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Volume 2 | Issue 8 | December 2014
Rooted in tradition
Boy Scout tree sale celebrates more than 50 years in community By KATIE TURPEN A 16-year-old boy sped down U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills, burning rubber in his 1979 Trans Am. The car caught the attention of Boy Scout Tree Sale Chairman Bo Young, who contacted police and had Patrick Vacarella apologize. Vacarella was then given the option of receiving a ticket or coming to work for the duration of the sale that year.
Two years later, in 1989, Vacarella had worked his way up to become the lot manager. Today, he is still in the position. He has never missed a season and has no plans to quit anytime soon. He works tirelessly from open to close for the five-week duration of the sale. Committee members refer to him as the heart and soul of the operation. “If you don’t see me around the lot, just assume I’m no longer here,” Vacarella said.
INSIDE
(Above) Lot Manager Patrick Vacarella stands with members of Boy Scout Troop 110 at the site of the Over the Mountain Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale off of U.S. 31. Photos by Katie Turpen and courtesy of Stasi Bara.
A familiar scene come Thanksgiving, the Over the Mountain Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale has been a tradition in Vestavia Hills for more than 50 years. The sale funds activities for 10 Boy Scout troops in the Over the Mountain area. “There’s so much that goes into it. There’s a lot of us working in the background all year long,” said Vacarella, who was once a Scout himself. “My biggest enjoyment from the sale is Sponsors .......... A4 City...................... A5
knowing everything that it provides the Scouts.” The history of the sale dates back to the 1950s, when Vestavia Hills was still a young community. Jimmy Coleman, the founding scoutmaster of Troop 4, began the sale in 1959 in his backyard. In 1960, Coleman moved the sale to the undeveloped parking lot at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church after the sale outgrew his home.
Business.......... A8 Food .................A12
School House ... B2 Community ...... B9
Later, the sale moved to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe King, which is now the site of the Rite-Aid on U.S. 31. In the late 1960s, developer Charles Byrd wanted to improve the medians on U.S. 31, so the sale had to move down the hill. The moves continued until the current Scout Square location was acquired.
See SCOUTS | page A21 Sports ............... B13 Calendar ........... B18
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830
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Holiday in the Hills Check out our list of 12 fun holiday activities to do in Vestavia Hills this month inside this issue.
See page A14
Back on track Local snowstorm survivor and hero Kelly Garner is training for the Mercedes Half-Marathon and even writing a book about his experience.
See page B1
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VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A3
A4 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
About Us Please Support our Sponsors
Photo of the Month
A group of Vestavia Hills Elementary West students recently got the chance to take a hayride to school. Dad John Richter organized the ride.
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Editor’s Note By Rebecca Walden Recently, while waiting or creating the need for for a preschool holiday prostore-bought whatnots. gram to begin, my mom sat In my own family, I love patiently beside me as I fired seeing how our Advent caloff work emails left and right. endar nativity takes shape After reading one particueach day based on the kids’ lar email that left me feeling creativity. The only “fixed” rather cross, I leaned over element is baby Jesus, who to her and vented, “People stays in the Dec. 24 pocket don’t seem to value the words until bedtime on Christ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ much mas Eve. (If you visit my anymore.” house and see harp-playWalden “I know,” she replied. ing angels hoisted atop the “Good manners seem to have gone out desert palm trees, no judging, please). of style.” Watching the throwback animated At that exact moment it occurred to classics like Merry Christmas, Charlie me that I’d hardly looked up from my Brown, Frosty the Snowman and Mickey laptop since she’d first sat down (pot, Mouse’s Christmas Carol, and seeing my meet kettle). own children take them in is another kind After all, what is politeness in word if of fun entirely. I remember these shows not in deed? Perpetual productivity, and as first introduced to my brother and me, the constant state of distraction it breeds, on a 1987 home-recorded VHS. Utterly is its own form of rudeness. entranced, we watched it to the point of Presence matters. memorizing even the advertising jinBeing in the moment is bliss. gles, which we’d then recite at random Even if, like me, you fail spectacu- all month long: ‘A double pleasure’s larly at this the other 11 months out of waitin’ for you, Doublemint gum!’ and the year, take heart. December is replete ‘York Peppermint Patty! Get the sensawith moments to disengage from the tion!’ (The kids think we’re crazy, but all daily frenzy and just be. Best of all, we these years later, Uncle Matt and I can can do it simply, without inviting stress still do a killer rendition of ‘Ho, ho, ho!
Who’s that kid with the Oreo cookie?’) By the time Christmas Eve rolls around, when my holiday prep exhaustion is at its peek, I like to steal away in the wee hours of the night for perhaps my most favorite moment of embracing the heart of it all. Slipping downstairs, I plug in the Christmas tree and curl up on the sofa to admire its silent splendor. No amount of photo snapping, stylizing, sharing or social media liking could ever top the joy I feel in those moments, smiling like a fool in flannel pajamas, the only creature stirring in my house. Sure, we do the umpteen other organized holiday activities, too. And sometimes they go well. Other times, they fail miserably. But it’s these humblest of moments that take place at home – absent the pressures of “We made special plans! We went to a lot of trouble to do this! This is supposed to be fun!” – that truly sustain me. This month, I wish for you the season’s simplest joys. Blessings,
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December 2014 • A5
City Mayor’s Minute
By Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza The City Council and I want to wish each of you a very happy holiday season. We also want to remind you about the many upcoming Holiday in the Hills events, including: } Dec. 9, Tree Lighting Ceremony, Vestavia Hills City Center, 6 p.m. } Dec. 13, Breakfast with Santa, Dogwood Room, 7:30 a.m. } Dec. 14, Christmas Parade, Liberty Park, 2 p.m. As you prepare your holiday shopping lists, we also want to encourage you to support Vestavia Hills retailers and merchants as much as possible. We are also excited about the recent announcement of GBT Development bringing Sprouts to Vestavia Hills. The developer will build a 34,000 square foot facility on the lot formerly occupied by Pizza Hut and Ruby Tuesday. This will be a wonderful addition to our City. In other economic development news, we continue to work with Daniel Corporation on master plan development for Patchwork
Farms. That development should be coming together with a nice mix of retail and institutional space, as well as multi-family dwellings. The new City Hall construction is progressing very well. We are in regular meetings with both the architect and the construction manager. To date, the project is two weeks ahead of construction. The additional parking lot for the Library in the Forest also continues to move forward. We anticipate opening that lot during the month of December. In the City’s continuing effort to identify areas in which we can improve in our Parks & Recreation and the Library, we are also in the process of strategic planning for both. Happy holidays!
It takes far more than a mathematical equation to determine your home’s worth.
IT TAKES A LOCAL EXPERT.
Your Mayor,
Alberto C. “Butch” Zaragoza
Council approves conceptual Patchwork Farms Master Plan
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This rendering shows various development on the Patchwork Farms property categorized by color. The red area indicates retail, the blue area represents office, yellow and orange represent residential, green represents parks, and gray is existing fitness. Rendering courtesy of City of Vestavia Hills.
By KATIE TURPEN During a November meeting, the City Council approved a conceptual Master Development Plan for Patchwork Farms. Doug Neil, vice president of development at Daniel Corporation, presented the plan. Throughout the presentation, Neil emphasized a pedestrian-friendly area offering a variety of mixed-use development. He discussed multiple aspects including an 8 1/2 acre nature park and 275 residential units. “I’m floored by this whole process,” said Councilman Steve Ammons following the presentation. “To ask the question of when are we going to start seeing rooftops and to hear that it could happen in two and a half to three
years is just incredible.” Patchwork Farms is located between Cahaba River and Caldwell Mill Roads off U.S. 280. Just under a year ago, Vestavia Hills held a three-day planning charrette, a type of collaborative session to design a solution, for the 87-acre site purchased by the City in 2007 for $11 million. Downes recently said the projected fiscal benefits of the project, including sale of the property, sales tax, property tax and other related fees, including building permits, amount to $23 million, benefiting both the city and the Board of Education over the next five years. Visit vhal.org to access the master plan.
A6 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
New neighborhood growing in Liberty Park By SYDNEY CROMWELL The latest addition to Liberty Park is the Forest Hills neighborhood, which is being built by Lifescape Builders. The plan includes 52 homes built around a three-acre park on Jackson Loop, which is located off of Sicard Hollow Road. Amanda Parker at Liberty Park Joint Venture, the neighborhood’s developer, said some of the Forest Hills lots have already been sold since they became available Oct. 24, and construction has begun. Lifescape Builders is introducing 11 home designs, and realtor Vickie Reid said prices start at $374,900 and range to the low $500,000s. Some of the home designs include
five bedrooms. “We haven’t had this price point in years out there in Liberty Park,” Reid said. The neighborhood will feature sidewalks and easy access to Sicard Hollow Road. A model home is also under construction and Reid anticipates that potential buyers will be able to tour it beginning in April. For more, go to libertypark.com. The latest addition to Liberty Park is the Forest Hills neighborhood, which is being built by Lifescape Builders. The plan includes 52 homes built around a threeacre park. Photos courtesy of Liberty Park Joint Venture.
Vestavia named as one of top suburbs in America
Vestavia Hills Rotary Club honors police and fire departments
By KATIE TURPEN
Every year, the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club honors a police officer and fireman for their work in the community. This year the club named Officer Corey Sarvaunt as Officer of the Year and Alan Strickland as Fireman of the Year for 2014. These awards are peer-nominated based on dedication, loyalty, productivity and professionalism. The Vestavia Hills Rotary Club meets Fridays at noon at the Vestavia Hills Board of Education. For more about the club, visit clubrunner.ca/vestaviahills/.
Business Insider, a business and technology news website based in New York City, recently named Vestavia Hills as one the 50 best suburbs in America. The site examined data on nearly 300 suburbs, considering populations between 5,000 and 100,000 within 40 kilometers of the nearest metropolitan area. The site also factored in average commute times, median household income, poverty and crime
rates, public school ratings from GreatSchools.org, and a measure of housing affordability. Vestavia Hills ranked 32 out of 50 on the list. The site stated that Vestavia Hills is a quick commute to Birmingham-Hoover and “maintains its southern hospitality while being the fastest-growing town in Alabama.” The evaluation added that the city boasts a great school system and median household income of $85,417. Neighboring suburb Mountain Brook ranked fourth on the list.
Police Officer of the Year Corey Sarvaunt. Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills Police Department
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A7
New businesses to spark life along U.S. 31 corridor By KATIE TURPEN U.S. 31 will taste a little different in the future. A new specialty grocery will soon take the place of vacant restaurants, adding a new spice to the food selection. Other retail tenants are planned for the shopping center and a bank is set to move in across the street next to the future home of City Hall. All of these developments coincide with the U.S. 31 Corridor Redevelopment Plan, which was created to reinvent this seemingly listless piece of Vestavia Hills’ livelihood. The plan began in 2011 as a study by Market Street, a firm from Atlanta. The company launched a survey of Vestavia Hills residents and businesses about their city in order to create an economic development plan, said Phillip Amthor, a planner with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB). RPCGB came back to the city within a year with a more than 100page, 15-year plan. It’s highlighted by dense, mixed-use development featuring retail, restaurants and housing on U.S. 31 from Interstate 65 north to Vestavia Plaza, which currently contains Red Lobster and U-Haul among other businesses. In 2013, working to fill empty sites in Vestavia Hills and reduce retail leakage, City Manager Jeff Downes enlisted the committee assistance of the City, Chamber of Commerce, and private developers to help him realize this vision. Ideas included signage
Sprouts Farmers Market
Red Lobster
Shops
4,800 sf This rendering of the central U.S. 31 corridor shows the future site of Sprouts Farmers Market as well as additional retail. The development is part of an incentive agreement with GBT Realty Corporation. Photo courtesy of City of Vestavia Hills.
upgrades, pedestrian improvements and the adoption of shared parking to allow for new development and even a campaign to solidify the City’s brand. “Our brand, as presented by the Chamber and adopted by the City Council, is based on three core values – unity, family and prosperity,” he said. “How many residents even know about our brand? Before we can put
the City in the best possible light for potential investors, we as residents need to know what distinguishes us, and why.” The city recently launched it’s new branding video, “A Life Above,” and with this announcement came several actions that revealed the face of Vestavia Hills is indeed changing. In October, America’s First Federal
Credit Union closed on the purchase of the former library property located at 1112 Montgomery Highway. Proceeds from that sale are being used for a development incentive agreement with GBT Realty Corporation, one of the largest commercial retail developers in the nation and based out of Brentwood, Tennessee, for a retail shopping center planned
for the 3.4 acres of property at 1099 Montgomery Highway, which was formerly occupied by Ruby Tuesday and Pizza Hut. Specialty grocery store Sprouts Farmers Market is the first confirmed tenant in the space. Donna Egan, a spokesperson for Sprouts, confirmed the store signed a lease for this location and Downes said the store is estimated to open sometime in 2016 and will be a 34,000 square foot facility. In correlation with this retail development, the City Council also previously approved an agreement with ALDOT for traffic signal equipment upgrades at the intersection of U.S. 31 and Vestavia Hills Plaza. Downes said the retail shopping center, once fully developed, would help the entire community of Vestavia Hills by generating more than $500,000 in sales tax revenue. “We are proud and excited to have Sprouts as part of our businesses community,” he said. “We think this will make a great addition to our city.” Based out of Arizona, Sprouts Farmers Market has 175 locations in 10 states and provides multiple healthy-living resources and also offers fresh fruits and vegetables, wholesome grains, nuts and sweets, as well as a full-service deli and meat and seafood counters that offer homemade burgers and sausage. For more, visit sprouts.com. For more about the U.S. 31 Corridor Redevelopment Plan, visit vhal.org
A8 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
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Coming Soon America’s First Federal Credit Union has closed on the purchase of the former Vestavia Hills Library property at 1112 Montgomery Highway and plans on moving into the property sometime in 2015. amfirst.org.
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Sprouts Farmers Market will open a new store where the former Pizza Hut and Ruby Tuesday currently stand on Highway 31. GBT Realty, based in Tennessee, purchased the land from Alabama Power and will develop the property for Sprouts. sprouts.com.
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News and Accomplishments Brad Clement, a Realtor with the RealtySouth Acton Road office, 2409 Acton Road, Suite 137, recently earned the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. He is the second person in real estate in Birmingham to hold this distinction. 978-9000. realtysouth.com.
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December 2014 • A9 Fancy Goods Variety is holding a holiday art show, Arts on the Plaza, Dec. 5-6 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on the sidewalk of Rocky Ridge Plaza. More than 10 artists will show work, and the store will offer complimentary gift wrap. The store is also acting as a Toys for Tots drop-off site during the month of December. Store hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The store is located at 2512 Rocky Ridge Road, Suite 102. 978-1451. fancygoodsvariety.com.
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Decorative Hardware and Lighting Showroom
Anniversaries ELM Construction LLC, 4100 Autumn Lane, Suite 104, celebrated its sixth anniversary on October 28. The company specializes in renovations, restorations and additions for singleand multi-family housing units. 368-3109. elmco.co.
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Johnny Brusco’s New York Style Pizza, 2516 Rocky Ridge Road, is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The franchise offers pizza, pasta and other Italian dishes for dine-in or delivery. It is owned by Julia Loerke. 637-5270. johnnybruscos.com.
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Business news Business news Business news
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A10 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Business Spotlight a bian Rd
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1425 Montgomery Highway, Suite 47 410-2698 championsfreestylefitness.com Class hours: Monday and Wednesday, 3-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 3-6:30 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
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Read past Business Spotlights at VestaviaVoice.com
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The sound of gloves meeting punching bags fills Jon Dye’s gym, Champions Freestyle MMA. Only a few months ago, however, the gym was silent and filled only with gallons of water and mud. On April 6 and 7, floods broke down the door and filled Champions with more than two feet of muck. Almost everything was ruined: equipment, floors, the boxing ring and most of the photos on the walls. Dye was looking at spending at least $50,000 to fix everything, without insurance to help. “We got close to wondering if we should close up or keep going,” Dye said. While neighboring businesses closed or relocated, Dye decided he wasn’t done fighting. He took on the expense of repairing the gym and replacing his training equipment, and Champions reopened on June 1. It’s been a struggle to regain lost business, especially since he can’t afford to buy advertising right now, but through word of mouth Champions is growing again. Dye is a former professional MMA fighter and has been coaching for six years. His fighters regularly come home with belts from state and regional
The women’s boxfit class at Champions has become a popular way to get fit and lose weight. Photo courtesy of Jon Dye.
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A11
Jon Dye is a former professional MMA fighter and the owner of Champions Freestyle MMA. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
competitions, but the pride of Champions is Walt “The Big Ticket” Harris. Harris is the only Alabama fighter to make it to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Dye was with him from his early training to his first televised match. “You’ll hear 1,000 people say it [they want to go to the UFC], but nobody does it,” Dye said. “For me and
Walt to set that goal and go through with it, there’s nothing like it.” Not every member of Champions has dreams of the UFC, however. Dye and his coaches teach jiu-jitsu, boxing, conditioning and “boxfit” classes for men, women and children in addition to mixed martial arts training. Dye said he has been especially surprised by the positive response to
his women’s classes. “It’s amazing how many women want to learn self-defense,” Dye said. Boxfit is Dye’s fastest-growing class, with more than 100 new women trying the class since August. It combines a cardio workout with kickboxing, which Dye said makes it more fun than a regular gym workout. “ Yo u ’ r e a l w a y s l e a r n i n g
something different,” said Jennifer Derieux, who has trained with Dye since September 2013. Derieux started coming to Champions because her 11-year-old son, Munro, loved watching UFC fights and wanted to learn mixed martial arts. She decided to try a women’s class one day, and now she, Munro and 6-year-old MariaCatherine are at
the gym nearly every day of the week. MariaCatherine quit her ballet classes so she could continue learning to box. Derieux has lost weight and seen her children grow more self-confident. Munro has gotten anger issues under control and even defended a classmate being beaten up on the playground. “We were proud of him. His coach was really proud of him,” Derieux said. “It’s really helped my son, like 100 percent.” The atmosphere at Champions is what made the Derieux family stick around, even while the gym was closed due to the flood. Derieux said the gym is “like one big, happy family” and she never feels like an outsider. The professional fighters will tackle her son when they see him or carry her daughter around on their shoulders. Even while training for the UFC, Harris would still find time to play Xbox with Munro. “They’re fantastic to my kids,” Derieux said. “[Munro] gets so excited because they treat him like one of them.” Munro has his own plans to become a UFC fighter, and Derieux said her family wouldn’t think of training anywhere else. They are among the many loyal members that are causing Dye to begin adding extra classes. He plans to start new boxfit and women’s jiu-jitsu classes, as well as off-season conditioning for high school football players. It’s the kind of growth that seemed unimaginable six months ago, but Dye attributes it to boxing and MMA’s wide appeal. From six-year-olds to 78-year-olds, everyone at Champions wants to gain self-confidence and find an outlet for the worries in their lives. “I think with every punch and kick you release a little stress,” Dye said.
A12 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Restaurant Showcase
Read past Restaurant Showcases at VestaviaVoice.com
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international influences with Southern classics. Menu items often change daily to include the freshest, in-season ingredients. The restaurant buys from local farmers to ensure the quality of its dishes. While versions of some favorites, such as the Fritto Misto and the coddled egg and artisanal cheese plate, are always on the menu, Horn and Satterfield are constantly adding new creations. “My favorite thing to do is just pour a glass of wine and look up seasonal ingredients and then build a menu item around that,” Horn said. “Within a day or two, it’s usually on the menu. After a few nights, it’s dialed in.” In the winter, Satterfield’s adds heartier dishes to the menu featuring ingredients such as braised meats and root vegetables. “[We make food] that kind of sticks to your ribs,” Horn said. “That’s something we’ve always stuck with [in winter months].” Throughout the seasons, Satterfield and Horn hope to continue to provide quality food to Cahaba Heights. Working as a team with every member of the staff, they said, will continue to help them meet that goal. “It’s not accomplished by one person,” Satterfield said. “It’s a team concept [and a] team delivery.”
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By MADISON MILLER Our fondest memories often come from gatherings among family and friends. Growing up in Tuscaloosa, Becky Satterfield remembers helping in the kitchen and enjoying the company of her family while making food. “I started washing dishes on a chair when I was about four. [I would go] back to the table and listen to my aunt, grandmother and whomever else talk,” Satterfield said. “Eventually, I graduated to making cornbread.” Now the owner of Satterfield’s in Cahaba Heights, Satterfield wants her guests to feel like part of the family. It’s a philosophy that she and Executive Chef Patrick Horn share. Horn said it is why he has stuck with the restaurant from the beginning. After starting at Satterfield’s as a grill cook when it opened in 2005, Horn worked his way up to the title of sous chef before becoming the executive chef in early 2014. “We have our staples that [Satterfield] always wants us to keep on, but she basically gives us the freedom to do anything and everything,” Horn said. “There’s nothing we can’t do.” After she married in 1977, Satterfield and her husband moved to Houston, where they lived for 20 years.
3161 Cahaba Heights Road 969-9690 459satterfieldsrestaurant.com Monday-Thursday, 5:30-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5:30-10 p.m.
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Patrick Horn and Becky Satterfield discuss the menu at Satterfield’s. Photo by Madison Miller.
While there, Satterfield saw an opportunity to expand her culinary horizons. Houston’s diverse restaurants and fresh market options allowed her to challenge herself with more difficult recipes. After her children left for college, Satterfield turned her empty nest into an experimental kitchen.
Satterfield enrolled in culinary school once she returned to Alabama. There, she, an instructor and a fellow classmate decided to open their own catering business for the Birmingham area. The business was run from Satterfield’s home until its success required it to have a commercial
kitchen. Satterfield and her husband decided to use the opportunity to open a restaurant. “I was excited about what was here in this area,” Satterfield said. “[But,] I kept yearning for another fine dining place over here.” Satterfield’s menu mixes
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A13
Chamber
Dwight Brown of Father Nature Landscapes, Cami Tracy of New York Life, and Daniel McCurry of Father Nature Landscapes stand together at the November luncheon.
Stephen Allen and Emily Coe of Williams-Blackstock Architects stand with City Councilman George Pierce at the November luncheon. Photos by Rebecca Walden.
Chamber honors veterans at November luncheon By REBECCA WALDEN In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce hosted its November luncheon on an alternate schedule, Wednesday, Nov. 12, and featured United States Air Force Lt. Col. Douglas Wilson as its guest speaker. Wilson, a Vestavia Hills resident and Major Gifts Development Officer at Samford, spoke on the topic of modern technology warfare. Originally commissioned into duty in 1983, Wilson, now a Senior Intelligence Officer of the 117th Refueling Wing, described the evolution of technology he’s experienced, both in and out of
combat zones, throughout his service. “Today’s technology is tomorrow’s antique,” said Wilson, who’s seen new military tech come and go with high regularity over the course of 238 missions and 2,856 hours of service. Wilson also described at length his work with the Predator drone, citing the experience as one of the most interesting points of his military career. “It’s a lot of hours sitting in a dark room, staring at a computer, but as you begin to package intel about a target, as you are in close communication via classified chat with people working on this all over the world, it’s really pretty
amazing,” he said. Using Sept. 11 as an example, Wilson commended his fellow members of the military for their dedication. “I was at my job that day, but by 10 a.m., I was on active duty,” he said. “That next month, I was overseas. When the military is called upon to do their job, they do it. This is the best use of taxpayer money.” In the context of military technology, but also stressing the importance of protecting American ideals, Wilson cited ISIS, stating, “they are not undefeatable.” He concluded with this quote from former
U.S. President Ronald Reagan: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” The Chamber will host its next monthly luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vestavia Country Club. The program will feature a singing ensemble from Vestavia Hills High School.
A14 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
The 12 days of
Christmas
Enjoy the holidays in Vestavia Hills with these fun activities By KATIE TURPEN
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Search for Jingle Bell in local stores
Jingle Bell the Reindeer will be hiding in stores all over Vestavia Hills through Dec. 15. Print the list of stores from vestaviahills. org and go look for him. Look for the businesses with a stocking on their door. When you find Jingle Bell in a store, have the store stamp your sheet. When you have 10 stamps, turn it in to the Chamber of Commerce for a surprise and to be entered in a drawing for a $24 Chamber gift check. For more, visit vestaviahills.org
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Enjoy a tree lighting festival
Enjoy entertainment, merchant giveaways and the lighting of the tree. Visit with Santa and play in the snow. Don’t miss the Snow Ball Drop when the chamber will be dropping ping pong balls with discounts from participating merchants. The festival will take place Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Vestavia Hills City Center. The event is presented by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. For more, visit vestaviahills.org
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Eat breakfast with Santa
On Dec. 13, from 7:30 a.m.- 10 p.m. enjoy a pancake breakfast with Santa at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center. A $1 donation is suggested. The event is presented by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. For more, visit vestaviahills.org
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Shop local businesses
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Decorate at the Holiday Pinterest Party
This holiday season, get all your holiday shopping done in Vestavia Hills. Visit vestaviavoice.com for a calendar list of local businesses’ open houses. Also see our Holiday Gift Guide in this issue for fun gift ideas for everyone on your list.
Shopping for gifts? Ready to decorate? You’re invited to a party where you can sip wine and create beautiful items to give away or keep. On Dec. 5, come out to the Community Room at the Library in the Forest at 6:30 p.m. for a Holiday Pinterest Party. For more, visit vestavialibrary.org
The Christmas Tree Lighting festival will take place Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Vestavia Hills City Center. Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce.
December 2014 • A15
VestaviaVoice.com
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Join the Friends of the Library for a Holiday Luncheon
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Shop for a Christmas tree and support the Boy Scouts
On Dec. 18, come out to the Library in the Forest at 11 a.m. for a Friends of the Library Holiday Luncheon, which celebrates members and staff. The Friends of the Vestavia Hills Library is a non-profit group of citizens who work together to assist the Board of Trustees and the Library Director to promote increased knowledge of the needs of the library, to stimulate volunteer service, to encourage gifts and memorials for the library, to help the library procure funds, and to sponsor cultural and related programs for the community. For more, visit vestavialibrary.org.
A familiar scene come Thanksgiving, the Over the Mountain Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale has been a tradition in Vestavia Hills for more than 50 years. The sale, located in Scout Square in front of Walgreens on U.S. 31, funds year-long activities for 10 boy scout troops in the over the mountain area and runs through Christmas Eve. For more information, see the article on page A1.
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See the Preschool pals “Storybook Holiday”
See the Library in the Forest staff re-create some of their favorite holiday stories for your entertainment. Lots of audience participation is encouraged. This is a great holiday fun for preschool age kids. The event is on Dec. 5 from 10:30-11:15 a.m. For more, visit vestavialibrary.org
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Celebrate at the Liberty Park Christmas Parade
Enjoy the city’s parade followed by the Liberty Park Christmas Celebration with children’s activities, refreshments, live entertainment, pictures with Santa and more. The parade will take place on Dec. 14 form 2 to 4 p.m. and the route will run from the Liberty Park Sports Complex to Alston Meadows. The Vestavia Hills High School Marching Band and the Rockettes will lead the parade, and Mayor Alberto Zaragoza will be riding at the front of the procession. The event is presented by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. For more, visit vestaviahills.org
Enjoy the city’s Christmas Parade followed by the Liberty Park Christmas Celebration with children’s activities, refreshments, live entertainment, pictures with Santa and more.
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See local student in the Alabama Ballet
Campbell Pate, a fourth grader at VHEC, will be dancing the role of Marie in Alabama Ballet’s production of Balanchine’s Nutcracker in December. The Alabama Ballet remains one of only seven companies in the world granted the right to perform this holiday classic by the Balanchine Trust. Performed to Balanchine’s exacting specifications; dazzling choreography, costumes and sets make this production unlike any other. This year, the Alabama Ballet’s performances will be held Dec. 12-14 and Dec. 19-21 at the Wright Center at Samford University. Tickets can be bought at alabamaballet.org or by calling 975-2787.
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Tour de Vestavia
The Samford University Legacy League will hold its third annual Christmas Home tour on Dec. 11. The 2014 tour features five homes, and proceeds will go toward endowing a new need-based scholarship. All homes will feature their holiday décor, and one stop, the Samford president’s house, will serve holiday hors d’oeuvres. For more, see “Tour de Vestavia” article in this issue.
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Join the Jingle Jam at Shades Mountain Baptist Church
On Dec. 14 at 5 p.m., come out to Jingle Jam, which is taking place at Worship Center 200 at Shades Mountain Baptist Church. It’s a family experience for preschool and children. Come and have fun and re-discover what matters most about Christmas. Childcare provided for birth-3 years old. Visit shades.org.
A16 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Tour de Vestavia
Annual holiday home tour to fund scholarships
You won’t have to leave Vestavia Hills city limits to complete an upcoming holiday home tour. The Samford University Legacy League will hold its third annual Christmas Home Tour on Thursday, Dec. 11. The 2014 tour features five homes, and proceeds will go toward endowing a new need-based scholarship. All homes will feature their holiday décor, and one stop, the Samford president’s house, will serve holiday hors d’oeuvres. 1647 Panorama Lane Laura and Larry Merrill Completely gutted and renovated in 2007, this home has several vaulted ceilings, including in the kitchen, dining room and living room. Freely acknowledging that she “loves Christmas,” Laura uses multiple wreaths she makes from fresh greenery, and her tree is different every year. The Merrills’ decorations also include clay sculptures and pottery, as well as a homemade nativity. 1638 Panorama Lane Denise Upton This home includes several features that were unusual when it was built in the 1970s, such as large closets, a huge laundry and an enormous pantry. The Upton home has been renovated and now boasts a reconstructed pool and upper and lower patios. Denise tries to keep her Christmas decorations somewhat simple, but she has a unique way of displaying nearly two dozen ornaments made by her two sons when they were young.
(left) Jeanna Westmoreland, Sharon Smith and Terre Currey welcome guests at the Samford president’s home at last year’s home tour. (right) Guests at the 2013 home tour choose from holiday hors d’oeuvres at the Samford president’s home.
2104 Hickory Ridge Circle Dixie and Tom Brannon Dixie, a Legacy League member, was born and raised in Albuquerque, and American Indian influence can be seen throughout her home. Dixie said she is “a little fanatical about Christmas.” Her decorations include a nativity scene made from Jerusalem olive wood and a set of Mark Roberts fairies with a “Twelve Days of Christmas” theme. The designs of three Samford School of Interior Design students
will add flair to three of the bedrooms as well. 3632 Altadena Drive Alisa and David Belcher This relatively new home on two and a half wooded acres in a quiet culde-sac features a recently completed outdoor living area. Alisa confesses to having “holiday sickness,” and she believes that the guideline “less is more” is definitely not true for Christmas! Her sense of Christmas being fun
and exciting has been reinforced over the years by her mother, grandmother and mother-in-law. She loves to decorate and uses lots of greenery, both live and artificial, as well as ribbons of multiple textures and colors. 1994 Shades Crest Road Jeanna and Andy Westmoreland The Samford president’s home is known for its multiple Christmas trees, a panoramic view of the Samford campus, and Jeanna’s collection
of nutcrackers, which are always on display at Christmas. Homes will be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased through Dec. 9 at samford.edu/legacyleague. Tickets will also be available at all featured homes during tour hours. For more information, visit the website or call 726-2247. -Submitted by the Legacy League
VestaviaVoice.com
RECIPE
December 2014 • A17
Amy Jason’s Peppermint and White Chocolate Cookie Brittle
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 10 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped, divided; or 1 3/4 cups white chocolate chips, divided 3/4 cup coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies, divided ê Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Mix melted butter, both sugars, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just blended. Stir in 1 cup chopped white chocolate and 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy. ê Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet. Press dough into roughly 14x8-inch rectangle. Bake cookie until top is firm and dark golden, about 18 to 23 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet. ê Melt remaining white chocolate in the microwave; heat for 1 minute 20 seconds, stirring at 30-second increments. Using a fork, drizzle about half of
melted chocolate in thin lines over cooled cookie. Sprinkle remaining crushed peppermint candies over chocolate. Drizzle remaining melted white chocolate over top. Let stand until white chocolate sets, about 1 hour. Break cookie into irregular 2- to 3-inch pieces.
The brittle is beautiful when arranged upright at angles in a bowl. It can be made two days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature. Semisweet or dark chocolate can be substituted for white chocolate; toffee bits can be substituted for peppermint candies.
Amy Jason, a Vestavia wife and mother of three, is an avid baker and cookie connoisseur. She believes that sharing “a little sacka sugar” from your heart and from your kitchen is the sweetest way to spread some smiles. She doesn’t always know what’s for dinner, but she always knows what’s for dessert! Amy can be contacted at amy.jason@att.net.
A18 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Special advertising section
Holiday Gift Guide For the
LOOKER
SwissFlex Eyewear
For the
FASHIONABLE Ronaldo Designer Jewelry Prices start at $69.95 These hand crafted bracelets are made with 14 karat gold artist wire and the finest sterling silver. They come in various sizes ranging from 5 1/2” – 8.”
For the
COOK
Available in single vision or no line bifocal. These light weight, flexible glasses come in a variety of colors and sizes. Call store for pricing. Eye See Optical 625 Montgomery Highway 822-4696
The Blue Willow 3930 Crosshaven Drive 968-0909
Insulated Casserole Carriers $19.95 These carries from The Royal Standard come in 11 great colors and patterns and are perfect for potluck.
For the
NATURE-LOVER
Birmingham Bake and Cook 3112 Cahaba Heights Village 980-3661
Bird Seed Ornaments $5 This holiday ornament is an affordable gift for the nature-lover in your life.
For the
BUSY HOMEOWNER The Maids Gift Certificate Any amount Give friends or family the gift of a clean home, worry-free. The Maids 871-9338
Shades Crest Baptist Church 452 Park Ave, Hoover 822-1360 shadescrest.org
Come join us!
Christmas Season Series 10:30 am Sundays
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Saturday, December 13 or Sunday, December 14 3pm
Come enjoy Family Funland after this special musical presentation.
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Sunday December 21 6, 7, or 8pm
Come join us for this 13 minute presentation of the Live Nativity and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies afterward. December 24, 5pm
Candlelight and Communion Service
Leaf and Petal 370 Summit Boulevard 967-3232
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A19
Special advertising section
For the
LOUNGER
For the
NAUGHTY OR NICE
Plush Holiday Throw $22
Poinsettia Cake $24.99
This 50-by-60-inch super soft throw is great for snuggling on those cold nights.
This delicious cake is the perfect holiday treat. Get a free pint when you purchase $25 in gift cards.
A Little Something Gift Boutique 3168 Heights Village 970-2077
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 1008 Vestavia Parkway 978-2347
For the
TOY LOVER Melissa and Doug Fire Truck $22
For the
FUN SEEKER
This wooden, personalized Vestavia Hills Fire Department fire truck comes with three firemen.
Radio Flyer Little Red Wagon $22.99 This bright red wagon comes in multiple sizes and makes the ideal gift this holiday season.
Fancy Goods Variety 2512 Rocky Ridge Road 978-1451
Rocky Ridge Hardware 3354 Morgan Drive 979-5444
For the
HOSTESS Stemless wine glasses with a letter medallion. $32.99 for a set of two. Give the best couples or hostess gift ever this holiday season with these personalized glasses. Monograms Plus 1360 Montgomery Highway 822-3353
A20 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Central student to star in Alabama Ballet’s Nutcracker By KATIE TURPEN For one young Vestavia Hills resident, dreams will come true on stage this fall. Campbell Pate, a fourth grader at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, will be dancing the lead female role of Marie in Alabama Ballet’s production of Balanchine’s Nutcracker in December. Marie is also commonly known as Clara. The Alabama Ballet remains one of only seven companies in the world granted the right to perform this holiday classic by the Balanchine Trust. Performed to Balanchine’s exact specifications, dazzling choreography, costumes and sets make the production truly unique. “I love the costumes,” Campbell said. “I get to wear pretty dresses, and I get to wear a crown.” Campbell has been taking ballet classes since she was little. For her, dancing the part of Marie has been her goal for years. “It’s been my dream to play the part of Marie since I was two,” Campbell said. “My mother used to read me the Barbie nutcracker.” “Every year she kept asking ‘how old do I have to be?, how old do I have to be?’,” recalls Campbell’s mother Renee. Campbell has been rehearsing
Birmingham Ballet’s Nutcracker Snow Queen to be played by VHHS senior By MADOLINE MARKHAM
Campbell Pate, a fourth grader at VHEC, will be dancing the lead female role of Marie in Alabama Ballet’s production of Balanchine’s Nutcracker in December. Photo courtesy of Libba Owens.
several days a week since October. It’s a challenge but one that she greatly enjoys. “It’s hard to dance and also use facial expressions,” said Campbell. “My favorite scene is the battle scene because of all the action.” Outside of dancing, Campbell said she enjoys doing anything that has to do wit the arts including drawing and singing. As she looks ahead to the big performance
in December, the young dancer is calm and ready. “I’m not really too nervous, just excited,” Campbell said. This year, the Alabama Ballet’s performance will be going on the road to Anniston. Campbell will be dancing as Marie in the Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 20-21 performances. Tickets can be bought at alabamaballet.org or by calling 975-2787.
Hannah Walter plans to put on an “attitude that is flirty and fun” as the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker this month. “In other companies, [the Snow Queen] is cold and acts like she above others, but in our version she is a very warm character and is welcoming to Clara and the Prince,” she said. The Vestavia Hills High School senior is cast in the Birmingham Ballet production to run Dec. 12-14 at the BJCC. In her past six productions of the ballet, Hannah’s roles have included Harlequin and an Arabian, the role she wanted for years because they are super flexible, she said. A ballet routine also helped Hannah win the title of Jefferson County Junior Miss this year; she danced to “Dane to Pigtail Girl Variation” from the ballet Graduation Ball. Hannah plans to attend Auburn University to major in pre-medicine/biology next year, but she said the school doesn’t offer a dance program. “I’m going to miss it so much, but I hope to come back and help out backstage,” she said. Birmingham Ballet’s
Hannah Walter will play the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker this month.
productions of The Nutcracker are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. at the BJCC. The Mutt-cracker, a version of The Nutcracker that incorporates
dog performances, will be held Friday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the BJCC and benefits the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. For tickets or more information, visit birminghamballet.com.
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A21
This year’s tree sale is from Nov. 22-Dec. 21. The lot is open Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m-9 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.- 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12:30-9 p.m. and is located at 737 Montgomery Highway. The Scouts also have a tree lot in the parking lot of Target on Highway 150.
A familiar scene come Thanksgiving, the Over the Mountain Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale has been a tradition in Vestavia Hills for more than 50 years. Photos by Stasi Bara.
SCOUTS
CONTINUED from page A1 Today, the sale has evolved into a successful business venture with an executive committee planning it throughout the year. Chairman John Patterson and treasurer Mark McColl agree that without this sale, the Scouts wouldn’t be able to participate in their yearly trips or activities. Furthermore, they said the sale equips the young men with skills that will help them throughout their lives. “These Boy Scouts do so much. The sale really helps them build character and self-reliance,” McColl said. “It teaches them salesmanship, to work hard and to have a good work ethic.” Patterson and McColl said the troops normally sell anywhere between 3,500 and 4,000 trees a year. The trees come
from four different suppliers on seven trucks, with about 500 trees per truck. Each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, volunteers unload the first truck and spend the day drilling the trees and placing them on stands. Once the sale starts, the troops, their families and other volunteers rotate morning, afternoon and evening shifts. “The Scouts’ families make huge contributions,” Patterson said. “Each troop puts a lot of man-hours into the sale.” To create a festive atmosphere, the Scouts play Christmas music and hand out hot chocolate and candy canes. Within the past three years, they have started offering handmade wreaths and garlands. “This gives some of our volunteers a creative outlet and something to do when there is a lull,” said Patterson. Both men say the best part of the sale
by far is seeing generations of customers come through the lot as well as Scouts who worked at the sale as children. “It’s so neat to see these families coming back year after year,” McColl said. The sale also has an environmental component. Patterson said the tree sale is the largest recycler for Alabama Power, due to their donations of extra trees at the end of each cycle. They also offer trees to city employees for half-price. Committee members look forward to another successful season. “This is truly a communitywide event, and we couldn’t do this without their support,” said McColl. “We also want to thank the community members who came before us and made the sale what it is today.”
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A22 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Top photo moments of 2014
Suzanne and Rick Norris lost their son, Tripp, to a mix of alcohol and heroin in February 2011. Rick spoke at Help the Hills. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Virginia and Cash Dove in Kakegawa, Japan, where they attended school for the summer. Photo by Amanda Dove.
The community came together for National Night Out at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in October. Photo by Katie Turpen.
Vestavia Hills High School football coach Buddy Anderson gets doused in water after the Rebels defeated Hewitt-Trussville 14-3 on Sept. 12, giving the veteran coach his 310th win. Photo by Dan Starnes.
Pizitz students in Kathy Rogers’ “Pirate Programming” class use code to build iPad games and animated greeting cards. Photo by Katie Turpen.
Former Crimson Tide and professional football player Bobby Humphrey brought local hero Kelly Garner a football signed by Alabama football head coach Nick Saban and others. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Garner Carter.
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • A23
SECTION B School House B2 Sports B13 Calendar B18
The one who gave more
Local snowstorm hero writing book about near-fatal fall By KATIE TURPEN Kelly Garner will never forget the night that changed his life. On January 28, 2013, a sudden onset of snow caused icy roads to turn into a gridlock across Birmingham. In the days that followed, stories circulated of people stranded on the roadways, at school and at work overnight. But for one Vestavia Hills resident and father of two, his story had a near fatal ending. After the storm hit that day, Garner, known for putting others before himself, was helping stranded motorists near the Walmart Neighborhood
Market shopping center on U.S. 31. “I just jumped in and started helping, one car after another,” Garner recalled. Garner has been a Type 1 diabetic since he was 9 years old. That’s why his oldest sister, Charlotte Garner Carter, was worried when the family received an unusual call from him. “When he called home at 7 p.m. and said he was headed home, his 15-year-old son Tyler said Dad’s sugar must be low, because he was repeating the same sentence over and over and told them that he was leaving the Walmart Market,” said Carter. Garner did not make it home that
Kelly Garner ran the Vulcan Run in November and finished in 1:20. His goal is to make it to the Mercedes Half-Marathon in February. Photo by Dean Thornton.
evening. His Panorama Drive neighbors formed a search team that eventually spotted him at the bottom of a 40-foot-deep ravine near the Library in the Forest the following morning. With the help of the Vestavia Hills Fire Department, Garner was carried
out of the ravine. “It was a team effort in carefully moving him from that forest of trees, large rocks and hilly terrain,” Carter said. Garner’s injuries included a broken T8 vertebra, bleeding on the
brain, five broken ribs on the left and two on the right, and broken bones in his foot. He was eventually moved to Spain Rehabilitation Center to relearn to walk and fine-tune his motor skills.
See GIVING | page B3
B2 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
School House Cahaba Heights student earns awards at youth rodeo competition
Stephen Dease, a fifth grader at Cahaba Heights, earned the highly sought after “All Around Cowboy High Point Award” for the boys 9-12 age division at the Lawrence County 4-H Youth Rodeo in October.
Stephen Dease, a fifth grader at Cahaba Heights, represented Shelby County in the Lawrence County 4-H Youth Rodeo in October. He and his horse, Jelly Bean, competed in the horseback riding speed events: barrels, poles, goat tying, and breakaway roping. Dease spent countless hours training
and practicing to create an unmatched rider and horse team. He earned the highly sought after “All Around Cowboy High Point Award” for the boys 9-12 age division. He was given a cash award and a high point award belt buckle.
Primrose School students receive special visit from chamber members
Children from Primrose School at Liberty Park received a visit from two Chamber of Commerce members in October. Photo courtesy of Margaret O’ Bryant.
Two Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce members joined together in October. Dr. Andrew Richardson and his staff from Cahaba Heights Pediatric Dentistry visited the young preschoolers at Primrose School at Liberty Park. Dr. Richardson shared with the early preschool, preschool
and pre-kindergarten classes the benefits of keeping your teeth clean and your mouth healthy and happy. Dr. Richardson’s visit was timely as the Primrose children have been learning about community helpers. -Submitted by Margaret O’Bryant
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • B3
Kelly Garner with Vestavia Hills firemen at the site where he was found the night after the January snowstorms. Photo courtesy of Kelly Garner.
GIVING
CONTINUED from page B1 Today, it seems Garner’s positive attitude is playing a big part in his recovery, which his doctors described as miraculous. “A lot of people ask about my moments while I was at the bottom of the ravine,” Garner said. “All I can say is that I couldn’t have found a better rock to land on. It was a big rock, so not so bad really.” Garner was invited to be the surprise guest at the UAB Trauma Symposium in November. Several Vestavia Hills medics were in attendance. Dr. Ginger Justice, an instructor at the department of trauma, burns and surgical critical care at UAB, introduced Garner to the crowd by recalling January’s events. “What stood out to me was that everyone came together,” said Justice. “There were no frozen hearts in Birmingham that day. But there was one that gave more.” During a slideshow, she revealed that words used to describe Garner included helper, survivor, inspiration and hero. During his speech Garner recalled the experience and thanked all the staff that had helped him. In October, Garner ran the Susan G. Komen
Race for the Cure 5K. In November, he ran the Vulcan Run 10K in downtown Birmingham. He is planning to run the Mercedes Half-Marathon in February. “My goal for these runs was simply to come across the finish line,” Garner said. “At some point I will probably be looking to see if I am improving and obviously look at times I ran and competed strong and there was no pain whatsoever.” Garner is also in the process of writing a book about his experience. He said he is not ready to announce any release dates, but it could be ready by the anniversary of his fall in January. The book is set to be titled The Night That Changed My Life. “We are still in the heavy editing process, including getting the book cover design ready and finding some quality photos that are suitable and up to the publisher’s standards,” Garner said. For now, Garner is focused on steadily improving and searching for employment. He is thankful for everyone who has assisted in his recovery and, most importantly, for his second chance at life. “The devil pushed me in the pit, but God pulled me out,” Garner said. “I encourage everyone to live well, laugh often, and love much with whatever you do.”
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Photo: Rhonda Gilliam
B4 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Sharing the spirit
Vestavia Hills City Schools students discuss their plans for the holidays
“I will share with others and help them.” Harlee Maggard, VHEW
“I will give all my family hugs as they get to my grandmother’s house.“ Luke Durham, VHEW
“I will be nice, share and give to others.” Monsi Parek, VHEW
“I will give people presents that they will really, really like.” Mary Elizabeth Hansen, VHEW
“I will talk about it to everyone and be happy and positive that Jesus was born.” Julianna Perrigo, seventh grade, LPMS
VestaviaVoice.com
“I am going to send care packages to soldiers overseas.” Cameron Monistere, eighth grade, LPMS
December 2014 • B5
“I will give food to those who don’t have as much by helping host a canned food drive at my school.”
“This Christmas, I will tell everyone Merry Christmas!” Bennett Culver, sixth grade, LPMS
Cat Yielding, eighth grade, LPMS
“I am going to give to the homeless. It is important to my family that if we get something, to give back to others and spread cheer.” Alba Rosales, sixth grade, LPMS
“I will spread Christmas cheer by writing letters to my family and friends and wishing them a Merry Christmas.” Max Visser, seventh grade, LPMS
B6 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Of scouting and service Local students give back By REBECCA WALDEN When VHHS Theater Director Alan Gardner needed an “old looking” dog for one of his plays, Sunshine, a mixed mutt from the Shelby County Humane Society, quickly became a part of the production’s thespian family. Post-production, Gardner’s three children, Walker, a third-grader attending VHEW, Hamilton, an eighth-grader attending Pizitz, and Stuart, a sophomore at VHHS, lobbied their dad to make sure Sunshine became a permanent part of the Gardner household. “Dad thought she was kind of ugly at first, but by the end of the play, he’d really come to like her,” said Hamilton. “And she is actually a very pretty dog.” Prompted by their mom, Francie, the Gardner boys began taking Sunshine on weekend hikes around the area, which eventually led to them to connect with Birmingham philanthropist Ken Jackson and his efforts to create Remy’s Dog Park. “We don’t have a big yard, and Sunshine needs a lot of exercise,” said Walker. Working with Jackson, the boys received scouting volunteer service hours for the 50-plus hours they collectively spent clearing trees, bushes and bramble along the 6-acre parcel where Remy’s Dog Park now stands. “I loved that people showed up to volunteer alongside us as a result of what we were doing,” said Hamilton. “People came up to us and said, ‘We are here because we saw you on TV.’ I thought, ‘This is really cool that people see this kid volunteering.’” For Stuart, the highlight of the experience was getting to know Ken Jackson.
From left to right are Walker Gardner, Stuart Gardner, Birmingham Mayor William Bell, Hamilton Gardner, Ken Jackson, Lee Laser Collins and David Dionne at Red Mountain Park. Photo courtesy of Francie Gardner.
“He’s an amazing man,” said Stuart. “He loves animals, and he had a really fun and dedicated personality.” For the Gardner boys, the experience has fostered an interest in community volunteerism on its own merits. Since the grand opening of Remy’s Dog Park, Walker, Hamilton and Stuart have found several
other ways to volunteer closer to home, including landscape work around the Wald Park pool, cleaning up the grounds of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, and helping maintain the natural hiking paths behind VHEC and the Library in the Forest. “It’s worth the time,” said mom Francie. “The kids appreciate it so much more when they are
involved with whatever they enjoy, instead of just being given it. I think that is probably true of anything. If they pay for part of their trip to Disney, then it means more to them. If they have to work to earn some of their allowance, it is more valuable to them. They feel like it’s a part of them. They’ve contributed, so they are invested, and it’s so worth it.”
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • B7
Dancing through life
The Magic City Sparks with helpers from Vestavia Hills High School. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Hull.
Vestavia Hills High School dancers work with the Exceptional Foundation By MADISON MILLER Lindsey Hull knows inspiration when she sees it. As a dance instructor, she has worked with many local schools and has even helped UAB’s Golden Girls dance team. Hull was never more inspired than she was as a judge at the national dance team championship on ESPN. As she judged the teams, she saw a group from Orlando, Fla. that included students with developmental disabilities. She realized that she could not think of a group in Birmingham that provided that opportunity, so she decided to create one herself. Hull contacted the Exceptional Foundation in Homewood in August. The foundation began in 1993 to serve
individuals with mental and intellectual challenges in the Birmingham area. A friend informed Hull that the foundation was looking for opportunities to expand programming for members ages 5 and up in the foundation. Together, they developed a plan to start a dance team, The Magic City Sparks, through the organization. To do this, however, they needed community involvement. “That part of the program is just as important as [having] the dancers,” Hull said. Hull contacted Faith Lenhart at Vestavia Hills High School to spread the word about needing volunteers. Hull works with dancers at Pizitz Middle School and Liberty Park Middle School and has taught many
students in VHHS’ dance classes. She felt confident that she could get some of her former students on board, but she still expected to have to ask other area high schools for help as well. Hull was surprised when she was told that VHHS would provide enough volunteers for the whole group. Thirteen dancers are on the team and Hull has 41 dance students from VHHS volunteering. “I was overwhelmed with the reception,” she said. Practices are held each Wednesday and each dancer has a personal helper each time. With an excess amount of volunteers, helpers attend practices alternating every other week, but are always paired with the same dancer. Hull has also established several
helpers as floaters to provide extra assistance, if needed. “I think my students will learn acceptance and empathy. Many of them are interested in education and this is a great experience for them,” Lenhart said. The team focuses on jazz and creative movement in its choreography. A small amount of ballet is taught at the beginning to provide a good foundation for other styles. The dancers range from age 5 to early adulthood. Hull and the team expect to be giving performances soon. They will give a performance at a Vestavia Hills High School basketball game, a UAB basketball game and also compete in the UDA state dance competition in January.
“I wanted to provide a team atmosphere,” she said. “I’ve been a part of a dance team my whole life and learned so much from it… I think it’s important to learn how to work together for a common goal.” Hull, the foundation and VHHS hope to continue to expand opportunities for special needs students. Lenhart would like to start a new dance class at VHHS for its special needs students. “Any time that they are given an opportunity to be mainstream and do something that other children are able to do, it’s such a positive thing,” Hull said. “I feel like [dance] is a great way to nourish children’s self-esteem.” For more information on the Exceptional Foundation, visit exceptionalfoundation.org.
B8 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
&A Q with Dale Lewis Featured artist at Artists Incorporated
Artists Incorporated Art Gallery, located in the “Little Red Barn” on Morgan Drive in Vestavia Hills, displays work from more than 50 local artists. On the first Friday of each month, the public is invited to a Featured Artist reception to enjoy refreshments and meet the artists. This month’s featured artist is Dale Lewis. For more, visit artistsincorporated.com.
Q A
Tell us a little bit about yourself. I grew up in Hueytown and have lived in several communities around Birmingham. For the last 12 years, I have lived in Oneonta on five acres near Easley Covered Bridge with my studio about 80 feet from my home. I am 74 years young, relatively handsome, and married to Carol for 35 years. We have two grown daughters, Delia and Whitney, and two granddaughters, Farley and Sloane. After graduating from the University of Alabama, I worked as a technical illustrator until 1964 when I became a producer-director for Educational TV and Birmingham Board of Education TV. The most satisfying experiences there were creating programs for children. I wrote scripts, designed sets, created characters and directed the action. These activities, as it turned out, were inspirations for my present work. After 13 years there, I began a position at UAB where I designed various media. Early in that tenure, I visited a contemporary furniture maker’s studio and was so inspired that I immediately knew that this was for me and would be my lifelong
pursuit. It consumed my spare time until after 17 years I retired to create my art full time.
Q A
Describe what type of art you do. My early pieces began with function as a major concern but with my own imaginative twist and quirky view of the world. As my work evolved, function, while important, gave way to my voice. The surreal became more evident, and I visited some strange places. My pieces are usually whimsical and colorful. They range from tables with ladies’ legs and high heels to chairs with human and animal-like heads and body parts and most anything in between. Some pieces pay tribute to famous artists. Form is paramount in my work, and every element is carefully sketched and developed.
Q A
Where does your inspiration come from? My inspirations are endless. Of course forms that I see every day speak to me. I am a punster and I love wordplay, and often these guide my visions of the piece I am creating. Each piece has a name that speaks to its existence. Sometimes the name comes first and sometimes it becomes evident after studying the piece. The names are often cleverly misspelled. I have been accused of having my own language.
Q
What do you enjoy the most about creating your art?
Artist Dale Lewis stands with one of his pieces, titled “Claw & Order: UFO.” Photo courtesy of Dale Lewis.
A
The process of creating my art is pure enjoyment. I get excited when a new vision is revealed. Usually I do a quick sketch, then refine it and start looking for materials to do a pattern and then the wood to be used. Often I draw directly on the wood and watch the vision unfold as I manipulate the material by sawing, shaping, carving and sanding. It is a great thrill to watch my creation come to life as I apply the finish and stroke it to perfection.
Q A
What is the greatest compliment you have ever received about your work? It is exciting yet humbling for my work to win an award or to be selected for a museum collection. I feel so fortunate that hundreds of my creations are prized and are part of public and private collections and will be viewed and loved for years. Perhaps the best compliment, though, is to be told, “I love having your art in my home. It makes me smile and makes the whole day better.”
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • B9
Community Vestavia residents host Symphony Volunteer Council kick-off party
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Dr. Chandler and Jane Paris Smith hosted the Symphony Volunteer Council’s kick-off membership party at their Vestavia Hills home in September. As a special treat for the SVC members and their guests, the Smiths invited Chris Griffin, pianist at The Club, to play throughout the party. SVC President Mike Griggs extended a warm welcome to the members and their guests and introduced Curt Long, executive director of the Alabama Symphonic Association, who spoke to the group about the ongoing search for a conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. A highlight of the evening was a performance by double bassist Caleb Edwards, a student at ASFA, accompanied by Dr. Lucy De Sa. The guests enjoyed a cocktail buffet
provided by the SVC Executive Board under the direction of Vice Presidents of Hospitality Jonnie and Rich Venglik and Phyllis and Tom Davis. Several SVC members and their guests also enjoyed the balmy fall evening as they took Jane’s guided tour of her garden. SVC, with a membership of more than 300, is the largest volunteer organization supporting the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO). The SVC’s mission is to foster, promote, and advance the goals of the ASO through fundraising, assisting with educational programs, providing support for the administrative staff and hosting guest artists, as well as purchasing and selling tickets. For more, visit symphonyvolunteercouncil. org.
Benefit for the Daniel Project held at the Vestavia Country Club
The Daniel Project honors Birmingham’s Daniel Naim Ajlouny, son of Pamela & Basim Ajlouny, who passed away at the age of 21 from a heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Photo courtesy of Julia Meyers.
On Oct. 1, Piggly Wiggly hosted the first annual Wine Showcase to benefit The Daniel Project, one of the missions of the Paul Meyers Foundation. Guests enjoyed more than 100 fine wines and local craft beers as well as unlimited homegrown, farm raised appetizers prepared by Alabama vendors. Mark Kimerell Engine serenaded the crowd to jazz favorites at the Vestavia Country Club. The Daniel Project honored Birmingham’s Daniel Naim Ajlouny, son of Pamela & Basim
Ajlouny, who passed away at the age of 21 from a heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The project is to further educate physicians on HCM. Money raised from the event funded a private luncheon for the Birmingham medical community in November. For more information on the organization, visit paulmeyersfoundation.com or call Julia Meyers at 404-538-6069.
AV
Referred for a reason.
B10 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Claiming national fame Pizitz student wins TV fashion competition By MADOLINE MARKHAM Recently shoppers at Publix have heard Bradford Billingsley’s voice on their aisle and recognized it. Others at a gas station have pointed at him, and a young girl at Panera wanted to take a picture with him. The Pizitz Middle School eighth grader took home first place on the premier episode of teen and tween fashion competition show Project Runway: Threads on Lifetime this fall, and Vestavia has taken note. “People younger than me at school have come up and told me they watched the show,” Bradford said. “Everyone is so supportive,” Bradford’s prize package, worth more than $25,000, includes a scholarship to summer camp at FIDM, his “look” being in Seventeen Magazine, and a sewing and embroidery studio. The news had been a total surprise for Bradford. He said the judges were poker faced during filming. One hint came from actress and model Jamie King, though, when she said she would wear both outfits in footage that didn’t air. After seeing a posting about the show on Facebook, Bradford interviewed to be a contestant during a snowstorm in February. When he got the news that by May he would plane to Los Angeles to film at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, he started preparations.
Dana and Bradford Billingsley stand before the show judges with models wearing Bradford’s designs from the show Project Runway: Threads. Photo courtesy of Lifetime.
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December 2014 • B11 (left) Bradford Billingsley stands with his teachers who came out for his viewing party. Pictured are Andy Carpenter, Allison Charles, Larry Gibson, Bradford Billingsley, Amy Farrar, Ashley Hicks and Dedra Wade. Photo courtesy of Bradford Billingsley. (below) Bradford and his mom were featured on the premier episode of Project Runway: Threads. Photo courtesy of Lifetime.
“I started barking orders at mom to get her to learn how to sew,” Bradford said. His mom, Dana, came along as his assistant; each contestant had to bring a member of their immediate family who was 21 or older. She and Bradford created a brutally honest working dynamic that is obvious on the show. “It’s how we bond with each other,” Bradford said. “We are never nice.” Dana had worked at Parisian and embellished dance costumes for her daughter, but sewing was new territory. Bradford started sewing a year ago when he made a dress for Miss Alabama Teen USA Sarah-Baskin Champion, who graduated from
VHHS with Bradford’s older sister, Abbey. One of the highlights of the filming for Bradford were the three hugs he received from Kelly Osbourn, the judge he knew best from watching Fashion Police. Bradford said the show accurately captured the mood of the competition. “It was that stressful,” Bradford said. “We had almost nothing done on the dress when the second challenge came, we had just pinned the fabric.” “That’s why I said, ‘Just shoot me,’” Dana said. Bradford had faced time constraints during the Rising Design Star competition during Birmingham Fashion
Week, but they were not as short as these. “I liked what I did a lot, but I should have done better on time,” he said. Some Bradford’s teachers from preschool through eighth grade along with members of his growing fan club filled Blackwell’s Pub in Cahaba Heights for a viewing party when the episode aired. Dana set up red carpet with backdrop for photos, and around 100 people attended. When Bradford was announced the winner, “everyone went wild,” he said. As party favors, Dana had T-shirts printed with the lip design from his
casual design for the show. After seeing posts on Instagram, classmates and others have requested to buy them, and they have now have printed around 400 total. “Bradford is making some money off of it, but he has to buy for a child off the Angel Tree,” Dana said. Bradford’s design interests extend beyond the realm of fashion as well. Former Pizitz Principal David Miles asked him to design a flag for him before he retired last year, and Bradford liked getting out of class to paint the set for the school’s Alice in Wonderland production. This year he designed the school’s choir T-shirt and made a banner for a living history
event on Veterans Day. In art class, he especially enjoys drawing and pottery. Bradford said he doesn’t know what is next for his fashion career. He made another dress for Sarah-Baskin Champion in November, and his drawings continue to flood his house and paint stains mark his kitchen table. Photographers have offered to shoot his designs, and he knows a hair stylist and makeup artist from Birmingham Fashion Week that he might work with in the future. “I think a lot of people are intimidated, we just have to go with it and be ourselves,” Dana said.
B12 • December 2014
Viva Vestavia XII
The 12th annual Viva Vestavia took place at Hollywood Pools on Oct. 30. This event gave residents the chance to sample food and wine from Vestavia restaurants. Tickets included a Viva Vestavia XII commemorative etched wine glass. All proceeds benefited the Chamber Foundation scholarship fund and the Chamber Foundation capital fund, which encourages local economic development and offers a scholarship to a Vestavia Hills High School senior. The event also featured a silent auction and each vendor competed for best food and display. Photos by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Vestavia Voice
December 2014 • B13
VestaviaVoice.com
Sports
Mountain bikers organize, form inaugural VHHS team By REBECCA WALDEN For several VHHS students, the rubber may meet the road, but it’s a better ride when the rubber meets rough terrain. With their love of a hobby once reserved for far-flung parks and weekend devotion, these students have successfully established the first-ever mountain biking team at Vestavia Hills High School. While the sport is not a part of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the Vestavia Hills Mountain Biking Team will function as a member of the Alabama High School Cycling League, which is part of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. The team’s season officially begins in January 2015, though interested students in grades nine through 12 are encouraged to express interest in joining the team now. Team sponsor Brigid Littleton said the team already has 22 members, six of whom have committed to race once the season begins. “Hopefully after our inaugural year, we can increase our racing numbers,” said Littleton, whose affiliation with the team began shortly after she bought a mountain bike at Cahaba Cycles in Cahaba Heights. “I bought a mountain bike from there this summer, and
2015 Vestavia Hills Mountain Biking Team Season March 14-15, 2015 Race #1 Tannehill State Park, McCalla April 11-12, 2015 Race #2 Chewacla State Park, Auburn
Several students have successfully established the first-ever mountain biking team at Vestavia Hills High School.
after speaking to the owner on several occasions, he asked me if I would be interested in helping start a mountain bike team at the high school.” From there, Littleton worked with VHHS math teacher and experienced cyclist Michelle Campbell and Alabama League Director Eddie Freyer to form the team. The team will begin practicing three days a week at Oak Mountain State Park, starting in January 2015. Race season begins in March and runs through late April, with three races comprising the season.
For Littleton, the inaugural season has nothing to do with wins or losses. “My expectations for our student-athletes are for them to learn about the sport and enjoy every moment,” she said. “I truly want this to be a positive experience for all involved.” Her priorities align with the mission of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA): to support and develop mountain biking programs and events for students. Littleton is actively seeking sponsors for the upcoming season. While
she plans to partner with a local bike shop, Littleton said she welcomes additional support from local individuals or businesses to sponsor jerseys and other team needs. “Residents can also get involved by volunteering to help set up our PitZone during races,” she said. “In addition, residents can donate monetarily so we can begin purchasing equipment, or they can donate used bikes that are repairable and have gears.” More information about high school mountain biking can be found on the state’s website at alabamamtb.org.
April 25-26, 2015 Race #3 Oak Mountain State Park, Birmingham May 2-3, 2015 Race #4 State Championship Munny Sokol Park, Tuscaloosa For more info on high school mountain biking, visit alabamamtb.org For more info about the VHHS team, contact Coach Littleton at littletonbd@ vestavia.k12.al.us or Mrs. Campbell at campbellmw@ vestavia.k12.al.us.
B14 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Prep bowling coming down the alley By DAVID KNOX High school bowling has come to Alabama. The Alabama High School Athletic Association declared this season that boys and girls bowling be designated an “emerging sport” — that is, one to be tried as a non-championship sport for a period of time to see if enough interest exists to make it a full-fledged state championship sport. Denise Ainsworth, director of programs for the AHSAA and who oversees the sport, said bowling was declared an emerging sport after a survey of schools indicated enough interest. “Over the past few years, it’s been the fastest-growing sport nationally at the high school level,” Ainsworth said. “We are always looking for ways to include more kids in athletics. Bowling is a way to reach a different group of kids who might not be interested in football, basketball or baseball.” A major boost to the effort has been cooperation from bowling centers, which have agreed to provide lane space free of charge for two years, at least, plus free house bowling balls and shoes. “The bowling centers have been just wonderful to work with,” Ainsworth said. If at least 10 percent of AHSAA member schools field teams next year, it can become a championship sport, once it is approved by the association’s Central Board of Control. “We have 40 schools declared to participate right now, and we have right about 400 schools (in the AHSAA),” Ainsworth said. “So
Vestavia Hills High School students enjoy preseason practice at Vestavia Bowl. The Alabama High School Athletic Association declared this season that boys and girls bowling be designated an “emerging sport.” Photos by Keith McCoy.
we’re right there. We think next year it should be a championship sport. We’re excited.” So, it seems, are the members of the inaugural Vestavia Hills Rebels bowling team.
At a preseason practice at Vestavia Bowl, there’s a lot of laughing, smiling and joking going on. Most of the youngsters have never participated in scholastic athletics, and some are pretty much beginners at bowling.
Boys coach Chris Wood said his 10-boy team has a wide variety of skill levels. “I think Austin Davis will have to put us on his shoulders. And Travis Saunders (one of the few with high school sports experience, as a football
player) is a real good athlete and looks like a good bowler. “But mostly we have a few who have bowled for fun and a few who are really total beginners.” Dixon, a senior, has bowled since
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December 2014 • B15
VHHS Bowling teams Boys team: Dillon Caldwell, Austin Dixon, Tre Knight, Lars Olsson, Ahmed Farrukh, Travis Saunders, Keene Zhang, Dawson Wade, Will Wesnor, Will Greer. Girls team: Gabrielle Crawford, Sukhman Kaur, Jillian Jacob, Tori Bachofer, Dalton Benefield, Margaret Culver, Emma King, Alisha Budhwani, Haylee Jemison. Vestavia Hills has both a girls and boys team in competition this year.
he was little. “My dad runs the pro shop here,” Dixon said, who said he’s bowled a 296. “He’s a pro bowler. I never thought about bowling for a school team, but since Vestavia started a team, it’s really cool. I come to bowl after school for fun anyway.” Sophomore Ahmen Farrukh hasn’t played sports before at Vestavia Hills and said he’s bowled “maybe five times in my life. I think it’s really cool. It’s just fun, get out of school and hang out with a cool coach. Meet some guys I don’t see in school. Everybody’s just not about scores, it’s about improvement.” Girls coach Debra Broome has nine girls on her team — one softball player is her only girl with school sports experience.
“These are your kids who have not participated in sports, and this could be where they belong,” she said. “They’re having fun. But the other day in practice, that’s when I saw they wanted to compete with each other.” Tori Bachofer said she had bowled recreationally a pretty good bit and thought it would be fun when the announcement came over the intercom system one morning that there would be a bowling team. She’s hyped about the bowling shirts — old-school style with wide stripes in school colors with names on the sleeve and a script “Rebels” on the back. “I think it’s cool the bowling center is letting us use free shoes and bowling balls for free. I’ve met some new girls. My best score is 116. I just hope to get better and have fun.”
Sports teach a lot of things, Broome said, that you don’t necessarily learn in other endeavors. “I think the more we can get involved in sports, the better.” The AHSAA’s Ainsworth concurs. “I believe in athletics and in what it teaches,” she said. “I think bowling will reach kids on the fringes, and I think also the interest is going to be really high because we’re already hearing about youngsters who are excellent bowlers in leagues already. There’s also the chance to involve kids with some disabilities. “And absolutely it’s a sport you can play for a lifetime.” Many people don’t realize bowling is a collegiate sport. The NCAA sponsors women’s bowling as a championship sport, and the NAIA sponsors
both men’s and women’s bowling as an emerging sport. There are no NAIA men’s teams in Alabama, but there are several in Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky. Most of the NCAA’s emerging sports are for women, prompted by the need to meet Title IX laws to provide scholarships to women. In Alabama, UAB, Alabama A&M and Alabama State all have NCAA Division I bowling teams. According to the latest figures provided by the NCAA, there are 33 NCAA Division I women’s programs, 18 more at Division II and 10 at non-athletic-scholarship Division III. That was not the primary focus for instituting bowling at the prep level, but if students can find yet another means to help pay for a college
education, “that’s always a bonus,” Ainsworth said. Gail Dent, a spokeswoman for the NCAA, said that its research group shows that in Division I in 2013-14, there were a total of 127 total equivalencies (scholarships) for bowling with 226 student-athletes receiving aid (at more than $3.2 million). In Division II, there were a total of 34 equivalencies with 131 student-athletes receiving aid (at more than $719,000). Dixon, the son of the pro bowler, is now excited about perhaps bowling in college. “I’ve been talking to the UAB women’s coach about starting a men’s team. I definitely am thinking about pursuing it in college.” Sounds like it’d be right up his alley.
B16 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Rebels miss playoffs for first time since 2005 By DAVID KNOX The Vestavia Hills Rebels have made the state playoffs every year since 2005. That streak ended with a loss Oct. 24 at Thompson Reynolds Stadium on Buddy Anderson Field. Anderson, the winningest coach in Alabama high school football history, couldn’t quite get his hard-luck Rebels there, as Tuscaloosa County nipped Vestavia Hills 14-7 in a game typical of this season. Missing senior quarterback Landon Crowder due to concussion symptoms, Anderson turned to junior Brett Jones. Jones played admirably, getting the Rebs in position for one last shot only to have his heave intercepted in the end zone at the final horn. “Our kids played their butts off,” Anderson said. “They just can’t get a break. This game teaches you a lot about life.” The Rebels fell to 3-6 overall — sealing their first losing season since 1991 — and 2-5 in Class 7A, Region 3. Tuscaloosa County (5-4, 4-3) locked up a playoff berth. It looked like Vestavia Hills might pull it out early. The Rebels defense was bending but not breaking, and the game was scoreless after Nolan Turner returned a TC punt 15 yards to the Wildcats 34 with 6:34 left in the
Vestavia Hills senior quarterback Landon Crowder, left, out with a concussion, talks to his replacement, Brett Jones, before the Rebels’ game against Tuscaloosa County. Photo by John Michael Simpson.
first half. Vestavia needed seven running plays — including four carries by Walker Minor for 26 yards — to
score, with Minor breaking through from the 3. Jack Hatchett’s extra point gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead with 3:31
before intermission. But TC marched down the field, using the aerial attack that worked
well against Hoover. Eight pass plays, plus a targeting call against the Rebels, set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Seth Franks to Chase Pearson. Moises Carrasco’s extra point tied the score at 7 with 1:02 before half, and it stayed that way. The Rebels put together a drive midway through the third quarter on the strength of its ground game led by Minor and Carter Jacobs. Hatcher’s 47-yard field goal was long enough but wide left. The Wildcats immediately drove the ball down the field, mostly on the ground with Randy Echols doing the damage. TC cashed in the 80-yard drive on a 5-yard run by Roe Wilson. Carrasco’s PAT provided the game’s final point. The Rebels had two more shots. After another good defensive stand, the Rebs drove the ball from their 38 to the TC 5. But on third down Minor was thrown for a 3-yard loss. On fourth-and goal from the 8, Jones’ pass was just a tad early for Nolan Turner in the corner of the end zone. The Rebels didn’t quit and forced a punt with a half-minute to play. Jones connected with Grant Logsdon over the middle for a gainer to the TC 24. After a spike and an incompletion, Jones’ last heave was just over the head of his receiver and intercepted as the clock went to zeros.
VestaviaVoice.com
December 2014 • B17
Vestavia Hills Real Estate Listings MLS #
Zip
Address
Status
Price
614903
35216
2833 Seven Oaks Circle
New
$229,000
614911
35216
2637 Southbury Circle
New
$95,000
614768
35243
3922 Asbury Park Lane, Unit 48
New
$134,900
614887
35216
2046 Montreat Parkway, Unit C
New
$94,900
614711
35216
2220 Garland Drive
New
$329,000
614712
35216
2101 Vestridge Drive
New
$378,900
614828
35242
4841 Heritage Hills Way, Unit 902a
New
$432,400
615034
35243
2300 Altaridge Lane
New
$539,900
614919
35242
801 Boulder Lake Court
New
$595,000
614818
35216
412 Vesclub Place
New
$594,000
614251
35226
2520 Yorkmont Drive
New
$209,000
614302
35216
2313 Crossgate Trail
New
$264,900
614207
35216
1700 Carovel Circle
New
$289,900
613966
35242
5105 Clubridge Drive
New
$450,000
614183
35216
1941 Shades Crest Road
New
$485,000
Real estate listings sent to Vestavia Voice by Vinnie Alonzo of RE/MAX Advantage South between Nov. 11 and Nov. 18, Agents and agency vary by property.
2833 Seven Oaks Circle
801 Boulder Lake Court
B18 • December 2014
Vestavia Voice
Calendar Vestavia Hills Events Nov. 22-Dec.1: Over the Mountain Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale. Dec. 5-6: Arts on the Plaza. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fancy Goods Variety. Holiday art show with 10 or more artists represented. Call 978-1451. Dec. 7: Christmas By Candlelight, “Come and See.” 2 p.m. & 6 p.m. Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Singers, dancers, artists and storytellers recall this ageless story of hope, inviting all to come and see the truth of Christmas. Visit shades.org. Dec. 9: Holiday in the Hills Tree Lighting Festival. 6-8 p.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, 700 Montgomery Highway. Visit business.vestaviahills.org. Dec. 11: Christmas Home Tour. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Vestavia Hills. The tour will feature 5 homes. Visit samford.edu/ legacyleague/. Dec. 13: Holiday in the Hills Breakfast with Santa. 7:30-10 a.m. Vestavia Hills Civic Center, 700 Montgomery Highway. $1 suggested donation. Visit business.vestaviahills.org. Dec. 14: Vestavia Hills Christmas Parade. 2 p.m. Liberty Park Sports Complex. Come enjoy the city’s holiday parade featuring the VHHS Band and Santa. Visit business.vestaviahills.org. ec. 14: Jingle Jam: 5 p.m. Worship Center 200, Shades D Mountain Baptist Church. A family experience for preschool and children. Come and have fun and re-discover what matters most about Christmas. Childcare provided for birth-3 years old. Visit shades.org Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. 5 p.m. Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Candlelight fills the air as we celebrate the birth of the Savior. Visit shades.org.
Area Events Dec. 2: Birmingham Boy’s Choir Christmas Concert. 7:30 p.m. Canterbury United Methodist Church. Free. Visit birminghamboyschoir.com. Dec. 3: Red Mountain Garden and Greenery Sale. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit redmountaingardenclub.com. Dec. 4-21: Red Mountain Theatre Company Holiday Spectacular. Wednesdays-Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. Celebrate the holidays with a spectacular display of all your favorite music of the season. Visit redmountaintheatre.org. Dec. 5: So You Think You Can Dance Tour. 10 a.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets start at $45. Visit ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000. Dec. 5-6: Tannehill Christmas Candlelight Tour. 5 p.m. A holiday presentation of historical events based during the Civil War Era. Call 477-5711. Dec. 5-31: Zoolight Safari. 5 p.m. Birmingham Zoo. $8 for non-members, free for members. Visit birminghamzoo. com. Dec. 6-7: Christmas at Arlington. Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. Visitors are invited to step back in time as local decorators adorn rooms of the museum in period holiday
décor. Call 780-5656. Dec. 6,13,14: Babes in Toyland. Saturdays 2 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. Birmingham Children’s Theatre. Child $11, adults $13. Call 458-8181. Dec. 7: Jam4Sam. 5-9 p.m. Workplay, 500 23rd St. S. Enjoy live music and raise money to combat childhood cancer. $20 presale and $25 at the door. Dinner included. Visitbhamjcc.org. Dec. 9-17: A Colonial Christmas. 10:30 a.m. and noon. American Village. $25. Visit americanvillage.org. Dec. 11: Holiday Hyjinx. ThursdaySaturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. Virginia Samford Theatre. Lee Ann Brown, Kristi Tingle Higginbotham, Jan D. Hunter and Kristin Staskowski are back and ready to celebrate the holidays with a fun-filled show of comedy sketches and songs. $22. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org. Dec. 12: The Mutt-cracker. 7:30 p.m. BJCC. Presented by Birmingham Ballet. Visit birminghamballet.com. Dec. 12, 13, 14: Holiday Wishes and Dreams Brought to Life on Ice. Friday and Saturday 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena. Call 620-6448 or visit pelhamciviccomplex.com.
Dec. 12-21: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 2:30 p.m. Wright Center, Samford University. Presented by Alabama Ballet. $25-$55. Visit alabamaballet.org. Dec. 13: Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. 8 a.m. Railroad Park. Be a part of the largest holiday 5K race series aimed to fight arthritis. Visit jbrbham. kintera.org. Dec. 13-14: The Nutcracker. Saturday 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. BJCC. Presented by Birmingham Ballet. Visit birminghamballet.com. Dec. 13, 20: Breakfast in Santa’s Workshop. 8:30-10 a.m. McWane Science Center. Bring your little elves to have breakfast in Santa’s Workshop. $20 for adults, $15 for kids. Visit mcwane.org. Dec. 14: Kitschy Christmas. 2 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Create small but interesting vignettes throughout the house using ordinary household objects. $15 members, $20 nonmembers. Visit bbgardens.org. Dec. 18: Blue October. 7 p.m. Iron City. $25. Visit ironcitybham.com. Dec. 19: Trampled by Turtles. 7 p.m. Iron City. $20. Visit ironcitybham.com.
December 2014 • B19
VestaviaVoice.com
Calendar Library in the Forest Events 1221 Montgomery Highway, 978-0158, vestavialibrary.org
Adults Dec. 5: Needleworks. 1 p.m. Love to knit, cross-stitch or crochet? Bring your own materials. Snack provided. All levels of expertise welcome. Dec. 5: Holiday Pinterest Party. 6:30 p.m. Sip wine and create items to give away or keep. Dec. 18: Friends of the Library Holiday Luncheon. 11 a.m. We continue our traditional holiday luncheon celebrating the Friends of the Library.
Teens Dec. 3: Teen Advisory Group. 4:30 p.m. We’ll be teaching you how to make short films and promotional videos for the Teen Departments. Snacks served. Dec. 4, 12: Open Gaming. 4 p.m. Play games on the Wii U, Xbox 360 and more. Dec. 9: Fandom Tuesday. 4 p.m. Come to the library and check out this month’s chosen fandom. Dec. 10: Teen Writing Group. 4 p.m. Build your writing skills and hear feedback from peers. Dec. 13: Minecraft in the Forest. 1 p.m. See if you can make it through the library’s dungeon.
Dec. 23: Anime Movie Night. 4 p.m. Join us for an evening of anime.
Children Dec. 1, 8, 15: Tween Scene. 3:30 p.m. Join us for crafts, activities and volunteer opportunities. Dec. 2, 9, 16: Together with Twos. 10:30 a.m. Appropriate for toddlers with short stories, songs and lots of movement. Dec. 3, 10, 17: Story Friends. 10:30 a.m. Stories and songs for preschool children 5 and under. Dec. 3, 10, 17: Skit-tory time. 3:30 p.m. Join Ms. Carol for skits, puppet shows and more. Designed for school-age children. Dec. 4, 11, 18: L.I.F.T. 9:30 a.m. Social play for preschoolers and their caregivers. Dec. 4, 11, 18: Book Babies. 9:30 a.m., birth-12 months. 10:30 a.m., 13-18 months. Story time for children and caregivers. Registration required. Dec. 5: Preschool Pal Presents “Story Book Holiday.” 10:30 a.m. Join us as we recreate some of your favorite holiday stories for your entertainment.
Dec. 16: Otaku Time. 4 p.m. Join fellow manga lovers as the read, discuss and exchange manga.
Dec. 9: December Family Night. 6 p.m. One of our favorite puppeteers, Lee Bryan, brings a show featuring Santa and other characters from the North Pole.
Dec. 19: Mario Kart Tournament. 4 p.m. Test your Wii U skill out with a Mario Kart 8 tournament.
Dec. 20: Lego Wars. 11 a.m. Come build Legos with us. First-grade and up.
Take us with you. Award-winning community journalism on your mobile phone. VestaviaVoice.com
Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce 1975 Merryvale Road, 823-5011 vestaviahills.org Dec. 5: Ambassadors Meeting. 7:45 a.m. Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. Dec. 9: Chamber of Commerce Luncheom. 11:30 a.m. Network with other Chamber members and hear speakers on a wide variety of topics. Dec. 10: ROI (Homewood) Professional Networking Meeting. 7:30 a.m. Vestavia County Club. Drury Inn & Suites, 3510 State Farm Road. Call 940-9500. $18, $25 with late reservations. Dec. 16: Business Development Committee Meeting. 8 a.m. Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce.
Vestavia Hills City Council 513 Montgomery Highway, 978-0184, vestaviahills.org Dec. 11: Planning and Zoning Commission. 6 p.m. City Council Chambers. Dec. 18: Board of Zoning Adjustment. 6 p.m. City Council Chambers.
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