Homewood Star June 2023

Game-winning Goal

The man behind the curtain

Thorne hangs it up after 20 years at Homewood High School

By NEAL EMBRY

For the past 20 years, Scott Thorne has led the show choir at Homewood High School.

Thorne has led students in 20-minute productions, helping them learn to sing and dance and gain confidence in themselves. The shows include a variation of songs, usually set to a theme, he said.

He has also directed the Miss Heritage Pageant and served as the voice of the Homewood High School band.

“I feel we’ve created space for them [students] to be confident in who they are regardless of who they are,” Thorne said.

This school year was Thorne’s final year, and it also was probably Thorne’s favorite show, as it served as a final message to his students, a way for him to tell students and others what he wanted to leave behind. It was called “The Man Behind the Curtain.”

Thorne said he always felt like the Wizard of Oz in a way. He pulled a bunch of different strings, all to be able to showcase the talented students at the high school. He said he always sought to teach his students to find strength in weakness, joy every day and to love everyone, even when it is difficult.

This past year, the show choir finished second in nationals after winning local, state and regional competitions. Work begins in the February of the preceding year, as Thorne finds songs to perform, arranges them and then brings in a choreographer to teach dance while he teaches vocals. Previous shows have focused on humanity, grieving and other

topics, Thorne said.

There are three competitive choirs, one for the ninth grade class, one all-girls choir and the top choir, which has 64 students.

Thorne “lucked into” music in college, taking part in a show choir at Auburn

Summertime in Homewood: What to do and where to go

By NEAL EMBRY

This summer, there are no shortages of opportunities to get out of the house and mingle with other Homewood residents. With school out and parents looking for family-friendly activities, The Homewood Star has organized a guide to events, library activities and outdoor opportunities throughout the city.

See EVENTS | page A18

University. During his first year teaching in Eufaula, the students didn’t know what a show choir was but agreed to learn and start one, he said.

See THORNE | page A18

People gather to watch the Homewood High School marching band perform during We Love Homewood Day at Homewood Central Park on May 6.

by Erin Nelson.

Scott Thorne, the Homewood High director of choral music, leads the choir during class April 24. Thorne is retiring from his role as choral director at Homewood after 20 years and has been in education for 25 years. Photo by Erin Nelson.

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About Us

Editor’s Note By Neal Embry

This month, we celebrate our fathers and father figures.

I miss my dad and my grandfather every day, so if you have a chance to spend time with your father or grandfather, I encourage you to do that this month. There’s a great line in Stephen King’s newest book, “Fairy Tale,” that is a sobering reminder to cherish the ones we love: “You never know where the trap doors are in your life, do you?”

We’ve sought to tell the story of family businesses in this month's paper as a nod to Father’s Day, so I hope you enjoy them.

We also highlight the many events and outdoor adventures you and your

family can have this month in Homewood, so be sure to check that out. And when the weather gets too hot to

Please Support

handle, it’s time to sign up for summer reading at the Homewood Public Library. Details on that program are also included in this month’s issue.

We also pay tribute to Scott Thorne, the longtime leader of the Homewood High School choir. I’ve enjoyed telling his story and am sure you will enjoy reading it. Congratulations on a long career, Scott!

Remember to be kind and call your parents every once in a while. And as always, thank you for reading.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Our Community Partners

Alabama Power (B2)

America’s First Federal Credit Union (A7)

Ascension St. Vincent’s Health Systems (B1)

Bedzzz Express (B1, B16)

Birmingham Water Works Board (A13)

Brandino Brass (A12)

Bromberg’s (B14)

Budget Blinds (B13)

Children’s of Alabama (B11)

Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (A6)

Cremation Center of Birmingham (B14)

Crocker Moving Services (A1)

Divine Residential & Commercial Roofing (B11)

ENT Associates of Alabama (A16)

First Lenders Mortgage Corp. (A16)

French Drains Pro (A17)

Gaynell Hendricks - Tax Assessor (B11)

Guin Service (A1)

Homewood Chamber of Commerce (A3)

Homewood Family and Cosmetic Dentistry (A8)

Homewood Parks and Rec (A5)

Iron Tribe Fitness (A7)

Issis & Sons (B9)

LifeCare Solutions (A9)

Mr. Handyman of Birmingham (B7)

One Man & A Toolbox (A8)

Outdoor Living Areas (A14)

Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (B15)

Piggly Wiggly (A15)

Publix (A19)

Renew Dermatology (A2)

Shades Creek Dental (A20)

SoHo Social and Social Taco (B15)

Southern Home Structural Repair Specialists (B9)

Tenet Healthcare Brookwood Baptist Health (A11)

TherapySouth Corporate (B8)

Dan Starnes

Neal Embry

Leah Ingram

Eagle

Jon Anderson

Kyle Parmley

Melanie Viering

Erin Nelson

Ted Perry

Simeon Delante

Sean Dietrich

Lauren Denton

Loyd McIntosh

James Phillips

Emily VanderMey

Warren Caldwell

Don Harris

Madison Gaines

Sarah Villar

For advertising contact: dan@starnesmedia.com

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

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: nembry@starnesmedia.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.

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TrustMark Bank (B3)

Vapor Ministries/Thrift Store (B4)

Virginia Samford Theatre (A17)

Vulcan Termite & Pest Control (B14)

West Homewood Farmers Market (A10)

Find Us

Pick up the latest issue of Homewood Star at the following locations:

► Alabama Outdoors

► aloft – SoHo Square

► Homewood Board of Education

► Dave’s Pizza

► Edgar’s Bakery

► Homewood Chamber of Commerce

► Homewood Family Dentistry

► Homewood High School

► Homewood Public Library

► O’Henry’s Coffees

► Piggly Wiggly

► Homewood Police Department

► Sam’s Super Samwiches

► Savage’s Bakery

► Single Barrel Barbershop

► Taco Mama - Edgewood

Want to join this list or get The Homewood Star mailed to your home? Contact Dan Starnes at dan@starnesmedia.com.

Blue paint flies off the brush as Hudson Varner, 18 months, paints at the Homewood Arts Council booth during We Love Homewood Day at Homewood Central Park on May 6. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Homewood Parks & Recreation

Classes & Activities

Central Barre

Tuesday 6:15am / Wednesday 5:15pm Saturday 8:15am at Homewood Community Center

Central Barre is a small group fitness class incorporating barre, core, cardio, balance, strength training and stretch to give you a complete workout in 55 minutes. We use a variety of small equipment such as weights, resistance bands, balls and sliding discs to increase variety and provide real results. Email ellyngagnon@gmail.com for more information.

Belly Dancing

Class Fee: $50 per session

Contact Nuriyah: nuriyahraqs@gmail.com

Learn the ancient art of belly dance with Aziza’s School of Middle Eastern Dance. Each session is 4 weeks long at the Homewood Community Center.

Dance Trance

Tuesday & Thursday 5:45pm-6:45pm

Monday, Wednesday & Saturday 9:30am-10:30am

Homewood Community Center

Dance Trance is a high-cardio, high-energy dance fitness experience that leaves participants soaking wet! It is a non-stop workout that feels more like a party than an exercise class.

www.dancetrancefitness.com

Fun For All Line Dancing

Beginner and Beyond Beginner line dance instruction encompassing a variety of music genres, e.g., pop, country and R&B. You will learn line dance terminology, line dance steps, and, of course, line dances to specific music. Homewood Community Center - Studio 2

Tuesday 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM

$5.00 per person per visit

For more information contact funforalllinedancing@gmail.com

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention

Wednesdays at 1:30pm

Tai Chi is an ancient mind-body marshal art exercise that with regular practice improves health and wellbeing. It is a moving meditation in the form of fluid, graceful, circular and slow exercises. This class is suitable for anyone, easy on the joints, helps to calm the mind, improves balance and coordination. The program of Tai Chi for Health Institute. For additional information about Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention, contact Galina at: galinawaites@gmail.com

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.northstarma.com. 205-966-4244 • info@northstarma.com

Bench Aerobics Step & Line Dance

Tuesday: 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Step Aerobics)

Thursday: 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Cardio Line Dance)

All classes in Fitness Studio 2 @ Homewood Community Center

Cost: Classes are FREE (with donations)

For more information contact Rosa at 205-253-9344 or benchaerobics@bellsouth.net

Royce Head Personal Training

Affordable personal training available to members in the Fitness Center at the Homewood Community Center. Workouts are fast, fun, safe, and effective and each person is started with a program to fit their fitness level. Call Royce for more information: (205) 945-1665

YoLimber

Vinyasa yoga classes in an energetic environment using upbeat music at Homewood Community Center. All levels welcome.

Friday: 8:00am-9:00am - Basics Class

Friday: 9:30am-10:30am - Regular Class Contact Marla: 205-223-8564 • mac@yolimber.com

Confi.Dance

Confi.Dance is a dance class in a small group setting to teach you the secrets of looking good on the dance floor and having more fun than you thought possible.

Class Meets: Wednesday 3:00pm – 4:00pm at Homewood Community Center

For more information: Jackie Tally jgtally@aol.com

Senior Center

Dance Fusion

with Galina

Thursdays at 1:30pm

Dance Fusion is an easy low impact aerobic exercise, where we learn the basics of many dances around the world while having a lot of fun in the process. Linear movements and occasional turns are simple enough to remember and perform, while energizing music of the program helps with cardio elements and a positive emotional effect.

For additional information about Dance Fusion, contact Galina at: galinawaites@gmail.com

Fast Track Line Dance

We learn the current and classic intermediateadvanced line dances.

This class is not for beginners. Fitness Studio 2 the Homewood Community Center. Saturday 11:00am-1:00pm

Jackie Tally jgtally@aol.com (or)

Helen Woods aquafool@aol.com

FIT4MOM

FIT4MOM Birmingham provides fitness classes and a network of local moms to support every stage of motherhood. From pregnancy, through postpartum and beyond, we serve our community by offering our fitness and wellness programs to help keep moms strong in body, mind and spirit. View our website for Membership Plans, Passes and Schedule. https://birmingham.fit4mom.com/

Misc. Information

Summer 2023 Pool Information

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

Homewood Youth Tackle Football

Register now for the Fall 2023 Season. Homewood Youth Football oversees youth tackle football for the Homewood community. www.homewoodyouthfootball.org

Homewood Flag Football

Registration Begins: July 2023

Age Divisions: 1st Grade – 6th Grade For more information visit: www.homewoodparks.com

July 4th Festival

Tuesday, July 4th 2023 5:00pm-9:00pm Downtown Homewood

Tai Chi, Sun Style

Mondays at 1:30pm

Tai Chi is an ancient mind-body marshal art exercise that with regular practice improves health and wellbeing. It is a moving meditation in the form of fluid, graceful, circular and slow exercises. During this class participants will learn in more depth about Tai Chi history, principals and styles, will learn and practice Sun Style 73 forms. This class is suitable for anyone who is willing to take the time learning beautiful, liberating and empowering set of movements(forms).

For additional information about Sun Style Tai Chi, contact Galina at: galinawaites@gmail.com

Council clears way for West Homewood development

By NEAL EMBRY

The Homewood City Council on April 24 cleared the way for a major project in West Homewood to come in and replace the Econo Lodge, which residents said has become a host for unsafe and criminal activity.

The council approved changes to an amendment allowing townhomes on sites more than 3.5 acres within the West Homewood Zoning District, in addition to approving developer Tom Walker’s final development plan.

Councilor Andy Gwaltney and Council President Alex Wyatt voted no on changing the district’s regulations, but everyone present voted for the final development plan.

The plan calls for 10,000 square feet of commercial space, with 18 rental lofts above it and 51 townhomes built behind it. The commercial space will include an arcade and two restaurants, Walker said. The two restaurants are new locations for El Barrio and Paramount. The lofts and retail development are considered mixed-use, while the townhomes are residential. The townhomes, not including a 300-square-foot garage, are about 1,600 square feet, Walker said. The site is located at 195 Oxmoor Road. Poole & Company Architects are the architects on the project.

The development will include sidewalks, green spaces and pedestrian connectivity throughout the site. The lofts will be two-bed/ two-bath setups, with rent expected to be in the low $2,000s, while a majority of the townhomes will be three-bed/two-bath, with rent expected to be in the mid-$2,500s, Walker said. He said he expects a mix of residents, including young families.

The townhomes include a one-car garage and residents of both the lofts and townhomes will have off-street parking, Walker said. Everyone present at each meeting regarding

the development has spoken in favor of the project.

In other news, following the success of The Lakeshore Foundation in helping two Ukrainian soldiers learn new games as part of their recovery, the city committed to giving $5,000 to the foundation to enable them to help other injured Ukrainian soldiers.

The council voted to allow trees to remain at 610 Broadway Street, with Councilor Melanie Geer voting no. The city’s public works

I’M LEAVING A INVESTING IN THE FUTURE, ONE LEGACY AT A TIME

Guin Robinson wants to make an investment in the future of Birmingham that also pays tribute to the influence of earlier generations. That's why he has specified in his will that a legacy gift be made to the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

"My family has always had a deep-rooted belief in giving back to the community, and I want to honor their values," says Guin.

"As an only child with no children of my own, leaving a gift to the Community Foundation ensures that my family's legacy will be honored for years to come."

Guin trusts the Foundation to manage his gift and honor his family's legacy based on our history, transformational work, and proactive approach to community challenges and crises.

Visit cfbham.org/legacy and learn how you can join Guin in creating your legacy.

committee reconsidered a previous ruling on April 17, recommending homeowners whose property the trees sit on be allowed to keep them so long as they took care of them.

The council also named Sheetal Cordry as the next member of the Homewood Board of Education, replacing Charlie Douthit.

In other business, the council:

► Approved partial funding for two Litter Gitters, with $7,500 to be paid this year and the rest next fiscal year

The former Econolodge site is set to be turned into a new development spearheaded by Village Creek Development.

► Approved about $5,000 in budget appropriations for The Assistance League

► Amended the street department budget

► Set a public hearing for a request to vacate a portion of right-of-way adjacent to 328 Redfern Street for June 12

► Abolished the cable commission

► Approved requests to use the plaza at City Hall for a cornhole league and for a separate vaulting competition on July 8

► Approved vouchers

Photo by Neal Embry.

Mayor’s Minute

By Patrick McClusky

Summer is finally upon us! The kids are out of school, the baseball diamonds are ready and the pools are packed. There are so many amenities that our wonderful park and recreation board offers to our citizens, be sure to renew your memberships and go enjoy summer time in Homewood.

I am excited to announce a new program, in conjunction with the chamber of commerce, called small business spotlights. These will be focused editorials based on nominations from our local small business community. We hope to bring more information and special recognition to our beloved Homewood businesses. The chosen businesses will have a spread on the Chamber of Commerce website and social media outlets, as well as the city of Homewood pages. They will receive recognition in the annual State of the City Address, as well as the annual chamber magazine. We hope this opportunity brings to light some of the wonderful and unique businesses that we have here in Homewood. So, be on the lookout for these articles when they arrive!

City Manager Update: The City Manager Study Coalition presented to the council committees this month, so we are looking forward to this discussion as we move into the fall. If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to attend these committee meetings to learn more about this opportunity.

I want to say a special thanks to all of our staff with the Parks and Recreation and Streets Departments. We Love Homewood Day was fantastic, and they do such a great job of putting it together and cleaning up afterwards. It’s so seamless that you can barely tell that a major part of the city was shut down the day before!

Lastly, we hope that you all have a wonderful summer, and please be safe while traveling!

Thank you all, and go Patriots!

Business Business Happenings

NOW OPEN

A renovated aesthetician space at Renew Dermatology is now open and taking appointments. The space is directly below the original office at 1651 Independence Court. Some of the services include microneedling, hydrafacials, chemical peels and laser hair removal. 205-580-1500, renewdermatology.net

COMING SOON

Whiskey Foxtrot Burger Dive will be moving into the former Homewood Gourmet location at Merchant’s Walk on 28th Avenue South. The restaurant currently has one location in Hoover. whiskeyfoxtrotbham.com

RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS

Homewood Gourmet has a new, larger location on 18th Place South with a refreshed, updated ambiance and one-level dining, making it more accessible to all customers. homewoodgourmet.com

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Evernest, a national full-service real estate and property management firm based in Homewood, announced that they have acquired Fort Worth-based Metroplex Management Company. The acquisition includes management agreements for more than 100 homes across the Dallas-Fort

Worth metropolitan area, boosts the firm’s overall properties managed to 16,000 nationwide and, along with other coincident purchases, represents Evernest’s foray into the Texas real estate market. evernest.co

The Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama recently named Homewood Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Meredith Drennen its “Chamber Professional of the Year” for 2023. Drennen also earned the Alabama Accredited Chamber Executive Designation from the organization. homewoodchamber.org

Brookwood Baptist Medical Center has opened its brand-new, 18,822-square-foot operating room. The structure brings 10 new operating suites to Brookwood’s campus. The suites are larger and more technologically advanced, allowing for a broader range of specialty surgeries to be performed at the hospital. brookwoodbaptisthealth.com

ANNIVERSARIES

Mantooth Interiors is celebrating its 50th year of business. Originally called the Brass Bed, the furniture store opened in 1973. The store is located at 2813 18th St. S. and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-879-5474, mantoothinteriors.com

CLOSINGS

Shrimp Basket, 801 Green Springs Highway, has closed.

Brandino Brass elevates 2 employees to co-owners

By LOYD MCINTOSH

Brandino Brass is under new ownership — sort of.

Eric Brandino, the latest of Birmingham’s Brandino family to do business under the family name, recently elevated two of the company’s long-term employees to co-owners: Renee Genereux and Jessie Isom. The ownership restructuring is just the latest chapter in Brandino Brass’s circuitous route as one of Homewood’s most well-respected small businesses.

The business was launched in 1948 by Tony Brandino, Eric’s grandfather, going by the moniker Brandino Sales Company in downtown Birmingham. Focused primarily on appliances, Tony’s brother Paul joined soon after as they transitioned into selling specialty hardware and cabinet supplies. Eric’s father Buster joined the family business in 1970, and in 1980 the company changed its name to Brandino Brass.

Tony Brandino closed the business in the Birmingham area in 1992 as he focused his attention on the Gulf Coast. Buster and Eric eventually brought the local Brandino Brass name out of mothballs after some other business ventures failed to take hold, reopening on Central Avenue in Homewood in 2009.

“My dad had bought into Authentic Brass, and the economy and some other things just didn’t work out well,” Brandino said. “We were kind of like,’ What do we need to do now?’ So here we are.”

Together, the Brandinos reestablished Brandino Brass a, opening a showroom in the smaller unit of the current location on Central Avenue.

However, over time, Brandino Brass would grow into the 4,000-squarefoot showroom the business occupies today.

“We had an opportunity to get this spot,” said Brandino while standing in the foyer of the original shop. “So we left that spot and came over here. Then that spot came back available, so we punched a hole through the back of the wall and took it back.”

Over the years, Brandino Brass developed into the go-to resource for homeowners, builders, designers and architects for high-end interior door and cabinet hardware, kitchen and bath accessories and lighting.

In 2014, Buster Brandino had back surgery and, after years of lingering health issues, he decided to retire in 2022, beginning the next chapter in the Brandino Brass story.

Genereux joined the company in 2010, followed by Isom in 2012, each providing a level of expertise that has bolstered Brandino Brass’s reputation. Genereux brings a passion for design that has made her highly sought after, while Isom possesses technical knowledge and problem-solving skills that turn ideas into reality. Together, they are the final pieces of the puzzle.

“I’ve always enjoyed the design aspect,” Genereux said, “doing

countertops and helping people design kitchens, making it unique to each person’s taste.”

“I enjoy figuring out issues and how to make things work,” Isom said. “Some of the things some of the architects draw don’t always work, and we just have to figure out a way to make them work. I get their vision to come to life.”

Genereux and Isom each had professional relationships with the Brandinos before coming on board as employees. Genereux, who has worked in the construction and renovation industry since she was 18, got to know Brandino while working

for another business across the street and had turned down an earlier offer to work for him at Authentic Brass. This time, the timing was right.

“I just finished getting a degree in drafting and design when Eric asked me to come and join Brandino Brass, so it happened to be great timing for me to make a change,” Genereux said.

Isom’s relationship with the Brandinos goes back to 1999, when he started working at Authentic Brass. After the economic crash of 200809, Isom found himself working in commercial hardware, but stayed in touch with the Brandinos until the offer came to join the team at Brandino Brass.

“I had just built a relationship with them and we had kept in touch and done a couple of things on the side,” Isom said. “In 2012, [Eric] called and asked if I’d be interested in coming back to residential hardware.”

Since then, Brandino Brass’s reputation has stretched far beyond the Birmingham area. They are regularly contacted by influential architects and home builders across the nation, and close to half of their current projects are out of state. Genereux said the entire Brandino Brass team has worked tirelessly to achieve success and is thankful that Brandino has given her and Isom this opportunity.

“I think Jessie and I have earned it and we appreciate that Eric has seen all of our hard work and offered us ownership,” Genereux said. “I think he’s seen we’ve put in a lot of long hours and, hopefully, made the company successful over the years.”

Brandino Brass is located at 2824 Central Avenue, Suite 100 in Homewood.

From left: Eric Brandino, Renee Genereux and Jessie Isom, the new co-owners of Brandino Brass, stand outside the store in Homewood. Photo by Erin Nelson.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Neighbors Ice Cream reopens in West Homewood

By LOYD MCINTOSH

Neighbors Ice Cream is back.

The short-lived but beloved ice cream parlor on Oak Grove Road has been given a second chance under the new ownership of Homewood residents David and Anne Walker. The new entrepreneurs bought the business earlier this spring, and, in just a few short weeks after reopening, Neighbors is already creating a buzz around West Homewood and beyond.

“On April 2, I turned the ‘Open’ light on just to see what happens,” said David Walker, “and word-of-mouth has been non-stop ever since.”

Neighbors Ice Cream originally opened in 2021 as a cooperative under the ownership of 17 residents, all chipping in funds to get the business off the ground and operational. The business turned into a too-many-cooks-in-thekitchen situation before Neighbors closed in January 2023, the Walkers said.

In the 18 months the business was open, the Walkers said Neighbors had already established itself as a keystone in a community that has been experiencing a renaissance over the last 10-15 years. The Walkers, who have lived in West Homewood for close to a decade, said the closing of Neighbors earlier this year felt like a punch to the gut, especially in the wake of Ash Neighborhood Bar & Grill closing in mid-2022.

It was out of a sense of responsibility to the community that the Walkers decided to take the plunge, practically on a whim, and buy the business.

“We looked at each other and I said ‘Is it ridiculous that we should try to buy it?’” David said. “We deliberated for all of February

and at the beginning of March, we bought it.”

After opening quietly in early April, the Walkers held a grand opening for Neighbors on April 15 and have been delighted with the community's early response.

“There was an outpouring of sadness when the first iteration of Neighbors closed and there was equal jubilation when we opened back up,” David said.

Neighbors Ice Cream is the maiden voyage for the new entrepreneurs. The Walkers already had busy lives before buying the business. The

couple have three small children — Noah, Lily and Emilia — and challenging careers. Anne is an occupational therapist at Behavioral One in Vestavia Hills, while David, a former high school history teacher, has helped run Walker Express Delivery since 2014, a business his father launched in 2001.

Luckily for the Walkers, and the West Homewood community, Neighbors Ice Cream was a turnkey operation with very little maintenance needed to reopen. David said they added the proper equipment to offer

milkshakes, added some new artwork to the walls, installed a self-serve candy wall, and rehired April Page, a friendly face who ran the counter for the original owners.

With most of the pieces in place from the outset, the Walkers realized they were faced with a great opportunity to be part of the synergy happening in West Homewood, even if the decision seems a little rash in retrospect.

“A friend asked me recently, ‘Did you ever think you would own an ice cream shop?’ and I said, ‘Not even in January,’” Anne said. “If it wasn’t turnkey and if we didn’t have the desire to keep it in the neighborhood, I doubt we would have been able to do this.”

West Homewood is currently experiencing a tremendous amount of change as new businesses eye the community for growth. In June, Cantina Tortilla Grill is set to reopen in the space once occupied by the Homewood Diner and Florida Grille and others, while popular downtown Birmingham restaurants El Barrio and Paramount will anchor a new development on Oxmoor Road where the soon-to-be demolished Econo Lodge stands now.

David said West Homewood is poised to see an “explosion of walkable food options” over the next 18 months. The Walkers said that these welcome changes, as well as Neighbors’ proximity to West Homewood Park and HallKent Elementary, put their little ice cream shop in a perfect spot to be an integral part of the community for years to come.

“It’s been really fun to be involved in the community,” Anne said. “I think that’s what led us to this decision, to keep it in the community and be a place where everybody gathers. It’s right by the park and the after-school rush is the busiest part of the day, so being a part of the community in this way has been fun.”

Neighbors Ice Cream is located at 715 Oak Grove Road and is open varying hours during the week and weekend. Learn more at neighborshwd.com.

Phallon Cunningham, 8, dances as she eats ice cream at Neighbors Ice Cream in Homewood while David Walker, center, looks on and Cunningham’s father, Dexter, pays for their order May 6. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Shaia’s celebrates more than 100 years in the family business

By NEAL EMBRY

The early years of JL Shaia’s life were spent sweeping the floors at his family business.

In 1939, JL’s father, AJ, took over the business from his father, SG, who founded the business in 1922. AJ turned the dry goods store into a general store, including apparel for the whole family.

For more than 100 years, the business has served local residents. Since JL and his brother Leo took over the store in 1960 and remodeled in 1963, Shaia’s has specialized in upscale men’s clothing and accessories for residents of Homewood and a growing national and international clientele, said current owner Ken Shaia.

The store has been in existence longer than the city of Homewood. SG, who came to the U.S. from Lebanon at the age of 16 with $10 in his pocket, bought four lots south of Birmingham down a dirt road that eventually became Homewood.

JL said he and Leo recognized the future of the business was in specialized men’s apparel. The work was not easy, he said, as there were already several good men’s clothing stores in Birmingham.

But in the early 1970s, things changed when the brothers found an up-and-coming brand called Ralph Lauren Polo. For the next several years, Shaia’s had exclusive rights to the now-famous brand in the city of Birmingham.

“To make our mark, we had to be a little different,” JL said. “It always drove us to find the right kind of brands.”

Ken said marketing to the area was a “hard thing to forge on the town,” but the store had supporters like George Barber, Robert Simon and Jesse Lewis, progressive thinkers in Birmingham.

The store has always been tailored to the needs of its customers, Ken said. They have also had relationships with most of their vendors for 30 years, who “respect what we’ve created.”

The store has furthered its reach out of state, with more than 30% of business outside Alabama

state lines, Ken said, though Homewood remains the “backbone” of the business. In the late 1980s, Ken began accompanying his father to New York and building relationships, and he has continued to evolve the business over the years.

As he took over the business, Ken realized that making the most of his customers’ time was vital.

“I recognized early that our customers ran out of time before they ran out of money,” he said.

The idea of Shaia’s isn’t just to sell clothes, but to create a social opportunity, Ken said. The staff strives to make customers value the service they give, he said, knowing they expect the best.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t go away,” Ken said. “When they come in here, it’s got to be right … or they’ll spend that money in a bigger city when they’re gone.”

The store has not only been at the heart of Homewood, but within the heart of the Shaia family.

When Ken got called into a courtroom after a speeding ticket, JL showed up. The judge asked him if Ken had a job.

“He can have one at 3 p.m.,” JL told the judge.

Ken began at Shaia’s in the alterations department, but on a particularly busy day, JL told him to come help on the sales floor.

“It was instant,” JL said of Ken’s talent.

AJ called JL to come out of college at Spring Hill to work at the family store, while Ken went straight from high school to the store.

“It was nothing for our family to work 60-hour weeks,” Ken said. “None of our work weeks started with a four. They started with a six.”

Getting to spend his work days with his father was special, Ken said, though there were times where family members begged not to talk about work at the dinner table.

“I’m very fortunate in that I’ve known and been a part of all four generations,” JL said.

When the store was remodeled in 1996, Ken

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modeled the front-door handle after grapevines, which SG grew in his garden a century before.

It wasn’t always easy working with family, JL said.

“It was tough at times. I was pretty intense,” he said. “Any time you have family business, especially with Lebanese [families], there will be some screaming. But it’s because you’re intense about the business.”

While the store has been passed down from father to son, the Shaia women have all “played a huge role in helping us evolve,” Ken said.

When JL stepped back several years ago, he said he wanted to give his wife the “years she deserves,” because he had spent so much time at the store, which he called his “mistress.”

“It’s all I’ve ever known,” JL said. “The business has become my life. … When you own a business, it becomes part of you.”

Working with family is the way man was meant to work, Ken said.

“I truly believe it’s God’s intention for families to work together,” he said.

JL said it is sometimes hard to put into words what working in the family business means to him.

“To look back now and see 100 years of it makes me extra proud,” JL said.

Far left: JL and Ken Shaia of Shaia’s men’s clothing at the shop in downtown Homewood on May 8. Left:

Photographs from the 1920s and 1930s of Shaia’s hang on a wall at the shop. Photos by Erin Nelson.

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Brandino Brass maintains family tradition, also adds woman co-owner

BRANDINO BRASS

Brandino Brass in Homewood is known throughout the Southeast as a top destination for homeowners, designers, contractors and architects in search of a huge selection of high-quality decorative and architectural hardware.

The store also stocks a growing array of interior and exterior lighting, including lamps, sconces, pendants and chandeliers.

There’s a long tradition of family ownership at Brandino Brass, founded in 1948 by the late Tony Brandino.

His son, Buster Brandino — along with Buster’s son, Eric — reestablished the business in Homewood in 2009.

Buster retired at the end of 2022, but the family tradition continues, because Eric remains a co-owner.

In addition, the ownership team now includes two loyal, long-time employees who have worked hard to maintain the excellent reputation of Brandino Brass.

They are Jessie Isom, an industry veteran who’s worked at Brandino Brass since 2012, and Renee Genereux, a skilled, industrysavvy woman in business who's worked for the company since 2010.

Genereux is involved in numerous dayto-day operations at Brandino Brass. For example, she oversees accounting with the help of bookkeeper Randi Carter.

Eric expresses great faith in his new co-owners.

“Renee and Jessie are true examples of hard work, loyalty and trust,” he said.

Genereux said she is “very honored” that Eric offered her a role in ownership.

“It feels good to be acknowledged for my hard work and dedication over the past 13 years with the company,” she said.

Another veteran woman in business who plays a key role at Brandino Brass is Megan Brasher, who earned her interior design degree from Auburn University and has both commercial and residential design experience.

Brasher said that she loves her work at Brandino Brass.

“What I enjoy the most is the variety of clients we get to work with and the variety of products,” she said. “There are no two projects alike.”

Genereux also enjoys these interactions.

“Assisting homeowners, designers, architects and contractors with their individual projects is rewarding, since every project comes with different wants and needs,” she said.

There are also new products coming out each year, and “it’s so fun for us to get to see where the styles and trends are going and offer that to our clients,” Brasher said.

The top-quality products at Brandino Brass include everything from cabinet hardware and elegant door knobs to fireballs and bathroom accessories.

The company is a dealer for many unique, high-end hardware makers and vendors, with some products that are only available at Brandino Brass.

Genereux appreciates the value of the quality products the store provides to its customers.

“Hardware for some is purely functional while for others it is the jewelry of the home,” Genereux said.

Brasher said the team at Brandino Brass is like a family and they want their business to be an “easy, happy experience” for their clients.

And, most of all, the friendly, knowledgeable sales team strives to help their customers get the right products — just the right look — for them.

Brandino Brass customers can view the store’s beautiful showroom in person or through a virtual walk-through on the

company’s website.

In fact, the Brandino staff uses modern technology — email, Facetime and social media — to help clients not only in Alabama but in other states.

They recently assisted a homeowner near Baltimore, Maryland who is renovating a

► WHERE: 2824 Central Ave., Suite 100

► CALL: 205-978-8900

► WEBSITE: brandinobrass.com

► HOURS: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

historic, 1830s-vintage stone manor house.

”“They carried all the brands that we needed — and the brands we needed are from off the beaten path,” the homeowner said.

Brandino Brass also helped the homeowner navigate the rules and requirements of the local historical board, the state of Maryland and others.

The Brandino team was “superknowledgeable with the whole historic portion,” the homeowner said.

Unlike the big-box hardware stores, such as Home Depot or Lowe’s, Brandino Brass offers thorough product knowledge and a personal touch.

Brandino Brass also offers a variety of prices and quality unmatched by the chain stores.

The Brandino team can take care of everything from a starter home to a large project with an architect, a designer, a builder and more.

Brandino Brass is known for its efficiency and attention to detail and is driven by a strong commitment to its customers.

“I love our community, and I love building relationships where they can trust us,” Brasher said. “I have a designer who will call me up and say, ‘I need something, here’s my budget and color. You know what I like; just pick something out for me.’ That’s the kind of trust we want to build with our clients.”

“Repetition of service and gaining the trust of our clientele is a key component to the current success of Brandino Brass and the reason we have been able to gain referrals through word of mouth,” Genereux said.

“Customer service is what Brandino Brass’ reputation and success has been built on,” Isom said.

The new owners also have a great working relationship.

“On almost every subject we each bring a different, unique perspective and we work together to make the best decisions for the company,” Isom said.

“At Brandino Brass there is certainly no ‘I’ in team,” Genereux said. “We work together to problem solve, grow our brand and continue as a successful business.”

“Repetition of service and gaining the trust of our clientele is a key component to the current success of Brandino Brass and the reason we have been able to gain referrals through word of mouth.

RENEE GENEREUX

Renee Genereux and Megan Brasher

United Way of Central Alabama celebrates 100 years of service

By NEAL EMBRY and GRACE THORNTON

For years, United Way of Central Alabama has helped provide free meals to senior citizens and those who are homebound in the city of Homewood and around Jefferson County.

Homewood Senior Center Director

Aimee Thornton said the senior center has about 25 people on average who come each day to eat and spend time together. The state of Alabama contracts with United Way to provide meals to everyone age 60 and over in Jefferson County. Those wishing to be fed fill out an enrollment form, Thornton said.

With 20 different menus, the same meal does not repeat for a while, she said. The food is planned by a registered dietician and goes to both in-person guests and those who are at home through the Meals on Wheels program.

Thornton said the organization also shares important resources, including information about being prepared for emergencies, how to register for emergency notifications, obtaining veterans benefits, transportation services and more.

United Way is “really organized” and does a great job in communicating with the senior center and those who benefit from their services, Thornton said.

This summer, the United Way is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“We are firm believers that when we come together as a whole, the possibilities are endless,” said Drew Langloh, UWCA president and CEO. “Our 100-year impact on the Central Alabama community proves this, and we look forward to continuing to pave the way for real, tangible change for the next 100 years.”

Those future plans start with a celebration of where they’ve been and where they’re headed. On June 24, UWCA supporters, partners and neighbors are invited to CityWalk in Birmingham from 3 to 8 p.m. to enjoy live music, food, performers, games, a partner agency fair and more.

In the coming months, UWCA will also unveil six community park projects, one in each county served by the organization.

In 1923, a group of local business people got together to deal with the social problems in the rapidly growing city of Birmingham.

“When you read the minutes from back then, you begin to understand that the organization was seen as a device or a mechanism,” Langloh said. “Oftentimes, they would come together if there was a big issue brewing in the community that needed attention.”

Calling themselves Birmingham Community Chest at that time, they organized to help fight issues like tuberculosis, a disease that was heavily burdening local medical facilities.

“What I find interesting is that even

though the issues today are very different, the dynamic is very similar for the organization,” Langloh said, noting that BCC has gone through several name changes over the years, including United Appeal in 1956 and UWCA in 1992. “Today, we still roll up our sleeves and sit at a common table together and talk about issues facing us today and how we are going to go about solving them. Even though we’re very different than we were in 1923, the reason for our existence is the same.”

Over the past hundred years, UWCA has met a variety of changing needs. It organized relief during the Great Depression. It led the way in race relations with the addition of its first Black board member, Dr. A.G. Gaston, in 1966 and with the establishment of a boys’ club in his name.

UWCA also leveraged nearly $21 million to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Alabama in 2006.

All of this and much more has been done with the vital support of the community, Langloh said. In 1923, Birmingham Community Chest met a fundraising goal of half a million dollars to help its 31 agencies. Now with more than 200 agencies, UWCA is hoping to raise its endowment to $100 million to ensure that kind of assistance keeps going.

“The whole reason for United Way is to serve the community,” said Langloh, who has worked with UWCA for 24 years, 15 of those as CEO.

“To me, it all starts with this fundamental belief that this organization is owned by the community, not owned by anyone in particular. Because of that, we’ve been successful in that each generation that comes along has picked it up and stewarded it through their time and then handed it off.”

UWCA has worked over the years to “keep fighting for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community,” and Langloh said he is “pretty confident and

hopeful that the work we’re doing now will help perpetuate that model into the future.”

“The issues will be different, but what I’m really hopeful for as we’re launching this endowment campaign is to make sure it’s still there to bring the community together to work on their problems, whatever they might be,” he said.

For more information about the centennial celebration, visit uwca. org/100years.

Friday, June 2nd

Railroad Park, 11a-1p

Friday, June 9th

Homewood Central Park, 11a-1p

Friday, June 16th

Alabama Farmers Market, 11a-1p

Friday, June 23rd

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 11a-1p

Veterans Park, Hoover, 11a-1p

Friday, July 7th

Linn Park/City Hall, 11a-1p

Friday, July 14th

Gardendale Celebration Park, 11a-1p

Friday, July 21st

Rickwood Caverns State Park, 11a-1p

Homewood resident Sottie Collins sits on an aerial sling with Cindy Gilmore, left, and Megan Rhoads during an event with Southern Cirque in June 2022 for the Homewood Senior Center. United Way of Central Alabama recognized the Homewood Senior Center for this event as part of their effort to honor seniors.

Photo courtesy of Southern Cirque.

More than music: Birmingham Boys Choir celebrates 50 years

By NEAL EMBRY

For 50 years, the Birmingham Boys Choir has entertained audiences at their spring and Christmas concerts, along with other shows they perform throughout the year.

They’ve traveled far and wide with their historic choral music, with more than 100 boys singing songs in unison, and they’re widely praised.

Still, Music Director and resident composer Ken Berg said it’s not just about the music. The staff at the Birmingham Boys Choir is not only teaching the boys how to sing, but a “right way to live,” Berg said.

“We hear a lot about toxic masculinity,” Berg said. “What is the remedy for that? Biblical masculinity.”

Boys are taught to hold on to “creation truths,” to values such as honesty, goodness, strength, kindness and more, Berg said. And when those who hear their voices have a chance to interact with them off the stage, or when a boy’s parents see what the choir does for their child, they understand it too, Berg said.

“What they really appreciate is the integrity [that is] taught,” he said. “We take representing Birmingham very seriously.”

Berg and his wife, Susan, have been helping lead the choir for 45 years. The choir is run by a board of directors, and the choir includes 140 boys from 40 different schools in the Birmingham area.

Boys in third through fifth grade are junior choristers, while those in fifth through eighth grade can join the senior choristers. Eighth grade boys graduate from the choir but can still participate as graduate choristers from ninth through 12th grade, Berg said. It’s not uncommon for boys to join in third grade and stay until they graduate from high school, with eight doing so this year, he said.

In addition to their famed — and free — seasonal concerts, the senior and graduate boys participate in ticketed, collaborative concerts

throughout the year, Berg said. They are working this fall with the musical group Three on a String and have previously worked with storytellers Sean of the South and Dolores Hydock, he said.

Leaders oversee the boys during a “huge,

pivotal” time of change, Berg said. It is a responsibility they take very seriously. Their time in the choir is instrumental, not just in teaching them music, but in teaching life lessons.

The choir’s executive director, Jeff Caulk, said it is “just fantastic” to be involved in the

boys’ lives. Caulk said it is a “confluence of values and education for growing boys into men.”

“It’s more than music,” Caulk said. “It’s training for life.”

A former chorister himself, Caulk said he is

Ken Berg, the director of the Birmingham Boys Choir, leads the junior and senior students during a Birmingham Boys Choir rehearsal at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Vestavia Hills on May 6. Photos by Erin Nelson.

a better man because of his time with the boys choir.

Seeing boys join the choir from all walks of life is inspiring, Caulk said.

“It’s the way community should be,” he said. “All the boys love finding friends and we love getting to watch it.”

The boys also might be more athletically or academically-inclined, but it’s all useful, Berg said. Singing involves having the correct physical form, along with understanding languages, pitch, location and more, he said.

“You’ve got to be smart to do this,” Berg said. “They are mutually sustaining.”

The boys rehearse in satellite locations during the week, with lessons on the south, east and western end of Birmingham, along with an inner-city class on Wednesday. Boys go to the closest class to them, Berg said. Those practices last between 13 and 14 weeks before all the students come together for about three weeks.

“When the curtain goes up … it’s an

impressive sight as well as sound,” he said.

The choir is well known, not only for their concerts here in Birmingham, but across the country and world, Berg said. They have traveled to Canada, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Japan, Germany, Florida, Portland, Seattle and more.

“They’re pretty well known,” Berg said.

Bringing all the boys together after weeks spent apart and teaching them challenging music could not be done without a “fantastic” music staff, Berg said.

“I get all the glory and it’s really not fair,” he said.

Music can include portions of Handel’s Messiah, Christmas music and always a certain amount of “sacred literature,” Berg said. Leaders are careful with what they put in front of the boys and also strive to teach Christian virtues through the music that is chosen.

Even as they learn how to hit the right notes, the boys are taught what the words themselves

mean, Berg said.

“Don’t sing that without thinking about what you’re singing,” Berg said he’ll tell the boys. “Music allows for that, especially choral music.”

He said his hope is that the music lifts people up and encourages them.

While they’re talented musically, the boys are also “endlessly entertaining,” Berg said.

In the 45 years since he began, the number of boys has jumped from 13 to more than 100. The group also found a way to keep boys past puberty, Berg said.

One of the highlights of the choir is the camp, where older boys are counselors to younger boys, forging strong bonds that last through the years, he said.

In talking with people about the choir, Berg said others are always surprised at what the boys can do.

“It’s not that our expectations are too high [for children]; it’s that our expectations are too

low,” he said.

The goal is not simply for boys to “have a good time,” but to be challenged and grow.

And the challenge extends to fathers once every other year, Berg said. In odd-numbered years, dads and father figures are allowed to sing with their boys at the Christmas concert. While many come to him admitting they aren’t choir material, Berg said they also are surprised at what they can do.

It’s often the one opportunity outside of church where fathers are able to learn together and create something together with their sons, Berg said.

“To watch that heritage … it’s a beautiful thing,” he said.

The choir auditions boys coming into third grade through eighth grade year-round and is preparing for their July enrollment. Their summer camp is set for July 25-29, Berg said. For more information, visit birmingham boyschoir.org.

Left: Martin McCurry, 11, of Mountain Brook, and Joseph Kaufhold, 11, of Hoover, sing solos during a Birmingham Boys Choir rehearsal. Right: Children in the junior choir, third and fourth graders, sing during a Birmingham Boys Choir rehearsal.

Bobbing and weaving in Homewood

Southeastern Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament comes to Lee Community Center

By LOYD MCINTOSH

More than 300 people packed the gymnasium of the Lee Community Center for a weekend of amateur boxing in late April.

The 2023 Southeast Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions brought some of the brightest boxing talent from around the Southeast

under one roof on April 22-23. On the line was an opportunity to advance to the 2023 National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Philadelphia and a possible invitation to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in December.

The tournament was hosted by Dave Godber, Southeast Golden Gloves franchise delegate and owner of Round 1 Boxing & Fitness in Hoover. It featured a cadre of elite fighters competing out of his gym as well as top amateur boxers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.

“Alabama has a chance to put five boxers in the National Golden Gloves if we beat the other states,” Godber said. “If you make it to the National Golden Gloves, then you’re something.”

On Saturday, April 22, four out of five fighters drew a bye, leaving 125-pounder Ke’Nario Davidson as the sole Alabamian and Round 1 boxer competing in the first day of action. Davidson struggled somewhat with his opponent, Joven Tiller, who held Davidson throughout all three

rounds. However, Davidson prevailed, landing punches when he had the opportunity to advance to the championships on Sunday.

In the championship bout, Davidson faced Tennessean T.J. Arnold in the first fight of the day. For close to a minute after the opening bell, Davidson and Arnold sized each other up, with Davidson patiently waiting to find an opening.

But he was perhaps too patient. Arnold landed a few punches to his body and head. The Alabamian stood his ground during the flurry but allowed his opponent to rack up points in the process.

Toward the end of the first round, Davidson picked up his energy level, throwing a flurry of punches at Arnold, eventually losing his balance into the ropes. After regaining his balance, Davidson backed Arnold into the corner as the boxers traded punches until the bell ended round one.

Davidson opened round two with three left jabs and a left hook landing on Arnold’s ear. As

the first minute wore on, the energy level settled back down as the fighters sized each other up until Arnold found a groove, landing more punches on Davidson and backing him into the ropes and, again, knocking him off balance.

Davidson eventually found his second wind and traded body shots with Arnold as the second round rang to a close.

The third round began with Davidson as the aggressor. However, Arnold responded, continuing to throw punches as Davidson waited for an opening for a knockout shot that never came. As the bell rang to end the third and final round, Arnold’s victory was clear.

The next two fights featured boxers from out of state. In the second fight, Christian Andrade of Georgia defeated Sema’J Young of North Carolina in the 132-pound Elite championship. In the third fight, Nathan Threatt of South Carolina defeated Georgian Devin Carter in the 139-pound Elite title bout.

Left: Local boxer John Williams, right, competes in an elite championship round against Maleik Lawson of Georgia during the 2023 Southeast Regional Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions at the Lee Community Center in Homewood on April 22. Above: Local boxer Lance Holloway, right, competes against Marco Jones of Georgia. Photos by Erin Nelson.

Bout number four featured Alabamian and Round 1 boxer John Williams fighting in the 147-pound Elite championship against Georgian Maliek Lawson. Williams, who also coaches at Round 1 with Godber, received a bye in the semi-finals, a development he wasn’t that thrilled about, but he was confident in Godber’s plan.

“I’d rather fight twice and get a rhythm going, but I’ll accept it,” Williams said. “I’m just focused on implementing the skill set and just doing the correct moves when they’re needed, controlling myself and following through.”

Williams came out strong after the opening bell in bout four, dominating the first round with a flurry of body shots, backing Lawson into the ropes. However, at this moment, and throughout the three rounds, Williams seemed to back off when he had a chance to put the fight away for good.

In round two, once again, Williams appeared to be the aggressor, backing Lawson into the ropes but seemingly letting off the gas when it looked like he could have sent his opponent to the canvas.

In the third round, Williams’s patience would come back to bite him as Lawson established a rhythm and gained his second wind. Midway through the round, Lawson forced a standing ten count on Williams. Trying to re-establish control, Williams ran out of gas and was forced into

another standing 10-count. Moments later, the referee stepped in to stop the fight with around one minute left in the bout.

The dominoes continued to fall as the final two Elite Alabamians lost in the finals. Lance Holloway was defeated by Marco Jones of Georgia in the 165-pound Elite Championships. In the final Elite bout of the weekend, Steve Motley lost in a controversial decision to Matthew Nore, representing Georgia, for the 176-pound Elite title bout.

The event also featured novice boxers getting some of their first action in the ring, including Mountain Brook High School graduate Jose Pilco, who defeated Jace Gardener in his debut bout. Also making essentially his second debut was Tyler Turner, a 2018 Hoover High School graduate and current UAB student studying music technology.

Coming into his bout on Sunday, Turner had fought only once, a loss, in 2021 before tearing his ACL. In only his second fight — and the first in two years — Turner soundly defeated Jerry Maynard in a 156-pound novice division fight that had the entire gym, including many of his friends from high school, on their feet.

“The whole plan was to drown him and not stop throwing punches no matter what,” Turner said. “I’ve been working so long for this, so to come back like that, just feels amazing.”

Local boxer Ke’Nario Davidson, left, competes in an elite championship round against T.J. Arnold of Tennessee during the 2023 Southeast Regional Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions.

THORNE

CONTINUED from page A1

He remembered taking that group to a competition, where they didn’t win, but were still “so excited” about what they had done. But when they saw Homewood High School perform, their jaws dropped, Thorne said. So coming to Homewood a few years later was a very “full circle” moment for him, Thorne said.

“Watching a kid be in this space right here, … it’s less about that and the music and more about the confidence they’ve gained,” he said. In the past few decades, show choir has changed, Thorne said.

“They definitely dance a lot more than they did when I was just starting out,” he said.

The shows allow students to learn because they’re part of something of quality, Thorne said. It is a boost of confidence, he said.

“They build each other up,” Thorne said. If one student struggles, others pick them up and help them, as their work affects each other, he said.

Thorne said he has always sought to treat the students like real people, allowing them to have a voice.

“When I compliment them, it’s deserved,” he said.

The work he and the students have done has been “pretty successful,” Thorne said. There have been 34 overall grand championships in his 20 years, and the only school to equal that mark is the high school in Clinton, Mississippi, which Thorne said is the best in the country. Still, Homewood has always been a force to be reckoned with.

“They’ve been consistent and always in the conversation,” Thorne said.

The group has only missed the finals three times in Thorne’s 20 years.

“It’s taught me patience, for sure,” Thorne said. “It’s easy to get cocky. … [Show choir] always kept me humble.”

He said he’s also learned to expect more out of students.

“People will give you what you expect,” Thorne said.

Thorne said he will always remember the

EVENTS

CONTINUED from page A1

HOMEWOOD PARKS AND RECREATION

From Streetfest to the Back to School Bash, there are events, swimming and more available through Homewood Parks and Recreation.

There will also be a July 4th celebration, beginning at 5 p.m. There will be rides, inflatables and a DJ, said Rusty Holley, superintendent of parks and recreation. The money raised from the event benefits the high school band for their upcoming trip to Dublin. The event ends when the Thunder on the Mountain fireworks show begins, Holley said.

The Back to School Bash will be held Aug. 26 at Patriot Park and will allow children and parents to enjoy a fun time together before the new school year begins, Holley said. Streetfest will be held June 3. For more on that event, see the separate story in this month’s paper.

One of the most enjoyable and popular things to do over the summer is swim, and Homewood residents have two pools: the Central Park pool and the pool at Patriot Park. There are various memberships that will grant access to the pools. For membership information, visit homewoodparks.com/memberships.

There are also sports offerings this summer. Homewood City Schools is allowing residents to use the tennis courts at Homewood Middle School for daytime play, and there are plans to eventually turn the tennis courts at Central Park into pickleball courts, Holley said. Other groups will play badminton and floorball as well, he said. For more information on sports, visit homewoodparks.com/athletics.

For those wanting to get outdoors, there are a handful of parks available to residents.

► Central Park: 1632 Oxmoor Road. Holley said Central Park has five pavilions to rent, trees with hammock attachments set up, tennis courts, green space, bathrooms, sidewalks and the city’s largest playground.

► Patriot Park: 710 Oak Grove Road. Patriot Park has sidewalks, a sand volleyball court, a playground with artificial turf,

concert that alumni put on for him before his retirement, as it ran through his favorite songs and allowed him to see kids he taught years ago, he said.

Byron Mosquera will replace Thorne next year after being his assistant for a few years. He’s also a former pupil.

“Scott’s built such a big program here,” Mosquera said. “We’re not going to change who we are.”

Mosquera said he’s learned to be accepting of everybody, as the students who join the choir come from all types of backgrounds. He’s also learned the management side of things, keeping budgets and making sure logistics are taken care of, not just preparing the shows.

Mosquera said one of his favorite trips was

taking part in nationals on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. This year, nationals were in California, which was fun, he said.

“It’s every bit as much about seeing other groups and what they do,” Mosquera said. “Show choir is vast, but it’s also a small community.”

Thorne said he plans on enjoying not having to plan anything this summer, but

he will eventually pursue other work that is “fulfilling,” he said.

But he won’t be fully away from show choir. He will judge competitions and take part in clinics as well, he said.

More than anything, Thorne said he will miss the students.

“I love what I do, but I love the students,” he said. “That’s what it’s about.”

bathrooms and two pavilions to rent.

► Overton Park: 1920 Mayfair Drive. Overton Park has a wooded area with a small playground, but does not have bathrooms.

► Woodland Park: 429 Woodland Drive. Woodland Park does not have a playground or dedicated parking and is mainly used for Scout groups and a garden club, but there is a walking path. There is also a raised seating area with four Adirondack chairs.

► Spring Park: 2525 Central Ave. Spring Park has a pavilion for rent, bathrooms, a small playground and green space with a sidewalk.

Meredith Drennen, director of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber will host the Sidewalk Sale on 18th Street South on the last Saturday in July. Each business puts their merchandise on display and has sales as they clear inventory for fall, Drennen said.

LIBRARY EVENTS

Homewood Public Library Director Judith Wright said there are plenty of events taking

place this summer at the library.

Summer reading began May 22 and finishes Aug. 6, Wright said. There are programs for all ages to encourage residents to read this summer, she said. For every three books children check out, they will be entered into a weekly prize and the grand prize.

On May 30, there will be a “Bubble Bash” party at 10:30 a.m. in the library parking lot, Wright said.

On June 24, there will be a free self-defense class for teen girls, Wright said.

Throughout the summer, there will be “Destination Science Camps” held throughout Homewood, at the library, Lee Community Center and the West Homewood Senior Center. While the city of Homewood is not very large, Wright said it can take some time to get across to the library, so the staff wanted to offer the camps in multiple areas.

There is also a new book drop at the senior center, Wright said. Patrons can drop books off there for any library in Jefferson County and it will be picked up twice a week. Books will

be backdated, so patrons who drop off books before the due date need not worry if they are not picked up until after that date, Wright said.

There will also be a series of talks given about historic theaters in the area, including the Alabama Theatre, the Lyric Theatre and Red Mountain Theatre. Wright said the library is also bringing back ghost tours on July 7 and 8.

The library will host a block party Aug. 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., which serves as the largest fundraiser for the Homewood Library Foundation. There will be beer, wine and more. Tickets are $10 for those ages 4 through 20, and those 21 years of age and older get in for $25, which includes alcohol, Wright said.

At all Jefferson County libraries this summer, there is fine forgiveness for up to $50 if a patron signs up for summer reading, Wright said.

If you know of an event that you don’t see here, email The Homewood Star at nembry@ starnesmedia.com so we can add it online and to our calendar.

Above: Trophies earned by the different choirs at Homewood High School are displayed in the hall of the fine arts wing. Right: Scott Thorne, the Homewood High director of choral music, sits at the piano in the school’s auditorium. Photos by Erin Nelson.

People gather at Patriot Park for the Back-toSchool Bash in August 2022.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

For patients in need of a full new set of teeth, implant dentures are the premier option available today. They will improve your appearance by replacing your missing teeth while also providing improved overall function for eating and speech, with the added stability of a fixed restoration thanks to the use of dental implants.

Dental implants are artificial roots that are placed into the supporting bone that provide the solid foundation for the denture teeth.

So, what exactly are implant-supported dentures, and how do they work?

Traditional dentures rest on top of your gums, held in place by suction or adhesives. This means they can sometimes slip or slide around when you’re eating or speaking, causing discomfort or embarrassment. With implant-supported dentures, your new teeth are anchored in place by dental implants, which are surgically placed into your jawbone. Once the implants have fused with the bone (a process called osseointegration), the denture is attached to them using abutments and screws, creating a secure and stable foundation for your new teeth.

Implant-supported dentures are typically recommended for patients

who are missing most or all of their teeth and are looking for a more permanent, comfortable, and natural-looking solution than traditional dentures. At Shades Creek Dental, we offer the latest All-on-X treatment, which is a type of implant-supported denture that can replace an entire arch of teeth with just a few strategically placed implants. The “X” in All-on-X refers to the number of implants used, which can vary depending on the patient’s needs.

One of the biggest advantages of All-on-X is the speed at which the procedure can be completed. Historically, this procedure has been painstakingly long and required numerous visits back and forth to the dentist with multiple impressions and surgeries. Thanks to the latest 3D scanning and printing technology, we are able to consolidate the time and appointments needed for your new teeth, allowing you to get back to your normal routine within a couple weeks from your initial visit.

We’ve teamed up with a dental surgeon who has undergone 3+ years of in-depth implant training to ensure the best possible surgical outcomes for our All-on-X patients. You’ll get your comfortable temporary prosthesis on the day of surgery, so you don’t

WHY CHOOSE SHADES CREEK DENTAL FOR YOUR ALL-ON-X PROCEDURE

have to go without teeth while you’re waiting for your permanent dentures to be completed.

Another advantage of All-on-X is the improved oral health benefits it provides. Because the dental implants stimulate bone growth in your jaw, they can help prevent future bone loss and maintain your facial structure. This means you’ll be able to maintain a more youthful appearance and avoid the sunken-in look that can occur with traditional dentures.

At Shades Creek Dental, we are committed to providing the highest quality dental care and the most advanced treatment options to our patients. If you are ready to say goodbye to uncomfortable dentures and hello to a more confident, natural-looking smile? Our team will be happy to answer any questions you have and help you determine the best treatment option for your unique needs and goals.

Call us at 205-417-2750 to schedule your All-on-X consultation.

West Homewood Farmer’s Market to help food-insecure areas

By NEAL EMBRY

A new initiative called “Grow it Good” will bring help to food-insecure families in Alabama, courtesy of the West Homewood Farmer’s Market.

The group is working with Freight Farms and using their equipment to take up hydroponic farming, said market manager Kenyon Ross. The group will grow vegetables and more on the interior walls of shipping containers, in a process called vertical farming. The containers can produce 250 heads of lettuce per week and 500 different varieties of greens and herbs.

The farmer’s market wants to purchase five of the farms every three years and place them in food-insecure areas. That will eventually be accompanied by hiring someone to run the farm, training them and giving them co-ownership. The market will sell 100% of what they grow to a distributor who “cares about getting it to insecure people,” Ross said.

The training software and supplies cost about $200,000 for each farm, Ross said, though they will get a discount for buying so many.

“We can pretty much grow any kind of lettuce you can imagine,” he said.

The group has also applied for a USDA grant, Ross said.

“A lot of money is being funneled to farming and food solutions right now,” he said. “We think with the added mission and vision of what we want to do that we probably won’t have any problem getting a grant.”

The containers take five gallons of water per day, which is 99% less than the equivalent of farming the same amount of produce in a traditional method, and does not include the use of pesticides or dirt, Ross said. With it being inside, there are also no bugs, he said. The

nutrients that would have come from the dirt can be added to the water, Ross said.

The grant will be awarded sometime in August and the plan is to farm year-round, he said.

SUMMER MARKET

The farmer’s market is also preparing for its 13th season, Ross said.

The market is held each Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. and they are still accepting vendors, he

said. There is space for 75 to 80 vendors, with the first and last markets being the biggest.

The markets take place in June, July and the first Tuesday of August and are held in the parking lot of Shades Valley Community Church. Parking in the back is free, and there are usually food trucks on site. Offerings include vegetables, meats, fruits, arts and crafts, baked goods and more.

When the market began 13 years ago out of a small group at the church, Ross said the goal

was to be good stewards of God’s creation. While they didn’t intend on becoming a big market, it has grown each year, he said.

“People love coming,” Ross said. “It’s easy to get a parking spot. You can come and go, but we still have tables to sit.”

At the first market, set for June 5, Grammy-nominated country recording artist Steven Cade will be performing from 6 to 8 p.m. Cade is known for giving away guitars to foster kids to instill a love for music in them, Ross said.

Patrons walk around the West Homewood Farmers Market at Shades Valley Community Church in June 2022. Photo by Caleb Mullis.

OUR TREE CREWS ARE WORKING TO KEEP THE DEPENDABILITY YOU EXPECT.

At Alabama Power, we work hard to provide the dependable service our customers expect and deserve. We give 100% to achieve 99.98% dependability. That means regularly inspecting and trimming trees as a way of preventing potential outages.

About 45% of outages experienced by Alabama Power customers are due to trees and plant life.

Overgrown branches can brush against power lines and cause outages. They also make power lines more accessible to wildlife.

We use technology and data analytics to help identify areas in need of tree trimming to protect the electrical system.

Keeping you aware of upcoming work is a priority to us. Scan the QR code to see the neighborhoods tree crews will be working in.

If you have any questions, please call Alabama Power at 205-257-2155 and request to speak with a member of our utility tree care team.

To learn more about how we safely maintain our system or for recommendations on planting the right trees in the right place, visit AlabamaPower.com/trees.

Cordry joins Homewood Board of Education

By NEAL EMBRY

Sheetal Cordry has spent the last several years advocating for those who do not have a voice, beginning with her daughter, Eva. Eva has a rare genetic condition known as Williams syndrome, which causes developmental and emotional delays, among other symptoms. Cordry, who also has a background in social work, said she wants to “create a world where [Eva] can succeed.”

Cordry will now have the opportunity to do that not just for her own daughter, but for all Homewood students, as she joins the Homewood Board of Education this month. She is replacing Charlie Douthit in the Ward 4 seat, which represents part of the student body in each of the city’s three elementary schools.

Being appointed to the board is “exciting and humbling,” Cordry said.

Cordry was born and raised in Birmingham and is a 1999 graduate of Homewood High School. After attending Birmingham-Southern College, she went to Washington University in St. Louis and earned a master’s degree in social work. Work and travel took her back to Birmingham and then to California, where her husband did his medical residency.

The couple ended up back in Birmingham when Cordry got a job here and settled in Homewood.

“I’m so thankful we landed here,” Cordry said.

Being in Homewood allowed the family to have access to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Bell Center and Hall-Kent preschool, which all have helped Eva, Cordry said. The renowned Homewood school system has proved beneficial not only to Eva, but to Cordry’s two sons as well.

Cordry volunteers her time at the schools, including as PTO president at Shades Cahaba Elementary and serving on the school system’s most recent five-year strategic planning committee.

“Serving as PTO president has given me a unique vantage point,” Cordry said.

While Homewood is already a highly regarded school system, Cordry said there is always an opportunity to make it better and better support the staff and students. She wants to advocate for students who may not have a voice, she said.

Thirty-five years ago, Cordry’s parents moved to Birmingham from India, and while they initially settled in downtown Birmingham, they later moved to Homewood for the school system. The fact that the school system is still renowned today is a testament to its leadership, Cordry said. Over the years, she’s seen the school system improve its resources for students with special needs and give more help to non-English-speaking students.

As she steps onto the board, Cordry said she is a team player and is looking forward to getting to know her fellow board members, supporting them and being a fresh voice.

“I have an ability to see different sides,” she said.

Cordry said she has a lot to learn about what the system’s needs are among the five different schools. She said spacing is an issue and the board must make sure to provide resources for schools to function at their best.

“Parents and families just want to be heard,” she said. “We do a great job of that.”

The Homewood school system is unique, Cordry said, and she is looking forward to sharing what makes the system great with others.

“They care for the whole child,” she said.

Sheetal Cordry, the newest member of the Homewood City Schools Board of Educations, at her home.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

Poetry contest winners announced

By NEAL EMBRY

This month, we are honored to partner with Charles Ghigna, aka “Father Goose,” to highlight the winners of the 2023 Homewood Star poetry contest.

The winners are:

► Kindergarten and first grade: Peri Jeane Burton, first place; Milo Van Horn, second place

► Second and third grades: Kate Reeves, first place; Tru Egbe, second place; Xavier Wiget, third place; Laura Acevedo Baez, honorable mention

► Fourth and fifth grades: Mary Linden Hageman and Eliza McLemore, first place tie; Ryan Isley, second place; Savannah Mays, third place

We have also included several of the “Honorable Mention” winners chosen by Ghigna.

BUTTERFLY

Caterpillar, caterpillar

Hatching from an egg

Growing so big

With so many legs.

As it eats

The greenest of leaves

From the city park's Sunniest tree, It will create

A cocoon very soon.

After several

Suns and moons

A big, beautiful Butterfly you'll be

Fluttering around For me to see.

Butterfly, butterfly Flying so high

Now you're a caterpillar Up in the sky.

HOMEWOOD IS LIKE A DREAM

Homewood is like a dream.

The city sparkles like stars. The parks are as fun as the beach. The people are like family.

With swings and slides, you are perfect to me.

– By Peri

Jeane Burton,

first grade Shades Cahaba Elementary, Mrs. Truesdell LOOKING

I looked over here. I looked over there. I’ve been looking everywhere.

I looked on the floor.

I looked by the door. I looked in the drawer. But I don’t even know what I’m looking for.

– By Milo Van Horn, kindergarten Edgewood Elementary, Mrs. Stallings

ECHO

I call into the valley and it seems to rally echos from deep inside in their only place to hide way down there fast asleep waiting in a dungeon deep ready very steady waiting for a voice it really is your choice you can let it sleep leave it down to weep but you're a nice fellow to want to hear an echo.

– By Tru Egbe, third grade Hall-Kent Elementary School, Mrs. Wilder

WE GO TO THE POOL: A LIMERICK

We go to the pool to splash around. Play hide 'n' seek and no one is found. Homewood is great fun. Grown ups jog in the morning sun. And our band should be crowned.

– By Xavier Wiget, third grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Scott HOMEWOOD IS THE BEST

Homewood is the best. Our schools love us. My Bffs always love me. Each person is special. We treat each other with kindness. Our people have liberty. Our pets love and care. Differences is what makes us special.

– By Laura Acevedo Baez, second grade Hall-Kent Elementary School, Mrs. Pruitt OH HOMEWOOD

Oh Homewood, oh Homewood there is nothing bad about you Hall-Kent, Shades Cahaba, and Edgewood too.

Oh Homewood, oh Homewood you shine when the sun hits your parks When all the kids leave it then becomes dark. Oh Homewood, oh Homewood you have Neighbor's and Edgewood Creamery and also Pizzeria GM with really nice scenery Bandwagon has Homewood merch with the patriot symbol with crocs to shirts which range from adults to me

Oh Homewood, oh Homewood you are the best to see, for when I go out of town I come back buzzing like a bee! Homewood you are my Home!

– By Mary Linden Hagemann, fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Lawrence ODE TO HOMEWOOD

Oh, Homewood, What a sight to see!

Birds are singing in their tree

In this city, everyone is filled with glee! Being astonished is a guarantee!

Oh, Homewood, overlooking Homewood! How Vulcan watches over the night, His spear pointing to the Greek Gods The son of Zeus and Hera Vulcan will always be just right!

Oh. Homewood, most playful Homewood!

– By Kate

Reeves,

third grade Edgewood Elementary School, Mrs. Brock

Oh Homewood, oh Homewood you have the best community

Welcome to Patriot Park! Memories are made here Year after year, Families always seem to appear! Tastiest Homewood!

Peri Jeane Burton

Milo Van Horn

Kate Reeves

Tru Egbe

Mary Linden Hagemann

Eliza McLemore

Oh' how Steel City Pops will always tickle my tastebuds!

The ice cream will always send me to an unknown paradise.

As it sings me sweet lullabies, City Pop will always have a place in my heart!

Dearest Homewood, Most Educational Homewood,

The most dedicated teachers, left and right, Math and reading are familiar sights!

No words can describe how academic your schools are

To whomever is an educator you are a superstar!

Loveliest Homewood, We all love you, Now and forever.

Never stop being great, YOU are my Fate!

– By Eliza McLemore, fifth grade

Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Lawrence

HOMEWOOD IS FUN: ACROSTIC

Homewood

Oodles of friends

Making lemonade

Edgewood

Walking to pools

Ominous amounts of fun

Obviously the best

Dogs everywhere I love Homewood

Shades Cahaba

Friends around every corner

Under shade in the hot summer

Never boring!

– By Ryan Isley, fifth grade

Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Vaughan

HOMEWOOD IS THE VERY BEST

Homewood is the very best

Way beyond all the rest.

Riding bikes around the park

Even after it gets dark.

Walking home in the night

With the street lights shining bright.

When Christmas comes the Homewood Star

Shines brightly where you are.

I hope you have a great day just don't throw my poem away.

– By Savannah Mays, fourth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Chance

HOMEWOOD IS SO GREAT!

Homewood is so great!

What is there for you to hate?

Homewood’s awesome parks!

Fun parks filled with lots of bark!

It's fun to make friends in a school that deserves wins!

Dancing trees in Spring!

We should all dance in Homewood!

When it's summer we have swim team

The ice cream truck is riding around our neighborhood. People are at the public library. The parks are crowded

It's in Alabama, We call it Homewood.

– By Nora McAnally, fourth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Blackwood HOMEWOOD'S MY HOME

Homewood's my home

Only entertaining Makes me happy Everyday

Walking around the park

The city of Homewood is better than the rest!

– By Caleb Siegel, fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Windham

HOMEWOOD HAIKU

Clean and awesome schools

So many friendly neighbors

Parks and pools galore

– By Ender Wiget, fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Moore

HOMEWOOD IS FUN

Homewood is fun

Homewood is cool.

– By Abram

Crawford,

fourth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Brandler

WHAT MAKES HOMEWOOD

What makes Homewood different from all the rest is that we all are very blessed. We have teachers to help us read, write, and play to help us learn they take time out of their day.

Another way that Homewood is Blessed are our food that's nothing like the rest We have Gian Marco’s, Neighbors, and Taco Mama they are so yummy. and they fill Homewoodians tummies. Blessed we are, we have great resources like the Homewood Star that comes right to our porches. But the best reason of all is the People always working together to make Homewood Better!

– By Addy Marshal, fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Vaughan

SOMETIMES IT'S HOT SOMETIMES IT’S COLD

Sometimes it's hot sometimes it's cold we are always bold We stand up for people We make people feel at home This is love and we spread it

Outstanding restaurants

On Monday I'm counting Da' Ways you make me HAPPY!

– By Braxton Galloway, fourth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Chance I LOVE HOMEWOOD

I love Homewood

It's so much fun I love Homewood Room to run I love Homewood

All the schools I love Homewood

All the pools I love Homewood get to play I love Homewood day to day I love Homewood with Russle, Delta and Mazie too I love Homewood to share with YOU!

– By Evelyn Buie, fourth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Pugh HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO LEARN THE BEST?

Have you ever wanted to learn the best? Well come on over to HCS. In P.E. you run miles, in fact, 25! Go to the pool if you want to take a dive.

I love it when I can swim in the pool.

Homewood is great

Can't you see?

It's a wonderful place for you and me.

– By Sara

Rawlings,

fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Ms. Moore

HOMEWOOD

Hello and welcome to the one and only best place to be, in

Other words, a place like Homewood truly is the key to Making new ideas skyrocket creativity. Everyone is welcome to the place where dreams come true.

Where you can truly really be the super awesome you!

Other thing it has are pools to cool down Of course the main thing we are, what you really see is one Determined happy great community!

– By Ezra Ytterberg, fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Vaughan

HOMEWOOD IS GREAT

Homewood is great

Schools help us decide our fate. Take a walk around the park. Where the mood will never go dark. Now a new day at Homewood awaits.

– By Preanna Piya, fifth grade Hall-Kent Elementary, Mrs. Albritton

Savannah Mays

Ryan Isley

Xavier Wiget

Events

Raptors, summer events coming to the library

By NEAL EMBRY

Raptors will be paying a visit to the Homewood Public Library this month.

On June 20, from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., handlers from the Alabama Wildlife Center will bring “rad raptors” for a children’s event in the large auditorium. The event is open to all ages. Also in the children’s department, there will be a “drums and dance” event on June 26 from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. in the large auditorium. Well-known Birmingham percussionist Barry Johnson will show guests how to drum, while his friends from the Sahi On Ko Djony dance company perform along with him.

The month’s first science camp will be June 13 from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. at the Lee Community Center, with another science camp from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. at the West Homewood Senior Center on June 27. The camps are for all ages and guests will participate in experiments about the different states of matter at both camps.

Also for all ages, there will be a “dance discovery” with the Alabama Ballet from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. on June 28 in the large auditorium. The program is put on by Alabama Ballet and teaches about the way ballet dancers move “all together now,” such as the swans in “Swan Lake,” which is called the “corps de ballet.”

In the teen department, teenagers can participate this month in a tiny art contest, where they will face each other to see who can build the best masterpiece on a three-by-three canvas. Kits are included and must be picked up between June 1 and June 12. Once done, bring it to the adult services desk to be entered. The contest is open to rising 6th through 12th grade students.

Teenagers will also learn to decorate donuts from 2 to 3 p.m. on June 13 in the large auditorium. Donuts and decorations will be provided.

Teenage girls can learn self-defense on June 24 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the large auditorium. Karen Mitchell from Impact Martial Arts will teach girls “how to size up a situation and decide what they should do.” Difficult topics will be discussed, the library said.

Teens can also learn to brew potions on June 29 from noon to 1 p.m. in room 109. A variety of juices will be available to mix in fun potion bottles to “make your very own concoctions and decide the mystical effects.”

In the adult department, there will be a chance to learn how to make henna designs and

tattoos on June 3 from 11 a.m. to noon. The event will take place in the large auditorium.

There is also a Red Cross blood drive scheduled for June 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the large auditorium. Most donations take about an hour, so book your appointment by calling 1-800-733-2767, downloading the Blood Donor app or visiting redcrossblood.org and entering sponsor code HWDLibrary.

Multiple book clubs will also meet throughout the month at the library.

To register for these events and see more, visit homewoodpubliclibrary.org.

Homewood Public Library

• WHERE: 1721 Oxmoor Road

• WHEN: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 2-6 p.m.

• CALL: 205-332-6600

• WEB: homewoodpubliclibrary.org

When I first came to TherapySouth in March of 2020, I had been out of running for five months due to an injury. Within one month of working with Phil, I was back on a limited, but regular running program. When the next season started, I began running the same times as before my injury and continued to run faster than ever! Now, I still come to TherapySouth every week for strength training. My times have become some of the best in Alabama, and Phil is one of my biggest supporters and a huge role model in my life!

We have been able to successfully keep EB healthy and competing at a high level without missing significant training due to inevitable injuries. She has access to the clinic and our specialties whenever she needs because our relationship is focused on performance, improvement, and prevention from injuries that could derail her training. We are proud to provide physical therapy beyond rehabilitation to help our clients meet their goals. www.therapysouth.com

Photo courtesy of Judith Wright

If you’re ready to take the next step in your wellness journey, scan the QR code to schedule an appointment at a clinic near you.

Emma Brooke Levering, Homewood Athlete with Phil Moore, PT, DPT Clinic Director, Homewood – SoHo

The 2018 Streetfest brought out a couple hundred families and Homewood residents to Patriot Park in the evening. Staff photo.

Homewood Streetfest returns to Patriot Park

By LOYD MCINTOSH

The Homewood Streetfest is returning for its ninth installment, Saturday, June 3, at Patriot Park.

An annual tradition sponsored by the West Homewood Neighborhood Association, the Homewood Streetfest is a free event for the community to gather for a day of fun, music and food and serves as an excellent opportunity for local businesses to gain exposure. It’s also a great excuse to bring people to Patriot Park on Oak Grove Road.

“We just wanted to set up something free and was accessible and would bring folks to Patriot Park,” said Justin Limbaugh, a member of the West Homewood Neighborhood Association.

“We thought with all the green space we have there and businesses kind of littered around, we felt like it wasn't being used, so let's just wrap something around it and turn it into an event,” Limbaugh added. “People keep showing up every year, so we just keep throwing it.”

The 2023 edition of the Homewood Streetfest will feature live music from The Negotiators, a popular local cover band playing hits

Homewood Streetfest

• WHERE: Patriot Park

• WHEN: Saturday, June 3, 4-9 p.m.

• WEB: Patriot Park Streetfest on Facebook

from the 1970s to today.

The event will also feature food trucks from around the area, face painting, inflatables and balloon animals.

Traditionally held the Saturday after Memorial Day, Streetfest is the first of two summer “bookend” festivals hosted by the West Homewood Neighborhood Association. The second festival, the Back-to-School Bash, is hosted in partnership with the city of Homewood each August on the Saturday before Labor Day.

The Streetfest is free through the sponsorship of local businesses like Kete Quick Cannon – Remax, Pizzeria G.M., Momma Goldberg’s, Shades Creek Dental, Ben True – State Farm, Limbaugh Toyota, Homewood Pharmacy, Big #1 Motorsports, Joe Falconer and Neighbors Ice Cream.

Busbee’s late goal lifts Patriots to state title

By KYLE PARMLEY

Coaches preach always being ready for the moment.

Sean McBride got a tangible example of that May 13, and, luckily for the Homewood High School girls soccer team, Suzanna Busbee was prepared for her opportunity.

Her late goal lifted Homewood to its second consecutive Class 6A state championship, as the Patriots beat Montgomery Academy 1-0 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.

With just over three minutes remaining in the game, Mary Siena McBride passed a high ball into the box. Busbee and the Montgomery Academy goalkeeper chased after the ball, nearly colliding as they both reached it. Busbee won the battle, nudging the ball past the keeper and into the goal.

“It was a 50-50 [ball]. Suzanna ran in there and showed a lot of bravery and determination to get to the end of it,” said Sean McBride, Homewood’s head coach. “I think she was just as surprised as anyone else. You just never know who’s going to get that.

“It takes 22 [players to win]. Whether you play 80 minutes or you don’t go on the field, you’ve got to be ready. She typifies that.”

Homewood controlled play for much of the game, but neither team could break through in a scoreless first half. The second half was much of the same, with each team earning a few chances, but the scoreboard still read 0-0.

“We knew we were up against a good team and we knew it would go all the way,” McBride said. “It’s hard to describe. You’re ecstatic for your team and relieved, but it’s great.”

Homewood outshot Montgomery Academy 15-5 in the game. Maddie Massie took 6 shots, 3 of them on goal. Sunny Ferren fired 4 shots, with 2 of them on goal. The Patriots displayed strong defense throughout and goalkeeper Kayla Warren made a pair of saves as well.

Homewood’s girls advanced to the 6A final by drilling Randolph 6-1 in the semis. Massie and Mary Siena McBride each scored 2 goals to lead the charge. Massie scored the opening goal from a McBride assist. Freshman Ryanne Ezekiel scored in the 23rd minute to make it 2-0.

Massie converted a penalty kick a few minutes later to make it 3-0.

McBride scored twice in the

second half, and sophomore Sara Elliot tallied the final goal for the Patriots in the 66th minute. Ran-

dolph scored with four minutes

remaining to avoid a shutout, but Warren had 6 saves in the game.

McBride was named MVP of the tournament, following a stellar

performance in the semifinals and assisting on the winning goal in the championship game.

Homewood’s toughest test in the

playoffs leading up to the final two games was a second-round matchup against Mountain Brook, in which the Patriots prevailed 3-2. Homewood beat Shades Valley in the opening round and Gardendale in the quarterfinals by 10-0 scores.

Homewood finished the year with a record of 23-5-1. Sean McBride joked that his wife Mindy, who led the program to its first state title in 2019, would not classify him as a “real soccer coach” until he won a state title. Now, he’s won a pair.

Seniors for the girls team included Maddie Bembry, Sunny Ferren, Grace Studinka, McBride, Martina Pozzo, Massie, Vivian Kramer and Sophie Lowery.

“They’ve been in the final four for the last three years. It just doesn’t get any better,” Sean McBride said.

Left: Homewood’s Suzanna Busbee (16) reacts after scoring for the Patriots in the second half of the girls Class 6A state final against Montgomery Academy on May 13. Above: The Patriots celebrate after defeating Montgomery Academy 1-0 to claim the Class 6A state title for the second consecutive year at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. Photos by Erin Nelson.

Above: The Patriots celebrate after defeating Montgomery Academy. Left: Homewood’s Mary Siena McBride (7) dribbles the ball gaurded by Montgomery Academy’s Caroline Waller (17) in the second half of the girls Class 6A state final between the Patriots and Eagles.

Competitive nature continues to drive Gann family

By JAMES PHILLIPS

The Gann family has built a legacy when it comes to sports in the Birmingham metro area.

Gerald Gann’s coaching career spanned more than 40 years. He coached baseball, basketball and football teams at various stops, including Berry, Homewood, Hoover and John Carroll Catholic high schools.

Doug and Lee Gann, Gerald’s two sons, have followed in their father’s footsteps to successful coaching careers of their own. Doug served as baseball coach at Homewood for 15 years before becoming the school’s athletic director. Lee has been the baseball coach at Mountain Brook for more than 20 years.

Both brothers said coaching was a natural decision as a career choice.

“I knew early on that I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps, despite my mother wanting me to do something else,” Doug said. “One of the many things that I admired about my father was the way he treated people and how he cared for his players, even to this day. The respect of the game and preparing for competition was something that was instilled in me from an early age. I'm sure there are children who wouldn't want to play for their fathers, but I thoroughly loved my experience.”

Lee said sports have always been a part of their lives.

“All we had ever done was play sports,” he said. “We were always on a field or in a gym. Those were our playgrounds. Even before we played ball, we were at our dad’s games. That is what we did for fun.”

While both brothers were coaching, they had plenty of chances to coach against each other, making for a unique experience.

“Our dad always taught that it wasn’t about who you were playing or coaching against. It was about the next game. Whether I was coaching against my brother or someone else, I wanted to win. We are both competitive and wanted the same thing,” Lee said.

Doug said he never wanted to lose to his brother, especially in their younger days.

“With me being the older brother, I never wanted to lose to my little brother when we were growing up. I definitely didn't want to lose playing against each other in college,” he said. “When we coached against each other,

though, I didn't think of it as me versus him; it was the next game and it wasn't about us.” The sibling rivalry has changed in recent years with their own sons added into the mix.

Lee said his son Curt, a 2020 graduate of Mountain Brook, has already said he wants to continue the family tradition of coaching

and has helped with the Spartans baseball program. Doug’s son Tripp will graduate this year from Homewood High School, but he does not plan on going into coaching.

“I'm very thankful I was able to work where my children went to school. Since Tripp is the last one, I'm a little sad but also excited for him and his future. I feel like he had a great experience in the classroom and the playing fields,” Doug said.

Even being a third-generation Gann to walk the halls of Homewood High did not pressure Tripp, he said.

“I didn't feel any added pressure,” Tripp said. “I knew that my grandfather coached there as well as my dad, but I didn't want that to take away from me being myself. I thoroughly enjoyed my high school experience.”

Lee said coaching against his nephew, with Mountain Brook and Homewood being in the same area the last two seasons, had been interesting.

“Of course I wanted Tripp to do well, but I wanted our team to win,” Lee said. “He batted .500 against us, so he did play well and was a tough out every time, but we did go 4-0 against them.”

Left: Tripp and Doug Gann following a Homewood High School football game.

Above: Doug Gann, his son Tripp and brother Lee after a football game. Photos courtesy of Doug Gann.

the little moments and major milestones of childhood, we are here for our patients and their families – helping, healing,

Patriots win state outdoor track

By KYLE PARMLEY

Once the results came in, chaos ensued. It came down to the final event, the 4x400-meter relay. The Homewood High School boys finished third and St. Paul’s finished 10th. At that moment, coach Josh Donaldson knew the Patriots had claimed their first Class 6A state outdoor track and field championship since 2019.

“It was crazy,” Donaldson said. The fact that Donaldson was close to the Homewood tent when the final scores were posted made the celebration that much sweeter.

Homewood scored 88 points, edging St. Paul’s by two points in the event, held May 4-6 in Gulf Shores. Northridge finished third with 59 points, while UMS-Wright scored 50.

The first day of the tournament was not Homewood’s best, but the Patriots stepped it up on the second day to put themselves within striking distance. Donaldson said the boys still trailed by about 30 points entering the final day, but they rose to the occasion.

A lengthy weather delay during the second day allowed Homewood fresh legs for the 800-meter run on the final day. Colvin Bussey, Grayton Murray and Ben Murray combined to score 17 points for the team, setting the Patriots up for a big finish.

Donaldson said he knew the boys team had a shot to capture the state title leading into the meet, but it was going to take a team effort. In some events, the Patriots did not get the amount of points they hoped for. But in others, there were some pleasant surprises that buoyed their efforts.

“I knew we had a chance, but I also knew things had to fall into place to end up how it did,” he said.

The 4x400 relay team finished third but posted a time of 3 minutes, 23.72 seconds, just 0.01 seconds off the school record. The 4x800 team ran the race in 8 minutes, edging out Mountain Brook. Hunter Drake had a big day, posting a second-place finish in triple jump and finishing fifth in long jump.

Slate Rohrer won the 300-meter hurdles in 39.5 seconds, while finishing third in 110 hurdles.

Homewood’s girls finished fourth, scoring 66.5 points. Mountain Brook won the event, accumulating 94 points. Northridge was second with 76 and St. Paul’s edged Homewood for third with 69.5 points. Homewood grabbed fourth ahead of Saraland, which posted 66 points.

Brooke Walden posted a new state record in the pole vault, winning by clearing the bar at 12 feet, 10 inches despite battling an injury in the lead-up to state. The girls 4x400 relay team won the event with a time of 4:02.

In the 1,600-meter run, Grayton Murray finished third, with Andrew Laird scoring points in seventh as well. Laird was fifth and Murray was sixth in the 3,200. Elliott Allen reached the podium with a third-place finish in pole vault. In shot put, Maxy Salazar was fifth and Aaron Ford was seventh. Zaire White finished seventh in the 110 hurdles.

Maris Owen reached the podium by finishing third in the 400 and Madeline Alford posted a sixth-place finish in 300-meter hurdles. Emma Brooke Levering was third in the 3,200, fourth

in the 1,600 and seventh in the 800. Sarah Derriso earned a point by finishing eighth in the 100 hurdles and Caroline Wilder was sixth in the 3,200.

Neily Stephens was second in javelin as well. Magi Williams was sixth in long jump and Chandler Binkley was seventh in high jump. The 4x800 relay team also grabbed a

third-place finish.

Will Doughty, Foster Laird, John Martin, Hayden Thomason, Aaron Ford, Ada McElroy, Olivia Burczyk, Lily Griffin, Layla Essalah, Julia Mitchell, Ma’eva Fortson and Sadie Busbee were among the other Homewood athletes to compete.

Donaldson said Homewood took 23

Homewood’s Colvin Bussey competes in the 400-meter race during the Class 6A sectional track and field meet April 28 at Northridge High.

seniors to the state meet, one of the largest classes he has seen come through the program.

“It was a whirlwind of a week, but there was no better way to cap it off,” he said. “There was a lot of emotion at the end. I’m so proud of all the athletes. They stepped up and competed like I knew they would.

“That’s a nice icing on the cake for most of them.”

CAVS FINISH AS 5A RUNNER-UP

The John Carroll boys finished second in the Class 5A state meet, accruing 76 points. Scottsboro dominated the meet, earning the state title with 116 points.

It is John Carroll’s fourth trophy in outdoor track and field, joining the runner-up squads of 1998 and 1999 and the championship team of 1974.

Arthur Langley racked up plenty of points for the Cavs. He finished second in the 3,200, fourth in the 1,600 and seventh in the 800.

KJ Beck won the 400, posting a time of 49.56 seconds, with Aden Malpass coming home fourth.

Malpass won the 300-meter hurdles, running the race in a school record time of 40.22 seconds.

James Edmonds also set a school record, as he won the pole vault competition by clearing the bar at 14 feet. Aidan Lange was third in the pole vault.

The boys 4x400-meter relay team of Beck, Jaylin Shepherd, Sebastian Guerrero and Malpass won the event in 3 minutes, 27 seconds. The 4x100 and 4x800 relay teams placed fourth as well.

On the girls side, Katie Marie Everett was fourth in pole vault. The 4x100 relay was sixth, the 4x400 team placed ninth and the 4x800 team finished fifth.

The Homewood boys and girls track and field teams at the AHSAA Class 6A state meet in Gulf Shores on May 6. Photo courtesy of Homewood Track and Field.

Photo courtesy of Gary Cosby Jr., Tuscaloosa News.

Homewood’s Emma Brooke Levering and Caroline Wilder compete in the 1600-meter race during the sectional track and field meet. Photo courtesy of Gary Cosby Jr., Tuscaloosa News.

Patriots claim 1st state tennis trophy in over 30 years

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Homewood High School tennis program has been on the verge the last few years, and officially broke through this spring.

Homewood’s boys tennis team claimed the first state trophy in over 30 years, finishing as the Class 6A runner-up. Mountain Brook dominated the state tournament, but Homewood edged out Trinity Presbyterian for the red map trophy.

Homewood won the state title in 1985 and was runner-up in 1986. The Patriots can now add 2023 to that mix.

“The athletic department was really excited about it,” Homewood coach Terrance Cobb said. “The athletic department has been successful in a lot of other sports, but to add tennis in the mix for that, that’s awesome.”

The two-day tournament was held April 24-25 at the Mobile Tennis Center. Homewood did not drop a set, much less a match, on the first day of the tournament, which set the Patriots up for a strong finish.

Sam Housman reached the final at No. 5 singles. He defeated Hazel Green’s Coleson Pack 6-0, 6-2 in the opening round. He then dominated Hartselle’s Cade Simmons 6-1, 6-0. He picked up another convincing victory in the semifinals, beating Trinity’s Trevor Wilson 6-1, 6-1. He fell to Mountain Brook’s Max Gayden 6-1, 6-0 in the final.

Homewood’s boys reached state last year and it was clear the Patriots would be strong once again this season. Cobb said he reminded his players whenever they faced a strong team during the season, that they were one of those strong teams themselves. Playing the likes of Montgomery Academy, Vestavia Hills and Hoover during the season helped prepare them as well.

Homewood finished second at the section tournament the week prior to state, beating the likes of Altamont, Helena, Pelham and Briarwood to get there.

Gray Johnson is one of the top players in the

state and was performing as such during the state tournament, until he was forced to retire due to injury, knocking him out of the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles competitions. But the Patriots made it a team effort and piled up enough points to still claim the second spot.

Mathias Praestholm moved to Homewood this year and provided a lift at the No. 2 singles slot. He advanced to the semifinals. Colton Cox at

No. 3 singles, Camden Cox at No. 4 singles and Winston Jones at No. 6 singles all advanced to the semis as well.

Johnson and Praestholm made it to the No. 1 doubles semis before Johnson’s injury, while Colton Cox and Charlie Reeves at No. 2 doubles and Camden Cox and Will Andress at No. 3 doubles each made it to the semifinals as well.

Cobb gave specific praise for Reeves, an

Above left: Homewood’s Sam Housman returns the ball in a singles championship match against Mountain Brook during the Class 6A tennis sectionals at the Pelham Tennis Center on April 19. Above right: Homewood’s Gray Johnson returns the ball in a doubles match with Mathias Praestholm against Helena. Photos by Erin Nelson.

Left: The Homewood boys tennis team claimed the Class 6A runner-up title at the state tournament in Mobile on April 25.

Photo courtesy of Gavin King.

athlete most known from his days on the football field.

“His skill and game grew so much throughout the year,” Cobb said. “He rose to that level and he really played well for us.”

The girls team finished third at the section tournament, narrowly missing the state tournament.

Cobb said the overall success of the boys and girls teams at Homewood is a product of the sport growing in popularity in Homewood.

“The talent is being produced and grown before high school, and we’re able to maximize and reap the benefits of it,” he said.

Sean of the South

By Sean Dietrich

My Father’s Grave

Colorado Springs — I’m standing on Pikes Peak, 14,000 feet above sea level.

I’m looking at the world from a mountaintop.

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

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

Dietrich

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

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

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

Twenty-four years. It’s been so long since he’s been gone that I often forget his face. I have to open a photo album to remember.

I have a favorite photograph. A faded Polaroid. He’s wearing his denim, his boots, and his work jacket. He’s all iron worker.

I loved him.

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

he was Billy the Kid.

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

Then, I would jump on his chest. He would kiss me on the forehead. He’d say, “That’s my little cowboy.” How could a man disappear like dust?

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

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

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

I don’t know. Maybe I’m thanking him for 12 years of love — which is more than some kids get. Maybe, for all the make-believe games in the living room, for forehead kisses.

Maybe I’m thanking him for who I am today. I wouldn’t be who I am if not for his early departure.

And all of a sudden, I miss him. I wish he could swoop down from heaven momentarily and talk to me. I wish I could be a boy, and we could play make-believe.

But he can’t. That’s not the way it works. People are here, then they aren’t. It’s that simple. I’m used to this by now.

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

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

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

It spins into shape out of pure nothingness. A large, swelling fog.

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

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

Then.

Snow.

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

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

Maybe.

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

Ordinary Days By Lauren Denton

New life peeking in

As I write this, it’s early spring and the weather couldn’t be more exquisite. We’ve had a string of glorious days with warm sunshine, a cool breeze and temps in the mid-70s. Yet, as we’ve enjoyed this perfect spring weather, I’ve been steadily ridding my front and back yards of brittle, freeze-dried shrubs and vines. It’s a strange juxtaposition — winter-dead landscaping and sunshiny skies. Bright green grass popping up in the yard, with a big pile of brown sticks and twigs at the curb waiting for trash day.

Everyone remembers those crazy plummeting temperatures we had in late December. The week before Christmas, it was fairly typical winter weather: highs in the low 50s, lows in the 40s. Then it dropped and we went into the deep-freeze. Months later, having done a little research (thanks Grumpy Gardener), I now know the plants suffered so much not just because of the freezing temps, but because the freeze hit so quickly after relatively mild weather. The plants didn’t have time to pull the water from their leaves, so ice formed and killed a lot of it. But back then, I didn’t know how our plants would respond to the freeze — I just knew the leaves of all our confederate jasmine went dark and the shrubs in front of our house looked like they were curling in on themselves.

Now, I’m not a big-time gardener. I’m not even a little-time gardener. I did not inherit my mom’s green thumb as I wish I had, but I do enjoy walking around outside, especially in the spring, and seeing what’s blooming, blossoming and greening up. In addition, we planted every single plant, tree and shrub that’s growing around our house — everything but the grass — five years ago, so it was especially concerning to see it all turning black and brittle.

Once winter was over, I began walking from plant to plant, shrub to shrub, and scraped my fingernail on every stem to see what was dead and what still had a whisper of life in it. I found few signs of life in the pittosporum in our front yard, and all our cast iron plants were crispy. The limelight hydrangeas were mostly fine, but our pretty mopheads on the side of the house were cracked and brown. Those actually survived the first freeze and had begun producing new buds and baby leaves, but the second freeze we had late in the winter shriveled those. The saddest part for me was finally accepting that every bit of confederate jasmine we had in various spots around the house was fully dead.

Over the course of one week in the spring,

when there was no chance of another surprise freeze, I began pruning. I cut the tall brown stalks of my mophead hydrangeas down nearly to the base, cut and pulled out all our confederate jas mine, and pruned the pittosporum back, leaving only the stems and branches that had new leaves. The distylium right outside our front door was still a mystery, as were the brown gardenia bushes in the backyard, so I left those alone. The flower beds were skimpy and struggling, and I fig ured we were looking at a season of waiting to see if anything would pull through, so on a whim, I did something I’d wanted to do for a while: I bought a birdfeeder. Two actu ally, and hung them right outside our kitchen window, directly above the sad little hydran geas. It was amazing what entertainment and joy those two birdfeeders brought us as we waited and hoped our plants would come back to life. It seemed to only take a few minutes for birds of all kinds and sizes to find the feed ers and begin feasting, just a couple of feet from our kitchen counter. We even saw a few bird skirmishes and possibly an avian bully or two, shoving smaller birds out of the way. But for the most part, they ate peacefully and happily, as long as we didn’t make any sudden movements in the window, and chipmunks on the ground below filled their cheeks with bits of seeds that fell from the feeders.

And while we were watching the birds, our flowerbeds came back to life in small increments. Those mopheads began growing bright green leaves from the base, the brown creeping fig turned green, and I found new shoots coming up from the bottom of many of our crispy cast iron plants. I found those on a whim, looking for a tennis ball for my dog. I’d been days away from calling the landscaper and asking about replacing those plants, but after seeing the shoots, I decided to give them time to grow strong again. Watching our yard struggle, then (mostly) come back to life, was just one more reminder that sometimes all it takes is courage to wait through the hard parts until new life begins to peek in around the edges.

When I’m not writing about my family and our various shenanigans, I write novels and go to the grocery store. You can find my books in stores, online, and locally at Little Professor Bookshop. You can reach me by email at Lauren@LaurenKDenton.com, visit my website LaurenKDenton.com, or find me on Instagram @LaurenKDentonBooks or Facebook ~LaurenKDentonAuthor.

Denton

Sema, D DMD, MS · Andrew Havron, D DMD,

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