G
280 Living
www.280living.com
Volume 3, Issue 7
|
March2010
Longworth F i n e F u r n i t u re
Chandeliers, Accessories & Gifts,
Fine Furniture, Carpet & Rugs, Custom Bedding & Window Treatments Personal Design Service ◆ 5426 Highway 280, Suite 6• The Terrace @ Greystone
2 0 5 . 4 3 7. 9 8 8 7
neighborly news & entertainment
New beginnings in Meadow Brook
March Features
by Kathryn Denton Acree
Snowman Contest | pg 15 • Pet of The Month
4
• Facebook Fan Giveaway
4
• Restaurant Review
6
• Business SpotlightI
7
• Sid’s Shoe Drive
9
• Irma Palmer
11
• Young at Heart
16
• Tragic City Rollers
17
• Greystone symphony
18
• Wedding Dresses for Charity 19 • Paul Johnson
20
• Rick Watson
21
• Beyond Wellness
22
• Spring Allergies
24
• Calendar of Events
25
• Live Music
26
Become a fan on Follow us on WIN PRIZES Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #889
www.280Living.com
Many times change erupts in our lives, but odds are usually in our favor that it won’t be from a natural disaster. The VanGeffen family experienced being uprooted by such a disaster - Hurricane Katrina - but found a new home and new life in Meadow Brook and say they still have so much to be thankful for. David and Michele VanGeffen and their three sons, Jacob, Caleb and Seth were life-long residents of Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. They owned Miracle Machine Carpet Cleaning, a successful business with 8 employees. Hurricane evacuations were a part of life for families in The Crescent City, and as Katrina approached in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2005, this evacuation seemed like others they’d been through before. Michele’s sister, Allison, lives in Birmingham and the VanGeffen’s and other family members made their way north to Allison’s home on the interstate’s contra-flow lanes out of the hurricane’s path. David and Michele found a hotel on Highway 31 in Vestavia and watched CNN and other news coverage as Katrina began her destruction. They had packed
clothes for just a few days thinking they’d be back home in no time. Katrina proved otherwise. Like many other families that evacuated to Birmingham, the VanGeffen’s found accurate details hard to come by after the hurricane. Families scanned satellite photos of their neighborhoods back home on websites such as GoogleEarth, trying to determine if their homes were flooded or not. Unaware of FEMA’s plan for evacuees, the VanGeffen’s made the decision to purchase a camper from a local dealer to setup at their home in Metairie to begin repairs. David would first travel back to Louisiana with some of the men in the family while Michele and the boys would stay in the camper at Oak Mountain State Park which opened its campground to evacuees. “The welcome we received at the campground was unbelievable,” Michele says. “FEMA was there almost immediately
Working on a goal
It’s a sunny, brisk February day as I watch Natalie Smith make smoothies at the Jungle Smoothie in Chelsea. Chances are that smoothies aren’t what on her mind though. Her goal is. In early January Natalie went to her mailbox and found a post card that would challenge her to change her life and to help others. It was from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team in Training. They were looking for volunteers to compete in marathons, half-marathons, and triathlons to raise money to fight these blood cancers. Natalie thought it seemed like a great idea. It would be life changing way to help others and herself. “I’ve been accused of never finishing anything I start,” said Natalie. “This would be a good way to finish something.” She called the number on the card and got in touch with Catherine Crockett of LLS. Catherine is a former participant in Team in Training who now works for LLS full time. LLS lined Natalie up with a trainer as well as others working toward the same goal to help her train. Natalie chose to compete in the Capital of Texas Triathlon May 31st in Austin Texas. It is an Olympic distance triathlon where competitors swim 1.5Km, bike 40 km, and run 10 Km.
Natalie Smith making smoothies “I’ve always been active,” said Natalie. “But I’ve never trained for anything specifically.” Now Natalie is running, swimming or biking six days per week in order to prepare for the event. Two days per week she swims at 6 a.m. with her trainer and four others from the Birmingham area who are preparing at the Mountain Brook YMCA. Two days per week she bikes, and two days per week she runs. Mondays is the off day. The training is going well. Her biggest challenge is the fund raising. The participants must raise $4500 to participate in the event. Seventy-five percent of the money raised goes to LLS while twentyfive percent goes to the travel expenses to the event. See GOAL | pg 23
David VanGeffen and began compiling a list of the families staying there and offering help. We had meals provided everyday by local churches and civic groups. We were given gifts of clothing, Wal-Mart cards, and all sorts of supplies. The outpouring of care from the people in this area was amazing.” Meanwhile, David made his first trip home. Miraculously, their house had been spared any flooding. “I didn’t know what to expect, but this was like coming back to a whole different world,” he says. “The National Guard was See VanGeffen | pg 22
Sam Cissell’s Rapid Rise to Top of Alabama Junior Tennis
Sam Cissell with the Bryan brothers
photo courtesy Katrina Trotter Photography
See Athlete
of the Month | pg 12