

2032 Lancaster Road #B

New

$149,780

742949

35209

1669 Beckham Drive

New

$179,900

742942

35209

1912 Saulter Road

New

$279,900

742922

35209

1605 Beckham Drive

New

$229,900

742889

35209

403 Broadway Street

New

$299,900

742878

35209

100 Glenwood Drive

New

$419,900

743220

35209

510 Rumson Road

New

$649,000

742725

35209

144 Lucerne Boulevard

New

$499,900

742715

35209

600 Hambaugh Avenue

New

$375,000

742700

35209

39 Edgehill Road

New

$250,000

742665

35209

833 Oxmoor Road

New

$429,900

742585

35209

113 Marsey Lane

New

$199,900

742428

35209

1826 Parkside Circle

New

$309,000

742379

35209

311 English Circle

New

$1,050,000

133 Glenwood Drive West

510 Rumson Road

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on March 14. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY STARTS WITH THE RIGHT CALL Barron Jefferson – Lineman, Power Delivery

Here are a few very important things you should know about underground power lines and how to work safely around them. More and more power lines are being buried underground. This poses a considerable threat for both construction workers and do‑it‑yourself homeowners. Even if you’re undertaking a seemingly harmless job, such as digging a hole for a new fence, the risks are still there.

Color codes for marking underground utility lines White

Proposed excavation

You’ve probably heard the “Call before you dig” mantra many times. But take it to heart, nothing good happens when a shovel plunges into a live power line.

Pink

Temporary survey markings

The number to call is easy to remember: 811. Call, preferably 48 hours in advance of your project, and the representative will notify all the appropriate utilities. Pretty easy.

Red

Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables

Yellow

Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or gaseous materials

Orange

Communications, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit

Soon after the call, various technicians will come out and put colored spray paint in the places where there are lines. At right is a chart to explain which one is which.

In an emergency, call: 1-800-888-APCO (2726) For more electrical safety tips, visit AlabamaPower.com/safety.

Before you dig:

Blue

Potable water

Dial 811

Purple

Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines

Green

Sewers and drain lines

Please take this simple step before digging. It’s easy. And it’s free. You’ll save a lot of headaches—and maybe even your life.

The Homewood Star

B22 • April 2016

Calendar Homewood Events April 1-2: Scottish Landscapes with Iain Steward. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Forstall Art Center, 402 Palisades Blvd., Homewood. Class teaching watercolor painting. $295 for two-day workshop. Visit forstallartcenter.com/workshops

April 5: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster & Friends Series: Bass-ic Virtuosity. 7:30 p.m. Brock Recital Hall, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $32. Visit alabamasymphony.org.

April 1-3: Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series Concert. Harrison Theatre, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. Samford Dance showcases the talents of student artists. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. $15, $6 students. Visit samford.edu/arts.

April 6: University Lecture. 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Reid Chapel, Samford University. Sunny Slaughter discusses “Human Trafficking.” Visit samford.edu/ events.

April 2: Celtic Nights Spirit of Freedom. 7 p.m. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. Celebrations of 100 years of Irish independence. $25, $15 students. Visit tickets. samford.edu. April 5: Business After Hours at Gianmarcos. 721 Broadway St. 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Learn how to grow your business. Free for members. Visit homewoodchamber.com.

April 7: Dance for Down Syndrome. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Bashinsky Field House, Samford University. To foster inclusion of adults with special needs. $5. Visit samford.edu/events. April 8: UAB ASME’s 27th Annual Brent Newman Memorial Egg Drop Contest. 9:15 a.m. Vulcan Park & Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive. $4-$6. Visit uab.edu/engineering. April 8: Live at the Library. 7 p.m. Jane Hollock Brock Recital Hall Lobby, Samford University. Jon Acuff presents “The 4 Big Things Every Adventure

with God Requires.” Visit tickets.samford.edu. April 8: Greater Birmingham OLLI Presents: Southern Writers: Southern Literary Trail. 12 p.m. Homewood Library. Connecting mythic places that influenced great novelists and playwrights of the 20th century. Visit training. ua.edu/olli.

April 13: University Lecture. 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Reid Chapel, Samford University. Featuring Dee Ann Turner, vice president of corporate talent for Chickfil-A. Visit samford.edu/events. April 16: Spring Walking Tour #2. 9 a.m.12 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. 1701 Valley View Drive. Free. Visitvulcan.com.

April 8: Wake Me Lord! Shake Me Lord! 7 p.m. Wright Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Samford University. A tribute to Hovie Lister and the Statesmen Quartet. Visit tickets.samford.edu.

April 20: University Lecture. 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Reid Chapel, Samford University. Associate professor of religion Scott McGinnis presents “The Bible and the Death Penalty.” Visit samford.edu/events.

April 12: Homewood Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Meeting. 12 p.m. Homewood Chamber of Commerce, 7 Hollywood Blvd. Visit homewoodchamber.com.

April 20: Lee Smith. 4 p.m. Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Place South. Signing “Dimestore: A Writer’s Life.” Visit alabamabooksmith.com.

April 12: James McBride. 5 p.m. Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Place South. Signing “Kill ‘Em and Leave.” Benefitting The Birmingham Pledge. $38. Includes signed first edition and glass of wine. Visit alabamabooksmith.com.

April 27: University Lecture. 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Reid Chapel, Samford University. Nancy Biggio, political science assistant professor, presents “Terrorism and Radical Islam.” Visit samford.edu/events.

Homewood Public Library Events April 22: Earth Day: Shred, Recycle, Celebrate! 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Back parking lot. Games and activities to celebrate Earth Day and help the planet by shredding and recycling your documents and electronics. Secure hard drive destruction on-site for $10. April 26: LibraryFlix: 42. 3:30 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. The story of Jackie Robinson, from his signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945 to his historic 1947 rookie season, when he broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Children Mondays: Preschool Playtime. 10 a.m. in Round Auditorium. For ages 3 and under. Tuesdays: Wee Ones. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. For ages 24 months and under. Wednesdays: Wiggleworm Wednesdays. 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. All ages storytime with music and fun.

Wednesdays: Tinker Toddlers. 1:30 p.m. Storytime for ages 5 & under encourages toddlers to explore their world through stories and play.

(O.W.O.L.). 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. Learn more about our world as we talk about and learn about Passover with stories and a special craft.

Thursdays: Storyday with Nay Nay. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. Storytime for ages 3 and under.

April 4: Wild Cards Monday. 3:30 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Card games.

April 1: Best of Laughs. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Showing cartoon favorites all day.

April 4: Monday Musical: Newsies. 6 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. Popcorn, drinks and a singalong family film from Walt Disney Pictures.

April 2: Our World Our Library

April 8: Leaps & Bounds. 10:30 a.m. in

He’s not really a superhero

but he’ll introduce you to one

Highlands United Methodist Church www.fivepointschurch.org

TheHomewoodStar.com the Round Auditorium. Movement class designed specifically for children ages 2½ to 4 years. Online registration is required and begins the Monday prior to the class that week at homewoodpubliclibrary.org. April 9: Jungle Book Jam. 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. Learn about the bear necessities as we play jungle games and make jungle crafts. April 10-16: National Library Week: Libraries Transform. Visit the Children’s Desk and pick up a scavenger hunt challenge. Complete the challenge and enter it a drawing to win a prize. April 11: Moving Together. 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. The Dance Foundation presents a program designed for babies ages 6 weeks to 6 months and a caregiver. Online registration is required and begins Monday, April ,1 at homewoodpubliclibrary.org. April 11: LEGO Club. 3:30 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. New building challenge each month. K-5th grade. April 15: Move & Groove Storytime. 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. Interactive and energetic movement storytime for all ages filled with dance, yoga and fun. April 16: Ms. Mandy’s Musical Meetup. 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. Look, listen and learn as musicians from amateur to expert share their musical talents. April 18: Monday Movie: The Good Dinosaur. 3:30 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Snacks, drinks and a family film from Walt Disney Pictures. April 18: Knight Chess Tournament. 5:30-7 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. Join us for a monthly chess tournament where you will learn strategy and have fun in equal measure! Preschool-12th Grade April 19: Infinity Ring Book Club: The Trap Door. 6 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Enjoy pizza and drinks and our new book club will read through the Infinity Ring series. Online registration is required. For 4th-6th graders. April 21: Homeschool Hour: Birmingham Audubon Society. 1:30 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Learn facts about Alabama bird’s adaptations, field marks and habitats. For 4th-12th graders. Online registration is required. April 21: Little Library on the Prairie. 6:30 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. Learn about the pioneer lifestyle by channeling Laura Ingalls Wilder for a night of family fun on the prairie. April 25: Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead. 10:30 a.m. in the Round Auditorium. Science, math and other S.T.E.A.M. concepts are brought to life through picture books and fun activities to promote kindergarten readiness. For ages five and under. April 25: Tutor Time. 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. Middle and elementary school students are welcome to drop in for some free tutor assistance from local high school students. Teens

April 2016 • B23 April 1-30: Teen Poetry Writing Contest. For teens grades 6-12. Create an original poem (maximum 2 pages in length) in any poetry style. Judges will read each poem and determine 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners. April 2: ACT Practice Test. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the large auditorium. Free practice test offered through Kaplan Test Prep. Online registration required. April 18: Spine Crackers: Teen Book Club. 4:30 p.m. in the Boardroom. New teen book club will be discussing popular titles written by young adult author John Green. April 26: Girls Who Code. 4-6 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Empowering girls grades 6-12 who are interested in the computer science field. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops. April 26: LibraryFlix: Malala’s Story. 6:30 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. This 2015 film looks at the events leading up to the Taliban’s attack on Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, for speaking out on girls’ education followed by the aftermath, including her speech to the United Nations. April 27: STEM Lab: Mad Science Mash Up. 4 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. Unleash your inner mad scientist by making lava lamps, elephant toothpaste and more. Online registration required. April 28: Teen Anime Club. 4 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Love manga or anything Japanese related? Discuss and watch anime, while sampling various Japanese candies. Adults April 6: Eighty Silver Goblets: Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid on Tokyo. 12 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Join Niki Sepsas as he brings to life the story of Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and the 80 men who carried out the raid on Tokyo in April 1942. April 8: OLLI Bonus Program: Southern Writers: Southern Literary Trail. 12 p.m. in Room 101 (Lower Level). The Trail is America’s only tri-state literary trail connecting mythic places that influenced great novelists and playwrights of the 20th century. April 8: Close Encounters of the Storytelling Kind with Dolores Hydock. 6:30 p.m. in the Large Auditorium. Storyteller Dolores Hydock tells about some unexpected “close encounters” she has had as part of her storytelling journey. Light hors d’oeuvres buffet starting at 6:30 p.m., and the show follows. Tickets are $25 for the buffet and show. Advance reservations required. April 12: Oxmoor Page Turners Book Club. 6:30 p.m. in the Boardroom. “Burial Rights” by Hannah Kent. April 13: First Step Wednesdays - Get the Most Out of Your iPad and iPhone. 2 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. Apple® certified trainers for Alabama Tech-Ease answer your questions on how best to use your Apple® device. April 14: UAB Presents Discoveries in the Making. 6:30 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. An educational outreach program that seeks to share with members of the community the newest knowledge and the exciting progress in their fields.

BI R MI N G HAM

BOTANICAL GARDENS

SPRING PLANT SALE MORE THAN 100,000 PLANTS

Present this coupon at the Spring Plant Sale and SAVE $5.00 on any $35.00 plant purchase. Name: _____________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ City: ________________________ State: ______ Zip: _______________ Email: _____________________________________________________ Coupon expires April 17, 2016. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid if photo copied. No cash value.

Not valid if form is not completed.

2016 SPONSORS

P r e v i e w P a r t y : Thursday, April 14 | 5 - 6:30 p.m. M e M b e r s - O n l y s a l e : Thursday, April 14 | 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Public Plant sale

Friday, April 15 | 9 - 7 p.m. Saturday, April 16 | 9 - 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17 | 11 - 3 p.m.

Brookwood Village (located in the Macy’s parking lot)

780 Brookwood Village Birmingham, Alabama 35209

205.414.3950 • bb ga rd en s. org

Staf fed by hundr eds of volunteer s r eady to answer your plant and gardening questions

Sta ffed by hundreds o f vol u nteer s r ea d y to a ns wer you r p l a n t a n d g a r d en i n g q u es ti o n s